time to crank over that stagnant brain

Yep - that's right - Uni starts next week so it's time for me to fire up that brain that hasn't been used since November last year. For your entertainment, this semester I am doing "Meditation in Eastern Religions" and "Buddhism". I'm haven't done any eastern religions yet so I'm really looking forward to it. Thankfully Venerable did the same Buddhism subject, before he graduated to the suit-job, and has promised to loan me the text books on the proviso that I don't leave squashed banana between the pages. This means I can tell Handsomest Husband that I had to spend $160 on text books but really buy a new pair of shoes. Aside from the obvious fact that shoes don't count as a tax deduction, this is a win-win situation don't you think?

Mind you, getting the brain in gear is a terrifying prospect. Here is a list of my resolutions for ensuring tertiary success:

1. No more reading trashing novels whilst lying in bed drinking tea and eating chocolates. No siree! From now on, I hereby swear to read text books whilst lying in bed drinking tea and eating chocolates.

2. No more skivving off class and going to the coffee shop to imbibe hot chocolates and those cookies with M&M's in them. From now on, I hereby swear to go to the pizza cafe instead where the service is quicker.

3. No more talking or note passing in class. Actually, this one will be easy because I won't have Venerable in my class to be such a bad influence. Also, I'm 32 not 11.

4. No more whining that I couldn't get a copy of the reading for class because it wasn't at the library. I hereby swear to go to the library after class and photocopy the readings for the following week. This way I will have the paper to read at the last minute while I'm waiting for class to start.

5. My lecture notes will be legible.

6. I will not lose my copy of the subject outline which includes essay topics and deadlines. I hereby swear to make at least 10 copies and stash them around my house in case of emergency.

7. Speaking of deadlines, I will not feign death in order to get an extension. Well, I won't feign death more than once per semester in order to get an extension.

And here endth the resolutions.

Fashion Mis-statement

While I was driving to work this morning I saw a man wearing knee high socks with sandals. I haven't seen a man in socks and sandals since I graduated from year 12 Physics. Are they coming back in? Did they ever really go out? Were they ever in to begin with?

Do I talk too much?

Stupid question. Of course I talk too much. Every single report card I was given as a child said "talks too much in class". And this hasn't changed. In fact, the best thing about this blog is that, well, not only am I in charge of it, but I can talk (or write) as much as I want about any passing topic that takes my fancy. My flibbity-gibbet brain need never strain itself with any deep thought - I can just skip on to the next interesting thing (hence Laziest Girl). Like most people who talk a lot, it doesn't actually matter if you are listening (or reading) - I'm perfectly happy in my own little chatterbox world - listening to myself. And that, my friends, is not a crime (although once you have been subjected to a conversation with me, you might wish it was a crime).

Revenge of the right brain!!

Hooray for us - did not the Bible say "and the flakey shall inherit the earth"?

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.02/brain.html

Have a read of this great little article by Daniel Pink. I think he might be onto something. For years I've been bemoaning the lack of status for all us right-brainers. Now, finally, we are coming into our own and taking over the world - ha, ha! Soon, you too Captain Logic will become obsolete - yes, obsolete!

Tim Page

Today I went and saw an exhibition by a photographer called Tim Page with Pleiades Girl and Becc-with-2-c's. Tim Page is well known especially for his photos from the Vietnam War and his work with aid organisation and the removal of landmines. He's currently working as a freelance and is an Adjunct Professor at Griffith Uni. I heard an interview with him on the radio and he tells a great story about when he was arrested with Jim Morrison. His other big story is that he was seriously injured while in Vietnam and actually died a couple of times while he was be taken to hospital in a helicopter. Most of his Vietnam War photos were actually taken in the jungle while fighting was occuring.

His work is absolutely stunning - both visually and emotionally. There were two photos that really spoke to me. One was a huge black and white enlargement of a helicopter landing in the jungle of Vietnam taken from below and the other was of some Buddhas outlined against the sky at a temple in Cambodia (I think it was).

His work made me feel very insignificant.

a great film

I saw "Closer" on Friday night after work with the Gorgeous Tall One, Nell and Lol. It was a fantastic film and I was really suprised. The ads on the tv made it look really quite stupid and dull, but it was a great film. The dialogue was really realistic (even if all the shagging and cheating on one another wasn't). It was about the power balances in relationships and about how easily it shifts - it was terrifyingly potent, funny and raw. This film had the kind of dialogue that I dream about writing. Even in the most emotionally complex scenes - I was laughing - it was a bit like laughing at a funeral. I could see how addictive this type of self-destructive behaviour could be. Clive Owens was wonderful - I couldn't believe it was the same guy from "King Arthur". Even Julia Roberts was good - she was great as the somewhat passive Anna. Jude Law (who I just adore even if Venerable thinks he's too pretty) was the perfect blend of self-pity and self-indulgence. And Natalie Portman played the character of Alice really well. I love that she is initially set up as the leaver but when she meets Daniel she changes into the leavee. This film really made an impression on me and if I can find someone to drag along, I'll go and see it again.

