28 May 2005 Preflight

Five ayem is a time that should not be seen by civilised people, and especially to think 'did I pack everything' - in this case, to my mind, not quite, another trip, another notepad bought as a travel diary - but, eh think of all that spare notepad capacity at home LOL. Uncivilised hour, but pretty civilised breakfast here, bagel, cream cheese and a cappucino - there's also jam that can go on the bagel, but I'm happy enough cream cheesing. Yum.

And every time I'm at an airport nowadays I gorget that aerosols (ie deodorant in my case) is obviously a threat to national security and have it in my carry on. And every time it's checked. Surely they can do an X-ray scan to see that the Lynx can (Axe in North America) hasn't been tampered with? And just thinking, if Schapelle Corby is as innocent as Australia thinks she is, she was probably this relaxed before boarding the flight from Brisbane airport to Sydney. Maybe a bite to eat and a coffee or tea, looking forward to doing a bit of surfing in Bali. Maybe.

On the ride to the airport with Dad, heard Wilson Phillips Hold On - I cringe every time I hear that, it's an OK song, but it reminds me of the first album/tape that I ever bought, and my approximate music tastes back in 1990. As I said, not a bad song, but I do cringe inwardly at the thought of 13 year old Paul. LOL is bad enough revisiting my thoughts and such back when I was 17, from my 1994 diary - I am sure that somewhere between there and here I got less neurotic and more likeable.

Watching the planes take off and land, a JAL 747 just over in the middle distance there, and just thinking what it will be like to see an A380 - aka the double decker Airbus - land. And all the stuffiness of the Airbus subsidy versus Boeing tax breaks arguments turns into real life at airports. LOL I have boring topics don't I.

Just boarded and greeting me was the song Almost Here by Delta Goodrem and her current boyfriend (used to be a singer out of Westlife or something?), or as I know it 'why don't you get mobile phones so you can find each other at the airport' song. Says he whose mobile phone is kaput LOL.

Carrie won American Idol - grr. Bo is the better singer and performer, but I guess the whole prediction of America can't vote for a rocker in American Idol did turn out true. Another way to look at it is that Bo's fans will buy the album if he came either position and were less likely to vote, or vote more than once, whereas Country Barbie's fans might have thought it was actually important to get Number One. LOL one consequence of Bo not winning is that he doesn't have to do a surgary first album, as the AI gods would have preordained for the winner. I hate the comparison, and I can't stand Clay Aiken, but the hard fact is second can sometimes sell more albums in the long term. See Clay v Ruben or either of the Aussie Idol competitions - What About Me indeed LOL. Although if Angels Brought Me Here was an Aussie Idol original it's pretty well a coup for Carrie to have sung it at the final of the American show.

I was looking for reading material at the newsagent while getting the notebook, but I guess FHM's hottest 100 women can wait until AFTER the visit to see V and her sisters LOL. And I lucked in eyecandy wise with the girl sitting next to me, dirty blonde hair, thin, and the clincher is her reading material, Anthony Keidis' autobiography. A Chili Peppers fan then. Now if only I could initiate a convo, if only for two hours - flashes of that German girl on the last flight Vancouver to LA go through my mind LOL. Exchanged email addresses, but never wrote - I was in a bad place in my mind at that stage though, probably was best not to.

Chili Peppers Fan next to me (CPF) sneezed before, but I was too self conscious to say bless you in a reasonable amount of time (maybe next time). Or maybe I can break the ice with a nice boots comment - and yes LOL, THAT particular nice boots/shoes comment went through my mind. But they actually are nice boots :)

Just the whole enclosed space travel quick turnaround times made me think of colds, flus and Asian bird flu. HN51 (if I have the coding right) has apparently mutated and is killing Chinese migratory birds - eek, migration, so it could infect birds outside of East Asia perhaps. And if it has mutated to wild birds, and has infected pigs and people without mutating, it's not a good thing. An estimate I read in the Guardian a couple of days ago said that when it mutates to a human strain, it could easily put 25 million people in hospital, and kill a quarter of them. And the whole sufficient vaccine thing is a whole different kettle of fish.

Just to link it back to 'real life' as it were, there's some sort of flu going around work at the moment, for the past two weeks an average of 7 to 8 people off sick daily (out of a group of 60), and also, two forms of colds of flu hammered one particular school in Mount Victoria in Wellington back home - the day before they decided to shut the school to pupils, there were 100 off sick from a roll of 400. Just add bird flu to that mix, if it actually isn't already. Scary...

Corby Or Not Corby, That Is The Question

OK, OK, so it may not be the best Shakespearian play on words, but that is the topic of the day here in Oz - Schapelle Corby has been convicted of drug smuggling in Indonesia, and Bali specifically, and has been sentenced to twenty years in prison. Public opinion in Australia is exceedingly ugly about the whole conviction and sentence, I kind of get this feeling that everyone here wasn't prepared for the likely verdict.

I hate to play devil's advocate here, and I would be just as traumatised if I was in the same situation here, but the defence case was basically it wasn't mine and it was placed there by a baggage handler. With the main corroborating statement being a prisoner who overheard other prisoners talking about that happening. Not the strongest of cases, especially since any video tape in Brisbane or Sydney airports were wiped after twenty four hours.

And as for the idea of doing a prisoner swap hmm. First off, we aren't talking the IRA or POWs here, and as if Indonesian convicts in Australia would want to go back to Indonesian prisons - or maybe Howard is thinking of a way to offload the illegal immigrants he has out in the desert in South Australia LOL. And I have the sinking feeling that instead of an ongoing reciprocal agreement this would instead be a one off 'Schapelle's Law' LOL.

Truly, if the accused wasn't a (formerly) bubbly, vivacious, attractive girl, would the media have covered and OVER covered it as much as they have here? Really, did Channel 9 have to do a 'reenactment' documentary and vote in show about the case last week? And why does everyone in Australia think Schapelle is innocent? Thinking not only of the 92% of Balinese who think she is guilty, but also That Case 25 years ago, concerning a baby and a dingo and the lynch mobs towards Lindy Chamberlain. Not that I am necessarily defending Lindy, but just the mob mentality of which way 'public opinion' is shaped is intriguing.

And to even think of comparing one billion dollars worth in tsunami aid and nine navy and air force personnel dead on Nias as some sort of pay off for getting Corby off the charges grr. What the heck is the linkage between the three issues, apart from that Australia and Indonesia are both involved. And the rabid nature of the reaction at work, and apparently the wider community saying that they will never ever go to Bali as a trip ever. Either a - don't take drugs over there, or b - double triple lock and glad wrap your suitcases LOL. And the idea that Fiji or Vanuatu are more stable destinations hmm...

Off down to Melbourne for a four day weekend early early tomorrow morning - of course, will keep a travel log on the road, and will catch you all either Tuesday evening or Wednesday. Might do a quick post regards the American Idol final (which is just playing in the background here as I type), but apart from that adios for four days :)

Pauly

Pretty Pic Of The Week - Aurora In Iowa 

State Of Origin Redux

Yes, yes, I admit it, I did get excited by the game last night. It took a while, like about seventy minutes in, before I got more distracted by the footy than anything else I was doing, but I got there. After NSW took the lead, more to the point. The tension before Queensland got the equalizing drop goal, and then the intense tension of extra time, before the relief of the intercept try. If Bowen hadn't got it, the Blues had an overlap or five...

But again, I will remember this year's Bledisloe Cup far more than last night's game. Unless the Wallabies thrash us like the Cantabs did to the Canes last weekend.

On the front of the Sunday Mail Origin 16 page pull out was a pic of Wally Lewis kissing Allan Langer in a lot of grime and mud, under the title magnificent moments of Origin or something. Started me on a chain of thought, thinking that you never seem to see guys kissing each other in North American sports LOL. Or at least not have it on the front page of the sports section - yes, even IF the Cubs ever won again. I think it's something to do with the helmets getting in the way or something - although the whole tight knickerbockers thing and the prancing around in the endzone, hmm LOL.

Just a quick aside to the world of work - was an inbetween day actually workwise, not too bad but then again not too good, same sort of customer calls coming through day after day after day. Just a quick one to say a certain cute female with low cut tshirts, hmm I don't mean to look all the way down her shirt, lol it just happens. And no, I am not even mentioning INITIALS here LOL. Quite impressive as well.

May be an entry later on tonight, try and corrall some good stories together.

Pauly

State of Origin

Or, as it is alternately known, when the Queensland media and public go insane LOL. Not quite sure what the coverage is like south of the border, in NSW, but up here in banana bender state, it's like the Superbowl, FA Cup Final, the Ashes, Wimbledon and the Stanley Cup all rolled into one. Plus maybe Bastille Day and July Fourth as well LOL.

Rugby league was about the second sport that I actually showed an interest in (after cricket, and BEFORE rugby union - hey, I was in Australia at the time), when the Broncos started up in 1987 or 1988, and State of Origin back then with Allan Langer just starting out, and Wally Lewis of course. I got so uptight about the games back then, and even through to the mid 90s, but then something happened, and I can look on the games pretty dispassionately now.

I think that something was the Superleague fiasco, which, although it seems to have worked out in Europe, created a huge civil war in rugby league circles in Australia. And rugby going professional in the background, and the Super 12 and Tri Nations, and my latent typical Kiwiness coming out LOL. The 'where were you' and 'can you remember that game/try' anecdotes are more with the Bledisloe Cup than State of Origin for me nowadays.

Pity really, what with me being in the state again and all... I'm watching the game and I'm trying to get as excited as I used to, but eh, nah I've reverted to a union boy LOL.

Pauly

Big Brother Update

Angela got kicked out on Sunday night, well that was a surprise after she bagged both Glenn and Michelle as soon as she got nominated the Monday before LOL. As you may remember, my early fave was Geneva until Angela bitched her way into the eviction. But for the fireworks they should really have kept both Angela and Nelson in. Would have been good for Nelson to go all the way through and then win it and THEN not get any 'goodies' LOL.

