Friends, reality t.v., volcanoes and Bloody Marys.

It has been very busy since the weekend. Our friends PT & V returned from Vanuatu where V was working. Although they live in Sydney they returned to Brisbane first in order to attend a wedding over the weekend. It was actually only 2 weeks since we had last seen P - he has been our regular house guest since May while working on a well known Australian reality t.v. show. In fact V also works on a well know American reality show which had just finished shooting in Vanuatu when PT came over for a bit of a holiday after his job finished.

PT hates to talk about working on the Australian reality t.v. show which up until 3 weeks (?) ago was the only television show topic on everyone's lips. He was exasperated with P for telling people what he worked on it whenever we introduced him to our other acquaintances - however P's rationales was that PT's reluctance to talk about where he worked, when asked about what he did, could be interpreted as standoffish and rude. P was just trying to make our friends more comfortable with the situation because usually telling them what PT worked on was a real ice-breaker.

I told PT that if he wanted people to stop talking about his work then he should invent a really boring job that took him away from home - like traveling commercial mat salesmen. Once people asked about mats ie. what types? "Like the ones that the people in commercial places like the Woolworth's deli might put on the floor to prevent slipping" then there really isn't that much further detail anyone wants to go in.

Surprisingly though when we went out to dinner on Friday night and everyone focused on V's reality t.v. job - he was a little put off and jokingly said to me "Oooo Its the V show" and then appeared more than happy for a change to talk about his t.v. job if asked by anyone at the table.


For that dinner, P and I ditched the kids and tried yet another curry restaurant with another couple with whom we try to have a semi regular Friday night curry night with though usually with the kids. PT & V brought back some Absolut and we started at home with some Bloody Mary's so were pretty convivial at the restaurant by the time we got there and quite enjoyed the food and the company. It wasn't too late a night but it was wonderful to actually talk and eat food at a casual night out without the kids for a change and we ended the night with a game of pool at the other couples house around the corner from the restaurant.

PT & V came back raving about the island they stayed on with the live volcano but were generally unimpressed by the weather and the food and the cost of many things we take for granted like the cost of alcohol. PT said he found staying on the island with the live volcano quite unnerving as much from the sounds of the volcano as the malarium psychosis he was experiencing having taken a course of medication to prevent malaria. He likened it to severe paranoia and while was impressed by the show of nature was quite relieved by the time they left.