Judging a book by its cover...

U know how they say "dont judge a book by its cover"? Well i dont know about u, but i still do sometimes. Especially when it comes to choosing books or wine. What catches my eye about a wine is what the label on the bottle looks like. Sounds bad right? I of all people should know this, but i still fall into this trap.

Well tonight, i brought a bottle of merlot that someone had given me for my b'day last yr to a barbie tonight. I thought it wouldnt be the best wine i'd ever brought, since it looked like a really average bottle. But once i poured it into the glass, took a whiff and taste, it was awesome.

Because of this tonight, i have fallen in love with organic wine. Havent heard of it? Well neither have I, until tonight. I'm a big fan of organic wine now, especially this one, i'll be looking out for it on the shelves.........

Tsunami Terror

It struck me this morning as i picked up the front page of the newspaper the enormity of the situation. I mean, for it to make front page news, it would have to be quite important, right? I remember last nite my dad telling me there was a big earthquake near indonesia, extending to india and thailand. At the time, i was too engrossed in my xbox game, Splinter Cell; Pandora Tommorrow. (Mind u, it is an awesome game requiring much concentration!) I sort of nodded and showed some kind of acknowledgement to him, but inwardly i was cursing the fact he was interrupting my gaming! Doesnt he realise i could die, and i would have to start the level again!?

We hear of disasters on the news all the time. The media covers everything so well nowadays, i dont even take notice of them. But this morning as i read the full story, i realised i know some ppl that are in Phuket and Penang as i type this. Then i read on, realising that Phuket is one of the worst places hit, and the a number killed in Penang. My heart sank a little. My thoughts of the 3 ppl i know there come flooding in, and i pray that they would be safe.

When the bali bombings occured, it was a shocking incident, yet i could not not fully empathise. Now, i can associate the panic and concern that family would have over the ppl in the affected areas. Guys, if u r out there and read this, pls let me know ur ok! :)

Scrooge

I think i'm pretty close to being a xmas scrooge. Dont get me wrong, i dont go saying "bah humbug" to everything and everyone, but i'm really not at all excited about xmas at all. If anything, its an opportunity for me to kick my legs up and chill.

A few of the girls at work are all excited about the day and everything, but i'm not too fussed about it. I dont know if it comes across as me being moody or a scrooge, but xmas just aint a big thing to me!

I mean it is important in the fact that it celebrate's Jesus' birth, but I consider easter a much more important date/time. I think easter is the most important event on the christian calendar, not xmas. People may disagree with me here..... :p

I think back to when i was younger, whether xmas was a big thing then..... I dont believe it was. So maybe that's where my view comes from...... At the end of the day, it seems like most are getting overly excited for what is essentially a long wkend. But i definitely enjoy the excuse to get together with friends and family, laze about with a beer in one hand, food in the other, and watch the boxing day test.

Merry xmas.

Have u ever noticed how...

- In the bank, there are like 8 teller counters...... Have u ever seen more than half the counters manned at one time!? I was at the bank today, and had to wait 30 mins to be served. All the while there were 8 counters, and only THREE people attending. What the heck do we pay all these bloody bank fees for? Where do the million dollar profits that we hear about go to!? Why close at 4pm when it takes u so bloody long to see your customers?

- We live in dangerous times....... the bank i went to had security sliding doors to get INTO the teller counters. So basically the line was facing a door, until the teller inside pushed a button to let u into the area where they were! Talk about HIGH security!

- Courtesy does not exist...... On my drive to work and home, I let about 5 people in front of me How many thank yous did i get? Nil, nada, zilch, zero, none, bugger all.

- kids are maturing sooner....... more so for females, but schoolgirls nowadays look so mature, i have difficulty differentiating them from 15 yr olds or 25 yr olds! Such was the case today in the shopping centre... so many young chicks out today, wonder why..... Oh yeah, its school hols... Woops, that means they must still be at school!....

- some people dont know much about their own job...... i went into a shop, wanting to apply for something. The moment i ask questions outside the square, the guy has got no clue, and starts fishing for answers out of his arse. That annoys me, coz if u dont know, just say so and get me someone who does!

sport & psychology

U know how sometimes u have that unscratchable itch in u, where u just cant wait to get out and get to that itch? Something that has been building up within u, with no sense of resolve? Well one of those itches for me has been the desire to play sport again.

Ever since my injury, i have been incapable to play any sort of sport. In fact, i could barely twist around to reach over to get anything! But after a month of physio, i've been put back on track, and have reached the point where i may resume an active lifestyle once more.

So today i managed to have my 1st swing of the golf club in a LONG time. I must admit that i was quite apprehensive in going to the driving range, as i did not want a recurrence of my injury. So the 1st few swings were definitely very ginger, so tentative that i missed the ball completely! (Much to the amusement of my golfing wannabe companion ;) Then again, i dont know if she was laughing at my golf skill or just me...)

It definitely took awhile to get going, and i started middle-ing the ball more, although in my mind i was constantly thinking i was feeling pain or tightness from my back. This was definitely a case of "mind over matter". The back is fine. Surgery has fixed it. Now i need to get my mind over it. And stop being so scared. Who says sport psych doesnt exist?

Beach or shopping?

Seeing that i didnt start work till 3 in the afternoon, i had a variety of options as to how to spend my half day off today. One was to go to the beach. The other, xmas shopping and errands. I chose the latter. Now i regret that decision.

The shops were packed. And not just packed, but filled with smelly teenagers (sorry to all those nice-smelling teenagers) Finding presents was like trekking thru densr jungle, using my arms as machetes, chopping and fending stray arm-like branches blocking the way. The bright signs vying for your attention simply brings on more confusion, especially an unseasoned shopping campaigner like me. And it was HOT, so going from store to store was taxing..... Xmas carols were ingrained into my brain that i found myself subconsciously humming it by the end of the day. I was drawn to the "sale" signs like a bear to honey, picking and poking at it until my cravings were satisfied.

When i finally got home, i thought,"I could do with a swim about now". Then i realised it was time to go to work, and i had missed my chance. I love going to the beach when its stinkin hot, i love the ability to sweat the instant u step out of the water, just so u can hop back in. And i missed all that so as to mix it with the best of the material world.... sigh.

Reflections

I'm in a kind of a reflective mood today.... I guess it was a lazy sort of a day, where it was a cruisy morning at work, had coffee with a friend in the arvo, got a haircut, went to the physio, then dinner with some friends.... Life just passes by..... has my whole yr walked by me like that? It's kinda hard to explain, but my day sorta just happened. The sun rises, then it sets, and here i am, its dark, & i'm blogging. Just seems like we get so blase about all we do.... I guess as the end of 2004 approaches, we all look back in retrospect to what we have achieved or gained out of the yr, and i guess upon reflection, here are a few moments of 2004 that made it the yr it was for me....

- I cut my hair (for those that remember, it was quite long)
- I hurt my back at basketball
- The pain of my back for 3 mths
- The incapacitated "me" for the majority of this yr!
- My baptism
- Back Surgery
- Progress of my professional career
- starting & continuing lap swimming
- 1 week wonderful whirlwind holiday of Singapore, thanks to gracious hostess... :)
- consolidation of real friendships

I'm sure there'll be more when i have more time to think of it!

Most hated people....

As i was driving to work today, something on the radio got me thinking as to what is the most detested occupation in today's society is. Depending on what kind of person u r, occupations such as policeman come to mind, perhaps even the dentist?? Ppl always rave on about how they HATE the dentist and cant understand how anyone could do it or how they cause constant pain.... How about real moronic bouncers who dont let u in for no good reason? Lollipop men/women that take their sweet ass time in getting off the road! One occupation that is really annoying, but i'll admit is bloody hard work is telemarketers. Even phone sales ppl..... they must get so much abuse from the ppl they call, i dont know how they do it.

But i reckon i've found the one occupation that would be THE MOST HATED. Even more than the dreaded dentist. An occupation that could earn u scorns and hisses from the general public should u reveal yourself. One that u would not be mentioning to impress the ladies. One that could result in violence should it be revealed to its innocent victim.......the multinova cameraman.

multitasking

For those in the know, the Subi Street Party was on over the wkend. The closing of Rokeby Rd and Hay Street added a new dimension to subi i thought...... It was wierd walking on the road meant for cars..... It sorta shifted perspective looking around from the road rather than the footpath!

