Set the alarm nice and early for quarter past seven, but it took until about 8.30 to actually start moving to leave the unit - was nice enough, but the shower was fairly dodgy - by moving to leave I mean to leave the unit, not just the bed LOL - got dressed, repacked, had showers etc. Then was on the Old Road, rather than the New, ie the road that slows down for the towns rather than bypasses it - what the rest of the world would call a highway LOL.
Found a town that hadn't survived the bypass, Hagley, it had even killed off the pub - an Aussie town withouth a pub for goodness sake OMG LOL. Then had brekkie in Westbury, the 24 hour bakery LOL - toasted ham and cheese croissant and a cappucino yum. Drove past the turn off to Liffey Falls, and on postcards it looks nice, but a bit of a hike up to it and back from the carpark - was busy enough, maybe next time...
Saw where V was born in Westbury, and also the Village Green - I thought it would have been a couple of nice cricket grounds shaded at the sides with 100 year old trees, but it was just a park with no rhyme nor reason where the trees were, very rural looking town though. Then quickly through Deloraine, as we were driving in V was saving to people coming the other way - turned out to be the husband of a niece, but still, in cities you don't wave to the first person you pass coming into town. And then at the service station, V knew the name of the person that served us LOL. Very Mount Thomas LOL.
Drove through town, the shopping street was longer than I expected, and detoured past her school. And then out to Mole Creek, via Chudleigh (where did they get these names?) with the Western Tiers looming in the background. Very scenic. The whole drive reminded me of the Wairarapa back home, and hills hills everywhere. Out to Mole Creek to a wildlife park, which, frankly, had seen better days. And was $14 to get in, very much a once every ten years or so trip. Nice scenic lookout though, and when the guided tour started was making its way to be worth the admission price.
The guide was really enthusiastic about the work he did, showing us the koalas, wombats and Tassie devils. Got to stroke the fur of a koala and devil and cradled the baby wombat - devil fur is as soft if not softer a cat's, and if they need to they could bite through the steel - reminds me of the Ginsu steak knife ads - can cut through steel pipe and still slice tomatoes with ease LOL.
Drove back to Deloraine, stopped into LH and DH's place - one of V's workmates - for a quick chat, and then to V's house. Which isn't so much a doer upper as a tearer downer and start againer, to tell the absolute truth. V's room and the living area is cosy enough, but as for the rest... reminded me a bit of H's house in Victoria (Canada) but even more so. Fine for a visit, but if I lived in Mount Thomas, I would rent LOL - V's dream is to rebuild from the bottom up, if/when she gets the money. But I stayed as diplomatic as I could and didn't upset V about the subject as far as I could tell.
Met her dog, a boisterous black lab that seems to have been fed too weel, and then into my black shirt and white tie for the wedding, which I thought looked good, and V said wasn't as bad as she thought it would, and why didn't I tell her that the shirt had white checked lines through it LOL.
Oh, met her brother G who lives with her - wasn't impressed though. The house would be fine for one person, but just a bit small for two - he had been drinking the previous four nights and was going for five, what with the wedding and all - he was talkative, but pushed the wrong buttons for me, white ties are for fairys, rugby is a poofters sport, and nod diplomatically and grit teeth.
Then off to the wedding, picking up E (another nephew's wife LOL) on the way. Stood outside a bit, and got about thirty names thrown at me in twenty minutes LOL.
Monday, February 28, 2005
26 Feb 2005
Didn't get a window seat on the Launnie leg either, will have to make sure I get window seats on the way back, read some of To Green Angel Tower - then suddenly was at Launceston Airport... kinda like Tauranga airport but maybe even less than Tauranga, more out in the middle of nowhere... more like Dunedin actually, far from town.
Got sniffed at by dogs, saw V, and picked up tourism brochures on Launnie and Devonport. The carpark was packed, apparently, perhaps for the preseason AFL footy in town that day. We were going to have a coffee with S, the office lady, and V was unsure about how to get to that suburb - she objects now, but maybe it was me putting her off. S seemed nice, and paid for coffee and coke. We went out and checked into the motel - not that we spent that much time there, but it was nicely wood panel themed. No Foxtel or Austar though. We only saw about half an hour of TV though, but the sports results (Super 12) were worth getting, and a bonus - Channel 10 doesn't usually show in northern Tassie...
But as soon as we dropped off our bags, we were back into town (Launnie) and first stop was Cataract Gorge - which, although I thought would be overhyped, due to the fact that it was the only attraction V had ever mentioned, was better than I expected... such wonderful rock and water displays basically in suburban Launceston. Took about 25 pics there alone. Then tried to find the oldest pub in Australia and got caught up in the footy crowd, and V was getting frustrated at the lack of traffic movement - and then realised that the oldest pub in Tassie was now primarily a Boags Museum - though only after we had gotten home that night.
Went to the Mall, where I saw the facade of an 1817 Bank of NSW (nowadays Westpac) - which was only two years after Napoleon lost Waterloo. Old old town. Then we went to the Star Bar, which was very nice. Looked like a place where Launceston's beautiful people hung out (what were we doing there LOL), but nice ambient atmosphere, good food, good company, attractive staff LOL. I had spicy pork spring rolls for starters and they could have been a meal in themselves - but I had already ordered the Hungarian salami pizza as well - with olives, feta etc - one of THOSE type of pizzas - but the place felt very Melbournish, even though I have never been there - felt very Secret Life of Us not wanting to be trendy but actually is kind of place. Delicious food but too much of it, five eighths of the pizza eaten and then another Boags to settle the stomach.
Then a drive around town, very hilly, very Wellingtonianish in that sense, and then out to the casino. For some reason I thought that Launceston casino was in the centre of town, but no, about a ten kay drive out of town. Big squarish kind of casino, no character that I could find in the walls (or spirit either), no rugby or rugby results on the TV, spent about ten bucks each on the pokies with no worthwhile reward (no big wins, just whileing away time) before deciding to head back to the unit...
Got sniffed at by dogs, saw V, and picked up tourism brochures on Launnie and Devonport. The carpark was packed, apparently, perhaps for the preseason AFL footy in town that day. We were going to have a coffee with S, the office lady, and V was unsure about how to get to that suburb - she objects now, but maybe it was me putting her off. S seemed nice, and paid for coffee and coke. We went out and checked into the motel - not that we spent that much time there, but it was nicely wood panel themed. No Foxtel or Austar though. We only saw about half an hour of TV though, but the sports results (Super 12) were worth getting, and a bonus - Channel 10 doesn't usually show in northern Tassie...
But as soon as we dropped off our bags, we were back into town (Launnie) and first stop was Cataract Gorge - which, although I thought would be overhyped, due to the fact that it was the only attraction V had ever mentioned, was better than I expected... such wonderful rock and water displays basically in suburban Launceston. Took about 25 pics there alone. Then tried to find the oldest pub in Australia and got caught up in the footy crowd, and V was getting frustrated at the lack of traffic movement - and then realised that the oldest pub in Tassie was now primarily a Boags Museum - though only after we had gotten home that night.
Went to the Mall, where I saw the facade of an 1817 Bank of NSW (nowadays Westpac) - which was only two years after Napoleon lost Waterloo. Old old town. Then we went to the Star Bar, which was very nice. Looked like a place where Launceston's beautiful people hung out (what were we doing there LOL), but nice ambient atmosphere, good food, good company, attractive staff LOL. I had spicy pork spring rolls for starters and they could have been a meal in themselves - but I had already ordered the Hungarian salami pizza as well - with olives, feta etc - one of THOSE type of pizzas - but the place felt very Melbournish, even though I have never been there - felt very Secret Life of Us not wanting to be trendy but actually is kind of place. Delicious food but too much of it, five eighths of the pizza eaten and then another Boags to settle the stomach.
Then a drive around town, very hilly, very Wellingtonianish in that sense, and then out to the casino. For some reason I thought that Launceston casino was in the centre of town, but no, about a ten kay drive out of town. Big squarish kind of casino, no character that I could find in the walls (or spirit either), no rugby or rugby results on the TV, spent about ten bucks each on the pokies with no worthwhile reward (no big wins, just whileing away time) before deciding to head back to the unit...
25 February 2005
Off on another flight - first time I have flown Virgin, or even actually internal Australian - the guy at the checkout made a good first impression, recognised my Hurricanes top and asked whether they were playing in Melb - no, they're here this week, he was from Invercargill, Highlanders territory - they have the Blues tonight - I cursed the Aussie teams to lose LOL, in an Aussie airport, now that's a Kiwi moment, if he hadn't been at work we would have been doing the Speights v DB debate... god I miss home...
But am in Oz for the forseeable future, remind me to resign from my LWOP back home, my two years is almost up - best of times, worst of times hmmph. It's been real LOL - now who said that?
Off to Tassie for a wedding, rather than sticking around here for a Thai dinner and the rugby tomorrow. Another hmmph - and where is the next international destination Pauly - was just thinking Heathrow for some reason - last time I was there was coming back from Belfast, what a palaver that was - another best of/worst of moment - was better to say bye in person and all, but the COST aargh! Flying over Greenland and Canada in winter was pretty awesome though...
Anyways, back to Tassie thoughts - oh, and three of the five crew on the plane were on the Men of Virgin calendar. Now if only I was tall, rugged and good looking LOL, but for godssake get something better than Kylie Minogue on the PA...
So this is Melbourne - there was a collective groan when we landed and we were told it was only fifteen degrees and overcast. A quick look around the airport - it seems so quiet? The international check in looks like a morgue - whereas with Bris you can see the departees down on the other level - it actually reminds me a bit of Heathrow - the age of the place or something. And watching ten year old Blue Heelers at the moment - just smiling thinking of KW3, a Net friend from Melb, and thinking of who else I know down here - hmm, I could easily catch a cab into town and do something - yeah, with all of my clothes going to Launnie LOL.
But am in Oz for the forseeable future, remind me to resign from my LWOP back home, my two years is almost up - best of times, worst of times hmmph. It's been real LOL - now who said that?
Off to Tassie for a wedding, rather than sticking around here for a Thai dinner and the rugby tomorrow. Another hmmph - and where is the next international destination Pauly - was just thinking Heathrow for some reason - last time I was there was coming back from Belfast, what a palaver that was - another best of/worst of moment - was better to say bye in person and all, but the COST aargh! Flying over Greenland and Canada in winter was pretty awesome though...
Anyways, back to Tassie thoughts - oh, and three of the five crew on the plane were on the Men of Virgin calendar. Now if only I was tall, rugged and good looking LOL, but for godssake get something better than Kylie Minogue on the PA...
So this is Melbourne - there was a collective groan when we landed and we were told it was only fifteen degrees and overcast. A quick look around the airport - it seems so quiet? The international check in looks like a morgue - whereas with Bris you can see the departees down on the other level - it actually reminds me a bit of Heathrow - the age of the place or something. And watching ten year old Blue Heelers at the moment - just smiling thinking of KW3, a Net friend from Melb, and thinking of who else I know down here - hmm, I could easily catch a cab into town and do something - yeah, with all of my clothes going to Launnie LOL.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
News
Well, just as I thought my leaving for another state would make some news - JC is leaving the company. Obviously got sick and tired of brown nosing LOL, and is headed to the opposition telecoms company - she didn't get permanent either. So instead of small drinks sending me off to another state, there were bigger but still only medium sized drinks to see JC off.
Got a good crowd as well, BG and JV and KD and AD as well as the usual suspects, myself, SW, MC and various partners LOL. Lots of assorted bitching about the unfairness of the permanentising if that is a term and SW finally made up to me saying I wasn't on her hitlist yay LOL. Of course, alcohol always helps in that regards. But SW is really bitter towards certain others of our intake that apart from me made it through, now seeing as only two others did hmm, maybe I should keep KW off the Gang of Five invite list a while longer yet LOL.
KD is umm yeah, shouldn't say anything cos AD is her boyfriend, but she is intriguing, and umm I always get myself in trouble with the intriguing ones LOL. But she doesn't mind saying what she feels and yes on some levels the freely swearing level perhaps for starters LOL that does my head in, in a good way of course. Girls feeling free to swear mmmm. And you saw my carefully thought out nonchalant wannabe note to MG. Got a reply saying that she will be having drinks on Tuesday, MG that is, so not all is lost in the making it more than an ex workmate in her mind thing, a non threatening perhaps friend is a step up from merely ex workmate thinking. Now, Pauly, remember not to try toooooooo hard LOL.
But Pauly, focus on the trip down south to see V and her state. Am actually looking forward to it, was talking to workmates today and hardly anyone heads down that way, everyone was quietly and nonchalantly (word of the day LOL) jealous...
Not much else up with the day. I know, I know I haven't done the news links for about a week, but truly, how boring does anyone who reads this find them? I love linking to news, but when I take a break I am sure everyone is saying well here's a bit more of his personal life, let's track him down LOL rather than well I could have read this on the Guardian or NYT myself, I don't come to this blog to get world exclusives on the news. Or is that just the way I think of myself and my own blog LOL.
