To impress the girl and her family, I have decided that in 2012, I am going to learn the dance moves below:

Lonely Boy- The Black Keys

Dance: Derrick Tuggle

The event basically aims to spread awareness of the Tibetan issue while also providing a platform for audience members to engage in genuine discussion and debate. Support for the festival has been positive so far, with Senator Bob Brown and Champion Cyclist Cadel Evans all pitching in as ‘Festival Ambassadors’. Author, poet and activist, Tenzin Tsundue, will also be flying in to share his opinions with the audience members.

What is remarkable about the event is that nobody is on the payroll and it is made possible entirely by people who are really passionate and firmly believe in what they are doing. Monetary resources might be limited, but the people behind it, are pushing it as hard as they can. The initiative is definitely 100% at the grassroots level.

The opening night features an amazing concert featuring a fusion of Tibetan singing, Classical Guitar and Hindustani tabla. For more information, including session times, visit www.thetibeteffect.com

The first-ever Tibetan Film and Arts Festival for Sydney is round the corner.

I would definitely choose the harp, especially if it was the Koto.

This tune, with its dynamics and all,  has been haunting me for over three days now:

If I could play this, I would be a happy man.

Although, nobody backed up the $5000 pledge to help her in return of which, she would travel and play for anyone (in Europe), 390 people did support her and she raised over $17k. You can view the not-so-try-hard campaign that Marissa pulled off in the link below:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/marissanadler/help-marissa-nadler-record-her-new-album-0?ref=video

Her latest album is self-titled, and was released a week ago here in Australia on iTunes.

Anyway, I opened the hood, and was introduced to a new world altogether. I absolutely had no clue. However, a colleague at work suggested that I check the radiator. After figuring out where the radiator sat, I managed to have a look inside. Yes folks, there is no coolant in it, and the damn thing is empty. (This is the second time, I have actually opened the hood in the past three months)

Fingers crossed, Maria is able to get back running ASAP.

A few weeks ago, I was on a train when I saw this girl a few seats away from me. She held up a beautiful cardboard box, which she kept looking into every two minutes. A quick/sly glance revealed what she told me was an ‘autoharp’, which captivated my interested. So I did away with all my snobiness/reservations/second thoughts and asked her more about how she got into it, and what songs featured the instrument. What followed was one of the most interesting conversations two strangers could possibly have…. The trip was over before I knew it, and I regret that we did not introduce each other by name.

Another time, I saw this girl seated at the front of a more or less empty train compartment. She had blue highlights on her hair and her lips were painted black. She sure caught my eye, and the photographer in me really wanted to make a portrait. I asked her, and she agreed. This is what I got out that day:

I also met an amazing percussionist once during my first month in Australia, when I was lost and caught the wrong train. We had a great jam (in the empty train) and he introduced me to ‘roto toms’. However, that is a different story altogether.

It is always an adventure meeting new people, even if it is only for five minutes in a place that you normally don’t like.

All this changed when I came across Swedish husband and wife duo, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, who were a support act for Joanna Newsom. I was amazed to hear Mariam Wallentin sing so fearlessly backed by her husband, Andreas on drums. As an example, one of my favourite songs from them is ‘Places’. A highly infectious beat with lively vocals is the best way I could describe this song… And, instead of being just plain boring, it is dynamic, and builds to a climax. (More cowbell please). Other songs like ‘The Course’ are moody and it is hard to conjure that it is only two people making all that sound.

To Wildbirds & Peacedrums, you have won my heart!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

In my hour of despair, the following words of encouragement/empathy/support were offered to me by the lab guy:

“Mard ho kay itna nahi sahe sakte ho?” (Can’t you show some tolerance/resistance? Afterall, you are a man”.

What can I say. Some say that a boy becomes a man when he is old enough to make the right choices and is emotionally graceful… In my case, it was when there was a camera put up in the other end of my digestive tract.

PS: For those waiting to get a colonoscopy, you aren’t the only one… Best of luck, be a man and put up a fight.. Let there be light!
Look you finally have something exciting to talk about.

In my case, I would probably end up like most of the elders that I saw walking around Boudha stupa each morning… prayer beads in hand as I chant ‘Om Mani Padme Hung’ 20,001 times without really knowing what it means. Five rounds maybe (too lazy for any more) and that would do fine….

However just yesterday, I played along with a ukulele group out of which quite a few people were old enough to be my grandparent. They seemed to all have fun, Hawaiian shirt on, beer in hand and a song to sing. Nobody thought that they were ‘senior’ and they certainly enjoyed the company. I noticed a man who had a uke tattooed to his forearm and he probably thought it was still cool. All of them sang songs, some timeless indeed, and a few sang originals which they had written for a friend or loved one.

As I got up the next morning, something had changed. I was not afraid my hair turning grey anymore.