CONCERT: APIA Good Times Tour with Russell Morris, Joe Camilleri, Richard Clapton, and Leo Sayer

A couple of weeks ago I headed to the beautiful Civic Theatre with C and E to see the APIA Good Times Tour.

 

This was an amazing concert with Russell Morris, Joe Camilleri, Richard Clapton, and Leo Sayer.

 

I've been a fan of all of them for some time, but never seen Clapton and Sayer, so was thrilled to attend. Each played about 5-6 songs in separate sets before joining forces for a rocking encore.

 

Morris was first off. I have loved Morris since I can remember, and saw him close to 20 years ago at a local club. He was brilliant, he had been through the ringer and was trying to make a comeback of sorts. Since then he has gone from strength to strength and this superb short set was testament to that. He began with 3 songs off his new blues album, Sharkmouth, which I love. Then he moved into Wings of an Eagle, a stunning, soaring song which showcases the most stunning voice. Next up was The Real Thing, a song so meticulously produced you wonder how it could be replicated on stage and yet if you closed your eyes (as I did) you could be hearing it for the first time on radio way back then. He ended with my personal favourite, Sweet Sweet Love. There are no words for how much I adore this stunning ballad/rock tune and his delivery was perfection. I was in heaven, and he looked like he was too.

Next up was the ever sunny Joe Camilleri. He played a couple of Black Sorrows songs and a few from his new album. Just as I was thinking to myself, this is good, but the songs from the Black Sorrows really need the Bull Sisters, out comes Vika Bull to sing, Never Let Me Go and she blew the roof off. What a magnificent voice she has, and her heart placed firmly outside her body, somewhere between the flower in her hair and the smile on her face - both gigantic! This upped the ante for Joe and what a performance from them both, ending with Chained to the Wheel.

After an intermission, Richard Clapton came out for his set. I somehow keep missing Clapton, how I have no idea as he tours prolifically. He was exactly as I imagined, shortish, jeans, black jeans, those black sunnies, and that wild hair, a no shit attitude and his voice sounding as if he had just cut the record yesterday...timeless is Richard! His set was hit after hit including Deep Water, Girls on the Avenue, Capricorn Dancer and Lucky Country. He was effortlessly cool, with a teeny wink of irony and sounded great.

Seemingly the wild card entry, Leo Sayer was next. I have to say I was most excited about Leo, a huge fan from way back, I could not wait to see if that cute/daggy pop I listened to as a kid could be replicated. And mostly it was, I felt his higher notes were a little shakey at times, but men's voices get richer with age, so that is forgiven. My main issue with Leo was the schtick, there was too much piss farting around between songs, cut that out and we could have had another song. Having said that I had the hugest smile on my face when he was singing. Some of the hits churned out in his set where More Than I Can Say, When I Need You, Dreamin' (he wrote this with Cliff Richard), Thunder in my Heart, and my personal favourite Long Tall Glasses. God I love that song!

Then he was joined on stage by Camilleri, Morris, and Clapton for You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, seeing Clapton singing back up for this was one of the great joys of my life. Then Morris took the lead vocals for Hush, Camilleri for Shape I'm In, and Clapton for I Am An Island (another favourite). Vika Bull joined their superb backing band as backing vocalist for this encore which ended with a crazy rendition of Good Times. And good times it was, the show had gone on for close to 3 hours and we didn't want it to end.

APRIL ROUNDUP

April began on a bang with the Writers Festival, which was a fabulous long weekend full of all things fun and literary AND I got to be involved in a session.

The rest of the month has been rather sublime and restful. Which I have really needed after a very full and full on year so far. Not complaining, but one does need to recharge the batteries from time to time!

I long lunched with C at Caves Beach Hotel, and attended Bibliotweeps Book Club to discuss Anita's book, Tiddas. And then read up at the beach until I met L at The Towers to see the perfect The Grand Budapest Hotel.

