Friday 19 October 2007

memory lane...

I went to the fabulous "Gallileo's Gazing" event at Glenworth Valley on the weekend. I had a great time, even though we arrived after most of the collegia had finished. It was so nice to see lots of friends and just be outside and surrounded by trees.

On the way home we took a detour and stopped in at a little town called Mooney Mooney which I used to call home way back in 1983/1984. My mum was principal of the local school for 2 years - there were a whole 32 kids back then. Now the enrolment numbers have dropped so far that they have had to close the school, thus the school and the teacher's residence (where we lived) are now locked up. We had the good fortune to run into the maintenance person who let us look around while they mowed the grass..

I was glad to note that the enormous hill that I rode down without brakes on my bike and broke my collarbone on was still fucking enormous.







our old house now empty and run down




the school playground and school buildings



view from the main school building




Our old front porch. Used to look a lot more liveable!

Thursday 20 September 2007

BYE BYE FLU! Hello Happiness! so long fluiness...

Its been a bit of a struggle the last couple of weeks. I caught a horrid flu thing that has to be the worst flu thing that I have ever had. I have been ill a bit this year and I have to say that I am not impressed with it at all! I know that its because, as my mother would say, I burn the candle at both ends but I have been cutting back on reckless partying and mostly staying in for weeks and STILL I get the flu! It has been a bit of a stressful year though and I REALLY need a holiday.

What I hate about the flu:
  • Sniffling
  • Snot
  • Dumb sore throat
  • fevers that make you feel like you are going to collapse when you walk up the stairs
  • no tastebuds (that one REALLY sux)
  • blotchy head
  • horrid sinus infection that came along with it, although at least I got antibiotics for that one
  • not being able to go to the gym thus sabotaging my exercise routine.
  • The expense of lemsips, antibiotics, strepsils, panadol and the doctors appointment (who told me I had the flu and identified the sinus infection but couldn't do much about it)

Other then having the flu though, life is pretty good at the moment. I am finally feeling like I have a little idea where my life is headed in the next 12 months and that is making me giddy with relief!

What is making me happy at the moment : (thanks for the pollyanna moment DV - thought I might have my own...)
  • less pirates today
  • feeling like the flu is almost gone
  • I'm going to trivia tonight and I know the answer to the homework question
  • Its nearly the weekend
  • I am doing a new creative writing class on Saturday
  • My boy has finally finished NIDA and is starting to get PAID work!
  • My show is finally on stage
  • Having my first opening night at the Opera House (with only one costume malfunction - shoe flew off! Not my fault!)
  • That my boss and supervisor are happy with my work and my contract has been extended
  • They are giving me a permanent job come January
  • My next show has less pink flowers in it
  • Its not too long till Dr Scruff comes back again
  • My mum is hopefully moving home in December
  • I'm finally feeling like sewing again (although I have no space to do it!)
  • I'm gonna eat some wedges with sour cream and damn the calories!
So its finally all ok in Jimmyland. Lets hope it continues for a while. The only thing that would top it all off is a nice holiday - hmmm can't have everything!

Saturday 8 September 2007

What I need...

Was intrigued by Anti Ob's mememe on For Battle to type in your name and needs in google.

Apparently i need: -
1. to be refashioned in a more demure British "garb. . (odd)
2.
this... (odder - what is "this"? )
3.
_____. 06] (scary. And kind of techno.)
4.
Your Help (very fucking scary)
5. help (repetitive and still scary)
6.
to be pushed (violent and scary)
7.
to lose weight and get a nice body in time for summer. (yes I did know this but I'm bothered that Google had to point it out to me).
8.
Ford because he, too, has always been an outcast; (i do like JD Salinger but this is kinda creepy)
9.
blood donors. (does google know something I don't?)
10.
to-jet-set-around-the-world-again fund (yes yes yes. Bring it on! )

The upshot of the whole exercise? i should drink less and probably avoid ego searches on Google.

Thursday 30 August 2007

Still here!

Wow. New job, sewing project, unpleasant anniversary, facebook... not really helping the blogging.

I have been busy and sad but I am feeling better and not too bad today, although feeling like I need a holiday.

I saw Tales of Hoffmann Open Dress today which was cool because it was the first big show I ever bought at the Opera and it looks beautiful. Its a bit hard to be critical of something you have been working on for so long. It was so nice to be down at the opera house today given the beauty of the weather and the sun sparkling on the harbour. We were in the theatre a lot but we did get glimpses. It was also nice to hang out with Millie. I miss her and its nice we are building a relationship again. There is life after NIDA after all...

More soon. New month resolution... Blog More!!!

Thursday 9 August 2007

Out of the lounge....

I’m finally getting back into things a bit – less hibernating, more venturing beyond the confines of my loungeroom and I’m feeling better for it.

I have also started a biggish and vaguely ambitious (given the timespan) sewing project. This is helping too – nothing like getting into the “Zone” (the place I go when I am just working and things are happening the way I want). Its really nice to finally have time (and energy) to do some sewing that I WANT TO DO! Good for the soul.
Check out my plan in Girly frock blog. xxx

Tuesday 31 July 2007

feebleness

I have been hiding a bit lately and hence not blogging. About two weeks ago I was overtaken by a great tiredness ("pungee" haha) and its taken me all this time to start feeling almost myself again. It has been a bit stressful changing jobs but that aside I just got knackered and needed a break. Luckily my boss let me take Thursday and Friday off last week and I have not had too much to write about because mostly I have been resting, sleeping, eating, resting and sitting on the couch since then. I realised (during my resting) that I have not really had any kind of break at all since I left NIDA and not only that, I was expecting to get one when my opera contract ended in June. So when my contract was extended I think my body/brain got very confused as the expected holiday did not eventuate and I just got very very run down (and felt like I had been run over). I was so tired it felt like I was ill! I am feeling better- normal tired rather then scary tired but I have very much been trying to take it easy and not doing anything to stressful or tiring as I don't want to bring the pungee back.

What have I been doing?
Shopping- 3 pairs of ballet flats for $20 each. Bargain! And one pair is sparkly!
Haircut - feels much better! NEW HAIR!!!
Movies - I saw Harry Potter 2 weeks ago which I loved. My that boy is growing up... (TOO YOUNG TOO YOUNG)
- I also saw the Simpsons Movie on Sunday which was unexpectedly hilarious. I have always been a bit of a simpsons fan, but just kind of forgot how funny it is. I really needed a cheer up and a good laugh and 2 hours in the cinema eating pods (still find that name funny) and laughing at Spider pig really did the trick.
Videos- I am almost through my 3 series box set of Inspector Lynleys. And now they are playing the new ones on Saturdays. I can never go out on Saturday nights again!
Manly - rather then a long drive short break long drive , Nick and I took the closer holiday option and caught the ferry to Manly on Friday and stayed over night in a lovely hotel. (bring on lastminute.com!) We ate yummy food at "Whitewater" restaraunt and got up and went for a walk along the beach in the sun on Saturday
Trivia - The GP has reinstated our trivia on Thursdays now so we sent a team ofMingers. Not only did we win the quiz but we won the Jackpot question too! We tied with one of the local guys Dave, but we still walked away with $40 each!
Sewing - I started working on my frock for R25. I am only up to the petticoat but at least I won't be nude!!!

