And The Winner Is

28 to the end of November - What's it all about?  Fatigue plagued me throughout the AM due to being beaten soundly during the time when I should have been sleeping but there's not much that can be done about that - despite the abuse I ended up coming back for more later on.  Volunteered my labours to some partial setup of venue for the upcoming Australian Pulitzers (not completely sure that it was all required - why would you possibly get someone to set up an entire hall and not put the paper covers on the chiars?  that's like ... that's like ... getting someone to do a letter campaign for you ... they write, print, stuff the envelopes then give them back to you for putting the stamps on and they then take them and send them out ... or something ... quite strange).  Fancy pants Bite Me hamburgers just don't seem to cut it when compared to the Burger Fuel version - very messy as well.  Early morning wakeup call to head out towards North Ryde - piked out at the last second and got a taxi from town (I really wasn't very sure as to where i was supposed to go but i would have found it in the end) - great thing about visiting vendors is that you can wear shorts ... if it's a customer you have to put on a suit (why is that?).  Escaped early for an evening of baudiness and revelry - got to walk the red carpet and drink vodka martinis and see respected journalists and others make complete idiots of themselves.  No one got hurt unfortunately but am sure that next year that will be remedied.  Some strange taxi journeys - rather than fight for the limited number of taxis available ended up randomly sharing them with strangers who had their own stories to tell.  Drank way too much myself and suffered massively the next day  but that's what annual leave is for ... 

Foursome?

Did I hear that right?  Tony Jones making a joke about the Howard and Costello couples having a foursome?
Tony Abbott: Peter and Tanya Costello and John and Janette Howard never had a foursome at the lodge.
Tony Jones: I don't even want to picture that.

My God Is A Vengeful God

26 and 27 November - Escape from the office and into the seminar - admittedly learned a few things but they were probably things i could have lived the rest of my life without knowing and it wouldn't have mattered much at all - some of the talks went better than others but when all was said and done it was actually quite dull (and the luncheon and prizes were not nearly as nice as the previous one) - the house is feeling slightly smaller and doughtier with the return of one of its inhabitants and to celebrate took an evening of comedy at the Fringe - not amazing but certainly not bad - MC was probably the best of them but that's not to say the others were completely awful - female comedians with dirty mouths never really do it for me so escaped in good time (male comedians on the other hand ...)
Despite starting the day with a good deed Hermes decided that I should be punished with a flat - wasn't carrying a spare and the rear tyre was so shredded with skidding that it would have been pointless to even attempt a streetside repair (none of this helped by the semi-torrential downpour that had hit the city) so found myself doing the long slow walk from Central Station to the city - fixed by the end of the day so i could ride northside and be indecisive about what would provide the best nourishment in the evening (I wanted pizza but it wasn't to be).

Mad Scientist

25 November - A day of food experiments - starting off with the doughnut like yeast pancakes (where did I get the yeast to start the culture?  Trade secret, my friend) followed by the long awaited New Dawn Chicken.  After years of searching and research into a meal that had taken on almost mythical dimensions in my mind I finally constructed the fabled Chicken in Salt Crust (with Cabbage Michelle Grattin on the side) for a select few guests - the bird is steamed in a 33:66 salt:flour shell and it turns out very nicely indeed - can't eat the shell which was disappointing but we'll see what happens in the next incarnation.  Productivity still low - but that's what happens when you live in a socialist country (and how strange does that still feel?).  Oceans 12 is a hell of a lot worse than its prequel and Sicko is a hell of a lot better than its predecessor.  Who'd have thought.

What the world is saying ...

Howard Government Suffers Defeat In Australian Parliamentary Election - WSJ.com

What the world is saying ...

Reuters.com

What the world is saying ...

