Finished Ratcatcher, which was fairly amusing, if highly James Bond reinvented as a runner, and the third Cadfael, which I also unfortunately figured out early on. Still, I really enjoyed it. Also, much as I was sort of disappointed by Shrewesbury, it was cool to read the book and go, ‘hey – I walked on that bridge!’.
Been watching bits of live earth (AFI, Smashing pumpkins, Madonna) I can’t find the chili peppers performance. Ooh! Found it on youtube. How much do I love that Anthony Kiedis is jumping around in a big multicolored poncho?

I’m supposed to be at the zoo, but the storms this morning woke me up. I’m gonna go run errands and hit the art museum, I think.

Since I was talking about how the the 4th of July makes me think of the Lair, some photos from Gail from the Lair last year:

http://community.webshots.com/album/559804332mPhKrx

I was talking with another backpacker about how much we are going to appreciate Christmas this year. And jeans. I miss wearing real, low-rise jeans. I’ve been wearing the same 2 outfits for months now… I miss real clothes a little. I love traveling more, but still…
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Did some grocery shopping and the laundry last night, and felt very productive. I finished a Man lay Dead by Ngaio Marsh, which was good, except I figured it out on page 44. Much as I like being right, after the initial excitement, I’m always a bit disappointed that the author wasn’t cleverer. Still, I liked it and I’m sure I’ll read more of hers. I’m reading a new book called Ratcatcher, which may actually be Aussie, because I don’t think it’s on Amazon. Anyways, it featured the words “Derring-do” on the back cover, so that was enough for me. I think its a shame ‘derring-do’ doesn’t come up in conversation very often today. It’s a great term. Anyhoo – the book is about a bow street runner who’s all very James Bond – “men want to be him, women want him” sort of thing. It’s entertaining so far.

Went to the opera today. The Barber of Seville. The guy playing Figaro was very good, as was Rosina (although her arias were not so much songs as, ‘hey check out the vocal acrobatics I can do’). The romantic lead wasn’t very good in the first act, but he got it together by the second act. Overall, very entertaining. Walked through Hyde park afterwards (dodging the 50 million wedding parties taking photos by the fountains and fig tree walk).
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I forgot - while we were sailing out of the harbor -I saw the USS Kitty Hawk. It docked in Sydney yesterday for 5 days. Picked up the Herald today, and the front page is dominated by both the Kitty Hawk ... [Continue reading this entry]

Thar she blows and all that. :) So - after finding a fabulous salad place for lunch (mmm tofu) in the QVB, I went down to the dock to board our ship. I did the no frills cruise - no complimentary ... [Continue reading this entry]

"It was already Thursday, but his lordships artificial limb could not be found, therefore, having directed the servants to fill the baths, he seized the tongs, and set out at once for the edge of the lake, where the Throbblefoot Spectre still loitred ... [Continue reading this entry]

(If you don't recognize the title, go re-watch some mouse movies. Particularly ones featuring Frank: the Green Hyper Frilled-Neck Lizard. Yes, that's the full character name). Okay - so I got going early this morning. I went to Scruffy Murphy's ... [Continue reading this entry]

Check it out!! A full story on the totally brilliant Mr. Sam Rockwell :) (I hope Snow Angels picks up a distributor soon):

Scenery Chewer Plays It Straight, Methodically

THE long, steep stairs ... [Continue reading this entry]

I got a last bag of roasted chestnuts my last evening in Melbourne. Seriously delicious. Yesterday took the bus from Melbourne to Sydney. The trip did not start auspiciously. The woman who sat next to me turned up her ipod so ... [Continue reading this entry]