I also went to Fernwood for High Tea with L, B, A & J. It is a beautiful old home at The Junction, where we ate the most delicious delicacies.  I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I had 5.5 days off during the Easter Long Weekend, and mostly napped, ate, read, and caught up on DVDs. It incredibly zen. I did manage a beautician appointment, lunch with J, and a family get together for Easter and my sister's birthday on the Sunday...but that was all.

Before the Anzac day long weekend, L, A, J & I tried the new Napoli Pizza on King Street near The Towers, highly recommend. I haven't had pizza that good since Italy!!

And then some of the family headed down to Woolwich Pier Hotel in Sydney to celebrate the impending birth of my cousin's baby. What a delightful afternoon we had catching up with family and friends, most of whom we toured Italy with.

So a much quieter month, meant I got more reading and DVD watching done and you can read about that here.

And do a little writing about literature: Shakespeare and Project Read.

Also more time to walk and enjoy the fabulous sunsets this time of the year provides.

APRIL REVIEWS

Books I've been reading

Still not quite back on track reading, but getting there.

 

Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton. This is a beautiful book of photography, and the subject matter is everyday humans snapped on the streets of New York. Except most humans in New York are not quite everyday humans. This started it's life as a blog and it is fascinating. I love portrait photography and this is definitely worth having a look at.

 

Italian Ways by Tim Park. I was really looking forward to this read. My understanding was that it was about traveling between, Milan, Verona, and surrounds by rail. And as I have visited these places and indeed some by rail, I was ready for a walk down memory lane. But this book it more about the Italian railways, the specifics of the trains, and the Italian bureaucracy. More for train spotters and lovers of intricate minutiae.

 

9/11 and the Art of Happiness by Simon Kennedy. Simon's mother was on the plane that crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11. Simon, an Australian, tells the story about his loss and his battles with happiness in the decade since. It is a 9/11 story, a potted memoir of himself and his mother, and how he struggled to stay on top of things generally and as a comedian in those years after. It was a fascinating story, part memoir, part self help, but more just a story about an ordinary bloke beginning his stand up career with great tragedy.

 

Dior Impressions: the Inspiration and Influence of Impressionism at the House of Dior by Florence Muller. This was just perfection. Stunning photographs of Dior creations and prints of Impressionistic paintings and the similarities. Dior was very much influenced by the Impressionism paintings, and simply put this beautiful books shows you how, in words and more importantly in photos.

 

Film in Five Seconds: over 150 Great Movie Moments - in moments by Matteo Civaschi and Gianmarco Milesi. This was pure fun, small cartoons with key characters and props that describe a movie and you have to guess which. I did very well, and yeah it was a very quick read!

 

Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman. This is Neil's latest book for young readers, 5-8 year olds I would reckon. Dad endures the most terrific and terrifying adventure on the way to the shop to get the milk. Witty, scary, adventurous, and most of all fun. Great illustrations too, is there anything this man cannot do!?!

 

The Birdwatcher by William McInnes. This book started off really good, set in Melbourne, the main character lives alone, keeps to himself, and is a bird watcher. But also a watcher generally, so his observations of life, around him, at work, and on trams was interesting, witty, and compelling. He gets a call from a friend in Far North Queensland who sees a rare bird, and heads up to check it out. And that is when the story lost it for me, it was really predictable, slow paced (which normally I do not mind) and basically a run of the mill romance story. Just not for me I guess.

 

Simple Dreams: a Musical Memoir by Linda Ronstadt. A long time fan of Linda, I was eager to delve into her world and not so eager to leave. What a wonderful and fascinating life she has led. It begins with her life in Mexico, growing up on a farm, the hardships, but the love and music. You can see where her strength in character and love for music was built. In fact I would say, in built! It goes through all the various periods, country, rock star, Nelson Riddle, Opera, Stage, and movies. What a star, and somehow forgotten and under rated these days. What I loved most about this was it was purely business, she writes in great detail the musicality of these periods, the people she worked with, and the opportunities she took. But she never stooped to trashy gossip, and given the huge cast of stars she has worked with, she certainly could have resorted to that. She didn't go much into loves, affairs, or indeed deeply personal information. She also writes beautifully, and you feel like you are there in the studio with her. Definitely for fans of music generally.

