(no subject)

Fuck me, I made it. Despite everything. I'm forty.

Hooked on Classics

Guys, I am overwhelmed by your birthday wishes. Thank you!

stevencaldwell took us out for a super treat last night - dinner + the Sydney Symphony Orchestra! I realised that I had never seen an orchestra perform live - I'd seen operas and Carmina Burana and had watched orchestras on TV, but had never sat in a concert hall and listened to just music. I knew it was going to be different from every other time I'd heard classical music when they started tuning up. We had a diagrammatic view of the players from the heights of our box. (We saw a contrabassoon! Jon spotted the tympani guy doing something clever and technical.)

The opening act was a local band called Tchaikovsky, with their smash hit "Piano Concerto no. 1". We had been cracking jokes in the peanut gallery about Hooked on Classics, so had to stick our fists in our mouths when it started. Further hilarity ensued when the orchestra struck up the piece we'd come to hear, The Firebird (aka the intro to Siberian Khatru). Mr Stravinsky pinched the beginning from the Curse of Fenric soundtrack! Who'd've thought it! There was a bit of TRON in there, too, and I think possibly a dab of Murray Go(l)d's score for The Sound of Drums. Igor you old plagiarist. Interest was added when one of the percussionists got up partway through and went out the side door. Smoko? Loo break? He'd finished his bit and was going home? Nope - it turned out there were tubular bells (or something similar) lurking out there. BANG CRASH WALLOP! Mr S. keeps your attention with lots of unexpected noises, notably the strings tapping their instruments (lots of little xs on the score, I imagine) and jolt-you-out-of-your-seat explosions from the percussion and the tuba. (The tuba mute had me in stitches. Presumably the tubist sticks a tap on the side afterwards and dispense boiling water for everyone's tea.)

All this uncultivated jocularity aside: the music was transporting. Thank you so much, Steven and Stephen.

Throughout the proceedings I was developing a ghastly sore throat which has laid me low today. I am ded but happy. :)

ETA: lol Koschei

Bric a Brac

Kitten, ferrets, and a paper bag

DeathSponge NotePants

Station Cat

Cluster F Bomb (NSFW srsly)

Bric a Brac - health, podge

What sleep deprivation makes me look like

Therapy with the click of a mouse. This is a great idea, but check out the article's attitude: "Too shy to venture out of the house or too sensitive to criticism to face up to therapy?" Then you too can be patronised rigid by an ignorant journo.

Pick your angst - rap, metal or trance: "Doctors should ask their teenage patients what type of music they prefer to determine if they are at risk of developing a mental illness or committing suicide, researchers say." Hmmm... but researchers clarify: "There is no evidence to suggest that the type of music you listen to will cause you to commit suicide, but those who are vulnerable and at risk of committing suicide may be listening to certain types of music". Hmmm...

Internet diagnosis gives GPs a webache

Nintendo deemed unfit on fat facts: "Nintendo's Wii Fit game has attracted the ire of a childhood health expert for telling healthy children they are fat."

Australia pips US as world's fattest nation, say the authors of a report unemotionally titled Australia's Future Fat Bomb. Crikey.com is sceptical. Nor are they alone.

Studies refute common stereotypes about obese workers

Obesity can mean less pay

ETA: Teen girls self-harming increases by 50%