Hello everyone - I’m sure you will all join me in wishing a very happy birthday to Bek. Hope you have a good one, dude.

Last night I went to M&D’s, because I had a doctor’s appointment over that side of town this morning. There was some interesting television on last night …

First, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy could’ve been waaaaay better, I think, so that’s a little disappointing. I’ll give it another chance before I write it off completely, though.

The new series of Life Support on SBS is good, but without the old Dr Rudi, it’s not the same. He made the show, and it seems that the SBS Guestbook agrees with me.

Survivor Seven is shaping up to be pretty good - so far I really like the pirate and hope he wins. He’s great. Argghhhh!

Well, seeing as Saturday has been so well reported on already, how about I tell you about Friday night and Sunday?

Friday afternoon had been pretty tense at work - we were doing a final proofread/edit of a submission….it’s a long story but there were quite a few arguments and some unnecessarily narky attitudes. I think the final wash-up was that I got my way most of the time (me being the most junior person in the place) but I had to fight hard and put up with a lot of crap.

So, I was quite relieved to get out of the office and head in to the Valley with Lara to grab a quick dinner at the Purple Olive before heading to the movies. The Purple Olive (79 James St, near the Queen’s Arms pub) is one of those places that isn’t wanky enough to get raved about, but still has really good food at reasonable prices. I had char-grilled octopus which was awesome - a huge mound of baby octopus with some wild rice and a rocket-type salad. Lara had some pork dish with veggies (and I think prawns) which she also enjoyed.

Then we went to the Palace to see American Splendor. This is a great movie, and probably the only really good movie I’ve seen since Ghost World. Here’s the real-life background: there’s a guy, Harvey Pekar, who writes comic books about his own life - just ordinary, real life events - but can’t draw so he gets some friends to illustrate them. He’s not a pretty bloke, his friends are a motley crew and his life isn’t a barrel of laughs. So, in making a movie about this guy, what you actually want is a documentary, because it would be stupid to use big-name actors and use fancy editing or special effects, because the whole basis for the movie is the real-life comic books this guy came up with.

So, what they do is, they have the real Harvey Pekar doing interviews and narrative, and only use actors to recreate scenes in his life where there is no real footage. Where there is real footage (like when he went on Letterman a few times) they seamlessly go from the actors to the real footage. I know it sounds complex, and it does take a while to work out exactly what they’re doing, but it’s never confusing and it works really well. Imagine if there was a documentary about the guy who inspired Kramer on Seinfeld and they talked to him a bit, but also used Michael Richards to recreate scenes from his life, and that’s the kind of thing they’ve done. Bah, it’s too hard to explain, just go and see it.

Let’s get back on track. You’ve already heard about Saturday, so I won’t recreate that in my own long-winded style.

Sunday, Lara and I went for a drive out to Wynnum and then Wellington Point, and finally out to Cleveland Point for lunch at the Grand View hotel. There’s some really nice spots out in Redland Bay - surprisingly so - and it could be a nice place to live if you didn’t work in the city. The food at the Grand View was great, slightly expensive for a pub, but the quality (and cheap beers) made up for it. I had fish and chips and Lara had barramundi with prawns - I forget the fancy menu name for it.

I’m lonely already - there’s noone in the office today, except for me. Try being motivated with that eerie silence screwing with your brain.

Yes, yes, Dean, but what about the weekend, you ask? Well, I’m glad you asked. It was great. Busy, but great.

Friday evening it pissed down raining, and I did my favourite thing when it rains - slept, dry and warm inside. I love that - the harder it rains, the more I like it. I may’ve gone shopping briefly as well, I guess.

Saturday was a day that was super-busy. I started off early-for-a-Saturday-but-not-as-early-as-normal markets, where I got some bananas, basil and cheesecake, then stopped in at Flour Power bakehouse to get the chocolate croissants I’d ordered. Back home to prepare foodstuffs for Bek’s brunch/AFL Grand Final party.

I made some good things - there was a huge plate of chocolate croissants, Bek and Brett brought and made (in that order) a fruit platter, there were chocolate biscuits, chilli-cheese dip, balsamic onion-cheese dip, melba toast pizettes. The champagne and juice flowed freely, I recall that we drank a lot, not as much juice as I’d planned - I think we’ve still got in the vicinity of 8L of juice left. About 12 people, all in all … and then … the game started.

It was an all-Brisbane whitewash. I was really glad that Brisbane won, but most glad to see Eddy Macguire’s team loose. I don’t like him, I really don’t. Science is yet to understand why that is.

A core group of seven then split-up for a brief period of rejuvenation before meeting at Parrot’s in town for gourmet burgers. This isn’t a bad place if you like rude waitstaff and slow food. Fortunately, by the time our meals arrived, the bitch waitress had left, and our full bellys belied just how hungry we were earlier, so the experience was easier to swallow. Hit the casino for a few bets on the craps table - actually won some money there - before a coffee at the coffee club, where we didn’t get the couch. It was an early time to be calling it a night, but we’d been going all day (mostly sitting around doing nothing) but it was still a big day. We were served at the coffee place by perhaps the oldest spice girl we’d ever seen. Tee hee, she was great - big pink platform shoes, big bum and bosom barely held in by her bright pink and multi-colour swirl dress. It’s unfair to tease her too much, as she was really very efficient, but she just stood out so much from the non-management coffee club types, all wearing black. When she first seated us, I didn’t realize that she worked there.

Anyway, headed home, drank heaps of water while watching part of Eraser on television, and then slept.

Sunday I woke up feeling a lot better than I should’ve, and the consumption of leftovers began. After as much juice as one person can fathom, I headed over to M&D’s where Woo was all by himself and carless. We watched Pirates of the Carribean while eating Foo, and then a few episodes of The Outer Limits. Home, dinner, bed.

The jacaranda tree outside started flowering on Saturday, and there’s more and more flowers every morning now. It still freaks my out a little, but I’m starting to get used to it.

Time to start planning my halloween party now, I guess.

Firstly a big HB to bekkers for this weekend!

Had a spare 5 minutes so I thought I would finally get around to updating the blog. Big news is it looks like I may be opening my own practice in the wild west soon. So I need your help and suggestions for names (even smart arse ones will be accepted).

HUGE weekend over here. Bit like state of origin on Grand final day. Nobody anywhere on the roads etc. Everyone tucked up safely at home on the couch. GO THE LIONS!!!!!!! Far too many gollywog fans over here though WTF?

We also get Monday off as QB holiday agian WTF but hey “me no complain”.

I have been trying to get a flight back to Brisvegas for this weekend for the last couple of months but $1200 is a bit steep so I have decided to have a lazy weekend in sunny perth. Fukin nice over here at the mo. Spring has a real meaning in Perth. I don’t remember days like this in brizzie just fukin perfect.

GO FOR 3 IN A ROW LIONS!

- Snod

I love Fridays. There’s just something about them that makes you glad to be alive. The fact that the weekend is shaping up to be a great one helps, but is by no means the deciding factor.

I arrived at work and there’s this car blocking the driveway. That’s wierd, I thought to myself. It wasn’t in the best shape, so I rang the police to enquire if it was stolen. It was not reported as stolen and was registered. I went to visit the video shop guy and we had a mutual bitch about the carpark situation, when we saw the dude who owned the car (which had been parked there since saunter back with a bag of shopping. We’re like “is this your car?” and he’s like “yeah” and so we’re like “why are you blocking the driveway?” and he’s like “oh, sorry about that, the sun must’ve been in my eyes and i didn’t notice.” Can you believe that? Crazy old people.

Played soccer last night, and lost in a disappointing outcome. We normally put up a much better showing against that team, and we started to claw back in the second half, but that was too late. 6-3 to them in the final score, first half score 5-0. Had heaps of fun though. I always forget immediately prior to the game every week how much fun it is, I must try to remember to avoid doing that.

I have to go shopping this afternoon to pick up some essentials for Bek’s party. I’ll make a list today I guess. Leyton and I have been playing the Hungry Jack’s KICK OFF WITH CAMPO competition, which basically involves buying a meal and getting these little stickers with which you win stuff. It’s cool, too … so far I won a Mega meal, and put some stickers on the board, and Leyton won a chicken burger and put some stickers on the board. I predict that a Cap or a a Sports Pack are ours for the taking, and a CD player is semi-likely, too. If we win the Home Entertainment package ot finals tickets, I’ll get drunk to celebrate.

Hey there. Well, can you believe it’s Thursday already? That means only two more sleeps till the grand final. And yes, if you read the title of this post but haven’t watched any news for the past 24 hours, Rocca is out. Collingwood in big trouble. More in the late news.

So last night, Blacky made this awesome satay beef, which we ate while watching The Naked Chef and the Simpsons, before I headed out to pick up Bryce from uni, go to M&D’s and finish work on Woo’s computer that we’re building him. Pretty much all done now. I hope it’s fast enough for him.

Drove M into work this morning, because having company on the drive to work was a good enough incentive to stay there last night.

The new arm to my chair arrived in the post today, so that’s pretty good. I may actually be able to use my computer chair again. I’d offer to post pics, but I think we both know that’s not going to happen until I get my awesome new digital camera, right?

‘Ladies and Gents’, the announcer intoned, ‘as a symbol of their love, Warren and Debbie have invited you all to join them for a celebratory drink in the Think Big bar’.

‘Bewdy’, said Gav, ‘I’ll be in that, let’s go!’

The foursome made their way up to the bar, along with a few hundred other punters keen to make the most of the big event.

‘Flamin heck’, moaned Col, ‘these barmaids are as busy as one-legged tap dancers, we’ll never get a drink at this pace’.

