Showing posts with label Choir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Choir. Show all posts

Monday, April 19, 2021

MARCH DIARY

March was busy, huge and busy.

I have commenced an online course, a Certificate IV in training and assessment. I have wanted to return to study for a while and this seemed a good one. There are other complicated reasons why I choose that one, but too much to go into here. It is meant to take a year but can be accelerated, which I am hoping to do. I started early March, and getting back into the rhythm of study on top of FT work is challenging. I did my entire Uni course while I worked so surely this won't be so bad. Famous Last Words!! The first subject was dull and whilst not difficult, it was very very time consuming, so unsure how this accelerated thing will go. But I am giving it a red hot shot!

I also enrolled in another Art Course from the National Gallery of Victoria, this time, Women in Art and Design, which was absolutely fascinating. So many amazing women out there creating, new and old, it made me smile.

Early in the month we held our first post COVID author talk at work, with Lee Christine, talking about her latest murder thriller. We had a good turn up, and it was a lovely afternoon. A lot of non-Belmont customers who raved about our lovely branch!



Friends organised a night out for dinner and Yes Commissioner. We had a banquet dinner at Cafe Limoo on Beaumont. It is Persian food and outstanding, highly recommend a meal there. We then walked up to The Gal for a night of seat dancing and singing along to Yes Commissioner, always a great night out, we really had fun.




I booked a live stream of Caitlin Moran from the Opera House, she was streaming in from the UK, so no point being in the audience. She was in conversation with Yumi Stynes and was as fabulous and witty as you can imagine. She talked about her book/s, life in covid, and everything in between.

I even managed a night back at Choir, we have been singing outside for a little while, and it is a delight. Singing at the carraige sheds at the foreshore, lovely breeze off the water, warm, sunsets, birds joining in, and the odd boat leaving the harbour. Good for the soul!



Linda, Andrew, and I caught a play at Newcastle Theatre Company at Lambton. The play was called The Road to Tibooburra and featured the music of Steve Kilbey from The Church. Steve was in the house that afternoon, so that was super exciting. It is about a rock legend and his group of musicians and followers on heading to the outback for a concert and things that happen along the way. The musician was played by Peter Fenton, who I loved in Praise and an Aussie drama from called Love is a Four Letter Word. He was excellent, the music was exceptional, but the play lacked plot and direction. The later was made up for by the music, so it wasn't bad. But then just before the end they moved the entire audience to another area to see a misguided indigenous scene that made me feel very uncomfortable for numerous reasons, not least many elderly people squished into a small room during what was still COVID. This pushed the whole thing out over an hour of it's running time which was frustrating when we had places to be by certain times. Sadly it left an odd, annoyed taste in my mouth but the music was great and it was nice to be in an audience with Kilbey.




Work had a mini writers festival and I caught one session (study, urgh!!!!) on writing autobiographical works, it was a great panel with amazing authors including, Susan Francis. It was at the old Rathmines Hall which has been done up beautifully, if you are out that way, you must check it out!


I also managed dinner out at the local pub, book club, and a few radio spots.


Plus the usual markets, and reviews.







And Photography










Monday, March 15, 2021

FEBRUARY DIARY

February was a delight. I really feel like I am settling into my new job, such things take a few months. We have made a few changes, the customers love them. My team are lovely, the customers are lovely, we have commenced our programming and whilst we are flat chat, it is fun. My health has been great, my love life is wonderful. (the cynic in me is waiting to fall over, but the Pollyanna in me is reveling in it all).

I have enrolled in an online course to complete Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. I have wanted to study something new in terms of work for a while now but between my health and work restructure it has been a bit difficult. I am sure it will take a while to get into the groove of study again, but I do a lot of training and I feel it will be a good skill-set to formally have.

Andrew and I met friends for dinner at Saigon Feast, one of my favourite restaurants. It is low key in decor but high quality in food. I haven't been there in a long time, cause COVID, and felt the quality had slipped a little, but still, it was pretty good. We all then headed to The Civic Theatre to see We Can Be Heroes: Bowie Orchestrated with the George Ellis Symphony Orchestra. The Orchestra were young and brilliant, with a fab Sax soloist. They all looked like they were having so much fun. The vocalists were well matched to various Bowie songs. Jeff Duff, Iota, Steve Kilbey and Chris Cooke. Iota, in particular killed! Robyn Loau was their back up singer and guest vocalist on Under Pressure, what a stunning voice and presence. We just loved the show, it was a great mix of Bowie's greatest hits, we danced in our seats and sang along. Such joy!









I headed back to choir for the year. We are still singing outdoors at the foreshore, which adds the chill and meditative atmosphere that is choir. Such a delight!




We also had the pleasure of seeing Julia Gillard in conversation with Rosemarie Milsom at NEX. What an amazing woman, so poised, so intelligent, so funny. She told stories of politics and feminism and had the huge audience in the palm of her hand. If you missed out, you can listen to the podcast here. After a group of us headed to The Edwards for supper, drinks, and chats and a great time was had by all.





I celebrated Valentine's Day for the first time in a long long time with a lovely lunch with my love at Emilios at Warners Bay. The long time Newcastle establishment moved to WB just before Christmas and I have been busting to try it out. We had the most amazing lunch, and we'll be back.




I caught up with a lovely friend I have not seen in ages for a mid week meal at the Lambton Park Hotel, always a great meal there we enjoyed ourselves with much catching up and chatter.

I headed into Civic Park mid month as part of the New Annual festival. The brilliant Catapult dance group had a new show called Acquist, which is basically the group dancing on water in the Civic Park Fountain! This was just as amazing as you can imagine, and then some. The park was buzzing on this balmy Friday night and we watched the show on sunset. Sadly we were not allowed to take photos, but I snuck a few in on the end. The grace and agility these dancers showed was awe inspiring, and the entire audience was mesmerised at the athleticism and beauty of the show. You can see a preview video from the group at this link.








My bookclub commenced it's 2021 season towards the end of the month, at The Edwards, we had a great turn out and wonderful conversation.

As usual I headed to my beloved markets, and did a few Book reviewing gigs at 1233 ABC with Craig Hamilton.







Here are my reviews for the month

And a little bit of photography.