June in review

June 30. Day 181. Perfect Snowstorm

I know why there are no women in Slava's Snow Show which is currently being performed at the Queensland Performing Arts Complex.
Had there been I'm sure the production meeting would have gone like this.
"So you want to engulf the whole audience in a giant spider's web and rain literally millions of pieces of snow confetti from the roof? And then you envisage a giant bubble machine followed by a avalanche of still more confetti blown in a snow storm through the whole auditorium, right? Well I'm sure that will look absolutely amazing but who do you think is going to clean up after you?"
All I can say is I'm glad the cleaning contract at the Lyric Theatre isn't mine.
As an audience member, however, I have to say this afternoon's performance was amazing in a way that just has you scratching your head as to how anyone could firstly envisage such a spectacle, thenconvince others to back that vision and finally pull it off.
I can not think of a better way to occupy myself on a dreary old Sunday afternoon.

June 29. Day 180. Defying Gravity

Rather fan girl excited about tonight and the prospect of seeing Idina Menzel in concert with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
For those sadly uninitiated Idina played the original Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway. That makes her a hero in my eyes.
Wicked is one of those musicals that delights me every time I see it and Defying Gravity always reduces me to tears.
It's the big Elphaba number that closes act one sung soaring above the stage.
I have the tissues ready for tonight (if she sings it I'll cry. If she doesn't sing it I'll cry even harder).
Anyway I had Defying Gravity in my head this afternoon as I walked through Musgrave Park down near the Performing Arts Complex where tonight's concert will be staged.
What I saw in the park summed up my joy at the prospect of some gravity defying action tonight.
Dom, Jindy and Clara were testing the laws of gravity themselves with great effect.
A great warm up act for tonight. Bring it on.

June 28. Day 179. Feed the birds

Never have I been so pleased to see birds being fed as I was this morning.
From just after the sun rise to sunset every day my elderly neighbour Margaret sits at her window facing the street watching the world go by.
On her tray table is her knitting and a margarine container now filled with mince. Birds of all varieties know this and like fly-in fly out workers they drop by Margaret's window sill for a feed.
But yesterday afternoon the windows were closed  after Margaret took a tumble bringing in her groceries. She went down on the concrete and suffered a large gash to the back of the head.
Fortunately another neighbour was close by and able to call the ambulance. Several hours and four stitches later, Margaret was allowed home late last night and this morning was back at the window with her mince feeding the birds.
Her hair was still matted with blood but just seeing her there brought a smile to my face. The birds seemed pretty pleased to see her back too.

June 27. Day 178. Little weed

For something that is a scourge, weeds can be pretty damn attractive.
I love these dandelions that have gone to seed. Who hasn't wished on one? Weird isn't it? Exactly why anyone would come up with the idea that fairy dust is released from a has-been weed is somewhat beyond me.
But there is something delicate and captivating just the same. Or perhaps it's just me.
I have this unfortunate habit of being very attracted to things that are bad for me especially when it comes to food.
Or may be it's the has-been that's gone to seed that I can relate to. You get that.

June 26. Day 177. Got the Blues

Meet Cheryl. She's got the Blues.
I found her sitting alone outside Suncorp Stadium on match day afternoon decked out from head to toe in blue. You have to admire someone coming into Maroon territory and not being afraid to show her true colours.
You can tell just by looking at her that she's a good sport.
It's well known that I don't give a toss about State of Origin but that's not to say that I don't admire those who get soooo passionate about it. And I admire anyone prepared to wear a wig like that out in public.
We've all got to have our thing. I just wish there was a State of Origin in say, Musical Theatre, that would get my maroon blood boiling.
I may not like football but when all is said and done I'm a born and bred QUEENSLANDER.

June 25. Day 176. Coming in to land

Yes. The end is in sight. My landing gear has been engaged, the seat is in the upright position, tray stable stowed away and seat belt fastened. I'm about to land and hopefully it will be a soft landing.
By lunch time tomorrow all marks for semester one have to be filed and in true journalistic fashion I will meet that deadline but not by a lot. Nothing like a deadline to focus a girl's attention.
The truth is that spreadsheet after spreadsheet of grades take a lot of concentration and in fairness to every student it is not a time to let the mind wander.
Thus by mid afternoon when the numbers started swimming I decided it was time to take flight, grab the puppy and head out the door for a walk to South Bank.
Fresh air and exercise do wonders for the head. I'm not quite free as a bird- yet - but it's out there. Bring on tomorrow.

