I went down to the beach where my parents live this weekend, and had a really good afternoon on Saturday snokelling. It was a dead low tide, and very calm. I saw lots of parrot fish, wrasse, sweep, darts and whiting. The water was really warm for Victoria (the state I live in) and some of the pools I swam in were beautiful. The rocks were absolutely covered in life, all kinds of colorfull seaweed and lichen and growth.

My parents retired to Barwon Heads, on the Bellarine peninsular, about an hour and a bit from Melbourne. The actual headland itself is a marine sanctuary, and it's rare that I'm there when the tide is just right and it's a hot, calm day.

Anyway, just had a really good day.

Lets see what have I done this week ? The most interesting night by far I will describe for you below:-

Caught up with a mate earlier in the week. He came around with his new girlfriend and I made a green curry duck. The duck was excellent, and the conversation was lively. We drank a bottle of wine and after dinner decided to go play some pool (8 ball) at the local.

We walked in and I slapped a buck down on the table. In my town, if someones on the table you have to pay for the next game against them...if you win you're on the table. The guy playing said "these people must like dying" loudly, to his chick. My friend and I were both somewhat under the weather and replied loudly, that yes...we loved dying and proceeded to kick his butt at pool.

Meanwhile, my friends girlfriend had struck up a conversation with said chick. As it turned out she was a junkie, had four kids already, all in foster care, and a fifth on the way. Her boyfried (who we just played in pool) was a lousy drunk who slapped her around. They swapped phone numbers (what the ?) and the junkie chick said she'd call the next day.

My friend was annoyed at his new girlfriend, and we left the pub, went back to mine with a few take away beers, and had a long conversation about how you can't help everyone...and why would you want this person calling you or potentially comming around to your place ? His girlfriend was like "you can't write people off" and we were like "why not....wouldn't you learn after the first illigit, taken off you at birth child ?" I admit it was complex, and I agree to an extent that people deserve a second chance.....but you can't help a person who won't help themselves...believe me, I know.

Anyway, I enjoyed the night...I like mixing it up in the pub from time to time, I always meet interesting people, and many I never ever want to see again - LOL

Had a good time fishing on a boat out in Port Phillip bay at the weekend, caught heaps and have been eating fish since then. Flathead is delicious and oh so versatile.

I didn't realise you could set your blog to Approve comments, not that I would disapprove, regardless of the comment myself.

Anyway - It's been a week of Christmas parties, for work mostly. One with clients (terrible) and one without (not terrible but not that great either).

I find it difficult to socialise with people from work outside of working hours. To me it's like - You can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends. I'm not at the job to make great friends, I didn't choose to spend every day with these people, I simply chose to make some money. They say "Lets go to the movies" to which I'd like to reply "I'd rather go with my friends" they say "Lets go out for a drink", to which I'd like to say "I'd rather do that with friends". As I don't generally say those things, I end up making excuses. To which they say "Why don't you come out with us?" To which I'd like to say " Because I have a life", they eventually start to imply "Don't you like us?" To which I'd love to reply "Well no....not really"

So Summer arrived this week, and the first day was a hot one at 34c, which I enjoyed. I guess that's about 90 or something in the other measurement. The days this week were like a count down for me, as I was anticipating heading down to the beach house. I write this from that very house by the sea.
The house is in Barwon Heads which is only about an hour and a half from Melbourne. It's a place I really enjoy. I never do that much down here...if it's hot I go swimming, I go fishing in the evenings, I read a lot. Speaking of which I'll be trying to put a big dent in 69AD The Year of Four Emperors while I'm down here.
Barwon Heads is called that because the town surrounds some headlands where the Barwon river flows into Bass Straight, not far from the entry to Port Phillip Bay, they do killer fish and chips down here, I sampled them again tonight.
That's it for now, If I catch any decent fish I might write something about it.

Summer days, oh how I love them.

I've recently started doing some singing in a friends band, It's a lot of fun.
Been writing lyrics and without my band mates knowing have been managing to quote all kinds of people in song lyrics. Yesterday we got a song down that has a direct quote from M Aurelius "The Meditations", it's all rock, guitar, base, drums and me. I've found "The Meditations" a rich source of sentiment for feel good dirty rock. M Aureius will be acknowledged in the song title.

After reading some of the other members blogs it's heartening to know they are working similarly annoying day jobs as myself. I guess I should have worked that out already just by considering how often they post on this forum. When one is dissatisfied with working life, one tends to look for another one...life that is.