Terms of endearment

When one likes another, be it relationship, friendship, mateship, etc most people start using nicknames or terms of endearment. Most of these are harmless, some make no sense to others, a few might even offend other people. There are some that slip between the cracks that people don't acknowledge or if they do it feels a little strange to others.

Case number 1 in point - "Sexy"
Used by most people at some point or other, unfortunately it's a term that is either accepted by the majority or purely in the eye of the beholder. It's one of those terms that anyone can use for someone they believe is "sexy" and don't intend to be offensive, or sometimes a little over the line. I, personally, like to use sexy when I'm attracted to someone who I'm in a relationship with. Although I used to use it sparingly I have been told recently that it us too creepy and the fact that others use it in reference to their beloved it somehow undervalues the sentiment. I didn't really believe Cath either, but at the moment I'll keep the comment to a minimum.

Case number 2 in point "boy / girl"
I may have acces to a certain social networking site - on this site I might have a friend or two - of these friends I might have a couple who recently referred to each other as "boy" and "girl". I don't see a problem with this, both parties are using a similar term and don't have an obvious problem with it.
Now for the sticky issue - female friend of both comments on the male's reference to his girlfriend as "girl". Scathingly comment attached which follows the lines of "you don't own her, she's not 10, you should call her woman". This left me a little sick. Here was a couple who displayed their affection for each other in public, in a way that was comfortable for them, and ONE of them was shot down. No comment to the female for calling the male "boy" instead of "man", no nothing of the sort. No comment that the display of affection was nice, just that this 3rd party didn't like a perceived insult to the female, even where none was obviously not intended or existed. It bothers me this black and white attitude to "respect" and "political correctness" that has once again excluded the middle class male from any form of rebuke or support.

There are times when I, and others, want to display our affection for those we love and how we feel "ownership" and "owned" in our comfortable relationship. People who don't understand it or perceive a "threat" need to find a short pier and take a nice long brisk walk.

PT'ing it home

This is worthy if a blog entry - on the way home and there is actually seats free on the tram!! It's just a little scary.

Now my train will be cancelled or something ... I hope not!!

Almost 2 weeks ... and I'm still alive

I must say, not only was my bride beautiful and the day went perfectly - but damn can my wife organise a shin-dig! It was truly amazing and exactly what we (I?) wanted. A great day that was about us, but not us as the pinnacle of a mob. We were the centre of attention, but only because the people there were happy for us - and celebrating with us.

While the nerves were racing (apparently I was the calm one of the two!) there was excitement and a slight hesitation about being in front of all those people. With the flashing and the clicking ... I still have a slight twitch from all the fast bright lights.

I stayed at a good friend's place the night before the happy day. While we decided to exclude most of the "traditional" items from the wedding list, I'm glad we spent the night (and most of the day) apart. It made seeing my bride in all her finery that much better. And how fine it was!

I'm not going to go into specific details in this post (that will come soon, I promise!) but the whole ceremony portion of the day went exactly to plan. The celebrant was great - especially for someone we hadn't meet until 15 minutes before
the event. The reception was also great, the drinks flowed from the get-go, the food was amazing and the accommodation ... the only thing that comes to mind is "FUCK ME".

I've had one or two upgrades in hotels before - but nothing, I repeat NOTHING compares to being upgraded to the Presidential Suite. A Suite normally would have been great, but to the Presidential Suite ... I think I'm still in shock. The "room" went almost forever and then came round back again.

So yes, in a nutshell the suite might just get it's own post (that's 2 for the kids playing at home).

So the honeymoon - 7 nights wasn't long enough. I'll skip over the major fuck up that the Travel Agent allowed to happen. I'll also skip over the humidity and the almost overbearing heat. What I will mention is I can't wait to go back to Thailand (or really anywhere similar to that) and that I almost got to the point of enjoying haggling with street vendors. At least it was better to haggle with them than telling them I'm not their "Boss" and I don't need a suit.

