Someone You Are Not

# 103 NEAR SOUTHERN CROSS STATION

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:10:00 +0000

Banjo went to Wodonga today to visit with her mother. I dropped her off at Southern Cross Station and took this shot before coming home. It's the first time I've been home alone at night in seven months and it feels a little weird.

# 102 The Animal Odd Couple

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:15:00 +0000

This is really cool.

# 101 NORTHCOTE POTTERY

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:31:00 +0000

I guess they are ultimately going to build housing on this site which is a bit of a shame.

# 100 AFTER THE FIRES

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 05:06:00 +0000

These photos were taken a few days after the bushfires that were behind my parent's house last week.

# 99 DOODLING

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I sketched this branch and leaves this afternoon in ink, then filled in the colour with watercolours. I really enjoyed the process and am mostly happy with the result.

# 98 A LITTLE FRANTIC

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:51:00 +0000

It's been a little busy around here lately. Here's a summary:

Henry finally had a haircut which was long overdue. He was getting pretty shaggy and a little on the nose.
I've been to the dentist twice and have another appointment this coming Wednesday.
At the last minute I heard about a course in Photography I really want to do next year and had 24 hours to prepare a folio for interview. The interview went well but I haven't heard back yet.
Banjo was overcome with a sudden illness which required the attendance of Paramedics. It was a bit frightening at the time but she's recovered now and will be OK.
Almost two years ago on Australia Day, Banjo was a witness to a fatal accident between a car and a cyclist. The Committal Hearing was in the Magistrate's Court last Monday and she was called as a witness. I went along for moral support.
I went to see 'Quantum of Solace' at the movies and was disappointed.
The Neighbours From Hell are up to their old tricks and the Housing Department doesn't give a rats arse. Not only that, they are rude and unhelpful. We are seeking alternative actions.
I've started physio for my knee. It won't help with the pain but may stabilise the joint a little which can only be good.
Christmas is upon us and I'm already sick of hearing Christmas Carols in shopping centres.
I've learned that when you live with someone they sometimes assume you know what they need, want or mean when you don't, and that these things are subject to change without notice.

# 97 IN WHICH HENRY DISCOVERS THE OCEAN

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 12:25:00 +0000

Inspired by the hot weather, Banjo and I decided to take Henry to Ocean Grove to see the beach for the first time. The drive was long and uneventful and we were all restless in the car. The highway was packed with overloaded trucks and insane people doing ridiculously stupid things with their weapons on wheels.

When we arrived, Henry and I went barrelling down the stairs towards the ocean. He was excited. There were lots of other dogs around but he stayed focused on me and as we ran towards the shore line things seemed to be going well. That was when he saw it. The waves had crashed and were running up to stroke the shore. Henry, having never seen anything like it before, jumped backwards and tried to take off back the way we'd come, except that he was attached to a lead which was attached to the end of my arm. Banjo and I burst out laughing.

With a little coaxing and much trepidation on his part I managed to get him to go into the water up to the top of his legs. Every wave that crashed had him running for the sand dunes again. Eventually he got the hang of it, and once he'd been in deep enough to swim he couldn't get enough. With all his fur sopping wet he looked all scrawny and bedraggled and reminded me of 'What A Mess'. After I towelled him off he looked like just about the happiest dog I've ever seen.

Something tells me there will be many more trips to the beach for this dog.

# 96 WHAT'S GOT YOU SCARED?

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 02:42:00 +0000

I'm not a fearful person. I don't have any of the usual phobias. Heights don't bother me, broken bones are a fact of life, flying is a breeze and although I'm not a fan of spiders they don't scare me hysterical like some people I know. In fact, I read an article the other day about irrational fears and when I thought about it, I was hard pressed to come up with any things I'm scared of. It's not that I'm particularly courageous or that I hide away at home and thus don't experience the world, I guess I just don't frighten easily. I don't spend much time thinking about things that could go wrong or ways I could get hurt and yet most who know me say that I'm a careful and considered person. Perhaps the only thing that really causes me any anxiety that could be called fear is the notion of regret. The idea that I might one day feel the regret of having not done something resonates strongly within me. I don't want to wake up one day and realise it's all passed me by.

