New stuff coming soon (promise!)

New year (it’s June, but hey), new site (re-design), and therefore new posts coming up soon!

Windsor, New South Wales (aka Escape to and from the Country)

I’m a fan of the BBC television show, Escape to the Country. If you haven’t seen it, the basic premise is this: a couple decide to leave the strains of city-life and move to the idyllic quietness of the British countryside. There’s a set budget, a debate about wooden beams being a quaint character feature, and the …

When venting becomes pointless

 Here’s a thought: I think most people who vent don’t just want someone to pat them on the back and tell them that they’re right about everything, but they also want to see alternative points of view, someone to play Devil’s Advocate, or something. I realise this when I agree too much with someone who …

Merry Christmas!

Hope you are all having an awesomedary (awesome + legendary) day! Eat loads, take care of the people you love, and hope you get nice little surprises from the fat, bearded man (and I don’t mean your Uncle Ted!)LoveFamilyHope

Wise words…from Gloria Estefan

Wise words…from Gloria Estefan

“We seal our fate with the choices we make”, sings the flame-haired Gloria in this late 80’s/early 90’s video clip. And wise words, too.

I’ve been contemplating on the idea of ‘choice’ and this was one of the first things that came to mind. (incidentally, I’ve never seen a video clip that had so little to do with the lyrics). I’m pretty sure that we are where we are because of the choices we have made.

 

So choose life.

Catatonia – “Road Rage”

http://youtu.be/yH04i4eTrJk

Haven’t heard this song in ages…best Welsh 90’s alternative band…that I know of…with a female lead singer (I love you, Stereophonics, too)

Originally posted on ADRIAN MANUEL:
“People don’t realize this but loneliness, it’s underrated.” No, I didn’t write it. Yes, it’s from a movie. Doesn’t make it less true. It’s no secret that I absolutely adore (500) Days of Summer. As a film, it transcends generations through its boldfaced honesty and reaches to the hopeless romantic…

Happy Jubilee, Mrs Queen Lady!

Dear Your Maj,Congratulations on the sixtieth anniversary of your throne-and-crown getting! As one of your subjects living in your vast commonwealth, I am happy that you are the Queen of Australia, too. Imagine us having one of those ‘presidents’ – sounds a bit, well, American, don’t you think? And Americans seem to like you too …

“The Sapphires” – Australian film screening at Cannes 2012

“The Sapphires” – Australian film screening at Cannes 2012

Heard about this being made when I was following Chris O’Dowd (@BigBoyler) on Twitter. This was based on the musical, which was based on the true story of four Aboriginal girls living in the Outback in the 60’s whose singing talents were scouted by, er, a talent scout (played by O’Dowd). They ended up singing for the soldiers in Vietnam “branded as Australia’s answer to The Supremes”,says the blurb. Anyway, I haven’t seen it myself as yet but you can bet yo’ bottom dollar that I’ll be lining up for it come August. And it helps that I like seeing Irishmen stereotypically cursing and drinking and generally being Irish.

"Learning to fly" or "Gazing at my navel"

Every December I write down a summary of the year past and, because I’m both sentimental and at times pedantic, I make it a point to write this summation in chronological order, like a narrative of the year I had lived. I think that’s the thing, I make it a narrative, a story I have …