Living Lifestyle Magazine December 2018

GENEROSITY ISSUE Indulge yourself in Living

Living Lifestyles

ISSUE 3 | DECEMBER 2018

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A LETTER FROM THE FOUNDER To all our returning readers, welcome back to the third issue of Living Lifestyles. For all our new readers, welcome to an enthusiastic and playful magazine.

Personally, I cannot believe we’re on our third issue already. As a small digital magazine we are growing everyday; seeing it grow into such a progressive addition to the global community makes me proud of what we do.

Now, seeing my dream become a reality as this month’s issue comes alive makes me so excited for everything that has happened and all that’s to come.

For this issue, we will explore the warm-hearted theme of generosity. We have interviewed an array of remarkable people who live life to the fullest in their own unique way.

This month we discover the many amazing and selfless ways individuals live their life and give back to others. As a team, we embraced the feeling of generosity from experiences with the unique and spiritual Aunty Delmae Barton, learning true strength and perseverance with Thalidomide survivor Trish Jackson, creating the sense of Christmas spirit with the lively Paddington, Queensland, Australia community, and many more.

Now take yourself away from all distractions and let us help you discover the possibilities to a greater sense of living.

Kind Gratitude, Sarah Andrew

EDITOR’S NOTE So often, it seems to be about us. We are the focus. We are what’s important. We are the heroes of our own story. Our lives feel fastpaced and hectic, and it’s all about who can get the most in the least amount of time. At times, this cold, self-absorbed ideology can seem overwhelming – to walk out the door, every day, and be greeted by unadulterated selfishness.

In this issue of Living Lifestyles, we want to shatter that illusion.

We want to show you the real face of the world, to demonstrate to you how, in countless different ways, our lives are constantly inundated with acts of generosity.

We want to make you remember how truly good people are, how it’s not about who can get the most, but about who can give the most. We want to display selfless acts, both local and national, and prove that, so often, it’s others who are the heroes of our stories. This is an issue dedicated to selflessness, and we hope that after reading this, you walk away feeling inspired, buoyed by the knowledge that generosity is everywhere even if we struggle to see it.

Duncan Croker

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L to R: Velma Moriarty and Louise Moriarty This issue is dedicated to my mother/Aunty Valma Moriarty who departed from this life earlier this month. A vital member of the Catholic Church and Red Cross Foundation, she was always helping and supporting other people.

She would tell me “Everything is going to be okay, go to the bathroom and wash your face with warm water and know that you’ll always be loved’ You will be dearly missed.

IMPRESSUM FOUNDER Sarah Andrew EDITOR Duncan Croker JOURNALIST / CREATIVE WRITER Emy Rogers DESIGNERS Alice Beikoff Tania McIntosh

Dr. Adriana Popescu Frank Fradella Zoe Coleman PHOTOGRAPHY Tania McIntosh Sarah Andrew cover photo: Santiago Endara GET IN TOUCH www.livinglifestyles.online hello@livinglifestyles.online 0731982414

CONTRIBUTORS FOR ISSUE 3 WRITERS Alec Munro John West Jay Godalosson Pauline Ryeland

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CONTENTS 6

Life and Family

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Paul West Recipes

10 Australian Retail Needs to Shake it Up 12 Kris Hartes 14 Giving the Right Gift 16 Stan Lee: Ever Upward 18 Jonathon Sri 21 Hanasho 22 A Conversation with The Snake Boss 23 Julia and the Bats 24 Ian and Judy Wintle’s ‘Giving Garden’ 26 Percolating into Paddington 29 No Arms, No Worries 30 Aunty Delmae Barton 32 Q-Coast on Straddie 34 A Mad (and Slightly French) Cuppa 35 Ornelle’s Three Course Christmas Special 38 It’s Starting to Look a Lot Like Christmas 40 Paddington’s Christmas Festivities 48 Peter Matic 50 Jewels NY 4

52 Tesla Power

CONTENTS

54 Victor Perton: A Case for Optimism 56 Santa Down Under 58 Capturing Joy in Photography: A Moment in Time 60 A New Dawn for Fitness 61 Five Tips for Healthy Eating 63 Bush Skincare 64 “I’m a Certified Fucking Miracle Working” 66 My Body May Be Paralyzed, But I Am Not 68 Soul Bistro: Generosity From Hong Kong 70 A Sustainable Twist on Hairdressing 73 TradeMutt: Tradie Shirts, Mental Health, and Generosity 76 OneSpace is Making Space for Artists 78 Just Plug and Play: John Stefenatos and Electric Scooters 82 TJ’s Journey: From Addiction to Happiness 83 TJ and Conciousness 84 Five Tips for Improving Small Business Cash Flow 85 Living Life with John West: Family, Introspection, and Yoga 86 Bringing Sex back into Living 88 Tax Tips with Rowan 91 Tools for Transformation 5

Life and Family Digger and Neville

With Paul West - TV host, sustainable farming advocate, and former chef

Sarah: Paul, this issue of the magazine is focused on generosity. Before I ask you specifically about that, would you mind telling our readers a little about yourself – particularly, your working background, and how you ended up hosting the hugelypopular show River Cottage Australia.

to know what to do with it when you had grown and harvested it. And this realisation eventually led to my chef training, although there were still quite a few detours along the way. Some of these included studying permaculture, volunteering in community gardens and hitch-hiking around Australia WWOOFing.

Paul: My working career started in the hospitality industry. I had worked in cafés and other venues before I took on a position as an apprentice chef in a leading Melbourne restaurant. The hours were extremely long and hard, coupled with a remuneration package that can only be described as poor. By the time I had completed the apprenticeship, I was feeling dissatisfied with my job and I knew there must be more.

My wife and I stayed in Tasmania for two years and were prepared to stay much longer when an opportunity came our way that put together all the things we cared about and believed in. Working with nature, growing our food, preparing and cooking that food and sharing that food with customers in the restaurant we worked for or friends at our home – Tasmania delivered all of this, and we learned a lot.

My future wife worked for the same organisation, so that was a great upside to my time there. She shared my dream of looking for more, and eventually we packed all our worldly possessions into our twenty-year-old Hyundai Excel and moved to Tasmania.

I had previously visited Tasmania by myself in my younger years – well before I started working in kitchens. I was taken with its pristine beauty. It was here that I first experienced Willing Workers on Organic Farms, more commonly known as WWOOFing. It was an experience that marked the start of my present journey. I should point out that WWOOFing involves providing labour on an organic farm in return for meals and accommodation. It is a cheap and wonderful way to travel, provided you are prepared to put in some effort.

One of the most formative farms I WWOOFed on showed me a way of life that I hadn’t encountered before. It was owned by an old French guy who grew all his food on his small farm. Even though I grew up in the bush, I had never seen a farm like this before. A source of abundance and peace – I was in awe of this man and his lifestyle.

It was on this farm that I realised that growing food was not enough. You also had

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The opportunity I spoke of was the chance to host a new show called River Cottage Australia (RCA).

This role was strongly contested, with some 1200 applicants. I had only learned of it by chance through a family member on my wife’s side, who suggested I might be a suitable candidate. The audition process was almost closed by the time I learned of the role, and my application got in literally with minutes to spare. Luckily, I got the role, and it was like a dream come true, as this show embodied the life that I both craved and loved. I don’t think anybody was more shocked than me when I got the confirmation that I was the new host of RCA. Sarah: RCA ended after five successful seasons – first on Foxtel, then SBS. Where has your career lead you now?

Paul: I have been extremely lucky to have found ongoing work with the ABC on a variety of TV shows that have taken me all around the country to interesting places. So far, I have hosted three episodes of Catalyst, three of Backroads and quite a few guest appearances on Gardening Australia.

One of the most exciting shows I have the privilege of hosting is the radio show Australia All Over. I am sitting in for Macca [Ian McNamara] as he takes a break before Christmas. The two five-hours shows that I host are on the Sunday mornings leading up to Christmas – the 16th and 23rd of December – talking to other Aussies about where they are and what they are doing in this great country and abroad. I don’t think it can get any better than that.

Sarah: I understand you are in the process of writing a second book – where are you up to with that, and is it more than a recipe book?

Paul West with his kids

Paul: I have been working on the book for the best part of twelve months and it is on schedule to be finished before the end of December 2018.

It will be printed and ready for distribution during the second half of next year. I am currently living in Melbourne, and the book is literally written about what I am growing in the backyard of our house.

The book is indeed more than a recipe book, but, of course, there are enough recipes in it to keep everyone happy. Its real focus relates to the empowerment of people to participate in backyard food growing. I realised during my time at RCA that you don’t need a stand-alone farm to grow your own food. You can emulate the RCA lifestyle right in your own backyard, or even on your balcony. By lifestyle, I mean giving people the ability to work with what they have at hand, and to build a connection with the food they grow, from garden to plate.

Sarah: Your history of growing not only food but growing yourself as a human being – did your parents have a large influence on you in this regard?

Paul: My mother was not only hard-working in the family business, but in addition a keen and successful gardener. She turned the two-acre gravel hill that surrounded our house into a lush and fertile zone. She was not a keen food grower, but the fundamentals for growing food are the same for plants, shrubs and trees. It was a big job and she enlisted labour, mostly free, wherever she could find it. Quite often, I was one of the enlistees, which I didn’t enjoy much at the time, but when I reflect on it, I am grateful because it gave me the ability to work hard in my own gardens later in my life.

My dad is a person who embraces change.

His working life started with an apprenticeship and spread to owning and running several businesses. After retirement, he studied yoga and took up teaching it around the towns of the Upper Hunter Valley.

I grew up in and around those businesses, and I watched my parents interact with people from all walks of life, from the ‘poor but happy’ to the very wealthy. They treated every person with the same respect, no matter who they were or what they did for a living. I think this is an invaluable lesson that I got from them.

Sarah: Now this brings us to generosity. What is your take on that?

Paul: Generosity to me is sharing your abundance with others so that everyone wins.

We live in a dog-eat-dog type of world where everyone wants to win, but winning is often at the expense of others. Step back and share at least some of your wealth – it could be as simple as food you have grown – with those that might need it. This can be deeply rewarding, and, who knows, one day you might be in a position of need, and you can only hope at times like these that what you put out there might return to you in one form or another.

Sarah: Now the question on everyone’s lips – how is Digger the dog going? How is his wild cousin, Neville the cattle dog?

Paul: Digger is fine, but he is missing running through the flank high grass of Tilba and exploring the nearby beaches. He hopes to be back there soon. Neville is calming down a little bit now he is older.

Sarah: Last question – what now for you and the family?

Paul: Next year I am taking the whole family WWOOFing. We are hitting the road for an extended period. I hope to share with them the wonderful experiences that I have had, and how people can work together where everyone is a winner. Importantly, I hope to show them that a meal that might cost $100 in a restaurant can be grown and prepared yourself. The reward is a great meal, accompanied by a generous serve of personal satisfaction.

Written by Jay Godalosson Interviewed by Sarah Andrew Answers by Paul West https://www.lifestylefood.com.au/tv/river-cottageaustralia/ https://www.facebook.com/RiverCottageAustralia

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Paul West’s Summer Suggestions The sustainable farming proponent and award-winning former chef gives us some of his best summer recipes. Enjoy!

Grilled Watermelon Salad Serves 4

Method: 1. Give your grill a really good clean and a light oil, then heat it to high.

2. Brush the watermelon with a tiny bit of olive oil, then combine the sugar, salt, lime zest and chilli and sprinkle it all over the watermelon.

3. Place the watermelon on the grill and cook for 3 minutes on each side.

4. Remove from the grill and arrange on a serving platter.

5. To finish, spoon over the yoghurt and garnish with the lime wedges.

Ingredients: 2 kg. of watermelon, cut into 2 cm. thick wedges 2 tsp. of sugar 2 tsp. of salt 1 tsp. of chilli flakes 2 limes zested and cut into wedges 1 cup of Greek-style natural yoghurt Bunch of mint, picked

Rhubarb Fool Serves 4

Ingredients: 1 bunch of rhubarb (about 500 g.), bottoms trimmed, leaves removed 1 lemon, zest and juice 2 tbsp. of honey 2 cups of Greek-style natural yoghurt ½ cup of almonds A few sprigs of mint

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Method: 1. Cut the rhubarb into 2 cm. batons and place them in a deep-sided saucepan, along with the lemon, honey and ½ cup of water.

2. Place the pan over medium heat, bring it to the boil, then cover it and reduce to simmer, cooking for 5 minutes or so, by which point the rhubarb should be soft but holding its shape.

3. Remove the pan from the heat.

4. To serve, spoon alternating layers of the yoghurt and rhubarb in small glasses, and top with picked mint leaves and coarsely-chopped almonds.

Spiced Lamb Shoulder With Turmeric Rice Pilaf Salad Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients: 2.5 kg. of lamb shoulder, bone in 1 tbsp. of ground coriander 1 tbsp. of ground cumin 2 brown onions, roughly chopped 500 ml. of chicken stock To serve: 400 ml. of Greek style yoghurt 1 bunch of coriander, leaves roughly torn 1 lemon cut into wedges

Rice pilaf salad: 1 brown onion, finely diced 1 tsp. of ground turmeric 1 tsp. of sumac 2 cups of basmati rice, thoroughly rinsed under cold water 3 cups of chicken stock 1 cup of dried cranberries ½ cup of flaked almonds, lightly toasted

Method: The day before: Preheat the oven to 160°C 1. Place an oven-proof casserole dish over medium heat, and add a good splash of olive oil.

2. Place the sliced onion in the dish and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the turmeric and sumac, cook for a further 2 minutes and then add the rice.

4. Give everything a good stir so that the rice is coated with oil and spices, then add the stock and bring it to the boil.

5. Remove the casserole dish from the heat, place a tight fitting lid on and place it in the oven to cook for 45 minutes.

6. Remove the cooked rice from the oven, then spread it out on a tray and place it in the fridge to cool.

7. Once cold, transfer to a container with a lid.

Preheat the oven to 220°C 1. Place the roughly chopped onion and chicken stock in an oven-proof casserole dish, and then lay the lamb shoulder on top.

2. Drizzle olive oil all over the shoulder and then use your hands to rub in the cumin and coriander as well as plenty of salt and pepper.

3. Place the casserole dish in the oven with no lid on and cook for 1½ hours.

4. Reduce the heat to 150°C, place a tight fitting lid on the casserole dish and cook for a further 2-3 hours, or until the meat comes easily away from the bone.

5. To make the rice salad, combine the cold rice with the dried cranberries and flaked almonds.

6. To serve, place some rice salad and lamb on a plate, top with yoghurt and coriander and garnish with a lemon wedge.

All recipes written by Paul West

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Australian Retail Needs to Shake It Up L to R: Emilia Pedersen, Jude Kingston The ever-changing fashion industry is one that both emerging and established retailers struggle to navigate. However, for Jude Kingston from JMK Style, the retail environment comes as second nature. Jude has over twenty-eight years of experience in fashion, working top Australian retailers like Myers and Cotton On. “The fashion industry is a bit like life, it is constantly changing,” she says. Jude also runs her own store, Blaek, on the northern beaches of Sydney, stocking homewares and clothing by mindful designers from around the world.

The Red Carpet to Success Taking a pre-emptive attitude to the fashion industry, valuing customer feedback and evolving with trends plays a big part in the success of organisations in an increasingly cut-throat environment. Jude says that succeeding requires a point of difference.

“What can you give that others can’t?”

This question is especially important when it comes to helping new and emerging designers – something that Jude is very passionate about. “There are so many amazing talents out there and it’s like how do they move forward?” she says. “If I can impart all of my years of knowledge of what I’ve learned and share that with somebody else to see them succeed, then that is what gives me the greatest joy. It is about helping other people to be the best that they can be and really shine in this industry.”

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Jude Kingston

However, Jude feels there are two common struggles faced by emerging designers, the first being planning. “Creative people are exactly that – they are creative and they’re brilliant in their creative skill set.

Unfortunately, they don’t always have the business skill set and that’s fine, and that’s why I like to help.

“In order to succeed and achieve what your dreams are you have to be able to run your business and run it profitably.”

The second struggle for emerging designers is achieving exposure of their brand, and this is where Jude gives her ‘inside edge’.

“There’s a lot of people wanting to get that exposure. How can you take your product out there into the rest of the world and showcase it?” Part of this showcasing takes place at the New York Fashion Week, where Jude has become a familiar face and frequent attendee.

Sustainability in Fashion There’s no doubt that fashion is changing, with the emergence of ‘slow fashion’, and consumers demanding more from brands regarding ethics and sustainability, an expectation labelled ‘circular fashion’ by industry commentators.

“The whole movement around circular fashion is gathering at such speed that we cannot ignore it,” Jude says. She also feels that there is no excuse as to why designers aren’t using recycled, organic, ethically sourced and sustainable materials when there is so much out there. “It simply has to go there because there’s so much waste… the big retailers just churn and burn and we can’t keep doing that to this planet.

“It won’t be very long until consumers go unless that’s part of your ethos, we will not buy your product - so it is going to become the norm.”

However, with a flooded retail market, it can be easy for brands to pose as ethical and sustainable organisations when this isn’t always the case. Jude says to avoid brands that aren’t genuine, look at the supply chain. “If they cannot fully explain to you how they are working … then that poses questions”.

Overall, she believes that consumers are more willing to spend money on products that last. “It’s like the food industry – you can go and spend five dollars and buy a McDonald’s hamburger and know that it’s not going to taste very nice and in half an hour you will be hungry again … or you can go somewhere that has beautiful organic food and it’s made in front of your eyes, it hasn’t been put through a process but that’s going to cost you twenty dollars … I know which one I’d be buying and it is the same sort of thing with fashion”.

Times Are A-Changin’ Retail closures have become commonplace in recent years, with 1.3% of stores expected to close in 2018. Retailers have been hoping that the past five years of the spending drought is a passing phase, but Jude believes this is the new reality. “I don’t think retail will ever be like it used to be – I think people are a lot more consciously and socially aware of where and what they’re spending their

money on.”

Jude also thinks that a flooded market and overseas competitors have had a hand in the demise of the Australian retail market. “We have had a massive flood into the Australian market of international brands and retailers. That has probably had the biggest impact on fashion retail in Australia and, unfortunately, a lot of Australian retailers have waited until the horse has bolted before they’ve gone ‘oh, we need to do something’.

They weren’t on the front foot. You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result and that’s what has happened.”

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, with gaps in the market providing opportunities for small businesses who listen to their customers. “People who are smart and visionary and are prepared to be disruptive and go out on a limb, they are the ones that are going to succeed.”

Another reason for the success of particular retailers comes down to their level of engagement with their customers, and the type of shopping experience they can offer. In the modern marketplace, it’s as much about the experience as the product.

For Jude, it’s about treating customers in a way that makes them feel valued, and she says that it’s not hard. “I don’t think it’s all about online, that’s a component, but it’s more about the experience and where people are focusing their money,” she says.

“Those buoyant and crazy retail days … I don’t think we’ll see those again, it’s different now. Australian retail – we need to shake it up.”

Written by Zoe Coleman https://www.jmkstyle.com/ https://www.facebook.com/jmkstyle/

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Brisbane local Kris Hartas is a rising artist, renowned for his annual artwork submissions into the Broncos annual fundraising auction. This month, we sat down with Kris to find out more about his artistic journey.

When and how did you venture into pen art?

