Zeitgeist 9!

Exactly three months late, the annual collection of the music that was the soundtrack to my year was released on 19 Sepember.  


This update just clarifies the event and adds the track numbers.  And if anyone wants a copy, don't race out to all good music shops etc, just let me know and I will get you a FREE copy!


So here they are:

1. White Winter Hymnal             - Fleet Foxes
2. Bloodlines                             - Leader Cheetah
3. No One's Gonna Love You       - Band of Horses
4. Blood                                   - The Middle East
5. Winter                                 - The Dodos
6. A Sunday Smile                     - Beirut
7. You Don't Know Me               - Ben Folds (feat Regina Spektor) 
8. Laughing With                      - Regina Spektor
9. Loose Lips                            - Kimya Dawson
10. Walking On A Dream              - Empire Of The Sun
11. Electric Feel                         - MGMT
12. The King Is Dead                   - The Herd
13. Hands In The Air                    - Girl Talk
14. The Kids Don't Sand a Chance - Vampire Weekend
15. Just Like Honey                    - The Jesus and Mary Chain
16. Santa Maria                          - The Frames
17. Battle                                  - Placebo
18. Gobbledigook                       - Sigur Rós
19. Ice Cream (acoustic & live)   - Muscles
20. Disappointed                        - Public Image Limited

Lap up literature where you find it - on TV, on posters, and even in blogs

Marieke Hardy (love her, hate her or remain blissfully ignorant of her) spoke last night at the NSW Premier's Literary Awards last night.  Included in her address (extract below) was the following quote from Stephen Fry which I will now retrospectively adopt as my style. 

"Words are your birthright. Unlike music, painting, dance and raffia work, you don't have to be taught any part of language or buy any equipment to use it. Don't be afraid of it, don't believe it belongs to anyone else, don't let anyone bully you into believing that there are rules and secrets of grammar and verbal deployment that you are not privy to. Don't be humiliated by dinosaurs into thinking yourself inferior because you can't spell broccoli or moccasins. Just let the words fly from your lips and your pen."

Lap up literature where you find it - on TV, on posters, and even in blogs - Marieke Hardy - SMH - 19 May 09

A few years ago I attended - for professional purposes only - a literary speed-dating evening at the State Library of Victoria. Twelve men, 12 women, a long and grand table, lots of anxious picking at fingers and dog-earing pages and various awkward conversations about Henry Miller. I agonised over which novel to take to put across "the right impression".

After ruling out Martin Amis' The Information (too aloof and show-offy intellectual), I settled for Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five - because nothing says "kiss me, I'm available" like the story of a time-travelling optometrist written by a man suffering severe post-traumatic stress disorder.

I left that without any romantic leads but with that sense of conceited self-satisfaction that only passionate readers can access so deftly. I went home, had a glass of wine and read my book. I was not starved for company.

As readers, we are blissfully united. We stand at home, surrounded by books, and regard them as one might an old photo album. In them we see hearts mended and broken, friendships gained, bitter disappointments at shattered expectations, excitement, calm, and one particular rogue Virginia Andrews novel we can't remember buying and seem unable to get rid of.

United we may be to some degree but we are also inherently judgmental. When I was approached to deliver this address, my first thought was: "Who else has done it before me and how do I measure up?" The list was giddying and intimidating - Neil Armfield, Geraldine Brooks, Peter Goldsworthy, and others equally lofty and lauded. As far as I could ascertain, my main qualifications were that I wrote a blog for three years and once kissed Rove McManus.

Why would I hesitate to stand here and share my views on reading and literature? Because I fear the judgment of the literati? It is a fear that plagues all of us - the horrifying moment we run into an ex-lover carrying a copy of a tabloid newspaper or magazine: the intellectual equivalent of stained pyjama pants and askew hair.

We fear judgment because we, too, judge. We rightfully celebrate the tomes written by the overtly breathtaking talents - the Maloufs, the Toltzs, the Tsiolkases. But we sidestep the ones we're less comfortable to acknowledge as worthy of taking up our precious reading hours.

But good writing exists in myriad forms. Anyone who immersed themselves in the best Australian mini-series yet to grace our screens - Blue Murder - will attest to that. Good writing exists in public notices or on heartbreaking lost dog posters. It exists where you find it. It is not beholden to its surroundings.

It even exists under the reasonably terrifying heading of "new media". In 140 characters or less, a generation of slightly narcissistic microbloggers tell anyone who listens what they think of the world. But those who dismiss such activities as mindless chattering miss the point. How is it not simply an extension of Hemingway's famed six-word story? I checked - his "For sale: baby shoes, never worn" is only 33 characters.

It's too easy to dismiss texting and the internet and iPhones as the death of literature and fine writing as we know it. But microblogging can be an unmitigated delight. One random "tweet" I discovered recently, from a complete stranger, was blissfully evocative: "I changed my profile from 'drunkard' to 'bon vivant'. Essentially the same thing but bon vivants get invited to dinner."

