Trysting Fields

Dinner Party V

Saturday 17th July.

Most fiasco-tastic DP evar! It's been a bit like that lately. I almost gave up and cancelled it. But I'm very glad I didn't, coz despite all kinds of stupid problems in the end it still went OFF.

(10:21pm; 4min 59sec)

Amongst other things, the DPP planning committee encountered considerable guestlist difficulty. Despite and at least partly because of no less than three date changes aimed at accommodating them all and genuine enthusiasm from at least some quarters, exactly none of the invitees I'd originally lined up ultimately managed to make it.

(10:55pm; 1min 17sec)

Which might have been considered a fairly abject fail - were it not for the inspiringly circus-saving company of previous-attendee legends who, in flagrant violation of DPP rules, valiantly braved the cold and brought the awse instead: Matt K (DPs I and III), Twyllan (DP II), Henley (DP III), Sarah aka The Major (DP IV), Pablo (DPP virgin), Luke (DP IV), and of course Grimsey (DPs I, II, III and IV). Fucken <3.

(12:24am; 4min 28sec)

It was an unprecedentedly structured DP. As per a preestablished order of proceedings there was soup, then salad, then pie, then the merciless destruction and defilement of an old chair that had unforgiveably given way under DP I alumnus Bourkie at CH the night before. Then, naturally, there were muffins.

(1:16am; 2min 26sec)

Along the way there were tears (not really); there was laughter. It was epic.

(2:34am; 2min 49sec)

:)

Friday 2nd July.

Proper CH Party

Friday 11th June.

The first oldschool stylez party we've had here since my birthday in September. Blame The DPP.

Went off.

Footage of my broken VCR/DVD player being ritually destroyed on the stroke of midnight: part 1 (42 meg); part 2, starring MYF (671 kb); part 3 (36 meg).

(My original plan was to throw it off the roof before destroying it. But unfortunately the ladder which would have facilitated this turned out to be at Toots's house. So it goes; that piece of shit still got completely annihilated. Result! etc)

"They Are Steel-Capped Boots; Welcome To Broadmeadows"

Saturday 5th June.

Surprise SRC Gathering

Wednesday 12th May.

Dinner Party IV

Saturday 10th April.

Starring Brendan, Duncan, Harrie, Luke, The Major, and Grimsey.

(11:11pm; 14min 12sec)

Like DP II, a relatively low-key occasion compared to DP I and DP III. (I don't know why, although I have many theories.)

(11:56pm; 4min 35sec)

All the same: went OFF.

(1:22am; 1min 22sec)

:)

Easter Camping

Friday 2nd April - Sunday 4th April.

Night Before Luke's SRC Farewell @ CH

Thursday 25th March.

With, y'know, Luke. Also starring Grimsey.

Some might argue that this audio is overlong and kind of banal in parts. I suspect even Tenex won't make it to the end this time. But I like it.

Night At Twyllan's

Monday 22nd March.

Random Encounter With AG

Thursday 4th March.

Entertaining Budini

Tuesday 2nd March.

Polyphonic Spree @ The Forum

Saturday 27th February.

With G and these people.

The Psychopathology Of Schnozzie

Friday 26th February.

Almost-but-not-quite captured on video. Exciting times!

In other news: The SRC Xmas party audio is finally up. Many thanks to Bourkie for giving it the green light at long last.

Interview With The Prismatic Auditors

Tuesday 23rd February.

Starring Jason Maling & Torie Nimmervoll. (Previously; elsewhere.)

(Interview transcript.)

Party In The Patch

Saturday 20th - Sunday 21st February.

(See previous.)

With Adam, Gab and Grimsey.

It was ace. Once again, got a shit-ton of audio - and once again (but even more so), it's pretty much solid gold. So instead of fretting about what to use and what not to use like I did over the DP III post, I decided to just stick it all up; fuck it.

Dinner Party III

Friday 12th February.

