My red breasted singer.........

Living in a town house means I have no garden to tend to.

(Which I very much appreciate since I am definitely no gardener.)

What I do have just outside of the townhouse estate boundary

is a small creek surrounded by a number of different small, large

and in between, trees and bushes.

Whatever those trees may be, birds and bats seem to love them.

There are times when they are laden with crows, magpies,

cockatoos, parrots, kookaburras and the occasional wren.

The creek has been visited by a Jabiru (a very large black-necked stork)

plus a number of amazing looking wading birds which 

is surprising to me. I mean, how did they find my little

creek?

Perhaps the most surprising visit of all was when one

early morning I saw a fabulous little grey fox with a very

fluffy tail enjoy a drink of water.

In spite of all the buildings and even a very busy road,

somehow, this does not seem to perturb certain parts of wildlife.

(Although, the racket that the crows make every morning I 

think I could do without.)

Not being a bird-watcher, I still love listening and watching

birds as they go about their business.

Especially fairywrens and robins.

The way those little birds chatter and tip their back tails...

there's something so endearing and innocent about that to me.

Standing on my deck the other day I heard a bird song

that I don't think I have heard before.

Well, perhaps more chirping than song, none the less,

it caught my attention and as I stared into the foliage

I saw (what I now know is called a red capped robin) a

beautiful little bird with a red breast.

That little bird made such an impression on me that it

made me reach for my paint and brushes this morning.

(Hence the above image.)

Although kookaburras, cockatoos and magpies ''singing''

is impressive, I prefer the subtle and more melodious

''tunes'' of the little birds.

I guess perhaps in musical terms one could liken the

singing of the ''big'' birds to an operatic aria whereas

the little birds singing is more like a gentle folksy lullaby.

Olivier Messiaen, a French composer (1908 - 1992), incorporated

 birdsong into many of his compositions including

some piano pieces that when I first heard them

astounded and excited me.

Suddenly a whole new world of musical inspiration opened

up for me. Armed with pen and paper (sheet music paper)

while at Music school,

I would go on long walks and notate different birdsongs.

And just like Messiaen, at times I would incorporate a few bars

 here and there in my own compositions. 

Although music in my view means different things to different people,

generally speaking I think most of us would agree on that it

is made up by sounds.

(Often organized sounds, such as some kind of harmony,

melody and rhythm.)

While listening to a piano concerto as a small child

I remember asking myself ''what makes music music?''

When I asked my dad what makes music music, he told

me ''people singing and or playing instruments together''.

(Later he decided that no good music was composed after

the 1960's.)

If we can agree on that music consists of sounds,

perhaps we can also agree on that it consists of

organized sounds...how about this:

Music consists of organized sound that can at times stir up

different emotions within a human being.

These days we are so clever that we can record sounds

and then give them a ''pitch'' (a position of a single sound

in the complete range of sound).

You can basically ''cough, sneeze, laugh, etc.'', give it

a pitch and then organize the sounds in what 

could be classified as a ''scale'', and doing so they

can then be used to create a melody.

Throw some harmony on top, add some funky drum beat,

and you have music.

Basically, using a digital sample of any organic sound

can be used and made into a musical composition.

So what makes music music is organized sound, BUT...

what makes music good music....well, that's

in my view entirely subjective.

I find for example the sound of the rolling ocean, the breeze

in the trees, the birds singing, the laughter of children

playing, etc. etc. to be good, yea, even beautiful music.

''Music expresses that which cannot be said and

on which it is impossible to be silent.''

(Victor Hugo)

about the image: ink and water colour on paper

''My red breasted singer''

Internet - the ultimate snoop

Confined to a wheelchair after an accident, a news photographer

spends his time watching the occupants of neighboring 

apartments through a telephoto lens and binoculars.

He becomes convinced that a murder has been committed.

(A basic synopsis of the movie ''The Rear Window'' directed

by A. Hitchcock)

Spending a lot of time in waiting rooms I have noticed that

although there is often a TV-screen one could look at to make

the time pass, often it seems I am the only one doing so.

99% of the time everyone else seems to have their eyes

firmly fixed to their phone screens.

These days, ''snooping'' on others is easy. 

By the click of a ''button'' we are given access to other 

peoples lives. Then again, how true the information we are

given access to is, well, that's another thing altogether.

Shows like ''Ridiculousness'' and ''Catfish'' for example

are just a few examples of what some of us are willing

to do just to grab some attention and or a few seconds of notoriety.

No snooping needed it seems, every day millions of images

are willingly posted by us on different platforms. 

Seems that a lot of us somehow feel compelled to want to share

what we eat, drink, do, say, believe, like, look like, deal with,

experience, feel, etc. etc. etc. with others.

But here's the thing that I struggle with: whatever is posted on the internet

can be trifled with. As far as I can ascertain, there no longer is

any privacy on the internet. Whether words or images, with a bit of

''know how'' all can be edited.

For example:

Here you are proudly posting images showing your weight loss

only to discover that instead of positive feedback some

nasty people have taken it upon themselves to hurl 

abusive and hurtful negative words at you.

Not only that, someone has edited in ''Fathead'' across

your image.

Everyday there are schoolchildren bulling and shaming each

other mercilessly all across the globe. 

