Monday 24 December 2012
Saturday 22 December 2012
if you have a spare three hours
BIRDSONG. not for the short of attention span, as the pace is glacial. watched it last night (instead of viggo) with ladeez and we were, to a woman, utterly gobsmacked. from the first exsquisitely painterly scene til the last, it was a long slow dance between light and dark, colour and lack of colour. very light on dialogue, no clear names of characters apart from leads, and much gazing and face acting. you'll either hate it or love. we thought is was a masterpiece. and most interestingly, the power of the thing doesn't come from the expected source ... the romance. it's the 'other' that leaves you feeling like you've been hit by a bus. will be buying a copy for the library asap. see above post for snippet.
Friday 21 December 2012
Wednesday 19 December 2012
Why I love Dick
He's got his own beetroot now - featuring no preservatives, art. flavours or art. colours. Allow me to quote the label, "When American owned Heinz decided to sack their Golden Circle workers and move their processing facility from Australia to New Zealand causing hundreds of lost Aussie jobs, we decided enough is enough. So we are fighting back against poor quality imported products with our Magnificent Australian Grown Sliced Beetroot..."
s'been a while
on second thoughts
betty's dismay at yesterday's rantings moved me to contemplate the umbilicus for whole minutes this morning, so thought I'd come back and try again sans spitty vitriole :p
it's like this, see. we hobnob at fairly regular intervals with a couple (a stinking rich couple) who unfailingly fail (!!) to consult their fellow Large Group of diners and dictate ... right at the very end - never at the outset, that The Bill Shall Be Split Evenly. I don't know how they manage to wrangle this manouvre without someone more considerate cutting them off at the pass with a cheerful "X and Y and Z are a bit skint, so not tonight", but manage it they do. on the one occasion someone tentatively suggested perhaps it'd be better if we all paid for our own hooverings, the female half of the couple sneered and scoffed loudly at the proposition, and said something like "let's all be grown ups" (you already know what my position is on just how un grown up this behaviour is, but I'm tryna be gentle in this post ... ).
anyhoo, as we've now been booked for three (all at pricey joints) meals with these folk in coming weeks, I'm already pissed off ahead of time at having to think about how to cut them off at the bill splitting pass. I shouldn't feckin have too, innit. but since I do, and will undoubtedly be acting on our own behalf and that of our less well heeled brethren, I've been swimming with Bill Splittage haters. it fired me up just a little bit :D
so ... here's my sunshiny solution. arrive early and let staff know there'll be separate bills for each family or couple, and to keep track thusly. that way if Mr & Mrs Loaded show up brandishing only their gold amex, no probs, they have their own bill. too easy!
as yooz were.
it's like this, see. we hobnob at fairly regular intervals with a couple (a stinking rich couple) who unfailingly fail (!!) to consult their fellow Large Group of diners and dictate ... right at the very end - never at the outset, that The Bill Shall Be Split Evenly. I don't know how they manage to wrangle this manouvre without someone more considerate cutting them off at the pass with a cheerful "X and Y and Z are a bit skint, so not tonight", but manage it they do. on the one occasion someone tentatively suggested perhaps it'd be better if we all paid for our own hooverings, the female half of the couple sneered and scoffed loudly at the proposition, and said something like "let's all be grown ups" (you already know what my position is on just how un grown up this behaviour is, but I'm tryna be gentle in this post ... ).
anyhoo, as we've now been booked for three (all at pricey joints) meals with these folk in coming weeks, I'm already pissed off ahead of time at having to think about how to cut them off at the bill splitting pass. I shouldn't feckin have too, innit. but since I do, and will undoubtedly be acting on our own behalf and that of our less well heeled brethren, I've been swimming with Bill Splittage haters. it fired me up just a little bit :D
so ... here's my sunshiny solution. arrive early and let staff know there'll be separate bills for each family or couple, and to keep track thusly. that way if Mr & Mrs Loaded show up brandishing only their gold amex, no probs, they have their own bill. too easy!
as yooz were.
Tuesday 18 December 2012
Bob Dylan - It Must Be Santa
Man o man. I fergit, ya know? Saw him at the Byron Blues Festival 2011 and he was a complete tosser. But when he's good, he's so BLUDDY good. Merry Christmas you lot.
Monday 17 December 2012
A Better Way. Thus spake Incontinentia.
How about this, Bill Splitters :
When 6 or more (and therefore likely to contain a wide range of flushness or lack thereof) of you decide to dine out, go to the bottom and work your way up from there. ie, try using a little of your apparently underutilised resource "imagination", and guesstimate what is likely to be the comfort zone for the least able amongst you, and suggest that place. If your pauper feels he/she might be cramping your imagined style and is happy to stretch a little to accomodate YOU, go one notch up.
Don't do what the most apalling and, yes, I say it out loud, common, of show offs does and announce grandly "oh, we'll go somewhere cheap so it suits everyone" - and then put forward a list of options that are so far outside what any sane person might consider cheap as to be laughable. this, of course, is done deliberately (though always claimed to be innocent - I mean, who knew that some folk actually thought $45 mains expensive!), to teach you proles a lesson on how the true quality lives.
Once you arrive at the bottom of the barrel or its nearest neighbour, order as many $50 bottles of plonk as you like (assuming the place actually sells the stuff, which is unlikely - BYO anyone?), eat as many lobster thermidores as you like, then plonk a gently rounded up total of your sins on the plate. Cheerfully watch as everyone else does the same, and suck up that prententious inner tosser for the duration. If I want to barter my surplus eggs for the meal, why should you care? If I agree to wash dishes in exchange for the food, what difference can that possibly make to you and your enjoyment of the company? Or is fiscal difference so very distressing for you that it's impossible to tolerate, let alone encourage? Remember why you're there, and don't be an arsehole to your friends and loved ones.
When 6 or more (and therefore likely to contain a wide range of flushness or lack thereof) of you decide to dine out, go to the bottom and work your way up from there. ie, try using a little of your apparently underutilised resource "imagination", and guesstimate what is likely to be the comfort zone for the least able amongst you, and suggest that place. If your pauper feels he/she might be cramping your imagined style and is happy to stretch a little to accomodate YOU, go one notch up.
Don't do what the most apalling and, yes, I say it out loud, common, of show offs does and announce grandly "oh, we'll go somewhere cheap so it suits everyone" - and then put forward a list of options that are so far outside what any sane person might consider cheap as to be laughable. this, of course, is done deliberately (though always claimed to be innocent - I mean, who knew that some folk actually thought $45 mains expensive!), to teach you proles a lesson on how the true quality lives.
Once you arrive at the bottom of the barrel or its nearest neighbour, order as many $50 bottles of plonk as you like (assuming the place actually sells the stuff, which is unlikely - BYO anyone?), eat as many lobster thermidores as you like, then plonk a gently rounded up total of your sins on the plate. Cheerfully watch as everyone else does the same, and suck up that prententious inner tosser for the duration. If I want to barter my surplus eggs for the meal, why should you care? If I agree to wash dishes in exchange for the food, what difference can that possibly make to you and your enjoyment of the company? Or is fiscal difference so very distressing for you that it's impossible to tolerate, let alone encourage? Remember why you're there, and don't be an arsehole to your friends and loved ones.
A timely gripe on Socials of the Restaurant Kind
As we plummet twards the peak of hobnobbery and eating outery, I find meself workshopping a thing that ought not need workshopping. It's a thing that shouldn't exist amongst civilised, egalitarian, inclusive, generous grown-ups. Yet here it is, existing. Granted the anachronism of it means it's dying a fast death, it's not quite fast enough for the likes of moi. What is it ? I hear youz yelping. It's this:
BILL SPLITTING
I fucking hate it like poison, and find those who posture over it and sneer at dissent to be objectionable bullies, whose self-interest and focus on money overrides all that is good and decent. Also, they're dumber than housebricks. I've actually had one in particular suggest it's mean-spirited and a buzz kill to attempt to pay for what you've actually consumed. Rich, no? Coming from the person who felt it was just ticketty boo to shame those of straightened means (and who ordered accordingly) into subsidizing her $40 bottles of wine and three course meals. Just how in hell is that good-timey and generous? I'd be mortified if someone on a tight budget had to pay for my meal. Mortified, I tell ya!
Point is, we're headed for a raft of meals with compulsive bill splitters and I've decided it's time to make a stand. Last time a particular group stiffed us it was to the tune of $150. We literally ate $25 worth of food, no alcohol. Forked over $175 after the Chief Bully made the executive decision (with zero consultation) to split the bill. Worse still, at the same shindig an unemployed single parent friend diligently kept his eating to a total of $15, not for a minute imagining that someone would actually demand we split the bill, but was asked for $100. Absolutely thoughtless. So fucking busy posturing and appearing flush and full of largesse that they forget to behave like human beings.
Anyway, I've discovered that I'm not alone in finding this practice abhorrent - given our classless society there's very little chance that a group of 10 or more are all going to be in the same income bracket - and consequently there are plenty of tips for avoiding this bullying behaviour. The one I'm opting for is to simply, towards the end of the meal but before the bullies have a chance to commandeer proceedings, discretely go to cashier and pay up for what we've consumed, plus tip. When the bullies demand our 'share, I'll have this prepared earlier "yeah, no probs, thanks. we paid ours earlier - thought we'd make it 4 people easier for you" and smile nicely. The bullies will undoubtedly find this sneer-worthy and will call it unsporting and petty. But of course at no time will they consider that demanding everyone play their game (whether they can afford it or not) is the least sporty and most petty behaviour imaginable in a situation that should be about the company, not the money. Where's the friggin love?
And why does it bother them so much, to be truly egalitarian and allow everyone to pay their way? There are only two possible answers. a) they're so deeply obsessed with appearing flush that any suggestion of the realities of otherwiseness is terrifying - so they elect to demonise penury in a public shaming, or b) they're don't actually want to pay their own way and think nothing of having someone who is effectively broke pay for their high living. Whatever it is, I loathe it.
BILL SPLITTING
I fucking hate it like poison, and find those who posture over it and sneer at dissent to be objectionable bullies, whose self-interest and focus on money overrides all that is good and decent. Also, they're dumber than housebricks. I've actually had one in particular suggest it's mean-spirited and a buzz kill to attempt to pay for what you've actually consumed. Rich, no? Coming from the person who felt it was just ticketty boo to shame those of straightened means (and who ordered accordingly) into subsidizing her $40 bottles of wine and three course meals. Just how in hell is that good-timey and generous? I'd be mortified if someone on a tight budget had to pay for my meal. Mortified, I tell ya!
Point is, we're headed for a raft of meals with compulsive bill splitters and I've decided it's time to make a stand. Last time a particular group stiffed us it was to the tune of $150. We literally ate $25 worth of food, no alcohol. Forked over $175 after the Chief Bully made the executive decision (with zero consultation) to split the bill. Worse still, at the same shindig an unemployed single parent friend diligently kept his eating to a total of $15, not for a minute imagining that someone would actually demand we split the bill, but was asked for $100. Absolutely thoughtless. So fucking busy posturing and appearing flush and full of largesse that they forget to behave like human beings.
Anyway, I've discovered that I'm not alone in finding this practice abhorrent - given our classless society there's very little chance that a group of 10 or more are all going to be in the same income bracket - and consequently there are plenty of tips for avoiding this bullying behaviour. The one I'm opting for is to simply, towards the end of the meal but before the bullies have a chance to commandeer proceedings, discretely go to cashier and pay up for what we've consumed, plus tip. When the bullies demand our 'share, I'll have this prepared earlier "yeah, no probs, thanks. we paid ours earlier - thought we'd make it 4 people easier for you" and smile nicely. The bullies will undoubtedly find this sneer-worthy and will call it unsporting and petty. But of course at no time will they consider that demanding everyone play their game (whether they can afford it or not) is the least sporty and most petty behaviour imaginable in a situation that should be about the company, not the money. Where's the friggin love?
And why does it bother them so much, to be truly egalitarian and allow everyone to pay their way? There are only two possible answers. a) they're so deeply obsessed with appearing flush that any suggestion of the realities of otherwiseness is terrifying - so they elect to demonise penury in a public shaming, or b) they're don't actually want to pay their own way and think nothing of having someone who is effectively broke pay for their high living. Whatever it is, I loathe it.
Wednesday 5 December 2012
wankery
holaz, memsahibs
Betty's "summer of no causes" got me to emoting (as opposed to thinking, which would only have clouded the view). We seem to be chock full of causes here, just lately. Riled up anew at McFatsos proliferating like rogue cells in otherwise leafy glades, riled up eternally at the foulness of social media, riled up at overspending adipose bogans clogging up my local cash sinks, riled up that my kid has to go to the local high school (from which I've just returned after a morning of 'orientation' - aka, endless waffling by human sleeping pills in a stuffy hall), and riled up at the thought that if I said that to a local parent they'd assume it was income related snobbery, when in fact it's intellectual and cultural snobbery - which of course, makes it much better :p
what else? oh yeah, riled up at the biggie, as every year. STOP FKG SHOPPING!
Betty's "summer of no causes" got me to emoting (as opposed to thinking, which would only have clouded the view). We seem to be chock full of causes here, just lately. Riled up anew at McFatsos proliferating like rogue cells in otherwise leafy glades, riled up eternally at the foulness of social media, riled up at overspending adipose bogans clogging up my local cash sinks, riled up that my kid has to go to the local high school (from which I've just returned after a morning of 'orientation' - aka, endless waffling by human sleeping pills in a stuffy hall), and riled up at the thought that if I said that to a local parent they'd assume it was income related snobbery, when in fact it's intellectual and cultural snobbery - which of course, makes it much better :p
what else? oh yeah, riled up at the biggie, as every year. STOP FKG SHOPPING!
Monday 3 December 2012
Its not that this is the only thing going on up here....
But its the most important battle we're fightingxxx
Tuesday 27 November 2012
on that
I had the misfortune, last week, to enter one of the larger sorrow palaces. aka, Kmart. Just reiterating that this was a month out from Christfest. First thing to get all huffy and superior about was the sheer fkn weight of humanity in the place. By that I mean head count, but it could equally be said about the actual weight of the humanity in question. The place was literally packed with fat bogans, waddling around trying to find as many ways as possible to diminish their potential to meet the next mortgage repayment on the mcmansion (and the 89" tv, and the brand new 4WD, and the harvey norman furnishings). I actually swore out loud at one point. Imagine that, a thin (sacre blerrr!) hippy standing in aisle of crap #3, talking to herself about fucking ducks. A startling and unexpected sight, and not what the fatsos were expecting to encounter on an otherwise culturally pure morning At The Shops.
Anyway, as I strode purposefully (sans waddle ... the lingua franca of kmart perambulations, apparently) to my destination, I happened to pass the lay by desk. Now, I know youz'll probably have heard this whine before, but it must be repeated. WTF! I would hazard the guess that there were 30+ in the line, most of whom had trolleys overflowing with immense, hideously expensive plastic toys in boxes. Again, WTF! Here's a tip. If it's so far outside your budget that you need to pay it off, you probably shouldn't be buying it. It was all very bizarre and arresting to the delicate sensibilities of a parental who feels unclean at the thought of forking out more than $200 for 10-15 gifts.
But wait, there's more. Had to meet someone from the Big Smoke for lunch yesterday, and she picked the Satan Plaza as it was near her work related hobnobbery. O.M.G. each year I'm shocked anew. A vast sea of undulating superfluous flesh. And that was just inside. Trying to get OUT of the carpark afterwards was for the birds. I sat behind a line of late model 4WD for close to 40 minutes - containing XXL women and 'my family' stickers on rear windows. Which brings to mind this - they're not truthful, are they? The family stickers I mean. They're stick figures of childlike innocents. Stick figures. Furthermore, you can't show a southern cross tatt on a stick arm.
and further furthermore ...
Anyway, as I strode purposefully (sans waddle ... the lingua franca of kmart perambulations, apparently) to my destination, I happened to pass the lay by desk. Now, I know youz'll probably have heard this whine before, but it must be repeated. WTF! I would hazard the guess that there were 30+ in the line, most of whom had trolleys overflowing with immense, hideously expensive plastic toys in boxes. Again, WTF! Here's a tip. If it's so far outside your budget that you need to pay it off, you probably shouldn't be buying it. It was all very bizarre and arresting to the delicate sensibilities of a parental who feels unclean at the thought of forking out more than $200 for 10-15 gifts.
But wait, there's more. Had to meet someone from the Big Smoke for lunch yesterday, and she picked the Satan Plaza as it was near her work related hobnobbery. O.M.G. each year I'm shocked anew. A vast sea of undulating superfluous flesh. And that was just inside. Trying to get OUT of the carpark afterwards was for the birds. I sat behind a line of late model 4WD for close to 40 minutes - containing XXL women and 'my family' stickers on rear windows. Which brings to mind this - they're not truthful, are they? The family stickers I mean. They're stick figures of childlike innocents. Stick figures. Furthermore, you can't show a southern cross tatt on a stick arm.
and further furthermore ...
Monday 19 November 2012
I'll be indoors eating cakes with Nigella
incidentally, Nige is probably older than the orange beach lizard. go the burkini!
Sunday 18 November 2012
What I did last Fri night....
...The guy who owns this store, about 10 minutes from the hills, is the guy who is going to build in the Dandenong Ranges. So we thought we'd pay him a visit....
Friday 16 November 2012
the other end of the spectrum - circa late 60s
this is my all time favourite Nick song. seems to fit with his demise, somehow, but at same time it just glows with warmth and gentle happiness. despite his more recently popularity amongst the proletariat, I'll always adore this beautiful dead hippy poet boy. they don't make these anymore, either.
spectacularly bad hair - spectacularly good song
this sort of classifies as an example of a bad 60's popster. as regards hair and pantaloons, at least. not to mention the keenly spied russian president on lead. the song absolves all sin, however.
