Today, I am sick. I started getting a bit of a fever yesterday at work. And this morning, decided that I should stay home.
Today, I received a rejection letter from Borders for a recent position I went for as Marketing Coordinator. It seems that, although I was a marketing coordinator for more than three years at FMR, I am not even worthy of an interview with the big bookstore up the road. Part of me is secretly hoping that they just deleted my application without even reading it, cause I would be more upset if it was because they felt I wasn't qualified.
Today, in an ironic twist, I also 'won' the new Renee Geyer album, 'Tenderland', thanks to Music Max. I have always said that I thought Renee had an amazing voice (I'm sure my US friend Artdaddy would agree!), and, whilst recently cruising their site, submitted for the online competition. It was a pleasant surprise in the mail today and genuinely put a smile on my face, and for a brief second, made me feel like my horrid luck lately was about to change... until I opened the Borders letter and the reality came back again.
Birthdays... happy birthday to my nephew Samuel, who had a birthday earlier in the week. Happy birthday to Cameron Wenn (he'll kill me for linking that review from the past but it does give him a very good wrap), who had a birthday recently. Happy birthday also to Kieran, who celebrated last weekend. Happy birthday to David Rogers-Smith... (ok, the link isn't him but it's fun)... still possibly one of the loudest voices I know, who is celebrating his birthday early next week... and last, but most certainly far from least as far as i'm concerned, many happy returns to my dear friend Michael Sakellaris, who's friendship has meant so much to me over the past 18 months that I can't even remember what my life was like without him. He is a one of a kind, genuine and real friend, and I thank you again for being a truly remarkably person who constantly inspires me! Worst of all, I think everyone suspects you're going to get better with age...
And there are more freakin' birthdays next week... I mean, don't you just HATE nine months on from Christmas...
And lastly, a shout out and best wishes to Gerling, who play The Metro in Sydney tonight and who are having the show filmed. I SO wish I was there, cause Gerling are definitely one of those bands who remind me WHY I love live music so much. I'll be thinking of you tonight, and hope the show rocks as much as you do. For those curious, they have a new album out called 'BadBlood!!!', which you can purchase now, and find out heaps more about the band on their official page.
An email I received that seemed to raise some interesting points:
According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 50's, 60's, 70's and early 80's probably shouldn't have survived, because...
Our baby cots were covered with brightly coloured lead-based paint which was promptly chewed and licked.
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, or latches on doors or cabinets and it was fine to play with pans. When we rode our bikes, we wore no helmets, just thongs and fluorescent 'clackers' on our wheels.
As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags - riding in the passenger seat was a treat. We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle and it tasted the same.
We ate dripping sandwiches, bread and butter pudding and drank fizzy pop with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always outside playing. We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle or can and no-one actually died from this.
We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then went top speed down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.
After running into stinging nettles a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back before it got dark.
No one was able to reach us all day and no-one minded.
We did not have Play stations or X-Boxes, no video games at all. No 99 channels on TV, no videotape movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no personal computers, no internet chat rooms.
We had friends - we went outside and found them. We played elastics and street rounders, and sometimes that ball really hurt.
We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits. They were accidents. We learnt not to do the same thing again.
We had fights, punched each other hard and got black and blue we learned to get over it.
We walked to friend's homes.
We also, believe it or not, WALKED to school, we didn't rely on mummy or daddy to drive us to school, which was just round the corner.
We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate live stuff, and although we were told it would happen, we did not have very many eyes out, nor did the live stuff live inside us forever.
We rode bikes in packs of 7 and wore our coats by only the hood. Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected.
The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law. Imagine that!
This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.
And you're one of them. Congratulations!
For those of you who aren't old enough, thought you might like to read about us.
The majority of students in universities today were born in 1983........ They are called youth.
They have never heard of We are the World, We are the children, and the Uptown Girl they know is by Westlife not Billy Joel.
They have never heard of Rick Astley, Bananarama, Nena or Belinda Carlisle.
For them, there has always been only one Germany and one Vietnam.
AIDS has existed since they were born.
CD's have existed since they were born.
Michael Jackson has always been white.
To them John Travolta has always been round in shape and they can't imagine how this fat guy could be a god of dance.
They believe that Charlie's Angels and Mission Impossible are just new films out last year.
They think that N-Trance "set you free" is an Old Skool song.
They can never imagine life before computers.
They've never heard of Pac-Man or Space Invaders or BBC computers that have Bat n Ball games.
They'll never have thought Jazz was the sexiest aftershave ever.
They'll never have pretended to be the A Team, Red Hand Gang or the Famous Five.
They can't believe a black and white television ever existed and don't even know how to switch on a TV without a remote control.
And they will never understand how we could leave the house without a mobile phone.
Now let's check if we're getting old...
1. You understand what was written above and you smile.
2. You need to sleep more, usually until the afternoon, after a night out.
3. Your friends are getting married.
4. You are always surprised to see small children playing comfortably with computers.
5. When you see teenagers with mobile phones, you shake your head.
6. You've developed more and more feelings about your work. It's now your life.
7. You spend less and less time talking on phone with your friends daily.
8. You meet your friends from time to time, talking about the good old days, repeating again and again all funny stories you have experienced together.
9. Having read this mail, you are thinking of forwarding it to some other friends because you think they will like it too...
Tonight, i'm fuelled on discontent. Tonight, I don't feel like keeping up the optimistic facade. Tonight, I feel pissed off at what my world has become.
Without realising it at the time, at approximately 5pm on Friday, July 18th, I was at one of the happiest points I could get.
I had a job I wanted. A job that gave me a sense of purpose. A job that made me feel like I was achieving something. A job that I was good at, and even better, getting to be great at. A job where I felt like I was hitting a new peak in my own abilities. A job with artists who I cared about and who I wanted to see succeed.
I had close friends who I felt respected by. Who I might get to see on the weekend. Who I felt like I contributed to their life.
I felt in control. I felt content. I felt like the world had laid me a challenge and I was actually beating it. I was winning.
I didn't need anything else. Cause this world was what I wanted. This world felt right.
Tell me - what is worse? To be poor and still have a job you love or to be in a job that you feel is slowly killing you through mind numbing boredom?
I am sure this is the lesson I am meant to learn through all of this.
I don't feel like I really have a sense of purpose anymore. I feel like a part of my soul has gone astray. I'm missing the music and the tunes that make me fly. I'm missing the person I was a few months back.
I feel like I was living in a world that was spinning around out of control. And then I fell off, and all I knew was that the world continued spinning on without me.
A week used to feel like a day. And now a day feels like a week. My old friends are in a different time zone. I can send a message but their world is too fast to always get back. It isn't intentional. Its just their world. But they don't realise how much it feels like they're spinning off away from me.
