15 January 2013
13 January 2013
The share feature on the HTML code is malfunctioning regularly. I need to fix that.
I'm in a Starbucks in Somerville, Massachusetts, people watching. Contemplating the upcoming trip to Iceland. I've had multiple requests from friends of mine to keep posted on my blog, since I apparently have been lazy about imposing myself on people's lives. So, here is yet another attempt at killing time and keeping up to date.
Today I'm singing in a recording session of James Piorkowski's "The Greatest of These," a work for chamber choir and guitar. Gerald is conducting and I will be singing with some of Boston's finest musicians. It is hard to believe that a year ago from today I was on a couch in the middle of Upstate New York, begging for someone to give me answers and willing to throw away everything I worked toward. Persistence and resilience are an artist's best attributes. To be able to bounce back from failure is a skill-set its own as extending techniques on an instrument or having a great agent. 2012 was all about that, as I regularly find myself trying to 'bounce back.'
So 2013 I pick up where I left off at the end of 2010. The quest for international exploration and the revelry of 'close-your-eyes-and-pick-a-place' travel. A startling late night vision came to me last year: I want to visit Reykjavík, Iceland. For some reason I remember hearing about this place from the "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego" television show when I was a child (who knew I was planting the seeds of an aspiring global traveller as a youngster? Blame my parents). I did not know much about this mystical place except for its hot springs and geysers. To this day I'm not really sure what a geyser actually does. Nonetheless I promised myself if I could pick up my life a bit and move forward, get a little more financially secure, and pay off some debts, I was going to spend the rest of my 20s travelling the world, you know, "while I'm still young." Iceland was to be my first trip.
I started listening to the music of Sigur Ros and Of Monsters and Men, but ventured into the choral music of Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson and the orchestral works of Jon Leifs. Apparently there was a burst of music during the baroque period but somewhere in the centuries to follow a sequence of volcanic eruptions drove many of the citizens to mainland Europe, thus dissipating its national culture. In the late 19th to early 20th century as people started to trickle back, Icelandic composers who took other Nordic and Germanic musical influences brought music back to the life of the island. I am so curious about this...are there any Icelandic composers we don't know about who were just living in mainland Europe and in the shadows of the great composers we herald today?
There are tons more to investigate and not much of it is performed in the US. I am going to scour the libraries of Reykjavík to obtain as many scores and resources as I can get my hands on. I want to dig into the language and, if any luck, master at least one hundred words. Most importantly I'm looking to get my start on a year of big travel plans in 2013. My goal is to visit all six travel-able continents and learn about a specific region's musical culture across multiple genres. Europe, Australia, North America, and possibly Asia are on the docket. Just two more brief trips, right? One at a time.
If I like it so much, I may move there! Return flights from Boston are cheap.
Puffin. I hope it's tasty. I am the newest addition to Eric Ericssons in this world.
16 September 2012
This weekend I watched my sister share her wedding vows (for however important they were) with her new husband Joe. If our family knows how to do anything, they know how to throw a party. And a party it was. Absolutely life-changing on so many planes. Such fun...and so many things to remember. Just wonderful.
I spent a three-day period of musical rediscovery in Amherst; showing up to classes at reasonable hours.
I spent a three-day period of musical rediscovery in Amherst; showing up to classes at reasonable hours.
29 August 2012
21 April 2012
You and I
After a much needed hiatus, I decided to restart my blog in order to keep stories on new adventures.
Less about me, more about you. Your stories, your adventures.
Inspiration is so cliche, and generally followed up with very little. If you make a bold choice in your life, I want to know about it. If you had the most esoteric conversation with a stranger, everybody should know. The magic of life is the stories behind the stories. And how those little moments can be so precious and poignant.
I would like to share your stories about how your dreams, but also about unexpected realities.
While I do intend on keeping everyone up to date about my frenetic ideas and persistent quest for anything resembling truth I am serious about wanting to hear from you about little things that are big things. This is inspired by my friends who are working in spaces and places they never expected but are acquiring so much richness of life.
Are you on the road? In the air? Did you write a poem? Encounter a random conversation in a cafe? Analyze a dream? Breakthrough in work, career, or family? Did a project you never expected to mount finally come to fruition?
Life's spontaneity- all for us to collect and share together.
E-mail: ericperrymusic@gmail.com
---
As for me, there is much to tell...and so much to explain. But, over the weeks I will not mind sharing, little by little!
Less about me, more about you. Your stories, your adventures.
Inspiration is so cliche, and generally followed up with very little. If you make a bold choice in your life, I want to know about it. If you had the most esoteric conversation with a stranger, everybody should know. The magic of life is the stories behind the stories. And how those little moments can be so precious and poignant.
I would like to share your stories about how your dreams, but also about unexpected realities.
While I do intend on keeping everyone up to date about my frenetic ideas and persistent quest for anything resembling truth I am serious about wanting to hear from you about little things that are big things. This is inspired by my friends who are working in spaces and places they never expected but are acquiring so much richness of life.
Are you on the road? In the air? Did you write a poem? Encounter a random conversation in a cafe? Analyze a dream? Breakthrough in work, career, or family? Did a project you never expected to mount finally come to fruition?
Life's spontaneity- all for us to collect and share together.
E-mail: ericperrymusic@gmail.com
---
As for me, there is much to tell...and so much to explain. But, over the weeks I will not mind sharing, little by little!
02 October 2011
Until about the age of nineteen I refused to eat anything that contained vanilla extract because it contained a certain amount of alcohol. Even though it was cooked out, I could not bring myself to even be tempted. (As a fat kid though, I typically found ways around this, or chose not to pay much attention if I did not actually *see* the vanilla poured in.)
The sun is shining bright in Washington Heights as I scribble lyrics on a New Zealand based notepad and daydream about the upcoming nuptials. Commissions are like writing speeches without being as long winded. And as I've not worked on "commission" before, trying to find the right thing to say, while keeping it something I would say, without going too far and ruining cherished moments...this is far more difficult than I expected. Two songs will be meshed together, one old that I've scrapped verses, kept the chorus and redesigned some progressions. One brand new piece with a tag line I came up with the first day I moved to Ballarat. I put songwriting away for a while because I felt like I was only coming up with the same catch, perpetually saying the same things in different ways. All the songs became odes of apologies rather than stories. And as of the first of October I will likely reduce the output of "I'm sorries."
Last night was a Saturday, back in New York City (staying in Joe's apartment for the evening on the Upper West...walking into that place made me feel like the crazy Beggar Woman at the end of Sweeney Todd before her throat was slashed. Spoiler alert for those who live under a rock and haven't seen it yet). Instead of doing "New York" like the two prior days, I fancied to walk along Riverside Park, sip a diet ginger ale and return to my guitar after a long hiatus. All of a sudden it was like I was eighteen years old again. New ideas, new concepts. And no damned apology songs.
I made a promise to myself that 2011 would bring about massive changes: going global, running more half-marathons, etc. 01 October 2011, once and for all, starts a new chapter of my life, and dare I say, it is well past due.
