From a father to his toddler - And a Merry Christmas!

Hey,

Merry Christmas!

I'd planned to post this early in 2022. I didn't. She's 12 now. Those childlike days are already gone. Still young but the innocence is over.

I found this poem recently from 2012. When Tilly was about one turning two. A decade ago. Reading it now, I'd forgotten all about these routines, hence proving why it was so important to write it down.

It was marked, not to be published. I've decided to share it after all.

early 2012

Sanctuary

 

It’s as the name implies

I could say little else

Yet will give you a peek

Into a special place

A room with a closed door

With routines of two

A one

Who is two

The other

Significantly older.

Their time is brief

Together

Yet, as special as it can get

Father and daughter

Yet also

Like a couple of mates

Telling stories

And singing songs

Except one of the mates has a bottle.

 

She likes the stories

As it’s never quite the same

For each telling

Though the familiar relaxes her

As I rarely read the text

But create my own version

Whatever it takes

To keep her entertained

Yet calm

And happy.

 

The books go down

I fire up the night light

And the main light goes off

I lay next to her

In the near dark

While she finishes her bottle

And I sing lullabies

From centuries past

And Beatles songs

And she hums along with me.

 

This is the most simplest of times

And holistic

And pure

And though it’s almost nightly

A routine

I know that it exists with an end date

As who knows

Where I’ll be in future

Or how she will be

With me

As teenage times

Are meant to be trying

But I would like you

And especially her

To know

That there’s nothing

More spiritually wholesome

And meaningful

Than those quiet moments.

 

She finishes the bottle

I scoop her up

Cuddle her

Kiss her

Make her laugh

And ease her into the cot

Goodnight darlin

See you in the morning.

She is content

But not more than I.

 

Love you.

 

  

Late 2012

10 years on - early 2022

More Poetry

My Books and Video Website

Finally, here's a little message from the Aussie Santa.

Peace with you my friend

Merry Christmas

Anthony

Aussie girl charms Spanish locals on her 4th birthday

 

On her 4th birthday, an Aussie girl entertains Madrid locals 

We spent 6 weeks in Europe as her mother was there for work, so Tilly and I came along for a subsided holiday. When in Spain, she turned 4. We went out for dinner and this is what happened.

(3mins)

If watching on a phone and can't see the video above, then watch HERE

She was the cutest. And still is pretty great at 11 (not biased at all)

I made 6 edited videos of our trip, totalling 3 hours. I found this little segment in Part 2 and thought it was worth sharing. 

Back soon with the last Video in the Feel Good Series

Peace

My Books

More Videos

M ISSED - A Short Film 14 years in the Making

A 7 year old girl waits to be collected after school. Nobody comes. What happened to them? What did she do next?

What happens to her?

Starring Tilly, in her first role.

(Film at bottom of this page)

Background; Why 14 years?

My Last short film, Irons, took many months to make, a huge amount of work, stress and five years worth of savings. I was hoping for some sort of career opportunity out of it. Had I been living in L.A., I might have had one. I was working in News at Channel 10. I showed someone in the Drama Department. Nothing happened. I applied for a bunch of Festivals. It got into two, one in South Africa. 

I was angry with Sydney Film Festival. I had made the film, hoping to get into it. I made the film shorter that it should have been to get into it. (Under 15mins). A mistake. It wanted to be longer. I've since re-edited parts of it (in 2011) but the original scenes are fixed and it's too late. 
They broke their own rules to screen Harvey Krumpet, an animation that had been doing well. That peed me off, so I wrote to the Entertainment section of the Daily Telegraph. They printed it. I got some satisfaction from that. Don't pick mine, that's fine but don't go changing your own rules to suit yourselves. 

Something that big, requires a lot of input. Literally 50-60 people worked on it. The bigger the project the harder it is to control, especially if most aren't getting paid. Inevitably, many compromises are made. I must bear the brunt of it though as I was ultimately the one in charge. I was happy with about 50%. Maybe 60% on a good day.

From there on, I decided to concentrate on writing, and began writing my first novel later that same year, 2004. I could create whatever I wanted, without budgetary constraints, and have total control over my universe. And to be honest, I found Directing extremely stressful. I enjoyed editing and the writing the most.

And so went the next dozen years. Many novels, stories and poetry were created. Something I returned to, in a way, as I began writing stories at ten.

I continued to make small videos in the way of Video Poetry and Music style videos and Family videos. And I had a daughter. All of that takes up your time. I had a job and was a step father too. God, no wonder I'm tired.

Come early 2018, I decided I wanted to make a little film. So small that I would make all of it myself and have total control. I did'nt want Irons to be my last film. And you know? I'm pretty happy with it. And I had an actor whom I could work with. That's always a positive. She did good. Especially as the film progresses. It was shot mostly in order.

Budget? Around $400, compared to $35,000 of Irons. I submitted it to a bunch of small Festivals, which is why I had to wait. Then I was concentrating on releasing my book, A Refugees Rage in 2019. It got into one Festival in LA.

And now it has life. Enjoy. Please share the video if you can. It's the 'Little film that could.'

Watch MISSED  on Vimeo.

MISSED Now on IMDB HERE - If you are able, a Rating would be awesome.

See IRONS and other Short Films Here.

A Dad and Daughter Mini Holiday - Kiama

KIAMA Blowhole NSW 

6 year old's Holiday 

Grab a drink, relax and simply enjoy nature combined with music.

Kiama is situated approximately two hours train journey south of Sydney.
Simply my daughter and I. A quiet few days away. Not long enough, but still very nice.

Highlights:

Seeing the Blowhole (though not at it's peak)
Whales from a distance
Stingray's up close
Chatting to strangers
Lighthouse
Kiama Village
Great music!
General fun

Watch HERE

Songs: (in order)

Amy Shark - Weekends,
Richard Ashcroft - They don't own me,
Soundtrack - The Big Blue - Eric Sierra,
Band of Horses - Hag,
Yukar - Am I Dreaming.

Something a bit different from me. Hope you enjoyed it.

Feel Good Quotes

Beautiful simple, 7 Pillars of Love

My BOOKS

What we can learn about people from observing babies.

Food is the Number One Priority in Life. Period.

Sometimes, we just don't know what we want.

We need routine, (even if we think we don't.)

Smiling can change someone's perception of you.

Whoever invented the term, 'Sleep like a baby' had never had one.

(Artist Naomi Dawson. Order prints at Red Bubble).

We connect with some strangers and not others, and who knows why.

We are much happier after a good crap.

A person's size is inversely proportional to the amount of noise they make.
(also known as Napoleon Syndrome).

We like the familiar.

Just because we cry doesn’t mean we’re sad.

Insisting on having it your way doesn't mean that it’s all going to work out.

We are by nature, contradictory.

We are easily entertained, but just as easily bored.

We don't always know what's good for us.

No matter how adorable you are, you can still be considered a pain in the ass.

It's impossible to be happy all the time.



Thanks to my daughter Tilly, who didn't really have to do anything but contributed to this post all the same.


Care to make any additions?

My Books