Get Your Geek Out!!

This would have to be one of the coolest (and easiest) Redbubble competitions EVER!!
Join either the SCI-FI Fan Mob or the Fantasy Fan Mob on RB’s Facebook page to go have a chance to win some brilliant prizes!!
(Either way there are some cool Cyber Monday discounts to be had!)
The prizes are sooooo awesome, that I’m going to copy and paste the whole damn page to make sure I don’t miss anything!



RedBubble is hosting an all out, no holds barred battle between the titans of fandom - Scifi & Fantasy. Demons, barbarians, wizards and vampires will face off against time travellers, robots, space cowboys and aliens. Pledge your allegiance to your genre of choice by joining the Science Fiction Mob or Fantasy Fan Mob and you'll have the chance to win a mega prize pack, jammed full of art and design based on your favourite genre. Members of both Fan Mobs will receive Cyber Monday discounts and exclusive giveaways, plus the chance to win the ultimate Fan Mob prize pack.

Here’s how:

1. Attend a Fan Mob event on Facebook - Choose either Scifi or Fantasy (Below) - then,
2. Make a purchase on RedBubble using your Fan Mob’s discount code on Cyber Monday (28 Nov, 2011), or enter your code here.
3. One entrant from the largest Fan Mob at the end of Cyber Monday wins their Ultimate Prize Pack
4. All purchases using Fan Mob discount codes are eligible to win prizes from their Fan Mob’s prize pool - the more Fan Mob members, the larger the pool gets!

Ultimate prize pack:

OR

Either:

Star Trek Tri-Dimensional Chess Set by the Franklin Mint with William Shatner & Leonard Nimoy signed photographs
OR
1st impression of the one volume De Luxe Edition of the Lord of the Rings, published by Allen & Unwin in 1969

PLUS:

• 1 × iPad 2
• 1 × $50 iTunes gift card
• 1 × iPhone case
• 1 × Poster
• 2 × T-Shirts
• 10 × Stickers

Fan Mob prize pools contain up to:

• 3 × Hoodies
• 4 × Posters
• 4 × iPhone cases
• 6 × T-shirts
• 25 × Stickers

Choose Your Fan Mob…

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. No purchase necessary, entrants may visit the online submission form to enter. See Official Rules.

Help find a “missing” Maestro

All theft is annoying, and causes inconvenience and distress.
This one, which was bought to my attention last night and again today on Facebook is utterly, utterly disgusting and pointless.
The young lady impacted here suffers from Cerebral Palsy (as did my late brother) and her DynaVox Maestro was stolen from the car in the backyard of her mum’s Hackney home.



It really wouldn’t be of much use to anyone else, but is a priceless communication tool to the young lady to whom it belongs.
If you find it dumped somewhere, or know of it’s whereabouts – please return it to the nearest police station. 

Night of Lights

 

 

It’s happening again!

The 2011 Women and Childrens Hospital Gala Ball is on December 10th 2011, with special guest Kate Ceberano.

Lifted shamelessly from the Foundation’s website:

The 2011 Night of Lights will support The Breathing Space respiratory centre.

The WCHF has taken up the challenge to raise the funds needed to build a special area in the new Gilbert Building at the Hospital – The Breathing Space.

Breathing Space will bring together all the elements required to care for children with cystic fibrosis, providing a bench-to-bedside approach to research and treatment. Purpose built and state-of-the-art, the Space will provide a unique outpatient facility for children suffering from Cystic Fibrosis. As well as world class research, the floor will house specialist treatment areas – bringing clinicians and researchers closer to patients in their quest to find an answer to this debilitating disease.

As well as giving you the opportunity to frock up and mingle, the Ball has an auction to help you support this worthwhile cause.

I know the auction well, I have donated a photograph again this year – this shot will be available to purchase on the night.

It is the only time it will be available in this format, bought especially!!

 

 

Here’s a picture of my work you can buy just the canvas.  The wall needs to stay holding our roof up!!

For further details of the Ball and to book your seats, go to

http://www.wchfoundation.org.au/Article/NewsDetail.aspx?p=16&id=98

Want a good read?

