pockets for boroughs

Feature: ''It's not the end of the world' for The Isthmus

2012-01-11T21:34:00.002+10:00

Here's an apocalypse-themed fun piece I wrote for The Isthmus. What role do you play in end-times?

You can read it online here.

It's not the end of the world

By Anna Angel

I’m a big a Robert Frost fan as they come (at least, in any country where his poetry isn’t included in the national curriculum). I have his words tattooed on me, and I think he would have been a damn clever sort. But even I can admit his take on the apocalypse may have been a bit narrow.

Some say the world will end in fire;

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire

I hold with those who favour fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

Robert Frost – ‘Fire and Ice’

Sure, there’s those who point the finger at fire, and ice hasn’t gotten off scot-free. But what about alien invasion, nuclear annihilation, the Rapture, Mayan prediction or freak cosmic accident? Luckily for the pessimistic and end-day curious amongst us, pop culture has picked up where Frost left off. In fact, we’ve become a little obsessed.

With the threat of global warming playing on our conscience and an ancient calendar apparently predicting our doom at the end of 2012, it’s no wonder we’re getting a little panicked. It seems every other week brings forth another Armageddon according to one religious extremist or another. Truthfully, our planet has been plagued by a devastating number of natural disasters from earthquakes to floods, famine and war in the past year. Perhaps it’s morbid to turn to dystopian fiction for a bleak view of what else is in store, but we can rest assured we’re not the only ones who did it. While we may disagree on whether or not the bible is a work of fiction, The Apocalypse is nevertheless the final book of the New Testament. From there on in, it became a popular, albeit morbid guessing game: how and when will it happen?

It’s in our nature to wonder at the fate of humanity, to speculate and to fear. Any film or novel that can manipulate emotion is sure to draw an audience, so playing on our greatest anxieties must make for a sure-fire success. Watching the world as we know it collapse like a deflatable toy in CGI is a bit like watching a really large and all-consuming car crash. You can’t look away even though you know you won’t like what you’re about to see. You can’t even stop yourself from buying a ticket to see it. It’s in your nature. And because filmmakers realise there can’t be doom and gloom without release, you know some key characters will survive through sheer brains and valour. You’ll leave the cinema with a hint of hope for the new world order and a fresh appreciation of the partially-intact world you find yourself in. We know all this because we’ve made this film over and over again. For a comprehensive list, visit Apocalyptic Movies, or for a best-of shortlist head toListverse.

Amongst the plastic relics of our society – following our eventual demise – will surely be an apocalypse movie. I’d prefer we leave Dr Strangelove as a more abstract example, but 2012 or I am Legend will have to do. What these films succeed in – and there’s an awful lot they don’t, for example, the originality factor – is boiling down human nature into concise reinforcements of what we have always been told. It almost doesn’t matter what the premise is, though there have been some shockers. It’s more important how watching everything you never realised you cared about slipping away makes you feel. It’s about how grand it is that a mere human, someone so unlikely, so much like you (yes, you!) could hold the key to humankind’s survival. It’s about never makingtechnology that can think for itself, obeying the bible, not starting nuclear warfare and making peace with our intergalactic neighbours. The important life lessons.

As much as tracking the history of apocalyptic themes can give an insight into the fears and media panics of a society (living under the threat of nuclear war or global warming, for example), they also provide a perfect platform for introspection. When society is stripped away, man must rely on his primal instincts – he must fight, protect and adapt. And it would seem your moral character and good looks just as crucial to survival in a post-apocalyptic world. After all, decades of disaster movies have utilised a set of character archetypes everyone must conform to when confronting the demise of humanity. Whether you’re facing zombies, aliens, vampires, man-made destruction or an asteroid, you’d better fall in line.

Here is your ultimate end-of-the-world social profile. You can tell the bad guys just by looking at them, what your role in this great big mess is, and who to turn to for help.

The Trooper

A cop, agent or other authority figure pre-Apocalypse. Troopers will attempt to maintain order and carry out their duties to humanity, all while wishing they could spend their last moments with their family. These are good people who don’t understand what they’re dealing with, and ultimately aren’t able to do a whole lot of good. You’ve got to love them for trying.

How to spot: In uniform, herding innocents to safety or grappling with evil.

The Unlikely Hero

Unlike The Trooper, The Unlikely Hero has no formal training. He is a regular Joe with classic good looks and a heart of gold. He fights because it’s the right thing to do. He might possess some special ability ensuring his survival – immunity to the virus wiping out every other living being or clues to stopping the great evil – or he might get by with his moral compass and sense of justice alone.

How to spot: Male, attractive, generally looks worried or preoccupied but has a winning smile.

The Martyr

Is very likable and trustworthy but is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Will be injured, bitten and in danger of turning evil, or otherwise incapacitated. Knowing they’re just going to slow everyone down or put them in danger they ask to be left behind. Reluctantly, they are. Perhaps attained these injuries when trying to save someone else.

How to spot: Bite marks, broken or dismembered limbs. Has little to no chance of survival.

The Rat

Looking after himself above all else, The Rat always squirms his way out of trouble. He will betray his loved ones in their time of need and run away from a fight.

How to spot: Has shifty eyes and will usually be the first one to suggest leaving The Martyr behind.

The Breakdown

This one is just not strong enough to hack it. Whether insanity turns them evil or just leaves them cowering in a corner, rocking back and forth, they’re not much help to anyone.

How to spot: shaking, screaming, crying. Trusts no one.

The Survivalist

Has stored food and water in an underground bunker in preparation and seems perfectly unsurprised at current doomsday events. Possibly a religious extremist wielding signs and quoting scripture.

How to spot: May tell you we all had it coming. Will be last seen ducking underground or calling on sinners to repent.

The Love Interest

Doesn’t offer much besides motivation for The Unlikely Hero. He has a crush on her and isn’t about to let her die before he can make a sweeping declaration. Who would help him repopulate the Earth, then?

How to spot: Pretty girl in sensible clothing, seen travelling with our hero.

The Opportunist

Someone has to loot, rob and make a profit from all this suffering. May sell survival kits or run black market trades in weapons or food.

How to spot: The one stealing TV sets even though there’s no electricity.

The Fodder

As hard as it is to hear, an awful lot of people have to die without getting so much as a naming role. If you’re a normal guy without outstanding looks who doesn’t meet any of the above criteria, this is probably you.

How to spot: looks perfectly average.

Feature: 'The Golden Era (terms and conditions apply)' for The Isthmus

2012-01-11T21:14:00.001+10:00

Here's another piece I wrote in August for The Isthmus, discussing our cultural obsession with 'retro' in light of our actual past. I really enjoyed exploring the issues surrounding this one.

You can read it online here.

The Golden Era (terms and conditions apply)

By Anna Angel

“You were definitely born in the wrong decade,” a friend says as if it is fact. Sure, I wear vintage clothing, collect retro oddities and have been seen at gigs doing the twist. But I couldn’t agree with rockabilly queen Imelda May when she told British press “the ‘50s were better in every way”. I’m grateful not to have grown up in Australia in the first half of the 20^th century. Why? My childhood epilepsy – then widely misunderstood – would probably have landed me in a psychiatric institution, such as this one, for a lack of better treatment options, as might my struggles with anxiety and depression. While that’s an uncomfortable thought, prospects would have been positively bleak if I had of been Aboriginal, gay or a non-European migrant. As morbidly hilarious as 1950s anti-gay propaganda and relics of the societal oppression of women may seem now, these were hardly ‘simpler’ times for many members of society. I set out to discover why we idealise elements of the past such as music, fashion and dinner table decorum and glaze over the glaring injustices.

Amongst a wealth of recent films and TV series reviving times gone by (not to mention screenings of classic shows and movies), this year’s film adaption of Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel The Helpstands out. As the movie begun, I turned to my friend and whispered something about how beautiful their replica 1963 outfits were, and eventually, how I’d like to break into their costume department and steal them all. In as little as half an hour, I felt uneasy. The film’s selective depiction of racial tensions during the African-American Civil Rights Movement is as disquieting as it is indulgent of our desire for a neat and happy ending. Regardless of colour or social standing, the women (except for our subversive lead) are portrayed as mothers and wives first and snarky society ladies second, privy to the whims of their men. All of this left me uncomfortable with the vintage sweater on my back in a way the arse-slaps of Mad Men never have. When people say they wish they were born into another era, surely this isn’t what they had in mind?

Nostalgia: it’s nothing new

The term ‘nostalgia’, coined in the 17^th century, referred to a medical illness – a kind of melancholia akin to homesickness – though today it’s more often used to imply a general longing for the past. With the boom in retro culture has come a heightened interest in the history and cause of this particular form of sentimentalism in pop culture. Take for example this year’s Midnight in Paris, which explores a disillusioned screenwriter’s late-night forays into his perceived golden era – 1920s Paris. There he discovers an overwhelming sentiment that the age of tasteful art and culture had already past, and he must confront the realities of his own nostalgia. There have been multiple attempts to understand the consequences and reasoning behind our revival fixation, a great example is Simon Reynold’s Retromania. Reynold’s believes our popular culture is stagnating thanks to our apparent disinterest in the new and now.

Some psychologists believe nostalgia can be a healthy reflection of self, lifting solemn spirits and even creating a heightened sense of life purpose. Other studies show fixating on the past is simply a means of avoiding the anxieties of an undesirable present. While it’s clearly a stretch to suggest screenings of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off mean we, as a society, are in desperate need of a psychological pick-me-up, recent studies show we most often turn to nostalgia when at our most lonely, vulnerable or depressed. Especially in a year as disaster-ridden as this one, it’s understandable that we’d want to relive a time where there was no nastiness in the world; just milkshake bars with dapper young boys and girls saying things like “neato”. What we need to remember is that it never existed.

Sweet reminiscence or bigotry?

Especially in the US, there’s been a debate brewing between those who say their nostalgia is rooted in old-school conservative values and those who call it racism. The Atlantic’s Conor Friedersdorf sums it up nicely.

“America is radically more socially liberal than it was in 1949. Its television programs are cruder and filled with violence. Its out-of-wedlock birthrate is skyrocketing … College orientation now includes free condoms. Whatever one thinks of all these changes, it seems to me that Jim Crow and the Civil Rights Movement were major enough events that, based on them alone, America should be deemed better today, even in the eyes of folks who think other stuff has gone in the wrong direction.

But that doesn’t mean that older white people — or older black people — must stop being nostalgic about less racially enlightened times, or that their wistfulness is grounded in racism … or that it’s even possible for a human being to rationally evaluate the overall system of norms into which he was raised and then to judge which period was better.”

Is it okay for a conservative to seek a return to the ideals of his childhood when those same principles marginalised anyone who wasn’t male, white, straight and able-bodied?

The culture of revival

Revival culture itself has nothing to do with conservative backwards thinking, and is often led by those born in the later parts of the 20^th century. Everyday people live and breathe vintage subcultures like kustom kulture and rockabilly. Nostalgia festivals such as Wintersun, Kurri Kurri andGarterbelts and Gasoline are held across the country in celebration of “the cars, music, fashion, art and culture inspired from the 1940s and 1950s”. It’s a widespread belief that these were more ‘innocent’ and prosperous times even by those who didn’t live through them. Young people write on the walls of Facebook groups dedicated to previous decades without a hint of irony that they long for the time “when men were men and women were ladies”. A woman writes, “I wish I were born sometime in the 1930s so I could have rocked the ‘50s and ‘60s,” another says she “hates this era with a passion”. Overwhelmingly, music is cited as the main reason for wanting to return to a previous generation, but you can’t have protest songs and subversive cultures like rock & roll without something to rebel against.

The Mighty Boosh thought this was the logical conclusion to our retro obsession, but wherever it takes us, nostalgia is likely to remain ingrained in our society. So, what can we learn from the phenomenon? It seems we often look to the past and label it ‘better’ as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with elements of modern life, from its fast pace, to a perceived loosening of morality or the quality of popular music. As difficult as it is to argue with that last point (see this, this or this, and these two, which manage to mesh retro with terrible, and especially this), we need to spend more time reflecting on how far our society has come in many ways, and crucially, how far it still has to go. Put your hair in rollers and collect all the vintage tea towels you like, but we’re in no position to view social injustice as quaint and outdated. Not when the pay-gap between men and women is widening, when mortality rates and living standards are so much lower in Indigenous communities, or when the LGBT community still don’t have the same rights as other Australians. After all, good music and high grooming standards alone don’t make a society worth being born into.

Feature: 'Fear and Carbon in Canberra' for The Isthmus

2012-01-11T21:03:00.001+10:00

In my final semester of uni I worked on a collection of articles for a new intelligent pop culture journal called The Isthmus, a project headed by Stephen Harrington. I also acted as online editor, subbing and workshopping all articles before publication. It was a fantastic experience and the team was made up almost exclusively of fun, creative pop culture enthusiasts.

I've held off posting them until now because there's been a few kinks with the site meaning it never properly launched. I'm like a kid holding up finger painting: 'look, mummy, look what I did!' I just can't wait.

So, here's a research/opinion piece I wrote in late July on the heated carbon tax debate - before it was passed. You can read it online here.

Fear and Loathing in Canberra: a savage journey into the heart of Australian politics

By Anna Angel

There is nothing to fear but fear itself, except the pricing of carbon, that is. The debate over the proposed carbon tax has divided the nation like nothing since the introduction of the GST. Tony Abbott advised his party members to keep the argument ‘civil’ only moments before they called on a national rally in Canberra to “maintain the rage”. “We don’t want our country reduced to two warring camps,” he said. Sorry, Tony, but it might be a little late for that. Rhetoric and commentary from both sides of the war on carbon have been nothing less than hysterical since the pricing scheme was introduced in July. In this all-out screaming match, fear mongering is the favoured tack. We are presented with an apparently impossible choice: implement the tax and our families will go hungry,

fail to do so and eventually, our families will go hungry. Whichever side of the fence you’re on, heavy spin from politicians and media alike aims to ensure you’re not left sitting on it.

He said, she said

According to Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s official announcement of the ‘plan for a clean energy future’, it is “the most environmentally effective and cheapest way to cut pollution”. The tax is fixed at $23 per tonne for the first three years for the country’s 500 biggest polluters. Gillard assures that “because some business will put their prices up, there will be tax cuts, increased pensions and increased family payments”. On the Government’s dedicated website you can calculate just how big your cut of that welfare pie will be. There’s also this video, explaining the process in painstaking detail, and treasury economic modelling showing a growth in national prosperity under carbon pricing. We’re told the average family, overall, will be 20 cents better off.

On the other side of the spectrum, alarmist anti-carbon groups call it a “green ideological tax for social engineering under the guise of dangerous climate change”. The supposed ‘Robin Hood’ tax is “unnecessary, ineffective, and hugely damaging to Australian families and our industry”. The main group spearheading the national campaign provide a handy explanation of the scheme, including a list entitled Why the Carbon Tax is Wrong and Utterly Pointless (a kind of rebuttal to Say Yes Australia’s 7 Good Reasons to Say Yes to a Price on Carbon Pollution?). Less shrill, but just as gloomy, is Tony Abbott’s definition. “When Julia Gillard talks about a ‘clean energy future’ what she really means is higher electricity bills and fewer jobs with no environmental benefit,” he said. “The whole point of a carbon tax is to change the way everybody lives and works … in other words, if it doesn’t hurt you it doesn’t work.”

Dollars and no sense

Looking at the figures put forward by various interested parties, you’d be forgiven for thinking the details of two separate taxes were being discussed. Perhaps it is more a matter of spinning the facts to suit your cause. Gillard Government estimates suggest emissions will be cut by 5 per cent from 2000 levels by 2020 – that’s down 23 per cent on projected emissions if we chose not to act at all. By 2050 that figure will be 80 per cent. Unofficial Opposition ‘data’ proposes it will do absolutely“nothing for the environment”.

