Gnocchi, Departures and a Walrus

Final week of uni before SWOTVAC (Situation Without Owning Total Vaccines And Corn) begins. SWOTVAC doesn’t actually stand for what I just wrote, but I believe it’s far more interesting to describe the study period before exams start.

I am coming down with a cold at the moment. I did tell my manager the other day that I intend to beat it out of me like candy from a piñata. That said, I don’t really feel phlegm is as awesome as candy. Nor as fun.

Last week’s uni week kicked off with a bad essay mark. It’s not like my bubble of awesome was rudely popped or anything, because I think I spent something like 3 hours writing that particular essay and still got a pass. The lecturer for that particular subject, though, gave me conflicting advice/guidance before I actually wrote it.

Monday was also full of conversations. Good conversations. More on that as it develops, I guess.

Back to the cold briefly. I believe that the pace I’ve sustained over the past three months is catching up with me. I’ve found it a lot tougher to relax and sleep consistently of late. Short bursts of sleep followed by nights of hibernation, waking up and wondering whether I just missed an entire day or longer.

Tuesday was homemade gnocchi night at my Nonna’s house. There’s only one reason why I don’t eat Italian food while I’m out in Melbourne – my Nonna. When she migrated to Australia, she was the head chef of Il Gambero on Lygon Street (though it may have closed/moved now) and I can attest to the fact that the food quality would have been far superior back then.

I intend to learn how to make homemade gnocchi, but I need that valuable thing called spare time. That and I’d love a Pokemon-styled RPG moment of, “Paolosaur learnt Gnocchi and forgot Mi Goreng”.

On Thursday morning, I had to drop my parents off at the airport for their seven week trip around Europe. They are currently in Rome, the lucky so-and-sos. One key feature of this journey was using the Western Ring Road to get to the airport. Now, I left at a reasonable time (7am) yet the road slows to a crawl around the Sydney Road exit and the rest of the trip becomes some sort of existential crisis in which you can’t help but feel like asking some of the more important questions in life… “Does chocolate ever feel grumpy?”, “Is Mars REALLY our best option to live on should this world end?”, “Should I change my socks?” etc.

Sorry, Vash has decided to do his “I’m-going-to-fall-asleep-sitting-up-and-then-collapse-onto-the-keyboard-while-you-try-and- update your-blog” attack. Naturally, he collapses right onto the CAPS LOCK key or the F1 (Help) key, which opens a new window.

..back to the less-than-Western Ring Road. It’s a nightmare. Seriously. What on earth are all those temporary fences, barricades and various flashing signs saying ‘Roadworks… Speed limits enforced… 80 km/h…” actually doing? Sweet cranberry all, that’s what.

Those very same roadworks have been sitting on there with no sign of actual workers (the times I’ve been driving on it) for at least 18 months. Melbourne really needs to get its act together in terms of urban planning. Hoddle Street, anyone? How about Burke Road?

My day was far from over on Thursday, after my 11am tutorial I had to make my way into the city to hire a costume for a dress-up party I was attending on Saturday night. The theme? The Beatles, of course!

I had known about the party for some time and had decided upon receiving the invite that I would be attending as a walrus. (Vash has just now attempted his attack again)

I managed to find a walrus costume at a costume place in the CBD, except it was for the Alice in Wonderland walrus. Either way, I asked them to remove the monocle and I just rented the head.

Those of you familiar with The Beatles should already be aware of the song ‘I am the Walrus’ and I imagine you’re all going, “Why, that’s very clever.” and I thank you for participating in my mind control experiment.

What you may or may not be aware of, however, is that on The White Album, which has been pointed out to me that it’s actually self-titled since, is a song called ‘Glass Onion’. I direct your attention to the following lyrics. Onward ho!

I told you ’bout the Walrus and me, man
You know that we’re as close as can be, man
Well, here’s another clue for you all
The Walrus was Paul

Knowledge. Bomb. Dropped.

This did lead to me being aptly named Paulrus by a very savvy feline-hearting co-worker of mine. And it now seems like that nickname is going to stick. Time for me to rub up against rocks and bellow loudly.

NYWM starts tomorrow… Interesting times are ahead. Stay tuned.