pie for me and pie for you

I search and search for many things, vegan girls and onion rings...

I'm exploring the questionable reality of the internet, for shapes recognized as letters, then words and finally instructions. When followed these shapes I will find will become vegan pie.

A new vegan cookbook tempts me. Ngoh seung! Ngoh seung! It's called Sinfully Vegan.


I forgot about my other tattoo appointment. It was to be my second, but became the first, for I forgot the first first. Oh well! I must craddle my earnings for future excursions in far off places, with names I do not know. Panda bear's, minorities, spice...

Tomorrow I'm moving in with La-Ra for a few weeks. I will practice guitar with fever in every finger, for soon I play for the Melbourne film festival. My musical name, no longer the banner of Talking with Friends, now it is Brendan Ontario.

boom bop loop lop

bebs

Raw

What's your favourite fruit or vegetable?

I'm sketching my newest project, a ring of fruits and vegetables to be tattooed on my chest. My last project, a scene of two robots fighting, would have been too expensive to get just now. The artist was quite good, but there is another in the same studio who'd be better suited to my love of science fiction.

On my list:

Broccoli
A Banana
Grapes
A Carrot
Cherries

candy

New music:

El Perro Del Mar (Sweden) http://www.myspace.com/elperrodelmar
She & Him (M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel) http://www.myspace.com/sheandhim

My headphones are broken. I bought them some time last year. They're pretty in white and silver. Their sound quality is excellent so instead of wasting money on a new pair, I'll look to have them repaired. I'm not even used to walking to work without music, and that's only five minutes away.

At home, my scrolling thumb keeps coming back to The Beatles and Elliot Smith's, Roman Candle.
My guitar, neglected for much of the past several months is getting deserved attention. She sings with new strings and a clean face. She sleeps softly in a new hard case.

I'm listening to She & Him now. Their song, This is Not a Test, is golden. It's melody will rise many times in my head today. "I Thought I saw Your Face Today" would do well with many dance floor shoes.

I'm really hungry now. Off to eat I am, and maybe later to the new Indiana flick as at afternoon treat.


take care
bebs

for the yellow, mellow sunrays.

Here we are my golden friends. Back from a long vacation, my pencil fingers scratch and scratch. I recently went to Sydney to see a girl I was once involved with in Hong Kong. She now lives in Beijing, studying Mandarin but was guided to Australia's mistaken capital city for an event she planned. This business of events is lovely. I wanted to see her so much. I was worried though, going to Sydney, seeing her again, and having those pesky insects fill my stomach. But, all was well. I behaved. I love her of course, but with more admiration than sexual attraction. Perfect.

Now, here in Melbourne, I dream of sky diving and an airline of affordable long distance flights.

the end
bebs

My Red Bean Day

Wild... STRAWBERRIES!

Josh and I just came back from the city centre with a brand new copy of Pnau's latest masterpiece. It's blasting happily on our speakers now. WOOO!!
Pnau were one of my absolute favourite acts at Big Day Out. The joy of jumping around, crazily dancing and screaming my heart out to them is all coming back!!!

I love I love

Today I had something I haven't eaten in months. A RED BEAN BUN!
It was so scrumptious! Thank you Hongky style bakery! They also had those things I'd never eat but very much enjoy grimacing at, pork floss buns! and weird looking hot dog/sweaty cheese rolls. ewwwwwwww

Then just as I finished my red bean love affaire an Indian restaurant was at my side. I am now the proud owner of a mixture of curry and rice and a samosa. The latter is now on it's way to becoming something void of nutrient and I assume yummy taste too.
Nearly the best part of this curry mouth party is that it came with a plastic spork! How good is that?! I haven't seen a spork in ages.

Pirate's are back!

My mate's Danny and Greg, criminally known as the band, Seven Seas, are starting to gig again. Way to go you losers! You better be famous and have taken Vancouver under your pirate sails by the time I get there.

I've been working a lot more lately, leaving me pretty tuckered out for evening activities. But, I did manage to go to a masquerade party on Saturday night. My friend La-Ra invited me...even though she wouldn't be there till later. I wandered in at I guess an early time and met one of her friends Pia from Chile and a couple of her friends. I got along really well with one of them...I asked her name twice but forgot immediately, so sorted to my usual greeting, 'HEY!!' Anywho, I had an amazing time! The next day at work, however, was not so great. It was so busy! I went nine hours straight without a moments rest...so busy. I ended up hurrily washing dishes for the final two hours before gorging myself on nachos and slowly making my way home with a big slurpee in my hand...mmm cold!

