This Is My Life…

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Kym Hamer

In perusing my weekend-ly dose of Saturday Times this morning, I read that Deborah Meaden – yes the multi-millionaire businesswoman on Dragon’s Den – was a gifted pianist as a child who, upon winning a prestigious music scholarship, decided she wouldn’t do it because ‘all eyes were upon me and it became someone else’s thing.’

She doesn’t say anyone pushed her but does cite her ‘refusal to obey orders’ in the preamble to this tale. I suspect no-one ordered her to ‘do’ anything but rather felt that they were merely encouraging what she loved to do anyway and wanted her to fulfil her promise. But now her passion and talent had an expectant audience and it had stopped being hers.

And in her anecdote of childhood wilfulness, I recognised myself and a lifetime of rebellions and I won’ts flashed before my eyes. If you are regular Gidday from the UK reader, you can probably figure out some of these for yourself, my sudden move to the UK being among the most notable.

But there are many – giving up clarinet as a teenager after 9 years of playing, an all-or-nothing approach to my tertiary choice, a double degree that no-one had heard of (no-one did 2 degrees at the same time then) at an institute of technology, rather than a university. Not playing the corporate ‘open all hours’ game to get ahead, climbing the ladder at a rapid rate anyhow by producing results no-one thought I could. Refusing to fill my life with the work or ambition that ‘society’ suggested I should in the absence of children. And even now walking away – sometimes mentally as well as physically – from the people and the things that don’t work for me.

It took me a long time to reach this point – where my life is mine and mine alone – and to stop feeling battered by the best-intended expectations and good opinions of others. For while my rebellion may have seemed intransient on the surface, it was so often underpinned by guilt and inquisition. Was I cutting off my nose to spite my face? What sort of a person did this make me, this proud and jealously possessive soul? Selfish, impatient, ungenerous, obstinate and righteous?

These were not ‘nice’ things to know about myself.

I look back over almost 9 years in London and I am proud of what I’ve learned from all the challenges I’ve faced here and how my expat experiences have given a different cast to the way I shape my life. That’s not to say that all of those years leading up to January 2004 didn’t teach me a thing or two. Things like resilience, resourcefulness and learning to ask for help (although the last could always use a little more practice than I give it).
Somewhere along the way I learned to believe that saying no was valid, that disagreement was OK. That the love and the listening of close family and true friends really was unconditional, whether they actually liked what I was doing or not. That they just wanted happiness and success for me even though the direction I chose did not appear to be the obvious path to them.

Many years ago, I committed to living a life of complete generosity and inspiration. Little did I realise that the biggest bridge to cross was to be those things for myself first before others.

And in this, I finally learned that all of the ‘theys’ (and that includes all of the ‘yous’ who might be reading this now) don’t have to like my life.

I do.

And that is when I found happiness.

This post is also part of Post of the Month Club – October – pop over to discover more great bloggers.

People In Glass Houses…

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Kym Hamer

I am someone who loves technology.

Not in a really techno-geek, have to have the ‘latest and greatest’ kind of way.

I love the clever ways that technology provides access to new ways of day to day working, convenient shortcuts for the most mind-numbing of tasks and some fascinating and alternatives views of the world.

On top of that, I’m lucky enough to work in the kind of job that’s all about exploring new ideas so there’s not a week that goes past where I don’t find something that makes me go ‘wow’ or ‘that’s amazing’.

And recently I was reminded of a real ‘techno-wow’ moment I experienced earlier this year.

Global glass and ceramic manufacturer Corning has been beavering away to create their very own vision of the future. Each time I watch this, I feel absolutely amazed that this world, that not so long ago would have seemed completely unbelievable, could be possible in my lifetime.

So strap yourself in, open your mind and check this out:

It’s amazing right? And before any of you starts saying it’s all a long way off, evidence suggests that the next generation – not Gen Y but the ones born in the last decade or so – are closer to this futuristic world than we think.

Watch this one year old work an iPad…and then watch her wonder why her motor skills aren’t transferable. Keep an eye on her hands as she tries to ‘activate’ the magazine…

I remember when the film Minority Report was released (only 10 years ago) – it was lauded as visionary and yet so far-fetched. But it would appear that this future is heading our way and much sooner than we think, whether we Gen X-ers and our forebears like it or not.

An unstoppable wave of change is sweeping across the world we live in.

I think I’m ready…

Holy Homage…

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Kym Hamer

This is post number two about my recent sojourn to Barcelona with fellow emergency handbag-ger, A. And I made a promise.

The promise was to inspire you with a post about Antoni Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona’s premier tourist destination and testament to the vision of one of the city’s greatest sons.