‘You’re right’, agreed Stella, ‘whaddya say we head back to one of the other bars and not worry about it?’.

They were about to leave when Debbie, the new bride made her way to centre stage. ‘I’d just want to thank all of youse for being part of our special day…uh, night’, Debbie gushed, ‘I love youse all’.

Gav couldn’t resist, ‘Invite us to the honeymoon then’ he heckled, much to the amusement of the crowd.

‘Let’s get out of here’, said Stacey, wanting to make a quick exit before the inevitable tears came and ruined her blue eyeshadow.

Suddenly, Stella saw a green, red and pink blur flying through the air, headed in her direction. Instictively, she made a leap and plucked it out of the air, like a fullback under a high ball. The blokes in the crowd hooted with approval, while most of the women let out a sigh.

‘Strike a light!’ Stella exclaimed, ‘You’d at least have thought they could have taken the bloody thorns off the roses’

‘Hey Stell’, whispered Stacey, ‘Do you know what you’re holding there?’

It took Stella a few moments to realise she was holding the bridal bouquet, which Debbie had thrown just as they were heading out the door. Then she turned to Col, held the bouquet out towards him and gave him a big cheesy grin. ‘Hey Col’, she said, ‘Ya know what this means, don’t ya?’

The End

Family night was huge - because it was Woo’s birthday, there was significant call for going out, and so we hit Natarajah’s with family friends G&R. Lovely food - Natarajah’s is always spectacular in my book - before heading home for Woo to receive his presents.

Now that the secret’s out, I can reveal that we got him a computer upgrade, which he’d been hanging out for (his old P3-866 was not cutting the mustard anymore) and to keep the cost of such an exercise reasonable, I borrowed a CPU from work as a loaner to get the project underway. Unfortunately, the CPU that I borrowed seems to be incompatible with the newer hardware, so something will need to be done. I’ll be chatting with Woo and Bry today sometime to solve this mystery.

Stayed at M&D’s last night and gave M a lift into work this morning, and thanks for school holiday traffic, made really good time.

The Agency is improving, I think. Anyone who knows me will immediately assume that me liking a show about spies is a no-brainer, but hear me out: sure it started off a little shaky, but the characters just need to get into their groove. It’ll be great by the end of the series, and then 9 won’t show it anymore, and I’ll send them angry letters. See? It’s all planned out.

‘This one’s my gift to youse’, Angry said as he started a heartfelt rendition of ‘Suddenly’.

‘Omigod! Just like Scott and Charlene on Neighbours!’, Stella exclaimed almost jumping out of her chair.

The nervous groom came and stood in the middle of the track and watched his emotional bride being led out on the back of a horse wearing a top hat.

‘C’war, they dressed up the flamin’ horse an all!’, said Gavin, impressed even further when he noticed the cummerbund around the horse’s torso.

They were soon joined by a celebrant dressed in silks especially for the occasion. “I wonder where they got silks made for a bloke who’s about 6′ 5”?”, Collin pondered.

‘So it was bakery Debbie after all’, Stacey was very quiet through most of the wedding, she always got teary at weddings and didn’t want to be embarrassed in front of Gavin. This was one of the most beautiful weddings she had ever seen.

Angry finished his song to a thunderous applause from the stand and handed the microphone over to the Celebrant.

As the ceremony began, Collin inched over to sit even closer to Stella and rested his hand on her knee. Stella was in such a dream-like state while the ceremony was happening, the next thing she knew it was ‘kiss the bride’ time. ‘Jeez, every girl dreams of a fairy tale weddin’ like this, don’t they Stace?’.

‘If you’re into that kinda stuff’, Stacey said desperately trying to hold back her emotions.

The newly married couple mounted the formally dressed horse and rode off the track to Angry singing a heavy metal version of ‘Unchained Melody’.

Coming in at night as well as the day is a complete waste … the net result is that during the day you’re too tired to do anything anyway. I’m like a zombie.

Major HBs to Woo and Rhys today. Man, we got Woo an awesome present - I think he will crap himself when he sees it. That’s the goal, anyway.

Bryce came over to chill and share dinner. I turned leftovers into an amazing feast last night, was hella good. Tried not to leave too much mess, but I figure that with the cleaners coming today to clean my apartment, I didn’t need to knock myself out.

I hate ants. Really, really hate them. I heard recently that ants will never cross a chalk line. Is this true? Can anyone verify this? If so, I’m thinking of attacking the underside of all of my kitchen with discrete chalk markings. I’ll let you know.

I desperately, desperately want a new digital camera. One with a zoom, preview screen, and rechargable battery. Will I be able to buy myself one for christmas? I hope so, but I’m not sure if I can wait that long.

Having lunch with Leyton today. I’m by myself at the office which sucks at the moment. I think Carla’s coming in later this morning, but I can’t be sure. I called Energex to bitch about the hot water situation this morning, or more specifically, the lack of it. Ah, shower in a can, how you saved me.