Bring it on

First post of the new year, so uh, happy new year.

Apologies for the triple chin in the last post, I couldn't be bothered getting off the picnic rug and darned if I can take a good photo with my phone's camera.

So things have been good since I last posted. Was at Peats Ridge for a number of days; camping out at a music festival has many benefits including having the soothing effect of making one forget one's woes while tramping through the mud, listening to great sounds and soaking up the neo-hippie vibe.

Despite my sister getting a tad annoying by the end of our time together (sharing a very small tent will bring this on), I spent the days in good company: ever changing, always interesting. Many of them were stoned or on acid for a good chunk of the time but I didn't mind so much as I was pretty loose myself (nothing harder than alcohol, and even then not a lot - not working has a natural high).

New Year's was fantastic, best I've spent in a long while, and I would definitely put down my name for the next festival, though I'd probably try and muster a few more friends of my own. This is a lot harder than you'd think as those who like indie music tend not to like camping and vice versa.

I do regret one thing (already) and that is not getting a guy's number. His name is Adam and he was a friend of a friend of my sister's ex's sister, so you can see how hard tis gonna be to find him. I had an engaging conversation with him on the third night but circumstances (ie gig schedules) didn't allow us to speak much again and I didn't manage to catch him before we had to leave for the bus on New Year's morning. Anyway, I vaguely recall that he is just about to start a new job in North Sydney, so I hope I will bump into him soon. Everyone else there was from Canberra, would you believe?

One of Rach's friends, her barista Ali to be exact, was coerced there and she was cool to hang around. Reminded me a LOT of AJ (WA friend I met in Panama) and also Beq. Hope I can keep in touch.

Met Rach's new boy Ben after we came home. This is Africa Ben; he does work with children in Lesotho. (The other Ben, the one she broke up with Anton for, was at the festival but he was not much fun.) He's a lot older than I expected. Rach told me he's 33 or thereabouts, but he looks older. Seems like a nice guy, will see how this one goes when he gets back from his next 6-month stint in Lesotho.

In other news, saw 'Avatar' (thought it was visually and conceptually awesome but with a terrible script), missed writing group on account of being offline for a week and not knowing when/where it was, and went to see Andrew Bird play at the Opera House last night (well Sunday night as it's now technically early Tuesday morning).

It was an unexpected gig; Alison from writing group texted me to say she'd been left with a ticket so on a whim I went. It was beautiful and surreal music. I have heard his songs before but they were performed differently on stage than as a track, so it was a worthwhile experience.

I'm technically not back to work until next week but I've already started hacking into some tasks that would be better done now rather than later. I'll get the time back in February, when I need it.

This year feels more solid. I think I'm going to get some things done. Some of MY things. I've already allocated myself a zine, so that's now real.

Welcome to 2010. I've been waiting.