What has really stood out to me over the past little while is how shallow we are as a society today.

When this lady walked out on to the stage for the first time, many in the audience, the judges, and probably most others looked on her outward appearance, and dismissed her as a joke.

But then she sang…

And proved that a person’s appearance or station in life is not what matters, but rather what is within.

In doing this, even though she didn’t win the final, she won the battle against the prejudice of others, and probably her own fears.

In doing so she has quietly blazed a trail for others to follow.

Our own fears and inferiorities can be the hardest things to overcome.

Susan Boyle has shown that regardless of where we come from, when opportunity comes, if we take hold of it with both hands, we can still win!

In the end, judges Simon Cowell and Piers Morgan became fans of Susan too..

Now, who was it again that won Britain’s got talent?

I’m sitting here in my study at present, trying to ignore the cold draught that’s dancing around my toes.

Stopping to warm up now would mean another interruption to my writing schedule, and that’s one thing I don’t need at present!

It’s been a very busy year so far, and one that’s required a balancing act between a couple of long term projects, and some short term freelance work.

Tomorrow (June 1) is the first day of winter in Australia, and I’ve been sitting here thinking of the summer we had.

We had the opportunity to go to the Blue Mountains a few times to visit clients, as well as hosting some Korean students on a field trip there.

Above, Narrowneck, a ridge that separates the Jamieson and Megalong valleys in the Blue mountains.

Here’s more about narrowneck…

I always remember to keep a camera in the car these days, and take photos whenever I can, whether the trip is for business or pleasure.

I don’t usually go to the mountains much during the winter. It usually seems to be sleeting, snowing, foggy or a combination of all three.

Just plain miserable would be the best way to describe it!

No, winter time is a great time to sit near the fire at the local Irish pub, or just stay here in the study and look at the photos I took during the summer!

Above, a waterfall at Leura, near Katoomba in the Blue Mountains.

I love looking at the pictures I’ve taken of waterfalls.

There seems to be some magical quality about them that causes me to remember sound of the water rushing by.

It’s a bit like sitting here looking at all the old ’stuff’ that I have collected for my study, and remembering where and when I picked them up.

Sitting and reminiscing is good for the soul I think!

This has been good for me, and seems to have energized my soul for just a little more work before the day’s end.

Read: Two Very Different Social Networking Sites

One thing that really bugs me about the climate change debate is the way that variations in the weather seem to be twisted to suit particular points of view.

If the weather’s warmer than at this time last year, global warming is a fact, if it’s cooler, then it’s a fallacy.

For example this report from News.com.au about the weather not cooperating with the global warming model doesn’t shed any light on the subject at all.

Apparently 2008 is tipped to be the coolest year of the century, with the average temperature for Australia believed to be about 22.18 degrees Celsius.

In 2005 the average was 22.99 degrees, in 2006 it was 22.28 degrees, and in 2007 the average temperature was 22.48 Celsius.

Not being the fountain of all knowledge, I don’t make any claims to knowledge about what is causing global warming and climate change.

I agree that human activity can affect climate change.

There have always been seasonal variations in the weather though, and the only way to detect a trend is to measure the statistics over centuries, not three or so years, and not even decades.

In the meantime, we certainly need to do what we can to conserve resources and protect the environment.

Simple actions such as saving water, installing solar power and using effective insulation can help cut costs, as well as protect the environment.

Building fear and using irrational arguments to further a point of view can only lead to confusion, and prevent logical discussion from being heard!

Today, January 26 is celebrated as ‘Australia Day’, but has also been known down the years as ‘Foundation Day’.

Many indigenous Australians mark the day as ‘Invasion Day’, the day that British settlers began the destruction of their culture.

Below: Australia Day 2008, Sydney Opera House

Image supplied courtesy of Joshua Favaloro

In recent times, Australia day has been celebrated as a nation wide holiday.

Community activities such as parades and citizenship ceremonies are held on the day, along with various sporting and cultural events.

The Prime Ministers honors list is also announced, honoring those Australians who have made contributions to the nation in their chosen fields.

Another eagerly awaited event is the Sam Kekovich address to the nation, an advertising campain used to promote the consumption of lamb.

Always controversial, and mostly fun, this year’s effort is no different, with Sam laying it in to greedy ‘Wall Street Wankers’.

He used the Book of Genesis as an example where the Creator spoke the worlds into existence. Ed then went on to talk about mankind being made in the Creator’s image.

I’ve thought about that long and hard over the years since.

Being created in the image of the Creator doesn’t necessarily mean looking the same, but rather having some of the same qualities.

Qualities such as being able to make choices, being creative, and having the power of words.

I’ve been thinking especially hard about the topic over the past few weeks – I hurt my back at work, and have been having one heck of a time getting around.

Unable to work, I decided on another course of action!

After meeting with a couple of prospective clients over Christmas, I’ve embarked on a new venture, and have been commissioned to write a series of books and articles for them on a range of topics.

What I have had to do in the meantime is to lay to rest the doubts, and a nagging little voice that seemed to ask how I was going to achieve it, sore back and all, and who did I think I was after all!

One point that Ed Cole made was that if we allow others to create our world for us by their words, they would always create it too small!

These words may come from teachers, employers, siblings, parents, or even our own self doubts, and they do indeed hurt!

The old saying that sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt just isn’t true, and feelings of isolation, rejection, hurt and unworthiness can come as a result of ill considered and hurtful words.

Reaching down on the inside, rejecting the negative words, and replacing them with positive words is an ongoing process.

Who is defining your world today? The doomsayers in the media? An angry former spouse or partner? A misguided sibling?

Or are you listening to that one created in the image of the Creator?

Just a thought for today…

Dr Ed Cole made a lot of sense, especially to a wayward young man (me) back then, with his sayings such as “Male by birth, man by choice!” He wrote the book Maximized Manhood, among others and I recommend it.

Take my friend John Cole (left) for instance.

We’ve known each other since Adam was a boy, both growing up in the same country town, both working in the health system, and both rescuing each other from different situations at different times (usually with some nurse in his case – he had a mustache like Sonny Bono, and they just loved him for some reason!).

John has done everything from trekking Nepal, to working with rescue teams in places like Mexico city after the earthquake back in the eighties.

Way back before then, when we both had lots of hair, we’d shared many an adventure hitch hiking around the country side, running out of beer in the middle of a cyclone and riding donkeys through the bush at midnight!

Today John works with the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, as well as the local division of the State Emergency Service as a volunteer.

He came and saw me today to tell me that he’s off to Victoria tomorrow to help fight the fires down there.

We didn’t have much time to talk as I was in the process of taking my wife to work, so it was a matter of a quick photo, a hug, and telling him to take care.

The men and women of the fire services involved in this operation are all heroes in my book.

Most of them, and many of the State Emergency personnel involved are volunteers, and give up their time freely to help others.

This time they have been joined by fire fighters from the US and New Zealand, as well as other states of Australia!

All I can say is good luck John, we’re thinking of you and your mates!

I’ve got a couple on ice for when you get back!

Support the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal

Update 8.45pm February 17 2009 (AEST)

The death toll in the bush fires has now reached 200, with a fire fighter being killed when a tree fell on him at about 7.00pm. …More here.