Fans

Being a very dedicated fan of certain celebrities (actors and musicians) myself, I have seen my fair share of fanatics. I admit, I have been a screamer at times. I have screamed when I saw Darren Hayes enter a concert venue (he commented on my screaming!). I have waited many cold hours outside many venues to meet him. I once told other fans that I deserve to be at the front of the queue because I sat in the cold for six hours to meet him, and they had only been there for 10 minutes!

I love the way our idols can bring us together. I have developed close friends with several people because of our mutual love for Darren Hayes and Callan Mulvey. It's nice to belong to a community – I love discussing minute details of albums, TV episodes, photo shoots and interviews with others that also love my idol. And it's great to be at a concert with other fans. You share something really special, like in the clip of live music above. (Fans is one of my favourite Kings of Leon songs.) There is such a rush being in the crowd enjoying and singing along to the music. (My experience at the Kings of Leon concert was mostly amazing - it was marred by a drugged fan who hit people in the crowd and pushed my friend.)

I love it when your idol acknowledges you in some way. It's such a privilege.

But belonging to a fan community is also quite unnerving. Maybe I have been one of those fanatics that I don't appreciate. But I don't think I have treated anyone badly because of my fandom. I have always shown respect to my idols and to those around me.

People will do anything to get close to their idol. Anything.

I have seen many nasty fans with no regard for others. Many fans are fraught with jealousy.I have been yelled at by an obsessed fan because things didn't go her way. My photo of a celebrity and I was used by someone else, and I was cut out of it! I have been asked to do ridiculous favours by fans so they can get close to their idol. (I have, however, secured autographs for true friends.)

I received four messages of abuse on my Facebook page after I announced I won tickets to the Rush premiere. I was told I was undeserving because I went last year and because I've already met Callan Mulvey. This fan was never a friend. Just found me through my blog, or a page I've 'liked', I guess. Needless to say, this fan has been deleted from my friends list. While I appreciate they were upset for not winning the competition (I would be too), it gives them no right to be nasty.

It's all a bit ridiculous. I am going to go to the premiere tomorrow night, with my friends, and enjoy it. Not going to do anything to please others.

I have learnt in recent years never to jeopardise the relationship you have or may have with an idol. And also never to idolise someone to the extreme that you will be disappointed.

Calling Rush fans!

I have no more places to give away to the Rush Premiere this Monday evening 19 July. I wasn't expecting the tickets being this difficult to give away!

It's zero cost.

There will be cute actor boys.

There is champagne and canapes there.

You will see the first two episodes of Rush.

You will need to be in Melbourne or able to get to Melbourne.

Hope I made someone's day!

Good news Friday

I am exhausted! I have been sitting on the couch reading fashion mags and drinking moscato tonight. Nice.

Busy work day today and eventful night last night. Last night, I assisted someone who was very unwell before an ambulance arrived. It was at my first TV meeting.

Good news today, though. The guy from last night is well. And I received three parcels in the mail:

Some brooches by Lilipad Designs on Madeit

How cute are the pandas?!

My SIGNED Basement Birds CD

Haven't played it yet...but can't wait to do so!

A fantastic prize from the lovely Norwegian blogger Soul Princess

It's a postcard and book - the book is called The Glassblower of Murand. Can't wait to read it! Thank you!

Soul Princess does great YouTube videos, you should check them out. She is very sweet.

And today I also found out I was a lucky winner of the TV Week/Mix 101.1 FM competition to go to the premiere of season three of Rush on Monday night. There's a screening at the cinema! And the cast will be there!

You can't imagine how excited I am about this. In my entry I wrote that I want to meet Sam Johnson because I've been a fan of his for many years. Of course I'd love to meet Callan again, but it would make me so happy to meet Sam too. He has a gorgeous voice!

A couple of blogging friends are going too. Can't wait to see you Hayley and Jenna!

I really have to plan my outfit. I think I'm going to go girly. SO EXCITED!!!! I promise to post pictures on this blog! Squeeeee :)

Countdown to Rush!

