Weather: Changeable like my mood....

Today Sydney is doing it's best to show off several seasons as fast as it possibly can. While I was pulling on my running shoes to go for my morning walk, the sun was shining and the sky was blue, by the time I had put my earphones on, found the podcast that I wanted to listen to and hit play, it was overcast with hints of blue in between.

My living room wasn't lit up by sun but was still bright in a diffused kind of way.


So by the time I hit the street it was overcast and really blustery with winds wrapping around the Coke sign in Kings Cross with serious force.

I had my ipod playing one of my favourite podcasts - one that my friend Mike Esser produces called Alphamales - you can find it at http://www.mikeesser.podomatic.com/
Currently I'm listening to his 34th podcast and it's fantastic. It wakes me up and gets me moving and is great to listen to when I feel like a power-walk, jog or if I jump on the cross-trainer and do some cardio. His music is always a mix of current/new stuff mixed with brand new remixes of some classic house music.

The view from the stairs over Cowper Street Wharf, Woolloomoooloo.

As I round the corner overlooking the end of Woolloomooloo Bay....out into the Harbour...

Any way I would have power-walked really hard but I think I am still recovering from the flu so I just kept it to a steady easy pace. I walked down to Mrs Macquaries chair again and today the Chinese and Japanese tourists were out if force. They were having a great time - they must have been a good bunch because they were all laughing and chatting and walking arm in arm and smiling both for the camera and generally.

Seeing them really lifted my spirits; I was really grumpy this morning and seeing little old chinese ladies giggling as they walked along arm in arm like little kids was too cute not to smile at. Next time I will ask them if I can take pics...

The view just after I passed the child-like little old ladies - overcast but still lovely...

and 'la belle vue' - consistently my favourite place to stop and stare... for a moment at least. And just along from this is the city skyline rising above the Royal Botanic Gardens.

I love this view too. Some days the sun glints off the skyscrapers making the whole city look like it's made of silver... or in the afternoon, out of gold!

Today, to try and yank me out of the fudgy mood I am in, I decide to sit and meditate in a quiet place in the gardens. I quiet my ipod and just listen to the sound of the wind, the odd bit of chatter from passers-by and maybe the odd bird.

It starts well as I sit and focus on my breathing, my mind settles down and I start to let go of the thoughts that pop into my head and focus back to my breath.

And then a bird decides to sit and squawk right behind me....

'No, I release and let go.' Breathe in, breathe out.

"Squawk." Not in a loud way, just, "Squawk."

'No, I release and let go.' Breathe in, breathe out.

"Squawk."

'No, let go.' Breathe in, breathe out.

"Squawk."

'Ok now this is getting ridiculous! I am sure it will stop.'

"Squawk."

'Bloody hell.' I turn and there in the tree directly behind me is the offending bird.

"Squawk." It squawks again.

I pick up a piece of bark that surrounds the bushes; it's light but firm enough to throw. I throw it and get it near the bird but it doesn't even flinch.

"Squawk."

Now I am getting pissed off so I throw another piece and another AND another... but nothing. The bird moves an inch or maybe even less.

"Squawk."

'Bugger.' I think to myself. Then I realise that I am being bitten by a mosquito. I slam down on my leg and am left with the bloody left overs on my hand. Another bites the other leg and I slap that one away. I move away quickly wiping down any exposed skin as I go.

Initially I am pissed off that I haven't been able to continue meditating and then it hits me.

The bird and it's incessant squawking was warning me. It was like a natural alarm telling me to move because I was going to get bit.

So maybe I don't hate the bird any more - and I promise not to throw anything at it ever again!

And I promise to listen to and be conscious of what's happening on the outside as much as what's happening on the inside..

The view from the mosquito meditation seat... Today in Sydney