So it's been about six weeks, or thereabouts, and I am still crippled in the face. I've got a little movement back in the corner of my mouth, so I don't look quite as scornful now, which is nice... but I gotta say. I miss being pretty. I used to be okay lookin... and people treat me differently now. Not the people I actually know, but strangers and shopkeepers and all those people you don't know but interact with. They don't smile at me like they usually would (I think this is because I have a big grin most of the time when I'm not face-retarded), and they're not as nice to me. It could just be me being a bit over-sensitive though.
I don't know what it is about me, but I seem to collect humorous injuries lately. Yesterday I got bit on the arse by a stink bug - who even knew they bit? I sat down in my office chair after lunch and felt something sticking into me on the chair. I got up to have a look, and this giant bug skitters off under the desk! I took a photo, and the consensus is that is's some sort of stink bug. It hurt plenty and went a very strange orange colour, but thank goodness I didn't squish it!
The night before I kicked the corner of the bed by accident and I suspect I may have broken another toe. It feels awfully like the first broken toe, and is all bruisy and stuff. This one I'm going to ignore, because it's not an important toe. And the doctor definitely does not need to see my ugly mug again so soon!
I sound like such a hypochondriac with my myriad of physical woes, don't I? Don't worry, it's not all bad news. I went to Soundwave festival over the weekend, and it was everything I've ever dreamed of. I saw Goldfinger, Anberlin, Lacuna Coil, 36 Crazy Fists, Dillinger Escape Plan, the Subways, Alice in Chains (!!!!!!) and Nine Inch Nails.
Alice in Chains is part of my Holy Trinity of Rock - that is to say, one of my three favourite bands ever (the other two being Blind Melon and Faith No More). They haven't toured or made new music since nineteen dickety-two, and the lead singer, Layne Staley, died in 2002, so I never thought I would see them tour. But lo and behold, they have a new singer who does alright and they're going round the world again. They played a bunch of my favourites - Rooster, Bleed the Freak, Would?, Nutshell, No Excuses, Angry Chair. It was incredible, so so good. I was almost at the very front of the mosh pit for most of their set. Nine Inch Nails was pretty cool too.
I had an annual leave day on Monday, so I went and had a very pleasant Ladies' Lunch in Newtown with Leah, Jess and Leanne. It's nice to be able to do that sort of thing every now and then - and I had a delicious bruschetta.
Yesterday I made scones for dinner. I know that's cheating at dinner, but I'm a grownup and who's going to stop me? Nyaaah! They were lovely, with jam and cream. I had the three leftover ones for breakfast this morning.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Waking up retarded has never been easy
So, what with bank fraud, a broken big toe, sunburn and a bad back (the latter two from a shoot at Bondi last Monday) all thrown into the mix, it hasn't been a great start to the year. I wasn't going to whige about it or let it get me down, but yesterday I woke up with the left side of my face paralysed and it was all a bit much.
According to the doctor, what I have is Bell's palsy. It's a bit like being a stroke victim - the left side of my face doesn't really move at all. I can make my cheek sort of twitch, but my eyebrow won't raise or scruch, my eye doesn't blink all the way closed and I only smile and laugh on one side of my face. It's the weirdest feeling. It freaked me out pretty hard yesterday before I went to the doctor!
I had a sore throat and was feeling a bit bleh at the end of last week, and they think that was a virus that has affected my cranial nerve somehow. It should last a few weeks or months and then come right on its own, apparently. In the meantime, I look like a retard. I have to put drops in my left eye every few minutes because it's all dry and not blinking properly, and eating is surprisingly hard. It's hard to get the food into my mouth because my lips don't want to cooperate. It's also very funny for anyone observing. :)
Thank goodess it was on a Monday though, and not sooner!
On Saturday I did a spot of modeling with some girlfriends for another friend who wanted practice at portrait photography. We had heaps of fun playing dressups and posing.. the results are at Arkady's Flickr . I guess these might be the last photos where I look normal for a while.
According to the doctor, what I have is Bell's palsy. It's a bit like being a stroke victim - the left side of my face doesn't really move at all. I can make my cheek sort of twitch, but my eyebrow won't raise or scruch, my eye doesn't blink all the way closed and I only smile and laugh on one side of my face. It's the weirdest feeling. It freaked me out pretty hard yesterday before I went to the doctor!
I had a sore throat and was feeling a bit bleh at the end of last week, and they think that was a virus that has affected my cranial nerve somehow. It should last a few weeks or months and then come right on its own, apparently. In the meantime, I look like a retard. I have to put drops in my left eye every few minutes because it's all dry and not blinking properly, and eating is surprisingly hard. It's hard to get the food into my mouth because my lips don't want to cooperate. It's also very funny for anyone observing. :)
Thank goodess it was on a Monday though, and not sooner!
On Saturday I did a spot of modeling with some girlfriends for another friend who wanted practice at portrait photography. We had heaps of fun playing dressups and posing.. the results are at Arkady's Flickr . I guess these might be the last photos where I look normal for a while.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Holidays and other happenings
So Keff has pointed out that I haven't updated my blog in ages. Here ya go then Lala... just for you.
Christmas, as predicted, was totally awesome.
Before I left, I started an infusion of Werthers Originals in vodka, for consumption on New Years Eve. When I lived in Wellington, the owner of Mercury bar, Grant, used to infuse his own vodka with jersey caramels and make a cocktail called an apple pie. This involved caramel vodka, cloudy apple juice and a cinnamon and sugar rim. It was absolutely the most divine drink I had ever tasted, so I thought I'd have a crack at it myself.
I found myself some cheap flights over to NZ. They weren't direct, but they were ever so cheap, so I flew Sydney - Auckland - Wellington on the 20th and Wellington - Auckland - Brisbane - Sydney on the 28th. Good thing I like planes.. I got to take off three times on the way back!
I stayed with Sarah the first night in Wellington, and took advantage of the chance to catch up with my friends Angela and Dennis (some of you will remember Dennis, my indian flatmate from Stanley Street Berhampore - top bloke). Roger drove us all up to Pohangina in the morning, and we had Mum and Dad to ourselves for a couple of days.
The farm impresses me more every time I see it. Now there are nineteen sheep, two pigs, heaps of chickens and two cats. I'm not that keen on the pigs - they're kinda scary and they squeal and smell and stuff. I did get to huggle a lamb. I could have huggled the lambs more, but they stayed well away from me after the first day. I think I enjoyed the experience a lot more than the lamb did.
The grapevine is going nuts, as is the passionfruit vine. I suggested to Mum that perhaps she could try some vodka infusing of her own, but she didn't seem that keen. I think a walnut infusion would be rather tasty, as would a passionfruit. It'd be interesting to try wine from their grapes also...
The rest of the family arrived over the next couple of days - first the Dorrians and Grandma, then the Harrisons and the other Bells. I went on a pilgrimage to the Santa Cave with Mum and Dad, my aunt Karen and cousins Tim and Sophie, and Grandma. I'd managed to avoid it for 28 years, but they reckon it may soon be gone, so I figured I’d better sort it out while I still could.
The Santa Cave is a relic of a bygone era. Tucked away in the basement of the Farmers department store in Palmerston North, it’s full of ancient clockwork Christmas scenes – elves building things, reindeer learning how to find the Manawatu, that sort of thing. It’s kind of a shrine to Christmas past I guess. Karen reckoned it hadn’t changed a bit since they used to go as children.
I really enjoyed it, it had an innocence that seems to be missing amongst the Bratz dolls generation.
Sophie, Tim and I had a photo with Santa (I’m pretty sure I was the oldest kid to have a Santa photo), we did a spot of last-minute shopping, and waddled back off home.
Christmas day was fantastic. There was an absolutely huge pile of presents under the Christmas tree, which Dad had harvested himself from the paddock next to the orchard two days earlier. Santa made an appearance after breakfast to hand out the gifts. He has an uncanny resemblance to uncle Mike, only a bit fatter and with the beard… how strange! Loot highlights include a fabulous brown leather satchel/handbag from Sarah, and an awesome laptop backpack (which I really needed) from Mum and Dad, and a great wee recipe book with gorgeous 50s teatime things to bake from the Harrisons. They really are great at presents, those Harrisons – always have been. I also fell in love with two of Rachel’s gifts; a book called ‘Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus’, and another one with cute little crochet and fabric toys to make – including a crochet ‘scream’ face and little Seargent Pepper turtles. I must acquire these books for myself at some point very soon!
Mum and Dad put on a roast lamb on a spit. Dad had prepared Charlie the lamb a few days earlier (so as to get the actual killing out of the way before the sensitive vegetarian types arrived). Charlie was complemented with a couple of chickens inside his ribcage and the biggest sprigs of rosemary I have ever seen. Mum’s rosemary bush must have taken a hell of a hit. According to the carnivores, Charlie was maaaaaaagical and delicious. I enjoyed the lovely salads and a glass or two of bubbles.
Two of the Aged Aunts came up for Boxing Day, so it was Family ++. Mum amazes me with her ability to feed hordes and hordes of people, including vegetarians, celiacs, people who hate onions and people who are just plain picky. The fare included heaps of her homemade preserves and vegetables picked straight from the garden, and fresh eggs courtesy of the chookhouse.
On the 27th, we all piled into town, and had a ride on the miniature railway in the Esplanade in Palmerston North. This is especially cool, because Dad drives the train some weekends. He took us around the track; all sixteen of us in a row (Mum stayed back to take photos, I think she might be bored of the train), and then we had a lovely lunch at the café in the Esplanade. The waitress was particularly entertaining, and she even thanked us after the meal for being ‘such a fun table!’. Clearly we are very cool people.
I almost escaped without there being fuss about the new ink (the bluebird on my right shoulder) – but I was foiled at the very last minute after lunch. I’d been carefully wearing t-shirts as opposed to singlets, and covering my shoulders… but at the end even Grandma came over to peer down the back of my shirt to see my bluebird. The disapproval was minor, and I am still very impressed with the artwork and colour of it.
I think the best thing about the Chrimbo Experience was the fact that my cousins are old enough to be real people. I am the eldest of the bunch by quite a big margin, and I’m really not very good at children, but once they become old enough to have ideas and personalities of their own, they’re a lot more fun! I was particularly impressed by how cool Tim is now. I’ve known for a while that Rachel and Andrew are very cool individuals (and talented to boot, so musical!), but Tim is turning out a lot like me. This may or may not be a good thing – I imagine his parents are desperately hoping he’s better behaved than I was – but he’s a very interesting kid.
So after all the family bizzo was over and done with, I ate the hell out of a Hell Pizza, bought some bagels and various delicious kiwi treats and sodded off home. I owe massive props to Mum and Dad for putting us all up and providing for everyone, and also to Sarah and Roger for accommodation, good company and airport shuttle service. I have the best family.
