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Falling Haiku Leaf

Graffiti Archaeology - Art or Annoyance?

December 6th 2006 23:45

What are your views on graffiti as art?

Eyesore or Urban Art, a prominent mural on Erskineville Road was removed from a terrace wall yesterday. Personally, I’ve never really liked this mural but it had been there for as long as I can remember and I’m sure it’s removal will surprise a number of locals and commuters traveling along the busy back streets linking East to Inner West this morning.

Living in a graffiti heavy suburb, I enjoy watching new art emerge, literally overnight. Political statements or quirky stencils, there’s always something new to spot on the way to the park or day care. My favourite local artist has painted signature “Kill Pixies” all over Newtown. One of the best “Kill Pixie” site was recently painted over with some great fluro tags, but it made me wish I’d taken a picture of it for Graffiti Archaeology.

Graffiti Archaeology is a movement dedicated to recording the ever changing urban art landscape by photographing well known graffiti locations over time and posting them online.

Grafarc.org claim to be the originators, starting in San Francisco in the late 1990’s. Now there are hundreds of thousands of sites, with a Flickr photo pool boasting over two thousand members. Flickr Graffiti

I remember the fabulously dreadful 80’s movie “Beat Street”. Ramon was a gifted graffiti artist whose work is routinely “vandalized” by a tagger named “Spit”. In a desperate underground struggle with Spit, Ramon dies, giving his mate Kenny the motivation he was otherwise lacking to focus his own musical talents. Gangs unite and stop their rumbles then everyone break dances the night away at a tribute showcasing Ramon’s art and the Rock Steady Crew.

If only Graffiti Archaeology was around in 1984, this tragic onscreen death could have been avoided.

Does graffiti deserve appreciation as art?

Jean-Michel Basquiat, as Robert Hughes said, was one "dead hot" artist, who started out with graffiti. Here is an imitation of his signature "Samo Shit" graffito.

Less than artistic imitation of Jean-Michel Basquiat - image from Wikipedia

Is this graffiti imitating art or an artistic imitation of graffiti?

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Work Christmas Parties - Three Colleagues To Avoid

November 30th 2006 22:26

With work Christmas Parties starting up, this is my list of the three worst WCP regulars to avoid like the plague. Get stuck with these guys and you’ll wish you had the plague, if only to pass it on.

1. The Drunk Nanna
There’s always an older lady at the WCP, usually from middle management. She claims she prefers it there, but doesn’t have a lot in common with the rest of the late twenty to mid thirty middle management posse. She’s been repeatedly overlooked for promotion as her “attention to detail” is dismissed, correctly, as anal petty attempts to discredit everyone else.

Come WCP, this monument to judgmental sensibility and sobriety will be in a corner, nursing a years worth of disregard with a grudge, a bottle of the hard stuff and her friend – that strange, quite woman with the cats, whose name no one remembers. By third drinks, she’ll have consumed eight. Don’t be fooled by the “happy festive” smile, the tinsel and curling ribbon hanging from her hair or the drunken camaraderie. She’s always got a nasty little secret lurking under that smile, which she’ll share for one night only. Could be a racist streak, a story about her abusive ex-husband or childhood molestation trauma. Whatever the hell it is, you certainly don’t want to hear it. And she’ll never forgive you if you remember her behavior at the Party, which usually ends in tears, a fake resignation and someone from HR escorting her to a waiting taxi before you’re even slurring.

Recommended Action – keep plying her with drinks.

2. The Limpet

The Limpet, generally male, 40 something. He may spend his working day in the cubical next door but clearly lives on another planet. The Limpet starts off the evening smiling at everyone, afraid to talk. As preparation to joining in conversations, he’ll study others, slowly, attentively. Your conversation and interests are alien to him. And by nine o’clock, you’re going to find out why.

The Limpet is an expert in a very small and obscure field. We’re not talking about your garden variety socially inept nerd who plays D&

. We’re talking weird. The kinda weird the self proclaimed office eccentric could only dream of (mostly because the self proclaimed office eccentric is essentially a shallow dud with no interests other than itself). Before you know it, you’ll be trapped at a back table finding out just why the pike men were of more strategic importance than the archers at the Battle of Agincourt, in graphic detail, with a full list of the dead. Or how the Oronteus Finnaeus map of 1532 proves Antarctica is Atlantis (he may have a copy of the map on him). Or the teaching of David Icke.

Escape – there is none. He’ll follow you to the bar, to the toilet, all the way to your waiting taxi, oblivious that you’re trying to ditch him.

