Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door – NOT!

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**BLAM!… Out of nowhere you have the inspiration of a great idea.
You’ve just dreamed up a new and novel way of doing something that everyone will want and now all you have to do is show it to the world for the fame and fortune to be yours. Too easy! Now to make it happen…

How many times have you heard or thought this yourself?

OTTO Espresso

Good ideas are like grains of sand on the beach, very few will ever find their way to an oyster to become a pearl.

Craig Hiron

Craig Hiron has learned the lesson, that there are four main steps to making a raging success, while developing one of the hardest design tasks around in the OTTO Espresso.

• The easiest aspect of any new project is the inspiration, where everyone has a good idea…
• But of the millions of good ideas, few make it to the serious design phase, where the reality of the idea will normally fall by the wayside…
• Leaving few, to move on and deal with the challenges of  manufacturing…
• Then only to be left on the shelf without great marketing.

By the time an idea has been through each part of this process, with sometimes hundreds of thousands of steps, dealing with multiple complication of ideas, people, finance and business, very few ever survive to become a viable success. And then you have to measure success?

The Classic Atomic and the OTTO

Craig tells us of his journey to create, from the inspired classic form of the Atomic Stove Top Cappuccino Maker, something that takes 21st century technologies and creates the ultimate portable cook top espresso maker.

When the OTTO Espresso was released I immediately ordered one because of my love for my Atomic and it’s classic form but also with full regard for the challenges of manufacturing the OTTO. My unboxing video is below.

Craig explains in detail in this episode of Your Story the challenges of finding a product to develop, all the way through the design, manufacturing and marketing process.

Bringing the inspired idea to fruition is is a tale of determination to overcome the pitfalls and a great lesson for anyone interested in product design, manufacturing and marketing.

If you’re a student of industrial design this is a must listen to episode of Your Story.

His website is OttoEspresso.com

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Here is my un-boxing video of the OTTO…

Music is from

The Black Seeds
“Sometimes Enough” (mp3)
from “Into the Dojo”
(LOOP)

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The Airmen of Note
“Blues for Mundy” (mp3)
from “Today”
(Altissimo!)
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This is how to tell a good story?

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Daryll Bellingham

Many people live a life in the arts. Sometimes it’s through choice or circumstances but it’s always a life that is lived independent of many of the norms of Western Society, using their resources to work in a variety of fields within the art that is their choice. The performing arts are much like this. In today’s Episode 61 of Your Story we talk to Daryll Bellingham about his life as a professional storyteller.

Through examples, Daryll shares with us some of his personal life stories of how he expresses himself using his skills as well as some of the advantages for adults in communicating better with family and colleagues using these storytelling skills. Daryll mentions how the use of storytelling has given his community and himself some of the greatest gifts that people can give each other – the sharing of stories.

Daryll has a huge understanding of both sides of the storytelling world both as performer and teacher of storytelling as a communication tool for individuals and corporates, as well as being an oral historian and digital storyteller of other people’s lives.

How do you make a living as a professional storyteller? By being as skilled as Daryll Bellingham is, in many aspects of this oral art form.

Daryll’s  website is Storytell.com.au
His email is mail@Storytell.com.au

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

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Music is from

Das Kamileon

“Detroit Taxi” (mp3)
from “Lovn Cruzn”
(e.y.e. Label)

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Swanken
“Lose The Man” (mp3)
from “Break Out”
(Musical Missionary)

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Helios
“South Tree” (mp3)
from “Unleft”
(Circle Into Square Records)

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Stream from Rhapsody
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Mint
“Personal Spaces” (mp3)
from “Glued, Stapled, Remixed”
(Boltfish Recordings)

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Back on Episode 50 with Kate Foy I used a track from Nick Hollywood. I was just poking around the web and I found a few other tracks  that you may find interesting. Here they are:

This track is from Swing Republic just in time for Christmas Boogie Woogie Santa

SWING REPUBLIC – BOOGIE WOOGIE SANTA by FreshlySqueezed

 

What is needed to make it in music?

Sarah Collyer

How may people are performing, working their craft, doing all they can to be seen and heard, to make it in this world as an artist? How do they get noticed amongst all the noise and what do they have to do in the mean time until it’s their turn, if they ever have the chance?

Today on Your Story we chat with Sara Collyer about her world as a jazz singer. How she studied music and voice and her motivations along the way. We talk about what she has to do to be noticed and what she does between performances and her music.