Although I did end up coming home with 2 very nice suits - and all sorts of other bits and pieces. Another post I think - the tailoring experience AND the street sellers who couldn't wait to fit me for a suit (or shorts/shirts if it was hot outside).

The travelling was good, the resort was great, the service and the food was amazing. I really don't have any major problems with our honeymoon - what made it perfect (perhaps using that word too many times), what made it perfect was spending the time with my love and my new wife (yes Cathy :P).

With only 1 day left of my holiday I'm not exactly fussed with going back to work - although I do look forward to wearing my new suits (and choosing which tie to wear with it), I'm also looking forward to how I feel about going to work (ie getting back to the "real world") hot I feel about being married. Especially to Cathy.

On a side note - I don't think Cathy has really acknowledged the being married part yet, although I think getting her ring back on is certainly helping the issue! I might not have gotten use to being married, but the worst part so far has been my fingers feeling a little dislodged around my wedding ring. Guess I can deal with that sort of issue though ;)

Hold your breath for the next few posts (or don't, it won't be tonight!).

Call it writer's block - call it lack of inspiration - call it being down right lazy. Call it whatever you will, I've been horrible. Now I'm getting married and won't be able to do anything for the next 2 weeks (well 10 days, I'm sure I'll be online when we get back).

Basically I have had ideas of blogs, but really I wanted to keep this time as special time between me and Cath. So I did. Once it's over I'll come back in full force and be posting like there's no tomorrow, I have a list of this here that I want (need?) to blog about.

There have been good times, there have been great times, there have been shit times. We get married in 49 hours and I still want to be there - it can't have been all that bad. Things will go well, nice and smooth sailing I say to anyone who asks - once we get past the little things that need to be done at the end (shit! Where is that chocolate delivery?!).

So, my utmost apologies again my (very few?) remaining readers, hopefully I can spark more of an audience when I return with stories of the south seas ... or just how bad airline food can be! I shall return and shall being writing again!

A test

I have a new toy. Apparently this will help me to use it more ... It's only supposed to be a phone damn it.

Stupid apple.

More later.

Yes, yes. I'm a horrible blogger. I have to write more and more often. Blah, blah. Really sometimes shit gets busy and while I have a lot to write about I have very little time. Well very little time where I can blog. If only the public transport in this city would install wireless ... oooh, interesting thought.

Anyway, quick thing before I leave work and go home - to attempt to write a real post and not some short piece of crap that ends with a link to someone else's work. But here it is anyway:

http://artofmanliness.com/2009/05/13/ask-wayne-man-wants-to-be-friends-with-her-after-the-breakup/#more-2949

I'm a great fan of this blog and to be honest - this is one of the many entries that has really rung true for me. I (as the author said) know there will be a LOT of flaming going on, but seriously - get over it. All the males out there know this to be true - and all the females out there thinking "it can work - we're different to everyone else" is just plain wrong.

Case closed. Almost hometime. Where's my cigar and scotch damn it!

You Spin Me Round

Well, not to put much effort in here but I do feel like things are still spinning around in my head. Between work, moving, wedding (people will chuckle with this comment) and trying to keep things afloat, blogging has fallen to the very bottom of the heap. But I'm working through it and am slowly clawing my way out of this slump.

Anyhoo, I've decided what I really need - something that will save time and proved me with something I think I'm in dire need of. Please view the next amazing invention (and yes, apparently it does still "work"!)


On to slightly more serious things - I've got nothing. Well lots of stuff, but nothing that is blog-worthy right now. As the boys said "We're not worthy!", but in this case it's true.

Come back in a little while and I'll have something here. Even if it's "Oh god, oh god, we're all going to die". (I wonder who will get those 2 quotes!)

Yay for us!

Getting engaged seems to be relatively easy. Although finding the right person helps too.

Before Cathy gets the chance - we're engaged. It's an amazing feeling.

Now for the countdown to the day and the stress that comes with being Assistant Coordinator in this.