Now I'm sitting here in my towel, eating curry and waiting for the final touches of sunlight on my boxers before I squirm into them. Then! I'm off to work for my first night shift. I'm going to blank out at the till I just know it! Smipsy's voice is in my head. Merry-go-round happiness!

bye!!!!!
see you sooooon darling

bebs

bed sheet ghost party!

uber busy work! It was not stop running about, pouring pots, making coffee, serving, mistaking and FUUUUN!
Hamish the Indian fella in the kitchen made me a fabulous rice dish today. We're both veggo and he was making some for himself, so he made extra. What a nice fella! It was so freaking tasty but it took me over an hour to finish because of constant orders. The till crashed last night, thus resorting to it's old self, the old menu and old prices. Kira spent the day reinputing everything on our extensive menu. Because she was occupying the till I had to hand write all the orders for the kitchen and attempt to remember who ordered what drinks during the busiest lunch we've had in over a week. Making two mistakes I forgot to ring up a glass of wine, but the lady who ordered it was honest and came in to correct her bill. The other resulted in two extra open steak sandwiches. Kira, funnily enough, put Josh to work at the counter, listing all alcoholic beverages he had...she's hillarious. So, Josh being there, looking pretty, he received one free steak sango and the other went to the kitchen. After what felt like my longest shift yet, I was fricking elated to sit down, finish my cold rice dish (thanks hamish! it was soooo gooood) and have a pitcher (jug) of beautiful Coopers Pale.

Okay it's been a few hours since I started writing that last bit. I've been bited my mozzies twice on my left foot, on both hands and my right elbow. Frick!

I got to talk to my LOVELY DARLING! But I was pretty boring, being stupidly tired and thought I had to cut our time short to either help make dinner or buy dinner as I previously offered. But! The two, were shooting lines back and forth, having an argument that didn't need to happen. I'm really impressed how little those two squabble. I'm constantly taking hints from them...
anywho, two hours of sitting around doing fuck all left me hungry. So, I made myself a weird mix of fried rice, red pepper, potato and garlic. Yeah I know, gross. But it was soo goood! Their out having dinner now. I would have greatly preferred a coffee and an absurdly long conversation with mau bau. Ngoh gwa jew lei mau bau. stupid not being able to tell the future!
It's nearly ten o'clock......I'm ready for bed....sooooon!
Mau Bau is coming to stay at the month's end! I'm going to save!!!

okay, I was going to say other things but I'm pooped.

night darling:)
I wish I could control my own dreams
love
bebs

chopsticks

It can happen so quickly, strings rusting with neglect, brushes dried without perpose. I haven't been playing or painting for over a week. Upstairs I picked up my guitar and started playing a riff, singing a few words but nothing clicked. Aside from a few brushes which are just acceptable, I need to do some serious shopping before dabbling with colours again. I may go out to buy some nice pencil crayons today, to prepare for my next tattoo. I love tattoo's and since my first five years ago I've been working on more and more illustrations. I'm happy I haven't rushed the process. I've met and know of a few people who upon discovering their love of body art, quickly covered themselves. Now, there's barely a spot left where new idea's could happily live. After a coffee and pint at my work yesterday morning, Josh and I visited the local tattoo shop, caroused through pictures of each artist's work and talked about prices. I was hoping to get something done late next month, but they're booked fully 'til late April or May. Good news for my credit card anyway. I'm just starting to save so I can pay off a big chunk of it. It's going to take a while! haha

A Sydney artist named, Fergus Brown just popped on the radio. I didn't hear the name of the tune but it was pretty captivating. Now I'm stuck trying to remember the name of a band I was obsessed with but have completly forgotten about since the death of my iriver.

Today's my second day off. I'm not used to having the house to myself. I really don't know what to do...i'm bored. I haven't felt bored in a long time. Back to work tomorrow though, so I should make use of today...be proactive and all that jazz.

I miss Hong Kong's packed streets. There wasn't any time to feel bored. There was always something to do, friends to hang out with.

ngoh gwa jew mau bau.
ngoh ho gwa jew lei.

monday giraffe race supreme!

Kui sik gau bau.
Ngoh sik mau bau.

ho yah!

fuzzled

I was planning on sleep but how could I possibly achieve such a feat without being a creep and adoring my darlings new photo's. So precious they are. I miss mau bau very much. She's so adorable.

Thank you darling for all your kind words:)

I've been reduced to gurgling and thoughts of my love.

this is all I can accomplish tonight.
my big sleepy smile is for you

bebby

curtailing curtains and words of affection

Curtains rise on a scene. There's a long, white bar, a supposed bartender stands behind a till. A customer waits patiently on it's opposite side, having only just handed ninety dollars to the, once again, supposed bartender.
Begin!

I completly zoned out at work today, thinking of mau bau, whilst unfortunately poised at the till, with some fella's money in my hand. He interpreted my lost face and statue form as an inability to calculate his required change. Which, when I regretfully came to, I was very much incapable of performing the operation required of me. Luckily, he just laughed a lot telling me the correct amount. Being in no position to know what the hell was going on, I trusted his words and promptly handed the amount over to him. Well, nearly so... $16.60 was the destined amount. The sixteen dollars I could handle but the three twenty cent coins were in a whole other arena of higher understanding. Sixteen dollars, plus three fifty cent coins, "There you are. Sorry about that. I had a moment of relapse there." For some alien reason this fella standing across the till from me did not go away. In fact, he not only failed to go away, but was somehow under the unlawful impression that something else was funny enough to continue being exactly where he was. He chose to express this newly discovered source of humour in the form of laugher, which somehow transformed, but not entirely so, into the words, "Been in the country long?" accompanied with a forward moving hand, in which three fifty cent coins lived. The source had been discovered, rather, finally understood by mau bau distracted ole me. The curtains fell at my toes with the sound of two men chuckling. One, a dazed bartender, managing through a smile, to announce, "Actually, I have.".


