Vale Glen Hansard

This has been a shite of a year when it comes to celebrity deaths. On the heels of Sam Neill and Brenda Blethyn, news came through that Glen Hansard had died after being taken in a motorcycle accident. 

You might say, "Who's Glen Hansard?"

I say he was this amazing Irish singer, composer and music luminary who's worked on everything musical that's come out of Ireland. He was down to earth, incredibly talented, humble and an all-round great bloke. 

The first time he registered was in The Commitments. He was the guitarist. You knew he was there, giving weight to this great film. In this clip, he's the baby ginger. 

He wrote and performed in the incredible film Once - which was then turned into a stage musical. This is a film, loosely based on Hansard's time as a busker in Dublin, where the music takes over every part of your body. If you haven't seen it, hunt it out. He won an Oscar for Best Song in 2008. 

He's the musician who led the tribute to Shane McGowan at his funeral. 

Hansard was a musician's musician. Talented, generous, wonderful. 

He used to busk for charity down Grafton Street every year, long after he needed they money. 

His death has hit hard. He's an artist I've hunted out for years, since seeing Once and being blown away. By seeing how he melded into the Irish music scene - ever present, ever supportive, incredibly talented.  He leaves a wife and three-year-old child. He was 56-years-old.

Rest well. Mr Hansard. Thank you for the joy you've brought the world. 

Today's song: 

Sorted

 Well, the gym membership has been sorted. I marched into the gym tonight and saw Chuck. I told him that I was auditioning gyms, but ultimately, I would go where he goes. I told him about the sessions that I’m having at a gym near home.

“I’m sorted,” he told me. 

“Already?”

“I’m off to Gym 24/7,” he says proudly. 

“Thank heavens for that.”

Of the gyms I’ve seen, this is my preferred location. And it’s cheap.

And okay, it doesn’t have ski ergs or TRXs or classes, But it’s five minutes' walk from my front door, it’s got a good atmosphere, and some other things that I think I’ll like. The dry sauna, the reformer beds, and the various areas for training are really good. It’s going to feel strange to be broken up with Fitness First, I’ve been going to that gym for 18 years, consistently two, three, four times a week. 

I think about the fact that it’s been 18 years, and I’m really quite proud of that. 

At least, there is a way forward. And Chuck was his normal bastard self, making me do all sorts of things at a heavier weight. He's a bad man. It's why I pay him. 

And this is why I like training.

Today's song: 

Gym Auditions Part II

Have you got any idea how many gyms there are in the Richmond/Abbotsford area. A stupid, crazy number, and that's not counting the yoga and pilates studios and other health aligned businesses. 

Tonight was the audition for gym number two - with a difference. 

The local Duke's Gym was my check out place. I made an appointment for a check in with a trainer. They also had a deal on - join for four weeks and see a trainer for free twice a week for four weeks. I've got some fitness goals, and as Jay is away for a few weeks, I can see myself kick some different goals. No joining fee. No cancellation fees. 

The poor bloke. I'll call him Mike. He got me after the Ritalin had mostly left my system, so he got full Pandora in Leo mode. 

I said I'd join for the four weeks. I could use somebody, who didn't know me, to kick my bum on some cardio goals - which my other two trainers don't do. (They're cardio averse). Treat it like a reset - and I'll keep my normal workout regime for weights and strength. 

Mike is lovely. He also said that 80% of his clients were perimenopausal and menopausal women - so he's used to dealing with stroppy, loud, bolshie women.

Anyway, here are the pros and cons. 

Pros:

• It's a five-minute walk from home
• 24/7 access
• $19 per week (Not as good at Gym 24/7, but still not bad)
• Modern equipment
• Normal people
• Clean and well maintained
• A women's only area

Cons:

• Less equipment than Gym 24/7
• No recovery area
• No ski ergs or TRXs
• No classes

I won't joining this one (unless Chuck comes here, but I doubt that will happen) but as a cardio gym for the next couple of weeks, I'm good with that. 

Here's to kicking some cardio goals in the next few weeks. 

Today's song:

Gym Auditions

It's started. 

Auditioning for a new gym. I haven't done this for nearly twenty years - but I'm being a grown up and starting to look at my options. I can't function without a gym - and forewarned is forearmed and it's good to see that there are some choices that can be made. 

Also, I'm fairly sure I'll go with Chuck, wherever he goes - because he's great and I don't want to lose him. I also wrote a stroppy letter to Fitness First thanking them for wrecking a community - which is what is happening. I was at the gym this evening and caught up with some of the community. We all feel the same way. I'm getting the odd call from gym buddies. We're all in the same boat. Disliking the schlep, lack of parking and prominence of posers at the Church Street sight. 

Today, I had a look at the gym around the corner. Gym 24/7. 

Pros

• It's five-minute walk away. 
• At $14 a week it's economical
• It's open 24/7
• It's not too busy.
• I know a couple of the trainers who work there
• It's got a lot of equipment which appears to be well maintained
• There's a recovery room with massage chairs and infrared saunas that you can book. 
• Not that I need it, but the on-street parking is not bad
• And there seems to be lots of normal people in there. 

