Wed, 31 May 2006
This new morning ritual is killing me.
I've started work out at Parramatta, which takes about 40-45 mins from Wollstonecraft station. Luckily, I don't have to change, and as long as I make sure the train isn't going out via the Northern Line, I can sit down and read the paper in peace.
By the time I get out west, though, my morning alertness has plummetted, and I'm left with a lethargic apathy, a complete lack of direction, which takes a bit of effort to shake off.
I'm used to waking up and having an hour to read the news on the internet, have a coffee, and relax, before leaving the house around 8.30. Suddenly, I'm leaving 45 minutes earlier, to get to work at the exact same time.
And while I can read the paper in dead tree form, I can't really enjoy a hot drink at the same time.
Only a month to go before I'm back working in town again.
On Friday, I left work with a technical problem at a client site still unresolved. I should have remembered the number one rule of IT: never leave technical problems open on a Friday if you want to enjoy your weekend.
This meant that I had to tee up a time to go back and fix it. Unluckily, the only time available was on Tuesday afternoon.
Given that I didn't know how long it was going to take, it seemed like a good idea to go in the afternoon; that way, if it took longer than a few hours, I could work late, rather than have to leave at midday to meet commitments for the other client site.
Unfortunately, Tuesday evening was the apartment block's Annual General Meeting, which was being held at our place. 4 weeks ago, offering to host seemed like an easy commitment. By Tuesday morning, when it became apparent that I'd have to leave work at 6, no matter whether the problem at work had been fixed or not, it had become yet another source of stress. Kathleen had to work late as well - so I couldn't ask her to leave work early to host the AGM.
Luckily, the problem turned out to be quite straight-forward, and I'd knocked it over in an hour. On Friday, I must have been too tired to see the easy fix. Oh well.
Of course, nothing is ever as easy as that. The problem fixed at one site was substituted for another, quite different problem, at the other site. Thanks, karma.
Anyway, it's all sorted out now. And I got home in time for the AGM. I didn't need that weekend with work problems constantly in the back of my mind, though.
Tue, 30 May 2006
We just finished hosting the building's AGM.
I have just been elected, unopposed, to the Executive Committee. As the secretary. A situation which came about because we have only 12 apartments, and everyone who's currently on it wanted to get off. Plus, I was asked to put my hand up.
Guess what the busiest position is on the Executive Committee?
Anyway, the AGM was a fun time. Our lounge room was packed with people - our neighbours, since most of the other apartments are owner-occupied. There were a few interesting moments, too. Like when a couple of people took exception to the fact that the compulsory fire-safety upgrade imposed on the building has just run 25% over budget with hardly any explanation.
The couple who've just bought the apartment downstairs came along for their first meeting with most of us. By the end, I think they'd started to wonder just what they'd let themselves in for.
Mon, 29 May 2006
I surprise Kathleen by cooking dinner tonight. It wasn't so much the cooking that surprised her - I do cook occasionally - but that I'd tried to do something new, rather than one of my repetoire of 4 dishes.
Soy-marinated, pan-fried Atlantic salmon (sprinkle salt on the skin before frying to make it really crispy) with stir-fried carrots, beans and Chinese cabbage, in oyster sauce.
I was in the good books for a while after that effort, let me tell you.
I have, however, drastically raised the bar of expectations for future efforts.
Sun, 28 May 2006
Shaved
Irritated skin
Look different
Wanted to wait 40 years for dramatic youthful effect
Fri, 26 May 2006
There is nothing on TV that cannot be enhanced by adding 3D glasses. Kathleen's favourite show, which is normally an entertainment void for me, actually became somewhat interesting. Well, during the bits that had 3D.
Wed, 24 May 2006
So NSW is banning soft drinks from schools. Of course, the relevant industry body can't let a silly little thing like preventing kids sucking down 8 teaspoons of sugar per can get in the way of profits for Coca-Cola, so they've wheeled out the big guns. Witness this quote captured on the nightly news by a rent-a-mouthpiece from the Australian Beverage Council:
Soft drinks are an alternative to alcohol for our children and teenagers.
"Better for kids than alcohol". You know your argument is in trouble when that's your best argument for keeping your product in schools.
The press release (which doesn't contain that revealing little gem) is here.
Sun, 21 May 2006
We were flat out this weekend. On Saturday, we went to Engadine for a BBQ for one of Kathleen's friends from work. It's a long train ride - 70 minutes each way by train from our place - but once you get down past Sutherland, you're almost in national park territory, which is a nice respite from the city.
No sooner had we got home on Saturday than I had to head back out to the SCG for the Swans-Footscray game. Footscray kept in touch, but never looked like challenging.
Then this morning, Kathleen organised for 11 people to go to yum cha, quite the logistical challenge. East Ocean in Haymarket, our original destination, was packed, and we were behind a table of 22 in the queue (who organises yum cha for 22 people?!). And the woman taking the seating requests at the door played all coy when we asked how long it would take to be seated. So we went to Plan B - Marigold across the road was virtually empty - and got a table straight away.
A quick shopping trip at Paddy's to get fresh seafood, then home to cook for Kathleen's brother's birthday dinner - fresh steamed garlic prawns, mussels, and noodles.
Fri, 19 May 2006
Thu, 18 May 2006
Kathleen bought a pair of boots when we were in Melbourne. They were a little small for her, but she persisted in the hope that they would change shape to fit her feet. And they didn't, so we had to take them back to the shop (luckily they had an outlet in Pitt Street Mall!). Actually, I took them back for her - seems like sales assistants are less likely to ask pointed questions before giving a refund if it's an ignorant husband returning shoes.
