Sunday Suicide 3

What did I learn? You know you live in Queensland when you have caught a live chicken, on a suburban street.

What did I read? 'High beam' by Jo Litson for The Australian, 2011. One of the most talented theatrical actors Australia has to offer Toby Schmitz is currently playing Detective Dylan Thorne in Crownies (and those hilarious Chokito no no no rants on Youtube).

What did I talk about? What am I going to do now that the season has ended? First, hit the gym and work off those hotdogs. Second, working with the crew at ICAN and writing about amazing shoes for a month. Plus a few articles on sex and art for a Brooklyn magazine - got to love diversity. Watch this space!

On a side note - it's the end of the Bandits season, the boys narrowly missed out on a playoff spot, although they went down fighting!

Phony Facebooking: we're all guilty

It scares me. As a journo, I find, the best place to source information is on Facebook. Even if I’m interviewing an Olympic athlete, first I’ll ‘Fresearch’. Where else will you find out how much they loathe Nickelback or think Shane Warne should be PM.

These are some of the better admissions I’ve come across. Some things your 478 nearest and dearest FB buddies don’t need to see. Tagging yourself at Centrelink or a strip club for example, however ironic you intended at the time, is always a resounding no.

Baby photos taken while still gooey from the womb should be restricted – wait until the epidural wears off before you make that call. Remembering, you’re not only invading your own (and your new spawn’s), but your ”friends” private space.

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Soup - Just What the Bandits Ordered

During the summer, your typical 19-year-old Australian male is doing everything but hard work. Luckily for the Brisbane Bandits, Andrew 'Soupy' Campbell isn't your stock-standard teenager, who has been busy slugging away, laying the foundations for a career in baseball.

Just a few months older than catcher Ryan Battaglia and pitcher Josh Warner, Campbell is one of the youngest Bandits. You could never tell - currently leading the team with a .395 on-base percentage, the Ipswich talent is certainly holding his own amongst the big boys.

Campbell has worn number 17 across the world, played club ball for 13 years, studied at the Australian Baseball Academy and since 2009, been in the Cleveland Indians organisation. Now he is in the Australian Baseball League as a proud Bandit, all before hitting the big 2-0 next month.

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Sunday Suicide 2

What did I learn?

You know you live at work when you find three handbags, a fry pan, a toothbush, two tennis racquets and five shirts in your office. That and you're on fistbump/nickname basis with the cleaner.

What did I read?

'How to Make Love Like a Porn Star' by Jenna Jameson/Neil Strauss. Don't judge. Amazing print job, almost looks like a coffee table book, that you hide under your bed.

What did I talk about?

How a few well placed acne scars can make a man sexier, very haunting - think Viggo Mortensen.

Posting this on a Monday night, was too busy celebrating the Bandits winning weekend!

A labour of love - Bandits volunteers

A love of baseball can make you do crazy things. Like the players, the majority of the volunteers have day jobs and work for the Brisbane Bandits up to five times a week. Few have even crossed continents, hailing as a far as Canada, to share their love of the game on their own time and dollar; all in the belief that baseball has a place down under.

"We are currently at about 30 volunteers, usually we average about 20-25 volunteers at each game, the youngest being about 12 and the oldest would be 55 to 60," Volunteer Co-coordinator Carla Pinder explains.

From operating the Ustream to building the field and pitching mounds, positions include the very front-of-house (mascot Buster) to the strictly for the players - bat boys.

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Sunday Suicide 1

Every Sunday evening, as the sun goes down and the impending doom of a full work week approaches (no, wait, I love my job!) I'll share with you the three questions I'll ask myself:

What did I learn? The difference between creative genius and insanity, is that extra shot of Jamesons.

What did I read? "The Ghost Who Batted For Boston" By Ira Berkow, 1990 The New York Times. Who knew this was a baseball epidemic?

What did I talk about? Is it appropriate to stalk potential roommates/partners/employees on Facebook? Not only appropriate, it's necessary.

Best be off, watching the game from my amazing pool! Final game Bandits vs Heat- TUNE IN HERE at 5:50pm Brisvegas time.

