another line of no particular meaning
There are Thoughts which come >>> And Thoughts which go >>>
And so ...
The repetitive purple lines below, in my formatting of this page, are in Persian Cuneiform.
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ARCHIVE 6 21st June 2003 to 5th October 2003 |
!! Equinox to [Atonement Day Minus One]!!
Sunday 5th October 2003ad
I have not been actually on-line for a week now; albeit I have kept this page updated off-line. I wonder if the internet is still there.
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Saturday 4th October 2003ad
There are some problems with having my New PC with Windows once more. In particular, the potential for time wasting has increased. I spent some hours today playing "God Of Thunder" - successfully I may add!
Dealing with stress [refer Ist October 2003] by avoiding. But this is just delaying the inevitable!
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I now have nearly eight stanzas of Shelley's "To A Skylark" to memory; half of which was this morning's work. So I have not been completely feckless!
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Friday 3rd October 2003ad
Just in front of the carpark, at the McHatton Street entrance of the North Sydney Dem. School, there lies a concrete slab, which cuts both a fence with a gate; & splits perpendicular, two sets of half-dozen steps. At 12.50pm, I saw there, a half-eaten slight bird corpse. To me, it seemed a half-grown Noisy Miner. Another young Noisy Miner was loudly calling for food, but I could not see it for some while. Finally, just when leaving, I saw it perched on the steel upper rail of the wire fence. It was under some leaves, which blew up from time to time in the small gale, only to drop down & camouflage the pleader once. One parent was close by.
Sad it was for me! The corpse, for sure, was the sibling of the morose youngster on the fence. So this, a mere 31 days on, is the result of the scourge of time against that frolicking pair of 12th September. It is the same territory. It is them.
The handiwork said: death by cat. Hard lessons for small birds.
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Thursday 2nd October 2003ad
My response to yesterday's unpleasant news: this morning, on my way to work, I began to memorise the words of Percy Bysshe Shelley, in his poem: "To A Skylark". To my surprise, I managed to get the first three stanzas essentially in my head, before I reached work. But then there is a longish wait for a train at North Sydney.
"To A Skylark" is much longer than the three of Shelley's, which I have already memorised: "Ozymandias"; "Sonnet: England In 1819"; "Mutability". So, despite my love of it, I have held off an attempt at it until now.
There is something, at the once, both inspiring and melancholy, about his verse; irrespective of his purpose, with any particular set of lines.
[see also 13th August 2003 & 1st August 2003.]
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Wednesday 1st October 2003ad
Still I am getting my head around last night's relevation by telephone: the Strata Body Corporate has determined that the shower cubicle in the flat I rent, is to be jackhammered apart and then put back together. This despite me being told by plummers for the Strata in May this year, that the said shower cubicle was not leaking.
One's home is a small sanctuary from the modern swirl of outer madness. Such an invasion of the mechanically minded, however well intentioned, helps not an attempt at mental harmony!
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Tuesday 30th September 2003ad
At 1.44pm, I saw a pair of Rainbow Lorrikeets in a Grevillea Tree, near corner of McKye Street & Tunks Street. They were feeding on nectar from blossoms near the top of the tree. Unusually for this species, they chattered very quietly to each other. Perhaps they wanted all the nectar for themselves. A Noisy Miner did notice, however, and it took nectar from blossoms at the other end of the tree's foilage.
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Monday 29th September 2003ad
Pleasure is over-rated;
Pain is more reliable.
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Sunday 28th September 2003ad
There was Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin" on friday night; last night, Roger Woodward played Rachmaniov with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra; and today, the SBS Youth Orchestra with an eleven year old violin soloist playing Vivaldi. I fain would have attended all, but the drear circumstances of existence lead to me attending none.
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Saturday 27th September 2003ad
At 9.50pm, I was in a sequence of trying things on my New PC, by looking for possible "lazarus programmes" in the windows area of my Old PC, then seeing if they would run on the MS-DOS white letters on black screen of my new PC. At the said time, I noticed there was a certain "scanreg.exe". So I keyed:
C:\windows\options\cabs\scanreg.exe
It gave me the option of restoring a backed up registry. I chose the oldest, which was four days prior to the Norton Recovery Disk crashing my Windows. At the prompt, I restarted the PC. The old wallpaper came up. It was a surprise, a pleasing one too, but it had been so long, since 28th May this year, that I could not get too excited. Like, I wanted to be ecstatic! And thought I should be! ... But all my mind felt was a weariness; as if only of a myriad problems had been solved.
Odd, that something called "Scanreg.exe" does not only scan, but also backs up & restores Window Registry!
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Friday 26th September 2003ad
For the second day running, the breeze was warm to hot in North Sydney; but when I had left the Pacific Highway and crossed down the hillslope to Waverton proper, it was just as gusty, but was cool.
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Thursday 25th September 2003ad
For some reason, my mind has been crossed by the idea: get the Budgies a pet Goldfish; to teach them responsibility. No point in wasting thought on sensible, logical ideas.
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Wednesday 24th September 2003ad
At 12.45pm, I almost stood on a Blue Tongued Lizard, which was warming itself under the mottled shade, on the grassy verge outside 30 Crows Nest Road in Waverton. I carefully walked around it. The Lizard seemed unconcerned, flicking a blue tongue to taste the air in my direction, but otherwise just lazing. I moved away to a discrete distance and quietly watched it for about a minute. It slowly crawled along for some two metres, then rested once more. With that, I went on with what I was about.
However, only two minutes later, when I turned back to where it had been, The Blue Tongue had completely disappeared. Although I could not see any obvious burrow entrances, there must have been such close by.
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Tuesday 23rd September 2003ad
Pauline Hanson & David Ettridge lost their final appeal for bail, which was to the High Court of Australia. So they both stay in prison, until the appeal against their fraud convictions is held in november.
I believe she said at one point, during this long bail appeal process, that truth will get her out of prison. Actually, it was truth that put her in.
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From 8.00pm to ~9.20pm, I listened to a live broadcast of a concert on ABC FM [or "ABC Classic Music", as it is now styled!]. It was the next performance of the Australian Chamber Orchestra tour, which concert I was at on sunday. Once more the programme was rearranged, in exactly the same way, to cover Dawn Upshaw's absence through throat infection. I enjoyed it once more; albeit it is not the same as being there.
