Now it's like super awesome ok!

I've spent the last weekend rearranging our bedroom as it is also home to Suztoys HQ. This is where I write, listen to music, Tweet and generally hide from the kids and life. (just kidding - well about the life part, I do hide from the kids!)
A while back when I first went to one of the food truck nights I went into Brave New World Comics in Newhall and fell in love with a print on the wall. It was of a girl on a rocketship, very cute and perfect for HQ. I had been meaning for ever to get off my ass and go buy it and totally I finally got around to it.
I collect, well try to anyhow, graphic art. I love the two pieces I have in the living room by Lindsay Kohn. I bought them for $10 each in AmericaMura back in 1999.

Now I have my new girl from Bawidamann 

I framed her and now she's perfect for HQ.

I thought you might like the see me taking a pic. (Of course, right!) 

One day when I am rich my house will be full of gorgeous things to look at. I will totally use this wall from the Arclight as an example - sigh! 

One day people, one day.

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Romo

I love art. I love music. I love coffee. When I am invited to the opening of a new gallery in town, hell yeah I'm going! LadyDucayne, myself and a couple of others headed out to the newest gallery in town - Romo Disegno

The studio is tiny and a collective gallery containing his and his friends work. He plans to have coffee happening in the near future. Support the local boy and go take a few minutes to check it out. It's located on Railroad and Sixth in Newhall. 

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Totally True

"I think my life in Japan can be defined by a need to find someone to hold me and a constant sense of waiting for trains".

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Pretty Cool Stuff

99/11/22


"Tell me a story grandma..."
"You've heard this one a thousand times!"
"One more time - please!"
"Well OK. I was 22 years old and I wanted to see the world. I was very nervous and very excited at the same time. I flew on a big aeroplane and landed in Japan in the middle of Summer. I was a bit uneasy about the place. It was very different to my home and I thought I'd never be happy there. But, slowly, I grew to love the mysterious place. I saw many interesting things and experienced my first Winter Christmas. I missed my family but I made many new friends...Are you still listening? Oh, OK, Me-o-tojite. Nemuru. O-yasumi nasai."

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Metropolis

Metropolis (2000)

Robotic way of thinking
Fingerprints and ID cards
Free thought - what's that?
I'm waiting for the barcode to be tattooed on my wrist
Big Brother is watching you me.
So I dream in green and gold
Of a land far away.

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The Night Before The Day After

The Night Before The Day After (1999)


Whoa baby! My mind's a wandering.
Never been out with a local before.
Assuming he's the same,
Freaking out all night.
Where will I take her, what will we do? Is she as easy as in the movies?
Well lo and behold, I can hardly sleep.
Not due to worry but pure excitement. It's been a l-o-n-g time.
I can't remember what to say, how to act.
Cool thing is, I don't care.
Better thing is, it doesn't matter as he's never been out with a gaijin before so we're as as nervous as each other.
But how much fun will it be?
I'll tell you tomorrow.

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Yariman

Random Japanese slang that I threw together. Kinda about sex. Kinda sorta. Totally grammatically wrong too but it was funny at the time. Oh and as a heads up 'yariman' means slut.


Yariman (2000)


Hisashiburi
Donna-fu-ni shite hoshii?
Sawatte
Kande
Motto tsuyoku
Motto yasashiku
Motto fukuaku
Iku Iku!!
Yokatta-wa!
Mo ikkai?!!
Yariman! 

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How Do They Think?

How Do They Think? (2000)

They say we are crazy
We're not the ones
Hiding our thoughts
Making us wonder
What you really think
Why you do what you do.
Gotta be wary.
Gotta be strong.
Watch out for them there guys
Or they could get you in the end...
...then you're trapped.

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Confidence

Confidence (2000)

Confidence is a fickle thing.
One minute you have it and the next minute it's gone...
Subtle changes, complete withdrawal
Can't even make eye contact.
(What's wrong? How can I change?
I don't think I will!)
Fuck 'em all. They have no idea what they are missing.
I know. And it's what I know that is important.

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Child's Eyes

Child's Eyes (1999)

A child possessing an adults body

Eyes full of wonder as if seeing things for the first time.

New hopes, dreams, desires.

Squeezing every moment from the perilous trials of life.

Strong, brave, resilient - ha.

If only you could read my thoughts and look through my eyes

Then you'd understand the real me. 

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The Japanese Boy

Keep in mind this was written before I met Jay.

The Japanese Boy (1999)

Clichéd as it may seem
Stranger met across a crowded bar
Eye contact and a subtle kiss
Trying to figure out what they would be like naked.
A few weeks pass
Initial fear subsides
and a wanting takes over.
Don't want to make the same mistake twice but oh what a body
Funny as hell, handsome to boot.
Eh...what to do?
It's been a long time since someone told me I'm beautiful
But he does it constantly.

