Monday, September 21, 2009

Strawberry Muffins and Toffee

Today Cody and I decided, was the perfect day for some baking!



I made strawberry muffins and Cody made toffee.



At first I was going to make cookies, but after I made my dough I decided I wanted to make muffins - I managed to transform my cookie dough into some amazing muffin batter with a few extra ingredients.



We decided that the 'monster' themed sprinkles would be perfect for the toffee, and got a little carried away with the red food dye I found in my cupboard.
I'm happy to report that both of our culinary pursuits were a success!









We sat down on the back deck after our baking and had some plunger coffee that tasted like ass, but made up for it with delicious muffins that even the cat liked.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Selfish Altruism?

This week I have been throwing a few ideas about philanthropic pursuits between some of my dear friends. I have decided that despite not having an amazing pool of resources, I'm still capable of doing something to improve the daily lives of Brisbane's homeless.

Homelessness in Australia - This site gives a little insight into the topic of homelessness in Australia

When I see homeless people I usually find myself trying to think of what I would do if I were in their position, and how much I would welcome the smallest gesture of help. Winter this year was particularly cold (Yes, even in Tropical Queensland), alot of Australia's homeless population migrate north in winter to escape the cold weather as best they can.
I was out in the valley a few moths ago, and I was suffering from a nasty flu, and couldn't wait to just get home and have a shower then jump into my bed. There was a woman propped up in a doorway near the Night Owl in Brunswick Street - she had a nasty cough, and only a dirty old blanket between her and the cold. I went into the store and grabbed a couple of packets of Anticol and gave them to her. I know that a gesture like this might not have a profound effect on her in the long term, but I think it's little things like this, that we take for granted, that can collectively make a difference to the quality of a persons life.

I think too many people justify a persons situation based on the idea that 'everything is just' - that they must have done something to deserve to be in such a position, or that they aren't doing anything to get themselves out of it. This really is just a way of avoiding feeling compelled to help out, and stops you from feeling bad when you are walking home to bed, with a full stomach and clean clothes and see somebody slumped on a park bench or looking for a nook to sleep in for the night.

I'm not going to pretend that I will be crusading about the city, making everything ok - I would just like to make it a little better.

After chatting with Sharon (who has offered her time and resources to help get the project up and running) I've decided on two small ideas that I'd like to execute.

1 - Basic toiletries: A toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste, a bar of soap, a washcloth and deodorant. I'd like to get together a few packs containing these items and distribute them.

2 - Book swap with coffee and tea: I love reading a book and sipping on a cup of tea, and I think that it's a little luxury that really doesn't take much to make happen. I have heard of a project in Melbourne/Sydney in which a person had a huge collection of books, that they loaded in their car and displayed at a designated location in the city on a certain night of the week - people were encouraged to come and grab a book, and when they were done with it, bring it back and swap it for a new one. I'd like to do something similar to this, and offer a warm drink while I'm doing it.

We may not individually have the capacity to make major changes to the situation of homelessness, but a collection of small gestures combined can make life a little more pleasant and bearable.

If you have any ideas or would like to help out in any way, please let me know. I'm aiming to have things up an running by October :)

Home Calling

I've been thinking recently about how much I need to go home and visit my friends, family and my beach.
As some of my friends know, I used to live right on the beach in Nambucca Heads - which really is one of the most amazing beach towns in Australia.



I was lucky enough to have the beach at my back door. Swimming with dolpins before going to school was not at all unusual. The sounds of the surf came through my window rather than from a relaxation CD.

I found these pictures, taken by Clark Little, that made me a little nostalgic about my old home.








Clark Little

Friday, September 11, 2009

Sally Mann

Sally Mann is one of my favourite photographers. She works with black and white images and has recently moved on to collodion photography; which is simply amazing.
I'd seen some of her images floating around before, but when I looked some more of her work I fell in love. She captures such delicate moments.





Bicycle Race

Recently I've been drooling over vintage bicycles.



I really need to invest in one. I'm picturing Sunday afternoon bike rides around New Farm or South Bank - for the first few weeks or so, then having an ornamental bike in the garage....

Thursday, September 10, 2009

AmaX&Yzing

I ended up attenting the Big Sound Festival on Wednesday night with Jo and Squincy. Joanna was set on seeing Hungry Kids of Hungary and I had Tim Carroll (which sealed the deal for my attendance).

What a night it turned out to be!

We had dinner at Jo's house - which he dear mother kindly prepared for us, then we headed into the valley via train.

