Non fiction books read (2019)

Consciousness

• One Mind: How Our Individual Mind is Part of a Greater Consciousness and Why it Matters (Larry Dossey)

Idealism

• The Case Against Reality: How Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes (Donald D. Hoffman)

Nature of the self

• Why Buddhism is true (Robert Wright)
• The Ego Trick (Julian Baggini)

Physics and spirituality

• The Tao of Physics (Fritjof Capra)
• You Are the Universe: Discovering Your Cosmic Self and Why It Matters (Deepak Chopra, Menas Kafatos)
• Reality Unveiled: The Hidden Keys of Existence That Will Transform Your Life (and the World) (Ziad Masri)

Evidence for God

• A Quantum Case For God (Dennis Zetting, Randi Zetting)

• The Case for God: What religion really means (Karen Armstrong)

• The Dawkins Delusion?: Atheist fundamentalism and the denial of the divine (Alister McGrath)
• Why There Almost Certainly Is a God: Doubting Dawkins (Keith Ward)

God and physics

• God and the New Physics  (Paul Davies)
• The God Franchise: A Theory of Everything (Alan H. Dawe)
• The Physics of God: Unifying Quantum Physics, Consciousness, M-Theory, Heaven, Neuroscience and Transcendence (Selbie Joseph)
  
  

Advaita Vendanta

• Reflections of the One Life: Daily Pointers to Enlightenment (Scott Kiloby)
• Vedanta: A Simple Introduction (Pravrajika Vrajaprana)
• Why God Permits Evil and How to Rise Above It (Paramahansa Yogananda)

Course in Miracles

• A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles (Marianne Williamson)
  
  

Creativity & Wisdom

• 100-WHATS of CREATIVITY: One-hundred "What-if?" questions to spark your creativity, unmuck your mind, and break through your mental blocks. (Don The Idea Guy Snyder)
• The Book of Beautiful Questions: The Powerful Questions That Will Help You Decide, Create, Connect, and Lead (Warren Berger)
• The Best Advice in Six Words: Writers Famous and Obscure on Love, Sex, Money, Friendship, Family, Work, and Much More (Six-word Memoir) (Larry Smith)

Habits

• Atomic Habits:  (James Clear)

Aimee's beautiful acknowledgement

Aimee wrote this beautiful acknowledgement at the end of her beautiful book.  It brought tears to my eyes.

To Graeme, my dearest friend and soul brother—thank you for always believing in me. Thank you for your tireless advice and final edit of this book. This book would have never happened without you. Thank you for your patience, kindness and trust in me. You are my biggest supporter and without you, I wouldn’t have the courage to write. There is nothing more precious in life than a true friendship. Thank you for giving me the total freedom to be myself. You were heaven-sent and I know we were brought together to turn my dreams into reality.  

 
As a thank you for editing her book, she got me this absolutely stunning crystal. I really feel transformed by its powerful energy. Miraculous really.

Challenges (2019)

Dex

• Dex addiction (first half of year)
• Days of no dex (3 - 12 day first 6 months)

Health concerns

• Blood pressure
• Bladder

More

• Sense of rush and non-progress with functionality spec
• Sue no will
• Wordpress white screen of death after edit replace (thank you back up)
• Lilo malarkey: self conscious about email to Sharon
• Aimee, Sharon, Lydia walk stilted, self conscious. Anxious with Sharon after coffee.
• Car with Kate - relaxed despite chaos.
• Martin complain re train noises.
• Car mirror knocked off.
• Upset re destruction of mankind. Pissed off with nature.
• Pressure to get car serviced before going away
• Kate gives notice
• Missing my flight from Joberg to Cape Town
• Day after day waking 2 - 4 am, tired later in day
• Sydney fires and drought

Well-being (2018)

Total: 7.2

2019 Highlights

Deva Premal, connections with friends, Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Chobe

