Federal Election

Say hello to the new Prime Minister of Australia- Kevin Rudd. Thank God John Howard is finally gone and the Labor Party is in power.

Liam Finn- Melbourne Style

Yes, I went to see Liam Finn in concert again, this time at the Northcote Social Club. Danny and Ruth came along as well for the evening. Things started off with a solo acoustic set from EJ Barnes, who played old material and stuff from her upcoming album. During the intermission between acts Ruth encouraged me to go up to Liam and EJ at the merch table and get them to autograph a poster, which I did. I told them how I had seen them a few weeks ago in San Francisco, and they had very fond memories of the show and the City. The second support act theredsunband sort of reminded me of The Breeders and Mazzy Star. Their drummer quit on them a few days ago, but they are soldiering on with the tour (and driving to shows on P plates).

Liam came on around 11:00 pm and played for an hour. I was excited to hear a few songs off the new album live for the first time: Energy Spent, I'll Be Lightning, and Wide Awake On The Voyage Home. It was good to see that EJ now has some instruments to play with (including a cow bell). They both put on a great show together- highly entertaining and original as always. Liam is the loop master and has added a vocal looping microphone to his repertoire. The songs played (in no particular order):
- Better To Be
- Fire In Your Belly
- Energy Spent
- I'll Be Lightning
- My Army Of Birds And Gulls (yay, a betchadupa song)
- Wise Man
- Remember When
- Second Chance
- Lead Balloon
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- Gather To The Chapel
- Wide Awake On The Voyage Home

Advancement- Finally!

Before I went on leave to the States I had applied for a secondment to the School Leadership Unit in our department. While I was away they tried to contact me, so I figured by the time I returned they probably had filled the position. However, I was wrong and on Friday I was offered the position. Since time has passed it has gone from 3 months to about 7 weeks, but I am still excited to have the opportunity to do something different. I will also be getting paid on the next level of the pay scale, so that's even better.

In other Melbourne news, it is bloody hot at the moment- 36/97 degrees today and it's only spring! We have one more hot day before a change comes through tomorrow afternoon, but I am really dreading summer. Oh, and the blow flies are back. I hate them so much- annoying and they won't leave you alone.

Crowded House

On Thursday and Friday night I was at Rod Laver Arena enjoying Crowded House in concert. The opening acts were Irish band The Walls and Augie March. The first night we had seats at the back of the arena, but last night we were on the floor close to the stage. Both nights were fantastic and the set lists were very diverse. These arena shows could have easily been a greatest hits affair, so I was really glad that the band played so many songs off the new album.

Set List Night 1
Private Universe
Mean To Me
Don't Stop Now
Fall At Your Feet
Whispers and Moans
Heaven That I'm Making
She Called Up
Hole In The River
When You Come
A Sigh
Silent House
Don't Dream It's Over
Pour Le Monde
Distant Sun
Weather With You
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Locked Out
Something So Strong
World Where You Live
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Fingers Of Love
Four Seasons In One Day
Better Be Home Soon

Set List Night 2
Private Universe
Everything Is Good For You
Say That Again
Fall At Your Feet
Don't Stop Now
You're The One To Make Me Cry
Walked Her Way Down
Love You 'Til The Day I Die
When You Come
Silent House
Italian Plastic
Don't Dream It's Over
People Are Like Suns
Distant Sun
Weather With You
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Locked Out
Something So Strong
Four Seasons In One Day
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Pineapple Head
Better Be Home Soon

I preferred night one's set list, but thought the crowd was better the second night (it probably helped that we were standing the majority of the time on the floor). Highlights for me were the end of Hole In The River (Matt had a great beat going), A Sigh (first time I've heard it live), and the fact they attempted Everything Is Good For You. We also got a brief bit of This Is Massive on the second night. There was the usual banter between the band and especially Neil and Nick. The stage backdrops and lighting were well done and incorporated elements from the Time On Earth album cover. All in all it was fantastic to see the boys live again and get so much love from the Aussie audiences.

Jet Lag

"Wherever you are, it's 3am and I'm awake."
- Neil Finn

Ah, the joys of jet lag. It's going to take a few days for my body clock to adjust to Melbourne time. I did survive my flights back yesterday, although we had bad turbulence on the flight to Auckland which left me feeling less than stellar for the rest of the day. Entertainment wise I watched Hairspray, a couple episodes of Flight of the Conchords and This is England.

It was a public holiday yesterday due to the Melbourne Cup (won by Efficient) and the streets were relatively quiet. I am back at work today, so we'll see how things have gone over the past three weeks while I've been away.

