Monday 21 October 2013
Sending love to the Blueysxx
Hi Darthy family. Dont expect you to have any time or inclination to read this right now but just in case I am sending you our love and good wishes. I remember evacuating in 2009(twice; once with a fire a few minutes away). I remember friends losing property. Please stay safe darling peoplexxx
Friday 20 September 2013
Helloooooooooooooooo
my fine friends
Many thanks to the lovely Daisy Chain for meeting up for dinner all those months ago
Darthy, you still need to present yourself to be proven real at some point :D
I have seriously disappeared into a vast network of fabulous and all consuming locals
We are fighting this McCorporation like people possessed and I hope you lot notice sometimes
Where to start. The assaults by police and security guards that arent being reported. Wow. It really happened.
60 special response and search and rescue turned up at 4 am in the middle of winter and removed one 20 year old girl from the roof of the old dairy. I have friends still traumatised. It was as if the army had come to town. The next day special response police were required elsewhere in Melbourne, to bust a drug ring at a bikie club and they sent 30 police. McDonalds has so much power that they were able to demand twice as many police (armed with guns and mace) for one 20 year old hippy girl and her ukelele
There are darker stories, about the 50 yo woman dragged 8 feet to the ground by security and having 3 fingers broken. She is being charged with assaulting THEM. There are other stories as well. We are following with Office of Police Integrity.
The Supreme Court has placed injunctions against potentially hundreds of locals. We are called 'group A' and 'group B'. "Group A' is anyone who trespassed within a certain timeframe. 'Group B' is anyone who hindered trucks. We are not allowed on the footpath outside the site. We are not actually sure who 'we' are since only 8 people have been summonsed. McDonalds security guards take photos of anyone protesting and tell us that they will use them. They probably will. There are dozens of families who cannot walk their kids to school along the footpath.
The Supreme Court has told us that if we 'incite' eg encourage people to protest via facebook, we may be in contempt of court and risk imprisonment or sequestration of property
One of the McDonalds private detectives stuffed up and left his nots visible on a car seat. A local saw the notes and photographed them. It was a list of names of everyone who had protested during the day, at what time and what they had done
On the up side...
The music is amazing!
The food is fantastic!
We had a ball last week and we were all brilliant
I never knew I loved my neighbours so fiercely <3
my fine friends
Many thanks to the lovely Daisy Chain for meeting up for dinner all those months ago
Darthy, you still need to present yourself to be proven real at some point :D
I have seriously disappeared into a vast network of fabulous and all consuming locals
We are fighting this McCorporation like people possessed and I hope you lot notice sometimes
Where to start. The assaults by police and security guards that arent being reported. Wow. It really happened.
60 special response and search and rescue turned up at 4 am in the middle of winter and removed one 20 year old girl from the roof of the old dairy. I have friends still traumatised. It was as if the army had come to town. The next day special response police were required elsewhere in Melbourne, to bust a drug ring at a bikie club and they sent 30 police. McDonalds has so much power that they were able to demand twice as many police (armed with guns and mace) for one 20 year old hippy girl and her ukelele
There are darker stories, about the 50 yo woman dragged 8 feet to the ground by security and having 3 fingers broken. She is being charged with assaulting THEM. There are other stories as well. We are following with Office of Police Integrity.
The Supreme Court has placed injunctions against potentially hundreds of locals. We are called 'group A' and 'group B'. "Group A' is anyone who trespassed within a certain timeframe. 'Group B' is anyone who hindered trucks. We are not allowed on the footpath outside the site. We are not actually sure who 'we' are since only 8 people have been summonsed. McDonalds security guards take photos of anyone protesting and tell us that they will use them. They probably will. There are dozens of families who cannot walk their kids to school along the footpath.
The Supreme Court has told us that if we 'incite' eg encourage people to protest via facebook, we may be in contempt of court and risk imprisonment or sequestration of property
One of the McDonalds private detectives stuffed up and left his nots visible on a car seat. A local saw the notes and photographed them. It was a list of names of everyone who had protested during the day, at what time and what they had done
On the up side...
The music is amazing!
The food is fantastic!
We had a ball last week and we were all brilliant
I never knew I loved my neighbours so fiercely <3
Monday 24 June 2013
oh, say!
this past weekend I attended a geekfest known as "Supanove Pop Culture Expo". I'm not even slightly ashamed to say I loved it beyond measure. the place was crawling with thousands upon thousands of excellent nerdbergs, around half of whom were in full cosplay mode. who needs drugs?
while the young blokes in my company were diverted by the Nintendo stand, I did the fangirl thing and went to stare at modestly famous actors - who were lined up like cattle signing autographs for $30 a pop. which is utterly fucked, but anyway, I pretended to have a 'token' and stood in line for a closer scrutinisation of Alan Tudyk. you've all heard of him haven't you? no? Firefly, dears. goofy pilot of the Serenity. well he's a ginger isn't he, so I had to an inspection. he was orright, as it happens. not a bad looking bloke. hi Alan - I was the one who wasn't morbidly obese. middle aged chick in work boots? remember? you forgot to ask me for my cell phone number, you lovely ginger doofus.
some other famous peeps. a couple from torchwood, which is noice. love a welshy. carrie fisher was there, apparently, but the young blokes didn't want to look at the nanna. fantastic day out amongst the peculiar. loved every second of it :D
while the young blokes in my company were diverted by the Nintendo stand, I did the fangirl thing and went to stare at modestly famous actors - who were lined up like cattle signing autographs for $30 a pop. which is utterly fucked, but anyway, I pretended to have a 'token' and stood in line for a closer scrutinisation of Alan Tudyk. you've all heard of him haven't you? no? Firefly, dears. goofy pilot of the Serenity. well he's a ginger isn't he, so I had to an inspection. he was orright, as it happens. not a bad looking bloke. hi Alan - I was the one who wasn't morbidly obese. middle aged chick in work boots? remember? you forgot to ask me for my cell phone number, you lovely ginger doofus.
some other famous peeps. a couple from torchwood, which is noice. love a welshy. carrie fisher was there, apparently, but the young blokes didn't want to look at the nanna. fantastic day out amongst the peculiar. loved every second of it :D
Some of these bricks explode
which reminds me ....
smoke stack reports an inability to attend for reasons beyond his control. he remains daft and funny.
smoke stack reports an inability to attend for reasons beyond his control. he remains daft and funny.
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Ah I see, Si (with a c)!
 |
| Cover of Chrissy Amphlett |
Ahhh hombre, all is not going as well as we planned, said Miguel, he's inflection rising at the end of the sentence.
Casa di mi Padre is the greatest film never made replied Pedro cryptically, as his stead Pinto's head rose and fell in time with the duos gentle pace across the plains.
Pinto and Punto had carried them near and far since the days when Lady Gaga was seen gallivanting across the Himalayan high plains. Those are nothing compared to the Monaro High Plains of which that southern breed, the Australian, is so proud.
A Monaro 327 pillarless GTS roared passed as the driver slipped the marque into top gear, the wind catching Pedro and Miguel's bandanas, ruffling the peacock feather that Miguel had stuck in the band of his genuine imported rabbit fur Akubra as soon as they had landed onto the terra firma of their homeland, Terror Australis.
Ah Pedro, the roar of the bull at night as he dreams of his lovely bride. Just like the man who dreams of Danni, Kylie's sister.
 |
| Lady Gaga: Queen of Pop (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Yes, Miguel, the call of the wild. We learnt so much on our journey through South East Asia, and while everyone was splurging out on the latest 3D plasma TV and Surround Sound Bluetooth sound system we have been learning the ancient wisdom of the Far East to our North.
The world is a paradox, hey Pedro? It makes me laugh, he said laughing as Punto missed a step as Miguel rolled to the right still holding on tightly to the reins.
Yes, Miguel, the world is not as it seems.
They approached a large billboard on the side of the road of Danni with a large protruding belly.
Looks like someone's put a bun in her oven, said Pedro
Si, si, said Miguel, a tear rolling down his cheek. Perhaps Senor we have spent too long searching, always searching for the navel to gaze at...
You are right, old friend, our path has been arduous and long, much longer than I'd thought or hoped for. Who'd have suspected that we'd have a lady Prime minister in this fair country who is no lady at all. If only Kylie had been given a chance, or better still Chrissy Amphlett.
Que?
You know, the singer from way back when, when bands actually sang songs that you could hear the words to, because your hearing aid's batteries were not yet flat. You know, before Midnight Oil.
Ah si senor. I tink that that was what do you say a watership.
Yes, a watershed Miguel, a watershed, and now the Prime minister has had an abortion and I doubt that our path will ever end.
The two rode on along the plains through the wild flowers that spangled each side of the path they rode. Along side rocks were strewn carefully as if placed there by some great God intent on making the front page of Home Beautiful. Pinto and Punto were well worn by now, and our two heroes had put on some weight around the midriff, but still our faithful donkeys carried our loyal friends onwards towards their destiny...
