Sometimes, I just don't get people.
How is possible that Lithuania's entry in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest didn't score enough votes make it to tonight's* final? It had everything going for it. A nonsense song with a catchy tune. Six attractive young men dancing up a storm, whipping the audience into a frenzy even before the big costume reveal; six pairs of matching brown tartan trousers whipped off to uncover silver spangled short pants. Is that not picture perfect Eurovision?
When I tallied my scorecard at the end of the night, after awarding points for the song, fashion, dance, performance and X factor, Lithuanan act InCulto's song Eastern European Funk, while not even remotely funky, was at the top.
For Lithuania not to make the final 20 is a travesty, particularly when you consider the acts that did make the final, whose performances weren't as strong as InCulto's. I'm still shuddering at the though of Ireland taking to the stage again, not least because of the frightful, unflattering frock adorning the frame of past Eurovision winner Niamh Kavanagh.
Lithuania were not the only entry that should be gracing the stage tonight, but won't. Sieneke, from the Netherlands, was very stiff to miss out with the cheerful Ik Ben Verlied (Sha-la-lie). Composed by Pierre Kartner, who is also responsible for The Smurf Song, the song is a fun sing along tune. On the Eurovision stage Sieneke was joined by 3 back up singers and 2 giant clock figurines. You can catch a video of their performance on the Eurovision website, but sadly their Eurovision 2010 dream is over.
With my favourites out of the race, I'll be cheering for the entries from Cyprus (mostly comprised of people from Wales), Romania (despite their decision to rhyme fire with desire, repeatedly), and the rock gods from Turkey (the robot slicing itself with an angle grinder mid-song should secure them a win). I hear the Russian entry is pretty good too.
*In real world time the Final has already occurred. In Australian Television time, the Final will be decided tonight.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
Lucky, lucky me.
It's Friday night. I've got Eurovision on in the background. A muted background, as the television and stereo speakers appear to be failing.
I've had a few glasses of wine, a fairly non-descript New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. And I'm eating cheese bicsuits dipped in salsa and reheated fettucine carbonara.
I'm sitting in the kitchen. The laptop is on the bench in the middle of the room, and I'm sitting on the step-ladder chair that Louise gave me. Awkwardly, because I can't slide my legs under anything - they're butting up against the cupboard doors, and I'm leaning forward at the waist.
I have the mobile phone close by, because I've been exchanging text messages with my dearest friends. Sorting out arrangements for tomorrow, and sorting through the day's events.
I've had a hard week emotionally. The hardest in a while. I reckon I have lived long enough to appreciate the cyclical nature of life. What goes around comes around. Life's a rollercoaster. What goes up must come down.
It's hard though, when it all goes down at once. When every area of your life takes a hit. It leaves you feeling shattered.You get hit so hard that you feel like you're going to keel over, or you can't breathe.
Thankfully, I have amazing friends who stepped forward to prop me up. You know you have love in your life when that happens, and I appreciate just how lucky I am to have these wise, strong women in my life. It would be harder to put back all the pieces, without them.
But put them back I must.
I've had a few glasses of wine, a fairly non-descript New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. And I'm eating cheese bicsuits dipped in salsa and reheated fettucine carbonara.
I'm sitting in the kitchen. The laptop is on the bench in the middle of the room, and I'm sitting on the step-ladder chair that Louise gave me. Awkwardly, because I can't slide my legs under anything - they're butting up against the cupboard doors, and I'm leaning forward at the waist.
I have the mobile phone close by, because I've been exchanging text messages with my dearest friends. Sorting out arrangements for tomorrow, and sorting through the day's events.
I've had a hard week emotionally. The hardest in a while. I reckon I have lived long enough to appreciate the cyclical nature of life. What goes around comes around. Life's a rollercoaster. What goes up must come down.
It's hard though, when it all goes down at once. When every area of your life takes a hit. It leaves you feeling shattered.You get hit so hard that you feel like you're going to keel over, or you can't breathe.
Thankfully, I have amazing friends who stepped forward to prop me up. You know you have love in your life when that happens, and I appreciate just how lucky I am to have these wise, strong women in my life. It would be harder to put back all the pieces, without them.
But put them back I must.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
A day for healing music
The road to recovery can be long, and you need to stop every once in a while for a rest, to help the healing.
The music that helped my healing today.
The Polyphonic Spree album - Together We're Heavy
Radiohead albums - OK Computer and The Bends
Dire Staits album - Money for Nothing (until I got bored with it)
Ben Harper album - The Will to Live
They Might Be Giants track - Where do they make balloons?
Archie Roach track - Walking into doors
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunipingu & Sting track - Every breath you take
Fleet Foxes track - Ragged wood
I hope you're all having a lovely Saturday.
The music that helped my healing today.
The Polyphonic Spree album - Together We're Heavy
Radiohead albums - OK Computer and The Bends
Dire Staits album - Money for Nothing (until I got bored with it)
Ben Harper album - The Will to Live
They Might Be Giants track - Where do they make balloons?