One of my friends, two years ago, fell sick with cancer and at the time I felt pretty helpless. I was searching for things that I could do to lift her spirits, and I decided to draw her a hummingbird. I gave it to her as a gift, and I just said to her, “I hope this lifts your spirits when you’re feeling down.” Seeing the response that had on her, I found that was a bit of a drive to get me moving, and to start doing little bits of art. It showed me how my artwork could affect people like that, and definitely ignited that art journey for me.

Why pens?

I studied architecture and design at uni as a double degree. For my whole degree, I drew all my assignments; I wasn’t the best on computers, but I just found that added an edge to my work. That’s where my love for pens started.

What convinced you to switch from architecture to art in your career?

I think one of the reasons I picked architecture was because I wanted to have a career role where I was drawing every day. There was a tiny little push from my parents too, to reach for the higher-tier jobs like architecture, doctor et cetera. Even in school, I never really considered doing art – it never crossed my mind. Up until I did this for my friend, I never even thought of it as a possible career choice for me. I guess, in a sense, I fell into it.

When you drew this picture for your friend, how did you select your drawing style?

Having the image of the humming bird I had found, made it easier for me to translate it onto the page. Even when I was a lot younger, I used to draw the Dragon Ball Z characters, and as long as I had the image there, or I had seen it enough times, I felt pretty confident that I could translate it to the page.

Even to this day, that is such a pivotal part in the success of my work. I do go to a lot of trouble to source my images and take my own photos. If I have an image I am extremely happy with and I have that connection with, then I am usually extremely confident that I can get it on the page in a certain way so that it will have a presence and power.

Kris Hartas: Pen Art Artist How do you pick what you portray in your artwork? What inspires you?

The bread and butter of the work I do is commissioned work. A lot of people will come to me and they will be looking for something very specific, whether it’s a horse or a picture of their daughter who is a ballet dancer.

With the Broncos, they have come to me with either a picture of hands, or a portrait. Once I kind of have that general idea with them, it’s very easy for me to pick their brain, then to try to work out how I can translate their idea to meet the requirements I need to be able to produce it into a piece of art.

On the other side, there’s the type of work where I set up a photo shoot, then during the shoot I would find myself in a place where it is quite easy to organically produce a certain image. All of it would happen quite naturally.

What was it like working with the Broncos?

Very surreal. It was one of those opportunities where you kind of have to pinch yourself a few times. Especially because one of the first pieces I was asked to work with Sam Thaiday and I was invited around to his house.

Walking in was the first time I had met him…I was trying to play it cool.

What was Sam Thaiday like to work with?

He was lovely, very accommodating, and his hospitality was second-to-none. I also think he could sense I was a little bit nervous, because he was so good at defusing any kind of nerves I had and making me feel like I had

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known him for a while. So that definitely made it better. That really translated to me being able to work with the Broncos, and really gave me perspective and a little boost as to where I’d like to take my career.

Our theme this month is generosity – could you tell us a bit more about the fundraising and charity component of your involvement with the Broncos?

Yeah, I am so happy just to be able to draw as a career, and if I can give and be charitable, then that’s something that’s really important to me. I have a disabled sister, so we always try and give to a lot of children’s charities at the moment, in any way. So, they [the Broncos] do a lot of support for children and stuff as well. That was one of the big things that pulled me in, because I had a heavy attachment to all that already because of what my family has been through. Knowing that was one of the charities that they support, I was on board from the get-go.

How did you become involved with the Broncos?

It was through a friend of a friend who was the event coordinator there, and I was talking to a partner of mine at the time about ways I could look for other avenues where I could take my work. So, we got onto her to discuss it, and she pitched the idea to the events team at Broncos, then I came in for a meeting and brought some of my work with me, having the idea that I was very happy to contribute, and I wanted to give to some of the charities they were supporting. From there, we’ve been able to just build a nice little relationship, then I’ve been able to do some commissioned work for some of the players.

Would you say there are emotions or stories to be found in your art?

Money has never been a big driver for me – I’m not about that. I know it’s an important thing for everyone, but the fact that I can have my artwork out there or in people homes, and for them to feel such a strong connection to my work, that is probably the biggest kick I can get out of doing this as a career. Money is important, but it’s more of an extra kick. The fact that I can draw something then donate it, so a charity can get money from it, is always going to be more important.

At the start it was about here is a nice horse or a nice bird; over the last couple of years, it’s developed further.

Say it is a horse: I always wanted people to envision where that horse is, and what that horse is doing. If the horse’s mane is flying in the wind … if people can imagine the scenario and the context, and imagine the whole environment, you can start going on a journey.

That’s one of the reasons why I tend to crop my work down – you won’t always see the full image, because I want people to start imagining the context that exists around that piece. It is always going to be different from person to person; people are going to imagine it in a different context, in a different environment, doing a different thing, and that’s the beautiful thing about showing people only a segment of the art. It allows people to let their imagination wander. I love that people can interpret my art in a different way, and that it is always going to be individual to each person.

In the Sam Thaiday piece, did you have a particular idea in mind as to how you wanted to portray him?

Yes, absolutely. He was one of the most popular figures, at the time, in the Broncos and in Rugby League. I grew up watching Sam in State of Origin every year, and it was a huge family thing that we used to do. When I sat down with Sam, I said, “I have been watching you for the last decade”, and I told him that I wanted to immortalise him, and to do that, rather than taking a portrait photo of him, I took just one side of him. By shooting a photo with a shadow on the one side of him, and that would give him the most kind of power. He does have quite a recognisable face and facial features. It was even partly his idea, to somehow crop it down and let people imagine.

By portraying him in such a way, we were able to kind of shine a light on him, and also immortalise him as one of the greats.

L to R: Sam Thaiday and Kris Hartas

Interview by Emy-Lee Rogers and Sarah Andrew

https://www.krishartas.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/kris.hartas

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Giving the Right Gift

How many times have you wondered if you got someone the right gift? Do you stress about getting something nice for someone who’s impossible to buy for? There are a few key points you can consider when giftshopping for the Season of Giving that will help relieve your gift-induced anxiety.

First things first – cultural awareness.

Australia is a nation comprising dozens of different ethnicities and cultures, and many have their own unique traditions regarding gifts and gift-giving. Some things may be expected, while others may be taboo. If you’re buying for someone outside of your cultural purview, take the time to do a little research – ask friends or associates from a similar background if there’s any big dos or don’ts.

Once you’ve established what’s appropriate, it’s time to individualise. Think about who you’re buying for – are they a person who likes stuff, or would they prefer an experience, like a night out at the movies or a hot air balloon ride? If they’re ‘that guy/girl who’s got it all’, a thoughtfully-selected experience might be

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more meaningful. However, if, for example, they’re someone who’s moving into a new home, a physical gift would probably be appreciated.

This brings us to our next consideration – practicality versus sentimentality. It’s so easy for people to accumulate stacks of gifts that have been given with good intentions yet remain, to the recipient, little more than decoration. If your beneficiary likes to keep their home clean, tidy and uncluttered, try something on the practical side. For example, cooking utensils or electronic hardware are both inoffensive gift choices that recipients are sure to find useful.

Finally, beware of gifts that are too personal.

Clothes, furniture, jewellery and other tasteoriented items can be risky. If you don’t know a person well, or you’re not sure about their style, err on the side of caution and purchase something that’s safer – or be daring, but include a receipt (just in case).

Written by Duncan Croker

STEVE LANG PHOTOGRAPHY Capture your Christmas Spirit with a portrait for your loved ones Facebook: Steve Lang Photography Email: steve@langimagery.com.au

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Stan Lee: Ever Upward Even if you don’t know Stan Lee’s name on its own, you’re certainly familiar with some of his creations — Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Avengers, the Hulk, the X-Men, Doctor Strange ... the list is long. But what could a string of four-coloured heroes have to do with your life? What possible influence could that have had on you, much less the entire world?

In my work as the creator of The Geek’s Guide to Empowerment, I often tell people that you being you — 100% authentically you — gives other people permission to be themselves, too. And it’s that authenticity, that courage, that willingness to be seen and judged and to do it anyway that the world needs.

Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Leiber) worked in comics for a long time doing grunt work; making sure the inkwells were full for artists, and erasing the pencil lines before it went to press. He wrote a bit, but nothing too remarkable, and at forty years old, with his hopes of ever writing the Great American Novel quickly slipping away from him, his wife Joan said to him, “Stan, try just one more time. But write for you. Write the stories that you’d like to read.”

The result was The Fantastic Four.

Then Spider-Man. Then X-Men. In all of these, Stan Lee created stories that spoke to the human condition — of being in a family, of being a bullied teenager, of being different — and turned them into stories of hope. Of empowerment. Of an ongoing saga of how being different wasn’t wrong, but was what actually made you super.

And maybe you’ve never read a single comic book in your life. Maybe you’ve never sat in the theatre and see any one of the dozens of superhero films that have come along in recent years. But I will bet you dollars to donuts that you know dozens of people who have.

And that matters.

It matters because people like me, who grew up on those stories, had some of our cynicism washed away by printer’s ink. We learned that with great power came great responsibility. We learned that one person could make a difference.

So when you see people take to the streets to protest or fight oppression, you can thank Stan Lee for forming their earliest points of view about justice and fair play.

You can thank Stan Lee for make all of us better, more enlightened, kinder people.

What’s more, had it not been for Stan Lee acting as the tireless champion for comic books as a medium, they would have vanished from the earth decades ago. And that would have been tragic.

There are millions of people around the world today who work in comics, in movies, in art, who would not have a career without Stan Lee. But if you learn nothing else of Stan Lee, I hope you’ll leave knowing that he nurtured a spark of creativity, of joy, of boundless optimism just by being himself.

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His famous catch phrase, “Excelsior!”, is Latin for “ever upward.”

That’s how Stan lived.

And when he left this world on November 12, 2018, millions of us gathered in a collective, virtual hug. We’d lost our father, our grandfather, our favorite uncle. We’d lost the champion of an art form.

But what we’ve gained from his life is immeasurable.

Written by Frank Fradella

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AN INTERVIEW WITH JONATHAN SRI Rapper, Politician, and Activist How do you feel about generosity in politics? Would you be able to discuss a few current issues which you feel embody generosity, or could benefit from more generosity?

To be honest, I don’t see a lot of generosity within the political establishment. A lot of people are very self-serving and self-interested in the [political] environment. Although, there are a few politicians who are in it for the right reason and bring a fresh set of eyes into the game but, sadly, most of the time, they lose sight along the way. The system slowly changes their outlook on life and this changes the way they think about society. In a way, I don’t put the blame on a single person or group; rather, I blame the whole system. In saying that, a lot of the people I work with I believe are very generous. You have to see it to believe it.

Generosity in your ward – does it exist, and, if so, give us some examples.

I hear so any different positive stories from people around this area. Stories of people doing nice things for others without any thought of personal reward – that’s what generosity is! A lot of the time you hear about local residents providing free (or at least cheap) accommodation for those that can’t afford housing. Understandably, for the house owners themselves, acts like this are not profitable, but instead of putting the space on the market to make income, they’ve decided to be generous and help those in need.

I also see a huge amount of generosity from volunteers. People who, week after week, rock up to a local community [group] and donate their time and efforts to various different causes, such as providing food for the homeless and even helping kids learn how to read. There is so much generosity going on that doesn’t get celebrated, but knowing it’s happening is phenomenal.

On the other hand, we’re starting to see a trend where people are busier and have greater demands on themselves to pay mortgages and rent, [are] feeling more stressed [about] their economic situation, meaning they have less time to be generous. At a very young

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age, our current system encourages people to only think about themselves. This is a huge problem. We need to embrace an ideal of radical generosity. One of the key problems in our society is that people are too selfish; we need to be willing to give and to share with others.

What about generosity in your own life? Is that consciously reflected in your daily practices, or is it something you do unconsciously?

I’ll admit that I get a big salary as a counsellor.

I give away half of that, and, even then, I give even more to local charities such as West End Community House, to campaigns regarding housing affordability, and [to] campaigns against poverty. I also try [to] be generous with my time, having it focus more on those [who] are underprivileged and marginalised people in society. I try [to] be generous with everything I have. It almost feels weird about talking about myself.

Your childhood – sketch it out, give us an idea of how the Jonathon Sri we see today was formed.

I grew up in suburban Brisbane on the north side. My dad came over from Sri Lanka when the civil war started. When on holidays, he met my mum in England and got married and was even convinced to move to Australia. I’ve got one younger sister; we grew up living a fairly mainstream suburban existence, but my understanding of my father’s story got me interested in social issues such as racism and refugees. It introduced me to the idea of global injustices.

My mum spent a lot of time working out in remote Aboriginal communities. In those areas, Aboriginal culture is still very strong and people speak multiple dialects and I guess that embodies a different form of life that in itself still holds pros and cons. Spending time out in those communities while my mum was teaching showed me a different side of Australia, and made me more aware of the injustices that First Nations people still experience.

Your start in politics – how did you get in?

Who inspired you? What are your political influences? Why politics?

There are a few key issues that got me interested in politics. One was definitely refugee rights, [and] another one was Aboriginal justice and Aboriginal sovereignty.

Right now, Australia has very awful, inhuman and cruel approaches towards people seeking asylum. There are so many complicated steps and procedures needed to gain access into Australia. If you apply through the UN, you have to wait years and years, so Australia only takes a few thousand refugees a year and there’s literally hundreds of thousands of people in dire situations.

There are some people who are spending their entire lives in refugee camps, waiting for a country like Australia or the U.S to take them. As you may know, what some people have started doing is they’ve decided to jump in a boat and get to our destination. Australia’s response is to turn back the boats or to lock people up and it’s been really cruel and awful to see the way they’ve been treated, even kids and innocent people who have done nothing wrong [and] are just trying to get away from strife.

Even prisoners have a release date. What we’re doing with asylum seekers is we’re keeping them in indefinite mandatory detention. Everyone who comes here by boat, regardless of their circumstance, we lock them up mandatorily, that’s the rule.

What are your plans for your electorate in the immediate future?

One big challenge for my electorate is keeping up with population growth; to do so, we need to see big improvement in public transport.

We want it to be cheaper and more reliable, as well as more frequent, so people don’t have to drive everywhere. It’s a bit crazy that in the city area, people are still driving even if it is for a short trip; we all do it as a response to our below satisfactory transport system – there aren’t enough pedestrian crossings, [and] there aren’t enough bike lanes. We need to make it safer and easier for people to walk or to ride or to even catch public transport. Ultimately, that will mean that even if our population grows, our roads won’t get congested, and people will still be able to move around freely and easily.

Another thing we also need is a big increase in the supply of public housing. There are a lot of luxury apartments going up that cater for

Jonathan Sri

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wealthy people, but there aren’t enough homes for low-income people and vulnerable people.

We’re seeing a big increase in homelessness in Brisbane, an increase of 32% since 2011.

Tell us about mining, and your thoughts on it.

Simply put, we have an extractive culture. We keep digging up more and more of what we need, but not really thinking about the longterm environmental impacts and not thinking about what’s going to happen when there’s nothing left to dig up. Our resource industries have been structured [like this] for a long time.

Technically, you could argue that Aboriginal people own the rights to the land that house those minerals and they should be receiving a percentage of the profits made. I understand they do receive a small percentage of royalty, but, the reality is, it’s not enough.

At this point, we’re looking at massive changes to avoid planet apocalypse. A company called Beyond Zero Omissions has provided a very detailed plan of how Australia can transition within a few year (10 years) to be completely fossil fuel free and rely on renewable energy, shifting the focus on solar, hydro and wind energy.

We already have the technology and knowledge to be able to live of renewable energy and the reason we’re not is simply because of political priorities and the fact that the corporate sector is resistant to change What are your plans for the future, both politically and personally?

I still play in two bands. One of them is a band called the Mouldy Lovers, and I play sax for them. I also rap for a hip-hop band called The River Mouth. Sadly, I don’t have as much time for music as I used to, so they are both side projects at the moment. Occasionally I’ll do a couple of gigs with them, or even go on tour and head out of town.

very conservative government at the moment that has been pretty awful in so many ways. At this stage, I’m hoping that some more Greens will win some seats, and hopefully we’ll start to become a more progressive country again.

At a local level, I’m a big campaign for the Stronger Renters Rights; there are a lot of people who get kicked out of their accommodation for no reason, despite being good tenants. There are a lot of people who live in their accommodation for several years and, for some unknown reason, the landlord will jack up the prices. We need to change some of the laws in Queensland to make it harder to kick people out for no reason, and to limit excessive rent increases.

What’s your main message to readers?

A more sustainable and equitable world is possible – we just need to broaden our thinking a little bit. We don’t have to settle for the status quo. We don’t have to settle for the way the world is right now. We can have a world where everyone has a higher quality of life, where our environment is more sustainably managed, where we take care of people who are a bit more vulnerable. It’s all possible.

We need to reshape our political systems to make them more democratic by decentralising power, rather than saying “we need to elect better people”, and giving power and a voice to more ordinary people on a regular basis.

Questions by Sarah Andrew and responses by Jonathon Sri https://www.jonathansri.com/ https://www.facebook.com/jonno.sri/

It’s nice to have that creative outlet, to be able to express myself through music. In terms of how I got into rap, I’ve always been interested in performance poetry and spoken work outlets. Add that with my interest in rhyming, and I guess I gradually started playing around within that space and found myself appreciating it and kept at it.

What’s the next big event?

There’s a federal election next year, and that’s going to have a big impact on the direction of the country as a whole, because we’ve got a

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Jonathan Sri

Hanasho: Hiroaki Eba Recently we caught up with Hiroaki Eba, owner of West End florist store Hanasho. Eba and his wife migrated to Brisbane from Japan over sixteen years ago, where Eba continued his previous work as a florist. Since migrating, Eba has begun to explore his interest in other forms of art.

As a twenty-year-old, Eba expressed an underlying interest in becoming a children’s author. However, following the advice of his friends and peers, he began a career in floristry, an industry that he worked in for the next forty years. Prior to his inter-continent transition, Eba worked until 10pm every day; in his new Australian job, his hours are markedly less hectic, finishing at about 5:30pm. This change left him with an additional five hours to pursue his own interests. He began spending more time on his computer, where he started to work with Photoshop. His goal was to “make something beautiful� using the software; in the spirit of Japanese art, he wanted to bring traditional

naturalistic aesthetics into modern minimalist pieces.

Seven years ago, Eba decided to further explore his hobby when he chose to attend a local clay school in West End. This sparked his creativity, teaching him how to create vases, which, in turn, motivated him to design his own range of tiny vases for singular flowers. Eba now produces designs and sells his vases in his store alongside his paintings.

In conjunction with selling his own pieces, Eba is an advocate for local artists. In his shopfront, he hosts locally-produced pieces alongside his own work; he understands how hard it is to sell your own artwork, but through allowing them to have their pieces in his store, he helps the artists realise their dreams, as well as turning a tidy profit.

Written by Emy-Lee Rogers https://www.facebook.com/hanasho.flowerart

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A Conversation with the Snake Boss

Snake Boss: a confident, adventurous and courageous television personality, popular not only among a youth audience, but also in the corporate world. Snake Boss is Julia Baker’s hit TV series that’s aired across multiple networks, capturing her career as a reptile specialist. Julia’s journey, however, hasn’t always been smooth.

During her earlier years, Julia struggled in school; post-graduation, she became a pastry and confectionery chef, moved to Australia (she’d been living in Germany and England), married and had children. However, her divorce in 2009 triggered a change for the better. With a divorce settlement of $50,000, Julia set out to build herself a new life.

The people around her suggested prioritizing investment, but Julia’s investment techniques were markedly different to the norm. “I invested in myself – seeking personal happiness,” she says, putting herself, her needs and her happiness above everything else.

