Where Our Roots Have Grown So Deep

[This Is Our Town – We The Kings]

Today I caught up with 2 groups for reunions (coincidental planning), and dragged Jac along with me.

Dressed in the new hoodie I bought at Chadstone, I waited 2 extra trains for the as-ever-late Jac. We got to the city, where she went to do some Uni thing, and I waited for everyone to arrive.

Gil (Pearl, but I cal her Gil) and Pal arrived first, and they went to get crepes. Shortly after them, Cathy, Sisi, Alex+Jack (twins, who I will refer to as Jalex) and Cathy’s boyfriend Carey arrived, and we all decided what we’d do. We agreed on going to Chaplin to karaoke, as we did the last time we all caught up, but after FINALLY walking there we realized the place doesn’t open until 3 in the afternoon. So instead we went to the bowling venue in Melb Central, which had a lovely interior, with chandeliers and all that jazz. Jac came along halfway through the game, and we both watched (having bowled just the previous day) the others bowl.

Highlight? Gil’s thin fragile-looking arm seemed to snap back everytime she tried to bowl. It scared the crap out of me, and everyone else when I brought their attention to it. Pal pwned everyone, the underdog and what not.

I mucked around a lot while watching everyone bowl, including stealing Cathy’s hat and messing up her hair (she responded with tickling me) and also attempting to tickle/poke Gil at every chance I got. Then, when I went to hug Cathy, she freaking lifted me off the floor and laughed at my “flailing arms and legs”. Well she got her comeuppance when later her and Carey started playing DDR, and her failure rendered a completely random kid (around 4 or 5) coming up and trying to help her.

After that, we decided to go to lunch. Some people wanted Nandos chips, some wanted KFC chicken, some wanted sushi, some wanted Hungry Jack’s – but mostly Pal, Gil and me just wanted chilli food. So we all went our separate ways to buy the bits of food we wanted, and then all came together and feasted at Nandos – which probably wasn’t very nice to them but we DID buy stuff from them.

Jalex work at the Melbourne Aquarium, and they told us the story about how some people got drunk, snuck into the aquarium and went shark-diving at 3 am while plastered. Then, as conversations with the twins always do, sex-ed got brought up. The poor, innocent Jac sat at the end of the table mouth gaping open in shock.

After lunch, they headed to Chaplin but to our shock we realized that Jac and I were late. So after parting our ways at Elizabeth Street, Jac and I went back down to Glen to meet up with my 2nd reunion (yes Jac got dragged along to that as well).

The 2nd reunion was with the Glen Waverley train line from back in high school, and having shown up 1 hour late I was still greeted warmly by everyone. Nat had died her hair, Bee’s fringe had grown out, Carm’s hair is shorter, Eunice looked the same, Shaz still talked non-stop, Sneha got to meet the person who ACTUALLY went to the party she got tagged wrongly (by me) in, and Emily was still smiley as always.

Highlight? Nat was arguing against Shaz, and in a desperate attempt to win back a losing fight, she shouted to Shaz, “WELL YOU HAVE CAKE ON YOUR TEETH! HA TAKE THAT!”

We sat for about 40 minutes, but when Bee made acts of needing to leave, Jac and I decided to follow suit. We bid goodbye to everyone – me hoping to see them again, and them agreeing with what Dani said yesterday about how Jac looks like another MacRobbian – and bussed home. Now my feet hurt like fuck.

I will take pictures of my presents tomorrow, and edit the post later.

Alex.

My Pressure On Your Hips

[This Love – Maroon 5]

Day 14 — Someone you’ve drifted away from

Dear Eunice,

Well, let’s be honest, we really haven’t been talking much at all. I know it’s weird of me to say it, because I saw you today, but yeah we honestly have not seen each other for about a good half year. From your Twitter updates, I know that you’re doing fine, and whatnot, but yeah, it’s strange not to hear it from you in person.

I don’t know…I don’t want to say anything more because yours aren’t toes I want to step on. It definitely jerked a few heartstrings seeing your face and hearing your voice again today.

I miss and love you, despite the fact that we rarely speak anymore.

Alex.

She’s A Runner, Rebel And A Stunner

[Dani California – Red Hot Chilli Peppers]

Today was my bowling party of sorts at Strike. It was originally going to be paintball, but that fell through like an elephant in a paper building, so instead it got changed to bowling.

Took the train up to the city with Swang, April, Annie, Whitty, YL and Jac. On the train, I got my presents from YL and Whitty (I specifically told everyone not to get me anything, but pretty much no one listened. So now I feel guilty) which turned out to be, firstly, a bogus present which was this book of Justin Bieber photos, facts, and poster (Swang loved it, being an avid Bieber-fan), but then came the real cool present, which was this UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO GLEE! I haven’t read it yet (I got home at around 10:30) but I do plan to, along with HP7.

