Tuesday, February 24, 2009

come and see the real thing, come and see

Saturday 21st feb, 2pm

I am currently located in the good ol’ hearty St Jeromes bar in the city. Although the stench from the nearby bins wafts into the courtyard, and the table on which my laptop is currently resting is covered in a sticky grime, it is a swell place. It’s somewhat like what I imagine New York to be. I just had a ginger ale and read through some of the info I have collected about requirements for jobs I’ve applied for. This week has been interesting, in me being powerless to an extent to determine my employment status.

It’s challenging to keep persisting when nothing is coming back to you. Logically you start to wonder whether or not your actions are having the effect you want, and if not, then why not. You tend to tweak your actions if you’re not being rewarded by them. But it’s different with this. The only way to do it is to persist. To work hard and consistently and not to get overwhelmed by the deafening silence coming from my mobile.

Once the fresh newness of the city wears off it’s time to get started, except I can’t.

Wednesday 25th Feb

It’s different having people around me who are also doing nothing. Since my housemates start uni next week, they’ve been leisurely hanging at home, eating, talking, reading. This somewhat eases me and lets me soak up this spare time, rather than feeling guilty about it. Some people were around the other day and we spent the whole afternoon sitting on the floor, talking and eating, everyone together. The internet man was meant to be arriving between 1 and 5pm, which evidently gave us an excuse to wait patiently for him. He never showed up, but it was a grand excuse to relax.

It rained last night. This grey light also makes me just want to rug up all day and read and drink milo. It feel s easier to do this when the weather is dull. Still, I will be hitting up Sydney Road soon and trying my next round of job hunting at a cafe. I will then head to savers quickly and also fill up my backpack with groceries, before heading home and doing just that. Then I can relax for the afternoon, eh?

Doing the open mike every Tuesday night is giving me the beginning of a routine, which is something I grasp onto warmly. I’m also starting Spanish lessons on Thursday night so both of these things will be good for me. Beneficial because regardless of the job circumstance I will still be doing something worthwhile.

It’s just waiting that is the annoying part. I’m having a trial tomorrow morning, and am also doing another waitressing gig on Friday. Will be saying goodbye to darling Pies after that. It’s gonna be entirely different without her.

I’m now off to email my darling sister Bump.

I hope you are all doing nicely.

Monday, February 16, 2009

hi team

I once again find myself in the midst of the State Library of Victoria. It has become a bit of a haven, really, offering many a wireless, air con, culture, quiet, and of course, books. I don't feel so bad about doing nothing when I come here.

So presently I am seeking employment (aren't we all?). Some promising offers have been presented, and then lapsed, and I'm kind of kicking around this no-man's-land, trying to figure it all out.

I'm making an effort to catch up with my Melbourne acquaintances to 'cast the net wide' if you will, and soak up all this metropolitan goodness. I'm trying to do this, mind you, spending as little cashiki as possible. I am quite proud of my tight-arse abilities but it is truely being put to the test being down here. I have to keep reminding myself that I'll only be unemployed for a little while longer. No exemptions...!

My shed is becoming more cosy. I spent some time last week hacking into Inpress and Beat, getting all the stellar band/festival adverts out and adorning the brick walls. I slept wonderfully last night, decked in my hoodie and trackie pants, for the first time in the shed. I also did a shop at Aldi this morning, which was interesting. There are three supermarkets from my place which are roughly the same distance away from each other, so it's personal prefence which one you visit. No one had gone to Aldi before, so I thought I'd be courageous and visit the land of the unknown brands. I intended to do a small shop, as I had ridden my bike and only had a handbag to fill up, but I got too excited and ended up gettting three. I ended up having to balance them carefully on the handle bars home, making sure I didn't take out any nonnas.

There is an open mike night tonight at the Empress on Nicholson which I may attend. Hopefully I can nab Pies' guitar for that one, as the one I have brought down will hardly wow the crowds.

I'll keep ya'll posted. Take care now,
G

Sunday, February 8, 2009

kiddly winks

gargh . argh. eh.

where to start?
today is my first day of being a melbournian. Fancy that, eh? Eh? I came down here last night with Pies, under the eeiry light of smoke, and 774 Radio National blaring the whole 350kms, to begin life outside of the coop. It hasn't sunken in yet, the fact that I now reside in Dudley Street, North Fitzroy (SICK AS NAME). Rupert Street is the one next door, all very Harry Potter-esque, really. It feels like I'll be heading home in a couple of days, just like I always have. Give it time and I'm sure I'll get used to it.

This summer has been pretty grand. It has involved me working at both the lettuce farm- affectionatley dubbed 'The Farm' and also Muffin Break. Dubbed 'muff muff is fun fun'. It has also involved me getting my p's and finally turning 18 and being able to do grown up things, like going out to Albury. Woo, Roi Bar! Sick as!
It has also involved, as everyone knows, this crazy incineration of all things Victorian over the last 3 or so days. It was so strange driving down last night, as Yackanandah was preparing and the adrenalin starting to sink in. The city feels so removed from it all, and I only heard mention of it in scattered conversation during work today. But it's all I can think about at the moment. Of course, it feels worse being far away as you don't know the fire's proximity, its direction, its force. It's brisk down here today and I've heard conditions are a bit better so this is all good.

Uncertain what I'll do this afternoon. Probably continue to look for jobs, housing. Probably go for an explore around my new stomping ground too. But now I think I will grab some pho and dig into some reading.
Take care, ya'll.