by Rob Scott first morning a familiar scent on the breeze It should perhaps be the game at its purest. Everyone and everything is primed. Sun-tanned, tattooed and absurdly muscled players; feverish fans emerging on frenzied tenterhooks from a long summer of enforced detachment and other family commitments; pristinely manicured playing surfaces; even [Read more]
Traralgon and District Art Society and wondering about the future.
March 18, 2012 by 2 Comments
On the Friday of the last pre-season game of St.Kilda and Collingwood, I found myself journeying again with my Art Society. We had Heather, a Collingwood supporter and our organisational inspiration, a retired lawyer, life model and Rotary organiser extraordinaire, Lilian, our Glen Eira Artists Society President, designer, painter and life drawing organiser, our Treasurer [Read more]
Deeper Water
March 13, 2012 by 32 Comments
by Andrew Starkie Growing up in the south-west, Labour Day weekend used to signal the end of summer. The first icy rains and wind would sweep up from the Southern Ocean, turning the camping grounds at the Port Fairy Folk Festival into a sodden, bleak mess. This long weekend, Linda and I put the [Read more]
Tamworth 2
March 4, 2012 by 2 Comments
by Andrew Starkie Our hostess has her head on the counter and appears to have nodded off. Suddenly alert, she grimaces, runs her hand through her bed hair and focuses bloodshot eyes. Sorry darls… I’m a bit hungover…where was I? That’s right, here’s your key. Towels are in your room. Andrew Starkie
THE LITTLE DOG WHO LIVED A BIG LIFE
March 2, 2012 by 7 Comments
Our family pet dog, Spot, should’ve been the Western Bulldogs mascot. He wasn’t a bulldog – he was a Jack Russel/Foxy cross – but he thought he was a giant. He walked with a strut, which with old age became a slow, confident swagger. He was barrel-chested and mischievous and had more friends in [Read more]
In search of a winning score
March 1, 2012 by 33 Comments
By Jeff Dowsing It’s fair to say the rocky relationship between sport and music is an obvious yet strangely elusive one. Venture into any changeroom and protagonists will be plugged in, psyching themselves for battle. What are they listening to? I dare say nothing that relevant to sport. Sure, rousing abstract tunes made for [Read more]
Bring on your wrecking ball
February 29, 2012 by 10 Comments
by Rick Kane I received a text from my sister’s daughter’s husband or as I like to call him, Glenn. They live up in the dry dusty heat of Port Headland. This is what he said. “How’s life in the big V? Wish I was there right now. I bet Melbourne is getting that [Read more]
One With The Lot
February 16, 2012 by 9 Comments
I knew I shouldn’t have eaten it. The hamburger. The bloody thing nearly killed me. I was on Tavira, a minute island just off the south coast of Portugal. It was September 1987. I say just off the coast because a couple of good torpedo punts from the mainland would land on the island’s beautiful [Read more]
Lawn Bowls Poetry
February 12, 2012 by 11 Comments
John Kingsmill will be writing a series of bowling poems over the next few weeks. WEEK ONE Back to the Bowling Green after a long delay My father’s bowls are still too large in my hand. It’s only my obstinacy, I suppose, that makes me stay with them. His hands were no bigger than [Read more]
The Winds of Economic Change
February 10, 2012 by 11 Comments
These are turbulent times in the global economy. Depending on who you listen to, we are still in the midst of the GFC; or, the GFC ended but we are now on the cusp of GFC Mark II; China’s growth is either teetering or marching on; and the European sovereign debt crisis is threatening [Read more]
Comfortably Numb
February 10, 2012 by 7 Comments
A slow boat to China creeping southward from Keelung to Manila, slicing through the inside of the South China Sea, on the outside of the typhoon season, a long time ago. Alone, together on a traditional but unique honeymoon, cocooned within a quaint two and a half thousand tonne refrigerated rust bucket carrying [Read more]
The flat white chord
February 7, 2012 by 14 Comments
by Vin Maskell At first I thought the voice was coming through the speakers of the large, neat café, trying to be heard above the burble of lunch orders and the boiling, bubbling and steaming of the baristas at work. Then I wondered if a busker, carried away mid-song, had strayed in to take [Read more]
Link: Soul Train Tribute
February 5, 2012 by 2 Comments
Courtesy of Rick Kane. Don Cornelius, creator and host of Soul Train, has passed away aged 75. For a stroll through black American music and styles of the last 40 years just click below: http://idolator.com/6161621/don-cornelius-soul-train-line-dances Almanac Admin
Yvette’s One-Eyed Week
January 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The week in sport through Yvette Wroby’s (one?) eye. Yvette WrobyYvette Wroby writes, cartoons, paints through life and gets most pleasure when it’s about football, and more specifically the Saints. Believes in following dreams and having a go. cartoonswork.com.au
360 hours
January 27, 2012 by 4 Comments
360 hours. In anyone’s language that it a fair chunk of your life. Straight out it is 15 days. In working time (8 hour days) its 45 days. Measured at one hour per week it takes well over six years. And this is the point that I am trying to make – it can be [Read more]
“First Dog on the Moon” Art Exhibition
January 25, 2012 by 2 Comments
“First Dog on the Moon” Art Exhibition: A must see, and it ends on Saturday 28th January. by Yvette Wroby Yesterday, I decided on the hot Sunday morning to pretend I was overseas and holidaying and do what one does on holidays and go for adventures. So I jumped on my trusty tram and [Read more]
Into temptation: the extended mix
January 23, 2012 by 26 Comments
Vin Maskell presents an extended mix of a music pilgrimage story. I’ve got to be careful when I visit the CD shop at lunchtime. I’ve got to make sure I don’t reach for my wallet every time I make my weekly visit. Down from the 16th floor, along Queen St, into Little Lonsdale, then [Read more]
Echoes and regrets: notes on 2011
January 2, 2012 by 3 Comments
Vin Maskell reflects on a handful of music moments 1 Seeing Clare Bowditch. Hearing Clare Bowditch. Seeing and hearing Clare Bowditch singing songs recorded by the late Eva Cassidy. Call it a tribute concert. Call it cover versions of cover versions. Call it a fine night of music. A very fine night, tinged inevitably [Read more]
2011 – Looking Forward, Looking Back
December 31, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The angel sounded – the sentinel horn, The final quarter of the old year gone; It’s been a good year for the team up in heaven, Got the best of the Draft in Two Thousand Eleven. Yabby’s the coach of this team for the Ages, With Doc as the skipper of the BeSainted [Read more]
Top Australian Albums of 2011
December 28, 2011 by 11 Comments
by Andrew Fithall Last year I wrote about my top ten albums for the year, but there were no geographical boundaries. For some reason (probably the influences of my radio station of choice) this year my music perspective has become a bit narrower. This list is following that trend. My top twelve (couldn’t settle [Read more]
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