So after the letter reading Sunday night the boy gave me a bit of angst before he left. And then late Sunday night the girl gave me some when she got home.

Last night, I started cooking dinner when I got home from work and from behind me, Loud calls out a low "hi". I turn around and she's looking a bit sheepish, and then from around the corner also Muso comes out looking sheepish. Yes, they're back together - maybe it was the disco music. Some people's lives seem somewhat dramatic. Although that's probably just in comparison to mine.

My officemate's just been talking to one of her friends who's been visiting her newly-rediscovered-long-lost Aunt in Russia. The Aunt has revealed that the friend's father, was not, in fact, her father. Does this happen to real people?
10:44:00 PM

 
Freitag
night Wry-guy had a couple of friends over to play X-box. He'd borrowed an LCD projector for the Grand Final on Samstag. They were right into it, and I didn't get introduced, and the projector going across the living room made me feel a little uncomfortable about crossing it to get to the bathroom :P Was very silly of me. And then I tried to find someone last minute to go check out an opening night Fringe Fest electronica/hip-hop/disco event with me, but people working late, busy, or not answering phone :( So stayed home sad and alone instead. Loud out in bush visiting friends. Could have tried to be semi-social with X-boxers in living room, but was anti-social and went to bedroom to read Perfume: the story of a murderer (Patrick Süskind), which Loud gave me to read a couple of days previous. Thought it very readable (seemed quite short and quick), and olfactorily inspiring and satisfying, and a little bit different. Turns out it's also one of The Bavarian's fave books (in the original German).

Samstag
I was up early to do errands (groceries, birthday presents and replace coffee plunger I smashed). About lunchtime, The Bavarian asks me if I realized Loud was in hospital. She wasn't out bush at all! She had an operation the Friday night! But should be home Sunday. I realized I'd told a couple of her friends phoning for her that she was out bush. Tried her mobile, and left a message. As the Grand Final bbq (Wry-guy's friends) kicked off, she rang in to reassure me and household all is ok. But again feeling a little antisocial around all the footy fanatics, so I volunteered to bring her stuff (change of clothes, book, toothbrush) to Doze's funky house in the north, where she stayed the night. We hung out and talked and listened to music and read the paper and ate and drank and played scrabble :) She's been quite matter-of-fact and open about it all (except with her parents). But don't think I should go into the details here. I semi-planned to try and make it home for the last quarter of Final and socialize at least a bit, but didn't make it.

Went and visited dancing krew and caught up with Dallas who's over from The West. Went and checked out a Fringe event advertised as "Acid Cabaret". Venue was pretty empty. Got to have a bit of a boogie to some breaky stuff, with mybe a touch of acid. Didn't see any cabaret. [Self-indulgent note to dwell on in old age, please ignore: Fester (a gorgeous neuroscientist whose blognym I've partly chosen for it's inappropriateness) apropos of nothing mentioned that she and her sister thought I was "hot" when they first met me. Was smug and grinny for rest of night.]. Dancing krew mostly left, but a saxophonist had just taken the stage with a dj, and also played a clarinet to some funky-ass tunes, so I stay till end of his set. Was possibly a bit cabaret. But not sure how I'd know. He was very good. A girl who was dancing with us earlier apparently does some PR for him and had a chat with me. She (Angie) talked him and the next act (Preshrunk, who I think I've heard on the radio) up a fair bit. So wanted to stay for next act too, but was already past 3am, and was supposed to try and sleep "normally" until Tuesday's cognitive tests. Had a brisk walk home from the city.

Sonntag
attempted to get a normal 8 hours. Then Loud came home so up hung with her a bit, then another friend came and picekd her up for quality time. I planned to make the spinach, lentil and pumpkin curry of the previous week. Couldn't remember which cookbook it was in, and the first one I looked in had a pumpkin and spinach lasagne which I also had all the ingredients for. So I made that instead, is pretty good, but eggplant gives a better (more al dente?) texture for that layering thing.

