Forecast: 15-30
Attained: 13-32

Helen, one of our library volunteers, and her husband have been prospecting for years. She frequently brings in samples from their collection, which naturally I tend to squeal over.

Today she brought in a lump of malachite (polished) from Sth Australia.

[drool] I love malachite...

And a pic with ruler so you can see how big this sucker is! 15cm across!

I... I just wanted to pet it. (Well, more truthfully I wanted to nick it :)

~=o>
I can't remember if I've scoffed at the Bic for Her pens here or not - I think I have - but anyway, Ellen Degeneres has a thing or two to say on the subject...




[snorfling]

~=o>

Forecast: 8-26
Attained: 9-25

My kitchen is teeming with black house spiders.

Well, ok, perhaps teeming is an exaggeration - there's three that I'm aware of - all lurking about the kitchen window. They don't bother me as much as other spiders, despite the size they get to, cos they're stationery and are very good at dealing with European wasps.
Their webs are very sticky though, and a pain in the bum to clean up.

There's nothing in this pic to compare the spider to for scale, but it's living underneath the window latch-y thing and is about half the size of my thumb. That's with it's legs tucked in close.

There's an even bigger one living in the lace curtains about the sink, and a very small male (I think) making a web in the window crack.

Ok, freaking myself out now! Time to move on. Lalalalalalalal

~=o>

Forecast: 10-20
Attained: 11-18

[bemused]

"Well, that's why you don't walk on lava..."

Overheard from the cubs while they were playing a computer game this evening.

=o>
Loki Laufeyson : A User’s Maintenance Guide

[snerk]

~=o>
Mildura photos posted on flickr.

Forecast: 9-17
Attained: 9-15

Yay, statewide local council elections. I gave Penny a lift to the polling station this afternoon which just so happened to be the cubs' old primary school. It's been years since I was there. The gardens, replanted when the school was rebuilt, have settled in nicely and there's a whole new multi-purpose building. I recognised the principal but nobody else. Hardly surprising, cubs finished there five years ago and the other families have moved on as well...

(My local council has postal votes for elections now. I filled the ballot in and sent it back the day after I received it. Conscientious? No. More a case of if I didn't deal with it immediately it would get lost amongst everything else, then I'd miss the deadline and have to pay a fine :)

~=o>

Forecast: 10-17
Attained: 11-15

Heh, well, I had planned on doing a substantial sort of blog update but got sucked in to the black hole of Avengers fic and suddenly it's very late and I'm too tired for coherency. I will note, however, that I went to a copyright training seminar in the city this morning for work. Very interesting, if a bit glazed-eyes-brain-bendy in places. :)

~=o>

Forecast: 17-20
Attained: 20-21

... this reminds me of one of your fics, Joules.
I... think I'm going to go to bed now and have some nightmares...





(via Gruen Planet).


~=o>
I could get one of these cases for my 'phone.
(Warning, Joules, for excessive um, stuff...)

Perhaps not. That's even making me shudder.

~=o>

Forecast: 17-20
Attained: 15-22

Random thingies from the weekend (except about the paddle steamer, cos that's a post in itself):

Mildura is flat, and hot. Don't think I'd want to live there. Pat - my colleague - pointed out that though this would be the perfect spot to employ solar energy, there's hardly any in evidence anywhere. Real waste of resources.
The flatness had its advantages though. Did a lot of walking and wasn't bothered by hills...

There was a gecko in our motel room the first night I was there. Cute thing, about 4 inches (10cm) long. I didn't get a pic cos it left and didn't come back.

Ah yes, the dance-of-the-unfamiliar-shower. Bit hot, bit too cold, moving in and out of the water while you adjust the temperature. :)

We had fresh towels provided every day. I liked that.

~=o>
Back to work today. I'd only a couple of extra days off but it felt longer. Hee.
Anyway, hopped in the car this morning and immediately noticed an absence of rotten meat smell. The night before my trip I'd bought some sausages for dinner but they'd disappeared by the time I got home. I couldn't find them in the car so figured I'd probably left them at the supermarket - and not my usual one, which is just up the road, but one that's 30 minutes drive away. But just because I couldn't see them didn't mean they weren't there - that's how my world works - but clearly, they weren't there cos there was no smell this morning. Logic!

~=o>
Whoa...

MRI fruit & veg.

(via Penny.)

