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this is a photo of my board game shelf
My shelfie

73 games

So when I stopped playing bridge regularly – it was too hard with rowing – all that gamey energy had to go somewhere and happily it coincided with a boom in board games.

I’ve always loved board games (and card games hence bridge) and these days they are so gorgeous and so diverse and so thinky that it is very easy to get addicted.

The game that really got me started was 7 Wonders which I think Rory found. Kind of funny because he really doesn’t enjoy board games. (you like party games Rory – wordy ones)

The shelf itself

So by 2018 I was really struggling for space for my growing collection (I had about 20 by then) so I asked my dad to ‘help’ me make a display shelf. I say help but what I really mean is make with my help.

Me and my dad next to the newly finished shelf
April 2018 – Dad, me and shelf

The drawers are those ones where you push them in and they pop out. The floating top has dad’s signature finish. And the capacity is about 60 games.

We made it over three days down in his Dunsborough shed and it was such a lovely satisfying experience to make something this beautiful from old planks of wood with my dad who has all the tools and expertise. Just hanging out with him in his shed is a time I will treasure.

The new tradition

That year Imogen started a new tradition. On Mothers’ Day (and on my birthday) she and Hugo would vow to come over for the day and play back to back board games of my choice.

A priceless gift. Time with my two kids especially as when they move out, is precious.

May 2018 – Mothers’ Day game selection

Which games to get

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One of the things I love about board games is browsing for board games, and researching them.

So many board games.

Hugo is a great source for ideas as he and his mates are also into the hobby and find some great ones.

Recently he’s given me It’s a Wonderful World (2019) (for my birthday), we really love it, and for Christmas Lost Ruins of Arnak (2020), which is also becoming a firm favourite.

Imogen and I love playing Legacy Games together. A Legacy game is one where the game changes forever as you play it. You change the board, change the components based on the decisions you make.

It’s kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure book but you can’t go back. For Christmas she gave me Pandemic Legacy Season 2 (2017) and I’m really looking forward to playing it out this year with her. (We’ve played Season 1 (2015) and Season 0 (2020))

I enjoy watching review youtube videos and are often inspired to make a sneaky online purchase. One of those was for Gentle Rain (2021). And I don’t even remember where I saw that… maybe on a Facebook group… I love this little solo game which you can play cooperatively. It’s er… gentle?

Kickstarter is also a source of my games (among other things). I currently have two games in development. Canvas Reflections (2022), and Chili Mafia (2021). Always fun to get a package in the mail.

And I have play-tested games. Well. A game. Chai (2019) which was made by a couple of Canadian designers on Kickstarter. Such a thrill to see our names on the box when it finally arrived. Play testing made me appreciate the amount of work and time and people that goes into making a game. The components are beautiful in Chai and I love the market mechanic. It’s a real collaborative effort.

Can’t resist a sale

You know that the local shop is going to have a sale on Boxing Day so of course you go in there. This year I stopped at Wingspan (2019) and the Oceania Expansion (2020). I even got Rory to the table to have a go. Now that is love.

December 2021 – Wingspan on the table

Last year my indulgent Boxing Day purchase was Oceans (2020). It is gorgeous and one of Imogen’s favourites.

All this to say that my shelf is now overflowing. The solution?

Of course. Get a new shelf.

Why Twitter may save live television

I am really enjoying the Olympics.

Me. Not known for liking to watch sport. Indeed, I’d much rather catch up with an episode or two of Project Runway.

The marathon, the diving, the trap shooting (possibly if they ever showed it), the equestrian events.

I love it.

Especially the rowing.

But why And why these Olympics?

Today as I sat on my lardy arse, tablet on my knee, glass of wine by my side, watching London 2012, it came to me. Twitter.

Watching sport is so much more fun with your friends.

Or even, random people you hardly know.

It’s why people still go to cinemas. To the footy when there’s a much better view on the telly.

It’s the collective experience.

Twitter.

It could be the savior of live television.

I rarely watch live tv.

I can’t stand the ads so everything I watch is recorded.

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Sure I could watch it at 9.30 but if I watch it in real time I can participate in the giant virtual theatre known as Twitter.

I may never get a tweet on the telly, but I can comment and discuss the show with everyone else as we all watch it together.

I see the comments on Masterchef on my way home from work… And I feel ripped off.

I have to wait two hours to catch up.

It puts me off watching.

But if I could watch it live, I might even tune in and put up with the ads, just to participate.

So here’s my theory.

For live television to survive, it has to become event television. Appointment television.

We are seeing the beginnings now.

But I think Drama could go the same way.

Find a reason for us to chat during the show and I’ll tune in live.

Just saying.

And meantime…

Go Aussies!

The Global Mail – a review

Front page of The Global Mail at 6.14pm WAT

I heard Monica Attard today on the radio talking about this new journalism experiment – The Global Mail – a new independent, not-for-profit journalism wet dream of a site.

