words for winter

It has been quite a while in between blog posts and I do apologise everybody. I am not sure why, but I think writers block has had something to with my long hiatus from blogging, although I dare say that study is mostly to blame. Blog writing is vastly different to academic writing, as different skills require different parts of the brain.
I guess it will take practice to do both things simultaneously.


Also, I quit smoking a few months back and it has taken me this long to write freely without the support of that nasty vice. Although I have not been blogging, I have still been collecting treasures from the websphere to share with you all......How is everyone? Cold much?!


I am so relieved to have some time off uni over winter just to reflect, snuggle, light fire's, make soups, catch up on my reading and watch some seriously bad t.v. Last week saw the return of True Blood season 3 and although I have not watched the first episode yet, I have been urged to watch if only for the gay vampire sex. Can't wait!

One thing I can wait for however, is the second instalment in the Sex and the City monstrosity that came out here last week. I'm sorry ladies, but enough is enough - for real. There are great independent films being made and released in this country so please, spend your $15 on something with grit and substance such as the incredibly brilliant Australian film Animal Kingdom, out now in limited release.

This review of SATC2  by Lindy West is haaaarlarious (particularly when she questions the lubrication level of samantha jones' 52 year-old vagina) and its well worth a read if, like me you are well tired of this overindulgent nonsense.


Speaking of hilarity, this bizarre article Digging for Peter Falconio: A rod for our backs tells the side-splitting tale of journalist Paul Toohey as he embarks on an archelogical dig with a "trusted psychic" to uncover the whereabouts of murder victim Falconio's remains, somewhere... in the Australian outback. The psychic proves to be a source of both entertainment and frustration for Toohey and the reader.


Still in the outback and this chilling blog post by Michael Brull examines what happened when five white men beat an aboriginal man to death. It is evidence that entrenched racism permeates all sections of society - including the courts. The fact that I have not heard about this case (except here in Michaels blog) is further evidence of the massive imbalance and injustice regarding violent crimes against Aboriginal people. Can you imagine the media circus if five black men beat a white man to death?


In Slate magazine the Supreme Court looks at life sentences for teen offenders in the U.S (seriously) and the Huffington Post looks at the creepiest children's books ever made. (They are particularly creepy).


Speaking of creepy, in Melbourne recently I was lucky enough to stumble into Wunderkammer - a quiet little downtown store full of kookie magical treasures. Inside I found antique cabinets; their drawers laden with fossilised insects and glass domes holding brilliant gold and sapphire blue butterflies, emu eggs, mice skulls, bird skulls, old maps, storm meters, giant globes, owls, skeletons, medical apparatus and oh my goodness... so many more fascinations. You simply must wander in if you live in Melbourne -  I promise you will not be disappointed.


Here are ten of the most amazing tree houses I have ever seen. 


And some kookie resemblances between the plots of Star Wars and Harry Potter.  


Joseph Campbell was really onto something when he wrote his infamous book the hero with a thousand faces.  


Lastly, this poignant piece by Ian McEwan was written 4 days after the September 11 attacks in 2001. Ian McEwan is arguably one of my favourite writers and reading this piece reminded me why. 

Stay warm everyone!