Such is a moment in the life of a love filled artist.

fin

I have been day dreaming a lot about mau bau. It's so lovely.
I'm going to play CSS. I'll be right back.

That's better. Triple J, the radio station I usually listen to, started playing some atrocity, which through the graces of money and dozens of ass shaking, scantily clad women, each one looking nearly identical to their ass shaking peers, has escaped the aural refuse bin where it belongs. The need for CSS was immediate. Ho yah!

It smells like something's burning. I was just in the kitchen, noting the 'offness' of everything in it. So, it must be a neighbour's epicurian delights or my brain about to go loopy loopy love. I think that's a song title from the kiwi band, The Brunettes. They'll be playing part of the Laneway festival in a couple of weeks, along with Feist, The Stars, Broken Social Scene presents, Kevin Drew and lots of other worthy listens. I bought tickets for Steph, Josh and meeeeeeeeeeeeee ages ago, because it sells out so quickly.

What a good line from CSS, "Let's make love and listen to Death From Above."
Hey! if you like the band, Death From Above, you should check out, Kill Hannah. I've only managed to collect two of their tracks, both unlabeled, both awesome.

I feel so freaking honoured for mau bau to mention me in her blog:) wooooo! We're going to either constantly be insane together or adhere to a strict schedual of who's turn it is to be nutty butter, and who must reluctantly remain relatively composed for the outside world. If such a schedual must exist, I hope it comes in the form of pumpkin pie and vanilla icecream. This, I really hope is my first meal when I return to Canada. Plus, a giant pint of Alexander Keiths India Pale Ale. Not once has I seen it available during all my global traversing.

Fuck Yeah! It just starting pissing it down. Now I'm all wet after putting out the kiddy pool and two "specially crafted" styrofoam rain catching boxes. ho yah ho yah

These are my ideal breakup lyrics,

"So if someday we get to meet again,
In a car crash, plane wreak, or terrorist attempt
Or maybe next Thursday night,
Don't bother saying, 'hi'.
I'll be rude, I'll be rude, I'll be rude, woo-hoo!
I'll be rude, I'll be rude, I'll be rude, woo-hoo!
I'll be rude, I'll be rude, I'll be rude, woo-hoo!
Only with you! Only with you!

I really do love the sounds of CSS.

picture time everyone! be right back!
For today's images I went for the lighting that best shows my comfortable, quietly joyous disposition.

take care all

yours truly
bebs

lets play fair trade

It's good to be happy. So obvious!

Well, I'm very very happy...extrodinarily so.

Work today was great. I'm feeling stupidly out of it now. Mau Bau is the reason....
Ho yah! Indian tonight. I did most of the prep but Josh is the true kitchen warrior. He decided on a rogan josh sauce and a melody of friendly veg.
ngoh seung sik mau bau.
ngoh wuih sik man bau! so soon. mwah ha ha.

Steph is chillin on the sofa taking sequents out of a dress she bought in Ireland. It looks way better now. Josh is cooking with a frenzy. I think my mum is working at her new job today at a book shop! So cool. My Pop's is probably working at the pub today. Here I am feeling pretty in black, checking out shoes online. My sis put me on to a fair trade brand called, No Sweat. They make a range of stuff but I'm only interested in shoes right now. All the running around I need to do at the cafe is leaving me with tender toes. Just as they should, my shoes are old with holes in their bums, their soles beginning to flap about and if it weren't for my wearing socks, my pinky toes would easily poke through. This is why I wear my orange socks a lot, so the holes are less noticable. Soon you shall perish my red shoe love afair.

I'm adding two fair trade sites to my, pony motion sickness, links section now. Have a look!

smipsy ho dut yee ah. ngoh gwa jui lei:)
hungry!

love
gau bau bebs

rain yuh huh

quick the martians are coming!

hide the children!

uncage the birds!

I've been drinking champagne with Josh. I really freaking love how much aussie's drink bubbles. I'm celebrating the fact that I went for training today for WSPA and then tonight called up my team leader and quit! wooo I've never done that before. Though the perks would have been higher with WSPA, I'm already working at Wild Oscar's, where everyone has been so kind to me! I can drink! and more importantly I can use my developing bar tending skills during future travels. Very valuable they are indeed.

blast! I was just about to type that it's raining, thus I must run off to bed to fall asleep to the sky's most precious lullaby but it has stopped! damn you sky pee!

I had the dizzy pleasure of talking to my gorgeous twin today. I was very excited and kept biting my nails...a habit I've only very recently managed to break. so worth it though of course! I was a bit reserved though after working two jobs today and knowing that my sis and josh could hear my every word. In an effort to conceal my kooky, flirtatious words for her, I hid in the bathtub, pretending to run in the air and let the shower head drip on me. It was truely perfect. Thank you smipsy:)

Mum! if you're reading.... yes, she's asian, she's crazy and an artist! I hope you don't mind having insane, moody grandchildren. More insane and moody I mean, than your own BEAUTIFUL AND HIGHLY TALENTED offspring. I'm referring to steph and carrie of course:) Not I, who has somehow grown taller than my creators, yet still retains the psychological humour of a ten year old skunk in a bag of walrus'.

what am I going on about?
oh yeah...rain! come back you sky juice of love! I put the pool (little kiddie pool nat bought for our superb pool party) and two styrofoam boxes out to catch the rain. Last time, we collected enough to water our little, cute herbs for two days. SOOO GOOOD! especially when Australia is having it's worst drought in ages.

stupid sham-pag-na flute is dry. As any good artist knows, when at the risk of sobriety all endevours of creative ambition must close. So, I say farewell. You have my love and admiration always.

