The Lament of Bonnie Conquest

Indo 2011

2011-10-18T09:38:00.002+11:00

My 9-5 job is to advocate for Asian language and culture literacy in the school system. Makes sense then, to learn an Asian language, right? I have a patchy track record of languages (shh, don't tell my boss), studying French through high school, hating it, learning Portuguese when I was with Rui, then Arabic and Lithuanian in Vilnius. Oh, and an afternoon learning Korean in Seoul.
So I'm fluent in nothing but Strayn. Charlie studied a year of Indonesian at high school and seems to remember a great deal. So we studied a short course and enjoyed it immensely. Totally inspired. And very much supported by my colleague, the Indonesian Advisor. This week I'm due to start Indonesian Elementary II and in four weeks I'm gonna head to Sulawesi and get some immersion as I cycle around.
I started my cycling training with a lap of Studley Park this morning, hands frozen, eyes squinted in the bright 7am sunshine. Felt like a slug on a tractor but the tour has me riding 60kms every morning so I'll need to keep it up. Four weeks.

This weekend, to the summits

2011-04-01T11:18:00.003+11:00

Tonight I'll knock of work as soon as I can, race home in the sunshine, change and get camera and toothbrushes and drive north. We usually stop at Yea for petrol and iced coffees, then on to Mansfield. Camp will be at Lovick or Bluff hut. Big day is planned for Saturday, driving to the start of walk which follows the Australian Apline Walking Track (AAWT) over to Mt Magdala, which I've never been to. Then we'll head to Mt Howitt, where Charlie and I did one of our first big walks together, back in 2007... or was it June 2008? We'll walk along one of the most beautiful ridge lines, the cross-cut saw, along to Mt Buggery where we'll camp on Saturday night. Sunday we hope to leave most of a our gear at Mt Buggery so we can walk to Mt Speculation, a summit that we have attempted a couple of times before and been thwarted. In the past it has been too slow, too hard, too hot. This time we hope to make it! Conditions look good. Sunday arvo back along the cross-cut saw to camp at Vallejo Ganther Hut where we cooked dinner on a snowy night a few years back when we camped by Devil's Staircase and had mouse run over our tent. Monday we've got off from work and then plan is to come back over Howitt and Magdala down to the car and home.

To Do List

2011-02-22T09:50:00.003+11:00

Somehow the first half of this year seems gone already. I have so many things I want to do and so many things I should be doing and so many things I am doing. I'm overwhelmed. So here I list things so I'm not forgetful.

Learn to type so I don't get a sore shoulder
Learn to swim so I can...
Learn to row
Get into crisis management, do the Red Cross course
Operate my LoMo camera
Fix my Zenit
Learn Indonesian
Learn to use statistics and data

Brought My Blog

2010-11-19T10:18:00.004+11:00

Sitting at Gate 12 looking out at the blue Melbourne skies. Feeling a bit fuzzy. Boarding in one hour, new friend by my side. It's a year since I was on the long flights to-from Kuala Lumpur and many years since I flew to Korea, not knowing what would greet me. Already I'm doing a stocktake of the things I forgot to bring.

Pub last night with pear cider and my dear friend Snaxalot who encouraged me to snap photos of quirky stuff to help her with the love-hate feelings she has for China.

Birthday Diversion

2010-11-16T21:23:00.000+11:00

Been quite caught up in myself and the birthday business. Splendid party Sunday and China departure Friday. Three sleeps. Must turn my brain back to Chinese matters. Like hutongs and hotels, urban fictions and art, a shopping list and wifi.

Virtuous or Vicious

2010-11-02T20:55:00.003+11:00

Investigating the virtuous cycles of growth and innovation and thinking about the higher education systems in China (and comparing with India and Australia). Hoping one day (soon) I can draw a diagram as enlightening and informative as this.

The United States of China

2010-10-27T21:05:00.002+11:00

“China is a threat, China is a customer, and China is an opportunity.” – Kenichi Ohmae.

Upon the recommendation of the academic tour leader, I'm reading 'The World is Flat' in preparation for my trip. I started it three weeks ago and have only made my way to page 140. The quote above is followed by advice to not compete with China, but consider which part of your business you want to do in China, which part to sell to China and which part to buy from China.

Of course I consider this in terms of education, more so following a chat with my old boss who advised me to write on what Chinese universities seek from their internationalisation strategies. I guess this is where I should start.

What about Korea?

2010-10-23T08:03:00.004+11:00

There are a number of wicked problems from last century that are unsolved this century that appear to be placed in the basket case: Korea and reunification is one. Another is the Roma of Europe.
Whenever I read something about North Korea treating it citizens poorly, I get angry at the Republic for not being generous enough to help the North. Whenever I read about North Korean refugees having a hard time, I get angry at China, where they usually go in the first instance, for not being generous enough to work on a solution.
Stil thinking of topics for investigation.

Got My Visa

2010-10-19T11:36:00.002+11:00

Picked up my visa today, shiny visa in shiny passport. All ready to go. $78.50 and two visits to the very efficient visa processing office.
Started thinking about topics for my research projects, hoping I can write on cultural capital, soft diplomacy, international education, maybe something about standards. Started poking around for topics.

Tanjil Bren

2010-10-17T22:10:00.010+11:00

Mini-adventure this weekend. Left after a sleep-in on Saturday and headed to Warburton where we bought sausages in bread with sauce and onion for $2.50. Bought up big on country produce like soap, jam and wine.

A long day driving was ahead, not knowing exactly where camp would be. Drove through lots of snow and winding roads. Lots of glorious wattle in flower. Checked out the Thomson Reservoir to see how much water was in it.

Our journey took us along and through many creeks and rivers and as the evening wore on we started to wonder if there were any nice campsites or huts that hadn't been trashed by bogans or inhabited by groups of guys playing music.

We found a spot at the base of Morning Star track and ate a ham, rice, chili and green bean concoction with lots of local wine, then snuggled into the tent and forgot about everything.

The following morning we drove around in circles for a bit, lots in a muddy maze of tracks before crossing the ford near our campsite and heading up the particularly steep Morning Star track. So steep I decided to get out of the car...

Headed north and checked our Mt Useful. Felt a bit frustrated as this was my first trip with the new Leica and I couldn't get the colour I wanted for some pics. Useful was a white-out, freezing and no view. A huge comms tower is up there, and a shelter that I assume is for fire watch comms, but could be an emergency option should we ever need it.

Along McEvoy's Track, which was signed as 'Spring', we stopped at two interesting places, Edwards Reef Cemetery and Crooks Historic Site. Both were mysterious and a little spooky. Crooks had nothing but a dot on the map and a pole with the word Crooks... Why?

We headed towards Walhalla along Binn's Road and were surprised at how damn cute that town is - even more than I remembered. We followed the train line south out of town, noting that the Australian Alpine Walking Track starts in the town and winds all the way to Canberra. One day.

Through Rawson, not so pretty, we headed west along South Face Road which sports some very fancy new bridges. We swung past Mt Baw Baw and then lunched in the charmingly named Tanjil Bren, population 9.

The Blue Dragon

2010-10-13T12:07:00.002+11:00

The Melbourne Festival is in town and my token selection was 'The Blue Dragon', which was amazing. Money and time well spent as it was a luscious performance. Set in Shanghai with three actors, the dialogue was in French Canadian and Chinese. The set and lighting design threatened to steal the show, but I was soaking the 'Shanghai' story, sights and characters. It definitely made me want to see some galleries and ride a bike while I'm in China.

Marathon

2010-10-10T08:38:00.003+11:00

This morning I'm running in the Melbourne Marathon, doing a 5.7km run, not the whole enchilada. It means I'll be late to the next session of the Business Globalization course, which I'm hoping won't get me in trouble. The schedule starts with each participant giving a 3 minute presentation on what they hope to see and experience on the tour.
What I hope to get out of it is a greater understanding of 'China', a more nuanced appreciation of the culture and the way of doing business. I hope to eat great food, learn history I had no idea about, and try to uncover some diversity of opinions.
If I'm able to follow my line of interest then I might write about soft diplomacy and China's recent foray into this way of gathering and expending cultural capital.