It was a pretty good setup i thought, and gradually the streets got packed. The music of some of the bands were great, some not so great :) I found it amusing that they chucked the heavy metal band at the far end of the party, away from the masses.... :)

There was free rock climbing, food, drink, rides, games...... kinda like a mini-fair of sorts. And the weather was great for it too! I was tempted into paying 5 bucks to play the popgun game, where i have to shoot rabbits. But I figured that even if i were to hit the maximum number of targets, the prize u get wasnt worth the 5 bucks spent in the 1st place, so i passed..... :p

And of course, what would a party be without animals!? There were the token sheep, lamb, cattle, turkey, chooks and 2 goats. Wot a zoo huh? And the goats were most impressive...... able to multitask the duties of peeing & pooping & eating, ALL at the SAME time. Quite a feat..... I dare u to try it! :)

Killing time

How does one waste a day? Just observe me today. I had practically nothing to do today, had a handful of patients to treat, otherwise i was bored stiff. I really racked my brains as to what i could do to kill time, but i kept drawing a blank.

One option is to go shopping, again! But i thought better of it, especially from my previous blog about this. I also tried sitting around reading my lonely planet, but got pretty bored of it.

One of the advantages of working where i work is the ability to sleep on my workstation. For those who know what i do, my workstation is convertible (in a sense) into a neat package for lying back and having a snooze. Boy that kills time alright, and i didnt realise how tired i was, till i laid back and closed my eyes......

Cheesy

I had a Ham-tuna-cheese sandwich for lunch today. But even that was not as cheesy as wot was on tv tonite. Dancing with the stars was on, and it's the 2nd time i've ever seen it, and it was the finale. For starters, how the heck did Pauline Hanson get into the final 2!? And wot was with the big choreographed dance with Daryl Sommers singing? So not good....... Thank goodness justice prevailed and Bec Cartwright won...... I may have slit my wrists if Pauline won, i think the quality of Australian tv is on the slide......

On the flip side, american tv never fails to entertain. I've never seen a full episode, but i always managed to catch the last few mins of this show called elove. Yes, it follows the trail of 2 internet lovers meeting for the 1st time. They show how they met and communicated over chat rooms, then finally arrange to meet beacause they believe they've met they're true love.

Dont get me wrong, i reckon its sweet and would be awesome for ppl to find their soul mates, lovers, husbands, wives, life partner over the internet, espeically in this day and age. Modern tech allows us to reach millions of ppl around the globe, so eventually dating and romance would have to conform too!

But the stark reality of this show is that from the limited last bits i've seen, none of the couples actually end up together. Admittedly, i havent seen many, but it always seems to end with, "HE/SHE is not exactly what i thought they'd be". In the end, I guess some things never change......

Retail Therapy 2

Femine urges are pervading my masculinity. In other words, i think i'm starting to enjoy shopping.

Today, i had a 3 hour lunch..... havent had one of those in awhile. :) Anywayz, i tot i'd go into carousel to do some shopping for a top hat and cane for the formal on saturday nite. Wot did i end up doing instead? Went into different stores, looking, trying on, buying stuff. Ended up buying stuff, feeling pretty good about it, until on the way back to work, i realised i was supposed to get the gear for the formal. Hmph.

Then just now, got a call from a mate who got invited to Mainpeak's member-only sale. I just HAD TO check out the stuff on sale and the specials. Ended up getting this wicked travel towel and the cool blue carrabina with combo lock.

What's going on!? When has this sudden change hit me? (Or more importantly, what can i do with a blue carrabina with combo lock??) What happened to that typical blokey attititude of having to shop only when necessary? When the underpants are so well-worn that u have to peel if from your epidermis to get new ones on?

Return my manhood please.....

Dot Dot Dot

I just completed one of the longest days i've had in a long, long time, since i returned to work. The day started with being stuck in theatre from 8am till 12pm. Then had patients from 2pm till 6.30pm. I didnt get home till 7pm, then had to shoot off again for BS, which just finished, so here i am at 11pm writing this....... Cant wait for my head to hit that pillow.

I've also discussed with many others who suffer my condidtion (hayfever) whether it has been getting worse. Most ppl i talk to all agree this yr's been the worst ever! My eyes just kill me! It gets so itchy and blurry, it's really annoying. Today, I had to resort to using IV Saline to lubricate my eyes, coz i could barely see what i was doing!! But i got these new Meds from David.... hope it works. :) So girls, dont blame me for not like flowers......... :)

I just found out a couple of friends of mine have been together for 5 yrs. FIVE yrs. I find that amazing. I definitely dont come anywhere near that. In fact, i dont think i've really had any relationship i consider "real" for any substantial period of time really. But looking back, i think i've been quite immature in my thinking, coz i definitely dont feel the same way now!

I've gone away from "let's just keep having fun" to a more mature psyche of "maybe i should start looking for something more serious". I'd like to think that its a sign of me growing up :) Maturity takes time, it's like a piece of good, delicious, juicy fruit.... it takes TIME to ripen and flourish.

Things of Love & Hate

- I love lists. ;)
- Hate pikers
- Like my beef med-rare
- Prefer comfort over fashion
- Love taking photos but not being in them
- Dont mind standing in a queue
- Hate selfish drivers
- Love organisation
- Can stomach most things, but not smells
- Hate lateness
- Love good wine
- Prefer egg yolk runny
- Love travelling
- Love GOOD coffee; there's a difference!
- Hate being bored, always gotta have something to do!
- Hate my dodgy back, but love it when it's an excuse to get u out of something! ;)
- Dont really like suprises
- Love presents! :)
- Prefer not to have a beer gut
- I so dont like lying!!

I tried to top Moocher's effort, but i've fallen 80 short.... Oh well......

We are a multicultural nation

I remember a time when sashimi was taboo, lemon chicken was exotic, curry was for the brave and to have italian was to be "way" out there. My how times have changed.

I had lunch at the subi markets food court, and while i dug into some bavarian food (ie. meat patty, bacon, sauce, salad on a turkish roll), i relished at the thought of eating something from germany. Now whether the meat and produce was from germany i dont know, but it tasted good nonetheless.

What I came to realise was how multicultural australia has become. Despite Pauline Hanson's best efforts, i would have to think australia would have to be one of the MOST multicultural countries in the world! Now i come from a place "considered" to be pro-multicultural, but i think aust. has it all over Singapore.

Now back to the foodcourt..... we had old aussie ladies having asian combination, indian ppl having a kebab, italian ppl having curry, me having bavarian..... At school, i remember when i used to bring my noodles or rice for lunch, and i got the piss taken out of me big time. But then, vegemite sandwiches didnt really appeal to me! Now, it's probably passe, and i reckon my mum would have to be one of the pioneers of using the 'ol thermos flask for storing piping hot noodles which was my lunch! :)

I reckon what migrants have done for this country is phenomenal, such a grand multicultural society is the best gift Australia has ever recieved and given at the same time.

Dopey ramblings

As I put finger to keyboard, I'm a bit apprehensive that all the beautiful writing may suddenly disappear like last time. Well, we'll have to see what will be left by the time i'm finished.....

Anyway, I dont have much to say. I'm feeling really dopey right now, the fact that i had a real long day at work today, small grp straight after which just finished, and i'm pooped. So please excuse me if my words arent too coherent..... So here are some random thoughts floating in me head, similar to what I intended to write last time.....

1) My head is rude. What i mean by this is that my hair has reached a stage where its,"not-short-enough-yet-not-long-enough-to-do-anything". It's in this middle stage, and i'm not sure what to do with it. I'm seriously considering growing it long again, although back then i had more negative feedback than positive. Or go short again. Decisons, decisions....... ;P

2) Rain is good. My car got washed, and washed real good!! :)

3) Love. Tonite really sucked. I know i've had a long day and am tired and all, but when someone actually needed me, i failed to show the love, care and kindness i normally do or should. That should not be the case. Lately, i think i can feel myself having less love for the ppl around me. And it sux coz I'm not normally like this, i dont know wots going on....

