Remember the good old days when switching TV channels meant actually flicking a switch? I sure do. And one “switch flicking” memory stands out more than any other: when ABC TV in Wagga Wagga moved from VHF to UHF back in the early 90s. I was reminded of it today by a Facebook post.
For weeks leading up to the big switch, a little message appeared on screen, politely reminding viewers to retune their TVs. Week after week, it grew bigger and bigger, eventually taking over the entire screen! You’d think it was hard to miss, but people still called ABC Riverina to complain about… the message itself!
Around the same time, 675 AM at Corowa switched from broadcasting Albury programs to Wagga programs. Despite months of announcements, listeners in Northern Victoria were up in arms. “I listen every day,” they’d cry, “and I had no idea!” It seems some folks just weren’t keen on change, no matter how much warning you gave them.
That era also saw the exciting transition from AM to FM radio in the Riverina. I spent many afternoons visiting elderly listeners, helping them navigate the brave new world of FM frequencies and retune their radios. It was always a pleasure to lend a hand and ensure they didn’t miss out on their favourite programs.
This brings me to my main point. In today’s digital age, with streaming, podcasts, and “smart” everything, it’s easy to forget the personal touch. Radio stations urge listeners to “download our app,” but how many take the time to guide those who might struggle with technology?
I hope that amidst all the algorithms and automation, there’s still room for the human connection. Whether it’s retuning a radio or patiently explaining a new app, a little assistance can go a long way in ensuring everyone stays connected and informed.
“You must definitely have the octopus”, I told my next door neighbours who were seated a few tables away from us at the new Greek restaurant which opened this week in our part of Crown Street, Surry Hills. Like me, they had a curiosity about the what was on offer from the Ouzo Taverna.
The serve was large, tasty, and we even toyed with the idea of ordering a second helping. We also tried a salad (a little disappointing), some lamb (very good), and some vegetable-based fritters (good). Though we toyed with the idea of having a desert, we lost interest as the service later in the evening was a little slow.
Instead, we wandered a few doors up the road, and had coffee and cake at Kürtősh, a cafe with a Hungarian name, though you would never really say it was a “Hungarian Cafe”. Very yummy, and a terrific way for a Friday night catch up with a good friend who I’ve known for many, many years.
Something must have gone horribly wrong in the kitchen at Tabou Restaurant in Surry Hills tonight. There was a period of between 30 and 45 minutes where absolutely NOTHING emerged from the kitchen. We imagined for a just a moment a scene reminiscent of “Fawlty Towers”. You know the episode where everything goes horribly wrong and Basil is forced to drive back and forwards in his mini to obtain meals from another nearby restaurant? You could see the signs of frustration on the faces of the waiters, though the patrons (including us) seemed to just take it on board, and we saw no evidence of people getting uptight. Aside from that slight delay, tonght’s “Taste Of Provence” menu was excellent.
The five courses – consisting of Zucchini flowers and salt cod fritters, Coffin Bay mussels, Lamb cutlets, St Marcellin fromage and a cherry clafoutis with honey ice cream – were all excellent. They were also matched extremely well with a variety of French and Australian wines. In some cases the matching was unexpectedly good, such as the combination of the St Marcellin fromage with lavash and grapes with a Grenache-Shiraz from Corbieres. And while a night at Tabou is not exactly in the price range of a McValue Meal, we both thought the summer degustation menu was excellent value.
One of the many things we noticed about the evening was the absence of “street smokers” outside Tabou. Ever since the new smoking laws came into place, espcially with the hotels, Crown Street at night has become awash with people. It can be a real pain the arse trying to walk home from Coles when there seem to be more people on the footpath than actually inside the restaurant. But tonight Tabou was packed and with one or two exceptions, everyone was happy to remain indoors.
As we chatted about a variety of issues, Damo asked me when the new “small bar laws” were coming into force in NSW? Dunno, I replied. He mentioned a friend who works in the industry, who planned to open a small bar as soon as possible, had told him small bar applications were going into the liquor licensing authority at a current rate of about sixty a month. We both concluded, as in Melbourne, many of them would close soon after opening, when their lack of sustainability became evident. However for a brief period of time later this year Sydney will have almost as many small bars as you find people outside on the streets of Surry Hills as night.
Amongst the many people we saw walk past tonight (we had a window seat) was fellow blogger, Monty. It was the second time I’ve seen him out and about in the area in the last month. With visitors to the area like Monty, you know the area has become fashionable! :)
The other sign of Surry Hills fashionability is that Lachlan Murdoch has well and truly found himself a home in the ‘hood. In August 2006, it was reported in The Sydney Morning Herald Lachan had paid $4.3 million for a two-storey Surry Hills warehouse on Nickson Street.
