The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 11 January - 24 January 2010
January 11thWell here we go again. It's a code red fire warning day. The new systems are in place (I guess) for bushfires. We have our CFA link up on the computer and radio on. 30,000 CFA volunteers are on standby across Victoria. We head off for a quick breakfast- the breakfast place is empty except for us. I count 9 CFA vehicles zooming by Mt Dandenong on the main road so they are getting ready. We head home and start some basic EVAC operation. The thing about today is that there is not the same insane wind... like a year ago, so I'm hoping we will be ok. The temperatures are getting high though, 43.1 at our place which is about 110 on the old scale, even higher at places like Geelong which was 46.Nearly all the neighbours have gone, we are staying for the moment. I spend the afternoon putting the emergency sprinkler systems out, and find new ways to join pieces of hose together. I do install one sprinkler back the front and get a really good drenching, I just go into some sort of hysterics, found it very funny- heaven help the CFA if I ever volunteer!!!! The chickens get a good soaking and we keep Banshee inside in case we need to go. I keep thinking it will be a cooler Summer but it looks like I am wrong. It ends up being the hottest night in 100 years, so not much sleep. Ailsa Craig handles it well, fairly cool inside and we hardly need to put the air con on yet. January 12thI go for a jog, I'm the only person at the oval. I do 3 laps and bail ..... I will never win a marathon. Though I'd fuck me in that macho singlet I'm jogging in! *GRIN*.Excellent to read Swedish bank Nordea wont finance Gunns Pulp Mill in it's current form. Good old Sweden. I call the consumer affairs people to follow up a complaint about this dodgy electronics place that we are getting our TV through, it's taking forever and they really are crap to deal with. I will be glad when we finally get the thing. Dr Chiro bends and shapes me a few new ways today, even his acupuncture pins are in different spots- I wasn't sure if he was bored or trying something new, I got a bit freaky, think I was heating up, glad when he finally returned and popped my neck! January 13thI see Northern Irelands First Minister Peter Robinson has temporarily stepped down after that moron wife of his was being extra dodgy as well as having an affair with some 19 year old boy. She's quite an unattractive woman really and I'm hoping the cops bust her for her homophobic hate crimes comments- oh well what goes around comes around. She's one of those stupid cows who thinks same sex people need to be 'cured'. I'd ask the IRA to blow her brains out but obviously she doesn't have any..... next! Hmm was that my rant for the day or what!Well Judd is out today, which was no surprise really, they weren't going to keep him as a remand prisoner till the case comes up. Not sure if his time incarcerated has helped, hopefully. At least we are not getting deranged emails anymore, so small blessings. You just know it's not quite over yet- like a bad soap drama. I just hope he's used the time to reflect on what his life has become, for Pete's sake (no pun intended). I noticed the courts had his name suppressed. A manager friend of ours called and said he heard it on the NEWS of a sports radio show- weird. The quake images from Haiti are horrible, I keep hearing how they expect more quakes further down the track. The aid agencies must be worn to a frazzle. We just made some small donations to the Australian Red Cross. The link for them is: https://www.redcross.org.au/Donations/onlineDonations.asp I can't begin to imagine what Haiti's people are going through, makes all our small time worries vanish really. But every hour someone is pulled out of the rubble alive, little miracles, that's good to see. Playing a bit of Gothic country, the Handsome Family 'Honey Moon' I think that's their 8th studio album now. I really should of went to their Melbourne show tonight at The Prince band room. 'When you whispered' is playing in the background as I type this latest diary. They're ok I don't like all their stuff..sounds a bit samey. January 14thAustralia's unemployment drops again, just above 5%, always a good sign. Victoria has the best rate for Australia I hear. There is talk it may drop again next quarter. The amount of jobs vacant adverts in papers etc has doubled too.Rosemaree calls by at 10.00 and we all head to Ranges for some brunch. She spoils us with one of her pasta dishes for dinner, so we give her eggs and onions and I shout her brunch. We have a good fair trade balance going on *GRIN*. I announce the Crowdies Isle Of Wight gig this afternoon, I should have the UK tour dates out by January 26th or 27th....I'm hoping. Some of our favourite venues. I am swamped with orders for the third Famous for 16 Minutes' Diary book GLAMOUR. I think because it is so close to be sold out that people are grabbing a copy for their collections. A small mention on this diary and it just creates craziness. January 15thI love