Wednesday, April 30, 2008

I'm Back and Melbourne remains shithouse...

Sorry for the non-posts, just got back from a business trip to Melbourne and it was hectic...

Nothing exciting to report, except I went to the taping of Spicks & Specks... and not only that, but it was courtesy of my mate Tommy who was on the show and got me into the VIP / Green room (the walls were Green from memory) and hence I sat around with Tommy and ate sushi and spring rolls whilst people like Wilbur Wilde, Derryn Hinch etc wandered around...

Excellent experience, many thanks to Tommy, and the episode that I watched being taped will be on in July sometime I believe... i think....

Other than that, Melbourne remains shit house! The big cabbie protest was right near my hotel and buggered my travel this morning - not because I needed a cab, but because I had hired a car and the combo of me needing to get to St Kilda, a wacky GPS and streets blocked due to protests got me all confused! lol.

Monday, April 28, 2008

10 Months Jail for this!

27yr old deliberately grooms a 12yr old for sex and is sentenced to 36months jail of which 26 months is "suspended". (Story)

WTF is going on here?

His defence? He was depressed and was not capable to delineate right from wrong because he was lost in a fantasy.

HELLO! The man was fantasising about sex with a 12yr old and when he acted on those fantasies, that's his excuse!

And shame on the press for referring to the victim as a "teenager". Since when is 12 a teenager?

Disgusting on all counts.

ANZAC Weekend Wrap

ANZAC Weekend Wrap

A big weekend that was very enjoyable firstly a lazy day on Friday.  It was pouring rain at 5am so we decided to give the local dawn service a miss but Niki took Kate down later on to meet her mum and lay some flowers at the memorial in Glenbrook.  Young Brooke didn’t want to go and played Scrabble with me

Then in the afternoon, we left the girls with Nikis parents and we went into the city for a spur of the moment night at the Four Seasons in the city and dinner at Aria.  We had a great time and relaxed!

Saturday was again lazy, picked the girls up, I did all the lawns whilst the girls were out and about and then we met my parents for dinner Chinese at the Hilltop Phoenix at Castle Hill.  It probably is my favourite Chinese restaurant in Sydney at the moment!  The kids love it and the staff are good with kids as well plus the food is excellent.

And yesterday we had friends Tommy & Anita with their 3 kids over for a BBQ.  It was a very relaxing afternoon and the kids again had a great time on the trampoline and playing on the grass.  Tommy also pulled out a few board games as well when the weather got a bit windy and wet my girls love games!

Afterwards, it was left overs for dinner and I had to pack for Melbourne!  I am flying down tonight for work and wont be back until Wednesday.  I have my laptop et al so I should be able to post from down there too.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Speaking of tragedies...

This looks like a good read...

I am normally a reader of fiction over non-fiction, but I might pick this book up... Even the review is interesting, let alone the actual book!

ANZAC DAY

Tomorrow is ANZAC Day and its one of those funny days off that probably has more significance than say Easter. Easter, unless you’re really religious is a 4 day weekend, but ANZAC Day seems to strike a chord with all Australians.

But even though it’s a day of remembrance it’s also a day of celebration and it is part of the tradition that people enjoy themselves and have a good time – because essentially we can because of what was done in WWI and WWII.

So, for me, we’ll be enjoying the day and the kids will be doing dancing (again!) and then Niki and I will be heading into town and having dinner and I presume we’ll head to the Rocks afterwards to have a few drinks!

But of course what would ANZAC Day be without some sort of political / protocol debate. This year we have two: firstly, the TV networks wanted to delay Dawn Service for ratings purposes. Guys, its called Dawn Service. It happens at dawn. Don’t try and deny it or move it, grow some balls and telecast it when it’s on… and it better be ad free!

The second one is the eternal debate as to whether the descendents of diggers be allowed to march. I am a bit mixed about this… I truly think that there is nothing more symbolic than seeing aging men wearing their medals very proudly walking down George St. There are now no more World War 1 diggers left and the WWII diggers are aging very quickly. If we were to ban the descendents then pretty soon it would be a very short march. Yes, we have the Vietnam Vets and they are now marching more with pride than perhaps they would have back in the 80’s but other than that, the marchers are thinning.

But if we don’t make a call, then the march will get too crowded as the branches of family trees extend and more and more people wish to remember the deeds of their family… a nice cause, but do we really need to see that?

