The Life and Times of Peter Green
Archive: 17 June - 30 June 2013
June 17thTrue Blood returned to Foxtel tonight. Like the previous few seasons it starts in a mish mash and doesn't give a lot away. It keeps on improving, though a few actors seemed a bit uncertain of their characters. Hoping that it's a another fine season, I'm sure it will be, anything but reality tv please!Our work on the Crowded House Very Very Best Of has indeed paid off- it jumped back into the National Top 50 (#39) 72nd week on the Australian chart. Surely after Recurring Dream being the biggest Australian album by a band everyone would have those songs but nah- it's tick tick ticking away. Double Platinum here we come. I hear from Neil he's nearly finished the recording part of his album , so still all the other bits and pieces but the wheels are turning. People get so impatient these days, as if stressing out over a new album would remotely change the outcome. Relax music is being created...some things take time. June 18thWarwick and Navine return today-great photos of them parasailing over the tropics- sun and warmth I remember what that used to be like. The last month has been cold up here, even though we have central heating etc I still love our big open fire (any carbon guilt I have is off put by the massive number of trees that we have). Nothing like a roaring toasty fire, plus it's a tad romantic.Eh Marky (wink wink..c'mon be romantic old man )! *GRIN*June 19thHappy Birthday Alison- I remember to give her a call. She gets a small painting from me -is that a present or something to stick in the cupboard *GRIN* Says she loves it, it wasn't one of my best still the thought that counts.I jump in feet first, and start on chapter 8 of The early years prequel book.. About arriving in Melbourne and living in Toorak. Greg Skyhooks lets me use the song title "Toorak Cowboys" for the chapter. It flows so well, it's scary. I heed to Marks request and will start at chapter 1 tomorrow (Crossfire Hurricane). That way he can work the layout and add all the photos in order and the text just sits better. That boyfriend of mine is a talented man. The prequel will indeed be called THE EARLY YEARS and goes from Birth (Crossfire Hurricane) to just before HUSSY the first diary book was released. I've been working on some of the chapter titles. "What's on in Wollongong", " Sand in my crotch", " It's all about the music", "Steel Town Disciple" "The Redheads of Osborne street", Surrey Road Suffragette" , "Seaside Mormons", "High above the kitchen" and "Loving the Woodface" to name a few. It looks like being 15 chapters, still too early to know how many pages. About 70 people had pre ordered it so I'll be working on something very very special for those people. Release date, not 100% sure, depends on layout etc but could be between October and December. Go to the Rocket Pocket Books site, the BLOG area for updates on this book #8. www.rocketpocketbooks.com June 20thWork on the book, The Muse is taking speed as I'm writing at a mile a minute, some of t is actually really good-now there's a surprise! "Whats on in Wollongong" chapter out of the way. That line taken from the seventies Norman Gunston TV show. "Norman Gunston reporting, with What's on In Wollongong" and he be standing next to that tiny Wollongong tourist information centre which was the size of a bus stop. Always made our family piss themselves laughing.June 21stWow three chapters today. I'm fried but it is wonderfully so cool- it's flooding back, my typing can't keep up. Chapter 4 was going to be called "Moruya" which was about the families escape each Boxing Day down the coast where we'd all be camping in massive tents for 3 weeks. Mark said "Moruya" doesn't cut it as no one would know where it is etc"...so it's now called "Sand in my crotch" -which makes me smile (the title not the sand). It's followed by 'Steel Town Disciple" working at the steelworks before we came to Melbourne...and I tidy up "Toorak Cowboys" which is about our leap of faith and arrival. SO wow knocked 3 out, well 2+. Mark is impressed. I am on a roll.My day started early anyway- a small earthquake up here at Kalorama at 6.57 in the morning. All the gold records in the office are slanted like poltergeist have invaded. Maybe the Muse moved them? June 22ndHead to the general store and write. Nick makes me a kick arse coffee and the caffeine kicks in... I'm off and racing - scrawl scrawl -no time to breathe. I finish another one. How is this possible, writing has always been a huge effort and I'm not even very good-but now it just rolls out- I am amazed.This is actually enjoyable.June 23rdI love that Frances Conroy is back in American Horror-Asylum. She was brilliant in 6 Feet Under and Season One of American Horror. She plays fallen angel Shachath (did I spell that correctly) fairly sure it means "destroy"...she has the kiss of death. Must be fun for her to be working next to James Cromwell again who played her 2nd husband George in "6 Feet..".I keep hearing rumblings of a