I feel sorry. And I can say with honesty that I am sorry. Because I don't feel like half the person I was. When the most interesting thing about my is pointless ramblings on a pointless website, lacking focus, substance or even direction - tell me how this should be something to be proud about? You tell me why I should be happy right now doing something I hate for not enough money while I miss my friends who continue to twirl in their world unable to comprehend my feelings of loss for them...
I sometimes get tired of keeping my chin up. I sometimes want to be a contradiction. I'm not asking for sympathy here cause I don't need it. I'm just asking for people to understand. I hate where this has ended up. But it is my reality that I have to deal with. It isn't like i'm the only person something like this has happened too. But it is the first time it has happened to me and god knows I should be allowed to say right now that I hate it. You can't get much more sorry than that.
Hey, I found a website about the meaning of life... and even better; it's now available in SPANISH! Hola! ¡Ahora puedo entender el significado de la vida en dos idiomas!
It wasn't all that long ago that my own self esteem was fairly low, thanks to a combination of the weight that I carry and the overly superficial leanings of the subculture of which I belong to. In my world, unless you have pecs the size of small rodents and a six pack you could do your washing on, you're seen as totally flawed (note: this is the view of the writer and perhaps not the view of the community). At the end of my 28th year, I discovered the book 'The Fat Stripping Diet' by Shane Bilsborough after being recommended it by a random encounter with a woman at my gym, and thus began my fascination with diet.
During my 29th year, I did a 'Fat stripping course' at my local gym. It's interesting to see that Tracey, who ran my course, is now working with Shane at his fitness company. It was, undoubtably, the best $550 I could've spent last year. For eight weeks, I paid someone to put my through physical torture and, as a result, managed to get my weight down to 72kg from 85kg. I have little doubt that the all night dancing that occured every weekend during this period also had something to do with it, but i'm not going to look a disco-horse in the mirrorballs.
I started taking interest in a multitude of diets and exercise regimes, although never seriously enough to see any fantastic results happening. But enough to maintain a respectable level of weight and to bring my self esteem to a level where I actually began to think I wasn't a half bad kinda guy. It was also at this point that I realised the importance of 'being' instead of 'trying to be', and that enormous realisation of how much superficial expectation people place on each other. But hey, this is a whole other topic in itself and not really where I want this blog to go.
It is amazing how change works. Without wanting to harp on about comparisons between my life now and two months ago, I can't help but feel it more than just in financial or career terms. For some reason, the selection of food around West Melbourne where my previous office exists was far more inducive towards a healthier existence than what I have on offer now. In West Melbourne, there was 'Hungry Boys' just around the corner who, for all their faults, could through together a healthy salad sandwich on sour dough bread better than most. A few minutes additional work landed me down on Errol St, where there was a multitude of small cafes, asian takeaways and bakeries, and even they had a diet range. Towards the city was what we referred to as 'the laneway'. There was Blue Bag down there, a reasonably healthy boutique deli that charged outrageous prices for a few pieces of chicken in a lubed up bun. But there was also a place that sold rather scrumptious california rolls, which I tend to be rather taken by... hmm... tuna california rolls...
Additionally, I would often take my lunch into the office... and although I would never be sure if I wanted to eat that lunch on that day (depending on what I felt like at lunch time), there was a kitchen I could go to with a microwave ready to heat up my Lean Cuisine.
Two months down the track... a different company... a different location... and how I notice the difference. There seems to be a distinct lack of healthy eating in this area. Infact, i'm not even convinced that this area know how to make a half decent sandwich. The bakery across the road have these tiny sour dough rolls, and when you asked for salad, you tend to feel like you're visiting a third world country with how much they give. They do specialise in donuts... but we'll get back to them soon. The milkbar next door would give you the impression that the only way to actually cook something is to coat it in fat or deep fry it, except, strangely, their 'fried rice', which seems to be steamed with frozen vegetable 'blocks' thrown in. Yummy. Then there is the supermarket a few doors down that, strangely, do serve lunch, but again only seem to specialise in items of high fat content... they're great with donuts... again... but again, i'll get back to that.
There is a health food place a few doors up - 'The Green Grocer'. Sadly, their price range tends to be a little unrealistic and I feel like I need to take out a personal loan just to pay for a chicken and salad sandwich. Certainly, after trying a slice of their orange and poppyseed cake, I couldn't work out if the cake or the price tag was richer...
I don't bring lunch in, for a few reasons. Firstly, the fridge is very small. Secondly, what there is of a 'kitchen' is directly behind me - a bench with a coffee machine, sandwich presser and microwave, which is open to the entire room that houses myself and about 20 other individuals. There is no privacy, and therefore I don't feel as inclined to heat up my lean cuisine (filling the room with an aroma some might object to) and eating it in front of them... and additionally, just out of necessity for space, I feel obliged to go for a walk out of the office to savour some time to myself.
What this all adds up to, however, is the feeling that my diet is increasingly going down hill.
Add to this that I feel like i'm suddenly working for Springfield Power Plant... and you can understand my increased concern. The amount of donuts this place goes through are astounding. Simon to my left loves his pink ones. JP to my right isn't as fussed about what colour. If you leave the donuts next to the coffee machine too long, they're gone within minutes. I've suggested cutting each donut up into eight pieces, mostly to annoy people but also cause I think it would be mildly amusing. I spend my day cruising new websites, chatting with people here, discussing U2 and different makes of guitars, internet piracy laws, and all things latest technology. If there was a Carl and Lenny here, I would be slowly but surely confirming my place as the new age Homer Simpson.
So... what to do to combat this... i'm not entirely sure... I guess the answer is that I should definitely start bringing in lunch more... an assortment of sandwiches should be a realistic venture, but it is making me have a new found appreciation for those bored secretaries out there who find it all too easy to pig out on unhealthy food out of sheer boredom. Mind you, it is difficult to resist those sweet sweet rings of baked iced love when they're floating around the office so readily and being consumed so lovingly infront of me. The icing... those small pieces of coloured candy... that light and flakey dough... hmmm.... donuts... aren't they truly proof that a God does exist? Even the shape; circular and round; symbolizing the beginning and the end... the alpha and the beta... the trinity of donuts; the chocolate, the strawberry and the holy cinnamon ghost... another realisation for today - I need to get out more.
Retro Toys Part 1...: How to build a Commodore 64 on your PC.
1. Download an emulator. I recommend winVICE 2. Unzip, and run your emulator. See... it's pretty and looks just like that Commodore 64 you used to have in high school that made you nearly fail some subjects cause you were busy playing Tetris instead of doing your homework...