Take the time to check out her website at SarahCollyer.com where you can listen to some of the music and purchase her EP This Way or on iTunes.

I reckon it great (just my biased opinion)

Cover Art – This Way

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You have the idea but how/who to write the book!

Have you ever wanted to write a book? Have you had a great idea that you need to get out there? Do you have life experiences or know someone who you would like to write about? Maybe you have already started writing? Do you have:

Ghost Writer Michael Collins

• An Idea – Inspiration of what needs to be said
• Notes – A series of concepts written down
• Rough – Already written a considerable amount
• Draft – Written the overall story
• Manuscript – The finished book that needs editing
• Book – But maybe it needs re-writing

Writing a book is a huge task and in this Episode 55 or Your Story we talk to Michael Collins about the art and skill of ghost writing and what he has done for many people to help them get their stories out there.

Michael as a professional Ghost Writer has the skills to understand a person, to get under their skin and realise their dreams so they can get the story that lives inside them onto the page while maintaining their voice and their own original personality. It doesn’t have to be a book written from the beginning but ghost writing can and often is a form of editing. He is editing a persons ideas and voice into text or editing a finished manuscript into a final form for publication. As Michael explains ghost writing is a very personal, specialised form of book editing where he, as the ghost writer, in order to write as that other person has to know them and their personality and not just edit the text that is written on the page.

Michael has the wit of the storyteller and the ability to show it in this episode of Your Story of how he came to writing and ghost writing in particular but also the skills to write about his interests on his personal web site. It’s worth taking the time to read some of his interesting anecdotes and see his writing style in action

Michael’s website is Your-GhostWriter.com

…and his email is ghostwritermc@gmail.com

**UPDATE: 4/10/11 – Michael has just published his latests thriller The Last Book
on Amazon **

I’ve also mentioned on this episode and edited part of it for my other podcast Create Your Life Story as Ghost Writing happens to be the perfect mechanism for writing a personal biography using transcripts form audio recordings. If you’re unable to write for yourself or need someone to add that critical eye over what you’ve already written it may well be worth taking the time to contact a Ghost Writer such as Michael. To find out more on how to record, edit and share your life story check out Create Your Life Story.

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

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Music is from

Di Johnston

“Fascinator” (mp3)

from “Fascinator”

(Undercover Culture Music)

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Luis Garcia

“Paper Birds” (mp3)

from “Between Walks”

(Audiomoves)

More On This Album

 

One of the great pleasures of having a blog is being able to be self indulgent  -  This is one of those self indulgent posts.

As you may know I dance tango for pleasure, a great pleasure! Sure I’m still learning after 3.5 years but I think tango is one of the life passions that is all about learning and the journey rather than the destination. To that end I’m slowly, very slowly becoming enamoured by this most wonderful of dances. If you have no idea of what I’m talking about I suggest you go and watch Sally Potter’s The Tango Lesson and you may get some small idea of what I’m talking about… But that is not what this post is about.

On twitter I’ve made the acquaintance… (yes that’s right, a small friendship that is possible to be generated on twitter), with a quite spectacular musician in Sean A McGee and his ElectroTango (read nuevo style) music.

I must admit that when it comes to dancing Tango I tend to be a bit of a traditionalist (it’s what’s familiar), only occasionally dancing the more modern styles of tango that have become popular with Gotan Project and Carlos Libedinsky. But when it comes to listening pleasure I adore the electronic blends that are this style of tango music and I much prefer to listen to it over the traditional (Piazzolla and a few other excepted) music.

To give you a bit of a taste here is a player of some of Sean’s music. Click away and imagine being in one of those wonderful milongas in Buenos Aires, like the image above, when I was there last year, and the rich tapestry that is that city, that is the very heart of Tango.

The album Nebulosa is out in September so if you like his music go and buy it… go on, you know you’ll love it

 

Welcome To Episode 50 of Your Story.

I invited Kate Foy to come and share with us the world of a professional theatre actor and all that it means. What was the theatre industry like in the early 1970′s when the Queensland Theatre Company was just getting underway, what do you need and how hard is it to succeed in this art but also what is it like to have nearly 40 years experience in the different areas as a professional theatre actor and academic.

