Well, ok, I’ll come clean on something. I’m back at work not feeling particularly pleased in myself - as usual the weekend just somehow finished too early … I don’t understand how this always happens.

Blacky and I chilled on Friday night with a couple of DVDs. Ah, sweet DVDs. The New Guy, which featured that little skinny dude from Road Trip, was quite funny in a high-school kind of way; and Kung Pow: Enter the Fist, which was a marvel of CGI animation. They’d taken this Hong Kong produced film, and digitally edited out the lead character. Then they digitally added their own guy, changed the order, the voices, added their own scenes as required, etc. Very funny stuff indeed.

Saturday was pretty cool - visited M&D, where the construction effort on the renovation in preparation for Bryce’s return is amazing, before heading out to Dan’s for a bbq-birthday-lunch. Was nice. That evening, on a whim, we decided that Stock Exchange monopoly deserved another crack. So Woo came over to act as fodder for Blacky and I to get rich off, and the game was underway. At about 2am, I called it a night and went to bed. The other guys played long enough to bankrupt me - apparently in their bastardization of the rules, they didn’t have to pay rent when they landed on my companies, but I had to pay through the nose when I landed on theirs. Uh huh.

I made a feast of bacon and eggs for breakfast on Sunday, and while Blacky ducked to the pub next door to watch the Kosta Tsyzu fight, Woo and I chilled with the VCD watching that Leyton had so kindly provided. As John was coming over to continue our TV-marathons (in which we pick a particular tv show that has a series on DVD and watch the entire series in big chunks) that evening, I cheffed-up some devilled veal and burgundy sausages with rice and a vegetable bake to accompany the first two episodes of 24. I’d even learnt how to re-encode DivX to VCD-format for the occasion. S-VCD is a moody little wench, who I will not make great efforts to entertain again.

Here’s a picture of my new calendar, Just Plain Stupid by Gary Larson, which graced my office wall for the first time this morning:

In case you can’t read it, the caption is “Ha! We got him now!”

I was in a thread on a forum where people had to draw where they work in MSpaint. Here’s one guys entry.

Last night I made my debut at indoor soccer with the fellas. OMG how fun is this game? We lost (6-3) but it was really fun, and I look forward to doing it again (if they’ll have me … I did let 6 goals through in my stint).

Rob and Trista came around last night after Blacky left his keys in Rob’s car. They stayed, chatted and it was quite a pleasant evening. I made Koolaid that I ordered from usafoods.com (I think) and it was average. Soooo sweet, but in a sickly way.

Leyton did invite me round for lunch today, but he has since renegged on his offer. Shame on him. Everyone send him hate mail for me ok?

I’m naughty. I slept in, and didn’t get to work until 9:45-ish. Sure, it took a while to get to sleep last night, but that’s a pretty big sleep in for a weekday. Even Blacky was up watching TV when I emerged.

So yah. There’s not a whole lot of new stuff happening. I have no big plans for the weekend yet, but something will surely come up.

I’ve noticed a tendancy that’s a little disturbing: I’ve become a hamburger junkie. Seriously - yesterday I had one for breakfast. I don’t know why, but lately I just can’t resist their delicious hamburger temptation. I’m like a fat version of Jughead out of Archie comics, albeit a non-gay, normal-ears style Jughead.

I’m thinking about getting a perm so I’ve got an afro-style effect with my hair. Who thinks that’s cool? Who thinks it isn’t? Sure, I know the world don’t move to the beat of just one drum, and what might be right for you may not be right for some.

Watchoo talkin’ ’bout Willis?

The thoughts that go through your mind at go-home-time are just a little stranger than I ever expect them to be, which is why I mostly update my blog in the morning.

Went home for the Foo last night. Good as always. Had lunch with Eddy at a local-type place, which was pretty good - easily the best savoury muffin with chutney and sour cream I have ever tasted.

Also talked to a man about a vent. For my bathroom/laundry. So I can put the dryer back inside. So I can use it without cooking the rest of the apartment. Because it’s outside. Because I put it there. Months ago. Shut up already!

I’m pissed off. Nothing that junk food won’t fix, so I’ll talk more then.

Where should I start today? Hmm. Last night I made pasta and pizza for dinner last night and lunch today, respectively. I love using leftovers, it’s the most enjoyable part of cooking, and I think I know why: you don’t care if you botch it. When you cook for real, you use ingredients that could happily be eaten on their own, but when you cook leftovers into something else, it doesn’t matter because if you didn’t eat it, it’d be thrown away anyway. I think that’s why.

I taped Bonzai! last night, and although I haven’t watched it yet, I still think it stands as the wierdest TV show ever. A spoof of a Japanese game show? Need I say more?

Tonight, Blacky and his dad go for dinner and pokies, so I may visit M&D or just sit around doing nothing. I haven’t decided yet.

Whoa I’m tired. Woke up this morning, I couldn’t believe my tiredness quotient. Where was I up to?

Friday I took lunch with Leyton, and while we ate pizza, we made a sacrifice to the geek-gods, and watched an episode of the new star trek series. These shows always irritate me, but like a moth to the flame, I cannot not watch it once it starts. They’re just so self-rightious, and I think that’s where the brunt of my dislike stems from.

