Tim Goldsmith

OK, so here is my theory.

“Movies” are those things that run for about two hours. Their chief purpose is to make lots of money for the people who make them. At the same time, they hope that they might manage to tell some kind of worthwhile story.

“Cinema” are those pieces of art that run for about two hours. When someone makes a piece of cinematic art, their intention is usually to share a story. At the same time, they are usually hoping that their piece of cinema also makes some money. (Of course, in a modern world where everything has to be economically rationalised, this kind of cinema is becoming rarer. Usually it is only the talented, famous, or established who have the chance to go for “cinematic art” because they are likely to have an “economic guarantee” because of their name. )

Do you have examples of each? What movies do you think manage to achieve being both?

Discuss!

I went & photographed Shannyn & the Gheevatron’s wedding on Saturday (Geeve doesn’t even have an “H” in it, but it “Gheevatron” just looks better). It was my first wedding in a while, I was solo & I really felt the pressure.

I wont post any more pictures, cause I feel like they should look at them first. This is usually my fave of any wedding anyway. All the dresses, suits, cars, bomboniere, flittering people and impressive speeches melt away next to a simple gesture as two people join together and become one. Everything else is a bit foreign on the day. We’ve all seen weddings but (hopefully) this is the first time we’re in one. Yet in all that is so different, what a lovely thing to see two hands together & feel a sense of familiarity that transcends it all!

Well there you go.

My computing Guru Chris has switched me over to “moveable type” and the hope is that this will sort out the issues we’ve been having with comments.

Only one way to find out if it’s true people!

So, there seems to be a general freeze in the blogosphere, so I figured now’s the time to fire something off myself.

Three year!

It certainly has gone quickly.

I guess it’s only Four years since we met, so that’s not a huge amount of time in the scheme of things. But they have been the best years of my life.

A beautiful wife, a lovely daughter, another on the way… it doesn’t get much better.

We got to celebrate by heading into the city for a night by ourselves for the first time since “Pumpkin” was born. I can’t say enough nice things about the Shangri-la. The view from our room was awesome, the room itself was comfy, the cocktail bar (a free cocktail was included with our stay! Woo Hoo!) was awesome, and it was close to all the fun stuff in the city!

So, sanctity of our marriage, I’ll avoid posting pics of my beloved without permission, but I will include some of the the sights & sounds of the evening.

We loved the view from our room. It was pretty during the day & stunning at night!!

This little puppy is called “A Pear of Sidecars” and was awesome. It felt sophisticated to start the evening with a complimentary cocktail. Even better, the non-alcoholic one that Shona got was just as tasty as mine! That’s always a good sign.

Oh man, Red Oak in the city was the most awesome surprise of the evening! I’d heard of this micro-brewery, but this was the first time I had been there. What you see above is a meat tasting plate. From top to bottom it is

1. Prosciutto, bocconcini and baby rocquette salad accompanied by a tasting size of their award winning bitter
2. Chicken and shitake mushroom croquette with tomato confit accompanied by organic pale ale.
3. Pork, duck and walnut terrine with pickled eggplant accompanied by Irish red ale, and finally
4. Baltic Porter and Swiss brown mushroom moussakka accompanied by an oatmeal stout, possibly the nicest stout I’ve ever had.

For mains we shared a Chicken with a parsley & bacon farce braised baby cos lettuce, crushed potato preserved lemon and a spinach and pear relish, as well as Limestone Coast Lamb Sausages, with Oatmeal Stout, garlic, black pepper and parsley, served on a herb mashed potato with Oatmeal Stout jus.

The dessert was the thing I was waiting for, keen to try icecream or chocolates made with beer, but we were so full that I had to hold off!

The “Fraimboise Froment” Raspberry beer was pretty darn amazing too.

We decided to walk off some of our food, cruising down to the harbour. Of course, by the time we had walked for a bit, we found ourselves ready for dessert & the Guylian store.

The Passionfruit & chocolate torte was TDF!

So there we go. It was great to have a little time off & even better to have a food & foto night! Good times had by all!

So, I am not the most regular of individuals. I think Tricia’s words resonated with me when she said words to the effect “when you miss a couple of days it becomes easier to miss some more.” It’s not that I don’t think of things to write, it is just that I never get around to it. I really ought to be more disciplined. So, I have no excuse now, as I sit here in my big sister’s house on a rainy day. Amy is so much better at blogging, and she has a swanky new computer, so I really ought to make the most of this opportunity. Of course, it means that there wont be any photos, because I don’t have the stuff to upload from my camera here, but that is OK. The last week & a bit have been HOLIDAYS!!! Yeah baby! It has been a long time coming! I spent a week hanging out with my little bro & his wife & kid (I would link his blog, but he certainly beats me at not blogging…. I think his last blog entry was over a year and a half ago) down in the lovely city of Melbourne. We shopped, we walked, we ate, we shopped some more (looking for things for Shona, finding things for me! Score!) and most importantly, we ate all kinds of chocolate from some pretty impressive stores. I think Amy has already mentioned it, but I bought some chocolate that has bacon & Chipotole in it! Oh man, it blows the mind!!!! I have also been enjoying doing a little more reading. I put my Fantasy novels away for two weeks & have been reading fiction purely for the pleasure. Last week was “High Fidelity” and this week has been Capote’s “In Cold Blood.” Very good… Anyway, I am sure I will blog a couple of more times while I am here. Meanwhile, here is a photobooth pic of me & JTB….

It’s fun having two countdowns going at the same time. Three really… actually… four. I like Easter. I always have. I really like Darrell Lea nougat eggs. In under two weeks I should have my very own egg. It’s a downside of ministry that many of those big holidays become work days for you. Christmas, out. Easter… usually out…. But this year, I look forward to the possibility of having not only easter off, but three weeks after that too! What a fantastic idea! Holiday time. But of course, the most important (at least on an eternal scale) is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ! And of course, what better way to celebrate the promise of re-birth, than with the birth of our first child. Of course, we don’t know if it will come on time. Anyone willing to place a guess (or a virtual bet) on the due date? How about a name?

So the big news was looking like it was going to be that Shona & I are house owners, but as it turns out, it wasn’t to be. Right to the very moment of signing we were, but then we got back pest & building inspections & they were pretty darn questionable. We made another, amended offer, allowing for all the work that would need to be done, but didn’t get a favourable reply. In the end, when the other party refused to show documentation that a converted garage was council approved, and when they couldn’t show that they had done any protection work after having a history of termites, we decided to cut our losses… So, it’s sad news there. The good news is that we’re not lumped with a big mortgage on a place that needs lots of work! Now it’s just a matter of seeing where the church will put us!

It was a great view from the Hotel room. Click on This Link to view it Large on black! (Worth your while)

Photo by Andy…

So I’m away for the next three days. I don’t know exactly what to expect? I do know that I have to help give a half-hour presentation. Nothing serious & not too much work, so that should be OK. It’s just not right. My sister gets to spend the next month in the UK, and more importantly, some time in Scotland, and I get to spend the next three days in Kurrajong. A lovely part of Sydney, but certainly not Scotland… I should manage to take a photo or two while I’m up there though.