Big wheel and silly sausages

The Skywheel is back, sans the seat pods as yet, but they're working on it. If you look closely you can see a workman attached to the frame (near 5 o'clock). Although I've only been on the wheel once and don't plan to go on it again, it's a very engaging sight at night with its multicoloured laser light display against the city backdrop.

The wheel is back in town for the Moomba Waterfest, which is on next weekend. I love Moomba...in the way that you love things that are daggy and cheesy and sort of pointless. I love it even more since it was revealed that rather than being an Aboriginal word meaning 'let's get together and have fun', its actual meaning is closer to er...'up your bum'. Bahaha. How can you not love it?

Pair of eeejits

I went to the movies tonight. We walked into the cinema and sat down and soon the movie started. Ralph Fiennes appeared on screen after the word 'Germany' and a date. My friend said, "Are we in the right cinema?".

We weren't. We were there to see Gran Torino. Not set in Germany at all. Bahaha. We skulked out and found the right cinema just in time for the start. (Gran Torino is excellent by the way, although had I been watching it at home on my own I would have sooked my head off. The dog on the front steps at the end...it really got me and I couldn't talk for about five minutes after we left for the massive, hurty lump in my throat).

Sunset and On The Radio

Pretty sunset tonight. I saw the clouds go from white to pink as I walked home. I don't know about you, but I never get sick of the view from the bridge over the Yarra River near where I live (aka "my bridge").

Gee, I like the song On The Radio by Regina Spektor, specifically this bit -

This is how it works

You're young until you're not

You love until you don't

You try until you can't

You laugh until you cry

You cry until you laugh

And everyone must breathe

Until their dying breath

No, this is how it works

You peer inside yourself

You take the things you like

And try to love the things you took

And then you take that love you made

And stick it into some

Someone else's heart

Pumping someone else's blood

And walking arm in arm

You hope it don't get harmed

But even if it does

You'll just do it all again

Here's a live version.

Yay! Friday! How's your week been?

Guitar dude

Tonight walking home I saw a man standing on the deserted bank of the Yarra near the Swan Street Bridge playing a guitar. He was several metres off the path, with an upright helmet at his feet and a scooter parked nearby on the grass.

I guess sometimes the mood just grabs you, hey?

(I was too bashful to take a photo of him so you can have another picture of yesterday's precipitation instead.)

Glorious rain, and Gog and Magog

You know rain is a rare occurrence when you are thrilled at the idea of walking to work in it and you whip out your camera to take pictures of puddles and rain drops on foliage.

It was drizzling when I woke up. I could hear rain drops pattering softly onto the leaves of the tree outside my bathroom window. I unfurled my umbrella with glee when I stepped out the front door, although the rain was so light I almost didn't need to shelter from it.

It was such a refreshing change from the record dry, hot summer we've been having in southern Australia. I enjoyed having to wear a light jacket on my walk to work and the light spattering of rain drops on my glasses. I relished the gloomy grey skies and the wisps of cloud crowning Eureka Tower. Clouds make the city look so moody and interesting. Sunshine and clear blue skies are pretty but boring.

Gog & Magog

One of my favourite places in the city is the Royal Arcade with its checkerboard floor, interesting shops and, of course, the big clock flanked by the statues of mythical figures Gog & Magog, who strike the clock every hour on the hour.

I'm posting this for Fantastic Forrest who blogged about The World Clock Project and posted a picture of a great clocktower in Vancouver.

Birthday boy and small victories

I spent the afternoon at a birthday celebration for my quasi-nephew Nathan, who turned two today.

His grandma gave him a push-car for his birthday and he was so excited when he saw it. Glee personified. He pushed himself around on the deck and shook his head vehemently when asked if he wanted to go inside for cake. He tried to hold the door of his car shut when his dad came to get him out. It was adorable.

His speech has come a long way in the six or so weeks since I saw him. He's now talking in basic sentences, including "Mummy, I not happy" and "I hungry mummy. Toast".

I'm really enjoying seeing him grow and develop. I don't spend a lot of time around kids and the couple I do see semi-regularly annoy me, but Nathan is a gorgeous kid and I love the little tacker heaps (in a quasi-aunt way, not in tick-tick-tick way).

The small victories of a techno twit

I've been in a state of techno-overload the past few months. Apart from my camera (which I'm still learning to use), I have bought a new digital set top box, DVD player and mobile phone (which also has a snazzy 5 megapixel camera in it, so it's like two doses of techno overload in one toy).

It's nice having new toys but I don't enjoy the process of trying to come to grips with new technology or not knowing how to do stuff on the new toys I could do on the old ones without thinking. I already feel like I'm so far behind the technological vanguard it's pointless trying to catch up. I just bumble my way through (since I can't delegate it to the man in my life like I used to in the past).

But even so, I do get a buzz when I manage to make things work, like when I plugged in my DVD player and set top box all on my own and they actually worked! And tonight I have (admittedly only with the help of a friend) managed to download some photos from my phone to my laptop. None of it was tricky in hindsight, but I'm pleased with myself nonetheless. Go, me!

Soft light

I really enjoyed my walk home tonight. I didn't walk a different way or see anything particularly noteworthy - there was just something about the light. It seemed softer than normal.

Maybe it was because I came home later than I usually would after work which meant everything was a little glowy or perhaps it was the haze hanging over the city which gave everything a soft-focus look. Or a combination of the two.

As desperately as we need rain, it was a beautiful, balmy evening to be walking along the river. There were people having barbecues along the banks and lots of rowers punting up and down the river.

And whaddya know, I took some photos.

Sunday scenes

Honey, I shrunk the musical comedy act...

Tripod performs at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl's

50th birthday freebie concert

Jayne and Michael at the 50th birthday concert (yes, it's my face!)

The sun setting over Princes Bridge

Southgate