 

DVDs I've been watching

 

American Pickers  - S6 I think, I do love this show about Mike and Frank and their love of Americana, motorcycles, and antiques. The places they go and the junk people accumulate never fail to amaze and amuse me.

 

What's in a name - This was a quirky little French film, that part irritated me and part made me laugh out loud. It revolves around a small group of friends, all meeting for dinner at one of their apartments. One couple are expecting and prior to his wife arriving, the husband reveals the name of the baby to the horror of their friends. From this crazy tale, secrets are unraveled, betrayals are found out, and will the group remain friends and make it though the evening?

 

The Imposter - this documentary about a family who is reunited with their lost son and brother after him being missing for years is compelling. You are shown from beginning the man is indeed NOT their son, yet they believe he is. The story is hard to describe without giving too much more away, but certainly a good example of where truth is stranger than fiction. This had me totally glued to the screen, and there was much to be learnt and indeed much more to learn. Highly recommend, but be warned, it will play with your mind a bit!

 

Greetings from Tim Buckley -  as soon as I heard about this film I knew it would be a bust, and it was! Yet I watched it anyway. Loosely based on Jeff's involvement in a tribute to his father just before he became a star himself. The premise is fascinating, and some aspects weren't too bad, but ultimately it took itself way too seriously and no one could ever be Tim or Jeff, too powerful to be able to pull off.

 

Game of Thrones S3 - Finally caught this season up and how brilliant it was. I loved, loved, loved the Red Wedding, of course it would have had more impact on me had I not known it was coming, but I guess that happens when you don't have cable! I still adore Tyrion, worshop Khaleesi, believe good things are in the future for both Arya and Brienne.

 

The Newsroom S2 - S2 was just as good as S1, if not better. I loved the ups and downs and particularly the storyline for Alison Pill's Maggie.

 

Incendies - A French/Canadian film. On their mothers death her children, twins, learn they have a brother, and their father, supposedly dead, is alive. She asks the twins to find them and so begins an extraordinary journey to the middle east to find the truth. Stunning and heart wrenching. A absolute must watch, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

 

Blancanieves - Inspired by Snow White, this black and white silent film from Spain was only made in 2012. Stunningly shot with a flamenco feel, and bullfighters and carnivals and the like this is unlike anything I have ever seen. Sensual and seductive, old-fashioned and sweet. Perfect soundtrack. A must see.

 

Dexter final season - I've had this to watch for a while, but had heard such bad things about the ending I couldn't bring myself to watch. I have loved Michael C. Hall from Six Feet Under and just love him even more as Dexter, so much so I am always on Dexter's side. This is odd I know and I like to say it's because Hall is such an amazing and sympathetic actor, not because there is something wrong with me, lol! The second to last season had me a little unnerved as it would appear Dexter would be found out, this didn't sit well with me, but I know he cannot remain elusive forever...or could he. Without giving too much away I loved the plot line involving the stunning Charlotte Rampling, but got annoyed when they brought her son into the plot, this was a bit too soap opera-y for me. I was not at all happy with how things ended for Deb, and actually loved how things were going for Dexter, until the very last scene and I felt very cheated. Sigh.

 

Grammys/Beatles - This was a special tribute concert by The Grammys and a whole range of acts for the anniversary of The Beatles coming to America. I loved pretty much all of it. I thought Annie Lennox's performance with Dave Stewart was divine, Dave Grohl knocked it out of the park as always, and of course Paul and Ringo playing at the end also great. There were some misses, Beatles' songs will always do that to some, not as easy as they sound. All up it was very much worth watching.

 

Music I've been listening to

 

Robyn Hitchcock - Live in London, fabulous

 

Manic Street Preachers - Rewind the film, catchy as always

 

Sting - The Last Ship. Whilst lovely to listen to, I feel Sting takes himself way too seriously these days, what happened to his joy?

 

Simon and Garfunkel - my work listening, keeps my calm when doing things that make me...un-calm.

 

Neil Finn - new album, Dizzy Heights, I really love this, and the more I listen to it the more I love it even more.

