In an effort to try something new and be ‘outside’, I went bushwalking with Remnant Veg yesterday. We trekked the Cowan to Hawkesbury leg of the Great North Walk which is listed as Medium. I think they average that out - most of the walk is pretty easy, but two early climbs are a bit of a bitch, and the firetrail descent as you approach Brooklyn is slippery with loose stones, a real test on your toe strength.
All up the 11.5km walk took us 4.5 hours, but we took our time, including a significant break for lunch after one of the aforementioned bitch climbs. The walk was very worthwhile with excellent views over Jerusalem Bay to the mouth of the Hawkesbury River, as well as a great view over the freeway and Brooklyn Bridge nearer the walk’s end.
I got home at 5pm, showered, and lay on my bed to stretch. I just woke up. I was exhausted.
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Written on 01 April 2001
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After four years of ‘funky beats for music freaks’, Tweekin will shut its doors forever, 3 weeks after the 4th birthday party. This announcement brings out mixed feelings in me.
With Tweekin closed, all chance of a return to the ‘glory days’ of 1997 have been dashed forever. I must accept that I will never again feel like the ‘King of Tweekin’. Unfortunately this is already glaringly obvious, considering that technically I am still banned, and the number of familiar faces decreases each time I go.
After Tweekin has gone, where will we go to hear good music? We will have to scour 3D World, weighing alternatives, looking for the gems amongst the rubble. We will have to be active in seeking out tunes, rather than passively accepting that Tweekin is where its at. This will lead us to discover new venues, new promoters, new DJs, new friends. With the death of Tweekin comes the birth of a new era, and I look forward to what this era will bring.
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Written on 28 March 2001
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Last night I went to a party called Lucid held at 61 Regent Street. Having been to this venue a few times before, I was surprised to find that this event seemed a lot more professional than the ‘doofy’ feel I had expected. I arrived later than I had planned, and missed Ajax’s set, but Kid Kenobi made up for this loss, and I was on the floor in no time. Dancing on carpet always wears me out, and after a while I went for a wander upstairs to check out the techno (read: rave) room. Darkened, with green lasers and fast music, the room transported me back many years and I got caught up in a techno-frenzy 
After a few tracks I started to miss the breaks, so I headed back downstairs, to find that the techno had re-energised me - I was as light as a feather! This was like an epiphany for me - when I get tired I shouldn’t rest, I should GO HARDER! All those wasted years! Kid Kenobi seemed to go on forever, even though I was leaving every now and then to revive in the Techno Room. Eventually he did finish up, someone else good came on, then Abel. Abel was too slow for me, and not even techno could revive my spirit. I left, tired but filled with the new knowledge I had acquired. I have grasped the 2-Room System, and I will never go back.
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Written on 25 March 2001
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Last night Greg, walkingrek and I went to see “Art>Music LIVE”, a performance presented by the MCA and held in The Studio at the Opera House. It was the opening event for “Rock Pop Techno”, an exhibition held at the MCA. First up it was cheap beers in the Green Room (warning: don’t EVER buy a LJ beer, even if it is $1). Then off to the Studio to find a seat - unsuccessfully. This turned out to be fortunate for us, because we decided to sit behind the (opaque) projection screen, where there were plenty of free seats. Being only one or two metres from the screen gave us the Ultra Imax panorama view of the computer-generated visuals and, in combination with the beers, provided an experience that was mesmerising. I don’t think I have felt that musically connected to visuals since early *ahem* “experimental” days at Uni.
Anyway, I kinda didn’t pay much attention to the next few acts (or recognise the distinction between them) as I was a) behind a screen and b) drinking beer. However it was impossible to miss Lee Ranaldo’s performance, if only because it had an instrument. It was very gratifying to learn that, as a 14 year old in my bedroom, I was on the cutting edge of guitar-based art. Had I only the foresight to smash some vinyl and use the pieces as picks, then I would have rocketed to the forefront of musical experimentalism, circa 2001.
Overall, I had a great night out - from the ferry ride in to our hasty retreat. I would class this event as a yuppie version of a Newtown bash.
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Written on 21 March 2001
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I have re-written the entire site, and it is finished enough for me to actually add an entry to the blog. Unfortunately this entry, and indeed the entire site, will not be visible for a few days, as Network Solutions have once again fucked me over. I am now waiting the eight days necessary to transfer registrar to register.com who provide a much faster and cheaper service. I am taking this opportunity to change hosts as well, and my domains will be hosted by turbohost from now onwards.
I am still looking for a job, the market has dropped out completely for IT people and I know that I am not the only one to feel the pinch. If you are in a position to hire excellent employees, check out my resume. Otherwise, just send donations to me at the address listed in contacts
Popularity: 69% [?]