Enjoying 89.3 here in Minnesota-Back to the blog

Good Afternoon,

It has been a while since I have wrote anything here on the blog. But the orchard, flattened by a storm made up of equal parts lack of dicipline and inspiration, is back in business! Pies, sugary apple pie like products that you find in the gas station are all on supply here as well as some natural healthy goodness on occasion. 

 In any event, I have been back in Minnesota for the past two months. One of the nice things that I have enjoyed during the beginning of my second extended stay in Minnesota is The Current, which is at 89.3 FM here in the Twin Cities. The station was originally a classical radio station based out of St Olaf College in  Northfield, Minnesota. However in 2004, the station was acquired in 2004 by Minnesota Public Radio and changed it format from classical to a wide assortment of  stuff ranging from old school favorites to newly formed indie bandsThis is most likely not news for anyone reading this. But it has been a very pleasant surprise for me and for my ears. I like an eclectic bit of everything when it comes to music, and the station does a very good job of exposing me to stuff I may never otherwise have gotten a chance to hear. Sometimes, the material is stuff that I end up not particularly  caring for, but other times, songs will come up that I really do dig. It has made for a more pleasing solo driving experience!

Have a great one!

See ya next week

Check out The Current....here!

Dreaming of OZ(Miami Horror providing the soundtrack)

Dear Reader,

I found myself sitting on Newcastle beach next to my beautiful wife, with the sky appearing to be a darkened shade of turquoise and blue as the tides rolled in about one hundred and fifty feet from where wewere sitting. Sho is reading and I am just mesmerized by the beauty of the New South Wales coastline. The  rocky hills that the Awabakal people would use as gathering points for meetings and hunting expeditions can be seen off to the far right. Women, men and children lounging, talking, playing with rugby league balls.  Hot, maybe 35C or so. But utterly sublime. And then I am starring at the ceiling of my bedroom in Minneapolis(very happy to be here, to be sure). And I think to myself: I was dreaming about a real place and time in my life, and not a made up fantasy. I know how lucky I am.  So today Oz is on my mind.  I miss the cockatoos, people walking barefoot on the sidewalks and the friendly "how ya goin's?" from strangers and acquaintances alike. But what wonderful fodder for those times when I like to go off to my own planet and daydream! This track by Miami Horror(Aussies themselves) captures a bit of that happy-go-lucky, life is great vibe that one gets from a perfect day by the ocean.

Interesting Tidbit About The First Australians.

Happy New Year!
On this peaceful New Year's Day morning I read an interesting article about the trip taken by the Aboriginal peoples of Australia more than 50,000 years ago away from Africa and across the Asian continent and to Australia. Prior to 1788, the indigenous people of the continent inhabited the Australian somewhere between 30,000 to 40,000 years by themselves.  I thought it was an interesting and worthwhile read. Hopefully you might think so too. Hopefully my trips into the orchard of knowledge will be more frequent then they were during the past year. Here's hoping.

Here is the article to read! Enjoy!

Apple Chip Tidbit: Courtesy of the Commonwealth of Australia- Early European Exploration of the Interior of the Continent

Dear Reader(Myself):
Sometimes knowledge, like Apples, whether encountered in a supermarket that appears as one is walking merrily along or as low hanging fruit on a nearby tree, falls into our grasp effortlessly. Today was one of those infrequent occasions when enlightenment occurs without vigorous pursuit of any sought after nugget of information. When having a look at the Commonwealth's website in search of information about Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory, I came upon this interesting section of the site which had a trove of information about some of the truly epic and harrowing expeditions undertaken by  different generations of European(and their Aussie descendant) explorers. Very worthwhile reading. Often times knowledge is obtained through the path of diligent and determined study. But not always. Sometimes that delicious apple of knowledge is accessible via the easy extension of one's figurative arms and the grasp of one's figurative hand. I savor these easy moments!
Here's the link
Cheers!