Um. Don't *quite* feel I should report on events involving my friends, even when it impinges on me, and am uncomfortable even if the person involved is perfectly open about said events. But have to just note Sunday evening event, where I was home alone, cooking with radio on high volume (Street FM 87.6, has occasionally nice old skooly tunes on a Sunday evening). Someone who may-or-may-not-live-with-me had left a letter of a semi-dear-John-sort, on a bed should someone else come by to visit after not missing a day's band practice (extracurricular) to spend time with someone else who had just had a rather scary operation. (Following me?). I let him in and gently let him know there was a note for him, and went back to cooking as he went and sat to read the note. After a short moment I was thinking maybe I should turn the radio down, as it was rather loud and probably inappropriately dancey music, considering I knew the note was somewhat serious, but before I could put my plan into action, the dj on the radio announced and proceeded to play the classic disco and thus overly-happy tune "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer. Was quite torn between horror and hysterical giggling.
4:22:00 PM

 
Is rather brisk this morning, and work location appears to be in some kind of mysterious cold-hole, a couple of degrees colder than elsewhere in the city.
3:38:00 PM

 
"Scientists make 10 optical discs from single corncob"
11:26:00 PM

 
Ok - must try and buy washing machine this weekend - anyone have any recommendations? So far, enviro-considerations (not thoroughly researched, and they weren't very helpful themselves about lifetime impacts, but none of the other manufacturers were either) seem to suggest a front-loading Whirlpool - prob whatever their cheapest model is.
10:40:00 PM

 
This week: um. Baked lemon cake¹ and banana honey bread². Finished Little, big (John Crowley)³. Made potato and broccoli with spicy coriander sauce⁴. Saw Pirates of the Caribbean⁵.

¹ Really good, could make a lemon sauce to go with it next time.
² Pukkhead's. Okay, but not great. Could be because it didn't rise very well, it was quite cool that night. I also let Loud do the kneading :)
³ Really good, but as mentioned previously, kept getting distracted, which may have detracted from it being even better. Very well written. Ending a little unsatisfying though :(
⁴ Totally dumb. Recipe was way off (from one of those Women's Weekly little booklets). Next time will just make it a curry, add garam masala I think. And need to add the brocc much later. PLUS need to cook *way* longer than they say.
⁵ Last night with the officemate. Was reasonable, but my expectations may have been hyped too much. Dialogue often too Disney/cheesey/cliche/pat. Nice how the Commodore was quite rational and not a bastard at the end. Mmmm... look at that neck! And yes (hmmm - would link to stlkrgrls comment if I could find), JD and OB very cute together.
4:12:00 PM

 
whoa - how can it be Thursday already?
10:35:00 PM

 
Oops, maybe I've moved to the wrong city: "Melbourne [has] one of the highest hayfever rates in the world".
10:54:00 PM

 
Loud's birthday was on Saturday, so on Friday night we went into town and caught some really good jazz at Bennett's Lane, a jazz club surprisingly situated in Bennett's Lane. Managed to get some sushi with her and Muso beforehand (in an amazingly efficient 10 minute order-and-eat sidetrip), and then met up with her cuz's, plus a few more of her friends. Need more double-bass in my life. We had a little bit of eye-rolling consensus at all the solos the drummer got, when clearly, the double-bass should've been the star. Went to a pub afterward, then on to a club to the west of the city where Quiet (a friend of Loud and Muso's, who somehow gives off a quiet vibe despite not being at all introverted) knew a girl on the door (must remember I owe him $10 for the taxi). Quite liked the venue. Had a boogie till 4:30ish amongst a lovely varied punk-hippy-clubber crowd.

Slept in till middayish on Saturday, which turned out to be gloriously sunny. Made polenta with sun-dried tomatoes for Sunday dinner. Lazed on the lawn in the sunny backyard with a book. _Little, big_ by John Crowley is really good, but have been having a hard time getting into it, my mind continually skittering all over the place, thinking about everything else I should be doing, when I let myself read.

Was hoping Sat night to catch up with a friend who got in from the west that day, but she didn't make it out, and I just hung out with our mutual friends instead. We went out to dinner at Gluttony whilst waiting to hear from her, and then went to The Black Cat for a drink afterward. Everyone was too mellow to go out after.

Sunday I caught up on more sleep, then up and hung out with Loud and Muso for brekky in the intermittently sunny backyard, plus a game of scrabble. Which I lost, how rude. Will pretend it was deliberately for Loud's birthday weekend. Then made a vegetarian moussaka-lasagne concoction. Then went to a hippy meeting. Bloody Brunswick takes ages to get to from my side of the city. Particularly on Sunday when the trains run less regularly, and I have to stick to trams. Wasn't too late, and was good to see the nice hippies. But had to leave early to get back home for dinner party. Hope I get to hang out more socially with them sometime.

