Join us for the fourth event in the Institute of Interesting Ideas Winter Series, Kiama. Australian voice-over artist and author Lofty Fulton talks about ‘Turning Brokeness Into Breakthroughs’, followed by a meet & greet and book signing for Lofty’s book “Lofty: My Life In Short”.

ABOUT “LOFTY: MY LIFE IN SHORT”

Australian voice-over artist Lofty Fulton knows what it’s like to have the odds stacked against him: Born with achondroplasia, which is a form of dwarfism, his grandmother thought he should be locked away from the world. At school, he suffered years of relentless bullying, believing the lie he would never be loved or good enough.

At 15, Lofty’s voice broke, giving him a unique gift that paved the way for his future.

Lofty: My Life in Short is a deeply personal memoir – of vulnerability and courage and humour as Lofty unpacks the events of his traumatic childhood, public bigotry; a failed marriage, the highs and lows of a successful radio career and his struggles with crippling general anxiety disorder, clinical depression and a serious gambling addiction.

Lofty’s story is a collusion of light and shade; a reflection on what it means to be human, to search for meaning and purpose. From brokenness to breakthrough, Lofty has slayed many of his inner demons, rising to become one of Australia’s most sought after and recognisable voices.

ABOUT LUCY & “GET THE GIRLS OUT”

Stirring, straight-talking, incredibly inspiring, funny and full-on – Lucy Bloom is one of a kind, and so is her memoir.

Lucy’s openhearted interest in the world has taken her from jillarooing on a cattle farm to maternity hospitals in Ethiopia, from marshalling a cross-country carnival in northern Uganda to CEO briefings in the back of a tuk-tuk in Cambodia. Hers has been a life of fighting for the underdog only to find out that, sometimes, the underdog is actually her. Taking all dramatic life-turns, side-steps and face-plants in her stride, Lucy has rebuilt her life every time, with love and adventure at its heart, plus a side order of mischief.

Rollicking, rude, brimful with joy, and written with a take-no-prisoners, bare-all honesty, this book is a call to arms – a book to make you laugh out loud, nod your head in recognition, re-charge your life and let loose.

‘My deepest wish is that reading this book makes you want to do cool stuff, make plans, launch that business, pack your bags, shave your head, ride that horse, date that hottie, apply for that job, chuck that party – and, most of all, get your girls out, whatever that means for you.’

ABOUT INSTITUTE OF INTERESTING IDEAS

The Institute of Interesting Ideas is founded on the principle that life is for learning, and that we are all simultaneously teachers and students.

I3 is committed to sparking provocative and stimulating conversations by presenting the most interesting speakers Australia has to offer. From entertainers & journalists, scientists & master chefs, authors & musicians and beyond…I3 will challenge, provoke, inspire and dare our audience to see the world differently.

The line-up of speakers come from all walks of life and take to our stage to share their stories, wisdom and ideas with honesty & humour.

The Institute of Interesting Ideas (I3) has partnered with the Pavilion, Kiama, who’s oceanfront venue offers the perfect setting for a special evening of dialogue, exchange and inspiration.

In 2014, Rosie became a household name with her hilarious recaps of The Bachelor, and we’ve never looked back with our love for her. Rosie has survived the very worst that life can throw at you but she’s always maintained that laughter is the best medicine. Her irreverent humour has been applied to topics from awkward sex to body image and mental health, all topics we’ll be discussing on this not-to-be-missed night with Rosie.

The conversation will be followed by an intimate meet & greet with Rosie and a book signing for her books.

Join us for the sixth event in the Institute of Interesting Ideas Winter Series, Kiama.

ABOUT ROSIE

Rosie Waterland is a Sydney-based author, columnist, and screenwriter. Her first book, The Anti-Cool Girl, published through HarperCollins in 2015, is a full-frontal no-holds-barred memoir about surviving the very worst that life can throw at you. In May 2016, the novel won the ABIA People’s Choice Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year, and was shortlisted for the Russell Prize.

In 2014, Rosie became a household name with her hilarious recaps of The Bachelor. Her irreverent humour has been applied to topics from awkward sex to body image and mental health, as told in her nationwide tour My Life on the Couch (with Vodka) in 2016. The following year saw the release of her second book, Every Lie I’ve Ever Told, her second national tour Crazy Lady, and her podcast Mum Says My Memoir is a Lie, in which Rosie and her mother discussed their differing perspectives on the events of her first book in a frank, emotional, and often hilarious way. The podcast has been downloaded more than 3.5 million times, and won the ACRA Award for Best Original Podcast. Rosie is making use of her formal qualifications by developing several projects including her first novel.

ABOUT INSTITUTE OF INTERESTING IDEAS

The Institute of Interesting Ideas is founded on the principle that life is for learning, and that we are all simultaneously teachers and students.

I3 is committed to sparking provocative and stimulating conversations by presenting the most interesting speakers Australia has to offer. From entertainers & journalists, scientists & master chefs, authors & musicians and beyond…I3 will challenge, provoke, inspire and dare our audience to see the world differently.

The line-up of speakers come from all walks of life and take to our stage to share their stories, wisdom and ideas with honesty & humour.

The Institute of Interesting Ideas (I3) has partnered with the Pavilion, Kiama, who’s oceanfront venue offers the perfect setting for a special evening of dialogue, exchange and inspiration.

Swinburne astronomer Associate Professor Alan Duffy works on dark matter, dark energy, galaxy formation and cosmology as well as explaining science nationally as Lead Scientist of the Royal Institution of Australia, home of Australia’s Science Channel. He is an experienced public speaker and science communicator on TV / radio and print.

The conversation will be followed by an intimate meet & greet with Prof Duffy.

Join us for the seventh and final event in the Institute of Interesting Ideas Winter Series, Kiama.

ABOUT ALAN

Research Fellow and Associate Professor @ Swinburne University and Lead Scientist @ The Royal Institution of Australia home of Australia’s Science Channel.

Prof Duffy is a professional astrophysicist creating universes on supercomputers to understand how galaxies form and to probe the nature of dark matter. He often then get to explain it to as wide an audience as possible on TV / radio or public events.

Currently Alan is at the Centre for Astrophysics and Computing at Swinburne University. Before then he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Melbourne, and a postdoctoral research associate with ICRAR at the University of Western Australia. Prior to all this antipodean fun he obtained his PhD from the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics and spent a year or two as a postgraduate at the Sterrewacht, Leiden Observatory in The Netherlands.

Prof Alan R Duffy is a member of SABRE, the world’s first dark matter detector in the Southern Hemisphere, based at the bottom of a gold mine at SUPL (Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory) in Victoria, Australia.

As a member of two leading surveys on the next-generation Australia Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder telescope he create local universe simulations that can be used to test their galaxy formation and dark matter theories when compared with observations from the WALLABY and DINGO surveys.