that Homer Simpson quote. "If God didn't want us to eat animals then why did he make them out of meat'. Always makes me chuckle.We watch the first episode of the new Henry Rollins show- first one from South Africa. I enjoy seeing Henry's hair turn silver grey each season. He reminds me of those of those good looking silver back Gorilla's. Actually Mark and myself adore Hank, he's honest and real and I just like the way he does what he does. Neil doesn't have a clue- Paris Hilton secure in her own skin ...NAH Henry Rollins secure in his own skin we say. Food at Morrisons today at Mt Evelyn. Sherridans on so we get her special healthy sandwiches, they are missing a few things in the kitchen so not as good but still I love it. Healthy....ok I had a coffee too so not that healthy. My one a day. A close friends who is usually right tells me to expect some press statement soon about Brad and Angelina and some small spat at the Alto restaurant in New York. I like the Alto...Brad and Angelina can fight with me over desert any time. I catch up on emails in the office, emails NZ office and no one has told me what time the NZ meeting is on, guess I'll have to wing it. Maybe they will leave a message at the hotel? January 16thHaiti just becomes more depressing each day, all those bodies on the street like so much litter. sad to see, I can imagine disease outbreaks will be next. They say 200,000 could be dead , I can't even begin to imagine that many people dying.Melbourne Zoo are celebrating as their elephant Dukkoon gives birth to a baby girl. It's the first baby elephant born in 147 years ...so everyone is excited. She's on her feet quickly and Mum seems to adore this funny furry bundle of joy, what incredible creatures they are. Our friend Jason visits and he checks out the lights on the trail and is going to repair them, just so our friends don't break their necks. Only 2 have gone but it leaves a gap in the lights when you are parked at the other end of the property and leaves a bit of a dark spot around the security cameras, even the infra red cameras don't work as good with such dark areas. He also checked out the cool dragonfly stained glass light for the verandah so that will go up soon. It's hard being a home owner sometimes always something to fix or add. But there is something great about having some pride in your house, god I'm sounding like my mother!!! January 17thI have my bags packed and head out in the afternoon for my flight to Auckland. A quick meeting tomorrow with Neil and the new managers about the future around Crowded House. I'm given a return boarding pass, one of those horrible flimsy paper things seeing I'm back within 23 hours time.On the way through I see them unpacking some bio therm which is the one gift I need to get for someone in NZ and by luck they have one stick size container of the eye serum left (yey)....and it's $20 cheaper then Myers. The Frequent Flyer is very quiet today, I notice my return time is different on my boarding pass so while I'm checking my emails I try to send one to the office. Not even sure if I got Julias email right as I'm using the Qantas computer and don't have my email book with me. Freaky flyer has chicken tikka again....good timing. Flight over was fairly boring, watch "Where The Wild Things Are", it was only ok, it had some good moments and other moments where the script seemed to let it down.... the images are great.... but overall just average, I expected more. Auckland airport has it's new E-Passport machines in, so I am through immigration within 3 minutes, am impressed, my bags take 10 minutes and by the time I have them screened it's about 20 minutes total- not bad really for an International flight. I spend more time waiting in line at the Hertz Gold desk while 2 Aussie ramble on to the Hertz girl....you just want your car and out of the airport (GRRRR). My car is freaky it has some strange gear shift , it can really go, takes me a few minutes to know how to work out how to drive the thing..... I am the roadrunner baby cant catch up with me..I zoom through the Auckland night...and back to the usual hotel. Have some room service it was really shit. January 18thNo sleep very humid night. It sucked. I call the Neil's office to ask about the meeting, and no one in so leave a message.... I'll post some mail and just turn up-what else can I do. I check my emails to see if they emailed me a time but nothing from Neil's office. Maybe they have to work out the time still? I grab a Frappuchino..I am happier now. I park in Sharon's Sharondelier spot and carry my video gear in, late christmas presents. and other stuff. Julia is in so thats good, sit and talk, I start to ask her about my flight and the phone rings. Neil comes on down and it's good to see him as always. No one seems to know the meeting time so Neil makes the call, Julia answers more calls and I just twiddle my thumbs!!!!"Hey we should do the interview now before the meeting". Yeah the flight is a bit earlier I say, so good to have it out of the road. Head upstairs and film this one in the small private