Samsara: The Movie

For anyone out there who hasn't seen Samsara yet, just do. Go watch it. What a great movie! For those who don't know what I'm talking about Samsara is a movie released in 2011 that shows images filmed around the world to a soundtrack. Sounds pretty boring right? Wrong.

I loved this movie. So much so I watched it again recently (which I rarely do with any 'documentary'). It's interesting because with no dialogue or voice-over, no point of view is offered. So YOU are the one who decides what the movie is about.

Obvious scene juxtapositions are offered to the viewer in the forms of birth versus death, the individual and the masses and man-made versus natural creations among others, but no political viewpoints are stated. This is why I find it so intriguing when people describe this movie as "politically charged" or similar.

There are particular scenes in the movie that I find more difficult to watch due to my own political leanings: the chicken tractor (I'm vegetarian and I find images of factory farming difficult to watch) and the women in prison watching the men dance are two such examples. The latter example riles my feminist core because I wish the women were allowed out there to dance too.

However these examples show that it is MY experience, MY life history that makes particular scenes in the movie 'political' - the movie doesn't make them political I do.

So go and watch Samsara. Not only will you watch a beautiful movie and listen to a gorgeous soundtrack, you might just learn a bit about yourself too!

I love the internet

I LOOOOVE THE IIINTERNEEEEET!

Good morning everyone, that's me calling from the hilltops my love for the internet. This morning I have already had 'contact' with four inspiring groups/people via my screen. Firstly, I'm enjoying playing on google plus; a very nice alternative to facebook although probably equally evil when we look under the bed.

Already I have 'met' like-minded people who I can share thoughts and jokes with; I'll probably never meet them in person in my life, but that doesn't matter. Just knowing they're out there is a warming feeling. It gets tiring being the only oddball vegetarian buddhist anarchist among a state of conservatives!

Being able to read the thoughts of people like Leo Babauta in the morning is a truly inspiring way to start the day. Then being able to read amazing messages from great artists (that's you Banksy) lifts me up beyond the drab grey haziness of everyday drudgery.

One day we might not have the freedom to read and find whatever we choose on the internet; maybe through censorship or lack of electricity (after the apocalypse), so enjoy it now! And be aware of the gift you have at your fingertips. Enjoy.

Cruelty Free Money: put your money where your mouth is

Recently I changed my superannuation fund to Cruelty Free Super, when I realised I had no idea where my super was being invested. Considering how unethical most corporations are you can pretty much assume that any money you have invested is being used to break the little guy and stuff the pockets of the rich (all while ruining our environment).

When you hear about ethical investments I assumed these were for rich people who had money to invest, but I realised that your superannuation (and in fact ANY money you have in a bank) is being invested on your behalf. That’s YOUR money paying for deforestation, sweatshops and intensive farming.

Personally I think intensive farming is one of our world’s most horrific practices, and it has a lot to do with why I became a vegetarian 16 years ago. To borrow a line from one of my favourite campaigns, “A world without factory farming is possible. Make it possible”. I’m not going to go into the details here, I’m just using this example as a case in point.

Is there something you feel strongly about? Perhaps you boycott a company you believe to be unethical. Are you sure you aren’t personally funding THAT company with your bank savings or superannuation? Who does your bank invest in? Where is your superannuation invested?

It’s worth asking a few simple questions to find out, and if it all feels a bit hard, then at least there is a superannuation fund you can select which you can be certain does NOT invest in:

• Child Labour
• Human Rights Abuses
• Environmental Destruction
• Intensive Farming
• Live Exports
• Animal Testing

If you want more information then go to http://www.crueltyfreesuper.com.au/. I’m not commissioned to speak on their behalf, I just happen to believe they’re a good company with a good idea: not investing in torture, abuse or destruction.

Where is your money invested?

Becoming a Runner

In two days I will be attempting to run my first 12 kilometre fun run. I have entered and completed 12km fun runs before, but always as a walker.

About eight months ago one of my best friends asked me to do the Perth City to Surf (another 12km fun run) in a year's time with her. She has had her second child and was looking forward to running again, and it was nice of her to give me a year's notice to practice, as I was NOT a runner.

I've signed up for the fun run this weekend as a practice run before the City to Surf, which is a VERY hilly run. So far I've only managed to jog 12kms once in training, and I was very sore the next day so I expect to be in a bit of pain when I write next on Monday; I'll let you know how it went and what time I finish in.

When I first started training in the gym, I hated running. It was hard. My feet hurt. My back hurt. The only reason I kept running on the treadmill was it became apparent that it was the fastest way for me to burn calories (out of the exercises I was doing).

