M.I.A!

I'm disgusted in myself... over two weeks since I've touched the blog... and I didn't even bother writing anything on that post! What the hell has got into me, it's not that I haven't been inspired, I am always thinking of things to write about, it's the actually getting them down on the keyboard bit that has been escaping me lately! Of course I couldn't really tell you what the hell I've been doing with that time (though Crazy Christmas, two kids and a couple of good books might explain some of the time away!)

I've got a touch of the New Years Eve melancholia today... happens every year, just one of those irrational things about me that I can't really explain. NYE just seems to bring out strange emotions in me. Before the boy came along I used to put it down to loneliness, everybody seems to be out for themselves, although I did receive one very impractical invitation this year, not so easy with two bubbadoos, though if the boy was more supportive/less socially inept it may have been an option! I tend to have a good cry on NYE, maybe it will do me some good as I've also been full of anger lately. Hormones still going crazy perhaps? And tiredness, which may have something to do with being pretty much awake from 4.30 this morning with one or the other child. The heat is pissing me off, I have decided just yesterday I am a winter person! Rant Rant Rant, there's nothing more boring really... no wonder I haven't written in a while!!!

So anyways... today will be an at home PJ day and tomorrow lets hope I have gotten over myself!!!

HNY everyone!!!

I'd rather be Knitting!

He He He He...

All available from Cafe Press!

All I want for christmas...

Well, some of anyway!

Doco-loco!

I watched two very interesting doco's this weekend...


Forbidden Lie$
Where Norma Kouri (of Forbidden Love fame/hoax) was given the chance to clear her name and prove her story and all she did was dig herself deeper into her own web of lies.

Man on Wire
About the guy who high wire walked between the twin towers (as well as Notre Dame, Sydney Harbour bridge etc.) Very interesting story of a man with such passion and determination... (and Craziness!!!) I just want to know where he got the money to do all this!!!








I decided to start my own 'Poplist' on Bigpond Movies (I LOVE Bigpond movies!) called 'Doco-loco' not sure if you have to be a member or not but I am adding a bunch of my favourite doco's if you wanting a good 'watch' and like me find Non-fiction a little more satisfying...

I have a bit of a thing for memoirs from the sex industry, prostitutes, porn stars and the like... I guess it's just so far removed from my own life and experiences that I seen to have a strange curiosity about it all.

I just finished reading Red Velvet by Lisa Lou, a Melbourne prozzie with a very bad editor! The book itself was OK at best, I got a little bored with it about 1/2 way through but something has to be really bad for me to not finish a book so I pressed on.

The main thing that kept me going was waiting for the next typographical error. Words repeated with different spellings, letters left off the ends of some words, and the worst, computer geek speak (I don't know the right term I'm looking for but see below... maybe someone can help me out here!) Instructions in the print!

Not really recommended... it's no In my Skin that's for sure!!

Anouk's Crazy Mixed-up Christmas Stocking!!!

I decided that Little Miss needed a Christmas Stocking for impending arrival of afore mentioned Mr Scary-claws... Look I know it's lying to your kids and he makes all the poor kids think they've been bad, but at the same time I have to be careful not to project my irrational fears onto small children!!!

Anyways... I started knitting this yesterday, I looked at a few sock/Xmas stocking patterns that all involved knitting in the round which I have tried and didn't like (or maybe I just bought too long a thingi) or using double-pointed needles which I haven't tried... so obviously anything new = scary!!!

So I'm making it up as I go along with a kind-of picture in my head of what it should end up like... sort of... maybe.

Plus its a way to use some of those 1/2 balls of wool left over from other stuff/impulse yarn buys. Well now I've put it in writing I have to do it! And I've got a deadline on this one so I'd better get onto it!!

'Tis the season...

I'm always hearing parents going on about how they couldn't get their kiddy to sit on Santa's knee for the... apparently... obligatory yearly photo. How they get all scared and freaked out or whatever...



Listen to your kids...


SANTA IS SCARY!


Come sit on my lap little girl and tell me what you want!!!??? does nobody else find this a little creepy?

Here is the one photo of me with Santa... this one was acceptable because it was my Jack (though as a 4 year old I didn't know that and cried!!!)

In the scariness factor Santa is on a par with clowns in my opinion, and we all know how scary they are! but still not nearly as scary as those silver statue people... I will cross the road to avoid those freaks!!!

Bats and Bonds...

Watched Quantum of Solace last night... and I'm sorry if I seem to be giving a lot of negative reviews at the moment but... IT WAS CRAP!

