It is difficult to say whether or not the holiday that Craig and I had booked for our 25th wedding anniversary in Vanuatu had arrived at the most inopportune time ever or the most opportune time ever, but it did happen and we did get on a plane just days after my father's funeral and escape all of the worry and strife of the real world to go to one of the most pristine stretches of beach in the Eastern Pacific to sip cocktails and bask in the sun for five incredible days. 
This was our first trip to Vanuatu and the first time that Craig and I have booked a holiday that was just about the two of us in almost 12 years, so you could say that we were more than due to have some quality 'one on one' time. And perhaps it really was the best time to get away. I was still numb from all of my grief and in dire need of some TLC and headspace, and this holiday did feel genuinely like a complete exhale and a total spiritual reboot in so many ways. 
We stayed at the Eratap Beach Resort which is a boutique style, eco-friendly and completely authentic beach resort that is focused on low numbers, no children and complete five star beachside luxury. From the moment that we arrived and our accommodating host placed a cocktail into my hand as we entered I felt my shoulders drop and my stress begin to just melt away. We had just arrived in paradise, a real paradise with crystal clear waters, gentle ocean breezes and an award winning chef in the kitchen who provided us with nightly seafood feasts that were some of the best dishes that I have ever eaten in my life. 
The food? Completely gourmet and absolutely delicious. The drinks? Different cocktail specials every night and an extensive list that I indulged completely. The beach? White sands, azure and turquoise sparkling waters and the most incredible snorkeling you could ever imagine with clown fish, angel fish and even a giant red octopus; it was so damn good that I couldn't believe it was actually real. The resort? Pristine, perfect and completely seducing with it's swaying palms, tropical grounds and uber friendly staff. We felt like kings from the moment that we arrived and were treated like superstars for the duration. 
We kayaked, snorkelled, swam, hiked, ate, drank and lounged about for five days. We took two journeys outside of the resort which were both provided free of charge by the resort, one to visit the local village of Eratap to see their homes, school and church, and one into Port Vila for a spot of souvenir shopping. The rest of the time we did our own thing, ate whenever we wanted to because the restaurant was open until 11pm every day, and pretty much felt like we were there on our own because there are only 12 villas on the premises, so their were really only around 20 guests on the grounds at any given time. Heaven, totally and utterly divine in every way, we loved it and we were so sad to leave when our stay finally came to it's inevitable conclusion. 
Anyway...one quick 4.5 hour flight back to Melbourne from Port Vila and a fairly short drive from Tullamarine and we were back in Enfield. Unfortunately, it was not the happy return that we had been expecting and we were quickly slammed back into reality when we realised that both of the kids weren't well. Zoe could barely speak and was sporting a raging head cold and a very sore throat, and Seth who seemed okay on Friday night when we got home very late, arose on Saturday morning saying that he felt unwell and by 7pm on Saturday night we had him at the hospital Emergency Room after he had a febrile seizure and passed out in our lounge room. 
He had been vomiting on Saturday and his temperature had gotten dangerously high, then his blood pressure plummeted and teamed with his dehydration from vomiting, he went down for the count (thank God Craig caught him) and they had to put him on drip at the hospital, administer anti-nausea tablets and run some blood tests just to make sure that he didn't have anything more sinister going on. It was pretty stressful, and it was really not good to be back in the emergency ward of a hospital again so soon. However, all is well and Seth was released from hospital at 11pm on Saturday night with the all clear and slept like a baby at home until 9.30am this morning. 
Today I have been able to play nursemaid to both of the kids, and although I wish that we had returned home to happier circumstances, I am also tremendously relieved that we were home to take care of them and the entire situation ourselves. It is wonderful to get away and I am glad that Craig and I got to share such a wonderful experience of complete tranquility in Vanuatu; but for now.... it's back to reality and back to work tomorrow, because nothing - not even paradise - can last forever. 

