we're goin' down down down down to kitty town...

so i'm living in kitty town...

pauly is being surprisingly friendly of late and purry and paws me going 'aww come on pat me'... so i oblige sometimes but right now its just annoying me. hehe.

because i've been playing on e-bay.

have slowly been going through all the boxes of stuff that were left at mum and dads for all this time. i know they will be grateful for the space.

So there are some things I've decided to see if I can sell. probably easier to take to a trash & treasure market but its winter and i'm sure that less folk go to these markets at this time of year. anyways...

i dont know how you can find me on e-bay (cos really i'm an e-bay virgin until like a week ago when i bought new headphones for my mobile phone)... but if you can, well more power to you i suppose.

so i guess i'll put up a few things over the next few days and just see if there is any interest at all...

on the topic of the psychotic neighbours... well i've just about had a gutful. sometimes its kind of scary you know. its damned obvious this guy is a dealer, I have no idea why the cops havent been able to bust him before. and his woman is a nutcase. if she could just HEAR herself maybe she would understand what a slapper she is. doubtful, i think she's fried her brain with chemicals.

so yes we shall see if i can last the distance in this house. cos i am supposed to be here to chill, not to deal with psychos. they really bother me and i'm sure the adjoining neighbours and businesses feel the same. you can't feel happy about a dude doing deals practically in your parking lot can you?

short of all this though... congratulations to scottie tha damn hottie for i'm sure another splendid brisbane pride march and fair day... wish i could have been there to help. waah!

be seeing you brisneylanders soon-ish i guess. whoop!

anyone with any ideas/contacts for arts related things, please pass them on. i refuse to work on something shitful that i dont care about any more. money is irrelevant when there's no satisfaction in a job y'know.

blah blah.
pay it forward. pay it all forward.

xJ
ps. if you like bowling and your in adelaide with some spare time, i'm always up for a game!

blerk!

cheeky look before going to see Eddie Ifft last Friday.

I'm keeping this one cos it looks ace.

xJ

is it too cold for the beach...??

the answer is yes... especially if you have a beanie that doesn't cover your ears.

however the mighty Zeus needed a walk so I went with Koz for a rather pleasant time.

Here's Koz (in all her fashionable 'i can tie my scarf around my head' glory) and Zeus down at Henley... lovely.

seaweed city. hehe.

(hey blogger whats with the double spacing crap when i put photos in huh?)

see y'all.

oh, operation 'buff-jules' as michelle calls it is going rather swimmingly.

xJ

RADelaide...

well what can i say about RADelaide...

last week i bowled a whole lot of strikes in a row in a game of bowling but of course messed up the last one which would have given me a mega score, and of course bowled the last ball as a spare. boo.

had lunch with vairi at the dulwich bakery. oh dulwich bakery i love you.

saw the sex and the city movie with my sister.

saw Eddie Ifft and a whole bunch of local comics including Phil Cowie and Jason Pestell at Rhino.

Got very hammered with da boys soon thereafter.

went to the House of Chow for Bec & Mel's birthday last night and had a banquet. very tasty and very filling. then up to Woody's for sitting in front of a fireplace and Beetlejuice.

that be all.
xJ

interesting...

now, i'm a people watcher... i would probably like behavioural theory or something if i could be bothered... but...

the neighbours across the road are spastic. grow up both of you, keep your potty mouth inside and at a low decibel woman, i. don't. want. to. hear. it.

honestly it might not be so sad if it wasn't for days at a time.

tickets to the retard planet for you.

mwargh hargh hargh.

xJ

zee weekend...

frivolous friday... met the lovely t-roy for a cup of tea in the central market.

bumped into the lovely anni with short-short hair!

went home for a while...

drove back into town to meet judy at the union...

the unions all fancy now... but not tacky. pretty good job really.

pity about all the suits...

something on the footpath??

discovered from james that anz decided not to fund the tasmanian pulp mill... we high fived for that!

ate from the china town food court...

drove to crafers and stayed in an triangular house with a fire...

and drunken judy yelling obscenities just for the hell of it, woody making pumpkin soup at 2am and randall making sure all the plants were watered. classic...

tho made me need sleep.

on to the ed castle to see aliese for her pappy smurfday.

mooched back home.

today discovered one of my tyres was completely flat...

watched some life on mars...

made some more jewellery bits....

yep i'm spent. that be all.

xJ

Taboo

Last night I had my first experience of playing Taboo with the lovely Loz and Jek and their pals K & S.



Quite an amusing game indeed where you have to describe something without using the word and about 5 allocated words to describe it. Turns out to be highly amusing some times and highly difficult as well! All in all good fun was had by all.



Game score - oh lets give it 4 out of 5 because we can. Especially since you are given a little squeaky thing to go with it so you can buzz at people when they use one of the 'illegal' words.



yay.

Yesterday I made this one...

Have a nice day.

xJ

tell me... am i being productive?

you decide....

xJ

Weekend Antics...

so.... Saturday...

Spoz & i met at the erm, pub i forget which one it's on currie street... Ed Castle me thinks.... to have some food then headed to the Grace Emily for the Mixmasters Birthday Party. Happy birthday Mixmasters. when we arrived the lovely Cookie Baker was playing and ended with a song about clean sheets and gin. loved it.

The boys from Your Motive For also played, and some new bands I hadn't seen before which was cool. Oh Special Patrol as well and Booster.

So much frivolity and drinking was had with the Brillig-eans, Heidi, Eva, Ernie, Tracey, Josh and Alan Brough from Spicks & Specks joined the festivities! Good to see ya in such a good pub Alan, you're excellent.

I have not ONE photo from Saturday which is just a bit silly if you ask me but i'm sure Spoz can indulge you all.

I left my car in town too and it was still there yesterday. Went for a wander, had some brekkie, checked out all the tasty morsels in the David Jones' food glorious food area, but didn't buy. How restrained. Bought Tea from T-bar for Maria, said hi to John at StarBooks (Greater Union Complex on Hindley, it's a truly ace shop) where I bought a biography about XTC, and wandered off to find the car intact.

Came home and beaded for a while and did more crosswords. I see a pattern forming, don't you?

muchos love.
xJ

ahhhh head implosion!

well not quite but you know...
amusing evening at the grace emily listening to guillaume playing silly songs with paul accompanying and then going to pick up rodney then heading to the oxford in north adelaide to watch a college pub crawl go sour.
BUT i bumped into one of my cousins! ha!
then of course on to the C&A for last drinks. you get that.

is mostly a bleak looking day today... i need a tuna & potato pie from the dulwich bakery.
and a shower.
yuk.
xxJ

what have i been doing...?

well yesterday i had to renew my drivers license... exciting.
did some more crosswords...

bought some dvds... finally got 'the last waltz' the scorcese film about 'the band' and Carousel, my fave musical of all time. and some CD-R's for making mix tapes... well mix cd's i suppose you have to say these days.

thats primarily it.... how lame. but i'm enjoying forcing my brain to work on crosswords...

today i've just stuck hair dye in that i need to wash out shortly...

then i'll watch some tele and do some beady things...

then later i'll go get woody and force him to drink at the grace with me!

haha. victory is mine!

xxJ

ps. heres a pic of trav NASH's last night or thereabouts in RADs... i arrive, he leaves. what the frock?

ahh RADelaide...

Ready to go to the Grace Emily...

Something very curious is going on...

Da girls are back at the Rhino Room... even if kirst is only here for like 5 days! bah!

more soon.

xJ

made it to syd-e-ney...

so there.

uralla was freakn freezing. i think its made me a bit sicklor.

kangaroos are the stupidest animals ever. they need to be put on that shuttle that launches from the gap every half hour (those in the know will understand such a comment).

i think we all need to enter the brick throwing competition in straughan on the 19th july.

so there.
xxJ

fare thee well brisneyland...

at least for now...

so i think that i'm hitting the road tomorrow... i may push it out a day if i feel the need to.

have been a bit up and down, theres a lot going on around here and it seems an inopportune time to leave, however i committed to do this for myself and can't back down now.

no more work for me for at least 3 months if i can avoid it. which will be at all costs.

so, getting some tyres this morning and getting sparkees put in the car and then running to pick up sam so she can help me finish what is affectionately known as the 'house explosion'.

then to drop a few things off around the place and hang with my newest friend...

hmm... *scratching head*
once again, remind me what have i done??

xxJ

ps. had a lovely sunday. thank you to those who made it a bit more sane for me.
pps. yes, work does suck.

the 2008 list of things to do...

last year i made a list with the help of erin and narelle... did 'okay' on it but not spectacularly.
so this year i made a shorter list...