The spires of La Sagrada Familia

But now it seems like a really big promise and it’s ended up presenting something of a dilemma for me. Here’s why.

Before I went, I wasn’t really sure I would like it. The whole thing looked crude and indulgent in most of the pictures I’d seen and having visited a cathedral or several in my time, I doubted that anything could really blow me away on the church front. But like all great tourist attractions, you can’t visit a city without at least paying homage to what it deems to be the absolute best of itself.

After lining up for half an hour on Saturday morning, we finally entered at around 10am. And I was blown away…but largely by what I didn’t expect to see.

So I’m wondering whether my sharing here may actually spoil it for any of you inspired to visit for the first time. But a promise is a promise and in the interests of keeping my word, I will do my best to walk the fine line between providing you with a little inspiration and giving the complete game away. I will leave it for you to decide whether you want to stop here/look away now.

First things first. La Sagrada Familia stands in the heart of Barcelona just a 15 minute stroll away from the bustling shopping district of Passeig de Gracia (and not far from our top tapas tip from last post, Bar Mut). It is still a work in progress, begun by Gaudi in 1883 and designated for completion in 2026, a century after his death. (Anticipating that the project would outlast him, Gaudi spent the last 12 years of his life developing the plans so that work on his vision could continue after his death.)

The main entrance is via the Passion facade, which is on the opposite side of the cathedral from the Metro station and which is considerably less photographed than its famous counterpart, the Nativity facade. Make sure you get the audioguide before you start – I know they can be a bit naff but the extra few euros is really worth spending here. And finally, all of the advice says to get here early to beat the queues – also I expect to avoid standing in the fierce heat. We had a 30 minute wait – be patient, good things are to come, as the saying goes.

The ‘tour’ starts with the Passion facade, which traces the story of Christ’s judgement, crucifixion and resurrection, before inviting you to move under the wide arches of the portico and enter the cool sanctuary of the church itself.

The story of Christ’s crucifixion plays out across the Passion facade.

And this is where I gasped out loud – it literally took my breath away.

Gaudi’s vision – of capturing nature’s surreal beauty and presence – is extraordinarily delicate and bold at the same time. Imagine if you will a forest glade, dappled sunlight dripping through the canopy overhead…

Gaudi’s forest…

…and his trees.

Natural light streaming through the stained glass creates its own pallette.

The ceiling forms an ornate and dreamlike canopy overhead…

…lit only with glorious sunlight.

(Note: I took squillions of photos, trying to capture every moment when I turned and gasped at some new aspect – it’s unbelievably difficult to do it justice.)

There’s a brief opportunity to visit the under-construction Glory facade, which is at the long end of the nave-cross, before moving outside again to see the famous Nativity facade, celebrating the birth of Jesus.

The expressive style of the ‘birth’ facade contrasts with the modern starkness of its opposite number at the entrance.

Here’s where angels herald the miracle…

…of the birth of Jesus.

The audiotour finishes by suggesting a visit to the museum and workshops underneath the church. The workshops are…well, working and aside from the history of La Sagrada Familia, you can see the actual models which are created to explore both the aesthetic and practical components of building each intricate piece of this fantastic sanctuary.

Last glimpse of the towering Nativity facade before entering the museum.

We left after a little over two hours, me with a ‘considerable number’ of photos and a flat camera battery. Both awed by the morning we’d spent.

We had an amazing weekend in Barcelona with great food, brilliant weather and some excellent sightseeing and shopping. There are many other things to do which we didn’t have time for but for me, La Sagrada Familia was the piece d’resistance. The luscious cherry atop our Catalonian sundae.

Hope I’ve managed to whet your appetite.

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Other posts in the Barcelona series:
Brave Beauty

This post is also part of the Post Of The Month Club – August 2012

I Come From A Land Down Under…

Posted on August 3, 2012 by Kym Hamer

With the Olympics going on here in London, I’ve read/seen a lot of stuff about Australia and sporting heroes.

Just last night, in the midst of profile after profile on Team GB (as is the perogative of the Host City), Cathy Freeman featured in a montage about ‘The Face of the Games’ for her star turn (both on and off the track) at the Olympics in Sydney in 2000 and legendary Aussie swimmer Ian Thorpe has been a key part of the commentary team at the Aquatics Centre for the swimming events.

Let’s face it, there’s nothing like a sporting great or two to bring out a bit of proud Aussie patriotism.

