Ms. Suzy Siu

I am very cross. I am having difficulty burning the mix CDs, despite going out to buy the same brand blank CD that I started with. Itunes is ejecting the CDs, and not giving me any error message.

But what makes me more cross, is that I realised I stuffed up the results. I left The Breeders out through carelessness. And then I realised, I didn't include one whole person's vote. Which means I left out The Grates, The Clouds, Fiona Apple and Veruca Salt - Seether.

Back to the drawing board I suppose.

So there is an inherent limitation when doing a poll with only a total of 12 votes. There were only 7 songs that got voted for more than once. To get a decent list, artists that were voted for by more than one person are included - so I had to choose which song was included. Sometimes the choice was dictated by the CDs I had access to, but I also listened to songs on youtube to choose which songs I would buy from Itunes. Explanations to come as I imagine that every song was very important to someone.

I absolutely agonised over the song order! The first weekend I had listened to the songs so often that I was sick of them. Thankfully I left it for a week, and coming back to the playlist, thoroughly enjoyed listening. I have been dragging songs around with every listen, eventually deciding that I better just leave it. I hope it works. I was even looking up advice from Nick Hornby's High Fidelity:

“To me, making a tape is like writing a letter — there's a lot of erasing and rethinking and starting again. A good compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do. You've got to kick off with a corker, to hold the attention (I started with "Got to Get You Off My Mind", but then realized that she might not get any further than track one, side one if I delivered what she wanted straightaway, so I buried it in the middle of side two), and then you've got to up it a notch, or cool it a notch, and you can't have white music and black music together, unless the white music sounds like black music, and you can't have two tracks by the same artist side by side, unless you've done the whole thing in pairs and...oh, there are loads of rules."

I have started burning the CDs for all that voted. I have delivered one CD to a doorstop, and posted another to Melbourne. I'm having a technical issue with a different brand of blank CDs, so I'll be finishing the CDs over the next few days. Thank you for all the votes that came via penelly, I am sure she will help with distributing the CDs.

I also recommend that you check out Naomi Eve's bigger poll results and the youtube clips with lots of live versions - there's lots of overlap. Great minds think alike.

This was hard actually, I have cds piled on the desk, I'm going through itunes, and I've also been consulting youtube for CDs I can't find. So many artists I found it very hard to pick my favourite song, particularly PJ.

PJ Harvey - Good Fortune
Indigo Girls - Closer To Fine
The Waifs - Bridal Train
Kimya Dawson - Loose Lips
Missy Higgins - Don't ever
Tegan and Sara - Back In Your Head
Bic Runga -Sway
Sarah Mclachlan - Building a mystery
Ella Fitzgerald - I get a kick out of you
Carole King - A Natural Woman

(Ok so maybe Aretha's version is more powerful, but credit to Carole King as the song writer, and this is my favourite song from Tapestry, which would have to be one of the greatest female albums of all time. Even if you haven't heard of Carole King, I guarantee you can sing a bunch of her songs)

Attention everybody: Last day of Voting! Get in now before the server crashes!
Thanks to all who have voted.

If you use twitter, you might also like to vote here, before Friday 7th August 2009 (She's giving you an extra week!):
http://twitter.com/Hottest100Women

The related facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=109156831391

As female musicians were terribly lacking in the recent JJJ Hottest 100 of all time, I am starting a poll for your favourite songs involving female musicians. I am happy to be flexible in the definition to include female solo artists, girl bands, bands with a few women in them, and even bands with one woman, but I tend to think guest vocals is stretching it.

"The only women to appear in any notable capacity were The White Stripes' drummer Meg White (Seven Nation Army, number 20), Massive Attack guest vocalists Elizabeth Fraser (Teardrop, 22) and Shara Nelson (Unfinished Sympathy, 93), Pixies bassist Kim Deal (Where Is My Mind, 29), Smashing Pumpkins bassist D'arcy Wretzky (1979, 35; Bullet with Butterfly Wings, 51; Today, 78), and Pulp keyboardist Candida Doyle (Common People, 81)." From article in The Age .

Please send me your lists (up to 10 songs) - in the comments or suzysiu at optusnet dot com dot au if you prefer. Ends July 31 midnight. You will receive a CD with the Top 20 songs.

