Download Report

Just Better
LIVING
ISSUE 01/ Winter 2014
ARE U ready
for adventure?
how to snap
like a pro
The Travel Bug experiences one of life’s
hidden pleasures and dives into a wild
adventure, literally!
the happy
Ocean photographer Joel Coleman shares
seven tips on the art of taking great photos
scientist
the moodie
foodie
talks with Nick Rushworth about
just how powerful, and fragile, our
brains really are
decoding THE
takes a trip to Redfern and collides with
some smashed beans and avocado
money matrix
A look into the sneaky ways we waste
money without even realising it
www.magazineonline.com
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the boom! report
6 things you should never share on social media
intro/
You’re never too young to start dreaming.
You’re never too old to dream new dreams.
Hey everyone, welcome to the first edition of Just Better Living!
dream on.
dream big.
Just Better Living Magazine is an initiative of Just Better Care, Australia’s leading provider of in-home support. The team behind this
project originally came up with this wild idea of creating a fun, entertaining and enlightening lifestyle magazine while brainstorming what kind of society we want to live in.
Why a lifestyle magazine? It’s simple. We believe it’s important
to view every individual as an equal. This is not a magazine for a
certain type of person. It’s for everyone, regardless of age, ability,
condition, or any other reason. People are people. We all have our
opinions, our choices and preferences, and have the right to exercise them.
What we definitely do want to achieve is encourage everyone who
picks up our magazine to live their best life possible. To entertain,
inspire, and engage with our readers on a variety of topics relating
to our everyday lives.
We also want to leverage off our position as a nationally distributed
magazine to give our readers the chance to share their thoughts
and art all over Australia. We’ve got opportunities for writers and
photographers (details in the mag) and we’re open to suggestions
on how we can showcase other creative expressions that our readers want to share.
Basically, we want to have a whole lot of fun, and we want to do it
together with you and all our readers. We’re all about seeing each
other as equals in society. We also believe we have the power to
shape our society in a positive and inclusive way that encourages
everyone to participate within our communities and believe in the
dreams in their hearts.
So enjoy the maiden voyage of Just Better Living. Don’t forget to
check out our online home, too (www.justbetterliving.com.au).
You can get a digital copy of all our present and future magazines
there, meet and connect with other readers, and also go in the running to win some great prizes that will get you out of your comfort
zone and active in some wild adventures.
Blue skies,
Mick Mooney
editor & creative director
Because our goal is to
encourage people to live their
best life possible, we give a lot of fun stuff
away to our facebook friends. Join us on
Mick Mooney
facebook
be part
of a community
editorand
& creative
director
who aren’t settling for the status quo.
/justbetterliving
Just Better
LIVING
Don’t settle for the status quo.
Life is better than that.
Aliquam
varius adipiscing tempor.
Vivamus id
ipsum sit
FUSCE VESTI
IN QUIS
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live & learn/
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The Travel Bug
Our travel and adventure section. Each
edition we plan on sending our resident
Travel Bug to a different location around
Australia. In this edition, he goes wild
underwater somewhere in Sydney.
What is Social Inclusion?
Social inclusion is something all of us
should be excited about supporting. CEO
Trish Noakes shares her thoughts on why.
The Moody Foodie
This edition’s guest Moodie Foodie
reviews a tasty local restaurant situated on
the edge of Sydney’s inner city.
The Happy Scientist
In every edition, the Happy Scientist
interviews an expert in their chosen field.
This month it’s Nick Rushworth from
Brain Injuries Australia.
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Take Pics Like a Pro
24
Got a Story Worth Telling?
26
The Money Matrix
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24
30
Joel Coleman, one of Australia’s leading
photographers, shares some tips on getting
the best shots possible.
20
Are you a writer? Want to get published?
Here’s your chance.
How to navigate the money matrix, save like
a legend, and avoid wasting money.
28
Are You Snap Happy?
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The Boom! Report
If you have thousands of images on your
computer due to your obsessive photography
habit, we want to to connect with you.
Tips and tricks regarding all things online.
This edition we look at what you shouldn’t
share online and why.
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I have to
remind myself
that the
journey
is the
destination
To get to my secret location, I first have
to travel across sydney’s deep blue
harbour waters. destination: manly wharf.
Photo by Philip Calodoukas
the travel bug/
Sydney is my home town, but there is more to Sydney than the
walls of concrete and the drawcard of Darling Harbour. In fact,
there are escape destinations even within escape destinations
within Sydney. Sounds a bit like the movie Inception, doesn’t it?
Well, maybe that’s a good description of my adventure. Today,
I’m going into a dream, and that magical place is only about 30
minutes away from the insanely loud noises of high rise construction and non-stop traffic that is the standard soundtrack of
downtown Sydney.
Today I’m embarking on one of life’s purest pleasures. Something everyone should do on a regular basis. Best of all, it’s a
wild adventure that is free—or close enough to free that anyone can do it. To get to my launch destination I first have to
do a James Bond style escape from Australia’s Big Apple. Don’t
get me wrong, I love Sydney’s CBD with its looming skyscrapers alongside the hustle and bustle of corporate commuters
entangled with wide-eyed tourists.
