wanting or not wanting to be zine?

In answer to your question Georgie, no, I haven't been working on any zines of late. I have two new editions of 'Week in Review' that are drawn and written (as of the end of last year) just not copied, bound and distributed yet. I'd really like to finish these as I dreamt up 'a Week in Review' as a four part seasonal tale (erm, not imagining it would span a couple of years!), and have only done two so far.

My local copy shop up and left - which was very sad as I'd just started to feel comfortable in there overdosing on copy fumes and enjoying the peculiar mix of the worst service in the world with the worst fluorescent humming lighting in the world. Now my closest one is further into the heart (huh, assuming it has one) of the big bad emerald city. I think I've been too lazy to go and or, if I'm honest, a bit too self conscious to be busted by suity business district types as I lay my bits and pieces over the copy table. Hey, baby steps. When you're not 23 and no longer wearing plaid skirts with cute long socks and Hello Kitty bobby pins (well not very often), and you're sneaking out of your sensible office job early to go print your xeroxed wonkily drawn manifesto of slacker chic, before heading home to cook a sensible dinner, it can feel kind of naughty. And private. You know, like making zines is kind of like having sex. Like something you're glad you do, that you like doing, and you know lots of other people like doing too, and it's fine to do at any age, but it's just not something you want strangers who aren't doing it watching as you do it awkwardly, in your work clothes, under fluoro lights. Or if that metaphor isn't working, it's something vaguely like that!

I did join an online zine forum - and have now added a button/link in the sidebar below. I haven't quite got around to populating it with much more than a picture, but I did think it would be a good place to put images that didn't make it into the zines, or ideas for future zines, etc.

I'm also on the Sticky shop mailing list, and speaking of which, here are some events they mentioned recently, for anyone who's interested:

MAY: MELBOURNE
Sticky founder, manager and all time legend Luke Sinclair is holding a
zine workshop at Box Hill Community Arts Centre on Saturday May 30th,
1pm to 4pm. The workshop is aimed at teenagers and will take the form
of a discussion around current zine making practises leading to a zine
making project. To enrol in the course contact Box Hill Community
Arts Centre, 470 station Street, Box Hill, Vic 3128, 98968888,
www.bhcac.com.au

MAY: SYDNEY
MCA and Sydney Writer’s Festival Zine Fair
Sunday 24 May 11am-5pm
Museum of Contemporary Art, 140 George St The Rocks
Stall cost $15, bookings 02 92452484

(Sadly I'll most likely miss this one as it's the day I get back from OS)

JULY: MELBOURNE
9 July 6.30-7.30pm
Zine Collection Reflection
State Library of Victoria
Bookings only
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/282493947
or 03 8664 7099

And yes thanks for the distro info, I had come by this site, but not sent any material there. I think for the next two I will. Cheers.