When it's all gone, something carries on; and it's not morbid at all, just when nature's had enough of you.

Erasure

Belles Will Ring @ The Gaelic

Liam, Aidan, Obligatory Hot Female Band Member, Mustachioed Drummer, "So cool I'm bored" bassist - they're a solid bunch.

They played a good mix of old and new - "The Coldest Heart", "Mad Love", "Nightflower", and the one I'd been dreaming of them playing, "And Jesus Said Unto Me". No "Stax" or "Older Younger" though. Broader only had Songs On The Avenue, from memory.

"Come To The Village" and "Come North With Me Baby, Wow" both featured pretty prominently, which is good because they're both great singles.

As an outcome of their gig, really looking forward to their new album in the new year! (their third!)

P.S. Belles were ably supported by Magnetic Heads and Guineafowl, all of Sydney.

Politics

An elegant way for incredibly intelligent people to look intelligently incredible.

The Scottish Dylan Moran

"It'd make your face, oh, 90 percent less distracting"

Skim, the Bane of my Existence

It's really depressing at work sometimes.

The fug of depression is brought on by the more generously proportioned of our local community coming into my fine work establishment. They start their order:
"Regular double shot Latte with skim and caramel"
"No worries, any sugars?"
"Oh, yeah, three please"
Suffice to say, this grinds my gears something foul.

WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT OF SKIM MILK WHEN YOU ADD ABOUT DOUBLE THE CALORIES OF THE MILK WITH THE SYRUP AND SUGARS?

And I mean, with the look of you, skim milk's not going to do anything for you anyway.
Exercise and healthy eating would do you a far greater level of comparative good.

And it's really depressing because I feel sorry for these people, that they need to put their minds at peace by using skim milk instead of full fat, but they can't shake their own wanton addiction and ignore their own needs by putting all the sugar in it, or worse, happily accepting the free cookies we provide as part of our coffee, which are basically just sugar. How about a trade in? Change your skim milk for full fat but trade your cookies and sugar syrups for some exercise and maybe a salad or a piece of fruit.
It pisses me off when people make a token gesture towards something they obviously need but completely nullify it through some other weakness. It pisses me off and it depresses me, simultaneously, that they don't have the spine to just say no.

The Seething Rain Weeps For You

For a while I've wanted to get a tattoo, just a small inconspicuous one somewhere not visible in every day clothing.

I reckon I'll end up getting words, and I've started looking for good stuff.
I think I'll just get a passage from this song. I think this has the best lyrics of any song I've ever heard.


Saying goodbye now
Looking at friends
A lump comes in my throat
Hearing them all speak of you

It rains
We have no umbrella brought
With which the wind be fought
The seething rain weeps for you

Speaking of better days
There are so many things I want to say
Should I re-live my life
I´d run into you much sooner

Time has, it would seem
Quickened its pace
Leaving upon your face
A curly smile meant just for me

Speaking of better days
I try to remember everything
But as the years go by
The dark moments lift
Like rain clouds do

With destruction hands
And low lit snow becoming
Winter body aches

Speaking of better days
I try to remember everything
But as the years go by
The dark moments lift
Like rain clouds do

From my window I watch the day go by

[Uda Pruda]

Challenger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Challenger_disaster

Speaking of Pommy gits..


Get one big fat fucker and consolidate it...CONSOLIDATE IT

Pommy Git

There's a new British guy at work.

He was really surprised that I could tell he was from London just from his accent.

He's a football fan, but he supports United despite the fact he's from sodding London!
(Reckons he likes the way they play)

He made fun of Australians pretty much the whole time, and our accents and culture and stuff. Don't really know why he's here to be honest!

$$$

In the past two weeks, I've bought tickets to:
Laneway Festival in February
Shout Out Louds sideshow in January at the Annandale
and as of today I have tickets to The Antlers and Bear In Heaven also in February and also at the Annandale.

I'm looking forward tons to these events, but my funds are running low haha, what with a lot of stuff I've bought recently and the fact my job pays me basically nothing to do basically everything.

Upcycling Unwanteds

This is my upcycling screen, my last first year project.

Made from cardboard, pianola roll paper, brown paper, foam packaging wrap and lots of PVA glue.
You can see more of my stuff at http://sleightbyhand.blogspot.com if you care to have a look.

Now, to months of holidays!

Arbitrary Ambiguous Vagueriness

Ros: What are you playing at?

Guil: Words, words. They're all we have to go on.

Couldn't agree more.