To accomplish happiness, she wrote a bucket list of all the things she wanted to do in order to grow her confidence and self-happiness. This first annual bucket list included going to acting school, becoming more educated, buying her own pet snake and owning her very own motorbike. “If you decide to do something, you have to take action in that moment, or else you never will.” Before she’d even got up from writing the list, Julia hopped online and began shopping for motorcycles.

She’s a proponent of the idea of, “go[ing] out and do[ing] things because it builds references for your brain.” Her brain needed more than verbal affirmation of her new-found happiness, so she began actively working to achieve this.

Having never excelled in traditional education, and holding her pastry chef qualifications in low intellectual regard, she felt uneducated. So, she made the commitment to invest over $10,000 in her education, attending acting school and completing a business marketing certificate. “I am smart,” she concluded after completing her certificate.

Despite her career in snake handling, Julia had only held snakes twice in her life prior to making the purchase of Jessie the Jungle Snake in 2009.

“The first time I held a snake was at Australia Zoo … I remember standing in line and seeing all the people reacting, saying ‘how could you do that’, reacting to others posing for photos with the animal …” Julia empathised with the snake; when she held it, she felt she could relate to the snake, concluding that he didn’t mean any

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harm, but was just a beautiful, misunderstood animal.

After purchasing Jessie, it took Julia months to work up the courage to hold her. When she did finally manage to overcome that mental barrier, she developed a bond with Jessie.

Her relationship with the snake was unique, encouraging friends and family to consider the possibility that snakes aren’t actually bad creatures. For Julia, this presented an opportunity; she realised that through exposure to snakes in a controlled environment, she was able to break down the groundless bias that so many people had towards them.

Julia now runs parties and events that allow people of all ages to interact with snakes, combating fear and hate in an educational way.

Children’s parties, schools and corporate events are now common places you can find Julia and her snakes.

After growing comfortable with snakes and developing an understanding of their behaviours, Julia also undertook courses educating herself on snake relocation. She recalls that, after a time, snakes became a normal part of her daughters’ lives. After evacuating a snake from a rescue site, she picked her daughters up from school before relocating the animals. Relocation callouts during sleepovers became adventures, with the girls and their friends coming along to watch Julia work.

Her time as a snake rescue and relocation specialist gave Julia a fantastic set of stories, which led to her thinking, “I have a motorbike, I rescue snakes – what a great idea for a TV show”.

So, she set about putting her ideas into action. After tireless work and repetitive knockbacks, Julia found a network willing to work with show concept.

Over the course of her journey, Julia has learned various lessons about happiness, and found herself in the process. “Life is about experiences; it’s like a jar, and the more you do, the more experiences you have, the fuller your jar gets.”

Stay tuned for our January issue, where we’ll be featuring another article about Julia and her slithery mates.

Written by Emy-Lee Rogers

Julia Baker

Julia and the Bats After working with snakes for a few years and creating Snake Boss, Julia decided it was time to give back. “My goal is become famous and have a big enough following that I can use it to help charities.” While Julia Banks is a great business person, she is also passionate about helping animals and contributing to society.

Five years ago, she began exploring what animal organisations and foster programmes existed outside of RSPCA and domestic animal groups.

While she was a fully-trained reptile handler, she decided it was ethically difficult to also volunteer in the same field as her profession. She kept exploring her options, and eventually discovered Bats Queensland, a not-for-profit organisation working with another misunderstood group of animals.

Julia describes bats as her second spirit animal – snakes being her first. The media and miseducation have led to a general feeling of disgust towards bats among the Australian population. However, Julia explains that bats are playful, peaceful and a community creature. As babies, they are affectionate, cute and cuddle, but, unlike other species, are not affected by humanisation, allowing for orphan bats to be reintegrated into colonies after their first three months in foster care.

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Bats are not deadly. Despite common opinion, only three people have died from bats in Australia. While bats can be carriers of Marburg Disease, the condition can only be transmitted via a bite from a bat when the virus is active; once activated, the bat can only survive for a maximum of one week. This is why people are told not to touch bats while they are on the ground, as part of the disease is losing the ability to fly. Thankfully, modern medicine is now able to treat humans for this virus if medical attention is sought before the virus becomes active.

2. Bats are one of the only nocturnal pollinators in Australia. Many species of Australian flora rely on nocturnal pollinators in order to reproduce, including the eucalyptus leaved trees that keep the koala population alive.

3.

Bats are quickly facing extinction. Many people have been led to believe that there is an overpopulation of bats due to the increased size of colonies; however, this is incorrect. Due to the dwindling numbers within bat colonies, bats have begun merging colonies. As a result, there are only a few bat communities, consisting of a variety of smaller colonies, creating the illusion of more bats.

Written by Emy-Lee Rogers https://www.facebook.com/thesnakesheila/

Unfortunately, there are various misconceptions about bats. With Julia’s help, we have compiled a quick list of commonly-held ideas to reconsider.

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Ian and Judy Wintle’s ‘Giving Garden’ You could be forgiven for believing you’re lost in a tropical paradise walking through Ian and Judy Wintle’s ‘Giving Garden’. Our one acre labour of love is fondly called ‘The Giving Garden’, providing many years of satisfaction and solace to our family, friends, and visitors, as well as the wildlife.

After finishing university, our eldest son Scott went backpacking in Europe for a year. Only a couple of weeks before he was due to return home, we received news from Switzerland that he had broken his back in a motorbike accident and would never walk again. The months that followed drew on our mental, financial, and physical strength. It was not for a further six months that he could finally return home. By that time, not only did he need rehabilitation, but so did Mum and Dad. Our garden gave us the ability to heal – it was our rehabilitation. Two decades on, it has blossomed into a lush sub-tropical oasis, featuring some of the world’s most exotic and unusual plants and fruit trees. We have over sixty fruit trees growing (with forty different species), and it is these that provide the necessary microclimate.

Our passion for plants have changed and expanded over the years; Ian’s latest passion is Amorphophallus, of which he has over seventy different varieties, and Judy still loves her Bromeliads.

Not to say they don’t love all species of plants – the rarer, the better. Establishing this garden has not been easy, as all topsoil was removed by developers, leaving solid clay, so extra soil had to be brought in.

We have done all the work ourselves, with help from our trusty wheelbarrow and shovel. Everything has been done on a budget; in other words, it is a ‘Gardener’s Garden’. Water has always been a big problem, and about ten years ago we decided to sink a bore; this was a disaster, because all we found was salt water.

Now, we have bounced back, with our water tanks holding approximately 109,000 liters of rainwater.

Our garden was part of ‘Australia’s Open Gardens’ from 2002 to 2013, and many thousands of visitors attended.

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For the last four years, we have continued to open our garden to support a local Lions Club, stipulating all money raised will go towards assisting disabled children. So far, we have assisted the Lion’s Club by raising over $20,000 across the last five openings. Overall, we’ve raised around $60,000 for charities through our fifteen ‘Open Gardens’, and, this year, we were recognized by Redland City on Australia Day as the city’s ‘Local Heros’.

Because Sponsorship for disabled sports organisation is poor, this year’s proceeds will be going to help our son compete in the World Disabled Water Ski Championships, which are being held in Norway next year. After fifty years of marriage, we know that the time and love we have invested in our garden has given us and our visitors joy over many years, which is why we call it ‘The Giving Garden’.

There is always something new to see in this garden, and 2018 has been no exception, with new gardens being established and hundreds of new plantings. As usual, there’s been some fantastic and rare plants for sale. We have created an oasis that welcomes its visitors with open arms; some visitors stay for hours and are encouraged to spread the word and take photos.

Ian has a garden blog at ‘ianjudy.blogspot.com’, with over 311,000 people from over one hundred countries around the world viewing the garden through it. Furthermore, the blog has been archived by the Queensland State Library as being of significant importance to the State of Queensland.

If you’d like to show your support, or are interested and would like to know more, head over to our Facebook page called ‘The Giving Garden’ which has over 2,500 followers, and another Facebook page, ‘Open Gardens and Events Queensland’, where people who intend to open their garden or have a gardening-related event can post information.

Written by Ian and Judy Wintle https://www.facebook.com/birkdalegarden/

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Percolating into Paddington Paddington already has a reputation for art and culture. If you’ve followed the Queensland art scene, or you’re interested in exploring eclectic galleries and snugly-furnished showrooms, chances are that you’ve stumbled across the hip, colourful suburb. Latrobe Terrace is one of the main thoroughfares, located in the heart of the Paddington Gallery Precinct, and that’s exactly where we went to meet Steve and Jenny Lang.

The base of their current exhibition, Percolator Gallery, has been hosting artists since 2007, and it’s still going strong. When we visited, a number of Steve and Jenny’s works were on display, demonstrating their considerable artistic prowess. Normally, the couple operate out of their studio in Cleveland.

Steve’s pieces are historically-inspired photographs exploring the fashions of the 1930s through to the ’60s. Presented in a non-linear format, they’re arranged throughout Percolator Gallery’s various rooms, so that each blackand-white portrait gazes at us as we meander about. The project started as a realism-focused catalogue of era clothing, Steve tells us, but quickly succumbed to his artistic tendencies.

Now, we’re witness to incredible displays of lighting and pattern, with each new image evoking a different aspect of the four decades.

In one room, a lady poses between two pillars, her striped dress presenting a study in sinuous symmetry. On the opposite wall, a young man stares staunchly into the near distance, his military uniform lending the picture a sombre air.

When I ask Steve about his thematic intentions, he laughs, confiding that he didn’t really have any clear direction for exploring themes. As the project moved along, though, he began noticing how society, particularly in the ’30s and ’40s, was divided into the very rich and very poor, and the photos reflect that gaping class divide. There’s a haughty businessman in a three-piece suit who could’ve walked off the covers of a modernday GQ edition, right beside a single mother hunched over a candlelit sewing machine.

Jenny’s slightly abstract paintings are more personal, illustrating snapshots of both her struggles and her subsequent triumphs. Many of her pieces are complementary to John’s display, examining the notion of classism through a different scope. She talks about how an image of three women sitting side-byside on fence posts reminds her of her mother – a no-nonsense country girl who told it how it

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was. Her approach to painting is spontaneous, without rules or restrictions, a joyful exploration of the canvas and where it can take her.

In the corner of the room, she points out a stark, minimalist line painting, telling us how it’s emblematic of her experiences with chemotherapy. “You los[e] all your hair, hav[e] your identity stripped away … the person you thought you are is stripped away. And that also resonated with me from [the 1930s/40s], when people would have found themselves in a position of despair, because they […] were homeless, they couldn’t pay their rent, they had no food, and that […] is like having everything stripped away, having everything taken back to that bare frame.” Like the Australians who made it through those hard years, Jenny has not only survived, but flourished; she’s taken her experiences, and transformed them into something beautiful.

Written by Duncan Croker

Media Releases • PR Campaigns • Story Angle Pitches • Creating Influencers & Experts • Media Connection Content Creation • Events • Crisis Management • Grant Writing email: hello@shineprmedia.online phone: 0731982414

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No Arms, No Worries Trish Jackson is an anti-bullying spokesperson and a local artist. She grew up being told she would never be happy and would never have friends. She was born without arms – one hand is attached to her shoulder with three small fingers – as well as heart and lung issues, due to thalidomide poisoning. But she defied those expectations, becoming an inspirational community figure who’s helped touch the lives of many.

She’s now in her fifties, but, as a younger lady, she sailed with Sailability, an organisation targeted at the disabled community, giving them an opportunity to try sailing and to experience the water. She also enjoys fishing, gardening and photography, but, above all else, Trish loves drawing.

“Drawing takes my mind off the pain,” Trish said when describing why she began drawing. Due to the lasting effects of the thalidomide, Trish endures great amounts of pain with minimal relief, but, one day, she decided to try something new. She tried drawing with her feet – the one part of her body that doesn’t hurt. One piece of art can take anywhere from a few days to a week to make.

Her favourite art pieces include an image she drew of a lizard. One day, she and her husband went to visit her uncle in hospital. He was being treated as a cancer patient and had been hallucinating that lizards were running up and down the wall, but nobody else could see them.

To comfort him, Trish said to him that she could see them too. He then asked her to draw one for him to show the family. Trish produced this image for him, which he kept in his hospital ward and insisted on showing everyone.

Despite her strength and the many challenges she’s overcome, Trish remains modest, downplaying her artistic ability and inspirational persona, although she does give talks to local schools and community groups. Despite her medical condition, many kids are able to relate to aspects of Trish’s struggles, through the scopes of body image or bullying. As a victim of bullying and body image discrimination, Trish is able to convey her personal struggles and subsequent triumphs to people via an educational format.

Her goal is to encourage students and group members to not judge or assume things about someone who appears different to them; instead, she wants them to think about the sort of amazing, unusual things these people might have done. Trish is a strong believer in beating body image discrimination through the education of the younger generations.

Written by Emy-Lee Rogers http://footsiephotos.com/ https://www.facebook.com/trish.jackson.33

Trish Jackson

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Aunty Delmae Barton

Aunty Delmae Barton

“I realised that there were still … good people in the world.”

The speaker is Aunty Delmae Barton, nationallyrenowned opera singer and life member of the Griffith University Council of Elders. The context?

She’s talking about that infamous incident in 2006, when she suffered an apparent stroke and collapsed at a Brisbane bus station, before being ignored by virtually every passer-by for the next few hours. It was a horrific situation, and one that generated media-borne accusations of racism and bigotry.

In a similar position, most of us would have dwelled on the unfairness, the cruelty. I know I was expecting her to say that there were bad people in the world.

But she didn’t. Instead, she took comfort in the actions of the Japanese students who eventually rescued her. No words of condemnation towards anyone else, either. Only thankfulness for that moment of kindness. That’s just the kind of person Aunty Delmae is.

When we interview her at her Kangaroo Point home, she invites us inside, and the first thing I notice is

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that she’s barefoot. When we ask her about this, she tells us it’s to give her a connection with the earth.

Even when she sings, she does so without shoes; for her, it’s almost a spiritual undertaking, a vocal tribute to her Indigenous heritage and her sacred bond with the land.

Her home is an eclectic display of paintings, drawings, sculptures and furniture. It is bright, joyfully colourful. She clears space for us to sit at a window-side table, shifting aside half-a-dozen cat sculptures, which we dutifully ask about. “I love cats”, she simply says, smiling.

When we begin talking to her, the interview isn’t structured. We have no clear questions – instead, it’s a conversation, wandering from recollections of her uncle’s special outback brews and her time as a young girl in church, to discussions of her son, the famous digeridoo performer William Barton.

He often plays in accompaniment with his mother, performing for international guests like the Pope

and visiting dignitaries. As I’m writing this article, the two of them are flying down to Sydney to join the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s celebration of Richard Gill, a recently-passed Australian conductor.

Aunty Delmae spent most of her childhood in the bush. It was here, she tells us, that she learned to sing, listening to the choruses of native birds and replicating their songs with her own voice. Her experiences with native wildlife have endowed her with a profound appreciation for animals; as we sit there with her, the apartment windows are open, giving us a view of the Brisbane River and a nearby stand of gums. The sun is starting to sink below the horizon, and the local birds are greeting to oncoming night with a chorus of calls. Often, Aunty Delmae says, they’ll invite themselves inside, flying in through the open windows and casually exploring her apartment.

She tells us about going to church, and how Christianity intersected quite comfortably with traditional Indigenous beliefs.

The two aren’t mutually exclusive; the ideals of a Christian God are eminently present in the First Nations culture of respect, honour and care for the land, and Aunty Delmae sees no conflict between them. She relates how, as a young girl attending Sunday school-esque groups, she was always amused by the petty conflicts between some of her peers, who often seemed more interested in gossiping than honouring God. “They sometimes laughed about peoples’ dresses, about how they looked,” she remembers, smiling. “It was funny.”

how these take hours upon hours to create, with the repetition and focus forming a sort of meditative session.

When it’s time for us to leave, she walks us out, but there’s one final surprise in store. “Do you want to see me sing?” Slightly stunned, we nod – yes, of course. She walks over to the apartment railing, facing us, so the city lights are to her back.

The wind is blowing, whipping her hair around her face. It’s been raining, and she’s barefoot on the wet concrete. She stands proudly, head thrown back, legs apart, and begins.

It’s utterly different to what I’d imagined. Opera, she’s often described as, but this is a far cry from the polished Italian soprano that comes to mind when I think of that word. This is Indigenous opera – raw, primal, utterly free. There’s something truly awesome in her performance, in her voice, and it’s literally breathtaking. Neither of us can speak when Aunty finishes. There’s just a moment of reverent silence, before she comes over to us, breaking the spell.

You can watch this and some her other performances online, but video can’t capture what it’s like to be there in person. It’s truly incredible. I urge you to find out when she’s next performing, and to go and see her live. You won’t regret it.

Written by Duncan Croker

As the evening wears on, she shows us some of her artwork, which experiments with Indigenous painting techniques using pen and Texta as alternative mediums. There are, of course, cat pictures, and images of various landscapes, but many are abstract pages of colours and patterns. Aunty Delmae tells

L to R: Will Barton and Aunty Delmae Barton

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Q-Coast on Straddie

Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation is an indigenous tourism agency passionate about educating people about their culture. The agency offers people with an array of different opportunities to learn something new about their 60,000-year-old culture.

QYAC’s services range from cultural tours to guided tours, covering an array of topics from Indigenous creation stories, ancestral backgrounds, natural medicine, and, of course, flora and fauna.

On the other hand, QYAC also extends its services into the realm of cuisine. Executive Chef Kieron Anderson is the man behind the scenes, showcasing the many wonderful flavours derived from the native lands of North Stradbroke, Moreton Island and all of the southern bays throughout the region.

“Although majority of our menu is designed around the concept of seafood, we also have a wide selection of land based protein that has been used for thousands of years in this region,” said Kieron. “We live off the land, from kangaroos and emus to other small animals such as possums, native birds and even porcupines. For larger ceremonies, we’ll eat turtles, dugong, and even higher birds.”

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Right now, ceremonies and the consumption of native animals is a very tailored experience for a lot of Indigenous communities. For Kieron and the team at Quadamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, sharing their knowledge and culture is a dream. “Hopefully, in the near future, we can introduce these proteins and understanding of the land into our mainstream societies.”

Located just off the Queensland coastline, Stradbroke Island is one of Australia’s hidden gems. Situated less than half an hour away from the mainland, Stradbroke consists of a tight-knit local community; despite its small population, the island is rich in art, music and culture. “We’re on Brisbane’s doorstep. Being just an arm’s reach away from the big smoke, we’re excited to share and showcase our culture to the mainland.”

There’s nothing more important to QYAC than educating and sharing their knowledge and history with people who are interested and willing to listen.

The agency believes in giving people the time, effort and dedication to not only provide them with the best experience, but also to acknowledge their heritage and ancestors.

“Through our services, we want to invite people into our culture, give them a first-hand experience.

We are heavily focusing and building through ecotourism with activities such as whale-watching. We also offer full-day island tours where our customers are immersed in everything that defines us.”

Kieron explains that the history of their culture is bursting at the seams, ready to be showcased to the world. With 60,000 years under its belt, the Indigenous culture is strong within its bloodlines; the preservation of stories, songs and rituals has kept the culture thriving.

“Our elders have made sure that the song lines and stories have been very well kept throughout the region.” Kieron also praises the land for providing them with everything they needed to live a healthy and happy life. “The main value we hold closely is our respect of the land, how to look after it and maintain it. At the end of the day, the land looks after us.”

