"I like boring things" Andy Warhol @ GoMA

(He's not boring, It's my favourite Warhol quote...)

Spent rather a lot of today at the Warhol exhibition @ GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art). $20 entry fee to the Warhol but it was worth every cent.

The first part of the exhibition was from the 1950s & 1960s. There were some eg's of Warhol's time as a commercial artist and some stuff that 'hinted' at the stylist he was to become.

The beginnings of his Pop Art came next. There were his money prints, boxes, and of course the Campbell Soup Cans.

Warhol’s portraits (my favourites were the screen prints) and images of popular icons of the time are on display, showing his distinct style of vividly coloured backgrounds, and screen printed images in a range of colours.

Many of the commissioned portraits came from sessions in New York photo booths with his subjects taken in a variety of poses and also just talking or laughing.

Many of the photos used for the portraits in the first room of the exhibition were on show in the second room.

Many of the subjects are as interesting as the portraits themselves, with Warhol choosing images of people and things that were popular at the time – Elizabeth Taylor, Mick Jagger(signed by Mick), Marlon Brando, Mao Zedong, images of the hammer & sickle to name just a few.

In between the two main exhibition rooms there was a loung area (beautiful view across the river to the city) where there were strategically placed lounges and coffe tables with Warhol books that you could browse through.

Thisa broke the exhibition up nicely as alongside the lounge was the a/v area with half a dozen tv screens showing Warhol tv shows, interviews, films etc.

There were also a couple of photo booths so that you could try to recreate the Warhol magic yourself.

Then there was a wall of Warhol's photos and portraits, some of which were just stunning and we had a lot of fun trying to guess the fampous person before checking the legend/key at the end of the secion.

The pictures of Marilyn Monroe,were displayed here and there was also a potentially disturbing series called Death in America which also had silk screens of electric chairs, funerals and car crashes.

There was also an extensive piece showing the news and images of John Kennedy’s assassination, funeral, and Lee Harvey Oswald’s shooting by the police.

Also on display was a montage of covers from Warhol's Interview magazine.

There was a lot to takew in so we got our hands stamped and wandered around Brisbane for a while before going back to GoMA to continue viewing the exhibition (really we went and saw it again - starting at the end so as to see it through fresh eyes.)

Absolutely brilliant.

I now have to read at least one biog of Warhol to fill in the (large) gaps in my knowledge...

The one where it rains in Brisbane

Wednesday afternoon in humid, rainsoaked Brisbane.

Decided to explore the Cultural side of the river. As you walk over the bridge from the Queen St. Mall you are so spoiled for choice.

To the left - Southbank, Performing Arts Museum, QPAC (Qld Performing Arts Centre)

To the right - Art Gallery, Museum, State Library, Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA)

I chose left and wandered round Southbank - there were lots of people swimming at the manmade beach (despite the rain).

Checked out the program exhibition at the Performing Arts Museum and bought cards at the QPAC shop.

Had a quick look through the Art Gallery before lunching at the State Library Cafe/Shop (where I managed to get TappingBetty a Jane Austen action figure)

Then it was time to explore the State Library of Qld - newly renovated and built -all the services for the first-time or casual visitor are located on the ground floor.

There's a large kids artplay area, several indoor and outdoor seating areas, short term internet usage, wireless hotspots everywhere, cafes.

There's also a large display areas. The more 'serious' library usage areas are upstairs (stunning views across the river).

Didn't check out GoMA as we're going to the Warhol exhibition there tomorrow.

A quick trawl round the shops then it was back to digs to change for dinner.

Met some of the other guests for dinner at a seafood restaurant in the middle of the Queen Street Mall for dinner - seafood was quite appropriate as the rain poured down outside.

Melbourne - Brisbane

As is my wont I was at the airport hours earlier than needed so plenty of time for a restorative breakfast before catching my Virgin Blue flight to Brisbane.

