MAN ABOUT TOWN

I just found out what happens when you accidentally put a $20 note into a tumble-dryer along with your wet washing. It shrinks. So, now I have this minature $20 note, that apart from being a little crinkled, and about 35% smaller than it should be, is quite unharmed. I wonder if it's still legal tender?

After a rather madcap couple of weeks, I am delighted to report that I face a weekend of lolling around decadently. The next two days should entail little save socialising with friends, attending a couple of parties, catching a play, doing my laundry, and possibly placing a man-trap on the street in order to snare myself an eligble bachelor. Actually, now I consider it, the latter sounds far too demanding. Instead I shall limit myself to gazing out the window and loooking A) mysterious, B) handsome, and C) available but not desperate. Concerns about work are henceforth relegated to my subconcious for the next 48 hours, where they are politely requested to manifest in colourful and unusual dreams rather than tediously literal dreams about deadlines, angry designers and co-workers in paroxysms of hysteria. There may or may not be live rock and/or roll. The sin of Onan may be practised, if I can be bothered. Right now, it's time to heat some more sake... I wonder if the Japanese Bath ...

Friday night witnessed the opening night of Midsumma, Melbourne's gay and lesbian cultural festival, at Federation Square. I've never been so glad to have been invited to the VIP opening drinks in my life, given that they were held in airconditioned comfort, as it was a horribly hot, muggy and humid night. Hurrah for being a media slut! The opening itself was, I can happily say, the best Midsumma opening I've ever attended, with live bands, comedy and roaming performers entertaining the masses (although your more conservative gay types seemed slightly confronted by the live bands). Afterwards, in the company of three lovely gentlemen - Graeme , Mick and Cam - we drove down the coast to Blairgowrie , on the Mornington Peninsula, where Cam's parents have a holiday house at which our mutual friend Glen was celebrating his birthday. What a lovely weekend it was! There was drinking, drinking games, swimming in the surf at the Portsea back beach despite the rain, ridiculously...