The Tipping Point

If you are looking for a fantastic, varitous (is this a word?) non-fiction book to enjoy, then look no further than "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell. I recently finished this book and was totally hooked. I read the whole thing in two sittings. Rather than attempt to go into detail about a book that defies description - check out a review by a fellow blogger:

http://thefount.blogspot.com/

Needless to say - I think that this book is a must read. It has something for everyone. Gorgeous Tall One - if you are reading this - don't tell Andre as he will be getting this book for his birthday!

Why Laziest Girl isn't a culinary genius .. or maybe she is?

Ok, so yesterday was Valentine's Day. Did I get any Valentine's Day flowers from Handsomest - no. It's probably just as well that he didn't send me flowers at work, let's face it, I received a gagillion bunches of flowers from secret admirers - so there wasn't really any space left for flowers from Hansomest. Not.

By the time I got home from the day job, Handsomest had already made rasberry friands for dessert so I was, consequently, in charge of making something lovely for dinner. I had decided to make grilled Tasmanian salmon fillets with lemon butter sauce and steamed vegetables. I've made this before - it's easy. Chop up vegetables and steam. Grill salmon. Put butter in saucepan, thicken with a little cornflour, add a little milk, stir, add lemon zest and serve.

Sounds easy and you bet it tastes great. Right?

Just don't mix up the cornflour and the icing sugar containers. I kid you not. Suprisingly, even though the damn sauce wouldn't thicken, it tasted pretty good. Really, Handsomest swears that he wasn't just trying to be polite, it really was kinda nice (in a weird way).

It wouldn't be so bad, but this is not the first time it has happened. Sometime ago I made a batch of awesome chocolate and pecan brownies with chocolate and sour cream icing. When I served them, I dusted them with icing sugar. Well, I dusted them with what I thought was icing sugar but which turned out to be cornflour, of course.

Enough said.

oh, and I meant to say

Oh, and I meant to say that we went and saw my friends band tonight - they are called Mexico City. I'm currently writing this from my beautiful friend Becc-with-2-c's house. We had a lovely Indian dinner (I know - on Chinese New Year!) with the Gorgeous Tall One, Andre, J and Becc-with-2-c's and then went to the gig. After the better part of two six packs between us (beer that is, not abdominal muscles) over dinner we had a lovely time. We've just given Becc-with-2-c's and J a lift home and J made us some superb coffee with his fandangle coffee machine. He makes the nicest coffee. I'm not a coffee aficionado (nor a coffee wanker) but I would rather drink J's coffee than nearly every other cafe in which I have ever imbibed coffee. He makes beautiful smooth coffee that tastes as good as it smells.

Anyway, Mexico City were participating in a Neil Young Tribute night and it was really good. Sorry, I've had far too much to drink to think up decent adjectives and my spelling is dubious enough - let alone my appalling apostrophe placement. Becc-with-2-c's keeps bringing me water, but frankly, it's not really helping.

I read a book today called Salt Rain but I can't remember who wrote it. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to you. I can now hear Handsomest recalling scenes from Spinal Tap in the kitchen so it must be time to go home.

Take care my little lamb-y's.

am I intimidating?

I had a conversation with my mother on Wednesday night. We were talking about a casual friend and my mum was saying that this casual friend's husband (sorry if my apostrophe is in the wrong place) had a great sense of humour. I had the misfortune of sitting next to him at a function a few weeks ago - and take it from me - he's the most boring man in the world. He works as a town planner and I don't know if that is what has made him boring or if he was boring to start with - but my mother clearly has a completely different picture of him. When I said that I thought that he was the most boring man in the world, my mother said that perhaps it was because I was intimadating.

Am I intimidating? I asked Handsomest and he dithered a bit and then said that I was rather judgemental and that I constantly measure people against my standards to find their worth and if I don't find them worthy - then they are losers and I don't even try to be nice.

Ok. So I asked Venerable - am I intimidating? Apparently Ven can see how some people might find me intimidating although he stressed that he personally doesn't find me intimidating.

So people,if you aren't nice to every single oxygen thief that you meet - you might be labelled intimidating. Be aware.

In lieu of actually having to sit down and think of something interesting to write - here's a picture of Hazel - one of my Abby crosses (the fat one). He looks a bit like a porn star in this photo, don't you think? 

