Fat, Forty and Fired by Nigel Marsh
Fat, Forty and Fired is an entertaining story of someone who was fired at the top of his career. Does this sound familiar? Are you stressed? Are you trying desperately to have work/balance in your life? Nigel loses his job and decides to take a year off to take stock of his life. He realises that he is an alcoholic. He tries to master hands-on parenting and he loses 20 kilos. At times you can’t stop laughing at the things he does while looking after his four children. He looks at things differently now. He suggests that we should praise ourselves for small victories rather than beat ourselves up for failures for not having perfect lives. He has stopped looking for perfection. This book is hilarious and thought provoking. It is an account of a man losing his job and finding his life.
31 July 2008
21 July 2008
Greatest fiction characters
The ABC's First Tuesday Book Club is planning a special episode titled Greatest Characters From Fiction and wants suggestions about which characters should feature.
Visit the First Tuesday Book Club web site for more information.
Visit the First Tuesday Book Club web site for more information.
"Spies, sisters, and the impact big events have on little people"
Author Ursula Dubosarksy's The Red Shoe has been adapted for theatre and will be performed by the Jigsaw Theatre Company at the Street Theatre from 28 August to 6 September.
Growing up “in a house far away... deep in the bush” in 1954, there are many things six-year-old Matilda doesn’t understand: Why is her father away so much? Are the mysterious men who moved into the house next door really spies? Why doesn’t her older sister, Elizabeth ever want to go back to school? Why won’t her middle-sister, Frances speak? And how can she win the “most interesting pet” prize at school for her sad mother with the beautiful hair?
Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the adaptation of this acclaimed novel by Jigsaw explores the human drive to find ways to make sense of our surroundings. Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytale, the Petrov affair, and the continuing aftershocks of a world war intermingle in this richly layered exploration of a family’s secrets and ultimate redemption.
Following on from the success of Emma’s Dynasty (Winner Canberra Critics’ Circle Award), this stunning visual production features a large tree that overshadows a domestic setting echoing the impact external pressures can have on ordinary life and uses projections, newsreels and historic footage from the Cold War in Australia whose sources include the National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra.
A funny, fierce yet tender, award winning treat!
Growing up “in a house far away... deep in the bush” in 1954, there are many things six-year-old Matilda doesn’t understand: Why is her father away so much? Are the mysterious men who moved into the house next door really spies? Why doesn’t her older sister, Elizabeth ever want to go back to school? Why won’t her middle-sister, Frances speak? And how can she win the “most interesting pet” prize at school for her sad mother with the beautiful hair?
Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the adaptation of this acclaimed novel by Jigsaw explores the human drive to find ways to make sense of our surroundings. Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytale, the Petrov affair, and the continuing aftershocks of a world war intermingle in this richly layered exploration of a family’s secrets and ultimate redemption.
Following on from the success of Emma’s Dynasty (Winner Canberra Critics’ Circle Award), this stunning visual production features a large tree that overshadows a domestic setting echoing the impact external pressures can have on ordinary life and uses projections, newsreels and historic footage from the Cold War in Australia whose sources include the National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra.
A funny, fierce yet tender, award winning treat!
17 July 2008
Get started with Scrabble
Scrabble enthusiasts are invited to join Kippax Library's social scrabble group. Beginners and experienced players of all ages are welcome.
Wednesdays
2.00pm - 4.00pm
Looking for scrabble web sites? Check out:
Wednesdays
2.00pm - 4.00pm
Looking for scrabble web sites? Check out:
Literature Map exploration
If you are looking for new authors to read, try experimenting with Literature Map. Enter an author's name and you will retrieve a visual "map" of other authors you might like to try. Each name on the map is a link which lets you further expand your search.
Click on the following author's names to view the literature maps for Isabelle Allende, John Grisham, J.K. Rowling, Garth Nix, and William Shakespeare.
Click on the following author's names to view the literature maps for Isabelle Allende, John Grisham, J.K. Rowling, Garth Nix, and William Shakespeare.