Starring Henley & Adele; 2003 (who will not, contrary to earlier threats, be forever after known as "Porcha") & Danny (sans promised cheese platter, but I just can't stay mad at the guy); Lady GrimGrim & Jacqui; the fantastic Mr Kav; the ex-operative formerly known as Li Han, Blog Boy From Space (who hopefully won't object to me linking him old-school like that - because although Exaggerating Rumours is now four years old and obviously he's grown as a person since then etc blah blah, it's still genius which deserves wider exposure) - and of course Toots, who opted to turn up after everyone except Kav had gone home, because that is the way she motherfucking rolls.

Fair to say, went OFF.

No obligatory formula picture of everyone in the back garden, because for whatever reason (quite possibly because it's the way they motherfucking roll), the guests all opted to stay inside this time - a trend that, with the encroachment of winter, we were going to have to adapt to sooner or later anyway. But there's these ones.

In contrast to last time, when I accidentally deleted the audio directly after recording it, we successfully captured over sixty minutes of vox, much of it gold. Unfortunately that means I'm having a really hard time choosing clips. Maybe I'll put some up retrospectively & link back to it in a later post. We'll see.

In other news: if you happen to be in the region of the Abbotsford Convent at any point over the next week, I strongly advocate checking out the Prismatic Audit currently being undertaken there by Torie Nimmervoll & intended DP III invitee (and amazing genius) Jason Maling (who couldn't come, because he was too busy getting ready for the Prismatic Audit. That's okay, we'll get him next time).

I did today; it was great. I came home exhausted and collapsed at 6:30pm into some of the weirdest and most awesome dreams I've had in months. Now it's 2:30am and I'm blearly eating a pizza at Bimbo. But that's beside the point.

Where was I? Oh yeah; I'm starting school on Monday, which will be well weird. But before that I'm off to a quasi-hippy festival in a field near Schnozzie's hometown.

There will most likely be bloggage about both of these things. Until then: stay in the groove. Or, y'know, don't. It's Entirely Up To You (tm)! See if I care, blog readers. SEE IF I GIVE A FUCK.

:)

(Previously; previouslyer.)

Thailand (Two)

Ko Lanta, 28th January.

After Going-Away Cocktails

At CH late last week with Kav (lurking), Petts, and the artist henceforward known as Lady GrimGrim. (Whose birthday it is today, incidentally. Happy birthday!)

Okay, I'm off to Thailand. Later, bitches. :)

Happy New Tenth!!! [*]

([*] Trope courtesy of D. Soybean.)

So, my 2010 has pretty much rocked so far. How's 'bout yours!!!?

I think my epic backlog-killing spree (mostly effected down the NSW coast, where I spent an actually not at all unpleasant festive perenium with Toots and the parentals) exhausted me a bit, blogwise. Maybe that will change; maybe not. We'll find out!!!

Yeah, my parents have been in the country, which doesn't happen very often. They went home yesterday, after five days here in teh Melbourne. Ergo, amongst other things, I've lately been eating out a lot and experiencing a generally higher material standard of living than that to which I'm accustomed. It's all been very nice!!!

I set a prospective date today for DP III, which is Friday, February 12th - although I haven't told the prospective victims beneficiaries directly yet, coz I'm still figuring out exactly who they are!!!

The audio from both DP I and the SRC Xmas Post-Party is being held back pending the resolution of some content (in the former case) and clearance (in the latter) issues, but I'll post an update when it's finally up!!!

What else? Oh, yeah - I'm going to Thailand for ten days in two weeks!!!

To this end, I was vaccinated against Swine Flu (amongst other things) the other day and consequently, I think, came down with a very minor case of Swine Flu. But I recovered!!!

And I think that's pretty much all for now!!!

Here, randomly, is a picture of A, DA, G and myself at Prudence last night, playing the Trivial Pursuit Toots gave me for Christmas:

HNY :)

Stuff I Did This Year

This year was all about recovery. It started out in the absolute pits of hell, slowly got better, and - a few ickle problems here and there aside, but whatcha gonna do - ended all up in unmitigated gnarley.