Behind the Scenes of The Gallery

Last year I decided to join Newcastle Art Gallery Society. For a small fee, you get discounts on selected gallery shows etc, and invites to interesting events amongst other things. Plus it made me feel like I was somehow helping an institution I loved and believed in, at their time of need. I grew up with this gallery, trips into The Civic with my grandparents was always thrilling when I was younger. We would go to the ballet at The Civic Theatre, visit Him and Her at the library, wander in the park and watch the fountain, and of course go to The Art Gallery. As I got old I still did all those things and incorporated visits to my beloved Cooks Hill Books, Darby Street, and surrounds.  

 

New members are lucky enough to be invited to a behind the scenes tour, and I took up the offer today. I met a few others at the entrance of the gallery and we were joined by Prue, who was to be a powerhouse of love and information about the gallery. We went through secret doors to the left of the building and were inside the beast. I was thrilled beyond imagination.

 

I wished I had taken notes and had the guts to ask to take photos, but I simply didn't think of the first and it seemed wrong to ask the later. We met staff and wandered about both levels of the gallery, led and informed by Prue. We heard the history of the gallery, built in 1977 and opened by Queen Elizabeth. It must have been the most remarkable thing. I did wonder if my grandmother or even I was there, I must find out. My grandmother adored the royals, so surely we had to be there?

And it is a great building, a great space, but the collection is vast, and there is simply nowhere near enough room to showcase this collection...as I was about to find out. Most galleries and museums never have all or indeed even half their collection out on display at a time, which seems a shame, but to continually evolve and develop a worthy collection, displaying everything is impossible. But when you see the depths of how much they do not display at Newcastle, you can see how desperately they need more space. I don't want to go into the travesty of why this isn't happening here, that isn't just another blog or two but a very long book/essay/saga that the most devastating story in the world doesn't seem to match.

 

And so we got to look at some of the vaults, large hanging spaces with a few inches between, and each rack pulled out to expose multitudes of art on both sides. We got to see a few racks and the most fabulous pieces within. And then we got to see their special vault, this includes the big pieces. These are pieces that should be on display permanently. One rack was pulled out and there within 20cm of my eye was The Strapper by William Dobell! I gasped and tears came to my eyes. Of course I had seen it before, but to see such a magnificent piece hidden away like that made me realise how utterly shameful the gallery has been treated. Of course beyond that rack was another favourite, Whiteley's Summer at Carcoar. There are no words.

We also got a glimpse of the ceramics room, the gallery has the largest collection of ceramics in the Southern Hemisphere. All those items stored in lovely boxes with photos of the item on the outside. And as a Librarian I was thrilled to see the multitude of folders containing catalogued information on each piece in the collection...the folders of provenance. 

I don't know what is going to happen to my beloved gallery next, hopefully something positive. But please go and visit it regularly, appreciate it, and love it. 

THIS ABOVE ALL: SHAKESPEARE

There has been much interest in the 450th birthday of Shakespeare this week. 

 

I adore Shakespeare and his words, I always have. So I have been thinking about him a lot this past week, contemplating all the things I love about him and his writing, and philosophising about whether he is the greatest writer that ever lived.

 

The answer of course is Yes!!

 

I cannot remember when I was introduced to Shakespeare, I do know my Dad had talked fondly of him, and we had a complete works at home. I used to look at the writing and was in awe of it, not knowing or understanding much more than letters on the page.

 

I remember reading Macbeth for school, probably in Year 8 or 9. What a marvelous play to start with, and it remains my favourite to this day.

 

What's not to love: witches, marching trees (Tolkien had to have stolen this one I reckon!), Scottish accents, OCD, powerful women, and much much more. Lead on Macduff!!

(which for the uninitiated, does not actually exist!)

 

I also have this memory of Shakespeare from A Country Practice, with the younger characters studying Shakespeare and one of them calling him Wagger Dagger! This amused me to no end.

 

So what is it about a man, long gone, that makes him so beloved...to me, and to many others?

 

His relevance.

