My new outlook on weight, being healthy and exercise November 18, 2011

I have struggled to have a positive view about the way I look for many years now. I ended up loosing nearly 15 kilos a few years back and was still striving to loose more because I thought it would make me happier. I counted calories, went to the gym for 6-7 hours a week, and weighed myself constantly. While I did end up loosing three more kilos, the process only made me feel worse and like I wasn’t doing enough – I’ve been told I tend to have “all or nothing” thinking…surprise surprise.

I’ve started to take a new approach to being healthy and active – it started when I read an article in Mind Body magazine – a really great publication that had informative stories on positive body image and being healthy without having to look like you live off rabbit food. It had images of women that I identified with – not stick thin, who enjoy food and have curves, cool tattoos and visible patches of cellulite – I never realised that every woman has this because it is not something you see on models in Vogue.

So instead of beating myself up for not going to the gym every day of the week, I commend myself for going when I want to. I play roller derby, do yoga, try and have a balanced diet and have started to realise that just because I drink cider and eat pizza every now and then doesn’t mean that I’m a bad person – it means that I’m human. I don’t know how long this positive outlook will last for, but I’m just grateful that I’ve managed to turn my thinking around for the better.

Leaving Sydney – things I’ll miss and things I wont November 17, 2011

Well the cat is out of the bag, so to speak – I’m moving back to Adelaide. After living in Sydney for over a year and a half, I’m excited to be moving back to South Australia. So with three weeks left here, I thought I’d blog about the things I’ll miss and the things I will be grateful to leave behind.

I will miss…

Cabramatta and its cold rolls
The shops being open until 11pm every night
My roller derby league and the fabulous ladies I’ve skated with there
The Sydney Harbour Bridge
Anzac Bridge
Petersham
Wifey <3
Newtown
The batcave
My awesome friends at work
Factory outlets
My gym and its treadmills with TVs
Working as a tech journo
Lunches at Quay
Tweeps like Innerwestlive and Redambition

Things I am happy to leave behind…

The 40 kilometre train ride to work
Tolls
Paying for parking
CityRail (#CityFail)
The humidity
Liverpool
The rat race
Shocking pot holes in the road
The pushyness
The stress
The massive CBD
Getting lost
Having to rely on a GPS
Rugby

So that pretty sums it up! While I’m glad I moved here, Sydney never really felt like home to me. I’m just looking forward to going back to Radelaide where life is so much less complicated.

 

Home November 10, 2011

The concept of home used to be a tricky thing for me to define. From the time I was three until I turned 22, I lived in the same house – you can imagine what a shock to my system it was when I managed to live in five different houses in three different states from the age of 23 until I was 25.

Home is where the heart is, home sweet home, home free – all of these sayings imply that having somewhere to ground yourself is important and a vital part of being human. I’ve struggled a lot with trying to pin down where my home is as I’ve travelled around the country, and whether or not it can be a place, with a person or a combination of  both.

After living in Adelaide, Darwin and Sydney, I find it kind of reassuring that I now see my home as back where I started – South Australia. Except this time, its not only about Adelaide being my home – it is also about having my husband, my dogs and family close by. Instead of calling the house I grew up in my home, I now view the place where my husband grew up as where I’d love to be.

It is an amazing property that holds really special memories for me. It has dogs, cats, chickens, kangaroos and wombats also taking up residence there, as well as a multitude of family members and guests who drop by to visit my husband’s 90 something Grandma.

I remember one of the first things I noticed when I met her was that she was still able to look after a plethora of animals, guests and maintained her independence while doing so. She also had a fridge magnet that said: “Feminism is the radical notion that women are people”…fairly awesome lady.

So while those who send me letters say my home is in Sydney, I smile and think about where my true home is, and why I’ve come to love it.

Part Two: Carmel Tebbutt answers YOUR questions January 19, 2011

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We put the call out to the Inner West Live! community for any questions you were itching to ask Deputy Premier and local member for Marrickville, Carmel Tebbutt.

With the government struggling to cope with the number of daycare places needed, does your state plan help this issue?

