oh, press gang, my press gang

press gang season oneAhhhh... Press Gang.... to use a phrase from the blog of a former workmate, this series is a big dose of wearing my nostalgia pants (they're very comfortable but not very flattering).

I originally taped the show when it was on the ABC, and have watched it numerous times since, but having it come out on DVD was more than enough to make me do a prolonged happy dance. And now that I have the first two seasons, and, better yet, have started watching them again, I can honestly say that it's still one of my favourite teevee series' of all time.

Sure, some of the clothes and the hairstyles have dated a little... but then, this IS a show that's about 15 years old...

Suddenly I feel so old...

The secret the show was always that even though it was a "children's show", it never treated it's audience like they were stupid, or wouldn't get the sophistication of the dialog. I read a review on the BBC website recently that compared the style and sophistication of the show to Buffy, and they're right... no, no vampires in Press Gang, but its that witty mix of comedy and drama, and the ability to turn on a dime as they say, from one to the other.

I have to say though, that its the quality of the writing which I still adore, and can still remember and quote large chunks of it regularly... which is either really cool or really sad, depending on your point of view...

My only disappointment over the DVDs are the lack of both subtitles and those all important bonus features (which, from what the review on the BBC website mentioned above says, the UK version has).

Current Mood: excited and nostalgic

after work drinks

Oy vey...

You wouldn't think I'd only had one drink last night, not with the way I feel this morning... all the high section of my voice is gone, my legs are kinda achey, and I have a vague headache...

Course this is what happens when you follow a short (but good) photoshoot with after work drinks with people you used to work with. And when you let yourself be talked into staying longer than you had originally intended to stay... and you scream yourself stupid because everyone is talking at once and trying to compete with the (rather loud) music from the outdoor speakers.

It was a good day overall though. The photoshoot went well, at least I feel like it did, I'll know for sure when I get the photos back later today. But he seemed happy, we took the kind of shots he wanted, so that's always a bonus, when the model leaves happy. We dribbled crap about movies and stuff between shots, and it was all nice and comfortable and casual, which you would expect after working together as many times as we have. It only lasted about an hour, hour and a half, something like that, and we only shot one roll, but we only really needed to "highlight" his new hair, so to speak.

But that's why my legs ache... they always do after a shoot... all that getting up and down and crouching and kneeling and whatnot...

The afterwork drinkies were fun, although once again it just reinforced my wanting to be back there again. Interestingly though, I verbalised to my old boss one of the reasons why I've been kinda directionless since I left them, that feeling that being there was where my previous jobs had been directing me, and now that I'm NOT there, I'm just not sure WHERE I actually am meant to go from here. And while I've had some of those thoughts on and off for a while, that was the first time I'd verbalised it like that.

It seemed pretty clear too that they'd missed me, or at least, seeing me last night made them think "gee, I wish he was still with us"... and it was mentioned more than once.

I'd fully intended to go home around 7, but was told by V, my former work-girly, that I had to stay. And since I really DIDN'T have anything to come home for, I ended up staying, talking shit, laughing, losing my voice, and having a pretty good time. But when one of the guys and his girlfriend left at around 9, I decided that that was the appropriate moment to make my escape, and shuffled off home.

I didn't end up going to bed until 2am, but at least I WAS home.

Current Mood: kinda flat

five people you meet in heaven

The Five People You Meet in Heaven was a book that just about jumped off the shelf at Borders at me. The premise of the book is that when you die, you don't go on to some garden of delights, but, as the blurb on the back says, "...that your earthly life is explained to you by five people who were in it. These people may have been loved ones or distant strangers. Yet each of them changed your path forever...".

So right off the bat, the concept really appealed to me. I wondered who MY five people might be, wondered who's path I changed and who changed my path, with or without my knowledge.

I have to say though, that while its a nice book, it wasn't one of those big revelation, overly touching, massively resonating type books. Its simple, its not in the least bit complicated, and while I finished it in well under a day, it did keep my interest the whole time.

Current Mood: content

what a day...

Man, what a day...

Partly because I haven't worked in ages... and the whole "getting up early" thing was so much less fun than it could have been... what with the cold and the rain. Yeah, less fun.

I did get to indulge in one of my favourite sports of all time though... Boywatching (or Manwatching, if you prefer... Maleofthespecieswatching anyway). I have to say, give me a guy with visible veins on the back of his hands on down his forearms... yum. There was one on the bus on the way into town, and it did help that he was just generally cute, but he had that whole vein action going... nummy!