I'd like to say this is the first in a series of edumacational blog posts about my favourite authors, or great books that I've read, but it isn't.


It's a one off recommendation of a fabulous Australian contemporary author by the name of John Birmingham.  


Amongst other works Mr Birmingham is responsible for the hugely successful He Died With A Felafel in His Hand, Leviathan, the unauthorised biography of the city of Sydney, and my personal favourites - the amazing Without Warning and After America.


I can't even remember how I first became aware of his writing - it was definitely via Twitter and may have been as a result of someone sharing a blog post.  


I know that I finished Without Warning in the ICU during that whole blood clot business, and was rapt to discover that I could get After America on my Kindle using the hospital's wi-fi!!


But I digress.


As we sit waiting now (im)patiently for the late October release of the third and final book in the Without Warning trilogy, Angels of Vengeance (thanks Random House) I decided it was worth putting "pen to paper" and suggesting that if you like books with meaty plots, great attention to detail and fabulously fleshed out characters, then this is the trilogy for you!


I'm going to cheat here, and grab the plot descriptions from Amazon.com - I would really hate to do them any disservice so here goes ...


Without Warning
Publication Date: July 6, 2010

In Kuwait, American forces are locked and loaded for the invasion of Iraq. In Paris, a covert agent is close to cracking a terrorist cell. And just north of the equator, a sailboat manned by a drug runner and a pirate is witness to the unspeakable. In one instant, all around the world, everything will change. A wave of inexplicable energy slams into the continental United States. America as we know it vanishes. From a Texas lawyer who happens to be in the right place at the right time to an engineer in Seattle who becomes his city’s only hope, from a combat journalist trapped in the Middle East to a drug runner off the Mexican coast, Without Warning tells a fast, furious story of survival, violence, and a new, soul-shattering reality.

After America

Publication Date: July 26, 2011

The world changed forever when a massive wave of energy slammed into North America and wiped out 99 percent of the population. As the United States lay in ruins, chaos erupted across the globe.
Now, while a skeleton American government tries to reconstruct the nation, swarms of pirates and foreign militias plunder the lawless wasteland where even the president is fair prey. In New York City, armies of heavily armed predators hold sway—and hold off a struggling U.S. military. In Texas, a rogue general bent on secession leads a brutal campaign against immigrants. And in England, a U.S. special ops agent enters a shadow war against a deadly enemy who has made the fight personal. While the president ponders a blitz attack on America’s once greatest city, the forces of order and anarchy wage all-out war for postapocalyptic dominance—and a handful of survivors must decide how far to go to salvage whatever uncertain future awaits . . . after America.

Even though they are rich in technical details of the weaponry and tactics, the books aren't crispy or boringly dry - the characters are described so well that you get the feeling that you know them - and as someone you know, you turn page after page to see what happens to them next. A good portion of the pivotal characters are women, strong, capable women, but by no means comic caricatures with golden lariats or tight pants!




So to quote Molly Meldrum .. "Do yourself a favour"  after reading these two books I just BET you'll then be joining us in our impatient queue!




You can also find @JohnBirmingham on Twitter, follow his Blunt Instrument blogs for the Brisbane Times and his own blog Cheeseburger Gothic here.


(PS.  The other book release details are on Cheeseburger Gothic!)

Connor’s Sprout Cooking Class

 

Most of you know that the last school holidays were very very ordinary from Connor’s point of view, (because of my hospital stay)  so we have made a concerted effort to make it up to him these holidays.

 

One of the “treats” for these holidays was a two hour “Kid’s Quick and Healthy” cooking class conducted by Sprout (a collaboration between Masterchef series two runner up Callum Hann and practicing dietician Themis Chryssidis).

 

 

 

The participants were given their recipes for the session, (a main course and dessert)  some guidelines and then Callum demonstrated preparing each dish before sending the kids to their areas to make their own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The class was a perfect size, ten or twelve young people, who worked in pairs and in the spacious environs of Immanuel College’s Home Economics room, Callum and Themis had plenty of room and opportunity to  move between the “teams” giving hints and tips or just checking on the progress of each dish.