Ocsober is also an important opportunity to highlight the growing danger of binge drinking and alcohol abuse, particularly among young Australians. Participants can also enjoy other potential benefits from a month off alcohol including feeling healthier and fitter, weight loss and the chance to enjoy Sunday mornings again!"
www.ocsober.com.au
In a couple days I will launch my page with my results and daily accounts about a life alcohol-free. And while this effort is capped at a month, I am confident this is a cause that I will be able to fully support throughout the remainder of the calendar year. This brief little blurb is not an attempt for any sort of martyrdom or self-righteousness. I would also be glad to speak to anyone more in depth about this should they care to know or listen. Personal betterment, as hard as it is to accept, should be on the top of anyone's agenda. This is how I choose to better myself, my running, and my music. And my relationships with my family and friends. I encourage anyone who reads this to, not financially, but emotionally and inspirationally support this decision. I also ask kindly to refrain from the invitation to participate in contradictory activities, as I will not, for a time, that is. (This is going to be difficult enough!)
More news from New York City to come- including great educational sessions, Follies and pumpkin spice lattes. Yum!
The sun is shining bright in Washington Heights as I scribble lyrics on a New Zealand based notepad and daydream about the upcoming nuptials. Commissions are like writing speeches without being as long winded. And as I've not worked on "commission" before, trying to find the right thing to say, while keeping it something I would say, without going too far and ruining cherished moments...this is far more difficult than I expected. Two songs will be meshed together, one old that I've scrapped verses, kept the chorus and redesigned some progressions. One brand new piece with a tag line I came up with the first day I moved to Ballarat. I put songwriting away for a while because I felt like I was only coming up with the same catch, perpetually saying the same things in different ways. All the songs became odes of apologies rather than stories. And as of the first of October I will likely reduce the output of "I'm sorries."
Last night was a Saturday, back in New York City (staying in Joe's apartment for the evening on the Upper West...walking into that place made me feel like the crazy Beggar Woman at the end of Sweeney Todd before her throat was slashed. Spoiler alert for those who live under a rock and haven't seen it yet). Instead of doing "New York" like the two prior days, I fancied to walk along Riverside Park, sip a diet ginger ale and return to my guitar after a long hiatus. All of a sudden it was like I was eighteen years old again. New ideas, new concepts. And no damned apology songs.
I made a promise to myself that 2011 would bring about massive changes: going global, running more half-marathons, etc. 01 October 2011, once and for all, starts a new chapter of my life, and dare I say, it is well past due.
"What is Ocsober?
Ocsober is a fundraising initiative that encourages people to give up alcohol for the month of October.
The money raised goes to Life Education, the organisation behind the
iconic educational mascot, Healthy Harold. For over 30 years, our
loveable giraffe has been teaching Australian children how to enjoy a
healthy lifestyle by resisting participation in drug and alcohol abuse.
This year, Ocsober aims to raise $750,000 to help Life Education and
Healthy Harold go into even more schools across Australia.Ocsober is also an important opportunity to highlight the growing danger of binge drinking and alcohol abuse, particularly among young Australians. Participants can also enjoy other potential benefits from a month off alcohol including feeling healthier and fitter, weight loss and the chance to enjoy Sunday mornings again!"
www.ocsober.com.au
In a couple days I will launch my page with my results and daily accounts about a life alcohol-free. And while this effort is capped at a month, I am confident this is a cause that I will be able to fully support throughout the remainder of the calendar year. This brief little blurb is not an attempt for any sort of martyrdom or self-righteousness. I would also be glad to speak to anyone more in depth about this should they care to know or listen. Personal betterment, as hard as it is to accept, should be on the top of anyone's agenda. This is how I choose to better myself, my running, and my music. And my relationships with my family and friends. I encourage anyone who reads this to, not financially, but emotionally and inspirationally support this decision. I also ask kindly to refrain from the invitation to participate in contradictory activities, as I will not, for a time, that is. (This is going to be difficult enough!)
More news from New York City to come- including great educational sessions, Follies and pumpkin spice lattes. Yum!
29 September 2011
POGS
Uni is on break, grades are mostly caught up, and I'm sitting at the Tullamarine airport at 3:30 AM.
My sister gets married in a little over a week and I have so much research and rehearsing to do over the course of the week.
My first excursion to the States since moving to Ballarat is laden with joy, anticipation, fear of ageing, and ...well...paperwork.
And I would not have my life be any other way.
I also have been on a massive burger kick in the last few days. Even whilst running (Tim saved me one night...thanks for the save, Tim) I'm still craving garbage. But this lamb burger was completely worth it!
I hope Molly and Joe like their song...
Oklahoma is done and I only earned the Sheep of Shame in a couple instances during the weekend.
More things... always more.
Some woman at the airport is talking about sniffing things. I looked up to laugh. Her entourage of friends caught me looking. I hope I don't get beat up. One man is wearing a magenta jacket.
It is 3:30 AM and I'm on my 24th hour of being awake.
Next stop: Auckland, New Zealand.
Reading: 500 Ways to Change The World: Global Ideas Bank. By the Institute for Social Inventions. I am hoping to incorporate some of these ideas into my teaching. On this flight, I may sleep through the entire book. Sorry, teaching.
Now these guys are talking about POGS. Wow- take me back, peculiar Europeans!
My sister gets married in a little over a week and I have so much research and rehearsing to do over the course of the week.
My first excursion to the States since moving to Ballarat is laden with joy, anticipation, fear of ageing, and ...well...paperwork.
And I would not have my life be any other way.
I also have been on a massive burger kick in the last few days. Even whilst running (Tim saved me one night...thanks for the save, Tim) I'm still craving garbage. But this lamb burger was completely worth it!
Seymours on Lydiard
Ballarat, VIC 3350
Moroccan Lamb Burger with Mint Yoghurt Sauce and Chips
Mighty tasty...and a hint of spice!
I hope Molly and Joe like their song...
Oklahoma is done and I only earned the Sheep of Shame in a couple instances during the weekend.
More things... always more.
Some woman at the airport is talking about sniffing things. I looked up to laugh. Her entourage of friends caught me looking. I hope I don't get beat up. One man is wearing a magenta jacket.
It is 3:30 AM and I'm on my 24th hour of being awake.
Next stop: Auckland, New Zealand.
Reading: 500 Ways to Change The World: Global Ideas Bank. By the Institute for Social Inventions. I am hoping to incorporate some of these ideas into my teaching. On this flight, I may sleep through the entire book. Sorry, teaching.
Now these guys are talking about POGS. Wow- take me back, peculiar Europeans!
21 September 2011
Routine
This seems to work out with Safari okay, so maybe I should stick to that.
I broke down and bought a new digital camera last weekend because I felt a little lazy about documenting this crazy excursion here in Australia. It seems abundantly clear now what a mistake it has been not taking as many pictures as I should be. This is a beautiful country with such broad, ranging environment and landscapes. Perhaps the cheap, used car is next...a job is a job, but weekends should be weekends. I am getting a big lethargic and lazy. Now that my foot is better I really need to be persistent and consistent about my running routine. It is exceedingly difficult to keep physical exercise when you're in a job like this (which explains so much). Up super early, up super late. Only an hour of interval before the next bit...so tough to find balance. But, the art will carry on and carry through...so much more to explore. In music and in scenery.
Last week was devoted to Oklahoma. Those students delivered a fine product...and personally it was good to take a crack at a little bit of overall musicianship as well. If one is a singer one is expected to sing really well, but that does not take into account all of the other musical elements they should possess, nor is it ever challenged. My fingers at the keys have been my biggest obstacle since moving to Australia - and for better or for worse I am working harder at that than anything else, perhaps. Kids- take piano lessons early. It will serve you so well in the long run.
And the hard work is paying off. Last night I was invited to Melbourne to conduct a choral rehearsal for "Choristry" - a highly skilled amateur based ensemble, regularly directed by one of Australia's most prominent up-and-coming conductors. Trevor was nice enough to invite me in, as he is working on a different project across the continent. Invigorating beyond belief...it was like the city of Boston boarded the first flight from Logan itself and came to greet me in South Yarra. The passions, the scrabbling, the hand-shaking...the music. Bach and Thompson. Kindred and shared energy. I cannot help my zealousness for choral music. There is nothing that binds people together more than singing in harmony with their fellow mates. Singing beyond yourself and with others has been a sacred and secular tradition for centuries and those with a fervency to do it are so intoxicating to be around. And to in a city as quaint for its size as Melbourne, even for a matter of hours, is enough to abandon everything I ever thought was rational and to challenge every career imposition I have always boxed myself into. So what if I am poor? I am living in one of the most desired cities in the world. And actually in it. Not just a taste but the entire feast. Just like Amherst was to Boston. The hustle. Urgency. Animation.
But...Ballarat is doing just fine as well!
I just need to find ways to keep mobile. Keep moving.
Tonight I was appointed as music director/conductor for the 2012 Ballarat Light Opera Company's Production of Oklahoma. May 2012 in the major venue in town. Just keep moving.
In one week I'm on a plane back to the States. Just keep moving.
This morning in Melbourne I devoured a meal of prosciutto and truffle sauce in a lovely cafe near Trevor's abode. I am about finished with the rough sketches of Molly's wedding song, and while I am not as confident about my lyric writing as I used to, nobody will be able to blame me for being honest. I have sixteen hours in a plane to get it right. Starbucks and a thirty-five dollar order of candy corn rounded off my trip to the city. Left me aching for home a bit. I do miss my family and friends back in the States- though I have so many different family and friends scattered about that country I have no idea where I would live as to not miss them. I recon I will stay in Australia for a while.
Classes are going swell but leave me quite sleepy by the next midday. Chris and I still have nice chats about the South when I go in for a cup of coffee.
Yum.
I broke down and bought a new digital camera last weekend because I felt a little lazy about documenting this crazy excursion here in Australia. It seems abundantly clear now what a mistake it has been not taking as many pictures as I should be. This is a beautiful country with such broad, ranging environment and landscapes. Perhaps the cheap, used car is next...a job is a job, but weekends should be weekends. I am getting a big lethargic and lazy. Now that my foot is better I really need to be persistent and consistent about my running routine. It is exceedingly difficult to keep physical exercise when you're in a job like this (which explains so much). Up super early, up super late. Only an hour of interval before the next bit...so tough to find balance. But, the art will carry on and carry through...so much more to explore. In music and in scenery.
Last week was devoted to Oklahoma. Those students delivered a fine product...and personally it was good to take a crack at a little bit of overall musicianship as well. If one is a singer one is expected to sing really well, but that does not take into account all of the other musical elements they should possess, nor is it ever challenged. My fingers at the keys have been my biggest obstacle since moving to Australia - and for better or for worse I am working harder at that than anything else, perhaps. Kids- take piano lessons early. It will serve you so well in the long run.
And the hard work is paying off. Last night I was invited to Melbourne to conduct a choral rehearsal for "Choristry" - a highly skilled amateur based ensemble, regularly directed by one of Australia's most prominent up-and-coming conductors. Trevor was nice enough to invite me in, as he is working on a different project across the continent. Invigorating beyond belief...it was like the city of Boston boarded the first flight from Logan itself and came to greet me in South Yarra. The passions, the scrabbling, the hand-shaking...the music. Bach and Thompson. Kindred and shared energy. I cannot help my zealousness for choral music. There is nothing that binds people together more than singing in harmony with their fellow mates. Singing beyond yourself and with others has been a sacred and secular tradition for centuries and those with a fervency to do it are so intoxicating to be around. And to in a city as quaint for its size as Melbourne, even for a matter of hours, is enough to abandon everything I ever thought was rational and to challenge every career imposition I have always boxed myself into. So what if I am poor? I am living in one of the most desired cities in the world. And actually in it. Not just a taste but the entire feast. Just like Amherst was to Boston. The hustle. Urgency. Animation.
But...Ballarat is doing just fine as well!
I just need to find ways to keep mobile. Keep moving.
Tonight I was appointed as music director/conductor for the 2012 Ballarat Light Opera Company's Production of Oklahoma. May 2012 in the major venue in town. Just keep moving.
In one week I'm on a plane back to the States. Just keep moving.
This morning in Melbourne I devoured a meal of prosciutto and truffle sauce in a lovely cafe near Trevor's abode. I am about finished with the rough sketches of Molly's wedding song, and while I am not as confident about my lyric writing as I used to, nobody will be able to blame me for being honest. I have sixteen hours in a plane to get it right. Starbucks and a thirty-five dollar order of candy corn rounded off my trip to the city. Left me aching for home a bit. I do miss my family and friends back in the States- though I have so many different family and friends scattered about that country I have no idea where I would live as to not miss them. I recon I will stay in Australia for a while.
Classes are going swell but leave me quite sleepy by the next midday. Chris and I still have nice chats about the South when I go in for a cup of coffee.
Yum.
Three Bags Full Cafe
Nicholson and Molliston
Abbotsford, VIC Aus
This poached egg, proscuitto, parm and truffle sauce openface was the best way to start a day.
The espresso was served a bit under-hot, but the taste was divine. Round, thick, wood, earth and a hint of chocolate notes
Fabulous. Just fabulous.
07 September 2011
So it looks like the share button is being rejected!
And when I hit enter Blogger is having me do really weird things.
Well, okay.
Yesterday there was an ice storm in Ballarat. I'm also playing keyboard strings for Oklahoma and I'm practicing like crazy for it. Overall, today was just one of those days, hey? Cold. Not a positive weigh-in...I don't want to go back to where I was...and I won't.
Looking forward to the morning though!
05 September 2011
Sondheim
This job was such a good choice. Good coffee and rehearsals with the bunch today. Personal and musical discoveries on a daily basis...is there anything better?
Churning ideas for the next Media Overload article (as I am much past due!) Will keep thinking on it...sorry Don!
Also gearing up for the wedding, trip to New York City for a voice teaching article I'm working on...and hopefully some time to catch shows! But goodness...these tickets are bloody expensive!
A Little Night Music, Oklahoma, Scarlet Pimpernel and a little Liza was on the docket today. Soon I hope to pitch the idea about a one man show in March...should probably put my money where my mouth is at some point, hey?
04 September 2011
South Street
This month's goal is to publish something every single day to make up for the sad lack of posts in August.
I FINALLY have internet in my apartment, which makes posting blog updates far easier than before.
Entering week six at the University. I cannot believe that time is flying by so soon. Every day presents new challenges but there has not been a day where I felt less-than-enthused. My students are teaching me so much about Australian culture, food, and music (of course). Hopefully I'm providing them interesting American factoids and helping them sing better.
Weekends are also pretty enjoyable...so strange to feel like a functional person and not a student after all these years of being in academic institutions. Exploring recipes, hopping trains, reading, running...learning heaps. Heaps.
This weekend was pretty tame. My first weekend back-to-back run. Foot's okay...not great. I fell in love with the Geelong Harmony Chorus tonight at the choral division of the South Street competition here in Ballarat. I found a cafe which now sells hot apple cider as I remember it back home. I washed my own clothes with my own bare hands. I slept in after tasting "Chartreuse" for the first time. I learned how to play "snooker." Hanging on to my American identity, I listened to a Prairie Home Companion before church this morning. My sister called me and we had an opportunity to chat before her wedding shower/bachelorette party. Life is...strangely balanced, while everything is so dynamic and fresh.
Last week I was inducted into the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing. With that, I now embark on a hopeful article about the psychological division between classical singing and musical theatre singing teachers and how we can meld the two with nary a problem. I'm sure such research exists but I do have some new ideas and a fresh perspective possible to influence the way new teachers approach teaching musical theatre subjects. More on that to come.
Cider is delicious.
Last weekend was open day and duck risotto day. Amazing colleagues and great stories. Teaching a voice class in front of an audience of nearly 100 was not intimidating in the least...
More photos to come too! Keep in watch...
Month.
Two weeks ago I tried to update my blog. Became completely distracted, but this is what I have so far.
I perhaps am a little late with the most recent update. Of course I am. My internet connection is yet to be established in my apartment (finally ordered this week!). I am a responsible employee and cannot blog while I am at work. Wireless in Ballarat is less than to be desired and most of my time in cafes are spent yakking with business owners and other customers. Of course the 'I forgot' or 'I was having to much fun to be bothered' excuse could be used, but that places blame back on me- something that as we all know I avoid pretty well.
There is so much to address and so much to share but unclear about where to possibly begin.
To start- my digital camera shit the bed during a trip to Melbourne. Two years of photographs and incessant power up and power downs = kaput. This week I will buy an upgraded version of the same camera and sign-up for a photo unlimited-upload website to fully document my experiences. I am being badgered, rightfully so, about sharing pictures. Everyone wants to see what Australia looks like. I can say, and with confidence, Australia looks very similar to the United States in many ways. Due to my lack of wheels I have not seen much of Australia and likely most of Ballarat. Ballarat, unlike what I've mentioned in the past, is far more peculiar that I originally thought. So funny the arbour scheme here! Coniferous trees, falling leaves and mighty palms! Some on Twitter even today suggest Ballarat has a Malasian influence (politically Malasian refugees are a hot-button issue and it is surmised it has been for a while). Punk kids still run rampant but now that I can access internet in my office (and have no reason to spend my days there anymore) I do not hang out at the Bridge Mall McDonalds for wireless. Or for any reason. I put back on the weight I lost in Canada (only about five pounds but I can feel it) but at least it is not at the hands of corporate fast 'food.' There is rural culture strong and prevalent but I could still find a high-culture resource. As I type I am sipping sapporo and eating octopus and fennel tapas dishes at a restaurant called "Portico." This week the "Ballarat Foto Bienalle" commenced. Artists and photographers from all over the world display their works in the local art gallaries, cafes and salons. It attracts hundreds if not thousands of global tourists and connoisseurs. I have seen several and they are fantastic. Not only is it relieving to have art as a culture in a small town but considering what else Ballarat is known for due to its location it is almost a miracle. Not many small towns in America with such agricultural prominence have the bevy of cultural emphasis as Ballarat. Two blocks from the Arts Academy Old Law Courts a window was kicked in from Friday night party-activity. This is also a college town, after all. So when people ask me, "what is Ballarat like?" it is so hard to answer. There are palm trees and college students and green activists and bogans (hicks) and Utes (low riding trucks with really long beds and short little wheels) and Indigenous cultures and tourists and Gold Rush Victorian buildings and...
But it is unlike any American college town I have ever seen.
No two places I lived extensively have ever been the same. Or even felt remotely close. New York was different than Phoenix. Phoenix was different than Amherst. Tempe is not like Ballarat. Ballarat is not realy much like Melbourne. Melbourne is kind of like New York but in many ways far more vivacious, more beautiful. I suppose Fredonia was much like Amherst- almost too similar, and why I felt at times like an undergraduate twenty-six year old graduate student.
The weather here has been absolutely dreadful and a bit bi-polar. An old Australian folk song describes our patterns as "Four Seasons in One Day," and is accurate. Mostly gray in the AMs but within hours it can be completely opposite. Temperature shifts by five degrees at the drop of a hat. Rainy. Cold. It is winter here in this hemisphere. Mostly feels like autumn. The Northeastern United States autumn still cannot be defeated for its crown as the best. But today the sun shone bright over Ballarat. And it was divine.
The conclusion of my second month in Ballarat is quickly approaching. It is a bit unbelievable how fast the time passes. And how for a solid month I have delved into the business of art and connection. My mind, body, and finances are finally to make sense after so long. My typical fiscal responsibility slips and while hot on my mind I take it upon myself to enjoy my time in Ballarat. The job I'm in, while a job, of course, still feels more like a paid vacation and I am a tourist ravenous for new culture and ideas.
I am now moved in to my new apartment with a gentleman by the name of Tim. Unless the man did inconspicuous research and learned everything about me in order to relate, this man is the Australian mirror image. He and I share an incredible amount in common- an uncanny collection of similarities that are just sheer spooky- from personal stories to love of travel; from insecurities to our response to over-indulgence...the same. In three weeks I've grown very comfortable with Tim very quickly and mostly because we just knew we would be mates (friends) immediately. This bloke (guy) knows everyone in this damn town. He is gregarious, chatty, very friendly and trustworthy- and when he is out amongst the public his infectious energy is like a magnet- people are drawn to him. Being in the penthouse apartment for the first month was nice and necessary but I feel less of a refugee now and it is super nice to have yet another amazing person in my life to come home and chat with. I have known great men in my life who have helped me simmer and concentrate and life-focus. Some of whom I have lived with for some period of time (Pat, Jason, and Judge, of course, who I still consider to be one of the best friends I ever had). Tim immediately is no exception.
But aside from people I live with there are the small communities of people who diversify my sociability and prevent me from going completely too homesick. I encountered an Anglican church early and spent the month worshiping and spiritually cleansing with them. Yakking, of course. Sipping tea. A man named Martin, was very friendly and introduced me to the market and auction culture in Ballarat. He is currently studying to be in the High Clergy for the Anglicans at a time. All the congregation there, the musical staff particularly, were quite excited to meet me and expressed great enthusiasm about my inclusion in their community. I met some fun Vietnam war vets who once in a while I'll share a glass of wine, watch the footy and talk about days gone by.
I cannot go without mentioned Chris and Alison over at a pie shop near the Arts Academy called "The Swallow's Nest." Alison lived in Melbourne before moving here and Chris is her husband who is a choral musician, formerly from Oxford. His warm rich baritone voice and knowledge of American popular culture from before I was borne keeps me coming back day after day. They also are some of the nicest people...their friendship, helpfulness and usage of American idioms I am thankful for daily. He calls me "Pard" (partner) and unfailingly greets me with a goold ole' "Howdy Pard, put 'er there." "How's ole Obama today?" "You betchya." He is a real riot.
I met a woman by the name of Laura at a cafe. We shared a real unique EFTPOS (debit card) exchange. The whole sparkly eye bit...Martin was with me and insisted that I trade numbers. I was too shy to do any such thing. Doors are not closing in America and I am in no hurry find me a bird (lady) here.
