For the last few weeks, you may recall, I have been learning Swedish at the Lutheran Cafe in Goulburn Street. I have found some aspects of the course quite easy, and others quite difficult. I think I have a good ear for the language and I think my pronunciation has been quite good. My comprehension is generally quite good, seeing similarities in English and German. I have found it sometimes hard, though, knowing how to respond verbally.
Our homework for the week was to write a short introductory essay about ourselves, based on the work we have done so far. It’s really hard to say something interesting in the present tense – as we haven’t moved on to past and future tenses yet – without sounding like a complete nong. Here is an excerpt…
Jag vackner klocken fyra eller fem och stiger upp klocken fem eller sex. Jag dricker en kopp kaffe til frukost. Jag duschar klocken sju. Jag arbeter fran atta til fem eller sex.
Sedan komma hem och jag lyssna till musik. Jag lyssna pa Agnetha Faltskog, Annifrid Lyngstad och manga andra artister.
Jag ar inte gift, och inte barn.
Jag laser svenska pa en kvallskurs. Jag vill resa till Sverige.
As you can see, I’m not really ready for sophsticated conversations about life, the universe and everything yet.
It’s Sunday evening. It’s been a warm day in Perth. I’m sitting on the balcony of the hotel I’ve been staying in. I hope the people on the cruise boat down below don’t mind that I’m sitting here, wearing just shorts, and sipping on a glass of wine. Because frankly, the last week has been super-super-busy, and if they do mind, I don’t care.
First, there was a reasonably intense two-day work conference in Sydney (with associated socialising/working at night). Then on Tuesday night, there was an evening flight from Sydney to Perth, arriving in Perth at 9.30 local time (after midnight back in Sydney). That was followed by a two-and-a-half-day work conference in Perth which involved a lot of training, a lot of talking and some after-work socialising where we continued to talk about work. I figure I did my 38 “rostered hours” in record time this week.
Maralinga by Lin Onus at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. A stunning work about the atomic tests conducted in Australia during the 1950s. A young woman holds tightly to her mother, as the winds from the blast from the explosion. A shameful part of our history.
“A week of highs and lows” is how I described the week to a colleague and friend in a text message. We were both supposed to go to another work-related social activity on Friday night, but by Friday afternoon/evening I was exhausted, and so I retired to my hotel room. Though I could have gone back on Friday, I decided to tag on a few extra days in Perth at my own expense. It’s such a long way to travel (five hours), that I figured I couldn’t miss the chance for some friendly catchups, a bit of tourist exploration, and some relaxation.
Aside from yesterday’s food tour, I also paid a visit today to the Art Gallery of Western Australia and caught up with a friend for lunch today at Little Creatures. So yeah, despite the busy times I’ve experienced over the last few weeks, I feel like I’ve had a weekend. I feel quite relaxed. I’m catching the red-eye back tonight (leaves Perth at 11.35 pm, arrives Sydney at 6.55 am), so I’m hoping for a sound night’s sleep. Hoping…
When you see a restaurant that’s packed out on a Monday night, it either means there’s a buzz about it, or it’s simply bloody good. Both could be said about Xage.
Michaela and I went out for a meal there tonight, only vaguely aware of the restaurant’s details.
A friend had told her it was good, and even though we didn’t know what it was called or exactly where it was, we headed off there with high hopes.
Although the restaurant was full when we arrived, a brief stroll to The Dolphin to get some wine (it’s BYO), and even before we finished our beers as we waited for a call, and within a few minutes, we were back there and seated.
For the entree, we ordered rice paper rolls which were “packed full of great ingredients”.
And for mains, we had two large meals, with the pork being the stand-out dish, although both were very good.
Price? Under $50 for two.
We were both mightily impressed.
Pork and more at Xage
After dinner, we got chatting with the very friendly, warm staff. They’re currently only open at nights, though with plans to open for some lunch day sittings. “We’re planning to open for lunch for Mardi Gras weekend”, the woman who runs Xage told us.
There’s a real buzz about Xage at the moment. And deservedly so, as they’ve opened with a restaurant with great food, great service, and a great atmosphere.
