Time To Start Catching Up

I've come to the realisation that through inaction (or budget constraints more likely) I have fallen woefully behind with technology. I have an ancient second-hand computer at home. I'm still on dial-up. I don't have an MP3 player of any sort. My VCR and DVD player both threw in the towel recently.

You might as well hand me parchment and a quill to write this blog with, right?

So, I have a plan. It'll be expensive but over the next 6 months I plan to invest in:

• The black top end MacBook laptop
  
• Broadband, preferably some sort of wireless set-up
  
• One of the new generation iPods (apparently the line is being revamped at the moment)
  
• A DVDR with hard drive

Nice, right? I mean, my balls tingle just at the thought of all those new gadgets. Oh and yes, it also means I'm switching to a Mac from Windows. When I was dating Morgan I used his MacBook when I was over at his house, and came around to the style and function of Macs.

Anyhoo. Aside from buying a new sofa and a few other things for the house, I think the tail end of 2007 and the start of 2008 will Gadget Time. How excitement!

[Updated: I realised that I almost sounded like I was accusing Apple of illegal price fixing, which I'm sure is not the case, so I've amended this entry.]

Thursday Thoughts (And Asides)

I've just come back from sitting in the sun for half an hour, eating my caesar salad, and it was so glorious and warm and Summer-like that I had to drag myself back inside. So not fair!

(Oh, and to all you commentors from my previous post, I kept my legs covered of course. I kid with you from a place of love people.)

Hey you know what's fun?! Moving from a weekly to a fortnightly pay cycle, that's what's fun! Because I love a challenge that is. A challenge like, oh let's say stretching a single week's pay over a fortnight! A fortnight that includes my birthday and my sister's birthday. I normally buy myself a gift each year, so it looks like my sister's missing out this time around. I kid! She'll get a card, or something.

(BTW - Send pot noodles and leftovers around a week from now.)

If I look to my immediate right at the desk I'm sitting at today, not my usual one because I'm helping out in another department, there are 3 pairs on novelty Christmas earrings pinned to the pin-up board.

(I guess the adjective 'novelty' is a little reduntant when it comes to describing Christmas earrings, right?)

Well. Oh, tonight I'm excited because "So You Think You Can Dance" starts on tv! And newsflash! there is an Aussie version in production.

(You don't see that as exciting? OK, whatevs.)

Hey APEC leaders, I'm not so hot with the idea of you guys taking over our city and wandering the streets with guns (as apparently some of you want to do) but thanks for the Public Holiday next Friday! Shame we won't be able to actually go anywhere or do anything on account of the chain fences, water cannon, attack dogs and goons with guns. I guess it's the thought that counts, right?

(Tell that to my sister.)

Halfway There

Happy, happy, joy, joy. Sock #1 is off the needles beyotches!



Stop looking at the pasty white leg and look at the sock. Otherwise it might burn your retinas. (Hey, it's a trick of the light, plus I'm English and it's the end of Winter, m'kay?)

I'm very happy with it. The yarn has made a lovely, soft fabric and the colour is great. The fit is good, snug but not tight. I might adjust the heel slightly if I use the same pattern again, but it's a tiny adjustment. Next time I'd probably make the sock a bit longer, but I was worried about not having enough yarn for sock #2.

It's been fun and a great learning experience, but it's only the halfway point. Tonight we cast on its mate....

A Fine Romance

The following pics come from a cool site called ho.mo.bil.ia [some content NSFW], which sells vintage pics and queer memorabilia.







I love this sort of stuff! Who knows if these guys are lovers, friends fooling around, brothers or whatever, but they're sweet pics aren't they?

I kick myself now for not buying it, but I once saw a book in a secondhand shop which was all about depictions of intimate male friendship in Victorian photography. Like the first picture above. I only skimmed the book, but it seemed to infer that these pics were not necessarily romantic or sexual in nature, but something else. I like to hope that they were at least a little romantic.

The other candid amateur snaps are so sweet, and these sorts of pics of guys fooling around or smooching for the camera (sometimes even sans pants) seem to crop up every so often. The pics above are being sold as originals, with evidence of having been stuck in photo albums. Maybe from a brilliant holiday they had together, or in the garden of their first house. Who knows?

