In case you haven't noticed(!) or don't live in the UK, it's snowing. Which means no bus service from my village and a day off work - WOO HOO!
I took a stroll through the fields earlier and everything looked so lovely I couldn't resist sharing a scene with y'all.
Enjoy the snow!
I'm afraid I am going to have a girly moment. I assure you it doesn't happen very often - unless I happen to be within the hallowed precincts of Topshop. Having wanted to grow my hair long for, ooh, ages, now it actually is and people keep commenting on it (don't worry, it isn't scary long), I now feel I need to sabotage my efforts by cutting it all off. Is this a masochistic urge or more benign, fuelled by my admiration of Katie Holmes' bob? I suspect the latter, but the act of cutting is no less potentially traumatic for that!
So people, should I have a Jo March moment (although I'll be paying for the cut, not getting paid, alas)? Such is the state of my world. Shallow? A little ...
Yes people, I knew that one day I would make it onto a book cover ... Whilst working for a rather eminent publisher (la di-dah) I took time out to pose for this textbook cover. I'm the one in the crazy shoes and socks (all my own, however I don't wear them together in reality I promise you!).
My feet will adorn many a business students shelf. My mum will be so proud. I really should demand some royalties. And the paparazzi ... well, if they recognise my feet, who knows what could happen?! I see a whole new future opening up for me ...!
Guess who started a new job this week?!
'Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics ...
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.'
Read the full text of President Obama's speech here.
Ben & Jerry's have always been my favourite purveyors of the cold sweet stuff. And now I know I am right in my thinking: they've produced an Obama-inspired ice cream called, yes, you guessed it: Yes, Pecan!
Briliant.
If anyone is reading this early on in the day, tune into Radio 4 where the Today Show is being edited by Jarvis Cocker! Click here for information ...
Oh, and happy revelling tonight people - all the best for 2009!
I blog today from the cosiness of my place in my tiny Oxfordshire village (well it's cosy inside), after having been dazzled by the metropolises of Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and falling in love with the natural splendour of Northern Australia, which is most definitely the heart of the country in more ways than one. Alongside catching up with one of my bestest friends, which was just wonderful, Uluru was the holiday's other big highlight.
I thought I'd offer you a quick roundup of the trip before resuming normal service. What first hit me (other than the sun and the heat) was how big everything seemed; coming back to Oxford and the Cotswolds buildings seemed so dainty and doll-like! Melbourne was the first port of call and had a definite European flavour; I was really won over by it and particularly enjoyed Melbourne Zoo, shopping on Brunswick Street and wandering round St Kilda's streets and beach. Whilst there I even swallowed my misconceptions and in the spirit of holidaying, went to see Wicked at the Regent Theatre. Filmknitter will no doubt observe somewhat smugly that I thoroughly enjoyed it, despite my disparaging remarks about it a few years ago (hangs head - honestly, how could I?!).
From Melbourne to Sydney. Sydney's harbour and Opera House definitely had the wow factor. I love docklands areas generally,there's always such a mingled sense of melancholy and possibility about them. I also adored wandering around the superb Botanic Gardens (loved the fruitbats), but having not been blessed with great weather for some of the trip (my brolly literally snapped in two from the wind on the final day there), it was hard to venture as far afield as planned. One especially windy day we made it to one of Sydney's fantastic cinemas (dimly lit, ambient bars just off the entrance, arthouse fare on offer) just off from the Harbourside and caught Australia, as you'll have noted from my earlier blog. The symmetry of seeing it in the country it's about wasn't lost on me, as you will see from the picture below (couldn't resist) ...
The Art Gallery of New South Wales also hosted a thought-provoking exhibition on Black Australia called Half Light, which was very powerful and featured a range of different mediums. I also made an exciting new discovery there: Destiny Deacon, an indigenous Australian woman whose work deals with post-colonial politics and tackles stereotypes about what it is to be Aboriginal. I really liked what I saw, it was really challenging and confrontational. On a continuing cultural note (get me), when in Brisbane I paid a visit to it's Gallery of Modern Art, and saw an installation by the hyper-realist sculpter Ron Mueck (In Bed, see image taken from Flickr below) which I was very excited about as I've always been interested in his work. Seeing one of his creations for real really rammed home to me the true meaning of the word uncanny - I felt very strange and voyeuristic standing there looking at something so lifelike, almost like I was violating the space of the sculpture (this in spite of its size and, well, unrealness). In Bed, as with all Mueck's work, definitely raises lots of interesting questions about the physicality of what it is to view art and is a very creepy experience. Fresh from Wikipedia, I can also tell film-fans reading this that he's been a model maker and pupeteer for kid's TV and movies, including Labyrinth and The Storyteller. So there you go! Who knows when that might crop up in a pub quiz?!