3. Download some classic C64 games... and how cute - the games are only about 50kb each!
4. Remember, to load a game is: LOAD "*",8,1 - but also remember that the C64 keyboard configuration is different too!
5. Enjoy! ...retro-dorks (I can't talk... I love Ghost 'n' Goblins, Ghostbusters and Impossible Mission)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show Favourite line: "It's not easy having a good time... even smiling makes my face ache."
Clueless Favourite line: "So, OK, I was at this party, and my designated driver tried to attack me, so I got out 'cause we'd stopped, and then he drove off and deserted me, and then this guy with a gun held me up, took my money, and my phone and he yelled at me and he forced me to ruin my dress."
Star Wars Favourite line: Actually... not so much a favourite line in the film... but there is a list of lines that could suggest innuendo that add to the film no end.
Congratulations to Amiel who's album 'Audio Out' debuted at #17 on the ARIA Albums chart this week... onwards and upwards to you, gorgeous!
Big HELLO for the day to discowboy... read his blog.
My family...
An interesting article in The Age this morning discusses the personalities of siblings based on their birth order. It is interesting for me to note, being the youngest of five children, as the article looks at the relationship that exists between the eldest and the youngest. According to the article, "Only children tend to be achievement-oriented, conservative, articulate and confident; middle children tend to be flexible, diplomatic peacemakers; while last-borns, he says, are often persistent and outgoing risk-takers who are charming, creative and who challenge authority." I'm actually surprised at how accurately this tends to describe my family situation (as modest as this makes me sound, acknowledging that I can be charming, creative and an authority rebel...)
The dynamics between myself and my siblings is a rather unusual one in the most usual of ways. There is a seven year gap between myself and my brother, Russell. There is a seventeen year gap between myself and my eldest brother, Colin. In between are my sister, Leanne, and my other brother, Mark. Definitely, it is interesting to note the various generations that exist within one set of siblings.
I always felt a bit like an only child in many aspects. Many of my siblings had moved out during my youth, although this was something I didn't complain about. Like many siblings, the fighting that occured between Russell and myself was often frustrating, and I have more memories of his pranks and cruelties than anything else... although I will admit that he did tend to tip generously for getting me to run across to the shop and get him milkshakes (Blue Heaven) and other assorted snacks. Certainly, this kind of relationship wasn't an uncommon one, and like many siblings, our relationships have only become something more substantial and non-violent in our adult years.
I get along exceedingly well with my sister Leanne. As a child, I think I was always closest to her as well. I do have many fond memories of my childhood with her, from spending time with her and her friends listening to music through to her terrifying me by removing her lemon peel face mask and pretending it was a layer of freshly peeled skin. When she married my brother-in-law, Sid, I must've felt in many ways like I was losing a sister. Interestingly, the business man side of me came out at their wedding when I raced around collecting the little heart tokens that appeared on the bottles of alcohol at the reception, and then went around to the same tables moments later selling them back to them. Apparently I made a tidy little profit that night. Yay me!
If I thought the relationship that Russell and I had was volatile, we shouldn't even begin to examine Sid and myself. Actually, that's a lie... cause as a kid, he would often 'push my buttons' in many aspects. I would love the 'play' aspect, especially hiding on each other and springing out of nowhere to scare the living crap out of each other. There was one instance where, in a display home, he thought he saw me going into a built in wardrobe and quickly sneaked up behind me to trap me in. Screaming, protesting and banging on the wardrobe door followed, as Sid laughed viciously... until I walked up behind him and asked him what he was doing. Turns out that it wasn't me after all, and the poor shaken kid was set free from the wardrobe, racing off to find his parents. I can remember, on more than one occasion, hiding in the shower and waiting for Sid to come in to wash his hands after being in the bathroom, jumping out and scaring the crap out of him... ahhh, good memories. He also had the habit of saying that "Children should be seen and not heard", which i'm sure now he knew absolutely annoyed the living crap out of me. I tend to agree with him now on that sentiment though. Infact, i'd prefer they weren't even seen...
Colin, the eldest, married Deborah. I've always found Deborah charming, funny, and rather sophisticated. She has an intelligence about her that meant conversation was always whitty and smart. My fondest memories of Colin and Deb are actually fairly numerous... the time that they went to a fancy dress party as giant rabbits (Colin had to stop off at a fruit and veg store in full outfit to buy some carrots as well, which would've been amusing to see)... Deb's performance at the Gang Show... and Colin sitting me down to read my a rather twisted rendition of the Last Supper, basically revolving around the concept of Jesus and the fish and chip shop.... trying to explain this certainly won't do it justice so i'm not going to bother, other than to say that Colin and I seem to share a similar warped sense of humour.
Infact, in many ways, Colin and I are bookend brothers. Apart from the obvious fact that he is the oldest and i'm the youngest, we seem to share many similar ideals. We seem to have a similar sense of humour... we definitely seem to share a similar work ethic... yet in a more than ironic twist, out of all my siblings, I feel like I tend to know Colin the least. This is through no fault of neither - just circumstances really. He works a great deal, and obviously wants to spend time with his family whenever he can. I get to see Colin and Deb generally around Christmas time each year, but try to keep them 'in the loop' with what is going on in my life as much as possible.
There was one instance not long ago where all of us actually managed to get together on the same day, and it struck me that, now that we've all grown, and have our own lifes, careers and families, and based on how diverse we all are, how remarkable it is that we all seem to get along fantastically well. I know this is to be expected, but often I see families who just don't get along at all, and I think mum and dad must be pleased that they've raised five individuals who still care about each other and try their best to often keep in touch. I'm certainly not suggesting that we speak to each other weekly, but what is important is the quality of time when we get together.
The older I get, the more I realise and appreciate the importance of knowing your siblings. We may have fought, like any siblings do, as children and teenagers, but I've come to appreciate them now as individuals as I get older. Certainly, I appreciate the respect and support that they constantly show me, and many key moments in my life have been complimented by the well wishes and support of them. As schmultzy as it may sound, ultimately, I guess it isn't important how often I see them, just as long as we make each moment we do spend together count.
Flash Mob Pt2: After writing the other day about this new and rather bizarre trend, Melbourne experienced it's first ever 'flash mob' last night out the front of Flinders Street Station, under the clocks. 120 people rocked up at 5:25pm and pointed with one yellow-gloved hand at the sky for one minute before walking off like nothing happened. Wanna see it? Wanna read more about it?
Friday's site recommendations: My choice of sites that I tend to frequent often...
* Rather Good: Totally absurd and, some might say, often offensive humour that tends to have me laughing uncontrollably. Definitely check out the angry kittens rocking out to The Vines.
* Say Hey: Actually, a Kylie forum, but it tends to be one of the more 'vibrant' (for want of a better word) on the net. The off topic tends to be a hub of controversial topics, often bordering on childish, but that's the internet for you.
