Which is why I decided it was time to move on and try something different.

After focusing completely on making it as a journalist, I found it natural to have a new blog which is focused on that – my journey through life as a journalist.

Not just to share my experience as a journo, but also commenting on my experience with the media.

But it’s time to move on from here. This blog will be kept alive for while, but for the latest information about what I’m up to and to read my latest antics, head on over to, Dokter Waldijk.

Now I’m just a Mac user, again.

Even in the early days of Google, when they actually cared about privacy and their users, I was a Google fanboy. I’ve even been a Nokia fanboy.

I admit it. When I was a fanboy, I uttered things like: “I’m using X and it has had those features long before Y got them.” Or things like: “Look what X can do that Y can’t. Hahahaha!” We’ve all been there. A bit too proud of our gadgets. Like children in a toy store, too excited about the latest toys, everything else sucks.

Mine is better than yours. My dad is stronger than your dad. I can pee longer than you. My dick is bigger than yours…

I’m done with being a fanboy. It’s pathetic. We don’t need to know what other devices, OS’ or services can’t do. If I go to a store to buy something, the last thing a sales rep will tell me is what a product can’t do, because they know that won’t sell anything. What sells is telling people what a product can do. Why it is awesome. And that the product is exactly what the customer wants and needs.

What I use works for me. What you use works for you. Now shut the fuck up and stop acting like a smug cunt!

A yes, smugness, something Apple users are too often accused of. Something I find extremely hilarious. After being a user of most OS’ on the market, I can tell you with great confidence, that the most smug users of all are Linux and Google users. They have their heads so far up their arse they are completely oblivious about how Linux is always left behind on the desktop and that Google is far more notorious with buying smaller companies than any other tech company.

The only reason Apple users seem smug is because they are so devoted. They forget everything else around them. Kind of like a kid in a toy store seeing the latest toy from Z. All other toys are uninteresting.

Just take a look at the list of companies Google has bought up. Small companies. Possible future competitors. But of course, it’s all good, right? Because that Google kool-aid is so damn tasty and free.

“Don’t be evil.” Sure…

I’m done with fanboys. Why do you care someone uses a different product? Is that somehow connected with your self-worth?

This morning, after Apple had announced their new iPhone I woke up to some “interesting” tweets. Apple users were excited about the new iPhone 4S and its new features. But I couldn’t see any mocking of non-Apple products. They were just excited about a new Apple product. While non-Apple users seemed to have a field day with the new features, that according to them were old news, because Android is so much better. Not to mention the assumption that Apple users must be sad Apple only released iPhone 4S and not iPhone 5.

For fuck’s sake, get over yourselves!

What is the better pen to write with? A cheap Bic pen or an expensive Montblanc pen? It doesn’t really matter. As a writer I don’t care what I use. As long as I get the job done, I’m happy — so should you.

Now stop being a bloody pathetic fanboy!

A friend of mine had her first solo art exhibit. I bravely tried to get this published to give her some deserved attention, but alas…

What would happen if you mixed Mad Magazine, Felix the Cat and Betty Boop together with Vodka, shaken not stirred. You would be served a hallucinogenic cocktail called, Donnie Danger‚ AKA Emma Bertoldi, Who is a Brisbane artist mixing graffiti, stencils and old school cartoons together, creating very unique art.

Emma Bertoldi graduated from QUT in 2005, holding a degree in Fine Arts. Her main inspiration comes from reading through her father’s huge pile of Mad Magazines as a kid. The wackiness of Mad has been fused together with old school cartoons from the silent film era. This made her start inking her own comic, Everyday Formula. Self-published and published in Phatsville’s, a comic book with local underground artists. From there, inking her own comic, she decided to explore a different way of expressing herself through art.

On Friday 8th July, Emma Bertoldi had her first solo exhibition. Displaying artwork that depict “moments of joviality and randomness” of her group of friends. A very interesting use of ink and acrylic on wood. Not only using the wood to display her artwork, but integrating the texture of it with the art. The exhibition was held at Shøøting Gallery in Spring Hill, a very intimate gallery, hidden away in a narrow alley from the busy streets of Brisbane.
Also at the event, DONNIE DANGER, Emma Bertoldi’s apparel label was launched. If you can’t afford any of her artwork, you can still be a cool cat by wearing one of her tees.

She has left her mark around in Brisbane, Melbourne and even abroad, by putting up legal and commissioned graffiti pieces. Of course, Emma Bertoldi isn’t sure about where all her graffiti art can be found, because some of it might have been painted during nights of drunken madness.