Rudd move for the PM spot again, he would have to have the numbers or there is no way he would do it-third time lucky maybe. I am inspired by this to email Bill Shorten. He was one of the power punchers that got PM Gillard elected. His wife is very supportive of the PM, and I doubt he will even bother to read my email.I send it anyway with a lot of respect etc. Really if it means Kevin's return will stop that homophobe Abbott from getting in, I'm totally fine with that. Gillard isn't as bad as hyped by the press but if it takes a Rudd return so be it. I tweet to encourage people to support Rudd on any move he makes. June 24thChapters are still flying out of me "Surrey Road Suffragette" , "The Great Australian Dream". I'm sure I will never have such a run on writing ever again. Mark laughed as a small memory came back of us too riding our bikes the 8.3 kms from The Cape to Wonthaggi when we lived by the sea and a man walking his dog stopped us and asked if we were mormons. I said "Yeah seaside mormons" .... anyway that will probably be the name for Chapter #13 for our time at Cape Patterson before heading back to Finn Manor on Osborne st. I'm liking most of the chapter names. Always a good sign.I have a carved wooden box with various trinkets in it, some I'll use for the book. I found this cool little badge I made in the seventies that has "I would die for the stars" he said. I'll have to start wearing it. I know it came from me lying at lighthouse hill, outside the car on the grass and looking up at a very starry sky. I think my friend Tony was with me. I just blurted "I will die for the stars". Tony went "he said". So I made this cute little badge. It's falling apart now so may have to repair it. God I was so painfully deep as a teenager (laughs). Painfully painfully..maybe all teenagers are. June 25thI open an old box and find about 8 exercise books of writing from Cape Patterson , so long ago. So detailed, some bullshit, some parts crap some I surprise myself. Does my head in a bit with the detail. I'll use a snippet in the Early Years, very handy for the time line though.We work through the day, get masses of fan related emails done and other work bits. Leaves me free for the afternoon so get my teeth into it. "High Above the Kitchen" the chapter at Finns Osborne street house seemed rather long so some trimming and the final chapter #15- Loving The Woodface" is massive. I trim bits but after that i add so it's the same. So now I've sent them to Mark, he is doing layout, I have to proof read after layout but 95% of the writing is done. TRIP is now down to 8 final copies so I am tempted to get a 500 extra print run, just so we have some book stock on the site. Such a rush on it, guess with all the chat of THE EARLY YEARS some are filling their collections with the much needed TRIP. June 26thI am chatting to Greg Skyhook when a political contact texts that a Gillard /Rudd vote in caucus will happen today-wow that was indeed fast. 1 day of parliament left, so I guess PM Gillard is going in, saying look if you vote for Mr Rudd and he gets in and a no confidence vote is called on the last day- it could end up as Abbott as PM. That would be her plan, quite clever really. I thought it was neck and neck with the Labor votes BUT I am watching ABC 24 hr news and I spot Bill Shorten walking along with Mr Rudd and teary eyed like Bill had been crying. Oh god one of Julia's main people- and he usually carries a few others with him. I use the video phone to call Mark in the office- "I'm nearly sure Mr Rudd " is back". Mark cheers. I don't have any big problems with PM Gillard -unemployment is down, inflation low, lowest home interest rates on record.... BUT I know that it will take Mr Rudd to stop that arsehole Abbott from being PM. So Mark is cheering and so am I now. We both start chanting "Hope, HOpe, HOPE"! Mr Rudd needs 52 votes to win, I work out he has 56! He does indeed win the caucus vote with 57! (Yes Kevin 5-7). So within the next 12 hours Kevin Rudd should be sworn in as PM (again). Amazing. The phones go crazy and it seems like every man and his cat is on twitter. The Age have an online Poll with the simple question. "Can Labor now win the election with Mr Rudd as leader". 87,000 people respond and 68% say YES! That's the highest polling I have ever seen. Within 24 hours the Australian share market has it's highest day in years.I do feel a bit of sadness for PM Gillard she has copped so much sexist bullshit and especially from the Liberal side and old dinosaurs fearful of powerful woman. Quite shameful really. Maybe Abbott and dickheads like Poodle Pyne pushed it too far and now they will have to deal with Mr Rudd and Abbott and cronies could well lose the election. Wouldn't that be nice, Australia spared of the heinous horror that is Tony Abbott. Oh joy oh joy. Life is good. Bill Shorten mentions how people have emailed him and spoken to him and that is why he went with Mr Rudd, it would of been a very hard decision. We head to the 24 hr supermarket and on