Nominees this week are Michael, Gianna, Geneva and Hotdogs. My money is on Geneva a slight fave ahead of Hotdogs, but if Gianna keeps on whinging like she was yesterday, her odds will shorten. Although title of biggest dickhead in the house (after Nelson has left of course) is BB himself. What on earth do the producers get out of being bastards with the housemates not allowed their potatoes and onions (a shopping bag left in the storeroom that the housemates have to wait until next week to get, NOT a reference to various body parts, some of which may have been seen on Uncut last night)? If I were the housemates I would boycott this week's task or something in retaliation. But when did BB housemates ever organise a union LOL.

From Ausculture's BB blog -

'And How Does This Affect Your Time In The House?
Know what I hate about Big Brother? Nomination night. Sure, it’s good to find out who secretly hates who and all that jazz, but I am well over Big Brother’s insistence that the contestants come up with a “genuine reason” for nominating.

“I hate them?”
“That is not a good enough reason, x. Why do you hate them?”
“Cause they’re an idiot?”
“And how does this affect your time in the house?”
“It’s annoying. And when I’m, erm, annoyed… I am not having… ummm… a good time?”
“But that’s not a genuine reason - please specify.”
“Okay, well - ummm… he… makes me uncomfortable? By, like, interrupting my conversations and stuff?”
“X, that is not a valid reason to nominate someone. You’re talking about how you feel, and Big Brother has asked you to provide examples. If you don’t take Big Brother’s intense, poncey, lip smacking voice seriously, he will be forced to talk in the third person more, and possibly award you a strike.”

For fucks sake! Who cares about a valid reason! Nominate them cos they’re unattractive! Nominate them cos they’re stupid! Nominate them because they fart! Nominate them cos they won’t get naked in the shower! Nominate them for being a terrible kisser! Nominate them for scratching their balls! Who gives a shit - I don’t need to witness half an hour of Big Brother pretending to be a hard hitting Queen’s Counsel in the middle of a murder trial!'

As for the ongoing impressions of the housemates - Christie, aka the package, hmm is aka the blonde as well; Dean, the wanker lol; Geneva, little miss stroppy from what her housemates say, seems fairly harmless from what the public has been shown though; Gianna, little miss wannabe - exactly the same around the boys as Hotdogs is around the girls if you know what I mean. If she didn't have guys to impress, she may be more popular and self assured and INTELLIGENT.

Glenn is a lot smarter than he looks, and is the current favourite to win the entire thing. Hotdogs, see Gianna in reverse LOL. Kate, seems both nice (see Glenn), intelligent (see Tim), and may be the last girl in the house (but see the opposition she has on that side of the gender divide LOL). Michelle, hmm hard to get a take on that girl, a quiet Gianna perhaps.

Michael has apparently gone grumpy this second week, and reaped what he sowed with a nomination nod. Tim, intelligent (see the opposition), but apart from other lefty uni people voting for him, I don't think he has the power base amongst the teeny boppers that vote to last against any of the actual POPULAR people. Greg and David (or, as BB continues to stupidly call them, Logan Greg and Logan David) are still too entwined in what the public is seeing to really rate them as individuals. And David has quietened down and Greg has perked up a bit since both of them have been allowed in the house...

There endeth the BB lesson for the week LOL.
Pauly

Manic Monday, Wish It Were Sunday

On the way home from work today, felt like I had been drained of all my energy. And yeah, I did have a four day weekend, but it went beyond just the getting back into the swing of things feeling. I think it was partially because LDU behind me was having a bad bad day - having issues with the service providers in her life, bank and err telco supplier. And she wasn't getting good customer service and getting stressed out by it all.

And was stressing all around her at the same time. The guy that sits across from both LDU and I was saying to me he couldn't handle all the swearing, and MBA, who has been on honeymoon leave the last two or three weeks said everyone handles LDU in their own way. My way of course being quiet as a mouse when things are going wrong and curling up into the fetal position LOL. SGR wasn't at work to lighten the load, more's the pity, hope she is alright, apparently on sick leave...

Saw Star Wars 3 yesterday, surprise surprise like the other fifty million around the planet. Will put together my usual mini review later in the week, but will give a paragraph opinion of it - is almost as good as Empire, which was the best of the original trilogy. Where the acting was wooden in Attack of the Clones especially, it is back to silly, which is good for what really is a brainless actioner. I look at Natalie Portman in this, and I think of Natalie Portman in Closer or even Garden State, and think, you can do so much better than this girl LOL. Hayden Christensen is pretty good for a Star Wars flick as well, smouldering as much as Harrison Ford perhaps?

But really, I look at the new movies and how ALL the loose ends between 3 and the original are tied up, and I think, Mr Lucas, did you really have in your brain that you would make the series as a trilogy and then a prequel trilogy all those 30 something years ago? Why on earth not make the first movie first LOL? And before you think this is the end of the Star Wars saga, apparently they are remaking the originals as 3-D, and I'm wondering why even bother?

More later, I had more on my mind but it all just went away - oh, Big Brother of course. Can wait until tomorrow.

Laters
Pauly

The Woodsman

All credit to the producers of this intense drama; with the socially unacceptable topic of a paroled child sex offender, it must have seemed a victory in itself to have the movie made, completed and in movie theatres. But instead of just being happy to get the movie on world cinema screens, The Woodsman's creators have put together an accomplished and well acted story as well.

Kevin Bacon has a powerhouse performance as Walter, a convicted child sex offender, released after twelve years in prison. Although the movie and Bacon's acting never actually goes as far as to put Walter in a sympathetic light - he knows he did wrong and was evil - it does an amazing job of showing us his inner struggles and shows Walter's vulnerability.

Almost all the secondary characters are personas that the viewing audience can readily identify with, from Eve as Mary Kay, the secretary who does a search engine check on the new employee, to Mos Def as the cop who doesn't trust Walter as far as he could throw him, to Walter's workmates ostracising him once his back history is out.

Hannah Pilkes is outstanding as the young girl Walter fixates on, and the critical scene between her and Walter is the most intense of the movie. Perhaps the only character that this reviewer could not relate to was Vicki, played by Bacon's real life partner, Kyra Sedgwick. Vicki sees the good in Walter, and starts an on again off again relationship with him, even after his deepest secrets come out. Although she is the hardest to relate with, Vicki is the character that brings out Walter's humanity the most.

The only minor gripes here are that the ending, although not happy, is much more a glass half full than empty affair, and somehow doesn't ring true after all that has gone before. Also somehow out of kilter is the number of 'Walters' in the movie - you may be left thinking is there an epidemic out there if you believe this movie. Of course, with the subject, one offence is too many - but minor gripes only, put against the bravery of getting this movie actually on screen.

Overall The Woodsman is an intense drama, powerfully acted. It is uncomfortable to watch, in some scenes particularly so, but despite what the general public reaction seems to have been, since when did making good movies mean safe choices? Even bad stories sometimes deserve to be told, as in this case. Not for the faint hearted though.

Tired But Worth It

Watched the FA Cup final last night, kick off was 12 midnight with the timezone and everything. And with the extra time and my team, Arsenal, playing CRAP - lol, there should be a law against Manchester United playing with nine players in their own half - it went down to penalty shootouts.

Now, I hate the concept of penalty shoot outs as much as the next footy fan, but when they do happen, and it doesn't involve a spot in the World Cup final for instance, there is just soooooo much drama packed into each thirty second segment for each kick. And even though I said during the match and during the shoot out that I could live with a Man U win, cos they were so all over us, I'm not sure how generous I would still be feeling now if Lehmann hadn't saved Scholes kick.

Just a sense of watching, being dispassionately neutral and general brain disconnect in even such a crucial game that only happens at 3 in the morning LOL. Well, and then I think of the crucial rugby losses New Zealand has had in the wee hours of the morning (1995 final and 99 semi anyone?), but I'm a more rational person about soccer than rugby...

And was worth the price of admission alone (it's just a saying LOL) to watch Rio Ferdinand cry into his shirt as the Gunners held the Cup up. Now, if only we could access oligarch mafia oil money like Chelsea has this year :)

Pauly

A Check Out The News And Pop Culture Post

The pop culture reference came in via the whole American Idol thought process (which got pushed along by Backstreet Boys Incomplete being on Video Hits just at the moment - didn't Anthony do this song a couple weeks ago on AI?). Surprise surprise, Vonzell didn't make it to the top two this week, but a credible third, considering that since the final twelve have been set up it's been obvious that the competition was only really between Bo and Carrie - OK, OK you rabid Constantine fans, it was a three way comp until he got KICKED OUT lol.

I have been thinking that it was Carrie's competition to lose the past several weeks, but on last night's performace, Bo has it in his fingertips. And It being beyond just winning American Idol, he could run for President if he wanted to - done pot and cocaine? Just repent and find God like the latest Prez has. Slept with too many extra curricular girls? Just don't deny it under oath, and act contrite LOL. The Gen X guide to US politics perhaps...

Hmm, the New York Times is trying to make a new story out of old allegations, according to the Pentagon. Not so sure whether it is just an old story revived, when there is a 2000 page report on US military abuses in Afghanistan, that was just recently leaked to the newspaper. As almost always with war on terrorism prison stories nowadays, it makes grim reading. Since it was in the Afghan war, the Geneva convention didn't apply against Al Qaeda or the Taliban, even in spirit. As opposed to Abu Ghraib in the Iraqi theatre of operations of course.

'Like a narrative counterpart to the digital images from Abu Ghraib, the Bagram file depicts young, poorly trained soldiers in repeated incidents of abuse. The harsh treatment, which has resulted in criminal charges against seven soldiers, went well beyond the two deaths.

