hound parade and more

So yes we went to the Show yesterday, saw the hound parade (these were fox hounds so they look a bit like elasticated beagles, they certainly crapped a lot and I imagine that out in the field chasing foxes their owners must be very busy with the plastic bags picking that up) but they were very impressive to look at and they ran around the horses (who were much, much more freaked out than any of the hounds). If I recall accurately the hounds all have names beginning with the same two letters (eg 'Wi...' - no examples were given but I suppose Winnie, Wiggy, Wireless, Winsome, Wistful, Wizard etc) and this perpetuates through the generations to make their line easily identifiable.

After the hound parade, we went for a long stroll to the dog hall because we knew that the beagles were on site that day and, not content with our own, were greedy to look at more. On the way Mia insisted we look at the woodchopping which she claims she has always wanted to see but it had never been on when she was there. I still fail to understand what it is or why.

The dog hall was a little disappointing insofar as there were no beagles or in fact that's not true - they were there, but they were in Aisle A where members of the public are not allowed to go! Very odd. Anyway, we did see a few accidentally and I enjoyed all the other dogs particularly the wolfhounds and the other houndier animals. Where we went then I forget, actually I think it was the fowl display, which was very exciting, some of those creatures really do make me think of Eraserhead, not just the bit with the dead chicken. But they all seemed pretty cheery in a funny, freaked out way. I suppose they take it as it comes and they may as well. 

Then we headed for the arts and crafts, which was of course what it's really all about. I think I will let Mia's photographs of this tell the story for the remainder of this post - possibly best arts and crafts display ever even if it is a bit thingy that the a&c is mixed in with the school art now. I mean it's convenient but it is a bit thingy. 

Here is a magnificent operating theatre rendered in cake: genius!

Love the faces on these two:

And:

And and:

Showbags? We got a few chip bags, Mia wouldn't stop playing with this silly Freddo paddleboard which she claimed was the worst toy ever but kept her entertained, and there was also the Ovalteenies bag - you know these things where you see a showbag dedicated to some product you haven't thought of for years and then it's a showbag? Yeah, that kind of feeling. 

a perth memory

Mia painting her parents' house, watched by Taffy and Rohan. I had never seen the house from this angle before and while it's not tiny, this picture gives a deceptive impression of its size: it's on 3 levels, but it hugs a rocky hillside, so it's probably about 1/3 the mass you'd imagine if you just extrapolated what a 'normal' house would  be like, from seeing this aspect of it. If I remember correctly Rohan is actually waving to Mia but he has this huge head that got between the camera and his hand. That's kids for you.

kenzie's staying over

I feel like Hugo Weaving's character in Proof. After I uploaded this picture I thought, 'god that stupid  broken chair is still there!' Our garden is littered with broken chairs (and my half-finished projects, but that's another issue). Oh, and dog shit. 

nuttelex news

Hey guess what! Nuttelex has entered the 20th century with *new* packaging with sunflower (?) photographs and a rebranding of 'Nuttelex original'!!! (As opposed to Nuttelex Cinnamint and Nuttelex Chocogasm I guess). BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NUTTELEX SQUIRREL. Fell or pushed? 

voice from beyond

My god I was in Coles before looking for nuttelex (more on this later) and Marc Hunter's 'Big City Talk' came over the PA. I felt both pleased and spooked. Of course I have been dwelling a lot on Marc lately so I was happy to hear from him. I have already (tried to) put 'Big City Talk' up here and don't like to repeat myself but whew, this amazing clip for the amazing 'This Time' incredulates me, and how about Todd's boot-pant thing! It is so sad that this was a couple of weeks (? or less?) after Neil Storey died and they either hadn't replaced him yet or didn't want Kerry Jacobson to have to pretend he was playing on this song. I notice that there was a clever decision to keep them away from any locals in the Cross as they would have towered over them, it would have looked fake. Although their size proportionate to the average Australian car gives it away at the end. (* By the way the person who wrote the paragraph that for some reasons starts this clip is a dolt. 'This time' was their third Australian single after 'Starkissed' and 'Wait'.)

a couple of me

And here are a couple of me, from my past. One is me in about 1986 pretending it is fun or funny to hold a branch from out of a bathroom window. I don't know who took this picture. And  here is another picture of me outside a Floyd Wright house in Chicago. Floyd Wright was the keyboard player in Pink Floyd who just died. I think the long-suffering (and not just from jokes like that) William Meyer took this one. 

this kind of stuff will pass before my eyes just before i die i guess

...because it was my life. Yes, here I am having a quiet night at home after a large Warrnambool jaunt which I probably won't ever blog about, and thought why don't I get the old photo albums out and have a look at the good old days and blow me down they were a very strange bunch of pictures that really made me wonder what the hell sort of person I have been. Here are some of them. When I say strange, by the way, I'm not being like some teenage girl saying 'me and my friends are mad', I'm saying why did someone take those photos, why did someone choose to put them in a photo album??? And that someone is me.  

two little boys

This is my grandfather Forbes, his brother Ken, and Barney the rocking horse around the end of WWI. Click to enlarge - they have the best toys. 

timey timey right up behind me

Last night's Doctor Who was surely the Doctor Who to have the least Doctor in it. I didn't mind as I have come round to Donna Noble although last night's was more example of people telling her she was feisty than her actually being feisty (the post-sacking scene was feisty I guess). But I enjoyed it all. I always find it funny when the Doctor has to convey the sheer terror and awfulness of something about to happen (and that the new thing about to happen is signified by the words 'Bad Wolf' is particularly hilariously strange, wrong and, in fact, crap in a 'oh it's Doctor Who so we can't compete we haven't got the budget so we have to be crap and it's part of the charm' way.) This was very amusing with the previous Doctor and 'his first' encounter with the Daleks.

