one is the loneliest number

I have been quite overwhelmed lately....and not in a good way.  I think we speak of being "overwhelmed with love" or "overwhelmed with joy" quite freely, but how often do we share with our friends or family, our feelings of being overwhelmed by merely life itself?

When feelings like this overcome you, you feel guilty and self indulgent given that there are people all over the world dealing with things such as wars or natural disasters on a scale that my little brain couldn't even conceive.  So you don't dwell, you suppress them...and they hide, for another moment or so, until they arise again...and again....until you are forced to ponder them again.  And that's a good thing, because if we're not here to think then life's pretty empty, right?

I have been consumed by aloneness lately.  Not in a melodramatic way, I have just honestly had this aching feeling of being separate and insular from everyone.  I don't know if that has ever happened to you, but if it has, then you know that it is a very confronting feeling.  And not one that you can ignore.  You can try to ignore it mentally, but it's deeper than that, it's heavy on your heart and rises up to your throat.

You realise that you were born alone, you take this journey alone, and you die alone.  And any connections you make along the way are momentary and temporary.

But I also realised that this isn't a bad thing.  It's a good thing, a wonderful thing, an amazing thing.  It's what I am here for, to have this experience...on my own.  It's like having the best piece of chocolate cake and not having to share it.   Sure, you share your life with people, with family and with friends, but at the beginning of the day and surely, at the end of the day, it is YOU that you are left with.  And you better like you, cause it's like that expression "everywhere you turn, there you are".

I watched this video below and it made my aloneness feel like a blessing. Because it is when we are alone, that we are our true authentic self and can enjoy all that life has to offer.

I am alone.  We are all alone.  And I'm cool with that.

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

old dogs are the best dogs

Last Monday night, my old dog Casey who's a 12.5 year old Golden Retriever had a weird wigout episode in the middle of the night.  It was absolutely horrifying, she was vomiting & couldn't stand up without falling straight over.  


The vet diagnosed her with geriatric vestibular syndrome which is where the information which gets sent to the brain gets all mixed up and causes the dog to not understand it's place in space....therefore, their eyes dart back & forth, they vomit & fall over....it's kinda like an epic sea sickness I think. 


Due to her age, we thought it was curtains for our old girl and were absolutely devastated thinking that she could have a brain tumour or something which was causing this to happen.  We carried her around in a sling for the first 3 days, so she could enjoy the sunshine in the yard rather than just lying on her bed inside.


Anyhow, this story does have a happy ending, a hallelujah happy ending, because Casey, my friends is a wonder dog.  


We got her when she was 5 from a breeder who put her into retirement.  She had already had 27 puppies and we wanted to give her a fricken awesome retirement sipping pina coladas & wearing boardies.


I kid you not, this dog has been the most chilled out dog I have ever met.  When my neices & nephews were toddlers, they used to ride her like a pony....that's how chilled out she is.


We took her to a dog chiropractor who did some work on her and after alot of banging & cracking, the rest, I tell you is a miracle.  A week later and she's walking again, prancing at the park and doing Evil Kineval sideroll stunts.....albeit like a wobbly stoner...


So, here's to you Casey..... keep on rockin' in the free world.

art schmart

I recently did some new paintings for an exhibition at St Mel Gallery in Daylesford.  The theme was "Art is for Lovers".


The collection is called "I love her....and that is the beginning of everything."  It is a quote I discovered recently by F. Scott Fitzgerald and everything fell into place for this series based around the theme of Art is for Lovers.  Kyla and I are celebrating 10 years together this year, and when I read this quote, it just hit me in the heart, how poignant that saying is in my life.....because, meeting her, really was the beginning of my everything....(you can vom now if you want).


So, for all you lovers out there, each piece comprises my favourite love quotes of all time.


Some pieces have been sold already, but the remaining ones are on our website.  We have just added a new category of Original Artwork, so if ya wanna check em out, feel free.  They're on display in the shop too.


I picked up a spraycan last year and faced with the option of sniffing it or gettin' crafty, I chose the latter.


Say no to drugs kids x

new tubs on the block

We just got these wicked tubs in at the shop.  They're called Trendy-Tub.  They are all the way from gay Paree and made of recycled industrial materials.  


They have multiple purposes, for storage, as a seat or table, a lampshade...whatever the hell you want really, it's up to you brother.


The graphics on them are all designed by french artists and are incredibly beautiful.


They retail at $200.


Check out these bad boys.

 I heart Paris x x