Hey everyone - I know I don’t normally blogify your minds on Mondays, but this is important:

Ross Noble. We’re going on Tuesday night. Tickets are $30. Need people to RSVP please. So far, the “In” group is me, Blacky, Glenn and Lara. The “maybe” group is Brek, Leyton, and Godez.

Last night had a lovely dinner at Glara’s. Hangover pizza. :teehee: Also made up insulting new nicknames for people. Let’s just say that one drunken night, you might find out what yours is.

Oh, and Lara: http://www.flashlight.com You wierdo. :tongue:

Guess where I’ve been this week? Mostly in Brisbane, but during the week, I had a little get-away.

“Where’d you go this time Callun, you crazy random road-tripper you?”, I’m sure you’re all asking. Well, it all started 8am Wednesday morning. I got a most unexpected (as most things I am involved with seem to be) call from my dear Katie. She and Richard had decided to go camping for the week. Richard’s dad leaves their tent, set up at Lake Cootharaba (sp?) for months at a time, mostly un-occupied. So, they took advantage of this, and went up.

The call was an invitation to come and stay, so I did - big surprise. I got there at noon, just in time for Richard to leave to go to work.

Lake Cootharaba is really shallow. Katie and I went for a swim, and waded 100metres out, and the water was lapping at our knees. By this time, our legs were tired from wading, so we just sat where we were.

Camping really takes it out of ya, so we snoozed for a little while. The sleep served two purposes - we were buggered, and we weren’t going to start drinking before 5pm. It’s important to have standards and restraint, I’m sure you all agree.

I met this Canadian guy who called himself a moden day Gypsy, and being durnk, I invited him to join us. He was a 70 year old bloke, who separated from his wife a little while ago (on good terms), because he wanted to travel, and she didn’t. Ever since, he’s lived in tents, in friends’ houses around the world, shipping his two most prized posessions around the world with him; a pair of Honda Goldwing Motorcycles.

I had a most enjoyable evening chatting with him, and I think Katie did. Richard came back from work, and things settled down a little. I had quite a bit to drink, so I slept where I lay - in the awning section of the tent, on top of bags of ropes, a hammer, and a camp chair. Best night’s sleep I’ve ever had.

As I was leaving on Thursday, work called me up to ask if I could work Friday. I gladly accepted.

We had dinner at Berny and Karen’s that night, which Dean will probably tell you more about. All I’ll say is that Karen went to a LOT of trouble, and it showed with a beautiful spread.

At work today, two blokes were leaving, so they had a bbq farewell, which was just tops. And now, tonight, Cebs is on. It feels like ages since I’ve been to Cebs, even though last time I went was only last Friday.

werd up homes?

Blacky has announced that he will gladly purchase me a ticket to see Ross Noble, UK comedian, at the Powerhouse this week. So I’m putting a shoutout here - anyone else want to go? At this stage, we’re thinking Saturday, because there aren’t many other options that are applicable. Here’s the link.

Also, can you believe how soon it is Godfrey and I go large in the US? I can’t believe it.

Caught the new Little Britain last night, and then the Glass House. I’m tired this morning, obviously.

I didn’t update yesterday - isn’t that naughty? Especially considering I had to post HBs to myself and Glenn. Instead I spent my chuckler time cleaning out the spam that those bastards leave in my comments. I’ve got a new tool with which to thwarte them, however - a php script I’ve written that shows all the comments that I’ve not approved with a secret method of legitimate-comment-detection. Tremble before me, oh spammers. Oh, and I’ve already got MT-Blacklist plugin installed, without which the number of spam comments would go through the roof, no doubt. Yes, Rob W, I will send you a copy of the script
So, the party day on Saturday was a diamond. You know that add for Rosemount Estates … this was a real “Diamond Day”. Started off at Glenn and Lara’s - I was picking people up for a centralized taxi pickup - and Glenn had made a leftover-antipasto pizza. :drool: I happened to have a bottle of Moet with me, so we cracked it open to go with. In a perfect world, I would’ve liked the bottle to be opened with the usual suspects - Bek, Leyton, Blacky, Glara and myself - but that wasn’t going to happen for various reasons. So, with half a complement, we drank - and got to enjoy two glasses each instead of one. :thefinger:

From Glara’s, we picked up Leyton, and then got home. Blacky was home from work, so we had a few scotches to get the mixed drink factor kicking in, and then our cab arrived. The day was spent at the Regatta, Glenn and Blacky betting at the tab. Lara’s friends Brooke and Paddy were there, and Woo joined us a little later. Great day of drinking and storytelling.

