A lazy Monday afternoon... it doesn't sound quite right, but let's go with it.

Well, here's 2009. Well into it, in fact. Finally got a little time to myself, due to Labour day (god help us when we get Liberal day!) so I'm finally getting around to patching up the old website, making a few changes and ... well ... you're reading the result.

The Big Move happened a month ago or so. I arrived in Melbourne, and set about finding new staff for JMC Music in Melbourne. And may I say, I have managed, with much help, to find the absolute dream team of lecturers this year. Passionate, hard-working and scholarly musicians every single one of them and I am exceptionally lucky.

The only problem, of course, is finding time for my own projects. This weekend is the first one I've managed to take off since I've been down (except for one where my folks visited). And mostly it's been about recovering. I'm trusting that once the semester is up and running again, I can get back to my arranging and recording. I guess it's a common problem for teachers of music, finding the time to do what you want. The balancing act between being an inspiring teacher and being an inspiring performer is a tough one, and one that's going to need a lot of work.

I actually went bush and went horse-riding, courtesy of an old friend, Helen, who lives in the area with her husband. The last time I was horseriding was in 1987 with this girl in Coonabarrabran, and managed to fall off in quite a spectacular fashion. This time, I again, managed to fall off in quite a spectacular fashion. Fortunately, when you're as clumsy as I am, you get quite used to falling over (as many people will testify) and I didn't hurt myself. Helen also posesses the smallest horse in the world (see photo).

So the light is at the end of the tunnel, and you can expect to start seeing some new musical items being posted here soon.