While the Australian public were busy worrying about worldwide economic instability, some terribly frightening figures were released suggesting at least 31,000 jobs in NSW would be lost as a result of industry closures by 2030, and 21,000 in QLD by 2020. The story is also bleak in WA with a state Treasury report predicting over half of households would be worse off under the tax. In contradiction, Treasury modelling boasts a national increase of 1.6 million jobs and an increase of 16 per cent to the average income by 2020. Commentators have marked this as a fall from gracefor the “once fundamentally important Treasury department … formerly a bastion of reason and sober advice”. No matter where you look, you’re bound to see a different number, a different projected outcome or a different set of opinions parading as fact.

In some cases, it’s been a matter of deliberate distortion; what better way to hide the truth than in colourful graphs and seemingly transparent pie charts? Consider this graphic representation from News.com.au, highlighting rising living costs and contrasting them with the 20 cents tax benefits will be ‘worth’ to the average family. There are too many issues to discuss here, too many examples of numbers thrown around based on assumptions or misinterpretations. There’s the question of whether Australia should be one of the first countries to act, or the last. For her part, Julia Gillard wants to be “on the right side of history”; unsurprisingly, Abbott disagrees. Then there’s the large number of carbon tax critics who still deny man-made climate change exists. It almost doesn’t matter what you believe; this legitimate argument gave way to petty name-calling and character assassination months ago.

‘Juliar’ and ‘The Minister for Scary Stories’

Gillard has been dubbed ‘Juliar’ for breaking her pre-election promise that there would be no carbon tax under her Government. Tanya Plibersek has been given the new portfolio of ‘Minister for Scary Stories’ after a stint on Q&A where she prophesised we are “looking at losing the Great Barrier Reef, losing Kakadu National Park, losing the ability to feed ourselves” if we don’t implement the tax. Panellist Brendan O’Neill was quick to call her out on her political fear mongering, just as Labor have on Tony Abbott’s prolonged campaign of negativity. The Green’s view that the policy will help alleviate climate change that is “making our world more dangerous, increasing prices of food and water and jeopardising our way of life” are often blatantly dismissed as extremist, meanwhile their supporters are labelled as leftist-greenies, at worst, socialist conspirators. The angry mobs opposing the tax are made up of either ‘freaks and flatearthers’ or tax-paying, hard-working everyday Australians depending on who you believe. Are their voices ‘of no consequence’ as Anthony Albanese suggests? No, but that doesn’t necessarily make them right.

Room for rational debate?

Peaceful assembly should be encouraged, and democratic debate is nothing if not healthy. But only time will tell what the true outcomes of the carbon tax will be, and if this debate is going to progress, we need to use inside voices to speak our minds. As Annabelle Crabbe points out, it’s become possible to blame almost anything negative on the carbon tax. “Brisbane traffic is terrible. Why, with your toxic tax, are you making a bad situation worse?” It’s possible we will see a widespread return to rational political debate once the pricing scheme is introduced in July next year. It’s also possible our already shaky political landscape will only sink further into hysteria. Some, myself included, hope for the best while envisioning an anti-climactic future, reminiscent of the new millennium’s Y2K-free turn. As Sydney Morning Herald’s economics editor Ross Gittin muses, “psychology sheds as much light on these questions as does economics”. “The safest prediction is that the tax won’t be as bad as its critics fear,” he says, “nor as benign as its defenders claim”.

To get the facts to make up your own mind, I would recommend keeping tabs on ABC’s in-depth carbon pricing coverage, which includes number crunching, analysis, background into international climate action and consideration of Opposition policy. The SBS offers significant analysis of our place in the worldwide climate movement, The Drum offers a range of opinion pieces on the issue, as well as considering the ‘top 500 polluters’ that will actually pay the tax.

Run, Rabbit Issue 1

2012-01-11T20:45:00.000+10:00

This is what we made.
There's been a really positive response so far, and I'm so impressed with the contributions that came my way. What could be better than working with creative, inspiring people on an exciting and rewarding project?
Read all about it at www.runrabbitmagazine.com.
If you think you, or someone you know, might be interested in contributing to the next issue, here's what we're looking for:

Inspirations and updates: graduation and Run,Rabbit

2011-12-22T00:58:00.001+10:00

I'm about a week away from putting out the first issue of Run, Rabbit (you can read more about the project here, or at the website www.runrabbitmagazine.com). It's exciting, but I'm already bouncing with ideas for the second issue and impatient to get started!

In other semi-related news, I now have a pretty piece of paper assuring me I made it through a Bachelor of Journalism with Distinction, which is lovely. It's nice to have everything officiated, but most journalism graduates I know have been feeling like journos since they were in nappies, and don't have any delusions of walking into well-paid (or even poorly-paid) jobs. I have always wanted to share stories in some form, and I'll keep doing so even if I never make enough money from it to pay for my degree.

Just for kicks, here's a token graduation photo.

Feature: 'New Year's Peeve' for Biscuit Magazine Issue 15

2011-12-20T14:43:00.001+10:00

I really hate fireworks.

Read the article online here.

Let’s try a little experiment. I want you to
picture a New Year’s Eve memory. Just go
with the first that comes to mind. While we’re
sharing, here’s mine. It was 2009, at one to
midnight on the last day of December.
At that moment, I stopped throwing up on
a stranger’s porch and was swept up in the
romantic New Year’s Eve kiss I’d been hoping
for. Whether that anecdote is somewhat sweet
or wholly revolting depends on your point
of view. What’s a given is New Year’s Eve
ending in disappointing laced with regret
wrapped in vomit. You’ll have a better
take-home memory of ringing in 2012 if you
save yourself the jacked up taxi fares and
fall asleep at 10:30pm watching re-runs of
Jersey Shore. ‘But, Anna’, you say, ‘I’ve never
thrown up on my own shoes’. Fine, fancy
pants. Here’s a few perfectly valid reasons to
boycott the celebrations.

Fireworks
Someone in your party has convinced you it’s
crucial to arrive early to secure one of the
‘good spots’. You’ve been perched on a picnic
blanket for so long your bottom has gone
numb by the time the crowds stream in.
They stand on your blanket; they knock over
your drink. They make tutting noises at you
that say, “how selfish, taking up that much
space, oh my” until you’re so uncomfortable
you stand up. Right when the ‘big event’ is
about to begin, a loving father takes his child
onto his shoulders. The firework display
begins and you crane your neck but all you can
see is a faint glow emanating from behind this
kid’s head. There are no ‘good spots’. Your
only other viewing option is to rock up with
fifteen minutes to spare, weave through
sticky throngs of bodies, lose your friends
and go hoarse from screaming down the
phone. “Where? Where are you? Just text
me. TEXT ME. I’m by the tree. TREE!” You
find each other, tired and hungry, having missed
the whole shebang.
Do you want to bore adults and frighten
animals and small children? Get some
fireworks into your New Year’s plans.
Alternatively, hold a lighter to your eye line,
crack ice with your teeth and shout ‘boom’
for fifteen minutes.

Expectations
Someone once declared the way you ring
in the New Year dictates the nature of
the twelve months ahead. Not only is that
the stupidest suggestion, but it’s one that’s
become extremely popular. Why do
we preen and plan for this one night of
debauchery above the other 364? It’s an
inner desperation to prove we’ve either had
an amazing, successful, positive-adjectiveladen
year, or that we at least have one coming
up. Add to that Hollywood’s insistence
on counting down to midnight in every
NYE scene, as glitter falls from the sky and
everyone at the event neatly partners up for
a smooch. You can’t top that. If you try, you’ll
just get a shard of plastic confetti in your eye
and the number of someone you’ll never call.

Money
Many cultures celebrate the New Year by
making blessings and wishes for good fortune,
prosperity and health. There are offerings or
ceremonies to promote abundance in the
year ahead, prayers and salutations. Mexican
tradition is to eat a grape for each of twelve
chimes counting down to midnight, making
a wish upon each one. Spanish superstition
says it’s good luck to purchase a new pair of
red undies to wear on the night, and in
the Philippines you might throw coins and
wear polka dots to attract wealth. Modern
Australian tradition is to make a large monetary
offering to the beverage Gods, and wish upon
a taxi home. What we seem to forget is, by
drinking away all our loose change, there's
a 100 per cent chance we’ll be starting the
year off poorer.

Pyjamas
You can’t wear these to any New Year’s
celebration except the one on your couch.
‘Nuff said.

News: various for QUT News on 4EB

2011-11-11T14:31:00.001+10:00

Here's a link to various news packages I did for QUT News on 4EB 98.1 FM over the last week.

Unfortunately they're missing their newsreader intros, but the general gist remains.

http://soundcloud.com/annaeangel/sets/4eb-radio-packages

News: 'October's veggie challenge' for QUT News

2011-09-30T20:19:00.000+10:00

Friday 30 September 2011

October is shaping up to be the month to turn over a new leaf.

Australians are being challenged to go vegetarian from tomorrow, in time for International Vegetarian Week.

Anna Angel reports.

For the transcript and original story, see here.

News: 'Storms, strikes cause commuter chaos' for QUT News

2011-09-30T20:11:00.002+10:00

Thursday 29 September 2011

Thousands of airline passengers have faced long delays across eastern Australia because of major storms and industrial disputes.

Anyone planning to fly over the next few days is advised to check times before going to the airport.

Anna Angel reports.

For the transcript and original story, see here.

News: 'Murdered Kiesha given proper burial', for QUT News

2011-09-30T20:05:00.000+10:00

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Friends and family of murdered six-year-old Kiesha Abrahams have finally laid her to rest at a private funeral service in Sydney’s west.

Kiesha was reported missing from her Mount Druitt home in August last year.

Anna Angel reports.

For the transcript and original story, see here.

News: 'Custom workers strike over stalled pay negotiations' for QUT News

2011-09-30T20:00:00.002+10:00

I've just wrapped up a week with QUT's TV web bulletin - very interesting and outside of my comfort zone.

I'll be posting up some examples of the work I did.

Custom workers strike over stalled pay negotiations

Tuesday 27 September 2011

Thousands of custom and quarantine workers at international airports across the country walked off the job today protesting about stalled pay negotiations.

The union leading the work stoppages has apologised to passengers for any delays but says it had no other choice.

See the transcript and the original story here.

Feature: 'Kids on the Street' for Voiceworks Issue 86

2011-09-24T00:29:00.002+10:00

The spring issue of youth journal Voiceworks, themed 'V' is out now. It features a piece I wrote on the changing educative goals of children's television and, in particular, that crazy phenomenon known as Sesame Street. I'll post up a scan when I get my hands on a copy, but for now - go out and buy it!

Here's a little sample:
"There’s a bear in there, and a chair as well. There are people with games, and if you grew up in Australia within the last 45 years you’ve probably heard the stories they have to tell. I spent my early childhood poorly recreating Benita and the Playschool gang’s craft projects with Clag glue and whatever I could get my hands on; family heirlooms, clothes or insects. Playschool holds the honour of longest-running Australian children’s program, second across all genres only to Four Corners, so I’d hazard a guess that my home wasn’t the only one unintentionally vandalised in afternoon creative frenzies. Nearing a half-century of air-time is no mean feat, and the gang have bought themselves a facelift to celebrate. The ABC re-launched the show’s iconic opening number with a more ‘modern’ sound in July, along with a shiny new interactive website. Then there’s the American educational revolution three years Big Ted’s junior. Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street? The average five-year-old from Brooklyn, Cairns or Bangalore could. They might tell you the fictional street is ambiguously set in New York, with speculation pointing to Manhattan’s west side. This Muppet empire now stretches to over 120 countries and has been a part of an estimated 80 million children’s early lives. It answers an impressive number of pub trivia questions such as ‘Which television show has received the most Emmy Awards?’ but it’s biggest achievement has to be staying on-air long enough to see its first viewers retire."

Review: BIGSOUND Live Part 2 for Mood of Monk

2011-09-22T04:01:00.000+10:00

Read the original here.

Making my way down The Valley mall early on Thursday night, past the club blasting a cover of Wham’s ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go’, past the pub crowd and onwards to Woodland, I was sceptical. Sceptical that BIGSOUND could deliver a night of equal quality to one before (see why here) and that conference-goers who had been shooting the musical shit since 9am Wednesday would have any energy left. An hour and a half later the event had sold out completely and there was egg all over my face.

Given the scores of ‘must-see’ new acts, fresh young faces and hyped radio favourites, you’d need a Harry Potter-style time turner to make the most of the experience. I don’t have one of those (yet), so I set out to simply cram in as much noise as possible.

This is what I saw.

A healthy crowd out bright and early to see Triple J unearthed winners, Brisbane sextet Founds fill Woodland with their almost-ethereal sound. Still more festival-goers fuelling up for the night on pizza slices and burritos.
Brisbane indie-popsters Little Scout playing to steadily growing crowd despite being awkwardly scheduled in-between larger acts. Their quiet energy and joyfully silly dance moves were so endearing it was hard not to root for them. You didn’t want them to screw up; you wanted everyone to run out afterwards and buy their record. They didn’t, and hopefully, a few punters did.
Sydney’s Jonathan Boulet proved an early highlight at The Aviary, with a lingering pre-set crowd there to give him a warm welcome. The show itself was faultless; from his band giving off a modern-day interpretation of a ‘rock star vibe’, to Boulet’s searing vocals. Energy levels dropped only once when, midway through the set, he asked the crowd to shuffle to the left so more bodies could squeeze through the door.
A line stretching at least 500 metres down Ann Street preluding Big Scary’s set at Bakery Lane. Half-hour shows don’t allow much time for waiting around, and I suspect many of those punters left disappointed. Inside there seemed to be plenty of room to move if you were content without a view of the stage.
Melbourne’s The Getaway Plan back from recording their new album in Canada, and excited to be playing their first gig in over eight months. Their heavy sound provided a welcome chance to feel my eardrums thumping in their cages and the floor rattling the beat. Even though they played mostly new material, the sheer enthusiasm of the crowd was palpable.
Buskers on nearly every street corner and cheering masses spilling out of live venues not associated with BIGSOUND reminding me that our live music scene doesn’t just exist when and where we choose to celebrate it.
Back at Bakery Lane, the crowd for Papa vs. Pretty was smaller than anticipated. Once again, the degustation-style schedule was to blame and by a few songs in the crowd had filled out. Musically this Sydney outfit were fun, but the on-stage persona of frontman Thomas Rawle really drew me in. He’s a slightly awkward ‘please’ and ‘thankyou’ young man, seeming genuinely appreciative of the thirty minutes we’d given up to see his band play.
Before Brisbane’s Ball Park Music had even begun sound check, Woodland was packed to the rafters (quite literally) with hipsters, and the venue’s original aroma of cheap cider was infused with sweat. From the killer opener ‘iFly’ it became clear this misfit crew of lanky rock stars had come to party – and why not, with an album dropping the following day. They banged out new tunes as well as hits that had hundreds of people singing along, albeit off-key and poorly timed. During the anthemic ‘It’s Nice to be Alive’ the audience launched into a chorus prematurely but they kindly paused and offered for us “all to do it together” next time. There was love in the air and I left choking on Brisbane pride.
Many revellers partied on, with Last Dinosaurs and Bleeding Knees Club both making a late-night appearance. I had a last train to catch, a warm bed to go home to and a fuzzy feeling that guaranteed a good night’s sleep.