There are also the other random Americans in Melbourne! A gorgeous city...last weekend I spent the entirety there. A chocolate festival on the Harbour Esplanade enticed me to go (after a long run, of course). The "Melbourne Chocolate Rush" as it was called. Sixty exhibits with free samples and a demonstration cooking course on the construction of chocolate flowers. The chocolate art! Stunning...simply stunning! And I have not eaten chocolate since, nor if I even had any desire could I justifiably do it. After the festival I headed home, enjoyed a glass of shiraz and fell fast asleep. The next morn I went back on the train (most beautiful train ride ever, just to mention) and watched a service at St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral. EXTRAORDINARY architecture with high ceilings, elaborate stained glass windows and so many buttresses ... just gorgeous. After the service I accidentally stumbled into a proper [authentic] German Lutheran church with real German speaking Lutherans! Come to find out, they are hosting a major Bach festival in the 2011-2012 singing season and quite keen on my participation. I was so eager to learn more about them that in fact, tomorrow, I will hop back on a train to Melbourne to sit in a German Lutheran service which will be performed entirely in German. Hans Schroeder is responsible for welcoming me into their spiritual home. And, of course, for the allowance to taste meatloaf wrapped in a pastry shell with a side of carrot/vinegar/sultana salad. So blatantly German. Twenty minutes and a city circle tram later I was sharing a fancy meal with Sandy Glass and his partner Mark in Melbourne's Victoria National Gallery. Sandy holds a DMA from University of Arizona (Bruce Chamberlain's programme) and we also have so much in common in regards to who we know and where we have been. After a trio of decadent desserts the party moved to a bar outside of Federation Square, and several barley wines later the ideas just started pouring! My belief in God and my relationship with divinity has exponentially grown since my break-up with an Atheist and meeting Marius and Alina...and at the risk of sounding too preachy, there really is something to be said about fate, divine intervention, whatever you want to call it. How random, hey? [eh?] that in the middle of a continent almost 2,500 kilometers [1,555.427981 miles] away from home I would have discussion about topical subjects related to Arizonan choral culture with another mate who lived it? So strange!...and beautiful.
Post barley wine pies and Hungry Jacks [Burger King] might not be too helpful with the whole weight loss thing. I may have stretched the truth, slightly, about the fast food thing.
Not everything here has been peaches and cream. Distance and some cultural adjustments are resulting in some problems in regards to my life in the States...people, money, etc. But after an enlightening conversation with a new friend here I decided to live completely in the moment. My entire life has been too focused on my future and too saturated in my reminiscence of the past. Most of my personal and professional struggles, have always been due to my constant worry of progression. Being the next, something, or having this pressure of being some revolutionary prodigy of something, as fast as I can. I just turned twenty six years old. I am a lecturer at an internationally accredited college. I am a student of life and so just because I am teaching means nothing about me knowing everything, nor will I feel any more responsibility to pretend to know more than I do, or to feel guilt for not. Most of my learning block is due my repentance for the "I should have known that already" bit [idea/part]. Also, to let go of your past is to let go of certain people in your life, and also to let go of the guilt associated with the hypothetical band-aid that could have fixed it. Part of not letting people and situations go is due to my self-inflated ego; the disbelief that I mean something different, or possibly nothing, to them anymore. It is a bit of a harsh wake-up call and self realization I had to make. Of course I sometimes make poor judgment as to how to alleviate the pressure of the past and the cycle repeats and repeats...Australia is the change of pace I needed. To become a functional person in society but to also rediscover my love of learning new things. And seeing new cultures. And returning to love. And to trust love.
02 August 2011
31 July 2011
29 July 2011
Anna Maria Alberghetti
From Google Videos:
Here is a beautiful song beautifully performed by the fantastic singer Anna Maria Alberghetti. Anna Maria Alberghetti (born in 1936) is an Italian-born actress and operatic singer (coloratura soprano). While still a young girl, after having made her debut locally in Italy (she began singing professionally at the age of six with a 100 piece orchestra on the Isle of Rhodes) and subsequently toured Italy, Scandinavia, and Spain, she captured the U.S.A. with her wonderful voice, appearing in concert at the Carnegie Hall at the age of fourteen. The New York Times marveled at the child’s extraordinary talent and “some of the purest, loveliest sounds that have ever been heard”. Success with the New York Philharmonic and other distinguished symphonies followed, paving the way for a career as soloist with outstanding orchestras. Ed Sullivan introduced Anna Maria to television audiences and the public has remained enchanted with her ever since. She appeared with Sullivan a record 53 times. As she matured, the beautiful girl with the angelic voice made her mark in every area of entertainment. She entered into film as a teenager, and has appeared in "The Medium" (1951) with the Metropolitan Opera’s great singer Lauritz Melchior, "Here Comes the Groom" (1951) with Bing Crosby, “The Stars Are Shining” (1953) with Rosemary Clooney, "The Last Command" (1955) with Sterling Hayden, "Ten Thousand Bedrooms" (1957) with Dean Martin and as Princess Charmein opposite Jerry Lewis in "Cinderella" (1960). She won a Tony Award in 1962 as Best Actress (Musical) for "Carnival!". Anna Maria has also given illustrious performances on stage in “West Side Story”, “The Sound of Music”, “Cabaret”, “Camelot”, “Most Happy Fella”, etc. She has also starred at the Las Vegas Desert Inn. Her recording career has included performances for Capitol Records, Columbia Records, Mercury Records and MGM Records. Enjoy Anna Maria's superb voice and delicate performance!
Here is a beautiful song beautifully performed by the fantastic singer Anna Maria Alberghetti. Anna Maria Alberghetti (born in 1936) is an Italian-born actress and operatic singer (coloratura soprano). While still a young girl, after having made her debut locally in Italy (she began singing professionally at the age of six with a 100 piece orchestra on the Isle of Rhodes) and subsequently toured Italy, Scandinavia, and Spain, she captured the U.S.A. with her wonderful voice, appearing in concert at the Carnegie Hall at the age of fourteen. The New York Times marveled at the child’s extraordinary talent and “some of the purest, loveliest sounds that have ever been heard”. Success with the New York Philharmonic and other distinguished symphonies followed, paving the way for a career as soloist with outstanding orchestras. Ed Sullivan introduced Anna Maria to television audiences and the public has remained enchanted with her ever since. She appeared with Sullivan a record 53 times. As she matured, the beautiful girl with the angelic voice made her mark in every area of entertainment. She entered into film as a teenager, and has appeared in "The Medium" (1951) with the Metropolitan Opera’s great singer Lauritz Melchior, "Here Comes the Groom" (1951) with Bing Crosby, “The Stars Are Shining” (1953) with Rosemary Clooney, "The Last Command" (1955) with Sterling Hayden, "Ten Thousand Bedrooms" (1957) with Dean Martin and as Princess Charmein opposite Jerry Lewis in "Cinderella" (1960). She won a Tony Award in 1962 as Best Actress (Musical) for "Carnival!". Anna Maria has also given illustrious performances on stage in “West Side Story”, “The Sound of Music”, “Cabaret”, “Camelot”, “Most Happy Fella”, etc. She has also starred at the Las Vegas Desert Inn. Her recording career has included performances for Capitol Records, Columbia Records, Mercury Records and MGM Records. Enjoy Anna Maria's superb voice and delicate performance!
28 July 2011
Utah
I'm listening to Selected Shorts but zoning out big time.
Heard a lot of Oklahoma auditions and am so thrilled to be in Ballarat right now.
I've eaten so much pumpkin soup but I think the winning soup so far would be the microwave Moroccan soup I just ate.
Moving out of the Penthouse soon...sad...tomorrow I am have a glass of cream sherry and looking over the city for the last time in a while. Such a beautiful view at night.
Lots of restaurants to catch you up on too! Mostly delicious pastries. How I've not gained 100 pounds is beyond me.
Looking forward to moving in to my new house with Tim! Busy weekend ahead though. Monday is day one of being 'Professor.'
Should also give ole UMass a call to get things underway there too...this year is going to be absolutely insane! And yet so excited for all the possibilities, no matter what. God is teaching me patience and it will continue to grow and grow.
I am meeting the nicest musicians here in Ballarat and in melbourne. I was supposed to head into the city on Monday but somehow lost myself in the middle of Maryborough. Should have trusted my instincts and asked a seventh time.
Today was tea time at the Uni...so many delicious foods! Great faculty with tremendous baking skills and generosity! Lamingtons. Ohhhh lamingtons.
Last weekend I saw a giant caterpillar and a ton of alpacas!
Heard a lot of Oklahoma auditions and am so thrilled to be in Ballarat right now.
I've eaten so much pumpkin soup but I think the winning soup so far would be the microwave Moroccan soup I just ate.
Moving out of the Penthouse soon...sad...tomorrow I am have a glass of cream sherry and looking over the city for the last time in a while. Such a beautiful view at night.
Lots of restaurants to catch you up on too! Mostly delicious pastries. How I've not gained 100 pounds is beyond me.
Looking forward to moving in to my new house with Tim! Busy weekend ahead though. Monday is day one of being 'Professor.'
Should also give ole UMass a call to get things underway there too...this year is going to be absolutely insane! And yet so excited for all the possibilities, no matter what. God is teaching me patience and it will continue to grow and grow.
I am meeting the nicest musicians here in Ballarat and in melbourne. I was supposed to head into the city on Monday but somehow lost myself in the middle of Maryborough. Should have trusted my instincts and asked a seventh time.
Today was tea time at the Uni...so many delicious foods! Great faculty with tremendous baking skills and generosity! Lamingtons. Ohhhh lamingtons.
Last weekend I saw a giant caterpillar and a ton of alpacas!
26 July 2011
shaken and stirred
Classes are settling in soon as preparation winds down. Sundays are wonderful times spent with great new church friends and family, drives and delicious meals by generous people. There are great memories and I am starting to fit in.
But lately the news has me so saturated in gloom. Despair. Desperate for God's advice as to how to make it better.
I remember before I left for Ballarat watching a disturbing video with my father of jazz-pop performer Amy Winehouse in Belgrade. While the internet frenzy was upon her I felt adversed to jump on the ridicule bandwagon. I felt horrible for her. Here, in front of our eyes, was a woman in the due course of self-destruction and all most of us could do is watch. Most laughed. I felt helpless. I knew it was the end. I just knew it was the end.
When I read on Twitter a few nights ago about her death I stayed awake the entire rest of the evening. I cried. I wrote, erased. Wrote, erased. Cried some more. Tried to talk to friends for comfort. I knew this woman not, yet still felt that because I could not be in a position to comfort her that I failed her. We as a society failed her. She didn't want help. And yet we still failed her, somehow.
Perez Hilton (the only time I'll admit to reading that slime news) reported that it may not have been drugs directly, but a side-effect from body toxins or possibly a combination of many different elements that caused her body to have seizures. She died from the seizures. As someone with so many epileptic friends and family, that was also not easy to process and digest.
A man in Norway senselessly murdered nearly one hundred people in a rampage shooting. A man in the southern US murdered both his parents in an ecstasy rage and then threw a party the very same night while the corpses decomposed in a locked bedroom in the back of the house. A little girl in Arizona was found dead in a trunk of a car after a game of "hide-and-go-seek" went awry. A Chinese train was derailed and killed a bunch of people and now fowl play is suspected. Cancer is killing everyone every day. A woman in Ballarat was screaming her face off at a gentleman which led to some physical altercation that I quickly ran away from, cowardly. Since I couldn't help Amy Winehouse, how could I have helped this couple...they too, probably would not accept any help.
And I still cannot sleep. How can I be so excited about the joys in my life while I feel so much pain and torment for the families of the people so painfully lost?
And for Miss Winehouse, in particular, who if we looked deep down inside we all can relate to her in some ways. Anybody who ever feels so passionately so for something and gets easily distracted by an outside influence. Anybody who has ever had or knew someone with even the slightest bit of addiction problem. Anybody who ever lost a job and had to recover from the misery of the rebuilding process. Somehow, we all, if we looked, would find some similarities. Does that not shake you?
What do people do to free themselves of the pains of the world? Is its observance keep you humble? Draw you closer to faith? Is ignorance bliss?
So much to think about takes away from things to think about.
I guess the moral of the story is the old cliche about not wallowing and making every day count. At any given moment we could perish for reasons expected or unpredictable. I urge people to believe in something. And while none of us are saints we must as a society find our way back to good. Back to right. Do our part as individuals to not be vicious and malicious toward people all the time.
No more burning bridges, and no more letting go. No more irrational conversations and no more "f you's." It is about time that people had enough, and stand up for having had enough.
C'mon Earth. Pull it together.
That is about as much as could possibly be done for one night. God save us.
But lately the news has me so saturated in gloom. Despair. Desperate for God's advice as to how to make it better.
I remember before I left for Ballarat watching a disturbing video with my father of jazz-pop performer Amy Winehouse in Belgrade. While the internet frenzy was upon her I felt adversed to jump on the ridicule bandwagon. I felt horrible for her. Here, in front of our eyes, was a woman in the due course of self-destruction and all most of us could do is watch. Most laughed. I felt helpless. I knew it was the end. I just knew it was the end.
When I read on Twitter a few nights ago about her death I stayed awake the entire rest of the evening. I cried. I wrote, erased. Wrote, erased. Cried some more. Tried to talk to friends for comfort. I knew this woman not, yet still felt that because I could not be in a position to comfort her that I failed her. We as a society failed her. She didn't want help. And yet we still failed her, somehow.
Perez Hilton (the only time I'll admit to reading that slime news) reported that it may not have been drugs directly, but a side-effect from body toxins or possibly a combination of many different elements that caused her body to have seizures. She died from the seizures. As someone with so many epileptic friends and family, that was also not easy to process and digest.
A man in Norway senselessly murdered nearly one hundred people in a rampage shooting. A man in the southern US murdered both his parents in an ecstasy rage and then threw a party the very same night while the corpses decomposed in a locked bedroom in the back of the house. A little girl in Arizona was found dead in a trunk of a car after a game of "hide-and-go-seek" went awry. A Chinese train was derailed and killed a bunch of people and now fowl play is suspected. Cancer is killing everyone every day. A woman in Ballarat was screaming her face off at a gentleman which led to some physical altercation that I quickly ran away from, cowardly. Since I couldn't help Amy Winehouse, how could I have helped this couple...they too, probably would not accept any help.
And I still cannot sleep. How can I be so excited about the joys in my life while I feel so much pain and torment for the families of the people so painfully lost?
And for Miss Winehouse, in particular, who if we looked deep down inside we all can relate to her in some ways. Anybody who ever feels so passionately so for something and gets easily distracted by an outside influence. Anybody who has ever had or knew someone with even the slightest bit of addiction problem. Anybody who ever lost a job and had to recover from the misery of the rebuilding process. Somehow, we all, if we looked, would find some similarities. Does that not shake you?
What do people do to free themselves of the pains of the world? Is its observance keep you humble? Draw you closer to faith? Is ignorance bliss?
So much to think about takes away from things to think about.
I guess the moral of the story is the old cliche about not wallowing and making every day count. At any given moment we could perish for reasons expected or unpredictable. I urge people to believe in something. And while none of us are saints we must as a society find our way back to good. Back to right. Do our part as individuals to not be vicious and malicious toward people all the time.
