Sunday slideshow - Adelaide and Melbourne

I've been travelling lots lately and am looking forward to spending a couple of weeks at home.  My bathroom is looking like a Chinese laundry and I still have a hole in the ceiling of my bedroom and no overhead light.  It's all the little things that fall by the wayside when I'm on the road (in the air really) a lot.

At the end of a long and busy work day, I love to take the opportunity to walk around and observe the different rhythms, personalities and moods of whatever city I'm in.  Yesterday Melbourne took on a different vibe as rugby union fans swarmed through the streets.  It seemed there were more Lions supporters in their red jerseys - or lion costumes! - than Wallabies supporters, but the mood was more subdued today after the Wallabies' one point win.

Here are some shots from Adelaide.

View from the tenth floor from my hotel room.
That's the Adelaide Oval you can see in the distance and the  Convention Centre in the centre.
© divacultura 2013

One of my favourite shots ever, I wandered down a laneway near my hotel and saw this magnificent artwork on the side of an otherwise nondescript building.  The filter I've used has brought out all the vertical dirty streaks which adds to the noir mood.  With the garish lights of the pizza shop, this could be a scene out of "Pulp Fiction".

Art noir - Adelaide.
© divacultura 2013

 Adelaide can be quite off-beat if you know where to look.  I discovered a well-organised and comprehensive second hand book store and loved the thinking behind this book category sign:

© divacultura 2013

 There are so many angles and opportunities for visual wonder at Federation Square.  Here's what captured my eye yesterday when I wandered around the book fair.  The juxtaposition of the hard edges of Federation Square's atrium and the highly decorated curves of the Forum Theatre across Flinders Street is rather marvellous.

Architectural juxtaposition
© divacultura 2013

Observations from the balcony of a Shakespearean drama - aka Australian parliament

Sitting on the tarmac at Adelaide airport waiting for the plane's doors to close, I received a text message from a friend.  The gist was that my friend was watching the news and couldn't believe this was happening again.  I barely had enough time to read it before I was instructed to turn my phone off.  I guessed the news to which she referred was probably about the leadership of the Australian Labor Party. I'd briefly caught up on the news while waiting for my flight and it seemed that the leadership rumblings were gathering steam.

The moment we landed and were given permission to turn phones back on, I dived for mine.  My phone went crazy with messages about what was unfolding.  My friends and I often talk politics and as a former union leader they often ask my opinion.

I couldn't contain myself and announced to fellow passengers that Australia had a new Prime Minister and his name was Kevin Rudd.  Again.

I shook my head and worried about the off-handedness with which the office of Prime Minister was being treated by the ALP;  surely changing leaders was the domain of the opposition party?  What would the Australian public think about this attitude?  Would we trust them to hold the high office again?  I worried.  Then I wondered about who would want to be leader in such a situation?  Some would argue that it's a selfless and necessary act to take it on, but that's not my view.  I'm watching a Shakespearean drama play out and believe that the fourth act will see Kevin Rudd sitting on the windswept opposition benches kept company by a few people who didn't resign and managed to hold their seats and some tumbleweeds.  But he'll be leader.  It feels like that's what it's all about.

When I arrived home and turned on the television I started to understand more about what had happened and where people had lined up.  Bill Shorten had previously been one of the leaders to oust Rudd and replace a Prime Minister in his first term with Julia Gillard, the first woman to hold the office.  He swore support for her right up until last night when he switched to back Rudd.  I'd be nervous if he was backing me.  Did he even stop to wipe the knife?

Labor leaders often seem to make their best speeches in defeat.  Julia Gillard was magnificent last night.  I tried to imagine how I would be feeling if I had gone through the same thing.  It was hard to imagine such composure.  The other thing that struck me about her speech was its lack of ego - service was truly at her heart.

The next day, today, former Prime Minister Gillard sat on the backbenches while colleagues sang her praises.  It's a bizarre business, politics.  Prime Minister Gillard was not a perfect leader.  Well the news is that no one is!  No one has been!  No one is likely to be!  Perfection is not required of our male leaders; they seem to be given space to err.  The bar for a woman in the role was set to an unattainable height.

Echoing many of the sentiments on twitter, I now wait for the moment when Kevin Rudd or Tony Abbott is asked about whether their wives are gay, thereby questioning their own sexuality as endured by Julia Gillard. I know that it won't happen. It's not really the point either, for if it did happen it would mean all respect had gone.  I do like to cling to the thought that a new path has been cut and that our second female Prime Minister will not have quite as hard a time and she will have Julia Gillard to thank for that.

