The Amalgamation

Tuesday 6 May 2008 2.57 pm

Trapped in the suburbs…

but thinking about the beach!

Saturday 26 April 2008 approximately 1pm

Yesterday - took a trip to the country. The cows were feeling agitated at us snapping photos of them. So, when one cow sneezed, the other leapt into the air in fright.

P.S. Is it a-choo or a-moo?

Monday 22 April 2008 9.15 am

Yesterday, we went into the city to see an exhibition of mediaeval illuminated manuscripts. It was fun seeing all the people dressed up in costume - and the armoured knight whacking children with a foam sword.

Tuesday 8 April 2008 approx 3.00 pm

Sigh! Feeling full of inspiration but something seems to get lost in the translation from my head to the finished product.

Saturday 29 March 2008 8.55 pm

Nothing like spending all day at a soggy music “festival” only to have it washed out an hour before your favourite band.

Friday 28 March 2008 11.20 am

I’ve somehow managed to score a ticket to a punk / indie music fest tomorrow. Unfortunately I’d long since thrown out my black punk wardrobe from 10 years ago. Hmm… I’m probably going to look right out of place.

- me, t-shirt and high pants

- a non-conformist looking at me like I’m a freak

Hmm, time to buy some clothes?

Sunday 23 March 2008 - 2.30 pm

In Brighton, on the beach. After growing up in the country, I find these suburban beaches quite foreign. They’re neat, controlled, covered in signs, full of rich people with pedigree dogs, and massive houses overlooking the bay.

Tuesday 18 March 2008 - 10.02 am

We were at a wedding on the weekend. It was beautiful - fun and moving. Pity about the HOT weather, but hey - my own wedding was an outdoor ceremony in 42 degrees Celsius heat! So who am I to complain?

I’ve realised that I’ve recently experienced a multicultural wave of weddings. This last one was for 2 people of Chinese descent. I’ve also been to a bilingual Chinese x Indonesian wedding, an Italian one, and numerous white Australian weddings. Each one was so unique - it’s great!

17 March 2008 - time- ? after 8.00 pm

It was at least 39 degrees Celsius today. It’s Autumn - what’s happening to the weather?!

The power has gone out in part of our street. The neighbours still have theirs - the air conditioner is pumping away. Not us. We don’t have air con, just a little fan. We can’t even run that! So, a house full of candles. Too hot.  >

- me, drawing in the dark, lamenting that the waffles won’t get cooked now.

13 March 2008 - around 3pm

So, tell me, is global warming the reason we’re having 38 degrees Celsius days in Autumn, or is it just a hot summer? My husband tells me it’s because we’re in Australia - but I’ve lived in this state all my life and it always seemed a lot colder and greener than in recent years.

Figure 1.1: scorching hot sun beaming down on parched ground and heat rising from road.

Sunday 9 March 2008 - 4.40 pm

I hate Sunday afternoon television… actually, I dislike tv at the best of times. But why ruin a beautiful afternoon with tv?!

“Take that, tv!”

- some laid back tourism programme

- remote controller

Sunday 9 March 2008, 4 pm-ish

Sunny, hot and invading the in-laws’ swimming pool…

- Me (sleepy)

Friday 7 March 2008 - sometime in the afternoon.

After a quick trip to our local multinational coffee corporation branch, we’ve discovered a new way to cleanse one’s system.

- Sudden stomach pains…

Friday 7 March 2008 - 10.11 am

A fw nights ago we went to a concert. I think the timing was terrible - I’m still recovering from surgery. But the concert was great. Mind you, I had a throbbing jaw ache, was sitting down the whole time, and was all ear plugged - but it was good.

- The Chemical Brothers

- The skinny geek dance

- The chunky bloke dance

- The sound / lighting guys appeared to be enjoying it

- Thousands of people represented by squiggly lines

- The cool girly raver dance

Sunday 2 March 2008 - 2.45 pm

Playground in Hastings, Victoria.

It has a bit of a seafaring theme - the main playground has the appearance of a ship.

There’s a small boat on the water-type ride… Except that it’s on bark chips.

- My eldest child sits in the front of the boat, yelling at his younger sister to “hurry up, the waves are too big!”

Sunday 2 March 2008 - 2.40 pm

At the beach - this one has pelicans.

Two of them were biting each other - fighting over fish heads thrown by tourists on the pier!

6.00 pm - 24 February 2008

Sunday night, on the couch, recovering from an operation. I must look a miserable sight. My face is swollen and covered in bruises. It hurts to open and close my mouth. I’m living off pureed foods. Glad I don’t have to get my wisdom teeth out more than once.

- tblue dressing gown highlights my facial bruises

- ice packs held on by a bandage

Pastel pencil and pen on paper, May 2008.

Tuesday 19 February 2008 - 7.58 pm

Walking to school -

- oversized school bag on tiny pram

- me, sweaty and gross after walking

- 5 year old already tired upon arriving at school due to frantic walk in summer heat

- cranky 3 year old whingeing that the pram is bumpy

- short skirt that cause me to inadvertently flash today… oops. Say hello to my pink undies

PROS:

- it’s actually faster to walk than drive at this time of day

- it saves on petrol, pollution and stress

- it’s great exercise

- we get some sunshine

CONS:

- it’s too hot this summer

- it takes effort to walk

- it means being ready to leave much earlier

Sunday 17 February 2008 - 7.45 pm (approx)

Yesterday, spent the day the day at the family farm. It was so wonderful to return there. I miss it so much. I used to go there every weekend.

(tractor shed)

(old dairy)

(paddock for sick calves)

(various aunts and uncles)

(new farm house)

(orchard - plums are ripe)

(Dad, mowing the lawn)

(… to major tourist road)

Thursday 14 February 2008 - 9.45 am (Happy Valentine’s Day!)

Just waiting for the weekly children’s story time at the local library. It’s a great idea - it’s free, for pre-schoolers and they play games, do craft, sing songs and meet other kids. Oh, and they read stories. My kids love it!

Just coming to the realisation that I forgot to get my husband a Valentine’s Day gift. Oh dear…

Having a wardrobe dilemma today. I have dressed terribly.

Monday 11 February 2008 - 7.10 pm

Looking at photos of amazing artworks and amazing photos. It makes me wonder, how do I become that good an artist? And what is it those models have that I don’t have? (Evidently it’s not in my haircut because my haircut is the same as many of those models!)

Hmm… must be in the clothing. (P.S. I’m actually taller than this image may imply!)

Sunday 10 February 2008 - 2.09 pm

At a park - as usual, for a Sunday. It has a MASSIVE steam train sitting here. It’s an old engine that’s been parked and painted. I can’t get over how big it is.

[Me, asking my husband - who works in the rail industry - if trains are meant to be that big.]

Now playing: Project 86 - The Forces Of Radio Have Dropped A Viper Into The Rhythm Section
via FoxyTunes

Ok, I’d like to think that I’m not a total teenybopper. After all, I’ve gone to plenty of gigs over the years, and never hugely flipped out over meeting any of the bands. I mean, it’s cool and stuff, but I don’t think I’d ever just about fainted with overwhelmedness…

So I don’t know what happened to me yesterday when we were lined up in the cold and rain to meet Project 86. I mean, dude, am I really that big a fan?! Apparently, yes, yes I am that nuts. I started to think about it… my Facebook Profile is covered with Project 86 paraphernalia - a video clip here, a fan group membership there… Not to mention that they’re in my top 8 MySpace contacts. And I even occasionally watch their vodcasts. I don’t think my husband knew what he was getting himself into when he first introduced me to Project 86’s awesomely awesome music.

I wish I could say that the gig was fantastic, but it got washed out. I mean, they didn’t even get to go on stage. Noooooooo!!!!! For the first time in years, I was actually looking forward to a live gig - and I mean, I’ve been to some pretty good ones, including U2, Jars of Clay, Antiskeptic, Rammstein, and The Chemical Brothers (in no particular order)… but Project 86’s music speaks to me on a level that no one else seems to. They’re in my top favourites, anyway, somewhere alongside Tool and Rage Against the Machine (both of whom I missed out on). Sigh!

Anyway, here’s some photos (click on images to see them in larger size). It was a good day and I’m so happy to get to meet the band.

Me, operating the front of house equipment (as in, the sound desk)… hmm yeah right.

As it turned out, a bunch of our friends were on the technical crew for the event.

The looming rain clouds before they halted the gig…

…and me, possibly the only person who wore something other than black & white at this thing.

And seriously, who organises an outdoor gig in the moutains outside Melbourne in Autumn?!

There are plenty of indoor venues…

Project 86…

This fan had a poster made up and was getting other fans to sign it.

The words on the poster are from a Project 86 song… in case you didn’t work it out.

He was flying around Australia to catch all the Project 86 events.

I feel really sorry for all the people I met who travelled interstate to catch the gig.

Me and Project 86… this was easily the highlight of my year so far.

(Ok, yes, there’s more to life than meeting your favourite band,

but this was the first time I can remember feeling this happy in a very long time.)

(Photography by Matt.)

Saturday, 9 February 2008 - 13.37 pm

Mmm… brownie

Mmm… impulse cafe stops before church …