1. House sit in RADelaide in winter - yes that's happening very soon
2. One movie a month - well i've already screwed that one
3. SWIM!
4. One book a month - screwed that one too but only by one month
5. get paid to work on at least one festival... yeh i'll work on that
6. visit bEC and Evo is tasmania - done
7. cook one new recipe per fortnight - ok i'm behind on this one too, that's what housesitting in RADElaide is for
8. Record some covers with Nigel
9. Quit stinking job before it kills me - done
10. Dont get your heart broken.

so i'll keep you posted on these...

xJ

Recycling...

today i am taking my old mobile phone to the 'mobile muster'...

you can find a location near you at http://www.mobilemuster.com.au

huzzah!

3 weeks to go! ugh!

xJ

ok, ok, i completely suck...

i know, i know, i can make all the promises in the world about keeping this blog up to date, but to be honest, it's so flat out at the moment but here are the significant things....



1. Tasmania brings serenity...

2. i now have 4 weeks left of employment!

3. dressing up like raggedy ann gives you a whole new personality temporarily.

4. must start working out the road trip... that newspaper we got out from under my floor that time... music and clothesy type things... books... yada yada. blah blah.... where my heart lies... what my soul wants... why i keep getting pins and needles...

ugh, so much to do, so little time!

xxJ

Sicko...

So.... last night after being at Claire's for a little girly afternoon, I hired some DVD's including Sicko which I've been wanting to watch for a while.

Jeez, all I can say is that I am so glad I don't live in the US. No offence to any of you, I love visiting america, but to be bankrupt just because you get sick is completely ridiculous.

Obviously our health system also has flaws. I cannot speak for those who have needed to be hospitalised but I have had LOTS of testing and appointments in the last few years. Medicare pays a reasonable amount I believe... i have been for one lot of x-rays on my neck, one lot of my knee, an ultrasound on my knee and a CT scan on my spine, all of which were just billed straight to medicare and I didn't pay a cent.
if i go to the doctors i have to pay upfront about $50 but then i just walk into any medicare office and end up actually paying about $15 to see my doctor. it might take me 20 mins to wait to get a cash refund over the counter.
the only medication i'm prescribed permanently costs me about $20 for a 4 month supply because i assume its on the PBS list.
when i see an alternate therapist (eg. i see an osteo at least once a month) - this is covered by my private health provider and instead of costing me $65 per visit it costs me $27.'
my private extras cover with the health fund (covers extra things like basic dental treaments and alternative therapies, even money for your gym if you want... blah blah) costs me $31 a month.
obviously its not a perfect system what we have but we all pay a medicare levy with our taxes, and i feel that a lot of preventative care is covered as well. which is nice.
well certainly a lot better than the US system.

i expect a mass exodus from the US to france!!

well done michael, again, for a fine doco.



xJ

We say SORRY...

three of the most important words of our generation.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/13/2161452.htm

I am so pleased that we now have a Government that seems more commited to reconciliation.

I am not sure what Brendon Nelson's response actually WAS?? I listened to it live and was somewhat confused. He went on for 20 minutes about different cases but didn't really provide the oppositions acceptance of the Motion. Well I guess I didn't expect any more from the liberal party considering they were unwilling to put forward this Motion in the past.

Good on you Australia for embracing what I hope will be a new era.

Sorry.
xJ

They CAN'T be serious?!!

New Kids On The Block??

I'll be 12 all over again, christ almighty!!

xJ

Green Power

I just switched my entire electricity consumption to 100% Wind Power.

I feel nice about it.

It's only going to cost between $5-10 a month extra to have this green power.

Do it today.

xxJ

Austrayya Day Long Weekend...

So here's how it went... Friday: drinks with Adam and Sal for Adam's birthday down at South Bank. Noice.

Saturday: BIG breakfast cook-up with Erin, of course watched Falcon Beach, listened to the Hottest 100 countdown for a bit and got mates online to stream it from their end so we could drink and smoke and boogie together.

Sunday: breakfast, went to visit Maria for a few hours then walked into town to meet Tard and Wase for a screening of The Darjeeling Limited. Really really enjoyed it. Never quite realised how beautiful Adrien Brody really is. *swoon* Not necessarily Laugh Out Loud funny, but just very good and very pleasant indeed. Could easily become a favourite.

Aside: But I must say... movie ticket prices are ridiculous. It cost me $24.10 for the ticket, a bottle of water and a medium frozen coke. I mean get real greater union, you really think I'm going to keep coming to your cinema when I can go to the Cineplex screens and pay no more than $7.90?

Monday: re-painted the last bit of my wall in the hallway. Put more things in bags for the op-shop. Went through more paperwork I'm sure. Had a snooze. Went for a sing with Tom & Camille. Watched America's Next Top Model.

That's that folks. Back at work. Sucks to work indeed.
xJ

hey folks...

yes i am alive and well.

let's kick the shit out of 2008 shall we??

Maybe I'll even get back here for my dirty thirty... you never know...

xxJ

it's my last day of work for 2007!!!

whoop whoop getitup getitup....!

so, i think my club chairs, although cool and also ex-department of foreign affairs interrogation chairs, may need to be moved somewhere less conspicuous (sp?) because you see they hurt my back when i am making beady things. Maybe it's cos they're a bit squishy. I wonder if i could replace the bottoms of them to make them harder chairs. maybe that's why they are soft because they were used for interrogation. hehe. and just to piss the person off they make their back hurt.

today is my last day of work for 2007. must say i am thrilled to have 11 whole days off so i can go to the beach in RADelaide as much as possible! coming back to brisneyland for nude years tho if anyone cares to fly up and join us for a riverside part-ay.

the count on the beady things has changed, i have made 7 now and still only repaired 3. but that's better than a slap in the face with a tonking fish isn't it?

oh i bought myself a christmas present (somewhat early but there you go)... a boxed set of SJP's Lovely. Bought one last year and the perfume has lasted me until now so i figure it's good to get it at a discounted price at this time of year. yahoo!

i have to go now my lovelies but in case i dont get online over the silly season, y'all have a beautiful kwezzbutt y'hear.

xxJ

20 years of RAGE...

gee i'm glad i am awake enough to witness this fine bit of music television programming! Bravo RAGE, merry birthday, if ever i can program I would feel honoured.



So what did I do today? Chops came over to make beady things, she helped me finish one and showed me some more knots. I like the way doing something a lil different that you haven't done in a while makes your brain think. I love recreating things. Have finally managed to recycle some of the beads i have kept from things like sandals and broken / stretched bracelets. Destroyed one today to remake a necklace, which doubles as a wrap around bracelet, about 6 loops. Awesome.



I walked in the searing heat down to the bookshop and wondered how I would go camping or something currently. It was HOT. I'm noticing my skin freaking out a bit. Strange for me cos it's always been so good. So I have to be more diligent and protect it some more, and also get a good couple beach trips over summer. Hope to go to Moana Beach in SA for a good body board and swim and muck around.



YEH! She Don't Use Jelly filmclip on now. hehehe.



Anna came over to pool resources and make some dinner. Always enjoyable. She will enjoy living here I think, whenever that may be...



Have some new plans in my brain, got to do a bit of budgeting to work out the next 12 months. I figure I at least have the right to a round the world trip because I will turn 30 in 2008! Actually looking forward to it but there are things i'd like to achieve before reaching that milestone.



"Taaaaaaaangarines...."



So yes, made a beady birthday present for Emma and picked up my copy of Into The Wild which I ordered about 3 weeks back. Bad Macmillan Publishing for giving my local independant bookshop a hard time! They're too nice to get treated that way! bah!



Must go, wash my face, put some moisturiser on and go to bed. Indeed.



Oh, so the vox pop quest from December 1 has been 'how many beady things can I make before xmas?'



This far:



Repaired = 3

Made = 4



Muchos Love to all.

xJ


footnote: Falcon Beach returning to Saturday Morning ABC TV programming today. I was thrilled.
footnote: Falcon Beach also returned to Saturday Morning ABC TV today. I was thrilled.

INTO THE WILD

Jasper and I went to see INTO THE WILD last night.

It was beautiful. We left with red eyes and felt the need to sit and talk for a while.

Thank you Jon Krakauer for the orig narrative in novel form (i'm picking up my copy from the bookshop tomorrow and look forward to devouring it promptly).

Thank you Sean Penn for never letting go of your dream of making this film and creating something spectacular.

Emile Hirsch, you were great at Christopher... i mean Alexander. Supporting cast were also wondeful.

And most of all thank you thank you Christopher McCandless for documenting your journey that allowed all of us to join you... rest in peace.

Please, go and see it. It will change you....

xxJ

Yesterday...

I found out I don't have cancer.

I was relieved.

They also say there is nothing obvious wrong with my leg after having some x-rays and an ultrasound. So I have a referral to a specialist which will probably take several months, and i guess he will send me for an MRI. Excitement plus.

Add sarcasm, stir.

I guess it would just be nice to know exactly what's going on in this here body of mine.

