Update (a fortnight later)

Replacement supercomputer under construction. Sticking to Twitter in the meanwhile.

Experiencing technical difficulties (PC fried)

Please use work e-mail address until notified otherwise.

Razzle dazzle

Thoroughly enjoyed the musical "Chicago"...although, were I to pick a nit, I didn't feel the finale was the strongest number in the show. Sharon Millerchip, Caroline O'Connor, Craig McLachlan, Gina Riley, the extended cast and the on-stage orchestra were all excellent. Am now eager to view Tinseltown's take - even if Renee Zellweger is in scrawny mode as Roxie Hart. I prefer her as the v. cuddly Bridget Jones.

Caught a taxi home from Star City. The driver enquired as to my gambling fortunes. I told him I'd lost a whole $2 on the pokies but gained a couple of free magazines. "You got out cheaply!" he laughed, then confessed to squandering thousands on roulette before quitting and shredding his credit cards. He claimed S/C repeatedly attempts to lure him back with vouchers for luxury accommodation and meals.


Listening: "Thick As A Brick" (1974) by Jethro Tull.
Reading: "Casino" (Winter 2009), "Bluff Australasia" (May/June).
Watching: "Click" (2006) - borrowed from the Ks.

"T4" (non-specific remarks)

You've GOTTA see "Terminator Salvation" at the cinema. The opening half-hour will kick your arse so hard you'll be tasting its chrome toes. Seriously, it is action sequence upon action sequence upon action sequence. A bonus for me was that the fillum's Earth of 2018 shares the gritty unrealism of hit videogame "Fallout 3" and is bathed in the same eerie light. While the conclusion's kinda phony, by then you'll have glommed enough high-speed, high-impact carnage and continuity references not to care.


Listening: "Dragonfly" (2003) by Ziggy Marley, "Ebbhead" (1991) by Nitzer Ebb.
Reading: Komikwerks anthology "Rockets & Robots" (2005) - thanks, DL. Also, the "Dragon Warriors" RPG (1986, revised 2008) by Dave Morris and Oliver Johnson.
Watching: The "Wonder Woman" animated movie (2009) - onya, AP2.

Highlights, lowlights and, er, mediumlights

A train carriage so chilly I had to don a scarf. Quaffing three bottles of red wine plus whisky with Dad. An invisible axe lodged in my skull. Accompanying Mum as we picked up my sis EM and bro-in-law TM from Williamtown airport, then visited my dear old gran (who's pushing 91). Just being around the family, sharing food and stories. A train carriage that was positively balmy compared to the previous one. Meeting DL, HV and their daughter J. at the packed-house zine fair at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Taking a chance on DIY rags "The Blue Rinse Society" (which came with a tiny Rubik's Cube) and "Clevo Street", the sticker zine "Cult" and a CD of covers of TV themes. Investing a fiver on a funky spray-painted stencil of a monster (based on a Wally Wood drawing) on scrap cardboard. 'Tis a fine addition to my "man cave".


Conquering: The "Beat The Brat" heads-up poker challenge on "WSOP 2008 - Battle For The Bracelets". From memory, only Ulliott and Chan gave me trouble.
Listening: "A Secret History... The Best Of The Divine Comedy" (1999).
Reading: "Happydale - Devils In The Desert" (1999) by Andrew Dabb and Seth Fisher, "I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell" (2006) by Tucker Max. Ta for both, PG.
Savouring: Butter candy macadamia nuts. Cheers, EM and TM.
Watching (telly): Inferior but not without merit remake "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory" (2005), Palin documentary "Around The World In 20 Years" (2008).

Love at first bite

It's an understatement to say I hate queueing. Which is why I'd long ignored the tremendously popular noodle bar Ichi-Ban Boshi. But today there were only a few hungry punters waiting and curiosity overcame impatience. While my gluttonous instinct in Japanese restaurants is to favour lunchbox combos, this joint is renowned for its ramen, so that's what I requested. Chilli prawn wonton ramen. I paid two Oxford scholars to add marinated bamboo shoots from the list of extra toppings and they were a winner. The soup was sizeable and not too spicy (with chilli oil rather than fresh stuff or flakes). Floating in it were half a dozen meaty parcels and plenty of greens (seaweed, spinach, spring onions, a different seaweed?). There was a mass of noodles underneath and the broth (pork and sesame seed, I believe) was good to the last slurp. It was worth all the water I subsequently drank to dilute the salt and, damn it, it was worth the queueing.


Listening: "Permission To Land" (2003) and "One Way Ticket To Hell...And Back" (2005) by The Darkness, "Magic And Loss" (1992) by Lou Reed.
Reading: "New Mutants - Back To School" (2005) by Lots O'People.
Watching on deev: The likeable cartoon characters of "Role Models" (2008) and the realistically reprehensible quartet of "Closer" (2004).
Watching on teev: "Cracking The Maya Code".

Thanks for those - in order - go to my collection, ditto, ditto, Amazon US, Universal, the Ks and ABC1.

The 54th annual Eurovision Song Contest

Russia finished 11th - they should have been 10 places higher, slightly ahead of the UK's all-star effort and *then* Norway. I also rated Lithuania, Croatia, Portugal, Armenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Moldova, Malta, Germany (with Dita Von Teese!), Albania and Romania. Was undecided about Sweden, Estonia, Denmark and Norway. Disliked the ditties from Israel, France, Iceland, Greece, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine and Spain. SBS's commentary was worthless - unoriginal, unfunny and unco-ordinated (don't speak over your fellow announcer) - but neither that nor the dependably dodgy voting could ruin a fantastic show.


Listening: "Signs Of Existence" (2008) by myGRAIN.
Playing: Solo "M:TG" using the "Shards Of Alara" intro packs.
Reading: "Making Money" (2007) by Terry Pratchett.