warning for all downsizers!
There are regular articles appearing about people’s experiences with living in apartments and dealing with those who take it on themselves to be the body corporate manager – on behalf of everyone else of course!
Category Archives: Life Matters
let there be birds
another memory of another life
There are friends left behind but not forgotten.
We were to vote yes
A Melbourne Moment
There was a chance for change. A moment that passed by. The reminders of that choice remain on walls as you walk the neighbourhood.
The last exit December 2023
as we left Canberra
As we drove away from our former home, all sold and all packed up.
Immortal Gestures Damon Young
Book Review
I was looking forward to reading Damon Young’s recent book: Immortal Gestures, Journeys in the Unspoken. I am intrigued by people’s behaviour, how people move and how they communicate through gestures. Was this a book I had been waiting for?
The Enlightenment Myth
Book Review: The End of the Enlightenment
The world population in 1700 was 600 to 680 million. the European population around then was around 127 million. How many of these earthly beings were aware of the debates centred on the philosophies of the enlightenment?
Is gullicism a real word?
word for the day maybe
It is amazing how gullible so many people are and have always been; think religion, think Trump, think Australian Prime Ministers such as Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, think those who still listen to anything broadcasted by or published by the Murdoch empire.
Meta facebook and climate change
Meta doomed to climate change & tidal flooding
Fun Fact: While looking up something else, I noticed a side bar image of the Meta (Facebook) headquarters. This is in Menlo Park California. Then I noticed the background and that the vast complex was almost at sea level.
Waldemar Januszczak Merry Christmas 2025
Merry Christmas from Waldemar Januszczak and ZCZ
time to celebrate with a message from Waldemar Januszczak
social media distraction
or the case of they believe anything!
The Cathy Wilcox cartoon in The Age 10th December 2025 (Melbourne) says it all about an aspect of today’s society.
A moment in time
2011 a car park
a place where I used to park for work. It had a certain atmosphere when it was empty (or near empty). There was a sign warning of ‘Danger’ – it was not so dangerous! Made for an interesting combinations of shadows and light in the mornings.
Looking into the past
A coastline missed
While I am enjoying our move in late 2023 to Melbourne from Canberra, and have no regrets about the decision to have permanently left Canberra, there are aspects of a former life that will be missed.
Royal portrait unfortunate failures
King Charles in soiled suit
I was visiting my local framers when I noticed that they had the portrait of Prince Charles for sale – again. They have been selling these portraits for a couple of years now.
Last visit with Rod McNicol
We visited Rod McNicol in mid September; he died at home on 8th October.
Gael has a post about our visit – click here
Declining interest in the USA
Decline of the US empire
The current crisis of democracy within the USA has not been a surprise. The reality of what is happening on a day-to-day basis is absolutely shocking and horrible to watch.
Melbourne University notices
fighting for attention
Wandering through Melbourne University a few months ago, I noted the voices trying to get attention on the corridor notice boards.
RMIT sustainability contribution
A Melbourne Moment
A scene within a RMIT university car park in Carlton. It speaks for itself!: rated zero out of 10 stars.
Darebin Creek Trail walk
winter in Melbourne
One of the joys of winter in Melbourne, is to walk along the Darebin Creek Trail; which is apparently about 25 kms long. On this day we walked along a section close to home.
Where are the marriages?
In late 2023 when considering the purchase of our Melbourne apartment, one of the many considerations was that the building next door was a church.
quest for a sandwich
and no way is that a sandwich
I enjoy a good sandwich and still have the long held view of what makes up a sandwich. Two slices of bread with yummy filling in between.
Frida Kahlo at ALDI
There’s an exhibition at Bendigo with Frida Kahlo’s personal belongings, clothing, make-up, accessories, and medical items on exhibition. Meanwhile a trip to ALDI offered an opportunity to have my own Frida memorabilia. I resisted!
Here’s a link to the Bendigo Art Gallery exhibition.