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Monday 22nd September 2003ad
Is the ability to virtouso kick a football, really something to praise with vast sums of money? We live in a world with sadly mad priorities!
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Sunday 21st September 2003ad
The morning began slowly; but opened in to a pleasurable climax as the sun rose towards its apex, scattering the early low cloud to oblivion. I was so out there, that I threatened to miss the concert at 2.30pm. But I made it across the Harbour to the Opera House on time. If only just!
The Australian Chamber Orchestra, sans Dawn Upshaw. The Soprano had a severely inflamed throat, which meant that the Concert programme had to be rearranged at the last moment. The Orchestra's Director, Richard Tognetti must have had a far less languid morning than I did. The end result was delightful music: Corelli; J.S. Bach; Ravel; Veress & Bartók.
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Saturday 20th September 2003ad
"Yes" Concert. 8.00pm. Sydney Entertainment Centre.
"Sebastian Hardie" was the support band, and played for some forty minutes; having started nearly ten minutes early, so to get all they wanted in their segment. I actually remembered all the songs. They played, essentially, their pivotal early 70s album: "The Four Moments". After the concert, I bought the CD at the merchandise stand. "Yes" are unusual, in letting the support band also sell merchandise.
"Yes" played for about 2 hours 20 minutes, including the éncore, and various little spiels from Jon Anderson [lead singer], a very over the top individual. I was prepared to be disappointed by these elderly rockers. But they were great; and the sheer joy they showed in their music was inspiring. The others in this version of "Yes" were Rick Wakeman [keyboards]; Steve Howe [Guitars]; Chris Squires [Bass] and Alan White [drums]. Indeed, this is probably the classic line-up of this band.
Symphonic Rock is alive and well. I only have one "Yes" CD, to wit "Fragile"; but I have been persuaded by this sustained quality to buy more.
Also, last but no means least, I met Michael Cussen of Townsville once more, at the concert. We were concurrent students at James Cook University; in a very remote time long past.
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Friday 19th September 2003ad
I finished, finally, Ronald Hutton's - "The Pagan Religions Of The Ancient British Isles - Their Nature And Legacy". It is in no way difficult to read, but is long, and I have such little free time.
The conclusion of this book is a seeming contradiction. Despite all the archaeolgical evidence, including numerous large standing stones and barrows and henges, we still know very little about what their actual understanding of God and the Cosmos was. And often, new evidence just makes what we thought we knew, recede once more in to the mists.
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Thursday 18th September 2003ad
Some very small cockroaches, barely two millimetres long, have been invading my home over recent days. Each of the four I have seen, have died a swift crushing death.
They do me no harm; spread no disease; and only eat what I have no need of: small specks of food which have fallen, and as a virtue of their size, have escaped my attention.
Never have I claimed to be free of all human irrationality.
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Wednesday 17th September 2003ad
I was waited for train, the words of "Predestination" - a poem I wrote in 1991 - came in to me head. Last saturday, when I was preparing work for an Anthology submission, I read it several times. Yet, this was in no way enough to remember all the words - and in the right sequence. It seems that I must have memorized it at the time. The words stayed somewhere, deep within my mind, just waiting for the right stimulus to infuse them with new life, twelve years on.
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Tuesday 16th September 2003ad
To my surprise many people at work watched this first ever episode of Doctor Who, and enjoyed it. But this could be novelty! When the three episodes of "The Tribe Of Gum" unfold - "The Cave Of Skulls" tonight; "The Forest Of Fear" wednesday; "The Firemaker" thursday - I am sure that the viewing will slowly fall off. Will the Daleks bring them back next week? Perhaps a small increase; then a falling away again.
Whilst I am still yet, a dedicated Doctor Who fan, I am a realist!
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Monday 15th September 2003ad
Dr Who - "An Unearthly Child" - ABC TV at 6.00pm.
Curious that this forty year old black and white should be on the so called free-to-air television, at this time. I still like it, but I suspect it will prove too slow moving for these times.
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Sunday 14th September 2003ad
"Travelling Birds"; also known as "Migrating Birds". Finally, starting at 1.15pm today, I saw this film at the Hayden Orpheum in Cremorne.
While I had to force my self, trudging up the hillslope to get there; the film just blew me away. Especially all those species of Geese: different places and patterns and colours; but the same tubby torso; the same short wings, which must beat near constantly, at two to three times a second; the same dogged determination, driving straight across glacier and hot desert alike. I have gained a great respect for Geese.
And as for the height at which Arctic Terns fly. Well? Astonishing!
But the most heart warming moment, was when the Blue Macaw escaped from the trapper's cage, as it was being carried on a small boat down an Amazonian river. It managed this by moving the wooden latch; literally letting itself out. Then it rested a few seconds on top of the cage, before flying off. Apparently this incident was not contrived, but just happened in front of a non-intervening camera.
In this wonderful film, we fly with these Birds; see their joys; their suffering; their life as vagrants in search of survival!
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Saturday 13th September 2003ad
Whilst preparing early this morning, inordinately slowly, poems for an anthology; quite unexpectedly, I interupted this process to write a poem. I had not written any for ages. But simply reading my earlier works inspired me to write something new, albeit quite unconnected to those I had been reading. ... I suspect that the seed of "A Small Point." had been hiding there in my subconcious, patiently awaitng for some chink to appear in the fabric and let it escape to the outer universe.
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Friday 12th September 2003ad
Outside 12 Mchatton Street there is a mound, where a dead palm tree was cut down last year. It is what is left of the roots, decayed into soil, but still producing this hump, which is uneven, and drops at a steep angle to the kerb. As it can not be fully mowed by the North Sydney Council contractors, it has clover going to flower, and low "winter grass"* going to seed.
There, at 12.02pm, were two young Noisy Miners, with adult feathers, but clearly not on their own yet. When I stopped to look at them, one of their parents flew from a tree across the road, to land on the grass between me and the kids. But it concluded I meant no harm and flew off again. So I spent my five minute "rest break" watching these youngsters. They repeatedly tried to sip nectar from the yellow bell shaped flowers of the clover. They also seemed to be eating the grass seeds.