I haven't been on my website for what feels like an age, and I have good reason for that. I lost my father last week in what I can only describe as a whirlwind event of shock and surprise that left us all reeling and wondering what the hell had happened. I must say, that it is just like my father to go out like a clap of thunder, but considering the fact that he seemed to bounce back from every ailment that was thrown at him, we were all floored when he eventually succumbed and passed away. 
My dad was a man that never complained about his physical illnesses and never really revealed to us just how truly ill he really was, which meant that in the end he had a multitude of ailments (some secret and some not) that even his bullet proof fortitude could no longer manage. And being completely true to form, he waited until everyone was out of the room to take his leave and depart the world. This made the entire event feel so sudden and unexpected, but when you really read all of the early signs (which you always do after an event of this magnitude) we probably should have seen this coming and expected no less from our father. 
I really wanted dad to have a nice farewell and even though he hated any fuss or fanfare, we did put together a short and meaningful goodbye for him and I wrote and delivered his eulogy myself. Writing his eulogy was so cathartic for me, not only did I get to say farewell in my own terms and with my own words, I also got to have some beautiful and meaningful conversations with people that also loved him dearly as they shared their special stories and memories of my father with me. The entire experience was really meaningful and it felt like such a perfect way to honour and farewell someone who has had so much influence over my own life. 
I have decided to post the eulogy that I wrote as a tribute to my father, so that his story is immortalised and shared with the world, because he genuinely deserves nothing short of that. 

If dad was here today, I know that he would be overwhelmed with the amount of people that have gathered here for him. I also know that he would probably say something like "why are you bothering with all this bullshit for?" because that was dad's way.
However, in spite of dad not wanting any fuss or fanfare, I would like to talk a bit about him; about Don Hall - the larrikin, the hard working bloke, the complicated, private and yet always surprising man that I called my dad. 

Born to a tough as nails Aussie family of five just before the start of WW2 in 1938, my father knew about hard times and would often talk about his childhood with a mixture of joy and the type of sadness that only those who have struggled could ever really understand.
His family survived the depression, wartime and postwar together in the Western suburbs of Melbourne where he grew up shooting rabbits with his uncle Les, chasing trains for coal, stealing scraps of food from the chook shed to stave off his hunger and generally being a complete scallywag with his older sister Linda.
Linda shared some funny tales about their early childhood adventures that included nicking their father’s treasured chocolates and smokes and the time that dad created a makeshift community swimming pool from a burst water pipe hole that resulted in my dad emerging caked from head to toe in thick brown mud.
One day the two of them had a marvelous time jumping on the bloated belly of what they thought was a deceased horse just to hear the farting noises come out. Turns out that poor horse wasn’t dead at all and when they decided to poke it in the bum with a stick it jumped up and ran off, much to their shock and horror. Linda informed me that that poor horse not only survived its run in with her and my father, but gave birth to a foal soon after…I wonder why?

Dad would often reminisce and regale us with tales about his youth; which were generally tales of mischief, childhood bravery or just straight up acts of delinquency! I recall his stories about shooting snakes with his father’s shotgun that had slithered into the family home, getting picked up by the local cops for various law breaking deeds and his free spirited days upon his beloved Ariel Square 4 motorbike that his older brother swapped for a Ute; which I think that dad never forgave him for.
One of dad’s lifelong friends Carso shared with me what a tremendously good friend my dad had been over the years. He once even offered his beloved Ariel bike to use when I was dating a woman in another town, he said, he was the sort of friend that would give you his arse and shit out of his ribs. Sorry to the sensitive ears for that one….but I do think that accurately sums how generous my dad could be.
 
My dad was a handsome, suave man and with his quiet cool attitude and rugged demeanor the women always seemed to notice him. My sister Donna recently told me that her friends at school used to comment on how handsome he was when he would pick her up ‘he looks just like Elvis’ they would swoon, and with that perfect jet black, side combed slicked back hair he caught the eye of my mother and from that moment on they fell in love and started a lifelong love story that lasted for more than 60 years.
He married my mother in 1960, much to the distaste of both of their families. My mother’s family was not too sure about my mum marrying an ‘Aussie kangaroo’ as they called him, and my father’s parents weren’t too keen on him marrying a new Australian either, but against all of the odds and prejudices they did marry and they made it work together.
They were young parents, mum only a teenager herself when they welcomed Donna into the world and dad being super handy with his hands built a bungalow on my grandparent’s property so that they could start a life and save for their first home. More children soon arrived, Morry, William, Kath and myself and before he knew it dad had a brood of children to care for and he took his fatherly duties very seriously, especially when it came to his three beautiful daughters.
Fiercely protective and possessive as a father, any boy that knocked on our door for a date was ran through the Donnie Hall series of difficult questions and demands. ‘What exactly are your intentions with my daughter?’ He would ask whilst running his eye over some sweaty, clueless teenager that looked like they were going to explode under the weight of dads inquiring and judging eye.

