Happy New Year!

Thank you to all who drop in and take a moment to read my postings. Although, for various reasons, I have been quiet lately I hope to read more of your words and share some of my own in 2023. Here’s to a fresh start filled with hopeful possibilities.

12 rules for life – Dr Jordan Peterson

#DrJordanPeterson #12RulesForLife #HelpYourself #BeABetterPerson

55th AWGIES’s return in-person..

Nominees for 55th AWGIEs unveiled as awards return in-person

#IFMagazine #Awgie’sReturn #AWGIENominations #AusBestInScript #Screenwriting #Scriptwriting #AWGIEAwards #AustralianWriters

NCIS:Sydney Script Development

Screen Australia announces ‘NCIS: Sydney’ Script Development Program

Screen Australia Applications

#NCIS:Sydney #ScreenAustralia #ScriptDevelopment #EndemolShine #PeterNewman

Ann Cleeves Author Talk Exposé — Thoughts Become Words

The tenth and newest Vera book © image Gretchen Bernet-Ward 2022 A balmy Friday night with a nip in the air because it’s still winter, and it seemed everyone wanted to head in the same direction we were going. The bus was late, the traffic was jammed and lunch seemed a long time ago. Worst […]

Ann Cleeves Author Talk Exposé — Thoughts Become Words

Pink Cockatoo Variant — Thoughts Become Words

Title “Jak-Kul Yak-Kul” acrylic art on canvas by Hervey Bay Queensland artist Will Hazzard https://willhazzard.com.au/ Love at first sight when I saw Will Hazzard’s adorable cockatoo with plumage which goes against nature to dramatic effect! My photograph was taken in Maryborough and this 81.3cm x 81.3cm painting was exhibited at the 38th Hervey Bay Annual […]

Pink Cockatoo Variant — Thoughts Become Words

Some Folks Folk 16mm

When I was a teenager in Africa (mid-sixties) I don’t know why but our house – more specifically, our front lawn was the meeting place…  We sang songs by James Taylor; Bread; Simon & Garfunkle; Joan Baez; Mamas & the Papas; Joni Mitchell; Peter, Paul & Mary…  Our crowd used to sit in a circle, singing songs until Mum came out and reminded us we had neighbors.  

Many years later and on another continent (Australia) in 1984, I wrote, produced and directed my first 16mm film. It turned out to be my only foray into what was then considered traditional film-making because we soon discovered video, which was so much cheaper.

Iris Jones came from Rhodesia to Australia and I grew up in Kitwe, Zambia, so we had a lot in common. Her long history with and dedication to Folk Music and her 1st Community Folk Club in the Kalamunda Hills, totally inspired me to write, produce and direct ‘Some Folks Folk’. Filmed in 1984, crewed by the very able team from Friends Film Productions, Heather, Chris and Matthew, the film was edited in a suite at (A.B.Video) sponsored by P.Tilley & Co.

If you have 6 minutes to spare and want an 80’s hair reminder, watch my documentary: ‘Some Folks Folk’.

NOTES from the City of Kalamunda Community Services Directory:

• Hills Folk Club Hills Folk Club meets monthly and provides a venue for acoustic musical entertainment in a friendly atmosphere. 
  Phone: Secretary 9291 6026 
  Location: Falls Farm Cottage 41 Cagney Way LESMURDIE 
  Postal: 23 Glen Road LESMURDIE  WA  6076 
  Email:  paulinekevin@bigpond.com 
  Website:  N/A

#SomeFolksFolk  #MyFirst16mmFilm  #16mmDoco  #KalamundaFolkClub  #WannerooFolkClub  #FolkMusic  #EcousticMusic  #MusicMemories  #1986MusicDoco  #1986FolkMusic  #FolkMusicWA  #WAFolkFederation

Two new Australian films included in Adelaide Film Festival sneak peak — Cinema Australia

Carnifex. Help us continue to cover more Australian films by making a donation to Cinema Australia below. The Adelaide Film Festival has revealed a sneak peak at its 2022 program which includes two new Australian films, Carnifex and The Last Daughter. Carnifex, the directorial debut of acclaimed South Australian film editor Sean Lahiff, received production investment from […]

