- trying something out -

"Breathe Me" — Sia

Mylo, Four Tet, and Ulrich Schnauss all offer up remixes, but nothing beats the gorgeous intensity of the original taken to new places in the closing scenes of Six Feet Under.

-Towleroad

- words to think about 3 -

There are many words in the English Language, therefore there are many of these...

midriff - part between waist and chest
punitive - intended as punishment
peevish - easily annoyed
petulant - easily annoyed and complaining in a childish and rude way
gamut - the whole range of things that can be included in something
- the whole gamut of something - the whole range of things
- run the gamut of something - experience or show the whole range of something

So today a peevish lady at a jewelery store petulantly rejected clara when she was inquiring about jobs. So one of these days, to be punitive, I am going to strap her up to a chair and she can experience the whole gamut of my wrath when I whip her to her midriff.

- flensted mobiles -

Now this I came across quite unexpectantly through a site called 'one small room', sent to me by Clara.

Flensted mobiles, they're called. I'm sure you've seen the chunkier mobiles where the strings get all tangled up and you spend more time untangling it than appreciating it.

Flensted's are so elegant... playful... and simple. I've put up some of my favourites here.

You can get some from Top3 by Design at Crows Nest and Bondi Junction.

Mobiles are a traditional craft in Denmark, but the modern mobile was created in 1954 by Christian Flensted and his wife Grethe. Their first design, the Stork mobile, was a great success, and now flies all over the world.

Christian Flensted became known as the "Uromager", a name impossible to translate into English, which means a "maker of things mischievous and always on the move".

Today, their son Ole and his wife Aase continue the tradition, with ideas for new and original mobiles issuing regularly from their "Department of Space Research".

Flensted Mobiles are created so that the elements are in constant motion while the entire mobile maintains a harmonic balance. Each mobile is carefully assembled, and balanced by skilful hands. They are packed so that they are ready to hang.

-from Flensted Mobiles

I want me-self summmmm!

- puss in dilated boots -

I looked like Puss-in-Boots today. How awesome is that?

My optometrist took the liberty of dilating my pupils today. Not in the arousing-my-students way but rather, he put in some drops of local anesthetic, then applied a few dilating eye drops, sent me away for 15 minutes, and I came back looking like Puss.

This is called Ophthalmoscopy and it was to check whether the back of my eyes were healthy.

Ophthalmoscopy is an examination of the back part of the eyeball (fundus), which includes the retina, optic disc, choroid, and blood vessels.

-from the Medical Encyclopedia

He shined a bright light into my eyes whilst telling me to look this way and look that way. It was fairly uncomfortable and I recovered with large patches of grey afterimages.

I couldn't focus all day it was funny. Just imagine me walking around looking like a drugged up zombie. I would put on my glasses and not be able to read my Ipod song title; put down my glasses and I wouldn't see the traffic. It's especially dizzying when you have a class straight after that requires cross referencing overheads and your textbook...

But I got to be Puss for a day :D

- trashy information -

"Ansell provides a list of 'do's and don'ts' of using Ansell condoms on their package insert," Judy Dent from the Northern Territory writes. "The last 'don't' on the list is 'Don't return used condoms to the distributor through the mail'. Who would, and why? Someone must have, to prompt Ansell to include that message on the list."

With CityRail introducing its new timetable this week, we wonder if it will ever be able to match this: "In Japan the trains run on time," note Judy and Graham Quintal, of Beecroft. "We were travelling on a local train between Shimonoseki and Ube. The train pulled in to a station and a sleeping passenger stirred and woke. As we looked for a station identification sign, the passenger simply looked at his watch, and without even a glance at the platform, stepped off the train. If only we had as much faith in Sydney train timetables."

"The whole English language he/she (or is it s/he?) thing looks a bit silly" from where Thomas Paterson sits, and he sits in Mexico City. "I'm learning Spanish. I have no idea why bras are masculine and streets are feminine. My brothers are masculine, my sisters are feminine and my siblings (all of them) are masculine once more." It could be worse, Thomas. In Icelandic, gender changes according to tense, which is why Icelandic poetry is so "rich". True?

