Thinking this may well be the last time Arran believes in Santa Claus, note left out to Santa, and the doubt creeping in as to whether it really is Mum or Dad. With lots of "Is it really you Mum?" being asked.
Well this year we have been very Chistmassey, with the tree and some carols on the CD player. Shocking what they sell you from those cheap compilation disks. But Arran is happy with them.
We also went a little upmarket with the Opera Australia Christmas carols. A little highbrow, but we did recognise most of the tunes!
After what seems like an interminable amount of swimming lessons, we were back at Cook and Phillip for a test to restart classes. Swim school with the public school system definitely seems to have given Arran a lot more confidence in the water and she charged away.
With so many blogs, websites, myspace, Facebooks, wikipedias etc etc, where is all this information going? where is it all being stored? Who is ever going to read it all?
Is the history of humanity floating around in space? What about all those images? Will it stay there until the end of humanity as we know it?
Who is going to be the ultimate archiver?
The world is speeding up, but the content isn't slowing down. Who is there to read it?
Well it was really stressful putting on a new jazz series of mainly local Sydney talent, on a week when all the heavy hitters of the International jazz world were on their way to Wangaratta, and doing extra gigs in Sydney on their way through.
However, all considered we did OK and actually managed to attract a larger audience then most nights at JG and of course more than SIMA which has a limited capacity. Not bad for a new venture, in a location that people aren't used to. So I am optimistic about the future.
Image is of the Pascal Schumacher quartet, a band with musicians from Brussels, Germany and of course Luxembourg. They were fabulous, if you get a chance to see them, don't miss them.
Mothership sounded good, they all fit on this stage.
Rushing around from Cat Empire all ages, down to melbourne for some "culture" and lots of sitting down concerts, then onto my first meeting for Sound Travellers and a kiddies swim party today.
I was hoping for a slow down after next week and keep on dreaming of holidays
Well, it was a work party in October? The Silver Shovel awards. I have to admit that I haven't seen alcohol that free flowing at a work function for quite some time. The house band was singing that night, and Fran whose team I work with is featuring in this track.
Rabbit is based on the Alice story, re-interpreted into a playful dance/movement piece by Buzz Theatre from WA.
Very cute puppets, bunnies have lots of "aaah" value. Some great movement and use of props. Moves at a good pace, so entertaining for the whole family.
Currently performing at the Opera House. Image courtesy of Buzz website.
The other great way to spend some time was a visit to Carriageworks where I saw Babylove.
Actually an art installation, but with enough excitement to make it a viable ride.
These battery powered babies are fun.
We also saw Stalker playing around with their Catapults. Have a look at the video, it was fascinating watching David and Max, float and hover through the air. Sadly we didn't manage to catch the Erth "petting zoo", but hopefully there will be another chance during another holiday.
The current Australian Government thinks we should have a citizen test, this one is a bit of a laugh and to top it off you can listen to "True Blue" while you are doing it.
2007 Australian Citizenship test
1. Do you understand the meaning, but are unable to explain the origin of, the term "died in the arse"?
2. What is a 'bloody little beauty'?
3. Are these terms related: chuck a sickie; chuck a spaz; chuck a U-ey?
4. Explain the following passage: "In the arvo last Chrissy the relos rocked up for a barbie, some bevvies and a few snags. After a bit of a Bex and a lie down we opened the pressies, scoffed all the chockies, bickies and lollies. Then we drained a few tinnies and Mum did her block after Dad and Steve had a barney and a bit of biffo."
5. Macca, Chooka and Wanger are driving to Surfers in their Torana. If they are travelling at 100 km/h while listening to Barnsey, Farnsey and Acca Dacca, how many slabs will each person on average consume between flashing a brown eye and having a slash?
6. Complete the following sentences: a) "If the van's rockin' don't bother...." ? b) You're going home in the back of a..... ? c) Fair crack of the.... ?
7. I've had a gutful and I can't be fagged. Discuss
8. Have you ever been on the giving or receiving end of a wedgie?
9. Do you have a friend or relative who has a car in their front yard "up on blocks"? Is his name Bruce and does he have a wife called Cheryl?
10. Does your family regularly eat a dish involving mincemeat, cabbage, curry powder and a packet of chicken noodle soup called either chow mein, chop suey or kai see ming?