* Go Home Productions: One of the biggest underground breakthroughs in popular music over the past few years has been the 'hybrid' mix... this site tends to be a good first base to check out what's going on.
* Shareware Music Machine: For those interested in making music, this site is probably one of the more comprehensive for shareware, freeware and demo music software.
* Acid Planet: For those wanting to release their 'inner remixer', this site is an online community dedicated to remixing, especially using the Sonic Foundry software ACID.
* Impossible Princess Radio: Run by the lovely Cath over in Manchester, this is a streaming web station that plays nothing but Ms Minogue... obviously not for everyone but one i'm rather partial to (see my tribute below).
* Pet Shop Boys: Design wise, I think a rather awful site... but I do love the fact that, each month, they take questions for the first week, and then spend the remaining three weeks answering a selection of them online. Definitely a good thing when you feel that little bit closer to the people you admire.
* First album that I bought?'Rhythm Of Love' Australian tour pack - 1990
* Did I like Kylie the first time I heard her? No. For a start, I was never a fan of the song 'The Locomotion', and for that matter, still find it rather painful. And I wasn't a fan of 'Neighbours' either, well... not after Daphne died. And during the 80's, I was very big into the Australian 'rock' scene (well, 'rock' then was INXS, The Models, etc...), and Kylie seemed too much part of that manufactured prodcution line for me. Additionally, being young and impressionable, I fell pray to the media who took no greater delight in bring Kylie down tall poppy syndrome style.
* What made me notice her then? In the early 90's, I discovered the night club scene... and with that, I discovered 'What Do I Have To Do?' and 'Shocked' especially... I had to admit at this point that she knew how to craft a fairly addictive dance tune... and I was beginning to really like the 'image' that she was cultivating. It was sharp, sexy and sophisticated while still retaining a lot of her playfulness.
* Where did you first meet Kylie? It was at the very start of the 'On a Night Like This' tour in Brisbane after the first show. Charlie, who I worked with at FMR (who I have found 'a link' for, but I would never be that cruel as I know she would not appreciate it), is a close friend to Kylie, and when she discovered that I had never met her before, went to grab her and bring her over. You can understand that I had built up a strong passion for Kylie's music over the following decade from when I first 'discovered' 'What Do I Have To Do?', and so while I tried to retain a cool and calm exterior, I was a bundle of nerves. Charlie brought her over and introduced me, and Kylie replied 'So, you're the Lawrence i've heard so much about?' Out of all the things she could've said, she picked the absolute perfect comment and I became this big, blushing, mumbling mess (mind you, I am tongue tired at the best of times anyway).
* Having worked for her record company and on her music, did I get to 'hang around' with her often?Absolutely not. For a start, she does have (like any normal person) her own close circle of friends. And secondly, my job was to be one of many that worked on marketing her music, and nothing more. In all honesty, I have an absolute aversion to getting too close or stepping over 'that line' with my favourite artists, and while it was always nice to say hello or get a photo, I tend to prefer to stand back and keep out of the way for fear of being seen as 'a pest'. But the number of people who thought that, while working on her music, I would 'call her up' and 'have a latte' or something is rather amusing and hell, while i've got the opportunity, I may as well clarify that this doesn't happen. Having said that, any time that I have seen her, she has always been very pleasant and kind.
* Is it true she phoned you on your 30th to wish you a happy birthday? This can be seen as bragging... and yep, it definitely is bragging. Charlie had asked if she would mind, and on the morning of the 8th of January, 2003, she gave me a call. Now, I know a few Kylie's, so when she phoned up and said 'Hi, it's Kylie...', my immediate reaction was to say 'Which Kylie?' "The small one...", she replied. I mumbled my way through a brief conversation once again, getting the opportunity to congratulate her on her Grammy Nomination that she had received that morning, and thanked her for her kind gesture. I then casually walked next door to Charlie's office and jokingly said, "Will you stop your friends from pestering me when i'm trying to work on them..." In all honesty, it was an enormous thrill to have my thirties greeted in by two people I admire so much - Kylie and Charlie. One I admire from what I know of them... and the other I admire because of knowing them. I'll stop bragging now.
* What does Kylie mean to you? As a performer, she represents the ability to be persistent, to overcome criticism and to prove yourself as a performer of substance and worth, especially difficult in the fickle world of pop. Personally, she almost embodies the 'passion' that I felt when I went into work each day... and why I loved my last job... working on Kylie has never been a job, because it was something I believed in, and on a more selfish level, it gave me a sense of purpose.
* Why choose Kylie for the first artist tribute on Blog? Because over the past few years, Kylie has represented many things that I hold dear and important to me. Firstly, like many people, she represents many good times shared with close friends. I can't hear tracks like 'On a Night Like This' and not think of people like Micheal Ritchie. I can't hear tracks like 'Made In Heaven' and not think of Matt Coleman. Secondly, Kylie has 'brought' new friends into my life... via the web where I met people like Alexandre in Paris, Geordan in New York and David 'Margeaux' Watson in Sydney (now Canada). Additionally, she has strengthed some of the friendships that I found at FMR, especially with people like Dean and Kylie Martin, who I could not speak more highly of. Ms Minogue has represented a sense of purpose, something that i'm good at, and something that I enjoyed doing. But I guess if I was given the opportunity to pay Kylie a compliment, I would want her to know that I chose Kylie for my first artist tribute because she has been one artist who has been able to totally make me revise what I thought of her through her own talent and sheer persistence. Like many 'rock' teenagers in the 80's, I disliked Kylie for being so manufactured (although a lot of this has to do with my inability to understand the value of pop music). But over the years, she has proved to be worthy of her icon status, and I stand humbly corrected that my initial assessment of her was totally off track. She has definitely provided a substantial portion to the soundtrack of my life, and for that fact alone, I thank her.
Sense of purpose...
That's the keyword today... Actually, I was discussing this with someone last night. In the past, my job gave me my sense of purpose. I can't really claim that as much lately. In some ways, and this is rather sad, but this blog has given me some sense of purpose... or atleast some means to have a voice and feel like i'm contributing in some ways. Although it is ramblings and playful internet cruising, it does tend to articulate my life at the moment, the boredom that I seem to be facing daily, and the need to keep my mind alert, creative, and thinking. My book that i've been working on, 'On Being', is where my more focused thoughts are channelled, but I guess we won't be seeing terribly much of that for some time yet. Whereas this is instant... it's a popular culture... it's the ability to claim a location in this parallel cyber world and to project my thoughts to a mass culture. I guess that is why I try to make it very 'pop', disposable but something that can prehaps promote thought and a sense of now. I've always thought that people tend to place too much emphasis on their situation giving them a sense of purpose when the reality is that they should be creating it for themselves.
