Krazy Krystal's Laboratory

It's time...

As the people of Australia head to the polls, and my little red envelope sits waiting to be counted in London, all I can say is..

posted by Dr Krystal @ 8:43 pm 3 comments

Never as patriotic as when you're overseas

Democracy arrived today in the form of one green and one white ballot paper.

I am actually quite excited to be voting in this election, please, let it be the end of the Howard era, please. The papers are foretelling a Labor landslide, which slightly concerns me. Australians always love the underdog. Though it will be (almost) all my christmas wishes come early, if next Saturday Maxine McKew is elected to the seat of Bennelong. That, and world peace.

I also feel slightly privileged to have TWO ballot forms, for both the upper and lower house. A rare thing for a resident of the UK to hold in their hands, seeing as membership to their upper house is inherited or bestowed - through political or religious affiliation it would seem. Though it seems not all of Britain is happy about it.

So I am in the process of checking out the preference deals for the senate, which is VERY important if you want to vote above the line. I know it's quicker and there's less chance of invalidating your vote if you just stick a 1 above the line - but remember what happened in the Victorian Senate in the federal elections of 2004, where dodgy preference deals lead to the election of a Family First senator despite a very slim primary vote.

If you're going to vote above the line - check who you're really voting for. It's quick and easy to check out the senate preference flows for all the parties in your state. Make sure you agree with the way that the numbers go before committing to a 1 above the line. For example: In NSW a "1" above the line for the Greens will also support the Climate Change Coalition and the What Women Want party - as this is where their preferences will flow. Which may be fine with you if you've heard of these parties and read their policies (and want to vote for Dr. Karl), but you might want to check first. And here endth the lecture from Dr. Krystal.

Though i have always thought that the main drawback of democracy was that unless i agree with the majority it is harder to have my voice heard. However, I will be very interested to dial up theage.com.au next saturday morning and see what Australia has decided.

posted by Dr Krystal @ 2:17 pm 3 comments

The play's the thing

I can understand why people go sky diving. The hours of training, practising your technique, planning for the big jump, but no matter how prepared you are, there is still that nervous feeling when you're in the plane, about to jump out. Wondering if it will be alright, whether you'll make it to the ground in one piece, tingling with nerves. Then the thrill of adrenaline as you launch yourself out into the sky, the spectacular awe and wonder of the event, and the feeling of relief and accomplishment when you reach the ground. And the energy and excitement to do it all over again.

This is exactly how I feel on opening night. Theatre is my extreme sport. The wings are my aeroplane and the stage is my sky. Nothing beats the feeling when all the nervous tension in your heart converts into a heady exhilarating rush as you step out that door.

Curtain in t minus seven hours and counting...

posted by Dr Krystal @ 11:42 am 3 comments

It's just wrong.

I oppose the death penalty.

Did you see the punctuation at the end of that sentence?

I oppose the death penalty. Full stop. No amendments, no clauses, no exceptions.

Killing people is wrong. Be it genocide, homicide or state sanctioned murder. I don't care if 12 people have come to a unanimous decision that it's an ok thing to do. I don't care if a person is guilty of a hideous crime beyond reasonable doubt, I don't care if they've confessed, I don't care who they are. There is no justification to end a living human being's existence by execution.

There is a difference between opposing the death penalty and opposing the crimes that have been committed. A point that has been sadly missed by Australian politicians. In saying I oppose the death penalty, I'm not suggesting we throw open the jails and let everyone on death row walk free. I'm not condoning crime or proclaiming anyone's innocence. I'm saying that killing is still killing and murder is still murder and the phrase "Two wrongs don't make a right" just doesn't seem to have enough weight here.

What I should do now is present series of stunning arguments using flawless logic and documented facts to support my position - but i'm too furiously angry to about it to type straight. Besides these people seem to be doing a rather good job of it, so why compete?

Also, I can't help but wonder if the same people who are saying it is "un-Australian" to oppose the execution of the Bali bombers will then be rallying in support for the Bali Nine if they ever face the firing squad.

