Five things from out of my head - with music

 Still being tired from yesterday's adventures with the Fuck Up Fairies - also known as Qantas, here are a few things that have been front of mind - with music. 

1) I got my flu shot today. Had a meeting, got out of the meeting, then went down the chemist to get jabbed. 

But I got jabbed twice. 

I've been getting flu jabs after getting a noxious dose of it about twenty years ago. It makes sense. If you get your vaccination and you get the flu, it's hopefully going to be a lot milder version of it. 

While I was there, I asked about COVID jabs

According to the pharmacist who was doing the sticking, it seems healthy people between 18-70 are due a COVID booster annually, unless they're immuno-compromised or doing a lot of travel. 

I asked if by a lot of travel, a trip a month to Darwin would count as lots of travel. I last had a COVID shot in August. 

I walked away with a shot in both arms. I might be radioactive, but hopefully I won't get massively sick. 

2) Baked beans on toast for dinner tonight. I haven't been food shopping today as I had a full day at work, then saw Cleo for a training session. 

Why are baked beans some of the best food in the world? Simple, easy, comforting on a cold winter's night. The only thing maybe better would be canned tomato soup - and it must be canned, with cheese savouries - or savoury toast as it is known in Tasmania. I think Barney and I need to have another savory toast off again. He puts the bacon in his mixture, I put it on top. 

I'd also like to know why Lou Reed was in my head while making this delightful dinner. And why to the coloured girls go doo, de doo.?

3) I should stop watching Bridgerton

Bridgerton is one of my guilty pleasures, and this season it cutting things a little close. 

For I am Penelope Featherington, and I so get Penelope Featherington. This season is all about her. And Colin, the Bridgerton she's been in love with forever. 

But there was one scene in the second episode, where Penelope asks Colin to kiss her, as she doesn't want to die without knowing what it is to be kissed. Instantaneously, my heart went out to her. 

Know exactly how you're feeling, love. Not that I have never been kissed, but it has been sooooooo bloody long. I think I've reclaimed my virginity.

Penelope and I have a few more things in common: 

• We're both the black sheep of the family
• We're a bit on the chubby side
• We like writing

I say good luck to her for asking for what she wants. It's very courageous. I mean, she tells Colin to kiss her so if she dies she'll know what it feels like. Colin then tells her that she won't know anything because she'll be dead. Such a bloke thing to say. 

Oh, to even have somebody like that in your life. 

I'm not sure I could be that brave. 

(This is the best song James Blunt has penned - it's incredible). 

4) While I was away, my cat got very spoiled. 

I came back to a very spoiled, slightly petulant cat. 

Aunty Kat spoiled him big time. 

He also nearly destroyed the curtains in the spare room - mostly my fault as the big chair was pressing them against the wall, and they were crumbling, but still. 

And Aunty Cat bought him some other treats. I'm not sure where she got them from, but he loves them. 

Daft critter.

5) I have not watched Baby Reindeer yet. 

I'm wondering if it really is worth the hype. 

I like the actress who plays Martha too much in Pride - she was fantastic as Sian. 

We'll see. 

If you haven't seen Pride, it's on ABC iView at the moment. Fantastic film. How can it be bad? It's got Andrew Scott in it!

Today's song: 

Bass in the Grass

 "Come on, where are you?"

"Huh?"

"Get your arse down here, you should see King Stingray - they're on at three."

I had been summoned. And it was okay. When my old colleague, Drew says I need to listen to somebody, I take heed. His taste in music is impeccable. And despite a little reticence, I slopped on some sunscreen, shoved on my trusty green baseball cap, shoved on my runners and went along with my colleagues to Bass in the Grass, Darwin's premiere music festival. 

Bass in the Grass is a young person's festival, yet it caters for all. The group of us did the sensible thing when buying tickets and bought a premium package that gave us access to a couple of drinks (excellent), some seating (never a bad thing) and shade (absolutely critical). Oh, and toilets that weren't going to be used by every man, his dog, crocodile, drug dealer and wine merchant. Best $220 I've spent, just to have a bit of comfort away from the big noise, crowds and general rabble.

A quick Uber ride to Mindil Beach and we were there.  

I've not been to many music festivals. There were becoming popular when I left England. Glastonbury was the big one, but the thought of camping, rolling around in the mud and being stoned among 100,000 of my nearest and dearest never sat well with me. Besides, I didn't have friends who were into that sort of thing while I was over there - more the Michael Buble crowd. 

I went to the V-Festival in the Gold Coast in the mid-noughties, mainly to see The Pixies, but I also got to see some great acts. 

But as a purveyor of music, I'm better off going to see acts one or two at a time as I find festivals are overwhelming.

Regardless, a short Uber ride to Mindil Beach, a very thorough course through security and we had arrived, just in time to see King Stingray on the main stage. 

They were excellent. (See today's song)

But this was under the full Darwin sun, at 3 p.m. on a Saturday. 

Once the band went off, one of my colleagues and I went to find our special area. The place with drinks and shade and toilets with running water, away from the big noise. The space we'd spent good money on - and it was worth every dollar. Being out of the sun, and a way away from the main speakers and dancing was a good thing. You could hear everything, just as you could hear yourself talk. (Also, in my defense, I was struck down with laryngitis most of the week and wasn't up for racing around in the heat. Besides, we found a possie which suited my purposes - a place to congregate, meet. drink and eat without being overrun by the revelers. 

My colleagues, chilling at Bass in the Grass.

There were two main stages where the big acts played - the set up allowing for one act to be on while the other one was being set up. There was also what I call the doof doof stage out the front, where various DJ's plied their trade.

Me, I was happy the back on my covered milk crate, drinking hard Solo and eating fresh cinnamon donuts. 

And I got to listen to Middle Kids (enjoyable), Northlane (a bit like a harder Metallica without the heart) Bag Raiders (wonderful dance music which I could identify) and Ziggy Alberts (an artist I've got a lot of time for). 

Did I go back out to the main area - no - but I didn't have to. 

And yes, I could have stayed around for Jet, and Macklemore, or gone and seen some more dance music, but after a day in the sun, knowing that drinking too much while you're still on antibiotics is not a good thing, but as the sun had gone down and my energy was depleted, I made my way out, walking down to the Casino with a nice random bloke chatting all the way, where I found a cab back to the city. 

Did I enjoy myself - absolutely. 

Being a person who hates crowds and noise, I knew what I was getting into. I also know my limits, and at 7 pm, it was time to go, but I'm very glad I went. 

Drew did say it was a young person's event. Good for those with the energy and stamina to last well into the night. 

I was just happy, in the end, to arrive back at the hotel, get in Uber Eats, do the worst of my packing and watch Bridgerton. 

But if King Stingray ever come to Melbourne again, I'd happily go along. I know they're touring America with King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard in the near future. And yes, that doesn't mean that much to me either...

It was a good experience.   

Today's song:

Sunday Stealing: Inspiration

 Note to self. Even if offered, don't eat duck. I like duck. Duck does not like me. And okay, if it's duck breast, I can get away with it, but roast duck, or duck confit, or anything else, avoid at all costs. After a lovely breakfast with my friend (and old P.E. teacher from 40 years ago) I had to race home. And I only had had a little bit. Two small pieces. 

Regardless of the runny tummy (which has abated - just have to get some fluids into me) I will have a good day. And I'm looking forward to going home tomorrow. It will be good to be back in the cool, rather than the tropics. It will be nice to be sleeping with the cat again - if he still loves me, that is. 

Questions, as always, come from Bev at Sunday Stealing. 

