It has been a while since I’ve needed my nerd glasses to focus my thoughts; normally I reserve them for the sad times when only want to see a little bit of the world. Mainly because they are plastic and not very helpful for seeing, and sadly, my vision is rather good and doesn’t actually require glasses. So, for as much as I feel nerdy focused, they make it kind of hard to see.
But I digress. As per usual.
If, however, at the end of this tale of yo! you end up clicking to visit Noelia’s website, you will know what I am talking about. These are homage glasses, not sad nerdly vision.
Because Noelia sees things clearly/claro. And it’s been a pleasure to meet her. Noelia is the babe with the helmet cam responsible for the delightful footage of the Papegirl BNE event from the lovely Brisbane art crew. To jog your memory:
In the other part of my life, she is also responsible for making poetry look cool at the Brisbane Emerging Arts Festival. Sweet bro. Sweet.
Originally from Spain and originally a tele-journalist, Noelia has since worked as a documentary film maker, storyteller and vision maker. Now based in sunny Brisbane, she has a lovely disposition and energy that I – for one – find delightful. You know when some people just have good energy, and you feel like a hippie for noticing it but, in the end, most of the hippies you meet seem rather pleasant and relaxed and perhaps that comes from just saying “wow, that lady has gives me nice vibes and I like that”? Who knows. Maybe it’s patchouli.
As as we talked this evening, with the clatter and rumble of the inimitable West End haunt, 3 Monkeys, the conversation spanned the “lucky country”; the immediate limbic connection of film and vision; the actually “awesome” quality of Uluru; how to follow your feelings; how to find creativity again after periods of fallow thought; and if it’s lucky or just yucky that two nature things (maybe bird, maybe gekko) crapped on me in the course of the conversation. It was a light, joyous ride.
Speaking of which, one of the loveliest things that stuck with me was Noelia’s comment that – when she really finds herself devoid of ideas, she gets on her bike. I asked, “always your bike”, and she looked sheepish – “pretty much, always my bike”. As a filmmaker, she’s profoundly moved by music and finds that on the bike, with headphones immersing her in music and melody, things start falling back into place.
I know exactly how she feels.
I’m assuming you do too? No? Yes? Confirm or deny – when you ride your bike listening to music* don’t you somehow feel that you’re in some kind of amazing film? Like, instantly, you’re experiencing the soundtrack to life and things are right again?
*yeah, yeah, at a reasonable volume etc so you can hear traffic and be responsible etc, and no, I don’t do it often because I find being able to hear is important etc, safety safety, think of the children, always the children!
eleanor j jackson 
No music (generally) for me. I find it too unnerving.
That being said, on the very rare occasion that I do, I tend to ride with a bit more sass. Maybe even a little swagger perhaps.
Dave, I know what you mean – I often avoid music if I am riding in traffic as I worry it impairs my awareness of the things going on around me. But sometimes, on a bike path – just chillin out – I feel very zenned.