Priceless moments

• Deva Premal concert with Lydia, Sharon and Lilo
• Getting to treat my friends at the Fish restaurant after cashing in my coins
• Royal National Park twice with Srini
• Dee Why to Manly with the hiking gang
• Glenbrook with Srini and Rajesh
• Cowan with Gavin and Srini - especially the bracing swim at the end.
• Cherry Blossom Festival with Elna 
• Getting inspiration at art galleries: NSW Art Gallery and Museum of Contemporary Art
• The Powerhouse Museum 
• Sydney CBD with photo meet up
• Wollombi weekend away  - especially photographing all the wacky things at The Forge
• Really feeling the photography muse at Manly after seeing Mary-Ann.
• Sydney CBD with photo meet up 
• Editing Aimee's book at The Botanica and really feeling inspired
• A photography outing to Watson's Bay
• Sculptures by the Sea 
• Manly beach to Manly Heads walk.
• Liz and Mark's wedding where I got to put my new iphone camera to the test.
• Our amazing and unexpected Rugby World Cup win which I watched with Lauren and Christian.
• A trip to Victoria Falls and Chobe with the family.
• Ziplining in Ceres
• Beaverlac camping with Russell, Lisa and Brandon with swims in mountain pools.
• Hikes in Cape Town: Elephant's Eye, Tweede Waterfall, Agatha Gully, Tranquility Cracks 
• An invigorating swim on Xmas day with the family.

Not so happy

• Visiting Srini with Gavin after his accident
• Sue's funeral - where I got to do the slide-show
• The terrible fires Australia has been experiencing

Culinary delights

• Prawn soup  (The Botanica)
• Ko Pla (Thai) with Brendan and Eva
• Ginger drink   (The Botanica)
• Oven roasted vegetables with smoked almonds (my speciality)
• Hummus and Mushrooms  (Grumpy Baker)
• Monkfish with Chris, Xenia, Christina, Shushan
• Meal at Devil’s Pools
• Jo’s rum and raisin ice-cream  

Purchases

• i-Phone 11 Pro
• Canon 90d
• 30 inch screen
• Air conditioning

Service

• Aimee's book at The Botanica 
• Shushann's site

Favourite movies

• Cold War
• Avengers End Game
• Game of Thrones Final season
• Yesterday
• Spiderman: Far from Home
• John Wick Chapter 3
• So You Think You Know Me
• Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
• The Joker
• The Irishman
• Diego Maradonna
• Documentary about Roosevelts

---

2019 Index of Links

Mullumbimby

• Deva Premal concert (Mullumbimby) with Sharon, Lydia and Lilo  (Jan)

Zambia and Zimbabwe

• Victoria Falls
• Chobe

Cape Town  (Dec)

• All posts
• Truth Coffee with Matt and Sam
• Xmas day (beach and dinner)
• Elephant's Eye
• Tweede Waterfall
• Ziplining in Ceres
• Beaverlac camping
• World of Birds
• Photoshoot
• Hike to Agatha Gully (with Russell) 
• Hike to Tranquility Cracks 
• Reunion

Hiking   (13 hikes)

• Elephant's Eye  (Dec)
• Tweede Waterfall  (Dec)
• Beaverlac camping  (Dec)
• Hike to Agatha Gully (with Russell) 
• Hike to Tranquility Cracks 
• Hiking at Cowan with Srini and Gavin (Sep)
• Glenbrook with Srini and Rajesh (Aug)
• Botany Bay with Srini and Rajesh etc. (Jul)
• Dee Why to Manly with the hiking gang (Jun)
• Royal National Park (Wattamolla to Eagle Rock) with Srini (Mar)
• Blue Mountains (Evans Lookout to Pulpit Rock) with Srini (Feb)
• Royal National Park with Srini, Rajesh and Pooja (Feb)
• Illwara Range Grande Escarpment walk with Gavin and Meet Up (Jan)

Walking

• Manly beach to Manly Heads (Oct)
• Waverton stroll along rocks (Sep)
• Walk with Lydia, Sharon and Aimee  (Aug)
• Walk Waverton to Milson's Point (Aug)
• Stroll in Waverton (Jun)
• Walking with Srini after his English exam (Jun)

Weekend away

• Wollombi weekend away (Oct)

Photography

• Sculptures by the Sea (Nov)
• Jacarandas in Kiribili (Nov)
• Birding at Centennial Park (Nov)
• Bondi graffiti (Oct)
• Manly beach to Manly Heads (Oct)
• Chinese Gardens  (Oct)
• Watson's Bay (Sep)
• Sydney CBD with photo meet up  (Aug)
• Sydney Botanical Gardens (Aug)

Catch ups and visits

• Mack and Xenia at the park  (Nov)
• Yogi back in town  (Nov)
• Darling Harbour with Gavin and Srini  (Aug)
• Manly to visit Mary Ann  (Aug)
• Swain Gardens with Des  (Aug)
• Visiting Srini with Gavin after his accident  (Jan)

Festivals

• Newtown Festival with Elna (Nov)
• Cherry Blossom Festival with Elna  (Aug)

Museums and galleries

• Hyde Park and War Memorial (Nov)
• The Powerhouse Museum (Sep)
• St Mary's cathedral (Aug)
• NSW Art Gallery  (Aug)
• Museum of Contemporary Art (Aug)
• Chatswood for Spiderman   (Aug)

Cinema

• Knives Out with Gavin and Srini  (Nov)
• Movies (Vice) with Chris  (Jan)

Eating out

• Lunch at Srini (Oct)
• Frenchy's (Sep)
• Coffee with Chris  (May)

Birthdays

• Mack's 15th birthday (Oct)
• My 49th birthday picnic (Sep)
• Shushann's birthday (Aug)
• Chris with Mack at The Bot  (Jul)
• Fish restaurant with Christina, Chris, Shushann, Xenia (Jan)
• The Flying Bear with Christina, Xenia, Jane (Jan)

Milestones

• Dani has a baby!  (Nov)
• Liz wedding (Nov)
• Srini passes his English exam. Celebrate New Town.  (May)
• Sue's funeral (Apr)

Vists to Jilly

• Visit Jilly in Bowral (Nov)
• Visit Jilly in Bowral (Oct)
• Visit Jilly in Bowral (Sep)

Eckhart evenings

• Eckhart evening (Jul)
• Eckhart (Jan)

Sport and games

• Playing crochet (Nov)
• Chris pickleball (Oct)
• Rugby World Cup win (Oct)
• Kayaking with Chris  (Apr)

Service

• Srini photoshoot (Jun)

Home

• House going up next door
• Building a trellis  (Oct, Nov)

Family

• Jo and the family in 2019

Related

• Spiritual journey (2019)

Spiritual (2018)

Total:  7.3

Discomfort (2018)

Total:  3

Port Stephens

Mack attacked !!

 The email I sent to Liza says it all!!

Hi Liza

I took Mackie for his usual stroll at Brennan Park. He suddenly started to limp badly and I discovered a medium size ant attached to his rear, right foot (latched onto the rear pad)!!!  He was in obvious discomfort, so I carried him home. He lay on the bed and his leg was shaking, still in significant discomfort, and a bit sweaty.  I tried to call you and then to be safe, I took him straight to the vet in St Leonards.  By the time I got there, he was much better, not limping nearly as much.  I showed them the ant (yes I killed it as penance!) and they said if Mack had been bitten on the body, or head, they would have suggested a histomine injection but because a foot, no need. I brought him back and put his paw in iced water for a little while.  He now seems absolutely fine, no limping at all.  I tried to call to get your thoughts before heading to vet, but you were out and about.  The vet very kindly did not charge for the inspection and advice.

Anyway, just wanted to give you an update about our little champion.  Mackie is contentedly snoozing on the bed right now.

Cheers

Site for Christina

I created a web site for my artist friend, Christina, to advertise her art lessons.

View site

Jervis Bay camping

A relaxing weekend with Truc, Tony, Mattie, Grace and Matt.  The highlight was swimming in the beautiful sea and getting close to a stunning red parrot.

Visiting Sue in Montana

Visiting Jilly in Bowral

With Xenia for lunch

My beautiful, flowering cactuses

Going to Christina's art exhibition

Event highlights (2018)

South Africa

• Cape Town
• Mauritious 

Australia

• Mangrove Mountain
• Dunn Swamp (Meet Up and Yogi)
• Hiking in Budawang

Marion

Wisdom Trove

• Upload topics to Wordpress
• Loads of spiritual content
• Life is God’s experience, movie etc, as quotes (after high)
• Approval seeking and joy (summary, other types of wisdom content)
• Aimee sessions, input and ideas
• Realise how NB books are
• Aimee clarity and joy
• Joy quotes and “in a nutshell” 
• Home page redesign (large owl, shaded areas) after Aimee feedback
• Carousel
• Quote and related bullets
• 2nd edition: joy, approval seeking

Spiritual Moments (2018)

High

• Spiritual high (consciousness primary, it’s all God)
• Milson’s Point: It’s all God, Godding
• Working on Life is God's experience.

More

• Reading about consciousness (inner experience)
• Handel Messiah on Sony Headphones
• Rupert Spira books and Youtube
• Flight music, love and insight.