4) I've just realised i have fallen out of touch with a lot of ppl. I know a big chunk of the yr was taken up by my back problem, but i feel kinda ashamed by it too.

5) U know life is moving around u when u find out that some friends have moved overseas, some friends are getting married, some friends will be moving out of perth long term to pursue careers, etc., when u talk about kids like they r kids n ur the adult, and the date is 10th nov already!!!

6) The screen is appearing blurry..... I think it's time for me to reach for some zzz..

Pardon the gibberish....

I wrote this great big blog, but all of a sudden it's disappeared...... Just a great way to top off my monday...... :(

And your mission is....??

It's interesting how a bunch of events just happen at the same time in your life. For some reason the past few wks, i've been exposed to various ppl, issues and organisations regarding missions.

For example, i met a bunch of guys that are full time with YWAM, which really opened my eyes to the world of mission work. And it was real encouraging to see these guys with so much passion and motivation for what they do. Then i got hooked up with the healthcare arm of them, medical boomerang, who oraganises mission work for health providers. My cousin is going to India for mission work in Jan 2005. And tonite, i just got back from another meeting with 2 doctors that just came back from 3 mths in India during medical mission work. And there have been a couple of other things that have happened, related to mission work. That the!?

Is God trying to tell me something perhaps? :) I must admit that i have a growing interest to do some mission work next yr, especially hearing all the great stories and testimonies from the ppl around me who have done mission work.

Now i dont think mission work is for everybody and not something u do just coz u "want to do good". I believe its a bit of a calling, and besides, u dont have to go overseas to some 3rd world country to be on a mission..... U can do it right here!

Thursday night, is Reality TV nite!

Thursday nite is my favorite nite to stay in. Mainly coz i work till late and cant be stuffed doing anything afterwards. But also of the great viewing that is on free-to-air tv, if u r into reality tv. Upon reflection, i struggle to remember the time b4 reality tv. I mean, what would we ever do without it!? :)

The lineup of The amazing race, extreme makeover, Next top model & The apprentice 2 tonite was rather entertaining. Especially the amazing race and apprentice 2, where the focus was really on people's inability to get along. Personal catfights were really magnified in tonite's episodes.

As civilised ppl, is it really that difficult to get along? It's so embarassing to watch fellow humans humiliate themselves by petty bickering over "Who's fault it was" for failing a task. The moment one person makes a mistake or does something the other doesnt agree with, the finger comes out, ready to point. Is the option of focusing on the task itself not possible, instead of personal conflicts?

It really opens my eyes to whether i'm too quick to point the finger myself, and perhaps i should consider other ppl's feelings and situation 1st, b4 i act in haste.

It's Official

Yes, I'm officially going backpacking in Jan 05.

I booked and paid for my tickets on the wkend, after 1 night of planning. Compared to the last trip i made to europe 2 yrs ago, there was little to no planning to this one. Maybe coz i've been b4, i've come to realise that too much planning doesnt do much. So basically my travel partner& I just sat down one night, chat about it, surfed the net a bit, and the next day went to book and purchase the tickets. So on the 17th Jan 2005, I am off to London to begin what i believe to be a great adventure.

I'll be doing central and eastern europe this time, as i did western europe last time. We'll be gone about 9 wks in total, maybe more, depending how the money and attitude situation is at the time. I'm actually quite excited about it.

And the money situation is tight. I've spent more in preparation to this trip than i did the last one!! I guess i sorta learnt from last time what to and not to bring, and coz i've been working, i've got a bit more to spend. But with that comes the "OVER-buying".

Basically, i know what i need to survive an european winter. Because of the ability to purchase more gear, i've gone on a bit of a shopping spree to get the best and coolest stuff for travelling. And for those that have travelled, u all know how damn expensive travel gear from those outdoor stores are!!

Oh well, as long as it helps make my trip all that more comfortable and enjoyable, i guess its worth the extra moolah......

Spring

Today was the epitomy of a Perth Spring day. Low 20 degrees celsius, bright sunshine, not a cloud in the sky kind of day. I hope Perthites were able to enjoy what we have been blessed with. So i thought i'd jot a few things i love and not-so-love about Spring....

What i love about Spring:
1) The mild temps
2) the fine sunny days that arent too hot, not too cold.
3) fashion (more summery clothes)
4) flowers, plants, scenery..... just a lot nicer.
5) no rain (although i know that's a bad thing)
6) having coffee at an outdoor cafe, watching the crowds go by.
7) feeling the sun for the 1st time on my winter-white skin
8) announcements of engagements and weddings
9) Our blue sky (its the best i've seen anywhere else in the world)

What i hate about Spring:
1) hayfever
2) hayfever
3) hayfever

For some reason, my hayfever has been getting worse for the past 2 yrs, which have been the only yrs i've really been affected by hayfever. Previous to this, i never really suffered from it. All of a sudden now, i get the full on itchy-teary eyes, runny nose, itchy throat, congested feeling.... Thank goodness for medication, i dont think i'd be able to survive the day/outdoors if not for it!

Revenge is sweet....

Sucked in Man Utd....... lost 2-0 to Portsmouth. That's for stealing an undeserved win from arsenal.

A tribute...

It came to pass a few days ago that Tyson, passed away in unfortunate circumstances. I extend my condolences to Tyson's family. He was a good friend and consumate companion to all. On 1st impressions, he may come across a tad menacing, but once i got to know him, he was really a softy at heart who just wanted to play and have fun all the time. He is there when u r down, more than willing to wipe off your frown with a flash of this toothy grin.

Ty will be sorely missed by all who knew him, and i pray for healing for those who mourn his passing. Rest in peace Tyson.

Much needed rest

I had a wkend i really needed. Pretty much stayed home most of it, and ended up sleeping for most of the day and night of fri and sat. I guess i reached a point where i needed a long period of sleep to "catch up" on the lack of rest i've had.

Sunday was was the usual, goin to church in the morning, then grabbing some lunch with friends i havent caught up with in a long long time. Especially with the weather the way it was, it was such a great day to be having lunch outside, watchin everyone walk by!!

But Sunday nite was huge. Went to Church Together 04 for the 1st time, which totally blew my mind. To put things in perspective, the nite was basically a combined church service of all the churches of all denominations in perth, all packed into the Burswood Dome. So we're talking about 15000 ppl here. (or so i'm told) I'm really bad when it comes to estimating numbers, but trust me, when the dome was packed the way it was, there was a LOT of people.

I always get a buzz going to these events, its great to see so many ppl on fire for God the way they were. The only downside was Geoff Gallop giving a really piss-poor speech. And it always amazes me how many ppl are touched by these events to anwer the call and go up front when called. It was a great nite, but shame about the chairs, they were the most uncomfortable things and my back did NOT pull up great after.

Retail Therapy

I've found out yet another thing about myself i never really realised...... I hate shopping in crowds. Dont get me wrong, i love shopping (when one has money to spend in the 1st place) which is what set out to do today, but the crowds just put me off!

Today was a relatively sedate day, so i thought i'd give a go what the women always rave about, "Retail Therapy". I did not expect such crowds in a shopping centre! I didnt really have anything in mind to buy, but by the time i arrived i decided i might as well get some things for summer (ie. shorts, shirts, thongs, etc) . But having to bump and grind with the others, i got sick of it and decided i'll come back during a wkday where it shld be quieter. Also, i couldnt really find anything i liked. When it comes to clothes & footwear, i pretty bloody fussy.

I did manage to pick up Fight Club DVD for 15 bucks! And yet another Ministry of Sound compilation which i'm listening to right now. But i can see the appeal of retail therapy....... :)

Quizz Time

There are appears to be number of quizzes appearing on various ppl's blogs. Here's one i picked up from somone else..... ;P QUIZ

And apparantly, I agree with with George W. Bush when it comes to presidential policies, according to this. (Thanks amie!)