Fitzroy quiet corner
A Melbourne Moment
Review: Careless People
Book review
This book should be read by anyone who is concerned about the many nasty oligarchs that now influence so much of our lives.
Camberwell Junction
A Melbourne Moment
deceptive packaging
When you buy cereal, the packaging, like it or not, plays a part in your choices.
Urban development rubbish
the property industry looks for sympathy
You have to cringe when you see how easily the property lobby take the public for ride with misleading information published as serious article in The Age – being Melbourne main newspaper.
have we forgotten The Queen?
Many times in 2024 we walked passed a shop window that had on display many ornaments and bric-a-brac. Front and centre was the small statue of the Queen – waving whenever the sun is on her.
Matsuya Japanese Fairfield
good Japanese restaurant
This was the second time we gone out for lunch at Matsuya Japanese in Fairfield.
Good choice!
When journalists sane wash
A significant number of commentators have called on the media to stop sane washing bad behaviour of particular politicians and their lackeys. This call went unheeded during the run up to the last US elections and so a gang of self serving mobsters are now in the White House. I would have expected better from the The Atlantic.
Being in a different home
it is about belonging
One year on from moving to Melbourne and on an evening walk that includes the top of the high street for this shopping centre, I have stopped to look at the scene in front. And took this photograph.
Rediscovered Australian women artists
Leonard Joel auction – Women Artists 2024
On Friday 20th September we drove over to Hawthorn (Melbourne) to view the Leonard Joel Auction’s exhibition of women’s art that was open for viewing that weekend. An excellent experience. It was so good, we returned on Saturday for another look around.
Photography remains popular
Public photography collections hidden from view
Recently Gibson’s Auction in Melbourne (20th August 2024) held a successful auction of photographs, paintings and prints from the Julian Burnside & Kate Durham Collection. The result highlighted a disconnect between the management of Australia’s public art museums and the viewing and collecting public.
Gibson’s Auction Julian Burnside exhibition
Art exhibition visit
Being in Melbourne, means we can get along to see art auction exhibitions. This we did last Friday and to see Wolfgang Sievers photographs and a range of prints & other material from the Julian Burnside & Kate Durham Collection (link below) . Good stuff!
Continue reading Gibson’s Auction Julian Burnside exhibition
Councillors who fence sit their constituents
what priority given to urban aesthetics?
The October 2024 local government elections provide Melbourne residents with the opportunity to examine the record of their councillors on the key issue of development and the reshaping of the amenities and aesthetics of their suburbs, the place they have chosen to invest in for the rest of their lives.
Continue reading Councillors who fence sit their constituents
How many storeys are inappropriate?
Ivanhoe Urban Architecture
Political spin justifies anything
Recently in The Age (19th July 2024) several local politicians and a few ‘experts’ spoke of the coming of apartments towers to the central areas of Ivanhoe with the emphasis on those sites nearer the railway station.
Councils and high street architecture
Ivanhoe Urban Architecture
On the main intersection on Upper Heidelberg Road in the middle of the Ivanhoe shopping strip, stands this building that I think is all about the real estate agency on the first floor – meaning I suspect the real estate is also on the upper floors. On the ground floor are two businesses.
Melbourne and Graffiti
Graffiti as aesthetic rubbish – not art
Melbourne, in particular inner Melbourne, has a serious problem with graffiti.
(Image above – a composite photo- captured from two train journeys).
Staying sane
podcast programs to assist with sanity
Sometimes it seems that the only sane thing to do given the dangerous state of US politics is to find somewhere to hide and no longer communicate with anyone.
Become a hermit. But…
Waving the flag
National Colours on display 14 July
It was the 14th July in Ivanhoe and at least one cafe was honouring this important French national day. The cafe was quiet when I took the photograph, it was after hours and one person was inside doing the clean-up.