Like always, I got my Boost (King William Chocolate, yum) and my blueberry muffin, and off to 31 Flinders I went...

I just can't seem to escape the Education Department... I try and I try, okay, so, I don't actually try... but I don't attempt to go back there, it just keeps happening. *sigh*

On the plus side, at least the day went quickly, the morning with one group (even if that was a little like being spoon-fed), and the afternoon with my "good buddies" (insert sarcasm here) in one of the other units on the same floor. The last thing I want is to be going back there over and over again. It drove me insane enough last time.

Of course that general feeling (of not wanting to slide backwards) wasn't helped because I went upstairs to visit my old workmates in IT and stood around talking to them for about an hour, *sigh* miss them... okay, not ALL of them, but in theory, I miss them (three outta five ain't bad). That was a good job... I enjoyed that.

I get to catch up with them on Friday... after-work drinkies... should be amusing if nothing else.

Anyway, after a long day doing the web publishing thing, I come home, have some leftover TNTM (see previous post), and damn but it was spicy... went a little too hard on the curry powder I think.

Then off to Camera Club... supposedly for a winter themed portrait shoot. I've stopped actually putting film in my camera until I see the quality of the models. At least there was supposed to be a guy there this time. On the down side, when he arrived, he was not in the least bit pretty and had a head like some kind of pumpkin. Less good. And yeah, I probably could have shot the female models, but I really and truly have zero interest in doing that.

I briefly hoped that the shorts-wearing, shaven headed guy that rocked up late was going to model for us, and the Workshop Coordinator did ask him on my behalf, but no, he was just going to follow his girlfriend around like some kind of deranged puppy-dog (okay, probably not...). What, he thinks she's going to run off with one of the photographers... has he not seen the (unattractive) fossils in our club?

So after helping set up the backdrop and lights in the main hall, and wandering around waiting for an attractive model with the appropriate genitalia to show up, in the end I gave up and just came home. Early to bed tonight I think...

Current Mood: tired

tuna thingy a la yani

This is my Thermonuclear Tuna Mornay... nay... neigh... whatever...

I had the overwhelming urge to make this for dinner, since I kinda had some time on my hands (the model never showed for the photoshoot, although he did end up calling me late this afternoon, and we're rebooking for a later date).

It's my version of my Mum's recipie, I tweaked it and tweaked it, and, well, just added about a ton of spices to it, so now its very much my own. And so.... may I present...

Tuna Thingy a la Yani..

Ingredients
  • 3-ish tablespoons butter/margarine

  • 3-ish tablespoons flour (plain)

  • 3/4 (three quarters, not three-four) litre milk (approx)

  • Herbs and Spices to taste

  • Two large cans tuna (in brine.... none of that oil crap)... undrained

  • One can sliced mushrooms (and you can add fresh ones if you have them)... undrained

  • One can corn (kernels, baby spears.... anything but creamed basically... I prefer kernels)... drained!!

  • Random vegetables..... string beans, onion (cooked first), capsicum, anything around the place really

Amounts can be adjusted, since it makes a VERY large amount...

The Creation

Melt butter in REALLY BIG saucepan, when bubbly add flour. Stir (I use a whisk, coz I like whisks... and it breaks it up nicely) until all crumbly... may need more flour... it depends.

About " " much milk.... actually I have no idea and play it by ear.... add a little bit first and make a smooth sauce with the flour/butter then add.. ummm.. well a litre is too much, but between half to three quarters is about right..... depending on the size of the saucepan it should be about half to three quarters full too.

Stir sauce until it gets nice and thick and bubbly, making sure you get all the sticky bits off the bottom or they'll.... well.... stick!

Remove from heat and raid the herb/spice cupboard..... ummm... my "must haves" are pepper (quite a bit), curry powder (lots), mustard powder (some), garlic powder (you could use fresh too I guess)..... cayenne pepper (some), a good "handful" of parsley (the herb of the gods), basil, a dash of tabasco if you have it.... and a good whack of paprika...

Taste with a WOODEN spoon.... metal makes it taste funny..... it should be subtle at first and then creep up and WHACK you in the back of the head and yell "HELLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" or words to that effect. It should also be a nice curry yellow/papprika red colour.... with green-ey bits

DON'T add any salt.... that we will deal with momentarily....

Next.....

Drain the liquid from the two cans of tuna and can of mushrooms into the mix, then stir and return to the heat.... cook until it becomes thick again.... taste test again and add anything (herb, spice, pepper) you think is missing.

