Chris posted all these photocopied pages from his passport to the helpful folks that issue the medicare levy exemption certificates. and now he's waiting. usually you wait 6 weeks or more - seems plenty of people are exempt...

actually in Australia you wait 6 weeks for almost everything. order something and I bet you the delivery time will be 6 weeks. the new couch, curtain rails... even if the delivery is scheduled in 2 weeks the stuff probably won't turn up before 6 weeks are over. don't ask me why, it's just how it is.

we didn't post my photocopies. we thought we better wait for the bureaucrats to ask for them.

so I was waiting for this letter telling me I failed to submit all required documents. I was waiting for about 4 days. then my exemption certificate turned up. yep - some official obviously told themselves, I'm a rebell, and did the unthinkable - they ignored the rules.

or maybe not. maybe the other one just likes to make life difficult for randomly chosen individuals. or maybe they enjoy harassing New Zealanders? after all Australians seem to have a special liking for jokes at the expense of their neighbours across the Tasman Sea... everything's possible...

and another thing: after 5 years of issuing these certificates for us the bureaucrats told us that we do qualify for medicare. Chris checked with medicare and they confirmed the information. what happened? don't ask me, I have no idea. I'm not sure, they know. so it looks like we'll save some money on health insurance - we'll be spending hundreds instead of thousands. Chris wasn't happy that it took them 5 years to tell us. but I guess, we should be happy that they finally did. they could have kept it to themselves. obviously someone had their generous day...

... makes you want to scream.
apart from the fact that people are rude, inconsiderate, apathetic, rasist and believe in clairvoyants as a foreigner living here you are constantly being bullied by the authorities.
last year I needed to renew my visa which ment I had to jump through all sorts of hoops, fill out countless forms and absolve another medical assessment process. I had to do it already before I received my first visa and since I didn't leave Australia since my arrival 5 years ago my travel history didn't change. I still didn't attend a foreign terrorist training camp. and as for the medical... well, since I don't qualify for medicare and I have to pay my bills out of my own pocket or have an expensive private insurance - why do they care if I'm sick or not? I also don't qualify for unemployment benefits so why do they care if I can't work due to a sickness? I don't cost them anything. but they cost me taxes.
which brings me to the yearly tax return. yes, it's this time of year again and for our tax return we need the so called 'excemption certificate' that states that you don't contribute to medicare because you don't qualify for it. first of all, you call it 'universal healthcare system' because it is universal - everyone living in the country and contributing by paying taxes is insured. if you exclude people because of their nationality or because they came from a third country and not their home country as is the case with Chris it's obviously not universal. (and I won't even talk about the condition this healthcare system is in and the quality of care it provides.)
second - why do I have to apply for this excemption certificate every year? if I didn't qualify for medicare at the time of my arrival and I didn't become an australian citizen in the meantime - I'm still a foreigner or I still came from a third country. also could anyone please explain to me why in order to obtain an excemption certificate for the financial year 2006/2007 I have to provide a certified photocopy of every page in my passport that has an arrival or departure stamp on it, no matter where and when it was? what does the fact that 10 years ago I was in new Zealand has to do with the last financial year? interestingly we didn't need to do that last year. now we have to. and we'll have to do it next year and the year after. I guess, if I asked I would be told it's all to protect Australia from terrorism. nowadays you can excuse everything with terrorism. you can harass people, bend laws (as happens at the moment in case of that doctor) - whatever takes you fancy.
I bet you that this will protect us.
to say it like Dave Hughes: I'm angry, I'm very angry...

p.s. obviously you Ozzis are not all as described above, but you know, national characteristics, generalisations, all that.. as in ' the Germans are unfriendly and humourless'...

my results:
You are Hulk

Hulk 80% Spider-Man 80% Robin 50% Green Lantern 50% Iron Man 40% Batman 40% The Flash 40% Catwoman 40% Supergirl 30% Wonder Woman 30% Superman 0%

You are a wanderer with amazing strength.

