lazy Saturday morning...
Hey Everyone.
Having a lazy Saturday morning before I go to work... doing some labour work fixing up another hostel around the corner from me. I have to work with all boys - euck this is going to be fun.
What's new. I did an assignment yesterday for my Stage Management class and got an A which I am stoked about. I was really nervous about opening a show and calling cues but it all worked out after I got through some of the rocky bumps. It's really daunting to think that if you miss a cue in a real show and not just an assignment then you could really mess things up for the whole performance. I pulled through like a champ.
Tuesday is Halloween and everyone is getting into it. There are a thousand crazy parties going on around San Francisco and San Francisco does crazy well. Everynight this weekend there is either a masquerade ball, some exotic erotic turn up in nothing party, scary costume party and things I care not to think about. I still don't get Halloween but it seems like fun. I'm off to the 'hippie' area of town called Haight Ashbury tomorrow to find an outfit in a thrift store somewhere. I remember my lame attempts at Halloween costumes at home but they won't fly here. I can't wait until Tuesday night when the BIGGEST parties happen - particulary at Castro (the GLBT district of town) where thousands of people gather in the streets and you see some of the most elaborate drag queens and kings and all the rest. For sure it'll be very wild and funny - I'll take photos.
I've been hitting some hurdles while I am here with bankcards, stolen goods, finances and timetables but things seem to be settling. I am currently in discussions with Jane about skipping Europe and doing some of Asia and then coming home via Thailand. It'll be the end of summer and I think a nice to go... but then I don't think south east Asia ever stops being hot.
I don't know if I have told you more about the exploring of San Francisco. This place is very hilly and I am trying to tell you Laurie that it's way hillier than St Lucia. Let me prove you this with a few examples fwith my handy dandy google skills.
This here is prime example of a hill. See how steep it is! This is Taylor St I believe - which i've walked. Down below is Fisherman's wharf and in the distance is Alcatraz.
If there is one thing that San Franciscans seem to have got done pat is reverse parking on these hills. I don't think this is one driving act I'd ever attempt trying at home. Interesting parking rules they have here too... apparently you can 'bump' the car in front and behind you to park. And i've seen cars hit a few times before a driver squeezes the last of his car to leave only half a metre spare front and back.
And last but certainly not least is the infamous California St which is two blocks up from where I live. Also has my shopping centre Calafoods on it.
This one hurts to walk...
So my calves are now solid and I'm just that bit fitter than I was when I left Brisbane which is awesome. It's all practice for trekking in SE Asia.
I'm off since it's already got to that point of the day where I have to go and be one of the boys and prove my inner masculine by hammering and grunting (although mine will be for pain). But the up side of it all is pay!
Signing off.
P.S. Nana - I've been told you've been following my little adventure since I started. Thank you and I love you. Hope you're keeping well. I should try and update more often...
P.P.S. Aunty Karen - I have a collection of two magnets for you. I'll send them to you once I'm back in Aus... postage will kill me.
P.P.P.S. Shereen - where the ell on earth are you. TALK TO ME!!!
P.P.P.P.S. A reminder I am slowly adding all my photos to my flickr account which can be easily accessed via the link on the right hand side of this page.
xox Rob
Barbie?
I've been checking out tattoos lately and I came across this one - I love it!
slightly ironic
I'm in love with Amanda Palmer
It's official - I'm in love. I went and saw the Dresden Dolls play last night at Bimbo's in SF and they were amazing... as usual. Kris and I arrived a little early and found a gorrilla with a man playing the accordian on the street, stilt-walkers and other artists entertaining the crowds before the much anticipated main event. The Red Paintings (from Australia and I think even Brisbane?) were the opening act and were really interesting. I know they've played a ton of shows in Brisbane but I'd never seen them before coming here. The lead looked familiar and was a wicked nut job with a the bassist geared up in a kimono. Upstage were human canvas' doning crazy headgear that lit up.
Then... yes... Amanda and Brian came on stage and the crowd went nuts - including me. They did numbers from Yes Virgina, previous records and one or two covers which was really awesome. Amanda looked a little tired but as usual gave it her all and is a spectacle to watch. She has this energy that's incredible and in my mind they are genius. At one point they played 'Good day' and I nearly cried wishing that Rhiannon was here to sing me her version she wrote for my 21st. I turned around and said to Kris that if she played Mandy went to med school next I would go off - and they did which was spectacular! The encore was incredible... Amanda and Brian jammed for a little while with this connection between them which is so intense you wish you had something like it.