"Yeah, she bought them down in Melbourne, just a little bit too tight or something, you know women - they have to have them at once."
Rather than an interrogation, the sales assistant gave me a sympathetic smile. And the refund. Kathleen was amazed how easy it seemed.
So last night, she was shopping, and came across the same style of boot. The same size, in fact, that she'd bought in Melbourne and which turned out to be too small.
And they fitted perfectly.
I have no idea how shoes that are the same style and size can be such a different fit. At least I don't have to return these ones.
Me and a group of mates wandered up to the Crows Nest Hotel last night to watch the Anthony Mundine - Danny Green fight. I'm not a boxing fan at all, but this fight had been hyped for the past four years.
The crowd at the pub seemed to be 99% for Green - or rather, 99% against Mundine. Mundine seems to really rub people up the wrong way. Me, I think he's fantastic the way he makes people either love him or hate him, and he thrives off that.
We got there just before 9, which is when John Hopoate's fight was on. It was over in 48 seconds - the time it took for two big fat ugly men to rush at each other, flail wildly with their fists, and one of them to fall down. A great and interesting match - not!
Then, a couple of undercard fights, before the highlight of the evening.
Nollsy singing the national anthem.
The pub crowd went wild. "Nollsy! Go Orstraya! Go Orstraya!" The night went from bad to ocker.
It wasn't all bad, though. The fight was good. Very, very good. While most people were hoping that Mundine would go down early, he played smart, staying out of range and letting Green spend a lot of energy trying to pin him down. By Round 6, Green was noticeably tired - his average fight duration was 4 rounds - and his earlier momentum had completely left him. The room started to jeer Mundine a little less, and punches that both boxers scored seemed to be cheered equally.
And when Mundine won, it wasn't a surprise.
Wed, 17 May 2006
I bought a new Samsung 17" LCD monitor on the weekend. I can't believe I've waited this long to get one. The screen seems a lot larger than my old CRT monitor, an old Acer that I bought new with the computer back in 2001*. The old one was starting to visibly flicker, and was getting a bit painful to stare at for anything more than 10 minutes.
Plus the desk now has a lot more space to accumulate the bits and pieces of paper, and cords, and junk that seem to somehow breed.
* Another sure sign of old age is hanging on to hardware until it dies, rather than until the next model comes along!
Tue, 16 May 2006
I was down near Broadway on Saturday, and checked out the remains of the St Barnabas church, after it had been completely shelled out by fire during the week. What's left is the remains of the walls; the roof has been completely demolished. With the trees nearby still standing in their autumn colours, the bustle of the passing road, and life going on around it, it's surreal to see a destroyed building in the midst.
The amazing thing is that none of the nearby buildings seemed to be affected - the church itself is surrounded on three sides by buildings, including one apartment block, and it's surprising that the fire didn't spread. The pictures on the TV news seemed to suggest a towering inferno.
This morning, as I caught the bus to a client site near New Town, I passed by again.
Outside the front of the church is a new sign:
St Burnabas - We're burning up for Jesus.
A nice touch.
Mon, 15 May 2006
Rang the Best Man (current location: Geneva) on Saturday night to remind him (in case he didn't realise) that the FA Cup was on in half an hour. We ended up catching up for an hour on the phone. It was really good to hear from him after a long time, and hearing about someone else's overseas adventures is always fun.
And I ended up not watching much of the game, but by then it didn't really matter so much.
Thu, 11 May 2006
A somewhat casual approach to workplace security:
Whenever there was a scene in Mission: Impossible III that took place at the agency offices, I was repeatedly bothered by the fact that all the people in the building are wearing their identification badges clipped to their jackets or shirts. Except Ethan Hunt. He gets to walk through the halls like a cologne advertisement.
Why doesn't he have to wear identification? His boss has to wear identification. His boss's boss has to wear identification. But Ethan Hunt gets to just wander around in black looking cool without any unsightly identification tag that would ruin the look of whole outfit.
Wed, 10 May 2006
Bumped into my neighbour on the train to work this morning. He's asked when am I going to put my hand up for the executive committee for the apartment block's body corporate. Given that our apartment block has only 12 units and 4 members of the executive, 2 of which have babies under 12 months, it's probably a fair question.
I'm not sure whether I was asked because of my clearly decisive nature, my proven leadership track record, or whether his wife is looking to get off the committee.
Apparently, most of the work consists of tracking down trade quotes, or trying to get hold of the elusive body corporate manager on the phone.
Still, might be something to put on the resume: "Headhunted for executive role, with responsibility for all areas of the organisation." Sounds good.
Tue, 09 May 2006
A project at work just seemed to suck up massive amounts of my time and energy over the last month. My involvement came to an end earlier today. The schedule requires another 8 weeks of intensive work, work that I will no longer be involved in.
"Aren't you upset?" someone asked. "The fact that you've spent so much time and effort on something, and to not be there at the end?"
The answer to that, of course, is no. When compared to the alternative, no.
We woke up yesterday to find the news of the miners having been rescued from the Beaconsfield mine plastered across the morning TV news shows.
I don't think I could ever get tired of watching the footage of the men emerging, walking unaided, arms raised in triumph, as they stride over to the board that lists the miners underground and the miners above, and rip their tags off it. And then their families rush in to greet them.
I can't remember the last time a news story lasted for days that wasn't a tragedy, or a disaster. This is just fantastic.
Utterly, utterly fantastic.
