Carl Williams' Coffin

So, the fat man,Big Carl Williams-got what was coming to him. Live by the sword,die by the sword.
But what's with the big gold coffin? Very woggy and not to mention-extremely tacky.

Kind of reminds me of this;

The man had no charms so these might help him in the next life.

Uptown Jazz Wednesdays

My friends,Stacey & Caroline or as we like to call ourselve-Las Chicas del Musica Jazz- have taken to frequenting the Uptown Jazz bar on Brunswick St, Fitzroy to see a bebop band called Bop Stretch.
It also means we indulge in too much alcohol and have way too good a time. Oh, life is so difficult at times...

Uptown Jazz.. have yourself a boppin' good night

The Sweaty Toothed Mad Man Speaks

O Me! O life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d,
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,


The question, O me! so sad, recurring-What good amid these, O me, O life?
Answer.


That you are here-that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

Nice one Walt Whitman

Cold Weather At Last

It was so lovely and cold last night. I woke up and it was still cold. Thank you God!

Anyone who knows me knows I hate hot weather and especially humidity with a passion. I can almost hear the coats in my wardrobe singing- knowing that soon they will be worn and shown off for the little beauties that they are.

The only thing is that I have to put up with whiny maggots whinging how much they hate Winter and they miss the beach.

Fuck off and shut up.

Viva el Invierno!!!

Sweaty

I'm so fucking sick of this tropicalesque weather. Along with being menopausal, it's a nightmare.
I feel like a walking sauna.

To top things off, I bought an ice cream at lunch time which fell on my top. I'm going to look like a derro at Uptown jazz tonight.

Poo bum and damnit- I'll have to have a martini now to calm my dented ego.

Niagara Exhibition Opening At Outre Gallery

Niagara with MM and lovely gal named Rakkel. She let me bum a couple of smokes.

Bless you love.

The Artist with some adoring punters

MM with Niagara. She loved me..

Niagara with Rakkel next to the print I bought.

The purchased print. I should get it this week. Oh joy oh yayness!

Cinema Margarita-Inglorious Basterds

Cinema Margarita- films watched by moi on a lap top in bed.

I know I'm about half a year late writing about this one but I watched this film last night for the second time and loved it. I bet a lot of Jews loved this film and the feeling -even if only cinematically-of revenge.

The characters were well crafted and acted, the look very stylish,the violence graphic and frightening. The soundtrack-as usual- was first rate. Of course the clothing-being the 1940's- is sublime. So love that era.

Love him or hate him- Quentin Tarantino is a film maker you can't ignore. He wears his influences on his sleeve and I love him for it. If you saw the documentary 'Not Quite Hollywood', you'll know one thing-that man knows his shit.

The Fat Of The Land

Was having my morning latte getting some news from the appalling 'Sunrise' program when they reported the following story;


An obese mother in the US is trying to put on weight in order to become the world's fattest woman.


Donna Simpson, from New Jersey, weighs 273kg but told the Daily Mail newspaper she had her heart set on reaching her goal weight of 1000lb (450kg) in two years.

The 42-year-old already holds the title of the world's fattest mother after giving birth to her daughter in 2007 when she weighed 241kg.

"I'd love to be 1000lb ... it might be hard though, running after my daughter keeps my weight down," Ms Simpson told the Daily Mail.

Ms Simpson, who needs a mobility scooter to go shopping, eats huge amounts of junk food each week and tries to move as little as possible so she doesn't burn off as many calories.

"I do love cakes and sweet things, doughnuts are my favourite," she said.

Ms Simpson said she also loved eating sushi and would often eat 70 big pieces in one go.

Her 49-year-old partner Philippe — who she met on a dating site for plus-size people — was encouraging her to reach her goal, she said.

"I think he'd like it if I was bigger ... he's a real belly man and completely supports me," she said.

To put on enough weight, Ms Simpson will need to eat 12,000 calories a day, which is six times the recommended daily intake for women.