June 24. Day 175. Look both ways

As a parent, having eyes in the back of your head is not only an advantage it is pretty much a necessity.
After a while, you get pretty good at it. There's this sixth sense that tells you something isn't quite right or there's some behaviour going on behind your back that needs addressing. You just know.
Today that ability to see without looking failed me. In fact the ability to see what was right in front on my eyes failed me.
The Boy was planning on walking home after rehearsals but it had been a long day so I decided to pick him up. Naturally he managed to walk right by me without me noticing and then thanks to a small mobile phone black spot we both went about behaving like headless chooks looking for each other. Sigh. Two sets of eyes, neither seeing very well. At least my eyes were open earlier at South Bank when I saw these birds. Cute little guys.

June 23. Day 174. Split decision

The city has been a sea of colour this weekend.
Red was everywhere as swarms of British Lions supporters overran the place in good natured celebrations of the team's win over the Wallabies last night.
West End seemed to be one of the hubs for the visitors and it was there that I had intended to walk to this afternoon but in a split second decision changed course and went to South Bank.
There it was green and gold on display - not Wallabies' fans licking their wounds but Brazilians joining in the world-wide protests over government corruption and spending on sporting events in their home country.
The crowd was large and there were Brazilian flags and placards being waved but the crowd was happy and peaceful as content displaying their football skills as their solidarity.
Many families were there enjoying a picnic in the sun as well as joining in the protest.
On the fringes I met Maria, aged 12, who was with her Mum Camila and the rest of the clan at the demonstration. The keen gymnast was pretty much turning the protest on its head. It kind of summed up the whole mood - they were serious about what they were doing but not taking themselves too seriously. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon.

June 22. Day 173. Everybody needs good neighbours

There was a great escape at our place today. The puppy made a dash for freedom and as fast as his little legs would carry him he was across the road visiting the neighbours' kids with me far slower and less agile in pursuit.
Both Rumple and I will miss those kids. The family is moving on in three weeks and I can only hope whoever buys the place is as nice.
The three kids are a delight (this is the youngest two Mitchell and Kirralee on the trampoline). They are always out in the garden playing on the swings or the trampoline, or on their bikes or scooters or setting up shop in the community area between our houses.
It's no wonder Rumple made a beeline for their place - there he found a youthful energy to match his own. I was tired just watching it.

June 21. Day 172. Diving in

There was singing, a poetry recital, a performance by a magician, a zombie attack and crazy cat videos. And here I was thinking this morning's three hour faculty staff meeting could be a yawn fest.
The theme of much of today was engagement and new and better ways of doing things in our crazy world of new media.
That being the case, it wouldn't have been right if the presentations were all chalk and talk or the modern equivalent Death by PowerPoint.
Education isn't what it used to be and to reinforce the point when the meeting was done and dusted I dropped in on The Cube the jewel in the crown of my university's new Science and Engineering Centre. It's one of the one world's largest digital interactive learning and display spaces and it's way cool. It's all left me with plenty to ponder.

June 20. Day 171. Understatement

"It's a bit cold," she told me. What an understatement.
It would be wouldn't it? The June (Winter) Solstice is tomorrow. The fact that the shortest day of the year is right upon us should be something of a sign that it's not really swimming weather.
The fact that everyone is walking around in overcoats and scarves  is probably also a fair indication that stripping off to a bikini and taking a dip is somewhat unusual.
But the lifeguards were on duty at South Bank and if you are brave why not? 
Apart from the obvious.

