How to lose friends and alienate me

I was excited to see that they had converted Toby Young’s memoir of his failed attempt to ‘make it’ in the US.

I was even more excited to see Simon Pegg, who I think is HILARIOUS, starring. Have you seen Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Run Fat Boy Run? The man is a genius, especially along side Nick Frost.
Also starring Megan Fox (who?), Gillian Anderson and Jeff Bridges. I have mixed feeling about this casting, but it’s really Kirsten ‘Kiki’ Dunst that leaves me cold.
I still feel the pain of paying money to see ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ *shudder* and can’t say that I have seen a movie with her in it I have truly enjoyed.
The Virgin Suicides was weird, maybe I’m not arty enough but I thought it was lame. Nor am I an MJ fan, perhaps Kiki’s portrayal of Spiderman’s flame is only as good as the script she’d given? Of course I’ve seen ‘Bring It On’ which is inoffensive enough, I guess.
I am morbidly curious about Marie Antoinette, but I have had little luck with Sofia Coppola movies. Lost in Translation, for me, was carried off by Bill Murray and to a lesser degree Scarlet Johansson and strange mesh panties.

I get worried, when there is a movie out that I have a desire to see. At, what is it now, $16.50 a pop? If my movie experience isn’t a sure thing I don’t want to jeopardise spending that much for a luke warm experience. Or is that just me?

Beating 'The Man'

WOOT!!!

I got a letter from the State Debt Recovery Office yesterday (that was scary initally let me tell you) - I beat the man!!

No fine - YAY!!!

Now repeat my mantra 'Take your ticket with you, you idiot'

E for Effort

Friendships take effort, there is no doubt about it.

Some friends who you seem to have a real bond with though, seem to take less effort that others, you WANT to see them.

You may WANT to see them so badly that when they move away you take a three hour train ride to visit them. How then does something happen that to damage this?

This seems to have happened with a very good friend of mine, and I couldn’t be more stumped.

Several weeks ago now, I invited said friend to a Hen’s night of an ex-colleague we had both worked with, thinking she would like to go and celebrate this occasion.
We organised everything, and I even managed to get another girl on board to share the accommodation expenses – winner!
Strange thing was, when she found out that the other girl was coming she pulled out. Not because she didn’t like her but because she could keep me company instead. At this juncture I was pissed off.

I hadn’t seen or gone out partying with her for a while and was looking forward to it. So I let myself cool down for a week before speaking again. A week turned into two weeks, and I then I sooked and though she should call.I got over it and made contact to call, no call. Again, and again. Still no call. Then once again, I arranged to call her and once again texted me to say she was going out.

What’s the go here... are we going through a break up?

From budget to bad

Recently we had an employee leave, and as it happens her odd jobs were distributed through the remaining workers.
I managed to pick up the task of ensuring the already booked corporate functions went off without a hitch.The venues, entertainment and accommodation were already secured all that was left was food and decoration duties... or so I thought.

Basically it all started going wrong when I found out that the 40 something rooms we needed booked over two days had not actually been confirmed.
I also found in addition to no accommodation actually booked:-

- The venue for dinner had NO booking and had since secured another booking, a gold wedding anniversary, an issue since we needed the whole restaurant.
- The four piece band booked for the dinner (in the unconfirmed restaurant) does not fit into a restaurant only big enough to seat 80 people comfortably.
- The guests, including board members and share holders, require another two night’s accommodation on top of the previous night, and the transfers that were organised for them was going to send them to the wrong hotel.

So basically my budget is doomed. Our la-de-dah event is NOW booked for dinner at Bilson’s restaurant (since we booted out the gold wedding anniversary), with an after-party at the Marble room in the Radisson Plaza (since we can’t fit a band or dance floor into Bilson’s) and stumbling-distance accommodation at the Radisson.All in all, problems aside I have rather enjoyed booking it all and thinking about how lovely it will all look when MY hard work pays off. Maybe a career change coming on? hehe
Bilson's;

The Storm Tropper Incident

Oh no.. not this kind.
The kind with far less ACTUAL power.

I had an 'incident' with a Sydney CityRail transit officer recently. I am always in possesion of a valid ticket, I buy tickets, like all the time - get it?


Why does Murphy's twisted and sick law dictate that the very day I change my jacket for casual Friday, happens to be the very day I leave it in my normal trench coat pocket and a proliferation transit officers decend upon Parramatta station.

So, panic-stricken I cast a look around and bunny hop in behind someone else, making a beeline to donate to the Salvation Army (an elaborate distraction and something I true to do when I see him.)

'Excuse me Miss, may I see your ticket?'