In order to pay for the enormous amounts of food she is eating — her weekly grocery bill is $815 — Ms Simpson makes money by running a website where men pay to watch her consume fast food.

 The first thing I thought of is 'some people will do anything to get on television' and then I remembered a documentary that was on SBS a few years ago about people who have a fetish for obesity. When they showed her partner being interviewed and stating how he fully supports this, I thought 'BINGO'- he's a 'feeder' and gets a total boner watching her wobble around the house. He'll be spraying his shorts when she gets to 1000 pounds and can't move. She's already getting around on motorised bike thing that is usually reserved for disabled people.

This situation is wrong on so many levels. Despite her lack of self esteem, waste of money spending over $800 a week on food (!) and the detriment to health, she is a complete drain on society and the medical system. She'd better have some first class health insurance that covers her. If that partner of her's truly loved her, he wouldn't allow her to kill herself because he finds obesity a total sexual turn on.

Love is strange.

New Blog

I've been writing a cookbook in my head for about 5 years. That's exactly where it's stayed. After watching 'Like Water For Chocolate' for the umpteenth time, I figured it was time to start writing my 'head notes' out.

So I've begun a new blog- you can read it here.

I hope you'll follow and perhaps learn something.

I Miss.....

Tango. I miss it a lot. I've had a break from it because it was making me sick. I hate how some people take it so freakin' seriously to the point of becoming elitist.

I need to discover a way where it's special for me. Where it's a quiet fire within me. Without listening to the negativity and the grief of other. Without absorbing the politics. After being on that side of things for so long, I feel I can finally turn my back on the crap and walk in the light and beauty of tango.

Seeing how tango truly is whilst in Buenos Aires was a revelation. It was wonderful to understand and feel it's simple truth. Tango is a man and the rest of us are women- getting frustrated about why he doesn't do what we want. Always wondering what he's thinking and why he's oh so complicated. The reality is-men and tango are not so complicated and mystical. If we take a deep breath and ask them, they will tell us to relax and not take it so seriously.

We get caught in the cogs of ganchos,voleos,volcadas,colgadas,paradas etc and do our heads in counting and obsessing about steps. We need to close our eyes and remember this;

Listen to the music,embrace,lead and follow. Connection.  This is the eye contact and the perfect dialogue of the tango.

Everything else is just a shouting match.

Enough Already

I can't take it anymore. All the hoo har about Lara Bingle and Michael Clarke makes me want to grab a pick axe and place it in someone's spinal column.

Note to mainstream media - I DON'T FUCKING CARE ABOUT THOSE TWO PRETENTIOUS VACUOUS TWATS.

Do the news. Chile has had 2 after shocks. Place your focus there -on something that truly matters.

The Beautiful Song At The End

Jorge Drexler - Al Otro Lado Del Rio
(From the movie "The Motorcycle Diaries")


Clavo mi remo en el agua
llevo tu remo en el mío.
Creo que he visto una luz
al otro lado del río.

El día le irá pudiendo
poco a poco al frío.
Creo que he visto una luz
al otro lado del río.


Sobre todo, creo que no todo está perdido.
Tanta lágrima, tanta lágrima,
y yo soy un vaso vasio

Oigo una voz que me llama,
casi un suspiro:
¡Rema, rema, rema!
¡Rema, rema, rema!


En esta orilla del mundo
lo que nos es presa es baldío.
Creo que he visto una luz
al otro lado del río.

Yo, muy serio, voy remando,
muy adentro y sonrío.
Creo que he visto una luz
al otro lado del río.

Sobre todo, creo que
no todo está perdido.
Tanta lágrima, tanta lágrima, y yo
soy un vaso vacío...

Oigo una voz que me llama,
casi un suspiro:
¡Rema, rema, rema!
¡Rema, rema, rema!


Clavo mi remo en el agua
llevo tu remo en el mío.
Creo que he visto una luz
al otro lado del río.