Banjo on the other hand, is full of fears. Balloons, water, heights, flying, car accidents, pedestrian accidents, sharp knives, loud noises, random acts of violence...the list goes on. Despite this she manages to live a full and happy life. So today the question is, what are you afraid of? Is it rational? How did your fear start? How do you manage it? Do you have any fears that you've overcome and if so, how? Send me an email or leave your answers in the comments section.

# 95 THINGS I HAVE TO BE THANKFUL FOR TODAY

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 04:35:00 +0000

The sun shining.
Banjo.
The health of my family and friends.
An excellent Internet connection.
New music discovered.
A good sleep.
The Neighbours From Hell being semi-bearable.
Henry, Rocket and Jemima.
Fine Italian food at affordable prices.
A good book.
Laughter.
My health.
Fresh orange juice.
New socks and boots.
The garden.
Writing.

# 94 AND I THOUGHT TWO HOURS IN THE WAITING ROOM WAS A LONG TIME

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:16:00 +0000

I went to see the surgeon yesterday to get the results from the two MRI's I had on my knees and find out what kind of slice and dice they have in store for me. The news was not good. After he got through exclaiming how amazed he was at how badly fucked my knees are for someone who is only 30 the surgeon, a brusque, obese man not much older than myself said "I'd like to do a knee replacement operation." He blinked and paused, I guess to gauge my reaction. I just stared at him, trying to fathom what he meant. Did he mean that I need a knee replacement operation, or was he just saying that on the list of things he likes to do, knee replacement surgery is pretty high up there? I waited for him to elaborate. "Well, I'd like to do one, but you are only 30, so I think we should do an arthroscope and have a look inside the knee." This sounded more along the lines of what I was expecting to hear and so we proceeded with all the necessary paperwork. Which means I'm on the waiting list, a list with a current wait time of six months to two years. Two years! The surgeon was vague on what I'm supposed to do with my excruciatingly painful, collapsible knees in the meantime.

# 93 THE WORLD BREATHES A COLLECTIVE SIGH OF RELIEF

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:54:00 +0000

I've spent the afternoon watching the U.S Presidential Election results on T.V. with Banjo and as I watched, I felt much like I felt on September 11 2001, watching history unfurl before me. With one major difference; this time it feels hopeful. All over the Internet I've read of Americans talking about the need for change and the impact this election result could have on their country. I've wondered if they realise the impact it could have upon the world, a world full of countries that need change. Whether we like it or not, one man in the White House can influence our future. For the first time in a long time, I'm OK with that.

# 92 HERE IN SPIRIT

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 03:18:00 +0000

I'm having trouble writing today. Nothing seems to work. My space is all wrong and there's a million disturbances. I long for some solitude, some uninterrupted time. I've tried sitting outside on my own but to no avail. It's not a lack of ideas or, at this point, a lack of trying. It's not even a lack of anything to say. It just seems that today it's impossible. (It must be some cosmic joke that while writing these sentences I've been interrupted no less than 5 times?). I feel defeated by my environment. With that in mind I've decided to stop fighting against it and just go with the flow. Perhaps I'll steal some time here later when the rest of this house is asleep.

# 91 SATAN HAS A PROPERTY PORTFOLIO

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:25:00 +0000

Banjo is sick with some unnamed virus today and has spent most of the day in bed. I took her to the doctor this morning and have barely sighted her since. When she does appear, she's a strange shade of green which makes me certain I don't want to catch whatever it is.

I've spent the day organising my digital photos and baking bread. The Neighbours From Hell were up to their old tricks this afternoon with the addition of dealing in stolen goods from the boot of their stolen car. Someone called the Police but they didn't catch them at it. We all still live in hope. Meanwhile, I've just been informed that my rent is going to increase; the cost of living in hell just went up.