... Rats, the gig is up. I can't think of any plausible lie, grit my teeth and tell the truth.

I walk away with a $200 fine BUT FINGERS CROSSED that when reviewed I get off!

To make matters worse, I forgot the Salvo man too!

Guilt

Alright, I have been VERY quite as of late. Bad (BAD) blogger.
Not a lot has been going on to be quite honest, I've been working and that sort of thing, tiresome life getting in the way.

Two major new things;
1) I started Lite N Easy
2) I joined Curves

Well, firstly I knew I was unfit but this brings it into such harsh reality. I want to DIE doing tough cardio workouts, in fact I think I may do so one day. The resistance, and muscle toning isn’t too bad, far few less feelings of impending death.
I lack motivation to get there but once I am there I feel glad that I did.

Lite N Easy, has its advantages and draw backs. I’ve been eating it for three weeks now – STUPIDLY I neglected to weigh myself at home and instead got myself weighed at the gym so I don’t know what I have actually lost!
The breakfasts, lunches and snacks are fantastic. Love not having to spend time preparing something decent to eat.
I am however, over the dinners. The dinners are yummy (don’t get me wrong they do make some misses, avoid the Salmon Teriyaki!!) but by their own merits, they are not cooked fresh, and are generally covered in gravy, I assume to keep it moist when cooked.

In other news, I managed to snag some rather nifty tickets to a certain car racing event held annually in Bathurst... apprently Circuit Admission Paddock passes are cool?

Let's do the time warp again?

I heard news that shocked me to the core this evening.

After a feeling of queasy trepidation subsided, I launched into full tilt research mode.

Word around the traps is that MTV is part producing Brit-American remake of The Rock Horror Picture Show.
E! have even touted Marilyn Manson as Frank N Furter in the remake. In all honesty, this part almost relieves me to the thought that they are doing a remake, period.

Sure the guy is weird, but it's all show and that's what Frank needs.
I don't think there is a shred of truth to that section of the rumor, because I have also heard that Marilyn Manson in to play the Queen of Hearts in a dark Alice in Wonderland called Living in Neon Dreams.
Turns out that Manson is instead, apparently directing a phantasmagoric Alice redux.

Of course I immediately go to the font of all knowledge. IMDB. What this site does not know isn't worth knowing.
IMDB knows nothing, but apparently 'Riff Raff Curses MTV's Rocky Horror Remake' -- Richard O'Brien, scorning a bubblegum manufactured money making mammoth, who'da thunk?

Manson - an interesting Frank choice or a total f*** nightmare?

I've always found him somewhat intriguing (Evan Rachel Wood debacle aside) but others say repulsed.
If you've ever heard the man speak he does so with conviction and intelligence.

Spawn of Cyrus

We already know the link between these individuals; Destiny Hope (aka Miley) and Billy Ray Cyrus (Achy Breaky Heart Era) but there is YET ANOTHER CYRUS ON THE SCENE!

This ladies and gentlemen, is Trace Cyrus; singer and musician of Metro Station.

The band name might not mean anything to you but their song 'Shake It' is getting some MASSIVE airtime at the moment.

It is catchy, and before I knew he was a Cyrus I enjoyed it singing the words 'Shake, Shake, Shake, 'Shake, Shake, Shake It' merrily.
But then I was told he was one of them and I just can't get into the song now!
My only concession in enjoyment, is the fact he's not of Billy Ray's loins but was adopted and he and Destiny Hope/Miley share a mother.

It's almost as bad as 'Living Lohan' on the E! channel, basically the Lohan family 'reality' show cashing in on Lindsay's fame - Dina the mother included. Sad.

Hehe found this when searching for asinine Miley pictures.

Curse of the Movies?

Wikepedia says:
The Superman curse refers to a series of misfortunes that have
plagued creative people involved in adaptations of Superman in various media, particularly actors
who have played the role of Superman on film and television. The curse basically
states, If you intend to play the strongest man on Earth, you will either
die or end up in the weakest position possible.

There are more than a dozen instances to the Superman curse, George Reeves and Christopher Reeve seem to be the most harrowing examples.
George Reeves allegedly committed suicide days before his wedding, and Christopher Reeve was paralyzed from the neck down after being thrown from his horse and sadly died in 2005.
While these are more tangible tragedies, Dean Cain who starred in the Superman series has now suffered another kind of death, in his career, relegated to 'Ripley's - Believe it or not...'
And Teri Hatcher, successful in her career (questionable?) but looks like a scarecrow, after spending how long being luscious Lois Lane?