Streetcar Named Desire...

I went to see the open dress of the Opera's version of Streetcar today and really really enjoyed it. Being a contempory opera the music was a little more discordant then I am used to but you just can't go wrong with a Tennessee Williams story really can you? Yvonne Kenny was fabulous (And looked fabulous obviously... after much stress). She did a fabulous job of the role of Blanche and really does have an amazing stage presence. I really enjoyed the performance of the girl who played Stella (whose name just fell out of my brain), especially given that I know she took on the role halfway through the rehersal period as someone pulled out. The set was beautiful, set on a revolve so it moved around from the outside of the house to the two rooms inside. A really nice day at the theatre (especially given that technically I was "working").

Tuesday 24 July 2007

its over...

its so annoying. I finished THE BOOK on the weekend and now Nicko is reading it. I wish he would hurry up so I can read it again without someone sitting next to me chanting "read read read". Hurry up!

Wednesday 11 July 2007

abduction from the Seraglio...

On a work freebie Nicko and I went to see Abduction from the Seraglio at the opera today. It was a really interesting production. I did a bit of work on it so I knew what to expect but I think Nicko was surprised when the curtain went up on a run down airport terminal. Michael Gow directed it, so it was an interesting modernised interpretation of the original mozart. Some of the acting was a little stilted but the singing certainly made up for it. Everyone at work is at home tonight dreaming of the hot tenor...

Live Earth - by Scruff - my pic of the pics.



Chicken and I measure up to Mr Garrett


View of the Crowd!



Me bailing up the security guards. They wanted a pic of Andrew but I obliged...



Son of Wolf rocks out!



The boys take a final bow.


For all Scruff's pics, see his flickr here!

Sunday 8 July 2007

Live Earth with the Wolfies...

Scruff, Chicken and I rocked out at Live Earth yesterday in the VIP bar courtesy of the Wolfies.

I have to say it was one of the most enjoyable concerts I have ever been to. The vibe was great, and the predominantly Aussie line up was awesome. We arrived in the middle of Eskimo Joe and yes J we swayed along with the crowd! How could you not? Up next was the fabulous Missy Higgins who is just utterly adorable and performed a really wonderful set. She brought tears to my eyes (girly moment #1).
After gorgeous Missy was the John Butler Trio who were way more interesting live then I expected and really got the crowd going. Nothing like a good mexican wave!
Then HOORAY it was time for the Wolfies. Chris's little boy Pascal was sitting behind us and was utterly gorgeous throughout. He was partying like a real little rocker and totally charmed everyone. The boys really rocked and we had a great time.

Then we hung in the bar and missed Jack Johnson. We were too busy being star struck over the fact we had been sitting next to Toni Collette (girly moment #2). We also saw Peter Garrett and we worked out that Chicken doesn't even come up to his armpit!

To cap off a great evening, Crowded House wrapped it up. I was so so so excited I was jumping up and down (girly moment #3). I missed their opera house gig 10 years ago and I thought I would never get to see them live. They lived up to all my expectations - so so awesome. They finished up fittingly on "weather with you".
After the gig the VIP bar started handing out free drinks so it was even fun afterwards!

Scruff took lots of piccies so hopefully I will beable to post some soon! xxx

The triple pillar of the world transform'd into a strumpet's fool.

On Wednesday night I went with Ms saggy pants to see "Antony and Cleopatra" at NIDA. My frock looked alright, especially given that it was made in a rush. It helps that the actress who is wearing it is utterly adorable.

I really enjoyed the show. It was a second year show so the acting was a bit hit and miss but the girl playing Cleopatra was wonderful. Aubrey Mellor directed it and pulled off another wonderful twist in interpretation. As it is unlikely that anyone reading this will go see it, here's the spoiler - he had the corpses of ant and Cleo strung up by their feet at the end in a line of rotting corpses. Oooh that nasty Caesar!

Only just staying afloat...

Its been a while! I no longer have my own office so its harder to sneak in a little blogging. And Nick is using my puter for uni and he is in the theatre every night till 11 at the moment so I can't do it at home either! Frustrations...

Work has been a bit hectic to say the least! The person who I have been replacing has been putting me through the ringer and I don't like it. Then on Thursday the person whose assistant I am about to become got ill and I had to take over her fitting schedule. Nothing like treading water in the deep end. My first fitting was with Yvonne Kenny. The second was with Teddy Tahu Rhodes. That was a deeper end then I was expecting, but it was ok. Unfortunately though I was then behind on the work for the other person so had to catch that up. I probably could have got out of it but it wasn't worth the grief.

Anyway, it should be all good from now on.

Friday 29 June 2007

Goodbye to buying...

Today is my last day as buyer. I am struggling at the moment to tie up all the loose ends necessary and clean up. Its been a pretty hectic day so far. The good news is that I have finally finished the silver lame numbers (at NIDA till 11 last night - felt like old times!) so I will actually get to have a weekend! Bring it on!

Wednesday 27 June 2007

SILVER LAME OVERLOAD!

I found out at lunchtime today that I have to have 6 silver slip dresses ready for a tech rehersal tomorrow! AAGGHHH! They aren't complicated but still, 6 is a lot. Only three are patternmade and cut out. None have been fitted yet. Even if each one takes an hour, that's 6 hours work. I do however anticipate they will take longer then an hour each. There goes any life I was planning for the next 48 hours! I have to make them up tonight, ready to fit at 6pm tomorrow and then I plan to hang around in the NIDA costume department and finish the babies by 11 tomorrow night. My loungeroom is already feral but it will not only be feral but have the strange appearance of an exploded discoball by midnight tonight. Silver silver silver everywhere.

But then I will be FREE! My mind is already turning to the wonders of tudor frockage I can make when this commission is over.....

Next time I'm in France....

Magnifique!

Tuesday 26 June 2007

cheeky bugger!

I took it into the shop. I went out of my way and everything. I walk to the counter and I say " I have a problem with my phone. It seems to be stuck on volume control" and I open it up to show the lady behind the counter and GUESS WHAT? YES, ITS WORKING.
I am not unhappy about it working. I just wish it could have done it yesterday and this morning when I needed it to. And I wish it hadn't embarrassed me in the shop. I suppose at least I don't have to pay for a repair now though.

It obviously just needed a break!
At least I have an alarm clock for tomorrow....

Dependant on modern technology?

Yes. My phone is not working. It just started going crazy yesterday and I think one of the buttons is stuck. I am taking it in for a repair job today so hopefully it will be fixed soon. In the meantime I have no mobile. It feels strangely like having a body part missing. What is really annoying is the fact I have given up wearing a watch and I no longer own an alarm clock. This is in fact more annoying then not being able to contact people. Although I no longer own an address book either! So if anyone needs to contact me, its email or my home number until further notice!
I wonder how long I can survive in this modern world phoneless?

Monday 25 June 2007

That was a weekend?