3. The Desperate Flirts

In the female – younger, but still not fuck worthy, even for the most pathetic. She’ll hit on young and old, fall out of her top and say “Whoops!” a hell of a lot. She’ll just go on and on about shit all night in the hope someone finds her interesting enough to go home with. Do not, I repeat, do not let her put an arm around you. Those octopus tentacles are hard to dislodge.

Escape – tell her the Limpet has been talking about her all night.

In a male – older, lecherous and so drunk he’ll think his life experiences are interesting enough for him to embark upon an impromptu tutorial for the younger women at the WCP. He may sing, recite Tennyson, or even try dancing. He will certainly offer someone a massage. The special one he was taught in Bangkok.

Escape – ask if this is why his wife left him.

Ah, December! Drunken colleagues telling you crap about their lives. Praise be that it only comes around once a year.

Image from Wikipedia

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TV Chefs - The Good, The Bland and The Ugly

November 15th 2006 09:56

Yes - another list

The Good.

1. The Iron Chefs
What’s better – the theme ingredient, the dubbing or Chairman Kaga’s wardrobe? Who is your favorite Iron Chef? My ultimate Iron Chef is Hiroyuki Sakai, the foie gras fiend. Soccer Dad favoures Chen, the Sichuan Sage. We started holding Iron Chef dinner paries when the show first aired on SBS and now, three years later, Saturday night at our house is a regular for friends and family. My sister does a mean commantry. Iron Chef has to be one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, and I’m just sorry I didn’t mention it on “Best Show Ever” post. This show has it all.

2. Floyd
We love Floyd. We love watching him stagger and slur his way through each show. Accidentally pouring wine into a dish then taking a swig of the brandy he intended to use. The suspense of waiting for Floyd to either keel over or flambé himself. “Keep away from the naked flame, Floyd!” Soccer Dad tries to warn him. Some of Floyds quotes are hysterical too – “You should always have a bottle of wine when cooking, and sometimes use it to cook with”. In November 2004, Floyd lost his drivers license for being three and a half times over the limit. And sadly, it looks as if the years of alcohol are taking their toll. Reports are in that he was nearly incoherent during a recent interview.

3. Two Fat Ladies
"Take a pound of duck liver, a pound of pork mince, a pound of diced steak, a pound of butter, wrap it in bacon, smear it with goose fat and gently simmer in butter and cream.” Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright cycling around the British countryside, leaving a trail of cholesterol and impending heart disease in their wake. Watching Jennifer digging her bling laden red claws into the food was the best part of this show – sad she is no longer with us, but really, who isn’t surprised she didn’t croak earlier than 71. I also adore the incidental banter, launching into Tennyson or Shakespeare. And watching them eyeing off the meat while it’s still walking.

4. Geoff Jansz
Geoff is the ultimate nice guy in the celebrity chef circuit. He’s cooking is simple and straightforward, like so many out there. But what puts Geoff head and shoulders above the posers is the down to earth charm he brings to his show. A charm others can only emulate, and rarely pull off. He views recipes as a starting point only, from where one can build on an idea and create their own version of a meal, to hand down in family traditions. I also believe Geoff had an over the limit incident once – on a bike.

5. Bender
When worlds collide – our two favorite shows came together with Futurama and Iron Chef. Bender challenged Futurama celebrity chef Elzar to an Iron Cook Battle in Kitchen Coliseum. The theme ingredient was Soylant Green. Futurama got Iron Chef down pat, complete with the commentary.

Hiroki: Aki, what’s Elzar making?
Aki: Well, Hiroki-san, when I asked him, he asked what business it was of mine and conjectured that my mother was a prostitute.

And Bender won – with the help of a secret ingredient. LSD.
Image from Wikipedia

The Bland

1. Jamie Oliver
I can’t stand Jamie Oliver. In fact, I can’t even go on writing about him. Puck Off, Arse Clown.

2. Ian "Heuy" Hewitson
I know when Heuy is on because Soccer Dad starts yelling at the TV. “I’m making leak and chicken soup. I’m using leak, but you can use anything.” Now while I love Geoff Jansz’s attitude, you have to draw the line somewhere. Heuy’s food is nothing more than an adventure into the Bi-Lo boring aisle. But what we hate the most is Heuy’s use of his trusty tea towel. The towel spends most of the show firmly wedged down Heuy’s backside. Then he pulls it out to “tidy up” the plate with, his bum crack sweat. “Why don’t you just throw the ingredients into your pants and go for a jog!!!” Soccer Dad yells.

