* I am drinking dandelion root tea.
* I am checking my emails, even though I know I've already read them all.
* I am wondering whether I really needed to spend so much money on clothes yesterday.
* I am wondering whether I should catch the train to my hostel in London, and risk getting lost, or take the airport shuttle to my hostel door and pay more than my a night's accomodation for the experience.
* I am stalling until my meeting this morning, which has been pushed back by an hour.
* I am hoping it doesn't rain on Sunday as I'm having a picnic, and I really want it to go ahead
* I am considering sitting on the couch and continuing to read 'Vile Bodeis' by Evelyn Waugh, which is fantastic. I'ld like to finish it before I leave, and I think I will.
* I am trying to upload photos to a website and possibly win some free accomodation in Europe.
* I am checking out my nation on www.nationstates.net.
* I am feeling a little annoyed that there's a new Britrail train pass which focuses on the South East area of England, encompassing all the places I am visiting, which would have saved me about a hundred bucks.
* I have cold feet.
* I am considering having a shower.
* I am considering having breakfast.
* I am trying to decide on which days I should wear my new clothes, or if I should just pack them away for my trip.
* I am hoping that it is actually cold enough in Europe to justify my lovely new coat. Which is very lovely. And wool/ cashmere. And wasn't that expensive.
* I am wondering if I really need to buy thermals, as people keep recommending, or if I can just do lots of layering until spring properly kicks into Europe and the weather warms up.
* I am wondering why the amount spent on my credit card, and the amount left to spend on my credit card do not add up to my credit card total. Maybe some pending purchases to be added on to the spent total???? Confusing.
* I am trying to decide if it is really worth doing bump out for Macbeth, even if I will get paid... and if I change my mind, can I actually get out of it.
* I am noticing the gorgeous sunshine without, and wondering if it is actually colder than in looks out there (I'll bet it is).
* I am wrapping up this blog entry.
What are you doing?
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Itinerary-ish
Well, it is one week until I fly out. Wooh!
Here is my current itinerary for England (wooh!)-
Day 1: Thursday: Arrive at 6.20am. Find supposedly free shuttle bus to hostel. Hostel is in the delightfully named Shepherd’s Bush, apparently really close to the West End. This was one reason I chose it. The other is that it was cheap (and by cheap I mean about AU$20 the first night, AU$30 the second for a mixed dorm room. Sigh)! Wander city until I fall over from exhaustion.
Day 2: Good Friday: Wander city, hoping to find that it does not shut down over Easter.
Day 3: Saturday: Catch train to Norwich to stay with my cousin-ish, BJ and her famous football player husband. Various Norwich-y things. Free bed :)
Day 4: Easter Sunday: Various Norwich-y things. Avoid terror of nothing being open over Easter by talking to BJ. Free bed :)
Day 5: Easter Monday: Return to London via Cambridge (*swoon*). Hope it is not all closed up because of Easter weekend. Curse stupid travel plans that encompass Easter. Try to find Lisa. Expensive bed :( ... unless one of Lisa’s friends has floor space for me :)
Day 6: Tuesday: Day trip to Bath to look at Roman ruins, etc. I had originally wanted to do day trips to Cambridge, Bath and Oxford and booked a four day train pass accordingly, then realised cursed Easter interrupted any four day block. So I am choosing Bath because it is a more expensive trip than Oxford, and will feel less wasteful of my $s.
Day 7: Wednesday: Wander London with Lisa.
Day 8: Thursday: Early morning train to Brussels.
Nothing further planned. :)
Here is my current itinerary for England (wooh!)-
Day 1: Thursday: Arrive at 6.20am. Find supposedly free shuttle bus to hostel. Hostel is in the delightfully named Shepherd’s Bush, apparently really close to the West End. This was one reason I chose it. The other is that it was cheap (and by cheap I mean about AU$20 the first night, AU$30 the second for a mixed dorm room. Sigh)! Wander city until I fall over from exhaustion.
Day 2: Good Friday: Wander city, hoping to find that it does not shut down over Easter.
