WOMEN OF LETTERS: To my most treasured possession

To my most treasured possession,

You are the thing I would take with me if I could only take one thing.

You are the thing I love the most in the entire world.

I would rummage for you if - god forbid - I had to evacuate my home.

In fact, I have you placed in a secret, but very special and easily accessible place in case I need to leave quickly.

I remember the day I was robbed, as I entered the room you live in and realised lots of my antique and irreplaceable jewellery were stolen and I began to sob...but then I thought of you and almost passed out, but you were still there...I would do anything to retrieve my gemstone from Africa and my grandmother's engagement ring and my graduation watch BUT if you had gone missing, I think I would have ended it all.

You are one of my reason's for living - well what you represent.

You represent music - music is not my first love, but that dearest to me. AND of music you represent the VERY best there is.

You represent experience - not my experience, but an experience that was passed on to me in the tradition of storytelling I love so much.

You represent pride - I am so proud to have you as my personal possession.

You represent history - cause it does not get much more historic - in a musical sense.

Finally, you represent love - you were given to me out of love and pride all those wonderful things.

You are in pristine condition because I look after you as my father did before me.

You are my father's ticket he kept when he saw The Beatles back on June 20th, 1964 - Sydney Stadium.

You are a small piece of cardboard, with black writing on a lovely reddy pink and rose pink background.

But the thought of you makes me feel so very special, so connected and so loved.

WOMEN OF LETTERS: To the night I'd rather forget

Taking some of the subjects from Women of Letters - see previous post - but keeping with the cultural them of my blog...

To the night I'd rather forget was a concert in Sydney. I have seen many, many concerts over the years, but this was the worst.

It was The Cure....I hear goths gasping all over the country! Now, I had seen The Cure in the late 80s, they were fantastic and wonderful.

Some bands you can see over and over, some you just should not...and this was one...now maybe I got an off night, but either way it was bad! This was early 2000s and for what ever reason they did not sing a single hit!!!

Not one.

I am a pretty decent fan, but not hard core, however, I have most of their albums and appreciate all of their music.

But, imagine all the heavy, slit your wrist tunes they do, A Forest being the lighter of them all (they did play that!), and then imagine them all back to back, almost seamless...you'll get the picture.

Early in, I thought what the hell!?!

Where was Love Cats, Friday I'm in Love, In Between Days, Why Can't I be you, Close to me.....

In continued to listen, and then I looked around the Sydney Entertainment Centre - I had never seen so many empty seats...they had not been so empty in ages.

I did something I had never done before, I went for a wander in the middle of the concert. My friends looked at me a bit oddly, they know my stance of proper concert etiquette...I get funny about such things. Once I got to the bar areas I saw the largest congregation of goths, all sitting, chatting, drinking!!! I guess they were as bored as me.

When I returned, I noticed a lot of ageing goths nodding off...it was too dreary for even them!!!

I have no idea what was going on in Robert Smith's head that night, and it went on...over 2 hours and we left after the second encore!!!

I remember reading there was a falling out in the band, maybe they were not allowed to sing the hits, maybe they choose not to.

All I remember thinking was I was never getting those hours back!

WOMEN OF LETTERS

I cannot recall if I have written a book review here before, odd as books are my profession and my first love.

May as well start with Women of letters : reviving the lost art of correspondence curated by Marieke Hardy and Michaela McGuire.

Being based or taken from staged readings it fits well within my blog scope.

This is the description of Women of Letters from the website:

http://womenofletters.com.au/

"Women of Letters is Melbourne’s newest literary event – an afternoon that celebrates a diverse range of strong female talent whilst simultaneously raising funds for Victorian animal rescue shelter, Edgar’s Mission. Co-curated by writers Marieke Hardy and Michaela McGuire, the monthly occasion will bring together five of Melbourne’s best and brightest writers, musicians, politicians and comedians in celebration of the beautiful lost art of letter-writing."

Sounds divine, the book has transcribed some of the letters.

Subjects include:

To the night I'd rather forget...my favourite being Lorelei Vashti's teenage years and becoming a vegetarian...long nights of sitting at the dinner table with her father waiting for her to eat something she just didn't feel right eating.

