Beautiful Buildings of Bundaberg

A few weeks ago we visited my brother in Bundaberg for his house warming. It was the first time I had been there in many years - the last time I think being when we were camping in a cyclone. (I have very dim memories of this event, but Google reveals that Bundy was indeed subject to Cyclone Fran in 1992 so that sounds about right!)

I was fully impressed by this bustling town. Not only does it have a busy main street filled with independant retailers, it is filled with lovely buildings.

Thought I would share a few snaps with you this lazy Sunday afternoon. Note, because my husband doesn't often stop the car, these are all taken out of the car window so please forgive me.

 This Queenslander with huge verandahs was impressive

Beautiful old town building

 The Grand Hotel

We visited the Bundy Rum Distillery shop but didn't have time for a tour. It smells good there.

 Bundaberg Distillery

 Main Street shopfront

 Town Hall

 School of Arts

I loved this Art Deco building best of all. There were even some Art Deco houses in the suburbs but I sadly didn't get any pics.

What's up with dystopia?

What is our obsession with a bleak future for humankind? Seriously, can you name any books or movies that depict a beautiful utopia?

Nope, we love ourselves a dark and oppressive dystopia. Books and cinema have a long history of it (1984, Blade Runner, Total Recall, 12 Monkeys, Children of Men et al) but lately a fad seems to be developing.

It started for me with The Hunger Games. I loved it, loved that a young adult fiction novel could deal with teen issues and set it against the downtrodden existence led by the people of Katniss Everdeen's world.

Then this year, Oblivion has been the first in a number of films to be released this year that deal with a dystopian future. And I'm looking forward to all of them!

Out now is After Earth, Will Smith's dad-and-son adventure on a long-abandoned Earth.

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World War Z is nearly out - and you can bet I'll be there watching Brad Pitt battle zombies. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire continues Katniss' adventures in Panem. Then there's Pacific Rim, a film about giant robots battling sea monsters that I've been anticipating about for a whole year now (seriously, the trailers make me so excited. I just think this idea is SUPER COOL).

Just lately we've seen the trailer for Matt Damon in Elysium, set in a future where the rich live in paradise in space while the poor battle it out in ruined apocalyptic Earth.
 

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And don't forget Ender's Game - another book-to-movie adaptation that's sure to do well.

Why do we love these horrible futures? Who knows. I think it's because we all love seeing heroes triumph over adversity, whatever the setting.

The wikipedia page on dystopian film is a good read, have a look.

I leave you with the latest trailer for Pacific Rim. Just because I think everyone should see it :)

Do you have a favorite dystopia?

Drive and ambition

I’ve been thinking a bit lately about life goals. It stemmed from a conversation I had with my dad where I joked that I should have been a dentist because they charge like a wounded bull and don’t seem to have to do too much. He expressed his wish once again that I should have been a doctor or a lawyer. I reminded him I would have been bored or miserable doing these (we’ve had this conversation before) and lamented that I never did know what I wanted to be when I grew up.

You see, I’m jealous of people with career ambitions. I never had that burning desire to be a fireman or a ballerina. I did briefly flirt with the idea of being a nurse in kindergarden before I realized you have to deal with people’s bodily fluids all day. However, even now, I don’t know what I want to do in my working life. I’ve fallen into all of the jobs I’ve had and since I’ve been pretty good at them I’ve just toddled along. I don’t want to climb the corporate ladder or give up the cubicle life to make jewelry (“She's Making Jewelry Now") My vintage homewares Etsy shop is more of a hobby than an actual way to make money.

I constantly hear and read about people who knew exactly what they wanted to do with their life when they were young. And others who discover later in life a burning passion and find joy in pursuing something they never even thought of. I want that for myself!

I’m currently reading Arnold Schwarzenegger's autobiography ("Total Recall"), and he is one of those people who knew exactly what he wanted from childhood, and had the drive to achieve it. He writes about how he consciously set himself goals and always worked very hard to achieve them – whether it was success in bodybuilding, business, movies or politics. It’s a pretty amazing read, I recommend the book.

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So now, I guess I just need to get over my jealousy of people who know what they want to do with their lives and find my passion. Meanwhile, I’m taking inspiration from Aussies I follow on social media like Jess Van Den of Epheriell Designs (silversmith extraordinaire) and Peggy Saas from cake crumbs and beach sand (amazing food photographer).

Do you have ambition? Did you always know what you wanted to be when you grew up?

Blogging around blogger's block

I haven't posted a blog in a little while - this is no biggie, as you all should know by now I'm a big fan of the Slow Blogging movement.

The thing is, I've got heaps of post ideas swirling around in my head, just no motivation to write them down and hit "publish". Notice I didn't say "no time" there. I do have the time - I just have been using it to do other things lately ie. watch tv, read other blogs and boring real-life essential stuff like cooking and housework.

So here's my Public Holiday Monday-night solution - a stream of consciousness post all about what I have been up to. Rest assured it hasn't all been telly-watching and domesticity.

- Tonight I made Babymac's oven baked risotto with chorizo. I got the recipe from Fat Mum Slim's post here. Because I don't have an ipad I haven't bought Babymac's Beverley magazine, but if I did, I totally would. The meal turned out AMAZING, by the way. Loved how simple it was, and the risotto was creamy and perfect without me having to stir a single spoon!

- This weekend I got out of the city and off to my bi-annual scrapbooking camp. It was so great to de-stress, breathe the fresh air and also unplug myself from the online world for two days. I've blogged about scrapbook camp before here and here. I took this awesome shot of Perseverence Dam in the first rays of the morning. I'll hopefully blog about this camp soon.

- At work, I hit target again this month so am looking forward to a nice little bonus next pay. I'm learning that I'm financially motivated as well as knowledge-craving when it comes to my career, which is handy to know.

- We went to the movies last night to see The Fast and the Furious 6. Whoever writes, casts and directs these movies are geniuses. Just the right mix of action, drama, eyecandy, car porn and emotion to appeal to just about everybody. I was saying to hubby on the way there how it's the perfect couple movie - it has more than one thing to appeal to both sexes. Let's just say my thing is The Rock. And as anyone who has seen it and the bit after the credits knows, number 7 will add another cool star to the mix, and one that will guarantee I see it!

- I was thinking to myself about the outfit posts I like so much on fashion and lifestyle blogger's blogs, and how mine today would have been a doozy - Trackpants: Best and Less, Tee: so old i can't remember, Hoodie: KMart, Ugly orthodedic thongs: Orthoheel., I laughed a little.

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