Lull

I've been enjoying the lull time between the end of assignments and the start of exams. They're about 3 weeks away and I plan to use the time to finish up my readings and study. As exams approach, I'm beginning to take stock of what I really know from my courses and I'll be reviewing everything in the near future. Luckily, I only have 3 exams this semester. With any luck, they'll finish and then I'll be able to relax for a bit before next semester.

There hasn't been much else apart from university other than the fact that I haven't bought a bicycle yet. I've rediscovered the joy of walking, something I hadn't really had to do for well over a year. With my bike now beyond repair, or more accurately, not worth the trouble to repair, I've been hunting for second-hand bikes. I have some promising leads but we'll have to see how things go. With any luck, by the end of the week I'll have a new set of wheels.

I umpired a double-header on Friday night at Kingston Oval, which is a little unusual for Canberra. As the Sydney Swans were playing the Western Bulldogs at Canberra's Manuka Oval the next day, the league decided that there would be a bye this weekend. However, two games were to be played on the Friday before and I was asked to umpire. Although the weather was fine, the temperature started dropping at a reasonable rate after the sun set, although the overcoats weren't needed until the last half of the last game. The games themselves were alright although they were both blowouts, Eastlake winning one and the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) winning the other. The atmosphere, though, was quite exhilarating in a way that doesn't happen during the day on a Saturday or Sunday. Because the games were during the evening and it wasn't a working day, many people showed up. They also brought beer with them and got into the games with a sort of vigour that's often lacking. As it was nightfall, the spectators could drink with a sense of propriety and I must say that it turned out alright. If it wasn't so clod and dark, I would recommend that the league consider more night games.

I realize I haven't written about my New Zealand adventures yet, though I do intend to. I'll see how this week turns out.