As January rolls to a close, we are each given the opportunity to consider how our goals and dreams for the year have been realized in the first 1/12 of the time allowed. In this context, I’m proud to say that almost nothing I wanted to achieve have I actually achieved, but the almost is what makes the difference. It’s been a good month.

Indoor Soccer was good last night - we had loads of blokes, so even people who were as fat and unfit as (hypothetically) me, still got a run or two or three. We ended up winning 2-1, but we should’ve done better. Still, considering that the team has a philosophy of never practicing and relying on some talented individuals to pull up most of the slack, a win is a win, am I right? Oh, and Rob hurt himself, which is always pretty funny.

Even the after-soccer thing was fun. Leyton came back for a quick scarf of KFC, and Bek joined us shortly thereafter to engage on some more serious 24 action. 3 episodes were completed … it’s now 3pm, but at the cost of our productivity today I fear. I’m really tired, and although I slept well (which is unusual in itself) I still feel like tonight will be a completely relaxing affair.

Just lately I’ve been thinking about what software would be “must-have” on my home PC (windows based), and I decided to compile a list.

1. CDex, which I’ve talked about previously for the purpose of converting your CDs into MP3 files. And it’s free.

2. Ahead Nero, for the burning of CD-R media. It’s cheap.

3. TMPGEnc, to convert multimedia into SVCD format. It’s pricey, but good.

4. G-Spot, which analyzes multimedia and reports on the required CODEC to play it. It’s free.

5. Virtual Dub, for editing of multimedia files. It’s free.

6. The Groupwise 6 client, for connecting to my IMAP email server. It’s free (for the client).

7. Internet Explorer, simply for it’s better Javascript support. (free with the OS)

8. Winzip (shareware)

9. Adobe Acrobat Reader (free)

10. CA EZAntivirus (cheap)

When you sit down and think about what software you actually need, compared to what you use your PC for, it’s usually quite a sparse list. I’d always thought that I’d need some kind of productivity software for my PC, like Microsoft Office, but since I’ve left home I haven’t had it installed on a PC, and haven’t missed it.

And, of course, this means that I can operate with a fully-licensed set of Apps on my PC quite cheaply.

So what exactly does one write on a weblog when they go home at 5:30pm, eat dinner, surf the web a bit and go to bed at 7:30pm? This is the challenge that I’m facing at the moment.

Oh - I had lunch with Leyton yesterday. ‘Nuff said. I am having lunch with KJ on Friday - I really must ring him this week and confirm that.

Here’s the thing: I remember when I was younger, and the whole sleep thing was one contiguous process. These days, it isn’t a night’s sleep unless I wake up and get a drink of water, find my pillow, go to the bathroom, turn the fan down, etc, at least once but more often twice throughout the night. How did that happen?

Hoo boy. What a truly, truly mammoth weekend - thank goodness that it was 3 days long or I wouldn’t have been able to fit it all in!

Eddy came over for dinner and TV on Friday night, which was good, and by the time he left at about 9:30pm (!) I was fully ready for bed so that I could get enough rest for the monster weekend ahead. Saturday morning was market-day, and Bek rode over for a 7:30am start. Rob and Nadia were kind enough, once-again, to do the driving, and a good time was had by all. I took my knives to get sharpened, and because we always start at the opposite end to the knife man, they weren’t done by the time we were ready to leave, so I’ll have to pick them up in a fortnight, I bought some more Love cordial, some fish from the fish man, some Chriberg sausages from the sausage man, and tomato and mushrooms to top it all off. We were ready to go, when Nadia suggested that we really should be trying the greek yoghurt place, so we mooched over to it and saw possibly the longest line in history. Rob and Weeden were at the front of the line, so I subtly pushed in and got some yoghurt without waiting. Apparently, no sooner had we bought then a greek youghurt place employee was sent down the line to tell people at the back that there wasn’t enough yoghurt for everyone. I studiously avoided eye-contact with everyone in the line, and ducked off with Bek to eat yoghurt while watching the rowing squads row doen the river. Second breakfast was at Harvey’s, before heading home. I took a bag of mushies to M&Ds for third breakfast, and fell asleep, content, in front of the cricket.