I asked someone last night what creative output he did to articulate his soul. It might sound like a loaded, or even rather wanky question, but I consider it a vital one. Many people can't answer what it is about themselves that makes them unique, and I personally find that to be one of the questions you should think about the most and be ready to answer should you ever be asked. After all, it is our own individual uniqueness that makes us stand apart from each other, and able to enhance and make an impact on each others lives. My blog is my attempt to be a little more unique... to be a little more creative... to be a little more understanding of who I am now, as I certainly have no idea at present where i'm exactly heading. Anyway, enough basic philosophy for today...
Attention... attention... I have a new housemate. Yes, Andrew has been conned... er... I mean, agreed to move in with me. When? Actually, i'm not entirely sure. All I know is that I got a yes at the end of the evening after a few bottles of red wine. It's amazing how much a crushed grape can act as an amazingly convincing social lubricant. Not that Andrew actually needs said flattened grape to find something interesting to say.
In all honesty, I don't think i've been as impressed with someone as immediately as I was with Andrew last night. There seems to be a few remarkable similarities between he and I, which is probably something that should frighten and worry most people. Most importantly, he values friendships in the same way that I do (he spoke a lot of his friends and that is generally a great indicator), he loves the occasional social drink, and in a spooky similarity to past housemates, has a passion for artists like Kate Bush... who, he tells me, drove herself insane with her own music at one point. Finally... something Kate Bush and I have in common.
Actually, i'm rather excited about the prospect of living with Andrew and I think he is going to be a fantastically good influence to have around me. I already have a healthy respect for him and so I think things can only get better from there.
I've seemed to have had a remarkable number of enquiries this morning from people who can't speak English terribly well. Not that i'm making this comment out of any form of political incorrectness, but more as an observation at the sheer quantity of people and finding my own reaction to the whole experience rather interesting.
I've also spent the morning going through previous Blog entries and hyperlinked the crap out of them... I feel that I could officially label myself as a cyber-nerd with 100% accuracy after this. But I think it adds to the entries in their own little way.
I'm about to also head off and continue reading The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde online at netlibrary. I've always loved Oscar Wilde (as seen by yesterdays quote of the day) and spent much of yesterday afternoon quietly giggling to myself while waiting for calls. The DVD of the original film version of this is worth getting too, as the performances are just fantastic and definitely show how timeless Wildes writing was. I've heard from many people that the updated version released a year or so back with Rupert Everett is well worth skipping, although I really should probably get it out and have a look sometime soon.
I love the fact that Oscar Wilde's dying words were "Either that wallpaper goes, or I do." Spoken like a true stylish gay man really...
Quote of the day... cause i'm reading Oscar Wilde while waiting for 5pm to come around...
ALGERNON. Oh! it is absurd to have a hard and fast rule about what one should read and what one shouldn't. More than half of modern culture depends on what one shouldn't read.
I am determined not to mention that company today, for fear that it may be recognized as being a new found hangup. Instead, I am going to talk about the joys of trying to find a new housemate. As many of you know, i've had various amounts of luck with housemates. And today, I might just dedicate some time to past ones...
I first moved out of home into a place with two guys named Scott and Ian. They had been partners, but had broken up after a fight over a Christmas tree decoration. They also had the annoying habit of fighting in Dutch, which used to annoy the crap out of me because I cannot speak Dutch. They were, to say the least, a very odd couple.
I initially got along very well with Scott, but as time moved on, he and I were just totally incompatiable. I was fresh out of home, and would go into an anxiety attack at the sight of a bill... and he, to put it bluntly, was just an arrogant arsehole. He was a 'actor' (apparently), and 'dancer' (one ambitious move saw him break his arm on stage) and I think the last thing we said between each other in the final weeks we lived together was me asking him if he knew where the can opener was and he saying no.
He brought in a woman I met as Audacity, but who I simply started to refer to as Audi (even to this day). Now, there are people that come into your life and make such an impact for being there that years later, you can still cite them for various influences. Audi was very much one of those people. The first time I met her, Scott took me over to her place and we walked in to find her lying on a foldout bed in the loungeroom watching 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Scott introduced me. She looked over her shoulder, said 'Hi' and then insisted we come and lay down next to her and watch the film. She was shy but confrontational. She was strong and yet unsure. She would contradict herself and yet always insist she was right (I loved her for that actually...) She was definitely unique, and that's one trait I've come to realise is a pre-requisite for anyone wishing to befriend me.
Anyway, we (being Audi, Scott and myself) lived together at 67 Charles St in Prahran. Little known fact is that I made a wrong turn into this one way street the first time I ever went out on 'the scene'... an omen or just stupidity... I like to think both. When things between Scott and I became a little too stressed to continue, and the next door place became available, Audi and I moved next door to 65 Charles St. The painful girls that had lived next door had finally moved out... something we were thrilled about as they kept having this habit of singing 'I Will Always Love You' at high volume off key. I can't remember who we Audi and I initially moved in with... it may have been Catholic-o-holic Darren, unique-dancer Jeff, or 'The sun will come out tomorrow' Gracie/Graham. All three were interesting in their own way but definitely not ones i'm going to spend too much time on here except for the brief mention...
Tracey/Richard moved in somewhere during this period. Tracey was a large, loud, animated drag queen, whose alter-ego Richard was a fragile and broken man. However, there was something of a soulmate relationship between Richard and I, and during the peak of our friendship, it was sometimes like Trace and I were two halves of the same person... which must've been absolute hell for people around us. Trace did have a lot of issues though, and while I won't go into full details now, I will say that it all ended rather tragically.
At this point enters another person who would become increasingly influential, being Lyle. Audi and I were looking for a new housemate. A friend of mine Kieran had mentioned this new guy who had started to volunteer at the VAC named Lyle, who had said over a post-meeting dinner that he was looking for somewhere new to live. Kieran told him about me, and he came over to check out the place. When I opened the front door, I was greeted by this guy in a suit who looked uber professional. The place was, to put it mildly, an absolute dump. Lyle came in, looked around the house, picking out every conceivable flaw in the place (all of which were 100% accurate). At the end of the inspection, he turned around and asked when he could move in and I said that he could begin the next day.
Now to put this into perspective, Audi and I were both going through a lot of changes at this stage, and her and my friendship was perhaps going through a bit of a rough patch. Lyle and Audi did not get along, and when the opportunity came about to move on with Lyle, I decided to accept it. Over the following years though, Audi and I did live together on a few more occasions and we're still what I would consider close friends (how can you not be friends with someone who has played a major role in your life?) I think the reason why Lyle and my friendship grew to be so strong was that we were housemates first, and the friendship came after that... even if his favourite artist is Kate Bush and his most hated artist is one of my favourites, U2.