1. What inspires you the most?

Lots of things. Art. Kindness. Courage. Joy. Perseverance. Happiness. The human condition. You can find inspiration anywhere. You just have to look for it with open eyes and an open heart. 

2. How do you think the world will change in 20 years?

Considering how much the world has changed in the last 20 years I hate to think. I'd love to imagine a kinder, more peaceful, less antagonistic, more environmentally aware world, but would that ever happen? I can only hope. 

3. Cats or dogs and why?

I love both dogs and cats, but as the servant of one black cat named Lucifer, I have to say cats. I love their independence, their quirky personalities and their ability to empathise, even if they don't show that very often. Dogs are absolutely wonderful, but far more needy. 

4. What is the funniest memory from your childhood?

I can't really think of anything - I suppose driving a tractor into creek was pretty funny. I had a funny childhood, but more funny-peculiar than funny-humorous. But that is also indicative of being a child of the seventies. 

5. Where do you not mind waiting?

In the Qantas Club lounge at the airport. It's nice to be away from the rabble. A comfortable chair. A Bloody Mary. Liquorice Allsorts - it's a good place to wait for your plane. 

For those not in Australia, these are liquorice allsorts. 

6. What was the best thing before sliced bread?

The flushing toilet? Underground plumbing? The mangle?  No idea.

7. What product would you stockpile if you found out they weren’t going to sell it anymore?

Oh, I discovered this a few weeks ago. It's not that they don't sell it anymore, but the company doesn't ship my natural deodorant to Australia anymore (bastards). I love Native deodorant. I used to put in an order a year. So, if I have friends going to America, I ask them to bring back a few sticks. But I have found an Australian alternative, which I like a lot. Woohoo is about the best I've found that really works all day. 

8. What do you get every time you go grocery shopping?

Fresh fruit, bread and almond milk are on my shopping list most weeks. 

9. What do people do too much of today?

Doom scrolling. Get off your bloody phones and stop complaining you have no time. 

10. Are you a GoodWill, or any second-hand store customer?

Not really. The difficulty I find with second-hand stores is that they're not good for bigger sizes. However, at my writer's retreats, we have a trading table where people bring along their pre-loved clothes which we sell on and all proceeds go to charity. It feels good knowing the money is going somewhere where it will do good. And I've got a number of bargains there. 

11. How do you feel about the death penalty?

I don't believe in it at all. In Australia, we haven't had the death penalty on the federal statutes since 1972 - the last person to be executed in Australia was back in 1967. Looking outside of Australia, I think it's barbaric. It's not a deterrent, and it's too open to failure. Too many innocent people have been killed by the state. It's not for me. 

12. Are there brands of certain items that you will ONLY buy that brand? Ie paper towels, ketchup etc.

Yes. I will only buy:

• Heinz Baked Beans
• Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
• Coke (never Pepsi)
• Farmer's Union Iced Coffee (I come from the one place in the world where a milk drink outsells Coca Cola)

There are a few other things, but these come to mind. 

13. What are some things that you will buy the Store brand, and find the quality to be great?

Aldi chocolate is fantastic. Actually, Aldi has some quality brands. Not sure if you Aldi is in America, bit it is a lot cheaper than our two major supermarkets. But they put the chocolate in the first aisle as you enter the shop and I find this far too dangerous. (My local Aldi is in a dodgy part of the suburb too - another reason to avoid it.)

14. What is a Name brand item that really disappointed you recently?

Sheridan bed linen is not as good as it used to be. It doesn't last as long as it used to. 

15. Do you wear glasses or contacts?

I wear glasses for distance - have done for many years. I have to take them off to read anything on a page or screen. This is called getting old. 

Today's song:

There are things I had forgotten

 There are things I'd forgotten, but have been reminded of tonight. 

It's been a long week, and in many ways, a hard week. This morning, for a few minutes, I was thinking "Why don't you resign." I was a fleeting feeling, and it left, and I looked and the monumental pile of impossible work myself and my colleague have to do, the breathed in, stood up, and went and got a coffee, and felt better. Why fret? It's just work. 

And just because the work feels like it has one of those Harry Potter doubling charms on it, doesn't mean it's impossible - just hard. You touch one thing, three other things spring up to join them. It's great. Not. 

Regardless, I finished something this afternoon, which for this week, was a bonus. I was the last one in the call centre. I took my bags and walked the 200 metres to the new hotel on the esplanade and checked in. 

After a short lie down, I found my bathers and went down to the pool, where I'd arranged to meet my  colleague. 

This job is very different to any other I've had. For one, giving the day a post-mortem in the pool is a necessary evil. It's the only role I can remember where I've seen most of my colleagues in their bathers. And I have no shame in putting on my swimmers and joining people - bugger the body image. I've always been the first in/last out of the pool person. Nothing changes. I get out when I start to prune. That's the rules. 

Making things even easier, my colleague and I have been mates for a couple of years. 

And the pool here is good. 

We got the stories of a hard week out of our systems. We both needed a bit of a vent. But once that was done, we settled in to being human. Even did the 'Hey, watch me do freestyle!" and I bobbed under the water and did a lap of the pool. Stupidly, I'd left my goggles in the room, but I'd forgotten how much I love swimming freestyle - doing laps. I'm not a fast swimmer, but I am competent. But as an adult, when was the last time you told somebody to watch you swim?

After a quick change, and a quick look at the sunset from Bicentennial Park, we went out for a drink at a local bar, where they serve a local Kakadu Plum gin. I rate it. 

After this, a lovely dinner at a local restaurant. 

Another beer was had. The conversation flowed easily. We know enough of each other's stories to not have to explain things to each other. We're both from the country. Both a little nerdy in an arty sort of way. Our politics align for the most part. Easy company. 

Then he walked me back to my hotel, stopping for an ice cream on the way. (Cold Rock Rum and Raisin, with a Caramello Koala mashed in for good measure in a kiddie cup - who knew?). 

And I had forgotten home much an easy night with good company can be for the soul. 

Today's song:

It’s Bridgerton Night

 Four episodes have dropped. No blog tonight

Besides, I have to pack…

Laryngitis

 I serenaded a friend this afternoon for her birthday. It was a bit of a dare. 

You see, you can't really sing when you have laryngitis. She thought it was scary. And hilarious. 

Currently, I'm sounding like Darth Vader's kid sister. I truly sound awful, but the stupid thing is I don't feel too bad. Sure, I'm not 100%, but I'm also up to do a day in the office.

Making things a little worse, I'm up in Darwin on a work trip and there's a music festival to go to on Saturday, which, if I'm honest, at present, I have no desire to go to - but that's three days away. 

On the good side of things, I'm not coughing, spluttering, blowing my nose, feverish. Even my throat, which is a little sore, is not really giving me grief. And sure, I'm not feeling one hundred percent, but I can think and write and get on with things. But as I'm travelling and have another two flights to get me home on Sunday, I thought it best to see a doctor and see what they thought. 

"You've lost your voice," said the doctor. 

"No shit, Sherlock," I thought, "Minister for the Bleeding Obvious, this one."

Five minutes later I walked out with a prescription for antibiotics, more out of prevention, possibly for a cure. 

It's fun, this having no voice. 

I got to use hand gestures in a meeting today. 

I'm scaring people. 

And worst of all, I can't swim at the moment. I was looking forward to going to the Parap pool after work and doing some laps. The thought of getting wet, getting dry, and then going in and out of air conditioning did not sit well. Hopefully the drugs will kick in and I'll be able to go for a swim on the weekend. 

And Darwin is about to kick off with this festival over the weekend. 

I'm just glad it's not COVID. Or RSV. Or something worse. 

And if all goes to seed, I could go work for one of those phone sex lines. 