Laters
Pauly
Got a good crowd as well, BG and JV and KD and AD as well as the usual suspects, myself, SW, MC and various partners LOL. Lots of assorted bitching about the unfairness of the permanentising if that is a term and SW finally made up to me saying I wasn't on her hitlist yay LOL. Of course, alcohol always helps in that regards. But SW is really bitter towards certain others of our intake that apart from me made it through, now seeing as only two others did hmm, maybe I should keep KW off the Gang of Five invite list a while longer yet LOL.
KD is umm yeah, shouldn't say anything cos AD is her boyfriend, but she is intriguing, and umm I always get myself in trouble with the intriguing ones LOL. But she doesn't mind saying what she feels and yes on some levels the freely swearing level perhaps for starters LOL that does my head in, in a good way of course. Girls feeling free to swear mmmm. And you saw my carefully thought out nonchalant wannabe note to MG. Got a reply saying that she will be having drinks on Tuesday, MG that is, so not all is lost in the making it more than an ex workmate in her mind thing, a non threatening perhaps friend is a step up from merely ex workmate thinking. Now, Pauly, remember not to try toooooooo hard LOL.
But Pauly, focus on the trip down south to see V and her state. Am actually looking forward to it, was talking to workmates today and hardly anyone heads down that way, everyone was quietly and nonchalantly (word of the day LOL) jealous...
Not much else up with the day. I know, I know I haven't done the news links for about a week, but truly, how boring does anyone who reads this find them? I love linking to news, but when I take a break I am sure everyone is saying well here's a bit more of his personal life, let's track him down LOL rather than well I could have read this on the Guardian or NYT myself, I don't come to this blog to get world exclusives on the news. Or is that just the way I think of myself and my own blog LOL.
Laters
Pauly
Not Too Forward, Not Too Backward?
Hey MG
Just a quick note to send my apologies that I will not be able to come to your leaving dinner tomorrow (SW put out a group invitation in our team meeting), as I will be out of town. If I had been in town, it would have been a no-brainer option to come.
Anyways, just wanted to let you know, and all the best wishes for your travels - are you going to do a working holiday somewhere along the way or just a long trip at this stage? Your last day here is Tuesday I am hearing?
Hope to speak to you more before you go
Cheers
Paul(y)
Just a quick note to send my apologies that I will not be able to come to your leaving dinner tomorrow (SW put out a group invitation in our team meeting), as I will be out of town. If I had been in town, it would have been a no-brainer option to come.
Anyways, just wanted to let you know, and all the best wishes for your travels - are you going to do a working holiday somewhere along the way or just a long trip at this stage? Your last day here is Tuesday I am hearing?
Hope to speak to you more before you go
Cheers
Paul(y)
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
What A Bitch Of A Week
Yes I am an uncle but it took freaking three days of bare minimum online. And then just before the parents took over the computer for over an hour when there is NOTHING on TV for me to watch and this is the only night I can get online and V probably endlessly trying to get through and we so freaking need a second phone line GRRR.
What with the last two days waiting around for the kid to turn up, tonight probably being squeezed between the parents being online and V ringing in, tomorrow being a beer with the workmates night and Friday onwards down in V's home state, and with SO MUCH to write about (yes, I know, strange but true), I am feeling VERY frustrated.
Well, that's the V call out of the way (he writes twenty five minutes later) but still the only night I am on this thing this week and so much to write about. Where to start?
Hmm, maybe with a couple of dreams I have had the last couple of days - the first one I rang K but one of her friends that dislikes me took the call instead and said I couldn't talk to her, for some reason (probably the friend thought I was upsetting her or something).
The second dream was I am at home, the parents decide to go out, I get all maudlin and depressed and thinking well thirty years down (almost LOL) is it going to be another forty years of this - I'm in the cubicles at work for a bit and then I find myself at the top of a building with the cast of Trainspotting, Begbie and the guy that was also off Black Hawk Down, not Sick Boy the other one, are around me, perhaps I am Rents, and I am considering jumping, when the parents come back home, with my brother and sister and my sister has a blonde bob haired female friend with her, and asks whether I have the jumper cable with me LOL.
Had another vivid dream this morning, but all I can remember of it is being at a work picnic or something and something happened from that point in LOL.
MG is leaving next week - sniff sniff. Apparently her last day is Tuesday before she's going to Thailand, England, Canada and the States, from the sounds of it it is just travel, but who knows, could be a working holiday somewhere along the lines - hmm, she's travelling by herself, reminds me of someone else LOL... the thing is though, her leaving dinner is on Friday, when I am out of state and such - and with the rugby on on Saturday as well, and the airline I am flying with having troubles with scheduling after their Melbourne terminal had a gas leak on Monday, and offering vouchers for later flights hmm - maybe I should just stay home LOL. And get shot later on no doubt LOL...
Drinks tomorrow with at least JC and SW - now if this was a perfect world, MG would realise that she wouldn't see me in another social setting and hmm come out as well LOL. But if even you had a chance there, the opportunity was November December, not to mention the whole V situation being more important and all LOL. But hmm shall I write an I'm sorry to miss your dinner email to MG or not, and how to word it - already running through my mind what I could should write in her farewell card, but eh, another workplace another crush, LOL and they never go anywhere. Kinda get crushed (as it were) when I remember back to my first sorta kinda workplace crush - first job and I got drunk, blindly so, and said some things that I can't remember that I shouldn't have, and on the Monday morning, got hauled up for sexual harrassment - just a verbal warning first out of the three steps before they sack you, but that memory has scarred me ever since with attractions to workplace girls, and partially why I am intimidated by attractive women...
phew, now that I have that off my chest, where was I? Oh yes, drooling over the latest eye candy LOL. A couple of others on our floor if not in my particular session, and is it wrong to drool over managers? Well, team leaders at least, and one in particular LOL. And I will shut up about that now, for a few weeks at least. But it would be nice to keep in touch with MG, but don't think I have built up enough of a rapport with her to be any more than an ex workmate. I'll get inspired in an email I am sure, and see where things go from there... (and yes, that has been my socialising policy for as long as I can remember, see where things go LOL, and they never go anywhere)
As well as Desperate Housewives and Amazing Race, my TV viewing appetite has hit a third target which just started last night here in Oz, Survivor Palau. Now, being one of the less athletic kids at school - OK, I admit it, I was afraid of the diving blocks at the swimming pool and played the version of volleyball where you could catch the ball LOL - ie, the school sport all the unsporty ones got into - I had much sympathy and memories brought back at the way they chose this game's tribes, pick the people yourselves and the last ones left are basically voted out already. But that Wanda didn't do herself any favours anyways, trying to bring on the showtunes LOL - now, will this series have a switcheroo half way through where the losers are brought back - now, I think we are only half a week behind North America with this, but if we are more of a lag, please no spoilers in comments please LOL. Or maybe that would be the only way to get a comment conversation going LOL...
And yes, I do realise I fall back on LOL a bit too much when emailing, blogging or instant messaging, but at least in the blogging, smiley faces just look stoopid :)
Work is keeping on keeping on - did the mini shift on Monday, closer to the bosses, closer to the centre of gravity of our team - it's good, although am within the boss's listening distance - even though she does love me, it is a bit of a stretch to actually like her being able to listen to my conversations LOL. SW is back on the right side of the floor, and had a quick conversation with her today, so she is getting back to normal as far as I am concerned is a bit smaller, and MG is leaving (sniffle), and that is about all the news from the Ark LOL. Apart from the whole usual office politics thing, always news there, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Laters taters - maybe quickly in tomorrow, probably not...
Pauly
What with the last two days waiting around for the kid to turn up, tonight probably being squeezed between the parents being online and V ringing in, tomorrow being a beer with the workmates night and Friday onwards down in V's home state, and with SO MUCH to write about (yes, I know, strange but true), I am feeling VERY frustrated.
Well, that's the V call out of the way (he writes twenty five minutes later) but still the only night I am on this thing this week and so much to write about. Where to start?
Hmm, maybe with a couple of dreams I have had the last couple of days - the first one I rang K but one of her friends that dislikes me took the call instead and said I couldn't talk to her, for some reason (probably the friend thought I was upsetting her or something).
The second dream was I am at home, the parents decide to go out, I get all maudlin and depressed and thinking well thirty years down (almost LOL) is it going to be another forty years of this - I'm in the cubicles at work for a bit and then I find myself at the top of a building with the cast of Trainspotting, Begbie and the guy that was also off Black Hawk Down, not Sick Boy the other one, are around me, perhaps I am Rents, and I am considering jumping, when the parents come back home, with my brother and sister and my sister has a blonde bob haired female friend with her, and asks whether I have the jumper cable with me LOL.
Had another vivid dream this morning, but all I can remember of it is being at a work picnic or something and something happened from that point in LOL.
MG is leaving next week - sniff sniff. Apparently her last day is Tuesday before she's going to Thailand, England, Canada and the States, from the sounds of it it is just travel, but who knows, could be a working holiday somewhere along the lines - hmm, she's travelling by herself, reminds me of someone else LOL... the thing is though, her leaving dinner is on Friday, when I am out of state and such - and with the rugby on on Saturday as well, and the airline I am flying with having troubles with scheduling after their Melbourne terminal had a gas leak on Monday, and offering vouchers for later flights hmm - maybe I should just stay home LOL. And get shot later on no doubt LOL...
Drinks tomorrow with at least JC and SW - now if this was a perfect world, MG would realise that she wouldn't see me in another social setting and hmm come out as well LOL. But if even you had a chance there, the opportunity was November December, not to mention the whole V situation being more important and all LOL. But hmm shall I write an I'm sorry to miss your dinner email to MG or not, and how to word it - already running through my mind what I could should write in her farewell card, but eh, another workplace another crush, LOL and they never go anywhere. Kinda get crushed (as it were) when I remember back to my first sorta kinda workplace crush - first job and I got drunk, blindly so, and said some things that I can't remember that I shouldn't have, and on the Monday morning, got hauled up for sexual harrassment - just a verbal warning first out of the three steps before they sack you, but that memory has scarred me ever since with attractions to workplace girls, and partially why I am intimidated by attractive women...
phew, now that I have that off my chest, where was I? Oh yes, drooling over the latest eye candy LOL. A couple of others on our floor if not in my particular session, and is it wrong to drool over managers? Well, team leaders at least, and one in particular LOL. And I will shut up about that now, for a few weeks at least. But it would be nice to keep in touch with MG, but don't think I have built up enough of a rapport with her to be any more than an ex workmate. I'll get inspired in an email I am sure, and see where things go from there... (and yes, that has been my socialising policy for as long as I can remember, see where things go LOL, and they never go anywhere)
As well as Desperate Housewives and Amazing Race, my TV viewing appetite has hit a third target which just started last night here in Oz, Survivor Palau. Now, being one of the less athletic kids at school - OK, I admit it, I was afraid of the diving blocks at the swimming pool and played the version of volleyball where you could catch the ball LOL - ie, the school sport all the unsporty ones got into - I had much sympathy and memories brought back at the way they chose this game's tribes, pick the people yourselves and the last ones left are basically voted out already. But that Wanda didn't do herself any favours anyways, trying to bring on the showtunes LOL - now, will this series have a switcheroo half way through where the losers are brought back - now, I think we are only half a week behind North America with this, but if we are more of a lag, please no spoilers in comments please LOL. Or maybe that would be the only way to get a comment conversation going LOL...
And yes, I do realise I fall back on LOL a bit too much when emailing, blogging or instant messaging, but at least in the blogging, smiley faces just look stoopid :)
Work is keeping on keeping on - did the mini shift on Monday, closer to the bosses, closer to the centre of gravity of our team - it's good, although am within the boss's listening distance - even though she does love me, it is a bit of a stretch to actually like her being able to listen to my conversations LOL. SW is back on the right side of the floor, and had a quick conversation with her today, so she is getting back to normal as far as I am concerned is a bit smaller, and MG is leaving (sniffle), and that is about all the news from the Ark LOL. Apart from the whole usual office politics thing, always news there, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Laters taters - maybe quickly in tomorrow, probably not...
Pauly
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Another Weekend Almost Gone
Where did that one get off to? As soon as they appear, weekends seem to disappear again LOL. Yesterday was pretty quiet, brother and his girlfriend and my sister were over at different parts of the day - my brother didn't become a father yesterday after all - they were going to induce yesterday, but they got to the hospital, the docs seemed to think better of it, and now will be tomorrow (Monday) when they might decide to do something...
And last night was a case of just one more just one more simulated game on the ice hockey, and I got my team to the Stanley Cup - virtually, on one of those manager games of course, no REAL hockey happening at the moment. And not even any good music on Rage, well not any sustained good music LOL...
Woke up this morning at 10.30, and as soon as I had had my shower and stuff, was straight out the door to catch a bus into town, wanted to catch a 1.30 session of a movie and also do some shopping beforehand. Wanted to get a new shirt and tie for this trip next weekend to V's home state - based it around a wedding basically, so something nice for the wedding. Was despairing of getting anything nice and reasonably priced - and some of the stores I feel too weird to even go in LOL, so I wandered past a couple of times instead LOL. Like really, I wonder whether those business style shirts with the writing or patterns or whatever on them (look like someone has just put a pen to the shirt kind of look) - I wonder whether that would look good on me, but am too afraid to try or something LOL coward...