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The Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, on the other
hand, seem pleased enough to let me go. They’re just happy
to see I’m having a good time. I have to say, my day has gotten off to a magical start. In many ways the ferry ride itself
is a worthy mini-adventure. You get to see Sydney’s iconic
landmarks from a unique angle, as well as see the coastline
and all the nature reserves that line this particular stretch of
coast.
To get to my secret location, I first have to travel across Sydney’s deep blue harbour waters. Destination: Manly Wharf.
I decide to spend the extra $2 and go for the fast-and-thefurious version of Manly ferry. The fast ferry. It’s smaller,
quicker, cooler, and offers better photo opportunities. I line
up for my ticket. I still have ten minutes till take off and I’m
next in line. No problem, except the person in front of me is
taking ages. It feels like the ticket seller is explaining the entire history of Australia to the curious tourist. Isn’t it always
the way! Eight minutes later I get my ticket and bolt for the
ferry, commando roll under the gate and make haste up to
the viewing deck.
I’m snapping away like a mad tourist, and realise I’ve spent
more time looking through my viewfinder than simply letting my eyes take in the views naturally. I decide to put the
camera away and enjoy the moment, but with so many photo opportunities it’s hard to stick to it! (If you’re a photo bug
too, don’t forget to check out Joel Coleman’s tips on page
20)
When you are on a ferry leaving Sydney, the towering skyscrapers stare back at you like a row of hardened detectives
watching helplessly as a prisoner escapes. I like that. Hasta
la vista, baby!
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Under water, I feel like I’m experiencing what it’s like to fly; the limitations
of gravity no longer apply. The fish
don’t mind me visiting their home,
either. They swim within arms length
without a bother. Smaller schools of
multi-coloured fish pass by gracefully.
Meanwhile, the Duke is snapping away.
He turns to me and points down. Deep
below a massive groper, a lazy looking
beast of a fish, is chilling out under the
coral.
Photo by Philip Calodoukas
Rumour
has it that
manly is
chock full
of great
little
cafes
The ferry arrives at Manly. I check my watch. In
an hour I’m set to rendezvous with the Duke
(Aka. Philip Calodoukas, a local water photographer and the guy who shot all the great water shots splashed around this article). In the
meantime, I figure I should see how well the
locals brew. Not beer (although perhaps later!)
I’m talking about my first love: coffee.
Rumour has it that Manly is chock full of great
little cafes. I take a right at the wharf, deciding to take a side street instead of the main
corso. From experience I’ve discovered the
best cafes are always just off the beaten track.
My instinct served me well. Just around the
bend The Barefoot Coffee Traders serve up an
exceptionally delicious latte. Sweet caffeine
matched with water views. It’s not a hard sell
to sit down and enjoy the moment.
Fifteen minutes later I continue on my way
towards the beach, but decide again to take a
pit stop at another cafe I stumble upon called
Pure Whole Foods. Hearing my stomach rumble, I decide it’s in my best interest to grab a
free range bacon and egg brekkie roll.
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Again, I was not disappointed. In fact, I think
I might come back for lunch and give one of
their burgers a shot.
While chowing down on my brekkie, I pick
up the local guidebook and am happy to see
how accessible Manly is for prams, bikes and
wheelchairs. They even have an easy to read
map that outlines all the wheelchair access areas and how to best get around.
On a side note, when I was researching what
to do in Manly, I met the staff at Hello Manly,
the local information centre near the wharf,
who were all extremely helpful to answer my
questions on how socially inclusive Manly is.
They showed me a range of fun activities that
local operators run that include options for
the elderly and mobile restricted individuals.
It’s encouraging to listen to their enthusiasm,
which seemed genuine to me. In fact Manly,
as a whole, has a positive and inclusive vibe to
it; no matter who wants to have a good time
here, there are plenty of options available.
The walk to Shelly beach is amazing.
When you get to Manly beach, you
just start walking right. The path will
swing left and right, around a cliff face
with its mansions on top, past a cozy
cafe or two, past a beautiful rock pool,
and then you’re there. The walkway is
nice and wide, and the view—no matter where you look—is inspiring. I walk
slowly, taking in the moment, reminding myself the journey is the destination.
Despite my lazy pace, I still get there a
bit early so I decide to lay on my towel and catch a few rays. Not sting ray,
they’re for later. I’m talking about sunrays. Oh yeah.
The Duke pulls out his snorkelling gear
and camera and I put on the gear I got
from the local rental shop located literally on Manly beach. Snorkel? Check.
Goggles? Check. Flippers? Check.
That’s all I need.
We meet a fellow snorkeler coming out
of the water as we are entering, and
she informs us there are plenty of fish
out there. As soon as I put my head
under water, I feel like I’m in another
world. And truth be told, I am. This is
the beauty of snorkelling: you step into
a new world that has always been just
below the surface.
