State of Origin

“What size is a ‘7’ for a beer in Queensland?”, I asked people on Twitter this week, adding, “I have been googling and I’m confused. I remember ordering one years ago, but it’s a long time since I lived in the sunshine state”.

I’d heard a bloke at the nearby bar ask for one, and the memory of having ordered one, or maybe having heard someone order one, came flooding back

A former colleague who regularly posts about beer responded quickly.

“About 200ml – used to be called a ‘beer’ oddly. 10oz was a pot and 5oz was a pony ( normally found only at bowls clubs) Interestingly schooners and pints are relatively recent additions, I’m told because most pubs are now air-conditioned”, he wrote.

I knew he would know, and I joked, “I should have just sent you a DM”.

We were going to have a beer together, but, since he recently retired, he’s now travelling around the Queensland outback. A few other former colleagues, now retired, are doing the same. Maybe it’s a sign of things to come for me, too?

The other thing that’s given me a fond remembering smile has been the pub rules around playing pool. I had forgotten Queensland plays with the “two-shot rule”. If you make a mistake, the other player gets an additional shot. I remember the shock coming from NSW to Queensland, and then a similar shock returning to NSW. As I understand things, the “two-shot rule” is pretty common around Australia, just not in NSW. 

As I once lived here, returning to Brisbane is always a trip down memory lane. Previously I’ve written a few posts about returning to Brisbane which has mostly revived around a theme: wondering how my life might have been different had I stayed, and whether or not I should return here in retirement. 

I haven’t really had such feelings this time around. It’s nice to be back and, outside work hours, to catch up with family. But for the most part, from this trip at least, I don’t have those feelings. This is a “work trip”, as I’ve gone from hotel room to work and back, with the occasional trip to a bar.

I’ve been staying in a friendly, modest hotel room which I had to leave for one night before returning. The night in question was the night of the State of Origin, as hotel room prices skyrocketed to almost $1,000 per night. Yes, seriously. Other rooms in the hotel where I have been staying were priced at nearly $1600 per night. So, on Wednesday morning I checked out and checked back in 24 hours later. 

I thought it might be fun to confuse the matter at work, combining a Blues sloppy-joe with a Maroons face mask. 

Though proudly from NSW, Queensland is part of my history. It was fun being back