Charter 08

2010-10-09T09:35:00.003+11:00

Dinner in Northcote last night at a Japanese place. We ate and ate and it was wonderful. Home to bed and MSG fever set in. Charlie heard a loud tinkle in the night that sounded like breaking glass and in the street this morning was a smashed porcelain toilet.
Back at Building 108 in Bourke Street for more of the Business Globalisation 'academic content'. I read this morning that a Chinese man called Liu Xiaobo has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He's considered an enemy of the state in China and a reformist outside. Reading up now on his Charter 08. Meanwhile ordered this book on ebay.

New Passport

2010-10-06T11:39:00.003+11:00

My first passport got me to Bali when I was thirteen. The photo was taken at a studio in Eltham and in my memory of it I have a long bob and am smiling.
My next passport I got when working at La Trobe University and shows a stern looking young woman with spiky black hair and a tight mouth. This was the passport that took me to the USA in June 2002 to experience all sort of adventures, shopping and trauma. It also took me to London on a work visa, Lithuania on a student visa, Russia on a dodgy visa, Korea on an alien visa and Vietnam on a Socialist visa.
My latest passport is in the mail and will take me first to Shanghai. I'm dreaming of a trip to New Zealand and Samoa next year.

Businesslike

2010-10-04T13:24:00.002+11:00

One of the obstacles I'm facing with this class... Need to see it as a challenge instead... Is that the subject is about 'business globalisation'. So yesterday we spent the afternoon watching a video (!!) about Wal-Mart, their innovative business practices and also their move to Chinese suppliers.
The whole time my brain is working to find the humanities perspective, rather than the business. The other students are mostly second year undergrads doing logistics, marketing, international business, economics and accounting. They don't know my stuff but I don't know their stuff neither.

Chinese Family Altar

2010-10-02T21:32:00.003+10:00

After years selling the idea of a study tour, I'm heading on one myself. I wonder if it will be as illuminating as my exchange to Vilnius? In 48 days I'll fly non-stop to Shanghai for two weeks of study on 'Business Globalisation'. The decision to go was easy, but I've had doubts ever since. Today was the first session of academic content and included some pre-departure cross cultural stuff. Some of the assessment is a reflective piece, and the guiding question needs to be 'what am I hoping to get out of this?'.
I tend to not be very reflective, more brutal. So the process of actually giving consideration to the whys and wherefores might be more challenging than it seems. The main motivation that occurs to me to to increase my professional competence when it comes to things Chinese. I think it might be too much to expect resolution of the contradictions and tensions that exist for me around China The Idea.
Maybe, like when I went to Estonia after being in Vilnius for months, being in China will give fresh insights into Korea, which I know better.

Korean Malaysian Lunch

2010-05-12T11:55:00.002+10:00

Today at work I'm wearing my Korean brooch that Luke gave me wayyyy back when I was farewelling Korea. It's beautiful and today is being worn to impress an academic coming to lunch. Part of my job is to support the teaching of Korean language in Victoria. There are only a couple of schools that teach the language and Korean culture has a really low profile in Victoria. I'm not sure we'll identify a silver bullet as we dine at 'Little Malaysia' today, but it would be nice to chat with someone who knows about and cares about Korean.

I feel bad that I have had no contact with my Korean friends, especially Luke, since I left Korea. It's a strange feeling. I have emailed him but never got a response. I think a call would be better, but it's three years and counting since I left.

Self-reliance

2010-03-05T20:03:00.003+11:00

Heading north tomorrow to see the Asia Pacific Triennial in Brisbane. Particularly looking forward to the Korean work. Interested, curious, inspired about Korea after having read 'Nothing to Envy' about North Korea. It was a truly harrowing tale. I knew nothing about North Korea when I lived in Cheolsan. Nothing. A DMZ trip made no difference. I think Korean of my age do not think about the North as their brother or anything worth considering. Reading through wikipedia and news report, there is little urgency or gravitas about the famine and human rights abuses. It is bemusing. I wonder if some of this arting will be illuminating.

Mount Victoria Trail

2010-02-22T18:34:00.015+11:00

On Sunday we walked up to the summit of Mount Donna Buang along the Mount Victoria Trail. The walk starts in Warburton township, right at the start, off Martyrs Road. Anyone can drive up to the summit of Donna Buang and experience the awesome views from the top of the lookout. There's picnic tables, toilets, BBQs, etc., so on a fine summer's day, it's popular.

The road to the top is called the Donna Buang Road (called Acheron Way at Warburton end) and there are as many cyclists as cars in the warmer months. It's a steep climb in a car, challenging on the bitumen road and an absolute slog along the narrow walking trail that we took on Sunday.

The forecast was for 32 and a cool change in the afternoon. The walk was signed as being 12kms return, a 7-hour walk. We had packed lunch and lots of water and started off at 10:10am, disappearing into the ferns and bush. After skirting around some private paddocks and blackberries, we started the hike proper. Uphill.

Lots of birds and bugs and huge tree ferns... The canopy blocked the sun and heat and it was difficult to know how high we were. A sharp noise rang out and puzzled us; it was like a shot but hoarse. We saw the first of two other walkers and asked his thoughts on the noise. He had thought of foghorn but realised that was absurd. We three concluded it was a deer, having seen lots of tracks and also 'no shooting' signs.

After nearly two hours of constant uphill trekking, feeling slow, we heard an occasional car overhead. We were nearing Donna Buang Road, well past our halfway point. A sudden increase in blackberries confirmed we must be near civilisation. Hot and elated, my feet and legs felt strange hitting the road. The next section was much less steep, and starts with a vehicle track that leads up to a whirring communications tower. This section I would recommend for someone wanting a good challenging walk (driving up and parking on the summit road), maybe a picnic, but not training for Kokoda...

At the summit, in the bright sunshine, we ate our lunch and bandaged my heels which had developed blisters. Ouch. In no time we were descending quickly, keeping our eyes on the sky for a forecast storm. It had taken us 2 hours and 20 minutes to walk up to the summit - it ended up taking us 1 hour and 55 minutes to get back down, including stopping for photos and me taking a massive fall near the very end. Not an easy walk but a very accessible and beautiful trip for Melbournians.

Sunday Walk

2010-02-19T18:30:00.002+11:00

This Sunday we've got a walk planned. It may be a killer, since all the links I've found for it are about training for Kilimanjaro or Kokoda. It's from Warburton, up to the Mount Donna Buang summit, apparently quite a climb, and quite lush and beautiful.
After attempting a big 3 day trek last month and completely exhausting ourselves, we decided some small, less risky but quite intense walks were needed. The failed Mount Speculation attempt was a high-stakes game. If we had have pushed on we would have been not only physically ruined but without water or enough food, and of course in the middle of nowhere.

Bonnie Valley

2010-02-14T17:05:00.015+11:00

Saturday morning it was hard to get up. We both had 8.30 appointments - Charlie had a driving lesson and I had a 'smash' session, aka personal training. It was a tough start.
Getting back later in the morning, the best thing to do seemed to to be to go camping - just for the night. Consulting the myriad maps we decided to head to Warburton, about 75kms away, then on to Big River area where some campsites lined the river. Charlie called his parents and invited them and then we got busy packing the car with the tent, camp chairs, warm clothes, etc. At 10.45am we were on the road.

The drive to Warburton was uneventful, though I noticed my favourite roadside stall was open. Last time we went past I bought onions, plums and an apple cucumber. They have a selection of the largest zucchini ever. Anyways. At Warburton we had lunch at the same place we always do. I was hoping for the best Caesar salad ever, but it was just ok. We splashed out on fresh squeezed juices with lots of ginger which were delicious. As we sat, we were entertained/distracted by a tarot reading happening at the table next to us.

