Random observations that have stacked up: I am really freaking unfit - okay, I know this in the vague sense already, but it hasn’t gotten better really. I played basketball on Sunday with a friend from school (Alan), and I was totally puffed within an hour. I used to be better than this. I need to lift my game. There are a lot more Japanese in Sydney - I didn’t feel this 6 years ago when I lived here, but just wandering down the street in Sydney, chances are I’ll hear a word which catches my ear, and I’ll turn to see Japanese people just chatting away. It’s not just tourists, either. Things go far better in my head - Approaching some of the aforementioned Japanese, in my head, is easy. Actually doing it on the other hand, not so easy. First I’m nervous to the point where my heartbeat rises noticeably - and it’s totally irrational - and when I do start to speak, I falter over words and phrases that should cause me no problems, caused me no problems earlier, and I’ve just rehearsed in my head. Either I’m so far out of practise I’ve lost confidence in myself, or … well, either way, at the moment it looks like I’ve lost that confidence in my Japanese that would let me speak it without feeling embarrased at my mistakes. It’s not just speaking Japanese, but that’s just something that has highlighted it for me. Uni is far more of a comfort zone than you imagine - All that bitching you do about assignments not being specific enough? Yeah, welcome to the real world, where your manager kind of waves in your direction and says “Yeah you can take care of that, right?” and you realise you tuned out of the meeting roughly 5 minutes ago and have been staring out the window at the sun reflecting off the building next door. Uni rocks, dude. Critical skill for working in the city: Judging revolving doors - I’m getting better, but the first couple of days I opted for the disabled bog-standard-door option. Why is it that city buildings must have a revolving door out front? If anyone can answer with something that makes sense, that’s a chocolate bar for ya. Which reminds me… I’d near-instantly fall for a chick that isn’t so neurotic she can’t eat a chocolate bar - I thought this on the train as I saw a chick sitting opposite me - above average, but nothing exceptional - bite into a chocolate bar on the way in to whatever in the morning. I knew instantly she’d have a great personality. Not neurotic! Perfect. Bulleted lists make things look worthwhile - as compared to say just blathering and ranting in no particular order, this now looks like there’s something by way of structure to it. Even if there’s really not. Can’t think of any more observations that have a real point - but I have plenty of things to say if someone turns up for a coffee and is willing to listen. Living alone makes it hard to spill out those random things you think of, but have no one to say to.

Heads up y’all: I will be in London from September 4th to October 27th. I’ll probably go on a trip through Europe right after, but because it’d be nearly winter I’m thinking to keep it shorter than I was originally thinking, and then pop back in Melbourne for a few days or a week, which hopefully will be after everyone’s finished exams. The reason being, of course, that starting on the 4th means… my 21st will be on the other side of the world to where I’ve lived my whole life. Kinda scary to say the least, but muchos excitement too. Then when I get back I’ll have my much-delayed party, about halfway or near the end of November, before running back to work up here. Still, that whole deal is more than half a year away, so I can put it at the back of my mind until it springs sideways at me somewhere in August. ...

Visited the MCA today during lunchtime, to see the Kienholz exhibit - drawn in particularly by the promo pic of the Statute of Liberty holding up a neon sign saying “It’s not my fault” - great image. For the rest of the exhibit however, I realised I’m not much suited to the appreciation of contempary art. Or most art for that matter.

Having my nose blocked, all the time - Melbourne has a class of pollen that go above and beyond the call of duty, making my life bloody miserable. Being able to breathe freely is a vastly underestimated privilege The bloody weather - I think there’s only been one day here in the last 3 weeks (gods, has it been that long already?) that I’d say was sub-par weather, and we’ve had a range of weather here. Don’t have to carry a jacket with me at all times on the risk of a cold snap. ...

No-one ever tells you, up front, that the first few weeks on the job are going to be boring. That you’ll get given no work, and you’ll have to sit there and fill the tedious hours, trying to make it look like you’re actually doing something while all you’re really doing is twiddling your thumbs. Computers are useful for acheiving this, and having three screens doubly - indeed, tripley - so. ...