by Terry Pratchett & Stephen Baxter
Chapter two is lovely, it is emotional, it is picturesque and it has comedy, both laugh out loud moments and cheezy moments where you can't help but groan.
"The United States had long been used to being suspicious of every other country on the planet, and was now becoming suspicious of itself."
Friday, 28 June 2013
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Photo of the Day - 28
Corner of Lonsdale and Swanston Streets Melbourne
Saturday 2nd October 2010.
The morning of the AFL Grand Final Replay.
Almost empty streets.
Almost empty streets.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Photo of the Day - 27
Camera: SONYThis wall used to a fountain - a wall with water running down it. Photo taken in Melbourne 2009 before the Copenhagen Climate Conference
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Friday, 1 April 2011
The quote on the daily calender today is: "The most wasted of all days is that on which one has not laughed" - Nicolas Chamfort. And being April 1, there were a number of laughs. I hid six alarm clocks around reception and set them so that the first would go off at 10.00, the next at 10.01 and so on. Louise heard the first go off, found it and called me to ask if it was me. "What was me?" I asked, and in the background I could hear the next one starting to go off, Louise laughed and hung-up to find the next one. I also made Dianne's mouse move in crazy motions. 
Ewan, Steve, I and a few other staff members received letters that were filled with stars and mine had a large, fake, purple spider. I think it was Louise. Vanessa convinced Ronnie and Barbara that she was quitting. 
At 11:50 I received an urgent email from Steve asking that I see him immediately, so I ran upstairs, but he was not to be found, I did a few laps of the building and then returned to my desk which had been decorated by Vanessa, Barbara and Dianne. I think they have managed to get me back from my efforts over the last two years. 
Ewan, Steve, I and a few other staff members received letters that were filled with stars and mine had a large, fake, purple spider. I think it was Louise. Vanessa convinced Ronnie and Barbara that she was quitting. At 11:50 I received an urgent email from Steve asking that I see him immediately, so I ran upstairs, but he was not to be found, I did a few laps of the building and then returned to my desk which had been decorated by Vanessa, Barbara and Dianne. I think they have managed to get me back from my efforts over the last two years. 
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Humour
Sometimes I have a horrible sense of humour. In today’s Herald Sun there is a Q&A with Tom Felton who played Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies. On being asked “what's the biggest perk of being a Harry Potter star?” he replied with: "This is gonna sound really cheesy, but one of the greatest things we've been gifted with is we can go to children's hospitals and places like that and really make their day without having to do anything. Especially Daniel - I've seen kids literally wet their pants in front of Daniel! I think it's a priority that we abuse that and make the most of it." I’m imagining Harry Potter stars walking down the streets, causing accidents, and selling clean trousers. For the whole article go to: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/qa-harry-potter-baddie-tom-felton/story-fn6bn9st-1226031017470
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Shakespeare Reading Challenge - Hamlet
Nicki Greenberg has turned Hamlet into a beautifully illustrated graphic novel. And it still contains the whole text, as far as I can tell.
Before reading it I was wondering if the pictures would make the play easier to read, however I don’t think it did. It was a bit easier to remember who each character was, but often you didn’t have character names for pages after a character had appeared. I also think that a new reader to Shakespeare would be attracted to the book, but I fear that they would put it down after a couple of pages, as the pictures don’t drastically diminish the difficulty reading this mentally demanding play.
Before reading it I was wondering if the pictures would make the play easier to read, however I don’t think it did. It was a bit easier to remember who each character was, but often you didn’t have character names for pages after a character had appeared. I also think that a new reader to Shakespeare would be attracted to the book, but I fear that they would put it down after a couple of pages, as the pictures don’t drastically diminish the difficulty reading this mentally demanding play.
It has taken me many readings to get through Hamlet, and I finally finished it for the first time in Spring 2009. Many unsuccessful attempts made me think Hamlet pointless and dismissive of the hype around the play. When I finally finished it I found Hamlet interesting but I still would not recommend it to other people as I found it physically painful to read. Reading Hamlet again, I have been able to enjoy it more, and understand it better, but I still wouldn’t recommend people to read the dithering Dane.