We caught a couple of cabs to M&D’s, which was the rendezvous point for the Foo portion of the evening. Our taxi driver was a :jerkit: Chris and Celia joined us there, as did Rob & Nadia. Walked to the Foo and were treated to perhaps the biggest table ever.

We stumbled back home, and had cognac and cigars. The details at this point get a little fuzzy. I remember Glenn falling asleep on the couch, I remember G&R arriving at some stage, I remember the “scream along” in front of the piano and I remember the maxi taxi to the Gentlemen’s club. :naughty:

Let’s just say this now, all subtle like: Lara touched booby :naughty: :bowdown:

Yesterday, the actual birthday, could never compare to this. I had McDonalds Hot Cakes for breakfast :yum: and the work gang went to Fasta Pasta for lunch. A certain someone who we all know we out of his way to make us all wait and then have an unpleasant conversation on the way to the restaurant. That was a downer. I got a lot of work done yesterday, and had no plans for the evening. Leyton felt sorry for me, and insisted that we go out - we picked up Tim R’s mail under the pretense of gonig to the Lonestar Steakhouse, and then went back to the Gabba for Ribbett’s. It wasn’t “bad” but also wasn’t “good”. Icecream for desert from IGA, and we went our seperate ways.

My weekend really has been going for several days. Berny had borrowed a jetski off his mate, and was raring to use it, so on Friday, he took it and the family up to Bribie for a day of burnin’ around, waterbound. Dam this thing is quick - 145hp, about 250kg, and sounds like quite a beast.

I don’t have my boat license, so I couldn’t drive the thing, so I was just a passenger. Berny flicked me off once, which I was quite impressed with, as I was really trying to stay on - “knee-down”ing the corners, and such, but, he still got me in the drink. Then a few rides later, we were both in the drink. We certainly had fun, at the expense of one hat - it’s at the bottom of the briney.

Then there was Saturday. I managed to get to the Regatta under my own steam. Stupid me, got off at the wrong bus stop, so I had to walk from Park Road, Milton up the the pub. Oh well, I deserved a drink by the time I got there. I somehow got the impression that Blacky and Glen didn’t do too well on the races.

We took separate cabs home to my place, where more drunkening, and regrouping commenced. And of course The Foo! No longer needing any explanation to those who hadn’t been there, we decimated the place.

Staggering home was fun I’m sure, considering I got a lift :teehee: There was cake, and lollies, and cigars, and cognac, and pool and foosball to be had back at home. Drunken foosball is really quite difficult. I lost count of how many times I just watched the ball toddle past the little dudes.

And then a journey into the valley, which ended in a quick stop at the gentleman’s club. After thrashing Lara a few times at pool, it was time to go home. Dean and Blacky both proved to be quite chipper in the morning, considering how they looked, staggering down the hallways. Props boys.

And so Sunday was just bummin round. I returned my room to how I like it, which is most refreshing. And today I worked. There are particular times of morning that are easier to get up during, than others. For example, between 4am and 5am, and between 6&7 is pretty easy for me to wake up in. However, between 3&4am, 5&6am and 7&8am is terrible. Anyone agree?

I need to get one of those E-toll things, because I can’t afford to keep forkin out cash every time I have to go to work. I have another 7am start tomorrow, so tonight’s a relatively early one, but I’m looking forward to the money. I’m on the verge of brokenness. Uni starts next monday, so money would be good to have.

I don’t really feel like myself today. I don’t know why, all I know is I feel generally and most decidedly “meh”.