Fighting my way out of Woodland, back past the pub crowd and the club blasting Linda Lyndell’s ‘What a Man’, I was convinced. After a decade, music-makers and punters alike are finally recognising the true power of summits like BIGSOUND to transform the local music scene. Let’s do it again, sometime – perhaps in 2012, when half the bands on show this year will be playing the summer festival circuit and making a living from their beautiful music.

Review: BIGSOUND Live Part 1 for Mood of Monk

2011-09-22T03:56:00.001+10:00

Read the original coverage here. I also shot and live tweeted the event; it was an awful lot of fun.

“Is this the end or is it just beginning,” they sang and it felt right.

As Inland Sea wrapped up their opening spot at BIGSOUND’s live showcase in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, it signalled the start of something big – for the night and for the talented young acts that would fill it.BIGSOUND is an industry conference that exists to talk about music and the people that make it. For those throwing themselves into the conversation, it’s a long and fulfilling three days. For two of those days, when the sun goes down, Australia and New Zealand’s up-and-comers emerge for show and tell.It’s a variety show for industry types, a block party across Brisbane’s entertainment precinct, and a heartening display of genuine talent. I know every crumb in every corner of The Valley, but I’ve rarely seen it as full of energy as it was last night. There are weekends where the streets groan under the sheer weight of people, where the music is oppressively loud and sweat hangs heavy in the air. What BIGSOUND brought was a true celebration of things to come, and a crowd united in a love of music.
Eighty acts are spread across two nights and eight venues, but according to my calculations there would only be time to catch sixteen of them. Choosing amongst them was the kind of anxiety-inducing act I tend to avoid – the line-up didn’t seem to follow the rules of graduating popularity throughout the night and allocating each venue with a genre. With a hasty timetable scrawled on a piece of cardboard, I set out to discover my new favourite acts. This is what I saw.

1. Ten Brisbane locals crammed onto the cosy stage of The Zoo under the name of Inland Sea making beautiful noise to a steady 8pm crowd.

2. Laneous and the Family Yah using the extra room available to them as a four-piece to their advantage. They debuted a handful of new songs that only proved their status as Brisbane’s, if not Australia’s most versatile new act. If there’s a genre they can’t dip their musical toes in, I’d still like to see them try. Laneous and the Family Death Metal does have a ring to it.

3. The beautiful emma louise commanding the attention of a few hundred revellers with little more than her voice. The songstress was signed to a German label only hours before taking to the stage and I like to think the news buoyed her to the vocal heights she reached, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s always so mesmerising. Chances are you’ve heard ‘Jungle’ on Triple J, and if you like what you hear keep an ear out – everything in her arsenal goes right for the heartstrings and refuses to let go.

4. Strangers sharing their passion for music, the swish of business card swapping mid-song and the (admittedly soft) sound of new friends being made over plastic cups of beer.

5. The Cairos kicking off their set three minutes early to a still-small crowd but giving it their all, regardless. Sighs of relief when Electric Playground filled up with bodies around halfway through the set.

6. The Bakery Lane outdoor stage at capacity before The Medics even began, the tops of heads and uncomfortable noise of necks craning.

7. Iconic Brisbane live venue The Troubadour rising from the ashes to become Black Bear Lodge – a homely, wintery space where a melting pot of music fans laze on couches, crouch by the stage and block the fire exits. Sydney’s Lanie Lane swearing in a sweet voice, bringing old-world charm and audience participation back into music. She tells us the next song is “about drinking, dancing, and having a fucking great time with your friends; so do it”. We happily comply. She goes out with a ‘Bang Bang’ and within seconds most of the crowd has hit Brunswick Street, already halfway to their next destination.

8. A very merry The Vasco Era playing to a smaller-than-expected crowd at The Aviary. Brisbane local ten-piece Velociraptor seem to drawn most of the revellers and it doesn’t go unnoticed. In slurred words they announce they’re “probably the 57th most famous band at BIGSOUND now that a few more people have walked in”. The beer sloshed over the instruments only add to the rock ‘n’ roll vibe, and the screams reverb into the speakers at just the right volume.

9. Thousands of people disappearing into the night, tired, with blown minds and reawakened spirits. The distant sounds of the average Wednesday night in The Valley continuing on like we were never there, while my feet struggle to direct me home.

The festivities continue tonight and whether the crowd is recovered or not, the bands are sure to give it their all. They’re there to show the world what they’re capable of and collectively, that’s an awful lot. Massage your swollen feet, shove them back into those dancing shoes and get ready for round two.

Run, Rabbit

2011-09-17T17:06:00.002+10:00

I've been a little quiet on the freelancing front and this is why: I've been working on a little magazine called Run, Rabbit that will be launching online in December. I'm getting so excited at the quality and range of pitches coming through from talented folk not just from Brisbane, but from around the country and the world. It will be quite a bit of work to get going, but it never feels like it when your heart is behind a project.

Run, Rabbit will cross culture with compassion, craft and creativity with community. I haven't been able to find anything quite like what I want to achieve: something that speaks to my playful side, but also makes me think, engaging me in issues larger than myself without compromising on intelligence or patronising me. Something that doesn't then try to sell me something or tell me how to do my hair this month. So, I decided to make it myself. No products, no fashion, no beauty, no god damn celebrities, no hipster-snobbery or intellectual elitism. Just ordinary people with extraordinary ideas or talent, thought-provoking pieces sharing space with the silly and the mundane. Writers who share their beliefs, thoughts and experiences without trying so damn hard to seem irreverent. This is what I want to read, and I don't think I'm the only one.

To follow Run, Rabbit's progress, visit www.runrabbitmagazine.tumblr.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

Feature: 'Parks to put the roses in your cheeks' for The Courier Mail

2011-09-16T15:56:00.002+10:00

16 September 2011

Vital escapes in busy cities, our world-class green spaces give us plenty of fresh reasons to play and relax, writes Anna Angel.

A BREATH of fresh air does a world of good, so get a few lungsful tomorrow, on World Parks Day.

Whether you fancy a cheap and adventurous camping weekend in a national park, a romantic picnic on the foredunes, or a family barbecue in a city park, the choice across Queensland is limitless.

David Clarke, CEO of Australia and New Zealand's leading parks organisation, Parks Forum, says healthy parks lead to healthy communities.

``Not only do they contribute to physical health, but also to mental health: exposure to the natural world is therapeutic,'' he says.

Queensland University of Technology community space expert Dr Gillian Lawson says councils recognise the importance of harnessing our natural blessings. ``We've got a strong tradition of sporting groups using parks, but not of a diverse range of physical activities that are much more widely accessible than a cricket match,'' Dr Lawson says.

But she praised Brisbane and Gold Coast councils for providing locals with fresh reasons pull out the picnic hampers.

One example is Brisbane City Council's LIVE arts program, which will see parks across the city play host to a mix of free music events throughout September.

Another is the city's Active Parks series with free and low-cost activities in more than 50 of the city's parks. The program varies throughout the week and comes alive on weekends.

Tomorrow, on World Parks Day, you can choose from free hula-hooping lessons at Bulimba and clay-sculpting in Mowbray Park, or for $5 you can join in tai chi and qigong at New Farm Park, or try sailing and kayaking in Wynnum.

Brisbane Lifestyle chairman Geraldine Knapp says thousands of residents make use of more than 2000 park facilities across the city every day, but cheap exercise and family activities are a bonus incentive.

``Part of being a clean and green city is having world-class playgrounds, picnic facilities, dog off-leash areas, skate parks and boat ramps in our parks to cater for all Brisbane residents,'' she says.

For information on the full program go to www.brisbane.qld.gov.au

WHILE some outdoor escapes remain partially closed after the January floods, there are still plenty of options for an exciting family outing on the cheap. A good all-round spot will ideally have cooking facilities or an on-site cafe, shaded play equipment, toilet facilities and drinking water, and accessible bike or walking paths.

Ticking all the boxes is Brisbane Botanic Gardens at Mt Coot-tha. There are educative trails and a planetarium plus plenty of shady picnic spots, (or cheat and visit the cafe overlooking the lake).

For heritage appeal, Queens Park in Ipswich, first developed in 1842, offers a colourful play area, lookout and nature centre. It's a centrally located space that is a peaceful eco-sanctuary amid a hive of activity.

Clarke believes it is essential to continue to develop on the country's world-class green spaces.

``Australia has some magnificent parks. We are very lucky,'' he says, ``but it's important we not just protect, but build on and enhance them.''

Logan City Council seems to have have taken that message to heart, launching the country's first parkour circuit at Riverdale Park last month.

The main aim of the parkour discipline, originating in France, is to overcome obstacles in your environment with speed and agility.

Brisbane-based Australian Parkour Association instructor Josh Wit said the circuit provides a controlled and safe environment for beginners to try out the activity.

``Logan has paved the way,'' he says, ``and we're strongly encouraging Brisbane City Council to follow suit with a locally developed version.''

In Brisbane, Chermside's 7th Brigade Park is ideal for the more adventurous of families, with BMX trails, basketball, skate rink, and a cricket pitch alongside the regular trimmings.

For a touch of inner-city romance, you can lose yourself amongst the roses at New Farm Park, or grab a top spot to watch the sunset on the water.

And just 15km from the CBD is an ambient retreat perfect for families and couples alike - the Bunyaville Conservation Park. Crank up the barbecue and spread out a blanket, or take a stroll amongst the koalas and lorikeets that call this place home.

Sunset and sunrise picnics at Kangaroo Point Cliffs are a popular first-date choice, and once you take in its great vistas, it is easy to see why. Stay into the day for a barbecue lunch or an afternoon of adventure, with everything from kayaking to rollerblades at Riverlife.

To choose a local park with all the facilities you'll need for a comfortable visit, or to plan a day trip to your ideal spot, simply visit a local council website, which usually offers access information and notice of upcoming events and closures.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service surveys suggest most national park visitors don't venture more than 500m away from the car park and picnic ground.

Find out about beauty spots close to you on www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks

Beat the crowds

NATURAL ambience is therapeutic, but during peak times in popular spaces such as the South Bank Parklands, New Farm Park, Roma Street Parkland and the City Botanic Gardens - especially during public holidays, special events and lunchtime periods - it can be a little too well loved . . . Venture outside the city limits to seek genuine peace and quiet or try a picnic breakfast or afternoon tea. Even then, on a weekend, you may need to claim a picnic table bright and early.

Washed out

TO AVOID disappointment, ensure your likely picnic spot wasn't affected by the January floods, or has since reopened. A full list of Brisbane community parks and gardens still closed is at brisbane.qld.gov.au.

Updates and inspirations: looking back on FPS 2010

2011-09-13T17:51:00.002+10:00

Before the new web team wipes everything we worked on last year, I thought I'd share some images and text from the 2010 Frock Paper Scissors site. It might not seem so important, but it's crazy to think every design element, every image and every word was dreamed up, coded, edited and fussed over by myself and the entire web team. It takes more work, and is much more satisfying when the final product comes together, than I ever realised. I only wish I could have continued with the site after the mammoth task of redesign.

Aside from the homepage, we made the extra challenge of three seperate landing pages, women's fashion, lifestyle and men's fashion.

We worked on seperate galleries and profiles for each fashion graduate and FPS editorial team member:

We hosted events and shop listings that took up about 90 per cent of my time in those last few weeks.

As well as fashion galleries and a stack of wonderful features.

There were so many ideas that never came to fruition, roadblocks and learning curves, but overall I was happy with the design and the quality of content and so glad for the experience.

You can almost see the look of relief on my face at the launch, knowing it had all come together ... photo from the lovely Erica over at Girl with a Satchel, who is kind enough to lend her passion and experience to the FPS team each year.

Hope this year's team have as much fun as we did, and perhaps stress a little less!

Updates and inspirations: The Isthmus, moving on, and so on and so forth

2011-08-23T20:39:00.004+10:00

This semester (my last!) I am working within a team on an intelligent online pop culture journal called The Isthmus. I've put my hand up to be editor, so I'll be work-shopping ideas, producing general content and subbing as well as contributing. I'm so grateful for another chance to work with talented, interesting people on a project close to my heart while I remain a student.

The FPS site is about to be taken over, and it will be interesting to see where they take it this year. I don't want to get too misty-eyed about it - it's on to the next one for me - but I'll be posting up some screen grabs of the pages and designs so there's a record of the work we did last year. I'm also eagerly awaiting some exciting bylines upcoming this September. I have written again for the next issue of Voiceworks, and have put together a feature on one of my pet loves - traditional tattooing - for the second issue of Vintage Affair zine. All in all it September is always a great time of year, especially if you live where I do. The weather is nice, Brisbane Festival and Big Sound (which I should be reporting on) are both upcoming and I just got my business cards in the mail, making me, for all intents and purposes, an actual human being. Hooray!

Feature: 'The people and stories behind Greazefest' for Seam Magazine

2011-08-23T20:20:00.003+10:00

A write-up I wrote on the culture behind events like Greazefest and the people who live (and love) it. View the original here at Seam Magazine's shiny new website.

“You’ve got to lean over the car like this,” a well-dressed woman in her sixties calls out to me, before demonstrating a classic pin-up pose on a bright red 1950s hot rod. As I poorly attempt to mimic her moves, she yells quick-fix beauty tips at me. From the outside, Greazefest, which takes over Brisbane for one weekend each year, is a carnival of vintage cars, modern pin-ups and poodle skirts. As Seam Magazine discovered, it is more so a celebration of the people keeping the old school dream alive by living and breathing it year-round.

Greazefest, now in its twelfth year, may be one of longest running and largest rockabilly and kustom kulture festivals in the Southern Hemisphere, but it’s by no means the only. Devotees from all corners have a calendar of events to roll up to, from Coffs Harbour’s annual Wintersun festival, Victoria’s Bright Rockabilly Ink and Oil and New Zealand’s largest nostalgia festival, Beach Hop. Come Monday morning, when the last car has left in a trail of smoke and the sun set on the festivities, Australia’s most dedicated revivalists don’t simply re-join the 21st century and return to the office.

Some revellers – like me – simply enjoy the opportunity to pin curl their hair without seeming vain, to practice their jive and pose with cars they could never afford to upkeep. Those living (and trying to make a living from) the culture relish the chance to network with the thousands of like-minded people who crawl out of the woodwork for events such as this, and disappear just as quickly. Tattoo artists specialising in traditional styles, such as Mimsy Gleeson, take advance bookings from interstate clients and ink the few lucky enough to score a spot during the show. For some, such as Tony Tavner-Corner and his wife, the events even provide a reason to come out of retirement. Tony gave up barber work last year and the pair now caravan across the country, but they’re hardly your typical grey nomads. They tour nostalgia and rockabilly festivals supplying hair pomade imported from Southern California’s rockabilly scene, and sometimes – if you’re lucky – styling quiffs and cuts.

Brisbane locals might have recognised some familiar faces, such as Justin Moyle and Ora Brown, who serve fair trade, organic coffee out of their ‘split screen bean machine’ – a Volkswagen Kombi called Muriel – every Saturday outside of the West End Markets. Then there was Coorparoo market regular UrsaLady Creations whose stall, run by three generations of women, overflowed with handmade, unique and rockabilly-inspired accessories and clothing. Ursula Lyne, her mother Ria, and young daughter Aurora work together on the family business, though admittedly, Aurora’s main role is to look adorable and sleep occasionally so her mother can get some, too. Ursula, who Ria says “lives rockabilly culture everyday” works many late nights and long days to keep her dream alive, but you can tell the trio wouldn’t have it any other way.

Happily, for the thousands of Australians immersed in the culture, and its many variations (including the edgier punkabilly), it shows no sign of slowing down. Greazefest organiser Lori Lee closed this year’s event by calling it the best to date. Knowing these cool cats, next year is bound to be every bit as swingin’.