Thursday 15 November 2012
Newspaper Review...
Just had to share...heeehee..my fave part? The question: Just when is someone going to ask Taylor Lautner to play a serial killer???
I'm seeing...'Son of Dexter...'
Star chemistry all but gone as franchise is finally bled dry
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/star-chemistry-all-but-gone-as-franchise-is-finally-bled-dry-20121114-29cxb.html#ixzz2CEuwBHcw
Reviewer rating:
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN - PART TWO
General (115 minutes)
"I'm never going to get enough of this. I mean, we never have to catch our breath or sleep or eat. How are we gonna stop?" That's the newly 'turned' Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) - or to use her married name, Bella Cullen - and she's talking, in case you hadn't guessed, about vampire sex.
Little in Breaking Dawn Part Two lives up to this memorable speech. Bella already looked set to live happily ever after at the end of the previous instalment of the interminable Twilight saga, which saw her happily married to her vampire boyfriend Edward (Robert Pattinson), the proud mother of a half-undead baby girl, and a full member of the creepy but nice-when-you-get-to-know-them Cullen clan.
This final instalment is something of an anti-climax, so to speak, though we do get to see Bella testing out the full range of her new powers, which include enhanced eyesight, super strength, and the ability to zip from one place to another like Speedy Gonzales.
The cartoonish portrayal of these abilities only adds to the film's warped, disjointed sense of space. The director Bill Condon piles on the close-ups while ensuring his leads spend as little time as possible in the same frame.
As a result, these supposedly passionate lovers show less chemistry than ever. Stewart, a talented but tense actress, still has problems expressing happiness or fulfilment; the reliably disengaged Pattinson sticks to downcast looks and smirks.
The third side of the romantic triangle used to be Taylor Lautner as Jacob the muscly werewolf, who has ceased to be any kind of rival for Bella's affections. Still, he hangs around like a loyal retainer, allowing Lautner to show off his ability to simulate various human emotions (how long before someone asks him to play a serial killer?).
After nearly two hours of padding, there's a laughable climactic battle sequence with heads shattering bloodlessly, Michael Sheen carrying on like Dr Evil, and giant wolves emerging from the shadows as if hoping to be immortalised on a T-shirt.
Of course, the Twilight films have always been bigger than life - the entire series is nakedly one big, operatic metaphor for the journey from adolescence to sexual maturity.
But at this point the journey is well and truly at an end. Melissa Rosenberg's script regularly falls back on campy, nudging in-jokes, placating the fans while acknowledging that the series has little left to offer.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/star-chemistry-all-but-gone-as-franchise-is-finally-bled-dry-20121114-29cxb.html#ixzz2CEuqgO77
I'm seeing...'Son of Dexter...'
Star chemistry all but gone as franchise is finally bled dry
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/star-chemistry-all-but-gone-as-franchise-is-finally-bled-dry-20121114-29cxb.html#ixzz2CEuwBHcw
Reviewer rating:
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
TWILIGHT: BREAKING DAWN - PART TWO
General (115 minutes)
"I'm never going to get enough of this. I mean, we never have to catch our breath or sleep or eat. How are we gonna stop?" That's the newly 'turned' Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) - or to use her married name, Bella Cullen - and she's talking, in case you hadn't guessed, about vampire sex.
Little in Breaking Dawn Part Two lives up to this memorable speech. Bella already looked set to live happily ever after at the end of the previous instalment of the interminable Twilight saga, which saw her happily married to her vampire boyfriend Edward (Robert Pattinson), the proud mother of a half-undead baby girl, and a full member of the creepy but nice-when-you-get-to-know-them Cullen clan.
This final instalment is something of an anti-climax, so to speak, though we do get to see Bella testing out the full range of her new powers, which include enhanced eyesight, super strength, and the ability to zip from one place to another like Speedy Gonzales.
The cartoonish portrayal of these abilities only adds to the film's warped, disjointed sense of space. The director Bill Condon piles on the close-ups while ensuring his leads spend as little time as possible in the same frame.
As a result, these supposedly passionate lovers show less chemistry than ever. Stewart, a talented but tense actress, still has problems expressing happiness or fulfilment; the reliably disengaged Pattinson sticks to downcast looks and smirks.
The third side of the romantic triangle used to be Taylor Lautner as Jacob the muscly werewolf, who has ceased to be any kind of rival for Bella's affections. Still, he hangs around like a loyal retainer, allowing Lautner to show off his ability to simulate various human emotions (how long before someone asks him to play a serial killer?).
After nearly two hours of padding, there's a laughable climactic battle sequence with heads shattering bloodlessly, Michael Sheen carrying on like Dr Evil, and giant wolves emerging from the shadows as if hoping to be immortalised on a T-shirt.
Of course, the Twilight films have always been bigger than life - the entire series is nakedly one big, operatic metaphor for the journey from adolescence to sexual maturity.
But at this point the journey is well and truly at an end. Melissa Rosenberg's script regularly falls back on campy, nudging in-jokes, placating the fans while acknowledging that the series has little left to offer.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/star-chemistry-all-but-gone-as-franchise-is-finally-bled-dry-20121114-29cxb.html#ixzz2CEuqgO77
Friday 9 November 2012
the Fancy Bogue
whilst hobnobbing over a bad cup of coffee this morning, one of the WOACAs mentioned having been incarcerated at 'girls night in' recently. apparently it was peopled by moderately well heeled conservative types, ranging in age from about 30 to about 50. the thing that stood out, apparently, was their titillation at the sight of a .. wait for it ... chocolate fountain (which is bad enough). but what really impressed was the fact that it was spewing a sort of mid-grey slurry of something only very loosely connected with actual chocolate. better yet, they had strawberries to dip in same. after a an hour or so marvelling at the dairy milk fountain, talk turned to cleaning products. not a word of a lie.
so here's the idea ... the aspirational bogan (such as this lot were) is still living in happy oblivion to the delights of chocolate containing any more than 20% cocoa. also, they enjoy a good clean.
so here's the idea ... the aspirational bogan (such as this lot were) is still living in happy oblivion to the delights of chocolate containing any more than 20% cocoa. also, they enjoy a good clean.
Wednesday 7 November 2012
Book Review - The Year of the Flood
Another book by Margaret Atwood, this is told in present tense, with flashbacks, from 2 point of view characters - one in first person, the other in 3rd person. Sounds shit - but it wasn't. The story is set in a far-fetched future, where:
- pharmaceutical companies produce both maladies & cures, unchecked by any authority
- Secret Burgers won't divulge the secret ingredients of their popular fastfoodstuffs, & the rate of vagabonds in the city coincidentally plummets
- the police force & army are privatised & sponsored by corporations
- religions interpret the bible to suit their own purposes
Festivals for the over Forties
Deckchairs, Tupperware cheese platters, chiller bags, pot bellies, vino, sunshine, intoxication, and 10 acres of MILFS (the latter being the description of James Reyne, not myself) made up the recent Day on the Green at a Brissy semi-rural winery on the weekend. School gate mums, council employees, hairdressers & accountants all put aside their tools of trade & fruits of loins to gather hillside & rock on to their fave bands of a youth long gone. The line up consisted of Boom Crash Opera, the poetic James Reyne, Baby Animals, the Angels, & my faves, Hoodoo Gurus. Kenny the toilet man could have upped the ratio of porta-loos to patrons, but aside from that, it was a chilled arvo.
Tuesday 6 November 2012
more eye-tie pop wunnerfulness
this chick is just SO cool. such knowing sauciness combined with such grace and elegance. nope, they just don't make popsters like they used to, mores the pity. meanwhile, from a hoofers point of view - such eloquent hands!
Monday 5 November 2012
would you like fries with that?
I lifted this wholesale from some blog about Intentional Communities in Australia. thought it worth posting, in the light of the Anti-Maccas/Cittaslow thing. The Common Ground cafe at Katoomba is probably the best cafe in Australia. And I say that having visited only about half the country :p. Seriously, though, it IS fabulous. There's simply nothing like it anywhere for sheer personality and good vibes. The staff are beautiful, calm, efficient and NEVER proselytize. and it's CHEAP, and it's HEALTHY. Take that, Ronald !!!!
Intentional communities are groups of people living together united by a willingness to share and co-operate, often sharing a belief or philosophy. While in the Blue Mountains recently I happened upon a community united by their religious belief. This was the Twelve Tribes, a ‘ Massianic’ community, which has spread from the US into many countries around the world. Now there are thousands of members, living in numerous smaller local communities. I found this description of their idea of community on their website:
‘ “Community” as we use the term means those who love one another so greatly that they are of one heart and mind, holding all things as common property, living together, taking their meals together, devoted to one another because they’re devoted to the One who saved them from death and misery.’