Go figure. :)

Reality Check

I've come to the frightening realisation that ever since i started work again, i've got nothing much to report. Can it be that my return to mundane real working life is so boring and uneventful that i struggle to attend any occasion of importance? As i sit here trying to inform u all on something interesting or at least entertaining in my life, i realise that i have nothing to say.....

Upon reflection, if 10 hours of each day is allocated to my time at work and getting to & fro work, i guess that doesnt leave much time to do much else, when one needs about 9 hrs of sleep. Unless one sacrifices that sleep time, one cannot do much outside of work..... sigh. I think one wants to go on holiday, AGAIN.

I was reading a student's blog about how she loves her class at uni. They are a small class of 40 which spend all their time together; ie. they have all lectures and labs, etc the same and pretty much see the same faces day in, day out. She says its great how everyone gets along, supports each other, hangs out, etc, etc. And she hopes the whole 5 yrs of her uni course will be like that...... I hate to be the pessimist and burst her bubble, but i dont think so!!

My class was 30, we spent 45 contact hrs a wk together, and i think by the end of it, if we didnt see each other again, it would be too soon.:) It's takes me back, reading that blog, to a time when we were so young and innocent, where we actually believed life COULD be perfect....

Depressed?

After what has been a fairly exhaustive week, I've finally had the opportunity to have a chillout day. The return to fulltime work has been testing, in both a physical and mental capacity. I think i got thru it ok, but just dont feel too flash. I even noticed that today i had trouble putting sentences together. The wkend was also busy, with things on every nite and day. So I am glad to have a quiet one on sunday, our scheduled day of rest :)

However, a friend pointed out today i seemed different. Apparantly i even came across a little down, prompting the question,"are u depressed?" ME, depressed?? In recent times, i cant recall ever being assumed depressed. We all go thru our ups and downs, but i havent really been one for ppl to say," He looks depressed" I guess looking back at my wk and my behavior the past few days, its easy for me to come across that way. I'm really having a hard time settling into the normal rhythm of real life, after such a great wk away last wk. I find myself sometimes sitting and staring, fantasizing i was anywhere but here.....

Dont get me wrong, i love where i am, but i guess i've got no motivation to work at the moment. When i'm at work, i do my job and try my best, but if there something else available, i'd jump at that. I look fwd to walking away from work and doing the kinda stuff ppl on holiday do i guess :)

It's a bit unrealistic to do I know, sometimes i wonder why billionaires continue to work their arses off to get more money when they've got enough for them to retire comfortably! I know that if i was one, i'd be living it up, working for free when i had to, and more importantly, LIVE my life.

Political Correctness or Wrongness?

I realised how easily i can get worked up over little things. I was reading in the paper the other day about how political correctness is creeping into our children's schools. Schools are afraid to teach and present information on religious festivals, especially Christian ones, in fear of offending non-Christians.

For example, with school Christmas plays, which we all used to do, some schools have got rid of it altogether or removed the nativity scene from it. What the!? I mean come on, i think that's taking political correctness too far! Christmas aint about santa, its about jesus' birth! Why on earth arent we allowed to show it? I feel that while so-called protecting non-Christians, its become discrimatory of Christians. Afterall, Christmas is a mark of Jesus Christ's birth (hence the name CHRIST-mas) so why the heck not should we be allowed to show the nativity scene? Do non-Christians celebrate xmas holidays? I betcha they do. Therefore, if u use xmas as a holiday, then be prepared to know why you've got the bloody holiday for!!

I just cant stand it when these minority grps make big fusses about things like this, where when it is convenient for THEM, they are happy to go with it. But if they dont like a particular aspect of it, the whole world has to hear it and follow their lead. Sometimes political correctness is a load of hogwash, it's better if we are all honest with each other and TELL IT AS IT IS!

Holiday Hangover

Yes it's true. Such a thing exists. And i'm going thru it right now. And it sux :(

Ever since i got back from s'pore, i've been wanting more. I guess coz the wkend was so busy, its mainly today that reality hit me that i'm back to the old routine, back at work plodding away. Ah how i wish i was back at that tropical island, crunching away at some ice kachang...... sigh.

I returned to fulltime work today. And i am actually quite sore. The back just aint quite right yet, i really do hope it starts to improve much faster than this. Sorry, but i just dont feel like writing much more, just too hungover...........

The Singapore Diaries

I havent really had time to sit down and blog lately, as i just returned to perth on fri morning, worked saturday, while juggling the arrival of my cousins from melb. But i thought i'd better write something about s'pore b4 it becomes an all too distant memory.

Firstly, i'd like to thank the most gracious and wonderfullest host i've ever encountered, the divine Miss M. I cannot begin to thank her enough for the great time she showed me whilst i was in the sweltering heat of s'pore. She made it possible to safely say its the BEST trip i've ever made to s'pore and the BEST HOLIDAY i've had in a long, long time. I only hope that i may repay her the favour at some stage of our lives, if i can EVER get her to perth..... :P

There's so much to tell and say, but i'll keep it fairly brief. I've basically summed up all the "highlights" of my trip, and if anyone wants to know more about it, feel free to ask. I'll probably also expand on them in future blogs.

- S'pore is bloody hot, and u sweat A LOT.
- Going out everyday and night becomes very pricey.
- S'pore nightlife rocks! Where else can u get any meal u want at 3am?
- S'pore coffee is really BAD. Stick to tea.
- Its such a vibrant place, u cant help but rise to the occasion
- alcohol is damn expensive, but managed to find the cheapest bar in the place. ;)
- Eating lots of local food can be hazardous to your waistline. But its joyful torture of one's self.
- Clubbing in s'pore is an experience i enjoyed, tho i never expected to. The place is packed even on a weds nite, and EVERYONE boogies down and has a good time. I actually felt safe, not having to worry about a stray needle or gangfight breaking out!
- I LOVE my roti prata!
- Eat Ice Kachang after every meal, it will cool u down while delighting your senses.
- Shopping for others and not yourself is not very fun.

There's so much to tell, but might have to save that for next time......

Just a quick one....

I havent had much time to blog lately, as i have been away. In fact, as i sit here sweating my pores out, i am still not home, but still the sweltering singapore, sipping iced tea. It's been a blast so far, the best trip i've made to this tiny island country that i can remember. And its hugely due to my most gracious hostess, Miss M. The only downside is the recent episode of diarrhoea from the over- eating of delicious but deadly local food. Mmmm, local food. I think i'll torture myself a little more..... :) Cya back in perth soon!

Shopping list

This wk appears to be flying by for me. It's only 2 days b4 i'm on a boeing 777 on my way to my home of origin, Singapore. I actually cant wait. Even though my workload hasnt been exactly huge, i'm hanging out for a break. A break from work, a break from perth, a break from everything i know. Wierd how i feel like that......

One of my major goals when i get to s'pore is to EAT. One thing i miss about that place is the glorious food. The variety and authenticity of the dishes, and not to mention the price! :) I am salivating as i write this..... Apart from that, i have an ever-growing shopping list, not mine mind you, but other ppl's. The only thing i want for myself is a compact flash memory card for my digi camera.

Amongst the many items i have to get for other ppl include: food, food, food, food, computer games, DVDs, electric chopper, mascara, butt pump. Yes, u read correctly, a butt pump. A member of my extended family (who shall remain nameless) has requested i get a butt pump used for constipation, that u can ONLY get in s'pore. What kind of crap (pardon the pun) is that!? And more importantly, how will i look going to the shop asking for a butt pump that clears blocked anal passages?? Especially if the checkout chick is some hottie, (since all singapore girls are hotties right jess?;) what kinda way is that to impress them huh? Sigh.

Interesting statistic

I was advised of the most amazing stat i've heard in a long time. Apparantly the annual youth suicide rate in Australia is much higher than the entire continent of Africa. I cant remember the exact number, but nonetheless i found that quite suprising.....

A so-called 1st world country of 20 million ppl have more of their youth wanting to end their lives than a third world continent of over 200 million ppl?? Africa's a place where hunger, war, AIDS and suffering are most prominent in many young and old africans' lives, yet the youth of Australia have more troubles than those to warrant killing themselves?