-from the Sydney Morning Herald, Column 8, 29 August 2005

- on mysterious skin -

I won't even try to pontificate about the history of films on pedophilia, heck I won't even try to disseminate the controversy that's been aroused by this film. But you should know that this movie is good stuff, and that it gives light on a subject that is under so much taboo in recent times. Watch it and you will be shocked, but at least it will be an informed shock.

Mysterious Skin is the story of two kids' lives and how they were affected by certain incidents that happened in their young childhood. The ways with which they dealt with it in their adolescent lives is portrayed as two divergent tales that converge again in the end.

Now of course it's not as simplistic as I had put it here. Nor is it too convoluted to be confusing. Not much thinking as such is required but a whole lot of absorption is involved. It's in-your-face sort of themes but cinematically dealt with quite delicately. Not much is shown visually explicitly but the emotions that were felt permeates.

The cinematography wasn't enlightening, but it didn't need to be. The acting was superb but the dialogue seemed a bit contrived for the deliverance of the story.

Overall it was a greatly entertaining movie, with well-crafted storytelling and unfolding of events. It dealt with the theme of pedophilia so delicately yet at the same time so provocatively. It conjures a lot of empathy and I'm glad it didn't get banned.

Several links:

• At the Movies review by Margaret Pomeranz

• At the Movies interview with director Gregg Araki; and Brady Corbet & Joseph Gordon-Levitt

• SMH review by Paul Byrnes

If you liked this movie you might also want to check out Twist. I watched it at the Mardi Gras Film Festival and it was along the same lines as Mysterious Skin. The Oliver Twist story has been readapted in this film. Where the kids were orphans in an orphanage in the original, here the kids are hustlers in a superintendent's lodging. And where Oliver Twist was the focus of Dickens, here attention is on Dodge instead of Oliver. Deeply emotional and traumatic, this film is so subliminally and delicately disturbing that it did not need explicit visuals to shock.

I give it a thumbs up for delivery, but it's one of those movies that you either love or hate. I liked it, Hector didn't :p

Notes and links:
Twist (2003) directed by Jacob Tierney
based on the novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
Notable performance by Nick Stahl as Dodge

• A positive review by Dalawsta at iofilm
  
• A negative review by David Butterworth at offoffoff
  

- US Coupling -

Great. Another US rip-off.

But, as much as I despise US re-interpretations of foreign shows, the new Coupling US stars are drastically better looking than the UK version, which pimps it up a bit. And considering it's late night TV, I'm not complaining.

Some other examples such as UK's Queer As Folk being blatantly overtaken by the US version. I liked the QAF UK much better than the US version, and again the US one is so much more erotic... which I'm sure not many people complained except parents. I secretly enjoyed the UK version back when I was in high school back in New Zealand, but they axed it after about 6 episodes, probably due to scathing complaints.

And how about The Ring. The Japanese do horror films so much better than the US. Seriously. All the US box-office type public can appreciate is sudden shock with jolting music. I admit, the US Ring was pretty scary -- it scared the wits out of a girl friend of mine. But I have to say I enjoyed the Japanese version so much better simply as the creepiness stayed with me for weeks. Watch it.

Anyways, Coupling US is on channel 10, every Tuesday at 11:45pm.

P.S. I would normally put an image up for The Ring, but it creeps me out...:S

- dear charlie -

I love Johnny Depp :) He is so amazing in every role he does. Such an appropriate role for him and he looks great in it!
And after watching Rove tonight, I found little Freddie Highmore so adorably cute too.
Can't wait for the movie!!! Can't wait to have our chocolate party either!

But frankly, all I can remember from the book was the elevators that went sideways, in fact, in any direction, so it'll be hugely nostalgic to let it stir my deeply stashed fantasies.

Charlie Bucket: Mr. Wonka.
Willy Wonka: Huh?
Charlie Bucket: Why would Augustus' name already be in the Oompa Loompa's song unless they...
Willy Wonka: [interrupts] Improvisation is parlor trick, anyone can do it. [turns to Violet]
Willy Wonka: You, little girl. Say something. Anything.
Violet Beauregarde: Chewing gum.
Willy Wonka: Chewing gum is really gross, chewing gum I hate the most. See? Exactly the same.

On a slightly nerdier note, according to our Building Services lecturer Steve King, Otis is currently developing a multi-directional lift system. So the Chocolate Factory can be built afterall! I can't find anything on it at the moment, but Steve said he might, so I'll get back to you guys on that ;)

- sino homogeneity -

Do we really all look the same?