I seem to have read a few books this year

I may have mentioned that I read a lot. Apparently I read quickly too. I figured I'd test this out and see how fast I could read 2 books. Of course at the same time.

Fortunately Cathy brought home 2 interesting books last tuesday.

Making Money - Terry Pratchett
Stranger in a strange land - Robert A. Heinlein

Two very different books and seemed to be acceptable to my speed trial. I finished "Making Money" on Tuesday night and have less than 100 pages on "Stranger in a strange land". So I'm guessing I'll finish that by the weekend.

I've never considered myself to be a fast reader, but to finish almost 2 books in just over a week is apparently fast (light speed if one of my friend's opinions is correct - although he only "reads" from "books-on-CD" these days).

So, I guess a question is in order - how fast do you read? And like me, do you read more than 1 book at a time? (I've had a maximum of 4 books on the go once, that was a little confusing!).

2 more to the list

I just finished reading 2 books (yes, I do that - read a few at once, I get bored).

Life of Pi by Yann Martel
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

Both are very interesting books, I guess dealing with the struggles of life and how to live. I must admit I did enjoy Life of Pi more than American Psycho, but I suspect I was always going to enjoy it.

Surprisingly I also enjoyed the movie American Psycho and have suggested to a number of people that the movie and book actually compliment each other, to me this is a miracle and the indication of serious talent.

100 must-read books (shamelessly stolen)

I've mentioned I read a lot of books and I've even mentioned a couple of good ones here, but I think I need something more. Cathy emailed me an interesting new blog the other day and once I started reading it, I'm actually enjoying it.

So, first thing to steal - the books I (apparently) have to read. 100 of them. This could take me a few weeks.

Yes, I did mention I have stolen it and I'll even put a link to the original article before I edit it for my liking (and ease of reading) - 100 must-read books.

So, here goes a few things ... 100 to be exact
(Legend:
TBR - To Be Read
RI - Read It
RA - Read Again
NRA - Never Read Again
FR - Finish Reading)


The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald TBR
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli TBR
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut TBR
1984 by George Orwell RA
The Republic by Plato TBR
Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky TBR
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger TBR
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith TBR
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway TBR
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde TBR
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck TBR
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley TBR
How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie FR
Call of the Wild by Jack London TBR
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris TBR
Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss FR
Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac TBR
The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer TBR
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller TBR
Walden by Henry David Thoreau TBR
Lord of the Flies by William Golding TBR
The Master and Margarita by by Mikhail Bulgakov TBR
Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut TBR
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand TBR
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka TBR
Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins TBR
White Noise by Don Delillo TBR
Ulysses by James Joyce TBR
The Young Man’s Guide by William Alcott TBR
Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy TBR
Seek: Reports from the Edges of America & Beyond by Denis Johnson TBR
Crime And Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky TBR
Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse TBR
The Book of Deeds of Arms and of Chivalry by Christine De Pizan TBR
The Art of Warfare by Sun Tzu FR
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra FR
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer TBR
The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri TBR
The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien RI
The Rough Riders by Theodore Roosevelt TBR
East of Eden by John Steinbeck TBR
Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes TBR
The Thin Red Line by James Jones TBR
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain TBR
The Politics by Aristotle TBR
First Edition of the The Boy Scout Handbook TBR
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand TBR
Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller TBR
The Crisis by Winston Churchill TBR
The Naked and The Dead by Norman Mailer TBR
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen TBR
Animal Farm by George Orwell TBR
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs TBR
Beyond Good and Evil by Freidrich Nietzsche TBR
The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison TBR
Moby Dick by Herman Melville FR
Essential Manners for Men by Peter Post TBR
Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly FR
Hamlet by Shakespeare RA
The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn TBR
A Separate Peace by John Knowles TBR
A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway TBR
The Stranger by Albert Camus TBR
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Dafoe FR
The Pearl by John Steinbeck TBR
On the Road by Jack Kerouac TBR
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson TBR
Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole TBR
Foucault’s Pendulum - Umberto Eco TBR
The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux TBR
Fear and Trembling by Soren Kierkegaard TBR
Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose TBR
Paradise Lost by John Milton TBR
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck TBR
American Boys’ Handy Book TBR
Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer TBR
King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard TBR
The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky TBR
A River Runs Through It by Norman F. Maclean TBR
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells FR
Malcolm X: The Autobiography TBR
Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris TBR
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas FR
All Quiet on The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarq TBR
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane TBR
Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans by Plutarch TBR
The Strenuous Life by Theodore Roosevelt TBR
The Bible FR (literally - god damn it! why?!)
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry TBR
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett FR
The Long Goodbye by Raymond ChandlerTBR
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee RI
The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden TBR
The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara TBR
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin TBR
The Histories by Herodotus TBR
From Here to Eternity by James Jones TBR
The Frontier in American History by Frederick Jackson Turner TBR
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig TBR
Self Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson TBR