If you forget that the band Hinder is the soundtrack to this fan-video, you will appreciate its beauty. Particularly the leading male character/actor.



Rush starts in seven days!

Back in the day...

I received an award-type quiz meme from Hayley, Shinxy and Todd. (They all contribute to the great Ability in Disability blog, too.) It was the same quiz from all of them - 10 things about me. It was nice to learn more about them through their answers. But I have a bit of aversion to these 'awards' because I think sometimes they clog up blogs, and become uninteresting and repetitive. And that is the last thing I want my blog to become. But I was really inspired by the way Hayley wrote hers. It read like a beautiful memoir of a great childhood. And made me want to write. I haven't done any overly inspiring blog entries lately.

So here goes. 10 things I remember from back in the day...

When I was about seven, or the year Itty Bitty Bins were en-vogue, whenever that was, my Dad found a dead mouse in the shed. He showed it to me and threw it out on the garden for a bird to take. I secretly collected it, and put it in this purple Itty Bitty Bin and then buried it in the shell garden in the front yard. (A shell garden was a little square of dirt covered with shells that I collected from holidays at the seaside.) Now back then, I had so few friends, but I'd invite kids over on the way back from school and show them this decomposing mouse body. A dead mouse was not a way to make friends. The kids that I wasn't friends with would keep their broken coloured pencil leads in Itty Bitty Bins. I kept a dead mouse in mine! To this day I never know why I did it. I can't stand mice, but I guess that a dead mouse is not a threat. And I can't believe I wasted an Itty Bitty Bin on this. That was probably not a good story to start off with. Anyhow.

I used to belong to a church youth group in primary school. I guess it was a way of getting me to meet people, to make friends. I think there were a few nights where I went for dinner at the church hall. I remember disagreeing with most things they preached. They would say to me that anyone that drank alcohol was a bad person. They also told me that if I was living in Jesus times, I would have been classed as a leper and that people wouldn't want to come near me because of my skin. I was told I have a genetic chronic illness because I am not baptised. I was smart enough to know that genetic disposition is not determined by a priest sloshing a bit of water on your forehead (plus I was born like this, and as far as I know, baptism is not in the womb). And I was so averse to cold water as a kid that I doubt that I'd have gone ahead with baptism even if I had a strong faith. When I went home and told my Mum the things they said at the youth group, she took me out of it. I was glad for it. I didn't want anyone telling me how to think, especially not these small-minded views. Other than for funerals and weddings, I choose not to go to church.

Dad and I used to make 'cheeses' out of playdough. They were round and smooth, and Dad used to tell me the names of different cheeses as we shaped them. Gloustershire. Leistershire. Stilton. Brie. I loved this. Last year this time, we went to Tasmania and visited the Bruny Island Cheese Company. We bought lots of cheese. The cheese in the storeroom (see below) looked like giant versions of the cheeses Dad and I made. Except their cheeses weren't bright blue!

When I was four, Mum's relative came from South Africa with her son. I couldn't pronounce her son's name right. They stayed for about a week. The only memory I have about this visit was that her son ate my playdough. Mum would put Dettol in it to protect me from infections. And it was salty. Still, he ate it.

I have had genetic testing done. I am sure it involved a needle, and I'm sure I freaked out about it. But the thing I remembered most about the genetic testing is that they shoved a giant cotton bud so far up my nose that I am sure it touched my brain. It hurt like hell.

I really want to revisit playing with Lego Fabuland. I spoke about this to Danielle the other day. I had the BEST Lego Fabuland set. It was a flour mill with a slide that the characters would go down.

The imagination used when playing with lego was incredible. I know I am 28, but I crave a good play with Lego. Who's in?

I developed a celebrity crush early. I was nine, and my babysitter loved a band called Southern Sons. She brought over video tapes of Rage. I was suddenly a fanatic. I loved all things Southern Sons and thought I'd marry Jack Jones (now known by his real name, Irwin Thomas). I wrote to Jack Jones and told him EVERYTHING about me. Including that I liked lasagne and Tim Tams. The fan-club sent me an autographed photo back, which is stuck on the back of my toilet door with other rock royalty.