End of Another Trip

Well, it is almost time to head off across the Pacific again. It has been great to be at home and catch up with all my friends and family. Over the past few days I have been to both of my former schools- Wilson Elementary for Halloween and their Harvest Festival and Rancho Elementary for lunch on Friday. It was nice to see all the staff that are still there from my days as well as some of my ex-students (my last class are now 5th graders, and my first class is in high school).

I had an adventure out in nature on Thursday as Lynne and I hiked around Phoenix Lake in Ross. Of course I had to go and ruin the health benefits by having the creme brulee French toast at Bubba's Diner, but it was worth it. I also spent some time with Angie and Katie, who is now 2 1/2 and a bundle of energy. Overall I have had a fabulous time, did way too much clothes shopping (I do have a new suitcase to bring stuff back in), eaten lots of Mexican food and sourdough bread, and enjoyed driving again. Guess I better start packing...

Earthquake

It just wouldn't have been the complete California experience if I didn't have an earthquake while I was home. The Bay Area had a magnitude 5.6 quake centered in Alum Rock on the Calaveras Fault a little after 8:00 pm. It was a gentle rolling motion that lasted about 15 seconds. We could see the lamp shade shaking at our house but there was no damage.

Michael Clayton

My mom and I went to see the movie Michael Clayton this afternoon. It stars George Clooney as a fixer in a law firm- basically his job is to clean up all the messes. The plot centers around how Clayton's law firm is helping an agrichemical company settle a multibillion-dollar suit. The story is very well written and although it is a bit confusing at first, the plot starts to make sense as time goes on. If you are after an intelligent movie, this is definitely one you will want to see.

James and Simi's Wedding

Yesterday was the big wedding extravaganza for James and Simi. The day started very early at 7:00 am when the hair and make-up people arrived at our door. The bridesmaids and Simi got ready upstairs at our house while the groomsmen showed up dressed at the more respectable hour of 1:00 pm. As you would expect with a wedding, things got rushed the closer we got to the ceremony. It was slightly chaotic as the photographer andvideographer tried to get their shots of people getting ready. Originally there were going to be pictures of the wedding party before the ceremony but they ran out of time. We did get a nice family shot in the backyard though.

I left with the groomsmen in the limo to head off to church around 2:30 pm. My job was to make sure everything was set up correctly in the Mission. We put out the unity candle and programs and had some time to catch up with relatives outside. About 10 minutes before the scheduled start of mass everyone came in to find their seats in the pews. My brother was fairly calm as we waited for the bridal party to arrive. In the end it turned out that the hold up was my parents because they were trying to get the hair and make-up people out of the house.

The mass and ceremony went well. I was responsible for the first reading, from the Song of Songs, in which I got to utter the words "gazelle," "stag," and "lover" (4 times!). Both James andSimi became emotional when they were saying their vows and exchanging the rings. All in all it was a lovely ceremony and thankfully everyone fit into the Mission Chapel. After mass we did wedding party and family photos on the alter and then headed off to the reception while the wedding party had a little detour to B Street Tavern, where James andSimi first met three years ago.

The reception took place at Deer Park Villa in Fairfax. The cocktail hour was outside in the redwood grove, which was decorated with lights and pink lanterns. Everyone hit the bar and enjoyed the hothors d'oeuvres that were being circulated. We did lots of groups photos, including all the family shots- siblings, cousins, etc. During one of our pictures we smelled smoke. It turned out that my cousin's pashmina wrap had caught on fire from a candle on the table. We were disappointed that my brother didn't do his job and act to put it out first.

As it started to get dark we headed inside for the sit-down dinner. My mom, the unofficial wedding planner, did a great job making sure the tables were set up in an elegant way- right down to the napkin fold with name cards and menus inside. We started off with a spring mix salad and then people had a choice of chicken breast or prime rib for dinner. The best man, matron of honor and bride's father all gave toasts. We also got to watch a video of James andSimi's photos as they grew up and then pictures as a couple.

After the bride and groom's first dance and father/daughter dance everyone hit the floor. The DJ paced the music well and played all the greatest hits first. After the older attendees had worn themselves out on the dance floor he started playing more current hit music. The garter bouquet tosses and cake cutting went smoothly. The cake was really good and made locally. My brother was desperate for a piece of the banana/nut layer that was his choice and we finally found him one. It was a really fun reception and people had time to catch up with family members and/or dance and drink the night away (some more than others). Things started to wind down around 9:30 pm as the lights came up and people started to head for home. We stayed to clean up the tables and grab a few decorations and floral arrangements before leaving.

