The holes in my shoes are widening

"Game Masters" @ Powerhouse Museum

Ignored the modern videogaming exhibits and spent 90 nostalgic minutes in the retro arcade. Couldn't get near the "Donkey Kong" or "Space Invaders" machines, which always had 2-3 peeps on them, and found "Defender" and "Missile Command" too difficult to progress far. Did well at "Asteroids" (using the UFO-hunting strategy), "Centipede" (using the tunnel-forming strategy), "Scramble" and the flawed semi-precious gem "Xevious". Did very well at "Elevator Action", clearing multiple buildings on my first attempt. Invested the most time into "Tempest" and - the absolute star of the show - "Robotron: 2084". Silently praised Eugene Jarvis for his shoot-'em-up genius. Remembered how marathons on stand-up cabinets required you to regularly switch stances so as to avoid cramp :-)


"Kings Cross, 1970-71: Photographs By Rennie Ellis" @ State Library

In 24 pics, Ellis (d. 2003) gives us prostitutes, strippers, spruikers and horny servicemen on leave. Groups of staff and patrons from the popular cafes of the day (and its hard to say who looks dodgier). Rosaleen "The Witch Of Kings Cross" Norton plus other local identities. And cultural snapshots from punters queueing for a folk club to painters at work in still-talked-about artists' commune the Yellow House. Worth a gander if you're passing and like seeing how much Australia has changed/hasn't changed at all.