Then add the drained tuna and mushrooms.... plus the can of corn (which has been drained and the liquid gotten rid of) and any other random vegetables you want to add....

Stir through on the heat, and then remove and repeat taste/spice routine.....

Place in HUGE casserole dish.....

Toppings..... these can vary.....

  • Classic (aka Too Much Time On Your Hands)... mashed potato (the real stuff... none of this instant crud), when mashed, use ice-cream scoop to make ring of "scoops" around outside of dish, plus one in the centre.... sprinkle with grated cheese and a little paprika

  • The Crust... alternate about 4 layers each of cheese and breadcrumbs.... starting with breadcrumbs and ending in cheese.... for those who like tomato, thin slices can be placed on top.... without cheese covering them

  • Classic Crust... combination of the two..... place potato on breadcrumbs and sprinkle cheese over the lot

  • The Shephard... variation on Shepards Pie..... mashed potato again, but this time just spread over top of dish and then bake..... cheese optional

  • The Dull or Economy... just the cheese.... or nothing at all

Bake in an oven that's been preheating....... I have no idea what temperature..... probably about 250 C or 500 F for as long as it takes to get all hot and bubbly and the cheese/potato to get golden brown..... it should be a "bit" burned around the edge and all bubbly.

Serves lots of people if you make something with it...

Current Mood: hungry

drive-by shooting

Weirdness just abounds all over the place at the moment...

Just went to the petrol station with my Mum to fill up my car ($1.18 a litre, what a rip off), and we were doing that thing we do, where we have an interesting, or odd, or just mundane, coversation not terribly quietly... I get it (the whole being loud thing) from her, what can I say. And she was saying how she doesn't go to pre-pay petrol stations, and I asked why, and she said because, so I said why... that kind of thing. And I finish filling up, and we start to get in the car when I notice that there's a girl, well, a woman in her early 20's really, sitting in a red car at the next pump, and she's pointing a disposible camera at us, and seems to be taking our picture.

What the?

I kept looking at her after she'd taken it, and she smiled and waved at me, and since I'm so stunned, I smile and wave back at her.

What was all that about? Does she do that kind of drive-by photography all the time? Will we be added to a wall of photos of strangers? Did she just need to use up the end of the roll? Enquiring minds want to know...

Current Mood: confused

tweaking the template

So, after a whole day of trying to avoid being online (see today's other post), I figured an hour or so couldn't hurt...

I ended up making some new graphics for my blog template. I like the layout, I just wanted to tweak the graphics to make them more personal to me.

So now the number things in the banner say "074" for my birth year, the blurry text over the half numbers on the blue side is something I kept from an online IQ test that proclaimed me to be a Visual Mathematician, and the star is gone, replaced by my Dookyweb avatar (as seen on the right).

I'm also thinking about making some little "current mood" icons from the DookyMe... not sure yet though.

hold messages and changing plans

So... I get up this morning... Saturday... yaaaaah! Switch on the computer, connect to the net, check my email. All good.

Then I see a message from my ISP which includes the phrase "250MB remaining". Which is odd, because I've NEVER gotten one of these from my ISP before. Then I spot the second one, which says "125MB" remaining... Not good.

And they really shouldn't exist... they must have done something screwy, or messed up my plan or something when I extended at the end of last month...

I grab my mobile and call them... and get their relentlessly cheerful hold messages... "Your call is important to us, and has been placed in a queue, one of our operators will be with you shortly..." followed by static-y radio, followed after a while by the same message AGAIN... ad nauseum. After about four minutes of this on a mobile, I give up, hang up, disconnect from the net and call again on my landline. Which of course means that I get placed at the BACK of this mythical queue. It's 9AM on a Saturday morning for CHRISSAKES! How many people ARE there in this queue.

So I wander back and forth with the cordless phone, getting more and more frustrated, while the same idiotic recorded woman they've had for at least 5 years tells me that my call IS important to her. And you just KNOW she was a morning person... bitch...

Eventually I get through to a real person... Michael I think it was... and I explain myself... been with them forever, never gotten one of these message before, thought my plan had unlimited downloads, blah blah blah... Then he tells me... "Well, you've been downloading a lot this month so you're very close to the 2 gig limit"... then I remember... not only the 2 gig limit, which always sounded like a huge amount... but also the new Yahell group with lots of traffic. And the 30MB movie file I downloaded last night... crap.

So I get off the phone feeling like a shmuck... it wasn't them at all... it was me... and now I have to watch my useage until next Sunday... *sigh*

*goes to slink back under his rock*

peanut butter kitkats

OH! MY! GOD!

