RESOLVING

I've decided to make a few resolutions for 2010. Here they are in their all their hurried glory. The format is unashamedly 100% borrowed from caro.

1. eat less sweet treats / drink less alcohol
the story so far: In 2009 I resolved to get fit, and I rose to the challenge with gusto - but while my energy expenditure is completely on track, my energy input is another story. And, especially as I plan to move out, I realise that snacks are not only unhealthy, but also expensive. I need to get over my obsession with them.
the 2010 plan: Plz pass me the celery, thnx. Vegetables and water will be my saviours. I will probably still drink alcohol, but let's try to keep track of my glasses this time around - and also avoid too much beer.
NB: this resolution begins AFTER i get home from Buss.

2. engage in extreme writing
the story so far: I didn't get my dream writing job this year, and instead I will be working in the equally pleasing realm of arts management - but this is not where I want to stay. And if I want to make a career out of this writing bizz, then I need to keep it up, and do it more.
the 2010 plan: To begin, I have purchased a gorgeous "365" book from Kikki K and intend to write something (ANYTHING) in it every day this year. Can be as short or long as I want - a bit of wanky reflection, an idea for a character, a snippet of dialogue or just even a wacky sentence. The idea is that this will make a craft out of my writing, get me into that writing zone, and serve essentially as a catalogue of inspiration. Also: I want to complete at least one first draft feature. :0

3. career woman!
the story so far: I have a job (two, in fact), but honestly I did not complete this harrowing Masters for it to be deemed 100% irrelevant within a couple of months of graduation.
the 2010 plan: Go nuts with making contacts, sending out showreels and generally remaining alert. Secure at least one opportunity to work as a scriptwriter - paid or unpaid, short or long term, brilliant drama or shitty soap. Maybe also try to work as a journalist at some stage. Maybe also try and get some funding and make another short film.

4. develop my "hobbies"
the story so far: For the last few years, all my interests have been either 'career-based' (writing, reviewing, filmmaking, ETC) or 'party-based' (GTZzz). Now, for the first time ever I will not be studying, and I feel this is the perfect opportunity to really broaden my horizons.
the 2010 plan: Choose a few hobbies and stick to them. Atm, I'm leaning towards: piano playing, photography, and learning some languages (FRENCH again, maybe spanish?), YAY. Any other ideas? Is road-tripping an option? I'd like it to be. (also: READ MORE BOOKS).

5. be brave, little lady
the story so far: enrolling in the screen ac taught me a lot about courage; about how when I take leaps of faith, things can turn out AMAZING or at least freaking OK.
the 2010 plan: As I get ready to pursue a dream job, probably move out of home and perhaps travel on my lonesome over the coming year, I think I'll need to really stop being so scared of change, risk and challenge. It's my token "vague" resolution, but hey we all need at least one of these in our lives.


happy 2010 y'all! good luck with your own resolutions!

xxx magda

future anxieties

Last night I dreamt about a bureaucratic error. I dreamt that I received a letter and learned the truth in no uncertain terms; my high school certificate had never been "authorised" and it was time for me to go back and repeat yr 12. So I jumped into a bus and moved to Albany (the only place that still offered the 2003 curriculum), ready to sit through another year of nikita krushchev and endoplasmic reticulum and il faut que je, whilst all my peers headed into the future without me.

Yup, so my anxieties are pretty clearly expressed there. In three weeks time this Masters will be all behind me - and so too will 18 years of study and 6 years of university life. I haven't enrolled in anything else for next year. I don't have a job yet. I don't know what lies in wait for me. It's a little terrifying. If I may use a very respectable analogy, I feel just like Rory Gilmore circa season seven! I've never been more clear about what I want to do, and so I have never felt more scared about the alternate (im)possibilities.

So, as I often do in times of stress + anxiety, I have decided to make a list.

