Espresso and Earl Grey

04/09/2024

"Where life is precious life is precious."
Ruth Wilson Gilmore

Sam visited Auschwitz and walked the length of the camp.

6 Million Lives.

30/08/2024

Sam's new publication on Disability, Beauty, and Love is out! Here's a teaser (full article available for free!!).

"I was waiting for a flight at Istanbul’s energetic Sabiha Gokcen Airport when, drawn by my curiosity and penchant for bric-à-bracs, I noticed a store at the quiet end of the terminal: inside were photos of models in various poses – a man riding a horse, a woman with a flamingo, another in a roaring stance next to a lion. And all people captured in the photos, filled with liveliness, have Down Syndrome. The sales assistant informed me that the space was rented by an advocacy group as part of a disability awareness campaign. I spoke about my experience with people with disability, bought a few pieces that could squeeze into my handheld luggage, and wandered off in search of the electrical socket.

I experienced mixed emotions afterwards. There were good intentions – these pieces sought to humanise and advocate for a marginal group by depicting disability positively in the public sphere. The photos were beautiful in their sensitivity and deliberate in portraying both strength and vulnerability of each model so that the artworks did not become disability ‘inspirational porn’ (Young, 2012). However, when it came to the question about whether, ‘I would put it on my wall,’ I felt an unease at the well-curated, airbrushed, photoshopped depictions that did not appear ‘real’. Self-chastisement quickly followed: how hypocritical of me! I rarely interrogated the ‘realness’ of curated, airbrushed, photoshopped depictions of able-bodied, neurotypical models. What is a ‘real’ disability or ability? Why was I hermeneutically suspicious of one portrayal, and less so for the other? What defines a ‘beautiful’ portrayal of impairment or able-bodies? Was I comfortable with only one form of imagination for human beings and uncomfortable with alternate forms? What imagination – or whose – of humanity is good, true, and beautiful?"

Beauty and the horrid have mirroring effects on the conscious and subconscious human gaze and instinctive desires. Beauty may draw human desires to be realised ...

28/08/2024

Mountains, Sunflowers, and Vivid brushtrokes!

Sam's back from the UK and recording some new inspiration!

Keep your eyes peeled, new episodes dropping soon.

26/07/2024

While Sam is in London, rewind to the first episode (and a half!) recorded in 2022 that launched our series "Living Deliberately."

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Follow this link: https://linktr.ee/espressoearlgrey

24/07/2024

And we're off!

Sam is in the UK for the next couple of weeks. Yes, the microphone is at the ready and on location recording is going to happen!

From London's Mithereaum to Swindon's Magic Roundabout, the Holy Island at Lindesfarne to Turville (the filming town for the Vicar of Dibley).

We'll post updates!

21/07/2024

17 year old me had a dream of a beautiful life - and decided to choose it. 17 year old me sat down in front of the principal, who looked at the report card and asked: “What are you wanting to study?”
“Primary Education.”
He paused, placed the report down and commented. “That’s honourable.”

With limited eyes to see, and limited choices to take as a 17 year old, we choose a path. Optometrist, accountant, lawyer, doctor, priest.

Where does beauty lie in our quest for life?

Listen to our latest episode on all podcasting things! Or follow this link: https://linktr.ee/espressoearlgrey

20/07/2024

Asking questions. Seeking Beauty. Finding life.

Next week's episode we consider the quest for beauty.

Slow down. Open your eyes. Live Deliberately.

13/07/2024

We're back after 2 years!

Living Deliberately sometimes means taking deep long rests to recover.

Catch the latest episode on all podcasting things! Or follow this link: https://linktr.ee/espressoearlgrey

11/07/2024

Author Jonathan Safran Foer writes, “Compassion is a muscle that gets stronger with use, and the regular exercise of choosing kindness over cruelty would change us."

Catch this week's episode on all podcasting things! Or follow this link: https://linktr.ee/espressoearlgrey

07/07/2024

"There’s no ending wave after wave of tomorrows, there’s no slowing down. Sometimes you find yourself like a deer in headlights - staring ahead frozen with the onslaught of mondays to fridays - and even weekends dont appear to offer the relief because there’s washing to do, groceries to buy, meal prep for the week, cobwebs to clean and vacuuming under the couch.

By the end of the weekend, collapsed onto the bed, the next week starts again."

Sometimes life overwhelms. After 2 years of absence, I'm back to continue the series to learn to Live Deliberately.

Grab a cup of tea, catch up on life, and reflect with me on life's challenges.

Available on all podcasting things! Or check us out on https://linktr.ee/espressoearlgrey

13/06/2022

Coming out this week - "What questions do I ask?"

"When we ask questions, we are seeking and finding.
When we go on a quest, we are also seeking and finding.
And perhaps, to quest is to question, and the question is to quest."

10/06/2022

Listen to a quick update!

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/espresso-and-earl-grey/id1510933437