I do miss you.
creeeeeepy bebbie

sorry no picture 'til tomorrow. I'm pooped!
xoxo


It's raining again!
woooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

round trip nostalgia

Trip One,

My Hong Kong, my tai wai. My role as an artist is to allow others to see how I interpret everything. This painting is for my years in hong kong and my favourite home there, in tai wai. From my bedroom window were mountains. I climbed them nearly every week. Under the mountains are the scores of apartment buildings, scenery and beside....balloons! My neighbour used to bring me a lot of balloons. Some were heart shaped, some looked like birds! Her name is Appple. She spells it with three 'p's. Thank you best neighbour ever.

Trip Two,

I found a new word! It wasn't hard of course...untill I tried to read it aloud and promptly was sitting back in my desk at St. Mary's elementary school.


"pulchritudinous"

Can you guess what it means? It's for my twin... though it fails to illuminate her.


umm...let's find a picture! Come now, I'll hold your hand if you're scared.

What?! "Crayon" means to depict. I looked it up because of the elementary school mention. I had a great childhood. I've had a great life:)! It's odd when words become hijacked and transform, especially from verb to noun, like crayon.


see ya friendly faces!
bebs

Garbage bag super ninja

In the manga I'm obsessed with (I very much am in love with Bleach) there's a funny little character with a lisp. Now, I wonder if there's anyone with a lisp out there who can't say their own name, like Sara, Steven and such. What a cruel world! I think I'd have to change to something short and easy, like John, Bill or Bob. Yup.

Yesterday morning, I woke up just after seven not feeling too great. No, that's not it. I felt good. I still felt a bit drunk when I woke up, showered went to work and then CRASH! Setting up was a struggle indeed!

Saturday was meant to be a fairly quiet night. I harboured no secret longing for drunken shinanagans. But, somehow I ended up wearing a garbage bag tube top and a garbage bag skirt. There were other garbage bag people too...and music....and possibly five or six jager bombs in me along with beh tzou galore.

Somehow My body was able to disregard all of the abuse it welcomed Saturday night, until I finished work in the afternoon. Then, I really crashed. Oh boy did I ever.

That was yesterday. Today's start is far brighter, crafted from a good night's rest and soon to be spaghetti on toast.

Tonight, we're doing Mediterranian.

Humus!
Baba Ganoush!
Falafel!
Pita!

These words are hot sex to my ears. haha, I stole that visual from Rob, who's msn name I noticed is, "wasabi is like hot sex in my nose". Thanks dude.

Smipsy and I had a happy, long msn session last night. It was a gloriously hyper-active display of wit and bizarre twin affection.


oooo spaghetti on toast is sooo nearly here! ho geen ho geen

ming mm ming ah?

I'm working on two new songs at the moment. One is reminding me a lot of an interpol/beta band mix. When I practice I can hear the bass and drums in my head. The other song I'm using a little mix of spanish minor notes with surf strumming. It's starting to sound a bit like a lullaby for koala's.

That's all for now in this head o' mine:)
I may add more later.
PICTURE TIME!

bebs

"Out of gas and lost in space."

Woah, I just left way to long of a comment on smipsy's blog. Ah well, I'm sure she'll love it.
So! What's new?

I gorged myself on nacho's after work today. I'm so full!
Yesterday, was my first pay day from Wild Oscar's. Everything is going so well. Dean the owner gave me a key a couple of days ago...oooo responsibility.
Now, since I got paid I finally have some cash to liberate my head and get a hair cut. I went to Dr. Follicals, around the corner from my flat. It's a hair dressers/record shop. They play awesome music and give you a free bottle of cooper's (mmm... beer) with your head choppin. The gal who cut my hair was extremely attractive as well, which is always nice. Eye candy!!! As with nearly every single other member of staff she had a lot of tattoo's full of colour and good taste.

Recap!
Great tunes.
Eye candy.
Free Coopers.
Cheap cut.
Lightened mop.
On my way home from work.

yes, these are all good things. I wish I had Mountain goats to listen to now. I need to buy some of their stuff. They have a new album out now, I think.

I broke my phone last night. For forty seconds or so I was starting to feel a thundering mood spreading, but then I just starting laughing. This time I'll just buy a cheap phone. No more of this expensive business. Actually, it still works. But the screen is completely fucked. It's one way all the way. The most inconvieniant part about the screen being broken has nothing to do with not being able to call or text anyone. It's the alarm clock I want! Plus I'm trying to save money to pay off a large chunk of my credit card. Blahblah boring...


I want to live in China. I want to live in India. I don't want to leave Australia. Stupid problem.
Oh! After I got my hair cut I went to the bottle shop for a six of coopers. Somewhere within that fifty feet I lost a fifty dollar note which was to be my allowance for the week. Fuck. haha I had enough for beer! so good.

