Muffin Top Update – Week Two

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Newschick

Just so you know, these muffin-top updates about the medical procedure I underwent – called Cool Sculpting – will be kept brief as I explained the process in detail in the Blog titled ‘How to Lose Your Muffin Top’ which was posted last Wednesday. So if you do want more information, just go back to that story.

Well, here’s how I’ve fared in the past week. I can report the skin on the tummy region became even itchier – at times a little uncomfortable. Fabrics that were quite tight on the skin were irritating and as for my skinny jeans… well, I know I’m a bit chubby right now, but half the time I wore long tops last week so no one could tell I had the top button undone…

And it wasn’t the best week for me in terms of food and alcohol consumption. As with any treatment or diet, the medical advice is to also eat sensibly and exercise. But before the Spring Racing Carnival, there’s a plethora of events serving lovely champagne and canapes and well, hell, what’s a girl to do? Wear a maxi dress is the best solution…

Opening of the Mumm Champagne bar at Crown with Fletch

And then there was Derby Day on Saturday – again more bubbly and canapés. Not that I’m complaining – I’m extremely grateful to be invited to these events and I very much like to show my gratitude by enjoying the hospitality on offer. After spending about twenty years trackside either reporting or reading the news on course and hosting Fashions on the Field, it’s fabulous to finally go as a guest and have fun.

Not much exercise was done on the weekend but I did manage to squeeze in a spin class yesterday morning!! Go me.

Because of Cup Day, I went to Dr Chris Moss’ consulting rooms yesterday for a staff member to take my weekly tummy shot, because obviously, they’ll be closed today. Some clients have said they can see a difference in their bulges after two weeks – but having come a day early, I tell myself not to expect too much of an advance.

Let’s compare pics from Day One to just under Two weeks:

Tummy shot – front view: Day One, 23.10.’12

Tummy shot – front view, 5.11.’12

Wow. I’m pleasantly surprised. There does seem to be an improvement! The indentation at the waist line does seem marginally better. Let’s check the side view…

Tummy shot – side view, 23.10.’12

Tummy shot – side view, 5.11.’12

To be honest, this is much better than I was expecting. It even looks like the ‘back fat’ crease has lessened and I wasn’t treated in that region. Maybe champagne is good for losing weight!!! No, of course it’s not. It’s early days, but already I’d say it looks like the Cool Sculpting is working. But don’t get your hopes up for a big improvement next week. I’ve got a friends BBQ for Cup day today, an Oaks Day Ladies lunch at Crown tomorrow, Oaks Day at Flemington on Thursday AND I ate meatballs stuffed with mozarella on pasta for dinner last night. Damn good recipe that one – I should share it with you.

Stay tuned till next week’s Muffin Top update – and remember, the best results are predicted at six to twelve weeks.

(For further enquiries, contact the Liberty Belle Skin Centre on 9826 9988 Address: 504 – 506 Toorak Road, Toorak)

INSPIRATIONAL LIFE CHANGES: Mitch Catlin – Story (2)

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Newschick

Here’s the second interview in a series of stories I’ve prepared called ‘Inspirational Life Changes’. Given we’re all living longer, it’s highly likely we’ll all take on more than one career in our lifetime. Sometimes this can be a dramatic jump – sometimes a dainty side step. Whatever the change, it’s a leap of faith into the future. I’m curious as to why and how people make this happen.

Now on the verge of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, I thought something racy would be topical, so I caught up with a man who made a huge impact in the Birdcage last year.

INTERVIEW (2) : Mitch Catlin – Journalist turned Marketing Machine
(Head of Partnerships, Community and Media: Swisse)

I was able to pick Mitch Catlin’s voice even before I met him in person. I was listening to the news on 3AW when I first heard it – that striking, baritone vocal – and made sure I remembered his name because I was convinced, with a voice like that, he was certain to become a famous radio or TV presenter.

Several years later, after Catlin finished a stint as LA correspondent for Seven News, we ended up working together at Network Ten. But surprisingly Catlin moved behind the scenes, away from the microphone, to fill the position of Chief-of-Staff. Which he did extremely well. (Apart from occasionally forgetting to put a newspaper on my desk, which we often joked about.)

Then in October 2005, he announced he was leaving. And not just leaving Ten. He was leaving the media. Hanging up his boots as a journalist for good.

Mitch Catlin: Head of Marketing and Developement, Swisse

Mitch Catlin: Head of Partnerships, Community and Media – Swisse

And he hasn’t looked back. From Ten, Catlin worked for PR company Haystac, then quickly shot up the radar by shifting to Myer where his efforts made people sit up and start to take notice. Now he’s ruffling feathers among the marquee set at Flemington with his ability to grab headlines after a sensational debut in the Birdcage last year with the new company he now represents – Swisse Vitamins.

But what happened to make him want to leave the media? Was I too hard on him about failing to deliver my newspaper? I took him out for coffee to find out. Catlin laughs, remembering our verbal jousting, but says, no, that he probably started questioning his future a few years before he left Ten.

‘It was about the time I turned thirty. Like for many people, it’s a milestone year in your life, which gives you reason to think about where you’re heading. I decided I should try something else, because if you leave it too late and then try to jump in another direction, you become a bit pigeon-holed. I thought now is the time to have a crack.’ he says.

So why marketing? Catlin says originally he was planning to work in PR. Generally speaking, most journalists don’t want to work in PR. Public relations people are the ones trying to sell us the stories. We want to write the stories and are often skeptical about those doing the selling. So in a way, Catlin has gone to the ‘other side.’ But when he explains, it makes sense – his theory being that he was capitalizing on his knowledge base.

‘Because I had the knowledge of dealing with the media and for many companies, that’s gold. Because many people don’t actually understand how it works. I’m not for one second suggesting I’m an expert but the knowledge is there – regardless or not as to whether you are deemed to be an expert – you have a knowledge base, which a lot of people simply don’t have. If someone said to me, we’re putting you in I.T. tomorrow, I’d freak out because I don’t know anything about I.T. but I do know a bit about the media. And for many people, that’s a great benefit in this day and age.’

The turning point came when one of the companies Catlin dealt with as Chief-of-Staff – Haystac – offered him a job. ‘At that point in time, they were certainly the most ‘it’ brand as far as PR was concerned,’ he says. ‘They said we don’t necessarily need someone with PR skills but we do need somebody with media skills. So they created a role which was about getting media and PR for their clients which were the likes of Toyota, ANZ, Myer and David Jones.’

But surely it couldn’t have been easy, leaving a long career in the media? Wasn’t the switchover difficult? ‘Oh, at first I didn’t like it at all!’ Catlin says adamantly, shaking his head. ‘I thought, “Oh my God, What have I done? This is not for me!” And I think it’s because I really struggled with the concept of journalists not necessarily liking PR people and me making that transition. It was a challenge. But then I found that the journalists liked that I was able to provide what they needed for a story. I ‘got it’. So there was a connection I developed with them. And that’s because of the knowledge base I had from the media. Anybody who has been a journalist has a skill set that other people simply don’t have.’

It wasn’t until six months later that Catlin really found his feet. Once he started getting coverage in the newspapers, something clicked. ‘For example, I’d open up page five of The Australian and there was a story that I’d worked on. So it was like, “Wow, I’ve done this.” It took me a few months to feel like I could do it, but it’s the same with anyone starting a new job. Initially you have a sense of vulnerability and insecurity. For me, this was a COMPLETE change. So when I got a couple of runs on the board, your insecurity goes down a bit and things start to happen for you. You probably don’t judge yourself as harshly as you had.’

I’m guessing other corporate bigwigs were reading the papers too, because in a blink, Catlin was suddenly flying the PR flag for Myer, taking on board a high-profile PR role. Again, another transition, but he’d have to agree, a step up – yes? Catlin looks thoughtful and pauses. ‘Well, I guess so, I mean in Melbourne there are only a handful of brands that stand out and as they say, Myer is Melbourne. So as far as Melbourne goes, Myer is up there as one of the most famous of the city’s brands. So it was a great opportunity. It gave me a great belief in myself that I could really do this job.’

