Marc L. Latham's Blog, page 52

Body, Mind and Spirit Comedy

Hi, it’s Greenygrey. I hope you enjoyed the Bergen photos. While travelling can seem like living a fantasy, Werewolf of Oz: Fantasy Travel by Google Maps is really a fantasy travelling book. I’m sure you’ve all been trying to work out the answer to Holly Valance‘s bubble and squeak teaser; unless you already know it!; so I think it’s time to head down under to the Werewolf of Oz for some comedy satire.

Holly Valance Married Werewolf of Oz on Smashwords 

I’m delighted to say that Werewolf of Oz: Fantasy Travel by Google Maps was published on Smashwords yesterday, so it’s available for lots more Ereaders now: 40% of the book is available to read for free.

It is still available from Amazon for paperback and kindle, with image and link at end of this post.

Holly Valance has married billionaire Nick Candy since we met her, so her life has run a pretty parallel course with Grey, who is of course reunited with Green.

Body, Mind and Spirit; and Quiet Hero

We wish Holly and Nick all the best for their marriage. While it was great to meet Holly in these episodes the main theme of this episode is the coming together of the team using the body, mind and spirit attributes they’d previously lost confidence in; as the Lion, Tinman and Scarecrow discovered they had all the courage, heart and brains they needed in the original Wizard of Oz.

And the quiet character coming good.

And no amount of additional ingredients could make Holly’s bubble and squeak smell any tastier than that day we met her on the outskirts of Gillian Taylforth… or was it Mel something.

77.  BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT… AND BONZ THINK of MELBOURNE

Tension

is no fun

when bubble

and squeak

free to dine

is on the line.

The Mind

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Angry Anderson “Rose Tattoo” (Photo credit: Rossco ( Image Focus Australia ))

We tried to think how the name Gillian Taylforth was connected to Mel Gibson, but couldn’t work out any significant associations. Then Angry suggested the city might have another name.

I thought that might not be as crazy as it first sounded.

The Spirit

Ben racing Cathy Freeman (Photo credit: travelskerricks)

I remembered then that I had indeed renamed it before we arrived, but couldn’t for the life of me recall another name for it.

I felt dejected, but then Cathy gave a pep talk to raise our spirits, before offering to run back to the city to check the name.

I had renewed hope.

The Body

Elle Mcpherson (Photo credit: isriya)

Elle thanked Angry and Cathy, and said they’d done enough; she’d like to make a contribution and check the city’s name. So Elle rushed back to the city, and when she returned she said she’d seen a sign saying Welcome to Melbourne.

Yes, that was it; that was its name before I renamed it.

The Bonz

It had been an outstanding team effort; utilising body, mind and spirit in the nick of time. I thanked them all. I wondered if their efforts had also answered the second question, because Melbourne sounded like it could well have been named after Mel Gibson.

Cover of Bon Scott

I put this to the team, hoping Angry would continue his good mind form. But before Angry could say a word, Bonzo piped up, ‘Oh, Melbourne, that’s easy, I grew up here. No, it wasn’t named after Mel Gibson, it was after that pommie guy, William Lamb – 2nd Viscount Melbourne. Mel Gibson was in fact born in New York.’

We all looked at Bonzo in amazement, before giving him a big hug.

The Tucker

We gave the answers to Holly Valance, and she said:

‘You had your chance

and now you can hanch

on my best and scrumptious

bubble and squeak.’

We tucked in.

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Notes 

William Lamb, the 2nd Viscount Melbourne, was Queen Victoria’s first Prime-Minister, and lived between 1779-1848.

pommie – Aussie slang for a Briton.

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Bergen’s Bryggen Old Docks Unesco Site Photos

Hi, it’s Jack Wolfpac, back with the second part of yesterday and today’s double-day simultaneous Bergen city blogcast with the travel25years blog. Today, that blog has (link to site) colourful photos of some sparkling buildings in Bergen’s UNESCO site old docks of Bryggen, while this blog focuses on the greenygrey ones in and around Bryggen.

Bergen’s Bryggen and Neighbouring Areas Photos 

The second and third photos are from the Old Town a little behind Bryggen, and fourth and fifth towards the pedestrian area from Bryggen, but all are either in Bryggen or within easy walking distance.

After my camera ran out of batteries on Day 3 I returned on Day 4 to get the other side of the people’s monument, which is photo 4.

Greenygrey Interesting Background Features

Eagle-eyed greenygreyliens might spot a double greenygrey in this double-day blogcast in photo 5, with the statue in the foreground and roof in the background.

In photo 6 you can see the Floibanen funicular in the background. This is a popular tourist attraction providing transport up to Mount Floyen (320 metres) for a good view over Bergen.

