Earthquake Central

A decade in review

2009-12-28T02:28:00.004+11:00

A friend (and countless lists) have inspired me to blog. Since I haven't blogged in a while, (being busy with doing two TAFE courses) there is a lot to blog about, or you'd think there would be? Anyways, here is my look back at the year, and decade that was.

Living out of home can suck

Due to circumstances outside my control I found myself being a transient in this great city, moving from suburb to suburb (at least once a year on average) during the majority of the decade. Living with various strange individuals, cooking spag bol with spam (it tasted awful) and having people fuck in your room (other than you) can be rather unsettling. On the other hand, when I was living by myself I had some great times. But then I lost my job. And then I moved back home.

Living at home can suck too

So yes, I lose my job, have bugger all money, move back home. Did I hear the sound of a million women's legs closing? I thought I did. There is nothing worse than living at home, no job and no car. Or quoting Young MC "Got no money and you got no car. Then you've got no woman and there you are".

Women

I wonder why I bothered to put this paragraph in, but yes, this decade did have a bit more action in that department than the decades preceeding it. But still, in the end I am no better off than I am when I started the noughties, so that makes this a dead rubber! So, why am I in this situation where I have no lady friend to speak of? One theory for me (coming from the 40 year old virgin) is that I have to stop putting the pussy on a pedestal. I treat these ladies with too much respect, too much planning, etc and that I need to just take risks.

Being selfish

Wow, these are kinda falling into each other these things. My mentor has recently told me to be more selfish (and take risks). This decade I spent the majority of it helping family in one way or another (either me being a live in maid, or someone living in my flat) and due to being unselfish, I have lost opportunities that could have benefitted me somehow. Or as one teacher said this year, "Opportunity cost".

To dream the impossible dream

So, this time 10 years ago my dream was to be on radio as a DJ. Nothing much has changed. The other day though, when trying to do a demo for radio, I was doing a demo as a "time and temp" announcer. My radio teacher told me that perhaps being a DJ wasn't for me. I spoke to a mate and she said that she had never imagined me to be a time and temp DJ. Neither had I. So, maybe my demo should be different to being Mr Jukebox. I had always imagined myself as someone who would be able to use satire and comedy to entertain. Someone like Vic Davies, Shaun Micallef or David Mitchell.

Happiness

Over the ten years I'd been looking for happiness, but first I had to define what happiness was. What makes me happy? Well, the last time I was happy this year was when I went overseas and spent a few weeks with my (ex) lady friend across the sea. Upon returning back I thought that that was a place where I could be happy. But, instead, I have been told not to come back. Here I was thinking that NZ was a nice place where you're not judged and people are even nicer than Australia, but I guess I was wrong. So, the search for happiness continues it seems.

What to do?

So, with all that happening, what do I do? I have some ideas I might develop, I've got stuff to do before I start my Business degree in March, so I will be giving it a red hot go.

Memories

2009-06-15T16:14:00.004+10:00

['Thanks for the memories, Fall Out Boy. Or is that Thnks fr th Mmrs?]

The other day I got the shock of my life when as I was cleaning up my room I found an old home video (with no label on it other than a video camera tag on it).

No, it wasn't a video of my parents having sex or anything like that, it was a Christmas video from 10 years ago.

You might ask "what is so shocking about that"? Since the last century our family group has receeded due to divorce and death and in some cases, selfishness.

When it comes to a genuine big family Christmas: that was one of, if not, the last.

On the ABC and SBS when they show old footage they have a warning for Aboriginal viewers that people who have passed on may appear on the screen.

Since this was a home video it didn't have that warning, so there before me lay the images of ghosts.

And yes, I was scared of these ghosts that lurked in the back of my mind for days to come.

Maybe I'm more Aboriginal than I thought perhaps?

But what I wonder is what happens to the memories of these people: once they have left our life one way or another.

Why do these memories fade? Is it that we choose to forget bacause of what happens that ceases for them to be in our life? Does our brain only hold enough memories, meaning that we will lose the cherished moments of the past?

And when they do come back to the front of the mind - why do they hold our heart and mind hostage in such a way?

I know one thing - I won't be watching that video for a while now.

Maybe another ten years.

Three out of three will be great

2009-04-09T17:50:00.003+10:00

[Hazem kicking the goal to get the NRL record]

Everyone has goals in life – I have three things I need to be successful in my eyes.

Sure, the approval of my father would come in close fourth but there are three things that if all the stars are aligned and those things happened at once would be bloody awesome.

One: be happy at home.

Have a nice place to live in. Somewhere I can bring mates over, make a noise. Who cares? I can play that Meat Loaf CD as loud as I want. I can sing Take On Me on Sing Star all night if I want to.

