A Chicago Saturday Sunrise

Insomnia sucks. After a fun night watching 'Hot Fuzz' again with LP and 9Niner over a couple of beers at Brew & View at the Vic (I think one of my fav Chicago spots...like the Metro Theatre venue in Sydney, with a big screen showing movies and beer on tap!) I strangely couldn't get a proper nights sleep. So around 4am I got up and thought, what better day to get up and hit the bike and take some early morning photo's around the Lake near our apartment. What a lovely morning.

Music was selected;

Underpass from our side of the street under Lake Shore Drive to the Lake;

Boats around Belmont Harbour;

City skyline with a plethora of fishermen;

Sunrise over Belmont Harbour;

View from the bike track across Lake Shore Drive to my neighbourhood;

Now its 7.57am, and I might hop back into bed...or brew a pot of coffee!

Have a great weekend everyone!

My fetish!

Ok, I am confessing to a 'wee' fetish and obsession of mine. This is not one of your run of the mill sexual fetishes, like those who get off on people in denim, leather or themselves. It is just a obsessive fetish for...pens. Stationary in general, to be exact! No matter where I work, if there is great stationary on offer, I usually stock myself up! I am from the school of 'you can NEVER have too many pens!' Which brings me to today's adventure.

I was given the grand tour of the stationary department of the Ad Agency I work for today, and let me say, this Lil Aussie was in a shopping heaven!! I was told to set myself up with whatever quality stationary I needed, even though my office is stock up on pens, note pads, highlighters, you get the picture. I spent a good 35mins going through the plethora of cupboards and draws almost salivating at the quality of the products they had on offer, and subsequently going back to my office with a little carrier bag full! Pens with different grade nibs, gel inks, Sharpies (permanent markers) in 5 different sizes, and four different colours, big note pads, little ones, post it notes in so many various shapes and sizes that I simply HAD to have one of each!

It is definitely true to say that I am truly never without a pen. Or note pad. Or post it notes! You may just NEVER know when you may need them...

I think I should start practicing my rehab chant...'Hi. My name is Aussie and I am an addict'

On a further note, the first reviews of 'Transformers' are in from Australian screens and they are MOST favourable!! Which is whetting my appetite even further for next weeks North American release even more!!!! I'M GEEKILY EXCITED!!!!!

Oscar

Thanks Bobby for the following snap of my fav little 'woolly sheep that barks', Oscar.
It's the simple things that can brighten a day.

The Tears Dry On Their Own.

Amy Winhouse's new clip is a modern day version of Massive Attack's Unfinished Sympathy, which is in my top ten fav songs of all time, with addition of drag queens and trannies.
Great song from Amy, showcases her voice nicely.

Transformers for me!

I am so looking forward to the new Transformers film. I was a serious addict when I was in my early years.Collected all the toys, had the videos, comic and even movie soundtrack (priceless 80's cock rock for a cartoon!) Loved the escapism from reality, the thought of joining some alien robots combat the forces of evil. It was fantastical.

One of the most traumatic experiences in my childhood was when I went snooping for Optimus Prime I was getting for Christmas. I searched my parents room, took it out of the box and proceeded to play with it. Lets just say they were not impressed to see me sitting on the floor in their room playing with what should have been my Christmas present. Mum was even adamant she was going to take it back and I was to have nothing else. I cried and grovelled begging her profusely to not return it! She didn't, phew cause he was kick arse, but the moral of the story is....ah, who cares?
But I am most excited about the new movie, staring Shia LaBeouf. Don't know what I typed his name...Shia Labeouf, Shia Labeouf...sounds like he should be working the Moulin Rouge.

End my 5 days of Garbage with 'Breaking Up The Girl' from Version 2.0.

Fridays Garbage!

This week has been an eventful one. It was a week I started a new job at an Advertising Agency as an Accounts Assistant 3 days a week (who would have thought, numbers and me, blending together harmoniously!) AND I am loving it! 9-5pm, my own office, working autonomously, and I get to play music all day!! Sweeeeet!
After a long & busy work week for me, here are some things I have managed to achieve;
* I finally satisfied my craving for chili mac at Harmony Grill (the BEST chili mac in Chicago! Its exactly what it sounds like, a layer of meat chili, covered by a layer of mac & cheese, with some breadcrumbs on top and grilled slightly. So good!)
* I visited Chicago's Botanical Gardens and got a nature fix. However the seas of people indicated that school holidays really aren't the time to go there for some peace and quiet.
* Found a pub on Broadway which had $3 Stella's and deep fried mac & cheese bites (soooo unbelievably good!!)
To end the week, I present ten indispensable Garbage tracks in random order;

1. Nobody Can Win
2. The Trick Is To Keep Breathing
3. Run Baby Run
4. Vow
5. Special
6. Cup Of Coffee
7. Parade
8. You Look So Fine
9. Supervixen
10. Medication

And today's track is 'Why Do You Love Me?' from 'Bleed Like Me'. One ferocious track I love rocking out too!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND, EVEYONE!

