Saturday mornings usually hold a bike ride to the library to read newspapers and talk with other old blokes
I like the horoscopes and the Review section but also find it amusing to read their Coalition spin and attempts at agenda setting.
Up to a point though, some of their agendas trample over the lives of marginalised people and leave me feeling angry.
There are stay at home orders in place at the moment
However, it's nearly time for another airbourne threat to emerge: swooping magpies.
The video below is from 2012, when I paid my son $10 to get swooped.
Somethings can't be unseen
My federal member had a curious turn of phrase in a recent email, where she described lockdowns as a plague
Restrictions and lockdowns have plagued our communities, particularly those on our NSW/Vic border, for more than a year. These have been frustrating, socially disruptive, and economically devastating.
Elsewhere in her text it was ensured that every measure of human life and health was qualified with an economic indicator.
By ramping up the vaccine rollout and working together, we are can be confident in getting the current outbreaks under control and continue to grow our economy.
It speaks to how the Coalition can't help but put their economic cart ahead of the horse, but unfortunately they won't see those horses are actually people.
Recently I returned to full-time work
It's a maternity-relief role, although it doesn't involve directly assisting a pregnancy.
The role actually involves communicating for local government and it's surprising that it's been a decade since I thought I'd left that career.
This time I seem to be in a happier organisation and I know my role is a supporting one, rather than trying to change a culture.
One thing I did this week was make a video for social media and it's been fun to see the response.
It was also fun to work with Emily, since it's kinda strange how we knew each other years ago and both ended up in the Riverina working for a small council.
Having kids in high school is helping me to appreciate there's a remarkable to shift in attitudes that's rippling through society
I'm thinking about the distinctions between gender and sexual identity.
It doesn't seem so long ago that I was considering these topics at university, particularly within units offered by anthropology and womens studies departments.
Yet I trip up on the contemporary language being used all the time.
And I can see how alienating it is for a generation older than me, particularly when a local member makes quips about not wanting any gender fluid in schools.
It's easy to pose inflexible ignorance as a conservative default.
My kids have varied perspectives and it's amazing to me how much more accepting their cohort is when people identify outside of the heteronormative paradigm.
I wonder if there's scope for new euphemisms to recognise the shift in attitudes?
Last year I observed that telecommunications software might have a positive influence on the discussion
I was prompted by experiences using Zoom, which included undertaking activities like workshops and even a life-drawing class (which was kinda surprising since everyone had the same view).
My musing included a tongue-in-cheek idea that Zoom (or Skype or Teams) might undermine patriarchy in the workplace, as:
Here's a playlist of videos that aim to provide ideas for creative play for carers of children stuck at home
These were produced with assistance from the NSW Government through Create NSW and Western Riverina Arts.
Last weekend my daughter introduced our family to the TV show 'Criminal Minds' and it has prompted some reflection for me
For a while now I've been forcing my family to share a single screen on Sunday nights.
Initially I'd pick movies for us to watch but in recent years we've been taking turns to pick and it's led to some interesting choices, like the documentary 'Feels Good Man'.
It's a slick production and the self-contained episodes move at a fast pace to establish and solve a police procedure drama.
The term "unsub" is a contraction they use for unknown subject.
Unsurprisingly it's been a popular and long-running show, but I've only just encountered it since I watch very little commercial television.
In the following days we've watched more episodes and it's led to conversations about the fascination with serial killers, as well as discussions about psychology.
I should mention that in recent weeks I've had a few unsuccessful job interviews, which isn't surprising since I'm not currently working and have a history of shortish periods in employment.
(Shortish being around two years, which doesn't feel short but I'm living in a region where people seem to stay longer in those jobs.)
Anyway, I was given reason to pause and reflect while watching the episode "L.D.S.K." when they gave this description in the profile talk to local law enforcement:
"He has no friends and his career history has been marked by frequent job changes.
"He’s drawn to high-stakes jobs by a need to prove his superiority to a world he perceives has undervalued him."
It made me wonder about some jobs that I've applied for that my partner has questioned whether I'd be happy if I got them.
It made me wonder if my recent spate of job applications was spurred by feeling undervalued.
I'm going to try and be more humble and recognise when I seek validation.
