One Second Every Day

*Started my own One Second Every Day video on 7 February 2013

Iconic Photographs: Vulture Stalking a Child

In March 1993, photographer Kevin Carter made a trip to southern Sudan, where he took now iconic photo of a vulture preying upon an emaciated Sudanese toddler near the village of Ayod. Carter said he waited about 20 minutes, hoping that the vulture would spread its wings. It didn’t. Carter snapped the haunting photograph and chased the vulture away. (The parents of the girl were busy taking food from the same UN plane Carter took to Ayod).

The photograph was sold to The New York Times where it appeared for the first time on March 26, 1993 as ‘metaphor for Africa’s despair’. Practically overnight hundreds of people contacted the newspaper to ask whether the child had survived, leading the newspaper to run an unusual special editor’s note saying the girl had enough strength to walk away from the vulture, but that her ultimate fate was unknown. Journalists in the Sudan were told not to touch the famine victims, because of the risk of transmitting disease, but Carter came under criticism for not helping the girl. ”The man adjusting his lens to take just the right frame of her suffering might just as well be a predator, another vulture on the scene,” read one editorial.

Carter eventually won the Pulitzer Prize for this photo, but he couldn’t enjoy it. “I’m really, really sorry I didn’t pick the child up,” he confided in a friend. Consumed with the violence he’d witnessed, and haunted by the questions as to the little girl’s fate, he committed suicide three months later.

Vote Britain?

Unlonely

Day in the Life

Browse. Come Home. Cough. Dance. Dream. Drink. Eat. Email. Fall Asleep. Give. Go Out. Phone. Play. Receive. Run. Shop. Sit. Sneeze. Stand. Stroll. Talk. Wake Up. Walk. Work.

Do Wordsearches.

"I want to be a nuurse or a teacha."

"Oh I can just see you with the red pen - do you remember Jo - its almost Freudian that Emily is now the teacher and Jo is the perpetual pupil"

Mum, reminding me of our childhood games - me, the teacher with the essential red pen, checking my homemade school books and inputing the scores in my homemade registers (I was very serious about playing 'schools') and Joanna and her friends always the students. Now I am in Thailand doing exactly that (except the student lists are real) and Joanna is starting her 18th (and possibly not final) year in education.

***

In a video of me when I was around four years old sitting in a chair in my Grandmother's living room, I declare in my strange but cute Scottish influenced English accent that "I want to be a nuurse or a teacha".

Maybe there is something in the innocence of a child's wishes that makes them smarter than the 20-something year old trying to decide what to do with their life...and maybe thinking a little too hard about it.

Desert Island Discs: "When David Heard" - Eric Whitacre

"When David heard that Absalom was slain,
he went up into his chamber over the gate and wept,
and thus he said;

My son, my son,
O Absalom my son,
would God I had died for thee!"

I first heard about this piece because my sister was involved in a concert in which it was performed. During the performance of this song members of the choir began to cry.

*Between 7:30-9 minutes into the song, one of the most emotive pieces of music I have ever heard.

Sensation Thailand

Experienced the 'sensation' that was 'Sensation' on Saturday and I must admit it wasn't as sensational as I had imagined, granted seeing thousands of people all wearing white was always going to be amazing and the dancers and costumes were certainly dramatic but I guess it just wasn't as spectacular as I had envisioned. But definitely still worth it, I had a great night. Highlight: 'O fortuna' in the middle of some hardcore dance beats.

I don't know why I am crying

http://hellogiggles.com/i-dont-know-why-i-am-crying

Ed Sheeran - Small Bump

Brilliant video.

Thailand thus far

Assembly at Joseph Upatham Girls School

Some things I've experienced so far:

1000 girls playing Simon says at morning assembly.

Walking passed 30 elephants on the way to school.

Lovely girls in my class kneeling in front of me and giving me flowers.

Roti.

Hundreds of people stopping for the National Anthem on an extremely busy overpass.

Four people motorcycle ride - David, Me, motorcycle taxi driver, motorcycle taxi drivers' grandson.


A pink VW camper as a cocktail bar.


A lady on a very busy bus offering to hold my (very heavy) bag on her knee so I didn't have to put it on the floor while standing in the narrow aisle.

Wan Wai Kru

Wan Wai Kru is Teacher Appreciation day. On a Thursday at the beginning of the school year all schools in Thailand hold a ceremony for the teachers in which the students recite a chant which expresses respect for, and gratitude to the teachers and asks for the teachers blessing of their studies. The students also give beautiful flower arrangements to their teachers and sing songs.

Agape in New York

Agape in New York

By Gerard Rochford

On a snowman's belly,
seen before only in books,
Slindile draws a map of the world:
Here's New York and Africa is there,
where everyone is dying – fathers, mothers,
brothers, sisters, friends.
Her brown eyes are lost
in the past of her mother’s smile.
Weeks ago in her home,
Slindile washed and combed her hair
for the visit of a pop-star she’s shyly in love with;
then travelled with her choir to New York,
sang to the gold and diamond gliterazzi,
starred for a night with an American legend,
then flew back to the darkness, singing still.
I live in a home for beautiful children,
her face shines,
children with no parents.
Now she is sad.
I want to be a nurse.
Again she shines.

' We Are Together' (Thina Simunye) is a documentary about the South African orphanage 'Agape'. Children who live there lost their parents to AIDS. The children formed a choir. They visited New York in winter to raise money. Paul Simon sang unobtrusively with them.

Ken Robinson says schools kill creatvitity

www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Visual DNA

You're a Striver. Confident and sociable, you're a really good listener too and are generous with your time when it comes to helping others. Your friends know where to come if they want some really good advice.You have tons of infectious energy and lots of natural enthusiasm. You tend to be committed when it comes to achieving your goals in life. You set high standards for yourself and others and like to keep your eye on the prize. Resourcefulness is definitely one of your finest strengths. When you get excited about something, you have the confidence and passion to inspire all those around you.You're a natural achiever so it's no surprise that things in your life just seem to click into place. You definitely have the right idea. Positive mental attitude all the way!You have a healthy approach to life. Having a regular spiritual practice that gives you a sense of inner peace is one of your priorities. Allowing yourself that kind of time for reflection will have a positive effect.Life's all about options. Allow yourself to be excited by possibility and potential. Try not to push to know the answer all the time. There will be lots of twists and turns in life. Rather than wishing away the journey, try to live in the moment and enjoy every bump in the road! Challenge yourself to try new experiences and live life to the fullest. Remember that you can't be upbeat and outgoing 100 percent of the time. It's okay to tune out and look inward every now and again. In fact, we encourage it!Reconnecting with nature is a necessity, not a luxury, for you. There's no better way to get the boost you need than to spend some time out in the fresh air.. Your spirit sings when you feel the sun on your face. Be sure to allow yourself that quiet time as often as you can.

my results: http://personality.visualdna.com/attempts/792743bb-7e3d-4740-83c7-148a4542a1fc/feedback

get yours:
http://visualdna.com/

Easy A: Pocket Full of Sunshine

When negative equals positive

hellogiggles.com/when-negative-equals-positive

Are you a Michelle or a Beyonce?

hellogiggles.com/are-you-a-michelle-or-a-beyonce

1000 Awesome Things

http://1000awesomethings.com/2012/04/18/2-remembering-how-lucky-we-are-to-be-here-right-now/

Living in Thailand: soundtrack to my year