the way back spot on a bus stop wall a HUGE "WELCOME BACK PM RUDD! " wow that was so fast. So we make up similar car stickers. A glimmer of hope. Yes HOPE! June 27thRudd on every newspaper huge stories. The Herald Scum always on the attack, they mention the Libs will still win as a night poll was done and Labor are 2% behind. They fail to mention of course that there has already been a 12% swing to Labor -the highest swing for any party in 5 years. We are up at Olinda and spot people wearing Kevin 07 Tshirts... so we make sure we are wearing ours. Unity and a voice. The electorate WILL listen to kevin Rudd. I attack the letters pages of newspapers- good to have that comment in print.Also stoked as Kevin is now very pro-Gay Marriage unlike Tony Toupee. A chance for marriage equality in Australia and same sex couples a CHOICE to get married. I see Abbott interviewed by Jennifer Kyte and she was pathetic, the lamest interview I have heard her do, she should go back to hanging out with bands she is a failure as a tv journalist. I'm surprised the "square peg in a round hole" Jennifer Kyte story still continues to be talked about all these years later. June 28thGreat about the US Supreme Court upholding gay marriage, loved the snap your sent of people dancing in the streets Miss K. California should be very happy, they expect 37,000 same sex couples to get married in CA over the next 3 years. That's $US 492 million in revenue for the states businesses etc. When Kevin Rudd wins the next election I'm hoping the CHOICE for gay couples to get married will start rolling fast. The other good news is that the gay divorce rate has now dropped below the 1% mark worldwide-amazing!Straight divorce is at 56%.Just had a call and the 500 extra copies of TRIP (4th diary book) arrive July 4th. So that should make a few people happy. But once that stock has gone, no more re-prints. If you are after TRIP head to www.rocketpocketbooks.com or the merchandise area of this diary site. Spoil Mark with lots of cans of John West Tuna, plus it earned me an extra 150 Qantas points- every point helps! Started playing Pistol Annies "Hell on Heels" album again, such a good one, hey Neil Young loves it too so always a good sign. Their new album "Annie Up" came out last month, still need to hear that one. Speaking of Neil Young, I finally finished "Waging Heavy Peace", it was a love/hate read I'm afraid. Still it had some good moments, more good then bad. I am being gracious -well maybe. June 29thMore polling in and Mr Rudd overtakes Mr Abbott as "Preferred PM" -wow that was fast! Even the biased Liberal newspaper Herald Scum has them at 50/50 and that's with the never get laid Young Liberals supporting the polling. If the Liberal s were running Mr Turnbull as leader the gap would be closer but while it's heinous Abbott he will be the thing that will cost the Liberals the election, no matter how many family members he rolls out. I still believe it will be neck and neck but considering Mr Rudd has became leader basically from July 1st the results are already exceptional.We watched the Banger Sisters- with Goldie Hawn , Susan Sarandon and Geoffrey Rush..it's a classic from 2002...kind of the ex groupie version of Thelma & Louise in many ways. Loved the front of The Age weekend magazine, Michael Douglas as Liberace from "Behind the Candelabra" - it's based on Scott Thorsons biography-he was Liberace's lover for about 5 years. Anyway Michael D looks brilliant! It's kind of sad that the Liberace museum has closed it's doors. You drive past it in vegas and just an empty shell. Hear from our mates Liz and Trudy, hopefully seeing them soon on a visit-will be fun. Maybe after Sis's baby is born. One event at a time. Looks like little baby may arrive 3 weeks early. Trudi starts knitting baby clothes which is so kind. Sis will love that. June 30thTrudi and Rosemaree visit at 11.00 for some breakfast so we all head down to the General Store -it's the last breaky for a few months. I miss Nicks coffee, it was good today but his is exceptional. Only coffee you say BUT to some of us we can taste the difference. Jodi and Jason are at the main table so we sit with them, and invade their space. Suddenly about 6 other locals are chatting, we seemed to know everyone this morning.Still no rain just crystal blue skies and cold. "Dexter" returns tomorrow night should be a very cool season. I'm amazed at how many good things are currently on cable. It's 22 years of consecutive growth for Australia as of today and no recession. We are indeed the lucky country. Watch the recession arrive and unemployment numbers jump if Abbott ever gets in-just another reason to say NO to the Liberals at the upcoming election. I worry about my friends becoming unemployed because of old ferret features. So that's it, the Australian political landscape changes again and it is rather exciting - with Mr Rudd there is HOPE with Mr Abbott well HELL spring to mind and Homophobia-so many "H" words. Enjoy the world it's a pretty cool place. Peter x |