Cons:

• There are no TRX bands (from what I could see - and I love the TRX)
• There are no Ski Erg rowers (I like them).
• I know a couple of the trainers who work there
• There are very limited classes (Jay likes classes - me, not so much)

In all, it's not a bad option. 

I'm auditioning another one tomorrow night. 

Today's song:

Too Tired

 Donated blood today. 

All good - no issues. Just a bit tired. 

Can't be bothered writing. Just want to go to bed.

Will find something to write about tomorrow.

I should finish the review of the play I saw on Friday. (It has been nice to take a break from looking at screens, to be honest). 

Today's song:

Sunday Stealing Adjusts for Inflation

 I'm not thrilled with this week's questions. They're not my cup of tea - but that's okay. It's lovely that somebody sets the questions every week, and for this I'm grateful. 

According to the blurb it says: 

Back in 2007, Sparky Duck at Philly Transplant played the $50,000 Meme. That was nearly 20 years ago. To make it more relevant to our day and age, it's been updated and is now the ...

The $80,000 Meme

Premise: A philanthropist awards you USD $80,000 with the stipulation that you must spend half on yourself and half for the benefit of others. This translates to around AUD 114,000.

Questions, as always, come from Sunday Stealing. 

1. Of the $57,000 you must spend on yourself: 

a. First you throw yourself a lavish birthday party. Tell us about it. 

If I'm honest, I'd take a few friends to Paris, business class flights, for a few weeks. No party, just hang out in Paris, in style. That sounds like fun. 

b. Then you take off on a cruise. Where are you headed?

You have two chances of getting me on a traditional cruise. None and f*ck all. 

If it was a small charter cruise then either a luxury cruise around Australia's top end, or may down the Croatian coast - but it would have to be a small boat with fewer than 50 people on it. Cruises sound like a fantastic way to get COVID or gastro. They're not my thing, even though I love boats. 

2. Of the $57,000 you must spend for the benefit of others: 

a. Who would be on your gift list? What would buy them?

It's too late to think about this stuff. I'll give the money to charity. Most of my friends have everything they want and need, thank goodness. 

b. Which charities would you support?

Here are some of the charities who would receive money from me:

• The Leukaemia Foundation
• Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation
• The Fred Hollows Foundation. 
• Planned Parenthood
• Canteen
• Go Gentle Australia
• And an animal charity of some description - Lort Smith Animal Hospital / RSPCA

Today's song:

Theatre Review: Uncle Vanya

The Play: Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov adapted by Joanna Murray-Smith

The Company: Melbourne Theatre Company

The Space: The Playhouse at the Arts Centre

Runtime: Two hours 15 minutes

Until 22 August

Stars: 4

Uncle Vanya is a favourite play of mine. I know I'm not a fan of Russian literature - but Uncle Vanya is the bomb.

I saw Derek Jacobi in the title role in London in the 90s. Andrew Scott made it a one-man show in London three years ago, which I enjoyed immensely. And of course there's the 1994 film version, Vanya on 42nd Street, which you can view on Youtube. Adapted by David Mamet, directed by Louis Malle and having Wallace Shawn, Julianne Moore and Brooke Smith in the cast (among others) it's amazing, and well worth the watch. 

This version of Uncle Vanya has been adapted by Joanna Murray-Smith, one of Australia's leading playwrights. Nothing has changed other than some of the language has been updated from a more staid version, to adding bits of Australian vernacular - and it is great. It's one of the good things about working in translation. 

The story doesn't change, the themes staying as universal as ever. Familial duty, unrequited love, family dynamics. Vanya (Daniel Henshall) and his niece Sonya (Philippa Northeast) live on the family farm with their mother (Carolyn Bock). When Vanya's brother Serebryakov (Sean Micallef) and his beautiful young wife Yelena (Catherine Van-Davies) come, all hell breaks loose. Along with a regular visitor, Dr Astrov (Fayssal Bazzi), Vanya is in love from afar with Yelena. Sonya, plain and proud, is in love with the doctor. And Nanny (Evelyn Krape) and indentured servant Telyeghin (Don Bridges) are there to keeps some order and provide a little comic relief. 

A couple of days on, I'm still thinking about this. It's a solid production. Joanna Murray Smith's tweaks have made it even more approachable. I like this odd Australianism in the dialogue. 

My only reservation with this was a little bit of overacting but considering we saw it very early in the season, these blips will be ironed out. Anne-Louise Sarks direction is sound - and the set, which uses all of the Playhouse stage, is something to behold. The stagehands deserved their applause at the end as well - they are busy during this performance. 

In all, this is worth seeing. Not everybody is going to love this play like I do (and I still recommend watching Vanya on 42nd Street - it's a great movie) but the MTC have done another sterling job with this. 

Today's song: