An Update on The List

It had occurred to me not long ago that some of the items on The List have been completed but not yet blogged about.  This post is a collective dedication and summary of those.

2. Go to a soccer game.  

This year I went to the A-League football (soccer for the purists) final in Brisbane between Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory.  Traditionally, football fan I am not, however I rate it far above and beyond any other popular football code in Australia.  At times though I am attracted and intrigued by sporting finals and, test-match cricket, which is another story altogether.  I vehemently insist the most exciting sporting final I have ever seen was between Australia and New Zealand competing for a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 2010 in netball.  'Competing' understates the level of skill and athleticism displayed by these two old rivals and netball, as I have always said is one of the most exciting, demanding, fast-paced yet underrated sports of all time.  The game went into over-time not once but twice and the leadership was literally one point back and forth between the old enemies.  I was out of my lounge suite yelling at the TV, biting my nails, head in my hands, almost tearing my hair out.  In the end the best team won by two points and boy did New Zealand deserve to celebrate!

The A-League 2012 final between Roar and Glory came close but did not match the intensity of the Aus vs. NZ Commonwealth Games gold medal play-off.  The thing I love about soccer / football / football / soccer is the anticipation of waiting to score as each side can at many times throughout one half come so close, within centimetres of scoring goals time and time again.  I hadn't even watched one game of this so-called A-League yet there I was at the grand final cheering with the hard core fans, out of my seat, frustrated as 'we' failed to score in the first half.  Actually both teams failed to score in the first half.  Then there was a second half where some stuff happened and eventually Brisbane Roar won!  Yay!  Fantastic game and glad I was able to be there.

6. Go to the races.

Normally the words 'good time' and 'Ipswich' just don't go together but let's not be judgmental.  The Ipswich Cup held in June 2012 was the first time I went to a horse race and with thanks mostly to the company I kept on that particular day, I had a whale of a time!  Ordinarily my opinion of races is quite low and to be exact I wouldn't really actively pursue the idea of attending another in spite of the fact I did enjoy myself.  Let's face it, a bunch of horses on steroids inevitably destined for the dog food cannery are flogged by short men in badly coloured satin and drunkards scream inaudible, slurred encouragement from the sidelines so they can earn some easy cash while consuming oodles of beer and cheap wine in plastic cups.  Like I said, in spite of myself I had a good time.

Highlights of the day include:

• Wearing a lovely blue silk dress that was tailor-made for me when I visited Viet Nam last year with a matching blue fascinator with long black gloves.  Most girls fancy dressing up and I am no exception. 
• Consuming oodles of beer and cheap wine from plastic cups and screaming inaudible and slurred encouragement from the sidelines.
• Being bestowed the privilege of VIP tickets to the XXXX tent.
• Badgering 3 of our dedicated waiters at 3 different times over the course of say, 3 hours for vegetarian food and receiving none.
• Being impressed with or perhaps even a wee bit envious of some the more tasteful apparel the ladies were parading about in.
• Over hearing a conversation between two dudes upon registering that known football legend, Allan 'Alf' Langer was a guest in the XXXX tent.  "Mate, help me out here.  I'm from Victoria.  Which team did Allan Meninga play for again???

 

17. Don't drive the car for a week.

Saturday 25th of August, 2012 will remain a significant date for me.  Four days before I was due to leave for Poland with a one-way ticket, I handed over the keys and sold my beloved Honda Accord, affectionately known as 'Hondoona'.  This kid was more than metal and rubber to me.  I had spent the last 12 years with this car and only once in that time did Hondoona break down.  Sure, the cruise control stopped working and the handle on the inside of the passenger door broke off.  Twice.  And the button on the hand brake deteriorated and crumbled away due to exposure to the summer heat.  And I remember the day I found out that if I wind the electric window down too far on the passenger side the door flings open.  It was a hot day and I was going around a round-a-bout.  Luckily I had no passengers and there were no other cars on the round-a-bout.  But those things didn't matter.  Well, the window down too far causing door to open did matter I suppose... kind of a serious safety concern but that was easily fixed.  Hondoona was mechanically sound and more reliable than most people I know. 

August 25th 2012 was an emotional day.  My possessions were all but packed up and I was saying good-bye to something that had played a major support role in my life for over a decade.  I have thought about Hondoona a couple of times since then feeling lucky that I had a car that even with all its little quirks was dependable and efficient.  I have not driven since.

I suppose when I devised this list my intention with #17 Don't drive the car for a week was to do without private transportation and find my way around using alternative methods like I did when I was young, poor and unemployed or during my student days.  It didn't quite turn out like I thought and while I do miss Hondoona I don't miss having another car of my own.  Thank you Hondoona for being the best car a girl could ever ask for!

#26 - Splash in Puddles

I commented to my companion on the weekend that I noticed a rainbow whilst looking out my kitchen window early one morning last week.  I stood there for a few minutes simply admiring it.  He told me he often thought about floating a leaf in the over flowing gushing gutter in his street and chasing it until it disappeared down a storm water drain.  I said: "remember when we used to take our shoes off and walk in the puddles?"  He said "yes, actually, wouldn't it be cool to do that sometime as an adult I mean?"

#75 - Attend An Opening Night

Often I find the best times are the ones that are unplanned.  Rather than you chasing the goal, you have an idea and then whammo it happens and unfolds in front of you just because you are in the right place at the right time.

This is the second such art exhibition I've gate crashed in as many years. My companion, gal pal Sarah and I stumbled upon an art exhibition in August 2011 at the Art Factory near Southbank, Brisbane.  We were walking by, peering curiously at a gathering of people in this small but ample gallery.  One of the guests, smoking a cigarette outside engaged us in innocuous chit chat and warmly welcomed us to take a look at the artwork hanging on the walls.  Stepping inside, it was clear that this opening night was well and truly in full swing.  Empty bottles of beer and glasses of Grenache lay haphazardly amongst the crumbs of finger food and feta.  The guests were loud, full of frivolity and full of grog.  We smiled knowingly at each other at their friendly, drunken state.

Taking a look around the gallery I was immediately taken with the exhibition titled "We'll eat up at the lodge" by Sue Beyer.  I have always been a fan of maps and had the privilege of drafting maps in my early 20s, when I was working for a large Telecommunications company as a draftperson.  A lot of Beyer's work, acrylic on canvas seemed to be inspired by and included lots of overlays of urban plans with apparent influences from suburban living.  


Admittedly I am not adroit in the world of art.  My appreciation lies in the creativity, time and dedication such pursuits necessitate and the way such disciplines reflect perceptions back to the world.  What I loved most about the exhibition were the names of some of Beyer's paintings.  Names such as "They barged through the gate without stopping", "We have to make plans for the future", "They were planning a garden", "Much of my apparent indifference was merely protective camouflage" and a personal favourite "The reflectors from the street lights gave us just enough light".

The best I can critique art work is merely by stating my opinion and in my opinion, I really liked it!  It was architectural and 'constructed' but was balanced with vivid suburban imagery and colours.  

Funnily enough, researching Sue Beyer's website revealed a familiar piece of her work which was previously known to me although I was unaware of the artist.  Downstairs in the building where I worked up until my recent resignation, there is a bike parking rack for cycling commuters.  I passed through the bike rack room on an almost daily basis since January, almost 6 months after the exhibition, without realising I was already acquainted with the artist's work.  Along one of the walls of the bike rack area was a large mural, a view from above of an urban landscape.  It was a Beyer and it was not unlike the work I had seen at the "We'll eat up at the lodge" exhibition.  In retrospect it's surprising I didn't make the connection considering the similarities.  My how I love these little coincidences!