Today's song:

Rock Hudson

 I’ve been watching a documentary about Rock Hudson while waiting for my washing to finish. I can only feel incredibly sad. In many ways, his is a sad story. 

He’s always been one of my favourite actors. I have a little bit of a penchant for Doris Day and her silly movies of the 50s and sixties. He was so handsome, but he had this daft side that I found charming - a bit like my cat. 

I’m seeing all of these news clips which I saw for the first time when I was a teenager. It’s so scary to see the views portrayed here. The people who betrayed him. And those who stuck by him. And the lack of understanding. And the horribly homophobic ideals of the age. 

I wonder he might have been like if you’ve been born 20 years later. Maybe he would have got out of the closet. Possibly the drugs would have allowed him to leave a normal, long life. 

It’s just sad.

It’s been a pretty good day here in D-Town. It’s been a day out at the depot, what we are referring to his family dinner when my colleagues came and we had a barbecue chicken and salad on the balcony for dinner, rather than frequent a local restaurant.

I went to book group over zoom where we read a really good book this month. I can highly recommend Edenglassie by Melissa Lukaschenko. Eye opening. Educational in many ways. As there was only four of us there, the conversation was great. 

Oh, and my cousin got in contact and asked about places to eat in Darwin. She and her daughter were going to be up for a couple of days before catching the Ghan back down to Adelaide. We're going out for dinner on Thursday. 

And now I’m just waiting for this bloody washing machine, so I can hang out the washing and go to bed. I'd pop down to take out the recycling, which is banking up, but I'm in my pyjamas, and nobody needs to see me in a lift without a bra. (I'm on the 18th floor, the recycling bins are on the 4th...)

Sorry, it’s not much of a blog. I’m just not feeling it at the moment. Blame the croaky voice. 

Today's song. 

Yuzu

I am too tired to write. Get into your hotel at 1:45 a.m. will do that for you.

So instead of writing this blog, I’m going to go to bed.

I will say that yuzu is the best thing ever.

Yuzu?

It’s a Japanese citrus fruit Which tastes something like a mix between a lemon and and a mandarin. It is utterly delicious. Everything you do with a lemon you can do with a yuzu. I’ve had some wonderful yuzu cheesecake. There are more and more yuzu drinks coming out in the market. Today, at Woolworths, I found my favourite brand of sugar-free soda, in a Yuzu flavour. I’m stoked.

But today, I met Jay in town for lunch. She’s up here for the football and is going home this evening. We went to my favourite cafe, The Rabbit Hole, one of their signature menu items is yuzu lemonade. It is extraordinary. 

So, lots of yuzu made my day today. 

And now it’s time for bed. I can't stay awake much longer. 

Today’s song.

Sunday Stealing live from Sydney

 Sydney. Hotel room with a big bath. Check out in two hours and have to be on the Manly Ferry soon after that. I will be quick.

Questions, as always, come from Bev at Sunday Stealing. 

1.    Write about the best decision you ever made. How did you make it? Was it reasoning or gut instinct?

That would be going on the writer's retreat to France last year. It was more expensive that I would have liked, but I loved every minute of it. Did me the world of good. The decision was heartfelt - if I was make a decision fiscally, it never would have happened. 

2.    What ONE thing would you change about your life? How would your life be different?

I wish I had a body that didn't love putting on weight so much. I think my doctor wouldn't rag me as much if it worked like that. 

3.    What is the hardest thing you have ever done? Why was it hard for you? What did you learn?

Learning to run was the hardest thing I ever did. I was told from a young age that I couldn't run because of my 'weak ankles'. Turns out they weren't weak at all. Running is all about conditioning and mind over matter. I learned a lot when I was running. 

4.    What is your greatest hope for your future? What steps can you take to make it happen?

I want to get that book published. I can do this. But I need to sit down and bloody do it. And find the time and energy to do it. Maybe I should have taken up the offer to see what Ritalin is really like. 

5.    If you can time travel, what will you tell your teenage self?

I would tell my younger self the following things: 

• You are not as fat, ugly or stupid as you are told you are or you think you are
• Things are going to get better
• When you're offered therapy at uni, take up the offer
• Start exercising daily - you are going to love it. 

6.    Write about the most glorious moment in your life so far.

I've been lucky, I've had lots of glorious moments. I remember getting something published for the first time. That was awesome. 

7.    What did you struggle most with today?

It's only early - I've only been up for a little while. But I'm thinking, do I go up to the shoe store and go find a new pair of white runners and leave my old soggy ones there, or do I just persevere?

8.    What made you happy today?

I bought some really good, really interesting fruit salad for breakfast yesterday. It was AWESOME. Simple things are good. Better than McDonalds any day (the other easy option from this hotel room as I'm not paying $35 for runny poached eggs).

9.    What did you dislike most about growing up?

I remember working out from an early age that women were treated as second class citizens a lot of the time. I hate that. I still hate that. Hopefully the ship is righting itself. 

10.    Write about 3 activities you love the most and why you love them.

1. I love writing, because it is my vocation. It's not an easy vocation, but it is what it is. 
2. I love reading, because it makes me realise that I'm not alone in the world. 
3. I love playing with animals, particularly my cat, because even though I annoy the hell out of him, he loves me anyway. 

11.    What has been your best trip so far?

Again, I've had many great trips, but that Writer's Retreat in France last year was just incredible. I also won two tickets anywhere in the world fifteen years ago - five weeks, 7 countries. Loved that too. 

12.    Write a list of 3 things (physical or personality-wise) you love about yourself, and why they make you unique.

• I am kind, almost unfailingly. 
• I love all animals (okay, I will give chickens and rabbits a wide berth, but otherwise animals are great).
• I have a body which is strong and healthy, which at my age is a very good thing. 

13.    Discuss 3 things you wish others knew about you.

I am on my own most of the time. It's 90% solitude, 10% loneliness. And this is okay. 

I have great difficulty asking for help. Just asking friends to come cat sit nearly kills me, but I know it's best for the lad - he would hate it in a cattery, particularly as he's a rescue and spent a lot of time in a cage before we found each other. (It was at a very good rescue centre, they looked after him, but still, I don't want him back living in a cage - he's my dorky boy, can't have that.)

I wish I knew about neurodiversity earlier. It's making such a difference to my life knowing that it's not just me - I'm wired up differently and this is okay. 

14.    Write about your top 3 personal strengths.

1. In my astrological chart I have Saturn in Aries - it's basically a bullshit meter. I can sniff out crap a mile away. 
2. I can do anything I put my mind to. But most Gen-X women can do this. It's ingrained. 
3. I like to think I can see the good in almost everything. It makes life a lot easier being positive. 

15.    Is social media a blessing or a curse?

A bit of both. Probably more of a curse, but it can be fun. 

Today's song:

Turnip for the boots

 Today has not gone as planned.

 My original flight was cancelled. No big drama as they put me on the next plane a half an hour later.

This morning before I went to the airport, the smoke detector near my kitchen was going berserk. There was no smoke. Not even an errant toaster.

I got to the airport, only to find that my flight has been delayed. Not by much, but enough.On the good side of things, on a full flight, there was an empty seat next to me. 

Arriving in Sydney I had to wait a full half an hour for my bags to come off the plane. Nothing works in the rain in Sydney. 

I walked down to the train station to find that I had just missed a train and had to wait another 15 minutes. And the trains were only going as far as Central.

At Central Station, I found that there were no trains going through to Wynyard and that I had to take the light rail to get to the hotel. I was hoping to be there by midday. I rocked up at 1:30.

It was here I discovered my trusty white runners were leaking badly. Didn’t even step in a puddle. They are dead.