I only discovered these earlier this week, but they are SOOO good! And the really weird thing is, I HATE peanut butter... but I do like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and they kinda taste the same. Hopefully they keep them around for a while, otherwise, I'm going to have to stock up.

YUM!

100 things about me

I saw this idea on Moonspender's blog and had to give it a try for myself. And then I found the 100 Things About Me Webring.

  1. Have an Ankh tattooed on my left bicep/shoulder (which actually covers up the original Fleur de lis tattoo I had).
  2. My hair was totally blonde when I was a kid.
  3. Have been changing my hair colour with alarming regularity since I was 16... I've been white, blonde, 2000 shades of red, brown, black.
  4. Now my hair is just mid-brown.
  5. I have really really really "wrinkled" palms and soles... when I was born my aunt said "It looks like he walked the 9 months".
  6. Never wear shoes once I get home... the feet must be free (its a Pisces thing).
  7. My lucky numbers are seven and fourteen.
  8. Didn't get really and truly drunk until I was 22.
  9. I believe really strongly in reincarnation, and know this isn't my first time around.
  10. Prefer to write with a pencil rather than a pen.
  11. Have only ever broken one bone in my body, and that was my arm when I was 12.
  12. Have had four piercings (nipple, ear, top of ear x 2), but only have one still in (top of my left ear).
  13. I'm a sucker for a lot of those home/people makeover type shows like Queer Eye.
  14. I'm also a sucker for any of Oprah's makeover/Wildest Dreams shows.
  15. Have a serious weakness for quality Rocky Road... and have even made some myself.
  16. The first CD I ever bought was Michael Jackson's Dangerous.
  17. Learned to play poker for the first time earlier this year.
  18. My drag/porn name (name of my first pet and the first street I lived on) is Beauty Appleshaw.
  19. The drag name I would choose for myself would be Fawn Ekaytor (say it outloud).
  20. I memorise large chunks of movie (and sometimes teevee) dialog without even trying.
  21. I'm very "loose jointed" and dislocated my right shoulder three times before having a shoulder reconstruction.
  22. Twenty-two was probably the best year of my life. I wish I'd realised it at the time.
  23. My beer of choice is Coopers Pale Ale.
  24. I believe in spirits/ghosts, but have never seen/experienced one.
  25. My favourite Disney villian is Ursula the Sea Witch.
  26. My favourite Disney movie is Lilo and Stitch.
  27. I love good quality vampire movies and novels.
  28. Had a crush on my Year 9 Maths teacher and my Year 10 Science Teacher.
  29. I've only been to two concerts my entire life, and they were both Janet Jackson.
  30. Prefer Crispy M&M's over plain or peanut.
  31. I sleep with five pillows... four regular and a 5' "body pillow".
  32. Never wear a watch (my mobile phone tells the time, so why would I need to).
  33. My favourite colour is purple... good, strong, royal purple.
  34. Born on the same date as Albert Einstein, Billy Crystal, Jamie Bell, Wolfgang Petersen, Michael Caine, Taylor Hanson and Johan Paulik.
  35. Hate having my photograph taken.
  36. I never french kissed a guy until I was 21.
  37. I outed myself to my mother when I was 17, but refused to actually talk about it with her for two years.
  38. Want to visit San Francisco, New York, London, Paris, Venice and New Orleans.
  39. I own two Japanese swords, both gifts from a friend.
  40. Love lightning and thunderstorms.
  41. I arrange the books on my bookshelves from the tallest on the left, to the shortest on the right.
  42. My favourite Sesame Street character is Cookie Monster.
  43. I think everyone should read Winnie-the-Pooh as a grown-up.
  44. I've only passed out from drinking once. I also gave myself a mild concussion from hitting my head when I fell.