June 19. Day 170. Be Prepared

Some years ago I went out on the Bay on a day's sailing with friends. One of my mates was determined to teach me how to tie proper nautical knots. She gave up in disgust never having encountered a specimen less able to follow visual instructions combined with a criminal lack of left/right awareness. I would never have made a Girl Guide.
However I have adopted the Girl Guide Be Prepared motto at least when it comes to my handbag. Anyone who picks it up seems compelled to exclaim "What the hell do you have in here?".
You just never know what you might need. The tragedy is that carrying that much stuff seriously impacts on my back health and means I have extreme difficulty locating anything in my bag because of all the crap I'm carrying.
But some times it pays off. This afternoon was one such occasion. I had actually taken the photo I planned to use for today's shot before 7am but didn't let that stop me from grabbing the camera when I had to go out this afternoon to take Theatre Boy to drama rehearsals.
And there it was. This sky as I drove by the Kangaroo Point cliffs.
The photo gods were shining and there was a vacant parking space right where I needed it. Jump out, fire off two shots, back in the car and at drama on time. Sorted. Love ya, Brisbane.

June 18. Day 169. The Graduate

I like to think it is an excellent teacher and not a gifted student.
Well, I would wouldn't I considering
a) I teach students as my day job
b) I was the official dog trainer in my house.
But either way we totally loved puppy training and were a bit sad at the last official training session tonight. And like any Mum I beamed with pride at the graduation ceremony especially as Rumple graduated top of the class and took away the major prize for best pup. We have the cap and the certificate to prove it.
The truth is that a puppy is the perfect balance to having a teenager. As anyone would know I love my boy with all my heart but having another creature that is always pleased to see me, worships the ground on which I walk and knows no rude words or grunts is rather nice. And I've taught him to jump through hoops - literally - something I' have not yet mastered with my teen. So well done Rumple. You've done us proud (not so proud that you are now eating your graduation hat. Oh well, can't win 'em all)

June 17. Day 168. Winter blues

This time of year totally sucks. I am not a winter person. At all.
I don't do cold. I know, I know. What Brisbane calls winter doesn't even count in most parts of the world but I don't live in those parts of the world for a good reason.
I spent the day chasing the sun, moving myself and my marking as the sun moved. It didn't improve the quality of the assignments but it gave me a more sunny disposition as I marked which the students should be thankful for.
When the sun had largely gone I set out for a walk. Even I have to admit that one of the trade offs for the colder weather is a beautiful clarity and freshness in the air.
This is the view from the top of the hill as the lights started to come on in the city. It does warm the heart. It does not, however, warm the body. Bring on summer.

June 16. Day 167. Everything from the kitchen sink

I'm pretty sure every home has one. The drawer or cupboard of kitchen gadgets which are almost never used but which seemed crucial at the time of purchase. Often their purpose is unclear but it would seem wrong to dispose of them, after all you just never know. But really what the hell are they for and what to do with them?
Although they are just taking up storage space and could certainly be put to more productive use, never have I considered turning them into art. Clearly I am just lacking imagination as this bit of a giant installation at South Bank shows.
It's promoting an upcoming Regional Flavours event at the Parklands but I find it strangely attractive in its own right.
An if nothing else it shows just how beautiful the skies are in Brisbane at this time of the year.

June 15. Day 166. Letting go

You give them the skills they need. You lead by example and at some point you need to let go of the ropes and either let them stand on their own two feet or trust them to the care of others who can continue their learning process.
Parenting - the toughest, most frustrating, most rewarding, thing you will do. Ever.
The balance between protecting and giving them the space to be independent and make their own mistakes is one of the most difficult aspects.
I watched an awesome example of leading off and then standing back at the Kangaroo Point Cliffs this afternoon where abseiling class was underway.
With a whole family of well wishers at the bottom cheering them on, Mum went over the top first. Having done it myself, I can tell you it's a long, long way down. The trick is to never look down. One step after the other. Mum stumbled a bit but she did it.
Then it was Mason's turn.
He looked down, grinned at the crowd and then stepped off.

About half way down he lost his footing and swung on the ropes. It shook him but he didn't give up.
He collected himself, managed to swing around and continued his descent into the waiting arms of Mum at the bottom. He'd done it and the family cheered.
Awesome

June 14. Day 165. There's a place for us

"There's a place for us,
Somewhere a place for us.
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us
Somewhere."

