Reading:
The lyrics to "Mr. Cellophane" from the musical, "Chicago". I've decided to choose this as my audition piece for my upcoming "Little Shop of Horrors" audition. While I'm auditioning for the role of "Plant Puppeteer" (Audrey II), I still need to learn a song from musical theatre's repertoire (not from LSOH), and sing it in my own voice, without a puppet. So I'm happy to jump through whatever hoops that I'm required to if it means adding Little Shop of Horrors to my puppeteer resume. 
Listening to:
"Tomorrow's Harvest" - The new album by Boards of Canada, the Scottish ambient/electronic music duo. My favourite track on the album is, "New Seeds". 
Wanting:
- More gigs with my business, "Larrikin Puppets". I'm starting to get some. I've done a lot of unpaid promo appearances, and a couple of TV appearances, which must slowly be getting my name out there.- The puppeteer role in "Little Shop of Horrors".
- For my band Headkase to be short listed for the ABC's "Exhumed" competition I entered us into. It's for bands with members aged 30+ who did the hard yards in their hey day, but never quite managed to find financial or commercial success.
Doing:
Helping as "puppetry consultant" and assistant puppeteer (for AJ the Rooster) on the set of "Cluck - The Web Series", which is a film project by students at QUT. Shooting is now over, and they're currently working on post production, so we can expect to see this three-part series on YouTube in a couple of months. I've been performing puppet shows for kids' birthday parties, as well as a volunteer show for the sick kids at the Royal Children's Hospital. Troggg also sung a duet with a local burlesque performer Genevieve James. I've appeared on two TV shows with Troggg - "The Late Nite Show" and "Showreel". Highlights from Troggg's appearance on The Late Nite Show are on YouTube. The Showreel episode was taped on Monday and will air this Saturday at 2:30pm on 31 Digital (Channel 44). Tonight I'm going to a meeting about an upcoming film festival event, which Troggg will be hosting. My first puppet-MC gig.
Anything Else?:
- The girl who gave me the contact details for the Children's Hospital gig is a volunteer there. After I performed the show, she started making my life very difficult, asking me to pay her for helping to set that up. I can't afford to pay a volunteer for a volunteer show I donated my time to perform and paid my way to get to. When I refused to pay cash, she said that I must be her boyfriend and pay her in 'other ways.' When I refused to run my business in this way, the constant missed calls, voice mails, text messages and Facebook inbox messages began (I soon blocked her from FB). After about two weeks of solid harassment (acting like a psycho ex-girlfriend whom I hardly knew), she finally said that she's told the hospital I'm no good with kids, and that my shows are a complete bore. So if you start to see some defamatory ramblings about what a terrible puppeteer I am, she's the one trying to ruin everything for me.
- My lorrikeet Buster was under the weather for a few days, limping, refusing to eat, unable to make a sound, laying down on the bottom of his cage all exhausted and weak. So that got me worried. But I gave him a lot of tender loving care, and spoke with my vet friend about it. He soon got back on his feet again and started playing with his toys and talking again.
- I was unfriended by a few friends I quite admired and respected, which came as a bit of a blow at a time when I was experiencing all this psycho harassment and bird drama.
- I have a housemate moving in next month, which will be great because I'll be able to split my rent and bills in half and be able to start saving again, instead of living below the poverty line and just barely being able to scrape by. This is an old trusted friend. The girl who used to play saxophone in my ska/swing band.
Overall, things are ok. I just need to
focus on my business and try to keep out of trouble. Relationships are out of the question at the moment. And I need to be very careful who I swap contact details with. You never know who's out to scam you or turn your life into a living hell. It's been quite a stressful time, while also a very busy time.
