After a very difficult Wednesday where my ears continued to act up and bother me, I opted to visit the doctor again. That lead to a new advanced even more serious anti-allergy medication and a referral to see an allergy specialist. I then headed in to work in time to have a farewell lunch with my work colleague, Ivy.

Ivy’s been amazing to work with and will be sorely missed, so the team (Sarah, Drew, Garth and I) headed out to the Gordon Street Garage for lunch. It was my first time and it was not too bad.  Great staff and a nice atmosphere (with good air-conditioning, so take note Marianne), was slightly compromised by a short menu, no real dessert selection and the lack of a chance to really kick on. I did have a moment where I realised the reason it was called “Garage” is I that it formerly was a garage and that I used to get my car repaired there back in the day. The interior still retains some of the original structure. Weird.

We did not give up, though, for OLS is a formidable good times seeking machine. We headed in to the city to Bar Halcyon where mid-afternoon cocktails were definitely on the menu, and espresso martinis were chased down by a Smoky Berry Smash.  Wonderful drinks (though I’m still reeling from seeing Laphroaig poured down the sink!) and great company made for a good farewell.

I then headed home where the new medication seemed to do my head in and for a moment or two I seriously wondered if I’d make it to Melbourne, but by Friday morning the all-new improved vertigo had disappeared and under slept and a little washed out, I headed to the airport and Melbourne (after farewelling the family and wishing the youngest luck on her quest to become a school counsellor).

The Qantas flight was uneventful.  I watched some Justified and Person of Interest to while away the flight, and arrived late afternoon. A short cab ride saw me, rather surreally for me, back at the site of the 2010 Melbourne WorldCon. As I type I’m sitting the executive lounge of the same hotel where I had such a memorable time (for good and ill). Great breakfast with Stan, panicked conversations with Cheryl, prep for the ill-fated Hugos and all sorts of things. Last night a maxi-taxi stopped outside the hotel, and I was flashing back to jumping into a very similar cab with Bob and Karen Silverberg, Marianne, Jessica and Sophie.  I had a lovely dinner with Stephen and Jenny in the same restaurant where a samba bad just about deafened us four years ago. And I’m pretty sure I’m sitting at the table where Greg Benford, Stan Robinson and I had a terrific conversation, so it’s interesting to be back.

But that’s not why I’m here. I’m here for the music. Assuming my old ears hold up, tonight will be the first of two nights to rock. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play AAMI Stadium. I saw them twice in Perth and, to round out MidLife Crisis 2014, I’m seeing them twice hear too.  I expect the shows of my life.  If they’re a patch on Perth they’ll be astounding.