The Ms-education of Ms Helen B

We'll always have Paris

2009-03-07T19:56:00.008Z

I've not been the best person for keeping up with emails in the last few months, but over the last couple of weeks, I've been even worse than usual. You see, it's been Fairtrade Fortnight, here in London (and the UK) and work's been hectic. However, luckily for me, work isn't all stress and grind. We had a couple of producer partners coming over to show people how to taste coffee, and tell everybody about their lives and the way that Cafédirect and Fairtrade makes a difference to their lives.

On the catwalk after the show

Perhaps even more exciting than that, the Fortnight ended on a high note, and I got to go to Paris to serve coffee at Stella McCartney's fashion show.

There were heaps of fashion and music people, and I even got to ask Pink (above with Stella) if she wanted a coffee.

The whole event was amazing. i was serving coffees backstage and started at 6 (after three of the guys I was working with had been setting up since 4) making espressos backstage. There was this massive dressing room that was filled with models, dressers, photographers, hair and make-up people, assistants, interns and us in the middle of it, serving drinks.

A few of us were serving coffees out the front to the press, once they arrived for the show and got to serve coffees to Salma Hayek and Beth Ditto. Apparently Kanye West and Paul McCartney were also there, but backstage I mostly talked to models and photographers and generally had fun.

We also managed to have Sunday afternoon in Paris. Simone, Yasmin and I walked around the left bank, went into the Notre Dame and saw the Louvre.

Because it was a work trip, I also had a completely different experience from my usual travels - we got to eat in lovely restaurants and stayed in a nice hotel.

I can honestly say that (even without Paris trips) that I have never enjoyed a job so much and really felt like I'm doing something meaningful and challenging.

The Pitmen Painters

2009-02-15T15:58:00.002Z

I had the amazing oportunity to go and see The Pitmen Painters at the National Theatre a few weeks ago. It was great.

Basically, the play is about a group of Miners from Yorkshire in the 1930s who begin an art appreciation class and begin to paint. As a group, they develop their skills and paint scenes from their life down the pits and in their town.

Barbara and I agreed that Mum would really love it.

Our house, in the middle of our street.

2009-02-12T19:24:00.006Z

Stepping outside my door at the start of last week, I saw Brixton Hill where I live, covered in snow. It was a bit of shock actually. I'd started my Monday, as usual, forcing myself out of a warm bed and into the cold of the house. Really, my house isn't too bad - friends have come over and commented on how warm it is compared to theirs - but for me it's always a rude shock.

I jumped in the shower, had some breakfast and walked outside. I had known it was snowing the night before, but I hadn't expected the snow to stick around. I struggled (after first going home and changing my shoes for something that wouldn't bother me when it sunk into the snow drifts) down to the tube station and got on the tube.

My flatmate Mark had asked before I left if I was going to work, and of course I said yes. It was Monday. Apparently the buses weren't running, but the tube was fine, so I didn't see a problem. There were some delays, and it took me a little bit longer to get up to Old Street than usual, but it was basically an average commute.

The view outside my door

When I got to work though, there was hardly anybody there. Apparently they'd tried to call me to tell me that I didn't need to come in (and I was underground without a signal) but I didn't get the message until after I was sitting at my desk.

On the plus side, I got to go home early, and spent the afternoon playing around in the snow. It didn't stop falling the whole afternoon, and the banks of snow were squeaky and fluffy and absolutely amazing.

Plus, because the snow was so powdery, it didn't make you went when you had it thrown at you (and threw it at others).

My house (the roof peeping up over Sheila's)

But by the next day, it was all sludgy and terrible and work as usual. Not that I mind really, since I quite like my job and have been having lots of fun after hours.

Robyn and I at the Windmill

That week, all my flatmates and a friend called Robyn went to see Mark play at a local live music venue called The Windmill. Mark played an excellent set, and was followed by a scruffy but fun Rockabilly Band (whose name I forget).

After the show, we ended up back at mine, and hung out in my room.

Robyn on my bed

In case you're interested, here's a film of Mark playing at a gig in Camden.

New Year, Old Blog

2009-02-01T14:53:00.006Z

Ms Helen B, 2009

Just over a year ago, I started this blog as a way of motivating myself to write more and keep my family and friends in Australia up to date with my life. A year and a bit later, so much has changed. Don't get me wrong, the purpose of the blog remains the same (and I'm going to make an effort to post a bit more often on it) but my life in that year has gone through some serious transitions.

Tbe fireplace in my room
(note the suitcase on the floor - the unpacking and organising continues...)

I'm sitting in my bed in my house in Brixton, London, and I've just come back from the cinema where I saw Milk. As I walked home the streets were covered with a thick layer of snow, and I too, quickly got a layer of white snow flakes on me. I've had a pretty quiet day, as I went out until late on Friday and Saturday nights. I read the newspapers in bed, sorted through some of my papers and posessions and generally hung around my house.

The plants on my window sill

If you'd asked me a year ago, what I thought I would be doing now, I probably would have said that I would be living in Amsterdam and studying a Masters. At the time it happened, I didn't see my break up with Kat to be all that positive. Actually, I would have struggled to think of any positive things about it. Change in life is never easy, but I think it's harder when you feel that you didn't necessarily make the decision to change - that those changes were made without you having all that much say in it.

In retrospect, I see that our break-up (nine months ago!) was probably one of the most positive things that could have happened to my life last year. It really made me reassess the decisions I had made and push me to consider what my priorities were. I think it's important in a relationship to work in a partnership, and work with your partner's needs and desires. But along the way, I lost sight of what I wanted and needed.

I met Jess just over a year ago, and if my life had gone along the path that I'd thought about back at the start of 2008, we probably wouldn't have become such good friends. When I decided to come to London and stayed with Jess, it was a rather rushed and spur-of-the-moment one. I wasn't sure what I was going to do, or how long I would stay.

As it is, I now have a job I really enjoy and am passionate about, and a really nice set of flatmates and friends. Even though London is the other side of the world from my home, I feel really happy and supported here.

Robin, Jess and Maya (my flatmate) on the tube on the way to a party.

Of course, London has it's imperfections - it's cold, it's busy, it's polluted and it's expensive. But it's also fun, vibrant, exciting and my home - for now.

Christmas Orphan

2008-12-30T10:09:00.005Z

Christmas is always slightly strange when you're not at home with your family. In total, I've spent four Christmases away from my family, and each one was different.

I think, without doubt, the most memorable was the one that Katherine and I spent in Toledo, Spain. Unbeknownst to us, everything (and I mean everything) shuts down on Christmas eve at about 6pm. We weren't too worried, at first. We had something to eat and went back to our room with a bottle of wine and stayed up listening to music.

Susan carving the turkey

The next morning, however, we woke up to find the town (a small, walled medievil town in central Spain) was empty. We walked around the icy streets (hungry, lost, feeling strangely Christmassy despite it being the two of us alone and starving and having none of the usual seasonal accroutements) and then went back to our room to pass some time. There wasn't even a corner shop or a restaurant open.

I think that at about 3 o'clock McDonalds opened. Having seen their opening hours posted on the door, we were two of the thirty or so people waiting outside the doors in the cold at ten to three. I still have the pictures of me and Kath on Christmas day with all the other unprepared travellers, eating McDonalds and feeling rather hysterical.

Barbara's amazing cooking

Other than that, I've had a hot Christmas in Argentina, and last year I was in Germany. The interesting thing is that, both those countries exchange gifts on Christmas eve.

Susan laying the table

This year, I got to spend Christmas with the amazing Barbara, Susan and Hannah and Susan's family. Barbara is the most organised cook I've ever seen. Personally, I consider myself organised if I have most of the ingredients needed. Barbara started preparing the Christmas dinner two days earlier and had a timetable for the day, including when to put various parts of the feast in the oven or on the stove.

We ended up with the most amazing food. Until that lunch, I'd never understood how people can like Brussel Sprouts (they're my Mum's favourite vegetable), but after eating them last Thursday, I'm a complete convert.

Hannah with Millie's Christmas lunch.

I got to have a long conversation with my sister and chat to my Dad on the phone. Even though I was away from my family, I felt really loved had a great time.

I'll be honest, if I had my choice, I would have rather have been in Townsville - despite the heat. But that would mean missing out on everything else I have here. And after all, it's only one day really.

Ceildh

2008-12-29T10:29:00.004Z

If you've been staring at the title for a while, I'll let you in on a secret - it's pronounced kay-lee.

Jenny (now Jen) Watt (pictured below), a friend of mine from all the way back in primary school invited me to her family's Ceildh in Sevenoaks (in Kent, just East of London) just before Christmas. I'd been telling people that I was going to a "Sell-i-dah or something, I think it's a party" for a while, until Whitney, who I work with, told me the proper pronunciation.

She'd had a Ceildh for her wedding, and according to her descriptions, it sounded just like a Bush Dance.

Basically, a band (with a violin, accordion, maybe a drum) and a caller are on the stage, and they teach everyone the dance steps to folk dances. Then they start playing music and everyone dances in partners and groups and repeats a set of steps to folk music. Mostly, the dances are some sort of variation of bowing, do-se-do-ing, swinging your partner around, stripping the willow (to get a bit technical) and skipping around in a circle holding hands.

Luckily, I'd been trained at the Pimlico academy of Bush Dancing (aka Pimlico State High School, where bush dancing was an essential part of the PE curriculum), so I could keep up.

I also got to meet some long-lost Townsville friends, including my Mum's friend Leslie and her husband Paul Richards, Jen's sister Cate (above) and their parents Ron and Sian and Leslie and Paul's son, Owen (below).

It was a really lovely night, although, I have to admit, it did make me feel a teensy bit homesick.

I hung out at the library today

2008-12-14T22:09:00.003Z

I went to the British Library today with the best of intentions. I wanted to go to the exhibition The Struggle for Democracy and actually planned on hanging out and learning (rather than spending most of the day attempting the Everyman Crossword and reading the Observer). The only thing was, a few weeks ago, I noticed my super best band Dan le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip was playing some gigs at UK libraries as they are reading ambassadors. However, the London gig was sold out a few weeks ago, so I dried my eyes and set my sights on their free appearance at a record store on Wednesday. But... (see photo below)

Somebody (well two people really) returned their tickets, so Lucie and I managed to snag some last minute tickets and see the gig.