I think there is a case to limit the numbers and once the last digger passes off his mortal coil, then all that will be left will be a banner and a bugle player. Perhaps that’s all that is required.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Shapelle Corby: "I want to go home"

Shapelle Corby wants to go home.

Funny, but I thought that was the point of jail? Made you wish to have your freedoms back and potentially regret your actions... mmm.

I wish we would stop having these bleeding heart stories every 6 months in which they have a vague reference at the end of the article to "the ugly one". No disrespect to Renae Lawrence, but you know she doesnt quite cut the mustard to be deserving of a lead story in the Telecrap because she doesnt have those doe-like innocent eyes and a nice rack like Shapelle.

/sarcasm off.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Zimbabwe

Enough of the frivolities...

Zimbabwe. Where is the UN on this? Mugabe is elected out clearly, refuses to show himself publically, calls a recount on no basis, and in the intervening three weeks, 10 elected representatives of the opposition party (who should be in power) have been murdered and now the Mugabe Health Minister threatens to shoot opposition supporters.

If there was ever the case for third party intervention, its Zimbabwe. As a Commonwealth (or are they ex-Commonwealth) nation, the British should invade, oust the dictator and his cronies and instill the properly elected party as leaders of the country.

But why don't they? Americans seem to jump willingly into the Mid-East, and Australia gets involved in East Timor and the Solomons, and the Brits fought a whole war against Argentina over a rocky outcrop of sheep paddocks in the Falklands.

Why is Zimbabwe simply untouchable?? The guy is a despot and should be removed. Permanently.

ADVERTISEMENT: Who Needs A Movie



C'mon y'all! Get yourself one of those video movies...

He doesn't mention home made porn though... could you guys "perform" when they're in the room?? LOL!

* Kudos to Kristie for the link

Monday, April 21, 2008

Weekend Leviathan Wrap

Spent a wet weekend playing at the Leviathan tournament at Quakers Hill in which I did rather poorly :-)

Came 9th out of 16 with 2 wins, a draw and 3 losses... if I had my time again, I would have made some changes to my roster as my choices had severly limited my skills. Essentially, taking 4 Chaos Warriors was an overkill and hence my other 7 players were quite crap as a result... oh well, live and learn!

But my weekend was good and I had a great time and my team won Best Painting which was good for Dan who painted them.

Also, my mate Noyz who hasnt played Blood Bowl in 15 years had his first crack and he came from near bottom on Saturday to 7th overall by the end with a 3-0-3 record.

But as far as weekend's go, it was a good nerdy weekend!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Weekend...

This weekend, I am off to the Leviathan Blood Bowl tournament at Quakers Hill. This will be my third go at Leviathan and I am the defending champion :-)

This year though I am playing my new Chaos Team (see pics below) wonderfully painted by PianoDan in Canberra.

The team will have little chance of winning the event, but I think it will be the best painted team there!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Work Continues to Drudge

Not sure what to blog about today... am having an "unmotivated" day at work today and am continually being pushed along by management here to deliver and work flat out but still there is no certainty of my employment here because of the sale and subsequent restructure.

This delay is being caused by the sale transaction taking longer to complete and the latest is that it will be done in the first week of May.

So in the interim, its work work work from above whilst everyone combats there own uncertainties.

My next door neighbour in the cube farm here resigned on Monday. She is moving to a rival firm in the same line of work and has given 4 weeks.

I am also aware of a couple of others who will be resigning in about a week or so pending final offer documents being received.

For me, I had a positive chat (albeit with no guarentees) with the CEO and I now rate myself a 50-50 shot at getting a seat on the new company. Having said that, I have had one interview for an external job and continue to "keep the ear to the ground".

So, we continue along in limbo... I am off to yet another meeting on the sale / split of the company and do my best to deliver things for my company that would probably see me given a pink slip as a result...

JOY

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

What Utter Bullshit

Facebook / MySpace access is now a "key consideration" for employees looking to join an employer. (link)

Come on people, if you cant handle not being able to receive your SuperPokes or your latest invites to be a Ninja or a Zombie, then dont work at all. I have a Facebook profile, but my company blocks it and thats fine by me.

Sheesh! Talk about catering for the lowest common denominator!

The Cost of Travel

I drove in again to work today and ever since I have moved over to North Sydney for work, I have been taking the M4 / M7 / M2 / Lane Cove Tunnel route which costs around $15 in tolls each way.  For that pleasure, the traffic, particularly on the M2, is horrendous.