Result.

As per last year I feel more like talking about people than doings or accomplishments. Specifically, and without wanting to get too gushy, all the people who've helped me in all their various ways to remember what love, awesomeness and the whole circus generally is about. Really forgot for a while there. Fucken' sucked.

So couldn't have done it without yiz.

Thanks. Seriously.

• Mum, Dad & Jess.
• Ben.
• Despite - and partly because of - some serious difficulties, Liv (and co).
• Henley.
• On an obscure tip: Martha, Dolly, Magnus, Tim, my secret admirer, and the other Barn*by Ev*ns on Facebook.
• Li.
• Nada A.
• Nada Z (nb not technically a person, but we'll let it slide).
• Em & co.
• Kav. Georgie. Twyllan. Kinkel. Vicwie. Sims. Brendan. Zanella. The Major. Freedman. 2003 & co. And all the countless other people at/from my thankfully now-former work who are fucking awesome. But most especially them.
• Relatedly: motorscooting Keith! Party and associates - most especially Bourkie, and Carol. We don't really know Trajstman yet - but you may rest assured we intend to.
• Cel.
• Freakley.
• Mr Ad*m F*rd (not the poet), and Mr D. Allan.
• Grimsey.
• Gab, obvs, and associates not previously mentioned, especially Pets & Dech (+ Scott, Ewan, Chirsp etc etc etc).
• And last, but the exact opposite of least: Ms M. F. "prog081" Evans and associates, esp. Kat, Hayley, Fran & co, Ange & Chloe.

The admittedly sometimes finite limitations of my resources notwithstanding, these people can - at any time, and to whatever extent they may deem necessary and/or desirable - stand the fuck under my umbrella.

I'd also like to extend a really colossal, biblical-epic-stylez "fuck you" to one or two other individuals whose selfish, infantile cuntishness and astonishing lack of Vision (tm), conversely, reeeallly hasn't helped. Anyone. But I won't. It won't help. We can only have faith that in time they will grow the hearts, brains, spines and souls they surprisingly appear to lack.

Having A Soul: It's Good.

:)

Happy new year.

Bar Open With Toots

20th December.

She initiated this audio. That never happens. Crazy festive timez FTW!

SRC Xmas Party

17th December.

Vale SRC. I'm gonna miss you hugely in some ways; in other ways not so much. I'll certainly miss your Xmas parties. Or maybe I'll just crash them.

The following was captured at Harrie & Atkins' house, at some point quite far into the 17-odd hours' worth of extended shenanigans.

Messy night; messy audio. But I like it.

(Previously.)

Day After G's Birthday

13th December.

"I feel a bit like I'm on drugs but I'm not." - me, on CC's status

Ange's Bad '80s Beach Party

5th December.

Dinner Party II

4th December.

Needless to say, went OFF.

Some awesome audio was captured. Unfortunately I forgot to save it, because I'm an idiot. But here is the obligatory formula picture of everyone in the back garden:

Smoko

28th-29th November.

Cheers Atkins (and Coulter - who told me to go, so I did).

:)

G & Shaisty's Housewarming

13th November.

Dinner Party I

24th October.

For the Facebook-equipped, here's a link to the Dinner Party Project manifesto.

This all started the night before G's Picnic at Prudence, when - in a sudden, entirely-non-drug-induced moment of feeling like I was peaking on fucking awesome drugs - I was compelled to inform my friends Vicwie & Kav that they would, at some point in the near future, be coming to dinner at my house.

Four other superstars from my work (including the legendary Bourkie) were subsequently invited. And Toots, obvs.

It occurred. It went off.

The rest is currently in the process of going down in relational aesthetics history.

(In accordance with her wishes, all of V*cw*e's audio parts have been edited out; the excisions are marked with bleeps.)

Picnic

3rd October.

Not really a picnic. Due to inclement weather it was held inside at Gab's place.

