The Agenda of Finding Joy!

"Shout Sister, Shout!
....tell the whole world whats it all about!"

If a part of your mind tells you to stop, and your body gives you some pretty strong hints to slow it down, do you listen to it? Or do you dear reader, do as I, and listen to the heart?

It's way easier to listen to the heart when you're surrounded by totally cool friends, good music all around and the Agenda of Finding Joy!

Awhile ago I claimed that I was indestructible. That turning 30 somehow bestowed upon me invunerability. I still lay claim that I'm pretty tough. But I concede I may not be totally Godlike. Not THE God, but perhaps a god. Or a demi-god. (The temptation to use my Masters of the Universe gag here is almost to strong, but it must wait for the proper moment).
It's getting colder down here. Snow on the mountain the other day. Was 6 degree's the other night. So maybe thats why I'm feeling the pain. I woke up yesterday with a black bruise on the arch of my foot the width of a coffee mug. And I have NO idea how it got there!! My body is also racked with knots and stiffness. I was also sneezing a bit yesterday.

It's been a crazy week.
It started off big.

So big I've forgotten what I did last friday night. I THINK it started off with a bbq and breakdancing at my house. Then we saw a rock/ska band, then maybe some hippity-hop dancing. I know I got to bed at 6am.
Saturday night was a hens night which was excellant fun! What happens on a hens night, stays on the hens night. So I can't divulge what happened there. Lots of dancing I recall.

(NOTE- Dancing is the easiest and possibly your greatest tool in the Agenda of Finding Joy!)

SunDAY was house work. SundayNITE was swingdancing that turned into breakdancing.
Monday. Okay, so it seems my hypocrisy seems to know no limits and I've found myself in a "teaching" role. I'm "teaching" swing dancing on monday nights at Glenorchy. (for those who may not know, Glenorchy is considered "the wrong side of the tracks". I haven't been out there since I was helping street kids do animation films. But I am, after all, a man of the world and I go where I'm needed. We've got a good group of people out there.)
TuesDAY I got called into the studio as they had a press conference with tv crews and politicians at the last minute. The poli's where there, but the press decided not to turn up. Supposedly something more newsworthy happened else where. I think a dog got run over.
I then met up with Miss Jellybean for some dance practice. In particular a form of swing called "Shag". I kid you not. And no, the joke never gets old!
TuesdayNITE I went to swing classes. (I'm going back to beginners and beginner plus, as it's fun and important to go back to the basics and tidy it up. And it's good exercise).
WensDAY- I forget.
WensdayNITE- Lindyhopping. But I think I was in a mood, so I spent most of the night catching up with my mate Matty Miller.
ThurdayMORNING. As part of the bucks party we went and played Laser Skirmish. Actually THATS probally why my body is feeling stiff. 5 hours of throwing yourself into trees, tumbling over logs and using your rifle butt to beat your enemies into submission to save on ammo.
I then had a big steak for lunch and a couple of bevies at the Cascade Hotel (under Mt Wellington).
ThursdayNITE- We started the nocturnal Bucks celebration with dinner. But What happens on a bucks party, stays on the bucks party. So thats all I CAN say about that night.

FriDAY I went for a nice walk thru town to the waterfront and the fish punts. Mmmmmmmm..... Tassie seafood!

FridayNITE, 2 of my absolute favourite Melbournites who're in town plus the other crew came over. Somehow Breakdance was put on AGAIN. And we somehow started breakdancing again. Lots of spins, flips and what-not. Lots of laughs until Samual actually kicked himself in the face and split his tongue. Lots of blood. So I'm banning Breakdance from visitors. Luckily we've still got Breakdance 2: The Electric Boogaloo. (btw did you know the Jean Claude Van Damme was IN Breakdance???)
We left my pad and went out in search of hippty-hop dancing. Not much was open, so we ended up at a club I'm not too fond of. BUT they had walls that were padded.
Padded Walls = Wall slamming fun!!

SaturDAY my houseguest arrived. The VERY lovely Helen. We all dig Helen! Then we hit the wedding of good friends Dave & Shan. It was a fantastic occasion. I ALMOST cried during the service. (I nice mix of traditional Chinese and Anglo customs). I managed to keep back the tears and proceed to drink.
Lovely meal & good company! (caught up with some interstate friends).
SaturdayNITE- the wedding shin-an-igans continued.
Here is a nice photo taken by MelbsDave of Julianne and myself as we gave the wedding guests a quick beginners class in dancing. See, it's a nice photo cos Julianne looks gorgeous, as does the Lovely Helen in the background, and I don't look sloshed. Needless to say i'd been drinking up to that point. Although I stopped about then.

After the wedding ceased, we hit one of my favourite gigs A really funky,groovy, swinging band who play late on saturday nights. Hammond Organ, xylophone, gee-tar & drums. Then WE hit the hippity-hop club, which was more beats then hippity-hop.

Sunday the Lovely Helen and I went for brunch, then read the paper in the park. We THEN checked out a jazz band in the early evening, had a nice Chinese meal, then hit another pub where a great band, The Cake Walking Babbies played their swinging/dixie-esque stuff! Lots of crazy dancing.
With the lack of any late night cafe action, we were not able to have coffee and cake so we called it a night.

This morning I woke to the sad news that Split Enz/Crowded House drummer Paul Hestor passed away at the age of 46. Crowded House were the first live band I ever saw. It was 1987 and I was about to turn 13. My older brother took me with his friends. While I don't dig hugely on Crowded House these days, I still have an immense fondness and appreciation for them. I recall being blown away by the gig, and especially impressed by Paul hestors on stage charisma, energy and showmanship. When they came back on stage for their encore, Paul flipped and cartwheeled his way to the drums.
A sad passing.


So, anyways, I do intend to take it a little easy on myself this week. Just enough to regroup. But not enough to miss any opportunities in my Agenda of Finding Joy!

Current Music: Franz Ferdinand. Also: Lucky Millinder.