Once I pay off some of my debt I'm going to take some Japanese or possibly Mandarin night classes. There are plenty of places in Melbourne where I could do this. The problem is choice. My Cantonese I've noticed is quickly disapearing. Where I lived in Hong Kong there weren't any other western faces around, save for my flatmate/hetero life mate, Rob. This meant that any time I went to the local restaurant, super market or really anywhere at all in Tai Wai I'd have to speak Cantonese. I loved it! The restaurant near my flat, which I frequented often, the staff always laughed when I ordered, tsim yu dow fu and dung ga feh. An amazing tofu dish and super sweet n' strong iced coffee. mmmm.

It's Friday! Are you in love? now I want to listen to The Cure. I think I will. Elvis Costello is reining supreme through the flat now. Good work Elvis.

The end.
Hello Coopers. Goodbye blog!
Today's picture was taken by me, as they all are, when I was in Yang Shou last year. My favourite place in China.

cheers!
burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrennnnnndaaaan

Sleepy Bed Head

This morning, I've been extra sleepy. I struggled to set up the cafe on time. I didn't think anyone else would be in this morning 'til half eleven, so I was surprised when Kira, the manager, appeared through the door just after ten, me knelt behind the bar with a sweaty fringe trying to get all the dirt off my shoes.

I haven't updated in a couple of days...I've been doing so well after my hiatus, it's time to keep it up. My blog is therapeutic.
I don't think I ever would have started this blog if I had stayed in Canada. My original intention was to use this as an outlit for keeping in touch with my mate's in Canada, now, it's more like a way to reduce the amount I talk to myself each day. Right now, I can hear my own voice in my head.... 'la la laaaa' oops, that was out loud.

Hey! The house behind me has a fig tree which partially hangs over my back fence. This was discovered by Steph and Josh the other day, so yesterday Josh and I used some gardening tools to snatch away six very delicious figs. Untill yesterday, I had never had a real fig before! They're so good!!! If only I could keep all the birds and bats out...
Saying, 'good' just reminded me of this Nick Hornby novel called, 'How to be Good'. It was hard to get through. Hmmm...maybe I didn't finish it. Oh well, I'm not a Horby fan I guess, save for High Fidelity.

Blah blah blah!!!!!!!!!


My Dirty Shoes.

Big Day Out was on Monday. It was awesome. It's been years since I last went to a big festival. I went to Rocket in Hong Kong in '05 and '06 but that's a pretty small deal compared to anything outside of Asia.
These are the bands I managed to catch throughout the day.

Rage Against the Machine
Bjork
Arcade Fire
Spoon
LCD Soundsystem
Pnau
Operator Please
Regurjatator
Midnight Juggarnauts
Battles
Silverchair

I'll start by proudly saying that I did not intend to watch Silverchair! It was an accident I swear! My poor ears must be hating me! I saw them once when I was a wee fella and they still played loud stuff. They very, very surprisingly played the old tune, Freak. Ah the nostalgia! And weren't so bad over all. My favourite acts of the day? well...

PNAU!!!!!!!
ACRADE FIRE!!!!!
BJORK!!!!!

In that order. Of course, a lot beer was sloshing around inside me by the time Rage and LCD soundsystem hopped on stage, thus making both extremely fun! But, the top three were just incredible. Spoon comes in fourth:) They had some tough competition and didn't play my favourite song! buggers
I'm very happy to have seen Rage and witness how fucking crazy people got during their set. Guys were climbing up skinny trees, on top of the 30 foot tall beer tent, and pretty much anything else that rose above their own drunken heads. It was fantastic. Josh, Steph and I hung back during Rage. We had no interest in getting crushed and had been dancing all day. Cut off time was ten and beer tickets needed to be put to good use, another reason for keeping away from the front lines.

Pnau played under a huge tent full of lights, GIANT! balloons and ten dancing maskots, from a rabid, pointy tooth strawberry, a happy sun, to a lightening bolt and other hilarious getups.

Bjork isn't just a musician. She really is a performance artist of the highest order. Closing with a song I only recently discovered, and immediately fell in love with, Declare Independence. She dedicated it to the aboriginal people of Australia, yelling the most prominent lines over the crowd, "Declare independence! Don't let them do that to you!" as massive clouds of plastic confetti burst from somewhere high above the singer's head and down onto the crowds'. The song was original written for the people of Greenland but works perfectly for any country and it's citizen's who disregard 'their' lands original inhabitants. Canada, America and Australia are always the first to pop in my head. But there are so many others. What do we do about it? Their world has been destoyed. We screwed up didn't we. Imagine if the world's ocean's were just a bit more trecherous. So much would be different.

My Addiction.

Rob was kind enough to tell me about a great website for manga's of all sorts. There are soooo many I've never even heard of and I really thought I was doing a good job of being an anime nerd lately. Ah well.
I've been catching up on one of my favs called, Bleach. I don't know what the title has to do with the storyline.....maybe at the end the main character says, 'fuck it' and drinks a load of bleach. That would be most disapointing! If you're reading this Kubo Tite, please don't get any ideas!
So, yup yup Bleach has been keeping me away from my bloggy love. I'm now switching to and fro my blog and Bleach...focus focus focus.

