Popcorn. Pussy Power.

The Stop Tony Meow extension was one of the best things to emerge last year. It changes any photo of said joker into a photo of a kitten providing a dose of humour and a more pleasant browsing experience.

Popcorn. Kehvola Cards.

On a recent trip to Finland I found these fun cards illustrated by Timo Mänttäri and printed by Kehvola. It was their keen sense of observation that grabbed me and how they evoke a Finnish vibe. Één voor mij, één voor iemand leuk.

Popcorn. Lucy.

Lucy is Luc Besson's latest film, a rollicking sci-fi adventure with Scarlett Johanssen in the movie's namesake role. It's great fun — I'd stretch to excellent or super — as well as being a clever visual feast with smart references to a range of films including some outside the genre. The idea of human intelligence is explored with wit and wonder in this fast-paced curious film that has me pondering existence and the mysteries of the universe.

Popcorn. Word Power.

The European Word Translator in today's Guardian is providing hours of fun. Type a word in, cat for example, and find out how to say it in one of many European languages all at once. Cool. It's the work of James Trimble, a postgrad student from Glasgow University. See more studies on his website UK Data Explorer.

postgrad computing science student at Glasgow University - See more at: http://ukdataexplorer.com/#about

postgrad computing science student at Glasgow University - See more at: http://ukdataexplorer.com/#about

postgrad computing science student at Glasgow University - See more at: http://ukdataexplorer.com/#about

postgrad computing science student at Glasgow University - See more at: http://ukdataexplorer.com/#about

Popcorn. Stood Out.

It's holiday season. I'm sat here cleaning up old computer files, a laborious and long overdue task not without some fun. I stumbled on an old Word document from when I lived in Bowral. For some reason I decided to record the one thing from the previous day that stood out most. Here's what I found.

I started six days into the month. On day six I walked down the hill into town on a drizzly day where I saw an older woman wearing a bright red rain hat and coat teamed with matching wellies. I was chased by a mother duck protecting her eighteen ducklings on day seven. I watched with great interest on day eight the movement of a tiger snake in the garden. Day nine I watched young magpies learn to fly. I missed a few days. Day thirteen I recall thinking about how life deals some people repeated hard blows. Day fourteen I purchased a Murdoch paper, something I haven't done since, and appreciated The Australian’s new design even though the content was as dull and ignorant as ever. Day fifteen I laughed loudly at The Royle Family. I missed a couple more days. Day eighteen I went to the library where I was impressed by the friendliness of the local librarians. I was in Sydney on Day nineteen where I noted the trustworthiness of a restauranteur. Day twenty I was intrigued by a woman wearing lacey black clothing who spent $348 at the Mittagong Vinnies on furniture. I missed another day. Day twenty-two was hot; I noticed how fragile plants were in the sweltering heat. Day twenty-three anger strikes as one of my hard drives gave up the ghost after just seven months of little use. I stopped before month end, missing the last week of the month. It's nice to know what you forgot.

Popcorn. Inside Llewyn Davis.

Based roughly on the life of American folk singer Dave van Ronk, Inside Llewyn Davis is the latest film from the Coen Brothers. It's a tenderly told story peppered with loss and futility, stellar performances from all involved with some characters straight out of a Woody Allen film. It's a visual treat, simple yet complex and it's left me pondering life. Flog the dead horse, or move on?

Popcorn. Pig Sauna.

There was an ethical pig farmer contestant on If You Are The One whose aim was to woo a potential wife. Relaying what he did for work, a rapt audience heard how he played music to his pigs, gave them a sauna and showed them images of beautiful landscapes just before sending them to slaughter. This loving care ensured their meat was tender and that the pigs arrived happy in heaven. You never know what is going to happen next on If You Are The One, which is I why I love it. It's now on three nights a week on the always surprising SBS 2.

Popcorn. Manky Monoblocs.

There is a particular type of plastic chair I can't bear. They're often white or dark green but can come in other shades too. They're known as Monoblocs and are the cheapest of mass-produced plastic chairs going. They're ubiquitous, tacky and so ugly that the city of Basel in Switzerland has a law against them being used in outdoor cafes. I learnt this in Susan Freinkel's fantastic, Plastic book, a must read. She suggests they're an emblem of a 'Walmartised world'. I say we need a global ban.

Popcorn. If You Are The One.

