Chili, Chili, Chili.

I went out into the garden yesterday morning and picked lots of chili from my vegetable patch. Ended up with over a kilo. So I made my world famous Sweet Chili Sauce that I end up pouring on just about everything I eat. It's a pretty good sauce, even if I do say so myself. My wife's boss has a standing order for it. While I pottered around in the kitchen, pretending I was on MasterChef,  I listened to some XTC - Apple Venus. Some might think this an obscure album - it's certainly under-appreciated. (yeah Paul, my copy is autographed!)

And I've been writing lots. Subbed two stories last week, rewrote another, started writing a new one, and generally feeling good about it all. The mentorship I undertook with Paul Haines last year (through the AHWA) really seems to be paying off. I'm drafting less, and getting to the final product a lot quicker. The stories flow a lot better, and have a lot fewer irrelevant parts within.

And then it's back to school tomorrow. Busy time ahead, with lots of marking coming up as we approach the mid year.  We have our athletics day this week too. A day I don't ever look forward to, but usually end up enjoying. And film club tomorrow night - Coen Brothers' A Serious Man. I always love going along, if only for the social aspect. I managed to convince a few friends to join and we go out for dinner first.

I believe it's mixed grill this week.

Pulp Culture?

I read that Kylie Minogue received a cultural award from the French government. Hmmmm.

We're always being told how cultured the French are, with their art, cafes, wines and so on but now I find myself questioning this longheld belief. No offence, Kylie, but your music is just pop, and very average pop at that.

I love pop music - I have loads of it in my collection and I'll even admit to having a guilty pleasure or two, but a cultural award for "I Should Be So Lucky"? Full credit to Kylie, though. She's done very well.

In a perfect world Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, or Terry Scott Taylor from Daniel Amos, or Andy Partridge of XTC would be millionaires and revered throughout the world. Kylie would be dance music in clubs while the world would enjoy the art of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Apple Venus and Mr. Buechner's Dream.

Kylie lived the high life all over the world, while Andy, Dave and Colin from XTC were taking part time jobs in order to pay the bills between album releases. From what I understand most of the guys in Daniel Amos have full time jobs. The coolest unknown band in the world? Maybe - especially when you can claim that your guitar player is a rocket scientist at NASA.

Greg: What are you doing this week?Terry: Oh, I'll fiddle with my guitars, write a couple of songs. Produce some demos for a new band I know. You?

Greg: The usual. Pushing satellites around, driving remote vehicles all over Mars and going down to the basement to check out the moonrocks and a couple of aliens we had transferred over from Area 51.

Terry: Ok, see you next week at rehearsal. Oh well, I suppose true artists must suffer for their cause, and I know that quality does not equal popularity.

But in a perfect world Terry and Andy would collaborate to make the world's most perfect album. The Beatles would have performed once more in the late 70s so that I could have seen them at least once. Gene Eugene would resurrect and Adam Again would appear at a festival with XTC, Daniel Amos, The Swirling Eddies, Lost Dogs and The 77s in Melbourne so I could finally see some of these bands.

Philip K. Dick would have written a few more books, and I would be a talented and successful writer living the country life beyond the suburbs.

And Kylie Minogue would drop over sometimes to discuss the genius of Partridge and Taylor.