As I walked around the city today, I thought about the ways in which my life could be “different” as I return to work next week.
In some ways, these last few months away from work have been similar to the feelings I had about travelling for a lengthy period during 2008. My big “resolution” from that trip was to make sure I went out for lunch every day. To actually leave the building, rather than sit at my desk and continue to work as I ate my food. I kept it up for quite a long period of time, until I finally ended up back where I started from. I suspect that’s why I became so exhausted/grumpy in the weeks and months leading to this latest trip.
My “resolution” from this trip is to make sure I do that again. I’ve also “resolved” to sitting down and enjoying my morning coffee, rather than picking up some take-away which I consumed while my computer “booted up” every morning. I’ve also “resolved” to spend a little of every day in some “green space”.
As a country boy who’s now spent a lot of his life in a concrete space, there’s still something deep inside me which yearns for, and enjoys the outdoors. I’ve “resolved” this time around to do more “walks” in green areas around Sydney, and to go away more on the weekends. On a day to day basis, I think I want to spend more time sitting in, lying down, and walking in parks.
As the weather was so good, I noticed there were lots of people sitting, enjoying the sunshine in Hyde Park today. “I need to do that more”, I thought to myself, as I watched them sitting down, enjoying picnic lunches, having a nap, and going on their lunchtime power walks. I even did a bit of it myself, as I made my way to the Art Gallery of NSW.
I figured with a week off to “do my thing” before I return to walk, it would be a good idea to visit a few galleries, as well as the planned catch ups I have for lunch and dinner with friends.
I’m not sure why but I spent a lot of the visit concentrating on sculptures in the gallery. Although the photographs and paintings command a lot of attention, and while some people see the sculptures as little more than “decoration”, I really enjoyed my time concentrating on them.
There’s a couple of very beautiful works in the downstairs gallery, including the compelling Ron Mueck work of the older woman (dying?) covered in a blanket.
I was also really pleased to see they’ve purchased the Shen Shaomin work, also of an older woman near death, which I saw in the exhibition at 4A a couple of years ago.
Having enjoyed a wonderful afternoon at the gallery, I settled down in the outside cafe for a lovely coffee. Here’s to more of that, I say…
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