The plane ride was uneventful until shortly before landing when a guy headed to the front of the plane and started taking photos of the female flight attendants. After a few minutes of this a male attendant (Mark) suggested to the guy that we'd be landing soon so perhaps it was time to go back to his seat.

Guy ignored him and continued taking photos at which point Mark escorted him firmly back top his seat. (Guy continued taking photos back over his head the whole length of the plane.)

Waiting at the baggage carousel 'Plane Guy's bag was one of the first off - so Plane Guy leapt on to the carousel to collect it.

Security Guard suggested to him that such a course of action was not wise so he swore at her. When his second bag was not forthcoming he climbed on the carousel again and walked along it examining all the not-yet-collected bags.

As I left the airport he was swearing at the three security guards surrounding him.

A quick ride to my digs to dump my bag then it was off to explore Brisbane proper.

Reasons I should have unpacked my bag Friday

Finally unpacked my 'work' bag from Friday.

First thing to jump out of it was the AB paysheets.

Bugger.

I worked the weekend - could have easily put them in the run - if I had known.

Double bugger

AB staff will conside them quite important.

Revised plans for tomorrow (first day of leave)

Frolic over to AB to return paysheets.

bugger, bugger, bugger

Sweet Georgia Brown

The signature tune of the Harlem Globetrotters.

After work this arvo it was off to the wilds of Darebin to see nephew play in the Eltham Basketball Tournament.

Many years ago I was a veteran of the Eltham basketball Tournament.

I recall being dragged kicking and screaming to Melbourne and being forced to watch the nephew's dad (aka my brother) and, later, the nephew's uncles (aka my other brothers) play in the tournament.

It was majorly deja-vu, neph is the image of his dad, he even runs like his dad (not a compliment unfortunately).

Luckily the neph's team won and are guaranteed a place in the semi final tomorrow.

Happy Australia Day

Officially, but the Public Holiday is Monday.

So I was at work, working, as one does.

This is not the ideal way to spend Australia Day when there is tennis and cricket on the telly.

No sirree.

Even less ideal when the computer system decided to take today as the Australia Day P.H. and didn't fully turn up until after lunch.

TG Craig was on call and I didn't have to invoke 'former-acting-Team-Leader' status as happened on Thursday.

Fun, fun, fun

Last day of NE

I kindly (but lets face it, stupidly) offered to help one of the casuals out with some HLS selections.

I mean, read the profile, go choose items that match the profile (that they haven't already had), issue the items, bag 'n' tag 'em, move onto the next profile.

Sounds easy.

I mean, Mrs Kafoops likes mysteries (not too much sex or violence) favourite authors - Christie, Sayers, Rankin.

Aha! thinks I - Mrs Kafoops will like Aird, Curzon, Simpson, Robinson, Harvey - brilliant in theory but if AB doesn't have those authors - I'm seriously screwed. How about Reah, Cork, Norman, Murphy hmmm.

Will (hopefully) complete Mrs Kafoops' selections @ BL tomorrow.

I actually do select for a couple of HLS clients @ BL. Luckily they both read mysteries, luckily I see the new books come through so can easily spot new titles/authors for them to try.

It reminded me of a conversation with a colleague who asked me for a list of authors of British crime authors for a borrower (may have been HLS - not sure).

Sure, we have the British Police Procedurals list (which is due to be updated), and some who writes like... but I'd love to have something less 'formal' - five crime novels set at Scotland Yard; five mysteries set in Oxford - we could do one a month on the website/blog/ning/facebook/myspace/bebo/email newsletter and have a printed version in the libraries for the non-computerised.

Wonder if I can work it into Seattle reads?

Back on topic.

I enjoyed the NE - It was fun, it was challenging, I got to use the (alleged) grey cells, and I learned a lot from the experience.

It helped with the thinking on my future options (some may call it a career - others just chortle).

You can get too comfortable in a job, and it's good to shake the cobwebs off and work with some very different team dynamics and under a different sort of pressure.