Yes, as usual it flew by!

On Friday after work I went and did a fitting at NIDA for my Antony and Cleopatra frock. Its looking pretty cool now, but I am looking forward to getting it finished. Then I went off to meet the Mingers at Bligh Bar in (surprise surprise) Bligh street where we partook of some bevvys and chatted to Ms Minger’s English work colleague who was tres amusing. Then we met Nicko and walked down to the rocks with the intention of going to the Lowenbrau. Then the combo of no food, bacardi, grumpiness and tiredness combined and the clever people at the Lowenbrau thought better of allowing me entry. I can’t say I blame them. If I had knocked on my door I would not have allowed me entry either. We went into the bar behind where I proceeded to get more grumpy and finally we went home.

I woke up feeling (surprising indeed!) much better thank you very much! Neither ill nor grumpy! Hooray!
Nicko and I went in to the city for a 10.30 dress run of Barber of Seville at the Opera House which turned out to be hugely enjoyable. The music is just beautiful and we both loved the show. It was exciting for me as I had a biggish part in buying for it so it was great to see the stuff on stage. The designer is a young guy Leon who studied at WAAPA and it’s nice to see younger designers getting a chance to show what they can do. I think he did a great job.

Then, as it was $15 all day parking we took advantage of the blue sky and went for a walk in the botanic gardens and then had lunch under the toaster. It was a really lovely Saturday!

Then in the evening we went for yummy Nachos dinner at Nw and DV’s . Thank you Miss DV – I’m sorry I didn’t at the time realise you had gone to bed. I thought you had gone to check on Torby! So thank you for yummy dinner!

Then I got up yesterday and had to go to Spotlight (grumble grumble) as a result of crap supervision by a NIDA Student which left me without suitable elastic. Then I made a slip dress for Sweet Charity and kept working on the Ant and Cleo dress of doom. While doing this sewing I watched 10 episodes of The Office (and fell in lurve with Tim all over again) and the second season of Men Behaving Badly (my favorite). I also made carrot soup and minestrone soup and burritos for tea! Phew! No wonder I am tired!

So I was busy busy all weekend - and now it is gone. Come back…………

Wednesday 20 June 2007

Let them eat cake... and sew.

It was morning tea day today at work (once a month for birthdays). I ate cake and then felt sick. I also stuffed up my supposed diet. Ho hum. The challenge of cake.

I have been a bit quiet lately - no going out. No fun. And therefore no funky shows/movies to write about!

The reason for this is that I have been doing a fair bit of work. So I do have stuff to advertise! I have been making a gown for one of Cleopatra's handmaidens for NIDA's upcoming production of Anthony and Cleopatra. I am also making 7 slinky slipdresses for NIDA's 3rd year show Sweet Charity. My dresses are probably not a very interesting part of the production but Nicko is doing the sound design which is a big job as there will be an orchestra to deal with and lots of radio mikes. So I don't get to see him very often at the moment either. There are also some great actors who I have worked with in years previous performing in it. My mate Jess who played Ophelia in Hamlet last year is performing the role of Charity. The nice thing about them doing a musical is that a few people who don't always get a look in on big parts are getting a chance to show what they can do. I like that!

Work is getting busy too. I worked on Barber of Seville earlier in the year which is about to open in Sydney next week, and coming up are Tales of Hoffmann and Streetcar Named Desire which both should be amazing shows which lucky me I got to buy for. So if you feel like a night at the opera, these three shows look good at least!

So there you go. Thats why I haven't had much to post about! No social life to speak of!

I am escaping my dressmakers dummy for tonight though to pop out to meet the Mingers for TRIVIA - yay! I am going to attempt to be good so as not to feel bad tomorrow... watch this space!

Monday 18 June 2007

When you stick to your limit...

I am sitting here at lunchtime having just eaten my yummy fresh spring rolls I made last night - thanks for the tip Scruff and Laela! Now I am going to eat my yummy homemade carrot soup.

I was letting my mind wander back over the weekend and I was reflecting on the speed at which it flew past! Where does my time off go? How did I ever cope last year when I worked on weekends too?

I had a quiet night in on Friday. Nicko has a bad cold and I have a NIDA commission so too much work to do/too feeble to go out. I felt bad though as I had said I would help SJ move and I hate backing out of something like that. I did get heaps of work done though which is just as well because the dress parade is on Wednesday and the frock is bigger then I first thought.

I got up early on Saturday and went for a yummy newtown breakfast with DV. I actually made it just after 10. 40 minutes late after a few major transport setbacks. It was nice to chat and catch up though and eat yummy food someone else has cooked. Then I went home to - you guessed it - sew some more! YAY!

As well as my work sewing I also managed to finish my new french hood. It has one or two minor issues but generally worked well. It stays on my head without pins! - see longer post to come on frock blog.

On Saturday night I literally bound myself like a trussed chicken into my old tudor for the Baronial Investiture feast. I was glad I did it though - I like my old tudor. I was telling people it was "vintage". 10 years old so I should be thankful I was only a little bit too fat for it.

The feast was lovely. Nicko wore his topsy vintage (circa 1997 according to mousicles) which looks cute on him. I was glad I ate a felafel at 4 pm though because as usual vegetarian food was scarce. What there was of it was yummy though. I wish the SCA would work out though that if you pile the veggies up with the meat the vegetarians don't want to eat it. No offence to the feastocrats - it ALWAYS happens - this time at least there was a mushroom pie to go with it!

I was very well behaved and stuck to my self imposed drink limit except for one eensy weensy glass of red wine supplied by Tops. Naughty girl. BUT SUNDAY WAS HANGOVER FREE!

I really enjoyed catching up with everyone and I enjoyed that my boy had a good time. It makes such a difference being at a feast when everyone comes.
I had a big sook when H and L stepped down as B&B. I was doing so well and thinking of all the positives but then I stupidly glanced around me and EVERYONE was crying. Then I cried. girly.

So on Hangover free Sunday I did - sensing a theme yet? - more sewing. And lots of cooking. In total I made: - yummy carrot soup, yummy bean and pasta tomato (soup) glug (pasta soaked up too much liquid!), a chicken with roast potatoes and veggies (for Nicko), some yummy fresh spring rolls (experimental) and some scrambled eggs (for breakfast). It was just like being back working in the pub. I also made a dumb skirt for dumb frock for dumb NIDA. All this and I even fit in a 2 hour visit to the Mingers place - wow. Maybe I should quit drinking?!?!? You can fit so much more into a weekend!!!!

Thursday 14 June 2007

Where is my fix?

I've just been flicking through the blogs I regularly spy on and was dissapointed that hardly anyone had updated. Then I realised its been several days since I updated my blog! So I am unhappy with others for their slackness yet am more slack myself. hmm. Maybe I should go back to reading the trash mags - they update at least once a week! This is a cheaper fix though. And hopefully less sad. I do still read them in the Supermarket though...

Sunday 10 June 2007

feeble, girly, broken but happy...

I am a bit broken today. I blame MsMinger who MADE me drink cocktails. Nothing to do with yapping till 6 am... I had a lovely day yapping to a lovely friend though despite being broken.