While Fivebough Wetland is promoted as Leeton's premier birdwatching site, Tuckerbil Swamp is also remarkable and a great place to see brolgas
Nearby Koonadan Historic Site testifies to the ongoing connection the Wiradjuri people have with the Riverina landscape and there are many scarred trees around the region.
You can see two coolamon-shaped scars on the tree shown here and it's likely that Tuckerbil supported a settlement before the Frontier Wars in the 18th Century.
The video below discusses the human remains that were found at Koonadan in the late 20th Century.
marshmallow in the palm of my hand
beneath the pale earth
the leaves of the forest floor
I’m here to watch
the trees change to a light
swirly, delicate green
beneath the greyed-out moon
of the night sky
the softness of the earth
lend me your ears
with the music of the tree
when it becomes night the
forest starts again
the trees take my place
they bring me life
with a sweet blend of light
the rain comes slowly
softening
Last night I was listening to writers talking about being based in regional Australia
It reminded me of this quote from a Siberian musician:
Most creative projects here are concocted by people in their free time. “Amateurism,” says Sharifullin, “is what defines provinciality. On the other hand, it’s hard to stay professional when you’re surrounded by philistine stereotypes. People think you’re a weirdo if your happiness doesn’t depend on the size of your bank account. So you must have balls of steel to do arts. It’s not that bad if you have a few like-minded people around, though.”
For me being regional provides opportunity.
If I make a mess of it, no one is likely to notice.
It's kinda empowering.
And the like-minded people don't have to be physically nearby, since I can share my work online.
Silent movies were never silent and I wanted to raise awareness of a gem from 1925, so I’ve made music for it
The story was written by Arthur Conan Doyle, who “frequently mentioned that Professor Challenger, not Sherlock Holmes, was his favorite character among his creations.”
Willis O’Brien’s visual effects are a large part of the film’s charm and he went on to animate King Kong in 1933, as well as earning credit for the story in the first on-screen encounter the giant ape had with Godzilla in 1962.
Another bit of trivia from Wikipedia:
In 1922, Conan Doyle showed O’Brien’s test reel to a meeting of the Society of American Magicians, which included Harry Houdini. The astounded audience watched footage of a Triceratops family, an attack by an Allosaurus and some Stegosaurus footage. Doyle refused to discuss the film’s origins. On the next day, The New York Times ran a front-page article about it, saying “(Conan Doyle’s) monsters of the ancient world, or of the new world which he has discovered in the ether, were extraordinarily lifelike. If fakes, they were masterpieces.”
The Lost World remains entertaining, from the opening slapstick comedy through to the intergenerational romantic rivalry and, of course, the handmade dinosaurs.
You can see the film and hear my soundtrack by downloading the album.
This project is supported by the Country Arts Support Program, a devolved funding program administered by Create NSW and Western Riverina Arts on behalf of the NSW Government.
Reading "The Yield" by Tara June Winch and find myself wondering what box could give this effect:
"There was a box taped to the mouthpiece and her voice came out in autotune."
The book itself is enjoyable for including history from the corner of the Riverina where I've been living in the last decade, particularly the Warangesda Mission in nearby Darlington Point.
Courtesy Raqs Media Collective and Frith Street Gallery, London.
Bought a bunch of discounted zucchini and knew the time had come to try making fritters
The Beak Technique project was discussed at the March meeting of the March meeting of the Murrumbidgee Field Naturalists
The project has been funded through Create NSW to develop a series of children’s activity sheets that link local bird species with their habitat.
“We’re now able to print a colour flier to promote the sheets and illustrate the bird species, through additional support for Orana Arts.”
“These activities will link bird identification with their diet and native plant species,” said Mr Richardson.
The project has grown in scope as funding became available, from support through Leeton Shire Council for a Country Arts Support Program grant through Western Riverina Arts and NSW Government’s Create NSW.
"Each sheet will promote four birds and five plant species and we've now added a fifth activity sheet for cockatoos."
Richardson and partner Jo Roberts have been finalising bird and plant species that will be included in the designs.
"Thanks to the contributions from the Field Naturalists at the March meeting, which helped narrow the decision-making process and your comments were invaluable."
