'Reality Bites' gives us the truth about non-fiction

A note to your partner or a business email are mostly non-fiction writing as is "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" (below right) by English historian Edward Gibbon.

The former are little more than daily doings while that latter is the exquisite sustained art of a non-fiction author.
While fiction writing demands a special type of imagination, the author of a work of non-fiction also needs a generous amount of those thought processes, combined with an instinctive adherence to facts.
Interestingly, the nonfiction author has, in terms of their writing, an allegiance to fact and it was that very need to lead to the birth of Australia's only specific literary nonfiction festival, Reality Bites.
Working at the time with the then Noosa Council, Bernice Child, discovered Queensland's Sunshine Coast to be poorly served in terms of writing and books.
Conscious of that fact she instigated the festival three years ago and although Council still supports it, the event is now organized independently by the Sunshine Hinterland Writers' Centre, a group of volunteers, including the program director, Annette Hughes, who moved to Cooroy on the coast's hinterland to care for aging parents.
Annette, previously a literary agent in the publishing industry, now devotes much of her free time to organizing, planning and articulating the festival's vision.
The 2011 festival will be the fourth and rather than being over two weekends, it will be scaled back to just one with particular focus on workshops enabling local, developing writers the opportunity to learn from established authors.
The one-weekend festival will be an opportune time for fresh volunteers to learn about the workings of the event before embarking on the longer, more complex two-weekend biennial event.
Cooroy has a new "green" library, opened earlier this year, and early plans for next year's festival call for a tent to be pitched on its grass covered roof as a venue for much of the program.
Details of the 2011 festival have not yet been finalised, but just as soon as they are, Annette says they will be posted on the Reality Bites blog.

Submit to our primal selves and we will create harmony

Walking recently next to an Asian woman talking on her mobile phone I didn’t understand a word, but then she laughed and I understood immediately.

Laughter escapes the rigidities of language – it’s a communication everyone understands, irregardless of race or background.
In fact most human emotions can be understood, or at least sensed, by everyone.
The impact of laughter is obvious, happiness is a little more subtle, but often obvious, joy is similar; fear if not seen is still palpable; sadness may not be blatant, but tears make it so and although contentment is difficult to describe, it becomes evident when you look at a way of life.
Confusion brought on by language confirms the adage that we should take little notice of what people say, but keenly watch what they do - actions speak louder than words.
Much of the difficulty in our world, be it personal or somewhat more sweeping, can be traced to a failure to recognize and acknowledge an emotional state or even something more subtle, body-language.
Upon entering a room of strangers, you seem to know immediately, without anyone uttering word, which of those people you like or dislike suggesting that something about our survival, even beyond body language, is connected to our primal being.
Beyond the façade that all humans wear to help us understand race, status and a host of other surface values is a human being living with all the emotions, difficulties and delights each of us experience on the big wheel that is life.
Many of the world’s cultures have gravitated to Shepparton and to live in harmony we need to think about, respect and honour those inexhaustible and “raceless” human qualities of laughter, delight, happiness, courage, fear sadness, discipline, skill, morality and a sense of belonging..
The next time you encounter someone who appears different than yourself, then look beyond what you can see and connect with the essence of the person, the human who lives inside and in a fundamental sense feels all the same emotions as you.
Like the lady on her mobile phone, your new friend laughs just like you, I can guarantee that.

Weekend-long discussions about the stewardship of our earth

Nearly 20 people spent the weekend in Tatura considering stewardship of the earth.

But, there was more to the two-day of discussions than that.The weekend-long session had been organized by Tatura Transitions – a small group of like-minded enthusiasts’ conscious of the difficulties humanity faces as climate change and oil scarcity really begin to impact on our lives.