You may recall this gem from Southern Sons.

Hold me in Your Arms. Sigh. He sounded like a youthful John Farnham. I remember my Dad saying, in all seriousness 'I can't get over how much this guy sounds like Farnham'. We were watching Southern Sons on VHS. I used to watch it a lot. Mum's friend (my friend) bought me a Southern Sons t-shirt for my 10th birthday. It was down to my ankles then. This is what it looks like now. It's a great mini dress.

I met Jack Jones/Irwin Thomas in 2007 after I pretty much jumped up on stage and hugged him at the Darren Hayes concert. He was also on my plane to Brisbane the next day and we chatted a bit on the plane and at the airport in Brisbane. He was a really nice guy, and called me darling. Squeeee! To say I was beside myself is an understatement. We are actually Facebook friends now!

When I was 12, my parents and I went to a dinner party at a friend's house. We all told jokes around the table. I was a pretty advanced reader back then. Dad had let me read his 'Best Jokes of All Time' book. I proudly remembered one. The joke contained a word that rhymes with 'stunt'. The room went silent. My parents had me out of the dinner party quicker than you could say 'wash your mouth out'. And they were pretty quiet with me the next day. I had a really thick Macquarie dictionary and I consulted it to see what 'stunt' meant. I didn't actually know the meaning of it when I told the joke. And thanks to the Macquarie dictionary, I realised why my parents were so embarrassed by my joke...

Ok, it may be eight, nearing on nine... back in the day, I was never good at maths, and still aren't.

All my positive thoughts.

The difficult thing with knowing other people with chronic illnesses is that, well, they have chronic illnesses.

And things can get really tough for them.

My heart goes out to those suffering right now. All my positive thoughts are with them. May some sunshine come their way.

Penguin meets custard

Tonight an electricity sales woman interrupted my dinner. I initially turned her away, but then she started tearing up and said 'fuck it, it's been a bad day' and then I invited her inside. She was English. She reminded me of Martine McCutcheon's character on Love Actually when she swore at the prime minister, then swore again for swearing. And her presence silently guilted me into tidying the kitchen while she stood at my table signing my electricity away to the unknown. She told me she thought I looked 19. Wow! She also told me she is 17, just put a deposit down on a house and is currently living in a hostel with five boys and my house was tidy in comparison. She seemed very accomplished for her age. She even works 60 hours a week.

I felt duped for inviting her in and having her sign me over to another company, but at the same time intrigued. I sort of wanted to offer her my business card and ask her to be my friend. It was like having someone from East Enders in my home for half an hour. She didn't care I was in my pyjamas with a messy kitchen, she was happy to tell me her life story. My dinner was nothing to report on - Asian greens with blackbean sauce and lamb chops. So lucky this sales woman interrupted me.

Last night's dessert was worth writing about. I really like fruity desserts. Last night I made rhubarb, apples and berries and served it with custard.

 I know a few people who have never cooked rhubarb. It's really easy. Make sure you chop off the leaves as they're poisonous. Wash the rhubarb and trim the ends. Cut rhubarb into 5 cm lengths and place in a saucepan or bowl with a few tablespoons of water, about two tablespoons of sugar and some vanilla essence. I saw Faux Fuschia likes to use vanilla paste. So do I, but it's more costly than lamb chops! I also add a chopped apple or two - peel still on - and some berries. Yesterday I used half a tin of blackberries. Sometimes I use strawberries or blueberries on their last legs.

 I let this fruit mixture cook on very low heat for about an hour. It goes really soft and takes on a ruby hue.

My Penguin Mug-Jug told me he wanted to try some custard with his fishy. His fishy-wishes were granted.

Penguin Mug-Jug, meet Foster Clark.

I enjoyed the rhubarb, apples and berries with the custard. Such a nice dessert for a cold winter's night.

Here is what I wore today. I was inspired by Kitty Cate's outfit from yesterday. I love the bright floral skirt and wear this year round.

