'Waratahs Super 15 CHAMPIONS'

   Yes, and I don't just mean of March... but the whole thing... and this is the newest t-shirt in my collection!! It arrived this week after enough people ordered it for the print run and I guess in case it was a Father's Day order.
   I've been a Waratahs Life Member since they capitalised on thee 1991 Rugby World Cup and the membership categories launched then offered a first buyer 'window' for Test tix when Bledisloe Tests sold out in 20mins to the public!!
   I've sat through 2-4 games a season every year since and whilst I wasn't there with less than 10000 in the pouring rain I was there with 12000 hardy fans who had pre paid tix when the Tahs were really awful!! Often a Brumbies game was a highlight because at least one team would play how the game should be and as long as it was a good game who cares!!
   Under Michael Cheika the Tahs were no certainty in the Final and South African teams still challenged their attacking style... BUT they played really well and deserved the win!!
 

'RWC Final 2011'

   This t-shirt rose to the top of the pile in a draw tidying exercise this week and represents my 50th year celebratory solo trip to New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup 2011. I had never been there and was disappointed I hadn't made the trip 10-15 years earlier when I had the chance and could have taken up one of those chalk board invitations to play rugby at the local oval. Instead here I was at the Rugby World Cup third place playoff and Final plus a few days following to explore post RWC sights and sounds!!
   The whole city of Auckland was abuzz with the festivities, including the chance to follow a 'walk' from the CBD to Eden Park with signposting and bands along the way... a cultural festival!! There was a Rugby Photographic exhibit,a the local cinema and 'Burger Fuel' all within a good walk in the city... the harbour rugby zone was OK, best in quieter times with the genuine possibility of conversations with locals or tourists alike!!
   I had worked hard to lose some weight before I went and so I was tantalisingly close to some souvenir wear and bang on for t's such as this...
   I was struck by the nervousness of the All Black fans ahead of the Final v France... fair enough I guess, a two team contest of survivors and the ABs appalling RWC record since that first one in 1987... the French took it to them and didn't actually play their best... and were close but couldn't quite crack it... On Monday morning 30,000 turned out in the main part of town for a Cup Parade... it was a spectacular vibe and celebration of a folkloric win!!
 
 

"Head Injuries"

   This is one of two versions of this t-shirt that I own and is a catch up entry now into the mid 50s of my t-shirt collection!! It's not an 'original' as that went missing at some stage. My second one has the large Oils handprint on the back but this one mirrors the original signature look of the bands early years and the raw energy of a Garrett song delivery... 'Head Injuries' is part punk, part surf rock and certainly an aussie album.
   I am posting this one to be able to let people know that 'The Making of Midnight Oil' exhibition IS COMING TO NEWCASTLE!! In early 2015 BEFORE it heads to Melbourne/Canberra and taking up space at Newcastle Museum. Listen for promotion via ABC local radio as it'll be an interesting intersection between pub rock music in Newie, the earthquake and the Oils!!

The exhibition includes:
- a band merch t-shirts wall
- a full gig list
- original gig posters
- bios
- rare inages
- music
- background videos
- original handwritten lyrics
- journals, itinerary
- custumes
- instruments
- a full pub stage mock up
- the exxon protest banner
- the backdrop from the Black Fella/White Fella tour

And many more trophies, awards, tape decks, magazines and history/anecdote text

   The whole display utilises band road cases to show memorabilia which is a fitting way to show off the bits n pieces as the handprint cases are synonymous with the Oils!! I asked the curator how he broke into my house when I saw the t-shirt wall and magazine collections!! Most of mine don't fit anymore [one day!!] This t-shirt reminds me of seeing a huge band at the Bass, the Palais, Speers Point, the ISC and the old Newcastle Workers Club!! Great days!
 

"Vandelay Industries"

   'Seinfeld' is one of my all time favourite TV shows!! It's setting in New York, the humour of Larry David and the bizarre 'show about details' will make me laugh for years to come!! I also love how life is filled with 'Seinfeld moments' as the stories are so mundane and typical... the low talker, the parking space, the hire car and on it goes....
   Art Vandelay was one of George Costanza's invented characters he used in a number of tricky situations... he was in the import/export business for latex and latex related products!! I bough this t-shirt from red bubble.com but I bought my Vandelay Industries sticker from Kenny [the real] Kramer on his Seinfeld 'reality tour' in New York in 1998!! I visited the man and the stall that inspired 'The Soup Nazi' in 2000 and wow, that soup is amazing, complete with bread roll, fruit and milkshake cup of your choice of flavour... beef, jumbalaya... Everyone in the line trying not to talk or laugh about how similar the real life experience was...
   Art Vandelay was waiting for a call at Jerry's apartment, about a job, when the call came while George was in the 'bathroom' and Kramer had no idea who the caller was asking for... George ends up running into the room, pants around his ankles, spreadeagled on the floor, missing the call as Karmer hangs up!! I believe he does get George out of a tight spot at an open house inspection seeking to use the bathroom during a street parade in Manhattan!!
Vandelay was a legend!!