Thursday 6 June 2013
a little from column a, and a little from column b
a half-arsed catch up. you with moi, since you lot don't seem to post anymore.
finished the half year course - well, end of next week, but this week is a quiet one. let's just say I won't be doing that again in a hurry. student life is grand, in many respects. delightfully self indulgent and such. campus life is novel for a week or three, too. then the backpack starts getting heavier, packed lunches start to taste a bit samey, the dirty dishes from brekkie are still there at 8pm, and mixing with 28 year old academics from well heeled families (hence the failure to earn their keep at age 28) gets old rool quick.
on the hacienda frontage, all the winter veg went in, amazingly. thriving too, this year. haven't had to buy spinach, brussels sprouts, parsnips, carrots, lettuce, beetroot, leeks, nor herbs yet this season. yee haw! even my basil is still going, now that I've found a super sheltered north facing possy under a frost shielding shrub. kids are still growing, for some reason, and the elder of the two has been experimenting with lip and scoffing, now that he's in HS. the smaller one is still delightfully free from such experimentation for the foreseeable future (the next week or so). both have recently taken up fencing (the 'en guarde!' type, not the other kind involving posts and rails), which is a slightly arresting past-time. still, it's nice to have kids who are able to vanquish an intruder with a sabre, should the need arise. and they do get to dress up like storm troopers every saturday for 2 hours. that's apparently a good percentage of the appeal.
we're about thiiiiiiiiiiis much closer to run away and joining a commune, since you ask. the rosey vista beckons eternally. Tasmania keeps looking betterer and betterer. the only obstacle at this point being the storm troopers, who go a bit berzerker when the prospect is discussed out loud. kids really REALLY hate the idea of poor old Taswegia, for some reason. seems universal, too, as comrades with similarly aged kids seem to get the same response. if you say "we're all going to live in Melbania, on a semi-urbany communey thingy but not quite in town!", it's "do we have to?". if same is said about Tassie it's "OH MY GOD .................NOOOOOOOOOO!" and is accompanied by full body flails and other theatrics. it must seem like some sort of pergatorial banishment :/
drat, time to go. back with more tomorrow. because I can :p
finished the half year course - well, end of next week, but this week is a quiet one. let's just say I won't be doing that again in a hurry. student life is grand, in many respects. delightfully self indulgent and such. campus life is novel for a week or three, too. then the backpack starts getting heavier, packed lunches start to taste a bit samey, the dirty dishes from brekkie are still there at 8pm, and mixing with 28 year old academics from well heeled families (hence the failure to earn their keep at age 28) gets old rool quick.
on the hacienda frontage, all the winter veg went in, amazingly. thriving too, this year. haven't had to buy spinach, brussels sprouts, parsnips, carrots, lettuce, beetroot, leeks, nor herbs yet this season. yee haw! even my basil is still going, now that I've found a super sheltered north facing possy under a frost shielding shrub. kids are still growing, for some reason, and the elder of the two has been experimenting with lip and scoffing, now that he's in HS. the smaller one is still delightfully free from such experimentation for the foreseeable future (the next week or so). both have recently taken up fencing (the 'en guarde!' type, not the other kind involving posts and rails), which is a slightly arresting past-time. still, it's nice to have kids who are able to vanquish an intruder with a sabre, should the need arise. and they do get to dress up like storm troopers every saturday for 2 hours. that's apparently a good percentage of the appeal.
we're about thiiiiiiiiiiis much closer to run away and joining a commune, since you ask. the rosey vista beckons eternally. Tasmania keeps looking betterer and betterer. the only obstacle at this point being the storm troopers, who go a bit berzerker when the prospect is discussed out loud. kids really REALLY hate the idea of poor old Taswegia, for some reason. seems universal, too, as comrades with similarly aged kids seem to get the same response. if you say "we're all going to live in Melbania, on a semi-urbany communey thingy but not quite in town!", it's "do we have to?". if same is said about Tassie it's "OH MY GOD .................NOOOOOOOOOO!" and is accompanied by full body flails and other theatrics. it must seem like some sort of pergatorial banishment :/
drat, time to go. back with more tomorrow. because I can :p
wtf
just when I start to get some free time after half a year of sloggery, yooz have all buggered off.
ha-bloody-rumph
again
ha-bloody-rumph
again
bliss
Kid #1 is currently on a Woodstock jurney, and has been reading books about the politics etc behind the event, and listening up on some of the lesser known artists. This has seen us trawling the tube, and in amongst it all I found this. Had never seen this footage before, as it didn't make it to the WS film. My long time personal favourite of the 'unknowns', Bert Sommers. Not exactly unknown NOW, but he certainly was then. I've always loved this song, and his version of S&G's "America". The voice of seven angels, disappeared into obscurity right after WS, then died young. Naturally.God would never let someone this beautiful and this talented live long. It wouldn't be fair.