It does in so far as we’ve put a responsibility on preschools, but daycare is the responsibility of the federal government.

I have, when I was Education Minister, worked hard to get an after hours daycare centre up and running at Marrackville West public school because that was one of the issues I could see in the local area. We did that with the local council and I think that’s still up and running.

I think part of the difficulty in that in other parts of the city, there are more [childcare] places, but in the inner west, because land prices are so much more expensive, it’s hard for daycare centres to establish themsevles.

Will the St Peters station be getting wheelchair and pram access?

It’s actually not in my electorate. Newtown is being upgraded, as is Sydenham station for disability access.

What are you seeing done in preventing gas drilling in the inner west suburbs?

The important thing to note is that it’s actually an exploration licence, not a gas production licence. If there was to be a license for gas production, then that would have to go through a full planning process and consultation.

I understand people’s concerns, but I also recognise that we need to look for alternative fuel sources to coal. We know that we can’t rely on coal forever, and gas is a much cleaner form of energy so we need to be conscious of that.

We’ve also put in place some changes as result of some of the concerns that were raised by the St Peters community in regards to exploration licsnces for the future.

Has there been consideration to raising the hub?

I think it would be fantastic if we could find a useful creative way for that space to be opened up to the community because its in a great location. I think the problem will be parking because anything they want to put there is going to probably going to have a parking impact and there isn’t the capacity to put that there

It’s such a great location, it’s such a shame that they haven’t been able to put it there.

Does Carmel feel threatened by the greens in the lead up to the 2011 election?

I know that the March election is going to be a tough election in Marrackville. I went from the lower house to the upper house in 2005, and every election in Marrickville is tough, but what I would say is that I think the people of Marrickville are best served by having a member of parliament who is part of an effective group of people in parliament who can make change.

Ultimately, on March 26 we will see the decision!

Gay Marriage, the Inner West & Carmel Tebbutt (MP Marrickville) January 17, 2011

The Inner West will be a key battleground in the upcoming state election. Respected labor incumbents hold razor thin margins against surging Green and Liberal candidates. As the holiday season ends and the campaigning starts in earnest, Carmel Tebbutt talks to Lisa Banks in this exclusive Inner West Live interview.

In the cut throat world of politics, backstabbing, dodgy deals and negative portrayals can become the norm, while the image of a hard working, local leader can be forgotten about.

While state Labor politician, Carmel Tebbutt,  is the Minister for Health and works alongside Kristina Keneally as Deputy Premier, it is clear from the way she speaks that she is first and foremost a passionate advocate for the Inner West of Sydney and the local member for Marrickville.

“I’ve lived in the inner west for over twenty years now,” she said. “From Stanmore to Newtown and Marrickville – I love living in the Inner West – it’s a great place.”

One of the great things that Tebbutt loves about the Inner West, is the large number of food options that are available as a resident.

“We’re so spoilt in Marrickville – it’s fantastic. I love Asian food so Marrickville is great. Minh’s Vietnamese at Dulwich Hill is another favourite.”

When it came to coffee, Tebbutt narrowed it down to two contenders for best cup in the Inner West.

“I have to say either the Post Cafe at Marrickville or Last Drop Cafe at Dulwich Hill,” she said.

While Tebbutt enjoys working and living here, she does concede that looking after the needs of her electorate as well as her large portfolio and state government responsibilities is a balancing act, but one that she is prepared to deal with.

“It can be a challenge. I always keep a particular day that I spend in the electorate to keep on top of the needs of my constituents,” she said.

“Obviously, when you live in the area, you get to understand the issues anyway.”

Tebbutt said she began her local political career nearly two decades ago when she ran for Marrickville Council in 1993.

“When I joined Marrickville Council, the area was still very diverse but I guess it had more Greek, Arabic, and Vietnamese constituents. Now we’re seeing some of the communities from Africa becoming very prominent in the electorate.”

“Being on the council gave me a really good look at the issues before I ran for parliament,” she said.

With the Inner West becoming a hub of multiculturalism and diversity, Tebbutt said there has been a lot of hard work that has gone into creating such a tolerant community, with projects instigated by her and the Labor party playing a role in such growth.