2. Bill Granger
Australia’s Jamie Oliver. Bill Granger makes a sandwich. Bill Granger BBQ’s prawns. Bill Granger uses nice crockery. Bill Granger smiles a lot. Bill Granger tosses a salad. Honestly, a hat stand with a blond wig and an alarmingly camp shirt could cover for Bill while he’s off having his teeth whitened.

The Ugly

1. Beverly
Cooking Cleverly With Beverly was a community access programme that ran on Channel 31 several years ago. Vegan Cooking. We caught it once. Now the gimmick was that Beverly didn’t exist, but that didn’t make the show anymore watchable than the vegan cooking did. Beverly’s assistant was the real “chef”, boiling free range potatoes from what looked like a filthy share house kitchen. At the end of the show, she treated her vegan friends – one of whom looked suspiciously like Jay from Frenzal Rhomb – to her “feast”. Eerily emaciated and grinning manically, the vegans failed to convey the true taste of the food, but looked like they were just happy to get a meal out of a kitchen rather than a dumpster. And I use the word “kitchen” with trepidation

2. Community Access Possum Guy
Another gem from Channel 31. Covered in Long Bay tats and complete with missing teeth, we watched this guy cook Possum, with a sick fascination. Way past creepy. You got the feeling possum was something he regularly treated backpackers to by the campfire, all alone. With his twelve gauge. So very ugly.

Don't I look Yum!

Tell me all about your favourite TV culinary viewing. The Good, The Bland and the Ugly!

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That’s It, I’m Ringing The Robot Santa! Or Why I Love Futurama.

November 8th 2006 04:21

If you’ve stopped by my blog, you’ll know that I am a Bad Mother. I’m underachieving. I lie to my child. I let him stay up late. I will sit him down in front of his favourite computer games just to get some peace. When I need to talk on the phone, I paralyse him but putting Pixar on.

Worst of all, his hero is Bender. Go Bender Go Bender – he dances. We love Futurama. It’s our very favourite. Number One Son knows every episode from the first frame, but there are two episodes he is scared of and we skip through – the ones that feature the Futurama Santa

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2006 Newtown Festival - Something for Everyone, Especially at the Writer's Tent

November 6th 2006 02:40

Dreamfest - The 2006 Newtown Festival

My favourite calendar event - The Newtown Festival is on again this Sunday, 12th November, at Camperdown Memorial Park, from 9am – 5.30pm. Boasting over 80,000 attendants last year, with a rich cultural and ethnic eclecticism, no one feels out of place in Newtown. It’s a great day out with something for everyone, especially at the Writer’s Tent

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Mid Week Horoscope - Aries Lucky Beer – VB.

November 2nd 2006 11:19

Virgo
Just because you want to clean doesn’t mean you have to. Put down the mop, click your Spray and Whip down from kill to stun and repeat after me “There’s no place like mould, there’s no place like mould, there’s no place like mould.”

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The Arias - Sorry Justine, You Can't Beat The Wiggles

October 30th 2006 01:31

Surprise Surprise – The Wiggles win “Best Children’s Album”.

Sadly, there was little competition. They were up against The Hooly Dooleys – who just suck, there are no two ways about it – The Fairies and High Five – bands created for the sole purpose of marketing merchandise. There was one dark horse in the running, Justine Clarke, poising the only real threat

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My Top 5 Worst Flatmates or Who Ate My Tofu?

October 27th 2006 11:55

I loved John Birmingham’s book He Died With A Falafel in His Hand. The movie sucked, but I guess that’s what you get when you cast Noah Taylor. Sorry Slem, but you should never have sold the movie rights to Richard Lowenstein*.

The dreadful horror of shared houses. I lived in my unfair share as a Uni student in Glebe and Newtown. Thankfully, those years are well behind me. But when an old flat mate asked for asylum two weeks ago, we had to give it. He went on a six week trip to England to meet his natural father for the first time. And came home to find that his flat mate had sold his bike, TV, laptop, lounge, white goods and set of Mundial Knives. The police said that there was little they could do as most of the items are considered “Communal Property”. Naturally, the daily topic is “Flatmates From Hell

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My Evil Bundle of Joy

October 24th 2006 03:18

You get asked a myriad of idiot questions when you have a new born.

“Was it an easy birth?” – Yes. I was disappointed that it wasn’t harder

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Apparently, Jesus Loves Me - What’s The Most Bizarre Google Ad Your Blog Has Generated?

October 22nd 2006 08:50

Advertising on your Blog.

For those of you who pop by and read my blog, you’ll know that it’s mostly about parenting. The advertising I generally attract is related to children, pregnancy, humour and poetry

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December 2006

1 Posts

November 2006

5 Posts