Monday, April 23, 2007

THE BiG CATCH-UP

i've had a pretty interesting couple of days. yesterday i didn't end up going on much of an adventure, as by the time i left it was about 3 and i had to be back in brunswick at 7. so i jumped on the first tram that came past, and it was going to st. kilda. it's a pretty beach suburb which i am quite familiar with (i spent a lot of time there back in '00). but instead of going all the way to the beach i got off the tram early and wandered along fitzroy street which is lined with expensive bars and interesting shops. i checked out a nice bookshop, all sorts of books that i could happily spend all my pay on! and then i was cold so i decided that food was in order and i went and got scrummy curry at Veg Out.. all their curries are either vegan or very close. yummm!
there's a arty market along the esplanade every sunday in st. kilda so i wandered along there and looked at stuff that i had no desire to buy. gumnut magnet anyone? synthetic crochetted doily perhaps? no?
anyway then i got back on a tram heading to the city, and got off again about two stops later in a bid to avoid yet another dirty abusive public transport hobo. there are so many of them!
[insert: hooray, text from ariel! she's out of the operating theatre, what a relief]
where was i? oh, yes, the creepy train guy. so i gave him the slip and watched the sunset through the palm trees instead, before making my way homewards. (just out of interest, there was a different creepy guy on that tram)
then i went out to the first session of a women's art/creativity/expression group that i found out about quite some time ago. there were five of us there, and five different nationalities... kiwi (me), canadian, british, japanese, and lebanese. a good group! they're all really fun and lovely all round, and we all share interests that go beyond the arty stuff. so that's cool, hopefully we'll keep meeting and get to know each other better! it's about time i made some friends.
after our session we went and had dinner at this place called Lentil as Anything, which is pretty alternative... a vegan banquet, and you pay whatever you feel is appropriate. amazing food! i've been wanting to check it out for ages, so it was cool to have the opportunity to go especially with such a fun bunch of people!
today i had my job trial, it went well and i have some more training tomorrow afternoon, and then three shifts later in the week. so yay, employment! money! it's a different sort of a place to piko, i'll have to get used to working *for* someone for a start! but in a way that's nice, being directed and not having much responsibility! a welcome change anyway... i have enough to get my head around at the moment without a really brain-workout job too.
aaah, i am rambling! i need to wrap this up and go home. i think i'll have a mega easy dinner of vege sausages (i discovered these great carrot and cashew nut ones) and salsa. maybe even wrapped up in a pita bread thingy.
i must be hungry, my mouth is watering.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

i'm going to go on an adventure today.
i don't know where to.
i don't know what i'll do when i get there.
though there's a good chance i'll drink coffee.
there's always a good chance of that.
my worst habit, or the habit that keeps me sane?
i'm not sure yet.
 

Saturday, April 21, 2007

THiNGS TO DO WHEN i GET A JOB


P1080118
Originally uploaded by frogstarstrikesagain.
1. buy a laptop! high priority.. i hate feeling unconnected.
2. visit fishboy and others in sydney
3. buy a new memory card for my camera (it finally gave up all together)
4.open a savings account? we'll see...

Friday, April 20, 2007

BRUNSWiCK LiFE THUS FAR

i'm moved. i'm mostly settled.
i've been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning, trying to get rid of the ghastly dog-smell. *shudder*
i think it's a little less potent now.
i'm not even going to grumble about it, it is so not worth spending any more energy on that problem tonight! i'm looking forward to sinking into bed and reading for a while, by the light of my new red lamp. everything is new... new pillows quilt sheets mat lamp everything. i can't imagine how anyone could live in that squallor! there was no way in HELL i was going to use that bedding. yeeaarruugh. oh, no, i'm not talking about that. oops!
so in the morning i plan on heading down to Ceres to check out the farmers' market. i haven't been there yet, and it's one of the places i was most excited about going to. i'm hoping it's a good walkable distance, i don't think it'll be more than half an hour. or bikable. i have to go and get my new old bike from the 'scray and take it over to ceres actually, they have a bike repair shed where they help you fix your bike at minimal cost. yay to that i say!
i had a thought earlier. my friend C was up in brisbane for a wedding and i was trying to persuade her to fly home via melbourne. i haven't heard from her, so i guess that's not happening. what a fuck-off, i haven't seen her in so long and it's crazy to miss each other when we really are so close!
i'm feeling the lack of physical contact, big time. i haven't had a decent hug in weeks. let alone anything else.. heh. i think i may have to find myself a plaything.
any suggestions as to how one goes about that in an unfamiliar city?
:-)
x
 

