Thursday, January 27, 2011

Recent Adventures of Dora the Explorer

Over the last week, I have been exploring more than just my own backyard and the MTA office... I went to the Dandenongs and did the 1000 steps/Kokoda trail. I do not recommend this hike for someone who is even remotely unfit. Take the advice of someone who hasn't exercised in approximately 2 years...... I experienced the kind of exhaustion you only feel after a 6am wake-up following a night of heavy drinking. However, aside from the difficulties, it was very rewarding when I reached the top and I am going to try and do it more often so as to get my fitness in order!

Also looking forward to this Saturday the 29th Jan as I will be going to Raggamuffin music festival held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne's CBD. This year's line-up features R&B queen, Mary J. Blige and Reggae/Rap sensation, Sean Paul - Two artists that I rate very highly. Last year's Raggamuffin festival was crazyyyy good and I can't wait to chill on the lawn with a few drinks while listening to the best of modern reggae/hip hop.

Have a good weekend everyone!

- Dora

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Bored and poor? Cheap things to do to get your butt off the couch

I have one main goal for my life - to not look back on it with regret.  I read the poem ‘If I Had My Life Over’ written by Belinda Emmett just before she passed away.  The line I have never forgotten is  I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life’. 

So this blog is to inspire us all (including me) to get off the couch and I know it’s so cliché but GET INTO LIFE!!  There is soooo much to do, to experience.  Understandably though sometimes we need a little creative guidance especially when there are constraints such as money or weather, etc.  So, I will endeavour to provide you with ideas for fun and exciting things to do to ensure that you are really experiencing LIFE!! I may tend to get a little over excited sometimes but hey, that’s the whole essence of this blog – enthusiasm people!!

Ok so the first ‘ideas’ list is for when we want to hold back on the outflow of cashola, moolah, pennies, dough, spondulicks – yep that also means money. 

  1. Pack your lunch. Get a daily public transport ticket.  Close your eyes and randomly point your finger at the train lines and pick one.  Then either go to the end of the line or again, randomly pick a stop to get off at.  Have no expectations and go for an adventure. 
  2. Do something creative – write a poem or song, paint a picture, take some photos.  For a little extra inspiration – do it to give to a loved one.  People always love receiving homemade gifts with a bit of heart.  My partner and I made Xmas cards out of bark last year.  We cut the softer bark into triangles and stuck them on top of each other to make stars.  Then stuck the stars on harder bark that we wrote on. They looked great on presents.
  3. Have a BYO food and drinks party/BBQ.  This can be a small intimate thing – just a few of your close friends or a big thing where you keep the door open and people just come in off the street.  All you need is good music and some plates, cups, cutlery.  You could even arrange to meet up in a park so people bring their own everything.  If anyone plays an instrument, get that happening. 
  4. You can get Frisbees at the 2 dollar shop.  Take them with you to your party in the park or just out with you and your mate – it’s also good exercise.
  5. Board games – get out the old Scrabble board or Pictionary and have some fun that is also really good for your brain.  (Can also get these out at your party).  BTW - Balderdash is also a great game!
  6. Go for a bush walk anywhere, or bike ride along the Yarra (don’t forget to check out the Collingwood Children’s farm), explore botanical gardens, climb the 1000 steps in the Dandenongs, walk into the city by a route you’ve never taken, you get the gist….get off your butt.
  7. Get cultured. Go to the art gallery NGV – lots of free stuff to see free!!
  8. Check out the papers for free events – concerts, festivals.  Beat Magazine is really good for music events. ‘Only Melbourne’ is also a great resource for all sorts of stuff to do.
  9. Cook something you’ve never cooked before and maybe invite someone around to help eat it – depends how confident you are….
  10. Send out some Love!! Think of something you can do for someone else – either someone you know or someone you don’t.  Doing volunteer work is a great experience that I really think everyone should do at some time in their life.  Always thinking about ourselves – well that’s boring in itself.
I went to a workshop with Pat Pattison (song-writer extraordinaire) last weekend.    He has an idea for a song – These are the Good Old Days.   Meaning that one day we’ll be looking back at today saying, “Those were the good old days”.  So we may as well recognise now that THESE are the good old days.  I want to make the most of them.

If you have any other ideas for fun cheap/free things to do please post a comment.  Also if you know any really fun board/games – I’m on the lookout.  I heard Bocce is good?

Live it up peep’s!!


- Yolanda

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Update

OK, so it’s been a couple of weeks, I’m starting to get my bearings and I still have the excitement of a 6 year old on the eve of their birthday when I head to MTA. We’re into the new year and we all had a few weeks off for the holidays. Before we were let loose (like a bunch of birds getting let out of the cage) for our holidays, there were a few things I was doing with Gareth for the website.

As I had been doing in the first few weeks of my work experience at MTA I've been doing the photos for the website. We've been pasting all the photos from the database to the Website. There are So Many acts that are with MTA, and all of them are worthy of having a larger image of themselves on the website - this means it may take a while for Gareth and I to get through the lot. It’s repetitive but rewarding; it’s great knowledge to know what goes on behind the site and the time it takes to make it all happen. It’s also amazing to know that there are some many different acts and so much variety in Australia!

My first experience calling up artists happen a couple weeks ago. Really cool experience. I needed to call a few jazz artists to see if they were available to work on a Tuesday morning. Many artists can’t work during business hours because they work other jobs to make a living, and perform or play to get a bit of extra money or just as a hobby. Anyway, I called the artists. I was nervous - although I have talked to hundreds of thousands of people in my life, my voice was playing up like I was back in 8th grade and I was asking out Susie Fisher again.

Another project, which I'm liking, is the long process of adding the MTA business and artists to as many search engine sites as possible. I was give a list of music, theatre and other types of site from Mandy, so I've been adding the MTA website and Masquerade band to every website search engine I see, hear and smell.

I’m sure that there is more and more exciting stuff ahead.

Thanks for reading
David

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Summer Festivals! YAY

Hey hey!!

Hope everyone had a grrreat Christmas and New Year! We've just returned from the holiday break and are now hard at work once again.

So, Summer festivals are finally starting and I cannot wait to go! I'm heading to Midsumma this Sunday the 16th Jan. For those of you who don't know, it's a gay/lesbian festival held at Birrarung Marr Park which is just next to Fed square in Melbourne's CBD. There's music If it's raining on Sunday, I may just cry.

I'm also currently looking for tickets on ebay for Big Day Out. Unfortunately, tickets sold out within the hour so I missed out along with lots of others. It's quite literally breaking my heart because they have an amazing line-up this year... Angus & Julia Stone - two of my absolute FAVOURITE artists... Also M.I.A, Sia, Washington, Crystal Castles, Woflmother and lotssss more.

There are so many awesome new artists releasing killer albums and it makes me warm and fuzzy inside that a lot of my recent favourites are Australian. :) My favourite album by an Australian artist at the moment would have to be Down the Way by Angus & Julia Stone. Love their chilled sound, lots of soothing acoustic guitar and soft tones. I'm deeply in love with them.

Anyway, I will be keeping you updated on upcoming festivals. Lots happening this Summer, very exciting.

Hope the rest of your week is eventful and that you have a great weekend!

- Dora