When the world's less than perfect - what's your reaction?

It's been a bit bumpy lately.  My work is taking me outside Melbourne regularly.  I'm often working in a place I've never seen and have had no influence or input into the arrangements.  As a hired gun, this is business as usual.

I was recently working with someone for the first time on a particular program.  It's a program with which I'm so familiar I can facilitate it without reference to any of the paperwork.  The program has many different styles of engaging people, involves three rooms and video cameras, delicate timing and a particular set up for all of the rooms.  I have no control over any of this, but the impact of getting it right or wrong is enormous.  Last week, we encountered problem after problem with just about every aspect of the logistics and resourcing. My cofacilitator was becoming increasingly frazzled as she tried to juggle the competing demands on her time during the brief window available to prepare everything before participants started to arrive.

These difficulties were frustrating me too, but I'm very clear about what I can control and the boundaries of my job.  As I sent the person with local responsibility away to resolve one of the issues, my colleague shook her head and asked me how I could just trust that the problem would be resolved.  On one hand, she had a point.  The local coordinator was the person who had not paid attention to all the detail, so in many respects the problems were created by them.  On the other hand, I had no capacity to do two jobs!  I had to let the person get on with what they needed to do.

I had no option but to trust that person.

At first glance it can seem that I work independently, but this is not correct;  I work in a team.  All of the people in that team have different roles and many of us are never in the same place together, yet we all rely on each other.  I need them to fulfill their roles or I can't fulfill mine.  If I fail to deliver then all their work is for nothing.

This week I'm somewhere different and again the world is not perfect.  Lots of little things are not as they should be.  I've got to fulfill my role anyway.  So I take a breath and relax and adjust to the world that it is, rather than resenting the fact it's not the world I need it to be.

Observing reactions of different people is really interesting.  I'm sure that my reactions now are very different from how they might have been a year or two ago.  Understanding what I can influence and what I need to accept is a great thing to have gained.

So what's your reaction?  What do you do when things aren't as they need to be?  Do you roll with it or do you shut down?  Or perhaps you get angry and frustrated?  What could you do instead?

Off the needles.

I've been very productive of late and made some things other than socks!  See anything you like?

"Displaced" hat
© divacultura 2013

 I made this hat with myself in mind.  I was attracted to it because of its unusual asymmetrical construction.  It was interesting to make but it didn't suit me, so I gave it to a friend for her birthday.  It really suits her!

Socks #9 for the year.
©divacultura 2013

 These socks are made in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn and the colour is called Bittersweet.  I gave these to my 84 year old friend Sonia.

Bathmat prototype
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My grandmother used to crochet bathmats out of cotton yarn.  When I saw the Zpagetti yarn made from t-shirt off cuts at my local craft store I thought it would be perfect for a bathmat/floor rug.  I was right!  I adapted this by looking at one of the mats made by my grandmother and counting.  It's very thick and nice underfoot.  I used a 12mm crochet hook.

Mimku shawl/scarf
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 I was wearing my Mimku shawl when a friend said she wanted one just like it.  I offered her mine and then she commissioned her one of her own.  It's a big garter stitch triangle made using Noro Kureyon on 12mm knitting needles.

Cloche
© divacultura 2013

This hat is called Lucy and is a classic cloche with an asymmetrical brim and contrasting band.  I'm pleased that I've finally invested in a "head" to block and model my hats.  This hat really suits me and I can't wait to wear it.  Just waiting for it to dry out after blocking.  I think I'll call my model Lucy after the hat.

Basketweave scarf
© divacultura 2013

This scarf is knitted in basketweave stitch using Schoppelwolle Zauberball which is a sock yarn.  The combination of colour and texture is a match made in heaven.  It seemed to take forever to finish the whole ball of yarn, but I'm really glad I kept going.  The finished scarf is 170cm long which leaves plenty of scope for wrapping.

Socks #8 for the year.
© divacultura 2013

 These socks are made from the Australian Skein yarn called Top Draw Socks.  The colour is called Dolce.  They are soooo soft to wear.

Gaptastic cowl
© divacultura 2013

This cowl is made in superbulky yarn in moss stitch.  Very warm, but also very heavy.  I like the idea of this more than the reality of it.

