Squalls over the You Yangs

Strange week. Strange mood all week. Then last night I stepped a hole.

Monday I ran a focus group with 7 students of the program I coordinate here. I was very nervous but it went well. Tuesday was orientation carnival on the dusty lawn. Wednesday I had a headache. Then yummy Thai food for dinner.

Anyways. Today I discovered that my council doesn't do hard rubbish collection anymore, not in the community sense. So if you have some old stuff, you call them up and they'll make a time to collect it. Last March was the last time that they did the old school way - where there a community jamboree that lasts a week with people scavenging stuff from their neighbours. Charlie and I need a new futon so we has to get rid of the old one. There's other stuff, lurking down the side of the house and in the wardrobe, that should go too. Like my aunt's bike which is kinda weird to throw out.

Pole-Land and Totems

There's an ongoing connection to Lithuania that I'm so grateful for. Gosh I hope to go back someday soon. Anyways, last night we meandered to an exhibition of photos by Arunas Klupsas, which was gorgeous, inspirational and a good excuse to see some lovely peeps, say 'labas', and discuss abstraction.

Early Days, Sorry Daze

Charlie got a Style Guide which has the land rights flag with the top colour as a very dark purple. Is that right? Everyone's gone ga-ga with this sorry business - broadcast at Fed Square and here at my work. Not sure how I feel about this sorry business. Though I remembered this morning one Christmas Day, years ago, down by the river in Eltham, hearing a story from Milly, who was taken from her family, about the revolting food they were given at the orphanage or whatever they called those places where all the kids were institutionalised.

Thinking about the flag.

"I wanted to make it unsettling. In normal circumstances you'd have the darker colour at the bottom and the lighter colour on top and that would be visibly appropriate for anybody looking at it. It wouldn't unsettle you. To give a shock to the viewer to have it on top had a dual purpose, was to unsettle... The other factor why I had it on top was the Aboriginal people walk on top of the land. It's an obvious fact as well. So it had - that was the reason why the black was on top was visibly unsettling and because of how I was trained at art school, not to make things too obvious but to have a bit of a shock but also to say that the people walk on the land."

So said Harold Joseph Thomas, who designed the flag in 1971.

Straw Widow

The lovely receptionist at my work told me this morning that she's a 'straw widow' - her partner is away for two days. So far my life as a straw widow has been good - not much time at home, most time spent out and about with girls. Yesterday a big drive up to Tarra Warra to check out a mogul's art collection. Oh, and scones on the way, at Monsalvat.



Donated blood this morning and was asked to consider donating plasma instead. Although it looks a bit creepy, I think I'll try it. No one ever said donating was fun anyway.

Did I Mention?

I saw Billy Bragg last night. On stage, not quite rocking out, but definitely doing his thing.

The busy girl buys beauty
The pretty girl buys style
And the simple girl buys
What she's told to buy
And sees her world
Through the brightly lit eyes

Lacquerware

Just had my first delegation visit in my new job - a group of eight administrators from a big private university in Japan. They gave me a nice pen. I was very nervous talking about my work. This job sometimes feels like such a leap - up.

Today's Charlie's last day before his professional life begins. This has been long awaited and neither of us are sure what to expect. Funny, cos we have dealt well with a lot of big changes over the past 19 months. Hopes and selfish fears.

Big blue skies here and great plans for the weekend. A drive to the country on Sunday with a good friend, plans for a gallery visit and scones. Catch ups tomorrow with a great friend who I've somehow managed to only see twice in the past year.