Jan 24: Australian Open

As luck would have it, I happened to be cruising through Melbourne at the same time as the Australian Open. I played tennis as a little kid against older kids who would pound me into the court every Monday morning starting at 5:30am. Despite the emotional scarring, I still love to watch the game - and this was my first chance to see professional tennis live.

I spent the afternoon in a solo seat next to a wonderful Australian fellow named Paul, who spends his time writing new music. He is a former bar musician turned vocal coach. The tennis was great fun. I have never seen such a polite stadium full of people. There was no drinking in the stands, and all talking was kept to a quiet whisper.

For dinner, I met up with Will and Leah. We stopped for Italian food in the trendy St. Kilda area of Melbourne. Only days ahead of her planned delivery date, I don't think I've ever met a woman quite as pregnant as Leah. It was so wonderful to get to know the happy couple... just as their family is about to grow.