But it was still good. (If admittedly not as good as the night before; omg. But that's a story for a forthcoming post..)

Prudence

25th September.

I heart Prudence.

(Starring Toots, Zack & Grimsey.)

Meg's Birthday

23rd September.

Two videos were shot, neither of which could be used - one because it was too boring, the other because it was too interesting.

But there is this:

Just, Wow

Whole calendar month without a new post. This has never happened before in the entire history of TF.

The reason it's occurred is that:

• I recorded some audio of Liv drunkenly abusing Henley at my birthday party, which I didn't want to listen to for fear it'd be excrutiatingly embarrassing.
• Subsequently-captured media started to pile up behind it.
• The whole thing became a procrastination bomb of horror proportions.

The stupidest part is I already know I can't actually use the aforementioned audio anyway, coz L has - not unreasonably - vetoed this.

Then I got distracted preparing for art school interviewage, which finished today. (Went well; we're happy.)

But now there's no excuse. We're gonna grind through it this week, before CH Dinner Party II on Friday night.

Please stay tuned.

Birthday

Went off.

Admittedly not to quite the full extent of last year's - but on the upside no one wound up in hospital this time, and no string of events which will lead to me being effectively completely shut down for the best part of the coming year were set in train. Which is always good.

On the downside, my Ixus disappeared - I won't say explicitly that Wouters stole it because, however plausible, this theory can't be proven beyond reasonable doubt - so there are no pictures. But a lot of audio was captured, and it's great.

This bit is my favourite. The core of it is Grimsey asking various people if they think Facebook is dead, and Henley's impassioned rantsponse:

I've produced a full transcript of the above clip, in the vague hope that this might help others to appreciate it almost as much as I do.

And this is me the morning[*] after:

:)

[*] Morning, afternoon, whatever.

Random Pictures Of The Week Since I Got Back

Home

With Gab & Dan.

New York (Four)

With D.

New York (Three)

With Bourkie "B. Jerky" Bourke.

New York (Two)

With DF & Kev.

New York (One)

With Nada.

Sydney

With Em, Matt & Maddy.

(Previously.)

t.A.T.u. Was Robbed

But a good night was had in the process.

ION: I caught up with my old arch-nemesis TAFKA Robert Henley last Friday. It was great. Love that guy's work. No, seriously.

I am still not dead. Better, even.

What else? I'm going to New York next month. I'm going to Thailand in November (probably). Then I'm going to Geneva in December. I might go to Norwich also. Toots has a friend there she wants to visit, and I want to read Adam Tenex's novel which he's apparently too lazy send to me.

Adventures FTW!

Can't complain.

Happy Birthday Liv

:)

Keep on purveying that awesomeness.

:/

There's nothing like hearing that a long-lost but much loved friend has died to put things in perspective.

At times like this I always fantasize about an impossible party; absolutely everyone who's ever been special or important to me throughout my life hanging out and being awesome together, with no consequences or liability.

I have much more out-there - and much less self-centred - visions of heaven, but I'd settle for that.

Blah

Freakley told me last night to turn my shittiness into art. Personal motto: "redeem garbage", apparently. This is what she told me when we first met in early '07, too.

"Make art!" she says.

She's good like that.

Trouble is, my shittiness basically consists of an inability to put any meaningful form or shape around anything. Narrative failure. Everything seems completely empty and pointless. Whinge piss moan blah.

When I crash, I tear myself to pieces trying to Figure Myself And Everything Generally Out - metaphysical arms flailing comically - until I feel my sanity seriously starting to disintegrate. Then I give up, and just live vacantly from one atomized moment to the next.

There's not much you can make from that. Got art? Well, no. That's kind of the problem.

That said, this here blog was originally started in a bid to pull myself out of that void. And it totally worked, over time.

But the last two times I've been seriously down since then (mid '06; mid '07), I didn't really talk about it much here. It seemed self-sabotaging to advertise it too explicitly. And also pointless. Natch.

