Hmm, so many movies, so little time - from the drought back home to the deluge here - of course Garden State was over there, but I forgot about the theatre. But they didn't have Motorcycle Diaries back home, Alexander was ruled out cos it was too much of a boys movie. And of course, three good movies started up this week on this side of the ditch - Closer, Sideways and Ray. Will go and see Garden State today, because it is the most endangered of being pulled from the cinemas the soonest LOL. Then priority is Closer, and then three of them are mingled closely in, and then Alexander - yes, it is a boys movie, and yes, it has got 'middling' reviews LOL.
Hmm, a couple of links to follow - this first one is about the Australian 'terror suspect' who just got released from Guantanamo Bay. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time - and now that he has been released, what about bringing back that old fashioned piece of advice innocent until proven guilty? Instead, the Aussie government has said that there is no change Habib will get any compensation for the three years of his life eaten up, and that he will probably be under surveillance the rest of his life. What was that John Walker Lindh's plea bargain again? Must be nice to be able to make up your interpretation of international law and natural justice on the spot, eh Rummy LOL.
And first Iraq link of the day - basically diary entries from the Guardian's correspondent over there, from the start of the Fallujah offensive in November. Makes very depressing reading, but just because it's depressing doesn't mean we should ignore it - or cover it over with overarching statements about how free the country is (to vote, to debate, to bomb, to shoot LOL)...
Looking at the Pizzagate and Strippergate north of the 49th that brought on the Immigration Minister's resignation, now if only I had been a pizza delivery person or stripper, I might still be in Ottawa now - lol, all I wanted was the work permit to come through quicker, or more accurately, for K to accept that it was very hard to get a job and to just wait until I became a resident after a year, instead of saying you MUST get a job asap... bleah, I love Canada but the relationship was on the rocks...
Later peeps
Pauly
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Now That I Have That Out Of The Way
The previous eight of so posts are verbatim from my travel diary, and some are a bit longish, so unless you are really interested in me rather than just passing through, they are probably a bit boring - lol, and for those of you who are interested, there will be a test with names, dates and battlefield generals in a couple of days, so study study study (kidding LOL).
Bleah, just have to do a quick Iraq link - confidential reports that BBC Panorama is going to do a story on on Sunday (E Day in Iraq) says that in the last six months of last year, over 3000 Iraqi civilians were killed in coalition v insurgent crossfire, 60% of which were attributed to coalition action. Not good news, although there is hardly any coming out of Iraq at the moment...
V left on Thursday morning - what with me being on late shift this month and all, it was OK to take her to the airport and farewell her there. Gods airport food is friggin expensive, $6.50 for a toasted sandwich - although it WAS yummy. And the usual tears on goodbye (on her part), and into town to go to work.
Hadn't even gotten my systems up and running when the boss (who loves me LOL), while passing me to get a coffee, came over and asked how the holiday went and also congratulated me, I said for what, and she said you haven't heard yet, and I said no, and I should be on the phones now, but she called me aside. I got permanency - well, I will get it when all the paperwork goes through in about a month or so. Was kind of overwhelmed five minutes into my first day back, so it was nice but it wasn't really exciting or anything LOL. Only three of the six left from my intake got permanency though, so I guess I was lucky :)
I was gone eight days and I came back to over ninety emails (at work, far fewer waiting for me at home LOL) - only about six of which were directly sent to me. I am sure every office worker in the Western world has similar experiences after going on holiday - and the first few hours I was in the office on Thursday it was like what am I doing here, how do I take the phone calls from customers again - by the evening though it was OK, but was still kind of on holiday mode, even yesterday as well.
V got good reports from the grandparents, so that's nice - and the parents like her as well, so hmm damn my cautious self LOL. Still not sure where this whole thing is leading, I know where I would like it to lead, but I'm pretty sure V isn't thinking like I am, the long term or anything...
We will see - have a wedding to go to down her way next month, and will be going to it now, didn't want to book the tickets until after we saw how the NZ thing went.
Now off to get some good websurfing stories :)
Pauly
Bleah, just have to do a quick Iraq link - confidential reports that BBC Panorama is going to do a story on on Sunday (E Day in Iraq) says that in the last six months of last year, over 3000 Iraqi civilians were killed in coalition v insurgent crossfire, 60% of which were attributed to coalition action. Not good news, although there is hardly any coming out of Iraq at the moment...
V left on Thursday morning - what with me being on late shift this month and all, it was OK to take her to the airport and farewell her there. Gods airport food is friggin expensive, $6.50 for a toasted sandwich - although it WAS yummy. And the usual tears on goodbye (on her part), and into town to go to work.
Hadn't even gotten my systems up and running when the boss (who loves me LOL), while passing me to get a coffee, came over and asked how the holiday went and also congratulated me, I said for what, and she said you haven't heard yet, and I said no, and I should be on the phones now, but she called me aside. I got permanency - well, I will get it when all the paperwork goes through in about a month or so. Was kind of overwhelmed five minutes into my first day back, so it was nice but it wasn't really exciting or anything LOL. Only three of the six left from my intake got permanency though, so I guess I was lucky :)
I was gone eight days and I came back to over ninety emails (at work, far fewer waiting for me at home LOL) - only about six of which were directly sent to me. I am sure every office worker in the Western world has similar experiences after going on holiday - and the first few hours I was in the office on Thursday it was like what am I doing here, how do I take the phone calls from customers again - by the evening though it was OK, but was still kind of on holiday mode, even yesterday as well.
V got good reports from the grandparents, so that's nice - and the parents like her as well, so hmm damn my cautious self LOL. Still not sure where this whole thing is leading, I know where I would like it to lead, but I'm pretty sure V isn't thinking like I am, the long term or anything...
We will see - have a wedding to go to down her way next month, and will be going to it now, didn't want to book the tickets until after we saw how the NZ thing went.
Now off to get some good websurfing stories :)
Pauly
Twenty Six January 2005
Went in at about 11.00, got to town and midday and walked along the waterfront (after V had chicken and chips and I had a Hawaiian burger from the railway station pie cart for lunch), as I was saying, walking along Frank Kitts Park (X Games were still going strong), over to Civic Square, which was just as impressive as Kirks to the tourist LOL, and then into Te Papa.
V's friend who had been over said it would take a good day to see all of the museum, but I was pretty sure it would take half a day tops - and of course Wellington and NZ newbies would have to read every little signpost, whereas I think it is about my fourth or fifth trip playing host to tourists to the museum - I should know the good bits by now. And what with V not liking art, that cut another hour off the Te Papa time.
Did the earthquake/volcano/natural part, then the stuffed animals, then the outside bush area, then the modern marae and the Maori stuff, the Treaty of Waitangi in thirty seconds (as it should be), the European stuff (was a bit too arty for V), and Golden Days - where V fell over. They've changed it a bit, the Erebus part wasn't as stirring as it had been in the past - the Jack Lovelock sport bit is still awesome. By the end of it was feeling at homeeee... bleah, crying.
Then the food court and the shop and then out - two and a half hours, if adding the art bit probably about average. Then the bus out to Kilbirnie to see my former local KFC and supermarket (sad I know) and walking back to the former flat, past the former local fish and chips shop, V saw my old flat and then needed to rest at the bus stop, picked up a bus into Hataitai, and went to Burger Wisconsin - YUM. Chicken, apricot and cream cheese burger indeed LOL. Then a quick couple of beers watching the cricket at Hataitai pub, half in hope that TF was drinking locally, and then the scenic number 14 bus back to the train station, and waiting forty minutes for a train home - could have used the diary then LOL.
Monday was what shall we do today day, because Basic Wellington can be seen in two good days, and we were up to our third in town. Not much enthusiasm shown for the Botanic Gardens by V, so shopping plus other bits was the go. I picked up a Hurricanes polo top - try as I might to will myself into a playing jersey, yellow just isn't my colour LOL. And then broke and had KFC for lunch and then onto Reading Cinemas. Wanted to go see something at Embassy but with the timings would have been a five minute dash through Courtenay Place or a four hour wait for the next Finding Neverland session.
So off to Reading and would be a one hour wait for Alexander or one and a half for Finding Neverland. Also had the option to see Garden State at Rialto but forgot about it. To the Sports Cafe to kill some time, Pats were slaughtering the Steelers in the conference final - Superbowl Monday my time, and then back to see Finding Neverland. Extra box of Tangy Fruits for the sister on the return to Oz, and a good movie - is Dustin Hoffman in EVERYTHING this summer? And six boxes of Snifters from a newsagent OMG embarrassing - LOL, they aren't THAT good.
Back to Trentham and had fish and chips for tea, also got a paua fritter - V was very impressed by the food and the price, though less so with the paua... a packing evening...
Then yesterday, checked out of the motel - had made plans with BI from former work to have an early lunch at Arizona, just a block away from work. Of course, when we get in Arizona is closed for refurbishment so I stake out the back entrance to work until BI arrives. Change of plan, let's go to Leuven, the Belgian bar instead. AW was already outside, champing at the bit for a beer. JL, former boss, also made a quick appearance before heading to the gym, but that was it, apart from BI staying almost two hours - was a nice catch up and TF would have been there for sure except she had the day off... then off to the airport.
Where they were unsure of the veracity of my passport - oh, you could have switched pictures, and then a minor fraying because a tear the front page almost in half, and you have to get a new passport, you will be turned back at Aussie Immigration and we will be fined for transporting you. Stayed calm at the desk but as soon as I was away I vented. Big time. Incandescent with rage is a good saying for how I was feeling. V could have flown but decided to stay with me.
Taxi back INTO town, and the cheapest centralish hotel I could think of. Then rang Internal Affairs for the details of what I had to do, and ringing parents to say we would be a day late. Then dropping the new application for passport off at Internal Affairs (as it was damaged could get a new one, valid for the same time as the old, for free).
And then felt mega flat for the rest of the day. Burger King for lunch, Starbucks for frappucino, Maccas for tea and Starmart for snacks - not a lot of inspiration there... The central city room wasn't as nice as the suburban one and was more expensive - but we needed it. Watched movies til late and then a thousand and one things bouncing around my head took me ages to sleep.
This morning, had a McDs bagel for brekkie, went to Farmers to let V have a final look for stuff (she hardly found anything to buy) and then picked up the bulk of the photos. Had a quick look at them at the hotel before checking out. Went down the waterfront to have an icecream and just a bit of relaxation time before heading through Civic Square (just as impressive the second time LOL) to pick up my passports.
It had been processed - yay - and my old one came at the same time (yay - don't want to forget all the stamps and places I have been the last ten years) and a huge weight came off my shoulders. I had felt so naked and so stressed without a passport. Took V for a quick tour of an NZ supermarket LOL, and then take two for the airport thing.
The same girls today who had barred me from going to Brisbnane yesterday couldn't be nicer today - maybe I should have headed completely out of sight of the departure desks before throwing a tanty LOL. And am currently in the air to Oz as I write - airline service has changed so much in the last nine years since I started travelling. Menus for meals (that you DIDN'T have to pay for) - complimentary nuts and orange juice - and within the A380s Richard Branson wants casinos on them? LOL, why not throw in brothels as well - ahh, unsubstantiated rumour mongering of what the air hostesses get up to with first class passengers LOL - a place I will never be...
Okies, completely caught up, and Economist read, lucky I brought a book...
V's friend who had been over said it would take a good day to see all of the museum, but I was pretty sure it would take half a day tops - and of course Wellington and NZ newbies would have to read every little signpost, whereas I think it is about my fourth or fifth trip playing host to tourists to the museum - I should know the good bits by now. And what with V not liking art, that cut another hour off the Te Papa time.
Did the earthquake/volcano/natural part, then the stuffed animals, then the outside bush area, then the modern marae and the Maori stuff, the Treaty of Waitangi in thirty seconds (as it should be), the European stuff (was a bit too arty for V), and Golden Days - where V fell over. They've changed it a bit, the Erebus part wasn't as stirring as it had been in the past - the Jack Lovelock sport bit is still awesome. By the end of it was feeling at homeeee... bleah, crying.
Then the food court and the shop and then out - two and a half hours, if adding the art bit probably about average. Then the bus out to Kilbirnie to see my former local KFC and supermarket (sad I know) and walking back to the former flat, past the former local fish and chips shop, V saw my old flat and then needed to rest at the bus stop, picked up a bus into Hataitai, and went to Burger Wisconsin - YUM. Chicken, apricot and cream cheese burger indeed LOL. Then a quick couple of beers watching the cricket at Hataitai pub, half in hope that TF was drinking locally, and then the scenic number 14 bus back to the train station, and waiting forty minutes for a train home - could have used the diary then LOL.
Monday was what shall we do today day, because Basic Wellington can be seen in two good days, and we were up to our third in town. Not much enthusiasm shown for the Botanic Gardens by V, so shopping plus other bits was the go. I picked up a Hurricanes polo top - try as I might to will myself into a playing jersey, yellow just isn't my colour LOL. And then broke and had KFC for lunch and then onto Reading Cinemas. Wanted to go see something at Embassy but with the timings would have been a five minute dash through Courtenay Place or a four hour wait for the next Finding Neverland session.
So off to Reading and would be a one hour wait for Alexander or one and a half for Finding Neverland. Also had the option to see Garden State at Rialto but forgot about it. To the Sports Cafe to kill some time, Pats were slaughtering the Steelers in the conference final - Superbowl Monday my time, and then back to see Finding Neverland. Extra box of Tangy Fruits for the sister on the return to Oz, and a good movie - is Dustin Hoffman in EVERYTHING this summer? And six boxes of Snifters from a newsagent OMG embarrassing - LOL, they aren't THAT good.
Back to Trentham and had fish and chips for tea, also got a paua fritter - V was very impressed by the food and the price, though less so with the paua... a packing evening...
Then yesterday, checked out of the motel - had made plans with BI from former work to have an early lunch at Arizona, just a block away from work. Of course, when we get in Arizona is closed for refurbishment so I stake out the back entrance to work until BI arrives. Change of plan, let's go to Leuven, the Belgian bar instead. AW was already outside, champing at the bit for a beer. JL, former boss, also made a quick appearance before heading to the gym, but that was it, apart from BI staying almost two hours - was a nice catch up and TF would have been there for sure except she had the day off... then off to the airport.
Where they were unsure of the veracity of my passport - oh, you could have switched pictures, and then a minor fraying because a tear the front page almost in half, and you have to get a new passport, you will be turned back at Aussie Immigration and we will be fined for transporting you. Stayed calm at the desk but as soon as I was away I vented. Big time. Incandescent with rage is a good saying for how I was feeling. V could have flown but decided to stay with me.
Taxi back INTO town, and the cheapest centralish hotel I could think of. Then rang Internal Affairs for the details of what I had to do, and ringing parents to say we would be a day late. Then dropping the new application for passport off at Internal Affairs (as it was damaged could get a new one, valid for the same time as the old, for free).
And then felt mega flat for the rest of the day. Burger King for lunch, Starbucks for frappucino, Maccas for tea and Starmart for snacks - not a lot of inspiration there... The central city room wasn't as nice as the suburban one and was more expensive - but we needed it. Watched movies til late and then a thousand and one things bouncing around my head took me ages to sleep.
This morning, had a McDs bagel for brekkie, went to Farmers to let V have a final look for stuff (she hardly found anything to buy) and then picked up the bulk of the photos. Had a quick look at them at the hotel before checking out. Went down the waterfront to have an icecream and just a bit of relaxation time before heading through Civic Square (just as impressive the second time LOL) to pick up my passports.
It had been processed - yay - and my old one came at the same time (yay - don't want to forget all the stamps and places I have been the last ten years) and a huge weight came off my shoulders. I had felt so naked and so stressed without a passport. Took V for a quick tour of an NZ supermarket LOL, and then take two for the airport thing.
The same girls today who had barred me from going to Brisbnane yesterday couldn't be nicer today - maybe I should have headed completely out of sight of the departure desks before throwing a tanty LOL. And am currently in the air to Oz as I write - airline service has changed so much in the last nine years since I started travelling. Menus for meals (that you DIDN'T have to pay for) - complimentary nuts and orange juice - and within the A380s Richard Branson wants casinos on them? LOL, why not throw in brothels as well - ahh, unsubstantiated rumour mongering of what the air hostesses get up to with first class passengers LOL - a place I will never be...
Okies, completely caught up, and Economist read, lucky I brought a book...
Twenty Four Jan 2005
One last thing to write about the wedding, apart from Beastie Boys I didn't get up to dance - I'm Hooked On A Feelikng and Stuck In The Middle was very tempted, but when SR is taking over the dancefloor, the other girls you know are the bride and a vagueish friend who isn't into dancing, and two girls from your table arguing with their bfs and one of whom could get you into trouble, but mainly for the first reason, no dancing apart from with RB, MR and KB LOL.
Saturday morning felt like a Sunday with the wedding the day before (Saturday weddings are 10% more cost and MUST have eighty guests, RB and KB ended up with 76) - was only planning to see JH and MM for the day, but V was like I haven't seen anything and it will be a waste of the day, so rang MM, changed the time of the visit from 2pm to 5pm, and then went into town.
The railway station and Parliament and Lambton Quay, she wasn't impressed by Kircaldie and Stains - or maybe not so much not impressed as not seeing the point of seeing how the rich live. Second argument of the day. Took her to Farmers on Lambton Quay which was also being remodelled - two from two, what are the odds LOL, and then up and down the cable car.