Indigenous culture is making a comeback. The once-supressed culture has endured its hardships and has now broken the seal, returning as a staple of mainstream Australian society.

Indigenous culture is a vital part of Australian story,

and plays a big role in defining Australia, not only as a country, but also as a society.

“Everything about our culture is coming to life; we’re seeing a great revitalisation in song, dance, food, and even spirituality stories and artwork being shared throughout the wider western community.”

QYAC is more than a just a tourism agency; the team at QYAC have a passion for their culture and history. They’ve made it their mission to teach their customers everything they were taught by their elders and ancestors. This time, the community will open their doors to a wider audience to ensure the preservation and prosperity of their culture.

“Indigenous people in Australia are making a massive move into sharing our culture, never are we lapsing. We are constantly moving forward the whole time.”

Written by Alec Munro http://q-coast.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/QuandamookaCoast/

Kieron Anderson

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A Mad (and Slightly French) Cuppa If you’re a Milton local, like we are, you’ve probably been to Mad Cuppa a time or ten. They’re sitting on the corner of Cribb Street, one of the main Milton thoroughfares, overlooking the streams of traffic that surge up and down during peak hours. Don’t be alarmed, though. The café’s unique design elevates it above street level, so you’re insulated from the engine noise and the uncomfortable sensation of a car racing past your face. There’s classy al fresco dining, as well as a cosy café front for ordering coffee and food.

When we wander in to interview the owners, I’m expecting someone older, hair maybe starting to grey at the temples, perhaps sporting a beer gut. Instead, we get Blandine and Ornella. The two French ladies emigrated to Australia separately, but connected to each other through their homeland and their shared love of good eating. “We are both foodies,” Blandine tells us, words flavoured by her musical accent.

When they started Mad Cuppa, it was a runof-the-mill coffee joint – dash in, grab a coffee, dash out. Over the years, the ladies have managed to transform it into something slower, influencing its ambience with the French dining culture, which, they tell us, often sees families sitting down for hours at a time to enjoy good food and good company. It’s part of the French culture to savour both the culinary and interpersonal aspects of dining, and that’s what Blandine and Ornella are hoping to bring to Mad Cuppa.

They’ve struck a tone between upscale décor and European hole-in-the-wall eatery, which perfectly complements their eclectic menu.

We chat to Ornella, the café’s chef, about the menu and what she hoped to accomplish with it. As it turns out, she actually has a French food blog which she started overseas and has since been translating to English; some of the incredible recipes she’s posted have found their way into Mad Cuppa’s line-up.

new food options. She recalls, laughing, how our founder Sarah Andrews was one of the first people to ask for a customized drink – a turmeric latte with almond milk, along with a crack of pepper to help activate the healing properties of the turmeric.

If you can’t afford a plane ticket to Paris, sate your wanderlust by heading down to Cribb Street, Milton. You might not have a view of the Eiffel Tower, but you’ll get French accents and absolutely delicious food.

Written by Duncan Croker http://www.madcuppa.com.au/ https://www.facebook.com/madcuppa/

Blandine

Ornella

The food’s a mix between traditional French cuisine and simpler Australian flavours, made using organic produce. How do the ladies describe their menu? “Just good food.” It’s that simple. The café has both a fixed menu, as well as flexible meal options for customers who have particular preferences.

Ornella’s constantly-expanding repertoire of recipes means that she’s always willing to push the boundaries and explore exciting

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L to R: Ornella and Blandine

e s r u o C e e r h T l s ’ a i a l c l e e Orn istmas Sp Chr CALAMARI & CHERRY TOMATOES WITH ZUCCHINI SAUCE

Calamari is a true Australian favourite. Most of the time, this mollusc is either fried or grilled. I would love to share with you my quick and easy way to cook it. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free and low fat, so it’s perfect for a healthy and tasty main dish during the Silly Season! Let’s impress your family with this original calamari recipe, featuring cherry tomatoes and delicious zucchini sauce with basil and lemon flavours.

Ingredients:

Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes For 2 People

300 g. of defrosted squid 4 small zucchinis 1 handle of cherry tomatoes 1 shallot 2 cloves of garlic 1 tbsp. of vegetable broth powder 2 tbsp. of olive oil 2 tbsp. of lemon juice Basil Salt Pepper Cumin (optional)

Preparation: 1.

Wash and brush the zucchinis.

2.

Rinse the cherry tomatoes and the rings of squid under cold water.

3.

Press the squid on a paper towel to remove the excess water, then put aside.

4.

Peel and chop the shallots.

5.

Heat an anti-stick frying pan over medium heat and a boil a saucepan of water at the same time.

6.

Throw the shallots in the frying pan and reduce heat to medium.

7.

Stir and add a glass of water if it starts sticking.

8.

Sear the rings of squid over 5 minutes and lower the heat.

Until your squid cooks, prepare the sauce: 9.

Cut the zucchinis in medium-sized slices and boil for 10 minutes in the saucepan of boiling water (the one you heated previously).

11. Add the tbsp. of vegetable broth, stir and lower the heat 12. Once the zucchini is ready, strain and place in a mixer.

13. Peel the garlic cloves and add salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice and little bit of cumin if you wish.

14. Mix until you get a creamy sauce.

15. Dress the squid on a plate and pour sauce over.

16. Serve immediately and enjoy!

TIPS

nd olive oil a e r o m d d ress the You can a hen you d w e ic ju lemon dish. with to serve it side. u o y t s e the I sugg otatoes on p r o ta s as it a rice, p r 2 people o f is e if ip This rec 4 people r o f e b ld ou d is, but it c ove carbs are adde b a any of the s sides. a

10. While the zucchinis are cooking, cut your cherry tomatoes in two and add to the frying pan containing the squid.

7

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Scallop Carpaccio Let’s start your Christmas menu with this delicious scallop carpaccio! This mollusc is both tasty and good for your health. Rich in iron, vitamin B12, phosphorus and selenium, scallops also contain lots of proteins. It’s a perfect choice for a well-balanced and light dish. Cool down with this gluten-free, dairy-free and low carb appetizer, and enjoy the beautiful taste of this seafood delight!

Preparation Time: 5 minutes Resting Time: 10 minutes For 2 People

Preparation: 1.

If you use fresh scallops, freeze them for 10 minutes.

2.

If you use frozen scallops, rinse them into tepid water and let soak for 10 minutes.

3.

Peel and chop the shallot and the chives.

4.

Crush your pistachios.

5.

In a small bowl, add walnut oil, lime juice and mango vinegar (or passionfruit juice).

6.

Add chopped shallot and chives into the bowl.

7.

Strain your scallops and sliced them thinly.

8.

Serve in a plate and dress with the sauce.

9.

Strew with pistachio nuts and enjoy!

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Ingredients: 12 scallops 1 shallot 6 pistachios Fresh chives 1 tbsp. of walnut oil 1 tbsp. of Lime Juice 1 tbsp. of mango vinegar or passionfruit juice Salt Pepper Cumin (optional)

TIPS

her e eaten eit b n a c p o The scall oked. raw or co i or io, sashim c c a p r a c Raw: as a eviche. c d or ied, roaste r f y tl s o m Cooked: poached. esh or p them fr e e k n a c days.

You ge for 1-2 or id r f e th ept f cooked in s can be k p o ll a c s n Froze onths. up to 3 m

Ice Cake Fresh like an ice cream, sweet like a cake and light as a fruit … find all these lovely tastes in just one dessert. This is the perfect treat to refresh yourself during summertime and top off your Christmas menu. It’s so yummy – gluten-free, dairy-free, and without any added fat or refined sugar. This is a real opportunity to indulge yourself with friends and family, sharing good food and good times!

Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Resting time: 30 minutes to 1 hour For 2 People The cake: 1.

Preheat your oven to 180°C. 2.

Melt your chocolate in a water bath.

3.

Place all the ingredients in a blender and mix until you obtain a dough.

4.

Pour the dough into a silicone mould and bake for 20 minutes.

5.

Let cool before unmoulding the cake.

The filling: 1.

Mix the coconut yoghurt, the vanilla extract, the desiccated coconut and the agave syrup in a mixing bowl.

2.

Wash and cut your strawberries vertically.

3.

Put aside.

4.

Once the cake is cooled, cut it horizontally, ensuring that you do not make a hole.

5.

You now have two cake halves.

6.

Garnish the bottom of the cake with your mixture and then cover with the strawberries.

7.

Close the cake with the top half.

Prepare the cake icing: 1.

Melt your chocolate in a water bath, then take it away from the heat and add the coconut cream.

2.

Mix thoroughly and pour on the top of your cake.

3.

Spread with a spatula until the cake is covered.

4.

Place the cake in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

All content written and prepared by Ornella Bautheac.

Find more of her amazing recipes on her food blog at: www.linkook.fr

Ingredients: For the cake: 150 g. of almond meal 150 g. of dark chocolate 70 % 30 g. of Arrowroot 30 g. of no added sugar apple puree 3 eggs 1 pinch of bicarbonate Natural vanilla extract Cinnamon For the filling: 200 g. of coconut yogurt 1 tbsp. of Agave syrup 1 tbsp. of desiccated coconut Natural vanilla flavouring 100 g. of fresh strawberries For the cake icing: 20 ml. of light or classic coconut milk 70 g. of dark chocolate 70%

TIPS

h. ld or fres o c n te a e can be ast one This cake e refrigerator at le th and Leave it in sure that the filling hour to en g set properly. rant glazin tose-intole teed c la r o e e -fr uaran For dairy to use a g e r u s e b s, te. consumer ee chocola ghurt, lactose-fr oconut yo c e v a h d of t ’ n nother kin e a If you do h it w it r eplace . If you a d n o you can r lm a r ke soy o ree, you yoghurt li tolerant or dairy-f e-in not lactos use Greek yogurt. can

37

It’s Starting to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Nearly a decade ago, the Paddington Christmas Fair consisted of just a few independent businesses and devoted volunteers. Now, the fair has expanded into something no one ever imagined. Despite the fair facing near extinction in a few years ago, Leanne Hardcastle has taken the slack and made it her mission to bring the community together.

The annual event highlights the sense of generosity Paddington has for its own citizens, as well as the wider community. Although it’s a celebration of Christmas, the real message lies in its celebration of community spirit. The fair was originally created by local businesses as a way to thank their residents for supporting one another.

“The fair has been a long-standing tradition for businesses to thank their local community for the support, business and trade they’ve been providing throughout the year,” said Leanne. “In its early days, the fair would only be in the antic shop on Upper Latrobe. Even more, it was only tailored to the Paddington community.”

It wasn’t long until the fair caught the eye of Brisbane’s other communities, with people travelling from the outskirts of Enoggera, Shorncliffe and even Ipswich. Local heroes like former Bronco Darren Lockyer and local councillor Peter Matic were commonplace, appearing to help out and interact with the crowds.

“Some of the most memorable moments were seeing Darren Lockyer and Peter Matic get in the Dunk-Tank. Even when the kids struggled to hit the target, the boys made it their mission to

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dunk themselves,” recalled Leanne. “There’s no other way to put it. Peter is such a great guy.

I understand he’s a politician but it’s evident that when he’s here, he’s here; he’s just a normal human, a family man.”

For Leanne, the fair isn’t a marketing stunt, nor is it a way for businesses to make money. It’s a time for everyone to come together and enjoy each other’s company, as well as appreciate the time and effort everyone has contributed to the community.

“It might sound cliché but I do what I do because I love this area so much. I’ve in other places before but nothing compares to Paddington,” she said. “Despite the feeling that I want to pull my hair out on the night itself, at the end of it all, the feeling of enjoyment and worthiness is definitely greater.”

At the end of the day, the Paddington Christmas Fair is a night of celebration for everyone involved in making Paddington the fun, creative and supportive place it is today. The fair acts as a reminder for the accomplishments of the suburb, the efforts of its people and, most importantly, the values of its community.

“Everyone comes together, we’re here at this moment, and celebrating everything we’ve accomplished as a community and everything that’s to come.”

Written by Alec Munro

L to R: Sarah Andrew and Leanne Hardcastle

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Paddington’s Christmas Festivities Our team chats to the groups and organizations involved in the Paddington Street Fair.

Written by Emy-Lee Rogers, Duncan Croker and Alec Munro

Peter Charles Shoes Feet Gear – Podiatry 108 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Sometimes living a healthy and active lifestyle can be tough, but that’s where Paddington’s very own podiatry clinic, Shoes Feet Gear, comes in. The team at Shoes Feet gear are well equipped with the right knowledge and understanding on everything related to lower limb problems; they will provide you with the advice and equipment you need to get you back on your feet.

The business first set up shop eight years ago in the Paddington Hotel vicinity, but decided to make the move to Upper Latrobe, and have been an intrinsic part of the community now for four years.

“Things have been great, we love this area as a family and as a business. We live nearby and the kids go to school around the area as well. It makes such a difference when you enjoy coming into work everyday to help people stay active,” said Peter.

Along with providing the means to stay active, Peter and his team showcased their Christmas spirit with a bubble machine and candy cane fishing going on to get the kids and parents all involved.

“Our main mission is to provide our clients with solutions to any lower limb pain and problems. For some people, it can be a very personal problem - that’s why we tend to build our client base through word of mouth, get a good relationship going.”

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Leonine Ceramics – Art Leonine has been studying clay work for several months through a local clay school.

When she was asked to feature at the annual school gallery event, her mentors convinced Leonine to put her work out to the public. In the spirit of Christmas, Leonine decided to have a stall at this year’s fair. “It’s a great opportunity for me [the artist] to get my work out where people can see it.”

Space Property – Real Estate 90 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Nick Penkils from Space Property says, “Welcome to Space Property. We’re real estates and, today, we have face painting. We also are giving away these fabulous water bottles, balloons and have put on a bit of food.” Despite this being his first year contributing to the fare, Mr Penkils has lived in Paddington and run the district branch for years.

“It’s a great community, everyone gets involved in one way or another in various community events throughout the year.” From what we saw, everyone loved their spread this year, and the kids were really enjoying the face painting.

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Flowers of the World – Florist 141 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington They’ve been in Paddington for almost two years, and Flowers of the World believe their move to the district from Southbank is one of their best business decisions yet. They’ve got a very strong message of sustainability (as you might expect from a business based on floral beauty), and hope – which, according to Flowers, can be viewed as an acronym: Honouring Of Planet Earth As part of the Paddington Street Fair, they’re helping share their ideals with the local community by creating a massive wreath of leaves, to which people can affix ribbons featuring messages of hope for the New Year. They’ve also had a local artist create an incredible painting along the length of their driveway, as a way to share their love of flowers with passers-by.

Cowslip – Art Corianda Rayner had a stall set up along Latrobe Terrace, where she was making and selling entirely natural Christmas wreaths. She told us, “Yes, I go foraging, in my garden, in the park and so on; however, I have to purchase some of the flowers from the farmers’ markets.”

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When Corianda moved to Brisbane with her husband and newborn, she realised how difficult it could be to make new friends and get involved in a new community. This has motivated her to run workshops on foraging and natural décor [such as wreaths and table centre pieces] for people who are around the area, to bring people together. Furthermore, she has started running lunches too. “I put on some very nice, different vegetarian foods and encourage everyone to come along from the community. It’s so everyone can meet new people who are struggling to meet new people and make new friends.”

Browns General Store – Gift Shop 3/19 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Cate from Brown’s says, “I feel like in opening a shop, I didn’t want it to be just another point of consumption. I wanted people to be able to have beautiful things, but to know their money was supporting the environment and the makers.

That’s what really matters to me, and I just think the quality is better.

“I stock lots of ceramics, ethical fashion, handmade jewellery, lots of gift cards, curated books, I can’t even think what else … wood work, a whole range of things! Homewares and gift wares and things.

“This is our second Christmas fair. It’s great, it’s really lovely.

The [organisers] do a really amazing job. They really do organise it all for us, because we all are really busy. And it’s great, it really brings everyone together, and you know, there’s lots of new faces and kids and families, its lovely.”

Principal of Place – Real Estate Principal of Place Paddington’s principal director of thirty years, Andrew Degn, had his team out with their truck at the festival.

Andrew Degn and his team

“We participate in all types of school and community festivals and events. Community is key with Andrew and the Principal of Place team, we get involved in all types of things, charity auctions and what not depending who it’s for and what not.”

Many things have contributed to their ongoing investment in the community, but, overall, they are passionate about actively participating and giving back within their community in Paddington. “That’s what it’s all about, without community what have you got? Nothing!”

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Wendy Murray – Musical Chameleon A chameleon in the music industry, Wendy Murray bares it all. Refusing to be tied down to one genre, Wendy injects her heart and soul into every aspect of music.

“Although I went through a jazz course at the conservatorium, I’m a folk singer, a tango singer, as well as being involved in a Latin band called Hot Mambo. I can also sing in Spanish and Portuguese,” she explains.

Like a flower, Wendy blossoms with bright colors and beauty, looking to flourish in everything she does, whether new or old. “More recently, I’ve branched out to learning the language of Farsi.

I’ve also started delving into sacred music and cabaret.”

Wendy’s love for music has been nourished since she was little. With her open-minded approach to life, and sponge-like approach to soaking up experiences, she’s able to use her personal life to inspire her music.

“I’ve been singing since I was five. I remember kids over the road would have birthday parties and the parents would hold singing competitions. Every year, I’d always win the competition and fifty cents was the prize money,” she says, laughing. “I’ve traveled the world from Vanuatu, Germany, France, Wales, Cuba and many more. It’s the diversity and the sense of newness that excites me.”

You’re sure to see Wendy in array of different venues, showcasing her undeniable talent. Like the aforementioned chameleon, Wendy is constantly changing her image and adapting her voice to her environment, matching the tone and ambience of any location.

Wendy Murray

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Paddington Central Pharmacy – Pharmacy 107 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Despite being tucked away in Paddington Central, the Paddington Central Pharmacy is very much involved in spreading the joy and positivity of the Paddington Christmas Fair. Although they’re newcomers to the fair, the Paddington Pharmacy team are well known for their commitment to dressing up. From a comical Santa and elf outfit to a spirited Christmas tree, this pharmacy has it all.

“Simon (part-time owner) wore the Christmas tree outfit last year.

This year he’s gone as Santa and it’s my turn to endure the tree outfit,” Brodie Grant-Taylor, the owner, said jokingly. A veteran in the Pharmacy world, Brodie has worked at the pharmacy since she was twelve. As a family-owned and -oriented business the pharmacy has well established itself in the community as a respectful, friendly and committed business.

“I admit, it is tough for us to be incorporated in the festivities because we’re a bit isolated but we’re very much passionate about this time of year and love to get involved.”

Global Floss – Food Global Floss was another featured pop-up stall at this year’s fair! They’re a gluten-free, vegan, kosher, halal and sugar-free fairy floss alternative. There’s less than one teaspoon of sugar in a small- to average-size serving.

Tanya, the owner, ventured into Global Floss seeking a healthier version of the iconic fair food.

This was Global Floss’s first year at the fair, but Tanya explained, “It’s a great event, it’s a shame though – every neighbourhood should have something like this.”

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Thousand Island Dressing – Jewellery, Homewares and Lifestyle 129 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Run by Leann Demartini, Thousand Island Dressing is a bustling Paddington shop front that’s been in the area for fourteen years, but moved to their current location in 2011. They stock homewares, jewellery and various lifestyle items, but, as Leann says, the focus is definitely on the jewellery. Local Brisbane artists manufacture a lot of their pieces, but they also have talent from around the country contributing. There’s also an extensive collection of lamps for sale, which lend the shop a bright, cheerful ambience. Leann loves the Paddington Street Fair, which she feels has really taken off over the last few years; she likes being able to give back to the community who support herself and her business.