In some instances, testimony shows, it was directed or carried out by interrogators to extract information. In others, it was punishment meted out by military police guards. Sometimes, the torment seems to have been driven by little more than boredom or cruelty, or both.'

That's just the introduction, tried to make sure the extracted paragraphs weren't too graphic. But just because it is uncomfortable, disturbing to read, doesn't mean that it should be sugar coated or not told. Reminds me, I have to do my review of The Woodsman sometime...

Hmm, and another great PR coup for the war on terror - in Britain today three alleged terrorists who were found not guilty by a jury on charges arising from the ricin plot are looking likely to be deported to Algeria. Where the British Foreign Office has not been able to get assurances that they won't be tortured. OK, so the source material is the Guardian, liberal wimpy leftish (and also my fave British) paper, and the accused probably aren't the nicest of people, but the whole British justice system is being disregarded it seems in this case. They were found not guilty, let's send them away to get tortured.

Sounds very similar to the US policy of 'rendition' - let's send these suspects off to dodgy countries such as Uzbekistan to do the dirty work our Bill of Rights stops us from doing here in the States. Grr. I could make more comment about this good Abu Ghraib story, but there will be plenty of time in the Iraq campaign to come back to it, is just too depressing at the moment.

Ditto on the continuous ongoing stories about the US Senate getting rid of the filibuster. Don't the current Republicans know that they are not in a one party state and when the Dems get power again they will be able to trample Republicans in the reverse situation? The filibuster probably worked well enough for the Republicans during the Clinton years?

Hmm, was going to also comment on the FA Cup final, between Manchester United and Arsenal, but will take a raincheck - will be live on TV tonight, think I will watch it yay - go you Gunners :)

Pauly

Let's NOT Talk About The Rugby

Well, I was meaning this entry to be about how tonight I was one of those people you see at the pub sitting by themselves, enraptured in the television, and thinking, dreading that I will continue to be one of those lonely people at the pub, and sitting by myself at the end of the bar when I'm retired or something. Yep, something to dread.

The thing is that I make friends very easily, but most of my friends are broad based rather than deep. This being the case especially since all my deep friendships are scattered over the globe, and I keep moving countries every couple of years LOL. Apart from workmates or ex-workmates, there is bugger all friendship wise in Brisbane - but I would just love a person or five to go to the movie or watch sports or go to concerts with. I even have gone onto one of those meet-up websites, not to go on dates, but to have activity 'buddies'. Of course, not going on there to date or flirt, lol have gotten bugger all responses...

Surely there are more people out there that can't be bothered going to things by themselves and want to have a friend or designated fake date material to just hang out with. Believe it or not, I am shy in real life situations - work I can deal with, because you get to know people's personalities over the course of eight hours per day, but throw me into a group of strangers who I'm not going to have regular contact with and I clam up. As I am sure most people do...

Of course, I was going to write about that sort of topic, but then I decided against it, believe it or not. Firstly I am going to boycott the Exchange Hotel - Brisbane's rugby HQ my foot - now, I am OK listening to Hootie or Jamiroqui or the other sludge pop or nouveau reggae, but they have their own time and place, which is NOT over the top of a Super 12 semi final. Sure, it's two New Zealand teams, but so called rugby HQ indeed. Walked out at halftime, Crusaders up 18 nil.

So found myself in Finelly's (or whatever it's called, just outside the railway station). And the torture began. Eighteen nil is OK enough to come back from, and err, 35 nil is only five converted tries - improbable but doable in the last twenty five minutes. But 40 nil, conversion to go, twenty minutes to go in the game, and ten minutes til the next train, the train and a quick McDonald's meal on the way through the station won out. Twenty extra minutes of torture, plus another twenty minutes waiting for a train, versus an earlier train and away from the rugby and home as quickly as possible, wasn't a competition LOL.

I don't know WHY I wait until the semis to catch my first Hurricanes game of the season, three times we have gotten to the semi, and we have never been through to the final yet. Next year is the refrain, like the national team looking back at 1987 and the World Cup.

Bought the Shawshank Redemption on DVD, the 10 year anniversary edition - was on sale for under $20 at JB's Hi Fi (is the actual name of a shop, not an acquaintance with my abbreviation LOL), they have good deals there. Is the running time really 284 minutes? I was sure it was less than that - around the four hour mark, but surely not near the five hours?

And am just watching American Idol, delayed from umm two and a half days ago - they are doing the results segment now, with the padding out let's send our final three back to their home towns thing, but really, I thought it was a Bo versus Carrie competition, but with the actual competition segment, Bo blew Carrie away with his three songs. And with Bo's segment of when we was back home, is it just me or does he have a Clintonesque sort of glow around him? The women going nuts LOL...

Fingers crossed it's Vonzell going tonight, but more on that tomorrow morning...

Later peeps
Pauly

Remember The Days Of The Old School Yard...

Yes, that indeed was the song that we had to sing at our leaving function from high school. Have gone over all nostalgic this morning due to the inanity of my early 1994 diary, and how important it seemed that high school (which I had finished in 1993) was.

From my blog went to the actual school site, and have been amazed that some of the teachers I had back in the early 90s are still there. I don't know, maybe it's just me not having worked at a job for longer than four years, or maybe it is the thing of being at high school for only four or five years, that you look back twelve years later and it seems an age.

And from looking at the school website, was an easy hop skip and jump to one of those old schoolmate websites, where you put in your name and details and see who else from your year group has LOL. Hmm, not entirely sure whether I should have put both my school and the find your mate site on here, I'm not hiding here or anything, but a person who knows me in real life if they really wanted to could track and hunt me down LOL - well, the hunt I am sure is hyperbole, big word of the day, but a Paul that went to my school that has added himself the last few days at the website hmm, yeah. And then connect the dots back to what I have been writing about in here - eh, how many people read my blog, how many people who know me read it.

And the clues I have given away already (I'm still unsure as to whether to change the earlier entries that still had full names in em LOL), anyone with a search engine and a grudge could easily find me without having to come into this particular entry.

Canada's government didn't fall today. The Speaker having to do a tiebreaker vote, and one of the high flying Tories defecting saved the day for Paul Martin. Now, with the Stronach thing, do you think it is more she dislikes Steven Harper or likes the idea of a cabinet post that caused her to cross the floor? Where is the dynamic Paul Martin who scythed down Chretien in the Liberal leadership 'contest'? Why on earth am I so intrigued by Canadian politics LOL?

Now it's likely Canada will have a January of February election, after the Gomery report comes out. I hope the polling stations will be centrally heated, hmm I can just imagine the lovely summery conditions at that time of year. And I think not having an election now will help the Tories more than it would have if they had succeeded in the no confidence thing - now they won't look as opportunistic when it is a Liberal leader deciding when to have the election. They have the chance to play the 'longer' game, although eight months is still pretty short in electoral terms...

Off to do some windowshopping and watch some Hurricanes Crusaders rugby shortly. Woohoo :)

Pauly

A Quiet One In The Main

'In the main' being the operative three words in the title today. V wandered into the chatroom I was in this afternoon and blew her stack. Literally, blew. Her. Stack. Now that the K thing is more in the background than it was, what with me finally telling K I am kinda sorta dating, next Pauly habit on the chopping block is obviously chatrooms.

Now yes, I do admit that chatrooms can bring out the freakiest dodgiest flirtiest aspect in both guys and girls, but to tar every girl in there with the words 'skank ho' or 'slut' hmmph. Also, I believe, and V agrees with my belief, that I am more mature and grounded online than I was even two years ago, so why can't she just trust me that I know how to avoid the fruit loops and such?

V hates chatrooms with a vengeance. But I don't do private conversations in chatrooms, I don't see anyone on there as friends, even internet ones, rather I see them as acquaintances only - the one possible exception being LST (nee LCL), who hardly ever sends email. The last person I met online who I consider an actual friend was/is LHO about hmm how long has it been? Nine months, a year something like that...

V fears I will find someone online to replace her. That's the crux of the matter, and why she hates chatrooms so much, but I do understand that chatrooms are not healthy places to 'pick up' lol. Give me some freaking credit. And I am a LOT better in err behaviour than I was a few years ago...

Shrugging shoulders here, I am not looking anywhere at the moment. V is my best friend, but when she feels she is getting 'kicked in the stomach' she forgets all the positive stuff. I'm not looking for a partner online or in real at the moment, but eh, what do I know, I'm a male online, I must be a sleaze. And so easily manipulated by the fruit loop sluts on chats LOL.

Was looking at the Melbourne tourism website today - AFL footy at the MCG, National Gallery of Victoria, riding the trams, maybe a gelato in Little Italy in Carlton or an ice cream down on St Kilda Esplanade (yes, yes, I know it's going to be midwinter LOL). Maybe a couple of beers at a rugby pub (there MUST be one somewhere in a city of three million, even if it is rabid AFL country LOL) watching the Hurricanes win the Super 12... V said it will be the AFL or the art, not both, hmm, but there is a good Dutch Masters show on down there - she's not an art girl hmm.

Didn't go out at all today, but tomorrow I think I will head out to one of the pubs to watch the Hurricanes Crusaders semi, starting 5.30 Brisbane time - go the Canes, we have been in two semis, but haven't made the final yet. And the Monaco Grand Prix on this week - the McLaren drivers apparently have their names in diamonds on their helmets for this weekend - now, don't crash Kimi or Juan Pablo, can't have diamonds scattered across Monte Carlo's streets LOL.

I guess it will be Star Wars Three for the movie this weekend, it's either that or Kingdom of Heaven, and best to get Star Wars out of the way as quickly as possible, so I can make sense or otherwise of the hype LOL.

Later peeps
Pauly

Pretty Flower Picture Of The Month 

Well That Was A Barrel Of Laughs

Goddammit.

Lost a whole hour's worth of posting, or actually longer than that, but in and out of typing. So much for the 'recover post' aspect, doesn't help when your whole comp freezes and the ctrl alt del option screws up.

Now I'm not really in the mood to post, but I didn't yesterday either, so I guess I must. Although what people stumbling in here on some of the search hits I get are thinking of this, I have no idea...

Hmmph. The White House blasts Newsweek for portraying the United States in a negative light for getting their story about the Koran as toilet paper perhaps maybe wrong. Hmm, anyone ask what the whole reason for keeping people without charge at Guantanamo, some for three or four years, has to do with either a positive or neutral light for the US image? And also the whole thing about Abu Ghraib, those torture and humiliation pictures - but of course, with that it was just a few bad apples wasn't it?

Grr - McClellan saying that maybe Newsweek should do a report on how the US military bans Koranic desecration, and does the disingeneous aside of saying he can't control what people report about. Softball answers, to no doubt softball questions LOL.

I don't much care for George Galloway or his politics, either the Old Labour version or the new 'opportunistic' phase, but it sounds like it was a real entertaining doozy his appearance before the Senate committee investigating the oil for food thing. He hit a raw nerve I think when he compared his meeting Saddam twice to Rumsfeld's LOL.

Now I am sure if Galloway perjured himself, Tony Blair and 90% of the Labour party will be rubbing their hands with glee, but hmm, weapons of mass destruction or London will be attacked in forty five minutes anyone? Oh, I forgot, that's not lying under oath unless it's about oral sex with the intern LOL.

Now, onto the really important stuff, LOL Big Brother. Constance and Nelson got evicted last night - I'm surprised that Constance left instead of Dean, because out of all the girls she seemed to be the only one with an engaging personality. Sure, engaging doesn't necessarily mean you want to be around her 24/7, but that's the housemates not us that has to put up with it LOL.

And hmm, the nominees this week are Dean, Geneva, Tim and Angela. I did think it was Geneva going to go on Sunday, but yesterday all Angela seemed to do was bitch (going by the TV coverage, have to check out the official site blog later), and her odds have been slashed to 1.36 - all the others are at sevens LOL. Quoting odds, makes me feel very smokey corner of the pub filling out TAB stubs LOL, and race seven from Ellerslie is coming up next :P

Four day weekend starts here for me LOL, but have bugger all planned. Will vege out for the next couple of days no doubt...

Later peeps
Pauly

Monday Like A Wednesday

Title today indicates that I am having a three day week here - when I tried to sort out my roster period last time round, I had an idea to go down to Tassie this upcoming weekend, but the ticket sale for down there ended the week before the rosters came out, and I haven't seen them on cut price sale since. So I guess I will be having a vege out Thursday and Friday, what a pity LOL - all those extra forty minute segments at work this month will seem worth it I am sure...

Next roster period though I have it more sorted, V is visiting relatives in Melbourne during the Tassie school holidays (she works in a school down there), and Melbourne is a lot easier and cheaper to get to than just that extra couple hundred miles across Bass Strait. Apart from an AFL game, I have no idea what to do down there at this stage - even though I dislike Aussie rules, I will give it a shot live, what with the beer and pie sales at the MCG LOL, Hawthorn Collingwood possibly the game that we will head for. V likes Shane Crawford, she doesn't actually like footy, so I may have to bribe her with binoculars LOL.

As soon as the rosters came out at work though I said to LDU that's good I will be able to go down to Melbourne, and think I have a bonding topic with my boss, KBI is a rabid AFL fan, lol, now whether to ingratiate myself by going to the Tigers Lions game at the Gabba, I like it kinda on TV, and the MCG will be nice to go to, but hmm not a regular fan - as long as the game doesn't clash with the Hurricanes winning the Super 12 LOL.

Quiet at work today, not much happening, apart from Big Brother goss LOL - had a ridealong with the upstairs team, LNE inviting me up and everything, and ADE doing the actual overview of things. Very challenging by the looks, and uses more braincells than the work I do currently - I do love talking to customers, that is my fave part of the job, but as for overall job satisfaction, not counting the gossip with LDU, SGR and the others, hmm it just seems same problems, same calls, same braindead patches during the day. Just a very same feeling sometimes about things, which blends one day to the next - I am sure it happens with almost every job, but the other team may be the next challenge I can take on, and I do like the thought of working 'under' LNE LOL, and yes my mind is in the gutter LOL, well for a split second there.

Hmm, all the goings on in Big Brother huh? When I said that Hotdogs was a sleaze yesterday, I should have qualified it - he is a sleaze when women are around, but you get him by himself, say in the diary room for instance, he does seem quite intelligent. Brainy sleaze perhaps LOL.

Good article here about how BB may have mishandled the Logan situation. Basically saying that he could have messed with more heads if some were left knowing the secret and others weren't. And how ditzy does Gianna come across about the whole oh which Logan do I like - really, don't take it personally luvvie, the whole twins thing is to mess with all their heads LOL.

And isolating Constance, Dean and Nelson for lying about their romantic involvements, that was an interesting twist. Thank goodness they decided not to go ahead with the full UK BB treatment, by showing the in house footage to the punishment room - we have fireworks enough, we don't need full on hatred. And is good that they are being nominated and two of the three will be kicked out - Constance should get through, Nelson is just dumb dumb dumb, and Dean could have had a chance of surviving tomorrow's eviction, IF he hadn't said he had nothing to apologise for.

As for the actual nominations tonight, Geneva, Tim and Angela, with Michelle getting a lucky Glenn provided escape (I don't think Michelle will go any further with Glenn because of it, but he can hope LOL), geez, I didn't know Geneva was that hated in the group. Yes, she's loud, and yes, she's catty and inconstant in her emotions, but she must be pretty obvious about it all to rub everyone the wrong way as she is. Kate should have got more 'staying under the radar votes' - Tim won't go, he's too well liked by the lefty nutter contingent (I'm counting myself under that heading, so don't spam me please) on the outside to be in any danger. I think it will be Geneva to go, but Angela should be worried...

Okies, that has been my day LOL

Spot ya later
Pauly

It Is KYRA Sedgwick, Of Course

Hmm, I dunno where I got the Myra name from before, but either way, she is hot hot hot :)

Onto my geopolitics link for the day, the US Administration is being criticised (as they should be) for downplaying the Uzbek authorities cracking down on 'terrorist organisations' in the unrest that is happening over there. Human rights and democracy seem all well and good when it is Ukraine or Georgia is the gist of the story... but will shut it there LOL, I know sometimes I go too model citizen and everyone should love one another philosophy.

Big Brother, and three of the housemates have been evicted for lying about their partnered up status - since this was the series where they were all supposed to be single, sexy and competitive. Well, I guess BB can only throw them out for lying about the single one, the other two are more judgement calls LOL. Although it does look like it will be like the UK show, when the evicted housemates were actually put into isolation. The twins got sprung, all for the fact of an injury in the house...

So yeah, let's do a week one rundown on them all - Angela is loud, Christie is brainless, Constance is fun but could easily become annoying if cooped up with her, Dean wanker, Geneva is unsure of herself even though she tries to do the whole big act, Gianna is a poser, but tries her best to be a real person, Glenn is the dark horse of the show thus far - and just when you think Glenn is a simple country boy, along comes Ryan from last year (on the Friday show) to make Glenn seem an Einstein :)

Hotdogs is a sleaze, Kate is still playing under the radar too much to show much of herself, Michelle hmm a quieter Gianna perhaps, Michael, like Constance would be fun but could be a bit overwhelming 24/7, Nelson double wanker (also see Dean), Tim hmm, intelligent I guess, but not much competition - I have that impression just because he occasionally tries to raise the bar of the conversation...

Can't really get a handle on how nominations will go, always hard to gauge from outside the fishbowl the first round of nominations, and especially with the shaking up they have done this evening... and the next question is, will Greg and David be allowed to stay in the house, even though they failed their initial task?

Hmmm - later peeps
Pauly

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Well that was a relaxing day. Went out for lunch with the parents - about the first time they have been out for a meal together in I don't know how long, was happy I got them out of the house. No matter that it was one of the cafes attached to the shopping mall (though not actually IN the shopping mall, that would have been sad), no matter that the conversation wasn't at diamond level - it is a start, and will try to get them out of the house on a more regular basis. I said to them, now if you go see a movie now, that will kill two birds with one stone - they haven't been to the cinema in about five years...

Then I had to hotfot it all the way across town to Indooropilly, seeing as that was the only cinema in this city of one and a half million people showing The Woodsman. Got there with about an hour to kill, so a whole new shopping mall to explore LOL - but after lunch and various other expenses, there wasn't a helluva lot of spending money available. That is basically torture you know, having time to kill in a shopping mall but no money - I did buy the Closer DVD, brilliant movie, before realising that I may have to watch it myself rather than with an audience, especially a parental one, not just the swearing, but pretty explicit sex talk. There is no nudity apart from Natalie Portman's posterior from memory, but hmm the talk and the cybersex session, yeah I might just leave the parents to watch it themselves if they pick that movie to watch one night LOL.

And on buying Magnolia yesterday, noticed that the warning on the front said this movie includes medium level coarse language. Medium level? I remember quite clearly the C word being used several times in that movie, and of course endless amounts of fuck - umm, censors, if the C word comes under medium level language, dare I ask what high level coarse language would be?

Anyways, saw The Woodsman. Good movie, powerfully acted, uncomfortable to watch, but a story that was worth telling I think. Minor gripe about the positive ending (won't say happy ending, but more glass half full than empty), but the makers of the movie were brave enough to put the subject out there in the first place. Will of course put together a fuller review later in the week, but on another note, Myra Sedgewick OMG hot :)

Be back in a bit - Big Brother is on, and he's pissed off LOL - oh, the twins have been busted, guess all those popularity votes aren't going to count for much if they are having to go. But who knows what will happen this BB - I remember hearing last year the British version 'evicted' two girls and put them in an isolation room, WITH a feed from the actual house so they could see what was going on in there, and who was backstabbing who. Rumour is that is what will happen with the partnered up housemates when they were supposed to be single...

