A change is as good as a holiday

...well so they tell me! And who is this big all powerful 'they' anyway!? I think they probably built the pyramids, are responsible for crop circles, know who Jack the Ripper is, leave money under your pillow when you loose a tooth, and mess up my cd's so they aren't in alphabetical order anymore!
So today was my last day in a service role at work, as of tomorrow i'm a bad ass sales rep!! I'm going to get people to buy and pay for all kinds of insurance crap they don't want and/or know what it is.
Actually, I'm starting to get into a mode of 'I don't care about this job', in preperation for my naturopathy study, which will be far more interesting.
I'm just talking shit, now...drank too much with Al...again!

A short course in Dub

I love making compilations, or as some might see it 'soundtracks' to different parts of my life. Tonight I am exploring dub. Something I have only started to get into recently. I love any kind of music that is a bit on the dark side with deep bass lines, and a soulful rhythm to it. So I thought I might explain my current musical crave:
1. Sister Nancy - Bam bam: parts of this track or rip offs of her lyrics have been used a gazillion times in other people's music. The one that always sticks in my mind is Lauryn Hill. It's one of the all time classic dancehall tracks using the ever popular 'Stalag' rhythm.
2.Salmonella Dub - Johnny (Dubmariner remix). The original is great, but this remix is even darker, so strikes more of a cord with me! From the exceptional album killervision, with inputs from the madprofessor. These boys are from NZ and aparently are amazing live, if they come to our shores again I'll be there!
3.Dennis Brown - Westbound train. From the album some like it hot. Known as 'the crowned prince of reggae' this guy was really prolific in his releases, he sometimes did as many as 6 albums in a year! This one was released in the 70's, but has that timeless sound you can't help but groove to.
4.Finley Quaye- Ultra stimulation. Whenever I go to put one of his tracks on my compilations I can never choose which one. So I've just basically picked this one at random. I think it was released mid 90s if my memory serves me correctly I was working at Rockeby Records when I got it, so that must be about right. It's beat is very old skool dub, but the electronic twists and dives gives it an interesting modern feel. He also does a cool version of Marley's 'Sunday Shining', but that's for another day!
5. Gregory Isaacs - Night nurse (K&D remix). Not sure where I got this, but it's a nice version and they haven't ruined the sexy slow dub beats. It's just kinda taken on a modern life of it's own. Often when I see (dub mix) on a dance album of some kind I get very disapointed, as there is usually nothing that can be even remotly described as dub, maybe just some slowed down dance beat. But this one shines!
6.Lee Scratch Perry - groovy dub. I have my reservations on the track title, this is from a bunch of stuff a girl in Broome gave me, she was really into dancehall. But I do like it, it has one of those beats that comands your slow your pace to a saunter. I also like how he always does those echoing minimal vocals, I have no idea what he's actually singing about!
7.Seeed- Dancehall collaborators. Here's an interesting one! This was passed on to me by my friend Keziah. It's German Ragga!! Sounds like it would have to be crap I know, but it's really good! Who can't love a song with horse neighs as samples and the lyrics 'oh what a crime, you give me a dime for me rhyme' . It's very bassey, and dark. You can almost picture the guys from Rammstein performing it.
8. Augustus Pablo -East of the River Nile. This came to me via a very cool compilation called 500% dynamite, which is part of a whole 'dynamite' series. A wicked introduction to all styles of Jamaican classics. The story goes with Pablo that he started the use of the melodica (an obscure european mouth organ) in dub and has made it a major part of the dub sound. I think he's since passed away, but what an amazing gift to leave the world, his discography is insane!
9.Easy Dub All Stars-Speak to me. Again this is going to sound like it could only possibly be crap, it's a dub version of Pink Floyds 'Dark side of the moon'. So the album is called 'Dub side of the moon'. It's suprisingly well done! The first track is my fave, but it's one of those albums that the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts.
10. Damien 'Jr Gong' Marley - Welcome to Jamrock. Obviously one of the many son's of Bob, I saw him at the blues and roots festival in Fremantle. He came out with this guy waving a huge Jamaican flag. This was the first song he played, after which we though the flag dude would give up, after all it was a big heavy flag, but he waved the thing in sync with the beat for the whole hour long performance, it was mad! But as far as this song goes, it has the more dark modern beats, and dancehall style 'rapping',
So that's a little insight into what I'm loving right now. For any of my friends reading this if you want a copy of any of this stuff, I'll be happy to sort you out. All you need to say is 'Jah bless me wit you fine Riddims'...and we're in business!