“I wanted the bird species to include a range of everyday and one aspirational species,” said Ms Roberts.
The choices have also ensured a diversity of colours for the activity sheets.
- Sulphur-crested
- Black varieties
- Major Mitchell’s
- Galah
• Eucalyptus melliodora - Yellowbox
• Allocasuarina verticillata - Drooping Sheoke
• Microlaena stipoides - Weeping grass
• Acacia deanei - Dane's Wattle
• Spiny or hedge saltbush
- Superb
- Yellow rosella
- Blue Bonnets
- Mallee Ring-necked
• Acacia decora - Western Silver Wattle
• Atriplex nummularia - Old Man Saltbush
• Themeda australis - Kangaroo Grass
• Callistemon sieberi - River Bottlebrush
• Eucalyptus microcarpa - Grey Box
- Black
- White-plumed
- Spiny-cheeked
- Striped
• Grevillia - 'Robyn Gordon
• Eremophila longifolia - Emu Bush
• Acacia pendula
• Amyema quandong - Grey Mistletoe
• Blakeley's Red Gum - Eucalyptus blakelyi
- Sparrows
- Diamond firetail
- Zebra
- Double-barred
• Carex appressa - Tall Sedge
• Allocasuarina verticillata - Drooping Sheoke
• Danthonia species - Wallaby Grass
• Dysphana pumilio - Clammy Goosefoot
• Poa sieberiana- Tussock Grass
- Willy wagtail
- Red-capped robin
- Superb blue wren
- Yellow-rumped thornbill
• Acacia doratoxylon - Currawang/Myall
• Acacia montana - Malle Wattle
• Callitris glaucophylla White Cypress pine
• Allocasuarina luehmannii - Bulloak
• Eucalyptus microcarpa - Grey Box
Among many distinctions the concept of time travel must rate as one of the greatest flights for the imagination
Many still remember the exhilaration they felt when first asked:
What would you see if you traveled back in time?
You and your imagination are welcome to attend a screening of the classic dinosaur film, The Lost World.
It excited audiences nearly a century ago with dinosaurs from 68-160 millions years ago.
The screening on Saturday 17 April will feature an original soundtrack I’ve composed.
That story originated with Arthur Conan Doyle in 1912 and recent discussion of megaflora on subantarctic islands brought to mind the fascinating discoveries of megafauna in the Murrumbidgee.
Evidence of this mega wombat was first found by Sir Mitchell (then Major) in caves near Lithgow during 1830.
Over the last century more diprotodon remains have been found in our region.
It’s surprising that if one wanted to meet dinosaurs, one wouldn’t need to travel back too far if a time machine were available.
“Megafauna — including oversized kangaroos and mega-lizards — died out thousands of years ago, but the Diprotodon could have survived on the Liverpool Plains of NSW until about 7,000 years ago, according to the Australian Museum.”
It’s unclear whether the giant wombat-looking creature died due to climate changes or human hunting, but remains have been identified as recently as 2019:
“Two Snowy Monaro Regional Council workers found the fossil at a place known for its paleontological richness, but kept secret from the public.”
The ABC article has a headline announcing this “Site a secret well kept by scientists” and one wonders whether that’s significant.
"It looks like a riverine deposit, so they've probably been washed down a river somehow," Dr McCurry said.
“The fossils were found in a bed of yellow sand at a depth of 29 feet, below a rich mass of alluvial soil, which forms the banks of the watercourse. A large number of detached, massive, mysterious bones were found, and they were eagerly seized by all the passers by who could get hold of them.
“Fortunately, Mr. C. H. Croakey, an auctioneer, had nous enough to send some of them to the Sydney Museum, where they were at once recognised as the bones pf the extinct Diprotodon,” (Illustrated Sydney News, Sat 6 May 1893, page 12.)
The Murrumbidgee region must be rich in riverine deposits but not all the creatures from prehistoric times will be found in layers of sediment.
It’s interesting to consider that contemporaries of dinosaurs can still be found in our landscapes.
Studying an arts degree in the 1990s introduced me to a variety of critical theories
It was instructive how the conservative commentators were in turn critical of those perspectives.