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Stone Temple Pilots - Sour Girl (Video)

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I lived by this..

When I was younger I collected quotes.
There were two that stuck with me when I was in my early 20s.

One was this - by Bowie of course:

"And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds, they are immune to your consultations, they're quite aware of what they're going through...."

The other was from Fight Club and I found it in my old diary today:

That one has stuck and I think about it a lot.
Just thought I'd share :)

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Ode to the Izakaya

Ode to the Izakaya (2000)

Sitting drinking at the long bar...
The three year old kids sitting with their parents. The one year old baby asleep in a toy rug. The smell of burnt chicken and beer.
The wooden paneling polished up and the f'n shitty cushions that make your knees sore for at least 3 days.
Red Chinese lanterns. Hey! I'm in Japan!
Ashtrays, sake bottles, girls with pigtails, massive bottles of Asahi.
50 year old Coke bottles. Haven't seen those for a while.
A chicken with a hat and a genie in a bottle. Crap J-Pop but the beer chicks in bikinis are universal.
I can't believe a 5 year old kid is bawling in here but still the baby sleeps.

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Forget the Dog Whisperer. My dad was the Bird Exploder. It's true. Magical Aussie Powers!

Today is Father's Day back in Australia.
Unlike other years I am over the 'sad' phase and into the 'remembering and smiling' phase.

 
It's been 8 Years and 254 Days since my dad passed away.

In the grand scheme of life I have been alive for 33 Years and 185 Days.

When you think about it that means that my dad has been dead now for about a quarter of my life.

I realised last night what day it was going to be today and started to think of my dad.
Instead of getting sad like I usually do I decided that that time is over. It's time to laugh and remember. And so I did. I laughed as I remembered these things:

• When he made the freaking spinifex pigeon spontaneously combust at Yulara.
• When he burnt off his eyebrows and eyelashes in Merimbula when he was trying to start the BBQ.
• When he refused to eat anything but Maccas in Japan.
• Oh and him actually eating the "gaijin special" at Dojo's. That was funny stuff.
• When he said it was going to be fine when he started to drive us through what looked like a shallow river on one of the islands up in the Whitsundays . The look on his face when the water was over the bonnet of the car was classic.
• When he used to hunt me down on scout camps to stop me from kissing boys. Boooo!!!
•  He refused to take me to sex-ed classes in high school. He went beet  red at the very mention of sex.
• When he told me how there was no way he could ever make a speech in front of people like I did for Daniel's Queen Scout (Eagle Scout) presentation.
• Ugh - making us listen to Neil Sedaka, Roy Orbinson, The Seekers, John Farnham and Whitney Houston.
• Making me embarrassed as all hell for making me say his favourite show on TV was The Bush Tucker Man. I was called The Bush Tucker Man's daughter from about grade 10 to 12. Cheers! (lol)

For shits and giggles

• For making us watch Alby Mangles show and bitching and bitching and bitching about how stupid it was but still we had to watch it every freaking Sunday. Now thinking back on it I think Alby was banging a different chick in every port - living vicariously much dad? haha. 
• For always knowing where every town's newsagency was.
• For making the best cups of tea. Ever. Period. (Maybe the sugar and milk helped)
• He told me that one of his regrets in life was that he didn't have a lot of friends. When hundreds of people turned up for his funeral I remember smiling and looking up and saying "bloody bullshit dad".

So many things to remember. He let me ride sheep like horses. He let me ride crazy horses without worrying if I would fall. He let me take the train into the city with my friends when I was 13 alone. He always helped me with my math homework and made a model truck with "Susan' painted on the side. He taught me how to drive and asked me nicely to wear dresses. He let me go to parties in high school and he caught me when I fell.

He let me leave the country and told me to live life like an adventure.

That is why I am the way I am.

Thanks Dad. I miss you but I know you are watching me from a campire somewhere and keeping the billy full of tea. Don't burn the damper though OK?! "Mwah! "

Love Susan.

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I wasn't going to post about the kids but this was classic

A funny thing happened this morning. I was sitting here at my desk trying to get some work done and the pirate was behind me messing around with my guitar. That's ok because I want her to play with it and see the noises that she can make. Then I hear crashing. She has brought over her guitar that apparently now belongs next to my guitar in the small space behind me. Cute huh.

She was very busy playing the different guitars and seeing the sounds she could make. Kinda like her mum. She was holding her guitar the proper way and was playing it and singing along. She decided she needed to show her brother so she ran out my room with the guitar to either side.

Um.

Guitar, although small is wider than the doorway. She clotheslined herself on the door. Looked around. Laughed. No blood, no foul.

She is destined to be a rockstar.

