“Sydney is such a great city” a mate said to me late this afternoon.
We were sitting having a glass of wine at The Woolloomooloo Wharf, enjoying the warmth of a winter’s day in Sydney, and reflecting on how lucky we both were.
Both of us have jobs we love, and we’re both generally pretty happy with our lives.
“You need to make sure you get out and enjoy as much of it as possible”, he advised, with the wisdom of being twenty years older.
He’s bloody right.
“That’s fantastic! Do you mind if I take a photograph of your shoes?”, I said to the woman nearby as I noticed her taking off her high-heeled shoes only to replace them with some similarly glamorous flats. At first, she seemed a little reluctant. As far as she was concerned I could have been some weird bloke with a foot-fetish. As it turns out, I later discovered she’s a reasonably well known actor who is currently appearing in a program running on national television. So, on top of the foot-fetish, I could have also been some crazy stalker. In hindsight, I understand her initial reluctance. But when push came to shove and realised I was neither, she happily posed for a photograph.
Despite the modern day equality enjoyed by men and women, women still have to go that little bit further when it comes to formal events. My friend Kate, for example, agonised over what she was going to wear, taking advice from her mother who actually supplied her with an outfit she had originally worn back in the 70s. I, on the other hand, wore exactly the same outfit I’d worn to work during the day.
Kate had invited me to be her “date” for the inaugural Australian Arts in Asia Awards held at Sydney’s Luna Park. The Arts Minister, Tony Burke described them as “the first, and if we’re elected to government, they won’t be the last” when he spoke. The whole idea behind them is that lots of Australian artists are now working in Asia, and, in keeping with the Asian White Paper, there was a feeling that work should be recognised.
Kate was a finalist for the work she has been doing encouraging cultural exchange between artists in Australia and China. In the end, she didn’t win, but I’m very proud of the work she has been doing, and was so very proud that she invited me as her “date” for the night.
I really love the winner of this year’s Archibald Prize: the portrait of Penelope Seidler by Fiona Lowry. Although I’d seen it previously online, it wasn’t until I saw it in real life today that I realised how much I like it.
It’s the kind of work you could spend hours looking at and see many layers of complexity emerge, although the story behind the portrait is quite simple. It’s set in the yard of a house designed by Penelope and her husband Harry, and in which they lived for many years. Harry’s dead now, and Penelope no longer lives there. For the painting, Penelope and the artist went back to that house, and what you see is a portrait of Penelope looking back at the house.
“When you’re doing a portrait it’s said you should always start with the eyes”, the tour guide told us at the Art Gallery of NSW today. Although the image above is cropped (it’s a full-length portrait), the eyes draw you in.
The other works that really captured my attention today were the portrait of Ash Flanders as Hedda Gabler by Wendy Sharpe, the portrait of Tim Maguire by Mia Oatley and the portrait of his father by Anh Do. Anh is one seriously talented guy. As well as his acting, writing and comedy, he’s also a really fantastic artist (I never knew). Our guide today explained Anh also worked in a bakery, and his attitude to paint was probably drawn from this experience, spreading large amounts of paint around as you perhaps would pastry or confectionery.
It was a really lovely way to spend the afternoon, and especially nice since my friend Sue now lives in Sydney. It’s quite a luxury to be able to chat in morning, and organise something for the early afternoon without the need to book a flight and fly 1,000 km.
I’ve concluded that when I retire, I’d like to spend my time evenly divided between being an art gallery tour guide and conducting history walks. Now that would be really nice.
Though initially we had booked in for the ten o’clock show, we were both a little concerned about having done so on a “school night”. When you find yourself in your mid to late 40s, the idea going out so late leads to both excitement (hey, we’re not so old), and yet fear (how will we get out of bed in time for work?). I’d previously warned my close colleagues I mightn’t be able to make it to the office at the usual time of around 8.00am. Thankfully, we were able to get into the eight o’clock show, have a bite to eat afterwards, and still get on with our normal lives.
I’d mentioned to a shop-keeper in Surry Hills earlier in the afternoon I was going to see Paul Capsis that night. “He’s such a lovely guy”, he told me, adding that Paul had often brought in clothing for adjustments, saying “If it’s too hard, don’t worry about it”. I’d also seen Paul around the shopping centre in Surry Hills, and have come to know his manager over the last few years.
He’s a wonderful performer, with an amazing voice and stage presence. The last time I saw him perform was in 2010 at the launch of his CD. As then, he delivered an amazing performance, and well worth seeing, as he performed some great standards that ranged from jazz to rock. These shows are well worth seeing.
Afterwards we grabbed a bite to eat at nearby Porteño. Though I remember it fondly as Dimitri’s – the Greek plate breaking restaurant – it’s become one of the hip places of Surry Hills. Oddly enough, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten there before, and what a disappointment it is that I haven’t. Honestly, great food – beef with a beetroot salad – which I’d also recommend.
