To begin, enjoy the show...
And so to what I dig...
Well the primary interest in my life, above all, is my family, my wife and my divine children AND keeping them all private... That's why none are in the photos you see here or referred to at all in my profile. I love my girls immensely but keep them separate to this here world. Hard to do, but it's with the utmost respect...
First up I just gotta say: I HEART ADELAIDE! I have already posted the following words a while back as a blog but loved this wonderful description of my home-town so much that I felt it deserved to be here permanently...
"Adelaide is a fantastic city. If I ever have to leave I will be devastated... It is a city that lacks pretence and, as a result, allows for a sense of imagination to exist and thrive."
These brilliant words spill joyously from one Mojgan Khadem (an Iranian-born Adelaide film director) and are taken from an interview in Adelaide's equally brilliant supporter of the independent voice, The Independent Weekly (Oct 14-20, 2006 issue).
I love Adelaide and those who also celebrate its ways. But this is Mojgan's turn and she has more...
"Adelaide is a city that allows day dreamers to be. In other cities, you are under the hammer of life and existence and traffic and keeping up with the Joneses and there is no room for day dreaming. But here, there is room for day dreams. And day dreams can become reality. When I came to Adelaide it was love at first sight." Nice one Mojgan... Glorious stuff methinks!
So indeed I love Adelaide, even though I was born in Sydney and lived there for the first 12 years of my life g'day to any North Ryde crew (1965-70) and Turramurrra/Wahroonga Public Bush School etc (1970-78). Moved to Adelaide when I was 12 in 1978 and have not looked back.
So what else rocks my boat...? It's all pretty random and in no real order starting with Michael Leunig. Love his clever wit and drawings... Such simple joy... Here's a taste of his fine work...
And... eBay. iTunes. YouTube youtube me @ [ pk's YouTube ] . Positive people. My dog Archie. When I am partaking in alcohol: Johnnie Walker Red & Diet Coke, no ice OR Coopers Pale Ale Shandy OR Mr Riggs Adelaide Hills Reisling. All in moderation of course...
Otherwise Pepsi Max, Lemonade & Bitters (no Lime) OR Carrot, Apple & Ginger Juice are good options. Playing golf when I can. Funny kidlets. Sunny days. Pronouncing H correctly - it's AITCH okay... Good Life Pizzas. Puttanesca. Vanilla Chai Tea. A day without too much grief is good. Blue Swimmer Crab pasta. Kalamata Olives. Banana smoothies. Walking at 5.45am with my good mate Dave. People who love language, esp those who love the Aussie vernacular and its many idiosyncrasies: like my father-in-law Bruce who keeps language alive and well with his own form of rhyming slang and more... My favourite words include the delicious Loquacious, the simple Guff and the wonderfully descriptive Rapscalion...
Yes I'm a word-nerd, in fact can I encourage other budding wordsmiths to subscribe to AWAD, A Word A Day: brilliant work by Anu Garg. I also enjoy telling my elder girl my stories of Barry The Dog and hope to one day publish them. Promoting the fact that Cancer needs to be cured - losing my sister to the evil thing and having Mum currently under its influence makes it part of my life. Amalfi, the SA restaurant. Crumpler bags. Justin Hoskin's creative metalwork - aka Subculture Creations - which you can check for yourself via www.subculturecreations.com OR at his MySpace over yonder. You can also see them in the Butterfly Garden at the Adelaide Zoo!
I love a good belly laugh and I reckon these are just some the funniest comedians on the planet: the tangent-lovin Ross Noble, the totally random Phil Kay, the laid back Dave Hughes, the cheeky Hamish Blake, the clever Justin Hamilton, the razor sharp Cal Wilson, the wit filled musician Tim Minchin and the national treasure in Adam Hills.
And of course I love my mates... After family, they're the ones that matter...
I'd like to meet:
The person who is gonna cure Cancer... Or any bods who are nearly there...
Music:
Here’s a blend of all kinds of music I dig. ‘Tis in no particular order, ‘cept that I’ll add anything I like or remember from the top so it will be the freshest
I'm currently loving Groove Armada's new work... here's a lil' taste...
Get this player (because if you're using Flash 9, MySpace will have disabled the link in the player itself)
I’m still kinda obsessed with Mika and his track Grace Kelly. Number one in the UK for weeks and millions of plays on Mika’s MySpace at last count suggests others are too. Here it is...
And so to the rest… M.Ward.The Meters.The Commodores (when they were funky). Nouvelle Vague. AIR. Darkel. Hilltop Hoods. Soulwax. 2ManyDJs. Justice. Pigeon John. Les Rhythmes Digitales. Jacques Lu Cont. The Trims. Paul Vallen. The Flaming Lips. Booker T & The MGs. Billy Bragg. Scritti Politti. DEVO. The Eagles. Edmundo Ros - hot OLD talent. Antonio Carlos Jobim, another classic. As is Marvin Gaye...