Have a nice day y'all.

xJ

Dub Day Afternoon / Briztronix / Luke Vibert

Oh hello folks, and how are you this fine morning?
me?
well i've got a bodgy hip flexer and stitches, but apart from that, alls well.

so last Saturday i had the pleasure of attending DUB DAY AFTERNOON at the Step Inn. First thing I noticed?! Lots of dreadlocks. I'm a bit fond of them you know (ref. ex-boyfriend idiot extraordinnaire). Also the vibe really was just that everyone seemed chilled and ready to boogie!

Was mainly there to finally see Heavyweight Champion and I wasn't disappointed. It was my first time seeing them (took me long enough). There were some great dub/reggae dj's too and by george the dancing room was H-O-T! Met a few nice folk, had a drink with the boys and had the displeasure of waiting for a taxi at the end of the night. Put out the good karma and shared a cab with someone I'd never met. We talked about how excited we were about the election, even the cabbie.

Can't say I've met anyone really who was disappointed about the election result. I mean there are probably some writhing folk out there (possibly one or two of my workmates). I watched the telecast in an excited state before leaving for the gig. WHOOP WHOOP! About time lil johnny was out of the top job! happy retirement john.

Sunday I went over to Uber for the Briztronix / Luke Vibert gig. Benj was excited that they had new visuals (which were v. interesting by the way). Kiz played some live bass and did a bit of rhyming, however it was mostly instrumental.

*aside* woah, evel knievel died overnight!

So anyhoo, caught up with a lot of folk I hadn't seen in a while and it was just so nice. Lots of the SOOBies and related people. You are all so chilled and nice and supportive of your own kind, and it really was so enjoyable to see you all.

Intended to only go for a few hours with the impending minor surgery the next day, however had too much fun and stayed well later than anticipated. But that's all good, it means I highly enjoyed the whole thing and, let's face it, there's nothing worse than clock watching at a gig because you are bored! And I didn't.

Only caught a bit of Luke Vibert's set (Ninja Tunes label) but he filled the dance-floor very quickly and sounded ace bro!

So that was my lil fun weekend.

The last few days I've been catching up with some of the girls, starting to make beaded things for presents and trying to write a letter to Tank.

Stitches come out tomorrow, they haven't called me to get me in for any results earlier so I am hoping that tests come back negative for anything nasty. So no jumping around at shows for me this weekend. I guess it's Sunday so not much time left anyways!!

Work has been rather stressful of late, and whether or not I can pull another 6 months there I am not sure... we shall see. Just want to save up mad cash before making the final decision about when to go back down South. I will say, though, that I will definatley be in RADs for part of the fringe, and hopefully hopping down to visit some friends in Tasmania as well. Excited about that, it will be my first time in Tassie and I have heard that it is beautiful!

Well y'all have a beautiful day now won't you?!

xxJ

Thank you Australia for making the right choice!!

a few lil points....

ok, so...

1) what's the point in a good economy if the world is going to eat itself in about 40 years or something??
2) can the liberals stop spending my tax dollars on smear campaigning please?!
3) SABRA won the US So You Think You Can Dance! GO SABRA!! Love ya!!
4) I bought a new laptop, it's sweet. Soooo sweet.
5) Jeez, Sims 2 was a big step up from the original (I've had the disc for over 12 months but my old computer wouldn't let me play with it!!)
6) We WALKED AGAINST WARMING... did you?!
7) Seaworld was really fun, LOVE the CorkScrew rollercoaster and they've done a great job with Shark Bay!
8) It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
9) 2008 should see a trip to Tasmania (FINALLY) and back to the RADelaide Fringe, as well as a lil trip to Asia fer sure!
10) Don't forget to vote on Saturday the 24th November!!!

xxJ

baseball & politics!

GO ROCKIES!!! http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=col

Seems the worm overshadowed the actual debate, i do agree with many that Rudd was much better...
http://au.news.yahoo.com/071021/2/14qa7.html?f=mv

meow meow.
xJ

cigarettes and boredom...

y'hello lil land of bloggies...

my favourite new things:

• my CROCS - they're pink! - WASE & TARD bought them for me, they rock!
• beaded necklace the (newly dubbed) princess sam of the good-vibes made, that people keep commenting on...
• would have been the mirrorball in my backyard, but SdaH took it back! Bah humbug!
• the little tea device claire bought over...
• Bryan Ferry's "Let's Stick Together" and Rodrigeuz' "At His Best" recently acquired on vinyl...
• the fact that blogger now autosaves. whoopeee! man how many times have i lost a big post because my computer at home is shizenhousen?!
• Arrested development (still)...
• having to get all your open shoes out cos it's just too darned hot for closed shoes anymore!

stuff and things. even, things WITH stuff.

thank GOD they called the election. they were taking their sweet time. Rudd pronouncing he will ratify Kyoto sells it all for me. Liberal could say whatever they liked, they would still not get my vote. i know i know you aren't supposed to pick sides with politics and leave it unsaid, but i don't really give a rats, because the majority of folk who will read this and know me would have already assumed the aforementioned anyways.

sugar n spice, xJ

ENROL TO VOTE!!

www.aec.gov.au

That's all i have to say.

xJ

todays issue...

to spend $120 on Cyndi Lauper tickets or not to spend $120 on Cyndi Lauper tickets... THAT is the question??

xJ

save zee water...

http://au.news.yahoo.com/060717/2/zt40.html

well i think the above is almost a wee bit o' horse shite, being from down south it's always been an issue... and i can remember bucketing water out of the bath when we were kids on to the lawn, dad installing drip irrigation all over their property, mulching gardens, installing a water tank (and nearly having my toe cut off by a down pipe whilst we were installing it!), and piping said rain water into our laundry and the bathtub as well...

i don't think just our family thought about that stuff 20 years ago...

beautiful beautiful birthday weekend indeed. thank you to all involved.

xJ

Footy and Politics...

http://au.news.yahoo.com/070928/2/14jjp.html

can't wait to see the Get Up campaign add though...

Merry Friday!

xJ

Ok, so the NSBT folk don't completely suck...

they actually called me back a few times cos they are trying to work out WHICH works are the ones we can hear from ours...

turns out this is what's going on....
down the street and around the corner they are excavating for a storm drain... that should be done soon... that's NSBT stuff...
up the end of the street and over a large wall, the Dept Main Roads are fixing something on the busway...
around the corner in the opposite direction they're digging up the road to put in cables and such for a new set of traffic lights... that will be done in about a month (even though the projected was 'late september')... and is under control of the BCC...
and next to the poor gibbonees is a great big fuck off air shaft.... which is NSBT of course...

hey gibbonees, we could fill in the bottom of my place and make new living quarters, cos if that's what i can hear at night, i'd be hurling bottles over that wall of yours and very loudly telling them to stfu!

oh well haven't heard too much the last few days, maybe it was the excavation of the storm water drain, or maybe i just blocked it out of my head with pain killers... either way, kind of SUCKS!!

Oh, STEREO TOTAL were AWESOME, just AWESOME. I bought their new album Paris/Berlin. It is cool.

Happy Birthday to Choppha for last week and thanks for encouraging me to sing as loudly as I could in your loungeroom - mwa, mwa.

that's all folks.
xxJ

North South Bypass Tunnel

Oh lordy, all I want to know is... WHEN WILL THE LATE NIGHT NOISE STOP!!

It's starting to affect my sleep!

So I rang their Project Office and they say 'well the stormwater drainage should be done in a week and the other works are a month or so...' and they also say they will put something in my letterbox.

Cos you can't do roadworks during the day on a main road obviously... that said, they could always encourage people to use public transport or their legs or their bicycles whilst this is going on, do the roadworks during the day, and let us all get some sleep.

You Gibbonees know what i'm talking about!!

ugh, ugh double ugh.
i feel bad for my neighbour and her new bambino!

xxJ

movies n music...

Today I have a sore chest, probably from too many cigarettes.

Over the weekend I watched a few flicks I hadn’t seen before…

Uno: Fast Food Nation
Dos: The Holiday
Three: In Her Shoes

Ended up with two Cameron Diaz flicks in there, not exactly sure how that happened but never mind.

Anyways, I enjoyed them all, and all for different reasons.

Fast Food Nation – primarily about some of the business culture there and not putting the boot into anyone in particular, but good points about the desperation of people et al, poor working conditions, morals…

The Holiday – for Jack Black’s kooky renditions of film scores and Kate Winslets consistent ballsing up (particularly of phone conversations, you know what I’m talking about)…

In Her Shoes – well, for the shoes, but quite heart wrenching story about sisters as well… want to watch it again before I take it back… very good indeed. Love anything with Toni Collette of course.

I am off to Stereo Total this evening, muchos looking forward to it. Though I do feel rather knackered, and am sure that I will feel even more so later tonight…

xJ

selfish prat...

jebus, i probably am you know!!

oh well, fuck it. it occurs to me though that i really had no people truly be assholes to me in RADelaide.

