Downfall

Saw Downfall last weekend, and with today being the sixtieth anniversary of Hitler's death and the fall of Berlin (the actual surrender was May 2, but you know what I mean), and SBS having a Battle of Berlin documentary on tonight, thought I might get around to an actual kinda sorta review...

First off, acknowledgement must be given to the audience. The biggest, most varied and mainstream mix of cinemagoers this reviewer has seen for an arthouse or foreign film since Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

Secondly, this movie does not show Hitler and the Nazi state in a sympathetic light. Bruno Ganz as Adolf Hitler shows us how the Fuhrer is eerily both out of touch and completely understanding of the situation in the final days. Flying into rages at his lack of power over the German military and insubordination, contrasted with discussions of the best or most painless ways to commit suicide, this is Hitler played as a man, albeit an insane, frightened man, not the monster he is so often easily portrayed as.

(If we forget that the Nazi Party was a group of men who were a byproduct of and then molded circumstances, it is far too easy to write the issue off as a historical or German problem. It could happen again if we are not vigilant. Here endeth the lesson and back to the review.)

It is a strength of the movie that it shows all the Nazi and Wehrmacht high command as humans. When you see Himmler, Speer and the others in living colour for the first time, it is creepy, but the impact of the uniforms, insignia and ceremonies fade as the movie progresses, to the point where they are merely background.

Alexandra Maria Lara as Traudl Junge brings an everywoman view to the madness of the bunker. Frau Traudl does not impact greatly as a character, apart from her blind devotion to the Fuhrer, and the bookends where the real Traudl speaks.

There is a great duality about the situation, the restrained madness below ground and the mass slaughter above. The Hitler Youth and Volksturm being mowed down, the SS dispensing summary 'justice', the non existent air force and understrength armies Hitler was sure he would win the war with - the invading Red Army is barely in the movie, as if they were a minor irritant while a whole corrupt system was folding in on itself, gorging on the young.

When Hitler is told that 15,000 officers have been killed aboveground, he merely replies that is what the young are for. However, if there is one master villain of the piece, it is not Hitler but instead Goebbels, who the movie implies was the last true believer - his wife, Magda, would prefer to die than live beyond the Third Reich, and takes her six children with her.

The Reich may have been an evil regime, but for the German people, the period covered by Downfall really was the end of civilisation as they knew it.

The Battle of Berlin and the end of the twelve year madness is a well worn story, but Downfall is the closest to the reality of those days we will probably ever get on screen. There are powerhouse performances by the cast, bringing some of the most evil people in recent history to life, as well as those that were merely following orders. This movie could easily slot into any history curriculum about the Third Reich, and that is probably the strongest compliment that can be said about films based on real life events.

For fans of history or war films, Downfall is a must see movie. Even though the outcome and events are never in doubt, the film plays well as a psychological drama as well. Although personally not as moving as Hotel Rwanda (due merely to the length of time since 1945 as opposed to 1994), Downfall is just as powerful a movie. Not just for arthouse foreign film afficionados.

American Idol Without The Singing

Because I can't actually watch this week's show, am trawling Google News for as close an approximation as I can of how the show went. Apparently Constantine tried 'How You Remind Me' by Nickelback, and came off sixth best (five of course being better than him). Hmm, risky move, Nickelback isn't the type of original band that I would expect would garner a huge amount of votes from the Idol audience.

First good review comes from this site - I like the comment about Constantine's choreography coming directly from the 80s hair bands ('Poison called. They want their choreographer back.'), and especially recognising that Constantine wasn't a real rocker. Bo, now he is southern but you can kinda with a bit of imagination see him fronting Metallica or Deep Purple or something. Constantine always came across to me as more a David Bowie kinda character, morphing to suit the times and audience.

Sorry, was just caught for about fifteen minutes or so in blogcritics.org, commenting on what I think of the final six/five on Idol. LOL will see if my two cents is worth a hell of beans in this crazy mixed up world :) If anyone is interested in what I actually think, I'm comment 52 from that link - rather than cut and paste it all here.

Eh am too distracted at the moment, will write more later
Pauly

Started Out Of Sorts Last Night

On Thursday a group email went out at work saying 'drinks at Orient tomorrow'. What with the huge amount of newbies on our floor (newbies to the floor, not to the company) it would be a good enough time as any to meet them in a social setting, but in conversation with SG and LD the person that sent the group email out and her 'group' seem to be very cliquey. If you weren't out drinking every Friday you were on the outer, and how on earth can you place SG on the outer LOL - wasn't only me thinking that, LD actually said it out loud.

So hmm, after work yesterday was kind of unsure whether to head over or not, plus also an illogical feeling that after two good Friday's out surely a third would be pushing it. I phoned home saying that I would get tea in town but that I wasn't in the mood for a late one, wandered past the pub and wandered in, didn't see anyone I would particularly talk to, wandered out again without buying a drink, headed to the train station. Realised I would miss the train and have to wait half an hour for the next one, thought what am I afraid of, when would I have the chance to make another social first impression and do I really want to spend another Friday evening at home, and headed back. LOL wish I had made that decision earlier, walking to the station and back to the pub was twenty mins walk.

The only one from my 'group' was PP, who after a few brief words with me ignored me. The others I didn't really know, so was on the fringes, and watching and observing more than anything. For a first night yeah they were rather cliquey, and the girl that had sent the invite out omg hmm how to describe - likes the sound of her own voice, wants to be centre of attention, laughs at anything the 'cool' people say - exactly the type of person I avoided like the plague at high school, and that's exactly how the evening was feeling, a dance evening at high school and who is cool and who isn't. Not that I ever went to any of my school dances, apart from the actual ball (prom for any North Americans), and that was a silent disaster all in itself...

No, we are NOT going to dissect my high school social life LOL. I'm a Weezer fan, need I say more? Grinning here at that analogy...

Anyways, I held onto my empty beer glass for about five minutes while feeling a total outsider and not being able to insert myself into the conversation (without seeming desperate), and was thinking of going when JP turned up. One of the other section's team leaders that I am comfortable around, and have socialised with the last couple of weeks - of course, she was talking to someone down the other end of the table, and I was five minutes beyond when I should have gone, but wandered off to the bathroom, and as I was passing JP she said 'Hi Paul' in a friendly sense.

I ummed and ahhed again for a couple of minutes at the bar, got another beer, and headed back to the table - looked at who was left and apart from JP, whom I dunno I am shy or something around and not wanting to insert myself into a convo with her, apart from JP there wasn't anyone else I wanted to really even start talking to. I wandered over to watch the rugby, Crusaders v Sharks at that stage of the night, and made up my mind to go. But then I got waved at by CM and KW3 (or have I already got another three KW's? Eh, I make up these codes as I go, KW3 works for now LOL), and, along with the entire wishy washy sense of the evening, changed my mind again, headed over to talk to those two.

Which was good, for the first time that night I was actually being talked TO rather than just in the general area of an ongoing conversation - if I have described it sufficiently LOL. We were talking work but that was still OK, CM and KW3 are a manager's assistant and team leader respectively, and they wanted a 'real' consultant's view of some of the changes happening at work at the moment. Was a good conversation, although I was only really intending to stay until the end of this, my second beer.

Then of course we spotted LN at the bar. LN, the other team leader who I have mentioned the last couple of weeks when socialising. I mentioned that there was another work group in the bar, that CM and KW3 hadn't noticed, and rather than being a snob we wandered back over. By this stage, PP had gone but KB and KD, who I am comfortable socialising with, had turned up. Not anywhere in the same ballpark socialising wise, KB and KD actually talk to me LOL. JP and LN were over talking to the other team leaders and such, but again, hadn't drunk enough to insert myself into the convo over there - KD is uncomfortable with her flatmate, as I think I quickly mentioned last week.

Apparently a couple of weeks ago when KD got home with AD her flatmate was flaked out on the balcony with beer cans all around him (on a weeknight, and he does have a job). Later that night, KD and AD awoke to have her flatmate standing on their bed, naked, mumbling about something (I say 'her' flatmate because AD has 'partner' rights, but isn't on the lease). They left the bedroom door open to let some breeze in, but that doesn't mean anyone can just walk in? KD didn't see the flatmate again for two days LOL - I love those type of stories, about formerly happy flats getting all sorts of tension lol, reminds me of my flatting days - or just co-habiting in general :)

So yeah, was talking to KD and KB, and LN and JP were leaving. LN poked me in the back saying goodbye, and said next week you're trying out for my team (well, ridealong with one of her staff members, but tryouts sounds more pro sport and exciting LOL). Highlight of the evening, getting poked in the back by LN (gently, no pain) and yes I am a boy of simple pleasures. JP gave a pleasant smile on saying goodbye as well, but then again, she is 'Quiet Spice' lol.

Am not going to continue that thought of how to check which one is Ginger LOL.

Talked to KD, KB, KW3 and CM for a bit longer, but only sort of to kind of cover my tracks that the evening for me had ended with the two team leaders going LOL. Became a game of looking at my watch synchronising my time to the train station with time for a McDonald's meal. KB hates the Orient, but eh, it is where we seem to end up for starters on Friday night's LOL.

Headed for home at 8.30 to catch the 9.06 train, and have a Big Mac combo before heading to the platform. Had advised the parents not to buy or prepare tea for me, but had forgotten to ask them to tape American Idol, so am just NOW going over to the website to see who got kicked out this week - PLEASE don't let it be Bo...

Yay, it was Constantine - now, not that I would prefer one of the others (Scott, Vonzell, that Ukranian guy) to go, but as long as it's not Bo, there IS still justice and hope in the world. Was going to add the American way to that list, but eh Guantanamo, Abu Gharib - not the right post to go into that entire subject either.