No more burning bridges, and no more letting go. No more irrational conversations and no more "f you's." It is about time that people had enough, and stand up for having had enough.
C'mon Earth. Pull it together.
You shouted you stammered
You nailed when you were hammered
Crafty, you kept them guessing without any clues
Aggrandizement they gravely gain can't justify what you had to lose
A fortnight of benders
The poor sight it renders
Dependence is not unlike cancer.
But somehow everyone has an answer.
No no, Amy, you can't see
But you weren't just another self-fulfilling failure. See,
To say, "gas is to propane as you were to Joplin or Cobain"
Is not that easy.
Reckless, riddle, ridicule
Is what we all hate in ourselves but in order to be fooled
We whip and snip, jump ship, and move the chain.
Find the next victim and start all over again.
So
That is about as much as could possibly be done for one night. God save us.
13 July 2011
ouch
I am nervous about this [what I think is a] stress fracture in my left foot. I stopped running for two weeks and I'm starting to feel its toll. It doesn't really help that I am having a blast eating everything that is new and in my sight. I've started a loose bicycling regiment and soon will have to put myself on a more strict diet. My foot is getting better- running on it lightly now (still a little sore but manageable on a treadmill). I even bought new shoes for better cushioning! As much as it will kill me I may have to sit out even the 5k of the RunMelbourne race. However it is best that I keep my eyes on the prize. Besides, there are plenty of races in the area and once I get wheels and weekends I'll be able to drive to them. And be in much better shape.
Damn 20s. Damn pride.
I visited Melbourne for the first time last weekend. It was AMAZING. Beautiful city! Great little lanes for cafes and fine dining, an abundance of theatre, fun little shops and breathtaking cosmopolitan architecture. There were two major rebuilding periods for the city- the 50s and apparently less than seven years ago. Federation Square which sits on the Yarra River and is the Melbourne's central common attraction is fairly new. Some love it and some hate it; I thought it was very unique! Characteristic of this entire adventure, I suppose! The Victoria Library hosted an exhibit of famous 1950s photographers. I watched the Melbourne Theatre Company's new production of "The Joy of Text" - which was really captivating.
Jason Whittaker of "curtaincall" properly reviews:
tossed some ideas around. I may resort to what I know best. Three chords.
I'm approaching the end of second week of my 3 1/2 week planning and I am so pleased with how things are shaping up. I hope to really reach to these kids and step up to the challenges that come before me. The faculty here have been so welcoming and helpful to me. I have keys and a piano in a real office! Exciting times!
I miss my friends and family and life back home but that is normal. I am meeting interesting characters here...many Vietnam vets with interesting mantras and a kind group of Anglicans who want to show me all that Ballarat has to offer. Very thankful for Martin actually- a Malaysian/Australian keen on inviting me to markets, soup, and tremendous Ballarat carrot cake.
I came to Australia for adventure. And for revelation. Maybe it is on it's way. And maybe I'm really setting up my life here!
Next step- the apartment. And maybe I'll buckle down and get that car that I'm sure I'll eventually need. Honda Jazz? The Fiat I fell in love with? Blast...so many options.
First thing is first though. Keep moving forward.
(and when I come home for Christmas everyone needs to be around so I can show you how to make amazing meat pies)
Damn 20s. Damn pride.
I visited Melbourne for the first time last weekend. It was AMAZING. Beautiful city! Great little lanes for cafes and fine dining, an abundance of theatre, fun little shops and breathtaking cosmopolitan architecture. There were two major rebuilding periods for the city- the 50s and apparently less than seven years ago. Federation Square which sits on the Yarra River and is the Melbourne's central common attraction is fairly new. Some love it and some hate it; I thought it was very unique! Characteristic of this entire adventure, I suppose! The Victoria Library hosted an exhibit of famous 1950s photographers. I watched the Melbourne Theatre Company's new production of "The Joy of Text" - which was really captivating.
Jason Whittaker of "curtaincall" properly reviews:
I ate rabbit on Sunday night and also caught a couple of movies. I NEVER watch movies in the theatre but with one right across the street, why not? Super 8 was a little dull for me while surprisingly Bridesmaids was quite enjoyable. Perhaps it was because it is so comparable to my life with Molly and Joe's wedding approaching. I am glad I do not have to be a bridesmaid. It must invariably be every woman's dream but assuredly not mine. Though I should start thinking of great material for the nuptials. And the song...The Melbourne Theatre Company boasts, quite rightly, it now has three home-grown Melbourne writers on its stages: Joanna Murray-Smith’s The Gift at the Sumner Theatre, Ian Wilding’s premiere new work The Water Carriers at its black-box Lawler space (opening Friday) and at the Arts Centre’s Fairfax Studio this wise-arse new play from Robert Reid, The Joy Of Text. (Add two contributions at the Malthouse Theatre down the road — Lally Katz’s sumptuous The Golem Story and a re-mount of Declan Greene’s breathtaking Moth — and local main stage theatre would appear in rude health.)
Reid himself — a playwright, director, reviewer and academic — may be surprised to have been invited to the block party. He told The Age recently he’s probably written at least a hundred plays, and this is the first of them to be staged by MTC. It’s well worth the wait.
The Joy Of Text is ripped from headlines of literary hoaxes and school sex scandals and deconstructed into a perceptive parable on formal and informal life education. Reid’s rapid-fire script has a sharp tongue and warm heart and, while it’s overplayed somewhat here, manages to work as both a thrilling mystery and charming coming-of-age drama.
Most joyously, this is a play that isn’t afraid to be smart. There are long monologues on educational practice; fierce debates around everything from etymology to punctuation. The banter alone is hypnotic, as if Aaron Sorkin wrote a classroom drama. And Reid is wrestling with provocative questions, testing the boundaries in teaching and relationships.
(In The West Wing, Sorkin, via presidential spinner Sam Seaborn, said of education that it’s “the silver bullet”: “Education is everything. We don’t need little changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries. Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge to its citizens, just like national defense. That’s my position. I just haven’t figured out how to do it yet.” Reid seems to share a similar romanticism. It’s sexy stuff.)
Danny (James Bell) is too smart for his own good. A heady teenage mix of boredom, isolation and rampant curiosity drives him to challenge his teachers and his outlook. Hard-nosed head of English Diane (Louise Siversen) wants to introduce a provocative novel on a questionably fictional student/teacher relationship into the syllabus, pitting her against younger literature teacher Ami (Helen Christinson) who feels an uncomfortable resonance with the book. Hapless aspiring principal Steve (Peter Houghton) mediates. Danny devours the novel and begins deconstructing and reconstructing the text, with devastating consequences.
The billing as comedy sells this work short. There’s humour here, no doubt, and disappointingly the cast tends to play to it rather than around it. Director Aidan Fennessy’s instance that his players punch the jokes robs some scenes of their plausibility. Reid even offered advice in the script: in one scene Steve lectures Danny that “satire has to be funny”, to which the pupil snaps “not always”. True of this satire, certainly.
Houghton, particularly, plays Steve for laughs, but still manages to make his character much smarter than he first looks. There’s a harshness about Christinson as an actress — similarly in her turn earlier this year opposite Robyn Nevin in Apologia — but it probably works here as the teacher with skeletons in the stationary closet. As Diane, Siversen is terrific as every unshakeably omniscient teacher of a certain age you ever had.
And as much as this is an ensemble piece, it hangs on the casting of Danny, who must walk the finest line between pubescent brat and charismatic young adult. With just the curl of a lip and the cheeky glint of an eye, 21-year-old Bell makes us believe his allure to an older woman while revealing the scared little boy inside. It’s a superbly nuanced performance in his first big straight stage role.