On the way back, I managed to have my bank account hit by scammers – they stole my entire paycheck, which put me out for rent and left me destitute! It’s all sorted now, the bank has put the money back in my account this morning, so it’s like a double payday today. Fortunately, I’d invested in some duty free before I found out I was destitute, so I was well prepared for New Years! I was also very well looked after by a new geezer on the scene, Jim, who cooked me dinners and made sure I didn’t starve; bless his heart.
New Years Eve was a blast. We had a party at Sean and Nic’s apartment. Their complex has a pool, and it was a perfect afternoon for it; not a cloud in the sky and so warm! We messed around for a few hours making pyramids and having piggyback wars, and then hung out in the garden. The Werthers Original vodka was a massive hit (HA! SEE!?), and I do believe I’ll do another one, along with a strawberry infusion and maybe a cucumber one.
I did manage to fracture my big toe though, due to some irregular topography and bare feet, having just come out of the pool. I didn’t think it was broken and I didn’t want to make a fuss, so I didn’t bother having it x-rayed until Wednesday this week… but it turns out there’s a big old crack down the middle of my toe bone, which explains why it still hurts. Whoops. I’m going back to the GP today with my x-ray film to see what’s to be done about it.
Following the New Years festivities, I caught the L90 bus out to Avalon for a wedding, which was a beautiful day. Congratulations Keff and Lyndy you gorgeous people!
So that’s about up to date. Don’t say I never do nuffin’ for ya! As usual, requests, admonitions, adulation and gift certificates may be sent to me at emma.s.bell at gmail dot com.
Christmas, as predicted, was totally awesome.
Before I left, I started an infusion of Werthers Originals in vodka, for consumption on New Years Eve. When I lived in Wellington, the owner of Mercury bar, Grant, used to infuse his own vodka with jersey caramels and make a cocktail called an apple pie. This involved caramel vodka, cloudy apple juice and a cinnamon and sugar rim. It was absolutely the most divine drink I had ever tasted, so I thought I'd have a crack at it myself.
I found myself some cheap flights over to NZ. They weren't direct, but they were ever so cheap, so I flew Sydney - Auckland - Wellington on the 20th and Wellington - Auckland - Brisbane - Sydney on the 28th. Good thing I like planes.. I got to take off three times on the way back!
I stayed with Sarah the first night in Wellington, and took advantage of the chance to catch up with my friends Angela and Dennis (some of you will remember Dennis, my indian flatmate from Stanley Street Berhampore - top bloke). Roger drove us all up to Pohangina in the morning, and we had Mum and Dad to ourselves for a couple of days.
The farm impresses me more every time I see it. Now there are nineteen sheep, two pigs, heaps of chickens and two cats. I'm not that keen on the pigs - they're kinda scary and they squeal and smell and stuff. I did get to huggle a lamb. I could have huggled the lambs more, but they stayed well away from me after the first day. I think I enjoyed the experience a lot more than the lamb did.
The grapevine is going nuts, as is the passionfruit vine. I suggested to Mum that perhaps she could try some vodka infusing of her own, but she didn't seem that keen. I think a walnut infusion would be rather tasty, as would a passionfruit. It'd be interesting to try wine from their grapes also...
The rest of the family arrived over the next couple of days - first the Dorrians and Grandma, then the Harrisons and the other Bells. I went on a pilgrimage to the Santa Cave with Mum and Dad, my aunt Karen and cousins Tim and Sophie, and Grandma. I'd managed to avoid it for 28 years, but they reckon it may soon be gone, so I figured I’d better sort it out while I still could.
The Santa Cave is a relic of a bygone era. Tucked away in the basement of the Farmers department store in Palmerston North, it’s full of ancient clockwork Christmas scenes – elves building things, reindeer learning how to find the Manawatu, that sort of thing. It’s kind of a shrine to Christmas past I guess. Karen reckoned it hadn’t changed a bit since they used to go as children.
I really enjoyed it, it had an innocence that seems to be missing amongst the Bratz dolls generation.
Sophie, Tim and I had a photo with Santa (I’m pretty sure I was the oldest kid to have a Santa photo), we did a spot of last-minute shopping, and waddled back off home.
Christmas day was fantastic. There was an absolutely huge pile of presents under the Christmas tree, which Dad had harvested himself from the paddock next to the orchard two days earlier. Santa made an appearance after breakfast to hand out the gifts. He has an uncanny resemblance to uncle Mike, only a bit fatter and with the beard… how strange! Loot highlights include a fabulous brown leather satchel/handbag from Sarah, and an awesome laptop backpack (which I really needed) from Mum and Dad, and a great wee recipe book with gorgeous 50s teatime things to bake from the Harrisons. They really are great at presents, those Harrisons – always have been. I also fell in love with two of Rachel’s gifts; a book called ‘Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus’, and another one with cute little crochet and fabric toys to make – including a crochet ‘scream’ face and little Seargent Pepper turtles. I must acquire these books for myself at some point very soon!
Mum and Dad put on a roast lamb on a spit. Dad had prepared Charlie the lamb a few days earlier (so as to get the actual killing out of the way before the sensitive vegetarian types arrived). Charlie was complemented with a couple of chickens inside his ribcage and the biggest sprigs of rosemary I have ever seen. Mum’s rosemary bush must have taken a hell of a hit. According to the carnivores, Charlie was maaaaaaagical and delicious. I enjoyed the lovely salads and a glass or two of bubbles.