"Rugby" 52

   I'm too busy at the moment to keep up with t-shirt and PHOTO of the Week but here's a catch up!! This is a redbubble t that keeps my link with my favourite sport in the age of form fitting jerseys. I was complaining to someone at Rugby the other day that I have a significant collection of rugby jumpers at home... that stops at the advent of the skin tight jerseys.
   I suppose any side wants to nail the 10%ers but I'm skeptical about this development... especially as it separates the players from the punters for more than just someone like me... You won't see nearly as many old jerseys down at the pub as everyday wear.
   That said, the collection should probably be on the wall in my study, like the boxes at the old Randwick Rugby Club. Significant ones include:
- 1989 British Lions
- 1980s Steinlager All Blacks
- Ireland Cotton Traders
- ANZAC jersey
- Brumbies original Canberra Milk
- Auckland Blues Ranfurly Shield hooped jumper
- South African Springboks readmission jumper
- Baa Baas
- 1980s Wallabies Adidas jumper
- I even have a lightning strike Wallaby one...
- David Campese 50th Test try jumper

   So this t-shirt just reminds me and anyone who asks, that I love, played and coached "the game they play in heaven."

"Give" more praxis t-shirt

   One of a series of shirts, this is from morepraxis and Age Greenwood's young adult network in the UCA in VicTas!! It's just an attempt to remind people that "it's not all about you" and instead we all have the opportunity to think about others... I bought this and one with the reminder from Oscar Romero that where we invest our time defines our lives... good fair wear reminders!!

'The Gold Brigade'

   The 'Rugby Championship' is just around the corner [after the Waratahs take out this year's Super 15 that is] and you may or may not have noticed that the Wallabies change jersey sponsors these days almost as often as they put them on!! Asics is the current mob, who mercifully fixed up the cow pat socks and the shorts that looked like nappies. This t-shirt is one I bought earlier this year.
   The Wallabies 'gold' is OK infield but ins't always the best look off it... hence the navy option with team colour in a logo or the name!! At least we've had the stylised Wallaby since the 1990's.
   I chose this t-shirt for this week as I am so excited at the brand of rugby the current Wallabies are capable of... with a forward pack chosen on form and with a blend of youth and experience, we have the parity to launch some attack through a stable back line brim full of outside talent....
Folua seemingly able to slice through any defence a couple of times
Adam Ashley-Cooper making line breaks
Kurtley Beale will get more game time and has such attacking outlook [no chip kicks please]
Bernard Foley knows his job and gets the ball to where it should be with good passing
Nick White is learning to run and does have a great kicking game

   In winter who would know you're wearing the Wallabies t-shirt, well the wearer would!! I have no predictions v All Blacks this year but I am genuinely keen to watch what's possible and believe we can compete... let's face it if the All Blacks choose their own blend of youth and experience they are at formidable anywhere!!

"Famous Brand Logo"

   I don't think I've posted this one already? This is a WORD brand shirt bought online from a graphic design themed set of t's!! It's the font that NIKE and others might use but reads like the draft text ready for the actual. I guess the 'humour' is that all you need to do is change from these draft words to a brand and apparently you've changed who you are... just do it! and the like, I suppose it could have said I'm fit, cool and can afford to waste money money on brand name shirts.
   It's a comment about the fact the humble t-shirt moved for being a military utility clothing item and now we pay companies to advertise themselves on our bodies... at a premium price in most cases. Not only that, unlike this American Apparel t-shirt [no sweat shop at least] we pay the shirt maker a few cents, slap on a sports company logo and charge anywhere from $40-100 for the privilege of wearing it around!! Or is that just what I think this one is saying? Of course it sits filed on the draw [or scrunched up in this case] next to my brand name ones!!

"Interpretive Dance"

   Do you need to have been around in the 1980s to truly appreciate the humour of this t-shirt... It was the time when communal singing led by acoustic guitars was replaced by ensembles with keyboard, woodwind, drums... using more grumpy people's gifts and not just leaving all the girls at the weekend camp to swoon over the guitarists... then came dramatic readings, drama, poetry and 'interpretive dance'... teardrops, hearts, arms swept to heaven, twirling circles... and satires of the same at many a concert!! Like many options at that time there was always an element of 'slightly less creative copy.'

Unfair? Either way it is a conversation starter at the shops and at boring meetings!!

'Batman'

It's not the usual colour [black on black] and that's why I chose it...
From the schlocky 60s TV show I watched every afternoon as a kid, to the brilliant Christian Bale reboots [let's just forget about Clooney and Kilmer] and onwards to Ben Affleck, there's something about the interplay between the villainous characters and the flawed hero that makes for great stories...
Christian Bale's movies allowed the story to be told about the alter ego and the way Batman was a divisive character. The late Heath Ledger deserves a mention for his hauntingly evil portrayal of the Joker and the way these stories lend themselves to toys, action, martial arts, intrque, tech and strong characters!! Love it!!