family studio. I have a chat first about some gossip and goings on and get into the filming. It goes well, a track by track run through and some general stuff about the recording. I know they are still waiting on a release date, so it wont be March as Neil originally said. because there have been a few changes even different management, all of that has to be worked out first. Sharon pops in and she gives us a cute christmas parcel, italian socks for the Gryphon and Marky..I get to pick first (yey). See Liam and El too. The interview runs it's course and good timing as the new managers arrive and we have our meeting. It 's ok I learn a few things, Neil has a few ideas, we get side tracked by The Sun Came Out stuff but it's worth just meeting these guys. I'm worn from lack of sleep, but take a few notes. Suddenly it's 2.30 so I have to run. I worry I'll miss this flight as I think it's the last for the day.... still haven't been told why this has changed but I just do the dash. I drive like a maniac , a safe driving maniac and get to the airport cutting it close. I go to check my bags in and am told my flight doesn't exist! I'd say that's a new one but it's not it has happened to me once before in the USA. It happened to a friend of mine in NZ just after christmas. It happened to my sister several times with Qantas flying from Wollongong. So my bags are logged in on what is the last flight (possibly) and I have to check back in. I worry that my bag will get lost, the guy told me to get them to call him so I guess that feels safe? I don't like airline confusion at the best of times. I'm at the frequent flyer and the boarding board at FF has the time to board- mine changed 3 times, once by two extra hours. In the end it's myself and one other person, they end up closing the main frequent flyer down and move us to first class with the one other person. My mystery flight still does not have a departure gate. It still doesn't have one 10 minutes before it left on the FF screen. I'm glad I'm a Gold flyer, and glad Neil paid for whatever price ticket, I have a seat. Every seat has been taken, I get the feeling several flights have been squashed into one, some people are really angry, I think some didn't get on... I was allowed on early because of my FF status (phew)..... the one saving grace is that I got to see " A Lion Called Christian" on the plane so that made me happy... I also watched 'Moonshot" which has James Marsters (yeah Spike from Buffy) playing Buzz Aldrin.... it was ok, not brilliant-he's not a great actor but passable- hey Rosemaree he does a shower scene in Moonshot (enjoy Girl). I arrived Melbourne airport, my car was one of the last in the valet car park and by the time I finally got home it was about 2.00 Australian time...so 4.00 NZ time. What a long day. It wasn't a nice way to end it. Mark tells me Julia from Neils office called. January 19thI call NZ and told them of my disaster flight afternoon, I really could of stayed an extra 5 hours in the office it was just stupid. I'm still not even 100% sure of what went wrong or why.I get two calls from ex-crew guys and then a weird one from Neil, I think I opened the can of madness today... what is in the air? I want today over. I head to Dr Chiro in the hope that acupuncture will turn off my brain and his corrections will improve my back from those crappy Qantas flight seats. I'm sure it's all that time in the Qantas lounge!!!! I'm off to Mountain Gate and Westpac take the last of my money for Giraffe Manor. Well it's booked now..... so Africa here we come... in June. That will come up fast..... I wonder if I can eat our grass till then! Budget boy I am. January 20thToday is a much better day, NZ is racing around in my head too much. We get our first electricity bill since the Victorian Government put up the buy back rate of our solar. We sold $120.00+ back to Origin, our electricity bill was $25.00! I mean amazing $25.00..... I know it will be a higher bill during Winter months. I love those photons of light that go and knock those electrons into a higher state of energy that create our electricity. Anyway when you get power bills like this, it is the other side of the solar coin, green energy but also a lower power bill. Big thank you to Brumby and his government for getting the buy back rate to a decent level. Every so often politicians do good things *GRIN.I see Japanese airlines filed for bankruptcy today- some may say that is Karma...the Japanese whale hunting government will have to fork out the cash to bail them out. All our friends refuse to fly with them. Avoid Japan air, I say! I keep noticing a lot of 'The Honeymoon is over for Obama' articles appearing, loads of them. Even in todays Melbourne paper there is a major one- all the crap he inherited from that buffoon Bush, I wonder how anyone could improve America in such a short time. Humans are an impatient lot, we all want results now and I know that is part of the reason why Obama has dropped so dramatically in the polls. I wouldn't want his job for all the Blu rays in America. Can you imagine Peter