25/9/81

please remember the following are excerpts from mg's diaries. they are more than 25 years old. they don't describe her current life and they tend to be fairly raw and girly. all are 100% true and 100% daggy.

Last night, S, me, D, D and N put on our Antgear and went to see Adam and the Ants. Never have I imagined such a sexual show. They sang most of the "Kings of the Wild Frontier" album and others (Cartrouble, Xerox Machine, Fetish for Girls, You're So Physical).. Also Press Darlings, A.N.T.S to the sound of Village People's YMCA.

Adam danced perfectly, grinding and swivelling at the exact moments, his bum looking great in leather. He was wearing his Hussar jacket and nose stripe and all his warrior gear. After singing, they left the stage at the end of the show, but after about 10 mins of shouting "Adam, Adam" they reappeared, with Adam having discarded his jacket and wearing only pants and white shirt. As he was singing the next song, he slowly began to pull his shirt loose and at the end of the song he had one shoulder bare, with his tattoo showing and shirt all loose. They ran off again, but when they came on next, when the crowd was yelling "Prince Charming!" they sang a slow and sexy number (You're So Physical). During this, Adam seductively removed his shirt, not over his head, but down over his pants - he was so teasingly provocative. Heaps of girls near the stage had to be carried out and I can see why. He is really provocative! Fair enough, he doesn't drink, smoke or take drugs*, but he does believe in sex - PURE SEX.

The music was great - he sang to the sex people in the audience, telling us to hold our heads high, take pride in ourselves. It was so colourful and so diverse. People of all ages - boys with warrior paint and girls too. There were two guys dressed like Adam and Gary Tibb. The one dressed like Adam also looked like him and S and I stared at him until the real one came on. He put his all into the concert, speak only to dedicate Los Rancheros to Clint Eastwood and asking the audience if they wanted "more". He gave us more, at times on the ground, other times doing his Ant dance which only lasts for a couple of seconds at a time.

I want to go next Wednesday. I went to the bank this afternoon and got money. I know Mum will be in opposition but I want to go so much, especially if S goes. E [sister] will be mad if she doesn't go.

27/9/81

[got more tickets for the next show, going again with a bunch of other people, including sister]

E's costume looks really good - like Robin Hood. She's wearing her red nightie (complete with frills) black tights, my white blouse underneath, and thick black belt. Looks GOOD and it's different.

What I would really love to wear is a frock like in "Picnic at Hanging Rock".**

29/9/81

All systems go tomorrow. S and I are putting our plan into action. We're going into the Southern Cross tomorrow straight from school - what will I tell mum? I think I'll just tell her I'm going shopping. I shouldn't be too late him. I have to go to the concert tomorrow night - CAN'T WAIT!

I heard Adam talking on 3XY tonight and he said he was feeling fit for the show tomorrow night, he'd had a massage. Hmmmm... lucky bitch! Maybe it was a guy, hope so.

Inside the book [picture story book of Waltzing Mathilda] S and I are going to write something to the effect of:

Dear Adam and the Ants,

Welcome to Australia. Hope you enjoy your stay.

From MG & S.

Then we'll put in an extra card to Adam:

Dear Adam,

We really enjoyed the concert and hope you did too.

Lots of love,

MG & S.

(and then our addresses and phone nos.)

It's mad and terribly immature - but then I've never professed to be sane and mature, have I? I'd love him to write, ring or even send his autograph. There's always a chance he will cause it's a good book called "Waltzing Mathilda" with lovely pictures!

It's our only hope!

I wish I could get his autograph for E. What a buzz! Apparently, LD told me, that when the Ants arrived in Melbourne, Molly Meldrum threw them a party - but as Adam isn't interested in smoking, drink or drugs, he left after the first fifteen minutes - GOOD HEY?!?

I'm wondering whether CHOGM tomorrow won't hinder S's and my access to the Southern Cross. I would just be so mad!

* * * *

Rocktober 1st

Today S and I put our plan into action. We caught the tram to the city after school. On the tram we wrote in the book. We then walked to the Southern Cross. After trying to get into the lobbt at the side (it was locked) we went to the main door, only to be confronted by a group of fans and cameras and autograph books. S and I asked an old doorman if there was any way he could leave the book at the lobby desk. He said if we got it wrapped up and labelled he would. So we went into a posh antique shop and borrowed some sticky tape and rewrapped the book and card in brown paper. On the front we wrote:

TO: ADAM AND THE ANTS.

PLEASE DELIVER PERSONALLY.

THANK YOU.

Then we went back to the doorman and he said we could take it in ourselves. So we very coolly walked through the fans to the lobby (where they weren't allowed) and left it at the desk. So it should get to them. I would be satisfied if Adam sent back a little thankyou note. Mmmmm, would I be satisfied!!!

FIRST OF ROCKTOBER 1981.

[insert sketch of balloons, cake with candles and butterfly]

AS DEVO SAYS: IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WORLD.

When I get the lyrics for "Beautiful World" I'll write them in here because I think they're good. Pretty optimistic and happy, I think, but I can't be sure because Devo is an obscure band and their lyrics are not always as they seem. [insert, written in green pen, however long later - Correction: It's cynical!]

I'm playing a cassette, on which I have three interviews with Adam Ant. The first Don Lane one, the "Sounds" one and Monday night's 3XY one.

I think I would suffer accute embarrassment if anybody read this diary... In fact... I know I would. The only person who would understand at the moment is... mmm. I don't know if even N would, I'm not sure. But that's the beauty of having a diary - no one reads it except me. Just ask Anne Frank!

