Nun of that!
Back to punctuation in a moment, but first, a few 'we're not willing to finish being a pilgrim' moments. On Tuesday night there were hordes at Circular Quay station playing their tambourines and singing, I give them another four days before that sort of thing is met with an Offensive Behaviour charge.
This morning saw a large group of Argentine pilgrims on the train, all bound for the airport and thence New Zealand. Keep an eye out for those orange, yellow and red backpacks, Kiwis!
Then, at Central, I had a magical pilgrim moment.
There were three nuns, standing on a quiet part of the platform, dignified and graceful against the foggy clutter of the morning commuter traffic. Their white tunics and long white veils gave them an otherworldly air, blue scapulars fluttering lightly in the breeze, with elegant ropes of rosary beads across their left hips. They were young, smooth faces and joyful smiles, with clear complexions and perfect teeth. Where they French? I wondered. Scandinavian? I moved closer, until I could hear them speaking.
"So, you know, it was, like, really good!"
I managed not to giggle until I was at the other end of the platform, and wondered if it might not be worth suggesting to Californian orders that they work on that valleyspeak if they are committed to the whole dignity concept. But they were the sorts of nuns that would make schoolgirls consider vocations, even if they sounded like Buffy. Actually ... they could have been working a few weapons under those scapulars ...
People have been saying dumb things around me lately. Of a book: "It's really hard, the chapters are 10 pages long!" was wailed around the office yesterday. NB, this is the office of a publishing house. Of course, it doesn't beat last year's winning idiot comment: "I still haven't read the last three Harry Potters." "Well, you need to set aside some serious time to tackle big books like those." Heard in the office of what was then Australia's most prestigious magazine. Though I believe it was said by an ad rep.
Tonight's current affairs has brought a special moment, though. Joan Coates, an Australian member of the International Olympic Committee was on the 7.30 Report defending China, and expressing surprise at the pro-Tibet protests. "I mean, we could have had that here for our Olympics. We could have had people in Sydney protesting Iraq."
Yes. At the Sydney Olympics. In 2000. Moron.
This morning saw a large group of Argentine pilgrims on the train, all bound for the airport and thence New Zealand. Keep an eye out for those orange, yellow and red backpacks, Kiwis!
Then, at Central, I had a magical pilgrim moment.
There were three nuns, standing on a quiet part of the platform, dignified and graceful against the foggy clutter of the morning commuter traffic. Their white tunics and long white veils gave them an otherworldly air, blue scapulars fluttering lightly in the breeze, with elegant ropes of rosary beads across their left hips. They were young, smooth faces and joyful smiles, with clear complexions and perfect teeth. Where they French? I wondered. Scandinavian? I moved closer, until I could hear them speaking.
"So, you know, it was, like, really good!"
I managed not to giggle until I was at the other end of the platform, and wondered if it might not be worth suggesting to Californian orders that they work on that valleyspeak if they are committed to the whole dignity concept. But they were the sorts of nuns that would make schoolgirls consider vocations, even if they sounded like Buffy. Actually ... they could have been working a few weapons under those scapulars ...
People have been saying dumb things around me lately. Of a book: "It's really hard, the chapters are 10 pages long!" was wailed around the office yesterday. NB, this is the office of a publishing house. Of course, it doesn't beat last year's winning idiot comment: "I still haven't read the last three Harry Potters." "Well, you need to set aside some serious time to tackle big books like those." Heard in the office of what was then Australia's most prestigious magazine. Though I believe it was said by an ad rep.
Tonight's current affairs has brought a special moment, though. Joan Coates, an Australian member of the International Olympic Committee was on the 7.30 Report defending China, and expressing surprise at the pro-Tibet protests. "I mean, we could have had that here for our Olympics. We could have had people in Sydney protesting Iraq."
Yes. At the Sydney Olympics. In 2000. Moron.