New Year New Job

It's March already. I spent the better part of every weekend of January and early February writing job applications. The plan was to spend more time in the studio, but inevitably, my own procrastination and the need to move jobs motivated me to stay in and write.

Through a process of optimism and courage I have found and been offered a great new job as Manager of Topology and will be starting before the end of March. Without any reservation, I can say that it will allow me to be creative and I will learn and learn and continue to learn. This shift has given me back some of the confidence I had lost earlier in the year and shown me that hard work and study pays off. 8March at Visy, powerhouse Brisbane - Topology gig and CD launch of 'Big Decisions' is my first work-related gig for the ensemble.

Recent shows/experiences:
6Feb Brought out the best in rock at the Valley Studios - 'Whitefeather' aka Wolfmother gig was a very close experience. Only 300 capacity in the venue meant that it felt like we were in their studio, listening to very fresh material. I won't forget the concentration for a long time, people at the gig were really listening, like a jazz audience listens. Andrew's vocals are as strong as ever and the material is more mature and more fun than earlier work. Keyboard player Ian was inspiring to watch - from eight feet away. It was sweaty and very loud and very good. Thank you Andrew n Jude for the invitation. Looking forward to seeing the new website.

Slumdog Millionaire, which took me back to Mumbai and then into another internal discussion about poverty and the intervention of westerners. I remember the children begging all around me and the look of disdain when I offered them food instead of money, and suggested that school might be a good place for them, seeing as it is free. The movie is beautiful and has been awarded accordingly, but what of India and the millions on the lowest wrung? Then I saw another show about India's diabetes epidemic, and realised that affluence and changing lifestyles in India has the same impact as anywhere else, but to the power of 10.

The Consolations of Philosophy by Allain de Botton was a good read. Beyond the very clever segmetations in this book, I really appreciate the quirky images and annecdotes, and the way human frailty and the possible advice for emotional pain and upsets has all been well thought out thousands of years ago. De Botton allows you to process plenty of concepts at a holiday-relaxed pace. This one travels very well with one of his other good books, The Architecture of Happiness.
I'm off to the Irish club in April to see him talk and launch The Pleasrues and Sorrows of Work.. and he and some friends have opened a gerat little shop The School of Life, in the UK.

Recently saw Both/And at QUT - some grad students' works, from different disciplines, in the same space together, not really what I would call cross-disciplinary, but still very interesting work. Ran into Kate Woodcroft, artist/curator/writer. Looking forward to seeing where she is headed with her research masters.

The Changeling, with Jollie and her red lips was heart wrenching and strangely far more emotional because the usual cues weren't all there, or I chose to not believe the cues that alluded to things I hoped wouldn't happen to her and to her son. The reason why the boy who returned hadn't come home earlier really was very thin, but apart from that, a very well made piece of work.

Helped with the promotion and opening of Five Senses at the State Library over the last months, a nice project to finish up with Flying Arts on. The show is varied and there are some really strong pieces, and the space really lifts the collection. Hope it tours.

New Space

I'm taking control of my space this month, and creating an online identity that allows me a bit more scope. I haven't blogged before, so it may take some tiem to reason with the banal and move on to actual ideas. 2008 is almost over. Achievements were many this year. And I turned 40, to add another milestone.

Reflecting on the big block busters and the smaller shows, the events and work of 08, I have to say the GoMA shows this year have all been engaging, partiularly the recent acquisitions on now. As always, I was enamoured with Hellboy at the cinema (number 2), and would happily sit through the Coen brothers' Burn after Reading again. The Dark Knight is also a film I won't forget.

I took my partner Axel to anAFL match, the first we have ever attended and it was very cool. The trip we took to NZ in September was great. We had very good weather and saw some enchanting places. It was so fast though, it felt like a sampler trip, so we will do it again, but slower next time. There was a quick trip to Sydney for a fantastic wedding in April and the week in Peregian in November (image taken in vacant block), without whcih I would probably have collapsed by now..

So it's been a great year, academically, at work, and expecially for getting away. Now I'm reclaiming the garage and sorting out the garden, and thinking about painting for the first time in two years. Soon.