Running every year since 1993, Triple J's Hottest 100 is Australia's biggest music popularity poll. I really enjoy spending my Australia Day listening to the countdown, but I only attended my first Hottest 100 party in 2003 after I had been in Tassie for a year. Before this I had not had much, if any, exposure to Triple J. The town I grew up in was so rural it didn't get reception. Instead, I grew up on a diet of radio-friendly pop and mainstream music. My taste in music has improved dramatically, although I'm not sure my Dad would agree.
Anyway, this year marks 20 years since Triple J started the annual Hottest 100, hence the out-of-season 20 year retrospective Hottest 100. Having to choose 20 songs from 2000 has been a hard task*. It has been also quite time consuming. I choose songs that 1.) left an impression, 2.) I had listened to over and over again, and can repeat all the lyrics, and 3). brought back some kind of memory, be it happy or sad.
Based around the above criteria, I ended up with 60 songs on my list. So came the difficult job of cutting the list down by 40 songs. With great thought and consideration, I am now going to share with you my top 20 songs of the last 20 years. I hope people don't judge me too harshly on my decisions. Daniel is+ also going to share with you his top 20 with you. I wonder if our lists will have any common songs?
*I know the rules said that you where able to vote for any song within the time frame of 1993 to 2013, but to make it simpler, I only choose songs from the Triple J's hottest 100 lists from the last 20 years. If I was to make a list with any song in this time frame I think the list would probably look quite different but that's a post for another day.
2010 Birds of Tokyo: Plans
2008 Children Collide: Farewell Rocketship
Regina Spektor: Real Love 2007
I found it really hard to choose just one Regina Spektor song as I am a fan of all her songs.
2007 Feist: 1234
2005 Xavier Rudd: Messages
2005 Clare Bowditch: Divorcee by 23
2005 The Beautiful Girls: Lets Take The Long Way Home
Daniel mixed this song and Pearl Jam's ... and proposed to me by getting down on one knee, playing his guitar and singing this to me...how can it not be a favourite :)
2005 Emiliana Torrini: Sunny Road
Such a beautiful song of longing.
2003 Hilltop Hoods: Nosebleed Section
This is an odd one for as I am not a massive fan of hip hop but I choose it because it brings back great memories from the many Falls Festivals I've attended where they have played, especially the first in 2006.
2004 Lior: This Old Love
2004 The Waifs: Bridal Train
I first heard this song while I was doing the washing up in 2006. I cried.
2004 The Polyphonic Spree: Hold Me Now
2002 The Waifs: London Still
Love the Waifs. This was the first song of their's that I ever heard, and it's still an old favourite of mine.
2001 Augie March: There Is No Such Place
Usually One Crowded Hour is the favourite Augie March song. This one is much more beautiful and whimsical.
2001 Muse: New Born
Saw these guys live in 2010. It was awesome!
1999 Powderfinger: These Days
You can't not have a Powderfinger song in your list. They are a truely great and talented Australian band.
1999 Red Hot Chilli Peppers: Around The World
1997 The Living End: Prisoner of Society
Great for all those angsty teenage years :).
1997 Radiohead: Karma Police
1996 Bush: Glycerine
Did you vote? If not, what are your favourite songs from the last 20 years.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
12 weeks already!
Well, the first 12 weeks are almost over. I can't believe how quickly it has just passed by. I know everyone makes this comment, but it's true. In some ways I can't believe it has only been 12 weeks because it feels as if Beth has always been here with us. I certainly can't imagine a life without her in it now.
People say the first 12 weeks/3 months are the most difficult. It's a time of transition in which you and your baby are getting to know each other, the sleep deprivation is extreme, trying to get into some sort of routine can be difficult, and getting your head around how much life has changed can take a while. This was certainly the case with Nicholas, and it took me a long time to adjust from having no children to having one, but surprisingly going from one child to two has been quite simple. This time round I didn't get to have the same amount of time to adjust. As soon as I got home from the hospital, life just continued on as previously, and Beth just had to fit in. This meant attending all our previous activities, such as Mainly Music, swimming, kindergym etc, but this time with a baby in tow. Thankfully, Beth is such a relaxed child that taking her out doesn't really present itself with any issues. As long as she has milk on hand, she is fine.
