Day 80: Saturday, play day; it's not always all about Kevin.

Day 80 (23 Feb) Today I did something I haven't done in a long time, I bought the local News Ltd paper, the Courier Mail. I bought it primarily for the article and commentary on the latest Galaxy opinion poll results. It's all about Kevin. I'm interested in it all because I live in the former PM's electorate. In fact, I've lived here longer than he's been the candidate trying to win the seat (1996). 

Autumnal tones, at 6.12am

I'm a little bit intrigued by opinion polls--their frequency, the importance they are given over and above the substance contained within. Just how quickly the numbers can so dramatically change the state of our polity. It got me thinking about interesting thoughts about participating in opinion polls--who does and doesn't, who should and shouldn't. It was a bit of a thought bubble I tossed out to twitter and had some really engaging exchanges. But more of that elsewhere, soon. I'll touch on it a little more over at the other blog tomorrow. 

And before heading to the newsagent at 6.12am, it was checking the bonsai...its autumnal phase is beginning with the browning leaves (as least, I hope that is what it is). 

A bit of Brisbane, from the South Bank side. 

Today I planned to turn my attention to the first play of the new Queensland Theatre Company season, The Pitch and The China Incident. Two separate plays, one actor each. I generally like these sort of plays, I appreciate the skill and challenges of the actor to hold the floor for about 60 mins with no colleagues to bounce off when they skip or forget a line. Anyway, the plays were quite good and the second one, The China Incident, particularly resonated strongly with me as an International Relations academic with a speciality in Northeast Asian relations. Just one thing though QTC: the 'five-party talks' are actually six-party talks, but that's just a little of my propensity for historically accurate specificities. 

It was a lovely day for taking in some of the loveliness that can be South Bank. After purchasing a few extra accoutrements for my mother's iPad leap, I had a chance to just sit and watch the river, the movement, the colour. It's a lovely spot. I also observed the 'Soft Serve Whippy Challenge' going on within Greensleeves-hearing distance from me...two whippy vans, head to head and there could only be one winner...Kudos to Richard Dinnen (@Rdonair) for his naming rights for the inevitable reality TV show: 'Soft Serve, Hard Sell'.

Post the theatre there was time for a bit of a stroll down the Bank and back. Interesting signs which intrigued my friend who thought it warranted inclusion in the blog (although it was only 6.01, eleven minutes too early). But the clouds offered an interesting scenario above. So, here it is, because I'm happy to meet requests. 

At 612 (and the rest of the ABC), at 6.12pm

But the stroll back meant we reached, yep, you guessed it...the ABC building at South Bank, at 6.12pm. A few shots of the Wheel of Brisbane as well, but in a blog that is homage to the twelvepastsix concept, well, it just had to be...

We also got back from the stroll and taking of refreshments (did I not mention that?) to find that a bus had crashed into a West End restaurant. Some injuries it seems. Quite a shock, West End is just down the road from South Bank. The weather also managed to play a few tricks: the forecast rain didn't eventuate but we're finishing on an unusually sultry night..just in time for the overheating of the here-to-September daily opinion poll results and 'commentary'.

Let's leave it go, it's time to play.