Over time it became easier and I would enjoy setting myself a distance or speed challenge and beating it. Every time I came off the treadmill I was high as a kite and completely exhausted. Once I could run 5kms I entered the 5km Color Run and was surprised to find how difficult it was doing the same distance outside. Running in the sun and wind (instead of air conditioned comfort) across varying terrains was exhausting and I barely made it across the finish line.

This, and the desire to save myself the gym fees finalised my decision to hand in the gym membership and become a runner. At first I was concerned my thrice-weekly running sessions would give way as winter wore on, but I'm lucky enough to have well-lit bike paths in my neighbourhood so I felt safe running after dark on my own and continued my training.

The only equipment I bought was a GPS watch so I could continue to set myself time and speed challenges as if I were on a treadmill. It cost about $130 and my gym fees had been nearly $50 a month so this was paid back in under 3 months of running.

Now I'm starting to take my training a bit more seriously I read running blogs and have found the No Meat Athlete a great help for nutritional advice for vegetarians. Matt is a runner who went vegan to improve his speed and endurance - a great inspiration!

I have found setting myself little goals keeps the training interesting, as well as adding motivation to get changed and go out running in the dark after a long day at work! How do you motivate yourself and what sports work for you?

Authenticity in Personality

While away on my break I was handed a great compliment: I was told I was authentic.
When I asked what this meant I was told that "I am who I claim to be" (I'm paraphrasing); I thanked the person and moved on, however was left with a nagging feeling... am I authentic?

Yes and No would be the short answer. If you get to know me then I agree with the statement above, I live my life based on my own personal moral compass and to a large degree "you get what you see".

However, there is a large gap between seeing me and knowing me. I often joke that if people from work could see me at home (or in the country, where I've been for the last week) they either wouldn't recognise me, or they would get a shock!

At work I dress well, am neat and tidy and come across as a professional, organised person. At home on the other hand, I'm a slob, at best. I'm sure this is normal for a lot of people, but what I'm questioning is the subtler lack-of-correction when people make false assumptions about you.

One example is people who offer to share their lunch, let's say they brought in too much chicken curry and are looking to share. I would be more likely to say, "no thanks" than "no thanks, I'm vegetarian". Why?

Although I'm used to being the only buddhist vegetarian I know, I don't go out of my way to tell people I'm either. If I'm asked a direct question I will answer it honestly but I leave A LOT about myself unsaid and therefore unknown.

Is this being authentic? It doesn't feel like it, but then again, I don't want to be the sort of person that shoves my choices down other people's throats, so I just don't talk about them much.

What does being authentic mean to you? 

First Post Introduction

Inspired by Leo Babauta from ZenHabits I am hereby beginning an attempt to write every day (well, at least every WEEK day). Encouraged to give my rambling thoughts some sense of order I decided to start this blog.

I don’t feel like a ‘natural’ blogger because I am quite a shy person at heart. Also my only previous experience ‘writing’ has been in a diary I kept as a child/teen and some essay writing for various courses I have studied over my life.

See? Already I want to go back and delete the previous paragraph. My inner voice is being critical; “who cares?” and “you don’t write well enough to be interesting”.

Well, it’s a start. I’ve actually considered writing a blog before, but what to write it about? Lack of topics isn’t exactly a problem for me, I have varied interests but compartmentalise my life to such a degree that combining all these topics had just not crossed my mind. That is, until now.

So I will be attempting to blog about these subjects which are close to my heart (these are NOT in any kind of order):

Self-sustainable living

Fashion: with a heavy leaning toward Rockabilly and Vintage

Sewing and other D.I.Y.

Anarchism and Self-Management

Practicing Buddhism

Being Vegetarian (I’m a vegan wannabe)

Dogs and Animal Welfare

Permaculture

Running and other awesome sports like roller derby

Alternative lifestyles

I’m sure there is a lot of ground I will cover otherwise too, as this process unfolds.

Most of all I want to be honest. Honest with you and honest with me. I haven’t always been honest to myself, or those who love me. I want to lose the fear I have of ‘everything coming out’, I don’t know why but I’m afraid if I truly let people get to know me, then they won’t like me anymore.

So I have ‘work’ friends and ‘girl’ friends and ‘couple’ friends but only a handful of people in the world know all the dark parts about me that I usually gloss over. They are the people who have seen me at my worst and have stuck around. True friends. I’m lucky to have even a handful of such amazing people.

Let me finish by introducing some of my favourite blogs/sites of the moment:

The Rockabilly Girl Next Door

ZenHabits

No Meat Athlete

JuliaBobbin

PLEASE feel free to leave any comments, good or bad, all criticism is welcome and will be taken constructively. OK, for total honesty, I will attempt to take all criticism constructively, but if I feel any rage rising I'll go back and read one of my favourite ZenHabits on A Method for Beating Anger, then I'll come back and reply from a better mental place. xxx