Next challenge

Well, as February draws to a close, and with the Mooloolaba triathlon only 4.5 weeks away, I thought it would be time to spend a month without alcohol. Yep, until March 28, there will be no drinking for Antonio.

That will tick off another thing from my list this year. This is all too easy. I need harder challenges, I think.

As we head into March, I am trying to think of what to do for that month, as a challenge. I am thinking about either celebrating the Mooloolaba tri with a $200 bottle of red wine (I have never spent that sort of money on wine (or alcohol before). The wine would have to be a special bottle, and Julie (wife) would have to love it, too. Or, go to the tallest building in a capital city, and savour the view, or organise a charity event (like a ride or a run for charity, maybe). Or, take the kids on a charter boat fishing for the day. That would be good. Anyway, I will keep you informed as March approaches.

On the yearly plan, there is not much to report, other than that I have started the month of no drinking. The overseas holiday is booked, as you know, and I am still looking forward to the week or sex every day (I keep forgetting to mention that to Julie).

Anyway, live the dream, stay strong, and make your life count.

Have fun.

Anton

February Challenge

Well, the February challenge is done and dusted. The challenge was to go to a live performance of some sort.

I thought I would pick something that was a little unusual (for me at least)

Last night, for the first time in my life, so it was quite an experience, I went to a Jazz concert.

It was just a great evening, and something that I want to do again soon. The band that was playing was the Tal Cohen Trio, with Jamie Oehlers. I have included the information from the Perth Jazz Club web site below, to provide more information. They played at the Charles Hotel at North Perth.

Look, for a country boy from Queensland, with not a great deal of culture, mind you, last night was just great fun. The music was lively, the performers pumping, and the audience engaged. It was not a huge audience, perhaps 70 people were there, enjoying the fun. The four guys played for an hour, had half and hour break, then got back into it.

The Bassist reminded me of the shaggy out of Scooby Doo, he was lanky and gee he could play that instrument. He rocked, as did the drummer and of course Tal and Jamie.

Get this, some of their songs were like 10 minutes long. They just kept going. In one song, they could go up, down, loud, soft, slow fast and anything in between. The four lads really enjoyed what they were doing. I loved the way that they moved when they were doing solos, they were just engrossed, and passionate - living the dream. Good on you boys.

I have played the alto sax for a short time, so I love that instrument. The bass and the piano and the drums were also smoking, too, and when you put it all together the music was quite groovy. Most of it appeared to be written by Tal, I am guessing, given his short announcements (gee, he needs to work on his speeches though, his stage presence behind the microphone was very ordinary - but that is not why he was there after all) prior to each song. He talked about Bach's Prelude there at one stage, which sounded a little like he was speaking Chinese, as I have no idea, but audience seemed to get a little excited.

The one thing that I thought about was, how much do these blokes get paid for their efforts. It really can't be much. See, there were about 70 people there, all having paid either $10 or $15 entry. Now, that can only equate to between $700 and $1,000 ish. And there were four of them, and the house needs to take a bit, I guess. So, really they would get paid next to nothing, I would presume. The next thing that went through my mind was, so what. Really, I reckon there was no other place those four blokes wanted to be on Monday night. They really were loving it.

The question is, is money everything. Maybe not, you know. Look, I like earning a good wage, as we all do, but is there a point where you just live the dream. See, if you are living your passion, the theory is that you will make heaps, and this is generally true. Maybe these guys make heaps outside these small shows (Tal and Jamie appear to work at a Music School, so they get a wage there, presumably). It is really none of my business, it was just a thought. Two things are for certain, though, they are at the top of their game, and they are loving what they are doing. Good on 'em! How many people can really, truly, say the same.

FYI, here is the information that I found on the Perth Jazz Society Web site:

TAL COHEN TRIO ...with special guest JAMIE OEHLERS

Mon 15 Feb 2010 @ 8:00pm

Admission Members $10 Student members $5 Non members $15

DON'T MISS this energized evening of hard bop, original ideas and virtuoso performance! Joining pianist Tal Cohen and special guest, the supreme tenor saxophonist, Jamie Oehlers, will be two of the most promising musicians that ‘stoke the fire and burn the fuel’ – bassist Karl Florrison and on drums, Sean Phillips.

TAL COHEN left Israel at the age of 16 where he studied classical piano and traditional Jewish folk culture. Upon arrival in Perth Tal received a music scholarship to Churchlands and in 2006 gained entrance into jazz at WAAPA. Tal is currently completing his Masters degree under the guidance of Jamie Oehlers - that makes for a stream of musical consciousness that will literally ‘blow your mind’.

Western Australian jazz saxophonist, Jamie Oehlers is one of those phenomena that comes along once in a generation. Already he has a string of awards to his name including Winner of the 2003 White Foundation World Saxophone Competition and Winner of 2007 Bell Award for Australian Jazz Musician of the Year. Jamie has not even reached his zenith so every performance is an exciting voyage of discovery for both audience and artist.

Well, onward and upwards

Nothing major to report, really, on the 101 things to do front.

The main work that I have been doing towards this list is the exercise towards to the ultra marathon event. That has been tough, and demanding.

I think I will need to add some things to the list, to give me a constant focus.

I have an idea. Each month, I need to come up with a new challenge (outside of the existing things to do this year), and complete that by the end of the month.

So, for February, the challenge will be to:

Attend a live performance, whether an opera, a concert a play or anything in between.

That sounds like fun. Will keep you informed.

Until next time, live with passion.

Anton

NEXT INSTALLMENT

Of all the blogs that I am doing right now, this would be my favourite.

Things are moving in the right direction, and planning is coming along. We are now booked to go to Singapore, Malaysia and Thialand and Hong Kong. We leave on December 27, 2010, and we are pumped already. You have to love frequent flyer points. Hey, for all the travel that I do, we might as well get some benefit from it. It will be another cheap holiday. Vietnam last year, these places this year. Pumped.

Now, get this, I found out today also that I am off to Bangkok in June. That wil be for a program that I am doing with Darren Stephens and Spike Humer in which we are co-authoring a book together. It is a best seller already, as it has sold 5,000 copies already. Yee Hah. So, I am off to learn what to do with it, and how to sell it, and make a heap from it, and from adding value to people's lives. Stay tuned.

So, with the planning for Number one out of the way, it is onto the rest of them. I will keep you updated. The planning for the endurance event is up and running, in ernest, with some big running efforts currently being put in. Tough stuff, but hey, it will all be worth it.

I haven't mentioned to my wife the sex for a week one yet, but I am sure she will be excited when I tell her (hey babe).

And, my 101 things to do before you die book turned up. I am going to start filling that out soon. It is disappointing that he put stuff in the book, like get arrested. Now, why would you do that, really. But, anyway, most of them are good.

Until next time doing all the exciting things in life, keep up the good work.

Anton G