After buying up some local produce (carrot cake, handmade soaps) and op-shop goodies ($1 scarf), and hailing down Charlie's parents, at 2.30pm we headed north-east in convoy. Along Warburton Woods Point Road, through McMahon's Creek and pretty Reefton for about 40kms to the Cumberland junction. Another 11kms east and then our left turn was signposted as Morris Road which soon branched off into Little Creek Track. Very slow going for 4kms, heading down down down into the valley of Big River. Little trees were springing up in the middle of the road, everything was lush and smelt great. A lot of moisture in the air and it wasn't cold at all.

There were a few campsites to choose from, and it was a bit unclear when we got to the river which was which. We saw another car and tent setup so continued on a bit, along Snowy Road, after crossing the river. Large bogholes greeted us at the entry to another little camp area, and after some cautious investigation, we both headed through without incident.
The campsite was right on the river, with a few tracks leading straight down to the banks. To our dismay there was rubbish strewn all around and as soon as we got out of the cars we each picked our way around the site, collecting the beer bottles, cans, forks and junk and then could enjoy a much prettier site. It was only 4.30pm, so we had hours of daylight and set about establishing our camp in an unusually unhurried manner.

We had hoped to have dinner at Woods Point Hotel, about 50kms further east, but the roads were such slow going on arriving, we decided it would be too hard/tiring/risky to do it all again, twice, at night. Instead we scratched out a dinner with the few things we'd all thrown in the cars as contingencies. Luckily this included a nice bottle of white wine which was cooled in the river and accompanied our packet soup and tinned spaghetti beautifully.

The usual wildlife such as wallabies and other marsupials were nowhere to be seen. Instead there were loud swarms of march flies, a tree full of bees, a dead car in the river and maybe a bat. Dusk came late and with a deepening pink and a barely perceptible drop in temperature.

We slept late - 7.30 - and had strong coffee and Warburton carrot cake for breakfast. Mercifully there were no flies and the temperature was perfect. We needed to hit the road early to be back in Melbourne for a working bee/arvo tea. The day seemed unremarkable but when we got in the cars, waded through the bog and headed up out of the valley, it was clearly a glorious morning. The light played with the mist, tall trees silhouetted against a bright white sky, and all around the rich spell of eucalypt. It was very peaceful and the moisture in the air seemed to have deadened all sound.

Instead of heading back the way we came (along Little Creek Track), we headed along Snowy Road due south for about 14kms to Warburton Woods Point Road. Our map has no contours, and we soon realised we were trekking along a ridge with wide breaks and glimpses of the valleys to our left and right. It was slow going and there was plenty of time to breathe deep, observe damp spider webs and take photos.
We reached Warburton Woods Point Road and farewelled Charlie's parents who headed towards Woods Point. There were a few oncoming cars, which we waved to, and a lyrebird scrambling gracelessly out of sight. We reached the Cumberland Junction at 9.50am, and increased tyre pressure before heading down to Warburton. We passed many cyclists headed up the gruelling hill, baring various game face grimaces.

Eggs Benedict with curly bacon at the first cafe in Warburton, and then we headed back to Melbourne, stopping at the roadside stall where a handful of sugar plums we thrown in free of charge. The Gladysdale bakery received some of our custom too, when we stopped to select a royal sampler of neenish tarts and velvet cakes. We were sticky and happy when we arrived in Brunswick to wash windows and dismantle furniture for friends moving interstate.

Time to revive

2010-02-10T06:58:00.001+11:00

Dinner at Christmas Street, with mango salad and a tour of the caravan and the garden. Perfect cooling night for a ride home. Perhaps the lament can be anew with the various trip tales. That's handy.

Peak bagger

2010-01-20T14:46:00.002+11:00

This weekend I'm off to the hills again. It is my luck to be an adventurer. Big mountains, valleys, wilderness and far away from the urban heat sinks. My lil pen camera will come along so I'll bring back some souvenirs.

Goodbye Corockinrolla

2009-05-06T06:36:00.002+10:00

Tomorrow some guy I don't know will come to my place when I'm not here. He'll get my car keys, held together with a rubber band, from the letterbox, and head up to my car, by the Corner Store. Then he'll get into it and drive it away.

Vale, lil car, you have been so good to me.

I bought that car from a nice man in Silver Street back in May 2005. I think I paid about $1800, sourced from a loan from a friend and a cash advance on my credit card. Those were the days.

The car has never failed to start or broken down. It has been in so many accidents, always with me at the wheel. It's driven to Canberra and back twice, to the High Country with Charlie so many times, to Cape Conran, Lorne and survived happy sad lonely and fun times.

Now I am donating it to Kids Under Cover.

Hit the road

2008-08-19T13:18:00.004+10:00

Read two books this month. That's a record. Don't read books much anymore, it's a sad fact. Lucky for me I have people who lend me good ones so I when I do read, they come recommended. Two slightly dark, and very different novels, 'What I have Loved' and 'The Road'. Testament to me having a week off in Queensland, and then a house with no Charlie... A space for reading.

Last Friday, after drinks and crackers at Prudence, heading home slowly on the steel horse when I smashed into Swanston Street. I thought, I should be humiliated, but all my energy was going into shock. Confidence in tatters, the final leg was very slow and there may have been some sobbing. Hot shower and sympathy down the phone lulled me to sleep.

Pretty Frock

2008-05-30T08:37:00.002+10:00

This is the dress I bought to wear to my Ma's 50th birthday party - theme: frock and suit. After much searching (and soul-searching) around for a 'frock', I found this lil number. It won because it's black. And grey. And I'll wear it again (already have). And they gave me a free singlet too.
Don't ask my why I was on ebay this morning but I was, and I found the exact same dress - same size, same everything - and bids are at $15.50. This is a fraction of the price I paid. What's my point? Get in there and buy it and you'll look fabulous.

Some Good Ideas - Plopp!

2008-05-06T04:32:00.005+10:00

In Hong Kong I was impressed that I could check-in for my flight at the Central train station, and my bags went all the way through. What a good idea.

Here in Lund, in Southern Sweden, it appears that you can deposit your used recyclables at a hole-in-the-wall within a supermarket; you get a refund; or your press a button to give the refund to a charity. What a good idea. Nearly as good as a federal law prohibiting charging for university tuition. Brilliant.

Not sure about calling a chocolate 'plopp', however.

Primarily Comfort

2008-05-05T00:40:00.003+10:00

My room reminds me of Jack's in Westersingel, I like the bold colours. Oh, and the blossoming magnolia in the courtyard. Why am I here?

All Nations are Hallucinations

2008-05-04T21:14:00.002+10:00

The Danish are a friendly bunch. On my tiny plane from Munich I made friends with an economics academic sitting next to me. After some chit chat he started bleeding very heavily from the nose. He apologised for not being able to show me around Copenhagen, but that was fine by me. Instead I had a little deja vu as I wandered aimlessly as an unfamilar city woke up. A few drunk yoof and vomit around the place, lots of shuttered doors and after a while I realised I'm strolled off the map. I used to have a great sense of direction...

Shadow and other mysteries

2008-05-03T23:41:00.002+10:00

Still at the very beginning of this adventure called 'work trip'. Sitting in Hong Kong airport with bright red fingernails, a sore face and two young Belgian businessmen next to me. Copenhagen in the morning. A 12-hour flight must be the limit of what I can bear. And they tried to seat me next to a bassinet. Spelling? I said I'd sit there if there was no baby in the bassinet. No such luck. I'll be in a middle seat. The kindness of strangers has not deserted me. And some not so strange.

Mushroom Rocks

2008-03-23T10:30:00.002+11:00

Look for me here

2008-03-20T16:37:00.001+11:00

I'm going camping. Not too far, somewhere pretty. Love the love. Happy Easter.