That's my girl.

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Playing DJ on a Saturday

I played Aussie DJ for three hours today on Twitter. Started with H&C and finished with Crowded House. Here is the feed in reverse order.

• I can't beat that song.
• This song always leaves me tingly - #nowplaying - Crowded House - Into Temptation - http://bit.ly/bwJMbz <3 <3
•  #nowplaying- Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over - http://youtu.be/oCqsG1t7RoU
• #nowplaying - Sarah Blasko - All I Want - http://youtu.be/QX1RgyCl1Xs
• #nowplaying - Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out Of My Head (I'll be nice and give you the Blue Monday Mix) - http://bit.ly/cGZ4u2
• #nowplaying - Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue - Where The Wild Roses Grow - http://bit.ly/dofLil
• #nowplaying - John Farnham - Burn for You - http://bit.ly/cdOa4a I used to hate this but appreciate it now. Gorgeous song.
• #nowplaying - Two of Australia's most talented musos - Diesel and Barnes - go to about 3 mins in - http://bit.ly/bCFlcM
• #nowplaying - Johnny Diesel and the Injectors - Cry In Shame http://bit.ly/bnyJBk (cc. @ReneeBowen -gorgeous, gorgeous with or without hair)
• #nowplaying - Diesel - Tip of My Tongue - http://bit.ly/bre3HW (cc. @ReneeBowen - he is/was gorgeous) #nowplaying - The Black Sorrows (with Vika and Linda Bull <3) -Never Let Me Go - http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=IDlby94qUs4&feature=related
• #nowplaying -Paul Kelly - To Her Door - http://bit.ly/c8KaWD
• #nowplaying - Rebecca's Empire - So Rude - http://youtu.be/-kSA7_Vs0V8
• #nowplaying - Silverchair - Ana's Song - http://youtu.be/HdF98W-ON3Q
• #nowplaying - NSFW - TISM - Whatareya - http://bit.ly/9IIJeu I saw TISM so many times. Rumor had it one was a professor at my uni.
• And back to awesome - #nowplaying - @Regurgitators - ! (The Song Formerly Known As) by Regurgitator- http://bit.ly/aTUdSP lots of memories
• Ok here you go. One of the greatest songs ever. #nowplaying - Leonardo's Bride - Even When I'm Sleeping - http://bit.ly/b2aygd *sigh*
• #Nowplaying - You Am I - Heavy Heart - http://bit.ly/aEU4jv Awesome band. "I miss you like sleep".
• #nowplaying - Powderfinger - Waiting for the Sun - <3 <3 <3 this song - http://bit.ly/bjcIu0
• #nowplaying - The Church - Under The Milky Way Tonight - http://youtu.be/V-mQyRuHIuA
• I LOVED this song - #nowplaying - The Models - Out of Mind Out of Sight - http://bit.ly/9kjGdJ
• Here you go Renee - #nowplaying - What ABout Me - Moving Pictures - http://bit.ly/bFolCD "whaaat aboutt meeeeeee"
• And no I will NOT be playing Khe San.
• #nowplaying - Cold Chisel - Flame Trees - http://youtu.be/ILd1O44BDqc I have a love/hate for Cold Chisel. Bogans
•  #nowplaying - Midnight Oil - Beds are Burning - http://youtu.be/im6klOGbc1Q My very first concert ever was Midnight Oil.
• #nowplaying - GANGgajang - Sounds of Then - http://bit.ly/aFJXal
•  #nowplaying - Come Said The Boy - Mondo Rock - http://bit.ly/ciDC1K Look at me and all this crazy 80s stuff
• #nowplaying - Icehouse - Great Southern Land - http://bit.ly/djbHUP
• #nowplaying - The Boys Light Up - Australian Crawl - http://bit.ly/arPLRi
• #nowplaying - Reckless (Accoustic) by James Reyne - http://bit.ly/dkubdh
• James Reyne - Downhearted -http://bit.ly/azing2
• And one of the most beautiful songs ever written - Throw Your Arms Around Me #HuntersandCollectors -http://bit.ly/9eJfGU (cc. @ReneeBowen )
• Hunters and Collectors - When The River Runs Dry - http://youtu.be/eD-58aVlPYk
• Hunters and Collectors -The Slab -- http://bit.ly/bzEtl0
• Hunters and Collectors - Do You See What I See -  http://bit.ly/bMTFp7
• Hunters and Collectors - Say Goodbye -http://youtu.be/8pp6hniAKHw
• Got 10 minutes. Kicks in at about 3.00 - Sit back and listen - - #HuntersandCollectors - Run Run Run - http://youtu.be/Xmfd2x1k80U

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Wordless Wednesday

Fire at Stevenson Ranch Pwky/Poe Pwky on 8/31/2010

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