# 90 LET'S TALK ABOUT BEETROOT

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:06:00 +0000

This morning I got up early and went to the fresh food market. I love it there! I love walking into a hall full of fruit and vegetables all stacked together in their colours and shapes. I like picking things up and testing their freshness and ripeness; feeling all the different textures. I like smelling all the herbs. The organisation of it totally feeds into all my obsessive compulsions!

So today I bought fresh beetroot. I'm aware that a lot of people are scared of fresh beetroot, preferring to opt for the canned variety, but it's so nice fresh and really, really easy.

First you need to remove the leaves and stalks. Just cut them off about 3-4 centimetres from the bulb. You don't want to cut them right down unless you want the colour to bleed out eg. if you're making soup. Leave the long root intact for the same reason. Then just cover them in water and boil them until the blade of a knife slides into the flesh nice and smoothly. This will take about 40-60 minutes depending on their size. Simple! Next you want to rinse them under cool water and peel the skin off. Make sure you're wearing gloves at this point unless you want to end up with stained hands. The skin will just scratch off if they're cooked properly. Then cut them any way you like and put them in an airtight container with some of the juice from cooking. Use in salads, sandwiches or dice some and heat it gently in a pan to serve with red meat. You can also try roasting them which gives a different flavour and texture.

# 89 NORA THE MUSICAL CAT

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 11:30:00 +0000

Some of you will of seen this but it's worth a second look.

# 88 REASONS I AM HAPPY TODAY

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 06:09:00 +0000

I went to the dentist yesterday, which combined with the two MRI's I had on my knees last week means I've just about had my fill of medical appointments lately. It was the second last appointment in what has turned out to be quite the root-canal saga and I'm surprisingly pain-free today which makes me happy.

This morning the Police came to fingerprint & photograph the stolen car which was dumped several days ago out the front of our house by (yep, you guessed it) the Neighbours From Hell. The N.F.H were decidedly unimpressed and engaged in a flurry of activity to have the car removed after the Police had gone. I think it might have all been in vain, but their drug addled brains don't seem to be very logical.

The photos I took the other day at Federation Square after Banjo and I went to see the Patti Smith photography exhibition have turned out even better than I expected. Maybe I'll post some of them here soon.

My ISP is taking responsibility for their mistakes and crediting my account $300. I can't believe they're actually doing the right thing.

My head is full of ideas and inspiration.

# 87 CONFUSED MUCH?!

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 03:41:00 +0000

She's sick. She spends the day in bed. I amuse myself. I do laundry. I do the shopping. She doesn't open the door for me even though she's just there, talking on the phone. I sit down to write. She says she feels neglected. I stop what I'm doing and sit with her. She doesn't say anything. I wait. I ask her if everything is OK. She says yes. We sit in silence. I'm confused. She has my full attention but she's not saying anything. I ask her again if everything is alright. This annoys her. She says I'm not saying anything. I'm not sure what to do or say. I go and bring the laundry in. She says I'm doing it aggressively. I'm not. I feel trapped. I can't say or do anything. I sit still. I don't know what she wants. I cook dinner. She gets upset. I apologise. We eat. She reads. I don't do anything. She has my full attention again, if she wants it. She doesn't. We watch TV. We don't speak. I go to bed. I wake. She feels great. Whatever it was dissolved in the night. Go figure.

# 86 THINGS ABOUT TODAY, IN A LIST

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:40:00 +0000

When I woke for some unknown reason at 5.30am I felt great. I should have got out of bed instead of going back to sleep. Those extra couple of hours left me feeling tired.
How did the cat manage to get outside when we were out with all the windows closed? We searched for his point of escape but it remains a mystery.
I should have ordered the zucchini and corn fritters for lunch instead of the ham, cheese & tomato sandwich. The sandwich was fine but the fritters is what I really wanted. Watching Banjo eat them only made me want them more.
The acupuncture and massage I had on my head and neck has improved how I feel immensely.
Needing to buy new shoes.
Henry is in need of a haircut but the dog groomers are all booked out through Christmas. If I can get him to sit still for long enough I'll give him a trim myself.
I feel like watching a really good thriller. Any recommendations?
My song of the day is 'Burning' by The Whitest Boy Alive.
Wish I had a kite.