  45. The Tim Burton Batman movie was the first movie I went to see alone.
  46. My middle name is the same as my grandfather's middle name.
  47. I hate crowded spaces that I can't move freely through.
  48. My dream car is a Suzuki X-90 "baby 4WD".
  49. I nearly drowned at swimming lessons when I was a kid.
  50. I'd never tried Indian food before I was about 26, and now its my favourite.
  51. Don't believe in "God"... but do believe in "The Universe".
  52. I believe some things are predestined to happen.
  53. Believe that everything happens for a reason, even if I sometimes have no idea what those reasons are.
  54. I'm something of a control freak.
  55. My favourite muffin flavour is chocolate, followed by blueberry.
  56. I was born at 4:00am.
  57. I've owned more mobile phones than cars (four phones to three cars).
  58. Never met my father.
  59. I may have half brothers and sisters.
  60. I've visted Maslin Beach (the first nude beach in Australia) on more than one occasion.
  61. Can pick things up with my feet/toes.
  62. I can also cross my big toe over the toe next to it.
  63. My fingers will bend back until they are parallel with my forearm.
  64. I haven't taken a bath in over 10 years, since I only have a shower.
  65. I'm a very tactile person.
  66. I've never left the country... yet.
  67. I am right handed.
  68. I'm a pretty good cook when I can be bothered.
  69. I hold onto grudges FOREVER.
  70. My favourite colas are Pepsi Max and Vanilla Coke.
  71. I checked out some other 100 lists to give me ideas for this one.
  72. I had German Measles followed by Chicken Pox during Christmas Holidays when I was a kid. I was sick, itchy, contagious or spotted the whole time.
  73. I don't think I believe in love at first sight.
  74. Have a freckle on my bicep that kinda looks like a teddy bear.
  75. I don't tan well, just burn.
  76. The #1 songs the week I was born were My Coo Ca Choo (Australia), Billy, Don't Be A Hero (UK) and Seasons In The Sun (UK).
  77. I think scars are sexy.
  78. My favourite season is Autumn.
  79. I've never been able to get the hang on knitting. I can do cross-stitch though.
  80. I hate white chocolate.
  81. Don't tend to forget things. Even when I probably should.
  82. I'm an introvert, no matter what other people might think.
  83. Still have my tonsils and my appendix.
  84. I'm "directionally dyslexic". If you ask me which is right and which is left, I have to think about it. This is especially fun when someone is giving me directions when I'm driving.
  85. I can speak in about a dozen accents (with varying degrees of success), but can only speak English.
  86. I can count to at least twenty in Mandarin Chinese though.
  87. Can't rollerskate or ice-skate to save my life, even though I've tried to do both.
  88. I would rather be too cold than too hot.
  89. A total cat person, with the exception of Siberian Huskys and Dalmations.
  90. I used to be a groupie for a local band called Framing Watson. I still have copies of their set lists from all the gigs I went to.
  91. If I'd been a girl, my name would have been Victoria.
  92. Small children and small animals seem to find me interesting for some reason.
  93. I believe there is other intelligent life in the universe. The fact that it IS intelligent means they probably wouldn't come and abduct some guy in rural Arkansas.
  94. I'm pretty sure my blood type is O Negative.
  95. I tend to be more attracted to guys younger than me.
  96. I give really great back/neck massages.
  97. I almost never remember my dreams.
  98. My favourite Star Wars character has always been R2-D2.
  99. My biggest pet peeve is people who talk in movie theatres. Shut up already!
  100. Despite being totally gay, I kind of have a thing for gorgeous African American women.