Westport and Lee Café – Food, Beverages and Entertainment 179 Latrobe Terrace, Paddington Hannah Parsh and her mother are the founders of newcomer Westport and Lee; it’s been open for about a year and a half, and already has an established presence in the Paddington food scene. They’ve fallen in love with the district, citing its warm community spirit as a source of joy for them. Hosting a new event every month (when we interview them, a local performer is playing guitar and singing), they’ve received overwhelming positive feedback. To help wearied parents get a break from the young ’uns, Hannah and her mom have a separate area for children, while their spacious back deck is perfect for having evenings like tonight, where they’re having a sangria and cheese evening. They think the Paddington Street Fair is fantastic, and they’re looking forward to continuing to participate in the future. To everyone reading, Hannah says, “Come and check us out! We’ve got an amazing, fresh menu, we specialise in breakfasts and lunch, so one of our specialities is fresh, homemade, house food, and not a lot of people know about our back area, because you can’t see it from the front.”

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Hands on Art – Non-profit Organisation 150 Enogerra Terrace, Paddington Every community needs a heart to drive it, and, for Paddington, it’s Hands on Art. An integral part the district since 1972, Hands on Art is a non-profit organisation directed by Jeff Cheyne, a celebrated artist, innovator, writer and storyteller.

Bringing bright colors, loud noises and buckets of creation, Hands on Art looks to involve the community on everything creative.

“We’re very much involved in community arts. We work with an abundance of communities, from hospitals to schools as well as run programs for kids as well as adults. That’s the thing, art should be enjoyed by everyone,” Jeff says.

Jeff praises the Paddington community for welcoming the value of art and the enjoyment of creation with open arms.

With his stated mission being to spread the value of art, Jeff is very involved in building relationships with the community by engaging with families.

“We’ve been part of the community for a long time now; we have humble beginnings, as we started off in street festivals in Paddington. Paddington has made it clear that they love having us here because there isn’t many opportunities for families to fully express themselves.”

Over time, Jeff has seen the community grow alongside his organisation, describing the changes as parallel evolution.

“Over the time we’ve seen a lot of changes. Back in the 70s, it was very family-orientated, only to soon become a[n ....] individualistic community. It’s interesting to see it shift back to a sense of family.”

Jeff believes that at the end of the day, despite everything being online, physical art will always be around and sought out.

“What we’ve accomplished is showing that people still enjoy doing the real-life physical work, people still enjoy getting out there and putting paint brush to canvas.”

Although The Hands on Art team love energising Paddington’s esprit de corps, they also teach the importance of individualism and confidence in being different. “We want people to get in touch with themselves, understand the importance of being yourself while being part of a community.”

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We interview Paddington Ward’s councillor, and quiz him about everything from his childhood to Paddington’s future.

Tell us about your European background.

I was born in Belgrade, Serbia, which, at the time, was known as Yugoslavia. My parents and I came to Australia in September, 1969, in search of a better future. At the time, the federal government was offering work for immigrants; consequently, they subsidised our flight, and I entered the country free of charge, while my parents both paid $20. All our belongings were contained in one suitcase.

My mother knew absolutely no English, while my father was only slightly more fluent – I think he knew about five words. Once we arrived, we got on a bus and were taken to a refugee centre to acclimatise, until we could get a better understanding of Brisbane and Australian life. By engaging with the local Serbian diaspora, we rented a flat, and my father managed to secure work. Brisbane was a very different place, at the time – it was a big country town, not a city as it is today.

Tell us about your parents’ influence on you.

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Peter Matic Source: Facebook

My dad loved Brisbane, and my mother’s uncle was a refugee from the Second World War. We went to Sydney for a little while, but my dad returned to Brisbane as quickly as he could. He didn’t want to get involved in the politics and the group divisions; he just wanted to make a life for himself and own his own business. His first job in Australia was cooking fish and chips, and learning the Aussie culinary arts. Around the same time, my mother also started working.

We lived in a little house in Annerley, which was where my sister was born; because there were only four of us, we had a very strong sense of family, while a devoted work ethic was also highly prevalent. In 1975, we were offered citizenship. We were all sworn in during a mass ceremony in King George Square, on the 27th of January. For my dad, being an Australian was incredibly important. He loved this country, the freedom, and everything it offered. He felt that if we’re Australian, we’re going to become as part of the community as quickly as we can, which is something he’s really ingrained in me.

His sense of social contribution, of being kind and generous to people, also helped shaped me – it’s why I am who I am today.

How did you get into politics?

While at university, I did a BA of Arts majoring in Politics and Economics, which really sparked my interest in our political system. Particularly, I found the government’s ability to do good and make the world a better, more just place fascinating. I ended up studying law because of this – I have a strong sense of justice. I love the idea of getting an outcome for someone, and making their world better. My belief is that each of us has a contribution to make, both to our community and the world at large. That’s why I’m in local government; at this grassroots level, I have the ability to effect actual change that improves peoples’ lives. It’s about making the community and the city a better place, and making people happy along the way.

Can you roughly sketch out your political standpoints?

I like local council because it’s more apolitical than state or federal government. In its basic form, there’s less focus on politics, and more emphasis on helping people. We do have political discussions, of course, but it’s not about party divisions, it’s about the city, the community and your neighbours. I’m officially a member of the LNP, but I’m ultimately a local councillor. People voted me in because they trust me, and to carry that investment of trust is an absolute honour and privilege. Although not everyone voted for me, I’m here to serve the whole community, not just my supporters; it’s my responsibility as the representative of Paddington, and my commitment to doing this is what drives me.

Do you have any big plans for Paddington in the future?

One of the big things I want to work on is the creative sector in our community. There’s so many talented people in this ward, and they’re constantly looking for opportunities to express themselves.

Unfortunately, expenses make that difficult, so I’m looking at ways to help them. We’re looking at how to partner with local venues to provide low- or nocost options for artists to express themselves. We don’t want them moving to Sydney or Melbourne because they feel there’s no options for them here;

Brisbane is a vibrant, thriving city with so many opportunities.

Another thing we need to focus on is our sense of community, across Brisbane. We need to make sure that as new citizens move into our districts, we keep welcoming them, and keep knowing our neighbours.

It would be a shame to lose that strong sense of belonging that has always been a fundamental part of Paddington. We want to continue feeding that sense through local businesses and by orchestrating festivals, Christmas carols, movies in parks, street fairs, surveys of local improvements, media, schools and much more.

How do you capture generosity in your personal life?

My personal life is actually my job. My time commitment to my position is such that the two are one and the same. The thing I like to do most is support the huge variety of organisations within this ward, and look after the issues they represent, particularly homelessness. You can’t live in a city like Brisbane when you have the issue of homelessness; I find that to be a complete contradiction of civilisation and humanity. I support groups that help with this, and other issues, in our community.

Do you have any other big issues or political agendas to discuss?

For me, there’s so many organisations doing so much great work, helping a lot of different people.

I find homelessness meaningful because it’s quite emotional. I often go down to Musgrave Park to meet people affected by this issue first-hand, and to understand what their needs are, so I can provide useful services to them.

I think there is so much opportunity in the creative sector to do more, particularly with youthful and emerging artists. I’m lucky enough to love what I do, so I want to help other people make a living out of what they love as well. Ultimately, art, music and performances give back to the community, and creativity is essential to defining us as human beings.

It’s definitely something I’m passionate about – I really want to help build it during my time in politics. We’re doing a lot now, but we can certainly do more.

Interview by Sarah Andrew Content by Peter Matic Written by Duncan Croker 49

Jewels NY If you’re a connoisseur of fine jewellery, Jewels NY is the place to go in Paddington. When we walk in, it feels cosy – like a typical Paddington shopfront, with old-school sliding windows and an artsy ambience. The walls are white-washed, featuring full-length mirrors, and the ceiling is hung with two massive crystal chandeliers, throwing warm light around the display room. And then we take a good, hard look at what’s in the massive glass display cases, and it all starts to make sense.

First impression – light glittering off metal and precious stones. There’s dozens of delicate jewellery pieces encased within, reclining on stands and display cushions, each a study in intricate craftsmanship. Shop owner Leith is a study in friendly enthusiasm; she immediately gets her key and starts unlocking cabinets, inviting us to pick out jewellery and try it on. It’s like Christmas come early for our founder, Sarah. Peppering Leith with questions – which are happily answered – she races between diamond rings and pearl necklaces, trying on everything from pearl-threaded strings of wire to coiled snake rings of gold and rubies.

There’s an incredible selection of wares on show. Diamond rings are extremely popular, there’s zoomorphic rings, gold rings, various types of luxury scented candles, crystal decanters and their accompanying glasses, necklaces, precious stone pieces, and so much more. The house candle, in particular, is exciting; it’s called No. 22, made exclusively for Jewels NY, and is encased in a crystal glass so that once the candle’s expired, you can simply wash out the glass and use it. It’s a process Leith refers to as ‘up-cycling’. There’s no male jewellery immediately visible, but when I ask Leith about this, she assures me that she can get her hands on whatever a bloke would like.

Her process? Use her contacts in New York and other parts of the United States to snare discounted jewellery pieces from resellers. Because of the nature of the American economy, there’s far more pieces floating around in the second-hand market, and Leith can pick up barely-used pieces from premium manufacturers at slightly discounted prices. She can get everything from men’s rings to luxury watch brands. She also offers unique handcrafted pieces from Australian jewellers – one ring, arguably the showpiece of the store, retails for a whopping $34,000.

So if you’ve got a love for shiny things (as most of us do), head over to 22 LaTrobe Terrace and check out Jewels NY. They cater for all price ranges, and their diverse selection of pieces, whether in-shop or available on request, means there’s something for everyone. Even if you don’t want to spend anything, you’re still more than welcome to go in and try on some pieces – as Leith says, “it costs nothing to play.”

Written by Duncan Croker

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L to R: Sarah Andrew and Leith Anderson Reid

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Tesla Power For many people, the Australian outback is a tough place, fit only for the bravest of Aussie battlers who dare endure its harsh surrounding – a short but notable list which includes seventy-year-old Sylvia Wilson and her Tesla Model S. In honor of her husband who had passed away, Sylvia hit the road with her electric sedan and conquered 20,396 kilometers in the space of 110 days. Sylvia explains that although the trip was a way to celebrate her husband’s life, she also wanted to prove to everyone that electric cars have the durability and power to achieve what their petrol and diesel counterparts can.

“Prior to the trip, we had the car for eighteen months. My husband and I loved the car. It felt strong and safe; most importantly, I felt comfortable,” Sylvia said.

“We always talked and joked about doing a big trip with the car to prove that these electrical cars have the power to do so. With Rod’s condition worsening, the push to commit to the trip heightened.

“If a silly old women like me can do it, anyone can do it.”

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Months of preparation were crucial for the trip to sail smoothly; accommodation need to be located, and, critically, charging points need to be sourced, which was made easy with an app called Plug Share.

Sylvia’s friends and family joined her along the way in bits and pieces, turning a potentially lonely odyssey into the ultimate girls’ trip.

“I try and avoid as much drama as possible, which meant a lot of research and organisation was crucial.”

Sylvia stressed that although there was a lot of prep work, the hardest part of the journey was the unknown, realizing that no one else had ever done what she was attempting and that anything could go wrong.

“I consider myself very lucky. The weather was amazing and, even better, the people I met along the way were nothing short of generous,” she recalls.

As everybody knows, purchasing a Tesla is not cheap, but Sylvia stresses that running costs are

Silvia Wilson

minimal; even better, electric engines are infinitely better for the environment than the alternatives. “It’s no secret that they aren’t cheap, but the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. At the same time, our environment is in the condition where it needs all of our time and attention.”

Without hesitation, Sylvia admits that she’s a bit of an evangelist when it comes to electrical cars.

During her trip around Australia, she showcased her chariot to those interested, emphasizing its durability and other special features. “I’d let them sit in it and get a real feel for it. I’d even take it the extra mile and show them all the features that make the car so amazing.”

Sylvia particularly enjoyed educating those around her about Australia’s current network of charging stations, known as the Round Australian Electric Highway. The highway covers the entirety of Australia’s perimeter, providing a charging station every 200 kilometers. Sylvia also shared that majority of electric cars can also easily be charged by your average power socket.

On top of great company, she loved the undeniable beauty of the Australian outback, from the Horizontal Falls to the peaceful Nullarbor Plain.

After completing such an amazing journey, Sylvia is hungry for more. As a person who enjoys true challenges, Sylvia has got her Tesla charged and ready to hit the road on her next trip. “At this moment in time it looks like Tasmania could possibly be it, it has everything a good road trip needs.”

Ultimately, Sylvia’s trip is a reflection of her past passion with her husband, a nod to a better future for the environment, and the thrill of living in the here and now by proving that, no matter who you are or what you drive, if there’s a will, there’s a way.

Written by Alec Munro

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Victor Perton: A Case For Optimism What makes me optimistic? The leader is the person in my mirror.

This philosophy is Victor Perton’s mantra. Victor has been a lawyer, a politician and was involved in the G20 Summit in Brisbane a few years ago. He is also a leading speaker in the areas of leadership and optimistic thought. He goes out of his way to practice gratitude and optimism in everything he does. He is a key believer in practicing gratitude and optimism to become more immersed in this chain of idea.

Victor comes from a long line of optimists, fuelling him to continue his life in a similar vein. His family migrated to Australia prior to his birth as refugees fleeing the Soviet Union; they survived WWII through their ongoing optimistic approach to an otherwise hopeless situation. His paternal grandfather was tortured to death, and his paternal grandmother a survivor of the Gulag, yet Victor upholds an optimistic outlook for the future.

In 2017, Victor was on the Board of Directors for the Integrity 20 Summit. He had driven the board to coin the conference topic ‘the age of optimism’, setting the tone for an ongoing analysis of optimism in our current day and age. For Victor, this provided the opportunity to transform how he had been looking at Australian leadership.

Prior to Integrity 2017, he had been asking people ‘what makes a great leader’, in order to compile a comprehensive list of great leadership qualities. Post-conference, however, he shifted his focus to optimism.

“What makes you optimistic?” Through asking people this question, Victor invites optimism and warm smiles to greet everyone he meets. At the following Integrity 20 conference (2018), Victor asked a group of high school students what makes them optimistic, which elicited a flurry of conversation.

Victor doesn’t restrict these optimistic thought sessions to schools and conferences, but also visits prisons.

In late November, Victor assisted in an inmate Life Skills Program run by Jennifer Hippisley. Victor recalls on one particular interaction during this session with an inmate. This inmate reflected on his time prior to imprisonment, realising that as a crime lord, he relied on fear and threats to control others. However, in his future wanted to pursue leadership through optimism, inspiring others and the potential of drawing people to him through a more uplifting, optimistic leadership.

Australia is one of the luckiest countries in the world, yet our ongoing economic and internal growth has not led to optimism as it would in other nations. “Nobody lives better than you [Australians], yet you are still dissatisfied, who do you compare yourselves to?” Victor was asked this by a board chairman in Canada who was unable to comprehend the utter dissatisfaction of Australians in their country, wealth and highlydeveloped lifestyles. Australians have become caught up in wealth, comparing themselves to the top 1% of wealth in the USA, idealising the lifestyle of a Manhattan mansion-owner with the base salary of $2 million.

Through those unrealistic comparisons, the Australian people have adopted a self-absorbed, unrealistic outlook on the world.

Victor is a strong believer that the Australian dissatisfaction can be fixed through a change of perspective.

He proposes that there are several reasons we are pessimistic: The news: Currently, the grinding negativity of the media has created a negative bubble for the Australian population inhabit. There is constant focus on catastrophe, whether current, past, or future. As a population, we focus on the issues with our lives rather than what’s going right.

Ignorance: From a young age, we are educating our youth to be pessimistic. The education materials, books and plays all position kids to view the world as a dark place, where you must be extremely

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wealthy or else you will be unhappy. This is brainwashing young people to become unhappy and pessimistic adults.

Language and daily conversation: Australians are constantly pessimistic with their conversations.

How are you? Not bad. A classic example of how Australians refuse to be outwardly happy and content in conversation. This positions the people to reflect on their day as not too bad rather than pretty good.

Loss of spirituality: We have greatly secularised society; however, there has been a lack of transference to other meditative or reflective methods. While a minority of people have adopted new spirituality through consciousness, meditation or mindfulness, the majority have refrained from participating in anything of this sort. Consequently, people are no longer reflecting on the good things.

Despite these reasons for Australian pessimism, Victor radiates optimism. We asked Victor: how can we be more optimistic as individuals?

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2.

3.

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We should remember to thank people. The company chair, the cleaner, your guests, your mum, your dad – everyone.

At dinner each night, share one thing that you are grateful for. Alternatively, if you enjoy journaling, try writing down each day one reason why you are grateful.

Ask other people what makes them optimistic and listen to their answer.

Talk to more children, listen to their views and why they are optimistic.

Victor reflects on one morning in the lead up to the G20. A man was out doing his job as a city council worker, sweeping the streets in preparation for the event, when Victor approached him. “I would like to thank you on behalf of Joe Hockey and the G20, for doing an amazing job in preparation of this event.”

The man grinned, thankful for Victors comment, and Victor smiled back from the joy he gained from thanking the other man. Thanking others may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but it can completely transform everyone’s mood. Through increasing the positive atmosphere and actively considering the things others do for you, you can alter your outlook, boosting your optimism over time.

So, ask yourself, and ask the people around you: what makes you optimistic?

Written by Emy-Lee Rogers

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Victor Perton

Despite normally residing in the North Pole, it seems that Santa has traveled to Kurralta Park, SA, in search of warmer weather.

For Arthur Butler, Christmas is a time for joy, a season of giving, and a cause for celebration.

Despite his passion for the holiday season, Arthur was unsuccessful in his application to play Santa due to the ad explicitly requiring applicants to be “Caucasian men.”

While job-hunting, Arthur stumbled across the ad on Facebook. His love for the season gave him the courage to have a go and send through his details. Certainly, he already knew that his darker complexion – due to his Indigenous heritage – would present some complications.

“I gave them a call to follow up on my application but I also asked them if any problems would arise from being Indigenous,” Arthur said. “At the time they told me that it shouldn’t be a problem because they do not discriminate.”

SANTA DOWN UNDER L to R: A Fire Fighter and Arthur Butler

This wasn’t the first time Arthur had donned the Santa outfit. He’s played the role numerous times for fundraisers and charities, as well as with his friends and family, making him confident that he possessed the personality to encompass Santa’s unique Christmas spirit.

“I just thought that maybe I can try and break the stigma by trying out as an Indigenous Santa.

Besides my complexion, I’d like to think I’m a perfect fit for the roll. I’ve got the beard and it’s no secret that I’m a bit of a big lad. Even more I’m always a happy, joyful and positive person.

I’ve tried my best not to turn around and say it’s discrimination – I honestly just want to keep it neutral.”

It wasn’t long until Arthur’s story caught the nation’s attention. Along with his friends Scott Ferguson and Brigitt De Laine, Arthur showcased his story through his Facebook page called ‘Arthur for Santa Gig’.

He’s praised the media for not portraying the situation as an example of racism. He explains that a lot of the radical, race-oriented views on his story are actually due to the public. He remains adamant in his vision to simply be an ‘average Joe’ who stands up for what he believes is right.

