So, I was back in Melbourne, and was starting work at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and I was quite excited! But before then I had a few days of doing not a lot.
On Monday I didn’t really do much at all, I did do some boring paperwork that I had to finish before I had my training day, but for the rest of the day I enjoyed the hundreds of TV channels we had which entertained me much more than the terrible Adelaide day-time TV. Mainly I just pottered about the house. Really not the most exciting day I’ve had, but it was one day down before I started work again. I went to bed relatively early that night, with the thoughts that I would have to get up early and go into the City.
My early night did nothing, and by the time I eventually got up I felt absolutely terrible. A shower didn’t help, nor did a cup of tea, but, regardless I had to go into the City, and had to be there by 11am. The walk to the train station felt ten-times longer than it actually is, and at one point felt like I was going to throw-up. Yay! Good start to a festival. I made it to Flinders St, and headed straight to get a giant sized coffee to try and help me feel better – it didn’t, but I went in to find out exactly what I was going to be doing. When I found the room I saw a few familiar faces, mainly from the Garden, but some from Melbourne Fringe, too, and I was very surprised to see one of my friends from the Science Festival in Edinburgh was there too – I didn’t know she was on this side of the world! And then the talks started – I think I have explained many times already my frustration at these training days, but we did the usual rubbish, and the safety talks, and then got given our little folders with all the info about our venues. Safe to say I wasn’t best pleased with what I had been given, and that is the nice way to put it. A tiny little 56-seater, and I didn’t know any of the artists. I vaguely knew the name of one of them, but apart form that, they were new to me. Boring! Anyway, after a few more lovely talks we were set free for lunch, and I headed to once again get some coffee – still had a fantastic fever which was confusing my body – coffee seemed safe though. Back to the Town Hall for another introduction to all the important people in the festival, and ultimately another hour of having to sit there and listen to boring rubbish. Eventually we got to go and see our venues, and took some posters to covers the walls in. I was shown my room, and told to stay there until they came back and told me all of the specific stuff for the room. I put up the posters with a bit of help with some other people, and then sat down and waited. And waited. And then found out I don’t get phone reception there, but still waited a bit longer. Eventually someone came down and told me everything I needed to know, and then I went to poster some walls. I did finally feel a bit better though. After about an hour of postering we all got to go home – hurray! I did have plans to wander about the City for a while and have a look at some stuff, but I went straight home, made a sandwich, and slept for a while. When I woke up I felt fantastic again – just a half-day sickness! As Will and Toni were both still at work busy putting stuff together, I thought I’d go to IGA and get some stuff for dinner. After getting some stuff to make a sensible pasta dish, I found out neither of them were home for dinner, so I changed my plans very quickly, and I ended up having pancakes for dinner. Hurray for being a grown-up and being able to eat what I want!
I woke up kinda early again, which was nice, and this time I didn’t feel terrible, which was a bonus. I once again stayed in the house for most of the day – and phoned people from home to find out all of their news. I mainly spent my day in front of the computer, and just doing not a lot. Dad called me in the afternoon and let me know that he was planning a holiday with my sister, and I was invited – amazing. So I spent a while searching the internet for cheap flights to the Canaries, and then phoned my sister to have a chat. I’d already planned to, but this news made me slightly more eager, and as soon as she got back from work, I gave her a call and asked her all about it. Turns out it isn’t really happening, and it was just my Dad getting ahead of himself, and making silly plans. Shame though, it would have been nice! And so that’s how I spent my last day before I started work.
The next day I was due to start work at 5:15 and after I woke up late, I was in the mentality that I didn’t have any time to do anything before work, so just wasted time and then got ready for the fun. When I got there I collected my stuff and headed down to the corridor, which was to be my home for the next month. It seemed very cold and breezy. I then found out that I was so far into the depths of the building my radio didn’t work – that will be annoying. The night wasn’t really that bad, and I learnt the ropes of how it all worked, and in the end I even found one little spot where my radio worked. Sometimes. I also found out the techs in my room are people I already know, and I’m pretty chuffed with them! I did get very bored though throughout the course of the night, and read the programme pretty much cover to cover. Ah well, at least I know more than before about my shows! But, did vow that I would bring a book from now on. During my break I sampled some of the food from Flinders Street, and it was horrible. No other word for it. Wedges that were like cardboard, and spring rolls with something weird in them. There’s plenty more places to try over the next month! As I finished after midnight I got offered a cab-charge. I decided I had spent enough time in the City, and it had been very boring, so I took up the offer, bought an iced coffee, and headed home. I had survived the first day. The one downfall was that, as I didn’t finish till midnight I didn’t get tired till about 4am. Dammit.
The next day I was more prepared for work – I had many more layers on, a book in my bag, and a coffee in my hand. To be honest it still wasn’t that busy, which actually surprised me, as me it was a Friday night. But, still no crowds. Which was a shame, and meant that I got to read half my book. Not a bad night really! I didn’t even have to worry about any sold out shows – nothing was really busy enough to worry about. Chilled out night. I once again had the dilemma of what to eat, but decided against it, and went to Starbucks and got a huge Chai tea. It’s actually the first Starbuck’s I’ve had since I got here – there are so many other cafes around, you don’t have to, but, it was late, and they do the biggest cups. Ooops. As it was Friday there were later trains. So I didn’t get a cab charge, which was annoying, but I ran and got the last one. Just in time. I then found out that there was a crazy lady in my carriage. She was proper crazy, and just randomly shouting – just what I wanted! Why are they always on my train?
Saturday was much the same as Friday. I did get a chance to read the other half of my book though, so I can’t complain too much! For my food choice of the night I stayed safe, and got cheese and crackers. Good choice! Also found out that the 7/11 does tea for $1. Fantastic. I wouldn’t trust their coffee, but you can’t go wrong with tea. After the joyous Saturday night that it was, I thought I would go to Hi-Fi, the bar across the road, and also a venue. When I finally got outside, from my little hobbit hole, I saw that there was a bloody queue down the road. Boring. Really wasn’t up for waiting in the queue, I headed to the train station and went home. Exciting night. Although I went home, it didn’t mean that I went to bed, and in fact still seemed to be awake at 5am. Not good. In the end I fell asleep, thank god!
Thanks to my late night it meant I woke up stupidly late, and really didn’t have that long before I had to go to work – it all started an hour earlier as it was Sunday. Melbourne Fringe did it too, and I just don’t know why – it just confuses me! So much for going to the gym before work during this thing. Dammit! It was a short night at work, as there were only 4 shows, instead of 5. Bonus. I went to Hi-Fi after work, and just watched the weird comedy that was happening – it was stupidly quiet in there, and I just sat, chatted to Will, and had a drink. Then one of my friends from Edinburgh walked past me. Not the same one I met at the training, but a new one. I couldn’t believe it. I was slightly wary to jump up and say hello, as she has an identical twin, but she saw me, and recognised me. Fantastic! So I spent the rest f the night catching up with her, and ended up going home at 3am. Once again I couldn’t get to sleep until 5a m – this really is annoying.
And so that is my week, I have started work, and am going to be doing it for the next three weeks - this could get slightly annoying, but, hopefully I’ll be able to see the shows in my room at some point. I’ve also met up with a couple of friends, so now I have more people to meet up with whilst I’m here. Always good. Bring on week two of the comedy festival – it might even get busier.
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