we are soon to be off

 















hello fellow bloggers.

we are soon taking off for a trip overseas, a sort of delayed honeymoon. with three children.

three children.

count them.

1.

2.

3.

so, in order to have as romantic a trip as possible, i was wondering whether anybody can recommend good places to go and sit in the sun (with a playground), and drink coffee (and hot chocolate) or sip a glass of fine wine (and a granita), or find second-hand books in english (including younger fiction), or a really nice but cheap old silk scarf (marbles) in a bazaar say, or the best and least-disgusting haggis (fish and chips), or a nice place to lay your head and when you wake up in the morning, you just look out the window and there is the sea, just there.

first stop for me and princess is japan. i lived in osaka for ni nen han back in the '90s. i want to show her where ali and i lived, eat some sushi and have the japanese train experience. i'm also going to take her to a sento (public bath house) but she is going to wear bathers and she won't be embarrassed that i am not. she said it would be ok if i'm naked, she just doesn't want to be herself.

but what i'd really like is for anyone to suggest any little cafe or park bench in the following spots: rome, venice, florence, cinque terre, paris, edinburgh or anywhere in scotland, london, new york, honolulu.

oh, and does anyone know of somewhere good to stay in honolulu that is not in waikiki?

is travis one of the best, yet simple, method actors we have ever seen?

while everyone else is playing in facebook-land, and while i take a break from some quite heavy research i'm doing regarding boys and the Arts (question one, is art seen as a girly thing to do by teenage school-boys?), i just want to take a step into all things big brother and make a few comments. and ask some questions.









2. is travis acting out a persona? did he, or someone maybe with more skill, say to themselves "well, how would it be if someone went into the house, the typical aussie bloke, like steve irwin, yeah, irwin, remember how everyone lamented his loss, as the quintessential aussie icon/hero, how would such a person fare in the house?"

[my comment to myself - it would be hard to keep up, but i'm just not convinced that he is the real deal. that much. perhaps he is exaggerating himself a bit. last night, the interview with "hansel" showed him as quite manic, really over the top, and a bit shaken. likewise when they were all on the couch after seeing the footage of them all saying who they did and didn't want to win. but back to the gretel meeting, there were a couple of times when his quick wit showed, it was almost like a comedy script, which is impossible, but still, i get the feeling he is really very clever and not the boofhead oaf that people think he is. he is getting a bit annoying, or a lot, and also some of the things i've read just now scooting about, we are not seeing a lot of the stuff he is saying, which is not very nice. i did catch one particularly edifying exchange up-late when he was talking with pride and a weird kind of casualness about the impressive size of his son's penis, which was just oogey to listen to, and also apparently he is quite focussed on sexual things, which get edited out.]









3. how much do you love zach?

[i love zach HUGELY. i think his little smiling face with the crinkly eyes is so so sweet. i love his "oh my god i don't believe it" face. it's become his trademark, there will be t-shirts i think and i want one. i want him to win, because it would be such a change to the formula, but i don't think he will.]
















4. how much are you enjoying the billy aleisha thang?

[i am enjoying it hugely. i'm a sucker for some sweet loving, and it's reminding me of the marty and jess affair, which also sucked me in big time. i love the way aleisha is scared of getting hurt, she is a smart cookie, but i'm loving the way billy is being very sweet and tender with her, and trying to get her to express her feelings. i also love the way the play and have fun together.]


who to win?

in all honesty, i think travis should win. i think the money would fuck up aleisha, and billy. i don't think zach would do well with the money either, he would be taken advantage of by some smooth-talking con-man who would take it from him. but travis is older, i don't think it would change him, he would help people with it, and i have a sneaking suspicion [and this is very harsh but please don't judge me, i used to work in special ed and have an eye for it] that his son might be needing some kind of special support in the future, if not now. i'm going to hell, i just know it.

ps. the new-look neighbours. we like. i was fearful it was going to go home and away trashy and too grown up, but seems like it's family values all the way. and the baby 'roo sealed the deal for princess.

things to do today (inc footy)

MAKE SOME FASHION

things to do tomorrow:

1a. go to the mcg.

1. watch geelong beat collingwood, at the mcg.

2. eat a pie and chips while watching geelong beat collingwood, at the mcg.

3. drink a beer, or maybe two, while eating a pie and chips and watching geelong beat collingwood, at the mcg.

4. watch my dad cry tears of happiness, while drinking a beer, or maybe two, while eating a pie and chips and watching geelong beat collingwood, at the mcg.

5. refrain from glaring at clokes while he yells at "his" players, while watching my dad cry tears of happiness, while drinking a beer, or maybe two, while eating a pie and chips and watching geelong beat collingwood, at the mcg.

6. block out the ungenteel swearing of coll-thug-supporters, while refraining from glaring at clokes while he yells at "his" players, while watching my dad cry tears of happiness, while drinking a beer, or maybe two, while eating a pie and chips and watching geelong beat collingwood, at the mcg.

7. get a little cold, while looking at the clock, while blocking out the ungenteel swearing of coll-thug-supporters, while refraining from glaring at clokes while he yells at "his" players, while watching my dad cry tears of happiness, while drinking a beer, or maybe two, while eating a pie and chips and watching geelong beat collingwood, at the mcg.

8. feel a bit smug for being under shelter, while the rain falls on the others, while getting a little cold, while looking at the clock, while blocking out the ungenteel swearing of coll-thug-supporters, while refraining from glaring at clokes while he yells at "his" players, while watching my dad cry tears of happiness, while drinking a beer, or maybe two, while eating a pie and chips and watching geelong beat collingwood, at the mcg.

9. wonder what to have for dinner, while feeling a bit smug for being under shelter, while the rain falls on the others, while getting a little cold, while looking at the clock, while blocking out the ungenteel swearing of coll-thug-supporters, while refraining from glaring at clokes while he yells at "his" players, while watching my dad cry tears of happiness, while drinking a beer, or maybe two, while eating a pie and chips and watching geelong beat collingwood, at the mcg.

10. consider giving clokes a consolatory shag [saturday night is business time*], after wondering what to have for dinner, while feeling a bit smug for being under shelter, while the rain falls on the others, while getting a little cold, while looking at the clock, while blocking out the ungenteel swearing of coll-thug-supporters, while refraining from glaring at clokes while he yells at "his" players, while watching my dad cry tears of happiness, while drinking a beer, or maybe two, while eating a pie and chips and watching geelong beat collingwood, at the mcg.

10a. walk back to train station trying to be generous with one whole half of my fam [husband, two children] and not brag too much about geelong beating collingwood.

10b. silently and joyfully hug myself as realisation hits that this is the first time i have been to footy to geelong vs collingwood game and it's been a result to please (me).

10c. push away memory of last year's thrashing of geelong, and dragging clokes from ground before finish of game, driving to carlton with sister and bro-in-law to see some movie. also push away father's last words of "i'm going for a leak" as he left in the last quarter never to return.

10d. push away memory from year before when father karate chopped collingwood supporter in front on shoulder and told him to "sit down!" because he was remaining standing a shade too long after each of collingwood's goals.



* yeah, i know, i know. everyone has links. everyone uses links as the modern-day "hey listen to this monty python record, i'll just play you a bit, it's SO FUCKING HILARIOUS" but really, truly, do yourselves a fucking favour. this one is simply ace.