Angels on pinheads

I've been living and working back in Melbourne now for four months. It was going to be three ... but then I've never been especially good at estimating the amount of time something will take.

Since I have been back, I have interrupted the lives of some wonderful, dear friends. We have sung and danced around the messy details of our mid-life crises and I have often wondered where in the journey of my life I would 'be' now if it hadn't been for the Fag, Interrupted-esque sojourn in the harbour city for seven years. But as James Goldman, in his The Lion In Winter script, puts it: "'What if ...' is a game for scholars. What if Angels sat on pinheads?"

I am constantly moved and provoked by the (in)different circumstances of many of the people I knew almost a decade ago. One of my dearest (and most reliable) co-bar-propper-upper-ers is now on heart medication and rarely drinks. For he and I, it's recently become something like an arduous garden-path kind of a walk to our local for two ... or more. I think about calling him and asking him out to the pub a little less often - especially now that it appears to be a matter of life or death. For him, in any case.

And some of the people I have known in this lifetime are achieving truly wonderful things ... and like a ratty little mongrel puppy, I yap and nip at their heels - celebrating their deserved success: like this extraordinarily beautiful work.

Guaranteed distraction

I have been trying to add a links panel to my blog but the blogger system (bless it and its workload) is not co-operating. So here, instead, are some very interesting links to blogs and websites that are guaranteed to provide literally hours of happy distraction!

Metal Petal has been an inspiration. It's really the first time that the concept of owning a blog has entirely made sense. Petal moved 'home' to Adelaide from Sydney and it has made for very interesting reading. We also celebrated the arrival of Cicciolina and are anticipating what should be the 40th Birthday Event of 2007!

Alison Croggon's Theatre Notes is a fine example of blogging. Among other articles, Alison's review of Arthur Miller's "All My Sons" is the finest piece of criticism I have read in many, many years. Theatre Notes is also an excellent forum for discussion about theatre, writing, words and their power.

Nicholas Pickard has also inspired me to play in the blogosphere and Nicholas provides very interesting commentary about the Sydney theatre scene. I met Nicholas last year when I was the Events Manager and he was the Materials Coordinator for the 53rd Sydney Film Festival. I also saw a production he directed at the New Theatre in Newtown, which revealed lots of potential for him as a theatre director. The interesting Pickard v Brookman (Rob Brookman, General Manager of the Sydney Theatre Company) stoush probably means that Nick won't get a foot in the door down at The Wharf in the forseeable future. For the rest of us, it's an interesting exchange and one I am watching closely.

The Internet Movie Database needs no introduction, but be careful! I have been known to disappear into this database for hours! And for those of you who love to saturate yourself in reviews prior to or immediately following a viewing, then Rotten Tomatoes is impossible to beat for my distraction dollar!

And if all else fails go somewhere! Enjoy!

What are your favourite sites to spend hours happily distracted by?