Woodford Folk Festival 2008/2009 is sadly behind us, however with a little help, we will all be able to remember the reason for that warm fuzzy feeling that still remains with us. I over heard someone say on the last day “I dont want to think about heading back to the real world” which was then answered with “It doesnt end until you cut the band of your wrist”. Which is why both Emma and I are still wearing the Wrist band 3 days after the festivals end. I can only say that the Week in the wilderness was a life changing experience and has me contemplating life in general.  Ways we can change our lifestyle, be more friendly to our selves and the planet, and whats truly important in this life.
On the awesome side. I was successful in obtaining a media pass as well as the special ‘fire event’ media pass so I had stage access which enabled me to capture some incredible images and video footage which we will be sharing with you all, free of charge, right here on monkwhy.com as part of the Modern Hippies channel.

We will be uploading an episode per week starting around mid Janurary 2009. We are looking at a 7-10 part series, so Stay Tuned to Monkwhy.com for a Complete Woodford Recap.

However if you want to see all the photos as I upload them over the next few weeks, stay tuned to the Woodford Photo Set on my Flickr Account.

Take Care
Cheers

… dK.

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]]> http://www.monkwhy.com/woodford-folk-festival-0809/feed http://www.monkwhy.com/diy-solar-power-station-for-the-wilderness http://www.monkwhy.com/diy-solar-power-station-for-the-wilderness#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:56:24 +0000 admin http://www.monkwhy.com/?p=67

So we are off to Woodford Folk Festival this year for New years and we have secured a media pass for Modern Hippies. However since there is no power in the camp site where we will be located for a week, this poses a problem to my rechargeable camera batteries.  I’ll have my Canon EOS 50D for stills, Canon XL1 for video, and my laptop for backing up images and editing. So I’ve decided to build a Solar Power Station that I can carry around with me.
This is a reasonably simple design, Only using 3 parts readily available at your local electronics store. I purchased all my gear from Jay-Car (Australia only). First there is the Solar Panel worth around AU$100. A 6amp 12volt Lead Acid battery for around AU$30, and a 240volt 400watt inverter for around A$150.

List of Parts
1. 12 Volt 4.5 Watt Solar Panel ( CAT. NO. ZM9018 )
2. 12V 6AH SLA BATTERY ( CAT. NO. SB2485 )
3. 400W 12VDC TO 230VAC INVERTER ( CAT. NO. MI5106 )

Watch the Video for more info.

This device can also be connected to your back pack to recharge the battery on long hikes, and is ideal for multi day treks into the wilderness.
The 400watt inverter is capable of running my laptop, or 4 battery chargers on a power board quite happily. Generally the battery, being a 6amp will take approx 3-4 days of sun to fully peak charge. However, if you start out with a charged battery, and providing your not running your laptop for hours on end, the solar panel provides enough power to top up the battery daily. Ive been running tests on mine for 3 days and im quite impressed.

Tips for saving & optimising power.
Running a laptop can be a bit of a killer, So only use the power station to recharge the laptops battery. Then use the Laptops battery when in use.
A larger battery will help, more amps the better. However this can increase weight.
Adding a larger solar panel will speed up recharge times but i find this one to be optimal for weight, size and power.
Also get yourself some 12volt fluro lights for camping, these can be run directly off the Battery without the inverter, avoiding fuel lamps or disposable batteries. This 6amp Battery can power a 12volt fluro for days without a recharge. 12volt lights are also available at your local electronics store.

You can also just run an inverter off your car battery, however sticking with the Modern Hippies concept, Solar is a much greener way to go, and it works quite well. Ill be modding this over the next few days building neat connectors so as to avoid messy alligator clips which can slip off if bumped and not ideal for carrying in your back pack.
If you see us at woodford pop over and say hello. just look for the Modern Hippies Logo.

…dK

Thats Right, Time to get rid of the my favorite set of gear. All my EOS 300, 58mm gear for sale in one huge lot.
Check out the Ebay sale. You only have 3 days So you can have it before Christmas.
so get in quick.
See the Ebay add here

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300281254561

I am Proud to announce the release of my official Photography website. Presenting all my current available Prints for Purchase. Damien K Quick Photography. Check out the website today! More images will be added over the next few days and all of my Photography work can be found here on Flickr.

Also in recent news, Monkwhy.com now has a mailing list. See top right menu bar to subscribe.
All email addresses will be used for occasional newletters only. They will be kept private and not be used for spam or any other purpose. Stay Tuned.

