On Wednesday I was invited along to "Drag Queen Bingo" by Melissa, which sounded like a bit of fun. I met Melissa and Clinton and we had dinner at the old faithful Bing Minh in Victoria Street, before Melissa and I went along to the Terminus in Richmond for bingo.
When we got there, it was apparent that the drag aspect was not right, but the queen bit certainly was! We met Danielle, Kumi, Campbell, and Nat there and readied ourselves with drinks and bingo cards and textas!
And then the games began. Two very funny, very crude, and very gay lads ran the evening, with the calling of the numbers, the initiation of crowd participation, and the presentation of prizes.
Laughing through the whole three rounds, picking up the pace with playing 2 cards and the three, concentration on the numbers called was only part of it. Many numbers had an action, or a phase to be called out when it was announced, and the regulars knew all the calls. Things like tram numbers in Melbourne, an unhealthy obsession with Collingwood players, tributes to various Olympic games. Number 68 got a barrage of accalades, such as the year of the Moscow games, the year the Big Mac was invented, and most importantly (and chanted very loudly) the year Kylie Minogue was born! Number 39 saw a tribute to Anna Nicole, with a parady about being here for a good time not a long time, and then a pub full rendition of her "love my body" wacked out display at the MTV awards. Hilarious! I certainly had the scull at a multiple of 10 down pat fairly quickly!
I even won a round! Calling out bingo, and being interviewed up the front, I spun the wheel and won....a set of three vegetable peelers!! Wow!!! Hee hee!
Was such a fun and funny night! I definately recommend!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Homelessness, Dossing, and Housesitting
Since getting home, some six months ago, I have been "between" places to live. And am still technically homeless. Scary!
I stayed at home with Mum and Katie in Ballarat during my two months of being a bum. And then upon employment, I dossed with Jessica and Kelly. Thanks to those two kids, I got to start work and start earning an income again, and start looking around for places to live.
Now the rental market has changed somewhat since I was last living in Melbourne - and so I set about looking at the little shoeboxes called "studios" or "one bedroom" places in my price range and desired location. Dishearted, it came to be that Jane was going to Mozambique for 10 weeks for work - and need someone to babysit her place! Bonus.
Some dramas later, I crashed with Jenny in Essendon (can you believe that I allowed that suburb as my address!!??) for two weeks, and now I am settled in as Housesitter in Clifton Hill/Fitzroy North. It's a great little one bedroom place all on my own - and I am glad I got to try living on my own again before signing a lease. I think the sharehouses of London have me liking having people around! Who would have thought!
I stayed at home with Mum and Katie in Ballarat during my two months of being a bum. And then upon employment, I dossed with Jessica and Kelly. Thanks to those two kids, I got to start work and start earning an income again, and start looking around for places to live.Now the rental market has changed somewhat since I was last living in Melbourne - and so I set about looking at the little shoeboxes called "studios" or "one bedroom" places in my price range and desired location. Dishearted, it came to be that Jane was going to Mozambique for 10 weeks for work - and need someone to babysit her place! Bonus.
Some dramas later, I crashed with Jenny in Essendon (can you believe that I allowed that suburb as my address!!??) for two weeks, and now I am settled in as Housesitter in Clifton Hill/Fitzroy North. It's a great little one bedroom place all on my own - and I am glad I got to try living on my own again before signing a lease. I think the sharehouses of London have me liking having people around! Who would have thought!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Marcus and Othello
On Monday night, at the end of the rainy long weekend, Michelle and I met at The Arts Centre under the spire for Othello.
The allure of Marcus Graham, and some good reviews had attracted us, and in the ongoing quest to seek a lifestyle as event filled as mine in London, ducking across the bridge from Flinders Street Station in the rain to the theatre felt very like my London experiences!
The lead, Wayne Blair, was brilliant, as was Marcus, and our seats were awesome - close enough to see the actor's spit fly! Five seats from the stage, the show captivated and held the crowd.
Blair's indigenous background made some of the commentary of black and white all the more poignant, and his performance was amazing.
The allure of Marcus Graham, and some good reviews had attracted us, and in the ongoing quest to seek a lifestyle as event filled as mine in London, ducking across the bridge from Flinders Street Station in the rain to the theatre felt very like my London experiences!
The lead, Wayne Blair, was brilliant, as was Marcus, and our seats were awesome - close enough to see the actor's spit fly! Five seats from the stage, the show captivated and held the crowd.