Local Tourist

Today I went back to ACNM to discuss in greater detail just how my semester would look if I take up this study. I found myself in East Perth rather earlier than I though. I have lived in Perth the vast majority of my life, and have always though I've known it very well, but today was strange. I found myself in a part of the city that was completely alien to me, I might as well have been in another city. Having done a fair amount of travelling, I was able to put my 'tourist' goggles on and see the place as if I were a traveller. I wandered around a bit, and was enjoying sitting in a park for a while, just letting my mind take me where it will. I delighted in watching the brown leaves from plain trees hop and skip about my feet, and also twirl and dance in mini whirl winds.
Then reality set in, I saw some very suspicious people across the other side of the park exchanging what looked like money for something in little bags. Their air of casualness was so intense it gave them away. Disheartened by this ruining my little fantasy, I looked down only to see a used needle, a condom packet and what looked like dried vomit on the paving.
How very disapointing

Great Expectations

A few days back I decided to go for one of my usual walks, but instead I ended up running! Having now lost 15kg in the last 8months, I all of a sudden have all this energy and my fitness level is really suprising me! So I think my route was about 5km, and I'd say I run about half of that (in spurts). Today Alex and I went for another run/walk together, and I manged to run even further than before! I also used the heart rate monitor which was interesting. So I think I like the idea of building myself up to be able to run the whole 5km. My legs are totally killing me right now, but I'm sure that will go away in time.
In other late breaking news, I went to a seminar for a natural medicine course that I'll be taking up in July. It's actually going to be a degree, so it can be covered by 'Fee-Help', the private college version of Hex. I studied this stuff about 5 years ago for a period of nearly 3 years. I really enjoyed it at the time, but it just wasn't the right time in my life to put that learning into practice. Now I'm older, I know when I've finished I'll be in a position to actually set up a practice. If I had finished it before, I wouldn't have done all the travel I did because I would have been tied to a small business.
I also caught up with a new friend Brooke, after getting herself lost somewhere in Mosman Park she made it here and we went to freo for coffee and a chat. I hadn't really had much chance to get to know her previously, so this was really nice!
I'm looking forward to having a whole bunch of people over for Sunday lunch next weekend. I'll have to start thinking up some recipes, and ideas of what to cook. I must say I'm very lucky to have been accepted (so far) by this bunch of lovely people who have come into my life via Alex. There have been a few hiccups as mentioned in my last blog, but ultimatly I think it's all going to work out well. It's nice to meet new people, and extend myself a bit in getting to know them, and allowing them to get to know me (always the hard part for me!). I think potentially there are going to be some really strong friendships that result.
Life is good to me these days

Life's Hiccups

Today I am sad, mostly sad at myself for not being more careful with my own heart, and too trusting. But other than that it is a boring day at work. I have the worst shift ever of 12-8! Extremely unsociable hours. I'm looking forward to going home and catching up with my flatmate and a friend who is coming to my emotional rescue!
Last night my flatmate and I got drunk (and it wasn't even our usual Tue night!), and I came up with the most disgusting game. I call it 'The Turd Olympics'...how do you play? Well let me tell you. We now have a digital scale, so what you do is weigh your self pre #2 and then you weigh yourself post #2. You then work out the weight, and write it on the chart! The heaviest wins! Now who wouldn't want to play that game huh?
I might get into training soon, with a bowl full of all bran and plenty of water! Maybe some prunes too for good measure.