THINGS I CAN DO WITH MY TIME TO ENSURE A SUMMER OF LOVE
(AKA "how to avoid a breakdown if my unemployment lasts longer than expected")

- finish my showreel and my website (marketing the self = enjoyable?)
- perfect my collection of film, show, life ideas so i have them all ready to go in the event of a producer magically appearing and asking "WHAT YOU GOT!?"
- make sure my short film is absolutely perfect and amazing (basically still at uni thus far...)
- consume the pile of unread books that has slowly built up in my bedroom
- work my way through my newly acquired 100 Pies and Tarts book, yussss
- visit the beach on a daily basis
- cycle all the way to beach if at all possible
- return to the piano, learn some cracking new tunes
- maybe pick up the guitar too, why the hell not
- get krunk with my original gangstas, aka tbone, clion, jtat, mozi, sash et al
- travel to: busselton
- travel to: norway, france, spain, portugal, poland, brazil, peru, mexico, nyc, & cambodia
- get a full body massage
- attend heaps of boho sleepovers
- host heaps of sleepovers. also: barbeques, picnics, dinner parties and pool parties
- learn to sew
- learn to surf (lancellin surf camp anyone?)
- learn to sleep for more than six hours at a time
- maybe write some more reviews
- maybe try and get some more stuff published
- maybe write some more prose fiction
- cure my recently aquired caffeine addiction through a welcome return to chai lattes
- radically change my hair and perhaps also get my ears pierced?!
- watch: madmen, the wire, united states of tara, the sopranos (WHAT ELSE?)
- try tackling that 1001 movies list
- go on an unplanned 'photo-taking expedition'
- contemplate the varying places where i might want to consider living for a little while
- eat lots of extravagant breakfasts feat. hollandaise sauce and/or fresh strawberries
- get into scrapbooking. i'm not joking.
- try to train and complete a triathlon; even just a small one, even just on my own
- sort out my messy filing system! important!
- basically spend heaps of time with all the people that i am missing right now, as well as all the people who i have already spent excessive time with this year, but would like to spend more time with, outside of a working context.


OK so... pls offer me more suggestions!!1
These glimpses of holiday delight are pretty much saving me from depression right now.

Lotsa love
xxxxx magda

ode to laundromat (dot com)

My parents returned from their South American adventure the other week, after eight weeks away. During this time, my sister and I enjoyed beautiful independence and peaceful co-habituation, as well as the unfortunately aligned breakage of several household objects. Namely, we somehow managed to break: the back sliding door, the vacuum cleaner, the egg poacher, and, most significantly, the washing machine. (We maintain that these breakages were the result of standard wear-and-tear and not any irresponsibility on our part).

As a result of these various events, I was lead into the magical world of THE LAUNDROMAT. Initially nervous, I approached Osbourne Park's esteemed establishment, "TheLaundromat.Com.Au," with a fair degree of caution. I was distrustful of the unfamiliar machinery, the dusty floors and the humongous, unfriendly-looking driers. I didn't know what to bring, so I came in with every kind of washing powder, a really large bag of spare coins and about five different novels. I greeted other patrons with the wary, defensive nods of one who is feeling very unsure/insecure.

As is so oft the case though, it took only two visits for me to get "crazy in lurve" with this wacky little world. In ridiculously cliched moments, I made friends with the Italian ironing lady who worked out the back, and with the young couple who came in every Monday afternoon at 4:30. When I eventually figured out how to access the wireless internet, I claimed the little corner bench as my own temporal study, and got used to setting up there with books and laptop. Great levels of productivity were reached here, where the spin of the machines lulled me into a strangely heightened focus.

My highlight was offering "sage" advice to another newcomer. My lowlight was a visit to the much more expensive, slightly stinky and much less innovatively named "Laundromat" of South Perth; an incident which only increased my appreciation of my "local" laundrette (and I guess also of Tom, who stayed by me throughout the horrible ordeal).

Woo so now that we have a new, shiny, clean washing machine with all the mod-cons and great spin power, and yet I kind of miss that world. For a little while, doing the laundry was an exciting, romantic afternoon activity - but now it has gone back to being a mundane chore. Who knew? Not I.

Perhaps when I move out, I just won't buy a washing machine. "A good decision"?

xx magda

screen academy love fest dot com

HELLO blogword, it's been a little while! My guess is that you require some suitable reason to excuse this shamefully prolongued absence and luckily I have one big one, and an aspect of it is pictured below. See:

Pretty? YES, i like to think so.

