This past weekend, Rebecca, Bennett, and I took the free ferry to Cockatoo Island for the 17th Biennial art exhibition “CLOSING AUGUST 1ST!!!”. The ferry ride over was absolutely stunning, what with the 70-ish degree weather and sunshine – something that hasn’t been seen in these parts for quite some time. We made it to the island, snacked on some apples and stared into the setting sun over the water. It was windy but Rebecca, like the pro that she is, rolled and smoked her habitual cigarette. I want to relish in these first few moments on the island because then…well…

Let me preface this story by providing what little I know of Cockatoo Island’s history. Like Alcatraz, it was a prison island a long, long time ago. Then it was used for shipping and other economy things and blah blah blah and now, in it’s 17th Biennial, it has become an art exhibition/tourist destination/camping site.

And so, we walked into the first shoddy warehouse room to see the art but were confronted instead with a looped video of a man-actor torchering a woman-actor by dunking her head into water repeatedly. “The Confession”.”Art”.

It was, to say the least, very disturbing. As we continued to wander aimlessly from one dark, creepy warehouse to the next, we soon discovered the art only matched the island’s pre-war prison status in its morbididy and horrifying nature. One exhibit featured posed, wax figures in various states of illness and/or death. Another was black-and-white photographs of dirty dolls’ heads with cockroaches crawling across, and men and women twisted around old, wire hangers.

Things brightened up a bit when, on a way out and just as we wondered aloud what we should do for dinner, a friendly cafe man approached and offered us a teeming, steaming plate of meat pies. FOR FREE. So now I know what a meat pie is like. Mmmm.

Other notable events:

-I went running and discovered there is a park (Harold?) some ways behind my hood with a trail along the harbor towards Darling. And I saw a bat! That was neat.

-I think I got a job! I will be a server/floor staff at Clipper’s Cafe on Glebe Point Road. It’s this tiny little thing (there are 12 tables and I have to memorize the locations of them ALL. Ha.) White, stucco-ed walls with blue accents and whimsical flowers. They are known for their coffee apparently, which it seems I will get to enjoy for free along with menu items like the grilled lamb salad with sun dried tomato, avocado, asparagus, and mixed leaves. Or the chai infused porridge oats with stewed rhubarb and nuts.

-I may (emphasis on the may) be accompanying my friend Tim’s band on vocals at a bar this weekend. I feel especially excited about this notable event because I’ve never done anything like it before. I think it will be fun and interesting. That is, if it happens.

-Casey is coming! Casey is coming! I’m excited by the both alliteration and the denotation of that statement. It will be so nice to see someone from home – to be able to show her my world here.

Okay, enough for now. It’s getting slightly more difficult to write because life is seeming more hum-drum these days. I think that is a good thing, though. I can settle in and leave behind my vacation mindset – an expensive place void of responsibility and full of alcohol. Must crack down. Must do work. Goodnight.