How 'bout this then?

Yay for comments on my last-but-one post!
I just had the thought that maybe "101 Places to Go with a Purple Pashmina" might be even better.
But I'm pretty sure I won't get around to doing anything until I've finished work here in about 3 weeks. Or after the travelling I'll be doing for the two (or more) weeks after that.
You can tell it's slightly quieter here already, though, as I have time to write this. Not much time though... And I should begin to spend any free time I have (ha) on planning the aforementioned travelling. We don't have flights or anything yet - just a vague plan about Ukraine and Istanbul. Sean? Are you doing anything about this? As a mere lowly teacher you must have more time than someone as important as moi...
Better get back to work...

a week in paris

I've had such a relaxing week in paris. I've hung out with Nathaniel and Sean, avoided doing almost anything touristy, and spent some quality time alone with a net connection, which allowed me to catch up on email and organising for the summer school i have to run from next week...
I feel a lot better than i did before. I think i've been really tense for weeks now. I still have no idea what i'm doing with my life after summer, but at least i seem to have regained some sort of equilibrium, and am more willing to accept whatever happens. And, of course, much as i love my Montreal friends, hanging out with two people who have known me forever (give or take a bit) is a fantastic salve for a stressed-out soul. Of course it would be even better if they didn't burst into peals of laughter everytime i uttered a sentence in french. It does seem that, as i feared, my french accen t has developed a few quebecois features. It's precisely what i expected, of course. But it makes conversation difficult.
On to berlin next, which will be odd, as the last time i was there was when i was living there in 2005, but i'm definitely looking forward to it!

zoom

I booked a flight to London last night. I now have a leaving-Montreal date, which is quite distressing. But hey, maybe I'll get to return after the summer (must remember to submit those visa application forms...)
I fly to London on the 11th of June, accompanied by Telyn, to spend the first weekend at Transfabulous, a festival in London, and then I have a few days in which I think I will meander my way northish, maybe to Liverpool (despite having a slight liverpudlian accent at the age of 9, I have never been there) maybe north Wales, maybe Manchester, I don't know. And then I meet Nathaniel on the 19th to catch a train together to Paris, where we will both descend upon Sean in his tiny flat for a few days.
After that, I'm currently unbooked until I start work in the UK on July 3rd. I have a few ideas, but suggestions and invitations are most welcome!

Last Word on the Election

The SMH reports that Howard finally conceded Bennelong yesterday. Officially. He's like a bulldog isn't he - refusing to let go of anything until the last bit of life has been shaken out. Incredible. Anyway, I find the picture that goes with the article rather interesting as well! Well done to the photographer for capturing those expressions.

And here's some more election reading from friends' blogs that I meant to post ages ago: Nick's entertaining account of Election Night, Nathaniel's take on the new state of Australian Politics.


And finally, something completely non-election related. Terry Pratchett has Alzheimer's! Argh! It's the end of the Discworld! Well, not yet, apparently, but it would seem to be the beginning of the end. And, in His words, an Embuggerance. Here I was thinking that he, his brain, and the Disc were immortal, and he would churn out books at a rate of 1.5 per annum for the rest of eternity! (Thanks to Amanda & James for the news - I think)

Nick's thoughts on Eurovsion...

More vicarious posting. Check out what Nick has written on his blog about Eurovision. This WILL be the last Eurovision-related post. Really it will. It's over. We have to stop dissecting it on a daily basis. At least until next year...
But it's hard when Sean plays the songs everyday. Usually starting with the most annoying ones...

Ellen quote

I just read this quote from everyone's favourite lesbian, and it tickled my fancy:

In the beginning there was nothing. God said, 'Let there be light!' And there was light. There was still nothing, but you could see it a whole lot better.
- Ellen DeGeneres


It also gives me an excuse to do some lazy linking posting. As Sean is now my flatmate, and will soon be travelling with me as well, his blog and my blog will often mention the same things, so
I plan to use this to my own advantage, and tell everyone about my life by linking to his. So. Here are some photos of our weekend away in the Bunya Mountains. I also have photos, so I'll see if I can find one of me and post it sometime in the next decade. Of course, if Sean was being thoughtful, he would have included one of me to save me this trouble. He also wrote this post about the weekend.