After yesterday’s early finish to the cricket, play started a little earlier today. And so as I made my way to work this morning there was a healthy queue of people lining up for public transport tickets to the match at the SCG.
While the rest of Sydney continued to enjoy summer, for many of us it was our first day back at work. Although I’ve been working throughout the entire period – actually in the office in Lismore – and then via mobile phone and email on the public holidays, there was something more “official” about today as I donned shoes (not thongs) and a suit for the first time in a couple of weeks.
It was nice going into the office to see everyone, and there was much to chat about. There was also a slightly relaxed mood in the air. Having worked through, I even found a little time in my day to do a few catch-up things. While the first day back in the office normally involves dealing with the several hundred emails that have arrived while you’re away, I actually had a bit of time today for some house-keeping.
Queues for the public transport to the cricket in Sydney
Since the last time I was in my office two weeks ago, I’ve “secured” my acting position. So I updated my electronic signature, the internal phone book, and so on. And I also did a few things around the office – install an electronic photo frame with some of my favourite images, put up a couple of photographs, and transfer things from my old office – to make myself feel a little more “at home”. I’m not convinced the taxpayer actually got good value for many today, but I figure the taxpayers has had a few “freebies” over the last couple of weeks, so I felt quite okay about it all.
After work I called in to see my friend who has been in hospital for the last few weeks. He hasn’t been well at all. Two days ago when I saw him he was much better than he had been. And today he was better again. He’s still not 100%. Not even 50%. But he’s better than he’s been for a few weeks and that made me feel very, very happy.
As I made my way home I found myself – briefly – walking against the cricket queue once again. As I looked towards the crowd I noticed lots of sunburn on the faces of the supporters of the England Cricket Team. Wear sunscreen tomorrow guys, okay?
As I walked through the streets of Glebe last night I wondered how many people would recognise my tie. Was I from the CIA or the FBI or was I a member of another unknown unit in Sydney for just a couple of weeks. As I sat down in a small cocktail bar on Glebe Point Road and drank a glass of Pinot Grigio, I wondered if people would look at me as if I was a member of the Federal Police. In case you hadn’t recognised it, it’s the official APEC tie.
I was in Glebe last night to see Bishop John Shelby Spong speak at Gleebooks. I read one of his books, Sins of Scripture few years ago, and was quite interested in what he had to say, especially as his new book is called “Jesus For The Non-Religious”.
His view of Jesus is complex. Although he believes in God the creator, he doesn’t believe in the human-like supernatural being which he believes we, as human beings, have created. “You ask a horse what God looks like and he’ll describe a horse”, he told us.
As a follower of Christ, Spong argues against the notion of Jesus as a supernatural being. Rather, he argues Jesus was more than just an enlightened human being, he was “fully human”. Although I can’t articulate this myself, I think I understand what he means.
The central thesis of last night’s talk was that, because the Bible was written decades after the death of Jesus, there was a degree of embelishment in what was written. Subsequently, he believes Jesus the man became Jesus the supernatural.
That said, he said he acknowledges the contradictions in his own belief system. Despite this apparent denial of the supernatural, he says he believes in God running through all of us. He also believes in the afterlife, though he doesn’t accept the idea of heaven and hell, and he says he find its difficult to articulate what he does believe the afterlife means.
So yes, an interesting evening, and not what most people would be doing on a Friday night.
Otherwise, the last few days have been busy both with work and social life. Socially, there was Wednesday night drinks at the Lewisham, and Fruits In Suits at Slide. So yeah, an interesting couple of days.
As part of my ongoing effort to document the discarded items I often find in the laneway behind my apartment block, I present to you two pairs of discarded shoes. They’ve been here for a couple of days. I suppose someone will eventually take them away.
To be honest, I don’t really understand why anyone would leave two pairs of shoes like this in a laneway. A couple of possible explanations, though spring to mind. They belong to a couple of girls who were dancing while drunk: you know how it is, they get out on the dance floor, and they don’t believe they can dance properly unless they take their shoes off. Another possible explanation might be…
Discarded Shoes
…well actually I can’t think of anything.
Who would possibly leave their old shoes in a laneway?
I woke this morning with not too many plans for the day, aside from a bit of sight-seeing. Unlike yesterday, the weather’s been fantastic. And although it would have been great fun to have done lots of the regular tourist things I got a better offer.
While checking my email, I got a Facebook message from a girl I went to school with. I don’t actually recall the last time I saw here, though it could well have been fifteen or twenty years. She noticed my Facebook status comment that I was currently in London, and dropped me a line saying “If you’re still in London, give me a call”… and so I did.
