It's Later Now

So, Aussie Rules is finished, and, with it, the penultimate stage of my time in Oz. We are not entering the final chapter of my time here (I was gonna use the final chapter title from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz as the title for this post, but that's Home Again, which doesn't really suit this post, and the chapter before that is the rather esoteric (and spoilerish) Glinda the Good Witch Grants Dorothy's Wish, so I'll have to come up with something on my own). Granted, I have two assignments, one test and one exam to go before I'm done with uni, but I saw Aussie Rules as the last bastion of mid-exchange-year-Rory, a lad who could still sleep in if he wanted to, or take on a show, after all he'd have time later to see Oz- well, It's Later Now (ok, title found).
To mark this occasion, I have booked my tickets for New Zealand, and, even more excitingly, shaved my face. Yes, I took the advice of that drunk lady on the train and got a hair cut. Just not on my pate. I have a few other plans for my time here (hopefully Uluru and more penguins).

Ladies. 

Aussie Rules went very well; my hats off to Andrew for pulling off the frankly bizarre idea he pitched to me all the way back in October ('No, see, cos football is Islam...'). I had some one thank me personally for my performance and say he'd come specifically to see me (having been bowled over by me in Confetti and Everything) and honestly this was a lot more pleasant than the fan I had in Edinburgh, who walked up to me in the middle of the meadows and whispered 'multim olim' in my ear AT ONE IN THE FUCKING MORNING. But, yes, Aussie Rules was a success, and I'm proud to have it as my final impression upon the melbourne acting scene (though not the theatre scene in general- hello, BESTies).
Speaking of theatre, it was over two weeks ago, but I needs must mention the Amadeus pre-show sing-off. If only because I got to fulfill my dreams of singing 'American Pie', 'Moonriver', 'Blue Moon' and 'Mr. Sandman' before an extremely captive audience. Also, on the final night I did what can only be called an astonishing rendition of the song below.

Let that image burn into your retinas.

In other news, I skyped with Esmond on Friday, and it was lovely: we spoke for two and a half hours, and despite ten months apart, we still fell into conversation so easily. It's nice to know I'll have at least one friend when I return to the Great Wet North (I thought of that on Wednesday and by God, I'll get the mileage out of it).

In other other news, it was Victoria's birthday last Saturday, and, wouldn'tcha know, she had a sci-fi party, so naturally....

The very definition of a coquette.

What? You can't guess? I'm Poison Ivy from Batman and Robin. Duh. I mean, the hair's a little off, and I've really made no effort at all apart from holding a plastic flower and wearing a Batman-related T-shirt, but I think everyone can agree I've adequately captured the campy awfulness of that film.
The party was a lot of fun, and I got to see Victoria's assorted friends, probably for the last time before I head off; as Ryan North is wont to say, 'partying is such sweet sorrow'.

Last night was Eurovision here in Ozland, and, much like with the Olympics, I found myself the token pom in a group of Aussies watching something distinctly English. I got a lot of mileage out of the fact that no one gave us any points (it's all political, I tell ya), but I didn't realise how seriously the Antipodeans take the damn thing. Everyone, that is, except the closed captions guy, who added such delightful additions as 'you can guess what she said' and 'what's she gonna do with flowers? Put them down.'
Victoria, Aspen, Michael and myself were enraptured by the cheesiness, and I found Aspen's knowledge of past contestants to be vastly superior to my own, which isn't actually saying all that much, but she remembered 'I'm in love with a fairytale', which I only recall because it was the night I came out. Funny old world, innit?

Finally, when I was crossing the road this morning, my hood slipped (yes, it's finally started raining in Oz- laugh it up, Edinburghers), and when I lifted it, there was a car right in front of me. It was really very terrifying. I also realised I hadn't updated this thing in ages and I didn't want to die without you guys having heard my inane prattle for a month! Hence, this post.
Blame the hood.

Consistently congenial

Hey guys, just a quick note to let you know I had my first shift at work yesterday, and that there are a LOT of disconnected phone lines in Australia. I think about 40% of the calls I made came up with 'I'm sorry, the number you have dialled has been disconnected', a further 50% was answering machines and only about 10% got through to actual people...about one third of whom would actually answer my questions.
That's a 3% success rate. Go me. Also, interesting story, my first call ended in 'I no speak English', which I was told happens once in a blue moon- so I'm not expecting another one for another 1.7 years. Or until there suddenly appears before me the only one my arms will ever hold.

Not what I meant, but I'll take it.

In other news, this week is hellish. I'm working again tonight, have a class test tomorrow and a syntax assignment due on Friday. But then, on Friday night, something brilliant will happen. It will be my treat for surviving. For, on Friday, I will see Captain Barbossa perform live on stage. And he will be singing this:

 

Almost, almost, almost worth doing syntax for.

Once in a blue moon

"A Blue Moon is the second full moon in a month of two full moons."

Tonight is a blue moon, everyone, and once more we are reminded that I am standing alone, without a dream in my heart.

Just in case there are any hunky twihards reading, this is totes me on a full moon.

In other news, Improv Mob was cancelled this evening, which makes me sad, because it feels good to step out of Yarra of an evening. Worse, I'd actually travelled all the way to Brunswick to get there when I found out, and then it took me like two hours to get back, because I met a fellow Yarran on the train back and she convinced me to go to the supermarket with her, but they were out of everything I needed, and then she abandoned me to ride back on her back, leaving me to bus back alone. *Sigh*. The moon still hasn't turned to gold, and no sweetheart has suddenly appeared before me, so I guess this is just one of those non-magical blue moons governed by the laws of the calender and not the whims of my heart.

It looks like I can have bad days in Oz, but they only happen once in a blue moon.

In case you don't get what I'm referencing: