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tcpipOver the past few days, a significant number of people - around the four-hundred mark - have reached out to me to offer birthday wishes. The experience was quite beautiful and affirming in the sense mentioned by Erich Fromm: "love [is] a spontaneous affirmation of others on the basis of the preservation of the individual self", forming a bond of solidarity between the self and others. One does not seek affirmation (because that reduces the self to seeking approval from others as a directive), but rather one acts according to learned virtue without expectations, but nevertheless is joyous when affirmation is received. Which, in my own reflective way, is to express my deepest thanks and gratitude to all of you.
The day itself was relatively low-key, but I do like stretching it out into a week of celebrations. A good portion of the day and even the past week has been spent in the company of a young musician of quite incredible talent, Lani, who has also recently taken up paralegal studies. In the evening, Erica invited me over to watch Hayao Miyazaki's newest film "Kimi-tachi wa Dō Ikiru ka" (titled "The Boy and the Heron"), which literally translates as "How Do You (all) Live?" One is charmed by the autobiographical elements and, of course, the thematic bravery - it asks the fundamental question of what each of us is doing with our lives and how we treat others. Pretty appropriate viewing on one's birthday, really.
Last night, I attended the opening exhibition of upcoming artist Sarah Jennifer's "Opulentia" at Chapel on Chapel. I spent a good portion of the evening chatting with the artist, who seemed quite excited by the fact that she had accidentally made some highly appropriate popular culture references from the 1980s in her works. Her style is one of the great sweeping arcs, bright colours, and abstract surrealism, and I hope to attend the exhibition again soon.
To finish off the week tonight, I was a guest of the Chinese Consulate, attending a reception at Kooyong Tennis Club for the Chinese New Year. It was, as it always is, an astoundingly well-organised event with a truly impressive array of speakers, attendees, and performers. I was quite delighted to spend a good period of time with an old friend and former minister, Luke Donnellan. It's a long time since I've seen him, and he rather looks like a stylish older Roy Orbison these days. Another person whom I met for the first time and spent a good period of time talking with was Andrew Irving, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Australia. I am sure we'll be having a few more discussions in the future.
The day itself was relatively low-key, but I do like stretching it out into a week of celebrations. A good portion of the day and even the past week has been spent in the company of a young musician of quite incredible talent, Lani, who has also recently taken up paralegal studies. In the evening, Erica invited me over to watch Hayao Miyazaki's newest film "Kimi-tachi wa Dō Ikiru ka" (titled "The Boy and the Heron"), which literally translates as "How Do You (all) Live?" One is charmed by the autobiographical elements and, of course, the thematic bravery - it asks the fundamental question of what each of us is doing with our lives and how we treat others. Pretty appropriate viewing on one's birthday, really.
Last night, I attended the opening exhibition of upcoming artist Sarah Jennifer's "Opulentia" at Chapel on Chapel. I spent a good portion of the evening chatting with the artist, who seemed quite excited by the fact that she had accidentally made some highly appropriate popular culture references from the 1980s in her works. Her style is one of the great sweeping arcs, bright colours, and abstract surrealism, and I hope to attend the exhibition again soon.
To finish off the week tonight, I was a guest of the Chinese Consulate, attending a reception at Kooyong Tennis Club for the Chinese New Year. It was, as it always is, an astoundingly well-organised event with a truly impressive array of speakers, attendees, and performers. I was quite delighted to spend a good period of time with an old friend and former minister, Luke Donnellan. It's a long time since I've seen him, and he rather looks like a stylish older Roy Orbison these days. Another person whom I met for the first time and spent a good period of time talking with was Andrew Irving, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Australia. I am sure we'll be having a few more discussions in the future.