To my first pin-up...a toss up between the divine Catherine Deveny's tribute to Olivia Newton John or Adalita's obsession with Paul Stanley

To my nemesis...a on target rant to Sarah Jessica Parker after the second Sex in the City movie...whilst I would never call SJP my nemesis (never!), I totally understood her anger and upset.

To my first boss...Music by Clare Moore was humorous, dramatic and incredible clever, much like the gorgeous woman herself. Whereas Sophie Black retold her work experience story with a lot of gossip and satire from her weeks spent at New Idea!

A love letter...the best kind!!! Claudia Karvan went from heart on her sleeve to pen on paper and wrote about love! Tara Moss dripped with gothic sensuality and wrote to Bela Legosi.

To my most treasured possession...Michelle Law went straight to my heart with her stories of hair loss at a young age. Whereas Rowena Grant-Frost marvelled at the modem...I concurred, it would be in the top five treasured possessions...more on that later.

To the woman who changed my life...where the men got in on the act...Paul Kelly and Desdemona, Dave Graney on seemingly every woman he has ever met, and the beautiful letter from Eddie Perfect to his wife.

The letter I wish I'd written...Helen Garner with a whole selection of brief letters to people living and dead...succinct and spare, but perfect as always.

My favourite was: To the best present I ever received...Julia Zemiro wrote a funny story about Christmas, many of them, good and bad...but no real mention of presents. Then just as the letter was ending she packed a punch I am still feeling days later...it was about the present she has never received, her belief of the real reason for Christmas...children...you need to read it to understand...I understood...it broke my heart...still does...

So in the spirit of Women of letters my next few posts will be letters with subject matter fitting my blog on cultural pursuits.

OSCAR NIGHT WRAP UP

I have been meaning to write this since the big night...I have always written my preview but never a wrap up.

So, for the record....I got 6 categories wrong!!! Not a bad effort I must say.

I was thrown by Cinematography...I went Tree of Life but said I hoped Hugo to win...it did!

Costume and Make up ended up being The Artist and Iron lady not Hugo or Harry Potter...I still stand by my choices being the better options!!!

Like everyone else I was surprised by The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo winning Editing over The Artist...it really almost always goes to best film...except for this year!

Visual effects went to Hugo...of which I should have had more faith in, though when you compare it to my choice of Harry Potter...well, enough said!

And my beloved Meryl got Best Actress, I had deliberated over her and Viola, going for the later, but thrilled for Meryl.

Overall it was a grand night...it always is, even the lesser ones.

However, it was not the best night, probably Billy Crystal's weakest performance as host.

I believe he is relevant, and definitely better than a lot who have walked before him, but he was not on his game...I'll reluctantly admit that!

But 9 times...that's admirable!!

I enjoyed the beginning, Morgan Freeman's introduction leant the night the majesty it deserves.

And YES, Billy has done beginnings like this before...he always does...that's his thing...and it was great!

I was disappointed there was no band playing It had to be you, it's a great tune, Harry's arrangement lifts it beautifully, and it always suits Billy's entrance.

I always love the mini films they put together for the Oscars, this year was no exception. The great lines, and movie stars and actors talking about their movie experiences etc were great.

There were some odd moments - Jennifer Lopez and Cameron Diaz, sticking their butts out and if you believe the hype nipples too! Angelina's wayward leg took a life of it's own...apparently as the dress was like a bag on her...eat a hamburger Ange!

Then there were some great presenting, Gwyneth Paltrow and Robert Downey Jnr, Emma Stone and Ben Stiller, and Miss Piggy and Kermit.

But the best moment of the night was the Wizard of Oz Focus Group - a great skit starring the wonderful Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Christopher Guest and co.

Have a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh6mCImeylE

I also enjoyed the myriad of flying/escaping/running Cary Grants in the Cirque De Soleil section, and the beautiful singing of Esperanza Spaulding during the In Memorium.

I was disappointed there was not a special tribute to Elizabeth Taylor, a double Oscar winner and a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award winner, one the greatest movie stars ever and a fine actress...stars like that should be singled out on Oscar night.

All four actors gave great speeches, lovely to see favs like Werner Herzog and Bret McKenzie winning and also my beloved Woody!

 

And here is a link to The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore, which won Best Animated Short Film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adzywe9xeIU

Finally there was the fashion, a very same same kind of night, but here are some favs...