 

These stories, once you get your head around the language, are timeless. Love, hate, feelings, and situations. There is something for everyone. Once you realise this, he is less intimidating and more intimate.

 

As I have said many times writing about great things in the arts, much has been written and I am not going to attempt to do what has been done far better before me. So I shall just explain my experiences and loves.

 

Macbeth is my favourite and always will be, as explained above.

 

A Midsummer's Night Dream is my favourite comedy. It's mystical and cheeky, usually staged in the most glorious way. It's the play I have seen staged the most. How can you not love the impish Puck?

 

King Lear is my favourite serious play. I studied this for the HSC and it was the bane of my life at the time. So much within, so serious, so dark, so much to learn, but how can you begin to unravel what was within. A friend once told me about reading this with a love in the rain...I thought that was the most romantic thing I had ever heard!

Richard III - is my favourite history play, and a popular culture favourite, and the one I can talk about forever.

 

It's got those great lines, "Now is the winter of our discontent" and "My Kingdom for a horse".

 

The first time I stood on the stage at my beloved Civic Theatre here in Newcastle, I actually projected that, much to the embarrassment of my sister who was with me at the time. Even more ironic, as we were there for a rehearsal of a fashion parade, such brilliance (the words, certainly not my 'performance') amongst such vacuousness amused me to no end!

 

Richard III has been in Red Dwarf, Blackadder, Queen sung about it, Steinbeck borrowed from it, Being John Malkovich and The King's Speech used it. Seller's spoken word version of A Hard Day's Night was inspired by Olivier's Richard III. 

And then there is Looking for Richard, Pacino's documentary, which explores the great play, including him wandering The Cloisters in New York reciting lines. Having spent much time meditating and dreaming at that very spot it was a moment of pure joy for me to observe.

 

And finally, the best ever death scene I have ever seen staged was Richard's death in Richard III, by Bell's Shakespeare Company of course. At the afore mentioned Civic Theatre, I had close up seats to the very spot with copious amounts of gushing 'blood' in a seamless display of possible magic, I was equally repulsed and utterly fascinated.

 

Of course, in the late 80s and early 90s, all things Shakespeare pointed to Kenneth Branagh, often with Emma Thompson. Ken and Em, oh how I loved them. They were indeed the most perfect Beatrice and Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing, another favourite. His Henry V is the best film version in my opinion, highly accessible. Othello and Hamlet also outstanding. If you think you don't like Shakespeare (the horror) go and see these films, I am certain your mind will change.

 

Of course, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Taming of the Shrew is another favourite, in fact all of Zeffirelli's films of Shakespeare are masterpieces.

 

Another play I adore is The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Funny, fast paced, and a raging romp. Again, great to introduce newbies too, and also for fans to sit back and enjoy.

 

And the Sonnets, I don't have a favourite, they're all simply perfect! I keep a lovely leather bound second hand copy of them permanently by my bedside table. Along with The Romantic Poets and 100 Great Movie Moments! I find them comforting and soulful to read if I am having trouble sleeping.

And Shakespeare's words are just that, comforting and soulful, poetic and sexy. They never change, they are honest and unflinching. Tragic and heartwrenching, wise and funny, like honest friends that will never let you down.

 

And so finally to my favourite thing about William Shakespeare.

 

His phrases, those impeccable words, most of which he coined and made it into our everyday language without some of us ever knowing.

  

My favourite - above all - is the following:

 

This above all: To thine own self be true. 

From Hamlet, it is Polonius's advice to his son, and it simply says everything anyone should know about me, and me about myself.

PROJECT READ

During 2014 I am working on 5 Projects and 10 things. One of the projects is PROJECT READ!

 

This is what I wrote on January 1:

 

I have a lot of books, I borrow a lot of books from work. I am a Librarian, this is what we do. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the amount of books I have lying around. I think decluttering and shelving items better will be a great start, but I need a plan. I am working on a plan of reading. Something that gives me scope for movement. I have a list of books I really want to read, new, old, classics, difficult. I am going to work on a list of what ones I will try to knock over this year. I will also try to read a certain amount every day, say 100 pages. I am yet to work out the details, I will blog about it. I do know it will include Dickens, Murakami, Mantel, Tartt, and either Proust or Dante.  