One idea I liked was the notion of hegemony developed by the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci.
Hegemony holds that the trickle-down of power from the ruling class will sometimes need to navigate resistance to reach into the working classes.
As a student of Anthropology it fascinated me to consider the ways global companies would have to adjust their products to meet audiences in different cultures.
I used to amuse myself with the idea that it'd be interesting to compare McDonalds' menus in different countries, but I might've been inspired by the dialogue early in Pulp Fiction.
That discussion compared how Europeans would used mayonnaise on their french fries.
I also considered how Indian hamburgers used lamb rather than beef, for example.
It got me thinking about Gramsci again, although so-called cultural Marxism is widely reviled by right-wing commentators these days.
So I won't write about how much I enjoy the writing of the Frankfurt School.
Numbers will be limited and a program of onboard entertainment is planned for the duration of our flight.
Last year I saw an ad for a box of green tomatoes and thought it looked like a bargain
When I discovered it was around 10kg, I wasn't sure what to do with them.
My friends recommended a variety of recipes, including salsa verde and fried green tomatoes.
The best outcome turned out to be pickles, as I was eating those tomatoes on tortilla toasties for almost a year.
It still surprises me they aren't available in the shops because they're very versatile and tasty.
There are a couple of things at Aldi that I haven't found anywhere else
I brew for my coffee for up to two minutes using an Aeropress and the water is around 80°C.
The Honduras coffee at Aldi is also good, but the pronounced flavour is better for weaker brews (using about half as much).
Another treat is the chocolate with coconut.
Normally I find the sugary flavour of white chocolate too rich, but it is incredibly moreish with the roasted coconut.
I'd like to say that both the coffee and chocolate are sometimes treats, but I've been indulging myself a bit.
The Leeton Museum & Art Gallery has an undocumented feature that I think is magic
There is going to be a big shift in reaching an audience since Facebook has blocked a swathe of pages, links and websites in Australia.
Watched this documentary for our family movie night
I hadn't really followed the journey of Pepe the frog and it's a helluva ride, as well as being a comment on the power of internet-based memes.
The discussion of hyper-sigilisation in particular suggests how much impact symbols can have to unite people.
"The largest individual on record weighed an impressive 600 pounds and measured 30 feet across in length."
My family recently undertook a comparison of five takeaway hamburgers and chips in Leeton
In the details below you'll see I've included some basic observations about each, as well as noting weight and price.
Our order at each venue was for a plain hamburger and a minimum of chips with sizes varying as well as prices.
Some venues asked whether we were happy to have tomato and beetroot in the salad and one asked if we wanted cheese, but we didn't accept as that might be considered a cheeseburger.
They each differed in ways that make this comparison an exercise with contrasts and I expect the ratio of ingredients will vary between preparations and probably changes depending on staff at each venue too.
We split these five hamburgers over two meals and bought our favourite from the first round a second time to assist in calibrating our taste buds.
Country Fried Chicken:
Burger had beefiest tasting patty and lots of lettuce.
327 grams / $8
Chips were crisp, golden and fluffy inside.
439 grams / $2
Golden Fried Chicken:
Burger had a sourdough bun with noticeable butter.
317 grams / $7.50
Chips were served, rather cooked specifically for the order and didn’t seem as crisp (but had been brought home in a plastic bag).
507 grams / $4.40
Luke’s Cafe:
Burger had oregano added to patty and a noticeably toasted sesame bun.
284 and 275 grams / $7.50
Chips were crisp and highly rated, possibly the oil.
519 grams / $3
Tourist Supermarket:
Burger had lots of fried onion, which gave a sweet flavour.
333 grams / $11
Huge serve of chips with some crispiness.
909 grams / $3
Amesbury Crossing Family Store:
Burger tasted grilled and seemed to contain more salad (tomato and beetroot were prominent as well as mixed lettuce leaves rather than just iceberg).
326 grams / $6
Conclusion
It’s worth noting that family members had differing opinions but the adults largely agreed on the following preferences.
Overall the Amesbury burger was the favourite and Luke’s a second place, but they were quite different in the style of patty and the amount of salad.
I've got a stockpile of home-brewed beer and little interest in drinking
So I started looking for ways to use it, aside from watering the garden.