To the old BNZ shopping arcade, and then down Willis St and Manners Mall, where V got some cheap shoes from Banks Shoes, and I was looking at Hurricanes gear in Rebel Sports, and the down Courtenay Place, and had a meal at Coyote. Outside table, high winds, and menus and water flying everything. V was very impressed with the wind. Good meal but...
Then along the waterfront, where every man, gf and their dog were - well, a lot of the crowd would have been teens or early twenties, the X Games were in town - read in the paper that over the two full days, with the free admission, there were approximately 100 000 people there, and Tony Hawk was on the half pipe at Civic Square. The most exciting I saw though was break dancing woohoo. Maybe this time next year?
Then out to Taita to catch up with JH and MM - things were going OK until I went to pick up some beers - when I came back, V had decided she didn't like it and wanted to be gone asap, and didn't want me staying there by myself, let alone overnighting. Well, I know they're not everyones cup of tea, but there are mates and I'm not going to just spend a meal or coffee with them - four kids at 26 was V's thought, 3 at MM's 21st...
Got a dozen and V was like you're not going to have them all are you, well don't leave them here, take them home. Hmm, good BBQ food, good company, could do the catch up in ten minutes and then playing pool, just letting things drop in general conversation - V was like they aren't talking to you Paul, well, that's just their way.
Was good to se them, V watched Finding Nemo with the kids, and we made it to the 9.30 train. JH and MM have quietened down though, but with MM's brother S providing the entertainment and being on something. JJ and a quiet girl called B, who hmm yes, for all intents and purposes I'm partnered up, so let's not go there LOL. V was quiet pleased to go, and if I wasn't going to overnight, and with V around, 9.30 was a good time to go.
Next day (Sunday) was museum and Hataitai day...
Saturday morning felt like a Sunday with the wedding the day before (Saturday weddings are 10% more cost and MUST have eighty guests, RB and KB ended up with 76) - was only planning to see JH and MM for the day, but V was like I haven't seen anything and it will be a waste of the day, so rang MM, changed the time of the visit from 2pm to 5pm, and then went into town.
The railway station and Parliament and Lambton Quay, she wasn't impressed by Kircaldie and Stains - or maybe not so much not impressed as not seeing the point of seeing how the rich live. Second argument of the day. Took her to Farmers on Lambton Quay which was also being remodelled - two from two, what are the odds LOL, and then up and down the cable car.
To the old BNZ shopping arcade, and then down Willis St and Manners Mall, where V got some cheap shoes from Banks Shoes, and I was looking at Hurricanes gear in Rebel Sports, and the down Courtenay Place, and had a meal at Coyote. Outside table, high winds, and menus and water flying everything. V was very impressed with the wind. Good meal but...
Then along the waterfront, where every man, gf and their dog were - well, a lot of the crowd would have been teens or early twenties, the X Games were in town - read in the paper that over the two full days, with the free admission, there were approximately 100 000 people there, and Tony Hawk was on the half pipe at Civic Square. The most exciting I saw though was break dancing woohoo. Maybe this time next year?
Then out to Taita to catch up with JH and MM - things were going OK until I went to pick up some beers - when I came back, V had decided she didn't like it and wanted to be gone asap, and didn't want me staying there by myself, let alone overnighting. Well, I know they're not everyones cup of tea, but there are mates and I'm not going to just spend a meal or coffee with them - four kids at 26 was V's thought, 3 at MM's 21st...
Got a dozen and V was like you're not going to have them all are you, well don't leave them here, take them home. Hmm, good BBQ food, good company, could do the catch up in ten minutes and then playing pool, just letting things drop in general conversation - V was like they aren't talking to you Paul, well, that's just their way.
Was good to se them, V watched Finding Nemo with the kids, and we made it to the 9.30 train. JH and MM have quietened down though, but with MM's brother S providing the entertainment and being on something. JJ and a quiet girl called B, who hmm yes, for all intents and purposes I'm partnered up, so let's not go there LOL. V was quiet pleased to go, and if I wasn't going to overnight, and with V around, 9.30 was a good time to go.
Next day (Sunday) was museum and Hataitai day...
Friday, January 28, 2005
Jan 23 2005
Mmm, I love this movie - The Big Hit - and this particular scene, the bust some caps scene LOL.
Anyways, Upper Hutt, after surverying the greatness that was our room (hairdryer provided as well OMG), did the Upper Hutt Reminiscing Tour. To the old house at Merton Street, then to the high school, then past GM and GD's house, looking over the vista to Quinns Post (the Challenge petrol station has closed) and then next to Golders Road, detour to Fraser Crescent - I hadn't been there since I actually left (my primary school) LOL - and McLeod Street. Fraser Crescent V started glaring at me, she had had enough walking and was getting blisters. Then it was is there a bus route on McLeod Street and is there one on Fergusson Drive, one plaster later and up to town next to Pak N Save street, and stopped in at Charlton's, or O'Riley's as it's been renamed.
Taken over by pokie machines, geez it looks ugly - two diet Cokes and then further into town - of course at 5.30 everything shut - I thought it was late night Thursdays in Upper Hutt. Wandered past everything, was about to go into the Goatherd and thought better of it. To the remodelled Maccas for sundaes and then catching the bus back home.
Over to the pub for a drink and meal (pub as in next door Tote I mean) and beer, lemonade, Cobb bread, pumpkin and chicken pizza, and dessert pizza, raspberry sorbet with chocolate bits, was people watching and cute barmaid watching, and talking to them, when suddenly I looked up and RB was coming in. With MR next to him and SR and KA behind. OMG moment, in the best of ways, was a surprise and sheer luck that I saw them then.
Introduced V to them, had a quick chat to KA, SR ignored us, surprise surprise, and then the girls left, leaving V and I with the boys. V left shortly afterwards, leaving me to drink with the boys - was a good catch up, talking work, and South Park, and Reservoir Dogs and MR is thinking of joining the army or doing another course at uni - hmm, and RB there who has been certain of what he's been doing since leaving high school. Although he said it sounded like he had missed a lot of parties doing his training in Auckland, he and KA look solid though, and he has a set career. Tequila shot and of course had to have a jug sized chaser, LOL, and was home about 11.30...
Next day the plan was to go down to Queensgate... which was a surpirse, it is being remodelled and only a quarter of the size as I knew it. Only thing of note left was Farmers, and even that was slashed in size heaps - what a shame LOL. So up Queen and High Street, V got some postcards and that was the shopping for the day. Went to McDs and had a Boss Burger, Megafeast with an extra pattie and swiss cheese, and it was yum, and I wanted a second one, but I didn't because I just wanted the taste and my eyes would have been bigger than my tummy.
Back to the unit to make ourselves pretty for the wedding, of course. I only had to do minimal work, because I'm a guy LOL. Went up to Kaitoke in a cab, with the driver being a talker, complaining about the venue, and playing terrible c&w music. Was the never ending trip, and V had only brought $50 with her for cab fair, as it ticked over $40 she looked at me wonderingly and I was like let's go to the summit or Masterton LOL.
Pulled in, saw C of JR and C fame in the carpark, and first people we saw were JR and SR's parents - the previous night partly due to SR ignoring us, and general intuition, that V had deduced that she was difficult to be around LOL. And again, all by her ownsome, V figured out that SR's Mum was equally difficult LOL.
Apart from the bride and groom, best man and bridesmaid, JR and C, there wasn't anyone I either knew or would want to talk to. We started talking to another couple there, but then they were on speaking terms with SR and didn't really chat after that - surprise again!
Lovely gardens, had the wedding ceremony in a shady area next to a waterfall arrangement. RB was wound as tight as a drum with MR goofing off. After the traditional wait of five minutes, the bride arrived - nice outfit KA wore, nice ceremony, mice self composed vows, nice setting - the only thing not perfect was that I was at a tight angle to take any good pics - and got a scroll with the vows and the music on it.
Then up to the bar being open while endless photos were taken, with V people watching, and towards the end of the photos friends were included and V and I were in a name specific one (with MR, SR, JR and C), well chuffed with that. Lots of brownie points for coming over have been accrued with Mr and Mrs B now, a couple of the other old from school friends in Oz had better things to do.
Went into the reception room, table at the back with JR, C and assorted others - recognised two of the guys as having been at parties and stuff - KA's age range I think, with the girlfriend's and KA's younger brother. That was our table, and one of the other gfs broke the ice - pretty thing as well, no, not just pretty, very attractive - J, who works for NZ Post in HR, was split between listening/talking to her or the JR/C axis... talk about bad timing though, as I was at the bar, RB and KA were announced and presented down the staircase, a la Scarlett in Gone With The Wind LOL.
Prawn cocktail for the entree, roast pork for dinner, and a bit of everything for dessert. Then the speeches - first KA's Dad which started alright - started the speeches alright I mean. Then RB, who hates speeches, had a long one AND kept getting interrupted, he got through it though and it had an aww ending, the whole re-kissing the bride thing LOL. KA got up, gave her angle of the story her Dad had already told, although two different ppl, two different stories, was good.
MR got up as best man and did a good one, the interruptions and ad lips he came up with added to an already good speech - V said she thought MR must have always been as laid back as he is now, umm no, in two words. From what I remember he had major self confidence issues the first couple of years out of high school, as did we all from memory LOL. RB's Dad finished off the speeches with a short and to the point one - by that stage, short was good...
Then the wedding cake and the bridal waltz, to U2's All I Want Is You. Now I thought they were alone for the first song before being joined, I know it's a long song, but at least the first three minutes? But almost even before the first verse was over, SR had MR up on the floor as well... and then dancing ensued etc...
J from our table had been barred by the bf from request I Am Woman, so we got around that by me requesting it - the things I do for pretty women LOL. I got a pretty flat look from the bf thought, but J was delighted... Then was trying to get V on the dancefloor with NO success, and she was getting more than annoyed with my attempts to get her up. Requested Fight For Your Right To Party by Beastie Boys, saw RB and MR headbanging around on the floor, and finally decided to go down by myself, had fun, KA was up on the floor at that time as well, and after that, getting the endorphins going, our table going up for the next song, and V adamant that she wouldn't be joining me or anyone else anytime that night - 'I don't dance Paul'.
So we are both annoyed and I am in a huff, because, after getting Dutch courage (less needed than in the past) I love dancing. RB and KA both come over (seperately) to talk to us. Requested Khe Sanh, which JR and C had picked up on as Cold Chisel being for the Aussie, just had started as KA came over a second time - talking to the bride, or singing a song we can replay, wasn't a hard choice LOL. The bfs and gfs on our table were having tiffs by this stage, not talking to each other, storming off to the bar and dancefloor respectively - bit of drama for the evening. As well as the who's hogging the dancefloor more game, SR or her mother LOL.
Just as an aside, watching the latest cricket from Oz, against the Pakistanis in the VB series, and they are in front of a small crowd at the SCG, totally outclassed the Pakistanis in their innings, and then just wasted four overs to ensure a Clarke century - three parts boredom, one part statistics fixing, and I thought this was a TEAM sport boys? I remember people saying Ferrari winning all the time in F1 was making the sport boring, Australia being so good is doing the same to cricket - even you Aussie fans, the most exciting games were the tied one day series against the Kiwis eh? This season I mean...
Then, the evening flying by, it was midnight and time to go - said bye to MR, JR, RB - and I got a hug from KA (or should I say now KB, she took his surname - yay me with the hug LOL, lucky lucky guy Rob is), and we will catch up by email soon, Australia in midwninter is nice (compared to home), they put off their honeymoon til the winter, and Australia is an option in amongst the Pacific Islands...
Hope the photos come out well - then the endless trip back from Kaitoke to Trentham, and crashing into bed basically...
Anyways, Upper Hutt, after surverying the greatness that was our room (hairdryer provided as well OMG), did the Upper Hutt Reminiscing Tour. To the old house at Merton Street, then to the high school, then past GM and GD's house, looking over the vista to Quinns Post (the Challenge petrol station has closed) and then next to Golders Road, detour to Fraser Crescent - I hadn't been there since I actually left (my primary school) LOL - and McLeod Street. Fraser Crescent V started glaring at me, she had had enough walking and was getting blisters. Then it was is there a bus route on McLeod Street and is there one on Fergusson Drive, one plaster later and up to town next to Pak N Save street, and stopped in at Charlton's, or O'Riley's as it's been renamed.
Taken over by pokie machines, geez it looks ugly - two diet Cokes and then further into town - of course at 5.30 everything shut - I thought it was late night Thursdays in Upper Hutt. Wandered past everything, was about to go into the Goatherd and thought better of it. To the remodelled Maccas for sundaes and then catching the bus back home.
Over to the pub for a drink and meal (pub as in next door Tote I mean) and beer, lemonade, Cobb bread, pumpkin and chicken pizza, and dessert pizza, raspberry sorbet with chocolate bits, was people watching and cute barmaid watching, and talking to them, when suddenly I looked up and RB was coming in. With MR next to him and SR and KA behind. OMG moment, in the best of ways, was a surprise and sheer luck that I saw them then.
Introduced V to them, had a quick chat to KA, SR ignored us, surprise surprise, and then the girls left, leaving V and I with the boys. V left shortly afterwards, leaving me to drink with the boys - was a good catch up, talking work, and South Park, and Reservoir Dogs and MR is thinking of joining the army or doing another course at uni - hmm, and RB there who has been certain of what he's been doing since leaving high school. Although he said it sounded like he had missed a lot of parties doing his training in Auckland, he and KA look solid though, and he has a set career. Tequila shot and of course had to have a jug sized chaser, LOL, and was home about 11.30...
Next day the plan was to go down to Queensgate... which was a surpirse, it is being remodelled and only a quarter of the size as I knew it. Only thing of note left was Farmers, and even that was slashed in size heaps - what a shame LOL. So up Queen and High Street, V got some postcards and that was the shopping for the day. Went to McDs and had a Boss Burger, Megafeast with an extra pattie and swiss cheese, and it was yum, and I wanted a second one, but I didn't because I just wanted the taste and my eyes would have been bigger than my tummy.
Back to the unit to make ourselves pretty for the wedding, of course. I only had to do minimal work, because I'm a guy LOL. Went up to Kaitoke in a cab, with the driver being a talker, complaining about the venue, and playing terrible c&w music. Was the never ending trip, and V had only brought $50 with her for cab fair, as it ticked over $40 she looked at me wonderingly and I was like let's go to the summit or Masterton LOL.
Pulled in, saw C of JR and C fame in the carpark, and first people we saw were JR and SR's parents - the previous night partly due to SR ignoring us, and general intuition, that V had deduced that she was difficult to be around LOL. And again, all by her ownsome, V figured out that SR's Mum was equally difficult LOL.
Apart from the bride and groom, best man and bridesmaid, JR and C, there wasn't anyone I either knew or would want to talk to. We started talking to another couple there, but then they were on speaking terms with SR and didn't really chat after that - surprise again!
Lovely gardens, had the wedding ceremony in a shady area next to a waterfall arrangement. RB was wound as tight as a drum with MR goofing off. After the traditional wait of five minutes, the bride arrived - nice outfit KA wore, nice ceremony, mice self composed vows, nice setting - the only thing not perfect was that I was at a tight angle to take any good pics - and got a scroll with the vows and the music on it.
Then up to the bar being open while endless photos were taken, with V people watching, and towards the end of the photos friends were included and V and I were in a name specific one (with MR, SR, JR and C), well chuffed with that. Lots of brownie points for coming over have been accrued with Mr and Mrs B now, a couple of the other old from school friends in Oz had better things to do.
Went into the reception room, table at the back with JR, C and assorted others - recognised two of the guys as having been at parties and stuff - KA's age range I think, with the girlfriend's and KA's younger brother. That was our table, and one of the other gfs broke the ice - pretty thing as well, no, not just pretty, very attractive - J, who works for NZ Post in HR, was split between listening/talking to her or the JR/C axis... talk about bad timing though, as I was at the bar, RB and KA were announced and presented down the staircase, a la Scarlett in Gone With The Wind LOL.
Prawn cocktail for the entree, roast pork for dinner, and a bit of everything for dessert. Then the speeches - first KA's Dad which started alright - started the speeches alright I mean. Then RB, who hates speeches, had a long one AND kept getting interrupted, he got through it though and it had an aww ending, the whole re-kissing the bride thing LOL. KA got up, gave her angle of the story her Dad had already told, although two different ppl, two different stories, was good.
MR got up as best man and did a good one, the interruptions and ad lips he came up with added to an already good speech - V said she thought MR must have always been as laid back as he is now, umm no, in two words. From what I remember he had major self confidence issues the first couple of years out of high school, as did we all from memory LOL. RB's Dad finished off the speeches with a short and to the point one - by that stage, short was good...
Then the wedding cake and the bridal waltz, to U2's All I Want Is You. Now I thought they were alone for the first song before being joined, I know it's a long song, but at least the first three minutes? But almost even before the first verse was over, SR had MR up on the floor as well... and then dancing ensued etc...
J from our table had been barred by the bf from request I Am Woman, so we got around that by me requesting it - the things I do for pretty women LOL. I got a pretty flat look from the bf thought, but J was delighted... Then was trying to get V on the dancefloor with NO success, and she was getting more than annoyed with my attempts to get her up. Requested Fight For Your Right To Party by Beastie Boys, saw RB and MR headbanging around on the floor, and finally decided to go down by myself, had fun, KA was up on the floor at that time as well, and after that, getting the endorphins going, our table going up for the next song, and V adamant that she wouldn't be joining me or anyone else anytime that night - 'I don't dance Paul'.