Day 3: Saturday: Catch train to Norwich to stay with my cousin-ish, BJ and her famous football player husband. Various Norwich-y things. Free bed :)
Day 4: Easter Sunday: Various Norwich-y things. Avoid terror of nothing being open over Easter by talking to BJ. Free bed :)
Day 5: Easter Monday: Return to London via Cambridge (*swoon*). Hope it is not all closed up because of Easter weekend. Curse stupid travel plans that encompass Easter. Try to find Lisa. Expensive bed :( ... unless one of Lisa’s friends has floor space for me :)
Day 6: Tuesday: Day trip to Bath to look at Roman ruins, etc. I had originally wanted to do day trips to Cambridge, Bath and Oxford and booked a four day train pass accordingly, then realised cursed Easter interrupted any four day block. So I am choosing Bath because it is a more expensive trip than Oxford, and will feel less wasteful of my $s.
Day 7: Wednesday: Wander London with Lisa.
Day 8: Thursday: Early morning train to Brussels.
Nothing further planned. :)
Friday, March 23, 2007
A Patch of Green
What you first notice, as you drive into the hills, is the greenery. It makes it difficult to believe that Victoria, as an entirety, was today declared a drought state. It's intriguing to see that areas still much in their natural state can survive conditions which, really, are part and parcel of the Australian environment.
The second thing you notice is the drop in temperature. The reduction in concrete, the increase in shade and the enticing breezes combine to cause the temperature to feel notably lower than horrid 35 degree Melbourne.
Today I worked in The Patch, a cute little area just out of Belgrave. Sometimes I think I could live in the bush. Then I remember I hate snakes, and windy roads make me sick. And I'm scared of bushfire, trees falling down, random bitey insects. Then I decide I'll stick with the burbs.
The GOOD thing about working in the hills today, though, was the opportunity to restock the tea cupboard, through a visit to my favourite tea store, in Sassafras. Mmmm. $30 spent in about five minutes. I love tea. (If you're interested, I restocked with Monk's Pear (similar to an earl grey style), vanilla black tea, imperial spice (spiced black), Wahgi Valley (black tea from PNG) and tried for the first time dandelion root, and fruit fantasy (a delicious smelling black based fruit tea))
Spent the rest of the day hanging with my nana, including taking her to The Scottish Rock Opera (which was pretty good tonight- the actors seem to get better each night, which is great). My nana nodded off. How anyone falls asleep three rows from the front at a ROCK OPERA (ie lots of loud singing/ screaming and a live band) is beyond me. Also sold tickets to a girl I lived with, who ducked out on the household still owing people money. Awkward.
My nana is staying in my uncle's company apartment in Port Melbourne, and waxing lyrical about how she loves Port Melbourne. I hate it. Yuppy snobsville overpriced wank of an area (yeah, tell us what you really think...). Doesn't even have a decent beach. Ugh. I hate places that charge twenty bucks for a small pizza. Get real.
Tomorrow I was thinking of auditioning for 1 vs 100, but turns out that you had to register for a time (which I totally didn't get from the website), plus Nick's going Wed night, so I am not going to do it any more. Can't do the other auditions due to Macbeth :(
Meh. I am going to Europe, anyway, so prob wouldn't be able to do the show, even if I dd get on. 12 days til bon voyage!
The second thing you notice is the drop in temperature. The reduction in concrete, the increase in shade and the enticing breezes combine to cause the temperature to feel notably lower than horrid 35 degree Melbourne.
Today I worked in The Patch, a cute little area just out of Belgrave. Sometimes I think I could live in the bush. Then I remember I hate snakes, and windy roads make me sick. And I'm scared of bushfire, trees falling down, random bitey insects. Then I decide I'll stick with the burbs.
The GOOD thing about working in the hills today, though, was the opportunity to restock the tea cupboard, through a visit to my favourite tea store, in Sassafras. Mmmm. $30 spent in about five minutes. I love tea. (If you're interested, I restocked with Monk's Pear (similar to an earl grey style), vanilla black tea, imperial spice (spiced black), Wahgi Valley (black tea from PNG) and tried for the first time dandelion root, and fruit fantasy (a delicious smelling black based fruit tea))
Spent the rest of the day hanging with my nana, including taking her to The Scottish Rock Opera (which was pretty good tonight- the actors seem to get better each night, which is great). My nana nodded off. How anyone falls asleep three rows from the front at a ROCK OPERA (ie lots of loud singing/ screaming and a live band) is beyond me. Also sold tickets to a girl I lived with, who ducked out on the household still owing people money. Awkward.
My nana is staying in my uncle's company apartment in Port Melbourne, and waxing lyrical about how she loves Port Melbourne. I hate it. Yuppy snobsville overpriced wank of an area (yeah, tell us what you really think...). Doesn't even have a decent beach. Ugh. I hate places that charge twenty bucks for a small pizza. Get real.