Put it on loud, and put it on repeat. Then watch "The Voice" :p
Put it on loud, and put it on repeat. Then watch "The Voice" :p
Monday 27 May 2013
Gracious!
go back to school full time and the gap closes up behind you. so to speak.
phooey fun missing-out-on
phooey
phooey fun missing-out-on
phooey
Friday 15 March 2013
Arlo Guthrie's Mooses Come Walking
**this is best read aloud. Before reciting this, Guthrie said he'd written it as a nighttime story to scare his grandchildren to sleep, because if you send children to bed feeling good about themselves they just want to get up. Very funny man. But we all knew that....***
Mooses come walking over the hill
Mooses come walking, they rarely stand still
When mooses come walking they go where they will
When mooses come walking over the hill
Mooses look into your window at night
They look to the left and they look to the right
The mooses are smiling, they think it's a zoo
And that's why the mooses like looking at you
So, if you see mooses while lying in bed
It's best to just stay there pretending you're dead
The mooses will leave and you'll get the thrill
Of seeing the mooses go over the hill
Mooses come walking over the hill
Mooses come walking, they rarely stand still
When mooses come walking they go where they will
When mooses come walking over the hill
Mooses look into your window at night
They look to the left and they look to the right
The mooses are smiling, they think it's a zoo
And that's why the mooses like looking at you
So, if you see mooses while lying in bed
It's best to just stay there pretending you're dead
The mooses will leave and you'll get the thrill
Of seeing the mooses go over the hill
Port Fairy Folk Festival
Another year, another music festival for our troops. We stayed in Vicky this year and took em down to Port Fairy.
High points:
- The town of Port Fairy is beautiful: little bluestone cottages & country pubs, beautiful boat harbour. Hot weather and swimming with kids in gentle surf on Monday.
- The main street of the town is part of the festival and there's kids kids kids playing bagpipes, flutes...one little dude had a guitar with no strings but he had lots of curly hair and looked about 5. There are lots of more professional buskers as well.
- Glen Hansard's fuzzy red hair and beard, leading me to ask 'Pete honey, PLEASE grow your beard back'
- Glen Hansard's guitars all have massive holes in them because he thumps the living crap out of them when he plays.
- Arlo Guthrie reciting a moose poem. Will post seperately. High art.
- Glen Hansard was amaayzing. And hot. And made jokes about having watched the D Gen's 'The Castle' movie. They like our comedy in Ireland.
- Women in Song concert featuring Kate Miller Heidke and a fabulous singer called Ruthie Foster who completely won me over
- Did I mention that Glen Hansard played?
Low points:
- I think they sold too many tickets. in the arena area of the festival there were massive queses to everything.
- we had to queue with 2 small kids from 9.30 to sign up for kids activities. The sign ups started at 10am. The activities atarted at 1.30. That is not a relaxing festival experience.
To get to see Glen Hansard and Arlo Guthrie we grabbed seats in the auditorium where they were playing at about 4.00pm and sat there through a pile of artists (ducking out occasionally for food) till Arlo finished at 10.00pm. There were hundreds trying to get in. Not a relaxing festival experience. Kids were furious with us.
Dunno, some of these festivals are getting too big for their boots, methinks.
Our three year old was asked yesterday by his kinder teacher what the festival was like. He said 'I slept on a low bunk. I liked the Cocopops. My sister did lots of cartwheels'
All of which is quite true...
March against Maccas
This is why I've been awol my darlinks. Been verra busy. We had 3000 rock yupt o this rally. They're still gonna build but :(
...I cant work out why its not loading the vid from Youtube. Here's the link, will try again later
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=i7FYVxSXnCM
...I cant work out why its not loading the vid from Youtube. Here's the link, will try again later
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=i7FYVxSXnCM
Tuesday 5 March 2013
Windows 8
Commentary from a Windows 8 tutorial:
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
Why can't they just have a goddamn "start" button?
I don't want to update my xbox avatar or see the cricket score or follow celebs on twitter or plan my next holiday - I need to work!
Why can't I just hit an "x" in the top right hand corner to close ? - swiping down is an action reserved for nappy changing.
I've got Apps oozing out of my nostrils. Overload!
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
Why can't they just have a goddamn "start" button?
I don't want to update my xbox avatar or see the cricket score or follow celebs on twitter or plan my next holiday - I need to work!
Why can't I just hit an "x" in the top right hand corner to close ? - swiping down is an action reserved for nappy changing.
I've got Apps oozing out of my nostrils. Overload!
Thursday 28 February 2013
A Splendiferous Evening with Neil & Paul
Paul sang Paul,
Paul sang Neil,
Neil sang Neil,
Neil sang Paul,
Paul & Neil sang Paul,
Neil & Paul sang Neil,
Paul & Neil sang Buddy.
At a very grown up event, with singing along by invitation only, seated 45 & overs enjoyed a sumptious musical buffet. The sublime evening exceeded my high hopes & had me deliriously aglow. Top notch!
Paul sang Neil,
Neil sang Neil,
Neil sang Paul,
Paul & Neil sang Paul,
Neil & Paul sang Neil,
Paul & Neil sang Buddy.
