Friday, March 25, 2011

F1

As the #112 tram trundled down Collins St towards the Town Hall the barely perceptible hum grew. As I alighted the tram, the hum was now a drone - spooky, low, ever-present. It seemed to concern no-one else.

It could have been distant air-raid sirens. Or fighter jets circling the city. A warning of a soon to be post-apocalyptic world perhaps?

Realization soon hit me, nothing as melodramatic as all that - simply the sound of roaring Formula 1 engines drifting north across the Yarra river.

Ah well, the daydream was fun while it lasted.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

The Burton Club

The Burton Club: "The Burton Club - Thursday nights from 6pm-10pm

ACMI reveals a little of its darker side when Thursday nights come alive with a weird, wonderful and whimsical program that captures the spirit of Burton. Come along and see the exhibition with friends, then enjoy a drink or two plus some free live entertainment. Entry to the Burton Club is free. Entry fees apply for Tim Burton: The Exhibition."

Love this town!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Initiation

Today is a big day. The biggest, possibly, in a big week.

In this past week I have transferred the registration of our car to Victoria. That felt quite amazing, actually, a full fist-pumping in the air moment. Very cool.

More and more I'm feeling like I am really here.

In fact after that big step we have really completed our move to Melbourne. We have a flat, our driver's licenses are now Victorian, even our car is now registered here. The kids are in local schools, we have joined a Scout group and have, in fact, been accepted as leaders ourselves.

What else is there? Well this is Melbourne. The season is winter. Footy season. This is a football town, the football in question is AFL/VFL - known as Aussie Rules. In many ways this is our final hurdle. We are to be initiated into the ways of footy at the hallowed ground of the sport - 'the G.' The MCG or Melbourne Cricket Ground. Forgive for a moment the irony of a cricket ground being the spiritual home of Aussie rules.

What will happen? Who knows. The game is between the Richmond Tigers and the Sydney Swans. We are torn in our allegiances - being from Sydney the Swans are, in a sense, our team. Richmond's Tigers, on the other hand, carry our favourite sporting team mascot. Richmond are known, in recent history, for losing pretty much every game (except the last couple since we were told that!)

Whatever happens, we will have properly joined the spirit of Melbourne.