Tomorrow I was thinking of auditioning for 1 vs 100, but turns out that you had to register for a time (which I totally didn't get from the website), plus Nick's going Wed night, so I am not going to do it any more. Can't do the other auditions due to Macbeth :(
Meh. I am going to Europe, anyway, so prob wouldn't be able to do the show, even if I dd get on. 12 days til bon voyage!
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Sleepless soliloquy, 2am.
It is 2am, and I am wide awake. It is 2am in SHOW WEEK, a week in which I am working ridiculous hours: 5 days at Kidz Bodz, 6 nights on Macbeth; and I am awake.
I have a flu, the same flu that has kept Nick virtually bedridden for two weeks now. Even with nothing but rest, Nick has stayed sick. I have two weeks of show, and most days working, so no bed rest for me L And in two weeks I go to Europe. I hope I am not still sick when I leave!
I am running on the vague hopes that: perhaps my immune system is stronger than Nick’s? He seems susceptible to all sorts of illness; perhaps my far improved diet of late will help boost said immune system; perhaps the flu shot from July/ August last year is still effective and will help lessen the symptoms; perhaps the constant cold and flu drugs I am taking will also help lessen the symptoms. Although I couldn’t get my preferred brand which seem to be the ones that work best for me, but are so difficult to chase down (Nick says going cold and flu tablet shopping with me is like an Easter egg hunt…). I’d rather not be taking c&f tabs at all, but I have little choice- a necessity to keep functioning at this point! Urgurgle…
Anyway, I’ve taken a second night-time flu tablet (which has at least put a brief stop to my runny nose), and am armed with a lighter blanket (hoping to even out the fever- doona too hot, no blanket too cold) and fennel tea to hopefully make me drowsy.
I have a flu, the same flu that has kept Nick virtually bedridden for two weeks now. Even with nothing but rest, Nick has stayed sick. I have two weeks of show, and most days working, so no bed rest for me L And in two weeks I go to Europe. I hope I am not still sick when I leave!
I am running on the vague hopes that: perhaps my immune system is stronger than Nick’s? He seems susceptible to all sorts of illness; perhaps my far improved diet of late will help boost said immune system; perhaps the flu shot from July/ August last year is still effective and will help lessen the symptoms; perhaps the constant cold and flu drugs I am taking will also help lessen the symptoms. Although I couldn’t get my preferred brand which seem to be the ones that work best for me, but are so difficult to chase down (Nick says going cold and flu tablet shopping with me is like an Easter egg hunt…). I’d rather not be taking c&f tabs at all, but I have little choice- a necessity to keep functioning at this point! Urgurgle…
Anyway, I’ve taken a second night-time flu tablet (which has at least put a brief stop to my runny nose), and am armed with a lighter blanket (hoping to even out the fever- doona too hot, no blanket too cold) and fennel tea to hopefully make me drowsy.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Grey day, hooray
Friday post
Melbourne is grey today, and it is beautiful. Grey heralds rainclouds on the horizon, bursting overhead and drenching the parched, brown landscape. We need this rain, and the subsequent drop in temperature (and humidity) is beautiful too.
Generally, sunshine makes me happy. But this morning, when I came out of my house to damp ground underfoot and the massing clouds promising more rain, I was emotionally overcome. I know, how sad that rain almost made me cry. But they were happy almost tears. I guess I occasionally get pretty stressed about environmental stuff, but especially the water situation. We're almost onto Stage 4 restrictions. When I came to Melbourne seven years ago, I was shocked to see people watering lawns, as Geelong had been on Stage 1 for a few years. Now Geelong is on Stage 5 and Melbourne is fast catching up. Perhaps if we'd started earlier?
Anyway, the point is, Friday was grey. For my job, this meant that I had to remind preppies to wipe their feet, so the mat wasn't covered in mud; that students wanted to come in to my room at recess; and that our walk around the oval had to be modified to a walk around the covered walkways.
Saturday Postscript Post
Today was grey-ish, but I didn't see much of it. I ended up being called in last minute to rig lights (11-6, and only left that early by forcibly extricating myself). Got to wear a harness and walk on the bridges though, so that was cool. Also had to deal with dual annoying soundtracks- the Grand Prix (although I enjoyed when you could hear the bands- turned out Little Birdie played. Less appreciative of the sounds of jets overhead) and the teenage play being rehearsed in the next room. For their icebreaker (whcih went ALL day), the kids had to mime stupidly to a random daggy song, which meant much ad music and much girlie screaming. Ugh.
Dinner was fantastic- best baymarie ever. Totally recommend Sigiri Sri Lankan, as I am sure will soon be echoed in the 80 Meals Review. Had a great time, the first chance I've had to chat to Rami's friend Ruvinda. Also came back to our place to drink Kilkenny Beer for St Pat's Day. Not as good from a can, but we're all old, and we walked back out of the pub, having decided it was too noisy. *sigh*
Sunday Postscript Post
Ugh. Have decided that the 'nitrogenated widget' that activate the 'head' in the Kilkenny cans also dehydrate you. I had three drinks, and three drinks only last night: a very sweet Dolcetto, which tastes rather like alcoholic grape juice (and quite nice); a Crowny; and a Kilkenny. My mouth has that distasteful fuzzy feeling which follows a night's hard drinking. I feel ripped off.
Have just gotten a text from the lighting guy saying we need another hour of rigging/ patching, plus three-four hours plotting. With two walkers. Previously we'd only mentioned one. SO now I have to suck up to my friends to find some help. Ugh.
If only Caroline and Rami weren't moving today. I want to help, but having worked all week, rigged Saturday, plotting tonight, and then work all next week plus show every night, I just don't know if I can face giving up my half-day weekend to moving. Maybe I can lift pillows or play some uplifting 'moving music', a la Rami's previous moving assistance efforts. But I kinda would prefer to do my washing and buy food, so we don't starve and smell all week. But because I am not helping to move (or if I do, it will be one or two hours help, maximum), I can't ask them to help me tonight. Ah well.
Scottish musical opens on Wednesday. Anyone wanna come? $18 tix Wed and Thurs night, if you book via me (tix normally $30 full, $24 concession). The set looks pretty cool, and costumes are by the same design team, so I expect they should be funky too. I haven't been to many rehearsals, so I don't really know how the cast are shaping up... but right now I don't care. I just want the run to start, so it will finish, so that I can have three days of semi-normality, before I fly to Europe. Man, I am cutting things fine! Phew.
Melbourne is grey today, and it is beautiful. Grey heralds rainclouds on the horizon, bursting overhead and drenching the parched, brown landscape. We need this rain, and the subsequent drop in temperature (and humidity) is beautiful too.
Generally, sunshine makes me happy. But this morning, when I came out of my house to damp ground underfoot and the massing clouds promising more rain, I was emotionally overcome. I know, how sad that rain almost made me cry. But they were happy almost tears. I guess I occasionally get pretty stressed about environmental stuff, but especially the water situation. We're almost onto Stage 4 restrictions. When I came to Melbourne seven years ago, I was shocked to see people watering lawns, as Geelong had been on Stage 1 for a few years. Now Geelong is on Stage 5 and Melbourne is fast catching up. Perhaps if we'd started earlier?
Anyway, the point is, Friday was grey. For my job, this meant that I had to remind preppies to wipe their feet, so the mat wasn't covered in mud; that students wanted to come in to my room at recess; and that our walk around the oval had to be modified to a walk around the covered walkways.
Saturday Postscript Post
Today was grey-ish, but I didn't see much of it. I ended up being called in last minute to rig lights (11-6, and only left that early by forcibly extricating myself). Got to wear a harness and walk on the bridges though, so that was cool. Also had to deal with dual annoying soundtracks- the Grand Prix (although I enjoyed when you could hear the bands- turned out Little Birdie played. Less appreciative of the sounds of jets overhead) and the teenage play being rehearsed in the next room. For their icebreaker (whcih went ALL day), the kids had to mime stupidly to a random daggy song, which meant much ad music and much girlie screaming. Ugh.
Dinner was fantastic- best baymarie ever. Totally recommend Sigiri Sri Lankan, as I am sure will soon be echoed in the 80 Meals Review. Had a great time, the first chance I've had to chat to Rami's friend Ruvinda. Also came back to our place to drink Kilkenny Beer for St Pat's Day. Not as good from a can, but we're all old, and we walked back out of the pub, having decided it was too noisy. *sigh*
Sunday Postscript Post
Ugh. Have decided that the 'nitrogenated widget' that activate the 'head' in the Kilkenny cans also dehydrate you. I had three drinks, and three drinks only last night: a very sweet Dolcetto, which tastes rather like alcoholic grape juice (and quite nice); a Crowny; and a Kilkenny. My mouth has that distasteful fuzzy feeling which follows a night's hard drinking. I feel ripped off.