So anyways, was in David Jones and seeing $210 shirts, lowest price I saw was $80 and I thought screw this - wandered over to Wintergarden, and was slim pickings there as well, but then this place had a 50% off price - usuallly $120 for the shirt and $90 for the tie, let alone mentioning the suit prices, but $60 for a shirt is about a good price for a good shirt... so got a black one, and then looked at the ties, 50% off as well, and white went well, tried looking for others but white was the best so got that. No, don't worry, not gonna wear the fedora and braces for the Nelly gangsta pimp look LOL - although if I did, it may attract Christina Aguilera lookalikes LOL LOL. It's a nice shirt, with a nice tie...
And then went to JB's Hi Fi (no, not a person I know that I have abbreviated, that is the actual name of the place, JB's) to go DVD looking, god I could have gotten six titles easily LOL. Ended up with the Goodies - 70s British TV show, am wondering whether it is still as good as when I saw it last time around when I was ten years old LOL - and Conan the Barbarian, which was in the bargain bin - last time I saw that was on the trip to Oktoberfest from London, think it was showing about the time we were driving through from Calais through Belgium onto the autobahns. Will watch that one having the Governator as he is now on my mind LOL.
But I could have bought so much more - let alone the full priced ones of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Lost in Translation, there was Black Hawk Down (which I actually watched last night, what with the vagaries of commercial television lol - best war movie of the last ten years, Three Kings wasn't really a war movie as such. I am sure the Iraq war movies are making their way through the Hollywood machine as we speak - I remember seeing a story that Harrison Ford would be a general assaulting Fallujah, and this story was doing the rounds even before the Marines went in... and also good on the rack were Fight Club, Scarface, Donnie Brasco... my sister has said that she always overbuys when she goes in there, just so many good movies LOL. They had Dodgeball going on in the background, and that looked OK, but never buy a movie unless I have seen it first, I soooooo need to join back up to Blockbuster in this suburb LOL.
And then to the true part of my mission into town, seeing The Motorcycle Diaries. Spanish, with subtitles LOL. About Che Guevara just out of university travelling around South America with a friend - and yes, I guess that it somewhat appealed to me because of the travel aspect, but I thought that, even though it had gotten a few awards, it was going to be all pretty scenery and not much else, but it has a plot in there as well, how plain old Ernesto as he was back then got politically aware. And also the whole boy becoming a man thing... now if only my travel diaries were that inspiring LOL - or hell, even my blog, but hmm there are far too many what iffings about girls and mentions of alcohol in my travel diaries LOL - although my self confidence shot up heaps in my time overseas... back to Motorcycle, good movie, inspiring in its way, and should be in for best cinematography at least at Oscar LOL.
Wandered back home after that, though went into JB's and barely stopped myself buying anything else - now, is Top Gun DVD keep forever worthy or not LOL - maybe if on special perhaps :) Got home and talked to V about my black shirt and white tie proposed look, and she had a heart attack - not with my family not in my town, they will get the wrong impression about you blah blah blah, like really, do I care what they think of me, nooooo. If they are really worthy of my knowing them, they would look beyond what I am wearing and try and figure out what is going on in my head, where, even if I didn't wear striking clothes, they would be able to ferret out that I have a white tie liking part of my persona anyways LOL. V has six days to settle her heart attack down before I put the outfit on LOL, and said why don't you bring an alternate tie down, like rules and don't bring me down man blah blah blah. We will see what we see I guess :)
So yeah, that has basically been my day - watched a couple of episodes of the Goodies after the conversation with V, and thankfully it does seem as good as my ten year old mind remembers it LOL.
Later peeps
Pauly
And last night was a case of just one more just one more simulated game on the ice hockey, and I got my team to the Stanley Cup - virtually, on one of those manager games of course, no REAL hockey happening at the moment. And not even any good music on Rage, well not any sustained good music LOL...
Woke up this morning at 10.30, and as soon as I had had my shower and stuff, was straight out the door to catch a bus into town, wanted to catch a 1.30 session of a movie and also do some shopping beforehand. Wanted to get a new shirt and tie for this trip next weekend to V's home state - based it around a wedding basically, so something nice for the wedding. Was despairing of getting anything nice and reasonably priced - and some of the stores I feel too weird to even go in LOL, so I wandered past a couple of times instead LOL. Like really, I wonder whether those business style shirts with the writing or patterns or whatever on them (look like someone has just put a pen to the shirt kind of look) - I wonder whether that would look good on me, but am too afraid to try or something LOL coward...
So anyways, was in David Jones and seeing $210 shirts, lowest price I saw was $80 and I thought screw this - wandered over to Wintergarden, and was slim pickings there as well, but then this place had a 50% off price - usuallly $120 for the shirt and $90 for the tie, let alone mentioning the suit prices, but $60 for a shirt is about a good price for a good shirt... so got a black one, and then looked at the ties, 50% off as well, and white went well, tried looking for others but white was the best so got that. No, don't worry, not gonna wear the fedora and braces for the Nelly gangsta pimp look LOL - although if I did, it may attract Christina Aguilera lookalikes LOL LOL. It's a nice shirt, with a nice tie...
And then went to JB's Hi Fi (no, not a person I know that I have abbreviated, that is the actual name of the place, JB's) to go DVD looking, god I could have gotten six titles easily LOL. Ended up with the Goodies - 70s British TV show, am wondering whether it is still as good as when I saw it last time around when I was ten years old LOL - and Conan the Barbarian, which was in the bargain bin - last time I saw that was on the trip to Oktoberfest from London, think it was showing about the time we were driving through from Calais through Belgium onto the autobahns. Will watch that one having the Governator as he is now on my mind LOL.
But I could have bought so much more - let alone the full priced ones of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Lost in Translation, there was Black Hawk Down (which I actually watched last night, what with the vagaries of commercial television lol - best war movie of the last ten years, Three Kings wasn't really a war movie as such. I am sure the Iraq war movies are making their way through the Hollywood machine as we speak - I remember seeing a story that Harrison Ford would be a general assaulting Fallujah, and this story was doing the rounds even before the Marines went in... and also good on the rack were Fight Club, Scarface, Donnie Brasco... my sister has said that she always overbuys when she goes in there, just so many good movies LOL. They had Dodgeball going on in the background, and that looked OK, but never buy a movie unless I have seen it first, I soooooo need to join back up to Blockbuster in this suburb LOL.
And then to the true part of my mission into town, seeing The Motorcycle Diaries. Spanish, with subtitles LOL. About Che Guevara just out of university travelling around South America with a friend - and yes, I guess that it somewhat appealed to me because of the travel aspect, but I thought that, even though it had gotten a few awards, it was going to be all pretty scenery and not much else, but it has a plot in there as well, how plain old Ernesto as he was back then got politically aware. And also the whole boy becoming a man thing... now if only my travel diaries were that inspiring LOL - or hell, even my blog, but hmm there are far too many what iffings about girls and mentions of alcohol in my travel diaries LOL - although my self confidence shot up heaps in my time overseas... back to Motorcycle, good movie, inspiring in its way, and should be in for best cinematography at least at Oscar LOL.
Wandered back home after that, though went into JB's and barely stopped myself buying anything else - now, is Top Gun DVD keep forever worthy or not LOL - maybe if on special perhaps :) Got home and talked to V about my black shirt and white tie proposed look, and she had a heart attack - not with my family not in my town, they will get the wrong impression about you blah blah blah, like really, do I care what they think of me, nooooo. If they are really worthy of my knowing them, they would look beyond what I am wearing and try and figure out what is going on in my head, where, even if I didn't wear striking clothes, they would be able to ferret out that I have a white tie liking part of my persona anyways LOL. V has six days to settle her heart attack down before I put the outfit on LOL, and said why don't you bring an alternate tie down, like rules and don't bring me down man blah blah blah. We will see what we see I guess :)
So yeah, that has basically been my day - watched a couple of episodes of the Goodies after the conversation with V, and thankfully it does seem as good as my ten year old mind remembers it LOL.
Later peeps
Pauly
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Galaxy Tsunami
Hmm, off into space topics I go again LOL - this article says that there was the biggest observed galactic event since 1604 on 27 December. Of course, humans couldn't see it as it was a gamma ray burst, but the amount of gamma rays released in one tenth of a second was the same as the Sun provides in one hundred thousand years. The gamma burst came from fifty thousand light years away, so hmm when on the evolutionary scale were we when that happened? Homo erectus or Australopithecus or what hmm, lol need to google that perhaps. If it had occurred within ten light years of us, it could have caused mass extinction apparently, what with messing up our atmosphere... note to planetary scientists, don't go looking for life within ten light years of a neutron star LOL.
A stray thought just crossed my mind - we know how entrenched creationists versus evolutionists are when it comes to dating the Earth - six thousand years versus four billion or so, but just was thinking how do creationists deal with the fact of the speed of light and that everything must be within six thousand light years of Earth. Or is the space time continuum not discussed in those types of meetings, do they even acknowledge the concept of a light year LOL...
And this article, another space based one, saying that the Hubble photos, touched up as they are by a group of scientists before they are put on general release - really, would we want grayscale Hubble pics? - are this generation's version of romantic art - if this is romantic art, give me more more more :) I love the sense of discovery about space that is kind of squelched on Earth due to the good job mankind is doing to fuck up the planet - oh, let's discover the Middle East, too dangerous, let's discover Rio, street gangs and the like, etc etc etc.
Hmm, on a kind of related note, a UN report about how the world will continue to urbanise over the next fifty years, and states that Tokyo is the world's biggest city currently with over thirty five million people. Now, coming from the Antipodes as I am, with four million in New Zealand and twenty million in Oz, that is just such a mindboggling number. Although I would love to go to Tokyo, a Western-style city with such a non-Western culture and history - Japan is probably next on the list of where I would actually like to go to travel wise - yes, above China and India, about even with South America LOL. Not counting return trips to the States or Canada - yes, the former even though they don't trust ANY foreigners at all now, let's take a blood sample and fingerprints at the Immigration check - you're foreign, that's fingerprint worthy for us, you are unAmerican LOL. Oh, they don't do blood swabs yet? Don't worry, they will LOL...
Wonder how foreign tourism to the US is going at the moment anyways. If even the Brits and Aussies, the closest of allies, have to give their fingerprints at the border, why even bother nowadays...
For any kids doing projects on world cities, this website isn't the worst place to start. When I have been in a population statistics mood, which happens once maybe twice a year, this is the best place I have found - umm, and plus it is first on the google search for city populations LOL. And although I would love to go to Tokyo on holiday, I dream of living in New York - over twenty million people within such a short radius, although if I did get there, I would be a busboy in a restaurant at most probably LOL... it is The World City though, if you make it there indeed :)
Although probably easier to go immigrate to Toronto LOL. They would have put on a good 2008 Olympics, but let's give Beijing a chance, just don't invade Taiwan in the middle of the Olympics or anything LOL - even if they DO declare independence.
Hmm, bouncing around in topics, aren't I - well, I am having my first coffee in hmm about two weeks (is usually too hot for coffee in the subtropical summer)...
All might not be lost with the NHL season - although the talks between individual owners and individual players aren't official, it is a good sign that they are still ongoing - although the NHL executive has tried to squash the rumours and kill off the idea. I still think the Stanley Cup should go to maybe the Memorial Cup v AHL Cup whatever that is winner - it is the property nowadays of the NHL, but to not award it just cos their own competition is having troubles, that's just petulant - really, it should be the best North American hockey side no matter whether the pros are locked out... where's a petition to sign or NHL fan website to go kite flying with the idea :)
Okies, think I have bounced around enough - now I've gone over all Canadian again, Mapquesting Ottawa and checking out the 'local' CBC news LOL... it was the best of times it was the worst of times blah blah...
Later peeps
Pauly
A stray thought just crossed my mind - we know how entrenched creationists versus evolutionists are when it comes to dating the Earth - six thousand years versus four billion or so, but just was thinking how do creationists deal with the fact of the speed of light and that everything must be within six thousand light years of Earth. Or is the space time continuum not discussed in those types of meetings, do they even acknowledge the concept of a light year LOL...
And this article, another space based one, saying that the Hubble photos, touched up as they are by a group of scientists before they are put on general release - really, would we want grayscale Hubble pics? - are this generation's version of romantic art - if this is romantic art, give me more more more :) I love the sense of discovery about space that is kind of squelched on Earth due to the good job mankind is doing to fuck up the planet - oh, let's discover the Middle East, too dangerous, let's discover Rio, street gangs and the like, etc etc etc.
Hmm, on a kind of related note, a UN report about how the world will continue to urbanise over the next fifty years, and states that Tokyo is the world's biggest city currently with over thirty five million people. Now, coming from the Antipodes as I am, with four million in New Zealand and twenty million in Oz, that is just such a mindboggling number. Although I would love to go to Tokyo, a Western-style city with such a non-Western culture and history - Japan is probably next on the list of where I would actually like to go to travel wise - yes, above China and India, about even with South America LOL. Not counting return trips to the States or Canada - yes, the former even though they don't trust ANY foreigners at all now, let's take a blood sample and fingerprints at the Immigration check - you're foreign, that's fingerprint worthy for us, you are unAmerican LOL. Oh, they don't do blood swabs yet? Don't worry, they will LOL...
Wonder how foreign tourism to the US is going at the moment anyways. If even the Brits and Aussies, the closest of allies, have to give their fingerprints at the border, why even bother nowadays...
