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Late last week I took a couple of days off work (they keep telling me to reduce my outstanding leave) to go on an Avatar Mountain business planning session with Anthony L., and Robin M., at the RACV Country Club in Healesville. We explored a number of the immediate environmental issues facing Pacific island states as well as longer-term projects, noting how the latter seems to have some fairly interesting players engaging in what appears to be a bit of a land grab under the supposed marketing of environmental protection. But of course, imperialism has always pretended that it was for the benefit of the colonised. The resort itself was of very good quality and in pretty nice surroundings; the bed came with its own tribble, and I was pleased to be woken by a baby magpie on the balcony. The following day was the AGM of the ACFS, where Anthony and Robin stepped down from their many years of service as president and secretary, respectively, and I had the opportunity to give a presentation on last year's conference in Suzhou, but also extend discussion to the much wider issue of China and the global climate which generated a lot of interest. I took the opportunity to suggest that the "Two Mountains Theory" of environmental protection coupled with economic development, also needed to be extended to a "Two Roads Theory" for international trade and infrastructure.
Outside of such formal activities, on Friday night Liana F., took me out to the "Motley Bauhaus Burlesque". The style was more arthouse burlesque, as fitting the venue and clientele, although I must say that the MC's outfit of an almost square-shouldered suit jacket, ruffle shirt, and giant red beret was getting pretty close to the classic Bauhaus clothing style and their sense of performance. The following night Julie A., who has just finished her psychology degree and was feeling in a celebratory mood, invited us out to Creature Bar, which has a good sense of horror-movie aesthetic and plenty of board games. We ended up playing Scrabble over a couple of wines; Liana, whose life has been associated with this game (her mother was a state champion), managed to score more than both Julie and I put together. Tonight Erica H., visited for dinner and a quiet evening of "Star Trek: Enterprise", which we have been slowly working through together. Although it is a bit of a middling series and story, and terribly socially anachronistic, one cannot help but be impressed by Jolene Blalock's performance and style as the Vulcan science office, T'Pol.
Outside of such formal activities, on Friday night Liana F., took me out to the "Motley Bauhaus Burlesque". The style was more arthouse burlesque, as fitting the venue and clientele, although I must say that the MC's outfit of an almost square-shouldered suit jacket, ruffle shirt, and giant red beret was getting pretty close to the classic Bauhaus clothing style and their sense of performance. The following night Julie A., who has just finished her psychology degree and was feeling in a celebratory mood, invited us out to Creature Bar, which has a good sense of horror-movie aesthetic and plenty of board games. We ended up playing Scrabble over a couple of wines; Liana, whose life has been associated with this game (her mother was a state champion), managed to score more than both Julie and I put together. Tonight Erica H., visited for dinner and a quiet evening of "Star Trek: Enterprise", which we have been slowly working through together. Although it is a bit of a middling series and story, and terribly socially anachronistic, one cannot help but be impressed by Jolene Blalock's performance and style as the Vulcan science office, T'Pol.