And dad was incredibly old fashioned like that, he was a boys will be boys and girls will be ladies kind of a dad who had high expectations that we all felt obligated to meet.
And there was something about dad that made us all seek his approval and affections because underneath that hard exterior beat the heart of a truly soft and genuinely sensitive man.  Dad was firm but fair and we all knew that he only had our best interests at heart.
Those of us that knew him well understood that dad was actually just a big marshmallow who had mellowed greatly over the years and who loved nothing more than a joke (preferably a dirty one) and a good laugh.

He had many interests like cars, western and action movies and tinkering with mechanical things, especially fiddly things like clocks. He always had a curious mind and liked to learn new things, a fitter and turner by trade, my dad liked knowing how things worked and could spend hours investigating gadgets, taking things apart and putting them back together again.
One thing that we all knew about dad was his incredible work ethic, need to be kept busy and demand for perfection. He built and renovated several homes in his lifetime, one in Deer Park, Daylesford, Ballarat and eventually here in Ararat. House proud up until the end, he was laying new flooring in his house only weeks before he left us. Everyone said that dad would go with a hammer in his hand and that wasn’t far from the truth.
If something needed fixing, dad would do it. If something got broken, dad would work it out, and he took pride in being able to repair and mend almost anything that he put his mind to.

At his essence I believe that my father was a complicated man. He was often guarded, secretive and somewhat mysterious to us all in so many ways. He was difficult to get to know well and at times struggled to even understand the complexities of himself. I shared many conversations with him where he spoke candidly of his deep love and adoration for all of his children, grandchildren and our mother.
His last year with us was fraught with health complications, both physical and mental and it eventually took its toll on dad. But I also know that dad would want us to all remember the good times that we shared with him when we think about him, the laughs, the stories and the wonderful memories that we have of our time together.

I know that I will never watch a John Wayne, Charles Bronson or Clint Eastwood movie or hear a Roy Orbison song without thinking of my dad, I’ll never eat a roast lamb without wishing he could share it with me and I’ll never forget the man that I called dad.
Goodbye dad, we will all miss you very much. 

