Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Lounge. ProBlogger. Triple J.

Hi everyone! Welcome to The Lounge. I've been AWOL a bit. But here I am again keeping it real, as usual.

I  have written this post at the last minute and have not proofread it. Am too KNACKERED! Apologies for any typos.

So, there was this conference on the weekend.  Something to do with blogging. Apparently it's very big these days and some people even make money from it.

Haha I am so funny. Anyway the ProBlogger conference was held at QT on the GC, which is a hip happening hotel at Surfers. As I am a blogger, and I make a cool $50 a month blogging (see that little video down there? It's the MONEY TRAIN PEOPLE!), and I live on the GC, then you might be forgiven for thinking I would be participating in said Problogging COnference.

I hate to disappoint you, but I didn't go. Because MONEY! My $50 a month didn't quite cover the hundreds of dollars for the conference tickets. I have sworn not to miss it next year though.

In a sort of stalkery move, fellow lounge lizard Rachel and I took the opportunity to meet up with our out-of-town Lounge compatriot, Tegan! She was clever enough to organise herself tickets to ProBlogger, so we went to the Stingray Bar at the QT to share a few drinks with her. While lurking around opportunistically we also ran into Rachel from Redcliffe Style, Lisa from Mrs BCs House of Chaos, Carly Findlay, Twitter friend Jatosha and others were floating around. Cool man.

I've never actually indulged in a night out "on the town" Surfers Paradise style, but gosh, Stingray is a cool joint. I was driving so I behaved sensibly, and made a getaway fairly early on when I realised the whippersnapper to mutton dressed as lamb (aka me) ratio was getting out of balance and NOT in my favour. If anyone is wondering if their dress is too tight, or short, or low cut, for a night out on the GC, fear not. You will have found your people.

On the way home, as I do when I am in the car, I cranked the radio. Feeling old as I was, it made me think of recent developments in my increasingly complex relationship with Youth Radio Network Station type thing Triple J.



I love listening to the radio. I have already waxed lyrical about my love for Classic FM, but my first radio love will always be Triple J. I LOVED listening to the Js as a high school student. When I discovered it, my whole world changed. THE MUSIC! THE COOL! It was quite the revelation.  I still listen to it, and actually these days there are HEAPS of bands and DANCE OUTFITS and whatnot that I like. A number of years have gone by where I couldn't have told you a single song that appeared in the Hottest 100, but I am back in touch with the KIDS these days. I mean, I think I am.

As much as it pains me to admit this, however, I am veeery slowly realising that I am edging ever further outside the target demographic. Signs I may no longer be part of the "Youth" are presented to you here. You be the judge.

  • Recently, wunderkind breakfast presenters Tom and Alex had this quiz where people had to ring in and they played songs from Hottest 100s of yore. And they had to guess them, right. Anyway, they played a song from the 1998 Hottest 100. Now, 1998 was my freaking hey day, people. I was all over the Hottest 100 like a rash back then. Anyway, neither of the gormless twits participating in the quiz knew the song they were playing.  I was screaming at the radio "Regurgitator! OMG! Regurgitator you fools! WHO DOESN'T KNOW THIS??". One of the participants said grumpily, "Aw, fair go guys, I mean, I was only 4 years old". Cue my brain exploding. I mean, shit. I almost spat my coffee out. OMG that means he was born in 1994 which means there are ADULTS out there who were born in 1994! HOW OLD AM I EVEN ANYWAY EVEN?

  •  I've developed quite the fondness for Macklemore. I like to shimmy along in the drivers seat of the car whilst rapping out some sweet rhymes like a veritable mofo. I was doing just that when I realised the inconguity of a white, Australian, thirty-something mother of two rapping along to the "Can't Hold Us" lyrics "And that's what you get when wu-tang raised you!". I mean, they didn't, you know, raise me. Really if I'm going to sing along I should probably change the words to "And that's what you get when Steeleye Span raised you!" which arguably doesn't have the same street-wise ghetto ring to it. Although some may say the words to "All around my hat" are hella radical and subverting the dominant paradigm like there's no tomorrow. I mean, it would be tricky argument to make, but some may. If they wanted to.

Google them, people. You won't be sorry.


