Thu, 29 Jan 2004
Our friends, in the loosest sense of the word, downstairs are playing their techno doof-doof music as I write this. I always thought that if you were into techno, like, *really* into it, you'd be playing all this obscure stuff, and you'd be a total music elitist, spurning anything remotely mass-market.
But no, downstairs they be playing "Turn To You", by that chick out of the Spice Girls.
I want to lean over the balcony and tell them, "Hey mate. Your music is so bloody MAINSTREAM!"
That'll shut 'em up.
Wed, 28 Jan 2004
My mate Troy has a car parked in his street that has recently had a council sticker plastered over the back, with words to the effect of: "Move your car, or the council will tow it away".
Said car is a write-off after a tree fell on it in storms, back in August. Obviously he's waiting for the council to take it off his hands. "No! Please don't tow my written-off car!"
Tue, 27 Jan 2004
Got back yesterday from three days up the coast, huntin', shootin' and fishin'. Well, actually, we only did the last one. But it was still good fun!
We even have photos!
After almost a month, I've finally posted the photos from our New Years' trip to Hobart.
Thu, 22 Jan 2004
About to hit $1 a litre. Lucky I filled the tank on Tuesday, since everybody knows the price goes through the roof just before a long weekend!
Petrol is like cigarettes - you could tax it up the wazoo, and people would still line up to pay, rather than look to alternatives like riding a bike, walking, or catching public transport. Sure, they won't like it, they'll complain, but not to the extent that they would change their behaviour.
You should see the queues of cars lining up from North Sydney to go over the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the morning. Unbelievable.
Sun, 18 Jan 2004
Headed down to Coogee Beach with Troy for a swim. It was a cool day, and overcast, but the water was incredibly warm! A bit of strop coming from the east caused a decent swell, with pounding waves for some great bodysurfing.
It's the first time I've gone to the beach since I've been here in Sydney. Definitely can't get that in Melbourne!
Sat, 17 Jan 2004
Went up the road to a nearby cafe this morning. Ordered a coffee.
"Here you are. I put three shots in it. Wake you up."
Um... okay. Thanks.
Now I've got a headache from the after-effects of a triple-strength coffee that I didn't ask for in the first place.
Wed, 14 Jan 2004
Does anyone else find the phrase "I'm just going to marinate my tuna", taken out of the cooking show context, mildly suggestive?
Sun, 11 Jan 2004
We had a fun weekend, catching up with a lot of friends and trying, unsuccessfully in Kathleen's case, to avoid sunburn in this sweltering weather.
Friday we went to Circular Quay at sunset for the City of Light show, part of the Sydney Festival which is on for the next few weeks, lighting up the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Saturday was Lu's birthday, and she had a barbecue at Centennial Park. Saturday night a group of us headed out to Homebush (tip: next time, take the train - parking's a killer) for Of Angels And Light, an outdoor show. It was visually fantastic, but the narration was a little pompous.
It was warm until late at night, and we stayed talking and relaxing on the grass, with Eva and Steph bringing a picnic basket full of food.
And today? We ended up at Watson's Bay, fish and chips from Doyle's and a trip back to the city by ferry.
Sydney's a beautiful city - Melbourne definitely doesn't have that beach sentimentality - and little by little I'm starting to like it more and more.
Thu, 08 Jan 2004
After all, the groom and his teammates (to carry a sporting analogy) really only have to organise a tux and turn up. And organise the buck's night. Oh yeah, and the ring.
Currently The Bride (Kathleen, not the Kill Bill character) is having a stress attack about the cost of the hair and make-up. Greta is doing a fantastic job of calming her down. Kathleen needs to talk to people she trusts for reassurance that things will turn out great on the day. So far she's been a whirlwind of activity, finding out about heaps of stuff, but being a little overwhelmed by it all.
Greta also checked out two places in the Botanical Gardens we were thinking about - and changed our minds about which we were going to go with. Organising something from out-of-state is not going to be easy - we're lucky we've got someone on the ground!
Thanks Greta!
Wed, 07 Jan 2004
After a few weeks to-ing and fro-ing, here's what we're thinking:
- Location - Hobart
Really - where else would we have it? Sydney's nice, but there's nowhere really meaningful, plus it would be ultra-expensive, we'd need to book 7 years in advance; Melbourne's okay, but the only real positive is the fact it's in the middle between Sydney and Hobart.
With Hobart, we can get something that'll knock the socks off the interstaters, many of whom have been promising for years to visit!
- Reception - Elizabeth Street Pier
The Hobart waterfront is magical. It'll be fantastic!
- Wedding
Botanical Gardens - if it's nice! We're praying for nice weather, and thinking about a possible backup in case of rain. Heat's also a worry - Hobart in summer feels a lot hotter than the forecast, since the absence of smog makes the sun shine that much fiercer.
- Date
January 2005. Early January. So everyone can go to the Taste of Tasmania, plus see the boats! It'll be summer, it'll be glorious, it'll be sensational!
33 degrees in the city today. Apparently. Felt much hotter than that in North Epping. I'm sitting at home now, sitting ramrod straight, since my back gets up a good deal of sweat whenever it comes into contact with a surface like a couch or a chair. Not much fun for the other people who live here to find.
Japan was hotter - much more humid - plus the small apartment size means that two people together in a tiny space makes it worse. Having air-conditioning was such a temptation. 17 degrees all year round.
North Epping sucks, too. Massive big highways, nothing reachable by foot. Thirty minutes by bus from the city. Nothing to do at lunch, except walk for 20 minutes to a huge-arse shopping mall, then walk 20 minutes back.
Mon, 05 Jan 2004
Just arrived back in Sydney yesterday after a whirlwind four day visit to Hobart. While we were there, we've managed to:
- almost decide on a reception centre for the wedding
- attend an old friend's wedding
- catch up with heaps of people who've been off seeing the world
- spend time with my family
I'll get around to putting up a trip diary over the next day or so - stay tuned!