I'm not totally biased in my opinions. I admit comparing the youth of Australia and Africa is much like comparing apples & oranges. Relativity has got to have some part in this, the causes of youth suicide in our society could be considered more complex, as there are more factors available to instigate suicide. On the other hand, Africa would have a narrower spectrum of factors to promote a horrendous such as suicide. I guess trying to find food for tonite's family meal of 12 while starving would get your mind off contemplating suicide just coz u think noone loves you.......

I know i sound a bit cynicial about this topic, but in reality i'm not. It's just that this is such a complex issue, it would ridiculous to fit it in a single post. There are ppl close to me that have had to deal with such an issue, and i know 1st hand how serious it can be.

shopping around

I was having an interesting conversation with a friend the other day, and as most of these kind of conversations go, we ended up talking about our ideal partners. ie. what do u look for in a partner? etc. etc.

That's when i realised that i actually dont know what i am looking for in an ideal partner. As i sat there trying to formulate a list of qualities i would like of my ideal partner, i found myself struggling to list what i wanted! That really got me thinking, how am i supposed to find something i dont even know?

I'm the type of guy that when i go shopping, i know what i want, i go there, get it, get out. So in the quest for the ultimate item, where can i go get something when i dont even know what i want?? Should I even have a list & know what i want or should i believe in fate? Or maybe I fall into THIS category....

I think i'm happy with the 2nd last part, the Big guy has a plan carved out for us, we just gotta have the patience to wait for Him to deliver our plan to us.

Day Blog vs. Nite Blog

I wish i could blog earlier in the day, rather than middle of the night sessions. Coz by now, i've forgotten half the things i wanted to say! There's something i really wanted to say today, but i cant remember.

I can say that i got a pretty ordinary haircut today, which i'm not too proud of. It wierd coz the person i goto is normally really good with me. But then again, i did ask for more to be done than usual, so maybe its my fault for confusing her. Praise hair product.... :)

Also managed to finish work early tonite, so was able to get home in time to watch Inside Idol. (cannot believe i just said that) Something else that was of interest on TV was a documentary on modern fighter planes. Its made me realise just how reliant on computers we are! Apparantly the most modern, dynamic, manouvreable, super jet would not even get off the ground if not for computers.

What do they do? Well coz the plane is designed NOT for flight, the computers calculates all the adjustments to rudder, flaps, etc needed every second in order to keep the plane in the air. If not, the pilot would have an impossible time flying it, constantly having to tweak hundreds of controls all the time. It makes me wonder if computers are the greatest invention of the 20th century.........

Updates

From talking to ppl and reading their blogs, it appears that most ppl are rather busy. Which is fair enough i guess, as this time of the yr tends to be more full on, with exams, tax returns and what not that needs to be done.

But for some reason, i dont have that much to do. Its funny coz most ppl i talk to are either tired or busy or frustrated, etc. Things seem to be real cruisy, which is the way i like it! :) I am only working half days, which probably helps the situation, but i am still pulling up sore at the end of work. Hence, a constant reminder that i'm no where near fully fit yet.

I was further reminded of this when i went for a swim today, went to push myself, and i am now paying for it. Now i am extra sore..... :(

I guess for those who are interested in what i'm up to; I've been asked to step up in a number of leadership/positions of reponsibility lately. They've all come at about the same time, which made me think if i had something on my forehead saying "pick me!" Our youth pastor at church asked if i would like to be part of the leadership team for the youth. Also, i've been nominated on the CMDFA committee. I must admit i was hesitant in accepting either position in the beginning, but after a lot of prayer about this, i accepted. I believe i am ready for more challanges. :P

I'm excited about both opportunities, as it allows me inroads into different aspects of life OTHER than my job. I'm not too fussed about work anymore, to me its just something i do. I actually feel more passion for the youth ministry, and have a greater desire to do that than my job.

Nonetheless, i have a feeling that i'm entering a new phase of this short life of mine, and I embrace it.

Please explain....

I initally wanted to talk about this yesterday, but Chris Judd winning the brownlow superseeded that. While the Brownlow was on, Enough Rope had Andrew Denton pitted against the queen of wit (or should it be twit) Pauline Hanson, in what i thought to be a pretty good and fair interview.

I missed the start of the interview, but managed to catch the majority of it. As it progressed, i started to genuinely feel sorry for Pauline, as she is way out of her league. I get the impression that she means well, honestly wants the best for Australia, but hasnt got a clue how the rest of the world works. And the problem is, Australia is part of the world...

If Denton wanted to, he could've definitely annihilated her, but he was fair and righteous, giving her plenty of chances to "explain" and redeem herself. She didnt really take the bait. In my opinion, she allowed herself to be further embarassed by being unable to answer some pretty important questions or by answering "i dont know". Sorry, but if u wanna be a senator, i dont think that's good enough.

I dont think she's a bad person (well i hope not!), but argueably Australia's most famous racist has done herself no favours, and should learn from her mistakes and just stick to what she knows...... fish & chips please.

JUDDERNAUT!!

Following an outstanding season and rewarded with All-Australian selection for the 1st time in his short career, huge congrats goes to Chris Judd of the West Coast Eagles for winning this yr's Brownlow medal!

I'll admit that i had him 2nd on my list to win, (Tredrea was my initial guess) but it was an awesome medal count. Also, i always thought Ben Cousins would be the Eagles' 1st brownlow medalist. But the best thing about it was that there was only ONE winner (not 2 or 3 or 4) and the top 5 werent made up of those that were ineligible to win (ie. suspended ppl). And one has to admit that he is DESERVED winner!!

I am absolutely stoked at this win, definitely makes up for not winning the premiership!! I think the Eagles will be a force to be reckon with in the next few yrs, and i'm not just saying this coz i support them..... Look at the facts; 1 Brownlow medalist, 4 Rising star nominations, promising end to 2004 season...... looks ominous to me.

Little inconveniences

This will sound really bad, but i'm sitting on the sofa writing this and i need to check something on my mobile. The problem is, its on a shelf about 3 metres away from me. I cant be bothered putting my computer down, standing up, walking 2.5 metres, reach out and grab my phone, step back, sit again, and set my computer back on my lap.

It's times like these I wish I had FORCE powers. Then like Obi-Wan, i can just reach out and telepathically transport my phone to me. I think that would be the most awesome power to have. Imagine when u r vying for the remote with another member of the household! The jedi mind trick would be handy in nightclubs too...... ;)

While i'm on the subject of superpowers, the only other thing i would really like is xray vision. The only reason why i say this is coz today at work, i could've really done with it. I would've been able to finish work a lot faster, rather than taking an xray, and having to wait for it to get developed, b4 i can even START working on the person!

Sigh, such are life's little inconveniences. :p

Cant think of a title.

I dont want to turn this into an Australian idol forum, but how forgettable was the so called "unforgettable" edition? It was just a glorified, over-hyped, karaoke tournament. Dont these ppl realise that we are laughing AT you, not with you??

I dont think i've felt as exhausted as i did today in a long, long time. I went for a swim today, the 2nd time since b4 my operation, and came back totally pooped. I didnt really go out hard, not that i ever do, but i did keep a steady pace, going for slow non-stop laps, rather than multiple short burst of laps. My whole body aches now, but it kinda feels good, like when u know u've done some work. Its as if the pain u feel after a workout or sport is to be worn like a badge of honor.

Amongst my exhaustion, i managed to watch the worst channel on tv imaginable. I've always thought the shopping channel pretty poor, but i managed to catch a glimpse of Fashion TV. Its like watching a car crash; u wanna look away but just cant! Its got poor-arse music playin to models prancing down catwalks, with poor picture quality and totally random scenes. And dont get me started on some of the stuff they were wearing......

Beauty a curse?

I've realised how reliant i am on modern tech, when our home phone line ceased to work for the past 3 days. Unable to log onto the net or even make phone calls proved to be rather frustrating, not to mention expensive........ cant wait for my mobile bill this mth.

