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.