And now for Uluru, Kata Tjuta and the breathtaking landscapes of northern Australia. Wonderful. If I were less of a wimpish Pom I would love to live out there - the tenacity and rawness of the landscape appealed to me like nothing before has: there's a magic about the place which you breathe from the moment you step off the plane. And lots of mosquitos, as my legs will testify. And that's why I am what our antipodean cousins would call a whinging Pom. Seriously though - I can't recommend the Northern Territory and Ayers Rock Resort enough. There is a soulfulness about the country there and you can really see why Uluru is sacred to the Aboriginal people. It was amazing to learn more about Australia's indigenous culture, a culture which has endured despite the disgusting treatment it received at the hands of white settlers and a culture which is Australia's true heart and history. I can say no more but just add this picture, which does more than any words.
I've literally just come back from the homeland (i.e. Brum) and am astonished by the level of fervour in the shops so soon before Christmas. As I'm soon off to the land of kangas, koalas and barbecues (not to lean on stereotypes you understand), I figured a spot of early Christmas shopping was in order. It seems most of the West Midlands had the same idea. Not fun. And I usually love a bit of retail therapy! After looking around eateries for some time we finally found a place with a free table only to wait 45 minutes for a meal. Which given it was a Wetherspoons pub, was a bit rich. When my 'nachos' arrived (doritos, congealed cheese and chicken - when I'd asked for chilli beef - and no salsa, sour cream or guacamole!!) I was, to say the least, rather disappointed. On the way back I started thinking about movies and music I've enjoyed recently and thought I'd share these thoughts with y'all. You never know, they may just give you some gift ideas for the festive season!
In Bruges
I recently saw In Bruges on DVD on the recommendation of Filmknitter. I won't say too much here as her review is great and completely bang on, but will say that it's a fantastic film, much darker than I'd expected yet also much, much funnier. Methinks Colin Farrall might finally have found his niche as an actor. In Bruges is totally not PC, but audacious and amusing and - this is the biggest shock - oddly moving. It gives you way more than your average thriller, and all with the beautiful backdrop of Bruges to feast your eyes upon. This was actually so stunning it made up for Ralph Fiennes' Mockney accent ...
Acid Tongue - Jenny Lewis
I've been obsessed with Jenny Lewis' (of Rilo Kiley fame) album Acid Tongue for a while now ... I know some people who've not got on with it; the production values are very slick and I can see why that wouldn't appeal to everyone, but I really liked it. It's certainly not as overproduced as Under the Blacklight, which I liked in a Fleetwood Mac kind of way (and before you start, there's absolutely nothing wrong with Fleetwood Mac - just ask Midlake!). M Ward's involvement ensures she gets the hipster vote and a certain Mr Costello also makes an appearance which is pretty damn cool if you ask me. Whilst the LP isn't as engaging as her outing with The Watson Twins (Rabbit Fur Coat), it has some lovely harmonies nonetheless - some with Zooey Deschanel, another pin up for the indie boys out there and whose own musical forays have received a very positive reception here at Matching Curtains. I do wish the LP was in a better case though, a cardboard envelope just doesn't cut the mustard I'm afraid, in spite of the lovely souvenir cards inside. This aside, Acid Tongue has a lovely country vibe which plays to all the strengths of Lewis' wonderfully melodic voice (it is stunning - I'd love to hear her live) and I'll definitely be following her career outside of Rilo Kiley closely.
Snowflake Midnight - Mercury Rev
Weird and wonderful, Snowflake Midnight is a landscape of strange sounds and musical experimentation which is a bit different from Deserter's Songs, the band's most famous album, in that it has a more electronic feel. But if you know someone who likes to be challenged and beguiled by their music, then I reckon as gifts go, you can't go far wrong with this.
Meet Glenn Campbell - Glenn Campbell
Yes, the Rhinestone Cowboy has recorded a number of tracks originally written and performed by contemporary artists. This could have been incredibly naff, but I love it. Travis's 'Sing' is given new life and in my mind is actually an improvement (this without departing massively from the original!); Green Day's 'Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)' transformed to sound as though it could be straight from Campbell's own back catalogue; and John Lennon's elegiac 'Grow Old With Me' is really very moving indeed. Oh yeah - there's also a Foo Fighters cover too! Intrigued yet?
And to end on an Australian note (well why not, I am going to be there soon!) - the DVD of Summer Heights High, an Australian school mockumentary, should be on everyone's christmas list. It's hilarious. The character of Jonah reminds you both how AWFUL lads like him were like at school, yet also how funny they were in hindsight - and perhaps only in hindsight! The poor teachers. Cracking stuff. Check out the clip below - I defy you not to laugh.
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