Tonight's Australian Idol saw the apparant "pretty boy" of the comp kicked out. Surely being a good looking fella would have its perks; benefits that go without saying. But I could not believe the amount of patronizing Dan recieved about his looks! Yeah sure he's a good looking bloke and I would love to be like him :P, but the treatment he recieved was similar to say, a "fat kid" being teased. Substitute the word fat/ugly/chubby for hunk/hot/sexy, and that's what Dan got.

"That cant be too bad surely!?" Well, to some maybe, but i felt the level of taunts were irritatingly degrading, almost insulting. In today's society its politically incorrect to tease someone about their weight, but fine to patronize someone about their good looks.

I dont know if what i've written has come across the right way, but basically its sux when one form of patronizing behaviour is OK, while others are not. Double standards.

Oops....

Sunday day was recovery for me. Didnt get much sleep the 2 nights b4, so i ended up laying on the sofa, half watching TV & dozing off. Later that evening, as i prepared to head out, i found myself humming an apparantly nameless tune in the bathroom, as u do right?

But i soon realised it was not so nameless, but the legendary "oops i did it again" by Brittney. A flashback hit me as i realised that in my "dozing" during the day, i was half watching a 2 hr documentary on the life of Brittney Spears on MTV. By some minor miracle, Brittney had entered my mind sub-consciously. Scary. But she's more than welcomed anytime..... :)

What's happening?

I did a bit of travelling around town today, as i didnt start work till the arvo. Basically my day consisted of driving to South Perth to meet a mate for lunch, then to work which finished early so i could beat peak hour traffic home. But then i had a seminar to attend that night, in which i was caught in the peak traffic flow.

What's happening to Perth!? I know i've been out of action, but this is ridiculous! Have ppl forgotten the road rules? On the freeway today, i saw a moped plodding in front of me and an L-plater crawling along! I might be wrong, but the last time i checked, those TWO arent allowed on freeways!!

And how long does peak hour traffic last? I thought by the time i got home and left again, traffic shld be sorted. It normally takes 10 mins to get from my place to the novotel in the city, but this time it took me 30 mins!

And what about the amt of construction going on! All the roads have changed in the city, witches hats everywhere, you'd think we were in some developing country with the amy of work going on around us!

What's happening to my beloved city? Things seem to be spiralling out of control.....

Picture This

I consider myself a very "visual" person. During conversations, in order to understand what the other person is saying, i tend to visualize during the conversation. Or in exams, i picture the page of notes which has the info relevant to answering the exam questions. Basically, in all that i do, i like to have a mental picture of whatever i am doing.

Take for example radio personalities. In the car, at work or at home, u hear their voices all the time, but have u ever stopped and wondered what they look like? I know when i 1st saw a pic of Adam and Wil, they were totally not what i expected.

Whilst out tonight, i met the person who reads the news on a popular radio station in the mornings, and it wasnt until she told me and i listened carefully to her while she talked i realised its the same person!! Nice girl & attractive too. ;) Now i have a face to put to the voice on the radio in the morning!! (yay) I guess in the end, they're just normal ppl like me......

Blurr

I think its the time of the yr when life sorta hits a bit of a lull. Well, that's what i get from reading other's blogs. Nothing much seems to be happening. And its the same with me. Apart from Spring arriving, and me sneezing, there's not much to report.

There is one dilemma. Got invited to an 18th b'day. I wld love to go coz the b'day girl is cool, but c'mon, is it really a good idea? I already get annoyed by obnoxious teenagers with attitude in shopping centres, will i be able to handle a party load of them??

My memory of 18th's were just an excuse to write yourself off, where those who werent already over-age used it as an opportunity to be able to get alcohol. I'm guessing conversations wont be common as any opened mouths would be used to gulping down goon or Real McCoy (and boy is that nasty) Nonetheless, Happy B'day Andrea!! :)

I went to a 21st last wk and thought that was bad enough. Dont get me wrong, the party was fine, its just me! Somehow i guess reflecting back, the elaborate celebration of such occasions seems so petty, there's so much more to life and so much more WILL happen. At the time we believe that such occasions will be events you will 'treasure forever', but are more likely become blurred moments of the past....

Bloody litigation

There are some aspects of today's society i really hate. One of them is litigation. I hate how some shmucks are out there, waiting to pounce on someone else's mistake. Now its reached a stage where if they arent "happy" with the final result, they can sue u for not telling them that i may not be able to read their minds as to what THEY think is a good result.

I got an almighty shock when in the mail today i recieved a letter with all the official letterheads and the title "complaint re: ........." My heart sank when i started to think i had actually offended someone enough for them to sue me. I have been well prepared in uni for the high chances of getting sued at least a few times in my career, but u never think it'll actually happen to YOU!

Lesson 1: Dont judge a letter by its letterhead and title; read the letter first. Upon doing so, i realised i wasnt the one getting sued, it was more they were asking for info regarding someone who wants to sue someone ELSE. Phew!

Even though i was relieved it wasnt me, i am still annoyed at having to be dragged into this. The last thing i want to do is testify against someone i've never even met! And in the medical world, opinions are so varied, and just coz u get one u dont LIKE, doesnt mean u go sue them!! Whatever the case, i'll be trying my hardest NOT to get involved in this, what i believe to be one of modern society's biggest curses.

Back to the grind

I've nearly finished my 1st wk back at work. Even though i'm only doing a 3 day wk, i feel like i've had a full-on wk. Its amazing how tired i feel after half a day at work, but i'm putting it down to my 2+ mth layoff, and the fact i'm not been used to using my brain or anything else associated with work. I'm exhausted.

I've noticed this wk that i've had less to say, and all probably less interesting too. I also feel less obliged to blog than b4. Is work really draining my imaginative capacity and leaving me incapable to blog? Am I so out of form that i'm a total vegetable once i get home?

The truth is that yes, coz i'm back at work, i'm not 'out there' to have things to blog about, but at the same time, work does have its moments. Unfortunately i cant share this in this space, as all info is private and confidential, and i'd probably get my pants sued off if i mentioned anything here and they find out.

But here's one thought i managed to squeeze from my depleted brain..... I really couldnt give a stuff about the upcoming federal election. If someone like Jodie Henry or Gian Rooney were running for office (or even thorpey :), then maybe i may bat an eyelid.

Supersize me..... PLEASE!

I met up with some ppl for dinner the other nite. So what u say? I mean, that's what thousands of ppl do all the time! It's part of our social structure, to go out for a meal that someone cooks for u and u enjoy the company of the ppl that are there.

So that's what that nite was, i saw it as an opportunity to catch up with some ppl i havent in awhile. I never heard of the place we were to meet for the meal, but sounded like a nice enough place. Just a casual place with good food and good company.

It was great seeing everyone, but the place was a bit of a disappointment. It was one of those posh places that was all quiet, no atmosphere, whose dishes resembled one peanut on a serving platter. The menu, or lack of, was a choice of 2 fixed menus. A restaurant with only 2 choices!? Are u serious??

Anyway, i made my choice (out of 2) and went on to undergo gastronomical suffering 6 times. Yes, there were 6 courses all up, all the size of a wonton/meatball on a giant white ceramic plate. I must admit the food was very nice and tasty, but making u suffer between each course was not fun. I mean, it takes ONE bite and chew and swallow to finish one course, and just as u are ready to take another bite, there's nothing left! Hence i had to treat each tasty morsel with great delicacy, and preserve it as long as possible. Its like eating an M&M with a fork and knife.

Definitely my 1st and last time there, it may have been tasty, but until they introduce a supersized menu, i think i'll stick with Nando's half chicken and chips extra hot combo thanks.

Fox Footy Interactive

There is a huge hype about Sport interactive coverage offered by foxtel digital, where u can choose what angle and player stats show up on the screen while u watch the big game. Well for the 1st time i actually tried it out for the Geelong vs Hawthorn game.....

Firstly, you'd think they'd get a better game with interactive coverage. I mean, its not exactly the most thrilling teams playing. Secondly, i dont think there's enough cameras on the ground, coz u effectively only have 4 views to choose from. And u cant choose 2 or 3 to show at a time, it must be 4 or 1. So i guess i was disappointed in the lack of freedom of navigation.