At a very grown up event, with singing along by invitation only, seated 45 & overs enjoyed a sumptious musical buffet. The sublime evening exceeded my high hopes & had me deliriously aglow. Top notch!
Thursday 14 February 2013
Wednesday 13 February 2013
Friday 8 February 2013
Short Cuts
With all the resources available on the net, it's no surprise that time-strapped BG employed teachers opt for the copy & paste approach to homework sheets. Just a tip: parents will know that you've done so when maths problems use "miles", "dimes" & "mom" in the terminology.
Wednesday 6 February 2013
the end of days
eating bon bons
back to full time study as of tomorra. god help moi.
betts, will stay in touchyfeely via txt.
wilms, email do ya?
all others, when I can get here!
back to full time study as of tomorra. god help moi.
betts, will stay in touchyfeely via txt.
wilms, email do ya?
all others, when I can get here!
Monday 4 February 2013
News from the 10 forums
...remember that place?
I had reason to drop by the ten forums today (No Maccas in the Hills related). Couldn't help meself; I messaged BP; she looked like the only recognizable, approachable and remotely interesting being on their pages of netness.
BP remembered me and was delighted to say hello. Says we'd hate the forums these days because there's no off topic chat allowed and I'd have to say she's probably right.
Says she'd ask us to be good but who is she kidding. I dunno; without Ferny to lead us astray I think we're pretty mild at the mo.
Anyways, I gave her our link again and urged her to come say hello. Maybe, maybe not. Nice to see her, metaphorically speaking, anyways :)
So!
New members!
If we can't have Coldy back, and we don't want Jonesy back, who else can we get to come play?
All these folk reading and no one else keen to post? really??.
I had reason to drop by the ten forums today (No Maccas in the Hills related). Couldn't help meself; I messaged BP; she looked like the only recognizable, approachable and remotely interesting being on their pages of netness.
BP remembered me and was delighted to say hello. Says we'd hate the forums these days because there's no off topic chat allowed and I'd have to say she's probably right.
Says she'd ask us to be good but who is she kidding. I dunno; without Ferny to lead us astray I think we're pretty mild at the mo.
Anyways, I gave her our link again and urged her to come say hello. Maybe, maybe not. Nice to see her, metaphorically speaking, anyways :)
So!
New members!
If we can't have Coldy back, and we don't want Jonesy back, who else can we get to come play?
All these folk reading and no one else keen to post? really??.
Wednesday 30 January 2013
JOOLZ has called an election
She wants us to go to election September 14th, and she's advertising NOW.
That woman should run the Christmas campaigns at supermarkets. They have this kind of run up
Brizzy - report on the state of things atm
Traffic lights - some working, some not. Police with white gloves oddly absent. Take your chances.
Trees - most up, some down, some with bits fallen off them.
Linen - stinking up the place with its dampness.
Lawns - green & growing as you watch.
Puddles - diminishing, but still to be found by small boys with new school shoes.
Freezers - empty after power losses. All defrosting food cooked up on BBQs (yes even in cyclonic winds) by panicking housewives.
Water - in short supply (WTF!) as the water treatment plant can't cope.
Swimming pools - green. Chuck in acid to combat alkilinity of rain water.
Internet - back on! Yay.
Temps - back up to 30', drying out the place & steaming up armpits.
Trees - most up, some down, some with bits fallen off them.
Linen - stinking up the place with its dampness.
Lawns - green & growing as you watch.
Puddles - diminishing, but still to be found by small boys with new school shoes.
Freezers - empty after power losses. All defrosting food cooked up on BBQs (yes even in cyclonic winds) by panicking housewives.
Water - in short supply (WTF!) as the water treatment plant can't cope.
Swimming pools - green. Chuck in acid to combat alkilinity of rain water.
Internet - back on! Yay.
Temps - back up to 30', drying out the place & steaming up armpits.
holarrrrrrrz!
Well hello, earthlings :D
Been a goodly while since the govt gave me time out from the kinder to post up a long ... posty thing. Six weeks, in fact. A round up of happenings up down our end:
Xmas, and all that that entails. Mondo grub, fat gutz, other peoples' pricey shiraz, loafing, and finding somewhere to store the crap gifted by non-commital in-laws.
27th dec saw us hit the tarmac for an alternate state. Literally and metaphorically. Ya see we went north. Now bearing in mind we only point the bonnet in that direction under familial duress, and all our pleasure ventures are in the opposite but apposite direction - you can see how this was something of disquieting notion. as things transpired, we weren't 'disappointed'. The drive up the Pacific Fucking Highway was a novel form of torture, and day one saw us take 12 hours to reach the armpit of the universe, Coughs Harbour. yes, 12 hours. Think on that. The sheer awfulness was aleviated somewhat by the proliferation of billboards warning of the dangers of sun exposure. The kids particularly liked the one of a sunbaking chick with the caption "SKIN CELLS IN TRAUMA". But I digress .... anyway, imagine 12 hours, 2 bored kids, on a 35 degree day, and your reward is a night at the Notell Motel in the aforementioned armpit. Nice.
