Sunday, January 01, 2012

New Year 2012

red_hot_poker_resize

Another year gone in a flash and the another in its infancy. Who knows what 2012 will bring, but I hope it will be a peaceful one for those who visit this BlogSpot and for the world in general.

New Year’s Day in Melbourne was a hot 35°C and the above plant, colloquially called a Red Hot Poker, is the ideal personification of the heat of summer. They’re blooming in profusion in the front yard at present so I snapped a photo. The one above almost looks like a rooster.

Today also marks the anniversary of my quitting work, so here’s to the joys of retirement. I’ve had a year to get used to it, and I’m finding it wonderfully restful, with no  Protestant Work Ethic anxiety waking me in the middle of the night.  You couldn’t pay me to go back.

I’ve found that retirement suits me. I’m never bored and you can fritter away the hours either productively or idly as the mood suits.

Reading of course occupies some of my time, and I found that I read a great many more books than I would have previously. The Kindle is a boon to the bookworm; it’s so easy to download books and it is gratifying that many new novels are available in ebook format from the publication date, or shortly thereafter. In the past, if I was not interested in purchasing the hard cover edition, I would patiently wait for the paperback edition. I didn’t purchase a single mass market paperback this year, but read many new novels.

There’s much to look forward to in 2012. I’ve booked for two concerts in March, and no doubt once all the side shows from the music festivals are announced, I’ll probably book more. The most keenly anticipated concert is the Ryan Adams solo show at the Regent Theatre on March 3rd. I’ve got second row seats for that. Steve Earle solo at the Corner Hotel on 30 March is the other show I’ve booked and I’m still tossing up whether to go to his son’s show at a new venue (close to home) The Regal Ballroom sometime in April.

On January 27 Black Caviar will be starting her autumn campaign in the Group 2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley. I intend to go to the track for that. It’s a good way to kick off the Autumn racing season. Let’s hope my luck improves as I haven’t backed a winner since Cox Plate day.

I spent a quiet New Year’s Eve, and was sound asleep by midnight, so missed all the fireworks and hoopla.

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