At 12.04pm, one took off, with laboured flight, and alighted in a low tree beside me. Then at 12.05pm, the other took a long hop, with a few flaps, to land on my side of the hump. A few more grass seeds disappeared. A minute later, it took a laboured flight in to that tree.
The whole time, the parent was in the vicinity. Noisy Miners are Honeyeaters. So they sip nectar, as well as eating seeds, catching insects, and clearing up any human food scraps!
* [My Mother called it "Winter Grass". Beyond that, I know not what it is!]
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Thursday 11th September 2003ad
In the so-called "Holy Land", it seems the news is bad one day, only to become worse the next. In a Pontius Pilate like gesture, I long ago mentally washed my hands of this seemingly hopeless miasma.
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Wednesday 10th September 2003ad
When I heard, on the news this afternoon, that Leni Riefenstahl had died, I felt a profound melancholy. She was 101 years old, it is true, but it had almost seemed to me that this brilliant director, photographer and actress, would be that ultimate contradiction: an everlasting mortal.
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"Olympia" - the film of 1936 Berlin Olympics was her greatest documentary. Suggestions that it is a "Nazi propaganda film" can only come from those who have never watched it.
Point One: the prolongued footage of the German Women's Sprint Relay dropping the baton, and the Fuehrer's petulant reaction.
Point Two: the ending, with all the National Flags, including the German, bowing before the Olympic Flag!
The purpose of "Olympia" is to show the athletes how they wish to be seen; to attempt to convey the athletes' soul to the audience; not just to show the mere statistics of performance.
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"Triumph Of The Will", as Joseph Goebbels astutely noted, is a failure as a propaganda film. It only hardens the existing opinion of the viewer. It shows the Nazis as they saw themselves. To them, they look heroic. To those who hate regimentation, as I do, they merely look ridiculous!
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And this was Leni's genius: to be able to understand a point of view, and portray it at length on film.
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Tuesday 9th September 2003ad
11.00am. After entering the lift [elevator] on the 3rd floor at 88 Walker Street in North Sydney, I turned around to see the lift doors close on my sunglasses. They had clearly fallen, unnoticed by me; and I had no time to do anything, before they disappeared from sight!
I expected never to see them again, in any usable form. When, shortly later, the lift doors opened on the 2nd floor, there were my sunglasses. The right arm was folded down behind the lenses, hanging down into the obligatory gap between the lift and the rest of the building. The left arm was stretched out, lying on the floor of the foyer outside lift and pointing in the direction of my intended exit. I hurriedly picked them up, but there was no need for haste, as they were quite securely balanced.
For the lift doors to gently take hold of my sunglasses; securely carry them; then adroitly deposit them: it seems quite miraculous!
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Perhaps there is a God; and this God is an Engineer!
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Monday 8th September 2003ad
1.50pm. On the footpath outside 31 Whatmore Street in Waverton, I came passably close to accidently stepping on a Blue Tongue Lizard. It was about 30-40cm long, and so an adult, but of no exceptional size. They are quite astonishing, with their fat torso, which they drag along the ground at surprising speed with four legs, which seem much too small to be adequate for this purpose. The skin is geometrically patterned in shades of brown, which I find very attractive.
The Blue Tongue Lizard crawled along the other side of the pavement, which came fast against a stone wall. It flicked its dark blue tongue, trying to sniff out an escape hole. At one point, when I moved a step towards it, it growled at me in a low voice. However, I have never heard of one biting, and for the entire incident, I was quite without fear. At length, it found the storm water drain opposite 35 Whatmore Street, and slid down this in haste. Immediately it disappeared from my sight, I heard a rustle of dry leaves.
Blue Tongue Lizards eat only small invertebrates. Thus, they are the gardener's best friend.
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3.50pm. At Neutral Bay, collecting mail from my P.O. Box. Due to tiredness, the field of vision of my left eye began to break up. Imposed on top of what I saw, there were translucent arcs, which were broken up into small zig zags of different pale colours of the rainbow. This effect made it slightly difficult for me to see. The effect passed after twenty minutes.
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Sunday 7th September 2003ad
Slow, slow, slow. This not helped by old PC crashing once more: that blue screen scrambled with moving writing, which responded not to any commands. However - the Gods be praised - after some twenty minutes of turning it on and off, it suddenly responded and loaded windows 98. Thus I now write.
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Saturday 6th September 2003ad
This morning, as I walked up Billong Street in Kurraba Point, trying to deal with my blood sugar, I noticed that of all the dozens of Rose Bushes there, only one still flowered: and it had but a solitary pink bloom. Yet, their foilage was lush & expanding with the warming weather.
However, across the road and uphill a little, there were thickets of that strain of Lavender which perpetually flowers; the grey-green leaves were seemingly crushed under the thick blanket of purple blossoms.
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2.00pm. "Howard Katz" - Playhouse, Opera House. I walked to Cremorne Point Wharf, and despite the agony in my shins, made the 1.30pm Ferry; made it to the Playhouse in time to purchase a ticket and witness the play on its penultimate performance, on its last day.
The Play: none too exciting.
The Cast & Direction & Production: Good!
Bille Brown played the character for whom the play was named, and I thought he was excellent; but then I admit to possible bias, as he graced the same class at Biloela High School, as my older sister, Pat.
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7.30pm. Made it with ease - to my surprise - to the Pacific Opera's performance of Mozart's "Magic Flute". This is a "training opera company". So my expectations were restrained. But, somewhat to my surprise, I enjoyed it very much.
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Friday 5th September 2003ad
As I walked back to the D.F. from the end of my D.R., I chose to seek shade against the sun's heat, which meant I was beside the Highway towards the end. As I turned the corner past the Chandos T-Junction, I noticed: "Hotline Books". I had seen this before, once or twice, and I thought: "This is where Amanda Stewart works; except that she works in Chatswood." Curious, I looked in through the window and there was Amanda, whom I had not seen for two years or so. I knocked on the window to catch her attention. Then I went inside. We are allowed a five minute rest break each hour, during the D.R., which I often do not take. But I took a five minute rest break now, and briefly caught up with Amanda, being careful to establish phone numbers, etcetera. Amanda's employers had moved their shop; she had moved home; and her parents had moved home. Such endless residential movement is normal for Sydney, but not for this family!