I'm posting up some wicked photos on flickr as soon as I can. Some really good ones since I was so close to the stage. my feet ached and I still hurt but it was worth every moment. I just wish crowds in America would learn to express themselves and get their booties moving.
Today I have crashed and feel emotionally, physically drained and ready for an early night with a good movie and a bottle of red. There are heaps of Australian wines (all from South Australia) in San Francisco which is awesome because I do like my Aussie Merlot. They mostly stock cliche wines but I do like Yellow Tail and Rothbury Estate so it's okay.
I've been working hard at uni and am currently the Assistant Stage Manager for 'The Karamazovs' which is a beautiful play. Read the book by Dostoyevsky. So basically i'm at uni from 6-9.30 everyday except Friday's and soon enough we'll move into Friday rehearsals from what I hear. This isn't including my normal 11hours of other classes. I'm flat out and tired at the moment and a little exhausted.
Yesterday my bus pass was stolen which is $45 worth. I'm pissed off and leaving it at that.
What else. Oh yeah, I got something in my eye today and freaked out when it went blood red! I had no idea where to go for help and that didn't help my freaking out. All is well and I didn't have to end up at a doctor's handing over a fortune for medical assistance which is good. The medical system here does suck - it's all true.
I found a wicked store today at 920 Larkin St which sells an eclectic range of magazines, books, and "movies". They had this old 1955 year book which I can only guess was the property of Mary Alice - I nearly bought it for a $1 but I didn't... though it would have turned into some good stimulus for writing a play. It was full of old pictures of an all girls convent school and had the wackiest layout.
Anyways i am going to sign off but email me - let me know what you're up to.
Luv Rob
Finally some photos
Check -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maiflinomad/for some photos - more will be coming in the next day or two - I promise on this one!!
I'll put it on the links bar for those of you who don't save webpages... *tisk tisk*
weeknights and weekends
music currently playing - Ani Difranco - knuckle down
mood - indifferent
tasklist - get motivated
Today is a day for blog updating, bank account opening, shopping, rehearsals and avoiding nutella... don't ask.
I had a bit of a crazy weekend. Friday night was a big party that dwindled quickly at the hostel - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGS and JINNY and damn you IWONA for not saying goodbye... going to miss you. And to Yola, Goisha and Kamilla as well - Good luck in Poland.
Then Saturday I went to the Rickshaw Stop (I think) for this event called Rebel Girl which was spectacular. Kris and I went for the band Origami, which were great as usual. They are this kind of modern/contemporary rock B52's style - it's kind of strange to explain. I had a bit of a serendipitous encounter at Rebel Girl which may or may not be explained further at a later date. Then sunday I went to a 'job interview' at 6pm which was actually Rafaella training me for a job, which may fall through. Who knows! But after work I got fed the most awesome gnocchi, wine and gelato... omg it was goooood. Go to STEPS OF ROME - NOW! It's on Columbus Ave in North Beach. Really good people work there and the food is amazing.
It was really crowded at North Beach on Saturday and Sunday for Fleet Week - the 60th Anniversary of the US Navy Blue Angels. All week we've had the
B-2's and the F-117A's flying over the city creating noise. One even flew so close to my building I thought it would crash into it for sure. All the navy guys and girls come into wander arounds the streets. On Sunday night I got told some guy loved me and some other random Italian guy was trying to take me back to his place. He was at least 45 and a good one foot shorter than I was... uh no. But Raph and I met up with some friends and had a couple of wines and a good conversation before I headed home exhausted and ready to crash.
That's been my weekend. During the week I have about 40 hours at university which is tiring and annoying. I spend most of my time in the creative arts building working on a show as Assistant Stage Manager.
THIS WEEKEND IS THE DRESDEN DOLLS!! FRIDAY THE 13TH!!!
I can not wait - counting down the days, hours and minutes until I see them!
Okay... I'm going to sit back down and compose myself. Just a tad excited about my favourite band coming to where I live... you know... nothing too major.
Right I am off to stop procrastinating further and maybe get some work done.
Luv Rob
which American city fits me best - they were pretty close...
San Francisco should be above LA... but meh
| American Cities That Best Fit You:: |
| 65% Los Angeles |
| 65% San Francisco |
| 60% Chicago |
| 60% New York City |
| 60% Philadelphia |
