frankie, my love, I work in a little café in Canberra that caters to
public servants, many of whom spend hours brooding over a rapidly
cooling cappuccino to justify using our establishment as a glorified
office. The thing is, I don't blame them – outside of my job, I do the
exact same thing. So, Caro Cooper, don't feel bad for using cafés as
work spaces – even the gawky uni student serving you coffee takes
advantage of that prime real estate off the clock. xx Gene...................
Dearest frankie, I’ve read your pages in every way possible. Reading
as much as I can, as fast as I can; reading a little bit each night;
reading the things that interest me first and saving the best till last.
And so it is with confidence that I assure you the best way to read
frankie is curled up with a blanket and a pot of tea, before placing
that issue back in its prized position, displayed in numerical order on
my shelf. Thank you for your never-ending word hugs. Lili...................
THE LETTER OF THE ISSUE WINS A PAIR OF PETE CROMER
BUDGERIGARS, RRP $170, FROM PETECROMER.COM
Dear frankie, It seems you time your new issue releases perfectly to
aid some hard times in my life – or perhaps I need to re-evaluate my
bi-monthly meltdowns? Either way, thank you. I've spent the
past week worried about my life after being fired from a job
I truly loved, but a quote from ceramicist Debra Broz
has completely turned my day around: "I like
watching people try to understand why the thing
looks that way, and not the way they expect it to
be; being able to pull people out of the banality
of their own expectations." She has done this to
me on a deeper level. My life right now is
kitten-parrot. But that’s OK. Amelia xoxoMy dearest frankie, I sat down with my coffee on a shitty
Sunday morning to read issue 80. Each time I turned the
page and exclaimed, "Yes, Eleanor!" or wondered in a quiet
panic whether Mia and I are actually the same person, I felt
myself slowly untangling. Thanks for always putting humanity
into words and letting me feel a little more human while
you're at it. Teanna x...................
Dear frankie, Like the new parents in issue 80, we too are
riding a 'new baby tidal wave'. (This morning that tidal wave
was a big brown poo-nami all over my husband's clothes!)
We welcomed our first baby into the world in August, and
since then have been navigating the changes to our sleep,
work, relationships and identities. The great thing about babies,
though, is they force you to slow down and enjoy the simple
things in life – a hot shower in peace and quiet; a rare chance
to eat dinner together (with both hands); and a spare moment
to enjoy a (super-sized) coffee and flick through the new
frankie before the chaos starts again. Thanks for reminding
us we aren't the only shell-shocked, sleep-deprived,
scatterbrained new parents out there. Steph and Benny...................
Dear frankie, As a sport-averse, hormonal teenager, Sam
Prendergast’s article “A Losing Game” struck a chord. For years,
I’ve been coming up with excuses of all sorts to get out of school
sport (twisted ankles, recurring colds, broken legs, period pain),
and, as my sporting days come to a close, I realise I have nothing to
show for them but a knack for forging notes, a less-than-adequate
knowledge of the wonders of physical exercise, and a pair of itchy
polyester shorts! Love, Lucy xxdear frankie
HIDEY-HO, FRANKERINOS!
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