Feature: 'Always room for write stuff' for The Courier Mail

2011-08-20T02:44:00.007+10:00

Always room for write stuff
Anna Angel

Weekend writers' groups and workshops are ideal for being exposed to new ideas and networks, writes Anna Angel

ARE you a closet scribbler or a weekend pen-wielder? They say writing is a solitary profession, but don't quit your day job and retreat to the mountains just yet.

Whether or not you've put pen to paper in years or fancy yourself the next Agatha Christie, Nick Earls or J. K. Rowling, there's a workshop or writers' support group for you.

If there isn't, then start one yourself, says Nancy Cox-Milliner, who formed Writers of Seville more than 10 years ago.

``There was a real need for groups running on the weekend,'' she says. ``People who work during the week don't want to meet at night because that's their writing time.''

Now several writers' groups meet across Queensland at weekends. Most are open to all writers, while some cater to those who dabble in genres such as crime, romance or poetry.

Brisbane fantasy writer Marianne de Pierres co-formed Vision Writers more than 15 years ago. Open to writers of fantasy, sci-fi and speculative fiction, de Pierres says the group's ranks constantly replenish.

``People find it so exhilarating to know there are other people out there interested in the same thing they are,'' she says.

For Sarah Gory of Queensland Writers' Centre, a group's main benefit is fostering a sense of community and support.

``As any writer will tell you, the solitary nature of writing can be overwhelming at times,'' she says. ``Talking to other writers about their experiences is essential to continuing that forward momentum.''

Four months ago Meg Vann, also of QWC, reformed the Brisbane chapter of national female crime-writing network Sisters in Crime, and has since seen interest from a diverse mix of writers.

``Some people are fairly new to writing, others are more readers, and there are quite a few people who have been writing for a while and are looking to get published and improve their craft,'' she says.

For regional writers who are unable to get to Brisbane, Vann recommends the group's Facebook page as a great place to stay connected.

It's also a good idea for budding writers looking for a group to check local library listings for meetings, websites such as meetup.com, as well as social media like Twitter.

Gory says for beginner writers, a workshop might give the confidence needed to share work with a group.

``For a beginner, the task of sitting down to start can be very daunting,'' she says.

``Workshops are integral to introducing the writer to new ideas and networks that allow them to go back to their writing desk with a box full of new tools.''

Along with a calendar of events in Brisbane for beginners through to established writers, QWC runs regional programs in Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton and on the Sunshine Coast.

So while there's a handful of creative writing workshops and retreats competing for your dollar at any given time, how do you choose the one that's right for you?

Vann advises anyone considering a course or workshop to consider what they really need out of it and to weigh up the credentials of the tutors and organisers against the costs.

``It's lovely if you want to spend a lot of money on a retreat or course, but you don't need to,'' she says.

If you're not sure if a group is right for you, take it for a test spin this weekend.

Most encourage potential members to come along to a meeting or two.

If you can't find a group to suit you, QWC has a nifty guide to forming your own writers' group, available on its website (qwc.asn.au), where you can also find programs of upcoming events and plenty of resources for the budding writer.

If you're still not sure where to start, be sure to pay a visit to the Brisbane Writer's Festival, running from September 7-11.

There will be a range of free and affordable seminars, workshops and master classes to suit any level of expertise, hosted by best-selling local, national and international authors.

To book tickets and for details, visit brisbanewritersfestival.com.au

Unleash your print potential

Figure out what you want: Before signing up to a regular group or parting with hard-earned cash for a course or workshop, figure out what it is you hope to get out of the experience. Ensure the course or group will meet your needs - like providing feedback on your work, strengthening basic skills or networking with fellow writers.

Go on the hunt: To find a group near you, check council library websites. Use social media and tools such as meetup.com to get in touch with groups and fellow writers. The QWC (qwc.asn.au) is a great starting point for anyone looking for a short course or workshop, with metropolitan, regional and online courses starting from $20.

Be prepared: Before attending a class or workshop, ask beforehand if you'll need to take along any material or work-in-progress, or have read a piece to be critiqued by the group.

DIY: If there isn't a group near you, or nothing you fancy, why not start your own? Your local library is a great place for a meeting space and you can take to social media to gather fellow writers. Don't let a lack of experience stop you - organisers aren't figureheads or teachers, they're a part of the group.

Column: 'Have your say' for The Courier Mail's Village Green

2011-08-06T17:59:00.004+10:00

I wrote this earlier in the year, but it's funny, it seems all the more fitting that it was published now.

Anna Angel, Clayfield

AMONG the few early childhood memories I can recall is a family trip to Melbourne. As a kid from Nambour, the number of people shoving their way through the city centre floored me. On every intersection there were figures standing among the commotion, calling out. Mum seemed to be the only one who stopped. When I asked why nobody else saw them, she said it was because a lot of people aren't very nice. That's certainly turned out to be true. I just wish I didn't turn out to be one of them.

We're all guilty of compassion fatigue. This year especially, SES volunteers would have it something chronic, and a devastating sequence of natural disasters has stretched most of our donation budgets. We've all crossed the road to avoid someone wielding a clipboard, lest it's another damn charity. One thing we're supposed to be very good at as adults is being practical. We don't give away all our time or possessions and we no longer don a cape and try to fly (not often, anyway). But if you asked the five-year-old version of yourself whether they like who you've become, you're probably not going to like the answer.

Even if you're a pretty decent sort, we as ``grown-ups'' are boring, we make compromises and we can be awfully mean. I barely qualify as an adult in most cultures and I've already upset mini-me. I stared blankly past a homeless woman who asked politely for some change last week, because it was easier than meeting her eye. A handful of Hollywood movies centre on the premise of rediscovering your younger self but not many make for bearable viewing. It is interesting, though, to consider how differently we'd react at a crossroad if mature concerns such as money and duty didn't drive us. If you think your life would be much the same, congratulations.

In a year that's been as disaster-ridden as this one, there has never been a better time to step back and view the world through eyes that haven't yet learnt not to see. We can't regress to a naive mindset and damn the consequences, even if we want to. But we can promise our younger selves to do small things daily to please them, or to consider them in life's big decisions. And when the time comes for me to have kids of my own, I hope they'll forgive me for being such a bloody grown-up.

Column: 'The Chivalry Code - he says she says' for Biscuit Magazine

2011-08-05T11:02:00.009+10:00

For the August issue of Biscuit Magazine, which you can read the lovely pages of here. This will be a regular feature that should be a lot of fun!

Chivalry committed suicide in an existential crisis a few years before the turn of the century. He couldn’t stop thinking back to the days he was respected among men and valued by women, wondering what his place was in this brave new world. He is survived by generations of men, unsure of how to navigate the courting phase of a relationship without him as a guide.

Let me say I am a feminist, and my partner insists he is, too. Why should I, he asks, get foot rubs and free drinks just because I have lady-bits? Don’t I want equality? So, neither of us get unreciprocated foot rubs and we buy our own drinks. It is lovely to be given a jacket when it’s raining, or have a heavy bag carried. But in my own way, I show my partner little tokens of respect we shall call ‘womalry’ in return. Actually, let’s not call it that ever again.

I don’t agree with women who find it offensive when men open doors for them or offer to give up their seat on a bus. I see these gestures as an act of goodwill between fellow humans rather than an expression of masculine dominance. It does upset me, however, that popular culture still deems it okay for a woman to slap any man who’s acting like a tosser, and he’s to laugh it off or perhaps even apologise. Would we ever allow the reverse situation into our living rooms? When I tried this move on once, years ago, my pathetic defence was ‘but you’re stronger than I am’. In excusing such blatant double standards, we lose sight of the ultimate feminist ideal – equality.

Doesn’t everyone, no matter what genitalia they have, really just want to be treated with respect? Both sexes need to practice basic manners and the delicate art of accommodating the needs of others. That’s what the issue comes down to, rather than adhering to a blanket set of rules for all situations. It is inexcusable that we allow pregnant women or people with disabilities or injuries to stand on public transport. Whenever they do, every person without the balls to give up their seat is to blame, whether they’ve actually got a pair or not.

Interview: Dane Beesley for Tom Magazine

2011-08-02T21:42:00.005+10:00

Read online here.

Splitting The Seconds.

Dane Beesley, the fly on the wall of Brisbane’s music scene, takes a break from preparing for the launch of his first photographic book - a scrapbook of the last decade in music - to chat to Anna Angel. It’s shaping up to be quite a party, with some of the rockers who feature in Beesley’s work heading along to help him celebrate and drink the booze. And why wouldn’t they? ‘Splitting the Seconds: a Photographer’s Journal’ catalogues not just Beesley’s own work, but the evolution of Brisbane’s culture as captured through his lens.

"It’s always been my dream to have a book, even when I was in college," Beesley says.

"I started in the film days keeping track of the exposures, writing notes to go with the photos, and just kept it going."

Scribbled notes and micro interviews on bar coasters compliment a retrospective of Beesley’s shots from the past decade, including the likes of Grinderman, The Lemonheads, Beyonce and Metallica.

"It’s pretty personal, but it’s also a really good time for Brisbane - there’s a lot of bands that I’ve worked with like The Grates, Powderfinger, and more recently Hungry Kids of Hungary, that it’s been great watching grow into international acts."

Having shot for street press and magazines like Rolling Stone, Beesley has become a part of the landscape, and now counts a handful of the artists he has worked with as close friends.

"I’m lucky to have made some really great friends but it’s hard having to charge for my jobs when it’s a friend’s band," he says. "It usually just ends up that they’ll buy me a carton of beer."

That’s not to say he no longer gets butterflies - he counts shooting Nick Cave as a career highlight even though he was "really nervous" on the day. When asked if there are any artists still on his ‘wish list’ he recalls chasing psychedelic outfit The Growlers across LA trying to catch one of their gigs.

"I couldn’t get a hold of them, but I met some of their friends who were pretty wild, and shot some of them," he says.

As a widely travelled Brisbane local, Beesley welcomes the changing attitudes towards exports of his hometown - once deemed a ‘cultural backwater’.

"I don’t know why, when someone comes in from New York we think they must be fantastic but there’s people in our backyard who are just as good," he says.

He says there is now a solidarity amongst, and support, for local artists that didn’t exist when he started out shooting Brisbane bands.

"I was just living in Sydney for the last three months and I caught up with so many Brisbane bands getting out there, and had a few of them crashing on my couch," he says.

"Even if you don’t know them you’ll become best friends just because they’re from Brisbane."

Beesley started shooting friend’s bands when he was still in college, before beginning work for street press like Tsunami. His big break came when he managed to snap Karen O bruised and on all fours after she fell off stage.

"I went to New York in 2009 and I met Karen O, and told her how that photo started me off working with Rolling Stone and she goes ’well, you owe me a beer’," Beesley recalls.

"I said, ’well, actually I didn’t get paid for it so you owe me a beer’. She went to the bar and got me a bottle of champagne."

It’s anecdotes like this that make you wonder if there might be some truth to old roll and rock clichss even today, and Beesley seems like a pretty good guy to ask.

"These days you get in trouble just for looking the wrong way, and it is one of those industries where you’re around alcohol a lot; there are drugs around," he says.

"I’ve been pulling back a bit lately; maybe that’s why it’ll be good for me to get into something else, before I get into trouble."

Beesley is working on a second book of black and white travel documentary images, and considering a move into book publishing after self-releasing Splitting The Seconds. You get the impression he’s a restless worker, always with a new project in mind.

"I’m thinking of going back to study and getting a PHD or something, but maybe I’m more of a shooter than a studier," he says.

Splitting The Seconds: A Photographer’s Journal launches July 22 at Metro Arts, and will be available to purchase from www.photodane.com.

Feature: 'Til It's Gone' - Biscuit Magazine

2011-07-09T03:12:00.000+10:00

For issue 10, read online.

Another glossy silver sticker and a tally mark on the back jacket; I was in the lead. ‘Bucket lists’ of things to do, see or taste in your lifetime are meant as more of a guide than a red flag to a wasted life. When my partner and I discovered 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die in 2008 we took the challenge to heart. That holiday we read our way through scores of classics, marking them with colour-coded stickers. The phase eventually passed, but a few weeks ago I rediscovered the list. I can’t recall ever reading Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, but there it was – my trademark silver dot beside the title. It seems I was so concerned with adding notches to my bookcase that I didn’t even make time to enjoy the conquest. Certainly, people are capable of extraordinary feats and insights when faced with their own mortality, but (sorry, Tolstoy) I don’t think skimming over War and Peace counts among them.

Terminally-ill fifteen-year-old Alice Pyne saw an outpouring of support when she posted her ‘bucket list’ online last month. Her blog gained media attention almost overnight, and already thousands of dollars have been donated to charities on her behalf, and businesses have stepped up to help fulfil her wishes. The UK teenager recognizes some of her goals (such as travelling to Kenya) will never be achieved, but the simplicity of most of her dreams is positively moving. Simple things many would take for granted, or even bemoan, are for her a source of hope and fulfilment. Sure, we think it would be nice to have a family portrait taken, to go whale watching, or perhaps stay in a caravan, but life always seems to get in the way. Until, of course, it doesn’t. Alice’s story seems to have struck a chord because she’s realised so young something it takes most of us a lifetime to learn.

While our neighbours in Christchurch are facing one disaster after another, Japan is struggling to come to terms with their biggest catastrophe since the Hiroshima bombings, four months after the first tremors hit. When the survivors are finally able to rebuild their lives, many will choose radically different foundations. Around a quarter of disaster victims experience what’s known as post-traumatic growth – positive changes following adversity. This isn’t to say their suffering is lessened, but that they foster a renewed sense of purpose, spirituality and a greater appreciation of their life and relationships. Perhaps this explains CNN reports that the number of people seeking partnership and marriage in Japan has dramatically increased since the March 11 disasters, creating a sharp spike in sales of engagement and wedding rings. Bride-to-be Maki Maruta was quoted as saying “the disasters reminded me the importance of family. It’s so important to have someone who is precious to you.”

UK researcher Laura Blackie recently conducted a study where she asked participants to reflect on their own death and monitored their behaviours. She concluded in Psychological Science that thoughts of mortality, “can be one of the best gifts we have in life, motivating us to embrace life and embrace goals that are important to us”. But often when we’re isolated from disaster, it’s easy for that inspiration to disappear as quickly as the channel is changed to Bargain Hunt repeats.

In the process of writing this article I almost lost my Grandma who, up until that point, hadn’t been on speaking terms with most of my immediate family for reasons I still struggle to comprehend. Differences were put aside on the hospital bed, but now she’s been given the clear bill of health the hostility rages on. While the scare seemed to shake them into a temporary realisation that life is much too short to hold grudges, they’ve been given more time and so, more time to be stubborn. Perhaps it is this same logic that sees many of us put off our biggest aspirations day after day, assuming we always have tomorrow. But if you didn’t, what would you have done differently today?

Feature: 'Go for it!' for The Courier-Mail

2011-06-10T13:08:00.001+10:00

Published June 10.

Doing improvisation makes you get up, have fun and be in the moment, radio journalist Natalie Bochenski, 30, of Spring Hill, tells Anna Angel.

I DID ballet and dance as a young girl. When I was a teenager that progressed into theatre and I've been involved with impro since the late '90s.

Acting and theatre is my hobby. I'm a journalist by trade and a lot of the time I do straight politics.

You'd be surprised at how much cross-over there is. I won't be at Parliament and bust out some improvised sketch, but I can be at impro and throw in a political joke.

