Author Archives: Tom
I Stand For Mercy
Please sign the petition here.
2 – Kate Doak
Kate Doak is a freelance investigative journalist who runs her own current affairs website (thedeadlynewt.com) and writes and reports for numerous publications.
She is a proud transwoman who’s passionate about confronting transphobia and other forms of discrimination facing the LGBTIQ community. Listen to hear about her coming out story (both of them), the physical threats trans people still face and the importance of language and visibility.
Cause of the Week: The Safe Schools Coalition
For more info check out The Gender Centre & short film In My Shoes
1 – Samah Hadid
Samah Hadid is a human rights and social justice campaigner who’s worked with the Global Poverty Project, the UN and grass-roots organisations all over the world.
She very kindly sat down with me in a Bankstown cafe to talk about being called a terrorist, wearing (and not wearing) a veil, Charlie Hebdo, foreign aid and being addicted to warzones.
Cause of the Week: www.globalpovertyproject.com
Featured
This is my free weekly podcast in which I sit down with interesting people and have them explain stuff to my dumb head.
I ask activists, advocates, politicians, journalists, writers, comedians and pretty much anyone else out there to tell me who they are and what they believe in and hopefully we’ll all learn some stuff along the way and hey maybe laugh a bit why the hell not lol.
You can subscribe to the show on iTunes here or via libsyn here.
A Letter to My 17-Year-Old Self
Dear Tom,
Please put down that “sandwich” of toasted bread and tomato sauce* and listen to me.
Firstly, I’m sorry that this message from the future isn’t too glitzy. I imagine it’s a bit disappointing that your future self is communicating to you via a letter; generally you want your messages from the future to be delivered via a hologram or a robot or something. Future you (aka me) is doing okay, but we’ve all got our budgets, particularly in this economy.
By the end of this year you will finish Year 12 with a high score (that’s not quite as high as your brother’s was), you will turn 18, you will not go on Schoolies because it clashes with musical theatre camp and you will audition for the top acting courses in the country and not get into any of them.
You will not even get a call-back from NIDA even though you thought the man running the auditions liked the look of you (don’t flatter yourself, honey).
Read the rest on Junkee here.
WTF Mars One
My friend Elmo Keep has written this sprawling, fascinating mind-fuck of an article about the Mars One mission. It’s long, but I really think it’s well worth your time.
January 21st: Comedy(ish)
I’m MCing this tremendous night of cool people trying out new jokes on Wednesday January 21st.
Tickets are just $10 and you can grab them here.
A Very Green Guide Christmas
‘Twas a Christmas miracle when Steele Saunders invited myself and Tommy Dassalo into his podcasting lounge for a Chrissie edition of ILGGL. Enjoy it here.
Season’s Greetings!
My Top 10 Tracks Of 2014
Seems everyone is talking about the #Hottest100…
I can’t believe those people were in the room at the SAME TIME?!?!?!?!
See what you make of my favourite tunes of the year (here in no particular order) and then get voting yourself on the triple j website here.
Jungle – Busy Earnin’
Undeniable banger, awesome film clip, was used in the promos for Broad City – what else do ya want???
The Kite String Tangle – Arcadia
Given The Chance was so damn catchy and striking, KTST had a lot to live up to, and I reckon he totally nailed it with this pop gem. This bittersweet love song about people trying and giving up gives me chills every time I hear it.
Robert Plant – Rainbow
You know how there are some legacy acts out there that you see every now and again and you think “Oh that’s nice to see him/her because s/he is still around and s/he is a musical legend and their older music means a lot to me but I can’t imagine they’re STILL writing good songs?”
That’s what I thought when I saw Robert Plant on The Colbert Report earlier this year. And then he played this. And yes, it’s kind of cheesey hippy love-rock, but fuck it – that’s right up my alley.
Against Me! – FUCKMYLIFE666
A great song in its own right, but framed by the story of Laura Jane Grace, the lead singer of a power-punk band that bravely and proudly came out as transgender, then released a corker of an album in Transgender Dysphoria Blues, it becomes seminal. I love the feeling of a song hitting you full in the face, stirring something deep inside you as you slowly realise that truly, you’re listening to an ANTHEM.
No more troubled sleep, there’s a brave new world that’s raging inside of me!
Courtney Barnett – Bein’ Around
A perfect cover of a perfect song.
Taylor Swift – Shake It Off
#SorryNotSorry
Snakehips – Days With You (Feat. Sinead Harnett)
CHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON. Straight up.
Sun Kil Moon – I Can’t Live Without My Mother’s Love
Benji is my favourite album of the year, even though it took my heart and jumped on it and wrenched it out and shot it and sliced and diced it over and over. This gorgeously simple folk tribute from a son to his mother makes me cry and even more thankful for the women in my life.
Phantogram – Fall In Love
There’s so much going on in this and I’m happy about all of it. I must have listened to this at least 100 times now and every time I do, I find something new. It’s dense, interesting and confronting pop that still manages to be a bunch of fun and convey the sporadic euphoria and darkness of falling for someone.
Kimbra – 90s music
Nothing gives me a music-stiffy quicker than an artist making a statement and presenting the world with their singular, uncompromised vision. Kimbra just doesn’t give a fuck: she makes the demented pop she wants to make and presents it with gusto. I just love her, I loved her record, I loved her performing this on Letterman and yes, I love 90s music (and listening to it erry day). \m/