‘I have a great deal of respect for Bernie Brookes, the CEO of Myer, who took me under his wing and taught me a lot about business,’ says Catlin. ‘I might have had a fair bit of media knowledge but not necessarily a whole lot of business knowledge, so he did teach me a lot.’

Mitch Catlin with the 'other' Jen: Oaks Day, 2010

Mitch Catlin with the ‘other’ Jen: Myer marquee, Oaks Day, 2009

Catlin was obviously a good student. You only have to Google his name to gauge an idea of his success. Articles about his publicity coups and prowess are everywhere, littered with words like ‘publicity guru’. His flair for PR came to the fore during his time at Myer when Jen Hawkins seemed to feature on the front page of the Herald Sun every week.
So does he regard himself as successful? ‘People have a perception that if you’re publicly visible, you are a success and I don’t think that is necessarily what success is.’

For a man who deals so much with celebrity, his answer is surprising. ‘I think success is about being good at what you do. I look back at people who inspired me when I was young, like school teachers, who to me were so successful at what they did because they shaped the things that I believe in. My Mum was a full-time Mum her entire life and has been a wonderfully successful mother – raising myself and my brother – we were very much cared for at home. So the word success for me is difficult – it’s very subjective. I like to think I have achieved well in what I have done, but how you talk about that in terms of success – that’s for others to decide, not me.’

Catlin is way too modest to blow his own trumpet. In fact, it took a lot of arm-twisting for him to agree to this interview. His preference is for the focus to be on the product, not himself – that his job is about delivering results for the brand. ‘I am more focused on promoting the product or brand – it is not about me,’ he says.

But if he won’t acknowledge his own success, can he explain how it has happened? ‘I always try to put myself in the shoes of someone else and think, what is it these people will want? And then manage to think that through and come up with concepts. It’s about having a strategy and a plan, then you deliver. It’s not about responding or reacting to events. It’s about having a clear long-term strategy and plan,’ he says.

Mitch Catlin, Kate Arnott and a photo-bombing Jess McNamee

So with everything going so swimmingly at Myer, why then did he jump ship and take up the PR reins at vitamin giant Swisse? ‘Oh, I think it was time for a change,’ says Catlin, after pausing for consideration. ‘I was looking for something in my life that was worthwhile and what Swisse represents, in terms of health and happiness, well-being and looking after friends, family and yourself – is all true. To be able to work in an industry that really does strive to make people happier and healthier is an important thing to do.’ He sits back in his chair and seriously, he really does look happy.

But there’s always critics. What about the vitamin-skeptics who say vitamins are rubbish – merely a product that makes for expensive urine?

‘Well everyone has an opinion on every single industry,’ says Catlin, sighing. He’s obviously dealt with this one many times before. ‘Look at the health industry in general. There’s always speculation about pills and potions – do they work – all of that. The biggest thing about Swisse is how much money they invest in research and supporting their products. You only have to ask anyone who takes them if they support them and of course they do, otherwise they wouldn’t buy them.’

Alan Fletcher chats with “Kim Kardashian” at the Swisse Stakes Day After Party, 2011

I’m sure Swisse must be mighty pleased with Catlin’s efforts. His work has raised the profile of the vitamin brand to dizzying heights. Celebrity ambassadors include the cream of the crop from high-profile industries – sport, television and music. Catlin was also behind a move to push Swisse into the spotlight at the Spring Racing Carnival last year. And even when a star appearance on Stakes Day went down the toilet, with the non-appearance of Kim Kardashian, Catlin turned that into a coup, gaining almost more publicity for the reality star’s NO-SHOW by using a cardboard cut-out in the marquee and after-party. Almost every guest wanted their photo taken with Kim and then dutifully posted it on Twitter or Facebook.

Again Catlin is modest, saying Swisse’s marketing strategy was already in place when he joined the brand. ‘What our CEO and the board have set up is a massively successful marketing campaign of integrating ambassadors into existing programs.’

Mitch Catlin and Sonia Kruger

Of Swisse’s ambassador family, the celebrity line-up seems heavily skewed towards sport. Is Swisse neglecting the arts, I ask? Catlin shakes his head, smiling. ‘No, it’s more about looking at people who are the best in their field. And that could be anyone from an actor like Nicole Kidman through to a TV presenter like Sonia Kruger or a cricketer like Ricky Ponting. And the way our marketing strategy has been successful is that we integrate with our retailers, so the likes of Coles, Woolworths, Priceline and Chemist Warehouse are the ones who really dictate to us what they want to achieve.’

And we’ll see more celebrities during the races. Nicole Kidman is making an appearance on Derby Day, Kim Cattrall on Oaks Day and singer Rick Astley on Stakes Day. How does he manage to attract such a star-studded line-up? Catlin credits his team. ‘With Swisse, what’s going to happen in the lead-up to the races, during the races and post the races, is a team effort. It’s not about me, Mitch Catlin, it’s about the Swisse team who have built this plan together. That’s why we’re confident about our outcomes as a business. I might do a few media interviews here and there but it’s very much about the team strategy.’

When you hear about how Swisse treats its staff, it’s easy to understand why Catlin appears so content. ‘We get 3-day weekends. We get breakfast and lunch provided every day. We get massages every Wednesday. There’s no doubt I wake up every day and feel blessed I’ve found a company like that who actually make a difference to people’s lives,’ he says. (I’m applying for a job tomorrow!!)

Aside from the professional work, Catlin says his time at Swisse has changed the person he is. ‘I’m a much more contented, happy person. More interested in helping others and what’s going on in the community. There’s a real focus on what’s happening around you which is a wonderful change.’

As for future plans, Catlin says he has a few ‘secret squirrel’ projects under his belt that he can’t discuss. But his focus next year will be a major push by Swisse into the global market, the face of Nicole Kidman leading the way. ‘My mission is to share the health and happiness story of Swisse around the world,’ he says.
Watch out world!

Nicole Kidman

Looking back, Catlin credits three men for helping him get to where he is today. ‘They’d be 3AW broadcaster Neil Mitchell, when I started as a journo, ‘ says Catlin, ‘And Anton Staindl, the MD of Haystac who taught me when I first started in PR. And of course, Swisse CEO Radek Sali who constantly inspires me.’

It’s now seven years since Catlin left Ten. Would he say his decision to leave the media and head in a new direction was the right one? His smile says it all. ‘When you look at how life has panned out, it’s very different to what I imagined it would be, but I feel that I’ve achieved a lot and am really happy with where I am right now.’

Mitch Catlin: Head of Partnerships, Community and Media – Swisse

Why you MUST see the movie THE INTOUCHABLES

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Newschick

It’s rare you see a movie you love so much that you want to go straight back in the cinema and see it again. But that’s exactly how I felt about The Intouchables. It’s a film that’s hard to fault on any level. I’m just surprised we haven’t heard more HYPE about it, because since March, it became the became the highest-grossing non-English language film yet released.

The Intouchables

But perhaps that’s another reason why I loved this film so much. Without being exposed to the usual fan-fare that precedes a much-touted Hollywood block-buster, I had no preconditioned expectations. When people hear the movie is French, a common reaction is ‘Oh no, I have to read sub-titles!’ But believe me, minutes into the film, you won’t even notice them.

It’s the first movie I’ve really wanted to talk about in a Blog but having decided to do that, I’ve found it’s also a difficult film to review without giving away too much of the plot. There are several surprises throughout and I don’t want to spoil it for you. Even when the movie opens, it leads you to believe you are about to see a particular genre – perhaps a cops and robbers tale – but then neatly twists into something altogether. Much of the story is told as a flash-back.