It was soooo fantastic. Polar Bear was a support act who was this amazing spoken word artist and there was also this strange girl doing a blasé pop electro act (tres lame). When le sac vs pip got up, it was amazing.

Now, you have to imagine a spoken-word-hip-hop duo (who I saw at a packed gig at the Astoria) in an auditorium at the British Library is slightly strange. Everyone was sitting in plush seats and the music is very dance-y (is that even a word?).

I ended up getting up and grooving anyway (the only person, but what can I say, I was right at the stage and basically, it was like being at my own concert). It was just lovely. The gig was great, everyone was friendly, and I didn't even have to bother with people stepping on my toes and blocking my view by being tall. It was a great, sober, Sunday afternoon at the library that just happened to feature one of my favourite bands of the moment. You may recognize them from my break up song anthology.

After, we headed off to a great Japanese place in Covent Gardens that has the best tofu (meat eater Lucie has fantasies about it) going and then went to Retro Bar, which is my new going out place, now that the Glass Bar has closed (potentially forever, and for quite a while according to the owner).

I've been very slack with blogging recently, but hopefully will put some of my "draft" posts that I never finished off and put up.

I guess the good side of my lack of blogging is that I've been having a great time in London, and am now working in a lovely place, so just have less time to be online for fun.

x H

Portraits and Landscapes

2008-11-13T14:31:00.006Z

There's something about Portraits that has always made them more interesting to me than other forms of art such as landscapes. I like the way that portraits - essentially a picture of one person, can capture some part of a person's personality.

This is a picture that Hannah (aka HB2) drew of me (aka HB1) for a school assignment. I think it's super. I love the way my glasses are sliding down my nose and my hair is lopsided, as is my shirt. I think she's captured me looking a bit sad or thoughtful. To tell the truth, I haven't been feeling super happy recently. I've been temping, but I find it really difficult to stay positive while looking for a job.

Not that it's all bad news and rejection (thought don't worry, there's plenty of that) I have a second interview for a job I really want next week.

But back to portraits: I went on a tour of the National Gallery with Jamie on Friday and afterwards we went to the cafe on the top floor of the National Portrait Gallery. It has the most spectacular view over London. You can see all the way from the London Eye, past Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. I took a series of photos and was thinking of joining them using a computer programme to make a long panorama. The light that afternoon was magical and the city looked so wintery with all the steel blues glinting off the roofs.

Jamie left on Sunday night for a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway before she heads back to Australia. I wanted to take her somewhere quintessentially London, and I thought that the National Gallery was something not to be missed (she had never been).

The Portrait above is of the winning prize of the "BP" National Portraiture Award that I went and saw earlier in the year. It wasn't really my favourite picture, but it was very impressive (enormous and amazingly detailed - you felt like you could see each of the subject's pores). At the moment there's a very expensive Annie Lebowitz exhibition on which I don't think I will bother going to. It's not that I don't think it will be good, it's just that there are so many free exhibitions that I haven't seen yet and still would really love to get to, that I'll exhaust them before going to expensive ones.

This portrait is of a fabulous friend of mine Nic, who I became friends with in Argentina eight years ago. We have recently been able to get back in touch and meet up as we have both moved to London. We lost touch a few years ago after Nicci's family were removed from their farm in Zimbabwe and it was amazing to be able to catch up after such a long time and hear more what's been happening in her life in the gap.

I think that one of the best parts of meeting up again with Nicki was that, after so many years, she was still just as I remembered her.

Procrastination Station

2008-10-27T18:20:00.009Z

Today is the first day of National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. I signed up with plans to write my masterpiece - a work that will, hopefully, one day be consigned to bookshop remnant bins (god willing), something that will go down in history amongst the great novels (Forever by Judy Blume, The Bridge to Terabithia, The City of Gold and Lead, Looking for Alibrandi - I could go on forever). In other words, my contribution to the teen fiction oeuvre.

In classic Helen style, I have slept in (after a very late night out), walked down to the corner shop with wet-out-of-the-shower hair (it's about 5 degrees, I'm still unused to cold weather and the restrictions it puts on ones ability to have wet hair), bought the newspaper, made toast for everyone, read the paper, stared at people's pictures on Facebook, started making Pumpkin Scones and decided to post on my blog.

In other words, I have not even started the 1666 words I need to write today. In fact, I had planned on planning the aforementioned masterpiece last night (before going out and staying there).

Will I ever learn?
Probably not.

So, I am making this vow on my blog, the site that does to me what the Democrats swore to do to the Libs (but didn't, hence their spectacular loss in popularity). I will finish my novel. This month. There - I said it.

So I stopped procrastinating and got a pile of scrap paper and wrote NaNoWriMo Plan on it. And then worked out how many words I had to write today. Then I realized that the pen I was using has a very annoying silver ball in it, which was quite unacceptable, so I had to find a new pen. Which got me chatting to Hannah. And then I realized I shouldn't and absolutely couldn't start writing without having a coffee. And then... well blogging is very important, after all, how else will people know what I'm doing.

And while I'm thinking of it, I should check out my friends' blogs, it's been a while. Maybe some of them are doing NaBloWriMo (blog writing month)... speaking of which...

In Dublin's Fair City...

2008-10-25T14:27:00.005+01:00

What is it about Dublin and Guinness? I know that it was originally (and still is) brewed there, but in the three days I was in Dublin, I had the overwhelming sit in pubs and drink it. Perhaps it is something that, for an outsider at least, is typically Irish. In fact, when I think about it, the only other really typically Irish things I can think of are Irish Dancing (which I'm not really skilled in), St Patrick's Day (also involves Guinness, although sometimes dyed green), leprauchauns (have the added problem of being folk myths), Bernard Black from Black Books (again fictional), Molly Malone (ditto) and The Troubles (always with capitals, and not the stuff of mini breaks). Added to that, pubs do tend to be quite warm, and Dublin, despite its blue skies, was quite cold.

Lucie and I even made it to the Guinness Storehouse (a nifty museum with the added bonus of getting to drink free Guinness in the bar at the top, with a lovely panoramic view over Dublin.

I saw 5 pound tickets to Dublin, and having always wanted to visit it, Lucie and I decided to go for a quick break. The funny thing about the trip was, it took longer to cross London to catch the plane than to actually fly accross. But once there, I could see why people love Dublin. It's filled with little streets, narrow alleys and very friendly people. You can definitely see the growth it has experienced over the past 15 years (it's apparently the 5th richest city in the world) as some streets seemed absolutely crammed with luxury shops and boutiques.

We met up with Lesley, who was finishing her research in Belfast (and has now returned to Brisbane) and walked around the city. We were lucky to have blue skies and fresh weather and as we were there during the week, it wasn't crowded with hordes of tourists.

Lesley and I at Trinity College

We managed to convince Lesley to drink the first bit of Guinness she had tasted in six weeks living there (again with the Guinness - in truth, it is one of the central elements of my trip) before she had to leave.

It was quite sad to have to come back to London, especially as the weather has been a bit dull since I have been back. However, there is some good news. I have had a promising job interview (I won't say anything else, as I don't want to jinx it) and am starting temping next week in a secretarial role. I must rush off now to get ready for Carmen's birthday party - apparently it is going to involve some serious clubbing!

The River Liffey

Brain Freeze

2008-10-15T15:50:00.006+01:00

(I'm so) happy (that I'm not at my computer) hour

I've had a bit of trouble working on my blog recently. It's not that I'm not doing fun, interesting or blog-worthy things. In fact, I've been really busy. For the first time in a while, it's not that I've not been on a computer or had access to internet. I have wireless, at home, with my laptop (blissful sigh). It's just that I've had complete-computer-meltdown-overuse-brain-freeze (the technical term, I believe). Even my sister sent me an email asking if I was mad at her (such was the silence in emails). Really, all I've been able to send recently is short, sharp, late responses along the lines of "yeah, I'm still here and um, I've been doing... stuff". I'm surprised everyone hasn't given up on sending me news altogether.

Looking after the cutest puppy in the world also takes time...

I'm looking for a job at the moment, but I'm trying not to concentrate on dull and boring menial jobs. I'd actually like to find something that I'm interested in, uses my qualifications (my degree is getting rather dusty), uses my brain and is a bit of a challenge. The only thing is, these applications seem to take years. I guess it doesn't help that I don't always have the most confidence in myself possible. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of cheerleaders in my life to encourage me and boost my feelings, but I need to work on doing it for myself too.

Crystal Palace Park on a super sunny day

I also have a bit of a gap (nearly a year) when I was in Amsterdam (ah love, what twisted and strange paths you lead me up), and I didn't exactly jump into a career path following graduation. BUT... I'm going to try anyway.

Carmen and her super tights

Yesterday, I finished a particularly long and complicated application, and I was surprised to see that I actually had all the skills and experience they asked for, but I really needed to spell it out and not (in the words of my current job guru Susan) hide my light under a bushel.

Lucky for me, I have a fabulous crew here who have been keeping me sane, taking me out (away from the computer) and talking about things besides essential knowledge and experience.

London Fun

2008-10-08T17:23:00.002+01:00

It's not that I think of myself as a super London buff (and let's face it, most people who read this don't live around here), but I've found a couple of really awesome looking London things coming up. Plus, Kathleen, a London newbie asked if I knew any cool things happening

I haven't decided if I'm actually going to any of these, but let me know if anyone wants to go.

Speed Dating for Lesbian Artists
17 October 2008
I've never been speed dating but have always wanted to. The only thing is you have to bring a piece of your artwork which... I don't have.... as I'm not an artist. BUT, were I one, I would, like, so be there. Did I mention it's at that rad bar at the Institute of Contemporary Art?

Filming the Queer, Queering the Film
From 17 October 2008
It's film, it's free! Every week there will be fabulous free screenings of amazing films including New Queer Cinema classic Swoon, Paris is Burning and Far From Heaven. These sorts of events end up being so fun, because it's just like being back in uni, except you never have to hand in those pesky essays.

Anarchist Book Fair
18 October 2008
It's anarchism, it's books, it's in London. Looks excellent!