Archie Roach track - Walking into doors
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunipingu & Sting track - Every breath you take
Fleet Foxes track - Ragged wood
I hope you're all having a lovely Saturday.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
For the love of dogs
You may have heard the news reports this week. In separate incidents, two women died trying to save dogs. One woman ran back into her burning home to rescue her pet, and perished. Another tried to rescue a dog stranded on a busy highway, and was hit by a vehicle.
Loyalty goes both ways, it seems.
They’re sad stories, about unfulfilled potential. The women, both fairly young, were under forty. Were their actions stupid? Reckless? Probably. But I completely understand why they did it.
As far as companions go, dogs are top-notch. They’re always delighted to see you when you arrive home at the end of the day, they want to be in your company without demanding much more than your presence, and they will defend and protect you regardless of their stature, age or mobility. They are faithful.
Single occupant dwellings are the new black. Although we’re more connected than ever thanks to the internet and social networking, more of us live alone nowadays.
When my circumstances changed five years ago, and my full house became an empty nest every second week, I thought I might die from loneliness. We are social creatures, and while I craved some alone time, the reality of a half-full life was hard to take at first. Despite the efforts of beautiful friends to help me fill the time, too many hours were spent on the couch with just a wine bottle and a teddy bear for company.
A sad-arsed existence was not sustainable for me, so I got myself a furry little companion named Rosie. And committed myself to another long-term relationship. Dogs can live for up to twenty years, and I was in for the long haul.
From my perspective, our relationship was great, and my health improved as couch-bound wine-guzzling time was replaced or reduced by long walks with Rosie. About a year into our relationship though, I realised poor Rosie was suffering as I had been before her arrival. She was lonely during the days when I was working. She was demented with joy when I arrived home, and more and more demanding of attention. For her sake, and mine, I had to bring a second dog into our home.
Ethan joined our family about two and half years ago. He’d been dumped in Mildura, and brought to Melbourne by a dog rescue organisation, hoping to place him in a new home. He was a little skittish when he first arrived, and still has an aversion to some things, but overall he’s a jolly little fellow and he and Rosie are utterly devoted to one another.
They’ve seen me through so many challenges and successes over the last few years, and have kept me company in lonely times. They’ve scared me, when they’ve gone missing or been injured, and they’ve made me laugh with their crazy antics. I owe them.
Would I run into a burning building to save them, if they were in peril? It’s difficult to know exactly what you would do until you’re in a particular situation, but I think I would. The thought of losing them distresses me, that’s for sure. It’s tragic that lives have been lost trying to save a couple of dogs. But I totally get it. RIP ladies.
Loyalty goes both ways, it seems.
They’re sad stories, about unfulfilled potential. The women, both fairly young, were under forty. Were their actions stupid? Reckless? Probably. But I completely understand why they did it.
As far as companions go, dogs are top-notch. They’re always delighted to see you when you arrive home at the end of the day, they want to be in your company without demanding much more than your presence, and they will defend and protect you regardless of their stature, age or mobility. They are faithful.
Single occupant dwellings are the new black. Although we’re more connected than ever thanks to the internet and social networking, more of us live alone nowadays.
When my circumstances changed five years ago, and my full house became an empty nest every second week, I thought I might die from loneliness. We are social creatures, and while I craved some alone time, the reality of a half-full life was hard to take at first. Despite the efforts of beautiful friends to help me fill the time, too many hours were spent on the couch with just a wine bottle and a teddy bear for company.
A sad-arsed existence was not sustainable for me, so I got myself a furry little companion named Rosie. And committed myself to another long-term relationship. Dogs can live for up to twenty years, and I was in for the long haul.
From my perspective, our relationship was great, and my health improved as couch-bound wine-guzzling time was replaced or reduced by long walks with Rosie. About a year into our relationship though, I realised poor Rosie was suffering as I had been before her arrival. She was lonely during the days when I was working. She was demented with joy when I arrived home, and more and more demanding of attention. For her sake, and mine, I had to bring a second dog into our home.
Ethan joined our family about two and half years ago. He’d been dumped in Mildura, and brought to Melbourne by a dog rescue organisation, hoping to place him in a new home. He was a little skittish when he first arrived, and still has an aversion to some things, but overall he’s a jolly little fellow and he and Rosie are utterly devoted to one another.
They’ve seen me through so many challenges and successes over the last few years, and have kept me company in lonely times. They’ve scared me, when they’ve gone missing or been injured, and they’ve made me laugh with their crazy antics. I owe them.
Would I run into a burning building to save them, if they were in peril? It’s difficult to know exactly what you would do until you’re in a particular situation, but I think I would. The thought of losing them distresses me, that’s for sure. It’s tragic that lives have been lost trying to save a couple of dogs. But I totally get it. RIP ladies.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Seven Days of Awesomeness - The Album
No, not an album as in a record or a cd. A photo album on Flickr of things I noticed around me over seven days in March. Check it out here.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Things to do in Sydney 1: Take an art class
Every Saturday morning in a quiet Surry Hills lane, a bunch of folks gather to have their noggins engaged and their fingers stretched by brisk, no-nonense art instructor Jenny Hall.
The Brett Whiteley Studio hosts 2 hour sessions, open to all regardless of previous experience or ability, in the former home, studio and gallery of the popular Australian artist.