Nekkid

2008-03-17T08:56:00.003+11:00

Every day I ride to work, carry my bike up the stairs, and enter my office at 8am.
I get a glass of cold water, switch on the fan and take a first look at my emails and try to cool down.
Then I pull the blind down and stand as far into the corner as I can to change clothes. I change everything; fresh bra, undies, shirt, everything. I always wonder if someone has seen me as I'm looking down to pull my pants on or fasten my bra.
Just now, I went to close the window as it's starting to heat up and I saw a guy in his bright orange jocks climbing into his suit pants in the office downstairs. He must ride to work too. He must think no-one can see him.

Second of Three

2008-03-12T08:51:00.002+11:00

Charlie says I cried more in We Own The Night than in Intimate Enemies. Hmm. Could it be the Hollywood-Hot factor? Intimate Enemies screens as part of the French Film Festival and is yet another film about the French war in Algeria. Probably the most harrowing, too. The story, of course, is tragic, but the way the drama is crafted and visually expressed was spot-on. It does star Albert Dupontel, whom I love. You may remember him from such French films as Irreversible... And I watched him play a sexy lovable cad in Odette Toulemonde, which screens not only on Vietnam Airlines but also at the Film Fest which is on all this week.

Next is a preview screening of Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead this weekend. That's three movies in a week. Yes, we have no TV, yes we have no DVD player.

Snug

2008-03-11T11:34:00.005+11:00

It was nice and cozy, and more than a little daggy, down at the All Nations on Friday night. Whilst I wasn't colluding with my competitors, I was drinking great pints of beer and eating bangers n mash. Lucky me, I was with my two favourite boys: Mister Charlie and Master Jack. My lover and my brother. Jack's done the wise thing and moved into the hood so he is a stone's throw from the All Nations, a milk bar and the commission flats. Oh, and just over the hill from us. How sweet it is.

Saturday night I sat in the cinema watching previews for some 'scary movies' when the bloke two seats away suddenly and sharply called out in pain and convulsed in his chair. Needless to say I was clamping down on Charlie's arm quite hard. I think the moviegoer had a new pacemaker fitted recently and it was playing up. He settled back down and then screamed out in pain one more; his wife and friends were attending to him and the surrounding patrons were all peering over nervously. After that show was over, the movie started - no opening credits, just a sexy opening scene with Joaquin Pheonix and Eva Mendes....

Squalls over the You Yangs

2008-02-29T09:29:00.002+11:00

Strange week. Strange mood all week. Then last night I stepped a hole.

Monday I ran a focus group with 7 students of the program I coordinate here. I was very nervous but it went well. Tuesday was orientation carnival on the dusty lawn. Wednesday I had a headache. Then yummy Thai food for dinner.

Anyways. Today I discovered that my council doesn't do hard rubbish collection anymore, not in the community sense. So if you have some old stuff, you call them up and they'll make a time to collect it. Last March was the last time that they did the old school way - where there a community jamboree that lasts a week with people scavenging stuff from their neighbours. Charlie and I need a new futon so we has to get rid of the old one. There's other stuff, lurking down the side of the house and in the wardrobe, that should go too. Like my aunt's bike which is kinda weird to throw out.

Pole-Land and Totems

2008-02-14T11:50:00.003+11:00

There's an ongoing connection to Lithuania that I'm so grateful for. Gosh I hope to go back someday soon. Anyways, last night we meandered to an exhibition of photos by Arunas Klupsas, which was gorgeous, inspirational and a good excuse to see some lovely peeps, say 'labas', and discuss abstraction.

Early Days, Sorry Daze

2008-02-11T08:48:00.000+11:00

Charlie got a Style Guide which has the land rights flag with the top colour as a very dark purple. Is that right? Everyone's gone ga-ga with this sorry business - broadcast at Fed Square and here at my work. Not sure how I feel about this sorry business. Though I remembered this morning one Christmas Day, years ago, down by the river in Eltham, hearing a story from Milly, who was taken from her family, about the revolting food they were given at the orphanage or whatever they called those places where all the kids were institutionalised.

Thinking about the flag.

"I wanted to make it unsettling. In normal circumstances you'd have the darker colour at the bottom and the lighter colour on top and that would be visibly appropriate for anybody looking at it. It wouldn't unsettle you. To give a shock to the viewer to have it on top had a dual purpose, was to unsettle... The other factor why I had it on top was the Aboriginal people walk on top of the land. It's an obvious fact as well. So it had - that was the reason why the black was on top was visibly unsettling and because of how I was trained at art school, not to make things too obvious but to have a bit of a shock but also to say that the people walk on the land."

So said Harold Joseph Thomas, who designed the flag in 1971.

Straw Widow

2008-02-04T14:24:00.001+11:00

The lovely receptionist at my work told me this morning that she's a 'straw widow' - her partner is away for two days. So far my life as a straw widow has been good - not much time at home, most time spent out and about with girls. Yesterday a big drive up to Tarra Warra to check out a mogul's art collection. Oh, and scones on the way, at Monsalvat.

Donated blood this morning and was asked to consider donating plasma instead. Although it looks a bit creepy, I think I'll try it. No one ever said donating was fun anyway.

Did I Mention?

2008-02-01T16:51:00.000+11:00

I saw Billy Bragg last night. On stage, not quite rocking out, but definitely doing his thing.

The busy girl buys beauty
The pretty girl buys style
And the simple girl buys
What she's told to buy
And sees her world
Through the brightly lit eyes

Lacquerware

2008-02-01T15:54:00.000+11:00

Just had my first delegation visit in my new job - a group of eight administrators from a big private university in Japan. They gave me a nice pen. I was very nervous talking about my work. This job sometimes feels like such a leap - up.

Today's Charlie's last day before his professional life begins. This has been long awaited and neither of us are sure what to expect. Funny, cos we have dealt well with a lot of big changes over the past 19 months. Hopes and selfish fears.

Big blue skies here and great plans for the weekend. A drive to the country on Sunday with a good friend, plans for a gallery visit and scones. Catch ups tomorrow with a great friend who I've somehow managed to only see twice in the past year.

Happy Anniversary

2008-01-25T08:54:00.001+11:00

Today marks one year since I returned to Melbourne from Korea and settled in the Manor with Charlie. On this day last year I was met at the airport by my Mum and Charlie and we went for breakfast at Ici. Jack strolled down Napier Street from his work to join us. The rest of the day is a blur.

Australia Day was huge. Out to Eltham for a pool party and drunken time in the scorching sun, then a taxi ride back to the Manor, losing my red bikini somehow on the way. Then headed to a wedding party in Brunswick. I remember how cute Charlie looked.

It's been a massive year, a whole chapter of life at Swinburne open and close, plenty of activity in friends' lives, a few trips and adventures. Things have changed a great deal and I think I have changed. I'm healthier than I've ever been and this means a lot. Money worries that used to consume me have disappeared.

Another year of growth and change is ahead, I'm sure. More discoveries about myself and many more occasions of true happiness and peace lie ahead. Yum.

A brief questionnaire

2008-01-15T14:47:00.000+11:00

MENTAL HEALTH

Is stress a major problem for you?	Yes	No
Do you feel depressed?	Yes	No
Do you panic when stressed?	Yes	No
Do you have problems with eating or your appetite?	Yes	No
Do you cry frequently?	Yes	No
Have you ever attempted suicide?	Yes	No
Have you ever seriously thought about hurting yourself?	Yes	No
Do you have trouble sleeping?	Yes	No
Have you ever been to a counselor?	Yes	No

Glocalisation

2008-01-11T09:29:00.000+11:00

I like this idea of glocalisation. I think it explains where we're at with our reactions to globalisation very well. I think it's important people to not overlook the local effects of globalisation. Globalisation is not something happening out there, away from us. It's here, in our words, our heads, our choices. And it's not just something we buy with money.