I was almost moved to tears today. There is something really, really beautiful about a choir of young male voices and today parents were invited to sit in on a performance a small group of young men at my son's school have been working on this week with staff from the Griffith University's Musical Theatre course.
They were singing Somewhere from West Side Story supported by a bit of action from the stage show. It's a beautiful song and an awesome opportunity the school offers its Year 10 boys. 
It's Immersion week and the boys have all been given the opportunity to spend an intensive week totally devoted to something they believe might be a career option. There are boys involved in robotics, boys in Mount Isa looking at mining and boys studying the ecology on Moreton Island.
For Theatre Boy (pictured at the front) a week with experts working on a musical theatre piece with other like-minded individuals is pretty much as good as it gets.
I love the fact that schools are now encouraging and fostering such a diverse range of interests and going above and beyond to engage students in education.
I think that's why I found today so special. The singing was delightful but the sentiment was spot on too.
"There's a place for us,
A time and place for us.
Hold my hand and we're halfway there.
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow,
Some day,
Somewhere"

June 13. Day 164. Dog gone.

I reckonise the look. It's a look of complete distain, a look as though you are above the behaviour of those around. Seriously, my puppy looks at the bum sniffing and arse licking behaviour of the other pups in his puppy pre-school with an air of self righteous indignation like the rest of them are complete animals. (I suspect it is almost exactly the same look I have adopted in the past at some editorial meetings when much the same behaviour was exhibited but I digress).
The fact is Sir Rumple thinks he is a person. He sleeps in bed with his head on the pillow. He sits on the couch and watches TV. He is the only dog I have ever met who never does any doggy business on a walk. Ever. The vet/dog trainer says that not marking every tree is the sign of an exceptionally well trained and respectful dog. I should take that as an ultimate compliment but I suspect it is untrue.
Leg cocking and doggy doo bags are the stuff of dogs and Rumple can not see how that applies to him. So today I thought I should connect him with his dogginess. We went to the dog park, our first experience of such an establishment - and Rumple loved it. It has to be said, however, there weren't any other dogs at the park. Had any of that bum sniffing, arse licking behaviour been on display I reckon we'd have been out of there declaring that the place had gone to the dogs.

June 12. Day 163. The fog is lifting

It was unusually foggy and it took a long time to clear this morning - my head that is. That was pretty much the situation in a meteorological sense as well.
I'm sure the nice folk at the Bureau of Meteorology have a very complex explanation for the thick and unmoving blanket of fog that wrapped itself around the city buildings this morning.
In the case of my head the explanation is quite simple - not enough sleep. As the saying goes "Early to bed and early to rise makes you healthy, wealthy and wise". But as Susan says "Early to rise and late to bed makes you grumpy and sluggish and half dead." And yet I keep doing it.
With a clear head I know I need more sleep but I need more sleep to get a clear head.
So there we have it. Too much too do, too little time. But at least getting up early this morning allowed me to enjoy the view or lack thereof.

June 11. Day 162. Buy the book

Sometimes it's all too much. It's great to have freedom of choice but too many choices and it's hard to know where to start. That was me at the Lifeline Bookfest today. With millions of books to choose from, all at loose change prices, I should have been in heaven. But it was overload and impossible to know where to start. There was also a very real danger of not being able to stop. I promised myself I'd apply pretty much same strategy I do to dieting - never eat more than you can carry.
Truth is the only thing I should be reading right now is assignments so I walked away with just the essentials for my life right now - Puppies for Dummies. Okay, that's not much in the way of new reading material but if it gives me tips on how to stop His Rumpleness from eating the books already in the house it will be $1 well spent.

June 10. Day 161. A wet blanket

Well what a wet blanket today was. Grey, bleak and frankly quite unpleasant.
Had it not been for the lack of food in the fridge it would have been a total doona day but hunger forced my hand and demanded I get out of the PJs and hit the shops.
Having done so, there was no excuse to not keep going and take a walk in the soggy city.
On any other public holiday, the Kangaroo Point Cliffs and boardwalk would be teeming with people.
Not today. Clearly I wasn't the only one considering staying in the cave. In any event, the Queen's Birthday is not like any other public holiday. There is no imperative to get out and do anything. No official flag waving event, not sombre ceremony, no religious feast or church service. Nothing. Not even a cake for the Queen. So with nothing I had to do, nothing is pretty much what I and most of Brisbane did.
At least it didn't rain on anyone's parade because there wasn't one. Perhaps that's the silver lining to this very grey cloudy public holiday in the city.

