Today I went to the Rime Institute in Tecoma.  It’s a marvelous house in suburbia transformed into a Buddhist centre practicing Tibetan Buddhism.  If you’ve ever wanted to try out various forms of meditation or learn more about Buddhist spirituality of philosophy this is such a gentle, low key place with a lovely vibe.

Wondering how to stop thinking, doing, judging and learn how to be, or how to strengthen the ability to be to the point it doesn’t cause boredom, agitation or withdrawal symptoms from Facebook or Nintendo?  Then I recommend this place.

It’s donation basis is highly affordable.  You can attend sessions on an ad-hoc basis and see if its for you.  The Buddhists at the centre are real people, earthy, warm, approachable with none of that floating on clouds false ‘new agey’ thing.  Tibetan Buddhism is steeped in rich history thousands of years old.  This is real, tangible spirituality at your own pace (note, I said spirituality, not religion) and, no, you don’t have to be a vegetarian nor religious to try it out.  Even if you just go along for a new cultural experience, it’s a great atmosphere and as close as you’ll get to the feel of a Buddhist temple in the foothills of Dandenong Ranges (it’s also walking distance from Tecoma station if you want to leave the car at home).

When I was a homeless girl

I had yellow teeth with holes,

Big enough to fall through.

Twenty six years of antibiotics

written on my enamel. Read the rest of this entry »

In 2008 The Aspinauts and I were gathered in a living room improvising with me doing beat poetry as the guys jammed on guitars, drums, keyboards.  It became an anti war protest song, Ladies and Gentlemen.  Luckily, someone hit the record button so when Paul joined us as drummer in 2009 we began to rehearse the song.  It became a powerful, almost Floydian stand out piece of sound art and made it onto the debut album, Broken Biscuit in 2010.

Here’s the video clip made by Oz Thomas, a colorful human and a wonderful poet in his own right.

The Aspinauts are known for their mixture of theatre, spoken word and catchy, evocative songs with meaning.  Having played small independent theatres, we like to connect with the audience, create an intimate atmosphere.  So the concept of house concerts really appealed.  So what is a house concert? Read the rest of this entry »

THE DANCE

Grizzle, grizzle, grizzle grump.
Sore throat you woke me like a broken record.
“But you sounded so good…”.
And I remember myself like a poster glossy and shiny
shredded overnight in my interrupted dreams.

We’ll fingers crossed, hey?
We’ll hope like hell.
‘Cause Jesus ain’t waiting in the sunlight with fairy dust.
and positive thinking won’t buy me a Mercedes
(or an immune system).

Click your heels Dorothy.
Hope ’til your nipples fall off. Read the rest of this entry »

The film may not be in the can but it is in the jar.  The UK autism documentary, Jam Jar, has just been released on Film Baby. Read the rest of this entry »

Three years ago I began an interactive poetry challenge on my blog.   It involved the public sending me 1-2 word titles and I had to send back a poem to each title within 48 hours.

Ranging from surreal, to grungy, from romantic, to funny, from political to symbolic and everywhere in between, the poems were as diverse as the titles sent in.   I gathered them into a collection called Weirdos Like Me.  It’s a collection of poetry, art and surrealism.  Amidst the poetry are also song lyrics to songs by Donna And The Aspinauts with whom I am the lead singer and main singer-songwriter. Read the rest of this entry »

This week, I released my new book, Weirdos Like Me. It’s a collection of art, poetry and surrealism.  And, so, dedicated to all of you living with snow up to your eyeballs, here’s one of the works from the book, entitled SNOW.

SNOW

Confetti soft, it fell, calling me, the girl from a land of sun.

From the window it took my heart.

My feet ran me down the stairs.

I turned, music box dancer in a world of falling sky

And I knew snow. Read the rest of this entry »

After their capture months ago, holed up in PV Studios which progressively filled with Broken Biscuit,  Donna and The Aspinauts’ album,  Broken Biscuit was finally released this week.   Experience the surrealism for yourself.