Making Carrie Bradshaw jealous

In FebruaryI'll be working with fashion brainchilds Amanda Luisa and Jonny Cazzola at ICAN Make Shoes!

This London-based company has been teaching hoards of shoe aficionados the art of making footware from scratch and 'Upcycling'.

Since their 2010 launch, Stella, Grazia, ASOS and Daily Mail can't talk enough about them.

Their clients often report changes of career and credit them with reiginiting their creative affair after attending one of their workshops. Their ready-to-wear once offs aren't bad either.

Writing about shoes? A dream gig. Watch this space.

A Ticket To Disaster: Surgery Holidays

Summer is here and for the Plastic Surgery industry, this is undoubtedly their peak season. Although this period keeps Australian surgeons busy, an alarming trend of overseas ‘Surgery Holidays’ is emerging, patients opting to fly as far as Egypt in pursuit of discounted procedures.

“It’s amazing how many people are sucked in by these holiday-surgery deals where patients receive their Breast Augmentations and Rhinoplastys at a fraction of the cost but disturbingly, at the expense of proper medical care” commented Renee Billson, 32.

Managing a plastic surgery facility for five years, Billson has seen her fair share of complications from overseas invasive procedures, due mainly to poorly trained staff operating without adequate resources. Billson schedules an horrifying number of these patients, daily, for corrective surgery called “Revisions”. Unfortunately, its not only major surgeries that go wrong.

Ellie Cobb, 26, received wrinkle fillers and lip enhancement injections in Thailand in 2008, the results, she says are still visible, but not in the way she'd hoped. “It was a basic procedure and virtually cost nothing, so I went ahead without hesitation”.

Cobb received an severe infection as a result her treatment and was in total agony. Ironically, this cut her holiday short. The lumpiness and scarring on her lips remain two years on.

Corrective surgery leads in to the tens of thousands and the overseas surgeon is never accountable “They are no longer responsible for you once you board the plane home. It's a nightmare to contact your surgeon from the other side of the world; they rely on this to continue making money” Cobb believes.

This epidemic gives Australian surgeons plenty of business, some specialising exclusively in revision procedures. One Gold Coast surgeon currently advertises a ‘Thailand Trauma’ discount.

“Surgery is something you shouldn't scrimp on, you will truly get what you pay for. It’s no holiday being sick” Billson warned.

A mate with a camera

Shout out to my buddy Jonno Blake at Trixan Body. Not only do you have the coolest job (photographing girls in their underwear all day), you can make anyone, even me, look edgy with those hipster 3D glasses.

Solid x

Not goofing around: Sutherland

"Goofy" Sutherland is one of the quietest players in the ABL with the loudest bat

Towering over the plate at 6'6", the opposition are duly intimidated. His name causes an eruption from what seems like his own personal cheer squad who attend every one of his games. Puzzled looks are exchanged in the crowd; there is nothing 'Goofy' about this player's presence.

Dubbed "one of the quietest players in the ABL with the loudest bat", the Brisbane Bandits first baseman and hearty hitter is 26-year-old David 'Goofy' Sutherland.

The childhood nickname originated from his first Queensland practice. "I was tall, skinny and uncoordinated. I went to make a throw and my cleat got caught in the loop of the lace on my other boot and I fell. The coach yelled, 'Whoa, Goofy!' and it stuck, but I've never had a problem with it."

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Bandits well represented in ABL All-Star Game

Bandit's finest will compete in the largest and most prestigious Australian Baseball League event to date

This Wednesday December 21, Team Australia - fronted by the best of home grown talent, will play against Team World, a bold mixture of this season's Australian Baseball League imports in the inaugural ConocoPhillips ABL All-Star Game. The match will feature six of Brisbane Bandit's finest in what promises to be the biggest event in Australian baseball history as it will be broadcast to over 50 countries and over 400 million households.

Right fielder Josh Roberts and pitcher Justin 'Bobby' Erasmus were handpicked from the Bandits to represent Team Australia.

"I can't wait to pull on the Australian uniform and be surrounded by players with so much experience" Erasmus notes "This is the most prestigious game of the ABL to date, to be chosen a part of this history is very humbling. Hopefully, this won't be my last."