Peoples' reactions to me were also interesting (and sometimes amusing) to observe.

I'll probably blog about this some more over the next few days as it is/was a surprisingly educational secondment.

Family Ties

Finally got around to having Kate's birthday dinner.

Her birthday was almost 2 weeks ago, but she was in Yinnar, at a Hi-5 concert; we were at the tennis, at the theatre; someone was working and therefore not available; so tonight was the first night we could get a majority of family members together (7/12).

Missing were B & J & the little tackers (nights not good for the 2 and unders), and Cam (in England so manages to miss most family do's).

Kate seemed rapt with her present from me (ticket to High School the musical on ice) and we all had a great night (good food - roast lamb - yum).

Apparently it was the 3rd or 4th birthday cake she'd had for this particular birthday.

Tomorrow she is off to Pakenham to stay with my mum for a few days. (I believe they have plans to shop!)

Next up, family wise, is Eltham basketball Tournament this weekend - Ryan's team is playing and he's keen for us to put in an appearance (and I'm working this weekend...)

Technology - gotta love it

I've been frolicking on the 'puter for the last couple of hours with the requisite ohs breaks for food, drink, tv, and phone calls.

I've also scanned in a truck load of photos, updated 3 blogs besides this one, and generally convinced myself that I haven't been wasting my time, or stuffing around to avoid doing something else.

Not to mention recharging stuff - ipod, & mobile phone can be done by the 'puter.

Have signed up for one day of BTH2.0 in Brissie (couldn't decide which workshop thingie to sign up for - bet I chose the wrong one...)

If only I applied the same dedication and concentration to housework

He's there, the Phantom of the Opera

Final Melbourne performance of Phantom this afternoon. Anthony Warlow was as fantastic as ever as the Phantom. The man can sing!

For the bows he wore a holographic/silvery sequiny mask instead of the usual white.

After the show he left via a side entrance disappointing the fans waiting by the stage door for him.

By the time we'd finished coffee next door (15 minutes or so) the trucks had rolled in and were unloading the stuff needed to strike the set and send it up to Brisbane.

The one where Fiona goes to the zoo

We had a small gather planned. At the zoo.

Mainly it was to meet fiona m from Bendigo (not me, the Bendigo fiona m is technically a fiona mc, though she calls herself fiona m which is bound to lead to confusion). However fiona m (bendigo) bailed on account of she'd done her back, but the rest of us decided to meet anyway. At the zoo.

As I hadn't been to the Melbourne zoo since a Grade 6 trip with Doncaster Heights Primary School some XX years ago I decided to get there early and check the animals for signs of abuse and neglect. Which I did (didn't find any)

However when I arrived at the appointed meeting time, at the appointed hour, I was the only one there. Eventually The Tiff turned up with her baby to tell me that due to the inclemency of the weather we were meeting at Southbank. (Luckily I'd explored the zoo by this stage or I'd be very p***ed off, having spent $21 to enter the zoo)

Anyway we met up with Kirsty, Dreamer @ KB for cofee and cake (kaffe und kuchen), which led to more coffee, and eventually to dinner.

Having parted from the gang I realised I'd missed me train and had 30 mins to wait until the next so I headed over to the big screen @ Fed Sq in time to see Federer lose the 3rd set.

He won the 4th set while I was on the train but I was home in time to watch a superb 5th set.

Am now waiting for Hewitt/Baghdatis match to start.

The name is Costa, Maria Costa

After much email ping pong with them, I have been able to prove my identity sufficiently to Yahoo for them to unlock my fm email account and allow me access.

It appears that last week someone somehow changed my password without my knowledge. I do not know how they discovered my password as (a) it bears absolutely no relation to my name, dob, cats name or any of those other things you are warned not to use as passwords and (b) it was not a real word, nor did it resemble a real word.

Once yahoo had reset my account and I was able to log in I discovered that on my profile page I was now maria costa, a 19 year old male from barcelona!