I like to think these guys are couples. It connects me to the past somehow, to all the gays and lesbians that have gone before. Laid the groundwork for the improvements in acceptance that we have today, done the hard yards, lived their lives and had fun. Especially had fun.

Gettin' Ready

Recently Michael Guy posed the question, and Christopher answered, "Do y’all have a ‘get dressed for the night out’ song"?

I'm a bit late to the party, but here are a couple of sure fire mood enhancing, whizz around the bathroom with a hairbrush in my hand, 'getting ready' songs.

First up an artist I am evangelical about. The look! The sound! The creativity! The attitude! Ladies and ladies I give you ex Moloko songstress, now solo artiste, Roisin Murphy with a song from her 2005 solo effort - "If We're In Love"...



If screeching out "When will we be lovers?" doesn't get you in the mood for a night out, well I don't know what will. Plus, hands up who doesn't want that sequined dress?! Anyone? I don't want to wear it, you know, just have it. Unless it fit.

Next up, and oh snap! coincidentally in a similar vein of lookin' for love (or a reasonable facsimilie of) I give you a song by a gay man who lives in my neighbourhood, who I have been introduced to and is as sweet and pleasant as you'd hope your musical crushes to be, and who makes an excellent Amateur Unisex Strip Show grand final judge, Mr Paul Mac. The 2001 release "Just The Thing That I Need" by Paul Mac feat. Peta Morris...



"I could love you forever tonight." Who hasn't thought that, right? "You're just the thing that I need, just to fill the space he left here." On that, don't even start girlfriend.

This is just 2 of my long list of getting ready songs. So I take a while in the bathroom. Don't be judging, it takes time to look like this.

So, to kick this along, care to post your song choices in the comments?

Short Guy Fantasy #146

Pardon me while indulge in a little 'pocket rocket' spit roast fantasy.

Aussie garden designer Jamie Durie (left) & interior designer Nate Berkus (right) on Oprah, from this old news story.

Can you even imagine? I mean, I've seen Jamie in person and he only clocks in at around my height, and he really is very handsome up close. Nate is teh hotness imho, and according to at least one Apartment Therapy blog commentor who saw him up close and personal may be short and have no ass, but is packing some sort of serious heat in those jeans.

I think I need a lie down.

Monday Morning

Hey chickens! I hope everyone reading this had a nice weekend, or if you're in the Northern Hemisphere, well, score! because it's only Sunday.

I had a fairly quiet weekend, which had been right at the top of my agenda marked Plans For The Weekend. I spent a lot of Saturday doing housework with the stereo set to LOUD, the big jobs like thoroughly cleaning the bathroom, which I must admit had been at the bottom of my agenda. Hey, neccessary evil right? And evil must be held at bay.

I caught up on some sweet blessed sleep, did heaps of laundry, packed up some clothes to give to charity. (In all honesty I'm never going to wear that party boy black lace shirt again, now matter how hard I wish to be twenty-something.) Not rivetting material for a blog post, but satisfying on a personal level.

Yesterday was gloriously bright, warm and sunny so I went off to knitting at The Courthouse Hotel with a pep in my step. The beer garden was packed, but I finally scored a nice large table. Ever seen that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine tries to keep a row of seats at the cinema? Growing increasingly frantic with every person she has to say "these seats are taken!" to? Well, pretty much. I always did kind of relate to Elaine the most on that show anyway.

So, after 45 minutes of that and not another knitter in sight I decided it was officially Not Happening, and went for a walk in the sun instead. About an hour later I ran into my old friend Brendan, who I've known for nearly 30 years now, and his partner Grant. A coffee, and then two beers, later and I headed home having rescued the afternoon. Nice. A bit of early evening tv and then into bed at 9.30 to read and have an early night.

Monday just always rolls around too soon.

Sun's In Your Eyes, The Wind Is In Your Hair.