Have just gotten a text from the lighting guy saying we need another hour of rigging/ patching, plus three-four hours plotting. With two walkers. Previously we'd only mentioned one. SO now I have to suck up to my friends to find some help. Ugh.
If only Caroline and Rami weren't moving today. I want to help, but having worked all week, rigged Saturday, plotting tonight, and then work all next week plus show every night, I just don't know if I can face giving up my half-day weekend to moving. Maybe I can lift pillows or play some uplifting 'moving music', a la Rami's previous moving assistance efforts. But I kinda would prefer to do my washing and buy food, so we don't starve and smell all week. But because I am not helping to move (or if I do, it will be one or two hours help, maximum), I can't ask them to help me tonight. Ah well.
Scottish musical opens on Wednesday. Anyone wanna come? $18 tix Wed and Thurs night, if you book via me (tix normally $30 full, $24 concession). The set looks pretty cool, and costumes are by the same design team, so I expect they should be funky too. I haven't been to many rehearsals, so I don't really know how the cast are shaping up... but right now I don't care. I just want the run to start, so it will finish, so that I can have three days of semi-normality, before I fly to Europe. Man, I am cutting things fine! Phew.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Start the clocks
I am in countdown to various things.
9 days until The Scottish Play Contemporary Rock Opera (stupid curse) goes on stage.
19 days until it's all over!
18 days until school holidays.
23 days until I go overseas.
9 days
In 9 days I will not have to do any more publicity, hopefully. In 9 days the pressure on me to identify media targets and send press releases and trawl theatre websites and fiddle with programs will be over. It will be replaced with having to man box office and schmooze and seat people, but this seems minimal. Besides, then I get to see the finished product of the show which, for all the whinging I do about the work and how disconnected I am from the performers, looks very exciting.
19 days
And in 19 days, even that stress will be gone. I will have been paid my scungy flat rate and, in an ideal world, we'll have made a profit and I'll get a cut of that. In an ideal world...
18 days
No more teaching. Nothing but sleep and organisation stretching between me and...
23 days
OH MY GOD I AM GOING TO EUROPE IN 3 WEEKS! This is exciting and terrifying. My last overseas trip was OK, but hey, New Zealand is practically an Aus suburb. And it was only two weeks. Indonesia was supposed to be long term, but ended up being around nine weeks worth. So this ten week trip will be my longest time overseas. And I'll be spending much of that time with Lisa, which is a big thing. We've lived together before, and even though we disagree, I think we get on quite well most of the time, and we generally are able to put differences behind us again and move on. So realistically I expect we'll not get on the whole time, but I am sure it will be fine. I love my friends, but I'm not sure I could travel with all of them. I think Lise is one of those I can.
Don't know if I've posted this, but have discovered I will be in London over the Easter weekend. I wasn't meant to be leaving before Easter. I'd set my departure date in my head as April 10, but then in trying to get flights to continental Europe, the travel agent and I had moved the date back and back and back. Then when we tried England, I really could have used my original date, but I'd ok'd the new date, forgetting why I'd set the 10th as my departure date anyway. So now I am going to be in England over a public holiday (a holiday which also is significant to my family, for personal reasons, rather than religious- it was always a very big deal for my mum. Yeah, we worship chocolate.). Two public holidays, in fact. I have a four day consecutive train pass, but no four consecutive days which don't include a public holiday. Crap.
Then again, if this is the most terrible thing that happens in the next 23 days, I am going pretty well. Count down/s begin now.
9 days until The Scottish Play Contemporary Rock Opera (stupid curse) goes on stage.
19 days until it's all over!
18 days until school holidays.
23 days until I go overseas.
9 days
In 9 days I will not have to do any more publicity, hopefully. In 9 days the pressure on me to identify media targets and send press releases and trawl theatre websites and fiddle with programs will be over. It will be replaced with having to man box office and schmooze and seat people, but this seems minimal. Besides, then I get to see the finished product of the show which, for all the whinging I do about the work and how disconnected I am from the performers, looks very exciting.