 

{And I began this blog at the end of January, but I've been too busy to finish the post, but I have been thinking about it!}

 

The first half of this project is decluttering and shelving my books. I have a lot of book shelves, but many more books. Everything that doesn't fit on the shelves are stuffed into a spare wardrobe and lying on the floor and it is shameful. First step will be to go through, cull, chuck, giveaway and gift. Then I need to purchase more book shelves and get re-organising. It will happen slowly over the year!

 

{I have half sorted this out already, with a lovely new cabinet for the lounge room, the remaining books are sorted and in neat piles on a table in the study. More bookshelves will be added to that room to cover that and give room for expansion.}

 

The second half is far more interesting...the reading!

 

First of all when you want to read as many titles as I do and own as many unread books as I do, coming up with this list for difficult. Of course I will get to whatever is not on my list in years to come, but what to read this year!

 

Secondly, you will notice they are mostly Fiction. I tend to prefer Non-Fiction, which is why these books get missed each and every time.

 

And lastly, I will still be reading the regular 'stuff' that I like to read or feel I need to read for work and my two book groups.

 

1. Favourite authors

Here is a (bad) habit of mine, I read some books by an author, decide they are a favourite author as I love their style of writing or subject matter. Then I purchase more books they have written and leave them on a dedicated section in my book shelves or even worse on a pile on the floor somewhere. And there they sit...ummm...favourites...I have never read!

 

So I shall read at least 2 titles by each of the following:

 

Haruki Murakami {read one already!}

Charles Dickens

Michael Chabon

Ernest Hemingway

Virginia Woolf

Hunter S. Thompson

Anais Nin

 

2. Modern Classics

These are mostly the big books that come out each year, that win all the awards and everyone loves but I never get around to reading.

 

Wolf Hall - Hilary Mantel

Questions of travel - Michelle de Krester

The Secret History - Donna Tartt

Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

American Gods - Neil Gaiman

 

3. Classics

Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe - As a lover of all things Africa, I am ashamed to say I have never read this.

The Unbearable likeness of being - Milan Kundera - I have started this book about 3-4 times, always getting about 1/4 of the way in and then putting it down for one reason or another and never finishing, not because it is not good....because it really is very good...but because...I really don't know! {almost finished and it will go right into my top ten books of all time - utter perfection}

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy - I am halfway through this one, so a good head start, and must finish

 

4. The Crazy

I am either going to attempt to begin The Divine Comedy by Dante or In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust.

I have wanted to read both for ages, and they are daunting, hence the word 'attempt'.

 

As an over achiever I may have bitten off more than I can chew, but it's lovely to have an interesting goal.

Newcastle Writers Festival Overview

Oh My, what a wonderful weekend I had at the Newcastle Writer's Festival. Last years inaugural festival was an incredibly busy and great weekend, this year I spread myself out a little more, covered more but not as intensely.

 

I have blogged in detail about each part of the festival, and there are links in this blog to those separate blogs if you wish to read further. I am mindful of my blogs being long, something you can read about further in Part 6! So basically rather than 1 long essay, I have written 6 shorter blogs, 7 if you include this overview!

 

On Friday I spent time with my nephew going to 2 of the children's sessions and they were fabulous, you can read about our experiences with Tristan Bancks and Oliver Phommavanh in Part One, Children's Friday.

 

That evening B and I attended Opening Night with Wendy Harmer.

The next day I attended 2 back to back sessions with local writers, Part 3 - Saturday

 

And that night we laughed till we cried with the brilliant Dear Diary session at The Edwards.

The next day was only two sessions, but two very full on sessions.

 

The first, 500 Words, my experience at the Newcastle Writer's Festival, is just that, a short look at my own participation that morning with 13 other fabulous local writers.

 

And the second, I Blog, Therefore I Am, featuring good friends Carol Duncan and Linda Drummond, with a sidebar of the evolution of this very blog and how the session influenced and inspired me.