Now I think Daniel Craig is kind of hot, but he's too rough for Bond, James Bond is supposed to be suave and cool, not an Indiana Jones wannabe in an expensive suit! I want my Bond movies full of witty quibs, fun gadgets and innuendo's thanks! These latest ones have so much more violence for the sake of it and not nearly enough camp, and a storyline would also be kind of nice too please!

And while I'm on the rant...

The new Batman films... Now I know the Dark and Scary mysterious Batman is all in keeping with the original comics and stuff blah blah blah... But I like my Batman in blue stockings with a questionable relationship with his side kick and a few Bang, Sock and Pow's thanks!!!

Bring back the suave Bond and the camp Batman I say!!!

G is for...

Geocaching (AKA. Hunting for treasure)

Not sure if I've posted about our Treasure hunting adventures in the past... but yesterday we went to the You Yangs for to search for a library related cache! Yeah daggy I know!!!

All you need is a GPS, a keen eye and a love of exploring!!!

Pimp my Shopping Cart!

Stuff

The last thing I want is for this blog to turn into a mummy blog of every minuscule detail of the bubba-doo’s movements... problem is they are kind of all consuming little creatures! So here is a list of things I have done in the last 6 weeks that don’t involve little people and/or domestic chores!

• Read the following books; Cinematherapy: the girls guide to movies for every mood, Me Cheeta, The crowning glory of Calla Lily Poynter, Why men want sex and women need love, it’s my party and i’ll knit if I want to, Our Girls, The autobiography of a fat bride: true tales of a pretend adulthood, the Australian guide to self sufficiency, The lost art of sleep, Veggie patch, Lighten up: 365 ways to lose weight and feel great, Loaded (re-read), Kidwrangling, Weekend knitting, You'd better not cry.

• Started Christmas shopping (coz I’m a girly swat!) which is consisting of approx. 95% books.

• Finished knitting the handle of my super-cool shopping jeep and started the inside lining... just need access to a sewing machine! Knitted two rows of my Cardi that I started about a year ago.

• Got this super cool bag as an early Xmas present from my brother.

• Cleaned out my cupboards/drawers but only actually threw out 2 items of clothing!

• Been to the Doctor, Dentist and had some long overdue waxing attended to!

• Been to my favourite cafe twice.

• Made it into the library three times.

• Watched lots of DVD’s including; Bruno, Dark Knight, several Laverne and Shirleys, Gonzo: the life and work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, Annie Lebovitz: Life through a Lens, A lion called Christian, Head On (after re-reading Loaded), LA Ink season 4, Dogs in Space special features disc (where you can hear me ask a question in the popcorn taxi interview bit), Howard Sterns Private Parts, Bucket List, Secret diary of a call girl season 2, Juno (again).

• (Tried to) go for a walk (almost) every day.

• Got rejected for a scholarship.

• Found out I have my first trans-gendered friend and didn’t even know it!

• (Re) planted my veggie patch.

• Had the Flu.

• Had my email account hacked and spammed.

• Discovered Parma Violet lollies in the Gifts from home store.

• Got up to F on my ipod by playing it in song title order.

HotRodLibrarians Christmas Picks!!!

Being the girly swat that I am...

I started my christmas shopping today with my friends at Arcade Publications. They have two fab new books out...

Of course, as usual I will be reading them before giving them as gifts... you have to do that, otherwise how do you know if it's a good book your giving!!??

on the boob...

So the government announces today that its rolling out a plan to get more women breastfeeding... Thats great but I just hope that they also put a lot more money into post-natal depression too...

There is already way too much guilt inducement out there for women who, for whatever reason are not breast-feeding, or like me, half and half because I just don't seem to be able to produce enough milk to satisfy. I don't need the extra burden thanks... There's nothing wrong with support and encouragement but the most important thing is healthy babies and mothers and as much as breastfeeding has great physical health benefits, the pressure put on women can really mess with their mental health... Believe me!!!

Supercute or what!!!

Especially when you consider it was taken by a 2 year old!

Oh yeah, and I have actually ridden on the Streetcar named Desire!

Hide your Heart by KISS

This is my favourite KISS song... mostly due to the fact that the band at my High school used to play it or I would never have heard of it... oh yeah, and I had a crush on the drummer* ;)

*the one from the high school band... not the one from KISS!

Painted Lady...

Been thinking about Vali again. I finally tracked down a copy of Painted Lady, Ruth Cullens second documentary on her and it brought back so many memories. It was filmed not long before she got sick and around the last time that I saw her and most of it was filmed in her Nicklaus Building studio where I spent most of my time with her. (incidentally my friends at Arcade Publications are now in that studio!)