The pages I enjoyed most were of Ophelia’s decent into madness and death. It’s a bit in the play that seems to dash past, but in pictures, having the flowers grow out of the page, breaking the story squares adds gravity to a serious part which zooms past.
The pages I enjoyed most were of Ophelia’s decent into madness and death. It’s a bit in the play that seems to dash past, but in pictures, having the flowers grow out of the page, breaking the story squares adds gravity to a serious part which zooms past.
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Anxiety
There is a nice scene in one of Wodehouse's books which I am reminded of, but I can't find a reference to it on the web. Bertie Wooster is getting ready for a date and he is feeling rather anxious and flustered and he has a conversation with his butler, Jeeves.
BERTIE: Is there any spinach stuck between my teeth?
JEEVES: Have you eaten spinach today?
BERTIE: No, I just thought it appears like crop circles.
I hear Jeeves’s voice as the maître de in the original TV series of Hitchhiker. Finding the proper quote would be a good excuse to read all of Wodehouse’s books, but not today – I have important things to do.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Friday, 11 March 2011
Shakespeare Reading Challenge
There are many different Shakespeare Challenges online. They involve reading from one to 38 plays in a month, or in a year. Competitions that are text focused, competitions that include acting, watching performances, or watching movies based on Shakespeare’s plays.
The Shakespeare Reading Challenge has a very tempting completion HERE. And what is nice, is that it has four levels:
1. Puck: Read 4 plays over the year, 1 of which may be replaced by a performance
2. Desdemona: Read 6 plays, 2 of which may be replaced by a performance
3. Henry V: Read 12 plays, 3 of which may be replaced by a performance
To participate, or not to participate, that is the question…
Count me in. I think.
I’ll have to clarify if “replaced by a performance” means acting or watching or either. Six plays over a year sounds sensible - I’ll strive for Desdemona and perhaps read:
Hamlet
Henry V
A Midsummer Nights Dream
The Merry Wives of Windsor
King Lear
The Winter’s Tale
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Family Quotes
My grandmother on organising a new mobile phone:
“I didn’t ask for global warming as I’ve already got it.”
George on Australia’s performance in the Ashes:
“It’s a national emergency.”
Mum talking about her new camera:
"My camera is not to take any photos of coffee ever."
“I didn’t ask for global warming as I’ve already got it.”
George on Australia’s performance in the Ashes:
“It’s a national emergency.”
Mum talking about her new camera:
"My camera is not to take any photos of coffee ever."
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Sunday, 27 February 2011
A Midsummer Night's Dream
I have not stuck to my diary of posting dates to publish all the best photos from my Tasmania trip as I've been busy rehearsing for:
STAG presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream By William Shakespeare Directed by Ian Tweeddale at the Strathmore Community Centre, corner of Loeman and Napier Streets, Strathmore (Melway Reference: 16 H 10)
Thursday 3 March to Saturday 5 March @ 8pm
Sunday 6 March @ 2pm
Wednesday 9 March to Saturday 12 March @ 8pm
$20 adult $15 concession $2 discount off full price tickets for groups of 10 or more
BOOKINGS 9382 6284 www.stagtheatre.org/reservations
STAG presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream By William Shakespeare Directed by Ian Tweeddale at the Strathmore Community Centre, corner of Loeman and Napier Streets, Strathmore (Melway Reference: 16 H 10)
Thursday 3 March to Saturday 5 March @ 8pm
Sunday 6 March @ 2pm
Wednesday 9 March to Saturday 12 March @ 8pm
$20 adult $15 concession $2 discount off full price tickets for groups of 10 or more
BOOKINGS 9382 6284 www.stagtheatre.org/reservations
HELENA: I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you.
HERMIA: How low am I, thou painted maypole? Speak; How low am I? I am not yet so low But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.
EGEUS: Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, With feigning voice verses of feigning love.
