Spring and Sport

Hello. I know you're all on the edge of your seat about the AFL finals. The Grand Final is next Saturday. It'll be the Geelong Cats against the Port Adelaide Power. Go Cats!

This week was fine. Work. Sleep. Repeat.

On Friday, I went to a commitment ceremony at Town Hall for Joy and Hussey. Everyone had a good time.

More on TV, (the trend here is that I have been writing these post from the couch in front of the TV.)

If someone was trying to design and direct a Television show for me to become deeply addicted to, they could not have done a better job than Raising Baby. If the apartment were burning down I still might try to make it to the end of the episode before I evacuate. This show is a different baby wild animal being raised every week. I have seen Seal and Gorilla. eeeeeeeeeeeee! I have e-mailed to volunteer to raise the baby polar bear so hopefully they will get back to me soon about that.

In some ways the culture here is more conservative. If they find out a politician has ever gone to a strip club for a bachelor party they want his head. At the same time, I just saw a subway commercial that said regular fast food (McDonald's) gives you a Badonkadonk Butt. Can you say that on TV? Californication is on regular prime time TV here with all the language and nudity. What gives?

They are also running ads on TV supporting television ads. Do you know what I mean? It's an ad for ads, saying that TV ads raise awareness about your business. No really? I hope this is followed by and ad supporting ads for ads.

My parents arrive in Melbourne on Sunday. We'll be seeing the Great Ocean Road and the Yarra Wine Valley. More on that soon. Until then I'll be watching 20-20 cricket, the rugby world cup, the women's world cup (possible semis showdown between the US and Australia) and Davis cup tennis. Have a great week.

There is no escape

Another slow day in blog land for CK.

I went for a run ‘around the Tan’ which is what they call the 5K loop around the royal botanical garden this morning. That went fine.

I went to work. Also fine. There is a LOT to do.

Sorry again that this isn’t more compelling. I bet you went to work today too. Big deal. I know. Anyway, if you knew me before this trip you can’t really have expectations that are too high for this. (Though the continual apology is pretty much a guarantee…)

I went to the grocery store on my way home for some fruit since I have been eating a lot of take out. They had durian in the produce section, which was pretty cool and made me a little homesick for the Gastronauts. I miss you guys. I am bummed about missing the most recent outing for pig’s ear tacos. The pictures look like it was a really fun time.

Now I am back at the hotel working a little more and watching some TV. There is a lot of American programming here. The Simpson’s were just on. Lost and Desperate Housewives and the OC are all on here. Last night I watched Southpark and Drawn Together, which are on cable at home so I don’t see them often. There is also the occasional TNT NBA broadcast, I guess from the day before. I am looking forward to Wednesday to see Extras the show Ricky Gervais has been working on with Stephen Merchant since The Office. It can’t be as good as The Office, but I’m sure it’ll be interesting.

There are a couple of things that I thought I’d be getting a little less of here in Melbourne that apparently there is no escape from:

1) Constant US presidential election coverage. The whole thing basically exhausts and sickens me. Barak Obama is on the cover of the newspaper here The Age for the second day running. I like the guy, but can we talk about this in 2008 please?

2) Hallmark holidays. I thought maybe Valentines Consumer day wouldn’t be as big here in Australia. I thought wrong. Same Cards/Flowers/Chocolate holiday as at home, with just as much consumer focus and just as little purpose.

3) Small talk. A human tried to talk to me today in the elevator. I hate that. I basically can’t tolerate human interaction that I don’t initiate. That’s why I shrink from surprise hugs. I’m in the elevator of the hotel trying to get back to my room. Some person I don’t know at all asks how my day was. I freak out. What is an appropriate answer? I can’t be too detailed or say anything that requires explanation. I’m running out of time. I get off in 3 floors so that’s what, maybe 10 seconds? The pause has been too long now to just say, “Fine”. There’s been some buildup. I need something witty and concise. And neutral. And safe. What do I settle on? “It’s raining.” See how that works: weather is a safe small talk topic. Let’s show you the scene as if from a play.

Courtney enters stage left and just as the elevator arrives and boards directly behind the stranger.

Stranger: How was your day?

10 second pass. Courtney is visably flustered

Courtney: It’s raining.

Elevator arrives at the 9th floor and Courtney exits.

End Scene.

Here’s the thing. It’s not just that the response doesn’t relate to the question posed. It’s that we had both just come indoors. It was not raining. In my haste to search for an appropriate response, I chose the first thing that came to me, which naturally, was a lie.