Extra Extra Long Weekend

I have a headache... I have a headache and a flu... I have a headache and a flu and had a very eventful weekend to go with it... I don't think I can write proper sentences at teh moment but allow me to recount the weekend for your perverse reading pleasure:

Wednesday 18th April, Evening: As part of the Anime Exhibition at the NSW Art Gallery, they are showing the Studio Ghibli's movie of "The Cat Returns". Went with my friends Kaz and Zoe. Very cute fable-type tale with slick animation, along with a ridiculous premise of a story but highly entertaining.

I remember not wearing a jumper or jacket in the cold theatre and I felt a bit chilled to my core. I thought nothing of it really... Just the chills, you know.

Wednesday 18th April, Night: I had a Korean dinner with Kaz to discuss the Virginia Tech shooting by that American-Korean whack job. Quite an appropriate Korean dinner conversation really... NOT... :-)

Thursday 19th April, Morning: Wake up. New dawn, new day. All is beautiful. Wear a full suit to work knowing I will have a job interview later in the afternoon.

Thursday 19th April, Afternoon: Something is terribly wrong. My throat is dry and coarse. Head swells like a psychotic balloon. Nose runs like Maurice Greene on a Leer Jet. Something is terribly wrong.

Thursday 19th April, Evening: Head to the job interview, suit, shirt, tie, Congo drums beating in my head... Ramble on about stock indicators and DB schema and long term strength and C# and nonsensical crap like that... After the interview, went home and try to sleep it off.

Friday 20th April, Morning: Wake up, the sky had fallen through the ceiling on my head. Life is not rosy. Went back to my sorry slumber.

Friday 20th April, Afternoon: Wake up again, call in sick at work. Life positively sucked the marrow out of my bones.

Friday 20th April, Evening: Receives a call from the interviewers from Thursday to say I have won the interview process and they are offering me a role in their prodigious fund management company. "Excellent, thank you!" I said, while globs of snot is streaming down my face.

Friday 20th April, Night: Watch the ANZAC Test between Australia vs. New Zealand. Australia gallops home with a score of 30-6.

None of the flu tablet I am chowing down have any effect, my headache is progressively eating away at my brain (what's left of it). Decide to have an early night.

Saturday 21st April, 1am in the freakin morning: Wake up, find it hard to draw breath, cannot sleep, cannot live really...

Decide to turn on the radio to follow the Cricket World Cup match between Australia vs. New Zealand, hoping against all hope that might put me to sleep. Australia wallops 348 runs for 6 wickets. New Zealand succumbed to be all out for 133.

Saturday 21st April, 5am in the bleedin morning: Finally falls asleep. A great day to be an Aussie. A bad day to be a New Zealander. An unbelievably shitty day to be me.

Saturday 21st April, 9am in the morning: Woke up for the fourth or fifth time for the morning. Officially declare myself to be a zombie, roaming around randomly as an undead, scouring for brains to feast upon.

Saturday 21st April, 11am in the morning: Trot to the doctor with tail firmly tucked between my legs. Antibiotics is in the order for the day.

Saturday 21st April, 1pm in the afternoon: Finally received my medication from the pharmacy after an hour wait. Thanks heaps, "Roy Young Chemist". I'll be sure to mention that in the police report after I finish devouring all your staff's brain, if they have any.

Took my meds, try to sleep, try to gain some rest, try to lose my zombie tendency.

Saturday 21st April, Evening: Drag my sorry arse out. Suited up once more to go the Basement jazz club.

My friend Zoey's surprise birthday party, cannot miss that... Jazz virtuoso James Morrison is playing, cannot miss that... The club's a-la-carte meals are woeful beyond description, I just wish I could have missed that.

I believe the steaks are still moo-ing and grazing on the side-salad when they arrived at our table. Yummmmy!

Saturday 21st April, 10pm at Night: Mr. Morrison finally decided to show up, only half an hour late. How convenient. BUT...

The show was absolutely rocking (or jazzing if you prefer)!!!

Lead singer Emma Pask possesses a raspy, soulful voice. Her vocals are well polished but it didn't quite agree with me entirely. Still, her improv are super coooool to the max. The Saxaphonist/Flutist was f**king sublime, a true craftsman of his art.

Of course, the maestro that is James Morrison out-shone all others. An engaging and sharp wit. A high note that is larger than life. He stole his own show if that was at all possible...

I may be dying from my flu but at least I was in jazz heaven before I draw my last breath.

(For some photos from the evening, please visit Carra's web Album)

Sunday 22nd April, 4am in the morning: Finally arrive home in one piece and go straight to bed, after chatting to Gnaphos online for two hours first... that didn't help my health situation one bit.

Sunday 22nd April, later in the morning: Wake up to die or to do my laundry, little difference really. When I hang out my clothes to dry, it starts to rain... Heavily...

Somebody up there loves me...

Sunday 22nd April, Afternoon: Must rest, less stress... Tonight I have a date. Well 20 of them exactly. Twenty speed dates to test my will to live. Must... Survive... Tonight...

Sunday 22nd April, Evening: Suited up for one last time for this Extra Extra Long Weekend. Arrived at the Oscar bar at Pyrmont for the speed dates. Sweating profusely in my nice Senator suit jacket with a nice fever to go along with it. Verrry sexxxy...

Headache suddenly comes back with a vengeance. Frantically meeting and greeting all the lovely ladies, while shadowing any signs that I am on Death's door. Thanks to Kaz for the Panadol, but they did little to ease my ride down River Styx.

Every two minutes, a little bells rings and all the guys must get up and move to the next girl:

• "Hi Sarah."... DING!
• "What do you do in your spare time, Jia-Shen?"... DING!
• "Which uni did you attend, Vicki?"... DING!
• "Nice blouse, Lisa, you look lovely in them."... DING!
• "You are a very attractive lady, Laura."... DING!
• "Cute little doggy, Sharon."... DING!
• "What a beautiful name, Lillian."... DING!
• "What's your favourite movie, Jackie?"... DING! DING! DING!!!

On and on it goes. I feel like a roll of out of use-by-date sushi, flying around and around on life's eternal/infernal sushi train. A least I look good in my sweaty jacket...

A special thanks goes to Wyatt and his team, Eddie and Carmen, for their relentless effort in organising this event. It was an incredibly fun event, I just wish I could enjoy it to its full extent... But you guys are awesome.

Sunday 22nd April, Night: Driving home alone in the pouring rain. In my hazy feverish state, started to hallucinate Dr. Karl in my passenger seat, warning me about the "dangers of micro sleep". Thanks Dr. Karl, I love you too, mate.

Monday 23rd April: I'm still alive!! Partially... There's a lesson to be learnt from this weekend. I'm not sure what it is but you be sure to tell if you know what it all that means.

I am going to bed...