I know that I have blogged in the past about people not wanting to hear the truth and I still completely stand by the belief that people do not want to hear about the things that they aren't ready to deal with or address about themselves. Hell, I know that I don't like receiving negative feedback or being given the facts straight up about my own shortcomings or inadequacies, but whether you like it or not, transparency is fast becoming a word that is creeping into business and social vocabulary and the expectations around your ability to give and receive it are on the increase. 
So, is transparency actually a good thing? Well, like all new concepts it requires change and honesty, two things that most people do not like at all, so it is probably fair to say that complete transparency is not going to appeal to a lot of people. It also depends greatly upon who is delivering the 'transparent' point of view as well, because this buzz for transparency can also give a lot of nit-picking assholes a super platform to be checking everyone all of the time in the name of 'transparency' and this kind of power in the wrong hands is a recipe for disaster and a sure fire way to build resentment, potential conflict and general unrest. 
Clearly there is a need for moderation and mastery when it comes to total transparency, but that doesn't mean that we should put it into the 'too hard basket' or avoid it altogether just because it has the potential to trigger us or make us feel self conscious. Already the world has become a better place because we have advocated for transparency. Due to our ability to be more honest about others and ourselves there is a lot less underhanded oppression, abuse and manipulation in the world today. Hundreds of  everyday villains have since been outed and held accountable for their behaviours and this type of liberation through transparency can only ever be seen as positive growth for humankind. 
People are more empowered than ever to speak their truth, be their authentic selves and share their stories now that we have an open forum for honest self expression. We are now better than ever at talking through our troubles, doubts, illnesses and hang ups and this proves that when transparency works, it really works well. However, we cannot forget that when transparency is wielded by the hands of  haters or oppressors that it is actually a destructive force of evil and at it's essence deeply disempowering and manipulative. 
Basically, you cannot just assume that everyone is going to be able manage an advocacy for transparency, especially in the workplace. Truth be told, not many people are going to be comfortable with the very real conversations that will come with complete transparency and without adequate training, most people will struggle to implement it well. That is why the real meaning of transparency needs clear and accurate definition to begin with before there can be any expectation of success around it. 
Simply put, transparency can never be used in an accusatory or manipulative manner. What it advocates is honesty, but that honesty has to be delivered without blame, shame or judgement. Not an easy concept to wield because as soon as people start getting in touch with their personal truth, they become emotionally invested and that is where transparency starts to tilt. Rather than it being about building relationships and getting everyone on the same page, it becomes muddied by individual advocacy and agenda. And that is why no-one can assume that transparency will be the magical 'fix all' mode that will solve all workplace and social problems. 
Without decorum, compassion and exceptionally high interpersonal skills, transparency as a 'go to tool' is in danger of starting more fires than it can extinguish, which means that delivering it well will require a  high functioning environment with a group of highly developed individuals to ensure complete success. And the bottom line to that? Well, if your workplace is going to advocate for transparency then they have an obligation to train their staff and also recruit that right types of people to make that happen.
The great news is that you can actually start to build your own personal abilities around transparency immediately, which will give you an edge in the workplace and make the transition to a transparent environment a little easier for you in the long run. Here are my top ten do's when it comes to promoting and delivering transparency in the workplace:
1. Don't keep things secret, especially when it comes to job responsibility or function. 
2. Be proactive, not reactive. If something isn't working suggest a meeting of minds to really explore other options. 
3. Share results, good and bad, around your workplace. This will save people making similar mistakes or having to 'reinvent' the wheel. 
4. Know where to draw the line. Transparency isn't about knowing everyone's business, it's about making sure that everyone has the same level of information to do their job well. 
5. Be willing to have some difficult conversations. Sometimes the only way to fix a problem is to address it head on. Don't avoid uncomfortable conversations, but really consider the best ways to fix the problem before you even engage, and try not to take negative feedback personally but view it as a chance to see yourself from another perspective. 
6. Be genuine, people will trust you more if you are not being fake.
7. Be tolerant. Remember that everyone is more than likely doing the best with the skill set that they have and some people will require more support and training to get to where they need to be - and that's okay.
8. Don't do things unless there is an ultimate goal being met. If you can't state the purpose behind your actions clearly, then you don't need to do it at all. 
9. Trust others. Loads of people make their own work harder my micromanaging, controlling the flow of information or not trusting their team to deliver. Remember that you are only as strong as your weakest link and having one person with all of the knowledge is not being transparent.
10. Be personable. Chat to your co-workers and get to know the staff that you work with on a level beyond professional. You don't need all the details to get an understanding of how a colleague is feeling in their role, their passions and their personal ideals and knowing these things will help you to resolve an issues that may arise in the future. 
So, there you go, a quick start guide to getting your head around transparency and how to make it work for you. Consider your ability to be 'gently transparent' a work in progress, it's something that really does take a long time to develop and years of practise to master. I am a true novice on the topic myself, so in a way we are beginning this journey of improved transparency together.
I wish you well in your pursuit of improved professional and personal relationships. And like all new journeys, make sure you are prepared to make mistakes and also own them along the way!

GAGA: FIVE FOOT TWO
Release Date: 2017
Rating: M 
Running Time: 100 mins 
A cinema verite, Netflix Original documentary, outlining a year in the life of singer/songwriter Lady Gaga. By documenting the main events of her life whilst in production of her fifth album Joanne, we get an intimate peek into who Lady Gaga is as a person and a performer through her relationships both on and off the stage. 
There is no doubt that Lady Gaga has managed to push the envelope at every turn of her career, and this is certainly no exception. At times she appears vulnerable and sheds many tears during the course of the film over her physical pains, insecurities and her family's history. And then at other times she comes across like a hurricane of energy, calling all the shots and behaving like a control freak and an ego-maniac.
She is clearly capable of holding her own and wrangling many tasks at one time, but she constantly appears to be moving around with an entourage of people by her side and she is literally never alone in front of the camera during the movie. I think that made it  hard to tell, even from this expose of her life, who she really is when the cameras are not rolling and the audience has been removed. 
Love her or hate her, this is definitely an interesting viewing. Although I still don't feel any closer to knowing who 'the real' Lady Gaga really is, I cannot deny that she is a talented powerhouse who will no doubt continue to be influential in both the music and fashion industry for many years to come. 
FINAL SAY: A Perfect Illusion
3 Chilli Peppers ​