Two: be happy at work

A job where I go to work and I’m happy to be there. The old saying goes that if you’re happy at work – it’s not really work is it? Well I’d love to be in that situation again. There’s only one time when I was truly happy at work and where I left there on great terms. Everywhere else has been average in one way or another.

Three: be happy in my heart.

To have a girlfriend/wife/whatever and be so damn happy that all my happiness is just shining everywhere to see.

I’ve had two of the three (home/work) but never three. Right now I have none.

With nine more months of TAFE, I hope to get a job in radio early next year and then have my own place in the country and we’ll see what happens from there. A lot of planning and procrastination has gotten me to where I am right now. I guess we’ll see what happens.

Mr Rudd wants me to spend!

2009-03-25T17:47:00.001+11:00

[it must be funny (and partially nude) in a rich man's world]

Today I received from Julia Gillard telling me that I will receive $950 rather soon.

I felt like writing back to her “thanks love. Usually I’m paying women money, but this is a first – it’s the other way around” but thought like a cork board in the hallway at TAFE, that would be rather tacky.

But yes, I will be getting almost one thousand dollars to spend as my heart desires.

Mr Rudd says “spend spend spend”! My mind says “save save save”!

Perhaps it is the doctrine of my Dad who lived through Depression version 1.0 and never bought a thing in his life on credit (not even a house) instilled inside my brain thinking that I should put it away for a rainy day, but damn it – all I see is bloody clouds outside my window and what’s the matter with splashing some cash every now and then (it worked for K-Rudd, didn’t it?).

So what will I get with my hard earned hand out from Canberra? I am thinking I will get a few things I haven’t had before.

No, not a long term girlfriend – they cost more than $950. I would like to get a Dreamtime jersey (so when I tell people I'm Aboriginal I won't need to show them my passport for them to believe me), a Bulldogs jersey and an IPhone.

I know that our esteemed PM told us to spend the money locally and that all three of the above are probably made in China, but isn't everything made in China these days?

Chicks can do it too!

2009-03-19T17:41:00.000+11:00

Her voice might grate on you, but you’ve got to admit – Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard is good for Australia.

Gillard is good for the country as a role model for the women out there (even if one Coalition politician wishes to call her “deliberately barren”). There are young women who aspire to rise to the top of the heap and become Prime Minister (as Gillard was Acting PM a few months back) and seeing a fellow lady at the wheel makes women think that the world has progressed somewhat.

But Australia is behind the times. The first country to allow women to vote was New Zealand. And let’s not forget that half-woman somewhat manly creature Margaret Thatcher who ruled with an iron fist.

When it comes to sexism however, Australia is on par with the world.

Recently, The Sunday Telegraph decided to print what they thought were nude photographs of Pauline Hanson. If it were nude photos of Joe Hockey – who would have cared? Sure, it might have shocked a lot more people and had many of us fleeing towards the toilet bowls to let the technicolour yawns flow like a river, but because it’s a bloke no-one would care.

There was debate in the US about how First Lady Michelle Obama decided to show her arms (wearing a sleeveless top) in her official photograph. Once again, if she was a fella, not a dame – this would be an issue. I’m no Washington lawmaker, but I’m sure that the constitution allows people to bare arms?

Un-Australian: Her name is Kidman

2008-12-15T22:24:00.005+11:00

[Now for a game of suck and blow]

Nicole Kidman. A few years ago she was everyone's favourite "Our Nic". She was the poor unfortunate woman who had left a strange marriage filled with "alternative" religion and alleged impotence.

Recently, she came out and said that she wants to live in Nashville in the US with her Australian husband and that she wants her daughter to have an American accent. That's a proud a dinky di Australian for ya.

Now, after a string of box office flops, including the mixed reviews from Australia (which I am yet to see myself) she has stooped so low "play" the didgeridoo on German television.

My non-Australian readers (and maybe even some Australian readers) might not know that the didgeridoo is a sacred Aboriginal religious symbol.

Some tribes believe that the didgeridoo should only be played by men and if that is even touched by women, bad things can happen including death. (Not that I'm advocating death or anything - I'm just saying these are their beliefs)

At one stage in my life I felt sorry for Kidman, being in a marriage with a wack job, but now I (as many others do) can only feel that Kidman herself is becoming strange.

With those very slight shoulders and a husband who has had a chequered past, I can only hope that she will be able to weather the storm of controversy over the string of bad movies, the ignorance of indigenous Australians' beliefs (this after shooting one of the most expensive movies made in this country, partly in the outback amongst Aboriginals!), as well as the whole theory that Americans are better than Australians.