Now it seems like Batman; The Dark Knight, may have been struck with a curse of thier own.
Of course the tragic death of Heath Ledger - who played the Joker.
And Christian Bale - who played Bruce Wayne/Batman, having been investigated for assult of his mother and sister and although he has been released without charges.
And now Morgan Freeman involved in a serious car accident - who played Lucius Fox of Wayne Enterprises.

Taboo Talk

Now I know that we don't talk about this in polite society but who pretends to be polite?

As I work in a large building with several different companies on the one floor, we share a bathroom with the others on our floor.

There is a guy on our floor we call 'Newspaper Man' who is so named for his unwavering attention to his newspaper at all times of his bathroom use, and as I have been told I mean all times, he completes his whole business with one hand and both eyes on his newspaper.
It became so intreging to us all that our GM could not help himself and had to ask him if he 'had to read the newspaper so much as part of his job' - thinking perhaps he was studying the stock market or capital gains interest rates, but he gave a rather airy 'Oh, um, not really' response.

The bathrooms in my building are also secured, and you have to enter a code to get into them, and unlock it on the way out. Which is bloody annoying, and numerous people mostly leave it ajar and it drives me insane when people just let it slam shut - even if they can see someone at the basin. It's maddening.

Personally I think that non-private bathrooms should be more like Supre stores. No not crammed to the rafters with racks and people, but playing music so that we can't hear everyone's everything.

So long, farewell, get out of my life.

Channel Ten finally quashed thier lagging juggernaut, Big Brother this week for good.
I don't like 'reality' television, and I deeply doubt that George Orwell had this in mind when he penned Nineteen Eighty Four. It is beyond me why on earth I would want to sit around, watching people sit around.

Yes I realise that they do 'challenges' but that's not real either, is it?


I watched the first series, sparadically and with disinterest as Sara Maree bum-danced her way into our hearts. That was more than enough for me, but found the occasional 'Up Late' interesting because it seems more true voyerisum – what else were a bunch of young people going to do couped up in a house together but get busy?


After the 'Turkey Slapping' incident, BB was cut short hilariously quickly, and I thought that would put the final nail in the coffin... until Kyle and Jackie-O ousted Gretel Killeen and administered the kiss of death.

What astounds me is the number of incarnations and countries that ventured into Big Brother, Africa, Albania, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Rebublic, Denmark, Equador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, Hungary, Italy, India, Israel, Mexico, Middle East (discontinued haha), Netherland, Nigeria, Norway, Pacific Region, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scandanavian Penninsula, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States (who ran 10 series!) and the Western Balkans.

I thought the world had better taste than this.


Are these the three most obnoxious people in Australia? Chances are yes!

Soup Update!

Well...

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday lagged along painfully without a hint of cheating (on wednesday I had four cashews BUT come on!)
Until Thurday night, when I went out for dinner & had grilled chicken salad at Sumo Salad - passable I thought.
I COULDN'T face soup for lunch today, so I decided to spread my chicken consumption over two meals, and had another chicken salad for lunch.
Although apprently I am not allowed salad today, but mixed salad leaves, tomato, carrot and cucumber isn't going to send me over the edge I don't think.

I think this diet works through crushing your will to live. I have lost nearly 2.5 kilos. Which is good, I guess but I was really hoping for some more bang for my buck.
The thought of starting hardcore again is OUT of the question but I really want to try and shift some more.

Life as a Soup Eatter

My health plan out the window, after too many free chocolate bars I decided drastic action was required.

So Monday I started the much famed and loathed Soup Diet.

On Sunday I readied myself, I chopped and cooked a vat of vegetables, prepared fresh fruit salad for the days I was allowed fruit and mentally resigned myself not to cheat.

Day One; Monday, was moral superiority, sunshine and goodness oozing from my pores as I consumed nothing but fresh fruit and the then delicious vegetable soup.

Day Two; Yesterday, was less great. I sucked it up and had soup for breakfast on the all vege day. Soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner to be precise. Steamed veggies for dinner were alright along with a YUMMY POTATO! Not happy, but I rewarded myself with a flat white and the thought I've lost 1.5kgs so far.

Day Three; Today. Got totally ahead of myself, I thought today was banana day and was looking forward to banana smoothy for breakfast but then got shot out of the water when I realised that is tomorrow. Fruit salad for breakfast, soup and salad for lunch and more bloody veggies and soup for dinner. Must remember my steely resolve.

Day Four; Tomorrow. I might be counting my chickens before they hatch but I feel positive about tommorow. It is banana smoothy day after all, and I think I can hack through! And with the thought of pritikin banana ice cream as a reward.
NB; ice cream may just be a banana mashed until creamy.

