Greetings from the Coalface

Today finds me at work on the second day of hopefully my last year in the workforce.

Just before Christmas we were compelled to move, once again, one floor up to make room for new employees engaged in Nation Building. At least my section only had to move floors, as the desks we are now occupying used to belong to employees forced to move to another building altogether.

After sitting at my former desk for three years or so, it takes a bit of getting used to. One has to remember to press the correct floor button in the lift, and get accustomed to the layout of the new floor, which admittedly is pretty much the same as the old one, but with slight variations. We still have small partitioned workspaces, though I must admit this new desk space has room for a bookcase on which to pile stuff. It’s an improvement, in fact.

Anyway, I tell myself that it’s only for a year and then I can depart forever into blissful retirement, so these minor glitches hardly bother me. Truth to tell I’m sick of work and bored with what I do there and I have a problem seeing eye to eye with my boss.

Toil on I must and simulate professional dedication, even if I long for freedom.

Fortunately there is the first in store of the year at Basement Discs this Thursday lunchtime to look forward to. It promises to be a good one – when are they not? US rockabilly artist Rosie Flores is the performer this week. I saw her many years ago at the Continental. She’s only doing a few small shows this time as she is not officially touring. A fan is bringing her from New Zealand where she has been on a writing holiday.

So Melburnians, if you’re not doing anything at 12.45pm on Thursday take this rare opportunity to see Rosie Flores live.

Also not to be missed, Charlie Parr, ace guitarist and highly engaging country blues artist, will be performing at Basement Discs later this month.

I was pleased to discover today that Mary Gauthier is scheduled for two concerts in Melbourne. One is at the East Brunswick Club on 26th March, the same date as Lyle Lovett’s concert, so I was disappointed that I wouldn’t get a chance to see her. Now I find out she’ll be doing a show at the Brunswick Town Hall as part of the Brunswick Music Festival program.