“There’s the big significant projects like the light rail,” Tebbutt said. “Both Verity [Firth, Minister for Education and Training and member of Balmain] and myself have worked very hard on getting that extended to Dulwich Hill right from a few years ago when we started lobbying…so the state government could keep control of that state corridor because we knew that if we did, we would have the capacity to extend the light rail in the future.”

Transport is clearly one area that Tebbutt is proud to have made a difference to, saying that upgrades to Newtown station have been another project she has played a role in.

Quality over quantity is paramount to Tebbutt, who said that the smaller, local projects often have the most significant impact.

“They’re things that a local member can do that make a huge difference to thecultural and social fabric of the area – they might not be big in terms of money, but they actually make a huge difference.”

When the topic turned to issues facing future generations of Inner Westies, Tebbutt said population growth was very top of mind for her and the state Labor government.

“We’re very conscious of the growth of Sydney as a whole, and that’s one of the reasons why we’ve put some planning policies in place for future growth and to make sure the future of that growth is sustainable, and that’s a challenge,” she said.

“People don’t want to see huge high rise developments and neither do I – it’s about getting the balance right.”

To Tebbutt, striking a balance means being able to provide a variety of transport options for residents, creating positive education opportunities so the future can flourish, as well as providing sufficient open spaces.

“Quality of life is another issue that comes up, and that’s because the Inner West is a very heavily built up area, and people want to make sure there is enough open space,” Tebbutt said.

Providing rights to minority groups is another issue important to Tebbutt, who vocalised her support and personal belief in gay marriage.

“I’ve supported, at a state level, the concept of civil unions because that’s something that the state could potentially play a role in,” she said.

“Marriage is really a matter for the federal government, but my private view of things is that if two people love each other, they should be able to express that though marriage and I don’t think we should be putting limits on that.”

Despite the Labor party being destined to face an uphill battle in the upcoming state election, Tebbutt said she has a positive relationship with state premier Kristina Keneally and admires the leaders approach.

“We are both mothers to young families and we live in electorates that neighbour each other – she’s a very good person to work with.” “I admire her enthusiasm and her positive attitude – she’s very much a glass half full person.”

Stay tuned for part two of our interview with Carmel, where we ask her YOUR questions.

Cabramatta: Exploring Sydney’s China ‘city’! November 9, 2010

There are pros and cons to living in the South-West of Sydney. One of the cons is having to travel further to get to the CBD. The pros? The fact that Cabramatta, Sydney’s true China Town, is only a couple of kilometers away from my house.

It would be more realistic to call Cabramatta “China City” instead of a town. There are dozens of restaurants, grocery stores, markets and many other wonderful places, smells, sights and sounds to be enjoyed.

My husband and I have recently taken to eating in Cabramatta two to three nights a week simply because the price of food is almost comparable to cooking at home! It’s easy to get a park on a week night and the atmosphere is less hectic, which means staff members have more time to chat with you.

Two of the best meals I’ve had included the steamed prawn dumplings from the Iron Chef seafood restaurant, steamed pork buns from pretty much anywhere, and a crazy 7 flavour desert from a Vietnamese stall which has about as much sugar as three bubble teas, but with even more texture.

I can honestly say that Cabramatta has more variety, flavour and variety than the so-called China Town of Sydney’s CBD. It’s a must see for any foodies who find themselves in the South-West of Sydney.

Remember you are dying: Momento Mori (Sydney Fringe Festival) September 13, 2010

Q&A with writer of Momento Mori, Bradley Vincent

What can people expect from Momento Mori?

The story draws inspiration from queer artists and it’s about two boys trying to make sense of their relationship. How we try and do that is look at men who have come before us. It’s romantic and intimate and looks and the true intricacies of a relationship.

What is your role in the production?

