Dudley
Merry Christmas
25/12/10 16:25 Filed under: Personal
Because we're a bit poverty stricken since Matt been out of work, we couldn't afford to send presents for our loved ones this year. We did, however, manage to put together a crappy video message for everyone back home:
We love and miss you guys - hope you all had a great time down there. xxo!
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Update (did you know gardening is good for your soul?)
It’s been ages since I have written a blog about my music. I have recently had an epiphany and a bit of a breakthrough in my creative process... I almost don’t want to jinx it by talking about it, but I feel a big blog about it will happen soon. Anyway, feeling refreshed, I’ve starting writing music for saxophonist Lara James - some experimental tech-based things, along with some more traditional lyrical pieces. I’m really enjoying it so far.
Next week is Easter holidays and I have a feature length film I’ve been asked to do the music for. It’s called “My Brother’s Keeper” and it’s by filmmaker Lee Hutcheon. Years ago I contributed some music to his award winning feature “In a Man’s World”, and I’m excited to be working with him again. The film is about a soldier that comes back from Afghanistan a mental case, he ends up taking his brother hostage. Fun fun fun!
Other things I should have blogged about recently that I haven’t mentioned:
• Fitkin’s gig at Kings Place. Awesome gig, really inspiring in many ways. The gorgeous Ruth Wall on harp was absolutely mesmerising. Also, a highlight was hearing the composer perform all three parts of The Cone Gatherers for solo piano. Always a favourite of mine (I was so impressed I decided that I too wanted to play it live, so I ordered the score the next day). The only disappointment was the lack of technology, & the lack of real drum kit.... orchestra snares sound rubbish.
• Les Claypool at Koko. I went to this not knowing what to expect... maybe a bunch of Primus tunes? A nostalgic mosh to Tommy the Cat and My Name is Mud? I went along with Matt and we joked that since I dragged him along to see Fitkin’s show he could drag me out to see this.... In the end, the two shows were actually quite similar. Les is touring with a pair of classical percussionists and a cellist. It was intense... like a fusion of prog, jazz, hillbilly & classical music... heavily improvised around bass grooves, loads of technology on stage (loops, digital effects galore). Fantastic!
• Beach House/ Grizzly Bear at the Roundhouse. I had been looking forward to this gig for a long time, having recently gone crazy for Grizzly Bear’s “Veckatimest” (really, such an awesome record). Beach House I also loved dearly, I’m such a sucker for dreamy shoegaze music. A really magical night. I could write about it, but as always my mate Liz says it better here.
• I have tickets to Phil Glass’s premier of Violin Concerto No. 2 next month. *squeal*
Show us your neuticles
06/03/10 13:00 Filed under: Personal
Winter blues, singing along with The Flaming Lips & remembering Rostropovich
2009 is rolling along inevitably towards a bleak winter and new year; mid-November already and I can barely remember October at all beyond a general dark cloud of bullshit college stress, being tired and fighting off a cold. Oh, I did go and see "This is it" with Matt on Halloween night - a great film no doubt, so tragic and bittersweet. Left me feeling slightly raw, though. I guess this is our generation's Lennon or Elvis "is gone" moment. Surreal. |
| Dudley gets bigger by the day, and he's totally integrated into our lives now, it's hard to imagine what we did without him. Such a sweet pup, Matt and I had a minor scare when he ate a pig's ear a few days ago.... one minute he was happily chewing on it, next thing we knew he had gulped it down and let out a big burp. We freaked out for a bit, not knowing what to do. We looked online - which is probably the one thing a slightly paranoid puppy owner should NEVER do - and scared ourselves silly reading stories of dogs that died because of intestinal blockages, etc. We made such a fuss, but he wasn't bothered. He's a little toughian. Who will never get to nom on a pig's ear again. |
| Finally, I recently dug out some old Rostropovich recordings to compile into a mix tape for a friend - Lady MacBeth of Mtesnk District, the Shosta Cello Concerto and his wonderful recording of Britten's Cello Suites. Too good for words, honestly... I can't even begin to blog about how special these recordings are. I encourage anyone who likes their soviet era music to be bleak, tragicomic, intelligent, powerful and bleeding with raw downcast emotion to seek them out. Particularly the Lady Macbeth double disc from 1979. Perfection. |
Another post about my dog... this time a video
07/11/09 11:52 Filed under: Personal
Last night Matt and I had a few drinks and decided to make a video tribute to our awesome little dog...
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Dudley comes home, and I rescue lots of data
16/09/09 16:42 Filed under: Personal
Dudley came home last Friday night, and was so well behaved on his 4 hour drive back from Cheshire. No oopsies at all! He’s settling in pretty well, except for the crying at night when we leave him alone in his pen. You’d think someone was sawing his little legs off with the way he’s carrying on! Hopefully he’ll get over it soon. Matt and I really need some sleep!!
Meet Dudley (updated!)
30/08/09 12:16 Filed under: Personal
Yesterday Matt and I drove up to Cheshire to visit the Frenchkisses French Bulldog kennel, to see a little dude that we have had our eye on, from a recent litter.
Originally we were interested in a little pied one (spotty cow-like markings), but this guy stole our hearts when we got there. The breeder, Rachel, was wonderful and and helpful, answering all my anxious first-time puppy questions. It was great to spend time with her, her family and her dogs.
I couldn’t feel more satisfied that Dudley has come from a great place; her daughters regularly handle the puppies, her dogs look really well looked after and happy, and the pups were all born naturally (the litter wasn’t artifically inseminated and birthed by C-section like so many frenchie pups are these days).
Isn’t he the cutest thing you’ve ever seen? Matt and I can’t wait until he comes home to us in 3 weeks.
Click on the ‘read more’ link below to see some more photos of Dudley :D
[update: Rachel sent us some pics of Duds hanging out with his siblings. Check em out]
Awwerrrr
Sleepy piggy.
Teeny!
Sleepy face. We kept waking him up to get a picture and all he wanted to do was pass out for a nap.
I know... cute overload, right? I love his little white fingers.
[UPDATE]
Here’s some pics Rachel sent us of Dudley chillin’ with his sister and brothers:
He’s on the far right... his little french manicure gives him away...
Chubby little front legs!
Dudley on the move...
Finally! It begins
28/08/09 22:51 Filed under: Study
I received word this morning that at long last I am to commence my PhD studies at UQ, working with the wonderfully talented Dr. Robert Davidson! So chuffed! So excited!!
AND it’s a long weekend. AND tomorrow Matt and I go up north to see our potential new puppy for the first time. Oh happy day.
:D :D :D
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