Hi everyone,
Please remember to bring a plate of yummy food (it can be anything, so long as it tastes good) and whatever you want to drink (we have plenty of water!) Also, the way the weather is looking, it might pay to bring your warm clothes. See you at our house! Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning! Time to open the presents. Kate of course received a game of Postie Kate! Gill received the penguins cup, and I have started wearing my new Union Jack boxers.

Afternoon feasting began shortly after everyone arrived. In a spookily similar fashion to last Christmas, this year we spent the day with international friends and one of Kate’s family members. Last year it was her brother Matthieu, this year it’s 100% Gill, the flamenco dancing, kangaroo-ears wearing, often shopping and always fun loving mum of Kate.

chucking Christmas chocolate on Vimeo

Lots of eating, drinking, talking, playing games and staying in out of the freezing cold wind, hail and rain, filled a wonderful day with cheer, merriness, great company and a good time.

At the Strike Bowling Bar for $7 you get a game and free French fries. That’s cheap! - but at about 6:30pm last night we had to make a booking for a 2-hour wait… It seems we aren’t the only ones who like Tight Ass Tuesday!

At the nearby Oxford Scholar Hotel (despite my protest of how terrible it has become) a few friends gathered for a couple of ales and to catch up on gossip. It wasn’t long before we returned underground for some lane and gutter action.


bowling at Strike on Vimeo

Thanks to all our friends who came along: Fujio, Takeshi and Takako, Boyun and Yasue, Chris, Helen, Mark and Jin. There certainly was a strong Japanese and Korean contingent from the CELTA course gang to make it a great fun night. Until next time, Cheers.

A recent trip to the Robot Bar included more than I bargained for. On Tuesday nights there are free Japanese animation movies projected onto the window curtain screen. I was rather impressed at the quality after watching Appleseed with a couple of friends tonight. This isn’t just bug-eyed Astroboy on steroids. Perhaps an overdose of visuals stolen from The Matrix, Aliens, and two bags full of US military in a post-global nuclear holocaust setting nothing at all like Mad Max, but the message was unique and quite humane. If you haven’t for a while, try some Japanese animation.

First day of work for a really long time! I’ve got Mondays at Victoria University (ELICOS) for the next 5 weeks, teaching the Upper Intermediate class of English for Academic Purposes (EAP). The class will have around 12 or more students, from Asian, European, and Middle Eastern countries. This should be fun. At least I’ll finally have some income!

Wonder where I’ll be spending my Monday afternoons…