(English Translation)

I nail (or plunge) my oar in the water
I carry your oar in mine
I believe I have seen a light
On the other side of the river

The day will come when we will be able to conquer
Little by little, the cold
I believe I have seen a light
On the other side of the river

Above all, I believe that all is not lost
So many tears, So many tears
And I am an empty glass (or - vessel)
I hear a voice that calls to me,

almost as a sigh :
"Row, Row, Row!
Row, Row, Row!"

In this border of the world
Where we are imprisoned, are uncultivated,
I believe that I have seen a light
On the other side of the river

I, very serious, go rowing
Very deeply inside and I smile
I believe that I have seen a light
On the other side of the river

Above all, I believe that
all is not lost
So many tears, So many tears.. and I
am an empty glass (or vessel)

I hear a voice that calls to me,
almost as a sigh :
"Row, Row, Row!
Row, Row, Row!

I nail (plunge) my oar in the water
I carry your oar in mine
I believe I have seen a light
On the other side of the river

Al Otro Lado Del Río

I miss Buenos Aires. I woke up this morning thinking of waking up and going to La Poesia in San Telmo for my tres media lunas y cafe con leche. Of milonga nights and creeping in at the wee small hours. The architecture, los piropos and everything else. Instead of rushing to work, I watched a bit of The Motorcycle Diaries to glimpse that wonderful city at the beginning and hear the beautiful song at the end.


I know it's a city with many problems and worries.I harbour no illusions that things are better there- just different.

 I just love it and want to be there.


I'm sad and lost. I wish - like the Piazzolla song- I could return South. Te quiero al Sur....

The Big O

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Psychocandy

Sorry for the lack of writing lately. I've started many posts and deleted them. Sometimes you just fall into a literary hole and have nothing to say.

I've been a million miles away in the last month. I want to speak but feel stifled... hopefully the fog will lift and I'll be able to supply you with truckloads of words yet again.

As Glass Tiger annoyed us with in the '80's; "don't forget me when I'm gone-my heart will break."

Boogie Nights and Drinks On Fire

The Monday morning after a splendid weekend- I didn't stop for anything!

Started the weekend having dinner with Stacey at her tres fabulous new studio apartment in Richmond. After a sumptuous dinner of atlantic salmon,mash and asparagus washed down with a bottle of sauv blanc, we frocked up and taxied it over to Tiki Lounge & Bar on Swan St, Richmond.  We were treated like royality all evening by the hosts,Dianne & David. The delectable barman,Sasha,made us fabulous drinks all night that didn't disappoint.

We started the night with a Zombie. No messing around. After a bottle of wine, it was time for drinks on fire!

Stacey & MM with the fab-a-licious classic Zombies

Good golly Miss Hollie! She was driving so only had a beer. The Zombie would have rendered her 'the walking dead' and a definite loss of license!

Caroline joined us shortly after and didn't take much convincing to order a Zombie. Sasha words her up on the history of this stupendous drink...

Some drinks even come with Di popping out the top!

Ch Ch Ch Ch Ch Ch Ch Ch- Cherry Bomb!  A Negroni after that and we are done!

The following night, a shindig was held at the Collingwood warehouse as a get together to wish Bags and Vix well on their trip to Japan which is happening this Thursday. A good gathering and good times were had...

Bags spinning the platters on the wheels of steel

Stacey with a Mai Tai getting on down with Pat

Vix and Bags boogalooing the night away

Dean and Simon get rock 'n' roll on your ass

Stace and Muzz are either dancing or chanting Hare Krishna

Big Q, Fi Fi and Andreas

Hollie on the floor with the 5 Seeds..

With the weekend all done with, I now have to head home after the unavoidable Monday to complete chores that didn't get a look at all weekend. Such is life....

You've Got To Fight The Powers That Be...

So said Chuck D in 1989 and never a truer sentence was said.