Kate is one of those people that I meet through my interactions on twitter and other new media social platforms. Like a few, Kate has become one of my twitter friends and we’ve had many 140 character conversations with each other. What a surprise it was for me, that afterwards while doing some research in preparation for some audio recordings for the Oral History Project at Queensland Theatre Company, I discovered she has a deep involvement both as the Chair of the QTC Board but also with the theatre community in general.

Kate mentions her latest passion to gather theatre professionals together in a way that hasn’t been possible in the past by establishing Greenroom. Unlike with the past physical publications, now using a web site she hopes to form a portal for people to gather and create a community around shared interests in theatre.

Her website is KateFoy.com and  ActorsGreenRoom.net.

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Music is from

Nick Hollywood
“Deep Henderson” (mp3)
from “White Mink : Black Cotton (Electro Swing vs Speakeasy Jazz)”
(Freshly Squeezed Music)

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Welcome To Episode 49 of Your Story.

In a pub recently it was mentioned that I should sit and talk with Gemma-Rose as she has a passion for photography and has managed to make a career of what many would love to do for a living.

Gemma

Not only do we learn of the early days of learning photography in high school but the advantage of coming into it with a little more maturity has paid off along with working as a photojournalist and doing some of the more unpleasant aspects of the job.

Now Gemma is off to Melbourne to work with St Kilda Gatehouse to enable street sex workers and substance dependent people to find a new way to express themselves and to tell their stories. Gemma has a more oblique way of looking at the world and recently undertook and explains her ongoing project, Show Us Ya Tits to show the differences of women and their worlds.

Her website is gemmarose.com.au
email is info@gemmarose.com.au

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Support Your Story by commenting on this episode with one of the social network sites below or writing a review on iTunes

Music

iodaPROMONET

Vodovoz
“Mantra” (mp3)
from “Mantra”
(Night Drive Music)

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I’ve been messing around a little taking some long exposure shots of Brisbane, the River and the Freeway at night but my good friend Adam (@gtowna) found this stunning footage and it’s worth sharing. It’s just the thing with Brisbane that the climate and the weather makes it so attractive that with this skill great things can be produced. I might have to have a go at something similar myself now that I’ve been inspired.

Brisbane by Night from Geoff A Charters on Vimeo.

 

It started about two years ago when I heard that a new coffee maker was coming on the market. So curiously I followed the links to discover the beauty that is the new OTTO Stove Top Espresso Coffee Maker.

Since then I’ve been on a mailing list, receiving irregular updates as to how the development of the OTTO was going, only to be constantly left wondering if it would ever finally be available. The little bit of information I’ve been able to glean by reading between the lines is that there must have been some design and manufacturing issues which delayed the release of the production model. This doesn’t surprise me as this is one of the harder design challengers out there to manufacture and a credit to the originator of the concept as developed in the Atomic Stove Top Cappuccino Maker.

I’ve had an Atomic for a few years now that I was fortunate enough to pick up second hand in an Op Shop. Even so I still paid $350 for it and I know that the value of Atomics can get pretty silly at times due to the lack of availability, that was up until recently.

When I saw the OTTO I thought that this was simply a copy probably brought about by the lack of availability of Atomics but the OTTO is significantly different in several features. Significant enough to win an Australian International Design Award and is currently a finalist in the International Design Excellence Awards.

Poking around and comparing the manufacturing approach shows that significant design changes would have had to have been incorporated by design firm Tiller Design. Whereas the Atomic is sand cast aluminium coming in at 1.8 kilograms the OTTO is 4 kilograms of pressure die cast stainless steel. Tiller Design have faithfully reproduced the style and elegance of the original Atomic so much so that many people who know no better, I’m sure will think that the OTTO is an Atomic. It’s only in seeing the differences that you can see that a timeless design has been upgraded.

• Removing the water filler plug from the base with the group handle is an inspired idea and enables filling while still warm easy. A major issue with the aluminium atomics was the filler plug seizing if it wasn’t used for a prolonged period requiring many a good Atomic being damaged in order to get it going again. With the use of stainless steel on the OTTO that will never be an issue.
• Two coffee baskets for coarse and fine grind coffee. Now there is an option of grind size.
• Adjustable steam wand enables easier entry into a milk jug.
• Silicon mat prevents over heating and boiling off the coffee in the jug.
• Large solid handles for manoeuvring while hot and it gets very hot. I think hotter than the Atomic.
• The machining, finishing, carry case and extras like jug, tamper, glasses and DVD/manual are all top quality in every respect and again reading between the lines I’m sure some perfectionistic personality of the individuals involved is evident and probably due to some of the productions delays. It is truly a piece of Industrial Design Art and one of the reasons for me investing in an OTTO.