Unfortunately, I didn’t see any stingrays
(I was too busy trying to join schools of
colourful fish) but the Duke managed
to take a great shot of one (pictured
below). It looks a bit daunting, but
the Duke assures me they’re relatively
harmless, just don’t go out of your way
to pick a fight with them.
i feel
like I’m in
another
world.
and truth
be told,
i am
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We submerge again, and allow the
world above to drift away for a while.
It’s so peaceful when you’re underwater. So calm. I like this world, and I
promise myself I won’t wait ten years
to try snorkelling again. It’s an experience that is available for anyone to do.
It’s safe. The enjoyment factor is hard to
beat.
Before we end our little adventure, I ask
the Duke if we can take one more dip
below to get a few happy snaps of me;
after all, it’s not everyday you have an
underwater cameraman hanging out
with you.
When we surface and get back to solid
ground, it takes a long time to wipe the
smile off my face. In fact, as I’m writing
this, I’m still smiling. Give snorkelling
a go. It may seem a simple adventure,
but I promise you once you get close to
the fish and tune into the relaxed way
of underwater life, you’ll realise just
how wild and enjoyable it really is.
Photo by Philip Calodoukas
My brekkie is finished and time is ticking, so I continue on my way. My secret
destination, that is tucked away at the
far end of Manly beach, is Shelly beach.
A tiny piece of the coast famous for being a premium snorkelling spot. And
that is just what my adventure is today.
I’ve been told I’ll be coming face to face
with sting rays, massive gropers, and a
multitude of multi-coloured fish.
Truth be told, I just about fall asleep
(talk about pure relaxation!) when the
Duke arrives (with his dog in tow; apparently it loves Shelly beach, too) so
my potential nap time is vetoed. I need
to get ready for our dip.
We surface and have a chat while
swimming casually on our backs to
another spot about 40 metres to our
left. Rumour has it there’s an old motorcycle down there somewhere. We
meet a group of teenagers looking for
the same wreckage, laughing and carrying on. An older gentleman swims
by. Looks like he’s doing laps along the
whole beach. What a legend.
Photo by Philip Calodoukas
WIN THIS PIC
I asked the Duke if he could send me his personal favourite
photo. This is what I got back. Nice, huh?
Philip Calodoukas is a photographer and
videographer with over 15 years in the field. He
has travelled extensively within Australia, Europe
and Africa capturing photographic images and
video of a wide range of subjects from landscapes,
seascapes, culture, and wildlife.
If you would like to see it hanging on your wall don’t forget to
like our facebook page. One lucky reader will win a 30x45cm
acylic print. All facebook friends automatically go in the running. The winner will be announced via facebook.
facebook.com/justbetterliving
View more of the Duke’s images at: www.emeraldpictures.com.au
what is social
inclusion?/
‘Happiness’ is a highly debated topic
these days with much research and
discussion going into exploring what
truly makes a person happy. Ideals
and differing viewpoints abound with
the search to understand what is the
recipe for a happy life.
Whilst some view fulfilment as key – a
life made meaningful through valued
relationships and engagement with
others and activities – others sense it
is about a life full of giving and contribution as opposed to self seeking,
actualisation and entitlement …and
yet another diversionary view is that
creativity, spontaneity and expression
form the pillars of contentment.
So whilst it is clear there is no single
universal answer on the question,
there is on the other side of the spectrum one prime factor that has been
identified around what makes people
‘unhappy’ and that it is embedded
in loneliness; social isolation and
boredom – fundamentally the prevailing big issues people face when their
access to community or community is
restricted, refuted or reduced.
Community life is about accessing
things that are in abundance in our
day to day lives. Being able to get in
and out of buildings…easily…being
able to be employed…without prejudice…to shop, to go to and participate in clubs and sporting activities,
to get to and from places. Without
these everyday opportunities, a person is essentially left on the outskirts
of life…a lonely and isolated place.
Simple obstacles can prevent people
from being able to access and be a
part of their local community – but
whilst bricks and buildings can be
taken down, put up or re-built, social
perceptions are far harder to infiltrate,
change and impact on positively. As
isolation encroaches into someone’s
life their confidence diminishes, their
contact with people drops and they
increasingly withdraw into a smaller
and smaller world and existence – a
virtual cycle of social exclusion with
tragic effects.
This growing social issue will degenerate as our population ages, we live
longer lives and people with a disability are forced to navigate through society’s diluted fabric of equality. Our
fast moving world will further hinder
open access to active participation in
community life further reducing what
was the historical social lifeblood of
cultures. This dynamic of social exclusion must end and in its place the
powerful creeds of social inclusion become intertwined into how we live…
and think.
Simple barriers can be addressed,
buildings with inaccessible steps and
no lifts; uneven footpaths without
suitable crossings; public transport
that is limited and limiting; venues
without accessible toilets.
These examples of a few physical obstacles are more palatable to consider
fixing – but at a deeper level there are
the social obstacles, too.