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“There are keyboard warriors out there that don’t want change, or just want their two minutes of fame by trying to run someone down.” Arthur’s story also highlights the struggles that some minority groups face in their everyday lives. “Sadly, things like this happen daily and, unfortunately, it takes a toll on some people.”

“You’ve got to watch out with things like this – some people suffer from depression and anxiety.

For them to take the leap and apply, only to be knocked back can be very hard. They can fall into a lull anywhere from a day to a whole week.”

To Arthur, playing Santa is a job like no other. For him, spreading joy and positivity, and making people happy is his life-long mission. He explains that being nice comes at no great cost. A little bit of time and effort is all it takes.

“I’ve always been this type of person, putting my friends and family first. I’ve also been known for helping complete strangers and even homeless people, offering them a spare room at my place.

“You’ve only got one life. Live it the way you want it to be.”

Written by Alec Munro

Arthur Butler

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Capturing Joy in Photography: A Moment in Time Written by Alec Munro and Emy-Lee Rogers Henry Tang is a London photographer with a difference. In his mid 30s, Henry was a computer programmer that sought out a career change, which led to him exploring new hobbies such as photography. While most photographers focus on capturing a picture or a perspective, Henry’s is on a mood or a perceived energy in the scene, like joy, anger or sadness.

That said, Henry’s unique approach isn’t his only difference. He grew up with extreme shortsightedness, impacting many aspects of his life and rendering him legally blind. “If someone saw me reading, they would probably be confused.” He can’t see in detail, but instead relies on his other senses. This is exactly how Henry developed a heightened ability to feel the moment and sense the underlying energies he captures in his images.

Unlike other photographers, Henry doesn’t necessarily want to capture an image in his work, but, rather, the mood embedded in the moment. This allows Henry to put forward unconventional images without being restrained by the trammels of vision. He favours natural scenery and wildlife in his work, as he is able to sense the joy and natural fluidity in the moment.

Henry’s world is presented in close proximity, and he embraces it with open arms. Despite being his vision impairment, Henry has embraced his other senses: the power of touch, smell, taste, and sound. This unusually-heightened awareness allows him to create a more detailed reality compared to that established purely by sight.

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Henry Tang

Henry’s understanding and appreciation for his senses is also evident in his career as a clinical massage specialist. Joyful Bodies is Henry’s approach into the physical realm, exchanging his spectator role as a photographer for a more direct position as a message specialist. Joyful Bodies seeks to facilitate holistic change, not only in the body, but in all areas of life. At his practice, Henry focuses on accessing the innate consciousness of clients through the various tools at hand.

“My photos are like a gift [to others], or something that inspires them.” Through his focuses, Henry explains that his art is not just to show something, but instead to share something.

His work stands in juxtaposition to his everyday life; it’s crucial for him to build a relationship with his camera, looking to develop the perfect balance between “who is Henry Tang” and what his camera captures.

Strangely, Henry’s world stays his own; although his works are what he captures, what he sees is entirely a unique experience only he can truly comprehend.

A Sunrise in Narrabeen Beach – Henry explained that this is probably his favourite piece in his collection so far, and is the only piece he has had made into a canvas to date. “I was very satisfying to achieve … I captured contrasts and then edited it. So, it has a nice balance between technical and natural.” This was Henry’s first trial using photo editing programs, however it was a major personal success in his journey.

To see some of Henry’s amazing work, or to check out photos of the man himself, visit his Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/henry.tang.0

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A New Dawn for Fitness In modern Australia, gyms are a dime a dozen.

They’re no longer the exclusive domain of steroid-infused, bleached-blond, beach-going bodybuilders – they’ve evolved into a nationwide phenomenon frequented by everyone from soccer moms to singlet-toting gym rats.

Consequently, there’s been a surge of health club chains popping up across the country, and if you’re living in any suburban or urban environment, you’re probably not far from a Jetts or a Fitness First.

Like all big companies, the sheer size of these gyms means that engaging, personalized fitness has essentially become a thing of the past. If you’re an experienced gym-goer, your prep consists of binge-watching bodybuilding. com videos, or shelling out hundreds of dollars a month on personal trainers (not to mention the joining fees, gym fees and 24-hour access cards).

Enter Dawn Athletics, part of the wave of small gyms pushing back against that confusing, corporate mentality. Co-directors James Somers and Caity Jerrard have opened their brand-new facility with the intention of providing holistic fitness treatment for their client base. There’s no exorbitant access fees stacked on top of private PT charges – if you’re paying to get in, James and Caity are there to help you.

Their journey towards Dawn Athletics started when they were young. Labelled as overweight during childhood, the teenage transition into school sport showed both of them the benefits of fitness; James started football at fourteen, an undertaking which quickly pushed him towards the joyful athleticism he’s known for today.

Over the years, he began to coach in other sports, taking pride in watching the physical and mental transformations of his protégés.

Like so many young women, Caity struggled

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L to R: Caity Jerrard and James Somers with bulimia and anorexia through her high school years, which taught her the power of positive thinking and a non-judgmental approach to fitness. Her start in fitness was at the gym, where she enlisted a PT to help her become healthier.

Fast forward to today. James’ and Caity’s experiences have had a hugely formative effect on their training styles, with an increased focus on general health and mental wellbeing.

Coming from a CrossFit background, their methodology has produced a rounded fitness regimen, involving mobility work, yoga, gymnastics, strength work and conditioning pieces, which is manifested in their daily Dawn Fitness Class. Taking your first steps into a gym can be confronting, so they’ve developed a step-by-step process to help alleviate client anxiety. You start off with a comprehensive interview, where James and Caity get to know you as a person, as well as what you hope to achieve in the realm of fitness. Your next step is one-on-one training sessions, where you’ll be gently encouraged to push yourself and step outside of your comfort zone. When both you and the trainers feel you’re ready, you’ll have the option of joining group sessions, where you can engage with the Dawn Fitness family and build connections.

For James and Caity, there are no such things as faults or problems. There are goals, and limitations to those goals, and steps to overcome those limitations. Progress is habit-building – slow, steady strides towards achieving what you want to achieve. Their inclusive ideals and positive philosophies underpin Dawn Fitness, and they’re a beautiful exemplar of the small-gym movement. Go down and have a look. You’ll like what you see.

Written by Duncan Croker

Five Tips for Healthy Eating 1 Be prepared. At the start of each week, plan ahead. Think about each day and what meals you’re going to eat. If you’ve got the culinary skills, bulk-cooking is a fantastic time-saver, particularly for meals like chilli con carne, pasta, lasagne or similar dishes. On Sunday, map out your eating week, and spend the afternoon mass-producing enough dinners to keep you going. If you don’t have good-quality food on hand when you’re hungry, it’s easy to compromise all your hard work by snacking on a packet of chips, or reaching into your fridge for that tub of delicious ice-cream.

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o time t ’s t I . s od e ole fo minut Eat wh from two- d goods – on ge move packa duce, like d n a s t o e noodl ing fresh pr eggs. Tha t d a n start e les, meat a sive prices, ab ial ces veget oid ex gs of artific v a u o n way, y s the helpi tives. la va as wel and preser s r flavou

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Drink eno ugh wate r. This on be oversta e ca ted. Drin king the ri n’t amount o ght f water is incredibly ant for yo importur health, while deh has a laun y dration dry list of negative If you stru effe ggle with drinking tw cts. three litre o to s of plain wa alternativ es like spa ter a day, try rklin eral water, or flavoure g water, mind water. T aren’t bad hese for you, a nd will en that your sure body is sti ll receivin right hydra g the tion.

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Start with small changes. Big steps towards any goal can be overwhelming, so make small, sustainable alterations to your diet.

Try implementing one good habit per week and perfecting it before moving onto another one. For example, you could aim to drink two litres of water a day; when you’ve nailed that, try having at least one vegetable with every meal. Bear in mind that breaking a habit takes between twenty and thirty days, so don’t give up!

Written by James Somers, Caity Jerrard, and Duncan Croker

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Enjoy what you eat. Yo u can’t force yours elf to stick to a diet if you hate it.

Try and kee p your favourite fo ods in your new eating life, or go o n the hunt fo r healthy recipes tha t appeal to your taste.

Cheat days are okay, ju st don’t overdo the m; when w e go to the movies, we indulge ou rselves, and because it’s only every fortnight, it’s manage able.

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Live a longer, healthier life

NOTE: Stats are continuosly growing every-day

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Supported by Living Lifestyles Magazine and ShinePR Media Email: hello@shineprmedia.online Phone: 0731982414

Written by Alec Munro

As an individual, you are your own person and your skin has its own needs – the world of skincare is not a one-size-fits-all type of job.

Looking fabulous and healthy doesn’t need to be a hassle, though, and ensuring you’re using the right product for your skin is vital for both good looks and health.

At Bush Skincare, the focus is on the development of quality and high-performance products. Their skincare line guarantees the absence of harmful toxins, sulphates, Paraben, and synthetic colours.

Bush Skincare

local community.

Between their moisturisers, exfoliants and general body care products, Bush Skincare have the ability to provide you with the service and products you need for perfect skin.

From products designed for sensitive skin, to hydrating and clarifying products, Bush Skincare offers a product for every skin type, in every situation.

Beauty has never been so easy – start making the most of your skin with Bush Skincare.

Established in 2005, Bush Skincare utilizes the best organic ingredients sourced from all-Australian suppliers, ensuring that your money not only benefits sustainability, but also feeds back into the

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“I’m a Certified Fucking Miracle Worker” With Liam Phillips – C.F.M.W., access consciousness advocate, and cancer survivor Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you’re about?

My name is Liam Phillips. I’ve been on this planet for fifty-three years, and I’m a Certified Fucking Miracle Worker. I’m enjoying life at Thredbo. It’s a small town up in the mountains in New South Wales. It’s absolutely beautiful. I love to mountain bike and travel around the world. I also help people facilitate the changes in their life that they want to make.

What have you been doing to help people facilitate changes in their lives?

I have three main areas of facilitation: access consciousness facilitation, curing the incurable and entity facilitation. Access consciousness facilitation is very broad — we talk about anything from sex, relationship, money and entities. I have my own branch of access consciousness, which is Curing the Incurable and that’s more about body and curing disease. Entity is where we get into the really weird stuff.

Could you tell us a little more about access consciousness and how people can access their consciousness?

Access consciousness is a set of processing-tools created by Gary Douglas and Dr. Dain Heer.

It helps participants who want to unlock that which is creating the limitations in their fuckedup lives. Access [consciousness] is based on the premise of ‘ask and you shall receive’. If you willingly question what’s around you, you can receive a different reality. I like Gary Douglas and his recognition that it’s more than a definition — it’s a tool of consciousness. It’s such a great guiding principle.

Previously, you mentioned ‘Curing the Incurable’ – what was the inspiration behind that?

About fifteen or sixteen years ago, I ‘created’ a bowel disease in my body. The doctors wanted to cut it out. They said they had to cut out my intestines and that I’d be on medication for the rest of my life. That just wasn’t acceptable for me. I was a healer who already had the all meditation and yoga tools, but none of it was working for me.

One day I flew to America and I bought a book called Embodiment: The Manual You Should Have Been Given When You Were Born by Dr. Dain Heer. My plane had been delayed, but I used that time to read. I must’ve read that book five times. I had highlighted almost every page by the time I got off the aircraft. Over the next two weeks, my life and my body had started to change dynamically.

When you say your body changed dynamically, did you mean physically or just in how it felt?

Both. Within two weeks, I was able to climb up a mountain that was over a kilometre high. Two weeks before that, I couldn’t even walk up a set of stairs. I went from having to relieve myself in the bathroom maybe up to twenty-four times a day, to just the regular amount.

I’ve been following your journey with cancer through your social media. Could you tell us a bit more about your cancer?

This question’s really interesting because you said ‘your cancer’. I often see people say ‘my cancer’. What this really means is that the person defines themselves as one who has cancer. I was vilified for pointing this out to a group of people. Cancer is a creation of my body, but it’s not

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‘my cancer’. When you say ‘my cancer’ it locks the cancer into your body and it becomes harder for that status to change.

What I’m saying is that your point of view can change your reality. When you acknowledge that something is your creation, you get this awareness that you are the creator of your life and your reality. From there, you can create something different. You don’t necessarily have look at why you created it. Some people create just because they can. There doesn’t have to be a reason.

I ‘created’ two tumours. One is gone, but the other is a stubborn bastard and it’s still hanging around. This morning I said to myself ‘what do I really love about this cancer?’ and I thought ‘wow, I fucking love it’ because I don’t have to work. It’s on the side of my neck, which it freaks people out when they look at me, and I love that too. Cancer gives me the excuse to not have to do anything I don’t want to. It allows me to choose the things that I wasn’t allowing myself to choose before, like being alone. Now I can choose not to have a relationship. I can choose to live where I want to live. I can choose to live how I live. It’s been the first time in fifty-three years I’ve been by myself. I’m so grateful for creating this cancer.

Liam Phillips For our December issue, we’re exploring generosity and giving back. Being an advocate for access consciousness and founding ‘Curing the Incurable’, is this your way of giving back and helping the world around you?

That’s a good question. One of the greatest gifts you can give is to be you. There’s a lot of people out there giving their point of view. They’re sharing their passion and they’re trying to help when people don’t need help. But the greatest gift in giving is the willingness to be you and to receive anything and everybody without any judgement. So, my way of giving back is to be so me that others are inspired to be them.

Questions by Heonji Kim Responses by Liam Phillips

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Ross Ormsby

At seventeen, Ross Ormsby suffered a nearfatal accident. A scrum collapsed during a Rugby First XV game for Te Awamutu College, breaking his neck and committing him to a wheelchair. But this incident didn’t define who Ross was or planned be – not even close. It was just one obstacle in his life. Ross Ormsby had ideas, and he intended to live them out.

As soon as the incident occurred, Ross experienced a vision – himself, in the future, in a wheelchair. It was at this moment that he snapped back into real life and realised that this vision was now his reality.

“The moment can only be described as weird, but it felt so real,” Ross recalls. “My whole life changed so quickly. I went from living a very

My Body May Be Paralyzed, But I Am Not. active lifestyle – living on a farm, riding bikes and enjoy an abundance of physical sports – to simply living in a wheelchair.

to process of rehabilitation, but he also went the extra mile by providing moral support and advice.

“The scariest part of it all was not knowing what the future had planned for me.”

Despite such a positive outlook on life, Ross admits that it can still get very tough at times, explaining that although he’s got his heart set in the right place, it’s important to understand one’s physical capacity.

It didn’t take long before Ross understood that his wheelchair wasn’t the thing that preventing him from living his life. It was himself. “My real rehabilitation and recovery started when I decided I wanted to not only live, but live life the way I intended to.”

Since that epiphany, Ross has heavily been involved in the rugby scene, working alongside a foundation that helps rehabilitate and care for severely injured players. Not only did Ross provide financial advice and key notes on how to better look after one’s money in regards

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Nearly three years ago, Ross faced a pressure sore that nearly killed him. After enduring intense rehabilitation and further medication with minimal progress, Ross looked back at his own mental health as a cure. “Even through the tough times, I chose to be a positive person, I demanded that I be fun. As cliché as it sounds, it helped me and got me through some tough stages in my life.

“Now with any obstacle I face, I remember to always have fun, as well as find it and create it.

It’s important to balance the workload between your mind, body and heart and understand that sometimes there are bad days, but know that everyone has bad days.”

Now, at fifty-one, Ross has expanded his mind and heart to unbelievable proportions. Years of living life to the fullest has taught Ross not to see his incident as a defining moment but rather a life lesson.

“I’ve changed my view on life and I’ve changed the way I want to tackle this journey of mine, I chose to be more.”

Although he’s had years of amazing experiences, including surfing in Hawaii and skiing in the Snowy Mountains, Ross relishes upon his greatest achievement, the moment he decided to be himself.

“I demanded myself to be me and do me!

Everything became more enjoyable, even the journey of recovery.”

After experiencing the impact a person’s mentality can have on their life, Ross believes he has the ability to help improve other people’s energy and consciousness.

Subsequently, when prescribed rest and antiinflammatories, Ross instead trusts in his ability in clearing shock and trauma from injuries, especially people suffering from concussions.

Despite his incident, Ross doesn’t believe he was dealt a bad hand, he was put in this world to do something, and if that something was to show everyone that being in a wheel chair doesn’t define who you are or what you can do, then Ross Ormsby has accomplished that.

“Be yourself more moments of the day. Heck, be yourself 100% of the time, show everyone who are you.” Ross Ormsby may be in a wheelchair, but he’s far from trapped. “I love hand cycling, the feeling of the wind on my wave, the speed I can gather, the distance I can cover and most importantly knowing that I’m free.”

Keep up to date with all of Ross Ormsby’s Adventures through his Instagram page at ‘adventureswiththatguyross’.

Written by Alec Munro

Ross Ormsby

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Soul Bistro: Generosity from Hong Kong Terry Leung isn’t a religious man. When we talk to him, he’s quite clear – he doesn’t follow a particular faith, doesn’t go to church, doesn’t adhere to any scriptural requirements. But he is spiritual. Undoubtedly so. He knows, with perfect conviction, that there is something else, something bigger than him.

It’s a bold claim, to say there’s a god of some description. It’s sure to elicit disagreement, arguments. How does Terry know? When he was ten years old, living in a remote province near Hong Kong, far from a decent hospital and thirty years away from modern medicine, he became critically ill, struck down with a fever that saw his temperature skyrocket to 140 degrees (I hope he means Fahrenheit). His parents rushed him, unconscious, to the nearest medical centre. The doctor’s verdict? “We’ve done everything we can.” Essentially, it was a shrugged dismissal of Terry’s chances for life.

When he was in that coma, he came to a realisation. There was something out there. And when he woke up, brain undamaged, it was a

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miracle, a cosmic answer to his epiphany.

Since that incident, he’s been on a mission to give back to the world and pay it forward. He’s been living in Australia since the ’70s, working as a chef, and he’s still going strong, with his latest eatery, Soul Bistro, which is located in Milton, Brisbane. His son, Maxwell, also works in the industry, and has recently opened a restaurant in joint partnership with one of Terry’s former protégés.

I know what you’re thinking. How does being a chef pay it forward? How is cooking food an example of giving back to society? Terry explains. It’s not about massive acts of generosity, sweeping donations of hundreds of thousands of dollars. That’s simply not feasible for normal people. It’s about contributing small, sustainable actions that help make others’ lives better. “Whether they’re having a bad day, a good day, they come in here, and I can help,” Terry says. He and his customer have only one interaction – the ordering and serving of food. He might never see them again, but they

have that one moment together, and that’s the chance he has to make their lives better. So he gives them great food, and he gives them maybe their only moment of peace in a hectic and chaotic day.

That’s what generosity is for Terry. He gives us a recent example: a young man (we’ll call him Mr. C) racked up a food bill in Soul Bistro; when he tried to pay, his debit card failed to process the fee, and, after a little investigating, Terry discovered Mr. C’s bank account actually had no funds. That’s an awkward situation to be in, both for the customer and the business. Anyone who’s in retail has probably experienced something similar. Mr. C was, of course, apologetic – I’m sorry, I really want to pay you back, I do, I just don’t have the money.

I have a feeling most shop owners would have picked up the phone and called the cops. Terry didn’t. He took Mr. C at his word, and gave him a chance to pay it back. “I said, ‘If you’re really serious, if you really want to pay me back, you can come back when you have some money, pay it off over time, even if it takes seventeen years, you can still pay it off.’”

