mathieutozer.com

This is a damn pie kiosk so bear with me!

I'm in the emerald city (Sydney) for "Fashion Exposed" this week. Arrived
early on Thursday and spent the day at the Exhibition centre helping out.
Felt like a labourer in my worker vest!

Oporto Bondi burger, and then taxi home. Was very tired so flaked out with
a bit of TV and a cup of tea before passing out in bed.

Awoke yesterday early and got the runners on. I had to follow other
joggers to find places to run,  I hope I didn't scare anyone too much!

Went in for my fitting, but I had fitted pretty much everything already so
I headed into the city in search for somewhere to do some homework. Had a
salmon  wrap (uncommon in Melbourne?) and found a nice corner slightly
corporate cafe at the base of a tower. I know I was across from a
backpackers, but really how this:

Waiter: So where are you from?
Mathieu: Melbourne.
Waiter: Oh! I thought you were going to say something like Germany or
something! (Walks away)

I must have looked exotic with my eMate open writing all over the screen
looking busy and checking my notes on my nano. Most people have never seen
a Newton eMate before (another customer said as he walked off "They're
just getting crazier and crazier aren't they! Even though the line was
discontinued back in '98!)

Found a real internet cafe and did some more reading on "The Tale of
Genji" for my JPS subject.

Walked walked walked walked walked all over town. Kinokunia for a while
and a bit of air-con (its humid) and a 'tonkotsu ramen' from the Japanese
noodle shop. Yummy (with lots of collagen!).

Flaked out in the DJ food court for a good 45 min resting, then walked
over to the aquarium where I was meeting up with old friends from APU.
Vanessa, her BF Oli, Brett, Linda, Eric, Alan and later Nathan (was that
everyone?) went for a beer, moved onto another place for more drinks. I
got a bit excited and signed Vanessa and I up for a foosball tournament
that we never ended up doing. Headed across town to this Jazz bar which was
largely deserted and had a heavy cover charge, and I had a curry lamb
pie. We organised to go out at the 'cross' and apologetically left with
the bar woman pleading with me to make us stay! "But look at the
audience!" (Pointing at the tables of empty seats).

Anyway taxi took us across town, and I had an epiphany of a Sydney moment
looking from the back seat out the windscreen through ok-I-think-I-really-have been-drinking eyes at the 'Coca-cola sign' with the long stream of
traffic heading down the hill and then back up again. A common sight for
Sydney siders but all new to me.

We went to a bar / club and a rock band was playing. We all hung in the
shadows waiting for the DJ to start, and found a librarian looking one
playing some pretty fun tunes out the back. We were sweating a bit and by
the time the main DJ was getting ready to start my knees were buckling.

Said farewell and walked out and down to Wooloomooloo for a Cafe de Wheels
pie (I urinated somewhere inappropriate on my way) and then cabbed it
home with a very opinionated cabby who was the longest serving Paraplegic
(I'm pretty sure he said quad though) tai driver in the nation! I told him
what I was studying and I think he wanted then to tell me I knew nothing.
I still helped him with the back seat-belt when I was dropped off, I guess
he meant no harm. I said I was here in Sydney to model, and then he asked
if I was with Chadwicks, "Mr. Chadwick I've had here in the cab you know!"
And then (the strangest yet) he pulled out a picture of himself from 1984,
before he was 'maimed' when he was playing some part over in Gallipoli,
standing before the bonnet of a swank red car, in nothing but a pair of
red shorts made of parachute material. What do you say?

I think I made some gesture (nodded). And he smiled proudly, bitterly,
who knows and slipped it back above the passenger side sunshade.

And that was yesterday

--

I went for another run this morning. My legs were tired but I pushed
myself,following the signs to Newton. Ran past Sydney University and up
past all the shops along that strip. Stopped in 'UniSyd' park and worked
my tris with dips on a park bench, did 3 sets of push ups superset with 3
sets of ab exercises (leg raises) then did 3 sets of braces superset with
3 sets   of slow controlled pushups. I was by then singlet-less and
dripping! Feeling invigorated I jogged back to the apartment and showered.

Today's call time is at 4, Sunday's is at 12, and Monday's is at 8 am.

Oh Andy I've mistakenly taken your toothbrush 0_o sorry!

I'll try to update again soon.