Had a perfectly lovely lunch with a friend, after which I had a bit of a relax before going to the theatre. 

I’ve been looking forward to this performance for a while. I mean, Hugo Weaving on stage. It had to be done, not that the play has great reviews. 

After walking to the theatre down in The Rocks, I got myself settled in the auditorium. I got 20 minutes of the play – then somebody decided to have a heart attack in the third row of the stalls. I was sitting up in the dress circle so I got a bird eye view of this.

After half an hour of watching people mess about, and probably six or seven doctors offer their expertise (Joy of going to a large theatre company play, there has to be a few doctors there on any given night) one of the stage managers came on stage and said that they were going to an interval. I saw 20 minutes of the play, and didn’t see Hugo Weaving. He was busy coughing backstage as a part of the performance.

By the time they loaded the poor man into an ambulance, they called us back in, it was 8:45 and I wasn’t feeling it. I will try to exchange my ticket for a performance of something later in the year. I hopped in a cab because it was tipping down came back to my hotel and got room service.

Despite nothing going to plan, I’ve had a lovely day.

Today’s song:

Bumped

Tomorrow's flight has been cancelled, and I've been bumped.

Thankfully, this is the Sydney leg of my trip, and there's planes every half an hour between Sydney and Melbourne. It's one of the busiest airline routes in the world. Not that I have anything that can't be moved until 7.30 pm, when I'll be at a play, it's still a little disconcerting. 

Even worse when the Qantas app won't let you accept your new flight... the anxiety starts to spiral. 

A mercifully quick phone call later and I'm all checked in and sorted and thinking that the extra half an hour at home will good for doing the last bits for my house sitter - make the bed. Give the bathroom and loo a final going over. Clean out the cat litter tray. Do all the fun jobs before 8 am when I'll need to get myself to the airport. 

I'm also dithering about what book to take. 

And should my knitting come with me. 

And just what am I going to wear to Bass in the Grass next weekend. 

This travelling thing has its pitfalls. 

Today's song: 

Pet Peeves: Delivery Drivers on Electric Bikes

 They come out of nowhere. They don't signal. They rarely use headlights. They park in inconvenient places. They drive in the middle of the road when you're trying to get places. They park their bikes in front of shops making it difficult to get in. As they are all but silent, they sneak up on you as you're walking on the footpath scaring the loving bejeezus out of you. And they're often rude. And cut in front of you like a kamikaze pilot in 1945. And there is that look in their eye which screams at you "get the fuck out of my way."

Sure, in this gig economy, everybody is entitled to earn a wage, and since we office workers are at home, ordering in can be seen as the done thing to do. I have friends who order in bubble tea for heaven's sake. 

I see one of those electronic bikes with their overzealous drivers and I think target practice. 

20 points for a Hungry Panda driver.

Seriously, is it that hard to go pick up your take out? 

The walk will do you good. 

Today's song: 

Darwin Prep

 I'm starting to pack already, and yes, it's early, but I've got a little stop off on the way, spending a night in Sydney seeing a play and visiting friends before making my up North. 

The Darwin office wear is packed in a cube. I'll need to do some washing while I'm up there. Being away from home for over a week, there's no need to pack that much underwear when you have a washing machine in your room. 

I need to work out what I'm going to wear in Sydney for the day - as what you wear in Sydney in late Autumn is a bit different to what wear in Darwin in the dry. 

Then there's festival clothes - as myself and a couple of workmates are heading off to the Bass in the Grass festival at the end of the week. Do I take my docs and go all Mosh Pit Panda or risk it in my runners?

There's also a few more items that I'll keep in a desk drawer while I'm up there. A bottle of gin. A fold up yoga mat. Some resistance bands. These can go into my Darwin bag while I'm up there. If found the yoga mat at K-Mart tonight while I was looking for swimming goggles - also required and will live up in the Darwin bag.

Of course, I've got my cereal for the week I'm up there. And decaffeinated coffee bags - again, may as well take them up with me. Having a cup of coffee and some cereal to hand when your plane gets in at 1 a.m. and you're due at work in seven hours is a good thing. Anything to help you running. A pack of muesli bars in going in the bag too. 

Oh, and my knitting. And the Fire Stick - which means I can stream Netflix onto the telly at the hotel. 

It's all part of this FIFO life. Getting things organised early means less stress when I leave for the airport on Saturday morning. 

And I've checked the airport parking booking. 

It's all arranged. We've got this. 

Today's song: 

Theatre Review: RBG: Of Many, One

 The Performance: RBG: Of Many, One by Suzie Miller

The Theatre: The Playhouse, The Arts Centre

Stars: 5

Until 12 May

Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Supreme Court Judge. Woman. Monumental Brain. Mother. Shit Stirer. Wife. Opera fanatic. Iconoclast. Jewish girl from Brooklyn. All round inspiration. 

Ruth Bader Ginsberg, or Kicky to her family, or the Notorious RBG to the zeitgeist is one of those people who was kicking down doors from a young age - and she forgot to stop. Her dissenting voice in the Supreme Court has become legendary. 

Ruth Bader Ginsberg, who died during the last days of Donald Trump's presidency, only to be replaced by Amy Coney Barrett.

In Ruth Bader Ginsberg you have a woman of intelligence, warmth, humour and a sense of justice - a woman who has done more for American civil rights than almost anybody. 

And yes, I've been a fan for years. 

In Suzie Miller's (of Prima Facie fame) play RBG: Of Many, One, Heather Mitchell embodies Ginsberg, from her early days in Brooklyn, to her time at Cornell, Harvard and Columbia Universities, her long and happy marriage to her husband, Marty,  to her time in front of the courts, to her time waiting to hear from various presidents - Clinton who nominated her to the bench, to Obama, who spoke to her about the possibility of resigning, to her dissing of Donald Trump. 

All of this is covered in this one woman play. 

Under Priscilla Jackman's direction, Heather Mitchell embodies RBG with seeming ease. This is a virtuoso performance - an actor in their prime. Out of Miller's wordy script, she lets us see into RBG's life, holding conversations with the people in her life, explaining herself, her decisions and actions. Her impression of Donald Trump is impeccable.

Heather Mitchell is extraordinary. The four curtain calls with standing ovations are testament to this performance. It's second to none. 

This only has a week to run in Melbourne. Beg, borrow, steal or buy a ticket. It's phenomenal, not only as a representation of an enigma, but for the performance on stage. It goes to show what woman on a stage can do. 

And yes, maybe I'm biased. RBG has been a hero of mine for years. God bless her. 

Today's Song: 

Two Friends Gone

 I learned of the passing of two friends today - feline friends. Feline friends of friends.

And I felt the fear that every pet owner faces at times. What are you going to feel when your little mate goes. 

I still think regularly about Maow Maow, Blarney and Barney's cat, who crossed to the other side in 2020. He was my best mate. We loved each other, even if he belonged to my friends. I got to see him the day before he went, a shadow of his former self - riddled with kidney disease, he'd lost over half his body weight. He was no longer my fat boy. But I got to say goodbye, give him a cuddle, tell him all the things I wanted to tell him, and to wish him well. 

As sad as it was, I got a little bit of closure. 

My friends weren't quite as lucky. 

The first fellow to go was Jack, my friends old white boy. They found each other about six years ago. When my friend took him in, she was told he didn't have long. Indeed, six years on, he saw her through many trying times. 

My friend went out for a bit in the afternoon and came back to find him dead on the bed. In many ways, a perfect ending. He wasn't sick, he wasn't suffering. He just went. 

