Rifle Paper Co.

I virtually stumbled across a blog devoted to something I have a hidden liking of. Stamps. I inherited an enormous collection from a great aunt who was an avid collector and since I was the only person in the family (or perhaps the country) that still collected stamps she left them to me.

There's something nostalgic and educational about stamps. Some are like tiny masterpieces of art, others are portraits, and still others are graphic design bulls-eyes. This blog made me go into the back of the spare bedroom wardrobe and dig out the albums. They are just great. Go and dig through the stamps at Rifle Paper Co. and enjoy every small rectangular square moment of it.

Just thought I'd share this photograph. It's odd. And I like things that are a little more curious than usual. I found it on a photography lecture blog that is about aerial photography. I think. Not sure, but this picture is rad. Ok then. Have a lovely day.

Darwin Deez

This band is cool. As in, "I want to clap my hands and shake my shoulders in public with strangers when listening to them on my iPod in the queue at the bank" kind of cool. Their songs are bright, often cheerful, and have all been crafted with well though out and handmade lyrics, ones that will happily stick in your head if you want them to.

You'll find yourself singing lyrics like, "Or is it a constellation? Ahooooo", "I hope the last page of your 800 page novel is missing", "You are a radar detector", "You and I buy star maps and ding dong ditch televangelists", etc. Fun. Very fun. Grab yourself a copy of the album called Darwin Deez at your local record store and start feeling great.

Plus, you might make some new friends at the bank. Everyone can do with an extra acquaintance at the bank.

Do you like the idea of rifling through other people's mail just to see if they've got any cool stamps or to see where they're getting mail from? Of course I don't do that. But I've found a blog devoted to delightful mail - scanned in and presented for your enjoyment. Here's a few for you to enjoy, and now go and have a look at some more. Just make sure you put them back in the letterbox before anyone sees you. The site is called Postman, and you will find it here.

A Scholarship In Punk

A delightful, musically-knowledgeable friend of mine Benji Bajorek has just landed himself a much sought after time slot on SYN 90.7 FM between 9 and 10 PM. It's called 'A Scholarship in Punk' and will educate the uneducated and potentially cause the subsequent demolition of several pieces of bedroom furniture as we all trash our rooms punch-dancing to punk tunes. Oh yes. This will be fun. Be sure to tune in to the show next Thursday the 7th of October. Rad.

Illustrations

Anne Smerdon, who is a friend of mine, is also an Australian-based artist with the wonderful ability of illustrating her thoughts. It's a tough job for someone with that much creativity but she's doing a fantastic job. Her style is eclectic and celebrates intricate brushstrokes and fanciful colouring. Go and have a look at her growing gallery blog entitled Illustrated Narrations by Anne Smerdon here.

Dazzling Costumes

I just bought this on eBay from a reseller called Delta's Dazzling Costumes. Ridiculous really. I have no foreseeable purpose or intended use for it but I love it and I intend on wearing it often. Check out the massive selection here and buy something to satisfy your inner child. Let's dress up!

The Wilderness By Numbers

Look what I found! There's a very foxy website I happened to stumble across while google-imaging ideas for a Native American photo shoot with Darwin Deez for SPOOK MAG. It is Wildfox and you need to have a look at what they've designed. The best part are the "No. 1" series.

I suddenly have a sugar rush. In fact, although not all of us will actually wear these clothes, for us down in the southern hemisphere, let's all promise to live by at least these three rules:

Play hard. Go get more inspiration at the Wildfox website here.

Tender Is The Night

I just wanted to let you all know I'm reading this. So good. Haven't finished it yet though. It's great so far, if you haven't got a good read by the bed at the moment I suggest you grab yourself a copy.

Lost & Found

I went for a short walk after grabbing an ice cream and found the Lost & Found Market which is a delightfully cramped, multi-leveled store full of antiques, collectables and recycled lovelies. Go and check it out for yourself. Details are here.

P.S. They let me bring my ice cream into the store with me. They rock.

Lamington Drive Gallery Visit - EAMO

I was invited by a friend of mine to go and visit a gallery in Collingwood the other day called Lamington Drive, which at the time had a small exhibition of EAMO's work. It's very bright. It's very Australian. In fact, I don't think I've ever felt quite so nostalgic.

'Big M' cartons from the early 1990s sit on rusty old display cases in between rows of his fabulous prints pegged up on washing lines strung across the walls. It's great. Here's a sample taken directly from the Lamington Drive website.

Check out the huge range of artworks here and have a look at the next exhibition planned to be shown at Lamington Drive Gallery while you're there. Maybe even plan a Sunday afternoon trip?

A Single Man

I recently saw A Single Man, directed by Tom Ford starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, and I cannot overstate how beautiful each scene is. Set in the 1950s, each scene is visually stunning and tentatively arranged, not to mention the perfectly chosen clothing and set-decor.

I strongly recommend you treat yourself to a viewing. Best enjoyed late at night with a bottle of wine.

The scenes that have become my personal favourites would be the interaction between Colin Firth's character and the Spanish bohemian man he meets at the liquor store under a pink hued Los Angeles sky, the slow-motion scene where he makes a gun-like gesture with his hand as he drives and aims it at the child playing cowboys and indians, and the scene where he tells the receptionist at the university he works at how beautiful she is while the camera focuses in on various parts of their body language.

It's as intense as it is alluring.

And keep an ear out for several poignant and meaningful quotes.

Some I found powerful were,

"Living in the past is my future."

"Most things don't work out the way people plan."

"One must always appreciate life's little gifts."

"If you're so smart why don't you do something new with your life?"

"Death is the future."