(My blogging is likely to be a little sporadic for the next week or two. I’m sure you can work out why.) Music can often be very powerful at capturing an emotion, a feeling, a memory. After that post a couple of months ago about songs on a theme, here’s another theme that’s become relevant ... [More]
I know there’s nothing more dull than than reading someone’s blog post on amusing things their kids say. So this one’s about my nephew and niece. And it’s about stuff they used to say, and have now grown out of, but which I’ve found so amusing that sometimes I jokingly insert them into my speech ... [More]
Things I discovered when picking up my father’s ashes from the crematorium: 1. At Fawkner, you pick them up from the office, not the crematorium itself. If you catch the train there, the office is in a non-intuitive location, back towards Sydney Road. 2. Make sure you have photo ID. I guess they don’t want ... [More]
“You couldn’t have a full-blooded aborigine or Chinese teaching.” Well, *obviously*.
Me at forty. (Well, 39 and 364 days, yesterday. I had this idea of taking my own picture. It’s startlingly difficult to get a half-decent shot, as you can see. Even the one I used shows something between my teeth — and a tree apparently growing out of the top of my head, though I’ve ... [More]
Yesterday was a hard day, but a good day. Thank you to my sister (siblings help so much at times like these), Reverend Johnsan David (and helpers) at St David’s Anglican Church in Moorabbin for accommodating us, Brian at Mannings Funerals, Laura and the others at South Eastern Private Hospital, all the others who helped ... [More]
My dad turned 79 the week before last. He got sick and went into hospital on Thursday. Pneumonia. Over the weekend he was very unwell, and yesterday he expressed the view that he would like to go soon. Tonight he got his wish, and slipped peacefully away. RIP JQ. 7/8/1931 — 16/8/2010. Update Tuesday 8:40am: ... [More]
In my circle of friends, the story goes (and I’m sure she’ll correct any details I get wrong) that while ago Kathy was in the local supermarket with one of the kids, who was promised a Freddo Frog, but Kathy didn’t have the correct small change handy. Sorry kid, no Freddo this time. Uh oh, ... [More]
My old uni buddy Brian recently emailed through a copy of a photo from graduation day at Monash Uni, from 1993. It was at the main Clayton campus, which we rarely actually went to in our student days, though I do recall one memorable session in the campus radio station recording a demo tape of ... [More]
Adrian and Peter turned 100 today. To be precise, their birthdays are both today. Adrian (my sister’s husband) turned 38, and Peter (my step-father) turned 62. To celebrate the occasion, they’re having a joint birthday party on Saturday. So, happy 100th birthday, Adrian and Peter! (I do have a great aunt who turned 100 last ... [More]
Last year of my 30s starts today. While I’d love to have a lazy day at home and a big party, I haven’t been organised enough, so neither will happen. Instead it’ll be a work day, punctuated by breakfast with my boys, lunch with my girl, and dinner with my Posse of TroUblemAkers — family ... [More]
I think I might have out-done myself this time. Last month I represented the PTUA at a senate hearing into Commonwealth investment in public transport. During questions, the topic of public transport for special events came up, and as I had the night before been to such an event, I drew on that personal experience ... [More]