Nicko did win at Buzz. Thats all that will be said on that matter.

And then I had a lovely evening despite the cocktail enduced feebleness. I caught up with someone I love and who hasn't been a big part of my day to day life for a few months now. Its nice to remember that whatever happens in your life and how far apart the world sometimes takes you, that true friends are always the same underneath it all. If you read this, thanks mate.

It means a lot to be reminded that there are one or two people there who just get you, no matter what way the world happens to be spinning. xxx

Saturday 9 June 2007

batten down the hatches...

Its wet and windy and horrible. I was really looking forward to going out but I don't think thats a very good idea as it is yuk yuk yukki outside. So we are going over to Mingerland to drink cocktails, eat thai and play super BUZZ. I will beat Nicko this time. I will I will I will...

Friday 8 June 2007

Its lucky its dark in the cinema.... but they can still hear you sob.

A work colleague took me to a wonderful film last night, at the old art deco Orpheum theatre in Cremorne. She had a double pass to the event, which was being held because this film, As it is in Heaven, is now the longest running, highest grossing film in the cinema’s 75 year history.

It’s the story of an internationally renowned conductor who is forced to take a break from his career and returns to the village that he left in his youth. He gets involved with the village choir and what transpires is just the most life-affirming tear-jerking laugh-provoking, heart-breaking story. I stood up and clapped at the end. So did everyone else. I don’t do that regularly at the movies! If you get a free night, I recommend a trip to Cremorne.

Monday 4 June 2007

“ Capture the flag” at the Old Fitz or Schmitz redeems himself

Nicko and I went to see Capture the Flag by Toby Schmitz on its closing at the Old Fitzroy Hotel this weekend. We were keen to go for numerous reasons : -
It sounded interesting in the blurb – three Hitler Youth members trapped beneath the city, trying to survive in the sewer as Berlin falls.
Anthony Gee from my year at NIDA was in it and I love seeing people from uni in plays!
Toby Schmitz was the author of a play at NIDA 2 years ago called Grazing the Phosphorous which was pretty awful. I don’t think this was his fault as apparently he was not available to be able to do re-writes and I think the director chopped it yup quite a lot. We thus wanted to give him another chance.

I was glad we did. “Capture the flag” was a really interesting night at the theatre. The play was well written but a little slow in places, but it did keep your interest and you were drawn in to the lives of the boys. The set was great – especially having the sewer full of real water and the Old Fitz feels like a basement anyway. The sound was really cool – Nicko’s teacher Jed was the sound designer and it really was one of those productions where you notice the sound and it really helps in building the world of the play. I was feeling thankful that I was not the costume assistant as all the characters end up in the water, bits get ripped off their clothes etc.etc. Rather them then me! Clothes were pretty good though for a small show. They did their job.
I would say go and see it, but its finished! If you want to read a more professional review, go here! But if you haven’t been, its definitely worth checking out a play or having a Laksa at the Old Fitzroy

Friday 1 June 2007

Triumph of the Sick Mingers....

Yes! We triumphed again on Wednesday at Trivia even though we were a Minger down. We were however a Scruffy up…This definately helped!
In her honour, we titled ourselves “Sick Minger”. We kicked ass! Hooray for us! Hooray for free beer! And I won a spot question tenner and the heads tail game! hooray for my tail! Hooray for more free beer!

Now I am off to the Minger household to cook dinner for the sick Minger herself. Poor girly needs cheering up! xxxxxxxx

Wednesday 30 May 2007

Frockage by Jimmy...

Oh! BTW! I have started a separate but linked blog for Frockage. I thought I would keep it separate as its probably not very interesting to people who aren't frock nerds like me.

There is a link in my little section titled "cause I am a big girly frock nerd" for any of you other like minded frock nerd who is interested ...

xx

feeble snot girl tries to get a life....

So what have I been up to since I went to Shrek land? Recovering from yukki flu and then catching a yukki cold mostly. This has limited my enjoyment time and thus I have had much to complain about. This makes for unfun and boring girly blogging so fair play to me I have kept it to myself.

Other then feeling sorry for myself I have been: -
Having a fun and yummy dinner at Mouse and Topsy’s place on Friday -

even though Nicko was very sniffly. Mr Tops does great pizza and Miss Mouse does good Eurovision review!

Getting my hair cut on Saturday (yay new hair! And they made it amusingly curly!) then hanging out at the Rose on Cleveland out for a few hours - tres nice.

Partying at Jackson Jackson with Nicko, Meg, Snerg, Scruffy and Miss DV on Sunday – the verdict? They rocked! I really like bands that keep the energy right up for the whole set and who look like they are loving every minute of it. I also wish I could have a posse of girls in red frocks to follow me around and echo what I say! The Factory, which is the new music venue in Marrickville where the show was on is fab too. It’s very new and shiny but a really great place to go see a band. I’m a bit over the kind of venue where you stick to the floor! It’s a nice middle sized venue and I had a great time dancing away (even if no one else was!).

Avoiding my civic duty - I was a bit tired and seedy on Monday morning when I had to show up for Jury service. Yay. Thankfully I got stood down by about 1 pm so I don’t have to go back again for a while. I was kind of looking forward to it after 4 hours of waiting though so I actually felt a little disappointed that I didn’t get picked. But at least my life is not thrown into turmoil by having to rearrange my work so all is good and happy. And I got to watch 4 hours of the shopping channel and a nice public information video about Jury duty.

So there you go… not much to report. Will hopefully have a more fun life over the next week! xx

Wednesday 23 May 2007

The Wolfies, a skinny blonde and the jolly green giant…


Yes, We went to the Shrek premiere last night courtesy of my bro. It was cool! We were in the line outside wearing stupid paper crowns (invitations…) and they stopped the queue right in front of me. And who should step out of the approaching limo but Cameron herself! 1 metre from my face! She is one slim girl. This worried me slightly as she looks normally slim in magazines, not celery stick skinny. How skinny must Victoria Beckham be? She looks scary in the magazines!?!?! Cameron looked like she was having fun though, even though she was wearing a slip of a thing in the middle of Sydney winter. And she looked healthy so I guess that’s good!
The film was great! We decided to forgo the snack bar only to find that as you entered the cinema they offered you a buffet of free snackage all of the shrek-themed variety. There were shreks bacon balls (not green) shreks cheese sticks (twisties) and some kind of shrek custard (not wanting to know which part of shrek that comes out of…). YAY for free food.
We still had no idea how Mylo had wangled free tix, until the exciting moment in the film when the baddies attack the city and “Joker and the Thief” rang out through the cinema! We were very excited! GO WOLFIES! We had to stay till the end credits to see their names.

Tuesday 22 May 2007

crying and laughing and crying and laughing.....

I saw a really remarkable piece of theatre last night, the kind that is life affirming and life changing. The kind of production where you come out of the theatre either shaking with emotion or drenched in tears. Its such a rare experience to feel like something inside you has changed – whether you understand more or you feel more – just because of a story. That’s what I felt like last night.

