Second anniversary post

I did have an idea of long, complicated and anxty post to celebrate the second anniversary of Highriser. It was to be about the whys and wherefores of blogging. I have learnt that it is not as simple as just writing. Real people read blogs and I will shut up now before I end up writing what I am not going to.

Instead I have chosen three posts from some blogs and why don't you take a squiz? They have really stuck in my head. There are two that made me laugh and one that made me cry. While many of you write posts well worth mentioning, these ones have just stuck in my head for whatever reason.

Although I have been blogging for two years, I have been reading Daniel's blog for much longer and the tale of he and his mate, his children and assorted others destroying a 'failed to proceed' VCR amsued me no end. Go back to 2001 for text, stills and vids. Better add that he is now at this address.

I did not really cry when I read AFE's post about his childhood, but it was quite moving. I was surprised how far back in his blog I had to go to find it. It is here in early 2005. It only took an hour to find, phhh, it is nothing.

Bastard must have seen me looking at it and has deleted the post. I think he hates me. Luckily Copperwitch can write an nice bit of teary stuff to jerk at your heart strings.

While I don't know too much about Urban Creature, I just loved this Billy cartoon. We were all taking the Commonwealth Games so seriously. YOU WILL enjoy yourself and you will participate. There are other Billy cartoons that are well worth checking out.

I know I am a couple of weeks early with my anniversary post, but I wanted to get in before Jessie did. Sadly she is in a difficult situation and is locking her blog down to only those who know her. But I reckon this is good, as her blog may become more juicy, or maybe not.

Thanks to all of you who read my blog and especially the commenters and thanks for writing in yours.

PS I wrote this ages ago, polished it, added links, edited it it umpteen times and I am f*ing over it. It has all gone so wrong.

PPS Never have I had to edit and republish five times before the post is even vaguely correct. I need a drink. Good night.

Brush with fame

All the usual suspects were present, plus a friend of Dame M's boarder and her mother from Swan Hill. They had just returned from a European trip to find her St Kilda West flat had been broken into while they away. The Brighton Antique Dealer's shop/house was robbed as well last week. Gold, gold, gold.

It was a friend's birthday and only half of us had arrived when a stranger came up and wished her happy birthday and he left. He must have observed the gifts and cards. She graciously thanked him and went back to chatting with us. After an interval, I said to all, 'Do you know who that was?'

Just some bloke who has had a couple already and is being nice, was the general feeling.

It was the comedian Greg Fleet I told them. They all spun around to see where he went, but he had left by then.

I have seen him on tv a few times and the gap in his teeth gave him away to me straight away. He had a nice voice and great presence and in real life, is not unattractive. So Greg, thanks for that. I got a kick out of it, even if no-one else did.

Scan here pls

Melbourne's public transport will soon a get a whole new ticket system, just as people seem to have finally adjusted to the present one and mostly pay their fare. Tourists and visitors excepted.

We assured that this system will be simpler and is already in use around the world. Sounds good to me. You scan your plastic ticket as you board and scan it as you disembark. Your fare is automatically calculated to you best benefit.

I can see one problem though. Crush load, or even just heavily loaded trams. If it is heavily loaded as you board, you probably won't bother scanning it in the crush. But what if you get on a tram with a normal load and it fills up? A dubious crush load figure of 140 on a tram all want to get off at once. I assume it will be just a matter of waving your ticket past the scanner, but even so, you will want to check that you aren't being charged more than is your due, at least by making sure you hear the audible signal. It sounds pretty slow to me. Of course if you are already up to the price of a daily, then you won't bother too much, but still.

It would seem Melbourne needs and has had a challenging new ticket system about every ten years. It will be interesting to see how it all comes together.

A little glee

There are few pleasures for an ageing gay person and sometimes they arrive from the strangest quarters. I really do get pleasure from seeing people who were drop dead gorgeous when they were young, grow older. Especially so if they age very badly. I am not so keen on ageing myself, but I don't care too much. Since I was not too fab to start with, I did not have too far to fall.

So with a little pleasure and some sadness, I give you Wheel of Fortune's Adriana Xenides. Does she look a little like the wife of an American born again preacher, sans jewellery?

Hunk Celeb Billy Idol

When I used to watch Billy Idol on tv in a video clip, I used to come over all queer. Truly, quite overcome I would be. Alas, they don't make popstars like that anymore.