From ever so long ago

On the weekend, Handsomest and I were (for some obscure reason lost in the mists of vodka) discussing that song by Cornershop (from ever so long ago) - Brimful of Asha. Handsomest was sure that I had mis-remembered the title and (being more sober than I) was attempting to correct my memory with his infallible logic (being a scientist - Hansomest is never wrong - apparently). How could it be the title, he argued, when it doesn't make any sense! Anyway, a text message was sent but no conclusion was reached.

However I just looked it up on Google – voila.

Brimful of Asha on the forty-five.

'Asha' is a pun. It refers to Asha Bhonsle, but the word also means "hope". What does "hope" signify in this context? The movies and songs are in many ways a fantasy of something better than people's own lives. For instance, Indian youth whose overbearing parents would never permit them to marry those they fall in love with may yet indulge themselves in the romances they see onscreen and hear about in these ballads. The "45", for you of the CD player generation, is the 45 revolutions-per-minute record player.

Incidentally, the word 'Asha' is normally pronounced with both 'a's long, as in 'father'. Tjinder, with his British accent, pronounces it like "Asher", touchingly making the song both more and less genuine at the same time. As a result the refrain often gets misheard, sometimes in quite hilarious ways. "Grim poodle basher" is my personal favorite.
http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/8/7/12518/77483

Take that Mr Logic. See - and who said the internet wasn't useful.

I had a dream last night ...

I had the strangest dream last night. I dreamt that Handsomest and I won $400 million dollars in the lottery. The first thing that I wanted to do was to go skiing in Whistler for six weeks. I also clearly remember trying to convince Handsomest that he should trade his car in for a new Toyota Corolla. Honestly - what was I thinking (dreaming, whatever). We win $400 million dollars and I'm suddenly worried about vehicular economy - how wrong is that?

The best thing about being sick.

Having spent the better part of the last week lying in bed feeling sorry for myself, the best thing has been that I have read a lot of books (I even felt too sick to eat chocolate!).

The Turning by Tim Winton. This is a collection of short stories that are all interwoven. I really enjoyed reading this book and I only wish that there could have been more stories. I never want Tim Winton's books to end.

Maus by Art Spiegelman. This is the graphic novel that tells the story of Art's father and his experiences as a Jew in the war - I'm sure you've read about it. Art has drawn the Jews as mice and the Nazis as Cats. I really liked the way he told the story - as it was told to him. I especially liked the father/son interaction in the book - although Handsomest didn't like this aspect. I felt that it gave the story tangible humanity and credibility.

The Colour by Rose Tremain. This is a great novel about an English couple who immigrate to New Zealand and are drawn by the lure of gold. There are a couple of stories interwoven in this novel that were really interesting. I especially liked the contrasting attitudes of the wife and the husbands mother. The descriptions of the countryside were very good and I found myself picturing the landscape easily. The end was a bit of a letdown though.

Masks by Fumiro Enchi. This is another novel by the same author of "Diary of a Mad Old Man". I really enjoyed Mad Old Man so I was keen to read this book but I didn't find it as engaging. It was still good but not awesome. It seemed to hold the reader at arms length somehow.

The Sea Garden by Sam Llewellyn. This was a mystery novel about the inheritance of an estate on an island. It was ok, a good book if you don't want to think, but I found the characterisations a little lack lustre and non-realistic. I mean this woman marries this guy a few months after meeting him. They inherit this estate on an island and within a few weeks, she is shagging the gardner and wishing that she hadn't married her husband, then back to being in love with her husband. I just couldn't believe that a character could be so mecurial.

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (Bookgroup book). I've read this book before, but I still loved it second time around. A fantastic book with so many layers and meanings. The boys at bookgroup didn't find it too girly and everyone (except Helen) enjoyed it. I loved the way she wrote each chapter as a different character. Each character was so sharply defined - even if you missed reading who had writte the chapter - you could tell from the style and the language. If you haven't read this book - get thee to the book store.

Etc.

Last weekend (hmm, actually two weeks ago) we went to see Apres Vous which was showing at the Palace Centro with Venerable and Weatherboi. It was a very entertaining movie and I was suprised at how funny the physical comedy was. I've never been a big one for physical comedy as, to me, it always seems to be verging on slapstick. But I stand corrected. Apres Vous was very funny and the physical comedy was fairly subtle.

After the film we wandered down the road and had a look a some of the stencil art on the side wall of a building. The wall is an unofficial open air gallery that is covered in stencil art. You can see the picture of Ven below posing next a stencil on the driveway.

I also haven't posted in a while because I have had a horrible cold. I haven't even been to work at all this week. Today is the first day that I feel vaguely human.

Here are a couple of stencils for your viewing pleasure. 

I like this too. 

Nice huh? 

Ven posing next to a most excellent stencil.