On The 'Run, Baby Run'

Too busy to post today....lots of work to be done! So to make up for yeterdays lack of Garbage, I am double dosing today.
Run Baby Run from their last album 'Bleed Like Me' and


Shut Your Mouth from 'Version 2.0'

Garbage! Absolute Total Garbage!

It is the week of Garbage! With the release of their greatest hits, 'Absolute Garbage' possibly-maybe-perhaps FINALLY scheduled for a 16th July release in Oz and the UK (North American release still not confirmed at this point) I have decided to post 5 tracks for 5 days. The first is a new release called 'Tell Me Where It Hurts'.
I love this band, so much fun live, and Shirley Manson is one of the coolest ladies I have had the privilege of meeting!
ROCK ON, YA'LL! (ok, that sounded tragic, but you get the idea!)

What does it mean??

Weird dream of the week #1.

My Grandmother, Tina Turner rode to see me on a tricycle, with her new 'husbang' Dean Geyer on the handlebars. She was telling me all about her days in the Navy, whislt sitting at a bar somewhere in the middle of a Wal Mart.

Weird...just ever so slightly...

Now on with the day.

My love of Purell! (5 things you may not have known about Lil Aussie)

Today, I want to share a few things about One Lil Aussie that some people may not know. Others know them all. Its a bit of a cathartic post.

I am a rather simple man (in more ways than one!), not very high maintenance and do not need very much these days for a happy existence. However the following things 5 things make me one very happy Lil Aussie.

1. Purell Hand Sanitizer - As most of the people close to me know, I am a bit of a germ-a-phobe. I don't touch metal poles on trains or buses, carry my own pen around everywhere, despise public bathrooms. I have been like this all my life, and it was even was the subject at a dinner party I attended with my old mate in Sydney and her parents around 8 years ago (they thought I was mad! Wait till the outbreak of flesh eating virus, and then we will see who is crazy, mmmkay???) I purchased two 354ml/12Oz bottles for $4 at said Kroger...Managers Special! Now my desk at work is complete.

2. Music. What can I say. EVERYONE who knows me (or reads this blog can figure out) that I am a true music junkie. I don't function without music, and need it on a daily basis. I am not much of a music snob, if anyone can take the time to make a record/ep, I am pretty sure I will give it a listen. (that said, I DO draw the line at Paris Hilton!) Nuff said!

3. My nieces - I have two of the most gorgeous wonderful little bunnies in the whole world. Nothing surpasses them in my book and they are two beings I would gladly give my life for. As I am a big kid myself, nothing makes me feel more humble, more at ease, more relaxed about my life than holding and laughing with a child. Every other trouble/worry/materialistic thing pales in comparison when you have the responsibility of taking care of a child. Most of the happiest memories I have over the past four years have had Chloe in them. With the addition two years ago of Emma, I am one very stoked Uncle.

4. Friends - When I turned 30, I took time to re-evaluate my life, and the company I keep. Everyone needs to do this every so often to ensure you keep moving forward in your life, and not take too many steps back. Besides life is far too short to be wasting time on people who are not real, or that you really have nothing in common with. So I have a great cluster of friends around the globe whom I cherish closely. So this little homage to those folks with whom I couldn't live without. AUS & UK - Mikey, Boo, Princess, TP, Cells, Dolly Drop Draws, Fi, Moz, Wifee, Bobby, Luke and to my USA clan that keep me grounded and sane on a daily basis, starting with my Wonder Twin LP, Niner, Browler, Jay-Jay, Krista and the DC Gang!