Two of the Aged Aunts came up for Boxing Day, so it was Family ++. Mum amazes me with her ability to feed hordes and hordes of people, including vegetarians, celiacs, people who hate onions and people who are just plain picky. The fare included heaps of her homemade preserves and vegetables picked straight from the garden, and fresh eggs courtesy of the chookhouse.
On the 27th, we all piled into town, and had a ride on the miniature railway in the Esplanade in Palmerston North. This is especially cool, because Dad drives the train some weekends. He took us around the track; all sixteen of us in a row (Mum stayed back to take photos, I think she might be bored of the train), and then we had a lovely lunch at the café in the Esplanade. The waitress was particularly entertaining, and she even thanked us after the meal for being ‘such a fun table!’. Clearly we are very cool people.
I almost escaped without there being fuss about the new ink (the bluebird on my right shoulder) – but I was foiled at the very last minute after lunch. I’d been carefully wearing t-shirts as opposed to singlets, and covering my shoulders… but at the end even Grandma came over to peer down the back of my shirt to see my bluebird. The disapproval was minor, and I am still very impressed with the artwork and colour of it.
I think the best thing about the Chrimbo Experience was the fact that my cousins are old enough to be real people. I am the eldest of the bunch by quite a big margin, and I’m really not very good at children, but once they become old enough to have ideas and personalities of their own, they’re a lot more fun! I was particularly impressed by how cool Tim is now. I’ve known for a while that Rachel and Andrew are very cool individuals (and talented to boot, so musical!), but Tim is turning out a lot like me. This may or may not be a good thing – I imagine his parents are desperately hoping he’s better behaved than I was – but he’s a very interesting kid.
So after all the family bizzo was over and done with, I ate the hell out of a Hell Pizza, bought some bagels and various delicious kiwi treats and sodded off home. I owe massive props to Mum and Dad for putting us all up and providing for everyone, and also to Sarah and Roger for accommodation, good company and airport shuttle service. I have the best family.
On the way back, I managed to have my bank account hit by scammers – they stole my entire paycheck, which put me out for rent and left me destitute! It’s all sorted now, the bank has put the money back in my account this morning, so it’s like a double payday today. Fortunately, I’d invested in some duty free before I found out I was destitute, so I was well prepared for New Years! I was also very well looked after by a new geezer on the scene, Jim, who cooked me dinners and made sure I didn’t starve; bless his heart.
New Years Eve was a blast. We had a party at Sean and Nic’s apartment. Their complex has a pool, and it was a perfect afternoon for it; not a cloud in the sky and so warm! We messed around for a few hours making pyramids and having piggyback wars, and then hung out in the garden. The Werthers Original vodka was a massive hit (HA! SEE!?), and I do believe I’ll do another one, along with a strawberry infusion and maybe a cucumber one.
I did manage to fracture my big toe though, due to some irregular topography and bare feet, having just come out of the pool. I didn’t think it was broken and I didn’t want to make a fuss, so I didn’t bother having it x-rayed until Wednesday this week… but it turns out there’s a big old crack down the middle of my toe bone, which explains why it still hurts. Whoops. I’m going back to the GP today with my x-ray film to see what’s to be done about it.
Following the New Years festivities, I caught the L90 bus out to Avalon for a wedding, which was a beautiful day. Congratulations Keff and Lyndy you gorgeous people!
So that’s about up to date. Don’t say I never do nuffin’ for ya! As usual, requests, admonitions, adulation and gift certificates may be sent to me at emma.s.bell at gmail dot com.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Thunders! Lightnings!
I've been watching the angry sky with the lights off. It's nice to be home on a Friday night with nothing to do but relax and enjoy the storm outside. I have Beth Orton, Jeff Buckley, Songs Ohia and a cup of hot chocolate (with maybe a tiny nip of Absolut Vanilla), and I couldn't be more content.
Sydney does some fantastic storms. It's been really hot today, and the atmosphere got heavier as the day drew to a close. It's half past eight now, and a little storm's been raging to clear the air for about half an hour. I watched it draw closer on the bureau of meteorology's rain radar thingo, and I'm glad for the lower temperature.
I'm staying home tonight because it's been another big week, but I will be going out tomorrow to see C.W Stoneking at the Metro (see, I have a life, honest!). He's a self-described "hokum" musician. Basically it sounds like early Appalacian jazzz, lots of horns, guitar, piano, banjo. If you have a few minutes free you should look him up on Myspace. I'm going with my High Tea Ladies; Jess and Leah, and I'm really looking forward to it.
Cripes, I've had a busy couple of weeks, it's been AGM Central. I've done Telstra and NRMA, as well as Idol and CIA and dealt with eleventh-hour script changes from phalanxes of secretaries. I ended up working just over sixty hours last week, and this week wasn't much better. Mum and dad said they saw my credit on CIA, which was pretty cool. I still haven't got around to watching a whole episode, but hopefully I can correct that sometime during the WHOLE WEEK I get to spend in NZ over Christmas. I'm flying out on the 20th, and back on the 28th, so that's heaps of time to hang out in Pohangina - to meet the pigs and say hi to the sheep, chooks and cats. I'm so looking forward to it.
It looks like the whole damn family will be there - last time we did that it was so good. There's something about Pohangina that makes everything special. Mum's cooking is the best, and it's so peaceful and beautiful out there. There's always something else to explore, or some new project to have a hand in. I'm so proud of my parents for making the place so magical.