Poetry: Women's Work
30 October 2008
A special evening of female poets featured in the new publication Women’s Work: Modern Women Poets Writing in English, an anthology which showcases the range, craft, intelligence and skill of women’s poetry over the last century.

Feminism and History: Rethinking women’s movements since 1800’
15 November 2008
This is a conference at the Bishopsgate Institute that looks really interesting.

Leaving Home

2008-09-30T11:59:00.000+01:00

Me on the road to...somewhere as I left my pub job

I've moved four times this month. Well, to be absolutely completely honest, Lucie and Jess moved for me while I was in Italy, but since then I've had belongings scattered over London. They're all together in the same place now (Stockwell) and in a few weeks, I'll be moving them again (to Oman/Australia/new London house).

On Sunday I said a final farewell to the job from hell (nightmare hours, issues with pay, bosses who were not... nice) and hello to unemployment and itinerantness. Actually, to be honest, I'm staying with Mum's friends in Stockwell who have kindly taken me in (poor homeless waif that I am). In exchange I'm going to do some kid-and-puppy-sitting and try to be generally helpful.

As much as I hated my old job, I'm really sad to leave Jamie (here in my room on my final morning - note rather fetching uniform that we had to wear). It's strange that you can sometimes meet someone that you get on with right from the start. It helps that me and Jamie have a lot in common. We both did rather esoteric arts degrees (Spanish/Politics and Linguistics/English Lit), then ended up in Europe working at rather mundane jobs. Jamie's going to move back to Sydney to study PR at UTS, while I'm thinking of Law at Sydney Uni.

And somehow we both ended up at a rather strange pub in North London.

Hopefully, the next person that is hired there will be cool, and actually, Jamie and I might get to hang out a little more, as we never got to see much of each other when working, except if we had a shift together.
Leslie, a friend of mine from Women's Collective ended up in London on the weekend, and I got to see her (as I had quit my horrible job and now have time to have a life). We wondered around Camden and then canals around there, as it was a beautiful day. It was great to hang around with a Brisbanite again who let me know all sorts of news from back home.

Leslie at Camden

Now that I have a little bit more free time, me, Jess and Lucie got to hang around on Monday. We've had a week (it ended today in a downpour) of delicious weather and sunshine, so we ended up at Crystal Palace Park for a picnic and kick around.

I'll sign off with a picture of my Guinness moustache - out celebrating further unemployment and general freedom. Hopefully I'll use my time here to sort out a few plans I have in mind and generally organize my life as much as possible. But for once, I'm not feeling so helpless and hopeless. It's just like I've set out on another path, that I didn't really expect, but all the same is pretty damn exciting.

I got dipped

2008-09-18T12:27:00.000+01:00

And I went to Brighton.

The pavilion in Brighton

This was going to be a happy-go-lucky-blog about my excellent trip to Brighton, but tragedy has struck. My purse was taken from my bag on the bus. It's so stressful, but most of all it's annoying. I had just come back from a fabulous day at the seaside and then some nasty little criminal (or gang of them, according to inside police sources who are familiar with such skulduggery) took away my sanity.

It's not just the hassle of cancelling Dutch and English cards, losing my I.D., my National Insurance Card and money, but my wallet was full of little pieces of paper (an ingenious filing system) with addresses, notes to myself, phone numbers and vital bits of information.

It's all gone!

But, enough of that. At least I wasn't robbed at knife point or assaulted.Jess, Lucie and me in front of special stone covered houses in the lanes in Brighton.

But back to Brighton. Me, Lucie and Jess set off to Brighton on Monday and had the best day. Brighton is beautiful. I think I could happily live there. We explored the lanes which are packed with lovely shops and cafes, had lunch, poked around in thrift shops and Snooper's Paradise (like a fantastic garage sale of cool knick knacks and retro curios). I got a shiny pink brooch from Lucie and had a great time. The weather was fabulous, I was in great company and it was all just a short train ride away.

After checking out the lanes, Jess went to see her Mum in Little Hampton and me and Lucie looked at the Pavilion and went to the pier. I think that Cherry actually worked on this pier a few years ago, so I wonder if I've seen the place she used to be at. It was just like postcards. There was dangerous looking rides, deckchairs, lots of fish and chips being eaten and an arcade where you could put in 2p pieces and win a few more. I tried with all my change but didn't actually win any money back. I did, however, look on jealously as little boys with big bags of 2p coins worked the machines.

Lucie and I went to a very cosy and trashy pub for a drink once it got dark and hung out. I think the thing about Brighton is that it has all the fun and excitement of London, but not the overwhelming size.

I'll leave you with a bit of street art I saw when we got there.

Perhaps the police presence in Brighton prevents pick-pocketing. (The newest Banksy I've seen)

Randomness

2008-09-16T14:07:00.000+01:00

I was checking out Eric from my Amsterdam writing group's blog and saw that he had tagged me for this chain mail blog malarky. Actually, I was just so excited to see my name in shiny lights (on the internet - I'm famous!) with such nice comments about me (cheers Eric!) so I thought I'd keep it going.

These are the rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post
4. If you're tagged, DO IT and pass on the tag

Six Random Things you never knew about me (probably for a reason)
1. My guiltiest music pleasure is Elton John. I think he's fabulous. Ever since we did a restospective of his music in the school concert I've had a soft spot for him. At kareoke at work on Friday I knew all the words to the songs that people sang by him.
2. I was briefly converted to evangelical christianity at the age of 19. It lasted about 2 weeks. I think it may have had something to do with the fact that those that did the converting went to a church that encouraged talking in tongues and healing by touch.
3. I got asked on a date while I was at work on Sunday. This guy came in (a regular) and asked me out to the Highgate Cemetary. I was very flattered. I said yes, but I'm not sure if it is such a good idea.
4. I'm terrible at making decisions. I agonize over choices and it keeps me up at night. At the moment I'm trying to decide when to go back to Australia, and wish that someone would just tell me what to do... anyone?
5. I used to be terribly addicted to radio station call in competitions. When I worked full time in Townsville I would waste heaps of time calling in, to the point that some of the announcers reconized my voice. I've won a few cds and movie tickets, concert tickets and other promotional rubbish. I still get a racing heart when I hear one being announced but haven't called one in a long time.
6. My favourite colour is pink.

So, I have to tag six other people. The thing is, I only know a few people with blogs, so here goes:
1. Tori is a fabulous friend from Amsterdam. She's writing a book about her time in Iran.
2. Carmen makes London fun and feministy. She's one of those people who always seem to know cool things going on.
3. Sam we went to the school formal together and he got me a corsage. He took in Ratus Ratus when I went away. I've known him for a lot of my life.

I thought I'd end with a picture of me last time I was in Amsterdam, the weekend following pride, as the topic is random-ness. I hardly have any pictures of the streets there, because I suppose I didn't think at the time that I would need them. I just thought I would stay. This was taken in the Zeedijk, which is round the corner from my old work. I'd just arrived from London and felt such a sense of relief and familiarity to be back. But I guess, with everything in life, one must always move forward.

At the moment I feel so homesick, but I'm not sure where for. I miss the Penge Odyssey, and my old London house, I miss my Mum and Dad in Oman, I miss my family and friends in Australia and I miss everyone in Amsterdam. And now that I'm going to be off to Sydney soon, to live there for the first time. When I first left home to go to University, I thought it was great to live in different places. Now I can see the down sides too. Because I feel that every time I move somewhere, I leave parts of me scattered behind. I just don't know if I'll ever feel complete and together and at home anywhere.

What a downer! Oh well. I guess that's just how it goes sometimes.

xx
H

Upstairs Downstairs

2008-09-16T14:02:00.000+01:00

When people talk about the long commutes they do in London I chuckle. My new job involves a one minute commute – I walk down two flights of stairs. However, when they say the great things about their job – great pay, excellent opportunities, exciting experience, a big barrel of fun – I am stopped mid chuc…

There are some ok things about my new job at the Old Crown (or the Old Crone – after my boss and her grumpy husband). I work with a lovely girl called Jamie from Southern New South Wales. I also don’t have to pay rent and bills. However, I guess I pay in other ways (working in the most boring pub in town, having to “polish” the coffee machine – no bull [wtf?!], not being able to have friends over to my room).

But, as in life, you work to live and not the other way round. So, in the spirit of that, I’ve been using my spare time wisely. I went to Camden last Saturday for a coffee with Maria and on Monday, Jess, Maria, Jamie and me met in Camden for a coffee at The Village (probably the most lush organic café ever – complete with free soup for special customers) and then Jamie cruised back to work (we don’t get to hang out that much as we always work at alternate times) and the rest of us, along with Jess’ friend Jen, headed along the Regent’s Canal Walk.

Kath and I had taken the walk a few weeks before and so I was able to be a tour guide. I pointed out the longest tunnel on the canal, the London Zoo, Regent’s Park and other historic points of interest. Maria was very impressed by my skills until I burst her bubble and confessed that I’d done the walk already and read all the plaques.

After our walk, we stopped into one of the many cute pubs dotted around London for a cheeky pint and then headed to Lucie’s for Pizzafest 2008. First, we stopped by her parent’s house so that Maria could get some flamenco tips from Lucie’s dad and then we went home to make pizza. Lucie’s brother is a chef at the Ivy (apparently very posh in London) and gets Lucie fresh yeast, so she had conveniently frozen lots of pizza dough. We had a bit of a night of debauchery but it was definitely worth while.

Lucie and Jess at the Glass Bar

Maria, Jess and Lucie walking to the launch

I had to go back to work (grrr) the next day, but wrangled Wednesday afternoon and evening off. Jess, Lucie and I met at the Glass Bar (the best) before running along to Del La Grace Volcano’s book launch in Islington. It was so strange seeing (and briefly speaking to) Del, after using herm previous book for an assignment at uni.

Me at the launch looking uber femme

Carmen was there (having been the organised one that noticed the event was on) and we had a great night. I ended up running into a few Brisbanites; Claire English and Sara Keenan and said hi.

I guess another bad thing about being a worker again is that I go a bit crazy on my days off, and had to work the whole next day with a bit of a cheap-white-wine-hangover.