We've been meaning to have a kind of farewell dinner for The Hippy since she moved out, and last night was it. She brought a terribly healthy date and carrot and banana cake for dessert. I cut the polenta into shards and grilled it. Wry-guy (housemate, think I've only mentioned him like twice so far) made gourmet pizza, Loud stuffed capsicums with potato curry, and I reheated the moussaka, which turned out quite deliciously, and made a really quick salad which no one got to, cos there was so much food. I also picked up some Lindemans 2002 Cawarra Merlot, which is quite nice, as well as reasonably priced, and Hippy brought some Penfolds Merlot.

Must cook more.

-sigh-. Is Monday.
8:05:00 PM

 
Ahoy mateys! Aaarrrr. Have to admit, after telling everyone over the past week, I totally forgot today was International Talk Like a Pirate Day until just then. Yarrr.
8:49:00 PM

 
Monday - saw the new housemate again. For like the first time in a week. Kinda feel empathy for him, seems to be a very social animal, and suspect he was hoping for more interaction when moving in with four other people (think I was expecting that myself when I moved in). Everyone's just busy though. Possibly partly out of pity (hmmm...), cooked him dinner (tuna and corn patties with a *really* good lime, soy, chilli and coriander sauce - I think he's been living on toast and weetbix so far), and had a few beers with him. I believe this time he managed to cover Cancun, capitalism, relationships, movies, and New Years eves. Managed to get the Bavarian to take him out (to the pub rather than with a gun or with duct tape to the mouth).

Tuesday - I left work 15 mins early so I could go be a guinea pig for a medical research project and take some cognitive tests. Managed to find the place, had a chat to the researcher, but then she handed me the list of about eight requirements which I think she did mention on the phone (not all of them though) about a month ago when I spoke with her, and I realized I'd blown about half of them. Stuff like normal sleeping patterns for the past four days, no alcohol for the previous 24 hours, no caffeine for the past few hours, and a normal lunch. So had to reschedule for next week. Felt really bad for getting her hopes up like that. But have realized I hardly ever have normal sleeping pattern on the weekend - may have to try to make it a Thursday or Friday appointment.

But this meant I made it home by like 6pm, and got some quality time with Loud. She proposed a proper cook-up, which I haven't really done for a while (Monday's tuna patties were totally spur of the moment and made up). So we went through the recipe books and she decided to do some chicken wings for starters, and I chose a pumpkin, lentil and spinach curry, and we both chose apple cake for dessert (or I vetoed cheesecakes and she vetoed breads until we both agreed on this). Went and did a grocery shop, then did a cook-up and managed to have it all done before 8pm. All good. Will make curry spicier next time. Had a couple of beers with dinner. Then my officemate popped in just in time for dessert (will put more apple in next time). And then we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean. But it was sold out. So we went and saw American Splendor instead. Which was pretty good. Loud quite interested in it from a screenwriting perspective (currently doing a screenwriting course).
6:52:00 PM

 
Protest Friday night went ok. Turnout was a bit poor, maybe 200 people or so. And dominance by the Socialists was a bit of a turn-off. Nick (main Global Trade Watch organizer) was rather pissed off at them, particularly the way they kept chanting rather inane slogans which were nothing to do with the WTO (about racism and war and Bush and things...). But then we merged with the Reclaim the Streets party and had a pretty massive crowd walking the streets. Set up on one of the less main thoroughfares, a band set up and played some pretty good ska-like music, a huge van with soundsystem also played some electronica on the other side. The street we were on was a bit too well lit. People danced. Did big chalk drawings on the road. Police were pretty good about it all, despite annoyance at apparent headlessness of the crowd. They've probably seen quite enough of it to be used to it by now.

Also got invited to a warehouse party after that by Hover from the Trade Watch group. Went to Yelza (the bar where I saw Mr Music Jamboree) first with Loud and her friend Doz, for farewell drinks for one of their friends. This was conveniently two blocks from the warehouse party, so I invited them all along too. It turned out to be more of a converted warehouse than an actual warehouse. The lower room was still bare concrete and warehousey, but upstairs of there was a rather posh apartment, all blonde wood floor and fittings and glass trimmings. Party was set to go all weekend. Lots of nibbles and things too. Music was rather boring. Unrelentingly housey. Momentary funkiness, but then back to too slow, boring boring beats. Still had a dance of course, but we decided to escape before 3am.