A New Face for Australia - TIME

Australia Chooses ... Revenge of the Nerds

24 November - Got some inspiration in the AM (montages always help shake off a hangover), tasted freedom for the first time in a while and followed it with eating hamburgers and voting.  One vote doesn't count for much but when you're marginal it can ... but in my case, it didn't.  But it didn't matter - drove (drove???) to Randwick Labor Club to bear witness to the new age of Australian politics.  The faithful are a random lot - given to vocal vehemence against the 'enemy' but for the most part just happy to let off steam and rant for a while before happily settling back into the smug satisfaction of finally living in a country not run by John Howard.  And some of the faithful just get really, really drunk (and hats off to the party for providing free booze for the entirety of the night). 
The stat numbers have a hypnotic force in them - seats are called when it looks pretty safe to call, the important ones flick back and forth from the won to the doubtful as the statistical chances show leaning in different directions, but the numbers moved inexorably to one conclusion - victory for Labor and the rare improbability of the decapitation of the Liberal party.  If you watched the numbers it was difficult to decide when it was really time to celebrate - sometimes it looked dead certain then back to safe but still all too possible for it to go the other way but it was a lot earlier than expected when the completely civil and proper transfer of power occurred - both leaders gave absolutely proper speeches of humility and etiquette - thanked everyone under the sun (but not God, apparently ... even the Christian) and gave inklings of sound bites that could possibly be crafted into memorable quotes at some stage - and it happened.  Labor government - a slightly dull man but ultimately likable and capable and the kind of leader a country like ours needs in the world we now live in.  Both parties seem so similar on so many fronts these days but that is because they are now smaller components of an ultimately global political system - a world economy that interlinks every country means we have less influence on changing the world and a responsibility to ensure that we fit with it - and in the 21st century that includes broadband and really embracing the connectivity that can happen with the science fiction level of technology that we have the potential for - that's why this country needs a new ideology to really embrace the new world and not just take advantage of the short term gains of having a big savings account to cater for old age and really try to improve the future - ensuring the world is affordable for all, we can really richly connect with all in the virtual world and ensuring we have a real world that can still be lived in.  This is the new country.
Best ten dullahs I ever lost.

Liberal Eve?

23 November - Had to deal with the thing that had to dealt with, didn't want to but it had to be done, probably should work on my body language skills a bit and learn to hide what must be hidden but next time it might be different.  Did some learnding - process could have been run a bit better and am hoping that things are going to improve a little in the future (as of 3:45pm they don't seem to have).  Said goodbye to a few who will be missed but also had a little bit of a reunion with a couple of members of the class and it's always good to do that.  Despite just a little indulgence (it's all relative) found myself to be on the edge of inebriation - pre-Christmas barbecue in the evening - decided to head there by the ancient transportation of foot leather in order to walk off the silliness - just on the other side of the electorate but am constantly surprised by the fact that it takes so long to get anywhere when one is not on wheels.  Excellent ingestions of solids, liquids and gaseous products which prompted another journey by foot to clear the head.  And now it is clear. 

Politics and The Hedge

21 and 22 November - So many meetings, so little time - learned something, could have learned more, the politics of the bidness - why is everything so hard on a Mac?  To spite them for trying to make everything easy Windows does all they can to keep the silver warrior out of the business world - Frangelica took me out to Willoughby where low cholesterol comestibiles were consumed and productivity wasn't as good as it potentially could have been - did engage in a little high seas action which is always exciting but took the lazy way home which is not - have finally managed to sample the well regarded local 'all you can eat' pizza bar which has been recommended as both a place of decent comestibiles and a 'great space' but have decided that both reviewers should review the review - pizza eminently average and what kind of a space is it if one can't take indulge in more than one vice at a time?

Daze

19 and 20 November - I felt like I was in a shooting range today - two voluntarys and two involuntarys (one of whom seemed to have a lot of trouble working out what it means when you're fired ... never a happy situation but one wonders why she applied for the same role four times the next day) ... and more to go!  Lovely day for those who were outside I expect - for those inside cigarettes and doughnuts don't mix very well. Somehow managed to survive the disco daze at confidential - theme days are pushing the envelope - but did manage to recover somewhat at Burgerfuel (and on Tuesday double stamp day no less - have been thwarted from a burger's worth of stamps by their bizarre loyalty system but one must be loyal if one is to be appreciated) followed by muso biopic which was suitably forgettable (good music though). 

Oh No, Not Again

18 November - What could have been an early morning wakeup call thankfully wasn't - caramel hair and hangover notwithstanding (but that's what comes from going to a community hairdresser and holding a Go Johnny Go Go Go night) - fortified myself with localised pancakes which were of a decent quality and took a trip back town towards Circular Quay to retake my position as First Assistant Frustration Ventor where a little bit of filming was done for the next LostSheep masterwork - this was followed by watching a not so masterful period piece in the early evening - had misgivings about Elizabeth the first time round and could feel Mel Gibson rolling in his grave at the grave misuse of the horse mounted inspirational speech before the troops cliche - if I have to see another one of those in this lifetime I am going to scream.  Seriously, this insanely overused standard movie setpiece is becoming less and less tolerable as each movie goes by - what was inspiring to the point of parody in Braveheart ("They may take our lives but they will never take ... OUR FREEDOM!", which even then I had my misgivings about) is is now just a cringeworthy - Russell Crowe in Gladiator ("Release Hell!", Brad Pitt in Troy ("Immortality!  Take it, it's yours!"), Dennis Quaid in Dragonheart (the less said about that the better ... did he even talk?), Colin Farrell in Alexander (although it must be said that this at least had an original take on it ... crossing to the bird was cool) and it would have taken a lot to ruin this epic but Vigo's turn in The Lord of the Rings did no cliche no favours.  Cate Blanchett hasn't helped the movement.  My mouth tastes funny, i don't think i liked the rice salad.