And, just to be clear, it wasn’t about the money. Terry’s a generous man, and if someone needs food, he’ll give it to them, no question.

For him, it was about empowering Mr. C, and giving him the tools and the motivation to better himself. It’s not charity. It’s about paying it forward, giving back to the world for that second chance he got when he was ten years old.

Whether Mr. C takes that opportunity? Well, if he does or doesn’t, it’s his choice, and that’s the important thing.

For readers: Terry is considering starting up a community charity to help those in need. He’s particularly interested in having shop owners in Milton and surrounding Brisbane districts contribute. If you feel like you and your business are in a position to help out those less fortunate, contact Terry by calling: (07) 3367 8188, or emailing him at: soulbistromilton@gmail.com Written by Duncan Croker

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A Sustainable Twist on Hairdressing At Chroma, a high level of importance is placed on environmental sustainability and protection. Owner Kim Astro has been reorienting her company for over three years to reduce the environmental impact of the hairdressing and beauty industry.

She’s done this both through transforming their in-house practices, as well as via cooperation with Sustainable Salons to ensure the external disposal of products follows an environmentally-friendly path.

HAIR While hair is a biodegradable substance, it poses a threat to the environment if it is not disposed of in an environmentally-considerate manner. If it is irresponsibly discarded and lands in waterways near highdensity locales, it becomes a clogging hazard, blocking drainage systems and affecting water cycles.

Similarly, burning or incinerating hair is a common disposal method. This is not only harmful towards the environment, but also to human inhabitants, as burning hair causes the release of airborne toxins. At Chroma Salons, no hair is thrown away or incinerated, but is instead repurposed. Following your haircut, the salon staff will collect the hair trimmings, sealing them in bags located throughout the salon. This is then stored until a Sustainable Salons representative collects them.

Kim Astro

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COLOUR Another common bi-product of hair salons is colour. Hair is dyed with a variety of environmentallyharmful products including bleach, ammonia and toluene. In many hair salon, dye is washed down the sink, with no precautionary measures taken in the disposal process. In comparison, Chroma Salon has devised a strategy to ensure no colour is flushed into the waterways. All leftover dye at the salon is transferred and sealed in containers; a large portion of this leftover dye is then repurposed into training materials for salon apprentices to use on head blocks. Any remaining dye is disposed of in garbage bins instead of salon sinks.

FOIL In addition to colour, foil is often seen as a single-used tool in hair salons. However, at Chroma, foil is washed and reused repetitively, extending the lifespan of this material. Furthermore, Kim’s salon stocks recycled foil, which has been pre-cut and redistributed to the salon. This has also proven to be both convenient and conducive for the salon’s needs, as it reduces the prep required for each foiling. This foil is also more environmentally-friendly, as its unique structure breaks down three to four times faster than regular foil.

PRODUCTS Chroma Salon uses Matrix products in their salons. Matrix are a company who have released a line of environmentally-friendly products over the past twelve months, a range which has eliminated the use of sulphur, uses biodegradable packaging and boasts a variety of green-certified products.

For Chroma, the transition to sustainable practices has been a long road, and it’s one that requires constant work, but it is ultimately rewarding. Kim believes that taking care of the environment is one of the many ways her salon gives back to their local community.

“There’s no excuses [for] not going green,” she says. “At least, do […] something to help the environment for the future.”

Written by Emy-Lee Rogers

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TradeMutt: Tradie Shirts, Mental Health and Generosity Gone are the years of the ’80s and ’90s, when massive, burgeoning corporations were swallowing up the business landscape, and the future for small business looked grim. We’re living in age of vibrant entrepreneurism, where small businesses are springing up left and right across the country; social media and globalism have made marketing and promotion easier than ever, and overnight rags-to-riches stories are far from uncommon. TradeMutt, the now-famous fashion label started by two tradies, is a part of that movement.

They’ve been featured everywhere from the ABC to Men’s Health, and Dan Allen and Ed Ross are still going strong.

TradeMutt was founded following the suicide of Dan’s best friend; he and business associate Ed, who were collaborating on carpentry projects, decided that Australia needed more inclusive conversations around mental health.

So how did two carpenters go from working with wood to working with threads? It took between eighteen months and two years to evolve from the seed of an idea into a feasible business concept; Dan and Ed tell us how they started saving money, moving from a lifestyle of weekend binging to carefully-monitored cash-collecting. When they decided to move forward with designing workwear, they made a commitment – to support each other, to empower each other and to work hard for their vision. They started surrounding themselves with people who could facilitate their vision, and, very quickly, “[they] were in too deep to get out.”

They threw everything into it.

There was no business plan, they say, just an intention to create “funky workwear” and go in “head down, bum up.” Their shirts are vividly bright – a striking array of yellows, pinks, reds,

blues and greens in camouflage patterns. On the back, they feature the phrase, “This is a conversation starter”, which represents the TradeMutt-sponsored TIACS initiative. And conversation starters these shirts certainly are.

Since the company’s inception, Dan and Ed have taken the trade sector by storm, and we ask them whether they’re looking to branch out into other fields. “Emergency services, healthcare, military … education, yeah, the possibilities are endless.” Any male-dominated industry where mental health is an issue could use the addition of the unique TradeMutt touch. Cultural norms, particularly in countries like Australia, mean it’s hard for men to discuss emotional and mental stresses. Even sectors like technology and science, which are a far cry from TradeMutt’s original trade-oriented approach, face similar struggles, and both Dan and Ed acknowledge that the problem of male mental health is widespread and deeply entrenched.

For those who are experiencing feelings of loneliness or isolation, they’ve got some advice. Create support networks – as co-owners of their business, they always have each other’s backs, so there’s a constant feeling of security provided by the presence of a friendly face. Another tip is to “make yourself a priority.” So often, people can get caught up chasing a big goal, and end up losing sight of what made that goal a possibility in the first place. Family, values, roots … they’re all integral parts of life, and it’s important in touch with them. “If you can’t be the best version of yourself, then everything else around you will fail.”

Parents, in particular, often place essentials like their children’s happiness, their jobs and their houses above themselves; this can lead

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to unhappiness, a mental state which children subconsciously absorb, resulting in emotional and psychological impacts for them. So even if you’re a dedicated mother or father, take some time for yourself. Make yourself a priority, and everything else will fall into place.

We ask them next about the Portaloo situation, which, on the surface, might seem like a bizarre question, but the boys know exactly what we’re talking about. On October 11, Dan and Ed spent twenty-four hours inside cubicles placed inside Queen Street Mall, in a bid to increase awareness about mental health. The catch?

The Portaloos were fitted with interior cameras linked to screens outside, so that passers-by could watch them do what is “a very private thing normally.”

It was an idea developed in conjunction with their friends and sponsor MyndFit following an afternoon of brainstorming; they wanted to tie

the TradeMutt message into the construction industry, where both Dan and Ed know (from personal experience) that men often hide away in Portaloos during work hours to get a bit of peace and quiet. This is a symbolic link to how men are hiding their emotions, and the ‘open Portaloo’ idea is designed to represent opening up emotionally by breaking down walls and being vulnerable. The very public display helped generate a surge in sales, as well as feedback about how the TradeMutt shirts were impacting lives.

Next, we ask what they’re doing now. More public speaking, is the answer. Much more public speaking, particularly in sectors like beef production and other rural industries, which are just as male-dominated as trade and construction. Workers also face the increased burden of their remote locations, which often makes connecting with family and friends difficult. As a Longreach boy, Ed’s more than aware of the

L to R: Paul Pitsaras, Jordan Reutas, Peta Ellis, Ed Ross and Dan Allen

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L to R: Ed Ross and Dan Allen

struggles they face.

Going forward, they’re looking at expanding TradeMutt on every level. In a nutshell?

“More shirts on more blokes.” They want to get into wholesale ordering and have more stores stocking their products, as well as branching out into corporate workwear for larger groups and companies. As innovators in the workwear industry, the boys view TradeMutt as driving a socio-cultural shift, using an everyday product to help normally stoic men to get “in tune with [their] emotional intelligence.”

And what about generosity? For Dan and Ed, generosity is as simple as people caring. It’s “giving someone something they might not expect, giving something to someone who deserves it.” It’s powerful, but not big or self-centred. It’s a selfless trait, whether the giving is physical or emotional. It rewards both recipient and giver. As the Silly Season approaches, keep others in your thoughts; many people find being alone during Christmas

tough, so it’s always a good time to give freely and be generous.

If you’re searching for a gift for a loved one, try one of Dan and Ed’s shirts. Not only are they visually unique, they’re also as good as any tradie shirt on the market, constructed using cotton drill and reinforced double stitching.

And who knows? Go to work wearing a TradeMutt shirt, start a conversation, and maybe you’ll save a life.

Interview by Sarah Andrew Written by Duncan Croker Check out the TradeMutt product selection: https://trademutt.com/collections/all See the TIACS website and the Portaloo stunt: https://www.thisisaconversationstarter. com/ View TradeMutt sponsor MyndFit: https:// www.myndfit.com.au/

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Onespace is Making Space for Artists There’s a widespread perception in Australian society that Brisbane is just an overgrown country town, reinforced by the hosting of agricultural shows like the Ekka. And, in the past, that has certainly been the case. Even over the past two or three decades, we’ve seen our state capital experience huge surges of growth, evolving from that cheerful rural ambience into the grace and sophistication of a city proper.

Nowhere is this transition more evident than in the burgeoning art scene, where local and international talent are carving their names into Brisbane’s cultural history.

Enter John Stafford and Jodie Cox, art gallerists, curators and facilitators. Hold on a moment, you’re thinking. Facilitators? What does that even mean? Well, it’s simple. Art, despite the passion and cultural legacy it inspires, still needs skilled and motivated people to help bring projects into the public light. No matter how skilled an artist is, they’ll never sell a painting or have a sculpture in a museum unless they have the right people to help realise their passion.

There’s no doubt that John and Jodie are the right people. ‘Years of experience’ is a phrase that’s often thrown around, but in their case, it’s certainly true. John started his foray into the art world during the 80s, studying at Griffith before migrating to UQ and getting caught up in the storm of political activism that surrounded the ’89 election of Wayne Goss. While pursuing his own artistic projects, he was headhunted for the Review of the Arts where he worked between 1990 and 1991.

Not long after the Review’s recommendations were adopted, he joined the bureaucracy full-time to help deliver new grants to artists; he also contributed to many other reforms to the visual arts sector, like the establishment of Queensland’s inaugural public art policy, Art Built-in. He describes the ensuing twenty years as “being trapped in the bureaucracy” of state government arts policy and programme creation, where he garnered valuable experience in management and promotion of artistic projects.

Jodie’s journey started with graduation from QUT as the proud bearer of a Bachelor of Visual Arts (Honours). As a skilled visual artist herself, she intuitively understood the needs of her peers, which led her into the Queensland government’s public art policy development. She loved that she could help artists become part of the bigger picture, helping them move away from the stereotypical studio shut-in into people who are actually participating in projects and getting paid real money. It was this passion that kept her motivated, driving her towards hooking big contracts for clients while fostering Brisbane’s burgeoning art scene.

John and Jodie’s professional careers intertwined in 2012 when they formed CREATIVEMOVE, a public art consultancy developing public art strategies and commissioning public artworks for both government

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and the private sector. In 2016, due to an office relocation, they used their new, larger premises to create Onespace Gallery. Their clientele is a diverse range of Australian artists, predominantly featuring Queensland talent.

They recall their most memorable project as Monaco, where they partnered with two other galleries to host an exhibition in the Oceanographic Museum, a collaboration which helped introduce Australian Indigenous artists to a significant global audience.

A staggeringly ambitious $1.2 million project, it took a year to plan, with their artist Bryan Robinson being featured for six months and drawing an estimated 400,000 viewers. Visitors to the Museum enjoyed Robinson’s four-metre-wide blue and green crabs featured on the exterior wall – a beautiful representation of Australia’s Indigenous heritage that made waves overseas.

So if you’re an art-loving Brisbanite, or just an Aussie who’s proud of their culture, head over to Highgate Hill and check out Onespace. There’s always established and up-andcoming artists being featured through exhibitions and openings, and you’re sure to find something that catches your eye. John and Jodie have been there through Brisbane’s long artistic history, and they’ll be around to help shape its future, too.

Written by Duncan Croker

Elisa Jane Carmichael

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Just Plug and Play: John Stefanatos and Electric Scooters I started riding bikes as a teenager in the paddocks just out of Melbourne. Once I was old enough to get a license, I rode my two-stroke road trail bike into Elizabeth Street, where a lot of bike shops were located. I went into one called Ray Quincey’s Motorcycles, which was a well-known dealer at the time.

Inside, they showed me the latest motorcycle offering; a near-new Yamaha FZ 750cc four-cylinder machine in traditional red and white colours managed to catch my eye. I hadn’t gone into the city with the intention of buying a new bike but, somehow, I ended up riding this new bike home. I told my parents it belonged to a friend and that I was just garaging it for him.

As I’d previously completed a mechanical apprenticeship that I’d started at age sixteen, I had a good understanding of motorbikes and cars, and eventually ended up working for Ray Quincey. My first job there was as a bike detailer, but once they realised I could fix bikes, they put me to work as a mechanic and I advanced from there. Within twelve months, I’d become the shop manager. My lifelong love of motorcycles was well and truly underway.

I’ve owned a variety of bikes, including a number of Harley Davidsons. I now know that my heart lies with the classic Japanese road bikes of the seventies and eighties, particularly the four-cylinder models, which have plenty of power and always manage to put a smile on my face.

Eventually, I moved to the Gold Coast and tried my hand at some different ventures. At one stage, I even purchased a day spa from a lady who had run it for many years and felt it was time for a change.

The business was quite successful under my stewardship, so I ran it for a number of years before selling it and moving on.

Over a few beers one night, a good friend of mine suggested that I open my own boutique motorcycle store. I didn’t think much of the idea at the time, but the seed had taken root, and, shortly afterwards, I decided to do it. That’s the way things happen with me. If I want to accomplish something, I make it happen. Passion, determination and excitement keep me focused and driven.

I sold that business after a couple of years, and continued with my current business, which has been established for many years. My interest in electric motors didn’t come directly from bikes. Tucked away among my hobbies is riding skateboards; I often go boarding around the Broadwater Parklands on my electric skateboard, which has made realise just how good the electric products are now. My interest in electric-driven vehicles had begun, and there was no stopping me.

A gentleman I had previously done business with was importing electric pushbikes and scooters. I decided to purchase one for myself, and rode it around the streets to work and to social spots, like my favourite cafés. The scooters looked similar to the Italian-produced Vespa that have been around for years, but they’re powered by lithium-ion batteries and electric motors. I was impressed.

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My previous bikes had been almost exclusively large Japanese roadsters, so to see me riding around on an electric-powered scooter looked slightly odd. That said, it didn’t take long before I had been won over by the styling, design and build quality of the electric scooter. It was a breath of fresh air to own a bike that didn’t have spark plugs, engine coils, drive trains, oil leaks, carburettor issues or any of the traditional petrol engine-associated problems; electric motors are so much simpler, and much less likely to have mechanical issues or failures. Just plug and play.

Interests have come and gone throughout my life, but my current passion (and one which has remained constant) is looking after the place we live in – keeping it clean, healthy and in good condition for those who follow. Electric scooters are quiet – almost silent, in fact – clean and simplified.

No oils to check, or parts to change. No feelings of dismay as you watch petrol prices skyrocket (yet again). Just one easy electric motor, capable of being charged from something as small as a standard wall socket, without the exorbitant running and maintenance costs that characterise a normal vehicle.

They are also surprisingly quick, easily reaching and succeeding traffic speeds.

Following an exciting change in my career path and goals, I branched out and purchased Bzooma, and am now focusing on introducing our electric product into the Australian market. Bzooma Bikes offers a number of electric bike options; however, our primary focus is to welcome the Tino into the Australian market, by finding boutique retail stores to join us in becoming dealers and offering the Tino to the general public.

The Tino boasts a number of cutting-edge features like regenerative braking, high- and low-speed switching options, reverse gear, ABS brakes and powerful lithium-ion batteries; it’s available in two versions, the 3kw and the 6kw, making it the perfect commuter for around city, suburban or beachside environs.

Electric-powered vehicles, whether car, truck or bike, are the future. Batteries, electronics and other required technologies have advanced to the point where prices and availability have made electric vehicles a viable option for all walks of life. Travelling range is constantly improving, so recharging mid-journey is no longer a major challenge. I charge my bike once a week simply by plugging it in to a normal power point at home or at work, and it has a range of about 150 kilometres.

The challenge is changing people’s mindsets about this new generation of vehicles; however, the Tino has been overwhelmingly accepted, as demonstrated by the community at previous EV conventions.

Maybe it’s just growth – people are finally seeing the light, and are willing to embrace a new change in direction, one that is the most sustainable way forward.

Content by John Stefanatos Written by Jay Godalasson

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John Stefanatos

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Pick up and assembly at Southport Store Shipping options available Supported by Living Lifestyles Magaine and ShinePR Media Email: hello@shineprmedia.online Phone: 0731982414 81

TJ’s Journey:

From Addiction to Happiness For recovery specialist TJ Woodward, life has been anything but predictable. His younger years of childhood were idyllic; he was happy, present and open-hearted. However, as he grew older, things changed.

By age seven, TJ begun to feel the social pressures of toxic masculinity. He recalls that around this age his mother began to notice his increased emotional sensitivity, a realization which lead to her forcing socially-normalized ideals of masculinity onto him.

This, among other experiences around this age, resulted in lasting psychological changes for TJ. “I remember myself shutting down, closing myself off and putting walls around my heart”. It was this period, from seven to thirteen years of age, that TJ describes as the most painful era of his life.

birthday, TJ was officially sober. However, he was still working past his addiction and his underlying struggles for several years afterwards. “The reason I got sober is because I felt so empty, so spiritually bankrupt, so disconnected from myself, that I was really in a great deal of pain and looking for some kind of relief from that.”

After overcoming his substance addiction, TJ became driven by the idea of success. By the age of thirty, he owned his own furniture company in San Francisco. Even then, he still wasn’t reconnected to himself, or entirely happy within. His early life was heavily centralised around being broken and disconnected, which was then followed by the feelings of shame regarding his homosexuality.

At an age when most boys are experiencing the thrills of adolescence, TJ was finding solace in drugs and alcohol. Like most thirteen-year-olds, he was oblivious to the nature of this addiction or the trade-off for this fake form of happiness, stating, “it brought me relief at the time”, which led to continual and increasing levels of substance abuse over the following seven-year period.

This flowed into the next stage of his journey – a resurgence phase of meditation, silence and self-reflection in his late thirties. In 2006, he travelled to India, where he experienced change and recentralisation. This surrounded the idea of his journey through addiction, his success in life, and his ability to help others to overcome addictions of their own.

By nineteen or twenty, TJ was drowning in years of self-medication, reflecting that the initial relief brought by addiction had vanished, replaced with the same hollow pain he’d experienced during childhood. He was consuming dangerous levels of drugs and alcohol on a regular basis, until a friend reached out to him. This man had recently beaten his addiction through participation in support groups, and asked TJ to come along to a session.

Ultimately, this lead him to his current work, as he returned from India to begin studying as a spiritual counsellor. Since attending this course, he has progressed into inspirational speaking, working as a recovery specialist and eventually writing his own books, Conscious Recovery and Conscious Being.