The most difficult thing I have found about this whole transition has been Nicholas. He has been super rough with Beth at times. The first eight weeks were the most difficult, with pinching and hitting being his main forms of expressing his anger at Beth being around. I didn't really expect this kind of behaviour. He has always been such a gentle boy, so I was unprepared for it. The most helpful parenting resource I have found throughout this time has been Janet Lansbury's blog Evaluating Child Care, especially this blog post: No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame, and there are many others that have been helpful too. This post in particular has provided me with insight and clarity in dealing with Nicholas' rough behaviour. Most of all, I appreciate how gentle and yet firm one can be while setting boundaries, and all without using spankings, manipulation, punishments and timeouts. This way of disciplining my toddler really resonates with me, as I know I could easily become angry instead. It challenges those first reactions, and requires me to have a calm and respectful attitude. Daniel and I have been consistent in applying these principles and I feel that in these last few weeks Nicholas has really developed an understanding of what we want from him. He is more gentle with Beth, and even interacting with her more (like placing little toys in her lap). I see their relationship developing and it is beautiful. I am very grateful for Janet Lansbury's posts and the way they are helping me become the parent I want to be.
I can't believe that next week I am going to have a two-year-old and a 12-week-old. I never imagined I would be in this position.
People say the first 12 weeks/3 months are the most difficult. It's a time of transition in which you and your baby are getting to know each other, the sleep deprivation is extreme, trying to get into some sort of routine can be difficult, and getting your head around how much life has changed can take a while. This was certainly the case with Nicholas, and it took me a long time to adjust from having no children to having one, but surprisingly going from one child to two has been quite simple. This time round I didn't get to have the same amount of time to adjust. As soon as I got home from the hospital, life just continued on as previously, and Beth just had to fit in. This meant attending all our previous activities, such as Mainly Music, swimming, kindergym etc, but this time with a baby in tow. Thankfully, Beth is such a relaxed child that taking her out doesn't really present itself with any issues. As long as she has milk on hand, she is fine.
The most difficult thing I have found about this whole transition has been Nicholas. He has been super rough with Beth at times. The first eight weeks were the most difficult, with pinching and hitting being his main forms of expressing his anger at Beth being around. I didn't really expect this kind of behaviour. He has always been such a gentle boy, so I was unprepared for it. The most helpful parenting resource I have found throughout this time has been Janet Lansbury's blog Evaluating Child Care, especially this blog post: No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame, and there are many others that have been helpful too. This post in particular has provided me with insight and clarity in dealing with Nicholas' rough behaviour. Most of all, I appreciate how gentle and yet firm one can be while setting boundaries, and all without using spankings, manipulation, punishments and timeouts. This way of disciplining my toddler really resonates with me, as I know I could easily become angry instead. It challenges those first reactions, and requires me to have a calm and respectful attitude. Daniel and I have been consistent in applying these principles and I feel that in these last few weeks Nicholas has really developed an understanding of what we want from him. He is more gentle with Beth, and even interacting with her more (like placing little toys in her lap). I see their relationship developing and it is beautiful. I am very grateful for Janet Lansbury's posts and the way they are helping me become the parent I want to be.
I can't believe that next week I am going to have a two-year-old and a 12-week-old. I never imagined I would be in this position.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
It's going to be a warm winter!
This winter will be a cosy winter for both Nicholas and Beth alike, especially when they wear these lovely soft hoodies I made them.
That's two more garments to cross off on my to-do-list :).
That's two more garments to cross off on my to-do-list :).
Rain coatA hooded jumper for both Nicholas and Beth (have pattern and material)- A hat for Nicholas (have pattern and material)
- Two long sleeve shirts for me (have pattern and material)
- Two dresses for me (have pattern and material)
- A shirt for me (have pattern and material), and I bought some nursing shirt patterns which I would like to make up (need to buy material)
- A winter skirt for me (have material, need to find a pattern)
- A pillow for Nicholas (have material and pattern)
- Finish the very first quilt I attempted (have the quilt top but need to buy the rest).
And I'm going to add a more things to the list:
- Curtains for the lounge room (I have material for them)
- Finish off the binding on the quilt I made for Daniel and I, and make some matching pillows with the left over material.
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