My Personality

Neuroticism	94
Extraversion	2
Openness To Experience	85
Agreeableness	1
Conscientiousness	30

You are introverted, reserved, and quiet with a preference for solitude and solitary activities. Your socializing tends to be restricted to a few close friends. You can be easily upset, even by what people consider the normal demands of living. People consider you to be sensitive and emotional. Novelty, variety, and change spice up your life and make you a curious, imaginative, and creative person. People see you as tough, critical, and uncompromising and you have less concern with others' needs than with your own. You like to live for the moment and do what feels good now. Your work tends to be careless and disorganized.

the last two sentences are rubbish but other than that.... well, I don't like hulk and spiderman (I hate spiders!). to be honest I don't care much for superheros in general, all these boys in thights - stupid. if I was a damsel in distress and a guy in thights came flying and told me he's going to save me I'd laugh in his face - yeah, right. go and learn to dress yourself properly first ( a little tip: underwear belongs under the tights that's why it's called UNDER-wear).
what else could I rant about?
1. temperatures. it's bloody freezing in this country. is this why I came to Australia? I could be just as cold in old Germany. at least I'd have proper heating...
2. people in lines. they seem to think that if they stand really, really close to you, so close that they rub against you (yuk!yuk!yuk!) it's gonna get them to the front quicker..... I'm telling you it won't, so stop behaving like a pervert!
that brings me to
3. supermarkets - I hate them! all these people parking their trolleys and backsides in the middle of the aisles, just in case someone wants to go past them.
and that brings me to
4. the screaming little monsters... children should be forbidden in supermarkets and for that matter in any other shop as well. in fact they shouldn't be let out in public unless they're muzzled and on a lead. most adults need a lead and a muzzle too. or better still we should just take away their 4wd's so they can't leave home.
5. Perth concert hall. it's a 'disgrace' to use one of Australia's favourite words. no, really it's pretty awful, an embarassment. it's hideaous and the acustic is shit. if I was a performer I'd refuse to perform there. it's not fair to the artist and the audience.
ok, let's finish on a positive note: we saw Lalo Schifrin last friday (yes, at Perth's concert hall).
we saw him 3 or 4 times before at the Cologne Philharmonic (yes, THAT'S a concert hall) playing with the WDR Bigband and the Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra.
it was the first time Schifrin came to Perth. and probably the last we ever saw him alive. he was quite fragile when we saw him in Germany but now he looks very shaky. when he walks - and he wanders all the time from the piano to the conductor's stand and back - one is scared he'll fall over and break. he also gets confused and at times finds himself at the stand when he's supposed to be at the piano. when he realised his mistake he laughed and said that what they do to the music is called arrangement and the other thing is choreography. thankfully he had James Morrisson to quietly remind him where to go next.
I like James Morrisson and I think he's a great musician, but at times he can be really irritating. his tone is so sharp and aggressive (and the Perth concert hall isn't suited at all for this sort of loud, high pitched sound). I definitely prefer the softness of Chet Baker. Miles Davis will do too. but Morrisson is funny and - I kid you not - he looks just like Stewie.
I should mention the other guest soloists: Phil Stack on bass (very shy, hiding behind his hair) and Gordon Rytmeister on drums (wow!). as always with Schifrin the music was great (my favourite piece of the evening was 'brush strokes') and if it wasn't for the venue and the chaos in the carpark (none of the exit what's its worked and they had to be operated by hand, which took ages) the evening would have been a success with 'mission: impossible' being a fantastic finishing touch.

how do I know that? well I found the test on a site of one of the 'cool new people' and thought what the hell - let's do it. and I did it. here are the results and you can read it while I go back and find out which superhero I am and all that other important stuff I need to know about myself.

Introspective and reflective, you think about everything and anything.
You are a soft-hearted daydreamer. You long for your ideal life.
You love silence and solitude. Everyday life is usually too chaotic for you.

Given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace.
You tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life.
Wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times.

At your worst, you brood and sulk. Your negative thoughts can trap you.
You are reserved and withdrawn. This makes it hard to connect to others.
You tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.


