21 February 2011
20 February 2011
Exploring.
hungover as I was this morning, I had to drag my sorry arse out of the house and go looking for likely places to crash when I begin my big adventure. Couldn't be buggered getting too adventurous, so I stuck to the coast, and as close to public transport as I could. I ended up in a small community on the southern tip of the central coast, Pearl Beach. I'd not been there before, but I'm in love. My camera is playing up atm, so these are just stock pics from Google to give you an idea of what I'll be putting up with when I forgo my roof :)
I explored each of these three places quite thoroughly today, I just hope I can get my camera to talk to me and put my pics up, cos they be super pretty, esp. if the wildlife pics come out.
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| A view from the northern most tip of Pearl Beach, the greenery in the BG is almost entirely National Park, and I saw three wallabies at different times of the day. |
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| About three k's inland from the Southern side of Pearl Beach, a small watercourse, that turns into a waterfall when it's been raining. Which it has, so I need to get my camera working. |
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| Small creek leading into Pearl Beach-public land, and zero no camping signs. Paradise here I come! |
17 February 2011
What was the last gig you went to?
Saw a great band last night. Not sure what their name was, or whether they even had a name. Might have just been a bunch guys who jam together a lot and do the occasional gig for beer money and the hell of it. They were a five-piece jazz combo, kicking out the jams at the local pub and I almost missed them because I had a friend with kids with me and it was getting on for bedtime when the music kicked off.
But what the hell. I'm supposed to be on holidays this week and although modern children are raised in a cloud of music, with most of them being able to work an iPod like champions by the age of five, other than the occasional Wiggles concert I'm guessing that for the most part their exposure to live music is pretty thin.
A pity. Because live music rocks.
Sure, last night's unexpected show wasn't akin to catching a guerilla gig by Death Cab for Cutie, but damn those old dudes played some tight little numbers. Made me wish I'd had a coupla bucket bongs before heading out for my burger 'n' chips.
The kids loved it. The room was jumping. And it all put me in mind of some awesome gigs I've rolled into over the years, often by accident, and strangely enough most often in the middle of nowhere. On a Tuesday. Don't know what it is about rural Australia, but they do turn out some great pub bands out there.
Made me wonder how it is we come to lose contact with music as we get older. It's not that we fall out of love with music. Nowadays we carry it with us at all times. But of course there comes a day when you realise it's been a year since you made the effort to get out and see a band or, er, whatever it is the kids these days see.
And that's a bummer. Because no matter the style. The era. Whatever. There are some great musicians out there every night, doing their thing for us. If only we had the time to listen.
But what the hell. I'm supposed to be on holidays this week and although modern children are raised in a cloud of music, with most of them being able to work an iPod like champions by the age of five, other than the occasional Wiggles concert I'm guessing that for the most part their exposure to live music is pretty thin.
A pity. Because live music rocks.
Sure, last night's unexpected show wasn't akin to catching a guerilla gig by Death Cab for Cutie, but damn those old dudes played some tight little numbers. Made me wish I'd had a coupla bucket bongs before heading out for my burger 'n' chips.
The kids loved it. The room was jumping. And it all put me in mind of some awesome gigs I've rolled into over the years, often by accident, and strangely enough most often in the middle of nowhere. On a Tuesday. Don't know what it is about rural Australia, but they do turn out some great pub bands out there.
Made me wonder how it is we come to lose contact with music as we get older. It's not that we fall out of love with music. Nowadays we carry it with us at all times. But of course there comes a day when you realise it's been a year since you made the effort to get out and see a band or, er, whatever it is the kids these days see.
And that's a bummer. Because no matter the style. The era. Whatever. There are some great musicians out there every night, doing their thing for us. If only we had the time to listen.
15 February 2011
More grand designs c/o an unfathomably confused Australian Gummint
More evolved Australians investing their superannuation funds, quite sensibly, in quality art, will soon have to either rent the evil artifact to someone or pay for its professional storage.
The art rental market is on its knees, and paying for fine art storage is an unnecessary cost which undermines the investment value. But even if investors promise to avert their gaze when passing their artworks in the hall, or to sit in chairs with their backs to the painting, it is STILL - NOT - OK! It is also apparently not OK to safely and sensibly store the artworks in their alarmed, insured and secure spare room.
The art rental market is on its knees, and paying for fine art storage is an unnecessary cost which undermines the investment value. But even if investors promise to avert their gaze when passing their artworks in the hall, or to sit in chairs with their backs to the painting, it is STILL - NOT - OK! It is also apparently not OK to safely and sensibly store the artworks in their alarmed, insured and secure spare room.
How does this make it a better investment?
Our government allows us to invest in art as long as we don't look at it! And we voted for these people.
Pretty weird huh?
Do Julia Gillard & Co think that art is unAustralian? Do they think paintings wear out under an appreciative gaze? Or more likely, perhaps they don't think at all - even about how Australia is laughed at for such nonsense! We are hicks! We are rednecks!
No. Investors must pay to store their art somewhere else - after all, they might succumb. They might creep into the spare room in the dead of night, peel back the bubble wrap and guiltily indulge in forbidden visual pleasures. And where would we all be then?
The government must protect us from the pleasures of fine art at all costs, even if it does mean breaking a still warm election promise!
And even if it does put yet another bullet in the heart of Australia's once fine art industry!
Our government allows us to invest in art as long as we don't look at it! And we voted for these people.
Pretty weird huh?
Do Julia Gillard & Co think that art is unAustralian? Do they think paintings wear out under an appreciative gaze? Or more likely, perhaps they don't think at all - even about how Australia is laughed at for such nonsense! We are hicks! We are rednecks!
No. Investors must pay to store their art somewhere else - after all, they might succumb. They might creep into the spare room in the dead of night, peel back the bubble wrap and guiltily indulge in forbidden visual pleasures. And where would we all be then?
The government must protect us from the pleasures of fine art at all costs, even if it does mean breaking a still warm election promise!
And even if it does put yet another bullet in the heart of Australia's once fine art industry!
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