I found a their description in the WWOOF book as they accept
volunteers, and went to drink a cup of mate in their cafe in Katoomba to
have a chat. I talked with a vibrant, happy young woman called Simcha,
which means ‘giver of joy’. This is not her original name but when she
joined the community with her mother at the age of 5, she was given a
Hebrew name, as all members are. Our conversation gave me a fascinating
insight into their lives.
The Twelve Tribes is a fairly new religion, based on ancient beliefs and culture. They believe in God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Creator of all things. They say theirs is the original religion and they worship Yahshua, or Jesus. The Twelve Tribes started having their meetings in 1975. Those who attended were Christians, deeply unhappy with the modern day practice of their religion, and they decided instead to practice in a ‘traditional and pure’ way that they believed God would have truly wanted. This soon grew into huge movement, and has now spread to Canada, Brazil, Argentina, UK, Germany and Australia with thousands of members. They believe in unity, in co-operation, in sharing, in forgiveness and caring for one another with love and compassion. Their way of life may seem quite old fashioned to us. They dress moderately and make their own clothing, they strongly believe in marriage, they often have traditional gender roles (although not as a rule), they home school their children and they live communally together.
So what is their community life like? Well, there are around 25 living in the Katoomba community right now and around 50 in their closest community on a 22 acre farm in Picton, NSW. They all live in a large house with many rooms. Families often have a room for the parents and a room for the children, and singles sometimes share in dormitories. The communal space and kitchen is shared, as are house keeping duties and cooking. They do not have a TV, and instead fill their time with more wholesome activities. Each morning they gather at 7am for a ritual of singing and dancing, sharing and reading. Simcha called the “heartbeat of our life”. The children are home schooled with a curriculum of both intellectual, creative and religious content. The teachers are members of the community, often parents.
Decision making does not seem to have any formal structure, but small-scale specific decisions are taken by those it is immediately relevant to, for e.g. the cafe team, or the household team. Larger decisions are taken by the whole group, but those who are deemed to possess higher wisdom i.e. the elders or those with more experience tend to have the final say. The others in the group put their trust in this wisdom. If any conflicts arise, they try to to deal with each scenario in a natural way as possible. They believe in solving issues, not leaving them. There are no rules as such, but general standards and a common knowledge of ‘what is right’. Talking with Simcha, I generally got a sense that this seemed to work well for them. She admitted that of course their community is not perfect, and there are often conflicts that arise, but that their deeper spiritual connection reminds them of their common purpose, and their need to seek a resolution. But I can’t help feeling a little uncomfortable with the apparent traditional patriarchal system of the hierarchy of the elders, particularly men. I feel we have moved beyond this, and this community seem to be stepping back in time.
Each community has an industry to support themselves, and this is usually a cafe. This not only supports the community financially but also acts as a meeting place for them to spread their message of God and love. This might sound a little contrived, but Common Ground cafe in Katoomba is hugely popular, and a mere 10 minutes after opening we were already being shuffled into the overflow section! Their food is delicious, wholesome and healthy and people really enjoy the warm, welcoming feel of the place. The profit made goes into paying for the upkeep of the community and the buildings, and other expenses. They are still paying mortgages on both the cafe and the residential buildings. No member earns a wage, but is expected to serve within the community, for example by working in the cafe or teaching the children. The community supports all their needs in exchange for this service. This is the most extreme case of communal living I have come across yet. The members do not receive a stipend or have their own spending money. They do not believe in idle consumerism, so if there is something they need, for example shoes or clothes, they ask the community to provide it. Simcha seemed very happy with this arrangement, and it seems as though those in charge of the finances are pretty reasonable should a member request something. This really is a step away from modern individualistic lifestyles where we all feel we need to earn our own money so we can buy our own stuff. They must truly put their full trust in the community.
I never imagined I would be so interested to write about a religious community but I really am. Even though I am not religious, in fact I have been positively anti-religion my whole life, it seems as though there is something here that many other communities have been lacking. They tick a lot of my boxes, to mention two: They have a strong community glue binding them all together which is their religious /spiritual belief, and they are self sufficient in supporting themselves with their own small industry. Not only this but they practice a simple, non-consumeristic lifestyle where love and compassion are at the forefront of everything they do. Our host Simcha positively glowed with love, and the others who greeted us were warm, pleased to stop and chat and welcoming. It is not often I have been welcomed in this way into a community.
The glue. The key to community is the glue. The stuff that binds us together! And the glue doesn’t need to be a religion, it just needs to be a common belief, a common goal which we all share. Many communities I have visited seem to be lacking this binding factor. Yes we all want to live together. Yes we want to reduce our environmental impact. Yes we want our kids to grow up with other children and with support from other families. But is this enough? When the kids get older, the families drift apart. When a dispute arises, the community splits. When house prices in the area rise, many sell up to make a tidy profit. I’ve seen all this. I’m not saying that this is the case across the board, I’m only saying it can happen. Now if a community were to set out its very specific common beliefs, what really lies at the heart of them all, they would have something to live together FOR. The people in Twelve Tribes don’t live together for the sake of living together, their living together is only a side product of their religious beliefs. In Victoria, the members of Common Ground Community Co-operative are together because they believe in working towards social change. This is their glue. A farm. A co-operative. A not-for-profit. A specific spiritual practice. An environmental issue. These can all be ways in which communities bind themselves together. This way when conflicts do arise, there is a good incentive for sorting them out! There is more at stake, more to risk. Now there is plenty of press about Twelves Tribes. There are many stories out there about the negative side of the community; they are even called a cult and accused of putting pressure on vulnerable people and attempting to brainwash potential members into joining. But I don’t want to explore these issues, nor am I ignoring them. I simply want to share what it is I found so fascinating about them.
Twelve Tribes Community, Katoomba, NSW
Intentional communities are groups of people living together united by a willingness to share and co-operate, often sharing a belief or philosophy. While in the Blue Mountains recently I happened upon a community united by their religious belief. This was the Twelve Tribes, a ‘ Massianic’ community, which has spread from the US into many countries around the world. Now there are thousands of members, living in numerous smaller local communities. I found this description of their idea of community on their website:
‘ “Community” as we use the term means those who love one another so greatly that they are of one heart and mind, holding all things as common property, living together, taking their meals together, devoted to one another because they’re devoted to the One who saved them from death and misery.’
The Twelve Tribes is a fairly new religion, based on ancient beliefs and culture. They believe in God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Creator of all things. They say theirs is the original religion and they worship Yahshua, or Jesus. The Twelve Tribes started having their meetings in 1975. Those who attended were Christians, deeply unhappy with the modern day practice of their religion, and they decided instead to practice in a ‘traditional and pure’ way that they believed God would have truly wanted. This soon grew into huge movement, and has now spread to Canada, Brazil, Argentina, UK, Germany and Australia with thousands of members. They believe in unity, in co-operation, in sharing, in forgiveness and caring for one another with love and compassion. Their way of life may seem quite old fashioned to us. They dress moderately and make their own clothing, they strongly believe in marriage, they often have traditional gender roles (although not as a rule), they home school their children and they live communally together.
So what is their community life like? Well, there are around 25 living in the Katoomba community right now and around 50 in their closest community on a 22 acre farm in Picton, NSW. They all live in a large house with many rooms. Families often have a room for the parents and a room for the children, and singles sometimes share in dormitories. The communal space and kitchen is shared, as are house keeping duties and cooking. They do not have a TV, and instead fill their time with more wholesome activities. Each morning they gather at 7am for a ritual of singing and dancing, sharing and reading. Simcha called the “heartbeat of our life”. The children are home schooled with a curriculum of both intellectual, creative and religious content. The teachers are members of the community, often parents.
Decision making does not seem to have any formal structure, but small-scale specific decisions are taken by those it is immediately relevant to, for e.g. the cafe team, or the household team. Larger decisions are taken by the whole group, but those who are deemed to possess higher wisdom i.e. the elders or those with more experience tend to have the final say. The others in the group put their trust in this wisdom. If any conflicts arise, they try to to deal with each scenario in a natural way as possible. They believe in solving issues, not leaving them. There are no rules as such, but general standards and a common knowledge of ‘what is right’. Talking with Simcha, I generally got a sense that this seemed to work well for them. She admitted that of course their community is not perfect, and there are often conflicts that arise, but that their deeper spiritual connection reminds them of their common purpose, and their need to seek a resolution. But I can’t help feeling a little uncomfortable with the apparent traditional patriarchal system of the hierarchy of the elders, particularly men. I feel we have moved beyond this, and this community seem to be stepping back in time.
Each community has an industry to support themselves, and this is usually a cafe. This not only supports the community financially but also acts as a meeting place for them to spread their message of God and love. This might sound a little contrived, but Common Ground cafe in Katoomba is hugely popular, and a mere 10 minutes after opening we were already being shuffled into the overflow section! Their food is delicious, wholesome and healthy and people really enjoy the warm, welcoming feel of the place. The profit made goes into paying for the upkeep of the community and the buildings, and other expenses. They are still paying mortgages on both the cafe and the residential buildings. No member earns a wage, but is expected to serve within the community, for example by working in the cafe or teaching the children. The community supports all their needs in exchange for this service. This is the most extreme case of communal living I have come across yet. The members do not receive a stipend or have their own spending money. They do not believe in idle consumerism, so if there is something they need, for example shoes or clothes, they ask the community to provide it. Simcha seemed very happy with this arrangement, and it seems as though those in charge of the finances are pretty reasonable should a member request something. This really is a step away from modern individualistic lifestyles where we all feel we need to earn our own money so we can buy our own stuff. They must truly put their full trust in the community.
I never imagined I would be so interested to write about a religious community but I really am. Even though I am not religious, in fact I have been positively anti-religion my whole life, it seems as though there is something here that many other communities have been lacking. They tick a lot of my boxes, to mention two: They have a strong community glue binding them all together which is their religious /spiritual belief, and they are self sufficient in supporting themselves with their own small industry. Not only this but they practice a simple, non-consumeristic lifestyle where love and compassion are at the forefront of everything they do. Our host Simcha positively glowed with love, and the others who greeted us were warm, pleased to stop and chat and welcoming. It is not often I have been welcomed in this way into a community.
The glue. The key to community is the glue. The stuff that binds us together! And the glue doesn’t need to be a religion, it just needs to be a common belief, a common goal which we all share. Many communities I have visited seem to be lacking this binding factor. Yes we all want to live together. Yes we want to reduce our environmental impact. Yes we want our kids to grow up with other children and with support from other families. But is this enough? When the kids get older, the families drift apart. When a dispute arises, the community splits. When house prices in the area rise, many sell up to make a tidy profit. I’ve seen all this. I’m not saying that this is the case across the board, I’m only saying it can happen. Now if a community were to set out its very specific common beliefs, what really lies at the heart of them all, they would have something to live together FOR. The people in Twelve Tribes don’t live together for the sake of living together, their living together is only a side product of their religious beliefs. In Victoria, the members of Common Ground Community Co-operative are together because they believe in working towards social change. This is their glue. A farm. A co-operative. A not-for-profit. A specific spiritual practice. An environmental issue. These can all be ways in which communities bind themselves together. This way when conflicts do arise, there is a good incentive for sorting them out! There is more at stake, more to risk. Now there is plenty of press about Twelves Tribes. There are many stories out there about the negative side of the community; they are even called a cult and accused of putting pressure on vulnerable people and attempting to brainwash potential members into joining. But I don’t want to explore these issues, nor am I ignoring them. I simply want to share what it is I found so fascinating about them.
Sunday 4 November 2012
...We dont usually post piccys of ourselves on here, but this made it to our local paper and I couldnt resist. There weere many many more of us there, all singing a song by a local songwriter Brian Baker. Speshly love my husbands sarspadiddly expression & my son blocking his ears....the little girl playing harp is just divine. No Maccas, No! Will post the video of everyone once its done
Whats with our back ground at the mo?
Symbolic of our nation's dentention centres/ concentration camps' renaissance?
Thursday 1 November 2012
Murrundindi - Welcome to Country Smoking Ceremony Tecoma 2012
Very excited this week to have been able to invite the Ngurungaeta of the Wurundheri Nation to join us in our Maccas struggle. Here's footage of his Welcome to Country on Sunday. If you look closely you'll notice our local wizard hanging out in the backgroud :D
Wednesday 31 October 2012
Sunday 21 October 2012
Reclaiming Tecoma
Getting a bit grumpy, we are, now. We're doing one of theose 'Occupy' style demos. We built a community garden on the Maccas site. You may be pleased to know , Darthy, that are group of us (including moi) are chasing Cittaslow accreditation. This vid gets me teary. We dont think we'll win anymore, but we're going down swinging...
Thursday 18 October 2012
Friday 12 October 2012
awww .... cute!
just struck me that kid#2 has a pool party to attend tomorrow. how funny to think I was angsting over post-winter lack of sunscreen and ill-fitting rashies :p
taken this morning, up the road. spring happiness!
kids don't know it yet, but they're going to be whisked directly from the warm cosy bosom of school to this, at about 3pm. trubs is road closed about 15 minutes up from us - all the way out to the flatlands on the other side. not sure how we'll deal with that - snowshoes? a team of huskies? bobsled? anyway, it's literally teeming snow - and has been since 8am. I fucking love it :DDD
Thursday 11 October 2012
Wednesday 10 October 2012
Gillard labels Abbott a misogynist
Never been keen on blue blazers. Think I might buy meself one now...
Monday 1 October 2012
Friday 28 September 2012
Thursday 27 September 2012
Tuesday 25 September 2012
Royal Melbourne Show 2012
Parental highlights: Tastes of Victoria pavillion had awesome stone fruit jams and teas but the roasted goat knocked my socks off, so I bought a leg to try roasting myself. Anyone here ever roasted goat?
Kid A Highlights: Rides! Showbags! Flashing Minnie Mouse bow headband! PLEASE can I have more than one showbag...why not? Can I spend my own money on another ride? Yay! Bungee jumping..slides....beanie kids...inarticulate but constant babble...
Kid B highlights: Asked for and got the Batman showbag,which had a Batman cossie in it. Kid B put it on and channelled Batman for the entire show with a solemn and passionate focus cute and funny. Fell asleep n the car with his mask on. Woke up and howled when I slid his mask off. So I held it over his eyes for 10 seconds and he fell asleep again. (Betty, you may recall giving me a bag of dressups last year- Kid B lives in the pair of Spiderman pants and hat from that bag much of the time- should post a photo!)
We have a photo of Kid A with an ENORMOUS cheapo ball she coveted and her flashing headband, and kid B as Batman with his $2 light sabre which really sums up the whole horrorshow, will download if I can because it just screams 'showtime!'.
Friday 14 September 2012
and a third thing - which will, in the upside downy ways of bloggery, appear first
I feel a lack of hornbag hereabouts. Remind me to post a few slobbery pics next week. Yes yes ... school hols notwithstanding in my personal space.
going grey
just thought the world should know I've gorn cold turkey on the hair dye. you can call me silver foxy in about another 4.5 haircuts :p
Sunday 9 September 2012
Puberty Blues
Nah, yeah, its grouse. They pash off & stuff? And Debbie and Bruce, they were going round together, but she was a dud root, so Bruce told Straccy to tell Vicky to tell Sue to tell Debbie that she was dumped? And Gary is a good surfer and that, but Vicky pashed off another guy and they had a root and then Gary got stoned and sprung em rooting and he was gutted.
Catch up episodes on the ten websites, laydeez. http://ten.com.au/video-player.htm?movideo_p=48039
This show is very funny and twists the knife.
Fabulous 70s reminders from the show:
- ham steaks topped with a ring of tinned pineapple ( I feel sick thinking about it)
- drink driving was funny & no one was concerned about the danger (which was of course still present)
- People sat in the sun till they burnt, in the quest for a tan. Then they peeled the skin off and did it again.
- 'cover your heads girls' dad says to the girls during a sleepover. Then he saturates the air with aerosol insecticide.
- Chiko rolls (I feel sick thinking about it)
- Storm Boy at the Drive In!
- smoking was sooo cool (comeon mamas with older kids, tell me thats changed..)
- being pashed off!
Not so fabulous 70s reminders:
- Misogyny EVERYWHERE
- kids being date raped and gang raped and other kids looking on with no understanding of what was happening (please tell me thats changed..)
- bullying cultures in schools being par for the course (please tell me....)
Watch this if you can my friends. This really is AWESOME and reminds me how important the original book is re Oz culture.
And BTW!
our long time missing Jonesy's written some fab reviews of the episodes so far on his website 'Change the Channel.' He's at
http://ctchannel.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/review-puberty-blues-episode-4/
Catch up episodes on the ten websites, laydeez. http://ten.com.au/video-player.htm?movideo_p=48039
This show is very funny and twists the knife.
Fabulous 70s reminders from the show:
- ham steaks topped with a ring of tinned pineapple ( I feel sick thinking about it)
- drink driving was funny & no one was concerned about the danger (which was of course still present)
- People sat in the sun till they burnt, in the quest for a tan. Then they peeled the skin off and did it again.
- 'cover your heads girls' dad says to the girls during a sleepover. Then he saturates the air with aerosol insecticide.
- Chiko rolls (I feel sick thinking about it)
- Storm Boy at the Drive In!
- smoking was sooo cool (comeon mamas with older kids, tell me thats changed..)
- being pashed off!
Not so fabulous 70s reminders:
- Misogyny EVERYWHERE
- kids being date raped and gang raped and other kids looking on with no understanding of what was happening (please tell me thats changed..)
- bullying cultures in schools being par for the course (please tell me....)
Watch this if you can my friends. This really is AWESOME and reminds me how important the original book is re Oz culture.
