Tim Minchin rocks the casbah

Wowie and ooh la la.
I saw Tim Minchin last night at the State Theatre. I simply adore him (if one can adore someone without knowing them) and had never seen him live.
First I saw him on Enough Rope and Spicks & Specks and then caught the doco about him (Rock n Roll Nerd). One time on Spicks he spotted a silly joke in grammar or punctuation that had amused me too. Then I became intrigued by him (in a good and not stalkery way). Indeed I was captivated.
He is an amazing lyricist and such an original performer: erudite, witty, naughty and alluring to boot!
In this funny and fickle old town of Sydney, it's great to be part of a standing ovation for such a unique creature: a kind of Leunig for the stage.
If Tim Minchin did a project with Alain de Botton, that would be my idea of perfection.

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Cooking up limericks

(c) KymoftheKing


If you use 'em, credit 'em!
I love MasterChef -- and I love all the judges. Especially George... no, Gary... no, Matt!

A judge who we love is called Matt.
And Matt - well, he loves his cravat.
He’s top notch on the nosh
And he looks awfully posh.
With no Matt it would all be quite flat.

A judge we know only as George
Would chew and - quite simply - he'd gorge*.
‘Twas his action with forks
That caused all the squawks
And made him entirely less gorg.

And then there’s the one who’s called Gary.
(He isn’t called Barry or Harry.)
He’s worked as a chef
And he never says f…
He’s the one who you’d quite like to marry!

*well he wouldn't really gorge; we're just trying to make a fun rhyme here folks.
Love ya George and can't wait to eat at The Press Room!

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T. Hanks

Love the sign above the returns bin in the local DVD/video store in Darlinghurst:

T. Hanks

Oh yes, laughed out loud when I saw it yesterday.

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Sockamillion

His name is Sockington.
He is uber Cat. Max is the King of Darlinghurst; Socks is the King of Twitter and King of the World.
But behold.
Max appears (thrice!) in the Sockamillion movie after an earlier half-mill show:

Socks Army One Million Strong from Jason Scott on Vimeo.

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Brisvegas

I've just had a weekend in Brisvegas, which is 5 degrees warmer than Sydney and a great place for me - as I got to spend time with someone who knows me very well. The King (see twitterfeed, right) is yowling his head off and now it's time to plant my feet back in Darlinghurst after two weekends away.

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Man on the moon, film in the bin

I am amused and bemused by the loss of the original recordings of footage of man landing on the moon.
As Tony Eastley said at the end of AM on Friday on ABC Radio: "If you've got them at home, give us a ring."
I do understand how I lose stuff in my life. But this is a record breaking mislaying of items.
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It's all about the Swedes

I've been absolutely laughing my head off about the career counsellor with the predilection for root vegetables in The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work. I laughed until I nearly choked (well I was lying in bed at the time) at the following reference:
"The couple were admirably fond of some of the less popular vegetables in the English repertoire, for at most times of the day - even in the early morning - the place smelt powerfully of freshly boiled cabbage or swede."
I can't tell you why, but there are several references to the counsellor and his wife's culinary love and these observations made me extremely giggly. I guess they're interspersed between serious career moments and that's just how it is with vegetables.
When I laugh in bed, the King gets tossed around, but he seems to be made of sturdy stuff and copes fairly well with the quiltquake.

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King of Darlinghurst in Sockington's 500K video

Sockington 500,000 Followers from Jason Scott on Vimeo. Enormous excitement in the Kingdom of Darlinghurst as the Cyber Cat of them all, Sockington, includes Max the Duster aka the King of Darlinghurst in the video marking his 500,000th follower.

We are overjoyed, banging our paws together with delight.

Watch out for Max in the Socks Rocks hat.

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Everything's vivid

With my nose firmly in Alain de Botton's new book, The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work, I have been refreshed in my view of the world.
Yesterday I had to go into the city for an appointment after several days of being home ill.
It seemed to me that everyone was from central casting: immensely colourful in their own way, yet typical.
Two women at the noodle bar at David Jones sipped on their wines and discussed children, home decorating, friends and their next lunch, while the people cooking and serving us were on full display in their work mode. It was all remarkably vivid. I guess I was paying attention.
In the watch repair shop, I was one of several customers - the young woman getting a charm fixed to her bracelet, the stylishly dressed handsome black guy who was getting something done to what appeared to be a diamond-encrusted watch (matching his diamond encrusted pinky ring). The watch was roughly the size of a large sample pot of moisturiser. I felt like I was in a dream when he showed his Florida driving license [as ID, I guess]. An older woman was getting impatient because whatever she was waiting for wasn't ready and she was going overseas the next day, with many tasks and engagements to fulfil before she left. Again, remarkably vivid moments that may have passed me by, if not for reading yet another marvellous book by Alain de Botton.