The wonderful writer and wordsmith and complicated human being Stephen Fry is on Twitter daily. Yes, he occasionally writes about vacuous day-to-day activities, and yes, he has been guilty - to my horror - of using the hideous acronym LOL. But Fry on Twitter delights in the words at his disposal. He believes, as I do, that this pleasure is in no way lowbrow or elitist.

As he writes on his blog, so beautifully: "Words are your birthright. Unlike music, painting, dance and raffia work, you don't have to be taught any part of language or buy any equipment to use it. Don't be afraid of it, don't believe it belongs to anyone else, don't let anyone bully you into believing that there are rules and secrets of grammar and verbal deployment that you are not privy to. Don't be humiliated by dinosaurs into thinking yourself inferior because you can't spell broccoli or moccasins. Just let the words fly from your lips and your pen."

We're too quick to judge. We're too quick to dismiss fine writing simply for how it is dressed, or the calibre of the wine it has brought to dinner, or the way it says "haitch" instead of "h". I hope we are ready for new experiences with words, wherever they are born, however they come to us, and whenever they choose to make themselves known to our isolated reader's world.

"Old Sydney Town"

When I first moved to Newcastle I had to adjust to several major life changes - waiting five minutes for a coffee to be made, life without Sushi, expensive Thai.

But last week I noticed people on their way to work carrying the ubiquitous takeaway coffee cup, then I realised that there were several sushi shops and now there seems to be a Thai restaurant opening on every corner (hopefully this will encourage competition and cheaper prices). !

It was only when I found to my horror that this once proud Labor stronghold has now been infiltrated by Young Liberals that it  struck me.  Newie is not actually catching up but has evolved to mid-90's Sydney.

So what's next?  What's the big thing in Sydney Town these days hat I can put in my diary to expect in 2015?

Billy Poster's comments on the changes he's seen in his blog and as usual his view has been of the less cosmopolitan aspects 

 

 

Compare and Contrast

At Dymocks the other day, asked for Barack Obama on CD.  "Oh, his speeches?" says the Doughy Young Thing

"No, his autobiography" says me

"Oh I don't think that's out" say she

"Ah, yes it is"

"Okay I'll look it up" - translation "Bullshit, and I'll prove it"

She moves to the computer and says to her colleague, Spotty Young Thing "Barrack Obama's book on CD!" which sounded like "Hey Dwayne, we got us a live one here"

SYT guffaws, DYT says "Some people have too much time on their hands" (meaning Obama!)

SYT says ""hu, hu, yeah, that'd be worth a millions dollars I reckon"

When the computer conspired with me there was silence until I was told there are none in their store but "Try in the City Mate" says DYT (ie. you're not from around here are ya - so fuck off).

And where was this?  Warringah Mall! 

Compare that to the Borders experience yesterday. The staff person barked at me that the CD would be downstairs in the Audio Book Section (derr!).  Then I finally managed to get the kids downstairs but before I could find the section the same staff person was in my face.  :Did you find it?"he demanded""Ah, not yet, where is the section?".

But he wasn't listening he had charged off, stormed into the Audio Section, snatched the CD from the shelf and shoved it at me as if to say, how could you miss it, imbecile.

That is not my usual experience of Borders where they are always ultra helpful, friendly and interested in whatever you are looking for.   Bu this guy was was unusually brusque and made Comic Book Guy seem empathetic.

Fridge Watch; Tally hits 13

The number of permanent things in my fridge reached 13 today with the addition of coffee.

That number excludes the 2 kgs of chillis, the frozen three-mixed-veg, ice-cubes, white bread, and left-overs in the freezer but does include two bottles of water.

I don't think I can include sandwiches for tomorrow, nor the chicken thawing, the bottle of wine that was some how not consumed on the night of opening and has been spared every night since (though it is white and it is getting colder at night - but still.....).

And in some form of logic I've got a container with vita-wheats in there to keep them fresh.

I've also excluded the shriveled remnants of a green capsicum even though it is probably more permanent than the itinerant milk bottles.

Find My "Fantasy".....

For anyone who has ever watched "Find My Family" (and unless you have been through the process your self or have had someone bang on about it to you), you could be excused for thinking that the adoption search process is always successful and always ends happily.

But they omit some very serious alternative outcomes and brush over the arduous, painful and very personal search process.  A process that involves a seemingly endless paper trail of forms, certificates, electoral rolls, telephone books, musty libraries and world class bureaucracy

They skip over the emotional rollercoaster ride of the search - hope, fear, anxiety, excitement, nervousness, etc

And they simply ignore the  real results for many searchers - rejection, disappointment, dead ends, anger, and of course (for me at least) death.  

They'd have you believe that all you do is call Channel 7 and then one interview, a video message later, you will be in the arms of your long lost biological relation. 

A better critique is included in this great newsletter from the Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC).  There is an editorial and a great article condemning  the program as well as a very harrowing tale of one woman's search.

