Advent Photo #17 'Tradition'

'Tradition'
   Despite the popular view I quite like 'tradition.' It's only when tradition is maintained despite the loss of collective memory about why or when it's an attempt to relive the wrong part of something valuable that I get cranky!! Any tradition can be explained, reinvigorated or redeemed by including people, being open to new insights and valuing what it facilitates more than the tradition itself... to name a few aspects.
   We have travelled to Sydney once and BC twice a year for the Jan/Feb season of Sydney's Openair Cinema, I've blogged about many times.
   This year we'll get there 20th January for 'One Chance' the british comedy telling the story of 'Britain's Got Talent's' Paul Potts...
   The tradition is a day in Sydney with shopping, headspace, food and then the familiar ritual of lining up to get in for the egalitarian 'first come first served' general admission seating. Things have changed but it's still a fun, military styled exercise to get seats, food and a spot to sit and eat ahead of the gathered masses.
   When we started going the queue lengths were different... short season tix line, moderate tix in hand, long pick up and mid buy on the night line... With print at home tix our line is now twice as long.... Line place holders build elaborate back stories with phone calls and in line conversations to roll in and out of the line until their 12 mates turn up to run in ahead of you... better not be in my favourite seat... the shuffle to the secret stairs is a lot shorter than the paddington Gift!!

Have nothing in your bag that will be checked
Grab your Lindt ball and keep walking
One gets placeholders and sprints side stairs to an aisle seat with aisle at back
Two takes same stairs but heads to dining tables and secures [2] seats for dinner, trusting that movie seats has worked out
Buy dinner in turn, get a drink and a free SMH to stretch out your dining
Eventually get back to your reserved seat and enjoy the entertainment of watching people rock up with 15mins to spare and annoyed their preferred seats have been taken... yep, by people who lined up at 5pm, came in, reserved them and have eaten a meal and chatted with friends until it's now 8.15pm and you expect a prime view.

   It's not quite as uncommercial since St George took over sponsorship as 300 account holders get swish seats and wrist bands... other account holders still try to talk their way into better rows!!

   There are a few dinner tables with decent side screen view for the more relaxed viewing and the VIP area above has always made me feel sorry for those hangers on... usually the cast of the latest Underbelly have a reunion there...

What I love about this tradition is:
- That we are still enjoying it
- We love movies and this is a unique way to see one
- Rain ponchos
- Reading how many gourmet ways you can describe and cook a burger [waygu, please...] or bangers and mash so there's a choice besides smashed veggies, rocket and something on sticks
- The view


In a few years the girls will be well old enough to come along... damn it!!