In basic terms, it’s a story about a beautiful friendship between two men. Phillipe (Francois Cluzet), is a wealthy quadriplegic, looking to hire a new carer. Along comes Driss (Omar Sy) from the ghetto who isn’t looking for a job – merely a signature on a form to show he turned up to the interview, to help ensure he receives his welfare benefits. And then the humour kicks in and the film surprises again by revealing itself as a comedy with bucket-loads of laughs.

Driss (Omar Sy) and Phillipe (Francois Cluzet)

These two main characters are endearing to the core, and because they come from complete opposites of the social spectrum, the charm of this unique bonding is given added strength. Phillipe exposes Driss to a world of culture and luxury he’d never imagined, while Driss brings light, spontaneity and feeling to Phillipe’s life. Driss has a naive appeal that brings out the best in Phillipe and forces him to acknowledge emotions he has locked away for a long time. They seem to have a natural affinity that goes beyond race and social status – a connection that translates iridescently onto the screen. It’s like they both discover something they both desperately need, but until that moment, never knew how much they needed it.

Much of what happens strikes a deeper chord because we aren’t given the usual musical or visual triggers that spell out something is about to happen! in a standard Hollywood flick. How wonderful to see a movie where these moments speak for themselves.

The Intouchables

Ultimately, it’s the emotional sincerity of the story and the performances that put this movie above the rest. When the dialogue is minimal and natural, and the actors depth of emotion accurately reflects so much subtext, it makes for a more genuine experience. We are all the more richer for absorbing a film with such extraordinary layers – a film that will leave you with a lasting memory about the human condition.

Something original for the races ‘POPS UP’ at Crown

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Newschick

The Spring Racing Carnival is underway, so time for some fun and frivolity, hey? I’m sure that’s what thousands of Victorians are thinking. Although when you look at the statistics, the money generated by the fashion and tourism industries during this time is staggering – well into the millions of dollars – so in fact, it’s a very serious business.

I’m sure a lot of that money comes about from people (like me) who leave race-wear shopping till it’s almost too late, then splurge in a fit of panic-buying. Because really, getting any kind of an outfit organised for the Spring Racing Carnival is a bit of a nightmare. Life’s already a circus act of juggling ten balls while snow-boarding down a roller-coaster (can you book the dentist, pick up the dog food, phone your Dad, visit your sick friend, write a best-seller, do the accounts and bring in the washing – all in five minutes please?) so finding time for fashion is a bit an indulgence. Usually it’s a last minute affair with a combination of things from years past, spruced up with perhaps a new necklace, worn in the hope that no-one will recognise your recycling efforts.

This year I tried to be a bit more efficient and actually phoned a milliner two weeks ago (I thought well in advance) only to hear her practically snort with laughter and say I was waaaaaaaayyyyy too late. Seriously? Yep. She was all booked up and worked to the bone. I didn’t bother trying anyone else, thinking I’d get the same reply. So that little task went to the bottom of the ‘to-do’ list and I imagined at some point, I’d madly dash into David Jones or Myer and grab anything they had left off the shelf – probably the day before Derby Day.

The LK Boutique & Richard Nylon Spring Racing Emporium at Crown

Then – JOY – an easy solution arrived in my email box. Balls had been falling off my roller-coaster ride all week, so I sighed with relief. Surely THIS was the answer to my all-important hat problem? One of Australia’s most prestigious and talented milliner’s, Richard Nylon, was to exhibit and sell his designs as part of a POP-UP shop at Crown and I was invited to a preview.

(For those of you who aren’t up to speed with the concept, a POP-UP shop is a temporary store set up for a short-term purpose in the middle of a permanent shopping establishment)

Richard’s wares would be show-cased alongside the very fancy jewellery of LK Boutique – their joint project entitled, naturally, The LK Boutique & Richard Nylon Spring Racing Emporium.

The LK Boutique & Richard Nylon Spring Racing Emporium at Crown

Many a fashion expert has dubbed Richard Nylon as Australia’s best milliner so I do think the chance to wear one of his pieces to the races and actually pick one off the shelf, is a rare and wonderful opportunity. Not to mention convenient!! In fact, I think you could justify your purchase by arguing that his hats are in fact, works of art. And what price a rare work of art?

Richard Nylon and Amber Petty (trying on one of Richard’s designs)

Besides his talent, I adore Richard’s innate and original sense of personal style. He stands out in a crowd with his penchant for perky caps, colourful costumes and neck-ties. Sometimes I wonder whether he would have been more comfortable living in a by-gone era, but am glad he’s in the here-and-now so we can enjoy the benefits of his creativity.

James Kennedy of LK Boutique with Ann Peacock

James Kennedy of LK Boutique with Crown General Manager, Public relations, Ann Peacock

Hosted by Crown’s endlessly elegant Ann Peacock, several other well-known faces also came along to the launch to enjoy a glass of champagne while deciding which hats suited them best.

Kim Watkins, Ginny Gibson, Toni Skaife

Canape, jewels or fascinator?

Checking out the range, I voted the evening head-pieces (surely these ARE art… ) and lady-bug necklaces as first past the post when it comes to style. But enough from me. I’m going to let the photos of Richard’s stunning work, along with some LK jewellery, speak for themselves.

Crimson plumes by Richard Nylon

Pill-box Love hat by Richard Nylon

Blue pleats with feather fringing by Richard Nylon

Pink and white feathers by Richard Nylon

Evening headpiece by Richard Nylon

Neon magic by Richard Nylon

Diamond Butterfly by LK Boutique, $7200

Quartz and diamond Lady-Bug necklaces $3500 each

Quartz and diamond Lady-Bug necklaces by LK Boutique, $3500 each

So what did I pick? Well, choosing something so EARLY suddenly felt a bit odd… Where else would I get that adrenalin rush from putting it all together at the last minute? So I didn’t pick anything. I’m going to live dangerously and come back next week. (plus I need to colour match with outfits!!)

As an added bonus for customers, LK Boutique is offering a 30% discount on selected items, such as the Diamond Butterfly necklace to the right which is usually $9000. The POP-UP store, LK Boutique & Richard Nylon Spring Racing Emporium, will be open until Stakes Day. Happy shopping!

Rachael’s story about genetic testing for breast cancer – a blessing or a curse?

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Newschick

In case you’ve been living in a hole, October is BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. I know – you knew that, didn’t you? How could you miss it? There’s been a spike in activity among fund-raising groups and it’s fantastic to see so many people getting involved and being supportive. But a few weeks ago, I over-heard some disappointing comments from a few people who have been infected with the dreaded Charity-Fatigue-Syndrome. (CFS) Yes, it’s easy to become blasé and say, ‘Oh no, not another event…’ when those invitations land on your desk, but now is NOT the time for complacency. Whereas breast cancer used to have a strike rate of one in fourteen women in Australia, it’s now risen to one in nine. Horrifying. ONE IN NINE!!!

Rachael Joiner

For anyone complaining about CFS, I challenge you to listen to 36-year-old Rachael Joiner and still say you’re too tired to put your hand in your pocket. Rachael’s story is particularly moving because it highlights what she had to deal with even BEFORE she discovered she had breast cancer. I heard Rachael speak at a THINK PINK fund-raising lunch at the magnificent Circa restaurant in St Kilda last week. How confronting it must be, standing up in front of a large, social crowd and talking about your traumatic experience with cancer… yet Rachael, who is still recovering from her treatments and is in what she describes as ‘chemo shock’ was keen to support the THINK PINK cause.

So the CFS crew is having a bad-hair day and finding it tough to get to a function? Well, think about Rachael. She’s still unwell and a frequent visitor to the Peter MacCallum Institute. She is suffering from ovarian failure and is having issues with her thyroid not functioning properly as a result of chemotherapy treatments. Yet still she came.