The OTTO like the Atomic are not the standard stove top coffee makers as they build up significant pressure to espress through the coffee. It’s been quoted that the OTTO generates about 3 bar of pressure compared to a commercial 9 to 12 bar so it isn’t the same as a commercial machine but it’s an improvement on the normal stove tops and significantly more than the cheap home espressos at a bit over 1 bar.

UPDATE: The full story of OTTO is now a podcast episode in Ep 63 : Craig. Creating the Best Stove Top Espresso Machine from a Classic

I’ve made this short video of the unpacking and the first coffee that I made on the OTTO to give you a feel for what it’s like. Does the OTTO make a better coffee than the Atomic? At this point I don’t know. It makes a great coffee all the same but I don’t know if it’s better than the Atomic. It doesn’t really matter which is better as this is about great design as well as great coffee and the coffee from these machines, with some practice to learn the idiosyncrasies of them, offers the chance for someone to feel like they are creating something rather than just pressing a button. The pleasure of creation has returned. I hope to make another video at some stage when I get the feel of the OTTO and do a direct comparison side by side with the Atomic but that’s for later.

On an aside, on the instructional DVD Craig takes One for the team by removing the group handle while the OTTO is hot showing what happens if it’s attempted. It’s worth watching just to see the trepidation on Craig’s face and surprising that he didn’t get scalded in the process. It gets the message over perfectly.

If you purchase an OTTO due to this review please let the good folks at OTTO know, this has been reviewed without any involvement with OTTO other than the purchase.

 

Welcome To Episode 39 of Your Story.

Outrageous, vivacious and exuberant(along with some off mic cussing) is what you get when you meet Patty Beecham. It’s a name I haven’t heard for years but there it is in my twitter stream. Fancy that, you can meet celebrities on twitter, well you can decide where on the A to Z celebrity line she sits.

As someone who recognised her name I had to go and check out her site and see what she’s been up to all these years. That’s where I listened to her radio cross as she climbed the Story Bridge(long before the safety harnesses of bridge climb) and where I discovered her Funeral Photography and Living Wakes.

Being the daughter of an Anglican Priest, Patty respectfully captures the farewell moments of a persons funeral, that in time when the grieving relatives are ready can be viewed remembering the day they said goodbye with slide shows and DVD’s.

I remembered Patty from her days with Peter Dick on breakfast at 612 4QR, ABC Local Radio nearly 20 years ago. She was the roving reporter who was sent on the “interesting” assignments to give the breakfast show some entertainment, sometimes at the cost of poor Patty being the brunt of the adventures. To get a bit of a feel for the mayhem that ensured check out this archive of the breakfast show.

Her website is HERE
Her email is pbeecham@bigpond.net.au

To get a bit of a feel for the mayhem that ensured check out this archive of the breakfast show.

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Music is from iodaPROMONET

Os Mutantes
“A Minha Menina” (mp3)
from “Mutantes Live – Barbican Theater, London 2006″
(Luaka Bop)

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More On This Album

 

Welcome To Episode 37 of Your Story. Today we talk with Adrian Fabila known professionally for his outstanding musical performances as Tjupurru. This is an episode that I wanted to produce two years ago, before the launch of Your Story, when I saw a live performance of Tjupurru at the Brisbane Power House.

Tjupurru plays a distinctive modern version of the traditional Didjeridu(Didjeribone) blended with the sounds of the FaceBass, distorted and looped through electronics and punched out in a style that would make any party or stadium rock. The sound is unique, organic and ever evolving with every performance different to all others due to the improvisation constantly evolving the sounds as they develop.

Tjupurru’s relationship as an audio engineer with Charlie McMahon of Gondwanaland fame led him to use both the Didjerbone and FaceBass, (both invented by Charlie) and now his involvement with the development, production and marketing of the Didjeribone around the world  promoting it through his performances. Including a performance on KCRW Radio in Santa Monica in April of 2008.

The Didjeribone is a unique instrument developed from an ancient instrument using the best of modern manufacturing and available around the world. If your interested in purchasing one, contact  Didjeribone it’s only $160 delivered anywhere. (I’m saving up to buy mine.)