Everyday there are adults bulling and shaming each

other mercilessly all across the globe.

Everyday there are people hiding in the shadows

stalking and preying on vulnerable people all across

the globe. 

How many times in history has originally good ideas through

time and in the hands of mischievous people turned out to

open up the possibilities for innumerous acts of crime,

corruption, and all manner of misconduct?

May I suggest that as soon as someone has come up with

a great idea someone else comes up with an idea on how to make

money from that idea and so the corruption begins.

''Let's create a way for people to communicate with loved

ones and friends where ever they are.''

''Oops, how do we keep it private so that others can't

access the communication?''

''Let's make it possible for people to share their photos

with their families and friends.''

''Oops, how do we stop others from accessing those photos?''

''Let's make it possible for people to make comments without

having to disclose their identity.''

''Oops, how do we prevent people from making untrue and

hurtful comments?''

''Let's make it possible for people to do their banking and

other businesses' on the internet.''

''Oops, how do we stop people from accessing other peoples

bank accounts and private businesses?''

''Let's make it possible for people to have all their important

and private information on their smart phones.''

''Oops, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. What if someone loses

their phone or it gets stolen?''

Often it is only in hindsight that we are able to fully understand

the potentials and or possible ramifications of new ideas.

Coal, good then......not now. Oil, good then.....not now.

Plastics, good then...not now. 

After having watched a lot of documentaries on the more

shady aspects of what goes on on the internet I can't help

but wonder if perhaps we should not perhaps be a bit

more cautious about our use of it.

It may make some things way easier and more convenient

then doing things ''old school'' but perhaps making things

easier and more convenient may also make doing some things 

more precarious.

Maybe one day we will say:

 Technology, good then.....not now.

I mean, how many people must have their lives destroyed

by hackers and trolls before we decide to have a deep and

profoundly honest look at where it is actually taking us.

''The Internet gave us access to everything, but it also

gave everything access to us.''

(James Veitch)

about the image: acrylic on paper

Want to feel good? Do something good for someone else........

One of the determining factors as to why I decided

to emigrate to Australia is that I've found most

Australians to be particularly quick to ''lend a hand''.

I have lost count on how many times strangers have

come to my rescue when I have had car troubles, when

I have lugged my music equipment in and out of different

venues, or when giving me advice on how to deal with stings or

bites by one of Australia's many nasty insects.

When the country is going through bush fires, droughts or floods,

people rally and help each other out.

The way I see it, there really is an underlying spirit of ''mateship''

here in Australia.

(Which may be the case in other countries as well, I hope.)

When we struggle it can be easy to forget that others struggle too.

Sometimes, in my view, we can become so cocooned in our own problems

and difficulties that we may become dispassionate toward other

people's hardships.

''Yeah, I know he/she is going through a hard time but I have

enough problems of my own.'' 

''I'm sorry I can't help you, I have my own stuff to deal with.''

''I know they are going through a lot, but aren't we all?''

''Each to their own, I don't want to get involved.''

While practicing the piano one afternoon I could hear

my neighbour's fighting. I could hear the woman crying and

the man yelling. It sounded really scary. I felt I had to do something.

But, just as I was about to run across the road to my neighbour's place

my partner showed up. 

-Where are you going?

-Bob and Stacy are fighting, I have to do something before someone

gets hurt.

-Don't. It's none of our business, don't get involved.

So I didn't. I listened to my partner. I shouldn't have.

Not wanting to get involved is not a good enough reason

(in my view) to ignore someone's tears.

I have learned that if I pretend that something is not

of concern to me when truthfully it is, I lose a piece of

my humanity. Being a human being on a planet inhabited

by a lot of other human beings all equipped with mirror neurons,

 makes us all involved.

Marco lacoboni, Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences,

has this to say: ''Our social dimension would be completely

destroyed without mirror neurons.''

(Mirror neuron= monkey see, monkey do. When we someone cry,

or laugh, we subconsciously ''mirror'' the emotion.)

However, we can choose not to respond to our mirror neurons.

We can pretend not to see drunk on the train, the bully bullying

someone, the man/woman holding a sign saying ''homeless'',

the child crying, the person in a wheelchair pushing a heavily

loaded shopping cart, the old person struggling with his/her

parcels, the person acting ''weirdly'', the teenager harassing

another teenager, etc. etc.

''As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands-

one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.''

(Audrey Hepburn)

Have you ever noticed that when you help someone, somehow that

makes you feel good about you?

According to those in the know, the reason we experience those

positive feelings associated with helping others is that

being pro-social reinforces our sense of relatedness to others.

One of our most basic needs is to feel that we belong.

Belonging, so research say, is crucial to our life satisfaction,

our sense of happiness, and our mental and physical health.

A simple gesture such as ''reaching out a hand'' has the potential

of making someone feel a sense of acknowledgement 

and belonging.

In these turbulent times with so many of us feeling

lost, confused and alone,

put down your i-thingy, your pad, your phone,

and reach out to someone you do not know

with a simple smile,

a simple ''hello''.

And should you see someone in need,

reach out a hand and do a good deed.

''Dare to reach out your hand into the darkness,

to pull another hand into the light.''

(Norman B. Rice)

about the image: acrylic on paper, some editing

in Elements (By the way,...There's a face in the hand.)