Rachael was introduced by two-time breast cancer survivor Irene Hendel. Also the Chair and Founder of the Think Pink Living Centre, Irene and her husband David joined the Think Pink team twelve years ago. Irene’s greatest hope – to open a Living Centre for cancer patients in Melbourne – was realised in 2010.

Irene and David Hendel

The Centre gives people a place to go for support – both physical and psychological. On offer, there’s a bit of much-needed pampering – facials, free make-up and massages – or, if you like, meditation advice, pilates classes and even a wig library. For others, particularly younger women, there’s social opportunities and a chance to meet others their own age.

‘I was introduced to the Living Centre when I did the Day of Indulgence,’ said Rachael, as as she spoke to the packed venue. ‘This was prior to my chemo commencing. I checked out the wig library – just in case I needed it. But then going back to the Living Centre when I was bald was very hard. But I received very gentle and respectful support from everyone there in choosing my first wig, which I called the Russian Spy because it was a stylish black bob. I hadn’t really realised at the time how much the organisation could help me on every level.’

Rachael’s hair has now grown back, although she was surprised to find her new tresses darker and curly. She explained this is quite common among chemo patients. But chemo is tough. She said that after treatments, she’d look in the mirror and see a ghost of her former self. However, it was at the beginning of her experience that the THINK PINK Living Centre really made a difference.

‘The Living Centre supported me emotionally by connecting me to other women, especially other women of my own age that were in the same situation. They also offered me counselling and mediation. This provided me with the first feeling of calmness since my diagnosis.’

After her speech, I chatted with Rachael and was surprised to learn it was the first time she had spoken publicly. What a brilliant job she did! Not a shred of nerves in sight: a moving story told with humour, warmth and dignity.

I was also intruiged to learn that Rachael had taken the brave step of under-going genetic testing at the age of twenty-five – knowing there was a history of breast-cancer in her family. Genetic testing for breast cancer has been available in Melbourne since 2000. This meant she lived with the knowledge she may be diagnosed with the life-threatening disease at any moment. Ten years on and she was diagnosed at thirty-five.

The thought of living under such a threat makes me question the value of scientific knowledge. On one hand, of course it makes sense to know, but how does this impact on the way you live your day-to-day life? What is the price of knowledge? Would Rachael now recommend such testing to other young women?

‘It’s a big decision,’ she said. ‘I think it’s a very emotional and taxing journey.’

But ultimately, it’s what has saved her?

Rachael Joiner and nurse, Kathryn Wallace

‘Yes, because they were monitoring me,’ said Rachael. ‘But it is a significant psychological burden to be carrying all that time, knowing that you’re likely to have cancer in the near future. And the trauma of going in for those observations on a regular basis.’ Rachael was first contacted about the THINK PINK Living Centre by nurse Kathryn Wallace, who also came to the lunch.

She admits it was almost a relief when the diagnosis came through. ‘It’s kind of like, I can stop worrying about WHEN it’s going to arrive and just deal with it.’ Rachael had a double mastectomy and reconstruction all at the same time. ‘It’s a massive operation and I’m still healing,’ she said. Yes, she was sad to lose her breasts, but knowing they were responsible for her illness made her, in one way, be glad to be rid of them.

The most important way THINK PINK has helped, is to introudce Rachael to other young women who have become close friends.

‘Oh yes, I have some amazing friends,’ she said. ‘We have very different issues to women who have gone through menopause. A lot of women haven’t had kids so fertility is a massive issue. The treatment is very hard for us, so it’s good to have other women to talk to and not feel so isolated and alone.’

‘We’ve started a monthly young women’s morning tea and I still go along to that. It’s open to anyone who wants to come along.’

Rachael has a partner who she says has been brilliant throughout, but says her new friends at THINK PINK also find relief in sharing stories about the strain cancer puts on most relationships. ‘It’s all challenging. Your world really does turn upside down and those that are there with you really are a part of that journey, so it’s a test of character strength and loyalty. I’m still in the process of recovery.’

Employed as a town planner, Rachael is working limited hours until she regains her full strength. Again, she credits THINK PINK with helping ease the pressures. ‘They’ve given me free massages. That really did help with the stress of it all, when I was very ill. And they’re just so welcoming.’

Dr Sally Cockburn and myself thanked the sponsors!

Dr Sally Cockburn thanked the sponsors!

The lunch was appropriately hosted by a doctor – one with a good sense of humour and persistence in rallying the crowd for funds. Known as Dr Feelgood on her 3AW radio spot, Dr Sally Cockburn says this is a regular gig for her. The Melbourne Pub Group generously donated the food; the superb champagne provided by Laurent-Perrier. And yes, I’m more than happy to give them a plug in return for their generosity.

If you haven’t done anything yet for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, now’s the time. You can help THINK PINK to help other cancer patients (as they do so brilliantly) – by making a donation on-line at http://www.thinkpink.org.au/how-you-can-help/make-donation

Go on – you can do it!!!

The THINK PINK Living Centre Car

INSPIRATIONAL LIFE CHANGES

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Newschick

I’m fascinated when people make dramatic career changes in their lives. Like when my super-bright cousin David studied medicine for six years, completed his internship then gave it all away to become an airline pilot. Or when a cameraman buddy became a professional artist and another friend switched from being a motor mechanic to an IT specialist. It seems to be an increasing trend. Statistically, we’re all living a lot longer, so it’s unlikely the career you started fresh out of school will be the one you finish up with. And I’m intrigued by HOW people switch from one to another and why? Perhaps we can all learn something from those who do. As a result, I’ve prepared a series of Inspirational Life Changes stories. These are interviews with people who have done just that – switched from one career to another, or are in the process of doing so.

INTERVIEW (1) Cecilia Low – Dancer turned Remedial Massage Therapist

Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but it seems everyone you talk to these days has some kind of neck or back issue. I suffered a prolapsed disc in my lower back about ten years ago and have been trying out different therapies and therapists ever since.

(Keep reading till the end for a great self-help tip!)

When we first met, Remedial Massage Therapist Cecilia Low was a professional dancer and performer – mostly in musical theatre. Super fit and super-toned, I always admired her dedication to her craft and her trim physique. Just look at these photos and you’ll see what I mean.

Dancer Cecilia Low. Photography by Sylvi Kreinberg

Several years later, a mutual friend told us that Cecilia (or Ci, as we call her) had completed a professional remedial massage course and asked if we’d like to visit her for a treatment. Fletch also has some niggling back issues, so we shrugged our aching shoulders and said, ‘Yeah, why not? What’s one more?’ But we didn’t have high expectations – she was a beginner, right?

Wrong. While there weren’t any miracles as such, I have to say that Ci gives the firmest and most beneficial massage I’ve ever experienced. I’m now a regular client. Ci seems to have an intuitive touch; instinctively finding the exact spots where the knots and aches lie, and then those magical hands get to work and ease out the pain.

But given her success in the theatre, with more than ten years of continuous work, I was curious to learn why she’d switched careers.

‘I’d always had a fascination with the healing arts from a young age,’ she said as we sat down to chat after I’d had a massage. We sipped fresh coconut water as we spoke. (That’s another lovely touch Ci adds to her service. After every session you are given a small glass of fresh coconut juice to help re-hydrate.)

‘Just from dancing, I’d had to visit many therapists, osteopaths and chiropractors, so I’ve always been very accustomed to it and seen how beneficial it is for the body to function. Then about half-way through my career I did try to study massage, but I was travelling around a lot, performing, and realized I couldn’t manage both.’

The pivotal moment came when Ci felt the need for change. She’d been working in musical theatre for a long time and was physically tired.

So was the constant travelling a problem for her?

‘Maybe it’s the dancer in me, but no, I didn’t mind the moving around. I think you can make any place just like home, wherever you are. That didn’t bother me.’

Dancer Cecilia Low. Photography by Sylvi Kreinberg

Perhaps she becoming bored with dance?