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Thursday 4th September 2003ad
Today I was off work with illness. My left cheek sinus is infected: with consequent headaches, recurring hot flushes & occasional mild shock. It was my first use of sick leave in over two years, if my recollections are accurate.
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Wednesday 3rd September 2003ad
1.55pm. Where the McKye Street footpath curves past Building Number 2, in a smooth arc to become the King Street footpath, there is a protective fence perched on a low cliff, above the bitumen of the streets. Here, sitting on the fence top rail, in the full heat of the sun, was a Noisy Miner fledgling. It was still mostly fluff covered, although its wing feathers were in adult form. This means that is able to leave the exposed nest and hide in the bushes from Hawks and Kestrels. So much for adaptive evolution.
But there are no Hawks and Kestrels in Waverton. So Noisy Miners, being quick witted and fast learning little birds, know that there is no danger from the air. Thus, the Fledgling may perch on the rail in the sun, well clear on any cats and dogs that may be roaming, while one of its parents feeds it. As I approached, Mum or Dad flew to the leaves of a nearby tree, just across the road, to catch more insects for its ever pleading child.
As I walked past the Fledgling, it eyed me calmly with unconcern, as it continued to call for food. Clearly, the Noisy Miners in these parts are not bothered by people. If they were - as is the case near the Private School in Cremorne, close by where I live - then I would have been threatened by the parent with a dramatic display of bluff, from this otherwise defenceless, yet very successful small Honeyeater.
A case where the "bark" is indeed mightier than the "bite".
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Tuesday 2nd September 2003ad
Just beyond noon in Waverton, I saw a Noisy Miner feeding two young, still in the nest. It was a typical nest for that species, a conical twig construct, in a branch fork barely two metres above ground. The chicks were both hungry & gaping, but she or he carefully fed both; then flew off. This parent was quite unconcerned about my interest; which means his or her personal experience has been one unmolested by people.
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Monday 1st September 2003ad
Exhausted and ill after work, I showered once home and sought rest in bed. This succeeded some while, until my legs developed painful cramps, forcing me up. The CD player did give some solace: Mozart's "Magic Flute"; then the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra playing Baroque.
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Sunday 31st August 2003ad
In languid melancholy, this day slowly
dies:
an incorporeal whimper of sad complaint.
...
Achievement?
But small; against the odds of mental inertia.
...
Curiously, it seems to me at least,
writing of my lingering misery
has cheered me up somewhat!
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Saturday 30th August 2003ad
Finally, I made it to Angel Place to witness the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, in performance with Paul Dombrecht on Baroque Oboe. This was Telemann, Dall'abaco, Albinoni, Vivaldi and Marcello. It was the final Sydney concert, so my hand was forced. Also, I finally received the latest CD by Elizabeth Batiashvili, from Anne of Spider Music.
Very pleasing for my mind, against my infirmities!
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Friday 29th August 2003ad
Shortly after arriving home, I looked out of my front window, at the pot plants in the still lingering sunlight. The long-budding Dwarf Silver Wattle had finally burst into fat golden fingers of its tiny flowers. This was good indeed, as it suffered rather much from the buffeting of the gales of last sunday morning.
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Thursday 28th August 2003ad
People who think they can fool God, quite amaze me.
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Wednesday 27th August 2003ad
Life is a death sentence.
From my point of view, this is original; unless I myself have written it down somewhere previously in these pages. Yet, someone somewhere, perhaps many times, in probably many languages, have said this. But only because of the melancholy truth encapsuled in these few words.
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Tuesday 26th August 2003ad
The day is still sacred to Tiw. This ancient God of War seems active in many parts of the Globe, but thankfully not in those former marshes, from whence he sent his children, the Teutones, south to the Roman Lands. On the way, in the Middle Danube, they joined forces with the greater numbers of the Cimbri, the original Welsh speakers. The partnership met with initial success in their bloody wanderings. But soon after the Teutones severed their alliance with the Cimbri, Tiw abandoned his dedicated offspring. In Gallia, at the hands of the Roman Legions, they met with oblivion.
In truth, the Teutones were never a tribe or nation as such, but rather, were people drawn from the various nations of the Jutland Peninsular & Isthmus. There were, as a new, nomadic nation, dedicated to Tiw, to march in war against whomsoever may stand against them.
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Monday 25th August 2003ad
Mars! - So close, in its bold ruddiness.
I feel I could stretch a finger,
so to touch its cold substance.
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Sunday 24th August 2003ad
The old Chinese Checkers game, which I downloaded earlier this year, crashed my PC this afternoon. It cost an hour to get it back in action. The game has been deleted!
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Saturday 23rd August 2003ad
I woke before dawn and decided to check on Mars. It was there in the western sky. But my telescope [which I bought in july on special, but have not used] was set up wrongly, such that I could see nothing. The dawn was coming quickly, so I decided to use my binoculars. - But it seems I have put them somewhere safe, and I have no idea as to where. ... I should have stayed in bed.
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Friday 22nd August 2003ad
At 12.45pm, in Henderson Street in Saint Leonards, I saw a Noisy Miner pecking at something on the pavement. When it secured this in its beak, I could see it was a small wiry twig. Since they are nest building, these small Honeyeaters will be even more verbally aggressive than usual.
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Thursday 21st August 2003ad
To those defending Pauline Hansen:
[1] Fraud is theft.
[2] A deliberate falsehood is not a "technicality".
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Wednesday 20th August 2003ad
With a suicide bombing in Iraq, and a suicide bombing in Israel, the choice of number one news story may seem difficult. This is perhaps why that on Australian News, the jailing for electoral fraud of failed politician, Pauline Hansen, was considered more important than either. Personally, I cannot agree with such ordering of priorities.
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Tuesday 19th August 2003ad
Wolgang Razorbeak had his beak, both upper and lower jaws, trimmed today by a Vet named Louise. This was necessary as it is undershot, like a hairlip, and the continuing growth of the beak means that eventually he would be unable to eat. It was getting too close to this stage, as I had left the trimming longer than I should have.