…dk

Woodford 08-09 – woo-hoo!! I am so excited, I think it’s “spare underpants time”! I have been begging Damien to go to Woodford with me for ages now and after some of his mates attended last year and gave it the two thumbs up, Damien finally agreed! Yay!! My only ever Woodford experience was seeing in the new millennium, so that was awhile ago now, and I’m hanging to go back!

The Woodford Folk Festival 08-09 looks like it’s gearing up to be a great one! As I only spent a day and night there last time, I was completely unaware of all of the amazing events they have at Woodford! I remember some great musical acts; the procession and lots of yummy food, but when I received my 08-09 programme, in my hot and sweaty little hands last Monday, I noticed all of the incredibly informative and entertaining workshops and talks that take place! I have been busily pencilling in stars next to such events as Hawaiian Hula Dance Workshop, the Butterfly Wander and when The Gin Club is going to play – and wondering when I’m going to have the time to sit down and enjoy a coldie!

For those of you unaware of what the Woodford Folk Festival is all about, it’s six days of music, sun (or sometimes rain and mud!), food, information, nature, film, debate, childrens’ activities, celebration and much, much more. International and Australian guests make up over 2000 performers and 400 events. The event is held on a 340 acre site in Woodford, situated in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Queensland. Camping is a fun option. Em….

flowinstitute is proud to present the first ever CST Melbourne workshop

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alamanos@sportskin.net

For more information Please see
http://www.flowinstitute.net/

In 2004 my life changed dramatically. From a couch dweller spending my time watching tv, drinking homebrew beer, smoking cigarettes, eating pizza & other garbage, to a Health nut on the verge of the path to mastery. Just 4 years ago a light switched on from somewhere within the Tangled web of darkness which was my life, and illuminated the causeway now traveled. For this I thank my now wife Emma, for it was in 2004 that She said ‘I want to learn Taekwondo’, so we joined our local Martial Arts Club and it was here My Journey began.
Taekwondo was a huge part of my daily practice, training 2 to 4 nights a week and soon after began training in Hapkido as well. I didn’t have the energy or stamina to handle this kind of intense training at first so I began to read though all the martial arts, health & Fitness magazines I could get my hands on, searching for dietary tips for energy and workouts for strength.
I started implementing weight training and running, into my daily practice, plus Riding my pushbike to and from work, Always looking for a better way to train for optimal results.
But something was missing. I was progressing through the martial arts ranks, yes, but the rush of endorphins after a thorough workout was soon to be replaced by fatigue. But how can this be? I followed all the magazine articles that promised a finely chiseled physique & the strength of a thousand men, yet i find my self exhausted, body fat levels fluctuating and unable to complete intensive training sessions.
Not only was I over training, but setting myself up for serious injury, pushing through the pain barriers for that little extra gain.

And so It happened. A sprained ankle, led to knee problems to partial herniation, pelvis alignment problems, back pain and so on. But I didn’t stop there. Large lengths of strapping tape and I was right back into it. Training harder then ever. I started reading medical journals trying to work out where the pain was coming from and how I could possibly Cull the debilitating injuries and continue on my quest for the Bruce Lee image.
It was at this time while reading articles by Matt Jones about alternative training methods, that  I First discovered a joint mobility system called ‘Warrior Wellness’ created by some guy by the name of Scott Sonnon.
The four corner balance drill helped improve my balance and kicking skill at an incredible rate. However as I was still training as hard as ever on top of painful injuries there came a time where I had to stop training altogether. I was devastated, hardly able walk let alone execute high kicks or lift weights.
The Healing Phase.
Unable to train and seeing a Kinesiolgist and Chiropractor, I continued to study Scott Sonnons alternative training methods, Ordering books and DVDs, and joining the RMAX International Website Forum. I found Systems such as ‘Be Breathed’ & ‘Body flow’ intriguing however still unable to put it into practice due to injury.

I was out of action for 2 entire years, only just becoming mobile again as of the beginning of 2008. I started practicing ‘Intu-Flow’ Joint mobility program which I had purchased through 2007, to help prime my connective tissue for day to day activities. I had also spent the past year tweaking my Diet to provide optimal nutrients for my body type.

