Not that way, you wee twit

So where were we? Oh yes, the pregnancy. Well, there’s good news and there’s bad news.

The bad news is that the baby is in a breech position and is unlikely to turn because the bottom is wedged in where the head is supposed to be by now. It looks almost certain that bub will therefore be born by elective caesarean procedure sometime in the next couple of weeks. This isn’t what any parent would choose, especially after so much has been invested in learning about labour, psyching up for the big event and all that, but it’s not such a terrible outcome either.

The good news is that the problem has been picked up now rather than after labour has started. Emergency caesarean sounds like it’s 10 times more traumatic, especially having to bend over and stay still for the spinal anaesthesia in mid-contraction. Eeuw. Plus, we get to meet our baby a week or two earlier than expected, which is very cool. Michelle is off work from today.

We don’t yet know the date we’ll be booked in for the op, but we’ll let everybody know as soon as we do – I reckon we’re likely to be Friday June 10th, so that the hospital get it sorted before the long weekend (How come Godzone gets the Queen’s birthday as a long weekend but the motherland doesn’t?). It’s weird aiming towards a specific time rather than just waiting for nature to do her thing, but at least I get a couple of extra day’s leave this way.

We’ve also been greatly buoyed by the arrival of Alexander Robert to our friends Adele and David. Unfortunately they had a rather more exhausting labour than planned, but on the plus side the baby is well, Adele is well and David got to watch the cup final.

As for social life and all that; dinner party at a colleague of M’s last Friday, which picked up for me at least when one guy revealed his interest in cool movies. Everyone else kind of glazed over while Lee and I got increasingly animated over Saul Bass posters and Jimmy Stewart. Also…friends over on Saturday night to fix my computer, and lots of lie-ins; our last opportunity for, say, 25 years.

PS The new Teenage Fanclub album is friggin’ marvellous.

USA! USA!

It’s hard to overestimate the sheer sense of glee one feels when beating Man Utd in the cup final despite being comprehensively outplayed for the entire 120 minutes. Great for our guys but, even better, a complete body blow for Man Utd fans following their underwhelming Premiership and European campaigns and the takeover business. If Liverpool get one over on Milan, then that will be even better.

The cup final ran until 4 in the morning here but nevertheless we had a little crew round at our place to watch it, including a couple of half-hearted pseudo-Mancunians. The night also marked my last night of alcohol for a while, just in case the bub decides to show up early and I need to get my act together quickly. I shall miss it for the necessary 2-6 weeks, but absence will probably make the heart grow fonder.

The fans hit the Sith

Lots of fun going to the 12.01am screening of Star Wars 3 on Wednesday night. The local multiplex had sold out 5 screens to idiots like me, Dani and Todd who abandoned all thought of sensible sleep patterns in order to beat all those people queuing for months on Hollywood Boulevard by a good few hours. The place was packed by 11.15, so we were sat way too close to the screen, especially for the opening space battle which was slightly nauseating as a result. Thoughts in no particular order:

1) SW goes political! There’s a scene where Anakin paraphrases GW Bush’s “You’re either with us or against us” line and Obiwan answers that “Only a Sith Lord thinks in absolutes”. Blimey. The Grauniad pointed out that Lucas’ favoured political system appears to be a theocratic ruling council “kind of like Iran”.
2) The best bit was Yoda’s nonchalant dismissal of a couple of imperial guards, which got a big laugh and a cheer.
3) The story is no longer about Luke transforming from farmboy to Jedi warrior, but Anakin’s downfall and eventual redemption. Looking forward to watching them with our kids, who will have fresh eyes.
4) Some nice segues into the original movie – Chewie, Captain Antilles, a familiar-looking corridor. Although the stuff with the wookiees was rather undercooked.Some poor acting, rubbish dialogue and all that – but still the best SW movie since The Empire Strikes Back.

She took me home and dressed me in a deep sea diver's suit

An all-action weekend really, the highlight being a cracking Nick Cave gig at Luna Park. It sounded loud to us, so who knows what the bub made of it in her little echo chamber.

Earlier that day I had headed up to Gosford for my first taste of the mighty Sydney FC, taking on the Central Coast Mariners in a match worth a million bucks to the winners. Sydney won, setting them (us?) up nicely for the start of the A-league in August. The crown was 10,000 which was regarded as disappointing, but it was fun nevertheless. I’ve got a start now in figuring out who’s quality (the cultured left-back, the hard-working striker) and I reckon I’ll be along for more once the season proper starts.

We also blew a whole load more cash on baby stuff. All the unexciting stuff like a nappy pail and a window shade really adds up. Fortunately I snuck a couple of DVDs into the basket to soften the blow.

This week sees a couple of events: a midnight screening of the new Star Wars film (yay!) and a double-bill on Saturday night of Doctor Who and the cup final (double yay!). Oh god, I hope Arsenal win…

It's not where you are, it's who you're with

And it’s rah rah rah, all back to the Dogstar, mine’s a VB mate.

Not too much to report, as is usual these days. The nursery is looking just dahling now, thanks to lots of furniture and other stuff gathered from folks whose kids are already a venerable 5 or 6 years of age. We’ve already had a few nice gifts too; a Beatrix Potter mobile and suchlike.

Had our first antenatal class on Tuesday, which managed to be both extremely useful and screamingly dull. Apparently I should be giving M a massage for 30 minutes every night. That just isn’t realistic, unfortunately, I last for a few minutes until my thumbs are threatening to drop off and then it’s time for sleepypie.

I was supposed to be at a stag do on Saturday but unfortunately I got in a strop with M about something inconsequential and cried off. We made it up later. The thing is, I think, that M tends to be my emotional crutch but at the moment she’s understandably preoccupied (not to mention hormonal) so I feel a bit vulnerable. Homesickness can be a git, I tell thee.

Amateur double bill at Parramatta theatre of Black Comedy/The Real Inspector Hound. The first play was OK but the cast struggled with the technical stuff that we take for granted when watching professionals – making marks, bits of business with lighters etc. RIH was better, the more experienced cast members dealing better with the Stoppardian wordiness – and it helped that it’s a superior play. It was interesting for me, though, as a reminder of the sheer thorough-going professionalism that goes into the good stuff but you never really notice. Looking forward to the “Two Gentlemen of Verona” upcoming at the same venue but featuring the very marvellous Bell Shakespeare company.

Movie update:

Hitch-Hikers Guide – A bit all over the shop, but as a fanboy I really enjoyed it
Downfall – Excellent mainly as a history lesson and for Ganz’s great portrayal of Hitler
In Good Company – Surprisingly ace, advertised as a rom-com but really an entertaining skewering of corporate culture. Dennis Quaid is really under-rated I think.
Whizzo xxx