There are actually many in that list I'm NOT looking forward too. This is only slightly depressing. There are a number I have started reading (when I was so much younger) that I will have to go back and start again. There are others that are so jam packed full of Americana that I know I'm going to have trouble with them.

But here goes nothing, almost 100 books to jump into and see what sort of person I am at the end.

Now don't worry, I'm not going to be reading so much that there's no more entries - I'll be reading and posting about all the inane chatter that some of these titles are. It's going to be an interesting experience.

1, 2, miss-a-few, 99, 100

Quick update before bed. It's a bit of a cheating one too. But ah well, I'm rather tired.

Here's a list I stole from somewhere that out of 245 films, I've seen a couple.

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
(x) Boondock Saints
(x) Fight Club
() Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
() Airplane
Total:8

(x) The Princess Bride
() Anchorman
() Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
() Saw
() Saw II
() White Noise
() White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
() The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 13

() Scream
() Scream 2
() Scream 3
(x) Scary Movie
(x) Scary Movie 2
(x) Scary Movie 3
(x) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
() American Pie 2
() American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 18

(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
(x) Resident Evil 1
(x) Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
() Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 27

(x) Finding Nemo
(x) Finding Neverland
() Signs
(x) The Grinch
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
() White Chicks
(x) Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30 (Suddenly 30)
(x) I, Robot
(x) Robots
Total so far: 34

(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
(x) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(x) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
() KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
() Eight Crazy Nights
(x) Joe Dirt
(x) KING KONG (which version? - Matt)
Total so far: 44

(x) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
() The Lizzie McGuire Movie
() Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
() Dumber & Dumberer
() Final Destination
() Final Destination 2
() Final Destination 3
() Halloween
() The Ring
() The Ring 2
() Surviving X-MAS
(x) Flubber
Total so far: 48

(x) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(x) Practical Magic
() Chicago
() Ghost Ship
(x) From Hell
(x) Hellboy
(x) Secret Window
() I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
(x) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 55

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
() Child's Play
() Seed of Chucky
() Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
() Just Married
() Gothika
() Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Sixteen Candles
(x) Remember the Titans
() Coach Carter
() The Grudge
() The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
() Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 60

(x) Bad Boys
(x) Bad Boys 2
() Joy Ride
() Lucky Number Slevin
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
(x) Ocean's Thirteen
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremacy
(x) Bourne Ultimatum
() Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
(x) Predator I
(x) Predator II
() The Fog
(x) Ice Age
(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
(x) Curious George
Total so far: 74

(x) Independence Day
() Cujo
() A Bronx Tale
() Darkness Falls
() Christine
(x) ET
() Children of the Corn
() My Bosses Daughter
() Maid in Manhattan
(x) War of the Worlds
(x) Rush Hour
(x) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 79

() Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She's All That
(x) Calendar Girls
(x) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
(x) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
(x) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
(x) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 92