Later peeps
Pauly

Not As Exhausting A Day

Another title that will get the Academy Award for world's most obvious LOL. But it's true, I flaked out pretty much last night and tonight I might be able to last at least a bit longer. Was thinking today, about my blog (I usually do, trying to think what would be entertaining or informative for people to read, or putting together funny paragraphs in my head - it's true, I'm obviously an addict LOL), was thinking about my blog and how I like to pull the veil of 'plausible deniability' over it.

If someone from my real world wanders in, either work, friend, family or relationship wise, I like to think that I can say no, that must be another Kiwi in Brisbane who has a Canadian ex, who works in a telecoms call centre, and who divides his workmates into guys, eye candy and others LOL. Thus am tempted to go back to my first four months or so and 'clean up' as it were, although that goes against the whole thing of keeping a diary, and always evolving in your thinking and such. But just fear that if I get any growing popularity that someone who maybe shouldn't come in here will, and my life will be five kinds of hell LOL. Will mull over it a bit more, and would love other people's advice - as I always say, feedback welcome.

The day has been pretty quiet all up - they were expecting with this reshuffle at work to be fielding about 1200 to 1500 calls, we have been averaging about 1100 thus far. No doubt another reshuffle isn't too far in the distance LOL, maybe the perfect time to head up to LN's team, although am quite happy at the moment being triangulated in the middle of LD and SG. Will put up with the crap customer phone calls for that privilege, he says with a mischevious grin. And I got a few crap calls today - the whole thing with the reorganisation was relieving a bit of the load of the phone consultants, but customers can give just as much pressure for the smaller orders as the big ones grrr.

But the conversation is worth it. SG is one of the consultants that has moved onto our floor from another building in BrisVegas (for the non Queenslanders out there, that is the way some Brisbanites think of this city) and says that the group down the other building was very cliquey, and that she is enjoying her time in the new team - glad to entertain ya SG :) although she is partnered up, but that doesn't stop conversations...

Just watching the final episode of Amazing Race, the new series of The Race starts next week, so we must be at least six months behind North America or so, but they are just doing tandem skydiving in Honolulu at the moment. I remember jumping out of a plane in Auckland about a week after my 21st - every other nutty thing I have done my parents have shrugged their shoulders metaphorically, even getting a tattoo and such, but jumping out of a plane was the first time I heard my mother in shock at something I had done - her cousin died in a skydiving accident, so I didn't tell her what I was going to do in advance...

Hmm, Kendra on Amazing Race, a great example of how a beautiful exterior doesn't always mean a sweet personality.

Think that's about it for now, later peeps
Pauly

You Can Do It Put Your Ass Into It

Hey all - had that Ice Cube song (in the title) bouncing around my head all day yesterday - one of the ones that was on in the pub/clubs on Friday night. It's good when songs filter back in from your subconscious from good nights/times like that, but to stay all day hmm, luckily I didn't annoy anyone around me by humming it too loud LOL.

Another exhausting day yesterday, rather than on Tuesday when I was amped up and nervous from the word go, yesterday didn't feel too bad until mid afternoon, when I started to crash, concentration and exhaustion wise. Last night I had my first mid evening nap in like forever, and then couldn't be bothered with the internet so went to bed at 9.30 - the earliest I have been to bed in months.

I was going to do a blog entry, but then Kazaa was playing up and wouldn't do searches properly. Off went the net, off to bed I went, yes I was in a bit of a huff - but good thing the early night because I had one of those headaches that stays just above your eyebrows, I am sure you all understand what I mean.

Interesting thing learnt at work yesterday was that SG, another potential eye candy who sits within line of sight of me, is only nineteen! Hmm, not that I am looking anyways, and not that I should ever look at work, but hmm...

Movie choices of the week, hmm, remind me to do a review of Downfall last week - well, more of a review than very good and must see LOL - this week on the blocks, isn't actually much - XXX2, White Noise, Sahara, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and possibly Crash (read the paragraph synopsis of it just then, hadn't heard anything else about it). Any recommendations?

It's too rushed trying to do entries in the morning before work

More later
Paul :)

Poor Poor Girl 

Stressful Day

Hey all - well, it was a nervewracking start to the day, what with all the changes starting at work today. The public of Australia must have been in a good mood though, because it was quieter than I, or, I believe, anyone else in the office thought. The day after a long weekend though, it might have been quiet for a reason. And hmm, my new position in the office, a broken cabinet, a chair that needs a few extra screws, no scrolly mouse, and a one eighty degree view of a wall.

And of course is good that LD is next door, and even though the boss is bugger all distance away seems a good spot just at the moment. LD was funny today, apologising in advance to me if she was too loud or too offensive or whatever, and of course, my personality type being that I can take a lot of niggly stuff without ever blowing up, so I'm doing the it's fine thing in return - will be an interesting time with LD there :) And also another good view out to the other side, but must remember that I'm not looking in that regards LOL, remember remember...

Well there's a surprise, the US investigation into that Italian secret service agent being killed has completely exonerated the soldiers who did the shooting, even though there are still massive gaps between what the two sides say. Just what Berlusconi needs, what with the 'almost' fall of his government last week, an unpopular subject to rear its head again...

Watching Rove at the moment, variety Australian talk show basically, and I had heard from a North American friend that she was getting coverage of some Melbourne guy stuck in a rubbish bin. Was being repeated on some channel over there every fifteen minutes, but I just had my first view of it just then - his friend had chucked the cellphone in the bin (one of those council sidewalk things), and this guy had jumped in after it - the way he was positioned, I'm guessing there was alcohol consumed beforehand. Putting your head in a bin, that takes brains LOL.

But just to show that North Americans can be just as silly, saw on Sunrise this morning, and just repeated again on Rove, the girl at the hockey match who tried to sing the Star Spangled Banner. She forgot the words twice, went to get the lyrics or something, and when she came back on the ice she fell flat on her ass LOL. She then fled the scene - was in Quebec City, the US v Canada world champs warmup. Michael Brodeur had a chuckle -

"You've got to give her credit, she came back twice and fell once," he said with a laugh. "It's definitely a different way to start a hockey game than we're used to.

"There was a little bit of humour involved. It was just too bad for her. I was just thinking that I hope she's not on Canadian Idol."

God I'm glad I decided to watch Rove tonight. Michael Buble is a screammmm of a guest - and a good Vancouver Canucks boy. Very much a joker, saying that he got into a fight with a security guard before singing the anthem at GM Place - instead of saying 'I'm here to sing the anthem' when asked by the guard why he was under the stands, Mr Buble said 'I thought it would be a good place to watch the game.' I can see that, with his relaxed leather jacket and belligerent hockey fan look - might be tempted to buy an album of his now. Wow, he's Canadian, he sounds in his music such a Sinatra clone.

And making jokes about Mariah Carey's bazookas, lol, I now officially LIKE the boy :)

Spot ya later
Pauly

Happy Bunny Again

Yay me, I think I have figured out how to do basic webpage coding all by myself here. Was rooting around in the template all by myself, trying to figure out how to tidy up the sidebar, and with it not being an 'if you cut the wrong wire, this blog will self destruct', managed after a GREAT deal of time, to tidy it up as intended.

So, if you want to see the Brisbane weather or put a virtual pin in a virtual world map where you are, you can now do so (off to the side, and maybe just a bit down). Will try not to overcrowd things, but there are SOME good links out in internet land :)

Later peeps
Paul

Lest We Forget

One last Anzac post perhaps. Am watching the coverage from Turkey on TV as I write, the New Zealand and Australian defence chiefs having spoken. Shit I was stupid to sleep in that morning seven years ago.

Have already watched the Anzac parade from Brisbane on TV - that's something that never caught on across the other side of the Tasman, we don't do mid morning Anzac parades for our military. Rather, it is the veterans who do a mini walk around to the Dawn Services - when we (New Zealand) withdrew from East Timor, that was the biggest military parade that we had seen since the end of World War 2.

The question of the rest of the day in that corner of Turkey is will John Howard turn up to the New Zealand service at Chunuk Bair. Apparently he is sending the Veteran Affairs minister, DeAnne Kelly, while he goes and has a barbeque with some Aussie troops down on the beach. Hmm, what has New Zealand done to him lately?

The Last Post.

The Ravelli.

We Will Remember Them.

Lest we forget.

Finally...

'Dear K

This email is to let you know that I am seeing somebody, in a kinda sorta dating way.

I will understand if you no longer wish to have any contact with me, but I would prefer if we could stay in contact on friendly terms.

Paul'

Well, I finally got around to it - I hope this feeling of being railroaded about the topic by V ebbs away. Have preemptively blocked K on my messengers (I can see her she can't see me), and will see what type of mood she is in if when she replies by email.

And will see how V is with the very vagueish pen portrait of things, no doubt that will be the NEXT thing...

Not a happy bunny here...

A Break?

Hmm, V and I could be heading towards 'a break'. Over surprise surprise the K aspect of my life. It doesn't seem to matter that I no longer have relationship thoughts towards K, that I am settling into my life here in Oz, and would like to see how living in V's state would be, and that I am heading towards limited contact with K, V doesn't think that the progress is advanced enough yet.

It doesn't matter the 99% of good things that are going on between us versus the 1% that is annoying. It doesn't matter that I know very well that I am not perfect, and have a stubborn streak worthy of five mules. It apparently also doesn't matter that whatever this is is a long distance thing, and can't reassure her insecurities by body language and such. And with those insecurities, V askes almost every time we talk whether I have had contact with K lately - now really, isn't that just setting yourself up for a fall?