Overall – a great night was had, and not too bad for a couple of forty-somethings on a school night :)
After a few hours work, I came home and had a nap for a few hours, as I needed to be back at work for much of the afternoon.
By the time five o’clock came around, however, I was hangin’ out for a beer.
Catching up with Graeme for a beer at The Crystal Palace, we compared New Year’s Eve stories. While I slept, he had a beer or two, eventually making it home in a taxi at about two o’clock in the morning.
“I had a cab driver whose wife was sitting in the front seat”, he told me.
From there, we caught a bus up Parramatta Road, getting off at the recently revised “Clarence Hotel” which was desperately quiet for a Friday afternoon/evening, we both thought.
And from there, a few more beers followed at the Lewisham Hotel.
A lengthy Friday indeed.
Two months ago, when I first booked my flight home to Lismore for Christmas, my expected mobility was uncertain. I didn’t know if I would still be in a wheelchair, or getting around easily with my prosthetic leg. A colleague with disability (she also has prosthetic limbs) urged me to book a wheelchair, as “It’s one of the few advantages of living with disability, so you might as well make use of it.”
Contrary to a misconception amongst some friends and family that I wouldn’t “need” a wheelchair once I had my prosthetic leg, there is always the chance I will need to use a wheelchair again. The experience of learning to walk again after an amputation can be non-linear. While I haven’t used the wheelchair in about six weeks, the possibility of needing it again remains, especially if I might be unable to wear my prosthetic for various reasons.
All of this research also led me to explore the option of hiring a wheelchair while home in Lismore, and fortunately, our local South Lismore chemist offers a range of accessibility gear for hire.
I arranged for wheelchair assistance at the airport, too, just in case I needed it. However, upon arrival at Sydney Airport on Sunday, I informed the check-in staff that I wouldn’t require a wheelchair after all. A family in the queue behind me, with an elderly mother hoping for a wheelchair, overheard the conversation and, with the staff’s cooperation, arranged for her to use my wheelchair instead. They were a very happy family, and it was no skin off my nose.
Apprehensive about getting to and from Sydney Airport by public transport (as I normally would), I elected for an Uber ride, despite the peak hour price surge. The driver lived on the North Coast for a few years and we had lovely chat.
I was also worried about the length of the walkway between Terminals 1 and 2 (Qantas Club and Jet Star Checkin). Although there is an electric walkway between the two terminals, it goes too quickly for me to get on and off safely at the moment. Fortunately, there are also lifts between airport levels, despite one sounding like it was on its last legs, no pun unintended.
The airport security staff, understanding the challenge posed by my prosthetic limb, used a hand-held scanner, as I couldn’t walk through the x-ray scanner. They even offered a walking stick when my crutch needed to go through the scanner, with a security officer providing support for balance.
At the end, one of the assistants asked, “Do you prefer a lift or escalator?” This thoughtful approach, giving me the choice rather than making assumptions, was appreciated.
The only drawback was the distance to Gate 56 for my flight. Reflecting on a previous conversation I had with a colleague who also has prosthetic limbs about the potential advantages of using a wheelchair, she mentioned the possibility of long walks.
Upon reaching the Jetstar counter, I was greeted warmly, and an attendant offered a seat upgrade, securing an entire row for me.
Although I was first to be allowed on the plane, I was also the last to get off. At Ballina Airport there is only a staircase down onto the tarmac, though the option existed to use a lift up and down from the aircraft.
Though I didn’t need to use some of the accessibility assistance for the trip, it’s nice to know they exist. And of course, I should emphasize these were my experiences, and the experiences of other people with disability might be quite different.
My takeaway messages from this experience in case you need assistance. 1. Assume you might, just in case you do. The airline staff seemed to really appreciate the advance notice, rather than turning up unannounced. You can always change your mind if the circumstances change. 2. Have a conversation with your airline through chat or phone, so you understand what might be possible.
Over a couple of drinks with a colleague from work tonight, we got talking about some of the more mundane aspects of our lives including washing and ironing.
She’s just about to move into a new apartment (out of the hell of share-house living), and she’s contemplating the purchases she will need to make over the next few weeks.
High on her list of priorities is a washing machine because she feels she doesn’t want to have to cope with the dramas of the communal laundry.
I don’t know where I’d be without my washing machine which has, so far, served me well for about 15 years.
I remember purchasing it one night, many years ago, from Hardly Normal at the Super Centre.
I’d had my previous washing machine for about 6 or 7 years. But it was, unfortunately, one of those machines which “walked” around a fair bit when it went into the spin cycle.
I knew it was time to replace it when, walking down the stairs of my previous apartment block scream in a completely passive aggressive manner…. “it’s that fucking washing machine again”.
So I headed off to Hardly and bought a new one and I’ve been living in laundromatic bliss ever since.
So yeah, washing and ironing, and conversations about such. That’s how I spent my Monday evening :)
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