Cat-astrophes

There is nothing like a holiday. But there is nothing more than the feeling of arriving home and sinking into your own bed.

I spent a week away in North Queensland. 4 days on Magnetic Island, and 2 in Townsville. I visited the island over 7 years ago, and oh boy has it changed! Picnic Bay (which is where I stayed last time) has gone from being the centre of the Island to a neat and tidy tropical ghost town. Here is an idea of what the actual bay looks like...

The new jetty, a concrete structure, is surrounded by big ugly developments. The locals talk about Sydney-siders buying up big in that little pocket of land. The irony is that in an island so large and with so much space available, people are squishing up in tiny little apartments that look so out of place. Thankfully the only times I went out that way was to pick up things from the supermarket (another recent change...but for the better!). Even some of the new housing is an eyesore. In case you haven't noticed the photo, have a look at this stunning piece of design disastor! An explosion at the Dulux factory??

Meanwhile, the old jetty at Picnic Bay was sooooo much more picturesque. Okay, so it may have not been as practical with its long hike across wooden planks...but it was certainly more beautiful.
I took over 300 photos, so I'll do my best to weed out most and provide a few stories...I'll try not to ramble...so I'll add to the saga over the next few days (though back to work tomorrow, so it may turn into the next few weeks....). I didn't think there would be much more to do up there aside from climb trees and shop (both of which I did...) but I must say I walked away with *many* memories...

And to answer all of you people who have asked 'aren't there cyclones up there?'...yes, but not this year (Innesfail is a little more north) - there was apparently a LOT of rain during the season, but the sun came out while we were up there. However, I thought I'd end with this little shot of a resort that had a cyclone run through it a few years ago...note the cabins...oh right...they're gone...


xxx

100 anecdotes on nothing...



xxx

Leaving teatowels on hotplates are not adviseable, however they do provide interesting aesthetic pieces... So much so that I'm thinking of making a triptych to hang in my kitchen....

xxx

8:35 am - Squirted pidgeon with Spray and Wipe

xxx

4:40am - wake up
4:50 - realise the time, go back to sleep
5:00 - sms on phone
5:01 - think evil thoughts about what should happen to people who sms at ungodly hours whilst unsuspecting victims are on holidays.
5:30 - calm down enough to reply
5:45 - response
5:46 - reply informing working individual that I was going to go back to *sleep*. Yeah, that showed them.
5:50 - too awake to sleep
5:51 - get up
6:00 - breakfast....


6:10 - go over homework
6:40 - light insense
6:41 - watch smoke come out of incense holder
6:42 - take photos of smoke


Have I ever mentioned how much I love holidays????

xxx

Now this is someone who has their head screwed on straight. I insist you go and read it now. I just need to work out where to get a big hypnotic red eye from...

Furthermore, I think that his research deserves a look - this is one person who is passionate towards erradicating certain pests.

xxx

There are pidgeons in my roof.

They are driving me insane.

Firstly - they do not belong in my roof. They are free-loading. Last time I checked they were not contributing to the rent. I've tried posting little eviction notices, but apparently they don't understand English.

Secondly - they are noisy. Their constant coo-coo (and not cute-dovey coo-iness either...this is that low gutteral old-man-clearing-the-flem-out-of-his-throat kind of coo) is bad enough without them scuffling from one side of my ceiling to the other.

Lastly - and this is probably what erks me the most is that they are dirty. Disgusting piles of playdough...I'm paranoid about what germs they might be bringing in with them...potential bird-lice hazzard....they are probably the reason why I spent almost 4 days in bed! Bird flu! ARGH!!!!

There was a time I found them amusing...and on occasion I still do....when they aren't in my roof! Stupid animals....

The most frustrating thing is...I don't own my roof, and neither does my landlord - it's a strata issue. And do strata care? No they do not. Strata cared about bird poo on window sills enough to put pigeon spikes around the building - but this is what caused the rotten things to move in my roof in the first place!!! Unless the birds start deficating around the roof, there is nothing to be done.