Today we had lunch for some of the out-of-town family members. James and Simi opened up wedding gifts and my brother's old room is currently full of boxes. They are going to have to move into a bigger place to fit in all these presents. It's hard to believe that my little brother is now married. Congratulations to the newlyweds!

Wedding Rehearsal

Tonight was the wedding rehearsal for James and Simi's wedding. We all met at St. Raphael's Church at 6:00 pm and did a run through of the ceremony with the wedding party. Afterwards we headed to Ristorante La Toscana for the rehearsal dinner. It was a good night and I wasn't too brutal with my toast. Tomorrow is the big day!

Liam Finn

I was a bit bummed that I was going to miss Liam Finn opening for Sarah Blasko in Melbourne since I am out of town. However, as luck would have it Liam booked a show in San Francisco on his way back from New York at the Make-Out Room in the Mission District. Lynne joined me for the evening, and we also got to see my friend Squid (who actually let me know this show was happening). It was a very entertaining 45 minutes of DIY music from Mr. Finn, who was accompanied by EJ Barnes on backing vocals. The set list (in no particular order):
- Fire In Your Belly
- Better To Be
- Second Chance
- Gather To The Chapel
- Remember When
- Wise Man
- Lead Balloon

There were various noise jams and some funny banter as well. Liam told us that he was travelling on an Irish passport and when going through customs in Abu Dhabi they asked him why he didn't speak Gaelic. His response? "Gaelic my balls." Such a funny boy. For your musical enjoyment here is Liam's video for the single "Second Chance"

Fake Thanksgiving

One of my requests while I am home was to have Thanksgiving dinner since I will once again miss it at the end of November. Tonight we celebrated "Fake Thanksgiving" with my parents, James and Simi, and Lynne and Jeremy. We started off with appetizers and mulled cider and then headed to the dining room table for the main meal:
- Jello Salad
- Bread Rolls
- Turkey with gravy
- Cornbread Stuffing with Roasted Vegetables
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Pumpkin Pie

It was very delicious and just like a normal Thanksgiving dinner since we had the good china and silverware. I baked the pumpkin pie, which came out well. All in all it was a great night and I got to eat all my favorite dishes.

Driving the Bay Area

I have been all over the Bay Area the past few days. On Thursday my mom and I went down to Burlingame to have lunch with my mom's cousin. It was a fun trip as we got to look at some old photo albums from the 1940s that had pictures of my mom's side of the family. Debbie also cooked us a yummy lunch. On our way back up to Marin we stopped at The Village for a bit of shopping. I finally got a new laptop battery at the Apple Store (along with Danny's iPod) but I didn't see anything exciting in the clothing stores. That evening my mom and I headed out with Simi to Concord for her second wedding dress fitting. This was the first time that I had seen the dress and it is very pretty and perfect for her.

Since I was still not completely happy with my own dress for the wedding, Lynne and I headed into downtown San Francisco on Friday to find something for me to wear. I tried on about five dresses at Macy's in Union Square and thankfully found one that is perfect for the event. We also went down to Westfield Shopping Centre and encountered some strange activities in front of Bloomingdales. If you can figure out what they are selling in this picture, please let me know.

On Saturday I travelled north to Petaluma to meet Angie and the rest of her bridesmaids to get fitted for our dresses. Angie's wedding is in April 2008 and I am the maid of honor. Since I am out here we all got measured and worked out what sizes to order. The outfits are actually separates from Alfred Angelo, so we all have a tea-length skirt and then got to choose our own top. The outfits should take about four months to come in, and Angie plans to send it to me immediately so I can make any alterations if needed.

Into The Wild

Tonight Lynne and I went to see Sean Penn's latest film "Into The Wild". It is based on Jon Krakauer's book about Christopher McCandless, a recent college graduate who travelled through the US in the early 1990's and ultimately ended up in the Alaska. The film starts when he goes into the wilderness but flashes back to his travels and the people he encountered along the way. The cinematography is gorgeous and Eddie Vedder's soundtrack really fits in with the story. It's a fantastic film that I highly recommend as it will make you think about your life and evaluate if you are happy with who you are and the path you are on.

Favors, Friends and Food

I have spent the past few days catching up with people. On Sunday my brother and his fiance Simi came over to the house. We worked on assembling the wedding favors, which went fairly quickly. There are many little wedding details to complete, but everything seems to be coming together.