Vali was amazing, such an inspiration. She lived the fuck you life that I wish I had the guts for. She went where she wanted, lived in a cave, at the Chelsea hotel, wherever she layed her head. She had a face covered in tattoos and wore layers and layers of the most colourful clothing. She danced when she felt like dancing, she purred like a cat when she felt the need to do that too. Being with her was outer worldly. One of my greatest regrets was not spending more time with her while she was alive and not taking the invitation to visit her in her valley in Positano. But her friendship was one of the most inspiring of my life. One of the last times I saw her was purely by chance and I suspect not by accident. The day after I arrived home from many many months overseas, I walked around the corner in my home town with my mum to see Vali sitting outside a cafe, no one else around her except her companion. I didn’t expect her to remember me but she did, immediately. She referred to me as ‘the race car driver’ from a story I had told her when we first met about driving my dad’s race car and at the time being the fastest woman on Australian salt!

I took some amazing pictures of her. I was going through them just recently and was actually surprised that there was only really about 6 or 7 films worth, my memories

seemed like there was so many more, and I guess the richness of the experience and the colour and vibrancy of the shots I did take had clouded my memories. I hope you enjoy my pics of Vali ( I have a lot more too which I will post some other time when I'm feeling nostalgic for her ) but please remember, they are mine, i took them, and if you want to copy or use them for anything, just do the right thing and contact me first. Tah.

Librarian Joke...

Sometimes late night baby feeding TV comes through with the goods...

Last night I got to watch some Stand up comedy, one was an ex-librarian...

"people say, 'you must really love books', 'Yeah they're alright, but really I just wanted to hand out fines and I was too short to join the police force!"

Appropriate reading...

Started The lost art of sleep by Michael McGirr last night, the title appealed to me for obvious reasons. So far it seems to be an entertaining read alternating chapters between Mythology, Philosophy and a little Shakespeare with the authors own experiences of having babies.

On this note, jealous friends who I have told that I only had to get up once in the night for the newbie will be pleased to note it was pretty much every two hours last night!!! Thank the goddess it’s childcare day today and the Newbie and I can have a pyjama day...

S is for...

Sierra!

She’s three weeks old today!

Here’s some thoughts on the past 3 weeks...

I have actually felt a lot more relaxed in the three weeks since she was born than probably the three weeks previous. She’s a very laid back baby... eats, sleeps and shits and thats about it! Oh yeah and she’s also pretty goddamn cute too!!!!

I got myself so stressed about the Caesarean but I’ve been absolutely fine since, I feel so good that I have to remind myself I’m not supposed to be doing certain things or whatever...

The operation itself was one of the strangest experiences of my life, I’ve only had one operation before (and I was knocked out for that one) being fully conscious but not being able to feel anything, and all these people there for little old me! I could see the lady in recovery moving my legs but they didn’t seem attached to my body. One of the other strange parts was that I only saw her for a few minutes, then she was taken away to be checked out and stuff while I was in recovery. So here I am, already having this out of body type experience, and my brain knows I have just had a baby but I can’t seem to comprehend this fact!

Feeding could cause me stress if I let it. I am trying to feed from the boob but don’t seem to be able to satisfy so have to top up with formula when I just can’t handle her hanging off the boob anymore! I have strong feelings about the whole breastfeeding business. I will not deny that breast feeding is most probably best, but it doesn’t work for everyone, I don’t care what the breast Nazi’s say! We have options and no one should ever be made to feel guilty or a lesser parent for utilising any of the options available. There’s talk of how it helps with the bonding process, well how can a stressed out mum and a hungry baby bond more than a contented pair with a bottle in hand? For me, a delicate mix of boob, expressed milk and formula is getting me through, and I figure if I last three months again, then I am doing pretty damn good! Part of me just doesn’t have the patience to sit still for so long with my jugs out!

Now it’s not actually been the newbie that been causing me any stress... its little miss, she regressed to wanting to be like the baby. We’ve had to take evasive action to get the toilet training back on track, and a little strawberry Quik has got us over wanting to have milk in a bottle all the time (lucky she hasn’t figured out you could have pink milk in a bottle too!) I’m doing all those things that the text books and magazines tell me too like making her totally involved with the new baby, she gets her nappies and picks her clothes for the day. She gives her kisses and cuddles and I don’t think it’s a jealousy thing, maybe just a comfort zone thing, or why try hard with all this hard stuff if the baby can just lay there and get the same sort of attention. But we’re getting there, getting a routine of sorts happening. And the electronic baby sitter is getting a workout too!!!

The boy went back to work today and I’ve managed to get through the morning ok!!! Just joking (I have got through the morning ok, Just joking that it needs to be pointed out!!) I’m enjoying some space with no visitors, no boy, two sleeping children and a yummy lunch (out of the freezer!). So I guess things are going along fine... so far!

Famous... again!

