Bibs and bobs ...

[blamebrampton]

Just back from a good vego Italian dinner in Newtown. I decided that the only logical way to cap it off was with an Italian hot chocolate from the gelataria, a few blocks down King St. As we walked, I suggested James might like one, too.

'Nup, too hot,' he said.

'What about a sorbet shake? The dark chocolate ones are great, they're thick, bitter and very cool.'

At this moment, a young skater feral who had been walking up the footpath towards us suddenly exploded 'Fuck! FUCK!' and threw his board onto the road, before scampering out to pick it up again while the street was still clear, then moaned dramatically, then continued on his way.

'Just like him,' I said.

J looked at me blankly.

'Well, he only thinks he's very cool, but otherwise ...'

Sometimes the universe just hands these things to you. (I suspect either broken board bearings or a newly ex girlfriend for the young man, but since he showed no signs of throwing himself onto the road, I left him to get on with the difficulties of youth.)

In other news, I have a haircut! For the most part it was only about four or five inches, but I had some chin-length bits cut at the front so I will have something to fiddle with when I am being artistic (I have stupidly long hair, it and my nails just grow and grow, and while this is considered a highly desirable trait in fictional characters, in real life it means you end up crawling on your own hair when you are getting into bed, and scratching your face in your sleep.)

I am quite happy with it, and had a great time with the two lads and one toy poodle in the salon. I had tried to grab an appointment up in Newtown earlier in the day, failed, bought a slip and a flowery feathery hair thingy instead, then remembered that we had a new local hair spot on my way back down the hill. I stuck my head in on the off chance, and they were both sitting around bored and playing with the puppy (there's not a lot of walk-by trade in Erko). So I had my hair done, advised Shaun on juggling story arcs in his soap opera script, listened to Hugh's film pitch and scratched Vyvyan the puppy's tummy all for a completely acceptable price.

I have finally cracked the ending of my hp10k piece, and it's not angsty! Well, it's dystopian and I am fairly sure that some people will hate it, but everybody lives! (It was up for debate, you'll see why.)

And ABC2 has been playing Crowded House's farewell concert, which is such a joy to listen to and sing along with, though so sad to see the late and greatly missed Paul Hester. If you only ever try out one Australian/Kiwi band, this is the one to pick. Poetic, musically rich and ultimately uplifting, they have been my default comfort band for many years. Here, try a little ...

Comments

[raitala.livejournal.com]

they're thick, bitter and very cool. - Heh! :D

I worked in a pub once, where Crowded House was one of the few albums from their selection it was bearable to put on. As a consequence, I can not now hear their songs without evoking the sweet-sour smell of sticky, beery floors and gents loos and ache of utter, utter boredom (it was not a lively joint), which is a shame as CH don't deserve that.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

That is a bugger. Have I suggested The Triffids to you? Almost anything off Born Sandy Devotional or Calenture represents everything I love about Antipodean music. And the utterly lovely Darren Hanlon is like Tim Finn, but with more mandolin and less stale urine association ...

[bryoneybrynn.livejournal.com]

Hee to your skateboarding boy - such random angst! and your haircut experience sounds lovely. I desperately need a haircut but I think it will have to wait until the tax return comes home as i'd like to go someplace where it costs more than $10 and they just bob it the same EVERY TIME. lol

I can't WAIT for your 10K. *drools*

Also, hi!

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

HI! Yeah, Skaterboy was rather hot and all of about 19, and he seemed quite together in his outburst (the little facial expression of 'Oh, that was stupid' after he threw his board away made me think it would all be OK), so I think he may have been picked up by one of the many young indie and goth girls wandering the town tonight and taken home and taken care of by someone who will make him very very happy for the weekend ;-)

The haircut is great! Cost too much, but since I can only be arsed to have it cut once or twice a year, it's kind of economical.

You will like my 10k fic! A lot of it is set in Canada! I am having it Canadianpicked! XXX

[drgaellon]

Pretty skaterboiz make me smile.

[aldehyde.livejournal.com]

ehehe your comment about the skateboarder was funny.

yay for haircuts! i'm trying to grow mine out, and for the first time ever it's taking forever. gah.

i am looking fwd to your hp10k piece very much. dystopia, yum! i hope it doesn't make me too sad though..

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

It won't! I was really worried that it was heading for a sad or doomed ending, but it took a turn last night and now I know it's not!

My trick for growing my hair out the last time I cut it short was simply to go travelling for a year. By the time I was done, it was long again! And check your zinc levels if your hair is growing slowly, they might be low, or you might need a general multi-vitamin. Hair is one of the first places that small deficiencies show up.