What Temperment Are You?
http://www.blogthings.com/whattempermentareyouquiz/

I just discovered it and it's fantastic. it's not as exciting as it sounds - I'm only talking about the english tv program called 'life on mars' - I love it!

I think it's time to revise my profile. have to add 'heros'. it leaves much to be desired when it comes to logic but still it's gripping and fun.

the living angels episode of 'doctor who' however worked perfectly. all that time travelling and no holes in the story line, no loose ends... maybe the makers of 'heros' should watch an episode or two...

I love 'doctor who'. not the original one - I saw some snippets of the old series and it was just plain dumb. but the new one is wonderful. although I miss Rose, she was cool. Martha is... well, she's not Rose... btw there is a new series called 'torchwood' - it's kind of 'doctor who' offshot. awful. hate it. hate all the characters. and the guy who plays captain Jack... hate his teeth! in general the actors couldn't be worse.

still watching 'lost' and still enjoying it. Chris laughs that he can't understand it, because I hate most of the characters. it's true. could we please, PLEASE kill of the annoying Saint Jack? god, I hate this guy. but at least we got rid of the annoying Charlie - YAY! Claire annoys me too. at least as much as Charlie did. don't like Rose either. and her dentist husband...! go away! oh, well, look at the bright side: the Hobbit's gone and we didn't have to endure this Michael person for longer than we did. Ben creeps me out.

it's been a long time... today I'm back and what do I find in my inbox? an 19 year old nude modell wants to be myfriend?!? to be honest I prefer my friends (and myfriends) fully clothed.

I also can't be bothered anymore with all the bands cruising myspace, sending me 'be my friend' requests. look guys, I understand that you're looking for audiences and I wish you all the success you can have with your music. but couldn't you at least make an effort to mail people that MIGHT be interested in what you're doing? I'm not. it's all there in my profile. I'm not even in America so I really don't care when you have your next gig. (that's why I also don't care at what late hour Connan is on - I can't watch it anyway, I'm in Australia and for those who don't know - it's a long way away from the US.)

the requests annoy me and for what I care you can think my taste in music sucks - just don't send me emails.

but enough complaining. the outer space required all my attention lately. first of all I was putting together my first ever grant application and I'm telling you writing a grant application is quite an undertaking. they're really picky. I guess, if I was giving away that kind of money I'd be picky too. but I actually enjoyed doing this. so much so that I'm writing another one right now. and this one IS complicated. I don't know if there is a point in doing it. but I started so I'm going to finish it.

then my parents and my brother came over from Europe. I guess, writing a grant application was only half as stressful as our family time. but we all survived it and they really loved the tour they went on after leaving Perth so we can say, that everything worked out well. except for this one hotel they were staying at in Darwin. my brother is an old backpacker and not that fusy but he said, the place was dirtier than any backpacker he ever saw.

and then we all spent way too much money, ate too much good food and drank way too much good wine. btw - every one is talking about Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley and the likes. but let me tell you 3 words: Margaret River Wines. and I"m not talking about the 'stars'. I'm talking about small wineries like Brown Hill or Hay Shed. you can go and get an expensive bottle of Penfolds and, yes, the wine will be good. or you can go and get a bottle of Brown Hill's Fimiston or Ivanhoe and get a really great wine for as littke as AUD25. or go to Jingalla Wines in Porongurup by Mount Barker and try their 2004 Shiraz.

we went to Sydney with my parents. didn't like it at all. ok, if you're into shopping (which I'm not really) it's surely a better place than Perth. there are also plenty more galleries and some fantastic restaurants, but it's an ugly city. really. a few shops won't make it prettier.

and then there was all the work for the show. yeah, Chris and I (plus a painter we know and invited to join us) have an exhibition happening right now at Kurb in Northbridge. between all the grant applications, workshops, family and travels I struggled to have the work finished in time. but it all went well, we opened last sunday and... well, we'll see how it goes... so if you're in Perth these days and want to see the show it's on until june 29. and if you can't make it to Perth (because you're a band in America or something like that) check it out online: transitions