Emma Bertoldi has planned to go abroad to fuel her creativity. Her first destination is Berlin. Going there in May next year and staying during the summer. She will most likely leave between August and September, to avoid having her “nipples frozen off” before the cold European autumn ascends over Germany. The next destination will be in a town that is a bit warmer and has a very rich art culture, San Francisco. She hopes to call San Francisco home for while, but will “just roll with whatever happens.”

Photos from the exhibit can be viewed here.

A few months ago I went to a new and really cool music and community event.
I’m attending the second Jam’n'Beats in a few weeks.

Jam’n'Beats, a “new cultural and artistic hub is being born” at Greenslopes Bowls Club. It attempts to fuse music, art, markets and local community into one unique experience. What is unique with Jam’n'Beats is that, it also wants the participants to become part of the experience. As Laurie Tardent describes it, it will “smack you in the face,” like most new and exciting experiences should do.

Arriving at four o’clock in the evening on a Friday‚Äî my glass is always half-full ‚Äîwas a bit of a shocker. Seeing only a very few that had arrived. And not many stalls for the outdoor market were open. Inside they were getting the stage ready, while in the pub area a DJ were mixing a good variety of beats. Maybe it is time for me to learn that it’s okay, here in Australia, to be a bit late.

I’m not going to lie to you, but the market was unfortunately very modest. In one corner you had a group of performers showing off their fire-dancing skills. A bit further up from them was a graffiti artist creating artwork on the spot, on his own canvasses — one being a surfboard. In the opposite corner were three stalls, one selling personally designed clothes and ties, the second selling clothes and other apparel made from hemp and a third selling very interesting pieces of art. To be honest, I had hoped for more stalls and art in the market area.

Right after five o’clock it was announced that the first band, Luna Junction, were ready to kick it off. They referred to themselves as a, “gypsy folk band.” Playing everything from jazz to Irish folk music. A very nice and relaxing start. They were followed by Matt Godbold playing classical guitar. And then a very experienced didgeridoo player, Brook Turner-mann, a ranger at Fraser Island.

Then it was time for Thatchwork City to take the stage, and up the tempo a bit with their slightly more energetic style of music. A good mix of funk, grunge, pop and folk, to mention a few. A band I hope to hear again. Later on, The Fun Team reminded me that punk is still alive and kicking hard. An energetic explosion of ska punk!

The next performance was something out of the ordinary. It was time for some good old tap dancing by Red Hot Rhythm. Their skills were amazing. I’ve only seen tap dancing on TV, so seeing it live was truly spectacular. After that amazing showmanship, Lanita Tuuga took to the stage to perform three songs. Taking inspirations from r’n'b, pop and reggae. A short, but very enjoyable performance.

When DJ Brento filled the room with funky house beats, he was joined by three drummers at the start. His choice of music got more people to take to the dance floor. And it reminded me of when I grew up in Norway during the mid ’90s’ rave explosion. Energetic beats that makes you want to dance all night.

To liven it up a bit, Kate Stephens performed a very mesmerizing dance with a lit-up hula hoop. Watching the hula hoop going round and round while her body flowing gracefully with the music. It was almost as if she was one with the hula hoop.

I had never heard about Triptaphene, but judging by their get-up and instrument set-up— decks, drums, didge —assumed they would play something similar to Linkin Park or Rage Against The Machine. But I was absolutely wrong. It was an impressive mix of dubstep, trance and metal. Kind of the style you would expect if Krillex, Shpongle and Tool decided to make music together. A mix of styles that had perfectly been fused together. Yet another band I hope to hear again.

The last performance was a DJ session called Lets Get Minimal. Starting with a mix of ’80s electro and house feel to it. An old-school funky vibe. As it got later it slowly switched to Detroit techno. Truly living up the their name, showing minimal techno makes people want to dance, by still keeping the party going till noon.

This was the first Jam’n'Beats event. Personally I feel it’s unfair to judge the whole event on the size of the crowd. Yes, there were a lot of room to spare on the dance floor and another ten stalls in the market area would easily fit — maybe next time? Based on what I saw, heard and experienced. Jam’n'Beats has a lot of potential. I’m not saying this to be nice, because I could be harsh and say that Jam’n'Beats was an absolute disaster. But as I see it, that’s unfair.  We just need to be patient and let it grow. Before we decide it’s a weed and remove it. I honestly can’t wait to see and hear who will play at the next Jam’n'Beats.