# 85 AT WITS END

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:37:00 +0000

I don't mean to sound like a broken record but I've been sitting here for several hours trying to write and I can't seem to get anything down because of the crazy neighbours. Apparently they don't care that they've already had the police there twice today, or that people literally want to kill them. They're taunting everyone in the street, riding their stupid motorbikes in and around people's driveways, shouting and smashing bottles.

I can't think. I can't sleep. I can't concentrate to write. I've got nothing. So here's a link for you. Check out Clyde The Penguin. He's intelligent and witty and quite the handsome little fellow. His owner's not a bad sort either.

Let's hope tomorrow is a better day.

# 84 ON THE OFFENSIVE

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:04:00 +0000

It's lucky we're not a nation of gun owners. For the last two months my entire neighbourhood has been terrorised by the anti-social, white-trash criminals who live directly opposite my house. Mostly it's the adolescents drinking and arguing on the street, smashing bottles and destroying property for fun. They seem to outnumber the adults by 4 to 1 although the adults are either too drunk or too high to care much, and are sometimes engaged in the antics of their totally out of control offspring. Between committing random acts of vandalism, drag racing of illegal bikes and the constant blaring stereo at all hours of the day or night it's a wonder there hasn't been a major act of violence up to now.

People are on edge. They're tired and their nerves are frayed. The Police are called on a regular basis but seem powerless to do much more than issue a warning. Banjo, myself and others have complained to the appropriate housing authority, who simply issue a breach notice which gets ignored. The other night, after lying awake for hours trying to ignore the thumping base-beat of the stereo and finally managing to fall asleep, we were awoken at 3am by an impromptu drag race right outside our window. Being almost at cracking point ourselves, it was no surprise that the neighbour down the street came hurtling out of his house, half naked, with blood in his eyes and a baseball bat in hand. Others ran to intervene and he was saved from an act that would have certainly seen him punished, but every single person who lives here is harbouring feelings of malice and constructing fantasies of violent retribution. It's only a matter of time before something happens.

So now we're on the offensive. We have a petition, and people are clambering over each other to sign it. It's become a community event. There's even talk of a BBQ where we can all get together and share our violent fantasies. Most of all, there's a strength in the solidarity. Our waning reserves of energy have received a boost in the knowledge that we're a united front. Still, if we had easy access to guns... well, that's another story.

# 83 A SNIPPET OF CONVERSATION

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:09:00 +0000

Banjo is sitting in the bookstore perusing a potential buy when I saunter up.

Me: I just got accosted in the street by a real fuckwit!

Banjo: (barely looking up from her book) Oh, one we know?

# 82 MORE PATTI SMITH - DANCING BAREFOOT

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:38:00 +0000

# 81 PATTI SMITH - BECAUSE THE NIGHT

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:20:00 +0000

I'm getting all revved up in preparation for the forthcoming concert, movie and exhibition in Melbourne.

# 80 A SHORT HISTORY LESSON

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:43:00 +0000

Banjo sits quietly reading 'Shakespeare' by Bill Bryson.

Me: "How's your book?"

Banjo: "It's good. I'm not a fan of Shakespeare but I like reading about that era."

Me: "Is it more about him or more about the times?"

Banjo: "Both. Not much is really known about him."

Me: "How old was he when he died?"

Banjo: "Don't know."

Me: "For some reason I'm thinking 33."

Banjo: "No. That was Jesus."

# 79 ROCKY HORROR SHOW

noreply@blogger.com (Ada) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:08:00 +0000

I went to see 'Rocky Horror Show' at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne yesterday. The performances were awesome, especially iOTA as Frankenfurter. It makes me wish I saw him in 'Hedwig and The Angry Inch'. The set was really impressive too. My only complaint would be that the audio was so loud in places it was difficult to distinguish the words being sung, but I realise this makes me sound like an old fart. Special mention goes to Derryn Hinch who got his legs out and put some shiny red shoes on for the encore version of 'Time Warp'.