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Saturday, January 4
[The depths of Mirkwood]posted by pete at 6:29 PM .......Evidently there's some sort of semipopular movement which is suggesting a queer reading of The Lord of the Rings movies, particularly with regard to the characters of Frodo and Sam. Whilst director Peter Jackson has no doubt supplied some ripe fodder for hordes of slash fictionalists, can't we leave the sexualisation of this classic story to these writers and their fans? I just don't feel like turning a couple of films which I've enjoyed immensely into another highly-strung gender studies discussion.
I'm actually hooked on The Hobbit again, and I've decided to re-read the whole series for what I think is the third time. I don't have many books that fall into the 're-read' category, so I don't consider it to be any sort of time wastage. :)
[Zoo York]posted by pete at 6:04 PM .......Nearly every creature in the Adelaide zoo looked hot, uncomfortable and slightly out of its mind, exceptions being the giraffes, the musk oxen (or whatever they were), the nocturnal exhibits and the zebras. Many creatures seemed to have their mouths open in a peculiar expression of derangement and frustration – myself included, hehe – but it was very interesting nonetheless.
The zoo is not only a journey into the animal kingdom, but also into the world of strollers and young families. Time spent waiting at the gates of the zoo, which incidentally affords an attractive aspect of the river, city and parklands, provided just a hint of the family-fest that I was to encounter within the sturdy, old walls. I couldn't help but be reminded that I must never have children.
I went there with Miriam, Sekove and my nieces and nephew, and I really enjoyed watching the kids' reactions to the various creatures. Responses ranged from indifference and familiarity through to outright astonishment; the latter being the sort that you look for in a zoo environment. The kids had never been to a zoo before (I don't even know if Fiji has one) so there was certainly an educational aspect to the day's events.
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[Kate]posted by pete at 3:30 PM .......Thankfully I was able to catch up with Kate before she catches a flight back to Melbourne this evening. I took her to an excellent coffee shop that we discovered yesterday, where they have posters of Krzysztof Kieslowski films and other cinema classics and outdoor tables beneath luxuriant plane trees. It's sandwiched between several highrise (by Adelaide standards) buildings and they serve delicious hot chocolate in stainless steel jugs (but you drink it from a cup that is also supplied). Being there actually feels a bit like Melbourne.
Anyway, after that we went back to my house and chatted for several hours. I miss Kate – all those truckin' stories and all – so I really appreciated the opportunity to spend pleasant time with her!
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[Closed for the holidays]posted by pete at 11:00 PM .......What can be said about New Year's Eve that hasn't already been said before? Fighting my way through phenomenal levels of disorganisation and a truly choked SMS network, I managed to catch up with a super bunch of Selena-related friends in a city hotel, before coughing up the $25 and heading to Minke. As usual, Skylab was the place to be, oh those white Bose speaker stacks really do it for me and the funkiest music is there; level one was two loud for my liking and the floor in the basement was covered in smashed glass which glittered prettily in the ambient THC haze (nothing to do with me, let me make that clear). Tracks down there tended to tread a fine line between excellent and incredibly lame, but goodness I had a fun alcohol-free time before catching one of the free buses home at about 3am.
Fortunately I (narrowly) avoided the bulk of the melodramas that seem to go hand-in-hand with any celebration these days. The night wasn't without its fair share of over-emotive scenes.
This is going to sound so vile and elitist, but it seemed like the whole of the Northern suburbs had descended upon the city for the evening. There were so many gross people out and about, both in the clubs and beyond. It was a festival of offensive behaviour, baggy Dada clothing and chicks in loose-fitting black Adidas tracksuits with the white stripes on the sleeves. I hope there weren't too many interstate visitors in the city that night, as it would only have reinforced existing negative Adelaide stereotypes. Absolute creeps seemed to insidiously abound, and as Deb questioned, how on Earth were these people allowed in when other young, interesting folk may have been forced to wait outside in the rain? And why were people trying to strike up conversation with me when I clearly wasn't interested? Quit lingering, I say.
Thank goodness I was able to make my way to Jessica's house of soul restoration, where we consumed lots of tasty food and I learned to play Backgammon. This morning provided an excellent opportunity to stroll through the Japanese gardens and the city's residential quarter, before lunch at Everest, which was followed by vigorous browsing through innumerable shops. What is with things being closed for the holidays? Clearlight, Thea (this was most distressing, they are relocating apparently), Red Star and more, all closed for the holidays. I overcame my disappointment with the purchase of some very squaa Carhartt corduroy jeans – pair these with my new shoes and I'll be a vision in corduroy, resplendent in chocolate-brown.