I have now devised a new, evil, password with even more random characters in it.

I don't know what mischief has been perpetrated by maria (presumably mario?) while he had access to my account - there is nothing in the sent folder that I don't recognise, there are no dodgy replies to anything, and no-one in my address book has complained about receiving spam, or other dodgy emails from me.

I guess it is destined to remain a mystery.

Day 5 of N.E.

Succeeded in being Day Senorita.

Trains co-operated as much as they reasonably could (sort of).

After work went into town (officeworks) and then watched some of the tennis on the big screen @ Fed Square.

One of those days (Day 4 of N.E.)

You know those days when, frankly, you're just not quite there?

Well today was one of those days.

I arrived at work to find that my mobile phone, and my work bible notebook, had not made the journey with me.

The mobile phone I could cope without but the notebook, no way Jose, it had all my notes for today in it as well as where I was up to on a couple of projects etc. etc, etc. And quite frankly I never quite recovered from that start.

Not that anything major went wrong it was just little niggles all day. Paper cut on finger which caught on everything, casual staff member who didn't turn up when expected, accidentally shook my pepsi max before opening it, yahoo refused to acknowledge my fm login, just nuisance stuff really.

Quite glad when the day was over and I could barricade myself in my flat, away from the annoying outside world.

Good things that happened today.

I solved the 'challenging' level sudoku in the paper (without cheating).

I finished the crime novel I was reading

One of my parcels from Amazon arrived

The Christmas parcels from our cousin in Edinburgh (containing souvenirs from the Ian Rankin exhibition she curated at the Edinburgh Writers Museum) arrived at my sister's place. Can't wait for her to drop mine in to me.

Gliffy contacted me about the problems I'm having with their flowchart software

Will now go and put mobile phone and notebook of life in my bag ready for tomorrow.

I'm day senorita tomorrow so better not trust myself to do it in the morning.

Day 3 of N.E.

Had Seattle reads meeting this morning - some good ideas came out of it (imho), and we have a rough outline now of the structure and format.

Was having a google for info about the Seattle reads program and discovered that Seattle reads was not the programs original title it was actually If all of Seattle read the same book.

I love the original title - sure Seattle reads is short, sharp, punchy and suitable, but I can see advertising with the If all of Seattle read the same book as a headline - it explains what the program is in seven words.

Food for thought and a bit off track.

Anyhoo, Back to AB to do the pays, attend a GSM, help a staff member work through thing 13.

May need to rethink publicity for ning - a couple of staff thought you had to finish web 2.0 before you could join the ning.

On the train(s) home wrote a piece on 2.0, 2.1, & the ning as Professional Development, however on arriving home the notes I made do not reflect what I thought I was saying.

in Net news - still no invite to flow chart

381 reasons to get a life (or embarassing sadistics from 2007)

Total Books read 381

Crime/mystery fiction 223

Kids books 51

Non fiction 76

Other (fiction) 31

Series re-reads 64

Books started but not finished 11

*Gulp*

Lists will appear on my website in due course.

Day 2 of N.E

LMT @ HA (You wanna know what happened - read the minutes...)

then back to AB - rather too easily as 'incident at Chatham' meant my Belgrave train (change at CL for Alamein line) suddenly became an Alamein train as we approached Camberwell - confusing a lot of people who didn't listen to the announcements telling them that the 'incident' meant buses between CL and Box Hill.

At AB checked Connex website - no mention of incident - all services running normally. hmmm

Got first LH query, am attempting it without a net.(sort of)

Day 1 of New Experience.

Discovered that the 8.15 train connects rather brilliantly with the 8.34 meaning that MA to AB took 40 minutes door to door. Wow.

Day Senorita on Friday will be the test as previous attempts to be at AB by 8ish have been scuppered by 20 minute wait on Platform 3 @ CL.

Day 1 Summary.

Got my bearings, did a desk shift, thought about 2.0, and 2.1, and tried to spread the word that is ning.