Just got word that your favourite Hot Rod Librarian made it into the DVD extras of the ABC's The Librarian's season 2!!!

My mum the rebel...

Well as much as you could be in small town Victoria in the mid-60's!

As I will be out of action for a while... here's a little story to keep you occupied (it's Rod's Ramblings from the latest Cruzin Magazine if the pic doesn't come up too clear.) It's about when my dad asked my mum to get down on the floor of the back of his Hot Rod to act as a balis (weight to add traction!) during a street drag race... though I have to say my mum tells the story better (probably with more embellishment!)

My mum also got caught once getting out of the boot of someones car at the drive in so they could avoid paying... except the driver pulled up next to some friends of my Granny and Jack! (for anyone who knows my Granny... she has eyes everywhere!) She got in big trouble for that one!!!

One more sleep...

So this time tomorrow (well actually a few hours ago) there will be a whole new person in the world!!!

I can't believe I have finally gotten to this point, I was sure the baby would have been here long before now (actually I was hoping for September 23rd which was my Jack's birthday), and it's weird but I actually feel like I can relax a little now! Ive been so on edge and expelling so much emotional energy with every little pain... thinking 'is this it? Is it all happening now' going through what I am going to have to do/who I'm gonna have to call and all that stuff!

Ive also been quite weird about thinking about the baby actually being here, after losing the last baby (see November '08 post) and the drama's attached with this one (though the irregularity in her heartbeat seems to be getting less with every scan) I guess I have just been subconsciously trying to protect myself a little bit.

Anyways, tomorrow... it's all happening tomorrow!!!

I think the little shit deserved it!!!

I finally got to read The Slap, Christos Tsiolkas's latest book. I love Christos and have been reading him religiously since Loaded and am so glad he's finally getting the recognition he deserves. (just like to point out that I got him put on the HBL standing order list just before this book came out!!!) He's also a friend of a friend so that helps too! This is definitely his best work since Loaded and I love the different perspectives of the eight different characters he focuses on, though it could have done with a little closer editing, there seemed to be a few too many tiny little details (particuly sexual) which I didn't find important, or maybe I'm just missing something!!! Also didn't like his description of Altona as something along the lines of 'Flat, grey suburbia' (I cant remember the exact words as I have taken it back to the library so I cant check... but they wern't very nice!) None of the characters are particuly likable, which can make for some hard going, but they are all very real and Christos is really good at bringing out the ugly side of human nature! Anyways, read it, it's a great book and I love reading anything Melbourne based where I can really picture everything being described.

Waiting, Waiting...

Still a week to go before my so called 'elective' Caesar... I hate that phrase as it brings to mind that whole 'too posh to push thing'... makes me realise that you never do know the circumstances behind any ones decisions and you shouldn't judge a book by its cover! (even though I do, quite often, literally judge a book by it's cover!)It's not my first choice, but I really just want to get this kid out safely... and soon!

But a week can be a long time in late pregnancy! and Ive already gone past the point where little miss was born... so you never know... and Ms Braxton Hicks is going crazy down there, freaking me out at all sorts of ungodly hours of the night!

So this week is going to include a lot of this, so called, 'taking it easy' business... yeah right... with a two year old!... and of course, the boy!!! Wish me luck!

try not to be distracted by the bump...

Check out my latest knitted creation...

pink and purple striped fingerless gloves/arm warmers... (sorry 'bout the crap photo!)
pity they are too hot now that spring it here!! Here is me wearing them to knit my current project... its a handle for my granny style shopping trolley which I have painted with flames and am lining with leopard skin fake fur!

Pics to follow...

If you want to make the gloves they are peasy;

I used 4.5 mm needles and some “Sean Sheep” wool that I just bought from big W coz the label said it was good for felting (it’s 70% wool/30% Soybean)

CO 20 (or however many it takes to go round your arm... remembering if you’re going to felt it it will shrink a bit)

St st for however long you want them to be (I did it for 144 rows all up because I wanted them to go right up to my elbow)

You can do the stripes however you fancy (or not), mine were 8 rows of each colour.

To make the thumb hole is the only vaguely tricky bit;

On row 117: K 10 then C/O 6 then knit to end (when you do the other hand it’s the opposite eg. K 4, C/O 6 then K to end)

Keep going in St st until long enough to go up to your knuckles (if thats what you want, you might just want them to where youre fingers start... again, up to you!)

When they are as long as you want, C/O then stitch up the sides.

I felted these ones just coz I like felting!

As you can see, these are a pretty straight forward project that you can easily adapt to your own style... just have a play and remember... you can always unravel it!!!