In May. Murdoch’s search for office space ended when he paid $4.3 million for a two-storey Surry Hills warehouse on Nickson Street. The building, between Crown and Bourke streets, is halfway between his present News Ltd office in Holt Street and Aussie Stadium. The premises are destined to become the headquarters for his new company, Illyria Pty Ltd, named after an island off Croatia he once sailed around and not from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, as speculated. There has been talk the 700-odd square metre Surry Hill’s warehouse will soon undergo renovations in preparation for Murdoch’s arrival, but this week the darkened building lay deserted.
That’s my street, I thought to myself at the time. “What’s Lachlan doing in my street in that old warehouse?”, I wondered. In the time since they’ve installed frosted windows and security doors, and aside from the occasional flash car in the street, you would never know I am often never more than 100 metres away from Lachlan Murdoch. And on Saturday and Sunday, you would never know it was where Lachlan Murdoch and Jamie Packer were finalising a multi-billion dollar media deal. As was reported in today’s edition of The Australian…
They spent Saturday and Sunday in Murdoch’s office in Surry Hills, Packer and his advisers with Murdoch and his. A constant stream of sandwiches, bottles of water and cups of coffee came through the door. The deal was only finally clinched about 10pm on Sunday.
When I read the story today, the first thing that came into my mind was “where did they get their sandwiches from”? I’m guessing it was Cafe Nikki, as it’s about the only place that’s open on the weekends who would do take-away sandwiches. And I wondered, too, if they popped down to the servo on Cleveland Steet when they needed water. Or maybe to the turkish pizza place just around the corner, as I often do? And I wondered if Jamie, who now seems more interested in gambling than media, had popped down to the TAB on the corner of Nickson and Cleveland Streets to place a bet sometime on the weekend? You often see a lot of “street smokers” there too, by the way. As far as I could see there were no flash cars, and no evidence of the rich and influential walking up and down my street, when all this was happening, But I guess it was a wet weekend…
I fondly recall the last time I attended a public poetry night in Lismore, though it’s been quite a while. The memory that stands out is the gathering was at The Rous Hotel, where I unexpectedly encountered my former high school teacher, Kerry Balzer, who shared her poetry. Her genuine pleasure at my continued interest in poetry, beyond high school, warmed me. She died a few years ago.
In my high school days, poetry was a passion of mine. I studied English to 3-Unit level in the NSW Higher School Certificate. I remember studying the likes of Australian luminaries, Les Murray and Bruce Dawe. They might still be on the HSC reading list today? However, it was the poetry of Gerard Manly Hopkins, perhaps resonating with my Catholic upbringing, that left the most indelible mark on me.
For the HSC, I produced a volume of poetry that my teacher thought was very good. There were moments of brilliance, he said, but also areas of inconsistency. I have no idea where that volume of poetry is. It probably washed away in a flood. I can still remember elements of the works though,
This week, I saw an advertisement for a poetry night at The Metropole Hotel and felt compelled to attend. Among the attendees was Mariska Pinkerton, a local poet with a well-known Lismore surname who I chatted with early in the night. We talked about David Hallet, the organiser of the night, who I first encountered during my days as a teenage community radio volunteer, organizing poetry events even then.
Andy & Judith perform together at the poetry night in Lismore
David’s enduring passion for poetry was evident as he led the evening’s festivities. Despite the modest turnout, the ambiance of the open area at the pub made for a very pleasant evening. A highlight of the night was the performance by visiting Melbourne poet Koraly Dimitriadis, who had a very theatrical, raw style of performance.
Today, I visited the “Earth Matter” exhibition at the Lismore Regional Gallery. Despite the gallery’s flood damage a couple of years ago, they have a temporary storefront exhibition space on Magellan Street. A smaller space, but still great works. The work that captivated me most today was a piece titled “Connection” by artist Lae Oldmeadow, which I thought was reminiscent of entwined serpents.
“Connection” by artist Lae Oldmeadow
As for the exhibition overall…
Earth Matter” brings together artists who utilize natural materials to explore diverse themes, from the beauty of nature to environmental activism. Each work embodies a message about our relationship with the natural world, urging us to cherish and preserve it for posterity.”
I only dropped in to the gallery by chance, as I was waiting for an appointment at the nearby barber shop, which happened to be closed for lunch
Upon arriving at the barber shop after lunch, they promptly offered me a slot.
“I’m attending a school reunion,” I told the barber, “and I need to spruce up a bit.” After a few minutes of conversation, he mentioned that his mother attended the same school as I did, albeit a few years earlier.
“What was her name?” I asked, to which he replied, “Shirley O’Brien.”
“She’s my cousin, and we spoke yesterday, and your Aunty Rosie has come to visit too.”, I told him. Being twenty years younger than me, he seemed genuinely shocked that I knew so much about his heritage, including knowing his late nan, who was married to my dad’s brother. “She had a great garden”, he remembered of her house in North Lismore.
If you’re a regular reader to my blog, you’ll know that I go to concerts, theatre, serious discussions about life, architecture and politics and generally speaking, lead a lifestyle in which ideas and creativity are important. You’ll also know that I have very low-brow tastes as well. So it probably won’t surprise you to know I’m a fan of “Big Brother”.