You can dig yourself into a hole as big as your imagination by overthinking small occurrences.

Anything could have happened.

Hello, my name is...

I like the way he thinks!

Sturm and Drang

First year Industrial Design is fast coming to an end.

It's stressful now,



but I know I'll probably get bored come a month or two into the holidays.

D'urgh

-The phrase uttered when you realise how many douchey people will be at Laneway.

The Holidays 16th October 2010

The Holidays at the Gaelic

First up was Papa vs. Pretty, a teen rock band out of high school last year.

I didn't really enjoy them that much. It was really hard to get into them for me, being straight up and down rock with not much subtlety and full of what was to me overly showy guitar solos. Tim made a good point that on record you can ignore it but when you see them pulling it off in real life in every song it becomes a bit samey and uninteresting, especially if you're not particularly wowed by that vein in the first place.
I really didn't dig what the lead guy was wearing, either, and his voice was drowned out all the time so I couldn't hear any lyrics or anything. Also, they didn't play the only song I like, "Ballad".

The Holidays came on, and again did not play my favourite song, "Heavy Feathers". This frustrated me immensely.
Nonetheless, they played an interesting show, but it again didn't particularly appeal to me. They're fun and all, and probably what you'd listen to if you didn't really care and just wanted a feel, but I feel they're a bit lacking in intensity. They shuffle along and are really nice, lush, but there's not enough to hold me in, and I feel they overplay a lot of their tropicality, for want of a better explanation.
They'll probably win a lot of fans with their music, but not me for now.

Goldenballs

"What a moment not only in the footballing career but the life of David Beckham"

What a legend.

I love the moment he goes to the corner flag holding the crest - see how much it means.

The Perils of eBay

So just this evening, I was planning on buying a pair of new football boots on eBay for $150. However, I talked myself out of this but then got on to random designer stuff (trying to pick up some collector stuff that I can keep and it can gain value)

So one thing led to another, and right now I'm bidding on:

A set of three Starck "Miss Trip" chairs manufactured by Kartell. (currently sitting on $51)
Alessi "Lilliput" Salt and Pepper Shakers ($1, but sure to jump)
Alessi "Cico" Egg Cup, Spoon and Salt Shaker Set ($22)[but buying for my niece]
A 1.5m Oggetti Floor Clock (offered $55)[I got it]
and finally I'm seriously considering buying a Graves designed kitchen timer for $35. [as a Christmas present for my mum].





Curse you eBay!!

"Places"

There's a new update on the Facebook for iPhone app - "Places".

Basically, as part of the social networking site you're familiar with, you can now post an "update" of where you are located on the globe. You "check in" at a place you've arrived at, and show the world just where you are.

There's already been concerns about the safety and security of the system - there are cases of kidnapping and murder happening across the internet, but this just seems to make a lot of it easier.

That's not my primary concern, anyway.
Why do we need people to know where we are? It seems a bit crazy and self-absorbed to me. I don't want to know where other people are, just as much as I don't want to let people know where I am. I guess it's handy if you're travelling and want to let parents or relatives that you're alive and to know where to contact you, but when you're just doing it while walking around your own city?

I don't know, it just seems a little bit of an intrusion, and a little pointless.
I don't like the idea of a 1984 style watch on everybody - I'm averse to measures such as an internet filter and Patriot Act style legislation, so this is like a socially acceptable extension of those things in my eyes.

An iPhone App

That Shit Makes Me Angry!

I don't get people:

Who claim to listen to "good" music, or who are passionate about music, or who dress hipster-like, wear all the glasses and stupid boots and crap,

but don't discriminate amongst what is obviously poor music and what is better music. I know it's all about opinions and that people can say what I think is crap is actually good, but people listening to intelligent well-made music then go and listen to what is absolute crap - for example listening to some of my favourite bands but then diluting it by listening to shit like Paramore or Taking Back Sunday.

You're either a music fan that thinks intelligently, or you're an indiscriminating douchebag that doesn't know what you like, or really have any opinions, and I will never value said opinions at all.

Don't listen for image, listen for enjoyment.



I can't sleep when I think about the times we're living in
I can't sleep when I think about the future I was born into
Outsiders dressed up like Sunday morning

Gaelic Theatre 25/9/10

Four bands on at the Gaelic in Surry Hills, in order:
Collarbones
Ghoul
Pikelet
Richard In Your Mind

My main intent was to go to see my school friend Marcus's band, Collarbones play, but unfortunately we mistimed ourselves and Tim Gareth and I arrived too late.
Tim had already seen Marcus play with Collarbones twice, but I haven't yet. So that was disappointing. There'll definitely be time though; Marcus has got a record contract, which means hopefully there'll be heaps more ops to see him!