June 9. Day 160. Good in the sack

You can't really blame children brought up in a digital world for being so caught up in Virtual reality that they sometimes seem to have no idea how to enjoy reality. Tell them that TV when you were growing up was black and white and there was no such thing as a remote control and there is a look of horror. There is, of course, equal measures of fascination. Truth is, given half the chance, they do love to see, touch, feel and experience life as it was. And they love getting out and amongst it.
History Alive! at the Fort Lytton National Park this weekend was an eye opener for people of all ages as there was the opportunity to go back in time - to Medieval Times, or World War I or World War II, to the American Civil War or convict Australia.
The ground may have been soggy due to an overnight deluge but that did nothing to dent anyone's enthusiasm for the day.
For the (little) kids the games organised by the Colonial Australia group were a huge hit. Spinning tops, marbles and horse shoe tossing provided endless fun. But the biggest draw card was the sack races without so much as a battery in sight. Perfect.

June 8. Day 159. A fine mind

In the days before Google there was my Dad. Whenever there was something we didn't know, we'd ring Dad.
The joke was that between him Dad and his brother knew everything. If ever we found the great mind of Barry lacking he'd claim that was one his brother knew. As Eric, the nuclear physicist, lives in Sydney and they were rarely in the same place at the same time we didn't often get to test the theory but it was probably about right. Smart, smart men with an infinite capacity to learn AND retain things.
This is why it is such a cruel joke that Alzheimer's Disease killed my Dad, first robbing him of his greatest asset -  his fine mind. It is especially cruel that he was only 62 when he died, exactly 10 years ago today.
Where did that decade go?
So today I have been thinking a lot about my Dad. I thought about him as I strolled through the Lifeline Bookfest while The Boy looked for World history books for his reading pleasure. That's the sort of thing Dad would read in his spare time too. That gene clearly skipped a generation.
And tonight it's trivia night. That's the sort of place you really need someone like Dad. So I'll have a drink for Dad tonight and hope I've inherited just a little bit of that Barry brain. Failing that, I'll rely on having a laugh and a drink for Dad. Those are two things from Dad I know I can do. Cheers.

June 7. Day 158. Sit down strike

In a bizarre variation to The Dog Ate My Homework, the puppy today forced me to do the work set at puppy preschool.
Our take home exercise was to expose the pup to as many unusual sights and sounds as possible. I'm reckoning taking a ride across the Victoria Bridge in peak hour on the back of an open cycle drawn cab would qualify.
It was not my intention but Rumple forced my hand by staging a sit down strike in the middle of the Adelaide Street footpath. We'd walked down to the city and at that point he decided he would walk no further. That was it.
So I picked him up and started to carry him. After all I couldn't take the bus or hail a cab, walking it had to be until .... the Brazilian cyclist in charge of one the cycle cabs outside the Casino offered us a lift. Yes, puppies accepted.
As it was either that or carry five kilos of puppy all the way home I decided $10 was a fine investment. And so it was. On a beautiful winter's evening we got to ride to the top end of South Bank by which time we were more than half way home and the sit down strike had ended. The puppy was happy to walk the rest of the way.
This is a shot fired off mid way across the bridge. That's quite a way to start the weekend.

June 6. Day 157. Something to crow about

Workload meeting.

That glorious one-on-one chance to sit with the boss and discuss just how hard you work. Now that's something to crow about. Great start. I was late (not because I was at South Bank AGAIN taking photos of this crow. That was much earlier in the day). I was actually delayed by work. Fortunately my boss was delayed even more than me. See, we all work really hard. Meeting over.

I know in large organisations there needs to be accountability to check everyone is pulling his or her weight but sometimes the formula has me scratching my head (like the crow). There's lots of work. I do it. That's it really.

Now if you'll excuse me. I have work to do.