So, in the last few months I have worked on six different film sets, I have directed one and written three, I have produced over like 80 pages of television script and I have discovered a new love (it is called: "production design"). Am I showing off? Perhaps a little, but mainly I would like to address a much larger issue. Yes, I now have to face the very real fear that I may be becoming one of those swarmpy, pretentious, satisfied WAAPA types that I used to love to hate. (NOTE I actually study at WASA, but no body knows what that is, do they?)

Further evidence:
* I constantly ache to discuss past projects, present projects and future projects (boredom city, population: me & whoever i'm conversing with at the time).
* I have a nonstop screenplay running in my head at almost all times (either that or a live radio interview, feat. me, upon my first oscar nomination).
* I pretty much love my 25+ weekly contact hrs, and would not be adverse to staying the night at uni if required (though I guess that might just be as a result of my already existing love for sleepovers?).
* I am always tired, and there is never enough time for anything, because there is just so much that I want to do (I MISS MY FRIENDS SO MUCH).

So, in many ways, I hate this. I can still remember talking to Caro in Jan, as we drove from Heron's Nest into the bustling Busselton CBD, and being all: "WAAPA isn't even that great, what's it's problem?!" and "those crazy OCD WAAPA types are nut jobs, their lives must suck LOL" etc. (and I guess I made some ^strong points^!). Then again, though, it is kind of amazing. As with so many things that I initially fear, it has ended up being a great decision - it turns out that I love the endless string of challenges, the fun people, and the concentrated creativity. And I just wanted to get that down before I changed my mind, as I am so wont to do.

(though this doesn't in any way change the fact that i am excited beyond all BELIEF about my 2 upcoming non-contact weeks.)

xx magda

ps i will update more from now on OK

the internet surprises yet again...

So, at the moment I am doing some tutoring at UWA, for a communication studies unit called "The Importance of Story." So far we've covered heaps of wacky topics, and in this coming week we'll be looking at how individuals build personal narratives online. Part of the week's homework is to google classmates/tutors, so I thought I might just enter my own name, to prepare for what my students might find out about me.

This is basically a long-winded way of saying: "I googled myself - BUT I HAD A GOOD EXCUSE OK." And the point is that, through this process, I actually discovered that one of my lifelong dreams has already been realised, entirely without my knowledge!

Some of you might have heard of the Australian doco Bomb Harvest. I think it only got about a week of screening at Luna last year, but it was quite enjoyable/informative. I gave it a pretty positive review (click to read) and that was that - until now, when I stumble across their website and find that I have been quoted.

Check it:

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! I barely can!

Yes, the quote is a bit inane and not really insightful in any way, shape or form, but I'm freaking NUMBER FOUR on their quotes list and that makes me pretty excited. I BASICALLY AM RIGHT NEXT TO MARGARET AND DAVID and that in itself demands caps lock abuse. AWESOME. The website can be found here. They have about ten more reviews listed after those.

So it seems that now I can check that achievement off my "to-do" list. What a thrill ride. It turns out there was a reason why I have been writing these reviews, and that reason is: ONLINE FAME.

Happy Easter everyone!!
x magda

geener pastures

Hello all! As you may or may not have noticed, there have been some changes 'round the traps. I have moved to this new blog site primarily for the following reasons:

1. heartsandpinwheels, as a blog title, never sat comfortably with me. Yes it's pretty and nicely sofia coppola-inspired, but to me it never really screamed "magda magic." pasticheparty does that a little more, because it neatly straddles that thin line between my aspirations towards intellectualism, and my love for fun times. Names - "turns out they mean things."

2. The concept for my blog needed to be broadened. It began as a space for writing about inspiration, and I want it to continue being that, but I also want to spread wings. I am studying a new course now, which is making me feel a little bit more comfortable about my creativity, so I'd love to develop those feelings further through this blog. I'd also like to bring in a bit more about magdalife, because, hey, what a life it is.