I dunno how many of you have taken this test but 1.3million people have. It's always been one of my favourites. Every now and then I dredge it out to test out my distinguishing skills. What I find a bit inadequate or incomprehensive about that site is that the term "Chinese" is used to group all Chinese Malaysians, Indonesians, etc as I am pretty sure that some of those faces resemble a Lin or, in some cases, a Lion. And the fact that some look mixed doesn't help either.

- picchi pacchi -

This is what I had for dinner tonight. For something done so quickly it's amazing that it turned out so well :D I used the cheapo version without the fresh stuff, but that's what makes it so quick! and still good! Gotta lurrrrvvvv those anchovies :D

Pasta a picchi pacchi

olive oil/butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8 fresh basil leaves, shredded
1 45g can of anchovy fillets, drained, rinsed and chopped
5 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
spaghetti or bucatini
parmesan cheese

serves 2-4, depending on your appetite!

for cheapo version use 3ts pre-crushed garlic, a generous amount of dried basil leaves and a can of crushed tomatoes

Heat the olive oil/butter in a pan over medium heat,
add the onion, garlic and basil,
sauté till onion is soft,
add the anchovies and mash slightly,
add tomatoes, season with cracked pepper and salt, bring to a bubble,
reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes,
cook the pasta, add salt as preferred
drain,
pour on the hot sauce and mix well,
top with parmesan cheese.

VoilA!

- Sydney Design 05 -

What used to be Sydney Design Week is now three weeks long so in turn the name has changed as well. I'm a bit late to put this up but I really just remembered that it was on. ...and it's already in its final weekend. So why don't everyone, get their butts up and come along to the Powerhouse Museum (and other establishments) this weekend for some quality DEsign!

C'mon! We're all designers!

Sydney Design is on from 6 - 21 August; the schedule for Saturday is here. And Sunday is here.
Here's a video on the Powerhouse Museum exhibition by smh.

P.S. I'll be going either tomorrow (Saturday) after 1:30pm or on Sunday. See you guys there!

- words to think about 2 -

Compiled with utmost care and didacticness, I shall pontificate once again the precarious nature of my words of wisdom in a neither callous nor clandestine way for all yous doppelgängers.

clandestine - secret
callous - unkind or cruel, without sympathy for others
doppelgänger - person who looks exactly like another
precarious - in a dangerous state because it is not safe or firmly fixed
pontificate - give opinion as if one knew everything

Try them out yourself :D

- Goodness Qracious! -

GQ is now officially my favourite magazine. Not GQ Australia. Not GQ UK. GQ. (International slash American)
Current issue stars Johnny Knoxville on the cover.
The first issue I bought was actually in June 05, the one with the fold out spread of Brad Pitt getting dirty. I'm still going through my magazine craze that started up sometime around then, but this has got to be the best out of all of the ones I've picked up.

It's rather like... Family Circle, Men's Health, OUT, Wallpaper*, Details.... all wrapped up into a smartly designed, information packed magazine with entertainment value up to my neck. Good articles. Beautiful people. Useful tips. What more could you ask for?

And I don't even work for them.


One thing I'm insanely bummed about is that I missed the last issue, the July 05 one which stars my favourite Josh Duhammel. Some of you might have seen his pix on my ipod. I thought I was cool for getting my hands on them, but I just found out that I could've had a print copy of all of them if only I had bought the last issue of GQ! damn damn damn. I'm upset. I'm hitting myself.

If anyone stumbles across that July issue with Jessica Simpson and her All American bikinis, please, grab it for me and I will reward you handsomely!

And I KNOW! Don't Johnny and Josh look doppelgänger-ly!?

- dear colin -

Was just a bit bored so I made a wallpaper of our fair Colin. If there is anyone out there who might want it...gimme a buzz. *haa*

- orange days -

Japanese dramas are tear-jerkers I tell ya.
I haven't watched them in ages and since my enrolment in a Japanese course this semester I have fetched this particular one called "Orange Days."

Now it stars this amazingly cute Tsumabuki Satoshi (妻夫木聡） and the death-stare queen Shibasaki Kou (柴咲コウ）. Where he is a university student nearing his graduation, having to look for jobs and find a career imminently; she is a deaf and dumb musician who wants no pitying.