And BTW!
our long time missing Jonesy's written some fab reviews of the episodes so far on his website 'Change the Channel.' He's at
http://ctchannel.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/review-puberty-blues-episode-4/
Friday 7 September 2012
in the same vein, but more
owing to kid #2's current fascination with the Charleston, I've been trawling through endless toobs. I like this one. give a good look at those crazy kids what invented modernity :D
Wednesday 5 September 2012
Seriously, what are we gonna do?
You lot horrified by whats happening to our newspapers? Speshlly our political commentary? Any idea who's left the Fairfax papers? I dont know if there's anyone left whose columns I want to read. Shaun Carney, David Marr, Misha Shubert, Adele Horin, Simon Mann, Julie Szego...these names may mean nothing or everything to you. They're some of my favourite reading. As the fabulous John Birmingham (blogger, Brisbane Times writer, author of 'He Died with a Felafel in his Hand' and one of my fave writers via Fairfax websites) put it:
"Elvis has left the building. And BB King. And Mick 'n' Keef. And Frank and Dean and Sid Vicious and Kurt Cobain and Dirk Diggler and Kermit the Frog, and Buffy and Faith and Ripley for good measure. That's what it feels like when the talent leaves the building. That's what Fairfax felt like last Friday when hundreds of years of experience walked out the door for the last time."
(His whole article re this stuff is great. He goes on to rant about the benefits of amateur blogging, ahem.It's at the link below)
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/blogs/blunt-instrument/the-fifth-estate-comes-forth-20120903-25ac3.html#ixzz25XhjMCjo
One of the only things that makes our stupid, mental politics palatable is flicking onto a column filled with the measured reasoning of Shaun Carney or the fabulous prose of David Marr. Glad Katherine Murphy's still around. Peter Hartcher is NO substitute for Sean Carney as political editor. Tony Wright is good, but not amazing. Michelle Grattan survived, hehehe. Praise be, a number of the columnists on the ABC website are still there and still worth reading (heres looking at you, Annabel Crab, Mungo McCallum, Barrie Cassidy..). They're there...for now. But I am afraid. For years I've lived with the sense that there are a pile of people in Canberra called pollies making decisions about the country, and that there are genuinely some journos who listen as best they can and WANT to tell us what they find and what they think of it. And they've ALL GONE AT ONCE.
I trusted them, goddammit. I dont want my political commentary flavoured by tabloid crap. I want to read bloody good minds unpacking complex ideas and occasionally having a giggle at the antics of the pollies who cooked the ideas up.
sooooo.....I've tried Crikey but I'm struggling with their format. Anyone come across other alternative news sources?
Ahoy!
...just resigned from one of me three jobs.
I'll miss the dosh but looking forward to the peace of mind....
How goes it luvvies?
Looks like I have some reading back to do..
I'll miss the dosh but looking forward to the peace of mind....
How goes it luvvies?
Looks like I have some reading back to do..
Friday 31 August 2012
much as I loathe Gervais, I do love Pilkington.
bits from season two. who doesn't love this show - silly and stagey as it sometimes can be, Karl lifts it out of the ordinnaire :D
Tuesday 21 August 2012
location shot
this is where we were on sunday, though clearly I didn't take this pic! on that, it's a bit of a stretch to call this "severe weather", when it's quite usual in winter. oddballs, these stormchasers :panyhoo, whilst wandering about in the snowy pines, kid#1 and I launched into a hokey rendition of the old bluegrass standard, "in the pines", at the top of available lungs. funness :D
Monday 20 August 2012
yesterday afternoon
Friday 17 August 2012
STRONG Argument in Favour of Beards...
Ned Kelly with beard...such an outlaw..sigh...
Ned Kelly without beard. Creepy dude, could have got work on horror films with Peter Lorre
Thursday 16 August 2012
at age 18
early 20s
a bit older
blurry but bewdiful
all kinged up and trucking a leatherman mo.
doing blue steel
historical hornbags, revisited.
was chinwagging with the ladypeeps the other day, and we had a bit of a brainstorm on the topic of yesteryear spunks. came up with a number of contenders. not easy, neither, as any tally is going to be limited by lack of photographic evidence. one is forced to consider just the last 100 years or thereabouts. anyway, to cut what was a 1.5hr brainstorm down to it's pointy end, the 'winner' was universally agreed upon. he meets all the yewshall criteria (he was indeed, a VERY handsome man), plus gained bonus points for mystery, violent death at a young age (relatively speaking), deification, and high order posturing in OTT uniforms. no brainer who it is, but will forthwith blog a truckload of pics anyway :D
Friday 10 August 2012
the sky is falling
as per yewshall I'm down to my last bit of week and squeezing in a bit of bloggery. no newsy news up our end - working lots and watching australians participate in some sports thingy (apparently other countries are involved but we haven't seen any). red letter day today, though - as follows:
snowed ten minutes up the road last night. melted now, a'course, but fact remains. 20 minutes further up, it's blanket coverage. I gather similar conditions are blessing the entire east coast at the minute. mexican relations tell me it's blizzardy and nippier than a nun's undies, and report from pals on the piste is non-stop powder falling - horizontally!
anyway, kids'll be met this afternoon with parkas/beanies/gloves for some after school snowbloke buildage and general carousing in the white stuff. we should get an hour or so in before we lose the light. home to a glass of rouge ordinnaire and a toasty fire .... ahhhh, bliss!
catch yooz next week. hopefully with all ten toes intact. -2 mornings here, and top temp in the hills of 5. balmy :)
snowed ten minutes up the road last night. melted now, a'course, but fact remains. 20 minutes further up, it's blanket coverage. I gather similar conditions are blessing the entire east coast at the minute. mexican relations tell me it's blizzardy and nippier than a nun's undies, and report from pals on the piste is non-stop powder falling - horizontally!
anyway, kids'll be met this afternoon with parkas/beanies/gloves for some after school snowbloke buildage and general carousing in the white stuff. we should get an hour or so in before we lose the light. home to a glass of rouge ordinnaire and a toasty fire .... ahhhh, bliss!
catch yooz next week. hopefully with all ten toes intact. -2 mornings here, and top temp in the hills of 5. balmy :)
Thursday 2 August 2012
Hi Hampastie!!!!!
...oi laydeez,
was contacted by an old foruming pal today, from way way back on Unofficial (pre our ten forward thread- once upon a time that site was rocking). She was wondering where the Unofficial site had got to. I'vetold her the spammy story and subsequent bellyup and pointed her in our direction here & I'm trying to coax her to post....hello Hammie...phone home, phone home.....
was contacted by an old foruming pal today, from way way back on Unofficial (pre our ten forward thread- once upon a time that site was rocking). She was wondering where the Unofficial site had got to. I'vetold her the spammy story and subsequent bellyup and pointed her in our direction here & I'm trying to coax her to post....hello Hammie...phone home, phone home.....
holas
felicities and such
bettsy boopsy, sent you an email last week but just found it had bounced so you may not have recieved. pertaining to our epic fail (as the kiddies might say) weekend of no socials.
wilms, travels north and husbot related crankiness? september, yessiree! october we may be down your way after all, toooooooooo :D
back snortly. like wilmsworth, I'd rather be blogging :/
bettsy boopsy, sent you an email last week but just found it had bounced so you may not have recieved. pertaining to our epic fail (as the kiddies might say) weekend of no socials.
wilms, travels north and husbot related crankiness? september, yessiree! october we may be down your way after all, toooooooooo :D
back snortly. like wilmsworth, I'd rather be blogging :/
Monday 30 July 2012
Kakadu Sprinkler Kids
...lot of fun, the running through the sprinkler bizzo. Not much of it happening in Melbourne these days....
Visiting Kakadu & Darwin
...or, as my 2 year old says, Visiting Cockadoodle and Darling...
Hey, it's true what they say, it's really hot up there! They call it their cold season. Mental note: do NOT visit over summer, it may kill you. As it was I loved it. Loved it loved it loved it. Felt amazing. Want to do it or something similar every year. Healthy thing, to get out of our damp damp winters.
The added attraction with Darwin for us was fabulous family members I haven't had the chance to catch up with for some time, so we did lots of dinners and markets with our awesome kin, who also put us up in their apartment, kidlets and all.
Strange thing, a city with hardly any historical buildings- as we all know, historically they were all either bombed to smithereens in ww2 or blown away in 74. I can't honestly say that the architecture is in general much chop (their parliament house is cool tho). But they have a dem fine waterfront, with a humongous wave pool. If it was Melbourne, a 33 degree day would see an outdoor inner city wave pool crowded out, but the crowds were pleasant rather than over the top. It's a little town, really, and 33 degrees is just another July day, nothing to go for a swim about...They also have a gorgeous sunset market at Mindil with heaps of performers, food, etc etc.