Reflection on Day 1

Enjoyed it, felt good about what I achieved, looking forward to tomorrow.

Connex exists to ...

1.40pm Arms full of grocery shopping arrive at Box Hill station to catch 1.50 train to MA.

1.50pm No sign of 1.50 train. Boards say next train is 2.10.

2.10pm Boards say 2.10 train due in 30 minutes, 2.30 train due in 20 minutes.

2.15pm Ask BH station staff wtf is going on? They don't know. They *think* the 1.50 must have been cancelled, and that the 2.10 must be running late.

2.20pm. Give up and catch taxi home.

2.35pm Check Connex web site - all services running normally. (Me resignedly, yep this is normal)

Why did i?

2 year old asleep, 6 month old screaming. why did I volunteer to babysit?

A season at Sarsparilla

Last night was my first MTC of the season. It was a preview of Patrick White's Season at Sarsparilla which is set in Sydney in the late 1950s/early 1960s.

Hmmmmm what to say. It was Patrick White. It started 20 minutes late due to technical difficulties. It was Patrick White. It was long (3 hours).

It just didn't work last night (imho). The actors were all good (the outstanding Pamela Rabe), but unfortunately it just didn't gel or something. There was something missing.

It's a play that needs a strong ensemble cast; it had a strong cast, they just didn't ensemble all that well perhaps - I don't know what the problem was other than to say it didn't quite hang together as it should have.

C+

A strange morning by all accounts

Ventured out into the extreme heat earlyish - needed to shop.

Got back to find message on mobile (memo to self: mobile phones are meant to be taken with you, not left at home!) about possible 'acting' opportunity (acting as in higher duties, not as in "what light through yonder window breaks...") and was I interested? You betcha. Logged on to find emails from Polyxena at 3 of my email adresses (the only 3 she knows about?) asking for EOI's for the position.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, and after a 'rigorous selection process*', I was offered the role. Starting Monday. TL @ AB. For 2 weeks. Gadzooks.

But hey, I'm looking forward to it. It's in an area I haven't worked in for a long time; in a role I've never really done before; at the only branch I've never worked at full time (only ever done desk shifts and weekends there).

All in all, workwise, it's turning into a really good year.

*obviously by rigorous selection process I mean I was the only applicant and they were desperate!!

Kate is 8, Kate is 8, Kate is 8

Happy birthday Kate, Katie, K,

from Fi.

Dilemma of the hair type

Had hair done tonight (napro blue frothy rinse/set - the usual) and new hairdresser (whom I really like) tells me that previous hairdresser who ran screaming off to England, rather than continue to set my hair, is back and will be working Mondays which is my preferred napro blue frothy day.

Hmmm what to do, what to do*.

*yes I do realise that there are more important problems in the world but let's face it bad hair is bad hair!

Hippo Birdies to Bernie

Hippo Birdies to Bernie

Hippo Birdies to Bernieeeeeeeee

Hippo Birdies to Bernie

Happy Birthday Jannie

from doddald , dugdug, and Artie FiFi

Finally, competence wins the day

1.45 pm plumber arrives.

2.15 pm toilet has been dismantled, repaired, re-mantled.

2.20 pm plumber, by way of bonus, unblocks the bathroom sink.

Score: the good (me & the plumber) 2, the evil (**coughPhilipWebbRealEstatecough**) aarrghhh.

evil or incompetent - you make the call...

**rant continues**

12 noon no word from plumber. Ring e.r.e.a2. She tells me (snarky like) plumber has other jobs besides mine.

I explain 3.30 desk, punishable by death or dismemberment if missed, etc etc etc.

She gives me plumbers mobile number.

I ring plumber - his mobile is busy.

I pour restorative pepsi max, find emergency stash of M&Ms, and ring plumber again.. He says he just spoke to e.r.e.a2 (actually he calls her by her given name but you get the drift)

I say by just, how long ago. He says five minutes ago. My blood pressure goes even further through the roof.