While I still do a lot of scripted theatre, impro is a wonderful outlet. You're tapping into the imagination we all had as kids, but we're told as adults we're not allowed to have any more because we have to be sensible.

I'm artistic director of Impromafia, which was started in 2004 by a group of like-minded people. Our aim is to provide great quality and affordable improvised entertainment, and to provide players with playing opportunities.

None of us are making a living from it. It is our passion. Among our core group we have teachers, lawyers, IT professionals and media professionals. And we do have some who are actors by trade.

It's helped me in my career immensely. As a journalist with 4BC I need to be able to keep things in my head and get ideas across quickly. It's also left me without a sense of fear if I'm left without something to say.

If my computer crashes while I'm reading the news I don't have a complete freak out - I know I can elaborate on stories, pad it out until I get my computer working again.

You might have never got up on stage before, but you can still have a go at impro. We do workshops. We can teach you the skills to get you started. It's very approachable, but most of all it's fun.

If you're someone who is frightened to get up on stage, impro can be a great way to conquer that fear. It's not like stand-up comedy where you're up there by yourself, and we try to provide a supportive environment.

You have to be prepared to fail in impro scenes. It's such an amazing release to say, ``I'm going to do something that won't work, but that's OK''.

The impro community in Brisbane is small and dynamic, but the main issue is getting the word out. A lot of people don't know too much about it. They might remember doing Theatresports in school, but that's just one style of impro.

Our speciality is longer-form improvised works. We perform at the Brisbane Arts Theatre about once a month.

We have a regular Monday night show at the Jubilee Hotel called The Speakeasy. It's a free comedy show we put on so our newer players can get regular stage experience, where everyone plays together.

I'm there nearly every Monday, and we also do a professional show every second Wednesday at the Albion Comedy Club.

Info: impromafia.com

Feature: 'Attack of the superhero' for The Courier-Mail

2011-06-08T12:15:00.002+10:00

8 June 2011

There's something about men in tights, writes Anna Angel.

GREEN Lantern Corps, the intergalactic police squad, fights some of the universe's nastiest villains, but will struggle to topple Marvel's heroes at the box office.

DC's much-loved comic series Green Lantern opens on June 17 in a live-action, 3-D adaptation starring Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively.

The timing lands it in a battle for movie-goers' dollars with Marvel's mutant prequel X-Men: First Class, which has been called the thinking man's superhero movie, and Captain America's live-action debut on July 28.

It's also fresh on the heels of Marvel's portrayal of Thor, god of thunder, which won over the fans despite being labelled a ``Shakespearean epic for nerds''.

The marketing team behind Green Lantern, which centres on a test pilot bestowed with a mystical green ring and responsibility for keeping universal peace, have all claws out. Two trailers for the Warner Bros production have gone viral.

With the third Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises, and Avengers set for release next year, comic fans can expect this standoff to get even bloodier.

Superpowers, you get them in the oddest ways

1 The Green Lantern and Frodo weren't the only ones bestowed with powerful rings - the Earth's spirit liked five culturally diverse youths enough to give them rings that transform them into Captain Planet's Planeteers.

2 The Badger may be just one of Vietnam veteran Norbert Sykes' multiple personalities in this darkly funny series, but happily he's the only one with the ability to talk to animals.

3 Basic first-aid principles contradict the entire premise of Peter Parker's transformation into Spiderman through a radioactive spider bite.

4 An unlikely and short-lived hero is DC's The Red Bee, who fights evil with the aid of trained bumblebees - keeping his favourite stashed in his belt for special occasions.

5 Doing a deal with the devil and skimming over the fine print, Spawn returns to Earth to reunite with his wife. He's given superpowers and forced to wage war against heaven, but - bless him - he still tries to get the girl.

6 If you're bitten by a cobra on a family trip to Africa, don't let dad treat you with a transfusion of mongoose blood. During the golden age of comics, The Whizzer discovered it might give you super-speed, but it can't be hygienic.

7 Most ninjas go through years of training with a reputable sensei to earn their head-scarf stripes. You can speed up the process with sewer ooze mutation and a ninjutsu quick-course with an oversized rat, a la the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

8 Dr Manhattan of The Watchmen must not have liked what he saw in the mirror. After accidental disintegration, he simply rebuilt himself, albeit bluer and more god-like.

9 You can't be too careful around Super Plastic Fluid, lest you mistake it for a refreshing glass of cola, as did DC's 1960s creation Bouncing Boy.

10 Marvel writer Roy Thomas might take the crown with 1970s 3-D Man. Crashing an alien saucer in an escape attempt, Chuck Chandler seemingly disappeared (after radiation exposure, of course) before his brother Hal's eyes. Luckily he was imprinted on to the lens of Hal's glasses, so when he concentrates really hard, he projects Chuck as a triple-strength 3-D image.

Feature: 'Brought up by Broadway' for Biscuit Magazine

2011-06-06T09:39:00.000+10:00

Biscuit Magazine issue 9. It's a really great issue, glad to be a part of it!

Feature: 'Roll up in your soles' for The Courier Mail

2011-06-03T22:47:00.001+10:00

Written for The Courier-Mail's Friday liftout, CM2. Also published online.

Barefoot bowls is a perfect way to have a good time with your mates, so kick off your shoes and have a go at this game of concentration and technique, writes Anna Angel

IF THERE'S a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than with a few drinks in the sun, and some friendly competition between mates, I'd like to hear about it.

Barefoot bowls, lawn bowls' younger and less uptight cousin, is winning over Queenslanders young and old.

In a successful bid to breathe new life into the sport, bowls clubs across the state have kicked off their shoes - literally - and shaken off a stigma of the game known as ``old man's marbles''.

Brisbane clubs have been bowled over by how popular their combination of cheap food, drinks and entertainment is with those in their teens through to late 40s.

A novel bring-a-friend day in the late 1990s drew so many casual players to New Farm's Merthyr Bowls Club - through word of mouth - that they were soon forced to expand.

Today Merthyr is arguably Brisbane's most popular spot to get your toes on the green.

Another club to pick up on the barefoot trend early was nearby New Farm Bowls Club.

``When the club embraced the idea of barefoot bowls it was to generate a new group of people coming in,'' New Farm Bowls Club board member Peter Izard says. ``The social side is what appeals - the amount of laughter and rivalry on a bowls green is amazing.''

Letitia Hodges, 22, of Beenleigh, says she went along to barefoot bowls last month on a whim and can't wait to go back.

``I'd seen the guys out there drinking and just having fun, and I thought it looked really great,'' Hodges (pictured) says.

``It's so much better than going to a pub on a Sunday, with the same crowd and the same music. It's something different, and it's much more relaxed.''

The aim of the game is to roll your bowl, which is weighted to curve, closer to the white ball (called the jack) than your opponents.

If you've never played before, don't worry.

Most clubs will run through a quick coaching session before letting you loose on the green.

``You only need to be prepared to have a great day out in the sun, and to kick your shoes off,'' Izard says.

The sport is steeped in tradition, with Queensland's first bowls club, Booroodabin (The Boo), in Newstead, dating to 1888.

While not all serious bowlers are keen to relax conventional rules and welcome visitors, the weekend traffic is crucial to business.

``I instigated barefoot bowls here, and I had to get it past the old-fashioned members who didn't want too many other people coming into their club,'' Coorparoo Bowls Club's Robyn McGilvery says. ``But now they realise it's those younger people and families that are helping keep our doors open.''

Bowls Queensland's Josh Thornton is thrilled to see more people trying out the sport, with or without shoes.

``It's something that helps get rid of that stigma that lawn bowls is just for older people,'' he says.

Thornton is working with clubs across the state to introduce a fresh calendar of social events and in-house bars and restaurants.

Coorparoo Bowls Club has even painted some bowls to glow in the dark for night games.

The low cost of a game of bowls - about $5 to $10 for two hours or more - is a big draw for families.

Then there's the after-match beers and stellar meal deals.

``People love the prices of the drinks. Where else can you get a stubby for $3.50?'' McGilvery says.

Call your local club in advance, especially if you are making it a family or group affair.

Many clubs have smaller bowls available so kids can play, while some don't allow children under the age of 12 on the green at all.

Get the bowl rolling and find your nearest club at bowlsqld.org or email qld@barefootbowls.com

Follow these tips for a great time bowling

The basics

The aim is to roll your bowls closer to the (small white) jack than your opponents. Bowls are weighted so they will curve, and have two symbols on the surface. The smaller symbol marks the bias side. Always keep the bias facing the centre line of your rink. Judge from your first pitch which way you need to angle your next bowl in order to reach that elusive jack.

Drink between the flags

Clubs will have licensed areas. Feel free to take your tipple of choice within, but most will discourage drinking of any substance on the very expensive green.

Listen and learn

Most club staff will show you the ropes when you begin a game, but don't be afraid to ask members for their pro tips or - better yet - sit back and let them show you how it's done.

Book ahead

Popular clubs such as Merthyr book out their rinks, so it's best to call ahead - especially for large groups and peak times. If you're taking children, make sure your local club is well equipped.

Inteview: The Vines for Tom Magazine

2011-06-02T14:23:00.000+10:00

For TOM Magazine. Published June 1.

Aussie rockers The Vines return with their long-awaited fifth record ‘Future Primitive’. Frontman Craig Nicholls and bassist Brad Heald sat down with Anna Angel and dished their Splendour in the Grass must-sees and tips for living the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle.

Future Primitive is the band’s first release since 2008, but delays are due more to a change of record company than a change of direction. "I wanted to get it out end of last year, but we were still getting it all wrapped up," Nicholls says. "It’s all right to wait that extra bit of time, to make sure everything’s right for when it does come out."

Fans can expect a classic Vines vibe from their latest offering, somewhere between psychedelic ‘60s rock and ‘90s garage. "I’m not for believing that every album has to be completely different," Nicholls says, spinning his cigarettes on the table. "It’s just kind of rock music, with a bit of a different flavour."

That flavour - think electronic, ethereal soundscapes - is thanks in part to working with producer Chris Colonna of Bumblebeez fame. "Chris encouraged us to mess around a bit more which we maybe might not have otherwise," Heald says. While Nicholls agrees Colonna influenced the record, he recalls the Moog synthesisers on their successful 2002 debut Highly Evolved, concluding that this isn’t "a huge change".

Among the 13 tracks is ‘A. S. 4’, the forth in their Autumn Shade series, which has featured on every release except 2006’s Vision Valley. "It’s been a cool vibe with those songs, they’re very laid back," Nicholls says. They’re not ruling out future uses of the motif, and Heald counts the forth go-around as a record highlight. "It has a great atmosphere about it, the outro is really haunting; it kind of reminds me of a [Quentin] Tarantino film," Heald says.

Nicholls favours the spiritual ‘All That You Do’, saying "the rest of them I can sort of figure out what I’m singing about, but that one’s a bit more abstract with the lyrics".

Punchy lead single ‘Gimme Love’ has been well received, but keep your ears pricked for follow-up, title track ‘Future Primitive’ and possible third single, the fun Brit-pop ditty ‘Candy Flippin’ Girl’.

While these tunes are arguably some of their most radio- friendly to date, Nicholls says they haven’t felt any creative pressure from freshly signed record company Sony. "It’s good, no one’s trying to control us and we’re not trying to think about it too consciously," he says. "There’s no pressure to make something sound a certain way."

Sony is pushing the record to corners of the globe previously uncovered by The Vines (pun very, very intended), and the band hopes this year’s tour schedule will provide a hefty return of frequent flyer points. The band will return to Splendour in the Grass in late July, alongside headliners Coldplay, Kanye West and Pulp.

"I’m not into Kanye West," Nicholls says, "I don’t know him much, but I really want to see Coldplay." Heald’s picks for what he calls "one of their favourite" festivals are singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart and indie rock outfit The Kills.

The quintet began rehearsals ahead of last week’s Live at the Chapel recording, but the going hasn’t been too tough. "We do rehearse, but when I sing, I never warm up; I have a very laid back approach to my voice," Nicholls says. "You don’t want to be too serious, then you’d be professional and you don’t want that. "Before a gig I sit around smoking and just warm up when I’m on stage. "I’m not saying it takes me a few songs to warm up, but for me its just rock and roll - maybe I’m just lazy."

Heald insists this is a bone fide rock ‘n’ roll tradition, with Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips claiming to have taken up smoking to achieve his signature rasp. For those who’d like to learn the way of the rocker without lighting up, apparently it’s all in the attitude. "For me the approach is that you don’t have to do anything - nothing is too important," Nicholls says. "I find it helps if you just try not to worry about anything, and if you can’t not worry about it forget about it. "And if you can’t forget about it don’t worry about it. Back and forth, forget and don’t worry and forget."

Despite claims of nonchalance, it’s clear after a decade and a half the gig hasn’t lost its shine for Nicholls, who states simply, "I really like it, I’m just really used to it by now." "I just want to keep going; I don’t imagine ever wanting to stop," he says.

Good news if you’re holding Future Primitive in your hot little hands and already fanging for more - new material is in the works. "I’ve got a couple of new songs, I haven’t really recorded them properly yet, but I think they could be good for a new album," Nicholls says. "I’m hoping to get it recorded next year."
Future Primitive is out now through Sony. The Vines play Splendour in the Grass, Woodford, July 29 - 31. Tickets available through Moshtix.

By Anna Angel.

ENDS

Feature: 'Girl power on screen' for The Courier-Mail

2011-05-30T22:43:00.001+10:00

30 May 2011

Big-screen comedy Bridesmaids has been praised for avoiding stereotypes, writes Anna Angel

WOMEN in comedy, with the exception of all-rounder Tina Fey, seem to be always the bridesmaid, never the belly-laugh inducing brides.

Finally, a raunchy wedding comedy from producer Judd Apatow is proving there's more than one smart, funny woman on the big screen.

Bridesmaids has all the trappings and toilet humour of Apatow films such as Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin but is written and led by women.

Co-writer Kristen Wiig, of Saturday Night Live fame, stars as Annie, an out-of-luck maid of honour navigating her best friend's wedding with a crew of kooky bridesmaids, including Australia's Rose Byrne.

Critics have praised the film for its genuine depiction of female friendships in a genre content to simply pit a loveable sap against a maniacal bridezilla and call it a day.

The ``chick-flick for dudes'' smashed box-office expectations during its opening weekend in the US, suggesting audiences are ready to toss the pallid bouquet of bridal rom-coms usually on offer.

Opening on June 16 across Australia, Bridesmaids just might dethrone the royals for wedding of the year.

Ten of the best female-driven films

1 Female roles in horror films are usually a means to an end - an inanely curious, overtly sexual end. Enter The Descent, a 2005 gore-fest about a group of women on a cave expedition gone wrong. Before you ask, no, they're not lesbian vampires.

2 Films for women, about women, featuring women don't get much more literal than 1939's The Women. This divorcee romp enjoyed a second go-around in 2008.

3 If you're going to break the law you'll need a partner in crime to share in the profits and the regular jail yard beatings. Cinema loves a deadly duo, but none are greater than 1991's murdering road trippers Thelma and Louise.

4 Before Lindsay Lohan braved the Mean Girls, and well before she derailed her career, there was Heathers. Winona Ryder realises in this 1988 comedy that it's not easy being Shannen Doherty's friend. Amen to that.

5 A female character driven by creative pursuits rather than a biological duty to reproduce is usually dressed as a metaphorical devil underneath a Prada stole. Culinary comedy Julie and Julia gives us two passionate leading ladies served up without the gender stereotypes.

6 The bonds of best-friends-forevership can overcome distance, time and even the logical inconsistencies of one pair of jeans fitting a group of teenagers with body shapes as different as their personalities, or so says The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants.