His website is tjupurru.com
email is jordan@topshelf.com.au

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Tjupurru

Stompin’ Ground

 

Welcome To Episode 36 of Your Story.

Today we talk with Chris Booth artist and maker of things.

Chris is now starting to have real success in the art scene in Australia after years of being a struggling artist. We discuss the artist life, how difficult it is to make a success in the art world and the compromises that are made to get to that success. Chris mentions how Metro Gallery in Melbourne have given him a leg up, supporting him with a regular retainer income so he can concentrate on making the art rather than having to compromise his passion to find the income for his basic human needs.

Chris has developed a new and different type of painting art-form utilising his making skills to build multiple layers of board sitting proud of the backing to create a real depth of field causing the image to lift from the canvas. This blending with his pop/anime style using clean precise lines create these elegant images that he is becoming known for.

To have a look at some of his work go to Metro Gallery, and another Metro page and Art Net.

His website is still coming…
email is chrisbooth002@yahoo.com.au

As mentioned on the show the Lapel Microphones used on this episode are from Giant Squid Audio.

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

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Music is from iodaPROMONET

DJ Bitman
“Tropilove” (mp3)
from “Latin Bitman”
(Nacional Records)

Buy at Rhapsody
Buy at Napster
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

 

Welcome To Episode 34 of Your Story.

Rachel Beaney is a young women working for VibeWire, initially as an intern now full time. Today she explains what VibeWire is about.

VibeWire is an organisation set up to facilitate young creative entrepreneurs to enable them to develop, network and promote themselves. It has resources to help young people explore all manner of creative industries and help co-ordinate with others, connecting the resources with mentoring opportunities to build individual or collaborative projects.

Additional to helping individual artists VibeWire has been running the Reelife Film Festival for six years, with over 23 screenings in six cities featuring over 80 films giving young film makers the opportunity to express their own film making skills and opportunities to collaborate with other skilled artists.

The website is vibewire.org
Rachels email is rachel.beaney@vibewire.org

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

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Music is from iodaPROMONET

Levan Vs Ekala
“Happiness” (mp3)
from “Happiness”
(System Recordings)

Buy at Napster
Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
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More On This Album

 

Welcome To Episode 30 of Your Story.

Today we talk with David Shaw who as an Industrial Designer with his company Street and Garden Furniture Company shares a little of the life of an industrial designer. We talk of what design is for him with his early attempts at being a manufacturer to eventually realise that designing and out sourcing manufacturing is a better business model.

He mentions his efforts to help the up and coming new designers which enables him to able to give them a chance through his business. Additionally he plans to use the greater space at his premises for display and art purposes to help other people within the community.

David has been making Street furniture for decades now and to my surprise once he started mentioning where it’s been placed around Australia I realised that I’ve been seeing it everywhere for years.

It’s strange for me to know that street lights, bollards, water bubblers and rubbish bins that I’ve walked past with scant regard all come from David and I just through coincidence happen to ask him onto Your Story.

Update: Another great Industrial Design Story is Ep 63 : Craig. Creating the Best Stove Top Espresso Machine from a Classic

His website is streetandgarden.com
email is david@streetandgarden.com.au

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

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Music is from iodaPROMONET

Wade Robson
“I Question Mark” (mp3)
from “Wade Robson’s Project: Dance Beats Vol. 1″
(Wajero Entertainment, Inc.)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Amazon MP3
Buy at eMusic
More On This Album

Dive Index
“Water in Our Hands” (mp3)
from “Collisions – The Mid/Air Remixes”
(Neutral Music)

Buy at Neutral Music
Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Rhapsody
More On This Album

 

Welcome To Episode 26 of Your Story.

It’s been some time since there has been a Your Story Episode, unfortunately the constraints to produce an episode while on the road travelling made it difficult to find the time required for the standard necessary to do justice to the wonderful people that I meet.

However now that I’ve returned to Australia it’s possible to finish the necessary work required to get an episode out and here it is.

Today we talk with Michael Kierans who in is a Canadian migrant living with his Czech wife in Prague, Czech Republic. He is established as a successful business owner of two cafes bars having moved from his successful life as a lawyer in Canada to Prague after the fall of Communism. Michael explains the difficulties of dealing with a different cultural and mental attitude that permeates all aspects of life in the Czech Republic from organising the necessities of running a business to the way that the government and politicians operate.

