December 22nd 2015

Remembering the Golden Girls

The Golden Girls first hit our screen in 1985 and lasted for 7 years and amassing 180 episodes.

The series starred three very seasoned legends of television comedy, Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and made a household name out of late bloomer Estelle Getty as Sophia Putrillo.

Sadly, Estelle Getty was the first of these amazing women to pass away and the other three continued to make appearances to celebrate the success of the show but it was quite obvious that even these age defying legends were not as sprightly we had once remembered them.

But the beauty of television and film is that the brilliant talent is preserved and can be enjoyed time and time again for years to come. Click on the links to view them at their very best.

BEA ARTHUR

as DOROTHY ZBORNAK

The Best of Dorothy








                  BETTY WHITE

                                           as ROSE NYLON


                                        The Best of Rose







RUE McCLANAHAN

         as BLANCHE DEVEROUX


           The Best of Blanche

ESTELLE GETTY

    as SOPHIA PUTRILLO


      The Best of Sophia






Betty White is the sole surviving Golden Girl and she continues to work solidly in her sitcom HOT IN CLEVELAND and OFF THEIR ROCKERS whilst previously appearing in several feature films and a guest role on BOSTON LEGAL.


J G S

#GRIPE NIGHT #14 - CITY WALKERS

Commuters in the city of Sydney are getting way too fast for the streets and something has got to be done about it.

We need to understand that we are not Ants, we don't have the hard shell exterior, so we can't walk 100 miles an hour like they do because unlike the Ant when we crash it hurts like hell!

Slow the F#*k down you jerks!

Yes, I know you have to hurry for the train or the bus because you don't want to stay a minute longer in the city than you have to because you need to rush home to flop on that couch and not miss a minute of The Simpsons.

I know you can't leave five minutes early and piss off the boss so you'd rather risk concussion with a total stranger.

I admit it's not your fault when you walk obscenely fast and then hug the corner so close that you don't have time to see the person coming towards you around the other side. Shame on them for not expecting you to be a reckless shit for brains.

And ladies I know it hurts in those heels when you try to speed walk like a new born Giraffe, so the sneakers are a classier option, but remember they were not designed to make you go even faster and make you walk like a demented Leopard.

And to all those men and women at Town Hall station I apologise because it was totally my fault when you were looking at your iPhone and walked straight into me. I totally deserved those grunts and tuts because, holy shit, I forgot the world is here just for you!

I don't, however, take back the laugh i gave you when you, almost, accidentally tripped over my shoe when you tried to cut too closely in front of me.

Just a piece of advice to the train commuters, it's not the M5, you don't have an Etag just yet so you might need to slow down before trying to insert your train ticket. Those several hacking moments you try to do with your ticket into the slot can be reduced ten-fold if you just take your freaking time.

And of course, we are a multi-national society so although we drive on the left and there's signs asking you to keep left on the massive escalator, please ignore it, it's our fault, we should be mindful of your inept ability to read and the self-absorb manner in which you feel utterly entitled to.

Do we honestly need speed humps or mazes to slow you stupid people down? I feel like lining the floor with flypaper and watching you all struggle to be the first to get on that life boat, sorry, train.

Bottom line is slow the f*$k down!

Walking way too fast is dangerous, it's stupid and its totally unsexy, not to mention that you will probably end up needing hip replacement before you are 40.

Bring back the heels, slow it down and bloody enjoy the city you work in.

Oh and just another thing, off the topic but kind of relevant, turn your phone off on the train, I don't need to now that your sister had to have surgery because the baby came out okay but not the placenta.

Chill out city froot loops!

J G S

#SYDNEY INSIGHTS #14 - GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Government House is home to the Governor of New South Wales and is the closest neighbour of the Sydney Opera House.

It has been the home of all the Governors since 1845 with two exceptions. From 1901-1914 it was leased to the Governor-General of Australia and most recently from 1996-2011 when Premier Bob Carr moved the Governor out to be more in tune with the people.

The idea was it would save around $2 million in running costs as well but it actually turned out to cost more without a Governor as public attendance decreased which was supplying an income. Added to the controversy was a march on Parliament House to force Carr to reconsider. But it wasn't until 2011 when current Premier Barry O'Farrell decided the Governor should again take up residence in Government House and boost the office of the Governor.

But the actual building was constructed from 1837-1843 and was ready to take its first Governor George Gipps in 1845. The Royal architect Edward Blore drew up the plans and Colonial Architect Mortimer Lewis oversaw the construction on site.