I'm still chasing clients on the John Cleese thing - I may be doing the Asia leg, the Australian leg, both legs or no legs... but noone has much to tell me at this point. I'll have to keep rattling their cages though, because the Asia dates are just over a week away. Also, the grand finale of Idol is next week - thank goodness. They've asked me to be on standby - if it's good weather they'll be outside the Opera House and won't need me; but if it's not, they'll be in the Bennelong restaurant. I'm hoping it's fine - I will have an enormous Sunday lunch and thoroughly enjoy having two days off in a row if so! Just one more Idol Sunday in the studio.....
I will miss the catering though, they've been really good. I swear I eat better on Idol nights than I do the rest of the week.
So yeah, I've been working hard, but I'm on the home stretch now. Brian (the manager under Murray) at work has been looking after me as much as he's able - making sure I bugger off early or sleep in when I need it. I'm looking forward to looking back (it makes sense, trust me!) on my starting anniversary at how much I've learned and how far I've come - I've made some good contacts, and I think I'm starting to build a solid reputation in Sydney. I can't wait to see where it takes me...!
Sydney does some fantastic storms. It's been really hot today, and the atmosphere got heavier as the day drew to a close. It's half past eight now, and a little storm's been raging to clear the air for about half an hour. I watched it draw closer on the bureau of meteorology's rain radar thingo, and I'm glad for the lower temperature.
I'm staying home tonight because it's been another big week, but I will be going out tomorrow to see C.W Stoneking at the Metro (see, I have a life, honest!). He's a self-described "hokum" musician. Basically it sounds like early Appalacian jazzz, lots of horns, guitar, piano, banjo. If you have a few minutes free you should look him up on Myspace. I'm going with my High Tea Ladies; Jess and Leah, and I'm really looking forward to it.
Cripes, I've had a busy couple of weeks, it's been AGM Central. I've done Telstra and NRMA, as well as Idol and CIA and dealt with eleventh-hour script changes from phalanxes of secretaries. I ended up working just over sixty hours last week, and this week wasn't much better. Mum and dad said they saw my credit on CIA, which was pretty cool. I still haven't got around to watching a whole episode, but hopefully I can correct that sometime during the WHOLE WEEK I get to spend in NZ over Christmas. I'm flying out on the 20th, and back on the 28th, so that's heaps of time to hang out in Pohangina - to meet the pigs and say hi to the sheep, chooks and cats. I'm so looking forward to it.
It looks like the whole damn family will be there - last time we did that it was so good. There's something about Pohangina that makes everything special. Mum's cooking is the best, and it's so peaceful and beautiful out there. There's always something else to explore, or some new project to have a hand in. I'm so proud of my parents for making the place so magical.
I'm still chasing clients on the John Cleese thing - I may be doing the Asia leg, the Australian leg, both legs or no legs... but noone has much to tell me at this point. I'll have to keep rattling their cages though, because the Asia dates are just over a week away. Also, the grand finale of Idol is next week - thank goodness. They've asked me to be on standby - if it's good weather they'll be outside the Opera House and won't need me; but if it's not, they'll be in the Bennelong restaurant. I'm hoping it's fine - I will have an enormous Sunday lunch and thoroughly enjoy having two days off in a row if so! Just one more Idol Sunday in the studio.....
I will miss the catering though, they've been really good. I swear I eat better on Idol nights than I do the rest of the week.
So yeah, I've been working hard, but I'm on the home stretch now. Brian (the manager under Murray) at work has been looking after me as much as he's able - making sure I bugger off early or sleep in when I need it. I'm looking forward to looking back (it makes sense, trust me!) on my starting anniversary at how much I've learned and how far I've come - I've made some good contacts, and I think I'm starting to build a solid reputation in Sydney. I can't wait to see where it takes me...!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The Shoo-Fly Hand-Jive
Yep, it's hot. 28 degrees and rising at 11am.
You can tell summer's pretty much landed early, because everywhere you go, people are doing the Shoo-Fly Hand-Jive. Flies here like to get all up in your face. They set their sites on you and go straight for the eyes, causing everyone out and about to do this constant hand wave in front of their faces. I suspect mine looks more like some sort of spastic self-attack, because as soon as I feel a fly in the vicinity of my face I start slapping it away with both hands, rather than the casual Australian one-handed swipe. I hate flies.
It's been a quiet week at work. Monday I did that ad thing, and they used an actual film camera - an Arri 535 on a Carpenter dolly. Moving pictures from actual film stock, in this day and age! I was so impressed I took some pictures on my phone.
That job took all day. It was two 30-second ads for MLC, which when finished will show a man climbing down a big red share price line. To do this, they built a giant line-graph-shaped catwalk, painted greenscreen green, on a green background. They did endless different angles and lenses and a million takes - all in all, we used over 4000 feet of film stock, but I think it'll look pretty cool when it's done.
On Tuesday I managed a half-day off, and I did have my massage, and it was awesome. I felt so good that I went home and knocked together a gazpacho soup - the first time I've attempted one. It didn't suck, and it was rather nice and summery. I still think of Rimmer in Red Dwarf when I think of gazpacho though.
The rest of the week has been quoting, invoicing and organising for the next month. I've sent away a quote for an eight-city seminar tour, which John Cleese is presenting. I'm crossing all my fingers and toes for it to be approved, because if it goes ahead I will be operating the Asia leg of the tour - meaning I'll be going to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Hong Kong to work with John Cleese. Imagine that! I grew up on Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, and the standard boyfriend-eligibility test in our family has been the Python Quote Test. I shan't be mentioning the Germans, or the Dead Parrots though - I like to appear more professional and less like a crazed fan on these occasions. Nor shall i be mentioning Palmerston North!