For any kids doing projects on world cities, this website isn't the worst place to start. When I have been in a population statistics mood, which happens once maybe twice a year, this is the best place I have found - umm, and plus it is first on the google search for city populations LOL. And although I would love to go to Tokyo on holiday, I dream of living in New York - over twenty million people within such a short radius, although if I did get there, I would be a busboy in a restaurant at most probably LOL... it is The World City though, if you make it there indeed :)
Although probably easier to go immigrate to Toronto LOL. They would have put on a good 2008 Olympics, but let's give Beijing a chance, just don't invade Taiwan in the middle of the Olympics or anything LOL - even if they DO declare independence.
Hmm, bouncing around in topics, aren't I - well, I am having my first coffee in hmm about two weeks (is usually too hot for coffee in the subtropical summer)...
All might not be lost with the NHL season - although the talks between individual owners and individual players aren't official, it is a good sign that they are still ongoing - although the NHL executive has tried to squash the rumours and kill off the idea. I still think the Stanley Cup should go to maybe the Memorial Cup v AHL Cup whatever that is winner - it is the property nowadays of the NHL, but to not award it just cos their own competition is having troubles, that's just petulant - really, it should be the best North American hockey side no matter whether the pros are locked out... where's a petition to sign or NHL fan website to go kite flying with the idea :)
Okies, think I have bounced around enough - now I've gone over all Canadian again, Mapquesting Ottawa and checking out the 'local' CBC news LOL... it was the best of times it was the worst of times blah blah...
Later peeps
Pauly
Friday, February 18, 2005
Friday Evening
Yeah yeah, I know, inspiration as usual for the title. Hey, it's just after a half chicken meal from Red Rooster, high humidity in the high twenties, a twinge of a headache and not enough sleep at all the past week, and of course the numb feeling I get away from work (I swear I put too much effort into that place LOL), I'm fine without inspiration LOL.
Work has been it's usual week in week out procession the last few weeks - I love talking to customers, but to keep that buzz going for five minutes after a call, let alone all the way to home so I can blog about it LOL, here's hoping. Doing a mini shift around due to one of the team leaders resigning and not being able to hold off any longer on the fitting three teams into two thing. Seriously, we were strewn across half the floor when we could fit quite comfortably into a quarter LOL. The only switcheroo team wise that hadn't been signalled was SW coming back into my team after a quite sociable four months in the other section. Hmm, hope that propinquity (love that word, it means being close to each other, a la all the fantasy (with dragons, not sex toys LOL) novels around where a young scullion meets up with a princess and they like each other heaps - like the Elfstones of Shannara or what I am currently reading, Tad Williams Memory Sorrow and Thorn) helps SW get over the bitterness she has towards the place and particularly the permanent staff at the moment...
I switch desks so that not only am I in the quad/pod (open plan, I'm sure you get the idea) nearest the door, but also close diagonally to the boss - closer than I have been to this point, but only cosmetic changes to the team, and fingers crossed will be in the heart of it all again. All of it as in gossip central LOL, and bleah will also have to appear more committed in my work LOL.
Oh, I'm going to be an uncle sometime over the weekend - my brother's girlfriend is going to have her pregnancy induced tomorrow evening. First addition to my immediateish family for over twenty years (since my sister) so it's pretty big, but eh, it's not at the forefront of my mind or anything LOL...
Just watched Planet Of The Apes again, the Charlton Heston version, and was thinking how awesome it would have been to actually not know the ending of that movie before watching it. Think it could have been like the Sixth Sense or the Usual Suspects or the Crying Game (not that I have watched the latter, but I have heard how it ends LOL) times ten in impact. And yeah, I do have a soft spot for sci fi movies LOL...
Think it will be Motorcycle Diaries at the movies this weekend - although Hotel Rwanda comes out this weekend as well, and I have heard good things about it, and it's likely to be cut before Ray Aviator Alexander LOL. Eh, Motorcycles is the most endangered though, only one session a day over the weekend... and in town as well, so a bit more of a trek than to the mall...
Laters peeps, falling asleep into the keyboard here :)
Pauly
Work has been it's usual week in week out procession the last few weeks - I love talking to customers, but to keep that buzz going for five minutes after a call, let alone all the way to home so I can blog about it LOL, here's hoping. Doing a mini shift around due to one of the team leaders resigning and not being able to hold off any longer on the fitting three teams into two thing. Seriously, we were strewn across half the floor when we could fit quite comfortably into a quarter LOL. The only switcheroo team wise that hadn't been signalled was SW coming back into my team after a quite sociable four months in the other section. Hmm, hope that propinquity (love that word, it means being close to each other, a la all the fantasy (with dragons, not sex toys LOL) novels around where a young scullion meets up with a princess and they like each other heaps - like the Elfstones of Shannara or what I am currently reading, Tad Williams Memory Sorrow and Thorn) helps SW get over the bitterness she has towards the place and particularly the permanent staff at the moment...
I switch desks so that not only am I in the quad/pod (open plan, I'm sure you get the idea) nearest the door, but also close diagonally to the boss - closer than I have been to this point, but only cosmetic changes to the team, and fingers crossed will be in the heart of it all again. All of it as in gossip central LOL, and bleah will also have to appear more committed in my work LOL.
Oh, I'm going to be an uncle sometime over the weekend - my brother's girlfriend is going to have her pregnancy induced tomorrow evening. First addition to my immediateish family for over twenty years (since my sister) so it's pretty big, but eh, it's not at the forefront of my mind or anything LOL...
Just watched Planet Of The Apes again, the Charlton Heston version, and was thinking how awesome it would have been to actually not know the ending of that movie before watching it. Think it could have been like the Sixth Sense or the Usual Suspects or the Crying Game (not that I have watched the latter, but I have heard how it ends LOL) times ten in impact. And yeah, I do have a soft spot for sci fi movies LOL...
Think it will be Motorcycle Diaries at the movies this weekend - although Hotel Rwanda comes out this weekend as well, and I have heard good things about it, and it's likely to be cut before Ray Aviator Alexander LOL. Eh, Motorcycles is the most endangered though, only one session a day over the weekend... and in town as well, so a bit more of a trek than to the mall...
Laters peeps, falling asleep into the keyboard here :)
Pauly
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Something Worthy LOL
Wouldn't you know it? I used too many brain cells with the last entry and am now broke with ideas LOL.
Wow, look, Boeing have brought out a plane that can fly from London to Sydney or Sydney to New York non stop - goodbye LAX stop overs, I will not miss you LOL. Although a few interesting times - like the time I had a 12 hour layover going to Ottawa first time around LOL, I SHOULD have gone to Disneyland. And really, what are the chances of there ever being a Brisbane to Toronto non stop service - or even further afield, Brisbane to Saskatoon or Sault Ste Marie LOL - now you're just being stoopid Pauly.
And double wow, less than six months to go until the Olympics vote for the 2012 Games - yeah, yeah, I know how sad that sounds, but the excitement that comes into an Olympic vote mmm, nothing like it in the world of sports - not even which city is going to host the Superbowl, or which team is crap enough to get the number one draft pick LOL. Just think, twenty years ago, no one wanted to host the Olympics, and LA got in by default... anyways, the first of the bid city visits starts today, with the IOC approved visitors, we will never mention the Salt Lake City nomination ever again LOL, visiting London for four days.
Oh, and the whole thing on this former Lebanese PM getting assassinated. Lot of angry people in Beirut and Sidon. Biggest threat to the country's stability since the civil war ended in 1990 - I remember doing a History lesson, or was it English even, at high school on the Lebanese civil war - it might have been English, looking at the way the media portrays things, or something... anyways, the civil war had just been over a year or two at that stage. And the US saying to Syria get your troops out, yes, I agree they should, but how about Israel in the Occupied Territories, and the US itself in Iraq... no, I am not a Syrian apologist LOL, but just felt a sense of hypocrisy in there.
And the Israeli PM saying today that maybe the settlers he intends to evacuate from Gaza can get replacement homes in the West Bank. Grr, grr and thrice grr. The land behind the West Bank Wall may become the new green line, but no further, and it would be nice if you could build the wall on the actual border? And the extremists equating Sharon with Hitler, have they no memory of what happened to Yitzhak Rabin? No, nothing approaches common sense in the whole last sixy years in Palestine (using the name as it was in 1945)...
Hmm, this from a White House source, in a quite scary article about possible Administration overreach (Guardian article, peeps, so you know what angle to expect at least, but the QUOTE, migod!) -
'As one senior presidential adviser scarily informed journalist Ron Suskind: "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality ... we'll act again, creating other new realities ... We're history's actors ... and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."'
Hmm, having visions of either the Empire in the Star Wars trilogy, or Pinky and the Brain - what we do every night, Pinky, try to take over the world LOL. Though which one is the Brain is up for question hehe. How much of a grip on reality do some of these White House staffers have? Ave Caesar indeed.
Oh mi god, now I am sure all of us agree that drugs can do all sorts of things, but this kid in South Carolina trying to pin his murder of his grandparents on the fact he took Zoloft, Jesus H Christ, the video game made me do it defence indeed. He got told off by his grandfather, he waited til they went to sleep, shot them both in the head, set the house on fire, drove away and claimed a stranger had shot his grandparents and kidnapped him. And the relatives saying to be lenient I'm just fucking incredulous here... yeah, let him out on the streets in anything less than thirty years time I think not... AND he was only TWELVE when he did it! Fuuuuuckkkkk...
Hmm, Congress has ordered that a third of all deep strike aircraft, plus a portion of ground forces, be robotic by 2010. Congress huh - where do they get these ideas, really? An article in the NYT about the robotic advances in the US military, and whether robots will really be able to differentiate between a school bus or a tank LOL. And I am sure that robots are just as easy to blow up with bombs as anyone or anything else - the human toll would go down, but the military budget would go up up up. And didn't Congress watch the Terminator series? If a project called SkyNet comes up anytime in the near future, I'm headed for the bunkers LOL LOL.
It's so sad - one of the four major North American sports leagues is going to sit out an entire year, and although the Canadian press is as mad as hell and everything, all you see south of the border is a shrug of the shoulders as the NHL looks like going under. The NHL and players are about $7 million apart in their negotiating stances, with hmm less than half a day to sort the whole sorry mess out. There goes the season. And the Stanley Cup won't be awarded since 1919 and the Spanish flu outbreak - now here's an out there thought, because the NHL is skating nowhere fast, why not offer the Stanley Cup as an extra prize at the Memorial Cup - after all, it did start out a purely Canadian thing...
Okies, think that might be about enough for this one :)
Later peeps
Pauly
Wow, look, Boeing have brought out a plane that can fly from London to Sydney or Sydney to New York non stop - goodbye LAX stop overs, I will not miss you LOL. Although a few interesting times - like the time I had a 12 hour layover going to Ottawa first time around LOL, I SHOULD have gone to Disneyland. And really, what are the chances of there ever being a Brisbane to Toronto non stop service - or even further afield, Brisbane to Saskatoon or Sault Ste Marie LOL - now you're just being stoopid Pauly.
And double wow, less than six months to go until the Olympics vote for the 2012 Games - yeah, yeah, I know how sad that sounds, but the excitement that comes into an Olympic vote mmm, nothing like it in the world of sports - not even which city is going to host the Superbowl, or which team is crap enough to get the number one draft pick LOL. Just think, twenty years ago, no one wanted to host the Olympics, and LA got in by default... anyways, the first of the bid city visits starts today, with the IOC approved visitors, we will never mention the Salt Lake City nomination ever again LOL, visiting London for four days.
Oh, and the whole thing on this former Lebanese PM getting assassinated. Lot of angry people in Beirut and Sidon. Biggest threat to the country's stability since the civil war ended in 1990 - I remember doing a History lesson, or was it English even, at high school on the Lebanese civil war - it might have been English, looking at the way the media portrays things, or something... anyways, the civil war had just been over a year or two at that stage. And the US saying to Syria get your troops out, yes, I agree they should, but how about Israel in the Occupied Territories, and the US itself in Iraq... no, I am not a Syrian apologist LOL, but just felt a sense of hypocrisy in there.
And the Israeli PM saying today that maybe the settlers he intends to evacuate from Gaza can get replacement homes in the West Bank. Grr, grr and thrice grr. The land behind the West Bank Wall may become the new green line, but no further, and it would be nice if you could build the wall on the actual border? And the extremists equating Sharon with Hitler, have they no memory of what happened to Yitzhak Rabin? No, nothing approaches common sense in the whole last sixy years in Palestine (using the name as it was in 1945)...
Hmm, this from a White House source, in a quite scary article about possible Administration overreach (Guardian article, peeps, so you know what angle to expect at least, but the QUOTE, migod!) -
'As one senior presidential adviser scarily informed journalist Ron Suskind: "We're an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you're studying that reality ... we'll act again, creating other new realities ... We're history's actors ... and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do."'
Hmm, having visions of either the Empire in the Star Wars trilogy, or Pinky and the Brain - what we do every night, Pinky, try to take over the world LOL. Though which one is the Brain is up for question hehe. How much of a grip on reality do some of these White House staffers have? Ave Caesar indeed.