Who is the
community?
It’s all of us.
you and I.
The community
is everyone
We care about individual freedom.
For example, are our local communities that we live in really structured in a
way to be meaningful for all members
of society, particularly those who have
historically been marginalized? Do our
local communities regard all its members as equal, valuable and demonstrate that philosophy in their actions
and not just words? In a world where
beauty and youth are sought after and
idolized…are the older members of
our communities minimalised or discounted?
Simply, the most effective way to drive
social inclusion is to believe in social
inclusion…the community you live
in will change when social attitudes
change and we recognise and value
people…all people.
So who is responsible for driving this
type of social change? If this is the
type of society we want to live in then
we can’t expect or wait around for
Government to take the reigns. It’s a
grass roots issue not one of policy. It is
the community that needs to respond
and open it’s doors. It’s me, it’s you, it’s
all of us.
The community is everyone. The
teacher. The librarian. The coffee barista. The shop assistant. The priest. The
electrician. The nurse. The dog walker.
We are all the fabric of our community.
We can ignore the issue and turn our
back or contribute to a belief system
that is bigger than ourselves.
We care about facilitating great adventures.
We care about your quality of life.
At the end of the day, an important
question that we should ask ourselves
is this: What kind of society do I want
to live in?
Why wait? Let’s create it now.
Trish Noakes
Trish Noakes is the founder and CEO of Just Better Care.
Australia’s leading In-Home Support provider specialising
in senior services, disability support & dementia support.
For more information visit: www.justbettercare.com
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We care about social inclusion for everyone.
We’re not interested in maintaining the status quo.
We’re better than that.
www.justbettercare.com
11
the moody foodie/
Review of the Three Williams Cafe.
Address: 613a Elizabeth St Redfern,
NSW 2016
Because it’s just plain wrong to be up so early on a Saturday
morning (waking up at 6:30am thanks to one’s weekday’s
body clock is no fun), a warm beverage must be had. I didn’t
get my usual latte, but a chai latte will do this time around.
I generally prefer chai much stronger (spicier) than usual
(otherwise, why drink it); the chai at Three Williams didn’t really do it for me. It’s the perfect cup for someone out there
though!
Being an avid supporter of avocado on toast, The Lady’s
choice to get the smashed beans w/avocado on charred
toast w/two poached eggs is a no-brainer. Avo on toast
probably has a longer history than that of Australia. You
can’t really go wrong with it.
Personally, smashed beans on avo does work, but only for
awhile – the dish admittedly gets boring after awhile, which
is a downside of a dish where the toast and what’s on it becomes the sole focus. Solution? Share!
Three Williams is known for its naan bread “sandwiches”
called “narnies”. These are actually quite similar to Chinese
flatbread sandwiches (e.g. Rou Jia Mo). Surprisingly, Three
Williams is the first cafe I’ve been to that serves anything like
this. I feel like such a simple concept should have been explored sooner, but alas, there is always a first.
Assuredly, there are (at least) three guys who work at Three
Williams. But no, their names are not “William”, fore or patronymic. Glen is the name of the owner (ex Grounds of Alexandria) and the head chef’s name is Tim (ex Aria/Chiswick).
The rule of three is a common literary device where things
that are expressed as a trio are inherently more appealing.
The oft-used line “good things come in threes” comes to fore
here. The name – Three Williams – itself is a great start.
A newer narnie addition on the menu, the coconut & lime
marinated chicken narnie comprises a huge circle of naan (I
should say, these narnies are a lot bigger than the pictures
make them out to be), enclosing a “no-regrets” amount of
fragrant coconut chicken. The filling doesn’t hold back – the
juices will flow no matter how you dig into this one. It’s delicious, and good luck finishing this plus much more.
Ok, so the cafe isn’t named after the head honchos. What’s
up? Did you know that the Chippendale and Redfern suburbs are so-named after – you guessed it – Williams? William
Chippendale & William Redfern, to be exact. The third – William Hutchinson, didn’t get a suburb of his own, but at least
he got included as part of the Three Williams.
The sign is totally chic, and you just know this is Three Williams without thinking too much – there’s no other banner
that lets you know, so this sign has to do its job, and do it
well. We arrived at a decently-timed 8:30am, and yet the
cafe is already this packed. Looks like things are going quite
well with the triplet cafe here. Luckily, there are more than
three tables. If you arrive later, say at 9am, you will be subjected to a waiting period. You have been warned!
While the narnie is great, I have to note that its major structural failing is at best inconvenient, and at worst, a disaster.
As naan isn’t an absorbent bread type (unless you slice horizontally through it – narnies aren’t), any sauces/juices/ingredients sandwiched in the naan’s folds doesn’t seep into the
bread, and thus is free to flow about. Let’s just say we had a
pool of sauce on the plate, and I had to go wash my hands
after demolishing these.
That’s still pretty cool, given the great rap that the cafe has
been receiving since its opening late last year. There’s a number of boxes this place ticks, and ticks well. Read on to see
why the William trio would have been proud.