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Justin Erasmus – from Brisbane to Boston

The young pitcher outstretches in the grandstand, working his way through a sandwich in his pristine white Bandits uniform. You can almost hear his mind ticking rapidly, although on the surface he is completely at ease. One eye never leaves the field during the whole interview. You’d never suspect it’s only twenty minutes until game time.

In his mind, his task is simple “Once I get to the mound, I know my job is to get that guy out any way, shape or form.”

I’m experiencing firsthand The Switch, the technique which Justin ‘Bobby’ Erasmus has perfected, making him a sophisticated pitcher at only 21 years of age. The Boston Red Sox Organisation agrees; snapping him up at the under-18 Australian National Championships in 2007.

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Moneyball launch!

A night of baseball AND Brad Pitt - oh, do I really have to? Major League Baseball generously hosted a private screening of the movie to celebrate the launch of the Brisbane Bandit's 2011/2012 season.

Michael Lewis' 2003 masterpiece (yes, it is a book too) is also a Wiley title - go us! Shameless plug - ORDER HERE

Queensland Reds flanker Liam Gill

I stole a few minutes from Liam Gill at the Buster, great guy -

Although they are very different games, to play at a national level, baseball and football demand a high standard of skill and physicality; just ask Bandits big-hitter and Rugby League player Josh Roberts.

It make sense that the Brisbane Bandits and Queensland Reds have teamed up, to fundraise for their local Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital.

Reds flanker Liam Gill and his teammates arrived at the Ballpark Buster today, eager to meet their fans, sign autographs and enjoy a game of ball, all in the name of a good cause.

"There are a lot of big names playing in this Australian League, it's cool to kind of keep in touch with another sport, and to help out foundation in support of a hospital, it's a great charity event to be apart of".

For his 19 years, Liam Gill has already hit some considerable career milestones earning a full- time Queensland Reds contract at just 17. Gill was a part of the Super Rugby triumph last year and recently, has been signed on for a second season with the Reds, after a knockout debut.

Gill hopes, like the Bandits, that 2012 will bring a finals victory following months of hard slog. "We'd love a repeat and that's a lot easier said then done. I mean that's where we're looking at, we're coming off from a confident season"

"I think we're happy with where we stand and it will obviously be tough, but we are looking forward to it"

Does he envision ever giving it a go on a diamond? "If the Bandits are in need, I'll put my hand up". Throwing out a decent first pitch, Gill may be called on that in the future.

Check out the clip here!

Red Sox Prospect Pitcher, Bandit Justin Erasmus

An Interview With Brisbane Bandits (ABL) and Red Sox Prospect Pitcher, Justin Erasmus
Maturity and success aren’t always aligned with years on the diamond; just ask Australian sensation Justin Erasmus. The Boston Red Sox know this, having snapped Erasmus up as a free agent at just 17.

Currently on the Brisbane Bandits roster, Erasmus, now 21-years-old is in his second season with the newly revived Australian Baseball League. Here are some insights in to his quirky superstitions, how he keeps his money-maker in check, the Sox and what really goes on in the bullpen...

Sox Prospects describes your pitch as “Smooth, over-the-top and deliberate”, can you elaborate? I think they’ve got it spot on – I try to be a sound as I can with my mechanics. I’ll go with pretty much exactly what they said.

How do you keep your arm in check? I do a shoulder program around three times a week, but every day I’ll do Thera-Band work and pretty much just throwing and lots of stretching. Every time at the field I’ll do internal and external rotations, more stretching, then recovery - involves loads of ice.

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Pine Rivers Book Bank

The books are already piling up for our January donation. Big love to all that made this investment in our community possible. Thank you Wiley, for listening to the pushy new girl with the big, usually naive ideas!

Queensland Reds and Bandits team up

Queensland Reds and Brisbane Bandits join forces to raise money for the RWBH Foundation

JUSTIN ‘Bobby’ Erasmus and Beau Robinson are both young determined athletes, carving out playing careers on two very different fields.

This Saturday December 10, their paths will cross as the Queensland Reds visit the Brisbane Bandits at the RNA Showgrounds in joint support of the RBWH Foundation.