Ciao for now
Paul

After East Germany and Czechoslovakia Comes Romania

Title of today's post is kind of thinking that the whole dissolution of who governs the Russian near abroad (what used to be the Soviet Union) is kind of like the fall of the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe in 1989. After reasonably peaceful handovers in Georgia and Ukraine, a chaotic but bloodless changeover in Kyrgyzstan, things are going pear shaped in Uzbekistan. In 1989 when the Berlin Wall fell and the Czechs and Slovaks had their Velvet Revolution, it was only really Romania where there was pitched fighting.

Of course, the fall of Communism also affected Yugoslavia, but that was more a delayed reaction thing. As I write there are differing accounts of death tolls in Andijan in Uzbekistan, between nine as the official government count, to over two hundred by some eyewitnesses. Troops on the streets, journalists being barred going into the city, hmmph, worrying. Apparently started off with a prison riot, people considering themselves political prisoners being tarred with the phrase Islamic terrorists. Both Russia and the United States have military bases in the country, and Uzbek President Karimov has put himself squarely onside in the war on terror... watch this space, developing story...

Hmm, onto a less depressing story, some people just have too much money. Some British billionaire is paying Destiny's Child and perhaps Justin Timberlake to perform at his son's bar mitzvah. Three day event will cost four million quid. Worryingly, isn't the first time he has had celebrities around, for his fiftieth he had Tom Jones and Rod Stewart and the theme was a toga party - now THAT brings up a mental image doesn't it LOL.

Reading a big article - big in both of terms of length and mind 'bandwidth' required - LOL, is easier to think about the big topics earlier in the evening than now - about Guantanamo Bay and the Patriot Act in the Guardian, but my news finding fuses are just about blown for the day, so will head to even lighter topics than Destiny's Child and Timberlake LOL...

Personally speaking, today has been quiet. Watched the Top 32 on Rage this morning (it was number 32, Britney Spears, when I flicked the TV on), started putting together my secondary blog, my actual DIARY from the deep distant past (1994, it does continue on and off until 2003), did a bit of websurfing, had lunch...

After lunch I went with Dad to the local mall - first time I have been out of the house on a Saturday in I don't know how long - and couldn't resist buying two DVDs. Magnolia and Traffic, seeing as I am in an ensemble movie mood after seeing Crash last weekend, that must have been those particular two choices - plus Magnolia only being $15... also wanted to get Closer, but that is a new release currently at full price, maybe in a couple weeks time or something. Mmm, Natalie Portman in a g-string - now for all those who have only seen her in Star Wars, I am not fantasizing over 'we must have kids to make the next three movies make sense, screw it if there isn't any actual on screen chemistry' Queen Amidala LOL.

Also bought the latest TV Week, the first time in like about ten or fifteen years I have actually bought one of THOSE sort of magazines - yes, it says TV Week on the front, but basically it is the same as the ones where we open to ogle at which celebrity has the best clothes, what they are up to and who is getting seperated divorced kind of magazines. And yes, I admit I have gotten that celebrity gawking urge over me, it is the Logies issue. There were some damned fine girls in dresses that evening, and I just had to buy it LOL - sad, huh.

Tonight it was watching Harry Potter Three - better than the first two movies, piqued my interest in the series again, but still, if it comes up against serious competition in the cinemas the particular weeks the next installment is showing, it may be another date with the DVD or video version, instead of at the cinema...

Also saw a good doco on SBS about the Battle of Monte Cassino during World War Two. Is part of a series showing the 'liberation' of Germany from a German point of view, but Cassino drew my interest for a couple of reasons. Primarily because it was one of the two major battles in the war that the New Zealand troops were involved in (the other being El Alamein), and the other being that our commanding officer has the dubious distinction of being the person that ordered the bombing of a 1500 year old monastery. The Germans weren't using it as a base, but having such an excellent observation post , I can understand the Allied troops and leaders thinking, imagine having it loom over you on a daily basis when your fellow troops are getting butchered.

Of course, the monastery was bombed, but then the monks moved out to the Vatican and the Germans DID actually take ownership of the rubble. Some of the worst fighting on the Western Fronts then took place - surely nothing can compare to the Eastern Front, even thinking of Stalingrad and what I have read happened there makes me think. Twenty five million Soviets died, both soldiers and civilians, and 95% of all German battlefield casualties happened on the Eastern Front...

But New Zealand did order the bombing of the monastery where St Benedict started Western monastic civilisation, yay us LOL. Sarcasm sarcasm - kind of like how New Zealand had an effect on the Montreal Olympics, we sent a rugby team to apartheid South Africa and the rest of the African nations boycotted the Games.

Yes, Montreal, you can send Wellington the debt mountain incurred by those Olympics LOL - Canada and Quebec may be able to pay it off finally in the next couple of years hmm, let's do a Google search... and yes, it will be sometime in the 2005/06 financial year that the games as old as I am will be able to pay themselves off LOL.

Later peeps
Pauly

Blog Wars Four, A New Hope

Yeah yeah, so I am completely ripping off the REAL Episode One title of a certain movie franchise, but eh, it's Saturday morning and I didn't get much sleep (my own damned fault, I know I know, damned Big Brother Up Late LOL), but what I am indicating in the title is that I have started a 'new' blog. No, I am not diluting myself over the whole 'this is my politics blog, this is my personal blog, this is my fave baseball team blog', but instead the new link is going to be where I put my diaries from 1994 to 2003. It is historical Pauly, not quite the same person as I am now - I hope I have become a better writer in the last ten years, but will be for you to judge, if of course anyone wants to wander over there :)

V's aunt died on Wednesday - I sent flowers, although sent sounds like I actually posted them from Brisbane, I rang one of her local florists and got them to do it, all I asked for was pastelly colours - I know the modern theme of funeral flowers is bright, but couldn't bring myself to do it. As I said to LHO in conversation last night, I might send bright flowers for someone that I actually know, and know well. Unlike V's dad I did meet this aunt (at the father's funeral) but there was so many new faces then that I have to admit that I can't remember the face to the name... and for some reason I feel really bad about that particular lapse of memory...

More later
Pauly

The Weekend Stretches Out Ahead

Thank goodness that week is over. Truly truly should have gotten more sleep as plan A, and plan B the work week dragged soooo damned much. Was quiet three of the five days and was medium not slogging for a fourth. Credit to LDU and SGR for keeping the entertainment levels high, Big Brother the main non work topic of course, but I was wiped by the end of shift this evening, and had been thinking of going to the pub earlier in the day and week, but just wanted to get home and curl up basically. Kinda lucky I did cos the other option would be to watch the rugby, and the Crusaders flogged us by twenty points...

Hmm, was checking my site stats for the day, and I have skyrocketed from the last couple of weeks. Trawling through the hits, I think I can make a guess that Big Brother is helping me out, both Constance and Gianna nude (although I haven't actually mentioned any nudity about the programme, YET) featuring highly on searches, and am currently getting a first ranking for Constance being nude on one of the blogtrackers woohoo, first time first at anything apart from the actual website name :)

Was looking at the movie listings in the paper at work yesterday, and LDU asked what movie I had in mind this Sunday (she already knows Sunday is my movie day), and I said The Woodsman, and LDU said I have no interest whatsoever in seeing that movie. Like it's not the best subject matter, pedophiles (ick, am just imagining what search hits I am going to get for THAT), but I'm pretty sure the Kevin Bacon character manages to withstand whatever urges he has, and I have heard it's pretty powerhouse acting, so yeah I had to search it out - only playing at ONE cinema in the whole of Brisbane. That's me though, some people go to XXX2, Sahara, Kingdom of Heaven - I go to Closer, Crash and The Woodsman. Nothing else on apart from Kingdom of Heaven that I want to see, and the reviews I've heard of that is it ain't no Gladiator, not that I especially liked that one either.

American Idol tonight - remember, kiddos, Australia gets it three days behind the States. What on earth was Vonzell so upset about? I can tell you I was very upset with perhaps my favourite song of the night being mauled as badly as it was, How Do I Live - or, as my mother aptly called it while Vonzell was ruining it, How Do I Sing LOL. Bo didn't look like he was enjoying himself with the country song, but came back well with the Apprentice song LOL. And of course, the night that I correctly predicted Anthony would be kicked out, he actually sang a song better than Carrie LOL. Vonzell out next week, Bo and Carrie too close to call for the final...

Hmm, this is the pop culture post of the day it seems - too late to continue with the international geopolitics entry, the personal life entry, or hmm the Big Brother nude review post LOL. More hits, more hits :)

Spotya tomorrow
Pauly

Another Day Of Bloodshed In Iraq

Nearly four hundred civilians have been killed in the past two weeks, and today another carbombing in Baghdad claimed another seventeen lives. 25 US troops have also died so far this month, a spike in the casualty rate over the last couple of months. On television just before, they had the Iraq episode of ER, which I guess was in North America a few months ago - reminded me somewhat of MASH, the helicopters coming into the medical base.

Read a column in the New York Times sometime last week, I think it was Thomas Friedman, who said that if the censorship of the coverage from Iraq was loosened or lifted, public opinion of the war would plummet - if there are hundreds dead in two weeks, obviously there are thousands injured in these attacks, both of the Iraqis and coalition forces, but the impression you get from the media coverage in the States is that everything is OK as long as the most important thing on the news is the baseball LOL.

And the reason I post so many links to Iraq stories on here is not that I agree with the war or anything, but for the fact that although pictures and television can say a thousand words in just a glance, there is something distant about being behind a flat screen or as a photo. With good journalism, such as that piece I linked yesterday from Fort Wayne, it can feel like you are actually there with the troops (for better or worse, depending on your view of the war - despite all the political decisions to start the war and stuff, I support the actual troops over there, they are doing the best they can - also partly the you break it you fix it Powell doctrine).