No advertising, no subscriptions, fully funded by a philanthropic businessman who wanted to do something to protect quality journalism in a world where the profession is hacked by a reducing advertising spend, and a fragmenting media space.  Where “real” journalists are a dying breed.  Where interests of mega-media types of the Rupert Murdoch variety rule and competition comes not from other journalists but citizen reporters, bloggers. Where being first does not always mean being accurate, but nearly always means a grainy picture “or it didn’t happen”.  (Monica didn’t say all that I hasten to add, that’s just the vibe I got)

So what’s The Global Mail like?

Well really you should check it out for yourself but since you asked…

In one word… classy.

Nice font (open sans if you’re interested)… and nice and big for those blind as a bat like me.

Horizontal scrolling… which takes a bit of getting used to (I wish the little scroll thingy on my mouse worked to scroll horizontally) but was, according to Monica, so that their yet-to-be-developed app works better.

Beautiful imagery – make sure you look at the photo essays.  Gorgeous.

Writing – again quality stuff.  The sort of writing that makes you wish you wrote better.  Sigh… (moment of reflection)

Loved the article on the Superbowl – I’d never thought about sport in terms of countries like that.  Also enjoyed the Obama article.

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But I do have some suggestions… what you thought it was going to go all your way??

Did you not read your own article about bloggers who like to tell the truth and not suck up to people???

First, while I quite like the horizontal scrolling – I’d quite like to be able to see who has written the article and the title on each page.  It’s a pain to do the click click click thing to get back to the start.

And call me a flibbertigibbet, but some of the articles are very long – too long for my attention span… although if I was not online they would probably be perfect.

User generated stuff… what’s the deal there.  No comments when I checked in and yet very easy to send one in.

I would like to see a section on upcoming features that could call out for help in getting those stories.  Use citizen journalism for good not evil.

Small quibbles indeed.

Keen to hear your thoughts as well… and your thoughts on the need for this kind of website as well.  We have a national broadcaster with the same remit.  Is that not enough?

(My view is Bring. It. On.  The more journalism like this in the world – the better.  But I guess you figured that out.)

 

My new outdoor office

A water view and decking beneath my feet

You find me this afternoon, dear reader, writing from my new outdoor office.

I’m mid holiday, we’ve finished the pergola and the decking.

It’s 35 degrees and hot so I’m in my wet bikini (imagine me slim please) with a large glass of icy water which I hope will be replaced by a St Clair Savignon Blanc within the hour.

I am a third of the way through my reading list for this year’s writers’ festival.

I’m chairing the bloggers’ forum and for once feel a tiny bit qualified to be amongst the literati.

Of course all the bloggers on my panel have also written books.  Show offs.

Apart from appearing as an extra in my very own version of The Renovators, this week I’ve been going along to the “advanced” storytelling course led by Brian Finkelstein from The Moth.

It’s the advanced course because I did another course this time last year with Margot Leitman, not that I consider myself advanced at all.

I was a bit nervous this year.

Last year, well I was a n00b wasn’t I so it didn’t really matter if I was rubbish… but now… I’m “advanced”.

There are expectations.
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And everyone else is so good, including my partner in crime when it comes to storytelling – Feline.

Still, four more lessons to go before we begin the show at The Blue Room.  There’s hope.

In fact I’m hoping to get inspired by the fabulous Ira Glass who is in town tonight.  I bought my tickets MONTHS ago and they’ve been pinned to my noticeboard winking at me ever since.

Ira is the host of This American Life, my favourite podcast, in fact I’m listening to it as I type.

He is another fabulous storyteller.

I wonder if I’ll get to meet him?

Should I take my radio to get him to sign it?  My ipod?

A sad little groupie, that’s what I am.

Still it could be worse.

I could be a fan of Justin Beiber. (is that how you spell his name?)

 

Meet me at the cactus

Close up cactus

Saw the million dollar artwork for Perth yesterday.

Perth train station

Do I love it?

Am I supposed to?

Is that the point of public art?

I’ll give it this much… it stands out.

And I kind of like that about public art.

It can’t always be tasteful and classic… a statue of the great and good… usually a white male.

Oh yes the statue of Sir Charles Court is due to be unveiled soon…

Not that I’ve got anything against Sir Charles.

I danced with him once at the Shinju Matsuri ball in Broome, and I must say he was quite light on his feet.

But we need more than a statue in Forrest Place.
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We need a statement.

Does it make a difference that the artist – James Angus – has an impressive resume.

Has his art in several state galleries and collections.

Holds a masters from Yale.

It shouldn’t.

We should take each artwork on its own merits.

We should respond to it, or not, and gauge its value by the strength of the reaction it evokes.

And on that basis, well, this has to be a triumph.

If nothing else, it is certainly a landmark.

Meet you at the cactus next time we’re in Perth.

Your shout.

 

A sticking point does not mar perfection

ravioli with pumpkin, preserved lemon and sage sauce... yum

I went to dinner at Unraveled last night.

