Grand Piano

JD's school (which burnt to the ground 2 1/2 years ago) has finally been totally rebuilt. Yesterday evening (Thursday) the school had an open day, basically to show off the new facilities to both parents and the public.

JD's in Year 9 now (that's 3rd Form; he's 14 1/2), and being a typical mid-teen, he's not wrapped in school, but he does actually like going there.

Let me tell you - the facilities at the new school are awesome. Computers everywhere... interactive classroom boards - not a piece of chalk in sight... air conditioning... space!

Of course... I forgot to take my camera, didn't I...? D'OH!

The place that totally blew me away - where I would have spent my entire school life had I actually gone to this particular school - was the Music Dept. They have one *large* acoustically-perfect room that is set-up entirely for performing (as well as two seperate, sound-proofed classrooms - oh, and even has its own internal RECORDING STUDIO!!!). Hence - the orchestra/band is permanently set up in that big room.

But wait for it... it comes complete with its own...

GRAND PIANO!!!!!!!!!!!

I tell you what!!! My school had no bloody grand piano it its tiny two music classrooms!

I spent a lot of my High School years hanging out in our music room - which were tiny boxes compared to this performance space. In fact, this particular performance space is designed and encouraged as a place for the students to hang out in, and play. "Get used to making new sounds" was the delightful music master's own words.

This is serious musical heaven in a school!!!

Envious? Me?

Bloody oath!

Isn't it amazing what the Govt can do with public money, to actually develop a school in cooperation with the staff and students who will be using it??? Bloody oath!

Yes, it can be done.


But then again... let's not talk about Bathurst Hospital, which is a classic case of bureaucracy totally ferking-up, leaving us with a brand-new hospital facility that had sewerage leaking thru the roof in maternity, for one thing to start with! Jesus wept! A total fiasco!

Here's a simple example of planning gone arse-up... when my ex was taking one of her kids (not one of my sons) into the Emergency/Casualty the other week (everything ended up quite alright for the child in the end, thank goodness!)... anyways, she could not make a phone call out or receive one on her mobile/cell phone. The place is like a total black hole for all phone reception, it seems.

Oh... did I mention the fact that a bloody AMBULANCE cannot fit into the underground carpark entrance...?!? How's that for a complete fuck-up?!?

So yeah... from one extreme to the other. Both facilities are totally Govt funded and managed. Both could not be totally opposite when it comes to reliability and successful utilization!

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I totally splashed and lashed out and bought myself something I've never done for myself ever before, Paige - I bought myself a mixed case of wine! Not knocking our own local wines, but after tasting some very interesting mixes recently, I ended up choosing half-a-dozen each of German white and French red! And yes, they are very nice, being about $22 ($20.50 US / £10.20) a bottle.

I don't usually drink a lot of wine. But these were really nice - and that's coming from someone who doesn't drink too much of the stuff (and who, ashamedly admits, "abused wine" as an older teenager! lol). So yes, they'll be nice to spend a year or two working through. Plus there's a few birthday and Xmas pressies there too.

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Sox of Box of Sox rehearsal this this coming Sunday, with everyone available (at this stage) - and I'm really looking forward to it, just to sit down (while standing up?) and work out some finalized arrangements for about a dozen songs we've been doing.

Gees, I might even try for a sail tomorrow, what do you think? Matt's actually going out to Ben Chifley Dam, waterskiing with some of his mates. He's saying I should come out, bring a guitar and have a jam... but I might just take my little boat instead. I'm not into waterskiing so much.

I'm obviously feeling a whole lot better. Yay!

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"5th March 2008" is a ruff song idea/sketch without any lyrics (as of yet). Just another idea knocked off quickly. I can easily do something melodically and harmonically with this down the track, then re-arrange and re-record it properly.

Peas be with ewe

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