When they first arrived in Australia, my mum used to call 7-11 “4-7-11”, because the TV jingle went “Thank heaven… for Seven Eleven!” In Swanston Street, just a few doors down from the 7-11 on the corner of Flinders Lane, is a fake 7-11: the 24-7 Cafe, with a colour scheme that is similar, but ... [More]
Nowadays I have a camera in my mobile phone, so virtually anywhere I am, I can take a picture. There was a morning, back in 1993 or so, when I wish I’d had a camera with me. I was waiting for a tram to work outside my old flat in Power Street, Hawthorn. That place ... [More]
Things to love about going to the pool Perfect cool-down on a hot day The kids have fun splashing around Inexpensive and close to home Secure belongings in a locker; don’t have to hide keys in shoes The cool wave pool… just like the beach, only cleaner (no jellyfish, for a start) Things to hate ... [More]
Help our kids by eating a Parma — from today until next Thursday, $2 from every chicken parma served at 77 pubs around Melbourne (PDF list) will go to the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday appeal. Yes, more than ever, superparma.com is sadly missed. I can’t give you a picture rivalling this carpark mishap in ... [More]
They came with a compass. Which way’s north? Ah, thought so. Do you want it on the front, or the side? I don’t mind… front’s better — I’ll be setting a good example. Behold: a green geek. The ladder went up. The collector went up and got connected. The old tank got ripped out and ... [More]
In the spirit of Overheard in Melbourne, this one heard the other day at Victoria Gardens shopping centre while on an Ikea run: “If you don’t behave, I’ll take you to the police station!” Puh-lease, talk about an empty threat. Unless the mum thought the kid was guilty of terrorism charges or something. As I’ve ... [More]
It was like stepping back in time. Down the stairs we went, into the darkness. Electronic beeps and bloops could be heard from all directions. Flickering lights. Most of the classics were there. Centipede. Galaga. Ms Pacman. Asteroids. Space Invaders. Donkey Kong. And more. A handful in cocktail tabletop cabinets, but most the way God ... [More]
Did you see the stuff Howard was spouting in an address to American conservatives the other day? (Text of speech) … his most bitter remarks were reserved for those seeking to unwind his WorkChoices legislation … Mr Howard also attacked Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s decision to withdraw combat troops from Iraq as “naive and dangerous”. ... [More]
Oil prices went over US$100/barrel again last week. Caltex expects people to pay more than $3 a litre in the next ten years. Meanwhile the interim Gaurnaut report came out, warning of the need to cut emissions. Recently when petrol nudged $1.50 per litre, I heard Wayne Swan on the radio having a whinge about ... [More]
Maybe things haven’t changed all that much in the last 119 years. And in place of lowing cattle, I can hear the fiendish rattle Of the tramways and the buses making hurry down the street, And the language uninviting of the gutter children fighting, Comes fitfully and faintly through the ceaseless tramp of feet. — ... [More]
The party made their way slowly down the corridor. Leading was Raftor the Brave, followed closely by Roder the dwarf. Bringing up the rear were the wizard Pyhus and Felonius, the group’s thief. They came to a door, which marked the end of the corridor. Raftor tried the door; it was locked. Felonius got out ... [More]
Don’t use Dymocks bags for permanently storing things in. They seem to be made of some kind of plastic that degrades quite rapidly. I’ve had two that were kept in drawers, out of the sunlight, which have unexpectedly disintegrated into lots of little plastic bits. Actually I think it’s great that they’re using this kind ... [More]
When I first needed childcare, back in 2000, I first looked at council-run places. There were none without a long waiting list, so I looked at private. I found a place nearby called Wilmar, run by a lovely couple called Neville and Pat, with a handful of staff. So I signed the kids up there. ... [More]
OMG. Why did nobody tell me about this before? The King of Kong. I know, I know… I didn’t actually list the original Donkey Kong in my top ten games… I don’t know what I was thinking of — it’s definitely one of my favourites. My own high score is around the 31,000 mark. It’s ... [More]
This is something we only get the chance to say every four(ish) years, so… Happy Leap Day! Enjoy the extra day of summer. (If only, for those in Melbourne, it actually seemed like summer.) But remember… if today didn’t exist, it’d be the weekend already. (Hmm, not sure that’s right, is it?)
The top ten Daniels, according to Google Australia (which shows pages from worldwide, but skews slightly in favour of Aussies): 1. The biblical Daniel. 2. The accompanying Book of Daniel. 3. Daniel Boulud’s Restaurant Daniel in New York City. 4. The Daniel Morcombe Foundation, working for protection of children from abduction. 5. Daniel Measurement and ... [More]