Kindred Spirits: Quest and Answers

Its equally comforting and startling to find other people are asking the same questions and looking for answers the same way as you are. Its even more heartening when you find that kindred spirit within family or a dear friend.

simple questions and complicated answers...
Perhaps that is why, when asked a very simply question by one of my elementary school students, I was taken completely aback by my inability to answer:

"Sensei... Are you happy?"

Voiced with such complete openness. So naive in its innocence. Not yet jaded or weighed down by the perceived responsibilities and everyday complications of life... as each of us eventually becomes...

I often wonder if I was ever so young...

For a long time after I could not find the words, and I was left to ponder the question late into the evening and many days hence. Sometimes the questions can seem so simple on the surface yet hide layers of complexity underneath... or mayhap I simply complicate them in my own mind :).
Whatever the case, I think I found myself walking through the motions of my recent existence in somewhat of a daze, wondering where in fact I was going with my life. Wondering how I could possibly approach the question, let alone the answer...

In improv as in life...

If you've ever done an Improv workshop you will certainly have heard the instructor saying "In Improv as in life..." as he teaches you the basic tenets of Improv. Its actually quite rewarding to take these lessons to heart and applying it to one's life.

I've listed some of the basic rules of Improv below. They're not hard and fast rules and some I've extrapolated from my limited experience with it.

Try it in your everyday life. Let me know how it goes

1. Always say "Yes! and..."
2. Be positive
3. Fake it till you make it
4. Listen!
5. Run with what you're given
6. Make offers and accept offers
7. Revel in your failures
8. Trust in yourself and your partners
9. Don't be judgmental
10. Direct your focus
11. The more you do it the better you'll get
12. Always be confident even when you have no clue
13. Every reality is valid if you're convincing enough

You can find a collection of Improv commandments here - Rules of Improv

The 'Loz in Translation Festival' collapsing on other festivals

Sydney Festival
Sydney Underground Film Festival
Sydney Film Festival
Hola Mexico Film Festival
Fantastic Planet Film Festival
Latin Film Festival
Sydney Writers Festival
Melbourne International Comedy Festival

The Grind: HBOs 'How To Make It In America'

How To Make It In America (HBO):
Bryan Greenberg & Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi 

BRYAN GREENBERG: This show is all about "The Grind". Its not even about the destination at all. Its "how to make it" - not "making it"... This show is about swinging vine to vine and letting go of that vine and you don't know if you're gonna be able to make that next one. You just gotta keep pushing through. Its all about the journey...

Who doesn't want to be in a different place in their life? See I don't think the grind ever ends. You never get there and that's how you make it. You never make it. You just keep grinding it out.

KID CUDI: And its always good to see a lot of hot girls around.

GREENBERG: And there's that

KID CUDI: That's enough motivation

Home Movies: 'Fight Club' - Marla Singer is the "Big Tourist"

My mate Yagis reminded me of the label "Tourist" from 'Fight Club' (1999)

PREMIER MOVIE REVIEWS - Fight Club (1999)
An “infectious human being”, it’s what Marla calls herself, living off what others throw away, dismiss or simply leave behind – a lunch box, a bridesmaid dress (loved for a day and then forgotten forever), the sexual drive of a man who doesn’t even recognise her (and himself, as a matter of fact) after making love. Marla is a ‘tourist’ because she doesn’t want to belong to the reality she only slides on; she is and wants to be at the margins, watching the picture in disgust, with dismay, but with love too. Exactly like us.

Below are the times I've been a "tourist" sliding into other people's realities, totally recalling another of my favorite conceptual movies - An Ego Trip Compilation

- Home Movies: 'Total Recall' - Ego Trip (A vacation from yourself)

- Ego Tripping with American TG* in Portugal
- Ego Tripping with American TG* II in England
- Ego tripping with Slovakian DK* in Estonia
- Trigger: Day 350 (Ego Trip compilation)

Stuff to do in Europe

Note: I kindly request that you drop any suggestions and links to any cool things I should add to my list

Important Home details:
- German Embassy, Sydney
- Eurail Rail Travel Passes

FESTIVALS IN EUROPE - 2camels.com
In Chronological order

February
Carnival of Venice (Venice, Italy)
Festival Types: Carnival, Street Parade, Party

The Venetian backdrop, truckloads of sumptuos Italian food and wine, a classical soundtrack and a frenzy of fireworks

Berlin Film Festival aka 'Berlinale' (Berlin, Germany)
Festival Type: Film
February 10-20

March
Las Fallas (Valencia, Spain)
Festival Types: Street Parade, Party, Fireworks

If you like your parade floats Herculean, your parties non-stop (and seemingly without end), and you don't mind your celebrations going off with a bang

September
Outlook Festival Croatia (1st-4th September),
Fort Punta Christo, Pula.



