I’ve been trying to avoid this, but I don’t think there’s any way around this. I think we have stupid neighbours. It’s the garbage collection. Granted, it’s not the ideal set-up. For our block of six flats we have: A set of six small bins for bottle and can recycling. Paper recycling collected from the ... [More]
Last Friday morning I was making my sandwich for lunch in the customary manner. I’d forgotten that I wouldn’t actually need one as we at work were all going out for lunch, but that’s another matter. I decided on my favourite recipe (if you can call it that) of ham, cheese and lettuce. Actually "decided" ... [More]
I think I got the travel bug during our US trip in April. It’s so refreshing to go somewhere different. But for small doses of that kind of experience, perhaps it’s not necessary to go flying off to different continents, and with it the risks of travelling – crashes, hijacks and the most dangerous, airline ... [More]
It’s good to see the Dalai Lama getting a good reception on his current visit to Australia. I wonder anyone will tell him the joke someone said on Good News Week last week, about "Dalai Lamas in Pyjamas"? It has possibilities… D2: "Are you thinking what I’m thinking, D1?" D1: "I think I am, D2!" ... [More]
We just bought a new pram. Oh, sorry, a stroller. It’s so much different from a pram, you know. The old one is on its last legs, that is to say, on its last wheels. Okay, so it’s not quite that far gone, but it’s getting there. We treat our prams rough. So we splashed ... [More]
With the bulk of people on my project at work departing at the end of the month, a plethora of social activities have been scheduled to make sure we miss each other all the more after September. Lunches, barbecues, wine tours, cancelled ski weekends… and this week, indoor soccer is scheduled. And when I play, ... [More]
Clearing out some old uni notes over the weekend I found in a margin this gem of creativity that you might enjoy. Or perhaps not. "Earless Dead Geriatric Destitute Teenage Mutant Ninja Bignosed Cowboys Who Need Dental Treatment" Most of the other scrawlings on my lecture notes seemed to either be related to being extremely ... [More]
The mobile revolution has a problem. With over two million Australians now carrying mobile phones, one aspect of the technology is really creating problems. Not the cost, not the environmental impact of towers, or even the overloading mobile phone frequencies. It’s the phones themselves. They all sound alike. Almost daily on the train, you’ll hear ... [More]
Over the past few weeks it has become apparent at work that our project has a limited lifespan. At the time of writing it is probable that many of us will need to go looking for jobs. And we’ve risen to the challenge. Resumes have started popping up everywhere; on people’s screens, on the printer, ... [More]
Sometimes I wonder if I’ve told you lot things already. Most of the amusing things that happen to me get related in here at one time or another, with or without a little artistic licence. Thankfully I can usually take a spin through the files for a few choice phrases to ensure I don’t repeat ... [More]
My son Isaac likes The Wiggles. Actually, every Australian kid between the ages of six months and ten years like The Wiggles. No matter which way you look at it, The Wiggles are cool. For small children, The Wiggles act as an instant sedative. Bung on the video and Isaac gazes up at the screen, ... [More]
It’s kind of scary when you think about it. Toxic Custard has been going for six years. That’s as long as I spent in the entire of high school. It’s a helluva long time. Where did all those years go? I guess I’ve been having too much fun. In Australia, ABC viewers have a chance ... [More]