Pomo

2008-01-07T12:20:00.000+11:00

"If the work of the city is the remaking or translating of man into a more suitable form than his nomadic ancestors achieved, then might not our current translation of our entire lives into the spiritual form of information seem to make of the entire globe a single consciousness?"

So says Marshall McLuhan, a master of postmodernism. I'm reading up on e-learning, trying to get a handle on it - it's part of my work here, you see.

Some Things are Out of Date

2007-12-20T09:01:00.000+11:00

In the acquisitive phase, much changes. Things are rearranged. Perhaps they make more sense this way.

Christmas Day

2007-12-17T08:39:00.001+11:00

Yesterday I went to the old hood and shopped for Christmas tree with Ma and Jack. First we went to the Scouts' and they only had three left. Then we went to the rugby club and they were $80 so lastly we went to the stall behind the florist where there was a great range. And they were all $50.
Decorating was as fun as I remember, all the ancient silly decorations, the random baubles, that canary that I made when I was three. Near the top, I hung three little white angels, like seraphim below the star.
Then I came home and listened to NIN and made marmalade in the breadmaker. Yum.

The Aquisitive Phase

2007-12-11T09:20:00.000+11:00

Second day riding to work today. Yes, I'm loving life.

Got a new couch. Goes with my new painting. And so yesterday JCW assisted in the new arrangements for the back room to accommodate these showpieces. Stacked the magazines and art books differently. Moved the computer. All this while Charlie cooked, smirking. He was smirking because he began to suspect the dinner might be a success.

I'm a Giant

2007-12-10T09:45:00.001+11:00

Santa brought me a bike.

Bemused

2007-11-26T16:06:00.000+11:00

Here I am. My new job starts today. The holidays were just long enough that I feel I have forgotten how to work. I've been in this industry for a while but things truly are very different here.

My mode of transport to work is by foot - how lovely is that? Ok, it's not around the corner but a 45 minute walk feels good. Charlie came part of the way and as we went through the park, we laughed at a puppy chasing a bird flying high high.

Mum came over yesterday and gave me my birthday present - potting mix, planters and little baby herbs and lettuce. We potted them together and carefully poured water around the seedlings. Hopefully I don't kill them too quickly.

Wish Me Luck

2007-11-18T12:49:00.000+11:00

Heading back up ito the capital on a Vietnam airlines flight. We say goodbye to the friendliness and peaceful pace of Hoi An. And goodbye to the floods and smell of damp, heh heh.

Home Tuesday morning to inspect my lost and found corockinrolla.

Still Raining

2007-11-17T12:36:00.000+11:00

The view from our hotel window... Rain rain rain. Now we've had our first breakfast, we'll don our raincoats and hop step jump to town to examine the rain damage from overnight.
We stayed in last night, did the tourist thing and ordered in dessert and a facial, drank beers from the mini bar.
Yesterday we visited the local market, where you can buy a live duck, a bag of marinated tofu, endless greens, as well as pyjamas and pottery. We did the good cop bad cop routine when bargaining for a hairclip and won a grin from the ajumma selling socks and hairties.

Happy Birthday to Me

2007-11-16T12:07:00.000+11:00

It's raining raining today. The whole town is flooded as as we walk around Hoi An, locals are raising their belongings to higher ground and mopping mopping mopping. The hotel we wanted to stay at was right by the river and our driver said, sorry but that hotel isn't really available... We're back from the coast and it's so peaceful...

No real plans except relaxing here until Sunday when we'll fly back to Hanoi. We took the train down the coast to Danang and it was pretty hellish. As we waited at the train station for our 2300 train, tiny mice scurried around our backpacks. I thought I'd booked us sleepers but instead we had seats for the scheduled 14 hour trip.

After a long long time the train finally came to a halt; women with dried squid approached the train windows. Thinking we must be close, we optimistically start planning our arrival. The train stayed still; the women wandered away; so roosters came pecking along the track.

A few hours later, we are all hearded of the train and into some buses; the track was cut due to the floods. Buses, then back on a train for one stop. The trip has so far taken 20 hours.

6 Hour Blocks

2007-11-11T09:44:00.000+11:00

I have a little collection of coins and notes from other countries. Mostly from Asian countries, brought home by Dad back in the day when a pocket of change was exciting. I rummaged through and found about 5 pounds, as well as Italian lira. And 20 Singapore dollars. The notes seemed old and I guess they must have been in my collection for a decade. Well, this morning, as the light crept across the tarmac at Changi, I bought Charlie and I Continental breakfasts with that currency.

We arrived from Melbourne at 9.30 last night, and were faced with a 13 hour layover. Yuck. Already tired, we approached the Transit Hotel - fully booked - both terminals - waiting list - come back at 12 midnight... Finding a quiet corner, we ate muesli bars and kissed. After a while we headed back to the Transit Hotel, and they gave us registration cards and sent us down the hall to room 19. A huge clean bed yawned at us... We yawned back...

Firstborn Will Be Named Sabine

2007-10-25T10:14:00.001+10:00

Highlights of my recent holiday include:

Lots of scones
Shades of green on a lovely tree
Charlie's jokes
Sculptures on the Lorne pier and meeting the artist
Chalet up the hills...
Massages

A Button Found on Jessie Street

2007-10-11T09:19:00.000+10:00

The lament continues.
In Melbourne's sweet blustery days, life is on the up.

Soon I will take a rest, then, when summer starts to hit, when I'm 27, I'll start a new job over yonder at the University of Melbourne. Exciting.

Means I won't be going to China. Whatever.

Shot from the Hood

2007-09-25T16:58:00.000+10:00

43 minutes with headwind

2007-09-22T08:35:00.001+10:00

Walked to work as usual this fine morning, thoughts buzzing, wind gusting. Lovely.

Received a postcard last week from my Finnish friend and I've been remembering Vilnius. The Savers-like shop 'Humana' where I passed so many hours and so few litu. The cupboard at my Dutch friends' house full off Dutch treats like stroopwaffle. All those adventures, moments and fun.

There's all the good. So much good.

Hard to face the dreams I have. Nightmares of the stupid misguided times I spent with Enso. I hate myself for thinking of him, but I can't control it. I feel like I need an exorcism.

Strip Seal

2007-09-15T09:12:00.000+10:00

I've worked every weekend for months. Ugh.
I looking forward to a long hot summer with frequent holidays from this.
Good news is I'll go to Shanghai and HK on a Study Tour with a bunch of overachievers sometime after I turn TWENTY SEVEN this November.

This have changed. Things are changing. I'm amazed at the new worlds.

Total Eclipse of the Heart

2007-08-31T13:07:00.001+10:00

Watched the eclipse on Monday night, thanks to KP.
It was a very convivial atmosphere up on the roof of IKEA, listening to the Astrological Society commentate the eclipse via megaphone.
Megaphone.

Beautiful songs in the morning make for a great day ahead

2007-08-24T09:01:00.000+10:00

You know my love this is no dream of mine
But the way you ride those waves makes me want to follow you blind
And what I'm thinking of just this time
Why don't you lay your head down in my arms, in my arms.
Lay your head down in my arms.

Film Festival is Working

2007-08-03T08:44:00.000+10:00

Each year I use the Melbourne International Film Festival as an excuse to catch up with friends. And this year it's worked really well - particularly as I've been bad at staying in touch with friends this year.
So I've seen 5 films, all very different, at three cinemas over the past week. Last night I saw 'Everything's Gone Green' with KP and TT. The Forum is such a great venue for movies and Coopers drinking. And the film made me larff and get inspired. Also made me want to go to Vancouver, a place I know nothing about.

Thinking

2007-07-26T11:49:00.000+10:00

In 2000 Edward De Bono advised a U.K Foreign Office committee that the Arab-Israeli conflict might be due, in part, to low levels of zinc found in people who eat unleavened bread, a known side-effect of which is aggression. He suggested shipping out jars of Marmite to compensate.

Hmm.

We're being audited so I'm looking for anything to distract me from the hellish task of preparing self-review notes. Had a chai latte at Piccolo and now reading up on De Bono.