Michael explains the ever so subtle differences that he is able to be aware of now that he has been in Prague for a considerable period of time. He explains why the personality of the Czech people is the way it is, due to the long history of the Czech Lands and the impact that this history has had on the culture particularly during the communist era. Also he shows his enthiusium for this country and why there is an exciting time for the Czech Republic into the future as the next generations come through with their new and different mindset and continuation of their cultural heritages.

Impressively Michael explains what keeps him in Prague and why he loves it so much to make it his home.

His website is kava-coffee.cz

email is kava@mbox.vol.cz

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

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I asked a few questions that I would apprediate a quick response to if you feel inclined to help me with understanding the direction to direct Your Story. Please send you thoughts to chat@yourstorypodcast.com.

• Am I hitting the mark and what is it that interests you about Your Story?

• What is it that you like or don’t like?

• What type of personalities would you like me to find and what interests you?

• Did you enjoy my addendum episodes or would you rather I just stick to the main Your Story episodes?

Music is from iodaPROMONET

Time Machine
“The Groove That Just Won’t Stop” (mp3)
from “Life Is Expensive”
(Glow In The Dark Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Napster
Stream from Rhapsody
More On This Album

 

Welcome To Episode 23 of Your Story.

Today we talk with Roco Menzel of Metroccolis who in along with his collaborator Stefan Wabner is a Mime artist performing as Metroccolis.
Now after 14 years developing the skill of mime Rocco is starting to achieve real international success, earning a living and well on the way to achieving the success that is his passion.

Rocco explains that as an nearly unknown art-form there is much more to producing art than seen on stage and it’s necessary to to spend 60% of the time as an office worker to dealing with agents and negotiating the stuff in the background.

We discuss the lifestyle of Berlin, the culture and where it is going and the fact that there is still a difference between East and West Berlin and how East Berlin is the vibrant place of growth and change.

His website is metroccolis.com
email is mail@metroccolis.com

There are several YouTube clips of Metroccolis performing but here are a couple for you to look at.

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

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Welcome To Episode Five of Your Story Addendum.

Here is a quick update on how it’s been travelling settling and having a bit of a look around Germany. Particually Tübingen, Potsdam and arriving in Berlin. I flush out a bit more of my observations in follow up Addendum eposides. So this is just to make the quick connection with you out there.

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

Subscribe freely in iTunes by Clicking here.
If you use another Podcast software Get the feed here.

 

As you know I’m about to go to Europe and I’ll be staying with some people, enjoying their company and hospitality. So I was thinking that I wanted to take a few gifts with me to say thanks but I want some better quality real Australian gifts rather than the Asian made Australian souvenirs that are out there. But What?

Then I remembered John and the Aboriginal Gallery, Indij-N-Arts, he has around the corner from me. You may remember he was with me on Episode 13 of Your Story.

So I trotted around there and got a few genuine Aboriginal souvenirs from a man that supports the people that make them and is making a go of getting the aboriginal culture out there. I have some gifts and we spread the culture a little further.

I’m looking forward to giving these and a few other things away.

 

Welcome To Episode 19 of Your Story.

In Episode 18 we saw a video that I posted and later spoke with Mel while she was cut for a scar by Timb Wilton.

So in order to flush out his story we get to understand a little better how it is to be a practitioner of body piercing, scaring and body modification.

Timb explains how he came into the field and developed the skills that have lead him to be now practicing as a professional.

If you want to see his handy work go to Episode 18 and watch him as he carefully cuts a scar for Mel.

His website is thirdeyetattoostudio.com
email is timbwilton@gmail.com

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

Subscribe freely in iTunes by Clicking here.
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The Slip

The music track used is The Four of Us are Dying from Nine Inch Nails

 

Welcome To Episode 18 of Your Story.

Today we talk with Mel Poudroux who I meet while working on Fools Gold at the Warner Brothers Film Studio on the Gold Coast as a Prop Maker in 2007. The moment I meet Mel I couldn’t miss the fact that she is covered in tattoos and piercings not to mention a bit of a comfortable attitude to the way she wants to live her life.

So as I was in Melbourne I knew that Mel was one of those people that I had to contact to get her story. She was enthusiast to get her thoughts out and fortunately she was ready to have her first scar cut to add to the tattoos and piercings so she invited me to meet Timb Wilton and watch him cut this scar. Well I had to video this for you to see and give all a chance to understand a little of this culture.