Reds flanker Beau Robinson is happy his club could lend their celebrity to this event. "We are excited about forming a relationship with the Brisbane Bandits, and coming together in support of the RBWH, which is a great cause," Robinson said.

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New Zealand puts its Marck on ABL

Brisbane Bandits pitcher NZ's Andrew Marck looks to make a name for himself in the ABL

New Zealand is synonymous with beautiful landscapes, great wine and Rugby Union. Now, with the inclusion of Andrew Marck on the Brisbane Bandit's roster, hopefully, baseball. Along with infielder Daniel Lamb-Hunt, 22 year-old right-handed pitcher Marck is representing the kiwi contingency in the Australian Baseball League.

Most New Zealand men grow up on a diet of Rugby, the sport forming part of their national identity. It is hard to ignore, given their success; the All Blacks are the reigning Rugby World Cup Champions.

Baseball takes a backseat; for Auckland-bred Marck, the opportunity for career advancement in his own country at this stage is small, although the same cannot be said of the growing pool of kiwi talent.

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Dual-Threat Duttons

The Dutton brothers are leading the charge for Brisbane

We've celebrated the Johns, the Waughs and the Chappells, now meet Australia's new sibling sporting super duo - the Duttons. Despite the four year age gap and careers in baseball that have separated them by continents, they are united again, for a second season with the Brisbane Bandits.

Guided by their rugby league and baseball champion father, Peter Dutton, the brothers began their playing careers, Brad at age 5, Wade at 4, with local team Pine Rivers Rapids.

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Major Maestri

Italian sensation making Brisbane a home

The crowd hushes as the pitcher pauses, reflects for a brief moment, before delivering the first pitch. The fans want to see what "that Italian kid" can do; they're not disappointed. Striking out the first batter and a further nine, expectations are met and more created; "that Italian kid" is the Brisbane Bandit's new secret weapon, Alessandro 'Alex' Maestri.

26-year-old Maestri downplays his part in Friday night's epic 10-0 victory against Sydney Blue Sox "I just tried to stay focused and it ended up being a good game. When I got in trouble, John (Durkett) came in and helped me out". Maestri solidified his position in the sport pitching for his home team, the Peoria Chiefs, in addition to appearing in 13 games for the Italian National Team.

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The Import That Never Showed: Xavier Paul

Major Leaguer Xavier Paul signed to the Brisbane Bandits without his knowledge

Determination and deception go hand in hand for some, willing to do anything to play in the Australian Baseball League. An intricate web of lies has been exposed, derailing a plan that was executed over the best part of a year. The result shed two MLB players off the 2011/2012 ABL season, leaving fans and organizers shocked.

Breland Brown, a minor league player who was released by the Diamondbacks in August, is allegedly behind the scam. Brown posed as an agent, endeavoring to secure himself a position on the Sydney Blue Sox roster. To cement the agreement, Brown promised Pittsburg Pirate Xavier Paul to the Brisbane Bandits, in a package deal.

Only problem was, Xavier Paul knew nothing of this exchange and it appears, of Breland Brown himself.

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Mowing Mowday

Bandits Fan-Favourite Will 'Clip For Cancer' on Sunday

One of the best things about baseball is that it produces some great characters. Brisbane Bandits Pitcher Chris Mowday is a perfect example. Widely travelled and well spoken, Mowday has been involved in several charity events since the age of sixteen; his most recent venture is the Clip For Cancer. Mowday will sacrifice his trademark locks, this Sunday, in exchange for donations to Cancer Council Queensland — proving he is a hero, on and off the field.

The idea for his investment in this project originated earlier this year while playing in the Netherlands. “A teammate and family member, Dillon True, donated his hair to charity,” he said. “I thought it was a great idea and decided I would raise funds and awareness for cancer through the Clip For Cancer charity program when I returned home.”

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Gonzalez Digs In

Australian Baseball Legend Looks To Cement Baseball's Place in Australia

Baseball veteran Paul Gonzalez is back, as General Manager of the Brisbane Bandits. With the support of newly appointed Head Coach Kevin Jordan, this combination of leadership will prove vital in the fight for the Claxton Shield. No stranger to sporting victories, Gonzalez is a formidable advocate determined to not only push the Bandits to the top of the ladder but to cement baseball's position in Australian sporting culture.