An hour later, I was reading about the demise of my friend Shadow. My friend adopted two black kittens during COVID. One had one eye (Wink). The other kitten had two perfectly good eyes. That was Shadow. They were wonderful. Hilarious. Spunky, funny slinky black cats. 

Unfortunately, cats don't have much road sense and Shadow fell victim to a hit and run. Thankfully, despite best efforts, he didn't suffer either. 

My friends are devastated. 

I'm grieving with my friends, as I hate to think what it will be like if Lucifer was to go quickly, like that, particularly like Shadow, who went well before his time. 

Needless to say, somebody is getting a bit more attention than usual. He needs to be cherished. 

We don't get them for long, and we don't know for how long we have our little friends. 

Today's song: 

Comfort Dinner

 What is the dinner you have when you have done your food shopping but you don't want to have anything you've bought? 

You're not feeling the microwave dinners, as they are reserved for quick lunches during the week. 

You don't want to cook the chicken breasts in the fridge. They are for later in the week. Maybe tomorrow. 

You don't want pasta. The only pasta in the cupboard is chick pea pasta, the only jar of sauce possibly has an expiry date of a few years back - but the jar hasn't been opened, so it should be good to go. 

I don't want takeaway. I had a meal out last night, and Jay and I had our normal breakfast at a local cafe, where the service was crappy, but the zucchini and corn fritters were very good. 

And I don't want to get much in because I'm heading interstate next Saturday and there's no point in getting too much in. 

But I want comfort food. 

If there was more than me and the cat home, I'd make Sausages in Onion Gravy with Mashed Potatoes - it still is one of my favourite things to both eat and make. But I haven't made that for years, instead, going for the freezer meal version which isn't too bad - but it's not the same as my onion gravy, which is then pimped up with tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce - and lots of onions. (Oh,I wish I had somebody to make sausages and onions for - mashed potatoes for one just isn't a thing - and they are the best.)

I wanted something easy tonight. 

So, I went down the supermarket. I found a large potato; some cheese and some coleslaw. 

I baked the potato in the oven, grated the cheese, smeared a bit of butter inside the spud once it was cooked, and plonked the coleslaw on top. 

And it was magnificent. 

Today's song:

Sunday Stealing: Miscellaneous

I'm just back after a day of roaming around the bayside suburbs of Melbourne. My hair colour around my temples has been freshened up and I'm waiting for a mate to come over for dinner. In many ways, a successful day. 

And now, I'll get the Sunday questions done and out of the way for the week, while I wait for my friend to turn up. I'm looking forward to a meal at my favourite Chinese/Vietmamese place down the road. 

Questions, as always, come from Bev at Sunday Stealing.   

1. Who is your best friend and why? What do you like to do together?

I can't say that I have a best friend, but I do have a close circle of friends - Jonella and Blarney being the main two - they're listed as my In Case of Emergency people. We drink a lot of tea together while putting the world to rights. 

2. What is your town like? What are your favorite places to go?

What is Melbourne, Australia like. Well, it's a multicultural city of about five million people, with great coffee and food, trams, cultural events and Australian Rules Football. I love going to the National Gallery of Victoria - which is excellent, any of the many theatres, and one of so many restaurants it's not funny. Oh, and drive an hour of the city and you're in picturesque hills and forests. It's a great place. 

3. What is your favorite meal? Where and when do you eat it?

Mum's roast lamb with all the trimmings - but I only ever get it at Mum's place. 

4. What is your job like? What do you like about it?

My job, at the moment, is very busy and pretty stressful. I write for a living, working for big companies. I've done it for a long time, but it's when the projects get like this that things get a bit hairy. It is always interesting and I'm doing a lot of travel at the moment, which I am also enjoying. Great people, interesting work. What more do you need. 

5. What is your favorite place to go on vacation?

I love going to Europe. I like hanging about with old stuff. The only thing it does do is makes me want to stay though. For a toes up holiday where I do nothing, then it's Bali or Thailand, places not too far away. And I really want to go to Japan and Cambodia in the not-too-distant future. For a driving holiday, nothing beats the South Island of New Zealand. 

6. What country would you like to visit one day?

In no apparent order: 

• Japan
• Cambodia
• Canada
• Belgium
• The Scandinavian Countries
• Tanzania (or more to the point, Zanzibar)

7. What bores you the most?

Umm, that would be tennis. I've got no interest in it at all in the game. Melbourne hosts the Australian Open every year. Sorry, no interest at all. 

8. What are you looking forward to this summer?

I'm in Australia. Summer is not for another seven months. I'm just loving autumn (fall) and looking forward to Winter, which is my favourite season. I love rugging up and open fires and rain. 

9. What is your favorite film?

I haven't seen it for a while, but I adore Three Colours: Blue - a French film which was made in the nineties. French cinema at its best. 

For something more mainstream, I still get a kick out of When Harry Met Sally, Atonement and The Shawshank Redemption. 

And what is my favourite movies I've seen in the last twelve months. Take your pick from Monkey Man, 

Poor Things and Past Lives. 

10. Do you sing in the shower?

Sometimes. If I do, it's normally songs from the seventies and eighties. 

11. What is the best gift you’ve ever received?

I'm always grateful when I receive a gift. Of late, I've had a couple of mates buy me dinner at some lovely establishments. Feed me and I am very happy. 

12. Do you prefer being indoors or outdoors? 

I like both. When I'm inside, I want to be outside, and vice versa. It depends on what the weather is doing. 

13. When was the last time you cried, and why?

I was watching a movie, The Great Escaper a few weeks ago. It was a very touching movie. What got me more is knowing that it's probably going to be one of Michael Caine's last movies. After all, he is in his 90s. (Glenda Jackson was in this as well - it was her last film - she was very frail in this - it's life, but it cut to the core.)

14. What do you keep in your bag or handbag?

In my green Uniqlo banana bag you will find: 

• My phone
• My wallet
• A lipstick or three
• A lip balm
• My house keys
• Often a phone charger
• Sometimes my ear buds
• And occasionally my Myki (Melbourne public transport card)
• Oh, and a map of the Paris Metro and some Parisian business cards. 

15. Can you play a musical instrument?

Sort of. I learned the flute at school. I haven't played it in years, but I'm sure I can get a tune out of it. 

Today's Song:

I knit, therefore I am

 I've picked up the cable scarf that has been sitting on the back of the couch for the last year, waiting to be finished. It's now well over a meter long and really should be finished. 

Knitting it is a joy. Bendigo Woollen Mills 12 ply wool. It's lovely to knit with. I've also got my pattern, which I remember taking a photocopy of in a wool shop in town, then typed it out. The paper is now grotty and torn, but as this is a cable pattern you have to keep your eye on what you're doing. As I've only got another two balls to knit up, it's nearly there.

And it's lovely.

So, I'm going to go back to the couch, and sit next to the cat, and do a bit more knitting. 

I've had a massage tonight so I'm all floppy. I don't have the brain power to write. 

Today's song:

Theatre Review: A Midsummer Night's Dream

 The Play: A Midsummer Night's Dream

The Company: Bell Shakespeare

The Space: The Fairfax Studio at the Arts Centre

Stars: 4.5 (the point five is for The Wall.)

Until 11 May

Tonight was one of those nights where I can truly say I love my life. Great company, a quick dinner at Movida Next Door, patatas bravas, a gin and tonic and some Shakespeare. It does not get better than this. 

Add to this a day at work where we talked about the music of Icehouse, popping home quickly to feed the cat and dump my backpack - and then, a definitive win by the Crows, the day - how much better can a day get? 

(If you could feed me patatas bravas regularly and I would marry you. Add Shakespeare to the mix and I am yours forever.)