Dating shows don't get much better than If You Are The One, a fast moving program from China giving twenty four Chinese women the opportunity to win a date with the man of their dreams. In round one the women decide if they like the man presented to them. Or not, turning out their light if they're not interested. The fun begins when the host asks one of the women why they extinguished their light: "He's too fat" or "I don't like his teeth" are typical responses. The girls also get to ask their own, often pointed, questions. For example this one to a young artist: "Are you one of those artists who sits in the corner at night and laments life?" She wasn't being saddled with no no-hoper artist. Compelling viewing, often hilarious.

Popcorn. Paper Giants.

Well done ABC on the riveting Magazine Wars, a rip-roaring tale about mass-market magazines New Idea and Woman's Day, and their respective editors Dulcie Boling and the larger than life Nene King. The first episode in a two part series takes us back to the late 1980s when New Idea reigned supreme, gradually moving into the early 1990s and up to the historic moment when Woman's Day took the crown with the help of one royal toe-sucking escapade. Capturing the heart and soul of magazine publishing, this series bursts with fun and drama, tears and laughter. The always excellent Rachel Griffiths does Dulcie well, but I'm not sure about the portrayal of Richard Walsh — Alana House says he's too smirky, and I agree. I can't wait for Sunday to roll around for the finale.

Popcorn. Benidorm Bastards.

SBS has always offered a different perspective, so it's little surprise their revamped SBS 2 channel pushes the envelope. The new format is lively, engaging and fun giving viewers exciting programs to watch outside of the traditional trash on the commercial networks — complete with loud grating advertisements. I've got a long list of new shows to enjoy, with the antics of Benidorm Bastards at the top — though G Wars and If He's Not The One follow very closely behind. The successful format of Benidorm Bastards has been copied in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, England and even in the USA with Betty White's Off Their Rockers. Monday nights are fun.

Popcorn. In Place.

If you're in Brisbane over the next couple of weeks, then be sure to check out In Place, Peter McLean's latest exhibition at the Brisbane Institute of Art. This is one of his drawings on black paper made from ground found animal bone.

Popcorn. Season's Greetings.

Shootin' Gallery: Christmas. Window Shop.

Popcorn. Airheads for World Peace.

It may seem kooky, but the honourable mission of the annual Air Guitar World Championships lifting off in Oulu today is to promote world peace. Organisers believe that "wars and climate change would end and all bad things would disappear if all the people in the world played the Air Guitar." I say lets give it a bash, I'd love to see bad behaviour banished.

Popcorn. Mark Twain.

Mark Twain said it best: 'Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbors. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.'

Popcorn. Hornswoggle.

Usually, these sample sachets gleaned from magazines would find themselves in a box in my studio waiting to be transformed into some sort of art work. As I'm roaming, I've decided to take a resourceful approach, rather than hoard the sachets I'm going to use them. I was impressed by the youth activating concentrate Génifique pictured above. I'm not sure what it did, but it made my skin feel tighter and it seemed to reduce my cavernous crow's feet. That's worth a good eight out of ten in my books.

Popcorn. Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there, especially my own.

Popcorn. The Design Files.

The Novocastrian Files are reporting that The Design Files are in town, and I'm sure the locals welcome you! So do we at This Is Ikon, we're always keen to see what The Design Files have on their radar.

Popcorn. The Three Bears.

Sifting through the various collections in my studio – if you come back I'll tell you about others – I stumbled on a few old cards which I found in some magazines picked up in an op shop. The Three Bears is an old favourite, but I'm a little sketchy on just how baby bear's grandparents can be a pigs.

Popcorn. Psychic Cheryl.

The infamous Maitland Jail closed in 1998 but has since found a revenue source in themed tours. My skeptic friends and I went to the Psychic Tour hosted by a woman called Cheryl, who not only promised a reading or two at the end, but that we'd see orbs in our photos. I've checked my photos – though Cheryl referred to them as 'photas' – this morning, and I'm sad to say there is not an orb in sight. Nevertheless, the journey into the jail was fascinating, though not spooky. Cheryl relayed story after story as we trudged through the dank buildings, where it became evident to us that our host and fellow tourists may well be subscribers of The Daily Telegaff. Needless to say, my arty gang and I stuck out like sore thumbs despite the dark depths of our surroundings. I was expecting a more chilling experience, particularly when we entered the section where Ivan Milat spent time; I'm reminded of Cathy Laudenbach's Belanglo State Forest series. Was it worth the $30? Maybe.