Health, music, and transport.
Well, good news in Axverland is that my ear infection is on the mend and I'm no longer nearly deaf. I can hear reasonably satisfactorily now, well enough to listen to music without it sounding either ridiculous, lacking in bass, or dull and lacking in dynamics. Conversations and university lectures are no longer farcical. The doctor has decided to keep me on medication for the time being, but at this stage, I've dodged any kind of unpleasant ear operation. I'm quite relieved about that, as I'm sure you can imagine.
Today was my first day at university for two weeks and it was such a relief to be back. I'd become sick of staring at the same four walls. Thanks to illness, I'd only left the house in the last couple of weeks to see the doctor or buy groceries - hardly the most enjoyable existence. There was one brief break, on the one day between the flu and the ear infection when I felt well, when I saw The Australian U2 Show in Clifton Hill with a few U2 fans I know. It was certainly a rather enjoyable night of conversation, Guinness, and a remarkably convincing and well-executed tribute band. Hell, they even did One Tree Hill in full 26 December 1989 style. Now, obviously, it's nothing like the real deal and there's a certain "thing" about tribute bands, but a fun night out is a fun night out and odds are I'll end up seeing them again fairly soon. Quite possibly Saturday the 6th, if I'm up to it after seeing Opeth on the 5th. Odds are I will be, since live music always leaves me craving more.
Now, that Opeth gig is going to be an adventure. Here I am, legally blind Nerdy Nerd McNerd with his cane, going to a progressive death metal concert. I imagine the crowd will perhaps be a bit more intense than it was for Porcupine Tree, but I'm sure it'll be a good time. And come on, I have a carbon fibre cane. Don't fuck with the guy who has a carbon fibre cane, because one carbon fibre splinter in your bloodstream will have unpleasant results for you. My biggest concern is getting home. A curse on concerts ending at 1am and the last tram running at 1:12am 3.5 blocks away! I've never really understood why they don't run trams all night - surely just a single hourly skeleton service through the wee hours would work, at least on Fridays and Saturdays. Ah well, at least there are the Nightrider buses and, if worst comes to worst, taxis.
Today was my first day at university for two weeks and it was such a relief to be back. I'd become sick of staring at the same four walls. Thanks to illness, I'd only left the house in the last couple of weeks to see the doctor or buy groceries - hardly the most enjoyable existence. There was one brief break, on the one day between the flu and the ear infection when I felt well, when I saw The Australian U2 Show in Clifton Hill with a few U2 fans I know. It was certainly a rather enjoyable night of conversation, Guinness, and a remarkably convincing and well-executed tribute band. Hell, they even did One Tree Hill in full 26 December 1989 style. Now, obviously, it's nothing like the real deal and there's a certain "thing" about tribute bands, but a fun night out is a fun night out and odds are I'll end up seeing them again fairly soon. Quite possibly Saturday the 6th, if I'm up to it after seeing Opeth on the 5th. Odds are I will be, since live music always leaves me craving more.
Now, that Opeth gig is going to be an adventure. Here I am, legally blind Nerdy Nerd McNerd with his cane, going to a progressive death metal concert. I imagine the crowd will perhaps be a bit more intense than it was for Porcupine Tree, but I'm sure it'll be a good time. And come on, I have a carbon fibre cane. Don't fuck with the guy who has a carbon fibre cane, because one carbon fibre splinter in your bloodstream will have unpleasant results for you. My biggest concern is getting home. A curse on concerts ending at 1am and the last tram running at 1:12am 3.5 blocks away! I've never really understood why they don't run trams all night - surely just a single hourly skeleton service through the wee hours would work, at least on Fridays and Saturdays. Ah well, at least there are the Nightrider buses and, if worst comes to worst, taxis.