The so-called powers that be underestimated the music community by introducing their stupid laws which led to the closure of The Tote. We then heard that the Arthouse would be the next casuality. We all stood up and said 'this is fucked'.

 I want to go on TV and turn into Howard Beale and scream "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!!" (google 'Network-1976 if you don't get this reference).

S.L.A.M has organised a rally to be held on February 23. Here's a copy of the email that is being sent around at the moment. Hope y'all can make it.

ATTENTION ALL LIVE MUSIC LOVERSŠ NOW IS THE TIME TO
SAVE LIVE AUSTRALIA¹S MUSIC (S.L.A.M.)


S.L.A.M. (Save Live Australia¹s Music) is calling on Victoria¹s music
community to raise your voice and protest the plight of our local music
scene!
The recent closure of The Tote and the announcement of The Arthouse¹s
intention to do the same is causing increasing alarm amongst Victoria¹s
music scene and wider music community. These closures, a result of the
destructive impact caused by Liquor Licensing Victoria¹s decision to treat
live music venues as high-risk, penalizing them with higher fees and greater
costs for required security, is now posing a huge threat to more of the
state¹s venues and in turn the livelihood of the local music community.
In a reaction to the lack of response from the government to amend these
regulations, S.L.A.M. (Save Live Australia¹s Music) have announced a Public
Rally to be held on Tuesday 23rd February commencing at 4pm in the City.
(proposed assembly point, the State Library ­ check the website for
details).


S.L.A.M. is a collective of Victoria¹s broader musical community who have
joined forces to make their voice heard as local music becomes increasingly
under threat due to these ill-conceived Liquor Licensing Laws. S.L.A.M. are
calling on musicians and music lovers from all genres, creeds and
generations to unite to Protest to Save Live Australia¹s Music on the 34th
anniversary of AC/DC¹s iconic ŒLong Way To The Top¹ clip originally filmed
on Swanston Street.
Leading the procession will be the extraordinary RocKwiz Orchestra
performing on the back of a truck AC/DC-style with Lucky Luscombe, James
Black and Mark Ferrie and everyone¹s favourite host with the most, Brian
Nankervis plus the original troupe of bag pipe players. This will be filmed
by Paul Dane who shot the legendary clip back in 1976. This historic event
aims to make the Government to hear our cry to save live music from the
clutches of Victoria¹s draconian Liquor Licensing Laws. Our aim is to
de-link the high risk conditions and need for security on all liquor
licenses for venues that play live and amplified music and push for these to
be given fairer consideration. Live music venues are not high risk and we
have asked that Victorian community join in a peaceful protest to have their
voice heard!


So bring your band, your fans, your friends and family and join this protest
of a lifetime. To register your band or become a volunteer check out the
S.L.A.M. website: www.slamrally.org

El Centro De La Semana

Wearing red
Feeling flirty
Listening to Pavement's Crooked Rain,Crooked Rain
Tango starts again
Getting my hair done tonight

It's a good day.

Blasphemy

How dare they make a Hollywood version of 'Edge Of Darkness'? And to throw salt in the wound,Mel Gibson in the starring role.  Nothing is sacred anymore.

For those of you that might wonder what I'm raving about (and yes, I am raving,screaming and flailing my arms around in a rage over this one), this-what I believe-heap of shit movie is based on one of the best fucking mini series I have ever seen. Produced by the BBC in 1985, it is well acted and good to the last drop. I have seen it several times over the years and it still gives me the same feeling it did when I first watched it.

Wikipedia has an excellent description of the show although there are a few spoilers. Read it here if you're interested. Better still, run to your local DVD store and rent it-you won't regret.

And for God's sake, don't go and see that piece of shit excuse of a 'remake'. Rest assured, I won't be.

The Death Of Holden Caulfield

Reclusive author JD Salinger, who has died aged 91, was a giant of American literature whose seminal novel, The Catcher in the Rye, lent a voice to the angst and despair felt by generations of rebellious adolescents.