I awoke in a mad panic - I had to be at Edward’s place for Monopoly at 2:30pm. I made it, was fashionably late, but not as unfashionably late as his other 2 guests. Was pretty good - E made souffle (again - he needs to learn to cook something else), and I rushed off to Blacky’s birthday feast at 8pm.

The feast was great - I arrived just after the pasta course, so my timing was great - just in time for ribs and pizza. We gorged until our eyes hurt, and then worked our way home. We chatted a bit, ate some birthday cake, drank tea, and once RobB and Trista left, Leyton, Bek, Blacky and I got into the next 24. We were all keen for another, but it hadn’t yet been encoded, so we didn’t, and turned in to conserve our energy for the huge upcoming-Australia day bbq.

I awoke earlier than expected on Sunday, and made breakfast for myself, Blacky and RobW (who had just arrived), all the while fielding calls from Leyton with such pearls of wisdom as “bring bbq implements” and “bring suncream” and “bring plastic cups” etc. etc. etc. Fortunately, Leyton did remember to bring the barbeque. Only once Blacky and I’d arrived did the party truly start. It was a great day for a bbq - but very, very hot. I was fortunate, and remembered to reapply suncream often, whereas Leyton, who’d forgotten to apply in the first place, looked like a lobster later that afternoon. Bek had done such a shoddy job of applying suncream to her shoulders that it further reinforced the fact amongst her concerned friends that she seriously needs to get herself a boyfriend to take care of her better. Glenn and Lara were showing off their very swank new esky-cooler, and were the most prepared of everyone at the bbq - they even brought Boules so that the championship could be revisited. (My Boules skills have deserted me, I fear). The cricket was fun, and the 6-and-out rule acted as the call for drinks, because it seemed to happen every 30 minutes or so. I bought Icy-Poles for the stayers at about 4pm, and we agreed to rendezvous back at my place for the final Top10 (which I think are publicized on the Triple J website) before swimming and commencing the day’s second bbq around the pool in my complex. Fantastic day, finished up with cocktails and Taboo! being played for a while. Then we modified the rules so that each taboo had to be guessed by giving Simpsons-related clues. I recommend this for the truly geeky. More 24 followed once Glenn and Lara had made their goodbyes.

Monday, the public holiday, was mostly spent in bed, and before I knew it, it was midday. Blacky was out for the day, and when he got home at around 4pm, we went shopping for groceries. 24 was planned that night, in marathon lengths, and even though Bek didn’t return our calls (the day after we found out that Jono W was in town - coincidence?) we pressed on without her - Leyton, Blacky and I are now up to midday, and it’s starting to feel like we’ve accomplished something. And Blacky was completely buzzing on non-cold-drugs, and we laughed at him a lot.

This was a big entry, for a big weekend by a big man with big hair. Fear my rhetoric.

Uhh. I am so full of fruit scone right now it isn’t even funny. They’re my latest addiction, and with an Ice Break, they constituted breakfast this morning.

It is my esteemed flat mate Blacky’s birthday today. He is almost officially an old fart, and would be, if not for the fact that he’s only 29 days older than I am. Blacky, if you stop by the Musings today, all the best, have a great day.

And he cooks - last night a bit of a Chicken Tikka Masala, and it was really good. With Leyton not answering his ICQ messages I left for him, we resorted to watching Futurama last night, instead of knocking over another couple of hours of 24. Sure, Futurama is good, but it’s no 24, now, really, is it?