11 July 2008
Turboslam
If you are "passionate about words, energy and breaking the boundaries of communication" then you might be interested in regular Turboslam events and workshops held in Canberra.
Slam poetry is described as "poetry reading on steroids. Poets perform original material under 3 minutes for glory and cash prizes. It’s competitive, dirty, loud and high octane."
For more information, visit the Turboslam web site.
Slam poetry is described as "poetry reading on steroids. Poets perform original material under 3 minutes for glory and cash prizes. It’s competitive, dirty, loud and high octane."
For more information, visit the Turboslam web site.
Best of the Booker
Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children has been announced as the "Best of the Booker". The short list for this award was selected by a panel of judges, before the final decision being made through a vote by the general public.
07 July 2008
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week celebrations began yesterday and the focus city for 2008 is Canberra! A range of events are taking place throughout the week, including:
- Flag Raising Ceremony - today at 11am
- Movie Day at ANU
- Indigenous Sports Day
- Wiradjuri Echo dance workshop
- Memorial service to honour Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Service Personnel
- Touch Football competition
- Indigenous guided walk at Tidbinbilla
- Family softball day
- Golf day
- Gugan Gulwan youth NAIDOC disco
- Trivia night
- NAIDOC on the Peninsula - entertainment, market stalls and more
- A range of exhibitions
04 July 2008
Staying healthy
A series of three informative and interactive peer education sessions presented by the Council on the Ageing (ACT) will be held at Dickson Library on Tuesdays from 11.00am-12.00pm starting on 29 July. Bookings are essential, phone 62059000.
Generic and Quality Use of Medicines - Tuesday 29 July
This session promotes active involvement in your health care, and will inform you about the possibility of drug interactions, both prescriptions, over-the-counter, herbal and natural. It will give you the tools to manage your medication and those you care for. It will also provide avenues for consumers to pursue better health care management for themselves. It will tell you what a generic medicine is, how you can make an informed decision when the pharmacist asks “Would you like a cheaper version?”, what the differences and similarities are between brand name and generic medicines are, and how to best manage a change.
BeyondMaturityBlues: Depression and Older People - Tuesday 5 August
COTA’s most recent partnership is with BeyondBlue, the national depression initiative, for the project BeyondMaturityBlues. Depression in older people is often ignored or misdiagnosed due to a vast array of reasons. Did you know that one in five people will experience depression in their lifetime and the highest suicide rate is in men in their 80s? Depression is more than just feeling blue and people need to know how to spot changes in people that may indicate a bout of depression.
Moving Right Along: Falls Prevention and Mobility - Tuesday 12 August
This session focuses on trip and slip hazards in everyday life, how best to maintain maximum mobility, things that change in life as you age and how to manage them to live more independently and healthily. For example, did you know that at age 65, you need three times the illumination to see well than when you were 20? Small changes can be made with maximum positive impact.
Generic and Quality Use of Medicines - Tuesday 29 July
This session promotes active involvement in your health care, and will inform you about the possibility of drug interactions, both prescriptions, over-the-counter, herbal and natural. It will give you the tools to manage your medication and those you care for. It will also provide avenues for consumers to pursue better health care management for themselves. It will tell you what a generic medicine is, how you can make an informed decision when the pharmacist asks “Would you like a cheaper version?”, what the differences and similarities are between brand name and generic medicines are, and how to best manage a change.
BeyondMaturityBlues: Depression and Older People - Tuesday 5 August
COTA’s most recent partnership is with BeyondBlue, the national depression initiative, for the project BeyondMaturityBlues. Depression in older people is often ignored or misdiagnosed due to a vast array of reasons. Did you know that one in five people will experience depression in their lifetime and the highest suicide rate is in men in their 80s? Depression is more than just feeling blue and people need to know how to spot changes in people that may indicate a bout of depression.
