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Posted by Mike on 22 February 2010

Playground Weekender

Just back from a cracking weekend at Playground Weekender, a shadow of my former self but happy to take the hit. I'll write up a decent report soon, but for now here's a video clip of a very special moment from Orbital....

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Posted by Mike on 10 January 2010

Happy new year

It's going to be tough returning to work on Monday after such a long time off. Apart from the three days of work between xmas and New Year, I've been off since 23rd December and getting used to the easy life. The week in Margaret River has been exactly what the doctor ordered, lots of beach time, swimming, some early morning runs, leisurely lunches, fine wine drinking and early nights. The area is as beautiful as claimed by so many, with beautiful clear water, gorgeous beaches and headlands, and stunning vineyards. We were staying at Tyrone's house in Quindalup near Dunnesborough which is on the North facing coast, so no waves but some amazing beaches. The only problem with the whole thing was the horrendous fly situation - apparently some late rains and a reduced dung beatle campaign by the Environmental Services have led to the worst flies in most peoples' memory. They're okay near the water but the walk from the car down to the beach is unlike anything I've ever experienced with a need to constantly swat. Lots of people have taken to wearing fly net hats, although I didn't see a single Aussie-cliched cork hat! Weirdly they were okay one of the days, but came back in abundance today.
The weather has been stunning, late 20s / early 30s, and the water is cold which means you quickly chill. I only managed one (failed) afternoon of surfing where I was shown up by a 6 year old boy, who in fair was incredible. It was a bit hard logisitically to sort surfing as our car didnt have roof racks and the surf beaches were a bit of a drive away. I'm also still recovering from the whiplash with my wakeboarding fall dressed as Bollo up in Smith's Lake - very sore neck that needs some physio attention. We've had a fun crowd down here - Tyrone, Imran and his girlfriend Anne, Dave Hoppe and his girlfriend Nina, then the English crew: me, John, Pete, Emma, Georgie and Nics. That same English crew were all together for Christmas, and mostly New Year, so we all came over feeling jaded and looking for a relaxing week. Sadly I think Ty was after the opposite after lots of family time, and it probably didn't kick off as much as he would have liked, but plenty of fun was still had! We had a very fine lunch in Vasse Felix where he used to work for 2 years as restaurant manager. It's a beatiful vineyard that has an amazing menu, and I had possibly one of the best steaks of my life - melt in your mouth perfection. There was of course some fine wine drunk too, and it followed to an almighty beach session next to Casa Del Stott and a new drinking game I'd witnessed on a run two days before. Basically you line up in the shallows of water with beer in hand, then one guy is on the beach with a cricket bat and hits the ball at the group for some one handed catches. Any missed catches, drink, any mis-hits, batsman drinks. Incredibly simple but kept us entertained for hours!!!

The night before a smaller group of us had some wine on the beach at sunset and a great chat about 2009 and plans for 2010. I'm definitely doing more thinking about it than ever before, maybe the year of some change but we'll see.

Going back a bit, New Years Eve was a very fun party at Neilsen's Park organised by Nicola: Circus by the Sea. My brother's outfit was hilarious - a psychodellic lycra all in one, along with a helmet and some equally trippy trainers - the human cannonball on acid! He got so much attention, including police in the Cross taking their cameras out and taking photos of him, that he decided to wear it the next day to Space. It was a pretty good festival, awesome location in the Showgrounds in the Entertainment Quarter, with not a bad crowd and some excellent music - the highlight being D Ramirez and Pete Tong. Tiefshwarz were headlining but actually didn't really do it for me - a little too heavy. Anthony Mcgrath had also joined us for NYE and NYD and it was great to hang out with him before he went up the coast with his bro, then on to NZ for a wedding. After Space we headed out in the Cross, starting in the usual K&K (where we also went after NYE party!) and then onto Dragonfly - my first time there in probably a couple of years and it was great to be back, but I happened to speak to the owner outside who said it was closing to be revamped for a 6 months. Before I realised he was the owner, I very nearly said about how it was owned by dodgy money (well known as bikey-gang owned) - thank god I didn't!

We're heading out in Perth tonight, then back to Sydney late tomorrow and out for Sam's last night - it will be a shame to see him go, he's been such an awesome addition over the last couple of weeks, but he's hoping to find a job in Melbourne and move back out. It's also Crispin's bucks tomorrow night as he leaves the country in the next couple of weeks, but I'm back too late and it's over in Bondi so I don't think it's gonna happen. I'll go to his farewell on 16th Jan though, a bbq at Tama which always works for me! I'm hoping to do something small for my birthday the next day, but not sure what yet. Will be a daytime thing, in a park or on a beach, get people together for a picnic and throw a ball around, hire a speaker, pump out some tunes, relive the 30th!! I'm not sure what my 31st year will hold for me, but John pointed out this is the decade we need to grow up and I think he's onto something. Things will change in the next couple of yeras, not sure in what way yet, I've never been too focused on the future, but it does make me a little nervous. That said, I had a great 09 and if I have the same highs in 2010 then I can't complain.

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