I’m off to DJ some blooz tonight, and have just paused to show The Squeeze on of the Best Things about youtube:
Live concerts by freakin’ amazing musicians. This is Oscar Peterson and Count Basie playing lovely jazz. Basie was about a zillion years old then. Peterson has only passed away in the last couple of years.
This is a really nice song, and one I might consider playing for blooz dancers. Or lindy hoppers in a quiet moment. Either way, it’s sweet listening and dancing.
I especially love the way the drummer is penned off in a little bubble. That’s become drummers are Trouble and need to be kept away from the big kids.
Author Archives: dogpossum
way better than ikea
Swedish engineering at its finest:
don’t lindy hop when you’ve got your rags
I like the way this helpful clip doesn’t even mention vaginas or blood, or well, actually give any useful information about menstruation itself. Apparently, your ovaries aren’t really connected to your vagina in any way at all.
…the best bit, though, is where you’re encouraged not to lindy hop when you’ve got your rags – just waltz. Certainly no tranky doo.
more cranky poo!
badass monday
wanted: nice iyengar yoga studio
I miss Frank.
:(
I have just started looking for another Iyengar studio.
The Yoga Nook in Dulwich Hill is very close (only a quick bike ride away), although I did find this disturbing photo on its site:
The Squeeze doesn’t think I should go there, just in case he comes home one evening to find me stuck in this pose on the lounge room floor. I share his concerns.
The Leichardt Yoga Room got me all excited with its name (almost but not quite the Rathdown Yoga Room), but it featured this photo on its site:
I’m fairly sure this is the pose that I hate most. My nemesis pose. It is my Captain Hammer. I frickin’ hate backwards bending poses, and this is the worst. It hurts my back, it hurts my feet, it hurts my legs. I tend to get distressed doing this pose – heart rate elevated, panic! panic! – and need all the equipment in the room (every bolster, every wooden thing, every blanket) to attempt it. This usually means that I’m sitting upright with a bunch of blankets under my feet and a billion bolsters and other shit piled up behind me.
So I’m not sure I want to go there – I mean, if you love virasana that much, why don’t you freakin’ marry it? It is in Leichardt, though. Which is where the ‘french’ cafe is.
Really, I think I just want Frank to come to Sydney. Or I want another yoga studio specialising in Iyengar, long, complicated and incomprehensible explanations and Italian nonnas. In my experience, the best studios are also very not online.
…now I’ve thought about Frank, I’m suddenly overcome by a wave of homesickness. I miss the smell of the yoga mats. Wait, I know how I can cheer myself up: with home made yoga. Down dog!
need greens
I need a good nursery. We walked through Petersham today and saw two (one in Lewisham – but I’ve decided Petersham and Lewisham are the same place, even though one has Sweet Belem and the old theatre/roller skating rink and one… doesn’t), both were expensive, one was dodgy. It’s nice looking at nurseries when it’s been raining. There’s a Bunnings in Ashfield, but they suck. I need one that delivers for a reasonable fee (not $48 thanks Bunnings!).
This is what I need:
– some bales of straw/sugar can mulch for mulching. Probably two bales, maybe three. $27 is too much, thanks.
– some plants. Cheapish. I’m after about 4 small lavenders, 4 rosemarys, at least 3 natives (grevillea, banksia, protea combo), a passionfruit vine, a pretty scented ‘traditional’ vine (jasmine, etc) and some other stuff, including citrus trees for pots
– some pots. I want seedling punnets. If I buy some seedlings I’ll get some for free. But I don’t want seedlings, I have my own – they are now fighting and trying to climb out the cramped conditions in the home-made greenhouse tub (rectangular clear plastic tub – perfect mini-greenhouse for seed sprouting, less than $10 each at BigW or a junk shop. Better than a bought one, as they stack properly in our small bathroom/laundry situation). I will also need a couple of large pots for the citrus. I want some small pots for the new seedlings as well
– some potting mix. Decent stuff, probably two bags at least.
– I could also be tempted by some tools (secateurs, etc)
I could do with a feed store for the mulch, but where will I find one of those in inner Sydney?
