sydney... a taste of day one

Just to give you an idea what a given non-holiday-day in Sydney is like...

Ryan's new flat...









...Guus, Guus, Guus "heartbreak"

World Cup Poetry

I'm taking submissions for best/worst socceroo headlines and puns - but they must include the word "Guus".



So far...

"In Guus We Trust"

"Guus loves ya baby?"

"Guus your daddy?"

"Guus the boss?"

"No Guus No Glory"

"Guus on ya' Aussies"

"Have a Guus day"

"Guus who made round two?"

"Guus you didn't think we could do it!"

New one from Papa G: "Guus let the dogs out? Guus, Guus!"

From The Age "Ground Control to Major Guus"

Any ideas? Feel free to comment below...

Does anyone else fall for this stuff?

So - I should be banned from the JB Hifi website. The attraction of having the entire Mountain Goats back catalogue delivered to my door; or being able to listen to Margot and the Nuclear So-and-Sos before it's released in Australia... I just can't help it!

Anyway... I came home to find 'Yell Fire' [the new one from Michael Franti and Spearhead] in my mailbox. Happy happy joy joy.



And yes... I was entirely sucked in by the little flashing "hot deal" symbol near it on the JB site... for the low low price of $23.99 [plus $2.50 postage and handling] I am now the proud owner of a limited edition [probably limited to how many they can sell] 'Yell Fire' cd and EXCLUSIVE dvd [that's right - music videos, interviews, never before seen live footage]. And... "Pre-order now and receive as a bonus the AUSTRALIAN ONLY 'Love Kamikaze' CD. Very limited offer while stock lasts - this offer is available ONLINE ONLY". That's THREE cds for the price of ONE!

I know. I'm aware.
Yes, yes I know.

But you know what? I'm so so happy right now.

warm toes...

Yes, that's my first priority right now. I'm writing in bed, with the ibook on my knees and my electric blanket on.

It takes so little to make me happy [yes I'm a girl with simple tastes, just a warm blanket, a comfortable pillow and high-speed wireless internet and I'm content].

I've been silent, sorry. I've had my brain buried in my books, with Ghassan Hage and Chantal Mouffe for company. They're good company - challenging, noisy thinkers that I don't always agree with but whose opinions continue to surprise and challenge. Is it possible to have an intellectual crush on someone? Count me in...

Today was a really good day, for small reasons and big reasons.

Managed to drag myself out of bed early. Went into work and had my early coffee: sister-of-K was remarkably cheerful for 7:50 am and Bridget made me a very sweet coffee. You're allowed to have heaps of sugar if you don't put it in yourself. Anyway - I was productive, I did lots of work, I feel good about my contribution to my massive intellectual project.
I'm meeting my supervisor tomorrow morning so may revise this.

WARNING: Small rant alert

Have we noticed that, over the Queen's Bday weekend, someone has come along and changed the only cheap parking meters near UniMelb so that instead of being a very reasonable 60c/hour unlimited parking from 6am-4pm, they're now TWO DOLLARS an hour - so instead of around $5 it will now cost me $16 to park there all day. OH MY GOD! I understand - inflation, interest rates, new IR laws, whatever - but that's more than double!!!!!!!!! It's an extra $1.40 an hour. AAAAAAHHHH! I hate the City of Melbourne. Why? Why would you do this to me?

Ok, enough of that.

Had an afternoon drink with db, tomas` and mezerae. It was brilliant to leave my desk and chat...and despite the call of a free lecture series on 'Multiculturalism and Global Terrorism' I didn't want to leave. I think that when people you love don't live near you anymore, there's never enough time to say everything and ask everything - and I guess that's ok.

Remeber how spoilt we were to sit on the south lawn or in front of the state library and do nothing and not feel guilty, just because it was sunny... and you don't need to feel guilty because no-one has to study on a sunshiney day. We were spoilt, living in the same city and keeping the same hours.

But my moment of nostalgia doesn't mean I'm sorry - I'm proud to have friends that are brilliant, vibrant and interesting... friends that are brave enough to follow their dreams to other cities, other countries, other academic disciplines... who are brave enough to be passionate without being worried that people will think they're uncool... who have a 'master plan', who aren't ashamed to be ambitious... who are prepared to pay their dues and able to say 'I'm worthwhile and talented and I'm no longer an intern' when those dues have been paid... friends with something to say, to debate and challenge me, to make me laugh and make me think.

Wow- I guess blogging in bed makes me soppy. Shucks, guys.