A Front Portico was added in 1873 and an eastern veranda in 1879 in readiness for the International Exhibition taking place inside it's newly built neighbour the Garden Palace which burnt to the ground in 1882. When the building was decided to house the Governor-General in 1901 extensions to the ballroom and governors study were made in 1900.

The owner of Government House is listed as The Queen in Right of New South Wales, and its current tenants are listed as The Queen of Australia and the Governor of New South Wales.

Whatever it's purpose and whether its a waste of money or not, it is a historic building in Sydney that we need to protect for the sake of our modern heritage.

Next time you visit the Botanic Gardens, check out our Government House.

Say G'day to Marie, she will probably respond :-)

J G S

NRL REVIEW ROUND 13

Melbourne Storm were the big winners of Round 13 with a comprehensive victory over the inconsistent Cronulla Sharks 38-6 on Sunday night.

The round began with what looked like a one sided affair until Parramatta got their engines running and came within two points of the Roosters who were either outplayed or were off their usual game. The Eels looked set to possibly hit the lead when a chip kick saw Jarryd Hayne almost take the ball and head for the line, only he pulled up lame with a hamstring injury and Minichiello took the ball down the other end of the field and scored. He might be hopeful of taking Hayne's spot but Minichiello would have to be one of the most over rated fullbacks in NSW. But then again, why reward bad behaviour and give the full back spot to Josh Dugan? Oh that's right, we made a drug addict an immortal, enough said.

Saturday saw the Dragons over power a very disappointing Newcastle side in a dour 14-8 victory. Straight after that game the Bulldogs faced the Cowboys in Townsville and I predicted a big game from Ben Barba and he pegged the first two tries. But the game wasn't controlled by either team and at half time the scores were level and it was that sort of game. The cowboys moved out to an early lead in the second half 20-12 but u could tell there was more brewing in the Bulldogs and Tony Williams off the bench got things rolling and the Bulldogs went out to 36-20 which should have been the final score. But a rubbish decision by the video ref deemed a ball that was knocked forward by the cowboys did not in fact travel forward and gave a try to end the game at 36-26. The video refs are seriously screwing the game up and something needs to be done. I have been squawking about the fact that they should be able to rule on forward passes if they see them in the footage, i dispel the reasoning that it means u need more cameras on the field. We just use the current cameras but if they see a forward pass, no mistake, then let em rule for gods sake. In this case though, how the hell is it not knocked on when it travels forward? Are video refs allowed to gamble on footy?....

Sunday saw an absolute cracker of a game in New Zealand which seemed like it was played in a set from a Harry Potter scene, the dark gloomy conditions were very spooky. Those Warriors have really hit form and they mowed the Eagles down 18-16 in a terrific comeback. Straight after was the match of the day Penrith v Tigers and we all thought it was going to be a runaway victory for the Panthers at 18-4 but the tigers clawed them back and edged them out 20-18 in an amazing comeback.

The round wound up tonight with another dismal display by the Broncos who were out gunned early by the Raiders in Canberra who defeated the team from Brisbane 30-18.

So a few upsets has seen the top 4 still kept in reach by all the other teams. The Bunnies, Roosters and Storm are fairly secure up there and the Eagles hold 4th spot. The Bye this week saw the Titans secure 5th spot just ahead of the Sharks and inform Bulldogs and Raiders all in 6th.

Next Friday sees a huge encounter between the Bulldogs and Sea Eagles who flogged the Dogs back in Round 5. Will they manage to get revenge in the land of the silver tails?

We shall see...

J G S

WAAPA YEARBOOK #1

At the end of 2001 I was one of only a handful of lucky students to be selected into the Music Theatre course at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

This 3 year Bachelor's Degree covered all facets of Music Theatre to train students to become professional performers in the industry.

When we began classes in 2002 there were 18 of us in our first year, 9 boys and 9 girls. Most of the class came from Sydney at the time, in fact 11 of the 18. 6 were from Melbourne and only 1 from Brisbane. We were one of the only years not to have a Perth or Adelaide resident amongst our ranks.

I had met most of my classmates in Sydney as a welcome picnic was held in the Botanic Gardens in early January. I remembered thinking how out of place I felt amongst them and a kind of feeling that my inclusion into this group must have been a mistake. They had such strong personalities and seemed to be determined to be noticed.