Sorry Kachun, Brent and Smipsy! This is such a long one. I think you're the only three that read this swirl of letters of mine. wooooooooooooaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh

For frosty Smipsy:
Wear fuzzy slippers on your hands and ears too:P yaaaaaaaaaaahh!

time to find some dandy pictures full of goodness and self rising yeast.
Enjoy:)

buga buga bebs

sweet dreams nice people

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSTRALIA!!!!!!

Last night involved mucho cervesa. Waking up at seven for work was a challange for my stomach but after I started going I didn't have a single moment of digestive relapse. My last post was created after consuming impressive amounts of a fantastic amber called Mountain Goat. No matter how many times I tell myself to stay away from communication devices whilst drunk I just never seem to uphold the noble idea.

Anywho!
It's Australia day today!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSSIE LAND!! You're my new lovely home. Australia is such a beautiful country. I'm lucky enough to have had the pleasure of crossing a vast amount of it from Perth to Sydney:) The nullabor is soooo beautiful.

Now I'm free after a morning of work work work.
Big Day Out is in 2 days!

We're off to celebrate with the smiley sun and Coopers...my favourite aussie beer:P

have a lovely day everyone!
bebs

beeeeeer in meeeeee

okay, sooooo I wrote a semi long post about my day and how crazy it was being thrown into the world of everything all at once. But! who cares about that boring business. I'm stuck in the world of candy floss, no cavities, crazy kid's names and smipsy! She's coming to melbourne. I'm elated!

Everything is my life is lovely.
I got another job today. Out of 19 people I was one of two hired. My interviewer said that she loved me! Obviously she was speaking in terms of personality:)
With this job I can work anywhere in Australia! so so so good. I'm a happy man indeed. Smipsy is coming. Now, all I need to do is not completely freak out thus scaring away my twin.

Ho yah!

ngoh ho hoi sum ah!!!!!!!

bebbbbbbbby

bright yellow ball

My friend Smipsy isn't feeling very chipper today. I think we're so alike that it's rubbing off on me. She shouldn't be broken hearted. I felt the same when Sharon dumped me. For the first time since I started dating I was actually single and going through the motions of heart ache by myself. Then I met Urgyan. She's such a joy. We met in Hong Kong and loved every minute together. There was no bullshit between us. I was leaving for Australia, she for Beijing. I know we would be incredible together but there may never be a time when we can give it a try. I still have moments when I really need to distract myself or I could easily drop into a lovesick rut. That won't happen though. Sharon left me with the gift of control and a yellow flying v bass guitar. I'm a thoroughly happier guy after finally getting over Sharon, more patient, considerate and far more aware of how I spend my time. But! I'm cornering myself now aren't I. The point is that I would give the biggest hug ever to my sad friend, even/especially if she punched me in the stomach right after:)

Did you know that the memories you're able to access change depending on your mood? If your memories and the way you process information change with your mood, then when you're depressed you're actually a completely different person from when your angry or cheerful. Very interesting stuff. I very highly recommend a book called Quantum Psychology by Robery Anton Wilson. Becoming more aware of how I continually process information has been essential to controlling my moods. I'm a way freaking cheerier fella these days!!

Down to daily life:
Work this morning was tiring and wonderful. Three hours of constant bustle then home briefly before Josh and I headed into the city to busk. Literally, just as we were about to get off the tram I got a call from work and away we went again in the direction of home. A quick change into an old shirt and there I was at work painting the mens room for four hours. Noooowwww, I'm pooped! It was so freaking hot painting with no fresh air and the floor being heated by the constant flames of the kitchen below.

On tonight's menu....dumplings! Freshly made by Brendan, Josh and Steph.
It's time to dig in.
I've missed dummmplllinnngssssss.
If you were a dumpling I would gladly eat you. But you'd have to be some sort of mutant vegetable person so I could maintain my veggie ways.

Smipsy, a big hand licked high five to you ms. lovely!

cheers!
bebs:)

it's true, I really do

sometimes I paint in my boxers

More tea!

My first day of work was easy breezy. I had to lug a bunch of stuff outside, sort out all the inner workings, clean tables, cut fruit, do a hand stand and drink a pint of Carlton. Two and a half hours of uh huh, okay, yep, no worries and ninja like stealth break beats.

Heath Leger died. I wish he didn't. He was going to teach me the secret of winning at Connect 4 every time. Jerk! Plus, I've enjoyed his performances. It's always a shame when someone of promise dies in their twenties. My twenties so far have been astounding. I'm incredibly fortunate to have the family I do and that includes my friends. The problem with meetings your best mate's in Hong Kong is that nearly no one stays put. Shaun and Gabe seem pretty solid there but rob's off being english at uni, kachun has pooped off to red sun territory and Danny and Gregles are being goofballs in Vancouver for a while.
Everyone please move to vancouver because you love me like a new born steak and that's where I'm going.

Playing with the idea of being a hair stylist for a while, I've decided to study the trade in Hongcouver. I want something of value that I can take with me during my on going adventures around the spice route.

I was exhausted after work but now I'm being powered by a tomato sandwich and tea. I'm addicted!!!!!!! I can't believe I used to dislike tomato's so much as a kid. Stupid kid tongues with their sensitive taste buds. I used to hate olive's too but my oh my are they ever good, pertaining that they're good olives and not...you know...bad olives.