Be prepared for a messy eat.
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Food photos by Michael Shen
The newest addition to the narnie menu is the bibimbap
pulled pork & chilli kimchi narnie. The Korean influence
makes its mark here alright. This narnie tasted great to me,
mainly because there was just so much gosh-darned pork in
there. In fact, probably a bit too much. If you eat too much of
the pulled pork at once without eating much else it’s going
to start tasting a bit much. Eat evenly.
Mmmmm, pulled pork….
Crunchy veggies add in the texture, for a package that’s just
as messy as the coconut chicken narnie, but one that tastes
just as good. Nay, better.
The Merchant is a well-presented puzzle that I can’t quite make
sense of. Is it a glorified bacon & egg muffin? A large slider? A
small burger (and one without a patty of meat)? Buns that happen to have ingredients on top/in between?
Last on the list is the fish croquettes. These are absolutely delicious. Seriously, loved these. The buttery fish within a perfectly fried exterior didn’t
even need the aioli that came with it. Of course, I still made prodigious use
of it, because it’s aioli. That’s a good enough reason, right?
I’m not sure. Being an avid burger monster, I unconsciously expected The Merchant to deliver that sensation that only a thick,
juicy patty of meat can give. The Merchant couldn’t give me that,
and instead I got bits of bacon here and there, an admittedly
great egg, and some zingy slaw to try and pick up the slack.
Order the croquettes if you’re here.
It’s not for me, but I can see its appeal.
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I can see myself going to Three Williams again. I can’t imagine when that
would happen, but the William boys should be proud that Redfern has
added a cafe of this calibre to the area. It should only go up from here.
Awesome:
* Narnies are wicked cool
* Food is overall very high quality
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This edition of the Moody Foodie was written
by Michael Shen, a regular foodie
blogger. You can check out his
blog and be entertained
by his regular restaurant
and cafe reviews at:
www.imstillhungry.net
Want to be the next guest
Moodie Foodie reporter?
For more details, check out:
justbetterliving.com.au/moodyfoodie
next stop
Hamilton Island/
Just to give you the heads up, for our next edition we’re sending our Travel Bug to Hamilton
Island to get himself into another wild adventure; even though Hamilton Island is famous
for relaxation, we’ve made it clear we want him to report on some serious action! We’d also
like to hear from our readers as to where to send him after that. Should we send him deep
into the desert, in the centre of Australia, perhaps? Do you know of any secret locations that
offer the chance to experience something new? Let us know your tips.
Write to us at: editor@justbetterliving.com.au
Just Better
www.justbetterliving.com.au
LIVING
the happy scientist/
For this edition of the Happy Scientist, I interviewed Nick Rushworth. Nick is Executive Officer
of Brain Injury Australia - the national peak acquired brain injury (ABI) advocacy organisation
representing the needs of people with an ABI, their families and carers. He was also President
of the Brain Injury Association of New South Wales between 2004 and 2008. Before joining
Brain Injury Australia, Nick worked for the Northern Territory Government setting up their new
“Office of Disability”. Formerly a producer with the Nine Television Network’s “Sunday” program
and ABC Radio National, Nick’s journalism has won a number of awards, including a Silver
World Medal at the New York Festival, a National Press Club and TV Week Logie Awards.
Nick Rushworth
Executive Officer of
Brain Injury Australia
“Did you know the brain has a similar consistency to butter?” Nick asks me. I have to admit, I didn’t. To be honest, I’m
not even entirely sure what I thought it was like. Perhaps
more like rubber? Thinking of my brain as butter makes
me somewhat nervous, but Nick assures me that the brain,
although fragile, has some of the same capability of healing
itself as a torn hamstring. Thankfully, it’s a resilient organ.
As Nick puts it, “It’s the global controller for every aspect of
human function.”
Nick is not just the Executive Officer of Brain Injury Australia, he also has a personal history with brain injury. In 1996,
armed with a bicycle, Nick attacked two cars. The cars won,
but Nick’s recovery from a severe traumatic brain injury was
exceptional. He now spends his days raising awareness
about brain injury. He is also passionate about helping
individuals and their loved ones who have
been directly affected by a brain injury.
Brain injury is sometimes referred to as
the invisible injury. It’s not quite as
obvious as a broken leg. The results of brain
injury can often be misunderstood by the
passing public and friends alike.
Someone who was previously calm
and collected may become volatile and
restless; a previously quiet mannered
person can become loud and abrupt, as a result
of damage to those parts of the brain
responsible for regulating emotions, behaviour.
It is common for someone who is afflicted with brain
injury to lose a great deal of their friends. For those who
stick by their side, it can be a difficult relationship, one
that is vastly different than their pre-injury
relationship.