She should be proud of who she is, her heritage. Without Australia (the country, and quite likely - the movie) she would not be where she is now - being able to afford such luxuries. She should apologise to the indigenous people who she has offended. She should apologise to the Australians she has offended.

We spent over one hundred million dollars to put her name up in lights - she should be thankful.

I didn't go

2008-11-30T19:11:00.005+11:00

[Girls just want to have fun]

The other day a high school reunion was held. I didn't go.

A couple of reasons why I didn't go.

Has anyone seen Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion? How the girls were treated so poorly at high school, but they at least had each other to rely on at the reunion.

Unfortunately, my friends from high school have moved on to further away places and I have lost contact. I would go there alone and have to react to the barrage of questions.

"So what are you up to? What's your job? Oh my god you put on so much weight! Have you moved out of home?"

Well I'm a student - still having not satisfied my dream of working in the media. After four years of working for the man and getting sidetracked I'm trying my best again to get the job that I love, not live to work.

I work in a call centre, as usual. Not that glamorous. Not at all.

Yes, I have put on weight since high school but have recently lost a lot of weight, but am still quite a lot of work away to getting to my high school weight (and I was still overweight at high school).

I am living at home. With Mum and what's left of my family who wants to live together in attempted harmony.

It sucked seeing the photos on Facebook of all the smiles of everyone from my old high school and seeing how happy they were.

You know why? It reminded of the shit I went through in high school. The intimidation. The seperatism. The name calling. The abuse.

Of all the photos of people there - they all got on. They were all mates. They were part of the cool group. The fat guy who likes music and drama doesn't get into the cool group. He stays with the nerds. But there are only so many nerds, and none of those nerds turned up to the reunion.

Before the year 11 formal I was told by one of the "cool kids" that I would be thrown off the boat. I didn't go.

In the year 12 formal I wore blue hair in the hope of trying to somehow fit in. Trying to be a part of something I so clearly wasn't. I washed my hair halfway through the formal, knowing that I didn't fit in - I never was going to. I wasn't part of the cool people. I was a nerd. And you know what, the nerds didn't turn up to that formal either.

I even made fun of a mate of mine, I feel ashamed to this day, trying to fit in. Trying to be the bully. He wasn't there to defend himself. Heartless I was. I tried to be one of them.

So, ten years later, everyone grows up. Everyone is different. Or are they? Seeing those photos brought up the hurt and the pain of many years before. There are many other stories of the shit I went through at that school, but the cool kids were okay. They stayed up the back, smoked whatever they wanted and did as they wanted.

I'm not happy about what happened there during my time at that school, but I am proud of how I overcame all the shit, including shit at home, to complete my HSC.

That makes me a winner.

Maybe I'll go to the next reunion, maybe it'll be different. Maybe I won't be the pudgy work-in-progress that I am right now. The only reason I would want to go is to show that despite it all, I have succeeded. But unlike Romy and Michelle, I hope I don't need to say I invented post it notes.

Worth the weight?

2008-10-14T11:08:00.004+11:00

[He caught a big one that day]

The other day I went to Bunnings and dared myself to go on the scales... to my surprise my weight was somewhat different to what it used to be and I was not happy at all.

I spoke with friends about what I can do to remedy this and I have a plan in mind to help me through this time.

Excercise and cut down on food. Sounds simple right? Well, since I cook dinner and every other bloody meal at home that is an option as I control the food in the house, but excerercise is tough right now due to the other day...

[Who's deep frying these penguins?]

The other day there was an oil spill which my sister didn't clean up so days later I slipped over and banged right onto my knee. My knee hurts so bad that I limp around and yeah, it's not good.

So that restricts my excercise for the time being (or 5-10 days as my doctor put it).

So, I 'fessed up to the girl across the sea and she says that she doesn't care, she likes me the way I am.

I am aware of first impressions, while we are yet to meet after some years of chatting, I want the first impression to be a good one.

I know she says that she doesn't mind having more of me to love, but I want to make a good first impression.

And I think we will meet next year perhaps (after almost 12 years) so - the time has come to do something.

I want the first impression to be a good one - because there will never be another first impression.

Too rude

2008-09-21T22:19:00.004+10:00

[Too rude. Too crude. Too lewd.]

Don't you hate rude people? They yell at you and then just bugger off.

I've had a lot of this in my life - people seem to think that because I am different to others that I can be treated differently.

My tribe was treated poorly for decades by the people who invaded this land, some may say that they still are, hopefully the injustices of the tribe are coming to an end.

Why do people think that it is their right to come online, take potshots at me and then scurry off into the night like a rat running down a drain pipe?