Coat by Target, merino jumper by Glassons, skivvy by Sussan, skirt by Jeanswest, leggings by Metallicus, boots by Rivers, brooch from Call Me Madam Boutique, hairclip by Mimco, hair swept by the wind.

It was a beautiful sunny warm day until these photos were taken. My eyes were squinty and shut because of the wind.

Meme - from you to me to you.

Sydney Shop Girl sent this meme for me to do. On her blog, she questions the meaning of 'meme'. Well, The Daily Meme states:

In the context of web logs / ‘blogs / blogging and other kinds of personal web sites it’s some kind of list of questions that you saw somewhere else and you decided to answer the questions. Then someone else sees them and does them and so on and so on. I generally consider these to be actual questions and not some multiple choice quizzes that determine some result at the end (what color you are most like, what cartoon character are you, what 80s movie are you). ; and

An idea that, like a gene, can replicate and evolve
A unit of cultural information that represents a basic idea that can be transferred from one individual to another, and subjected to mutation, crossover and adaptation.
A cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior) that is passed from one generation to another by nongenetic means (as by imitation); “memes are the cultural counterpart of genes.


So this is my meme. It's replicated from Sydney Shop Girl and many others to evolve into my own personal revelatory blog entry.

What experience most shaped you and how?

There are two experiences that have most shaped me.

I believe having a chronic illness has shaped me a lot. It's made me not focus on appearance and sweat the small stuff. I get very tired of people obsessing over appearance, and the focus placed on beauty and perfection.. While I am empathetic and open minded towards many people and issues, I can be polarised to the point of having little sympathy for some people, and I guess a little naïve to people in situations different to my own. I am personally driven and results focused, and because of this, I want to see others with chronic illnesses and disabilities strive for personal levels of success like I do.

The other thing that has shaped me is starting work. In my casual retail job, working allowed me to form long lasting friendships, and learn how to handle comments and questions from the public in a professional way. In my post university job, full time in a large organisation, work has been both fantastic and difficult. I have learnt my limits, and this was detrimental on my health and confidence. I also learnt my value to the organisation and the wider commuity, which has boosted my confidence tenfold. This current job has given me the skill and confidence to seek all the opportunities I have done – ChIPS, DiVine, No Limits... Work gives me a great quality of life and I am so glad I didn't think twice about looking for a job.

What would you do with a whole day of no commitments?
I would have a sleep in, go out for brunch, walk through the shops and buy something nice, see a movie by myself, and then have dinner with a friend (I will cook) and see a band. That would be a great day.

What food and drink would you never give up?
Food: cheese, salmon,
Drink: water, Frangelico and lemonade, Brown Brothers Moscato

Give Me a Savoury Recipe that doesn't include cheese.
What recipe of mine doesn't include cheese?! I dream of cheese.

Hmmm...it's a stretch. Ok, so I don't really like chocolate but if it's good chocolate and not too often, I can be persuaded.

These are chocolate pots – I saw the recipe on a Jamie Oliver show once. And have made them many times. They are probably very bad for you.

Put a saucepan of water on the stove to boil. Pre-boil the water if you like. Once boiled, turn heat down to low.

Get a block of good quality dark chocolate. I like Green and Black's Maya Gold. Break the chocolate up and put it in a metal bowl. Make sure the metal bowl is big enough to sit in the rim of the saucepan.

Get a 200 ml container of thick cream. I guess you can use light cream, but why bother really? This may be your last meal. Best as well make it full fat.

Pour the cream into the bowl, over the chocolate.

Stir with a heat proof silicon spatula. A metal spoon will get too hot. Watch out that the chocolate does not burn. Stir until chocolate and cream is combined and has no lumps.

Take off the heat.

Then separate an egg. Put the white in a plastic bag, seal and freeze for later. You may want to make a meringue. Or a cheese souffle. I don't know how to make either of these. There goes my MasterChef hopes.

Whisk in the egg yolk to the creamy chocolate mix. Do this quickly or you will get scrambled egg yolk. Apparently Hollywood starlets only eat scrambled egg whites. If one should pop over to your place, you can whip one up using the egg white you just put in the freezer.