Took some doing.

Mainly because in my head I thought I was trying to book “Entangled”.

Which isn’t a bad name for a pasta restaurant I thought.

Anyhow I couldn’t find a reference to my imagined destination online but I could find the number to the restaurant it used to be – The Twisted Fork – so I rang that number and we were in!

I think they call them selves Unraveled because that is how they present their menu.

You choose the pasta, the protein and the sauce separately.

So many of the sauces sounded delicious.

I tried the mushroom sauce with chicken and saffron linguine – which was a special kind of divine.

And the spinich and ricotta ravioli with pumpkin, preserved lemon and sage was also delicious.

The bread and butter pudding with white chocolate and raspberry – diet starts today!

The service – friendly and prompt.

My one question.

Should you take the sticker off the lime before you serve it?

Yeah.

That’s what I think.

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At Ezra Pound

Drinking shiraz and enjoying the atmos

I discovered a new bar in town last night.

A bar that made me feel like I was in Melbourne.

Maybe it was the street art vibe…

street art

Maybe it was the fact I was out on in Northbridge with friends for the second night in a week.

Ezra Pound was of course a famous American poet at the turn of the previous century – I’m not terribly familiar with his work – a quick read of Wikipedia makes me think he wasn’t all that pleasant a chap – although in his favour he did convince people to publish one of my favourite poets – TS Eliot.

Do not move
 Let the wind speak
  that is paradise.
Let the Gods forgive what I
  have made
Let those I love try to forgive
  what I have made.
from Canto 120, Ezra Pound

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 Anyway, the man himself aside, it’s a great little bar.
Loved the exposed brick, the couches and chairs inside, the outdoor seating, the decorated fence.
I missed it completely the first time – it’s down a little alleyway just a few doors down from The Bird on William Street if you’re heading towards the Brass Monkey.
Oh and speaking of monkeys… or rather Great Apes… we had a very lively discussion of the play we’d just been to see at The Blue Room – Wish.
If you’ve read the book by Peter Goldsworthy you’ll know why.
When JJ – the hearing son of deaf parents – agrees to teach Sign to the mysterious Eliza, he embarks on a voyage of discovery that takes him to the outer limits of language, science, nature, ethics – and love.
For me the play was about living in two worlds but fitting in in neither.
And it also raised the question:  Does love justify your actions?
I’m not sure it’s the get-out-of-jail-free card that the romantics would have us believe.
Have you read the book?  Seen the play?
What do you think?

Happy to be at this bar

Finding Nigel

Alison with her newly discovered vagina

So we found the sculpture (pictured above) and now Narelle wants to find Nigel.

Narelle being Alison, or at least Alison when she was 20, and fresh born into the city.

The back story.

The search.

Anyhoo the thing is that Alison is in Sydney this week – and so is the artist that sculpted her veejayjay back in the day and she wants to find him.

She has an mp3 of the story she told at our storytelling sessions and a photograph of… well… herself to give him.

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It’s just for old times sake (she is in a relationship at the moment) so she isn’t stalking him or anything.

Promise.

🙂

So if you know where the artist is – please let us know!

We have a twitter search going on – have a look on http://twitter.com/cellobella

Oh and his name isn’t Nigel.

Sculptures by the sea 2011

red boy

This sculpture was tall… an oversized bright red boy. I liked this one. I would have liked to have seen it in a more prominent position.

Cottesloe Beach

This is the view from the end of the groin back at the beach, now sadly eroded. Usually the beach hangs around until winter… but it has been an unusual summer.

At the end of the groin (excuse the pun)

And this is what was on the end of the groin.

From the other direction

Quite a striking figure but one wonders if better placed at Swanborne…

The kiss (at least that's what I call it)

Loved this one.

Intimacy laughed at

This is one of a series of three – one with a straight face, one smiling and this one laughing.

Talk to the hand(s)

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This was a whole bunch of hands on sticks.

Boy and camels

Solid reflections

Loved this one – I think it was a Danish artist.

Her cup overflowth

This was my favourite. She/it is so sexy. I believe another version of this was at Bondi a few years ago.

Man in boat

This one was also sweet. And yes there is water in the boat.

Sand shoes

And you’ve got to have whimsy.

All in all, another enjoyable exhibition. I would like to see another floating sculpture… they are always fun.

Oh and we downloaded Russ and Pete’s podcast which was an interesting take.

Through the glass

So much grafitti

The late afternoon sun came through the graffiti on the way home yesterday and I really noticed it.

This morning, as I write this on my way to work the glass is gleaming and clear.

The clear glass

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It makes me wonder whether they put some sort of covering on the glass that they can replace occasionally to bring the windows… excuse the pun… up to scratch.

And if not, maybe that would be a solution to a problem all those security guards and cameras don’t seem to be able to solve.

What do they do in Washington DC? They would have the best kept metro I’ve been on.