Because Melbourne is a nice city... part 2
Yes these past few days I haven't had much to do so have been able to enjoy the simple pleasures of life like sitting in a cafe with a book I enjoy and appreciating this wonderful city I call home.
Yesterday was a good day... after waking up around 2pm (felt good, really) and training into the city (my car's in the shop) to say hi to Heidi after her exam (she was asleep, heh)... I went down to one of my favourite parts of Melbourne to have a coffee. It's a small laneway called "Centre Place", off Flinders Lane right across from Degraves St.
Anyway I love this lane because of the way it 'feels', it's narrow, lined with colourful cafes selling baguettes, focaccias and the like intermixed with fashion boutiques, graffiti and the odd busker. Nope, no McDonalds here, no multinationals at all actually, this is the true colour of Melbourne. The taste of independence, creativity, individualism and an appreciation for aesthetics. This is unique.
I had a reasonable espresso at one of the cafes while waiting for the tram to work. Nice.
After work I went over to Daryl's house and we had a bit of a poker night with Ippei and Pete. The four of us had a great time... poker, whiskey, cigars and johnny cash... what more do I need to say?
Well I won the pot that night, it was the first time I'd ever won out in a night of poker. At $10 each that means I was at a net gain of $30! This morning wasn't very fun though, heh. Malt liquor always does me in... Even though this morning was a Tuesday (not a Sunday), Johnny Cash still says it best:
Well, I woke up Sunday morning
With no way to hold my head that didn't hurt.
And the beer I had for breakfast wasn't bad,
So I had one more for dessert.
Then I fumbled in my closet through my clothes
And found my cleanest dirty shirt.
Then I washed my face and combed my hair
And stumbled down the stairs to meet the day.
- Johnny Cash, "Sunday Morning Coming Down"
I did some other cool stuff today like $3 pizza at the Lucky Coq on Chapel with Cassie and a chinotto at Caffe e Torta on Lt. Collins but I didn't take photos so shan't bother elaborating. I finished Murakami's "Dance Dance Dance"... magic, as usual... and I'm now reading John Banville's "The Sea" which won the Man Booker last year...
Because Melbourne is a nice city...
Did not much of anything huge today, part of the relaxation since ending exams. Worked for 4 hours, finished reading Thomas Friedman's "The World is Flat" and got a nice start on Murkami's "Dance Dance Dance". Had a nice dinner courtesy of Heidi's mum (thanks Auntie!) and just chilled at her place while she studied...
Quiet day meant I had time to look around for once and was reminded again that Melbourne is a nice city.
The pictures above are of our wonderfully dirty Yarra River and the bicycle track that runs along it through various eastern and south-eastern suburbs. Luckily, this little area is right down from where I work. Yes, my workplace is along the Yarra and on my short break of 20 mins (fully paid in a 4 hour shift aint bad) I have the option of sitting down there in the sun and reading which is what I did today. It felt nice.
The picture to the left is taken along Little Lonsdale St, one of melbourne's smaller streets, though not technically a "laneway" per se. On the right is the State Library, on the left is QV and the shiny skyscraper in the background is the Melbourne Central office tower.
I liked this scene because it nicely juxtaposes the beautiful sandstone of the State Library against the modern glass of the tower. Also the street is curiously empty for a Sunday afternoon and the shadows look nice.
Anyway I thought these photos were a nice reflection on the fact that Melbourne has both urban charm and enclaves of natural beauty too. I love my city.
.
It's funny how during the day I can think of a hundred interesting things that I could potentially blog about but, in the end due to sheer laziness, I blog seriously like once a week. Terrible, terrible.
Although today alone I've considered blogging about the book I'm reading, the city streets (that blog itself could take a whole day to write), the aboriginal man I gave money to, the G20...
I've decided to blog about not the most interesting thing but I guess the most momentous for me right now. Ie. I've finished exams for another year, w00t!
I don't really know how I did... it's one of those things. I know I didn't study well enough throughout the year and I know I'm not good enough at cramming (like Joyce, damn that girl) to rely on it. So I know that's why I always have these "am i gonna fail" thoughts at this time of year. Especially in relation to Japanese (once again) but I guess nothing can be done except more resolutions to change... just like ones made in the past that have never materialised. When you get to the end of your fourth year at university you begin to realise what your nature as a student may be.
