Although I had grand intentions of seeing at least four more Fringe shows this week, life keeps throwing obstacles in my way; some welcome, others definitely not.
It's been a busier week than usual work-wise, as my editor Troy Gurr is having his first holiday in several years. That means I'm acting editor of MCV this week and next week, which while a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the paper's production, could not have come at a worse possible time. It's the middle of Fringe for god's sake; all I want to be doing is seeing shows and viewing exhibitions, not editing real estate features and proof-reading PDF's before they go to the printers! Still, the extra money will definitely come in handly, and as I say, it's a great learning opportunity.
Monday night, after leaving the office, I went off to meet up with a spoken word choir who I'm acting as a dramaturge for, through the Fringe's new Outside Eye program. In previous years Fringe has been able to assist artists to learn more about marketing, or help them find a venue or a director; this is the first year there's been a means of assisting directly with the artistic outcomes of shows, and it's exciting to be involved.
As a result of our two hour session this week, I can already see a difference in the troupe's performance; it's more fluid, less stilted. Hopefully after another two sessions next week with them and the actors they're pairing up with, there will be some significant growth.
Tuesday was another long day at work, followed by a merciful two hours relaxing at home (including catching up with a mate, Brendan Palmer of Uber Lingua fame, for a quick drink at Kent Street) before heading over to gay and lesbian radio station Joy 94.9FM in South Melbourne. I was a guest on Crooked, a relatively new show on JOY at 11pm Tuesdays, hosted by Bridge, who I got to know several years ago when she was working at the Builder's Arms Hotel. She'd asked me in for a 10 minute interview, part of a series of interviews she does with diverse members of Melbourne GLBT community. We ended up having so much fun - and she really got me to open up - that I was there for over an hour. Great interview, great interviewer, great fun.
Wednesday, more MCV - my first taste of deadline day, rushing to get the paper to print so it would be ready to hit the streets on Friday morning. Our 300th issue, our first gloss full colour cover, and my first edition as acting editor. Whew, was I glad when it was delivered to the printers!
Wednesday night was the 4th annual Fringe Trivia Challenge - teams from numerous Melbourne arts and cultural organisations, including the Comedy Festival, MIAF, the Spiegeltent, Next Wave and Triple R - in a delightful evening of trivial questions. Our Fringe team, made up of Board members, staff and volunteers, came third. I was torn between playing for Fringe and playing for Triple R but stuck with Fringe out of loyalty and tradition - and because I'm Deputy Chair. Maybe next year radio will out...
Today was dominated by my radio show this morning; not the greatest show I've done I confess; I was underprepared having not had yesterday to research, review and prep for interviews, but I still had fun. I'll post more about the show shortly, in a seperate entry.
Tonight I spent a significant stretch of time on the telephone, talking to my young niece Sian, who has cystic fibrosis and who has just been admitted to hospital in Canberra - and then doing the family rounds, talking to Sian's mum - my older sister Megan - and finally my mum. Sian has a Staph A infection, and has been basically 'coughing up a lung' as my sister describes it, despite being on antibiotics for a month. Luckily the new medication she's on seems to have stabilised her, so she's going to be ok, but it was a bit scary hearing how sick she'd been.
The news about Sian has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works, given that I was supposed to be going to an exhibition opening tonight, followed by another short Fringe show, but I'd much rather be assured that my niece is ok first and foremost. So, I'm taking advantage of this unexpected couple of hours at home before Q + A tonight to do some blogging, which brings me to a conversation I had after the show today with Cerise, my film reviewer.
"Why do you blog?" she wanted to know. "Why do you post often very personal information about yourself online for all to see?"
It was a good question, and one I still don't know the answer to. I know I like blogging; it's a logical progression from publishing a zine, which I was doing back in the 1990's, but I really, honestly don't know why I blog. So I'm throwing the floor open to you.
If you're a fellow blogger, why do you blog?
If you're not a blogger, but you read my blog, what is it that brings you back here to keep reading? (That's something else Cerise asked me: who are the people who read this blog? I'd like to know too.)
I welcome your comments and thoughts on this curly question. Over to you, people!
7 comments:
I blog to keep in touch with friends, to order my thoughts, to dump my problems, to practice writing, to practise writing, to meet new people and to pretend I know stuff.
I read your blog purely for the sex.
M
On other more pertinent matters, I hope your niece is on the mend. *hugs* (stop touching my arse). She has to get better, isn't she going to be teaching you to cook soon?
Why do I blog? I do know but I will get back to you on that one when I can be more concice.
I always read your blog its informative, relevent, diverse expresses a very clear writers voice about political, social and personal issues which to me is what a blog should do. This use of internet technologies is how people are creating a new democratic space where we have become relevent again. Considering governments and institutions are seeing blogging as a threat means that having this voice is more important than ever. Have a read of Lee Salters critical theories on internet cultures.
You have a very interesting life and a great way of looking at the world.
Your entertaining, funny, open and no bull shit in your posts and I love reading your blog. Keep up the good work mate, I will keep comming back.
(actually that kind of sums up alot of the reasons I write a blog. Its also so my mates in Perth can see what I am up to.)
Cheers
Hey sexy thang, hope Sian is staying strong, poor lil girl.
I read your blog for the sex, too, but am often disappointed, heh heh. Actually, more for the Melbourne flavour and the arts stuff, you go to the shows, I read about them and can feel like I went too.
I blog to stay in touch with my diaspora of friends and fam. To show off my photos. To get feedback on ideas. To prove to myself I'm still literate. Unexpectedly, also to make new friends.
Sian is responding well to the antibiotics the medicos are pumping into her veins, guys, and thanks for asking.
Jay - thanks for the compliments.
And as for sex - well, if I was getting laid more often, trust me, I'd blog about it! ;-)
Not that I write a lot in my Livejournal these days, and mine is a journal as opposed to a blog: I would say the difference is that a journal is purely personal stuff and blog might contain writings intended for a wider audience (I hope I get to use that definition in a uni subject somewhere down the line: I'm proud of that)... this sentence is now too long... but I just like writing about what I've been up to. The best part for me is being able to go back over it and be reminded of past times, happy or sad. I also dig getting comments on things, as it's another social interaction. One of my problems is I don't go out often enough and meet real people... damn, that's true... so it's nice to interact.
Hmm, this is making me think a bit too much and come up with some home truths :-/
I should get out more!
The interactive diary - the way that some bloggers DO keep me coming back regularly to check because I feel I like them....Reading and writing - free! Always something to amuse me...
Post a Comment