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COMEDY
Glasgow International Comedy Festival (Glasgow, Scotland)
Festival Types: Comedy
Month: March

Cat Laughs Comedy Festival (Kilkenny, Ireland)
Festival Types: Comedy, Performing Art
Month: June

Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Festival Types: Fringe, Performing Art, Comedy
Month: August

The Edinburgh Fringe place for three manic weeks in Scotland's beguiling capital, Edinburgh, each and every August. Now established as the world's largest arts festival (with a heavy tilt toward comedy)...

MAY

Liverpool Comedy Festival (Liverpool, England)

Festival Types: Comedy, Performing Art

Month: May

JUNE

Bath Fringe Festival (Bath, England)

Festival Types: Fringe, Performing Art, Comedy

Month: June

JULY

Bedford Fringe Festival (Bedford, England)

Festival Types: Fringe, Performing Art, Comedy

Month: July

Mighty Boosh Festival (Paddock Wood, England)

Festival Types: Comedy, Music - Alternative, Fan Convention

Month: July

Llangollen Fringe Festival (Llangollen, Wales)

Festival Types: Fringe, Comedy, Performing Art

Month: July

SEPTEMBER

Dublin Fringe Festival (Dublin, Ireland)

Festival Types: Fringe, Performing Art, Comedy

Month: September

Greenwich Comedy Festival (London, England)

Festival Types: Comedy, Performing Art

Month: September

Helsinki Comedy Festival (Helsinki, Finland)

Festival Types: Comedy

Month: September

OCTOBER

Leicester Comedy Festival (Leicester, England)

Festival Types: Comedy, Performing Art

Month: October

Belfast Festival at Queen's (Belfast, Northern Ireland)

Festival Types: Performing Art, Music - Varied, Comedy

Month: October

Canterbury Festival (Canterbury, England)

Festival Types: Performing Art, Music - Varied, Comedy

Month: October

Manchester Comedy Festival (Manchester, England)

Festival Types: Comedy, Performing Art

Month: October

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WORLD FAMOUS FESTIVALS

• Cheese Rolling (Coopers Hill, England)
  Festival Types: Sport - Bizarre, Bizarre, Harvest
  Month: May
  
  Whenever you catch a wacky, global sports round-up on the tele chances are they'll feature a bunch of Brits rolling uncontrollably down a ridiculously steep hill, neigh precipice, following a 7 pound chunk of cheese...
  
• San Fermin Running of the Bulls (Pamplona, Spain)
  Festival Types: Bizarre, Traditional, Party
  Month: July
  At noon on the seventh day of the seventh month... for a duration of seven days, the Spanish city of Pamplona
  
• Oktoberfest (Munich, Germany)
  Festival Types: Beer, Party, Traditional
  Month: October
  
  Set on grounds of over 100 acres in the magnificently picturesque Bavarian city of Munich, Oktoberfest has consistently attracted in the region of six million visitors year in, year out since 1980.

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INTERESTSBanksy walking tours
Top 10 Banksy locations in London, walking tour #1
Top 10 Banksy locations in London, walking tour #2
Banksy - Top current London locations

Before Sunset Walking tour (France)

BASKETBALL
Turkish Airlines Euroleague
European Domestic competitions

Watching Allen Iverson play for Besiktas Cola Turka (Turkey, Istanbul)
- Premier League Fixtures

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WRESTLING
UK
Internation Pro Wrestling UK - Upcoming Events
- SITTINGBOURNE, KENT
"No Escape 2011" on Sunday March 6th 2011 @ The Swallows Leisure Centere!
- CHATHAM, KENT
"International Incident 2011" on Tuesday March 8th 2011 @ The Tap 'n' Tin, strictly 18+ only!
Britannia Wrestling (North wales) - 2011 shows
Real Quality Wrestling
All Star Wrestling - 2011 Calendar
XWA Wrestling (Lancashire) - Events, GoldRush February 19, 2011

Germany and elsewhere
Athletik Club Wrestling calendar (Weinheim, Germany)

