Money Money Money

This photo is related to this post at Learning Photography with Neil Creek

My brother Dave (left) and my son Beau (right) playing monopoly .. anyone would think it was REAL money by the look on their faces :)

I just love a good game of Monopoly. You can find out a real lot about another person by the way they play this game I have found. ☺

It has been my families favourite now for a few generations. I was bought up on it and so were my cousins, uncles and aunts. I remember playing with my brothers when I was younger and I bought my boys up on lots of great family orientated interactive games .......... like when we all used to physically be there to play a game together and not against the computer or hitch hiking along the cyber highway.

Think I'm showing my age now .. lol ....... Ohhhh for the good old days.

Class of 77

Peter and I went to see my son Jai's year 12 students perform this play "CLASS OF 77" on Friday night. This was Jai's first play direction as a Drama teacher. It was a very entertaining night.

You can see more photos here in my "Class of 77" set on Flickr

Jai played a small part as a body guard. He is in some of the smaller photos within the mosaics.

The shots aren't very sharp as they were the first photos I took with my new Canon Rebel XTi and I didn't get a chance to work out all the settings. All of the photos were taken with the flash off.

The Play:

Class of 77 is a story about the process of change, of growing up and making the best of what we are confronted with in life. Sure, it’s a comedy, it’s a love story, it’s a musical but essentially it’s about not regretting the past, our youth, and making the most of the present. Live in the moment and plan for the future.

The story revolves around year 12 students attending a school in Sydney’s outer suburbs. The 1970’s was the decade before computers, mobile phones, AIDS and political correctness. Hippies, flares, long hair and women’s liberation were in vogue and life was seemingly more carefree. Two of the main characters Michael and Jenny symbolize teenage romance and the emerging independent female. The Torana boys, the nerd, the liberated hippie, the party boy and the strange exchange student were all stereotypes of this decade.



In the second act we meet our characters 15 years later in the de3cadent, swinging early 90’s. They are adults and in a changed world. Some have become very successful, whilst others have had a more difficult time. Old flames are reignited and each of the characters learns something about themselves. Michael and Jenny need to patch up the hurt and mistrust and eventually find their way through. For all, the last song says it all – the best is yet to come!



Written by: David Hines

David’s background is diverse, encompassing all types of music and theatre. Stating with violin at the age of five he has played in several orchestras and was a member of a number of rock bands playing the Sydney circuit in the 70’s and 80’s. Proficient on many instruments David has written and arranged a wide variety of music. In 1982 he won an award for the music used in a series of television commercials for the Commonwealth Games of that year. David has also had a long interest in theatre and dramatic productions including “Beauty and the Beast” “Grease” “Buddy” “Little Shop of Horrors” and many others. David’s 10 minute musical “The Morning After” was a finalist in this year’s “Short, Sweet & Song” festival in Sydney.

Class of 77 is David’s first full length musical and premiered in Sydney in 2006. Since then there have been over a dozen productions in Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. David is currently working on a second musical TIMELESS which is scheduled for completion in 2009.

Links:

Class of 77

IMBD

I Found Santa

♥ I Love My Santa ♥
Chrissy Downunder

My very own Santa Claus .. My Dad (Frank) ... Gotta luv his rosy red cheeks. You can't see all his hair in this photo as he has tied it back in a ponytail, but it is just as long as Santa's too. This is how I have grown up to know my dad all my life. A full white beard and long silver hair.

He started greying early in his life and by the age and by age 21 he was totally white. Of course throughout his life he is referred to as Santa by just about everyone who meets him Children often stop and stare .. I often wonder if they think he might be Santa as he just as jolly too. The only colour in his wardrobe is black, except for Christmas Days he puts on his bright red Santa T-Shirt for the day.

I love my Santa ♥

Here are some more pics of him in my 'Christmas Day' set.

‘The gift you gave me’

This is something I wrote a few years ago to my eldest son Jai for his 21st Birthday. I couldn't be with him on the night as I was living on the Sunshine Coast in QLD. Jai was attending 'The Academy of Performing Arts' in Ballarat, Victoria. This was read out at his 21st birthday party which was held in Melbourne.

‘The gift you gave me’

I am sending these thoughts, feelings and reflections to you with all my love.
Although I could not be there tonight with you in the physical sense, I am with you tonight as always in spirit.

Let me try to describe the gift you have given to me,
It will be a major task, since it is difficult to describe in just a few words. I will try my best.

Your arrival 21 years ago was marked with anxiety and apprehension.
The journey you were about to embark on, was not one of which had been planned, but was without a doubt ‘meant to be’.

By far, the finest creative gift I could have ever have dreamed of … was you.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON MY 'GATHER'

'Love Is A Moment'

It is Saturday Night and tommorrow is the first day of winter here in Australia .. usually Peter and I are out raging the night away with friends .. dancing .. a few drinks etc .. but at the moment we both have a cold .. 'sniff sniff cough cough' .. and both feeling a little average .. so we are staying in .. having homemade chicken soup, sipping on lemon and honey drinks .. then we played our favourite love songs while sipping on red wine and catching up with our internet friends, blogs, forums etc.

It is so good when you are with someone who is happy just to be there in the same room without having all the chit-chat at times.



I started thinking about how comfortable we both are with just each others company and the love we have for each other. So decided to write a little article about some of our special moments together.

Read the full article here:
'Love Is A Moment' by Chrissy Downunder — Gather