But, as ever, I still managed to look fetching in my ugliest-uniform-in-the-world combo with tights.

ps. Will put some photos up for this post soon.
pps. Yesterday I had the best day ever in Brighton with lots of lovely pics to put up, so stay tuned all ye faithful.

Hostel Sorrento

2008-08-26T15:43:00.000+01:00

Gelato at Sorrento

Pompeii audio tour

In the heat of the ruins of Pompeii, Katherine and I came to a realization that we look for different things in hotels. We're staying in my idea of heaven - massive rooftop terrace, lovely social areas, free internet, cheap bar, free book exchange, clean.... dorms. I know! I should have realized that, as the dorm cheerleader, Katherine and I would have a different view of the place. I woke up, refreshed, after my first night in our dorm (my bed was comfortable, and a bottom bunk, that's all I really care about), and was ready to spend the day in Pompeii.

Murals at Pompeii

Kath got about three hours sleep, while engaged in a battle with the Spanish woman in the bed above me and wanted the air conditioner off. Kath wanted it on. This continued to and fro. I slept all through it. Apparently some people snored - again I had no idea. Katherine had also noticed that some kids were staying in nearby rooms (I had just noticed the beer sipping possibilities of the terrace). Katherine fantasized about child-free hotels.

There was a big fight this morning (which Katherine was at breakfast for, and I stood open-mouthed while the crazy Spanish woman went off at this other Australian girl in our dorm about the A/C) and the Spanish girls have since departed.

Kath walking around the Amalfi Coast

We're off to Florence tomorrow and are staying in our own place - an apartment where we don't have to share anything - and in the end, I can see where Kath is coming from. However, last night, after coming back from Pompeii - tired, dusty and ruined (hehehe) I sat up on the terrace with a super cold beer, and looked out to the sea. I couldn't care less about the dorm!

When in Rome...

2008-08-24T15:17:00.000+01:00

Maria and Jess at my birthday

Lucie and me at my party

Kath doing her best garden gnome impression in our old house.

Holier than thou in the Vatican

Trippy faux marble speakers in St Paul's Cathedral

Sending a postcard in Vatican

Katherine walking around in Rome

I have a policy of putting lots of photos on my blog (because I tend to prefer blogs with lots of pictures) but at the moment it's not really possible. I've taken heaps of photos, but haven't yet put them on my computer (let alone brought my computer along with me). Since I last wrote, I've spent time in Amsterdam, had my 26th birthday, hung out with my sister in London and travelled to Italy with her (all without a mention on my blog). We've just travelled South from Rome after four days there and still no word detailing these exploits on Ms-Education Central. In my mind, my loyal reading public (that's you Mum!) are probably on the edge of their seats with anticipation for my next entry. So here it is (well bits of it anyway).Kath at an ancient Roman take-away.

So the saying is "When in Rome, do as the Romans" - I just hope that that includes walking around a lot, seeing ancient Roman buildings and archaeological sites and cooling down with insane flavours of Gelati (last night I had a combination of coffee, pistachio and cinnamon). I also hope that it involves speaking "Italian" (translation Spanish-talian - surprisingly comprehensible to the Roman public) and chilling out a lot.

I really liked Rome, mostly because one of my favourite things to do is walk around cities and see what they're like. Plus, it gave me heaps of time to catch up with Kath and do sistery things (make silly in-jokes, sing annoying songs to her, gossip and drink proscecco).

We've headed down to the Amalfi Coast, and are hoping to get to Pompeii tomorrow or the day after. I wouldn't mind getting a bit of a tan, as I'm pretty pale after a European winter (and English summer), but after seeing so many leather skinned, wrinkly older women, I'm a bit worried about the future cost of my vanity.

I'll post some photos when I get back, but until then,

Ciao
xxx

Livin' la Vida Liverpool

2008-08-06T17:24:00.000+01:00

It’s strange to go to a place that you know so much about, but have never been to before. I’m sure that if I were to go to New York it would be the same. I’ve seen it on tv shows and movies, I’ve read books set there, I’ve heard songs. The other day, there was a quiz question to name the boroughs of the city, and I knew quite a few. For me, Liverpool is the same. Mum’s from there, and her and the Liverpool Diaspora in Townsville have told me about the town from a small age. So when I went there on Saturday it was at once familiar yet alien to me.

I have been there on two previous occasions, so remembered the Albert Dock (we had bought Jelly Bellys), but little else, I was really too young to take it in. I guess it’s like London used to be. One of my strongest memories was sitting at home with Rachael and watching A League of Their Own twenty times, while the rest of the family went out and saw interesting London things.

Me and Carmen next to the Tate Liverpool at the Albert Dock

This time Liverpool was different. I had decided to go after hearing about the Gustav Klimt exhibition (fabulous!) and invited Carmen along, as I knew that she would be interested in seeing it. The exhibition was really interesting as it was about the whole artistic movement happening in Vienna in 1900 and combined furniture, architecture, painting, design and sculpture. Definitely worth seeing, and the rest of the Tate Liverpool seemed very well thought out. After seeing the exhibition, we walked to the FACT gallery and saw an exhitition by Pipilotti Rist. I was quite tired after having gotten up very early in the morning and stood during most of the train journey (very overcrowded Virgin Train), so enjoyed it especially because it involved relaxing (sitting on an oversized couch and flicking through art films with a massive remote, lying in the half dark on a mound of carpet and watching films projected on the ceiling).
We went and stayed with my Great Uncle Bill and Great Aunty Vera who came to Townsville last year and were so amazingly hospitable and showed us around.
One of the most striking things about Liverpool is the amount of empty houses. On the way to Bill and Vera’s we passed street after street of burnt out and boarded up Victorian terraces. Some have been spruced up with decorative boarding (for the visitors to Liverpool as it is the EU capital of culture) but a lot are just ruins. The bonus of this is that street artists such as Banksy have let loose on the abandoned buildings.

I think that the city, like many industrial cities in the UK has really suffered since the economic policies of the Thatcher era, but hopefully the cultural events this year (so many amazing exhibitions and shows) will help bring more money and people to the city.

There are so many little hidden things to see in the city. Bill and Vera took me along to the Phil(harmonic) pub, which is an opulently decorated pub from the turn of last century, complete with extravagant art-nouveau decorations, mosaic floors, stained glass windows and marble urinals.

We also went out to Crosby beach and checked out the Antony Gormley art piece, Another Place. It is 100 casts of his body, scattered about the beach. It’s one of those installations that you just enjoy – it’s art you can touch.

Speaking of art to enjoy, I checked out a few exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery in London, before going to Liverpool. One, Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef is an environmentally focused craft exhibition with knitted, crocheted, beaded and woven corals. The other, Psycho Buildings, – Artists Take On Architecture, was interactive and rather trippy. My favourite part was rowing in a sculpture gallery that has been filled with water, and being inside a large stocking like cocoon with pendulous hanging spice sacks (I don’t know how else to describe it).

It was such a fabulous weekend, and has really inspired me to check out some other parts of the UK.

Strange Fruit

2008-07-23T16:52:00.000+01:00

I spent the morning in bed, and now that it’s afternoon, I’ve been sitting on the floor in the living room reading out poetry to myself. The book of poems is called “your sign is cuckoo, girl” by a poet called Jay Bernard, who I went to see performing at a spoken word event called Barz and Stanzas as part of the London Literary Festival with Carmen. I actually just read a poem called News, and ended up crying. I’m having a day off. I need a day off.

“What, you scoff?” Why would someone with no job need to take a break from… well a break, I suppose? I’ve just been so busy – too busy to blog even. I wanted to just let you know about some of the extremely exciting, fun and inspiring things I’ve been up to here, to explain my dire blogging record of late.

I attended a workshop called A Transgender and Intersex Learning Exchange: Feminism and Gender & Sex Diversity, which was run by the Feminist Activist Forum, an intergenerational feminist activist network. The workshop included several panels on trans* and intersex issues, and how they relate to feminism. It was really refreshing to go to an event where feminism isn’t seen as one-dimensional, and instead as interrogative tools to analyse issues about gender, patriarchy and sexuality. I learned so much from the day and hope to go to more FAF events soon.

The next night, I went to see the film For the Bible Tells Me So, which was also screened as part of the London Literary Festival.
The evening was hosted by Sir Ian McKellan (Gandalf!!!) and the Bishop Gene Robinson (the openly gay Anglican bishop of New Hampshire). The film gave close readings of scripture references to homosexuality, talked to extremely religious families with gay children and interrogated the messages and tactics of groups like Focus on the Family (who run the ex-gay counselling group Exodus). It was such a wonderful and informative film, and afterwards there was an excellent Q&A session. Then Sir Ian gave a recital of one of Shakespeare’s speeches about Sir Thomas More. I went along with Carmen and Jess, and afterwards, extremely star-struck, we drank wine and talked about the film.

Me in my Scroobius Pip beard.

I went to see my favourite band Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip at the Astoria on Thursday night. It will go down in history as one of the best, funniest and funkiest concerts I have seen. I bought a t-shirt, and as I was standing at the stall, Dan le Sac walked up to chat to the merch girl. Taking the chance, I asked him to sign my shirt for me (OMG) and went along to the gig. However, I later washed the shirt and when it was on the line yesterday, noticed that it was washed out! That’s right the signature has completely gone! However, I do have witnesses who can vouch for my brush with fabulosity.

Dan le Sac on stage at the concert.

I went to Kate Foley’s launch of her new book of poetry, The Silver Rembrandt. It was so lovely to see some Amsterdam faces again and celebrate a really great new publication. Judging from the reading that Kate gave, I would recommend it to everybody.

I’ve also been doing a lot of hanging out with friends. Kat came over from Germany for the weekend and we hung out. It was cool to be able to show someone around my favourite parts of London (Soho, Camden, Crystal Palace Park). She tried some of the plums from our tree (what does one do with a ton or so of ripe plums considering we don’t have the kitchen facilities to make jam) and really liked London. It was just great to see her and be able to hang out.