He was stressed, but recovered from the operation with surprising swiftness. Actually, I think the whole experience was more stressful for me, than him!
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Monday 18th August 2003ad
Many families have a duel income.
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Sunday 17th August 2003ad
7.44am - As I sat at the sitting room table, continuing the assault on my massive backlog of correspondence chess games, I glanced out the side window. There were two courting Pied Currawongs, engaged in display on a branch of the "nesting tree". I presume this was John Howard and her mate. But I hardly had time to focus my eyes on the scene, when suddenly, out of the blue from the west, a third Pied Currawong flew through at high speed, punching a hole through the leaves just above the courting couple with such force, that I heard the slap clearly, even though I had my windows closed against the early cool air! Instantly, the harassed pair took off and chased the offender at the same breakneck pace.
8.10am - I set foot on the front balcony, finding to my pleasure, that my Native Wysteria had finally begun to open its small & brilliant deep violet blooms, after having budded weeks ago! Then I looked across to the building next door, to see Muckle, the fatter of the two Indian Mynas, whose foraging range contains these buildings, walking quickly along the length of the ledge with a dead gum leaf in his [or her *] beak. When he reached the end, he dropped the leaf, carefully watching its fall with the fixed attention of his left eye.
[* It is a human tendency to assume, that the more aggressive of an animal pair is the male. Whilst this is usually true in the case of mammals, in birds it is often the other way round, as with Budgies. Indian Mynas? I am not sure!]
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Saturday 16th August 2003ad
I conspired to be quite confused about times today. So while I thought I had missed any chance of the final performance of Richard Strauss' "Salomé" by missing the noon ferry; when I arrived at the Opera House at 2.54pm, I passed the audience leaving at the end of the Opera. So it had started at 1pm, as is normal for a matinee. I thought 2.30pm, as this is a common time for sunday concerts. I knew it was saturday, but things become quite tangled in the mind. Much confusion!
In any case, the play "Proof" cost $59.00; somewhat more than I expected, and showing how long absent I had been, from the Sydney Opera House's Drama Theatre and Playhouse. So I could not have attended both, and bought a travelling bird cage, for the money on me. I have no ATM cards nor credit cards.
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"Proof" began at 8pm. So I went home & returned. It was excellent! The screen play by David Aubin was witty, with a degree of depth beyond the immediate entertainment. It all centres on Catherine, the daughter of noted Mathematician, Robert. He had done genius work early, but then spent two decades crippled by mental illness. Catherine turns out to be somewhat mentally erratic, but an even greater Mathematical genius. A week after Robert's death, she finally shows others the Mathematical Proof she has developed, but she has much trouble convincing them it is hers. The "others" are her sister Claire, a currency markets careerist, who has flown to Chicago from New York for the funeral, and to get her "mentally fragile" sister to move to New York; and Hal, a former student of Robert's, who gradually, by awkward and mutually mistrustful degrees, becomes Catherine's boyfriend. ... I sense some influence, of the film about a certain schizophrenic who won a Nobel Prize for Economics.
It was Jacqueline McKenzie, I especially went to see. Her performance as Catherine was very strong indeed. She is an actress who has impressed me on film, but I have never seen her live till now. Barry Otto has really come of age in the last decade. Before then he notoriously overacted; but he has worked hard to develop subtlety, which was well displayed here as Robert. Jonny Pasvolsky as Hal, was good as the gormless, awkward limbed Mathematician. And Victoria Longely impressed as Claire.
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Friday 15th August 2003ad
Three parts slow, beyond work.
I would have liked to achieve,
Or go out ... but no.
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Thursday 14th August 2003ad
The Australian Prime Minister recently said: "We have to crawl ...".
There is more to the sentence, but I find it most appropriate, just as is.
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Wednesday 13th August 2003ad
I have now three of P.B. Shelley's poems to memory: "Ozymandias"; "A Sonnet: England in 1819" & "Mutability".
The memorising of these must happen in a part of the mind which specialises in such; as memorising these without warning, threw up Lewis Carrol's "Jaberwocky" in to my conscious. I learnt most of this at university, although I never took the trouble to get it completely right.
More strangely yet, fragments of Gilbert & Sullivan appeared; which I had never learnt, but picked up as a young child. My father used to play vinyl LPs of these muscials quite often. ... Whilst I currently find Gilbert's music to be nothing exceptional, without being in anyway bad; Sullivan's lyrics are often sheer satirical genius! - e.g.* "... the fellow who plays with enthusiastic tone, every century but this, and every country but his own". I understand this only now! - & - "You will soon grow used to her looks said he, and a very nice girl you will find her; and she'll probably pass for fifty-three in the dusk with the light behind her." - Sullivan's clear dislike of authority, such as judges, police, civil servants & politicians, oft shines through!
[* From childhood memory! I never looked
these lyrics up.
So they may not be word perfect.]
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Tuesday 12th August 2003ad
Early at work, with the "streeting up" & "tying up", I was fast and accurate. Then I paced myself during delivery, so as to retain energy; for the real life of attempted achievement, beyond the stale economic necessity of work. But no ...
It took an hour of rest, including a quarter hour sleep; then a slow further vertically positioned recovery of almost an hour; plus a significant intake of caffeine; before my mind was finally "lubricated" into action. It seems such a waste to have to take such time to reach an acceptable level of motivation & action. I wish it were otherwise!
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Monday 11th August 2003ad
Today, not long beyond noon, I saw, on the large ornamantal Cherry Tree, at 9 McKye Street in Waverton, its first Cherry Blossoms of the season. They are small, pink, side by side near the tip of a branch which stretches to the north, and really quite exquisite. On this matter of taste, the Japanese, to my mind, are precisely right!
This Cherry Tree will, in only a week or so, be giving a delightful display of pink fecundity; resulting in the dubious fertility of two or three small Cherries. These will be ignored, by even those most efficient of avian street cleaners, the Noisy Miners.
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Sunday 10th August 2003ad
I threatened again to be late for a Concert, at the Concert Hall in the Sydney Opera House. But I was, with some mad effort, seated five minutes before its due start; which was perhaps three minutes again before the actual beginning.
