girly socks

Well as you can see I’m still mucking around with a new pic for my header. This one is from the Dining Hall of the Quarantine Station in Sydney. There are numerous ghost stories attached to it… including accounts of smells, like fresh roasting potatoes, or the little girl who appears in the kitchen downstairs with plaits and bubonic plague.

Now big thanks to Going Down Swinging who commissioned our spoken word show Static. Our last performance up in Bendigo was a blast. Met some lovely people including Tru Dowling and heard from local poets… Spring is a slut… won’t be forgetting that line for a while.

After that we retreated to our hotel room to eat pizza and watch Revenge of the Nerds. Alicia and Sean finally confronted me with the fact that I wear girly socks (a real breakthrough moment for us) then we laughed, drank, oh how we laughed some more, and then I crashed out first. The following morning was spent in the spa.

Ah, life on the road.

Desperate to get into the studio now to record the Static show. Hopefully you want to hear it…

And don’t forget the launch of GDS No. 27 at Northcote Social Club, 3rd December, 7.30pm. I’ve been lucky enough to have a squiz at it already and they say the spoken word cd is a knockout this year. http://www.goingdownswinging.org.au/

On Friday, 5th of December I’ll be up in Melbourne for the launch of the new and exciting, harvest magazine. 6pm to 9pm at the Order of Melbourne on Swanston Street. I'll be reading with superstar Geoff Lemon and major bud of mine, Paul Mitchell. http://harvestmagazine.wordpress.com/

And I’m fine with girly socks. I try to wear em like a man.

typewriter walks

Big thanks to my friend, Leah, for letting me know about the results of the Bruce Dawe Poetry Prize. I came in with a High Commendation for my poem The Last Day, one inspired by Kevin Hart. Turns out that John Kinsella picked up the first prize and you can go and read it here...http://www.usq.edu.au/arts/community/poetryprize/2008.htm

In other news it looks like Static, commissioned by Going Down Swinging, is back on the road again: three spoken word performers, one musician – absolutely no interference.

A lion with the face of actor Harvey Kietel; a fist-fight with Paul Davies at the football; and what the Bible has to say about aliens. Come and buy the Universe a beer...

Alicia Sometimes, Sean M Whelan, Quinn Stacpoole and myself are performing in Bendigo on Friday, Nov 28th. 7.30 pm. Under the Grandstand at the Queen Elizabeth Oval, View St.

$8 supper, lucky door, books/cd’s available
BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL
More info: Tru Dowling 5441 1424
Or Sheree 5442 3634

And don’t forget the launch of GDS No. 27 at Northcote Social Club, 3rd December, 7.30pm. It’s a bonfire night of words & performance. http://www.goingdownswinging.org.au/

Now I’ll be up in Melbourne for the launch of the new and exciting, harvest magazine. Friday, 5th December 6pm to 9pm at the Order of Melbourne on Swanston Street. I'll be reading with superstar Geoff Lemon and major bud of mine, Paul Mitchell. http://harvestmagazine.wordpress.com/

Also please check out the blog of my newest friends, Bean. An artist from Dartmoor UK, she has travelled to Dartmoor AUS for a 10 week residency. Check out pics of her ‘typewriter walks’ and showreel here. http://www.dartmoor-residency.blogspot.com/ Go Bean!

Still waiting on photos for you from a couple of my recent plays… but I hear that a Mystery in a Blimp t-shirt is coming to me from the Benalla production. Merchandise!!!

The Best Australian Poems 2008

I’ve just received my copies of The Best Australian Poems 2008 edited by Peter Rose. Can’t wait to get stuck into it. Poetry from Jaya Savige and Toby Davidson who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting recently. And from Sarah Holland-Batt and Fiona Wright… who I haven’t met, but the pleasure awaits. The book is launched on Nov 17 at 6.30 pm, Readings, Carlton.

Another launch (it must be the season)… is Four W with a launch in both Wagga Wagga and Sydney. I am so passionate these days about opportunities for regionally-based writers and Four W does a great job in selecting work from all around Australia while developing/supporting its local talent. Looking forward to reading pieces from Derek Motion, Belinda Campbell and Kelly Shaw.

http://www.csu.edu.au/faculty/arts/humss/booranga/events/index.html

Now it looks like none of you have decided to buy my house. Hmm… what if I said that koalas sit in the front tree and walk up and down the street? That’s serious wildlife… that’s value!

Aside from poetry and plays what I really dig is music. Gotta tell you about Kanye West’s latest one Love Lock Down, which is super cool as usual, and The Killers new album available in Australia Nov 22. Go to their site and hear the first single, Human. I’ve played it to death all ready. Plus I’ve been workin the cassette deck in my car lately… returned to Peter Gabriel’s So album… still good after all these years!