You can see larger images by clicking on them.

travel25years Bryggen photos

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Bergen is Burgundy and Greenygrey in Norway

Hi, it’s Jack Wolfpac, legendary travel correspondent at the Greenygrey. When I travelled to Bergen recently I expected it to be all burgundy coloured. So I was delighted to see there was a fine selection of greenygrey. Maybe it’s Burgundy in France that is burgundy?

Bergen Greenygrey Photos

In a double-day simultaneous blogcast with Marc Latham’s travel25years blog we’ve divided the photos into pre-Bryggen (the UNESCO site old docks) today, and Bryggen tomorrow; and greenygrey photos here and non-greenygrey ones over at the travel25years blog; although there is some greenygrey in those too!

So hopefully you’ll visit both sites on both days… there’s also a Bergen south blog preceding today’s blog over on travel25years that I haven’t had time to report here; and it includes a sunbeam through storm photo I like.

But don’t rush over yet, because here’s our pre-Bryggen greenygrey Bergen photos (you can see larger images by clicking on the photos):

Edvard Greig statue under greenygrey roof.

Ole Bull statue.

Logen theatre statue.

Totem pole in greenygrey setting in Nordnesparken, Bergen’s western promontory.

Haakon’s Hall, inside Bergenhus Fortress; greenygrey dating from the 13th century.

Link to: travel25years pre-Bryggen

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Holly Valance’s Melbourne Riddle for Werewolf of Ozzers

Hi, it’s Greenygrey. It’s that end of the week time of the week, which means it’s time for the second episode of Werewolf of Oz: Fantasy Travel by Google Maps. This one leaves off where the last ended; but we remembered to add that Hoppers Crossing and Riddells Creek are real places for this one… as well as Niddrie and Sunbury.

Kangaroos @ Riddells Creek Treetop Scout camp (Photo credit: Ryk Neethling)

Travel Quest Riddles

While Hoppers Crossing only plays a little part in the unfolding story played out over two chapters/episodes, Riddells Creek proves essential.

That is because a riddle creaking with nonsense is set in this episode over four literary nonsense poems. Then the Werewolf of Ozzers try and answer it in the next.

All great travel quests contain many smaller hurdles and tasks before the denouement; physical and riddle; and it was no different for the Werewolf of Ozzers. Most also contain beautiful women, and the Werewolf of Oz is no different.

It is probably different in having bubble and squeak play such an important part in the storyline!

76.  HOLLY VALANCE HALTS OUR ADVANCE WITH A GAME OF CHANCE 

Kermit (Photo credit: musicwala)

A frog fellow called Kermit Croaking helped us across Hoppers Crossing, before we got an easy ride with Dennis, Peter and Jack all the way to Gillian Taylforth. We said goodbye to the Easy Riders on the edge of the city, before continuing by foot and paw.

We went walkie

up to Niddrie,

perused Sunbury,

were told of hungry,

by a honey bee,

so we continued northerly.

Holly Valance’s Bubble and Squeak Riddle at Riddells Creek

Some girls (Photo credit: trixie)

We were beyond peckish by the time we reached Riddells Creek; so we were delighted to see the Best and Scrumptious Bubble and Squeak stall on the side of the road.

We asked the woman at the stall how much it was for the fine looking fayre on offer. She replied:

My name is Holly Valance

and I’m going to give you a chance

to win all you can eat for free

by just answering a riddle or three.

Travelling Tribe Accept the Valance Challenge

I replied:

‘We have faced many challenges on our journey,

so one or three more

is not as daunting a prospect

as it might have been a year ago.’

Holly Valance said that was great to hear,

and she was confident we would not err.

Bubble & Squeak relocate (Photo credit: erase)

Then she revealed our Riddells Creek riddle, which had two parts. Firstly, she asked us to name the city we had just been in; and secondly, whether it was named such because Mel Gibson was born there.

Bubble and Squeak Speak

We got in a huddle,

over a squeaky puddle,

ready to answer the Valance

knowing we could leave nothing to chance

for our bellies were starting to rumble

in need of a big brunch of bubble.

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Notes 

Easy Riders film and actors (Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson).

Holly Valance (actress/singer).

Mel Gibson (actor)

Hoppers Crossing, Niddrie, Sunbury and Riddells Creek are real places.

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Rafa Nadal French Open Final for Team GG

Hi, it’s Martin ‘Werewolfie’ Adams, comedy satire sports correspondent at the Greenygrey. Great news for Team GG yesterday, as Rafa Nadal won through to tomorrow’s French Open men’s final at Roland Garros. We’re celebrating today with a fantastic French Open google-searched greenygrey photo special.

Rafa Nadal v Novak Djokovic

We had some mixed feelings yesterday, as Rafa Nadal wore an away Team GG kit, while Novak Djokovic almost wore greenygrey.

With Nadal the werewolf of the top men’s players, and Federer the vampire, Djokovic must be the very strong and good looking (being diplomatic not gay for all homophobic people) Frankenstein.