I was reminded of a comment from a colleague before I left who advised me “never say no”. She wasn’t saying being reckless, just be open to great opportunities. And I’m so pleased I gave my old school mate a call, and went up to visit her in Highgate.
She’s been living there for nine years and, although she has toyed with the idea of returning back to Australia, seems content with her life at the moment, and has no real plan to return just yet.
After meeting me at the train station, she gave me a brief tour of the area, took me up the near the old ice rink which affords a brilliant view of the city, and then over to Hampstead Heath.
I’d only ever heard of Hampstead Heath as places where George Michael and Kevin Spacey had run into grief, and which Julian Clary often used to tell jokes about. Obviously there was a bit of that stuff going on, as we discovered much to our horror as we walked across the countryside. Now, that’s a story that won’t be appearing on this blog! I hadn’t known, however, that it’s a really beautiful piece of parkland (some of it quite wild) which is a really popular tourist spot on the weekends.
My friend and I sat and chatted for a few hours about this that and the other, enjoyed a couple of beers, and generally had a great time. I’m really pleased I said yes, and I’m really pleased to catch up with my old school mate. It’s really helped round off the London experience.
As I sit down on New Years Eve to think about what’s happened in my life this year, there’s so much to reflect upon: overseas trips, new adventures at work, and the death of a close family member.
I ended last year feeling 2009 had been a year of treading water: I hadn’t really done all that much exciting in either my personal or professional life.
I began 2010 with a renewed sense of anticipation: in March I was returning to Sweden in significantly different circumstances to the last time in 2008. and I was to be on a panel at the Radio Days Conference in Copenhagen.
After my trip there in the summer two years ago, I was keen to go back and experience Sweden at a different time of the year. “Could I cope with the long, dark cold winter months?”, I asked myself. Probably not is the answer, but I gave the end of winter/the start of spring a try by visiting Sweden during March. When I arrived it was snowing and the waterways around Stockholm were frozen over. I went out on a ice-breaker and walked on ice for the first time in my life, nearly escaping plunging to my death by walking too close to the edge of a wharf. It would have been a dramatic way to go, though, wouldn’t it?
Stockholm winter ice tour
As well as experiencing the delights of a Swedish spring, I also went to Melodifestivalen, the Swedish finals for Eurovision, attended quite a few pop concerts, met some interesting people, and generally had a fine holiday.
I was also lucky enough to be invited to be a panelist at the Radio Days Europe Conference held in March in Copenhagen, and got to meet some people working in similar jobs in different parts of the world.
Captured on video at Radio Days Europe
My second overseas trip this year was to China. My friend Kate has been living there on and off for a few years, and I’ve been thinking of going for a while. As she had an exhibition opening in November, I asked when she had a window of opportunity and grabbed it. I loved Beijing. Seriously the best food I’ve ever eaten consistently on any holiday ever. And there was a lot to see and do, includng all of the obvious tourist spots. It was great to hang out with Kate and with some of the artists she was looking after while there. A return trip to China? Yes possibly.
My last trip was very much a backpacker’s adventure, whereas this was a more grown up holiday experience. Deep in the back of my mind throughout was the question about whether or not I’d like to live in Sweden for a while, or whether this was a short-term obsession that would pass with time. I’ve concluded the answer is yes, I’d like to live there, and have 2012 as the ball-park year I’d like to do it, though that may go back a little depending on what happens with work.
My second overseas trip this year was to China. My friend Kate has been living there on and off for a few years, and I’ve been thinking of going for a while. As she had an exhibition opening in November, I asked when she had a window of opportunity and grabbed it. I loved Beijing.
Thats me and thats the Great Wall of China
Seriously the best food I’ve ever eaten consistently on any holiday ever. And there was a lot to see and do, including all of the obvious tourist spots. It was great to hang out with Kate and with some of the artists she was looking after while there. A return trip to China? Yes possibly.
James O’Brien, Phil James and Guy Maestri on the Great Wall of China
On the professional front, I enjoyed the challenges of a new “acting” position throughout most of the year looking after nationally networked content on ABC Radio. And then towards the end of the year, “acting” in the role of Network Development Manager which looks after a range of special event programming and other associated “development” work. Many aspects of the job are pretty sexy, and I loved acting in the role, and then securing it in the days before Christmas.
On the personal front, I went on a couple of dates this year, though nothing long-term came from either. I’ve yet to come to grips with how I feel about the idea of a relationship. Sometimes I feel like it would be nice to have someone there in a different way to close friends. Other times I feel like it may be all too much, and that deep down I know that I’m probably still too selfish to share my life with someone else and vice versa. I’m also reminded of advice several years ago which was “don’t leave it to late”.