So we are both annoyed and I am in a huff, because, after getting Dutch courage (less needed than in the past) I love dancing. RB and KA both come over (seperately) to talk to us. Requested Khe Sanh, which JR and C had picked up on as Cold Chisel being for the Aussie, just had started as KA came over a second time - talking to the bride, or singing a song we can replay, wasn't a hard choice LOL. The bfs and gfs on our table were having tiffs by this stage, not talking to each other, storming off to the bar and dancefloor respectively - bit of drama for the evening. As well as the who's hogging the dancefloor more game, SR or her mother LOL.
Just as an aside, watching the latest cricket from Oz, against the Pakistanis in the VB series, and they are in front of a small crowd at the SCG, totally outclassed the Pakistanis in their innings, and then just wasted four overs to ensure a Clarke century - three parts boredom, one part statistics fixing, and I thought this was a TEAM sport boys? I remember people saying Ferrari winning all the time in F1 was making the sport boring, Australia being so good is doing the same to cricket - even you Aussie fans, the most exciting games were the tied one day series against the Kiwis eh? This season I mean...
Then, the evening flying by, it was midnight and time to go - said bye to MR, JR, RB - and I got a hug from KA (or should I say now KB, she took his surname - yay me with the hug LOL, lucky lucky guy Rob is), and we will catch up by email soon, Australia in midwninter is nice (compared to home), they put off their honeymoon til the winter, and Australia is an option in amongst the Pacific Islands...
Hope the photos come out well - then the endless trip back from Kaitoke to Trentham, and crashing into bed basically...
Twenty One January
It's What Can I Break For The Next Four Years Day - aka Dubya's Second Inauguration - bleah, saying he will bring freedom to the world, when Iraq is in a mess and DC was in shutdown mode. And if I hear the phrase first inauguration since 9/11, I will scream! And Kerry turned up and was booed, hmm, well, yes, just thinking a Dem win reponse to the outgoing Prez (dream the impossible dream LOL, 100 000 hanging chads in Ohio) would have been similar.
But away from the politics and back to the holiday. Were well fed by GM while we were there - V would prefer to use - had pork chops, veges and cheese sauce for dinner one night and cheesecake for dessert, and then chicken, potato and peas for dinner the next, and rice pudding, fruit and cream for dessert. Plus breakfast, lunches and the occassional McDs sundae LOL. After dinner and Coro Street, GD found Planet of the Apes, the original, and V and GM rolled their eyes. Watched it almost straight through though, and I used to think it just had a brilliant ending, but, even though I know the movie inside out nowadays, the movie itself is great, and builds tension excellently. But the girls rolled their eyes.
Sleep, after a bit of annoying, and then it was breakfast the next morning, slopping around in nightclothes, like GM. Pretty nothing morning, then to the airport, couple of hugs, GD saying V was a nice girl, and a wannabe Presidential wave off from the top step of the plane (yes, I often have Hail To The Chief in my head LOL), and then the flight HOME.
Off the plane, onto the tarmac (one of those commuter planes, so not an airbridge), into a forty knot northerly, and couldn't stop grinning, home again. Had a beer at Trax, V said Wellington was different to what she expected on the taxi ride in, as I was pointing out different bits and pieces. And then onto the train out, and across the road from Trentham to the Totara Lodge. Which is nicer and bigger than I expected. Has a kettle, toaster and iron and a huge shower.
Then started the Grand Tour of Upper Hutt.
But away from the politics and back to the holiday. Were well fed by GM while we were there - V would prefer to use - had pork chops, veges and cheese sauce for dinner one night and cheesecake for dessert, and then chicken, potato and peas for dinner the next, and rice pudding, fruit and cream for dessert. Plus breakfast, lunches and the occassional McDs sundae LOL. After dinner and Coro Street, GD found Planet of the Apes, the original, and V and GM rolled their eyes. Watched it almost straight through though, and I used to think it just had a brilliant ending, but, even though I know the movie inside out nowadays, the movie itself is great, and builds tension excellently. But the girls rolled their eyes.
Sleep, after a bit of annoying, and then it was breakfast the next morning, slopping around in nightclothes, like GM. Pretty nothing morning, then to the airport, couple of hugs, GD saying V was a nice girl, and a wannabe Presidential wave off from the top step of the plane (yes, I often have Hail To The Chief in my head LOL), and then the flight HOME.
Off the plane, onto the tarmac (one of those commuter planes, so not an airbridge), into a forty knot northerly, and couldn't stop grinning, home again. Had a beer at Trax, V said Wellington was different to what she expected on the taxi ride in, as I was pointing out different bits and pieces. And then onto the train out, and across the road from Trentham to the Totara Lodge. Which is nicer and bigger than I expected. Has a kettle, toaster and iron and a huge shower.
Then started the Grand Tour of Upper Hutt.
Nineteen Jan
The wonder of talkback radio yay - the hostess is fighting a losing battle against the $68m the New Zealand government has given the tsunami effort. Bleah. Have called V's ring Wally, as in Where's Wally, as I was saying where is it last night and she said where's what, I've been on fire this holiday LOL, and Wally was born.
Oh, Golden Globe winners. Aviator for Best Drama, Sideways for Best Comedy, Hilary Swank and Annette Bening winning the Actresses, Jamie Foxx and someone else winning the guys.
Gotten to the point where I need a bit of quiet time, GD was watching the MLK speech yesterday and was overusing the N word, very unEEOish, and today was driving around town and going on about all the tourists on and on and on and ON. Yes, we know already. Just one of those quiet times needed, and glad that V is here to fill in my quiet patches.
My eldest uncle on this side came over for a cuppa and a chat, and then we had lunch and then out to hit the town. Mmm, shopping malls LOL - we wandered around and I was the only person that bought anything - two T shirts, a cheap cap and a couple of trousers. Slazenger and Fila tops, we had a Maccas sundae, I was thinking of a burger, but plenty of time for that, not for in between meals. And then went around the Mount, couldn't find a park on the sea side (surprise surprise) so the harbour side is what it was for the piccies. Had a quick two minute stop at my aunt's salon, had to because we were in the neighbourhood and all - eh, I thought business was location location location, but I'm not an expert is all I will say...
Oh, Golden Globe winners. Aviator for Best Drama, Sideways for Best Comedy, Hilary Swank and Annette Bening winning the Actresses, Jamie Foxx and someone else winning the guys.
Gotten to the point where I need a bit of quiet time, GD was watching the MLK speech yesterday and was overusing the N word, very unEEOish, and today was driving around town and going on about all the tourists on and on and on and ON. Yes, we know already. Just one of those quiet times needed, and glad that V is here to fill in my quiet patches.
My eldest uncle on this side came over for a cuppa and a chat, and then we had lunch and then out to hit the town. Mmm, shopping malls LOL - we wandered around and I was the only person that bought anything - two T shirts, a cheap cap and a couple of trousers. Slazenger and Fila tops, we had a Maccas sundae, I was thinking of a burger, but plenty of time for that, not for in between meals. And then went around the Mount, couldn't find a park on the sea side (surprise surprise) so the harbour side is what it was for the piccies. Had a quick two minute stop at my aunt's salon, had to because we were in the neighbourhood and all - eh, I thought business was location location location, but I'm not an expert is all I will say...
Jan Eighteen
So, yeah, had a couple of drinks with MG2 and SP - goodness, the things MG2 talks about LOL. SP is only 23 OMG, first time I've really spoken to her, seems nice enough...
Got home on the second train after I could have - if leaving straight from work I would have only missed one other, I mean. V thought I was abandoning her, but a) I had to tell someone about the interview, b) it was SB (team leader leaving) 'leaving' drinkies - sparsely populated, but there it was, and c) she had Mum and Dad to entertain her. Was tired and went to bed early.
Saturday was go to Chermside day - well, after watching the Rage Top 50 at least - one comment on that - the music video producers must love Gwen Stefani, after doing a huge Alice in Wonderland thing with Whatcha Waiting For, the amount of spend that must have gone on Pirates of the Caribbean - oh, I mean If I Was A Rich Girl - better song than the other I think - wow.
So off to Chermside, and did a trawl through the mall, I got the Jon Stewart book American from Dymocks - was actually amazed to see it in an Aussie bookstore, and was umming and ahhing whether to get it, but hey, the Daily Show, and I'm a liberal, what can't be not to like about it LOL. Got a really nice shirt from Ed Harry as well, I'm usually not a (vertical) stripe person myself, but V suggested I try it on and voila, next minute I know I am buying it. At the start of the day was going into 'each other's' stores, plus of course thinking of a wedding present (only got a really nice card Saturday, will write down somewhere what it says later on), but towards the end there's only so much Games Workshop she can bear, and only so many Bargain Cities I could.
The wedding present thing was exasperating - maybe I should have asked for a peek of the register LOL. Spent about five hours there all up, looking at most of the little stores and the Myer as well. Made two pit stops at the pet store, mainly puppies but a couple of kittens as well. And then home to Dad's famous steak eggs and chips.
I turned on the news (as I do, withdrawals from the net versions of the Guardian, NYT et al) and V came in, and the Huygens landing on Titan story, V wanted to go, I said stay and watch this story...
I said 'sit down for this one at least' - watching watching watching, brill photos from Titan, article ended. V said 'how does your Dad do the eggs, will they be runny?'
Look at her in stunned silence, look back at the TV, look back at her, weigh up with one hand saying 'new world' - the other hand 'my eggs'. Look back at V, weigh up the hands again - look at the TV and go
'Oh Mi God, What are you Doing here?' in a humorous way, and V laughed for a whole five minutes straight. Thus the egg story was born - the eggs weren't runny by the way.
Sunday morning was updating my CV, realised I must have deleted my last copy of it from my job search which ended in June - duh me LOL. So typing that up again and then off out again, this time to town. V picked up a handbag as a present for one of her relatives, and then proceeded to do Big W, KFC and Crazy Clarks (guess whose choices those were?) - went to the money exchange and did the place out of Kiwi money before V could get close. Dropped a film of Mum's off at the camera stop (I'm seriously thinking of updating to a digital) and then to the Myer Centre.
Window shopped for the most part, and did a once ocver of all the floors - had a Gloria Jeans coffee - well, slushie, actually, before heading off to pick up the film, one film over like eighteen months - don't think I have EVER taken that long to finish a film. Oh and decided on a wedding present, just a nice photo frame and all, thinking that RB and KA have been together for ten years, hmm they probably have everything, and again, maybe the register would have been a good idea, a photo frame is just as good as any other idea I had.
Then onto the movies and Meet the Fockers - better than I expected, and is it just me or is Dustin Hoffman having a bit of a renaissance? After the movie, we wandered around looking for a good food place in like thirty degree heat. Wandered past the Belgian beer place, felt like a beer, but the menu was a bit poncey, and went past an Italian place, and V felt like pasta, but I walked on by. I was in the mood to walk all the way to the Valley, heat and all, but then came across a Pig and Whistle on Charlotte Street, and beer and lemonade later, and then the menu.
Cobb bread, chips with aeoli sauce, and crab and smoked salmon fritters - which appeared almost as soon as it was ordered - V had an Uma Thurman out of Pulp Fiction moment, coming back to the table and her food was there. The food was OK, the service was good (and cute), but I don't think there was any crabmeat in the fritters.
Then it was the what we have in common discussion - again, in a joking manner, going on from the Egg Story - V is curious about what my friends do, I'm not; I am interested in movies and music, V knows of these concepts; V lives in a small town, I have watched Blue Heelers. The only thing we could agree on was liking Jimmy Barnes Khe Sanh LOL.
Had another beer, and wandered to the railway station. Got home, had had a long day, and she knocked over a glass of Sprite in the computer room - I was tired and cranky and swearing a lot as I cleaned up, and she fled in tears. Caught her on the stairs, hugged her, and she was tired, cranky and nervous. Tired, cranky and nervous for an interview for me on the other hand.
Was a hot night, but I got enough sleep before waking up early and getting ready early. Was OK with nerves when I left the house, but was really hot and was nervous and sweaty at the train station, and got to the office (seeing and waving to MG at the coffee shop downstairs) a bundle of nerves. Everyone was saying good luck and congrats - apart from SW who came in with 'you jammy git' - I think she meant well though. KW2 was humming here comes the bride to and thought that I was going to propose to V to take my mind off the interview nerves.
Had the interview, had the panel laughing for a good portion of the half hour so that's gotta be good. I was happy with most of my answers - there wasn't any time they STOPPED writing and when they slowed down I said enough to get them going again. One time they asked did I want to add anything to the answer, but I was all talked out on that one by that stage. Talked to KW2, CC, GT and AS on the way out. Rang V and said that in three quarters of an hour I would be wearing shorts and be on holiday (had been wearing long pants, saving my shorts for the trip) - JC msged me and I msged back asking for news of who else got interviews. She got back to me later and both her and MC had missed out.
Got back home and V was watching Coyote Ugly - and I practised my dialogue. I think I will be as good with Coyote as I am with Pulp Fiction or A Few Good Men soon. But apparently I was annoying V - the guy on the bar during the riot with the two bottles is gooooood. Then watched the last episode of Series 2 of Seinfeld, The Deal where Jerry and Elaine get back together. V liked it, whereas when I got the Revenge episode, it was I need to get ready now LOL. We both like Coyote Ugly though - for different reasons though LOL.
Then it was time to head to the airport. The flight was CANCELLED - but Freedom had 'chartered' an Air NZ flight to take us over instead. Red Rooster before Customs, and a beer and croissant after customs. V was nervous and had lost her appetite. Uneventful flight, apart from the wannabe singers in the row behind us. Oh, and the film was Catwoman, being a Freedom flight I guess that was a bonus - was more engrossed in my Economist and book than Halle Berry in leather (sad but true).
Got to Auckland and the instructions for the info desk said turn right instead of left, bad instructions and got us lost for about ten minutes. Found the shuttle bus to the motel OKish, if late, and flopped into bed - nothing on TV - girly kissy movie maybe, but didn't look watchable. Got our wake up call this morning, and blearily wandered over and picked up. Turned on the TV and there was Good Morning, Blues Clues, Barney and in other words, nothing.
Got to the airport in enough time, had a pie, coffee, buzz bar, V energy drink and twisties, and the flight was delayed by fifteen minutes. The Beech 1900D only has nineteen seats, but V seemed OK, ONCE we landed in Tauranga. It was a pretty cloudy flight, but got a good view coming into Tauranga, and was told it looked a lot like Tassie, as indeed Auckland Airport and environs seemed to LOL. Sorry Queen City, but you remind V of the quietest Australian state LOL.
The grandparents picked us up, which was a surprise, we came home for lunch and talked for about an hour, and then had a tour of the garden. GD and I had a beer, while V asked a few questions, about how they met, which led to the housewarming at Pinehaven story, to vets we have known and a wide range of things. I got sunburnt on certain parts, shin, forearm, forehead. GM, V and I went to the closest mall and V saw a cheap fish and chips store, with paua fritters (how do you pronounce that?) and her first real Warehouse (Crazy Clarks just isn't the same), and $2 Shop and NZ Woolies. V got her first taste of hokey pokey as well.
We came home and GD had the Discovery and History channels on. For 25 minutes before On The Buses I was allowed to control the remote, and I found Martin Luther King and I Have A Dream on CNN (MLK Day over there) - V and the grandparents were talking Coro Street and I was like MLK Coro Street, weighing up like the Egg and what we have in common situations.
Free At Last, Free At Last, Thank God Almighty, Free At Last.
Watched the local news, bleah Judy Bailey LOL, but look at the news, not the style Pauly. Shortland Street and the only one I could recognise was Waverley, and she only had one sentence tonight. Good to see the writers are still as tragic though, the latest lesbian triangle - cute actress in the middle of it though LOL. Then Coro Street and the History and Animal Planet channels. There's an Animal Planet NYC cop show - just thinking of the REAL Cops LOL, filmed live on location.
Bad boys bad boys, whatcha gonna do etc - funny! OK, I'm up to date - Pauly...
Got home on the second train after I could have - if leaving straight from work I would have only missed one other, I mean. V thought I was abandoning her, but a) I had to tell someone about the interview, b) it was SB (team leader leaving) 'leaving' drinkies - sparsely populated, but there it was, and c) she had Mum and Dad to entertain her. Was tired and went to bed early.
Saturday was go to Chermside day - well, after watching the Rage Top 50 at least - one comment on that - the music video producers must love Gwen Stefani, after doing a huge Alice in Wonderland thing with Whatcha Waiting For, the amount of spend that must have gone on Pirates of the Caribbean - oh, I mean If I Was A Rich Girl - better song than the other I think - wow.
So off to Chermside, and did a trawl through the mall, I got the Jon Stewart book American from Dymocks - was actually amazed to see it in an Aussie bookstore, and was umming and ahhing whether to get it, but hey, the Daily Show, and I'm a liberal, what can't be not to like about it LOL. Got a really nice shirt from Ed Harry as well, I'm usually not a (vertical) stripe person myself, but V suggested I try it on and voila, next minute I know I am buying it. At the start of the day was going into 'each other's' stores, plus of course thinking of a wedding present (only got a really nice card Saturday, will write down somewhere what it says later on), but towards the end there's only so much Games Workshop she can bear, and only so many Bargain Cities I could.