The BEST part of it was the audio. U could choose standard, stadium or umpires. If u havent already guessed, u can choose standard commentary, stadium noise or the mic'd up umpires. The best one is the umpire one, coz u get to hear every grunt and comment of the umpire, which is quite amusing at times. Especially when they bounce the ball! :)

Overall, i give it an 8/10..... :)

Fair thee fairwell

One of my good mates will be leaving the beautiful state of WA in a few days, off to pursue further adventures in the great "never never land". I appreciate the invite to go along, but i dont think my back would've handled the bumpy gravel roads of the outback, nor would it enjoy sleeping on the hard ground in a tent.

I remember the yr when i was stuck 600km out of perth and he was about 300 km from me, yet we looked out for each other. Sometimes its nice to have a mate give u a call every now and then to let u know someone cares. We can easily underestimate the value of a good friendship.

So the wkend began with the going-away dinner, and it was nice to be able to send him off and at the same time catch up with some ppl i havent seen in awhile. Its funny how it takes someone LEAVING in order to catch up with ppl that are already here.

Looking Forward

We started talkin seriously about our forthcoming trip to europe the other day for the 1st time since we decided to go. We'd put off planning it for awhile mainly coz of my bad back, where i havent been in the mood to plan stuff plus i didnt know if i would be able to go anyway. But all that's behind us now, and we are definitely hitting Euro in 2005!

I'll admit i got pretty excited in the beginning when we were on the net, looking up places to stay and types of train tickets, etc. All the photos of places looked great, and even brought up great memories of my previous trip 2 yrs ago. Then when it came to the nitty gritty bit of getting info, it started to become a chore. Surfing thru a multitude of webpage after webpage to find the best prices, most convenient times, etc started to put me off. It got to a stage where i felt like stopping and just rocking up in the middle of Poland and going from there. Being the person i am, i cannot do that, its my curse.... there has to be SOME planning. i feel like saying, "it'll be right!" and just head over without any planning or structure.

The Purists out there will say just get a ticket over there and let it go from there. I somewhat agree, but i like some degree of security of at least a bed for the 1st night i'm in a foreign country. After that, once settled and we got our bearings, i'm happy to "go with the flow". I forgot just how much work there is to be done b4 leaving, and how much work I did have to do b4 my previous european trip. Thank goodness i've still got a few mths to get my act together.

Even thinkin about it now is getting me amped.... :)

What kind of lover are YOU?

This blog deserves an A+++ for effort and looks alone. I even like the background music that goes with it! :) But check out the entries about what letter your name starts with....

I dont know where she got her info from or how credible the references are, nonetheless its quite amusing to find out what kind of lover you are here...

Weekend Bliss

The weekend was pretty good i thought..... I guess mainly due to what was achieved over that period. Firstly, the mighty West Coast triumphed over the Dockers, an event i wished i could've attended but nonetheless shared the joy of their win. I liked what John Worsfold said about bragging rights, its childish but this win was great coz its a win regardless of the opposition! But beating Fremantle at their home game makes it that much sweeter...... :)

Secondly, i watched one of the best premier league matches i've ever seen, (no Al, not the spurs) Arsenal's come from behind win over 'boro. I must admit my heart was in my mouth when they were 3-1 down, but the next 4 goals were nearly as sweet as the Eagles' win over the dockers.

Thirdly, I visited Riverview church for the 1st time after hearing all the hype and must admit its most impressive. We'd been talkin about going to different churches since mine has streamlined all 3 services, and now i've finally started. After coming back to perth, i thought subi was big, but Riverview just blew me away. And the sound system was the bomb! The acoustics in the hall and the whole setup was phenomenal, i walked feeling like i was going into a rock concert, with the lights dimmed, music blaring, performers performing. I did feel a bit lost amongst such a large congregation, but it was most definitely an eye-opener. But is this me? Probably not.

Games Fever

I've never been huge on the olympics or the commonwealth games, etc, but for some reason this time around i'm really getting into it. Not being able to move and do much may have something to do with it, but i'm really enjoying the fervour, tension and excitement the Olympic games brings. Its kinda cool to have 2 channels showing it too, so if u dont like one event, u can always try the other. If SBS & 7 arent showing anything of interest, then i can switch to the Eurosports channel which has all live scores while giving a 24-7 coverage of ALL sport in the world. Ahh.... how great is the armchair life?

I have been feeling like quite the sloth though, getting up at midday, watching the Games and combating with the xbox, and watchin the excitement the games bring into the wee hours of the night. I guess the recent weather patterns dont allow me to do otherwise, but it sux to feel so useless.

They say time flies when you're having fun. I've never thought much of it, but i cannot believe i only have 1 wk to go b4 i have to return to work. I never thought i'd say this, but i dont wanna go back!!!! :( Upon reflection, its kinda sad that so much of our lives revolve around working, all to earn this thing called money, in order to do the things we like. And in the times we dont work, we all whinge about how tired we are from work or how we hate work, etc.... Does it ever end? I know in my time off, i've come to appreciate the times i DONT have to work, and perhaps start thinkin that there's a heck of a lot more to life than just WORK....

Empathy

I've always believed that in my profession, empathy is a key quality in becoming successful. There's nothing worse than lying in a submissive position while someone thoroughly inspects what some may consider to be a private orifice of the human body. The occasional grunt of approval or disapproval, passing body odour or plain discomfort seems to be part and parcel of a visit to the dentist.

Well today i had my 1st taste (pardon the pun) of what ppl complain about when visiting the dentist. I went in for a checkup and clean and she picked up some staining in the grooves of my teeth. So i came back today to get them cleaned out and sealed. Its similar to a filling but not quite. Thankfully, i didnt need a needle, but proceeded to sandblast my teeth and fill it.

I'll admit, it wasnt the most pleasant experience of my life, but it certainly wasnt the worst. Its either my dentist is exceptionally good or the majority of ppl are paranoid and hypochondriacs.

But i am thankful for the experience, its made me aware that opening my mouth for extended preiods of time sux, pain when in such a submissive position would not go down well, dental materials taste awful, your lips dry out a LOT during the procedure & it gets pretty boring down there. I think I'm a better person for it, and i believe i can go forth and service the general public better now, because i have experienced it firsthand, then ever before.... :)

A few good things...

One of the good things my current condition has allowed me to do is to watch the Olympics. In the past, i've only had a passing interest in it, but now i really am watching it. (who says there's nothing good on tv?) Just ONE whinge about the coverage...... channel 7 just cutting to ads whenever THEY feel like it! It just pissed me off when i'm watching the athletes do their thing mid-air then suddenly i see McDonald's flash past the finish line. What the...???

I spend today recovering from the wkend, not that i had a huge, huge one, just that its the 1st wkend i actually had things to do and was out most of the time. Going from NO activity to this was suprisingly exerting, but the back has pulled up suprisingly well, especially after the dental dinner where we didnt get back till 3am, and had to get up at 10am the next morning. The dental dinner was a great nite, as it always is, but i left feeling this was to be my LAST. I guess after going for the past 7 yrs, its about time to call it quits. Especially when u know only a small handful of ppl, having a good time with total strangers is difficult for me. ;)

Another good thing is the start of the english premier league (carn the gunners!), and what looks like the west coast eagles starting to actually play! All on perfect digital quality coverage..... :)

The Royal Throne

I was chatting to someone over msn just now, and eventually being blokes, the topic of conversation took a dive and turned to toilets. We were discussing the different types of toilets, with seat warmers etc, and the almighty Bidet came up. Anyway, freakishly i found this, the ultimate throne with bidet function. The site is self-explanatory. Its just that when i found the site, it was so hilarious, i had to share it with all..... (please note the catchcry at the end, in red)

Sometimes i'm so sick i scare myself. I apologise to all those who are offended. ;P

To go or not to go...

Today was a difficult day for me. I'm currently under a self-imposed ban preventing me from going or doing anything this wk. If u refer to my previous post, i wanna get my back better, so i'm not takin any risks, even tho i feel ok. Dan also complains of boredom. I feel your pain brother!! Such are the consequences however, and all i can say is thank goodness for foxtel digital! :) (I am not being paid by them, but i should, shouldnt I??)