I'm happy to give time to people I don't agree with. I told a mate that when Turnbull became opposition leader I am happy to listen to what he has to say but won't necessarily agree with it.

Unfortunately, what I've heard from Turnbull so far is more of the same from Nelson - the man who wasn't making a connection with voters.

But at least they allow people to make their opinions and respond. And they don't yell at you for nothing!

The things you do for love

2008-09-19T20:03:00.009+10:00

[What is love? Baby don't hurt me. Don't hurt me no more.]

Love - it's crazy.

The things you do for love are crazier.

I have done stupid things for love. Like taking time off the IIRL, even walking out on work experience at a local newspaper (that could have got me started in my career in the media) to e with my (then) girlfriend.

But one stupid thing I've done was singing Baby One More Time... twice - once to impress a chick (who was meant to be nice but ended up being a bitch) and the next was at my brother's 21st.

Unfortunately, the latter was recorded so it shall be seen online sometime soon (I'm currently editing through the footage).

I love my family but I also love the media (what I want to get into in life) as well as loving someone else and that splits me big time - my parents want me here, that someone else wants me somewhere else and then there's the media.. Lord knows where I will end up there.

In the past I have just defaulted towards family and helping them out, but I am coming towards 30 and surely at some stage I need to look after myself.

No matter what I do for love this time, not everyone will love it.

UPDATE 27/09: My performance of me singing Baby One More Time at Ryan's 21st can be seen at - http://www.new.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=37227929847

For those about to rock we salute you

2008-09-04T00:59:00.007+10:00

[I don't know why a kid would lay down on a wild animal's skin either...]

Metro Station. Gabrielle Cilmi. Kate Perry. Pink. Surely a lineup of artists like that you'd think you'd be listening to a pop chart station like 2Day FM or Nova - but you'd be wrong!

These artists above feature on so-called rock station Triple M!

So, why am I annoyed you may ask. Yes, these songs deserve airplay due to their popularity, but are they rock?

[They're writing a cheque their body can't cash! ]

Triple M boasts via a station id most hours about its rock heritage, but in recent years the rock has been replaced by these pop artists and some band have disappered altogether.

Example: when was the last time you heard Meat Loaf, Silverchair (their earlier stuff in particular), Metallica, Spiderbait, Oasis, Australian Crawl, Jimi Hendrix, Smashing Pumpkins, Wolfmother, amongst others being played?

[Now here's a man who knows how to rock!]

Sure, maybe these bands are played when I'm not listening, but obviously they are not played often enough.

And let's not forget how The M's totally ignored the entire career of Shannon Noll, probably the most successful Australian solo rock artist this decade. He rocks! But Triple M says no - Cilmi rocks.

Personally, I hate having these songs on Triple M, they make me switch over to Vega or 2WS.

I say, Triple M - if you rock - play rock. If you're playing this shit, it's false advertising.

Season membership: to renew or not renew?

2008-08-27T15:47:00.004+10:00

I have been a season ticket holder twice in my life - but coincedently both years when I signed up the Doggies had a shocker of a year off the field.

The first year I (and my brother) signed up was 2002, that year the Bulldogs were found to had been cheating the salary cap and were handed the wooden spoon.

This year I thought I would save some money and get a season ticket again with my brother and the Doggies have lost four of their stars and look like getting the wooden spoon again!

Sure, any team that had lost their halfback and their front row would struggle - but the Bulldogs have lost their spirit it seems with loss after loss after loss, all in large (and sometimes record) margins.

Everyone knows I love the Bulldogs - I wear a Bulldogs ring, mobile phone holder, two wristbands and Bulldogs socks most days (I even have another ring and a necklace lying somewhere in my room, along with numerous hats and shirts), but is it worth it?

Next year we have a mighty good chance with buying some semi-decent players (although - no real superstars to replace the higher echelon of players that we had previously).

Many Bulldogs fans are annoyed that we have signed this long deal at ANZ Stadium where we get smaller crowds than we used to get at Belmore Sports Ground without any percentage of the soul of Belmore.

Add that to the fact that we've been called "The Bulldogs" for some years now - a team devoid of a name, a location and it is hard to get inspired.

So, I have decided to join the football club proper and in three years time (the mandatory waiting period... it sounds like private health insurance doesn't it?) I will have an actual voting say on what happens and maybe we can get our club back to where it should be.

Until then, to renew or not renew?

Being positive

2008-08-26T22:48:00.007+10:00

It's good to be positive through the bad times.

I have been unemployed for about three months now, although it seems a lot longer. Yeah it's tough, but you've gotta keep being positive about the future and the big picture.

[It's good to be positive - but maybe not as positive as this bloke!]