So in the end, we had to plump for Nadal… after he won! Commiserations to Djokovic, who reminded us of our close letter relative F in defeat, with our G(G) getting all the gglory in recent years.

French Open Losing Competitors like Fs

So, wishing the weekend’s finalists luck, we remember those who took part too, as we can relate to them in the letter world: there would be no G without an F before it.

And maybe the F would be where the G is today, if it hadn’t shared the F sound with PH. So, here’s some fun fantastic French Open photos… in glorious greenygrey:

French Open 2013 Fun Fantastic Photos

Rafa Nadal in classic Team GG French Open action:

The problem wearing greenygrey @ Garros: camouflage:

This non-TeamGG player’s cunning clay-greenygrey camouflage?:

 

This non-TeamGG player regrets not wearing greenygrey:

Never mind the Mexican wave! Crowd get into greenygreying:

It works: tournament officals provide more greenygrey!:

What they are all playing for: nice greenygrey presentation!:

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Putting Australia on the Map… Here’s Geelong

Hi, it’s Greenygrey. I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s epic culture comedy poem. I think you might have enjoyed it more if Marc Latham had added that Hamlyn Heights, Corio, Lara, Avalon, Cocoroc and the M1 road are all real places around Geelong in Victoria in the Notes.

Geelong Map Show Werewolf of Oz Place Names

And here are the place names on the Google Geelong map; linking to Google Maps if it’s too small below. Can you find all the place names? I hadn’t realised there’s a Lara and an Avalon; quite a coincidence after Lara Croft Avalon; and quite near to each other.

Australian Place Names on the Map

We hope that appearing in the Werewolf of Oz book provides a thrill for the people involved in the places, and fans of the media/music etc; as appearing in The Simpsons is supposed to be.

While it probably won’t mean much to people from Sydney and Melbourne, who are used to their cities being featured in the media, hopefully it will be to people of smaller places like Meekatharra and Humpty Doo.

Crocodile Dundee Shot again (Photo credit: slowe6847)

And hopefully it might bring them some additional tourist revenue. While place names appearing in the Werewolf of Oz is unlikely to make people travel across the world like the movie did; if tourists are already in Oz and going nearby, maybe it’ll inspire them to make a little detour to see that cool sounding place they’ve read about.

I think that the omission of some real place names in the Notes is the only criticism I’d make of Marc Latham’s editing, and they’ll be added for the upcoming Smashwords ebook release…

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Werewolf of Oz Epic Poem of Culture 1960s – 1990s

Hi, it’s Greenygrey. It’s that late midweek nearly weekend time of the week, so I think it’s about time for the first episode of Werewolf of Oz: Fantasy Travel by Google Maps. 

The Beavis and Butt-head Experience (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This episode sees the epic poetry continue on the road, after the Werewolf of Ozzers leave Geelong and head to Melbourne; although they get rather confused about the latter’s name along the way.

Easy Riders to Eastenders 

This episode might especially appeal to film and television fans from 1960s cult biker movie Easy Riders to Eastenders fans of Kathy Beale (1985 – 2000).

In-between, we have a little Guns N’ Roses, Pink Floyd, Beevis and Butthead and Lara Croft. Enjoy!

75.  EASY RIDERS ON THE ROAD TO GILLIAN TAYLFORTH

We picked ourselves out of the gutter

without hardly a mutter,

but I did let loose a sigh,

as to Geelong Goodbye

we waved a long goodbye.

‘Where do we go now?’

Bonzo asked somehow,

sounding like a fine wine

sweet child o’ mine.

I said Melbourne was just north

and from this moment henceforth

we should call it Gillian Taylforth.

‘Onwards to Gillian Taylforth then,

the time is already half past ten,’

cried Angry with zest n’ zen.

A piper from the gate of lights

led us north to Hamlyn Heights

before a nice chap called Cornholio

showed us the way to Corio.

Lara gave us a lift to Avalon

where we joined the M1,

Cocoroc was a tasty aural treat

listening to music while you eat.

—————————————————————————————————-

Notes

Gillian Taylforth (British actress).

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was the first Pink Floyd album.

Sweet Child O’ Mine is a Guns N’ Roses song.

Cornholio is a Beavis alter-ego in the Beavis and Butthead cartoon.

Avalon is a Lara Croft film.

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New Poetry Wordplay Phrases in Creation Bonanza

Hi, it’s William Wolfsworth, theory of relatively

new poetry correspondent at the Greenygrey,

home of werewolf wordplay.

It’s training day today,

with Susie Dentinfang sniffing me the way.

Werewolf Wordplay at the Greenygrey 

Proper rope bag (Photo credit: Pantera and Mateusz)

For those reading this in the human world, ‘sniffing the way’ is apparently a Greenygrey version of the human phrase ‘showing the ropes’.