LYSANDER: You have her father’s love, Demetrius; let me have Hermia’s: do you marry him.
FLUTE: Nay, faith, let me not play a woman: I have a beard coming.
QUINCE: You can play no part but Pyramus; for Pyramus is a sweet-faced man; a proper man, as one shall see in a summer's day; a most lovely gentleman-like man: therefore you must needs play Pyramus.
PHILOSTRATE. A play there is, my lord, some ten words long, Which is as brief as I have known a play; But by ten words, my lord, it is too long, Which makes it tedious; for in all the play There is not one word apt, one player fitted.
LION. You, ladies, you, whose gentle hearts do fear The smallest monstrous mouse that creeps on floor, May now, perchance, both quake and tremble here,
STARVELING: He cannot be heard of. Out of doubt he is transported.
PUCK. If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended, That you have but slumb'red here While these visions did appear.
MOON. All that I have to say is to tell you that the lanthorn is the moon; I, the Man i' th' Moon; this thorn-bush, my thorn-bush; and this dog, my dog.
OBERON. Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania
TITANIA. Not for thy fairy kingdom
SNOUT: Doth the moon shine that night we play our play?
BOTTOM: I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of this dream: it shall be called Bottom's Dream, because it hath no bottom;
HIPPOLYTA: never did I hear Such gallant chiding: for, besides the groves, The skies, the fountains, every region near Seem'd all one mutual cry: I never heard So musical a discord, such sweet thunder.
THESEUS: Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, And won thy love, doing thee injuries; But I will wed thee in another key, With pomp, with triumph and with revelling.
Friday, 18 February 2011
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Cockle Creek and Recherche Bay
Southern Tasmania is beautiful. Recherche Bay, Cockle Creek… One of the many places that I would love to visit again…
Recherche bay is the site of the first scientific experiments on Australian soil. The French explorer Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni d’Entrecasteaux (what a groovy name) landed in 1792 and made a garden and observatory and mapped and named parts of Southern Tasmania, which has resulted in Tasmania having some beautiful French names mixed up with Indigenous and English names. Bruni d’Entrecasteaux’s ships included the Recherche and the Esperance.
One of the goals of Bruni d’Entrecasteaux’s voyage was to try and find the explorer Jean-Francois de Galaup, comte de La Perouse who was last seen in Botany Bay in 1788 heading off towards New Caledonia.
Recherche bay is the site of the first scientific experiments on Australian soil. The French explorer Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni d’Entrecasteaux (what a groovy name) landed in 1792 and made a garden and observatory and mapped and named parts of Southern Tasmania, which has resulted in Tasmania having some beautiful French names mixed up with Indigenous and English names. Bruni d’Entrecasteaux’s ships included the Recherche and the Esperance.
One of the goals of Bruni d’Entrecasteaux’s voyage was to try and find the explorer Jean-Francois de Galaup, comte de La Perouse who was last seen in Botany Bay in 1788 heading off towards New Caledonia.
Recherche Bay
"It would be vain of me to attempt to describe my feelings when I beheld this lovely harbour lying at the world's end, separated as it were from the rest of the universe.”
- Antoine Raymond Joseph de Bruni d’Entrecasteaux
Beach at Cockle Creek
Cockle Creek is the southern most point that is assessable in Australia. The beach is beautiful, and when I was there the sky and water were beautiful shades of blue.
Cockle Creek is also host to a sad period in Australia’s history being a centre for whaling in the 1830s. A bronze statue of a Southern Right Whale Cub mourns for all the whales killed in the area. The whalers used to kill the cubs and when the adults heard their cries would run in to see what the matter was and then be killed as well.
Whale statue at Cockle Creek - sculptured by Steven Walker
“The next stop is Antarctica. And it’s not that far away. Standing here, you are closer to Antarctica than you are to Cairns.”
- Australian Government – Department of Resources Energy and Tourism
The southernmost point that you can buy food is Ida Bay. Where naturally I had a Devonshire Tea.
Saturday, 12 February 2011
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