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tcpipAll good things must come to an end, and with enormous gratitude for their presence and acceptance of their departure, I've had to bid Lara farewell from her stay at The Rookery (but soon enough, I'll visit Mr Blue Sky in Darwin). During this week we caught up with some of Lara's friends for an evening at 123boom, a sort of live-action video game, and for our the anniversary of the third year of our meeting we went to Leftbank for a long lunch with paired wines and, then to the Yayoi Kusama exhibition at the NGV. Kusama's interest in the detailed life of plants to the erotic (and ultimately pumpkins) is really quite wondrous and appropriately a little disturbing at times. With the exception of a rubbish period when she played with abstract expressionism, her artistic life is really quite exceptional.
The weekend also included an evening in the company of Tim B., and Kitty OF, friends and family. It is well over thirty years that I've known Tim, albeit the distance between Melbourne and Sydney separates us. No time was wasted in ensuring a quality catch-up and I am personally required to reciprocate the visit. The following evening went to Justine M's birthday-cum-2nd housewarming in Thornbury, another great evening of motorcycle adventure videos and superb conversation, before making my way to Carla's birthday gathering whose second part was at a karaoke bar - excellent company, but that wasn't really my style of bar.
One matter that is outside of this active artistic and social update that I must mention is an update on the Gamers for Isla fundraising campaign. With about three weeks to go, this has exceeded the initial and modest expectations that I had set - around $5000 was my target. This was reached in 14 days, so a new target was then set at $7500, which was reached in in 28 days. So a new target was set at $10,000, and it seriously looks like that's going to be passed in the next couple of days. Sometime this week, I'll have to collect the incredible donation of six boxes of games from Simon S., many quite rare and collectable, who is deserving of great accolades for this generosity. One thing for certain; we've made a difference, and Isla's scholarship will receive the positive start that I wanted to see.
The weekend also included an evening in the company of Tim B., and Kitty OF, friends and family. It is well over thirty years that I've known Tim, albeit the distance between Melbourne and Sydney separates us. No time was wasted in ensuring a quality catch-up and I am personally required to reciprocate the visit. The following evening went to Justine M's birthday-cum-2nd housewarming in Thornbury, another great evening of motorcycle adventure videos and superb conversation, before making my way to Carla's birthday gathering whose second part was at a karaoke bar - excellent company, but that wasn't really my style of bar.
One matter that is outside of this active artistic and social update that I must mention is an update on the Gamers for Isla fundraising campaign. With about three weeks to go, this has exceeded the initial and modest expectations that I had set - around $5000 was my target. This was reached in 14 days, so a new target was then set at $7500, which was reached in in 28 days. So a new target was set at $10,000, and it seriously looks like that's going to be passed in the next couple of days. Sometime this week, I'll have to collect the incredible donation of six boxes of games from Simon S., many quite rare and collectable, who is deserving of great accolades for this generosity. One thing for certain; we've made a difference, and Isla's scholarship will receive the positive start that I wanted to see.