Holding the man is a story about two young men who fall in love at the age of 15 and spend the next 15 years with their lives intertwined trying to discover who they are and what they mean to each other. It has to be one of the most wonderful love stories I have ever seen. It's actually based on the autobiography of Timothy Cosgrave – a young Australian actor (and NIDA graduate) and a playwright but the play has been adapted from the novel by Tommy Murphy who I went to uni with and who is a really talented (and nice) guy. I highly recommend going if you can convince someone to sell you their ticket!!!
For a wonderful review go here and for info go here!

Sunday 20 May 2007

Extreme girlyness in a puddle of feeble...

I am not very well. I don't usually take kindly to being unwell and today is no exception. Poor Nicko has had to put up with extreme feebleness today. He dragged my sorry carcass to the doctor who 3 minutes and $65 later pronounced that I have a virus and should go back to bed and take more panadol. Thanks Mr Doctor but I could have figured that out without getting out from under my warm and comfy duvet. Then I lost Nicko because I was too feeble to remember to take my mobile to the shopping centre and had to find a telephone that a) took real money not a "telimax" (or some shit) card and b) worked. Finding a public phone is much harder then I used to be when I was a lass. Scary how adrift I felt without ready access to my mobile and this was compounded by the fact I also felt extreemly weak, dizzy, achy and downright feeble. Me and my mobile have become co-dependant! AAGGGHHH!
I am going to eat soup and go back to bed now...

Friday 18 May 2007

Friday afternoon procrastination and reminiscence of mighty glory...

I didn't get to boast about our latest glory - "When Minger met Minger" hammered them at the Gladstone Trivia this week. I am getting used to not paying for drinks there! We were a team with its full contingent this week -
Minger Justin - strengths: current and obscure sport, Australiana including pub rock
Minger Gidget - strengths: literature and pulp fiction, history, odd musicals, general oddities, classical music and the 80s
Nicko - strengths: Trains, engines, odd music, crap music, contraptions, also general oddities
Jimmy - strengths: books, movies, musicals, faces, history, crap music and trash mag gossip
Tony - strengths: anything you may want to debate about, history, wierd geography and pretty much anything political.

As you can see we almost cover all possibilities! Thats why we keep winning! We beat the closest competition by 10 points or so this week and we also won 2 spot questions! $80 all up. Hooray!

A wander down memory lane with the Goons...

I went to see “Ying Tong: a walk with the Goons” last night at the Opera House Drama Theatre. It was really fabulous. As a girl, I grew up with a Goon mad father who had all the recordings and all Spike’s books and it took me years to actually decipher what they were even saying. I realized last night though how much I actually took in during my long goon exposure all those years ago. The play is primarily about Spike Milligans’ nervous breakdowns, in particular the one that forced the end of the Goon Show in the early 1960s. It also deals with the relationships between the four men (Wallace Greenslade who was the BBC style announcer on the show is also a character in the play) and the power struggles between Sellers and Milligan that culminated in Milligan trying to kill Sellers with a potato peeler (funny but awful at the same time). A lot of the play is in the form of unashamed flashbacks and the crazy characters of the Goon Show interacting in Milligans’ mind and memory. I haven’t laughed so much in ages – even though at times the laughter is bittersweet. Spike Milligan’s battle with mental illness is central to the play and such a horrible yet wonderful story. I recommend anyone with a love of the Goons, Monty Python or British comedy in general to go and see this play, which is really a tribute to probably the greatest comic genius of the 20th Century. For a more sufficient review then what is essentially my gushing, go here or here ! I have to say, it was also a lovely walk down memory lane as it reminded me so poignantly of my wonderful Dad who loved to laugh.

That damn song is stuck in my head though...

Thursday 17 May 2007

Dissapointment

Something wonderful happens. You are so excited you want to burst – you want to tell someone, a friend who will be as happy for you as you are. Its not that you need positive reinforcement, you just want to share your enthusiasm with someone who knows how much it means to you. Someone who will just be glad.
The overwhelming feeling of sadness and regret when you realise that this person no longer exists.

Friday 11 May 2007

Girly moments at the wedding in Wagga....

It has been a hectic week – the only explanation for this seems to be that we went to Wagga on the weekend for a wedding and thus are knackered. The wedding was really lovely, held right on the banks of the river and the sun was out and the bride and groom were dazzlingly happy. Of course, being the girly girl I am I started crying about the time the vicar stepped up and didn’t stop till the last snog. Should have worn sunglasses.

After the wedding, My boy and I (and a group of friends who were putting us up in their spacious Wagga hotel apartment) went to Subway and then on to the reception. We were feeling bad about our need to snack but it turned out to be a necessity as we ended up sitting in the wrong place for food service. Lots of food came out but unfortunately we were revelling too much to notice and were seated in an out of the way place. Thus several of our party went to sleep VERY early. Obviously yours truly was not one of them and on a diet of not much food and a fair bit of champagne those of us still standing went on a rampage (well – loud wander) through Wagga. I was reasonably well behaved given that there really is not a lot to do in Wagga after 10 pm. So we were tucked up in bed by 11. Which was good as we had a 5 hour drive home to contend with the next day.

Breakfast was a highlight with the discovery that the hangover café down the road did fabulous and enormous breakfasts at very low prices. We suggested they move to Sydney but they were not convinced.

Other then the Wagga expedition not much has happened this week: -
We went out to yummy Indian in Seaforth on Monday for a friend’s birthday.
I did sewing on Tuesday and more on Wednesday whereupon I decided that there was no way my dress was going to be ready for Saturday and gave up at about 10 pm.
On Thursday we had a lovely friend Sarah over for dinner and heard all about her amusing job making Nicole’s clothes on “Australia”.

And tonight we go for dinner with DV….yummy!

Friday 4 May 2007

Anna in the Tropics...




I went to see a play last night, “Anna In the tropics” written by Nilo Cruz which was part of the B Sharp season at Downstairs Belvoir.

The blurb by Belvoir reads: -
It’s 1929 and Anna Karenina hits the steamy Tampa, Florida, by way of handsome Juan Julian who has been employed to read to cigar rollers as they work. In the hothouse environment of the factory, his choice of Tolstoy’s epic novel stirs passions and emotions that have been simmering for months as the lives of the workers are mirrored in the book. Ultimately the potent force of the novel causes all of them to think about what is at stake in life and love and the results change their existence forever. Winner of the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Anna in the Tropics is about love and progress and change and the transformative effect that literature can have on our lives.

Both my boy and I really enjoyed the play. The revamped downstairs theatre is still not what you would call first class comfort, but despite wriggling a bit I was completely engrossed.

My friend Krystal Giddings designed both the costumes and the set and both were beautiful. Amusingly one of the actresses altered one of her costumes and added in a shirt of her own in the last scene. This was the one thing I didn’t like about the production as I thought it stood out a mile! Very modern and completely unfitting with the rest of the world that Krystal had created. Actresses!

There were one or two moments of direction that I would have done differently myself, but on the whole it was really enjoyable and the world was quite believable (the actors did pretty admirably with difficult Cuban accents). Being the big girly girl that I am I shed a few tears at the end (it is unusual for me NOT to cry though…).