Oh mi god, now I am sure all of us agree that drugs can do all sorts of things, but this kid in South Carolina trying to pin his murder of his grandparents on the fact he took Zoloft, Jesus H Christ, the video game made me do it defence indeed. He got told off by his grandfather, he waited til they went to sleep, shot them both in the head, set the house on fire, drove away and claimed a stranger had shot his grandparents and kidnapped him. And the relatives saying to be lenient I'm just fucking incredulous here... yeah, let him out on the streets in anything less than thirty years time I think not... AND he was only TWELVE when he did it! Fuuuuuckkkkk...
Hmm, Congress has ordered that a third of all deep strike aircraft, plus a portion of ground forces, be robotic by 2010. Congress huh - where do they get these ideas, really? An article in the NYT about the robotic advances in the US military, and whether robots will really be able to differentiate between a school bus or a tank LOL. And I am sure that robots are just as easy to blow up with bombs as anyone or anything else - the human toll would go down, but the military budget would go up up up. And didn't Congress watch the Terminator series? If a project called SkyNet comes up anytime in the near future, I'm headed for the bunkers LOL LOL.
It's so sad - one of the four major North American sports leagues is going to sit out an entire year, and although the Canadian press is as mad as hell and everything, all you see south of the border is a shrug of the shoulders as the NHL looks like going under. The NHL and players are about $7 million apart in their negotiating stances, with hmm less than half a day to sort the whole sorry mess out. There goes the season. And the Stanley Cup won't be awarded since 1919 and the Spanish flu outbreak - now here's an out there thought, because the NHL is skating nowhere fast, why not offer the Stanley Cup as an extra prize at the Memorial Cup - after all, it did start out a purely Canadian thing...
Okies, think that might be about enough for this one :)
Later peeps
Pauly
Let's Get An R or NC-17 Rating Around Here LOL
Things I have learned from erotica - or so I have been told by SOMEONE at the bar who was talking about SOMEONE ELSE they may or may not have actually talked to -
And before anyone really complains, this won't get too smutty and is inspired by me trying to write something FUNNY rather than something to get people off...
1 - Any two girls that know each other are either
2 - Lesbians or
3 - one girl has secretly lusted after the other for almost as long as she has known the other, or
4 - both girls are straight but the right amount of alcohol or watching each other perspire or even doing the laundry together will take them over the edge into more
5 - any two of these girls will gladly bed any man that they come into contact with, no matter what circumstances the guy meets them in
6 - any person in a towel is fair game
7 - all professional photography sessions end up with everyone taking their clothes off and getting each other off
8 - your partner's reaction to walking in on you having an affair is to punish you by making you continue
9 - there will always be a bisexual girl in the room to take care of the woman while a guy recovers
10 - if there is no bisexual girl in the room, then the man's recovery is instantaneous
11 - late 70s early 80s synth music is the height of musical culture
12 - everybody gets laid all the time
13 - every female is blonde
14 - Married people can swing with their best friends (who are also married) and there are no lasting consequences on the friendship apart from that it becomes 'deeper'
15 - simultaneous orgasm is the norm
16 - all girls want to bed the pervert who is ogling them at the beach
17 - women go to the movies to be felt up by strange guys
18 -
Eh, I've run out of ideas for this one, but despite a rough patch in the middle there when I thought am I actually going to publish this to my blog, it isn't reading as badly as I was afraid it would - of course, I need proof readers to verify that LOL. And yes, it is slightly out of character with the blog - which is in itself a bit out of character to a 20 something single male LOL...
If anyone has any other what I have learned lessons to add, maybe this could be an in to getting an actual comments conversation going (thus securing my self esteem for the next twenty minutes LOL)...
And now to bury this entry with a more worthy one LOL - yes yes I am always conflicted when I show this side of myself nowadays...
Pauly
And before anyone really complains, this won't get too smutty and is inspired by me trying to write something FUNNY rather than something to get people off...
1 - Any two girls that know each other are either
2 - Lesbians or
3 - one girl has secretly lusted after the other for almost as long as she has known the other, or
4 - both girls are straight but the right amount of alcohol or watching each other perspire or even doing the laundry together will take them over the edge into more
5 - any two of these girls will gladly bed any man that they come into contact with, no matter what circumstances the guy meets them in
6 - any person in a towel is fair game
7 - all professional photography sessions end up with everyone taking their clothes off and getting each other off
8 - your partner's reaction to walking in on you having an affair is to punish you by making you continue
9 - there will always be a bisexual girl in the room to take care of the woman while a guy recovers
10 - if there is no bisexual girl in the room, then the man's recovery is instantaneous
11 - late 70s early 80s synth music is the height of musical culture
12 - everybody gets laid all the time
13 - every female is blonde
14 - Married people can swing with their best friends (who are also married) and there are no lasting consequences on the friendship apart from that it becomes 'deeper'
15 - simultaneous orgasm is the norm
16 - all girls want to bed the pervert who is ogling them at the beach
17 - women go to the movies to be felt up by strange guys
18 -
Eh, I've run out of ideas for this one, but despite a rough patch in the middle there when I thought am I actually going to publish this to my blog, it isn't reading as badly as I was afraid it would - of course, I need proof readers to verify that LOL. And yes, it is slightly out of character with the blog - which is in itself a bit out of character to a 20 something single male LOL...
If anyone has any other what I have learned lessons to add, maybe this could be an in to getting an actual comments conversation going (thus securing my self esteem for the next twenty minutes LOL)...
And now to bury this entry with a more worthy one LOL - yes yes I am always conflicted when I show this side of myself nowadays...
Pauly
Monday, February 14, 2005
My Valentine Present
Hmmph. Christina Aguilera, aka Talented Spice - oops, getting my bands mixed up lol, but in a supergroup of Britney, Christina and a few of the other poppets, Christina is the talented one - anyways, Christina is getting hitched. Now I'm sure she has been around the blocks a bit, but marriage just wipes out ANY chance I had lol... Happy V Day indeed.
Now, I am as sick and tired of the Valentine's Day thing as the next typical guy lol - and no Carson off Queer Eye, you do NOT count as a typical guy - so didn't do anything special for or from V. My thinking is that surely there are more important dates in a relationship than one purely invented by the cardmakers and florists? And yes, I do live in a cave LOL, but really people, the amount of money that is spent on this ONE day for some marketing appropriation of love, rolling my eyes here...
Further on the entertainment stream that started this entry off, Britney won her first Grammy, for Toxic as best dance recording - it is the End of Days obviously LOL. Oh no, look, service resumed as normal, someone that dies gets a huge sympathy vote, Ray Charles topping the ranks with eight awards. And although in US politics I would admit I am a Clintonite, really truly does the man deserve a Grammy for his autobiography??? I read the first sentence of that book and hmm, will find a link somewhere - anyways, that's AFTER editing? The sentence went on for like five pages LOL LOL...
Hmm, I told you I lost my Mets cap at the movies a couple of months ago didn't I? Well, on the Mets merchandise website at the moment, the cap is $25 US, now just looking at the postage from the States and everything. It's gotta be better than $80 NZ as per the price in one of the sports shops back home - and that wasn't even the blue cap, it was some fancy black one LOL...
Umm, $43 US postage on a $25 cap hmm, let's go back to the drawing board LOL - I don't NEED it FedExed guys, just put it on a ship and throw it over the side as you're passing the Equator LOL it will get to me :)
Later peeps - off to find an Aussie distributor of North American sports stuff - if that's the postage on a hat, god knows what the shipping on a hockey jersey will be LOL - yes, even if they aren't playing :)
Pauly
Now, I am as sick and tired of the Valentine's Day thing as the next typical guy lol - and no Carson off Queer Eye, you do NOT count as a typical guy - so didn't do anything special for or from V. My thinking is that surely there are more important dates in a relationship than one purely invented by the cardmakers and florists? And yes, I do live in a cave LOL, but really people, the amount of money that is spent on this ONE day for some marketing appropriation of love, rolling my eyes here...
Further on the entertainment stream that started this entry off, Britney won her first Grammy, for Toxic as best dance recording - it is the End of Days obviously LOL. Oh no, look, service resumed as normal, someone that dies gets a huge sympathy vote, Ray Charles topping the ranks with eight awards. And although in US politics I would admit I am a Clintonite, really truly does the man deserve a Grammy for his autobiography??? I read the first sentence of that book and hmm, will find a link somewhere - anyways, that's AFTER editing? The sentence went on for like five pages LOL LOL...
Hmm, I told you I lost my Mets cap at the movies a couple of months ago didn't I? Well, on the Mets merchandise website at the moment, the cap is $25 US, now just looking at the postage from the States and everything. It's gotta be better than $80 NZ as per the price in one of the sports shops back home - and that wasn't even the blue cap, it was some fancy black one LOL...
Umm, $43 US postage on a $25 cap hmm, let's go back to the drawing board LOL - I don't NEED it FedExed guys, just put it on a ship and throw it over the side as you're passing the Equator LOL it will get to me :)
Later peeps - off to find an Aussie distributor of North American sports stuff - if that's the postage on a hat, god knows what the shipping on a hockey jersey will be LOL - yes, even if they aren't playing :)
Pauly
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Feeling Appreciated
There is nothing like the feeling of having an unexpected readership - and more to the point, of having an unexpected readership that has bloglinked you. So step forward, right this way Mr Lost Legionary - I am apparently one of his Brisbane reporters LOL.
Has been another quiet weekend (just the way I like them by the way) - wasting away the time yesterday, computer gaming and a bit of netting - up until a godawful time this morning, managing my hockey team on the game lol, but was made up quite a bit by the playlist on Rage this morning. And found that the Rage website has an extensive log of playlists over the last umm seven or so years :) - the portion on this just before 2.30 - Queens of the Stone Age song was the first that I tuned in on, but Gorillaz Clint Eastwood was the one that made me turn around and turn the music up LOL - and then was early to mid 90s for most of the rest of my viewing pleasure - what I am sure will become 'my' music when I become middle aged and looking back on the music world LOL.
With acts such as Weezer, Foo Fighters (was looking for their best of collection today - they have brought one out already haven't they?), Tricky, Chemical Brothers, The Verve, Bloodhound Gang, Placebo, Blur, Fun Lovin Criminals, Prodigy, Garbage, Portishead, Pulp. And then I HAD to go to bed LOL - missed Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day, Offspring etc. Now I know they aren't the Beatles or the Stones of my generation (though which band is?), but surely they will all be going strong in the classic hits stations of 2035 LOL.
Went and saw Sideways at the movies today - my Sunday afternoon habit of going to the movies LOL. I thought it was a really nice movie, and one of the few that I actually wanted to go on and on and on - Paul Giamatti and the chick he was interested in, my, must have been the most I have willed a screen couple to get together in like forever LOL. Now where was that sort of acting when Anakin was falling for Amidala LOL. I was thinking of it as a grown up's Garden State - not to say that Garden State was for kids or anything, but similar slice of life kind of script without the big drawcard names of Braff and Portman. Over half of the audience in my screening (early Sunday afternoon, with a good sized audience) looked over forty - not that there's anything wrong with that LOL...
Next week, think it will be the Motorcycle Diaries - Ray and The Aviator will go on for WEEKS, and Alexander, eh, maybe it's one to wait until DVD LOL. Motorcycle is probably the most at threat of being cut from the schedules :)
And an easy segue into the latest awards show on the road to the Oscars - the BAFTAs in London. The Aviator got best picture, Jamie Foxx best actor, the Vera Drake actress on the female side, and nice to see Eternal Sunshine get a gong - in my opinion best movie of 2004 by a long way - just didn't time it for awards thinking LOL, which isn't the worst way to think of movie timing :)
Wow, Snoop Dogg is only 33 - he has been around long enough that I thought he was closer to forty or something - was just commenting in an email to K this morning that his new song, with Pharell, is so catchy with that tongue clicking LOL, and of course the bootylicious girls help out - and is Beyonce on that video as well, clicking her tongue? Hmm - anyways, good article in the Guardian about him :)
Just watched Whale Rider again - parents were loaned the DVD by a workmate, hmm very much small town rural New Zealand, and Mum said it was well done. And yes, the grandfather did used to be on Play School - our kinda version of Seasame Street LOL...
Later peeps
Pauly
Has been another quiet weekend (just the way I like them by the way) - wasting away the time yesterday, computer gaming and a bit of netting - up until a godawful time this morning, managing my hockey team on the game lol, but was made up quite a bit by the playlist on Rage this morning. And found that the Rage website has an extensive log of playlists over the last umm seven or so years :) - the portion on this just before 2.30 - Queens of the Stone Age song was the first that I tuned in on, but Gorillaz Clint Eastwood was the one that made me turn around and turn the music up LOL - and then was early to mid 90s for most of the rest of my viewing pleasure - what I am sure will become 'my' music when I become middle aged and looking back on the music world LOL.
With acts such as Weezer, Foo Fighters (was looking for their best of collection today - they have brought one out already haven't they?), Tricky, Chemical Brothers, The Verve, Bloodhound Gang, Placebo, Blur, Fun Lovin Criminals, Prodigy, Garbage, Portishead, Pulp. And then I HAD to go to bed LOL - missed Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day, Offspring etc. Now I know they aren't the Beatles or the Stones of my generation (though which band is?), but surely they will all be going strong in the classic hits stations of 2035 LOL.
