Back in Brisness (he he he)
Snow Patrol aren't playing in Brisbane :(
Also, I spent the last week in Melbourne :)
It was pretty cool. I'm still kind of in shock about the concert on Friday night.
15 000 people and I was in the THIRD row...
just METRES away from Bono and The Edge and Pearl Jam (!) - the last minute suprise addition to the Make Poverty History concert.
Talk about surreal.
That was Friday night...
Thursday I went to the G20 Public Forum where I listened to some amazing Australian and international speakers...
experts in their fields and so determined to change politics for good.
Friday I got roped into buying fruit for the conference, which involved a lot of bargaining at the Vic Markets.
Sat and Sun was the Oaktree Inaugeral Conference. It was AMAZING. It really changed the way I look at my future among other things.
It was so inspiring to spend time with all these amazing people who really care about others less fortunate -
it was so good to be a place where you could do that without having to answer the question "why?"
It was wonderful too for me to "bond" with the Qld crew... the people I'll be working with in the coming year.
It's so sad that Jess and Anne are leaving (boss and boss' boss). But Pat and Patrycia are awesome too :)
Sun night we discovered what an UTTER HOLE our hostel was (never stay at the Hotel Bakpak in Melbourne)
Monday and Tuesday I went to school's meetings where I typed every third word into 12 pages on minutes that I've just finished editing.
I learnt a lot about Australian Christian Conservatism, including that I can't cope with it very well.
Monday night I tried Italian on Lygon Street, and Tuesday some bizarre kewpie doll-inspired hangout on Brunswick.
Which inspired me to spend a couple hundred dollars on Brunswick St this morning, before flying home.
There were some odd flashbacks too:
The severe and horrible awkwardness of someone having a crush on you when you totally don't desire it.
In the Kewpie bar I not only almost fell off my chair in horror when I thought I saw Shanti sitting a few tables over (damn Melbourne Italians)
but then turned around to see Tony in a blonde wig sitting opposite and a few seats down at my table! Bar of the Exboyfriends or some such :P
Continuing that note, I bought a book called "Innocence" ( by the author of Elegance.. that elegance book) which conveniently lasted exactly my plane flight
but was so disturbingly similar to some of my recent past experiences that I actually felt worried about having an anxiety attack on the plane.
(At least they have paper bags in the seat pockets!!)
Anyway.. home and safe and sound. and so goddamn tired.
Maybe I'll fly to Sydney for Snow Patrol