Quick update...

It's been a while since my last instalment, so I might as well take this pre-slumber window of time to write a quick blog update. I guess, basically, I haven't had the most exciting couple of weeks lately, hence haven't felt the need to write anything - mostly been working (did a hard seven day stretch last week, which was exhausting and depressing), but on the up-side have had a little time to catch up with some old friends who are in their final year of med school, enjoying their last taste of relative freedom before the relentless holiday-less stretch of work as an intern begins.

James and Eric spent Thursday evening up here in Mildura, unable to resist the temptation of good food and wine to be had at Stefano's! It was a real treat, six courses of really well prepared mediterranean food, ranging from the entrée cold meat and salad, to stuffed calamari, to lamb roast, and the almost oversweet caramel dessert. Each course was accompanied by a glass of hand-picked matching wine, whether they be local or imported from Italy. After the wining and dining, the food was allowed to digest while we turned our eyes heavenward and enjoyed the country starscape featuring Jupiter near the horizon - you can see jus so much more in the country!

Spent the weekend in Melbourne - the drive so tiring and exhausting, just over five hours by the most direct route, precluded me from fully enjoying the time. I'm sure it didn't help my attempts to play violin again. The last time I played would have been about two months ago! Even so, I had fun reacquainting myself with it, battling through the Mozart A-major concerto. Also, popped into uni - found out I'm going to be giving tutes in physiology, so I thought to brush up on that with a copy of Ganong - and at the same time got some Chinese books to start learning Chinese with. Am enrolled in evening courses, so I'm really determined to get started and learning again (I haven't taken Chinese lessons for 14 or so years now!).

Uni brings back so many memories of my time there. Even though I'm so new to working, it still feels so nostalgic, as if it were years and not months ago that I was there. More vividly, it reminds me of Sal - as we first met at uni, and spent a fair bit of our time together at uni, doing activities, or jus hanging out. I know that my time at uni wasn't always happy, but it remains that almost every memory I have as I walk around is a happy memory. I guess that's the same for most things when I try to look back - mostly the happy stuff stays in my head, and not many stressful or negative emotional memories at all. I wonder whether we are simply selective with what we remember? Or perhaps it's just that each time a stressful or negative event occurs, we magnify it so it dominates our thinking at the time? (and therefore, they aren't seen as significantly when we look back upon them) Or maybe our negative memories are selectively suppressed.

Am missing Sal heaps, more and more each day. Even more so when we webcam - somehow instead of necessarily bringing us closer, it manages to jus reinforce and emphasise the fact of our physical separation. Looking forward to the day when we don't need technology to see each other again.

Anywayz, off to sleep - haven't really said much this time, and am too tired to say any more really. If you're bored in the meantime, check out this set of riddles! Good luck!