Weather is such a Melbourne thing to talk about.

There was also a caterer serving in Elizabeth near the Block Arcade. Too far away to be the same set, but could be the same production.

Any ideas as to what it might be? Does that timeline match GhostRider? Will I see Nick Cage?

Wandering around the city lately I am dismayed at the uniform dress behaviour of women aged 30 or less. Denim mini-skirt, thongs and some sort of ‘girly’ colored top. Some days it seems like nearly 50% of all girls are wearing this combination. Especially down at Rod Laver Arena.

The uniform behaviour carries over to the court too. There is the Nike uniform, the Adidas uniform and the Fila uniform. If two players are from the same sponsor then they will both turn up wearing the same outfit. When you have 2 Russians you’ve nver heard of wearing the same dress it makes telling them apart very difficult. Especially to this more than casual observer. The men are the same. Are there really only 10 different shirts to choose from for all players in them Men’s draw?

So we wandered futher down Flinders St and stumbled on Melbourne’s “#1st Colombian Restaurant”, the El Dorado.

Don’t be fooled if it looks empty. This was good stuff. Colombian cooking is between Spanish and Mexican and I thoroughly enjoyed the Banjas Paisa plate which had some fried pork, chorizo, plantain, rice black beans and some sort of tortilla thing with a fried egg. All for $13.50 and there was more than I could eat. Give it a try. I doubt you will be dissappointed.

Personally I am stunned by how quickly this has been organised. Normally an event of this size would take weeks or even months to plan. But, such is the resolve of those involved, everything is fast-tracked to completion, heaven and earth will be moved and nothing will stand in the way of this game.

With full ODI status, this will be no hit and giggle affair like the testimonial matches of the past. Hard cricket, played flat out in front of a big crowd. It doesn’t come any better than this.

(Although I doubt that the “estimated 3 billion people” will really be watching.)

You may have seen it advertised with theis mascot as the multi-coloured hand. I’ve seen a few tracksuited athletes around town too. So make them all welcome and give them a thumbs up or whatever the AUSLAN is for Good Luck. Having been to a practice session with the Aussie Ten Pin Bowling Team I only know the Auslan for “Gold”.

My brother is part of the workforce for the games and has been working hard to set up for bowling and shooting. (Hence my opportunity to hang out at the bowling). I hope things go well and good luck to all the athletes.

A man who was the face, voice and gloriously greying mane of Nine is now doing the summer weather gig on Seven.

How does this come to pass?
Are the networks so fickle that they cannot find a dignified role for such a long term performer.

I blame the Government.

Whether milling around trying to find a carpark at Highpoint or Chadstone, or in the constant nose to tail snarl that Collins St becomes (ie. worse than normal) there are a lot of opportunites for angst behind the steering wheel. Maybe the spirit of Christmas balances out the seething rage so that normality is maintained.

I will be heading to Cranbourne on Saturday. I thoroughly expect the Monash Freeway to be a carpark around Heatherton Rd at 10AM on a Saturday. Possibly the same around 5:30. And heaven help those who travel a really long way to fit in all their commitments. I have friends who start in Oakleigh, then to Rosebud and finish the day in Echuca. Why do we do this?

It is, of course, another Pixar triumph and will be a smash hit this summer. My girls emerged from the cinema energised and babbling about their personal highlights. There was much debate in the car on the way home as to who would be which character with Violet their mutual choice. I had no competition for the part of Mr Incredible.

It runs quite long at ~110mins for a movie for the young, but this was the first time my girls had sat still for an entire movie; Such was its’ ability to hold their attention. Only one part had them cowering for my lap, being a very loud fight scene.

For me the highlights were the sound and visuals. Evoking Gerry Anderson and old school Saturday morning cartoons (before they were toy and card game marketing mechanisms), with a healthy dash of James Bond thrown in. There are also CGI animation effects that seem to have been done just so they could show off how to do them. (Look out for hair dryers and books as well as the interaction between water and dirt).

Go see it. You won’t be dissappointed.

Having just spent the last 4 days attending 6 different functions with enormous amounts of food and drink, I think I know how poorly those geese must feel. I’m sure if you were to look at my liver right now it would be engorged and enriched and make a lovely pate.

I think I will spend the next few days living on Berocca, cheese sandwiches and salad.