If that wasn’t enough to keep me busy, I went out to dinner with Jess and her Dad to a really lovely Italian restaurant. Lucie came over and we had a very competitive game of Fame Academy – The Board Game, which she managed to win (I was the previous reigning champion with my character Shalaylah) and last night I attended my first meeting of the Theory Reading Group.

Me, outside a pub near Crystal Palace Park

The group was held in a fantastic venue called the Glass Bar. It’s a tiny little building in Euston that looks a bit like a gate house but is a women’s only bar with loads of couches, two levels and excellent music. Jess and I went along (Carmen was a bit sick) and talked about an article, How to Recognize a Lesbian, with about 20 other women. I felt like I was at a uni tutorial (that’s a good thing by the way) with a class of intelligent, politically aware and thoughtful people.

As you can see, I’ve been a very busy girl. That’s what I love about London though, there’s always something amazing to do!

You've Got to Fight - For Your Right - To Party

2008-07-07T16:53:00.000+01:00

I had the BEST weekend and it was all because of a fabulous day of excess, politics, fun and frivolity called London Pride. In fact, I had such a good time that me and Jess are now planning to hit Brighton and Soho prides.

I thought I'd just put a few pics of the parade up. It was so beautiful and fun and made me feel really happy. I just looked at all the people marching proudly with their friends and partners and it felt excellent that they could just act and dress and walk in any way they wanted without having to worry about people making silly comments or threatening them.

Sorry Kylie, Amy Winehouse is now the icon to dress up as at Pride.

There were quite a lot of groups marching and pointing out the many places in the world where queer people can't be out.

Rainbows!

The Mayor, Boris. Apparently, he is quite racist.

The lovely Lucie and Jess, painted up for pride.

Paul, Jess, Carmen and me.

Carmen has once again outdone herself with pictures of pride. Although we were standing next to eachother, most of my photos are of blurry crowds and you can't tell what they're marching for. So check it out for the real deal.

After the parade we walked to Soho, listened to music, chatted to so many cool and friendly people and drank cider. We ended up going out clubbing and going home in the wee hours.
Yay!

(Sub)Urban Decay - A Penge Odessey

2008-07-07T15:18:00.000+01:00

Jess and I had proper grown up guests for the first time at the Chateau. It's always a bit embarrassing to have people over. Mostly, I try to warn them (oh, and by the way, we don't really have any furniture but we do have a big garden). In one instance, my place was so messy that when Lucie came over (having never seen the inside before) I suggested we go straight round the back to the garden and skip the house. I think she thought I was a bit weird. But Mum's friend Barbara was in the neighbourhood with her daughter Hannah (and it was Barbara's birthday), so we pulled out the stops, cleaned up and sought out birthday treats (apple pie).

Barbara was super helpful with my botanical efforts. I had been carefully cultivating a small plant, thinking it was a rose. She pointed out that it wasn't a rose, but instead some sort of sucker that was ruining the paving, and then Jess and Hannah chopped it down. Plus, I now know a recipe for Plum Jam for the the time when the plum tree's fruit are ripe.

My cleaning plan did have its problems though. Jess had this fabulous plan to grab all our stuff from the living room and put it in our respective bedrooms. However, half way through the grand tour, I realized that my room looked awful. At that point, it was a bit too late to turn back (we'd already admired the stair chair - old people's chair lift -, peeling wallpaper and pile of newspapers in the hallway. And let's face it, Hannah is on the cusp of adolescent-hood (a period of my life that I don't seem to have left, judging on the state of my room) and it's probably best that Barbara get used to seeing rooms that look like they've been ransacked by violent burglars now, to save the surprise later!

Camden

2008-07-01T10:52:00.000+01:00

I have such vivid memories of Camden. Last time I was in London with Kath, me and her went to Camden and walked around the markets. Yesterday, I went back to Camden with Jess and we looked around, shopped (my excuse is that I'm not paying any rent, so I can afford to be self indulgent), sat by the canal, drank cider and watched people walking around and generally enjoyed ourselves.

Walking around, I realized that I want to live in Camden (or at least on a tube line). As much as I love Penge for all it's fab elements (free rent, in (Greater) London, free rent, the pub down the road with Wi-Fi), I want to live in the city.

Later in the evening, I met Carmen at the Institute of Contemporary Art (you can check out her awesome blog for more hot pics of the ms-educated ms B) and it was rocking. We had a drink in the la-di-bar, chatted and briefly checked out some of the art (well, it is contemporary art - one installation is a big white room with a gold fish and some plants in the end and the artists' brother has to come in every day and feed the fish and water the plants!?!) but there was a cool film called Little Works about a closed order of Nuns' recreation crafts and some nice prints.

The gallery seemed to turn into an art geek night club with a DJ, flashing lights and self-conscious dancing. All in all, a fab Monday night. But you know, it makes me think. People think art galleries are boring, stuffy places, but I actually think it's just because they don't bother to go to them!

Feminista

2008-06-25T16:59:00.000+01:00

Picture of me before I realized I was a closet sexist!

I have a confession to make. It's serious. My heart dropped. Here it goes:

Those of you who know me well (or even slightly, depending on how ranty I am feeling) will know that I consider myself to be a feminist. I love feminism. I was the women's officer at uni for god's sake.

But, despite my years of feminist self-indoctrination, I have been infected, unknowingly, by sexism.

Last night I went to see a talk by Luce Iragarary. At the time, I thought it was funny that she shared the name with a French philosopher that I had heard mentioned in the same breath as Derrida, Foucault and Lacan. And then the penny dropped. I had assumed that Iragarary was a man, and this person who I was going to see (who Carmen said - let's go and see this feminist talk) was not.

And I was sitting in the audience thinking, oh my god, this is Iragarary who Kath has talked about (she was as difficult to understand as the uber smart concepts my Dr sister talks about). She's written books, she's got an honourary doctorate, she made jokes about Derrida! (I had always assumed he was as dead as Foucault and Freud). She knows the people I just see on book covers (although, aparently, sees them with quite a bit of contempt).

OMG.

So there it is! Luckily, I went along to the feminist reading group meeting after and hopefully will be re-conditioned into an ass-kicking, slogan shouting, bra burning (metaphorically - they're waaaaay too expensive), rioting feminist before too long.

Any suggestions?

I want to ride my bicycle...

2008-06-17T15:05:00.000+01:00

There’s a few things in this world that thrill me – going to protests, riding bikes and having a good reason to take my clothes off. The annual nude cycle protest combined the three, so imagine my chagrin when I couldn’t get a bike to take part in it with. I asked my Mum’s friends Barbara and Susan, but they were using their bikes, and I tried to rent a bike but the city had been scraped clean. The woman in the bike rental place had the cheek to tell me that “there is a nude cycle on today, any other day and you can rent a bike, no problems”.
At least I got to watch the protest and stand by the side of the road cheering my heart out.
My one issue with the event is that it wasn’t particularly clear what the protest was about, unless you already knew. A few people had some slogans painted onto their backs, but let’s be honest, most people were probably too busy checking out their bums/penises/boobs to read badly scrawled battle cries.

Some people had some “NO OIL” flags hanging off their bike, but as lots of people had flowers, streamers, fabric and other knick knacks adorning their rides, so it wasn’t that obvious. I guess I can’t really afford to be too critical – I was just planning on turning up with a pair of frilly knickers!
While I was really frustrated to not be able to ride, I ended up going to a fabulous art exhibition at the White Cube called If Hitler Had Been a Hippy, How Happy Would We Be with Carmen and Paul. The exhibition had all these fascinating models of violence and war that must have taken months to make.

We also checked out Soho and had sushi (one of the things I really miss about Australia – cheap, plentiful sushi), went to a pub that seemed like you were inside a hobbit burrow and went to a queer burlesque spoken word night called Mother Foucault.
It was such a lovely night and I really felt like I was in London.

Then yesterday I went to see the National Portrait Gallery and then Jess and I went to the National Gallery for one of their amazing tours (that I remember from when Kath and I were exploring London in 2002). Afterwards, Jess and I walked all around London, past the Houses of Parliament, along the South Bank, checked out the outside of the Tate and then went to Convent Gardens. This is a picture of us sitting outside the National Gallery.

My feet are feeling a bit sore and I have to go off to work, but it was worth it. I'm falling completely and utterly in love with London and am getting quite worried that I will never want to leave.

On the Streets

2008-06-09T13:09:00.001+01:00

I'm in love with the Tate! I went to see the Street Art on the outside of the building (this picture is one of Banksy's) and had a look around the inside. I joined into a free tour that went through some amazing video installation art, Mali portraiture from the 1940s and 50s and Pop Art. This is one of the best things about London - free museums, informative tours and lovely walks. I'll keep my loyal readers updated about London mischief as it happens.

Later, I walked around Soho and went to the Poetry Cafe in Covent Gardens and saw some Invader pieces around on the walls. Coming from Amsterdam (a tenth the size of London) it's amazing to find how much there is to do. Actually, it is slightly intimidating, as it can be a bit of an overload. On the other hand, I'm so inspired by all the fantastic events, talks, places and people that I can tell this summer is going to be so fun.

But back to the art, it's funny that street art has developed into this high art/profitable business. I've been reading some really excellent articles about this whole phenomena recently, as the news is full of the Tate exhibition. Apparently, some Bristol street cleaners have been taught to recognize a Banksy from other anonymous Street Art and leave the $Banksy$ work alone - the ironic thing is that soon they'll look back and realize they cleaned off the "Next Big Thing" while saving the soon to be passé Banksy beside it.

Living in Penge (the throbbing, forgotten heart of London), we are really near to Croydon. Now Croydon may be known for some negative things (being a bit economically depressed, lots of kids that run around throwing stones at you/trams/each other, a large percentage of alcoholics) but there are some really cool things about Croydon.

On the weekend, Jess, Vanessa (Jess' friend) and I went along to the start of the Croydon Jazz Festival. It's 10 days of free jazz concerts around Croydon (in the shops, in the streets, in the pubs) and it has a generally gezelig atmosphere. Plus, we've also found a really cool, alternative pub (The Green Dragon) that serves scrumptious cider and has lots of board games. They also have environmental nights, open mics and jazz every Sunday). All in all, Croydon seems very cool and unpretentious. Not that I'm not going to spend lots of time in the city, but I also like having a small neighbourhood that is relaxed.