Is this architecture?
local bank makes a statement
Upper Heidelberg Road as it runs through Ivanhoe in Melbourne has many buildings of interest. The street has a general people friendly feel to it. In among them is this bank building. Isn’t it wonderful!!
The Royal Wave
What now for her majesty?
I have been walking passed this royal icon in this high street window for the last six months – ever since we arrived here. She waves when in the sunshine.
Local businesses and the economy
Another small business gives up
We have lived in Melbourne for about 6 months and one of the reasons we chose to live in this suburb was the vibrancy of the shopping street – which is very much an older style ‘high street’.
Does Clive Hamilton value his own backyard?
This piece as originally published in 2022
Looking at the creative political sign in front of the Kingston Glass Workshop in October (now removed), the message was clear.
Continue reading Does Clive Hamilton value his own backyard?
Time to move to Melbourne
At the end of June, I took time out from writing about local urban political matters.
Canberra builds crammed expensive housing
The ACT Green’s Building the Better Normal policy
Recently I was sent a real estate advertisement for a rooftop unit on Northbourne Avenue Canberra.
Revisiting Cedric’s Garden
On Saturday 5th November 2022 I wrote an online piece for Canberra City News that received positive feedback from readers as well as directly from friends.
The wonders of signs
is this what we signed up for?
Developers love putting up their signs of things to come that will make life better for future residents.
Korean food to celebrate the Queen
It was, as I was reading an online US newspaper on Thursday, June 2, that I spotted they had the streaming of the Queen’s platinum celebration in London. How could I resist?
Supermarkets, galleries and Italian food
There was news in May that a new supermarket is to open in Canberra. Harris Farm Markets are to build a new store at Majura Park on the northern end of the site occasionally used by the circus. Continue reading Supermarkets, galleries and Italian food
A day out in Braidwood
Making the time out to visit regionally
Earlier this month we ventured out for the day to meet a friend at Braidwood. She was from the south coast and so Braidwood meant we both travelled just over an hour.
pandemic travel to Adelaide
not so normal travel during the pandemic
We took the opportunity to travel to what seemed like a faraway place – Adelaide.
Rebecca Solnit
Trump and on not being inattentive and indifferent
Rebecca Solnit has written about regimes such as Trump’s do not last forever.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
George Monbiot on the signs of change
George Monbiot writes about the signs for change. Please make it happen.
Richard Denniss
Essay: Dead Right, How Neoliberalism ate itself and what come next
Recommended reading for all of us as we try to work out what the hell happened with democracy and how our governments have ruined this country.
How women dress
Danger to dogs from the ACT Government
Some issues just do not go away. Dogs that are dangerous or potentially dangerous is such a topic.
Thanks for Flu
Here’s a message from me – and the many others who suffered through the flu recently:
This goes out to those thoughtful people who insisted on going out into public areas when they had the flu.
Midnight Oil
Michael Leunig
George Monbiot
David Marr on equality
trump
Populism
Populism now divides, yet once it united the working class
The words populism and populist have no simple, coherent meaning.
Women in music
A list of women in music – turning the tables; click here
All Liberal – all men
click on the image for the story – and wonder which century these people live in?
post truth & politics & energy
A good article summing up the state of politics, where truth is an option to be discarded.
Inequality
What we can learn about fighting inequality from Australia’s convict past
Analysis shows that while land values per acre rose at 2.2% per annum, land rents fell by 0.3% per annum in the 1800s. Powerhouse Museum/Flickr, CC BY-SA
Being Trumped
They marched to demand Congress DO THEIR JOB and remove the President from The White House. click here
George Monbiot
George Monbiot on Brexit – where to now?
click on the image for this very interesting view on Brexit
Wonders of apartment heaven in Zetland
For people who live in the older tree filled suburbs of Canberra, being not only the inner north but also out to west Belconnen and the older parts of Woden, Weston and inner Tuggeranong – I have a holiday experience for you.
Fake Trump
Another laugh – well maybe? click on the image for the truth.