(x) X-Men
(x) X-2
(x) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
(x) Sky High
() Jeepers Creepers
() Jeepers Creepers 2
() Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
(x) Reign of Fire
(x) The Skulls
(x) Cruel Intentions
(x) Cruel Intentions 2
() The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 106

() Swimfan
() Miracle on 34th street
(x) Old School
(x) The Notebook
(x) K-Pax
() Krippendorf's Tribe
()A Walk to Remember
() Ice Castles
() Boogeyman
(x) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 110

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 116

(x) Baseketball
() Hostel
() Waiting for Guffman
() House of 1000 Corpses
() Devils Rejects
(x) Elf
(x) Highlander
() Mothman Prophecies
() American History X
() Three
Total so Far: 119

() The Jacket
() Kung Fu Hustle
() Shaolin Soccer
(x) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
() Shaun Of the Dead
() Willard
Total so far:123

() High Tension
() Club Dread
(x) Hulk
() Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
(x) 28 days later
() Orgazmo
() Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
Total so far: 128

(x) Kill Bill vol 1
(x) Kill Bill vol 2
(x) Mortal Kombat
() Wolf Creek
(x) Kingdom of Heaven
() the Hills Have Eyes
() I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
() The Last House on the Left
() Re-Animator
() Army of Darkness
Total so far: 132

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x)Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
(x) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
(x) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 140

(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
(x) The Matrix Revolutions
(x)Animatrix
() Evil Dead
() Evil Dead 2
() Team America: World Police
(x) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
(x) Hannibal
Total so far: 147

() Braveheart
(x) Gladiator
(x) 300
(x) Shawshank Redemption
() Killer Bees
(x) Alien Vs. Predator
Total: 151

Apparently there are 245 films in that list, I really have no idea. Strange how I seem to have seen quite a number of them. Time to widen my movie watching habits I think. Perhaps even those of my (only 81!!) girlfriend. Slacker.

Hehe.

I tried to find an interesting news article today - but for some reason everyone seems to be overwhelmed by recent events.

There's some sort of big fire off in some place ... and then there's a few people who don't seem to be able to pay bills.

Yes, yes, I know - it's all really serious and people have died. Hell the bush fires are really bad too. But we'll pull through as we all do when something serious hits us.

I have faith in the people who will survive both situations. But until we're over the melodramatic news articles, I'll have to bide my time before something good is in there.

Book

I finished Ben Elton's Blind Faith last night. While some may view this book as the worst possible theory that anyone could imagine, others may see the world really is turning towards something similar to what Mr Elton views.

I for one do see the world becoming slowly (or quickly) in a lot of ways similar to his novel. The major being the recent increase in the "Nanny State", particularly with the Federal government's continued push towards 1984 mentality and technology in their "Play the role of the parents" internet clean feed.

While I could comment about the religious and political nature of the book - the other thing that hits me (which I suspect a lot of people would by pass) is the desire to be "proud" of one's own body. To the point of being overly arrogant to how others may think of their body. This I can see happening. More and more every day we are forced to accept a "normal" perception of the human body - while more and more every day people force feed themselves to hide from their inability to get the "normal" body. Eventually this will snap back - I'm just not sure which way it will go.

I'd love to say I can see it going towards the future where everyone is nice and healthy and the best body they can have. I just doubt this very much.

I have been told that people see this book as very sad, very negative in it's outlook of human future. I, on the other hand, can see something different. While I see the crap and the stupidity that rules this world, I can also see that it's just another black time in human history. We've had them before and again in this case it will get through it. If we do go through something like this in the "real" world, the idiots who make these sorts of laws will eventually retire and die and other idiots will make other laws - good or ill who really knows.

The future probably won't be golden - but neither will it be as bleak as some have predicted. But whatever it is, I can see that there will always be a portion of the population who will be able to stand up, brush themselves off and make the best of things. I just hope that these people will still have the ability to keep the rest going.

I for one have serious thoughts about the reasons behind keeping those people around. Although I'm not sure I'd want to live in a world where everyone is going at 100%, 100% of the time. That would be a little scary.

