Just One....

I don't think it hurts to include just one wedding snap here, do you? This is the bridal party at registration at the Leuralla amphitheatre on 26.11.05. Satoshi was the best man and Leila(Nadia's half-sister) was the bridesmaid. The witness is Nadia's schoolfriend and photographer, Vicky.

Marrying left your maiden name disused...

Flat but happy. I didnt think that getting married was such an exhausting affair. But it is, because if you don't have the expectations of others pressing on you, then you have your own. And sure enough, a thousand and one other matters, from the weather (important for us as the venue was outdoors) to who is picking up the flowers on the day (me, actually) impress upon the already stressed individual as the day looms.

But really, the whole thing went amazingly well. After days of rain and predictions (on the day, no less) of more rain, the sky cleared in the morning and clear skies prevailed throughout. The choir sang well, Nadia looked beautiful, my best man Satoshi( who flew in from Japan) was chuffed. The reception in the big top was fabulous and the band terrific (that's enough nauseating praise - ed.)

So we are married after seven years together. I'm happy to be married but I don't feel a lot different - yet. I guess there's a period of settling in. Maybe.

Swain Song

Last Sunday I sang with my choir , Crowd Around, at a concert 'up the road' at Katoomba. Ostensibly organised as a farewell to choral work for our former musical director, Janet Swain, the show involved our good selves and Janets Sydney based choir, Cantorium, in two individual sets followed by a combined effort/finale.

Crowd are renowned for snatching performance defeat from the jaws of rehearsal victory (gosh, that's awful!) but this time, we were actually very good. Better than Cantorium, I think, whose choice of songs were a little twee. On balance though, they probably have the stronger singing talent, so it must just have been our big heartedness(surely, incredibly good luck - ed.). Together, we fairly blasted the ball room of the Carrington Hotel into the main street.

Of course, its not a competition, but no choir likes to look weak amongst its peers. It was a personal challenge for me, since I was doing a solo on 'My Girl'. Learning the words was taxing enough, but making the delivery seem effortless and a little jazzy (remembering that white men can't jump) was doubly so. But I seemed to pull it off. Tabun.

Crowd have another gig this Saturday at which I am unable to perform though I will be in attendance. My wedding!

Kekkon no tameni

Well, our wedding looms. Only a week away now. We made the mistake today of each buying a set of paper plates for the party - strange that we should mix up such a thing. Just a misunderstanding.

We have an enlarged marquis for the back yard with additional seating, since so many people have accepted our invitation. I feel relaxed about the whole thing really. Theres not a lot more to do, and really I dont care if things dont get done.

Tom (he that is in utero) has been kicking quite a lot lately (no doubt in sympathy with the Socceroos!) and Nadia's tummy has been swelling in recent weeks. And she's only half way there!

On reflection, I'm a very lucky guy. I have a beautiful young partner, a baby on the way. I can work overseas when I want really and do pretty much what I like when in Australia. I have good friends, good health (okay, I'm a little bit of a nut-case) and sing in a great choir. I have a roof over my head that's paid for. How did I get here?

'Solving that question', as Phillip Larkin might have said, 'Brings the priest and the doctor/in their long coats/Running over the fields.'

Germany Ahoy!

For those who dont know (I suppose anyone not living in Australia), Australia have qualified for the World Cup in Germany next year. The night before last, we beat Uruguay 1-0 (4-2 on penalties) after one of the most harrowing matches I have ever watched. Truly, my heart raced and stomach twisted for the full 120 minutes, plus penalty shoot out.

The latter is surely a device that even the medieval inquisition would not have thought of. It's pure torture for the fans of both sides. But let me say how proud I am of the boys, of the effort produced against a good side under incredible pressure. And Guus Hiddink, the Dutch master! What can mere words say?

So the hoodoo of thirty years is gone, Australia is playing in Asia from next year (goodbye Oceania, and thanks for all the grief!) and we have the new A-League national competition. Things are looking up for the round ball! Your wish is granted, Johnny Warren!