Sadness struck our family this year with the death of Gloria, who plays a special role in my life. After several years suffering with both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s she died in June this year. In many ways her passing was a relief as she had been in a lot of pain for quite some time. Her death has affected her immediate family of Sharon and John deeply, as they had also lost son, John, three years ago. On the positive side, I’m hoping it’s lead to a renewed closeness between all of us.
Gloria Pepper, James O’Brien
I spent the last ten days of the year at home with my family in Lismore. Usually I just come home for a few days and then head back to Sydney, but I think I got the mix right this year. I was allowed to work from the office in Lismore which meant I could spend daytime at work, but night-time and weekend with my family which made for a very happy combination for all of us.
This time last year I felt as though I’d spent the year “treading water”. A year later, I feel like I’m happier, healthier (I’ve also lost weight this year), and generally feeling quite good about myself and my life.
Looking ahead to 2011, there’s a lot to anticipate. I have a new job, and hopefully the capacity to do some interesting work. Our art group, Hawkesbury One, winds up with an exhibition at the Newcastle Regional Gallery. And although I have no firm travel plans for the year, I’m sure something will eventuate. But overall, looking ahead to 2011, I’m feeling pretty good about life.
This is a somewhat unexpected post from Cairns Airport. Although it would have been great to have a direct flight from Sydney to Darwin, economics, timezones, and schedules have necessitated a four-hour stop-over in Cairns.
With that in mind, I organised to catch up with one of my colleagues I’ve spoken to on the phone on several occasions but have never actually met. I also did some online research with a late afternoon swim in mind to break up the trip. Although I’d found the Cairns Tobruk Pool via the internet, my colleague suggested going for a swim at the pool at The Esplanade.
That was a really great suggestion on her part, as it was physically far more appealing than The Tobruk which I’d passed on my way into town, which somewhat resembled the Lismore Baths of old. And even though it was raining as I swam, it was still a very enjoyable way to spend an hour or so.
Cairns Esplanade
Afterwards I had a glass or two of wine at a nearby bar and took in the sights of Cairns. In contrast to the plane trip from Sydney which was full of grey-haired Americans in a tour group, the tourists in Cairns tend to be younger, French or German-speaking, and usually of the honeymoon couple variety.
Not all the passengers on the flight from Sydney were older Americans in tour groups. I had a couple of young French gay guys seated with me who, for much of the flight, couldn’t keep their hands off each other :)
Almost the wet season in Cairns
After a while, the rain cleared, and I wandered back to The Esplanade pool which was, by now, looking really attractive.
And then it was time to head to the airport. Imagine my displeasure when I noted my flight to Darwin was delayed by three hours. The woman at reception comforted me with a warm smile and a $25 food voucher which I spent on some garlic bread and meat lover’s pizza.
Although my friend Graeme advised me of some local gay bars to visit, I decided, by the time I’d finished my pizza, it was probably easier to stay at the airport and drink, rather than catch a cab back into town and then out again. I’m having a Cairns Lager which comes in one of those ridiculously shaped tall glasses that you can never tell if it’s a middie, a schmiddie or a schooner.
Lots of room on the Cairns to Darwin flight
By current reckoning, I’ll arrive at my hotel in Darwin at 1.00 am local time (add 90 minutes for Sydney time) – thank goodness it has 24-hour reception – which means I’ll have spent thirteen hours in transit today. I’ve listened to some music, I’ve slept for a while, and I’m about halfway through Rodney Cavalier’s book about NSW politics. I reckon by the time I arrive in Darwin, I’ll have knocked off the remainder. Expect a review tomorrow.
In the meantime, this is James signing off from a disturbingly vacant Cairns Airport.
After years of listening to Swedish pop via record, CD, downloads and, more recently Youtube, I have now listened, watched, experienced, and danced to it, in its natural environment.
I went out last night to Lino. Although as an Australian I was tempted to refer to it as “lie-no”, of course it’s actually “lee-no”. In researching this trip, I’ve been looking at online, and the photographs of the crowd always seemed to indicate it was a pretty cool place. Maybe too cool for me, I thought. As I entered last night, I walked around for a bit of a reccy. There was an outdoor courtyard playing generic “cool music” where people were smoking. I must write sometime about the Swedes and smoking by the way. There was a room where they were playing generic kinda housey-disco. There was another bar of an indescript nature. But of course, I settled into the “schlager bar”. The bar was a fairly even mixture of men and women out for a good time on a Saturday night. OK maybe two thirds male and one third female, to be honest. They were all boozing up and singing along with the music. The music was loud, by the way, and definitely Swedish. And on the television screens they were playing this year’s Melodifestivalen DVD.