3. It was time for a new design, and pasticheparty really contains more visual potential, as a concept, than heartandpinwheels ever did. Check out that header! Does it not rule?! I think so. I hope that never again will my blog look be described as "geocities-esque" (ie the ultimate internet zing).

"Well," you might ask, "can we conclude that good times are ahead?"
"YES, little one, we can," is my very eloquent response.

muchos lovez,
(in commradary with my south american friends)
x magda

all about running

After about ten weeks with the Couch-to-5k programme, I finally completed my first 30 minute jog tonight. It was a truly perfect experience. I ran as the sun was setting over Noranda, making sharp-edged black sillouhettes out of eucalyptus trees and power lines. I ran past bushes covered in freshly-blossomed bursts of bright red flowers, and past unassuming suburban homes with strings of coloured Christmas lights still twinkling over empty front porches. I listened to my special "you're officially a jogger now" playlist, with luscious tracks specifically chosen for their power to infuse ordinary environments with deep significance.

It reminded me of my first ever run, also at dusk, not so long ago (ten weeks ago?), when I jogged endless laps around the local park and watched dog walkers pass in and out of street lamp light. Back then I used to struggle to get from one lamp post to the next - and now it feels so natural, it is threatening to veer towards effortlessness.

Those who know me will know that this progress marks a mega-achievement in the history of my life. I've never undertaken any serious physical activity before, indeed I used to set my entire identity up in opposition to it! And now, ohgod ohgod, now I can jog for thirty minutes! AND YOUR MIND IS BLOWN! This post is pretty much simply to celebrate that achievement.

HERE ARE FIVE GREAT THINGS THAT I'VE DISCOVERED WHILE RUNNING:

1. a lot of people run! When I began I figured I'd probably be hitting that asphalt all on my own, but invariably I run into at least three other joggers everytime I leave the house - and this is on suburban streets, not in any sort of jogging epicentre like Yokine Reserve. There's pleasure in this sense of community - now I'm starting to recognise faces and greet passers-by with a sense of casual familiarity.
2. there are a lot of lovely places near my house! I've spent a lot of my life complaining about how boring my suburb is, but it wasn't until I actually got out into the thick of it that I learned it had a lot to give. On the other side of Benara Rd there is a perfect little picnic spot, enclosed within a ring of bushland so it seems magically isolated. And Lightning Swamp Reserve further North is just a dream - you can look out over the shrubbery and fool yourself into thinking you're far from home. It's all picture-perfect bush and tranquil stream as far as the eyes can see, with the occasional rabbit/kangaroo/snake skirting across the path ahead. Now that's nature!
3. it is possible to think about other things while you jog! Today I planned this entry while I jogged! I guess you are wondering why it is so lame then, and my answer to that would be that I am not yet skilled enough to fully master creativity under the influence of exhaustion. I dream of one day writing brilliant prose in my head while my legs stay busy pounding the pavement.
4. i am a better person when i jog. It's not an old wives' tale - fitness genuinely makes me happier, and easier to live with. Also, it seems to heighten my connection with my body. I feel so much more aware of each movement, even when I'm just leaning down or sitting up. I feel that joyous entanglement of body and mind, that which Caro spoke of way back when. I think I almost feel more alive, in a sense, or at least more conscious of my corporeal existence, of the space that my body inhabits and of how my limbs move through the air.
5. someone in morley owns a full-size tardis! That's right: I kid you not. It sits on their front lawn looking all quirky during the day, and then it glows radiant blue after dark.

In short: jogging is amazing.
I recommend it, and I recommend this programme.

x magda

the silly season is upon us once more

For my 22nd birthday, the beautiful Sasha gave me a gift voucher to Lotus in Mt Hawthorn, and as a result I am now the proud owner of a new cylindrical lamp covered in patterns of reindeers, dragonflies and red circles. It was not until I got the purchase home that I finally questioned: "WOAH, have i basically just purchased a christmas lamp that is not intended for general use?! how very awkward!!"

I concluded that this is not actually the case (PHEW), but still this thought has caused me to note how many of my 'general interests' tie in with the 'silly season'* - perhaps thus explaining why I extract so much pure enjoyment from this time of yr.