Tilly and the Wall
Dr. Dog
Two Gallants
TV on the Radio
Kimya Dawson

...these are my new favourite aural friends. I've rediscovered Mountian Goats too. I plan on stealing style and fashion tips from all of these people.

hmmm...
Kachun! teach me Japanese.
Smipsy! Don't worry...I don't scare easily. We are twins. I'm way too excited for the day we make a collaboritive artist explosion. All we need is pipe cleaners a stop motion camera and a small room with three steps going nowhere.

I think that's it. yeah. I'm stuck into my blog these days...feeling grooovy.
Now to find a picture. wait here, I'll be right back.

I often paint in my boxers. they're just like shorts only softer.

busking time

breadan... nope...brenfast...nope...brendan...that's the one.

SUCH A GREAT DAY , I'M FEELING CAPITAL !

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVELY NAT O!!!!!!!

raaa raaaaa! I couldn't sleep last night. My day of playing with html surviving on tea and tomato sandwiches may have been a bad idea....but they're both so damn good!

soooo, I set my alarm and managed to get out of bed, got dressed and filled my thermos with more tasty tea. A very healthy start I think. I found my way to an interview to be one of those lovely street people that everyone walks by, who try desperatly to tell us about why we should donate to green peace, amnesty and other charity jazz.
I found out that those people taking your info make 14-16 dollars ah hour. Seems pretty steep for a non-profit charity organization doesn't it?

BUT! I do need money. Off I went to the longest and most enjoyable interview I've ever had. 19 people, starting with a self intro, then two seperate debates. My debate was art vs essential services, like health care and education, a stupid debate but they obviously just wanted to see how we handle situations of conflict. I jumped on the side of art and happily shot down the other side. It's been a long while since I've had a proper debate! Then! They sent us out on the street for ten minutes to see how many people we could get to answer the question of which charity they'd most likely donate to given three options. Being in the centre of melbourne's business district it was a bit tricky stopping the marching suit people. Back to the board room to fill out a nice, long application involving paragraphs of green friendly answers. I was very tempted to write jokes about being a lumberjacks and eating bear pies whilst sitting in my new dolphin skin arm chair.... but no no no... bad brendan!! Nine people were sent home and the remainders, like promissing ole me, finished it all off with a two on one interview. Thirty-five minutes of questioning and I went on my hungry way towards home.

Almost forgot! I met a very cool gal at the interview with a head full of dreds, we exchanged mobile numbers and soon will hit the streets together for some sun filled busking. Me on guitar, she on le drums.

Planning to kick it myself with some wild haired, weird hearted guitar antics I popped back out with josh's giant djemb (west africian bongo drum) strapped on my back and my six strings of love in my hand. A slight detour to hand out a few more resume's before hitting the CBD I walked into a nice little spot called Wilde Oscar's and within five minutes I got the job!!
I'm being proped up now only by elation and anxious anticipation. I start tomorrow at nine:)

Finally....a job.

And! I've made a new friend. Her name is Smipsy. I swear to you she's real, though I've never met her it's obvious we're both kooky and playful with our words, being expressive and exuberant with artistic twist. It feels very childlike to announce a new friendship so concretly, but I'm still a kid after all. I hope I never feel embarressed for my honest ways.

Two bottles of bubbles and a gorgeous thai curry a la josh to celebrate and nouvelle vague on the stereo...
goooooooo! ! !

bebs

Baby Hands Up

I noticed today that this blog o' mine has been running for a few years now. To celebrate I've spent the day tweeking a new blog template, as you hopefully have noticed by now. In the process of moving from old to new I lost all links to various blogs and little fun things. Some exploration had to be done to find my old and new friends. It was nice reading little biscuits from everyone's lives, learning of their progressions and being reminded of humours lost through Einstein's eyes.
I found one blog, a collaboration from old high school mates, writing about the world of music. It's all thoroughly amusing. I highly recommend having a look. I've added a link to their blog called Power, Corruption & Lies. Enjoy.

Tomorrow, I'll hit the streets again after having learnt a couple of new tunes. I hope to make about 50 dollars but I don't actually care much about the cash. My favourite part is the little conversations I get to have with people and the level of comfort that comes with playing in front of a passing audience. Being on the street with my guitar is also a terrific modivation to play a lot more than I normally would throughout the day.

a forgotten draft from 06.06.07

sooooooooooooo, everything's going well.
I've gained some of the hearing back in my left ear, with the aid of a batch of antibiotics. I need to go in to a clinic sometime next week to get some blood work done. Nothing beats a good health check. I'm also doing it so I can see if I'm able to donate blood, something I've wanted to do for years, but with a near yearly arrival of a new tattoo i've always been unable to do so.

I was asked to join my mates' band, Dirty Dan and the Seven Seas (pirate rock music...they're amazing, really) I agreed, of course, so now their stage presence is getting more and more involved, with seven members (I think) I'll be the newest addition playing the melodica, backup vox and general tom-foolery. Their playing a show tonight for another Star crossed Tattoo's showcase, where I'll be playing spectator untill we have a few practices together.

My day's, I'm starting to see, are being booked in advance and I'm starting to feel a bit pressured to keep up appearences with different people. I'm not a popular guy and I never try to pretend that I am, but my "why not" mantra to most invitations is starting to get in the way with my precious 'sitting on my ass' time, even my lovely exercise filled thursday's when I typically ride my bike and go for a hike to Lion Rock are starting to be interrupted.
After my last serious relationship, I've searched for the same feeling I had then.....but it's clearly gone. There's no one around here who could make me want to be good in everyway. So, I've developed a very selfish attitude towards relationships and any dates that I do go on.