Went and saw Sideways at the movies today - my Sunday afternoon habit of going to the movies LOL. I thought it was a really nice movie, and one of the few that I actually wanted to go on and on and on - Paul Giamatti and the chick he was interested in, my, must have been the most I have willed a screen couple to get together in like forever LOL. Now where was that sort of acting when Anakin was falling for Amidala LOL. I was thinking of it as a grown up's Garden State - not to say that Garden State was for kids or anything, but similar slice of life kind of script without the big drawcard names of Braff and Portman. Over half of the audience in my screening (early Sunday afternoon, with a good sized audience) looked over forty - not that there's anything wrong with that LOL...
Next week, think it will be the Motorcycle Diaries - Ray and The Aviator will go on for WEEKS, and Alexander, eh, maybe it's one to wait until DVD LOL. Motorcycle is probably the most at threat of being cut from the schedules :)
And an easy segue into the latest awards show on the road to the Oscars - the BAFTAs in London. The Aviator got best picture, Jamie Foxx best actor, the Vera Drake actress on the female side, and nice to see Eternal Sunshine get a gong - in my opinion best movie of 2004 by a long way - just didn't time it for awards thinking LOL, which isn't the worst way to think of movie timing :)
Wow, Snoop Dogg is only 33 - he has been around long enough that I thought he was closer to forty or something - was just commenting in an email to K this morning that his new song, with Pharell, is so catchy with that tongue clicking LOL, and of course the bootylicious girls help out - and is Beyonce on that video as well, clicking her tongue? Hmm - anyways, good article in the Guardian about him :)
Just watched Whale Rider again - parents were loaned the DVD by a workmate, hmm very much small town rural New Zealand, and Mum said it was well done. And yes, the grandfather did used to be on Play School - our kinda version of Seasame Street LOL...
Later peeps
Pauly
Friday, February 11, 2005
Chuck and Cazza Getting Hitched
Wow, that was a bit of a surprise - of course, it was almost leaked out by one of the British newspapers, so the softening up approach was interrupted a bit. The biggest event for the British royals since Diana's death - and of course, all the old footage of her (Di) comes back on. One of the papers in Old Blighty says that Camilla isn't a Diana, well DUH - will Diana always loom over everything the royals do? For god's sake, she is eight years in the grave. The Daily Star is more along the lines I was thinking, Two Old Gits To Marry lol - well two old happy gits...
And the Australian republican debate starts up all over again here. Like if the republicans need the pitiful excuse of a divorcee crown prince marrying probably his lifetime love as a pretext for rearing their heads again, geez, I am rolling my eyes here. But then again I am a Kiwi and much more relaxed about the British monarch having an influence on my life (LOL they don't really, but the republicans would have you think otherwise).
And that story splashed all across the front page of the paper, the first seven minutes of the TV news (with the ads, just a twenty two minute broadcast) - and in other news, on page seven or after the break North Korea finally has admitted it has nukes. And won't talk to anyone about the issue for the forseeable future. Obviously a marginal story of interest LOL. So much for Dubya's ignoring of the problem, it hasn't gone away, and if the Koreans have said they have nukes, obviously they have enough not to worry about losing one or two - PM Howard here saying it's probably mostly bluff - hmmph. What's the range of the latest North Korean missile? Able to hit Honolulu is it? That's about the same as Darwin I would hazard a guess...
Hmm, on a (somewhat) lighter note - there was a riot at an Ikea store in London yesterday. Six thousand people turned up for forty five pound sofas and thirty pound beds (damn not having the pound sign on my keyboard LOL) and a riot ensued. Four people hospitalised and one person stabbed hmm, maybe it wasn't the lighter note I was looking for... although for people to blame the store hmm, Ikea didn't say have a riot, we'll supply the place, you supply the agro LOL...
Hmm, currently distracted by Strictly Dancing on ABC (the Australian one, remember) - just so umm entertaining, and the host with a white suit, silver tie and red shirt. And a Kiwi couple won the first round LOL - unlike Big Brother, Australian Idol or Survivor, I have NO chance of ever making it past the first round of auditions hehehe. Oh, that's something - did I mention that the auditions for the next series of Big Brother were during the time I was in New Zealand - a conspiracy to keep me out I am sure LOL.
Later peeps
Pauly
And the Australian republican debate starts up all over again here. Like if the republicans need the pitiful excuse of a divorcee crown prince marrying probably his lifetime love as a pretext for rearing their heads again, geez, I am rolling my eyes here. But then again I am a Kiwi and much more relaxed about the British monarch having an influence on my life (LOL they don't really, but the republicans would have you think otherwise).
And that story splashed all across the front page of the paper, the first seven minutes of the TV news (with the ads, just a twenty two minute broadcast) - and in other news, on page seven or after the break North Korea finally has admitted it has nukes. And won't talk to anyone about the issue for the forseeable future. Obviously a marginal story of interest LOL. So much for Dubya's ignoring of the problem, it hasn't gone away, and if the Koreans have said they have nukes, obviously they have enough not to worry about losing one or two - PM Howard here saying it's probably mostly bluff - hmmph. What's the range of the latest North Korean missile? Able to hit Honolulu is it? That's about the same as Darwin I would hazard a guess...
Hmm, on a (somewhat) lighter note - there was a riot at an Ikea store in London yesterday. Six thousand people turned up for forty five pound sofas and thirty pound beds (damn not having the pound sign on my keyboard LOL) and a riot ensued. Four people hospitalised and one person stabbed hmm, maybe it wasn't the lighter note I was looking for... although for people to blame the store hmm, Ikea didn't say have a riot, we'll supply the place, you supply the agro LOL...
Hmm, currently distracted by Strictly Dancing on ABC (the Australian one, remember) - just so umm entertaining, and the host with a white suit, silver tie and red shirt. And a Kiwi couple won the first round LOL - unlike Big Brother, Australian Idol or Survivor, I have NO chance of ever making it past the first round of auditions hehehe. Oh, that's something - did I mention that the auditions for the next series of Big Brother were during the time I was in New Zealand - a conspiracy to keep me out I am sure LOL.
Later peeps
Pauly
Wednesday, February 9, 2005
Quiet Time
Hmm, am having a quiet week here - and lacking inspiration to do witty entries - writer's block perhaps? Plus am tired, doesn't help that I am having late nights computer gaming, but the heat and humidity is also taking it out of me - highs of 32 to 35 Celcius this week, and high humidity. Have finally decided on a thirty degree rule LOL - if the anticipated high is going to be above thirty degrees, I will wear a short sleeved shirt and try to get out of the habit of long sleeved shirt and tie every single freaking day LOL.
And also am bouncing between the idea of just writing anything I am interested in (not a lot in a quiet week) or trying to tailor something witty for word of blog (not quite word of mouth LOL) to raise the readership - after BlogExplosioning heaps in December and January, my readership has fallen to normal pitiful levels.
Have the trip to V's home state coming up in umm two and a bit weeks - that could be a bit of excitement LOL. Arrive there at 4.00pm on the Friday and fly out again at midday on the Monday, so that's basically three full days spread over four LOL. At least it should be cooler weatherwise down there - why oh why did my parents decide to settle in BRISBANE of all places? I am far worse with hot weather than I am with cold...
Oh, here's one thing of interest - an Australian resident who left a psychiatric hospital in Sydney and went to far north Queensland was detained after she said she would hitchhike to Brisbane (about 1200km). She then was put in detention, first at a federal prison near Brisbane and then the immigration centre in South Australia where the illegal immigrants are sent. Sure, she gave false names and everything, but an Australian resident, allowed to be here, chucked into limbo for ten months and even considered for deportation, and she wasn't even a terrorist or anything. Biggest political story of the week here...
Cherie Blair, the UK PM's wife, is on a private speaking tour of New Zealand and Australia, mainly flogging her book by the sounds. Anyways, she was in Auckland on Monday, and as the article says - 'You can call us [New Zealanders] a lot of things. But not Aussies.' And guess what she did LOL. Sort of like the dilemma touring bands have to avoid, don't confuse Chicago with Detroit, don't mention Quebec in Alberta, and the like :)
Eh, time to head off to work, late shift today - don't go there until 11.00 (so a ten o'clock train and a ten past nine start to get ready), but that means that I don't get home til close to 8.30. At least it should be cooler at that time of the evening - supposed to get up to 35 today, and would have gone to a movie to stay in air conditioning LOL.
Later peeps - fingers crossed I get inspired again in the next wee while :)
Pauly
And also am bouncing between the idea of just writing anything I am interested in (not a lot in a quiet week) or trying to tailor something witty for word of blog (not quite word of mouth LOL) to raise the readership - after BlogExplosioning heaps in December and January, my readership has fallen to normal pitiful levels.
Have the trip to V's home state coming up in umm two and a bit weeks - that could be a bit of excitement LOL. Arrive there at 4.00pm on the Friday and fly out again at midday on the Monday, so that's basically three full days spread over four LOL. At least it should be cooler weatherwise down there - why oh why did my parents decide to settle in BRISBANE of all places? I am far worse with hot weather than I am with cold...
Oh, here's one thing of interest - an Australian resident who left a psychiatric hospital in Sydney and went to far north Queensland was detained after she said she would hitchhike to Brisbane (about 1200km). She then was put in detention, first at a federal prison near Brisbane and then the immigration centre in South Australia where the illegal immigrants are sent. Sure, she gave false names and everything, but an Australian resident, allowed to be here, chucked into limbo for ten months and even considered for deportation, and she wasn't even a terrorist or anything. Biggest political story of the week here...
Cherie Blair, the UK PM's wife, is on a private speaking tour of New Zealand and Australia, mainly flogging her book by the sounds. Anyways, she was in Auckland on Monday, and as the article says - 'You can call us [New Zealanders] a lot of things. But not Aussies.' And guess what she did LOL. Sort of like the dilemma touring bands have to avoid, don't confuse Chicago with Detroit, don't mention Quebec in Alberta, and the like :)
Eh, time to head off to work, late shift today - don't go there until 11.00 (so a ten o'clock train and a ten past nine start to get ready), but that means that I don't get home til close to 8.30. At least it should be cooler at that time of the evening - supposed to get up to 35 today, and would have gone to a movie to stay in air conditioning LOL.
Later peeps - fingers crossed I get inspired again in the next wee while :)
Pauly
Sunday, February 6, 2005
Very Very Good Movie
Hey all. My weekend has been alright in a fairly quiet sort of way - yesterday was on the computer almost non stop managing my fantasy NHL side (my first season I got knocked out in four in the first round of the play offs, but of course no one is interested in that) - but at least it is taking me off the internet. Although I would like to mention that my random conversation with female days are well and truly over, and have been for a long time - I usually read blogs, news or umm other stuff nowadays. But still, that other stuff is better than being umm interactive, and now to dig myself out of THIS particular hole LOL...
Today, after being constantly on the computer yesterday, I purposefully avoided it today, and found that there was a bedroom to clean LOL. And conversations with family members to have, and books to read - am almost finished Jon Stewart's America, very very funny...
And went out to the movies today - and saw Closer. Now, I haven't seen the play or anything, so I am coming into the movie with no preconceptions, but I think it was bloody brilliant. I think it is about the first Julia Roberts movie I have seen since Pretty Woman LOL, and I only saw that on video/TV. Oh, I lie, Oceans Eleven. And I am not quite a Jude Law fan yet, but I like several movies he is in, and Clive Owen acted really well in it, but OMG Natalie Portman - now, this is one actress who is not going to get pigeonholed as that girl out of Star Wars :)
Mmm, going from a Portman role as all American girl last week in Garden State, to stripper in this one, and I am looking at her stripper scenes, thinking with half of me OMG what a bod, and the other half thinking I liked her just as much as the girl next door last week LOL. But what the strength of the actual movie was, is that in an hour and a half it distills the essence of relationships, from go to woe and around and around, and quite a few times I thought yes I have been through that - a lot of realism I think. And what a surprise of an ending - said to V when I got on the phone with her this afternoon she should go watch it. Also said that about Garden State, two totally different movies LOL...
Still have another four to go that are on release in Oz - movies, I'm talking...
Yawn, Australia have had another walkover win in the one day series against Pakistan. I wonder how Channel Nine's cricket ratings are going, perfection is boring lol. Bring on the Kiwis - or with me I should be saying Bring on the Aussies :) The conditions back home should be better than the Gabba and WACA that we got slaughtered on in November...
Later peeps
Pauly
Today, after being constantly on the computer yesterday, I purposefully avoided it today, and found that there was a bedroom to clean LOL. And conversations with family members to have, and books to read - am almost finished Jon Stewart's America, very very funny...
And went out to the movies today - and saw Closer. Now, I haven't seen the play or anything, so I am coming into the movie with no preconceptions, but I think it was bloody brilliant. I think it is about the first Julia Roberts movie I have seen since Pretty Woman LOL, and I only saw that on video/TV. Oh, I lie, Oceans Eleven. And I am not quite a Jude Law fan yet, but I like several movies he is in, and Clive Owen acted really well in it, but OMG Natalie Portman - now, this is one actress who is not going to get pigeonholed as that girl out of Star Wars :)
Mmm, going from a Portman role as all American girl last week in Garden State, to stripper in this one, and I am looking at her stripper scenes, thinking with half of me OMG what a bod, and the other half thinking I liked her just as much as the girl next door last week LOL. But what the strength of the actual movie was, is that in an hour and a half it distills the essence of relationships, from go to woe and around and around, and quite a few times I thought yes I have been through that - a lot of realism I think. And what a surprise of an ending - said to V when I got on the phone with her this afternoon she should go watch it. Also said that about Garden State, two totally different movies LOL...