~=o>

Forecast: 24ish, Melbourne
Attained: 9-22

Home now! Had a great weekend - went for a cruise on a paddle steamer - and the trip back wasn't bad. Cubs were glad to see me, as was the cat. :)

There's photos but they probly won't be organised 'til the weekend cos I really don't get that much time on weeknights, not with having to get to bed at a reasonable time...

~=o>
I've been listening to this track pretty heavily this past week. It was used as a soundtrack for a gallery of Jeremy Renner pics on the 'toobs, and I loved it. Was quite surprised to see it was released in 2006 - it's perfect '80's gothpunk - but then on the band's entry on wikipedia it says their musical heroes are Bauhaus and The Cure. See what I mean? :)


she wants revenge - tear you apart by aquarius3

~=o>

Forecast: 11-24
Attained: 13-25

Final day of the conference, marked by the excellent food. :) Oh, and the great industry discussions. I've really enjoyed the time spent.

Afterwards we had a tour of the Mildura library. Lovely space, and I found a copy of The Adversary on the sale table! Excellent! Sure, it doesn't match the rest of the series I've got but that's not something I'm particularly fussed about.

Pat and I went for a drive this afternoon, just a quick trip, 30 km in to NSW cos we were on the border anyway. We drove past orange orchards and the car was filled with the scent of orange blossoms.

View from the car: mallee scrub.

This evening we trotted off to see a movie at the Deakin Cinema Complex (it's a 'Complex' cos it's got two screens. :)
We saw Lawless, which I can't say was enjoyable - guns and blood and violence, oh my - but the acting was fabulous.
This was followed by particularly nice pizzas - crispy crusts that were crunchy but not tooth-breaking. A good finish to a great day.

~=o>

Forecast: 11-30
Attained: 8-28

I rebooted my 'phone and surprise, surprise, I have full network access again. Should've done that yesterday, srsly...

~=o>
First day of conference! A very good day: a number of extremely useful talks - learnt lots - and some jolly decent food. Was very tired by the end of it though, so tired I had to have a nap before the dinner at the Mildura Brewery. Which was nom, I might add. I had roast lamb with a gorgeous light mash spuds and freshfreshfresh veggies. Mmmm... Finished off with a lovely cheese platter that included the most delicious muscatel raisins that were a little bit tart with a honey aftertaste. [drool] The cheeses were pretty good, too. :)

~=o>

Forecast: 11-30
Attained: 14-34

Here I am in Mildura! Had a good trip up. Left the house around 6.15 this morning. The cubs' dad gave me a lift in to the city in plenty of time to wander around and find my train.
Had just over 4 hours on the train, then another 3 on a coach, but immersed in my pod of music (yay for having 2 working ears!) it didn't feel like a long trip at all.

I found a Big Thing, quite by accident!

This is the Giant Murray Cod at Swan Hill, where I transferred from train to coach. Only had time for a flying visit to take photos, alas, with only 10 minutes before the coach left. No time even to check for souvenirs. [pout]

Anyway, got to Mildura, met up with Pat - my colleague - found the motel and settled in for a bit before we walked the block or so down to an excellent pizza place for a pre-conference meet'n'greet.

The only really gribbly thing about the trip so far is that my 'phone's network doesn't extend out to here, so no texts/calls.
... I miss it more than I thought I would. BUT, the motel has wifi so I can still email, and I remembered to bring my laptop. :)

Now, let's see if the wifi will hold stable for long enough for me to post an update...

~=o>

Forecast: 8-23
Attained: 9-21

Well, I'm ready to go. I have a load of somewhat nutritious snacks for the journey and my suitcase is finally packed, but as expected:

Helping...

~=o>
This song is unofficially known on Triple J as 'Sexy Gherkin'. [snerk]
Listen, and find out why.




~=o>

Forecast: 8-18
Attained: 9-16

'My cat makes it difficult to type...'
(First World Problems.)

~=o>
Everytime I'm in a lift/elevator and the door's closing my imagination immediately - unhelpfully - supplies the image of something dire trying to force its way in.

~=o>
I'm not packed for the weekend per se but I've made piles of the stuff that's coming with me.

~=o>
I have no idea what she was looking at.

Forecast: 15-21
Attained: 12-20

Checked the forecast for where I'll be this weekend. [pout] Low 30's for most of it. Still, I'm going on a long train ride - twice! - and that's always a good thing...