I wrote Momento Mori, and it was directed by James Beach. It stars two actors Johnny Diaz Nicolaidis and Craig Meneaud. The set design was done by a Sydney based artist Tarik Ahliand, and the original score was composed by Monica Brooks

The story in a sense is largely autobiographical. It’s about growing up and trying to make sense of who you are in the world. I was reading a quote from Susan Sontang, and I will paraphrase her because I can’t remember the exact quote: ‘Jews and homosexuals are the outstanding creative minorities of our time’. When she wrote that, it was a time when there was a lot of exciting art going on that had a clean attitude but stood out as having its own strength. It’s been a joy to get into that world, but write about it from the perspective of a modern gay artist.

What makes it different to other queer productions?

I think there is something original to say in Momento Mori. I wanted to try and get people to read more about a social path and it’s really about discovering a new history.

What can you tell me about the set for the production?

The way the set has been put together was by creating a mural, printing this onto a textile so it became a series of hanging textiles that are around six metres each in size.

What does the phrase ‘Momento Mori’ mean?

The phrase ‘Momento Mori’ means ‘remember you are dying’. There’s a long string of artworks that remind us of our own immortality. Because this is a play about the actors very much remembering, not only their history but the history before them, it seemed appropriate.

Deli Chicks: Q & A with writer Paula Noble (Sydney Fringe Festival) September 8, 2010

What can the audience expect to see from your performance of Deli Chicks?

It’s a play about a girl called Rachel who is 20 and working at the deli for about three years in what she thought would be an after school job but she finds herself stuck there and unable to make a decision about what she wants to do with her life.

There are four other characters also – a medical student who’s nearly finished uni and knows what he wants to do with his life, a Greek Mario butcher boy who serves as a bit of a comic relief, Marta who is a Bulgarian immigrant who has worked at the deli for the past 25 years and loves her job, and Sandra who is the militant boss who likes to control the place.

The characters really bring the plot out. It’s basically about Rachel’s frustration of being stuck there, and a few big boys higher up in the supermarket chain want to come in and sack someone from the store – a move that spearheads things to change.

What inspired you to write the play?

My daughter Bethany and I wrote it based on funny stories she brought home from working in the deli when she was 17, and I started writing them down. She ended up needing a play for some drama work at college, and so we decided to create this story that we wrote together. It was really great because she brought in the youthful aspect of Gen Y and I brought a different element to it.

Who are the actors staring in the play?

They’re a great bunch of actors Bethany went to acting college with and they’re doing other things with the dream to get a full time acting job one day.

Being a former deli chick yourself, what’s been the worst thing you’ve seen behind the counter?

I think I’ll use an example from Bethany’s experience. She hated the chicken necks being left on the chickens by accident! Another element was the customers. We obviously had to cut the play short for the Fringe so we’ve eliminated a number of customers, but the customers are hilarious. We actually put ‘the six different types of customer’ in the play and I think all young people who have worked in a supermarket should really come along and see it for this reason!

Deli Chicks is showing on the 23rd to the 26th of September at St Lukes Anglican Church in Enmore.

Show times are 8.00pm on the 23rd, 6.30pm on the 24th, 8.00pm on the 25th and 5.00pm on the 26th.

Tickets are $20.00 for adults, and $16.00 for concession.

A Poet and a Dancer (Sydney Fringe Festival) September 7, 2010

Onur Karaozbek and Sheena Miss Demeanour bring the burlesque scene to life in their performance of A Poet and a Dance

A Poet and a Dancer

r at this year’s Sydney Fringe.

Drawing inspiration from the burlesque scene of the 1940s, Onur says the performance is built on collaboration between dance and the spoken word.

“A Poet and a Dancer is a genuine collaboration between me and Sheena. We wanted to go back to the idea of using the spoken word and burlesque that came from San Francisco and New York in the early 1940s.

“There were speakeasies where a poet would come up and start reading the spoken word and there was a cabaret dancer. The sheer randomness of it all was what made it great,” he said.

Onur told me he and Sheena have been working together for a few years, and began to collaborate not long after.

“We met through the burlesque scene here in Sydney. My main work is photography, but I shot one of her performances a couple of years ago and started mixing in my poetry with her dancing.

“We wanted to do a similar thing on a larger scale and we came up with the idea of performing together. We actually did it last year at the Imagine Festival and it was a smaller four or five minute performance.”