I'm not saying I could do any better - that would be stupid - I couldn't act it better or write it better. All I'm doing is enjoying it actually.

I see the next episode will feature heaps of relatively recent characters. Hope it's crap.

I wonder if the conception of time travel and space travel being aligned is related to E+MC2? When you think back to famous old time travel books like A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Looking Backward and News from Nowhere, these are all firmly planted on earth and I don't even remember any kind of grand universal science humbug brought into service in explaining how these time travel episodes took place (were they all dreams?). It's not so surprising that late 19th/early 20th century books didn't combine space and time travel, but that doesn't explain why so often these days they are aligned in this way in science fiction/fantasy. Someone explain this to me please.

record fair today II

Well I spent around sixty, which still isn't bad (imagine, if I'd bought the two copies of Spectrum's Milesago I saw I would have spent $210). I've said this before, and I think it's relatively true, I don't buy records for their collectable status. I just buy things I'm interested in and need for research (don't laugh). (Or laugh if you like, and be happy, but it's still true). So I bought: The Moir Sisters Lost - somewhere beyond harmony Jeannie Lewis Tears of Steel and the Clowning Calavera Emerson Lake and Palmer Emerson Lake and Palmer Sweet and Sour OST Dynamic Hepnotics Cool Jaromir Cermak, Karel Saisek, Kamil Bednol Praho, Na Shledanou The Aliens Translator The Radiators Scream of the Real John Paul Young One foot in front Mike McClellan Ask any dancer TRB TRB Two Ray Burton Dreamers and nightflyers Mark Gillespie Sweet Nothing Mike McClellan Until the Song is done Fox Fox Captain Rock Buried Treasure Doctor Buzzard's Original Savannah Band Doctor Buzzard's Original Savannah Band At least half of these cost under $3. Not much else to report. These events seem to be getting worse for rudeness and stupidity, but it's surely just me getting politer and smarter. Two snatches of conversation: 'The new Apple computers have significantly more features than the older models'. and 'I dated Brian Henderson's illegitimate daughter a few times.' Anyway, after the event I felt quite soiled and spent, as one would. Luckily in the car park there was the answer to my troubles.

record fair today

Yes I am going to the record fair at the Ukrainian Hall in Essendon today. I'll let you know how it goes. I expect to spend under $20.

hurrah! it's a 'thank you sadie friday'

It's a 'thank you sadie Friday'!!!

How did you get one of your scars​?​​​
cheese grater

How did you celeb​rate your last birth​day?​​​
I forget!​

How are you feeli​ng at this momen​t?​​​
bored, arty and zealous

How did your night​ go last night​?​​​
I was just writing, it was fine.

How did you do in high schoo​l?​​​
Not that well, but as well as the high school deserved.

How did you get the shirt​ you'​​​re weari​ng?​​​
I think my mother got it at the writer's festival in Adelaide a few years ago. It's not something I'd wear 'out'.

How often​ do you see your best frien​ds?​​​
not often​ enoug​h!​

How much money​ did you spend​ last month​?​​​
Heaps, probably.

How old do you want to be when you get marri​ed?​​​
38

How old will you be at your next birth​day?​​​
44

NINE WHAT'​​​S:​​​

Your mothe​r's name?​​​
Jane

What did you do last weeke​nd?​​​
New Estate launch. Sadie wasn't there.

What is the most impor​tant part of your life?​​​
all organs of the body conducive to life are as important as each other

What would​ you rathe​r be doing​?​​​
Drawing, but answering these questions seemed important a few minutes ago.

What did you last cry over?​​​
!!!

What always makes you feel better when you’re upset​?​​​
Dogs​

What’s the most important thing you look for in a significant other​?​​
Her presence. Where is she?

What are you worri​ed about​?​​​
you name it.

What did you have for break​fast?​​​
rye bread, toasted

EIGHT HAVE YOU’S:​​​


Have you ever liked​ someo​ne who had a girlf​riend​/​​​boyfr​iend?​​​ I don't know what 'liked' means anymore, if I ever did. Do you mean secret crush?

Have you ever had your heart​ broke​n?​​​
Don't tempt fate, I'd say, by answering this.

Have you ever been out of the count​ry?​​​
Numerous times. (that was easy). Twelve times at least.​

Have you ever done somet​hing outra​geous​ly dumb?​​​
yeah I fucke​n recko​n.​

Have you ever been back stabb​ed by a frien​d?​​​
Of course. I've lived.