Srebrenica. Another blot on the 'international community's' conscience. Just mention it because some of the survivors of the invasion of the town and subsequent massacre have brought a court case in the Netherlands to sue the Dutch military (remember, it was their peacekeepers in the town at the time of the Serb forces overrunning it). Geez I love to choose depressing topics from the newswires don't I?

Oh, good to see at least some people still have a sense of humour - there was a test email from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs saying that Perth was under threat from terrorists or something. This email was accidentally sent out to the public, I am sure quickly recalled, but all these people whinging at the top of the story about trashing WA's image blah blah blah - the Perth City Council agreed tongue in cheek with the warning, saying 'The weather is a bit dodgy.' Classic comeback :)

In the immortal words of Monty Python, and now onto something completely different.

Big Brother. No, I promise to keep comments to a minimum, but I need to update my links list, and for starters to add Ausculture's BB blog - hysterically funny so far, pimp pimp LOL. Not that pimping from this blog will do much, my readers seem to have deserted me this week. Eh, not to worry, will just go to one of those traffic generator sites probably LOL.

Later peeps
Pauly

More Of That Good Public Relations

Newsweek apparently reported that at Guantanamo Bay, some of the interrogators put copies of the Koran on toilets to humiliate the Muslim detainees. Yeah, that will break their will if torture doesn't - anyways, the reports have set off riots in Afghanistan and unhappiness in Pakistan. Four dead in the Jalalabad riots - how to make friends and influence people indeed.

Three hundred and seventy civilians have been killed in various terrorist attacks in Iraq in the past week. The US Marines are fighting near the Syrian border trying to root out some terrorists, and in this story in the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel (Indiana, isn't it?) the marines seem to be surprised that the insurgents have some brains and that they were prepared for an attack. When exactly was this mission accomplished supposed to be over?

Yes, I have to agree that now the troops are in there, Iraq needs to be stabilised unless the international community wants it to be a failed state, and yes, it is good that there is a semi democratic government in place, and 'freedom is marching on'. I agree with all that, sort of kind of, but still disagree with the decisions made in 2002 and early 2003 to start a premeditated war (warheads hitting London in forty five minutes, yeah right), and the decisions made since that have alienated the Iraqi population, and given air to the flame of the insurgency, and freedom does not mean freedom to maybe avoid suicide bombings if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But I guess it is good that the front line of the war on terrorism is so far away from the American mainland, even if the invasion created the circumstances for terrorism to flourish there. And notice how the quagmire word doesn't come up anymore, instead the historical buzzword recently seems to be Vietnamisation - and we all know how successful that policy was, thirtieth anniversary since the fall of Saigon recently and all that...

Hmm, the eighties were not a high point of English soccer, and especially spectator safety. Of course I remember Hillsborough, and I kind of sort of remember Heysel, but today it is twenty years since fifty six people were killed in a fire at Bradford City. This piece, by one of the survivors, who lost his grandfather, father, uncle and brother in the fire, is heartrending. And, even more amazingly, in a tragic way, he was actually also at Hillsborough in 1989 - on the other end of the ground from the carnage, but still, I can hardly begin to imagine what it would have been like. It was bad enough watching on TV.

Eh, not much you can do to even think of swinging the entry around to anything happy happy after reading as much about the Bradford thing as I have just done.

Paul

Random Thoughts Of The Day

What does it mean when a team leader who you don't know that well, but who was on the interview panel a few months ago to give you the job, comes up and ruffles you on the shoulder (I tried to think of a better word than ruffles, but thought that was kinda most appropriate) when you say you were ten minutes late into work? Very odd, but maybe she's just a touchy feely kind of person - whereas I, even with my best friends, am still very protective of my personal space, ESPECIALLY at work. Or maybe I have just become one of the cool kids, after all these years :)

So yeah, was ten minutes late into work - caught the bus, stupid me. But even though I am in the outer suburbs, you would still think it would take less than an hour to get into town? There are two bus routes that go past in the morning, one drops you off on the corner of work, and the other one in the centre of town, eight minutes hard walking away. And guess which one I caught running up to, getting the driver to wait for me, and realising it was the wrong one. But still hopping on it, I obviously have a great deal of guilt about holding up buses LOL.

Had a kebab for lunch - the first time in like weeks months years that I haven't had a felafel, and actually had meat in a kebab. Had barbeque sauce and it was sooooooooo good - it was yum (and my mind goes back to one of those email scandals a few years ago, anyone remember the 'yours is yum' fiasco?). Although of course now I have to wash my mind out, my kebab was not yum in that way whatsoever LOL. The second sauce was sour cream, but will not say anything more about anything regards kebabs this evening :)

It was pretty quiet at work today, LDU, SGR and myself had more than enough time to discuss the happenings in Big Brother and Survivor last night. Good to see the first catfight happening already in BB - might have to go across to the site to see what's happened today.

For a telephone based job as my own there is nothing better than good hold music. My own company's hold music is pretty insipid, but surely it is better than the endless menus customers have to navigate, but for the first time in months I actually had hold music that I liked today - hate taking a call and it going directly into hold music, but when the music is from the local radio station, has Violent Femmes AND Shakira, well, I will wait a few more minutes to see whether you will get rid of the other call than usual. Mmm, whatever happened to Shakira LOL, haven't heard from her in a couple years?

Will just also mention that there is a Cute Cafe Girl (CCG as she will know be known, I don't know her name) that has been talking to me when the chance has arisen the last few weeks. For a while there I thought it was just common courtesy, that every customer got the same service and mini conversations, but when I went in for a late shift the other week she was cleaning the tables outside and I had almost walked past her when she said hi how are you doing, or words to that effect, and kinda surprised me, in a nice way. Did I mention she was cute LOL? Today almost had a full conversation while I was buying my afternoon tea drink... watch this space?

Along with a few other spaces I am sure - after all those years of being a shy bespectacled self conscious short boy, have those characteristics become cool? Or, to put another way, is nerdiness the new black LOL. Surely if it has happened, I didn't see it coming at all :)

And those of you that have read me for a while, know that instead of basking in it, I am over analysing and doubting every good aspect of attention I get. As he posts for the entire world to read LOL (but only if they want to).

May write more later tonight, more on the news in the rest of the world aspect of things :)

Pauly

Insert Subject Here

Has been a quiet day. Work was quiet, no random thoughts dropping out of my head that I can now remember happening, well nothing of any consequence anyhows, and LDU and SGR were pretty quiet from what I can remember - my brain is usually like a sieve pretty soon after leaving work, so it takes a lot for something to stick in there after the train trip home :)

Oh, I reminded LNE that I was trying out for her team sometime maybe in the future LOL, and she sent back an email quickly saying that maybe Thursday if she gets OK from my new boss, will be fine. She then came down for a floor tour it seemed, and smiled at me and talked about how the spare desk in her area has the best view and everything - I like her, breath of fresh air personality for a team leader and such, and no, we are NOT thinking extra curricularly here LOL.

Caught up with SWA on the train home - had bumped into her as well as MCU and JCO at break time, and they were virtually skipping out the door (smokers) to catch up. Apparently they had had a rough meeting with their team, some of the newbies in their team seem very cliquey and talking over each other, no respect for others in the team meeting. Sounds like it was very kindergartenish, but would have liked to have been a fly on the wall to make my own judgements - not that I disbelieve them, but SURELY it couldn't have been that bad...

Oh, and those three that I caught up with at arvo tea, as well as RTO, another girl whom is still a contract worker, are sick of the place, and want to move on, preferably to somewhere that pays you for public holidays. So four of my long time work buddies may be headed off soon, hmmph. Ah well, is it only me and my corner which seems to be any fun on the floor at the moment? Ah well, part deux LOL, will be opportunity to have leaving drinks perhaps, if any of them wind up heading off... note the use of the word IF lol...

LDU is an intriguing woman. She can seem so self sufficient and assertive and such, and then she turns around to me and asks 'do you think I eat too much Pauly?' - and yes, she does add the Y on the end of my name. Sometimes not sure how seriously to take her questions and comments. And yes, that dangerous word again, intriguing - and like I said, I must be in the only half decent corner of the floor, social interaction wise - the boss, KBI, is diagonally opposite, pretty close, but seems fine enough. Will talk to her about how I am settling in maybe on Thursday, will see if she likes me at that stage :)

Was thinking about the Big Brother household earlier today, as you do when you are in Australia, and was thinking how I would have auditioned - IF I had been in the country at the time, those of you with longer memories, or wanting to flick the search button on the blog back to January, I was in New Zealand at the time, dammit. I would LOVE to see how I could stand three and a half months away from the world, and would pitch it to the contestant pickers that I would be doing a social experiment on myself - I get jittery enough during the work day when there are important news stories breaking, such as the British elections. No books or writing material either, apart from a possible blog for the public, it would be interesting indeed.

LDU pointed out that no Kiwi has been on Big Brother yet, and I said well I am a resident, I don't think the rules precluded non Australians being in there. Hmm, reminds me of a discussion I had with my Canberra friend, LHO, about the merits of Kiwiness or Australian citizenship - agree to disagree is always my first avoid the issue response with those type of things. LOL, go for Aussie citizenship to get onto Big Brother - kidding kidding all you patriotic Australians, please don't track me down and deport me :)

Big Brother is a goldmine of material for a blog, but will try to keep it to a minimum, maybe a weekly how I feel about the contestants, and who I think will be getting kicked out in the nominations. Like I said, will try to keep to a minimum - there's enough crap in this blog without ANOTHER reality TV show intruding :)

Who's up for a drink at the local pub this Friday? I think I can corral at least a few workmates together, if you wanna nominate a Brisbane pub to catch up in :)

Later taters
Pauly

You Know You're Addicted To Your Blog When...

