Two wrongs...

Don't make a right

Nearly 52 books in 52 weeks

Would you believe I came so close to doing this, but because I was so dedicated to hitting the target I just didn't have time to write about it...True!! I did get 3 books finished and 49 partway finished. In addition to this I read lonely planet guides to the Philippines, Turkey, and India. I also read 3 cookbooks, and a design book about sheds. Aside from books I have read 43 blogs regularly, so I believe folks, by my calculation this exceeds the original target. Success!

Drive

Like Goodfellas, but with more driving.

Attack The Block

Taffy Bubblegum suggested this film (he was planning tickets to surprise his girl), and I'd managed to not go to the other three films I'd planned to as part of the Canberra film festival - so along I went with. Attack The Block was funny, scary, cringeworthy and had a great original soundtrack. I felt sad for the dog. Go see it.

My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

The internet tells me this album turned 20 yesterday. Flip.

Top 100 - Everybody wants to rule the world, Tears For Fears # 5

Story by Daniel


There were a lot of good songs in 1985.  That was the year that I left home for university (those who know me may be surprised that I'm actually that old), and living semi-independently on campus at ANU. It was one of those self-catering residential colleges with a huge communal kitchen and dining area. The kitchens were grouped in bays of 12 lockers where students stored their pots and pans, crockery and foodstuffs, sharing two stoves and a fridge.  Some of the bays had those cheap radios that were always turned on, often to commercial stations 2CC or 2CA for the music (and in those days, on AM channels).  Everybody Wants to Rule the World was a huge hit for Tears for Fears in 1985, reaching number two in Australia.  The song could often be heard from some corner of the kitchens.

The first couple of bars of the song starts off with a distinctive guitar riff followed by an equally distinctive drumming before launching into vocals by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, "Welcome to your life, there's no turning back..."  That summed up living independently and away from home for the first time.  Young, naive and with a lot to learn, we all thought we wanted to rule the world...

Artwork by Karin

The Canvas Project: a visual encyclopedia

Remember the Canvas Project ? It was where artists from all over the world were sent 3 canvases and 3 words. The aim was to create a visual encyclopedia. The catalogue arrived today, which I wasn't expecting - and is a fantastic a - z of works and words. I'm on page 46...h for hands-on.