Australia Days

School's out

Term 2 has ended, and Tim was able to say his goodbyes at a school barbecue.

Tim was so engaged here in everything from cross-country to clarinet, and he made some wonderful friends. We hope to lure at least a few of them over for a visit.

It's all relative

Melbourne's much dreaded winter is here. Apart from today's fogginess, a typical afternoon seems to be 48 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny. People shiver ostentatiously and ask how we're bearing up under the extreme cold.

I don't have the heart to tell them that for over a week it's been rainy/cloudy in Boston and 50 degrees -- and that this heralds the beginning of summer. Melbourne, I wish I knew how to quit you.

Death of distance

The death of distance has already been chronicled at length in numerous articles and books. Ubiquitous and constant connectivity via the internet and mobile phones has shrunk the world; globalization has redefined business -- none of this covers new ground.

Still, I find it amazing that I can not only remain in touch effortlessly via VoIP and IM, but I can also check how well our tenants are parking the car.

The other white meat

Snapped this poster at the South Melbourne Market for Rob. Also checked out the meat and potatoes.

It starts

Today was Tim's first day among the natives at a Little Athletics track and field event held in Olympic Park stadium. After it was over, Tim asked, "How many kids were there, d'ya reckon?" I can only wonder what he'll sound like after six months ...

The worst thing

Over lunch, an animated discussion of the worst thing that could happen to you:

Allison: "It would be terrible if something bad happened to my mom and my dad, my grandparents, and my dog, Sugar."

Tim: "The worst thing would be living in a foreign country without cable television for six months so I couldn't watch ANY of my shows. Never mind, that already happened."

Kindness of strangers

Idea for Australian tourist board slogan: “Australia: Actually, We’re Even Friendlier Than You’ve Been Told.” Friday was a day filled with Ridiculously Friendly Encounters, including transit authority employee who practically vaulted over a turnstile to make sure we were buying the right tram passes. During a six-month stint in NYC last year I had many encounters with transit employees, and nearly all of them included feigned deafness if not outright derision on their part. Needless to say,  Melbourne has been a shock.

Making strides toward achieving broadband internet access at home. We should be connected in a mere 14 days for an unspeakable sum of money since we are getting a newfangled feature called “wireless”. Australians should be taking to the streets in protest over the costs, but I suspect the weather is just too good to sustain outrage.

Hook turn

The hook turn driving maneuver (see this demonstration) convinced me that driving in Melbourne was beyond my limited capabilities. Only in Boston have I seen the "left lane to turn right" move consistently practiced, but here is is legal.