When the mixture is thick like custard, pour into cups. You can probably get four cups from this. Or two cups if you are greedy. One cup if you've just broken up with your love.

Put the cups in the fridge for about 10 minutes. This will set the mixture. You can lick the bowl while you wait. If you must.

Take out of the fridge and serve with biscotti.

You will thank me for this recipe. I guarantee it.

Ooops I misread the instructions and overlooked the word 'savoury'...

If you could travel anywhere where would it be and why?
I am a bit apprehensive about travelling overseas, I don't know how my health will go, and the stares and questions I may face. It will be hard if I can't just go home to escape for a while.

I do want to go to Vietnam or Cambodia to do a food tour. I think I'll need really good people around me to support me emotionally. I can handle being independent and travelling alone, but I don't think I could go the heightened comments and stares alone.

Realistically, I'd like to go to Tasmania again. I went there a year ago and loved it. I miss it.

If you were the leader of your country what would you do?
I would create better support for employed people with chronic illnesses and disabilities. See here.

I would also give greater focus to creative arts and industries (writing, music, film, craft, dance etc) in addition to the big focus on sport. I know sport is good for the economy but not everyone is gifted or interested in sport.

If you could spend one day in another person's body whose would it be?
Without sounding woe-is-me, I would love to know what it feels like to have skin that does not shed, does not need constant moisturising with vaseline and does not get so sore. I dream of the proper, non oily feel of silks and cashmere. I would like to wear short sleeves and skirts and not worry. I have only felt the breeze on my bare legs a few times – my legs were not oily, no bugs stuck to them, and I was not sore, and it was an amazing feeling, I would like my whole body to feel this.
So I guess I'd want to spend a day the body of anyone without ichthyosis.

Which woman author do you admire and why?
I actually don't read too many books. I have my favourites, but I don't know the lives of the authors too well. I really admire the work of some journalists, particularly those who do literary or investigative journalism. I read some books by Helen Garner and Elisabeth Wynhausen when I did Literary Journalism for my Masters, and really enjoyed the stories they uncovered and told. I clearly need to read more books.

I'd like to pass the meme to:

KittyCate
Jentopia
Flair to Remember
Apricot Tea
Wonderland or Not
Juliana
Carrie Blogshaw

Penguins and pandas. Cute and functional

Can you believe it's a Saturday night and I'm in bed at 7.30 pm! Party central at Chez Carly. I am very tired after a lengthy drive to Bendigo and back. It was a windy, rainy day and the drive required much concentration. My trusty iPod played all the right music though - very pleased!

I visited my lovely friend Danielle and her husband and their dog. Danielle is due to have a baby soon, and it was very exciting seeing the nursery and the cute things she has made. Danielle is a very talented artist and designer! We had a leisurely catch up at a cafe - we haven't seen each other for a while, so this time spent together was nice.

Here is what we ate for lunch at Green Olive Cafe.

Danielle had French onion soup and ciabatta bread. The thing floating in it is cheesy bread. She said it was beautiful and filling.

She also had a juice.

I had a smoothie full of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. I needed something healthy after the wrath of Friday night drinks and junk food.

I love all day breakfasts. I had a veggie breakfast with grilled tomato, garlic mushrooms, scrambled eggs, potato rosti and a side of salmon. It was great. Especially the rosti. A nice alternative to hashbrowns.

Given lunch was at 12.00 pm and I had not eaten since the wrath of Friday night drinks with colleagues including the fabulous Jentopia (hello deep fried samosas and spring rolls, party pies, chips and dips, plus the sausage roll I had beforehand!) I was famished. This meal was well deserved.

After a long walk around the shops in Bendigo, braving the icy weather, we found that the cafe that sold Fraus chocolate had closed for the day, so I decided to make some real hot chocolate at Danielle's house.

Here it is on the stove. There may or may not be two blocks of Cadbury's in this milk.

It was so rich. So delicious!

Mandatory marshmallows.

Danielle's husband said I can be a guest chef anytime!

This is what I wore. It was quite warm in Melbourne when I left home at 8.15 am. It was considerably colder in Bendigo.

Merino cardi and sparkly top from Portmans, grey dress from Sportsgirl (oil marks care of Vaseline), leggings from Kmart, boots from Tony Bianco, necklace from Wiyomu via Etsy via Polly for Kris Kringle, brooch that used to be a necklace from Henty Field Days (glued by me) and handmade beanie from Salamanca market in Tasmania (it's a year today since I bought the hat!). I actually have two more tops on underneath - rugged up snuggly!

Aside from the theme of friendship in this blog entry (Dan and I have been friends for 10 years this year, and though there are some years between us, we get on as though we are contemporaries - apart when we don't know the music from each other's era!) shopping is very important. You may be wondering what I bought. Bendigo has some nice boutique stores - we browsed homeware and baby stores. It was nice. These stores reminded me a lot of Hobart's (how I miss Hobart!).

My favourite store in Bendigo was Bob Boutique. I could have bought almost everything in this store. Everything is so cute and luxurious. I wanted the stamps and the brooches and the necklaces and the stationery...lucky they have an online store...

I bought this penguin mug-jug. It can be a mug and can be a jug. Lucky for this because I rarely serve tea and coffee. Maybe the penguin would like some custard with his fishy...

Its little beak is the lip of the jug. So cute!

I have wanted a penguin since I read a book about a penguin in year three and made a penguin place-mat. But apparently I am not allowed to keep one in my bathtub so the mug-jug will have to do.

I also bought this panda cup and spoon set. Adorable. I love pandas. I like pandas as much as penguins. I actually have three items of clothing with pandas on them. Bob Boutique had a lot of things featuring pandas.

The panda spoon has little paws that grip the cup. And the back of the cup has a ladybug.

The awwwww factor of today's purchases is a million.

Thanks for a great day, Dan xx I had fun :)

First look - Rush season 3

It's back 22 July!

'Put on your serious voice'!


Source

Music I've been missing -1997

As I drifted off to sleep last night I listened to the latest episode of the This American Life podcast. This particular episode was about camp. At the end of the podcast, the host said that the last audio recording was taken from a camp in the summer of 1998. And then, MMMBop by Hanson started playing. But MMMBop was a song that was released here in 1997. How do I know that? Because it knocked Truly Madly Deeply from number one on the ARIA charts. I was pretty devastated about this conquest. For many years in fact. But now I am coming out. I actually like MMMBop.

And it was then I realised, the music I've been missing is the songs I heard and loved in 1997.

1997 is one of my favourite years in music. I was in quite a happy place at school too. I went to my first proper concert since Girlfriend. I had a best friend. I did two lots of work experience - once at the TV station and the other at the radio station. I was only in hospital once or twice and I think that was the last time for a few years. Life was good.

Here are some of my favourite songs from 1997. I still love (most of) them now.

The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony

The Verve, Bitter Sweet Symphony
Could this song get any more perfect? I love the way Richard Ashcroft walks through thes grey streets, not really giving a fuck about who's in his way. Urban Hymns is a great album.


Matchbox Twenty - Push

I remember hearing this song on the radio and I thought, that's a band I'm going to love for a long time. And I have. Some say they are boring and mainstream, but I concur that Yourself or Someone Like You is a timeless album. I always go back to it and listen to it with fondness. It was actually another one of those albums that I thought was 'too heavy' for my precious ears. If I recall that trait about myself one more time I am going to vomit.

Smash Mouth - Walking on the Sun

Hmmm...dubious. I thought this song was so catchy in '97. I recall it being on high rotation at B1049 when I did work experience. (FYI - not even Google recalls B1049! You may know it as Star FM.) I can't believe I just included this song. But I heard it on the radio the other day and smiled.


Tonic - If You Could Only See

Where did Tonic go? I really liked this song and wanted more.

Third Eye Blind - Semi Charmed Life


This was such a risque song back in the day when I was 15. Sex and drugs. And I knew and sang all the words. Take that, Alanis Morissette and Dolly magazine!

