My computer has selfishly decided to take a time out from our relationship, which is why all has been quite on the interwebs lately.
The computer has been making amazing grinding sounds for several months, and if I don't hold it exactly right the screen dies.
Sometimes is makes ascending whirring noises like it's about to take off.
Finally it just stopped turning on, so I've sent it to be fixed, but there is a good chance it's now dead to me. Which means future updates will be typo-ridden and from my iphone (why does it predictive text the world's most stupid words? Its should NEVER be changed to IRS) or ffrom my roomie's stolen laptop while they sleep.
In other news, I've decide to visit Melbourne this September (yay tax return!). Any suggestions on what to see/do?
Monday, August 16, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
A Tax Haiku
According to www.wikipedia.org: Haiku (俳句, haikai verse?) listen (help·info), plural haiku, is a form of Japanese poetry, consisting of 17 moras (or on), in three phrases of 5, 7, and 5 moras respectively.[1] Although haiku are often stated to have 17 syllables,[2] this is inaccurate as syllables and moras are not the same. Haiku typically contain a kigo (seasonal reference), and a kireji (cutting word).
The world rushes on
but my tax return stays still. In
my head I've spent you
Well, I did get all confused with my syllabals and my moras (something which I'd mastered in 7th grade Japanese, so this haiku experiemnet is further proof that I am getting dumber as I get older), but I think I mainly got it. There are definately some cutting words.
The world rushes on
but my tax return stays still. In
my head I've spent you
Well, I did get all confused with my syllabals and my moras (something which I'd mastered in 7th grade Japanese, so this haiku experiemnet is further proof that I am getting dumber as I get older), but I think I mainly got it. There are definately some cutting words.
A ghetto ode to my tax return
Bitch - where you at? My shizzle don't pay for itself. It's been three weeks. Deposit yourself or Ima have to bust a cap in yo ass. Word.
Looking back I should have tried to write the word crunk in there, but I can't seem to fit it.
It's been three weeks since I lodged my tax return and I have already spent it six times in my head. Realistically I will put it on my credit card, but in today's dream i will instead travel to the Tim Burton exhibit in Melbourne.
So until you make nice with my bank account and move in tax return, I will post a poem about you each day. And there is a reason I am not the next Shakespeare.
Prepare yourself. Dope, word, crunk etc.
Looking back I should have tried to write the word crunk in there, but I can't seem to fit it.
It's been three weeks since I lodged my tax return and I have already spent it six times in my head. Realistically I will put it on my credit card, but in today's dream i will instead travel to the Tim Burton exhibit in Melbourne.
So until you make nice with my bank account and move in tax return, I will post a poem about you each day. And there is a reason I am not the next Shakespeare.
Prepare yourself. Dope, word, crunk etc.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The splendor bender
I've been quiet around the interwebs the last week or so, caught up in the epicness that is Splendor in the Grass.
For those non-Aussies, this is the most expensive and awesome musical festival in our country, and goes for about four days.
This is the first year I've managed to get tickets (which was a mission in itself and had my entire office screaming at their computers as we all hoped and prayed and got kicked out of the queue at 17 only to return in 38,9078 place. No really), so I was pretty excited.
It was a great festival, despite some awful traffic issues and the general freezingness that is Woodford, so I've managed to get over my hatred for the ticketing system. Bands included Goldfrapp, Scissor Sisters, Mumford and Sons, THE PIXIES, Florence and the Machine, Temper Trap, Washington, Clare Bowditch, Paul Kelly and lots more awesome.
I have some radcore oozing wounds on my feet from dancing in my gumboots and will need to sleep for a few days but it was all worth it.
ABOVE: Me in excellent raver sunnies, a vintage 70s dress and rainbow gumboots on my way to the site.
Splendor would be a deathtrap in a zombie invasion so I dressed appropriately
Crappy raver sunnies,a warm dress, tights in my bag for when it gets colder, a sack with the essentials (water, snacks, phone)and hardcore gumboots (ok, they're rainbow and sparkly but still legitimate gumboots).
The reason Splendor would be so dangerous in an outbreak is the sheer mass of people and over-excited security guards. It's set in rough bushland with large open spaces carved out for stages and paddocks for the hundreds of cars and campers. Small paths and bridges link the areas. If even one was infected it would quickly spread in such tightly packed crowds and seeing as a lot of people are already hallucinating some crazy crap on drugs anyway, it would not be recognized as an outbreak.
If it happens, your best bet is to ignore the security guards and make for any kind of exit -not the marked ones as those will be hard to get to - but any fence or barricade you can scale. Then head for the high ground surrounding the festival site and let the zombies feast on the masses as you look for a defensive position to ride it out in until you can move to a long term spot or your back-up bunker.
My rainbow gumboots were made for this shiz.
For those non-Aussies, this is the most expensive and awesome musical festival in our country, and goes for about four days.
This is the first year I've managed to get tickets (which was a mission in itself and had my entire office screaming at their computers as we all hoped and prayed and got kicked out of the queue at 17 only to return in 38,9078 place. No really), so I was pretty excited.