  • The other day, I found myself increasingly enraged by subsitute breakfast presenters Veronica and Lewis, who thought it would be terribly AMUSING to ask Veronica's Great Auntie Joan or someone to review the feature album. The album happened to be London Grammar, which I am totally OBSESSED WITH. I love them sick. And I guess the point of the segment was to get an OLDSTER to listen to some MUSIC THAT THE KIDS LOVE and then report back on how SHOCKED they are about the youth of today, and the SWEARS, and the LOUDNESS etc. Things didn't go according to plan for Veronica and Lewis, because Great Aunt Joan or whoever she was totally loved the album and said she would recommend it to anyone, particularly people of an elderly persuasion. Poor old tween hipsters Veronica and Lewis were a bit thrown by that. It seemed to put a spanner in their works. I was infuriated, and embarked on a rant filled with righteous anger at nobody in particular, that may have gone along the lines of "OMG did you hear that! Bloody kids these days think they INVENTED music and sex and drugs and rock and roll and that. Gen Y hipster upstarts, who says old people won't like London Grammar, or Daft Punk or the Amity Affliction. Seniors are people too! In my day we respected our elders and had good manners and moshing was mandatory and at concerts you were covered in other people's drinks and sweat and were grateful for it and you can't tell me what to like and oooooh me gout's playing up......".
Anyway, despite constantly being confronted with my own mortality at every turn (OMG! When Prince George is King that will mean Prince William is DEAD and he is YOUNGER THAN ME THAT MEANS I WILL BE DEAD TOO OMG!) I am determined to remain young at heart, and will continue to tune into the Js right on into my middle and late years. Hopefully when I am in the nursing home I will still be able to freestyle it Macklemore fashion and dare anyone to stop me!

Anyway, I've said too much. Talk about raving. Yourr turn. Maybe you've got something actually USEFUL to share! ENLIGHTEN US PROBLOGGER TYPES!

40 comments:

  1. So I have that 'people born in' moment everytime I go to the footy - and there's some play I look up (cos he's playing well or badly and I don't recognise the number) and he's born in 1996 - and I have a total brain meltdown that usually includes the statement to anyone nearby "How is he not still in nappies?" (so I cover old and crazy in one hit)
    We had an old moment at Jurrasic Lounge, where were were running around having fun but every young staff member acted like we were 100. "Do you know what green screen is?" (I'm not an idiot, of course, that's why we want to do it) "Have you seen the movie Jurrasic Park?" (yes, at the cinema, about 20 years before you did) It really began to give me a complex. Do we really look THAT old??

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    1. GOD IT'S ENRAGING! I think I look older than I am, a bit matronly. I like to think I am young at heart though!!!!!

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  2. Maybe people say behind my back "How is she that old and not in nappies?"

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  3. I could have sworn I saw you getting wasted with Rachel on the Saturday night. Hate to think that my photo is somehow doctored.

    Young people, eh? Imagine using the "4 year old defence" if someone played you a Madonna record.

    Next time you need to lord it over some Gold Coast hipster kids in a musical discussion, I suggest you mention that Macklemore is like Clive Palmer and used to call himself Professor. There's no one cooler than Clive these days, is there?

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    1. Exactly! As if you can use only being born in 1980 as an excuse for anything these days! Professor you say? I didn't realise he was so learned1

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  4. I love Surfers ..but enough of this ageist stuff

    I remember Double J starting in Sydney and the first song played ..do you feel better?

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  5. I loved the QT. I generally hate Surfers but I am already scheming, trying to find away that I can have another weekend to myself at the QT. You must go to the breakfast buffet. It was unreal.

    And I love to rap in the car too. I feel SO hardcore, cruising around in my mom mobile, windows down so everyone can enjoy the same Tupac that I am listening to!

    And I wasn't going to do it...but I ended up blogging about Problogger.

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    1. Maybe we should scheme a night away in QT together! Mwahahahaa

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    2. Its funny I loathe the Gold Coast too. Something about being over 25 and having a brain makes it completely unbearable.

      Somehow it was my second conference down there in about 6 weeks.

      Must say, it was pretty awesome to be able to see whales from my hotel room balcony.

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  6. You are so funny. Sorry I missed you and Rachel (on plus side I did get to meet Tegan the day before) - I needed that early night so bad, but still a bit bummed. NEXT YEAR! Say it, sista NEXT YEAR I'M GOING TO MUTHAFLIPPIN PROBLOGGER! Party time. Kx

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    1. Never mind love I had the impression EVERYONE was TOTES FINISHED UP on Saturday night! Party on Wayne! NEXT YEAR I'M GOING TO MUTHAFLIPPIN PROBLOGGER!