Ghoul were pretty interesting having not listened to them before, but I thought it was hard to get a proper gauge on them from the live performance. I liked "Swimming Pool" - was a really sweet song.

Pikelet was pretty cool, we spent a good five minutes discussing what the lead singer's profession was. (We decided a schoolteacher.)
She didn't look like anything I'd imagined. She was selling merch afterwards so I bought a badge she'd made herself.

The second time seeing Richard and his crew.
The bassplayer's knee-bobbing and hand arching makes me laugh, and Richard's really interesting on stage, so I was more than happy to bob along to their tunes.

A fun show, the Gaelic's really nice inside, and the crowd was really chilled and happy to be there.

Sean: Thought about what you said to me the other day, about my painting. Stayed up half the night thinking about it. Something occurred to me... fell into a deep peaceful sleep, and haven't thought about you since. Do you know what occurred to me?

Will: No.

Sean: You're just a kid, you don't have the faintest idea what you're talkin' about.

Will: Why thank you.

Sean: It's all right. You've never been out of Boston.

Will: Nope.

Sean: So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid. And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach, dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared shitless kid. But you're a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my fucking life apart. You're an orphan right?

[Will nods]

Sean: You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally... I don't give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some fuckin' book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't want to do that do you sport? You're terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.

Destiny?

There's this image I have in my head that one day I'll be riding bikes down a French country road like this, under a night sky with my "sister."

"I'm in love with you, little sister
We ride home in the night
While under our feet, the rain paints the street with the stars
Passing cars with light trails behind them
We could follow them on
Given this town is wearing me down
Lets take off
No one would know that we've gone "

Events

Currently, I plan on going to the 2012 Euros in Poland and the Ukraine while I'm on exchange. The competition falls in the mid-semester break of my uni semesters, so I plan on going early and watching the competition before doing a semester of exchange.

After that I plan on backing up for the next major tournament on the football calendar - the biggest one of them all - the World Cup in Brazil 2014. I don't know if you remember but the Fanzone at Darling Harbour and earlier the World Youth Day gave a taste of what it is to go to one of these global events.
It's a huge event that actually transcends just what's going on on the field, the players, the football. It's about a whole bunch of people just hanging about with a sole purpose in mind. To reference some earlier stuff Tim and I did:
http://followingthecrumbs.blogspot.com/2009/10/re-world-brought-together.html

It comes in many forms, but I think occurences like this are the things we (well, definitely I) love the most. It's events where people are all together for one common purpose. That's what's so wonderful about an event like the World Cup. No matter what the country you hail from, or what race you are or what have you, you're there to enjoy the common atmosphere and the company of all these people. The best thing about it all is that you're the ones that make the event so special - without you there would be no enjoyment. The players would still be paid and the results would still come through.

I've been pretty lucky with sporting events - I was there for Steve Waugh's last test, Australia's 2005 qualifying for the World Cup in Sydney, ANZAC Day Collingwood v Essendon, a couple of Sydney Olympics events, Sachin Tendulkar making 100 at the SCG, as well as Langer and Hayden. I've watched some miraculous things on TV - Liverpool winning the FA Cup from a Michael Owen double in 2001 (I think), their 2005 Champions League triumph, Ronaldinho's floater over Seaman at the 2002 World Cup, Senegal at the same event, Australia's 2006 WC campaign, Mitcham's perfect dive to win gold, the list goes on.

The chance to watch some real life events unfold at the world's biggest event though, with an entire globe watching on, is so enticing. I can't wait to get the opportunity to witness it first hand with the atmosphere and the colourful people and support.
Bring on Poland 2012 and Brazil 2014!

The Jezabels and Cloud Control Manning 3 Sep 2010

Went and saw the celebrations at Manning for it's 10th.
Was a pretty excellent night, featured Guineafowl (didn't see that much of them)
and the wacky Richard In Your Mind, The Jezabels and Cloud Control.

Slightly inebriated, I told Heather from the Jezabels I loved her.
She replied, "Oh, thankyou."

I'll just chuck some pictures out after that revelation.

Splendour Weekend Part 2

Splendour Weekend Part 1

can't sleep, clown will eat me

i can't sleep.

it's tuesday the 20th of july 2010

and i have too many dreams in my head

but none of them the right kind to sleep on.