Next Jam’n'Beats will be in four months, visit their page for more info:

https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=130514513692127

Before Fright Night (2011) started showing at theatres in Australia, I went to a pre-screening of this dreadful remake.

Before going to the preview screening of the Fright Night remake, I decided to see the original from 1985. A personal ritual of mine before seeing a remake of an earlier classic. Most importantly to make sure it honours the original storyline and characters. Because a remake should always act as a tribute, not as an attempt to one-up the original.

After seeing the old Fright Night I was really looking forward to see the remake. Especially when Craig Gillespie (Mr Woodcock) directed it and Marti Noxon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) wrote the screenplay. And not forgetting, Anton Yelchin (Star Trek), David Tennant (Doctor Who), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad) and Colin Farrell (Horrible Bosses), to mention a few, playing the main characters.

My favourite characters in the remake were “Evil” Ed Lee (Mintz-Plasse) and Peter Vincent (David Tennant). They really made the film shine with their amazing character interpretation and acting. I also enjoyed that Jerry Dandrige (Farrell) is still a vampire with an unorthodox appetite for apples. Indeed a respectful hat tip towards the original.

Unfortunately the new Fright Night is yet another failed remake — in my eyes. Maybe my expectations were too high or that it deviated too much from the original film’s storyline — it seemed so haphazardly pieced together. However, I liked some aspects of the remake, I just can’t help but cringe a bit when admitting that.

Also the original was just a horror film, while the remake is advertised as a horror comedy. Unfortunately the humour seems awkward, misplaced and very low-brow.

Brewster had turned into a jerk who had become too cool for his nerdy best friend “Evil” Ed. Neither did he seem to mind his new “cool” friends bullying “Evil” Ed. Also his girlfriend, Amy, had gone from being the cute nerdy girl to one of the sexy but shallow cool girls. In the original, Brewster, Amy and “Evil” were all nerdy and very likeable characters which had important roles in the story. Unfortunately Brewster and Amy had become self-obsessed jerks and meaningless while “Evil” Ed was the only still likeable and interesting character.

And don’t get me started on Vincent (Tennant), which seemed like a lousy impersonation of an out of control and drunk Russell Brand. Very funny, I have to admit while cringing a bit, but just really tacky and over-done. Dandrige was not true to the sly original thanks to Colin Farrell’s rather awkward and lazy acting. Almost as if he didn’t really care about his character. Instead Dandrige had become this sleazy and creepy sexual predator.

The characters in the remake felt so random that the only essence taken from the original was the their names — sans personality.

I’m really trying to imagine how I would view the remake if I hadn’t seen the original from 1985 first, but then I start noticing even more aspects I did not like about the 2011 remake of Fright Night. Like not understanding why a vampire would drink beer and eat apples. And why no one seemed to notice that families were vanishing. However, it will make you jump in your chair a few times and it will for sure give you a few laughs. And the 3D effects are well done and worth seeing if you are into CGI. Just don’t expect it to be an amazing vampire film. And if you’ve seen the original Fright Night from 1985, make sure to lower your expectations, because only then you might enjoy it more than me.

More info about Fright Night: https://www.facebook.com/FrightNightAUNZ

After giving it some thought I decided not to use Tumblr, but instead use a second WordPress blog with a simple theme.

.random[oid] will still be my main web site, but I’ve decided to turn it into an aggregator site. Links and feeds to my Twitter and new, more personal, WordPress blog [which I will talk more about soon]. .random[oid] will kind of act as a massive portfolio, with its dedicated portfolio page, but also with commissioned but unpublished write-ups.

Twitter will not be affected that much, or nothing at all I would assume.

Dr. W on the other hand will be a blog, still with major focus on my journalistic escapades, but also a place for short rants and ramblings. A place that lets me publish anything longer than 140 characters, but not above 200 words.

So… Enjoy, while I get back to studying and shaking my fist psychology notes.

Instantly loved it! Easy to install, easy to use and easy to tweak.

Along came Twitter, 140 characters of brevity. But sometimes 140 characters doesn’t suffice. Unfortunately, just posting a blurb seems to unWordPressy. Tumblr seemed perfect for that. First WordPress, then Twitter and later on Tumblr. I was busy. Publishing stuff; left, right and centre — to use an old cliché.

At some point it kind of didn’t make sense. So I took a break from Tumblr, but then I took a break from Tumblr. Stopped using Tumblr — and later on stopped using Twitter. Focused only on WordPress.