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[Yum... yum]posted by pete at 10:37 AM .......I seem to have restored my room to a relatively dust-free sanctuary, although the carpet could do with a vacuum. 70's shag pile, help yourself, but apparently it's lurking on the outskirts of popularity again, or was that sometime last year? I never know.
That doesn't stop people quizzing me on the latest trends, as if I'm the arbiter of all fashion or something. Sunday saw my brains picked about modern foods... I should have kept my mouth shut when I said that bok choi was a bit of a throwback to the fusion food craze of the mid 90's – delicious though it is (in small quantities) – because then the gaze was really turned upon me. So I offered up preserved lemons as the next big thing, sparking all manner of interest and assessment. I probably should have made mention of Haloumi cheese... it's been around for a while but I think it's really coming into its own thanks to the Lifestyle Channel.
I feel that we are in the last throes of antipasto, it's demise as certain as the ugly friezes in family oriented cafes. This city is so heavily influenced by Italian cuisine that I have even found sundried tomatoes in sushi rolls. How creepy, never ever go to Tokyo Joe's – don't buy sushi from anywhere that isn't staffed by people who clearly have North-East-Asian ancestry. Look for Pucca, Blue Bear or Hello Kitty accessories, they're usually a good clue. Not that I don't love the odd risotto, as long as it's a tomato base and not cream or oil. Hindley Street seems to be throwing up more and more cafe options, all variations on one another, but it's good to have the choice I suppose. But ultimately I just can't go past the Vegetarian Tea Garden (Thea), which is located in a beautiful, historic city arcade. The food is so fresh, simple and tasty. Perfect for Summer; pity I haven't been since Spring.
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[Catch the sun]posted by pete at 7:39 PM .......This evening I saw a late-blossoming tree in the South parklands. It was still adorned with many pink flowers, and there was a carpet of scattered petals beneath the relatively juvenile branches. The whole plant was ensconced within unattractive native species, and I wondered why anyone ever bothered to plant it there.
[I'm leaving on a jet plane]posted by pete at 7:31 PM .......Perusing the many shelves of the Borders bookstore today may not have been such a good idea, as doing so seems to have only enhanced my restlessness. The various books and magazines opened creepy little windows into life elsewhere, far from here.
Specifically, I'm thinking of New York City.
Books about this destination occupy several shelves in the aforementioned store, and I nearly went insane looking at the pictures and reading the information and feeling utterly compelled to board an aeroplane, simply because it's so unrealistic at this point in time. There are so many reasons why now would be the ultimate time to completely uproot my life and head on over – things like unattachment and other freedoms – but it's not as simple as buying a ticket and asking for a job. Work visas are notoriously difficult, and I doubt that my level of experience would encourage a company to, in effect, sponsor my move. So, it's a choice between being stuck here slowly gathering experience in dull jobs that will sap my energy, or going over and trying to get some sort of vile job, most probably with Woolworths overtones that I'd obviously hate.
Similar things can be said about Hong Kong.
Tokyo, on the other hand, represents the most realistic option. I could probably head over there sometime in 2003, if I made the decision and got my act together. I just have to work out whether that's what I actually want to do – which is just another permutation of the question that's been plaguing me (and many, many other people who I know) for the last couple of months.
[Grow me a Scotch Fillet]posted by pete at 7:04 PM .......Good old Kyle for finding this article. The ultimate flesh substitute? Perhaps, but I'd still be reluctant to consume it. I'd prefer cannibalism.
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[Who?]posted by pete at 10:09 PM .......Of late there has been much banter and discussion with regard to whatever is supposed to apparently be occurring on New Year's Eve.
To be honest, I just don't have the energy (nor the finances) to participate in any activity that involves multiple locations and postmodern consumer culture. Yet, peer pressure will no doubt prevail, and I'm sure something fun will result.
Hehe, just watched the film To Die For, which evoked numerous smirks and the odd giggle. Good old Nicole Kidman, I believe that she and I would be friends. Annoyingly, I am experiencing some lingering dissatisfaction with the ending of the said movie. Can't win 'em all I suppose.
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