After years of waiting to experience something like this, I actually became a little bit teary for a moment. And then, of course, they played “Crying At The Discoteque” which is one of my favourites from the last ten years. “Oh my God”, I thought this is it… “some absolutely classic Swedish disco in an absolutely classic Swedish disco”. And then…“Mamma Mia” came on. OH MY GOD. At that point I thought I had died and gone to heaven. You know how in Sydney when you go out and ABBA comes on, it can sound a bit “rinky-dinky”, and is usually only played in a “retro” context for a bit of novelty value? Well last night, “Mamma Mia” sounded totally contemporary and totally in context with the rest of the music played.
Oddly enough they sometimes played the same songs over and over again in quick succession, which I thought was strange for a nightclub. The DJ last night, though, clearly LOVED the music he was playing, and it was infectious. The American tourists standing near me were totally overwhelmed by the sight of hundreds of people singing along to pop songs in Swedish. You could see the look of bewilderment on their faces as they walked through to the outdoor bar.
I don’t recall what time I got home, but it was just starting to become daylight, so I guess it was about 3.00am.
I got a little teary also tonight at the Peter Joback and Eva Dahlgren concert at Skansen. I’ve been aware of Peter’s work since he appeared on the original CD for “Kristina fran Duvemala”. Along the way, I’ve picked up three other CDs. I wasn’t, however, really aware of Eva Dahlgren (nor her work), though I knew she was a legendary Swedish “rock chick”. Without the intimate knowledge of their respective back catalogues, I lacked some of the instant familiarity with the work enjoyed by the rest of the audience. Also, because all of the songs were in Swedish (along with all of the patter in between), I sometimes found myself a little confused. I could understand the basic premise of some of the anecdotes, but the punchlines usually went over my head. Although there was a funny bit relating to musical instruments. As an encore, they began a song together playing recorders (flute things) of differing size. When Peter said something along the lines of wishing he had the bigger one, Eva responded along the lines of “of course you do”. I understood that joke perfectly.
Peter Jöback at Skansen
Eva Dahlgren at Skansen
Peter Jöback and Eva Dahlgren at Skansen
Peter Jöback at Skansen
Peter Jöback and Eva Dahlgren at Skansen
Crowd watches Peter Jöback and Eva Dahlgren at Skansen
Peter Jöback and Eva Dahlgren at Skansen
Sun sets over Stockholm
Dance floor at Club LIno in Stockholm
I had an excellent seat on the far left-hand side of the second row. I’m reasonably sure Lena Ulvaeus (Bjorn’s wife) and daughters were sitting in the same row, though I’m not sure, as I haven’t seen photographs of them for a while. She did, however, laugh and scratch her nose during an extended anecdote about Bjorn and Benny. But the concert itself? Wow, what a great experience. Peter is a much better singer live than I’ve ever heard captured on CD. He has a lovely voice which can both be gentle and soar, and really has a “joyous” quality to it. He seems to sing well effortlessly. Eva also had a wonderful voice, which really shone when she sang slow and gentle ballads. Most memorable was a song with the recurring line about “I saw you” which was sung beautifully and with passion. The song which made my eyes well up, though, was “Stockholm i Natt”, one of Peter’s recent hit songs. It’s a love song about Stockholm in effect, as it takes you on a journey around the city, with specific mentions of places like Medborgarplatsen and events such as the assasination of Anna Lindh in 2003. And so I’m sitting there, listening to a wonderful song sung by a great performer, about a terrific place that I’ve longed to visit for many years, and I’m looking at both him and the wonderful Swedish summer evening… so of course my eyes welled up. Does life get any better, I thought to myself. And I really loved their third encore, yes third, a song called “Juni, Juli, Augusti”. I know this sounds all very dramatic for those in Europe who can regularly go to Stockholm and have this experience, but for a kid from the bush in Australia, it’s all very exciting indeed.
Afterwards I followed the crowd out and caught the ferry from Djurgarden to Slussen. I couldn’t believe how many people they managed to squeeze on board. Catching the ferry, I was squeezed in tightly between a couple of gay boys and a male/female couple. Needing to steady myself I held on to the railing. And then the woman kinda lent against me and plopped (and rested) her left boob on my hand. I’ve had to totally re-think my attitudes to personal space since arriving in Stockholm, clearly.