“Seven thumbs?”, I suggested, echoing that line from The Simpsons where Homer becomes a food critic.
“Is there anyone here who is Swedish?’, the young woman on stage asked tonight at Sydney’s Arthouse Hotel. As much as I was tempted to reply “yes”, I figured it was a little too much for me to claim Swedishness, since I was descended from a varied group of English, Irish and Scottish settlers and convicts, including a family who had arrived in Australia on the Third Fleet. There’s a fair bit of my ancestry I’m unsure about, but I’m guessing it’s mostly Irish genes that I have. “Put your hands down”, she said to the nearby group of Danes.
In the mid-evening break, I chatted with the woman who had told her story of being a Youth Exchange student in the far north of Sweden (about 600km from Stockholm, she told me) and who discovered the delights of fika. Fika is the Swedish word which I understood to mean a coffee break. But in the far north of Sweden where she lived for a year, fika meant consuming large amounts of cakes.
It was her story around the theme of “vice” which she told as part of Now Hear This, a story-telling night which has recently begun in Sydney, and which I have some involvement with (disclosure). “It’s a bit like The Moth” I’ve told a few people.
The second story tonight also had a theme I could relate to: researching family history. The bloke, obviously a retired gentleman, spoke of his “addiction” to travelling to cemeteries and hotels in search of long lost grandfathers. I knew exactly what he was talking about, as you may have noted from the many adventures on my website.
As someone who has spoken quite publicly about her experiences with weight loss and gastric banding, the host of “Now Hear This”, Melanie Tait spoke about her vice – chocolate.
The combination of Swedishness and chocolate opened up a desire in me also. And so on the way home, instead of catching a cab straight from the hotel, I walked through Hyde Park and headed towards Sydney’s Oxford Street.
As I’ve noticed previously, there have been a number of stores in Sydney which have recently been selling the Swedish confectionary, Daim. Those locations have included my own local convenience store, as well as convenience stores on Broadway. Sadly, “supplies” have dried up, and so I headed with an almost manic desire in my eyes towards Duffy Brothers supermarket on Oxford Street, which I’d known previously to have sold the authentic Swedish version of Daim. They had also previously stocked another well known Swedish brand, Marabou. As the woman who spoke on stage tonight had observed, the Swedes know how to do sweets very well. In fact, I read the other day, Swedes were the largest consumers of sugar in the world.
Like a junkie looking for a hit, I walked back and forward along the chocolate aisle at the Duffy Brothers, only to discover they no longer stock Daim or Marabou.
Melanie Tait hosts Now Hear This
Daim and Marabou previously spotted at Duffy’s in May 2012
Forget the bar scene. Forget internet-dating. It’s all been a waste of time, because in the last couple of weeks I’ve begun to realise my perfect match, my soul mate, my life partner may, in fact, be someone I’ve known for quite some time. Well, not so much “known” as “known of”. I’m talking about the actor, Colin Firth.
Colin and I first “met” when I was a teenager. He was in the movie “Another Country” where he played the character of Tommy Judd. I admit I was confused back then, thinking stupidly Rupert Everett held greater attraction. What can I say? I was young and foolish.
I don’t know exactly what happened after “Another Country”, but somehow Colin and I drifted apart. For a long time, we never really saw much of each other. And while he was off appearing in “period drama”, I was more interested in the likes of Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix. What was I thinking? About ten years ago, Colin and I were re-introduced by our mutual friend, Bridget Jones. He was a little uptight then, but so was I. Thankfully over the next few years, we both loosened up a bit. Possibly he loosened up a little too much in “Mamma Mia”, but at least he had a better singing voice than Pierce Brosnan.
About twelve months ago we caught up again, brought together by “A Single Man”. It was honestly one of the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen. At the time I noted…
The opening sequence, where George (played by Colin Firth) finds out about the death in a car accident of his partner, Jim, and of his reaction brought me to tears. It’s a beautiful piece in a beautiful film, which I enjoyed very much. It’s also a film I could relate strongly too. When you’ve loved someone. I mean really loved someone. And you’ve lost them. The agony that you feel for a long time remains strong. And you could see in the way Colin firth played George, and the way he reacted, he was obviously drawing on some of his own deep emotions. And being a great believer in “fate” (heresy, I know in these days of the cult of Richard Dawkins et al), I loved the way incidents kept happening in George’s life in the time after Jim’s death to intervene, to avoid what you believe is the inevitable: George’s suicide.
