Festive season

I went to a music festival on the weekend and didn’t enjoy it that much. I think there are a few key reasons why I didn’t enjoy it (that being said, it was a super fun weekend kicking it with the kids), here they are:

- The Music – I think a big part of why I was a little unimpressed was because I was blasé about the acts that were playing. If there had been some people I was keen on seeing playing, perhaps it would have been a different story, but as it was…

- Festival goers – A great many people at music festivals are just that, festival goers. They’re none too interested in who is playing or the like, they’re jus there for the festival (eh, I guess that was me on the weekend…). These people tend to be louts and irritating, just there to ‘kick it festively’.

- Tired – Festivals are hard going – long days on the piss outside is always tough

- Music PT 2 – I guess that seeing someone live at their own show is always going to be better than seeing them to a set at a festival

- I’m a grump – Grumpy and dull – that is the REAL problem.

Well there you go. Word

http://gigdoggy.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/woodstock_music_festival_redmond_stage.jpg

I thought these were great in 08

This is a really hard thing to do (which becomes more obvious each time you try to pick a song). I just went through and thought of songs that I’ve really enjoyed this year, songs that I’ve listened to a great deal but would still listen to and enjoy straight off the bat now. So I think these are my ten favourite new releases of 2008*:

Gallery Piece of Montreal
Paris is Burning Ladyhawke
Changes Van She
Vacation from Ourselves Wale
Dusk till Dawn Ladyhawke
Gamma Ray Beck
Getting Up Q Tip
Soon the new day Talib Kwelli
Dropped Phantom Planet
The Race Cajun Dance Party

There are so many more… so many things that are just growing as well. Anywho, there we go. It is still November too, so there is the potential for the entire new Guns n Roses album to take over (but somehow I doubt it). Lists are fun (as seen over the past two days) - I will keep on making 2008 favourite lists I think. Fun

* Obviously other than Gabriella Cilmi

Tech - NO

http://img.timeinc.net/time/photoessays/2007/obama_portrait/barack_obama_01.jpg

I saw a delightful article today about Obama not wanting to give up his BlackBurry. Isn’t that fun, you would have to say he would be the first President to be all up on mobiles and email and the like (to be fair, it wasn’t about when Bill was in power). I was just thinking, there aren’t too many technological advancements (such as the BlackBurry) that past Presidents would have had to give up when taking office. I am sure that I’m completely wrong in saying that, my ignorance is often overwhelming, but I simple thought that most technological advancements (such as the telephone itself, electricity etc) would have been utilised by the White House relatively quickly.

I hope Obama get to keep on checking his Facebook, he seems like a bit of an addict there too. His fan page has 3 201 193 members.

The top fan pages makes interesting reading:

1. Obama
2. Sleeping (half as many fans as Obama!)
3. Michael Phelps
4. Facebook
5. Coke
6. Batman – the Dark Knight
7. Windows Live Messenger
8. Pizza
9. You Tube
10. Homer J. Simpson

Some other interesting ones:
Top Band – Coldplay (938K friends)
Top Place – Disney Land (255K)
Top Restaurant – McDonalds (463K)
Top Game – Guitar Hero (338K)
The Titanic (third top place?!?! How many bloody people have been there?!?) – (125K)

Some would say these stats are interesting, some that they’re a little scary – all would confidently say I have too much time on my hands.

Oh well, hope Obama keeps the phone

Go Robbie Go!

I really believe that Robbie Deans’ appointment as Wallaby coach is the single best thing the ARU have done in years. After letting John O’Neill go off and build soccer up and using Knuckles for a few terrible years, Australian rugby was well and truly stunted. I think that despite the loss of the Tri Nations/Bledisloe (I still think we were unlucky there, perhaps Graham Henry did out coach him to an extent with the use of the subs), this has been one of the best Test seasons we’ve had in a long time.

Why? I think that despite relatively low score lines and some below par performances (against Italy and France), we’ve come up with wins. Twelve months ago this would not have been the case. In both games I think that the Wallabies of twelve months ago would have gone wanting and lost the plot. I think this is due to Robbie – it’s the Crusaders ‘get out of jail’ style of play. Those hands for Hynes to score were sensational – we’re taking opportunities that see us win the games. When we start playing Deans’ football for 80 minutes I think we will win back the Tri Nations. Big call, but that’s how Ill call it.

The other thing that has been really noticeable is how much poorer the old laws are. The ELV are sensational to play and in turn provide much better spectacle for the fans. The amount of penalties on the weekend was disgraceful, very dull to watch too. Most of the Super 14 was better to watch than these Tests (although it is always good to see England thumbed), the Tri Nations was a cut above too. Seeing now the Northern Hemisphere sides can’t beat us with the old Laws then maybe they’ll be more relaxed to trailing the new laws!

