It's getting close to midnight

exactly 50 minutes left at work and about time to complete Police & Fire calls.
So far everything has been moderately quiet except for two awful fires in South Auckland and a really meanie-lady at central Police Comms - seriously - stop telling me I have to ring Media - I don't!

New developments since the last blog...
1) I'm heading to the Outback - as in the Australian Outback - as in the place where they have roos, snakes, dingos, babies, red-ish sandy stuff etc.
I'll get to see all the sights of a place I never thought I'd visit and share my intelligent insights into the journey.
All this will be taking place end March - just in time for my contract to run out.

2) Nick has itchy feet. He wants to go to the US and go now!

My journey in the deep, dark heart of American culture is continuing in a fairly passive way - I think sponging information is the best way.

I just finished Hells Angels by Hunter S. Thompson - which I must say is excellent and inspired me to write (though the inspiration is yet to filter through to anything tangible). I had to keep reminding myself he was describing real events, and they happened more than 40 years ago.
Thompson wrote about the outlaws in a way that didn't look down on them or place them on some ridiculous pedestal - it was down to earth and raw, and his disillusionment with the group builds so gradually you barely seem shocked by his disconnection from the group.

I can't wait to start my own adventure and leave behind the steady work and comfort for a while.

Which brings me to my current American reading choice - chasing Harry Winton - the exact opposite of the amazing Hells Angels.
I enjoyed the author's The Devil Wears Prada, it was the first chick-lit book that didn't cause me to involuntarily dry retch, but Mr W. is proving to be one big disappointment.

The characters are largely unlikable and the author doesn't seem to trust in her readers' ability to get the subtlities (!) of the conversations.

I will read on because despite my disappointment I want to know what happens - and I want to start a great book - East of Eden.

Hopefully by the time I write next this will have happened.