So if someone can tell me how to get rid of birds without causing them to die and rot in my roof, please tell me! I will be eternally grateful. I just know that they are scheming in there...This means war...


xxx

Yeah!! Look at me...I'm out of bed and walking around *without* crashing into walls!

HAH!

AND....I ate breakfast! (and it's still in me)

AND...the world has stopped spinning...well, my world...

AND...I had this little gem sent to me. Imagine sitting in the library studying hard all day and seeing this happen... ah those crazy uni students.

xxx

So, so far my holiday has been spent in bed.

I've watched (or slept through) waaaaay too many dvds, and I've had to cancel 6 outings at this moment...with my trip to Wollongong looking pretty doubtful...

Still, all that aside, I guess it's something I've needed for weeks - rest. It's a shame my body has to put up such a fight to get me to lie down for a bit though!

I've decided today to make the trip to my parents house. They have gone away to Mudgee and I'm supposed to be looking after the psychotic parrot. I figured I'll relocate myself there and either recuperate, or rest until they return. Driving with dizzy spells will be fun though...

The sun is shining, it's ressurection Sunday, the chocolate is plentiful (though I dare not eat any!) - Have a great Easter everbody!

xxx

I've spent the last hour staring at the ceiling and watching it spin around. At the moment it feels like my head is on a tilt and I'm whirling around on my gas lift chair. The only problem is that I'm perfectly still. I had tried to practice a staff routine but kept whacking myself or having to sit down from dizzy spells.

So I guess it's possible to get motion sickness without moving.

So much so I can't really write much more!

Happy Easter

xxx

Joyful joyful! Holidays are here - and if I wasn't so dizzy I'd be dancing around my house...

A flu or something quite conveniently kicked in yesterday, and today...well...let me just say if one more child was going to ask 'what was wrong with my eyes' I would curl up under my desk and sleep just like I felt like doing!

Certain Company is coming out today to film me too...grrrrreeaat....black baggy eyes and all.

Speaking of filming....I got my grade 1 class to write a letter to a morning news program in response to an article in the British Medical Journal about scrapping mandatory helmet laws. I must say they did a great job, with an extra cute-factor of 10...

...long story short, I got a phonecall from a secretary at the station letting me know that the producers will be getting in touch with me shortly in regards to making it a story!

Oh the excitement never ends.

Now to go try and hide these bags...

xxx

Last night I danced around my home.

FREEEEEDOM!!!!

At last Flatmate has moved and I'm alone again. I've begun cleaning everything, I invited a friend over for dinner, I lit smelly candles, I have music playing again, I slept with my bedroom door open and I am planning to shower with the bathroom door open again (not a shower-singer, but I *love* to listen to music in the bathroom...I could get a radio or something in there, but it might mess up the feng chewy chi or something).

Oh bliss.

Sporadic dancing though, I thoroughly recommend! In order to perfect it I suggest flinging open every door in the house (that hasn't happened in over 3 months!) and dancing from room to room making sure to spin at least once in each one. Spinning is best done in a flowing skirt. For the ultimate spinning experience, try to get your hands on a rainbow flowing skirt (see above). Even men should try this once - though I mightnot suggest you do it when you have a dinner guest...they might use the photo against you...

By the way...I've been employed by a certain company to do some research - to take photos, listen to some music and talk...because they think I am fun and 'interesting'. HAH! Hi, my name is Cat and I am interesting...

xxx

I've been looking at my analysis for web-searches, and startlingly, the most popular links to my site in the past month all have to do with either dating or various disturbing x-rated subjects. I guess that will teach me for signing off with kisses... or it'll teach them - look for porn, find dribble.

xxx

Delightfully Different.

It's still so 'Cat-Empiresque', but the influences give it the feel of a scrap-book of postcards from around the world. I guess that was their aim...