I wanna go visit Hector right now and serenade him with my new-found hype for sign language!

- pocket architecture -

So, I bought a copy of a prescribed course text today right (Cooke's Architects, Engineers and the Law if you must know), and I came across THE PHAIDON ATLAS of Contemporary Architecture - Travel Edition.

It came from a larger, more expensive version that is roughly the size of your coffee table (puts a new spin on coffee table reading - you'll literally be reading your coffee table) and weighing to the order of shopping trolleys - 8kg. Of course I had to buy it, the travel version that is. It is the perfect size approximately 15.5cm x 11cm x 2cm. I thought how cute, and I've always been intrigued by the compilation of buildings, even though it only had 2 pages (4 buildings) from New Zealand. But I was never a big follower of New Zealand architecture so to speak.

ANYWAYS, it is a comprehensive book on contemporary architecture in the world, contemporary meaning last 30years or so, boasting 1052 buildings, 656 architects, 75 countries and equipped with addresses and maps to guide you there. I have not read enough to give you a thorough review on it yet, but I can tell you I'm excited, simply cos it was impulsely bought, and that it is my first extra-curricular purchase of an architectural picture book. I'm starting from $31.50 you see.

I'm planning on using it when I go to Japan at the end of this year. There's quite a few 'south japan' entries (with not enough Tadao Ando I tell ya!).

- out from under the rock -

"Oh my god! Kylie has what?!"

Yay, Greg won with his pretty face and waxed body! Alas no brain or penis seem to have come with it.

What I found funny was that they had no idea what had happened in the real world during the show except from their own bickerings, so when they were played back the events that happened outside of Big Brother tonight, they were shocked to find -- news.

This doesn't really constitute as real news but I'm sure we were all very aware of it.

- outdoor release -

The other day in class, we were talking plumbing. And pictures of these outdoor urinals came up. I was recalling them very fondly :D

They're seriously very handy especially when you've been roaming around town all day and the place is lacking public toilets! Won't work if they had a ladies one though, they'll have to face the world.

-Amsterdam, The Netherlands
-from my EuroTravels, April, 2004

- artsy bumblebees -

At the university of London, bees that were raised in captivity were shown several famous painting including Van Gogh's Sunflowers, and liked it the most.

Here's the article from Sydney Morning Herald.

The other paintings that were also shown to the humble bees were Paul Gauguin's A Vase of Flowers, Patrick Caulfield's Pottery, and Fernand Léger's Still Life with a Beer Mug.

- words to think about -

There are some words I find infinitely hard to keep to mind, and some are just brand new; this shall be a regular for the word-smart.

hirsute - hairy
effete - weak, lacking power
unnerve - frightened, less confident
censure - strong criticism, strongly criticise
bungle - act carelessly or stupidly

Five words for now. I shall build onto this list as time goes by. (do I even get support?)

-from the Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary

- roving mies -

For the Barcelona people~

-Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van de Rohe, Barcelona.
-from my EuroTravels, July 04

- hundertwasser -

'He resents straight lines.'
-(gasp) NO-

Hundertwasserhaus Waldspirale, Darmstadt, Germany:

-pictures from my EuroTravels, June 04

Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an Austrian artist and Architect... he was born near kiwiland! :D
He saw straight lines as inhumane oppressiveness, and his organic forms are to reconciliate humans with nature.

- Omega 3 -

Now that I have uttered two random but actual words I shall proceed to explain...

"Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids found in certain fish tissues, and in vegetable sources such as flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, and canola oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are classed as essential fatty acids. These fatty acids were originally designated as "Vitamin F", until it was realized that they must be classified with the fats.

Common omega-3 fatty acids in the human body are α-linolenic acid (18:3; ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5; EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6; DHA).

On September 8, 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave "qualified health claim" status to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids, stating that "supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease."

from wikipedia

It basically means. Eat more fish.
...and curiously - smoke more weed (seeds)?

- from the outset -

So here we are.

...sucked-in to this endless hole of the so called 'blogs'. Weblog. Sounds like something out of Star Trek to me. Stardate 200508.12 alpha alpha omega3 hundertwasser wassa waa waa.

end of inaugural pointless log.