Blair's indigenous background made some of the commentary of black and white all the more poignant, and his performance was amazing.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Visited Countries
For the last couple of years around this time, I have filled in the Visited Countries form and displayed the countries I have visited. Not so may additions since the last installment of this exercise, but still, some!
create your own visited countries map
I have added just four more countries in this last 12 months (now 27). Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. However during this time I did pop in on several countries I had already been to, like Ireland and Sweden, and then to parts of Australia that I had yet to see.
But it's harder to travel to other countries from Australia - you need the big trip. Plus now that I have a real job, and since passing my three month probation, I will need to accumulate leave! The turmoil of a grounded travel bug!
The challenge is set!
How many have you been to?
create your own visited countries map
I have added just four more countries in this last 12 months (now 27). Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. However during this time I did pop in on several countries I had already been to, like Ireland and Sweden, and then to parts of Australia that I had yet to see.
But it's harder to travel to other countries from Australia - you need the big trip. Plus now that I have a real job, and since passing my three month probation, I will need to accumulate leave! The turmoil of a grounded travel bug!
The challenge is set!
How many have you been to?
Friday, June 08, 2007
Hawks Flying High
On a crazy whim, Jenny and I made a decision and a booking for flights to Adelaide for the Hawthorn/Port Adelaide game some weeks ago. However, with the Hawks having a dream couple of weeks, setting off for this weekend wasn't as silly as it had first sounded!
We each took off from work at the first available moment on Friday night, and met at the SkyBus terminal at Southern Cross Station for the trip out to the airport. The quick flight to Adelaide from Melbourne was over before we knew it, and then we made our way to our "Secret 4 star hotel" booked on Last Minute. The Chiffley on South Terrance was all good, we arrived, dumped our bags and was then picked up by Jenny's extended family for dinner. Indian and banter from the extended family, wine added of course, was a crazy way to start the weekend.
Breakfast on Saturday morning with Jenny's cousin at Urban was one of the best brunches I have had....ever! The food was awesome!
After this, I wandered around Rundle Mall area and relieved myself of some hard earned cash! Found some boots though, so way very happy!
We met up with Jenny's friend Michelle at Lemongrass, for dinner and drinks, before hitting the list of recommended places for the evening. Much of Friday night's dinner conversation was consumed by Adelaide recommendations of where three girls on a night out on the town should go in Adelaide - and our list did not disappoint!
After dinner and a bottle of wine, we headed to the Hotel Richmond for cocktails upstairs, before making our way to The Union (where I had had a drink during the cricket stay this year!) for Jager Bombs! Of course! More drinks later we eventually taxied over to the XO Supper Club for final cocktails before making our way back to the hotel in the arctic temperatures.
Of course, the reason we were really interstate for the weekend was the footy, which was an early match on Sunday. Michelle picked us up from the hotel, and provided us with AFL Members passes. Sweet! This also meant we were sitting just above both team's benches, and in the middle of a sea of teal supporters! Always fun in AAMI Stadium!
After the little Power Kids did their non-coordinated dancing as the pre-match entertainment, and the big, grotesque Power arm was driven around the ground, the game finally started.
After a shakey first quarter, the young Hawks got into full speed, and kicked some butt! Was loving it! We managed to win by 34 points! Much to the crowd around us' disgust! Drinks to solidify the win saw the trip home a delight! Waht a great weekend! Have been pumped ever since!
Looks like there was another reason I am home this year!!
We each took off from work at the first available moment on Friday night, and met at the SkyBus terminal at Southern Cross Station for the trip out to the airport. The quick flight to Adelaide from Melbourne was over before we knew it, and then we made our way to our "Secret 4 star hotel" booked on Last Minute. The Chiffley on South Terrance was all good, we arrived, dumped our bags and was then picked up by Jenny's extended family for dinner. Indian and banter from the extended family, wine added of course, was a crazy way to start the weekend.
Breakfast on Saturday morning with Jenny's cousin at Urban was one of the best brunches I have had....ever! The food was awesome!
After this, I wandered around Rundle Mall area and relieved myself of some hard earned cash! Found some boots though, so way very happy!
We met up with Jenny's friend Michelle at Lemongrass, for dinner and drinks, before hitting the list of recommended places for the evening. Much of Friday night's dinner conversation was consumed by Adelaide recommendations of where three girls on a night out on the town should go in Adelaide - and our list did not disappoint!
After dinner and a bottle of wine, we headed to the Hotel Richmond for cocktails upstairs, before making our way to The Union (where I had had a drink during the cricket stay this year!) for Jager Bombs! Of course! More drinks later we eventually taxied over to the XO Supper Club for final cocktails before making our way back to the hotel in the arctic temperatures.