I explain situation, (toilet, 3.30 desk, dismemberment etc.) he says he'll be here by 2pm.

I google post graduate plumbing qualifications.

Another reason to hate real estate agents

**rant alert**

Last night when I got home from pizza with petal, I discovered that my toilet was malfunctioning. Water was pouring, unceasingly, into the bowl.

So, at 7.30pm, I called the after hours number provided by evil real estate agent (they provide a 24 hour answering service for tenants). The polite lady at the answering service explained to me that she would page the 'on call' agent who would then ring me and organise a plumber.

At 9pm I again called the after hours number provided by evil real estate agent. The polite lady at the answering service explained to me that she would again page the 'on call' agent who would then ring me and organise a plumber.

At 9.25pm the water stopped pouring into the bowl. Though there were by now some funny noises coming from the pipes.

At 11.30pm I again called the after hours number provided by evil real estate agent. The polite lady at the answering service explained to me that she would again page the 'on call' agent who would then ring me and organise a plumber.

Now I know that the Box Hill branch of Evil estate agents opens at 8am. So at 8.01am this morning I called and asked to speak to my 'property manager' (eebil speek for e.r.e.a).

Polite receptionist tells me that e.r.e.a now works at Heathmont branch and helpfully gives me the phone number.

I ring Heathmont branch and find it doesn't open until 9am. Ring Box Hill back - is it an emergency? Well no, not exactly, there is a public toilet in the next street and no, the toilet isn't overflowing. Well in that case you need to speak to your property manager.

At 9.01am I call Heathmont and am put through to e.r.e.a. Explain my problem to her. She says Oh I don't manage your property any more, you need to speak to e.r.e.a2 - she's based at Box Hill.

I manage not to swear and call e.r.e.a2 at Box Hill. She's in a meeting; by now my temper is more than a little frayed so when helpful receptionist asks if it's an emergency I snap. I explain politely and pointedly that I have spent the last 12 hours, without a toilet, trying to get hold of e.r.e. agency to get a plumber and that my phone bill will likely triple in cost with all the calls to e.r.e.a.

Receptionist gets e.r.e.a2 out of meeting and I explain the problem once again (note: at this point if one more person asks me if it's an emergency - mayhem will ensue)

e.r.e.a2 says she will call the plumber and he will call me straight back and let me know what time he will be here.

I ring work and tell them I will be late.

to be continued...

Daft thing for 2008 #1

Now I've worked this weekend (yesterday and today) - normally when I work the weekend I take the Monday & Tuesday off - for some reason this time I opted for Thursday & Friday.

Not only does this mean I have 3 more days of work this week but also from the mild mid 20s today the weather is going to get hotter and hotter - peaking in the low 40s on Thursday and Friday. What was I thinking? (*headsdesk*)

Mind you Petal and I went out for pizza after work and solved all the problems of the universe...

That was fun! (She won't ning though)

Quiet time

This time of the year is quite quiet in terms of my non-work life. Despite this (or perhaps because of it) I am spending way too much time on the interweb, yet my web page is behind schedule as is this blog (so much for posting everyday).

So to add to the confusion I decided to add to my 2008 resolutions "Listen to all my cds at least once".

I shudder to think how many cds per day that means I'll have to listen to...

This year I resolve to...

Get my website up and running

Eliminate my TBR pile

2008 - year of genealogy

Sort my photos

Watch all my dvds that I haven't watched yet

Go to the movies at least twice

Improve my science knowledge

Feelin' hot, hot, hot

Well the New Year is off to a hot and humid start - the temp stayed above 30 all night - it was too hot to sleep, to hot to watch the fireworks, too hot to do anything. (whinge, whinge, whinge, moan)

Will post my NY Resolutions when the temperature cools down as currently all my thoughts involve cold weather and ice packs.

Should old acquaintance....

Well It's a new year, so time for a new blog.

Happy New Year everywhere.