Otherwise, Fennessy’s production is acutely realised. Andrew Bailey’s modular set — classrooms and offices deconstructed (there’s that word again) and stacked on top of each other, barely squeezing into the Fairfax space — allows seamless movement to keep pace with Reid’s dialogue. (The authenticity of some set items — the standard-issue wooden banister, for example — is an instant time warp). Compositions from David Franzke and evocative sound design — the buzz of school corridors, the rhythmic sprinklers outside — deserve special attention. And Matt Smith’s lighting adds real feeling in the final scenes.
It is indeed a joy, Reid’s Text. More fun and certainly more stimulating than any class I ever went to.
tossed some ideas around. I may resort to what I know best. Three chords.
I'm approaching the end of second week of my 3 1/2 week planning and I am so pleased with how things are shaping up. I hope to really reach to these kids and step up to the challenges that come before me. The faculty here have been so welcoming and helpful to me. I have keys and a piano in a real office! Exciting times!
I miss my friends and family and life back home but that is normal. I am meeting interesting characters here...many Vietnam vets with interesting mantras and a kind group of Anglicans who want to show me all that Ballarat has to offer. Very thankful for Martin actually- a Malaysian/Australian keen on inviting me to markets, soup, and tremendous Ballarat carrot cake.
I came to Australia for adventure. And for revelation. Maybe it is on it's way. And maybe I'm really setting up my life here!
Next step- the apartment. And maybe I'll buckle down and get that car that I'm sure I'll eventually need. Honda Jazz? The Fiat I fell in love with? Blast...so many options.
First thing is first though. Keep moving forward.
(and when I come home for Christmas everyone needs to be around so I can show you how to make amazing meat pies)
03 July 2011
conversation
Wednesday night I grilled kangaroo and had a fine glass of shiraz. It made me stoned. My body didn't know how to process the protein I don't think.
Thursday night I had a repeat performance. A mild case November 2010 happened all over again. This time, I can finally let this one to rest. My body revolted against something that wasn't good for me in a way that it knew how. Apparently it worked. And I will be better for it.
Stick to the plan.
On Friday night I decided it was best to get to know the community. I met an Oxford native baker who introduced me to "having a cup of tea" and contacts for possible musical connections in Ballarat. He apparently sang in a community chorus in town and the "fierce" alto was a choir director I should know. I shared a beer with an Australian war-vet Hell bent against modern technology and still pissed that us "Yanks" tell the best army in the world what to do. I had a coffee with a couple in psychology interested in music therapy. The gentleman of the couple shared a similar last name in my family lineage so that automatically brought on enlightening conversation. (Apparently there are some McDermotts in Ireland that dropped Mc after they stepped foot on Ellis Island to avoid any cultural discrimination. I never met a Dermott but apparently they exist). They were a cute couple. Feisty. Equal.
I met a group of nursing students at the George Hotel, also where I met a middle-aged couple who were kicked out by aggressive lounge security for over indulgence. Australia is a drinking culture, sure, but Ballarat is cracking down. Hardcore. No monkey business. It's good- this town probably needs it.
I met a chicken schnitzel sandwich and ever tightening jeans. I need this foot healed, quickly.
The AM I woke early and took a trip around the town lake and the Botanical Gardens. Ballarat has been blessed with beautiful weather as of late. My observations from Ballarat Twitter culture were gloomy in regards to the weather. Everyone wrote about how rainy it was. Other than today the meteorological Gods have been kind and provided population with plenteous rays. [alliteration for emphasis 2012]. I've already been over saturated with the downtown culture in Ballarat. I am convinced this town is made up of Houdinis and repugnant, disrespectful youth. McDonald's on Bakery Hill (the only place I can score free WiFi and not have to pay five dollars for a coffee) is the local ragamuffin hangout. Never have I seen such destructive, disobedient behaviour. Then again, I am not in an environment with teenagers very often. Is this how they are now? Am I getting old and being all 'gramps' about it? Today one of these little punks threw a tray of food on the floor and walked out. An employee came to clean up the little bastard's mess five minutes later, only to be taunted by another group of teens jumping up and down on the tables and booths.
Kids these days.
Yesterday also felt so right because the same mall held a monthly farmer's market. This might be okay!
My sinus infection took a hard turn last night so a round of pumpkin soup and Indian curry was clearly the remedy.
After church today I came to McDonald's, worked on a couple projects and caught up with some friends back home. I've been listening to a lot of Michael Feldman and it affirms my infatuation with the American Midwest.
I swear I will have pictures up as soon as my internet connection will allow the upload. For now it's back to bed with a can of chicken soup, a newspaper and more American radio programmes.
Thursday night I had a repeat performance. A mild case November 2010 happened all over again. This time, I can finally let this one to rest. My body revolted against something that wasn't good for me in a way that it knew how. Apparently it worked. And I will be better for it.
Stick to the plan.
On Friday night I decided it was best to get to know the community. I met an Oxford native baker who introduced me to "having a cup of tea" and contacts for possible musical connections in Ballarat. He apparently sang in a community chorus in town and the "fierce" alto was a choir director I should know. I shared a beer with an Australian war-vet Hell bent against modern technology and still pissed that us "Yanks" tell the best army in the world what to do. I had a coffee with a couple in psychology interested in music therapy. The gentleman of the couple shared a similar last name in my family lineage so that automatically brought on enlightening conversation. (Apparently there are some McDermotts in Ireland that dropped Mc after they stepped foot on Ellis Island to avoid any cultural discrimination. I never met a Dermott but apparently they exist). They were a cute couple. Feisty. Equal.
I met a group of nursing students at the George Hotel, also where I met a middle-aged couple who were kicked out by aggressive lounge security for over indulgence. Australia is a drinking culture, sure, but Ballarat is cracking down. Hardcore. No monkey business. It's good- this town probably needs it.
I met a chicken schnitzel sandwich and ever tightening jeans. I need this foot healed, quickly.
The AM I woke early and took a trip around the town lake and the Botanical Gardens. Ballarat has been blessed with beautiful weather as of late. My observations from Ballarat Twitter culture were gloomy in regards to the weather. Everyone wrote about how rainy it was. Other than today the meteorological Gods have been kind and provided population with plenteous rays. [alliteration for emphasis 2012]. I've already been over saturated with the downtown culture in Ballarat. I am convinced this town is made up of Houdinis and repugnant, disrespectful youth. McDonald's on Bakery Hill (the only place I can score free WiFi and not have to pay five dollars for a coffee) is the local ragamuffin hangout. Never have I seen such destructive, disobedient behaviour. Then again, I am not in an environment with teenagers very often. Is this how they are now? Am I getting old and being all 'gramps' about it? Today one of these little punks threw a tray of food on the floor and walked out. An employee came to clean up the little bastard's mess five minutes later, only to be taunted by another group of teens jumping up and down on the tables and booths.
Kids these days.
Yesterday also felt so right because the same mall held a monthly farmer's market. This might be okay!
My sinus infection took a hard turn last night so a round of pumpkin soup and Indian curry was clearly the remedy.
After church today I came to McDonald's, worked on a couple projects and caught up with some friends back home. I've been listening to a lot of Michael Feldman and it affirms my infatuation with the American Midwest.
I swear I will have pictures up as soon as my internet connection will allow the upload. For now it's back to bed with a can of chicken soup, a newspaper and more American radio programmes.
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