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  7. LOL - I loooove the way you write. I always laugh!! Good for you for crashing the PB Event - well sorta - you met some PB Event attendees - more than I did! Errr...yeah...kinda weird that people born in the 90's are adults now. What's that make me ... geriatric?!! My daughter was born in 1995 and is now 18 ... a constant reminder of my aging self *sigh*.

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    1. Oh god, the reminders of our own mortality seem to be EVERYWHERE! DEATH IS STALKING ME AT EVERY TURN!

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    1. So awesome to meet you too lovely. I feel bad it ended up being quiet. Goddamn me driving and living fifty miles away from SUrfers and so forth. If I do get to ProBlogger next year I will make up for it! OH YES I WILL!

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  9. Whipper snapper I could teach you a few things about mutton dressed as lamb. Also 1998 was the year I made a permanent switch from youf radio to ABC local talk back. Maybe when I mature a little more I'll slide the dial to Radio National but for now bring on JVal.

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    1. Radio National is already one of my radio passions. I love a good radio documentary. OLD BEFORE MY TIME!

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    2. I freakin' love RN. My mother even commented on it the other day. Yes, my own mother thinks I'm getting a bit long in the tooth.

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  10. LOL I just started a post for the lounge and it was about age! Are we channelling? :D

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  11. Totally spewing I missed you Sarah :( But glad you got down and caught up with lots of people. And I too feel the youth train keeps wanting to pull out of the station without me on it - I SHOULD STILL HAVE A SEAT - I'm COOL(ish) - see I still wear denim shorts, not short short ones because no one needs to that. Appropriate knee length ones. Okay I give up, I'm old :( (and I'm off to the garden to eat some worms) xx

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    1. Lets do a a GC bloggers catchup ASAP!!!!! Hope your dad is ok x

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  12. I think I missed you by an hour...boo! I would've stayed around but had an 8pm flight to catch...from Brisbane. And even leaving at 5pm was cutting it fine!
    I was truly amazed by the *ahem* choice of attire by many GC local gals. But I really shouldn't have been.
    Triple J way rocks. Listened to it religiously through uni years while I would study for my Japanese exams in the seclusion of my bedroom. Ah, the days!

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    1. God the outfits!! I'm bummed I missed you. Definitely getting my problogger on next time. Definitely!!!!!!!

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  13. Dude - when we're in the nursing home together drinking our teapot cocktails, ranting at society and the youth and railing at the world like the ceiling can't hold us... THEN we'll know we've made it. You're not there yet. I intend to be Patsy when I grow up. I've developed a taste for Bollinger. ANd I'll be still listening to the J's.

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  14. If it makes you feel any better
    a) I didn't go to pro blogger either
    b) you make 50 bucks more a month from blogging than I do and
    c) in 1998 I was in my third year of teaching.
    Which makes me a novice, broke, very old blogger ;)

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  15. I wish I'd be organised to go and hang around outside Problogger. Sounds like you brushed shoulders with a few interesting souls anyway. As for Triple J - yes, I would never have survived uni without it. I still always buy the Hottest 100 CD, even if the mere fact of buying CDs almost places me outside its demographic.

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    1. I'm thinking of getting back into CDs...did you know when you die you lose all access to the stuff you have on iTunes???? Outrage!

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  16. $50 a month. Big Time- probably equates to about $1/hr you invest in blogging! Thinking about taking up offers from gaming companies for me to advertise on my blog. Can't wait to hear all about problogger! Wish I'd been organised and got tickets, or even just hung around at Stingray.

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    1. Who are these gaming companies???? Point them my way!

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  17. I am fighting the good fight against the musical ignorance of today's yoof and in fact have just introduced my boys to the gurge. Kong Foo Sing is on high rotation during car trips at the mo'!

    I think we did our stalking in quite a classy way - despite the aspersions cast by a certain satire blog! But together we will fulfill our pact next year... Pro-Blogger or Die!

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  18. I went, I make zero dollars from blogging at present and I no longer listen to Triple J! I've graduated to a fully-fledged ABC local radio listener. Hubby says this means I should get an old-age pension...

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  19. I love your post!! Its amazing and was thoroughly enjoyed by me!

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Vent your spleen! You know you want to.

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