Monday lunchtime. I just went to the post office. Oh, the trauma. Yes, the lunchtime queue. Why on earth, in this day and age, do people still go to the post office pay bills? Do they think they’re living in the 20th century or something? They have no telephone, no internet access? They feel they ... [More]
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Sociology on the 10pm train
I have an idea for any budding sociologists. Take a train late at night. You’re guaranteed to meet a cross section of people from all walks of life, the most obvious being the 10% or so who are the drifting type – the human flotsam, apparently barely surviving urban life, because they’re drunk, high, stupid, ... [More]
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Fun returning letters to sender
(See this story)
Zzzzzz. Ring, ring. Zzzz. Ring, ring. What’s that? The phone. I’m asleep. If the phone rings and I’m asleep, it must be important, right? Last time someone rang me up in the night when I was asleep, it was to tell me my dad had had an accident and gone to hospital. I’d better get ... [More]
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Neither here nor there
On Wednesday night, I suddenly found my car spot had been vacated. Where the mystery car came from, or where it vanished to, was destined to remain… err… a mystery. On Thursday night I went and gave blood. I was all prepared for a long wait like last time, and took a book. But to ... [More]
Well on Wednesday, I got my car back from the repair place, my wallet somewhat (figuratively) lighter for the experience. Drove it home, and… found someone in my car park spot. A beat up old red Ford Laser. Harumph. I didn’t recognise it, so I wasn’t sure whose it could be. Maybe flat 4. So ... [More]
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Instant movie reviews
Swordfish. What a crap movie. Computer clichĂŠs galore, not to mention that scene where Halle Berry earned US$250,000 per breast. Did it add anything at all to the story? Hell no. Was it a ploy to get teenage boys into the cinema? Looks like it to me. Saturday Night Fever. Second in the weekend’s Travolta ... [More]
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Funny noise
It started with a funny noise. A funny noise, a kind of throbbing, and a little extra smoke. So I took the car in on Monday to get looked at, to find out why it was doing it. "Oil", they said – "lack of oil". Ah. Okay. Wish I’d checked the oil more regularly. Then ... [More]
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The week in summary
The landlady was predictably shocked at the $330 cost of the window repair last weekend. Well, that’s her fault – if she’d had it fixed when I told her it was cracked, it wouldn’t have been so expensive. Despite her original false claims that I had cracked it, I refused to pay, and she backed ... [More]
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Instant performance review
Tinka’s New Dress – deep, multilayered, thought-provoking. Wasn’t sure what to expect, but damn, this was brilliant.
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Flowers
After lunch I took a walk up to state Parliament House. A blanket of flowers covers the steps, left there by people in memory of the Bali bombing. Judging from the notes, most had been left there by strangers, rather than relatives of victims. Above, blowing in the wind, the flags are still at half ... [More]
My dad told me about the biography of Lillian Roxon, who was the author of the world’s first encyclopaedia of rock music. The biography which includes a bit about him, because he knew her. I considered buying it, but then I reada review on the SMH web site, which said it wasn’t the world’s best ... [More]