 

Weekends like this are incredibly important for the soul. Words to me are my life, whether read, spoken or heard. As a Librarian I cannot begin to say how they have shaped my life and continue to do so. I can't wait for next years festival, scheduled for 20-22 March. If you haven't experienced this festival, you simply must!

Newcastle Writers Festival - Part 6 - I Blog, Therefore I Am

After missing out on getting into the radical Newcastle session, we were sure to be at this one early. Hosted by the wonderful Carol Duncan and showcasing the talents of the lovely Linda Drummond and the saucy Summer Land, this session was all about blogging, why they do it, and what they get out of it.

 This was a timely session to attend as I have been thinking about my blog and what it is lately. For many reasons. I had been concerned about it's title, I also wanted a by-line and to change my blurb. And I knew my blogs were long, and get a bit lazy in the editing process, that is to say by the time I edit it generally, I don't edit it for length at all!

The girls along with Carol were full of advice, ideas and thoughts on what a blog should be. My interpretation was it should be whatever you want it to be!! They spoke of how to get noticed, to get book deals and so on, this has never been my concern.

I started my blog, back in early 2008 as a diary of social events I have attended, mostly as I have a terrible memory, along the way I tried to remember past concerts, plays and the like, this was hit and miss which cemented the fact I needed this online record of my comings and goings. Simultaneously I embarked on a now paused project. I called it, terribly, The Best of Best of Best of. The project was to go through my CD collection disc by disc (alphabetically, such a Librarian!) and make the ultimate Best of Disc/Mixed Tape (which of course would be more than 1 CD) and write about why I choose those songs. I think I stopped in the early Cs, which was actually a lot of entries, but really sooo many more to go. I may pick it back up at some stage, who knows!?!

So over the years the blog has evolved, I include videos and photos now. When I turned 42 I got philosophical and made a list of 42 thing to do while I was 42 and reported back each month with how I was going, this has evolved into Monthly Round Ups, where I blog about the smaller things I did that month (a potted diary if you will) and another called Monthly Reviews, that details the best books read, DVDs viewed and Music listened to. I still review the big events and occasionally write other things that come to mind. It is rarely an opinion piece kind of blog, though I of course give my opinion on the topic I am writing about.

And people read it, many people read if the analytics serve me correct, which is endlessly fascinating for me. I still don't write for others, though if others read it and enjoy it that is ok by me!

Carol Duncan summed it up perfectly when she said in this very session, I was a Mood Blogger. And she is so true, I blog where my mood takes me or when I am in the mood to blog, it's sporadic, sometimes voracious, sometimes not. Lately I have been inspired by many events to write a lot. I cannot stop in fact, which is not a bad thing. I am not a writer, but I like to write. it's a good way to get things out of your head, I have so much inside my head, it's nice to let some of it go and drift out there. I do try to be conscious of it being pleasant and not ranty, though sometimes I do get ranty.

I learnt a lot listening to the bloggers and to others in the audience, mostly not to second guess myself, to keep it nice but personal, and to try and make the time for word editing. But mainly, to stick with what I am doing, I am happy with the tone and topic of the blog and I think those that read it are too, but you know that doesn't matter so much, as long as it is what I want it to be! And it is.

So I have not come up with a rewrite of my blurb, it will come in time I guess and I am still working on the by-line, something to do with mood for sure...copyright to Carol of course ;)

As for the title, I am going to keep it as it means a myriad of things to me, and not just the obvious connection, though that, funnily enough, is still important to me.

Because Art is Art, regardless of where it came from....

Newcastle Writers Festival - Part 5 - 500 Words, my experience at the Newcastle Writers Festival

How thrilled I was to be chosen as part of a small group of 500 Words Project contributors at the Newcastle Writer's Festival session, ABC Open Reading from the 500 Words Project!

 

Along with two of my fellow Swansea Library 500 Words Online Writing Group, Judy and Doug, we were to read a chosen piece out loud at the festival.