So today has been a strange day. I have gone from being positive (thanks to some berry V which always hits the spot) and doing an assignment with a disorganised (and I think not commited) assignment partner to being late to class (due to having to take extra time to finish off said assignment) to a job interview which I thought was good but I didn't say the magic words (great place, great job yada yada - I was just enthusiastic and smiling) to coming home and having my computer shit itself.

Aaah yes, my wonderful computer. This year alone it has killed off 19 years of songs I wrote, 1 musical, 1 short film, 12 years of web work, 10 years of fantasy football data and a whole lot of other stuff.

You may say "Make a backup" - I did.. but it was done about a year ago. And now that doesn't want to work either! Maybe one day it shall work - or I will have enough dosh to take it down to forensics.

But yes, back to being positive. Sure it may be the generous amounts of caffiene via two bottles of V, a can of Mother and a mocha, but it is good to be positive.

I'm not normally a bubbly type of person - I've been known to be dryer than the Simpson desert, but it is good to be positive and to smile.

I'm usually laidback enough for people to think "he doesn't give a shit" but sometimes that doesn't work and you need to make more effort.

So I say - you don't need to be like Travis from Big Brother - you don't need to be a pushover that just serves people (Lord knows I've been that to many people in the past...), but it is good to be positive.

Do positive things, take positive actions.

PS: I know you might think me "criticising" things like the Olympics as above may be negative. I tend to think of myself as a "media critic". So, I do need to be critical sometimes - as well all need to be - but it is good not be critical all the time in life itself. If life is getting bad, perhaps it is time to make positive steps to make it be good. I know one person who did that and she will reap the rewards in time.

The Olympics... boring or what?

2008-08-25T12:35:00.005+10:00

So the Olympics are over... finally!

Two weeks of our lives we'll never get back.

Sure, a lot of people won medals and some of those people were Australian, but this must have been the most boring Olympics ever?

Here in Australia we had to endure the most vanilla, localised coverage ever with constant interruptions by advertisements in the middle of sports, most sports not shown at all and let's not forget the silly commentary.

The much maligned Yum Cha programme during the morning was meant to be something like The Panel meets The Olympics.

Instead of entertaining and informing most, it led for many to call for the removal of the show and to bring back Roy and HG - a much better alternative.

But most of all, this Olympics will be remembered as a somewhat deceptive Olympics.

The computer generated and pre-recorded "fireworks" during the Opening Ceremony misled our hearts and minds - what is real and what is not?

The Nikki Webster-to-be singing in the middle of a packed stadium - was not singing at all, it was another girl who was not fit to appear on the international stage and had to be replaced by a girl who didn't know she was lip synching.

And the whole "up yours" to everyone else boasting about what they invented: paper, the original typewriter, etc.

I can't remember the 2004 Opening Ceremony, but I can certainly remember the 2000 Opening Ceremony and it was a whole lot better than this one.

Sure, I might be speaking as a proud Aussie (or ranting as some may say) but sure, we had the tin roof and the Victa mower but at least we weren't scary about it.

The whole '08 Opening Ceremony was heavy handed about boasting they are the best. When Aussies boast we do so with humour and fun - the '08 Opening Ceremony wasn't so fun.

At least the Closing Ceremony was a lot more fun with Chinese pop bands and things weren't so heavy handed (although knowing pop bands I'm sure they were lip synching too).

The London part of the ceremony was quite enjoyable with the double decker bus and let's not forget Jimmy Page rocking it out.

In the end, with the lack of gold medals for the Aussies, hopefully the next Olympics in England will be a whole lot better than these ones.

With another channel having the coverage (Channel Nine) maybe they will be better presented as well - with better websites and more coverage overall (with more digital channels).

Sadness and the modern betrayal

2008-08-24T11:39:00.006+10:00

Another year.. another new blog it seems!

It seems like I only start a new blog when something big happens... or if I have time..

So, here it goes again, life is travelling rather strangely with my best friend going away and another friend becoming a nuisance.

One best friend is leaving the big smoke and living their dream - that's great - I'm happy for them: they'll be up the highway, but it's sad that I know that I will see her a lot less.

The other friend becoming a nuisance, well he is one that likes to provoke people.

First he brings up sleeping with a crush (like that kind of bullshit is something that you bring up during dinner) and then he likes to put you down while you're feeling down.

[Top of the list on Facebook's Likeness quiz for "thing you would do for a friend" is Lay off friend's crush. Obviously this person didn't take the quiz!]

So my question is, is the act of mateship dead? When does it become okay for one friend to sleep with another friend's crush (without you knowing) and then bring it up later and it's all meant to be alright?

[Any guy near that girl will get a strapping... the girl too!]