7 Get thee to a nunnery, Whoopi Goldberg. Your first Sister Act will be to liberate those Godly ladies with your musical stylings and sexual freedom. Your second will be a commendable and commercially successful effort, but will lack the pizazz of the original.

8 The CGI adventures of a group of overtly fetishistic vixens attempting to escape from a mental institution in the 1960s has drawn strong feminist criticism. Sure, in Sucker Punch the ladies' main weapons are their doe-eyes and woman-bits, but they're still strong female role models or, err, something.

9 The 1989 film version of Steel Magnolias, centring on a beauty parlour and the ladies who love it, boasts Dolly Parton in all her permed glory. The stage play, written a few years before, couldn't stand up to that.

10 Not to be confused with the damaging gender roles of the Little Miss and Mr Men series, Louisa May Alcott's Little Women is much more wholesome. The 1994 film introduced a new audience to the March sisters and a fresh-faced Kirsten Dunst.

Feature: 'Go for it!' for The Courier-Mail

2011-05-27T22:14:00.003+10:00

27 May 2011

The Courier-Mail

Taking up roller derby and adopting the fishnet-clad alter ego of Dan Sin Queen turned 39-year-old Herston-based web content producer 's life around, she tells Anna Angel

I WENT to my first game with my job, to write about it. I thought it was bizarre, like wrestling.

The only idea I had of it was from the '70s. I came home thinking, ``It's the best thing in the world, I want to do that!''

I started talking to one of the girls from Northern Brisbane Rollers on Twitter and she suggested I try out.

I was full of excuses. I said, ``I have a full-time job and two kids.'' She said, ``So do I.''

I thought I was too old. When I told her I was 38, she said, ``So am I. What else have you got?''

When the next tryout for ``fresh meat'' came around in July last year there were no excuses left.

I used to spend my Saturdays at the skate rink in the '80s. I went to see if I could still skate all those years later, and I could.

I moved up to ``feral meat'' at the beginning of this year. I play the opening matches. I've still got to prove myself a bit more to make the A-grade, which we call the ``rotten meat''.

Before the bout you think, ``Oh my God, there are 3000 people watching me play'' and it can be quite nerve-racking. Once you get out there, it's such a fast-paced, action-packed game you don't even notice the crowd.

Despite the fishnets and short shorts, it's a serious sport. You've always got a bruise somewhere. We actually compare bruises - they're like trophies to us.

We train three times a week for two hours or more. I'm getting super-fit and losing weight - we all are. You're having so much fun you don't notice you're getting exercise.

Some teams in America who are trying to legitimise the sport want to distance themselves from the theatrical elements. But I think that's part of what draws people in. The crowds certainly love it.

It's like a whole new family. I still have friends outside of derby, but we do all go out together and if someone needs to move house on the weekend we'll all go and help out. It's a real community.

We have a lot of single mums, gay women, strong women. Part of the appeal is that it was the first contact sport started for and by women. The only boys we have are referees. They aren't allowed to compete.

My partner was feeling so left out he's now fresh meat to be a referee. Most partners we call derby widows, and they either accept it or decide to join in.

My kids have derby names, too. They come to training on the weekends and they come to the bouts and cheer. At first my mother was a bit like, ``What are you doing this for?'', but she comes to the bouts now, too.

Players can be short, tall, thin, fat. You have to be 18 to play, but we have a lot of women in their mid-40s. It's literally something anyone can do, but you need to be able to skate.

Northern Brisbane Rollers play Brisbane Convention Centre, tomorrow; ticketek.com.au

Info: northernbrisbanerollers.com.au

Feature: 'Hands on a touchy subject' for The Courier Mail

2011-05-16T13:16:00.001+10:00

Written on my placement in Courier-Mail features. I adore arts writing, so I'm thrilled I got to do this piece.

16 May 2011

An innovative show shines light on child neglect, writes Anna Angel

PUPPETRY is seen as child's play for some; a comic device for others. For Halcyon Macleod, writer and director of Africa, a troubling tale of child neglect and joyous idealism in suburban Australia, it is so much more.

Playing Brisbane's Powerhouse from May 18, Africa is neither theatre for young people nor a puppet show, but a whimsical and emotional production for adults, conveying the strength of human will and the power of the imagination.

Innovative Sydney-based theatre troupe My Darling Patricia were initially inspired by both the incredible true story of three German children apprehended toting swimming gear in the dead of winter, having planned to elope to Africa, and images of Australian homes in extreme disrepair.

``With this project in particular, dealing with children who are at risk, puppets were really quite pertinent,'' Macleod said.

``There's something that the audience really understands about the vulnerability of puppets.

``They can't do anything on their own; the role of a puppeteer is really one of a care-giver.''

While Macleod muses that there ``isn't a happy ending for a lot of children in Australia'', Africa is not a wholly depressing tale.

``It is filled with the joys and wonder of play, but it also deals with troubling aspects of child neglect,'' she said.

The group co-authored the performance in early 2009 using improvisation techniques to allow multiple voices to shine through.

``My writing has a real role within that collaborative process, but it is in no way a one-man project,'' she said.

VCA graduate Macleod said they used ``bits of pieces'' of the real children in My Darling Patricia's extended family when forming the characters, but the portrayals are intentionally unrealistic.

``You do not expect to have an emotional response because the device is constantly visible, so the illusion that is being created is simultaneously being disarmed,'' she said.

``It is then quite surprising that you do respond, and you do find yourself feeling for these characters.''

Smaller adult roles are presented almost as caricatures, in the style of old-school comics and cartoons.

``We drew from old Tom and Jerry cartoons where if you saw adults, it would just be a pair of legs, saying something incomprehensible - almost like a different species,'' she said.

Former Brisbane-based actor Jodie Le Vesconte plays a single mother, who Macleod confides is the most realistically depicted adult figure.

Africa was first performed in residence at Sydney's Malthouse Theatre in 2009, and is now touring interstate for the first time with Mobile States.

Tickets to Africa are available from brisbanepowerhouse.org, priced from $22

Review: 'Kosciuszko' by Jedediah for Tom Magazine

2011-05-15T20:17:00.000+10:00

Album of the week for TOM Magazine.

JEBEDIAH
Kosciuszko (Dew Process/ Universal)
Aussie rocker Kevin Mitchell is back to his Jebediah roots after a few years’ stint as soloist Bob Evans and member of supergroup Basement Birds, alongside the likes of Josh Pyke and Eskimo Joe’s Kavyen Temperley. Jebediah have been announced to play this year’s Splendour in the Grass festival, and it’s this, their fourth studio album, that’ll be taking the forefront alongside their career hits.

There’s much more on offer here than hit lead single ‘She’s Like a Comet’. It’s a solid return, featuring a number of strong tracks across a wide breath of style; from the quiet pop-rock of closer ‘Are We OK?’ to the effective rock hooks of ‘To Your Door’ and ‘Under Your Bed’. It’s not their best release to date, but Kosciuszko is, as the title would suggest, a distinctly Australian and likeable release, sure to please fans.
(Anna Angel)

Review: 'The Great Impression' by Sparkadia for Tom Magazine

2011-05-15T20:13:00.000+10:00

Whoops, missed this one going up on TOM Magazine.

SPARKADIA

The Great Impression (Ivy League)
Australian alternative-pop outfit Sparkadia return to deliver a second release, well, one of the band members does. Alex Burnett does brilliantly on his own, with the help of a handful of contributors and one trip to Mother Britannica. The record’s first single, ‘Talking Like I’m Falling Downstairs’ has been on Triple J high rotation since late last year, with freshly released ‘China’ also scoring its fair share of airplay. Both are fine examples of tender indie-pop - all soaring choruses, desolation and ironically upbeat choruses. The other tracks that make up the bulk of the record do not disappoint.
The Great Impression is haunting and expertly constructed, with deliberate peaks and troughs. It opens strongly with the simply effective title track, quickly covering the lead tracks and keeping on a high with ‘Love Less Love’. Other highlights are the gently building power of ‘I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish’ and the drawn-out concluding ‘Fade From View’. It’s a strong release that proves a change of band structure, a change of location, or a change of heart can do more good than harm.

Column: 'Have your say' for The Courier Mail's Village Green

2011-05-14T19:32:00.001+10:00

Published in The Courier-Mail, May 14, pg. 71. Written during my placement there in April. I am in the middle of a placement in the features department, so will hopefully have more to show from that, too.

Have your say - Anna Angel, Clayfield

IT mightn't be as bloody as the Roman's, but the digital era has its gladiator-style battles.

The speed of your laptop's processor goes up against the strength of your opponent's Wi-Fi connection.

A hilarious cat video you discovered on YouTube battles their new favourite website.

If there's something better, thinner, brighter, you're losing the fight.

There are people willing to queue overnight to be top dog.

Then there are those of us stuck at the end of the proverbial food chain. We're the kind who wait until the dust has settled and the cheaper knock-offs are vying for a share of the market before we see what the fuss is about. Of course by then, the next big thing is already on the shelves.

I'm not saying we don't sometimes try to keep up. Internet memes are blown to their ridiculous proportions just from the sheer number of people wanting to get on the bandwagon before it passes them by.

As a Gen Y, I have no excuse. I accept that I should be posting 20 tweets a day, but I have always been technological plankton and suspect I always will be.

I suffered with my inadequacies until last year, when I upgraded to a smart phone. I called Optus last week after only just discovering a minor glitch that prevented it receiving internet access or applications.

As the boyfriend was connecting his fan, computer and entertainment system to a universal remote, I tried to one-up him. Oh, yeah? My phone is now so clever it knows to flash pink when my mum calls but poo brown when work is trying to rob me of my Sunday off.

He didn't seem very impressed. Apparently in the hubbub of gaining new technologies I had disconnected my very basic email service.

It will probably be another year before I get around to fixing that.

I'm too busy playing with my new digital TV. Did you know there's extra channels on there and everything?

News: 'No gravity, no trouble for beer bubbles' for The Courier-Mail

2011-04-11T13:02:00.000+10:00

This is a story that first appeared on The Courier-Mail website, then in the app edition. It can be viewed here. A shortened version also appeared in the print edition, April 8.

No gravity, no trouble for beer bubbles

By Anna Angel

IT might not be long before beer connoisseurs can sip a pint in space, but you probably wouldn't be able to keep it down, or even want to.

A special blend of 4-Pines Brewery's 'space beer' flowed freely at Queensland University of Technology's zero-gravity research facility yesterday, in a trial of the beverage's behaviour in the low gravity of space.

The lab's director Professor Ted Steinberg said the project, which began in October last year, focuses on tweaking the brew's carbonation levels for safe consumption in space.

``You would want to be careful because people are already prone to throwing up in zero-gravity,'' Mr Steinberg said.

``You know what happens when you pop the lid of a beer bottle - image what it could be like if that happened inside of a person.''

He said while he prefers scotch himself, beer lovers might be disappointed with the brew.

``A lot of the flavour of beer comes from the carbonation, so you may end up losing a lot of flavour,'' Mr Steinberg said.

Mr Steinberg said he had no trouble enlisting student volunteers for the unusual project.

``All the students were happy to work on this one, normally it's quite hard to get them down here,'' he said.

The Microgravity Drop Tower - the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere - accurately simulates the conditions of space here on earth, for two seconds at a time.

The facility has been involved in research projects for both NASA and the European Space Agency since it opened late last year.

``We always come up with more questions instead of answers, so the research is ongoing,'' Mr Steinberg said.

``So few people have access to zero-gravity''.

Interview: Shane Nicholson for Tom Magazine

2011-04-06T17:46:00.001+10:00

For TOM Magazine.

Building Bad Machines.

Shane Nicholson is the kind of dad who might carry a crumpled family portrait in his wallet. He’s bursting with cute anecdotes (have you heard the one about the five year-old leading a crowd of 15,000 in an a cappella rendition of ‘Eye of the Tiger’?) and about to embark on a family road-trip when he sits down to chat with Anna Angel. He and his self-professed "travelling circus", which includes wife and Australian country music darling Kasey Chambers, are touring the country following the release of his forth solo record, Bad Machines. He insists it’s going to be "a bit like a holiday", at least in comparison to the six weeks he’s spent away from his brood promoting the album.

"I’m sitting chilling right now, this is as relaxing as it gets," he says, stretching further out on the couch, when the quaint notion of down-time is raised. In fact, he can’t wait to hit the road again. He’ll be co-headlining an extensive regional tour with Chambers, who released Little Bird late last year.

"We orchestrate our time - I’ll drop a record here and you drop one there - so we can tag-team the parent role," he says. "I was kind of finishing my album while she was on the road and I was being Mr Mum, then we swapped. So now when this tour starts it will kind of be back to normal, everyone will be back together."

Their kids come along on tour, and it’s all a "bit Partridge family", Nicholson admits, but it’s how they like it. "It’s quite normal for them. They’ve grown up on tour. I remember putting Arlo to sleep in a guitar case beside the stage so many times while we’re playing," he says.

"They come out on stage and sings songs with us. It depends what mood they’re in, sometimes they’ll come out and want to sing songs, and sometimes they’ll just come out and say, ‘Daddy, I’m thirsty, or, can you make me a sandwich?"

Their performance style is relaxed and intimate, with the naturally introverted Nicholson playing the dry, sarcastic half of the duo.

"It’s almost like sitting in the lounge room, telling stories, jokes, taking the piss out of each other," he says.

"We both like the thought that maybe people can come to a show and go home knowing more about us, not just having heard songs."

Bad Machines began with the intent to involve as many different creative influences as Nicholson could fit into one release, in contrast to the insular nature of 2008’s Familiar Ghosts. Guest spots from the likes of Paul Kelly, Catherine Britt and his wife pepper the record.

"Because the last record was so Shane you know, I wanted this one to have a much richer tapestry of outside personalities," he says.

"It’s a very locally oriented record as well; there’s a lot of singers and artists around where I live on the Central Coast of New South Wales, so I had a whole bunch of friends that we see on a regular basis socially come in and sing, and play something, and just try to enrich the entire project."

If you’re listening to the record for the first or second time, you’re probably not too far behind Nicholson himself, who says some final versions had only been heard once before recording.

"Even though I wrote on the linear notes that Nash [Chambers] and I produced the album, we didn’t really. I just let the band play. The irony is though that of all the records I’ve made it probably got the closest to my goal of what I wanted it to be."

"It was made so quickly with no demos, no plans, I actually find myself listening to it now and only just discovering things that have happened on the record."

Bad Machines is home to narrative ballads, clever allegory, and fun, whimsical tracks alike. Linking them all together is the simple strength of Nicholson’s writing. While reluctant to call himself a singer, he’s very much at home under the ‘songwriter’ banner.

"I started writing songs, so I started singing them by default, because I wanted to hear them. I only started playing guitar so I could play songs. It’s all in the pursuit of getting your songs out there."

"When I’m sitting in the middle of the song and I know that it’s good and I’m feeling it; that’s when I feel the most at peace with what I do."

Ultimately, music is Nicholson’s creative outlet of choice, whether it be his own, or someone else’s. He’s produced well-received albums for Catherine Britt, Angie Hart, and a handful of other artists, under the moniker Sound Hole Productions. Nicholson has "sacked more producers than he’s worked with" as a musician, so understands the delicacy of the role.

"I love the challenge of crawling inside their brain and figuring out, what they want to do, and how I can make that happen," he says.

Is there more production or collaborations in the works for Nicholson in between tour dates?

"There’s always a handful of projects on the go, it’s just hard to make the days last long enough," he says, adding finally, "you still want to be a dad, and be home and fix the gate if it breaks, clean the pool and be normal."