Still have another four to go that are on release in Oz - movies, I'm talking...
Yawn, Australia have had another walkover win in the one day series against Pakistan. I wonder how Channel Nine's cricket ratings are going, perfection is boring lol. Bring on the Kiwis - or with me I should be saying Bring on the Aussies :) The conditions back home should be better than the Gabba and WACA that we got slaughtered on in November...
Later peeps
Pauly
Saturday, February 5, 2005
We Will Start in Reykjavik Today
Have always been fascinated by Iceland, in a probably will never get there kind of way (which is strange for me being the travelling boy that I am). Huge lava fields and glaciers and 95% of the country being uninhabitable and the thought of tall blonde milk skinned Icelandic girls LOL - oh, and the Tom Clancy book Red Storm Rising, where Iceland played an important part (yeah, sure Tom, while NATO and the Warsaw Pact are duking it out in West Germany, where the war of attrition described seemed plausible, one lone American navy person evades four entire divisions of the Red Guard to let Washington know that Iceland has fallen, yeah right LOL). But I digress.
And there's Bjork, have Human Behaviour bouncing around my head at the moment, mmm Triple J Top 100 of 1993- those were the days my friend we thought they'd never end etc etc :) Memories though of that blissful time the couple of years after high school, and socialising the most I have EVER done in my life :) Maybe I will drag out those old diaries and actually take the rose coloured glasses off and realise I was doing just as much 'does she like me, I hope she does, but oh, she has a boyfriend etc' worrying as I do nowadays. Ah, but Pauly, you were less cynical back then - at least about relationships lol, you were sure that NO GIRL liked you. It might have been tougher since your self esteem started coming up from rock bottom and thinking you had chances LOL... But I digress again.
Anyways, Bjork kind of doesn't fit into the tall leggy milk white skin blonde haired women of Nordic, Scandanavian or Icelandic stereotype, and with that voice, eh if only she used it for good ALL the time LOL. But she is fascinating at least. One final digression, on the train with SW and KB2 last night, was told in general conversation that MG is leaving to go overseas! Oh no, my eye candy at work is going LOL - although it might uncomplicate certain aspects of my life - and she doesn't know I'm alive anyways. Still, being invited to her leaving drinks, and wishing for a Casablanca type ending blah blah, would be nice hehehe. And I wonder if any of my leaving for overseas things have left anybody feeling this way about me :)
Anyways, back to Iceland. I mention it because the latest series of Amazing Race had a pitstop there, and this article on the BBC. Pretty uneventful article, drugs in a Western city, but just the location has me fascinated, in the old way that Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego on the Commodore 64 at school used to get me. With the monochrome Chinese pagoda or Mount Fuji etc behind the chief or Carmen's sidekicks LOL. Location location location - maybe my wanderlust first started there?
All that buildup for a quiet corner of the BBC website I hear any readers in hear thinking LOL, well anyone thinking that reminds me of a Seinfeld episode, where Jerry lost $1500 at the laundromat. The owner points to the sign that says 'No Responsibility Taken' and then goes on about his country and the constitution. I have SO got to get Series Three on DVD - hmm, V says to wait until my birthday in April... can I wait that long LOL.
Hmm, have you noticed how since the election Iraq seems to have fallen off the radar? 'Only' six soldiers have died there this month so far, which is a much better daily average than any recent month. Doonesbury is on it's usual form this week, even though on Sunday it said it would 'withdraw' remaining characters from Iraq - if only real life were that easy, huh.
As Iraq is 'quietening down', Condi Rice is in Europe telling everyone who will listen that Iran is evil. But no mention of North Korea, who already probably have ten nukes ready to use. Of course, the West has been wrong about WMD before, but Kim Jong Il is a different sort of nutter to Saddam. Or, at least, that's what I learnt from Team America World Police LOL LOL. And Condi, talk all you like about Iran, but really, isn't three wars - Afghanistan, Al Qaeda and Iraq - on the go at once, the Iron Curtain on the Korean peninsula, and the occasional humanitarian mission in Africa or Indonesia enough? How overstretched do you want your boys (I use the term in its loosest fashion) to be?
Oh, and the latest nominee for most likely failed state in the next decade is Nepal. Lots of strong competition from Congo, but Nepal is heading for a fall anytime soon. The military has given up on the countryside to the Maoist rebels, who aren't anywhere near the pulling power of Che Guevara or anything. Read a report last week that the rebels were killing school teachers who wouldn't teach the Maoist manifesto in classrooms. Bye bye education system. Not sure whether they are as loopy as the Khmer Rouge, but they are very very destabilising - failed state here we come! And the king (who only got the job after his nephew killed most of the rest of the royal family) is clamping down hard on whatever he can...
From that article about Condolezza and Iran -
'She wanted to see the spread of democracy not only in Iran but throughout the Middle East. But she acknowledged it could take time.
This first black female secretary of state said US history had taught her that. "When the founding fathers said 'We the people', they didn't mean me."'
No, no, don't worry, I'm not a Condi convert, lol I like that phrase though, but I just thought it was well put that last sentence.
Mmm, Sara Cox. Even though it's years since I was in the UK, just thinking of her and the husky voice and the body and the blokette persona she has (at least from what I saw of her) that makes as the reporter says, she 'acts as if she's in an advert for how much fun you can have drinking Guinness'. A bloke's girl then LOL, talking footy with you and how much your ex was a douche bag rather than doing her nails with the other girls. That's the persona she gave out, and OMG that voice, where's that BBC Radio One link LOL, now if she's on at breakfast in the UK, with the timezones... divide by three and carry the one... well, let's just say she has a nice voice LOL. And I'm sure I can find some pics of her in a bikini somewhere online, even if it is just as 'tame' as FHM or something hehehe...
Okies, later peeps
Pauly
And there's Bjork, have Human Behaviour bouncing around my head at the moment, mmm Triple J Top 100 of 1993- those were the days my friend we thought they'd never end etc etc :) Memories though of that blissful time the couple of years after high school, and socialising the most I have EVER done in my life :) Maybe I will drag out those old diaries and actually take the rose coloured glasses off and realise I was doing just as much 'does she like me, I hope she does, but oh, she has a boyfriend etc' worrying as I do nowadays. Ah, but Pauly, you were less cynical back then - at least about relationships lol, you were sure that NO GIRL liked you. It might have been tougher since your self esteem started coming up from rock bottom and thinking you had chances LOL... But I digress again.
Anyways, Bjork kind of doesn't fit into the tall leggy milk white skin blonde haired women of Nordic, Scandanavian or Icelandic stereotype, and with that voice, eh if only she used it for good ALL the time LOL. But she is fascinating at least. One final digression, on the train with SW and KB2 last night, was told in general conversation that MG is leaving to go overseas! Oh no, my eye candy at work is going LOL - although it might uncomplicate certain aspects of my life - and she doesn't know I'm alive anyways. Still, being invited to her leaving drinks, and wishing for a Casablanca type ending blah blah, would be nice hehehe. And I wonder if any of my leaving for overseas things have left anybody feeling this way about me :)
Anyways, back to Iceland. I mention it because the latest series of Amazing Race had a pitstop there, and this article on the BBC. Pretty uneventful article, drugs in a Western city, but just the location has me fascinated, in the old way that Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego on the Commodore 64 at school used to get me. With the monochrome Chinese pagoda or Mount Fuji etc behind the chief or Carmen's sidekicks LOL. Location location location - maybe my wanderlust first started there?
All that buildup for a quiet corner of the BBC website I hear any readers in hear thinking LOL, well anyone thinking that reminds me of a Seinfeld episode, where Jerry lost $1500 at the laundromat. The owner points to the sign that says 'No Responsibility Taken' and then goes on about his country and the constitution. I have SO got to get Series Three on DVD - hmm, V says to wait until my birthday in April... can I wait that long LOL.
Hmm, have you noticed how since the election Iraq seems to have fallen off the radar? 'Only' six soldiers have died there this month so far, which is a much better daily average than any recent month. Doonesbury is on it's usual form this week, even though on Sunday it said it would 'withdraw' remaining characters from Iraq - if only real life were that easy, huh.
As Iraq is 'quietening down', Condi Rice is in Europe telling everyone who will listen that Iran is evil. But no mention of North Korea, who already probably have ten nukes ready to use. Of course, the West has been wrong about WMD before, but Kim Jong Il is a different sort of nutter to Saddam. Or, at least, that's what I learnt from Team America World Police LOL LOL. And Condi, talk all you like about Iran, but really, isn't three wars - Afghanistan, Al Qaeda and Iraq - on the go at once, the Iron Curtain on the Korean peninsula, and the occasional humanitarian mission in Africa or Indonesia enough? How overstretched do you want your boys (I use the term in its loosest fashion) to be?
Oh, and the latest nominee for most likely failed state in the next decade is Nepal. Lots of strong competition from Congo, but Nepal is heading for a fall anytime soon. The military has given up on the countryside to the Maoist rebels, who aren't anywhere near the pulling power of Che Guevara or anything. Read a report last week that the rebels were killing school teachers who wouldn't teach the Maoist manifesto in classrooms. Bye bye education system. Not sure whether they are as loopy as the Khmer Rouge, but they are very very destabilising - failed state here we come! And the king (who only got the job after his nephew killed most of the rest of the royal family) is clamping down hard on whatever he can...
From that article about Condolezza and Iran -
'She wanted to see the spread of democracy not only in Iran but throughout the Middle East. But she acknowledged it could take time.
This first black female secretary of state said US history had taught her that. "When the founding fathers said 'We the people', they didn't mean me."'
No, no, don't worry, I'm not a Condi convert, lol I like that phrase though, but I just thought it was well put that last sentence.
Mmm, Sara Cox. Even though it's years since I was in the UK, just thinking of her and the husky voice and the body and the blokette persona she has (at least from what I saw of her) that makes as the reporter says, she 'acts as if she's in an advert for how much fun you can have drinking Guinness'. A bloke's girl then LOL, talking footy with you and how much your ex was a douche bag rather than doing her nails with the other girls. That's the persona she gave out, and OMG that voice, where's that BBC Radio One link LOL, now if she's on at breakfast in the UK, with the timezones... divide by three and carry the one... well, let's just say she has a nice voice LOL. And I'm sure I can find some pics of her in a bikini somewhere online, even if it is just as 'tame' as FHM or something hehehe...
Okies, later peeps
Pauly
A Mention of Work...
In a vague, not likely to cost me my job, a la Delta Airlines or Washington intern girl kind of way LOL.
OK, so five of the ten temps on our floor, including myself, got converted to permanent, which should go through in a month or two - has to go to the temp agency and legal and human resources and all sorts of crap before I can actually attach my signature LOL. So it's all well and good from my point of view - whether I want to STAY in this city is a completely different question, but there you go - but SW didn't get a possie. Which was a surprise to everyone, she's a good worker, conscientious (I think a bit overly so, LOL what's the point on tracking down a solution for half an hour when it's not our customer segment? Transfer them, talk a bit to the next consultant, have a nice day is my attitude, not on the phones to extend our product knowledge, I am sure there will be training for that), and when the names of the successful convertees came out, I thought, well, I guess they are doing a good job then.
Since I got back from hols, SW has been quiet towards me, the hellos in the corridors being about it. I didn't want to push it so things would repair in their own time I was thinking. But bumped into her at the train station last night and caught the same train home, which was nice - she had been out drinking with some workmates, KB2 was with her on the train platform, while I had been having my last 6.30 finish of the shift - will be good getting an 8.30 start shift for the next four weeks, starting at 10.30 has seemed a bit twilight zone at times.
Anyways, back to the convo I had with SW (and to a lesser extent, KB2) - SW is bitter about the whole thing, but not towards myself or AD or TW - the ones she is OK with by name LOL - but KW sits across from her in the office, and got a permanent position, and SW thinks even the written part of her application would have blown that girl's one away. And here I was thinking that it was a slight surprise that KW got a job, but she must have deserved it and been a hard worker - what it is though, is that the team leader's assessment counts for a helluva lot of the actual weighting I am sure, and although their team leader is a nice enough bloke, he does have shall we say a certain taste in staff LOL. And that's all I'm going to say to still be in that vagueish can't sack me even if you do decipher the initials kind of way. They are always advertising though, but whether SW will be there in another six months hmm.
Oh, and I don't think I particularly play office politics or anything, but a conversation I had with JC the other day - the staff member who used to be a team leader but isn't at the moment came into our team meeting for us to air some rumours and for her to either confirm or deny it. I mentioned this to JC, who isn't in my particular team, and she said, oh was she (ex team leader) doing her fake Telstra friendly thing while only putting her nose into everything - hmm, quite a bitter outburst LOL. I can't remember what I said in reply, but I can see that SB likes to know a bit about everything, and yes, of course, it's a business, there is a level of fake niceness all over the place for a building with 400 people in it to survive, but it doesn't bother me. And leading on from that thought was am I just floating through the whole thing, with hardly any issues that bug me, or am I good at playing office politics? I mean, this is my fourth large office based employer over the past hmm twelve years, and my bosses have always, mostly, loved me LOL - in that WORKPLACE way, not in that perverted fantasy one LOL - I dunno, I just don't go out of my way at work to cause trouble.
I don't suck up either though - eh, I don't know what it is. Anyways, the rumours that SB was in our meeting to clarify revolved around the fact that after the temps got permanentized, the next what shall we change thought in senior management is that they are cutting two team leaders out of approximately twelve in my section, one of about six or so I think in the other side of the business unit. Apparently there isn't a business case for the staff to manager ratio we currently have at the moment, so on Wednesday the team leaders were called into a meeting and said two of you have to go. Reapply for their own jobs etc - lol now if we could get them on a desert island or a race around the world, and I would volunteer to be the smarmy host (well less smarmy on Amazing Race) saying you are the last team leader to arrive, or the tribe has spoken, yeah, that would be fun LOL.
But was talking to my team leader yesterday, the latest rumour going around was that one team leader was getting promoted and another had decided to jump into voluntary redundancy, so at least one (the promotion was more clear cut), maybe two of the positions will unfill themselves 'naturally'. And my boss loves me LOL, she said she can see me having a very successful career in the company, and that when I am CEO to remember her when we need to hire tea ladies LOL. I said to her I have always seen myself as more of an assistant than actual manager material, but eh, there you go...
And now that I have completely bored you, I better go and do a short sharp witty entry :) To bring back my legions of fans - or I could just blogexplode I guess :)
No, I like the witty option, will try that for a while :)
Pauly
OK, so five of the ten temps on our floor, including myself, got converted to permanent, which should go through in a month or two - has to go to the temp agency and legal and human resources and all sorts of crap before I can actually attach my signature LOL. So it's all well and good from my point of view - whether I want to STAY in this city is a completely different question, but there you go - but SW didn't get a possie. Which was a surprise to everyone, she's a good worker, conscientious (I think a bit overly so, LOL what's the point on tracking down a solution for half an hour when it's not our customer segment? Transfer them, talk a bit to the next consultant, have a nice day is my attitude, not on the phones to extend our product knowledge, I am sure there will be training for that), and when the names of the successful convertees came out, I thought, well, I guess they are doing a good job then.
Since I got back from hols, SW has been quiet towards me, the hellos in the corridors being about it. I didn't want to push it so things would repair in their own time I was thinking. But bumped into her at the train station last night and caught the same train home, which was nice - she had been out drinking with some workmates, KB2 was with her on the train platform, while I had been having my last 6.30 finish of the shift - will be good getting an 8.30 start shift for the next four weeks, starting at 10.30 has seemed a bit twilight zone at times.
Anyways, back to the convo I had with SW (and to a lesser extent, KB2) - SW is bitter about the whole thing, but not towards myself or AD or TW - the ones she is OK with by name LOL - but KW sits across from her in the office, and got a permanent position, and SW thinks even the written part of her application would have blown that girl's one away. And here I was thinking that it was a slight surprise that KW got a job, but she must have deserved it and been a hard worker - what it is though, is that the team leader's assessment counts for a helluva lot of the actual weighting I am sure, and although their team leader is a nice enough bloke, he does have shall we say a certain taste in staff LOL. And that's all I'm going to say to still be in that vagueish can't sack me even if you do decipher the initials kind of way. They are always advertising though, but whether SW will be there in another six months hmm.
Oh, and I don't think I particularly play office politics or anything, but a conversation I had with JC the other day - the staff member who used to be a team leader but isn't at the moment came into our team meeting for us to air some rumours and for her to either confirm or deny it. I mentioned this to JC, who isn't in my particular team, and she said, oh was she (ex team leader) doing her fake Telstra friendly thing while only putting her nose into everything - hmm, quite a bitter outburst LOL. I can't remember what I said in reply, but I can see that SB likes to know a bit about everything, and yes, of course, it's a business, there is a level of fake niceness all over the place for a building with 400 people in it to survive, but it doesn't bother me. And leading on from that thought was am I just floating through the whole thing, with hardly any issues that bug me, or am I good at playing office politics? I mean, this is my fourth large office based employer over the past hmm twelve years, and my bosses have always, mostly, loved me LOL - in that WORKPLACE way, not in that perverted fantasy one LOL - I dunno, I just don't go out of my way at work to cause trouble.
I don't suck up either though - eh, I don't know what it is. Anyways, the rumours that SB was in our meeting to clarify revolved around the fact that after the temps got permanentized, the next what shall we change thought in senior management is that they are cutting two team leaders out of approximately twelve in my section, one of about six or so I think in the other side of the business unit. Apparently there isn't a business case for the staff to manager ratio we currently have at the moment, so on Wednesday the team leaders were called into a meeting and said two of you have to go. Reapply for their own jobs etc - lol now if we could get them on a desert island or a race around the world, and I would volunteer to be the smarmy host (well less smarmy on Amazing Race) saying you are the last team leader to arrive, or the tribe has spoken, yeah, that would be fun LOL.
But was talking to my team leader yesterday, the latest rumour going around was that one team leader was getting promoted and another had decided to jump into voluntary redundancy, so at least one (the promotion was more clear cut), maybe two of the positions will unfill themselves 'naturally'. And my boss loves me LOL, she said she can see me having a very successful career in the company, and that when I am CEO to remember her when we need to hire tea ladies LOL. I said to her I have always seen myself as more of an assistant than actual manager material, but eh, there you go...
And now that I have completely bored you, I better go and do a short sharp witty entry :) To bring back my legions of fans - or I could just blogexplode I guess :)
No, I like the witty option, will try that for a while :)
Pauly
Thursday, February 3, 2005
Quick One
Hey all - the good thing about computer games (or PS2 or whatever your poison is) is that it takes you off the internet, which is maybe a good thing when it is a sore point with your best friend, who happens to be female LOL - still not sure how to categorise what is going on with V and I. But then again, when you are trying to be regular with your blog and hmm maybe even consider becoming a professional blog writer LOL, well out of thirty million blogs, I think about five have become famous in the mainstream. And that includes that intern in Washington that hinted at her sex life with political people, or that girl that got sacked from Delta for wearing her uniform in pictures on her blog. And the anonymous Belle de Jour, again, a sex blog LOL.
Maybe it would be good to stay under the radar, if that is what getting famous with blogs is all about LOL.
But I gotta write, I gotta sing, I gotta dance - that was out of an old movie wasn't it? At least the latter two gottas LOL.
Anyways, think I have almost got my finances under control - with the late shifts at work ending at the end of this week, have used the time before work ringing the various call centres and sorting out payments. Well, apart from one of the companies, but have got 90% of my finances sorted, so the other one should be a doddle - as long as I don't leave it too long or forget about it of course :)
The bidding visits for the 2012 Olympics are underway - London, Paris, New York, Moscow and Madrid. Quite a heavyweight line up, although the Brits are doing their usual best to shoot themselves in the foot, arguing about government funding commitments to sports. And with New York being on the same continent as the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, everyone is (everyone of course being the three blokes down the pub LOL LOL) saying Paris is the early fave...
And of course I don't have time at this stage, but just want to mention in passing, that Kit Kats are good luck charms for student exams in Japan. LOL a strange story I know, but eh, I am showing my chocolate loyalty colours, having worked for Nestle UK back in the day LOL...
And as I was looking for my phone banking card - hasn't been touched since I opened the account, just about half an hour ago, I was looking through The Shoebox. LOL - I tend to put all papers that I don't need at this particular moment in there, and just going through it I felt like I was doing an archaelogical or fossil dig. It's all there, the pre Canada, the depression the first six months of last year, endless bank and employer payment letters LOL.
More later, I have to shoot off NOW if I am to catch the train.
Laters
Pauly
Maybe it would be good to stay under the radar, if that is what getting famous with blogs is all about LOL.
But I gotta write, I gotta sing, I gotta dance - that was out of an old movie wasn't it? At least the latter two gottas LOL.
Anyways, think I have almost got my finances under control - with the late shifts at work ending at the end of this week, have used the time before work ringing the various call centres and sorting out payments. Well, apart from one of the companies, but have got 90% of my finances sorted, so the other one should be a doddle - as long as I don't leave it too long or forget about it of course :)
The bidding visits for the 2012 Olympics are underway - London, Paris, New York, Moscow and Madrid. Quite a heavyweight line up, although the Brits are doing their usual best to shoot themselves in the foot, arguing about government funding commitments to sports. And with New York being on the same continent as the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, everyone is (everyone of course being the three blokes down the pub LOL LOL) saying Paris is the early fave...
And of course I don't have time at this stage, but just want to mention in passing, that Kit Kats are good luck charms for student exams in Japan. LOL a strange story I know, but eh, I am showing my chocolate loyalty colours, having worked for Nestle UK back in the day LOL...
And as I was looking for my phone banking card - hasn't been touched since I opened the account, just about half an hour ago, I was looking through The Shoebox. LOL - I tend to put all papers that I don't need at this particular moment in there, and just going through it I felt like I was doing an archaelogical or fossil dig. It's all there, the pre Canada, the depression the first six months of last year, endless bank and employer payment letters LOL.
More later, I have to shoot off NOW if I am to catch the train.
Laters
Pauly
Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Interesting...
Consider the two following situations...
A person finds himself in a warzone, knows someone who was convicted as a terrorist, is arrested and sent to a third country and tortured, and is then sent to a fourth country to the military base of a fifth country, and is held without charge for three years before being released. After release, his home government says that he will remain a person of interest and under surveillance probably for the rest of his life, and there is no chance he will ever be compensated.
Second case - a person tries to smuggle drugs through an area of the world and a specific country that has on big bold letters that drug smuggling can mean the death penalty for you. Is subsequently convicted and is on death row in that country, and the home government of that person, during a prime ministerial visit, tries to get him off the death penalty.
Just my way of thinking, wrong place wrong time, wrong group of friends, probably has learnt his lesson after three years of incarceration, and most importantly NO CHARGE in the first case, versus convicted drug trafficker who most probably knew the risks of getting caught in the second. And the government treats them differently.
Or am I being TOOOOO liberal LOL (the first case is of course Mamdouh Habib, Australian Gitmo prisoner, second is some Aussie on death row in Singapore for trying to get 400g of heroin through Changi airport).
Pauly
A person finds himself in a warzone, knows someone who was convicted as a terrorist, is arrested and sent to a third country and tortured, and is then sent to a fourth country to the military base of a fifth country, and is held without charge for three years before being released. After release, his home government says that he will remain a person of interest and under surveillance probably for the rest of his life, and there is no chance he will ever be compensated.
Second case - a person tries to smuggle drugs through an area of the world and a specific country that has on big bold letters that drug smuggling can mean the death penalty for you. Is subsequently convicted and is on death row in that country, and the home government of that person, during a prime ministerial visit, tries to get him off the death penalty.
Just my way of thinking, wrong place wrong time, wrong group of friends, probably has learnt his lesson after three years of incarceration, and most importantly NO CHARGE in the first case, versus convicted drug trafficker who most probably knew the risks of getting caught in the second. And the government treats them differently.
Or am I being TOOOOO liberal LOL (the first case is of course Mamdouh Habib, Australian Gitmo prisoner, second is some Aussie on death row in Singapore for trying to get 400g of heroin through Changi airport).
Pauly
Habits Are Sometimes Stupid
For instance, my habit of wearing a business shirt and tie. In subtropical Brisbane summer heat. When no one else at the office does (it is a call centre after all). It would be so much easier to wear short sleeved classy shirts (not proposing wearing torn Metallica T shirts or anything), and of course, shorts at work is such a stupid thought, but every Monday to Thursday I put myself into a tight noose and sweat, especially around my neck. At least I don't think my job is important enough to add the suit jacket as well LOL, but still, I should really get some brains about my choice of clothing in this climate, right?
Garden State was very very good, would recommend it as a couples movie. Or maybe it is just that I have recently been home after a bit of a break, as Zach Braff's character was, unsure where my life is headed, and of course, the whole I have been in far too many airports saying goodbyes far too often so that scene was a bit of a soft spot for me. Oh, and Natalie Portman is hot - how old is she, anyways?
Have been less online the last couple of days - bought a couple of computer games while I was in town Sunday - Rise of Nations (what can I say, I like those empire building games LOL) and more addictively, NHL Manager. Must remember to sleep sometime though LOL, especially on school nights :)
Later taters
Pauly
Garden State was very very good, would recommend it as a couples movie. Or maybe it is just that I have recently been home after a bit of a break, as Zach Braff's character was, unsure where my life is headed, and of course, the whole I have been in far too many airports saying goodbyes far too often so that scene was a bit of a soft spot for me. Oh, and Natalie Portman is hot - how old is she, anyways?
Have been less online the last couple of days - bought a couple of computer games while I was in town Sunday - Rise of Nations (what can I say, I like those empire building games LOL) and more addictively, NHL Manager. Must remember to sleep sometime though LOL, especially on school nights :)
Later taters
Pauly
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