Surely we've learned from that Troy movie, other than all Greek people having six packs, that if you sleep with a chick that someone has feelings for that's how wars get started.

Not that I'm thinking of a war or anything - but what kind of compensation do you get for that?

Sure they can say, "well she's all yours now" - but do you really want to go there after your friend has been there?

I’m not gay!

2007-10-21T04:48:00.002+10:00

[Prominent gay footballer Ian Roberts "in action"]

Good lord, this is my first blog in ages so yeah, I will get up to what I've been up to in later blogs but this is going to be towards something else.

Let me just state first before my rant.

I like gay people - they are cool - some of them are my best mates.

But, a year or two ago I sent an sms to all and sundry as part of an April Fool's joke saying that I was coming out and I was gay.

I got a few strange replies and then a couple of hours I sent through an sms saying "ha ha april fool's" or something similar.

Anyways, I was speaking to - who I think is a close mate - and she thought I was still gay after all this time?

Well obviously this is not the case.. - I am not gay at all.

But there is nothing wrong with gay.

However, she is a close mate.. and it makes me wonder do I sound gay? Do I walk or talk gay?

I eat steak, I love women, watch footy, drink beer - but because I also enjoy musicals and plays does that drift me over to that side?

[Maybe this shirt is a bit flambouyant...]

Or am I (as per usual) thinking too much and maybe thinking of the stereotypes too much?

But then again they say the best guys are either taken or gay so maybe she thought I was a best guy?

There was an incident many years ago where I wanted to go out with her but yeah.. we shan't get into that. I think that boat has sailed unfortunately.

If you love something, set it free...

2007-05-13T09:25:00.002+10:00

[Earthquake releases a bird...]

The old Chinese saying goes:

"If you love something, set it free. If it comes back to you, it's yours. If it doesn't, it never was."

I don't actually love this chick, but I do like her. I thought she liked me.

The story goes that about a month ago this chick who I had been talking to on the net for the past year on and off (with this year of being the year of being HAPPY and taking chances and doing things I don't usually do) I asked her out because we get along pretty well.

She was feeling sick and had to go into an operation and I was short on money (being the 3rd week of my pay month) so we decided that we would go out after her operation.

She had the operation and during recovery you'd think you'd talk to people you cared about (like people who want to go out with you) but every conversation I had to iniate and I found her being less and less enthusiastic about me.

It could have been her being sick? I'm not sure.

Anyways, so the other night I said to her that I release her of having to go out with me and that she only need go out with me if she wants to.

So the next day she says that "And I was about to ask you out as well..." and then went offline very quickly. She disappeared into the night like the Cheshire Cat from Alice In Wonderland.

I'm not sure whether she was relieved that it was all over and that she had to have a great escape or what but I haven't heard from her since.

What I wanted to do was - if she really likes me she will ask me out!

Lord knows if that will happen but if it doesn't well - better to do that rather than have failed.

New Thing Of The Week: Escape the Rat Race

2007-04-20T19:12:00.000+10:00

So, I've been having enough of work lately with a lot of the stuff happening at work - I decided to take some time off to get away.

"Everybody needs a little time away,
I heard her say, From each other.
Even lovers need a holiday,
Far away from each other"

I decided to get out of Sydney altogether to my favourite place. No it's not the Paris Hilton hehe - it's the Blue Mountains.

Ever since I became a working member of society things cost more and now going to the Blue Mountains on a link pass costs $40 for a day pass (including return travel)! But it's still worth it.

So, my little sister departed the inner west at 10ish and headed up to the Mountains on the train. A couple of hours later we were in Katoomba.

After taking the double decker bus from there we stopped at Scenic World.

Scenic World has some sky way things (these carriages on cables that take you to the forest) and also a cool coal train that takes you down/up a 52 degree trip down the mountain to the bottom.

The train trip was scary for me and Sonja - but other people didn't seem so frightened? Have a look below..

Scenic World Coal Train (click this link if the video player below doesn't work)

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After a nice walk through the forest we took a bus over to Echo Point (which always makes me think of Echo Beach song)

"From nine till five I have to spend my time at work,
The job is very boring, I'm an office clerk
The only thing that helps pass the time away
Is knowing I'll be back at Echo Beach some day"

Well I change the words from Echo Beach to Echo Point. But then again, wasn't there a really sad soapie on Ten in the nineties called that?

But I digress, we took a walk from Echo Point to the Three Sisters.

The air was so clear and fresh and just different to the city!

Most of the walk was down hill, but once you get to the main walkway it is down - steeply! It's about 60 or so steps the size of your foot going down down down - but once we got there it was worth it - just to be standing and touching the first of the Three Sisters.