'Cities' is the perfect lift-off to the album - Distinctly 'world', but the addition of the horns breaks it back to Melbourne, and Ollie & Ryan give a perfect contrast to the tablas & sitar...yeah...go the sitar!

Boogaloo - I just like saying the name...touch of Motown...just a touch...a very happy song. Thankyou Mr Soulman.

Siente - If Latin met Rasta...and sang with the passion of the 70s... "Peace and Tequila Mun!"

Motion - Why do I see rainbows and flowers dancing around?

Song For The Day - Mr Marley, we love you. Respect. "delusion makes us manic...delusion makes us sing". I especially love the 'boingoingoings' near the end.

Know Your Name - rain and name rhyme. Funky intro.

I would never make a good critic...I get bored too easily...

Song For Elias - For my birthday I recieved a few vouchers. One was for a CD store. I dedicated it to this album for when it came out. The guy that gave it to me is called Elias. The Cat Empire wrote this song especially as a thankyou for him...yup, that's right. Okay, maybe not - but it is a beautiful song, and there's a bit of a girly-voice in there too (Julie O'Hara).

Jungle - love it. Good steering-wheel-bashing, primate-mimicking, leopard-print-loincloth kind of song. A bit of Rocky in there too I think....DUM DUM DAAAAAAAAHHHHH....DUM DUM DERRRRRRRRRRRRRR.....guitar I believe is courtesy of Novak Conrad.

Down at the 303 - SO Ben Harper! Very much like the slide in there...never mind the cheese.

Side to Side - I think this is my favourite song - oh yeah...get funky with your groove-thang! MMmmmmMMMMmmm! Classic Empire 'can't keep still' song...

Waltz - Not your traditional grandpa-waltz, though there is a fair bit of 'Austrian Oompa'. LA LA LA LA LA LA LA.......this song must be sung with many friends, and the following gem must be sung loudest of all:

"Let random things provide imagination sometimes"

...ooh, I think there's something in that for all of us.

Luck Song - I love this song on a lyrical level. Very poetic, very symbolic.

Anymore - Although all of the songs are still very much the Cat Empire, this is probably the closest to what people would be expecting as 'typically them'. However, there is a bit of a worldy-wail in there ;) Still love Harry's scatting (still my childhood dream)

All in all, I must say I am enjoying this album. I know that they have been calling this a 'project' and more of an oppurtunity to throw a few things out there, but I think the experimentalism has turned out to be very beneficial indeed...

And on that note I will just finish by giving another domestic pearl - to keep the mould in your bathroom at bay, keep a couple of pet slugs. Let them roam your bathroom at night feasting on fungus, then keep let them sleep off their hard night's work in a little home you should set up for them.

I'm really getting into this organic-cleaning stuff!

xxx

First gem of wisdom for the day - avoid eating salty foods when you have recently bitten your lip. I gave my poor lip a fair chomp in two places today - both drew blood, and both made me make a funny noise when I bit into a seasoned rice-cracker...talk about rubbing salt into a wound...

Second bit of news, and I guess the reason for this post...

I'm in love.

I never knew how life-changing this could be...but it's true...everything has changed, everything is glowing, gleaming and radient.

I have discovered the power of vinegar. It all began with a little book opening up my eyes on how to get rid of a few stubborn stains 'the natural way'...and to be honest, I *have* heard of using vinegar before, but always thought 'spray and wipe works fine, thankyou'. However I decided to give it a go....

...and what do you know? It works! What's more, it works BETTER!

I have been polishing everything. My house smells like a take-away fish shop. All I need are those plastic strips dangling from my front door and some oily newspaper.

Finally, I must share my disappointment. I broke my first housey-item today. I spent 21 years smashing everything at my parents' house...but in my 4ish years out of home this is my first...a bowl....

....the annoying thing is I can't remember where I bought it from to replace it!!

The up-side though was that I got to see it smash! I love that whole slow-motion shatter-action...and oh boy did it shatter! I'm still treading on the chips after vacuuming twice.

xxx