Melbourne

Did a day out in the city today.

So many tourists. Was glad to help a group of American lads that were a bit lost.

They were super appreciative and wanted to tip me.

Also, the Canadian lady that works at Lids Emporium...you rock

Another sunset go

No one there(?) Should be packed this time of year.

QLD is baking meanwhile we are having the mildest summer that I can ever recall having.

I forgot to put a picture of the mug. (First ever attempt at sketching with charcoal and very quick, be kind.)

spoiler

The lines are a lot heavier and more defined than they should be, it wasn’t shaded in very lightly, gradually and increasingly accurately as it should have been. (You can see I put the bottom of the rim way too low at first then couldn’t lighten it with smudging.)

This is due in part to me sharpening the nib into weird uneven craggy angles by taking too large slices/inconsistent angles during sharpening and having to kind of press down to mark. I’ll watch a sharpening tutorial and try again when I feel like it.

Constantly hitting my hand and the end of the pencil on the easel rest and having to work around it at a weird sideways angle when doing the bottom was also really awkward.

Melbcat has also decided that she doesn’t like a flavour I bought many tins of and is refusing to finish her medicated supper, even with treats or bonito flakes on top. She just picks the good stuff off and demands something nicer. 😢

And yesterday I randomly came up in a few large hives which are now swollen welts. Must be from handling laundry chemicals

Can't say I've enjoyed any of these songs so far.

We've entered the last 10 of the hottest 100. A few more people have joined the rage thread, but if anybody wants to get in before it finishes, you're more than welcome.

Back after a long but productive day out. Through sheer serendipity I managed to get out to North Melbourne and get my hands on some Small Batch decaf beans, can't wait to try them!

This appears to be the first year where we've got some young neighbours round the back fully into the hottest 100. Good on them. The quality of their vocal renditions (with aluminium tray as percussive accompaniment) is heading very much in a downward direction inversely proportionate to their BAC. I hope they're having fun.

^(as long as they please don't continue past 10pm.)^

starting to get sick of watching telly but pain is so exhausting and I have to rest or my back won't heal

Today I rewatched The Untouchables for the 6th time. Even if you don't like police movies it's still awesome to watch.

I just had a weird click moment.

In the Hottest 100 discovered via Rage thread there's a singer called Maisie that I've only ever seen before on a viral tiktok that spread to youtube. The song on there is called Lost The Breakup. She sounds like Taylor Swift but there was something familiar about the voice. She's using the babyish indie girl voice. While more upbeat it reminds me of Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star. Fade Into You

And apparently Nicki Minaj covered Barbie Girl?

Yep. Trends are cyclical. While Gen Z seems to be rediscovering a lot of 90's and early 2000's fashion trends the same may be happening with the music.

Ps. Was Fade Into You ever in Buffy? It sounds like it would have been played in the Bronze but don't actually remember. Edit: Unbelievably it was not.

Oh for fuck sake

Rewatching an old show from 2004 and man oh man, the fashion, please never bring it back! Also so glad I was not a girl during that period because sooo much midriff, were your tummies cold all the time.

In saying all that I seem to remember my entire wardrobe consisting of baggy boardshorts, cargo shorts, and jorts (my favourites had a Bart Simpson patch on one of the back pockets).

The sun is shining up on the border 😎

And now for my next trick: I nap for an hour or two.

Ok all the hotels have been booked. Of course you never know until you stay there, but I think I've chosen wisely, and economically whilst ensuring good value.

But I will say that my gosh Ho Chi Minh City has become very expensive, pushing 1st world pricing at times.

I declare today worthy of pizza pants

Final assignment done - I now have the next month free from study 😁

I had to draw an annotated diagram of my house & land as part of the assignment, and I can definitely confirm that is really not something I have any natural talent towards. I was able to use the glass table from my bathroom with a light underneath as a lightbox to trace a printout from Google Earth, so it at least has the right proportions. And I got to use my coloured pencils to do some colouring in of the different areas. I'm not expecting a great mark on this assignment, but it should pass and that's all that really matters with this one.