How To Learn Swedish

Get given a Tintin book in Swedish for Christmas. Aside from being probably one of my all time favourite Christmas gifts, I have already mastered how to say "BOOM". PANG!

Do They Know Its Cliffmas Time At All?

Perhaps the worst Christmas song of all time. I believe Cliff Richard is solely to blame for the abundance of terrible christmas songs around. It makes radio around this time unbearable, and Cliff's influence and success in this music genre has turned well respected musical acts into silly season novelties - look at the likes of BobDylan, Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Royal Guardsmen.

This, however, is the greatest Christmas song of all time. Hands down. Good for duets at karaoke and wild gestured swaying on balconies as you steadily get drunker on Christmas Eve (now a tradition). Father on Fairytale of New York: The only interesting thing about that song is that Kirsty McColl died by being run over by a speedboat whilst scuba diving.

I am also distressed by the fact Vince Martin of 'Vince Martin & the Beaurepairs' fame has switched his popular Christmas jingle from Winter Wonderland to Silver Bells. Its just not the same.

Den of Inequity

Dress up, dress down town

Today I wandered down to Queen St and found myself face to face with a strange new shop: Sarpo. I believe it is the store which used to house Dymocks. It now seems to be part imported fashions from Asia, and part creepy 1950's prom dresses for 3 year olds. And perhaps the Tavi look-a-like, modelling here.

I am foreseeing a summer of many kindergarten sock-hops.

Steve Martin didn't always have white hair