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Directions

Walking down Victoria Street in Darlinghurst just now, a very old man ambled toward me. I was anticipating being asked for money.
But no. He wanted to know where "Young Street" was. Indeed.
(In truth - as far as I am aware - there is no Young Street. Neither metaphorically, nor literally.)
A bit like how on Monday night I was walking by the Eastern Distributor exit on William Street. A young guy was taking a piss in Wisdom Lane. Wisdom Lane is a No Through Road.
I'll leave that with you.
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Twittering is the new black

The King loves nothing more than a good Tweet.
But Sockington's call out this morning for members of Socks Army to upload pix of themselves in party hats almost ended the King's love of Twitter. He wriggled and pulled his ears back, retreating from our impromptu photo shoot with extraordinary cunning. The only chance for getting him to pose was to fill his dinner dish and then gently drop the paper cone hat over one ear while he was busy eating.
Such is life.
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Swimmingly

Hit the pool for the first time in yonks. It was much cleaner then when I was last there.
That old black line is still there though.
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Hot cross bunnage

Infinity Bakery in Darlinghurst next to the fire station makes the best hot cross buns. Everyone knows it to be true.

Actually, they are official suppliers of hot cross buns to the King of Darlinghurst.

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Yayoi Kusama

The Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the MCA at Circular Quay is a must-go, must-see. Your head may hurt from the richness of the images, but go anyway.

Extraordinaire!

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Sockington

The king, like the rest of the world, is transported by Sockington. He's joined Socks Army. No hope now.
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Sockington 200,000 Followers from Jason Scott on Vimeo.

The King of Tweets

Max (aka The King) now has three followers on Twitter. Enough to build a religion on. The one devoted to eating, sleeping and sitting in the garden from time to time.
http://www.888dag.com/

To twitter, to cheep, to inform

The King has started twittering. It seems to be his milieu. He is bonkers about Sockington, Sockington, Sockington, Sockington, Sockington... etc

http://www.888dag.com/

My loathing of spiders is complete (and utter)

My loathing of huntsman spiders (or are they just huntsmen?) is renowned. Grown men have been phoned in the middle of the night to come over and remove them from my sight.



Yesterday I resorted to a text "call out" of various male acquaintances to evict the latest invader.



G. came to the rescue. Rewarding him with wine and a lamb kebab couscous dinner was the least I could do.



The previous night (warning dear reader: gin and Augusten Burroughs are a bad combination when encountering a huntsman of huge proportions), I had been awake for hours. For a long while I had been lying in bed, pretending it would all be OK. Every few minutes I'd flick the light on, but it became too much when one of the spider's ruby eyes glinted at me.


So I upped camp and went to sleep in the lounge room. The King was delighted with the novelty of the new sleeping arrangements and jumped around incessantly. I filled him up on treats to pacify him, but it was like giving a kid red cordial. The three of us were awake: the spider, the King and me.

A bad, bad urban story that ended with G. freeing the spider into the wilds of Darlinghurst. It's now out petitioning the neighbourhood about victimisation.

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The Wrong Side of Wrongtown

It's my new favourite saying.
As in: "That is on the wrong side of Wrongtown!"

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5c at the bus stop

I seem to pick up money everywhere.

Today there was another 5c coin at the bus stop. So I carried it around all day and it will go in the kitty purse with all the other found coins.

At some random "lucky" day in the future, I will buy a lottery ticket with them.

Fingers crossed.

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Technical KO

Knocked flat for a week by a head cold.
Honestly. King of Darlinghurst marvellous company.
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George Clooney in Adelaide

When supplied with a George Clooney face on a stick, one simply stands behind it and sings "happy birthday". That's what happened this weekend in Adelaide.
Then Sarah and I flew back to Sydney, giggling hard on the plane behind our new identities.
Watch out for Toothpick Etiquette 103 on youtube - filmed entirely on location (without George Clooney).

http://www.888dag.com/

A Touch of Turkey

I took this shot in June last year, in a fish market at Istanbul.

The dangling curly bits in the background are twists of dried orange peel. Nice counterpoint to the curly new globe on the left of the mermaid.

I'm not a fan of the new globes I'm afraid; I'm going to miss the old globes for their beautiful shape and also the concept of a "light bulb moment" isn't the same with the new globes.

They may save the planet though.

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Jack has taken to the pig's ear

For anyone wondering, Jack has started using his puppy teeth on the pig's ear. It just took him a little time, that's all.
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Jack the Pugalier

It's very hard to imagine anything quite as cute as Jack the Pugalier (that's a pug crossed with a Cavalier spaniel, for the uninitiated).
I went to visit him for the first time at the weekend and took him around a pig's ear. The truth is, he wasn't that sure about it. You can see what happened when he saw it for the first time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnDhp8n2nUM

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How much can a koala bear?

I love these pictures.