I was well on the way to full healthy recovery, thanks to road to self discovery sparked by the CST Wellness system developed by Scott Sonnon, and soon found that the CST book’s and DVD’s were readily available in Australia via a new company named Flow Academy in Sydney. Shortly After a brief email enquiry I received a call from Flow Academy’s Founder Brad Crawford. Brad informed me that Scott had just been out to Australia in April and will be returning for a CST instructor / Coaching certification Seminar in October 2008.
A new Beginning.

The past four years led to this one turning moment in time, meeting with, and being trained by Scott Sonnon himself. Along with the enlightening stories of Coach Joe Wilson, I am now focused on the path to mastery, and on a journey to help others reach their goals, to live healthy lives free from fear reactivity and  free to move. Go with the Flow. dK.

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I am a coffee addict! And It doesn’t help when you have a Professional Wega Espresso machine at work. Anytime of the day I am free to make a double short black, followed by a smooth long black.. yum!
Thats what I’d drink as soon as I arrived at work in the morning. Then by around lunch time, hmmm, might make a double mocha-chino with lunch.

“That sounds fantastic, you lucky sod” I hear you say. Well, yeah, It’s kinda cool. However having so much coffee in the morning, I only make it to around 3pm before the inevitable caffeine crash hits, with symptoms of sleepiness and fatigue begin to crush my energy levels to an all time low. So what then? MORE COFFEE.! Another double short black did the trick. Hmm , that helped with my headache too. COFFEE IS KING!!
So this goes on, for weeks and months, slowly increasing the dosage as it no longer produces the ‘Kick’ im after. I have trouble sleeping, as my mind is still racing with work related processes stimulated by the large amounts of caffeine. I wake up tired due to little sleep, and so the first dose of coffee becomes an essential part of the mornings routine. And the chain of events goes on. Slowly wearing me down to mal nutrition and a low immune system leaving me prone to every cold that goes around and barely any energy to get off the couch in the evening. (How bad is coffee really?)

Breaking the Addiction!
This isn’t as hard as you think. It’s definitely far easier then giving up smoking or illicit drugs. From my experience, I can say its more the habit you must break. And to do this, I chose to replace the coffee with TEA! But not just any tea.

Introducing Yerba Maté (also known as South America’s Green Tea!)

Yerba Maté is native to Southern Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay and has been consumed there by the native Indians for hundreds of years. In the 16th century, Spanish explorer Juan de Solís, reported that the Guarani Indians of Paraguay brewed a leaf tea that “produced exhilaration and relief from fatigue.” and as the Spaniard’s consumption increased, so to did the cultivation of Maté Crops within Paraguay.

Whats makes Maté so good ?

Yerba Maté Contains high levels of antioxidants and many other beneficial effects have been recorded, including Pain Relief, Weight loss, Blood Cleansing, Digestive stimulation, Increased immunity, Bowel Cleansing, Memory enhancement and the ability to keep cholesterol levels in check. Maté also Contains a small amount of caffeine however in much smaller quantities compared to Coffee, Black tea or even Green tea, which helps stimulate the mind without the harsh side effects.

Ive been drinking Maté for around a year now and when searching for a reliable source online, I discovered the traditional Maté Gourd and Bombilla from which Maté is consumed daily by many an Argentinian. Since then I haven’t looked back. Every morning I brew up a Maté to kick start the day, and continue refilling the gourd with hot water into mid morning. I was also recently informed by an Argentinean friend at work, that the Maté can also be packed into the Espresso machine head and then mixed with honey and milk.

Yerba Maté is now my drink of choice, be it at home, at work or even out at friends places. Its a great Social drink to be shared and the Gourd and Bombilla are something unfamilier here in Australia and a Talking point among new friends.   …dK

EXCLUSIVE Special Offer

Yerba Maté Australia are offering Australian Monkwhy.com Viewers an Exclusive 10% off all products within their online store. (Excluding Postage). Get yourself some Maté today by using the Coupon code word “MONK” (without commas) upon check out, then hit the ‘Validate’ button. Yerba Maté Australia Online Store

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“Greenfest is Brisbane’s free green festival and place for fresh energy! It’s your festival, to come together with your community and express how you care for the planet.”

This was just the First of many to come, and what a success. The festival rose above all expectation and to put it simply, bloody huge! I’m Really impressed with the turn out also. Its great to see so many are interested in making a difference if not willing to learn about it at least.