‘No, dancing is my passion. I sing too, but I’m a dancer first. I feel very blessed, very lucky, to have done that and that’s given me amazing strength and stamina in many other ways.’

So what WAS the reason?

‘It was more the fact that I was beginning to feel limited in my mind and the skills that I could offer to the world, to people. I was only seeing myself as a dancer. And I felt there was so much more I could offer and I wanted to use my brain more.’

The answer – Ci returned to school, attending the Australian College of Sports Therapy in Melbourne where she earned a Diploma of Remedial Massage. It took more than a year and a half of intense studying and the first few months were the toughest.

‘Ah yes,’ she sighed. ‘We went right back to the basics. Chemistry, bio-chemistry, physics, nutrition. My brain was hurting. The first three months was a massive culture shock, juggling jobs and studies. But once I got over that, I was hungry for more.’ Her face brightened. ‘Then the time passed really quickly and I couldn’t get enough. I’m sure I’ll do more studying in the future. It was great!’

It’s not surprising that Ci ended up working in two careers that focus on the human body. It’s probably in her genes. Ci’s father, Vernon Low, was the first person to introduce the Korean martial art Taekwondo to Australia in the 1960s. (www.firsttaekwondon.com.au) I asked her whether she thought her father had been an influence in her career choices.

‘Definitely, most definitely,’ she said. ‘It’s in the blood I think. Some people hear the world, others see it visually. We all have different ways we perceive life. I think I definitely feel the world through my body first. I’ve been dancing since the age of five and I know I’m a happier, more wholesome person when I’m using my body. After leaving the dance world, I didn’t do much dance for about four years and I really struggled. Mentally, I didn’t want to admit that, but I know, now, I need that. And while massage isn’t dance, it is very physical and I treat it like a gym session I guess! There’s only a certain life span a dancer can have at that level. But yes, it is in the blood and I think my Dad lives in me every day in that aspect.’

Given that Ci has also experienced many massage treatments herself over the years, I wanted to know what she thought defined a good remedial massage therapist.

Cecilia in her therapy room

‘Someone who is able to listen and have compassion, while also being very professional and enabling the client to empower themselves and to take control of their pain levels. To learn about their own bodies,’ she said.

I made a comment that I believed she had intuitive hands and wondered whether her talent was something one could learn or was it a gift?

‘I think we’re all intuitive beings,’ she said. ‘It’s really about how open you are to your intuition. But it is also a skill you can learn too. I’m all for New Age things, but I like to balance it with practicality and science as well.’

‘The main focus for me, the type of massage I do, is to use of lot of movement in the treatments as I believe movement is the key to releasing tension and keeping the body pain-free. I guess this goes back to my dance background for sure.’

So now Ci has a different passion in life. The Remedial Massage Therapy course has given her a new vocation – one she finds wholly rewarding. ‘I think every time I massage someone, I feel very honoured. Honoured that they are entrusting themselves to me. It’s quite an intimate experience – one-on-one – it’s physical and there’s a lot of trust on both sides. But I feel very honoured that someone can come to me with their problems and I might be able to help.’

And now the bit I think could really help all of us!

Ci also believes we can help relieve our OWN aches and pains with our OWN hands. That’s not to say she’ll be doing herself out of a job. More to the point, she’s establishing a series of BACK CARE WORKSHOPS so that clients might be able to find some relief in-between treatments.

‘I came up with the concept because I believe it is possible to do your own body maintenance. I believe it will also probably make my job a little bit easier. I see a lot of chronic back pain and tension – a lot of on-going pain. The course will help people maintain themselves by dealing with things like the strain you get in your neck from sitting at the computer all day, or that niggling pain between your shoulder blades.’

Ci will also show clients how to use various tools at home that could help. ‘People often ask me things like, I have a foam roller, how do I use it? We’ll also look at how you can use simple things at home, like a tennis ball, to help. It’s about teaching people about the different kinds of pain and how to deal with it. How to use different techniques using your hands and thumbs to stave off those niggling issues.’

Back Care Workshop – Saturday, November 24th

Sounds brilliant! The first of these workshops takes place in November, along with a session from a pilates instructor Wade Edewell from The Pilates Cottage www.thepilatescottage.com.au. Ci is also planning couples’ workshops for the future.

If you’d like to know more about Ci’s BACK CARE WORKSHOP, visit her website at www.cicure.com.au

Or to book an extremely amazing remedial massage session, email her at [email protected] or phone her on 0414 640 052.

Ci works one day a week at City Osteopathy in the city and other days at ‘Energize and Recharge Studios’ in Elwood.

I’m not the only one who believes Ci is a first-rate therapist. Uber-cool rockstar and X-Factor host Natalie Bassingthwaighte is also happy to sing Ci’s praises. Plus you can check out other opinions at WOMO – wordofmouth.com for some great reviews.

(Disclaimer: Because the matter of ‘disclosure’ in blogging was intelligently discussed in the wonderful blog ‘Woogsworld’ by Mrs Woog today, I feel the urge to say, again, I am NOT paid for any of the interviews or products I have covered. I have paid for all my massage treatments with Ci and will continue to do so. I will let you know if and when I ever get freebies. Basically I just want to recommend stuff I genuinely think will help you. And I DID tell you about the Goodie Bags in an earlier story – of course they were free! )

The Interview With Brynne That Never Got A Run

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Newschick

This interview with Brynne Edelsten took place when I was writing a weekly Q & A feature for the Herald Sun, called ‘The Other Half’. So yes, it was more than a year ago, but the reason I’m running it on my Blog site today is because I was accused on Twitter of being ‘sour’ and critical of Brynne.

Five days ago I tweeted a comment questioning why the Herald Sun would run a photo of Brynne on the front page, promoting a story about what she might wear to the Brownlow Medal Awards the following week. My comment was not critical of Brynne – rather about the editorial judgement that this warranted being front page news. I still stand by that opinion and believe the criticism directed at me was an over-reaction. As entertainment commentator and showbiz expert Peter Ford said, ‘Let’s not lose sight (that) Twitter is a forum for discussion/pose questions. That doesn’t equate to being a troll’. If we can’t express views on Twitter in a rational manner, then what’s the point of the social media tool in the first place? I’ve never been a fan of reality TV shows and have never watched a second of The Shire, Hollywood Wives or The Lara Bingle Show. I wouldn’t waste my time. Hence I find it hard to comprehend Brynne being on the front page of a major metropolitan newspaper with little reason.

I do, however, understand why there is public interest in the Edelsten’s – hence why I conducted the interview with Brynne in the first place. But this was never going to be a front page story. The only reason it was not run in the paper at the time was because the TV Guide of the same newspaper ran a feature the previous week, which the Weekend magazine had been unaware of.

So in my defence, I am now posting – unedited – the version of the interview I did with Brynne so you can see that it’s highly unlikely I’d be taking a swipe. I enjoyed her company and found her to be warm-hearted and sweet. (There’s no mention here of her upcoming reality TV Show as that was not yet established. )

* * * * * * * * *

The Edelsten Wedding, November 2009

Brynne Edelsten arrived on Melbourne’s social scene with a bang, not a whimper. In a whirl of sequins and plunging necklines, the young Texan blonde made her mark at the much-hyped wedding extravaganza to the much older, flamboyant entrepreneur Geoffrey Edelsten. Since then, her colourful red carpet and racing carnival appearances have left Melbourne with a permanent collectively raised eyebrow.

So meeting Brynne in the flesh is somewhat surprising. Rather than bold and brassy, she is softly spoken and sweet. Yes, she admits she likes flashy clothes, but is happy with her image and has the self-confidence to refuse to bow to public pressure and change.

Above all, she adores her husband. And despite a recent heated exchange during a television interview, declares he’s her best friend.

J: Tell me about your childhood, where you grew up?