Next week is jam-packed with corporate gigs. It's AGM season, so I'm trucking my rise-and-fall lectern stands about the place for the CEOs and corporate bigwigs of the city. Idol's still going strong, but there's only another four weeks to go now... home stretch! YAY!
You can tell summer's pretty much landed early, because everywhere you go, people are doing the Shoo-Fly Hand-Jive. Flies here like to get all up in your face. They set their sites on you and go straight for the eyes, causing everyone out and about to do this constant hand wave in front of their faces. I suspect mine looks more like some sort of spastic self-attack, because as soon as I feel a fly in the vicinity of my face I start slapping it away with both hands, rather than the casual Australian one-handed swipe. I hate flies.
It's been a quiet week at work. Monday I did that ad thing, and they used an actual film camera - an Arri 535 on a Carpenter dolly. Moving pictures from actual film stock, in this day and age! I was so impressed I took some pictures on my phone.
That job took all day. It was two 30-second ads for MLC, which when finished will show a man climbing down a big red share price line. To do this, they built a giant line-graph-shaped catwalk, painted greenscreen green, on a green background. They did endless different angles and lenses and a million takes - all in all, we used over 4000 feet of film stock, but I think it'll look pretty cool when it's done.
On Tuesday I managed a half-day off, and I did have my massage, and it was awesome. I felt so good that I went home and knocked together a gazpacho soup - the first time I've attempted one. It didn't suck, and it was rather nice and summery. I still think of Rimmer in Red Dwarf when I think of gazpacho though.
The rest of the week has been quoting, invoicing and organising for the next month. I've sent away a quote for an eight-city seminar tour, which John Cleese is presenting. I'm crossing all my fingers and toes for it to be approved, because if it goes ahead I will be operating the Asia leg of the tour - meaning I'll be going to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Hong Kong to work with John Cleese. Imagine that! I grew up on Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, and the standard boyfriend-eligibility test in our family has been the Python Quote Test. I shan't be mentioning the Germans, or the Dead Parrots though - I like to appear more professional and less like a crazed fan on these occasions. Nor shall i be mentioning Palmerston North!
Next week is jam-packed with corporate gigs. It's AGM season, so I'm trucking my rise-and-fall lectern stands about the place for the CEOs and corporate bigwigs of the city. Idol's still going strong, but there's only another four weeks to go now... home stretch! YAY!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Ladies' High Tea
It's been a good weekend. I had Ladies' High Tea on Saturday afternoon at Leah's house, with Jess, Leanne and Leanne's 11-month old son Matty. We had cucumber sandwiches, freshly baked scones and madeleines and about eight types of tea (Leah works in a tea shop), and gasbagged about weddings and babies, like proper old hens. To be fair, we also made rude jokes and mocked people. Mum would have loved it!
Leah has a dachsund named Barney, who is adorable, but also a big jerk. He'd sneak up on the baby, and just when the baby was quiet and looking he'd go "BOW ROW ROW ROW" really loudly, and Matty would burst into tears. What a jerk! We had to send him (Barney) to the sulking room. Matty's pretty cute too. Before you ask - no, I'm not getting clucky, and I'm still not having babies. I like other people's babies, because you can give them back when they poo or start to cry.
I spent today (Sunday) working on Idol, as per usual. I had an awesome "HOLY CRAP!" moment in the middle of it when the laptop seized up - meaning that there are no words on the autocue and the presenters have to adlib. They just do it without missing a beat though - it really shows how good they are at what they do when something goes wrong like that.
Hopefully I'll get a chance to have a day off sometime during the week, and if I do, I am so getting a massage. My freelancer recommended a masseuse in Bondi Junction, who apparently is amazing. I am such a massage junkie at the moment. Something is wrong with my right shoulder, and it's been hurting quite a bit. It's probably a combination of lifting heavy stuff and tension from grinding my teeth in my sleep - I'll mention it next time I'm at the doctor. In the meantime, massage is awesome. :>
Tomorrow I'm doing a couple of TV commercials at Atarmon. They've booked me for a whole day for two 30-second commercials, so I don't know how many takes they think it'll need, but hopefully it won't be the whole day, cause I'll need to leave at 6.30 to go pick up my gear and a van for it. You really learn to appreciate a good sleep working hours like these!
Leah has a dachsund named Barney, who is adorable, but also a big jerk. He'd sneak up on the baby, and just when the baby was quiet and looking he'd go "BOW ROW ROW ROW" really loudly, and Matty would burst into tears. What a jerk! We had to send him (Barney) to the sulking room. Matty's pretty cute too. Before you ask - no, I'm not getting clucky, and I'm still not having babies. I like other people's babies, because you can give them back when they poo or start to cry.
I spent today (Sunday) working on Idol, as per usual. I had an awesome "HOLY CRAP!" moment in the middle of it when the laptop seized up - meaning that there are no words on the autocue and the presenters have to adlib. They just do it without missing a beat though - it really shows how good they are at what they do when something goes wrong like that.
Hopefully I'll get a chance to have a day off sometime during the week, and if I do, I am so getting a massage. My freelancer recommended a masseuse in Bondi Junction, who apparently is amazing. I am such a massage junkie at the moment. Something is wrong with my right shoulder, and it's been hurting quite a bit. It's probably a combination of lifting heavy stuff and tension from grinding my teeth in my sleep - I'll mention it next time I'm at the doctor. In the meantime, massage is awesome. :>
Tomorrow I'm doing a couple of TV commercials at Atarmon. They've booked me for a whole day for two 30-second commercials, so I don't know how many takes they think it'll need, but hopefully it won't be the whole day, cause I'll need to leave at 6.30 to go pick up my gear and a van for it. You really learn to appreciate a good sleep working hours like these!