One of the most admired and influential US writers following the success of his 1951 novel and its laconic anti-hero, Holden Caulfield, Salinger published nothing after 1965 and had not been interviewed since 1980.


The author died on Wednesday at his home in New Hampshire, the Harold Ober Associates agency said on Thursday. The cause of death was not announced.


Mystery surrounded much of the last five decades of his life. After being overwhelmed by his new fame, Salinger withdrew from public life, retreating to his house perched on a tree-blanketed hill in the small town of Cornish, New Hampshire.


Memoirs written by his daughter and a former lover affirmed that Salinger still wrote, but there has been no sign of any new book despite the entreaties of his legions of fans.


Indeed in a rare 1980 interview with the Boston Sunday Globe in 1980, Salinger said: "I love to write, and I assure you I write regularly. But I write for myself and I want to be left absolutely alone to do it."


News in 1997 that his last published work, Hapworth 16: 1924, which appeared in The New Yorker magazine, was about to be reissued in hard print sparked excitement in the literary world. But the publication date was frequently postponed, with no reason given.


Jerome David Salinger was born on New Year's Day 1919 in Manhattan, New York, the son of an Irish mother and Jewish father with Polish roots.


As a teenager he began writing stories. In 1940, his debut story, The Young Ones, about several aimless youths was published in Story magazine.


Then came America's entry into the war, and the young Salinger was drafted in 1942. He took part in the D-Day stormings of the Normandy beaches, and his wartime experiences are said to have marked him for life.


He married a German woman after the war, but the marriage fell apart after just a few months, and Salinger renewed his writings with a passion.


In 1948 he published the short story, A Perfect Day for Bananafish, in The New Yorker, bringing him acclaim and introducing the Glass family and its seven rambunctious children Seymour Buddy, Boo Boo, Walt, Waker, Zooey, and Franny, who were to populate several of his short stories.
But it was The Catcher in the Rye, published three years later, that was to seal his reputation. The book was an instant success, and even today remains recommended reading at many high schools, selling about 250,000 copies a year.




Sixteen-year-old Holden Caulfield's adventures and musings as he makes his way home after being kicked out of school touched a raw nerve and have fascinated generations of disaffected youngsters.


Yet the novel was also sharply criticised for its liberal use of swear words and open references to sex, and was banned in some countries.


Always a private person, Salinger found his new fame oppressive, and in 1953 he moved to sleepy Cornish, in the hope of staying out of the limelight.


Other collections of short stories or novellas followed, such as Franny and Zooey, until his last published work, Hapworth 16: 1924, appeared in The New Yorker magazine in 1965.


"There is a marvelous peace in not publishing. It's peaceful," Salinger said in 1974, when he broke more than 20 years of silence in a phone interview with The New York Times.


"Publishing is a terrible invasion of my privacy. I like to write. I love to write. But I write just for myself and my own pleasure."


In 1955 he married a young student, Claire Douglas, and they had two children, Margaret and Matt. In Margaret's memoirs, The Dream Catcher, she reflects on an often painful childhood, describing her father as an autocratic man who kept her mother as a "virtual prisoner".


They divorced in 1967, and in 1972 Salinger began a year-long relationship with 18-year-old Joyce Maynard, with whom he had been exchanging letters.


In a sign of the lingering interest in Salinger, some letters he wrote to Maynard sold for more than $US150,000 at auction in 1999.


Salinger remained to the end of his life in his Cornish home, and had been married to Collen O'Neill since the 1980s. He fiercely guarded his privacy, even turning to the courts to stop publication of his letters. He refused all offers to sell the screen rights to Catcher.


One of his final moves came in July last year when a US judge suspended the publication of an unauthorised sequel to Catcher in the Rye by Swedish author Fredrik Colting.


"There's no more to Holden Caulfield. Read the book again. It's all there. Holden Caulfield is only a frozen moment in time," he told The Boston Globe.