Thanks largely to this film, Colin and I embarked on a new relationship. We saw each other again the other week, and once again I cried watching “A Single Man” (it’s such an emotional film). And then just a few days ago I saw Colin again in “The King’s Speech”. Again, he’s fantastic.
So anyway, at the age of forty-five I’ve decided the bar scene is a waste of time, internet dating is a waste of time, and that I’ll just sit at home and wait for Colin to give me a call. I’m no longer interested in the series of one-night-stands we’ve had over the last twenty years, I’m looking for something a little more long-term these days.
The scene from A Single Man where he realises one of his students has a crush on him.
Every so often on the internet – and in real life – you’ll hear someone say The Simpsons is past its prime, well past its use by date. Mostly I agree, but occasionally, just occasionally there’s an episode which demonstrates what a fantastic, relevant program it continues be. For example, I watched the episode today – the current season in the US – where Smithers convinces Moe to turn Moe’s Tavern into a gay bar, and absolutely loved it.
The premise for the episode is that Smithers discovers he’s not in Mr Burns will because Burns isn’t convinced Smithers has much drive and ambition. Feeling deflated Smithers heads off to the local gay bar – so it’s now confirmed, obviously – and is rejected by the bouncer. Looking across the road he sees Moe’s Tavern where no one is ever rejected. Smithers then convinces Moe to transform Moe’s Tavern into a gay bar for the more ordinary run of the mill – dull – homosexual. It’s quite a hit.
Moe and Smithers kissing on The Simpsons
A lot of people conclude Moe is, himself, gay: something which Moe himself doesn’t deny until he absolutely has to, when he’s on the verge of being elected as Springfield’s first openly gay councillor. It’s an episode which has all of the drama, the irony, and the comedy you expect from The Simpsons. I love the reference of “Tom of Shelbyville” erotic gay art, for example.
Anyway, that’s pretty much how I spent most of the day: watching catch-up tv. I had a bunch of material on the pvr and a bunch of material in the download box that I just haven’t had the time to watch until today. There was nothing else of note in what I watched, and Keanu Reeves was still boring on Graham Norton the second time around :)
The only other bit of excitement in the day was a trip to Officeworks. I have a friend in hospital at the moment and I wanted to buy him a reasonably easy to use mp3 player. He’s a great music fan, and having been in hospital for a few weeks, I thought he would be really missing some of his favourite tunes.
He’s a little older, these days and finding technology a little tougher than he used tro, and so I wanted to find an mp3 player that was pretty straight-forward and easy to use. Do you know how hard that is? They all seem to come with multiple options. You can watch video. You can control the equalisation. You can do anything. But all I really wanted one that had an on-off switch, and simple controls for volume and the next track. I settled on the latest ipod shuffle. It seems to do the trick. Cheap as chips also.
And so the part of the day that wasn’t involved in watching television was involved in selecting some of his favourite music and loading it up.
I’ve always appreciated public art, but it’s only recently that I’ve truly begun to notice how much of it you can find in Sydney, if you look closely. A lower-leg amputation last year forced me to slow down, and consequently, I’ve developed a new appreciation for the city’s hidden treasures. This was amplified during a Sydney Architecture Walk on the weekend hosted by the Architecture Association.
While the tour acknowledged Sydney’s rich Indigenous history, it primarily focused on the last 250 years of European settlement. One highlight was learning about the Tank Stream, a once-visible waterway now hidden beneath the city. The public art piece commemorating it beautifully captures the stream’s original flow.
Public art that commemorates the Tank Stream
The tour also visited other captivating works, such as the iconic “birdcage” installation and a surreal piece featuring an elevated tree. These unexpected discoveries in laneways added a touch of magic to the walk.
Underwood Ark by Michael McIntyre
The intimate group size allowed for engaging conversations and a deeper understanding of the city’s architectural evolution. The GPO building was a prime example of how styles and materials changed over time.