http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/early-explorers

APPLE CHIP TIDBIT- ARMISTICE DAY/ANZAC CONTINUED: AUSTRALIAN SACRIFICE FOR THE CROWN 1914-1918

Dear Reader,
My last brief post was about the Gallipoli Campaign of  1915 undertaken by the Australia New Zealand Army Corps(ANZAC) task/expeditionary force. Although the valor that Australia's soldiers displayed during this campaign was an important moment in the commonwealth's conception of itself as a nation, it was only the first chapter in the history of Australia's involvement in World War One. The ANZAC's would participate in important battles on the war's western front at Bullecourt, Messines and Amiens(which was a decisive blow to the Central Powers and led to the end of the War in November 1918). Between the years of 1915-1918, Australia would offer over 300,000 service members up to the Crown for service in the Middle East and Europe. Considering that Australia's population at the time was slightly over 4,800,000, the contribution to the British war effort was quite considerable. 60,000 Australians were killed and over 150,000 were wounded in more than three years of fighting. More than 1 out of every 25 Australians alive at the time was a casualty of the war. When looking at the toll amongst young Australian men alone the casualty ratio is closer to 1 in 10. Staggering numbers.  With Armistice Day around the corner, I thought this tragic bit yet important chapter in Australian history was worth another post.  I found the human tragedy of the war and the suffering endured well encapsulated in a song written by Peter Bogle called, "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda", in this instance performed by the Pogues.

1914-1918
Lest We Forget

Apple Chip Tidbit: ANZAC

Death and suffering are part of the stuffing that makes up the tragic nature of human existance. The idea of Australia and Australians as being a place and people seperate from Great Britain was forged in such death and suffering. The First World War and specifically the Dardanelles(Gallipoli) campaign of 1915-1916, were essential components in forging this national consciousness. Soldiers primarily from New Zealand and Australia were sent by Winston Churchill to invade Turkey, capture Istanbul and knock Turkey out of the war, thus braking a stalemate on the Western front of the war. The landing in April of 1915 quickly turned into a quagmire and ended in defeat with many casualties on both sides, Turkey still in the war and the Australians and New Zealnd Army Corps Task Foce(ANZAC) forced to withdraw. Australians felt there soldiers whom by all accounts fought bravely were abandoned without much support against the Turks, who were fighting from a geographically adventageous position defending their homeland. This sense of disregard and abandonment led to a greater questioning of the relationship between the U.K and the Australian Commonwealth and a sense of sharing a seperate national destiny than that of Britain. Thus ANZAC resonates deeply here in Australia.

Its a Rainy Day at the Orchard... but rain is necessary to grow the seeds of WISDOM...Thank you, Roger Ebert.

Dear Reader,
When I started this blog to compile facts that were interesting to me(and basically to no one else), I assured myself that I would not veer too far off of the straight and narrow. However, today I digress. I admit to you, dear reader, that at times my mind becomes preoccupied with questions of an existential nature. I often end up, sometimes confusingly, trying to figure out, what is the purpose of this life that I have been given. How do I live in a way that makes my life truly worth while. I suppose I will wrestle with this question to the end. So today, their is a driving rain in the orchard and most people have stayed away and decided to come back another day. No Apple Chip Tidbits on the ground for Sho and I to grouse over. However, rain, even in great amounts, is necessary in order to make the trees that make up the orchard of life to grow fruitful and strong. In this vein, Roger Ebert(of Siskel and Ebert film review fame) has recently provided a much needed downpour of knowledge upon these fields. He recently wrote his book of memoirs, entitled "Life Itself". Ebert has been dealing with thyroid cancer which caused much him much physical pain and also took away his ability to speak. He is terminally ill.   In the last chapter of the book(re-published in his blog for the Chicago Sun-Times, he holds forth with this piece of wisdom,

"To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn't always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out".

I write these entries because I find a certain degree of joy in learning about new facts and considering fresh perspectives, ideas  and thoughts which I have never before entertained. I do think Ebert is on to something. Whether it is in our personal or professional lives, giving joyfully and freely of ones time, talents and energy to give uplift, help, renewal or whatever grace one can give is one way to live the good life. I need to remember this myself and do better in my own life. Sorry for pontificating. Thanks for putting up with my ramblings and back to Tidbits next week.
Cheers...