Thursday, April 19, 2007


P1080105
Originally uploaded by frogstarstrikesagain.
i'm procrastinating. i don't want to lug my bag over to the other side of town. and then come back and do it again.
though the sooner i get it done the sooner i can go have coffee with the nikstar who is in town for a few days... hooray!
really looking forward to seeing her, it's been less than 3 weeks but it feels like so much longer. yay for a familiar face!
the picture is taken from the walkway along the yarra, which runs through the heart of the city. beautiful colours, yes?
x

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

the interview went ok.
i'll probably go and do training in the next week, and then there are some shifts coming up which the manager would like me to do. so yeah, i think i may have a job.. details to be confirmed.
honestly... i don't care. i would dearly love to be unemployed for another month or two, there is so much to do in this city, so much to discover.
i did some sketching today. i don't much like what i did, but it's something at least. i was told off for sitting on the floor in the gallery... apparently there are chairs i can borrow for the purpose of arting.
i was going to go home a while ago but the train platform was way too crowded so i decided to come down here into the dark underbelly of the city and find a stuffy hot net cafe to sit in instead. so actually i was lured by a wanton flirt requesting my company on yahoo messenger. but hey, at least it gets me blogging, eh?
is there anything in particular you want to hear about, esteemed blogpeeps? i don't know what to write about so i just tend to ramble.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

LUSHiNG iT UP


P1080091
Originally uploaded by frogstarstrikesagain.
yes, really, melbourne is all about the coffee.
this one wasn't so great, but it sure looks good doesn't it?
mich and i went out to st. kilda yesterday. when i lived here before that's where i used to spend most of my time when i wasn't working. good cafes interesting shops.. and the beach. yesss, so good to see the sea again. i forget how much i took it for granted in chch, even though i didn't live near the beach i somehow managed to be there at least a couple of times a week.
it's a pity accomodation prices are so high in st. kilda and surrounding 'burbs.
i have an interview at an organic shop tomorrow afternoon, please cross your fingers for me. ideally i'd like to start with just part time work, so i can go frollick in sydney for a few days, and check out places like warberton and healesville and geelong and the likes. all of which are pretty close to melbourne, yay!
there's a wildlife sanctuary in healesville, i'd like to go and see that. make friends with some snakes or something.
only 2 more sleeps till i move into my brunswick house! huzzah!

Monday, April 16, 2007

i lost all the photos on my memory card.
i know there is no point being upset or angry about it, but i am.
there were some really great ones on there and i hadn't put them up on
flickr yet. :-(
i just hope my memory card isn't going to make a habit of this
dreadfull behaviour, that'd just be too much of a fuck off.
*sigh*

Sunday, April 15, 2007

i <heart> vegemite and tahini on toast.

yesterday mich and i went to the NGV (national gallery of victoria)
and saw the most wonderful exhibition of pre-columbian mexican
sculptures. they are just incredible. these brilliant characterful
ceramic creations, in lovely warm colours. i am going to go back and
sketch them some time soon, if evidence doesn't appear please do feel
free to give me a nudge in that direction.
i am having some issues getting my photos onto flickr at the moment,
so i'm not updating nearly as often as i'd like to. also as of
thursday i will be computerless, until i earn enough to buy myself a
laptop. top of the priority list, that is. i'll also have no landline
at my new place (apparently it's a bit of a melbourne thing... not so
good for us homesick foreigners!) so communication will be at an all
time low. eek!
thanks to those of you who've been texting me since i left my number
here, very cool to have that contact!
i'm going to go make dinner now, rice and beans and spice and veges
and stuff. yum.
love to you all
xxx e


ps. big shout out to vanessa and fidel who got married (as far as i
know...) a couple of days ago! and a big hug to F, the newest member
of my ever-increasing fanbase..
;-)

Friday, April 13, 2007

hello blog
i write this to you from a loud and stuffy internet cafe, surrounded by boys playing some online strategy kill people lame-arse game. god, i am so not up with the cool kids!
i have things to blog about but, to use a grandma phrase, i can't FUCKING hear myself THINK!
so blogging for proper will have to wait for another day.
i've been doing more wandering and nibbling and sipping with michelle, we're very good at that. found two fabulous cafe's today, one of which is approximately a minute's walk away from the house i move into next week. hooray! it's called La Paloma and is very quaint and front-room-ish and there's a record player on the counter, spitting out scratchy flamenco and jazz. i loooove it.
i can't write any more.
i can't write anymore.
blah.
x
 

Sunday, April 08, 2007

GREENER GRASS..?