Onur said while A Poet and a Dancer draws some of its inspiration from spontaneous movements and interaction between himself and Sheena, there is an overarching theme that comes through during their performance.

“We sort of have an overall idea about relationships, regrets and remorse. It’s about understanding each other and sometimes not understanding each other. There’s a lot of stuff that incorporates the relationship between a man and a woman. I do this through the spoken word and Sheena does it through dance. It’s tapping into the animal instinct that we have. The emotions, feelings and thoughts,” Onur said.

The performance is also inspired by The Beat Generation of the 1940s and 50s.

“The Beat Generation defied the other side of American culture and it affected Europe and the rest of the world. They would write and tell stories. It was a movement where you could think about things differently. These individuals yearned for a different way of life. It started from an artistic movement and went into a philosophy.

“Great jazz artists came out of this generation. It’s based on the idea that right here and right now is what we create. It’s not about rewriting things – that makes it become manufactured. Create and leave and then create some more”

Another element to the performance is video, and Onur uses large installations to add to the setting of the story.

“I’m using video as a backdrop to create a scene. I didn’t want to use props. Why not go to the location you’re talking about and actually film it as the backdrop. It’s playing with a different side of the audience, and it’s about doing things differently,” he said.

A Poet and a Dancer is showing at the Italian Forum Cultural Centre, 23 Norton Street, Leichardt on the 13th and 17th of September at 8.00pm, and on the 19th of September at 6.30pm.

Stop Howard. Out of Iraq. Eat my bush! (Sydney Fringe Festival) September 5, 2010

Cathy Bray’s long held fascination with America inspired her to share a collection of poems looking at this often conflicted relationship, and we are lucky enough to hear her share these poems at a reading in this year’s Sydney Fringe.

She will be appearing at Madame Fling Flongs in Newtown where she hopes to share snippets of her fascination with the land of stars and stripes.

“It’s a reading at Madame Fling Flongs and I’ll be sitting on an arm chair with some books spread out in front of me that I’ll be referring to,” Cathy said.

Cathy will be reading around eleven of her poems, including Candy Royale, On the News and other underground works. When I spoke to her she gave me an insight on why America was a constant topic reflected in her writing.

“I’m fascinated by my own ambivalence towards America. My childhood was spent reading American books like Johnny Appleseed, and all of the media and TV I saw was very American.

“There was a real feeling of anti-Americanism from my parents when I was growing up. Both my parents were anglophiles, but we were brought up with that anti-American feeling. At exactly the same time there was real admiration for the Americans when Australians ran into them overseas.”

Cathy studied American literature at University and has made three trips to New York since completing this study.

“I’ve been to New York three times now and every time I go there I just think it’s the most amazing, exciting fantastic place and I lose about three kilos in a week. You’ve got that fantastic, positive wonderful thing and great American writers I’ve been inspired by, and then you’ve got the whole aspect of American imperialism.”

One such trip to the city that never sleeps saw Cathy gain inspiration for one of her poems, and the title of her Fringe show.

“One of the poems I wrote was on one trip to New York. Usually when you get there, you never hear of Australia again. We turned on the late news there and it was the time of the APEC demonstrations of 2007 and we saw all of these kids demonstrating in Sydney’s Hyde Park doing the ‘bums not bombs’ demonstration. I was so thrilled Australia had made it to the news in the US.

“I wrote a poem called On the News about it. In it, it says ‘they semi-circled playfully and bowing to the camera, they turn and mooned for peace. Stop Howard. Out of Iraq. Eat my bush’. That’s what was written on their bottoms.

When I was putting in the application for the Fringe, I thought ‘what childish title can I use?’ and I decided to call it Eat My Bush and I got straight in!.”

You can see Mad Woman’s Breakfast. Eat my Bush! at Madame Fling Flongs Level 1, 169  King Street, Newtown on Sunday 12 Sept  at 6.30 – 7.30 pm and Monday 13 Sept at 8.00 – 9.00 pm. Tickets are $20 for full fare and $16 concession, and bookings can be made at The Sydney Fringe website.