This was the Australian Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Richard Tognetti, with Steven Isserlis as soloist on Cello. I was in seat A26, in the front row, all but directly in front of Isserlis. His capture of the essential emotion of three very different works, within the one concert - the tragic delicacy of Tchaikovsky's "Andante Cantabile"; the aggression of Carl Vine's "Inner Worlds"; the Volkgeist of Bloch's "From Jewish Life" - was utterly compelling!
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Saturday 9th August 2003ad
I finally made it to the full length of a "WEA Writers' Group" Meeting, for the first time this year. This was both enjoyable, and inspirational. Why the clots of existence have made me fail previous to today, is something I can in no way explain.
Inspirational, as, if I sense some writing is good, I feel pressed to emulate it in quality; while if I sense some writing is ordinary, I feel obliged to surpass in quality.
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Friday 8th August 2003ad
The World has but one Hemisphere.
This is why so much seems off balance.
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Thursday 7th August 2003ad
The Australian Prime Minister has made it clear tonight that while he is against Australians being executed [re David Hicks], he has no problems with Asians being executed [re Amrozi].
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Wednesday 6th August 2003ad
There is inreality, in reality.
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Tuesday 5th August 2003ad
I was so engrossed in writing about the Sydney Symphony Orchestra's performance of Edvard Grieg's "Peer Gynt Suite", that I was nearly late for the Macquarie Trio's concert tonight.
But I made it and thoroughly enjoyed it, despite being increasingly very tired. Boccerini, Beethoven, Smetana & Shostokovic; followed by as an encoré: "our own arrangement of Dark Eyes".
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Monday 4th August 2003ad
Some are content to "stand on the shoulders of giants".
Others prefer to kick dwarves.
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Sunday 3rd August 2003ad
10.48am: For the first time this season, I saw John Howard - the Pied Currawong - nest building. She plucked one twig from the nesting tree; then began slowly hopping from branch to branch, in search of the precise & perfect branch fork for nest placement. How she decides is quite mysterious to me.
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Saturday 2nd August 2003ad
This morning I harvested my Kipfler Potatoes, from a large pot on my front balcony. I was surprised at the quantity that came out; enough for a meal for myself. As they were grown in loam [a potting mix] the soil washed easily off. They were small, but very tasty indeed.
I have planted some more Kipfler in the same pot. Also I planted some Shinso, a Japanese Mint with purple & green leaves, in two small pots. One is for me and the other for Helen H.
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Friday 1st August 2003ad
I spent some time yesterday, betwixt other matters, putting to memory P.B. Shelley's poem "Ozymandias". I had in down pat. But then, rather late last night, I could barely remember half of it. Yet this morning, it was clear, word perfect.
Curious how sleep can restore an impaired memory.
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Thursday 31st July 2003ad
While I know why one's extremities
feel the cold worst,
It does not make my cold feet any more pleasant.
Sorry Socrates, but that is Life!
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Wednesday 30th July 2003ad
The best way to Remember
Is to Not Forget.
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Tuesday 29th July 2003ad
Have I rediscovered P. B. Shelley's
poetry?
Or has his Poetry rediscovered me?
If the name sounds unfamiliar,
he was the husband of the author
of "Frankenstein's Monster".
And let us leave it at that!
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Monday 28th July 2003ad
On a whim, I swept across the Harbour at the last moment, to catch the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. They played four movements from Edvard Greig's "Peer Gynt Suite"; then Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto, with Elizabeth Batiasvili as Soloist; and after interval, Carl Nielsen's Fourth Symphony. David Robertson was Guest Conductor.
Truly Wonderful!!
Despite an unpleasant work day,
I was left walking on air.
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Sunday 27th July 2003ad
"The Church". Today, at the Opera House Studio.
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Typical Art-Rock Band Audience:
Ages six to sixty.
Lots of black clothing, but not me.
No Elvis Impersonators, fat nor thin.
Actually, I did enjoy this concert.
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Saturday 26th July 2003ad
The American Armed Forces recently killed the former Iraqi President's two best known sons, as the whole world knows. This has not, of course, changed anything in Iraq. American soldiers continue to be killed.
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Friday 25th July 2003ad
If the Air Pressure outside a door is significantly greater than that inside, and the door is of a kind which can not be shut not latched, then it is inevitible that the door will be forced open with the air outside rushing in. Air Pressure will always equalise, if it can. Where I work, the powers that be seem unable to comprehend this.
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Thursday 24th July 2003ad
I have just finished reading a fairly short book by David Ulansey: "The Origins Of the Mithraic Mysteries - Cosmology & Salvation In The Ancient World". The discovery by Hipparchus, in the 2nd Century BC, of the Precession of the Equinoxes, was certainly a major event. For those who were privy to this knowledge, the idea that such a major rotational shift occurs of the seemingly fixed stars, must have been mind-blowing. That it spawned in Tarsus, the major religious movement of Mithraism, would not seem surprising. Yet, as David makes clear, while by Mithras' Bull-Slaying remained the fundamental icon of this Religion, there was much more to it, in its cavern like shrines.
Why Mithraism became the Religion of the Roman Army is more veiled in mist. The collapse of this Army doomed Mithraism in its overt form. Yet, it would seem to me that Masonic Lodges owe a considerable debt to Mithraism.
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Wednesday 23rd July 2003ad
It is curious I find, that the major world sporting event which is most open to terrorist attack, never suffers this. The Tour De France, with all those spectators crowding close to the cyclists on the mountain ascents, seems to be quite above political chaos.
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Tuesday 22nd July 2003ad
Australian Prime Minister - t'wit, John "Rainmaker" Howard - has at least been consistent on the case of David Hicks, for the last few weeks. The reason why he cannot be returned for trial in Australia: Hicks has not broken any laws. Apparently, innocence of any legal wrongdoing is no impediment to an American Military Tribunal having someone shot.
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Monday 21st July 2003ad
It was our first day at the new work location in Saint Leonards. I have never been as furious during a mail delivery as I was today; and with full justification. Yet, I largely managed to be cheerful towards the mail recipients. After all, it was in no way their fault.