~=o>

Forecast: 14-27
Attained: 15-26

Last day of training in the city today. Last day of free lunch and abundant morning and afternoon teas.
I was so full at the end of it all I hardly had anything for dinner. :)

~=o>

Forecast: 9-22
Attained: 8-22

Apple blossom in the backyard.
Spring is still sprung.

~=o>

Had a fabulous time this afternoon at the Astor with Aaron watching Singin' in the Rain. Unfortunately it was an old print so there were a few spots where the film jumped or blurred, but it doesn't matter cos it's still possibly my faaaaaavourite movie. It doesn't matter how many times I see this on dvd, it is always so much better on the big screen. So much more detail, like the footprints on the couch in the 'Good Mornin'' number, and so much more subtlety in the facial expressions.

Cyd Charisse is just wow in this bit. The phwooar starts at :33.



And for added adorableness, in the foyer after the movie there was a completely unselfconscious four year old boy recreating bits of Donald O'Connor's 'Make 'em Laugh' number.
Priceless. :)



~=o>

Forecast: 11-16
Attained: 10-17

Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner on a Russian chat show.
So many levels of awkward...




~=o>

Forecast: 9-14
Attained: 9-15

ROFL!

Screencap from The Adventures of Fatty Thor. (Recommended by Penny.)

~=o>
Now look.
That visor on the Iron Man suit looks like it fits pretty snugly, yes?

And yet...

Seems to be plenty of room in there for the HUD.
I'm happy to have some sciency type explain, in not so sciency words, the plausible explanation.
Or we could just put it down to Sony Tark's genius, I guess...

Forecast: 7-15
Attained: 7-13

Weirdly adorable...



~=o>
I'm very glad it's friday tomorrow: I've been dragging myself through this week. Hopefully the weekend will be restful, next week is going to be packed...!

~=o>
(Nicked from somewhere.)

Oh hush. Don't you start! :)

Forecast: 8-16
Attained: 7-15

Egad, friday week I'm off to Mildura for a weekend conference! That's come around quickly. Last time I checked there was weeks to go. Well, I've already bought my train/coach ticket but better get on and start making lists of things not to forget to pack, I suppose.

~=o>
Hee. Hawkeye is on order...

Forecast: 7-19
Attained: 9-18

First day back at work. It was fine, though I'm tired now. It's definitely the early mornings that bugger me up. :)

~=o>
Uh oh... There's a Hawkeye figurine, too.

Though from what I can gather from poking about online, it's already sold out. Eh well, I can but try...

([pout] I think the Loki figure will be released next year. [pout] Want it nao...)

Forecast: 8-18
Attained: 9-16

Hot Toys Loki collectable figurine.

Good: I've pre-ordered!
Bad: It's going to be over $200.
Good: Shop will let me lay-by!
Bad: No idea when it's coming out.
Good: LOKI! [squee!]

~=o>
Back to work tomorrow...
Haz been a goodly break. :)

Forecast: 8-16
Attained: 7-15

Daylight saving. Clocks went forward last night so I lost an hour of sleep. I've been feeling the lack all day, though to be honest it's my own fault. By the time I'd finished the book I was reading it was gone 3am and the daylight savings time had clicked over so it was actually 4am. Oops.

(Did have an interesting dream, however, while I was struggling to wake up. Don't remember much of it, alas, but the bit I do remember involved a semi-professional stage musical with Thor & Loki as characters. There was a big build-up to Thor's appearance - 'He's so big, he's mighty Thor', that sort of thing - but was actually played but a 12 year old boy. It was a very, very funny moment...)

Forecast: 9-13
Attained: 11-14

Always watching...

~=o>
[note: Joules, be warned for gratuitous gooey fondant pics.]

I generally give Halloween, and related merchandise, short shrift but these Cadbury Screme eggs promised green fondant so I had to try them.

I was expecting a startling green, or at least a minty flavour.

Standard creme egg flavour and a colour reminiscent of old egg yolks. Not recommended.

Forecast: 12-18
Attained: 12-18

Caught up with some of my TAFE classmates, for our semi-regular (2-4 times a year!) coffee mornings. It's taken three years but we're all now working in libraries. :)

We met up at the old Post Office cafe in Canterbury.

I had a very nommy breakfast. The spinach was a mite salty but the poached eggs were perfect.

Afterwards I browsed around the shops for a bit then went home and had a nap so I wouldn't fall asleep while watching Lawrence of Arabia at the Astor tonight.
Fantastic movie; has been one of my favourites for years.
(The trailer states it's 'filmed against a canvas of Awesome Magnificence...' As opposed to your everyday magnificence, naturally.)