The wedding present thing was exasperating - maybe I should have asked for a peek of the register LOL. Spent about five hours there all up, looking at most of the little stores and the Myer as well. Made two pit stops at the pet store, mainly puppies but a couple of kittens as well. And then home to Dad's famous steak eggs and chips.
I turned on the news (as I do, withdrawals from the net versions of the Guardian, NYT et al) and V came in, and the Huygens landing on Titan story, V wanted to go, I said stay and watch this story...
I said 'sit down for this one at least' - watching watching watching, brill photos from Titan, article ended. V said 'how does your Dad do the eggs, will they be runny?'
Look at her in stunned silence, look back at the TV, look back at her, weigh up with one hand saying 'new world' - the other hand 'my eggs'. Look back at V, weigh up the hands again - look at the TV and go
'Oh Mi God, What are you Doing here?' in a humorous way, and V laughed for a whole five minutes straight. Thus the egg story was born - the eggs weren't runny by the way.
Sunday morning was updating my CV, realised I must have deleted my last copy of it from my job search which ended in June - duh me LOL. So typing that up again and then off out again, this time to town. V picked up a handbag as a present for one of her relatives, and then proceeded to do Big W, KFC and Crazy Clarks (guess whose choices those were?) - went to the money exchange and did the place out of Kiwi money before V could get close. Dropped a film of Mum's off at the camera stop (I'm seriously thinking of updating to a digital) and then to the Myer Centre.
Window shopped for the most part, and did a once ocver of all the floors - had a Gloria Jeans coffee - well, slushie, actually, before heading off to pick up the film, one film over like eighteen months - don't think I have EVER taken that long to finish a film. Oh and decided on a wedding present, just a nice photo frame and all, thinking that RB and KA have been together for ten years, hmm they probably have everything, and again, maybe the register would have been a good idea, a photo frame is just as good as any other idea I had.
Then onto the movies and Meet the Fockers - better than I expected, and is it just me or is Dustin Hoffman having a bit of a renaissance? After the movie, we wandered around looking for a good food place in like thirty degree heat. Wandered past the Belgian beer place, felt like a beer, but the menu was a bit poncey, and went past an Italian place, and V felt like pasta, but I walked on by. I was in the mood to walk all the way to the Valley, heat and all, but then came across a Pig and Whistle on Charlotte Street, and beer and lemonade later, and then the menu.
Cobb bread, chips with aeoli sauce, and crab and smoked salmon fritters - which appeared almost as soon as it was ordered - V had an Uma Thurman out of Pulp Fiction moment, coming back to the table and her food was there. The food was OK, the service was good (and cute), but I don't think there was any crabmeat in the fritters.
Then it was the what we have in common discussion - again, in a joking manner, going on from the Egg Story - V is curious about what my friends do, I'm not; I am interested in movies and music, V knows of these concepts; V lives in a small town, I have watched Blue Heelers. The only thing we could agree on was liking Jimmy Barnes Khe Sanh LOL.
Had another beer, and wandered to the railway station. Got home, had had a long day, and she knocked over a glass of Sprite in the computer room - I was tired and cranky and swearing a lot as I cleaned up, and she fled in tears. Caught her on the stairs, hugged her, and she was tired, cranky and nervous. Tired, cranky and nervous for an interview for me on the other hand.
Was a hot night, but I got enough sleep before waking up early and getting ready early. Was OK with nerves when I left the house, but was really hot and was nervous and sweaty at the train station, and got to the office (seeing and waving to MG at the coffee shop downstairs) a bundle of nerves. Everyone was saying good luck and congrats - apart from SW who came in with 'you jammy git' - I think she meant well though. KW2 was humming here comes the bride to and thought that I was going to propose to V to take my mind off the interview nerves.
Had the interview, had the panel laughing for a good portion of the half hour so that's gotta be good. I was happy with most of my answers - there wasn't any time they STOPPED writing and when they slowed down I said enough to get them going again. One time they asked did I want to add anything to the answer, but I was all talked out on that one by that stage. Talked to KW2, CC, GT and AS on the way out. Rang V and said that in three quarters of an hour I would be wearing shorts and be on holiday (had been wearing long pants, saving my shorts for the trip) - JC msged me and I msged back asking for news of who else got interviews. She got back to me later and both her and MC had missed out.
Got back home and V was watching Coyote Ugly - and I practised my dialogue. I think I will be as good with Coyote as I am with Pulp Fiction or A Few Good Men soon. But apparently I was annoying V - the guy on the bar during the riot with the two bottles is gooooood. Then watched the last episode of Series 2 of Seinfeld, The Deal where Jerry and Elaine get back together. V liked it, whereas when I got the Revenge episode, it was I need to get ready now LOL. We both like Coyote Ugly though - for different reasons though LOL.
Then it was time to head to the airport. The flight was CANCELLED - but Freedom had 'chartered' an Air NZ flight to take us over instead. Red Rooster before Customs, and a beer and croissant after customs. V was nervous and had lost her appetite. Uneventful flight, apart from the wannabe singers in the row behind us. Oh, and the film was Catwoman, being a Freedom flight I guess that was a bonus - was more engrossed in my Economist and book than Halle Berry in leather (sad but true).
Got to Auckland and the instructions for the info desk said turn right instead of left, bad instructions and got us lost for about ten minutes. Found the shuttle bus to the motel OKish, if late, and flopped into bed - nothing on TV - girly kissy movie maybe, but didn't look watchable. Got our wake up call this morning, and blearily wandered over and picked up. Turned on the TV and there was Good Morning, Blues Clues, Barney and in other words, nothing.
Got to the airport in enough time, had a pie, coffee, buzz bar, V energy drink and twisties, and the flight was delayed by fifteen minutes. The Beech 1900D only has nineteen seats, but V seemed OK, ONCE we landed in Tauranga. It was a pretty cloudy flight, but got a good view coming into Tauranga, and was told it looked a lot like Tassie, as indeed Auckland Airport and environs seemed to LOL. Sorry Queen City, but you remind V of the quietest Australian state LOL.
The grandparents picked us up, which was a surprise, we came home for lunch and talked for about an hour, and then had a tour of the garden. GD and I had a beer, while V asked a few questions, about how they met, which led to the housewarming at Pinehaven story, to vets we have known and a wide range of things. I got sunburnt on certain parts, shin, forearm, forehead. GM, V and I went to the closest mall and V saw a cheap fish and chips store, with paua fritters (how do you pronounce that?) and her first real Warehouse (Crazy Clarks just isn't the same), and $2 Shop and NZ Woolies. V got her first taste of hokey pokey as well.
We came home and GD had the Discovery and History channels on. For 25 minutes before On The Buses I was allowed to control the remote, and I found Martin Luther King and I Have A Dream on CNN (MLK Day over there) - V and the grandparents were talking Coro Street and I was like MLK Coro Street, weighing up like the Egg and what we have in common situations.
Free At Last, Free At Last, Thank God Almighty, Free At Last.
Watched the local news, bleah Judy Bailey LOL, but look at the news, not the style Pauly. Shortland Street and the only one I could recognise was Waverley, and she only had one sentence tonight. Good to see the writers are still as tragic though, the latest lesbian triangle - cute actress in the middle of it though LOL. Then Coro Street and the History and Animal Planet channels. There's an Animal Planet NYC cop show - just thinking of the REAL Cops LOL, filmed live on location.
Bad boys bad boys, whatcha gonna do etc - funny! OK, I'm up to date - Pauly...
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Jan Fifteen
Of course, I'm working a late shift that I can't swap the day V flies in. After the swap of shift plan went down the tube, the next is the airport train with two hours of loitering at the airport or train station - my preference would be the airport, because at that time of the evening, the only thing open at the train station is McDonald's. You can't expand even a Large Meal (don't call them supersize anymore, after THAT movie) over a period of two hours.
The plan that was finalised on was for my father to pick her up and bring her straight home. After I got off work, gave home a quick call to see that she arrived safely, and, with the time of night in mind, had a small burger meal from McDs' Dad picked me up from the station at my end, because they were waiting to eat (but of course LOL). Was good to see V. Had dinner, and relaxed watching TV, before she headed to bed, and I was 'allowed' a bit of time on the net, LOL.
Didn't go anywhere near my email, blog, dodgy sites, instant messengers, chatrooms - and was bored within half an hour LOL.
Relaxed the next morning, watching TV, before biting the bullet on my debt again, and talking to the collection agency back home. You may remember that I was going to get a debt agreement thing going, but that crowd wanted to add 20% charges on top of what I already owed, so thought I would try the agency which already has my debts - who had, incidentally, already added their charges to the amounts they quoted me.
Paid off my smallest creditor in full, and, as for the rest, will transfer my debts across the Tasman, and organise payments through their Aussie branch. Which covers all but one of my debts, which is a relatively small one, will give that creditor a call over the weekend - they are one of the multinationals, they will be open seven days for repayments I am sure LOL.
So yeah, two steps forward on the financial situation. Work yesterday was two steps backward all through the morning, and not because I was slacking off winding down to holidays either. For the first time I have been there, I forgot a critical piece of information for an order, and with two other orders on the go, I was stressed. Caught up by mid-afternoon though, which was nice.
Then it was just waiting around for The Phone Call - what with the job applications, and wanting to have the interviews over as quickly as possible, ie next week, and me being the only temp on leave next week, I had to have SPECIAL attention. The normal timeframe to hear would be midday on Monday, but I had to hear beforehand, only available Monday morning. So I was waiting for the PHONE CALL, and it came as I was on a customer call, the bosses phone ringing. Then my mobile, which I NEVER have on at work, eh, I was just transferring the customer anyways, let him go sort out the menu himself, and take the call.
Which was of course from the Big Boss, and I probably made NO sense, but Monday NINE AYEM is the interview. We'll see how it goes. Then went to track down drinkers from work (well I had to tell SOMEONE!) who were saying bye to one of the teamleaders, three teams into two, no one would bet against THAT rumour LOL. Only MG2 (English guy, not the eye candy) and SP (from one of the other floors) were left.
Pikers LOL.
The plan that was finalised on was for my father to pick her up and bring her straight home. After I got off work, gave home a quick call to see that she arrived safely, and, with the time of night in mind, had a small burger meal from McDs' Dad picked me up from the station at my end, because they were waiting to eat (but of course LOL). Was good to see V. Had dinner, and relaxed watching TV, before she headed to bed, and I was 'allowed' a bit of time on the net, LOL.
Didn't go anywhere near my email, blog, dodgy sites, instant messengers, chatrooms - and was bored within half an hour LOL.
Relaxed the next morning, watching TV, before biting the bullet on my debt again, and talking to the collection agency back home. You may remember that I was going to get a debt agreement thing going, but that crowd wanted to add 20% charges on top of what I already owed, so thought I would try the agency which already has my debts - who had, incidentally, already added their charges to the amounts they quoted me.
Paid off my smallest creditor in full, and, as for the rest, will transfer my debts across the Tasman, and organise payments through their Aussie branch. Which covers all but one of my debts, which is a relatively small one, will give that creditor a call over the weekend - they are one of the multinationals, they will be open seven days for repayments I am sure LOL.
So yeah, two steps forward on the financial situation. Work yesterday was two steps backward all through the morning, and not because I was slacking off winding down to holidays either. For the first time I have been there, I forgot a critical piece of information for an order, and with two other orders on the go, I was stressed. Caught up by mid-afternoon though, which was nice.
Then it was just waiting around for The Phone Call - what with the job applications, and wanting to have the interviews over as quickly as possible, ie next week, and me being the only temp on leave next week, I had to have SPECIAL attention. The normal timeframe to hear would be midday on Monday, but I had to hear beforehand, only available Monday morning. So I was waiting for the PHONE CALL, and it came as I was on a customer call, the bosses phone ringing. Then my mobile, which I NEVER have on at work, eh, I was just transferring the customer anyways, let him go sort out the menu himself, and take the call.
Which was of course from the Big Boss, and I probably made NO sense, but Monday NINE AYEM is the interview. We'll see how it goes. Then went to track down drinkers from work (well I had to tell SOMEONE!) who were saying bye to one of the teamleaders, three teams into two, no one would bet against THAT rumour LOL. Only MG2 (English guy, not the eye candy) and SP (from one of the other floors) were left.
Pikers LOL.
While I Was Away
Hmm, the way people get to my website when I'm not off blogxplosioning pimp style LOL. As well as the occasional wander over from the few other blogs that have links to me, we had in the two weeks while I was not updating...
Five searches with the words 'tsunami' and 'elephant' in them. Three other searches with 'tsunami' in there somewhere - TV pundit sacked over tsunami joke, tsunami donor fatigue, and tsunami NZ public donations. Two looking for Rebecca Twigley pics. Five with the word 'pinball' in - I can handle the search for 'accused jodie pinball', as she is one of my fave actresses, and it was a pretty powerful movie, but 'strip woman pinball' and 'wintery pinball' are pretty boring, and 'used pinball machine in north hollywood' is so not what the guy or gal was really looking for LOL...
And then to the one off searches - 'steven seagal in happy new party 2004' - wtf LOL. Or 'screen stitch jersey sports store sault ste marie ontario' - I'm NOT what you are looking for, I am sure LOL. 'Montreal Gooners' must be a sports team of some sort, 'wore my glasses to work' is understandable if obscure, 'australian idol top ten at gold coast' and 'convention centre map' are plain and unobscure LOL.
My fave two searches though were 'the sky is the daily bread of the eyes meaning' - some poetry and quote of the day from the day calendar at work that I liked, and 'later news mission cassini'. Hmm, if I get two hits out of twenty five for cultured things, that is something to work with LOL. Although kind of disappointed my search engine hits weren't weirder or umm cruder LOL.
Off to catch up with the diary while I was on hols - yes, I did keep one, and will type it all up here over the next couple of days.
Pauly
Five searches with the words 'tsunami' and 'elephant' in them. Three other searches with 'tsunami' in there somewhere - TV pundit sacked over tsunami joke, tsunami donor fatigue, and tsunami NZ public donations. Two looking for Rebecca Twigley pics. Five with the word 'pinball' in - I can handle the search for 'accused jodie pinball', as she is one of my fave actresses, and it was a pretty powerful movie, but 'strip woman pinball' and 'wintery pinball' are pretty boring, and 'used pinball machine in north hollywood' is so not what the guy or gal was really looking for LOL...
And then to the one off searches - 'steven seagal in happy new party 2004' - wtf LOL. Or 'screen stitch jersey sports store sault ste marie ontario' - I'm NOT what you are looking for, I am sure LOL. 'Montreal Gooners' must be a sports team of some sort, 'wore my glasses to work' is understandable if obscure, 'australian idol top ten at gold coast' and 'convention centre map' are plain and unobscure LOL.
My fave two searches though were 'the sky is the daily bread of the eyes meaning' - some poetry and quote of the day from the day calendar at work that I liked, and 'later news mission cassini'. Hmm, if I get two hits out of twenty five for cultured things, that is something to work with LOL. Although kind of disappointed my search engine hits weren't weirder or umm cruder LOL.
Off to catch up with the diary while I was on hols - yes, I did keep one, and will type it all up here over the next couple of days.
Pauly
Thursday, January 13, 2005
WMD 2002-05 RIP
It was 2002 when the hawks in Washington started banging the WMD drum wasn't it? Well, as far as the Iraqi family of WMDs are concerned, oh surprise surprise, the survey group that has spent almost two years and millions of dollars isn't searching for them anymore. And yes, I know that all the Western intelligence agencies thought that there was at least something there, it wasn't just an American mistake. But now that freedom is ringing (freedom sounds a lot like bullets whizzing and bombs going off to me) well, it's all alright then isn't it.
Heard on the news show this morning that the Huygens probe is shortly going to be landing on Titan (one of Saturn's moons for you not interested in space people out there). Trawling google news, and the landing date is 14 January. Mmm, space exploration - without man on the moon or Mars, robot probes are as exciting as it has gotten for my generation. Yes, the space shuttle is there, but apart from two of them disintegrating, they are the space version of a commuter bus. And as for the International Space Station, the analogy that came to mind is that it is a very high tree house LOL - how can something that is built for two or three people inspire the general public. Oh, there is Virgin Space Airlines, but that's not due to fly until 2007... so Saturn's moons it has to be :)
Hmm, was just thinking how I have evolved with interpersonal interactions on the web - is it evolution to go from chatrooms to instant messaging to blogs? That's how I feel I have gone - I hardly ever spend any time in chatrooms nowadays, and was such an enthusiastic newbie when I got my PC, I have yahoo and msn messengers, and have them on out of habit, but my contact lists are atrophying (not sure whether I used the word right, but I decided I wanted to use it, so there it is LOL), and there are about three or four people I talk to regularly but apart from that it's a blue moon when one of my other contacts pops in - like LC, Saskatchewan Florida friend last night.
Blogs you actually have to read and pay attention to at least an entire entry before commenting back, whereas chatrooms are very popgun in how much you have to take notice of other peole and how informed you have to be on an issue. Instant messaging, well, just slightly more informed and less popgun since I guess to be added to a list you must have had something in common at least :) but blogs, yeah, you get to know the people much better than just instant messaging - apart from the top five contacts of course LOL.
Or is that just me rambling?
Oh, and the fires in South Australia are the worst since Ash Wednesday in 1983 - at least in terms of death toll. The Canberra fires two years ago killed four people, nine are dead on the Eyre Peninsula so far. Ash Wednesday in South Australia and Victoria claimed 76 lives.