(Oh, note, for now there is no pictures of everything because I haven’t had the time, but when I do I will come back and put pictures in for all the wonderful stuff people gave me, and so this note will disappear. But for now.)

Then I got to Melb Central, where we waited a bit. Sam came along first, and then Jen and Ash. Jen and Ash got me a picture book, titled “Tales From Outer Suburbia” by Shaun Tan, which I have yet to flick through (I want to look at the pictures really closely so I will do it when I have at least 30 minutes to spare). Then Joshanna came along, and I gave each of them a huge big hug, because I hadn’t seen them in over a month, which I wasn’t used to.

We went to Strike, and started the games. I was a shoe size 4, FYI. There, Joshanna showed me the present they got me – a freaking Tiffany’s sterling silver ring. I’m shocked that 1) they got me such a high-brow gift and it was my first Tiffany’s ever and 2) they found my ring size. Swang refused to let me see what she got me, and it turned out that it was a card from both her and Steven, and Steven was late.

He was so late in fact, that we skipped him in his game, and in the end he had to play 7 rounds by himself to catch up with everyone else.

Mandy and Dot came in halfway through – I love you Dot, and I am so so sorry for you-know-why. They both got me a wonderfully soft and comfy hoodie, because I’d commented that I liked Mandy’s hoodie. I love it when people remember stuff I forgot I’d said. They stayed long enough to watch Swang embarrass herself in bowling, but then sadly had to go. I was so proud to introduce Dot to my other friends, because Dot had been my friend since Gr 3. That’s special, dude.

I also got a present from Jenny through Swang. It is a lovely and sexy-as looking jacket.

Ash owned everyone hands down in bowling, and Sam came in at a close 2nd. I wasn’t…bad, got myself a few spares and a strike! Jac made me laugh hard, because she would just drop the ball to the side of the lane, let the gutter guards throw it around, and hopefully hit something. Swang made me laugh harder, because she picked up a heavy bowling ball and as she was walking up the lane nearly fell to the ground from its weight.

Josh had to leave early to work, and Ash followed him soon after. We played a bit of pool (Swang, once again, provided much mirth in her attempts to be coordinated) and then headed off to lunch. We had lunch at Dessert House near Don Dons, and I accidentally fed Jac some chilli without her realizing it. She wasn’t too pleased with me. Anna, having just met Whitty and not even knowing his name, dared him to eat a whole spoonful of the very potent chilli oil. He was not too pleased with her.

After lunch, Jen had to leave, but the rest of us went up to Melb Uni so to let Annie and Swang sort out their time tables. After that was done, and the light was starting to wane a little, we went to Josh’s work at Southern Cross Starbuck’s.  We sat around for ages just chatting and laughing, and I got picked up a fair bit for my shortness – despite the fact that YL is shorter.

Suddenly, it was 5. Everyone began the ritual of leaving, and Brendan warned there will be a storm incoming. He wasn’t wrong. As Jac and I took the tram down to Elizabeth to meet up with Dani, Andrew, Dani’s roommate Theresa and Leanne, it started pouring in earnest. At around 5:40 when we were heading up to Crown for dinner, it was pouring cats, dogs, meese and some pretty pissed off livestock.

Theresa, by the way, is from Norway, and shares my birthday.

We went to a restaurant near Kitchenworks (the buffet from last time with Mandy) where they had a $15 steak meal with complementary wine. I was rather pleased, because I like steak, and also because it’s the first time Jac is drinking outside of her house. Andrew ended up cutting up my steak for me due to my lack of culinary skills, and Jac ate more than what I thought was possible. It was fantastic to see Dani again, because it seems everytime we see each other, no matter how much time passed, we just get along just like that again.

It’s a pity she’s going back to Canberra tomorrow.

Well, I have to cut a long and fantastic day short, because it’s nearly past midnight (according to WordPress, it is past midnight I should probably change the daylight savings setting…), and I have yet to shower for tomorrow. Another day out tomorrow!

Thank you, EVERYONE!

Alex.

P.S. I forgot to mention the fact that Annie pinned a “Birthday BOY” badge on my hoodie for the day.

I Realize It’s Hard To Take Courage

[True Colors – Glee Cast cover, original by Cindy Lauper]

Day 13 — Someone you wish could forgive you

I wrote a piece so long ago, when I first started writing here frequently, so back in August 2008. It still stands; I still wish that you would forgive me for what I did to you back then, and we can be great friends. But I suppose, then again, if in 4 years’ of being in the same class and group hasn’t really made us any closer, then we’ve gotten as close as we’re gonna get.

I am grateful for your end of year message, and I am grateful for the amount of friendship you do give me, so I suppose when I say I wish you would forgive me, it’s more for a selfish relief than anything else.

I hope you are happy now, because I never see you anymore.

Love,

Alex.