Amongst all this sadness is a tinge of hope..... i bit the bullet and agreed to going to the Dental Dinner this sat nite. I um'd and ah'd about it, mainly coz of my ban, but coz it will be the graduation dinner of 2 good mates, i decided to go. So its the 1st time in a long time i get to don the appropriate attire for an evening out, but i got a feeling i wont be able to last very long :P

The dental dinner has always been a great nite to me. Being a typical uni do, we all know what to expect, but i have been going for the past 2 yrs as a graduate now, and its funny how your perspective changes. Its kinda like when u were at high school, then returning to school to say hi to past teachers. Its more so here, coz u "socialise" with your past lecturers and tutors who are now also your peers and colleagues, and in some cases, competition.

The aftermath of the dinner is also quite entertaining, as the gossip of "who got with who" or "someone spewed in the pot plants" starts around the place, even getting out onto us grads.... I wouldnt be suprised if my back becomes a topic for gossip, even though i'm a relative unknown. Hard to believe i know, but these ppl would latch onto anything for a bit of goss.....

Digital Revolution

The Digital Revolution is here....

Its amazing how the marketing and advertising ppl can make this sound like the biggest thing since sliced bread. And for all those suckers that fall for it, wot would make u want to pay around 80 bucks a mth for a whole bunch of channels u probably wont get to watch anyway??

Well as of today, I am one of those suckers, and I think the above comments are totally irrelevant. Despite my initial skepticism, i am quite amazed at foxtel digital. The 1st thing u notice is the dramatic improvement in picture quality. No i'm serious, u can ACUTALLY see a difference. I guess the sound quality is better too, but to me, u crank up the volume and quality increases also.

The multitude of channels is a bonus too, for while i was not big on the existing channels i had b4, there are new ones that definitely take my interest, namely the travel doco and food channels. (Something of interest is always on)

So overall how wld i rate it? I think if u r stuck at home like i am, foxtel digital can easily relieve the stresses associated with being homebound. The set-top box is really sleek and cool looking, which is a plus :) Price-wise, i'm not too impressed with, but with the lack of competition in the market, what do u expect? VERDICT: if u can afford it, go for it, coz once its there, u will use it and say goodbye to commercial tv.......

jinx

Now that everyone knows about my back, (it feels like the most famous back in the world) ppl have been constantly asking me "howz the back going?" And believe u, me i really appreciate the concern and ppl's well-wishes. I may be getting a little tired answering the same question over and over again, but as i said, i really appreciate everyone's concern.

However, one of the reasons i dont say too much about it is coz its taking its own sweet time to heal. In the beginning after surgery, the effect was immediate, and i got real excited. Recovery went quite rapidly for the 1st 2 wks, but now for some reason it has started to plateau. Wot i mean by this is that i went from 0% to 70% in the space of a couple of wks, and now into the 3rd wk, i'm stuggling to go any higher. To add to this, by opposite leg is starting to feel a bit funny as well, which is scaring me a little, coz i'm afraid to find out if now my other sciatic nerve is affected. I'm probably getting a bit paranoid, and I'm sure that's not the case, but after what i've been thru, i dont want it again.

So that's why i dont talk too much or sound too enthusiastic/opimistic about my recovery, just in case i jinx it....

More dribble

I've been told that i can be quite an obervant person. I notice things that most "normal" ppl wouldnt see and care about. The same applies tonight. I was lying on the sofa in a daze, watchin the TV, as u do, and Rove was interviewing Linda Evangelista. (wipe drool from mouth)

As he was wrapping the interview up, he laughed for some reason, and i noticed a nice sized projectile spit launch itself from his lips in Linda's direction. It only happened in a split second, but nonetheless my trained eye could pick it up. Linda was very nice to pretend to ignore it.

Then i flipped to the other channel where talking footy was on, and the same thing happened! Terry Wallace let fly with a HUGE one, which landed on his jacket sleeve and stayed there shimmering! I was like," eeeeww!"

I dont know if i should be proud of my observational power or not, or maybe this boredom of mine is really getting to me that i have resorted to talking about spit.

Soaps

I'm not ashamed to admit it, but i do watch neighbours. This goes back to the days when i lived in the bush, with nothing but ABC, GWN & WIN television to entertain me.

What does concern me is how i can get so involved in the show. For some reason, i can get really worked up just watching some of the characters and the things they do. Most wouldn't really consider neighbours to be oscar-winning material but then what is it that does this to me? Like, how can Jack be so stupid? That Izzy may be pretty, but what a decieving bitch!

If u think about it, thats the way all soapies are! Totally B-grade stuff, yet it pulls huge audiences. So why are soapies are so addictive? But at least i havent sunk as low as to watch daytime soaps like the bold and the beautiful, etc.

Maybe its just me.......

Just a dreamer...

One thing i've always been jealous of others is their ability to remember their dreams. I cannot for the life of me remember what i was dreaming about. I remember at school whenever the topic came up, i could never add to the conversations. Even tho i knew i had an awesome dream, the moment i woke up, its like," Hey, what the..."

Today is a classic. I KNOW i was having an awesome dream, coz i didnt want to wake up. U know when u r having a great dream when there are little "events" built into the dream sequence to wake u up, but u choose to ignore it. Now i remember choosing to ignore these signs so i can keep on dreaming, but eventually i had to succumb and wake up. Not happy.

What was it that woke me up? The bloody telephone. Now most would say thats ok, as it may be an important phone call. I guess they're right in saying that, but what if it were a call to confirm my appointment at the dentist?

Timewarp

Even though at the time after my operation, I was told that i'd have 6 wks off to recover, i thought that's a bloody long time. What on earth am i gonna do for 6 wks, especially when i cant sit up let alone move around!? Next thing i know, i'm feelin heaps better with 3 wks having whizzed by, and only 3 more wks b4 i have to return to work! (That last thought kinda depresses me a bit.)

Another thing that can be quite dangerous in terms of misplaced time is the almighty xbox. If there's one thing to have when home-bound, this is it. The starship enterprise may lay claim warping thru space, but when it comes to warping time (or wasting it) its hard to go past the xbox. And the best game? FIFA 2004, totally addictive and great with 4 players........ :) Gotta love Bill Gates and Microsoft huh?

Update

While i am trying to suss how to properly set this up, i might as well give an update as to wots been goin down. I know i havent been in touch with many of yous, but there has been a reason for that.

Since about Feb this year, i've been having a few back problems. Initially it felt like i was just pulling up sore from basketball every sunday, which is pretty normal i thought. Then one day, this soreness didnt go away, hung around and hung around until recently. It actually worsened since then, where i moved from semi-mobile to totally immobile and in a fair bit of pain. Actually, i can break out of my macho man shell and say its the worst pain i've ever experienced. I've sprained, twisted, and broken things, but nothing beats this.

So 4 mths of going in and out of doctors' surgeries, CT scan places and finally a neurosurgeon, i was finally diagnosed with a prolapsed disc in my spine that will not heal itself. (well duh.) Surgery was not the only solution, but with the amt of pain i've been thru, i just wanted it fixed.

So its 3 wks since the surgery, and boy do i feel great. Far from 100%, but much better. I can actually sleep without pain and do my number 1's and 2's in peace. I still find myself doing things i shouldnt, but its hard when i feels so good! I've been advised a 6wk recovery period, where i am supposed to do no physical activity and just lie on my back till i am fully healed.

Hence u can see my source of boredom. I am stuck for 6 wks, and not supposed to lift a finger. I've since been reaquainted with this thing called the internet, and reading blogs, so why not start one too! I guess one may say i would've had plenty of time to think, so let the thoughts flow! Also, it would be a good way of journaling my upcoming trip to europe in jan 2005!

I still cant drive too far, run or do much at all. Am starting to go out for short periods, but i can see the end of the road now, and it looks all clear from here................... :)

And so it begins

Every great story has a beginning, and though i dont know how great this story will turn out, i have succumbed to the ever-popular hobby of sitting in front of an illuminated box, journaling little bits of my life, and possibly other people's too!

Let it begin......

(ok, what do i do now?)