If you had told me two years ago that one day I’d be excited about a trip to the United States of America, you might have got a multi-faceted reaction from me. One facet would have been scoffing at your obvious miscalculation of my enthusiasm of the US. Another facet would have been wondering by what authority you purported to be bringing information from the future. Weirdo.

Read more: Stateside

Last night I checked a major goal off my checklist of stuff to do at some stage by headlining Happy Yess Comedy.

Read more: Headliner

Last year I got involved with a couple of shows with the Darwin Chorale. One of them was a fantastic program of greatest hits from Broadway, with the Symphony Orchestra and a whole host of great (and some ordinary) solo performances. The other one was a slightly less salubrious but still reasonably charming review of Australian folk music. So you can guess straight away which one got funding from the government for a regional tour.

Read more: On the Road Again

Since the controversial years of John Howard’s Prime Ministership (it’s hard to believe it’s only been six years since his electoral defeat), and for decades before that, the issue of Australia’s position on people smuggling, asylum seeking and immigration has been a hotly contested political topic. Every time the topic of ‘mandatory detention’ or ‘offshore processing’ is broached, you can be sure there’ll be impassioned calls from both sides of the issue, ranging from moderate to extreme views at both ends of the political spectrum. Somewhere between the desire to shut down the immoral people smuggling market and the instinct to give aid to those who need it, Australia has been locked in a struggle to balance security with humanitarian interests, and strength with compassion.

Read more: Political Football

So it’s a new financial year, and a new financial situation. For the first time a four years, I’m now completely and utterly unemployed.

Read more: Unemployed

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