Is it possible that, in this time of large quantities of technology, (shoopy doo wah wah) that people simply don't have good communication skills anymore?

For example, you hear of random stuff like people breaking up with people by text message. For gods sake people, have some balls.

I myself have taken out some long standing anger on someone via e-mail this week. Not necessarily the best way to do it, however I sometimes find it hard to articulate myself. Besides, blurting out what you're thinking when you're angry is not the best thing.

And so I have to enter some thankyous right here:

thankyou to sparkley panda und the monkey for always letting me ring up and talk crap, and consistently putting up with me ringing and leaving messages like 'can i get me some kitty pie?'

lovely judy-face (when i get to speak to her) for mainly the same reason, except usually my messages to her include some barry manilow renditions... that's probably worse than the kitty pie one come to think of it!!

sal & geeom for the chat a few nights ago, and geeom for the additional kicking of my arse at backgammon...

tard & wase, for generally being excellent, for also being super-fans of SYTYCD, and for having bake-offs regarding cookies. mmm cookies.

maria... for telling me stories, taking me to dinner, and letting me occasionally spoil her, listening to wikkid records and watching stupid television and talking late into the night, keeping some of my sanity in tact.

mummy and daddy, lets just say for absolutely everything up until this point...

all the RADelaideans who drop me the occasional line to see what is going on...

BrisneySam for being a dirty great big spunk, for afternoon drinks in the sun, for watching movies and getting totally smashed on white wine with me... and generally being the nicest person ever.

Kiz... for always saying its nice to see my smiling face, telling me i was helpful with radio and giving me huge hugs...

SdaH, even though he has disappeared off the face of the earth lately! hehe.

pavarotti for his excellent talents, may he rest in peace.

the german club, for fine food and beer.

noi, for much the same reason.

lukey, for being a doppelganger.

stuff, things. it's 4:56, it's friday. back to noi i guess. woo!

xJ

revelations...

Ok so… the following thing have occurred to me (and I can’t guarantee they make any sense as yet)…

1) I built my arts/festival network up in RADelaide and then ran away from it. Why is that?
2) Perhaps it’s just that I have to be more selective and not put my hand up for everything, and besides that, not do it when I have a full-time job as well!!
3) If I surround myself with creative types here in Brisbane, hopefully some of their creative energy will wipe back off onto me…
4) I feel like I want to get back into performing and that is scary as hell… it’s been 13 years I think since I stood on stage. Maybe 12… This is part of the reason Adelaide seems such a promising avenue for me. I think no matter what I come up with creatively down there, someone will be bound to appreciate it. I don’t think the folk of Brisbane are quite as open.
5) Perhaps now that I have a job where I am well respected and well paid I feel like I have conquered the administrative world. It certainly hasn’t been that driven by money because I haven’t done any extra study to validate my skills, just learnt as I have gone along. The money thing seems irrelevant if you’re not that excited about work.
6) That said, I do quite like my job and will miss the people I leave behind if/when I decide to frock off. Seems crazy to move back across the country, but I also feel like if I really put my mind to it, I could achieve great things in Adelaide and Melbourne festival scenes. Even if for every one I just co-ordinate volunteers or something. I loved that with SOOB (Straight Out Of Brisbane)

Does any of this make sense to anyone? It’s kind of starting to make sense to me. Thank god for that!

xxJ

things i have been able to do with my lil extra cash influx...

buy myself a bottle of tuaca... mmm...

get a frame for stu's henry rollins poster...

get shuzzbutt a fry & laurie dvd... and some funky fridge magnets
get the monkey a subscription to 'organic gardener'...

donate some money to the rescue helicoper and the rspca...

get my teeth perdified! hehe.

go for lots of cocktails for BrisneySam's birthday...

buy some new work pants...

oh and a tunic...

xJ

My wall by Kirsty and Satta...

alright already....

so, instead of finishing off this work i figure it will take me all of maybe ten minutes to type up something of note for you few that are still keeping your eyes peeled on 'this space' waiting for me to write something of note....

well... here's a few things.

I HEART Arrested Development (the tv show, and why not the band as well).

I still love Hugh Laurie in the pants. They've released several seasons of Fry & Laurie on DVD now. Oh laughed, i laughed, i laughed.

My body hasn't been quite so sore of late, i'm quite happy about that.

I still can't decide if moving back down South is a wise move or not... comments please.

Finally there is some decent rain here in Brisneyland (South East Queensland). Hooray! Maybe my herbs and pineapple and aloe will rejuvenate somewhat.

I bought a new kettle today. Old school style that you put on the cooktop of a gas stove and it whistles at you when it's ready...

I recently saw MACROMANTICS and WOLF & CUB play (not together, although that would be rather sweet). The next gig I've pre-bought a ticket to is NOT justin timberlake, but STEREO TOTAL from Germany. WOO!!!

I have to start being serious about working out and getting toned up because my joints and body will only suffer more if i dont. Besides, it's a pre-requisite of me doing any moving away from this place.

Need to pee. Sorry!...

I still need to get my camera fixed. Though I would also like a digital SLR - yes when all that money flies out of my butt i might get a decent one. However... think a computer first is probably a more wise purchase.

That's all for now.
mwa mwa.
if you happen to read, leave me a msg.

xJ

some pics...

The Petronas Towers - Kuala Lumpur - February 2007

At the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Eliza (Brillig), moi und Heidi.
(Taken by one of the Rip It Up staff - thanks guys!).

RADelaide

oh yes i'm back world of bloggyness...

currently on a visit home to the town i love love love ITS GUTS!
true true, i obviously left for a reason however i'm starting to wonder what the reason was. and true, tis freakn freezing here at the moment...

last night went for a few drinks at the Kool Kat Klub at the Festival Centre for the opening night of the cabaret fest with the gorgeous heidi, elizabeth, matt and kirsty. Then over to the Grace Emily to see Your Motive For and finally had a chat with the drummer from King Daddy showing him footage of their Brisneyland show with Nazz on top of the bar at Ric's. Classic.

In my new lime green trenchcoat (the BEST thing i have ever bought from an Op-Shop) and matching feather boa, trudging around, making matt tell the bartender at the grace he's a dirty great big spunk then having that backfire by having him do it right in front of me!.... hehehe. and getting sick of standing up in heels. would have much rather been in my kermit sneakers. anyhoo...
all a laugh.

it's a credit to Greg et al at the Grace that it's such a fucking good pub. there really is nothing like it that i have come across anywhere else in australia (though i will keep looking because if i could find somewhere like that in brisneyland, i would feel muchos at home).

if you are ever in RADelaide be sure to take a trip down Waymouth Street and have a pint of coopers pale and play some pool at the Grace.
i am sure i will end up back there this evening.

Today i went to visit my grandparents which was lovely and sat around doing a big crossword with mummy for a bit, and am about to sit down and finally watch the first pirates of the caribbean movie.

stuff, things.
i love this city.
tenthousand.
xJ

let me tell someting to choo...

ahh happy feet i love it...

i just wrote this enormous post.
it was awesome.
it was an update.
the fucking computer ate it.
i am not happy.

ugh technology you fucktard!
xJ

malaysia february 2007

The S & M plaza (tee hee) near china town in Kuala Lumpur!!

oh hurry up old computer... you are taking so long to do anything. uh huzzah i say.... blerk blerk blerk.

xJ

Malaysia pics ahoy!

The Batu Caves just outside Kuala Lumpur. Kirsty and I climbed the 272 steps on our first day there. WE ROCK!

More pics soon.

xJ

ok so i suck at reporting on my holiday...

see when i went to the US i had a computer to come back to in the evenings...

i promise more soon.
including pics...
saucy ones.

ooh.
xJ

day two - melaka

melacca or melaka depending which era you would like to represent eh?

the four of us went on a day trip to melacca which is about 2 hours south of KL. we all thought it was a bit of a shame we didnt get to do more exploring because it seemed a very interesting town. we had lunch at king dong (hehe - not really, but thats what kirst misinterpreted it as) which was one of the best meals we had had at that point. spent about half an hour in the vicinity of jonker street, bought the most amazing statue 'one shy man' for 100RM - told you, monopoly money around here! (oh, 200RM is approx $75AUD currently)

stopped at a spot close to the straights of melacca also. short stop in the dutch part of the town where kirsty was game enough to hold an albino snake, well i think she was game until it started constricting on the back of her neck. scary!

also visited st francis xaviers burial place and met a local artist ben who we bought some pics from. i think every time the bus was leaving we were the last two on it, mainly because we were never sure how long we were supposed to be in each place.
the last stop was a local produce spot where i got shauniqua some candy and me some nutmeg oil (supposed to be good for many things including bone related conditions).

funny things about this here country of malaysia:

- noone really takes any care whatsoever when they are driving, it's quite mental!
- there are man whores who offer themselves to aussie tourists... ick!
- to barter is a way of life really...
- you can smoke pretty much absolutely everywhere.
- squat toilets aren't as bad as you think...
- tourists are really dumb with the amount of sun they allow themselves to get exposed to - not us, we're smart
- there hasn't been too much of a language barrier, most people speak at least some english.
- the people are super lovely and accommodating
- it's '50 years of nationhood' for malaysia this year, so come and visit.
- watch out for the curbs... there are ENORMOUS gutters which you could easily fall down - in fact if i stood in one it would probaly be at least up to my neck!
- lots of good food, lots of indian influence, lots of chinese influence...

it's chinese new years tomorrow!
john let off fireworks last night on teh beach - norty.

we are in penang at the moment and there is a muslim temple a few doors away from the hotel, about three times a day we hear the praying coming from the temple and it's quite magnificent, i wish i had something to record it with!

more soon.
xxJ

*sniff, sniff*

ok ok so i forgot my berocca and now i'm paying for it...!!

ok here we go - day one - kuala lumpur - batu caves / chinatown

kirst and i headed off to try and navigate our way on public transport to go see the batu caves, took a lil bit of asking but eventually we worked out local bus 11 went from chinatown and took us directly there.

except the only problem with going through chinatown is the constant 'beauty... bag?'

anyhoo, also managed to find a prepaid sim with company DIGI which has been keeping some of you amused i hope. i would recommend you use that network if you're over here, has been very good.

