Library Lounging

I'm in what was previously the "Sydney Customs House," what I'm guessing is the Australian equivalent to Ellis Island, where they have established a very fancy library with art exhibitions and all. Feels more like MOMA than WPPL, aside from the general slowness of the computers - I type and then the words appear several seconds later.

The libraries here have been remarkably open to having me as a part time resident - I've been to three. The first has a waiting list for Michael Chabon's new book "Yiddish Policeman's Union" which is probably longer than the book itself. The second doesn't lend books (but remarkably has somewhat fast wireless Internet for free). This third one doesn't have YPL, and it's been on order for about 50 days. "We don't have a very good system" the librarian admitted.

On the brighter side, the weather has improved - nope, wait, it hasn't. It's actually still raining, but this didn't stop Rupal and I from stripping the paint off some furniture we found, sanding it down, and painting it purple. That was not a typo, but it did appear to take longer to display on the screen, as if the computer actually hesitated to document the fact that we chose purple as the color we wanted to paint a piece of furniture which looked like the remains of a shipwreck to begin with. But alas, we needed something to match our bright blue couch. We are trying to give our flat a "Clockwork Orange" meets "2001 Space Odyssey" meets "The Pursuit of Happiness" motif.

The pictures I upload at some point will give this previous sentence some meaning, someday, when we actually move in fully - which is dependant on the painter coming, which is dependant on Aussies not working 4 day weeks from now until this completely fictional "drought" forces Sydneysiders to abandon the city (evidently this is eminent by 2009, so I was told). Here is the progression of my discussion with our painting professional, the lovable old James:

1. Tuesday: Landlord sends James email requesting work, formally known as a Job Request
2. Wednesday: James reads "Calvin and Hobbes" and eats Twinkies all day
3. Thursday: Landlord calls James to follow up on email*
4. Friday: Josh calls James to schedule a time for James to paint
5. James is at a pub, but will sort out his schedule and call Josh back - but before saying anything he needs Job Request email from Landlord (see #1)
6. Monday: Josh calls James to follow up
7. James is at a job/pub, but will sort out his schedule and call Josh back. "Look mate, I need a job request before anything - but my email is broken. Plus I'm working a 4 day week."
8. Josh's head explodes, painting the walls in a vivid red spat

*This could be fictional

Ta for now!