Jenny is a friendly and welcoming teacher, who knows you're there to draw and learn in a time period that evaporates all too quickly. Taking up to 10 students each Saturday, the pace is comfortable enough for everyone to keep up, yet still covers a lot of ground. The time flew by, but I managed to learn a fair bit.
Costs for all materials and the model's fee are covered by the $40 charge, so all you have to do is turn up. But be prepared to be a little wrong footed in the name of learning. There are quick poses to begin with, to warm up our fingers and to warm up our brains we did a series of 60 second sketches, drawn without looking at the paper. Like this one, which I think looks like an alien:
Then we did more 60 second poses, looking at the paper this time, trying to get down as much of the lines and shapes of the body as we could in the short time frame.
To disabuse us of the idea that our work was in any way precious, or that we should be precious about it, we did a series of sketches where the model slightly changed position every few minutes and we had to adjust the drawing to the new pose, drawing over and over our work.
Classes are in the gallery space, so members of the public are wandering about while the workshop is in session. Being around people reacting to your work as you are creating it is both scary and powerful. Staying focused on the model's latest pose is one of way of not being over-awed by the public viewing and commentary.
The two hours flies by, and afterwards if you wander up to the main drag you may be lucky enough to find the Surry Hills Saturday market in Crown Street. Nice people, good quality stuff, not too over-priced and good food. There are worse ways to spend a Saturday.
Info on art workshops at Brett Whiteley Studio
Info on Surry Hills Markets
Monday, April 12, 2010
Show me your Kunst, Melbourne.
Attention Melbourne. You people only have until this Saturday night to experience the latest offering from indie rock outfit Die Roten Punkte. Just a few more days to show us your Kunst.
Super musicians and siblings Otto and Astrid Rot are in hot demand in Canada, Scotland and Adelaide where they've picked up a swag of festival awards, and Melbourne International Comedy Festival audiences are lapping up the duo's new show Kunst Rock.
Hailing from Berlin, Otto and Astrid are the yin and yang of rock. Party girl Astrid is hot on the skins and very popular on the festival circuit with the gentlemen, while straight-laced vegan and abstinence advocate Otto directs his energies to mastering his collection of mini guitars, and the crowd-pleasing keytar.
Together, Die Roten Punkte (German for The Red Dots) deliver an evening of great music punctuated by hilarious dialogue and antics. It's a bit like Jerry Springer with likeable people. Desire, fear, jealousy, addiction are all on display as Otto and Astrid yank us closer to their murky relationship.
These performers seem to totally inhabit their over-the-top characters, and they're so authentic it's easy to forget Otto and Astrid aren't the performers' true identities. Go hang out with them at the merchandise table after the show and witness their immersion first-hand.
I can't get enough of these artists, and I declare my hand as a rabid fan.
Their opening night show was packed, with plenty of new audience members alongside the slavish devotees. The new songs were winners, and there were plenty of fresh gags to keep us giggling.
If absurdity is your thing, and you're a music lover, get along to Kunst Rock before it closes on Saturday.
Sydneysiders aren't missing out. Die Roten Punkte are reprising their Robot/Lion tour for Sydney audiences, taking the show the harbour city for a short Sydney Comedy Festival run commencing in late April. Get in quick.
Book tix for Die Roten Punkte: Kunst Rock at the Arts Centre in Melbourne.
Book tix for Die Roten Punkte: Robot Lion tour at the Metro in Sydney.
Super musicians and siblings Otto and Astrid Rot are in hot demand in Canada, Scotland and Adelaide where they've picked up a swag of festival awards, and Melbourne International Comedy Festival audiences are lapping up the duo's new show Kunst Rock.
Hailing from Berlin, Otto and Astrid are the yin and yang of rock. Party girl Astrid is hot on the skins and very popular on the festival circuit with the gentlemen, while straight-laced vegan and abstinence advocate Otto directs his energies to mastering his collection of mini guitars, and the crowd-pleasing keytar.
Together, Die Roten Punkte (German for The Red Dots) deliver an evening of great music punctuated by hilarious dialogue and antics. It's a bit like Jerry Springer with likeable people. Desire, fear, jealousy, addiction are all on display as Otto and Astrid yank us closer to their murky relationship.
These performers seem to totally inhabit their over-the-top characters, and they're so authentic it's easy to forget Otto and Astrid aren't the performers' true identities. Go hang out with them at the merchandise table after the show and witness their immersion first-hand.
I can't get enough of these artists, and I declare my hand as a rabid fan.
Their opening night show was packed, with plenty of new audience members alongside the slavish devotees. The new songs were winners, and there were plenty of fresh gags to keep us giggling.
If absurdity is your thing, and you're a music lover, get along to Kunst Rock before it closes on Saturday.
Sydneysiders aren't missing out. Die Roten Punkte are reprising their Robot/Lion tour for Sydney audiences, taking the show the harbour city for a short Sydney Comedy Festival run commencing in late April. Get in quick.
Book tix for Die Roten Punkte: Kunst Rock at the Arts Centre in Melbourne.
Book tix for Die Roten Punkte: Robot Lion tour at the Metro in Sydney.
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