TV

I watched a very interesting show this evening. Unfortunately I must use the word "show" as it was on FreeToAir (Yes, that is the required name, the advertising doesn't seem to include a budget for spaces). Fortunately it was on the ABC (government funded and all that jazz) so I'm trying to think it's somewhere in the warm zone between the frying pan and the fire.

Anyway, it was presented by a favourite actor/comedian/all 'round nice guy - Stephen Fry. It was nicely titled "Stephen Fry: The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive". Nice it was, informative it certainly was, educated as only Stephen Fry can be. Yet I was still waiting for it to go that little bit too far. I was preparing to cringe whenever a school yard was walked through. Whenever a lab with white coats floating around was filmed I almost grabbed a cushion to hide behind.

But I'm glad to say, I didn't cringe nor hide. This being a UK / IWC Media production, there was just enough information to bring thought into the subject but not over the top that one had to turn off for not wanting to cringe right out of the room.

The subject matter was good for me, it opened my eyes a little to something that very few people want to discuss and those that are able to discuss it never seem to be able to express what is going on. Mr Fry's frankness about this side of his being let me view the subject matter without too much emotion but employ some empathy to allow me to understand his point of view. Then to extrapolate this into other situations and people around me, including a few people I went to school with and thought there was something beyond punishment that they needed. I doubt many of them are getting much more than that to this day.

It also made me question, once again, what we consider normal. It's just an odd thing that I detest using it to describe myself. While I might not be "special" and perhaps I am "the all singing, all dancing, crap of the world" I still think there are parts of me that are certainly not normal when looked at seperately. One must realise that at times it is the destination, it is the whole that matters, not just the little pieces or the next corner that is used to describe everything there is to be.

I've noticed I'm being lazy

Especially when it comes to blogging. So I've given myself a few ideas.

Actually I'm stealing a few ideas in the hope that I can trick myself into posting more. Perhaps even about interesting and varied things.

So, stolen idea #1 - book review. With a twist. I'm not going to review a book I'm reading currently, nor am I going to actually "review" the book. I'm going to review my thoughts that, in reading the book, I was able to dwell on and savour.

Stolen idea #2 - interesting news article. Actually I have no idea where I stole this from, but with all the recent "exciting" articles in the news (and other sources) I figure I could have some sort of opinion on them too. Even if it's just me typing "THIS IS SHIT" over and over again. We'll see.

Stolen idea #3 - Other media review. As with my book reviews, but in this case movies, TV, etc. Well actually just movies and TV. I couldn't be bothered with anything else.

Stolen idea #4 - Actually I think this is one of my own, but knowing my luck if I said that someone would find a link to where it "really" came from. So, I stole it - but I have no idea where from. Random thoughts. Just one or two lines, nothing too much. Just pure random garbage that I won't actually go in to until after the fact. So to speak.

So there we go, lots of ideas to keep me busy and away from people poking me and asking why I'm not blogging. Perhaps it's that a lot of my thoughts are for me alone and I'm not about to share them with all and sundry - or perhaps they are thoughts I want to share with a select few people. Really, when will people learn that creativity isn't something that can be poked and forced.

And yes, I have been lazy. To use a statement from a book I just read "Get over yourself".

Indeed.

First meme (I think)

I don't think I've posted a meme on this blog before, I'm sure I've answered a few questions in one once, but what the hell, here goes nothing.

I yoinked this from Cathy, who I believed yoinked it from someone else.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
2 things come to mind - getting involved with a wonderful woman and having the quickest job turn around in history.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions and will you make more for next year?
Didn't make any last year, haven't really decided about this year. I have a few "goals" but no "resolutions".

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A couple of old friends, a couple of new friends, I'm sure a lot of people I can't remember.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not last year.