Now I’m back on Twitter and flirting with Tumblr again.

This is a very rough timeline of my experience with WordPress, Twitter and Tumblr. But I’m intending to combine these three, again. However this time I will have a more focused purpose for each service and how I will use them.

WordPress
I will not change how I use .random[oid] that much. Some minor changes regarding content, which means less short blurbs, but I will stick to posting long articles — 300+ words.

Twitter
No much change there to be honest. The same random tweets, spruiking my writing.

Tumblr
This is a tricky one. First I thought about treating it as a place to publish all my articles/columns/etc which are not published elsewhere, but I still want published. Kind of like a online newspaper. Giving it some thought, I don’t have the time to attempt running an online newspaper — maybe later. And maybe WordPress is better for an online newspaper?

So I thought I could start another WordPress blog for my unpublished work (yup, I get sent to a lot of cool events, write about them, but the articles aren’t always published). But that would probably be a very empty blog, with not so much happening. And I just feel .random[oid] is too random and personal for that, kind of.

I don’t know…

What I know is that I love brevity and minimalism. Something Twitter, Tumblr and Shortmail provide me with when I access these services via web. You can of course use a minimalistic theme on WordPress, but it has a lot of bells & whistles, which are great, but maybe a bit too much.

Twitter, Tumblr and Shortmail are all great to get information spread instantly. While WordPress seems, to me, more like a quarterly magazine.

In Australia it is very common to refer to a journalist as a ‘journo’. So I thought about a title, Journo’s Journey. Which is how I might treat my new Tumblr account. Kind of like a travel-log of my life as a [gonzo] journo. What I experience, exclusively, as a journalist.

Not sure what to do with unpublished articles, yet, but I’ll figure something out, soon.

Just don’t hold your breath.

Gonzo!

Back to organizing a few things, playing games, listening to music and drinking rum.

Liberate tutemae ex inferis.

If it happens I wouldn’t stand close to me if I were you.

When it comes to certain things in life, I don’t drag my feet. If something needs to be done, I do it. If it can’t be done at that time, I will say I can’t. But if I feel forced to do something, then later told it could’ve been done later — RAGE!

I can’t wait to move to our new place to be fucking done with this shit!

No means no!

Getting most things in order. Which helps a lot with lowering stress.

Most important things we need to take care of now is to pack and hire a truck. Everything else is too easy — I hope.

When flipping through my calendar earlier I noticed that this month might be the death of me. However, if I survive, I can only assume I’m an immortal. Not only do we have to make this move go smooth, I also have a few assignments due — just going for a pass, but anything higher is pure luck or thanks to drugs.

On top of that, I have three press gigs. Going to a screening this Sunday to see Real Steel, the week we move in I’m going to a media event for BIFF and the weekend after that I’m going to Jam’n'Beats again.

Living in the fast lane for sure.

Tomorrow I’ll be cramming like crazy, because I never got around doing the notes I had planned to do. Did finish a write-up about Shortmail for Shortmail. And doing some second last edits on a write-up for Gonzo Times.

What kept me going past midnight was caffeine, alcohol and some [legal] herbs.

My head feels like a frisbee now.

Which means I have no clue how much time I will have left for writing the next two weeks. Hopefully some, because I’m afraid it’s what will keep me somewhat sane.

And it might produce some very interesting rants.

It’s midnight and I’ve still stuff to get done before I call it a night.

Sod it!

I had planned to write about how horrible Aussies, based on my experience, are with using email. I sometimes feel like I might just send all my emails to /dev/null. I actually check if my email account is working, because it seems like I’m sending emails to some unused account.

[sound of cricket while tumbleweed is rolling by and I'm picking my nose in the background]

This is my last week of my dear holiday and I have no clue when things are due next week. I know I might have a few things due, but I’m not sure. I’ve tried to live in denial of being a student this holiday. Can’t wait to finish this last semester.

Still haven’t had a full film session yet. Not have a spent enough time reading. I should say I will be doing just that tomorrow, but every time I said that last week it didn’t happen. So tomorrow I’ll be, uhm, very productive and do a lot of homework. No procrastination at all.

Tomorrow is going to be great!

Posted my last status on Facebook today. Deleting the account end of this month. Not sure if I will go back, but if I do, very few will know. I know I said I wouldn’t cave in, but some of friends seems to be too stubborn to stay in touch via email.