Anyways, we shall see, enough about that... exams are over and it's now time to chill out, make some cash and hang with people.
So I'm leaving for 3 months overseas (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand... maybe elsewhere) on Dec 3rd so between now and then, the plan is to knuckle down and make some money at work. However, because the shifts I'm taking are only 5pm-9pm weeknights and 10am-2pm weekends... that means I can do other stuff to.
Which will include sitting around in cafes with friends, or just reading a book by myself and/or people-watching. Possibly copping some tan... I really need tan. Spending time with heidi (particularly in the lead-up to her last two exams on Monday and Wednesday GOOD LUCK!). Also AIESECing is always on the agenda, despite my outgoingness there's still the nagging issue of transition plus catching up on some recent international developments and all (and foraging for MC opportunities, heh). And yes I must I must I must make a steady return to the gym and more squash!
Well that's enough from me. Hopefully I'll blog again abt some of the other stuff soon but knowing my suckiness, don't count on it.
Hovi's Home
"Same sword they knight you they gonna good night you with
Shit that's only half if they like you
That ain't even the half of what they might do
Don't believe me ask Michael
See Martin, see Malcolm
You see Biggie, see Pac, see success and its outcome
See Jesus, see Judas
See Ceasar, see Brutus
See success is like suicide
Suicide, it's a suicide
If you succeed prepare to be crucified"
- Jay-Z freestyle on New York's Hot 97
to be fair, he wasn't really on the beat proper but the lyrics were hot
man... im so gettin' up on this nomadlife hip hop blog as soon as I get this exam out the way... arghghhhh
Justice? or Just Us?
An excerpt from a book I've read that Heidi posted on her blog got me thinking about our concept of "justice" as a people. We hear that Saddam Hussein is being hanged after his country was invaded and his regime brought down by a foreign power. Tried in what could be called a kangaroo court, it is a terrible and inhumane way to kill a man after taking away his dignity. People are rejoicing because, apparently, he was a monster who committed genocide and massacred innocent people. Probably true, however the source of this information for us was the media which people treat as an all-knowing oracle, albeit selectively...
In another more far-flung corner of the media we can read about the history of a country, the Government of which has, through imperialist oppression, contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in Latin America and just recently (in 2003) started a war which claimed 655,000 lives in Iraq. A war which is completely unjustifiable. I wonder if there are people rejoicing right now and saying "bravo, Saddam Hussein deserves to be hanged" even though they might be Australian, a country where the death penalty is not even legal. I wonder if some of those people are not the same people that supported this war in the first place. A war that has claimed 655,000 thousand lives. 655,000 thousand. That is over 200 September 11s. I wonder if Saddam's blood has been worth it. I wonder about the people that supported this war with their thoughts, voices and votes... people who live in supposedly democratic countries and are represented by their Governments... people without who's support and/or acquiscence this war would never have happened... I wonder if these people look down at their hands sometimes and see flecks of blood, Iraqi blood. Now tell me, eternal purveyors of "justice", who deserves to be hanged?
Americans, I salute thee
Sometimes, there is nothing wrong with being reactionary. Especially when you're reacting to something that you earlier fucked up and is now blowing up in your face. That must be how them Yanks feel.
For real though, the Democrats now control both the House of Reps and the Senate, they have picked up an immense amount of Republican boo-tay and the GOP failed to pick up ANY dems seats. Republicans, you got owned!
Which is great news for Hillary, Barack and all the other Americans who don't believe that killing innocent people in another country is good foreing policy or that cutting taxes for rich people while there are people living below the poverty line is good domestic policy. An oversimplified analysis but what else can a jubilant "liberal" like myself say.
In other news, I did this leader test and guess what?
Clin-ton.... Yes he may have bombed the living Jesus out of Kosovo but he was still a nice guy who liked to play the sax and enjoyed cigars. A charismatic leader, no less. However, I reject that I am a populist... I am like, so not. Anyone on my EB would agree... well, probably anyone who's ever worked with me... heh.
