they live in the park

True story

coburg trash and treasure

short memory lane

I had an hour of me time in Newtown etc this morning so I tried to remember some places I once knew better. For instance I have lived in both of these houses (unless it was the white one and the one to its right, but I don't think so):I have also lived here in the white house (no fond memories of this abode though I did get to meet my wonderful friend Fiona by dint of her living next door in the pink house):

and here (as I was taking this picture a man went past telling me that there were plenty of nicer spots for tourists to photograph).

I recall this mural when in its better days,

and this one too.

This is not a mural, I know. It is however new to me and I loved it:

i hope no-one ever hears me talking to the dogs

It is pretty embarrassing when I think about what I say to them, my only excuse is it's just drivel concocted to keep up a connection. I don't know if they like it or not, I don't even get a strong sense they like hearing their names. They know their names. For all I know it's stressful hearing your name when you're a dog and there's no clear action you can take to actually respond.

saturday night

this film is exo

go and see it

lonely hearts

I am really enjoying The Lonely Hearts Club, which airs on Saturday nights on Radio National. If it is as improvised as it seems, it's a testament to the great talents of those involved (Tony Martin, Angus Sampson, Stephen Curry, Sam Pang apparently, though they do it anonymously and 'straight'). I enjoy it 95% and the only two things I can say against it are: (1) that 'hmm'ing is too Mike Moore/Frontline and (2) it's all very well for Tony Martin, who I have the greatest respect for (with the caveat that he was incredibly rude to my sister) to joke about 80s music, but he has worked in commercial radio for decades - including in the 80s, when people were seemingly unable to produce anything except 80s music for an entire decade. 80s music is not per se funny anyway, but when you are a commercial radio dj/announcer providing the padding around that kind of thing normally, dub tf?
Fortunately in the podcasts the music can't be included so you just get a snippet of the beginning and ending; sometimes it makes a nice little sting in itself. Check the whole thing out here, I highly recommend it.

Later: I have now listened to all 5 extant episodes, and continue to enjoy it. One of the most impressive things about it is that though I gather it is mostly improvised, probably with some kind of rough structure, no-one laughs. How on earth can anyone be so professional, and stay in character? Even if it was heavily scripted, the fact that it's live (some of it definitely is - the talkback stuff) surely would generate a bit of nervous energy. But no-one does laugh. They must be on some kind of awful drug.
Duncan Jardine's whole spiel about John Wood solving genuine crimes during the making of Blue Heelers was just extraordinary (episode 3 I think).