I dunno, I guess I'm just a guy, who tries to avoid conflict (or, as it is more unkindly put, sticks my head in the sand) - I obviously have no idea. Not that there is really anything official to take a break from, but why do things that wouldn't bug me if the situation was reversed bug other people? Hmmph.

Like part of me secretly wants to take a break from all that stress in building 'whatever it is' with someone, but then the main part of me would mourn if V did disappear from my life, and the whole thing of not being able to commit, or bouncing from one person to another, hmm not a good thing to get into the habit of.

Would have completed this post about an hour ago, but just have seen the most exciting Formula One race of this season, and maybe one of the top ones of the last five years or so. Michael Schumacher, starting from thirteenth after a spin in second qualifying (grr) had the absolute fastest car and missed out on the win by 0.215 of a second. Had the fastest car but for the last ten laps Alonso just did the blocking maneuvres successfully.

And is one hour into Anzac Day, found a poem by Siegfried Sassoon about Third Ypres...

"...I died in Hell
(they called it Passchendaele) my wound was slight
and I was hobbling back; and then a shell
burst slick upon the duckboards; so I fell
into the bottomless mud, and lost the light"

Thousands of soldiers just drowned in the mud.

Sorry to end on another downer peeps, I'll be back to useless brainlessness soon enough I am sure.

Pauly

From The Uttermost Ends Of The Earth

That phrase in the title is from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force monument at Chunuk Bair, on the Gallipoli peninsula. April 25, 1915 is a sacred date for two, possibly three countries. The baptism of fire for King and Empire for Australia and New Zealand (hence ANZAC - Australia New Zealand Army Corps), and the campaign where Mustafa Kemal, later known as Ataturk, father of modern Turkey, first made a name for himself.

It is sacred territory, and I am so glad I have been there. I am less glad that I didn't wake up to catch the bus to the actual Dawn Service, but I got to Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair on April 25, and got to Anzac Cove the next day. Will get back there again someday to do the Dawn Service though. One of those things that will never become just a funny story in hindsight grrr.

'Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well.' - Ataturk, 1934

Tens of thousands of British and French died during the eight month campaign as well, actually many more than the Aussies and Kiwis, but with the carnage at Ypres and Verdun and the Somme and all along the rest of the Western Front, it seems to have become a footnote for those two countries. Eighty six thousand Turks died as well, defending their homeland.

More ANZAC casualties were taken on the Western Front than at Gallipoli, but the Dardenelles campaign was our baptism of fire. Passchendaele, or Third Ypres, I have heard was one of the worst battles of the entire war, 'mud, mud, everywhere' is a refrain I remember from a book somewhere, but Gallipoli is the 'famous' one.

Lest we forget
Paul

Two Fridays In A Row

Socialising is the meaning of today's title. Must be about a year's best LOL, or maybe not, but it just seems like forever since I had a good run of going out. And meaning going out with other people, I love going to the movies, but I don't count that as 'going out'.

Hmm, first aside of the day, before I forget to mention it later - I just realised that Destinys Child's latest video, Girl, is a take off of Sex and The City LOL. Now, which of the three band members is supposed to be Samantha, that was the character name for Kim Cattrall wasn't it? It always makes me smile those type of music videos where the band members are each other's best friends as well - hmm, maybe just a thing in the contract about kissy face and equal screen time in the vids LOL.

Back to last night, boyyyyyyy it started slowly. The curse of being an early finisher (in my shift at work lol although my mind headed south quickly with the way I wrote it) means I wait around for everyone else to turn up. And in these days of not bringing books or anything in with me on Friday's (worried about forgetting it somewhere at a bar or something), and there not being any television to watch, some crappy band who did the WORST cover of Mrs Robinson I have EVER heard, so just standing in the corner, blending in with the wallpaper, sipping my beer LOL.

JP, one of the team leaders on the floor, was having a 26th bday drinks and nibbles thing around the corner, but I hadn't been officially invited, so was doing the wallflower thing in the main bar. Also, my boss and the Big Big bosses were in there as well, so kinda intimidated. PP came in with a girl (apparently his new gf, I heard that they had their first date on Wednesday) but after saying hi ignored me. Sipping beer blah blah until SW turned up, with MG3 (no, not my eye candy from last year, a new MG on the floor LOL) and a Lebanese friend of hers. Who was quite striking on the eye I must say LOL - I kept missing her actual name though, N for short apparently. And quite outgoing and expressive, which is always nice.

LN then came around and said there are plenty of seats in the drinks and nibbles room, you should come around (to the four of us), I said we were only waiting for an invite, so we shuffled around and took some seats - we were standing in the main bar. So talking to MG3 and N for the start of the evening. TF turned up and I was squeezed out of the N conversation LOL. AD and KD showed, and I was talking to both of them about the rugby (aren't the Reds crap this year? but they are playing the Brumbies at Suncorp in round 12, so that may be a go) - I always thought KD was a league girl, but AD and her said to me to wash my mouth out, rugger all the way yayyyy. AD was mentioning the Lions tour of New Zealand, and I mentioned to him the Grand Slam tour as well, and drooled about it (you'll always be a Kiwi if you love rugby LOL).

Next aside of the entry - the music video They by Jem. Cute girl, seems a good voice, but why on earth have a strip in the space station? Where were their minds when they decided on that as the theme of the vid lol, and I want some of what they were having :)

LN came up to AD and I and asked how does it feel to be permanent. I had sent LN an email earlier in the day - remember last Friday she had said send me an email if you want to move over to my team? Well I left it that long because I didn't want to seem disloyal to my current section, what with the changeovers next week and everything, but sitting with someone and seeing what they do, as SW was talking to LN in the actual work part of the day, isn't a sign of disloyalty? I actually mentioned to AD the whole LN and JP sitting with each other talking to me thing last week, and how umm interesting that whole exchange was, and how could I work under a boss I was attracted to (and married don't forget). AD laughed and said it is interesting working for a younger boss...

So anyways, the part of the LN AD convo at that time that I can remember is LN saying that I would be a good fit for her team and such, and they would get my Hurricane and All Black ways out of me (I was wearing my Hurricanes top yesterday). It was surprising how many people actually seemed to be interested in the rugby, I thought it was a niche sport here, but obviously not. SW was saying that she hadn't really heard what was going on with her request to see what LN's team does, but hmm I seem to be in LOL. I just think perhaps I'm more laidback and patient than others about some things...

The big bosses left, the talk got umm kinda sex based (first times, ages, music from your first), and SW was about ready to leave - MG3 and N left, N taking about ten minutes kissing TF lol - there but for the grace of god go I lol, hmm, nah I had other fish to fry. Another thing AD said about having LN as a boss, it's good to have someone you can go drink with. And then talk got around to going somewhere for a meal. SW decided not to leave just yet, and we headed into the Valley.

Wandered into Belushi's first off, just for a look see (I'm not sure, I wasn't leading the group), and then straight out again, and headed to New York Slice. Yum, would have been my choice for a takeaway meal as well. Five bucks for a huge slice of pizza that they cook for about three minutes and it tastes gorgeous. Everytime I have been in the Valley and I haven't really eaten, I tend to gravitate there. Good choice, whoever led us there :)

Then across the road to the Press Club bar. Saw someone turned away with sneakers before us, and guess what I had on my feet, but I guess the other guy didn't look respectable or something, got in easy. Nice funky little bar look going on, seats at the back that you can fall into with the modular tables and such, and the walls were red with leaves stuck on them - 'good' funky lighting as well, one of those dark 'cool' bars - I'm not sure how great it would look midday though LOL. Good bass system, as the DJ was spinning stuff, but no one was actually dancing - one of those bars to see and be seen I feel. $6.50 for a bourbon and coke eek LOL, and this was about the time that I was buying drinks, AD, JP and P (haven't figured out his last name yet) shared in my largesse. And the bartenders are the Cocktail wannabes throwing the ice around, doing five orders at once kinda thing, entertaining yes, I want my drink quickly though - and cheaper :)

Was a nice place though, maybe will get back there sometime else. The consensus after a couple of rounds there was that we wanted to go play pool and dance. Back to Belushi's then. Oh, wasn't watching it, but had glimpses throughout the night of the league test - we, New Zealand, got done, but it looked entertaining the few minutes I saw. Played pool for a few games, by this stage there were only seven or eight of us, oh and did I mention that LN's husband had come out for the evening? JP's hadn't though, but she is quieter than LN anyways... someone earlier in the evening had said that they felt privileged that JP had spoken to them, can't remember who had actually said that...

Also got up on the dancefloor with LN, JP and P. Was good to get some of the energy out of my system, if ya know what I mean. I had started looking at my watch for last train by this stage, and at about quarter to one, SW said she was bailing - but I was enjoying dancing so much that I ummed and ahhed about leaving (I knew the last train was 1.10, so I had a bit of running to the station time on my hands LOL), and thinking that traffic would be light if I had to grab a taxi.

But even though I was enjoying myself, I knew I would kick myself if at quarter past one I would suddenly get bored, and remembering back to a New Year's in Brisbane a few years ago, hmm Treasury Casino at 2.30 in the morning is dead boring LOL. The friends I was with at that stage, PF being the primary one, tried to get us in several pubs around town, but it being Brisbane in high summer and me being a tourist at that stage, they weren't allowing people in shorts into the bars and such, even the strip club they suggested LOL.

So even though it was Black Eyed Peas Hey Mama starting up, I had to go - got hugs from LN and JP, so that was worth the price of admission alone LOL. And another couple of songs I remember dancing to were Gwen Stefani Rich Girl and Armand van Halen's My My My - the video with the three girls bouncing around in bikinis with the guy with scraggly beard and speedos - I am sure that description will remind most of you of the song LOL.