[libby-drew.livejournal.com]

Your updates always make me smile.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Life is a source of great amusement for the most part ;-)

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

I love that song so much.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Me too. Tim Finn is one of the 10 or so pop musicians who I actually consider to have genius in his field, which makes the hopefulness and compassion of his music all the more amazing in my view. I wish I knew him in RL, him and Billy Bragg, just to sit around and have a pot of tea every now and then. Maybe help fold protest flyers in the Bragg household ...

[tes-aidan.livejournal.com]

I have no idea who you are. You're on my "friendsfriends" page, apparently, meaning we have a mutual friend, and I think you're my favorite person in the world right now. I just died laughing at your entry, because it's just...fantastic.

If I could capture your voice for one of my characters, I think I would become a bestseller.

You are amazing.

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Oh you darling! That's an even nicer way to end the day than dramatically flicking my new hair and giggling about skaters!

Alas, the level of derangement here would have most reviewers shaking their heads in despair. But of you need a character who writes fic, edits, rants and has mad cats, a lovely partner and a highly amusing if ridiculous middle-aged lesbian mother, feel free to pilfer ;-)

[angela-snape.livejournal.com]

I remember Crowded House... they have a good sound. Thanks for sharing the video.

[noeon.livejournal.com]

"thick, bitter and very cool"

Mwah hah hah.

Ohhhh Crowded House is love.
<3

*sings along to "Fall at Your Feet"*

ED Sorry for the gushing comments. I have nothing but fond memories of CH. I first heard them with "Don't Dream It's Over." I wasn't a big Split Enz fan, but somehow Crowded House hit me just right. I think Woodface was the first CD of theirs I owned (I almost said album, to date myself). "Distant Sun" is also an astonishing song, from the next album. They're so light, sweet, but with real bitterness, too.

[jamie2109.livejournal.com]

That's one of my favourite CH songs. I cried watching that concert. Their music always had such depth and passion to it.

[thisgirl-is.livejournal.com]

That is one of my favourite songs. And yay for remembering not to claim them entirely for Oz. (Not that I'm bitter.)

Neil Finn is so great. Crowded House were over here last year, I went to see them at Westonbirt Arboretum. His son has had some success with Betchadupa.

[glass-violet.livejournal.com]

oh, the random tragedies of youth! but at least they seem, for the most part, to have remarkable recuperative abilities. and huzzah for crowded house :) 'better be home soon' always makes me think of russell crowe snogging jon polson.

[meredyth-13.livejournal.com]

Damn, I really need to start checking programme guides, because I would have KILLED, KILLED I say to get that one recorded on HDD.

I just cried watching the clip. Oh, Paul. :(

I tend to have a funny way of bonding with bands, and only discovered my real love for the Police when I chaperoned my brother (a huge fan) to their final concert in Sydney (and I mean final), only to realise that I already knew all their songs from the music that had been wafting down the hall for years. It was doomed love.

Same thing with Crowded House - I caught this concert by accident, and had the same epiphany! Yes, I live in a vacuum. But my love for Crowded House was born in this concert, and I have since been blessed to see them live, but of course, without PH, which somehow will seem wrong for the rest of eternity.

In other news about me, because hey - me me me - I desperately need my hair done.

[uminohikari.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain with fast-growing nails >< I rockclimb, so if I have nails longer than .7 mm (I measured!), they will start to bleed. This means I cut my nails every week >>

Everybody lives, but are they all sane? *eyes suspiciously*

[pollymel.livejournal.com]

There's a thing I've noticed, which is that if a band is tanking and they play a crowded house cover, the crowd will almost always get involved and interested. Possibly only works in Australia (and NZ?) but it's really funny to watch.

Totally works for me too. ;)

[drgaellon]

Were the two lads just two lads, or were they a couple? Pervy readers want to know!

[(Anonymous)]

HEY! That guy dedicates the *next* song to people in hotel rooms listening to their neighbors bonk and THEN THE CLIP ENDS? HELLO? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME, A TOTAL STRANGER WHO JUST HAPPENED TO WANDER THROUGH YOUR BLOG? WHAT IS THE SONG?

[blamebrampton.livejournal.com]

Hmmmm, you know, it should be possible to find that out given the magic of the internet. Give me a minute ... Yup, 'whispers and moans' ;-) The concert was released as an album, Farewell to the World if you want to check it out.

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you, oh master of google-fu.