Moving Right Along: Falls Prevention and Mobility - Tuesday 12 August
This session focuses on trip and slip hazards in everyday life, how best to maintain maximum mobility, things that change in life as you age and how to manage them to live more independently and healthily. For example, did you know that at age 65, you need three times the illumination to see well than when you were 20? Small changes can be made with maximum positive impact.
School holidays begin tomorrow
The library's school holiday program has again proven extremely popular, with many sessions booked out quickly. Activities still available include:
If you are also looking for other activities, why not try:
- Creative Journeys Writing Workshop at Tuggeranong
- Manga Workshop at Kippax and Woden
- A Morning In Ancient China at Kippax, Tuggeranong and Gungahlin
If you are also looking for other activities, why not try:
02 July 2008
Something for Tashi fans
Fans of the Tashi books for children will be excited to find there is now a web site dedicated to the popular character.
The site is full of information about the books, their creators (Anna Fienberg, Barbara Fienberg, and Kim Gamble), and the characters themselves. Also included are printable puzzles and colouring sheets for children, reviews and ideas for parents and teachers, and an online newsletter.
Visit TashiBooks.com to explore the web site.
The site is full of information about the books, their creators (Anna Fienberg, Barbara Fienberg, and Kim Gamble), and the characters themselves. Also included are printable puzzles and colouring sheets for children, reviews and ideas for parents and teachers, and an online newsletter.
Visit TashiBooks.com to explore the web site.
Public access to Archives ACT begins
Archives ACT provides access to publicly available ACT Government records older than 20 years. Yesterday, 1 July, they officially opened to the public for the first time.
"ACT Government archives are the relevant records of the activities and processes that demonstrate to present and future generations this Territory’s experience, aspirations, challenges, successes, failures and unique national contribution. Archives are in many forms including, files, maps, house plans, photographs, tapes, discs and objects.
To assist in accessing the records, Archives ACT:
Note: There is not a single archives repository.
"ACT Government archives are the relevant records of the activities and processes that demonstrate to present and future generations this Territory’s experience, aspirations, challenges, successes, failures and unique national contribution. Archives are in many forms including, files, maps, house plans, photographs, tapes, discs and objects.
To assist in accessing the records, Archives ACT:
- contacts agencies on behalf of requestors;
- checks that the archives do not contain material that is exempt from public access;
- makes arrangements for the requestor to view the archives in a secure reading room;
- makes arrangements for any reproduction of the contents;
- assists in locating the agency copyright holder to facilitate the permissions process; and
- writes finding aids and research guides to assist members of the public in locating records in the sphere of interest."
Note: There is not a single archives repository.
01 July 2008
Get it out. Get it Published.
Get it out. Get it Published: A workshop for 14-24 year olds with Rachel Longhurst
Saturday 5 July
1pm-5pm
Writing articles and short stories for magazines and journals is a great place for novice writers to start building their writing portfolios. The ACT Writers Centre and lip magazine are running a workshop for aspiring young writers who are interested in advice about how to get articles and short stories published.
Rachel Longhurst is the editor of lip, a glossy alternative magazine for young women. Rachel is currently studying a Grad Dip of Professional Writing at UC whilst working on a novel.
Venue: ACT Writers Centre, Gorman House, Ainslie Ave, Braddon
Cost: $40 members, $70 non-members.
Bookings: By phone 62629191 or online at www.actwriters.org.au/workshops
Saturday 5 July
1pm-5pm
Writing articles and short stories for magazines and journals is a great place for novice writers to start building their writing portfolios. The ACT Writers Centre and lip magazine are running a workshop for aspiring young writers who are interested in advice about how to get articles and short stories published.
Rachel Longhurst is the editor of lip, a glossy alternative magazine for young women. Rachel is currently studying a Grad Dip of Professional Writing at UC whilst working on a novel.
Venue: ACT Writers Centre, Gorman House, Ainslie Ave, Braddon
Cost: $40 members, $70 non-members.
Bookings: By phone 62629191 or online at www.actwriters.org.au/workshops
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