Nick Abroad

I haven’t written for a while, I know.

The reasons are plenty. I’ve been in a race with the 31 October date in my calendar to catch up on my finances over these last few weird months and get my tax in before the deadline. That’s pretty boring, nobody wants to hear about that.

I’ve been busy with work, but that’s no news.

I haven’t travelled anywhere new, well, not really. Work jaunt to Bangkok for 3 days, a day in Hobart, a day in Albury, and 3 days in Auckland last week and a day in Melbourne this weekend.

Not a lot of big news out of any of this, although I did get a gong at the VAC AGM for my ten years as their returning officer, blending my devotion to community, politics, and a geeky ability to apply my mathematics skills to the complex challenge that is proportional representation elections.

Really, not much to report at all.

I won the Joy 94.9 FM footy tipping competition, and ended up chatting about it on air at some ungodly hour from my Bangkok hotel room. To those who really know me, this IS news, as I’m not exactly a “So, How About Those Doggies” kinda guy. Let’s just say it was more due to mathematics and statistics skills than an intense love of football. Oh, and the fact that teams whose colours appeal to me fared well this season. If Hawthorn had performed well I would have been sunk.

I guess the other reason I haven’t been particularly chatty is that my internal dialogue has not been all that happy. Mum’s death has been tough for me, and it’s particularly tough dealing with it in Sydney rather than Melbourne. You know, this is stuff I don’t want to load down my friends with, and I’m not sure benefits anyone by writing about. Suffice to say I miss her every day, she was such a mate, and I have a hole in me the size of a house.

On to other things.

What has been interesting has been my foray into lifesaving.

Tamarama, my club, is pretty awesome. I have joined my friend Christian in a ten week Bronze Medallion course at the club, at the end of which we will be qualified lifesavers. We’re half way through, and it’s going well.

The beach is tough – a pile of my group had to themselves be rescued on the Saturday before last when the beach turned into a massive washing machine – but of course that makes me even happier that I picked the right club to join.

This Saturday just gone was the kind of day you dream about… sunny, no wind, high twenties, perfectly formed ‘spilling’ waves. My Run-Swim-Run was strong, my work on the surf rescue board the best it has been yet. Brunch afterwards was enjoyed greatly.
Exams are end of November, can’t wait. Then it’s on Patrol every 3 weeks, a great way to punctuate my summer in Sydney. Nice.