Those emo kids might think they've cornered the market in bittersweet melancholy but 20 years ago Black (aka Colin Vearncombe) was crafting a lush, beautiful, bittersweet gem by the name of "It's A Wonderful Life".

(And no, don't even mention that dance cover version from some years back! Talk about rob the song of its irony and meaning. The first time I saw a video clip of it I screamed and nearly threw a shoe at the television set.)

Anyhoo, back to the behaviour of sane people. I love this song. I have the album on vinyl somewhere, but haven't played it in many years (and don't even have a turntable anymore). I really should get around to buying this on cd sometime if I can, but in the meantime we can still enjoy it courtesy of YouTube.

Down Time

I've had one constant stream of late nights this week, some from nights out and some from endless hours of porn searching on the internet um, staying up late on the computer. I'm feeling kind of bushed right now. Pooped. That, and a bit liverish from the past few nights of alcohol consumption.

I think I might clear the decks a bit this weekend. Take it easy. Knit. Do some stuff around the house. Pack up some dead wardrobe and take it to Goodwill. Maybe shampoo the living room rug. You know, live a little! I'm in 2 minds whether to go to the 50's Fair on Sunday again this year, although as I proved last year it is a fabulous photo opportunity...

I might take a wander around the NSW Art Gallery, or maybe visit the Museum. I read in the papers recently that visiting art galleries is good for your health. Something about the calm and the beauty, and the release of stress that most people feel, having a beneficial affect on blood pressure and so forth. (Yet they completely miss the fact that it's also a great opportunity for cruising.) I could probably use some calm and beauty, it's been a tough week. Stressfull and with a few emotional ups and downs.

Maybe I could use some cruising too.

We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off

Last night was the Unisex Amateur Strip Night that I mentioned yesterday. James and I met up for dinner at a local Vietnamese restaurant first, and then met Mark and Mikey (the lovely ex) at the Newtown Hotel around show time. It was only a weekly heat this time around, and frankly the turn out was a little disappointing. One actual contestant, and one member of the bar staff who they obviously convinced to get up and compete as well, so that they had a competition of sorts. This time there were no judges, just audience cheers to pick the winner.

Colin the barman won! The other guy was really crap!

It was a fun show though. There were 3 professional strip acts also; a very funny comedy strip routine by a woman in a full 'drag' body stocking suit complete with fun fur pubes and pits, a lovely burlesque style number by the current title holder of Miss Nude New South Wales, and a classic male stripper of the long haired 'hen's night' style (who was a bit dull). In addition, every week they give $50 to a punter from the audience to get up and strip, and this time around it was a skinny young chap with more nerve than body fat who got up and did the deed. (Oh and Therin, his only jewellery was a Star Trek communicator badge!) One lesson hard learnt, take your shoes off before dropping your pants on stage. Note to self!

So it was a fun night. So crowded that you felt like new intimacies were being forged with total strangers, even though all they were trying to do was get to the bar. Is that your groin or mine, good sir? The beer flowed. We had some good laughs. James and I had a lovely dinner beforehand. The only slight negative being the lack of competitors. I might wait a few weeks and go to the Grand Final next, which promises to be even more entertaining.

Mourne, Eve & Dawn

The Kransky Sisters! Imagine a trio of spinster Munster siblings formed a girl group, picked up a tuba, a musical saw, an old casio keyboard and sundry pots & lids from the kitchen, and proceeded to do unique versions of everything from AC-DC to The Sugababes.



I've written about the Kransky Sisters before, but now they have their own home on the web. Yay! Unfortunately The Man has cut off my YouTube access here at The Big Christian Charity otherwise I'd link direct, but if you go here and scroll down to the bottom of the page there are heaps of links to their clips on YouTube.

Watch. Laugh. Be afraid a tiny bit.

Strip For Me Babe, Strip For You

It's that time again! Amateur Unisex Strip Contest time! (And frankly if it's good enough for the leader of the opposition, it's good enough for me. Strippers and strip clubs are so hot right now!)