Natalie Imbruglia - Torn

I have such a soft spot for Natalie. She's Aussie. She had Daniel Johns for a while. Her first three albums were divine. I loved her melancholy lyrics.


Leonardo's Bride - Even When I'm Sleeping

This was a powerful song. I remember seeing it live on TV when Hey Hey it's Saturday was actually on a Saturday. I saw Abby Dobson play live once - I think before a Joe Jackson ('look over there! Where?') concert and thought she was a little dull - I guess because Even When I'm Sleeping was so amazing I expected every song to be amazing. Great lyricist though. If it's any consolation, Abby, Joe Jackson was BORING!

silverchair - Freak

Back in 1997 when the s was not capitalised, I was not keen on silverchair. Again. Heavy. Precious. Ears. Whatevs. I love this video. And I really enjoy the song. Ears aren't so precious now.


Savage Garden - To the Moon and Back

Wow. The original version of that song is amazing, but the ARIAs version is magic. I loved that version of To the Moon and Back. Savage Garden was another band that I saw on TV and thought, 'that band is going to be mine'. I remember having my best friend at the time over at my place for the ARIAs in 1997. There was such hype. They had been nominated 13 times, and could take home a potential 12 awards (they were nominated for two songs in the song of the year category). They took home 10 awards. My friend and I sat on the floor crossing the awards off the list as they won them. All through 1997 we knew Darren Hayes to have long hair. And when we saw him on the ARIAs with short hair, we were beside ourselves. We didn't think Darren could look any better, but he did! The next day we bought all the newspapers that featured the ARIAs. I stuck all the articles in my scrapbook.
This picture epitomises the style of Savage Garden in 1997. Classic.

1997. Why can't music now be as great as you were?

The Mecca of filming

Robert De Niro is in town. I admit, I don't really know who Robert is. I wouldn't know if I saw him in the street. I do know that he is famous for the line 'are you looking at me?'. Our newspapers are very proud of his presence. He is filming a movie - The Killer Elite. He is only here for a few days.

The movie has been filming for a while now. I've seen the film trucks a few times, and once I went to ask the security guards what they were filming, just in case it was Rush. I would prefer it if a Hollywood actor that I actually knew (and by 'actually knew' I mean, one I recognise and whose films I watch) was in town. Like Cate Blanchett. But she seems to always choose Sydney, apart from the time she wore that crochet blankie on the red carpet outside Federation Square.

This is how close I got to Robert. (Not close at all.)

These are the film trucks for The Killer Elite. I saw them at lunchtime. You know how I like to spot a celebrity.

There were also some film trucks another block and around the corner away. I believe they were filming City Homicide. They looked to be filming inside a building. There were so many trucks, and so many power cords and plastics containers in the trucks. I also saw a catering tent that was made of camouflage canvas. It was pretty obvious to spot, despite it looking like it'd be useful an African jungle, because camouflage doesn't really work in a concrete jungle.

Last week I took the work car out and I saw some City Homicide filming at a hotel - there were fauxlice (faux-police) cars everywhere, an ambulance and a lot of people in day-glo vests.

My workplace is situated in the Mecca of filming.

Once I was walking from work to uni, and there was a laneway cordoned off with police tape, fauxlice cars, lots of people with cameras and those fuzzy microphones on sticks. I thought there had been a murder. When I got to uni, I told them about the fauxlice cars and the police tape. On my walk back to work, I saw the day-glo vests had 'City Homicide' printed on them. Not a real murder, but a made for TV murder.

This is what I cooked last night. It is braised chicken and pineapple with vegies, kejap manis and lime juice.

It was delicious, and quite healthy too. I will eat a serve tomorrow for lunch.

This is tonight's dinner. It is left over cutlets and vegetables, jazzed up with cherry tomatoes and smashed potatoes.

I believe the butter-to-potato ratio is incorrect. It probably should be less butter than potato. Never mind. I am zumbaing it up shortly.

This is what I wore today.