It seems a long time since I made my debut, and ‘a lot of howls have flown over the forest’ since then; that’s a Greenygrey version of the human phrase ‘a lot of water has flowed under the bridge’.

Wordplay Confuses Cats about Greenygrey

Talking of flow, I’m getting into the flow of the Greenygrey world and language now. Unlike these cats, who seem to have taken ‘greenygrey’ being used as a shortened version of the human phrase ‘sitting on the fence’ literally.

TakePart.com

Cats, there’s nowhere to sit there! And don’t you lot get confused: the Greenygrey has no answers; only questions… Y?

New Spring Poem for Summer

So much time has passed since my debut that Marc Latham’s latest published Folding Mirror poem now seems out of date; as summer has arrived in the northern hemisphere, and winter in the southern; and the poem celebrates spring, which is now at rest with autumn/fall.

Anyway, it’s too early to whine over mass extinction (that’s a Greenygrey version of ‘too late to cry over spilt milk’), here’s the poem:

sunrise (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

Abundant Life, Lives Absolutely 

sunrise of the year

should be spring

surge movement

spins life cycle

full speed

open sky fuels life, nourished by faraway sun

whirling buzzing

birds and bees

busy trees

making the most

of their natural time

dragonfly (Photo credit: schopie1)

P.S. Susie says you lot were passed as Greenygreyliens at the Board of Greenygrey’s last New Moon council.

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Arriving in Bergen, Finding Hostel, Climbing Mount Ulriken

Hi, it’s Jack Wolfpac, legendary independent travel correspondent at the Greenygrey. Marc Latham has posted a couple of blogs about climbing Mount Ulriken over two days over on his new blog travel25years.wordpress.com

The first day he was just hiking up to his hostel; then, after a great sunset viewed from the hostel, half way up the mountain, he completed the walk to the peak the next morning.

Here’s a treble taster of the two blogs:

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Werewolf of Oz: Probably the Best Epic Poem Ever!

Hi, it’s Greenygrey. While weekly time is noticeable in the human world during winter, it seems harder to notice in summer, when there is less night, and day hardly seems to end. Dusk becomes dawn, and you’re still lying on the lawn.

Epic Poems in Human History 

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English: Caption in book reads: “Izdubah and Heabani in conflict with the lion and bull”. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Epic poems have narrated human history since the earliest records. Having started orally, the first written examples are thought to be 10,000 years old.

Some epic Epic Poems include the Epic of Gilgamesh, Beowulf and Homer’s Odyssey. Yes, Homer’s Odyssey in the human world sounds almost exactly like Grey’s Ozyssey in the werewolf world.

Some Epic Poem experts might consider Grey’s Ozyssey one big epic poem, while Epic Poem perfectionists might not.

Beowulf (Photo credit: Dunechaser)

If Grey’s Ozyssey is considered one Epic Poem we think it’s the best yet.

And if it’s not considered one Epic Poem, we think today’s episode of  Werewolf of Oz: Fantasy Travel by Google Maps is the best.

As well as the best comedy-satire!

74.  Angry gets angry 

The Tale of the Duck-Billed Platypus Tail

Angry showed some sign of life;

feeling his head, he murmured

‘Strewth, what strife!’

He looked over to us

with the eyes of a bruiser

and asked what occurred

in the Duck and Drake boozer.

Bonzo looked at him

with knowing eyes

and a dog-eared smile.

‘Do you remember the platypus?’

Bonzo enquired,

as if already knowing the answer.

‘No,’ replied Angry

with a worried look

taking over his face.

‘And the duck and drake?’

furthered Bonzo,

now certain of Angry’s response.

‘Not at all,’

was Angry’s

predictable reply,

‘I only remember entering.’

‘Can somebody or something

please tell me what the heck

occurred last night,’ Angry said angrily.

‘Well,’ said Bonzo,

‘there was a platypus in the pub

last night, just enjoying a drink.’

Bonzo took a breath, and a sip of water,

taking his time to remember and recount the tale,

as I think he wanted to get it right the first time.

‘And there was a duck working behind the bar.

They seemed to know each other,

and were getting along fine, until,

the duck gave the platypus its bill.’

‘But what’s that got to do with me?’

Angry exclaimed, sounding more

impatient than angry.

‘Well,’ continued Bonzo,

‘The platypus went berserk

and started raging at the duck

that it must be quackers

if it thought all that had been drunk.’

‘The platypus took a swing

with one of its otter feet

and when you saw that

you dived in and shouted ‘duck’

to the duck. The platypus missed.’

‘But the platypus steadied itself

before brandishing its beaver’s tail

and before you had time to inhale

your head received the full flail.’

Angry looked astonished, and

asked Bonzo what happened next.

Bonzo paused, as if searching deep

into his mind.

Then he shrugged, and said

‘Dunno mate, the drake

chucked me out.’

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