Day Five; Friday. Now I already know this is shot out of the water. So I am going to have the soup for breakfast, and morning tea because we are having a late (potentially boozy) farewell lunch at work.

Potential for extending the diet an extra day to compensate.

Day Six & Seven; The Weekend. Oh people please help me. What am I to do? Must be good, must be good. Pity I don't drive or I'd have perfect reason to be designated driver.

One day...

Props to K for this list.
A nice idea I thought :)
Afew too many reds there, get on that self.

Code:

Done it

Really badly want to do it

Bought everyone in the bar a drink, rung the bell in Thailand many times, and convinced many people to ring it
Swam with wild dolphin
Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
Been inside the Great Pyramid
Held a tarantula (no no no no no)
Taken a candle lit bath
Said I love you and meant it
Hugged a Tree
Bungee jumped
Visited Paris
Watched a lightening storm at sea
Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
Seen the Northern Lights
Gone to a huge sports game
Walked the stairs to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Grown and eaten your own vegetables
Touched an iceberg
Slept under the stars
Changed a baby’s diaper
Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
Watched a meteor shower
Gotten drunk on champagne [/vodka/wine/bacardi - get it?]
Given more than you can afford to charity
Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
Had a food fight
Bet on a winning horse (not generally, I just pick the one with pretty silks hehe)
Asked out a stranger (go me!)
Had a snowball fight
Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
Held a lamb
Seen a total eclipse (on tv?)
Ridden a roller coaster
Hit a home run
Danced like a fool, not caring who watched
Adopted an accent for an entire day
Actually felt happy about your life, even for a moment
Had two hard drives for your computer (still do in fact, somone's wedding photos are on it)
Visited all 50 states [or all 6 plus 2 territories for Aussies - sadly still no]
Taken care of someone who was too drunk
Had amazing Friends
Danced with a Stranger in a foreign country
Watched wild whales
Stolen a sign ... cone yes
Hitchhiked in Europe
Taken a road-trip
Gone rock climbing
Midnight walk on the beach
Gone sky diving
Visited Ireland
Been heartbroken longer than you were in love
In a restaurant sat at a stranger’s table and ate with them
Visited Japan

Milked a cow (don't know why I just want to give it a go)

Alphabetized your CDs, I genre-ise them

Pretended to be a superhero (Shera of the Unisaur! ... or Sheila of the Universe for those not in the know)

Sung karaoke

Lounged around in bed all day

Posed nude in front of strangers

Gone scuba diving

Kissed in the rain

Played in the mud

Played in the rain

Gone to a drive-in theater
Visited the Great Wall of China (maybe soon?)
Started a business (doing what I don't know)

Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
Toured ancient sites

Taken a martial arts class

Played a computer game for more than 6 hours straight

Gotten married

Been in a movie
Crashed a party

Gotten divorced

Gone without food for 5 days (HELL NO)

Made cookies from scratch

Won first prize in a costume contest (For a medievel maiden)
Ridden a gondola in Venice

Gotten a tattoo

Rafted the Snake River [what is Snake River?]

Been on television news program as an “expert”

Got flowers for no reason

Performed on a stage (Yes, I was lead in some play but don't remember what)

Been to Las Vegas
Eaten shark

Had a one-night stand

Gone to Thailand
Bought a house
Been in a combat zone

Buried one/both of your parents

Been on a cruise ship

Spoken more than one language fluently

Performed in Rocky Horror [Magenta here I come!)

Raised children

Followed your favorite band/singer on tour

Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

Picked up and moved to another city

Walked on the Golden Gate Bridge.. no real desire to go to the US
Sang loudly in the car and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have

Wrote articles for a large publication

Lost over 100 lbs (don't know if I want to lose quite that much)

Held someone while they were having a flashback

Piloted an airplane

Petted a stingray

Broken someone’s heart (not to my knowledge?)

Helped an animal give birth

Won money on a TV game show

Broken a bone

Gone on an African safari

Had a body part below the neck pierced

Fired a rifle, shotgun or pistol

Eaten mushrooms gathered in the wild

Ridden a horse

Had major surgery

Had a snake as a pet

Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

Slept for more than 30 hours over 48 consecutive hours
Visited more foreign countries than US States (more foreign countries than Australian states)
Visited all 7 continents

Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

Eaten Kangaroo meat

Eaten sushi

Had your picture in the paper (a rather intelligent peice about how good looking Adam Hills was... awesome lol)

Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about

Gone back to school

Parasailed

Petted a cockroach

Eaten fried green tomatoes

Read the Iliad - I tried but when I asked for Homer the guy asked 'Simpson?'