At the moment on the tape Don Lane is making a fool of himself, but Adam sounds perfect. As always...

Don Lane is a SUCK. He keeps interrupting Adam and laughing in a really fake, unsure way. It shits me.

At the concert last night, Sally Boyden and friends were walking past the seats down the middle of the hall. Everyone stood up and started booing her - quite mean.

Last night (early this morning) I dreamt. It was the first time Adam has appeared in a dream... Anyway, I shook hands with him. Then later on, he and his mates were dropping me home in a car and as I got out I said "Can I kiss you?" and I did - ON THE LIPS.

[this is the end of Volume 2]




* now, with my 17-year-old naivety having been beaten out of me in the years since, i believe this equates with britney spears's proclamations of virginity when she was going out with justin and his trousersnake.

** 2012 note - OMFG

wedding wrap up

hello all. i'm not sure what i was waiting for. i guess we came back to earth with a bit of a thud, or i did, just with kids back to school, kids, that three of them, buzzing around and blowing every bit of the magic away.

you know, i love them, love them all, but you can't have a conversation like this with a 10 year old:

me: so, did you enjoy the wedding?

princess: [grabbing my arm] oh, yes. sorry to gush but it was absolutely the best wedding i've ever been to, the food, OH MY GOD THE FOOD, it was simply delicious and hot, all the meals were hot, the servicve was fantastic.

me: i'm glad you had a good time then-

princess: and the MUSIC, it was sooooo good. i loved your first dance, it was funny and so apt, also the last bit, where everyone was joining in, i can't wait to see the video. when do you get the photos?

me: um, i think he said a couple of weeks

princess: well, i can't wait to see them, they'll be beautiful, YOU looked beautiful

get the picture? the conversations went more like when you ask them how school was, and the answers consist of "good" and "i don't know".

but, the venues were spectacular, we got many compliments on the food, music, spectacular surroundings, celebrant, the Dress, how gorgeous the children looked, the family atmosphere and the symbolism of merging these two families.

the weather was superb - mild and summery, it was just perfect.

after leaving the reception in a swirl of dance and laughter we jumped into a car that took us back to the hotel in the city. the one with l'occitane accoutrements in the bathrooms. the one with king suites that are on a corner of the building and overlook the mcg, fitzroy gardens, over to south yarra and the domain, around up the yarra to the arts centre, crown, southbank and eureka tower. we could see out to the ocean, and to the dandenongs and the other hills to the left of the dandenongs. beautiful. we had what i wanted, a lost-in-translation type hotel experience, without the loneliness and angst. we drifted around the city, we ate at oyster, oh god you must go there. the most perfect and simple meal of freshly-shucked oysters, followed by i think a grain-fed beef sirloin on the bone, it was huge, 450g, so much meat i couldn't eat it all but i remember saying it was the best i'd ever had, and a special on the day, with mash potato and we got some sort of greens. dessert was tiramisu served from a huge copper flat pan at the table. the wine, tick. the atmosphere, tick. the service, tick.

oh and we'd started with a vodka martini at the bar.

so a perfect mini-honeymoon.

but then back to reality, and i just haven't been able to bring myself to write about it here. a bit flat i guess but i'm ok. you know when there is a big build-up to something and then it's all over just like that?

but the next thing is the trip, oh excitement much. seriously, there is so much pleasure in looking at apartments in venice on the internet and getting all jiggly and stuff with anticipation.

i've told john i will have sex with him each of the three nights we are in venice if we can get the [more expensive] apartment that i prefer, which is seriously venetian. compared to the others, which could be anywhere, like anywhere, this one is the real deal.

check it.

to the dark side

i've had a wart on my finger since i was in my teens, i think. it seems it's always been there, always a part of me. it's really two warts, that have merged together, in some way romantic, a joining of two which have become one larger, stronger, but uglier, thing.

two weeks ago i bought some wart stuff. some killer paint that stinks and promises to get rid of my wart, as well as the roots, if it's a plantar type.

i don't really know what a plantar wart is, but it sounds like a heavier version of just a normal wart. of course my wart would never be a simple little easy-to-cure matter. it would have to be of the industrial strength.

my wart is not small, and it's not like a little bump on the surface of my skin. it's spread, and it looks kind of transparent. i have bitten it off at times, the raised bit. i fiddle with it, flick it with my thumb. it annoys the shit out of people probably.

so why, when this wart has been a companion for so long, have i decided to get rid of it?

why now?

i'm not quite sure, but i think it's meaningful. in some ways i guess i am wanting to rid myself of my baggage.

but a wart is not baggage, you say.

well, it kind of is, i reply. to me, it's something i've carried long distances, through time, it's been on me, not weighing much, but there all the same. my wart has been with me longer than almost everyone i know.

about a week ago the wart was raising up, something was happening. it was like it was pushing to the surface. it kind of lifted up at one side, and i worked it, and worried at it, and pulled off that thick layer of skin. expecting to see the underneath a bit cleared, a bit healed, a bit better.

but it just looked the same as before, really.

it was then i realised this wart is a bitch, and it will take time to get rid of it. this wart is a stayer, and it doesn't want to leave me. this wart has dug its heels in, taken a pew, gotten comfortable.

this wart might take years to cure.

so every night, i'll keep painting it with the smelly clear liquid. i'll wait and see what happens. i'll watch my wart, i'll monitor it. and hope that one day it will be gone.