June 5. Day 156. Tow, tow, tow your car

Well wouldn't that just give you the shits?
#$%^&* car had to be towed this afternoon. I'm over that car and have decided we shall get a new one. This is my silver lining for today.
In fact I shall choose to concentrate on the positives in what was a very, very average situation.
Negative: I was driving on a very busy road when the engine simply cut out
Positive: I was turning into a side street and the slope allowed me to coast to relative safety before stopping
Negative: I was taking The Boy back to school for an important piece of drama assessment
Positive: We were close enough for him to walk and get there in time
Negative: The puppy was in the car
Positive: So was his lead
Negative: A quick trip to the school on a busy afternoon ended up taking hours
Positive: At least I didn't do the school run in my PJs
So there you have it. A new car it will be. I have yet to tell my husband this. I don't actually care what he says. My mind is made up. The man who towed the car was very nice but I have no desire to meet him again.

June 4. Day 155. Slow drip

Sometimes I hate my job. Not all of my job. Just the administration bits.
The meetings that are like a slow drip water torture as are the parts of my job where students cry.
Part of my job involves the management of students. There are very rewarding aspects to this. I sign off on students heading off on overseas exchange trips, welcome new students and help plan graduation pathways for students who have transferred in from elsewhere. But, and it's a big but, I also have to manage students who have failed subjects or break the news to students that they will not graduate when they are expected to because of a flaw in their course progression. Follow the course structure as it is set out and all should be good. But if, like Red Riding Hood, you stray from the path there may be a big bad wolf waiting for you.
Normally it only means an additional six months study but it's heartbreaking and students cry. The mother in me wants to make it all better. But try as I might the professional in me can't always fix it.  Studying subjects out of order can leave you with holes that can not be filled in time for the planned course completion. There were two such cases today the outcome of which is still to be resolved. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Watching the clock. Checking their emails to see if they can start planning a November graduation. With no more I can do to influence the outcome either way it was off for a walk to South Bank where I photographed this watering can. The flow having started can't easily be stopped. It rather summed up today. Drip, drip, drip.

June 3. Day 154. Boredom buster

Plenty would agree that exercise can be boring if you don't spice it up a bit.
Not all that many would take that to the level of Miquel.
Miquel was flipping out - literally - at when I ran into him at South Bank this afternoon.
He'd just run eight kilometres and decided to finish off with a few flips down the green, as you do.
It's parkour - an activity that combines vaults, leaps and flips to get you from one place to another in the most direct line.
Miquel admits that vaults and jumps and more practical when it comes to parkour but practising flips is more fun.
It makes a run more interesting he said before performing one last flip and heading off to the pool.
"Any more and I'll vomit," he said.
And with that he was off taking the most direct possible route to the water.

June 2. Day 153. Snakes alive!

There is something very, very compelling about snakes.
Don't get me wrong. If there's one in my territory I give it a wide berth, a very wide berth to be honest.
I'm not one who believes that the only good snake is a dead one but I'd rather not see them lounging in my back garden or in the pool filter box, thank-you very much. I know they are there but if they could pretend otherwise I'm good with that.
However, if I know the snake is harmless and not in my backyard (literally) it's impossible not to be captivated.
Perhaps there's something about a snake's scaly skin, desire to sun itself and hide for most of the winter as well as the ability to eat almost impossible amounts of food in one sitting that attracts me to the creatures. There's a natutal affinity right there.
In any event, I'm not the only one. This Black-headed python, which weighs in at an impressive eight kilograms, was quite the scene stealer at the Green Heart Fair at Chermside today.
For those not taken with snakes, there was plenty more to see and do at the World Environment Day event.
From rock climbing to recyclable art, inflatable soccer pitches, face painting, environmental information and displays, tree planting, kids activities, food and stage shows, there was plenty for families to see and do on a perfect winter's day.
It was worth coming out of my winter hibernation for.

June 1. Day 152. Checkmate

God I'm glad we moved close to the school given how much time I seem to spend there. Tonight it was Carnivale and I "volunteered" to work on the drink stall, as you do when you are a school mum. There were rides and food but for the most part the night was a celebration of the talents of the young men who attend the school. I love that a boys' schools can now celebrate not only their successes on the sporting field or in the academic area but the talents of those good at debating, chess, drama or music.

I also love that whether it's a throw the ball competition, jumping castle, photo booth or giant chess board, the young men were at the same time fiercely competitive and extremely supportive of each other and not afraid to embrace the inner child really not that far under the surface.
Sweaty, smelly creatures they might be but correctly nurtured they are loyal and loving.
They are attributes worth celebrating.

May in review