 

Some of us got to meet at ABC studios, the Thursday evening before, for a read through. What a diverse and interesting group we were and all so proud to be contributing.

 

With 14 of us reading, some taped, but mostly reading live, it was going to be a fabulous but tight session.

 

And so the day came, nerves were there, but I was collecting Doug, 97 and bringing him to the session, so my mind was full of getting him there on time. As we got to Charlestown from Swansea, the rain pelted down in a way that made driving difficult, but we got there and I drove right up the drive out the front of City Hall to drop him and a friend off. This was exciting for all involved, we felt like royalty. Then I set off to find a park, and get back to City Hall without getting completely soaked. I didn't do too badly, though my choice of suede shoes was probably a mistake!

 

One by one the group assembled, along with Bronwyn, our delightful acting leader and Anthony, our usual leader, who had been on holidays. The excitement was palpable, a heady mix of genuine excitement and flighty nerves. We took our places and went over the running order one last time.

 

It began with laughs and smiles, and I turned to look at the audience, and the room was packed. It made me catch my breathe, how fabulous!

 

And so Bronwyn continued to introduce us in small groups at a time, and then my time came, Doug and I  were joined on the stage by another lady, Diana. And I was up.

My story, In the wilds of Africa at night, was in fact my first contribution to the project over a year ago, the theme, A scary moment. I took a breath and began, taking time to look at all the smiling faces seemingly enjoying what I was saying. I speak fast and tried to slow it down, I have no idea if I succeeded, I didn't even look at the screen to my left to see what photos from Africa had been chosen to show. I remember thinking very briefly how wonderful I felt reading what is one of my favourite stories out loud to such an interested audience, despite my obvious nerves. People applauded and I sat back down.

After Diana, they played the video about Doug that had been filmed at Swansea Library. I love the video, despite it having an extreme close up of me in it, it shows how much Doug loves his library and writing experience and at 97 he has a lot to tell us! And then he was up to tell his haunting story of Captain Harry. Watching the audience watch and listen to Doug tell his story was one of the truly thrilling things I have participated in, in my life. The quietness in the room was telling, I could see love and concern and tears in people's eyes for such a wonderful man and such a chilling story. I was trying not to cry myself. It ended with applause, the special kind, that made me feel so proud and happy.

Then we were back in the audience for the final section, including Judy's fabulous story on An act of rebellion. 

And finally a Q and A, where Doug was indeed the star of the show, answering many questions and telling his tales. What a great mix of emotions the morning was and how proud was I to be included in such a grand array of people and stories.

 

And what an audience, standing room only, with many people turned away!

 

Thank goodness for the ABC, where would our cultural history be without them!?!

Newcastle Writers Festival - Part 4: Saturday Evening

The Saturday evening session was Dear Diary: an evening of over sharing, at The Edwards. A, S, L & I joined Summer Land and Jack Ellis for dinner, ordering an array of their finger food dishes. And then moved to the set up area for the show stopper of the weekend. 5 authors were going to read from their childhood or teen diaries! Dominic Knight was hosting and we were in for a wild ride.

Jeff Apter, author of many Australian rock bios, went first. He read a few varying entries from his late teens, where he was already writing about the music scene without even realising, going to clubs and drinking and delving into other bits and pieces, his was an interesting read and funny. Especially as he seemed to have little recollection of most of it.

 

Linda Jaivin read about her younger years mixing in waspy company in the US, very funny, very earnest, and of course charged with sexuality.

 

Tim Ferguson read some angsty teen poetry, and then read a couple of entries from his dairy whilst touring with DAAS in Edinburgh in his early 20s.

 

Monica Dux, the only participant I didn't know was the best. Her entries from her later teen years and her yearning and sexual thoughts as a slightly prudish catholic girl, had us rolling in the aisles with tears running down our faces. Her delivery of said pieces as also superb.

 

Summer Land took us on a very open and honest romp as you would expect, through her tween and early teen years, including how she accidentally lost her virginity. Again hilarious and well delivered.

After some drinks and mingling afterwards, we headed home as tomorrow morning was going to be big!