AUTHOR: Kevin Kelly
DATE: 10:36 AM
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BODY:
It's 6:30pm Wednesday.  Where did my Tuesday go?<br /><br />I made it!  Even with all my bitching about how first class/business class passengers get everything handed to them on silver platters, I have to admit that I enjoyed the heck out of it.  The food was really good, the flight attendants were there anytime you so much as sneezed, and I had an entire inflight entertainment system.  Granted, it was filled with lackluster movies like "Tomb Raider 2" and "Le Divorce", but it was still fun to play with.  I tried watching "Raiders of the Lost Ark" on my laptop, but I was too tired after all that.  I ended up doing a bit of reading, and listening to audiobooks on my iPod (I decided to treat myself after getting this job, and good grief those things are so much fun.  I should have bought one awhile ago).<br /><br />Here's a view from my seat to the right, this is what I saw for a little more than 14 hours.<br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/chair2.jpg" alt="The View"><br /><br />Look!  It's breakfast!  On my monitor is the flight path from Los Angeles.  It was so addictive to watch a little graphic of my plane inching it's way across the map.  Sort of like watching the weather channel.  I feel 65 now.<br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/chair1.jpg" alt="The View II"><br /><br />This is a shot of the controls JUST TO WORK THE FREAKING SEAT.  It was like trying to parallel park the Space Shuttle.<br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/controls.jpg" alt="Controls"><br /><br />These are the clouds over the east coast of Australia.  Can't you tell?<br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/airwindow.jpg" alt="Clouds"><br /><br />This is my little hotel in an area called Surry Hills.  It's pretty cool, with pubs and shops all over the place.  The unit is like a little apartment.  I have a kitchen, a living room, a pretty big bedroom, a balcony, and a bathroom.  Oh, and a washer and dryer, so I can wash my undies.  <br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/hotel.jpg" alt="Living Room"><br /><br><br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/kitchen.jpg" alt="Kitchen"><br /><br><br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/bedroom.jpg" alt="Bedroom"><br /><br />Australian money is very cool looking.  On the right edge of all the dollar bills are little clear transparent windows.  Supposed to make it very hard to counterfeit.  It's rad.  This is my per diem for the week.  We get an American cash equivalent per week for incidentals.  I have just now made beer one of my incidentals.<br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/money.jpg" alt="Money"><br /><br />Driving.  I have a rental car, and about 250 pairs of spare underwear.  Driving on the left is INSANE.  Roundabouts are DEATHTRAPS.  Gas is EXPENSIVE.  I'm not paying for the gas, but believe me, I'd rather pay for the gas than have to deal with the roundabouts.  And the pedestrians here just step off the curb, whenever they feel like it!  Crosswalks are largely ignored, and I've had about 10 people already come close to kissing my passenger window as they step off before I've even gone by.  Insane.<br /><br />Everyone here loves Vegemite.  I just don't get it.  Although I have found something I like.  TIMTAMS!  They are so freaking delicious.  Little chocolate biscuit cookie things.  Addictive.  Especially with tea.  Color me Australian, I guess.<br /><br />We went to the office for the afternoon to meet everyone and have some preliminary meetings with the art department, costumes, and the creature shop.  Here's my little area on the second floor.  Through the window you can see a huge chunk of the bay, it's really pretty.<br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/office1.jpg" alt="My Office"><br /><br><br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/view.jpg" alt="Office View"><br /><br />This is my boss' office, right next to mine.  For some reason they gave us both these funky metal and red futons.  Not sure if they are encouraging us to sleep here or what.<br /><img src="http://users.adelphia.net/~shazam/journal/oz/office2.jpg" alt="Boss"><br /><br />Thursday:<br />This was our first full day in the office.  I pulling reference shots off of some of our DVDs for the art department to use as models.  We got the first night of the script today, did edits, and the writer is giving us a new draft for the weekend.  The script is on red paper (makes it very hard to copy), with our names behind the dialogue, complete with code numbers.  They are being extremely careful about letting this script leak out.  Worked a full day today, it was cold and rainy outside.  Tonight I went for a long walk, trying to stay up so I could shake off the last of the jet lag (I woke up at 5am today because of it).  Walked to Oxford Street which is very hip and happening.  Went to a couple of pubs and had some really good, really cheap Australian beer.  One interesting thing is that the Salvation Army guy will come right up to you inside the bar, shaking this little wooden cup at you for change.  Right there in the bar.  That was kinda funky.  Plus one of the magazines in my hotel has an advertisement in it for a constipation medicine featuring a bare-assed woman in the picture.  Lovely.  At least she was hot.<br /><br />Over and out.  More on the flipside.<br /><br />
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