On to Kakadu: we stayed at a place called Cooinda, which is in the middle of the park. Awesome lagoon pool, with a waterfall, which is just as well, since all of the real rock pools and waterfalls are croc prone (and were too far to get to with small kids anyway). We learnt quickly to take ki sightseeing early morning or early evening and spend the hot middle of the day sleeping or at the pool&cafe/bar...
Stand out experiences: driving through the park late at night, past bush fires burning merrily next to the road ( lit deliberately by the indigenous owners & park rangers). Territorians shrug & are confident their patchwork burn off policies have been working since before the word policy was introduced , courtesy of the local aboriginal tribes. Us Mexicans have a different modern relationship to fire in national parks. It creeped me out.
Yellow Waters Billabong is a World Heritage listed wetland. Husby said "I feel as if someone's crept in just before we got here and strategically placed truckloads of animals around our tour, because it feels impossible to believe that there's really this many animals wandering around freely anywhere, let alone in front of us".
Wot else? Rock paintings, lookout points, buffalo, crocs, spending an entire 7 days in the company of my family without us killing each other....And the kids got to run through a sprinkler. What with ten years of drought and water restrictions I don't think ever of my kids has ever seen a water sprinkler before let alone got to run through one. If I can download my photos I'll do just that.
Hey, it's true what they say, it's really hot up there! They call it their cold season. Mental note: do NOT visit over summer, it may kill you. As it was I loved it. Loved it loved it loved it. Felt amazing. Want to do it or something similar every year. Healthy thing, to get out of our damp damp winters.
The added attraction with Darwin for us was fabulous family members I haven't had the chance to catch up with for some time, so we did lots of dinners and markets with our awesome kin, who also put us up in their apartment, kidlets and all.
Strange thing, a city with hardly any historical buildings- as we all know, historically they were all either bombed to smithereens in ww2 or blown away in 74. I can't honestly say that the architecture is in general much chop (their parliament house is cool tho). But they have a dem fine waterfront, with a humongous wave pool. If it was Melbourne, a 33 degree day would see an outdoor inner city wave pool crowded out, but the crowds were pleasant rather than over the top. It's a little town, really, and 33 degrees is just another July day, nothing to go for a swim about...They also have a gorgeous sunset market at Mindil with heaps of performers, food, etc etc.
On to Kakadu: we stayed at a place called Cooinda, which is in the middle of the park. Awesome lagoon pool, with a waterfall, which is just as well, since all of the real rock pools and waterfalls are croc prone (and were too far to get to with small kids anyway). We learnt quickly to take ki sightseeing early morning or early evening and spend the hot middle of the day sleeping or at the pool&cafe/bar...
Stand out experiences: driving through the park late at night, past bush fires burning merrily next to the road ( lit deliberately by the indigenous owners & park rangers). Territorians shrug & are confident their patchwork burn off policies have been working since before the word policy was introduced , courtesy of the local aboriginal tribes. Us Mexicans have a different modern relationship to fire in national parks. It creeped me out.
Yellow Waters Billabong is a World Heritage listed wetland. Husby said "I feel as if someone's crept in just before we got here and strategically placed truckloads of animals around our tour, because it feels impossible to believe that there's really this many animals wandering around freely anywhere, let alone in front of us".
Wot else? Rock paintings, lookout points, buffalo, crocs, spending an entire 7 days in the company of my family without us killing each other....And the kids got to run through a sprinkler. What with ten years of drought and water restrictions I don't think ever of my kids has ever seen a water sprinkler before let alone got to run through one. If I can download my photos I'll do just that.
Book/s review: Hearts of Gold (Catrin Collier)
Blimey Mavis, I got all caught up in historical fiction during moi holidays. There's a looong series of these books, all set in Wales pre and during WW2, in a town called Pontypridd (which is also in real life the birthplace of Tom Jones, but he has nothing to do with these novels). Anyways, they're better than average historical fiction and they're only a few bucks each via Kindle. Well written soap opera with evocative historical accuracy. I've had fun..You might too....7/10
Grumble.
"Youre not yourself at the moment", says husbot. " Youre grumpy. Complaining about your weight, for crissakes. Talking about going to a gym & dieting, what the hell. glued to the iPad. Not doing any of the things you normally do. That job of yours has you in highs and lows all of the time.."
Now, it might be, just might be,that the aforesaid grumpiness could be attributed to husbots continued inability to see dirty dishes without having them pointed out (and then I'm nagging). But he still has a point. I haven't been doing the things I normally do (like blogging). I do want to join a gym. And it's easy to be grumpy with your job when you've had a week hanging out with gorgeous northern cuzzies, swimming in a tropical lagoon and touring world heritage wetlands. Jobs don't usually match up to that kind of bizzo. But I still prefer myself chatting on here to ranting at my family about work in between breaking dirty dishes and throwing them in the bin before my hoarder of a husband can find them and try to glue them back together. And them leaving them for me to wash again.
So...
You two still around? How's work Betty? How's your veggie patch darth? Still up for September? :p
Friday 20 July 2012
felicities and such
one week late, but never mind the bollocks. so anyway, teachers had a rest day on monday, so short week - in which a hausfrau naturally endeavours to cram as much of the 'can't do during school hols' stuff as poss. leaving me here, at friday, finally with about 58 minutes free time before I retrieve the spawnies and plunge into materdom for the weekend.
I see some of you have been croc hunting and sipping mai tais in the damp tropics, others have been train spotting and not reading books with hausfrau friendly hunks in 'em. all good - hope to hear more in due course. I've been nowhere and haven't caught a train in months, but busy as blazes nevertheless. kid#2 has her selective year 5/6 entry exam thingo next week so much practising on clock watchery and guessing. kid#1 missed out on selective high by 2 points out of a possible 300. he was actually cranky - which is impressive. he's loathe to muster any sort of emotion as regards academics usually. anyhoo, he gets another bite of the cherry given his high-ish ranking so he may end up at Big Bang Theory High after all. blah blah.
So now I'm waiting for Betty to text me about a coffee and chinwag :p
I see some of you have been croc hunting and sipping mai tais in the damp tropics, others have been train spotting and not reading books with hausfrau friendly hunks in 'em. all good - hope to hear more in due course. I've been nowhere and haven't caught a train in months, but busy as blazes nevertheless. kid#2 has her selective year 5/6 entry exam thingo next week so much practising on clock watchery and guessing. kid#1 missed out on selective high by 2 points out of a possible 300. he was actually cranky - which is impressive. he's loathe to muster any sort of emotion as regards academics usually. anyhoo, he gets another bite of the cherry given his high-ish ranking so he may end up at Big Bang Theory High after all. blah blah.
So now I'm waiting for Betty to text me about a coffee and chinwag :p
Tuesday 17 July 2012
Hello Gorgeous Bloggers
....been in Kakadu
Stay tuned for a rant. Just got back, got back to work, hit the ground running. Give me a mo to catch me breaf .......
Stay tuned for a rant. Just got back, got back to work, hit the ground running. Give me a mo to catch me breaf .......
Friday 29 June 2012
liberty lost
last week of term - for the welshfolk. naturally, teachers struck for entire day wednesday, kyboshing any last minute loafing planned by maters.
upshot - I'll be around even lesserer than I have been lately. which is not bluddy much at all :(
will check the gmails every other day, though :)
cheers, and stay warm!
upshot - I'll be around even lesserer than I have been lately. which is not bluddy much at all :(
will check the gmails every other day, though :)
cheers, and stay warm!
Thursday 21 June 2012
Wednesday 20 June 2012
speaking of the season
realised I've yet to post my yearly homage to the glorious W.
This year we had a slow start to the proper weather, with autumn feeling a little bit like an extended summer (bler). even the trees were confused, and had to rush through their routine at the 11th hour - it was all green leaves up until the closing weeks, then quick flashes of scarlet and amber (bewdiful), then a week or two of swooshing through the leaves (the kids still love to get out amongst the freshly raked piles - god bless 'em), then bare branches. We're now well into frost season here (yay bananas with sugar on top!), and mornings are crystalline and sharp enough to make you feel like a 20 year old after 12 hours sleep and a strong coffee :D. We're bounding out of bed (what choice is there anyway - with unheated bedrooms) and meeting every day with ear to ear grins here. I'm spending most of the day outdoors now, too, pottering in the garden, working on my newest toy (!!), bracing walks with friends, etc. So loverly after the summer hibernation - freedom!!
Now I'll repeat myself and say that yet again, I'm surprised by how much less cold this version of cold actually feels. Which is a good thing and a bad thing, in equal measures. On one hand it means we no longer bother heating the house apart from an hour in the mornings, and the fire for a couple of hours of an evening. This is a HUGE saving, environmentally and pocketmentally. On the other hand, it's hard to feel properly cold now unless we swan about outside in a t-shirt at 7am. Either way, GOD BLESS WINTER !