Sing a long

Forty years ago in the rec room of a nursing home, they could well have been sitting around while one person bashed out some tunes on a piano and they sang along to White Cliffs of Dover, It's a Long Long Way to Tipperary, It's a Sin to Tell a Lie etc etc.

Thirty years ago in the rec room of a nursing home..................'as above'.

Twenty years ago in the rec rooom of a nursing home..............'as above'.

Ten years ago.........same.

I have it on a good authority that these tunes are still sung in nursing homes.

What is going on here?

How long will I have to wait until they play my music. Best I stay healthy, I think.

Fourth Anniversary

It is four years since my nearest and dearest and myself moved into this highrise apartment. I have written about this before so you can bolt elsewhere if you like.

Still friends etc ask us do we like living here? They never asked that question when we lived elsewhere. From the mansion in Glen Iris to the slum in Balaclava, they never asked.

The idea is challenging for some people, especially those who live in a free standing house with a garden and pets, exactly as we used to.

R had high rise apartment living on is mind for quite a while before we moved here. We had looked at some places and they were less than glorious. Small, cramped, ugly, cheap, car dependant, boring. I would recite these to him.

But then we saw this place. I walked in and it blew me away. Firstly the views and then I noticed it was quite spacious, had high ceilings, plenty of storage, there were two bathrooms, two car spaces, pool sauna spa gym etc. Have I bragged enough?

The loneliness of highrise living is plenty written about, but that is a personal thing. You can get involved in your building and/or the local community if you want to. We have.

Other negatives are that if it is your own house and something breaks down, you get it fixed, hopefully straight away. It is vaguely within your control at least. Here it can take for ever. I can also guess that if you have bad neighbours, they could make your life miserable. We haven't so far fortunately.

The good parts, there is little that ever needs doing, unlike a house, where it never ends. It is nice to see tradesmen and cleaners busy in the building doing what you don't have to. Of course it costs. I have an old car and we can't have an expensive holiday, which we should be able to do at our age. So, there is some sacrifice, but I feel it is worth it.

After four years, I am quite happy to stay until they cart me out on a stretcher or in a box bu then it is not entirely dependant on my opinion.

I scream for icecream all day long

Well, Trampoline has not closed. It is still there in Swanston Street. Last week I walked straight past it, even though I was looking for it. Today I tried it for the first time and their pistachio icecream is very nice. But four dollars bloody ten for a single cone. I am sure I could buy a couple of Peter's bricks for that price. (the health food of the nation, it was)

The store was pretty busy. Where do all these young people get their money? (I can hear R's voice ringing in my ears, stop living in the past you stupid old queen. My retort is usually, at least I am not a bitter old queen like some people).

Nothing to say

For once I don't have much to say so here are some pet photos. The young Toby and Thomas are both long dead of old age. They were taken at our house in East Malvern before we renovated. The action shot was in one of my favourite gardens, Hedgeley Dene, also in East Malvern. They were great mates.

Nice Day

It was nice to see sis in law at Frankston Sunday Market. One regional radio station mentioned that she sells the best home made pies. From the blue caravan. They are ok, and they are actually home made.

Niece has aged a year in two months.

Sis in law has booked a cruise with her mates. I warned her about a Diane Brimble situation. Of course she scoffed at me.

I found a new road. Westall Road Extension. It is like a freeway. 100kph in the burbs. Great.

Went on above mentioned road to see a friend in Sth Oakleigh. Cake and coffee were nice. Interesting to see his Fijian Indian partner and an Indian friend interact. Two touchy feely sisters together? Indian guy's partner is bashing off to the Ukraine for a holiday, from where he came. He is a cute young long bleached hair knock your eyes out of your sockets sort of guy.

Home and watched a bit a bit of taped tv. Mopped the balcony and cleaned the the outdoor table, even though we rarely sit there now.

Read and dozed, and there was probably a bit of pc usage there too. Then had a wonderful meal of corned beef, mashed spuds and cabbage with mustard sauce. If you do nothing in your life, get together with someone who can cook.

Watched some tv and had to bone up on Elizabeth I via Wikepedia. Elizabeth I, very interesting.

Just a normal Highriser Sunday. The bits and barbs I shall ignore.