One week of freedom left

It's one week until I officially start my first full time job at a law firm on Bridge Street in Sydney. I am really looking forward to the expected challenges, learning a lot and meeting a whole bunch of new people.

In the mean time, I am making the most of my free time.

Last Wednesday I played poker at a friend's house in Newtown, winning $38. Not bad for an enjoyable night in.

Last Thursday I went to the Sydney University Law Society Emo Easter party at the Ruby Rabbit on Oxford Street. Dressed in my sister's skinny jeans, with eye make-up and black nail polish I was a true Emo wanna-be. However, I was a little scared to go into the city looking like such a freak. And then I realised, there are dozens of freaks walking around in the city at night (especially Oxford Street), so nobody paid any attention to me.

Last Saturday the family celebrated easter at my aunties house which was pretty fun. My cousin has the Nintendo Wii, so I tested out my skills at virtual tennis. Initially I sucked, but eventually I got the little flipping of the wrist action down. Look out Agassi, here I come.

I managed to speak to one of my favourite friends on Skype the other day. She is American, but most of her family comes from in and around Hyderabad. She gave me the link to a cool site that describes some of the most popular Hindu gods and includes nice little cartoon illustrations. http://www.gheehappy.com/

Last night was one of my friends 23rd birthdays. Around ten of us had dinner at Shinju Teppenyaki in China Town. Very fun, but rather expensive.

Coogee - weekend at the beach

I woke up at around midday, after adjudicating for the ISDA and going to Jess's 21st on Friday night. Around 3pm, I was chatting to Sadhie and Julian on g-chat and we decided to go for ice cream. We had only to change our minds and decide on swimming at Coogee and our plan was settled.

I brought some swimming related paraphernalia with me, but initally we sat at a cafe by the beach and had sandwiches, burgers and wedges. Not having been to Coogee for some years, my initial impression was that this would be a lovely place to get an apartment. However, seeing some of the people walking along the promenade with their big tattoos, various body piercings, and having a general grungy biker look which could not be disguised by their beach going attire, I decided that perhaps this was a slightly rough kind of neighbourhood. Several minutes after airing this opinion, a fight broke out in front of the Coogee Bay Hotel which lasted for around 15 minutes. Several unconscious people later and the police arriving at the scene a relaxed 30 minutes after the fight had finished, convinced me that perhaps Coogee is not the most desirable location in the world.

The fight being over, Julian drove Matt back to Newtown and I went swimming with Sadhie and two of her friends Ben and Nick. The water was cold, but refreshingly invigorating.

Afterwards, we were going to catch the bus to the city to meet up with Julian, but passing through Randwick Sadhie had only to see a Thai restaurant that she really liked and we called Julian to inform him of the change of plans. A triple scoop of boysenberry, hokey poky and some kind of cement flavoured ice cream later, and Julian arrived to meet us for Thai.

OZYMANDIAS

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shatter'd visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamp'd on these lifeless things,
The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains: round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

A sonnet written by Percy Bysshe Shelley, one of the major English Romantic poets, in 1818 (Wikipedia).

Spigolo

Catherine is leaving to spend around seven months overseas. She had a going away drinks at Bar Europa on Elizabeth street on Saturday, which was lots of fun. Andrew, Joe and Thesesa missed the going away drinks because Joe and Andrew were travelling in Japan (really hard life, but someone has to do it). Last night we had a farewell dinner, the last supper, to say goodbye and wish her well on her trip. Our initial plan was to visit Bar Reggios but it was completely packed, which I found a little surprising for a Tuesday night. We ended up having dinner at Spigolo, a trattoria pizzeria on Riley Street just off Stanley Street. Although expensive, the calzone there is amazingly good. Bon appetito.