Bad Machines is out now through Essence/Liberation.

By Anna Angel

News: 'Real 'service' station keeps paying the Bill' for The Courier-Mail

2011-04-05T19:14:00.001+10:00

First day on the job (okay, internship) at The Courier-Mail. Found in the paper on April 5.

Real 'service' station keeps paying the Bill

Anna Angel
5 April 2011
The Courier-Mail

NUNDAH'S Buckland Auto Service doesn't sell bread or milk, but more than 50 years of old-fashioned service has kept the customers coming back.

Owner Bill Russell and his wife Marilyn have survived offering more than just fuel - they take the time to personally look after each customer - giving something the large service stations no longer provide.

The pair offer full driveway service - filling up motorists' tanks, pumping tyres and greeting each one with a smile and a bit of a chat through the car window.

Mr Russell said it was a simple but rare level of service that keeps their business afloat.

``If you keep them happy they will come back,'' he said.

He said he would be giving the fuel away for free if he tried to compete in the service station price wars.

Instead, as a skilled mechanic, he is able to to provide quality car care and much more than customer fuel vouchers.

``If you've got a little problem with your car, and it's just somebody behind a counter, they're not going to get off their bum to help anyone,'' he said.

He said motoring enthusiasts trust him with their classic vehicles because ``younger mechanics have no idea what to do with them''.

Mr Russell said while many smaller service stations had struggled to compete, the Nundah garage has been in business since 1956 and showed no sign of slowing.

``We make a living, we look after them and they're all happy," he said.

News: 'Child pageants down under?' for Biscuit Magazine

2011-04-04T20:29:00.000+10:00

Contribution to Biscuit Magazine's April issue. Read online here, pg nine.

Updates and inspirations: The Courier-Mail

2011-04-03T21:14:00.000+10:00

Tomorrow morning I begin a week on The Courier-Mail newsfloor. I'm excited to go back and give it my all, and very excited to be interning in their features department in May.

Feature: 'Now you see it...' for Style Magazine

2011-04-03T21:05:00.000+10:00

Here's a few pics from my work in Style Magazine's March Brisbane and Gold Coast issues. Most of what I did didn't get a (or my) byline, but I thought I'd post a sample of them anyway. It was a really fun office! I'd love to go back again. You can read the issues online here.

Updates and inspirations: Style Magazines

2011-02-12T18:50:00.000+10:00

I'm smack bang in the middle of two part weeks at Style Magazines in Brisbane and I am having a ball. I've been keeping busy with small writing tasks and everyone is absolutely lovely. I'll post PDFs of anything that makes the magazine later on, but right now I'm just happy for the affirmation of how much I love working in this industry.

Feature: 'Paper cut' for Biscuit Magazine

2011-02-12T11:53:00.000+10:00

I wrote an article on how the digital era will change book design for the better for Brisbane e-zine Biscuit's Issue 5. Click to expand.

Read online here.

News: 'Queensland flood disaster' for Frock Paper Scissors

2011-01-15T21:08:00.000+10:00

I want to do so much to help my city out during this horrible time, and have donated all my small budget will allow, and have registered for the clean-up effort, but felt a bit futile. I thought I'd use every outlet available to me to help spread the word about what Brisbane locals can do to help. As I'm still technically online editor of Frock Paper Scissors, that's certainly the best one I've got!

Queensland flood disaster – what you can do to help

Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by the devastating floods throughout Brisbane and Ipswich. It will take many hands to bring our heart-broken city back to life and many years for a number of families to get their lives’ back on track. However, Queenslanders are a resilient bunch, and we can make it through this tragedy if we band together.

There are so many things you can do to help the recovery effort if you can’t donate to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal, from cleaning up your neighbouring suburb, to giving up your couch or clothes. Hell, you can even buy more clothes for yourself and still be digging deep! Sophie Hill is auctioning off her wares at That Vintage with all profits going to the Flood Relief Appeal, and all Jeanswest stores nationwide will be donating their profits from Saturday January 15, as well.

Get your hands dirty

You can join the mammoth clean-up effort at one of four sign-up stations across Brisbane from January 15. Volunteers nominate a full or half day of work, and will be taken to the clean-up sites by bus. Sign up at Boondall Entertainment Centre, Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens auditorium, Doomben Race Course, or the MacGregor State High School auditorium. More information is available here.

Open house

If you’re sitting high and dry and your couch, spare room or backyard have been getting a little lonely, why not open up to flood evacuees big and small? You can list your property for free temporary accomodation here, because we bet it’s much cosier at your place than the RNA Showgrounds. Be sure to mention whether beloved pets are welcome.

Get creative

Wordsmiths can put their talent to a good cause by contributing to the upcoming 100 Stories for Queensland anthology by January 28. All (positive and uplifting) stories between 500 – 1000 words will be considered, and all sale profits will go towards the Flood Relief Appeal. Bibliophiles can also check out the auction of signed books and editing services from literary types such as Benjamin Law and Maggie Alderson at Writers Auction for Queensland.

Donate

If hoarding’s your bag, unload some of those material goods or purchase some non-perishable food to donate. Brisbane Helping Hands has a fantastic list of where to donate what, from clothing to furniture and nappies.

Queensland RSPCA is desperately seeking donations to fund the clean-up and reconstruction of their Fairfield shelter, which was badly damaged during the floods. All furry inhabitants are safe in foster care, but with the number of displaced pets and farm animals growing, it is vital their services get back up and running. They will not receive Government donations to aid the effort, so any spare dosh is much appreciated.

If you’ve got a lot to give and aren’t sure where to start, you can set up a profile at Flood Aid, connecting you with flood victims who might need your help. You can sign up for as much or as little as you want, and even offer a trade or service.

Please let us know of any other volunteering events or opportunities around Brisbane that we haven’t included.

Review: 'Think of England' by The Honey Pies for Rave Magazine

2011-01-15T20:57:00.000+10:00

THE HONEY PIES – Think Of England

Quintessential Britpop care of Adelaide

Adelaide rock-pop outfit The Honey Pies seem to have done more than just think of England during the making of their debut record; the commemorative Wills and Kate royal wedding glossies could have been their muse. Their style is so heavily influenced by classic Britpop (lo-fi and slightly psychedelic for bonus vintage desirability) that it’s hard to catch any hint of a ‘Strine’ accent within their harmonies. Opener Sex Wax is an up-tempo warm-up for tracks like Don’t Mention the War. The latter is a brilliantly oldschool anthem that sports riffs galore whilst having some bi-lingual fun. They come out blazing on short punk number DQYDJB, but their lighter side – highlights are Fool In Love and Aztek – is wonderfully sweet, punctuating a jangling ’60s vibe with modern candour. Think Of England is a delightful series of well-written (if not entirely original) salutes to Britannia, for both her yellowing pop ditties and contemporary exports like Arctic Monkeys.
ANNA ANGEL

Read online here, or in the latest Rave Magazine, issue 973.

Feature: 'An FPS Christmas' for Frock Paper Scissors

2010-12-16T21:35:00.000+10:00

For Frock Paper Scissors.

Is your favourite Christmas movie The Grinch? Do you blanch at $50 baubles and screw your nose up at forced festive cheer? if you still want to join in the celebrations this silly season – minus the gaudy Santa cutouts – take our advice.

Local Brisbane artist Lauren Carney has your cutely warped gifts (and possibly Christmas Cards) sorted at her lovely Etsy shop – think Santa bomb-diving into a pool of horrified children. There’s some gorgeous eco-friendly and fair trade decorations at Biome for those who need a kick up the bum in the tinsel department, and they’ve got a nifty gift guide too. Their gifts are for anyone who thinks the spend-a-thon that proceeds December 25 should be put to better use, or at least not wasted on throw-away ties and socks made in sweatshops. An even brighter idea for the anti-consumerist within you is a Really Wild Gift that goes towards WSPA’s charity work. You can even tailor it to benefit your loved one’s favourite creatures. Plus, if anyone asks what you got your mum for Christmas, you can say “vitamin enriched orangutan milk” or “oh, I saved a bear on her behalf, no big”.

If these get you in the spirit, there’s free events abound this season – from fighting for a spot to view the beautiful Myer window display on the Queen St Mall, to the Festival of Carols at Albert Street Uniting Church on December 17. We can also take some pride in the King George Square Christmas tree this year, as it’s the world’s largest solar powered pine, with over 16,000 lights. If ‘bah, humbug’ is still on your lips, you could always drive around and mock the efforts of this year’s Christmas Lights Winners, or catch a screening of sadistic Finnish Christmas flick Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale.
Merry Christmas from the FPS team, regardless of whether you’ve been naughty or nice.

Review: 'Morning Glory' for Tom Magazine

2010-12-15T21:30:00.000+10:00

For TOM Magazine.

Morning Glory could have been a welcome break from the circuit of summer rom-coms and thrillers, but Aline Brosh McKenna’s scripting results in a wholly unsatisfying payoff. Rachel McAdams finally gets the kind of lead role she deserves, as the bubbly and hard-working morning television producer Becky Fuller. McAdams is always a delight, and Ford and Keaton have long proven their ability to save a struggling film. From the same screenwriter as The Devil Wears Prada, and with similarities abound, Morning Glory gets off to a great start. Unfortunately, the talented lead trio becomes the only reason to keep watching past the halfway mark.

The lovable and naively determined Becky’s career is this film’s entire universe. Our heroine loses her job - which is clearly her entire life - despite her passion and talent. She’s picked up as the executive producer of dismal morning show Daybreak. With a foot-fetishising and downright creepy co-host (Ty Burrell) alongside the difficult Colleen Peck (Keaton), she has her work cut out for her if she’s to save the show. Despite the fact that no other character seems to believe in her, or even the tanking program, she sets to work like an Energiser bunny. Bless her.

Her first move is to replace the god-awful male host with the even more insufferable Mike Pomeroy (Ford) - hardened journalist and grumpy old man. Chaos ensues, especially as the film touches on the debate between news and entertainment, and apparently settles on entertainment. This felt like a point of character conflict for Becky. She idolises Pomeroy for his career as a hard-hitting news anchor, but seems miffed he won’t report on celebrities and cereal. The whole issue is sadly oversimplified to assume that no audiences want to be informed, claiming they prefer ‘sugar’ to ‘bran’.

Read more here.

Review: The Holy Sea for Tom Magazine

2010-12-09T14:18:00.000+10:00

For TOM Magazine, original article here.

The Holy Sea
Ghosts of the Horizon (An Ocean Awaits/Fuse)
There are a handful of stunning records released by Australian artists every year. There are less unashamedly Australian records, fewer still ambitious offerings commentating an exclusively Australian experience. I don’t want to prematurely jump on the bandwagon of those hailing Ghosts of the Horizon as an iconic Aussie record (The Holy Sea’s own team suggest it "has the hallmarks of a landmark Australian album"). I will say it is refreshing to hear something both musically accomplished and politically important; an aurally appealing voice with something of worth to say.

It’s easy to compare lead singer and writer Henry F. Skerritt to Nick Cave and other predecessors, but what he, and the entire epic seven-man (and woman) folk-rock outfit present, is a unique sense of characterisation. With strong imagery, and ballads written from the perspective of real-life figures such as Seargent Chris Hurley (the moving ‘King of Palm Island’) and Van Diemen’s Land Governor George Arthur (‘Arthur’s Lament), this is folk-rock poetry. Throw in a pinch of personal reflection, some contemporary suburban tales, guts and fire and you have Ghosts of the Horizon. The whole package seems to ache with the residue of our colonial past, our own ghosts, without feeling irrelevant to its contemporary listeners.

This begs to be bought, borrowed, copied off the radio using an old tape recorder, if not just for the vulnerability and clever concision of Skerritt’s lyrics. Throughout the nine tracks, Skerritt writes modern bush poetry, with a bitter, lonely stain. From the contrasted landscapes of single ‘Bad Luck’; "I groped to find your stars unlit as the wilderness turned winter in your sullen breast" to the melodies of ‘This River’; "like a general in her kitchen, she keeps it ship-shape/and one day, well her ship might come in/she always did like the ocean".

This record benefitted from each listen, as another poignant lyric, a greater resonance, was uncovered. Give it time to gestate, and who knows, maybe it will become a pivotal Australian album, or maybe you’ll just grow to really appreciate The Holy Sea after eleven years of music making.
[Anna Angel]

Review: Chris Pickering at The Globe for Rave Magazine

2010-12-07T19:45:00.000+10:00

Gig review, read the original here, or in the latest Rave, issue 970, pg 30.

CHRIS PICKERING/ CATHERINE BRITT
The Globe - Fri Dec 3
Arriving at The Globe to news their doors are staying open, at least for now, I’m invited to ‘review the venue, not the bands’. It does feels right to stretch out on the worn carpet to take in the voyeuristically intimate shows of Nashville-returned alt-country artists Catherine Britt and Brisbane’s own Chris Pickering. But the crowd, which plateaus at around the 50 or 60 mark, are here for the music (barring the gentleman passed out in the middle of the room).

As candidly confessional in her song introductions as in her lyrics, Britt dedicates What I Did Last Night to the hangovers we’ll sport come morning, and bares the chip on her shoulder, launching into the arresting Call You Back Town. My current emotional state is akin to a floodgate, so it’s no surprise the raw emotion of Too Far Gone chokes me up. A lovelorn rendition of Sweet Emmylou is another highlight, as Britt proves her song’s point – good music can be medicinal.

Chris Pickering opens by performing a duet with Britt on Cool Southern Night. The pair work wonderfully together, especially later on Fisherman’s Daughter. He plays to his crowd – deadpan and slightly selfdeprecating, but ever grateful. From jokes following a spine-tingling Hasta Luego, to calling the beautiful I Just Want To Love a ballad for “you sensitive bunch”, he proves to have none of the ego of the musical heavyweights he is often compared to. The audience livens slightly during the up-beat Fit To Print and calls for an encore, amidst which is a stunning version of Love Hurts, making me concede this whole tour was designed as a comfort hug to the heartbroken. It’s an unfortunately small affair for the final leg of their national Fact Or Fiction tour, but that doesn’t stop them from demonstrating exactly why they deserve a much bigger hurrah.
ANNA ANGEL

Review: 'Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale' for Tom Magazine

2010-12-06T18:25:00.000+10:00

For TOM Magazine. Read the original review here.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale

Director: Jalmari Helander.

Starring: Jorma Tommila, Onni Tommila, Peeter Jakobi, Rauno Juvonen, Per Christian Ellefsen

Reviewed by Anna Angel
This novel, sinister Christmas tale began in 2003 as a short by Finnish director Jalmari Helander that quickly gained momentum on the internet. Quirky ideas that capture audiences for a matter of minutes don’t necessarily translate into feature-length films, so it’s interesting to see if Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale can avoid going stale.

This is the antithesis of 1998’s A Very Brady Christmas and any recent Hollywood offering (though there’s a distinct lack of cheesy Christmas releases this year, which is somewhat disappointing). This is not an uplifting movie, and there are no Christian morals to be shared. Helander’s Santa Claus is decidedly different to Coca-Cola’s version - so different that he sniffs out and smacks to death any children in his vicinity, rather than gifting them the latest Mattel creations.

A young boy, Pietari (played brilliantly by Onni Tommila) living with his father (Jorma Tommila) in a struggling slaughterhouse near the Korvatunturi Mountains, discovers an American company’s plans to excavate the original Santa from his grave deep within the peak. Pietari’s research uncovers Santa’s true nature, and from then on, it’s obvious this is not going to be your average spirited affair. It takes a while for the plot to develop after this, but eventually his father and his friends capture the spindly, disturbing Santa in a fox trap and decide to sell him back to the man who wanted him dug up in the first place. This is when it really hits its stride. In the meantime, the audience gets to love Pietari’s determination and heart, understand the guarded love of his father, and appreciate the rough humour of supporting characters like Piiparinen (Rauno Juvonen). But it’s the ultimate payoff, both creepy and unexpectedly comic and charming, that makes it all worthwhile.