Was a good night, and hopefully putting down more socialising roots in this city. Met up with SW at the station, and talked on the train home. She has actually moved out from her partner and is currently living with her brother again. Is worried about making a fool of herself in front of her current eye candy at work, and is wondering whether he's even actually interested hmmm. I can but do my best as a friend there, and the only thing I can do to help is to find out what her eye candy thinks of her...

Talking of eye candy, on Tuesday will be sitting next to LD for the next few months. In a corner of the floor facing the wall LOL, the naughty corner as it has been named. Unfortunately she had a play to go to with friends yesterday, instead of come out drinking with us, but I said see you on Tuesday fellow prison cell mate when she left yesterday, and she laughed at that. MG3, who is one of LD's friends at work, said she is umm she has large cups - now really, I hadn't noticed consciously, even though I must have made the eye candy decision on something LOL, but because LD is so outgoing and dare I say it loud, I have noticed the personality far more than other parts of her thus far. Will be an interesting cubicle buddy, looking forward to it :)

Got home at quarter to two. Woke up at eight - never sleep after having a big night. One of my biggest cost wise for a longggg time, but I think I was pacing myself well enough, to be lucid by the end of the night to catch the train and stuff :)

Mum had also gone out with workmates last night, leaving Dad Home Alone LOL, but had kept in South Bank for the most part. The family friendly area of bars and restaurants and such, hmm the hanger arounders in Fortitude Valley hmm ick for the most part. Anyways, why I mention this is that Mum and workmates found themselves in a karaoke bar later in the night (not as late as me, but quite late) and the description she gave of a couple of the singers, I just had to put it in here - they sounded like 'strangled chipmunks' - now I have to keep that in mind next time I'm watching one of these talent shows :)

Which segues well into the next topic, watched the Final Seven show of American Idol this morning. Bo is back hitting his straps, last singer of the show, and up until that point I thought Constantine had it in the bag as 'winner of the week' but Bo blew him away. Simon's comment about a bad Spanish waiter doing karaoke for Constantine sounded more appropriate after Bo's performance, and just reinforced how weak the rest of the finalists are. Scott has lasted a couple of weeks longer than he should have, Anthony there is just something wrong that I can't quite put my finger on with him, Vonzell is good, but purely in a pop sense, and Carrie, you have a good voice, but please don't try to sing anything rock or pop LOL. And Anwar, good singer but not good enough to last to the Final Six.

Another long post, hopefully you guys have lasted this long :)
Pauly

Liberal Democrats? A Wasted Vote :)

Who should I vote for?

Your expected outcome:

Labour

Your actual outcome:

Labour -17
Conservative -25
	Liberal Democrat 23
	UK Independence Party 1
Green -2

You should vote: Liberal Democrat

The LibDems take a strong stand against tax cuts and a strong one in favour of public services: they would make long-term residential care for the elderly free across the UK, and scrap university tuition fees. They are in favour of a ban on smoking in public places, but would relax laws on cannabis. They propose to change vehicle taxation to be based on usage rather than ownership.

Take the test at Who Should You Vote For

A Tank Rolled Over Me Today...

Well, at least that is what it felt like. An ongoing drama at work had me at breaking point, and that does not happen that often. OK, first off, yesterday, got a call in from an account manager wanting to track down an order she had emailed in on Monday, customer required date Wednesday (when the phone call was). Now, first thing to understand is that it does sometimes take a day or two for our email and fax work to be up to date, with the type of request it was we do have a two day standard timeframe to do the work (we do try to do it asap, but two days is the standard that we have to work to).

So maybe the account manager should have rung it in on Monday rather than email. No worries, I could take the work on, do it as soon as, but how would the customer want it done, for what the customer wanted there are two ways to do it. The account manager says I don't know, let's phone the customer and find out. Lucky I didn't do it the way it was in the email, because it was wrong LOL. So yes, do the work, send off confirmation info to the account manager and the customer, and everything is hunky dory.

Then a couple of hours later the account manager rings in to me again, and says that there needs to be a change to the work, which I put through. But apparently the change didn't stick, because this morning the account manager rings in to say the customer's not happy, the work needs to be changed again. I check, the change I put through yesterday hadn't gone on the order, I put it through again, but it gives me a new appointment for tomorrow (preferably asap, but as I said before, can be up to two days to go through). This account manager obviously thinks that I am the only one that can do the work, because, being in a call centre, there are dozens of consultants to take the call, but each time she asks for me specifically.

Early afternoon, the account manager rings in again. The customer is unhappy with the appointment for tomorrow, is there any way the work can be done quicker. Well, yes there is, but I can only promise close of business rather than any specific time. Because to sort it out, I need to do an out call, I need to get permission from my team leader - it is a bit of a madhouse staff wise at that particular minute, with people going to end of last team meetings and starting new team meetings (what with the reorganisation), I ask the boss for time to make out calls as required, but not until 3pm, when there will be more staff on to take the inbound calls.

At twenty to three, I get a call again. Another transfer from another consultant, meaning that I am on my internal line again rather than taking actual customer calls. The account manager who is really starting to bug me says she has the customer on line - I say to her (the account person, not the customer) that I am still on top of the issue, but that we are understaffed at this particular moment, the work will be done by close of business, but I cannot do anything until at least 3pm. She listens to this and then says 'can you talk to the customer?'

Like, I'm not sure how well any readers out there understand my job (hopefully not too many, what with the 'sacking because of blog cases' out there LOL), but the account manager is the one that is supposed to interact the most with the customer, I'm just a pleb doing orders in the background LOL. Sure, the customers can ring in direct to us, but if we explain the issue to an account manager, they should be able to pass that on to the customer direct.

But what can you really say when the customer is on hold? Of course I will speak to the customer - of course, I explained it differently to the customer. That the work would be done by close of business, that I would put the order together within the next half hour - the customer countered with this should have been done yesterday, my boss is flipping about this, and the next call we make will be to one of your competitors. While the customer goes away to get some info for me, the account manager who surprises me by still being on the line (thought she had gone soon after bringing the customer across) says, can I leave the customer with you? Grr, again one of those questions that only has one answer LOL.

I am on the verge of a nervous breakdown here (well, most stress I have had in the workplace kind of magnitude, but still not a minor thing), but let the account manager go. The customer abuses me a bit more, by this stage I'm not really listening, gets off the phone, and I babble some incoherent rambling to the boss.

Bit by bit I calm down and the story becomes more understandable, but really, it comes down to four things - we were given the wrong information in the first place yesterday, the account manager shouldn't be dumping customers on me, I shouldn't have gotten four transfers over the two days when any consultant could basically have taken on the task - and some fourth thing that dropped out of my head with the stress LOL.

Got the work done, and my boss gave the account manager a real burst, saying don't harrass my staff, and that was the nice part LOL. First time I've really ever heard her angry, but I guess I looked pathetic enough with all the stress or something :)

It was just the culmination to a very messy day, lots of orders needing extra work and such.

Bit of culture for the day - the biggest necropolis of predynastic Egypt has been found 600 kays south of Cairo. All the way from about 3600 BC - very much a wow moment. I think back and can hardly believe that I was there, Egypt I mean, and was inside one of the Giza Pyramids :)

As a quieter moment away from the awesomeness of Ancient Egypt (although there's not too much shabby about medieval Egypt either), had a haircut today. Yeah yeah I know big news, and I hated the shaggy dog feeling I was getting every morning lately LOL. Was kind of tempted to do a Full Metal Jacket army haircut, number one or two all over, but chickened out, and just had the bulk of hair taken off, but still semi styled.

The thing was, the barber blow dried my hair, and it took me back to when my mother used to do my haircuts, before I turned twelve, and how she used to blowdry our hair, Sunday nights, having a bath afterwards, and just how big the world seemed. Thinking along the lines that it was only a five minute drive to our grandparents place but it seemed forever. And how when we were first in Australia and Mum went home to see the family, we converted to Stefan haircuts, and how styley we felt LOL. Yeah, right I think nowadays LOL, Stefannnnn's :)

No doubt on what will be the movie of the week this weekend - Downfall. The Reich's last ten days. No competition whatsoever - I try not to go into movies with expectations (since I try to mini review them with an open mind), but The Movie Show on SBS this weekend got me excited about it. NOT because I am pro Nazi or whatever, but just that it seems an intelligent film about insane times. Admission though, I was fairly right wing at high school - I think it was my nervous breakdown in Grade 12 that was the start of my wimpy liberal ways LOL.

By the way, saw All Quiet On The Western Front DVD on sale in the cheapie racks last weekend. I kinda sorta kinda remember watching it in my mid teens, but can't remember too much of it apart from the hand in the barbed wire at the end (if I remember it right). But is one of those films that I feel I don't have to watch to make a decision to buy the DVD.

Was going to comment on latest episode of Amazing Race, but am running out of brain power here LOL. Kinda sorry to see Hayden and her guy go, but Kris and John are still in the hunt, and I don't like either of the other two couples. Kendra I don't like for her bigheaded Western world impression of Senegal and Ethiopia, and just something about Adam and Rebecca rubs me the wrong way. Hmm, let's think of rubbing and Kris LOL LOL. And the series is going back to back, and something about the winners of Survivor being on it? Getting close to Survivor's longevity as well :)

Okies, that is a bit of a marathon to read, but fingers crossed, SOME people will find it entertaining. All the Anzac Day talk on the TV channels, did I tell you that I was at Anzac Cove a few years ago? Is an amazing place, and also the battlegrounds of Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair - think I have mentioned Anzac Day in a previous post, so may shut up now and there may be more on the weekend :)

Pauly

Arise, Pope Benedict

Woke up this morning, half listening to the 6.30 news, and the first words I really heard were 'conservative, divisive' and I KNEW exactly what had happened - never mind that I didn't hear the words Vatican or Pope, but I knew Ratzinger had been elected. I won't be converting anytime soon then, after Benedict XVI got elected. I didn't think I would say it, but John Paul II and his variety of social conscience conservatism almost seems a golden age now LOL.