After running all over the valley to various venues and seeing a myriad of amazing artists (The Middle East, Tim Carroll, The Basics and Philidelphia Grand Jury were my highlights) our night ended, where it always should, at Ric's. While at Ric's I was casually stalking Wally De Backer (Gotye) and pounced on him when he was standing beside me at the bar - I think I did a pretty good job of not being overly stalkerish and demanding a lock of hair, I opted for a simple compliment, from which a little conversation and an invitation to his gig on Friday night at X&Y were born (Well, it's not exactly invites only - but he told me to come, and I didn't see anyone else getting a private invite).

Long story short I had an amazing night, which had the three of us arriving home at about 3am. I got a measley 1.5 hours sleep at Jo's before I had to wake up and walk to the train station to retrieve my car - in the FREEZING cold pitch black morning. I started work at 6am you see - it was a devil shift, with a severe lack of sleep and a hangover to boot.

Tonight Sharon is coming over and I'm making her dinner, then Ben, her and I are heading in to Ric's to watch out friend Alex's DJ set at Ric's.

And the cherry on my amazing week was the distinction I received in my stats exam!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Timothy Carroll

I recently stumbled upon an artist, that believe it or not, has been right under my nose here in Brisbane.
Timothy Carroll's debut album 'For Bread and Circuses' has been getting a thrashing from my iPod for the last month or so. Listening to his songs for me, has been almost like playing pass-the-parcel, under each layer for me there has been a new surprise awaiting discovery.




At first I was mesmerized by the calm folk-feel to his music, and his soft, unobtrusive vocals. After listening to the album on repeat for this past month, I've begun to really take away so much more from his poetic lyrics, that flow without seeming forced. His songs touch on so many subjects, from dissolved romance to the destruction of the Indeginous Australian culture and the displacement of those affected.

The song that I find myself seeking out is 'To Frozen Lakes', it seems to gently pull you into a daydream of sorts, once it ends you find yourself almost having to bring your floating thoughts back into the room.

At uni last semester the sociology component of my subject saw me focusing on the plight of the Indigenous Australian, and finding that a figure within the Aboriginal community who has had such a profound impact on the progression of the fight for equal rights was actually a family friend and colleauge of my father. He was one of the only two Aboriginals to participate in the instigation of the Freedom Rides in Australia.

I didn't have a clue that he was so politcally active until I began researcing for assignments and stumbled upon his name associated with a report on the Freedom Rides. I called my dad when I found the article to make sure it was the same man I was thinking of, and dad confirmed it for me.

After discussions with alot of people in regards to the past, present and future of Indigenous Australians, I found that so many people are so uneducated and ignorant as to the consequences that the past is having, and will continue to have on the Aboriginal people.

I seem to have gone off on a tangent, but I can link this aside to a track from Timothy Carroll's album, 'Forgotten Tongues', which I think is so simple, yet entirely capable of telling a story that so many people have failed to communicate.

Forgotten Tongues


She sings her songs,
in forgotten tongues,
for her stolen sons and daughters.
While the thieves that stole her name,
drunk upon the spoils,
accuse her of the same,
and scatter worthless coins.

In the grain of the wood,
I saw what I wanted to see.
Through the lines on your face,
I saw the woman you used to be.
And while the echoes of the crimes
still whisper out in this city.
Now the holder of your songs stands singing in
our streets.

This city of new,
you know she moans and sighs,
with a thousand eyes,
On you.

She’s aching in her bones,
for the stories that she holds.
She’s desperate not to trust,
but careful not to crush.

In the grain of the wood,
I saw what I wanted to see.
Through the lines on your face,
I saw the woman you used to be.
And while the echoes of the crimes
still whisper out in this city.
Now the holder of your songs stands singing in
our streets.

Learn the words you used to loathe,
the words they use as chains.
sign your name in the paper cage,
you know they’ll never change.

In the grain of the wood,
I saw what I wanted to see.
Through the
lines on your face,
I saw the woman you used to be.
And while the echoes of
the crimes still whisper out in this city.
Now the holder of your songs stands
singing in our streets.



Tim will be performing in the Brisbane Festival. Ticktes are a measley $10! So if you're even mildly interested, I would reccommend going along!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Paint my town red

I came upon these pieces of graff-art when I was in The Valley for an evening shoot. It got me thinking why there aren't more dedicated spaces in Brisbane for this kind of expression. Are we too hell-bent on being a squeaky clean city, void of any real character or soul? I'm not sure about everybody else but I like to see interesting things on what would otherwise be a bland wall - imagine if those giant grey walls of QPAC were painted in a wild way, it's strange that an arena for artistic performance and exhibition be so bland and sterile. Understandably this kind of art isn't right for every part of our city, but at the same time it shouldn't be shut away at the end of town in back alleys (or is that the appeal, that it's sought out rather than shoved in your face?)