Two films I cant wait to see:

Jennifer’s body – Written by the gorgeous Diablo Cody (Candy girl, Juno, United states of Tara)

And;

Whip it – Not only is it directed by my fave Drew Barrymore but it’s about ROLLER DERBY!!!!

How Civilised...

I'm booked in for a caeser 11.30 am, Monday 5th October... It feels weird that I know what the birthdate is going to be allready... allthough I still think I could go earlier!

A woman possessed...

Finished up work yesterday, frankly, over the last couple of weeks, I wasn't sure I was going to make it!!!!

I feel like this baby wants to come out now! Or maybe that's just wishful thinking, or maybe I just want to know that everything is OK.

I know I should be using this time to relax but I I'm afraid that ain't gonna happen... I have some major nesting going on here!

Up at 6.30 this morning because I could handle the mess in the kitchen, last week I had the cooking palooza where I was like a woman possessed filling up the freezer with yummy goodness... what the hells going on, the Boy better not go getting any ideas about perfect housewives!!!

Have another Ultrasound tomorrow... should know more then, or have news... The Doc has instructed me not to eat or drink from 11am tomorrow just in case!!!

Long time... for me

Well hey there folks, It's been a while, for me anyway!

I'd love to be one of those bloggers who writes a post everyday and is all good and stuff... and hey it's not like I haven't had a lot going on to write about either, it's just my brain is such a full fuzzball at the moment that not a lot is getting done.

I finish work tomorrow and was hoping that would clear out some of the junk in there, but now it's got all filled up again with new stuff.

You see on Friday I went to my obstetrician (here by known as "Doc") for just a regular routine appointment and told him I was feeling pains and a bit weird and all that, so he sent me up to the hospital to go on the monitor for a while 'to put my mind at ease.' Well we discovered a whole new problem that hadn't been detected before. Seems my baby has an irregular heartbeat. So into panic stations, you see after what happened with my last pregnancy Doc is being extra protective and cautious. So he gets me in for an emergency Ultrasound (which he had to beg for), Instructs me not to eat or drink anything in case this baby has to come out today... Man, that would have been a really inconvenient day for me to have a baby!!! So the U/S showed that although the heartbeat is irregular, the heart itself is fine, which alleviated the initial panic, but still had to go back to the Doc yesterday for a steroid shot in case baby needs to come out early. Almost defiantly by Caesar which is OK but the recovery is what scares me. So now I am instructed to "take it easy"... yeah right! and have another U/S on Friday... and again no food or drink in case it has to come out then!

Geez nothing is ever simple in my life... and out of three births, not one is even remotely textbook!!!

So now it's just a bit of wait and see, Lets get through tomorrow, get rid of work, this so called "take it easy" business, then whatever happens, happens and when Bubba-ista is born, well then we'll see whats next!

The Couch is the new Bed...

But Leg cramps, headaches, swollen feet, constipation, insomnia and a really really sore back will never be in style thank you very much!

Hit 34 weeks yesterday, not long to go now! Predicted date... September 23rd. Two reasons,

a) That’s 36 and a bit weeks which is when I had little miss.

b) Jack’s Birthday and I think that would be lovely!

Jack was/is my grandfather. But when my brother was born there were still lots of the great grandparents around and as the great grandparent name debate raged on, he said... “Just call me Jack...” and that’s all he’s ever been, to anyone. In fact I used to get really confused when people would say ‘your grandfather’ or the like, I didn’t know who they were talking about!

Jack was cool, he could wiggle his ears and make this funny mouth noise. And everything was done at Jack pace which was not always easy with Granny around!

Check out the latest addition to the uterus...



My parents just got back from Hawaii where they were instructed to bring me back lots of Hula Girl tacky souvenirs... I love Hula Girls, they are up there with Cowgirls, Chick Racing Car Drivers and Stereotypical Librarians as some of my favourite feminine images!

Oh the joys...

Its kind of ironic I guess, the week that I am reading Toddler Taming and we are in the midst of mega-tantrum mode!

If I wanted to anlyise it I guess I would say;

• I am being punished for leaving her at Grammy’s for a few days (although she loves it there)


• She can sense that in a few weeks her world is going to be turned upside down with the arrival of a new little person in the house


• That my fuse is shorter than normal what with not being able to sleep and just generally tired and cranky...

but I think the answer is that she is just testing things out, maybe is not feeling herself and just a normal toddler! The Toddler Taming book is actually helping me just to feel like a normal parent and reassures me that I am doing a good job...

Of course this is what little miss thinks of it!!!! (Don't tell the library!)

Punk'd

My friend Neonfaerie made mention of her resemblance to a certain Miss Punky Brewster the other day which stirred up some bad childhood memories... Picture this; last day of primary school was supposed to be a dress up day. The young HotRodLibrarian gets dressed up in her finest Punkiesk outfit complete with odd shoes, several bandana’s and painted on freckles... and you guessed it... I was the only one dressed up!

Such things can scar a girl for life!

Fab 80's songs that I feel personally responsible for reviving!

Bop Girl...

Pat Wilson was kind of supposed to be Australia's answer to Cyndi Lauper or early Madonna... Wife of Aussie rock legend Ross Wilson and never to be heard from again!

P.S. I only just found out that Nicole Kidman is in this filmclip, and she does't smile in this either!

Wired for sound...

This is my favourite daggy, shameful sing along song... besides, it's got rollerskating in the clip so it cannot be overlooked!!!

Revolution baby...

Gotta Love Transvision Vamp... especially the bit where they jump through the paper screen thingi!!! Man... Wendy James was HOT!

Respectable...

RIP Mel... or was it Kim???

Enjoy and stay tuned for more!

Our Girls....

The next release from my friends at Arcade Publications... I can't wait!

Love Junkie...

I just finished reading Love Junkie: a memoir of love and sex addiction by Rachel Resnick. Wow. Makes my girly behaviour with past crushes pale in comparison!! But then again she usually got the guy in the first place... I never seemed to even get that far! ‘Cept when it came to the boy. Though some of my early behaviour could be considered questionable! But remember ladies... it’s not stalking if they want you back!

Latest pics of Bubba-ista...

I’m up to 32 weeks now, and given Little Miss was a 36 weeker, well there ain't much time to go (though I will probably go well overdue given that I’m assuming and planning for this one to be early too!) I am hyper sensitive to every gut pain at the mo, thinking "am I starting labour or do I just need to go to the toilet?" It’s exhausting!

I feel like I’m going crazy, my hormones are out of control and I’m wavering between complete Bitch, cleaning freak and can’t move off the couch blob... I guess this is typical pregnant woman behaviour! It feels like Permanent Menstrual Tension and I am really over it... so is the Boy! And they pregnancy brain... oh my god, you could dupe me out of anything! I even short-changed myself with the petty cash at work the other day!!

Anyways, enough of the whinge!!!

P.S. Best pregnancy tip I have been given (by a medical professional mind you!)... If you’re feeling low on Iron, Milo is a great source, though you have to eat it straight from the tin because when you mix it with milk, the Vitamin D kind of counteracts with the Iron... Hey I don’t need an excuse to eat Milo straight from the tin!!! But I will use that as justification!!!

Madame....

Ive been meaning to advertise this event on my blog for a while, but of course old Fuzz-Brain here didn't get around to it, and so the author talk was last night and it was great but I still wanted to spruik about his gorgeous little book Madame Brussels: this moral pandemonium by L.M. Robinson. All about Melbourne's "Queen of Harlotry", MB was a brothel owner in Melbourne in the 1880's and 90's and as much as I cant go past anything on this topic... This book is so much more than that!!! It's a great alternative history of Melbourne, delves into the Parliament of the time (MB was widely suspected of being the thief of the Victorian parliamentary mace... taken by some girls and some of her (many) politician clients for some... Hck Hmm... Parliamentary role play... By the way there is still a $50,000 reward out there for the Mace if anyone knows its whereabouts.



Anyways it's a fab little book by my new favourite publishers Arcade publications who are specialising in these quirky, local untold stories.

They have two new books coming out soon too which I'm really excited about. Our Girls: Aussie Pin-Ups of the 40's and 50's... I've already got the Librarian beauty pageant lined up for that one! and Hoax Nation which I think will be just fascinating.


It's just a pity that our Council's communications dept. didn't get behind us in advertising this event... apparently they "ran out of time" (hhmmmm... that's never happened before) which is why it didn't get into the local papers and council news things etc... guess it was all just a bit too saucy for them!

All a bit too much...

Hi there,

Yup, it's been a while, my head feels like a big fuzzball lately and its hard to concentrate on anything much at all really. Besides, I don't want to fill my blog with one big whinge about sore backs, headaches, not being able to sleep, big tummies and weird legs!!!

I've been reading Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery. It was recommended to me by my very spunky and intelligent friend A whose recommendations I take very seriously. It's taken me a while to get into it which should be no reflection on this book, instead on my state of current being (see above). It's a great book, just a little too much philosophy, art and Russian literature references for my poor pregnancy brain to cope with at the mo!

My friend A is pretty ace, and we met under those kind of weird circumstances that make you think there is a reason you are meant to be friends with this person.

It was when I was working at Camp Becket back in '01. I stayed on to work at the Family Camp after the main camp was finished. A was there with a couple of kids she knew whose parents had some sort of overseas thing come up but didn't want the kids to miss out on the family camp, so they employed A to act as a nanny type thing and take them... a little random... and poor A didn't really fit in anywhere and ended up hanging out with the staff while the kids were occupied. We hit it off immediately and bonded over music, books, feminism etc. etc. Caught up when I visited Boston... then when I visited Boston again, and again... She's a bit of a good sort!!!

I'm sorry but that is just really really creepy...

http://www.bust.com/blog/2009/08/05/kid-tested-mother-approved.html

Ms Anna

And then Click Here to see Melbourne's greatest GoGo dancer... who is not smarter than a 5th grader!

Ms. Pearl

Click here to see the worlds most famous librarian, Nancy Pearl in action!!!

Media Whore...

Check me out making it into both the local paper and Incite in the same week...

what a show off!

Revelations...

I realised something on the weekend. You know how when your a kid and your parents lock you in your room and you think "this is a stupid punishment, all the best stuff is in here." I realise now you weren't locked in your room so much as punishment, but because your parents were at the end of your tether and about to kill you and needed you out of their sight for a while!!!

It's like other revelations you have from childhood. Like when I realised why I always got the bronze medal in ballet. (coz one girls mum always played the piano for the concert and the other's mum did all the organization of it! Politics!!) or like that time when I took my smurf soft toy to mum and asked her to wash him for me and he came back sooooo clean, then years later I found out she had just gone and bought a new one!

Does this happen to everyone or was it just me who was really gullible as a kid?

Rock & Roll Library

Check out this art exhibit from the Clash's guitarist Mick Jones titled Rock & Roll public library

These are two of my favourite things...

Libraries and Ice Cream... I am all for it!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jul/30/ice-cream-libraries-ben-and-jerrys

Robots in disc eyes....

I'm sorry to have another rant, but really, I don't get a lot of time to watch movies these days so it really pisses me off when I do and it turns out to be a waste of two hours of my life which could have been better spent sleeping or eating!

Last night we watched the Transformers movie... I cant remember when I saw such a crap film... if I've seen a movie that crap recently I've obviously blocked it out because it was god damn shite... Not even a good camp 80's reference to save it! In fact it's making me angry just thinking about how shite it was... think I better sit down with some chamomile tea and relax for a bit...

Now as you know, I also took myself off to the movies on Friday by myself with the idea of having a choc top and a good sob. I went and saw My Sister's Keeper, which I would have probably said was a nice piece of sappy-ness despite the time waste-y floaty kind of bits, If I hadn't recently read the book and been pleasantly surprised. But whats with the leaving out of characters, creating new ones, leaving out important plot lines and worst of all... changing the ending which gets rid of the twist at the end which ms. Picoult is (apparently) known for! GGGGrrrrrrrrr. Still had a great cry though... I sobbed like only an overly hormonal pregnant woman can!!!

Now I'm getting a little worried, I just finished Mao's Last Dancer (as in the book) and kind of really loved it but am a bit scared of what they are going to do to that in movie form (coming soon the posters tell me...) but also a bit curious...

I did like Coco Avant Chanel though... go see that one!

And I did get to see a trailer for Where the wild things are which made me very excited!

Shuffle of Shame...

I love a good Facebook game... mostly for their time wasting abilities...

The Shuffle of Shame.

Instructions/Rules/Whatever:

Once you've been tagged...(1) Turn on your MP3 player (or ITunes).(2) Go to SHUFFLE songs mode and write down the first 30 songs that come up--song title and artist--NO editing/cheating, please. If you wanna be sneaky you can make a smart playlist, limited to 30 songs selected by random.(4) Choose 25 (or so) people to be tagged. It is generally considered to be in good taste to tag the person who tagged you.
If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about your musical tastes, or at least a random sampling thereof.
(To do this, go to "NOTES" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, enter your 30 Shuffle Songs, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click Publish, the little blue box at the bottom of your screen).

Alli's Shuffle... (this should be good... or embarrassing!)

1. Bad Influence - Pink
2. Just a girl - No Doubt
3. When I grow up - Garbage
4. Ray of light - Madonna
5. Ace of Spades - Motorhead
6. I'm outta love - Anastacia
7. Whole lotta love - Led Zepplin
8. Stop - Spice Girls
9. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
10. Drugs don't work - Ben Harper
11. Atomic - Blondie
12. Lets Groove - Earth Wind and Fire
13. Dr Beat - Gloria Estifan
14. Women - Easybeats
15. Bloody Motherfucking Asshole - Martha Wainright
16. Shake your body down to the ground - Jackson 5
17. (whats so funny bout) Peace love and understanding - Elvis Costello
18. For what it's worth - Buffalo Springfield
19. The Living Daylights - Aha
20. Dirrty - Christina Aguilera
21. Distant Sun - Crowded House
22. Slow - Kylie Minogue
23. Unpretty - TLC
24. Bright side of the road - Van Morrison
25. Without me - Eminiem
26. These boots are made for walking - Nancy Sinatra
27. Let's dance - David Bowie
28. Sister Moon - Transvision Vamp
29. I still haven't found what I'm looking for - U2
30. Shut Up - Black Eyed Peas

OK. so that wasn't too embarrassing... could have been a lot worse

Book Club...

Today I have the Red Couch Book Club, and once again, I'm only half way through the book. What is it, they are all books I want to read, but I think its a bit too much like school, because I have to read it, my subconscious mind finds any reason for me not to!!!!

Can someone please do some sort of psychology thesis on the subject... taa.

Now I'm off to find some study notes on Mao's last dancer so I can cheat!!!

Footy and the Beast...

If there is one actor at the moment I think is a bit of alright it's local boy Eric Bana... He was on Letterman the other night and it's pretty funny listening to him try to explain Aussie Rules to Dave Letterman...

Can't wait to see Love the Beast!

Movies etc...

A few years ago me going to the movies twice in one week would be common practice, but these days... I think I have been to the movies twice... a year, if that!

Last Saturday some of my favourite girly friends took me on "Allison's Amazing Birthday Adventure" which was really just a day of fun, girly laughs. I had three choices, I chose box number three which involved going to see Coco Avant Chanel which was lovely, even if we were running a little late and had to sit in the front row which was not fun with subtitles!

Today I am a bit of a loose end and it's nice and sunny, so I'm gonna take myself on another Yarraville adventure. My sister's keeper is on at the Sun Theatre. It's probably not the sort of movie I would normally go see, but I read the book only a couple of months ago, and I need a good cry!!! (that's why I'm going on my own!) Might have a bit of a wander, some lunch, coffee, check out HausFrau bakery (well I am home alone tonight!!!), add a few titles to my Books to check out in the Sun bookshop... Sounds good to me!!!

Librarians...

Attention Everyone...

The Librarians is back, series 2 starts next Wednesday at 9pm. Keep an eye out for the awards ceremony scene and look out for a certain HotRodLibrarian sitting in the very back row!!!

Thats my bag baby...

Found this great Blog Awful Library Books but was a little dismayed that the first post I see talks about the book on my fabulous library bag...

I think it sounds great... now where can I get me a copy?

Soft Porn + Bad Horror movie Gore = Quality Aussie Drama?

Ive been spending a fair bit of time on the couch where all good pregnant women should be on their week off in the middle of winter with a tub of Ice-cream (for medicinal purposesof course!).

My companion in this weeks non-adventure has been Underbelly:a tale of two cities. Quality Aussie Drama? Well there’s a lot of titties, and the violence is almost cartoon like, though I did enjoy the blood spattered lens during the cricket bat scene!

I’m only half way through so I’m gonna give it a chance, it’s kind of addictive in a car crash viewing kind of way. I really don’t remember the first one being quite this bad... Is it overkill? Cheap bandwagon jumping or just really, really bad????

So many books...

There are so many books on my list of must reads I have now got a book dedicated to them!!! Plus I couldn’t resist the cute “Books to Check Out” Library reference!

P.S. Ive already filled 8 ½ pages from my old lists, and that doesn’t include any of the books I actually own!

Pregancy Brain

You know I never believed that thing about pregnancy brain until I became pregnant myself... I thought it was just a poor excuse for everyday vagueness... No way! I have been the most ditziest, most clutsy, most forgetful, most... um... I cant remember!

A friend told me once that it needs to happen, if your brain actually had to consciously cope with everything that was going on, both internally and externally, it would have a complete meltdown! I mean, think about it, not only are you building a whole nervous system, but your whole life is about to be turned upside down! Things that were once important to you no longer hold the significance they once did, basically you are never going to be that person again and that, for me, was one of the hardest things to cope with!

And geeez I am so freakin' sick of being pregnant! No wonder... I worked out the other day that in the past year, I have been pregnant for 10 months of it!!!! and Ive still got a couple of months to go...

And to top it all off I had to suffer through my first experience of major shopping mall tanties from the Little Miss on Monday! I think it may have been punishment for her staying at her grammies the night before (which she loves... but I seem to get some major drama's every time!) Twas fun... lots of feeling sorry for me looks!!! But after lunch and a big poo it was all over!!!

Still didn't manage to get in the way of some major birthday shopping on my part... including cherry-patterned gumboots, several favourite new outfits (which all consist of PJ's and lots of other fun stuff!!!!