From there, TJ began to recognise the primary issues that enabled his addiction, and went about changing the direction of his life. Fifty days before his twenty-first

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L to R: TJ Woodward, Michael Bernard Beckwith, and Will Woodward

TJ has now begun further expanding his alreadyimpressive catalogue of skills, taking experiences from his motivational speaking, workbooks and motivation seminars to create recovery and wellness retreats in the USA. “There was a moment in my life where there was a deeper calling or a deeper purpose for my life, other than just my own materialised success.”

Written by Emy-Lee Rogers

TJ and Consciousness

With TJ Woodward – motivational speaker, spiritual counsellor, author and recovery specialist On Generosity and Being Generous

On Balance and Love

When I believe there is a limited amount of anything, a limited amount of money, a limited amount of energy, a limited amount of love, then I believe I need to restrict or withhold.

So, the idea of generosity, in the paradigm we are viewing it in now, we would think: I have something that someone else doesn’t, and I am going to be generous and give it to them.

Or, I don’t have enough love, so I am going to withhold it, so I might be generous and give it to myself.

If we use love as an example … if I believe I am not loveable, then I believe I need to get love from the world. So, I am walking around with the vibration that I am looking for Mr. or Mrs. Right, and that once I meet them, everything will be okay. First of all, this is a set-up, because, as a human being, no human being can do that for us. This is because if I believe I am unlovable, I am going to attract people who reinforce that belief. When I do the inner work of healing people, what our core beliefs are, I realise that, ‘wow, I am love, there is an abundance of love,’ and the whole paradigm changes.

When we step into a deeper paradigm of oneness, we recognise there are infinite amounts of everything, and generosity is really, in spirit, knowing ourselves in infinite spirit and infinite potential or possibility. In that way, we can be generous with ourselves and with others. This is actually the same thing – I recognise I have boundless energy, so I do not need to restrict or withhold it. I can share it with everyone, and therefore I can share it with myself.

So it is really question for me of: how do I maybe reidentify or redefine the word ‘generosity’ when it’s in a paradigm of separation, where I have an idea that either I’m going to be generous with you, or you’re going to be generous with me … but when I step into true generosity, it is going back to the Christmas story – we are the light of the world.

Each of us is the light of the world, and, in that way, we move from the law of attraction to the law of radiance. Can I radiate generosity? Can I be gratitude rather than being grateful? We are shifting to being gratitude, being love in the world, being peace in the world. To me, that is the deeper meaning of generosity.

The more we see ourselves to be love, to be joy, to be peace in the world, the more we experience it. That is when it begins to even impact the people we will never meet.

It’s not a balance. It’s about deeply knowing who I am. When I know what that is, then I know I don’t need anyone to love me. Then, suddenly, I am surrounded by people who love, and can love me … I don’t have the sense of balance, I have the sense of needing to radiate more, because what you’re referring to is in that old paradigm – the world is broken, I am going to get depleted and be looking for love everywhere but can’t possibly get it. It’s like walking around with your umbilical cord trying to plug into someone or something to love me that isn’t there.

I have enough to give, because there is no limit.

TJ Woodward

Responses by TJ Woodward

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Five Tips For Improving Small Business Cash Flow Written by Accountant: Bert Girle

3

1

ed loud bas c e d o o g all incom on o s Have a , m e g syst orded accountin iture can be rec orts end rep and exp ash flow c , d n a is as y, weekly il a d a a daily b n o roduced can be p sis so you know ave in ba sh you h a monthly c h c u ow m exactly h s. es the busin

Follow up o n invoices th at are not paid by the due date, a nd encourage clients to p a y invoices electronica lly to avoid trips to the bank. Cons ider having a point-ofsale EFPTO S machine where clien can pay by ts credit card.

It is vital fo you to have r the cash in your bank account as soon as po ssible.

2 Invoice clients promptly, and have terms of payment as short as possible. You may have a policy of receiving an upfront payment for part of the job. If the job you are quoting requires materials to be purchased to complete the job, ensure you get an upfront deposit to cover the cost of the materials purchased. Make clients aware of your terms of trade – that is, how much credit you are going to provide them. If the job is long-term, ensure you receive progress payments to cover your ongoing labour and materials. Send invoices electronically, get clients to acknowledge receipt of the invoice, and have them paid electronically.

4

aying your Consider p pay on a longer s e e y lo p m e ve is, don’t ha cycle – that ther ycles, but ra c y a p ly k e we htly. m to fortnig to extend the es are used e y lo p m e t Mos htly on a fortnig id a p g in e b basis.

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5 Manage your supplier payments well, and, when purchasing, try to negotiate longer terms of trade. Consider having a business credit card and pay your suppliers on time, but also manage your credit card well so you can take advantage of interest free periods for credit cards. With small cash purchases, ensure you retain a copy of the receipts so you can claim back the GST on business expenses.

Living Life With John West: Family, Introspection, and Yoga Going about my business as a yoga teacher, I usually get to teach eight to twelve classes a week.

Most of these are scheduled on my calendar, but some are either corporate classes or private lessons. Every class has different challenges and considerations. By way of example, a recent Level 1 class had a range of experience levels present, spanning someone that had never done yoga before through to two visiting and highly-experienced yoga teachers, all of whom had just “dropped in”.

In addition to these types of events, there will usually be people communicating various minor aches and strains to me, and sometimes more serious things such as strong pain, sprains or other tissue damage. This makes it difficult to pre-plan a class and follow that plan. In fact, I have completely moved away from pre-planning, preferring the flexibility of having a broad focus for the week and modifying that focus depending on who shows up and what they tell me. When I asked a corporate group at the start of class last week how they were feeling, I got the response “exhausted”. I usually work this group quite hard, but it was clear that would not be a suitable strategy, and so a shift of plan saw us focusing on gentler moves, a lot of breath work and an extended relaxation at the end.

In this way, I think a yoga practice mirrors life. I am not suggesting that you should not have a plan or goals for your life; rather, I am suggesting that you should be prepared to review and change your plan as required to maximise the benefit of a given situation.

works on many fronts. I now think much more carefully about my words or actions and the impact they might have on others, particularly family. I also analyse thoughts that appear in my mind to determine whether they are useful to me or hindering me. ‘Our biography becomes our biology’ is a very useful saying. I will let you Google it to find the author. Maybe finding that author will lead you to learning new things.

I believe my son Paul has been interviewed for this edition of the magazine. I don’t know exactly what he will be talking about, probably because we both lead very busy lives and live a long way apart. We do, however, talk at least weekly, and usually for an extended period. Our conversations cover the things that are important to us, as father and son. I have learned a lot from him, and I stand in awe of his parenting ability to his two children – so different to what I thought was expected when it was my time. The most important part of our conversation comes at the very end. We finish the call by saying “I love you” to each other. Paul initiated this a long time ago, saying to me: “Bugger this, I am going to say it – I love you.” A small but life-changing event, and one that, as a parent, I will never forget.

Written by John West

Yoga has given me a toolkit for dealing with life. It has made me fit, strong and healthy, and this allows me to engage in aspects of life that are deeply important to me. I have three children and between them they seem to keep grandchildren appearing on the ground. If I am left in charge of any of them (which is not often, mostly Nan gets the job) I am reminded of the responsibility of looking after ones so small. They run, jump, climb, yell, sing and, in general, experience the joy of life. To a witness, they often appear to be close to disaster – “get down from that table” or “don’t do that to your brother” must surely escape the lips of most grandparents.

I am extremely proud of all my children. They are all different, with different goals and dreams and they all work hard to make those reality. Another tool I have gained from the yoga toolkit is awareness. Previously, I would have just blundered along through life, driven by ego, hoping for or even just assuming the best would happen. Awareness

John West

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Bringing Sex Back Into Living When you first meet someone and you become sexually engaged with each other, you tend to be unable to keep your hands off each other. You’re always up for sexual play, and you’ll even put things off just so you can have sex, because, let’s face it, it’s so much fun and it makes you feel so good!

Whether it’s a quickie or a more involved session, your body physically starts to crave more sex.

It’s not just the physical act of sex – it’s everything that goes with it. The connection, being held, touched, laughter and the intimacy of being present with someone. Pleasing them, enjoying their responses and, of course, receiving pleasure yourself.

After the so-called ‘honeymoon period’, which varies for everyone, sex starts becoming practical.

It’s like an innate conditioning, reinforced by cultural and social norms; everyday life begins to get in the way. “I need more sleep”, “I’m too tired”, “I’ve got to get up early for a meeting, for training …” The excuses start to creep in. It’s not that you don’t want to have sex, but priorities seem to shift gears. You’ve moved from full-blooded lust into the familiarized comfort zone.

Then you have kids and sex takes a big back seat and hardly gets a look in. Women are often too focused on children, with their hormones changing and beginning to run on empty. Men can lose interest as well; depression, medication, or a myriad of other factors can contribute.

function, which is really not living. Sex is an energy and is ultimately our life force. So, if we are not using our life force we aren’t really living.

When we are not using our sexual energy, then complications can occur. Health issues may manifest themselves and unhappiness in relationships starts to appear, because sex is how we connect to ourselves and, ultimately, to our partner. Of course, there is a lot more to intimacy than just sex; however, I find with most of my clients it goes hand-in-hand, even though intimacy and sex are two completely different things.

The two primary things we require for happiness and longevity in a relationship are sex and communication.

As human beings we all crave connection, to love and be loved. When you are in a relationship that is a healthy one, it is a contribution to your whole being. When we can have that interaction with someone on a continual basis, it benefits us on so many levels.

If we love someone, we have the ability to connect deeply in so many ways to ourselves and to each other. This, in turn, helps us to feel good, switching on the endorphins, which benefits what’s going on in your head. When you feel good, it starts to create ripples, and the feelings of joy and happiness can be felt and experienced physically.

However, sometimes a pattern starts to form, and sex becomes a rare event. Both partners are frustrated, and basically all forms of communication break down.

Connecting with someone you love in an intimate way also awakens your body to new experiences and sensations. And, let’s be honest, it’s so much nicer and so much more fun being intimate with your partner than by yourself!

So here’s the problem: when there is no sex, there is no living. The relationships are simply existing, because we adopt how the majority of people

Now, don’t get me wrong: being intimate with yourself is of huge value to everyone, whether single or in a relationship. In fact, 90% of people, when

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they get into a relationship, stop self-pleasuring!

mind, body and spirit – together and individually.

Self-pleasuring is so important as part of your living. Ultimately, we are responsible for our own sexual expression, and when you’re in a relationship and stop doing that, it’s like you’ve delegated your sexual pleasure to someone else. I’m a huge advocate of self-exploration and touch – it is what keeps you alive.

This is living! This is being! For those that have been in problematic relationships, where love has gradually expired or has become toxic, it’s obvious that such situations affect mental and physical health. What often happens in relationships is that expectation, demand and judgement can start to creep in, which starts to create an unhealthy pattern of relating. This is when lack of communication can start to occur; things aren’t discussed, and so what happens is problems can start to fester and emotions can be stuffed down.

If there was better communication in relationships and we talked about what was going on for us and how we are feeling, then all sorts of assumptions and misinterpretations of situations wouldn’t occur, including feeling guilty for not wanting or rejecting sex. If your relationship has moved into that space, gentle dialoguing needs to occur.

For some reason, sex has moved to the bottom of the ladder of importance, and it’s critical to find a way to bring it back to the top or as near to the top as possible. When you are sexually engaged with someone you truly love, it can take everything to a whole new level. You can transcend time and space, and connect in a more spiritual way.

When we bury our emotions, one of the areas that can be affected is our libido. If we’re not feeling desired or loved by our partner, then it affects us in so many ways.

Stop and take a pause, look at your relationship, look at how you view sex and intimacy, and take action to ensure that you’re in a healthy, loving and sexual relationship so you can truly live!

Written by Pauline V. Ryeland

The deeper your intimacy and connection, the more it allows you to surrender to the moment, which opens your body and your ability to feel and be more. When we can be in the space of simply ‘being’ with ourselves and our partners, it can help create a space of bliss. When you are in a place of bliss, you benefit in all aspects of mind, body and spirit, and it affects every single cell of your being.

When you are in love, and have what you consider a great relationship, it still requires nourishment to help it to grow. So, just like a garden that needs water to survive, relationships need to continually grow and evolve through nurturing, care, kindness and gratitude. When you have these contributions with the person you love, it assists your growth in

Pauline V. Ryland

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h t i sW

p i T x Ta

n a w Ro Rowan Siepen

Rowan Siepen of Acquire Strategic Accounting gives us some great tips to help you and your business when it comes to crunching numbers for tax time.

1 Paying tax on your profit is better than unnecessarily spending money for tax deduction.

There is some misunderstanding about tax deductions; while they are 100% deductible (providing they are related to your business or wages), this does not mean you get the entire deduction back as a refund or a reduction in tax – the refund or reduction in tax is based on your nominal rate of tax, meaning if your nominal rate of tax is 32.5% (earnings from $37,001 – 90,000) you will receive a refund of or a reduction in tax of $32.50 if you spend $100. Likewise, if you don’t have the tax deduction you will pay tax of 32.5% on your earnings. Not spending your money means you will pay more tax but you will have more money.

Example: earnings of $71,000 versus $71,000 with a deduction of $1,000.

GROSS

DEDUCTION TAXABLE

71,000.00 71,000.00 DIFFERENCE

-1,000.00

TAX

MONEY IN BANK

71,000.00

16,068.00

54,932.00

70,000.00

15,756.00

54,244.00

312.00

688.00

Therefore, by spending $1,000, your tax is reduced by $312 (including m/levy), but you have less money overall by $688.

In saying this, only spend money in business or for work related purposes when necessary, and, if necessary, consider the timing of the expenditure; perhaps it is best to spend in June before the end of financial year or if you prepare business activity statements just before the end of the quarter.

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2 Pay extra into your super.

If you have funds available to spare, you can contribute up to $25,000 (inducing contributions made by your employer). This can be an effective way to increase your retirement savings and claim a personal tax deduction for it.

Example: GROSS

DEDUCTION

TAXABLE

TAX

MONEY IN BANK

71,000.00

16,068.00

54,932.00

61,000.00

12,636.00

48,364.00

3,432.00

6,568.00

GROSS

TAX

MONEY IN SUPERFUND

10,000.00

1,500.00

8,500.00

71,000.00 71,000.00

-10,000.00

DIFFERENCE Money going into Super:

Therefore, when you contribute $10,000 to your super, you will lose $6,568 in bank funds, but you will have $8,500 in your super, which equals a saving of $1,932. But, when taking this approach, you must seriously consider that you cannot access your super until you have met one of the conditions of release.

3 Offset a capital gain with a capital loss.

If you have a capital gain from sale of shares/other investments, consider selling any shares/investment that are at a loss to offset the capital gain. You could then buy the same share you sold, but you would have to consider the brokerage and any other associated fees with this. A point to consider here is whether your income fluctuates from year to year. If your income was lower in one year, you could declare the capital gain without selling off shares to reduce it.

4 Do a small business instant write-off $20,000 or less.

Consider buying an asset in your business costing $20,000 or less, and receive an instant tax deduction in full if the asset is 100% for work related purposes. Your business has to have an aggregate turnover of less than $20 million, but, for small business, it’s helpful for kitting out yourself and your employees with useful items like furniture or technology.

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5 OTHER TIPS

use ions beca t c u d e d keep s out on Don’t mis e lost receipts. To scan or ns, you hav deductio ve them x a t r u o y f sa records o s of receipts and is way, o t o r. pute Th t the m take ph o c r o hone d ge on your p miss anything an ot nd fair. you will n d that is correct a tax refun

If you a re invo ic giving due da ing clients an tes for d you mu pa s manag t have a reall yment, y em While y ent of unpa efficient id inco ou will me. need t staff to o d much b o this, it will employ pr e opinion tter cash flow ovide . need a is that lots of My cu r if they eminder to p stomers ay you do not , get a r they w eminde and, ill r, someo not pay you an ne else who is d will pay more u rgent.

In business, record keeping is critical. I recommend having 2 bank accounts. One account should have your sales and deductions for the business, and another account should be for transferring money to for savings of items such as GST, PAYG Withholding, PAYG Instalments, superannuation, and, if you have budgeted, you can save for upcoming expenses. With the business account, there will be no personal expenditure at all (this allows for efficient bookkeeping allocations); you can pay a wage or a distribution to the employee’s account, and the employee can do what they want with this money. I recommend that you transfer money to the savings account weekly for the above expenses; this allows you to have good cash flow. When you look at the savings account, you know that this is not your money, but savings for future expenses.

If you do not save for future expenses, there is a good chance your business will have great difficulty or will fail. Cash flow is so important.

Sometimes, you want to start a business, but you’re not sure what type of business you want to manage or establish. You need to choose something you enjoy and are passionate about, you need to have a type of difference as compared to your competitor, and then you need to work hard at least for two or more years. Everyone is looking for the next big thing to make money, but, the truth is, in most cases, you will not achieve unless you put the hard yards in.

All content written by Rowan Siepen of Acquire Strategic Accounting Pty. Ltd. Contact Rowan for help with your taxes by going to www.acquirestrategicaccounting.com.au or call him on 07 3899 9934

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Tools for Transformation With Psychologist Dr. Adriana Popescu, Phd What is generosity? I like to look up the meanings of words to get a better sense of the energy behind them. According to dictionary.com, these are the definitions of ‘generosity’: 1.

Readiness or liberality in giving.

In other words, giving freely. In our society, the idea of giving is generally associated with taking, or getting something in return. It’s known as the exchange rate and it has a lot of expectations attached. Expectations, whether positive or negative, generally lead to disappointment, judgment, and resentment, because rarely do things turn out the way you expect them to.

But what if the giving itself were a gift? What if it were really more about gifting and receiving simultaneously, with no expectations attached? When I am generous with my time, money, et cetera, I feel good about myself, regardless of the other person’s reaction. I receive joy and fulfillment from giving, simply for the sake of giving.

2.

Freedom from meanness or smallness of mind and character.

To me, this speaks to the distinction between “the kingdom of me” versus “the kingdom of we”. When I am giving with the expectation of getting something in return, I’m functioning from a more selfish place where it’s all about me. I’m less concerned with the other people involved and what they desire. For example, I might give my partner the gift of tickets to a concert for a band that I really like but that he/she doesn’t really care for. I give the appearance of generosity with my gift, but it’s really more about me getting what I want.

When I’m giving from the space of the kingdom of we, I am considering what will be beneficial for all. I’m usually asking a question like, “What will create the most here for me and everyone else involved?” In this case, giving from the kingdom of we becomes a win-win for everyone, not just for me.

3.

Largeness or fullness; amplitude.

Here, I am reminded of the tremendous abundance on our planet, and how Mother Nature gives to us so freely and generously, with enough resources to sustain everyone and everything here.

When I consider generosity from this perspective, I think about generosity of spirit. This is what true kindness and care are to me. It is giving from the abundant space of infinite being, from who we truly are in our most pure and loving spirit. It also includes the energies of gratitude and allowance, which is the space of no judgment. The more I choose to function from this generosity of spirit, the more the Universe/God/ Source seems to gift me in return. And I can receive it freely and with gratitude, and with no attachment or expectation. Gandhi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” What would it be like if more of us functioned from this space? This is the generous world I that I know is possible if enough of us choose it.

What will you choose?

Dr. Adriana Popescu

Written by Dr. Adriana Popescu To find out more about Dr. Adriana, visit her at: www.adrianapopescu.org.

The definitions of generosity can be found at their original source: https://www. dictionary.com/browse/generosity

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