Declaring last year, "Australians are starving for baseball," Gonzales expands, "Australia is a sporting nation, particularly skilled sport. [They enjoy] the dynamics of a game that showcases athleticism - this is baseball." He likens this to witnessing the on-field heroics of an AFL player, a display of skill where the players do the almost impossible with their bodies. There is no doubt, in his mind, that baseball will flourish in Australia.

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Year Round Roberts

Brisbane's Two-Sport Star Returns to the Game He Loves

Baseballer, Footballer, Bricklayer - whatever you call Josh Roberts, he is undoubtedly a natural born athlete. With the support of his sporting family this Brisbane native is now living every little boy's dream of playing ball all year round. A quintessential Queenslander, when Roberts isn't dividing himself between Baseball and Rugby League, he enjoys his casual laboring job because it keeps him active, outdoors and working with his hands.

Signed to the Cleveland Indians at 18, Roberts, now 25, is no stranger to tough competition. Upon his return, three years later, Roberts dove in to the fight for the Claxton Shield with the Queensland Rams and then straight in to the North Tigers Rugby League Club.

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Introducing 2011/2012 Bandits Imports

Kevin Jordan, Head Coach

Kevin Jordan (born October 9, 1969 in San Francisco, California) is a retired Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1995 to 2001. He also played a substantial part of his career with the Brisbane Bandits in the Australian Baseball League from 1993 through to 1997.

In the winter of 1997, while playing in Brisbane, Jordan met his future wife who he married shortly after and obtained Australian citizenship, technically meaning he was the 7th “Australian” to play in the Major Leagues. In 1992/93, Jordan, as an import from the New York Yankees, won the ABL league MVP and Batting Champion titles. On his return to the States he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies where he made his ‘Show’ debut in 1995.

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Brisbane Bandits Annual Fanfest

Baseball enthusiast young and old flocked to RNA Showgrounds for the annual Fanfest held on Saturday. Proudly sporting their local team's uniform fans were treated to a day in the sun with their favourite Brisbane Bandits and the opportunity to kick off the season with some summertime fun.

Some fans wore their favourite MLB team attire and spoke excitedly about the World Series 7th game, others displayed their loyalty in Bandits gear. Indulging in snow cones, fairy floss and an endless supply of sausage sandwiches attendees were treated to autographs and photos with their favourite Bandits, whilst others took excited advantage of the chance to play ball with their heroes.

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Casting the net further: reassessing Online Dating

My friend Sara11 (we will call her that because that’s her screen name) looks like your typical girl, although she is secretly leading a double life – she is an Online Dater. Sara11 is gorgeous, well-educated and has just returned from Vienna where she shared an apartment with a tattoo artist- her cool factor is off the charts. I understandably, was shocked by her recent admission.

Case Study Two: Last year at a party, I was introduced to a good-looking twenty something couple – he was a Graphic Designer, she was a Stylist, both well-dressed and well-spoken and well, met on the internet. “You could both meet people the normal way” I gushed. Judging by their reaction, I was the odd one out. The more people I told this story to, the possibility arose that I was single-handedly keeping the online dating stigma alive.

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The Baby Boomers pursuit of connectedness

Recently, I received an email from my aunty querying “What is this ‘Planking’? “What does it give the ‘Planker?”. “Perhaps ‘Teapotting' would be more your thing?” I offered. “You’ve confused me.” She quickly replied. Only a few short years ago I’d have been astounded at her ability to operate a computer, let alone write a coherent email. We’ve all witnessed a Baby Boomer trying to send an SMS so cautiously as though pressing the wrong button would detonate a bomb. Suddenly, it seemed, my dear aging aunt was in my world.

Who was responsible to for my aunt’s sudden social awareness? She had recently joined Facebook. Born in an era where privacy was paramount and identities were often suppressed I wondered what did online communities have to offer my aunt? “It keeps me involved” she revealed when I questioned her motive for joining the 750million strong Facebook Army.

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