Back in March James Charles O'Brien and I attended the Grand Final of the Newtown Hotel's Amateur Unisex Strip Contest. A night that included lots of beer, some very pretty (and some very scary) visuals, hilarity by the bucketfull and a next day hangover of crushing proportions. Fun!! Tonight is only one of the heats and not the Grand Final, so I'm anticipating a mixed bag of performers with the emphasis on amateur.

For balance, check out James's take on the evening back in March, when he even managed a few shaky photos from his mobile phone.

I'm looking forward to it. I've had a week so far of stress, frustration and even some anger. I made a few aborted attempts at writing some blog entries yesterday but they all seemed flat, and like I was pasting a thin cover over a seething pit of vitriol. Nice, right? I think some uncomplicated fun is prescribed. And if it involves some mostly naked guys, more's the better!

Headline Of The Year

"Dwarf's penis gets stuck to vacuum cleaner"

I feel bad for the guy involved but that's some awesome headline, right?

Ofra Haza

I was Googling my way around Das Internetz yesterday, searching for info on some of the disco divas I'd been listening to on Sunday night, when I found the Disco Museum.

I know this sounds a bit morbid, but I was trawling my way through the Disco Mausoleum section reading all the obituaries of performers and producers who had gone to that great big dance hall in the sky. (One thing that becomes immediately clear is the affect that AIDS had on the music industry, so many young people cut down in their prime!) I was scrolling through when I was surprised to find an obituary for Ofra Haza.



I never knew much about her, but was intrigued by her after hearing her traditional Yemeni vocals sampled on a number of '80s dance tracks, most famously on Erik B & Rakim's house track "Paid In Full" and then on "Pump Up The Volume". She reached a sort of cult status in the '80s, especially in the UK dance scene. I didn't realise that she had also perfomed on Eurovision in 1983.

It seems she passed away in 2000 at the age of 41. Obituaries in her homeland stated that she and her family refused to disclose the nature of her disease, only saying that she had died of massive organ failure. However other sources say she died from complications related to AIDS. So sad, I'm sure that her story is a complicated and fascinating one.

Jared Flood Is A Frickin' Genius

Seriously. Seriously. I think this is absolutely gorgeous. Now I'm thinking I really, really need to try knitting it immediately.

5 Things About The Weekend That Was

1. There may well be a God(dess) after all. Some sort of deity had a hand in creating the Ricotta Hotcakes with berries and maple syrup I had on Saturday afternoon whilst knitting at cafe Barmuda. Did someone just ring a bell? ::salivate::
   
2. The Sunday night music at The Newtown Hotel was all retro and awesome in it's awesomeness. I mean, I Can't Stand The Rain by Eruption/Precious Wilson? "Lady Bump" by Penny McLean? (That is the Silver Convention Penny McLean, naturalmente.) So. Fabulous.
   
3. You know you're in the company of men of a certain age when you look around the room and see lips moving in time with a 30 year old pop song. And yes James Charles O'Brien that includes you.
   
4. Speaking of rain, and the hating of which, sneakers are not a sensible choice of footwear when it has been raining for like 2 days straight, as I discovered last night. Note to self.
   
5. If someone gives you a birthday present two and a bit weeks before your birthday, does that entitle you to start celebrating from that point onwards? It does, right? I mean, it's all me, me, me, me, me anyway, but now there's gifts too, right? My sweet friend Sarah popped in yesterday afternoon and gave me two fantastic knitting books of men's knitwear, Knitting With Balls and Men Who Knit And The Dogs Who Love Them. Score!

Sandra Backlund

I remember seeing the work of Sandra Backlund a while back, but then was reminded again of her amazing sculptural fashion when Thombeau recently created this post. I love Backlund's work. I love her take on traditional craft, used in unexpected and sculptural ways.

In her own words:

"The handicraft process and the handmade feeling is very significant. I am interested in almost every traditional handicraft technique. For me it is the absolute challenge. All the levels of skills you have to pass before you can even think about starting to improvise. It is the real thing and everything that the modern fashion industry is not. I think it is important that we take responsibility and preserve ancient handicraft techniques which will die out if we do not carry them forward to a new level."