I didn't really socialise, either. This time I am, a bit. I worry that's similarly self-sabotaging and is doing irrepairable damage to the relationships in question.

Contact with other people gives you (some) perspective, makes you feel less alone, and generally makes life a bit easier. All of which is nice.

But ultimately allowing people to see much of you when you're like this just weakens you further. It just fuels the negative self image which is getting you so down in the first place.

"Hi, my existence is a gaping abyss of infinite horror; I feel completely worthless and useless, and I don't really give a shit about anything except how useless and worthless I feel. Er.. how are you?" Doesn't help.

Meh; I'm on the up, gradually.

I was really in hell a few months ago.

I'm not in hell now. Just - yeah - a big ol' envoided vacuum of blah.

And I won't be here forever.

Hello, Blog (redux)

It's wet today. It's nice. I was woken up by the garbage truck at 9am this morning and realised I'd forgotten to put the bins out. So I did. Then I went back to bed until midday.

I started back at work on Monday. This is A Good Thing. I've become waaay too reclusive over the break.

I think my 'new' housemate - he still seems new even though he's been here three months, partly coz he went away for a month quite soon after moving in, and partly coz time has been frozen on Planet T lately - has decided I'm a freak.

He actually said this, more or less, late one drunken night in January. "It's funny the things you discover about people once you get to know them a bit better. Like you: before I started living with you, I totally thought you were normal."

I LOL'd. I was, actually, much more normal before he moved in. Or at least playing normal much more convincingly.

So it goes. I hope he doesn't feel conned.

We still seem to be getting along fine, even though he's decided I'm not normal.

What else? I got a new camera a few days ago, finally. It's a DSLR; sexy but overwhelming. I'm kind of scared of it. I haven't actually charged the battery and set it up yet.

But I will.

Stuff I Did This Year

On previous December 31sts, I've posted a bullet-pointed list of things I did the preceding year.

In keeping with the strategy I adopted at the start of 2008 - which consisted of being lost but unconcerned (and liable for nothing), and then just, y'know, seeing what happened - I'm not going to do that this year. The resultant twelve months have been much too complex and chaotic for that.

Stuff certainly happened. That it all went spectacularly wrong in the final quarter makes it easy to forget what an eventful and, for the most part, legendary year it's been. I made some awesome friends, brutally lost a couple of others (in one significant case, re-made and then re-lost, which was.. a bit upsetting), and had all kinds of adventures along the way.

Being lost but unconcerned, I started out with only one very minor concrete Goal: to make a second Mishukis album. In a single day. Then my computer died and all my internet accounts got hacked, and I went to Rainbow Serpent and witnessed the apocalypse. The liberator who destroyed my property realigned my perceptions, and even that humble project was forgotten; life took over.

In awesomeness terms, the whole thing peaked at Easter. It was all about the Smart Party (RIP, sigh), the return of baby sis, and reconciling with J & Henley (sigh, redux).

That awesomeness carried me all the way through winter, which - although not without its trials and dramas - pretty much went off.

Then, on my birthday, as triggered by the mother of all braincaving interpersonal trainwrecks, I dropped my LBU-LFN ball and the world turned. The following three months were discombobulated, angstridden, choronzonic, and Generally Completely Sucked.

There always has to be a meltdown at some point, apparently. Oh well.

I'm feeling a bit better now.

2008 was, see above, very significantly about people. Most notably my three successive housemates Cel, this woman, and Gr*ms*y; the SP, being Sims, Liv, Ramm, Allan (nominally), Porter (all too briefly), and this chick; my colleagues Henry & Wielgosz, Kinkel, Harrie, The Major, fucking Wouters, Kav, Cross, Interviewer 2003 and Coburg; also: the two Robins (just because neither are talking to me anymore doesn't mean they don't both rate a mention), Thad, Fr**kl*y, Em and Toots. Finally (again, and especially): G.

People are good. We're problematic sometimes, but I like us.

Happy new year.

SRC Xmas Party

(Link; link.)