Summer plans

I was walking through town the other day, and it was warm and sunny and beautiful, and I felt like flying through the air. I felt really positive, and like things were fizzing and shaking, trying to leap out of me. Here are some plans for the summer months, some which will definitely happen (*), and others which range from achievable to 'pipe dream'.

1 *Move to a cool new flat in Northcote with three other vegans. Close to work, and a great part of town, yeah!
2 *Go to Melbourne Laneway and Camp A Low Hum
3 *Work over Christmas/New Year at the cinema
4 *Get a tattoo
5 Paste stuff pretty much every night
6 Find work at a cafe, max out my barrista skills
7 Swim more/learn to swim
8 Pash 100-200 babes. One a day would be pretty ideal
9 Explore more abandoned buildings
10 Collaborate with people creatively
11 Learn a few bits of some European languages
12 *Ride my bike heaps

How is your summer looking? If you'd like to be a part of any of these (especially 8 or 10), hit me up

Conceive

A while back, my friend Kiri called. What I'd not mentioned before, but is relevant to this story, is that we broke up because she realised she was gay. We're still really close, and her and her fiance MJ have a lot of gay friends. She mentioned that a couple she knew were looking for a sperm donor so they could have a baby. They'd described the kind of person they were seeking, and Kiri decided that I could be up for the job. It was a big suggestion, and something I thought about a great deal. I thought about 'fatherhood', and what it would mean in this instance. I thought about having a child that was biologically mine, but that I'd not nurture. I thought a little about morals, and felt that the 'right thing' would be to help and donate. And at the most basic level, I saw this as an opportunity to help by providing a key ingredient, so agreed to meet Bec and Michelle.
And it was great. We were on the same page about everything. I would be an uncle/godfather kind of guy; they'd be very open with the child about where they came from; I'd be the donor, they'd be the parents (on the birth certificate, etc). They're a lovely couple, we were all happy, and agreed to go for it. I made two donations of Baby Magic (he he) for Bec, who was going to carry. I guess we make a good combination, as she's pregnant!
They're hoping for a boy, and are due in June. I knew that I was happy for them, but when I noticed my arms flailing and that I was shouting the news to Fran, I guess it really hit home that I'm a part of something really cool and special. I'll keep you posted.

Urban exploration

As you may have picked up, I really like exploring new places. The urban landscape is rich with possibility, and of course there will always be plenty of buildings that are abandoned or in transition. In the last two days, I checked out two beautiful locations.
The Argus Building is located right in town, and has always fascinated me. Sunday afternoon seemed as good as any to check it out, and it was surprisingly easy to get inside. I was alone, and the beauty of abandoned spaces really hit me - the decay, the graffiti, the pigeons, the past/present/future. I was covered with shivers. I made my way on to the roof, and then up the tower.

Klara had written 'love/hate heights', which is exactly how I felt. Oh boy. I was really glad I made it though, and I'll definitely check it out in the future. Definite romantic date location.












Today's adventure was to the Yorkshire Brewery in Collingwood. Fran and I wandered around here a while back, and I was determined to get to the top. And it was pretty easy. It was another battle of nerves with the height, but it's a massive, sturdy silo, so I felt okay.

Kitten of Doom had posted about this place (she seems to love heights...), and these trips were inspired by her and Klara. It's cool to know other people visit, and leave their mark (be it blog posts of tags) - and I like the fun and challenge of experiencing it yourself.

Ships

So, the rather wonderful Naomi and I broke up. She realised she still had feelings for an ex. I joked that it would be good if there were dials with which you could control how much you felt for someone. We both started off not looking for anything too serious, but it became really meaningful, really quickly. Oh, those dials! We'd also said in spite of what happens, we'd be great friends - which is how it's turned out. It got me thinking about friendships, relationships, all those 'ships'.
It feels really amazing that many of the most special people in my life are ex-girlfriends. Girls that I've dated, spent beautiful time with, and loved. I could tell them 'I love you', then and now. Maybe our time together can't help but flow in to our friendship. Perhaps breaking up isn't *that* bad if it leads to such good things. And how does love differ between 'girlfriend' and 'just friends'? I guess it's some kind of continuous spectrum. Before me lies a whole panel of dials, one for each person in my life. They spin of their own accord.

Brain waves

'Listen up, I've got a story to tell', my brain says. I listen, and I hear a familiar story, one my brain tells all the time. It's about my relationships with the people in my life. 'Uh huh... yeah... hmmm....' I think, and I nod along, showing that I'm paying attention. Actively listening. But as I listen, I start to wonder where in my brain this story is coming from. Is it from the Data Centre: backed with truth, and based on knowledge and observation? I can be pretty perceptive about people. Or is it from ol' Irrationalville: a fantastic tale full of wild speculation? It can be hard to tell, cos it's all sounds kind of the same when my brain tells it.
Cogito ergo sum, I chuckle to myself. Yeah, great. Oh boy. Nonstop cogito

Nothing lasts

The MoreArt Public Art Show is on at the moment along the Upfield train line. It seems really cool, and I plan to check it out fully in the next few days. I created my own piece to run in parallel with the show, entitled Nothing Lasts. It was there for a couple of days, before being removed. I was really annoyed with this, as I think my idea was great, and it was working as planned. It's frustrating doing things which make public spaces more interesting, only to have them removed. Perhaps it was deemed no different from other graffiti ('tags'). 'Public art' vs 'street art' vs 'tags'; 'a safe community' vs 'a diverse community'.
While my work was removed, it certainly won't stop me from doing more. If anything, I'll strive to create less ephemeral pieces.