 

 

 

 

The “sit down” component of each dish allowed discussion around possible replacement ingredients, nutritional information, and serving suggestions – all delivered in a really informative chatty way which Connor really seemed to appreciate.

 

 

 

 

The chosen recipes are healthy, easy to prepare, plate up beautifully and yet are simple enough that we’re turning the kitchen over to Connor tonight ….. he’s cooking tea!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would definitely recommend the Sprout school holiday classes to anyone with budding chefs, class details (including the adult classes) are all on the Sprout website.

 

 

 

You can follow them on Twitter here or find their Facebook page here, or just drool over the Poached Pears that we’re having for dessert!

 

 

 

 

Me …  I’m off to fish out my cravat …………………….

Broken Leg Survival Guide (The First Part)

Hints,tips and observations for not going insane (or arse up)

{EAV_BLOG_VER:0831f565d48d27d1}

Just as a quick back story, we are doing some earthworks in our backyard, and there is a little slope/rampy thing from the back yard.  Unfortunately with the addition of gumnuts and some inattention, it becomes quite the launch pad!
So here – in no particular order are my thoughts so far:

1. Always have a shower as soon as you get up in the morning.  You never know when you’re going to get the next one!!

2.  Never spend so much money on jeans that you won’t cheerfully mind cutting up the side of them to get them off/over your plaster.

3.  Maintain ambulance cover, either through your health fund or your local ambulance service (for Adelaide folk, SA Ambulance).  As with any type of insurance, you’re in front if you never use it – and waaaaay ahead if you do!!

4.   Always catch up with friends on your day off.  Having my very bestie in the world arrive 10 minutes after I stacked it was a godsend on so many levels.

5.  We don’t pay aforementioned ambos enough.  Before calling them, we contemplating getting my into BFF’s Getz (NOT) or even the Subaru.  Ugly.

6.  Previously mentioned ambos have this really cool little green whistle.  Not only does in numb the pain of the fracture, but also numbs the embarrassment of less than pristine lounge room!!

7.  You cannot buy already referenced little green whistles in party packs! (Shame)

8.  The hotness of your attending RMO is directly proportionate to your degree of dishevelment. (See Item #1).

9.  Make sure the nurse has taken your blood pressure before arrival of cute doctor. Failure to do so may effect readings and lead to misdiagnosis!

9a.  Always do what the doctors/nurses/physios tell you.  They mostly know what they’re talking about, sometimes even through personal experience.  Right Bill?

10. When the physio is measuring you up for crutches, leave the 3/4 of an inch off your height.  Crutches that are too long lead to sore armpits at the same time as sore legs!!

11.  Have children. (Or significant other/doting parent).  The children are so used to you telling them what to do that they don’t even notice when it stretches to … “may I have a drink please, can you grab my phone, can you pass me that stool, could you put the kettle on, what’s for breakfast?”

12.  Always remember to thank people at #11 profusely.

13.  Don’t be in a hurry to get ANYWHERE on crutches.

14. Invest in a shoulder bag for mobile/cordless phones/cigarettes and lighter/book, so that when you do finally plonk down – you’ve got everything you need.

15.  Don’t drink too much coffee. 

16.  Crutches are very useful for lifting toilet seat lids.

17.  Do not have a massively busy week planned for work.  /sigh

18.  Make sure your kids have a spare bunk in their room for Daddy!!



Okay – that’ll do for the meantime – more to follow I’m sure.

Please feel free to add your own experiences/hints/suggestions in the comments!!

Connor’s Greatest Shave!

Doing what?  For Whom?

March 10th 2011

Rundle Mall, Adelaide

This must be the place, it’s got my name all over it!

Clipper day had finally arrived.  After a long few months of fundraising and hair growing, the time had arrived for Connor to thank all the people who had sponsored him, and shave his head, so armed with flowing locks and fundraising tin, we headed to his 12.30 appointment in Rundle Mall.

There were a few people there when we arrived, lots of the lovely hairdressers from Gauci, who had all donated their time to the event, to shave or colour those brave (or chicken enough).

Channel Ten’s Mark Aiston was MC’ing the event, (his sixth year, I think) and interviewed Connor about why he was shaving and how much money he had raised.

