Juji's Blog

G'day guys and gals. Well it's been an interesting week in Melbourne and I thought I'd bring you a few snippets to help you get a taste for this great city. There's a huge debacle going on regarding AFL footy - that's Aussie Rules football where very cute guys run round in very short shorts. See, girls ARE into sports! (Did I say sports? Maybe I meant shorts). In a game between St Kilda and Freemantle, the umpire didn't hear the end-of-game siren and let a dude kick a point after the siren that tied the game. St Kilda is up in arms (understandably) as they were one point up before the fuck up. My team, Collingwood, naturally renowned for the cutest boys in very short shorts, thrashed the opposition by about 45 points, so I don't really give a rats arse about the other game.

A coupla miners have been trapped 1 km underground after a rockfall caused a tremor in Tasmania (that's the little island bit that floats round the bottom of the country). They've found the dudes alive (after 5 days) and their bustin' their arse trying to get them out without dropping a shitload more rocks on top of them. Makes you wanna take a big, long breath in. I'd die from cluastrophobia or some sort of other phobia I reckon.

So, I did a huge road trip this weekend to see a Xavier Rudd concert at Eldorado's Bilyana natural amphitheatre three and a half hours drive from Melbourne. He's worth it! If you don't know his stuff, I implore you to check out www.xavierrudd.com (speakers on). He's a super cool dude, gorgeous as eva and so amazingly talented. Originally from Torquay, a sea side town about an hour from Melbourne (but who's made it big OS), he plays about a stack of acoustic and indigenous instruments simultaneously, is a bit bluesy and definitely reggeaish and, given he's into Aboriginal culture, the didgeridoo joins in for fun. It's awesome - layback and rhythmy. Bilyana is an Aboriginal sacred site, so we had all these elders and stuff hanging round, aboriginal support acts and so on. We even had a veggie coffee shop, where they give you honey as a sweetener instead of sugar. While I do condone all things natural, I'm a city chick and told the chick not to fuck up my latte with honey, soy or any other godforsaken, foul-tasting substitute, or I'd have no choice but to kill her slowly.

On the way up on the outskirts of Melbourne, I stopped at a chemist (drugstore to you) in Brunswick and was shocked to see a security guard at the door, who explained that with all the bars and clubs nearby and the amount of drugs they carry, they gotta have security. WTF? On the way home, we stopped for petrol (gas) in St Kilda, a pretty seedy, yet somehow exciting part of town, and lo and behold, another security guard at the store. Again, WTF! Is this sorta thing normal in the states 'cos it's a pretty new development here? So, while the city's busy trying to protect itself from drug-fucked thieves, I was in the middle of the Australian outback with a bunch of peace-loving hippies groovin to the sounds under the stars, amongst the gum trees, with a bunch of old couches and bits of carpet thrown round the amphitheatre, and warmed by a few huge fires and lots of red wine. Let me die here I thought. I reckon it's how Woodstock might have felt in the sixties and yeah there was heaps of dope in the air. I don't do drugs but didn't have to 'cos there was enough good vibes in the air standing up on my coffee table (yeah, I had the best 'seat' in the house).

My fav band has re-grouped. The Untouchables (hate the name but who cares - as long as they sound good) are playing at The Urchin Bar in Hampton Wed's, and Beach's of Mornington Thursdays. Yeah, so I had a pretty bleary-eyes week! But great to be out 'n' about, checkin' out the guys, catching up with friends and keepin' warm with good vibes and friends. The ol' hips are starting to loosen up with lotsa dancing after a bit of a dry run - perfect for when my other dry run ends too.

I'm doing a photography course that's busting my technologically-retarded brain. If I succeed, I'll bring you some of my own pix sometime, but don't hold your breath. Google Xavier Rudd (Images) for a closer look of this beautiful boy. Girls, take my word for it. Guys, this is what we want you to look like.

So, whateva you're up to while you're runnin' out and trying to stay sane in this mad ol' world, don't forget to plug in some fun stuff that makes the whole shebang worthwhile.
Juji x