My friend Millie, who was at a loose end, agreed to join me in this school night jaunt to the theatre. She said that she hadn't exposure to Shakespeare but was willing to give it a go. As an entry point to Shakespeare, this silly little play about fairies, Athenian lovers and a troupe of incompetent actors is perfect. Light, silly, fun and really, if you're a bit worried about the language, you shouldn't be. 

What I love about Bell Shakespeare is they take what can be seen as banal and they bring it to life in an inventive way. They've been doing this for over a quarter of a century. 

This troupe of eight players played multiple roles across the play as they fairly divided the Athenians from the Fairy Folk to the players. Peter Evans direction is near flawless as he brings a menace to Oberon (Richard Pyros), a sense of hopelessness and agro in Hermia (Ahunim Abebe) a languid air to Titania, who doubled as a very sensible Peter Quince (Imogen Sage), and one of the best Bottoms I've seen in a long time. (Matu Ngaropo). Please take that as read. Bottom is a character. Not a lifestyle preference. 

I also enjoyed the androgynous Puck, played by non-binary actor, Ella Prince. In the last few theatre-based Midsummer Night's Dreams I've seen; Puck has often been portrayed by a gender-neutral/non-binary actor. The role lends itself to this, and Prince's otherworldly appearance and fluid physicality lend bring the role to life. 

Set in what looks like a derelict attic, the actors came in and out, happily moving between characters with the change of a coat. The set is climbed over, used as a bower, tree branches and a climbing frame, which keeps the audience on their toes.  

As always, the Bell Shakespeare as some of the best footwear found on the Australian stage. 

And the most wonderful thing about this production? It has to be the play within a play, where the hapless players bring out the story of Pyramus and Thisbe to the Athenians. I heard somebody behind me say that in 400 years, nothing funnier has been written. They've done this so well. That good that dear Bottom, once dead as Pyramus, was quietly choking on his own laughter. Yes, it's silly. But that's why you go to see this. And of course, there is the Wall. The Wall is perfect. 

If you know, you know. 

This cast is taking this to Canberra and Darwin after they finish up here in Melbourne. 

Bell Shakespeare has done what they do best. Bring thought-provoking, fun, interesting Shakespeare to the masses. 

For me, it was a part of a very enjoyable night out. 

Today's song: 

Dear Cat

 Please explain to me the following:

• Why is it, when I leave a plastic bag on the floor, you must sit on it? And chew it?
• Why do you try and guilt me into letting you into the spare room after dark?
• Why do randomly give me little bites while I'm watching the telly. They don't hurt, but I'd like to know why you do it. 
• How do you know when I've rolled over onto my stomach when I'm about to go to sleep?
• And how is it that the space between my knees is so comfortable for most of the night? 
• Why is it you always do a smelly poo just as I'm about to go into an online meeting?
• Also, what is so good about my reading chair? Why do you love it so much. 
• When it comes to breakfast, why do you insist on receiving some of my yoghurt, while sitting on my keyboard, when I want to read my emails first thing in the morning?

Cat. you're strangely predictable. 

I have a headache. That be it for the moment. 

Today's song:

Thank God for Masterchef

My workday started around 8 a.m.

My workday ended around 7.15 p.m.

In the ensuing eleven hours I made it as far as my local coffee shop to pick up a full-strength coffee and a snot block. I don't keep caffeinated coffee at home. 

A lot of work was done. 

A run through for tomorrow's training was done with my colleague. We're ready. 

At "lunch time" some masons stuff was sorted out. It was nice to talk to my Adelaide compatriot for ten minutes. 

The kitchen floor was scrubbed in another ten-minute break - just to get me away from the screen. A clean kitchen floor provides a sense of pride, especially since I hate doing floors. 

There was a break mid-afternoon, where the cat gave me a cuddle for around ten minutes. 

These are some of the joys of working from home. 

Near the end, when my fingers were getting heavier, I made myself pad thai, using up a packet of udon noodles that were sitting in the cupboard, a stray chicken breast and some vegetables that would have died in the crisper. 

And when I finally logged off, around 7.15 p.m. I was thrilled that I had Masterchef to look forward to. 

Masterchef is the perfect foil for a long day. 

Everybody on Masterchef is encouraging. 

Those doing the cooking are under-pressure, but you can see they are enjoying it. 

You learn stuff. Like how to make Jamie Oliver's Old Mans Chicken - which is really just a chicken substituted in Beef Wellington. It looked yummy, but going from this recipe, Jamie's jzujzed it up a bit. 

You watch as these plucky contestants, all of whom appear to be nice people, struggle with their inner demons to put the best plate of food on the table. 

And in the end, after the judges judge their efforts, and make nobody feel like an idiot, and even the one who loses the challenge is made to feel good about the effort they put in and is sent off with many hugs and the encouragement to keep going. 

It's brilliant to watch a reality show where nobody is sniped at, or made to look a fool, or set up to fail - although some of the things they make them do in the kitchen are insane - but it's all for the contestants' good. People are genuinely good people on this show. 

So after a very long, at times frustrating day at work, Masterchef is the great reviver. 

And I did my dishes during the ads. 

What more can you want?

Today's song:

Amazon Finds

I try not to buy from Amazon. But sometimes, it is a necessary evil. 

Sometimes you need something quickly. 

Sometimes you need something obscure. 

Sometimes you have no idea where you're going to find the thing you want in the shops. 

And also, if you have Prime Video membership, postage is often free - it's rude not to have the streaming service, just as it's silly not to take advantage of this (Plus Fleabag and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel are on Prime). 

Some strange things you can find on Amazon include: (Pictures come from 40 Weirdest Things on Amazon - Crazy Products Online (goodhousekeeping.com))

and

and

and

and

Happily, I can say that I have bought none of these - and maybe somebody will answer me why you would ever need bacon bandaids or a Thanos swimsuit. 

My purchase of some clear, stick-on plastic to cover my reading chair to stop the cat from destroying it will hopefully be a decent purchase. 

I have no idea where you would get that in the shops, so the Amazon buy may just be worth it. 

Today's song: 

Stretching Time

I want another day to the weekend as much as I would like a few more hours in the day. 

Yesterday, I had meditation. I wanted to make potato salad for the barbeque I was going to. Instead I bought it at Coles. 

I wanted to go to sound meditation after meditation on Saturday, but decided against it. It is too much to go from Caulfield, to Brunswick, to home, and then out to Yarraville. I would have liked to have gone to all three events. It would have been good if they were all on different weekends.

Today, during my masons' meeting, I'm told the date of my next meeting. It's a weekend I'm up in Darwin for a music festival. I wanted to go to the march in the city this morning, but there was no way I could do both that, attend a doctor's appointment and go to masons.  I attended the rally in spirit. Friends went. My lovely downstairs neighbour went for me. 

There's also a conference in Adelaide at the start of September. Once again, I have a feeling I will be in Darwin. Maybe I can wing a flight back for the weekend.

And for my birthday later in the year. Ah, yeah, probably going to be in Darwin. At least the weather is warm and the Darwin Festival will be in full swing.

I'm not complaining. I do like my job and I've very grateful for the opportunities it's providing. I really like the travel, even if it is very tiring. 

But it would be good to be able to stretch time and do everything I want to do, not just skim the edges. 

That's what I feel like I'm doing at the moment. 

Today's song: 

Sunday Stealing: How Far Will You Go?

 Another Saturday night getting the questions out of the way. In my defense, I have been out tonight. Went to a birthday barbeque, but now I know that I'll feel better about doing the questions. It's this or whining about not being able to get oestrogen patches.

Questions, as always, come from Bev at Sunday Stealing. 