Green for President! Now that really is a scary thought. Imagine..... I'd dismantle the Bush library, hell I'd dismantle the whole Bush family, give every person EQUAL rights and respect , so that people could marry the person they love no matter what the sex, I'd send the navy to sink the Japanese whaling boats, give everyone half decent medicare, disarm America with it's totally fucked up everyone can have a gun bullshit, put the money from War into research for cancer, aids and also those little diseases that have weird names that only a few people get, give NASA extra funding, make Henry Rollins the Guvnor of Kalifornia, follow Jimmys dream and put even more panels on the white house, hell on every colour house..... make chocolate tax free , make men wax their hairy shoulders and I'm still not sure if I would make Pot legal..weird eh..I wouldn't want it to be on any hard drug list or even a drug to be fined by..maybe there is something exciting about it being illegal (who knows), I'd remove most if not all reality TV shows, build a solar vinyl pressing plant and make Marky my first lady!!! (he'll hate that one) hell what a dictator I'd be! Scary scary person that I am. January 21stSo our tour dates are creeping out..... I expect to announce a show in Auckland soon, c'mon you know I can't say, which means Australian dates are not too far away. My Email for UK tour dates should go out within the week, with a pre sale link, I'd say via Live Nation again. I guess USA-Canada will be a little bit later on.... but at least the wheels are turning and info is slowly creeping out.Tania and Jake turn up at 10.00 so we head off for some breakfast, it's not too packed and Jake is really well behaved. Tania invites us to their Australia day BBQ on the 26th....... so I'll make some mini Aussie Pavlovas and some not so Aussie Guacamole. It's meant to be a stinking hot day though so we mightn't leave the mountain. I order in 2 copies of A LION CALLED CHRISTIAN, I know Mark will enjoy it as will my dear old Mum, I know she's already seen it. That's probably where I get my nature lover gene from. Not too long till Tim Burton's 'Alice In Wonderland' starts- get your drugs ready- hell forget them it's brilliantly trippy enough. January 22ndThe Neil solo show at Bush Hall in London goes on sale, all pre-sales for fanclub. I stay in the office till 11..00 at night in case people have problems with bookings. It all seems to flow well, only 1 or 2 people unsure how to cut and paste but they were fast learners. It's actually a hot sticky day and the office is starting to warm up. One of those 14 hour days. Wish I'd get paid by the hour. The show sells out fast.I make it upstairs to see the Rollins Show- this one from Northern Ireland. Another fine episode. Rollins for Governor I say. The Bush Hall stuff did me in, however my brain is wired so no sleep. January 23rdI head to Viewpoint for a coffee and grab 6 copies of Glamour to sign for todays orders. It's sad to see such an empty shelf where Glamour once was. But great these little babies are sneaking out to homes. It means very soon book 3 will be sold out. Deb has some copies of GLAMOUR available on the merchandise page of this diary site. I figure next week I'll tell her to put the SOLD OUT sign on that one too.The 100 Big day Out show is in Sydney today and it's cooking- the temperature is about 44o , people collapsing before they even take their drugs! The poor sniffer dogs burning their feet on those hot pavements. I cook Rogan Josh for dinner but decide to use chicken instead of Lamb. I cook the sauce for too long and she is chilli XXXX HOT! I swear steam blew out of Marks ears. Banshee is having a freaky night and doesn't want to stay in my room so she moves to the guest room- strange furry creature she is. January 24thI do some work around the yard, the leaves just keep on falling. I keep on raking. Mark pulls out a copy of Donnie Darko on Blu ray. Such a wonderful movie, done via 'Flower Films' which is Drew Barry more & Nancy Juvonen company. I love Donnie Darko's Doomsday Visions and of course Frank the metal headed Rabbit ( with James Duval inside the cossie)...and of course Roberta Sparrows book on time travel...It's such a trip of a movie and cost peanuts to make (a mere $4.5 million). Hopefully the Blu Ray and even regular DVD sales have finally made this wonderful movie break even. I get horrified that it hasn't, such a cult classic. In the words of Frank "Why do you wear that stupid man suit'! So many times I've looked at people and THOUGHT that *GRIN*. Miss K was thinking of a Halloween Party last year, I considered flying into the USA and attending in my FRANK Donnie Darko rabbit outfit, it's damn scary........! Hmm if I end up on the road maybe I can just wear the Frank Rabbit Suit , instead of my stupid man suit! That's it for the moment...Happy Australia Day for the 26th and have a thought for the Australian Aborigines as for many it will probably be invasion day. Still I like to celebrate what a country is now & not always it's past mistakes. Enjoy your BBQ's! PG |