Today though I went straight down the M4 paying a comparatively mere $2.20 and into the city and over the Harbour Bridge.  Travel time, albeit in School Holiday mode, was a mere hour and a quarter.  So that’s it for me no more M2.  That route through the north west of Sydney is the most diabolical road system in which 50% of the available blacktop road is dedicated to sparsely used Bus Lanes and bike lanes.  If they made it a 3 lane road instead of 2, it may be better and I could justify it (because going that route, I have no traffic lights between the mountains and North Sydney) but whats the point of having no lights if youre doing 5km/h!

I am rambling, but seriously, I don’t know how people drive to work every day.  I think I may try and catch the train tomorrow because despite my success today, the parking is a killer!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Sorry For The Lack Of Post

Today got away from me today...

I actually hurt my knee a touch at work yesterday and went home early at around 3pm and worked from home today.

So, I have been tic-tacking on emails and painting minis today and keeping my knee as well rested as possible.

Have to go back tomorrow though :-(

Monday, April 14, 2008

Trains The Way To Go

Sydney's City Rail can employ a few of these guys! Particularly at Town Hall at around 5:30 - 6:00pm every weekday evening!



* Thx to Kristie for the link

He's baaack!

Yes, back in the office this morning.  I drove in and the traffic wasn’t too bad but was worse than I expected for a school holiday morning and the drive was fine given my sore knee was simply a passenger (ah the joy of an automatic car!)

I am hobbling around the office, but am OK and have had the sway of the water cooler this morning as people quiz me on how the operation all went.

So, I am sure youre sick of hearing about my damn knee so I want to talk about this.

Why oh why, do we suddenly need our private (albeit on work infrastructure) emails exposed to our employers in the name of Terrorism?

Read the first sentence.  Employers reading employee emails to protect against Terrorism.  If you work for a company that has no government connection and your business makes a commercial product to sell to customers on what grounds does your employer need to look at your emails to protect the Nation against Terrorism.

This sort of thing is abhorrent and should be resisted on all levels.  We are not a communist country and our government doesn’t need to snoop on us just in case.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Lazing About

Today, for the first time in nearly a year, we had a weekend day with NO COMMITMENTS!

Yes folks, we had no birthdays, family functions, kids parties, sporting events, friends BBQ's or anything else that required out presence somewhere else or to have people attend our house for something.

Nothing, nadda, zilch.

We slept in, Niki made it to at least 10:30am, I shot some netball hoops with the girls, we played a boardgame and we went out for brunch late so that it could be actually called lunch and then we went and took the girls to the DVD shop and they hired some movies.

Tonight, Niki and I are going to watch on DVD "Death at a Funeral" and have a lazy night to continue our lazy day.

I have to say though, the kids DVD's that they have watched so far have all been scratched. We haven't borrowed any in ages, and now I recall why we don't...

I am planning to goto work tomorrow despite a doctors certificate until the 18th. We'll see how it goes, but I will probably drive.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Getting About

Well whilst I am not 100% mobile and need to take it easy, I have been able to get out and about and today we were able to go and have a nice lunch at the Lapstone Hotel and I had a couple of beers :-)

Very relaxing this recovery business! lol

Here's a shot of Niki at the pub with me today!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

The Mummy Returns!



First day of being a partial Mummy and NO PAIN! I am actually surprised. The nurse's last night gave me a box of Panadeine Forte and it remains unopened. Havent even had a single panadol!

I am a bit bemused as I was expecting alot of aches and pains today...

Walking is difficult though, but improving and I am hobbling around the house today. But taking it easy, between the computer and the tele although I am going up to the shops with Niki soon for lunch. Craving for a milk bar hamburger!

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Kneecapped!

Well, home from the hospital.

For those who aren't aware, I had an arthroscopy today to clean up my knee cartilage. After the surgery, the doc told me he ended up trimming away two tears not one as he had first diagnosed and that one was "in the groove" (I am sure thats a medical term he used) and hence why my knee had been painful.

Funny though this whole business. I was very nervous mainly because of the anaesthetic. I hadnt had anaesthetic since I was 4 when I had my appendix out and hence I was a bit worried. After going in at 11:30am, I didnt actually get taken to theatre until after 3pm and I laid there listening to the nurses getting the theatre ready whilst I laid there under a warm air blanket, in a hair net and with a big cannula in my hand...