B: I was born in Oklahoma but I grew up in Arizona. I was there till I was twenty-two. I was from a lower to middle-class family. We didn’t have a lot, but we didn’t go without things that we needed. My Mum stayed home and my Dad worked as a truck driver. I have an older and younger brother and two half-sisters. They feel like my nieces, because they’re only nine and eleven.

J: A happy childhood?

B: Yeah, I had a big family with lots of cousins. Very family-orientated. I played softball. I was actually very smart at school. I was taken out of my school as a child because I was very gifted – to go to another school that specialized in things that would challenge me more. I graduated early and went to college. I studied for a while but I didn’t enjoy it enough to finish.

J: What did you study?

B: I was studying Psychology, but I only finished the basic level. I was at the Mesa Community College. Our family could never have afforded for me to go to University and this was much cheaper. I did two years there, and then I decided I’d have more fun going out and being irresponsible.

J: Were you a party girl before that?

B: I was very shy up until I was about eighteen or nineteen. It was almost impossible to get two words out of me. I was so quiet and scared to go out in public.

J: What changed?

B: I think I lacked confidence when I was younger. I was very skinny when I was growing up. So when I finally put on a little weight naturally, I just became more confident and wanted to go out all the time. I was lucky because I never got caught up in drugs like a lot of people. But I would go out and have a drink here and there with friends. Then when I was twenty-two, I had a bad break-up with a boyfriend. I was with him for four years, and found out he was with my best friend. I met him when I was eighteen and he was forty-two. So I moved to Los Angeles because after the breakup. I was devastated. It was a good time to go and live somewhere else.

J: Were you working at the time?

B: In Arizona, I was working at a hair laser clinic as a receptionist. It was like a medical grade clinic. Then I moved to LA and got a job at music.com and also did some personal training.

J: How long were you in LA before you met Geoffrey?

B: Almost four years. I love LA. I think that’s the favourite place that I’ve lived. I love my life here more now, but I remember it being a really fun place to live, especially if you’re single. Although it’s hard to make friends there, but when you do, they’re just really cool people and you get to go out with a lot of celebrities. One of the first celebrities I met was Jack Nicholson.

J: Tell me about Jack.

B: He liked to smoke, that’s for sure. I met him at a friends’ house. He’s a very funny man! And I also met Tara Reid. Paris Hilton used to date one of my best friends, so I met her and she came out with us a lot. So it was very cool.

J: What’s Paris like?

B: Nice! I wasn’t close to her, but she’s not a bitch at all. She’s a nice girl. A lot of people give her harsh words that she doesn’t deserve.

J: Where did you meet Geoffrey?

B: I met him a hotel party in LA. We met briefly and he was friends with my boss and we ended up at the same functions and exchanged email addresses. We’d email back and forth and send funny jokes and that’s how we kept in touch. Then one day, out of the blue, he just called up from London and asked if I wanted to go on a date in Las Vegas. I thought, why not? I’m not working for the next three days, so why not? And we did, and it was the best date of my life. We went to the Beatles Love Show. And I remember this lady next to me had this huge drink and all of a sudden she spilt it all over me and I was soaking wet and miserable throughout the whole show but it was such a great date, because being with him was so much fun.

J: And it was a three-day date?

B: Well on the third day I had to leave. But we also went on a huge shopping spree and he spoiled me rotten. I had to buy more luggage just to take some of my shopping home because he bought me so many things. It was very surprising but it was very good.

J: When you first met Geoffrey, did you feel that spark or was it the date when it kicked in?

B: No, it was the date. When we first met, it wasn’t enough time to really get to talk to each other, to have a deep conversation, so it didn’t mean much. But the first date really was the best date I’d ever been on. No one had ever paid that much attention to me. When someone is actually genuinely listening to everything you’re saying and to have conversation come so easily was really nice.

J: What sort of things did you like about him?

B: He’s a very funny man. He has a dry sense of humour, but I like that. He makes me laugh a lot. And he’s very kind. A total gentleman. He would open every door for me, and anyone else who was walking by – not just me, for everyone. Even now, he’s always the last person out of the lift. Little things like that are important. It shows how someone is going to treat you if they treat everyone that way.

J: Where did things go from there?

B: I had to go back to work in Arizona. We were filming a concert. . Geoffrey was really disappointed but I said, hey, we’ll catch up in LA. But the show took longer than I thought and he kept calling and calling, and he couldn’t reach me because I couldn’t have my phone on when we were filming. He was disappointed, but couldn’t wait in LA any more so he went back to Australia. Then a few weeks later I went and visited him in there.

J: Your first time to Australia?

B: Yeah, it was. My first time really out of the country. I’d been to Mexico, but that doesn’t really count. That was the furthest I’d been from home. And I was supposed to be here for ten days but I was a little, well… not very thoughtful. He was out flying in his helicopter and came home to take me to lunch, and I’d gone. I got on a plane and went back to the States without telling him. And it wasn’t to be mean. But we were staying at the Docklands and I didn’t drive and he would work every day and I was in the apartment all day by myself and couldn’t do anything. I just got really homesick and restless. So after a couple of days I just left and went home. And he was really upset about that, which obviously you would be.

J: Didn’t you write a note – anything?

B: No. I texted him saying, I’m okay, I’ve left the apartment, I’ll call you later. But I didn’t realize till I was on the plane, that that would have to be the next day. So it wasn’t the nicest thing to do. It wasn’t the most thoughtful thing I’ve done – definitely, but I did it. So then he was really upset and really devastated. But he convinced me to come back a second time. So I did and that was for six weeks. Then he had me quit my job and I just ended up moving here.

J: What convinced you to come back if you weren’t happy here the first time?

B: It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy. It was just that it kind of scared me a bit because it was all moving very, very fast. I mean this was only a couple of months after our first date and I was half way across the world. It was very overwhelming. Not having friends or family, not having a job, not being able to drive… I think that’s why the first time I just left – I kind of panicked. He proposed on the second trip when I was here. It had only been a couple of months since our first date. It was a year since we met, but still it was very quick. And I only had one main relationship before that. And I wasn’t looking to settle down. But it was such a surprise. He’d hinted about it and we’d talk about it but it was definitely a surprise when he showed me the ring. It was the biggest diamond I’d ever seen. Then after six weeks we went back to the States together and he met my family for the first time. And then we flew to LA so I could finish packing up my stuff.

J: What did your parents think of the age difference?

B: It wasn’t that shocking to them, because my boyfriend I’d been with before that was twice my age. I had always enjoyed the company of older people.

J: What do you admire about Geoffrey?

B: Geoff’s accomplished so much. He’s such a smart, smart, brilliant man. I mean – his mind! He’s a doctor, he’s writing his own book, he learned to fly planes. Everything he’s done, all the experiences, all the stories he has to tell… I love hearing his stories and that’s why we never run out of conversation because he’s done so much. And I’m so proud of him for everything he’s done.

Brynne and Geoffrey Edelsten

J: He’s also had a lot of ups and downs… a bit of a roller-coaster ride.

B: He’s had a lot of ups and downs. But he always bounces back because he won’t give up. He’s so strong-willed and I think that’s impressive.

J: What do you think has been his biggest achievement?

B: I think his comeback after having to file for bankruptcy and all that. Having to start all over from nothing and create this empire of medical clinics. I think that’s incredible.

J: Do you have any interest in his business? Do you want to work in any capacity?

B: Not in his medical clinics. But we are looking at things. That’s why we’re opening the Nurielle stores here, which I will run. I definitely want to work. I want to feel accomplished myself in business. I have more of a creative side and I’m very smart, but I love fashion and I’d love to do something in the media. Even though I want to have children one day. I want a family. But I think I can work and have children.

J: Is Geoffrey keen to have children?

B: He is. Not right now though. Hopefully within the next year we’ll try.

J: So career aspirations for you include media, business and fashion?

