darren_stranger | holiday redux (Reply)

Back to work tomorrow, so i might do a quick run-down of Wot I Done On Me Holidays.

The break started with an uncharacteristic spree of shopping, beginning with scoring a Killing Joke double cd (Killing Joke/Night Time) and a 58-song Ramones anthology (at $10 and $15 respectively at Dragonfly, how could i resist, even if the latter doesn't have 'Chasing the Night'?) and some iron-on patches from Smoke Dreams (which i've yet to iron onto anything) and continuing the next day with a couple of new ear piercings, a nice punching bag i found for $50 at a second hand store, and buying Elaine some rainforest scorpions (the ones with the huuuge pincers) and associated tank, moss and other accessories. (There were a few other purchases here or there, which i can't recall now and probably wouldn't count as a 'shopping spree' in anyone else's scale, but i'm a well-confirmed tightarse from wayback). I also finally got around to making a $100 donation to Oxfam's appeal for the earthquake in Kashmir, which i'd been meaning to do for ages (the only half decent sized donation i made all year).

It was about the second day in that i suddenly realised that i'd made a bit of a boo-boo in working out how much money i had spare - i'd been budgeting to make sure i still had the rent money, but then i realised i'd been only factoring in the figure for half the rent, not the whole thing, so things suddenly started looking a bit tighter, even moreso when i checked my transactions and found the $400 cheque for my grading fee didn't seem to have been cashed yet either. So i paid the rent as soon as i could so that was sorted, then sat around counting pennies and hoping the cheque i usually get for instructing would turn up (and not have been stolen from the mailbox by the christmas elves). I still feel odd about getting paid to do that, but somehow that cheque always turns up right when we really need it and this time was no exception.

Christmas at the in-laws was quite pleasant, and despite my (voiced, noted and disregarded) standing objection to the extravagent ritual of chrissy presents, once again i scored well in the shape of much-needed jeans, socks and jocks. So, once more my acquiescence has been easily bought. Boxing day we hit the road to visit Mum and Derek ("Did someone say Ballarat?") and had a nice relaxing day (aside from a rather sad spot of digging, which i won't dwell on).

We had a quiet New Year's Eve, hiding from the heat through the day and then staying in watching b-grade films. We had thought about seeing Guitar Wolf, Mach Pelican and the Spazzys at the Tote, but the thought of how packed the place would be was off-putting even before the 42 degree forecast. So instead it was 'Fiend Without A Face', 'Night of the Ghouls' and 'Plan Nine from Outer Space'. That was okay, though when people started setting off fireworks after midnight and i went outside and could hear the laughing and cheering from various parties, i got a decent dose of the I Want To See People And I Want To See Life blues. It passed, but i think i'd like to not do the staying in NYE thing next year.

One of the more constructive things i did over the break was to start learning T'ai Chi, albeit from a video i found in an op-shop. That'll have to do, as lord knows when i'd have time to do proper classes. In two weeks i've only managed to learn about a dozen moves from a 40 move pattern, but it's a start and already i find it relaxing and energising. After taking a week or so off after the grading, i started getting into a bit of exercise to try and keep a bit of the fitness i'd gained late last year, instead of letting it slide again. So far, i've done some sort of exercise, be it jogging, stretching, patterns, kicking or core work (pushups, crunches etc) every day this year (except new year's day when we went to Ballarat again) and am really enjoying it. How to keep it up when i go back to work is the hard part, and i have to have a plan for options i can work into a less leisurely schedule.

I also managed to send off my first Amnesty letters for the year, which is a good start, except for the fact that they should have been the last letters of last year. I was really bad on letter-writing last year and will have to try harder this year. In particular, i'm going to set a rule of No LiveJournal if i have Urgent Actions that need to be written for, and probably some way to make myself write for the monthly Worldwide Appeals as well. Side note - writing to the Chinese Ambassador, i couldn't help picturing "Mme Fu Ying" as some 1930s crime boss, complete with cheong-sam, cigarette holder, wicked fingernails and silver pistol. Oh, me and my love of cinematic cliches.

Speaking of which, another thing i picked up was a second hand dvd of a film called Bichunmoo which i'd watched earlier in the year. I'd liked the look of the film first time round, despite some hokey plot elements and effects, but on repeated watching it's grown more on me. I really like the way they've combined the feel of a contemporary kungfu/swordfu movie with a very manga/anime style of visual imagery. Some shots, while dramatically silly, are also the most visually striking. An unforseen side-effect of those repeated viewings was an irresistable urge to rush out and buy a wooden samurai sword (paying too much for it at the Kyokushinkai shop because Jol's was shut for two weeks and i couldn't wait) then spend the next two days trawling the 'net for kenjutsu or gumdo patterns so i'd have some idea how to wave it around, or at least enough to pretend to know how to. But, as Miyamoto no Mushashi might once have said: "What the fuck, s'laff innit?"*. (* dramatisation for entertainment purposes only, may not have actually happened).

We went to see The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe last week with

i_beloved. It was nice to spend some time together and i quite liked the film (hardly an "ooh, they should have done it *this* way" to be had). Not one i want to rush out and see over and again (like the Lord of the Rings movies) but enjoyable nonetheless.

So, today's my last day off. I'm going to do a bit of excercise, maybe learn another move or two of the T'ai Chi pattern, then perhaps stroll up to Brunswick Street for a coffee and/or beer. Then tomorrow it's back to getting up at 6am and hi-ho, hi-ho, off-to-work a-going.

At least tomorrow's payday. That always helps. :)