Up on Saturday morning and went to CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies). Large gardens, permaculture, veggie beds, markets, experimental eneergy efficient houses, etc. Had coffee and brekky there, and then went to the markets. Spent all the cash I had on me, and got a very cool t-shirt (material printed entirely with neoclassical naked people, doves, aquas and reds, must find out what the original painting is [Ed: it's Mars disarmed by Venus and the Three Graces, by Jaques Louis David in 1824. The colours are much more intense in real life]), plus one for Loud's birthday next weekend. Had to borrow $6 from her to get it. And there was another really cool one which I wanted, but wasn't sure I'd ever wear out and about - an intensely vibrant Jesus looking terribly soulful while bleeding from the crown of thorns in yellows and reds. Then down to St Kilda after and had a *huge* lunch at "Lentil as Anything". Also saw Rob Sitch looking kinda shifty.

Well the housecooling Saturday night would've been an ideal time to wear the Jesus shirt. It had a "Temple" theme of all religions. Each room had a religious theme - Dionysus, Heavenly Karaoke, something-or-other Make-Out Room, etc. Lots of candles. Altars everywhere. Display of heaps of religious books - various Bibles, Books of Mormon, the Koran, philosophy on God, on miracles, on Star Wars, illustrated children's bibles, etc. The hosts dressed up - priests, cardinals, angels. The invite didn't specifically say dress up though, so not too many other people made the effort (a couple more priests, nuns, altar boys). I took a couple of friends along, because we were going dancing after.

The night was called Meccanoid, and it had a pirate theme. I had a bandanna and a scar, which was rather minimal effort. I hope you also all realize that this Friday is International Talk Like a Pirate day. We danced to electro, which was a bit too slow, but we managed to have a pretty good time anyway. These three random people inducted me into their secret club cos they liked how I danced. There was a secret handshake and everything. And then two seconds later they were off inducting everyone else they could find.
7:09:00 PM

 
Oh wow. WTO Cancun collapse! I guess it could (in theory) have had good aspects for developing countries, but was rather pessimistic about any actually coming about.

"Western countries promised poor nations that the new round of global trade talks launched two years ago in Doha, Qatar, would put developing countries' interests first.

But as the talks entered their fourth day, developing countries accused Brussels and Washington of ignoring their demands and said that the text prepared by the conference chair in consultation with only five ministers was biased in favour of rich countries.

India's trade minister, Arun Jaitley, said that "the pretence of development dimensions of the Doha agenda has finally been discarded, confirming ... that this is mere rhetoric"."
4:57:00 PM

 
Hurghle
Just ate whole almond croissant. Very rich. Feel a bit ick.

Housemate
New housemate moved in on Monday. He seems very young (he's 21), possibly because he's all enthusiastic about stuff. But about the right kind of stuff - poverty, third world development, etc. Have already had some good chats with him about philosophy and religion and politics and the military (he's in the army reserve!).

Hippyism
Spent last evening painting placards for the WTO Protest this evening. Broke out my acrylic paints which I got in high school and have hardly used since. Hope I don't accidentally do an interview and sound really dumb.
9:56:00 PM

 
Ski
Blisters on shins means i'm doing it right, apparently. Am afraid to take my band-aids off.

Drove up Friday night with The Bavarian and The Oenologist (-in-training), and got given an excellent German lesson. Hope *some* of it stays with me.

Saturday morning, up bright and early, and out on the slopes before 9am. Had a really good lesson in the morning, and remembered how to ski. Main technique difficulty was that I had no idea of the theory behind these newfangled "carve" skis as opposed to the old long straight edged ones I last skied on. Apparently you're meant to keep in contact with the snow rather than jumping. Instructor (and everyone else - ski hire place, etc.) all assumed that I'd used this type before. Went a lot better after having a chat about the difference.

Fog and blizzard (well, ok, snow) whiteout on Saturday arvo. Couldn't see trail markers at all. Interesting to encounter others who asked us if we knew where we were. We didn't. But we weren't like off-piste or anything, so not like in actual danger of getting very lost.

Drank too much Saturday evening, so didn't manage to get out onto the slopes till past 10am on Sunday. The weather had cleared up perfectly overnight - endless cobalt blue skies, blazing white-bright sun. Lovely.