She knits and crochets pieces, sometimes quite small pieces, which are then manipulated and assembled into garments. Garments that are more like sculptures in fibre really.

Not the sort of thing you'd wear for popping down the shops, but I don't think that's the point really. She's crossing the line between craft and art, between fashion and sculpture, and all the while subverting expectations of 'domestic' crafts like knitting, crochet and macrame.

I love it. I love the fact too that there are plenty of non-professional crafters out there also pushing the boundaries and expectations of traditional craft. Maybe not in this dramatic style, but you just have to cruise through craft or knitting sites to see that people are experimenting and creating amazing things.

I like what Backlund has to say about learning the ropes first, and that's kind of where I feel I am. What I can't wait for is to master the needles enough to really let my imagination take flight. And in that regard I think people like Backlund serve to inspire.

[All images from the Sandra Backlund website.]

Writer's Block

Oh my sweet Jeebus you guys. I've dried. Gone up, as we theatricals are won't to say. For the first time in about three years I cannot think of a thing to write. Weird.

So, ask me a question. Make a suggestion. Call me names. Correct my grammar. Anything just to give me something to sink my teeth into. I'm begging.

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Yaniboy asked me what I'm reading. Like much of the world, I'm reading "Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows". It's taking me longer than normal because of my severely reduced morning commute time these days. I'm enjoying it, although I do think the book dragged and got aimless through the middle. Things are picking up now and it's getting interesting now that I'm about 100 pages from the end. I find all the HP books an enjoyable read, but I wouldn't call myself a huge fan. I think the movies are really well done though. (And the fact that Mr Radcliffe is turning into a handsome young man just helps really.)

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File this under Things Most Excellent, Mikey (the lovely ex) shared the news that fresh from his success as Mrs Hedwig Robinson, iOTA is taking on my other favourite trannie. Yay! So far the production starring Daniel Arbineri has been my favourite live version, but I'm such a fan of iOTA's stage work that I'm really looking forward to seeing this.

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Lara asked "Who would you cast as Brad?" in this new stage production of Rocky Horror. Hmmm, hard one. In keeping with the local cast it would have to be a local boy, and my knowledge of local musical theatre actor/singers is not that great. Ah, the only name that jumps to mind is Tim Draxl, but to be honest I think it would be a piece of misscasting on my behalf. He jumps to mind because he's a good actor, has a lovely singing voice and then there's always this:

Tim Draxl (left)

Well he has to look good in y-fronts, right?

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arj expressed her theory that everyone here is either hibernating or migrating [given that it's late winter here], and asked which I would do and what it would be like. I choose migration. It would involve somewhere with temps around 30C, cocktails involving lots of crushed lime, several helpful and accomodating cabana/pool/roomservice delivery boys, massage oils and facials (of several kinds).

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Jason joined the party late to say that he wants more Eric Balfour. Honey, WE ALL DO. (I'll keep looking.)

Wednesday. Mittwoch. Hump Day.

I'm taking a moment to celebrate the half way point. Feels good to be cresting the rise, doesn't it?

It feels kinda:



[Photo via the moist and lovely wetcircuit]

Start Where You Are

And I guess where you are, is here. Right?

Mystery post-it note. Fence post, Newtown.

I wish the here of today was a there instead though. If you know what I mean.

I had a spectacularly bad night's sleep last night; too hot, too cold, too something. (Ironically after watching a documentary about insomnia and sleep deprivation. This universe of ours, it does love the irony, right?) I've battled sleep problems for years, but I'm pleased to say that my sleep is much better these days and that last night was more of an aberration.

So I'm tired, headachey, dull witted and Captain Grumpy Pants today. I've been waiting all morning for this to pass and for the Blog Muse to whisper in my ear... and waiting... Somewhat unsuccesfully.

What this did make me think of though was this photo I took on the weekend. I don't know what the post-it was referring to, but I thought it kind of made sense on a practical and philosophical level. I can dream all I want to about not being tired, about sitting poolside with Eric Balfour in speedos, about not being at my desk.

But ultimately, the only place we can start is 'here' rather than 'there'. We do get to choose the destination though, and I like that idea.