Guilty

2007-07-12T09:34:00.000+10:00

Lucky Me

2007-07-06T14:56:00.000+10:00

I was born, lucky me
In a land that I love
Though I am poor, I am free
When I grow I shall fight
For this land I shall die
Let her sun never set
Victoria, Victoria, Victoria, 'toria
Victoria, Victoria, Victoria, 'toria

Thanks, The Kinks...

The Royal Treatment

2007-07-04T16:10:00.000+10:00

Three day weekend means terrible Mondayitis on Tuesday. Hmm.
Picked up Ma on Saturday morning from that hospital. Very miserable place and Ma was busting to get out. She's doing ok now I think...
Finally saw 300 and nearly fell asleep. What a boring movie! Was very underwhelmed.
Been reading recipes lately and going on chilly walks. Found 5 buttons since Saturday.

Tinker Tailor

2007-06-29T14:20:00.000+10:00

Sometimes I'm just tinkering. And I think we all are.

Clothes swap party last night then visited my lil Ma in hospital.

What I Saw in the Country

2007-06-18T08:38:00.000+10:00

Bumper Crop

2007-06-08T14:16:00.000+10:00

It was a week ago that I'd found my last button - outside the Night Cat - that great big stripey one. So I was wondering when the next was coming. On my way home I found a big scratched thing on the edge of a building site in Izett Street. Was it technically a button, I wondered...
Then I found a business shirt button, and a big black coat button, and another shirt button.
It was a bumper crop! Four buttons in one day!

Sweet Anticipation

2007-06-06T13:01:00.000+10:00

Such a sweet weekend planned.
Friday: drinks; then Korean barbecue dinner with dear friends
Saturday: be quiet cos Charlie is studying; then market for ingredients; then drive to Castlemaine!
Eat drink cook be merry take photos general goodness at this place and surrounds.
Sunday: more of the same plus going to Daylesford Foto Biennale and Artist Market.
Monday: more of the same plus seeing Romulus, My Father at Theatre Royal in Castlemaine.

Buttons Make Me Happy

2007-06-01T14:14:00.000+10:00

Finding a button makes me instantly delighted.
Seeing Charlie makes me so happy.
Getting photos back makes me so happy.
Holding a baby fills me with delight.

Our Lady of the Flowers

2007-05-31T15:39:00.000+10:00

But now I am afraid. The signs pursue me and I pursue them patiently. They are bent on destroying me. Didn't I see, on my way to court, seven sailors on the terrace of a cafe, questioning the stars through seven mugs of light beer as they sat around a table that perhaps turned; then, a messenger boy on a bicycle who was carrying a message from god to god, holding between his teeth, by the metal handle, a round, lighted lantern, the flame of which, as it reddened his face, also heated it? So pure a marvel that he was unaware of being a marvel. Circles and globes haunt me: oranges, Japanese billiard balls, Venetian lanterns, jugglers' hoops, the round ball of the goalkeeper who wears a jersey. I shall have to establish, to regulate, a whole internal astronomy.

With thanks to Jean Genet.

New Pictures

2007-05-30T17:18:00.000+10:00

Lithuanian Hospitality

2007-05-29T15:19:00.000+10:00

Something of a cultural weekend. Windy and warm in Melbourne. I watched the first 3 installments of Die Hard, which I'd never seen. Loved them. All ready for number 4 now. Went to St Andrews' Market, bought food, flowers and a 3 dollar red t-shirt. Sunday walked to Camberwell market and scored a waistcoat for a buck. Walked home and felt a bit over it. After some fashion crises Charlie and I got it together to walk to North Melbourne to the Lithuanian Club where we planned to meet my exchange mate and experience some 'culture' in the form of an 'ethnic' celebration.
Unfortunately the dragon ladies at the door shooed us away as we were running late. So we missed our on hearing the 'comb' composition and queuing for pancakes. Instead we sat around the corner and drank and ate... Then headed to a Korean restaurant and ate and drank. K-beer, K-pancakes, K-style seating, K-TV. It was a cultural experience. Bought dessert from the K-konvenience store and walked home.

Would you sell your home to us?

2007-05-23T15:04:00.000+10:00

A strange thing came through the letterbox yesterday...

Hillsong

2007-05-22T14:57:00.000+10:00

Tumbi Umbi. Tuggerah. Wyong.
These are the places I'm familiar with, having just visited rellies on the NSW central coast.
Things are different there. It's not just like the difference between Prahran and Hawthorn; or Sydney and Melbourne. It's different.
Firstly, yeah the weather is good. But more importantly, everyone is white. Church is big. And weirdly, there are lots of mums much younger than me, pushing strollers around the shopping centres. Public transport? Forget it, take your big-arse 4-wheel drive to the nearest shopping centre. Shopping centres? Everywhere. No old-fashioned strips there - everything is mega.
Lots of golf clubs for the retirees; lots of surfers. We ate our first breakfast at Bay Beach, on the foreshore, off polystyrene. POLYSTYRENE?!

But the big thing, the big weird uncomfortable thing, was that my family up there are religos. They are members of one of those evangelical new-skool churches. Like Hillsong. Maybe it IS Hillsong. My cousins 21st on Saturday was a sit-down dinner for 100. On the stage in the hall, grace was said into the karaoke microphone.

I am not so pure

2007-05-16T09:29:00.000+10:00

Back in the nineties I went to a second-rate Big Day Out style concert called 'Alternative Nation'. Lou Reed played and had bottles thrown at him. Ice T and Bodycount played and rocked the bogans. I think I had a dance to Skunkhour. Late in the evening Nine Inch Nails hit the stage and I was so upset. Dad had set a pick-up time for me and my best friend Kelly and it was nearing... We had to leave whilst Trent was still rocking out. Very disappointing.

My friends know I have pretty average taste in music. My CD collection is pretty dismal, with a few points of consistency and a strong soundtracks section, but lots of fairly embarrassing bits, like seven Greenday CDs. So last night I headed to the Metro and saw Nine Inch Nails' final Australian concert of the current tour. I haven't got the new album so I wanted to hear some familiar tunes from With Teeth and the albums I've got. I was satisfied.

Trent looks different to the mid-nineties posters: stocky, older, but full of passion and energy. They played Head Like a Hole - damn, that song is nearly 20 years old! And March of the Pigs, plus my new favourites like You Know What You Are?; The Hand That Feeds; The Line Begins to Blur. No encore. Thrown tambourine. Trent very sweaty.

Blogger Is Wak Today

2007-05-08T09:15:00.000+10:00

Rarely discover new blogs these days.
Walked on a beautiful mild night to the cinema last night. It's not a cinema I go too often. The crowd is definitely a 'type': wealthy, middle-aged women. Chardonnays in hand.
Movie was another to add to the East file - after Goodbye Lenin, now The Lives of Others. Charlie was introduced to Brecht via this quote::

Long Year

2007-05-03T08:46:00.000+10:00

Well we joined the library and borrowed lots of Tintin. I read them slow and Charlie reads them fast. I'm going in order, too. The Blue Lotus is my favourite so far. Of course, I read them all, once. Borrowed from the library in Eltham in the years before it was demolished cos of the asbestos.

Took my first sickie of my new job yesterday. Been sick for a week or so and Charlie more than me. Yesterday was the only day I didn't have a presentation on. We had such a great sickie, too. Though at about 6pm, we walked to work so I could do a few things, but even that was nice. Charlie came with me and sat at the desk next to me and I worked for a while at my computer.

This Friday my Mum launches her latest book. It's a reference book called 'Eat Your Words'. It's been years in the making and is the result, in part, of her pedantry with spelling and grammar on menus and blackboards at all the eateries and cafes that she haunts. She hopes that it will make her rich. Heh heh.