Beer bread has been good, although sometimes flour isn't good for me.
The recipe is easy, just add 375ml beer to three cups of self-raising flour and a teaspoon of salt.
I've found it also works with soft drink to produce a damper-like dough.
It's even better with a tablespoon or three of brown sugar, a cup of cut-up dried dates and some spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger.
I've also started using beer when a recipe calls for water and am finding it's good in many foods.
The pizza dough I made with beer was described as my "best yet" too.
The other day my son mentioned he'd impressed his history teacher by drawing John Merrick on the title page for his notebook
We discussed The Elephant Man and I mentioned it was a film that had brought me to tears.
As I continued reflecting I mentioned other movies that had a similar effect, like Bambi and King Kong and Big Fish.
My son didn't remember Tim Burton's film, which surprised me as I recall crying while watching it a second time with my family.
So we watched the trailer and my son asked "what exactly is it that makes you cry?"
I began explaining the father and son theme, how the son doesn't believe the stories his father told him and so on.
Then I started recalling the final scene, where the son takes his father to the river and my throat started to close.
Soon my eyes were watering and I knew I was about to start sobbing.
My son looked bemused as I excused myself from continuing.
I don't know why the film makes me cry, probably the theme, but it surprised me how little exposure was required to have an effect.
Sometimes I think it's important to cry in front of my kids but it surprises me how rarely they remember it.
Director Warwick Thornton has been going from strength to strength in his filmmaking
In some ways it’s only a short distance from the contemporary tragedy of Samson and Delilah to the 1920s setting for the neo-western Sweet Country (which comments on Australian race relations with a plot like something John Ford would direct), but he’s quickly established himself.
Thornton has a confidence in his control of what he shows viewers, particularly in action that happens offscreen, and his style seems almost disproportional to the work he has produced.
It opens with Thornton arriving at a remote beach shack on the Western Australian coast and ends with him leaving, while the supporting cast amounts to birds, an animal (spoiler?) and some tasty sea creatures.
Aside from occasionally cursing at the challenges of the setting, his addresses to a group of chickens serve as a device for monologues as Thornton reflects on his life.
I had difficulty forgetting that there would have been a crew watching from outside the frame in those moments, but did not doubt his skills cooking sumptuous fusion meals from a few jars of supplies and meat from the surrounding landscape.
It’s remarkable that the economy in the storytelling required only a couple of scenes showing city life, especially a collection of beer glasses, to give a context for his reasons to escape to the beach for about two months.
Much of the pleasure in watching this holiday is the foraging and cooking he undertakes, but the deeper character development is told with symbols like the flashy jacket he takes off and doesn’t put on again.
In Thornton’s productions the Australian landscape becomes a leading character and The Beach will have you wanting to find your own isolated beachside shack, although this one was apparently purpose-built.
9/10
From the opening scene we learn the central character, Charlie (Logan Lerman), has been working through a personal issue as he writes a letter to an anonymous friend
A memorable scene is when he first meets Sam (Emma Watson) and the camera takes Charlie’s perspective to see her face lit with a halo from the nightlights at a football game.
It’s soon clear that he is attracted to her, although part of that interest seems to stem from the kindness and compassion she offers after learning Charlie’s lost a close friend.
While this film is described as a coming of age story, it’s interesting that threshold is not crossed through the loss of virginity.
The key plot development sees characters develop a sense of maturity through recognising the impact of trauma.
However, the film isn’t as heavy as this theme might suggest and is remarkably restrained in the way it handles the material.
Director Stephen Chbosky developed the screenplay from his own novel and the film maintains a quick pace that uses a variety of music to express character and mood, both within scenes and accompanying them.
The soundtrack is excellent and enhanced by Michael Brooks’ understated score.
I’ve watched this a couple of times now and found a lot to admire in the use of camera angles and flashback scenes to convey the internal world of the characters.
Watson’s acting carries a lot of the film, as she is required to cover a range of emotions, while accompanied by an energetic performance by Ezra Miller as her stepbrother.
There were many points where I thought I could guess the direction of the film only to be wrong, and I really enjoyed being surprised.
9/10