Day two was modestly improved, with the diversion of the more interesting country betwixt Kempsey and the border (by way of Byron - in which we stopped for a wee and laugh at the faux hippies). From the border to Sunshine Coast was spectacularly awful - with the motorway employing a total of zero sources of stimulation. Not so much as a service centre to remind you that you're still alive. By the time you've been on it for an hour you're not entirely sure that you haven't actually died and are currently in some pergatorial holding pattern. Incredible stuff. Hot on the heels of that special misery is the utterly insane forest of roundabouts on the Sunshine Coast. What town planner took bad acid and was turned loose with the CAD? You get five options and one sign saying "crapsville this way, all other destinations that way". All other destinations? WTF! And there seems to be a roundabout every 2 kms, in ever direction.
Our 5 day stay in Noosa was about what you'd expect. Like watching the truman show for 5 days, but with a bad climate. You can't get near the beach because all the buses are full from Tewantin, you can't drive to the beach because there's no parking, and you can't walk there unless you're a mad dog or an Englishman. Impossible to sleep at night without airconditioner on max and ceiling fans blowing a tornado. You can't go outdoors after 8am because it feels like you're being stung all over with tiny needles. Upshot, while it was lovely to catch up with a nice big extended family group, we'll never go north again in summer. e-vaaaa!
We sensibly decided to return via the New England, and do it over a few days, and O.M.G - what a pleasure it was after the coast. They'd had some decent rain in previous month so everything was lush and green. The granite belt looked spectacular, there were virtually no cars on the road, and the nights were 10 degrees instead of 26. Tenterfield was heaven - waking up to mooing sheep, peace, and a chilly morning. An absolute delight - and that's not something you hear often about Tenterfield, I'll wager.
Highlights were assorted. Fleeting glimpses of bonafide old school hippies around Byron, the majesty of the Northern Rivers, the pleasingly non-white vibe around Kempsey, catching up with seldom seen cousins - who've morphed into really interesting and mellow people in their middle years - having the kids to ourselves, the Granite Belt, country NSW, small pockets of ever so slightly down at heel counter culture in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, and spending time with my mob. The kids found it all very eye opening, too, and marvelled at how different Qld kulcha is.
Back home and husbot promptly comes a cropper and breaks an ankle, remaining at home for duration of hols as the biggest and most vexing child. Packed the lot off today. Husbot back to the saltmine, kid#1 to his first day at high school, and kid#2 to her first day at new school (selective thingo). Plenty of nerves at our house this morning!
Been a goodly while since the govt gave me time out from the kinder to post up a long ... posty thing. Six weeks, in fact. A round up of happenings up down our end:
Xmas, and all that that entails. Mondo grub, fat gutz, other peoples' pricey shiraz, loafing, and finding somewhere to store the crap gifted by non-commital in-laws.
27th dec saw us hit the tarmac for an alternate state. Literally and metaphorically. Ya see we went north. Now bearing in mind we only point the bonnet in that direction under familial duress, and all our pleasure ventures are in the opposite but apposite direction - you can see how this was something of disquieting notion. as things transpired, we weren't 'disappointed'. The drive up the Pacific Fucking Highway was a novel form of torture, and day one saw us take 12 hours to reach the armpit of the universe, Coughs Harbour. yes, 12 hours. Think on that. The sheer awfulness was aleviated somewhat by the proliferation of billboards warning of the dangers of sun exposure. The kids particularly liked the one of a sunbaking chick with the caption "SKIN CELLS IN TRAUMA". But I digress .... anyway, imagine 12 hours, 2 bored kids, on a 35 degree day, and your reward is a night at the Notell Motel in the aforementioned armpit. Nice.
Day two was modestly improved, with the diversion of the more interesting country betwixt Kempsey and the border (by way of Byron - in which we stopped for a wee and laugh at the faux hippies). From the border to Sunshine Coast was spectacularly awful - with the motorway employing a total of zero sources of stimulation. Not so much as a service centre to remind you that you're still alive. By the time you've been on it for an hour you're not entirely sure that you haven't actually died and are currently in some pergatorial holding pattern. Incredible stuff. Hot on the heels of that special misery is the utterly insane forest of roundabouts on the Sunshine Coast. What town planner took bad acid and was turned loose with the CAD? You get five options and one sign saying "crapsville this way, all other destinations that way". All other destinations? WTF! And there seems to be a roundabout every 2 kms, in ever direction.
