Other Interests: pursuing your passion

Anna Jacobson Photographer

Anna now has a website at www.annajacobson.com.au.

Worth a look.

Tropfest 2009

I'm delighted that my nephew Avi Lewin is one of the 16 finalists (out of 600 entries) for this year's Tropfest short film festival.

Avi is the only Queensland finalist. (Interview in The Australian).

Results will be announced on 22 February.

Obama

The election and inauguration of US President Barack Obama are sign of change embraced internationally.

So I've adopted an Obama Icon in support of hope.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

At the risk of developing a morbid theme, I have to recommend the movie The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

The true story of a man who suffers a stroke which almost totally paralyzes his body; only his left eye isn't paralyzed and he uses it to communicate.

As told on film, the story is beautiful and sensitive and not overwhelmingly sad.

Michael Jacks My Life My Food

Michael Jacks is dying of motor neurone disease but has a passion for food. So he wrote a book My Life My Food containing the recipes he used as a chef and photos and stories about his family. He is encouraging people to achieve their passions.

Buy the book.

Herald Sun story.

UPDATE: MIchael passed away in December 2008.

Randy Pausch dies

I wrote about Randy Pausch's Last Lecture here.

Yesterday I bought his book.

This morning I learnt of his death here.

We need more optimism and inspiration in our lives.

Water for Elephants

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen manages to successfully combine a coming of age story with a snapshot of an American circus at time of the Great Depression. Add to that some interesting characters and some wonderful cameos of nursing home life as the narrator looks back at his life (and decides what to do with the rest of it) and you have an entertaining book (almost a fable) that captivated all members of my family.

Songs about lawyers

Above the Law lists its top 10 lawyer songs

Here's my top 3 (I fought the Law, Lawyers Guns and Money, I Shot the Sheriff)

J.K.Rowling on the benefits of failure and the value of imagination

JK Rowling's Harvard commencement address is worth watching (Parts 1 and 2) :

City of Thieves

Looking for a great airplane read? City of Thieves by David Benioff is based on the Siege of Leningrad in WWII but manages to combine war with thrills, adventure, wit and sex in a compelling page-turner.