Adelaide - Day 2

I woke up naturally this morning for the first time in a long time. The main reason dare I say it was most likely because I slept unbroken, in one stint the entire night. Thankful for it, I decided to get up and get dressed. Metres away, Jack was asleep and had probably stayed up burning the midnight oil working on more of his pieces in preparation for his new book.

I silently moved off once I was dressed and went downstairs to wash my face. The cold water brought me out of my slumber as I wiped the water off my face. It gets cold in the Adelaide hills during the evening and the tank water was ice cold. I brushed my teeth and freshened up before making my way over to the kitchen to see what there was to eat. The night before was a failed attempt at shopping for groceries and food because the local supermarket closed moments ago. I decided to get up and prepare the Mac Pro for today’s work. Jack has about 100 or so DV tapes of his travels in Armenia, and my purpose down in Adelaide was to set up his workstation so that Jack could stop relying on other professionals and experts that made empty promises to him. Offering him help and a hand in preparing his work for display. Many years have gone by and most people that have offered a hand haven’t actually delivered on their promise.

Sadly, I feel for Jack in a way that I relate to closely. Having lived a healthy life of empty promises and guidance from people that only ended in dead ends and shit creek. I relate to Jack because I know what it’s like to be stepped on and treated like crap. So I’m down here helping where I can. I really respect the work and more importantly the efforts de goes to for what he loves. If everyone lived a day of their lives in Jack’s shoes you’d come away a happier person.

Jack was awake. He came downstairs to see me finishing setting up his Mac Pro, ready for the stupendously large video editing job ahead. With Final Cut and a 1 Terrabyte hard drive ready for action, I started the first Digital Video tape rolling. Jack and I left it and went off to the supermarket for some much needed groceries.

We came back to the first tape complete and some food to eat. I poured myself my nutritious bowl of toasted grain cereal with some soy milk. I started on the second tape. Only 98 to go now.

Cereal was good. Refreshing change from the day before on the plane down to Adelaide. It gave me the energy I needed to start the day and as we plowed through the video tapes, which is up to number 7 as I write this before bed, it was nearly time for lunch. Jack made us a tuna salad full of great organic food. No chemically enhanced stuff here. And I even ate the tuna! It was a good salad that was filling enough to carry me over to dinner, disregarding the snacking that took place many times throughout the day. While video number 5 was rolling Jack had to take off to get some items from the shop up the road and left me with the task of chiselling away some glued on wood from another piece of wood. It was good glue! The stuff was hard to get off but eventually when Jack arrived he said it was fine. So I left it at that, albeit slightly disappointed because I was rather enjoying myself with something I had not done since high school Woodworks.

Jack displayed a giant red marker and gave me the job of colouring in the side edges of this table he is building himself. It’s going to be his new workbench with a build in lightbox that slides out that spans the entire table top. It’s a great design and having the talent to not only think of it, design it and plan it for creating it, turning it into a piece that exists is highly regarded and respected from me. I always appreciate everything of and to various degrees in life. As most of you may know, the little things don’t go unnoticed by me... sadly the obvious things in my face get ignored and most of the times not noticed at all. I use this to my advantage because it’s true what they say, ignorance is bliss.

Jack was pleased with my colouring in efforts and the colour really stood out. While it was nothing to colour in, having a hand in Jack’s creation means a lot to me. But just as I am with my music, I am with my life and work. I’d rather go unnoticed. Jack joked later on that I have to now hassle him about getting some sort of credit for the job. I told him to write, “This fuckwit did stuff” We both laughed, but there’s a truth to it. I’d rather go unnoticed. In fact, without credit at all would be good enough. A bonus would be a thank you from Jack, and I know he’ll give me one. I couldn’t ask for more. It’s not my style.

Div’s (Jack’s friend) parents and siblings came around to visit. I’m sure they’re great people. After all, they’ve allowed Jack to take over the farm and convert the barn into a great place to live, sleep and work. But there was a bit of ‘show off’ in them. While impressed with what Jack and his brother Peter had done with the place, there was a sense of “I wish I could have done this, oh wait, it’s our place anyway” in their voice. I could be wrong, but I picked up on this very subtle vibe emanating from deep down. They left after an hour. Jack and I returned to our task at hand. Finishing this table. Only we just realised it was getting late and dinner was important. I asked Jack about it and suggested we think about it soon because it’s the Hills and shit closes for bed right when you’re just getting into it.

Jack suggested this café where a friend he knows manages. So we got dressed and headed out. Jack asked about the friend but we were told she wasn’t there. Ah well. Jack and I still sat down to eat. Jack suggested I get the pizza. Sadly there wasn’t much on the menu that I could have for dinner. Me trying to stick to my diet as much as possible. I have been eating well, but these slip ups are happening more and more often. But aye, I’m fit and healthy so it should be all good. Yesterday we went for a walk and my blisters on my feet are still killing me. Though that goes to show you how much we walked.

The pizza was as Jack described. Unreal. Probably one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten. And you all know how much pizza I’ve eaten. Do I need to bring out the belly shots? No! not the ones of me sipping tequila through someone else’s belly button.

Dinner was great. We finished, I paid. Jack let me for a change. I think he feels that he has to pay because I bought my own ticket down here for the flight. But who’s counting?

Now back at the farm. Another tape is on the run, Jack is working on the table, which I am about to help with, and head off to bed soon. And that concludes another day in South Australia. Tomorrow is our last day here and we’ll be heading off back to Sydney first thing Thursday in anticipation of getting there on Friday morning. I’m looking forward to capturing more video tonight and tomorrow. Hoping to hit the 10 tape milestone. 90 to go! After that, Jack will be sanding down the floor and we’ll be re-coating the surface with lacquer to harden it up some more.