As you can see, he took this growing the hair business VERY seriously

During the course of the fundraising, he had told everyone that he was only having  a number two .. but inspired by those who went before him he went …..

So, having stepped up to the plate, and made his intentions clear, the fun began.

There must be a head under here somewhere ……. got it!

A little bit more ….

….. and a little bit more ……..

,,,,, the finishing touches ……

“All done … what do you think?” ….. ohhh.  The rest??

Almost done …..

A quick polish …

Another quick chat to that Aiston bloke, who claimed not to recognise him……

… a cheesy grin to show off the sponsor laden shirt ….and new beanie ….

…. “No Mr Aiston, that’d be my hat” …

And off into the east … planning next year’s ……..colour!!

 

We’d like to thank everyone who sponsored, tweeted and retweeted, emailed, Facebooked and generally supported Connor’s fundraising efforts.

We’re so proud of him, he’s raised $1000 dollars for the Leukaemia Foundation.

Happy Birthday Australia!

I am an Australian.  I love photographing my country, actually I just love this country.

 My father was born here and his father and his father, and I think even his father.

So I didn't chose to live here like so many others, you could say it was almost an accident of birth.  But I am pleased and proud to tell people I'm Australian, to call this country home.

I'm proud to come from a country where, when someone's in trouble, you can know there's gonna be a neighbourly, friendly or, as the recent floods have proven a stranger's hand there to lift you out and back onto your feet, where volunteering is a way of life.

I'm proud to live in a country that promises a "better" life.  It must do, the stream of immigrants and refugees who have made their way here for the last hundred or so years backs that up.  As a proud South Aussie, I can say that even my forebears came here of their own free will - seeking opportunities in this strange "foreign" land.

I'm pleased to know that even though I have the occasional "dig" at a Victorian and they back, that that's all it will be - we will never be embroiled in a civil war.

I'm proud to come from a country where we don't start wars, but will honour an agreement and send troops to back up those who are fighting.  Troops by the way who chose to join the defence force, they're not conscripted, because their country means something to them too.  I am saddened when one of them lays down their life, but war is war.

I'm pleased to know that I can travel to work or the shops or the like knowing that I probably won't get bombed or shot at.  Pleased to know that our kids can play in the street in relative safety.

I'm proud to say that I know someone who will be attending two lots of Australia Day parties tomorrow - Survival Day to acknowledge decisions and actions in the past which time has shown weren't perhaps as well intentioned as they were meant and an Australia Day street party to "get on with it" and look toward the future!

I'm proud to say that I live in a country where people's origins can be celebrated and shared - they're not always, but again - the opportunity to make the most of our population's diversity is there - we just need to embrace it.  Mind you - having said that - it's nice to know that I won't be shot or jailed for saying that - or just the opposite even.

As I sit here typing this - I see tweets from people I follow having digs at local and federal politicians, and it's pleasing to know that they won't just disappear for giving voice to those opinions either.

So yes, I will be waving a flag tomorrow - it's the only one I have - and while ever it is the democratically chosen flag of my country Australia, I'll look at it and be thankful that I'm an Aussie, and that the choice to wave it,  be it from a flagpole or even a bikini,  is one I'm able to make without fear or favour.

Queensland Floods

A lot has been said already.  I can't add to it, but this little boy's story deserves to be shared.
Try not to cry.  I did.

http://blog.oliyoung.com/post/2719521286/this-is-13-year-old-jordan-rice-jordan-was

Society 6 and Quora

As many of you will now be aware, via my Facebook and Twitter postings, I have started adding work to Society6.

The main reason is the fact that I can now turn my photographs into iPhone and iPad covers and skins, and I’ve had LOTS of fun with these already.

 

It’s actually inspired me to start creating again, with reworks of Bonds of Love and Eyes.  The resonator is pretty much untouched!

 

About the same time that I decided to investigate S6, I was also swept up in the almost viral uptake of Quora.  Fascinating concept.  I liken it to Yahoo Answers with some credibility!

I’ve  already answered one question, and asked two – received a brilliant response to the first one about tweeting/advertising my art (most timely).

Hopefully that will explain some of the flood of artworks you’ve been subjected to in the last little while!