It was a great festival, despite some awful traffic issues and the general freezingness that is Woodford, so I've managed to get over my hatred for the ticketing system. Bands included Goldfrapp, Scissor Sisters, Mumford and Sons, THE PIXIES, Florence and the Machine, Temper Trap, Washington, Clare Bowditch, Paul Kelly and lots more awesome.
I have some radcore oozing wounds on my feet from dancing in my gumboots and will need to sleep for a few days but it was all worth it.
ABOVE: Me in excellent raver sunnies, a vintage 70s dress and rainbow gumboots on my way to the site.
Splendor would be a deathtrap in a zombie invasion so I dressed appropriately
Crappy raver sunnies,a warm dress, tights in my bag for when it gets colder, a sack with the essentials (water, snacks, phone)and hardcore gumboots (ok, they're rainbow and sparkly but still legitimate gumboots).
The reason Splendor would be so dangerous in an outbreak is the sheer mass of people and over-excited security guards. It's set in rough bushland with large open spaces carved out for stages and paddocks for the hundreds of cars and campers. Small paths and bridges link the areas. If even one was infected it would quickly spread in such tightly packed crowds and seeing as a lot of people are already hallucinating some crazy crap on drugs anyway, it would not be recognized as an outbreak.
If it happens, your best bet is to ignore the security guards and make for any kind of exit -not the marked ones as those will be hard to get to - but any fence or barricade you can scale. Then head for the high ground surrounding the festival site and let the zombies feast on the masses as you look for a defensive position to ride it out in until you can move to a long term spot or your back-up bunker.
My rainbow gumboots were made for this shiz.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Vintage originals versus reproductions - what's better? And does it really matter when you're being chased by zombies? Part II
Last post we covered the greatness of vintage (like how I said we like there are a room of people gathered around nodding in agreement, not just me watching Step Up and typing in my jammies).
This post we're going to look at side b, the vintage reproduction. These can be just as pricey as vintage on occasion, but are more readily available and there are some talented sewers out there selling some awesome things on Etsy and ebay. Also, larger vintage reproduction clothing lines ship internationally and are creating some amazing stuff.
Check out http://heartbreakerfashion.com/ - it has some lovely vintage repros.
ABOVE: A heartbreaker dress I got from eBay. Sturdy and will hide bloodstains, but makes you an easy target.
Also, check out etsy seller vintage viola at http://www.etsy.com/people/violavintage.
ABOVE: Cool Twiggy style dress available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/29085834/vintage-style-1960s-dress-size-medium-68 . Dark colours are zombie appropriate - you can blend in in many environments and they hide blood stains! Short length also makes for easy maneuverability when escaping.
This seller also makes some brilliant reproductions: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thepinkkitten?ref=seller_info
ABOVE: Stunning blue dress available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/51473424/lucky-number-3-vintage-reproduction-40s?ref=sr_list_29&ga_search_query=vintage+reproduction+dress&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title The colour makes you target but it's great until the apocalypse hits.
Repros will probably be more readily available after the apocalypse and as most are machine made from heavy cotton, they can take a beating and a lot of washing if you're traveling light on your escape. It's a tough call on what's going to be better in a zombie war though. To be honest you're probably best with some jeans and a range of t-shirts - but you won't look nearly as good.
This post we're going to look at side b, the vintage reproduction. These can be just as pricey as vintage on occasion, but are more readily available and there are some talented sewers out there selling some awesome things on Etsy and ebay. Also, larger vintage reproduction clothing lines ship internationally and are creating some amazing stuff.
Check out http://heartbreakerfashion.com/ - it has some lovely vintage repros.
ABOVE: A heartbreaker dress I got from eBay. Sturdy and will hide bloodstains, but makes you an easy target.
Also, check out etsy seller vintage viola at http://www.etsy.com/people/violavintage.
ABOVE: Cool Twiggy style dress available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/29085834/vintage-style-1960s-dress-size-medium-68 . Dark colours are zombie appropriate - you can blend in in many environments and they hide blood stains! Short length also makes for easy maneuverability when escaping.
This seller also makes some brilliant reproductions: http://www.etsy.com/shop/thepinkkitten?ref=seller_info
ABOVE: Stunning blue dress available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/51473424/lucky-number-3-vintage-reproduction-40s?ref=sr_list_29&ga_search_query=vintage+reproduction+dress&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title The colour makes you target but it's great until the apocalypse hits.
Repros will probably be more readily available after the apocalypse and as most are machine made from heavy cotton, they can take a beating and a lot of washing if you're traveling light on your escape. It's a tough call on what's going to be better in a zombie war though. To be honest you're probably best with some jeans and a range of t-shirts - but you won't look nearly as good.
Vintage originals versus reproductions - what's better? And does it really matter when you're being chased by zombies?
On the vintage fashion scene it's hotly debated. Is a true vintage fashionista selling out when she or he buys a reproduction? If that's correct than I'm going to hell because I'm a fan of both.
Original vintage really can't be beat for its beautiful, often delicate fabrics and amazing claps and patterns. Much true vintage will have covered fabric buttons, matching belts home sewn and amazing vintage quirks like old fabric scrap stuffing in the shoulder pads because stuffing was hard to get a hold of in parts of Australia.
ABOVE: Neck detail on a cream vintage dress from my collection. Would be useless in zpoc because of its light colour and sheerness. It's basically useless now for these reasons.
If you can find handmade vintage you know it's a one off and going to be sturdy edition to your wardrobe. Mass-produced vintage isn't even mass produced anymore, with few of these treasures surviving. And in terms of price, my experience is that a nice reproduction dress can cost as much, or more, than an original. Sadly, it can be hard to find in Australia because we are a relatively young country with a small population compared to America. Check out Paddington Antique Centre, the Valley markets and Annerly's op shops for a few finds. Some amazing, true quality vintage is available from Etsy and most sellers do post internationally. Check out these items from the lovely Fab Gabs Vintage:
ABOVE: A stunning 1950s checked dress - available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/46402844/vintage-1950s-checkmate-sexy-secretary. Photo by the talented Lulu from http://www.camerabandit.com/ The long sleeves and gingham wool will help protect from zombie bites but the length of the skirt could hinder a quick escape. I would suggest wearing only at sieges where you'll be defending from a secure position.
ABOVE: Fab Gabs items cover a large price range, with this item up for grabs for $20 US. Available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/52112749/fab-gabs-10-and-20-1970s-lavendar-lilac and photo once more by Lulu from http://www.camerabandit.com/ Remember that lilac won't look so great with blood stains if you get attacked by zombies, and bodily fluids from undeads could be hard to wash out.
Now are these awesome dresses zombie appropriate? Probably not. They don't provide the most warmth or flexibility but if they've lasted this long they should be pretty durable. They're also so attractive you might be able to fool fellow survivors into giving you vital food supplies with your 'come hither' looks.
Next post will focus on the reproductions argument.
Original vintage really can't be beat for its beautiful, often delicate fabrics and amazing claps and patterns. Much true vintage will have covered fabric buttons, matching belts home sewn and amazing vintage quirks like old fabric scrap stuffing in the shoulder pads because stuffing was hard to get a hold of in parts of Australia.
ABOVE: Neck detail on a cream vintage dress from my collection. Would be useless in zpoc because of its light colour and sheerness. It's basically useless now for these reasons.
If you can find handmade vintage you know it's a one off and going to be sturdy edition to your wardrobe. Mass-produced vintage isn't even mass produced anymore, with few of these treasures surviving. And in terms of price, my experience is that a nice reproduction dress can cost as much, or more, than an original. Sadly, it can be hard to find in Australia because we are a relatively young country with a small population compared to America. Check out Paddington Antique Centre, the Valley markets and Annerly's op shops for a few finds. Some amazing, true quality vintage is available from Etsy and most sellers do post internationally. Check out these items from the lovely Fab Gabs Vintage:
ABOVE: A stunning 1950s checked dress - available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/46402844/vintage-1950s-checkmate-sexy-secretary. Photo by the talented Lulu from http://www.camerabandit.com/ The long sleeves and gingham wool will help protect from zombie bites but the length of the skirt could hinder a quick escape. I would suggest wearing only at sieges where you'll be defending from a secure position.
ABOVE: Fab Gabs items cover a large price range, with this item up for grabs for $20 US. Available at http://www.etsy.com/listing/52112749/fab-gabs-10-and-20-1970s-lavendar-lilac and photo once more by Lulu from http://www.camerabandit.com/ Remember that lilac won't look so great with blood stains if you get attacked by zombies, and bodily fluids from undeads could be hard to wash out.
Now are these awesome dresses zombie appropriate? Probably not. They don't provide the most warmth or flexibility but if they've lasted this long they should be pretty durable. They're also so attractive you might be able to fool fellow survivors into giving you vital food supplies with your 'come hither' looks.
Next post will focus on the reproductions argument.
Zonks Batman! World War Z Movie is a goer.
ABOVE: World War Z cover courtesy www.wikipedia.com
It's just been announced at Comic Con - the long awaited World War Z movie is happening once more.
Based on the awesome book by Max Brooks (son of Mel Brooks of Spaceballs fame), the movie has been confirmed to star Brad Pitt, whose production company Plan B bought the rights to the book in a massive bidding war some time ago.
Rumor has it that they're taking their sweet time with the movie because as well as being a great horror zombie movie, it could be an awards contender for its dramatic themes.
For those that haven't read the book I plan to do a full review in a month's time but it is an amazing and frighteningly accurate look at how the human race would crumble in an outbreak. Brooks' take on how human's morals would be thrown on the window is very realistic and plausable.
Worl War Z has a 2020 release date and with the studio also buying the rights to Brooks' Zombie Survival Guide and Recorded Attacks graphic novel we could be set for a franchise.
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