B: Yes, well I’m already working on my Flash Gordon label. But it will take a bit of time to get that ready because I don’t want to go ahead with that until I feel I’m fully ready for it. I’m designing everything and I want it to be more affordable. Nurielle is very high-end, so it’s not as affordable for most people. And I think by working with them, it will give me the experience to learn what I need to know. And I’ll be the face of it (Nurielle) in the States and Dubai. Which is exciting.

J: How would you describe your dress sense?

B: Mine is definitely different to a lot of people’s. You saw me earlier today. I wasn’t flashy. But when I go to events, I love being sparkly with diamonds and crystal and bright colours, because you can’t wear that stuff very often, so if you have a chance, then why not? On an every day basis, I’m much more casual.

Brynne Edelsten, Fashion Aid Ball, September 2012

J: Have you been upset at all by some of the negative comments made by the media?

B: No. Although in the very beginning, it made me feel bad. It didn’t hurt my feelings, but I’d go, why are they saying these things because it didn’t make sense to me. Why does anyone care that much, to be mean? It doesn’t help anyone.

J: Do you think people are being kinder now?

B: I think so. Everyone has become so much warmer to me and I feel like things have become a lot more positive. I’m not going to lie. I do read the papers. I read what’s written about me. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t. One thing I don’t do anymore is to read the comments about me on-line, in blogs and stuff. They’re really mean. When it comes down to it, I’m happy with what I’m wearing. I’m happy with who I am.

J: Tell me about the wedding. That was a huge event.

B: It was. It was very exciting. On the day I started feeling pretty overwhelmed because it was larger than life.

J: Did you want a large wedding?

B: I didn’t mind if it was large or small, but he wanted to give me a big wedding. The people that mattered to me were at the wedding and that was the most important thing. He has a lot more people that matter to him than me, so there were a lot of people I didn’t know, but I was happy for them to be there to celebrate with us.

J: What’s your favourite memory of the day?

B: At the reception, the first person I saw when I walked into the room was my best friend, Sharni. And it I felt this sigh of relief, to see someone familiar among this sea of faces of people I didn’t know. So I ran up and gave her a hug. That was the best moment for me. Other than the actual wedding of course and exchanging vows.

J: How did that feel, the moment you exchanged vows?

B: It was really good. I couldn’t stop smiling, but I couldn’t stop crying either. I was a mess. I had tears running down my face.

J: How would you describe your relationship?

B: He’s my best friend. We value each other’s opinions. We talk about everything. We enjoy our time together. We do have other friends we do things with but he’s my best friend. If there was one person I could be with all the time, it would be him. And I’m lucky enough to have him.

J: He must work long hours to be as successful as he is. Is that difficult for you?

B: Well no, because he wakes up and goes to work at 3.30 every morning, so his day starts very early every day. He’s there at 3.30 every morning. He wakes up at 2.30.

J: What time does he go to bed?

B: Between eight and eleven.

J: He obviously doesn’t need as much sleep as the rest of us…

B; No, not as much as me! (laughs) So he gets home anytime between two o’clock and five o’clock so we still have the whole afternoon and evening together, even though he works a lot. Sometimes he has meetings on the weekend but mostly we have all the weekend together.

J: Does he have any annoying habits?

B: More than one! Geoff has to be not just one time, but early for everything. He’ll tell me a time to be ready and then fifteen minutes to thirty minutes before then, he’s standing over me saying, how much longer are you going to be? So we’re always the first people anywhere. Before the red carpet starts, we’re there. We can never be fashionably late, let alone late. We have to be there before the camera people get there for him to feel on time. He’s very extreme with punctuality.

J: Anything else?

B: Well, I have lots! I leave the lights on in every room and he has to turn them off. He could probably point out a lot more annoying habits about me than I can about him.

THE WORST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Newschick

Sadly, this story is NOT a joke.

It’s about my girlfriend’s in-laws and what they gave her husband for his 40^th birthday this week. If you’ve ever whinged about yours, you’ll be grateful for what you’ve got after reading this. (I’m going to use substitute names for privacy reasons)

Happy Families – Christmas Lunch

It all started last Christmas when Laura and Steve hosted a lunch for their friends and family. Laura wasn’t thrilled Steve’s parents were invited, as they’d never gotten along, but thought she could get through one afternoon. And it was Christmas, after all…

In the past, Steve’s mother had always rubbed Laura up the wrong way with personal criticisms and complaints about her cooking. His father was also prone to racist remarks, which riled Laura no end. Not to mention neither of them were particularly lively company, offering only stilted conversation. At first, Laura had wondered if it was because of a language issue. (Both parents came to Australia from Germany in their twenties) But their command of English was excellent. No, it was their lack of manners, decided Laura. The fact that they would constantly drop in unannounced, despite repeated requests for a warning phone call; their demanding manner and social ineptitude once they arrived, topped off by a lack of any form of thank you.

French champagne

Needless to say, you can understand why Laura wasn’t keen to include them at Christmas. But they came. Empty-handed. And proceeded to guzzle all of Laura’s French champagne. Then the snide comments started about the food. And rude remarks directed at Laura’s friends – in particular, a lovely Anglo-Indian couple.

But it was after lunch, when Steve’s dad started ranting on about why the nation needed an ‘all-white Australia policy’ that Laura put her foot down. Quietly but firmly she took him by the arm, led him to the kitchen and explained why it was time for them to leave. At the end of the day, Laura and Steve agreed it was time to distance themselves from his parents for a bit – just to let tensions ease.

Around mid-year, Steve’s mum waved an olive branch. ‘We’re taking the whole family out to dinner,’ she said. ‘Please come. It’s our shout.’ So off they went to a fancy restaurant. Laura grinned and bore it but the evening was another round of excruciating conversation and bad manners. At the end of the meal, when it came time to pay the bill, Steve offered to chip in and grabbed Laura’s credit card. Laura waited for his mother to protest. After all, she’d made a huge fuss about how ‘they’ were taking everyone out to dinner. But she just sat there and smiled at her son while the waiter snatched Laura’s credit card and SHE ended up paying for the ENTIRE dinner.

But the clincher came this week. It was Steve’s 50^th birthday on the weekend, so a month ago the pressure began with phone calls and hints – ‘When are we coming over to celebrate?’

Happy Birthday Steve!

Bitten-too-many-times, Laura decided to keep friends and family separate to avoid any clashes and to stop them ruining Steve’s main party. When they arrived yesterday for a small family gathering, Laura thanked all the gods in the heavens she’d made that decision. Because of their present.

They were obviously peeved they hadn’t been included in the main festivities, so his mother, who always baked a birthday cake for her son (despite his maturing years…) did NOT bring a cake. Nor did they bring him a bought-from-a-shop and beautifully gift-wrapped present.

No.

His mother pulled out a package in a brown paper bag and proudly declared that to mark Steve’s milestone year, she was giving him, the eldest son, a family heirloom that he would treasure for the rest of his life.

Nazi war medals – generic photo

His Grandfather’s war medals.

His Grandfather’s NAZI war medals… OF WHICH SHE WAS PROUD.

It was all Laura could do not to throw them in the bin on the spot. In the kitchen, she whispered to Steve that there was NO WAY she would have them in the house. Seriously bad karma, she said. Laura is not Jewish. Just pretty much a normal person who finds the whole Nazi Holocaust history a sickening abomination and finds it unbelievable that anyone living in our society could actually cherish a medal associated with glorifying such atrocities.

Steve agreed. He did not want the medals. But he could not bring himself to thrown them in the bin.

Clever Laura had a better idea. Steve’s younger brother was returning to his parents home that evening. She snuck his car keys, crept out the front door and planted the medals on the backseat of his car.

So far, they haven’t heard what the family reaction was to that. I’m guessing it won’t be good. But like Laura, I don’t really care. I don’t think she’ll be seeing much more of them in the future.

Now, aren’t your in-laws looking good???