5. What countries did you visit?
I was a homebody. Again.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
More love. Money. Stability.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Feb 4th, June 10th, Dec 11th.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Accepting sometimes I have to fail to move forward.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Getting myself stuck in a situation I'm not so sure about (No, not relationship)

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, well aside from the general overweightness.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Purchased. 2008. Umm ... Maybe 2009.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
I have to mention Cathy here - because the growth she has experienced in 2008 is amazing.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Pretty much every politician and public "servant" on the planet.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Paying for a big mistake from long ago. As per usual.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Me? "really, really, really excited"? Yeah, this meme doesn't know me. Although my girlfriend coming home was pretty good.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Have no clue. Yup, even the "Top 1's of 2008" don't give me a hint.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder?, b) thinner or fatter?, c) richer or poorer?
Much, much happier. A little thinner. Pretty much the same amount of poorness.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Earn more. Live more. Experience more. Sleep more. Work less more

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Be nervous and overthink.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Spent the day with my beloved. Best christmas in a long time.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Certainly did. Pretty amazing too.

22. What was your favourite TV programme?
As much as people will scoff at this - I don't think I have a "favourite".

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don't think I *hate* anyone. I pity a lot of people, but don't think I hate.

24. What was the best book you read?
Must start a book list this year - I can't remember their names!

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Almost understood what tap is all about. Almost.

26. What did you want and get?
A relationship with a wonderful woman. Someone to have fun with.

27. What did you want and not get?
Winning a lottery. A job that pays me mega-bucks and let's me have 360 days off a year.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?
A number of very, very good films but nothing is standing out.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Last year of my 20's this year. I have a stretched out birthday, most with my amazing girlfriend. Dinner with Cathy, dinner (or was it lunch?) with my family and then a great drinking session with a few of my friends. Was a fantastic birthday.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not overthinking things so much.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Personal what now? I believe the word that springs to mind when most people see me is "conservative".

32. What kept you sane?
Who said I was sane at any time?

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
The most? I don't think there's one out there I'd drop everything for.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Global Warming and the Nanny State that was Australia (in other words the Net Censorship)

35. Who did you miss?
The same person I have for the past 16 years.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Cathy.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Sometimes it's ok to get what you really want.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I am the invisible man.

When chivalry is killed

I know, I know, two blogs in one day - scray huh!

So, today I had the dubious honour of riding on Melbourne's public transport system. Generally I try to use this whenever possible, it's easier than finding car parks where I go and I can get on my high horse about being environmentally friendly - then go have a 20 minute shower. But I digress.

Today I was on a tram, the second tram of today. As most places of work are still on holidays and those that aren't are really only there to have a reason for the lights to be on - the trams were quiet and a bit slower than normal. Plenty of tourists and elderly people stumbling around with glazed looks. Perhaps the tourists more than the old troublemakers. Anyway, as I got near my stop I did the right thing and pulled the cord and went to stand near (ish) the door. I had just given up my seat to a nice old lady who thanked me profusely and smiled as I went to get near the door.

Now for a bit of non-tram-user information. Generally there are 3 "doors" on a tram. One at each end (next to the driver, similar to a bus) and one in the middle. Generally the doors in the middle are bigger so people can enter and exit at the same time. Not so for the doors near the driver. Which is where I was attempting to remove myself from this vehicle. It is also considered "polite" to allow the people getting off the tram, the ability to do so and then get on the tram yourself. Now, keep in mind that I was within personal comfort zone distance from the driver, I could hear him breathing, and that I was near the door awaiting to get off.

Pulling the cord, I stood near the door - and then I noticed them. A few old people struggling to get on board. Well, I thought to myself, how about I be nice and let these people on before I get off (they were old people and had assumed they could do whatever they wanted first). Turning slightly away from the door, I let the old people off. The nice old lady who stole my seat smiled at me again and waved a little. As the old people shuffled past, I stepped towards the door - as it slammed in my face. I turned to the driver, as he turned his head away from me and pushed the dials and buttons to make the tram go. A slight "Umm, excuse me?" jumped from my lips which seemed to make the driver jump (I will not accept surprise, he knew where I was) to which he said "Oh, can't stop here - next stop up ahead". To which I stepped away from the closed door and pulled the bell again, the nice old lady was wide eyed with shock and I think I may have had quite a look on my face - a few people near the front of the tram looked a little uncomfortable as I surveyed the area to determine what I could use if the idiot driver missed the next stop.