* - thank you, caro! now i cannot stop using this obnoxious/lovable phrase!

Here is a list of things that I love, in life as in christmas:

* fairy lights, candles and all sorts of dim lighting
* the colour RED, especially when accented with GOLD
* SUMMER
* gift buying/giving/receiving, awww
* mulled wine
* deers and polar bears
* any excuse to plausibly hang wacky (read: fluffy) decorations in a public place
* GLITTER and SPARKLES in general
* dessert in excessive quantities
* bells that jingle
* the movie love actually, and especially the song "christmas is all around me" (& especially that bit "you gave your presents to me/and i gave mine to you")
* stars and snowflakes when used as decorative elements
* the idea of TALKING ANIMALS
* the songs, "silent night" and "away in a manger"
* peppermint flavouring!
* 'slippery santa'
* taking pictures of my cat (the lovely kita) in costume
* the 'christmas carol' story, but especially the muppets version
* snoozing in and rolling out
* the smell of pine trees
* gingerbread
* HOLIDAYS (i am pretty sure i am alone here)

basically, when i dress "festive" i wear my favourite dresses but feel free to accesorise with sickeningly cutesy elements such as jingly bracelets or tinsel headbands, which pretty much still suit me perfectly (in being: red, often glittered, always tacky).

so, QUESTION: do i love these things because i love christmas, or vice versa?! OR is it all just a rich tapestry, as a wise man once suggested? oh, it truly is a beautiful time. i hope all you readers out there (yes, all 3 of you) enjoy it!

x magda

down south!

a couple of weeks ago i went away down south with my gentleman-friend "ben." now that life is full of pre-christmas frenzy on both the work and home fronts, and i'm suffering from that old conundrum of "too much stuff argh! too little time argh!", i find it soothing to return to the memories of this trip.

i understand that my conception of "the country" is extremely limited. i realise that my experience of "the country" extends only as far as the tourist trail. my vision of small town life eerily echoes the representation of pearl bay in seachange. i have had the privilege of staying only in charming, log-fired cottages - never in an actual farm house or (arrgh arrgh no!) a caravan! further, what i mean when i say "country" is "south-western wa" where big trees reach upwards and crowd the sky and it's all about idyllic clear water. i'm not actually referring to dusty shacks in the middle of the nullabor, or large cattle droving plains as featured in that "quintessentially australian film," australia.

nonetheless though, i like to think there's a core of something... real? in amongst all that mediated experience. whenever i begin to doubt that, i like to remember the story of our good friend mary-rose from denmark, who went away to ireland for three months and did not even bother to lock her front door. "what's going to happen?" i remember her asking, "there's no one around here that i don't know and trust!" the moment she said these words, i drafted a mental plan to move to denmark after i finished uni. i was going to buy a little forest-surrounded "studio," despite the fact that i actually did not really know what a "studio" was (i was 10 at the time, and it sounded so romantic; all paint and books and magazines and pillar candles dripping thick wax over their holders).

times have changed since then, but every time i return to the country, i remember this feeling of dreamy idealism. for me then, being down south is not so much a matter of "time stopping," as it has so often been described, but of time compacting. i remember the delicate feel of every past country moment; staring out over rocks towards the horizon, sitting on wooden verandahs feeding bread crumbs to enthusiastic blue wrens, lying on my back to watch as tall karri trees sway perilously in the wind, listening to pounding didgeridoo music as we coast down scenic roads (my dad describes this music as "exhilarating" and insists on it for all longer drives). and at the same time, there's a feeling of inifinite possibility, of everything that the country has yet to offer me. it's a return to that feeling of a potential country future; i basically can't go down south without remembering my past vision of a forest studio and yearning for it anew, albeit in a modified form.

x magda

---

so, despite the fact that i said i probably would not post my own stuff, i'm going to post a couple of the pictures i took down south. they are nothing special, and probably evoke more within me than they could in anyone else - but still, i'm happy with the use of focus.

"birds: the essence of country?"
(click to enlarge)