A couple of years ago I was introduced to the range of Aveda (it’s German for wanky and expensive but environmentally friendly and rather nice and luxurious) hair care products. Well, one in particular: a leave-in conditioner thing which leaves my hair looking just slightly less daggy than it did before. I dab a little ... [More]
How I became a geek
Recently I’ve been reading some of Jeff “Yak” Minter’s nostalgic look back at how he got into writing computer games in the 1980s, and it’s got me thinking about those days, and how it’s shaped my life — or at least, my professional working life. It’s something I have written about briefly before, but I ... [More]
In the papers
Dear Sabrina Harman, you shouldn’t need the Geneva Convention to know what you participated in in that Iraqi prison was wrong. All you should have needed was a modicum of intelligence and humanity. Oh boy, are we all sick of hearing about Mary Donaldson yet? (Hmm, should the above have gone in the news section?) ... [More]
While some were at the footy on Friday night, Marita and I went to a truly excellent (new?) restaurant at Docklands — Renzo’s Bar. Utterly delicious food, and not expensive in the grand scheme of things — $61 for two, including an entree and some drinks, but no dessert or coffees because we were due ... [More]
It must be the month of May.
Winter is coming
Winter is coming. And I have conclusive proof. a) Last night I was freezing my arse off in the kitchen while on a phone call, and vowed to seek out a new battery for the cordless phone, so I can make calls from the comfort of my superheated livingroom. Or from my double-doona-covered bed. Either ... [More]
Where did these bloody Aga stove things come from? I assume they’re a peculiarly British brand of wanky gourmet stove, because I’ve never seen or heard of them in Australia. Yet they’ve shown up in the last two novels I’ve read, plus had the piss taken out of them in Posh Nosh. I’m afraid I’m ... [More]
Cover, book, judging
On the tram back from lunch. In the corner seat was a bloke in a shirt and tie, carrying a folder. After a stop or two gazing out the window, he reached into his pocket and got out a 10x ticket and validated it, just as a gaggle of inspectors got on. (For out-of-towners, this ... [More]