I had dinner at R&N’s on Wednesday, and then proceeded to work until about 3 in the morning at actual work (not website work) and then slept in the next morning. It was all for nought, incidentally - I didn’t even get resolved what I wanted to get resolved.

Had a crappy day yesterday and made cornflakes for dinner. Had an early night, and then thought about calling in “sick” today but didn’t when my internet dropped out at home. So I dragged myself to work.

Bek emailed me, asking what’s going on tonight. It’s nothing yet. They won’t be able to make it this weekend.

I need some junk food.

There’s something I really like about my room, and I think it’s the complete darkness that I can surround myself with when I shut my doors and turn the lights off. There’s no windows, so the only light is usually a tiny little crack under the door, which I mostly just plug up with a door-snake thing. However, today, because of the total darkness, I slept til 1:30pm, hence my entry here at 1:30am.

So I woke up, and really pottered. I was bored out of my skull. I went out and got the collages I’d made up to adorn the covers of my photo albums printed by the Harvey Norman photo guys. I’m getting quite a raport with one of the staff there, and got a discounted price today because my picture only took up 3/4 of an 8×10 print.

We had KFC tonight for dinner. A 12piece, 3 large chips, large coleslaw, large potato and gravy and 1.25 litre drink. I got home with the loot, and discovered only 10 pieces of chicken. So mum called up. We’re getting a free 5 pieces via letter at some stage.

Then, I pottered again, before I got invited over to Jen and Natasha’s place. We went out and got Jen from work and then bummed around their place for a while.

I’m still trying to get the time to work on my car. Can’t wait for my sporty shocks.

I’ve got some new smilies to introduce - I have to explain what each one is doing so that people who get their musings by email know what I’m talking about.
:noes: is a guy biting his fingernails, nervously.
:hahano: is a guy who’s laughing and then suddenly stops and squints.
:hay: is the :gay: guy, waving
:teehee: is someone giggling, hand covering their mouth.

That’s cool, no?

Glen sent me this:
“When money is involved Poker is very much a man’s game and not at all a
gentleman’s game. Admitting you’re shit at poker is akin to admitting
you’re crap in the sack ?it serves as a concession of your manhood. It is
an acknowledgment that you are weak-minded, cowardly, can be deceived and
manipulated, and easily conned out of your money. This may be obvious to
others but believing it yourself can be too shameful.”

Interesting article, the full story of which is here.
One of the more salient points to note is that Star City Casino now offers $5/10 limit Texas Hold’Em. Excalibur in Vegas has US$1/3 tables - but it costs AU$1300 to get there and back, versus $150-ish. It’s actually not that expensive if you’re already going there.
Tonight, I’m heading to Rob and Nadia’s. Couldn’t make it yesterday because of an unforeseen circumstance, which turned out for the best - Mum had called inviting me to an extended family night that I had to decline because of this prior engagement. Now that I was free, I headed to B&K’s new house (great house btw) where B&K + kids, grandpa, M&D, Woo and I all had imitation Foo. Foo’s closed on Tuesdays, so we had to settle for the Albany Links chinese place. Not bad, but certainly not up to the Foo standard.

Glenn and I have been discussing the events around this weekend and have settled on this: Saturday 19th February, 2pm, Regatta. Then Foo, congregating at M&D’s place prior from 6pm. Buzz/email me if you need their address.

My dad sent me this clip:
BLOGGING WHILE YOU WORK: MAYBE NOT A GOOD IDEA
Using the pseudonym “Sarcastic Journalist,” reporter Rachel
Mosteller of the Durham (N.C.) Herald-Sun newspaper wrote this entry on
her personal blog one day last year: “I really hate my place of
employment. Seriously. Okay, first off. They have these stupid little
awards that are supposed to boost company morale. So you go and do
something ’spectacular’ (most likely, you’re doing your JOB) and then
someone says ‘Why golly, that was spectacular.’ then they sign your name
on some paper, they bring you chocolate and some balloons… Okay two
people in the newsroom just got it. FOR DOING THEIR JOB.” The day after
her posting, Sarcastic Journalist was fired (even though it did not
identify the newspaper in her posting). Lee Rainie, director of the Pew
Internet & American Life Project, comments: “We all complain about work
and our bosses. And the ethos of the blogosphere is to be chatty and
sometimes catty and crude. Even in an era of casual Fridays, that is not
what companies want to be portrayed by the world.” And labor lawyer
Gregg M. Lemley notes: “In most states, if an employer doesn’t like what
you’re talking about, they can simply terminate you.” (Washington Post
11 Feb 2005) Full article is here.