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Sunday 20th July 2003ad
Today I was playing Moody Blues CDs, including "To Our Children's Children's Children". For Budgies, that can be the year after next.
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Saturday 19th July 2003ad
Anything may be addictive. Last saturday, I downloaded a free Chinese Checkers game [Imagisoft, ©1991]. One can play against up to five computer run opponents. I have wasted much too much time on this: but it is entertaining, actually gets the brain ticking over on spatial analysis, and in a monetary sense is free. Albeit, if one strictly regards that time = money, then perhaps it is expensive!
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At about noon, I was walking through Saint Leonards Park, after shopping at the North Sydney Produce Markets in Miller Street. I stopped a short while at the North Sydney Oval Number 2, where a lower grade Rugby Union game was in progress: Northern Suburbs versus Southern Districts.
There were 30 sweaty players pounding around the grass, and as many Leaden Flycatchers flitting about the players, with great elegance and control, often just skimming the ground. They were catching tiny insects on the wing, which had taken to the air due to the disturbance of the players.
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At ~2pm, as I was eating a late lunch, I saw the mating of two Pied Currawongs, John Howard and her mate, for the first time this year. She stood on a branch, vigorously and rapidly ossicilating her tail. He stood on a nearby branch, vigorously flapping his half outstreched wings. After about half a minute, he hopped across to her branch, and mounted her, while she continued her frenetic tail wagging. This copulation only lasted a few seconds. Understandably so! It is a delicate operation, on a slender high branch.
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Friday 18th July 2003ad
Republic of Makedonia [Nation]: A country whose good government is always difficult, irrespective of ideology of those in power. For it can never be easy to run a national economy, by selling Capsicum Relish.
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Thursday 17th July 2003ad
At the age of at least six years, which is very senior for his kind, Ludwig Van Budgie-Bird has just used his swing for the first time, at 5.45pm this afternoon. It has been available for some months, and he has seen the younger Budgies using their swings for well over a year. But still it took courage. Firstly he leapt on, swung very vigorously several times, and fell off. After that he took things more cautiously, but has kept on it now, almost continuously for several hours. Indeed, he is most reluctant to leave it.
Because I was late home, as a treat I had their cages between the speakers, while a CD of Handel arias, performed by Yvonne Kenny & The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra played. This is a favourite of Ludwig's. Also, his cage was the other way round, facing it along the opposite long side, which brought the swing close to the other cage. So a whole set of conditions triggered Ludwig to make the attempt, and then to persist. He currently has the Budgie body language of one who is very proud of himself.
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Wednesday 16th July 2003ad
If one wishes to achieve, one must do.
A mite of clear resolve is an essential thing.
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Tuesday 15th July 2003ad
I went into town by ferry, as I wished to do nothing "useful" this evening. As I returned, the fading dusk was stilled by the quiet dark waters of the Inner Harbour, while the white wash spread out from behind the small ship, until overwhelmed it was, by the greater stillness of wet deepness.
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Monday 14th July 2003ad
David Hicks has no chance of a "fair trial" under George Bush's Military Tribunal. They can even convict him, without telling him the evidence on which he was convicted. Joseph Stalin rises from his grave and says: "This is my adopted son, George Bush Junior, of whom I am truly proud, as he follows in my tradition of modified justice."
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Sunday 13th July 2003ad
Life is sipped always from a poisoned chalice.
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Saturday 12th July 2003ad
On a whim, I spent the early evening travelling by Ferry, west of the Harbour Bridge: McMahon's Point; East Balmain; Birchgrove; Greenwich; Woolwich. After the last, each other wharf was touched again in reverse direction. As we first approached Balmain East, we passed close by Goat Island's southern edge, where the long footpath with its white railing, courses the low cliff-top. There on the path in darkness, I saw six lights moving. These were lanterns of the Goat Island Night Tour.
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Friday 11th July 2003ad
"Jonathan Creek" has returned to ABC TV. It is a favourite of mine; a "whodunnit" for those of a sceptical mind bent. The said Mr Creek is a Professional Magician, who solves seemingly impossible crimes, by seeing what actually is, rather than what one was meant to see.
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Thursday 10th July 2003ad
What binds a nation most together, is the prejudice of its citizens against those of other nations; a prejudice which is most firmly grounded in a profound and negative ignorance.
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Wednesday 9th July 2003ad
Midwinter in Sydney - Honey Bees at Lavender blossoms.
This was ~2pm, at 39 King Street in Waverton.
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Tuesday 8th July 2003ad
Last night I had a ferry ride, from Cremorne Point to Circular Quay [Sydney Cove]; then five minutes later, back across the Harbour to Old Cremorne. There is a magic as one crosses the flat dark water of the Inner Harbour, which is surely one of the most tranquil of all the world's marine waterways.
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Monday 7th July 2003ad
Interesting it is, that despite the advances in bicycle technology, age old problems are still causing chaos in this year's Tour De France.
In Saturday's Prologue, the winner, Brad McGee [Australia] rode the last half a kilometre with a flat tyre; while the second placed rider, David Millar [Scotland] would have won, except his chain came off on the second last bend, and he had to replace it himself. This left him a mere eight hundredths of a second short of McGhee.
Then, in Sunday's First Stage, a rider's right foot came out of the pedal, just 500 metres from the finish, and caused a massive pile-up. Seven riders were hospitalised. And in the final sprint, Eric Zabel [Germany] came third, despite a puncture just before the finish.
Yet, these quirks do give things a Human aspect. A thick pack of riders, elbowing each other while descending slopes at breakneck speeds, is something I cannot relate to! I have never been suicidal. However, a flat tyre; a chain coming off; or a foot coming out of the pedal: all these I often experienced as a child, and so I can relate to them!
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Sunday 6th July 2003ad
Does the reluctance of George Bush Junior to send troops to prevent disaster in Liberia, have anything to do with the fact that the local population overwhelmingly want American troops in their land?
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Saturday 5th July 2003ad
It promised to be a likeable day, when during the afternoon, my old PC crashed, and would not reload Windows. However, I saved it by loading to DOS with the Startup disk; then entering at C:\>
WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS\SETUP.EXE
& then pressing ENTER. Windows98 loaded, until it came to the C:\>. Then I simultaneously pressed CONTROL, ALT & DELETE, and voilá!! It was back.