What If You Held A Party And Nobody Came?

16 and 17 November - Despite having every intention of calling in sick in the AM i did find myself at the place of bidness where productivity was not a high ambition for the day - escaped the clutches in the daylight but that's only because we're in DST - an evening of trivia made me realise how much i miss the crew when at such activities - some questions I had in me but far too many obvious misses and there just wasn't the support network in Years and Sports - we could have destroyed it and all had a fine time sailing away from all the troubles that hinder us on the shore.  After what was probably a few too many tasty beverages for some of us the long ride back to 2025 took a little longer than it sometimes can - after all, an army can only move as fast as its slowest man (or woman!) and there was a narrow avoidance of police intervention caused by a light that swung too much and a cyclist who didn't swing enough but nobody lost their licence.  Tasks of the day included getting hair cut (with free splash of colour - what's a splash?) from the community hair salon and drinking beer in the city to strategise on the worst way to find a car parking space near the Rocks (involving quick trip through Wedding Central and Kent St and a tour of the north side of the bridge ... my navigation is only good for two wheeled velocipedes ... I've always said that when I'm in a car I'm not to be listened to) - some test filming successful but at what cost? 
After an afternoon of catching up on YouTube zeitgeist the evenings poker shenanigans are looking increasingly dire.  At this stage, I don't expect to lose too much money at least.  And lo and behold I didn't lose (too) much.

Genius

The best handlebar brake configuration for a city styled single speed I’ve ever seen

5 Days Later

14 and 15 November - Day 5 and the virus is still here - seems the strategising has paid off somewhat and could relax a little more - found myself invited to a small drinking function on the north side which was probably not the best idea considering my current state - Ben Boyd Rd is very steep and goes for a lot longer than i remember - and on the other side I probably consumed more alcomohol than was prudent - whether it was coming anyway or not I can't really say but found the hack which has been absent for quite some time starting to make its presence - was sent off home to recover which meant instead of sitting at my desk coughing and sneezing i was sitting on my couch coughing and sneezing.  Less infectious to others certainly but not exactly a cure all - found a new long cut to the house from the top of the road which probably won't get used too much but will be infinitely preferable during the rain.  I just don't feel like I've got much to say right now.

There's Love In This Pancake

Astrology is Garbage

http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/astrology.html

Ephavescence

12 and 13 November - As the disease slowly takes over my ravaged body I think back to the time that was and all the hopes and dreams ...  The pseudoephadrine delirium is causing a bit too much floridity in my fingers right now which is not exactly what i need.  Despite accusations of being a Typhoid Mary i couldn't resist the lure of the office for some reason - against others better judgement i thought the long delayed visit to the parents could only be made via velocipede - the Specific Highway is not the most fun journey to take, especially at peak hour and when the sun's going down (apparently not the best time for dragons either) - I think i may have sweated out some of the viral invaders anyway.  Evening's television seems to have dropped in quality - and we're only on the eve's week of the blessing of summer TV when it gets even worse than it is now.  A late afternoon seminar on Tuesday meant not escaping the clutches of the confidential zone until 830pm - this is definitely not a habit that can be repeated.

What's The Union Movement Ever Done For Us?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=184NTV2CE_c

Blinded By The Sound

10 and 11 November - It's been lurking for a while now and has probably been residing somewhere in an inner gland for a week or two but finally the virus that's invaded my body finally seems to have broken through the outer defensives and has left me feeling rather crappe.  i don't think it's a very intelligent virus but it may have managed to coordinate something with my internal coordination and a late night visit to pub with some inopportunely located iPod headphones led to a freak whack in the eyeball and the dislodging of the left contact lens which was impossible to find.  Have been rather lucky on the contact lens front for quite some time now but when one pops out in a pub with a floor that's littered with glittering broken glass it's safe to say that the contact lens doesn't want to be found and even if it was it's doubtful that you'd ever want to put it back on your eyeball.  Despite the lack of vision did manage to watch a plethora of movies courtesy of those who shall remain nameless - very few of them I'd ever want to watch again, even (and i hate to admit) the Keanu Reeves classic that kept me alive so many years ago (I'm not a believer in the the morals of Robin Williams beard movies (and it can be a beard movie even if he doesn't have a beard) but laughter can occasionally be decent medicine).  Met the infamous Collins Senior who wasn't as sinister as his reputation might suggest and had a decent luncheon and even a dip in the ocean but lack of health kept activity to a minimum - and so it goes.