Our 5 day stay in Noosa was about what you'd expect. Like watching the truman show for 5 days, but with a bad climate. You can't get near the beach because all the buses are full from Tewantin, you can't drive to the beach because there's no parking, and you can't walk there unless you're a mad dog or an Englishman. Impossible to sleep at night without airconditioner on max and ceiling fans blowing a tornado. You can't go outdoors after 8am because it feels like you're being stung all over with tiny needles. Upshot, while it was lovely to catch up with a nice big extended family group, we'll never go north again in summer. e-vaaaa!
We sensibly decided to return via the New England, and do it over a few days, and O.M.G - what a pleasure it was after the coast. They'd had some decent rain in previous month so everything was lush and green. The granite belt looked spectacular, there were virtually no cars on the road, and the nights were 10 degrees instead of 26. Tenterfield was heaven - waking up to mooing sheep, peace, and a chilly morning. An absolute delight - and that's not something you hear often about Tenterfield, I'll wager.
Highlights were assorted. Fleeting glimpses of bonafide old school hippies around Byron, the majesty of the Northern Rivers, the pleasingly non-white vibe around Kempsey, catching up with seldom seen cousins - who've morphed into really interesting and mellow people in their middle years - having the kids to ourselves, the Granite Belt, country NSW, small pockets of ever so slightly down at heel counter culture in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, and spending time with my mob. The kids found it all very eye opening, too, and marvelled at how different Qld kulcha is.
Back home and husbot promptly comes a cropper and breaks an ankle, remaining at home for duration of hols as the biggest and most vexing child. Packed the lot off today. Husbot back to the saltmine, kid#1 to his first day at high school, and kid#2 to her first day at new school (selective thingo). Plenty of nerves at our house this morning!
Saturday 26 January 2013
Wednesday 23 January 2013
Tuesday 22 January 2013
The average adult daily intake is 8700kj...
It's great to see all these signs pasted around the walls of food retailers. Let's hope the shoppers can weigh up the figures.
www.8700.com.au
www.8700.com.au
Pay TV
Our little apartment by the sea had Pay TV. Who would have thought there would be TV shows about:
- people who chop down trees for a living
- people who buy uncollected storage unit contents
- people who buy uncollected luggage from airports
- people who enter their tots into beauty pageants
- people who decorate cup cakes competitively
- people who fall pregnant at tender ages
- people who hoard crap
- people who pawn crap
- people who drive big trucks on steep & slippery roads
- people who live in a mansion & wear bikinis
- people who drive after drinking and get caught
- people who eat too much
- people who eat too little
- people who marry American gypsies
- people who remodel vehicles
Monday 7 January 2013
Take Care and stuff
...I hear you New South Welshies are up for some heat tomorrow. Do be good and take care of yourselves up there, wont you? We had a mental day last Friday- I was down the coast (Otway Ranges) with my fam, my sis and her crew. So hot, so windy (about 43 deg, as a precaution we had to take off from our bush camp and spend an entire day standing in the Southern Ocean/Bass Strait- partly for safety, partly for coolness. There is a use for our freezing water currents at times. Very happy to announce that when we returned, our bush camp was in one piece after the cool change came through.
...so I mean to say, take care tomorrow. My sis (who's from Sydney) was meant to be driving home tomorrow, but it looks as if her family will be staying around for another 24 hours now...
Will post photos of the bush camp soonish
...and check out our 'Ballad of Tecoma' below...and share share share. No Maccas in the Hills!
...so I mean to say, take care tomorrow. My sis (who's from Sydney) was meant to be driving home tomorrow, but it looks as if her family will be staying around for another 24 hours now...
Will post photos of the bush camp soonish
...and check out our 'Ballad of Tecoma' below...and share share share. No Maccas in the Hills!
Friday 4 January 2013
The movies : there and back again
The Hobbit is an M rated, terrific action fillum, with super scenery & funny noses. There's no yukky kissy bits, & in fact not too much in the way of nuisance girlys at all. The axe swinging yields minimal guts, & the goodies all survive, so it's suitable for boys aged 10+.
But that's not what you really wanted to know. The crux of any hobbit movie review is how it compares to the book - or to be more precise, one third of the book.
So how do you create almost 3 hours of screen entertainment from just 99 book pages (in my edition) without alienating the fandorks? By making mountains out of mole hills (or hobbit hills as the case may be). A whole lot of cornflour went into this recipe - albeit tasty Tolkien cornflour. The battle of the stone giants (encompassing some 2 paragraphs in the book) was an entire scene of the movie, & a much more literal take on the incident was taken than the metaphorical one that I pictured when reading. Radagast the brown wizard featured in the movie, as did Azog, the goblin who allegedly killed Thorin's grandad. There were a few cinema mutterings about not recalling those aspects on the book pages, but they weren't producer created characters, merely "embellishments" derived from Tolkien snippets. Annoyingly, the bits which made least sense were all such "embellishments" (don't get me started on the rabbit sled or the miraculous dwarf mountain escape). Neither Saruman, Frodo, or Galadriel feature in the book, but they were slotted into the movie to ensure a backwards segue from LoTR.