For more information check out:
www.braininjuryaustralia.org.au
You can also call toll-free:
1-800 BRAIN1 (1-800 272 461)
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“Imagine you were in your late teens, ready to
leave home and start a career, with the world at
your fingertips, and then a split second of not paying
attention on the road, or brushing up against
someone at the pub the wrong way, and suddenly the
resulting accident or violence leaves you with a brain
injury. Imagine the frustration you would feel internally,
knowing your future is not going to be what you had hoped
for, and knowing that instead of independence you would
return to a child-like dependency on your parents. On top
of this, you also have to deal with and come to terms with
the damage from the brain injury itself.” Nick paints a pretty
clear picture of what is often a prime-of-life disability and
why someone with a brain injury may have increased levels
of anger or frustration in their life. But there is hope. According to Nick, it’s the most important thing anyone affected
by brain injury can hold onto. To hope. “But it has to be held
together with realism,” Nick adds. “Recovery is possible, and
a great life full of love and joy and freedom is possible, but
it takes hard work. Recovery from brain injury is a marathon
not a sprint.”
recovery from brain
injury is a marathon
not a sprint
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Nick was one of the lucky ones, in that his father is a brain
surgeon, his mother and sister are doctors, and his work
relationships provided further connections to key surgeons
and therapists to help with his immediate surgery and
subsequent rehab. “I tell people that as soon as I hit the turf,
everything that could have gone right for me, did. I was
extremely fortunate, but the vast majority of people who
experience brain injury aren’t in the position I was in. For
most, they were already disadvantaged in society before
their accident. They are the people I am working with on
a daily basis. Trying to help them process their injury and
work towards recovery.”
I asked Nick what the most common cause of traumatic
brain injury - or head injury - is and was surprised that his
answer was concussion. According to Nick, almost everyone experiences a concussion at least once in their life. The
good news is if the brain is allowed to rest then most of the
time a full recovery takes place within 7 to 10 days. The bad
news is that due to the lack of awareness of the dangers of
concussions, many sports stars and young school athletes
alike are being put back into the game too early, sometimes
back into the same game. This can result in serious, permanent brain damage. It’s crucial for parents and coaches to
understand how crucial it is to allow the brain adequate
time to recover. Just because you can’t see the injury, does
not mean it has already gone away.
Another notable cause of brain injury is what’s known as
shaken baby syndrome. A parent, sleep-deprived with a
screaming baby who refuses to sleep, gets up and in a brief
moment of frustration shakes the baby. The result of these
one off shakes can and do result in severe brain damage. A
babies brain is extremely fragile and must be handles with
absolute care. For any new parents, please remember this:
No matter how much a baby cries or won’t sleep, never, ever
shake a baby. It can have a devastating result that may affect the child and parents entire life.
Our conversation shifts to other often overlooked areas
of society where brain injury is prevelant. “Did you know
that as many as 60% of inmates in our adult prisons screen
positively for brain injury?” Nick asks. Again, I have to plead
ignorance. “Unfortunately, the root issue of brain injury
is mostly ignored, and so we have repeat offenders and
almost a revolving door in our criminal justice system. To
address brain injury is hard work and costly. But what is the
cost of not taking this situation seriously?”
Nick also explains that approximately 30% of people using
homeless services screen positively for brain injury. It is easy
to view someone who is homeless, or drug dependant and
blame their poor choices. How often do we think it may actually be due to a brain injury that they have no support to
treat? “It’s complicated, I know. But brain injury in society is
a serious issue, and public awareness of brain injury is about
20 years behind that of other injuries. As a society, we still
are not educated about what brain injury is, how it effects
those injured, and how we can successfully rehabilitate it.
That’s my job: to raise awareness. To not only help individuals affected by brain injury, but also play a part in helping all
Australians learn more about brain injury as well as how we
can prevent brain injury.”
7 TIPS from Joel Coleman
Joel Coleman is one of Australia’s leading oceanic photographers, recognised
globally for, in part, his signature fast shutter speed photography. Joel is a surfer,
a mentor, a teacher, a published author, videographer and an exquisite ocean
photographer. He is based in Sydney, Australia, and photographs worldwide.
Check out more of Joel’s images at: www.saltmotion.com
Photo by Joel Coleman
How to take pics like a pro
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Straight horizons
Use a ‘fill flash’
Using shutter speeds
Change your angle
Pack light, pack right
Scout your locations
Nothing screams ‘amateur photographer’ like a skewed horizon. Most cameras will have an option to turn a grid
reference on through the viewfinder.
This will give you a good visual reference when composing your photograph. Some modern digital SLR cameras even have a digital spirit level that
will display on screen which is great
when using a tripod. If none of these
options are available to you, just do
your best to keep the horizon straight
and you can use a basic editing package like ‘iPhoto’ to correct in post production.
Use a fill flash when photographing
portraits into the sun or bright light. If
you have ever tried to get a good image
of someone with a nice sunrise or sunset as the background then you have
probably come across the issue of the
sunrise being correctly exposed but the
people being in shadow or silhouetted
against the background. To fix this you
can pop-up the flash on the camera and
use it as a ‘fill flash’ it wont effect anything more than a few feet from the
camera so it will fill in those deep shadows nicely without ruining the colours
of the background.
