I like gnomes. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I’m sure that in some parallel universe or past life, I was kitschy housewife with plastic pink flamingos on the lawn and garden gnomes in the backyard garden. While I don’t like these ornaments enough to actually own them in this life, I think garden gnomes are cute. Imagine … Read more
There are a number of items that we associate with Australia. The didgeridoo, the boomerang, and Vegemite quickly come to mind as Australian inventions. But Australia has given the world some great inventions and you probably never knew. Here’s a short list of awesome Australian inventions. 1. Ice-making refrigerator Before the invention of the refrigerator, icehouses placed … Read more
American individualism and Australian mateship make two similar countries very different. I’ve written before about the little differences between Miami and Melbourne. It’s hard to make generalisations because the United States and Australia are both large countries with different regional cultures, political and social ideologies, and state laws. Life is very different in New York, Georgia, … Read more
The journey from Miami to Melbourne is about 25 hours door to door. That is, getting to and from the airport, going through security and customs, air time, layovers, and so forth. I usually watch movies on flights, but I also like to read. I always carry books with me, either Kindle books or paperbacks. Here are … Read more
Robin Hardy returns to the silver screen with neither a remake nor a sequel to his 1973 cult classic The Wicker Man. Intended as a companion piece, The Wicker Tree explores the same themes, but with far less intrigue, shock, horror, or reason. The film opens in Texas where born-again country pop star Beth Boothby and … Read more
One thing I love about Melbourne is the blend the old and the new, its historical architecture alongside or even inside contemporary structures. Melbourne was founded in 1835, more than 250 years after the first Spanish mission was constructed in Miami. You don’t see many old buildings in Miami. There are some notable exceptions particularly … Read more
We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We aim to provide an inclusive service.