In fact, the entire movie seems to be a LoTR prequel rather than a stand-alone story (and why not, some may say, when LoTR was so financially & culturally successful). The Hobbit paperback is a children's adventure story, with a conversational & lyrical tone. The dwarves are comical creatures, the elves whimsical, and the writing witty. LoTR in print is an epic saga for older audiences, a life and death battle for mankind. The Hobbit movie emulates the darker & more serious vibe of LoTR, & ensures the viewers are reminded of the association between the Hobbit & LoTR.
Ticks go to location, make-up, costuming & music. All top notch.
We saw the 2D version to avoid head fuzziness, but wouldn't mind seeing the 3D to compare.
The viewer sees lots more of Bag End, & the gorgeously round front door. A tour of the NZ Hobbiton set is on my wish list - I'll add it to the da Vinci code tour of Europe as soon as a windfall comes along.
What of the spunks? I hear you ask. Well, there's Saruman, Gandalf & RadagastBirdpoo, wizards of 1000 plus years. Elvish Elrond is of a similar vintage. The dwarves are stocky, bearded fellows, and ten of the 13 wear bulbous craniums, foreheads, & honkers. The other 3, however, have abandoned rubber bits in the name of easyontheeyness - an essential feature for all movie heroes. Google pics of Thorin, Kili & Fili.
Fave part of the movie was the quotes taken directly from the book. Pure joy for the loyalists.
Not so joyous was the closing scene, where the camera zooms in to Smaug's eye, which snaps open, reminiscent of Breaking Dawn A, & a cliched teaser for the next instalment which made even the most ardent viewer cringe.
All in all, a must see movie. Loved it (mostly) & looking forward to Bilbo 2.
9.5/10
But that's not what you really wanted to know. The crux of any hobbit movie review is how it compares to the book - or to be more precise, one third of the book.
So how do you create almost 3 hours of screen entertainment from just 99 book pages (in my edition) without alienating the fandorks? By making mountains out of mole hills (or hobbit hills as the case may be). A whole lot of cornflour went into this recipe - albeit tasty Tolkien cornflour. The battle of the stone giants (encompassing some 2 paragraphs in the book) was an entire scene of the movie, & a much more literal take on the incident was taken than the metaphorical one that I pictured when reading. Radagast the brown wizard featured in the movie, as did Azog, the goblin who allegedly killed Thorin's grandad. There were a few cinema mutterings about not recalling those aspects on the book pages, but they weren't producer created characters, merely "embellishments" derived from Tolkien snippets. Annoyingly, the bits which made least sense were all such "embellishments" (don't get me started on the rabbit sled or the miraculous dwarf mountain escape). Neither Saruman, Frodo, or Galadriel feature in the book, but they were slotted into the movie to ensure a backwards segue from LoTR.
In fact, the entire movie seems to be a LoTR prequel rather than a stand-alone story (and why not, some may say, when LoTR was so financially & culturally successful). The Hobbit paperback is a children's adventure story, with a conversational & lyrical tone. The dwarves are comical creatures, the elves whimsical, and the writing witty. LoTR in print is an epic saga for older audiences, a life and death battle for mankind. The Hobbit movie emulates the darker & more serious vibe of LoTR, & ensures the viewers are reminded of the association between the Hobbit & LoTR.
Ticks go to location, make-up, costuming & music. All top notch.
We saw the 2D version to avoid head fuzziness, but wouldn't mind seeing the 3D to compare.
The viewer sees lots more of Bag End, & the gorgeously round front door. A tour of the NZ Hobbiton set is on my wish list - I'll add it to the da Vinci code tour of Europe as soon as a windfall comes along.
What of the spunks? I hear you ask. Well, there's Saruman, Gandalf & RadagastBirdpoo, wizards of 1000 plus years. Elvish Elrond is of a similar vintage. The dwarves are stocky, bearded fellows, and ten of the 13 wear bulbous craniums, foreheads, & honkers. The other 3, however, have abandoned rubber bits in the name of easyontheeyness - an essential feature for all movie heroes. Google pics of Thorin, Kili & Fili.
Fave part of the movie was the quotes taken directly from the book. Pure joy for the loyalists.
Not so joyous was the closing scene, where the camera zooms in to Smaug's eye, which snaps open, reminiscent of Breaking Dawn A, & a cliched teaser for the next instalment which made even the most ardent viewer cringe.
All in all, a must see movie. Loved it (mostly) & looking forward to Bilbo 2.
9.5/10
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