Flying Green

2007-04-20T12:53:00.000+10:00

Booked a domestic flight and after it was all done I saw a little thing saying 'offset your carbon emissions'. $5 on my credit card and I received this::

Confirmation
Thank you for joining with us at Virgin Blue, and with many other concerned people around the world, to help make a positive difference to the level of greenhouse gas emissions on our planet.
By taking the time to offset the emissions relating to your flight, your investment is helping to ensure we all have a future.
Your tax invoice will be emailed to the nominated email address. You can download your tax invoice clicking here.
Sincerely, The Teams at Virgin Blue, Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue.

What happens with my $5? Does it really make a difference? How big is my footprint?

Sometimes I get Scared

2007-04-17T08:32:00.000+10:00

Watched a truly great movie last night. I can't remember the last time I was so gripped by a film. Afterwards I was a bit achy from sitting so rigid in my seat for that 100 minutes.
See Sunshine if you can - intense, well-acted, good music, crazy intense plot, challenging ideas about the world, human nature and ethics....

We walked there after recycling old tabbouleh into napolitano pasta sauce - yum! We got booth photos which were silly and cute. Today, I'm off to an 'Effective Teams' workshop that lasts EIGHT hours............ Ugh.

I Get Impatient

2007-04-08T13:15:00.000+10:00

I went on camp and was sick. So now I'm home. Camp was ok, the bush is pretty, it was nice having kangaroos visit and splashing my (snotty) face with stream water. But there were noisy bogans all around, and we were sick.
Melbourne is quiet and sunny and beautiful. I'm visiting Jack at his house - walked from ours to here and it was peaceful and nice. Finished my Tintin and am thinking of joining the library so I can borrow them all out like I used to when I was a kid. At the old library, the one full of asbestos.

Two Really Good German Movies

2007-03-25T20:47:00.000+10:00

My first trip to Video Ezy in forever and the two movies I chose were German. And really good. They were on that long list of movies I know received great reviews and which I fully intended to see when they were at the cinema... But didn't.
So, Downfall. Phew. We watched it over two nights. It was intense. Dear Sweet Charlie commented that the background noises in the bunker seemed really real. I wondered, is that part of cinematography?
I like watching movies where I don't know any of the actors.
Next movies was Goodbye Lenin! Great all-round, like Downfall. Great colours, dialogue, characters, insight into history. But this one was funny too.

See both if you haven't already.

I wanna go East. Euro.

Last Weekend

2007-03-16T17:38:00.000+11:00

Friday. And my post is about last weekend. Celebrated the long weekend last weekend by going away with my lover to the country. It was divine. Heavenly. Relaxing. Fresh air, apples from the roadside stall. Cute little cousins drawing us pictures. We stayed on a farm and had geese, cows and a goat called Nellie as our friends. And the stars and the peace. Was grand.

This week has been insane at work. So busy. I am holding a big event next week and we have lots of preparation - international visitors - blah blah. Hoping it will be a notch on my belt when it's all done and dusted. Standing in the tornado, though, it's pretty hellish.

Went to yoga last night. Pain today. But a return to a form I never had is imminent. Then heard some brilliant crime poetry by Dorothy Porter read out in Eltham.

Won't mention the bad news.

Thinking Walking Compacting

2007-03-02T11:14:00.000+11:00

Worked at Prahran yesterday. Where the trendies are. It's a world away from my Hawthorn life. Had drinks after with a bunch of German design students, and my colleagues. Charlie came and we all discussed the Compactor idea and whether a) I could give up impulse-buying blue shoes and if b) Charlie could give up gym memberships. Or should he? Obviously blue shoes are a capitalist indulgence, but are yoga classes? Or movie tickets? Or newspapers?

Meanwhile, Elsewhere

2007-02-21T08:36:00.000+11:00

On Sunday I went to my friend's birthday barbecue and had a lovely time. Eating, drinking, praising the rain when it came, playing with little ones, singing happy birthday... All that.
There was one sober moment, though, in the conversations about holidays and house hunting, wine and fashion. Birthday girl's sister is engaged to a man from Guinea, so I asked 'how is Mohammad?'. She replied that things are not great right now as the president had declared martial law, there was a curfew in place, the army had shot at peaceful protesters and generally the country was teetering on the edge of civil war.

Did you know? I certainly didn't. But I'm kinda cut off from the news at the moment.
Was it on the TV? Did you read about it? Anyways, if you are curious about the big world of things we don't know, particularly this situation in Guinea, read up on the BBC's site.

New Blue Shoes

2007-02-20T08:44:00.000+11:00

Yeah I'm back in Melbourne but I think I'm still working the K-style... Heh heh.

Valentine's Day is a Crock

2007-02-15T13:58:00.000+11:00

Except if you're madly in love. Which I am.
I walked home from work last night - in my new Reeboks. Stopped at a continental delicatessen and bought dolma and a wedge of handmade Belgian chocolate. Crossed the street and bought two Hoegaarden from the fridge at Dan Murphy's. Strutted home, toward my love.

Ate our treats, got dressed and walked up to the tram stop, cut across the Treasury Gardens, saw a wedding on the steps and some lesbians pashing on at the base of a tree.

We went on a date. Long anticipated, it was a place he'd drunk at while I was away. With TT and KP. Or just TT. But definitely not me. So it was magical to be there, together, as it had been created in our imaginations...

So happy, quickly drunk, so happy. Ate pizza after pizza then a chocolate one then home. So happy.

Two Weeks of Perfect Hues

2007-02-11T11:27:00.000+11:00

Oh my god I never thought it would be so hard to find time to blog.

My working week is so intense. My settling in period is well n truly over. Life storms on.

I am still in the dark about current events. I have no TV, no radio, and read the paper only on the weekends. The internet -pah!- I'm using only briefly at work. Weird changes.

I've been given my targets -targets!- at work and there's a big event I'm planning as well so I know fer sher that the next 6 weeks will be relentless. Verybusy. So forgive me if I'm under the radar or curt if you call during work hours.

Add It Up

2007-02-05T17:56:00.000+11:00

Saw the Violent Femmes the other night. Was my Christmas present from Ma - tickets for me and my beau, and for my brother and his beau. A double-date. We walked to the gig, had a meal, listened to the trivia that we arrived in the middle of, then tried to rock out a lil.

First day at work today. It's killer. I'm fatigued. Thinking about my work really does my head in. It's the biggest professional challenge of my life. Lifestyle is good, I get to work quickly, easily, I have friends and friendly people at work, I am not part of an evil empire or anything nasty. Good shops and caffs and stuff all around.... But man, I'm drained.

Happy New Year

2007-02-03T11:32:00.000+11:00

Should be eating dumplings today, to induce prosperity n all, for the new year. Shouldn't be cleaning but did anyways. Gotta enjoy big love, no fights, happiness and new beautiful things all day, to pave the way for a year of peace and bounty.

Being offline is really hard for me. The prospect of work on Monday is also kinda tough, no matter how much I'm sure it's good and right and my colleagues are wonderful. My small break is over, really, bar the cheering, and it has been so wonderful. I spent a day at the beach! Thanks to the generosity of KP, I looked a treat in her stripey swimmers. It was wonderful, down at Black Rock, the water was so clear and the sand clean and it wasn't too hot. Very peaceful and lovely.

Love to all those who are near and far. Love to those I've seen in this first week back, who remembered me and reminded me. Big love to those who I left in K-land. Love to those whom I don't know or barely know who still offer little sweetness and light.

'Tis Grand

2007-01-27T23:14:00.000+11:00

Ach, 'tis truly great to be back. Weather was lovely - warm, then rainy. Loving it.
My new digs are light bright welcoming relaxing. The Manor is a happy place.
Had a swim yesterday, ate Chinese food today, have drunk a lot of coffee, bequeathed some well-received gifts, met another new blogger peep. Am suffering terrible hayfever.
Have lost conversation skilz. But not driving skilz.

Happy happy.

