Nix's Summer 'What's Hot' and 'What's Not' Column!

WHAT'S HOT

1. Teenage boys running for buses.

There is something so amusing about gangly, gawky early teenage boys running to catch buses. They always seem to have their backpacks on their back bouncing up and down and it always makes me giggle. I really feel tempted to yell out 'Run Forrest Run!'..... equally are girls who run with windmill arms! There was this girl running down Walkerville Terrace the other day like this. I wish I'd had a video camera. He he he.... I saw a guy running like a girl the other day and had a bit of a chuckle. Edgy wasn't as amused as I was. No sense of humour. :)

2. Books about band geeks.

I have been reading lots of books about American concert and marching bands lately - some are unspeakably awful, I hate to admit. Some people know what has sparked this interest for me but it is particularly cool for me to read about people who are just like me - a little too geeky and band-obsessed. But it reminds me that I'm not alone out there.

3. Puppies with funny barks.

There was this dog outside a Stirling cafe the other morning tied to a post. Another dog came past and this little pug started barking. It was the most hilarious sound I have ever heard! It was a snuffly, squash-nose-combined-with-phlegm bark! It was very similar to this dog's bark..... so funny!

4. Finding a good reed.

I know this sounds quite sad and geeky but getting a good reed is very exciting. They cost so much and yet most of them are useless even straight out of the box. Don't even START me on the problems I've had since I changed mouthpieces. I have been battling with reeds that sound like a goose for a number of months and finally yesterday I found one that was alright. And thanks to reading the band nerd books, I found this cartoon that confirms my views:

But a bad reed can be the bane of a wind player's existence. One of the rare amusing memories I have of the con is when a certain bassoon player pinned up a bassoon reed on the woodwind noticeboard in 3 separate pieces. Underneath, she had put a note: 'Let this be a warning to all reeds: Behave OR ELSE!'. So true, so true..... Better to break the reed against the wall than throw the clarinet like one clarinet player I know, no names mentioned!

5. Coffee places that make REAL lattes.

And I don't mean cappuccinos without the chocolate!!!

What part of 'lattes do not have foam!' do coffee franchises not understand? A latte should be mostly milk but not foam! To the people at Hudsons - cappuccinos, lattes and flat whites should be different, not exactly the same!!!

The lovely ladies at Unruly Tabouli in Golden Grove seem to understand this so why can't Hudsons or Gloria Jeans or all the other coffee places (that generally do half-ass coffees anyway that are cold or burnt or too hot or curdled anyway). There is nothing quite like a good coffee, when the barista takes their time so that the coffee doesn't burn, warm the milk without curdling it, lets the coffee brew properly. I will pay more for it if its better and also if they give better service like the above G.G Village establishment where the girls remember my order every week and give service with a smile. Quality is better than quantity!


What's NOT

1. People who do not rsvp to invitations.

This is so friggin rude! It is totally impolite when somebody invites you to a party or function (especially when it is a special function which requires booking) and they don't respond. All it takes is a five second text message or email apology if you can't make it. I don't think this is much to ask really. The problem is that online social websites like Facebook have made it easier for people to just rsvp to functions without giving a polite explanation of why they can't make it or even a simple one word 'sorry'. It appears that, ironically, with this social network that should aid in communication, people have become socially inconsiderate. And no matter how busy you are, you would expect at least SOMETHING from people you consider friends.

2. Smokers who throw cigarette butts out of car windows.

I saw the SES and CFS attending to the end of what looked like a small grass fire on the freeway just before the tunnels the other day which could have only been started by a cigarette. How completely irresponsible! What right do smokers think they have that they can litter when everything else is considered taboo? Smoking is a disgusting habit that they should subject themselves to and noone else but the rest of us seem to suffer with the smell, the passive smoking, the litter and all the other unpleasantries. Anyone caught throwing a butt on the ground should be fined, full stop. I don't care what excuse they have. If there's no bin, wrap it up and put it into your bag to dispose of it later. A police officer friend said that when she's on duty, she loves to pull over drivers who throw cigarette butts on the ground, pick up the cigarette butt and throw it back in the car saying 'I'm sorry, you dropped this!' You go, girl!

3. Andre Rieu

There are some truly wonderful violinists in Adelaide - Natsuko from the Grainger Quartet, anyone in the ASO and even some of the Elder Con students. Violinists that don't get the recognition they deserve. Some of the concerts done by Musica Viva, The ASO, The Australian String Quartet, The Grainger Quartet, the ACO don't get the audiences they deserve to get because of the supreme quality of music they provide.

And yet somebody as crass and kitsch as Andre Rieu infiltrates Adelaide with his vomit-inducing crap and pretends to be 'bringing class' to Adelaide. All the elderly ladies claim that they are getting a classy classical evening but there is nothing classy about a bloke who musically rapes some of the greatest compositions around. Even when the music is not Viennese or a waltz, he manages to turn it into both. He is a person of limited musical ability and if he really cared about the music, he wouldn't need the sets or the costumes but just the music. His tickets cost a ridiculous amount and he didn't sell out. Maybe this is because he underestimated the intelligence of Adelaideans. U2 sold out their concert at AAMI even though their tickets were the same price.

Just because he is a good businessman, doesn't make what he does right. And to those who begin to say 'when you sell out AAMI stadium, let me know', I would NEVER sell my soul, no matter how famous I'd ever become.

4. Songs on the radio that are lyrically COMPLETELY inappropriate for the age group they appeal to.

To give a few examples, in the last few months, there have been the following.....

Lady Ga Ga - Just Dance. To quote the lyrical content:

I've had a little bit too much, All of the people start to rush (start to rush by)
A dizzy twister dance, Can't find my drink or man , Where are my keys? I lost my phone
What's goin’ on, on the floor? I love this record baby but I can't see straight anymore keep it cool What’s the name of this club? I can't remember but its alright, a-alright

At a time when the government have been trying to target teenage binge drinking, have they LISTENED TO THIS SONG? Geez, this chick was on Rove promoting this song and she's all of ,what, 12???

And how about 'Take Me On The Floor' by the Veronicas. Ok, so the title is self-explanatory. The Veronicas' core audience are tweenies (ie 8-15 years old). These little bitches as pop icons have a friggin social responsibility to these kids and this is the message they're sending them??? They should be ashamed of themselves.

And then there's Usher's "Love In This Club" where the chorus lyrics are "I wanna make love in this club...' and other lyrics like: "If you didn’t know, you’re the only thing that’s on my mind
Cuz the way I'm staring miss you got me wantin to give it to you all night"

That song makes me wanna puke. Again, as a guy who was only 16-ish when he hit the big time and who appeals to teenagers, he has a responsibility to them to act appropriately and with lyrics like that, he is completely violating that. It makes me so angry.

5. Turning 30.

Turning thirty is bringing some harsh realities to light for me. I haven't really achieved much - I have no assets, no real financially secured income, I haven't even reached my playing or career goals despite 21 years of scholastic focus. It's a little depressing! I wish I could just freeze time right here and hold off until something happens and then press 'go' again when something is achieved so I can approach my 30th birthday with no regrets. But I don't think that's gonna happen somehow...