Recognising and acknowledging those changes are seen by many as apocalyptic, the group is eager to see the people of Tatura, and others in the Goulburn Valley, embrace the idea of transition as it would enable them to change their ways of living and so exist comfortably and profitably in a low-energy future.
Transition is not about casting away all that is good about life and living a subsistence lifestyle, rather it is about living in a sustainable way, the builds community making our towns and cities more sociable; escaping from the present industrial way of life that has an emphasis on growth, profit and confrontation that disregards the wellbeing of people with a preference for machines; improving our food security; sharing with our fellows and broadly helping people understand the role nature plays in underpinning their lives.
The emerging difficulties brought down upon the world by the activities of our booming population are complex in the extreme and as knowing how to respond to them is equally complex; the Tatura group asked two transition trainers to share their understanding of how the shift can be made.
Jane Phillips and Jacinta Walsh, both from Castlemaine, and each with some 18 months experience of helping similar groups in three states, first helped the group understand the realities of climate change and peak oil and then spent the rest of Saturday and Sunday explaining and consolidating the transition idea and within that the rich benefits to community.
Dentist, Ross Musolino, is the “face” of Tatura Transition, but his commitment to the idea of seeing his town living successfully in a low-energy future has seen others quickly identify with his views and enthusiasm and so after two days of intense training, the group was bubbling with excitement.
The transition concept works in communities all around the world and sometime soon it will be unleashed in Tatura.

Personal lifestyle suggests denial of looming difficulties

Human induced changes to our climate, oil depletion, famines arising from both issues, and waste, along with the increasing difficulties of a booming population illustrate the certain difficulties ahead.

However, like so many others in the developed world, my lifestyle suggests denial.
Many are either in denial or ignorant and some simply don’t care as they live for the moment, which I can’t criticise except to say that we must understand that while present activities might be pleasant, they can create difficulties for those who follow.
Having listened to many world authorities on climate science, oil scarcity, famine, various professors, and read many books written by them and their peers, any questions or doubts I had about the coming difficulties have been erased.
However, understanding what was being said and written, I continue to live as if in denial, but it’s not that as like many others I’m caught-up, or psychologically trapped, in a way of life that has evolved over the past 200 years and has been built around easily accessible fossil energy.This is a pleasant, rewarding and satisfying life, but those of us in the developed world are living in a style the world cannot support and our burgeoning numbers suggest we need to be thinking carefully about our fertility.
Being conscious of and sympathetic to emerging dilemmas is not enough to help our world as it limps toward catastrophe, but like many in the developed world my addiction to the bounty of the fossil fuel-rich world is going to be difficult to break.
Shepparton climate change campaigner, John Pettigrew, has said many are conscious of global warming, but most are unsure of what to do and that confusion breeds inaction.
But, there is more – most of us unable to absorb the complexity of what is needed and so can’t understand where to even begin making the necessary lifestyle changes.
We need to be empowered – our leaders can do that or we can do that and a start can be made by listening to and watching the work of the Tatura Transition Town – more details about Tatura TT from Ross Musolino at sandalino@iinet.net.au.

Stone must tackle the coming famine and the many 'peaks'

Civilization and anarchy are only seven meals apart, according to a Spanish proverb.

Journalist, science writer and author, Julian Cribb (right below), used this thought to introduce his new book, “The Coming Famine”.

Saturday’s events illustrated that democracy is still functioning in Australia suggesting that anarchy is remote from the thoughts of most, but few are truly hungry.
However should we listen to Cribb, as those in a packed auditorium at the University of Melbourne did earlier in the year, many are poised to begin missing those meals.
As Sharman Stone begins her fifth term as the Member for Murray, she enters an era in which she, and everyone else for that matter, needs to become appraised of, understand and react to the many “peaks” that threaten humanity and makes its survival to the end of this century problematic.
The famine Cribb elucidates evolves from a host of shortages, among them water, which is something that those behind the Food Bowl modernization project are attempting to counter.
However, the impending famine is not just about water, everything about our behaviour, including waste, needs to be considered if we are to avoid, as much as we can, a troublesome tomorrow.
Climate change, an undeniable reality as evidenced by recent world events, oil depletion, a shortage of arable land and a burgeoning population collide to worsen our situation that demands more of a reaction than simply changing your light-globes.
We wait for direction, and so empowerment, and that first must come from the new government, whatever shape it takes, but should that not be forthcoming then we begin the journey through the four steps suggested by Australian Conservation Foundation President, Ian Lowe, - that being discontent, a new vision, viable pathways and commitment.
Food security is the essence of democracy and the discontent Lowe points to is brought on by hunger igniting the commitment for change and maybe anarchy. Ms Stone should ensure her voice is heard in Canberra and so convince her peers that the Murray Electorate, along with the rest of Australia, will be best served by addressing climate change, food security and the collection of “peaks’ they are colliding with.