I would fully support a government policy that actively encouraged neighbouring nations to abolish the death penalty. I'm just a slight bit saddened that playing the political game has stopped the Australian Opposition from taking a stronger stance on this issue.

And how appropriate - today is the 5th World Day Against the Death Penalty.

posted by Dr Krystal @ 9:26 pm 2 comments

So when am I getting my flying car?

The future is a wonderful place.

We have personal communicators that we flip open and speak into, allowing us to converse with others wherever they might be.

We have video phones so we can see and speak to people on the other side of the world - for free.

And now, I've just ordered dinner from my local Indian restaurant on the internet, so it'll be ready for me to pick up on my way home.

*giggle*

posted by Dr Krystal @ 8:02 pm 0 comments

As the old saying goes...

...be careful what you wish for. Four months ago I was bemoaning my quiet little York life, and then along came the crazy summer of fun. I feel as if I haven't had a chance to draw breath! Where to begin?

A lot of wonderful people have come to visit, allowing me to hone my York tour guide skills and bemoan the English version of summer. I've become an expert on Roman and Viking history, as well as where to find the best coffee in town. It's been so great that almost all of my family and friends have had a chance visit since I've been here. My mum and my nanna were here in June, and we proved that three generations of woman can all agree on where to have a cup of tea. Hot on their heels were my urban family (wollongong) who got to meet their counterparts in my urban family (york). The universe didn't end, and we all got along fine (or was that just the tequila shots?).

My cultural horizons are constantly expanding, often in directions that I would never have expected. I've attended a few folk festival weekends with Dr. TBF, and although I am yet to be convinced that morris dancing is cool, I have been totally converted to ceilidhs (Kay-lees) the UK version of bush dances. Especially when fronted by bands such as the Glory Strokes, a zombie folk rock group. I never imagined that I would be "Stripping the Willow" to the riffs of "Smells like teen spirit", but it happened.

London has been calling, I've spent a few weekends there with friends and loved ones - sheltering from summer rain storms in a wine bar in Soho, marvelling at the Dali exhibition at the Tate Modern and being awe struck by the manuscripts at the British Library. I've also taken advantage of my geographical proximity to the continent, adding a few more stamps to my passport. I did the full tourist sweep of Prague with ms m.s. - castles, concerts, cathedrals - as well as catching up with one of my melbourne mates of old, in a bar that looked like it was built by the Firefly crew on some outer rim world. The chaos of Prague was contrasted by the serenity of Stockholm where Swedish precision and love of design coalesces into the best coffee this side of the Alps. With an airport that delivers your luggage in record time and a modern art museum stuffed full of Warhol, Duchamp, Miro and Picasso, I know I'll be back.

It's also been a summer of music, I went to "Bestival" a festival on the Isle of Wight, which with 30,000 people in attendance was classed as a "medium" sized event. I mean it's no Glastonbury, but trying to find your tent after a whirlwind evening of burlesque cabaret, the chemical brothers, kate bush impersonators and czech gypsy hip-hop, was still a challenge. My top festival acts included Tunng - beautiful harmonic, thoughtful electronic, comforting whilst unnerving, the perfect soundtrack for watching rain drops race across on the window - and Alice Russell - a funked up soul diva with the voice of a diabolic angel seducing the crowd to drown in her lush vocals.

And if that wasn't enough.. I'm in a play! Whilst googling amateur theatre groups I stumbled across the York Settlement Players, and emailed their contact to ask if they had any events coming up. To my delighted surprise, i was informed that the auditions for their next production were coming up... and to cut a loooong story short - I got a part! The show is called "Dinner" - a modern one act black comedy surrounding a dinner party - witty and dark, dripping with acid humour - kind of like Oscar Wilde meets Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf. I am having a great time at rehearsals; it's funny, theatre people are the same everywhere, and I've really felt at home since day one with the cast, they're a talented and friendly bunch of people.

posted by Dr Krystal @ 9:41 pm 0 comments

Advance warning....