I know, I know, far too early to give judgement on Benedict's papacy, but almost everything the 'experts' had on their ticksheet for the next pope has been ignored. Traditional values check, but he is not Italian nor from the developing world, he has been a Vatican politician for the past twenty years, rather than any recent 'pastoral' experience, he is the oldest pope elected in a hundred years, he doesn't have a reputation as a uniter, he has said rude things about the other Christian denominations. He does appear to be a pretty good political campaigner though, I guess he has consolidated his base over the years of John Paul's illnesses. Not wishing him ill, but possibly won't be the longest papacy...

Work was good today, in a weird kind of way. Had the current team 'break up' lunch thing, had enough food to cushion the (limited) alcohol I had, was a damned hot day though and hmm me with the stuffed shirt and tie thing, hotter than I could have been - damn my dress code LOL. The morning was normal, by the way, taking phone calls, doing orders as usual. Got back to the office after lunch and was on the phones for twenty minutes before the boss put me on coffee making duty - plunger coffee, so has to take it's own sweet time...

Got a 'thanks love' out of LD for it, which of course made it all worthwhile lol, but was weird being asked to do the job - lol, of course, being out of the phone queue I jumped at the chance :)

And then had a Pepsi Max during the first meeting with my new team. Blah blah blah, fair but firm, blah blah blah, processes, and all the while my caffeine versus alcohol battle in my body is going on quite merrily LOL. Always love being overcaffeined, lol, if that is a word... the thing is that my coffee cup is big enough for three normal cups, so with a full cup it's a lot of coffee.

The CD of today on the train back home was Billy Joel's Greatest Hits. Just thought I would mention it for two reasons - one, do you know the scene in Bridget Jone's Diary where she is in her bed with pajamas on, belting out I Will Survive or some other feminist anthem? Well, a few years ago now, when I was back in Wellington, I think I had the male version of that, but just to Piano Man LOL :) Secondly, the CD reminds me of K and I's drive down to New York City. Had it belting out while driving through Joisey, Garden State :) good memories, and earlier that day, first time that I had Tim Bits from Tim Hortons - yum.

Just going to that site lol makes me drool, mmm double double :) you Canadians, any of you out there, now what I'm talking about LOL

Full Metal Jacket on at the moment - my personal fave Vietnam movie. Apocalypse Now is a better movie, and it is SET in Vietnam, but it isn't really about the war, is it? I remember the first time I watched it, sleepover at a friend's place, in between the Axis and Allies, and Warhammer 40K, there was video watching, and this was one of them :)

Later peeps
Pauly

The Interpreter Review

It must be difficult to weave a fictitious story into a plot so closely aligned to newspaper headlines, with corrupt African leaders, the United Nations and terrorism. International geopolitics offers enough strange, frustrating and/or tragic tales without needing to resort to fiction (Hotel Rwanda merely the first to mind).

Sidney Pollack does his best trying to inject a thriller mentality into a movie that is really a current affairs drama. As far as the formula goes, the movie works well enough. A white African interpreter at the UN overhears an assassination plot in a language only she and possibly eight other people in the Western Hemisphere can understand. The US Secret Service is called in, with more questions about the witness than answers about anyone else. The main actors, Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn, are good in their roles without ever being convincing.

Involving the United Nations, being the first movie be shot within that First Avenue estate, may have seemed a great idea on paper, but on film the atmosphere dulls the senses, like minutae of so many Fifth Committee draft resolutions. The scenes away from the UN building are often more effective than those within it, particularly the Matoban President being driven through Manhattan, reminiscing on happier times. There is an excellent bus chase sequence which ramps up the tension markedly, but has minimal attachment to the main plot line.

Another idea that must have seemed good pre-production, of exploring the fissure between the United Nations and United States, also comes across as rehashing old arguments you may have seen on CNN. When Broome (Kidman) expresses her belief in the United Nations system, Keller (Penn) counters with ‘you’ve had a tough year’ - nothing new is being said.

Maybe an audience with minimal interest in the organization in question would better enjoy the twists and turns of the plot (or consider the political points peripheral). If you want to watch a good current affairs based movie, watch the Siege, scarily prescient for a 1998 production. As for The Interpreter, it satisfies while watching, but is strangely forgettable away from the cinema - effective, but not impressive.

Easy Lazy Entry, And Yes, It Is Me :) 

Short Forecast For The Sea Area Cook...

Bleah for some reason have just teared up for listening to Radio New Zealand news report, and more specifically the WEATHER REPORT lol. I dunno, maybe just a pang of homesickness or something - don't get me wrong, I am progressing OK enough in Australia, and to some extents I really like it here, but there is nothing like home...

(It's not really my fault that after things fell apart in the last chapter of my life, my family was here rather than there? I like it here - well more Australia in general than Brisbane in particular, but it is still not home...)

I got told I had a cute phone manner at work today - from the ex-team leader who now does quality checks on our phone calls LOL. And even though I stuffed up in a way on the call that was listened in to this month, I'm still alright in that person's books. With the reorganisation next week, my current team leader said that I should pay her for the nice things she said in the mini report to my next team leader - and I got a 'hun' from my latest eye candy LOL. Intimidating, loud, but still eye candy :) In the context 'no thanks hun, I've already eaten enough' when I was offering sweets. Sugar is definitely needed at 3 in the afternoon :)

So, apart from the investigation of an order that took up a THIRD of my day (and when it boils down to it, just because the customer was unhappy with the numbers we had allocated them), apart from that, it was a good day LOL. No team leaders on the other side of the floor in each other's laps, but we can hope eh?

PS - would just like to take a poll (if anyone wants to step forward and make a comment) on where in the world my readership is :)

Later peeps
Pauly

I Am So Easily Distracted

LOL, trying to put some thoughts down on 'paper' here, and am being distracted to watch about Supervolcanoes on ABC at the moment. Yellowstone National Park erupts in a two hundred square mile radius. Basically an ash version of Day After Tomorrow LOL, but it is so addictive to watch :)

Okies, has ended so can think about stuff to write lol - saw American Idol yesterday, the final eight show - have just done a google search on American Idol final eight and thank god we are up to snuff with North America. The shows are Tuesday Wednesday over there, and Friday over here, but we are up to date as much as possible. If only I don't take notice of any Idol news between Wednesday and Friday I should be fine :)

Now Constantine chose to sing Bohemian Rhapsody - does that guy have balls or what LOL, one of the classic unsingable songs, unless you are Mike Myers and wanting background music to barf to LOL - god, barf is such an American word, how about chundah or chuck up (suddenly feel like some Cold Chisel music lol). But anyways, Constantine NAILED it, and it was very impressive, and it astonished Simon even - dude, you astonished all of us :)

Bo was good with his explanation if he was dumped at this stage of the comp - he has had a couple of weak weeks yanno - saying that he just came on this thing as a bet, and if he gets dumped off it won't change his life that much - and the thing is, he makes that claim sound believable... but the amazing thing from that set of bottom three is not so much that Bo was in the bottom three, but that Scott outvoted him??? Now, I am sure Scott is a nice guy and it is good to see someone who maybe doesn't have the best voice get to the final seven, but him over Bo??? The rocker vote splitting I am sure is going on there, where are those hanging chads LOL...

Went and saw the Interpreter today, actually the first time in absolutely MONTHS that I have seen a movie on its opening weekend, will put together a mini review of it in a couple days maybe, but have to say that it must be hard doing movies so close to current affair topics, it is an effective movie but not impressive, insomuch that it doesn't stay with you much past leaving the cinema. But LOL I may have just given the best lines of the review already, but will think about it more before fleshing it out.

Tell you a good movie I DID watch today, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Just as good on a second viewing as the first. God Kate Winslet is sexy LOL, and that movie is just soooooo umm hard to describe how soooo it is, but it is in a similar vein as Closer, maybe it is a bittersweet relationship thing that I am thinking to put next to soooo. Maybe it is the glass half full version of Closer, whereas Closer is opposite - it IS a pretty bleak movie :)

Okies, that has been about my day, outta here :)
Pauly

The World Today

Cue the Panorama music please LOL, we are websurfing to see what is going on in the world today. Usually it starts off with a strong first few stories and then winds down as I get more engrossed in the actual stories than keeping my blog informed :)

Kofi Annan has come out swinging with the oil for food thing, saying that the illegal smuggling, which is a distinct separate (and bigger) issue from the oil for food, could not have gone on without the US and Britain knowing. With the no fly zones and pilots in the air every day for twelve years, how could they have missed the huge lineups at the border crossings - Kofi has said that because Turkey and Jordan especially were Western allies, then a blind eye was cast. The US and Britain have denied any knowledge LOL. Although Newt Gingrich has actually said that someone must have known something, it wasn't all the UN's fault - hmm, ever since he got kicked out of the Speaker's chair, he has almost seemed reasonable, for a Republican LOL.

Michael Jackson's trial finally got heated overnight by the sounds. The defence attorneys quizzing the mother of one of the kids from the past that got admitted into evidence. Pretty damaging stuff she had been saying, that Jackson had been in bed with the boy, and apparently cried when he was told it was to stop, and that his staff had strongarmed her into staying at Neverland, was cross examined today and she could leave Neverland while her son was there. And the witness was being argumentative, and the defence lawyer unprofessional according to the judge, who had a pretty tough day of it. Hmm interesting - how do you get $152K from JC Penney for a sexual harrassment suit when you have been caught or at least accused of shoplifting LOL.

