Summer Reading

Ventured out into the sales today, picked up a few books for my summer reading.

- Gregory Maguires 'Wicked' (currently reading)
- Salman Rushdies 'Midnight Children'
- Leo Tolstoys 'Anna Karenina'
- Kenneth Grahames 'Wind in the Willows'
- Andrea Camilleri - Rounding the Mark'

Even though my bookshelf is overflowing I can't help myself. Seeing as I have a few free days coming up. Then when work starts again and train rides really need something to pass the time. Other than listening to people's inane conversations and looking at the same scenery day in day out. These should keep me busy for a while.

Enjoy your holidays, hope you have a great 2009!

Merry Christmas

You know what I like about Christmas? I only have to have a 10 minute phone conversation with the family, usually early in the morning. Then I'm free to do whatever the hell I like. I don't have to listen the same old stories/jokes, see relatives I care nothing for, which btw is 98% of them. I don't have to feign surprise or delight or interest at anything I get, because you know what? they can't see me, it doesn't matter.
Anyway I hope you guys have a good Christmas, whatever it means (or doesn't) to you.

Black & White

Some things look better in black & white, this photo I took for example.

Japanese Film Festival

The Japanese Film Festival has started (well in Melbourne it started on the 27th) and here it starts on the 2nd December. There's a wide range of films on, most of them look excellent. I've narrowed down my choices, some based on times, to 3 movies.

Monster X Strikes Back for cheeseness :P


Ichi for swordplay & Samurai


And The Girl who leapt through Time for some anime joy

So next week is looking like a load of fun, can't wait!

All right you got me

I have been avoiding you. I mean not much has been going on. Nothing interesting anyway, the normal stuff at work. I could write pages and pages on all the various crap that goes on there. But ultimately it doesn't do any good, kinda like trying to talk things over with the boss(es). I talk 'til I'm blue in the face, they smile and nod and nothing changes. Then I end up looking like a whingeing cow at work and on the internet. No one wants that.

Stuff at home has been the same, noisy neighbours (already told you about them) watching too many DVDs. Not getting enough sleep, playing the occasional video game - Lego Batman is AWESOME! btw.

I've done some more patterns but haven't had any more printed due to the crap exchange rate at moment. Also...I've forgotten what I was going to say. Oh yes I'm trying to save up for a new digital camera as the one I have is like 5 years old and takes noticeably grainy photos. Which is great if your after lovely grainy shots, unfortunately 98% of the time that's not the desired out come for me at least.

So I guess that's it for now, unless something spectacular happens soon or you know another idea pops into my head.

Boredom at work

Usually I draw eyes on my notepad, I have pages and pages of eyes. No idea why. But the other day I did this freehand or free mouse(?) without drawing it on paper and scanning it I mean.


(Well there is supposed to be a picture, but for some reason the picture options aren't showing up. hopefully I'll get it sorted soon)

Edit: There it is!

Art

I've had a bit of free time lately and decided that I'd go to an art gallery. I haven't been in quite a while and the Art Gallery of NSW has Monet and the Impressionists exhibition on until January next year. Being a massive fan of Impressionism I really had to go, I was extremely happy to see that a couple of Monet's Haystacks were included in the show. There are also some of Monet's collection of Japanese woodblocks by artists who inspired him. I also happen to love Japanese woodblocks, art and culture in general so walking around taking in the paintings/prints was marvellous. Apart from the screaming children and old people walking into me and lets not mention the retarded Impressionist merchandise to be found in the store as you leave the exhibition.
Really it's worth $18 just for The Haystacks, go see it!

It's here

OMG! My fabric has turned up I wasn't really expecting it for at least another week or so but here it is. And if I do say so myself it looks bloody awesome, yep, awesome. The repeat worked great the colours are good. Not too shabby, however I still have no idea what to do with it.
The only thing I can think of is to maybe do some fabric badges like these:


Basically the only crafty thing I could manage to pull off. I could send the fabric to Mum to see what she'd come up with (did I mention that Mum is sewing/knitting demon in the family?).

Hmmm also got some concert tickets I'd been waiting for, it's hard to be excited and dead tired at the same time. I think I need a nap before Supernatural starts, can't fall asleep with Jensen Ackles on the tube.

