‘Friends’ character Monica Geller and I are spirit animals… known for her cleanliness, competitiveness and obsessive-compulsive nature, she is the housemate of my dreams (sorry Craig!). As I’m sure you have gathered I love an activity and the past few weeks have been a medley of ‘organised fun’ that have enabled me to get out of my own head and take my mind off netball whilst giving me a physical challenge or hit of adrenalin.
Following our penultimate away game of the season I stayed on in Sydney and whilst able to catch up with some friends, I also took the opportunity to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. What better way to take your mind off of a disappointing result than by hauling yourself up the world’s largest steel arch bridge. Being an impatient person I chose the express climb (which still took 2.5hrs) which was billed as an “energetic experience” and “the fastest trip to the top”. The climb was fantastic from start to finish and, although a rather costly excursion, the experience as a whole was impeccable from the check in/out process to the climb leader who’s knowledge was uber impressive. Let’s not forget about the epic views over the Sydney and Darling Harbours.
Last week a few of us took a trip to Rockface Indoor Climbing Centre in Northbridge to try our hand at some top roping and bouldering. I’m not really scared of heights but your survival instinct certainly kicks in when you are so high off the ground and challenging yourself to make a grab for a hold that seems just out of your reach. Especially when you have just seen your team mates making small plummets to the ground on the wall next to you after they have made similar failed attempts (Jess A and Jess E!!) After two hours of running around like kids, and breaking a fair few rules in the process, we certainly had had a full body work out and left exhausted, hungry and happy.
The Perth Comedy Festival is currently running and being desperate for lols and more than willing to pay for them if needed I went to two separate shows. I saw Rhys Nicholson at the State Theatre Centre on the weekend and had a great time. His very clever observational style of comedy was somewhat inappropriate but hit just the right mark to make the pop up tent rock with laughter from start to finish. To help combat hump day I went to the Comedy Festival Gala at the Regal Theatre and the volume and variety of the acts that I saw was fantastic. From sketch, satire, musical to the downright absurd I had tears in my eyes at more than one point.
My week started with a bang after quietly assassinating my housemate in the first of our house challenges taking an early lead with a 3-0 drumming at the bowling alley. He didn’t pick up on the subtle hints I dropped when I far too enthusiastically agreed to go bowling whilst not even batting an eyelid when I mentioned that I don’t get to go often as my friends and family won’t play me. I must say even for me I was on fine form (despite not having my ball and shoes 😉) and I killed his hopes early in game one with a 202-101 final score.
Having always turned my hand to more physical activities I wanted to broaden my horizons and talked Kate Beveridge into coming to an art class with me, perhaps she thought it was life drawing which is why she said yes! Our art class is one that features a specific painting which you recreate alongside an artist who teaches you step-by-step. Everything is provided for you and you just have to turn up, listen (or not as was the choice of the majority of the chatty disobedient middle aged women), give things a go and you get to take home your very own ‘masterpiece’. We were recreating a simplified version of Gustav Klimt’s ‘Tree of Life’ and although they really had taken much of the detail out of the replica that we were copying it was still a big challenge. I really enjoyed the challenge of painting and being able to lose yourself for a little while in an unfamiliar activity whilst getting some free giggles at the other participants and our own incompetence.
Finally, this week I am making my big return to salsa following a 6-week sabbatical that I am blaming on a busy away game schedule and pure laziness (aka the athlete card). The Dancing With the Stars dream lives on!
Frank x
Twitter/Instagram: @StcyJyneFrancis
Catch Stacey Francis in action tomorrow night against Magpies Netball at Perth Arena. Limited tickets remain and can be purchased here.