'beauty.... watch?'

we eventually found the bus stop and headed over to the batu caves, greeted by an enormous golden statue and 272 steep steps up into the temple. We sucked it up and took the stairs pretty well actually. well worth the climb. at about 100 steps your hearts just pounding but after that it was quite ok really.

after playing with some of the monkeys in the cave we had a tour through the dark caves adjacent. about 1/2 a kilometre into the cave, bit of an educational tour about the formations etc, and near the end turning all the lights off to see how dark they really were. i dont think kirst had ever trekked a cave so she was really impressed.

we also had a look at the gallery which some pieces were being re-done and saw some toortles hanging out (thought they were fake at first til one of them moved).

back to chinatown again for shopping.

now seriously you folks, if you want to spend frock all money somewhere come to malaysia. apart from the fact that all the people we have met so far are gorgeous, you can eat, drink and shop relatively cheaply, and found it quite easy to get around KL. their monorail is quite good and costs about 40cents to get on. the bus to the batu caves (bus 11 by the way) cost 2RM... approx 75 cents and it was quite a long way out, so if you dont mind sitting on a public bus do it that way. you dont pay more (well you should refuse to) than 10RM to get a teksi anywhere within the main part of KL.

so much shopping.

went to a street where there are loads of hawkers stalls for dinner on the first day, roaringly late, we couldn't help it!!

i can't remember the name of the street off the top of my head (that's either the nurofen or the stuffed nose talking) but will fill in some blanks when kirst is here later.

more later but so far having a great time, apart from the snot, and taken lots of photos.
when kirst gets back from her jungle walk (i declined today in case i got worse or something and had to slow people up) we are heading over to georgetown as we are now in PENANG!

wheeeeee!!
love ya, miss ya, byeeeee...

xJ

ps. if you are reading leave me a comment pweeze.

apa khabar

let me warn all you aussie travellers about something...

stay away from the SUNWAY LAGOON THEME PARK in Malaysia.

We arrived and thought everything looked sweet. went on two rides and then decided on the Flume. Classic flume, you know, sit in a log, go down, get soaked at the end...

well that all would have been well and good if the ride didn't get stuck for 10-15 minutes... and after yelling Tolong and other related things, noone came to help, we grabbed on to the railing to pull the log ride forward and got it to latch onto the conveyor belt. none of us wanted to get OUT of the log for the electrical cords et al adjacent to the water in the ride... and when disembarking the staff pretty much laughed, asked if we wanted to go again, didn't close the ride to try and fix the problem, then we spent the next hour and half trying to get our money back for the park...

the park itself will be receiving a faily nasty email from me CC'd to whatever relevant malaysian safety authority is around with the hope that they will get someone in there to check there rides. imagine if it was a small child or an elderly person.

the rest of the trip so far has been great, but more on that later. just wanted to warn against dodgy sunway and say SUCKS to them!

More soon. Heading to penang tomorrow.

xJ

yes... i'm still alive...

and i promise to write something of substance in the near future...

however i can report that i am currently going through wearing clothes i havent worn in a while to work out once and for all which things can go to the op shop for someone else to enjoy, which things actually still fit me... etc etc.

and i'm getting beItta at hacky.

that's all for now. at work. best behave eh?
xJ

i love my job...

i really do... but it must be the thought that very soon i will have ten whole days off that makes me feel not particularly motivated...

my workmate thinks i trust to much sometimes, trust to much in the good in people, when they're likely to shit all over you. i think that shows no faith in humanity whatsoever... either that or a lot of past hurt.

the thing is, if you don't allow yourself to be kind and to like somebody for exactly who they are, then how can you expect it back? if you don't respect someones need for you, or need to be alone, or need to be irresponsible or need to put you back in your place then sure, you may get burned once in a while, but will you ever have any real friends without allowing someone the freedom to muck up every now and again?

everyone learns from mistakes, and sometimes you have to be hurt to make someone remember that.

i am not hurting now, but one friendship i have is eventually going to keehaul me, i know it.

i was really angry at myself this afternoon, because whilst thinking about something else and doing some filing at work, i kicked an archive box that was under a table and my knee popped again. i was like 'brilliant! two months of pain and it nearly being back to normal and i have to fuck it up again'...
i was really angry with myself and canned plans to walk home with my other workmate, which i do regularly as we live in the same area. i thought i should get on a bus, but decided against it. walked all the way home, worked up a sweat, had a cold shower, sat around, began to feel better. it's less painful now, but that could be the anti-inflammatories...

i haven't been sleeping very well lately which could be attributed to a number of things. the sun coming up at 4am (yes 4AM! SUX!), not working hard enough at the end of my day to tire my body so that it needs rest... never ending thoughts, thousands swirl and tumble within my head, as they do to most of you i am sure.

i feel like being ridiculous irresponsible this weekend as King Daddy from my home town of RADelaide will be gracing the stage at the Troubador on Friday. Maybe i will be ridiculously irresponsible, as long as my friend is there to hold me upright i should be fine.

I can't wait for my adventure o/s in february... and no kirsty, i'm still not telling you where we are going!!

if you're reading, leave me a comment kids.
love ya GUTS!
xJ

some news...

so i'm not going home for kweznus BUT i'm going to Asia in February!
I can't say where because it's a secret from Kirsty but let's just say it will be totally RADtastic!

Saw Cornelius last night at the opening of the Gallery of Modern Art here in Brisbane. Haven't managed to go have a proper look around as yet at the gallery itself but what i did see was impressive, and it's HUGE! So do yourself a favour and check it out.

Best be off to get in the shower and stuff and things... walked all the way home from the cultural centre last night because there were no freakn buses, got invited to stop in at chalk by some random dude on the street... they all seemed nice enough, but i'm not really a chalk girl unless it's during the day for a foccacia and coffee!

xJ

crikey that took ages to load up...

excuse me whilst i ramble...

the weather is hot. i can hear the roar of the ashes crowd at the Gabba from my place. i should dance around and pretend they are cheering for me. australia is apparently kicking a lot of pommie arse. well good for them.

my energy levels are low, lasting only just through the PREFERENCE EP Launch last night at the basement. i thought some more about my knee issue and when visiting the osteo last week i commented that i'd noticed the veins on the back of my left leg are quite a lot more prominent than the ones on the right leg. osteo agreed. i figure that possibly the busted disc in my spine is cutting the blood flow to the lower half of the left side of my body more than the right...

which would mean the seemingly small incident that caused my knee issue, had it been the right leg probably would have done jack shit.

i've been doing many floor exercises and stretching, along with situps and push ups to start to strengthen my body to help me along. it's frustrating with the knee business, but i feel like at least i can do something.

did i saw i saw little miss sunshine recently? well i did with cuchulain and it was freakn hilarious!

berocca is my friend.

i want to hear from my friends.

i feel particularly isolated at the moment. i'm not sure why that is. could be the health stuff.

i'm seeing the dentist again soon for the first lot of two treatments on my gums. i'm kind of glad when i'm seeing these professionals that they're finding stuff they can help me work on. because i figure one more health thing treated is one less to worry about. and it will allow me to focus on the whole body stuff. i'm seeing a wholistic dentist now, and i appreciate the way they do things for sure. they are taking into consideration my whole body and what's going on.

i wish i could stop smoking, just like that. why is it harder now when it matters the most?

i should return those shoes i bought a month or so ago. because i haven't worn them and they totally suck arse.

i want a hug... from the best known huggers around... where the fuck are u when i need one?
theres something to be said about a good hug.

i bought a muppet show dvd (first 24 episodes ever) for $20. i am trying not to spend money on such things, but it was too much of a bargain to turn down.
xJ

jebus where do i start?

i guess right here huh?

firstly i must put some thankyous in here to the folk who have been kind to me in recent times:

Scottie the hottie for being one of the best folk in the known universe...
Polly pokkit for listening to me any time i need her to and keeping me sane...
The Jasperian for entertaining me and somehow reminding me that i'm still young and silly even though i'm now old...
Shazzy G and Judes for always letting me ring RADelaide and ramble til my face swells up and my head explodes...
My workies for also showing concern and being nice folk, even when we're all working considerably hard at present...

