So this is Christmas, and what have you done?...

...Another year (almost) over, and a new one just begun...

Hi there and welcome one and all to the Velvet Underground. I'm Chelsea, and I won't go into detail coz it will probably just bore you. You can read more about me on my profile.

I have been meaning to start a blog for years and always seem to have the urge around Christmas time. So, after receiving a laptop for Christmas, I had no excuses, so here it is. I thought I might start off with what every blog and newspaper does at this time of the year and recap over the year 2009 and indeed, the end of the decade.

In 2009, we barely dodged the financial crisis, farewelled the King of Pop, went crazy over a fictional, sparkling vampire, and the phrase 'Fair Shake of the Sauce Bottle, Mate' didn't quite enter the vernacular, courtesy of the dithering Milky Bar Kid himself, Kevin 'Political Sh*tstorm' Rudd.

We could only watch and pray as thousands of people lost homes and loved ones in the Victorian Black Saturday fires. February 7 is a day that will stay in the Australian psyche for quite a long time. It was a day of tragedy, a day of loss and devastation. On a visit to Kinglake, the epicentre of the bushfires in April, just over two months after the tragedy, the loss was still evident. Forests that were once green, lush and beautiful, stood barren and black, stretching as far as the eye could see. Half-burnt houses still stood, some with remnants of police tape across. But there were signs of hope; driving down the narrow roads of Kinglake and Yea, a small number of trees were beginning to show tiny signs of life again, with small sprinkles of greenery and flowers upon them. Truly a sight to behold.


In June, we said goodbye to Mr King of Pop, Michael Joseph Jackson. This was truly a sad day for fans and non-fans alike, as we will probably never see an artist of his calibre again. I imagine that This day was almost akin to the day legends such as John Lennon and Elvis Presley passed away.

In 2009, we said goodbye to Australian entertainment heavyweights Charles 'Bud' Tingwell and the 'Lanky Yank', Don Lane. These two bought copious amounts of talent to the screens and stages of legions of fans and both will be sorely missed.

Mid-2009 also saw the swine flu pandemic hit our shores after huge amounts of hysteria abroad. After sweeping Mexico and the United States, the virus soon hit Melbourne, with the tourist hotspot becoming one of the highest-infected cities on the planet. The mass hysteria for the illness was largely unwarranted, with a handful of Australian fatalities (many of these had underlying health conditions) and only a mild strain affecting those unlucky enough to come down with the virus.

I must admit that I was very excited when I heard the news that much-loved variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday would be returning to our screens for two reunion specials. I was only six when the show went off-air in 1999 and it was a long-standing fixture in our household. The shows defied critics and were a ratings powerhouse for Channel Nine, when its success was unfortunately overshadowed by a backlash against a Red Faces skit. Yes, you know the one I'm talking about; the now-infamous Jackson Jive. The content of the skit was evidently taken way out of proportion, making headlines both in Straya and internationally, where in some cases, the country of Australia was branded 'racist'. The media and a selected amount of the general public and obviously missed the premise of these reunion specials and the content of the Red Faces act itself; these specials were made to reflect back on Hey Hey's 28-year run. The Jackson Jive was a popular act in the 1980s. Pretty self-explanatory if you ask me. But the good news is, despite the furore, Channel Nine have commissioned a new series of Hey Hey to be screened next year, starting around February. Watch out for me in the front row!!!

Anyway, I think I'm about done. I know there's a lot I haven't covered but I'm getting tired and it's getting late. Leave a comment and tell me what you think. Enjoy and good night possums! xox