"I'm Much More Interesting on the Internet"

   This is one of my newest purchases which came after finding the slogan on the net. It says everything I sometimes feel about Facebook, blogging and websites for resourcing, equipping others and sharing stories, views, rants and fun!! It gets lots of funny conversations out and about.

'Glory Glory to South Sydney'

   It's probably a fitting day to add this gem! I don't really relate to the 'Pride of the League' tag but this foundation club has the most Premierships at 20. It's just that the last of those was now 42 years ago. I inherited my following of the Rabbitohs from my cousins. I even had to wear a Balmain jersey so we had two sides in our backyard games. This was particularly so we could re-enact the 1969 debacle in our commentary. The year Balmain beat Souths but the story is they 'lay down' injured to slow the game and run the clock down!! Ask any old supporter!!
   These t-shirts were available as part of Rugby League's Centenary Celebrations. Although I've gone on to be more of a Rugby Union tragic in intervening years, the Finals always enliven my interest.
   Simms, Branigan, Sattler, Coote, McCarthy, Walters, Cleary, Longbottom, O'Neill and so many more... The side was broken up when Manly poached some of their international rep players in the 70s and it's never been the same... 1989 was heartbreaking as Minor Premiers then 'out' in straight Finals losses. Being removed from the competition and the fight to get back in has taken a long time to get over. This weekends loss to Manly will hurt and demonstrates that they need one or two more pieces to the puzzle and an ability for their halves to be not just precise when it's going well, but dominant when they meet other top sides.
   I have a 'soft spot' for the Newcastle Knights since their arrival here at a lean time for the Bunnies but there's no question who I'd have been cheering for in a Knights v Rabbitohs Grand Final!!
   I wrote to Russell Crowe a couple of years ago to express my thanks for his passion and our somewhat shared history of waiting for this team to re-emerge and how I understood that 'he got it' when it comes to Souths and isn't grandstanding... there's always next year!!

'The Sandman's Advice to the Unpopular'

I'm adding a few extras t-shirts at the beginning so there's enough good reading here to warrant an early visit!!
'The Sandman' aka Stephen Abbott was a great relatable character filled with fear, angst and uncertainty. He gives sage advice to those with questionable self esteem and trying to avoid being too awkward in social situations!!

My favourite stories include:
- 'Second Last is Best' about not drawing too much attention to yourself
- The one about tripping in a running race he usually loses and that familiar and more comfortable feeling of failure washing over him
- The one with the tag line that 'it's like driving from Brisbane to Sydney and stopping in Newcastle... you might as well push on to Sydney "I should know I come from Newcastle" writes, The Sandman!!

Match all that with Michael Bell's artwork and you have a winner!!

Mambo Faith/Theology and Reg Mombassa

   They killed their 'indi street cred' at the Sydney Olympics but Dare Jennings captured a moment with Mambo t-shirts and merchandise from their Paddington HQ and beyond. No trip to Sydney was complete without a walk past the Verona Cinema and into the Oxford St Mambo store to check out th latest offerings. This one is the 'Parable of the Pies and Beer.' I maybe have twenty Mambo t-shirts but this was a favourite!!

Midnight Oil 'Blue Sky Mining'

   T-shirts have always been my favourite thing to wear whenever I can choose. This one was purchased Newcastle's 'Rock Shop' and signed for me by Peter Garrett at the UCA Social Justice Expo at North Parramatta when he spoke from his role as an International Greenpeace Director. For this album 'The Oils' played two consecutive nights at Newcastle Workers Club. This shirt now sits in a frame with a drum stick. two LP vinyl album covers and a set of my most precious concert tickets.
   I had a black version of this shirt but it was stolen from my clothesline!!