So who else sounds aight...? Adelaide's Funkoars (esp. their track with the 'HOODS). Frank Sinatra. Tosca. Rephrase. Fatboy Slim. Daft Punk, clever fellas. Another talented bunch are Jay Kay and his crew in Jamiroquai: such clean grooves. Always loved Elton John. Breakfastaz. Lyrics Born. Neil Diamond. Madonna. Mo’ Horizons. Knife. Kylie. Aretha Franklin. Justine Clarke, yes the actress/presenter, but also talented creator/singer of kid’s music. Her album “I Like To Sing†is a must-buy for all Aussie kidlets. Here’s the talented bunny…
Love Adelaide’s own (!) Ben Folds; and Ben Folds Five before that. The Streets. Groove Armada. They Might Be Giants. Beastie Boys. RJD2. Laurent Garnier. The Crystal Method. Z-Trip. Downsyde. Elvis. ELO. Eurythmics. Freestylers. Rennie Pilgrem. Stevie Wonder is a god. Jade Macrae... so much soul the funky gibbon... I love the mad mash-ups of Go Home Productions. And then there's... Sharam Jey. Handsome Boy Modelling School. Z-Trip. Depeche Mode. Lowrider. Grandmaster Flash. Sergio Mendes. Malcolm McLaren. Bomb The Bass. Mel Torme. Royksopp. Hyper. David Holmes. Sia Furler (aaah remember the days of CRISP). Jimmy Cliff. Kruder & Dorfmeister. Salmonella Dub. New Order. Missy Higgins. Kent. Robbie Williams (such a bloody show-off, but good at it love his swingin album the most...). Herbie Hancock. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. Sloan. Phoenix. Money Mark, yes the Beastie Boys’ keyboard legend: love his solo work on the keys…
But wait, there’s more… Zero 7. Jenny Wilson. Fleetwood Mac. Grace Jones. Queen. Kelis. New Jersey Kings. N*E*R*D. The Police. The Jackson Five. ELO. David Bowie. Run DMC, Madness, Pet Shop Boys, Tripod, Cut Chemist, Jurassic 5... And no doubt plenty more that I can't think of right now...
Movies:
The Virgin Suicides, The Life Aquatic, Jackie Brown, Boogie Nights. Waynes World 1 & 2, And So I Married An Axe Murderer, Being John Malcovich, Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, High Fidelity, Empire Records, Stealing Beauty (in fact any flicks starring delectable Liv, especially now she's a yummy mummy, did someone say MILF...), Toy Story 1 & 2, just gotta love so many scenes; Hamm The Pig cruisin the Barbie aisle at Big Al's Toy barn is a gem
And back to more good flicks like Fargo, Thank You For Smoking (my numero uno for 2006 - okay, the ONLY movie I saw at the movies in '06 - hang on except for HAPPY FEET that I squeezed in late December - what a brill film!) and the quirky Little Miss Sunshine... And plenty more dang I need to watch more of those DVDs I have stashed at home - I know there are heaps more I like...
Television:
Spicks & Specks. NCIS. Grumpy Old Men/Women. Boston Legal. ROVE. Myth Busters. Enough Rope. ABC News. Harry & His Bucketful Of Dinosaurs. Idol. Extras. Thank God You're Here. The Apprentice (the only thing I'll watch on C9 except for the cricket sometimes or surfing to look for Sarah Murdoch when Sunrise is on an ad-break this all said, THE SECRET was screened on C9)
I should have a list of 'Used To Like But Now Jaded & Over' such as... West Wing, BB, The Bill etc.
But my all time favourite TV show is the original (UK) version of Coupling. Love every character and especially these hilarious chaps...
Books:
All of Michael Leunig's fine work. Any Nick Hornby (just read HOW TO BE GOOD and loved it. Sadly I tried and tried to get into A LONG WAY DOWN but just couldn't finish it - maybe cause it's based around people attempting to end their lives which I don't need. Love all Dr Seuss, especially OH THE PLACES YOU CAN GO. Lots more, when I get the chance to read that is... Any dictionary or word-book. Love my linguistics... Still trying to read William McInnes' A MAN'S GOTTA HAVE A HOBBY (LONG SUMMERS WITH MY DAD) was my summer 07 novel, but is on hold for now...
Heroes:
My sister Jane who died too young from that evil thang called Cancer. Here are some happy snaps of Miss Jane...
Pretty in pink with her lovely pal Lisa...
And here's one of Jane leading a pirate party, a right Peta Pan...
My favourite shot of Jane & Andrew, her devoted husband...
One more, from her wedding day, a bride's lunch...
Two other chaps who've impressed me of late
Bill Gates - not for being a clever nerd who has made lotsa coin from computers, but because he has given so SO SOOOOOOOOO much of it away to those who need it in the world. And continues to do so - making a major difference and possibly being able to actually cure life-threatening diseases in our lifetime. Someone who donates millions like that is GOLD...!
And a young headband-wearin lad who totally flummoxed me this very morn: Fri 25/8/06. I was manning one of the Daffodil Day stands (doin my bit for cancer research fundraising) in the Mall outside Adelaide Arcade. So up he strolls and asks about where the $ goes for Daffodil Day fundraising. Seemingly sated by my answers, and rather than buy a $3 daffodil day flower pin, he calmly & quietly puts a closed hand to the opening of the donation tin with some money and then quickly scoots off. I figure something's up and check to find that sure enough the good lad had concealed a whopping $70 in his hand, donated it & then left before we could note his good deed what an inspiring young fella. That's one serious credit to his karma bank, and one of those pure-joy things that happen every now and then to make you look at life and realise it's not bad at all... Geez, that's a tad serious... but how nice!
