Passion

"I suppose I do have one unembarrassed passion. I want to know how it feels to care about something passionately."

- Susan Orlean, Adaptation.

Pete: I wish I liked anything as much as my kids like bubbles.
Ben Stone: That's sad.
Pete: Totally sad. Their smiling faces just point out your inability to enjoy anything.

- Knocked Up.

Do you ever feel like you're missing out on something very important?

Songs that Make me Smile.

My favourite song at the moment is: (drum roll...) Fake Empire by The National from their latest album, Boxer.

Favourite line is:
"Turn the light out, say goodnight.
No thinking for a little while.
Let's not try to figure out everything at once."

To hear it, click Here and it will start playing. Hurrah.

Not to be too nerdy, but the simultaneous 3/4 time, 4/4 time piano at the start is awesome and then the syncopated trumpet arrangement at the end just brings it all home. Who said trumpets were uncool? (I don't know James, who did said that? You tell me.)

Beasty Boy

Here's a funny advert from design group EatPes which was pointed out to me by my flatmate and eternal websurfer, Eric Demay. A very simple concept, but it gets its point across. ummmmmm... yeah.


Beasty Boy from james on Vimeo.

Oportunidad Fotográfica

Cubans are crazy about their baseball. Here some kids improvise a game in a park in the middle of Havana.
Revolution Square in Cuba, the day after Raoul Castro was announced as the first new President in Cuba in 50 years. Safe to say that not much was happening.

Brendan Nelson - "You still like me don't you Bryan?"

For long time readers of this blog you will know of my affinity with the work of Clarke and Dawe, who produce a weekly sketch on Australian politics for an Australian current affairs program.

I am aware that this post is a bit Australia-centric, but quite frankly, everyone should learn a little bit about Australian politics, so do some research on who/what they're talking about and join in the fun. Think of it as character building. For the Euros amongst you, with your 2000 year history and your schengen agreements (he says, shaking fist in the air vehemently), this is Australia's crack at "culture": Being able to relentlessly take the piss out of ourselves.*

As I've said before, what I love about these guys is their ability to absolutely nail the essence of a character without wearing a costume, or even having a set. The lines, "Can I get a haircut? I haven't had a haircut for a couple of hours" and the sporadic and nonsensical repetition of "I'm a doctor" are just spot on for the leader of Australia's opposition party.

Another great line: "You're popularity is less than the interest rate."**

Check it out. Click here.

*to take the piss out of someone = to mock someone.
** Brendan Nelson's approval rating was recently polled as being just 7%. The national interest rate in Australia is a ball breaking 7.25%.

Cuba