The most extroverted of them all seemed to have everybody talking including those who put on the picnic. He seemed to have most of his clothes off and was playing cricket in what I recall was just a towel. He had a very impressive build and certainly had a very handsome face but his personality was just so intense that it seemed to place a barrier from wanting to get to know him. In fact it was him alone that made me decide I didn't want to live with any of my class mates in Perth.

I also recall meeting the strongest female in my class who seemed to already know quite a few of the existing students. She was a robust mix of exuberance and confidence and her knowledge and passion for the modern musical was uncompromising. She was very friendly though and it was genuine but I was still intimidated by her confidence. I don't think I ever stopped being intimidated by the confidence of most of them in the first year. I was very quiet in the group and never really found my space let alone claim it. That was going to be my challenge and formulate my journey.

But the first class mate I ever met that day was probably the one I felt most comfortable with over the entire 3 years and beyond. I met her walking in to the gardens and we must have recognised each other from the auditions I cant remember exactly. But what made me laugh about this girl was that she was bringing along McDonalds as her picnic food, and it seemed half eaten already. She had a very open and friendly demeanour that whilst not self-deprecating, there was a grounded sort of humbleness about her, clearly a reflection of her country NSW upbringing. It was nice to walk into the picnic with someone though and we have had many good times since.

As for the other Sydney class mates, well I certainly got to know them pretty well over the next three years. Two of them were very talented brothers from an operatic family, one was a very young girl not yet officially an adult by law, a couple of them had originally come from regional cities like Newcastle and even the capital of Australia, a quiet sweet girl, and a very friendly Jewish girl from the eastern suburbs. 6 of the 9 boys came from Sydney, and 5 of the 9 girls.

The next time we would all meet again after that day would be in Perth itself at another mixer called Pool Party, where all of the students from all over the country would come together as one for the first time. It would be hosted by a very sweet young lady who would become one of our biggest stars of the music theatre scene. But that's another story.

I hope you enjoyed this flash back into my memories of my time with my WAAPA mates. Over the ensuing weeks I will be continuing with the stories as well as actual interviews with some of my good friends who are now strewn all over the world and this city of Sydney. Whilst my stories are my own and I don't wish to name people, the interviews are freely given by those who have been kind enough to take time out of their busy lives to answer some questions about their own memories and stories of this time. Not everyone gets the grand success we hope for but sometimes the successes we have may seem unrelated to these times at WAAPA, and yet many of the qualities we now hold were forged amongst our peers. (no pun intended)

I'm currently still gathering material from these talented and lovely people and as the stories unfold I will begin to slot in individual interviews of some class mates including comments from the others about the memories they have shared with them. It is hoped that instead of reading a bubbly advertisement for these guys you will get an insight of what actually goes on behind the scenes when you work hard on forging a career in theatre. And why the worst question you can ask them is "Why don't you go on The Voice?"

Next Week, we shall meet the Melbourne and Brisbane class mates as we revisit the first Pool Party.

Till then,

J G S

Check me out - Bottom Left in the beard from hell as "Reb Nachum" in 2003's mid year production of "Fiddler On the Roof"

GARDEN PALACE BOOK REPORT #13

Finally Chapter Four is drafted once again and has been sent to the editors.

I was determined to get it done and dusted this week and fortunately all the elements combined and it was completed on Thursday.

With all the new additions and extra detail I am concerned I'm not keeping a record or keeping up with the extra bits and so continuity is a very real concern.

I will address that at the second draft stage however as then it will be more comprehensive to view the book in clumps of chapters whereas at the moment it is certainly chapter by chapter.

I am now tackling Chapter 5 which is all about the appointment of a new chief of security.

This should all be fairly unchanged as we have built up the character of Terrence Knight who has a very intimate relationship with the Director Frieda Hyman who fires the current head and puts Terrence in her place.

Originally we recognised the relationship between the current chief and Max as he was an existing staff member, but now we have to come at it from another angle.

This next chapter also introduces the staff revue which is a very important event. This can certainly take place as planned but I think it might be best to enlist the long term characters to instigate interest in the revue.

That being said i still plan to have Max in the thick of it as he does have the entertainment background.

I'm sure someone can suggest he get involved and I think I know exactly who that should be.

I'm really loving the creation of a new character Quarraalia Teasdale. She emulates someone very real to me and every moment is a joy to share the experiences I was unfortunate to have with her more realistic counterpart.

The reason I created Quarraalia is because I needed to take away a little bit of Frieda's stupidity to make the climax more believable and in the beginning I was not as clear on where i wanted to take Frieda.