XOX
This year we had a slow start to the proper weather, with autumn feeling a little bit like an extended summer (bler). even the trees were confused, and had to rush through their routine at the 11th hour - it was all green leaves up until the closing weeks, then quick flashes of scarlet and amber (bewdiful), then a week or two of swooshing through the leaves (the kids still love to get out amongst the freshly raked piles - god bless 'em), then bare branches. We're now well into frost season here (yay bananas with sugar on top!), and mornings are crystalline and sharp enough to make you feel like a 20 year old after 12 hours sleep and a strong coffee :D. We're bounding out of bed (what choice is there anyway - with unheated bedrooms) and meeting every day with ear to ear grins here. I'm spending most of the day outdoors now, too, pottering in the garden, working on my newest toy (!!), bracing walks with friends, etc. So loverly after the summer hibernation - freedom!!
Now I'll repeat myself and say that yet again, I'm surprised by how much less cold this version of cold actually feels. Which is a good thing and a bad thing, in equal measures. On one hand it means we no longer bother heating the house apart from an hour in the mornings, and the fire for a couple of hours of an evening. This is a HUGE saving, environmentally and pocketmentally. On the other hand, it's hard to feel properly cold now unless we swan about outside in a t-shirt at 7am. Either way, GOD BLESS WINTER !
XOX
Tuesday 19 June 2012
Earthquake!
5.2 on the richter scale, the news tells me! Scary! It seemed to go on and on...got the kids out of bed,NAND braced ourselves in the doorway as the house rattled....I still have adrenalin rushing through me...gawk, aftershocks now, that right?
Monday 18 June 2012
Tom Waits & Rickie Lee Jones *Rainbow Sleeves*
All this Karise excitement got me thinking about the greatest careless jazz girl of them all. xxxx Love love love Ricki Lee Jonesxxx
Wednesday 13 June 2012
Tuesday 12 June 2012
Thursday 7 June 2012
The Voice: Not as much a recap as a rant into the void
Monday nights husband works late, kids sleep early....so, I sit on Facebook on Monday nights and chatter with a pack of folk in real time as the singing unfolds.
For those of us who are ancient reality television talent show forum tragics (ahem), there is no Voice forum. Only an admonishment to join their Twitter feed. And a link to their Facebook page ....the official Facebook page is literally impossible to get a word in on. I'm obviously way past it, because Twitter holds no promise for me, particularly when I'm looking for a real time online chatter. Twitter is like...throwing opinions up into the air, and seeing where they land.
So, Pop's unofficial Facebook Voice page...may or may not be full of old forumites. I can't tell, because everyone uses their Facebook name, and rather than log on after the show ends and rant, we chatter during the show whilst we're all sitting in front of the tvs with our iPads. Gone are the days when I had to wait until after the show, and then actually walk to the computer...it's a good performance that stops the iPad chatter. All the posting happened after Diana and Darren sang this week. On the other hand, people scrawled their rage all the way through Lakyns 'Friday I'm in Love'.
I miss the diversity of the old forum form. I miss the genuine Lakyn fans, the ones who are actually voting for a boy with arguable fashion sense and unarguable pitch issues, who would doubtlessly write in to tell us that he's beautiful and he makes them want to cry. I miss the nuttiness that would have arisen after Keith Urban stood up in his satellite feed and we all got to check out his Calvin undies.
There's only one major point of...division, rather than dissension, on Pops page: Team Darren or Team Karise? And plenty of agreement: isn't Diana awesomely amazing? And Sarah and Ben? And why does Joel Madden think Australians are desperate for their own home grown Beyonce in the form of Prinnie Stevens? She's great and all, but ya know....bring back Mahalia Barnes.
Pops being Pops, she does attract an entertaining bunch of Facebook posters,including an Oz Idol finalist. And she has a warm and generous attitude towards anyone game to get up and sing on Telly. So all in all, it's happy posting on a Monday night.....
For those of us who are ancient reality television talent show forum tragics (ahem), there is no Voice forum. Only an admonishment to join their Twitter feed. And a link to their Facebook page ....the official Facebook page is literally impossible to get a word in on. I'm obviously way past it, because Twitter holds no promise for me, particularly when I'm looking for a real time online chatter. Twitter is like...throwing opinions up into the air, and seeing where they land.
So, Pop's unofficial Facebook Voice page...may or may not be full of old forumites. I can't tell, because everyone uses their Facebook name, and rather than log on after the show ends and rant, we chatter during the show whilst we're all sitting in front of the tvs with our iPads. Gone are the days when I had to wait until after the show, and then actually walk to the computer...it's a good performance that stops the iPad chatter. All the posting happened after Diana and Darren sang this week. On the other hand, people scrawled their rage all the way through Lakyns 'Friday I'm in Love'.
I miss the diversity of the old forum form. I miss the genuine Lakyn fans, the ones who are actually voting for a boy with arguable fashion sense and unarguable pitch issues, who would doubtlessly write in to tell us that he's beautiful and he makes them want to cry. I miss the nuttiness that would have arisen after Keith Urban stood up in his satellite feed and we all got to check out his Calvin undies.
There's only one major point of...division, rather than dissension, on Pops page: Team Darren or Team Karise? And plenty of agreement: isn't Diana awesomely amazing? And Sarah and Ben? And why does Joel Madden think Australians are desperate for their own home grown Beyonce in the form of Prinnie Stevens? She's great and all, but ya know....bring back Mahalia Barnes.
Pops being Pops, she does attract an entertaining bunch of Facebook posters,including an Oz Idol finalist. And she has a warm and generous attitude towards anyone game to get up and sing on Telly. So all in all, it's happy posting on a Monday night.....
Tuesday 5 June 2012
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Monday 28 May 2012
robbie robertson - coyote dance
.....Had to find out about this cd for a project for work. Anyone enjoy music to drive to???beeyoutiful album...from 1994. Cant remember it at the time, so it's a new joy for moi :)
Helloooo Azerbaijan!
....on the downside:
Engelbert didn't do that well either in Europe or in the informal Australian vote
Jedward didn't win! What's wrong with this world?
Our friends cancelled at the last moment, leaving husband and I to drink our mulled wine and cheer the Eurocheese alone
Terry Wogan is a permanent thing of the past
There were a hell of a lot of ballads. And what was with all of the acts dressed in tasteful black?
On the upside:
We had a lot of mulled wine
We got to watch Engelbert Humperdinck. That dude is all class. He was almost channeling and ancient Johnny Cash (almost)
Julia Zemiro and her pal Timmy are splendid commentators, even if they ain't Wogan
The Swedish lass who won was great and we look forward to suddenly inheriting a fortune from a relative we didn't know we had so that we can go to Eurovision in Sweden next year.
I loved Germany and hubby hated him
I love Jedward. They deserve a special award for being what Eurovision is all about.
God bless the Babushkisxxx
Friday 25 May 2012
Friday 18 May 2012
Wiggly Calamity!
Mightnt mean much to those of us without toddlers, but THREE Wiggles are leaving. I feel quite upset. If they'd just waited another cuppla years, I would have been smiling wistfully and saying 'ah well, no wonder, Jeff's had heart surgery, Murray's been doing this forever, is Greg really well enough for all of that touring?' As it is, I'm just going to have to scrounge tix for my 2 1/2 year old to their last shows in Nov/Dec and say farewell to the whole era. Because I'm danged if I'm interested in going through the whole thing again with three new Wiggles, even if one of them's female.
How could they. My kid's still telling anyone who'll listen that 'Murray did hi five', eg Murray gave him a hi five at the last concert. I'll say Murray's doing a Hi Five. I just dont feel that the Wiggles are going to become as interchangeable as the Hi Five clones & I dont think any of them are going to do a lingerie spread for Ralph (although you never know...)I honestly cant see people sustaining interest in this group now. It was always about the personalities.
Tuesday 15 May 2012
On Old Dancing Dinosaurs: Moves Like Jagger (Explicit)
....Kelly Preston, Mick Jagger...whats the story with this Adam Levine and the older generation?
just for the sheer joy of an eddie uke number
good movie, but the book is beeeeeettttteeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. actually the book is one of those rare beasts that deserve to be called profound.
dancing cougars
is it moi, or does the sight of a group of 40/50 something women doing their best 'sexy dance', clunkily and after the fashion of the infrequent hoofer, to the sharp sounds ever-so-young electro bob hover somewhere betwixt darkest nightmare and high comedy?
or am I horribly cynical and judgemental? or just mental?
or am I horribly cynical and judgemental? or just mental?
Monday 14 May 2012
I think that I am going to die!
I have no idea what the hell I was thinking when I said that
I could do it, but I signed myself up for a Perth based fun run that starts in
2 weeks. It is only now that my shirt and runner id number has arrived that I
suddenly realised that I have no trained for this event.
I think that I am going to DIE!
The only bonus is that I have a few work colleagues
attempting this with me, so if I die, they are likely to die too.
While I am running this 4kms I am also raising money for the
heart foundation too. Maybe this is because I think that I might need the
assistance of a Defib should I die along the way.
Wish me luck and let’s hope that I survive.
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