Haircut thursday...

and yes, I know it was only Wednesday. I have no idea why I kept thinking it was Thursday all day today. But I did, so there.

I went to get a hair cut today so that I would neat and tidy for my holiday. As usual I went to the same barber I've been going to for many years. He welcomed me into his dodgy looking shop with open arms. Now that's the kind of greeting you rarely find these days. I sat down and we had the weather to chat about. I know I've said this before, but my barber scares me. I have no idea what the hell he's saying most of the time. His accent is so strong. I nod and smile and occasionally make sense of a word and add my own few words back. Well, he was in for a chat today. I think it was all about the cold weather. "Ish cowld! Mumble mumble mumble..."

He kicked the heater around to face me and all was good. However, I was soon smelling a smell I have not smelt in a very long time... Burning hair. My burning hair! Clippings were rolling down onto the heater, crackling a little then burning up with that pungent stink.

Somehow he talked most of the haircut today. I managed to pick up on a couple of things he was saying:

- it was cheaper to have someone killed many years ago. These days it costs too much. You used to be able to organise a hit over in Glebe. Not these days, it's all family and restaurants.
- All the hookers around Redfern are black! No white women these days. You have to go out to Canterbury for a white woman.
- It was his 71st birthday yesterday and he celebrated by going to get new pills from the doctor. He did say what they were for, but I didn't catch that bit. I'll just assume they were not viagra because he didn't seem to impressed with the hookers nearby.
- he had views about Bondi, but I didn't catch them either. In fact I didn't even understand he was talking about Bondi until he mentioned the beach. He pronounced it "Bunda Bits".

Anyway he would sway and he would brace himself on the bench. I started to think he wasn't going to survive to the end of my haircut. Scary stuff.

The place still smelled of my burning hair, I paid up and wandered out to grab some lunch. While I was standing waiting for a sandwich someone at the counter gladly pointed out the blood behind my ear. Thanks for that. He had cut me. No surprise really. I grabbed a few paper towels and pressed them behind my ear and hoped to god that was the only cut.

And to think, years ago I was foolish enough to pay top dollar for a Tony & Guy hair cut. I love haircut Thursday.

Teehee...

Here's another event poster I've been designing...

Working with these colours has been fun and I'm particularly proud of the hibiscus.

One for Mark...

Don't wanna walk away
I couldn't anyway
You fill my empty day
You know you make me stay

Cos you're fucken awesome

Mmm hmmm...

Bit and pieces from the weekend...

I was told a few times over the weekend that I looked very tired. To be honest, I didn't really like being told that. I know I looked like shit and I know I need a few good night's sleep. I can't wait for my holiday to come. Actually, I don't think I look THAT tired.

And just because...

We went to a party on Sunday night...

and I think the Scooby Gang have never looked hotter!

I'm Wild About Whales...

Living on the coast I often wander up and down the beach looking out towards the horizon and hope to see a tale or fin slap. Occasionally, if I'm really lucky I might actually see a whale breach. But most of the time, I just see the horizon.

Now, with the help of my friend Twitter, I can be more confident at spotting a whale when I gaze out from my beach. I've just started following @WildAboutWhales. They send updates on Twitter of whale sightings along the coast of NSW. This is fantastic and I heart them.

Oh, and just in case you're still old school, and check webpages at random times, and you want to see where the whales are here is their website. It even includes a funky little map.

Good news everyone...

My design for a New Year's festival poster has been selected as a finalist. I wasn't actually too confident when I submitted the design for a few reasons, including I just ran out of time to really polish it off. What you see above is only a small section of the design I submitted. I'm already stoked because being in the Top 5 I've won a free pass to the three day festival. Go me. The decision on the final design will be made at the end of July.

I have a new fave tune...

LCD Soundsystem - I Can Change (Stereogamous Remix).
I danced my arse off to this track during the early hours of Monday morning. Lights flashing, smiling faces.

She was into French cuisine but I ain't no cordon bleu...

I'm no good at chatting up and I always get rebuffed
Enough to drive a man to drink, I don't do no washing up
I always leave the stuff piled up, a-piled up in the sink

But you will always find him in the kitchen at parties

Food and wine...

used to be friends of mine.

On the weekend the Manly Food and Wine festival took place. It's pretty much your local community type event where local restaurants showcase a dish or two and a local wine producing region is also highlighted.

The region this year, as with most years was the Hunter region. To be honest, while there are some great wines produced in this region it all became a bit same same. Looking for a red? Well, there was only two choices: your Cab Sav or Merlot. Then there was the blends of the above. This really was a shame as I like to try new things when I visit festivals, because really that's the point, isn't it? I wandered around the festival twice before any wine grabbed my attention*. The wandering was good, because the people of Manly are a good looking bunch, so eyecandy and people smiling and laughing was not in shortage.

Food options, well, there was a lot to choose from all for $12 a plate. Fantastic value, NOT! A spoon full of something for $12 just made me sigh. However, the sun was out and the atmosphere was worth the dosh to sit and watch the passes by and the waves crash onto the beach. What a great location for a festival.

A designers market was tacked on to the festival along the beach promenade.On Saturday I wandered through here, spied a couple of cool t-shirts and some fantastic home made nougat. I bought a nougat sample pack and it didn't last the whole weekend. Was gone in a flash. I now firmly believe cranberries in nougat is a total winner!

So here were the downers:
- price of food
- wandering around by myself
- lack of real variety in wine choices

On the bright side:
- Beautiful location
- Happy people
- Showcase of why I love this suburb the best

So, next year, if you're not doing anything, come along with me.

*Good thing, in these days of limited alcohol intake for me, that sampling a wine or two was the equivalent of maybe one glass. Luckily there were heaps of non-alcoholic options and plenty of water around.

Well that was a wonderful dream...

and I'm going to share.

I was charged with coming up with the concept art work for a new kid's cartoon. The style was the classic Hanna-Barber's "Josie and the Pussycats", But had a modern twist.

It stared Britney Spears as Britney Spears and she had a square robot as a side-kick. Naturally, and most unimaginatively it was called "Spears in Space".

Each Episode had her singing one of her hits, so I had to Wikipedia her because I could only think of one song, "Toxic".

Sorry, you know how much I think sharing dreams is boring, but I decided not to disguise it as a good idea.

Late nights ahoy...

Dave and I look like we've got some fun late nights ahead.
We've got tix to see:
Scissor Sisters
The Skins - Scissor Sisters by shiftdc2

The Ting Tings
The Ting Tings We Walk by radiomasternet

And I absolutely LOVE this last track. It may leave you thinking to yourself: WTF?!
Miike Snow


However, this track is my fave Miike Snow track:
Miike Snow - Billie Holiday by Shahram

I'm loving this right now...

I'm guessing it's a tribute to this song: