This movie crawled out of the TV screen, into my head and took up residence. There really is something to the words, "you can't get rid of the Babadook." I could write pages and pages discussing this wonderfully crafted film,  with more layers than a well made lasagna, but not right now. 

​The main reason that The Babadook resonated with me in such a profound way is because Jennifer captures the full spectrum of emotions  relating  to motherhood and delves into its inky depths. She explores the concept that you can love your child deeply and at the same time be so exhausted and frustrated by unmet needs and  expectations​ that your feelings become well,  monstrous. This is a side of motherhood which I think most people simply don't want to  acknowledge.  And even though it is clearly a major theme of the movie I noticed that many interviewers  who spoke to Jennifer didn't ask her about it. One who did was  Ryan Lambie  and this is part of what she had to say. "I was really wanting to explore parenting from a very real perspective. Now, I’m not saying we all want to go and kill our kids, but a lot of women struggle. And it is a very taboo subject, to say that motherhood is anything but a perfect experience for women. To the point where I tried to look for research, and I found it very hard to find anything on the subject." 

Deeper meanings aside Jennifer Kent has written and directed one  damn fine horror, and she has done it in an artful way without the need for violence  and  gore it which I appreciate.   For weeks after I first watched this film I had to tell myself things like, "I know it's dark, but no Mr Babadook is not standing in the lounge room  waiting  for  you and yes that really is just a shirt hanging on the end of the bed.

I am impressed by the way that Jennifer was brave enough to put her foot down when it came to  executing  her vision. In one interview she said that  many people fought the ending and that she really defend it. I am glad that she did, I think it was unique and poignant  conclusion to the film.

I think it's a very cool  achievement that  Jennifer has managed to make her main character  Amelia the  victim, the  villain  and the hero of the film (although Amelia is a mother and we  do tend to rock the  multitasking  thing).

I was so inspired by this film that I set about creating my own Babadook stop motion, unfortunately ​ I didn't get very far with the project ( I did think I'd wait until I received my copy of the Babadook pop up book for  inspiration, and I'm still waiting) but I will finish it one day  because  after all you can't get rid of the Babadook. Here is  a little  snippet  of my work so far.

These guys performed the songs that were the sound-track of our youth.

This post needs a little back story but I'll try not to waffle.  In 1992, when I was sixteen. I moved from Bendigo, where I had lived with my dad, step mother and step sister to Ballarat to live my mum and her boyfriend. I was seeking freedom, popularity, exciting new experiences and a place to belong. I started at Sebas-Tec in year ten and I found all of those things and a whole lot more.

I managed to make lot of different friends very quickly. After school  and on weekends I hang out with my arty friends (we were actually  all in the same art class). Friday night would come and the girls would tell their mums that they were sleeping over at a friends house, who would have told her mum that she were sleeping at the other friends house. But really we were all binge drinking the cheapest nastiest alcohol we could find and then going to the Bridge Mall Inn to watch a diverse range of  live bands like The Dead Salesmen, The Fat Thing, The Mavis's, Clowns of Decadence, (except poor Jane who was terrified of clowns) Trippin Phil’s Reggae Crusade  and  Damaged.

These were the band names we wrote on our pencil cases and school bags (well maybe not Trippin Phil, but I did give the singer my shoe laces as gift of appreciation one night, I had nothing else to offer. cringe, I wasn't quite drunk enough to have blocked that one out).

We would pass around tapes of live performances of The Salesmen recorded from triple B radio and listen to them over and over. And while other teens were cutting out articles from Smash-Hits magazine, we were cutting out interviews from Forte.

We adored these guys. They were talented, unique and because they were local and live, they were ours in a way that the big commercial  bands of the day could never be. These guys performed the songs that were the sound-track of our youth.

It would be easy for the people in these bands to think, 'we never had big commercial success, so we failed as a band.' But that would be light years away from the truth. With their guts and their talent, their enthusiasm and creativity, these bands inspired and became a part of the fabric of who their fans are today. They have given us memories that will never be taken away. It's an important message for any musician out there, don't try to measure your success or your ability to change lives by the amount of money that you make.

So this has become a long post, but there were some things that I needed to say. Earlier this year I was back in Ballarat and I was able to go and see the Dead Salesman Duo perform. It was a strange experience to have your past and future blur together like that. It's something that I can't even begin to describe. All I can say is that it was special and I was glad to have been able to have had the opportunity and to have been able to share it with my husband and my good friend Suzanna. It was also nice to see Jane there (luckily their were no clowns, at least not in make up). After the show the three of us had a chance to chat to Hap and Ryda and that was special too. They are both very genuine down to earth blokes, although it's hard not to feel shy around your teen idols.

It seems quite poetic to me that Hap is now an English teacher at my old high-school. My adult self knows that he's just a regular guy with a family and job, but the teenage part of me can still see something more, a bit a glow that isn't just stage lighting.

Hap is an amazing guy but like most creatives he struggles with his own self worth. I think it has always been his openness and vulnerability, his willingness to be honest about who he is, combined with his creative talents as a writer and musician that makes him a truly inspiring creative.

Mike Juggins  is a UK painter and film maker who has worked for well over 15 years to raise greater understanding and appreciation of dyslexia and other learning differences. It seems that Mike has been able to embrace and even celebrate  having Dyslexia in a way that others, my self  included might struggle to do.

In a recent blog post I shared some of my own experiences writing.  I don't feel proud of the fact that I have Dyslexia, even though it’s a part of who I am. It doesn’t feel good to have a learning disability, I don’t imagine that any sort of disability feels fun. For me it’s like having a bad tooth that can’t be removed so you try to pretend its not there, you learn to live with it and work around it as best as you can. 

I found Mike's short film Dyslexia, so what is it all about to be right on point when it comes to enlightening people about dyslexia. My feeling was ah ha here is someone who really gets it and that's a nice feeling to have. 

What first motivated you to be an ambassador for people with dyslexia?
Well that is the first time I have been called ambasador. How kind! I started doing what I thought would help other dyslexics in my twenties. I had worked in care with people with special needs and the gone to art college. Learning about myself through a dyslexia test at 29 and then finding out the 60% of the prison population were dyslexic… made me angry at the injustice of our world based education system. 

How do you deal with the fear and doubt that comes with being creative?
I am lucky I feel blessed to be a natural dyslexic/creative. It has taken a few years but I believe in me artistically… colour - gesture - emotion. With a paint brush in my hand and rainbow eyes what can go wrong - so no doubt and never fear whist video editing just joy.

On your website you mention something about "creating every day," can you tell me more about this?
I started a drawing a day via my face book page - got to late August and visited rural Ireland with no wi-fi so it came to an end. I would love to paint every day but life gets in the way most weeks lol.

Who has been your biggest supporter and why?
My wife - because she is my wife and a wonderful kind and supportive women.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow in your creative footsteps?
Regards Dyslexia: To challenge systems you will challenge yourself. Think carefully before taking on a fight you might never be able to win. Make your point but know when to walk. Follow your heart and always be true to yourself.
Regards painting… pure joy - film like wise - stories in pictures and sound - loving the visual - physical world.