Laura Seabrook's Ramblings

It was one of those run-around days today. I...

1. Went to Toronto and had my teeth checked (I have a referral for fillings next Tuesday);
2. Caught the train from Fassifern to Newcastle;
3. Found out that my artist's book is touring with the Happily Ever After exhibition!;
4. Went to the Art Gallery and the Library;
5. caught a bus to Charlestown, just missing the bus back home;
6. Did a small amount of food shopping, and
7. went home.

Really really glad I got to the Newcastle Regional Art Gallery. It's been a while since I took time out to just do that. This might just count as an "Artist's Date" as well. Really liked the CITIZEN COLLECTORS exhibition there, and especially GODSPEED VERTICALS, a 50 minute looping video showing two people break-dancing in what looked liked Bondi Junction Underground stations. The ambient music of this pervaded the entire gallery and was mesmerising.

SHAUN GLADWELL
GODSPEED VERTICALS: ESCALATOR SEQUENCE 2004

Videography: Gotaro Uematsu
Editing: Julie-Ann de Ruvo
Support: Angelica Mesiti, David Griggs, Nigel Begg, Scott Gladwell.
Stills Photography: Joshua Raymond
Production: Mark Lorenzetto
Location support: Artsapce.

Performers for Escalator Sequence: Melanie Hitchcoock and Morganics

Almost the opposite of yesterday, I spend about 4 hours out and about, did everything I wanted to, and got home without feeling totally exhausted. I went to Westfields in Kotara via three buses, and got back via three buses and a short stopover for 10 minutes worth of food shopping. A minor problems was that the private bus company was running on a Holiday (Sunday) timetable, while the public buses were running a regular Saturday timetable. Hard to detect because there is a a only a one minute different in the Saturday and Sunday times of the the bus I caught to leave Barnsley. The big difference though is that only half the private buses run on a Sunday.

As it happened that made little difference. I spent a twenty minute layover at Cardiff checking out a shop (and buying a sign, a clock for the study, a dog collar and some screws). At Westfields I bought a replacement 1 Tb drive, an indoor aerial for the Set Top Box in the garden shed (and one that WORKS), a book from Borders (The Photoshop and Painter Artist Tablet Book) that had been marked down from $77 to $48 and had an early Indian lunch. Knew exactly what I wanted at Coles in Edgeworth during another 20 minute layover and got it. 

Everything went really well despite changes to plan. Has that sort of "Artist's Date feel" to it, so that's what I'm calling it. The rest of the day will probably be spent drawing comics.

I was feeling crook yesterday, today, not so much. I was feelling miserable yesterday, today I had fun. It was a better day.

The one thing I needed to do was go and get a blood and urine test. I could have gone to a number of places but I decided to go to the collection office in Kotara because I'd never been there before.

As it happened, I got off to a silly start. I Caught or tried to catch the 9:05 bus out, but just before it came (late) two over-width vehicles were towed through Northville Drive, at low speeds. That meant that I couldn't meet the connecting 363 bus and because of that the also connecting 224 bus later. We got into Glendale 20 minutes late, and I settled getting a 334 to Kotara instead. Only this one does a very tortuous circuit around thre or for suburbs before it even gets to Kotara. I felt bus sick by the time I got off. Nonetheless, I decides to walk to the collection office but also got off one stop later than I expected. It was a brisk walk and I discover a path around a Catholic School near the railway (and the school hospital called "House Hospital", though I don't think he practices there ) .

Anyway, got to the collection office, gave blood and urine, and was on my way. First stop was at Office Works, looking for labels I could stick around LAN cables for troubleshooting, and metal rings for Bobby's collar (easier to put the clip of the lead through) but found neither. However, I started feeling in a flamboyant mood and bough two giant wing clips (perfect for clipping sheets of paper to drawing boards), a bookmark, a small notebook, a document holder and a big hessian shopping bag to put it (and later loot) in - some of the money on the bag goes to a charity of some sort. Then I made my way around to Westfields.

Then I did something I've never done before - I went into centre management and suggested they move the "please use the ramp" signs from where they are to better locations. There's a driveway for cars up into the car park at the front, and when I wait for the bus nearby I always see people walk across the busy driveway rather than up and down the pedestrian ramp that's right next to it. The signage contributes to that, because on one side the sign is on the fencing mid-way up the ramp (so you don't see it unless you're already on the ramp) and on the other side (which i saw on the way out it's at a baby's eye height where few people noticed it.  Next time I'm there I'll see if my suggestion was taken up (which was to put the signs at eye level on posts nearby).

I went to K-Mart looking for rings and labels and came out with a "Fairyland" metal pencil case - just right for uni days - and two 160 gsm acid free A3 sketch pads (much better than the cartridge paper I normally use). Then, wandering down to the food hall I paused to browse in Borders, and came out with a book on Adobe Flash for less than $40 (I intend to learn flash and animate with it)! Had the usual Indian Curry I like there (only this time with a really HOT Beef Vindaloo which cleared my sinuses)and after a short walk through Woolworths (where I bought 3 x hard to find 750ml containers and a small party mix) I caught the bus to Charlestown.

At Charlestown I was just in time to see a session of Rango. At first I found it alternatively frightening and creepy (see another post) but it was a really fun film as well, and walked out  feeling contented and relaxed. Did a bit of spot shopping, buying rubber bands, another acid free sketch pad, low energy lights, sticky labels, and posting tags from a couple of shops. I ended up with all this:

Then it was two connecting buses straight home, where I am now. All through today I read another volume of the Sandman series, and finished reading it on the sofa out the back. And you know what? I think I just had an Artist's Date! I feel much better now and refreshed. My right knee still aches a bit and I've been moderately queasy all day (the Vindaloo actually helped settle that) but I feel GOOD.

It was a better day today.

Well, I think I was right when I said that the day was going to be an adventure.

I: went to Charlestown after missing one bus and catching another almost immediately; went to the library; caught the wrong bus to the wrong destination; got off at Cardiff station and caught a train/bus that got me to Toronto 20 minutes before the right bus would have; browsed a second hand Bookshop and found Time/Life books on Rome and Byzantium I'd been looking for (for quite a while; had lunch at an Indian/Kebab place; checked out local second hand shops; went to Toronto library; went to ALDIs; finally got to Go-LO and bought a cyclonic vacuum cleaner for $39.90; waited for the bus back to Glendale and chatted to a one eyed man who put meths in his car's tank to get rid of water; got home with a ton of Library stuff; some food and the vacuum cleaner; greeted by Bobby (who hadn't got out); left again and went to Jesmond; got two photos printed at Big-W; travelled on two buses to Edgeworth where I nought Groceries at Coles; and finally caught the bus home (again).

Been a long day, but I had fun.  My feet hurt, I feel good.