Everything was there, from the hippie like Eco Drums Tent and the Griffith College of art’s recycled tree encouraging everyone to release the inner artist by painting a leaf, to the ultra modern hybrid cars and electric scooters and bikes.

Although the Toyota Prius was the star among the long list of low carbon emission cars on display in the ‘Green Motor Show’, I found myself attracted to the tiny yet cute as Fiat 500. However as we are both proud owners of two Hyundai ‘Gets’ (in the top ten low carbon emissions) I should mention Hyundai with their flashy Euro style i30. Only thing that would have topped off the Green Motor Show Would be the presence of the Tesla Roadster 100% Electric Sports car. Tesla will have a huge impact on this planet in the very near future and a welcome addition to next years Festival. …dK

I was stoked to see that the first stall we visited sold soapnuts. Always on the lookout for a greener washing detergent, I had heard about these little beauties, but not gotten round to purchasing any. The ladies at the Soap in a Nutshell stall were more than happy to fill us in on how the nuts work (they contain an active, natural washing detergent called saponin) and what their uses are (you can also use soapnuts in a spray bottle for cleaning surfaces, as well as cleaning tarnished jewellery!). Damien & I happily bought a sample pack. These gems are also compostable and according to one lady, her chickens love them, too

We had the opportunity to meet the lovely Keeta Gibson, co-founder of Non-Toxic Life, an Australian company committed to helping you detox your home and body! Their website has an amazingly comprehensive range of products free of toxic chemicals and GMO ingredients, all available for purchase in their online store.

Cooking with solar! How awesome is this?! I just love the idea – first, I need to make my own solar oven, though. After talking to the friendly people at the solar cooking stall, I realised that this venture is surprisingly easy! Using the sun’s energy to cook our food saves energy and money. Yay! …Em

You cant have a eco Festival without loads of Organic Produce & Meat, and Brisbane’s First Greenfest wasn’t going to let us down. The diverse range of eco friendly naturally clean food on display provided insight into healthy alternatives to the heavily sprayed, preservative filled supermarket products, and promotes healthy farming techniques that the planet thrives on. …dK

The Red Dragon Inn – the most heavenly drinks on Earth! Damien knocked back a bottle of certified organic ginger beer (Australia’s only) and I thoroughly enjoyed a lemon myrtle and rosewater iced tea – so much so that I bought a bottle of the cordial to mix up and drink whenever I please. Another beverage I had my eye on was the mulberry crush. Fingers crossed that Richard will be at the Woodford Folk Festival this year – I’ll be his best customer.

Trying to be a good girl at the moment and cut back on sugar – Raw Ecstasy from Byron Bay were a godsend. Gluten, dairy and sugar free, raw sweeties! I’ve been munging out on their Ecstasy Balls all week.

Film and Music also played a big part of the festival – two stages with bands playing throughout the day and night. It was great to hear tunes as we wandered about the Fest. Damien & I made sure we picked up a copy of the Greenfest CD filled with local raw talent before we headed home.

One band that particularly stood out for me was The Wishing Well. I’m not going to go on about the ins and outs of what they played and how they played it – Damien’s the one to talk to about those sort of things being a muso – all I have to say is that I loved the music and thought they were awesome. …Em

Whale Dreamers headed up the film side of things and is definitely one film to add to your ‘must see’ list. An inspirational documentary bringing together a diverse group of the worlds indigenous leaders reinforcing the need to make peace with the environment and proving that we all can make a difference. We had a good chat with Tony of Whale Dreamers and designer of the Awesome Whale Dreamers T-Shirts. These are screen printed on 100% Australian made Organic Cotton or Hemp and available on the Whale Dreamers website. …dK

No dam! You’ve probably seen these signs and heard about the not-very-well-thought-out proposals for the Traveston (or Travesty?) Dam, which will destroy the delicate eco-systems and threaten the endangered species, of the Mary River, which runs from the Sunny Coast up to the Great Sandy Strait. Read up on the facts then sign the petition at: savethemaryriver.com Also, this bloke’s doing an awesome job for raising awareness. Check out: kayak4earth.com If the Traveston Dam turns out anything like the State Government’s other recent dam blunder, the Paradise Dam (singled out by the World Wildlife Fund, for a special mention, as an example of worst practice of dams worldwide), then we’re in for a lot of trouble – and not much water saving efficiency, either. …Em

For more photos of the 2008 Greenfest Check out the Greenfest Photo Group on Flickr. …dK

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