Selected one important author who you missed school to read

Killed and prepared an animal for eating

Skipped all of your school reunions

Communicated with someone without sharing a common language

Been elected to public office

Written your own computer language (pain)

Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream

Had to put someone you love in hospice care

Build your own PC from parts

Sold your own artwork to someone that didn’t know it was yours

Had a booth in a street fair

Dyed your hair

Been a DJ

Shaved your head
Saved someone’s life ... don't know if I want to do this but will if I can

What are 5 things in your handbag that say you?

So it's friday afternoon and I just got looped into a blog forward.
Why not? About my favourite subject in the world is handbags. Mine or anyone elses.
So what ARE the five things in my handbag that say something about me?

Five things in your handbag that speak about your life, (or are just quirky and interesting).

1. Makeup - two lipglosses (that's because I only swapped bags last night)
2. Book
3. iPod
4. Umbrella (ella, ella, eh eh)/Gloves/Scarf
5. Confectionery

& WHY?

1. Well I always carry lipgloss with me, I have been carrying paw paw lately because I've been getting wind burn from the FREEZING GALE that whips down Church Street.
2. My book, currently Harry Potter The Prisoner of Azkaban, I always carry my book with me, because I spend time on public transport and it's an excellent space filler and a good wa to avoid the freaks who frequent public transport.
3. IPOD; is a must. And my phone acts as a backup when my ipod is being obstanant and doesn't want to work. I must have music. It also helps avoid the freaks on public transport and people trying to sell you credit cards or children in Africa.
4. As a public transporter, I must prepare for all contingencies. Rain, hail or shine I am covered by my seven dollar fake burburry patterned umbrella.
5. Confectionery, at this stage I have literally 24 sleeves of Spearmint gum at work, and working in a place that gets free JUNK its inescapable.

So there you go... everything you wanted to know about my handbag!

False Economy

I think that all woman do it to some extent.

It's like something written in our DNA, something that ever so naggingly says; "Yes, you do need to buy that xxx for xxx that is not confirmed yet, BECAUSE IT'S ON SALE"

Look at this dress. It's beautiful. The photo does not do it justice, just a pity the online catalogue is so limited.
The straps and top of the bodice are a cobalt blue colour, gradienting into a lovely soft pink colour, and ending in a firey orange colour. The bodice (admittadly needs me to be a little less fat than I am currently) compliments my, er shape, and is impressive without being over the top.

Nearby my work is a George clothing warehouse. This gorgeous, silk hand dipped dress was $474 down to $150.
How could I ever pass it for that wedding that I don't even know if I am invited to much less have the invitation to.
Don't even get me started on the silver shoes I've decided to buy to accompany it.

But of course there is always a wedding I have next year (that's reaching a bit far) or the annual general meeting dinner (potentially reaching since I am still on probation & who knows what can happen!)

Go the Blues!

Would be SUPER if the Blues would win tomorrow! I do like it when the game is a decider. It's always 100% better to watch.
I'll be out in my supporting colour, and we're going to get some dinner after & watch the game. Come on boys!

Life as a Pedestrian p2

Rest assured! It is not only drivers that clash with bike riders.

I had a run in with Crazy Bike Guy From Hell today. As I was walking down the footpath to the train station, a bike rider came up behind me.

The section of the foot path that we were occupying was not big enough for me, the people walking down the other side of the foot path and him.

We all were walking briskly, we all had places to be - but Crazy Bike Guy obviously thought his plans were more important because he did everything he could to get in front of me and the on coming people traffic. He definatly made enough fuss and noise about his displeasure, but despite his efforts it did him no good, and I knew that the moment we cleared the people he would go whooshing past.

Crazy Bike Guy From Hell did not disappoint.

A very well restrained part of my human decency, the same restraint that stops me from maiming slow walking people in shopping centres, stopped me from raising my right arm and coat hangering him off his bike - but boy was it close!

Instead a woman coming around the corner with a pram, who he nearly flattened saw the whole thing and BLASTED THE CRAP out of him for nearly mowing her and her baby as well as myself down.

Bloody Technology

Perhaps when I was younger, back when I had that iota more patience than I do now, I could sit for hours staring at pixels and writing/rewriting code to make cool scroll over effects to manipulate a box to appear a certain way, only to rewrite it all two weeks later.
That is gone.

On the weekend, I conceded defeat and unplugged my modem from my PC to connect to my laptop to use skype. This pissed me off so fatally because I had previously and painfully created a wireless LAN and set up total secure wireless Internet, file and print sharing.

But eventually the novelty of the laptop wore off, and when I reignited it of course everything had gone to bollocks and for the life of me I don't know how I managed to network it because I don't remember this computer even having a network card.