This is a photograph of Jamie who I suspect will be my favourite character from this year’s Australian “Big Brother”. Mind you, he could turn out to be a total loser who I will hate by week two. But at this stage, he comes across as the most understated, most real person on this year’s program. I also get a slight “gay” vibe from him, despite tonight’s news that he lived with his former fiance and her mother for a while. “I haven’t had a date with a girl since the 90’s that wasn’t on the internet”, he told Gretel tonight. But yeah, he comes across as quite nice.
I also quite like Kate, the largish girl from Melbourne who works for the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, but who says she’s sick to death of having a job where people complain all day long. Tell me about it! Thomas, the tall guy from Western Australia who is separated from his wife also seems quite nice, as does TJ (the girl from the Northern Territory) and Andrew (the Melbourne fire-fighter who says all his friends think he’s gay – “But I’m not”).
All of the rest seem like the usual “Big Brother” suspects. Loud mouthed. Overly confident. Looking for a job in PR. Body-centric. You get the drift. I mean, I already hate Bodie (what kind of name is that?) with a passion. If he was Bodhi, that might be okay, but Bodie? The mormon girl is all a bit “try hard” if you know what I mean. And as for the bloke with the “headband”… well he seems okay actually, but the headband is also a little “try hard”. So why do I watch?
OK, here comes the self-justification as to why I watch this show: it’s about people adjusting to an unusual situation. I’ve always been a “people watcher”, and I’m usually a pretty good character judge, instantly recognising those who are genuine and those who are totally false. And as usual, I’m sure I’ll find myself hooked, getting home just in time to cook dinner before the seven o’clock show, and staying up far too late watching “Up Late”.
So yes, another year of high brow and low brow posts on this blog. It’s just the bits in between I can’t stand. Welcome to BB07.
We take it in turns to choose the restaurant or pub, and today it was the Dove & Olive at Surry Hills. Though it’s a “meeting”, we keep forgetting to take “minutes”, aside from deciding on whose turn it is to make next month’s booking. Next month, it’s my turn, so if you have any Sydney roast lunch recommendations, please comment below.
Roast Lamb at the Dove & Olive, Surry Hills
Today, it was a smaller gathering, with only three attending, not four. One member is currently traveling overseas, so we sent him photos of our lunch. Another member will be joining him on his trip soon. One of us recently bought a new apartment. And I’m getting ready for my own overseas travel in a few weeks. So the “agenda” was quite a lengthy one.
We discussed many things, including the federal election held this weekend here in Australia. It’s been quite exciting as the Labor Party significantly exceeded predictions and won in a landslide.
Even the Liberal party leader, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, lost his own seat, defeated by Ali France who, like me, is an amputee. This is something I only recently learned. I knew she had a disability but wasn’t aware she was an amputee. Go Ali!
I couldn’t vote in person yesterday, because I was working at Royal North Shore Hospital.
Working at Royal North Shore Hospital. I was a patient, involved in Australian Fellowship or Rehabilitation Medicine (AFRM) Clinical Examinations for the he Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP)
When I say “working”, I mean I spent most of the day flat out on my back, as a “pretend patient” for twenty doctors undertaking their rehabilitation specialist exams.
The role of “a 52-year-old dairy farmer who had a lower leg amputation due to diabetes complications” was a role I felt qualified to play,
Often, student actors will play the role of patients. As a friend joked, I took “method acting” to a whole new level!!
I might not be the next Hemsworth, but I really enjoyed the experience and hope my participation contributed to their learning.
You know how it is when you meet someone you really admire? At first, you don’t know what to say, you struggle to find the words, but then you find yourself in a conversation with them, and they weren’t as scary or whatever as you thought they would be.
Well, that’s how I found myself about 20 years ago when I met Caroline Jones, the legendary broadcaster.
I’m a little too young to remember her from 2BL and the “City Extra” days (and because I lived in the country) but I certainly remember her hosting “Four Corners”. It was compulsory viewing at 1pm on a Sunday in my childhood home.
Caroline Jones – City Extra on 2BL
And then years later, I remember loving hearing her Radio National program, “The Search for Meaning”, and more recently, from her appearances on “Australian Story”.
I was so sad to hear on Friday tonight that Caroline Jones had died.
I interviewed her many years ago, and this is one of my prized possessions: a signed copy of her autobiography.
I always thought of her as a broadcaster of great integrity. I’ll happily admit to being a little daunted to meet her, but I found her natural warmth quickly allowed me to relax.
Asking for an autograph from Caroline Jones, was slightly terrifying. I’d admired her for many many years.
It meant a lot for her to thank me for a “fine interview”.
There’s also a great line in this book, “An Authentic Life” which I often quote in which she declares, and I’m paraphrasing, that for many years people have thought that “seeing is believing”, however now an increasing number of people also recognise that “believing is seeing”.
