If half of what I'm saying...

One of the greatest indulgences I have is the Saturday night spent at home. I've developed this over the last two years. Go out on the Friday or the Sunday night and leave the Saturday night free for music, a couple of home bevvies and books or the Net. Tonight's an I'm-going-through-my-iTunes-for-all-the-coolest-stuff night. So far I've moved from the Cat Empire to Blondie to the Shins to You Am I.

I've finished up with the final Potter book. It's interesting to watch a series of books become so conscious of and influenced by the films that will subsequently follow. Certainly the climax of this final book will look spectacular on film, assuming they don't gloss over aspects that are certain to be glossed over in a literary form but will look spectacular on film. Unfortunately, this final book falls into exactly the same trap that they last 4 books have fallen in to - it takes far to long for the main plot to advance. When you're writing the final book of a 7 book series I would hae thought it prudent not to waste over a sixth of the book on aspects that don't advance the characters or the plot. It's fantastic to read, of that there's no doubt, but from a planning point of view it would seem to me to be a mistake. And yes, there's copout that W alluded to on her blog. I tend to agree with you.

My sister was in town last night and we did the touristy thing, largely because it was close to her hotel and because she was appalled that after almost 2 months here I hadn't actually done it myself yet. We went to the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel followed by dinner and then a night cap at Chjimes. She warned me that when I do have visitors, this is one of the night's out to do. So now I know. Long Bar then Chjimes. Very colonial and very toffy stuff, but I can see how it would be fun for a tourist. As always it was fun to catch up with my sister and dissect all the family goings on in Melbourne. Her and I are still plotting to have our parents sell the family home and move into a place devoid of others (my brothers, in case it needed further elaboration).

Tomorrow I'm off to see the Simpsons movie. which I think makes about 8 films I've seen since arriving here. I figure there's nothing much left so I can take a break from the bog screen for a little while after this. I'm also on a total sequel ban - having seen every single sequel that has come out over the last three months - Spidey, Pirates, FF, Die Hard etc. Am thinking I'll hit one of the few and far between Arthouse cinemas here to detox from my glut of blockbusters.

Yes, I'm very aware that Collingwood got pounded tonight. This being the first week since I arrived that Australia Network hasn't shown the Collingwood game, I'm pretty sure there's a jinxish lesson in there for us somewhere. Not to mention the slightly worrying trend of us not being able to string together multiple wins in this second half of the season. There'll be hell to pay if we somehow end up missing out on the finals...