Sunday slideshow

I haven't shared my photographs for a while.  It's interesting to observe the change in seasons - the different light, colours and mood of the city.

Inside the foyer of the National Gallery of Victory is an extraordinary object - a taxidermied deer covered in glass bubbles.
It's quite compelling to look at.  Everything looks different from different angles; some of the bubbles magnify what's beneath.
© divacultura 2013

Late afternoon at the pool outside the NGV, looking towards the Melbourne Theatre Company theatres.
© divacultura

That's the Eureka Tower peering over the smaller buildings.
Taken from the corner of Sturt Street and Southbank Boulevard through the tram wires.
© divacultura 2013

While listening to a speech at BMW Edge in Federation Square, I noticed the Arts Centre spire.
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Inside the old GPO Building.  There's a clothes shop where my old post office box used to be.
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Here's the entrance to the Regal Theatre's ballroom.  I love the tiles and the gates together.
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One of my favourite corners in Melbourne - Collins and Swanston Streets.
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The new NAB buliding at Docklands, just near Southern Cross Station.
I like the reflections of the building opposite on Spencer Street.
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The Helix Tree is a piece of voice activated sculpture which is currently in Federation Square.
At 5:30pm, every night in June, an a capella choir sings "up the tree" to bring it to light.
It's part of the Light in Winter Festival.  This choir is Soulsong.
I'll be there with my group, Tongue and Groove, soon.
© divacultura 2013

Singing up the Helix Tree.
© divacultura 2013

The upper branches of the Helix Tree.
© divacultura 2013

Walking across the bridge to Flinders Street Station in the gloom.
© divacultura 2013

The Yarra River from the Princess Bridge at about 5:30pm last week.
The warm colours from lights at Flinders Street Station look so inviting.
© divacultura 2013

How has the changing season affected what you see?  How does your home look in the different light?

All photos taken on my iphone 4s and finished using instragram.

My favourite things - this week

It's the day after yesterday and woke up again to more sexism.  This time West Australian radio announcer Howard Sattler thought he'd use the privilege of access to Prime Minister Julia Gillard to repeatedly ask whether her partner Tim Mathison is gay.  That he thought it was okay to ask is bad.  That he harangued and repeatedly asked as he said "I'm not saying this, but people are" is terrible.  That he is "flabbergasted" at his sacking really says something about the man.

Why is this included in a post of my favourite things?  Because the radio station acted swiftly and sacked him.  No namby-pamby suspension and then quiet reinstatement later when everyone has forgotten - gone.  Congratulations 6PR.

Baz Lurhman's film, "The Great Gatsby" took up most of the holiday for the Queen's Birthday on Monday.  I loved the film.  I loved Leonardo Di Caprio's performance and Joel Edgerton and Carey Mulligan.  And the music and the swoon- worthy fashions.  My favourite moment though was the footage of a young Queen Elizabeth II with the message "Happy Birthday Liz" played before the film at Yarraville's Sun Theatre.  "Oh yeah," I thought, "that's right...that's why it's a public holiday today."

Loved this piece on the 10 books people will judge you for reading.  I've read 4 of them and have no intention of reading the remaining 6.  E readers are a god send.  That's all I'm saying.  (I will make no mention of being ensconced in "World War Z - an oral history of the zombie war" at the moment.

It's well and truly winter in Melbourne and I for one am enjoying the chill.  It gives me plenty of opportunity to show off my selection of handknitted scarves and fabulous hosiery and boots.  The rain is a bit annoying, but it hasn't stopped me achieving my daily target of 10,000 steps in the Global Corporate Challenge.

Monday nights and The Voice are still a great moment in a week's television viewing.  The final is on this week and I reckon Harrison will win.  I was sad to see Miss Murphy go - it ruined my perfect record of predicting who would go through.  I will look forward to Danny Ross' album.

Lastly, I need to finish now so I can make some more sourdough toast with a smear of Maggie Beer's pate to accompany a glass of peppery shiraz. Mmmm.

Being a woman in Australia today

It's a hard day to be a woman in Australia.  Yesterday, we were confronted with the disgusting and demeaning description of our Prime Minister Julia Gillard based on body parts with a nasty sexual undercurrent.  Today it's news of emails which are "derogatory and explicit" about women being circulated within the Australian Defence Force.  We're told that some of the perpetrators are senior leaders within the ADF.  All week the air waves have been filled with news about Jill Meagher's killer and his "career" of sexual violence against women and the failures of the parole system to keep violent offenders off our streets.  The coach of the Australian male soccer team also said that "women should shut up in public".

Last night I heard a female commentator effectively saying that while ever female genital mutilation and so-called honour callings exist, no right to be upset about the emails, the "jokes", the snide disrespect and behaviour exists.

Now I'm hearing a male caller to radio saying that sexism seems worse because women scream about it louder these days.

EXCUSE ME!  YES, I'M GOING TO PUSH BACK AGAINST SEXIST BEHAVIOUR AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT.  IT'S NOT OKAY.

When it happens to the Prime Minister and other men with power and authority to act against the perpetrators do nothing, then a general attitude of disrespect flows through the rest of our community.

To me, sexism and sexual harassment are as offensive and damaging as racism.  It hurts to be viewed as anything less than a person - a whole person with intelligence and emotions and talents.   Why should I be viewed differently, treated differently, shown disrespect, have my competence criticised, merely because I am a woman?  I can think of no good reason.

I remember turning up to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission once when I was a union official to represent a group of workers who were mainly men.  A dispute had been notified because of the employer's breaches of the enterprise bargaining agreement which laid out employment conditions.  Because of my capacity as a negotiator and advocate I was often sent to deal with things like this - I could solve the problem.  As I approached the front door I saw this tall, strapping man waiting for someone.  I thought there was a good chance that he was the workplace delegate.

I introduced myself and confirmed he was indeed the delegate.

His response was this: "Oh, so they sent us a girly," as he looked me up and down.

What a position to be put in.  I was reduced to being a vagina and breasts which in his mind seemed to mean I also had no brain.

Luckily I was sure of my capacities and knew that I had the backing and respect of the senior men within the union.  I gave him the opportunity to recover: "Sorry?  I didn't hear you..."

He repeated the same statement.

I shook my head and told him to sit down and say nothing unless addressed specifically.

We were appearing before another "girly" while the employer was represented by a male lawyer.

I won the day on behalf of the members.  From that moment, the delegate thought I was so fantastic I had to contend with him trying to follow me into my hotel room at the end of the day.  He didn't succeed and from that time on he was my greatest champion.

Imagine a world where he had confidence about whoever the union sent to represent the members and judgments of competence would be based purely on performance.  If I had been less experienced and lacked confidence, I could well have failed to perform as a result of his treatment.

At another time I remember being asked by a male employee (who was my junior) if I was considered to have large breasts.  The question was asked in front of other people in a public place.  After I caught my breath I looked him in the eye and asked him whether he was considered to have a small penis.  He blushed and realised what he had done.  I don't know if "tit for tat" is the right way to respond.  I wanted him to feel what I was feeling, to see what it was like to be degraded in that way.  It certainly had that impact.

In the lunch room today, I found myself eating lunch with four other women.  I initiated a conversation about the anti-woman atmosphere.  One of the women related a story of attending a law lecture in her first year at university and the lecturer proclaimed that women shouldn't practise law.  She went onto finish her degree at another university and headed out into a law firm where she was one of two women in the team.  "Team" lunches were held at a club that allowed only men and the boss regularly expressed frustrations about the problems caused by women practising law.

Even watching Celebrity Apprentice the other day, I noticed that in the team of four which had three men and one woman, it was the woman who fetched the soup.

I've worked with some wonderful men.  I really enjoy working with men.  I also enjoy working with women.  I love working with people who are passionate about what they do and enjoy being around others who are passionate and able.  I don't care if they're male or female.  I certainly don't think all men lack respect for women but I do think there's a bad atmosphere at the moment and it starts with the leaders.

So I will make no apology for calling out sexist behaviour.  I will do it loudly and I will keep doing it because that's the only way that people learn.  I hope you will too.

Melbourne International Jazz Festival - closing night with Cassandra Wilson

As I mentioned yesterday, I convened my own private arts festival.  After Saturday's outing to King Kong, Sunday saw me take a seat for the first time in the renovated Hamer Hall for Cassandra Wilson's closing night of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Since enrolling in the jazz vocal course run by Bob Sedergreen here in Melbourne, I've really lifted my game and started attentively listening to jazz again.  I always listen to music but have such eclectic tastes that I can cut whole genres of music out as I hone in on my latest passion.  Most years I attend something at the Festival and semi-regularly go and listen to live jazz around Melbourne.  The main barrier to doing this more regularly is the timetable - jazz musicians tend to play late, even on a school night.

