in eight days...

or thereabouts, I shall be boarding yet another plane to head off over the great worlds oceans to somewhere I haven't been yet.

Recent experiences again fulfilling me however there was still confusion and hollowness in my being. At least I can say I've dumped smoking, and on a professional note, achieved what I had wanted to in my time back. Health wise not so much, but the knocking on the head of the smoking is the beginning of course. I give myself permission to eat unhealthy shit for at least a little while. That will stop very soon indeed.

Woah, slightly deep, okay so hey it's 1:08am. (At least that first sentence in the last paragraph!) I am contemplating the fact that I have about a week left in my home country before going exploring again, I know I am still pretty broke and therefore have to find work straight away once arriving, which is kind of shite.

More and more so lately I have wished beyond anything that money was not the object that we are all constantly up against.

And also further can't stop thinking about what actual aspect of festivals / performing / the arts I would really want to be in. Whilst never pursuing the 'on stage' part of my teens, somehow it is evident that it is there, wriggling away deep down inside. The fucking wimp pussy part of me thinks that just being the supporter (producer, executive producer or otherwise) of others is a wiser idea. Perhaps the idea of failure is what I dread.

Then again it's the old thing of if you don't try how the hell would you ever know.

Come on brain, stop fucking around and get to the point would you??!

Indeed.

xx

Terry Goodkind - I think you're pretty awesome...

yeh so I do... and I'm ridiculously behind with the series I know, I know...

So I just finished reading Chainfire... there are at least two if not more books beyond this I am yet to read, and have just seen a new Richard / Kahlan book will arise in 2011.

I also didn't know there was a television show made out of the story. I mean, come on, have I been living in a bubble?!

Oh right, I was living in Brisbane.

Chainfire was a great read, once again, I hadn't really recalled the final parts of the previous book, perhaps a re-read at some point in the future, but you know you always get those little snippets of past events whilst reading, therefore it all made sense.

And so it begins... a great battle I am sure is about to ensue. And yet I am at the end with the answers to the puzzle, but not the battle to proceed it. ARGH! I hate it when that happens.

So anyways I will order the book to arrive before me in Banff, but am on to Chris Carlsson's NOWTOPIA, which he kindly signed for me at the group discussion a week or so back.

Oh... here is my 2010 list in case I have not posted it thus far... in fact I probably haven't... and you know, actually, I am not going so badly on some items:

1. Volunteer on at least 10 festivals - thus far, 1. Laneway (Brisbane), 2. Soundwave (Brisbane), 3. In The House (Vancouver), 4. Car Free Vancouver Day (Commercial Drive, East Van), 5. Vancouver Jazz Festival (starts today, my first shift is Sunday), Upcoming: 6. Victoria SkaFest (second week July), 7. Van Folk Fest (16-18 July), 8. Calgary Folk Fest (August)...

2. Get paid on at least 5 festivals - thus far, 1. Melb International Comedy Festival...

3. Pay 2K off credit card.... NEXT!!!

4. Lose 10 kilos... I have no idea how much I weigh so who knows

5. Travel to Canada, USA including Alaska.... part 1 complete!

6. Knock cholesterol down to 5.5 - yay hereditary illnesses!

7. Don't take jobs you don't care about!! - well i did one shitty job for the first couple months of this year but it was a means to an end (getting to MICF and getting OUT of Brisbane and getting TO Canada, so i kind of forgive myself for it)

8. Learn some french.... NEXT!!!

9. Plant some trees / learn about horticulture.... been researching this one... standby...

10. Read lots more books!! - 1. The Tale of Genji, Lady Murasaki (in progress) /2. Chainfire, Terry Goodkind / 3. Nowtopia - Chris Carlsson (currently reading)...

standby i said, standby...

foxtrot uniform charlie kilo... breaker breaker, do you read me?!

xx

Canada, eh?!

Yes, it's even on t-shirts that... canada, eh?!

So I've been here a week and already worked a festival... www.inthehousefestival.com

What an interesting concept, strangely reminiscent of old parties in the suburb of Dulwich, South Australia, in which one time someone decided it was a good idea to light a flare and throw it onto the laundry floor filling the house with smoke!!

The weather held out beautifully for Saturday but Friday and Sunday were rainy off and on, causing a little havoc.

Moved much furniture, met nice people, had a laugh, had a boogie, stayed with a nice lady who has been doing exactly what i am now trying to do for the last twenty years (she, not i).

Vancouver is very pretty. It's easy to know which direction you are going because as long as you can see the mountains, you know it's North!

Bought another jacket to rival the ever popular 'kermit jacket'... similar in style but peach, and this time a bargain at $5...

Hopefully have found a place to stay for at least a few weeks, small studio space in the vicinity of Commercial Drive. Which, you know, is apparently one of the places to be in this town. A little bo-ho, lots of organic places, nice houses... so yay to that. Cross all available appendages that it all goes without a hitch.

Moving in that is.

xx

Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2010

I had the absolute pleasure of working in the Victoria Hotel with a bunch of awesome front of house, engineers and performers at this years festival.

It was my maiden voyage as a worker and I hope I held up my end of the bargain.

Here's a couple of random pics. xo

fringey bits...

Monski Mouse spruking for the Puppet Palace

Leigh Stardust in between sets at the Garden...

me and shuzzbutt hanging in the garden...

Frehd Astarr - There's Something About Fairy - Rhino Room

xJ

yes, its still winter...

and may i say brr in the brr brr in brr day in brr land!

haha.
so last night i went again to the purple room of mirth for bodacious comedy with trav nash as the host, rob hunter, angus and others doing spots and dave callan as the feature.
whoop!
and discovered best new drink ever which is vanilla absolut vodka with ginger ale. yum yum.

also was in the vicinity of one of my old great friends however didn't get much convo out of him. besides i couldnt be bothered actually. funny that. how things change!

a side note somewhat unrelated to the above: if you can't give out good karma at every opportunity why bother opening your mouth?!

hmm, what else... oh yes i have a twin... well kind of. phil has the same shoes as me AND the same 'please dont feed the models' shirt however in green. to this i say 'what on earth is the third thing?' - woah. is he really a girl or am i really a guy? were we seeded by the same postman? ewww. jokes.

today i went up to the hills to see Vars and play board games for a bit. played scrabble and articulate. fine holiday fun.

apart from that... oh a few days ago i met with a temp agency to do their testing and speak to them about getting a few weeks work. hopefully something will come up. even a few days here and there will top my cash back up.

so about a month to go in the great adventure. i have accomplished some things... sold some shit, gave away some shit, finally consolidated my super into only two accounts, started on the exercise regime, saw death proof!!!, learnt the new radio panel, played some new board games, and other stuff and things.

i'm really torn about SA and QLD you know. strange that. though i think my body the way it is with all its wacky bone and joint issues CANNOT permanently handle the cold.

i will definately be back in brisneyland for the forseeable future... probably quite a long forseeable future.

xJ