That was until the walk up (or in my case pulling myself up). Sonja said "oh my god, we are so fat". I prefer the word unfit myself.

After returning to Echo Point and getting some fudge (Baileys and Cherry Ripe) from the nice fudge maker (not fudge packer) there we went to this nice ye olde high tea house at Leura.

It was a nice little cottage with silverware and everything - oh so formal.

And wasn't the bill formal - $20 for tea & scones for two - until I showed them I had been on the red double decker bus and they slashed the price by half (I fear for the locals who don't take the tourist bus).

So yeah, we took the train home then and it was good to breathe in the fresh air of the country and then get back to the city.

I'd love to live there one day - but I'd need to get a job out west somewhere.

The Easter Show!

2007-04-06T23:33:00.002+10:00

[The trains are well taken care of at Cityrail - even the empty trains are late!]

The day started later than expected, with Ryan working late that night - it was meant to be an 8am start but we ended up getting to the show just before 12.

We walked only a couple of 100m into the show and already had two bags of free stuff (a paper and some free government sponsored kids showbag) so the $31 was seeming to be worth it (or was it?).

We tried in vain to find the woodchopping stadium to watch the woodchopping (well der).

["There's got to be an easier way to fill a fireplace!"]

Unfortunately, when we got to the stadium it was empty and everyone was at lunch. This ended up the first year in a while I didn't get to see the woodchopping :( We tried to get in later but it was all full (which was awful!).

[Earthquake enjoys being Cheese on a Stick]

With the woodchopping not open we decided to go and get some lunch ourselves - by getting free samples at the Food Dome.

[Holy shit that's a huge pumpkin - 225kg!]

There was $2 for an Up N Go and ice cream at the Sanitarium stall! That's pretty good.

I shall prepare you all for the next part of the story. I like chilli. No better than that - I love chilli.

[Hotter than Lara Bingle and Billie Piper tongue wrestling!]

I went to The Chilli Factory and tried some of their Turbo Supercharge chilli and good lord it was hot!

How hot? Well I usually have extra chilli on my Big Bondi, but this was so hot that my tongue burned and tingled for over half an hour. I had to down one bottle of water, one Up N Go and some ice cream to quench the heat!

After that we went to the Showbag Pavillion and got some showbags - I ended up getting the Family Guy showbag, Darrel Lea chocolate block bag and a Darrel Lea bag for Cass (you've gotta look after your mates). Ryan got a 25-in-1 bag, an army bag and a Family Guy bag. We got a Coke and a Pepsi bag for Mum.

[Earthquake tries to talk to a Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man]

We ended up leaving the show early to get rid of all the showbags that were weighing us down.

After dropping off the bags at the car we headed back and went to see some animals - that's what you want to see at the Show - animals!

[Earthquake sizes up some drinking in the horse pavillion]

We ended up seeing some horses and alpaccas - aren't alpaccas cool. They're cool! I want one to replace my cats. They can eat grass. hehe

[Who has the curlier hair?]

After feeding the animals we fed ourselves and headed to the football game next door where the Dogs were playing the Rabbitohs. You got in for free with an Easter Show ticket.

It felt strange being there for an away game - although there were more Bulldogs fans there than Souths fans.

Another strange thing is that Souths doesn't have cheerleaders anymore - they've got drummers!

[South Sydney take the piss with their drumming cheerleaders, while a Roosters support takes the piss with a familiar surname on their jersey - too bad they weren't watching their team make it 0-4!]

The Doggies end up winning (and making me lose my tip - I know I shouldn't tip against the Doggies but Ben Roberts doesn't give me much strength).

So yeah - that was my day at show. Twas alright although I still want to see the woodchopping!

New Thing Of The Week: Contact my teacher!

2007-04-05T22:32:00.002+10:00

[he's not quite Robin Williams but he's still pretty inspirational]

The other day something strange happened.

Someone thought I was good!

I've lived all my life with not much motivation from my Dad yet when my teacher (the Robin William type) said "I reckon I'd have a job for you at my (radio) station" I didn't think anything of it.

But later on, after leaving the class early to go look after my little sister I thought about it more and more - I realised I should have probably talked to him more about it.

You see, he does run a radio station in the country and I wouldn't have to move to the country to work for them - but was he serious?

If I were to get a job there it would pretty much complete the majority of HAPPY resolution.

I ended up emailing him but got the wrong email - I then passed on a message from another teacher to give to him - hoping he will contact me.

It's all about experience, and to think that I could go and do something that is 100x better than what I thought I would get out of this (instead of community radio - a real radio job), that would be great.

As always, I will let youse know.