As part of National Psychology Week 2009, the Australian Psychological Society and the University of the Sunshine Coast invite you to complete an anonymous survey. This survey has been developed to learn more about the impact of the current economic downturn on Australian individuals and their families.

Everyone completing the survey has the option to submit their name and contact details for inclusion in a draw for one of two Coles vouchers valued at $250. The results of the survey will be released to the media during National Psychology Week (8 -14 November, 2009). Based on the results of the survey, a tip sheet will be developed to provide strategies on how to better manage the personal impact of the economic downturn.

The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. If you would like to participate, please access the survey using the link below.

http://www.mysurveyportal.com/psychology/qedml/login.php?SURVEY=npw09

Your participation in this survey is greatly appreciated. Surveys can be submitted up until 25 September 2009.

I am currently the No. 1 fundraiser for Tri Pink! Thanks Benno! See evidence here:


To keep me there, you can join in and sponsor me. Every little bit counts! It is raising money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation which funds research into the prevention and cure of breast cancer.

I am going to update the fundraising page blog, you can see the posts easily here.

I just stopped in at the IGA and I am particularly pleased with the contents of my canvas bag:
- My favourite chocolate bar for only $1.30: Cherry Ripe. Hang on, I remember when chocolate bars were 90 cents.
- A bunch of choccie bikkies were $1 off, so I stocked up with Double coated Tim Tams, Black Forest Tim Tam variant, Mint slice
- To inspire me into cooking dinner: tamarind (Real tamaring pulp! The IGA lady asked me if I liked it. Like it? My favourite meals include tamarind), sweet chilli sauce, satay sauce, hoi sin sauce, korma curry paste, yellow sour curry paste. Which one should I start with?
- Frozen berries were also $1 off: Blueberries, Blackberries. Mmm I will bake some friands soon.
- Also heavily reduced, King Island Camembert
- A wheel of dried figs
- Allens Boxing Kangaroos reduced past the best before date (not exactly something that goes off)

Delicious!

When Ben got back from LCA with a bunch of schwag, I grabbed the canvas bag with the super cute Tassie devil Tux. I have been keeping it in my work handbag, for those occasions when you need a bag.

Today I bought a pair of pants from Target. When I said my usual "I don't need a bag", the girl serving me said "We don't have plastic bags any more"! Good on them!

This makes so much sense, why didn't they do it years ago?

http://parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20081127037

Edit: see also
http://parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/hanstrans.nsf/V3ByKey/LA20081203

Plants I would like in my dream garden:

- Frangipani
- Lemon Tree
- Pink flowering eucalypt
- Bougainvillea
- Jasmine
- Rosemary

I wonder, which ones could I fit?

This weekend I have played Articulate, Mao, and Canasta. I would love to play them all some more!

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

Complete an online survey on ‘Hassles of Daily Life’ and go into the draw
TO RECEIVE ONE OF TWO IPOD NANOS
The University of the Sunshine Coast and the Australian Psychological Society are conducting research on daily events or situations that make people feel irritable, and their reactions to these situations.

The survey takes approximately 10 - 15 minutes to complete. If you wish to participate, please use the link below to access the survey:

http://www.mysurveyportal.com/psychology/qedml/login.php?SURVEY=npw08

In completing the survey you are not required to provide any contact details. All survey responses are confidential and will be reported only as compiled data. Participants can independently submit their name and contact details to be in a draw for one of two Ipod Nanos. The research will be published by the University of the Sunshine Coast in conjunction with the Australian Psychological Society.

Surveys can be submitted up until 19 September 2008.

National Psychology Week
9-15 November 2008

I am enamoured with GTD at the moment. I have only just started reading David Allen's book "How to get things done" and I am running around doing 2 minute tasks and setting my calendar and making my next action lists context specific. Ok, I know that I probably shouldn't jump ahead in the book, but playing with stationary rocks, and I am impatient for this stress free productivity he speaks of :)

After two months of training, I think I have finally got a hang of running. I feel confident that I will be able to do the half-marathon when race day comes, which is a big leap from thinking that this is a ridiculous endeavour.

Today I did a 15k run. My coach didn't want me to go further like others in the Can Too programme (in case of injury) which was disappointing but sensible. I had all the gear - my new fuel belt and two gels! Gels are this sugary electrolyte stuff that you eat on long distance training to keep your energy levels up. We ran from Centennial Park to New South Head Road, and up Heart break hill, and then back. I have walked up Heart break hill before, but this time I was jogging!