Coat from Target, dress by Cue via Ebay, Necklace via Oh Deer, boots from Wittner, skivvy from Dotti, jumper from Glassons, blown-glass brooch handmade in Tasmania, stockings from Myer, hairclip by Mimco, belt by Gossip Girl for Big W.

I wore a very similar outfit when I met Callan Mulvey the time Rush was filming near work. Lucky it was The Killer Elite and City Homicide filming today, because had I met Callan in this outfit he may have thought it's the only dress I own.

Where does my garden grow? On my legs, of course!

It was so chilly today! Though the sunshine and blue sky was a nice change. When I looked down at my legs, I imagined I was standing in an exotic garden.

In reality, I was at work wearing funky stockings. I received a lot of comments. It's nice to make people smile by just wearing clothes.

I went to Mimco at lunchtime. The red headband that I wanted was not there. Instead I bought this clip with my voucher. It was good value at $10 plus the cost of my magazine and the requirement to give my email address to the Mimco database. Ok, so there were a few opportunity costs. Still, I envisage I will wear it a lot.

FYI - the concept of 'opportunity costs' is one of the only pieces of relevant information I carry with me after completing my e-commerce degree. That and 'lock in' and the principles of web design.
 
Here is what I wore today.

Dress and coat by Target, merino jumper (under dress) by Glassons, stockings and scarf by Sportsgirl, brooch by Rulitos81 via Etsy, shoes by Diana Ferrari at Myer, bag by Catherine Manuell, sunny disposition by Carly.

And if you haven't heard, the hottest footballer in the world is out of hospital.  Phew. Apparently he wants to play football this weekend. Though I don't care about the football, I only care for his looks. He has great teeth.

I know. I have started talking about football on my blog. But I figure, me posting pictures of Ben Cousins is a service to all women.

Dressed for success part two

So I had a play with iPhoto's effects, and lightened the indoor picture of today's outfit.

The original photo was very dark - I have discovered natural light is so much better.

I played with the tint and temperature of the photo - it's not quite sepia - I like the slightly orange background.

I want to learn more photo effects. iPhoto is great!

I also want to learn to pose better. I am standing almost as wooden as the actors in Twilight.

Dressed for success, famished and an unlikely appearance

So as tentatively promised, here is a photo of what I wore today.

I am really happy with the colour combination. It was a comfortable outfit, though the flippy bit on the front of my skirt revealed a lot of thigh when I sat. Need to invest in another kilt pin.
(Skirt and top by Target, jacket by Temt, headband by Mimco, brooch by Untamed Menagerie via Etsy, Boots by Wittner, necklace by Wiyomu via Etsy.)

I actioned many things at work today, and as a result I am exhausted, and was hungry when I arrived home.

So I made tacos.

Lots of vegies - tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, capsicum, beans and parsley.

Chicken in the pan with garlic and taco seasoning.

Tacos are a cooking.

My toppings - cheese, Greek yoghurt and salsa.

I wish taco shells stood up. It looks lifeless...

...but looks are deceiving and once filled and stacked, they were full of life! I added snap peas for colour and health.

I also had a side of jalepeno. NOT THE WHOLE JAR, YOU FOOL! But I love them, and I eat them straight from the jar. Only a few at a time.

My tacos were delicious. Such a good end to a good day.

I bought a magazine today. I was aghast at the price. $8.95. I recall when I could get $1.80 change from $5 when I secretly bought Dolly magazine.

The magazine came with a free scarf - it smells a bit like paint though so I need to wash it before wear. It also came with a brilliant $30 Mimco voucher.

I want to buy this headband with the voucher.

As I cooked dinner I heard some news that I just had to blog about. Look, I don't support illicit drug use, and I sure as hell don't support football. But can I just say, get well soon Ben Cousins. I have recently discovered that footballer Ben is very articulate, more than I thought he would be, and when I've heard him on Nova, he sounds like a nice bloke.

And in my sometimes superficial world, he is the best looking footballer I have ever seen.

(Source)

Sigh. How hot is Ben Cousins? Told you there would be an unlikely appearance in this blog entry!

Must go - I have a very important competition to enter before I get lots of sleep.