That is all

Some of the *big* questions

Here are some things I’ve been wrestling with today:

- Hip Hop in French doesn’t sounds as gangsta as Hip Hop in English. I don’t know why this happens, because I think that the French are every bit as bad ass as any gangsta. French hip hop sounds better than any Australian hip hop though
- Where do all the good looking students go during winter? Hibernation? Europe? They’re never on campus when it’s cold, but as soon as summer hits – look out!
- Why does my finger still hurt after being stung by a cactus a month ago?
- Why is Rhiannon RnB? Who exploited the term? Or more specifically, who first used the term incorrectly?
- Why do I tire of music when it gets famous, or widely known? Is it because I become tired of listening to it? Is it because I’m a snob? I don’t know
- Why is Facebook addictive? Is it because I am voyeuristic? Is it because I have too much time on my hands?
- Why oh why did I swallow that fly?

Well there you go. Trash

Shoes and feet

In a past life (or a past blog as it may seem) I have a sneaking suspicion that I had touched on this subject before. Regardless, such an important theme doesn’t need justification to be repeated so we shan’t hold this against anyone… So WHAT is the theme, what is causing all this commotion??? In short it’s shoes.

Due to a touch of vanity (I’m not as vein as others, but more vein than others), I tend to assess people on what shoes they’re wearing. I find that shoes tend to suggest much about an individual, above and beyond what their clothing demonstrates. Why? Well clothing is relatively straight forward to a degree – people can buy nice shirts and the like and have terrible footwear, which would suggest someone investing in their appearance yet not fully pulling it off. Shoes tend to say a lot more – comfort or style, clean or dirty, expensive or cheap. My observation and assessment is not necessarily all about their personality, but it does help understand at what stage people are up to in their life.

If I were to apply this assessment mechanism to myself, I think I would obviously be more impressed (after all, I did pick them all) but I would think that I was a bit of a wanker. Isn’t that a fair assessment!

Back in the day

All I can say is that I miss the good old days of EVERYTHING - cars, rugby, music, most things. There are lots of good things about today, but so much has been watered down. Well, anywho, I wrote that so I could put up this photo - which harps back to the good old days of rugby, namely mid week games, biffs and the All Blacks being beaten by Munster.

Great shot... pity the lost, only just...

Ra Ra's - Taking the bok out

Given the recent US Presidential election, it would be fair to say that Obama and the plight of African Americans has been the recent global focus of racial equality. This is of course justified, indeed the election was a landmark in world history, but this focus has negated the impact of the racial debates currently consuming South African Rugby. For those of you unfamiliar with the issue, it largely centres on the South African Rugby Union’s continual use of the ‘Springbok’ emblem and mascot, a symbol of white power and apartheid to many in RSA – but a logo that has a tradition that dates back to the first ever national rugby side.

Whilst this issue would appear to be relatively small in comparison to other important racial issues, it is the culmination of a rift of much wider issue within RSA, namely the continual racial divide that exist post apartheid. Given my removed perspective my opinion is by no means extensively justified, but it would be fair to say that the SARU continued use of the Springbok in contrast to the use of the King Protea by all other national sides demonstrates a stark divergence from the rest of the nation in a sport traditionally associated with white South Africans. Whilst as somewhat of a historian (what little claims I have to that title), I can appreciate the place of the bok as a part of history in RSA, I believe that in this instance its historical importance is not fitting for the nations future development.

It is, as such, disappointing that so much of the debate around this issue has focused on peripheral points (sex scandal, Luke Watson’s position etc), diverting the focus of many from the key points. I have taken a few key points out of this that I think are important, they are:

- That racism continues throughout the world (especially in Australia), issues such as this are needed to expose underlying problems in order to seek resolutions.
- The media play such an important role in these issues – I would like to see the demographic of the RSA press to get a better understanding of why this has played itself out like it has
- To play the game, not the man

Today it was announced that the side would no longer use the emblem (here). I think it will be interesting to watch how this plays itself out in the coming weeks.

Rick

As it has been such a long time between drinks, I think it may be fitting to introduce you to my new son, Rick:

Rick is not exactly new, he was born in 1998, but I have only just signed off on custody. The custody period was somewhat short; some would go so far as to call it a ‘whim’. I would strongly oppose such harmful remarks; when you make these life changing decisions you have inevitably had a degree of forethought, above and beyond any snap, hungover decision made whilst looking at a music sale down the street. No no, Rich was a glimmer in my eye for a while before the papers where signed.

Rick’s previous custodians, Jackson’s, act much the same way as an exclusive ‘library’ in so much as Rick could be traded for a younger, sexier model in the future. Did anyone say Gibson ES 335? Anyone? Okay I did… In a few years (or next year as it may seem).

Rick is the proud brother of Tele, his younger yet older brother. Tele is a 2007 baby, but a 60th Anniversary. Hmm, interesting middle ground.

Next stop, significant amplification… and more expense… but they are our future, we do have to invest in our children.

Heard 'em say

It has been such a while since I wrote anything here. Obviously the distraction that is Facebook has taken up far too much time and destroyed my contributions to this space, but I will try and write something each day here for the next little while. Why? Well once I looked back on this site, it reminded me of so many things that I was passionate about, or what I was thinking, back in the day. So keep it going son, you keep it going. Well that and I should write more, you need to write to develop your writing (oh really???).

Such fun... ZZ TOP infact