Adding another 500 metres to the walk I'd have to take to get to my final destination, the stop finally came up and the driver opened the doors. Making sure I was the first there and the first out - I turned my head and mentioned "Perhaps next time you'll use your eyes to actually see?", before stepping off the tram and noticing most of the people near the driver nodding and pointing at the driver.

I suspect he might have been in for an interesting trip with the rest of the passengers. I know that anyone does that me again I'll be speaking to whoever it is who is running those things that week. It's really crazy that they removed the conductors, but perhaps they could have at least employeed drivers who remember they are driving the public and at times the public do have manners and are chivalrous.

*cough*

I was recently reminded that while my holiday was on and then work started back - I still had to blog and keep the general populace happy. Or at least off my back.

So here it is - a creatively tapped blog. I have nothing. But here goes anyway ...

I had a great christmas. I got stuff - I got "experiences" - and I got to spend time with people I really love. Especially one person. I'm not going to go into depth about what I got just yet - but they will pop up in my blog when they are used, or experienced. I promise.

I recently hit (again) a road bump in my general web surfing - I got bored. I surfed my "regular" pages, I read the blogs, I read the papers and forums - yet I was still bored. I even went to sites like www.bored.com and www.damninteresting.com ... but at this time of year they aren't any good.

So, my dear readers (stalkers, guilt-readers, google-searchers-for-cyber-sex-tips) what do you do when you have those times when you want to "do" something online yet there's nothing to do? I'm talking about those times when everything else is done (or you don't want to do anything) and there's nothing on the net ... like there's nothing on TV when it's all shit. Give me your hints - your tips - your links - anything. Everything.

And before you all link me to Cathy's blog about the neighbours complaining about the noisy sex ... for all of you who have meet Cathy - I need not explain further ... for all those who haven't - I don't want to risk my life explaining, just send the links.

hehe

Memories

Part of my job is to visit different sites on a semi-regular basis. After a couple of visits I like to think people remember me and I can at least have a nodding acquaintance with the people on that site. Now I always have trouble with new names and I'm sure my "most difficult" name is hard for some people to remember.

What I don't understand is how some people don't seem to even remember meeting me previously. I went to a site on Friday morning to deliver a few things. Upon arrival I, once again, introduced myself to the receptionist. While this is a fairly quiet time of year and this site isn't exactly inundated with people, I'd have thought the last 4 or 5 times I'd visited and introduced myself I'd have at least received a "Oh, hi" or some other form of acknowledgement. But nope, not a batter of a eyelid. I tried to put this down to her being busy and me not being there every single day. But she's not alone.

I think I've mentioned previously about my invisibility to wait staff. Well I can now officially include sales staff in this list. While in a major department store over the weekend, I wandered into the high tech section ("Ooo, pretty lights and buttons") and started reading information, pressing buttons and generally making eye contact with the sales staff in a hope to get them to come and talk to me about their fantastic flashy things. No luck.

So after the 6th person had been served a head of me (4 staff on the floor and really it wasn't all that busy) I picked up the most expensive item I could find in front of me (a god awful mini stereo or something) and calmly wandered to another stand. Depositing the aforementioned stereo on this new stand, I looked around again - made eye contact with at least 3 different sales people - picked up the stereo and took it to the opposite end of their "area". Where by I almost tripped over a sales man kneeling on the floor attempting to sell the cheapest TV to an uninterested couple. The TV was less than the stereo I still had in my hot little hands.

So, when I picked up the stereo I may have dropped (a little) and handed it over to the sales man (still on his knees) I said something along the lines of "Well, I guess I won't be spending any money here today".

Then went off and spent a bucketload at another store where I was greeted and assisted within a few moments of walking in the store.