Today I was reading a post by Aussie-in-Doha, Kirsty Rice called The Fine Print In Your Passport. Just as the company you work for tells you that you are a representative of that company and are expected to conduct yourself as such, Kirsty reveals that same admonishment exists in the pages of your Australian passport. (For those of you that have one that is – the rest of you should check your own fine print.)

For many years, Australian airline QANTAS has run an overseas television campaign featuring Peter Allen’s I Still Call Australia Home, the unofficial anthem for any self-respecting Aussie expat. The line ‘no matter how far or how wide I roam, I still call Australia home’ has always moved me (and most other Australians I know) and reminds me of the enormous pride I feel in being an Aussie amid the eclectic cultural melting pot of London.

But today Kirsty’s post unearthed a new gem and for me, an absolute pearler that covers the two places I’m lucky enough to call home.

So just you remember, I come from a land down under…

…you’d better run, you’d better take cover.

Commuting Gems…Recycling’s Foot Soldiers

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Kym Hamer

Sometimes inspiration come from the most unlikely places.

Tucked into my seat on the train earlier this week, flicking through The Metro with the patter of raindrops on the window in the background, I came across this…

No it’s not a version of MJ’s Bille Jean video souped up for the cyber generation. It’s actually the latest and greatest in the harvesting of natural energy sources.

Pavegen is the brainchild of Laurence Kemball-Cook, a young British entrepreneur who has combined a recycled rubber and polymer mix with a hybrid kinetic energy-harvesting system. Stepping onto the ’tile’ generates between 5 and 8 joules of electricity – a small percentage of this is used to the light the tile while the majority is either stored in a battery or powers the surrounding area.

It might sound like small potatoes but Kemball-Cook took a Pavegen dancefloor to Bestival last year where the grooves of 50,000 festival-goers charged 1,000 mobile phones. They have been installed (Pavegen that is, not the festival-goers) permanently at a school and more recently at Westfield Stratford City.

It’s extraordinary and exciting stuff. Imagine…our ‘energy output’ collected and tranformed into a unique – and boundless when you think about it – source of electricity.

Brings a whole new meaning to the term recycling, doesn’t it?

A Holy Trinity…

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Kym Hamer

Rome is chock full of churches. Every corner you turn there’s another one, beckoning you into its cool, placid interior. So a trip to the Eternal City would be incomplete without a few worshipful visits – and, given the number of ‘working’ churches – more than 900 according to wikipedia – probably unavoidable. And as they say, when in Rome…

Firstly let me say that I did the Vatican Museums and St Peter’s all those years ago on my first visit so I had already deemed a visit there unnecessary. And while I visited more, the three featured here sum up the impact of my religious experiences during the 4 days.

I’ll start with the Pantheon which stands proudly facing the Piazza della Rotunda. From the outside, it looked like all the pictures I’d seen in books and while not top of my ‘must cross Rome to see’ list, I was there, the day was warm and its shaded portico beckoned.

Nothing prepared me for the interior.

The domed ceiling is absolutely huge with the central ocular being the only source of light in the church

The decorative friezes, ceilings and alcoves are fantastically well-preserved and I could only stare (mouth slightly open) at the awe-inspiring surroundings that Hadrian’s Romans built to worship their gods.

This is the tomb of Raphael (Sanzio), the Renaissance architect and artist who was a younger contemporary of Michelangelo and created many great works throughout Rome during his life.

I emerged again into the bright sunlight, feeling the heat on my skin after the cool under the Pantheon’s great dome. After a quick peek at Tazza D’Oro (famed for its coffee but lacking appeal for little ol’ moi with a line of customers extending out the door) and a watering stop at the fountain (you can drink the water from the majority of Rome’s fountains so my water bottle had a real workout), I continued my south-bound meander towards Gesu (more on this further on).

My next stop was completely unplanned and brought on largely by a desire to get out of the heat. (A girl has to pace herself you know – I’m not used to all this 30C plus weather any more and I had a whole 4 days of it to look forward to.) Santa Maria sopra Minerva dates from the 13th century and was built over the ruins of the Temple of Minerva. The piazza is marked by an unusual inhabitant…

This elephant and obelisk sculpture was originally created to grace the Piazza Barberini. The elephant, an ancient symbol of intelligence and piety, was sculpted onto Bernini’s obelisk by Ercole Ferrata

Once inside, the mix of Gothic architecture and Renaissance and Baroque styles is stunning. The cornflower blue of the vaulted ceilings didn’t come out so well in my photos but I’ve includes some other faves here for you.

I loved the simplicity of this stained glass after the intricacy of the painted walls and domes…

…and that it reflected on the walls in all sorts of places.