Edit: So this is the whole piece, I ordered two of them.

This weekend

I was supposed to catch up with a friend, play video games and watch a movie or two. But he's bailed on me claiming sickness (yeah right!) So I guess I'll be flying solo again, bogus.

Grumpy, 1am Monday

There must be some rule that says if you live upstairs from me you must be a total twat. And by twat I mean you MUST do all of the following if not a few more of your own invention:
- Walk like you weigh a tonne
- Wear high heels on the wooden floorboards
- Scrap shit across the floor, drop really heavy things, preferably late at night
- Have loud blazing rows with your significant other/friends/family members either in person or over the phone
- Slam doors & windows
- Race up and down the stairs making enough noise for 15 people when you're usually alone or in pairs
- Play crap music at all hours of the day and night at ear bleeding volumes. The crap music is usually of the techno variety I swear I listened to the same drum beat for a year and a half. The new people yesterday played one part of a song for 3 hours straight. Not the whole song, just the first chorus. Actually they're still playing it.
- Be completely oblivious that any of your behaviour is annoying and reluctantly agree to stop/curtail said behaviour for about the time it takes me to walk down the stairs and back into my apartment

The last two being the most important, because no sooner have I outlasted one bastard who thought he was a DJ. I now have another pair to take up his mantle. Only these idiots don't even acknowledge my existance (they don't answer the door) the last guy kinda feigned being apologetic, I get zip from the new people apart from bags under my eyes and a lovely snippy attitude.

I seriously don't get it, I like music (love it in fact) I go to my fair share of concerts (it'll be 15 concerts this year) so I don't mind loud music, generally. I listen to lots of different types too, but what shits me is that as one of the few people in this building complex that has a job, my sleep patterns are at odds with my neighbours. While it's fine for them to be up and partying 4am Wednesday morning I really don't need it. My bosses and co-workers don't need it because ultimately they're the ones who have to deal with my grumpy self the next day.

I consider it a good night if I've gotten around 4-5hours sleep. I do use ear plugs to block out as much of the noise as possible, but really they can only do so much. To the last guy I became the grumpy cow downstairs who'd spoil all his techno/bongo lovin' fun. Looks like I'm still playing that role, that reminds me, must get more ear plugs tomorrow I foolishly thought I wouldn't need them anymore.

But I forgot, if you live above me, you must be a twat.

I did it!

I finally got my shit together, figured out all the crap I needed to figure out and uploaded my pattern to a site than can print it on fabric for me. Now I just have to sit back and relax until it turns up in the mail. Then I still have to come up with something to do with the fabric. But I guess I need to see how it turns out before I can go any further with that thought process. At least that's what I keep telling myself. In reality, it'll turn up on my doorstep and be fabulous (yeah, naturally) and I'll still be at a loss as to what to do with the blasted thing. I'll probably leave it somewhere around to collect dust. Only to come across it again years from now while moving house or something, I can see it all now.
In other news this is the last long weekend of the year and like every other time I have a day off the weather is supposed to be shithouse. But seeing as I really don't have anything planned except for going to the hairdresser (I really am overdue) the weather can be shithouse. I'm very much looking forward to sleeping in several days in a row, probably watching waaaay too many DVD's and just generally being the exact opposite of my working self. A good dose of Hellboy and Hell Girl should do the trick indispersed with some British comedies I think, ah yes, the weekend quick cheez it.

It's a pattern I tell ya!

So I'm going to get the above pattern printed on some fabric (once I figure out the specs needed). Something I've wanted to do for years, but have only just now got around to.
The only problem is what to do with the fabric once it's done (and fingers crossed it looks half decent) because I am utterly useless with a sewing machine. Or anything resembling the domestic duties of old, you know; sewing, knitting, cooking, cleaning, rearing children. Okay I haven't tried the last one yet, but I imagine it'd be difficult, time consuming and full of dropped stiches? :/
Anyway the weekends almost here, yippeee

OMG Father's Day?!