... you note down during various parts of the day what may be good blog fodder, as I have done on and off today.

For instance, first off the bat today, I was listening to REM's Automatic For The People on my CD walkman on the train into work this morning, and I suddenly realised that this album was released in 1992, just a year after Desert Storm and before Clinton was President, this is like ancient history man. Before Maroon Five even LOL. And then I thought of SGR at work, who was like eight years old when that album came out, woah (as the Keanu Reeves Matrix version of the word).

Secondly, get an email from the support section at work today - has a winzip attached, and the title 'Email Account Suspended' - now, those of you who know me, even though I don't use it a lot, my email is my lifeblood online, even more so than my blog, even though I 'water' this thing every day, so getting a title like that, yes a winzip looks dodgy, but I checked the properties of the sending address, everything looked legit. And yes, it was a virus LOL. An hour on the phone to the IT Helpdesk, half of that redialling because they were so busy, fun fun fun...

Thirdly, I really should start missing the Formula One races instead of staying up for them, Barcelona last night started at 11.30 and then Schumacher had a retirement grrr. I hope Formula One is happy with itself, finally with this two qualifying times and no tyre replacements they have finally managed to hobble the best driver they have got. Grrr.

Fourth, first impressions of the Big Brother line up this year. The Australian version of the show, not sure how long lived the other versions around the world are. So, first impressions in three words or less - Tim, only one with brains it seems, Michael, big personality in a fun way, Hotdogs, sky high confidence (not a trait I actually like much of), Dean and Nelson, interchangeable Ken dolls, Glenn, may have some hidden depths, hope so...

Onto the girls - Geneva, bossy cow, Gianna and Michelle, interchangeable Barbie dolls, who like to be centre of attention and pose, Christie brainless, Constance moody, Kate, has niceness potential, and Angela hmm runs a dating agency but is chronically single hmm. I don't think the twins are going to be busted if they get to have four minutes changeover time each time they swap.

And that was basically my random thought day LOL.

Later peeps, am falling asleep into the keyboard here
Pauly

Crash

If you loved Magnolia and/or Traffic, you will love Crash. It is a similar type of movie, wherein various seemingly unrelated people and vignettes merge during the course of the movie into a whole somehow greater than the sum parts.

Crash shows Los Angeles in all its confusion and contradiction. Across the board there are no weak links in the acting. To note every actor would take too much space in these 'mini' reviews, yet not to mention at least several would be criminal.

Ludacris and Larenz Tate shine as young black carjackers who talk more about politics and civil rights rhetoric than their 'job', and see their own contradiction as playing to their racial stereotypes. On the other side of the law, Matt Dillon excels as a morally challenged police officer, who shows the best and worst of the LAPD, and is consumed by personal issues away from the job.

Ryan Phillippe, in, I must admit, his first role I have seen since Cruel Intentions, plays a rookie cop trying to make a difference in the world, and plays the character extremely well. Sandra Bullock, in a role a million miles away from Congenialty, exquisitely expresses the fears and anger of post 9/11 white America, and Brendan Fraser is one of this reviewer's favourite actors, whether in serious roles or others.

But if anyone can be considered a central character in this stunning ensemble cast, it is Don Cheadle. In this movie he plays a detective all too well aware of the racial politics in the department and City Hall, trying to do his job well, and having pressure from his mother to look out for his brother.

Throw in a middle class black couple, who have a very bad experience with the police, leading to marital difficulties and wondering whether they will ever 'fit in'; an Iranian family victimised for being 'ragheads' and not knowing why the perpetrators have got Persians and Arabs mixed up; a Hispanic father just trying to provide for and look out for his family, and this is a searing view of the American melting pot.

Very much an impact movie, and nowhere during the movie can you anticipate or predict what is going to happen next or how it will all end. Which makes the best sort of movie, doesn't it? Double, triple, quadruple thumbs up for this one...

(Taking off the semi professional hat, way to go Don Cheadle, getting a nude scene with Jennifer Esposito, she is hot hot HOT!- and seems to have gotten hotter, more voluptuous since Spin City - big big grin here)

Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

Let your reviewer first point out that he has not actually read the book the movie is based on. From memory, he did read it from a library about fifteen years ago, but it did not make enough of an impression to either buy or remember much from. Therefore any changes from the book to the movie, as have been mentioned in other reviews, will not be dissected below.

There is something about the British sense of humour, almost anarchic, that is so different to the overwhelming Hollywood version of the phrase. Only the Brits could have done Monty Python, the Goodies, and the Young Ones. Or, as in this movie, created a depressed robot, made galactic elections as bouncy, peppy and cheesy as the Eurovision Song Contest, and make poetry reading a form of torture.

The acting is pretty good as well, with Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent doing a suitably bemused person who has just had his planet destroyed, being changed into all sorts of things in hyperspace due to the improbability drive, Mos Def and Sam Rockwell are great as drinking buddies Ford Prefect and pompous Galactic President, and Alan Rickman provides further comedic relief. Zooey Deschanel as Trillian doesn't get much beyond wide eyed pretty though, and I am not sure why John Malkovich was called in to play such a minor, almost cameo, role.

The main gripe with Hitchhiker's though is that although it does certain parts of itself well, it doesn't seem to be able to pull the strands together to provide any sort of central core to the movie that most audiences would care about. The comedy, good in parts, is patchy overall, the sci fi is covered by well we are in space and there are aliens around, and the romance, what there is of it, underwhelms the rest of the movie.

If you want British sci fi comedy at its best, rent or buy Red Dwarf. What could have been Monty Python does Star Wars tries to cover too many bases and loses at most of them. Much more a typical popcorn movie than should have been expected.

I Can't Stand Aussie Rules

I don't understand the game, I don't like the game, and the worst of it is, that when I do actually watch one of the games (easy to do since it is about the only footy left on free to air television in this country), and Brisbane lose I get as frustrated as I used to when Queensland lost the State of Origin in the league, and probably still get when the All Blacks lose a match. Very weird that reaction since I don't like the sport LOL.

Hmm, on the whole Australian immigration policy on this story. You know how if you are an illegal immigrant here nowadays if the authorities catch up with you they either send you to a detention centre or deport you - well, a mentally unwell Australian resident ended up in one of the detention centres for four months before she was correctly IDed, and in the case in the story an Australian citizen got deported to the Philippines after giving a false name at hospital. The immigration guys couldn't find this fake name on their lists and she got sent to her birth country, and hasn't been heard from for four years.

Biting my tongue on any further comment here... damn the Lions losing, and double damn me for caring. Talking of the word damn, hmm had our first meeting with the new team yesterday, and hmm, will be interesting with one person there. RWR is both wannabe retiring and outspoken at the same time, tries to play the quiet little mouse of the group, but roars quite often, and we got into this whole discussion about how we want to treat each other (as you do when you are sounding out a new team and such) and the issue of swearing came up.

RWR does not like the F word, nor taking God's name in vain, nor damn, nor even bloody. She wouldn't like sitting over in my corner, with myself, SGR and LDU (back next week yay) - I swear under my breath a lot, and when I do say mother out loud, I'm not meaning to communicate with my parent LOL. And the two girls are quite OK with swearing as far as I have understood so far...

Later peeps
Pauly

More Tidbits From The News

Hmm, Scopes Monkey Trial anyone? The Kansas State School Board is going to committee to rule on the validity of teaching evolution. Or, more specifically, reading the article, allow more criticism of Darwinism, and encourage teachers to think of alternative explanations. The scientific community is boycotting the proceedings though, saying it's a stitch up already, and I don't disagree with them...

On the UK election again, a good couple of paragraphs by Mark Lawson in the Guardian -

'One scene, however, will be frequently repeated in political programmes. Much of Tony Blair's success has come from clever use of television but yesterday he slipped up and permitted the creation of an image which will haunt his archive for the rest of his life and beyond.

His mistake was to stand behind Reg Keys as the independent Sedgefield candidate delivered his lamest for the loss of his soldier son in Iraq. Blair's attempt at an expressionless face was caught for several minutes in a gruesome two-shot as Keys grieved. We will see that shot over and over, treated with slo-mo and lachyrmose music, in documentaries about the Blair years.'

Not sure what lachyrmose actually means, but I will nod my head as if I do, I think I get the overall meaning LOL. Also a good paragraph over on the New York Times, as Paul Krugman laments the latest Medicare bill -

'Billy Tauzin, who shepherded the drug bill through when he was a member of Congress, now heads the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the all-powerful industry lobby group, for an estimated $2 million a year. In his new job, he's making novel arguments against allowing Americans to buy cheaper drugs from Canada: Al Qaeda, he suggests, might use fake Viagra tablets to get anthrax into this country.'

Hmm, puts me in mind of the alleged CIA plot about cigars making Fidel Castro's beard fall out.

Movie of the week choice is between Crash and Kingdom of Heaven I think, and I might go with Crash since Kingdom is destined to play for weeks and weeks and weeks.

More later
Paul

Wartime Apologies

'Russian President Vladimir Putin said recently that the three Baltic states had been "treated as pawns in world politics" but said Moscow had already apologised and would not do so again.

"Must we do this every day, every year? That is downright senseless," he told German television.'

Russia's leader on the takeover of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in 1940 and 1944, as the sixtieth anniversary of Victory in Europe days are about to take place in Moscow. Imagine a Japanese or German leader trying to get away with saying something like that.

I Have Gone To The Dark Side

Regular readers may notice another change on the sidebar (if the code managed to work, it looks fine on review to me, but eh, that could just be my comp), I have signed up for advertising sidebars LOL, yes, I have changed from Anakin amateur to Lord Vader semi professional. Basically due to the fact that I get so many search hits for pinball machines, might as well direct those poor souls to somewhere more appropriate than my mindless blog :) So it is a public service and if ever I get a thousand hits I might make some money out of things as well, win win all around.

