Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Public Health Warning

It is increasingly common among those who extend their education (or “Student”) to develop tunnelus visionlus, a debilitating condition that renders sufferers unable to think beyond their focus of study. This condition was recently described in "Factor of Impact", a highly regarded journal dedicated to the phenomena of delusions.

Particular to those ensconced in research, though not exclusive to the field, this aggressive disease can leave sufferers with the paradoxical feeling that time is both condensed and infinite. This is illustrated by the common cry, or variations thereof, amongst sufferers: Where Did The Weekend Go? or When Will It Ever End?

This condition is often accompanied by extravagant fantasies that the thesis produced at the end of Student-ship will serve mankind in its Significant, Relevant Contribution to the canons of world knowledge, rather than the reality of producing a big book that only a handful of people will ever read.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that tunnelus visionlus may be aggravated by lack of exercise, social isolation and takeaway food on the way home from the lab. Care must be taken to prevent progression towards guilt of Catholic proportions when Students take time out from studies to eat or sleep.

Although a magic bullet for this insidious condition may be decades away, some methods have been found to be effective temporary treatments. It is recommended to gently lead the Student away from their experiments towards a pub, a band and a beer or three.
Note: this treatment has best efficacy when Students are submitting university forms or discussing timelines with supervisors.
For other conditions of which to be aware, I refer you to Serenity Later, Vernoona, Cassiopeia Gegenbaurer III, Sartorial Splendour and Flygirl.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Yippee!

How's this for a tough life? Last weekend, a bunch of scientists descended on sunny Lorne for a conference. The previous fortnight's preparation was hard going but turned out to be well worth it. Oh and I'm all over Illustrator too - double yipeeee! A conference is hard work: lazy lunches on the beach, a small nap then back to the talk-fest-o-rama.

The weekend was topped off by a beautiful wedding in the gardens of the Exhibition Buildings, coincidentally holding a bridal expo. Yup, picture the bridezillas and wanna-beeees walking out to the real thing. Luckily, the gale-force winds died down during the intimate ceremony with only a few small branches and leaves as confetti!
Ahhhh.
And a lovely reception to boot, congrats Ilse and Derryck!
PS: Happy Valentine's Day for Wednesday folks, or Happy Un-Valentine's if you're a grouch/non-believer ;)

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

go on, you know you want to...

some links i have been clicking on
:: you can bake muffins for the boys or you can throw rocks at them!
:: have just recently started reading this great blog Drawn! - all kinds of 2D creativeness at the helm of John Martz
:: another secret love, i like 'big fish ensemble' and 'confusebox' - how bout choo?

...would love to hear what you've been reading lately!

Monday, February 05, 2007

Cabin Fever

have been holed up at the computer for the last week - til all hours after work and most of the weekend. except for a lovely Yarra side BBQ on Satdee (thanks Elmo!), it's been a sad state of affairs in the social department (sorry kaz, cass and kaluuuds - didn't make it on frideeee)!
all this amounts to a frazzled cabin fever of some sort, so apologies go out on the astral plane to the poor (albeit incompetent) sods who copped it when i ran some uni errands this morning... you won't have to see me again, hopefully it's the last time i have to enrol!

Monday, January 29, 2007

haste vs speed

it's barely 2007 and i already feel like i'm rushing around, doesn't seem right!

Friday, January 26, 2007

Thwack!

It seems an UnMelbournian thing to say, but I am really not a sporty/ sportloving/ sportsanything person.
It's sad but true!
Despite living in walking distance to the MCG, I have been to one footy match in my whole life - that's a long time (also sad but true)!

However, the only exception I make for sporting spectatorship is the tennis. My childhood summer holidays were largely spent in front of the teev, watching tennis. It has rules that I understand (cricket? how does that go again?) and it's something I could possibly even play myself - one day (except maybe lawn bowls, is that a sport? ;p).

Thwack - thwack - thwack.

Normally, we grab a ground pass for the AusOpen and take our chances on the outside courts - hoping to see a great match. This year, we braved the heat and headed out to the east for the Kooyong Classic, a great tournament that features 8 of the top-ranked men on the circuit.
We were treated to Stepanek vs Federer, Safin vs Nalbandian, Roddick vs Haas and Murray vs Ljubicic, and it was pretty exciting to see these guys beyond the little square box.