Well, there we go, last friend back home contacted about me being over there - she is on leave until Monday, so fingers crossed will get a response when I am in the motel in Wellington :) That's basically all I can do with regards to organising meeting up with people back home.
I might blog over the next couple of days, but I doubt it. So it's so long farewell auf wiedersehen goodbye - That Movie has scarred me for life LOL. Adieu, adieu to you and you and you. See you in a couple of weeks. And yes, I will expect my readership to crash during that period, apart from search engine stuff - that's an idea, to post what search enquiries link through to me while my readership is all gone lol.
Will try to keep notes on holiday.
Pauly
Heard on the news show this morning that the Huygens probe is shortly going to be landing on Titan (one of Saturn's moons for you not interested in space people out there). Trawling google news, and the landing date is 14 January. Mmm, space exploration - without man on the moon or Mars, robot probes are as exciting as it has gotten for my generation. Yes, the space shuttle is there, but apart from two of them disintegrating, they are the space version of a commuter bus. And as for the International Space Station, the analogy that came to mind is that it is a very high tree house LOL - how can something that is built for two or three people inspire the general public. Oh, there is Virgin Space Airlines, but that's not due to fly until 2007... so Saturn's moons it has to be :)
Hmm, was just thinking how I have evolved with interpersonal interactions on the web - is it evolution to go from chatrooms to instant messaging to blogs? That's how I feel I have gone - I hardly ever spend any time in chatrooms nowadays, and was such an enthusiastic newbie when I got my PC, I have yahoo and msn messengers, and have them on out of habit, but my contact lists are atrophying (not sure whether I used the word right, but I decided I wanted to use it, so there it is LOL), and there are about three or four people I talk to regularly but apart from that it's a blue moon when one of my other contacts pops in - like LC, Saskatchewan Florida friend last night.
Blogs you actually have to read and pay attention to at least an entire entry before commenting back, whereas chatrooms are very popgun in how much you have to take notice of other peole and how informed you have to be on an issue. Instant messaging, well, just slightly more informed and less popgun since I guess to be added to a list you must have had something in common at least :) but blogs, yeah, you get to know the people much better than just instant messaging - apart from the top five contacts of course LOL.
Or is that just me rambling?
Oh, and the fires in South Australia are the worst since Ash Wednesday in 1983 - at least in terms of death toll. The Canberra fires two years ago killed four people, nine are dead on the Eyre Peninsula so far. Ash Wednesday in South Australia and Victoria claimed 76 lives.
Well, there we go, last friend back home contacted about me being over there - she is on leave until Monday, so fingers crossed will get a response when I am in the motel in Wellington :) That's basically all I can do with regards to organising meeting up with people back home.
I might blog over the next couple of days, but I doubt it. So it's so long farewell auf wiedersehen goodbye - That Movie has scarred me for life LOL. Adieu, adieu to you and you and you. See you in a couple of weeks. And yes, I will expect my readership to crash during that period, apart from search engine stuff - that's an idea, to post what search enquiries link through to me while my readership is all gone lol.
Will try to keep notes on holiday.
Pauly
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Tsunami Elephant Story
To start with today, an elephant running away from the beach when the waves were coming in saved an eight year old British girl. And awww, it's cute, a baby elephant LOL. Oh no, now I have that song bouncing around my head LOL...
Also heard about the boat crew that got pushed off course by 250 kays, that got picked up by the Indian Navy. Lucky lucky boys, like that TV series Lost but in real life and on the sea. So not much like that TV show Lost at all then LOL.
Finished off my job application today - I thought I was rushing things by just starting it a week and a half ago and only fully completing a first draft four days ago, but then watching my fellow applicees (think I have invented a word there LOL) - some of them just started their writings today! And whereas I was just fixing up bits and pieces of grammar and punctuation and lazily emailing it in about 3.30, others were furiously typing all the way up to 4.59 LOL. We shall see what happens...
And with me being on leave from Monday for a week and a half, guess which week they are doing the interviews. My flight on Monday isn't until 5pm, so if I do make the interview shortlist, I will probably get called in on Monday morning. After thinking so much to get the application done, do you mean I have to think about an INTERVIEW now LOL. Grrr, just give me the job or don't, can't you do it that way :)
Speaking of the time away, V arrives tomorrow. Spending time online when V is around, hmm not a smart move, the internet is one of those huge red flags with her. So no doubt my blogging will take a break for umm thirteen days. Thinking of keeping notes from day to day to paste to the blog when I 'get back', but will see whether I have time to keep those as well.
Will be good to be home, catch up with the grandparents and hopefully most of my friends as well :) ... still have one close friend that I have to 'track down', but I actually think she is away from Wellington for the entire month. Will see what we can do :)
Hmm, this is an interesting one - file under 'why I am vague about what I do at work part 2' LOL - this guy got sacked for saying snarky things about his work and boss. From a bookstore that prides itself on freedom of speech hmm - had an advertising campaign the other year with Hitler and Pol Pot urging you to read. A more interesting case than the intern in Washington or the flight attendant in Texas - those two had made work the cornerstone of their blogs, whereas Mr Edinburgh had as wide a range of topics as I do. Hmm, my boss likes me, but there are due to be big team changes the next month or so (which is why they want these permanent interviews over asap) - will I get a pointy haired boss in the reshuffle LOL.
My Saskatchewan currently Florida friend has turned up and doing voice yahoo chat so off I go to be distracted :)
Pauly
Also heard about the boat crew that got pushed off course by 250 kays, that got picked up by the Indian Navy. Lucky lucky boys, like that TV series Lost but in real life and on the sea. So not much like that TV show Lost at all then LOL.
Finished off my job application today - I thought I was rushing things by just starting it a week and a half ago and only fully completing a first draft four days ago, but then watching my fellow applicees (think I have invented a word there LOL) - some of them just started their writings today! And whereas I was just fixing up bits and pieces of grammar and punctuation and lazily emailing it in about 3.30, others were furiously typing all the way up to 4.59 LOL. We shall see what happens...
And with me being on leave from Monday for a week and a half, guess which week they are doing the interviews. My flight on Monday isn't until 5pm, so if I do make the interview shortlist, I will probably get called in on Monday morning. After thinking so much to get the application done, do you mean I have to think about an INTERVIEW now LOL. Grrr, just give me the job or don't, can't you do it that way :)
Speaking of the time away, V arrives tomorrow. Spending time online when V is around, hmm not a smart move, the internet is one of those huge red flags with her. So no doubt my blogging will take a break for umm thirteen days. Thinking of keeping notes from day to day to paste to the blog when I 'get back', but will see whether I have time to keep those as well.
Will be good to be home, catch up with the grandparents and hopefully most of my friends as well :) ... still have one close friend that I have to 'track down', but I actually think she is away from Wellington for the entire month. Will see what we can do :)
Hmm, this is an interesting one - file under 'why I am vague about what I do at work part 2' LOL - this guy got sacked for saying snarky things about his work and boss. From a bookstore that prides itself on freedom of speech hmm - had an advertising campaign the other year with Hitler and Pol Pot urging you to read. A more interesting case than the intern in Washington or the flight attendant in Texas - those two had made work the cornerstone of their blogs, whereas Mr Edinburgh had as wide a range of topics as I do. Hmm, my boss likes me, but there are due to be big team changes the next month or so (which is why they want these permanent interviews over asap) - will I get a pointy haired boss in the reshuffle LOL.
My Saskatchewan currently Florida friend has turned up and doing voice yahoo chat so off I go to be distracted :)
Pauly
A Trawl of the News
First for the day, to Iraq. While the media's focus has only slowly been realising things are happening away from Aceh, Phuket, Sri Lanka et al, over 30 coalition troops have died in Iraq already this month. Along with dozens of Iraqi civilians, police and national guard - the deputy commissioner of Baghdad's police was assassinated a couple of days ago, and the head of Iraqi intelligence says there are 200,000 supporters of the insurgency...
Weather woes around the world - a huge mudslide in California has basically wiped out a coastside town, three dead, 27 missing at this stage. What with the heavy snow in the Californian mountains, it must be feeling decidedly wintery in the state - and has rained for fifteen days in a row in Los Angeles, so much for never raining in Southern California (oh no, now I'm humming along to that maudlin song LOL)...
And pretty major bushfires seemed to have just come out of thin air in South Australia. Strong winds and temperatures up to 40 degrees - eight people dead, and about twenty missing. Did anyone die in the Canberra bushfires a couple years ago? They were wondering on the morning news whether it was the worst fires since Ash Wednesday in 1983 - hmmm.
Some more Guantanamo Bay detainees being released by the US military. Think I grazed over the fact that the remaining Brits were being released, but more importantly for this corner of the world, one of the Australians held is coming home, Mamdouh Habib. The Australian government is saying that he will stay under close surveillence (spelling?) back home. If he is being released without being charged (admittedly, under the assurances that the Australian government will 'look after' him) why on earth is he still being called a terrorist suspect? Sure, he may have friends that won't be invited to Dubya's second inauguration, but if they have kept him for three years, including a six month stint in Egypt, surely any of the information he had has been squeezed out of him by now?
I hope the Australian government is as careful of his psychiatric needs as they will be about checking up on him national security wise... I can't imagine being in the wrong place at the wrong time and then being picked up without due legal process for three years. And then the US is saying that some of the detainees (from countries where they can't get the local governments to keep tabs on them I guess) may never be charged but held forever.
As I have said before, yes, I can deal with the war in Iraq (don't agree with it, but can deal with it), I can deal with the Administration being so in the red that the dollar may crash any day now, I can deal with the idea of the extreme right Republicans and the culture wars in the USA, but the most damage the US has done to itself under Bush is this whole outside due legal process for 'terrorism suspects' - it is such a blinding own goal. But then again, the Administration is good at blinding itself to bad news, lol when was the last time reality was admitted in statements about Iraq...
Later peeps
Pauly
Weather woes around the world - a huge mudslide in California has basically wiped out a coastside town, three dead, 27 missing at this stage. What with the heavy snow in the Californian mountains, it must be feeling decidedly wintery in the state - and has rained for fifteen days in a row in Los Angeles, so much for never raining in Southern California (oh no, now I'm humming along to that maudlin song LOL)...
And pretty major bushfires seemed to have just come out of thin air in South Australia. Strong winds and temperatures up to 40 degrees - eight people dead, and about twenty missing. Did anyone die in the Canberra bushfires a couple years ago? They were wondering on the morning news whether it was the worst fires since Ash Wednesday in 1983 - hmmm.
Some more Guantanamo Bay detainees being released by the US military. Think I grazed over the fact that the remaining Brits were being released, but more importantly for this corner of the world, one of the Australians held is coming home, Mamdouh Habib. The Australian government is saying that he will stay under close surveillence (spelling?) back home. If he is being released without being charged (admittedly, under the assurances that the Australian government will 'look after' him) why on earth is he still being called a terrorist suspect? Sure, he may have friends that won't be invited to Dubya's second inauguration, but if they have kept him for three years, including a six month stint in Egypt, surely any of the information he had has been squeezed out of him by now?
I hope the Australian government is as careful of his psychiatric needs as they will be about checking up on him national security wise... I can't imagine being in the wrong place at the wrong time and then being picked up without due legal process for three years. And then the US is saying that some of the detainees (from countries where they can't get the local governments to keep tabs on them I guess) may never be charged but held forever.
As I have said before, yes, I can deal with the war in Iraq (don't agree with it, but can deal with it), I can deal with the Administration being so in the red that the dollar may crash any day now, I can deal with the idea of the extreme right Republicans and the culture wars in the USA, but the most damage the US has done to itself under Bush is this whole outside due legal process for 'terrorism suspects' - it is such a blinding own goal. But then again, the Administration is good at blinding itself to bad news, lol when was the last time reality was admitted in statements about Iraq...
Later peeps
Pauly
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Wish I Was In Melbourne
For one day of my life at least - that charity cricket game mmm, most of the best one day players in the world right now. Most, because the first elevens of England and South Africa weren't available - Ponting got a century (yawn), Lara a half century and good contributions from all the Kiwis (parochial flag waving here, here and here LOL) in the batting, and then bowling yay Vettori was the star, even outshining Warney. From the Asian side, 345 was always going to be near impossible to get unless a first wicket partnership lasted thirty overs or so, but they will live to fight another game I am sure - eek, just realised the phrasing, what with 160,000 dead due to the tsunami and quake...
First of the tennis grand slams coming up, the Australian Open, all the big stars are coming to Australia. Saw Andre Agassi on the TV, isn't he in his late thirties by now? Anyways, speaking as a straight guy, Agassi with his shirt off is quite attractive LOL. Now, to burnish my straightness, let's go find the girl players to perv on LOL.
Okies, off to workies
Pauly
First of the tennis grand slams coming up, the Australian Open, all the big stars are coming to Australia. Saw Andre Agassi on the TV, isn't he in his late thirties by now? Anyways, speaking as a straight guy, Agassi with his shirt off is quite attractive LOL. Now, to burnish my straightness, let's go find the girl players to perv on LOL.
Okies, off to workies
Pauly
Monday, January 10, 2005
Tiring Day
Hey all - well, that was a tiring day - on late shift now and is funny to turn up to work and some people are already on their lunch breaks. MG front is going as well as possible, with as much vagueness and as little clarity as possible LOL - I waved to her as she had her break as I was walking to work, and she smiled at me later in the day. Non verbal communication, isn't it grand LOL.
Gave my draft application to MC2, the boss, JV, one of the last intake of successful applicants, and SW, who said oh now my one looks more crap. Well, SW, you showed me yours, lol, only showing you mine in return - not to intimidate, just to if you need it inspire. But it is gratifying that not even trying I have written my best piece of crap in at least a few years LOL - god I hate the 'I, I, I' of job applications. LOL the boss said that maybe I should talk about myself more, to which I said well it's supposed to be about teamwork, but need to write more about myself bleah. Really, at this stage of the game, I'm happy with what I've written, needs a bit of tweaking, but not gonna burn my brain out about it, let others suggest stuff. Not even sure how much I really want a permanent job at the moment, so much else going on in my life that it's almost a whirlpool.
My debt agreement came by courier today, with about 20% added to my overall total in debt agency costs. Have been advised by my parents to check out whether that's normal or not, but hey, I'm sure I am a credit risk, and I am sure all those sort of companies are just as fee charging - could have written something else, but wanted to be nice LOL.
Oh, the parents came home yesterday. Had a reasonable time back home, good time with Mum's parents, and a very quiet time with Dad's mother - hardly got out in her town. Apparently they bumped into a cousin's ex who we had seen probably hmm T's wedding, that was about ten years ago, who said she had always had a soft spot for me (soft spot family wise of COURSE lol, I was only about sixteen the last time she saw me!), and that surprised me, what with the very intermittent visits I have had. From what I remember, she was always happy and bubbly, around me at least LOL.
Have visited Mum's parents about three times the last five years, Dad's mother once. She's not the most umm talkative of grandparents, if you know what I mean. With Mum's set, I feel I can basically talk about anything, whereas Nana, hmm, it's like lets turn the TV on to get rid of this silence LOL. From what I hear, that's how the parents felt as well...
Was going to do a news post as well, but eh, too easily distracted, will cover it off as a personal entry above LOL.
Later peeps
Pauly
Gave my draft application to MC2, the boss, JV, one of the last intake of successful applicants, and SW, who said oh now my one looks more crap. Well, SW, you showed me yours, lol, only showing you mine in return - not to intimidate, just to if you need it inspire. But it is gratifying that not even trying I have written my best piece of crap in at least a few years LOL - god I hate the 'I, I, I' of job applications. LOL the boss said that maybe I should talk about myself more, to which I said well it's supposed to be about teamwork, but need to write more about myself bleah. Really, at this stage of the game, I'm happy with what I've written, needs a bit of tweaking, but not gonna burn my brain out about it, let others suggest stuff. Not even sure how much I really want a permanent job at the moment, so much else going on in my life that it's almost a whirlpool.
My debt agreement came by courier today, with about 20% added to my overall total in debt agency costs. Have been advised by my parents to check out whether that's normal or not, but hey, I'm sure I am a credit risk, and I am sure all those sort of companies are just as fee charging - could have written something else, but wanted to be nice LOL.
Oh, the parents came home yesterday. Had a reasonable time back home, good time with Mum's parents, and a very quiet time with Dad's mother - hardly got out in her town. Apparently they bumped into a cousin's ex who we had seen probably hmm T's wedding, that was about ten years ago, who said she had always had a soft spot for me (soft spot family wise of COURSE lol, I was only about sixteen the last time she saw me!), and that surprised me, what with the very intermittent visits I have had. From what I remember, she was always happy and bubbly, around me at least LOL.
Have visited Mum's parents about three times the last five years, Dad's mother once. She's not the most umm talkative of grandparents, if you know what I mean. With Mum's set, I feel I can basically talk about anything, whereas Nana, hmm, it's like lets turn the TV on to get rid of this silence LOL. From what I hear, that's how the parents felt as well...
Was going to do a news post as well, but eh, too easily distracted, will cover it off as a personal entry above LOL.
Later peeps
Pauly
Application Finished!
Well, first draft of it, will take it to work to be savaged by team leader and certain designated helpers LOL. But I'm happy with it at the moment - and really, am still not sure how enthusiastic I am to become permanent - holiday and sick pay is always nice, but that's about all that would change... as AD said, who didn't apply last year because he was going to move interstate or something, it's better to apply than not to apply...
