Podcasts

A Universal Angel Laurie Smale Magic Minute

Magic Minute A Universal Angel

Magic Minute A Universal Angel By Laurie Smale MAGIC MINUTE // “Ever been on the verge of your world crashing down around you when some Angel of The Universe appears and shields you from danger? That happened to me in the form of big, lovable,Pancho the Kiwi. We were on a rigorous training trip around […]

Magic Minute A Universal Angel Read More »

A Good Listener Laurie Smale Magic Minute

Magic Minute A Good Listener

Magic Minute A Good Listener By Laurie Smale MAGIC MINUTE // “Three thousand times a day we’d do it! My Italian boss Lino would be fed a blob of molten glass and press it into a pancake of mosaic tiles, then I would ‘paddle’ these cakes into the cooling oven over and over again. But

Magic Minute A Good Listener Read More »

Magic Minute Meaning of Words

Magic Minute Meaning of Words By Laurie Smale MAGIC MINUTE // A young German couple sat uneasily in their English class wondering why their teacher had asked them to write down all they know about a working bee. “What a strange question!” They thought, and began wracking their brains for all the things that came

Magic Minute Meaning of Words Read More »

Quirky Aussie Custom Laurie Smale Magic Minute

Magic Minute Quirky Aussie Custom

Magic Minute Quirky Aussie Custom By Laurie Smale MAGIC MINUTE // Just about every Australian newcomer I’ve met has been thrown by the perplexing Aussie request to ‘bring a plate’ when invited to an informal gathering among friends. Too polite to question why, these newcomers are left to navigate this quirky Australian custom as best

Magic Minute Quirky Aussie Custom Read More »

The Beatles Southern Cross Hotel and Me Laurie Smale Magic Minute

Magic Minute The Beatles, Southern Cross Hotel and Me

Magic Minute The Beatles, Southern Cross Hotel and Me By Laurie Smale MAGIC MINUTE // So what did I as a young factory worker, have to do with the Beatles’ stay in Melbourne’s iconic Southern Cross Hotel during their legendary 1964 Australian tour? Well, I played a vital part in the actual hand-crafting of the

Magic Minute The Beatles, Southern Cross Hotel and Me Read More »

Ticket to Nowhere Laurie Smale Magic Minute

Magic Minute Ticket to Nowhere

Magic Minute Ticket to Nowhere By Laurie Smale MAGIC MINUTE // “Wow! Working on the remote sheep station of Copley in the South Australian Outback… This is the life for me!” So this 15-year-lad would be off to isolated Copley! A young girl who’d been living at Copley and now working in our Italian glassware

Magic Minute Ticket to Nowhere Read More »

Not A Second To Spare! Laurie Smale Magic Minute

Magic Minute Not A Second To Spare

Magic Minute Not A Second To Spare By Laurie Smale MAGIC MINUTE // “I’ll never forget the day our neighbour ran into our front yard screaming, “Mrs Smale! Mrs Smale! My baby’s choking! It was 1954 in the back-blocks of Seaford and my single mum, a real hands-on ‘Ma Kettle”, didn’t waste a second for

Magic Minute Not A Second To Spare Read More »

Australian Grizzlies Laurie Smale Magic Minute

Magic Minute Australian Grizzlies

Magic Minute Australian Grizzlies By Laurie Smale MAGIC MINUTE // “All an English friend of mine remembers from his visit to the magnificent Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains was what happened to him on his perilous journey back to his hostel in the dead of night. Because it was much too late, the local

Magic Minute Australian Grizzlies Read More »

A Teaspoon of Sugar Laurie Smale Magic Minute

Magic A Teaspoon Of Sugar

Magic Minute A Teaspoon Of Sugar By Laurie Smale MAGIC MINUTE // “The song might say a teaspoon of sugar makes medicine easier to swallow, but that’s not all it can do! While visiting some Italian friends, something caught my eye. The teaspoon in the sugar bowl was shaped like a little shovel with a

Magic A Teaspoon Of Sugar Read More »

Little Big Man Laurie Smale Magic Minute

Magic Minute Little Big Man

Magic Minute Little Big Man By Laurie Smale MAGIC MINUTE // “I was Twenty four, sitting there completely lost and wondering, “What’s this all about?” I was watching the 1970 satirical Western, ‘Little Big Man’ which was far too deep and nuanced for my narrow view of the world to cope with. Because of social

Magic Minute Little Big Man Read More »