1.    What's the best thing to inherit other than money

A predisposition to good health? A decent work ethic? Skinny ankles? I've inherited all of these from my mother. 

2.    What one thing would you most like to happen tomorrow?

This is going to sound awful, but half of me wishes that my masons meeting tomorrow gets cancelled. I could really use a free day, but I am obligated to go to Masons. It's a bit like swimming in cold water - it will be fine when I get there. 

3.    Who is the person with whom you've been most infatuated?

I go through my petting infatuations from time to time. It was Cary Grant for a time. Clive Owen has a special spot in my heart. Kenneth Branagh another. Other than William Shakespeare and Henry VIII, both of whom I read all around the place about, I'll stick to the petty wonderment and crushes. 

4.    In what part of the day does time go slowest and fastest?

Time always goes way to fast in the morning and it slows down at night. But after doing a Theta Healing course we've been taught to stretch time. It's a cool thing. 

5.    Whose thoughts would you most like to read?

I can't answer this. It's one of the great mysteries of life not knowing what people were thinking. At times I'd love to know what my cat is thinking, but then again, the way he looks at me sometimes, I think there might be murder on his mind. 

6.    Who is the person you'd least like to touch?

Touch in what way? I can't answer this. 

7.    What is the best quality you inherited from your parents?

Possibly my protestant work ethic and skinny ankles from my Mum. From Dad I got skin that quickly goes brown in the sun and my curls. 

8.    Who is the friend you most often disagree with?

Funnily enough, Blarney and I have a tendency to agree to disagree on things, and that is okay. We think totally differently about a lot of things. 

9.    What's the best ritual of your daily life?

Probably that first cup of coffee of the morning. And yes, I know, I drink decaffeinated coffee, but it is still that ritual of making the coffee in my Italian stove pot coffee machine, heating up the almond milk and taking a sip. Bliss. 

10.    What is the most useful job you've ever had?

I'm not sure any of my jobs find me being useful - but I'm currently working for an energy company writing materials which help people answer the phones at said energy company, which helps keep the lights on. That's a bit useful. 

11.    In which year of your life did you change the most?

Oh, that would be 1991. I moved to England and grew up really quickly. 

12.    What's the best thing you've ever gotten for free?

I love my big reading chair. A friend, who was renovating gave it to me after I admired it years ago. I love reading in the chair. Lucifer loves sleeping in it. 

13.  What is the thing you are best at?

I'm not bad at: 

• Writing
• Being a friend
• Keeping fit
• Making cookies
• Procrastinating
• Travelling

14.    What was the luckiest moment in your life?

I won two tickets to anywhere in the world about 15 years ago. That was very lucky. 

15.    What is the single most important thing you have ever learned?

Forgiving and loving with an open heart is a good way to get places in life. 

Today's song:

Theatre Review: The Almighty Sometimes

 The Play: The Almighty Sometimes by Kendall Feaver

The Company: Melbourne Theatre Company

The Theatre: Southbank Theatre, Southbank

Stars: 4

I have two takeaways from tonight's performance of The Almighty Sometimes by Kendall Feaver. The first is that mental illness is tedious. The second is that the humble choctop has become the new cigarette. I'll get to that later. 

The play tells the story of Anna (Max McKenna) and eighteen-year-old girl in a state of flux. Her psychiatrist Vivienne (Louisa Mignone) is about to pass her to an adult's shrink, she's on the brink of a new relationship with Oliver (Karl Richmond) and her Mum, Renee (Nadine Garner) is trying to hold everything together. She's been on this journey with Anna for a number of years, she's seen it all. Anna's mental illness has been her focus for too many years. 

And then Anna decides to go off her meds. 

I have to compartmentalise this play to review it. I'm not sure I liked it, but I did appreciate it. 

On the good side of things, the performances are all very good, particularly Max McKenna, our hapless, unmedicated bi-polar post adolescent, who just wants to feel like herself. Their performance is excellent as Anna cycles through the complex emotions brought on by the disease. Her mother and Oliver can only watch by the sidelines and provide support where they can. 

I loved the set, which was made on a rotating frame, on which the cupboards and walls of the family home. It was like the fifth character in the play. 

Hannah Goodwin's direction is on point and the action flows well. According to the programme, there are a number of movement and intimacy co-ordinators who have helped shape the play as well. 

But Kendall Feaver's play is wordy. Wordy, and at time, just a little same same and Anna and her mother try to get her back on track, with little success. When it comes down to it, mental illness is as tiring as it can be tedious, which anybody who's had a friend or loved one suffer, will know. I will admit to falling asleep for a few minutes in the first act. I fared better in the second, where the action was more enlivening. It was that or the choc top's sugar rush that kept me awake.

Which brings me back to my earlier comment of choctops being the new cigarette. The Southbank theatre's ruling is no food or hot drinks in the auditorium. I was late at interval getting my choctop - a marvelous caramel one, which I had but only a few minutes to eat before returning to my seat. 

Me along with about seven others stood at the door like old smokers, bolting our ice creams. There was a sense of solidarity among us. As somebody finished and went inside, we cheered. The usher smiled at us. We were playing by the rules (makes a change from her telling people to finish off their ice cream or throw it in the bin. I have to say, it was a bloody good choc top. 

As for the play, yes, it's good. There are all sorts of good things about the play, but when it comes down to it, mental illness is not the most uplifting of subjects, hence my wavering enthusiasm in this review. Mental illness is hard at the best of times. Depending on your experiences, you may love or hate this play. The depictions of mental illness and its consequences rang true. I'm just not sure it makes for an overly entertaining night out. 

Today's song:

Movie Review: The Fall Guy

 Movie Number 14 of 2024

The Movie: The Fall Guy

The Cinema: Hoyts Victoria Gardens

Stars: 4

I remember watching the television show, The Fall Guy, when I was at high school. Lee Majors was Colt Seavers, the stunt man who had a sideline as a bounty hunter. Standard American fare. 

Ryan Gosling brings back Colt Seavers as the hapless stuntman, who get embroiled in a bit of tricky situation. 

However, gone are the bounty hunter storylines. Instead, Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) is a stunt man who comes back to work after a nasty on-set accident. Gone is his budding relationship with Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) a camera operator who's not getting a shot at directing. In the time it's taken for Colt to recover, she's moved on. As the stunt man for the pretty boy Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson and his marvellous abs), he is now working on Jody's film. Tom's agent, Gail (the inimitable Hannah Waddingham) brings the ailing Colt in to be his stunt man for the film Jody is directing. 

And all hell ensues. 

I'm not going to say too much about the plot - it's pretty thin on the ground - needless to say, Colt wants to get back with Jody, but before anything happens, he gets framed for murder. 

It's not really a film you go to see for the script.

It is, however, very entertaining, and rather funny in places. David Leitch, the director responsible for Deadpool 2 and Bullet Train is no stranger to action, and this brings it in droves. These scenes are great. It's not unrelenting action, but it's very good fun. There is also a dog. I'm still unsure where he fits in, but he's a wonderful addition to the movie. 

Another thing which I enjoyed about the film was it was filmed, almost in its entirely, in Sydney. It was great to see the city streets and the harbour being used not only for the scenery, but as a set for a lot of very fun action sequences. In particular, the scenes with the rubbish skip going down George Street were great fun. 

The sound track is also fabulous with some excellent 1980's standards from KISS, AC/DC, The Darkness and even Taylor Swift, just to name a few of the artists.

Is this the best film I've seen this year? No. But is it really good fun. maybe a film for date night, something easily consumed and enjoyed? Definitely. 

And if anything, it's worth going just for a peak at our new James Bond, Aaron Tayor Johnson's abs. Like hubba hubba...