This is carved in stone, While I get a bit bored looking at a lot of sculpture, I am always fascinated by the movement that can be created from something so inordinately inanimate.

I left to brave the heat again, quietly delighted at my unexpected moment of enchantment here. I set off southwards again, my destination this time being Gesu. Unfortunately, I arrived during closing hours so I returned the next day after re-checking with my trusty Eyewitness Travel Guide that this was worth making the diversion to the same area again.

It was. Just check out the photos below.

Just so you know what to look for on the outside…

I was completely overwhelmed. This really is a beautiful church and anyone coming to Rome must visit (but make sure you don’t turn up between 1.30-4.00pm). I could have taken many more photos but actually spent time sitting, moved, by what I felt around me. It was a poignant and quite spiritual experience just being there.

I remember feeling overwhelmed by the detailed magnificence of the Sistine Chapel when I visited in 2000 but for me, there was a spirituality, albeit different, in all three of these beautiful churches that the Sistine Chapel didn’t have.

The Pantheon for its glorious space and simplicity.

Santa Maria sopra Minerva for the sense of discovery and enchantment.

And Gesu for its breathtaking colour and artistry – and for touching my soul.

Inspired By…Local Colour

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Kym Hamer

This afternoon I have been cosied up on the couch with the Diamond Jubilee River Pageant on telly in the background. The banks of the Thames are alive with cheering folk and British-themed bunting, adding a whole lot of local colour to an otherwise grey and drizzly London day.

But this is not a Jubilee post – having already given a nod to Her Majesty just last week – but rather a celebration of local colour right here in Fab Finchley…at our local railway station.

Finchley Central station is on the Northern Line (High Barnet branch) of the London Underground. It was originally opened in 1867 as Finchley & Hendon on a line that ran between Finsbury and Edgware. In 1872 a branch line to High Barnet was constructed and in 1894, the station was renamed Finchley (Church End). It was incorporated into the London Underground network during the 1930s and took its current name – Finchley Central – on April 1st, 1940.

Last night I went into London to see The Duchess of Malfi at The Old Vic so I set off to catch the tube from Finchley Central as usual. The early evening sky was traditional bank holiday grey and I whizzed through the ticket barrier, down the stairs and on to the open air platform hoping that the skies would not see fit to open upon my arrival there. (Contrary to popular belief, parts of the London Underground are not, in fact, under ground.) And not for the first time, I gasped softly in delight.

You see, Platform 3 (for trains travelling south to London) had been transformed into a riot of glorious Spring colour. I’ve seen this testament to green thumbed locals before but the last few weeks of rain – sun – rain has brought forth vibrant purples, bashful pinks, delicate whites and golden yellows in abundance. And as a picture paints a thousand words, here’s a little photo tour for you that I prepared earlier (I love my HTC Desire):

This was my first glimpse – look at all that glorious colour!

Here’s a little nod to the Olympics – but keep this under your hat. We wouldn’t want the organisers to know!

There was some Union Jack-ery in evidence too…

…and a sweet attempt at prettying up ‘Bill Steamshovel’.

There were also a few quirky critters dotted around.

There were a few of these piggy planters…

…a bee who’d come to see a man about a dog…

..and some sheep (a big ‘un and a lil ‘un).

And what’s this hiding in the grass? More quirk-ery perhaps?

It looks to me like a bunny with ears made of carrots!

Isn’t it pretty? There’s real sense of pride – not to mention fun – evident as you walk along the length of the garden and I caught myself smiling as I discovered each of its quirky inhabitants.

So it’s a big (green) thumbs up to the folk at Finchley Central Tube station for making my damp, grey evening just a little less grey. Well done old chaps!

Women Hold Up Half The Sky

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Kym Hamer

It’s a great title for a post isn’t it? Thought-provoking, controversial with a whiff of feminist rant thrown in.

But I can’t claim any credit. These are actually the words of Chairman Mao. That’s right, the founder of Chinese Communism. Women could what men did, he said.

But don’t despair. I haven’t been off reading anything highbrow. Or anything remotely related to philosophy or Chinese politics (well not intentionally anyway). I filched it from an interview with Angelica Cheung, editor of Chinese Vogue, that appeared in last weekend’s The Times Magazine.

And what it made me think about is our own woman in a man’s world here in UK, Queen Elizabeth II.

Next weekend, we will celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. That’s 60 years as the Head of State in the UK and 15 Commonwealth realms as well as Supreme Head of the Church of England. I still remember her Silver Jubilee in 1977. Australia had a special 50 cent coin made to commemorate it and there was lots of telly-watching at school to enlighten all we convicts colonials about the importance of the occasion.