19 days
And in 19 days, even that stress will be gone. I will have been paid my scungy flat rate and, in an ideal world, we'll have made a profit and I'll get a cut of that. In an ideal world...
18 days
No more teaching. Nothing but sleep and organisation stretching between me and...
23 days
OH MY GOD I AM GOING TO EUROPE IN 3 WEEKS! This is exciting and terrifying. My last overseas trip was OK, but hey, New Zealand is practically an Aus suburb. And it was only two weeks. Indonesia was supposed to be long term, but ended up being around nine weeks worth. So this ten week trip will be my longest time overseas. And I'll be spending much of that time with Lisa, which is a big thing. We've lived together before, and even though we disagree, I think we get on quite well most of the time, and we generally are able to put differences behind us again and move on. So realistically I expect we'll not get on the whole time, but I am sure it will be fine. I love my friends, but I'm not sure I could travel with all of them. I think Lise is one of those I can.
Don't know if I've posted this, but have discovered I will be in London over the Easter weekend. I wasn't meant to be leaving before Easter. I'd set my departure date in my head as April 10, but then in trying to get flights to continental Europe, the travel agent and I had moved the date back and back and back. Then when we tried England, I really could have used my original date, but I'd ok'd the new date, forgetting why I'd set the 10th as my departure date anyway. So now I am going to be in England over a public holiday (a holiday which also is significant to my family, for personal reasons, rather than religious- it was always a very big deal for my mum. Yeah, we worship chocolate.). Two public holidays, in fact. I have a four day consecutive train pass, but no four consecutive days which don't include a public holiday. Crap.
Then again, if this is the most terrible thing that happens in the next 23 days, I am going pretty well. Count down/s begin now.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
I feel the earth move
If you read an Australian newspaper, news-site or listen to the radio, you will be aware of the fact that a plane crashed in a fireball in Jogjakarta yesterday, injuring or killing a handful of Australians. Less well known is the fact that a large earthquake (6.3 Richter) killed at least 72 people in Sumatera Barat on March 6.
Sumatera Barat was where I lived in Indo. The quake was centered in Solok, not far from Padang, my Indo home, and a great deal of damage and devastation was caused in Padang. I have only heard from one of my friends in Padang, who said that the quake was terrifying, and he was afraid he would die.
It really bothers me that the Australian media is so loathe to focus on any international matter which does not immediately impact an Australian life. I would love to find out more about the Sumateran quake, but information is sparse. In The Age today, at least four pages focused on the plane crash. One small article in the World News section was the extent of reporting on the earthquake.
I'm finding the recent tragedy in Indonesia difficult to deal with. In some ways, I feel guilty for not having been involved in the quake. By all rights I should have been. I was due to be in Padang until August. Because I was fortunate- and wealthy- enough, I was able to leave. But because I left, someone else (my replacement) found themselves in danger.
It just sort of stirs up feelings that I wimped out by coming home. Like I cheated. 72 people have died in an area I lived, hundreds more injured or bereft of their homes, and I escaped that because I was unhappy that I didn't have a Western toilet. It feels so petty. I feel so petty. I got an email from the Australian embassy in Jakarta, concerned for my welfare. It seemed hollow to reply, advising I was in fact in Australia.
I know this is silly. Had I been there, I could have done nothing to help. I would have achieved nothing except worry to my loved ones had I been in the quake. Maybe if there were some media recognition that human lives have been disrupted, and are as valid as those lost in the Garuda crash, I would feel less guilty.
Meanwhile, if I feel guilt, I hope our Foreign Minister is suffering bucketloads of it. All of the Australians on the Garuda crash were travelling to Jogja to attend a conference chaired by Mr Downer. The lucky bastard arrived the next day. Karma misses its mark again.
Sumatera Barat was where I lived in Indo. The quake was centered in Solok, not far from Padang, my Indo home, and a great deal of damage and devastation was caused in Padang. I have only heard from one of my friends in Padang, who said that the quake was terrifying, and he was afraid he would die.
It really bothers me that the Australian media is so loathe to focus on any international matter which does not immediately impact an Australian life. I would love to find out more about the Sumateran quake, but information is sparse. In The Age today, at least four pages focused on the plane crash. One small article in the World News section was the extent of reporting on the earthquake.
