Dangerous curves

Who is your favorite historical figure?

Spending most of my life in the arts because of personal bias and without reasonable perspective, I might choose someone like Van Gogh, Rimbaud or Hildegard of Bingen.

But I am old enough to appreciate my limited view. Taking nothing from the aforementioned, I have wound up knowing more about less (or is it less about more, more or less? Dah).

A grander view would include Newton, Epicurus or Joan of Arc but I know little about them. These days I like the left field characters, the misfits that take the untrodden path. Moondog, Thelonious Monk, Erik Satie.

Oh but I forgot to mention the irresistible. A most uncompromising historical figure. Someone who has survived boundless human endeavour and vicissitudes. A force of matchless beauty and remains undiminished from centuries past. Oh, Venus de Milo you have dangerous curves! I have a crush on you (a stone crush).

Gone camping

Have you ever been camping?

It used to be a regular thing. As a family we used to go way north of Adelaide to camp in the Flinders Rangers. It got into my veins pretty early with all the experiences that go with it including the boring, the messy, swimming au natural.

I remember volunteering for the school holiday hiking trips. One year we did the Cradle Mountain/ Lake St Clair trek in Tasmania. Another year a small group of us did the Mount Kosciusko high country. Then nothing. Nothing for years. Why? I thought I’d changed, that I didn’t need it. That I didn’t need to ‘go bush’ anymore. But maybe underneath I’m hankering for untamed nature after all. Maybe the easy domesticated world I inhabit isn’t enough. Trees, rocks, ice, mountains, rivers, ropes, carabiners, blinding sunshine, freezing wind, rain, blisters, tired legs, hunger. Remember? Naah. Time to raid the fridge instead.

You are unique

Which aspects do you think makes a person unique?

I guess this means in regards to someone’s personality or maybe their appearance or even a combination of both.

There is a certain projection of character each of us conveys to the world that could be described as unique making us appear who we are or different to one another.

Children seem to be able to recognise it in adults at first sight. How is this possible? At the same time, it can be very hard to describe uniqueness in a person. This is the stuff of actors and comedians with their nuanced mimicry and ability to flesh out a person’s character or capture a certain turn of phrase or uncanny smile.

However, if you’re not careful you may find yourself in a hall of mirrors. If you stare long enough in the reflection you can get the wrong idea. ‘I look terrible this morning’ or ‘why do I look so different?’ or ‘mirror, mirror on the wall who is..?’ etc. While others may forever feel doubtful or subject to scrutiny simply because they don’t reflect on themselves.

Leave it up to others I say. Am I unique? No, damn it. I’m not.

What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?

Living a very long life may have its drawbacks. Quality of life is valuable and living a life of quality is desirable. However, living a long and dull life may be less valuable depending on the sort of person you are. If you are of a dull disposition you may enjoy an extended life of pabulum because you have no need for anything else. You will no doubt enjoy limitless blandness without boredom. The sun will rise each day and set so many hours later as you fail to acknowledge anything of interest because by nature, you are dull. You simply are not interested. But this in itself maybe interesting. How could you be so dull as to fail to notice anything? The uniqueness of dullness. On the other hand, you are probably not interesting. No, you are just dull.