Certain scenes make this film clearly unsuitable for children, and given this, it could have drawn more blood, and amped up the thrills for its older audience. It’s fine for teens, and comfortable for adults, just not those with blood thirst. There is a wonderful undertone touching on the effects of recession, contrasting this with the commercialisation and greed of modern Christmas. There is familial heartbreak that more accurately portrays contemporary family life than most ‘Stuart Little’/ ‘Home Alone’ tales. So it’s a shame most youngin’s would be scarred by the visuals of wrinkly, hairy, and frontally naked Santa’s helpers, because there’s some useful lessons here.

Ultimately the film is successful in maintaining interest, and at once funny, action-packed, and mildly disturbing. There are many characters you never really get to know or care for, and some unexplained plot-driving action, but this is a film after the heart of anyone who hates shopping centre jingles, mistletoe and family portraits with ‘Santa’. A warning for those who don’t care for subtitles; an ever-present blanket of snow makes the reading even more difficult for weary or just plain lazy eyes.
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale in cinemas 2 December.

ENDS

Feature: 'Travel Writing' for Frock Paper Scissors

2010-12-06T18:18:00.000+10:00

Written for Frock Paper Scissors. I do love Bookcrossing! Read the original article here.

I left Jonathan Safran Foer at the Balmoral Cineplex, his orange spine camouflaged against the taxi service phone. The next morning he was gone, and I haven’t heard from him since. The pursuit of Doctor Who brought me to Albion train station in the early hours of the morning, and I almost lost hope when Stephen King wasn’t waiting at a sodden park bench. That was, until a friend unwittingly sat next to Thomas Hardy on the Caboolture line, and introduced him to me.

More than 6,000 Queenslanders are members of the worldwide network BookCrossing – an online haven for bibliophiles who know great literature is better shared. The site allows users to tag books with a unique ID, and release them “into the wild” for strangers to stumble across. Anyone who “catches” a book is encouraged to re-release it, spreading the fuzzy feelings even further. There are hundreds of releases playing hide-and-seek across Brisbane, each with a handy guide to their whereabouts. You can keep it a mystery, just be prepared to fight the discomfort of claiming lost property in public spaces. Being the beneficiary of a random act of kindness might make you look like a thief, but it’s well worth it. Some key hunting zones in Brisbane are Mick O’Malley’s Irish Pub on Queen Street Mall, The Myer Centre, bus stops, train stations and phone booths.
Bookcrossing is proof there’s often less than six degrees of separation. A yellowed copy of Hardy’s The Return of the Native began its journey in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom, then crossed to Christchurch before ending up on my shelf. All dusty literature gets the travel bug, so why let a few novels have all the fun? That self-affirming expression “if you love someone set them free” finally has merit – your Kurt Vonneguts and Jane Austens could make somebody’s day, or change their life.
Keep your eyes peeled for a tagged copy of Frock Paper Scissors’ 2010 issue somewhere around town. Follow the clues, and keep tabs on its travels on our Facebook page. Who knows, our little magazine could make it halfway across the world.
Register at bookcrossing.com.

Feature: 'Eat Your Greens!' for Frock Paper Scissors

2010-12-06T18:16:00.000+10:00

An in-depth guide to Brisbane's vegetarian and vegan restaurants written for Frock Paper Scissors. I won't post it in full here, but any Brisbane veggo or possible veggo should take a look!

As a seasoned Brisbane veggo, I have some words of wisdom. We are not welcome at Breakfast Creek or Norman Hotel. While times have changed and vegetarians are catered for at most other venues, it gets a bit boring eating side chips and salad, or the token cream-based veg pasta at every meal out. More choice – a whole menu of options – and quality meat-free and vegan options are tucked away at a number of eateries across our fine city. Some you can take your partner’s conservative parents to, while some will frighten your relations with drum circles and hypnotic chanting. Here’s a handy guide of where to go, when, and with whom.

Read the full article here.

Feature: 'Many hands' for Frock Paper Scissors.

2010-12-06T18:13:00.000+10:00

Written for Frock Paper Scissors.

By Anna Angel

They say birds of a feather flock together; this is especially true of Brisbane’s community of independent crafters.
The success of local artistic collectives like BrisStyle has given rise to new avenues for artists and shoppers to connect. The first franchise of Melbourne’s In.cube8r gallery, where independent artists lease small spaces to sell their wares commission-free, officially launched in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley in August 2010.
In 2007, Isy Galey opened In.cube8r, which she labels “Coles-Myer on a smaller scale”, after struggling to find economically viable ways to market her glasswork to the public.
“I have always thought – and I’ve been making my whole life – that commission kills handmade,” she says.
Her success and passion has paved the way for the store, run by Vicki Sinclair, on Wickham Street to emerge as a staple among the Valley’s artistic tapestry, where shoppers have overwhelmingly embraced local crafters.
“Nothing compares to a product that’s made by hand, and because the item has been made without pressure, and not under duress in a sweatshop environment, that person is able to put love and thought behind it,” Galey says.

Original article and images here or read after the jump.

The Etsy revolution?

The communal nature of a shop like In.cube8r makes it easier for independent artists to break into the market, and online avenues like Etsy.com have created thousands of success stories.
Galey admires the concept of Esty, but admits that larger collectives have their downfalls.
“There’s something like 600,000 sellers now, and I know people who have gotten their feet off the ground, but I know three times as many who haven’t sold anything at all,” she says.
A smart group of Brisbane-based artists have found a way to stand out amongst the throng, reaching the local community with little more than Etsy profiles and a blog.
“A girl who came over from the Netherlands started it all off – she wanted to meet the local community of Etsiers, so put the call out,” says Helen Berthold of BrisStyle.
Since they first formed in March 2008, membership numbers have swelled to 120. Members have access to stalls at each market the group holds, promotion through the website, and advice on everything from marketing to business cards.
Berthold organises BrisStyle’s sporadic markets, from the Mother & Child markets held in Hamilton, to the popular Twilight Markets held in King George Square, where she sells her own upcycled vintage fare under the name Ruby 2 Go Go.
Chatting from a promotional stall at the recent Indie Designers Market, she pauses as each shopper approaches, to smile and ask, “Hi, how did you hear about BrisStyle?”
One conversation unearths a potential 121st member for the group, who clutches her collection of business cards and parcels with obvious delight.
Manning the next stall over is the president of BrisStyle, Rebecca Cason, who greets customers shyly while hand-stitching a red softie for her range, Edward and Lilly.
“BrisStyle as a group is more effective at promoting handmade than one seller going out alone, it’s the power of the masses, I guess,” Cason says.
“It’s good for people to be a part of a community where everyone understands where they’re coming from, as well.”

To market, to market

Cason embraces newer additions to Brisbane’s pop-up shopping calendar, which include the Valley Laneway Markets, Suitcase Rummage, West End’s Marky Markets, and Finders Keepers.
“Even in the last six months, there are so many more markets and outlets for handmade popping up, and I think everyone is now more aware of the impact of production from everything we buy,” she says.
Rather than turning away from the online avenues that launch so many artisans, these shopping events are often seen as a cost-effective way to supplement and promote virtual stores.
“You can always have a conversation with a buyer online, but they might then come to the markets to meet you face-to-face, and you have that contact with the seller,” Cason says.
Local designer Holly Leonardson’s accessories line, Pannikin, has been available on Etsy since 2008, but she says business has only taken off since she became a BrisStyle member in 2010.
“Doing the markets is a good way to get out there,” says Leonardson.
“You’ll get people who’ll say, ‘Oh, I saw you at the market’, and it’s really nice to know people enjoy themselves so much.”
It’s almost too perfect to call a collective that produces felt brooches and hand-sewn softies and satchels “tight-knit”, but Leonardson confirms BrisStyle is certainly that.
“It’s been a big help because everyone in the community is so supportive, and it’s great to see Etsy stores actually come to life,” she says.

Fiction: 'Gingerbread' for Eve's Harvest

2010-11-30T12:10:00.000+10:00

Eve's Harvest has been published through Odyssey, is available through Amazon, and looks pretty amazing! You can also see a preview, which means reading a few pages of my story for free! Check it out here. The theme is 'One', so my story, and many of the others, centre on the concept of one true love, which, is not entirely original, but given the feminist slant of lip magazine, who published the anthology, you can expect something a bit different to the usual drivel.

Feature: Madman National Cosplay Championships for Rave Magazine

2010-11-30T11:50:00.001+10:00

For RAVE Magazine, issue 969. It was a fun day!

On the weekend the RNA showgrounds were invaded by the most colourful collection of characters has ever seen. ANNA ANGEL reports on the highlights witnessed at the MADMAN NATIONAL COSPLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS.
It ain’t easy being a national cosplay (costume role-play) finalist, and as I found out at the weekend, months of painstaking stitching, hand-dying and collecting animal skeletons are just par for the course. If you call yourself a cosplayer because you once made out with Mary Jane (i.e. your right hand) while wearing a Spider-Man mask, these costuming spectaculars, sets, props and finely rehearsed skits would put you to shame. That is, if the cosplay community weren’t overwhelmingly supportive. For the second year, Madman Entertainment and Supanova presented the country’s biggest festival of anime, manga and video game cosplay, with the Brisbane leg scoring the additional gong of naming Australia’s best cosplayer. The finalists – five state champions and three wildcards – took to the stage after a morning of anime madness and mutual costume appreciation.

Wildcard Anna placed third as Cain Nightroad from Trinity Blood, despite getting sweaty feet in her Alexander McQueen-like contraptions and epic ensemble of Toohey’s posterboard halo and skull-adorned cape. Second place went to cosplay veterans Wakaleo and Tsubaki as characters from Clover, but wildcard William bagged the winner’s trip to Japan, after convincingly portraying Siegfried Schtauffen from Soulcalibur. With the presence of a method actor and a trident that would surely be illegal to carry on the streets, he dramatically slew a younger self on stage. Accepting the award, he sobbed and admitted, “there’s snot coming out” and embraced the other finalists, reminding us all that the cosplay community is just a
little bit silly, and also a whole lot inviting.

The 2010 MADMAN NATIONAL COSPLAY CHAMPIONSHIPS took place at the RNA Showgrounds on Saturday Nov 27. See www.madman.com.au/cosplay for more information.

See the original article and amazing pics in Rave, pg 37.

Updates and inspirations: Frock Paper Scissors launch

2010-11-20T20:26:00.000+10:00

The new-look Frock Paper Scissors is finally live, and I couldn't be prouder of the way it's turned out. The contributors were all so talented and amazing to work with, and this project has definitely been worth all the tears, emails and late nights. It will continue to be updated over the coming year, but the frequency is up to circumstance at the moment. I will also be posting some of my own work featured on the site, but I'm generally just ecstatic to see it all come to life, after so many months of planning, deliberating, discussing and editing. Until it the reins are handed over next year, this has been/will be my 'baby'. To use an awkward analogy, the past months have been a bit of a gestation period (and those final hiccups and stresses, the labour?), and I'm exciting to see where else it can grow.

pockets for boroughs

Feature: ''It's not the end of the world' for The Isthmus

Feature: 'The Golden Era (terms and conditions apply)' for The Isthmus

Feature: 'Fear and Carbon in Canberra' for The Isthmus

Run, Rabbit Issue 1

Inspirations and updates: graduation and Run,Rabbit

Feature: 'New Year's Peeve' for Biscuit Magazine Issue 15

News: various for QUT News on 4EB

News: 'October's veggie challenge' for QUT News

News: 'Storms, strikes cause commuter chaos' for QUT News

News: 'Murdered Kiesha given proper burial', for QUT News

News: 'Custom workers strike over stalled pay negotiations' for QUT News

Custom workers strike over stalled pay negotiations

Feature: 'Kids on the Street' for Voiceworks Issue 86

Review: BIGSOUND Live Part 2 for Mood of Monk

Given the scores of ‘must-see’ new acts, fresh young faces and hyped radio favourites, you’d need a Harry Potter-style time turner to make the most of the experience. I don’t have one of those (yet), so I set out to simply cram in as much noise as possible.

This is what I saw.

A healthy crowd out bright and early to see Triple J unearthed winners, Brisbane sextet Founds fill Woodland with their almost-ethereal sound. Still more festival-goers fuelling up for the night on pizza slices and burritos.

Buskers on nearly every street corner and cheering masses spilling out of live venues not associated with BIGSOUND reminding me that our live music scene doesn’t just exist when and where we choose to celebrate it.

Many revellers partied on, with Last Dinosaurs and Bleeding Knees Club both making a late-night appearance. I had a last train to catch, a warm bed to go home to and a fuzzy feeling that guaranteed a good night’s sleep.

Review: BIGSOUND Live Part 1 for Mood of Monk

“Is this the end or is it just beginning,” they sang and it felt right.

Run, Rabbit

Feature: 'Parks to put the roses in your cheeks' for The Courier Mail

Updates and inspirations: looking back on FPS 2010

Updates and inspirations: The Isthmus, moving on, and so on and so forth

Feature: 'The people and stories behind Greazefest' for Seam Magazine

Feature: 'Always room for write stuff' for The Courier Mail

Column: 'Have your say' for The Courier Mail's Village Green

Column: 'The Chivalry Code - he says she says' for Biscuit Magazine

Interview: Dane Beesley for Tom Magazine

Feature: 'Til It's Gone' - Biscuit Magazine

Feature: 'Go for it!' for The Courier-Mail

Feature: 'Attack of the superhero' for The Courier-Mail

Feature: 'Brought up by Broadway' for Biscuit Magazine

Feature: 'Roll up in your soles' for The Courier Mail

Inteview: The Vines for Tom Magazine

Feature: 'Girl power on screen' for The Courier-Mail

Feature: 'Go for it!' for The Courier-Mail

Feature: 'Hands on a touchy subject' for The Courier Mail

Review: 'Kosciuszko' by Jedediah for Tom Magazine

Review: 'The Great Impression' by Sparkadia for Tom Magazine

Column: 'Have your say' for The Courier Mail's Village Green

News: 'No gravity, no trouble for beer bubbles' for The Courier-Mail

Interview: Shane Nicholson for Tom Magazine

News: 'Real 'service' station keeps paying the Bill' for The Courier-Mail

News: 'Child pageants down under?' for Biscuit Magazine

Updates and inspirations: The Courier-Mail

Feature: 'Now you see it...' for Style Magazine

Updates and inspirations: Style Magazines

Feature: 'Paper cut' for Biscuit Magazine

News: 'Queensland flood disaster' for Frock Paper Scissors

Review: 'Think of England' by The Honey Pies for Rave Magazine

Feature: 'An FPS Christmas' for Frock Paper Scissors

Review: 'Morning Glory' for Tom Magazine

Review: The Holy Sea for Tom Magazine

Review: Chris Pickering at The Globe for Rave Magazine

Review: 'Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale' for Tom Magazine

Feature: 'Travel Writing' for Frock Paper Scissors

Feature: 'Eat Your Greens!' for Frock Paper Scissors

Feature: 'Many hands' for Frock Paper Scissors.

The Etsy revolution?

To market, to market

Fiction: 'Gingerbread' for Eve's Harvest

Feature: Madman National Cosplay Championships for Rave Magazine

Updates and inspirations: Frock Paper Scissors launch