I videoed this with my Still Camera not a video camera and frankly the Cannon G9 does a pretty good job but it’s not as good as a video camera so I’ll be getting one before the Europe trip next month. This is also my first attempt at editing in iMove and I’ll continue to learn as time goes by and get better but I think it gets the message across quite well.

“WARNING” The Video and Images Below are Intense.You have been WARNED!

Here is that video of Mel getting cut for here scar.

Mel also mentions that she has an interest in suspension if your interested here are some images of her experiences.

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”
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The Slip

The music track used is Discipline from Nine Inch Nails.

 

Welcome To Episode Thirteen of Your Story.

Today we talk with John Pene-Fonmosa who in explaining his heritage from the slavery of the South Sea Islanders known as Kanakas and their strong work ethic offers an opposing thought on the Sorry concept that is in the public mind at present.

He feels that the Aboriginal Australians should say sorry to the Australian populations for surprising reasons.

He has strong opinions on how fortunate we all are in Australia and how he is creating his own reality through the development of his Authentic Aboriginal Art Gallery in Brisbane.

His website is www.indijnarts.com.au
email is indijnarts@bigpond.com

His poem that he recites during the show is…

Please Forgive Us

Aborigines lived, on Australian plains
No-one else there, but the wind and rains
Happy and free, living as one
Listen, the birds, the animals
Greet the morning Sun

For thousand of years, or so it appears
The air was pure, the land was clean
The mountains, the forests were pristine
Hunters, gathers, on the move
How could they know, these pale strangers, would disapprove

Hunted and chased, like animal herds
Far from their lands, to be placed on reserves
The dancing, the dreaming, their art to be scorned
The hurting, the weeping, the bitterness, had been spawned

Made to feel like a stranger, in our own land
Please try and help us, to understand
What you have taken, was rightfully mine
There was, no agreements, of treaty to sign

Is it wrong to ask, that justice be made
For all the broken spirits, your foundations have laid
We’re only asking, that the truth should be known
Please forgive us, if bitterness and anger we’ve shown

John Pene-Fonmosa
Fingal Head N.S.W. 1985

Music is from iodaPROMONET

Levan Vs Ekala
“Happiness” (mp3)
from “Happiness”
(System Recordings)

Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at Amazon
More On This Album

 

Welcome To Episode Five of Your Story.

Today is Australia/Invasion/Survival Day and coincidentally I have a poignant theme.

Rod is a local in my area and when I asked him to tell me his story he just went off on the subjects that impassion him. I had to ask him to stop until I got my recorder as I found that he really had something to say about Australian society and our ill treatment of the native Aboriginal Australians of whom he is one.

Born in Western Australia and adopted by Dutch migrants he grew up in Holland only to return to Australia at 14 to prejudice from both the black and white communities and then to fall, like so many, into the cycle of addiction and prison.

He now has a career as a performer and artist, striving to make his world a better place.

This is His Story.

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.

“Subscribe freely in iTunes by Clicking here.If you use another Podcast software Get the feed here.

Many thanks to Rod for allowing me to record his didgeridoo playing for use in this programme.

 

Welcome To Episode One of Your Story.

In this episode I chat with a young lady I’ve worked with who decided at school to get into the film industry and has achieved it in only three years and now has to consider her future.

I also bring you up to speed on how it’s been going for me to get this podcast up and running and some of the frustrations that I’ve faced.

Hope you enjoy.

To automatically receive this podcast freely to you, click on one of the links to the left or search in iTunes for “Your Story.”

Subscribe freely in iTunes by Clicking here.
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I heard about the Greenhouse Effect in the early 80′s and I’ve been waiting to see when the general public would start to get the picture, and now we have. Now we have a debate but it’s only a public debate the scientists all agree (all but the few) but the public isn’t listening to the scientists, the tens of thousand of educated men and women who study and know all the background information that has led to their opinions.

The general public listens to the popular and noisy commentators who aren’t as educated or have vested interests elsewhere.

However… Maybe the scientists may be wrong… Sure, nothing is for certain. Look at the panic caused about the Y2K problem. Fizzier wasn’t it? What a waste of money. Although, have you ever wondered that maybe all the work done because of the concern that was created may have averted the problem so it never happened and now we have the benefits of no problem, just a few dollars spent.

Well what if the same situation plays out with global climate change?

Here is the best way I’ve come across to explain it.