I'd love to get it working again, but my motivation is ebbing low.

It reminds me of the fact that my phone is dying a slow and annoying death.

And I have now changed my mind from the Nokia N969 to the Samsung G810 (pictured) which is basically the same only 400 bucks cheaper and has a longer battery life.

I managed to send a rather rude sounding (when taken TOTALLY out of context) text message to the wrong person. FATAL ERROR.

Fortunately the text went to the best possible person, a rather liberal minded friend of mine, who found humour in situation, as opposed to say - the very Christian mother like figure from my previous work place.

I recently read that in Israel they had launched a 'Kosher Phone' to cater for the strict Orthodox Jewish community.

The handset has purportedly had the internet, SMS, video and voicemail facilities disabled. Naturally the press have made a misnomer, a device cannot actually be Kosker but it does have the cencorship seal of approval from the 'Rabbinical Committee for Communications'
On the upside the 'Kosher Phone' is cheaper if you call another 'Kosher Phone' (I guess many Hasidic Jews don't have too many Baptist friends) except for the Sabbath when you get $2.44 US per min! Thats hardcore

So it's true she is the Devil

We Salute you our half inflated dark lord! So one of these is a cartoon and one is just plain loony tunes.
The thought of Celine Dion singing AC/DC 'You Shook Me All Night Long' is enough to keep me awake at night.
The song has been covered by numerous people, Kid Rock, Big & Rich, Kelly Clarkson and interestingly enough Shania Twain who's husband produced the song with AC/DC in 1980, but defiantly the most horrifying for me is this incarnation, recorded initally for a VH1 Diva's special with Anastasia (she sort of rocked it) and she now apprently she does it occasionally on stage .

Facebook Strikes Again

So I wouldn't call it facebook stalking... perhaps I will avoid hanging a tag on it at all for my mental health.

So I facebooked a guy I was going out with recently (Central Coast Bee for those in the know) ...everyone does it okay

To find out that he's listed as 'In a Relationship' -

HUH, well then fabulous isn't it.

Clearly nobody (without extenuating circumstances) does this and actually hopes to see a listing of 'Single' and a status of oh say 'xxxx is moping and miserable' but geez you don't want them to be doing better than yourself for goodness sake.

Guess that's another lesson in minding your own business.

Pardon me, do I know you?

Has this happened to you?

You're standing in a semi crowded walkway, or mooching around a bar doorway (in my case the one to the left only with more people) and scanning the room and your eyes settle on a familiar face.

They look back at you, with the same searching look but neither of you can put your finger on a name.

This happened to me this weekend, and if the oppertunity had presented itself I would have approached him to find out who he was.

Recognising someone you think you know isn't quite so unusual when you're at your local but when you're 78.2km from home that seems unlikely, but not impossible when you used live in the area.

Very strange indeed.

Life as a Stripper

So fear not, I have not changed professions or anything.

What I mean here is, a danger I have encountered in my deepest engrained behaviour, stripping off to go to the toilet... before I'm in the cubicle.
I'm used to doing this at home, and at my previous job. But the perils occurs, when working in a large office block where the bathroom is shared by several other offices and dozens of unknown people (because stripping off in front of my co-workers is ok? lol)

I obviously don't mean pulling my pants round to my ankles, but untucking my shirt or even unbutton my pants... WARNING WARNING!

I can't help it! Must become more vigilant, I haven't been sprung yet BUT it can't be too far off surely.

Life as a Movie Reviewer; Sex and the City

Shopping for Labels, Shopping for ... Sex and the City


First as a disclaimer I have to admit I am a fan of the series, and as such have a totally skewed view on the movie.
I also don't want to give away any spoilers for those who have not yet seen it.

The movie starts out almost saccharine sweet, with a whirlwind run down on the happenings of all the protagonists, where the girls are seemingly content and happy for the last several years later.
Like the morning after, happily ever after.

As all the subplots begin to unfurl, it begins entering your consciousness that the movie is struggling to find a format, a medium between series and film.The plot (for my money) was built up to a climax at ‘The Wedding’ – by all the film shorts – but this promoted ‘climax’ happens early on and I was pleased that momentum was not lost when the plot continued.
That scene (you know what I mean if you’ve seen it) was so heart wrenching, it was almost real for me, I think that is the best I have ever seen Sarah Jessica Parker.

I found the addition of the assistant, played by Jennifer Hudson, fluffy but unnecessary to be honest, as the film goes I wouldn’t imagine it lacking if that section of focused subplot was cut. JHud did look good I’ll give her that, all soft bosom next to SJP’s pointy edges.