Will that change my habits? Not likely. Some things I don’t talk about, like company secrets etc, but general work-related bitching IMO is fine. Everyone does it, and blogging about it - as long as identies are preserved, which they are - people who don’t know me personally don’t know anything about my place of work besides that it sucks - is no different. So there. :tongue:

I skipped out on family night last night - just too busy. Spent Valentine’s Day (the ultimate Hallmark holiday) with Leyton working on our websites :ugh: That sounds really :gay:

Weekend has already been described by Woo, more or less, so I won’t rehash that - Friday, pizza, tv and websites with Leyton and Blacky, Saturday, computer installation and lunch with Chris, and then kicking around the afternoon at M&Ds with M and Dogs. Dad and Woo came home later, and we went to Foo. Sunday nothing much happened, except Blacky and I FINALLY bought some groceries. I have to eat like a pig to get my money’s worth before I go away next month. :squint:

Seeing as everyone seems to be doing it, I will succumb to peer pressure and spout some of the usual crap that I’ve been up to - you might like to have an umbrella handy.

I’ll start with the 10th. This day, Berny and Karen had settlement of their new house, and got the keys. So, that was a big night for all. Friday was a productive day, as I renewed my license - it’s now a month and 3 days before I’m on my opens. There’s now quite a list of things on there. First, my P’s are listed until they expire on the 17th of next month, then my opens become effective, and my motorbike learners is also on there.

I spent most of the day helping Jake prepare his place for the party to ensue there that night. It was his going away, and another bloke’s return party. I got the place to ship-shape, with both of our computers and a laptop in a corner as one helluva music station, and then I had to go to Cebs, but returned with a massive amount of pool noodles, and half a dozen more chairs.

We hit the hay at about 2am, but I had to be up early for a men’s breakfast that started at 7am. Berny and Karen officially began moving in, so dad and I went and got Ben and Renae (2 and 4 year olds respectively) and took them to the airport to keep them out of their mum and dad’s hair. I got dropped at J’s to help clean up. It was only 3 days before he was to leave Brisbane afterall.

And at about noon, we went and played skirmish. 5 of us went to friggin woop-woop to battle lots of strangers with a crapload of paintballs. It really takes it out of ya.

Saturday night, Bruce, Jean and Monique came over for dinner at the foo. I think Monique had a good time, even though I’m sure she got sick of being flogged in foosball and pool… repeatedly.

Again with the early mornings, Sunday I was up at 5:30 to go and cook sausages at a sunday school sausage sizzle in a local park. Our efforts were really well appreciated, so, that was nice. One of my doors in my room has been bugging me - it swings the wrong way. When I got home, I began work on re-hanging it so it swung more ergonomically. I’m really proud of the job I did, cos everything works perfectly, and the result has made the room look heaps bigger, and I can leave the door open and get breeze through without it blowing shut all the time.

And then, Sunday night, Jake came over to say his goodbyes to m&d and I. It was very strange, but not in a bad way. Jake and I are as brothers, and when we were sayin our goodbyes, it was like we would just see each other the next day, like usual. But, when he drove away, it really hit me that he was going to be gone for a good while - my best friend was gone. Tt wasn’t an easy night, and at times I got a bit emotional.

I’ve since had time to step back from it, and realise how much of a positive thing this is, and that rationally, we’re sure to catch up in time. He’s become family to me, and many of us know just how strong family bonds are. It’ll be like old times again soon enough.

Anyway, that’s my little world for now. I keep saying that I should update this more often, but I’ve barely been on the puter lately. Cest la vie.

Woo