I think by and large, as much as Frieda should infuriating and annoying, she is not evil, but her actions certainly do indicate a sense of evilness, but to me, this is just a desperately lonely woman in love.

So stay tuned for Chapter 5, i do think this one will be a swift edit and hopefully get the new book on track for a quicker release.

Happy reading

J G S

J G S HABITAT #1

Hi Folks,

Welcome to the first installment of JGS HABITAT where I give you all an interesting little inside look into my dull little life :-)

Currently I am hanging out at my Mum's place in Ingleburn, to house sit and look after her cat Willie whilst she is cruising the Glaciers of Alaska.

This is Willie... He is a bit camera shy :-)

But last weekend was very sociable for me and probably one of the best weekends I have had in a long time.

Saturday night was most memorable due to my brother-in-law Rob celebrating his 40th Birthday in 70's style at Glebe's tucked away gem the Friend In Hand Hotel. Most of the family got into the 70s theme and dressed up and some just came as themselves - relics of the 70s. Here's a good example of that in one picture - Mum, Me and my Auntie's partner Norm.

Mum tells me that's her "frightened of the Indian" face. Clearly the kind of expression you have in the back seat of a Taxi.

But here is the Birthday boy and his lovely wife and my sister, Kathy.

                                                              (Rob is on the Right)
                                                 (No it is not Dame Edna's son Kenny)

On Sunday I had a lot of preparations to do for the week ahead but I managed to fit in an afternoon drinks session with two work colleagues Ramon and Christopher. No photos of them because they are in the witness protection program. :-)
After 5 hours of drinks at the Newtown Hotel we then raided Pie Face across the road before going our separate ways in what was one of the coldest nights of the year so far.

First thing Monday I had an interview at work with management in a bid to make my current Temp status into a full time permanent position. After 5 months acting in the role earning quite a nice wage, I am hoping to get some security and flexibility with full time status. It would mean holidays, sick pay and maintaining the current income I am enjoying with the security of a government position. Should find out next week. Should I be unsuccessful in my bid I will be throwing myself into something else.
Rumour has it that could be selling ice creams at Darling Harbour... long story.

Tuesday was kind of eventful as well as I had to have an ultrasound on my abdomen. See I found a bit of a lump in the shower last week and thought it might be a hernia. It had reduced in size considerably by Tuesday but i went ahead with it as a formality. There is more reason to believe it was an enlarged Lymph node but I forgot to pick up the results so again I will have to wait till next week.

Wednesday of course was State of Origin night however I had an even bigger agenda than watching the Blues and the Maroons. After work I drove up here to Mums and got pizza so we could watch the game together. When it was over, Mum finished packing everything for her trip and we drove down to my place in Chippendale so that Mum could stay over and be closer to the airport. I was so tired I flaked pretty quickly on my sofa bed and Mum could hear me snoring from my Bedroom.

We got up pretty early and left home at 715am en route to Central Station by foot. I dragged her suitcase through Prince Alfred Park then got her up to Platform 23. Mum gave me her city weekly and then bought a single to the Airport and so we both rode out there to International Terminal. I helped her up to the turnstiles then said our goodbyes before making sure she found her way to the elevators. She was on her own then and had no trouble clearing Customs and Immigration and filling in time before boarding. I on the other hand headed back into the city and got to work 20 minutes early. I had fully intended on heading up to Ingleburn that night but had forgotten that my real estate agents were inspecting my unit on Friday so I had to do one of those "shiiiiit" cleaning efforts. Totally wore myself out and crashed out still in Chippendale.

So that brings us up to today. I went to work as normal and then afterwards I went home and gathered my things and packed the car. I drove up to Ingleburn and did an errand for my sister before getting some food and letting Willie out of the garage after almost 48 hours in solitary. He was very happy to see me, he was very happy to see food, and he was very happy to roam around for a bit whilst I watched the Roosters and the Eels play on the TV. So now he is back in the garage and I am cozy on the couch in peace and looking forward to a little long weekend retreat out of the city and in the peace of the burbs.

It's very quiet here. I think I am the noisy one.

Well this is my habitat for the next week whilst Mum cruises Alaska. She arrived safely in Seattle now via Vancouver and is awaiting to board the Ship. She was body searched in Vancouver though haha, I aways thought she looked suss.

Anyway hope you enjoyed the first instalment of my Habitat. Until next Friday, so long...

J G S