~=o>
And that was pretty much my week off. There was less lying about at home than I'd anticipated - I was out of the house every day - but there was time for reading, and naps so I don't feel hard done by. :)

I've got a few more days off in a couple of weeks, when I'll be travelling to Mildura for a conference. That should be fun but I don't imagine it will be particularly restful...

Forecast: 16-29
Attained: 17-31

Gah, 31 degrees today... I'm not ready for this!

~=o>
I can now play dvds on Nigel! I can sneak away to my bedroom and watch whatever I want, mwhahaha!

~=o>
And because I'm easily amused...

Nifty moon phases app for my phone. :)

It has a 'cheese' mode. [snicker]

Cute, but I won't be using that too often!

Forecast: 10-25
Attained: 10-27

Cubs and I had a lovely day at Puffing Billy. Cos of crowds and parking considerations we got there super early but the bonus to that was we got to see all the carriage shunting. :)

There was a power-failure at Emerald Lake so the miniature railway we were looking forward to seeing wasn't open, alas, so we had to wait quite a while for the return train but that was fine cos we all had books.
And the sun was shining and it wasn't too hot so all was well.

After a wet winter it was looking very green along the track for a change.

The cubs.

(Posted with permission. :)

Forecast: 10-21
Attained: 12-21

Went to see The Sapphires today. Excellent movie, thought provoking without being heavy and a great performance from Chris O'Dowd.
My favourite line is when Dave, (O'Dowd's character) is trying to explain the difference between Country & Western, and Soul. He describes C&W as '... lost everything, now you're at home whining about it...' [snicker]

Here's the trailer:



~=o>
Last night (night before?) I was dreaming I was staying at someone's house. The room I was using had a private shower that was basically just the plumbing coming out of the wall near the window and spraying directly on to the floorboards. No shower curtain, no recess, and no drainage save for what looked like a hole in the rotting skirting board.
I shifted the furniture out of the way as far as possible, so it wouldn't be splashed, and was prepared to put towels down to soak up the water.
Also, I'd bought a whole frozen fish to nosh on later. [shrug]

~=o>
Holiday breakfast :)

Interesting that they're not promoted anymore as 'part of your balanced breakfast'...

There were also exhortations on the cereal box about exercise and how playing outside is fun!!!
Since the rise of hysteria over the 'epidemic' of childhood obesity, all of the food companies that target children - and their parents - are doing this sort of thing, so that when the righteous finger of indignation is pointed at them for contributing to the 'plague' they can claim, hand on heart, that it's not their fault, see? They're promoting a healthy lifestyle, see...?

~=o>
Puffing Billy tomorrow! Choo choo...!

(April, 2009)

:)

Forecast: 9-18
Attained: 10-18

First day of holiday was quite busy. Had coffee with Penny this morning, then did some running around, then gave Penny a lift to the doctors (she'd sprained her knee on the weekend), then bought the Avenger movie (hee!), then sat down with the cubs after dinner and watched Thor (hee!). All good :)

~=o>

'Cat on a mildly warm concrete and wood windowsill...'

~=o>
A couple of my photos have been featured on a Big Things of Australia page. Scroll down for the looming koala and lobster! :)

Forecast: 8-15
Attained: 7-15

Organising fiction files on Nigel Coriolus this evening I realised I was missing the 180k word manuscript I wrote several years ago. I knew I had it backed up somewhere even if the backup hadn't been transferred to the new 'puter when I got it.
...
I couldn't find the backup.
...
Ploughed through 4 years worth of discs and couldn't find a single mention. I could only conclude that the files were on discs that had somehow been misplaced. Not a happy thought!

Before I let myself have a melt down I told Joules of my predicament and she - may the colours of the rainbow surround and protect her - did have copies.
[wilt]
So yes, now I have backups all over the place. Let this be a lesson to me.


~=o>
(nicked from the Little Loki Lost tumblr)

Introducing a friend to your fandom.

Yep, from the flames in the eyes of the show-er to the mute horror of the show-ee, this is entirely too accurate... : )

~=o>
Fabulous clip from OK Go featuring a Rube Goldberg Machine.




If you can tear your eyes away from the action and look at the periphery of the set in places, you can get an idea of how many takes there were going by the number of broken bits... :)