The Ramblings of my Disorganised Mind

What a Weekend!

Listening to: Strictly Ballroom, the film not the soundtrack, playing in the background. I'm half watching it. Finally picked up the Red Curtain Trilogy for the grand old price of $7.95. Yes, SEVEN . 95. Will explain later.

So, where do I start?????????

On Friday, I suppose. Due to circumstances well beyond my control, I wasn't able to do Friday in Brissy, which was fine: it gave me some time on Saturday am and Friday night to spend with my older boys. I also finished getting all of the school stuff for the kids ready for today. I am sans 5 out of 6 today, and it's a Big Year: #2 starts high school and #5 starts primary school. Poor #6 though. He's the only one left at home and he's pretty keen to start pre-school. But, next year. He's watching Strictly at the moment. And he likes it.

# 3 son put his money aside to take me to a film for my birthday and they had a choice (given times and available showings that still allowed me to get down to Brissy in time) between Phantom of the Opera and A Series of Unfortunate Events. I'd seen both so I told them I didn't mind which, and they chose Phantom! I got to see it again (woohoo) amd it didn't get any worse on a third showing. I did get to spend a bit of time watching my boys (aged 14, 12 & 10) watch this film and it was amazing. None are fond of musicals (although when Christine stated singing Master 14 loudly proclaimed in authoritative tones, "Oh, she's much better than the original." {meaning Brightman}). He's actually right, imo. Master 10 reckoned his favourite bit was when Piangi was hanging from the rafters. Figures!

But I watched them during the part of the film that had me popcorn-and-drink-forgotten-ish, and they were all the same. Munching ceased and faces transfixed. Even from Master 14 who'd once declared Van Helsing "boring and overshot." From Master 12 who thought the film would be "stupid, but I'm outnumbered, so..." and from Master 10, who sat absolutely still for perhaps the first time in his life. Worth a thousand words. Starting from the time Christine was enthralled, so were they. Wow.

Walking back to the car, there were a bunch of high school (presumably) kids acting like they do on Friday nights with too much alcohol. one of the girls ran past and goosed Master 12, who was most affronted. I tried to tell him it was a backhanded compliment, but.... well, suffice to say, he wasn't at all pleased... (on a very funny (to me) synchronistic note, this happened also to Scott on Saturday, he told me in only slightly exaggerated detail. He was quite pleased with himself--the very opposite reaction of my 12 year-old. hehe).

Saturday I actually left 2 hours earlier than I thought I needed to and still ended up with a half hour to get ready for the Aurealis Awards. I did it. Woohoo. A special mention should go to Nicky for putting me up and putting up with me Saturday, I was a bit wired until around 10pm, when I finally slipped into "relax" mode, just as the FQ Cocktail party started to wind down. 'Twas great to catch up with how the Clarionites were doing after a week with Ellen Datlow (still a lovely lady), and some of last years' lot, albeit briefly. AND Congratulations must go to everyone who won an award!! (Yay Sean!!!!)

I also want to make special mention of the team that put together the awards this year (of which, despite some belief to the contrary, I was not one, except as doorperson to the Cocktail party afterwards, not really a difficult job, even for me). Kate had a checksheet which meant that the awards finished ON TIME! (The Academy should hire that girl, honestly), Jason N did an amazing job as Director this year, the judges & convenors also, and The FQ team Richard, Karin, Peter, Rob H. Damon and Bobby D did the AV and movies. And, of course, kudos to outgoing Aurealis editor Keith Stevenson and the Chimera Publications team (who are only not mentioned by name because I KNOW I'll miss someone. I probably have already missed someone. If so, send me a severe email. :-) ).

After the cocktail party, we kicked on to the Pancake Manor on Charlotte in the city and confused the staff by not only dropping 30 + people on them at once but also by hopping tables on a fairly regular basis -- well, I wasn't; I was enjoying the conversation with the group sitting around me too much (it's usually not much fun being the only right wing fascist in a group of labor voters, but these particular labor voters are actually very reasonable so it was actual discussion not "pile on the person who actually admits voting for Johnny" *grin* and we dropped into other discussion as well, of course), but some of us did. The staff handled it with aplomb; they usually do.

I really enjoyed the dinner (you can never have too much malt), but it was still nothing compared to the trip there: I think Stephanie (Harper-Collins editor) was highly amused at listening to a multi Aurealis Award-winning writer (Have I mentioned... yay Sean!!!), and two others (me & Chris Mc) in varying states of publication history singing (or attempting to sing hehe) bits of The War of the Worlds in the back seat. Nicky, of course, is used to us. hehe.

Then Nicky and Damon acted as chauffeurs to a bunch of students and Sean and we ended up at the Floor One shebang until rather late. Umm... late? Early? Nicky and I finally got to sleep at approximately the same time as the magpies started to sing. That was much fun, although I won't describe exactly what happened, simply because it was one of those "had to be there" things. I mean, I could tell you how we discussed why LadyHawke needed better music, but that sounds sort of boring in writing, wot?

Considering the late night and very little sleep, I felt pretty good Sunday. Apparently others didn't, though. I could throw evil grins round here, but I won't. *Evil grin* We moved Sean out and our Week Four Tutor (and Golden Aurealis Award winner for Short Stories, woohoo!!), Margo Lanagan, moved in. Considering how often we've been in the same place at the same time, cons, etc., I've never had the chance to actually talk to Margo, and I really like her. I'm really looking forward to Friday, actually.

I was going to write a short amount today on how weird it is, sometimes, to be friends with someone you then "fall" for, and then remain friends with (at least I think so, it can be hard to tell with this person, who hopefully remains oblivious because, well, he'd be pretty horrified at the thought *grin*) but I've already rambled on for long enough this morning, I reckon.

Oh! One last thing, thankye, my wonderful brother, for the Christmas present. It dropped the price of the DVD set to $7.95!!! I've been meaning to pick up the boxed set for a while, and it was the last one in Maroochy shopping centre, happened to be at Myer. :-) I also picked up the kiddies some T's. Watched the DVD you sent for my birthday again too last night. Nice selection of Spike-based episodes, and I'm very, very glad they didn't throw in any of the Season 6 episodes (I still maintain the only thing wrong with Buffy is Sarah Michelle Gellar. Oh, no, quickly add, JOKE!!! Maybe...

They included the first ep Marsden (*sigh*!!) appears in, where Spike drives through the Sunnydale sign and gets out, lights a ciggy, and declares "Home Sweet Home", with the ep that comes just after Dru leaves him... where he drives through the Sunnydale sign, falls out of the car in a drunken mess, and whimpers sarcastically, "Home sweet Home". Funny watched one after the other! Danke shoen again! Love ya bro. Oh, and not just for the Marsden influx, just so's you know. xxx

Going now, I have 300 things to do today. Well, no, now, 294, but anyways...

On a quick note, my ISP seems to be doing funny things with email. So, if you've sent me an email and I don't respond, I probably didn't get it... or the one I sent didn't get to you. Post here and let me know. Alternatively, Nicky got one of my emails 3 times last week... and another 5 times, and another 7 times (which would've been bloody annoying, because that so happened to be one I sent out with a largish attachment). I only sent them once. So, again, if anyone else had this happen, I apologise on behalf of my crappy ISP, who is very close to getting the flick. Froggy also tends to block hotmail addies (without reference to me, I might add), so there's only an approximately 45% chance of them getting to me. Sigh.

posted by Heather @ 11:37 am