In which I become nostalgic

So I'm back from Newcastle, hurrah. We rolled in late Monday night, and it was good to see the lights of Melbourne twinkling in the distance. I get these vast feelings of parochialism whenever I come back to M-town from another part of the country - parochialism tinged with relief. Note: I have never experienced this sensation when returning from overseas, so I feel justified in my belief that Melbourne really is better than Adelaide, or Newcastle, or whatever.

TINA was relatively undebaucherous - lots of naps and Jenga and red wine and dinner in the apartment. For whatever reason, the whole festival just seemed more sedate this year. There was less of a focus on visual/performance art as well, so traipsing along the main drag popping in and out of ridiculous shows was not really a viable option. Still, the panel I did went well, I met some interesting people, I bared my legs and I slept at least eight hours every single motherfrigging night, so it was a more than worthwhile experience.

It also kind of rounded out the Farrago year, in a trashy and relaxed and slightly nostalgic way. I think we all spent so much time together, hanging out and shooting the shit, because we realised that opportunities to do so were becoming fewer and further between. We put most of the final edition together before we left, and just proofed a bit and wrote the editorial yesterday. We wound up swigging whisky from the bottle and dancing to Chromeo on top of the desks in the office at about 9 o'clock last night as a final send-off to the magazine, before heading over to hang out with the Lot's Wife kids (and ending up in Stalactites, because none of us had eaten). I highly doubt that I will ever find a workplace quite like that, ever again.

It's going to be weird, not heading into the office every day and eating noodle and having long rambling conversations with the kids. It will be weird not going out for dumplings a couple of nights a week after work, or heading down to the pub, or to a gig together. I mean, we did work, too, but it never felt like work, because our office never felt like a workplace. Sigh. I suppose we will continue to see each other, and it looks like I might be getting an ed as a housemate at the end of the year, but it just won't be the same...

Oh bollocks, now I'm getting nostalgic, and the year hasn't even ended yet. This is ridiculous. So, back from Melbourne, many things to think and write about, will fill you in on details at some point in time kthnxbye. Love, Jess.