Am just trawling through what has come up as the best advertising links for my past few entries, and one of the links regarding the British election comes up as www.thankyoutony.com, which is a site where you can thank Tony Blair for supporting the invasion of Iraq. Piqued my interest, had a look, and all I can say is that the advertising links do not necessarily pertain to editorial policy on this blog :) but could be something for everyone who bounces in and out here, so keeping all the punters happy, not just the wimpy liberal ones (such as myself, that last comment was said in self deprecation, so please don't be offended).

And yes, surprise surprise, Tony Blair won the election. Or more to the point perhaps, the Labour candidates in 324 seats won the election to form a majority, what with the father of that dead soldier candidate speaking his mind as Tony was winning his own electorate and George Galloway winning on an anti-Iraq platform (clarifying, anti Iraq WAR, not against the country itself), and the former Labour guy winning as an independent when some Blairite out of towner was selected for his electorate. Wasn't a good night for Tony...

And all the coverage about how the Tories aren't breaking out of their heartland support of low thirty percentage rating, and how Michael Howard did an OK job but is bailing, it doesn't quite explain to me how a difference of basically three percent can give you another 130 seats over the other party? And yes, the Tories didn't even get to the 209 seats Labour got after the 1983 election, that party's nadir of recent times, but they did 35 times better than the 2001 election - all that effort last time around to get one extra seat... now if only they could do a more positive campaign next time around.

And yes, this was actually a three party election, so all due credit to the Lib Dems - as I have read in some opinion pieces, Tony Blair won't be around next time, and maybe, just maybe, Iraq will be in a better position, so it could just be a one election thing, but at the moment, all credit to the Lib Dems...

Next up on the British electoral agenda, the European constitution vote - and yes, I am too much of a political junkie LOL. And next up in the English speaking world at least is the New Zealand election, yes, we are the pipsqueak of the English speaking world, but still, there you go. Unless, of course, the NDP and Libs can't hold things together in Ottawa...

More soon, have to recharge my newsgathering batteries :)
Pauly

We've Only Just Begun

Dammit, I was out by an hour with my Australia to England timezone conversion and that means I am only now two hours into the count rather than three. Have got both the Guardian weblog and the BBC results open around me, but dammit, I have to go off to work now.

Hmmph, four results out of 600 odd so far, and those were the safe Labour seats, maybe I should ring in sick or something LOL.

Spot you later
Pauly

Knowledge Is Power

Hmm, the title today is in honour of the new boss appearing a bit more human and approachable than she did previously - as well as talking television shows over the last couple of days, yesterday and this morning she was having house building issues - the white tiles were over the cream grouter and she wasn't happy. Not to be nasty about it or anything, but just something filed in the back of my mind, we are allowed to have a semblance of personal life come into this team perhaps :)

Also was thinking this morning that this alphanumeric identification of the people in my life is rather confusing, so came across the thought that I could maybe use 'airport codes' three alphas - yeah yeah sad I know, but may be less confusing than getting up to B16 or whatever, if for instance I knew the new pope in real life :) And yes, I was always fascinated by JFK or LHR or BNE on the airport boards - what, you mean you hadn't guessed that aspect of my life by now? I am sure if I was a child of the earlier twentieth century, I would have made a good train spotter.

So yeah, I remembered today that I am not at work to merely socialise. Sometimes I do cut corners in my job and SGR pulled me up on it a couple of times today, but talked to her at arvo tea a bit, so all in all a positiveish day. Not much else happened at work today, apart from the obvious lol, still with SGR the only person who I don't have to shout across to. Talked to KBR at lunch which was OK, off to Europe in June so she's doing the countdown :)

Hmm, always with a new series of one of the reality shows it takes a bit of time to sort out your faves - the new series of Amazing Race, with the Survivor winners in it, just is on TV at the moment here, and it's more a thing of who I don't obviously like than who I want to win it. As soon as I heard his voice again, Boston Rob is on my hitlist LOL - but of course it basically takes until about mid series before the personalities start showing through. And it is funny hearing Spanish with a Texan drawl, as if it was a first language, but I guess that is how it is spoken in the border states :)

First quote of the day from the desk calendars that has made an impression on me for like months - 'Never to suffer would have been never to have been blessed' - Edgar Allan Poe. Nice one, Eddie :)

Oh, reminds me of the best moment at the Logies the other night, Eddie Maguire, host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire here down under and owner of one of the Aussie Rules teams, asked Lleyton Hewitt how his form was - Lleyton of course being there as fiance of the current golden girl of Australian TV, Rebecca Cartwright. And I won't even think of going into the whole thing of rebound relationships LOL - but anyways, Lleyton came back straight away saying that his tennis form was a helluva lot better than Collingwood's. You could see Eddie physically recoil from that, and what a shame that was :)

Late shift tomorrow - will give me a chance to get the earlyish results from the UK election - my idea of excitement, getting those poll results in LOL. I remember my first election that I can remember, 1984 back home, Muldoon versus Lange, and filling out the boxes as the results came in. I was scarred at an early age by elections LOL. For reasons of disclosure, I would be a National or ACT supporter back home, Labour here in Oz, Conservative in Canada and the UK, and Democrat in the US. And yes, I do know that that array of parties makes NO sense whatsoever :)

Will probably be more political blogging tomorrow - sorry for those of you who prefer my going out stories :)

Pauly

Oops

You know how sometimes you say stuff without even thinking it after half an hour's conversation with the same person? Even if you don't, stay with me here LOL - was talking to V yesterday evening and the phrase 'I'm bored' came up. Soon after that the call was not to put too fine a point on it terminated (imagine being said in an Arnie voice to make it slightly more exciting).

It was just a rambling conversation that was going nowhere, and I may have said the wrong thing, but rang back a bit later (after V had calmed down, didn't want to talk to me, but was OK with listening) and clarified the point - I am bored with the situation in general. I mean, seriously, I like V a helluva lot and we may be heading towards somewhere but being on the phone as the main source of contact constantly gets a bit monotonous after a while. I would love to go visiting again, or as a second option have her come up this way...

How did I end up in this situation again - this is my THIRD long distance relationship and each time I say never again LOL. I guess me being within a hundred kay radius, either I'm too shy or people just don't like me on a visual first impression. Whinge whinge whinge LOL.

A thought just came to me today on the walk back home about the British election (yes, I do have bizarre things floating around in my head) - if the Lib Dems want all the protest votes they can get in the election, and on the slim chance that there is a hung parliament, what will happen then? The Lib Dems hate the Tories with a vengeance, but after demonising Labour all election, would they really hop into bed with them in a coalition? And if they asked for Blair as a sacrificial lamb to go into coalition with Labour, would the Labourites ditch him the day after the election? On the off chance of a hung parliament of course.

Also realised that with my late shift at work on Friday, I will be at home until at least 9 o'clock, which I believe is 1 am in the UK, so hmm I might be able to overdose on election results as they come in - and yes, that would make me very happy indeed LOL. Yes, I don't have much else going on in my life at the moment, the UK elections being very happy making LOL.

SG was in a grumpy mood at work this morning, which made my morning very quiet - she is the only person within talking distance that I can have a conversation with without shouting across the room. She perked up during the day though, so was her usual bubbly self by mid afternoon, which was nice.

Hmm, I think I have put my finger on one of the things I like about SG - she is a breath of fresh air, thinks so differently to anyone I have really spoken to before, and, the phrase that always gets me in trouble, is intriguing. LD is my own age and thinks in similar ways to me about life I think, MG I never really REALLY talked to, was more worshipping from afar, and hmm who were my previous work crushes LOL. AG again is/was my own age, although we disagreed on the politics, in most other things we were pretty much alike, and could hold an intelligent conversation with her, before that geez we are stretching my memory here...

SG2 about five years ago was nice but entirely out of my league, intellectually if nothing else (and yes, it hurts me to say that, I like to think I do have brains LOL), oh RS would have been a lot of fun if I had been able to stick around longer (leaving to go to Canada) and I think she had a boyfriend LOL. Was just sitting there for about two minutes or so trying to think of the attractive girls at my previous workplace, and that was only a couple of years ago, how easily the brain dribbles out the ear :) ohhh, NC had a pierced nose, but was posted overseas for a few years about six months after I started the job LOL - pierced noses, always sexy :)

And I'm pretty sure I hardly mentioned work at all in my previous diaries, hmmph. Although when I did mention work and socialising I do have an inkling that I was squirming in my own self worthlessness and why on earth would that attractive girl even contemplate talking to me. And other such stuff - OMG, it's been six years since THAT rugby game when we, the All Blacks, got blasted away in the second half by France in the World Cup semi. It only seems like yesterday, wow. So yeah, with the squirming in my own self worthlessness at social functions, nice to see that hasn't changed in the subsequent six years :)

But yeah, back to SG - intriguing is a very dangerous word in my mind. Not that I am even thinking remotely along THOSE lines, but I make new friends easily and older friends hmm I try to keep in touch with but it is easier to meet new people maybe or something - six billion people in the world that I haven't met LOL. I like being intrigued but perhaps I shouldn't...

Yeah, this has become one of THOSE posts, am getting myself confused with where it is going or whether it should go down that track or not. Plus Glasshouse is on and it's distracting.

Question of the day, how many regular readers do I actually have? I see the tickers going over on the stats counter, but how many of those are just visiting the once and deciding to put me on block? So please feel free to say hi in a comment if you have read me at least once before, double points to three visits or more. And yes, that is a begging for comments thing, so now that I have let the cat out of the bag, everyone will ignore my request.

Yeah yeah, throw eggs at me, I can usually do without adulation but it's just one of those days I guess. Answers on the back of a postcard or by way of comments please :)

Pauly