Maybe I will leave Downfall until next week, at the cinema. Will be within the actual ten last calendar days of the Third Reich then, April 20 to 30 - well not of the Third Reich, but of the Battle of Berlin and Hitler's life. Just today is the commemoration of the liberation of Belsen, sixty years ago. April 1945 in Germany must have been a crazy time, the government, as it were, imploding, and every person for themselves.

Read a good book by Anthony Beevor about the Battle of Berlin a couple of years ago, more from the viewpoint of the Soviet advance than the Western Front - war is hell, from all sides. The one thing that sticks in my mind from that book is the mass rape of the German female population, and, with the moving of the Polish borders a few hundred miles west, the mass deportation/evacuation of Prussia, where some of these people had been living for five hundred years. Sad, but then, what war isn't. With the Treaty of Rome binding Europe together, hopefully that sort of thing won't happen on the continent again. Chechnya I hear you say?

Just reading a good article now about Newcastle United's season in the English football/soccer. Is a huge soapy drama and all lol, an extract -

'This season alone has involved the dismissal of Sir Bobby Robson after the dropping of Shearer, which followed Dyer's refusal to play on the right on the season's opening day at Middlesbrough. Jonathan Woodgate was soon sold to Real Madrid and an offer of 23m [pounds] was made to Everton for Wayne Rooney.

That was August.'

Damn not having the pound button LOL. At least they keep in the headlines despite never winning anything, I am sure anyone who has the slightest inkling of soccer remembers a couple of weeks ago two of the Newcastle players were fighting each other?

And yay, Chelsea are in more trouble off the football field - after trying to snag one of Arsenal's players and then accusing a referee and then UEFA of lying, they have gotten offside with Manchester United, after having a chance meeting with Rio Ferdinand LOL. Good comment that Chelsea may become the most reviled team in the country soon, takes a lot for Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson to agree on something :)

Hmm, good article about how Tony Blair is campaigning in Britain - yes, there is a general election due there early next month. Now, he has said that this is his last campaign and he will step down sometime in the next term. I just remember that John Howard here in Australia was saying something similar a couple of years ago, until September 11 happened and he had to stay on for the continuity of government in a crisis. Now he has been completely re-energised, had a walkover win last year in the election, and shows no signs of stepping down. And there was a story a month or so ago in the British media that said Blair had made a promise to Gordon Brown a while ago that he would step down in this current parliament. Hmm, we will see.

'Whereever Mr Blair goes on this campaign, journalists feel they have to peel off from the event to talk to local people beyond the enchanted zone of invited guests who comprise the only audiences the prime minister meets. The Blair helicopter usually travels with a news agency reporter and a TV crew in tow, but for the rest of the media, it's a scramble. It is hard to follow a man in a helicopter when you don't have a helicopter yourself, and it is even harder when the Labour news management outfit won't tell you where the helicopter is going.'

For national security reasons, I am sure LOL.

Okies, more later :)
Paul

Exciting Titles R Us LOL

Yes yes, I have noticed a deterioration in the quality of my entry titles over the last couple of weeks, free trip for two to Brisbane to meet me if you suggest a title for me to write about, rather than the bother of the reverse, finding a title for an entry LOL. Conditions of entry are that you are within the public transport network connected to Brisbane City LOL - so basically that is up to Gympie, down to Coolangatta and across to Toowoomba - sorry guys, but I have to have some conditions LOL, but that is only for the prize, throw your title suggestions this way even if you are in Yellowknife NWT LOL.

Had a good evening out last night, with the tsunami Oxfam fundraiser, vaguely attached to work - the reason for the sudden vagueness will become apparent further down the entry LOL. Had a late shift, so the thing started at six and my shift ended at seven, but enough late shift people there, AD, KD and MC to ensure I wasn't nigel no mates wandering down to the Valley. Was at the GPO Hotel, for any of you Brisbanites out there :)

'Free' drink with the entry costs, and $12 card covering four drinks - including pints and spirits, so was good value. Started the evening sitting with MC, KW and SW, MC is single again, but still living in the same house as her ex - lucky they did decide to get a two bedroom place LOL, rental only thank goodness. The evening was fancy dress, supposed to be national dress or something, but I didn't get dressed up because if not going into the costume shop the best I could do would be rugby player from NZ or hockey player from Canada LOL, just was nicely dressed and all :)

Where I was leading to with that sentence was that KW was dressed hmm hard to describe, the national dress of the cheerleaders off Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit perhaps LOL, but perhaps that's a bit mean. It wasn't any national dress I knew, tshirt, fluffy cheerleader type skirt, leather studded belt and white knee high boots - now, not that KW interests me on that level in the slightest, but lol white knee highs, it's a strange look, thinking of finding that the chocolate is white rather than brown as you expected :)

And SW is SW, lol more on her later. After the first drink, wandered back into the bar (we had been sitting on the street patio kind of thing while having that first convo) and started to mingle. AD and KD are good value to talk to, and was speaking in bits and pieces to PP and KP as well, and hmm TF was there as well. Now TF, don't get me wrong, he is an OK guy, and it's not his fault that we hardly have anything in common (that has been discovered so far) to talk about, but hmm, he has balls the size of Siberia in regards to his wandering hands habit - AD and I were watching him wander across the room, and he gets away with murder with the girls. Any other guy would have a heart attack before groping the girls like he does LOL - and the thing is he DOES seem to get away with it, aargh!!

It was supposed to be a cultural evening, with charity fundraising and all, though I didn't see too much culture in the finger food lol, not that I looked too closely though. We had some Hawaiian or Polynesian dancing first up, something about visible belly buttons on the skinnier girls LOL, and the hip shimmying. Next up was the Mexican frilly dresses and the hat dance, lol one of the few songs during the set dances that I can remember - had a tango couple later in the night (the Argentinian contingent no doubt), and had a best costume presentation.

With the costumes, the two crowd favourites from my side of the room were actually both dressed in Native American gear. First off, we had the guy in full chief costume with the bison head hat thing, with the horns and everything, he was OK. But for the guys, we had Pocahontus to look at LOL, as soon as she came in the bar I had noticed her, she was wearing one of those short Native American skirts, without long pants, or pants of any kind, with thigh high boots. Needless to say, she was the guy's favourite LOL, but apparently some belly dancer costume won, hmm, not that we could really hear, the microphone wasn't loud enough all night, not that it bothered us...

But the highlight of the 'cultural' aspect of the evening was these girl dancers in short skirts, camouflage tops and hmm yes they did have panties on LOL, you could see as they twirled around. And during the course of the next two dances they got down to transparent white tops and black bra and finally down to the black bra only (with the short black skirts and white panties) - somewhere in Brisbane a strip club had gotten a set of morris dancers or something LOL, and all the guys were like 'I want to move to whatever country they were representing'.

Was very entertaining but quite strange for a charity semi work function thing LOL. KD was saying 'you watch, we won't get half naked guys dancing around', and yes, unfortunately she was right. Unfortunately I say, because I am all for equality, and even though I wouldn't have watched the guys, would have been OK with them being there if they had been. Mmm, you could almost see what they had for lunch, the camouflage girls - when they first came on and I wasn't sure of their stripper credentials, I thought they were going to a war what is it good for riff or something, representing Iraq blah blah.

The hmm most interesting convo I had the rest of the night though was with a couple of team leaders from another section of my department. LN was saying that everyone wants to go to her section and would I want to, of course, social function and all I said yes, JP the other section team leader comes over and LN mentions it to her as well, and then JP sits on LN's lap, and both of them still talking to me about a possible move and I'm thinking OMG, I am attracted to BOTH these women, they are BOTH married, and they are talking to me sitting in each other's laps AARGH, and I could just imagine having either of them as boss LOL, suppress suppress suppress, nod head, agree with things LOL.

So, a tough choice for highlight of the night LOL. But it wasn't having my legendary rubber arm twisted into having scotch and water by AD - LOL, I am a sucker for the 'everyone is doing it' argument, but I HATE scotch. Last time I had scotch and water was in Edinburgh in 98, after the NZ Maori v Scotland rugby match at Murrayfield. Woke up in a police cell the next morning, too intoxicated or something - when I was back home and that happened (once) the cops dropped me off home LOL, but in Britain they lock you up. I was soooooo lucky I remembered the backpacker hostel my tour group was staying at to catch my bus back to London LOL. So yeah, scotch and water I am not a great fan of. Bourbon hands down anyday.

Drank myself sober by about eleven, and got to the boredom stage, said to those that remained that I was leaving, SW decided that it was time for her to go as well, so about ten minutes waiting for her to say her goodbyes before heading to the station - where we had just missed the last train by about two minutes LOL. So taking our time ordering Subway and such, and discussing the evening - well, me being a sounding board for SW mostly. Not happy in her relationship, was talking to eye candy at the party, but afraid she was making a fool of herself, basically in a sentence.

Got home at about 12.30, and up this morning at 7.30 - I can never sleep much after imbibing alcohol, even when I have gone nowhere near my limit, as last night. V's dog has pancreatitis, so gave her a quick call to hopefully cheer her up - the dog is on a drip at the vet's, and will be for probably all of next week as well. Is ten years old, but still, nobody wants their dog deathly sick.

Okies, think that is my evening covered :) Maybe a websurfing entry later in the day?
Pauly

Another Quiet One

Hmm, movies are a nice easy topic, so let's start here - could talk movies, like, for ages - with SW, in between the time of first bumping into each other online and meeting in person (remember, this was a girl in my same real life town, didn't allow myself any monkey business LOL) I think about three quarters of our chat time was comparing one movie to another LOL.