New Thing Of The Week: Watch something different

2007-03-30T21:07:00.002+10:00

["I really love this director's cut of One Night In Paris"]

The other night something strange happened. I was up late at night watching the start of Letterman and then it occured - Letterman was not on Letterman.

Letterman has been sick for sometime now coughing and hacking more than a nerd on Jolt, but Adam Sandler was hosting!

Sandler's hosting of the show was... umm different, but he had a co-star of his recent movie on (as seen above). This made me think.

The usual stuff I see is comedies or obscure Australian dramas (obscure to the Australian public that is) so I thought well if Sandler can try something different in having a thought provoking drama I could go watch the thing.

So, (and this is a review of the New Thing, not a preview) I ended up going yesterday to the movie and it was awesome.

Yes, Sandler plays someone with a mental defect, again, but this time it is different.

It is a beautiful performance and something that inspired me later in the week.

A lot of my mates think that Sandler can't go to acting because there hasn't been that many good comedian>actors.

I say Robin Williams, but then they say "What Things May Come".

To them I say Good Will Hunting.

What an excellent performance! As was Sandler's.

So, in conclusion - I really do recommend going to see Reign Over Me because it is something different than the usual twaddle, it is a heart affirming movie and it is thought provoking.

And that's all we want in life - something to provoke thoughts!

New Thing Of The Week: Rock TAFE

2007-03-24T21:20:00.000+11:00

TAFE is going well, but I have a major assignment coming up - radio play based on the history of radio, the technology and the future.

We chose our groups of 3 for the presentation and I chose Josh (not to be confused with another Josh) and Sebastian.

Sebastian left TAFE a week later and never came back.

Now Josh (at TAFE) has been somewhat amiss and unfortunately hasn't been to as many classes as required so I ended up writing the whole play myself.

Josh did do some revisions but other than that I basically wrote the thing in half an hour.

I got 91% for my audio editing assignment, so I hope to go as well this time.

The play is pretty much 80% filler (humour, drama) and 20% information - so I'm not sure how that will go.

I miss Fuzzy!

2007-03-19T23:36:00.004+11:00

[The late night tv viewers lament.. Fuzzy (left) or Erin McNaught (right)?]

Last year there was a reason that kept me up at night on Ten.

It wasn't David Letterman, he was still on Nine at that time.

No, it was Fuzzy. She came out of nowhere and into the heads of late night viewers' minds and gave us information on gadget and games on Cybershack.

Now Fuzzy was extremely popular. So popular she spawned a new Ten TV show "Video Hits First".
With the new tv show Fuzzy left us and went to weekend mornings and this year we're left with some former Miss Australia.

Since when was there a Miss Australia? I know there's a Prime Minister and a Governor-General, but some chick in a bikini can represent Australia?

No I'm not talking about Lara Bingle.

[a gratuitous picture of Lara Bingle to illustrate her ummm... Bingle-ness...]

McNaughto just isn't the same as Fuzzy. Her voiceovers, her standard Adriana Xenides hand showing of products isn't the same as Fuzzy's (as seen up the top).

So for Cybershack it's time to tune out, because McNaughto is nothing special and it's an extra half an hour of filler before Letterman.

New Thing Of The Week: A little something for me

2007-03-11T18:22:00.002+11:00

[Homer's fat, Homer's fat. He knows it..]

I have been making big progress at work and even at TAFE where my teacher praises my work and uses it as an example for others (a good thing) so I thought it's time to do something for me.

Ryan went to an Evanescence concert the other month and enjoyed it and when I read in the paper that the Sydney Comedy Festival is happening I thought that it would be great to go see one of the acts there.

Who just happens to be one of the said acts? Weird Al Yankovic.

So, on Monday night (ironically instead of going to TAFE) I'll be going to the Enmore Theatre to see him with Ryan (my little brother).

Cest La Vie

2007-03-02T19:13:00.002+11:00

[I really do think too much]

Sometimes I wish I wasn't like Lisa Simpson.

Some people say that Lisa Simpson can never be truly happy because she knows too much.

That's a touch like me. For example tonight I realised that as much as I want things to happen and as much as they seem like destiny it's not going to happen.

I spoke Cass and she told me that if I tell someone that they're beautiful that they should feel flattered, even happy.

[James Blunt had a song about someone being beautiful. I don't know if they acted in a huff.]

But what happens if someone has an adverse reaction? What happens if that annoys them, makes them uncomfortable.

Cass said that means that they either have a self esteem problem or they don't like me that way.

Or to put it another way - "She's just not that into you"!

Is it the truth? Is this the way it is? I don't know.

I just wish sometimes that I wasn't Lisa Simpson. After all, Homer gets through life okay.