Boxing day, aah! Official rest, Blissful relaxation, I’m going to watch the Test. Christmas recovery is underway Time to put my feet up and watch the Aussies play. No orders, demands or chores from the boss Why, I was even asked, if our captain won the toss! The kids are outside, occupied with new [Read more]
AN ALMANACKERS CHRISTMAS TALE
December 22, 2011 by 4 Comments
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even Harms’ mouth; Blue and white stockings – the chimney festoon, In hopes that the Handicapper will be filling them soon; The children were nestled all snug in their beds; As visions of Cats premierships danced in their [Read more]
Off Season Odyssey Pt.5: Dreams, and One in 5,000,000.
December 18, 2011 by 6 Comments
The trouble with an Off Season Odyssey is you don’t get a real break from footy. A day in Melbourne and I’m over it. My old mate, Gianpi, lines me up a week on a demolition crew, which is good, then we have a kick, because we’ve had a kick for 30 years, no [Read more]
My current bucketlist
December 16, 2011 by 3 Comments
I want to travel. I want to do good things as a volunteer. I want to live and work outside of Australia for one year, sometime in the rest of my life. I want to learn a musical instrument… the violin will do. I want go to the gym in the mornings, not at night. [Read more]
The Best at What They Do
December 15, 2011 by 4 Comments
I didn’t have a ticket for Rod Laver Arena so only caught a glimpse before security chased me out. Just a few moments, but they were enough. I saw McEnroe play and I’ve never forgotten it. McEnroe glided to his left. He was in position, two metres behind the baseline, in plenty of time. [Read more]
Rantings of a reasonable man
December 4, 2011 by 5 Comments
By Sean Curtain I thought she said, “Celebrate”. That would have made some sense. After all, we were talking about what drew her to work for this worldwide company. They were an important global organisation, with a ubiquitous logo, thousands of places where their products could be bought and at this stage (later to be [Read more]
THE ALMANAC AFFLICTION
December 1, 2011 by 1 Comment
I’ve got a strange affliction that’s always on my mind. It’s such a strong addiction it takes up lots of time. Morning, noon and night and when I should be fast asleep I get the urge to read or write and can’t resist a peep. Footy yarns, opinions Belly laughs and thoughts. [Read more]
Haiku for Maggie
November 30, 2011 by 2 Comments
by Damien Little The morning sun beats Starting slowly unsteady Gripping handle bars Determination Can’t let go a father’s test Start over again Determination Possibilities awake Feel freedom flying Almanac Admin
Pre-season
November 23, 2011 by 1 Comment
by Peter Edwards Pre-season training in full swing. The boys are back and all sweating. Running hard and doing weights, Speed and strength they elevate. Blues got brown in Middle East, In regal grounds, they trained in peace. And from the cave the Hawks emerge, September demons have been purged. Bored with schoolies, surf [Read more]
Music and Melbourne Venues
November 21, 2011 by 7 Comments
The Tote goes on. This iconic music venue in Collingwood, previously closed and now re-opened, is celebrating thirty years of live music. On the other hand, the Prince of Wales Hotel in St Kilda was sold and so another live venue has a future under threat. But as former Age journalist and now Executive Officer [Read more]
Perfect media
November 20, 2011 by 8 Comments
JOHN KINGSMILL The best thing about radio cricket is that you know that it is on and that you don’t have to watch each delivery, each ponderous over. Radio lets you get on with your life. When life pauses, you flick a switch and it’s usually just at the right moment. The game is poised [Read more]
Footy Quatrains
November 3, 2011 by 9 Comments
The First Game of the Season A wife in marvellous Melbourne may well be tried for treason if she tries to stop her man attend the first game of the season. Damian BalassoneDamian Balassone is a failed half-forward flanker who writes poetry. He is the author of ‘Strange Game in a Strange Land’. [Read more]
Footy Art: Unhappy Sainters in the Park (2010)
October 30, 2011 by 1 Comment
By Yvette Wroby 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
Moshing with the Murphys (and my son)
October 28, 2011 by 9 Comments
Dropkick Murphys Venue: Forum Theatre Tuesday, October 25. Macca, his brother-in-law and I meet up with Graeme and John in the main bar of Young and Jackson’s. Jack has pulled the pin, so in a moment of generosity I offer the spare ticket to my son, and he accepts it gleefully. He will catch [Read more]
‘Tis the season for a sickie
October 26, 2011 by 17 Comments
by Andrew Gigacz I’m sitting in the office looking out at a beautiful sunny Melbourne spring day. This would be a perfect day to activate one of my “seasonal leave” days, I reckon. Or it would be, if such a thing existed. I first came up with the concept of seasonal leave [Read more]
A picture says more than a thousand words
October 24, 2011 by 2 Comments
Once upon a time after a great victory kings and emperors called on the poets, composers and painters to celebrate the moment. In our a little more democratic times we artistically celebrate those who only came and cheered (as well as booed in a timely fashion)… as well as those on the field. When the [Read more]
Another piece of Chocolate Cake
October 12, 2011 by 13 Comments
My Friend The Chocolate Cake Venue: Newport Substation Friday, October 7. Review by Darren Dawson Almost since their inception, My Friend The Chocolate Cake have been favourites of my wife and I. We first saw the Cake at the Universal in Fitzroy in the early 90’s, a memorable occasion during which Archie Roach and the late [Read more]
Ode to a Magpie
October 11, 2011 by 8 Comments
This anonymous poem was handed to my cousin John Scopas by an old Collingwood fan. He passed it on to me in the hope that it will get a run on the site and that we may yet find the author. I have cleaned up a fair bit of punctuation (written by a Collingwood [Read more]
Post Season Pursuits: Extreme Gardening
October 10, 2011 by 3 Comments
With the enormity of the challenge in front of me, my summer sport of choice seemed like the wrong option. An hour in, and I was already questioning whether I had the commitment and strength of character to succeed in a pursuit endured by millions across the globe. I needed something to get me through [Read more]
Yellow wins in ten syllables
October 10, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Australia shrug South Africa out of the World Cup; then Woodville-West Torrens stop the Dogs five years deep in victory to snare an unlikely cup. Their thick-set ruckman wins the medal and, on stage, says: “We’ll never fucking forget this.” And we will never forget those words, the TV says, drier than salt in [Read more]
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