Despite my criticism, I find it compulsive viewing. The artificial tension and the use of 10 minutes of real story stretched to fill the timeslot are put to one side and  I howl at the happy reunions.  On a good night I cry because I see what it might have been like while on others I cry because I see what I will never be able to experience.

Zeitgeist Volume 8 - Just Released (last June.....2008!)

Also known as Songs for Ziva, this series is now in it's eighth year.

The 07/08 year was particularly good:

1. From Little Things Big Things Grow - Various
   
2. The Saints Are Coming - U2 and Green Day
   
3. Jigsaw Falling Into Place - Radiohead
   
4. Same Jeans - The View
   
5. Flathead   - The Fratellis from the album Costello Music
   
6. Just A Song About Ping Pong  - Operator Please
   
7. This Heart Attack Faker - Be The Twilight
   
8. Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors  - Editors
   
9. hang me out to dry  - cold war kids
   
10. On Call Kings of Leon   - Because of the Times
    
11. No Longer There  - The Cat Empire
    
12. Let's Dance To Joy Division  - The Wombats
    
13. Transmission   - Joy Division
    
14. Hearts On Fire  - Cut Copy
    
15. Doing It Right - The Go! Team
    
16. Paper Planes  - MIA
    
17. Foundations  - Kate Nash
    
18. Back In Your Head  - Tegan & Sara
    
19. 1234  - Feist
    
20. Love Me Like The World Is Ending  - Ben Lee
    
21.  Down the line  - Jose Gonzalez
    
22. Rootless Tree  - Damien Rice
    
23. Is There a Ghost  - Band of Horses
    
24. God Only Knows  - The Beach Boys
    
25. Hljómalind  - Sigur Rós
    

Top Shelf Induction

It's official, the latest inductee into My Top Shelf is......................

The Frames - One for The Birds

An oldie (well, 2001) with a superb blend of musical styles with awesome vocals. So many tracks have that building tension thing that I love.

Irony?

I never really know what irony which is ironic in itself (or maybe just odd) cos I'm always complaining about people who use the word all the time to describe something else.

But I think this actually may be irony:

I was brushing Hamish's teeth the other night. As usual he was refusing. As usual a wrestle ensued. As usual i was explaining that teeth brushing is important if you want clean healthy teeth.

As I'm struggling to hold him I had the handle of his toothbrush in my mouth. He then bucked violently, his head hit the brush and it chipped one of my teeth.

"Slights" by Kaaron Warren (to be launched on 26 June!)

This is the first of Kaaron's "three book deal" signed when joining the HarperCollins stable.

"Stephanie is a killer. After an accident in which her mother dies, she has a near-death experience, and finds herself in a room full of people - everyone she’s ever pissed off. They clutch at her, scratch and tear at her. But she finds herself drawn back to this place, again and again, determined to unlock its secrets. Which means she has to die, again and again.
And she starts to wonder whether other people see the same room… when they die.
Slights is a deeply intense, disturbing read. Death is not the end, but this is not comforting, heartwarming or safe. The misery memoir craze of the last few years has overshadowed horror fiction’s impact with (allegedly) real-life experiences. Now it’s time for horror and fantasy fiction to fight back."

“I’ve never seen anyone capture sordid human nature so clearly.I was completely drawn in, totally immersed.I felt ill much of the time.”– Russell Kirkpatrick, on Slights

Yet to find out where or when it will be available in Australia but start asking your local bookshop for copies - http://angryrobotbooks.com/our-authors/kaaronwarren/slights/

Kaaron's Bio at her new publishing house

Monster Trucks

The Monster Trucks "performed" in Newcastle on Saturday nite (Wrestling, Monster Trucks and not one but two circuses and all within a year - who says this town has no kulcha).

In the lead up to the great event, there were Monster Trucks on display at major intersections etc. On Friday they collecting the MT's to prepare for the show. At one location the traffic was stopped by men in the (ubiquitous) iridescent polo shirts (the symbol of authority and hard work all in the one piece of clothing). There was a small queue forming (or a traffic jam by local standards) and it was all too much for one guy who mounted the curb and started driving around all the cars. This Mad Motorist then hit the MT (or more correctly the MT hit him but that doesn't sound as good). One of the workers said that the MM was lucky it wasn't one of the other (bigger) MT's which would have completely destroyed the car and the MM inside.

The police duly attended and because the MT was not registered it had no right to be on the road and the MT driver was charged. MM got off Scot-free!

Observations -

1 - It's a Monster Truck, why does it need traffic control anyway. It could just drive over any car that got in it's way.

2 - Me thinks MM is one of those guys with a chip on his shoulder. The type who'd be at the pub and see a famous boxer and say something "You think you're such a good fighter? Fight this!" The Boxer effortlessly duck under a wild air swing. dodge a slow punch, then calmly and politely give the guy a small quick clean jab - flush on the noise and knock him out.