By the way, hats off to Uruguay, who laboured the entire time with injuries to key players. They were worthy opponents. There's a spot in Oceania now if you like to take it, but really, it isnt to be recommended.

So, roll on next June and the clash of the 32!

The Last Place

Well, tonights the night when the final place for Germany 2006 is decided. All Australian soccer fans have been here before, usually to their bitter disappointment. Tonight is the rematch between Uruguay and the Socceroos - the first leg won by Uruguay 3 days ago in Montevideo, 1-0.

On home soil, Australia have a distinct advantage. A sell-out crowd at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney and a small deficit to make up. But Uruguay are the masters of the away draw and have the brilliant Recoba, well able to score from any situation. Getting a goal past the Uruguayan defence will be difficult and if the visitors score (say, on a breakaway), well, it may well be goodnight Germany.

I'm going to make a bold prediction. Tonight, the World Cup hoodoo of some thirty years will be lifted, any curses formerly made will be ended, and goals will flow......Maybe 5-0. Its not impossible and its certainly deserved.

Go Australia!!!

Self-Help from Self-help

Browsing in a bookshop the other day, I noticed the extraordinary number of so called self help books in stock. In fact, they seem almost limitless and spill over into a number of categories, such as health, fitness, parenting, money, to name but a few. Its almost as if anyone who had a problem or difficult situation, and who has resolved it(or thinks they have), feels the need to write about it.

Worse, most of it is re-cycled bunk or shamelessly re-worded versions of things that everyone has always known but thought was too obvious to put down in words. One striking similarity of the least reputable works is their affection for numbers. One writer felt there were seven ways that you could achieve financial independence (Step 7. Return this book and get a refund), another that there were six steps to a healthier you. Similarly, the ten habits of super successful people (#8 Always lift the toilet seat). The three essentials of raising a bright child(#1 Check parenting stock) sat somewhat cheekily next to the five ways of discovering the inner child.

Its sad and scandalous really, because amid this self-raising dross are a few gems written by genuine professionals who know what they are talking about. The penchant for numbers I can't explain, except to suggest that people have grown so lazy and publishers so cynical that anything promising relief or easy return in less than ten steps has become a good weeze.

You know what they say....if it's too good to be true......... Then again, maybe there's a book in that somewhere......

Mikoshi Madness

When in Japan, we live about 40 minutes from Sasayama, a very traditional Japanese town. Now and then we get asked to do silly things, like being the token foreigner carrying the mikoshi in the October festival. In case you're wondering, the mikoshi is a heavy thing, made almost entirely of sturdy wooden beams and bearing, if you look closely, four children in the central carriage. Actually, its not so heavy with 20 or so men are bearing the load, but one's shoulder tends to get a little sore with the constant rubbing and mikoshi acrobatics.

Well, lots of sake and parading later, this is a snap of our team from the Minami-Shinmachi district on the way home. Tannoshikatta!

Senoritas and Mad Hatters

Australia is in the midst of a discussion about new proposed anti-terror laws, which, as I have noted earlier, will give police and security organisations more power to detain (without charge) persons 'suspected' (by whom, on what grounds?) of being involved in terrorist activity. All this without any real judicial oversight and with any number of implications for media organisations and the freedom of the press. To note merely one of the more idiotic aspects of the proposed legislation, a young person detained by authorities may tell one of his or her parents. That parent may NOT tell the other parent, on pain of imprisonment. Charming.

I'm of the opinion that democracy is about proscribing the powers of the authorities, especially those that are essentially an arm of government, that do its bidding. Giving cops and spooks extra powers is rarely a good idea given their generally dismal performance. But I guess this makes life just a little kushier for them. Now they wont even have to gather information or investigate, just form some half-assed hunch about who might might be a terrorist of fellow-traveller.

I see a few threats to Australia's security, but unfortunately mostly these are elected representatives who no doubt have more than covered themselves by drafting the new laws. Suspect number one, the Prime Minister, whose reckless foreign adventurism at the behest of his American masters has made Australia a greater target for terrorists. Take a bow, you arch hypocrite.