Anyway, before starting the course, I had a vague recollection of the name Cassandra Wilson, but hadn't knowingly listened to her music.  Fellow students and posters around town and press said that she's a great jazz singer.  I thought I should take the opportunity to hear her sing live and bought a ticket on my afternoon walk past through the arts precinct.  I'm really glad I did.

In preparation for the concert I resisted the urge to seek her music out.  It's not often I can go and hear an artist for the very first time.  It was an amazing, joyous and musically rich evening.  Apart from her incredible voice and interpretation, the band was marvellous.  Conversations between harmonica and violin were never so entrancing.  Despite being unfamiliar with the repertoire, I loved the concert and was pleased that I've learned how to listen to new music.  How can that syncopation or funky rhythm be resisted?  It couldn't be.  Well, not by me, anyway.  The woman sitting to my right threw off an aura of unhappiness from the moment she was seated and left part way through the third song.  I didn't mind.

To my left was an Indian couple and they were impressed that I was coming to hear an artist with completely fresh ears.  They looked at me with envy.  We talked about the Festival and other jazz artists we liked and whether or not they played any instruments (they didn't but had a fine appreciation for music).

Hanging sculpture, foyer, Hamer Hall
© divacultura 2013

After the (unnecessary) interval, we were rewarded with some exciting and infectious moments.  The sound in the refurbished Hamer Hall is very, very good and the seats are very comfortable.  I was interested that with the refurbishment, the colour scheme has moved from the dated salmon and flamingo hues to what will soon be outdated orange shades.  I think this will date in a very quickly.   But  I do love the hanging sculpture in the foyer; it's trapezoidal shapes echoing the architecture of Federation Square, the Melbourne Theatre Company's theatres and neighbouring  Recital Centre.  The arts precinct now has thread uniting it from end to end.  I also liked the lighting which reminded me of glow worms dangling from the ceiling.

© divacultura 2013

Apart from loving every moment of Cassandra Wilson and band, I thoroughly recommend the experience of being whimsical and buying a ticket for something/someone unfamiliar.  Afterall, venturing in to explore and experience unfamiliar territory is the heart of art and artists.

King Kong - you've got to see it to believe it

My long weekend was very cultural - "King Kong" on Saturday, Cassandra Wilson at the closing night of the Melbourne International Jazz Festival and "Gatsby" yesterday afternoon.

Phew!

I enjoyed all of them in different ways and will start with "King Kong".

"King Kong" is still in preview and it will be interesting to see whether changes are made before the actual opening.  It is visually and technically spectacular and to echo one of the characters in the show, it has to be seen to be believed!  King Kong himself is amazing. I felt that I was actually looking at this enormous monster, such is the detail of his movements - including facial expressions - and the accompanying sounds.  When he roars and stamps his feet, I could feel the vibrations right up the back of the balcony.

Act one was excellent.  The story clips along and the singing was terrific.  Sometimes I yearned for a united musical identity, rather than the different voices which are inevitable when there are several composers, but I loved the music for itself.

Act two was not as good.  I felt that the story slowed right down and the whole thing became messy.  It was almost resting on the laurels of the spectacle of King Kong, but lacked a real sense of the destruction of King Kong on the rampage through New York.

There is a character called "High Priestess/Cassandra".  I have no idea what this character is doing there.  The actress did a fantastic job, but it slowed the whole story down.  I think the Cassandra name must echo Greek mythology where Cassandra was cursed to know the truth and to have no one ever believe her or listen to her.  She seemed to play a Greek chorus function.  Perhaps.  But really, this is musical theatre and I don't want to think too hard.

In the end, the lack of a hero was a knife in the heart of King Kong the beast and King Kong the show.  Having said that, I'd like to go again later in the season once it has settled in and see what it's like.  It IS thrilling, despite its flaws.

I have a confession to make too...I haven't seen any film version.  I'll remedy that and see what perspective that adds.

Have you seen the show?  What did you think?

Tomorrow, Cassandra Wilson closes the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Stepping up - beating my personal best.

A little while ago I mentioned my participation in the Global Corporate Challenge, a world wide event designed to develop and ingrain an active lifestyle.  This weekend we have our first mini challenge where our task is to beat our previous personal best.