It’s a busy weekend then, I’m sure you’ll agree. Tomorrow includes such highlights as the markets, followed by lunch at Edward’s, and then a birthday dinner for Blacky at Ribbitts. Oooh … so many ribs … /drool. Sunday is spent at a barbeque in the park, playing the shport (/Guido), listening to TripleJ’s Hottest 100. If you haven’t voted by now, you should quickly do so to ensure that we have to listen to only the very best of 2002’s tunes. For my foreign readership, I should point out that 26-Jan is Australia Day - the day that we celebrate how great it is to be Australian. Last Australia day was spent in transit from Sydney to LA, and then when I got there, I got to start it all over again due to the time difference. So I spent my second Australia day waiting for connecting flights, before finally arriving in Salt Lake City, finding my hotel room and falling asleep in record time. Fun day. This year, I’m going to celebrate the fact that we live in the greatest country in the world by relaxing. We’re free enough to be able to relax, and I don’t think that many of our world neighbours can claim that.

>>> “Leyton Miller” 23-Jan-03 4:20:17 pm >>>
Hi!

I’m having an Australia Day BBQ this Sunday the 26th. It’s going to be held
at Minnippi Park, Tingalpa (just behind Carina). There will be lots of
music (Triple J hottest 100) and of course some cricket in the park.

The festivities will be starting at 10am and should continue well into the
afternoon. It will be BYO meat and drinks, and a gold coin donation to pay
for salad, bread, nibblies etc.

The more the merrier - so invite all your friends and if possible RSVP
numbers to me (leyton01@hotmail.com) to help with catering.

Directions: Access is through Graystone Rd, off Wynnum Rd. You drive
through what looks like an industrial estate (probably because it is one),
and follow the signs to “Minnippi Parklands”, go all the way to the end of
the road, past the aeroclub and you should see us there.

There’s a map attached. Bring sporting equipment if you can.

Leyton.

Look at the Map

Last night, I’m laying in bed, unable to sleep, when at about 10:30pm, my door buzzer rings. So I get up and answer it, and it’s stupid Leyton and Blacky home from Beenleigh-soccer. They come up and pressure me against my will to watch another 24 episode. Then another. The upshot of which is that now we’re up to 6am and I’m quite tired.

It was kinda funny too, because we all got pretty hungry at around 11pm. So we did the ravenous vulture thing on the contents of the fridge. Banana smoothies made an appearance, as did sardines on toast, sliced salami, cheese and reheated omelette. Only now do I realize how gross this was.

Viv has brought extra sushi and sandwiches into work today, so I’m helping her eat them. I’m a selfless kinda guy, after all. But in the meantime, I have to go and get me some chow, from the chow wagon across the road.

Oh, and for the travelling-inclined, Bryce has updated his travelog.

I just got a birthday present from my boss, Edward - 2 tickets to see Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett and Max Merritt at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Gold section, and let’s just say that these babies are EXPENSIVE.

They come with conditions, however. Unless I can find a single, pretty girl to go with, then Edward comes instead. I am not permitted to take male friends, or female “just friends”.

It’s on Wednesday, February 12, so start setting me up NOW people!

In the 24-marathon, the scores are as follows: Blacky, Leyton and I are up to 4am, John is up to 2am. Fortunately, I’ve got the 2am and 3am episodes on SVCD now, which I can give him to catch up.

The reason we three have our scores up is mostly due to Leyton having Blacky and I round for a pizza lunch, and a 24 ep, which was a welcome respite. I stayed at M&D’s last night, after visiting their contantly renovated house and my very handsome dogs, and dropped Mum in at work this morning.

Wednesday is usually a bit of a relief, as the week is 1/2 over. It’s usually around this time I start to think about the markets, and specifically, who would like to go this week. Mail me if you wanna.

The weak-of-heart should NOT click on this link …

Over a HJ’s Mega Meal lunch, Leyton and I watched the 3rd hour of 24. I’m really getting into this show, although time restrictions mean that it really must be watched quickly or you forget who’s who. Seeing as Leyton was coming around for dinner that night as well, I think it’s a safe bet to say that Leyton must be on holidays from the whole “Med” thing.

Speaking of dinner, it was a pretty boring Sesame Beef with rice and veg. I finally got around to watching Futurama, and I think I like it - it was a long time coming, I admit. We also watched a little film called Orange County which I highly recommend, even if it was a little cringe-worthy like Meet the Parents. The Lychees and ice cream for desert were icing on the proverbial cake I think.