For lunch, hung out in the blazing sun at the al fresco cafe in the middle of the trails with The Bavarian, The Oenologist, the Mech, the Biomech, the Lawyer and the Economist (add "-in-training" to the end of all of those except the first).

Then we all hiked to the summit of the mountain (no lifts up there!). They were all really good skiers, much better than me. We jumped off a scary cliff. I didn't manage to stay up all the way down. Blamed it on a protruding rock. Didn't fall very far. Didn't go down the double-black-diamond run with them though.

Have some very nice muscle soreness now. Have realized almost the only time I actually crave a [sotto voce] relationship is when I want a massage. Scoobicat assures me this is normal.
11:33:00 PM

 
What else am I forgetting?
8:20:00 PM

 
Oh crap - haven't sent card for Father's Day! Kept getting reminded and have kept forgetting - crapula.
8:18:00 PM

 
Good to see buttercup and scoobicat back! Don't know quite what made me check after two months... (was still checking occasionally until then, even though they hadn't updated for like the two months before that).

Leaving early today. Was rather frank with the boss. Am going skiing. He said it was okay, and behaved as though he didn't mind, hope he really doesn't.

Had call from supervisor yesterday. Momentary adrenalin surge, but very civilized. Hadn't realized I had to do an annual report, so promised it to him ASAP. Went and downloaded form. Says quite clearly at top I don't have to do one, but filled it in and sent it anyway.

Also had excllent catch-up last night with Hird and Euan after their snowboarding trip, and also with their friend Doug who lives here, and who I've tried to catch up with previously, but haven't managed until now. Euan popped down from Brisvegas to go boarding. But he had to hop on a flight home after dinner.

Daria also called last night and we had a good catchup chat.

Still have to finish packing for weekend, and haven't even thought about what food and drink to bring yet.
8:14:00 PM

 
Haven't recapped Sunday yet: Potential housemate interviews all day! Might elucidate later, but no real freaks.

Then final :( hang out with girlie. Was all ready to take her to Revolver, but it took me a fair while to walk over to hers (20 mins) and then I realized I'd told her to dress up a bit, and I suspected she may have chosen maybe semi-heels which I had a vague feeling might be unfair to make someone walk in, then I realized I should've driven, cos Rev is back a fair bit past my place. But on walk over I passed a smooth-looking a-bit-too-chic pub, so I suggested we go there instead. It was much closer, and *then* it turned out she knew the person on the door! (You didn't mention that gj, should I have omitted?) So went in and had a few, and had to stay for the drag show, but they were dragging (sorry) it out, and only had one introductory mini act, and then the next one wasn't till like 23:30 or something, which we weren't really prepared to stay for... Was pretty good for people watching.
7:58:00 PM

 
I meant to go back and add to that post and describe the whole mess, but have sorted it all out now (*phew*) , and we have a new housemate moving in next Monday, and just blame it on a touch of virus for my muddle-headed-total-wrongness.
7:47:00 PM

 
*urgh*
Have totally messed up our new housemate situation...
3:39:00 PM

 
Hrm - and new template didn't fix the weird interlacing of posts...
7:10:00 PM

 
Darn - just realized generic template I picked was the same as stlkrgrls...
7:05:00 PM

 
Hope I'm not coming down with the flu. Am supposed to go skiing this weekend!

Eyes really bloodshot at the moment, which isn't a symptom I've had before (in addition to usual really really sore throat, congestion, aching neck...). Loud was taken out for four days with it. And there've been several absences at work. Some people reckoned they couldn't shake it for three weeks :P ick. But you'd think it would hit quicker if it was going to - have had sore throat for three days now. Come on immune system - do your thing! Will have to try and get proper sleep this week.
6:17:00 PM

 
Weekend was good. Friday night I managed to catch up with Hird. Had dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant down the road from me. He's off snowboarding now.

Saturday we got up unreasonably early and went on a winery tour of the Yarra Valley with Loud and Deutsche and friends. We rented a minivan from Budget at a discount rate due to family connections. A Viticulturist (in training) was on hand to supply detailed oenological analyses, as well as being quite used to spitting rather than swallowing, enabling a safe piloting of the vehicle. We made it to five wineries, and I even purchased a couple of bottles from the nicer vintners. Accompaniment by girlie and rowdy German students provided substantial insurance against potential boredom.
12:45:00 AM