Nearly two years ago I turned 40 years old. It’s a milestone, similar to turning 18 or 21 or even 30. I’m not pointing this unchangeable fact out to be obvious, but to reiterate how I still feel like a kid inside. This doesn’t necessarily mean I’m naïve or I have license to act immaturely in public places. I simply recognise where my creativity stems from and allow myself to be indulgent when inspiration happens. Recently, though, a friend pointed out a behavioural problem he thought I...
The afternoon is a splendidly languid summer one, the sort that makes teenagers skip school in favour of being pummelled by surf and wrestling in the sand. I feel like skipping the afternoon drudgery myself. But such is life for an adult, particularly in the western world, that they have to give up these simple pleasures in favour of doing something very few of them honestly enjoy: work. So I go back into my overly air-conditioned office, shivering as I take my seat. The corner workstat...
What if Jesus Christ was living right next door to you? Would you recognise him? Would you feel his presence, understand his message and become a disciple? Would you respect his beliefs and opinions, without necessarily adopting his religion? Or would you want to crucify the bastard for having yet another rowdy party in his backyard, with all his hippy mates, drinking wine and passing around plates of smelly fish. What about if your son or daughter were recognised as an incarnation of Buddha?...
Why is it some people don’t like having their photo taken? The rationale I’ve heard used is basically they don’t think they look good enough. I’ve heard this said by some of the most beautiful people I’ve ever known. Take my wife, for instance (yeah, I know this sounds like the lead up to a corny vaudeville joke, but bear with me). She is absolutely gorgeous. Of course, I am completely biased, but she is, trust me. Anyway, she can’t stand her photo being taken. Whenever anyone points...
How is this for a premise: making an ass of yourself can put points on your wisdom scorecard if you make an ass of yourself and don’t even know you’re doing it. The getting of wisdom comes later when you realise and then go out of your way to eat humble pie and apologise for your behaviour. I don’t think this is being regretful either, because the getting of regrets is from doing something you KNOW to be wrong at the time. Making an ass of one’s self is usually done completely unselfconsci...
“The music business is a long shallow plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs… There is also a negative side.” - Hunter S Thompson “There is something sick about a person whose only interest is money. And the same can be said, I think for the Company whose sole goal is profit.” - Richard J. Haayen I can’t hold back any longer. I’ve held back from saying anything for ages but now I’ve had enough. I’ve had enough of manufactured Popstars and...
What is a success? Is success money or power? Is success fame? Is success freedom to choose what, how and when? We so often hear of people who seemingly have everything but are plagued by mental problems, addictions and obsessions or are just nasty and temperamental. Too often I hear folk lamenting the failures of their life or ranting about how others have got it so much better. They’re jealous of the hard work others do to gain success. They’re envious of material possessions, ar...
“All the great pleasures of life are silent.” Clemenceau This is the quote on the bottom of the calendar for June 22nd 2005, which happens to be my birthday. I find it rather ironic given: a. I’m a musician b. I’ve just found out I will have to wear hearing aids for the rest of my life. Having said this, I agree with the quote, in a lot of respects. We live in such a noisy world; sometimes it is really hard to appreciate quiet when we hear it. In the past, I’ve lived...
I haven’t been as active on JU this year as I would have liked because I’ve been sick. So has my wife. We’ve both been fighting off a terrible summer cold. My poor wife was sick on Christmas Day and the only reason we had a New Year's celebration is due to copious amounts of cold and flu medication. A lot of people I know and work with have also been sick with the same rotten bug. But I’ve also found out something else and have been trying to figure out the best way to share it with my n...
Any of you who have read my posts know that I, apart from being a musician, am a big music fan. While I am concerned over the state of the music industry, in terms of how the majors treat their roster and the public in general, 2004 had some very good musical highlights. Australia had a great year in music, with some of our bands doing very well. 2004 kicked off with the hype surrounding The Vines crumbling and falling to ruins only to rise again with Jet. Unlike The Vines though, Jet...
I haven't been with JU long. After one particular article, I thought I might have to retire hurt, given how many people I upset. But I stuck it out and am grateful I did. There are some particularly good authors, diarists or whatever one calls them here at JU who seem to share my love of the written word. It is these people who make me come back time and again. It is also these people who inspire me to write more. So, with that in mind, I would like to thank the following folk (in no ...
The new season of Big Brother has been going here now for a few weeks. In the past, my wife and I have taken some guilty pleasure in watching this show. For the most part, I understand that it is a complete farce and at best, road-crash television. But I won’t lie and say I don’t enjoy it either. There is something to be said about this sort of vicariousness and I think I’ve always been a bit of a voyeur, though not strictly in the sexual sense. Usually the first weeks of the show are ...
My wife is a hard woman to please. She is tough, smart as a whip, good looking and feisty. She is really aware of her own mind and because of this awareness, doesn’t really suffer fools. She will provide encouragement if she thinks it is deserved but will not hold back on calling anyone if deserved either. She is staggeringly adept at seeing and using a situation to get the best results for all. She quite literally is the most intelligent person I know. I pale compared to her. For ...
I was watching a great Japanese animated movie called Steamboy the other day and one of the main characters comes out with the following line, “Ignorance and self-interest breed enemies in our own minds.” I clapped and cheered this when I heard this. I think it sums up prettt much how a lot of people are thinking these days, unfortunately. Enemies, for the want of a better word, used to be invaders gathering at castle gates, Mongol hoards gathering on the southern border or those who s...
I was walking up the back stairs to my flat when I saw him. He walked over to the communal lines with a basket of wet clothing. I watched as he looked around the back yard then looked back at the clothes line. He bent down to his basket, picked up a piece of wet laundry and went about hanging it. But I could see his eyes. He was staring at my underwear. It was one of the problems sharing a communal clothes line; everything was on display for all to see. He bent down again to his basket...