So yeah, that's where yesterday went instead of blogging time - well, part of yesterday at least, as well as watching Carnivale, and being distracted online and walking the dog LOL. Finished the first draft off this morning, and of course my printer's ink is playing up - hope the email makes it to work :)
Later peeps
Pauly
So yeah, that's where yesterday went instead of blogging time - well, part of yesterday at least, as well as watching Carnivale, and being distracted online and walking the dog LOL. Finished the first draft off this morning, and of course my printer's ink is playing up - hope the email makes it to work :)
Later peeps
Pauly
Saturday, January 8, 2005
Donor Fatigue?
Nothing on TV for the night - Australia Unites on TV, the telethon to raise money for the tsunami relief. All the commercial stations and most of the major radio stations are doing a simultaneous broadcast. I saw a post in another blog earlier today which said that the overexposure of tsunami stuff the last couple of weeks is bringing a bit of desensitisation though, which I feel is true, and maybe I should watch less news or something to have a bit of a breather... I can avoid tsunami stuff on the net, pick and choose the stories more, but the TV news is all tsunami all the time.
Have made another million in the first 36 minutes of this telethon, to go with the other $115m the Aussie public has donated so far. I might do an SMS donation over the course of the evening... ooh, that was a good idea, someone's having a wedding tonight and instead of asking for gifts they said send donations - hope they got that out before the guests got the most expensive china LOL.
Ooh, just heard that one of my employer's competitors kicked in $250K, hmm, I am sure we will hear from my employer to either match or outdo that. Good to see the TV celebs from the different networks bouncing jokes and stuff off each other, Rove and Deal or no Deal guy and Bert Newton especially... for you out of towners, the google button is around somewhere LOL,
Canada is putting together two concerts for this thing, for both the CBC and CTV, CBC one in Toronto next week, and CTV in Vancouver on Jan 29, and possibly Calgary later on...
Pauly
Have made another million in the first 36 minutes of this telethon, to go with the other $115m the Aussie public has donated so far. I might do an SMS donation over the course of the evening... ooh, that was a good idea, someone's having a wedding tonight and instead of asking for gifts they said send donations - hope they got that out before the guests got the most expensive china LOL.
Ooh, just heard that one of my employer's competitors kicked in $250K, hmm, I am sure we will hear from my employer to either match or outdo that. Good to see the TV celebs from the different networks bouncing jokes and stuff off each other, Rove and Deal or no Deal guy and Bert Newton especially... for you out of towners, the google button is around somewhere LOL,
Canada is putting together two concerts for this thing, for both the CBC and CTV, CBC one in Toronto next week, and CTV in Vancouver on Jan 29, and possibly Calgary later on...
Pauly
NEWS FLASH!
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston have split up after seven years together and four and a half years of marriage!!! Umm, oh, now that I have gotten over the actual initial excitement about this news, umm why should I care LOL :)
Bad Pauly Bad...
Bad Pauly Bad...
I Wasn't Going To Post This Moring
But then I saw this article, where the US Education Department paid Armstrong Williams, an African American political pundit, $240,000 to promote the No Child Left Behind programme. Not that I have looked deeply into NCLB, but it seems one of the better Bush policies, but to PAY to have pundits promote it grrr. This from Williams himself -
'Mr Williams said yesterday he could not recall whether he had informed his viewers and listeners of the contract and that he had "an obligation to be more vociferous about the fact" if he did it again.
"I can certainly understand why people would think it was unethical," he said, arguing that the money had been paid for public service announcements to promote a policy that he had always believed in.'
Grr, it annoys me so much how little shame public figures have. If I were to get paid $240,000 for something I already believed in, before an important election, with the issue of my race and how my race had historically voted, can't anyone see a conflict of interest here? Not even to mention that he should have said this programme was paid for or at least sponsored by the federal government.
AND just reading the last sentence of the story, Williams says that if he was offered a similar contract again, he might take it, depending on a judgement call! Well, I guess that's $240K of the US taxpayers money that won't be coming back...
Now that I'm here I might as well link to this story, saying how the tsunami relief programme could make or break the United Nations. Some in the media and blogosphere seem to think that the UN is basically a government in waiting just waiting for the strong virile democracies to crumble so that it can take over and give orders to red blooded patriotic Americans (for example). The truth is that the UN is only as strong as it's member states, and if the US and Britain can't convince France, Germany and the rest of the Security Council to do something, such as invade Iraq because of WMDs, then, as the article says, the only thing the actual UN Secretariat can do is remain neutral.
Possible quote of the day here - 'An American helicopter pilot delivering aid in Aceh, William Whitsitt, put it more succinctly: "I'd much rather be doing this than fighting a war."'
And found another strand to the where is the shame topic I started today off with, CIBC in Canada is suing former employees who started up their own company, after waiting for the annual bonuses to come through, accusing the former employees of using their work email and Blackberrys to a) plot to set up a stand alone company, and b) enticing other members of CIBC to join up with the new company. Not so much the actual suing and accusations and stuff, though that is bad enough, but this from one of the ex-employees -
'In an affidavit, Mr. Kassie issued a sharp rebuttal to the CIBC allegations, and insisted he was not bound by any non-compete restrictions when he was terminated by the bank. He also denied the suggestion he or anyone else at Genuity poached former colleagues at CIBC or took client files.'
Since when did simple common sense have to be written into contracts or terminations? You leave a company or get terminated, you don't set up a competitor less than a month later - ohhh, you mean there WAS pre-planning? The ex employees cleared their inboxes and Blackberries, but didn't think to do a Tom Cruise Mission Impossible like hit on the bank mainframes LOL...
On a different note, the power of subliminal advertising - was watching one of the episodes off my Seinfeld DVD last night, and George and Jerry are eating pizza (think it is the stranded in Long Island at a party episode), and suddenly I thought pizza, and not just pizza but thick crust pizza, and the pizza in my freezer doesn't have a thick crust. Two large pizzas from one of the take out companies later (two because they don't deliver for only one) and that's like two and a half days food for me... lol so much for the diet :)
Pauly
'Mr Williams said yesterday he could not recall whether he had informed his viewers and listeners of the contract and that he had "an obligation to be more vociferous about the fact" if he did it again.
"I can certainly understand why people would think it was unethical," he said, arguing that the money had been paid for public service announcements to promote a policy that he had always believed in.'
Grr, it annoys me so much how little shame public figures have. If I were to get paid $240,000 for something I already believed in, before an important election, with the issue of my race and how my race had historically voted, can't anyone see a conflict of interest here? Not even to mention that he should have said this programme was paid for or at least sponsored by the federal government.
AND just reading the last sentence of the story, Williams says that if he was offered a similar contract again, he might take it, depending on a judgement call! Well, I guess that's $240K of the US taxpayers money that won't be coming back...
Now that I'm here I might as well link to this story, saying how the tsunami relief programme could make or break the United Nations. Some in the media and blogosphere seem to think that the UN is basically a government in waiting just waiting for the strong virile democracies to crumble so that it can take over and give orders to red blooded patriotic Americans (for example). The truth is that the UN is only as strong as it's member states, and if the US and Britain can't convince France, Germany and the rest of the Security Council to do something, such as invade Iraq because of WMDs, then, as the article says, the only thing the actual UN Secretariat can do is remain neutral.
Possible quote of the day here - 'An American helicopter pilot delivering aid in Aceh, William Whitsitt, put it more succinctly: "I'd much rather be doing this than fighting a war."'
And found another strand to the where is the shame topic I started today off with, CIBC in Canada is suing former employees who started up their own company, after waiting for the annual bonuses to come through, accusing the former employees of using their work email and Blackberrys to a) plot to set up a stand alone company, and b) enticing other members of CIBC to join up with the new company. Not so much the actual suing and accusations and stuff, though that is bad enough, but this from one of the ex-employees -
'In an affidavit, Mr. Kassie issued a sharp rebuttal to the CIBC allegations, and insisted he was not bound by any non-compete restrictions when he was terminated by the bank. He also denied the suggestion he or anyone else at Genuity poached former colleagues at CIBC or took client files.'
Since when did simple common sense have to be written into contracts or terminations? You leave a company or get terminated, you don't set up a competitor less than a month later - ohhh, you mean there WAS pre-planning? The ex employees cleared their inboxes and Blackberries, but didn't think to do a Tom Cruise Mission Impossible like hit on the bank mainframes LOL...
On a different note, the power of subliminal advertising - was watching one of the episodes off my Seinfeld DVD last night, and George and Jerry are eating pizza (think it is the stranded in Long Island at a party episode), and suddenly I thought pizza, and not just pizza but thick crust pizza, and the pizza in my freezer doesn't have a thick crust. Two large pizzas from one of the take out companies later (two because they don't deliver for only one) and that's like two and a half days food for me... lol so much for the diet :)
Pauly
Friday, January 7, 2005
What A Brutal Movie
From the script of Leaving Las Vegas... one of what I think is the best conversations in the movie...
'Sera You seem prepared for accidents.
Desk Clerk (still smiling) Yes, we get a lot of screw ups here.
He looks directly at Sera
Desk Clerk Now, you two keep your loud talk and your liquor to your room. Check out first thing tomorrow and after that I don't want to see either of you here again. I don't need you paying for the chair or cutting your pretty hands on the glass. Let's just leave it at that.
Nodding firmly, he goes back to the mess, indicating the conversation is over.
Desk Clerk See ya in the morning.'
Now the fact that the clerk is a woman in the movie just makes it seem all the more twisting the knife in. Dark dark movie indeed...
Pauly
'Sera You seem prepared for accidents.
Desk Clerk (still smiling) Yes, we get a lot of screw ups here.
He looks directly at Sera
Desk Clerk Now, you two keep your loud talk and your liquor to your room. Check out first thing tomorrow and after that I don't want to see either of you here again. I don't need you paying for the chair or cutting your pretty hands on the glass. Let's just leave it at that.
Nodding firmly, he goes back to the mess, indicating the conversation is over.
Desk Clerk See ya in the morning.'
Now the fact that the clerk is a woman in the movie just makes it seem all the more twisting the knife in. Dark dark movie indeed...
Pauly
Off To A Bad Start
I know, I know, most people are sick to death of hearing about Iraq, but it is still there, and it is still costing lives, both coalition and Iraqi. Today a Bradley fighting vehicle sounds like it just disintegrated, killing all seven on board, in Baghdad - I thought those things were pretty sturdy, how much TNT would you need to wreck one of them? And the country is awash in explosives and guns and stuff...
Off topic a bit, but why don't the Americans guarantee the right to bear arms in any new Iraqi constitution? I mean, it works for the US doesn't it?
Should this guy be elected like president of the world or something? There is a Maori word - native tribes of New Zealand, if you didn't know - mana, that roughly translates to highest honour in English, and an aura about him, that's what Mandela has. Sure he was a commie before and probably during his time in prison, but obviously being a communist during the 50s and 60s doesn't scar you for life LOL. Now why did Mandela grow into a statesman and others thinking Mugabe don't? Wide and varied topics for even African politics to make an appearance LOL...
Is there ANY traffic allowed in Washington DC nowadays? This report saying that three blocks from Penn Avenue will be closed off during the inauguration, what with the no traffic zones around the White House and stuff. Say what you will about the whole war on terror thing, security budgets around the world have absolutely skyrocketed. Are there enough qualified people to protect the world from it's own fears? And on a related note, why do they still call it the Secret Service, it's not particularly secret is it? Better to call it the Praetorian Guard and all, Washington being the new Rome and all LOL...
Just thinking of the security screenings on inauguration day - let's see your 2004 net income, and your political party affiliation, no poor people or Democrats LOL...
Hmm, Howard (Australian PM for you out of towners LOL) apparently has no faith in the UN. After the tsunami conference in Jakarta yesterday, when it was agreed that the UN should take the lead role in coordinating the relief effort, insists that the billion dollars in aid to Indonesia he pledged earlier in the week will go nowhere near the UN. Hmm, someone has drunk from the right wing US press kool aid LOL...
'"But it's just unnecessarily bureaucratising the situation and also frankly unacceptably passing control of the Australian taxpayers' money into the hands of others for us [not] to deal with that on a bilateral basis."'
I'm a great believer in foreign aid and all that, worked in the field for a couple of years there, but what on Earth is Howard on about if giving money to Indonesia is NOT passing control of Australian taxpayers money to another country? Oh, that's right, the oversight committee for this billion is more about politics than aid - oops, moi, cynical, surely not LOL :)
What a great but ultimately depressing movie on at the moment - Leaving Las Vegas, Nicolas Cage dies of drink, the Russian boyfriend has a mental breakdown, and Elisabeth Shue gets stuck in the middle... but what a middle to get stuck in with mmmm :)
Off to Elisabeth Shue land LOL
Pauly
Off topic a bit, but why don't the Americans guarantee the right to bear arms in any new Iraqi constitution? I mean, it works for the US doesn't it?
Should this guy be elected like president of the world or something? There is a Maori word - native tribes of New Zealand, if you didn't know - mana, that roughly translates to highest honour in English, and an aura about him, that's what Mandela has. Sure he was a commie before and probably during his time in prison, but obviously being a communist during the 50s and 60s doesn't scar you for life LOL. Now why did Mandela grow into a statesman and others thinking Mugabe don't? Wide and varied topics for even African politics to make an appearance LOL...
Is there ANY traffic allowed in Washington DC nowadays? This report saying that three blocks from Penn Avenue will be closed off during the inauguration, what with the no traffic zones around the White House and stuff. Say what you will about the whole war on terror thing, security budgets around the world have absolutely skyrocketed. Are there enough qualified people to protect the world from it's own fears? And on a related note, why do they still call it the Secret Service, it's not particularly secret is it? Better to call it the Praetorian Guard and all, Washington being the new Rome and all LOL...
Just thinking of the security screenings on inauguration day - let's see your 2004 net income, and your political party affiliation, no poor people or Democrats LOL...
Hmm, Howard (Australian PM for you out of towners LOL) apparently has no faith in the UN. After the tsunami conference in Jakarta yesterday, when it was agreed that the UN should take the lead role in coordinating the relief effort, insists that the billion dollars in aid to Indonesia he pledged earlier in the week will go nowhere near the UN. Hmm, someone has drunk from the right wing US press kool aid LOL...
'"But it's just unnecessarily bureaucratising the situation and also frankly unacceptably passing control of the Australian taxpayers' money into the hands of others for us [not] to deal with that on a bilateral basis."'
I'm a great believer in foreign aid and all that, worked in the field for a couple of years there, but what on Earth is Howard on about if giving money to Indonesia is NOT passing control of Australian taxpayers money to another country? Oh, that's right, the oversight committee for this billion is more about politics than aid - oops, moi, cynical, surely not LOL :)
What a great but ultimately depressing movie on at the moment - Leaving Las Vegas, Nicolas Cage dies of drink, the Russian boyfriend has a mental breakdown, and Elisabeth Shue gets stuck in the middle... but what a middle to get stuck in with mmmm :)
Off to Elisabeth Shue land LOL
Pauly
Thursday, January 6, 2005
I Should Read My Emails When They Arrive LOL
I know, it's six days late, but for all you people that have been hanging out to pop balloons on a computer screen and see a teddy bear ride fireworks, here it is LOL. Warning, trying to concentrate on other stuff while leaving the fireworks noises and the squeaky clean bear voice go on and on and on in the background may be seriously annoying LOL.
MG watch LOL, got a hello this morning even before I had really spotted her (the corridor next to my cubicle is a bit of a blind spot when I'm actually working LOL). This week is looking tres positive hehe. And talked to KW2 about the Christmas pressie I got V - did this because KW2 was the first person at work to show an actual interest, it's official once jewellery is involved. I got V a silver ring for Xmas, and then it was what finger is she wearing it on the question from KW2, and I don't know, I didn't leave instructions so I point to one and she says OMG are you engaged and I'm like rack off lol but in the nicest way possible of course, I value KW2 as a potential friend...
Potential friend only at this stage because I am sure you all understand the difference between general classmate or workmate, acquaintance, and someone you actually want to be friends with. And I'm not sure about anyone else, but asking me to try and figure out in a concrete manner who is a friend and who is just an acquaintance scares the hell out of me. I think of a Nigel No Mates situation where I am going around asking 'are you my friendddd' or 'will you be my friendddd', and the more vagueness the better.
Actually, that's a trait in most of my life, I like things, situations and such to be vague and not upset the apple cart by pushing for clarification. V, on the other hand, to use one example, always wants to clarify EVERYTHING lol, like oil and water in that regards :)
Here's a good one - sorry to go political again, well subtly political, more militaristic perhaps. Or less militaristic and just plain WRONG. Abu Gharib, anyone remember that? More importantly, anyone in WASHINGTON remember that? Or is it just sweep it under the carpet underneath the tsunami relief program, the letting freedom ring in the Iraqi elections, the whole get over it relief that the US election was FINALLY over... has any full investigation been slated, or is it like Ann Applebaum says, sooooo ancient history? Grrr.
A Maureen Dowd in the NY Times column, so any conservatives who have stumbled across my blog (the wonders of BlogExplosion LOL) don't say I didn't warn you if you click on this paragraph's link. How on earth can a tied house or senate ethics committee - oh, I don't even dare go into it LOL...
Hmm, an IM friend of mine was talking about icebergs in New Zealand waters, and I thought she was kidding. Here is the report - first time icebergs have been seen in NZ waters since 1948 - still like 1400 kays south of Wellington, but eek, our own territorial waters LOL. I would make a joke about Day After Tomorrow and the tidal wave hitting New York in that movie, but eh, maybe not the month to make tsunami jokes...