To end this post, I wanted to share one of my little garden friends with you. So far, I have my little friend the Robin (for whom I have made a de-luxe bird bath), the thrush who eats snails, a little black toad and now newts in our pond!

I Predict a Riot

2008-06-03T15:10:00.000+01:00

Today is my third full day of living in London and so far I love it. I came over by boat, because of the amount of luggage I have and the low-cost airlines’ exorbitant fees for baggage (not just excess). I actually really enjoyed the trip. It was a lot more relaxed than taking a plane and I took the train from my door in Diemen to Hoek van Holland (where the boat leaves from) and then hopped on the boat.

On the boat I watched a movie in the mini cinema, read, ate, had a beer and chatted to a fellow traveller Stephanie (a Dutch girl going back to her Au Pair position in London). I actually felt a bit emotional on seeing the English coastline for the first time. Here I am, a British citizen, living here for the first time. It’s my Mum’s homeland after all.The teariness quickly changed to shock when I arrived at Liverpool Street Station. It was absolutely insane. Saturday night (when I arrived) was the last night of people being able to drink on public transport (whaaat? They could do that in the first place) and the station was mental. All the tubes had been closed and the place was packed with drunken loud people covering the station with anti-Boris (the new Mayor) graffiti. Stephanie and me dragged our bags to the end of the platform to see swarms of people rushing up stairs while being pursued by police. There was loud music pumping and the floor was covered in bottles and cans. The next thing we saw was two police beating a shirtless man up with their batons, while he tried (and succeeded) to run up the stairs.

I could only take a photo outside (the shock had worn off) but you can see the amount of people outside where the action was. The city seemed in a bit of chaos, but Jess and I managed to get back to our new place in Penge without too many hitches (ok, we took the bus the wrong way and got a bit lost, but it is a big city.

I’ve taken a photo of our garden (we’re still fixing up the inside of the house, but photos to come, don’t worry) and we each have a big bedroom upstairs, plus a smaller one which we are going to use as our music studio. Downstairs we have two big living rooms, one that we are going to use as a sitting room and games room (we’ve been picking up ace board games from op shops for 50p each – eg. Men Behaving Badly the game, Fame Academy the game) and the other room is going to be our art studio and exhibition room. As we don’t have a TV or internet, and we’re having lots of guests (Amsterdammers and Jess’ UK friends) staying with us in the next few weeks, we are building up the entertainment potential of the house.

On Sunday Jess and I went to Carmen’s house (an old friend from Brisbane) for the first meeting of her newly organised book club. We got confused on the tube etc and went on the wrong line (and wrong direction), but in our defence, the whole system is rather confusing and we do end up talking a lot and not focusing on where we’re going. The book club was really nice (talking, nibbling, sipping) and for our first book we’re going to read a South African book called Spud, by J van de Ruit.

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know what I’m up to. We don’t have the Internet at home, but today found a wireless café that we can go to to use the Internet so I’m going to pop off and post this soon.

Xoxoxoxo Helen

Five Great Things About Amsterdam

2008-05-16T11:01:00.001+01:00

So I've got some mega super news, but you'll have to wait till the end of this post before you find out. First, I wanted to go over some of the good things about this Dam town.

1. Words in Here
In my first week here I found WordsInHere online and started to go to their events. The photo below is of Prue (a Brisbanite) who started up this vibrant and exciting literary organisation with Megan (from the US). It was taken at the launch of the fab annual lit magazine Versal.
Thanks to WordsInHere I've joined a writing critique group, taken part in an awesome workshop, gone to story-telling, attended open mics, met lovely friends, drank wine at the social group and gone to seedy bars for points pool.

2. Bikes
I just got my bike (aka the Fantasy Forcefield Bike) from the bike shop after it broke again. I have been stuck on the tram and train for a few days and love the feeling of freedom from being able to jump back on my bike and cruise over to the Leidseplein. This city is made for bikes and I think it's the smartest thing any metropolitan place can do.

3. Random Jobs
Since moving here, I've worked as a babysitter, christmas tree seller (pic is of some of the lush trees I sold in the sub zero December streets), coffee shop waitress and an editor/proofreader for an Iranian Radio Station. None of these jobs are my ultimate dream job of the century but have got me out of the house, let me meet lovely people, challenged me and given me some unforgettable experiences.

4. Mini-country.This is a photo in front of the East India Trading Company in Delft. Yesterday I took a day trip there to see a friend from my writing workshop and check out Vermeer's home town. Being from Townsville, it's exciting to just be able to hop on a train for a little while and go somewhere completely different in the time it takes to drive to Charters Towers.

Oh, did I mention Delft is really beautiful?

5. Terraces
Ok, so this is really a lame excuse to show you my new 'do. The picture is a bit lame but you can see the coiffe really well. Nonetheless, I adore the sunshine of late and have spent time lounging in parks and sipping beer on terraces.

BUT despite all these lovely things about Amsterdam, I'm leaving.
By the end of the month, I'll be living with Jess in London and kicking off with our band.

Stay tuned for five great things about London (once I know what they are).

Music to Break Up To

2008-05-07T10:49:00.000+01:00

I think everyone can relate to having a soundtrack to break-ups. Maybe it's cheesy Elton John songs about "Sorry" being really difficult to say, maybe it's thrashy metal music that lets you head-bang out your angry energy, maybe it's a song that someone made up for you and makes you cry every time you listen to it.

I've been constantly flipping to different songs online and in my computer that make me smile, revel in being bitter or just relax. So in this blog entry, I wanted to share a few photos of the amazing people in my life who have been such excellent friends and I just wanted to let you all know that I'm ok, I'm getting there.

Plus, I wanted to share a few songs that can put you in my head space. So check them out as you read this (hopefully with a cold beer on the verandah and one in a stubby holder waiting for me - which you are free to drink) and think back to all those break ups in your life (and that now, hopefully, have faded and become good lessons learned, rather than open wounds and you don't feel so much).

The first song is dedicated to Liz: Look for the Woman - check it out on Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip's myspace (and the other tracks especially The Beat that My Heart Skipped and Thou Shalt Always Kill- lovely!). I remember, when I broke up with Cherry, I ran up to her apartment in my undies and let myself in before waking her up (it was a bit before 6am). She let me crawl into bed with her and cry all over the pillow. It was a crazy time, and looking back, I remember thinking I would never get over it. Hopefully, I'll look back at this in a month or so and feel the same.

The next track is called Good Day, by the Dresden Dolls, and it's sent out to my big sis Kath and Ben. Kath is excellent because I know that, no matter what, she's on my side. She'll always jump in with the just the right thing to say to make me feel better. She'll hate anyone who does wrong by me and I know that she's never going to tell me to not be angry and to let it go. Neither of us are particularly zen people. I am so happy she is going to visit, and so I put a few pics of me, Kath and Ben's trip to Malaysia in as a reminder of all the fun we have traveling together, and what I have to look forward to.

The next track goes out to Rachy. I we've been through a few break ups together and she always makes me think clearly about stuff. I remember when we were living together after I first got with Kat and just the fun we had. She showed me how important it is to have a life outside of the relationship you're in, and she was such a good person to have it with. The song is called I'll Kill Her .

This one goes out to M&D. Sometimes I think they look at the confusion of my life and roll their eyes. I know that it is hard for them when I have problems and I'm so far away. I think that, secretly, Mum thinks that I should head back home, but I know that they realize that I need to do my own thing for a while. Actually, despite their collective dodgy taste in music, I think they will like this song (it's no Darryl Braithwaite but...). I'm not exactly in London, still...

Mikemi gets this one. It's Jebediah, Harpoon, and reminds me of watching them play in the Townsville City Council Carpark - trust the Big T to produce astounding, award-winning venues. Mike is always somewhere, you never know quite where, or what he's doing, but as soon as you need him he'll drop everything and be the sweetest thing. That's really comforting, just knowing that he's around and just an awesome big brother.
This last one goes out to Jess. I loved the fact that when we hung out, even though I felt my life was falling apart, we wouldn't spend all our time with me moaning about how everything was terrible. Sure, she let me moan for a while, but then we'd just get on with having fun. On this day, we shared a slice of "chocolate slut" cake, cruised around on my bike, had beers and talked about everything we could think of. I think that if I had broken up with Kat a while ago, and not have had to deal with losing Jess at the same time I'd be a bit saner! This song is by Tegan and Sara, who I saw live at the Melkveg a little while ago. It's called Back In Your Head, and you can listen to it on their myspace.
So that's about it folks. I hope you checked out some of the tracks and didn't mind me putting your face all over my blog (let me know if you do and I'll replace you with a picture of me miming your signature moves).

The Comings and Goings of Life

2008-05-01T14:41:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was Queen's Day - the celebration of the Queen mother's birthday (the current queen is born in January, and it would be a bit miserable to have a street party then). I'd heard a lot about the day: it's crazy, everyone is drunk and wearing orange and you'll get a bike puncture from all the broken glass.

Luckily, instead of heading into the throngs of the city, I did a neighbourhood Queen's Day with my friend Asker. We headed to the festivities around Linneusstraat (ten minutes ride from my place on the way into the city). It was so fun and relaxed, kind of like Woodford - that is if Woodford also had a million people selling bric a brac.

You see, what Queen's Day is really about is a hundred thousand or so Amsterdammers gathering all their rubbish and junk and setting out a blanket on the footpath to sell it. I scored big time. I got a perfect condition boggle set in the box with its timer for €2.50, a great handbag for €7, three jumpers for 50c or €1 each, an nifty bottle opener for 50c and a rat cage for €5. In this photo you can see Asker with his €1 sunnies and jumper.
Where we were, there was a parade of strange Mad Max-esque vehicles which weaved through the crowds. There was about six different vehicles made out of scrap metal, old machinery parts and run by little two stroke engines. I think people spend ages preparing for these neighbourhood parties and all the clubs (Scouts etc) hold fundraising stalls.
There was also a simultaneous Chess tent hosted by the local chess club. And although some people were drinking beer or selling glasses of wine from their stalls, it wasn't a drunken mess. Afterwards, me and Asker headed back to his flat for coffee before I had to face the craziness of the city (I had to work from 7pm - 1am - don't ask, I'm trying to block out the memories).
The city was pretty awful. I guess I'm just not the sort of person who likes that sort of atmosphere. I'll put it this way, if Linneusstraat is Woodford, then the centre was the Big Day Out - that is if the Big Day Out only played thumping Techno and Drum and Bass.

Another great thing about Queen's Day is that it really distracted me from Jess leaving.Jess has been a fabulous friend, band mate, confident, biertje drinking, joke making, fun having person to have had in my life. We met at the Rotterdam Film Festival (which I never remembered to blog about, but for the record, it was really good) by chance. We were just standing in line outside a cinema, waiting to go into a film and she had the guts to come and sit next to me.

After the film, we went and had a beer and found out we had heaps in common and it just went from there. I can't even explain how great a friend she has been, especially since I've had a really crappy time recently. No matter what, we just end up having a mental time. I'll never find another person who makes up crazy songs about Bike Forcefields as we double around Amsterdam on my rusty broken bike. We formed a brilliant band called the Kick Off, told stories at Storytelling night, laughed our arses off at the Open Mics, went to all the dyke bars, and I think she will understand what I mean when I say that NEITHER of us will forget Tanya and Kylie.
It's just awesome to have met someone so great. I will miss her like crazy but glad she's off to London to study Gender Studies (plus it gives me a reason to travel there).

Speaking of comings and goings, Kat and I broke up about a week ago. I don't think I can even explain how terrible I feel and how painful the entire situation is. It is really making me re-evaluate a lot of things I thought were pretty constant in my life. As this is a public blog, I'm not going to really go into it. Plus, as my Mum always said, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

Sorry to end on such a bad note. Hope you like the pics.

Hopelessly Devoted to U(trecht)

2008-04-15T12:49:00.000+01:00

Kat and I took a train trip to Utrecht on Saturday and it's such a beautiful town. In this photo you can just see a windmill in the background.

Unlike most of the cities in Holland, Utrecht has its canals below the street level. The wharves which are lined with warehouses (now mostly little restaurants, bars, shops and cafes) sit down at the water side and there's another row of shops and houses up above.

It's very picturesque and there's a massive cathedral in the centre of town that has over 50 bells in its tower. Kat and I walked around the streets and soaked in the sunshine. I also saw the Instituto Cervantes - the Spanish version of Alliance Français. Apparently they're having an Almodovar film series, which might give me an excuse to go back to Utrecht.

One big squat (Utopia) was having an open day. I took a photo of the building so people can see what the large arty squats look like. The squatters were standing at the front attracting passer-bys with a poi twirling display and sitting around with their bicycles.

It seems that there's a traffic light obsession here (or maybe it's just me that's obsessed), but I spotted these Miffy lights in Utrecht. Miffy was created by a man called Dick Bruna who lived in Utrecht and he has a museum there.

I also spotted some Bode-Dixon rivalry in Utrecht. As you can see, there was a Bode cheese stall...

... and the Dixon shop which seems to sell some sort of shampoo products.

I also snapped a picture of a shop that would be sure to fail in Australia.

SISSY BOY!

I can just imagine some blokes around the bar at the Royal on Stagpole Street discussing clothes. "Yeah mate, the wife picked this up for me at Sissy Boy," says one.

"Mate, yeah I was planning to get something from Sissy Boy on the weekend," says the other.

Hmmm

Signs of Nerdiness

2008-03-30T22:44:00.000+01:00

I´ve just come from my writing workshop (well via a few beers with the writing crew who are great) and wanted to share some Amsterdam bookish images.

The truth is, I´ve just discovered my camera phone and always seem to want to snap little strange things I find here.

Aside from taking photos on my phone and Tegan & Sara (after seeing their gig last week), I have also fallen in love with the library here. It´s 6 floors of bookish goodness. There´s the biggest popular and academic magazine and newspaper section anywhere, a great movie and cd section (better than Trash, Rockinghorse and the Avid Reader combined) and a great restaurant. The food´s not too expensive and there are all these sections.

Mike told me about the Refec at Miami Uni, and this is how I see it played out in a library. First, it´s really reasonably priced. Second, they let you sit as long as you want nursing your coffee and reading a book. Third the food is great.

There´s all these separate bars/counters: noodles, juice, pastry, pizza, steak, sandwich, coffee. I got a great pizza (woodfired, my choice of flavours and mega sized) for $10 Australian. Let´s remember that this is a few minutes walk from Amsterdam Centraal Station.

The other great thing about the library is the free internet. From 10-10 every day you can surf the net to you heart´s content without interruption FOR FREE!!!! You don´t need to even be a member (€22 a year in case anyone is interested).

However, I digress. What I really want to took about is the books. They´re categorized according to genre, and I want my loyal readers to check out each photo and see if they can guess what they are (some are obvious and some a bit trippy).

This first section seems a bit obvious, but it´s just to get you into the mood. Above is family sort of books, "intellectual" tomes and books about war.

Sci-fi and more family stuff (excuse the focus, my phone, like me, is imperfect).

Crimeys (in the words of me and my sis Prof msKathb) and classics (and no, the Dick refers to the first letters of the authors´surnames, not the suffix of the readers´ heads).

Erotica/smut and detective stories.

Detective, detective, smut, detective, mystery and that which is indefinable.

Ok, this is the coolest. I want everyone to try and guess what the book label on the right is refering to. (BTW the left is Christmas stories - "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens).

I asked my writing group people and they suggested Lesbian Separatist Literature, Godly stories (the Hand of God being wrathful) and Sci-Fi. But, let´s look at the context:

That´s right, it´s books that stick it to da man. But the label is showing the prolateriat being squashed by capitalism/life etc. and fighting back/winning in the end.

I think this is just so great.

Let me know what you think, or design a new book label. Actually, what would lesbian separatist fiction look like.... I shudder to think!

The View from Amsterdam

2008-03-29T11:59:00.000Z

I have started to take photos with my camera phone as I am walking through Amsterdam. It has the same amount of MegaPixels as my first digital camera and is about the size of a small calculator. Lots of these photos are just places I walk past often, and little slices of Amsterdam that I notice as a non-Dutch person.

These are Bakfiets (pronounced Bak-feets), a standard feature outside every apartment block, park, supermarket and kindy. Parents seem quite happy to lug multiple kids around for years in these boxes, pull along trailers or perched on seats on the front and back of bikes.

Continuing the street-scene-theme, this is a nesting swan that I saw as I was walking to work from the library. If you look carefully, you can see a clutch of eggs. The building in the background is one of the many house boats that line the canals. Some are boats that people live in, and some, like this one, look like floating dongers. I´ve heard that swans, especially when they´re sitting on eggs, are really agressive, so I wonder how the owner felt about this.

Even though you catch site of ducks, rabbits, hedgehogs and swans, most of Amsterdam is pretty urban. Because of this, there are a number of free petting zoos around the city. I went to one and checked out the tortoise enclosure. Like the rest of the place, it was decorated by paintings and signs composed by the kids that visit. I really wonder the scene that inspired this insightful sign.

Everyone who knows me knows that I love cake. Following are some pics from my very favourite, very kitch and very bling cake shop - De taart van mn tante´(my Aunt´s cake).

Each table is decorated with an over-the-top themed cake. The room is decorated in glaring yellow, pink and blue, and they have the coolest retro plastic table cloths and carpets on the tables and serve excellent coffee (and cake).

Sometimes, I take my computer and go and write there. It´s very friendly and relaxed.

My final photo is taken a few metres from home, on the way to Kat´s soccer field. It´s still bleak and cold (it´s been snowing for the past week and a half, although hopefully that´s over now), but at least there are flowers to brighten it up.

I hope you all liked my latest photos.

Miss you all, H

Just when you thought it was safe to wear a skirt.

2008-03-05T18:07:00.001Z

Yesterday, I went down to the local shops to get a few things and first of all stepped out on the balcony to judge the weather. It was fresh but not cold. I didn't even have to wear my jacket. Later, I went out to meet a friend from my writing group and decided to whip out my brand new skirt from the Studio Shop (a great little clothes shop with the two owners that sit at the back gossiping and sewing crazy mish mash clothes while you look around). I wore tights and a jumper under my jacket but felt fine. There`s nothing more invigorating than riding your bike on a nice day.

I was sitting having a coffee with Tori when I looked out of the window and saw that it had started to rain very hard. That's the thing with Amsterdam weather, it is either raining or about to. The thought of riding through a storm made me feel sick. The rain here is cold and often heavy. Once wet, it's hard to dry. You can imagine my North Queenslander delight when it started to snow with large flakes a few minutes before I was due to leave. The whole street around the Leidseplein was changed. The snow floated down, and I was looking forward to riding. Snow always seems so romantic to the uninitiated.

I walked outside and was immediately covered in white. The snow kept falling, swirling and landing over me, covering my glasses and, ok, I know I should have thought of this before, freezing me.

By the time I got to the bar where I was meeting a friend from work, I was soooo cold that I felt physically sick. To all my loyal readers (Mum, I'm talking to you, thanks for being my number one fan) IT IS NOT SPRING YET! Darn. I hope it comes soon!

As Dutch as Tulips and Clogs

2008-02-26T16:18:00.000Z

Or should I say Daffodils and Smurfs?

I moved to Amsterdam at the worst possible time. It was mid-October and the leaves had already turned. I didn´t even get to have the joy of watching the world slowly turn to winter. It was here when I arrived. The weather was quite nice... for my first week. As soon as November hit, I was thrown completely out of my comfort zone. Townsvillians, as a rule, are bewildered by rain at best, and uncomfortable at worst. It has been so cold, windy, grey and down right wintry!

But, there is a light at the end of the grey-skied freezing tunnel (most probably the reflection of all the fabulous daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips and other bulbous flowers in bloom).

Spring is finally here and every time I step outside I smile. The photo on the left was taken on my way to the supermarket, a street or so from my apartment. The one below is just a few metres in the other direction.

To tell the truth, temperate weathered flowers have always amazed me. We could never have imagined growing them in Townsville. Even the hardy roses in my Mum´s garden wilt and look weedy in the heat. Here though, the flowers are popping up on every traffic island, bit of green verge and roadside and no one picks them (honestly my fingers start itching each time I see them but I have been holding back as I'm sure of the social attitude to public flower thieves).

People plant large buckets and barrels full of bulbs and put them outside their doors for everyone to enjoy and the many many florists' stands seem even more crammed full of flowers than usual.

It's not only the flowers that look lovely, the entire city seems to have sprouted. I don't think I ever really appreciated how refreshing and beautiful spring is. No wonder everyone falls in love in spring. For a start, you can go outside without looking like the Michelin Man. Moreover, you actually want to go outside.

People always seem to ask me what I miss about Australia, and of course, apart from friends, family and food (the all important 3 "f's") I always answered that I missed the weather. I missed the sky seeming to actually be up in the air rather than hovering grumpily a few metres above my head. I missed wearing t-shirts, I missed sunshine. Truthfully, summer in Queensland is my least favourite season, but in the face of Amsterdam winter it can seem completely Utopian.

I admit that I can now see a point in the seasonal change here. I wouldn't go as far as to say that I ever want to have to live through a cold winter again, but the benefits of Spring are worth waiting for.

Now, I too have my own slice of dutch flower growing. For only €2, you can buy a cute pot of bulbs (so many varieties) which start flowering a day or so you bring them inside your warm apartment.

There are also these super deluxe fashionable baskets with a big mix of bulbs, trailing ivy, mossy things and humorous signs (I assume they are humorous, I have seen similar things in the Cottees Market but in English)

You will also notice that there are smurfs in this photo. One of the Dutch supermarkets, the Albert Heijn has a new offer where, once you spend €15, you get a free Smurf figurine. I know Lizzy will understand completely when I say that Kat has developed a fixation on them and just has to have the entire collection (When me and Lizzy were packing up the apartment - which I can never thank her enough for - we found the remnants of Kat's beer coaster, sticker, drinking glass, shell and beer towel collections). Anyway, it seems that the Netherlands has more to be proud of than just tulips, clogs and windmills. Smurfs, too, are Dutch.

The Hiding Place

2008-01-29T16:47:00.000Z

When I was twelve and living in Grenoble, an American school friend lent me a book called The Hiding Place. To this day, I´m pretty sure it´s the only book I have read that is set in the Netherlands. It´s an autobiographical novel written by a woman called Cornelia ten Boom and is all about her work with the Dutch resistence in Haarlem. She, and her family, helped a lot of jewish people to hide during the Second World War, including having several jewish people living in hiding in her house.

When I was recently in Haarlem with Lizzy, Beppe and Kat, we were walking along and came to the house that she had lived in (and is now a museum) by accident. It´s a private museum, and is only open a few days each week. To enter, you can take part in a guided tour run by volunteers and see the house, including the hidden room where people hid when the house was raided. It´s a tiny room, perhaps half a metre wide and three metres long, that people would enter through a tiny door hidden in the bottom shelf of a wardrobe. In fact, the Gestapo did raid the house and arrested Cornelia (Corrie), her sister Betsie and her father, who were all imprisoned. Luckily, the six people in hiding in the house at the time managed to escape into the hidden room and waited there for nearly three days with only some crackers and a bucket that they used as a toilet. At that point, the local police (many of whom were secretly members of the resistence) were placed as guards at the house and managed to smuggle out the two resistence members and four jewish people in hiding. Corrie´s father, who was over 80, died eight days later while in prison, and her sister Betsie died in Ravensbruck Concentration Camp in December of that year. Corrie was mistakenly released a few days later. Corrie´s brother died a year after the war ended from Tuberculosis aquired in prison, and her nephew was killed in Bergen-Belsen.

She went on to work rehabilitating people after the war and toured extensively as an evangelist, talking about her experiences. The book is quite Christian, but I loved re-reading it after having been in the place. She talks about the streets around the house, the square and the church, riding everywhere and the January weather. There´s something so familiar and comforting about re-reading a favourite book, and even lovlier to have such a strong visual understanding of the setting.

Museum Mania

2008-01-23T18:03:00.000Z

One of the best investments I have made since coming to Amsterdam is buying a Museumkaart. It costs about €23 for a year, but you can go to most museums in the Netherlands for free once you have one. It´s especially great because entry to one museum, such as the Van Gogh Museum, is €10 on its own.

One of the best aspects of visiting museums is that you can go by yourself and have a great time. In fact, I think it´s better to go by yourself than with others, because you can go as fast or slow as you want, and you don´t have to talk about anything, just take it all in.
Yesterday, I went to the Tropenmuseum on a bit of a whim. I didn´t actually know anything about it (I assumed it was a tropical science museum), but it´s on my way into town and I didn´t feel like riding all the way to the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam´s answer to the Louvre), so I stopped in and it was awesome. It´s an ethnographic museum, and because it´s not in the middle of the city and as fashionable as other, more famous museums (such as the Stedelijk museum, which recently held a great Andy Warhol exhibition called Other Voices, Other Rooms), there were hardly any people there, and I could wonder around the exhibitions without feeling that I need to peer, photograph and dash to the next star item. There were great displays of Central and South American pottery, an exhibition about slavery and colonialism by the Dutch and a super interesting New Guinea exhibition (well, the first that I´ve really seen actually) in the Centre of the museum.

There was a forest of these enormous Bis Poles (Bijspaal), which are carved out of a single large tree log, with the butress roots used to make the flags, that revere dead ancestors.

Some of these poles were up to 12 metres high and all intricately carved with people, symbols and animals.

They are made by the Asmat people of the West of New Guinea, and the Netherlands has the largest collection of any where else in the world. Most were collected by one man, who was funded to go and get them by three museums in the Netherlands. He was sent because people were worried that the carving traditions, and their products, such as Bis poles, would die out with the rise of Christian religion and the effect it had on traditional practices such as Head Hunting and tribal warfare and life.

Apparently, in New Guinea, after these poles were used ceremonially, they would be left in a swamp to rot, and the spirits of the people represented would be freed. The fact that there are this many in tact is quite unusual.

I´m a bit ashamed to admit that I didn´t expect such beautiful carvings and rich traditions from New Guinea. I have seen smaller carvings and weavings from PNG, but in truth, the only real thing I know about the closest neighbour of Australia is that there´s a lot of civic strife, a huge percentage of the population with HIV and that it´s now very dangerous. I would hate to think that such stunning cultural practices are dying out and hope that they are still appreciated and carried on there.

If anyone (Dad, cough cough, I know you lived in PNG) knows about or has insight into New Guinean culture, please leave a comment and let me know. I´d encourage anyone to see this exhibition if they can (until April), or otherwise check out the website and look at the pictures.

Signs of Identity

2008-01-09T11:56:00.001Z

About a year ago, Kat gave me a present when she came back from Germany. It was a t-shirt with two crossing signals on it. On the front there was a green crossing man with a hat on and on the back a red one. They´re the East German signal people, so in Leipzig, parts of East Berlin and lots of other places in East Germany, the signals are different because they still retain the East German ones.

When I was in Germany over Christmas, I saw some on the street, and took a photo.

In Leipzig, we went into a shop that sells all the symbols of East Germany: the brands of food, bags and toys of the Sandman and his friends (the East German children´s tv show) and you can make up and send a "Ostpaket". During the DDR, before the wall came down, people with friends and relatives in the West would get sent a "Westpaket" with goodies from West Germany.
In Haarlem, the traffic signs are of men and women. When Beppe first pointed it out, I couldn´t understand what he meant. He was talking about the traffic signs being of women, and I was looking around but when I finally saw the crossing women, I stopped in the middle of the road and had to go back and look more carefully.

Not only were they not stick men, they were curvy, voluptuous crossing women. Confidently striding with a rounded bottom, in what looked like knee high stockings and chunky heels with their hair pulled back in a pony tail. They looked like women I knew!

I stood in the middle of the road and incredulously, until the stop woman flashed (and I had to run quickly off the road to prevent being hit by a bus). Due to the technical difficulties, I could only get an average picture of the stop woman, but even in this shot it is possible to see that how cool she is compared to the usual stop man.

She is statuesque as she stares off into the distance, patiently waiting for the light to change. Perhaps it is the position of the light, but she looks like she is poking out a rounded belly without a care in the world.

I don´t have any idea why Haarlem has decided to put in these crossing signals, but I love it.

I hope everyone likes these little photos.

Love,

Helen

New Year, New Blog

2008-01-07T18:51:00.000Z

Every year, I sit down and write my new year´s resolutions.

Most of the time they have the same things in them: exercise more, eat better, be more creative, make plans for the future, be a better sister/daughter/girlfriend.

In the last few months since moving to Amsterdam, I´ve also started to try to write seriously. I´ve joined a writing group, I´m going to lots of poetry readings and open mics and I´m making an effort to sit down and work on my short stories. This blog is part of it. It´s a new year, so I´m going to start a new blog.

I don´t think it´s going to be one of those public blogs, but those of you who know me can log on and look at new photos I upload, stories about life in Amsterdam and let´s face it, you don´t have to sign up to friendster/myspace/facebook to look me up.

The first thing I´m going to write about (well, put up lots of photos anyway), is Lizzy and Beppe´s excellent visit to Amsterdam. Although, if you keep posted, I also have awesome New Years Pictures and a German Christmas to upload.

Windmills... clogs... cheese... Holland

Ok, perhaps noone is at the edge of their seats with anticipation about my blog yet, I know I have a lot to learn about writing blogs that people actually want to read. But truthfully, I feel so far away from everybody now. In lots of ways, I feel that with each month I´m away from Australia (2 & 3/4 and counting) I get further and further away from being a part of people´s lives.

Hopefully this is a good way for people to catch up with what I´m doing, and also still be on the radar.

One thing I wanted to put on my blog is the crossing signals in Haarlem - curvacious women and men!

Me and Liz as cute clog tourists

The ultimate emo album cover
Taken in front of a three story bicycle parking lot.

Anyway, if anyone likes my blog so far, or wants to hear a bit more in the next one, please leave a comment and let me know.

In the next blog I write, I want to write a bit about what we got up to in Amsterdam and Haarlem.

Love you lots,

Helen