“Oh no!” No one sees what they are writing to me and no one can see our conversations. “The horror!” And no one can like what they wrote to me either. “The end is nigh!”

Facebook is not being about social. It all seems like to be one massive circle-jerk. Everyone tugging like crazy and fighting over the bowl of jizz so they can shower in this warm, stinking man-gunk.

We [humans] are a sad lot. Bunch of morons if you ask me.

If cloning was legal, I’m certain a lot of idiots would make clones of themself so they could fuck themself in the arse. Packing fudge like never before. A planet overcrowded by bunch of self-obsessed fooled by the name of Narcissus.

Time for a drink. Make the brain go numb for a bit. Less aware of reality.

Intoxication is bliss!

I was worried I wouldn’t get anything written tonight, but after a few drinks that changed pretty quickly. I managed to mash out two articles. Which will be published this up coming week. They are only drafts, but I hope to finish them tomorrow.

It is scary how your state of mind and your environment can affect your writing so much you are unable to produce anything. Just write says some. Of course. If you are in the right setting, which puts you in the right state of mind, no worries. Like I write a few lines up, I just finished two articles — probably in less than two hours.

Kind of like telling a runner, lactic acid doesn’t exist.

I had hoped to write for another two hours, but it’s past midnight and when we got home we had been driving for almost four hours. But I’m happy with the two drafts I managed to produce. About two hours ago I wasn’t sure I would be able to even write this entry.

Time to just relax and listen to some music before I get some sleep.

Skål!

Ever made big plans to get a lot of work done the next day? I have. Did it recently yesterday. Had planned to get a lot of writing done this weekend. The first hour I could finally sit down without any disturbance at all, I spent almost an hour just listening to music and staring out in thin air.

Never lacked so much inspiration like I do tonight.

It really pisses me off.

On top that, next week is tha last week of my holiday. This week hasn’t felt like a holiday at all. More like a bloody rat race. Doing everything I don’t want to do. Not getting anything done that needs to be done.

If I’m going to make a living by writing, things need to change. Now!

Or I can just get a lobotomy and work at some assembly line.

I need a glass of whiskey and hookah stuffed with skunk. Unfortunatly I have neither.

Bollocks…!

It was time to give .random[oid] a bit of a face-lift. A bit of change. Just for fun I had a gander at the different themes which are available for wp.com users. Unfortunately I can’t justify spending money on a theme, but lucky me, Structure is one awesome freebie! The design is much cleaner and, pun not intended, more structured.

Feels a bit more professional. Simple, yet stylish and not too rough around the edges.

If I don’t put a feature image the first post will just have an empty grey box. This could’ve been solved better, but I’ll figure something out. Might just find some image to be some kind of standard filler.

Enjoy the new layout, and hopefully I’ll have a longer and slightly more interesting article done for tomorrow.

Our mindset and how we now assume communication should be conducted is the problem.

The only reason email is a better solution for me, is because the message that is meant for me will stay as it was intended at the time it was sent. But I can reply to it when I have time, so I can give it my full attention. While the mobile phone tends to interrupt me when doing something which is usually far more important, not giving me enough time to give a good reply.

And those who know me well know that I hate being distracted as it makes me lose my train of thought.

If we ignore what we use to communicate with and start looking at how we communicate with those tools, we might be more efficient, regardless if we use a mobile phone or email. Again, we have to look back in time to learn from the past. If you know the history, you are less likely to repeat past mistakes or create new ones.

A good thought is to act as if we live in an era where there are no phones — only [snail] mail. By doing so, you will start making appointments, instead of doing everything in the spur of the moment. Because this is our main issue. We have made us self think that if we don’t make plans, but instead, do everything as we go forward, we will be more efficient.

But you’re fine with, right? Living on coffee and being stressed out all the time? No worries? Then why are we hearing more about burnout and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Again, look at how we managed— apparently —fine without mobile phones only 20-30 years ago. We made an appointment and stuck to that. We made sure to show up or get in touch way ahead if we had to call it off or make changes.

And it’s time we accept the fact that multi-tasking and information overload is less efficient and not too healthy for our memory.

Are you being attacked or is your house burning? Sure, don’t hesitate to call someone. But if you’re making a call just to make a call, give it an extra thought. Is the person you are calling busy and do you really need to make that call?

Remember that annoying kid at school that followed you around? That’s what the mobile phone have turned you into. The annoying kid that follows others around and never leaves them alone. Just annoying the shit out of people.

Stop it!

You don’t have to do everything that pops into your head right now!

Relax!