Prepared or not, vote we must and then those elected must be allowed to act strategically

Australians and by implication Goulburn Valley people are in many instances ill-prepared for Saturday’s federal election.

The pre-election campaign has so far told us much, but in reality nothing of import.
Much of what we have heard has played on the credulity of Australians and at every turn avoided the scepticism and honesty that our country’s well-being hinges on.
Isolated pockets of the needed ingredients no doubt exist, but it is not evident among those who will probably be in charge of our affairs after Saturday.
Little has been said about climate change, although Liberal leader Tony Abbott recently described it as “crap” (maybe the polls have softened his view) and the present Prime Minster, Julia Gillard, will refer it to a group of ordinary Australians to consider the matter – sorry Julia we can’t afford even more procrastination.
Oil scarcity, an undoubted reality that will be upon us in the next decade or two, hasn’t yet even rated a mention.
Peak oil, as it is colloquially known, will be, according to the president of the Australian Conservation Foundation, Prof Ian Lowe (above), a more significant problem than climate change and although it has the potential to ease global heating, it will, in doing that, desecrate our world.
Social problems that will arise from oil scarcity and climate change are presently beyond our understanding and are of such magnitude that either our politicians either aren’t aware of the difficulties, or if they are, refuse to talk about them for fear of “scaring the horses”.
Present conversations about Australia’s future appear irrelevant considering our low-energy future in which the world we know and understand will be replaced by something that escapes our comprehension.
The Greens, as evidenced by their name, have some understanding of what is ahead, but as yet I have not heard comment from anyone that suggests they sense what is ahead and within that what we should do and how we should behave to ensure Australia has resilience equal to the certain difficulties ahead.
Vote we must, but then those we elect need time to think, plan and act strategically to counter global heating and, more importantly, prepare Australia for oil scarcity.

Unsolicited help the most memorable

The adventure that is life is loaded with surprises, some welcome and others we wouldn’t wish on anyone.

Tatura’s Jodie Ridges is presently pitted against the latter and although it is quite impossible to make any judgement about how the events of her life will unfold, already we have seen a heart-warming community response.
Simply offering to help may make those who offer feel good, but it does little to actually help
Experience with similar circumstances brought a rush of generous offers to help, but those offers that really helped and live with me today came from a disparate group of people who personally did something, rather than just make the offer.
A friend visited to pray with and for me, something I felt was worthless, but still a beautiful thing to do; former Shepparton CEO, Bill Jaboor (above), took me on three occasions to different city projects; Shepparton court solicitor, Brian Birrell, took me out for coffee and Labor Party enthusiast, the late Bernie Moran, called at my home to talk politics and Shepparton events.
They did not ask if they could help, rather they just helped.
Others were equally helpful, but in a memorable way it is the unsolicited help coupled with a thoughtful awareness of needs that seem to be the richest.
The landscape of Jodie’s life was irrevocably changed when she and her bicycle were hit by a car west of Mooroopna on March 19 and while no doubt many have been helping, others more remote for her Tatura family can help by joining Sunday’s “Ride for Jodie”.
The ride, to Tatura and back, starts at Friar’s Café in Fyrers St at 9am and as it is a totally sponsored event, the $50 entry will go toward supporting Jodie’s family. She and her husband Scott have four children.
A shorter ride will cater those unenthusiastic about covering that distance and a purely local ride to also support Jodie is being organized for Sunday by the group eager to see the town understand and address a low-energy future, Tatura Transition.
Sunday’s ride is an opportunity for people to provide Jodie and her family with unsolicited help.