Last week, I went to the run really tired from a long week at work, and freezing cold from daylight savings time. I was similarly exhausted from work, but I managed to take care of myself better. Friday night I did a little yoga (downward dog is great when you have a kitten biting your feet btw). I cooked pasta with tinned salmon, as my pre run low GI carbo loading meal - a big deal as I hate tinned fish! And I went straight to bed to read a book at like 8pm. It was lovely today running on the same route remembering last week when I was so tired.

I was just so happy running the first 10k, smiling at people and talking, it just flew. I know how to run up hills and down hills, I know how to breathe, and I am very much improved in my feet so I don't run like an elephant. The last 5k were really hard though, that was when I'd been lapped by most of the group, and it's hard running on your own. Exhaustion just washed over me, and I wasn't able to do a negative split. But I did do 15k in 2hrs and 3min and I am pretty pleased with that! Somehow I even found my legs to sprint across the grass home.

Thank you to everyone for your support so far.

If you would like to sponsor me and support Cure Cancer Australia:

1. Go to Can Too
2. Click on Sponsor a Participant in the menu bar
3. There you can sponsor me online (Enter my surname Hodge)
Or send in a cheque or credit card donation with the donation form to the office

Today I went to a "day" at Jura books , put on by Food not Bombs. I participated in the skillshare workshops. I learnt to pearl, I made vegan banana cupcakes and I made most of a stencil. It was a very productive afternoon.

Late last year, my friend Danielle asked me to sponsor her for swimming in the Cole Classic, as part of the Can Too programme. I curiously explored the Can Too website, stunned at what a huge challenge the programme was. Committing to raise a large amount of money for Cure Cancer Australia (who fund research projects). Running a half-marathon was the next running event. Both aspects sounded impossible, and so I kept on clicking back to the website.

Around New Years I decided, what the hell. If I ever was to run a half-marathon, I would need a lot of help to get there, and this looked like a really positive programme. I rang them up and the woman was very encouraging "If you've done the City to Surf you're actually ahead of some people, and you like running". I didn't have the heart to tell her I hate running.

I have just completed the first week of training. It was harder than I was expecting. On Wednesday there were severe storm warnings, and I jogged the 3ks in the rain (each k separated by one lap recovery walking). Heavy wet t-shirt, wet feet, puddles on the track. I was pretty angry at the end, however that's generally how I get through kickboxing.

On Saturday I left the house at 7am to go to Centennial Park for a 6k run. This time I came prepared with my brand new rain jacket. My friend penelly and I were last to finish, and we were cheered. I have been pretty tired ever since.

So in summary: I hate running, I am training in the rain, I am training early in the morning, and I am doing a half-marathon. Sponsor me!

1. Go to Can Too
2. Click on Sponsor a Participant in the menu bar at the top of the home page
3. There you can sponsor me online (Enter my surname Hodge)
Or send in a cheque or credit card donation with the donation form to the office
4. Remember to sponsor Penelly (Robinson) at the same time!

Feel free to sponsor me what you think my IQ is at this point as demonstrated by the above! Below average or mild intellectual disability? Or go ahead and flatter me!

Reading from the liner notes, Jason Reitman says "Ellen Page was hanging out at my office, when I asked her "What kind of music do you think Juno Listens to?" Without Pause, she blurted out "The Moldy Peaches"".

This makes no sense to me, as several times Juno rants about her love for The Stooges and punk rock from 1977. The Moldy Peaches are *nothing* like The Stooges. But it is rather lucky for me, as my tastes lean towards that of Jason Bateman's character. That Carpenters album was out in the window of time when I fell in love with music and before I could afford CDs - I had it on tape. So Kimya Dawson is adorable and I am enjoying this soundtrack!

I have four kinds of t-shirts: work, cool, daggy and exercise. For all but the work tees, I have way too many. I don't wear them all, I can barely see them all on the shelf. It's a t-shirt flood. How many t-shirts do you think a person needs? I'd like to set a number for each kind, then choose my favourites and try to get rid of the rest.

We are calling the kitten Anya after the Buffy character which shares the same fears.