For a more indepth review check out the professionals

Xx

Thursday 3 May 2007

J is for Jimmy and ....

Here goes!
DV gave me the interesting challenge of a mememe on the letter J.


J


J is for Journeys
Internal and external




J is for Journals

I love writing but don't do enough


J is for Jimmy Jams
Those what keep me warm and snuggly buggly



J is for Jacobites
Everyone has to have a hobby...



J is for Jovial occasions

I love birthdays, christmas and times with my family




J is for Jet-setting
I love to travel and I love going to England to see my family and friends



J is for Journeyman
That what I aspire to be.



J is for Jake

and all the other lovely techies from NIDA



J is for Jamaican rum
DOGGIE DOGGIE DOGGIE


J is for Jim Henson's muppets
They rock! Especially Ralph.


J is for Jokey Fiance
him what cuddles me.



And finally, J is for Miss JIMMY!


what not to do and when not to do it...

Yes. I was celebrating last night - our third consecutive win at Gladstone Park trivia! Hooray! Mrs Minger confiscated all the prize money though. It didn't help - there was celebrating to be done, school night be damned!

I am feeling less enthusiastic about our win today as I am suffering for it. mmm.

I have learned a new thing - that when you post on blogger inebriated, there tends to be more woofing. No surprise there really.

I don't want to shag him...not like dylan...

david is funny. hahahahahaha dylan is funnier hahahhahahahhaahahha woof.

woof woof woof woof woof.

Wednesday 2 May 2007

trickiness, trivia and interstate travel...

Its been a while!

What have I been doing? Not going to the gym enough that is for sure!
On Anzac day I spent the day at Topsy and Mouse's watching my friends children fling themselves off garden furniture and get their clothes all sodden. It was a fun day even though a bbq in the rain is trickier!
Then we went to the lovely (cough) Gladstone park Hotel and won their trivia for the second week running with our fantastic team "Hey Minger!". We won only $60 this time as there were no tacky music spot questions for my boy to show off the knowledge he gained working in a bar in Cornwall.

After spending Thursday recovering from consuming our winnings, I flew down to melbourne on Friday to join the lovely DV! YAY! I flew into Avalon airport which was hilarious. Its basically a cafeteria masquerading as an airport. I then bussed into central melbourne and met up with DV and her amusing mates and we went to the sherlock homes for a bevvy or several. I loved the Sherlock Holmes! When it said english style pub guess what! It really was! That never happens. The feel was right, and you could tell when looking at the interior of the bar that the place had actually been built by an English publican. All the stupid but essential quirky features were there. Exposed wiring, display cases where the public can't view them, and pipes wrapped up in duct tape. They even ran out of ice! (my boy would have been happy). To top it all off there was even a few random drunken englishmen loitering at the bar. It felt like home!

After a lovely morning of late breaky and meandering with DV around the shops, I flew home on Saturday arvo and headed straight to Hrothgars for tea. YUM! Hooray for dinner and chatting!
I topped off my english inspired weekend by cooking a roast on Sunday. This made my boy very happy and appreciative. Note to self - must do this more often!

Not a lot has happened since then as I got sick sometime between sunday and monday. Yukko. Developed icky migraine which is only just buggering off (wed arvo). hmm. The only entertaining thing about this migraine is the odd dreams I have been having where people throw things at my head. And that isn't very entertaining.
Stay tuned... things can only get more interesting from here! Not to mention that DV gave me a meme on the letter "J" which will be forthcoming when I can think of some stuff.
xxx

Monday 23 April 2007

Flying fish and the happy world of saline…

What a cool weekend! For once it didn’t fly by – probably something to do with the fact I didn’t have to sleep off a horrible hangover for a change!

On Friday night we were supposed to go to Flying fish with some friends but one of them was ill. My boy and I decided, "what the hell? Lets go anyway! We deserve it."
Man that was a good decision. The food was beautiful, the service excellent and the toilets less scary then last time I was there (instead of the glass being clear and only going opaque when you lock the door, the glass is now always opaque. Less cool but also less fear inducing. For those fans of Coupling, you’ll know what I mean when I say that it is now possible to declench!). We had a really great time. Because we ate late we got a beautiful table right near the window looking out on the Harbour Bridge and the Balmain Peninsula. Twas lovely. I am raving and I don’t even touch fishes!

On Saturday I woke up in anticipation of my most interesting “Belated Birthday Surprise” TM. I only had one clue – it was in Bondi Junction. I was happy when I discovered this as it ruled out most extreme sports and the Harbour Bridge climb (not quite ready for that experience yet. I’ll get there!) . It turned out that my “Belated Birthday Surprise” TM was an hour in a Float Tank followed by a full body massage! Hooray for my lovely boy! The girls at the gym will be very jealous! The float tank was a bit freaky initially but I soon warmed to the experience (once I worked out where to put my arms) and I would definitely do it again! Its cool bobbing around in Epsom salts in a dark box - Who would have thought it? It made for one happy girl. Who says you need ecstasy to go all happy and floppy? I was a bit concerned though when I found myself playing with my face in public. Were there drugs in that saline solution? Did I ingest them through my pores?

Saturday night we went to "The Minger Household" and partook of some yummy stirfry. I never thought I would see Gidget cook a meal for 4! We then spent several hours playing this silly but fun playstation game called the “Buzz music quiz” . I did not win. I think we were keen to play quiz games after our triumphant sweep of the quiz at the Gladstone park hotel on Wednesday. We won over $70 worth of bevies! We rock.

Sunday was spent sleeping, reading (Jodi Piccoult – 19 Minutes – a great read but quite chilling given the recent Virginia Tech incident), Watching Men Behaving Badly (not actual boys in my loungeroom but the DVD “Sofa Sofa Sofa Sofa Sofa Sofa”) and eating takeaway.
All in all, the perfect weekend!
HOORAY FOR NO SEWING!!!
Xxx

Wednesday 18 April 2007

blessings and abundance...

Just reading my lovely friend J's blog and I was feeling really proud of her even though she has some tough choices to make.
I decided to make a note to myself to remind myself of my many blessings: -

The important things in my life...

To be well, to have a family who I love and who would do anything to help me, to have someone I love to wake up next to every morning, to have friends that care about me and that I care about.

To have somewhere nice to live and abundant food, to be able to read and travel the world in my head, to be able to visit my friends and family in far off places, to be able to speak my mind without fear.

To have choices.

To be able to work in an industry which is "entertaining" but terribly important.
To have many and varied reasons to laugh.

I am one lucky girly girl xxxxxxxxxxxx

Monday 16 April 2007

The boys at work...


Thought this was a cool pic of the lads which I nabbed from the SMH...

Happy days and mingers of abduction...

I had a lovely relaxed weekend. I have been helping out my friend Krystal doing some alterations for her upcoming show at Belvoir St, Anna in the Tropics. Check it out if you get the chance http://www.belvoir.com.au/320_whatson_downstairs.php?production_id=175 .
I went up there today in my lunch break and her set is looking cool. It’s a very small theatre downstairs at Belvoir so it’s all very up close and personal.