I'm planning on being in Melbourne for my big 30.

So keep January the 6th free

:)

posted by Dr Krystal @ 6:26 pm 1 comments

050607

Today's blog is brought to you by the numbers 5, 6 and 7. Which interspaced alternatively with a few 0's gives you today's date. It's so cool.

Since bemoaning my tragic existence on the anniversary of my arrival on these shores, I've actually had some very pleasant weekends. And here are the highlights:

Shepley Folk Festival

I've always had a slight fear of folk festivals, though i've never found any documentation to support it as an official phobia. They are events that attract a number of fairly geeky, socially awkward types who run about in strange clothes, displaying slightly obsessive compulsive behaviour with respect to their field of interest. However it was recently pointed out to me that in the past I was an active member of the SCA, and have attended many festivals where i ran about in strange clothes, exhibiting a slight obsession with respect to my chosen hobby. Also, my Bestest Girl recently attended the National Folk Festival in Canberra and gave the experience a thumbs up. So when Dr. TBF invited me to attend the Shepley Folk Festival a few weeks ago, I thought i'd check it out. AND... IT WAS FUN!!

Shepley is a small village in West Yorkshire that agreed to be inundated with folkies for the weekend, resulting in a real local feel to the whole festival. I spent most of the weekend wandering around the village, encountering random musicians, dancers and cake stalls, ducking in and out of tents with bands playing, and generally having a marvellous time. The highlight of the weekend for me that everywhere I went, it seemed the Barnsley Samba Band would follow. I went mad in the carpark of a pub where they were playing; dancing and jumping around like a crazy women to the infectious south american beats. So! Much! Fun! And I discovered that fanta, a coffee and a vodka smoothie - in that specific order - is a tailor-made custom-designed hangover cure *giggle*

Oh, and I got to go to a Céilidh, which is essentially the English version of bush-dancing. I did manage to fall on my arse spectacularly at least once, but apart from that it was a fairly successful and rather enjoyable evening. I even learnt to polka!


The Grand Old Tour of York

On the bank holiday weekend my sister (London) and brother(in-law) came up to York to visit. They finally escaped London and got to see some of England, two places which i maintain are completely seperate entities. When Cate got off the train the first thing she said was "It's so green!" and I know what she means. There's green, and then there is the amazing brilliant breathtaking colour of English fields. Simply gorgeous.

We did all (well, most) of the Ye Olde Touristey Attractions of York, and I reckon I've got my tour guide routine downpat. Stroll along the walls, visit the Abbey ruins, take a tour of the 'Minister, climb up Clifford's Tower, and have a pint of real English Ale to finish. Though I may offer my mother the option of a cup of real English Tea to finish when she's here *giggle*

Highlights included a pub crawl of York that ended up in the tragic 80's nightspot, and going to the train museum. Yes you heard right, I really enjoyed the train museum.

Stratford Upon Avon

Sometime last October, Cazandy and I booked tickets to see Sir Ian McKellen as King Lear, performing with the RSC in Stratford. Luckily come June, when the date of the show finally arrived, we were all still talking to each other, and all had a rather pleasant mini-break together in Shakespeare land. The production was absolutely amazing, I studied the play for year 12 English and was really surprised that I remembered so many of the speeches. Some might say that the most sensational thing about this production was the scene in which King Lear descends into madness and nudity, which culminated in a full frontal visage of little Sir Ian (who's euphemistic name is entirely misleading). Personally I was more shocked by the casting of Romola Garai as Cordelia; I don't care if she's going to be the next Keira Knightley, her performance was so wet I could end Victoria's water shortage with her limp, pallid performance. Apparently they are touring to Melbourne, so do catch them if you can! Despite Ms Garai's worst efforts, it was an entirely worthy production, with a special mention to Ben Meyjes as Edgar.


(And in case you're wondering, this is a retrospective addition to my blog collection. I found the draft of this post hiding in the backwaters of time and thought to resurrect it)

posted by Dr Krystal @ 6:40 pm 0 comments