Final Audit on both sides of 30

Off the top of my Dome in reverse chronological order
T - Oprah House, MCA, BJ Penn@ Star, JayZ + U2 @AcerArena
M - Swimmin and loungin @Cronulla Beach then Northies
S - Drinks and supposed-to-be UFC @Cheers, Dancing @ScaryCanary with Eric and Aaron. Night Parkour @Pyrmont Park
S - Xmas Function Blackjack gig @Bayview Boulevard Hotel, Darlinghurst
F - With Workies: Korean eats @Arisan, Dancing + Drinks @Sharkies, Tug
T - Video Games + Gamblor
W - Beach @Tamarama, Project52 Comedy @Hermanns Bar
T - Improv @Roxbury w/ Sis. MEt up with Robin and Eric
M - Eats @Bettys Soup Kitchen and Drinks @Shady Pines with MeanJean
S - Arcade
S - Eats @Scruffys with Alex
F - Overtime, Dubstep @Gaff
T - MicinHand, Chingalings, Wold Cup bid live site in Rodman costume, apparently I got on some TV and online
W - Overtime
T - Ball then Granville Chicken with workies, Watched 'Due Date', snuck into HP4
M - Went to Jay's to design then workout/sparring session
S - Drinks with Esteban/Andrea @Oscars, hung w Gerome/Fred
S - City fireworks, Clair's bday @Retro
F - Jean Grae/Pharoah Monche w Fred @Metro, Cheers with workies
T - Kevin's Art opening @Mils Gallery, Eats @Madison with Kev's crew, Denise and sis, Chingalings
W - Hung at Yagis
T - Meeting with Jay, Ball with workies, Watched 'Skyline' movie
M - Helped Kevin with his art exhibition
S - UFC 123 at Cheers
S - Harbourside fireworks and theatre, Went to 3WMonkeys and The Loft with Fred
F - SharkBar and Space with workies, Gambling mess at Silks
T - Coogee Beach, followed Guide book to Billy Kwong's
W - Danny Green fight @KingsX Dubstep @World Bar
T - Improv workshop and show, went to Establishment with American met that night
M- Overtime
S - Dressed as Dennis Rodman for Staff Party Cruise, afterparty PBH, crashed at Aaron dope pad
S - Drinks @QuayBar for Jerusha's, Warehouse party @Shirlow St Sydneyham
F - Costume hunting @Paddys, Coffee with random bump-in with Dennies, 'We are what we are' @Hola Mexico Film Festival
T - Bondi Beach, Drinks @Chingaling, Eats @Lounge
W - Chats with Issa
T - Improv @Roxbury, Views of City @Blu Shangri-La, Salsa @Establishment, Eats @City Extra
M - Reggae via tag-along and hookups with Eric and his mates @Basement Circular Quay
S - Drinks and Pizza for Dennis Farewell @HCB
S - Drinking games @HCB Hostel then Gaff for Dennis' Farewell. Slept at Hostel.
F - 'Machete' Premier @Dendy Cinemas, Partying with HCBackpackers crew @Rouge KingsX
T - Dinner with Nate/Eli/Anita @Samurai in Balmain. Went to TigersHQ. Missed opp: Awesome MicinHand lineup
W - Gallery Opening @Paper Mill. Beer Ponged at Wet Wednesday @Scary Canary
T - [Word in Hand] Poetry Slam @Friend in Hand. Partied @The Gaff
M - Hung at Fred's. Reggae @Paddy Maguires on a Rainy day
S - Drink @Oscars. Stumbled on Salsa @Docks. Rockin out @3 Wise Monkeys
S - Went to HalfSleeve 3 on 3 @Maybank Courts before work. Nate's Birthday chats
F - Dinner @Sean's Kitchen with Fam
T - Rock Climbing @St Peters. Hung with Sam, Marnie, Burga + Webber @Newtown and Erskineville
W - Dinner @House with The NMC. Hangin and Improv @Dr Pongs. HipHop @Flinders Hotel
T - Turned 30 hanging with Sam and Marnie. Roamed Bondi and Pancakes @The Rocks
M - 'Social Network' Preview Screening with German hostel kids. Snuck into 'Paranormal Activities 2' afterwards. Partied @Sidebar
S - UFC 121 @Cheers
S - @Sevo RSL
F - Hung with Nate, thought I had work when I had none. Komachi. Pocket Bar. Drinks @The Ivy, Clubbing @Tank
T - Eats @Menja Stumbled on Gallery @Chippendale

Others:
Castle's BDay @Lowenbrau. Clubs and Strips @KingsX. The Eastern.