Then I had some lovely friends over for dinner on Saturday. It was funny because time seemed to pass very slowly – probably because dinner was ready before 9pm for a change! It was so nice to spend a day cooking and hanging about with only minimal sewing for a change!

Then we went for breakfast at the Gallery in Annandale on Sunday. I think I would have appreciated this more if I had consumed less wine on Saturday evening but it was still lovely. My bro left for America on Sunday so it was a bit of a good bye breakfast. Looking forward to having him back in June and in a happier place too.

Last night I lounged in front of the TV (with NO sewing! hooray!) and watched an amusing and not to serious swashbuckling adventure "The abduction club". There were a few horrid mingers in it I can tell you (watch the sarcasm dribble from my lips...) mmmm. boys in breeches.

An amusing aside, The Chaser did a take off of Woman last week and who should my bro run into in the Cricketers the next evening but one of the guys, in fact, the one who was playing him! The Chaser guy was very apologetic until my bro told him how funny it was and how spot on they were! Hahaha!

Friday 13 April 2007

Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux and the extravagant pink dancing flamingos

I didn’t keep up my resolution to do a review of every play I went to see.
That is because obviously I am a bit crap and I was tired.

I went to see a play on Tuesday and didn’t tell anyone about it!

It was again at NIDA (hey – we get in free ok?)
It was called “The Game of Love and Chance” by Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux, (yeah.. him…) translated by David Clendinning and directed by Aubrey Mellor who I worked with last year on “Hamlet”.
Basically it was fabulous. The cast was great, the direction was wonderful, the set was beautiful, the frocks were extraordinary (well done Jude and Gabby), my blue coat looked pretty good (better then expected actually), I laughed a lot and there were puppeteered flamingos. Basically what more could you hope for from a night at the theatre?

This is the official NIDA blurb: Marivaux is considered one of the great masters of the analysis of love in French theatre, and the thrilling pursuit of desires is played out in this sparkling jewel of the French classical theatre. With set and costume designs inspired by Art Nouveau style and artists such as Gustav Klimt, The Game of Love and Chance is an exploration of ludicrous eccentricity, folly and romance.

If you ask for my comment, I agree! Many stars!

Thursday 12 April 2007

Oh to live under a rock...

Do you ever feel like some days not only should you not get out of bed but you certainly shouldn’t talk. When nothing you say comes out right and only seems to make things worse then they already are.

Usually on these kind of days, hiding under a rock seems like a better alternative to work, family, friends… life really.

No matter what your good intentions, sometimes things just go wrong. And you can’t do anything about it. No amount of wishing and hoping and trying can make things better.

I hate it when people I love are hurting and I can’t fix it.

Tuesday 3 April 2007

KJ proves why bigger is not always better...

My boy and I went to see another show at NIDA last night, Chekov’s The Three Sisters directed by Kevin Jackson. It was definitely the best presentation of a Chekov play I have seen done at NIDA in the 4 years I have been going to plays there. The actors were all excellent – no one let the show down. The costumes were elegant and appropriate and showed that simple is often better. The silhouettes of the three girls in particular were really stunning– very stark and pared down. I really loved the way KJ made innovative use of the studio (which is actually a TV/Sound studio, not a performance space). I had never noticed the curtains in there before but he used them to beautiful effect. Again the absence of a “set” actually added to the show giving it a beautiful simplicity. It was one of those productions that made you view a classic play in a new fresh light. I loved it!!! It really cheered up an otherwise miserable day. xx

Sunday 1 April 2007

Hard Rock and hard living

The party was cool! People at least recognised who I was meant to be! Elvis arrived first and children eating at the hard rock thought she was an entertainer! HA! We had a fun time and the Hard Rock staff said that we were the best effort they had seen in a long time. Anyway, a picture tells a thousand words so... BTW these photos were taken BEFORE I started drinking! I was channelling Courtney (even though I am much fatter then her)...








Saturday 31 March 2007

Eat my Fuck

My good friend chicken is having a party tonight to celebrate the milestone of her making it to 32 whole years. Its being held at the Hard Rock and everyone has been given a rock star to dress up as.

I am being forced to dress as Courtney Love.

I am going to attempt to dress like this: -

I got out my paints last night and made a beautiful "Eat myFuck" singlet. I decided to go for a slightly longer and larger singlet so that the other punters in the Hard Rock don't have to look at my minge. Nice.

Will post pic's tomorrow so you can see just how trashy I can be!


In other news I watched the Butterfly effect last night with my friend Sarah. What a cool film! We lost the plot a few times though as we were distracted by the extreme gorgeousness of Ashton Kulcher. It was also very fitting because I have been having an odd week for thinking, what with a family friend being very very sick and all kinds of horrid wierd accidents going on around the city. A film based around chaos theory was an interesting watch. Chance is a funny monster.

Thursday 29 March 2007

The Wood Demon and the curse of the Regent...

I went to see the show and it was nice! A very sweet early Chekov. I haven't seen or read much of his really early work before and I enjoyed how it was very clearly a portrait of the writer as a young man, but also how he was already exploring the themes on which he builds in Vanya and Seagull. Other punters were describing it as a "happy Chekov". Interesting when one of the main characters shoots himself and another is doomed to life in an unhappy and unsuitable marriage. I found it very bittersweet. I actually really enjoyed the actors who were playing older characters - for a change. There were a few really strong performances there which made it a nice evening. Costumes were sweet but dull. Yawn. The sound was fantastic (clever boy!).

After the show we partook of a few more free NIDA drinks but they booted us out pretty sharpish so we wandered down to the Reg and proceeded to drink on. Bad plan. I wish my brain would learn that drinking on a school night is a bad idea! I did have fun though - lovely to see Jake who is back from working in London. Also nice to see the kiddies in my boy's class. YAY!

Felt very bad today though!

Had a nice surprise at lunchtime when I was returning my car to the house - Ran into Gwyd who works at the guitar shop near me. I miss Gwyd and Cressie. I wish they still lived near me.

Am only just starting to feel human....

Wednesday 28 March 2007

Laughing and sewing

Its been an ok week considering its miserable start.

DV and I went to see my favourite man/sex god (other then my boy) Dylan Moran on Monday night. We had the best seats right up the front and I laughed so hard my tummy still hurt yesterday. I especially liked the diatribe against vegetarians (and nippy squirrels). I also liked the beautiful pink marshmellow creation that some loving fan (not us) left at the beginning of the show. His thoughts on fruit were also marvellous. He rocks my world.

Yesterday I went to NIDA after work to do a bit of late night sewing with my lovely friends Jude and Gabby. I am making a jazzy coat for their show which is on in early April. Its looking quite cool - very blue and has a bit of a kick at the back. I am happy enough with it so far. I just need to finish it! (where does all the time go? I will be nude at festival at this rate!) It was wierd sewing in the gleaming new workshop. The new first years working on their show seem very cute but frighteningly young. I like watching Jude trying to be a hard woman and failing desperately. I also liked that they fed me pizza.