It's clever to do this over a weekend as I've noticed that I'm not nearly as active on the weekends as I am during the week.  I've already been motivated to change this as my lack of activity last Sunday had a huge impact not only on my own daily average steps, but it also dragged my team down.  I felt terrible!

My current daily step average is 10,529 steps and my team average has rocketed up this week and now sits at 10,256!  We only broke the 10,000 average as a team a few days ago.

Yesterday my personal best was about 14 100 steps to beat.  As  I traipsed around the city doing various things yesterday, I actually established a new personal best a day early.  I now have to make more than 15,260 steps today or tomorrow.  I am actually wondering whether I did this with a subconscious awareness that this would mean I'd have a higher target to beat.

I know that it is unlikely to happen today as I'm off to see King Kong this afternoon and have some paperwork to do before that and then a dinner engagement.  That leaves tomorrow, unless King Kong himself chases me from the theatre...or picks me up and shakes me, as one of my team mates pointed out.

I continue to be impressed at the design and philosophy of the Global Corporate Challenge.  The smartphone app is easy to use and allows me to see at a glance how I'm going and enter my steps each morning before I get out of bed and reset my Pulse.  Weekly videos from the coach are personalised, clever and engaging.  They also clearly display the philosophy - it's about starting a habit so that behaviour is embedded and instinctive; striving to beat your best is part of what great winners do and so on.

The problem of the crowded tram stop has also been solved.  I now walk the six stops between Flinders Street and the office when I'm working there.  I had sometimes taken the walk in the afternoons but doing it both ways every time has made a big difference.  Not only am I more active, but I'm also in a happier frame of mind.  I've also noticed that choir nights add to my steps, especially when we sing African songs that are accompanied by walking and stomping.

What's your challenge this weekend?

Where I have been OR What d'you mean it's Thursday?

Contemplation is not always conducive to production.  This is what I have learned in the week since my last post.  I knew that I had been absent, but received a jolt today when a regular reader and friend complained of suffering from withdrawal - "it's been a week since you blogged!" he wrote.  , perh
I'm no less inspired, no less driven to write and still a keen observer of the world.  I am also working most days in a week and they are long and interesting days.  I've joined a new vocal group. I'm taking a jazz vocal class.  I've been going out more in the evenings. I'm in the Global Corporate Challenge.  I've discovered the joy of NOT turning on my computer when I arrive home in the evening, even if it's before 7pm.  My days are starting very early and this necessarily means I can't indulge my natural inclination to be a night owl.

When I started blogging almost two years ago, one of the motivators was the fact that my business was new and I could go for days at a time without working.  While I was short of money, I realised that time was a gift that I hadn't had for a long while.  I decided to use it in a meaningful and constructive way, rather than frittering it away.  It was also part of my personal mental health strategy to stay engaged and purposeful in the world.  My commitment to daily blogging was born.

It didn't take long for my daily writing commitment to turn into a habit, perhaps even a compulsion, and for me to feel my writing fitness improve as I flexed my writing muscles each day.  It's been relatively easy to sustain.  Until recently.  The increase in my (paid) workload has really had an impact.  The balance has changed.  I still love to write and I want to keep divacultura going.  I love hearing from readers and sharing perspectives either here or on facebook.  Over the last week I reached a conclusion, rather than committing to write daily and not fulfilling the promise, I am renewing my vows.

My new commitment is to post (at least) five times a week.

As with all plans I'll be monitoring and am keen to receive feedback. Giving myself a break in this way may even increase my capacity again.  Funny how that can work.

On the subject of the Global Corporate Challenge, I can tell you that after 14 days my daily step average is sitting at 10,100 steps per day and has slipped just below the team average for the first time today.  Reaching my daily 10,000 step target on days when I'm at the desk can be challenging.  To meet this, I'm now walking between Flinders Street and the office instead of taking a tram for six stops.

As I walked to the station this afternoon, here are some of the things I noticed.  I might have missed them if I caught the tram.

Afternoon sunlight on the city.
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This amazing sculpture was on the SES/fire building.
I can't believe I haven't seen it before!
It looks like fire.
©divacultura 2013

Walking up Southbank Boulevard was more like wading as I tackled this pile of fallen leaves.
© divacultura 2013

What do you need to review? What did you notice today?