Of course a review cannot neglect to mention the couture. I read that Carrie wore 83 outfits, and the majority of them were a cacophony of designer labels, over the knee stockings, Eiffel tower handbags, shoe boots and bejeweled and flowered rouched dresses amongst my more loathed outfits.
Carrie’s style has always shot into the ‘eclectic’ stratosphere of course. And love it or hate it but 'that' wedding dress by Vivianne Westwood was a masterpeice.
Charlotte’s style as always was flawless and polished princess which played off Samantha’s sex kitten wardrobe but for my money I applauded Miranda’s look throughout the movie (with exception of leopard catsuit?) and complimented her figure and colouring.

All in all, I found the movie touching and comforting. Like having your favourite jumper returned to you in time for winter.
I didn’t find anything contrite or forced about the performances, and it left me almost wanting more but knowing that I didn’t want any sad sequel.
All in all, a pleasing result.
... always thine, always mine, ever ours...

SEX SELLS... WE GET IT

Look at this woman, shiny and inviting in her polished rubber.

All plump red lascivious lips and smouldering eyes.

A fisherman's hat and fish in hand? Is this I know who you did last summer? The story of a lusty fisherwoman wench?

No. It's the new advertisment Fisherman's Friend you know, those nasty little lollies in paper bags that are supposed; to helped relieve the problems experienced by these fisherman in the freezing conditions.

Honestly, I hate to harp on (actually yes I do, who doesn't love a good harp?) but why are we having products thrust - pardon the pun - upon us like this?

I almost feel prudish commenting on the link between a rubber clad body and a fisherman's friend... the two are synonomous surely? hmm

Arty photos

What do you tend to take 'arty' photos of?

While I do enjoy the obligatory famous scene shot when visiting countries, I also have favourite scenes or objects that I also like snapping.

A lone tree for instance, really captures my imagination and always gets my shutter finger itchy, like wise an ordinary object at close range. Boats, also for some reason – maybe its hereditary as my grandfather enjoyed crafting and sailing boats. So I have created a small showcase of my favoruite 'arty' (farty) shots.


A lone tree 05 Sydney Harbour 06

Polyesian Katamaran Twisted French tree

Garden light through leaf Traditional Thai boat

Life as a PRI'er

Last year on my nefarious Thailand voyage my compatriots and I met many characters, one of which, was 'Big Luke'.
Big Luke and his travelling companion 'Blossom' were staying in our hotel, for want of a better word, when BL introduced us to the PRI.
After a rowdy night out, Big Luke was lounging in pain and suffering by the pool where we noticed a large, bruised wound on his leg – when questioned about it, he shrugged it off, and pronounced it a 'P.R.I', a Piss Related Injury which he had little to no memory of happening in his drunken stupor.

Like hangovers, minor PRI's attract little sympathy, a bruise here, a cut there – sustaining a large enough injury can arouse concern, much like our travelling buddy who came home one morning with what the locals call a "Thai Kiss."
The Thai Kiss (TK), isn't a fruit cocktail (which if you're smart you drink anyway) but rather a burn on the inside of your ankle obtained from a motorbike exhaust.
A PRTK is especially bad, as alcohol numbs your senses just enough to prolong the burn and worsen the situation. Suddenly the mini first aid kit I bought along with my wasn't so hilarious any more.
Unfortunately my PRI was far less ceremonious and involved my foot, a platformed heel and a mob on Sydney streets, where paying attention is clearly out of the question.
I'm left with a boring toned down story about tripping in the city, and an ENORMOUS bruise darkening happily.

Cure worse than the malady?

I've recently had a spate of unfortunate health issues.

At the commencement of my new job, I got a cold. Plowing through my new job sneezing and coughing, and taking over the counter psudoephedrine based products to lessen my pain. Codral and it's ilk have a funny affect on me, I get jumpy when people approach me and end up hanging onto the ceiling like a cartoon cat.
For two weeks, I persisted with the coughing and fevers at 2pm, jumping around like a paranoid junkie before I bit the bullet and saw the doctor.
It ended up I had a chest infection, which he prescribed a short course of strong antibiotics for which left me feeling nauseous (and poor as they were OVER TWENTY DOLLARS) and eventually during the end of the course left me with another unpleasant result of taking antibiotics... if you know what I mean.