Music is a lot harder as an ice breaker - I am sure with some people it is the reverse, but with movies I can go into the plot, the performances, the mood of the movie and if you have seen this one you would like this one and did you see that actor in this movie - that sort of endless renewal of the conversation, for me, music conversations would be either I like it, I don't like it, or I like it a lot - whereas with movies its easy to follow directors or actors from movie to movie, music I don't delve into who influenced who or who wrote lyrics for what and all that.

So yes, movies are my forte, and this weekend we have a couple of real contenders, aside from the fluff of Sahara or Assault On Precinct Thirteen (I like Brian Dennehy and Ethan Hawke, but that much LOL?). In the blue corner, fighting for the UN and Jude Law's acting ability, we have Sean Penn and Nicole Kidman in The Interpreter. In the red corner, fighting basically everyone in 1945 we have Downfall, the first German movie to have Hitler as a major character since the Fifties. Supposed to be really good. Of course, I will see both over the course of the next couple of months, but with Sin City coming up as well as a wanna see (haven't seen enough reviews to say whether it is a must see), but the fight for this weekend's viewing rights are ON LOL.

I went through a phase a few years back of watching two movies the occasional weekend, but it got too crowded in my head, unless it was the Matrix as the second movie - lol, I must have seen that about five times on a late Saturday night at the Embassy (in Wellington), well after it was originally released, and at that point unpolluted by the sequels.

I remember the zenith of that phase, or shall I say nadir, was going from the Regent watching Empire Strikes Back, when it was being rereleased, to watching Beavis and Butthead Do America at the MidCity. Yes, classy movies both LOL, but the thing with Beavis and Butthead that sticks in my mind is that I was sitting next to a girl who was actually talking to me before the movie, and then I started worrying about laughing too loud at the wrong moments (remember, it was a very highbrow movie LOL), and getting all self conscious. And then, at the end of the movie, I left at full speed ahead.

And EVER SINCE that time, from about two minutes after I left the cinema, I have thought to myself now what would have been so wrong with asking this girl after the movie was over to go out for a coffee, dissect the wonders of Beavis's ancestry LOL, it might not sound much but it is one of the major 'what if' moments of my life that I look back one. Not the only one, just one of the majors LOL...

Hmm, might not have an entry tomorrow, have a work function to go to, not sure how officialish work it will be, what with non company people allowed to attend, but is a cultural evening, fundraisng for tsunami relief and all that. You are SUPPOSED to get dressed up in national dress of other countries or something, but I'm not going to the costume shop, and will just wear something nice rather than a rugby or ice hockey top LOL. And have a late shift as well, and not sure who is turning up to the thing, apart from a few of my intake, so will try to behave and also see what eye candy there is available LOL.

Oh, just have to mention something from a conversation I had with V earlier today, we were talking about how I love sports and how she knows about sports, lol one of those kind of conversations but in a light hearted way, was quizzing her on my favourite teams, the only one she got right was my Super 12 rugby team, but that was only because she had seen me buy one of their tops LOL, but when it came to Formula One, first off she said McLaren instead of Ferrari, and then on the actual driver she said SCHWARZENEGGER.

Cue five minutes of laughter, along the lines of Titan (Saturn's moon) being explored and how runny her eggs would be in the meal - that type of disconnect between interests again, before reminding her it is Schumacher, and I don't think Conan could have even fitted into one of those race cars LOL, but also said, that's one for the diary :) And she said not to make her laugh, she has swollen glands or something that hurt when she laughs at the moment. But just a classic moment LOL.

Okies, that is enough for the moment, LOL where is the politics and the news I am asking myself, feel I am opening myself up far too personally on here, but eh, if that's the direction I'm going in, then all power to it :)

Pauly

Where To Start Today

Hmm, well it is about time for the birthday cards to come down, and among the parents, grandparents, sister (but not brother) the non family ones were from V, K and LH. Now, I haven't mentioned LH before (I don't think), but she is about the only person I have met online the last year or so that I actually keep in regular touch with. A big improvement on my 'quantity not quality' view of internet friends a few years ago. And, as far as I can tell, LH is the only person I communicate with away from the blogosphere that comes in here and reads my life LOL - so I better be on my best behaviour eh :)

Think we have chatted for about six to nine months, but only over the weekend, what with my birthday and all, did I give my address. Reminds me of SW, a Wellington friend I have that I met online, took nine months before we even met, even being in the same town and all - discretion is the better part of valour in all things online, lol or should I sub the word caution for discretion - I am sure everyone knows a lot of nutters out there :)

Part of the message in the card from K -

'I feel that I have gone through, or am going through, another evolution in my life. Yes, it means leaving you and all those memories behind. That makes me sad, but it is important to me that I have a full life. I hope you are going to make your life more full - make this year your year of change and growth.'

Now, in my opinion, that is a farewell of sorts, but I mentioned it to V, doing the opening up thing, and she said no way is that any 'improvement' on what K has said before. I dunno, I think it is a letting go, but I guess V has seen enough false hope on that front to make her cynical.

And just to continue with the long lost friend theme this entry has started to take, got a birthday email message from JM, a former workmate with my last employer back home. Think it was about the first one in six months that I had gotten from her - just a simple happy birthday, but I sent War and Peace back LOL - when I am sending one of those 'are you still alive' emails, I tend to ramble on about anything - pretty much like in here, minus the politics LOL. And if you haven't noticed, I tend to write the way I speak, or speak the way I write, just like I am having a conversation.

And then another long lost friend, this time JB from the great state of Texas - about the last person online that I had met that I had spoken to regularly. Dropped offline about eight months ago, but again, sent a how is life going email to me. Which I replied to, which was nice.

And just to do THREE paragraphs starting with the wrong word LOL, was listening to Radiohead's Kid A on my CD player on the train today (I have a book to read, but maybe I should take the paperback copy - the A4 size is just too bulky and pretentious LOL - Magician by Raymond E Feist by the way), anyways, back to Kid A, and I thought about H.

The trip to Vancouver Island in November 2000 being the first time I had really listened to Kid A, I think her ex had a copy of it, or maybe it was my copy. Kid A, Play by Moby, and Stew by Wide Mouth Mason (Canadian group, only time I have ever heard the word Saskatchewan in song lyrics LOL) being THE background music to my trip there. Remember, this was the GOOD trip LOL.

Kid A reminds me of the smell of wet leaves in the forest, the slight chill in the air outside, the chill in the basement converted into an art studio (any central heating being upstairs), the excitement of being around her, waiting for her to come home, seeing her eyes in the rear vision mirror looking at me in the back seat of the car, having my body cast in plaster as Radiohead wailed to a nervous breakdown in the background (that is how Thom Yorke described it, Kid A is the breakdown album, whereas Amnesiac is the figuring out what happened during Kid A album), finding out that salmon doesn't just come in cans, and that you can actually have steaks of them (hey, I am but a poor sheltered Kiwi boy when it comes to salmon LOL), the thinking what are she and her ex up to pang of jealousy while they park me in front of Cutthroat Island and Canadian Bacon, the meeting her friends, watching them play Playstation and head down to the club, the junior hockey match - go the Salsa - and the coffee and cake afterwards...

LOL no wonder I love Vancouver Island :)

Play by Moby, and especially Porcelain, reminds me of driving out to Tofino Beach, looking out to the US coast just across the water, and just the perfectness of that day (at least in my mind). Stew by Wide Mouth Mason reminds me much more of err intimate moments - I thought, for a fleeting moment there, of She's Alone as 'our' song. LOL the curse of the first truly madly deeply, everything is fresh and new and innocent and incorruptible.

I don't think I ever got around to doing a full diary entry for that trip - sure, I have notes SOMEWHERE, but not just a full day to day thing of what we did. And no, I didn't mean that way LOL, but eh, some writers get lots of readership by writing about intimacy, but would taint the rest of my blog perhaps? I can never be one of those types of people that puts their thoughts into well this is my sex blog and this is my politics blog and this is my work blog, they are all just mushed in together (not that I have a sex blog aspect in here of course, but just as an example).

Wow I did manage to get a lot of inspiration here. Must throw my mind back four and a half years more often - H is a gem of a subject - well the Vancouver part of it, less so than the Northern Ireland part, although truly, I have no rancour about it anymore, and H is a friend as the others I need to get back in touch with soonish :)

And yes, it isn't only Vancouver Island that I have fond Canadian memories of, but more of that in a later blog, methinks.

Later peeps
Pauly

Very Little Inspiration

Hmm, writer's block, the bane of any author or blogger. Have been bouncing in and out of this screen for the last five minutes or so, between clearing my email and reading about the New Zealand Sri Lanka cricket test in Wellington. Saw a snippet of it on the sports news earlier in the evening, fog delayed play in the afternoon, and the camera drew away to look down Adelaide Road to Newtown, and all I thought was missing home...

But hmm have to get out of any maudliness, if that is even a word LOL. Hmm, it looks like the White House Press Office has had another slow day - the contents of the Presidential iPod have been released (I am pretty sure it wasn't hacked a la Paris Hilton's address book) - not going to make much comment on the actual playlist, but I'm guessing that Dixie Chicks, REM and Bruce Springstein aren't on there LOL.

Hmm, this was another interesting story from Washington - a guy, possibly Australian, possibly Chinese, stood outside the Capitol with two suitcases, asking to see President Bush, and that side of the Capitol got evacuated, he got gang tackled, and one of his suitcases was blown up. Like really, why even bother going to Washington as a tourist nowadays, the city seems in perpetual lockdown LOL - can you imagine a crowd the size that turned up to the Pope's funeral converging on DC? Homeland Security would have a field day LOL...