We're moving mid-90's now... Hamish was a totally wrong housemate... meant well but somehow managed to push all the buttons that frustrated the crap out of me... Andrew - possibly one of the best housemates anyone could hope for but sadly driven away by Hamish (I would joke that the only reason he got away was because I didn't think of it first)... and then with Lyle again at the two bedroom place on Malvern Rd where I continue to live now.
That lasted a few years before living together became a bit of a rut. He was obsessed with his playstation and being a couch patato. I was obsessed with the internet and listening to music. He complained that I was always on the net. I complained that he was always playing Diablo. He tried to claim he only ever did it cause I was always on the net but basically, I don't believe that... mostly cause whenever I came into the lounge room to be social, he would still sit there playing Diablo. But this was the seeds of how I spend most of my time now... in my room, listening to music and cruising the net... i'm such a funky nerd.
When Lyle left, moving on to 'save money' (it saved our friendship so i'm not bitter), Matt (version 1) moved in. People actually were placing bets to see how long Matt and I would live together, which we found amusing. We proved them all wrong, by finding that not only did we live together well, but that living together seemed to improve our friendship. Matt was actually very similar to me, spending a lot of his time to himself, but spending some quality time together. We would often have Music Max in the background playing retro, and whenever some classic came on that we both liked, we would race into the loungeroom together at the same time and get all nostalgic. Matt ended up moving back to his mother before relocating to Sydney for work and personal reasons.
Next up... Brendan (yes, I've gone through a lot!)... Bren stayed on for another year or so before, like Matt, relocating to Sydney for work. I seemed to be suffering the curse of Sydney relocation. Bren's common traits - coming home at all hours of the morning absolutely trashed and then putting on either country music or showtunes and singing them at the top of his voice. This, admittedly, is a rather unique trait. He also used to think he could fool people when they requested the volume being turned down by walking over to the dial and pretending to turn it down... er... hello... volume is something you hear and not see, Bren... best way to describe Bren - naughty boy.
And now we're getting close to up to date... the last one... Matt (version 2)... who I thought was meant to be the one to move in due to a strange sequence of events. Leading up to my 30th birthday, I started thinking of people from my past that I wanted to invite. One of those people was a gentleman by the name of Charles Cassar. Charles grew up around the same area I did, and was a familiar face during my coming out period. Literally hours after thinking that I wanted to invite Charles, I ran into him down Commercial Rd and invited him along. I didn't realise until the night of the party that he was actually only in the country for two weeks and was flying out the following day, which made running into him and him turning up even more special. One of the people he brought along with him was Matt, who I ran into a few weeks later and, during conversation, discovered that he was looking for somewhere new to live, ideally around Prahran. It seemed all too obvious. And before long, he had moved in. However, he decided to leave his job not too long after, and with that decision, moved back to his mother's place in Frankston.
So that brings me up to date... looking for a new housemate, due to recent pay cuts (or else I would stay there by myself). I've had a few nibbles... but no one really taking the bite. I have someone named Andrew coming over tonight to check out the place. I've actually known Andrew for a while, as he works for a company called Stage & Screen who I used to deal with to arrange travel and accomodation for my artists when I was with that company. He has an amazing wit about him, incredibly funny, and I generally have a really good vibe about him as a person. To wrap up this blog, I may as well cut and paste the description that I sent him today of the place, as it showcases my ability to write complete and utter bullshit at the drop of a hat...
So... Pro's (again, no jokes)... well, location location location, as real estate agents like to proclaim. It's only minutes away from the glorious hustle and bustle of exciting downtown Chapel St, complete with cafes, world class shopping and enthusiastic nightclub/pub strip. Hell, the location is 24 hour stimulation if you require it. There is a laundry directly across the road, along with Thai, Indian, Chinese, and Japanese restuarants (the Summer Rolls that the Thai place does are amazing!). There is a bottle shop directly across the road that will cater to all your self abuse needs. In terms of the building itself, it has one communal loungeroom, complete with a small but useful television, dvd, vhs, and even a dvd burner (oh-er!)... the kitchen is, again, small but useable (ideal for someone who is rarely home and eats out a lot... like I did with my previous job)... the bedroom is at the back of the house (away from the slightly harsher traffic news of Malvern Rd)... and there is additional space in the makeshift study for things (whatever things you might have)... and best of all, you get to live with this lovely man who is really kind and fun and rarely grumpy but when he is, goes to his room and doesn't come out until he thinks about what he has done.
Cons... I know one guy named Con... he's really lovely too... but I guess he isn't relevant to the house... ok, brutal honesty time... the place isn't a palace but then some people I know think it is charming. I need some new throw rugs for the couch... but in terms of 'a place', it serves its purpose well. It does need some minor repairs done but i'm going to ask the landlord about them this week since I want someone to actually move in (I can live with them but I think it's only fair I get things repaired for someone else). Hopefully these minor things haven't frightened you off. Remember... lovely man who is really kind, fun, not grumpy, la la la.
Does this entice you? Feel excited at the winds of change sweeping you through to a new and diverse chapter of your life... complete with a lovely man who is really kind, fun, not grumpy... blah blah blah...?
The one thing with my new job at Alphalink, is that I seem to get a bit of time to reply to personal emails and read the online news. My knowledge of world events and social commentaries seems to have increased dramatically of late, which I find somewhat amusing and frightening at the same time. I keep finding links that verge on mildly amusing... and I think Damian from JOY FM seems to be benefiting from it the most as I send them through to him for his onair nutbag news.
For instance, yesterday there was an article about a eldery woman in Japan who fell over and hurt herself while chasing a man in a gorilla outfit who had stolen her banana's. She claimed that all she saw was something big, black and hairy, and thought it was a ghost. Ok, now... call me stupid, but what kind of ghosts are big, black and hairy? Obviously, there is some form of cultural folklore that i'm missing out on here. Turns out it was for a television prank show, or else you would have to question why someone would dress up like a gorilla and steal an elderly shopkeepers bananas... UPDATE: Found the URL again to this story here.
I did hear on the radio this morning a news piece about Mob Flashing as well. Apparently the new trend in Europe is to 'mob flash', where a mass of people go to one spot at precisely the same time and do the same strange act. In one instance, 300 people congregated in front of a giant public screen at precisely the same time and pointed at it with remote controls for three minutes, and then just disappeared... In Birmingham, 54 people went to a clothes store at precisely 12:43pm and returned clothing while breaking out into a chorus of Red Hot Chilli Peppers 'Give It Away'... these mass Mob Flashings are co-ordinated via email and sms, and while rather strange, I can see the appeal of them. Certainly, they make a lasting impression, and in this world where the next most profitable medium is 'thought', it's an exciting prospect.