As the temperature hit the mid-30s, I took this photo in a mild attack of jealousy of those under the covers.
The poor people's seats (with our free Age bags as cushioning).Andy vs Tommy: note the spectators huddled under the shade of the large, tall tree.
Not that I only post about cute fuzzy toys, but also check out Unicef's Feder-bear: http://www.unicef.org/people/people_35676.html

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

I'm sure I can make her hand fit mine...

You Am I fans together now: Woo-oooo!
Who'd thought You Am I's reach included a convenience store in Toronto?

Monday, January 22, 2007

I See Red

L->R, T->B
A humble Montmartre fruit shop / Deux vins rouge\ Random sign, random small green woman
Napoleon's lurve seat (ahem, yup it's a 3-seater) \ Bloomin' marvellous / Adelaide
Pompidou/ Berry nice! \ Vroooom vrooom Valiant

Of all the colours in the rainbow, red is able to represent the whole spectrum of passion. Sure, orange is pretty chirpy but when you Really Wanna SMASH SOMEONE... [punching fist into palm]
See? Orange just doesn't cut it.

Red can be anger, love, evil, happiness, luck, the warmth of a fire, the heat of the sun, speeeed (hoons take note: red cars go faster - NOT canary yellow ones) and what dessert is complete without a red something- berry /rose petal /flame on a candle? Imagine a lamington without the jam? a pavlova without the strawbs? a blackforest cake without the cherries?

And maybe this could be my favourite RED moment: if travelling and feeling just a little bit homesick, think of Dorothy clicking her sparkling pair of red shoes [click click] [click click].

For other musings on RED, check out Cassiopeia Gegenbaurer III, Vernoona, Serenity Later, Sartorial and Flygirl.


Monday, January 15, 2007

Frog and Bear

I've recently been toying with felt and it's so wonderful! Very simple and easy to use: all you need is some stuffing, glue and a blanket stitch or two - many new ideas and possibilities sprouting!

Please allow me to introduce Frog and Bear.

Long time visitors may recognise Frog who made his first (bi-focal) appearance ~10 months ago. As you can see, Frog's already learned that life's tough - especially when you're hanging off a backpack. Still, I reckon that he retains a whole lotta charm despite being a cyclops.

Bear has only recently been completed and was introduced to his new owner last
week so hopefully he's out and about in Brisvegas, lapping up the northern
summertime sunshine!

For Frog and Bear activities of another kind, go here.

[PS: It's all ok, Frog experiences the world safely from Dr Kath's backpack
sidepocket these days. Cheers to Dr Kath for her great pic!
]

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Baaaaaa

I've lived in Melbourne my whole life and I've only just recently visited the Collingwood Children's Farm. Situated less than 2km away from the CBD with the Yarra River bike path running through their gardens, the Farm is open everyday and provides a little bit of country in the big smoke.
Although we arrived when it was closed, big or small city kids can still walk along the river and check out the cuuute goats, sheep and horsies. In fact,the baby animals ran in a big mob towards us and scrambled at the fence - they are definitely not afraid of people!Unfortunately, we didn't get to check out the Farm Cafe, but we did like their illustrations accompanying the menu.

Don't forget to drive a bit further along Yarra Boulevard for a lovely view of the Melbourne skyline.....another glimpse of the sheep...

Friday, January 05, 2007

Summer = BBQ

Summertime means BBQ time!
As much as we'd all like to be Merv Hughes in a BIG truck on a BBQ mission, a simple gathering with family and/or friends is just as good! This is a plate of goodness from a previous summer thanks to Kaz and Alex. Delicious!
May your summertime BBQs be this good!

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Christmas time is here...

bringing Christmas cheer...

The other morning, we were talking about those letters that arrive this time of the year. You know the ones:
'this year has been a busy time in [insert family] household with Mum working hard in [company X], with Child A kicking goals in [extra curricular pursuit] and Child B toothing'
Sometimes there's photoshopped images of Dad in a Santa hat pulling a sleigh with the fam behind. This phenomena seems to be a love/hate thing that can induce serious eye-rolling and groaning in some, but I kinda enjoy the breezy cheesiness of it all. And the fact that Danny Katz writes em every year makes em OK by me!

*shrugs* what can I say?
Even jfox can't be cynical at Christmas time.

Don't know about you but it's been a crazy messed up year at this end! Hope you were kicking goals in your own big (drb!) or small way and that you share your holidays with your nearest and dearest.
Cheers to 2006 and here's to 2007!

Monday, December 18, 2006

Friday, December 08, 2006

Off with their heads!

I kinda like lego men....but not like this.
[let me know if you want one! ha]

Thursday, December 07, 2006

And Your Bird Can Sing


Presenting: the Rubber Soul Beatles Show, in honour of this post’s theme of My Favourite 20.

Yup, it’s another headscratching list, this time prompted by the ABC’s My Favourite Album which featured two Beatles albums in the Top 5.

I must admit, it doesn’t bother me that much that people are voting for Anthony Callea or Delta Goodrem. I can’t say that I understand it but I can appreciate that taste can encompass all kinds of music. Pop isn’t all bad juju. There are an equal number of el crappo indie/alternative/punk/rock bands yeah?
We have SERIOUS radio wars at work – the commercial radio kids vs the cynical community radio stalwarts. As one diplomatic colleague says – there’s no such thing as good or bad music, it’s all down to personal taste (what do you think?). Having said that, it would be interesting to see whether modern day entries can stand the test of time.

:: So to My Top20 ::
The criteria for favourites? Those albums (dare I say tapes?) that have been played ad nauseum and where songs can be named from one chord.
No surprises then that subsets of this list can be mapped to particular time periods. A good test would be to revisit and see what survives.

West Side Story = Movie Soundtrack
Blur = Blur VS Oasis = What’s the Story, Morning Glory? c.a.n.'t. p.i.c.k.
Rail = Bad Hair Life
You Am I = Dress Me Slowly (tough choice out of all their gems)
Dirty Three = Ocean Songs
Ice Cream Hands = Sweeter Than The Radio
Jason Falkner = Author Unknown
Bjork = Post
Crowded House = Together Alone
Beck = Odelay
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong = Ella & Louis
PJ Harvey = Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea
Beth Orton = Daybreaker
Flaming Lips = Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings = Naturally
Teenage Fanclub = Grand Prix
Jeff Buckley = Grace
Radiohead = The Bends
Blackeyed Susans = Mouth to Mouth
Pernice Brothers = The World Won’t End

So predictable yeah?
Couldn’t decide which Wilco album out of the last four and so endow them with a big honourable mention instead. Oh and Beach Boys = Pet Sounds – that is a melodically dense, wonderful album.
Better stop now.

Check out the lists of Cassiopeia Gegenbauren III, Yossarian, Serenity Later, Sartorial and Flygirl for more opinions on favourite sounds.

:: Addendum ::
In my youth (!), I used to see heaps of bands live and then tape them live from the radio.
Armed with trusty walkman on the train to uni, I listened to
* Pulp rained out at Glastonbury 1998
* Jeff Buckley on the 3RRR Rooftop
* Blur at their peak at the Astoria 1997
* an extremely charismatic Frank Sinatra at Festival Hall
* the beauty of Portishead with orchestra at the Roseland Ballroom
* The Fauves or
* Rebecca’s Empire both at the Espy.

When the walkman batteries ran low, I’d switch over to the 3RRR Breakfasters stifling guffaws of laughter between the Chris Hatsis playlist of power- , brit- and electro- pop that formed the basis of my musical taste for a long time.
So Cassiopeia, I’d like to stretch the rules to include these as a postscript to a favourites list, because for a long time I didn’t listen to anything else.

Summer nights

It's already been a year since this blog started which means that the Night Market is back. Food all down one side and stuff to buy on the other.

Last night we enjoyed paella, Roo steak sanger, yakitori and okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake) and honey dumplings. No sign of the Persian fairy floss though - disappointing!
High-tail it down to Queen Vic and indulge in a cupcake or two!

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Kick or Spit

the choice is yours...

Early Christmas Cheer

Despite a fire, the Melbourne General Post Office remains a beautiful building in the centre of town. Converted into a fancy pants shopping centre (as cute as they are, who can really afford Campers shoes?), its owners have also taken advantage of a lofty ceiling and used it as a space for art.

My favourite so far would have to be the long opened umbrellas balanced precariously along criss-crossing wires strung from all four balconies. Being Melbourne, they had to be black and lent the usually light and airy ceiling an ominous feel. More recently as part of the State of Design Festival, bird cages were hung from the rafters. I quite like the absurdity of a mass of open umbrellas inside a building - multiples of seven-years-bad-luck notwithstanding.

After banana crepes yesterday morning and a surprise birthday greeting, I diverted on the way to work and noticed that there were strangled plastic christmas trees hanging not only from the outside pillars but also in the building itself.
I'm not sure how to respond to this one, but I did say the art pieces tended to the absurd!