Just spent the last half hour humming sixties tunes in my head - excellent music show, Walk On By was just on. From Motown to the Beach Boys to Burt Bacharach to Bob Dylan to Franki Valli mmmm good music - not often I get all sixtied up in my music taste, but this evening will go with the flow :)
Later peeps
Pauly
MG watch LOL, got a hello this morning even before I had really spotted her (the corridor next to my cubicle is a bit of a blind spot when I'm actually working LOL). This week is looking tres positive hehe. And talked to KW2 about the Christmas pressie I got V - did this because KW2 was the first person at work to show an actual interest, it's official once jewellery is involved. I got V a silver ring for Xmas, and then it was what finger is she wearing it on the question from KW2, and I don't know, I didn't leave instructions so I point to one and she says OMG are you engaged and I'm like rack off lol but in the nicest way possible of course, I value KW2 as a potential friend...
Potential friend only at this stage because I am sure you all understand the difference between general classmate or workmate, acquaintance, and someone you actually want to be friends with. And I'm not sure about anyone else, but asking me to try and figure out in a concrete manner who is a friend and who is just an acquaintance scares the hell out of me. I think of a Nigel No Mates situation where I am going around asking 'are you my friendddd' or 'will you be my friendddd', and the more vagueness the better.
Actually, that's a trait in most of my life, I like things, situations and such to be vague and not upset the apple cart by pushing for clarification. V, on the other hand, to use one example, always wants to clarify EVERYTHING lol, like oil and water in that regards :)
Here's a good one - sorry to go political again, well subtly political, more militaristic perhaps. Or less militaristic and just plain WRONG. Abu Gharib, anyone remember that? More importantly, anyone in WASHINGTON remember that? Or is it just sweep it under the carpet underneath the tsunami relief program, the letting freedom ring in the Iraqi elections, the whole get over it relief that the US election was FINALLY over... has any full investigation been slated, or is it like Ann Applebaum says, sooooo ancient history? Grrr.
A Maureen Dowd in the NY Times column, so any conservatives who have stumbled across my blog (the wonders of BlogExplosion LOL) don't say I didn't warn you if you click on this paragraph's link. How on earth can a tied house or senate ethics committee - oh, I don't even dare go into it LOL...
Hmm, an IM friend of mine was talking about icebergs in New Zealand waters, and I thought she was kidding. Here is the report - first time icebergs have been seen in NZ waters since 1948 - still like 1400 kays south of Wellington, but eek, our own territorial waters LOL. I would make a joke about Day After Tomorrow and the tidal wave hitting New York in that movie, but eh, maybe not the month to make tsunami jokes...
Just spent the last half hour humming sixties tunes in my head - excellent music show, Walk On By was just on. From Motown to the Beach Boys to Burt Bacharach to Bob Dylan to Franki Valli mmmm good music - not often I get all sixtied up in my music taste, but this evening will go with the flow :)
Later peeps
Pauly
Wednesday, January 5, 2005
Whatta Guy :)
It's cooled down a tenth of a degree or something, so still not thinking straight, but just remembered this story from the news earlier today. Michael Schumacher, just the best driver of all time - would love to see him take on the Indy or Nascar circuit - decided to donate $10m to the tsunami relief. I think Schuhey is worth about half a billion dollars, and is nice to see him give something back to the world. He has mellowed out a lot in the last ten years - remembering him barging into Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve to try and win championships...
'"The dawning of the New Year has not been as joyful for us this year because of the catastrophe in Asia. We sympathise with the victims in their grief," Schumacher said.'
He has good writers as well LOL.
Pauly
'"The dawning of the New Year has not been as joyful for us this year because of the catastrophe in Asia. We sympathise with the victims in their grief," Schumacher said.'
He has good writers as well LOL.
Pauly
Hot Sticky Two
Hi all, I would consider putting a real post together, but it is just too hot and humid to do ANYTHING again. For my concerned readers, I have gotten about nine tenths of my first draft of the job application done. Now, if you wish to come over and do the palm leaf fan thing while I eat grapes, I might post some more tonight, if I have no volunteers for fan duty, I will catch you all tomorrow :)
I hear the crickets and the wind, and no hands being raised for duty LOL...
And is very frustrating trying to download the War of the Worlds trailer on dial up :)
Pauly
I hear the crickets and the wind, and no hands being raised for duty LOL...
And is very frustrating trying to download the War of the Worlds trailer on dial up :)
Pauly
Tuesday, January 4, 2005
Steamy Hot
No, I have not decided to add sex stories to my own blog (phew, I hear you all go!), the title alludes to the fact that it is so freaking humid and hot here in Brisbane that I decided not to wear a shirt tonight. Oh the pleasures of living by yourself LOL, even if it is only because the parents are on holiday... I hate wearing short sleeved shirts to work, and also wear a tie most days, so the time in between getting dressed and getting to the airconditioned train, getting from the train station to the airconditioned office, and getting from the office back to the train station and so forth in 34 degree heat (that's about 95 - I think - to Fahrenheit people) the less of that the better.
On the MG front yay she smiled at me and said 'see ya' when leaving - ah, crumbs of comfort and all that. A good day LOL...
This link may as well be titled 'why I am really vague about what I do at work' LOL. Gives a good rundown in one of the insert boxes of what exactly you can get into trouble with your bosses in regards to your blogs. And as for that actual former actual Delta air hostess that got in trouble for posting piccies of her in uniform, I saw the piccies, didn't so much read the blog, surely there was more than those pics that got her fired?
More bad news from Iraq - the governor of Baghdad was assassinated earlier today. Only twenty five days to go until voting - was a REALLY good article in the Economist about the pitfalls of the US being good at fighting wars and less good at peacekeeping and hearts and minds. One of the lines from the Economist article was that despite only four of eighteen provinces being in open revolt, with the population and all, if it were the US, that would be like the states that voted Democrat starting the second civil war or something...
Here is that link to the Economist Iraq story - of course, being so good, it is behind the subscriber content window on the web - doesn't the fact that I bought a copy of the magazine count? LOL just thinking of those comic books that had the code rings or the puzzle pieces - I think the Economist should start doing the 3D glasses thing so that I can get into the good stuff online LOL. Or that could be just me I guess :)
On the tsunami - public donations in the US have apparently hit $100m, and in Australia $83m. There is talk of the Aussie government giving half a billion dollars worth of aid to the countries affected - reminds me of a telethon or something, with the governments trying to outbid each other - all for a good cause, of course.
Alexander Downer, the Australian foreign minister, what can you say LOL, he's wandering around in Phuket and I THINK that he is a decent enough guy but the way he says 'well to be perfectly frank, the unpleasantness of the smell of bodies' - he sooooo has a plum in his mouth... and I know I am watching the Australian news, but only praising the Australian defence force personnel, EVERYONE over there is doing the best they can...
Is good to see the Marines and US naval helicopters and ships being used for a good purpose. Read that with all the money in the world going towards the area, the essential must be done now stuff is much better served with aircraft and helicopters. And can't do any harm to the overall American public relations in those countries that Uncle Sam is doing what it can...
Too hot to think anymore, and a good friend has turned up on messenger, so adios - oh, just one last thing, PF, who I hadn't spoken to in about eighteen months and was unsure whether I was still on her contact list, emailed me a Happy New Year - gave me a shock in a happy kind of way. Just keep it slow Pauly, don't overdo things (I have done that in the past LOL).
Later peeps
Pauly
On the MG front yay she smiled at me and said 'see ya' when leaving - ah, crumbs of comfort and all that. A good day LOL...
This link may as well be titled 'why I am really vague about what I do at work' LOL. Gives a good rundown in one of the insert boxes of what exactly you can get into trouble with your bosses in regards to your blogs. And as for that actual former actual Delta air hostess that got in trouble for posting piccies of her in uniform, I saw the piccies, didn't so much read the blog, surely there was more than those pics that got her fired?
More bad news from Iraq - the governor of Baghdad was assassinated earlier today. Only twenty five days to go until voting - was a REALLY good article in the Economist about the pitfalls of the US being good at fighting wars and less good at peacekeeping and hearts and minds. One of the lines from the Economist article was that despite only four of eighteen provinces being in open revolt, with the population and all, if it were the US, that would be like the states that voted Democrat starting the second civil war or something...
Here is that link to the Economist Iraq story - of course, being so good, it is behind the subscriber content window on the web - doesn't the fact that I bought a copy of the magazine count? LOL just thinking of those comic books that had the code rings or the puzzle pieces - I think the Economist should start doing the 3D glasses thing so that I can get into the good stuff online LOL. Or that could be just me I guess :)
On the tsunami - public donations in the US have apparently hit $100m, and in Australia $83m. There is talk of the Aussie government giving half a billion dollars worth of aid to the countries affected - reminds me of a telethon or something, with the governments trying to outbid each other - all for a good cause, of course.
Alexander Downer, the Australian foreign minister, what can you say LOL, he's wandering around in Phuket and I THINK that he is a decent enough guy but the way he says 'well to be perfectly frank, the unpleasantness of the smell of bodies' - he sooooo has a plum in his mouth... and I know I am watching the Australian news, but only praising the Australian defence force personnel, EVERYONE over there is doing the best they can...
Is good to see the Marines and US naval helicopters and ships being used for a good purpose. Read that with all the money in the world going towards the area, the essential must be done now stuff is much better served with aircraft and helicopters. And can't do any harm to the overall American public relations in those countries that Uncle Sam is doing what it can...
Too hot to think anymore, and a good friend has turned up on messenger, so adios - oh, just one last thing, PF, who I hadn't spoken to in about eighteen months and was unsure whether I was still on her contact list, emailed me a Happy New Year - gave me a shock in a happy kind of way. Just keep it slow Pauly, don't overdo things (I have done that in the past LOL).
Later peeps
Pauly
Monday, January 3, 2005
I Shouldn't Have Stopped
I was going well there, half my first draft of my permanent application to work done, and then I decide to take a break - I mean, my braincells were dying at an extraordinary rate, actually having to think, but still, when will the second half be started Paul? Thrown myself a bit off kilter, having to think twice for half as long rather than once for the full length LOL - you know how getting the engine started can sometimes be half the battle. But the first half is looking good (for a first draft). And it is half more than I had done a couple of hours ago, but ow, my head hurts with all the thinking I had to do LOL.
Anyways, after half of the application, got distracted by online music again - restarted my on again off again relationship with Launchcast LOL - the currently Yahoo-run personalised music station thing. Was one of the first sites I wandered into when I got my own PC back in 2000, and bounce back and forth between having it on and not. Actually wandered onto it yesterday after I started a radio station website collection - mmm CBC Victoria at 1 in the morning local time LOL, quickly started looking for the private sector stations in both Ottawa and Wellington... and then bounced back to Launchcast...
And then was in a mood to google Judge Dredd - now, most of you guys may have heard that as a bad to middling Sylvester Stallone movie (although it did have Roy Schneider in it as well), but I had read 2000AD, the British comic from which Dredd came, for years. Some good storylines and characters, as well as the dross - mmm Cassandra Anderson LOL. Was a regular reader from about 1988 to 1996 (when travel came up as an option for my money LOL). Saw a rumour that the new owners of the comic are trying to get together a new Dredd movie, hmm, Angelina Jolie as Anderson gets my vote LOL.
And the rest of the blogosphere has no idea what I'm talking about I bet :)
OMG look at what Australia's top rated TV shows of last year were -
Top 10 2004
1. Australian Idol - The Final Verdict Ch 10
2. Big Brother - The Winner Announced Ch 10
3. Australian Idol - Live from Opera House Ch 10
4. AFL: Grand Final Ch 10
5. Melbourne Cup Carnival: Melbourne Cup Ch 7
6. Olympics: Opening Ceremony Ch 7
7. The Block: The Auction Ch 9
8. 46th Annual TV Week Logie Awards Ch 9
9. Olympics: Day 2 (Primetime)Ch 9
10.Big Brother: The Final Eviction Ch 10
source: OzTAM
God help you if you aren't sport or reality TV in this place LOL.
Is one of those days today where you need to have a shower four times a day just to feel alive, have been wilting in this heat and just stayed inside. Can't believe that high of only 33 on the news just before. Will get onto the second half of my application maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow...
Pauly
Anyways, after half of the application, got distracted by online music again - restarted my on again off again relationship with Launchcast LOL - the currently Yahoo-run personalised music station thing. Was one of the first sites I wandered into when I got my own PC back in 2000, and bounce back and forth between having it on and not. Actually wandered onto it yesterday after I started a radio station website collection - mmm CBC Victoria at 1 in the morning local time LOL, quickly started looking for the private sector stations in both Ottawa and Wellington... and then bounced back to Launchcast...
And then was in a mood to google Judge Dredd - now, most of you guys may have heard that as a bad to middling Sylvester Stallone movie (although it did have Roy Schneider in it as well), but I had read 2000AD, the British comic from which Dredd came, for years. Some good storylines and characters, as well as the dross - mmm Cassandra Anderson LOL. Was a regular reader from about 1988 to 1996 (when travel came up as an option for my money LOL). Saw a rumour that the new owners of the comic are trying to get together a new Dredd movie, hmm, Angelina Jolie as Anderson gets my vote LOL.
And the rest of the blogosphere has no idea what I'm talking about I bet :)
OMG look at what Australia's top rated TV shows of last year were -
Top 10 2004
1. Australian Idol - The Final Verdict Ch 10
2. Big Brother - The Winner Announced Ch 10
3. Australian Idol - Live from Opera House Ch 10
4. AFL: Grand Final Ch 10
5. Melbourne Cup Carnival: Melbourne Cup Ch 7
6. Olympics: Opening Ceremony Ch 7
7. The Block: The Auction Ch 9
8. 46th Annual TV Week Logie Awards Ch 9
9. Olympics: Day 2 (Primetime)Ch 9
10.Big Brother: The Final Eviction Ch 10
source: OzTAM
God help you if you aren't sport or reality TV in this place LOL.
Is one of those days today where you need to have a shower four times a day just to feel alive, have been wilting in this heat and just stayed inside. Can't believe that high of only 33 on the news just before. Will get onto the second half of my application maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow...
Pauly
I'm Trying, I'm Trying
Hey all - the title alludes to the fact that I have been trying to put pics up through Hello the last 36 hours or so, but no luck thus far. Maybe the system is down or something? Nah, surely not, am surfing through blogs that have pictures with the little graphic beside it posted the last couple days, I guess I am just having a slow connection day or something :)
But in the meantime, while the other programme spins around like a hamster in a wheel, let's do a bit of verbal shall we - well, more so writing. This article took my fancy, just for the sheer nuttiness of it - BBC reporter decided to retrace Stanley's footsteps from Lake Tanganyika to the mouth of the Congo. There is a freaking war going on there that has killed five million people and time hasn't just stood still, it has regressed. I can just imagine that the trip was very Heart of Darkness, Apocalypse Now...
Just been distracted to reading a timeline of Congolese history here, so will be a few minutes there no doubt :) Hmm, a timeline that is scattered with 'we created HIV' and 'the CIA murdered Lumumba' references - don't think I have come across the most unbiased of accounts - was good up to the 20th C though LOL... so much killing in it's history...
Hmm, reading through some of the American blogs today and a theme emerging through some of them is why give $350m to a region that probably will just hate us and forget about the aid we give, and by the way, I hope that money isn't coming from other areas of the federal government...
'In the words of Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, this is an 'unprecedented global catastrophe' that requires an 'unprecendented global response'. Put at its simplest, it means that no one has done this before. There has never been, in the memory of the modern aid world, such a colossal challenge to the way disasters are dealt with.
It is worth revisiting the facts. Some 11 countries have been hit over a huge geographic spread. Those areas hit hardest, in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, are those with the worst long-term political problems. Many of the areas affected have weak of damaged infrastructures - and that was true before the tsunami struck. Others, like the Andaman and Nicobar islands, are just severely isoated. And all this against the backdrop of thousands of bodies lying where the waters left them or being washed up with every tide. The prospect is awesome.'
Not to compare disasters, but with all the tragedy of 9/11, the rebuilding could have restarted within a couple of months. I feel that if a tsunami had hit New York and wiped out all the five boroughs, the level of rebuilding required there might be similar to Indonesia and Sri Lanka (early estimates say it may take 10 years to recover fully) - of course, much more pricey real estate in Manhattan and Queens, but the area devastated is just amazing - in a bad way.
Hmm, interesting dilemma for the Administration here - to spray poppy fields in Afghanistan or not to spray? The issue being that with elections coming up and everything, to kill off probably the best cash crop in the country, that would make the voters unhappy with the current Afghan government, who the US backs to the hilt. If aerial spraying doesn't happen, then it would be more aggressive on the ground and once the harvest has happened - yeah, that will work LOL.
Watching the cricket in the background here, Australia coming back after lunch are 2 for 92. And STILL need to get my A into G regards the job application - due January 12 yanno.
Pauly
But in the meantime, while the other programme spins around like a hamster in a wheel, let's do a bit of verbal shall we - well, more so writing. This article took my fancy, just for the sheer nuttiness of it - BBC reporter decided to retrace Stanley's footsteps from Lake Tanganyika to the mouth of the Congo. There is a freaking war going on there that has killed five million people and time hasn't just stood still, it has regressed. I can just imagine that the trip was very Heart of Darkness, Apocalypse Now...