If anyone knows a decent nursery, I’ll be your best friend forever. Must be within PT of Summer Hill.
why didn’t anyone tell me?
that Be Kind, Rewind is, essentially, an homage to Fats Waller?
I’m a big fan of Michel Gondry’s films, and knew I’d like this one, but I’ve only just had a chance to chase it down on DVD. First, Mos Def + Jack Black = yes! But then, BKR is far more than just a dumb film about videos: it’s a film about Fats Waller!
Also, it’s a story about the way people tell each other stories. I really liked the emphasis on people enjoying telling each other stories – made up or not – to which everyone can contribute.
And, then, even more awesomely, the characters make a fan-fic film about Fats Waller’s life. It’s fully awesome.
My other favourite bit was the montage filmed in ‘real time’ – omg.
I recommend watching the extras on the DVD – they have a full version of the Fats film.
Also: the Fats film references real archival footage of Fats – little soundies he made. And that is absolutely fully sick, because of course, the BKR is all about a couple of blokes (and then more people) who ‘remake’ famous films from memory and on a tight budget – so the film is all about ‘remaking’ found footage.
It’s all so close to my stuff on what swing dancers do with archival footage, it just about made me swoon.
Sigh.
…also, I’m sorry this post is only semi-coherent. It seems today is not a day for words. It is a day for action.
see that? that’s me, djing
That’s me DJing at… hm… not sure where. MLX? Probably – looks like a set list there next to me, and I’d’ve been doing band breaks.
A good friend, Scott (big, not scribbler) took that photo. See my hand – it’s tappa-tapping. I’m actually DJing, right there, in that photo.
See my generous bum, hips and legs? That’s professional DJing gear, that – for when you do 4-hour late-night sets. I could stand, but that’d suck after a while.
See those headphones? They’re sennheisers. And the best bit about them is that they reduce sound, so I can put them on if I’m finding it all a bit noisy. But don’t tell anyone – they think I’m previewing. In that photo, I think I am previewing, because you can see DJ1800, which I use to preview.
See that microphone, there? I don’t use them. I’m afraid of them. Also, you can see my imic – a tiny little external sound card. It’s round and white. You can also almost see my green and red alligator necklace – that’s the most important accessory in this photo.
I wish I was sitting up properly in this photo. Right now I have a sore right arm from DJing at a table that was too high for me. I look at this photo and think about how great the sound set up is at MLX – the bestest ever, of any of the places I’ve ever DJed. Brian yells at you if you touch the set up. And justifiably so, I guess. Some people need a good yelling at – some DJs in particular. Especially the ones with alligator necklaces. But that’s mostly because they a) have work-place related industrial deafness, or b) have forgotten to take their ear plugs out.
Another thing about that photo – I remember doing that set in something of a rush-and-panic. You can’t DJ on a weekend you’re running, even if you’re not running that night. Well, I can’t – there’s always something that needs fixing, or someone who needs your help. The best was that same exchange, when I was DJing in one room, the DJ from the other room came in and was all, “hey, who’s DJing after me?” about 10 minutes (3 songs) before their set ended. I was all “woah, shit. How will I fix this?” I reassured the other DJ I’d fix it, if he wouldn’t mind doing an extra 10 mins or so if it took a while, set up a song, then ran to find out who was rostered on to DJ next. Then I went back, set up another song, checked the sound, etc, and ran to find the missing DJ. He was asleep on a beanbag. Then I woke him up, scolded him, and sent him to DJ. I assume it worked out ok – he was in there DJing when I finished my set. It was about 3am, so he shouldn’t have been asleep – he should have been dancing!
But that’s the thing about DJing – you know where the music comes from, so there’s no more mystery. And it is possible to drink and DJ. I once saw a DJ drink a rum and coke, a beer, a scotch and dry and then another beer in 15 minutes, while he was DJing. Then he ran a competition, then he had another beer. I was all ‘woah, he’s brave. I wouldn’t leave an open drink near my laptop like that.” But then, I guess he didn’t let them sit there long enough to risk a spill.
The most important thing I’ve learnt about DJing? Go to the little DJs’ room before you start a set.
sometimes
when other people are DJing, I feel like this:
Sometimes, when I am DJing and trying to talk to a friend, I do turn the music down. Because there are Priorities, aren’t there?