I can't believe it's Fathers Day already and due to craptacular circumstances (don't ask) I am without cash/cards to get the old man anything. Which means I have to rely on my younger brother to get him something from me and pay him back later.The only problem with that is said brother isn't really much help with ideas. Over the years I think we've gone through just about everything you could possibly get a dad, plus a whole lot more. How many years in a row did we get him slippers? which he'd wear for a week then they'd sit in the bottom of a wardrobe for the rest of the year. I'm a bit too old to palm off some mis-shaped badly decorated piece of pottery, or a paddlepop stick/pipe cleaner creation as a gift. Although it'd be really good if I could, like a paddlepop stick house you could actually live in. Probably not a very sturdy structure, also not really something I could throw together in the few remaining days either.I suppose I could fly home and surprise him, but that really would have required much more forethought on my part. I also have that 'evil middle child' persona to live up to so that won't be happening, sorry Dad.I've emailed my brother with some of the less lame ideas I had with as many links so that he can see what I'm talking about. Fingers crossed by Sunday some massive light bulb will go off and Dad will get something that he actually wants.
Oh yeah, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! :D




p.s. Images borrowed from the lastest (Father's Day) Kmart catalogue.

p.p.s. We ended up getting him an air compressor (which is want he wanted) so happy, happy, joy ,joy!

Fruitiness

I picked up some Ranunculus' today very pretty flowers, not much perfume but you know that's alright. They have an interesting shape, so many petals! Hopefully I'll be able to sketch a few before they wilt.

Also got some more lovely tea from T2, the absolutely delicious Red Fancy Fruit and Gorgeous Geisha a green tea which smells fantastic I'll have to try it tomorrow. Green tea is a bit tricky to brew. Apparently for my star sign I should be drinking Chai, Darjeeling 1st Flush and Lilac Green. Or according to the little quiz on their site Girlie Grey and French Earl Grey, interesting.

Tea-rrific

I love tea and after my usual Saturday morning activities I walked past a tea shop. I went in to get a glass teapot but the only ones available were in the window and as the shop is usually busy I had to wait for a shop assistant to get one for me.
As I was waiting to get served I saw this teapot. As much as I wanted the glass one, the one with the monkeys won out. Did I mention that I really like monkeys? How could I go past that one, impossible. It's a little hard to photograph being silver ink and all, the cups are a bit hard to use if you like your tea piping hot, but, oh well. MONKEYS!
Guess I'll get the glass one for Chrysanthemum teas at a later date :) actually I might get some of those tomorrow...

Mishmash

I did start one of these the other day, but it was on a completely different tack. And as the things I was whingeing about are no longer relevant, that blog seems a bit of a waste.

So I've been spending a lot of time and money on music lately. All my favourite bands are touring this year and it's really hard to stop myself from going to their shows. But that's not really what I was going to say either.

Actually, I just wanted to post some of my patterns. Like a lot of people around I love coming up with my own patterns. These are a few I've been working on, now if work can keep quiet, things here might take off :)

False Starts

Alright so I'm a fibber, I didn't end up getting a scanner last weekend. I felt ill so I stayed home and watched DVDs in bed. This week I've been busy going to several concerts (getting cabs to and from venues, buying merch) CDs and new shoes for work. Which are already tearing up my heels, thank the universe for band-aids.
Anyway I did manage to get out and have look around for one, but the couple I could find were crap and a $100 more than they are online.
So now that I've spent all the extra cash I had I guess it's gonna have to wait a couple of more weeks. Probably end up ordering one online anyway, so til then back to the pen & paper for me.

Idea

Been having a good hard think about things over the last few days. Made some notes and then some more notes. Had a look around at some other blogs, websites, books, magazines got a few ideas, like a lot of people I've been stuck in creative rut.

Had a blog before and didn't really do much with it. This time around hopefully things will be different and I can stick with it for more than a few months. On a list of things to get this weekend is a scanner and now that the Pope & pilgrims have gone it's safe to venture into the city once again.

 

Week 1

So this is a work in progress, while I try and figure out what to put up on this thing. I know the name is a little bit naff but everything else I could think of was taken. So much for bright ideas eh? The header/layout will no doubt change again and again as I easily get bored with things.

Need to get a few things together before I can post little doodles and the like. Guess that's all for now, toodles.