Time to Disconnect to Reconnect

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Newschick

Do you ever get the feeling that social media is taking over our lives? That you can’t function unless you’ve checked your Facebook account, sent out your latest Twitter update and Blogged something event-worthy in your life and ALL that’s BEFORE getting out of bed?? Or maybe you’re a complete social networking addict, like a friend of mine who carries two I-Phones to juggle her separate business and personal accounts?

Juggling social networking

As reporter Kate Jones wrote in an excellent opinion piece in the Herald Sun today, it makes you wonder how our kids are going to turn out when so much of their interaction is electronically based… Will they understand the ‘ancient arts of handwriting and conversation?’

Which is why I was drawn to this media release which landed in my email system, titled:

DISCONNECT TO RECONNECT THIS SOCIAL SEPTEMBER

Social September is an initiative sparked by Bianca Venuti, daughter of famed entertainer Maria Venuti. While she admits she’s a huge fan of social networking, Bianca says the time has come to ‘switch off’ and do it for a good cause.

‘We love using social media, but also believe connections and conversations in the real world remain invaluable,’ she said. ‘Social September takes us back in time to experience the benefits of good ol’ face to face interactions with the people in your lives.’

Maria and Bianca Venuti

The latest statistics show Australians spend one in every five minutes on social media. So Bianca wants us, alongside a host of well-known Aussie celebs, to come up with fund-raising ideas that will encourage people to ‘switch off’ and get together IN PERSON (remember how to do that?) to raise money for The Reach Foundation.

Reach is a really good fit for this cause. Because by ‘switching off’ and actually communicating with each other in a face-to-face setting, we feel a whole lot better about ourselves and life. And Reach is all about helping young people improve their self-esteem, thereby inspiring them to achieve. Both Social September and Reach recognise building relationships face-to-face is crucial in promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing. So turn off that digital technology and start talking!

Bianca says she’s got a couple of specific plans in mind for herself. ‘I’m pledging to Disconnect by leaving my phone in my handbag (particularly in social settings), and Reconnecting – by hosting an Italian cooking lesson to catch up with friends I haven’t seen for ages.’

But she says people are free to choose to disconnect in whichever way suits them. ‘We’d love everyone to get on board in a way that makes sense to them. I can’t wait to see the reconnect event ideas people come up with!’

I think I’d like to play a REAL game of Scrabble with someone, instead of Words With Friends. Any takers? Maybe a fund-raising scrabble tournament? Hmm… this could be good.

The Trust

Social September is being launched tonight in Melbourne at The Trust Bar. I think I’m going to have to pop in just to see if anyone dares pull out a mobile phone.

If you’d like to get involved, register at www.socialseptember.com and spread the word. That’s where you can also learn more about specific events taking place. For each $75 raised, one additional young Australian can be invited to a face- to-face Reach program.

Some of the inaugural Social September Socialites include Adriano Zumbo, Laura Dundovic, Maria Venuti AM, Danny Clayton, Sam Burgess, Sami Lukas, Joshua Horner, PJ Lane, Trevor Ashley, Zoe Sheridan, and Joe Avati.

My Dad Lied to Me.

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Newschick

Hmm, that’s a provocative headline. My Dad Lied to Me. Well, in a way he did. And in a way, he didn’t. Let me explain.

Dad has been trying to get me to go with him to his weekly art classes in Mt Waverly on a Tuesday afternoon for several years. He thinks, because I haven’t painted much since high school, that my Rembrandt-esque talents are going to waste. My artistic dreams and enormous potential are not being fulfilled. (huge sigh…)

Like most parents, he has an over-inflated perception of his child’s ability. I am not Rembrandt, not ever will be. My artistic talents compared with the great master would add up to the amount he had in one atom of his smallest toenail. But Dad is right in one sense. In Year 12, I studied art as a subject and had visions of being accepted into the Victorian College of Arts. Yes, I thought I had a future as a painter.

But look at what I painted back then…

Painting by teenager aspiring to be impressionistic pre-Angry Penguin Australian painter

Murky waters by teenage Jennifer.

Ewww. A muddy, impressionistic interpretation of Aussie landscape and as far from the sort of work accepted by the College of the Arts as you could imagine. So you can picture what they thought, this hip school of laid-back cool, when I stupidly turned up for an interview dressed in my Sunday-best. Naively, I thought it was appropriate and respectful to arrive on time and dressed conservatively, in a pleated skirt, neatly ironed shirt and new shoes. FAIL. I remember their comments as they looked me up and down in disbelief:

‘So you liked 19th century Australian art and the likes of Frederick McCubbin, huh?’ ‘Hmmm, did your art teacher do that for you?’ ‘How do you think you will survive as a painter?’ ‘You do realise that most artists have to waitress or stuff sausages to get by? Can you see yourself stuffing sausages??’

Stuffing sausages was something I hadn’t considered.

Then they suggested I go downstairs to visit the studios where the students worked. I knew straight away I wouldn’t get in. Abstract images in huge slabs of colour were plastered over massive canvases – aka artist Mark Rothko – alongside soaring geometric sculptures. Students dressed in goth garb, ripped t-shirts and paint-spattered black jeans eyed me disparagingly.

When I returned to the interview room, my paintings had been packed up and placed outside the door. Goodbye.

I didn’t paint much after that.

In recent years, I decided to experiment with modern art. Here is what I made for the main dining area of our sunroom. It’s my abstract interpretation of a mouth, because, after all, the dining room and the mouth go hand in hand. Eating, laughing, conversation, tasting etc…

Weird abstract mouth painting

I know. It really looks like an obscene internal intestinal organ.

But back to the bit about Dad lying. So he’s been harping on about art class and for years I’ve been ‘too busy’. In a couple of weeks, he’s going into hospital to have a pace-maker fitted. Apparently in the great scheme of medical practices, this isn’t a big deal. But by my reckoning, anything that messes with your heart is pretty major. A guilty conscience started eating away at me. YOU STILL HAVEN”T BEEN TO ART CLASSS WITH YOUR DAD!!! It was a loud voice.

Damn.

Alright already, I’ll go to bloody art class then. And that’s what I did yesterday. Dad was working on a piece from a photo he took on a trip to Europe. Today, his mission was to paint ducks on the lake.

Dad at work…

Artist John Hansen

He did a great job. But he lied. He made out everyone in the class just brought along something they were playing with – that everyone was basically a beginner and I wouldn’t feel out of place. And I knew it was a low-key art school in a back-shed somewhere in Mt Waverly, so I agreed, thinking, ‘This will be a breeze.’

Sue at work

Not exactly. Meet Diana. Practically a professional artist who’s just sold several pieces at her local art show and paints fruit so life-like, it just about jumps out of the bowl.

Nancy

Then there’s Elaine. Elaine can whip up a Matisse-like still life in a matter of seconds. She’d half-finished this number before I’d finished unpacking.

Jennifer’s painting of girls washing hair

And what about Jennifer (not me) who has a painting of Black Caviar with trainer Peter Moody on show right now at THE HIDDEN FACES OF THE ARCHIBALD PORTRAITS EXHIBITION until 28 September? She captures light streaming through a window like Renoir.

Art teacher Peter Smales

Yep, Dad had definitely lied. This was NOT a group of beginners. These were seriously talented artists and professionals. Still, you never stop learning and it was amazing to watch art teacher Peter Smales step in and help tweak a painting, improving it with the lightest touch.

So I guess the time has come for me to overcome my pride and and show you what I came up with…. I went in a completely different direction to everyone else. I’ve got a thing about the fluro fashion that’s everywhere right now, so thought I’d buy some neon paints and experiment.

Keep in mind the masterpices you just saw.

Wait for it…

My finished masterpiece

Work in progress…

As Peter said, I didn’t paint the best piece of the day but I did get first prize for ‘Boldest Picture’. I think that’s a compliment? Bidders welcome.

The Official Jennifer Hansen Website

Thoughts, news and updates from writer & media personality, Jennifer Hansen

Category Archives: Opinion