Tonight I am going to the opening night of "The Wood Demon" which is going to be a lot less exciting then the name suggests (although I am partial to a bit of Chekov). My boy is the Stage Manager and the Sound Designer for this production which has resulted in a challenging month or two for him (and me!) but I am very proud of him that he has made it to opening night without hurting anyone or himself (designers beware!!!). He is a clever bunny! I do think though that "The Wood Demon" may be the end of his stage management career. Hooray!

Monday 26 March 2007

across the sea


I had to say goodbye again yesterday.

The airport makes me cry now just walking through the auto doors.

"Its the too big world vaulting me and its goodbye." Jackyboy had it right there.
The too big world vaults me all the time.

Why is home always so far away?

Even when I run to it, a piece is always left behind.
A piece is always beyond my grasp

Thursday 22 March 2007

I have big books too!

YAY! I have new books! I was very naughty and ventured into Dymocks on my way from delivering Cassock material to the Church Stores in the Dymocks Building. Once you cross the threshold of the wonderous bookshop you know that money wil be spent. Usually I try and avoid going in but today I have zippo willpower. At least it could be said that books are better for the size of my bottom then chocolate - except that I end up sitting on it for longer...

So today in my foray into Dymocks I got three for the price of two. I decided to go for the ones my creative writing class recommended/commented on!
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (hugely recommended by all - even the annoying girl who asks dumb questions)
A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian by Marina Lewycka (they weren't sure about this one but much discussion was forthcoming)
and
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell (apparently heavy going but an interesting exercise in point of view and plot)

I just wish I had time to read them now! In about three months time I may even give you a review!

Monday 19 March 2007

I'm free at last!

Of course the party was lovely and I had a fantastic time. OK OK I admit it I am girly (and probably occasionally prone to bouts of being neurotic)! So sue me.

I had a really lovely weekend with my family. On Saturday (my boyo’s birthday) we ended up chilling out all at home together and it was so nice to have family time. I miss having them all home.

Then on Sunday I went off to NIDA for my Graduation Day! YAY! We didn’t get to wear robes or funky hats but the ceremony was held in the Parade theatre and there was a NIDA montage up on the big screen featuring highlights from the class of 2006. And they provided a free bar and nibbles afterwards – always nice to drink free on NIDA. It was really nice to see everyone after 4 months. The only big let down was not being presented with my degree by the Head of Costume, but the Head of Production Crafts instead. This has inspired me to write a letter to the school as it would have meant a lot more if Fiona had been able to award us our degree.

Then we went off to dinner at The Summit – top of Australia Square. I ate the poshest Macaroni and cheese I have ever had. The view is always fantastic and the service was wonderful. If you haven’t been there, it’s a revolving restaurant that takes about an hour to go all the way around. It does have a cocktail bar and its worth popping in for a yummy concoction and to sit and watch the city go by. It was even better last night because the bridge was closed for the celebrations so all the streets were deserted and you could see all the people walking across the bridge with the funny little blue lights on their heads. Cool!

Friday 16 March 2007

its my birthday and...

Birthdays are a wierd thing! When you were a kid they were so exciting and you counted down the days. Now they just kind of faze me. Not because I am concerned about getting older - I don't care about that! ... more because I kind of want attention but don't want attention if you know what I mean. What I crave is a couple of people I love around me. Its hard now because I really miss my dad on my birthday - its a bittersweet day for me as I know he would have been first on the phone to say happy birthday and would have done something special for me.

Nothing else really cuts the mustard now he is gone.

This year I wasn't going to do anything. Mum and bro are both home for the first time in ages and I had planned to just hang out with them. Then we were going to have a gathering on Saturday to get some friends together as its the first time we have all three been together in a year.

Unfortunately the gathering had to move to Friday night as my bro has to go to melbourne. And now it has kind of turned into a birthday party when it wasn't meant to be. I will have a fun time, I just feel bad because I only originally invited only a few of my friends - ones who knew my mum and bro as well as me as it was meant to be about them. Now I have heaps of my friends coming (which is lovely and I am looking forward to seeing them) - its just that it now feels a lot all about me. I am also now worried I have offended people by inadvertently not inviting them to my "birthday party" when it actually is not my birthday party! I'm sure it will be fine - I'll drink lots of bacardi and fall in a heap! And hopefully won't sook about my dad.

So anyone who I have accidently offended, please DON'T BE OFFENDED - I do love you and I wasn't trying to single people out. I was just trying to keep it about my mum and bro instead of me.

And to anyone who things I am being overly neurotic and girly... read the title of my blog...
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Tuesday 13 March 2007

The wierdest job...

Its official. My job is odd. I thought buying mens underwear and venitian carnival masks for a living was unusual but no, today topped the cake. This morning a colleague walked into my office and asked me to buy her some colostomy bags. Yep - we use those in wardrobe all the time - NOT! Why for do I hear you ask? We have some "policemen" going on stage who are going to theatrically mop their brows and then wring out the skanky dripping sweat from the hanky on stage. So therefore the pocket in which they keep said sopping hanky needs to be completely waterproof with no chance of leakage. We will have to wait and see if it works. As a point of interest I also bought some lovely "vomit bags" as they have a bigger opening - might be more effective.

Well I seem to have got the hang of this blog thing - basically you just crap on! Not really a challenge for me!

Mum got home today! YAY! I am hanging to see her! We also have a lovely English visitor called Sarah who is hanging out in Aus for a while. She used to work for my mum in The Ship. Now don't tell any of the single boys for goodness sakes because she is very pretty and charming - a veritable english rose. I don't know how she is going to cope with the mating habits of the average aussie bloke. From my experience, "Oi love fancy a go in the back of my ute" doesn't really cut it with the more uncompromising form of womanhood which is the English female. They are used to being chased with more style then that! She is staying for a while but will be travelling around so may be in and out.

Monday 12 March 2007

More Frockage!



Since I am so excited about having a blog (or more like I am still trying to work out how it works), I thought I would post another pic of the stripy frock. This one is better. I also made the pink corset. Which was a bastard.

I am also excited about seeing my brother tonight. He brought me a very small creature from Japan which may or may not be a bear. Even more exciting is the fact my mum comes home tomorrow for two weeks. And its my birthday on Friday! YAY!

OH MY! I finally Succumbed


I have a blog!

Wierd.

I basically got so addicted to spying on my friends lives through their blogs that I thought I'd better get one myself - otherwise its just voyerism right?


I seem to be suffering due to my self imposed "no-trash-mag-purchasing" rule which I had put in place after departing from Woolworths (sigh, relief). I had feared that call centre monkey work had rotted my brain so decided to quit the habit cold turkey. Unfortunately this now means I hold up the queue at the supermarket to get my latest fix of who is doing who and who shamed themselves with bad frockage/no pants this week. I have also taken up spying on my friends.

Hence the blog.

I thought I would launch the new blog with a picture of my first commissioned frock as seen above.

It can currently be seen on stage in Sunday in the Park with George at Q-Theatre Penrith.
Its a nice show and the frocks rock (well done Joshua!). The production design is also very very cool.