Publish Post
Thursday, October 23, 2008
hooooo boy... update-o-rama!
I've got a bit of catching up to do, eh. Er yeah, sorry about that. I've been so horrendously busy these last few months it's kinda slipped by me.
Cripes, what have I been up to?
Well, I flew back from Brisbane this morning. I was there for a schmooze night at our office there. Murray invited an old friend of his, Gary Wilkins, to give a talk. Gary's been in the sound business for years upon years - certainly long before I was born. He told some awesome stories, my favourites being about working on Mad Max, and about Michael J. Fox getting drunk and going crazy with the Aussie soundies in Thailand. I think I might know why the guy has Parkinson's now... heh.
All in all it was a good night and I met some interesting people but my goodness I'm tired! Now the challenge is to get my foot in the door for autocue in Brisbane, while living and working in Sydney. That'll be an adventure.
I've been working on a few different things - currently Australian Idol. I'm training with my freelancer, as I'll be flying solo for the last few weeks of the season. It's been pretty good, the crew are all really nice and interesting people, and the contestants are okay too. I've seen some past idols and various other musical types come on and perform, and while I'm not really into the whole pop machine, I do feel pretty priveleged to see talented singers doing what they do, and doing it well. When people are rehearsing and the band's jamming out, it's a really magical atmosphere, there is so much talent just kicking around the studio. Hopefully I absorb some of it somehow!
The freelancer has been awesome this season. She got the kick in the pants she needed over her antics on 'So You Think You Can Dance' (being, I didn't hire her for anything else, until the EP of Idol insisted on it). She's taught me a lot, and we get on like a house on fire now. She'a kiwi too, although a bit older than me. She's of Maori descent, grew up in Auckland and is now having a blast in Sydney. She has a daughter a couple of years older than I am, but I can't imagine her as a Mum at all, she's such a party animal. I guess that's what happens when the kids leave home. My parents are probably standing on the couches, air guitaring to Led Zep right now (or popping wheelies on the tractor).
The hosts are pretty cool too - they're funnier off camera than they are on it, and James especially has a really dry sense of humour that I enjoy. Strangely, the catering has also been really good. I think I eat better on Idol nights than I do the rest of the week. Maybe it's because I just love it when someone else cooks, and it's free...
I've also got a regular gig (once a month or so) on Crime Investigation Australia. It's sort of a pulp crime reconstruction kinda thing. To be honest, I haven't actually seen a whole episode (because I don't have Fox!), but I gather some of the reconstructions can be pretty graphic. The stuff I do is with Steve Liebman, who is a great guy. I think he's my favourite person to work with. We usually have a smallish crew, seven or eight, and we mostly do outdoor stuff. That largely means I lug my gear out to far-flung suburbs (including my 34kg battery pack!). It's hard work, but I love the location stuff. The assistant, Paul, is really helpful and often carries my really heavy stuff for me.
Don't get me wrong, it's not all glamour and bright lights and film crews.. I do plenty of office days, and plenty of weird little corporate jobs. I had one last month for TVSN, when their autocue unit broke, and that was just surreal. I rocked into their studio, which is in a warehouse in the nothern suburbs, and it was like walking into some sort of real-life Kath and Kim. Everyone seemed to be convinced that they were the pinnacle of style, in white pants and leopard-print shoes. The piece I worked on was a ten-minute long spiel on the crazy home shopping products of the month. There was some sort of body-shaping underwear, a spanner set, a very nervous, bearded nerdy guy from Dan Murphy's (a liquor store chain) talking about wine, and a few other bits and bobs straight out of the Innovations catalogue. I don't know if they have that in Australia, but it used to appear in the letterbox in Wellington every so often, and it seemed to be full of completely useless and bizarre inventions.
Other than work I don't think I've been up to much. There doesn't seem to have been time for much else lately. It's AGM season, so I've been pumping out quotes and doing corporate bits and bobs and testing gear and so on and so forth. Because I've been doing Australian Idol, I work Sundays, so my "weekend" days tend to be Saturday and Tuesday. I have been going to trivia nights in Newtown on Wednesdays, in order to ensure I get to see my mates at least once a week. I'm hanging out mostly with the best bunch of nerds in the world, who I met through a forum I frequent (no I won't tell you which one, the internet is a bad bad place and you would be shocked).
My apartment is coming together nicely, though it's always a work in progress. I took a trip to Ikea a couple of weeks ago for more bookshelves, and some shelves for the bathroom. I also came back with fairy lights, an artists' figure model, ice cube trays shaped like stars and hearts, and a couple of other Swedish oddities. Turns out Ikea is a big Swedish blondwood nightmare/adventure - I took my friend Sean out too and we were in there for hours. Everything has a hilarious Swedish name.. my favourites were the "Poang" chair (PWANGGGG!) and the "Groggi" cocktail set (heh, groggy). They also have $1 hotdogs at the end (not for me, for the carnivores among us). Ah, those wacky Swedes and their crazy antics.
I've also gained some plants in the last few weeks. I have rosemary, basil and chives in the kitchen, pennyroyal and pyrethrum on the living room windowsill (to try and stop the bugs flying in), a big thing I don't know the name of in the living room and a peace lily in the bathroom. I've always felt that plants really make a place home, so I feel much more content with my little oxygen factories sharing my space.