If you are starting to use the manual
mode of your camera and trying to
get some action shots, start with the
‘Tv’ setting. This stands for ‘Time Value’
and refers to the shutter speed, or the
amount of time the shutter is open, allowing light to reach the sensor. Fast
shutter speeds will stop action, such
as waves at the beach or a bird flying.
Slow shutter speeds will show movement which can make things look blurry, but once mastered can help bring
life to moving images like waterfalls or
night time scenes with moving lights.
Don’t shoot everything from eye level.
Squat down, lie down, hold the camera
above your head, put the camera on the
ground, dangle off the edge of a cliff!
You get the idea! Don’t fall into the trap
of photographing everything from eye
level. You need to move around, get
some different angles, move the horizon up or down in your images. It is
amazing what a huge impact even a few
feet of difference in height can make to
the creative look of your images. So get
out there and look for the angles that
others are missing!
If you carry too much photographic
equipment with you it will simply
weigh you down, not to mention the
stress of having a super expensive kit
that you never want to let out of your
sight. Figure out what you need, get
a protective case that it fits in and get
moving. You are better off being free
and versatile than lugging around a
heavy backpack just for your camera
gear. Of course this is a ‘do as I say, not
as I do’ scenario as I am often carrying
large cases of equipment across the
globe, but hey, it’s my job!
It’s no good getting up early to photograph a sunrise only to find out you
have trekked to the wrong side of a
headland and everything is in the shadows. Get out and scout your locations,
decide in your mind what will make a
good photograph ahead of time, then
put yourself there at the right time of
day to get that photograph. Some serious landscape photographers might
camp out for months in one spot waiting for the perfect light to get an image. Whilst that is a little extreme for
most, a little forethought, planning
and preparation can make your photographs that much better.
Get up early
Do you like Joel’s incredible beach shot on
the previous page? We do, too. So much,
in fact, we bought a 3 dimensional, 6 x 4
inch acrylic block showcasing his photo
that will look absolutely perfect on your
desk or coffee table.
Like our facebook page to automatically
go in the running to win it. The winner
will be notified via facebook.
facebook.com/justbetterliving
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Photo by Joel Coleman
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Morning light is usually the best. The first and last hours of daylight are usually the best for photography. So get your butt out of bed and get to a good location well before the sun comes up. I
know this may sound hard for some but the results will be worth it when you have a collection of
epic sunrise photos from your travels. Sunset is also a good time so plan your day around being
somewhere with a view to watch the sun go down. Just remember that even in warm climates the
hour before dawn can be pretty chilly so dress appropriately and enjoy the tranquillity of a time of
day when most are still in bed.
Got a story
worth
telling?/
We believe you do. More than that, we
want to help share it with a national audience. Our magazine is distributed all over
Australia and as the goal of our magazine
is to encourage people to live their best
life possible, we’d also like to help budding
writers share their creativity, too.
We plan on starting a new section in our
next edition that showcases a short story
from one of our readers. So, if you’ve got
that creative bug known as fiction writing,
or you’ve got a true to life story you believe
is worth sharing, send your short story to:
editor@justbetterliving.com.au
We’ll share some of the stories submitted as
guest posts on our website (justbetterliving.com.au) and let our readers help decide
which story should be printed in the next
edition of our magazine.
For submission guidelines and
prize details check out:
www.justbetterliving.com.au/gotastory
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1
the money matrix/
A good way
to learn how
to save is to
first check how
you might
be wasting
your money
Budgeting is an important aspect to financial
independence, but even the most responsible
budgeter can develop holes in their plan. These
small leaks within a budget can add up to major costs quickly, so it is important to know how
to identify them. By learning about some of the
easiest ways to waste your money, you can take
the steps needed to avoid these situations and to
break the cycle of paycheck-to-paycheck living. 26
2
3
Paying ATM Fees
Paying for Services You
Don’t Actually Use
Buying Instead of
Borrowing
Each time you use an ATM that is out of
your bank’s network, you can expect to
pay up to $4.00 per transaction. This is
because you’ll be forced to pay the ATM
surcharge, and some banks will also
charge a fee for using a non-network
ATM. Instead, consider switching to a
bank that reimburses your ATM fees, or
find locations that offer free ATMs. If you
need cash and there are no ATM options
nearby, get cash back at the grocery
store or pharmacy the next time you
need to make a purchase.
Do you really take advantage of your
magazine or pay TV subscriptions?
Do you actually watch the extra cable
channels that you purchase? If you find
that you aren’t fully using certain products and services, you are likely wasting
money on them. Examine what your
family is using, and trim the excess accordingly. Complete a household budget in order to track all of your expenses, as this can help you identify where
you are spending money regularly on
things that you don’t use.
Have you ever bought something that
you’ve only used a couple of times? If
so, you are likely wasting a lot of money by buying things that you could
borrow. If you love to read, consider
checking out books from your local library rather than purchasing them or
investing in a pricey e-reader. If you enjoy movies, rent them from your local
video store instead of buying the DVD.
