I would never have guessed.

Almost Boston Tea Party time. Yes I do realise it wasn’t actually a tea party, but I do plan on having tea in Boston if only to name it Boston Tea Party when I put the obligatory photo on flickr.

Seriously, packing for an overseas trip has to be almost as stressful as paying for the airfare and getting to the airport. Somehow I’ve managed to pack fairly lightly, I know something is missing…

The greatest dilemma has been culling the camera load. I’ve decided upon:

• my new Nikon film with 28mm lens
• DSLR with 135mm and 50mm
• Polaroid SX 70 with 600 film and blend filter

No Holga, no Polaroid, no Yashicas, no Canon EOS SLR.

I bought the Nikon FM3A especially for this trip. The last couple of trips I have gone on, I have been crazy snaphappy with my DSLR, come home with over 600 shots and then not had enough time to get them all fixed up and printed. It frustrates me no end. So I made the decision to go back to film fulltime baby!

Well, I say fulltime, but it’ll probably be more likely 70/30. You know you are going to see shots of Vancouver up here within days of landing!

See you in Vancouver!

So I may FINALLY get to hear the fabulously delicious voice of Jose Gonzalez as he is coming back for a third time in August.

There are rumours of Feist playing Splendour and I can’t even mutter it more than softly, but the major hot tip is that she may be coming. Squealy girl me. No, don’t get excited. Expect low, gain high.
Sydney faves Dappled Cities start their crazy fight em out tour with Red Riders tomorrow night at the sold out gig at the Metro. Melbourne faves The Basics are playing a gig at the Hopetoun in a couple weeks, on my birthday actually. Aaannnnddd..we see The National in 2 weeks on our Boston Tea Party tour. I cannot express my happy happy joyness about that! Get The Boxer now.

In other yummy artyfarty news, my new but old lens finally arrived so I may actually get to use the new camera this weekend!

So yep, thats the simple name I have given to this whirlwind tour of Boston in the coming weeks.

The Boston Tea Party will take place very soon and I’m finally starting to get excited. I really haven’t saved up any money, have spent any I may have had on a new camera and have been far too caught up with work and life to think about it.

Work has caused me a few problems of late, I’ve let myself get run down and overworked and anxious about things but I’m stepping back finally and things will sort themselves out. I’ve also madly been planning one of my best friends’ bridal shower/hens night for this coming Saturday. Funny that I am, because this exact weekend last year was my snowy winter solstice 20-10th birthday extravaganza. So, its all been rather hectic and nuts!
Things may start to settle for me soon, so now I am making a Boston Tea Party playlist for our trip. However, can I think of any Boston bands? Hell, no! Sean came up with Aerosmith and the only other one I can find is Mighty Mighty Bosstones and yeah, it aint happening with either. So far my list is comprised of the Dropkick Murphys. I need more tunes.

Anyone know of any other Boston bands to fill my Boston Tea Party playlist with?

OK this post isn’t as “big” as it sounds. I’m talking about me the reader.

I love books, I love reading. I am a specialist reading teacher. I spend most nights reading on the net. I dream of opening my own book store. I am someone who loves reading novels however I am a SLOW reader. Unlike the Canadian, who absolutely eats books alive and goes through them at an astounding rate, I never seem to be able to read books quickly.

I guess it comes down to my busy life and being exhausted when I go to bed most nights. I *wish* ever so much that I could read more books. It was one of my goals this year. READ MORE BOOKS! The whole practice what I preach thing?

So anyway, I started the year well and read a Nick Hornby, a Haruki Murakami, a Nora Ephron over the summer break and then I started on Memoirs of a Geisha, which I absolutely adored. I haven’t loved a book like I did Memoirs in a very long time. It did however take me months to read! Its pathetic! Its not because I find them hard to read, I read well and easily. I’ve always been a good reader. You’d hope so, seeing as I am teaching children who do not know how to master it.

I just take so long to get through something I’m really loving. I know with Memoirs that I was putting off finishing as I didn’t want it to end.

In fact, reading it and Norwegian Wood in the past little while is what has sparked this obsession I have with Japan at the moment. Look at those Flickr Favourite posts, a lot of those shots are of Japanesey things.

Do yourself a favour if you have not read Memoirs of a Geisha and read it now! My next task is finding the next book. Always a hard thing to do after reading one of the best books of your life. I may choose another Murakami but maybe I need a break from Japan. Any suggestions?