SO! Four weeks into my new job and I am healthy, cashed up and jazzed to have a night out on the town with a girlfriend.
After careful budgeting, we stay in the city, go shopping, have dinner then make our way through five nightclubs drinking cocktails and generally making merry.
Leaving the last night club in the wee hours of the morning, we were making our way through the giant throng and my five inch heel makes contact with an invisible four inch hole.
This (at the time) relatively pain free event goes mostly unnoticed until several hours of walking the next day where my foot swells to the size of a football and I cannot walk on it without violent pain.
Kindly my boss insists I go over to the doctor, where she tells me I have probably 'just fractured' the little bones on the bottom of my foot and tells me to get crutches to rest the injury and revisit on Wednesday if it still hurts on Wednesday for an xray.
SO becrutched I hobble back to the office. As it turns out, I am massively rubbish at using crutches (surprise, I think not).
Not only am I still putting weight on my foot, my arms hurt from hauling myself around.
And I am paying $65 for the privilege.

Life as a Fashion Critic; part 3

Trucker Chic ... is defiantly a style which I am unhappy to see the continued proliferation.
This is SportsGirls offering of a 'dress' along with another trucker inspired flannel nightmare which looks exactly like this one. Is it too difficult to make a lovely sexy little dress, a girl can wear with some heels? Apprently...
Sportsgirl do have some nice little tops, and a rather hideous 'Fur Collar Gillet' so popular it has sold out online, what a shame.
Seems Just Jeans and JeansWest have avoided rocking out with flannies,
can't say the same for JayJays 'On the Streets' range though. Nearly every SES variety of cheap (and nasty) clothing store has a form of this, with varients including baby doll, tight under the bust, belted etc. Of course, you can't swing a pair of leggins in Supre or Ice without hitting a flannie... in fact you can't swing anything in Supre because they are always crammed to the max with clothes rails just stepping in makes you feel like an elephant. And you better Valley Girl are in on it!

This cute little dress is immediatly discounted because ValleyGirl have decided to name is a 'SACK DRESS' I kid you not.

Too far a parallel, even for me

I enjoy deciphering parallels, like mysteries waiting to be personally interpreted. For instance, the parallels between The Wizard of Oz and The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd (Thanks K!), The Book of Daniel chiasm or the parallel between 'Dreamgirls' the movie and The Supremes.
Some of these parallels are more obvious than others, more simplistic, for instance it doesn't take a genius to see that Diana Ross was a diva and so was 'Deena Jones.'

But a parallel between the two above? I didn't think so.
After watching (ok drooling through) Troy on Saturday night, and decided I wanted to read The Iliad, which is a poem along with the Odessey what the story of Troy was formed from, to further my personal education.
Conviently there is an large independant bookshop located near my work, so when I finished I bustled down and looked through the shelves.
I was greeted by the owner, as sensible looking gent with half moon glasses, deep in conversation with his friend about relationships and the renovations the shop was going through shortly.
Due to my limited time between shopping and getting to the station so I don't miss the infernal train I popped my head from round the stacks and asked,
"Do you have any Homer?"
He cocked his head to the side and said "Homer Simpson?"
"No... um like The Iliad" I said wrly, he obviously felt jaw droppingly stupid because he rushed over to history and said "No, Sorry, must be sold out - and I have no idea why I said Simpson."
I ended up buying out his Harry Potter range and he said "Homer and Harry, good cross section" - I replied with, "Yes, well, variety is the spice of life?"
Guess my personal education will have to wait.

Loop Holes - part two

Well my loop hole has just slipped and chocked me, and as far as I am concerned have alienated scores of people who want to shift some unwanted clutter.

After stuffing up my cute ebay purchase, my seller said she would just readjust the invoice and I could simply pay fees incurred for listing the item. Excellent. Only problem being, now EBAY have revoked this feature.
So pressing my luck, I asked my seller if I could simply pay the $2.50 directly and then get her to make payment as received.
An awesome idea on my part because it would also confirm if my loophole was alive and kicking.
Apprently not.
Clearly because Ebay and PayPal are linked they are linking payment receipt directly into Ebay as a function.
Sneaky, greedy bastards.

This for me signals...

Queen of the Slouch

Mischa Barton has probably been emblazoned as Queen of many things by many a different magazine editor.

Queen of Rich Teen Angst by Girlfriend magazine,
Queen of the Sexy Lithe body by Ralph magazine,
Queen of Cellulite by Who/Any trash magazine

But none so prestigious a title as the one I have elected.

Mischa Barton is QUEEN OF THE SLOUCH

Look at that posture.... why? Why is she doing that?
Is it a by-product of going out with the grease factory Brendan Davies (or whatever his name was, you know who I mean) who was a foot short than her, so she was forced to slouch?

Oh my god... Nicole Kidman Syndrome?
I am beginning to see a pattern here...

THEN; shoulders rolled AND NOW: Still short bloke but upstanding

Look! THEN: AND With something called Cisco Adler