11. What are the ingredients in a rissole?
12. Demonstrate the correct procedure for eating a Tim Tam.
13. Do you have an Aunty Irene who smokes 30 cigarettes a day and sounds like a bloke?
14. In any two-hour period have you ever eaten three-bean salad, a chop and two serves of pav washed down with someone else's beer that has been flogged from a bath full of ice?
15. When you go to a bring- your-own-meat barbie can you eat other people's meat or are you only allowed to eat your own?
16. What purple root vegetable beginning with the letter "b" is required by law to be included in a hamburger with the lot?
17. Do you own or have you ever owned a lawn mower, a pair of thongs, an Esky or Ugg boots?
18. Is it possible to "prang a car" while doing "circle work"?
19. Who would you like to crack on to?
20. Who is the most Australian: Kevin "Bloody" Wilson, John "True Blue" Williamson, Kylie Minogue or Warnie?
21. Is there someone you are only mates with because they own a trailer or have a pool?
22. What does 'sinkin piss at a mates joint and getten para' mean?
Hi two really unrelated events, just spent a few days in Brisbane, hot days I might add. The kind when you don't really want to walk the streets.
That must pose a serious issue for the water shortage, which is dire up their, as one feels the need for more showers, as being sweaty is not really an attractive choice.
Back to Sydney for Barbie at Taronga Park Zoo. They have really hit on a formula, with the newest offering being the Island Princess, complete with cute animals that translate well to product.
So I won one of the silent auction prizes at my daugher's fundraiser. This year it was an art auction. Plus my daughter had over 6 artworks on display, costing $5 each. However after buying 3, we figured that we might well see the others return home to us at some stage. Good guess. I just hope we don't have to hang all of them on our walls!
Time just slips away and with my hellish months ahead, also thinking how to proceed with Women & Wealth. We are still in the design stages, though the site is live, it is not yet "finished" and we are still refining the design. However, I am thinking it is going to look good and thank god, we are getting to the end of that stage.
Spent the Saturday of the long weekend attending Electrofringe, a sound art/electronic music Festival in Newcastle. Very fringe in nature and content, but interesting to see different worlds.
Couldn't believe the number of burnt out disused buildings in Newcastle.
Train ride there and back was good for staring out the window and being amazed with how much music I have on my MP3 and how much longer the battery works than the old days with the walkman.
Next stop is the mountains of work involved in my numerous projects, which should be keeping me very busy.
So in the life of a Consultant I have hedged my bets and when the last tender came through I realised that September/October are/were going to be busy months.
What with launching and setting up a framework for a new touring program called Sound Travellers to fundraising at the Zoo, not to mention my own concert series Places & Spaces and the Jazz:Now Festival.
So it was a mixed week of performances at the Opera House seeing jazz, interspersed with a penguin talk at the zoo. Having the chance to have a snake fun its tongue over my hand, amazing soft, sensitive quality and surpisingly snake skin is also nearly velvety soft.
Then it was running all the way to a music assembly for the Music Council of Australia, where as a bystander it was interesting to hear what is going on in their world.
Life if very busy at the moment, with lots of juggling trying to get projects moving forwards.
I am very absorbed by the Sound Travellers project which is to tour sound art/electronica, improvised jazz and contemporary classical music. There are so many possibilities, the question is how to source the money to fund it.
Then there is Places & Spaces with my Music @ the factory being launched on 1 November. It has been great because I have found all sorts of possible support from my colleagues at the Zoo! Great how things connect.
There was a great version of the Chaser at the Zoo and of course the Canadian stunt was rather a good indication of how poor the security actually was vs how much posturing the police did this weekend.
So a beautiful spring day for Father's day. Well I have to say my husband scored better than I do, he got waffles, strawberries and maple syrup, whereas I got some sad croissants I bought myself and had served without jam, just butter - not good for someone with high cholestral. Our daughter did a sterling job of chopping strawberries.
Saw my friend Joh Puglisi's first choreographic piece as part of Bodylines at NIDA. It was great to see her work, and even better that we liked it, so we could be honest when we said we liked it! That is something that always stresses me out when I see friends work.
Also saw the amazing Katie Noonan, what a voice, what a talent. If you can catch her on her current tour, make the effort. She is really special.
On the lighter side of life, this is a incredibly silly video, courtesy of surfing Youtube with my daugher!