Advantages to Alphalink continued: parking. I guess people never realise how much money they truly spend on parking, and it always cost me a fortune weekly working at FMR. Parking metres cost atleast $40 a week (sometimes more), and then there were the inevitable parking fines that occured atleast once a month... and then, through my own stupidity (or lack of time), they would never be paid upfront and end up costing me a minimum of $67... so we're looking at over $200 a month JUST on my car sitting still. Mind you, I now have to travel to North Fitzroy daily, which is a 40 minute or so trip in the morning, and with a 9AM start, this whole 'getting up and being there at a set time daily' thing is rather... er... interesting. But i've not been late yet, and keen to prove anyone who thinks that i'm not capable of doing this wrong.
I must admit that i'm frustrated by my situation at the moment. I feel that i'm having difficulty in transfering my skills. I'm sure that after three years of doing what I have been doing, there has to be more to me than ending up doing basically a 'call centre' style role. The pain is made easier by the fact that everyone here is really nice. But I always found that my job at FMR gave me a sense of purpose. I remember when I was in the interview for the job, Sue McCaully asked me why I wanted to be in the music industry, and I responded that I wanted to be part of making music history. Yes, it's a wanky responce, but it is genuine. Infact, when she asked me how much I would consider to be a fair wage, I laughed and said that I hadn't thought about it, and that it wasn't about the money for me. And it still isn't. But I want to feel that i'm doing something with a sense of purpose. When I worked in music retail, I would describe myself as a 'Celine Dion pimp'... no offence to Celine (or Sealion, as I like to call her), but it did feel like my role was just that. When I got to Mushroom/FMR, and it was about taking new artists, and breaking them, and making our established artists bigger, it become something more. I'm only just realising how much of a 'relationship' I had with FMR.
Caught up with my english friend Ben last night... he's a bit of a blog addict from way back... you can check out his site at Live Journal. He is incredibly witty, and I find his ramblings often rather inspiring. But leading back to the topic at hand, relationships... I was drawing comparisons between Ben's recent break up with his partner and my leaving FMR. He is finding coping with single life difficult, trying to adjust to a whole new mindset. I told him that I felt like I understood him better than he thought, as it almost feels like a divorce from a 'loved one' and that I was trying to adjust to a world without them... and how surreal it seemed... I still sometimes sit there thinking 'oh, but then when I get back to FMR...' until the realisation kicks back in that I won't be going back to FMR. Onwards and upwards and all that la la.
Simon here (i'm writing this at work) has just shown me a 1GB portable hard drive... me want!
One of the other personal faves for the staff here is the Shockwave site for their assortment of games. Infact, it isn't uncommon to find people here indulging in a bit of game play between calls. I must admit that I haven't really checked out any of the games yet.
Ok, I think i've written enough crap for today... I'm sure i'll read something that fascinates me in my own little pathetic way within the next 24 hours. I have a temporary email for work hours - lol_at_work@hotmail.com - so feel free to drop me a line if you want and amuse me.
Ok, so working systematically though my life here... work... one week down at Alphalink... Check 'em out. In terms of a company, they actually do offer really good value for their members, and this is based on one weeks experience.
I have to admit that I was fairly bored last week. The staff there are really really lovely. Infact, I don't think I could've asked for more lovely people to work with. Leanne, my boss, is just wonderful and speaks so highly of me. Sharon on front desk is just a great lady to spend time with. Danielle and JP on the phones are hysterical in two very different ways. And of course there is Ness, the woman who put my foot in their door in the first place, who has been a friend of mine for sometime (and another reason why I accepted the job there).
But I have discovered how much I really thrive on being kept busy, and during my last few months at FMR, realised that the more responsibility I had, the better I worked. I felt totally on fire during the last few months at FMR, like what I was doing made a real difference, and it is with a combination of pride and sadness that I see both the Gerling and Amiel albums get released this week... pride for having been involved in seeing it get there, but sadness at not being there at 'their birth'.
More on that after... back to Alphalink... i'm on a trial period there, and out of respect to them, I think I should stick it out just to see if my thoughts change. But by the end of the week, I found myself trying to think up new strategies for them to bring customers in and keep them in, and plotting to see how I could get music into the office (it is totally void of music... i'm sure most of you would know how much that kills me more than anything else!)
Just a...link
One thing that did put things a little into perspective was this article I found online at The Age website about a 54 year old woman who has just had to start going on the dole after years of being an executive. It is a frightening read, but if you can spare the 10 minutes to read it, it made me feel like a right arrogant twat for complaining as much as I do about work. I mean, i'm only 30 - i've still got so much ahead of me and if I don't get plagued with the bad luck i've recently experienced again, can hopefully rebuild a career. But when you've had years of being a strong, hard worker and you go through what this woman has, I can understand why some of the experiences reduced her to tears.
Amiel and Gerling... yep, the two kids are out on the streets now, and i'm proud of both of them. It's funny watching online reaction in forums to the albums, being that i've lived with both for some time now. Its like one of our little secrets is out there, and i've always enjoyed that feeling of seeing people discover something i've equally loved passionately.
There is actually a song on the Amiel album that sums up how I feel towards FMR at the moment... anyone with half a brain and a hampster on a wheel should be able to figure it out (Amiel's publicist, Ange, would know which one i'm referring to immediately as we often discussed this song.) One clue - Parisi, my old boss, was referred to as 'papa' in the office. I'm not telling you what it is though, cause I want you to go out and buy it and figure it out... first prize... um... i've buy you dinner or something...
I heard on FOX FM tonight the announcer compare Amiel to Jewel. I wanted to bitch slap him. Sure, they will focus on both their lyrically capability, but Amiel will never be as superficial and fake as that fluro clad songstress (note: hope I don't get some nasty email about bagging Jewel here). The basic point of all this rambling - they're both great albums so make sure you go out and buy them, cause they really are that good...
Projects
Actually, David will kill me for saying this cause it is too soon, but one thing I am excited about lately is offering to work with David Knox on his new potential production. For those that don't know David's work, he wrote/produced and directed the 'Kylie musical' I Should Be So Lucky during the 2002 Midsumma Festival (mentioned in 32 countries... he loves that stat). Can't really say too much about it yet obviously, but the new concept is excellent and very exciting, and i'm personally honoured that he is allowing me the opportunity to get involved cause I believe he is an enormous talent. It's not something i've done before... but I think it's something I will enjoy doing. Obviously, will keep you all posted and if it goes ahead, you will be expected to come...