On Monday I finally got to see Lynne and Jeremy's new house in Kentfield. It is a nice and airy house with a fantastic view of Mt. Tam. Lynne and I headed to Fourth Street for some Starbucks and shopping. I found a cute jacket at Bella and Lynne bought some earrings. We grabbed burritos for dinner at High Tech Burrito and then settled in for some evening tv watching, including "The Bachelor." It was just like old times as we yelled insults at the desperate female contestants and bet on who wouldn't get a rose.

Today I ventured up to Angie's coffee shop for a visit and to catch up. We headed to Novato in the afternoon to hit the craft store and have lunch at Chevys- home of the best chips and salsa. I also went to Old Navy to return a couple of tops, and then I purchased two more shirts and a pair of pants for $24. Yay for sale prices!

God Bless Air New Zealand

I have made it home in one piece and not too tired. I started my journey with a Starbucks chai tea latte at Melbourne Airport after exchanging most of my currency. May I just say that Air New Zealand has awesome planes? I have suffered this Pacific journey on United's old stock for too long. I was able to enjoy more seat and leg room in economy and the self-entertainment options that your own screen the seat headrest allows.

Our plane was delayed for an hour in Auckland as they had to deal with "engineering difficulties," aka they couldn't get the engines to start. However, they did the equivalent of using jumper cables to get things going and away we went! The plane was surprisingly empty and I managed to get a row to myself. It wasn't the most comfortable way to lay down, but at least I got some sleep. I also enjoyed two movies on the flight "Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten" and New Zealand film Rain.

It was a comedy of errors once we landed in San Francisco. First, since we were late they had given away our gate so we had to wait for them to find us another one. Then they couldn't get the jetway to connect to the plane, so that was another 5+ minutes delay in getting off the plane. I did breeze through customs, grabbed my luggage and headed out to the Airporter, which came quickly. We sat in bumper to bumper traffic along 19th Avenue, but it cleared once we hit the Golden Gate Bridge.

It's amazing how quickly I have adjusted to being back home- doesn't feel like it's been 10 months since my last visit. There will be lots to do for the wedding, but I also plan to find time to catch up with people.

California, Here I Come

It is nearly time for me to leave for the airport and head home. I am flying Air New Zealand from Melbourne to San Francisco (via Auckland). The main purpose of this trip is to attend my brother's wedding at the end of the month. See you on the other side of the international date line.

AFL Grand Final Parade

Today was the Grand Final Parade through the streets of Melbourne. Since the parade ends at the Old Treasury Building, a bunch of us from work went to watch. About 50,000 people came out to cheer on the players for Geelong and Port Adelaide, who are playing for the Premiership Cup tomorrow at the MCG. It was cold and windy outside with the occasional rain shower (what happened to spring?). Most people in the crowd were there for Geelong, who last won a Premiership 44 years ago and are the first Victorian team to make the Grand Final in the last few years. One added bonus to the day was seeing Essendon's Alwyn Davey and James Hird. After the presentations on stage the players got back onto their buses we headed back to the office to warm up.

Icecream Hands

Last night Ruth, Danny and I headed over to The East Brunswick Club to see Icecream Hands play. We are all big fans of the band, and it was so great to finally see them live. To me Icecream Hands are the epitome of the Melbourne sound- melodic guitars, harmonizing vocals and fantastic pop songs. They played selections from all of their albums, including the new one "The Good China." Each member of the band writes songs and sings lead so it was nice to be able to put a face to the vocals of these songs I have loved over the years. I often had their CDs in my car's CD changer so I associate a lot of the songs with my drives to and from work when I lived in the States. The band played for an hour and a half and I was able to pick up their new limited edition EP for "Come Home" at the merchandise table after the show.

The opening acts were indie rock band The Wellingtons and Abby Dobson, who used to be in the Australian band Leonardo's Bride. Both were good, and I especially liked Abby's semi-acoustic set. She reminded me a bit of Lisa Germano with her atmospheric and slightly depressing songs.

Essendon v. Richmond

It was an emotional evening at the MCG as over 88,000 people showed up to farewell two of the greats in Essendon football: James Hird and coach Kevin Sheedy. It was their last game in Melbourne and unfortunately the fairy tale ending just wasn't to be as Richmond played a far better match than we did and deserved the win. After the game Sheedy and Hird did a lap of honor around the grounds to thank everyone for their support. The entire crowd stood and clapped for them as they passed by and then the fireworks went off in the middle of the field (freaking out all the seagulls that had congregated there). Despite the result, I was really glad that Michelle and I were able to witness this historic event in person.


Final Score
Essendon: 13.14 (92)
Richmond: 17.17 (119)