As a warning to anyone out there whom I may meet. I may see you once....we may get along....I may tell you that it'd be great to see you again......but the truth is that I just want to spend some time with my mates, and most night's go home to my quiet flat, let the rabbit's hop about me as I sit cross legged painting a picture.

Mental Medicine

The last two days Josh and I have been hitting the Melbourne streets with a guitar and some other little noise makers, making enough to support our love of beer and fine food. The first day I was pretty anxious, so I was really glad to have Josh banging along on his bongo to a few tunes. I brought along my sketchbook and wrote, 'Trying to get back to Canada' in big blue letters and proped it up in my guitar case. I got a lot of smiles and I'm sure it helped to bring in a few dollars. In two hours we counted 42 aus dollars, a button, a lolipop and a piece of paper with a girls contact saying, "I've decided that I want to put you in a jar and take you home". ... the perfect ego boost.

Before going out I made a list of every song I could remember how to play, plus five covers which I've learnt recently. Having them all in front of me was like looking back on a golden path. Some songs I wrote about someone in my life, some when I was down or joyous, others when I was frustrated and trying desperately to push to a higher level. They were all there, looking just as anxious as I was about coming out into the world again.

Day two, there was a lot more competition. Friday afternoon, there was a busker, artist or homeless person on every single bustling corner. Three solid hours of playing later I had 53 dollars in my case. My sign came through once again, with some obvious Canadians throwing in some change shouting, 'Go Canada!'.

Tonight, Steph, Josh and I are heading out for a Canadian fix. We're going to see Caribou (the musician from Dundas, not the animal). Steph is out having a wander. Josh has just popped out to buy beer. I'm going to polish up on my Elvis.

bebs

yesterday

Before I forget...

Two days of ear ringing...

On the second I saw Buck 65, on the third was The Go Team! who by the way, were just incredible! I've never seen a band so energetic, so crazy, so multi instrumental and still so together ever before.

There, that's better.


Yesterday, I got off my consistantly lazy ass and took josh's bike for a spin. I ended up in the Abbotsford Convent, which was a good thing because that's where I was hoping to land.

The Abbotsford Convent, was, as it's name 'hints', a convent. But on some year, some day and some moment prior to this one, the convent was saved from death by the melbourne community and transformed into a lovely gardens, artist haven, cafe, restaurant, market and on and on.

At the gates, I tied up josh's little bmx style bike and wandered the sun flavoured grounds for a while. It was very relaxing and after mentally removing everyone else there, it felt like I was back in the 1800's.

Proping myself up at a wooden picnic table I happily sipped some microbrewery beer that cost too much and dove into my sketchbook.


Last night I took Tolstoy out to the Great Britian Pub. This place has a great open mic on wednesday's and the decor is quite cool, with stripes of different victorian wallpaper and sofa's everywhere. The stage is a good size, people are supportive and the sound is great. Plus there's a basement bar that's open on the weekends where they usually play a great mix of mo town.
So, I'm reading Man and Master right now, and really enjoyed hanging out having a pint, drawn up in a bar stoole last night.

What should I do today?
Taking a number from my good friend Kachun, I'm going to start posting an image with each update. But, unlike him I will not publish each post in english and chinese. Sorry everyone.
okay, the picture wouldn't upload so...nothing today.


cheers
bebs

Grave digging ideas

I haven't updated my blog since mid october, probably because so much has happened that it's easier to let things ferment into fond memories than document them.

I landed in Western Australia and spent a month in fremantle, working any cash in hand gig I could manage and finally made my way to my sis, Steph and her boyfriend, Josh's flat in Melbourne.

Their flat is perfect for painting, with it's high sky bound window's, a fresh breeze and open atmosphere I've thrown myself back into the world of painting. I had barely painted during the last two years in Hong Kong, lacking any solid inspiration worth developing, space and time. The last effort I made was some two years ago I bought a large roll of canvas and lugged this huge role around with me all night from bar to bar, then geneously forgot it in the taxi when I was at my doorstep. Buying that roll really put my finances to the test. Losing it was clearly something that needed to happen for me to take a good long break and have a good long dwell.

For the past month, Steph and Josh have been in Ireland visiting my parents for the holidays, leaving me to my own devices here in the house. It's been lonely at times, and I only recently noticed that I talk to myself a lot when I cook and paint, but generally I've enjoyed the last month.

The highlight of December was definately the little Hong Kong reunion in Sydney. I flew to Sydney to meet Natalie and Shaun at a flat right on bondi that lovely nat had organized. Later came Adriana and La-Ra and Shaun Mohan. I've never felt too comfortable spending much time on the beach. Probably because I'm incredibly white, burn quickly and can never find where I left my towel once I take my glasses off to go swimming. Right, so this reunion involved a lot of beer and beach and felt like home, surrounded by some of my best friends, I now have a love for the beach. The Australian surf can get pretty strong and extremely fun as well.

This week I'll post some photo's of my journey across Australia, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

Happy new year everyone.
Brendan