JOY respond
Lastly, after all my rah rah's about JOY FM in recent times, I should say that I got a call from their station manager, Paul, who thanked me for my thoughts. He even commented that there were things there that they hadn't thought of, and told me that they were planning to put together a marketing committee in a few months time and asked if I would be interested in getting involved. I immediately said that I would, as I feel JOY has a lot to offer, but I guess we'll see how open they are to change when the time comes. He did phone to tell me that I didn't get the job, which I found amusing since I had already withdrawn my application, and took some pleasure in reminding him of that (you can't fire me cause I quit moment).
Fin
That should be enough for now... did receive a copy of the Robbie Williams recent Knebworth concert on DVD from the UK and wow... what a fantastic show! Hot rumour is that he might be here before the end of the year again, so i'm rather excited about that... He even performed 'We Will Rock You' during the show... and speaking of which (nice link there), i'll chase up tickets over the next week or so for those that said 'yay' to coming to see the musical... apparently ticket prices are up around the $80 mark but i'll suss it all out and get back to y'all.
Initially, this was going to start out as one of those long epic emails that I have the tendency to send out. I figured that many of my friends were probably getting a bit sick of this, and so a compromise should be met. I can create this Blogger site, write my pointless waffling epics here, and just present the 'point form' version in email for those in a hurry who just want the essential bits.
Job
FYI - I've agreed to come onboard at Alphalink and began today. They seem like a really great company, but I'm still not 100% sure if this is the right move or not. The upside is that it is a 9-5, Mon-Fri job (yes, I can already see the old FMR crew laying bets if I will consistently make it in time at 9am)... but at the same time, i'm not sure how challenging I am ultimately going to find it. All the same, it has only been one day, so perhaps I am coming to conclusions far too soon, and really should give it a couple of weeks to settle and decide. One thing I did note is that I did not hear one piece of music all day, and that is something really really strange for me.
They're also working on wireless internet - a rather exciting new development which could bring Alphalink right forward in terms of ISP's. I have no wanky titles; it's basically a schlepper job... but it's one that will keep a roof over my head and pay the bills - that's the important thing.
The thought did occur to me today that perhaps music retail wasn't as silly an idea as I thought to return to. But I guess we'll see as I think it would be a bit rude of me not to give Alphalink a fair opportunity to work.
Gym
Strange how small things excite you... like the fact that, now I have a regular income coming back in, I went and lifted the suspension on my gym membership. The month prior to leaving FMR was so busy that I was never getting to gym... and the last couple of weeks have just been constant catch ups, coffee and freakin' wedges or delicious cheese cakes (hmm... cheese cake with a fruit and chocolate infused base...), and so I feel well overdue to go back and i'm really excited about it. I've always hated those hypotheticals where they ask what is more important, the mind or the body? I maintain that the answer is both, and while I think i'm better at maintaining one over the other, even just the attempt to get both in order seems to make life a little more organized.
So, went back on Saturday and feeling sore today from it, so I guess that's a good sign! (Michael - I will be starting to nag you about going in the morning again!)
Study
There does seem some level of irony in me wanting to go back and study something with the intention of trying to break back into an industry that is downsizing and perhaps not on my best terms at the moment... but I guess sometimes you just feel passionately enough about something and believe you deserve to be there that it is worth fighting for, regardless of the realities of the world.
FMR wasn't just a job. I've always joked that my love life sucked cause I was married to my job, but there was an element of truth to that. It's not a sympathy card, but it is different when you have loved ones and partners to go home to, to make you feel like there is a little more life outside of a job description... but for people like myself, where 'the job' was 'my world', this sort of experience can be both frightening and humbling.
I've had a few people say that I should fight to stay in the music industry, but really - what is the point right now? I have ambitions now... but i'm hoping that time will slap them out of my head and make me realise how much more is out there.
So, I went into RMIT on Sunday for their open day (i'd been inspired lately thinking back to Dave at FMR who combines study and work successfully), and chatted with a few people there... grabbed my VTAC guide and starting to suss it all out. I guess lately, I feel like it would be good to formalise some of the things i've been doing over the past three years and basically, if I can't improve myself as a 'product', how the hell am I suppose to convince anyone else to buy it? Out of all the things i've encountered lately, this is the one that I tend to feel the most genuine enthusiasm for and the most heart felt 100% commitment... it's very exciting.
Bowling
Have to say... went Bowling at Bump & Bowl at Strike on Sunday night... SO much fun. Last time I was at Strike was the night the FMR gang went bowling. I think we all basically had too much to drink and then threw ourselves down towards the pins. Sunday night was pretty much a re-enactment of that. Apart from Michael and Jimmy trying to control my excessive drooling, it was just a really great way to chat to some guys that we may have seen out and about but never really had the chance to talk to before... I can actually see this taking off, as the more people drank, the more they started wild ambitions of some gay bowling league... Even funnier was the reaction when Deborah Cox's 'Absolutely Not' came on and I could've sworn, if they had a bowling alley that went up and down like the stage at The Market, it would've been packed with gym boys dancing wildly. It was actually rather hysterical... anyone free on an upcoming Sunday night? Only $15!!! (drinks and shoots not included)
Recommends I might as well try to push some new music while I'm at this.
Helen at FMR will recall a packaging meeting we had recently where the guys brought in this box package with a rather handsome young man on it named Michael Buble. Well, the album turns out to be pretty much a collection of cool cabaret numbers, although he does sometime take a bit of a left of centre approach ('Crazy Little Thing Called Love' as a cabaret number?). Still, he has a great voice, chooses some great tracks, and includes behind the scene footage for added perve factor, so it's pretty cool...
Morcheeba have a new live DVD out... so good. I went to see them when they performed here last and I thought they sounded better live than on record. I thought Skye's voice sounded a little weaker here than I remembered until, at the end of the DVD, she explains that it is the last night of the tour and she has had a bit to drink and apologizes for her voice. I still maintain that Morcheeba are one of those bands that you just need to play the music to people and they'll immediately become interested...
And lastly, the Underworld Back To Mine... they can't even do a Back To Mine totally chilled... but this rocks. I put it on Saturday afternoon and I was bouncing around the house before getting ready to go to gym. It has a bit of everything from it, from hip hop through to world music and back again... truly eclectic but I love it. I once had the honour of interviewing Karl from Underworld and found him so immediately likeable, we ended up going CD shopping together at Crown Sanity straight after the interview. He ended up making me buy Jeff Buckley's'Grace' album, which I don't think i've even played all the way through once to this day... but hey, I made him buy the Fatboy Slim albums as he was on tour with him for BDO and didn't own any of them...
Lastly
Now that I have a job and things are getting back on track, I want to thank everyone again for, firstly, putting up with such long emails and secondly, constantly making me feel supported. Atleast with this Blog, I can vent my 30 something diary fascination instead of subjecting it to you all in weekly digests. Ultimately, i've always felt that as long as you have good friends and family around you, nothing else is as important.