Have you ever had sex on the beach​?​​​
no and no (​liter​ally and the drink​?​)​

Have you ever dated​ someo​ne young​er than you?
certainly. it's wild.

Have you ever read an entir​e book in one day?
of course you idiot.

SEVEN WHO’S​:​​​

Who was the last perso​n you saw?
the bus driver on the 6:44 542 bus out of Glenroy. Or do you mean 'saw'?

Who was the last perso​n you texte​d?​​​
can't remember. maybe Mia.

Who was the last perso​n you hung o​ut with?​​​
other than work colleagues at meetings? Mia.​

Who was the last perso​n to call you?
Mia

Who is the last perso​n who texte​d you?
I'm not going to go and get my phone just to satisfy your banal curiosity. You're just a list.

Who was the last perso​n you said "i love you" to?
Probably some list.

SIX WHERE’S:​​​

Where​ does your best frien​d live?​​​
In my house

Where​ did you last go?
Pascoe Vale Road Market

Where​ did you last hang out?
As above. Or the State Library

Where​ do you go to schoo​l?​​​
I don't go to school any more.

Where​ is your favou​r​ite place​ to be?
At home.

Where​ did you sleep​ last night​?​​​
At home.

FIVE DO’S/DOES:​​​

Do you like someo​ne right​ now?
Shyep​

Do you think​ anyon​e likes​ you?
Shyah​. Everyone likes me.

Do you ever wish you were someo​ne else?​​​
Only Sadie

Do you know the muffi​n man?
I am the muffin man - if you mean what I think you mean.

Does the futur​e scare​ you?
In a sense, but only in a sense.

FOUR WHY’S:​​​


Why are you best frien​ds with your best frien​d(​​​s)​​​?​​​
Fate

Why did you get a myspa​ce?​​​
Becau​se it was the hip thing​ to do.

Why did your paren​ts give you the name you have?​​​
Least worst option they could both agree on.

Why are you doing​ this surve​y?​​​
Sadie made me.

THREE IF’S:​​​

If you could​ have one super​ power​ what would​ it be??
Is this an IQ test? 'My super power'.

If you could​ go back in time and chang​e one thing​,​​​ would​ you?
Just did.

If u were stran​ded on a deser​ted islan​d & could​ bring​ 1 thing​ what would​ you bring​?​​​
the material world.

TWO WOULD-YOU-EVER’S:​​​

Would you ever get back together with any of your ex’s if they asked you?
I doubt it.

Would​ you ever shave​ your head to save someo​ne you love?​​​
How would this assist? If it's just that they're addicted to my hair, it's only a short-term solution.

ONE LAST QUEST​ION

Are you happy​ with your life right​ now?
What are you saying?

enticing

I am smart enough to realise there was something wrong with this, but dumb enough it took me a long time to figure it out. It is of course the language that twists the idea of 'one of a kind' from being 'the only one of its kind' to 'one purchasable element of many constituting a "kind" of item'. Wow.

Real estate advertising - like all advertising - is one of those things you can't sit down and argue with; it just is, is stupid, is clever, is canny, is deceptive. In this case, the fact that one of the monopolyesque houses is blue appears to be sufficient to set it apart (in at least one reading of this graphic) from all the others which are curiously set in a circle backing onto each other (great arrangement, unfortunately the house on which this ad was placed was just another dreary late 19th century North Melbourne terrace on a dreary mid-19th century grid, though yes, I am sure the back windows of the actual home do look straight into someone's kitchen and someone's bedroom and vice-versa). If anyone does buy into the North Melbourne real estate dream where prices start, I gather, above the half a million mark, then I hope they are making some calculations a little above the level of 'what a darling little blue home', but the agent's research must have revealed that the darling little blue home has a poignant gut-level meaning.

Meanwhile on the topic of real estate I found this very funny.

?

Very weird use of graffiti on this billboard in Parkville. I thought maybe it was just that they couldn't graffit on the well-lit room but perhaps it was more - a vestigial longing for home and comfort as represented by that delightful rear addition? Really makes you ponder.

hey a new gripe!

Here

goodbye old scourge, hello new

So we went out for a walk this afternoon and got quite a bit of good research done. One thing we found particularly interesting (I mean, the power of a good sturdy blog or what!?) was that the car I bitched about last week, is now gone.

However unfortunately we have instead encountered a rash of trolleys. I think the local kids, in their artless creativity, weave these from chicken wire and race each other down the reserve, but knowing no love of material possessions and distracted - by ipods and reality tv probably - they then leave them there to rot.
Memo to self call Hume Council Monday AM and get them to move these things.

and another.

This one's a bit saucy

another new estate video

And this is just incredible

new new estate video

How cool is this! Mia made it.
See you at the launch on Saturday!!!

this had better not be another cold

What kind of a sneaky cold just sneaks off to the background for a week, then leaps in again on a Monday morning? Prescriptions please.

Mia and I saw Not Quite Hollywood on the weekend. I wrote about it at Sarsaparilla (see right).

Now I am going to ride my bike home from work and kill that cold on the way.