Of course, the reason we were really interstate for the weekend was the footy, which was an early match on Sunday. Michelle picked us up from the hotel, and provided us with AFL Members passes. Sweet! This also meant we were sitting just above both team's benches, and in the middle of a sea of teal supporters! Always fun in AAMI Stadium!
After the little Power Kids did their non-coordinated dancing as the pre-match entertainment, and the big, grotesque Power arm was driven around the ground, the game finally started.After a shakey first quarter, the young Hawks got into full speed, and kicked some butt! Was loving it! We managed to win by 34 points! Much to the crowd around us' disgust! Drinks to solidify the win saw the trip home a delight! Waht a great weekend! Have been pumped ever since!
Looks like there was another reason I am home this year!!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Hola in Melbourne
Last night after work, Jenny (my current housing provider) and I headed out to South Yarra for a film as part of the Spanish Film Festival.
We headed out and secured our (free) tickets at the Como Theatre, before backtracking back toward the train station for dinner and sangria at Fiesta, dinner destination of the tennis stars during the Open. Jenny chose the Hewitt Burrito, and I took the Agassi - apparently developed with the respective tennis star's input, but I really don't think there was any different between the two! The sangria was great though - a dinner very reminiscent of dinners in London with Jenny.
Our film for the evening, 53 Winter Nights, selected based on it's synopsis and screening time, was a look at three people's lives after a chance and incedental intersection one night at a bus stop. Interesting look at circumstances and consequences.
We headed out and secured our (free) tickets at the Como Theatre, before backtracking back toward the train station for dinner and sangria at Fiesta, dinner destination of the tennis stars during the Open. Jenny chose the Hewitt Burrito, and I took the Agassi - apparently developed with the respective tennis star's input, but I really don't think there was any different between the two! The sangria was great though - a dinner very reminiscent of dinners in London with Jenny.
Our film for the evening, 53 Winter Nights, selected based on it's synopsis and screening time, was a look at three people's lives after a chance and incedental intersection one night at a bus stop. Interesting look at circumstances and consequences.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Anxiety Tunnel
Roughly once a week I need to drive out to our Dandenong "satellite" office to see clients, which means driving out through the CityLink roads, and through the tunnels.
Now, in the week I started work, the fatal accident in the Burnley Tunnel happened, and looking back I think I had only ever traveled in one of the Melbourne tunnels once, late at night where there was no other traffic.
So now, I am driving out there, through the scary tunnels with all the trucks and merging, and changing traffic conditions. Now, when I am not driving very much at all, with no car, totally reliant on public transport, and have driven maybe a handful of days over the last two and a half years. Needless to say, not as good and as confident as I used to be!
It's bad enough that the air quality down there is deathly. But does the CityLink control dude need to interrupt radio transmission to announce current conditions, current speed limits, and current lane closures - out of the blue mind you, scared me to swerve the first time!!??
The intimidating trucks, the speed in such a closed environment, and the general darkness down there brings to mind rollarcoaster type experiences, in terms of the anxiety symptoms felt. You are just in for the ride once you have entered, not sure you'll make it through to the end, but you have pretty much committed, so there is no turning back now. You just have to go with it, and hang on tight, heart racing, sweating, and scared, till the light at the end of the tunnel finally arrives, and you are blinded by re-entering the sunshine at the other end.
Now, in the week I started work, the fatal accident in the Burnley Tunnel happened, and looking back I think I had only ever traveled in one of the Melbourne tunnels once, late at night where there was no other traffic.
So now, I am driving out there, through the scary tunnels with all the trucks and merging, and changing traffic conditions. Now, when I am not driving very much at all, with no car, totally reliant on public transport, and have driven maybe a handful of days over the last two and a half years. Needless to say, not as good and as confident as I used to be!
It's bad enough that the air quality down there is deathly. But does the CityLink control dude need to interrupt radio transmission to announce current conditions, current speed limits, and current lane closures - out of the blue mind you, scared me to swerve the first time!!??
The intimidating trucks, the speed in such a closed environment, and the general darkness down there brings to mind rollarcoaster type experiences, in terms of the anxiety symptoms felt. You are just in for the ride once you have entered, not sure you'll make it through to the end, but you have pretty much committed, so there is no turning back now. You just have to go with it, and hang on tight, heart racing, sweating, and scared, till the light at the end of the tunnel finally arrives, and you are blinded by re-entering the sunshine at the other end.
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