I think I'm about newsed out for now, but I promise I'll update this more frequently. If you want some news, please kick me in the pants so I don't forget! Now for a nice cup of tea and a lie down after all that Queenslanding.... :>
Cripes, what have I been up to?
Well, I flew back from Brisbane this morning. I was there for a schmooze night at our office there. Murray invited an old friend of his, Gary Wilkins, to give a talk. Gary's been in the sound business for years upon years - certainly long before I was born. He told some awesome stories, my favourites being about working on Mad Max, and about Michael J. Fox getting drunk and going crazy with the Aussie soundies in Thailand. I think I might know why the guy has Parkinson's now... heh.
All in all it was a good night and I met some interesting people but my goodness I'm tired! Now the challenge is to get my foot in the door for autocue in Brisbane, while living and working in Sydney. That'll be an adventure.
I've been working on a few different things - currently Australian Idol. I'm training with my freelancer, as I'll be flying solo for the last few weeks of the season. It's been pretty good, the crew are all really nice and interesting people, and the contestants are okay too. I've seen some past idols and various other musical types come on and perform, and while I'm not really into the whole pop machine, I do feel pretty priveleged to see talented singers doing what they do, and doing it well. When people are rehearsing and the band's jamming out, it's a really magical atmosphere, there is so much talent just kicking around the studio. Hopefully I absorb some of it somehow!
The freelancer has been awesome this season. She got the kick in the pants she needed over her antics on 'So You Think You Can Dance' (being, I didn't hire her for anything else, until the EP of Idol insisted on it). She's taught me a lot, and we get on like a house on fire now. She'a kiwi too, although a bit older than me. She's of Maori descent, grew up in Auckland and is now having a blast in Sydney. She has a daughter a couple of years older than I am, but I can't imagine her as a Mum at all, she's such a party animal. I guess that's what happens when the kids leave home. My parents are probably standing on the couches, air guitaring to Led Zep right now (or popping wheelies on the tractor).
The hosts are pretty cool too - they're funnier off camera than they are on it, and James especially has a really dry sense of humour that I enjoy. Strangely, the catering has also been really good. I think I eat better on Idol nights than I do the rest of the week. Maybe it's because I just love it when someone else cooks, and it's free...
I've also got a regular gig (once a month or so) on Crime Investigation Australia. It's sort of a pulp crime reconstruction kinda thing. To be honest, I haven't actually seen a whole episode (because I don't have Fox!), but I gather some of the reconstructions can be pretty graphic. The stuff I do is with Steve Liebman, who is a great guy. I think he's my favourite person to work with. We usually have a smallish crew, seven or eight, and we mostly do outdoor stuff. That largely means I lug my gear out to far-flung suburbs (including my 34kg battery pack!). It's hard work, but I love the location stuff. The assistant, Paul, is really helpful and often carries my really heavy stuff for me.
Don't get me wrong, it's not all glamour and bright lights and film crews.. I do plenty of office days, and plenty of weird little corporate jobs. I had one last month for TVSN, when their autocue unit broke, and that was just surreal. I rocked into their studio, which is in a warehouse in the nothern suburbs, and it was like walking into some sort of real-life Kath and Kim. Everyone seemed to be convinced that they were the pinnacle of style, in white pants and leopard-print shoes. The piece I worked on was a ten-minute long spiel on the crazy home shopping products of the month. There was some sort of body-shaping underwear, a spanner set, a very nervous, bearded nerdy guy from Dan Murphy's (a liquor store chain) talking about wine, and a few other bits and bobs straight out of the Innovations catalogue. I don't know if they have that in Australia, but it used to appear in the letterbox in Wellington every so often, and it seemed to be full of completely useless and bizarre inventions.
Other than work I don't think I've been up to much. There doesn't seem to have been time for much else lately. It's AGM season, so I've been pumping out quotes and doing corporate bits and bobs and testing gear and so on and so forth. Because I've been doing Australian Idol, I work Sundays, so my "weekend" days tend to be Saturday and Tuesday. I have been going to trivia nights in Newtown on Wednesdays, in order to ensure I get to see my mates at least once a week. I'm hanging out mostly with the best bunch of nerds in the world, who I met through a forum I frequent (no I won't tell you which one, the internet is a bad bad place and you would be shocked).
My apartment is coming together nicely, though it's always a work in progress. I took a trip to Ikea a couple of weeks ago for more bookshelves, and some shelves for the bathroom. I also came back with fairy lights, an artists' figure model, ice cube trays shaped like stars and hearts, and a couple of other Swedish oddities. Turns out Ikea is a big Swedish blondwood nightmare/adventure - I took my friend Sean out too and we were in there for hours. Everything has a hilarious Swedish name.. my favourites were the "Poang" chair (PWANGGGG!) and the "Groggi" cocktail set (heh, groggy). They also have $1 hotdogs at the end (not for me, for the carnivores among us). Ah, those wacky Swedes and their crazy antics.
I've also gained some plants in the last few weeks. I have rosemary, basil and chives in the kitchen, pennyroyal and pyrethrum on the living room windowsill (to try and stop the bugs flying in), a big thing I don't know the name of in the living room and a peace lily in the bathroom. I've always felt that plants really make a place home, so I feel much more content with my little oxygen factories sharing my space.
I think I'm about newsed out for now, but I promise I'll update this more frequently. If you want some news, please kick me in the pants so I don't forget! Now for a nice cup of tea and a lie down after all that Queenslanding.... :>
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