Friday night was out visiting family friends. Had a fun night, although I knew I’d regret the early start on Saturday. And what do you know, I did. Thankfully, Bek was slightly late (we’d arranged to meet at my place at but the markets were even more fun than usual. Blacky had decided to come as well, and we met up with Glenn and Lara there, and Rob and Nadia also, of course, and it was a bit like a street party with friends, and stuff. Bought some great stuff, mushies, tomatos, veal sage and pinenut sausages, basil, figs, and it was great. Bek came back for brekkie with Blacky and me, and that was pretty nice too. I did some preparation for the Monopoly night, and then took a snooze.

Monopoly was great. I made some funky pizzas that we ate first, but then we got down to business. It’s a very dynamic game. By the time we’d finished, Bek was bankrupt, Blacky was on the ropes, Woo wasn’t fairing much better, and it was a real contest between Glenn and Myself. Glenn had bought shares in pretty much everything, so his rent, even on the very expensive companies, was markedly reduced. I didn’t have this luxury, but had more developed companies that he did, so although my rent was higher, so was the income. Was a good night - Woo crashed on a mattress on the floor.

I made brekkie on Sunday, and Bek came over so the four of us could watch “Bowling for Columbine”. Whoa. Great movie, and paints a really clear picture: Americans have more gun-related homicides because they have more guns. Some of the information just blew me away (unfortunate turn of phrase, but no pun intended) with disbelief. As a result of this film, K-Mart in the States no longer sells ammunition in their stores. Amazing.

While Blacky and Bek went rollerblading in Southbank, I visited Mum and Dad and their newly polished timber dining room floor. It looks really fantastic. Sunday evening was spent at John’s place, eating his Beef Strog and watching the last two episodes of Season 1 of The West Wing.

Fantastic weekend, but this morning I have a sore back.

Ja, das stimmt. The webcam is back. Feel free to drool over my picture on the right. And remember, you too can have a body like mine … and live!

First and foremost, I have to congratulate Woo for his fantastic shit-stirring on the TPG forum, where until recently, I was a regular contributor. One of the guys actually ICQed me to ask if my brother was causing trouble on the forums, and could he flame him back or not? So I checked it out, and I reckon Woo’s holding his own pretty well. Perhaps it will give me some amusement as a spectator, if nothing else.

Had dinner last night at The Pig ‘N’ Whistle with Danni and Jay. Had a great time - just lately I’ve become and absolute burger junkie. Fortunately, Burger was on the menu, and for this reason, I scoffed it down. We migrated to Southbank for the Cold Rock experience (which they don’t have in Canberra, and is the single thing that Danielle will miss the most about our fair state, I think) and then showed them my swingin’ pad. As I was showing them the facilities, I realized with much embarrassment that I couldn’t open the door to the gym. Shows how much I use it, I guess.

Monopoly is coming along nicely. Talking with my Monopoly benefactor, Edward, it seems that he is also having a Monopoly night at his place this Saturday night. Talk about coincidences eh! I need to nail down the details, but I’m thinking of an early dinner, with rule learning, followed by the actual playing business. From 6pm, I think. And I’m also thinking I’ll make pizzas, or have I said this already?

Tomorrow morning is the Gourmet Food Markets, and boy am I ready for some bling-bling from there.

Wednesday night is “pasta night” at mum and dad’s, so that explains what ended up happening last night They’ve had their carpet removed and timber shined up in the dining room, and it looks fantastic. The dogs aren’t pleased at being locked out of the kitchen while it “dries” but they’ll get over it.

Here’s the killer - I’ve taken to using Shell Optimax in my car. Sure it’s more expensive than normal unleaded fuel, but I get about 100-150km more from each tank, plus it takes care of your engine better whatever. But at 101.9c/L it boggles the mind a little. I ate a Violet Crumble yesterday after the fuel purchase for the first time, like … ever. It was a real walk down memory lane.

“Hey baby, do you know who I am?”

The Monopoly fiesta is coming along nicely. I’ve got a good-sized crown coming along, so all I need to do now is read the rules. I need to practice before I play Edward, or he will kick my ass. I think so far I have:
Me as the Boot
Glenn as the Battleship
Bek as the Dog
Rob as the Iron (hahaha, that’ll teach him for not caring which piece he is!)
Callun (?) as the Top Hat
Blacky as the Wheelbarrow or Cannon (whichever is the last piece, I forget).

I’m thinking of making pizzas with my patented world’s greatest pizza method of cheffing. It is also the meal choice that requires the least work on my part.

Oh, and my good friends who I lived with for like, 3 months, Danni and Jason, are in Brisbane at the moment, and going to dinner with me tonight. They’ve got an early flight back tomorrow, so it won’t be a huge one, but will be great to see them again. I really must make a stop-off in Canberra again soon. I saw Renee last year when she was here to see the Lions whip the Crows (muahahaha) but that was a while ago. Perhaps I’ll aim for a visit in the middle of this year sometime?

Hey Leyton - do you want to have lunch today? I have a craving for cheap junk food, and I know that’s your kinda thing