NO is NOT enough
New book by Naomi Klein
this is my second post on this book:
here’s a new review of the book on The Guardian – click here
Continue reading NO is NOT enough
K D Lang
Uber and Defeating Sexism
The story of one woman who demanded to be heard
The Uber CEO is gone – why?
click here for the story in The Guardian and read about Susan Fowler, the person who did not do as advised – to ignore the sexist behaviour around her.
Pauline Hanson on excluding the artistics
Setting the record straight!
Yet again the media has misunderstood what Pauline Hanson said!
Rebecca Solnit on Trump
It’s Time (again)
It is definitely time for all forms of peaceful and concerted actions to adjust our democratic structures to deal with the damage being done by forces that have resulted in Trump and his cronies being where they are.
Noam Chomsky
Neoliberalism Is Destroying Our Democracy
the democracy experiment continues – but will it get beyond the influence of neoliberalism
inflammable clading
Nothing wrong here!
oh how we wish we could believe the Minister and the building industry spokespersons – of course here in Canberra we have the laws in place! But – we all know better than that.
Man of the onions
says it all.. the idiot of Australian politics
NO is NOT enough
New book by Naomi Klein
“This is one attempt to uncover how we got to this surreal political moment. It is also an attempt to predict how, under cover of shocks and crises, it could get a lot worse.
And it’s a plan for how, if we keep our heads, we might just be able to flip the script and arrive at a radically better future.” — From the Introduction
Looking for arts policy
will we ever have an arts minister?
While Australia is a great country – it has been a long time since we have experienced a government that was actually committed to its culture.
Culture Heist
Book Notice: Culture Heist, Judith White
ART VERSUS MONEY: The fight for the soul of a
great public institution
MIT and Climate Change
MIT Speaks for Science & Climate Change
A message from the MIT President in which he reacts to the Trump announcement on how Trump is yet again out of touch with the rest of the world. Yah for our scientists!
George Monbiot
George Monbiot on how dark money is subverting democracy in the UK.
Click on the banner above
Monbiot on Terrorism
Architecture
a note to the ACT Chief Minister
About the architecture along Northbourne Avenue
Architecture
How to waste public money
The saga of the proposed Garden Bridge over the Thames in London has been well covered in the UK press. It is indeed a saga. It is about a folly.
Neoliberalism has run its course
A few stories on this topic – and the world needs more people to identify this and to lead the change away from this nasty ideology.
Inappropriate letterboxes to be replaced
Following the resignation of their highly paid CEO, it seems that our postal services need to recover some of the revenue it has been paying out in the last few years.
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Oh how we wish for more voices to be critical of the current political class and their hangers-on – and I include many journalists as being hangers-on.
Dogs
This post will probably upset a few dog owners. Unfortunately, that is also part of the story – being that whenever you raise the problems you have with dogs, many dog owners (not all) go into denial.
Holy Crime!
Clive Hamilton on Turnbull
being Turnbulled!
Author Clive Hamilton has been engaged in the climate debate for more than 20 years, with books selling worldwide.
The Medicare barn
Medicare was great. Having a universal health care system was the envy of many other countries.
International Women’s Day 2017
Celebrating with visual art and music
click on image for more….
Women Photograph
click on the image for the website – Women Photograph
The Art of great window display
Randy Newman
Randy Newman on PUTIN
Time for some fun – and a new song from Randy Newman…
Yassmin Abdel-Magied
Very good article about this event – click on the image
Rebecca Huntley Still Lucky
Book Review
Still Lucky, Rebecca Huntley, 2017. This is a good book. The message is clear – Australians are far more optimistic than we have been led to believe by our governments and the media. This researcher has done the research, travelled the country, talked to loads of people over many years. If you are interested in her reports on her research and comments – this book will give you all that and more.
Shopping in Sydney
Recommended gift shopping: Made On Earth
The Place in Sydney for all manner of gifts and good buys – recommended.