Then when I was wheeled in, answered the same routine questions about allergies, fillings and did I understand the procedure. The anaesthetist stuck a tube in my cannula and when the Q&A was done, he said "OK, am going to administer the drug now".

Then he simply said to me "Clayton, you have 15 seconds." Kinda odd statement really so I started counting in my head. Got to 12 I think - lights out.

The next thing I know, I am in recovery, feel no pain whatsoever and a nurse was telling me she was giving me a bit of oxygen to help with my breathing... all too easy really.

By 6:30 I was in the car and Niki was driving me home!

The knee is heavily bandaged, but no crutches and I am hobbling around on it. It isnt paining, but I have had some Panadeine Forte and will probably have some more soon, but I really am surprised how good I feel.

I have some exercises to do tomorrow - simple leg extensions etc and the bandage stays on for 48hrs.

All good I say!

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

I feel like I am on All Saints...

We need a doctor in the house!!

Kate has measles broke out in a rash on Sunday but was fine but is now itchy and the rash this morning has spread to her arms.  She was off school yesterday and will be until the rash goes away.  She is OK, but itchy.

Brooke was born with kidney reflux and she had a test yesterday (ultrasound) and is heading to the paediatrician today for diagnosis.

Niki is generally unwell and has to have a blood test.

Nikis mum is off to the pain clinic today for her back and Niki (with kids in tow) has to take her.

And I get admitted tomorrow for my knee and will be bedridden in front of the TV / PC for the rest of the week (mmm, not so bad!).

So we are just one big Ward at the moment I feel like the film crew from All Saints will turn up at any minute!

Monday, April 07, 2008

I think I am going to be sick!

Ewww! Words cannot describe this!

Mrs Deaves said soon after reuniting with her father she began to see him as a man first and her father second.

"I was looking at him, sort of going, oh, he's not too bad," she said.

"Like you might look at a man across the bar at a nightclub."

Sunday, April 06, 2008

Dancing Weekend!

A tiring weekend has just passed...

Niki has been rather unwell this week and the weekend was hectic with the girls playing Netball, Kate having dance practice and Niki's Dad's birthday on Saturday and today was "Dancing Scholarship Day" in which the girls did ballet routines to get a years tuition for nix.

Unfortunately they didn't win, but they did really well and the competition was very good. To get up there and do the routines is quite a feat for the girls!



But not only was it Dancing Scholarship, but Niki as Chairperson of the Fund Raising Committee had their first crack at raising money for the trip to the USA in about 2011. They need to raise $50K and it started with a Cake Stall and a Canteen / BBQ. Niki manned the stall all day from 9:30am until 4pm and I did the BBQ. If I never see a Bacon & Egg roll again and a sausage sandwich, I'll be happy! lol.

It all went well and nearly $300 were raised. Its a start!

Friday, April 04, 2008

Under the Knife...

I am flat out… and its just dawned on me why.  I am having Wed – Fri off work next week as I am going in for a knee operation.

 

The last time I had any anaesthetic was when I had my appendix out at 4yrs of age and I am now realising that I will be gowned and put under for my arthroscopic surgery.

 

The operation or the recovery itself isn’t a worry, my bad knee(s) over the past 8mths have caused me a heap of grief and I will happy to at least have one of them fixed up, but the notion of anaesthetic worries me…

 

But at the moment, its busy busy busy with all my work stuff that needs to be done by next Friday having to be done by Tuesday.

 

Still, this weekend should be relaxing… it’s the first weekend without cricket since September and although the girls have netball on Saturday and dancing on Sunday (both are entering a ballet scholarship competition) I am looking forward to it.

 

Hope your weekends are good too!

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Chinese Wonder Drug

Well... ladies heading to Beijing for the Olympics... make sure you get some of this!



(Credit to Pete for the pic)

Who cares!

A young girl posts on Facebook, like the gazillion of others, pictures of her and her friends at parties where there was alcohol involved. Lots of silly faces and young people acting foolish. Its a scenario played out in every bar and nightclub in the world every Saturday night and there is no harm done.

Unless of course the girl is an Australian swimmer and the governing body of Swimming in Australia wants them censored (read removed) from this persons personal website and then on top of that, the news report the photos as being "raunchy". Its absolutely ridculous and a complete waste of space.

Come on, please! Can we stop with this constant 'titilation' news making and let people be who they are without trying to lay down the heavy handed "role model" spiel?

Am Back From NZ

Am Back From NZ

And am in the office and a little busy!

Normal Lime Kettle services will resume shortly.