For all the good it did – I voted for a republic in 1999.

Sorry ma’am.

While my republican views remain firmly in place, I have to admit that there is something quite extraordinary about a woman who commits her life to her country at the age of 25 and still enjoys the kind of public respect and affection that Her Majesty holds today.

Granted there have been ups and downs. But she still appears as poised, active and interested 60 years on. What a fantastic ambassador. She has navigated 12 prime ministers at home and many more of their counterparts abroad, across both her own Commonwealth realm and the world at large.

So as far as I’m concerned, next weekend’s moment in the limelight is well and truly deserved. Here’s to a woman who has seen her nation dutifully, safely, peacefully through a lifetime of challenges.

You could even say she’s held up her piece of sky.

Passage of Time…

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Kym Hamer

One of my most inspiring moments during my recent trip to Dublin occurred at Newgrange in the Boyne Valley. Mum had been disappointed to miss this last time she visited, so this was on the ‘must do’ list for our soujourn in the Emerald Isle. It was awesome – and I mean that in the original sense of the word.

Newgrange is a 45 minute drive north of Dublin and is part of a complex of 40 passage tombs located in the Boyne Valley. It was built approximately 5,000 years ago, pre-dating the Great Pyramids of Giza and, along with neighbouring passage tombs Knowth and Dowth, has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Most famously, Newgrange is recognised for its importance in relation to the Winter Solstice. On the 21st December each year, the rising sun sends shafts of light through the roofbox above the main entrance, the light creeping forward in a point shaped by the walls of the passage to illuminate the sacred chamber at the end before receding for another year. Even more fascinating is that this ritual is mirrored at Dowth at sunset on the same day.

The illuminated passage at Newgrange. Source: http://www.newgrange.com

It is difficult to imagine just how these were built. Much like the more famous temples of ancient Egypt and Britain’s own Stonehenge, there is continued fascination surrounding their positioning and enduring construction methods as well as the role that these monuments played in the life of Stone Age communities.

Evidence has been found of farming in the area as early as 3800 BC but it appears that the main construction of Newgrange commenced in 3300 BC. It is suggested that Newgrange was built to the shape of the ridge and the original ground plan laid out first with both the entrance stone and back stone placed along with the stone at the back of the main chamber as markers.

From about 3000 BC, Newgrange took its final shape. This model shows 4 smaller passage tombs built, some before and some afterwards, in line with Newgrange.

After the final blocking stone was placed, the focus moved to external monuments from 2800 BC for a period of 600 years.

Access to Newgrange is a 4 minute trip by bus from the Visitor Centre and only available with a guide so we booked our places and spent an hour completely amazed….

Newgrange from the Bru na Boinne Visitor Centre

Newgrange is surrounded by stone markers, the significance of which remains a mystery.

Going inside the tomb was completely amazing and included a short ‘re-enactment’ of the Solstice experience. To think that we stood under a 5,000 year old corbelled stone ceiling that no light or water has ever penetrated. Awe-inspring stuff.

There are a number of highly decorated stones at Newgrange both inside and outside the monument. Many show the triple spiral which has featured in carvings as far back as those of the Australian Aborigines 40,000 years ago.

The views from the entrance of Newgrange across the Boyne Valley are spectacular. Most of our visit was beneath sunny blue skies but this moment of cloud gave it something of a portentous feel.

These photos do not come close to doing it justice but how do you capture a sense of history and atmosphere like that? All I can say is that this was my trip highlight, my enchanted moment so to speak. In fact I was so inspired that I entered the lottery to attend this year’s Winter Solstice at Newgrange so keep your fingers crossed for me!

Oh and I get to take ‘a friend’….any takers?

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Interested in finding out more about Newgrange and the passage tombs of the Boyne Valley? Check out http://www.knowth.com/bru-na-boinne.htm

Moments of joy

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Kym Hamer

It’s that time of year when the world looks back, wonders at what it didn’t achieve and makes a promise for the year to come.

Source: pinterest

I’m not really one for New Year, resolutions and all that. It seems pointless to me to wait for one day in the year to reflect and make plans.

But each year, while I don’t make a list, I can’t help but look back at where I’ve been, the unexpected paths taken, the unexpected moments of joy and sadness, and wonder where I might be this time next year.

It reminds me of the words from my favourite poem by Robert Frost:

So both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day

Yet knowing how way leads on to way

I doubted if I should ever come back.

From The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Life has a funny way of showing you the path sometimes so this year there will be no plans, no resolutions for me.

Just a continuing hope to inspire, be generous, find peace and savour moments of joy wherever the road may take me.