Just been distracted to reading a timeline of Congolese history here, so will be a few minutes there no doubt :) Hmm, a timeline that is scattered with 'we created HIV' and 'the CIA murdered Lumumba' references - don't think I have come across the most unbiased of accounts - was good up to the 20th C though LOL... so much killing in it's history...
Hmm, reading through some of the American blogs today and a theme emerging through some of them is why give $350m to a region that probably will just hate us and forget about the aid we give, and by the way, I hope that money isn't coming from other areas of the federal government...
'In the words of Kofi Annan, the UN secretary general, this is an 'unprecedented global catastrophe' that requires an 'unprecendented global response'. Put at its simplest, it means that no one has done this before. There has never been, in the memory of the modern aid world, such a colossal challenge to the way disasters are dealt with.
It is worth revisiting the facts. Some 11 countries have been hit over a huge geographic spread. Those areas hit hardest, in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, are those with the worst long-term political problems. Many of the areas affected have weak of damaged infrastructures - and that was true before the tsunami struck. Others, like the Andaman and Nicobar islands, are just severely isoated. And all this against the backdrop of thousands of bodies lying where the waters left them or being washed up with every tide. The prospect is awesome.'
Not to compare disasters, but with all the tragedy of 9/11, the rebuilding could have restarted within a couple of months. I feel that if a tsunami had hit New York and wiped out all the five boroughs, the level of rebuilding required there might be similar to Indonesia and Sri Lanka (early estimates say it may take 10 years to recover fully) - of course, much more pricey real estate in Manhattan and Queens, but the area devastated is just amazing - in a bad way.
Hmm, interesting dilemma for the Administration here - to spray poppy fields in Afghanistan or not to spray? The issue being that with elections coming up and everything, to kill off probably the best cash crop in the country, that would make the voters unhappy with the current Afghan government, who the US backs to the hilt. If aerial spraying doesn't happen, then it would be more aggressive on the ground and once the harvest has happened - yeah, that will work LOL.
Watching the cricket in the background here, Australia coming back after lunch are 2 for 92. And STILL need to get my A into G regards the job application - due January 12 yanno.
Pauly
Sunday, January 2, 2005
Second Day Of The New Year
Yeah yeah I know, such inspiration in my title today LOL. First cab off the ranks today is a story I saw in the New York Times yesterday, but had already posted three times so wanted to save it for today lol - there have been dozen major 'incidents' in Chinese cities in the past THREE MONTHS. The one described in the article was a riot that ensued after an official beat a labourer, and said he could have him killed. Haves v the have nots, and the Communist leadership is having the most trouble with law and order since Tiananmen Square. Just what the world needs, China to suddenly fall apart...
Hmm, for some reason don't ask me why, I've suddenly become interested in the Rose Bowl LOL. Michigan Texas seven all in the second quarter - college football is almost bigger than the pros, well, at least it seems that way to me - bigger stadiums, more loyal fans (if you went to college you're a fan for life LOL)... I have picked teams to support in hockey and baseball, I can't stand NBA basketball, but have no set teams for the gridiron yet - I have liked the Cowboys, Broncos and Patriots at different times, I wait until the post season to pick who I am supporting this year - haven't gone to a live game, that's where you pick your lifer teams LOL...
The cricket world is going to hold a couple of charity matches for the tsunami appeal - International XI v Asian XI at the MCG on January 11 (geez, things can happen quickly in the sports world if needs be) - won't have England, South Africa, Bangladesh or Zimbabwe players, as they are having games over that period itself, but the other six test playing nations should have enough entertaining players to make it worthwhile. Would love to be down in Melbourne actually, how often would you get as many good players in one game?
Had a nice comment to my picture post of a couple of days ago, of a sunrise over the Nile. I love to travel and have done quite a bit of it, but not so much recently. I mean, I could go on and on about it, it could be a substitute topic if when I get rid of big stories, politics and everyday kind of entries, but it's been my feeling throughout my life that travel stories are boring to people who haven't actually done the travel - I have in my mind the dreaded slide shows from people who have returned from some place or another, and if you don't have a burning interest in the places, the pictures end up looking the same LOL. Oh, desert pic, river green fields pic, building pic, person in picture in front of postcard landmark pic - the four types of travel pic - well, off the top of my head at least. So, I may mention the occassional trip, and post the occassional picture, but no in depth travel stuff.
Unless of course my readership demands it. Hmm, a blog just starting to get readers, it will take a few more years before I get the regular readership for yourselves to demand anything LOL.
Pauly
Hmm, for some reason don't ask me why, I've suddenly become interested in the Rose Bowl LOL. Michigan Texas seven all in the second quarter - college football is almost bigger than the pros, well, at least it seems that way to me - bigger stadiums, more loyal fans (if you went to college you're a fan for life LOL)... I have picked teams to support in hockey and baseball, I can't stand NBA basketball, but have no set teams for the gridiron yet - I have liked the Cowboys, Broncos and Patriots at different times, I wait until the post season to pick who I am supporting this year - haven't gone to a live game, that's where you pick your lifer teams LOL...
The cricket world is going to hold a couple of charity matches for the tsunami appeal - International XI v Asian XI at the MCG on January 11 (geez, things can happen quickly in the sports world if needs be) - won't have England, South Africa, Bangladesh or Zimbabwe players, as they are having games over that period itself, but the other six test playing nations should have enough entertaining players to make it worthwhile. Would love to be down in Melbourne actually, how often would you get as many good players in one game?
Had a nice comment to my picture post of a couple of days ago, of a sunrise over the Nile. I love to travel and have done quite a bit of it, but not so much recently. I mean, I could go on and on about it, it could be a substitute topic if when I get rid of big stories, politics and everyday kind of entries, but it's been my feeling throughout my life that travel stories are boring to people who haven't actually done the travel - I have in my mind the dreaded slide shows from people who have returned from some place or another, and if you don't have a burning interest in the places, the pictures end up looking the same LOL. Oh, desert pic, river green fields pic, building pic, person in picture in front of postcard landmark pic - the four types of travel pic - well, off the top of my head at least. So, I may mention the occassional trip, and post the occassional picture, but no in depth travel stuff.
Unless of course my readership demands it. Hmm, a blog just starting to get readers, it will take a few more years before I get the regular readership for yourselves to demand anything LOL.
Pauly
Saturday, January 1, 2005
Interesting Programming Choice
As part of Video Hits New Year's special, ie when we can't be bothered to give you the same twenty videos we have given you the past month - there's not that much change in the charts, after all - they have put in All Saints Pure Shores, pretty girls but where are they now territory. Anyways, I mention it because it was off the soundtrack to The Beach, that Leo di Caprio movie filmed on Phi Phi island that was so badly hit by the tsunami. One of my guilty pleasure movies lol, it's not that good, but it's entertaining for me. Still haven't seen it on special when have been buying DVDs, damned uppity studio that won't put it on sale LOL.
Hmm, found this site through a press release of theirs saying that God was unhappy with gay Swedes so sent the tsunami their way to kill them off. Of course, since He wasn't in the mood to make a big enough tsunami to wipe out Stockholm, obviously he had to take out 120,000 locals and other assorted nationalities. The intolerance of some people, geez. They have webpages gloating the fact that some gay people get murdered. As I said earlier today, every opinion is valid in my eyes, but don't expect me to go agreeing with them, this is a one time link only I think - it's not a satire site is it?
Good article about the level of destruction in Aceh by the Guardian. The town of 10,000 has just been wiped out, some road remaining but no buildings at all. Just thinking of New York's sense of dislocation when the WTC came down, and the gap in the skyline and on the ground. Well, my thinking is multiply that over the entire coastline of Indonesia, Thailand, eastern Sri Lanka and south eastern India - there is just a gap where there was something before. Much wider area than Ground Zero - in this disaster there are innumerable (spelling?) Ground Zeros - just my thinking, don't sue me over it...
Hmm, buried near the bottom of this story from the NY Times about the increase in US aid, is a bit of a diplomatic spat between France and the head of the US foreign aid department, Andrew Natsios, who said on Fox News that France wasn't the biggest of donors to international aid. Fox News, of course, LOL, would like to see a transcript of that and if the host led the discussion to an answer that would be France baiting. Natsios then went on to praise the EU's contributions - hmm, bash France praise the EU. That's like bashing North Dakota and praising the USA I would think?
'The energy unleashed in a 9.0 quake, as this one would ultimately come to measure, is roughly the amount that would be unleashed if it were possible to create a bomb made of 32 billion tons of TNT and set it off.'
Is there even 32 billion tons of TNT in the world? Above paragraph from another good New York Times article, about how the international scientists and aid workers learned and have come to grips so far with the event.
Later peeps
Pauly
Hmm, found this site through a press release of theirs saying that God was unhappy with gay Swedes so sent the tsunami their way to kill them off. Of course, since He wasn't in the mood to make a big enough tsunami to wipe out Stockholm, obviously he had to take out 120,000 locals and other assorted nationalities. The intolerance of some people, geez. They have webpages gloating the fact that some gay people get murdered. As I said earlier today, every opinion is valid in my eyes, but don't expect me to go agreeing with them, this is a one time link only I think - it's not a satire site is it?
Good article about the level of destruction in Aceh by the Guardian. The town of 10,000 has just been wiped out, some road remaining but no buildings at all. Just thinking of New York's sense of dislocation when the WTC came down, and the gap in the skyline and on the ground. Well, my thinking is multiply that over the entire coastline of Indonesia, Thailand, eastern Sri Lanka and south eastern India - there is just a gap where there was something before. Much wider area than Ground Zero - in this disaster there are innumerable (spelling?) Ground Zeros - just my thinking, don't sue me over it...
Hmm, buried near the bottom of this story from the NY Times about the increase in US aid, is a bit of a diplomatic spat between France and the head of the US foreign aid department, Andrew Natsios, who said on Fox News that France wasn't the biggest of donors to international aid. Fox News, of course, LOL, would like to see a transcript of that and if the host led the discussion to an answer that would be France baiting. Natsios then went on to praise the EU's contributions - hmm, bash France praise the EU. That's like bashing North Dakota and praising the USA I would think?
'The energy unleashed in a 9.0 quake, as this one would ultimately come to measure, is roughly the amount that would be unleashed if it were possible to create a bomb made of 32 billion tons of TNT and set it off.'
Is there even 32 billion tons of TNT in the world? Above paragraph from another good New York Times article, about how the international scientists and aid workers learned and have come to grips so far with the event.
Later peeps
Pauly
Wot I Did NYE 2004/5
Well, first off, didn't last til midnite, was in bed by about 11.30 or so, but did have a goodish night out - expensive but LOL. Was working late so didn't get out until 6 - and that's another thing, the whole inbound call centre workflow in the time between Christmas and New Year, they could have had half the staff there and we still wouldn't have been busy. Yesterday especially was excruciating, and what with the real calls not flooding in, get more and more of the strange ones - as if we are directory assistance or something.
Example - oh, can I talk to *linked company to us but not actually part of us* this is the third time I've tried I'm very annoyed with the service *my specific company* is giving, no I don't want to be transferred, sorry lady but I can't give you that product, I'm going to have to transfer you - this is at 5.15 on New Years Eve, so have to be on hold for a few minutes while the other company sorts out other stuff, oh, the customer has hung up. A few minutes later, same customer got through to AD (at this time, there were only about four of us on the floor), I had given her the direct number for the other company, but she had rung them and couldn't stand being on hold again, so gave us another go LOL. Of course, when AD transfers her through he gets through straight away - but there are problems linking the new service to her account with us, so the transfer went through, but I don't think the woman got her service at 5.45 on New Year's Eve anyways...
SW, JC and MC had gone to the local pub for a couple of drinks, invited me along even with my late shift and everything, but by the time I got down there, JC had already left - had a C&W evening selected by her 'mother in law' to go to instead, she apparently had left reluctantly LOL. MC's girlfriend, yes you read that right, had joined the small group, but soon after I had turned up, they left to do their own New Year's thing - won't see MC for a week, going to have a holiday down in Melbourne...
So yeah, it was SW and me, was looking like a quiet night, couple of beers a few bourbons, had a kamikaze shooter and a French martini (apparently with pineapple juice LOL) - that last especially was kinda funny, the guy behind the bar I guess had been called in as the cocktails guy, and was asking if I liked martinis on a regular basis. Umm yeah mate, all the time, LOL and my other car is a Ferrari :)
So we are heading to the train station when Sharon says well we should be going home and I say the night is still young, Sharon stops and we turn around to wander into the Valley (bar club area of Brisbane). Have a couple of beers at one place in plastic cups, classy LOL, and then end up across the road after a bit of a wander, SW is following me as I am checking the size of queues and thinking we are probably too intoxicated to get past really narky bouncers, and end up in another bar for a couple of bourbons mmm.
It's about ten o'clock but feels like one in the morning LOL, and we have had as much alcohol as we are up for, so final act for the night is to go to a pizza slice place I love, yum, and scoff down pizza before getting into the train station, and heading home. As I said, in bed by about 11.30 - was a scrumptuous pizza - would have been good to have JC along as well, maybe could have lasted to midnight in that case, but eh, next year maybe.
It is just two years ago that I had my last New Year's in Brisbane, and it seems like ten. So much happened in 2003/04 that the thought that it was only 700 odd days ago is weird. Was on holiday with the family, was visiting over New Year's PF, a friend I haven't mentioned before on this blog at least, had the most massive of crushes on her, but even though at that stage she had busted up with her boyfriend, they were still 'good friends' and he and a couple of others were out with us on New Year's.
Me being on holiday, and even more so, on holiday away from my good clothes at the family's place, only had shorts, so we spent 90% of the time at the casino, turned away from most of the other pubs, even a strip bar that PF and company suggested LOL. Missed the last train, and so ensued at least another three hours in the casino LOL. Fun night though, just got to that tired stage etc... will be more mention of PF later I am sure, just don't want to get into all that just at the moment...
The number one song in Australia last year, have been doing the top 50 on Rage, the ABC music video show, the number one song was 'What About Me' by Shannon Noll - the number two place getter in Aussie Idol 1. Best moment I saw of Rove McManus's show last year, not a must see fan of him currently, was his take off of that song LOL.
Pauly
Example - oh, can I talk to *linked company to us but not actually part of us* this is the third time I've tried I'm very annoyed with the service *my specific company* is giving, no I don't want to be transferred, sorry lady but I can't give you that product, I'm going to have to transfer you - this is at 5.15 on New Years Eve, so have to be on hold for a few minutes while the other company sorts out other stuff, oh, the customer has hung up. A few minutes later, same customer got through to AD (at this time, there were only about four of us on the floor), I had given her the direct number for the other company, but she had rung them and couldn't stand being on hold again, so gave us another go LOL. Of course, when AD transfers her through he gets through straight away - but there are problems linking the new service to her account with us, so the transfer went through, but I don't think the woman got her service at 5.45 on New Year's Eve anyways...
SW, JC and MC had gone to the local pub for a couple of drinks, invited me along even with my late shift and everything, but by the time I got down there, JC had already left - had a C&W evening selected by her 'mother in law' to go to instead, she apparently had left reluctantly LOL. MC's girlfriend, yes you read that right, had joined the small group, but soon after I had turned up, they left to do their own New Year's thing - won't see MC for a week, going to have a holiday down in Melbourne...
So yeah, it was SW and me, was looking like a quiet night, couple of beers a few bourbons, had a kamikaze shooter and a French martini (apparently with pineapple juice LOL) - that last especially was kinda funny, the guy behind the bar I guess had been called in as the cocktails guy, and was asking if I liked martinis on a regular basis. Umm yeah mate, all the time, LOL and my other car is a Ferrari :)
So we are heading to the train station when Sharon says well we should be going home and I say the night is still young, Sharon stops and we turn around to wander into the Valley (bar club area of Brisbane). Have a couple of beers at one place in plastic cups, classy LOL, and then end up across the road after a bit of a wander, SW is following me as I am checking the size of queues and thinking we are probably too intoxicated to get past really narky bouncers, and end up in another bar for a couple of bourbons mmm.
It's about ten o'clock but feels like one in the morning LOL, and we have had as much alcohol as we are up for, so final act for the night is to go to a pizza slice place I love, yum, and scoff down pizza before getting into the train station, and heading home. As I said, in bed by about 11.30 - was a scrumptuous pizza - would have been good to have JC along as well, maybe could have lasted to midnight in that case, but eh, next year maybe.
It is just two years ago that I had my last New Year's in Brisbane, and it seems like ten. So much happened in 2003/04 that the thought that it was only 700 odd days ago is weird. Was on holiday with the family, was visiting over New Year's PF, a friend I haven't mentioned before on this blog at least, had the most massive of crushes on her, but even though at that stage she had busted up with her boyfriend, they were still 'good friends' and he and a couple of others were out with us on New Year's.
Me being on holiday, and even more so, on holiday away from my good clothes at the family's place, only had shorts, so we spent 90% of the time at the casino, turned away from most of the other pubs, even a strip bar that PF and company suggested LOL. Missed the last train, and so ensued at least another three hours in the casino LOL. Fun night though, just got to that tired stage etc... will be more mention of PF later I am sure, just don't want to get into all that just at the moment...
The number one song in Australia last year, have been doing the top 50 on Rage, the ABC music video show, the number one song was 'What About Me' by Shannon Noll - the number two place getter in Aussie Idol 1. Best moment I saw of Rove McManus's show last year, not a must see fan of him currently, was his take off of that song LOL.
Pauly
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