Los Angeles
24 December 2008

So its been a week now in LA and its been a very busy one at that. Time has been spent between the house in Westwood, and hanging out with mum, my sister and her family and West Hollywood, hanging out with John & Rich who have so graciously provided my accomodation here and enjoying the West Hollywood fun spots.

Being in Hollywood movies are the order of the day and so far i've seen MILK, Frost/Nixon and Four Christmases. All great movies in their own way. MILK was amazing, emotional and definately worth seeing again. Frost/Nixon was an excellent insight into the Watergate affair and Richard Nixon's personality whilst Four Christmases was a fun Christmas film to see with mum.

It's been great to spend time with mum whilst here. We have hung out and gone shopping at Santa Monica and Westwood and basically made the most of having a car whilst here. There has been a non stop shopping fest in the attempt to get everyone's gifts for Christmas. I've succeeded on that front though. Well done to me! I've spent a fortune though...oh well....

Speaking of spending a fortune I lost my VISA card on Saturday night whilst I was out and in the 12 hours after I lost it before I realised and reported it stolen, someone had racked up $2000 of purchases on my account. Hopefully I will get all the money back but it is going to be a process. When you look at the places they went shopping it would suggest that someone found my card and went on a shopping spree....hardly to designer stores though.....the gas station, supermaket, Target and funniest of all was $33 spent at McDonalds! I mean it must have been a fat drag queen that found the card and figured what the heck!

So it's Christmas Eve here. Heading over to my sisters house in half an hour or so for Christmas eve dinner and Santa arriving. Should be fun. And then tomorrow will be the full on Christmas lunch. Boxing day we are all heading to San Diego as a family so that should be fun too. Having been there last week I have a sense of what to do so it should be a good couple days....

This time next week though I will be back in Australia for New Years Eve...happy to be going home and getting to see everyone there but not happy to have work right around the corner.....

Merry Christmas all!

Dave
:-)