Australia Square by Harry SeidlerThere was “controversy” surrounding the portrayal of “ordinary peope” on the building when they first appeared.
Architecturally, it was a revelation to discover the new buildings that have transformed Circular Quay since the pandemic. As a frequent light rail commuter who typically heads straight to my destination, I’ve missed the architectural developments in this iconic area. The tour was a fantastic opportunity to appreciate these contemporary structures.
The tour exceeded expectations, extending twenty-five minutes beyond its scheduled two hours. I wholeheartedly recommend the Architecture Association’s tours for anyone interested in exploring Sydney’s hidden depths.
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OK, so I got a “Bra!” for my homework, which means good.
My mistakes were that in the present tense, Swedish verbs finish with ar, or if it’s an irregular verb, with er.
Also, it should be “lyssna pa Agnetha Faltskog” and not “till Agnetha Faltskog”.
And I need to learn how to do the Swedish vowels with the funny bits attached.
But I still got “Bra!”, so that’s okay I guess.
Next week’s homework is to write a more expansive piece about how I spend my week, and to more fully include in the piece what we’ve learned about adjectives and nouns.
Hi –
i was just wondering if they still have Swedish classes at the church. I’d be very interested in attending as i’ve been teaching myself but only progressing slowly.
Austen, yes, they resume on February 10, as I recall. The classes are great fun, and Marianne is a really good teacher. I have her email address which I can send to you privately if you like.
Hi James,
thanks for the quick reply!
That would be great if you could forward me her email. If possible are you able to send me any details regarding cost/times/etc…anything that comes to mind.
Jag har läst din blog om din svenska klass. Mycket fin att du kan lära dig svenska och dela den med allihopa.
Jag heter Pedro och jag kommer from Spanien, jag har bott 3 år i Sverige och nu studerar jag SAS (Svenska som andra språk). Jag har också min blog vilken använder jag för att visa vad jag läser. Kanske kan vi bli vänner genom svenska språket.
Hoppas att du fortfarande laser svenska och kan förstå vad jag skrev här.
Hej Pedro! Tack för din kommentar :) Det skulle vara roligt att se din blog också. Jag ska aker till Sverige i mars och jag måste leva varje dag tills dess. James
OK, so I got a “Bra!” for my homework, which means good.
My mistakes were that in the present tense, Swedish verbs finish with ar, or if it’s an irregular verb, with er.
Also, it should be “lyssna pa Agnetha Faltskog” and not “till Agnetha Faltskog”.
And I need to learn how to do the Swedish vowels with the funny bits attached.
But I still got “Bra!”, so that’s okay I guess.
Next week’s homework is to write a more expansive piece about how I spend my week, and to more fully include in the piece what we’ve learned about adjectives and nouns.
I thought of you James when this turned up in my Bloglines today — in case you want to brush up on your Swedish sociolects!
http://scienceblogs.com/aardvarchaeology/2008/03/daycare_sociolects.php
Hi –
i was just wondering if they still have Swedish classes at the church. I’d be very interested in attending as i’ve been teaching myself but only progressing slowly.
Thanks!
Austen, yes, they resume on February 10, as I recall. The classes are great fun, and Marianne is a really good teacher. I have her email address which I can send to you privately if you like.
Hi James,
thanks for the quick reply!
That would be great if you could forward me her email. If possible are you able to send me any details regarding cost/times/etc…anything that comes to mind.
Thanks again James.
Austen
Hej James, hur mår du?
Jag har läst din blog om din svenska klass. Mycket fin att du kan lära dig svenska och dela den med allihopa.
Jag heter Pedro och jag kommer from Spanien, jag har bott 3 år i Sverige och nu studerar jag SAS (Svenska som andra språk). Jag har också min blog vilken använder jag för att visa vad jag läser. Kanske kan vi bli vänner genom svenska språket.
Hoppas att du fortfarande laser svenska och kan förstå vad jag skrev här.
Ha det så bra James.
Vi hörs!
Pedro.
Hej Pedro! Tack för din kommentar :) Det skulle vara roligt att se din blog också. Jag ska aker till Sverige i mars och jag måste leva varje dag tills dess. James