A couple of months ago, my left leg started feeling all random. It didnt hurt at the top of my leg, but seemed to skip and go straight to my calf. Kind of tingly and making me walk wobbly. I had an osteo treatment lined up and so went along to which simoni stated that it was weird because there's nothing really connecting your back or whatever to that particular part of your leg.
I then went to the doctor to ask the same question, to which he looked at the 'map' of the human body on the wall and stated a similar thing.
Also, usually when i get body pain it's not in my leg.
So i was sent for a CT Scan and blood tests to check out what was going on in there.

In my lower spine they found a protruding disc at L5 (lumbar 5) which is right down the bottom of your spine, yummy.
To which the doctor replied 'short of cutting your spine open there's not a whole lot they can do... it's up to you to get as strong as you can to support your spine and be aware that you'll occasionally have to deal with some pain...'
which is fine i can deal with that. they're not touching my spine unless it starts really impairing me walk, and even then, i'm not sure i'd let anyone go in there.

I didn't get the blood tests for about another 3-4 weeks cos i went to radelaide et al and was busy with work and such, and the place i had to go you can't make appointments you just have to rock up and hope there's not a queue. After having said tests, returned to doctor where he announced one positive test. The marker that can appear in some folks blood known as HLA B27 was found. It can mean one of many conditions, or nothing at all. I mean i'd say in my case it's going to be bone related, however this marker can appear in approximately 10% of normal people as well.

more soon.
xJ

A weekend in RADelaide…. Oct 6 to Oct 10 2006

“sky rockets at night…. babaBoooo…. Afternoon delight…. Ah-aaa, afternoon delight…”

Top 5 sucky things about the weekend…

1. Black & White cabs – you’d think that ordering a cab 12 or so hours before pick up to get you to the airport the following morning would mean they would turn up on time, nay, early to get you. It was not to be. Sucks to be you black & white cabs, I will never use you again, and I’ll be writing to you shortly to ask you to refund the $160 we had to pay to get our flights changed (see number 2)
2. QANTAS – refusing to let Sammi and I on the plane because we had arrived approximately 1-2 mins after the cut off time… (apparently anyways) not even “the cab never showed” followed shortly by “its my birthday and im a frequent flyer” helped… nothing. Now I understand security policy and all, but being told it “doesn’t matter who you are or what day it is” is UNCOOL! Also having to pay an extra $81.10 each to fly through Melbourne with an hour and a half stopover is particularly stupid.
3. Little Isaac being stung by a bee! Yowch! Try telling a three year old that the bee has gone when all he can associate with the bee is PAIN…
4. Not getting to see Luke (x2), Woody or Philo and missing Annie by a day!
5. Drunken arguments anyone?

Top 5 yummy food experiences of the weekend…

1. Chocolat (Rundle Street)…. Oooh, ahhhh, look at that glass menagerie of chocolate over there…. Mmm coffee….. three of them… actually two and an iced tea. Very norty. But the company was nice.
2. Jerusalem (Hindley Street)…. Mmmm sheskabab, hommous, tabouli, tasty bread, falafel…. And nice company… whee!
3. Dulwich Bakery (Stuart Road, Dulwich)…. Still the best tuna and potato goulash-type pies in the entire WORLD! And more nice company…
4. My home made Jules n Trav breakfasts!! Much reminiscent speak about the night before…
5. Sliced fruit and barbeque rice thingys and champagne on my last night…. Thanks Koz for the chinwag.

I’m not sure if I have top 5 gigs but…

1. WOLF & CUB – you roxxors my boxxors
2. Comedy and music at Rhino

xJ

some pics... promise to be back soon properly...

Recently visiting Brisneyland, say Bonjour to Guillaume on his RACQ man tour!!


me playing merch bitch to novi split at SOOB 2006 - The Globe

xJ

RADelaide...

Friday... missed the plane, had to go through melbourne and pay an extra $80...
no kudos to black and white cabs for not being on time, and no kudos to qantas for having someone who says 'it doesnt matter what day it is or who you are?' to me on my birthday!

met the spud for the first time, what a cutie pie.
saw the much older, walking and kinda talking coco.
went to comedy at rhino with Nash and Rohan and Danielle. Had a silly drunken time.
more soon.

xJ

i want to know something....

since WHEN are stayfree tampons cooler than your mum??

xJ

ps. for those overseasies... australian feminine hygiene ads continue to get worse!

i have to have a CT scan tommorrow...

so that perhaps they'll find out whats making my legs tingle and hurt... in my spine.

Oh goody!
xJ

so, i finally had another dream about someone famous...

...second one ever me thinx... but lets be fair, i did watch too many episodes of "House" this weekend.

yes season 1 is now in my ever growing collection of film and television masterpieces, and the famous person in question of course was Hugh Laurie.

Now may i say that in no way was it a norty dream, but more about watching him act, because I have great respect for him.

Who would have thought, from blackadder to winning over american audiences...

Now if only i could have a norty dream about a person i'd really like to do squidgy things with, that would be splendid!

*nyuk*
xJ

what is it with this universe...

slowly torturing me!!

i swear to god, if this world keeps bringing folk into my life, even when they're just friends, and ripping them off me again and sending them back to where ever they live i am just going to scream!

Why can't ALL the good people i love be in the same place?!
xJ

SOOB... what day are we on again?

Ok so it was totally my intention to post something every day of the wild and wonderful things I have been seeing and doing but i am just tooo busy sleeping, cleaning, running around and being helpful etc etc etc.

last night we had the DAMN BIG HIP HOP SHOW with some great sets from Macromantics, Liones, Chasm & Mantra and the Optimen. Much fun was had by all, especially those that like a wee bit of a boogie.

Tonight I'll be stationed at Globe for Some Folk's Music... should be a fantastic night!

Bless my boss for giving me time off for the festival, bless him indeed.
xJ

SOOB Day One

well greetings and saluations from brisneyland, the land of SUN SUN SUN!
It is the middle of winter, right? It astounds me. We're having perfect 25 degree days with not a cloud in the sky. Mother Nature must have decided to shine down on SOOB...

Last night we looked after some of the proceedings for the Medical Records - All Ages Showcase at Juggler's Art Space.

The Understudy was great. Just a girl and her guitar, and occasionally her harmonica. Really mellow moving songs with an audience of around 50 sitting quietly indulgent on the floor.

The Ambitious Lovers used things you can find around the home (fly swats as drum sticks anyone?!) and a ukelele to produce some quirky and sometimes insightful tunes.

The Rational Academy took the stage to a partially dancing crowd...

Novi Split was gorgeous ("oh youre gorgeous") and was accompanied on a few songs by a local violinist. An impromptu cover of Weezers Janie with the singer from Rational Academy ensued as well as a cover of Crazy (Beyonce - like you've never heard her before) and some fantastic originals, finished off with a hymn.

I've given his CD two listens already today. Is that too much?

Purchase number uno:
Two Novi Split albums and a shirt for NASH (yeh Nash, I mean you, well obviously) and kindly given a new demo disk (teeny tiny) and a rainbow Novi Split badge, now proudly displayed on my bag o' badges.

Turnpike finished off the night, sweating all the way. I think they were great at SOOBiesta and also great last night.

That's all from me, and that's all from him.
xJ

A "P" Party

Last night we celebrated Eric's 30th with a P themed party!

There were pirates, parrots, prostitutes, and pimps of course, police women, poison ivy, the prince of darkness and me dressed primarily in purple!

Even the police turned up because we were making so much noise. P for Police! and don't we love them.

xJ

i come home...

i inject my body with sugar and nicotine...
and i get back on the computer to coordinate the volunteers for Straight Out of Brisbane 2006!!

People have asked me why I put my hand up and just volunteer for stuff, others have said they've never met anyone like me whose happy to just help out.

Well I'll tell you why...

You always learn something
You always make a new friend
You always feel good when it's over

That's why.
xJ

black books...

erin was kind enough to lend me all 3 seasons of black books. god i LOVE it. Sooooo funny.
Dylan Moran your a freaking genius! And you look pretty darned good too.

We're so blessed to have several things in this country... apart from sunshine... they are:
the amount of british comedy we get to watch

and secondly:
entire asian grocery isles in supermarkets!

it was so hard to find rice paper in the states - i think of it every time i go to buy some here... that were so lucky to have the asia-pacific influence in foods and all the good british comedy!

had a pretty huge night celebrating sals bday last night, getting home somewhere in the vicinity of... well... the suns coming up pretty soon.

went to simpatico in paddington (great food), followed by maggie bears in milton, some party in highgate hill, then a mates place a few blocks away where we had late night violin recitals, fish watching and a whole bunch of people in the same bed (and no, it's not what you think - it was simply cold! hehe!)

avalovelyweek all!
xJ

it's so windy today i'm sure there are leaves in my car!!

yes, still no fixee of zee broken electric windows in the car... but i can now afford to get them fixed, so shall be doing so in due course - pre festival certainly.

i've just been reading pipstars battlecat.net trying to catch up on those folk i feel like i am neglecting. she writes so beautifully. i used to, until this thing called corporate world caught up with me. My days are filled with dealing with lots of rich arseholes primarily, who dont like adhering to legislation and couldnt care less if you have to get Committee approval for something and then whine when you tell them they have to undo the thousands of dollars of work they've done on something...

And when these buttheads ring i think... isn't there something a little bit more important going on in the world? Dont you care that people are being blown up in foreign countries for some random reason that noone can quite figure out? arent you pissed you didnt win big brother? do you care that they're trying to pass a random legislation taking away land from aboriginals AGAIN!?

These callers... they're unreasonable folk, mostly i'd like to box their ears or at least tell them what i think of them.

i saw SHOPGIRL this week, and though i wanted MORE of jason schwartzman and LESS of steve martin, it was quite a good film because it was hard to tell what was going to happen with it. Did i already write about this? I feel like I did...

Anyhoo, this evening we are going to dinner to celebrate Miss Sallie's birthday, which isn't until Monday but we don't care.

I think I shall do some washing and then maybe play with my herb garden and get rid of earlier said leaves that are probably invading it as well and not helping the growth of the rejuvenated parsley and garlic chives!

I love you pipstar. Enjoy your travels lady.
xxJ

Buck 65...

so let me update you on my second buck 65 experience. i bought my dancing-friend olson a ticket just because i wanted someone to go with who would dance, without even knowing or realising that he himself is a huge fan of buck's... i knew there was some reason i liked him.

anyways, so we hooked up early on at rics in the valley and sunk a few pints (maybe more than a few) before heading over to the rev to see the man himself.

the supports were two of my favourite aussie groups... CURSE OV DIALECT - oh it's been so long, and THE BIRD - who i'd seen this year already with handsome jon and scottie the hottie.

Curse KICKED as usual pumping out some tracks I hadn't heard before and some old faves, dressed to the nines as usual... if you call black plastic and nationality/country-specific costumes the nines that is. I LOVE THEM! I LOVE THEM I LOVE THEM TENTHOUSAND! STILL! after all this time, they still kick. It reminded me of my last few electro-fuelled years in RADelaide and how i must thank benjamin and tyson for introducing me to CURSE so long ago!

THE BIRD have changed somewhat from when i saw them originally at rhino. I mean they're still certainly dance-able but the sound has changed somewhat. There used to be way more focus on just drums, but they've expanded a bit. However they're knowledge of different types of music is really astounding and they drop in plenty of different sounds from all over the globe. Well rounded lads indeed!

RICH (Buck) took the stage and I lost all sense of concentration on anything but the man himself. He really is quite mesmerising and it's not just about his dashing good looks. He can captivate and audience, fully entertain them on his own. But THEN, but THEN he brings his best friend Claire up on the stage who recorded with him on the Secret House album. She was amazing, long flowing dark hair, dancing around with no shoes, singing in french and english and generally blowing everyone away.
I managed to take some snaps with my shitty motorola and surprisingly they worked reasonably well. I would have taken my SLR for sure but the damn thing seems to have siezed up. Could be the cold, could just be that i need a new camera or it needs a service. I also nabbed about a minute of video footage of a new song (spread your legs) said to be taken from a new album. Oh hallelujah! He could release as many albums at Ed Keupper and I'd be the happiest girl in the world!

Sam also joined us for the festivities as did Lee and a few other folk too. Sam was a BUCK virgin and also highly enjoyed the festivities.
I want him back! I want him back RIGHT NOW! to play another show. I hope he returns sometime soon. With a new album who knows.

And now that there's a new peaches album... i hope a tour is on the cards for her as well.

*swoon* Rich, *swoon* indeed.
And had i found that old radio interview from three d from 2004, i would have come up and said hi and shoved a copy in your hand for momento's sake.
I love your GUTS! Always!
xJ

well i would LOVE to win a trip to Fiji QANTAS...

but who would i take?

Yes I'm back from blogging hiatus because i actually have a partially set up office now in preparation for my responsibilities as Volunteer Coordinator for Straight Out of Brisbane festival which is creeping up particularly quickly... by the way if you're interested in helping out, please get in touch!

I'll do an a-z, that's the easiest way to get around an update on all things jules related...
A - A new red shirt, my favourite article of work/social clothing. I love it when they can cross over as such!
B - Buck 65!! I saw him again!! *swoon*
c - Call THAT a snog?! I don't.
D - DEEP BLUE, Sallie, Danielle and Dave performed in this outstanding Brisbane Festival Show... which scottie the hottie and i were lucky enough to see last Tuesday!
E - Erin and I had breakfast at (guess where?) Tongue and Groove - cos it was her birthday and we love the brekkie there and quality uninterrupted julie-erin catch up time.
F - Fucktards! The world is filled with them. But some pleasant folk as well thankfully!
G - German Club... spent the last two fridays drinking erdinger and stuffing my face with Bratwurst there. Suits my surname to a tea.
H - Harem turkish restaurant - we're going there for dinner tonight, me and some work mates and their respective other halves...
I - I'm in print! Again! See page 26 of issue 651 of scene for my mug shot with Benjamin from SOOB and some random handsome fellow whose name I forget but who I will probably meet again at the festival somewhere!
J - Janet... big Janet actually. My aunt came to visit! Well she came for a conference but I got to see her. It was great.
K - Kan't think of a K thing!
L - Loz is back for a couple weeks from RADelaide.
M - Men! Can I have a decent one please?
N - Nobody smokes here... anymore... nooooo mooooree (well i have been but they banned smoking in qld in anywhere eating related or pubs etc)
O - Don't mention the O-man, please!
P - Party at Stuii's - it was ace, filled with laughter at issue 100 of FHM magazine and their tips for spicing up your sex life, some ping pong, and some GUITAR HERO!!
Q - Questionable! Brokeback Mountain - it just made me think of that line from tripods tosswinkle show... "i'm close enough to slap ya! if you want rough love, come on!" not particularly romantic or a pleasant film, however the scenery was fantastic and I have to finally give heath ledger some credit for something. Cos I do truly ordinarily think he's shit.
R - Renovations - well the latest is that I painted the entry wall in my house a nice green colour... and rearranged the whole place to boot!
S - SOOBIESTA! at the Jubilee, I managed the green room with Derryn. It was tres fun.
T - Talk is cheap!
U - Uhhhh....???
V - Victoria... the Spiegeltent that's here for the brisbane festival. We saw a lunchtime freebie there.
W - Work has improved. I got some good news, and things are feeling much better in this regard.
X - X-rated. If only my life was more so!
Y - Yellowstone National Park - I'd like to go there.
Z - Zelda - haven't played that game in ages, would be good to give it a crack again!

xJ

ok a few things...

i shouldnt have to be subjected to:
a) the new pearl jam song
b) a drunken 'friend' staring straight down my top
c) fucktards at bars harrassing loads of chicks and me having to have them removed by the bouncer
d) work colleagues thinking its cool that one of them punched the other one in the face and telling me about it when i didnt even ask to hear about it... they can frock off tenthousand.

this world is starting to really aggrevate me and i dont like feeling this way. hmph.

was a marshal for the pride march to fair day yesterday and had a really great time, dressed in pink, of course!!
yay scottie, you did good!

if i dont see my favourite person today i will simply burst, because i think it would make me feel a whole lot better than i currently do.

xJ

so I'm reading Dead Famous...

by Ben Elton at the moment and it's kind of a crack up and is satisfying my reality tv fixation without me having to watch any reality tv. which is great really cos this years series of bb has let me down big time. i mean it's been a long time coming really as it's been slowly going down-hill.

bring back the biggest loser immediately please. "OH YOURE GORGEOUS!!"

and i even missed the finale of the amazing race. i hope the hippies won, they cracked me up.

apart from those two programs, reality stuff doesnt interest me any more. which is a darned good thing. i'd rather go out and kill my brain cells with alcohol to be quite frank.

friday we headed into the Powerhouse for the Pride Festival Launch. One of my closest friends is on the Committee that organises the festival so we went to show our support for a job well done.

peter sellars 'the party' was being projected on the wall of the powerhouse which was pretty spectacular, and there was loads of colour, sparkles and fine people about. all good fun.

then i went to the story bridge hotel. remind me to never never go there again.