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4
5
Failing to Price Shop
Not Staying Organised
Missing Promos
While it is understandable that you may
feel loyal to a service provider that you
know and trust, it is important to note
that over time that provider may no
longer offer the best deal. Smart consumers will always be on the lookout
for the best bargains, whether those
bargains are a new mobile phone plan
or a bank with a higher interest rate.
Despite your best efforts to stay on a
budget, you still may be wasting your
money in some small way. By identifying some of the easiest ways to waste
your money, you can avoid these activities and keep more cash in your pocket.
Forgetting to pay your bills, ignoring
tax deductions, and lost receipts can
result in hundreds of dollars of needless spending each year. Stay organised by setting up automatic bill paying options so that you can eliminate
postage costs and late fees. Then, start
a file system to organise your tax documents, insurance policies, and other
important papers.
When making a purchase online with
a major retailer, you will likely encounter an area to enter coupon or promo
codes. While many people skip over
this section, it is important to do an Internet search to determine if the store
is offering sales that you might not
know about. Using a search engine can
help you to find any possible discounts,
and these could range from free shipping to a percentage off of your purchase total.
Certain
unhealthy
habits can
be a major
waste of your
hard-earned
money.
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8
Not Kicking Unhealthy
Habits
Failing to Plan a Weekly
Menu
Certain unhealthy habits can be a major waste of your hard-earned money.
Smoking is one of the biggest culprits,
as the average price for a pack of cigarettes in Australia is over $20. For people who smoke a pack of cigarettes per
day, this can add up to over $7,000 in
costs for an entire year. The health impact of smoking can also lead to high
medical costs.
It is difficult to make financially smart
meal choices when you are rushing at
home or work, and by failing to make a
weekly plan, you are at risk of wasting
money on fast food or at the grocery
store. If you make a menu of meals that
are easy to prepare, you won’t run the
risk of overspending at the store on
items that you don’t need.
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are you a
snap happy
Yep, we are too.
In fact, we want every edition of our Just Better
Living magazine to be more than interesting articles to read. We want it to be an experience for
the eyes, too. So, if you’re a budding photographer and would like to see one of your pics in a
national magazine, now is your chance.
photographer?/
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Moving forward, we plan on showcasing readers’
photos in each edition of Just Better Living. So, if
you’re snap happy and want to see one of your
best pics launch out of the zillions of other pics
stored on your computer and come to life in our
magazine, here’s your chance.
For submission guidelines and
prize details check out:
www.justbetterliving.com.au/snaphappy
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the BOOM! report/
There are plenty of great
things worth sharing with
your online friends...
but here are 6 things you should
never share on social media.
1. Your exact birth date
It might be cool to get birthday wishes from
all your Facebook friends, but you should not
share your exact birth date. Posting the month
and date you were born is fine, but adding the
year could help those with nefarious intentions steal your identity.
2. Your home address
If you own your own business and set up a
business page, you may want to give customers the address of your office or store. If your
page is purely personal, however, there is no
reason to share your home address. Sharing
your home address via social media could be
extremely dangerous and even be an invitation to criminals.
3. Your vacation plans
Telling the world you will be away from
home for the next two weeks is like throwing your doors open and asking people to
rip you off. It is fine to share your favourite
vacation photos with your social media circle; just do so after you return.
4. Pictures of your kids
While most of us have posted pictures of
our kids on Facebook and other social media platforms, many security experts advise
against it. Posting pictures of your children
in a public forum could expose them to pedophiles, kidnappers and other dangerous
individuals. If you must post pics of the kids,
check your privacy settings carefully and
make sure you know exactly who has access
to those images.
5. Financial information
Sharing financial information on an open forum like public media is very dangerous and
could be an invitation to identity theft and
other crimes. Your Facebook friends do not
need to know about your bank balance or investment philosophy.
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varius adipiscing tempor.
Vivamus id
ipsum sit
FUSCE VESTI
IN QUIS
6. Anything that’s in your
password
Sometimes it is the inadvertent sharing that
gets us in trouble. You probably know better than to share your password on social
media, but if your password contains your
child’s name or the name of a favourite pet,
you could be giving away some valuable
information. Never post anything on social
media that you plan to use as part of your
password or other security measures.
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Don’t settle for
the status quo/
You don’t need wings to fly.
You don’t need words to communicate powerfully.
You don’t need two hands to take hold of your dreams.
You don’t need eyesight to see the world in unique ways.
We all have the right to believe we’re capable of great things.
As a society, we all have the responsibility to support this right.
What skills do you want to learn?
What kind of life do you want to live?
What great adventures do you want to set out on?
You’re able. The dreams in your heart are there for a reason.
Don’t settle for the status quo.
Life is better than that.
STAY IN TOUCH FOR FREE
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each Just Better Living edition
(4 times a year) direct in your inbox.
For more info visit our website:
www.justbetterliving.com.au
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LIVING
/justbetterliving
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