Sports report tonight, from the land of ice hockey, the Canadian World Champs team has been picked yayyyy. And even more interesting, from my Canucks supporting point of view, there is a slot spare, and 'they' are speculating that Todd Bertuzzi may be picked for international duty. Hmm, would be a brave call by the Canadian manager to pull that one off...

There, that should keep the ravening hordes of people wanting new material all the time off my back for a moment or five :) until tomorrow at least - have an idea for a post then, but don't want to burn all my creative ideas at once, so will keep you in suspence, at least for eighteen hours LOL :)

Spot ya later
Pauly

First Time

LOL, the title today means that it was the first time I have actually edited an entry - the last one, on Million Dollar Baby - I was walking to work this morning, not quite happy with what I had written. I was talking to a friend online at the time, and hmm it was a distracting conversation :) so tweaked the review a bit, hopefully it flows better or something, even though it's not as if IMDB will be knocking down the doors to get my blog linked to the reviews or anything LOL. It is a bit of a hobby of mine, amateur reviews, and it gives my weekend blogs perhaps a bit more structure - we will see how we go :)

Big props, as the slang goes, to the College of Cardinals at the Vatican. Now, not being a Catholic myself, and not really life or death interested in who the next Pope will be, but I just have to respect them at least a little bit, for the fact that they have shut the media out even before going into the Conclave. Too many people, organisations, government departments etc really think that the general public has interest in what they say or do, so it is good to see an organisation go into REAL lockdown and have the strength to ignore the media. Now if only some others would do that LOL, thinking Paris Hilton off the top of my head for some reason :)

Good to see Charles and Camilla finally get married. Good article from the Guardian here, noting who might be important in the royal circles over the next twenty years, even if Charles still remains Crown Prince rather than King. Camilla looked nice actually, in a middle aged kind of way LOL, good choice of clothes, and OMG is Zara Phillips fit or what. There was even a glimpse in the weekend paper here of a smidge of bra under that top LOL. But of course all the media coverage on the TV channels here was how they had to admit their sins blah blah, what Diana would have thought, why on earth go so negative so quickly??

Then again, even if such a rational person as V is a rabid Di lover Camilla hater, LOL what chance does the mass media have of being fair and balanced lol - and yes, that was a shout out to Fox News :)

Hmm, by the way it was my birthday yesterday - the big Two Nine, my parents were trying to bait me about next year, but my opinion is they start merging into one another after 21 anyways. Got the third series of Seinfeld DVD's, a series of World War 2 books, the Bourne Identity and Supremacy videos. a couple of nice shirts, a new pair of jeans (the message being I wear my other pairs into the ground LOL), and music/DVD vouchers.

Which I used today, and OMG what a fluke, BOTH the top two DVD's I have in mind at the moment were on sale, and could pick up both for under fifty bucks. Lost in Translation, my fave movie from 2003, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, fave movie of last year. So I was very happy, wasn't expecting to get both on sale, or even see both at the same time in the particular store :) Already have in mind the next DVD to get, in a different store where I go to the movies, Arlington Road, anyone seen it? Is in the cheapie rack LOL, so thats a plus as well as it being a great movie of course...

In sports news, well, rugby is the closest to my heart, the Lions team to tour New Zealand got named today. Twenty Englishmen, eleven Irish, ten Welsh, three Scots, even though the English lost more games in the Six Nations than the Irish and Welsh. I'm just trying to think of how to describe to non New Zealanders, or non rugby loving New Zealanders, how important a Lions tour is to us. Think of Superbowl, or World Series, or Stanley Cup, or Olympic gold, or rugby league State of Origin, or Davis Cup final, or the Ashes, and that is about the level of excitement a Lions tour induces :)

Especially since it happens in one country every twelve years (four year installments in South Africa and Australia as well). And the whole way the tour is set up is so old school lol, instead of more Tests than first class games as is the norm nowadays, the tour actually includes the provinces, although an odd exception is that Canterbury isn't playing a game this time around...

Think that's all for now, I REALLY need to catch up on some sleep LOL
Pauly

Finally, Million Dollar Baby

OK, first off, let's get this mini review out of the way LOL...

Million Dollar Baby has been on the 'maybe next week' list for a while now - honestly, even though it won multiple Oscars, the whole female boxer succeeding against the odds blurb wasn't the most inspiring. However, it is well worth viewing, even at this late stage.

This movie starts slowly, with an average story focussing on the unfortunates on the wrong side of the tracks. Instead of looking down on the shining metropolis as in most LA based movies, Eastwood looks up to the skyscrapers from the grubby inner city streets, an angle I haven't seen since Falling Down.

But the heart of the movie begins when we are transported back to Maggie Fitzgerald/Hilary Swank's home town, and the smallminded, petty, wrongheaded version of life there. Maggie's mother, instead of thanking her daughter for the generosity she shows, only thinks how her welfare entitlements will be ruined. Instead of supporting Maggie in her choice of career, her mother and family belittle her. This, and another pivotal family scene, make us understand and sympathise with Swank's character.

After the first encounter with Maggie's real family, the surrogate father and daughter roles Frank Dunn/Clint Eastwood and Swank occupy swell to fill the entire movie. Eastwood and Morgan Freeman continue to get better with age, while Swank's acceptance speech at the Oscars makes slightly more sense after viewing the actual movie. But between the central Eastwood and Swank character relationship, even Freeman almost drowns in the plot, and the lesser characters could even be said to be a distraction.

The climax to the movie is emotionally searing, and perhaps in light of current events (the Schiavo case) makes more of an impact than it did even a few months ago. The movie goes beyond the expected cliche of a female Rocky and the acting is superb. It is heavy going towards the end, but if you are into strong dramas, this is a great movie to catch.

Pauly

Guess We Need An Update

Hmm, not too much has happened the last couple of days in the Pauly universe LOL. Work has been OK, big reshuffle going on - from the staff being good at everything to being specialised at something, the whole 'front of house, back of house' thing. I got my first preference, on the phones rather than the various types of email work - and any complex work that gets taken over the phone gets sent to one of the other teams... where on earth did that sort of phrase get mixed up with houses anyway? The place where I am currently bulges out more to the side than front and back LOL - why don't we just say entrance and back yard or something if we have to stay with the house analogy :)

Watched the papal funeral last night, well to be more exact I had it on in the background while I was doing other stuff. I could have should have gone out for drinks or something with workmates, but for some reason I stayed in with a ceremony which I couldn't understand (they had translators for the TV stations, but it's not the same LOL), and half way through it clashed with American Idol LOL. Which this week in Australia was the musicals one and OMG apart from perhaps Clay Aiken no Idol TV show should ever try a musicals week again LOL. The singing was TERRIBLE, and made me think of turning it back to the coverage from Rome even BETWEEN the ads. Nikos went, and none of the faves or at least my faves were in the bottom three this week, so no pain on that front :)

But I have to say the Italians and Vatican did it well, what with five days organising time it wasn't like the burial of Yasser Arafat or anything, which I half expected it to be - that's the thing of forgetting there was a back door entrance to St Peter's basilica LOL.

I remember going into the Vatican and being awed inside St Peter's - not religious or anything, but if I have felt the hand of God anywhere, it was there. This is an excellent article from earlier in the week, saying how Michelangelo thought 'outside the box' as it were...

'When he [Michelangelo] was asked to complete St Peter's he replaced the neat, harmonious designs of Bramante and Sangallo with a sublime, colossal idea whose almost unimaginable scale expresses his own wonder before creation, his personal sense of helplessness below the might of heaven.

The dome of St Peter's is not like the dome of St Paul's in London, whose rational design reflects a Newtonian confidence in an orderly universe. Michelangelo's dome induces vertigo and bafflement - it's hard to believe human beings actually built this, but they did. And one man designed it.'

I agree very much with that assessment, it is a colossal and baffling place - I remember wandering around the basilica even more than the Sistine Chapel in fact...

Was on the train the other day (surprise surprise) and the women around me were talking about one of them just coming back from a trip to Europe. I listened in as well as I could with my Empire movies magazine to occupy my eyes LOL, and from what I could hear, she was on a Contiki trip - and it took me back to the wonder of my travels, both in Europe and further afield, and thinking oh mi god that was soooo long ago, and feeling old and trapped and now unable to travel... hmm, what can get that out of my system lol, was also thinking that I am still in the Contiki age range (under 35) so I still have a few years to play with before I am pensioned off travel wise LOL.

Found the names of all the former popes, finally LOL, will do some reading up on Catholic history I think, in the background here. I don't think the next pope will be John Paul III, too intimidating a forebear to compare yourself to just yet. I was going to say something else about this whole topic, but has slipped my mind - will come to mind no doubt later and will perhaps slip it in :)

Next topic, is Charles and Camilla's wedding. Not even going to go into the thing that all the English/British VIPs decided to go to the papal funeral instead of the royal wedding (for an heir to the throne who will become Defender of the Faith for Anglicans) - Henry VIII is rolling in his grave I am sure - but want to start on surprise surprise the Diana angle. She has been in the grave for seven years, but why oh why do people still have such poison in their veins towards Charles? She played away just as much as him as it were. Why on earth say such a silly thing as 'it's what she [Diana] would have wanted'?

If she was alive, yes she would be entitled to her opinion blah blah, and Camilla probably wouldn't become a Mrs Windsor for a while yet, but she died in a car accident, not by SAS troops ordered to by the Queen or anything. Why the conspiracy theories??? Thousands of people die in car accidents each year, is every one of those a conspiracy? LOL, I will get off my soapbox now :)

More later - am busy reading about five sites at once now LOL
Pauly