P1070788
Originally uploaded by frogstarstrikesagain.
even the laundrette's are beautiful in this land of opportunity...

my living situation is fucking painful right now, and h leaves tomorrow for her next adventure. will i be able to stick it out in this house for another week and a half?
this morning we (h & i) were determined to make the most of a sunny easter sunday so we did a foraging mission and returned with all sorts of goodies for the whanau. and we even managed to cajole some sort of conversation out of our compadres during the partaking of the banquet.. quite a mission that was. ouch.
the sun soaked into my bones and made some of the homesick ache go away for a while, i'm thankful for the reprieve.
x

Saturday, April 07, 2007

this chasm opens inside me when i think about not seeing my friends
for a long time.
i wouldn't be content in new zealand though.
i just wish there was some way this was easier.
how does one go about writing a cv?
no, really.. how??
*

Friday, April 06, 2007

GOOD THiNGS THAT HAPPENED TODAY

well the day got off to a weird and less-than-perfect start but it did pick up.
helen and i ate yummy yum-filled bagels in an alleyway filled with fashion victims (argh, the '80s!) and the coffee was smooth and warm. we found a shop that sells moleskine books. we also looked at expensive boots through a window, and contemplated buying scratchie tickets.
h got on a train and i got on a tram and sat with michelle outside the melbourne museum in carlton gardens. if it wasn't a holiday we'd have gone in and looked at stuff. instead we watched a seagull die, but i'm not writing about that because this post is focussing on the good things that happened today.
we walked and walked and saw beautiful buildings and quirky grafitti and a woman with a dog talked to us about the weather. she was young and stylish and had bandy legs, and her dog was big and yellow.
michelle lead me all the way down brunswick st to a cafe called retro (i think?) and the turkish bread was nice and so was the coffee. and on the way home i stopped to buy groceries and the friendly greek man gave me tahini for free because i didn't want a whole big jar of it. that made me smile, and so did the baklava.
sweet texts from f also made me smile (thank you).
and now i'm home alone enjoying some silence and downtime.
thank you for reading.
x
hello
i'm sad because i checked my emails just now and there were none. i guess
that's what happens though, you disappear from home and no one follows you.
and i know it doesn't mean that people aren't thinking of me sometimes and
wondering how i am. i guess most of my chch friends just aren't the keeping
in touch types. which sucks.
oh well.
i'm writing this from a dirty house that smells constantly of either fresh
or stale cigarette smoke. five days in i'm almost accustomed to it. another
week and a half i think. i texted the girls at the brunswick house to say
that i wanted the room, but neither have replied. should i be worried? i'm
not sure. got to keep positive i guess.
yesterday aaron offered me a bike. it's old and red and is called "lady bird
3". cute. and once the brakes and seat and stuff are all sorted it'll be
good to go.
i'm a bit sad today. maybe it's a good friday feeling. well, i could almost
believe that if i had any connection to the christian festivals.
i'm so glad michelle has arrived, it makes a difference to have her here in
this big city.
x



edit: what the fuck is with macs? sheesh.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

well i made it to melbourne.
it's big, i'd forgotten just how big.
i'm staying at my sister's place. it's revolting! it's smoky and dingy and smelly and the kitchen makes me queasy. so yeah, glad i'm not here for the long haul.
it'll be much better once i've moved into a nicer place with nice people, in a nice suburb. today all i want is a bit of nice.
i'm still in the mindset of "when i go home".. but hey, i'm not going home. or not for a while i think. i'm being careful about not thinking too much about what i miss. it's not fair on myself, of course i'm feeling a little shaky at this stage. it doesn't mean that it's all bad here, or that i should go home.
shit, i'm rambling. the cramps suck.
mich arrives tomorrow, hooray to that. and tomorrow i get to go and check out my 99% probably new flat. it'll be ok, right?
oh, if anyone wants to text me my number is +61449137680
i'm not sure if everyone got the text. please tell me who you are if you text. i'm trusting you all on that one... no crazy people please!


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