They were sent to me by a friend in London. Apparently in last week's heatwave in Victoria, this hot little fellow waddled onto someone's back porch and a bucket of water was put out for him. Happily, a camera was to hand to produce these sweet snaps.

I gather the whole world loves them as they may have been taken only a week ago, but so many people seem to have seen them.

They would melt the hardest heart.

It's forecast to be hot in Darlo this weekend, but you won't catch the King in the bath. Sprawled out on the floorboards, yes.

In the bath, no.

"Hugo, how's that martini coming along?"

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Life drawing

With a fanfare of drums, I got to life drawing tonight for the first time in ages. Went with my neighbour to a local gallery where they have a model every Monday; tonight we had two.

This is an old drawing of mine, but very much in my style. I'm too pooped to photograph something I did tonight, download the pix to my laptop and then upload them again to the web.

Lazy, or what? Everything I know I learned from the King, who didn't move a muscle between the hours of 2pm and 5pm today. I came home from work early (after an early start) and found him snoring on the bed.

http://www.888dag.com/

Curtains

Ah, with thanks to my pals bob'n'pats for this beautiful image.

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Arachnophobia

6.30pm Massage therapist arrives at home.
8pm Every muscle has been tweaked and has turned to jelly.
9pm Every muscle is switched on. World's biggest huntsman has its legs out and is ready to eat me.
9.30pm The Last Post is playing for the huntsman, carefully and artfully squished. I have produced a litre of sweat in the undertaking.

http://www.888dag.com/

Auslan Advance Australia Fair

Personally I find it a bit hard to get wound up about Australia Day, but this Auslan version of Advance Australia Fair could change everyone's tune.



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Random acts of electrical kindness

I popped into the hardware shop next door to work today to replace part of a 50s clip-on anodised lamp. The old plastic switch had snapped in half after five decades of use.
On buying the replacement part, I realised I'd need the aid of an electrician to connect it up for me.
Little did I know I was standing next to him.
Next thing. I'm out front of the hardware shop with another customer, using the boot of his black VW convertible as a makeshift work bench. I handed him the new parts while he wired up the lamp. During the procedure, another guy turned up with a tray of three coffees: his friend had gone off to shout a round of lattes.
So that's why I live in the inner city. For random acts of electrical kindness.
Now the King can read in bed again.

http://www.888dag.com/

Oh what long whiskers you have

The King of Darlinghurst does indeed have some of the finest whiskers around.
And check out those eyebrows!
He raised them yesterday when Everapominoz came over and used an electric drill to install Hang it All.
(With sincere and joyous thanks to Everapominoz for kind assistance; apologies to the King about the drill and the embarrassment of having to hide under the bed.)

http://www.888dag.com/

Crazy about the King (the King is Crazy)

The King does look a little crazy here; cross-eyed even.
He was reaching out with his mouth to catch a long piece of grass hanging down yesterday (placed there by my good self).
It helps explain why I love him so. (He makes me laugh.)

http://www.888dag.com/

The Big Ish

As the mercury soared to 40 degrees C and then some in western Sydney today, I beetled past my vendor of The Big Issue this morning. I had bought my copy earlier this week.
"I'm asking people today if they want to buy a manually operated fan," he declared. Some weeks back he told me his ability to talk was his greatest gift.
He was - deliciously - right. I love his way with words.
ps It's hard to be the King of Darlinghurst when it's 40C and you have to wear a black fur coat.
http://www.888dag.com/

Hang it all

In London in June, I spotted this divine answer to my storage prayers.

I didn't know it was a classic in retro design: The Hang It All (on the drawing board in 1953) by Charles and Ray Eames.

All I could think was

a/ how beautiful it was

b/how impractical it was to get home to Sydney

Then I spotted it in Surry Hills a couple of weeks ago. Pretty soon, voila, someone who can operate a masonry drill will mount it on my wall. At the moment I seem to be stuck with comics who say they don't even know the masonic handshake, let alone their drill.

The King had fun playing hide and seek in the box it came home in.

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And so it was...

...time to return to work.
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The last day of holidays

Went to koi in Darlinghurst the other night and engaged in some chalkboard toilet graffiti of the King (left).

And now, here I am on the last day of my summer holiday. The King is oblivious and sleeping on a freshly laundered bed.

The lemons are preserved, the fig salame for cheese is made and the spag bol is on the stove.

It must be time to return to work.

http://www.888dag.com/

Tomato chilli jam - refined

Unbelievably, I'm back making chilli jam.
I reckon the shot is to peel the baked half-tomatoes and then put those skins through the blender with some of the liquid and add it all into the aromatic brew.
http://www.888dag.com/

The King's big night on the tiles

A few years ago the King had a big New Year's Eve... he got out!
Last night he was in, but the way he's crashed out on the bed today, you'd think he'd been out all night on the rantan.
Happy New Year, full of brightness and good new things.
My resolution is to carry a notebook at all times.
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