mit weblog survey

Take the MIT Weblog Survey

Just because I'm a compulsive link follower... *grin*

weird phone calls

Ok, so, out of the blue last night I get two phone calls... one good, if unexpected, the other just weird...

The first one was from a model I know and have worked with numerous times before... he wants to get some more headshots done because he's changed his hair colour (or, at least, put blonder streaks in it). So that's all good, and I'm going to see him on Monday for some shots.

Then just before midnight I get another call... which was weird in itself, nobody calls me at that time. So I let voicemail take it, in case it was a wrong number or whatever... then I picked up the voicemail. Hooooooo doggy... a very drunk, very fem (I listened to it twice and still wasn't completely sure if it was a man or a woman... course, I'm assuming its a guy given the message) voice at the other end saying how hot he thought I was, blah blah... which I could have written off as a drunk wrong number, if he hadn't used my name.

And the mobile number seems weirdly familiar somehow, but its not in my phone (which could just mean I got tired of having a number that never calls me in there and deleted it). I think I know who it was, a guy I was chatting with a while ago, who I gave my number to so we could chat, meet up, whatever, but who never called. Seems like he was drunk and horny and going through the numbers in his phone, and, joy of joys, found mine... *rolls eyes*.

If that's what he sounds like drunk though, well, I think maybe I'll pass. It will be interesting to see if he ever summons up the courage to call back.

things that i like

Kissing... clean sheets... getting parcels in the mail... teaser movie trailers... hot showers... homemade fruit salad... the small of a guy's back... the ankh symbol... fish and chips eaten at the beach... long talks til 3am... getting photos back from the lab... hot guys in their underwear... DVD's with good director/star commentaries... cold Farmers Union Iced Coffee... thunderstorms... crisp red apples... the smell of sandalwood... tanned blondes and pale redheads... Indian naan bread and lamb Rogan Josh... well shaped hands... reading a new book in a favourite series/by a favourite author... eyebrow piercings... the ocean at night... behind the scenes movie trivia... reading other people's blogs... silence... sharing an "in-joke" with a friend... Buddha statues... playing with Photoshop... celtic/tribal tattoos... Lynx bodyspray... Ancient Egypt... Friday nights and Saturday mornings... sunshine on winter afternoons... reading old emails... finding the thing I want first try on a9.com... sweet white Irish Breakfast tea... Livestong bracelets... the full moon... singing along with the music... kittens... gerberas... red couches... Scottish and Irish accents...

movies: batman begins

batman beginsOkay... so, just came back from Batman Begins... hmmm... Not completely sure we really needed ANOTHER go at the Batman story... kid loses his parents, emotionally traumatised, dark persona, blah blah blah... that bit I found a little dull, but the actual "becoming", finding the technology, and the car, and the cave, that was cool.

And Cillian Murphy, my god he's hot... those big big big blue eyes... *sigh whimper drool*. One of those, wrapped and delivered, thanks...

The movie did suffer a little from both too much plot (okay, so he's bad, and he's working for him, and that other guy is also working for them, and then that guy from there is actually the one who is the guy with the stuff... or something) and too many stars... Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Rutger Hauer, Ken Watanabe and Tom Wilkinson... c'mon... its a little excessive. And whoever thought Michael Caine, the charming cockney bricklayer was right for an English butler, I have no freakin idea. I am happy to say though, that Morgan Freeman did steal EVERY scene he was in.

The other problem was that, like (far too) many movies, it seems to suffer from "The Bourne Shakes"... too much close up, sharply edited, shakey camera movements during fight scenes... and when Batman, dressed in black, with a hood, is fighting ninjas, dressed in black with a hood... in dark alleyways... well, you get the idea. Pull back a little already, let us actually SEE what's happening, rather than trying to make us "be in the moment" or whatever it is they're supposedly trying to do.

yani's rating: 2 traumatised billionaires out of 5

summer storm

sommersturmDamn! I wish I'd seen this movie advertised on SBS tonight... the second half or so that I caught was brilliant! Beautiful cinematography, like some kind of lush, vaguely erotic photograph.... even if some of it was to cover up the potential nude bits during the "sex scenes"... and that scene between Tobi and Leo on the dock... *fans self*. Yes, some of the plot was not only predictable... boy loves straight best friend, best friend freaks out, boy finds himself, everyone seems to end up happy... but in parts it was the stuff that we see in these kinds of coming out movies over and over and over and over, but the addition of the gay characters, plural, and the overall feel of this made it stand out from the crowd.

As my TV guide reviewer said "While at times this proves quite frank, the overall feeling is uplifting and positive. A decent German effort."

I just need to track it down on DVD now, I think.

And unfortunately, I don't speak or read a word of German, so the official site is pretty much an incomprehensible blur... and in Flash so I can't "decode" it at any of the translation websites either...

maiden voyage...

Okay... here we are... I finally have a blog...

Not completely sure why yet... possibly something to do with my current mood, vaguely introspective and whatnot...

Had a massive cleaning fit today... needed to get part of the kitchen and the top of my dresser thingy CLEAN and organised... ended up going through a box that held a bunch of old receipts... not even interesting receipts... everything... from those statement ones you get at ATMs to supermarket ones to, well, everything... stuff on top of the box was five years old... stuff on the bottom... TEN YEARS OLD! Also found a bunch of stuff from my trip to Melbourne back in February 1998...

Weirdly there was stuff in there that really took me back... old friends, places, houses, times... just weird...

And now, except for a few "important" bits and pieces, its all on its way to the dump.

While I was cleaning up I also found the list of words my friend J and I found while having one of our long rambling conversations, and then would test each other on, to make sure we remembered the meanings... don't ask, its a thing we do... he's about the only person I know where a dictionary comes into play during a conversation on a regular basis...

So, we have... boondoggle, cadence, pauldron, catamite, excentric and oozle... which doesn't show up at dictionary.com, but my dictionary said means "to steal"...

And on an unrelated note... where the hell do these ants keep coming from... its not like its an invasion... its one at a time, slow and sneaky, like some kind of kamakazi scouting party... grrrr...