Two new Australian films included in Adelaide Film Festival sneak peak — Cinema Australia

POEM: Suits & Ties

Sketched in Oz by Frances Macaulay Forde © 2003

During nine months of my man in Ireland trying to convince me through Messenger, he should jump on a plane to Oz and we should explore the possibility of rekindling our love of 28 years ago; my heart and my head were at war.  The risks seemed too great considering all I had been through.  After a bitter divorce, my two wonderful children were now adults, I was making a new life and I had only just learnt to like myself again!  (From chapbook 'Exploring Possibilities'.)

Suits and ties…

Your Corporate wardrobe titillates.
Challenges me to abandon -
invite you to swim with me –
in a sea wet with desire.
Throw off your hard shell,
your calm, controlled exterior 
and reveal the let-go you.

The knot of your tie,
like seaweed trapping 
the unaware swimmer, 
restricting your neck - 
choking.  Stopping words 
that reveal your heart.

Speech splinters jab at me
- stabbing me with purpose
pricking my memory of
a shipwrecked love…
laid low in my sub-marine.

I want you to loosen your tie
with purpose, invite intimacy, 
soul revelations, as you
breast-stroke in deep water -
prove the want - the known need 
to be swamped by passion.

The three-piece suit necessary
clothing - layers hiding…
Providing warmth, weighing
where sun shafts can’t penetrate
or offer paths of lighted guidance.

Relinquish your quintessence! 

Allow this sensual drowning - 
while arms cleave in swells 
of touch, taste and heat -
liquid languishing laid naked 
to my reciprocal need.

Dismiss the discipline 
of habitual analysis? 
Take off those polished shoes -
shake off the weight and surrender 
to feelings incomprehensible 
to the clever business brain.
Allow unknown, unrehearsed,
unrestrained actions - 
releases of reason, to win.

I watch you purposely dive 
our murky, bottomless depths. 
Hands locked together, arms 
pointed straight above your head
protecting - patiently proving 
your commitment, your leap
with one compulsive breath 
into our eventual eternity.

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2003
1st published in Poets Corner anthology 'Pages Cafe '05' by Frances Macaulay Forde in 2005.

#POEM:Suits&Ties  #ExploringPossibilities #SketchingInIreland #LoveStory #PoemsAboutLove #RediscoveringLove #Reunited #Romance #Poetry 

On-Line Courtship

A sketch of Dingle Beach in Ireland by Frances Macaulay Forde © 2003

When my man made contact after 28 years he was in Ireland and I was in Australia but we'd been in love in Africa in 1974.  He saw my name on the net and sent a Valentine's Day message. Through Messenger, it took him nine months to convince me to allow him to fly over and explore the possibility of love again.

Messenger…

Banter that backfired because
literal interpretations got lost
in considered connotations,
(re-read a thousand times)
of what went way-back-when…

Juxtaposition of judgements.
Hastily harnessed how-comes?
Stopping me still, seriously!
Making me question us both.

My passionate banshee tears
initiated by tactile responses
to words type-tapped carefully.
Sometimes in casual jest 
to test my reactions?

Is it natural to anticipate
disaster - dismissal and defend?
Not normally for me – I search
for more of your positive essence,
confirmation of my impressions.

I want you – all of you – now!
Every nuance of normality
shared secretly, sensually…
But other stuff too – thoughts,
reasons, why you do what you do…

I can’t ‘see’ the whole of you
touch your skin - breath you in.
Sense your hands on my breasts
holding me, stroking me softly.
I want – I need – I crave to.

Insecurity inserts itself
firmly forcing doubt-feelings
to well and grow without witness,
until you answer; you calm; you claim,

cover my heart and soul with caring.
Linger in my love, lay there 
until we’re both sweetly exhausted
by this power, this perpetual passion 

Frances Macaulay Forde © 2002
(From chapbook "Exploring Possibilities" 2003.)

#POEM: Messenger  #ExploringPossibilities #SketchingInIreland  #LoveStory #PoemsAboutLove #RediscoveringLove #Reunited #Romance #Poetry