I Have One Question

2007-01-24T09:37:00.000+11:00

At passport control on the way outta Korea, the immigration officer said to me 'I have one question'. Of course I'm feeling a little nervous, I want everything to go smoothly. It's all been going well so far - my bag was 6 kilos overweight but the check-in cutie didn't care.
Anyways, I said, 'Yes?', and he said 'Australia - that's a racist place, right?'.

Oh, my heart sank.

As I paused, he said 'White; black; yellow', indicating with his hand declining layers, then explained 'Classes, right? It's racist, Australia?'.

I'm Packing

2007-01-23T15:37:00.000+11:00

If I had time I'd be blogging about this stuff ::

Another name change for Australia's Department of Immigration;
Nationalism in Australia and Serbia;
Democrats in the USA appear to have a (semi) Mexican, a female, and a black (is that racist?) in the Presidential nomination race;
My colour palette has changed with my K-time, as it did with my Euro-time, evidenced above;
I'm feeling calm.

Final 30 Hours

2007-01-23T01:39:00.001+11:00

I've spent seven months living alone. I've finally experienced a bit of Asia. I've made more friends and taken more photos. I've bought possibly 8 pairs of shoes. I've flown a lover across the world to see me. I've become acutely hysterical once, maybe twice. I've missed out on big things at home. I'm still in debt. I've sent a lot of postcards. I've eaten breakfast nearly every day. I've fallen asleep and missed my stop.

I'm looking forward to the colours of home, the hugs, the river, the children, the bread, the deck, the walks. Looking forward to not driving to work, to waking up with Charlie, to being alive and inspired at work, to enlarging some photos, to mending some bridges, to supporting my brother.

I'm going to miss the food, the subway, the new friends. I'll miss cheap clothes, shoes and taxis. I'll miss the Han River at night, PC bangs, cute Korean boys and their effeminate fashions, rice cakes in the subway, not understanding a word, freebies everyday.

Saturday Night in Hyehwa

2007-01-21T13:12:00.000+11:00

Said goodbye to the posse of K-girlfriends last night. Was typical of the fun silly lovely nights I've spent with them. We ate and ate a little traditional style place, then went to get star photos, then had a beer at a weird bar. Typical! Silly! Perfect! Getting star photos involves dressing up in the wacky costumes, falling about laughing, then eventually getting tiny photos taken in a booth. I had a tiara and angel wings... My friend Ahri went all out, as some kinda dilapidated geisha::

I will really miss these girls. Some of the best times I've had here were with them. I feel so lucky to have met some very genuine and generous people in Korea. Ahri and her friend Damon escorted me all the way home when it was clear I'd miss my last subway connection, which was great cos it meant I could give Ahri a bunch of household stuff I couldn't take home - she was especially delighted when I palmed off a 5 kilo bag of washing powder and a giant jar of honey.

From 6 into 5 but really 4

2007-01-20T02:49:00.000+11:00

Said some goodbyes today. Made and distributed farewell cards to my colleagues. Twas my last real day of work. Didn't cry, but surprised myself these past days with how moved I've been by it all. Even amidst the happiness of all the good stuff that's waiting at home.
Also had a little fight at dinner, with my friend from the hood, Tom, whom I've gotten along with famously til now. It kinda gave me a reminder of what it's like to be at home, where one has real conversations about 'issues' and suchlike, and where political debates take place between friends.
Ate a pile of duck, drank a lot of beers and sat looking out at the neon from the 11th floor bar, thinking about my world, Charlie, and the victims of cruise ships. I was thinking about International Cruise Victims Organization, which I've just discovered... An organisation less concerned with the misdeeds of Tom Cruise than those who've taken holidays on cruise ships and somehow suffered as a result. It's in the zeitgeist, people. Last night's CSI: Miami was all about this.

These are the birthday kids from yesterday. The one in the middle is my favourite, Branden::

Day 6: An Australian Story

2007-01-18T12:00:00.000+11:00

Last night I laughed and laughed.
Mum told me a great story about Burleigh Heads, where some friends of hers are living. The friends are a lovely couple, an Aussie woman, her Turkish husband and their two gorgeous poppets. After years of living in Istanbul, and months waiting for Mister's visa, they've moved to Australia. Mister is a textile machinist, I think he made suits in Turkey, and applied for a job at a place that made aprons and tea-towels. The previous worker had disappointed management by producing only ten pieces a day, so they were looking for someone new. Missus left him at the atelier for an hour-long tryout, feeling good about seeing him look so comfortable and professional at the machines. When she came back after an hour, the owner rushed at Missus and said 'gosh, he's fast!'... He'd made 45 pieces in the hour. They were rapt. They were also excited to be a part of his new life in Australia, showing him all aspects of the business, and looking forward to helping with his English learning.

Today is the monthly birthday party at work. My last birthday party here. The balloon swords are all made, the long birthday table is covered in coloured paper, the kids are running around wildly. In the classrooms, the kids who have their birthday this month are changing into traditional dress. Cute! Soon I'll be eating fried chicken and drinking pepsi...

Seven Daze

2007-01-17T19:40:00.000+11:00

Got offered the 'Exhibit B' position today. Will think about my 'yes' answer and then tell them tomorrow. Means I'm heading straight back into the giant machine when I get back. But that is security, and bills paid. Ach, it's not bad at all, and it'll be working in a friendly familiar place with old mates all around.
Less than a week left here. I've taught my Wednesday afternoon boys for the last time. I entertained then by pretending to eat erasers, or pulling them out of my ear. Am I grandpa? Whatever, it was fun.

Saw The Departed, loved it;
Reading February's Vanity Fair (which has a huge article on the neocons who left Bush's side);
Reading the Melbourne Poet's Union best poem;
Listening to the old psychedelic mix CDs that LTR has tirelessly made for me;
Thinking about the lack of a successor at this school;
Drinking red wine for dinner.

Tenth Day

2007-01-15T00:19:00.000+11:00

Credit where credit is due - my new profile photo was taken by Ethan. Nice, eh?

Sightseeing was scheduled for this Sunday - as is often the case - Ethan and I travel to some new place to see some random Korean highlight. I was really pleased that Ethan and Jen both were happy to do as I wanted and go to the War Memorial, for a Korean lunch and to Yongsan to buy DVDs. The sun was shining, it was cold, but bright and fine. Lovely winters' day.

The War Memorial is maaasssive, just like the National Museum. And the grounds are full of aeroplanes, tanks, submarines and howitzers. Yeah, and a little wedding palace, in case you wanna recall the war while you take your vows.

There was a great deal of acknowledgement of the UN forces who had fought in the Korean War - I saw monuments, plaques, uniforms and movies of the Australian involvement. The question arose of why the 38th parallel was chose for the division and I immediate thought was just cos the Americans picked it... Well, as Wikipedia says ::

On August 10, 1945 two young officers – Dean Rusk and Charles Bonesteel – were assigned the task of creating an American occupation zone. Working on extremely short notice and completely unprepared for the task, they used a National geographic map to decide on the 38th parallel; they chose it because it divided the country approximately in half but would leave the capital Seoul under American control. No experts on Korea were consulted and the two men were unaware that forty years previous, Japan and Russia had discussed sharing Korea along the same parallel; Rusk later said that had he known, he would have chosen a different line.

Gawd. It's just so sad and ridiculous. Rusk actually said: '[The] choice of the 38th Parallel, recommended by two tired colonels working late at night, proved fateful.'

Though today, I don't know why, I didn't instinctively mourn those lives lost... Through all those memorials, I wasn't moved. When in Minsk I remember been profoundly upset at a memorial to the Belorusian mothers of those who fought with the Soviets in the 9-year war in Afghanistan. Those lives were lost so needlessly, and the concept of a mother's grief was emotionally compelling. Not sure why I didn't get that today... Maybe because the memorial, many parts of it, are focused on the technicalities of the wars: equipment; tactics; dates and numbers. The idea/s of the war are so much more complex, intractable, intriguing, frustrating... Sad.