I'm finding the recent tragedy in Indonesia difficult to deal with. In some ways, I feel guilty for not having been involved in the quake. By all rights I should have been. I was due to be in Padang until August. Because I was fortunate- and wealthy- enough, I was able to leave. But because I left, someone else (my replacement) found themselves in danger.
It just sort of stirs up feelings that I wimped out by coming home. Like I cheated. 72 people have died in an area I lived, hundreds more injured or bereft of their homes, and I escaped that because I was unhappy that I didn't have a Western toilet. It feels so petty. I feel so petty. I got an email from the Australian embassy in Jakarta, concerned for my welfare. It seemed hollow to reply, advising I was in fact in Australia.
I know this is silly. Had I been there, I could have done nothing to help. I would have achieved nothing except worry to my loved ones had I been in the quake. Maybe if there were some media recognition that human lives have been disrupted, and are as valid as those lost in the Garuda crash, I would feel less guilty.
Meanwhile, if I feel guilt, I hope our Foreign Minister is suffering bucketloads of it. All of the Australians on the Garuda crash were travelling to Jogja to attend a conference chaired by Mr Downer. The lucky bastard arrived the next day. Karma misses its mark again.
Friday, March 02, 2007
The right blend
Blended families make great TV. I thought The OC took the cake for whacky blended families (mostly thanks to Julie, who was married to Jimmy, Kirsten's ex high school sweetheart, but then married Kirsten's dad, then got engaged to her daughter's best friend's dad, then started getting friendly with Kirsten's adopted son (Ryan)'s dad. Meanwhile Ryan dated Julie's daughter, Marissa for a while, but also dated Kirsten's half sister (whose name escapes me), who was the product of a secret affair her dad had). I'm also a fan of the general weirdness of the relationships in Nip/Tuck (Julia married Sean, but concealed the fact that their son was actually the product of a fling with Sean's best mate and business partner, Christian. Julia later had a relationship with Quinton, Sean and Christian's other business partner, and Sean slept with Christian's fiancee, Kimber). But now I've started watching Aussie drama Love My Way.
So. Main character Frankie (Claudia Karvan) has a kid with Charlie. She lives with Charlie's brother Tom- they're not together, but they have had sex at some indeterminate point in the past. Charlie and his wife Julia have a new baby, and Julia's ex, Howard has moved back to town- and started seeing Frankie. Everyone's parents show up all the time- everyone seems to have a key to Charlie and Julia's house, and just get stuck into the wine and fancy cheese. Seems ok when it's Charlie's parents show up at his house, but it's a bit more weird when Frankie's mum (who can't identify Frankie's dad, btw) is caught eating the fancy cheese at Charlie and Julia's- by Julia's ex, who was staying there briefly. It's all very messy. And everyone swears a lot. It's quite a lot of fun :)
Anyway, I think the reason that we didn't have TV before the 50's (or whenever it was invented) is because there just weren't enough dysfunctional families to make sitcoms about. Think about it. Even the Brady Bunch were blended- and what the hell was with Alice? Something weird going on there, I'm sure (not sure what, though). Meh, who wants to watch a normal family on TV, anyway? We'd all just feel paranoid about how dysfunctional our own families are. I suppose with the high drama of TV families, our own lives look quite pale by comparison. Almost normal. Almost ;)
So. Main character Frankie (Claudia Karvan) has a kid with Charlie. She lives with Charlie's brother Tom- they're not together, but they have had sex at some indeterminate point in the past. Charlie and his wife Julia have a new baby, and Julia's ex, Howard has moved back to town- and started seeing Frankie. Everyone's parents show up all the time- everyone seems to have a key to Charlie and Julia's house, and just get stuck into the wine and fancy cheese. Seems ok when it's Charlie's parents show up at his house, but it's a bit more weird when Frankie's mum (who can't identify Frankie's dad, btw) is caught eating the fancy cheese at Charlie and Julia's- by Julia's ex, who was staying there briefly. It's all very messy. And everyone swears a lot. It's quite a lot of fun :)
Anyway, I think the reason that we didn't have TV before the 50's (or whenever it was invented) is because there just weren't enough dysfunctional families to make sitcoms about. Think about it. Even the Brady Bunch were blended- and what the hell was with Alice? Something weird going on there, I'm sure (not sure what, though). Meh, who wants to watch a normal family on TV, anyway? We'd all just feel paranoid about how dysfunctional our own families are. I suppose with the high drama of TV families, our own lives look quite pale by comparison. Almost normal. Almost ;)
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