A blog about nothing...

Mar
5th

Fri

Snow white…

…or how to feel painfully Anglo and out of place in the heart of Sydney.

If you live in Sydney and you want to feel like a tourist without travelling, try walking down Sussex Street, visit every convenience store you can find and try to ask if they have any whole Szechuan peppercorns.

Unable to read labels on food: ✔ Get in everyone else’s way: ✔ Butcher a shopkeeper’s native language: ✔ Be handed something totally different, with a nod and a big smile: ✔ Blush, stammer, apologise and beat a hasty retreat: ✔

Rinse and repeat.

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Good morning, Sydney.

The view from my back door at 6:45.

One of the benefits of getting up an hour before the sun does is, every now and then, you get the opportunity to stop and watch the day just happen right in front of you.

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Feb
13th

Sat

This reminds me of how much I love this city.

While walking from James Squire brew house to the Sydney Theatre in 90% humidity and the threat of more rain, I was struck by how gorgeous this place is, even while wet and gloomy.

Despite our difficult 2009, despite our fears that the propert market is rising up out of our reach, despite the fact I had to return to Governmnent work after declaring “Never again!”, I have not regretted our move one single day.

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Jan
23rd

Sat

I wonder if Billy knows?

E: Daddy, what's this song called?
Me: "1979", by The Smashing Pumpkins.
E: Who's playing drums?
Me: A man called Jimmy.
E: Who's playing guitars?
Me: Well, a man called James is playing guitar, and a lady called D'arcy is plaing the bass guitar.
E: Who's singing?
Me: A man called Billy?
E: What's he singing?
Me: Well, words I guess.
E: Why is _he_ singing?
Me: Because they're his words. He wrote them.
E: Why did he write them?
Me: It's how he chooses to express himself. The songs are about what he's thinking about. Okay?
E: Okay.
E: <big pause>
E: I think he's thinking about formula one cars.

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Jan
21st

Thu

People who scratch and run in carparks are scum of the earth.

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Jan
18th

Mon

You can make up all kinds of friendly tricks. Just don’t get caught in the endless cycle of guilt, avoidance, and pressure. When it is your time to write, write.

— Natalie Goldberg, “Writing Down The Bones”

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Jan
10th

Sun

Willem is a very fortunate man

— Director Lars von Trier on Willem DeFoe’s apparent substantial ahem, talent, as it were.

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Dec
3rd

Thu

I just used Google Earth for the iPhone to show Elijah where Santa Claus lives.

Yeah, the future is pretty cool.

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Nov
23rd

Mon

Last night’s beef rogan josh, cooked from scratch, using the Jamie Oliver iPhone app. This thing makes it ridiculously easy to cook meals, has instructional videos for things like proper cutting technique and step by step photos. Well worth the $10 I paid for it.

Oh, and oh so yummy.

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Nov
20th

Fri

[Flash 10 is required to watch video.]

A few weeks ago, the lorikeets came back for a visit and brought all their friends. There were at least 7 in that tree at one stage.

Sadly, I haven’t seen nor heard a single lorikeets since.

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