The downside was that I thought this method would load Windows on my new PC. Aber, lieder nicht!! It still has this mysterious non responding file. So I wasted over an hour thus to no avail, except for a slow malingering mild despair. Sometimes I hate Microsoft.
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Friday 4th July 2003ad
Today is celebrated the fall of
Vicksburg,
to General Ulysses Simpson Grant, in 1863.
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Thursday 3rd July 2003ad
Phillip Ruddock, who on his own peronal authority as Immigration Minister, granted Australian Citizenship to major international corporate criminal, Danté Tan, is still Immigration Minister. He should resign. He should have resigned long ago.
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Wednesday 2nd July 2003ad
If the U.S.A. Government wishes to convince the Iraqi populace, that it has no colonial intentions on Iraq, twice postponing the local elections in Samarra, then abandoning them and appointing one of the Generals of Saddam Hussein as Mayor, is not the way to convince them.
George Bush Junior's response to the continuing deaths of American soldiers by hostile fire in Iraq, is to declare any unarmed innocent Iraqi citizen, who is opposed to the presence of American occuppying troops in his or her country, as a "terrorist".
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Tuesday 1st July 2003ad
Strange thing about cold weather, that it bothers me not, until the temperature drops to certain critical point. That point is reached.
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Monday 30th June 2003ad
Today I read in the Sydney Morning Herald that the island state of Niue, in the South Pacific, has in recent years replaced its handful of hand cranked telephones, by an internet system. This is powered by solar aerials hung between coconut palm trees. Now the 1,700 people on Nuie send 30,000 e-mails a week & spend 6,000 hours on-line a month.
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Sunday 29th June 2003ad
For the second morning running, I have seen those resident Noisy Mynas, Mickle and Muckle. They had been so absent for weeks, from their confident strutting of the ledge of the next door apartment block, that I was beginning to wonder if they still lived.
I know it is indeed them, as their pesonalities have a distinct & perculiar [in the non-pergorative sense of that word!] quality.
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Saturday 28th June 2003ad
Early this afternoon, I went to Kaz's wedding at Dawes Point, beneath some venerable Date Palms on the Harbour foreshore. Unfortunately I was a few minutes late. The connecting 225 bus, which has only to travel a couple of kilometres from Cremorne Junction, managed to arrive at Cremorne Point Wharf some seven minutes after the ferry had left. Indeed, the ferry, if it was running to schedule, was already gone when the bus reached my bus stop.
After the ceremony I wandered to the nearby Rocks Markets, and made some purchases.
[1] "Elemental" Clothing
Protector:
Lemon Scented Gum. [$10.00].
[2] A drink coaster made of a cross
section
of polished Brigalow branch, which I will not
be using for its intended purpose. [$3.50]
[3] A framed painting by
Michael-Anthony Taylor
"Glass Stairs To Waterworld" ©2003.
[$50.00].
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friday 27th June 2003ad
This Middle East "road map to
peace" is like
an unused trail in a trackless waste.
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Thursday 26th June 2003ad
At 9.30am, as I walked down Myrtle Street in North Sydney, I saw two Crows in a tree, who were calling raucously. With a swift soundless approach, a Magpie Currawong appeared from out of the blue. Without warning, it began furiously stabbing with its beak at one of the Crows. This despite each of the Crows being half as big again as it was. The victim soon flew off in halo of vocal complaint, with its fellow Crow closely following. As they departed, a second Magpie Currawong flew past the tree in the same direction, crossed the street and alighted on a chimney pot; no doubt ensuring the Crow's departure was not temporary.
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Wednesday 25th June 2003ad
Tonight's cultural choice:
Richard Wagner's opera, Die Meistersinger Von Nürnberg?
Or the Rugby League State Of Origin II ?
For me, Die Meistersinger wins, lay down mesere!
Rugby League is this dour unimaginative game. Most of the play involves one side running the ball, taking five tackles, then kicking on the last. Thus the other side gains possession and follows the same pattern, except in the opposite direction. Repeat, ad nauseum.
In war, the closest thing to Rugby League occurred during the German Thirty Years War. That is, when Wallenberg's men cut up the local population with meat cleavers.
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Tuesday 24th June 2003ad
At 11.44am today, I saw a solitary Leaden Flycatcher spiralling, anti-clockwise of course, on the 5 ways side of the 2 Crows Nest Road gardens. In this cold week, by Sydney standards, a sure sign that they are wintering here once more. Their new behaviour pattern lasts while it works, proving these tiny birds are creatures capable of analysis, not biological automons.
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Monday 23rd June 2003ad
Now! How does being the bearer of a medal, awarded for having shot several people dead, qualify one to be Governor-General of Australia?
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Sunday 22nd June 2003ad
There were aerial photographs taken by satellite, in the Sun-Herald today, showing various parts of Sydney. If there had not been, I would not have bought it. For some reason, I feel joy at seeing the Neutral Bay and Mosman Ferries in transit; and at being able to identify the block of units, within which I spend over half my time.
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This afternoon, Helen & I saw the film: "Russian Ark", at the Hayden Orpheum Cinema at Cremorne Junction. My opinion: Brilliant!
And I believe the "Stranger", the "European", who is not actually named, is Goethe. There are many hints: Diplomat; German & French speaker; visited Peterburg at the time of Tsar Nicholas the First; is well known across Europe for a small book he wrote, and so on. Whether or not his mother was a sculptor, I know not; yet enough fits to convince me!
[The English call it Saint Petersburg, but the Russians call it Peterburg.]
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Saturday 21st June 2003ad
Another day. Another concert. The Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Manze from the Baroque Violin, delivered spirited performances of works by C.P.E. Bach, J. Haydn and W.A. Mozart. It was good to see Emanuel Bach getting recognition for a change!
n.b. If one nailed Andrew Manze's feet to the floor, I am sure he would be quite unable to play the Violin, Baroque or any other!
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THE END IS NEAR
INDEED, IT IS HERE !!
©TONY SIMS, 2002 ad; 2003 ad - Text, Formatting & Ego.
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