I don't really enjoy new year's eve. I see the old coming to an end and not the new beginning. I must be a pessimist...

funny that, because usually I don't mind starting anew. a change has an element of hope to it: it might be for the better. the problem is that the old devil won't change. you have to find yourself a new one if you want a change. most people won't do it though for fear of the new devil being even worse than the old one. I actually never see it that way. I must be an optimist then...?

it's just something about new year's eve that makes me feel unhappy. I guess it has something to do with my birthday - it's on new year's eve. that means either going to a huge party (which I neither like nor wasn't allowed until my late teens) or staying at home. alone, because no-one will come to a small birthday party on new year's eve.

(another downside of having your birthday on new year's eve is that you never get any presents, because you've got some for christmas...)

since it's my birthday a new year is not a beginning, it makes me older... and I don't like getting older since my late thirties. that was the time when I actually started getting older. you know, crow's feet and you finally get the gravitation. that sort of stuff...

don't get me wrong, I don't subscribe to the cult of youth. I didn't like teenagers when I was one myself and young people in general can be so annoyingly stupid (some even stay that way as they get older!). it's just that there is a difference between growing up and getting older. and there is a difference between men and women. the first ones get 'interesting', the latter... well, we just get wrinkles and get old.

but anyhow... what I was actually going to write is that for the first time since we came to Perth I had fireworks for my birthday! yaay!

yes, australian tv doesn't know holidays (except australia day and anzac day). christmas? so what? well, ok we show you some first graders 'singing' carols and maybe E.T. but besides that it's the usual 'bold & beautiful' and dr.Phil stuff all day long. and on the last day of the year you wouldn't know if you didn't have a calendar. they don't acknowledge it, not even at midnight.

back home the tv screens were screaming NEW YEAR'S EVE!!! fireworks, music, cabarets and more fireworks. fireworks on tv, fireworks in the city, fireworks in the streets, in front gardens and in the backyards.

but yeah, this year we had an eagles concert from their 2004 tour - didn't sweep me of my feet but I love the eagles so it was nice - and cream reunion concert at the royal albert hall. jack bruce looks like crap and his voice is basically gone but clapton was definitely up to the task and all in all it was great! so yes, I had my fireworks. I had to put up with ANNOYING (they might have been funny, but since I'm german.... yeah, hilarious!) hosts and lots and lots of REAL celebrities (on channel 10 that means ex-big brother inmates, ex-biggest losers and some runner-ups to runner-ups to runner-ups to australian idols)... but yeah, the Sydney fireworks were excellent. except that I hope those responsible for camera work and editing got fired. those responsible for the music should rethink their career choice too.

happy new year everyone!

dear diary

dear diary

I guess as a diary you should be secret. maybe even pink and with a little lock and a tiny key or at least with a ribbon. I should hide you under my mattress or on the top shelf in my wardrobe behind all those things that I didn't use in years and probably won't use for at least as long but I may one day so I keep them.

but since you're an online blog I'll just make you private from now on, for 'myfriends' eyes only. if I find out how to do it...

dear diary

something's wrong with our internet connection, it comes and goes. mostly it goes. at the moment it disappears around 11.30am, comes back (or not) for a short time later in the afternoon and then again late in the evening. to put it mildly - it's annoying. to say it like it is: it's INFURIATING!

we check our emails when and if we can and that's about it. Chris is working on a few websites and it starting to get REALY ANGRY because the connection often disappears while he's trying to upload something. that means half-finished websites are out there until the next connection. not good for business.

Chris repeatedly rang our provider. first it was our modem, then it was something else, then it was maintenance and then it was something else again. we asked for someone to come out and fix it.

so the fix-it-man was here. off course the internet was working while he was here. he couldn't find any fault, tightened some screws and left. 10 minutes later the connection was gone. so now we're waiting for another fix-it-man to come around and for the connection to return also.

my dear diary, it seems some evil powers ( and e-wire) are against us... all my good resolutions (it's new year!) about keeping you up to date are being put to a test. will I persevere?