The next weekend shall be particularly boring because i am running out of pay cheque (damn getting paid monthly is KILLING me... softly)... how un-fun. Wish there was a boy around here somewhere *scratching head* - hmmm.... *searches under the futon*... no didnt leave one there...

xJ

oh yeh ok...

last sunday i see... i am so scattered and such, as another weekend has been and gone already!
LAST SUNDAY: Zhivago play their first of four sundays at Uber in West End...
My new favourite person (yes, same as the previous one) who finally got back from Canadia and I drank a whole lot of beer (apparently it was only two though... *scratching head*) and then went to Chalk and bitched about how shite it was so went back to mine and watched I HEART HUCKABEES cuddled up under some blankets.

Exactly what I needed - a cruisey sunday arvo of catch-up.

This weekend was odd, apart from going to the races which i dont think i've done in like 5 years, went to the RE then into the Troubador for Charles Foster Kane, over to NY Slice and then GPO, tired and weary headed home.

xJ

after skimming over spoz's blog...

i feel I can't out-do him but I can at least give it a go...

Friday night... Pol's running late... we swing past the Snotcluster to return DVD's and grab energy drinx.... Pol sez "oh your joking, you legend" or something to that effect...
we drive to broadbeach... actually not really having any idea where we are going IN broadbeach, but hey, it's friday and it's an adventure...

we are looking for the blues on broadbeach festival to go visit pol's old pal chubby rae (aka Merissa) and her band, see her wail and inspire young girls all wearing stripes...

We watch some of edwin holt and renee geyer and head over to the broadbeach tavern, where our usually local MOJO WEBB is playing with band. It's very strange the broadbeach tavern, especially the fact that there are pictures of pauline hanson (eek!) and paul keating (not quite as bad) side by side on the wall... dodge-o-rama.

spent til approximately - well who knows what time... there, and then on to conrad jupiters... open 24 hours a day... and huge but particularly unexciting... so i drank with newly acquired friend andyroo at the bar and ran around the casino exploring.

we had to be out of the hotel reasonably early so got our sorry asses out of bed not too long after we seemed to get in there, and staggered into the sunshine muttering things like 'breakfast'... but not after smashing a bottle of nail polish on the balcony and singing songs from 'o brother where art thou?'...

had a HUGE breakfast at the coffee club and some nice conversation as well... hung around to see blind lemon and then frocked off back to brisneyland.

more on the hilarity and absolute bliss of my weekend shortly...
xxJ

what an unusual weekend....

the blues on broadbeach festival...

Blind Lemon

Chubby Rae and the Elevators

xJ

found this on my puter...

it's from the 3rd march 2006 but i never posted it... and i have no idea what i intended the title of the post to be either... suggestions welcome...

"and so bad and too affectionate and too silly indeed!

Last Saturday Sallie and I were torn as to whether or not to go out. In the end we went to the Rev to see The Gin Club, Iron On, Intercooler and the Giants of Science.

Didn't much like Iron On but the other three bands rokt.

And I made a new friend... the kind of new friend you're proud of... one that has a mutual respect for you and likes a little bit of silliness and will dance with you and give you hugs. One who's around my age and seems to be in a similar situation to me. I like making new friends a whole bunch!

And we were so trawling for boys... dirty slappers.

ah ha ha ha.

Got home at 4am after dancing away several hours at the troubador... great venue."

xJ

that's it! I'M OUT OF THE GANG!!

After the very unusual week I've had I may have well decided that I'm going to throw myself out of the gang and become a citizen of the world...

I had an anxiety attack on monday... told you i was having murmurs in there!! It feels like someone has wrapped a string around your heart and is giving it a tug periodically...

It was triggered by someone where i work speaking to me in a certain way... on top of having lots of 4 day weeks (cramming more work into shorter periods of time), interruptions because of a computer upgrade and various other things... having someone you work with speak down to you like you're the help or a piece of shit is disgraceful. I just want to go to work and do my job.

Anyhoo, so after this feeling not going away for a day and a half i was talked into going home... i then saw a doctor who confirmed anxiety attack... gave me some valium and asked me to come back in a week-ish... so I had 2 1/2 days off total...

I found it really frustrating because I thought how dare I let someone else work me up like that so badly... but then again, they don't have the right to speak to me in such a manner anyways...
I know it's the fact that they are miserable in their life. I wish they'd frock off but at this stage it doesn't look like it. At least it's been brought to the attention of our management. I mean it's a litle like bullying really, and if it happens again i'll make an official written complaint...

so anyhoo, i have decided i think that i want to become a citizen of the world no doubt. go and help out doing volunteering in some places and exploring...

more on this later.
xJ

a long time between taylor-mades...

which is a fine, fine thing... must be more than two months now since i bought a packet of cigarettes. I rock tenthousand.

Also a long time between posts and it seems like a long time since the world slowed down...

Olson asked me the other day what i'd been doing for the last five weeks... i thought ... hmm... what have i been doing?

when in reality i have done some way fun and crazy things indeedily doodily.

including painting 3 walls of the study, getting what i'm calling "heart murmurs" because of work, becoming more aquainted with Jasper which i've really enjoyed, and had loads of decent conversation... yelled "YOURE GORGEOUS" at the last episode of THE BIGGEST LOSER and bought some old department of foreign affairs INTERROGATION CHAIRS... well more like waiting room chairs.. but INTERROGATION CHAIRS sounds way more exciting and fun filled...

Oh and the PRODUCERS finally came out on DVD. I've been hanging for it and the FAMILY STONE to come out. I'll get the FAMILY STONE next week for sure. i heart the producers indeed. how classic mel brooks, it makes me want to go rent BLAZING SADDLES cos I don't reckon I've seen it in at least ten years...

xJ

haven't been exactly informative lately have i?

Well I guess all I can say is that it's coming up to a 4 day long weekend off of work which shall be sweet cos I get paid just before it and can buy all the housey stuff i want like a new computer desk and stuff and things...

was in RADelaide last weekend for my life-long friend Rebecca's wedding. I felt kind of weird because she has nursed out in the country for some years now, and we speak very infrequently so I dont' really know the guy she married. and i was feeling all conjested because my nose doesn't like adelaide weather (aka hayfever capital of australia).

Friday in RADelaide consisted of me going 'whoopee I'm not at work' a whole bunch of times, sitting at the t-bar for several hours (of course), going to Worlds End for wedges, beer, garlic bread and pool, going via the myer centre to find icecream, an atm and some fragrance (trav you smell most handsome!) and on to the grace emily for some more beer, some more pool and further fine company. If my phone was connecting to the computer properly then I'd be able to post some pictures. frocking technology.

the rest of this week has been consumed with playing the waiting game for little spudley! panda and the monkey have been patiently waiting also, and after 67 hours in labour he entered this world... with an exhausted panda and a broken monkey obviously relieved.

bravo to the newest member of the revolution...!!

now i know this isn't particularly complete information but i am currently fighting off a cold, considering going up to the 'newest' shopping centre around here to find hot cross buns and some juice/vegies etc to fight off the cold. *bash*.... *wallop*

and my new favourite person is still in canada! *hmph*

xJ

minx theory...

ok, i have a new theory... well who knows if it's a theory, what defines a theory anyways, does it have to have plausible... erm... cause... something to finish it... to proove it??

anyways, my new theory is that i meet boys at totally inopportune times... inopportune.... hmmm may not be the word but... examples:

a) skinny white boy, 22, met him last November, is an old housemate of my friends old fuckbuddy.... yeh gets all 22 on me and goes 'im hung up at the moment...' and where i know its pretty much because he wants to do well at uni this year... i'm like 'boring!'
b) helicopter technician, 26, my new favourite person and dancing buddy... goes to canadia to see ex-gf and other mates for five weeks leaving me with noone to dance with!
c) other drinking buddy... goes to work in another state for about 3 out of every 4 weeks... now whose supposed to hold me upright in the pub??

i am tainted, or jinx, or something, but i'm still the naughty little minx according to my gay-bf so i will just have to go out there and find someone who doesnt have hang-ups or ex-gfs that they go to visit or have to be away for 3 weeks outta 4...

xJ

*purrr*

just a few places i have been to in the last few weeks...

the rev
the troubador
ric's
the crepe cafe
the pineapple hotel
the oxford at bulimba
the three monkeys
yullahs
st arnou's bar - eagle st pier

nice one.
more soon.
but a few things right now...
i have a new favourite person and he's my favourite because he cracks me up, he'll dance with me, and sloth around with me, and he is friendly and nice.
it doesn't mean i love anyone else less, but he's my new favourite, i hope that's okay...
he helped me to remember not to smoke... somehow, i'm not entirely sure how, but now i am coming into the end of one month of not smoking, and that makes me happy...

xJ