On the train the other day I overheard two students from my old high school, talking about the pros and cons of various teachers. I had to chuckle when a couple of familiar names popped up: Mr Kite and Ms Lester. Still there, 18 years after I left. (Gawd. 18 years. It’s a long time.) ... [More]
Another trip (more pleasant this time) and another fellow-passenger out of context. I sat down on a train a couple of weeks ago, and flicked through the MX. I looked up and saw a familiar face in a nearby seat. Who is that? Oh. So I went over and said “Hi Dad.” Hadn’t seen him ... [More]
Marita was reminding me on Saturday of Dragon’s song Young Years (a discussion of various music lyrics that culminated in my car gaining the nickname Black Betty). Secret meetings at the river’s bend Simple days when I called you friend Came a time, we went separate ways — Dragon, Young Years As it happens last ... [More]
In each generation, most kids show boundless enthusiasm for creative pursuits. Whether it be drawing, building things, play-acting, whatever. When I was a kid, there was a lot of Lego building going on. My sister and I constructed whole cities. Sometimes we’d stick to the official designs of the sets, sometimes we’d go out on ... [More]
I seemed to spend most of Fathers Day doing dadly things. Like putting oil in the car. And cleaning the windscreen. And painting (well okay, it was just street numbers on the bins). And climbing ladders (just to move the John Brack a few inches downwards). And pulling the computer apart to put a new ... [More]
Turned 36 today. Biggest present: A big framed print of what is probably my favourite painting, Collins Street, 5pm (John Brack). Other presents: Books to read, CDs and DVDs to listen to and watch, a really nice (and expensive) dinner at Il Solito Posto, a really nice (probably inexpensive) home-made dinner and birthday greetings by ... [More]
(Couple of extra points added 8:45am Monday) Superb preparation help: Marita, cleaning and tidying yesterday. (The house certainly hasn’t looked better since I’ve moved in.) Obligatory pre-party crises yesterday: Washing machine broke down, leaking from inlet pipe. Water throughout laundry. Plus work hassles; many phone calls. Today’s isolated drizzle: thankfully hit before things started. Party ... [More]
I had a reasonably bad cold last week, and I’m still periodically coughing yeuchhy stuff up very noisily. At its worst, I worked from home, which was actually pretty good — I reckon I got more done at home than I would have done at work, thanks to the tranquility. Thanks to a contact in ... [More]
Josh (aka the madman) was in the pub again on Friday night. Alas, I didn’t have time to join him for a quick drink. I like the reflection of the station, opposite, in this picture. Mighty handy, this phone camera.
The good We had a low-key but enjoyable celebration of Marita’s birthday on Saturday. In doing so I discovered that both our suburbs are host to dog-related cafes — the Dancing Dog in Footscray, and the Spotted Dog in Bentleigh. And both do a very fine meal. The bulk of the rest of the weekend ... [More]
Paul Cornell, who wrote the excellent Father’s Day episode of Doctor Who, has a blog, and remarks that Rose’s father Pete was based on his own dad. The piece is really about me appreciating the sacrifices he made, and how I know he’d do what the Dad in ‘Father’s Day’ does. I think most Dads ... [More]
Tony and Rae got married yesterday at the Sun Theatre in Yarraville. After the ceremony, we all watched High Society. Congratulations Tony and Rae. (Funny story? Rob actually FORGOT the rings. Just before kick-off time, he had to race back home to get them.)
Due to various circumstances, I got to see some of the school photos taken on Tuesday. It’s an annual event of course, and one not to be missed I reckon. Maybe I’m more nostalgic than most about my childhood (especially this week it seems), but from time to time I do like looking at my ... [More]
Woo hoo! My good friends Tony & Rae are getting married tomorrow.
We were minding our own business, as Marita and I walked across Flinders Street from the station on Friday night, to go shopping for a present for my nephew Leo’s first birthday. As we passed Young & Jackson’s on the corner, suddenly there was a man in a bright orange shirt pulling on my arm. ... [More]
I woke up the other day to an email from a woman I’d never heard of before. The subject line said “Is it really you?” and I came pretty close to throwing it straight into the spam bucket. She said she was my godmother, that she’d lost touch with my mother after they’d moved to ... [More]