5. My sanity. I have been through quite a bit for a 31 year old, and I have lived my life to the fullest in more ways than one. I have travelled the globe a couple of times over, met some AMAZING people, educated in Australia and the UK, hung out with the seedy to the snobby, and indulged in far too much of everything. I am so happy to have come out the other side with my sanity (or scraps of it!) still intact. Things that meant so much to me once, do not matter anymore. I learnt to be thankful with what I have and not dwell or beat myself up for my life not heading in the direction that I always dreamt it would. As Doris Day once sang, 'Que Sera, Sera' (OMG...that is probably the gayest thing I have said in a while!) Everyday is an adventure, and everyday I am thankful in one way or another for still being here! One thing I can NEVER call my life is boring.

Last but not least, there are four people with whom I thank the stars for daily. Mum, Dad, Fiona and Will. Thanks for putting up with this 6"4 crazy man, and loving me for what I am!

Happy Monday with Tracey Thorn!

Happy Monday everyone! A most 'loverley' weekend was had, starting with Taste Of Randolph Friday night and ending today with getting back from Indiana. Yet again a slight hangover was obtained.
So I will just post quickly now and kick start the week with the new single from Tracey Thorn called 'Raise The Roof'.

Who you callin' white trash???

I have done it! I have finally had my first White Castle for dinner. Hard to believe, I know, that I have been here this long and not sampled the culinary delights, but let me tell you, I feel nasty, dirty and soooo good!

So I will continue to cultivate my goatee for the weekend up at the lake, dust off the flannel, get me a rats tail or mullet, eat me some more White Castle, hang out at the Stock Cars & Wal Mart, drink some moonshine, everclear, or methylated spirits... shoot some pigs...you got the idea...
Then all I will need would be Will to knock out a couple of my teeth, and I will have the perfect look for Indiana!

Weekend, here I come!

Aussie-ism for the week!

'...they stick out like dogs balls!'

MEANING:

Used to describe something that is very obvious and stands out from the norm.

Half a year going, going...gone!

Well its June and half the year is over. After a false start and a couple of 'wee' hiccup's in a very crappy May, I have made my return to the Chicago Symphony. The Arts is back in my life again, and let me tell you, I am most relieved. Its feels just like the comfort of your fav T-shirt, its what you know, and I am back amongst it. I got a great response walking into the office this morning on my first day back, and it feels good.

A quick weekend recap, Friday night, I took Will to see 'Once', the modern day musical, and I loved it! Despite the motion sickness caused by the camera work, the simple story and of love lost/found and the exquisite songs by The Frames made this such a simple yet effective film. It was refreshing to see the emotions created by simple song mesh with film so harmoniously.

Saturday was spent running errands and having a wander around the Printers Row Book Festival, eating Taco Bell with Fred & Laura & then heading to Pontiac Cafe up in Wicker Park for a couple of Saturday afternoon beers in the sun. Thats when things started to get a little bit messy, in the best way! We headed to the Northside for a couple of Long Island Iced Tea's, some vodka cocktails and a shit load of laughing, and then Miss Laura and I headed off to Harmony Grill & Schuba's for some Chilli Mac (a layer of meat chilli covered in macaroni & cheese and lighltly baked in the oven. YUMMMMM!) whilst Will & Fred went to Will's brothers apartment for a bbq, where we would end up joining them later on in the night. Ahhh...good times! I feel like I am hanging out with my sister again when I am with Laura (considering they are he same height and same gaaaawjus looks! We are siblings from a different mother!) And she can go drink for drink with me, so for that, Laura I salute you!

Good times are ahead, as the Taste Of Randolph Festival is this coming weekend, where more eating and drinking will take place as we watch Fountains Of Wayne perform! Then its off to Indiana and the cottage for some peaceful R & R and a bit of swimming in the lake. Roll on June and summer.

Oh, and Happy Birthday, Will! Hope you are having a wonderful day!

So, to kick start the week, I give you a STOMPING summertime track from The Shapeshifters (remember 'Lola's Theme' & 'Back To Basics'), and their new single released 2nd July, 'Pusher'

Some Interlude Music...

Fountains of Wayne - Someone To Love.

Another 'wee' break.

I am off for a couple of weeks leave. Till I return, take care all!

Saturday's Stewie!

Still in the vein of lazy posting....something that always puts a 'smile on my dial'! Some Stewie Griffin.

'Don't Stop Now'....its Friday!!

New music for this warm Friday. Crowded House with 'Don't Stop Now'. This one is for Will! (we are off to see the guys at the House Of Blues on August 18th. A night where I will be mopping up Will's drool over Neil Finn. But should be absolutely brilliant!)
Happy weekend everyone!! I am kick starting mine by seeing 'Knocked Up' tonight! Can't wait!