Go Hawks!

A surprising number of people in Australia seem to be interested in the NFL, although they never can resist telling me how dainty the players are for wearing padding and helmets. Every Monday morning during football season, Channel 7 broadcasts the games and I occasionally wake up a bit early to watch with my coffee and toast. This Monday happened to be the Seattle v. Green Bay game, but from what I could see of it during the 2^nd quarter it looked like a bit of a snooze. I logged into Facebook at lunchtime, and it was extremely obvious that things had taken a dramatic turn.

Of course I was happy to hear the Hawks had advanced to another Super Bowl, but I think what made me the happiest was this particular photo of Jon Ryan throwing a TD pass following a fake field goal attempt:

This is the face of an undrafted punter from Canada at the precise moment his legacy as a hero or complete failure is being decided. From my perspective that’s a bit of an overstatement, but judging by his face maybe it isn’t!

Hot Fun in the Summertime

My office in Sydney is located on Oxford Street, where there always seems to be a lot of activity. There are about a hundred cafes and restaurants to choose from for lunch, in addition to some more seedy offerings: a liquor store on every block, adult shops with names such as “Tool Shed”, and nightclubs that don’t open until hours after I’ve already gone home from work. Among other things, it is known as the main gay district in Sydney, with people travelling from all over the country to take part in the Mardi Gras parade each year.

It’s felt like summer here for over a month now, but this afternoon I noticed a sign indicating that summer on Oxford Street has truly arrived: a sale on men’s Brazilian waxes at the salon across the street.

I'm sure they'll have a few takers!