Today's song:

Wot! No Nandos

 We have been meeting for lunch once a month for nearly 15 years. A date gets put in the diary, it might get shuffled around thanks to travel, meetings, illness, but we will then move the lunch out a week or so. 

And we are boring with lunch. None of this fancy-schmancy stuff. Nope, we go to Nandos. Or Grill'd, if Nandos isn't in the location we choose to meet - which is normally somewhere in the city. During COVID, we met on zoom, like everybody else did, trying to keep each other sane. 

We have very little in common. He's an electronics engineer, married, father of two teenage daughters. And I'm me. 

We've seen ourselves through bad bosses, good bosses, cancer (his wife - all good now) recalcitrant kids, mad family members, redundancy, aging parents. You name it. 

My workmates know about my monthly lunch with the engineer. They laugh about the fact that we go to Nandos - or Grill'd, or wherever there is cheap brown boy food. But Nandos is our favourite. It's Nandos. I look forward to my occasional lunch there. It's easy. I have a standard order (Classic wrap, hot, with some sweet potato chips, washed down with a Coke Zero. 

But meeting up today, we were let down. 

The Elizabeth Street Nandos was closed to diners and only offering take awayy. 

The day was cold. 

"I was looking forward to Nandos," he wailed. 

"Me too."

"So where are we going?"

"I dunno, somewhere down Flinders Lane for something cheap and cheerful. "

Which is what we did. 

Flinders Lane has hundreds of eateries, which appear to be themed. Up the Paris End, where my office sits, there are higher class places. The Chin Chins, Supernormals, the Cecconis and Cumulus Inc (Must get back there for their tuna tataki on labne with minted peas - genius).

In the streets between Queen and Elizabeth, every second doorway appears to be an Asian eatery. 

We found a food court. And a Thai place. And although it wasn't Nandos, it was very yummy. 

And we got to talk about all the things we talk about. Work trips, aging parents (his dad is doddery, my folks have just bought a house), recalcitrant daughters and everything else under the sun. 

The next lunch date is in the diary already. 

Hopefully the Nandos that's in the middle of our offices will be open to diners next time. 

We were looking forward to that. 

Today's song:

The Money Date

 I'm getting into the financial literacy course and starting to enjoy it. I know that years of working in banks has put me off anything to do with money.

The course is doable. Relateable. It's got me thinking. 

Then this morning, when I was doing my daily homework, our leader came up with something to do. Set a money date with you friends. 

Yep, get your friends together and talk about money, investment strategies, what you're doing with your money... and I slammed my laptop lid down and wanted to scream. 

I won't be doing this. 

I'd happily sit with a group of women on the course and discuss concepts, tactics, opportunities and the like - but not with my friends.

Sorry - this thought is so ingrained. 

You don't talk about money. 

There are a lot of reasons for this. 

It's too much of a contentious discussion. We never talk in actuals about money. We might talk in circles about money, but it's not done to talk about hope much you make. 

And you never discuss your salary. I was around at a friend's place the other day. She'd recently got a new job - and admin role at a company near her suburban home. She was up for another role, but she was very happy to be given the one she got because it was paying $5000 more than the other. She let the salary slip. About half of what I make. And sure, I work corporate jobs with a bit of stress - but I'm fairly compensated for my skill set. I said nothing. I couldn't. I wouldn't. 

The other thing, after seeing it so often working in investment banks - sharing tips with your friends can lead to a lot of bad blood. Saw it too many times in the early noughties. Not going there. 

And the last thing - I don't want my friends judging me. They judge me enough. I judge me enough. I don't need more judgement. At least I can say that I am not in debt. Even paid off that awful speeding ticket. 

I was surprised by the vehemence of my reaction to this request. 

I might do it. 

But I reckon I'd have one of these money dates with a people from the course. Like-minded people. People with similar goals. People who are in a similar place to me - which with this course, is pitched at single and divorced women. Which is why I'm doing this. 

Still, I won't be talking investment options with friends. 

Just no. 

Today's song: 

Upstart Crow

 I love a good tip off.

So, after a meh sort of day, where nowhere near enough got done, a couple of messages from a friend helped things out. 

And what was this revelation? 

A documentary series on Shakespeare. It's called Shakespeare: The Rise of a Genius and it provides a look at Shakespeare's life from the time he went to London, the lowly son of a disgraced glover, to the playwright we all know and many love. 

This documentary is brilliantly produced, lovingly rendered and fascinating. There are elements of Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet, another brilliantly researched and lovingly worked piece of art. 

And this evening, instead of writing this, I've been sipping on some magnificent cherry gin watching my Shakespeare documentary and I've calmed the hell down. 

And all is well with the world again. Who knew a little bit of Shakespeare would sort things out. 

By the way, does anybody want to come and see A Midsummer Night's Dream, being done by Bell Shakespeare, in the next few weeks. They're playing at the Fairfax from 24 April to 11 May. Let me know. 

I'm going to savour the last episode of the series tomorrow. It is so good. 

Today's song: 

Sunday Stealing:

 A Sunday afternoon and I am not travelling anywhere. Yay. The perfect day to get the weekly questions done - and do the ironing, of which there is a massive pile. 

Questions, as always, have been provided by Bev at Sunday Stealing. 

1.    What was the best toy you ever owned?

I was a Lego kid. Loved lego. Used to play with it for days. And there was none of this you get a pack which makes one thing. We had a box of lego and your imagination. I still like helping my friend's kids with their inventions. 

2.    When in your life have you felt the loneliest?

I think that would be called my childhood. Things got better when I went to university, thank goodness. 

3.    What is your strongest emotion?

I'm fairly mild mannered, but when I get angry, watch out. Thankfully it doesn't happen too often. 

4.    When were you the most disappointed in yourself?

I disappoint myself most days when I don't work on my novel. I should put and end to this and get motivated. 

5.    Which law would you most like to change?

There are many laws that need changing, and most of them are the annoying ones which are just inconvenient. I'd love stronger protections for the environment around here. Oh, and while we're at it, national reproduction laws which give women the rights to abortion in America - that should change. Men should not be able to make laws that limit women's bodies. 

6.    Who is the person you have hated the most in your lifetime?

Tony Abbott - ex Prime Minister of Australia - but Scott Morrison, and most of the Liberal National Party cabinet over the last twenty years come a close second. 

7.    What has disappointed you the most?

Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister of Australia. He could have been so good, alas, although he was better than Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, he did nothing for the country. 

8.    What's the best possible attitude toward death?

It's going to happen to us all. If it's going to happen, may it happen as quickly and painlessly as possible. 

9.    What's been the longest day in your life?

Last Friday was pretty long. Any day which involves a red-eye flight back from Darwin is a long, long day. 

10.  What is the biggest coincidence in your life?

I find coincidences all over the place, but I have more coincidences on holiday. I've been sitting on Greek Islands when old workmates have bumped into me. Or turning up at the supermarket and seeing people I've not run into for years. They're the coincidences I like to have. 

11.  What's the oldest you'd like to live?

I'm happy to live as long as I'm healthy, productive and solvent.

12.    Who is the most amazing woman you know personally?

I can't name one. I know many, many amazing women. I'm lucky like that. 

13.    What was your best experience in school?

Does getting out alive count? I think learning to speak French was a good thing. I didn't love school, but I loved learning. 

14.    What's the most meaningful compliment you've ever received?

I remember once that somebody said I was like a steam train. I took this badly at first, but he then said that it was because I was powerful, rare and strangely beautiful.

15.    What is the most you've spent on something really stupid?

I try to be fairly sane with my money. I did spend $50 on a framed poem, which I strangely still love. The frame is plastic. 

Today's song: