Forecast: 10-18
Attained: 10-19

Spring. :)

~=o>
I'm wondering what did this. At first I thought someone had kicked the shit stuffing out of it but now I'm not sure. Could've been a critter after the termites...
Possum? They're insectivorous, apparently.

~=o>
I had to go in to the shed this afternoon...

I was not alone.

~=o>

Pics from last weekend's jaunt to the NGV up at flickr.

(... apparently I've shared them on blogger. Not sure how... Here's the link in case something's gone awry.)

(Ok, clicking the share link of blogger meant they were posted as a seperate post. Didn't want that. Let's try something else.)



Not ideal - couldn't work out how to post a link to the set the way I have before - but clicking on the pic will take you through to flickr.

Forecast: 10-16
Attained: 10-16

The interactive googledoodle today celebrated Star Trek's 46th anniversay. Loads of fun!



The crew.

Uhura in soft focus.

Kirk and crewman Redshirt encounter tribbles.

Kirk and crewman Redshirt beaming down.

A Gorn! Kirk uses the highlighted items to battle the enemy. And inflict collateral damage on crewman Redshirt.

Victory!

Back on board. Crewman Redshirt has had a bad day...

:)

Thanks for pointing this out, Mike!

[Edit: of course, I should post a disclaimer. Images are copyright to Google and used without permission. No intent to defraud, etc....)

Forecast: 9-15
Attained: 8-15

Found this today, MorgueFile, a 'public image archive for creatives by creatives'. Basically a place to pick up copyright free images, they just ask that you don't claim ownership of the original images.

(Why MorgueFile? They explain...

"A morgue file is a place to keep post production materials for use of reference, an inactive job file... The term "morgue file" is popular in the newspaper business to describe the file that holds past issues flats. Although the term has been used by illustrators, comic book artist, designers and teachers as well...")

So, a place to store the dead stuff, essentially. :)

~=o>
I'm really enjoying having ebooks on my 'phone but they're not terribly social. I can't share them with anybody, or drop them off at the op-shop when I'm done.

~=o>
Not only will we be signing another lease for the next year, there's no rent increase!

Forecast: 12-18
Attained: 13-18

Adorable pasta. Ridiculously expensive.

Srsly. $12 a 250g box.

Yesterday's forecast: 13-24
Attained: 14-23

Today's forecast: 16-21
Attained: 16-20

Yesterday was kind of weird. Got home from work about 6 then mooched around for a couple of hours trying to work up the enthusiasm to eat something other than toast. Eventually realised I just wanted to go to bed. So I did, nice and early, to the cubs' surprise. Mostly slept all the way through - except for a stumble out to the loo about 11 - and managed to get up early enough this morning to beat the secondary alarm.
Felt better today but it took most of the day to reorient myself to the 'now'. The weather didn't help, my spirit always feels wispy and scattered when the wind is up...

But, one of the things that's been niggling at me has been resolved. Spoke to the estate agent today about staying on for another year and apparently the owner is fine with that so I'll be signing a new lease soon. Woot.

Forecast: 9-19
Attained: 10-22


Cubs and I went to see the 3D version of Finding Nemo this afternoon. Wow, if any movie was made for 3D it's this one. I remember how astonishing the animation was when it was first released, now it's even better.
(And the sharks' teeth are really scary in 3D! :)

Amongst the previews was this trailer for Epic.



The fabulously atmospheric music is 'What if this storm ends' by Snow Patrol.
I want to see this...

~=o>
Haven't got 'round to uploading the pics from yesterday to Flickr yet but here's another one to fill things out...


The 'Tim Burton' cradle. (Manufacturer, J&J Kohn, Vienna, 1878)

Forecast: 6-19
Attained: 6-19

Gorgeous sunny day today. It only got to 19 but it felt much hotter in the city, where I was this afternoon gettin' sum culcha.

I went in to the NGV to see the Light Works exhibition. Unfortunately it wasn't as fab as I'd anticipated. Twenty-ish works in total; a couple of beautiful Bill Henson skyscapes and one of Hiroshi Sugimoto's 'Theaters'* were the highlights for me. I'd particularly been looking forward to seeing a selection of HS's work. Eh well.
So, only spent a little while there then skipped over to the 19th/20th century rooms and got very squee-y.

My favourite painting was back! The last few times I'd been in the gallery it hadn't been on display.

Saison d'octobre; Jules Bastien-Lepage, 1878.

Big canvas - almost 2m x 2m and the light is just luminous...


Also finally got a good pic of this little ceramic horse. Previously it's always been in a display cabinet and I was never able to get close enough.

Horse; Michael Powolny (designer), Wierner Keramik (manufacturer), c1910.

I'm eternally enchanted by the life and roundness of this piece.

Wandered around outside in the sculpture garden, somewhere I haven't been for years, then decided to treat myself to an afternoon tea at the posh cafe on the first floor.

Was elegant and delicious an' all but really not worth the price. Still, was glad I was able to do something nice for myself with my tax money.
Before leaving I visited the gift shop and spent considerably less.
Picked up some lovely postcards, including one of my fav painting, andandand a poster of the same! Going to have to give some thought in how I want that framed...

There's more pics, naturally, but I'll put those up on flickr tomorrow.


[* The official spelling, not the correct one.]

Forecast: 7-16
Attained: 9-15

Watched Batman Returns today. (Watched it twice, sort of, cos I fell asleep half an hour in to the first time viewing, waking up to the end credits so had to put it on again...)
I like this movie now more than I did when it first came out, not least cos my Batman canon-fascism has mellowed somewhat. Was still very impressed with Tim Burton's vision of the world-frame and this time I liked both versions of the Penguin and Cat Woman. Found them a bit cringe-worthy initially but now, yep, I get them.
I still think Michael Keaton made an excellent Batman and the 'unmasking' scene at the party is still one of my favourite heartwrenchingly poignant scenes.

~=o>
Portrait of a lady (cat).

The lens flare is deliberate. :)

Forecast: 6-14
Attained: 8-14

The Beatles posed the question, 'Why don't we do it in the road?'.
I say - gravel rash...

~=o>
I'm reading Damaged Goods, by Helen Black. At one point our protagonist ventures in to a sex shop in search of information. She peruses a display cabinet of dildos, some unfeasibly large, the biggest being over 20cm and tartan...

Bwhwhwhhahaha! I see what you did there! :)

Forecast: 7-13
Attained: 8-13

I should probly do something about my skittering sleep patterns. I suspect the solution will have something to do with being 'disciplined', which means I'll shy away from it for as long as possible, or until the discomfort of change is less than the discomfort of staying the same. I haz a philosophical. :)

~=o>

Yup.

Forecast: 13-18
Attained: 13-20

Heh, I'm all geared up for it to be Friday tomorrow. My body and a goodly proportion of my brain are convinced this is so...

~=o>
Cos I was working at the close campus today I indulged a little, turned off the secondary alarm and decided to get a bit more sleep. Two or three bouts of ten minute snooze-alarm should do.
The dreams got more intense and vivid (Soulsis, her chiks, cubs and I heading to the moon in a station wagon? Really? Craig Daniel* in a London thieves' den? Really?) and I eventually dragged myself out of sleep to find I'd been out for an extra hour. Of course, now I was running late and had to scramble to get out of the house: fortunately I'd made my lunch the night before. Still found a parking spot not too far away and got to work on time anyway. :)


[*Edit: that should of course been Daniel Craig.]

~=o>
Whoa.

Forecast: 9-19
Attained: 9-17

Having time off work is all very well but holiday/sick leave only covers the days I'm contracted for, that is, 3 days a week. I've been working an extra day most weeks for several months now but the two weeks sick leave I took for my surgery inconveniently fell within one pay fortnight. The pay difference between a 6 day fortnight and an 8 day fortnight is significant...

~=o>
Mwhaahaha. I've managed to connect my 'phone up to the wifi at work. I can use that to download stuff instead of my bandwidth. Mwhahahah.

Forecast: 7-17
Attained: 7-15

Happyhappyhappyhappyhappyhappyhappy!
The ear surgery has restored enough hearing to my bad ear I can listen to the Beatles on headphones again! [happy dance] There's still some imbalance but nowhere near the previous 'grrrrarrr-half-the-track-is-gone' aggravation. Listened to Abbey Road this evening while shopping. My goofy grin got me some looks... :)

~=o>
Second dentist appointment today and another $250 down. [wince] This was the worst of the fillings though so the rest shouldn't be so bad. Essentially the old amalgam filling had to come out then what was left of the tooth - not a lot after chipping - was repacked with new ceramicy stuff. There's a chance the tooth will continue to chip but for the moment it's more stable than it was. Having a crown put on it would prevent more chipping but considering the cost of the procedure is roughly equal to a month's rent, it's not financially practical just at the moment.

Forecast: 8-14
Attained: 9-15

Meant to do a number of things this weekend but did none of them. Clearly this was because I didn't make A List.

~=o>
Onion jam is nom but next time I'll caramelise the onions first.

This one's a mixture of brown and red (Tuscan) onions, cos that's what I had but the recipe does have quite a lot of sugar - 1 cup to 1kg of onions. I've another recipe that only uses a couple of tablespoons of brown suger for 600g of onions; will try that one next. :)

Forecast: 7-16
Attained: 7-14

I did get a tax refund, nice and quick, too. Most of it's going to have to go on sensible things but I indulged a little with sushi last night, and bought myself a really neat compilation CD: Queeny Rocks the Party.
I've already got or have had a number of the tracks - heck, some of them I've had in various formats since they were first released! - but the rest are ones I've wanted or don't mind having. :)

~=o>
New water bottle. Iz pretty.

It's made of steel, which is currently in vogue for water bottles cos there's no leaching of chemicals but, it does make the water taste metallic. Eh, we'll see how it goes.

Forecast: 7-14
Attained: 8-14

Had the surgical packing hoiked out of my ear this morning at the outpatient clinic. It was only a small blob of stuff but it felt much larger in situ.
Doctor said the fact I'd noticed an improvement in my hearing despite the swelling, and the packing, was very encouraging. :)
Don't have to use the eardrops anymore but will still have to keep my ear dry for another week. Fortunately I've become quite adept at washing my hair without getting water near my ear.

~=o>

Forecast: 11-17
Attained: 13-18

First day back at work. Wow, was completely knackered by 3.30. Was a nice easy day, though, and I hadn't forgotten everything. :)

~=o>

Saw a giant cardboard poster/promo thing for this at the cinema yesterday...



Bwhahahaha! The Easter Bunny's oztraylian! So inappropriate. :)

Forecast: 10-18
Attained: 13-20

The cubs put up with an awful lot sometimes. This evening for instance they've endured from me random outbursts of delighted squees and delirious exclamations of 'zomg, [censored for spoilerness]!'
We went to see The Dark Knight Rises this afternoon. Aside from a slow spot in the middle - and a very lame fight scene - it was pretty bloody good! Plotty twists and turns; ubercool gadgets. Drama! Tragedy! Very satisfying.
Interestingly though, there were times I had to cover my recently-operated-on ear cos the movie was so loud it hurt! I think that's a good thing...

[happy sigh] Aside from anything pre 1960's, I've managed to see all the Batman movies at the cinema. Time to acquire all the dvds so I can educate the cubs. :)

Forecast: 8-17
Attained: 8-16

A work in progress...

The dresser in the hallway is one of those places where I tend to pile stuff when it has no immediate place to go. It's been bugging me for a long time.

I finally got 'round to doing some sorting.
(Mostly the bottom shelf.)

Hee, I'm finally getting all my green things in one spot. :)

Also, now that I can actually see what/how many grapeish objects I have I'll be able to perhaps do some culling.
We'll see...

Forecast: 8-16
Attained: 9-13

WANT

Rainbow Batman Cake

(Thanks, Penny :)

Forecast: 7-15
Attained: 9-14

I spent most of the day reading or napping again. I'm supposed to be going back to work on Thursday. Should be interesting to see how that goes, getting back in to the routine...

Forecast: 8-14
Attained: 10-13

Oh dear. It's all too easy to buy ebooks with a paypal account...

~=o>
[snicker]

Forecast: 9-13
Attained: 9-11

Well, it's only taken about eight years but I've finally got a paypal account. I've linked it to a reloadable debit card rather than a bank account. Hee, now I'll be able to pick up from overseas those hard-to-find things I can't get in Oz. As long as there's money on the card, that is. (Mwahahaha! I'm looking at you Issues no: 1 & 25 of the Torchwood magazine!)

~=o>
Screencaps of your 'phone, whatever next? :)

This is the 'Pompeii' background of the Koi wallpaper. Quite fond of my fishies...

Forecast: 6-15
Attained: 7-15

Okay, so Batman Forever is not the best of the franchise evah, but neither is it the worst. (Jim Carrey as the Riddler is not an asset - I found myself growling at him to 'Oh, just stop!' - but the Riddler's costuming is superb.)

Robin (Chris O'Donell) looks a bit of orright.

I did enjoy the slashiness: it wasn't particularly subtle (or that could've just been me...)
At one point Two Face (Tommy Lee Jones) had Robin and Chase Meridian (Nicole Kidman) trapped in giant tubes with the intention of making Batman chose which one dies first. (Yeah, this movie was definitely looking backwards to the 60's tv series.) Anyway, Two Face introduces the 'contestants' as 'the love of Batman's life' and I, giggling, finished the statement with, 'and some woman he's been hanging around with'.

... still giggling. :)


~=o>
Last performance of the school musical went well, with Badger receiving lots of congratulations on his convincing German accent, again. There was a cast party afterwards, with pizza and lollies.
The cubs have a curriculum day tomorrow, so no school and the chance of a lie in. I think they both need it.

Forecast: 6-15
Attained: 6-15

This time last week I was realising that I wasn't going to have a comfortable night, post-operatively.

Wow, it's been a week already. I've finished the oral antibots but still have several days of the ear drops to finish.
I still have a small area of numbness on my tongue, and a pretty much constant sort of aftertaste of saccharine. Mildly annoying but not inconvenient. Other than that my sense of taste has more or less returned to normal.

Still can't judge how my hearing has changed, though it clearly has. Some types of sounds are much louder while with others there's been no change at all. I'll be having another hearing test in a few weeks, once everything has hopefully settled down, then I'll have a clearer picture of what's going on.

~=o>
Got my tax sorted today! Put it through online - easy peasy. I believe I'm owed a rebate but exactly how much remains to be seen...

Forecast: 10-16
Attained: 10-14

The coolest souvenir!

It occured to me that I've kept everything, or nearly everything that's been taken out of me in hospitals. I've got this bone, and my wisdom teeth, and ok, didn't keep the tonsils but they grew back, and didn't keep the placenta but I did hang on to the babies. :)

~=o>
For all that the cubs' school is general academic and not performing arts there's definitely some talent there.
Badger did very well, with a convincing German accent. :)

Forecast: 5-18
Attained: 6-16

Ok, so not quite as ready to rejoin the living as I'd thought. Went out for a coffee with Penny then had a browse at JB which I had to cut short cos I started feeling a bit woozy. Still, picked up the 3 'Girl with the dragon tattoo' movies, and a copy of 'Batman Forever'. :)

~=o>
The school musical debuts tomorrow night: Fame Jr. (No link, cos I couldn't find one that didn't have embedded music, or didn't mention the cubs' school.)
Badger has a small speaking role, and he's been hard at work at rehearsals. Barely saw him this weekend. Ah, it brings back memories of my own high school performance thingies...

~=o>

Forecast: 9-16
Attained: 10-15

Right, almost feel ready to rejoin the living. :)

Haven't managed to take a pic yet of the teeny ear bone that was replaced, but to demonstrate here's a considerably larger model from Scienceworks, 2008.

It's the stapes, that stirrupey shaped bone in the middle...

Forecast: 9-15
Attained: 9-14

Spent a lot of time asleep again today but I think my sense of taste is improving...

~=o>
And now the continuing saga...

Thursday morning. I'd made it through the night and just wanted to go the hell home. Couldn't do that though until I'd been assessed by the surgeon. 9.30 was the time I was given for being discharged.
So I waited, and had breakfast - cold toast, cereal, tinned fruit. And waited, and listened to the radio. And waited, getting more and more annoyed. The nurses were great, getting cross on my behalf and chasing up the surgeon. :)
He turned up at 11.30. (Apparently he'd been operating at another hospital.) So finally the bloody IV was able to come out, I could get dressed and leave.

The cubs' father gave me a lift home - he'd been waiting around since 9.30 as well - and bought me some Maccas for lunch. It's a worry when takeaway is a step-up from what was served in the hospital.
Penny dropped 'round with some chocolate, and a shower cap, cos while I could have a much needed shower, I couldn't get my ear wet...

Photos!

While I was waiting:

Part of breakfast. The label was a lie, unless, 'Quality' meant 'average'.

Also while I was waiting; cup o' monitor pads. I peeled these off myself.
Found another one in the shower later, and another one the day after, on my shoulder.

Forecast: 8-14
Attained: 9-14

Was only up for a couple of hours this morning before I had to go back to bed for a long nap. I think this is going to take me longer to recover from than anticipated.
Also, my sense of taste seems to have changed. Not an unexpected side effect but disconcerting nonetheless.

~=o>
So, continuing on with my hospital adventure...

Woke up in recovery and the first thing I asked the nurse was whether I'd thrown up or not. There was a reason for this: as I'd thrown up before under anaesthetic it was inevitable it would happen again. (I hadn't been sick this time, as it happens, because I was given something to prevent it. I know exactly when that wore off though...)

Right, so when it was clear I'd survived the surgery I was taken down to the ward for the night.
... I hate hospitals. The temperature is always too high for me and the recycled air makes me feel like I was drowning. As for the food... How can you manage to kill a sandwich?
An interminable night with me being unable to stay asleep for any length of time what with the uncomfortable mattress, and the IV cannula in my arm catching on the hospital gown, and the horrible, dry mouth (a combination of the effects of anaesthetic and the air conditioning) which was barely relieved by the unfiltered tap water I was given to drink...

(Whinge moan complain. I feel I have justification. :)

Fortunately I was able to listen to the radio/music on (a single) headphone; the best distraction possible. If I hadn't have had that I would have undoubtedly gone mad, or had to resort to asking for sleeping tablets.

But, on the plus side, the nursing staff were lovely, I only needed plain panadol for pain relief, and I was already able to hear better in my affected ear.

I got through the night.

(aaaaand again cont'd later. :)

Warning: Potentially icky pic!

I really loathe IVs...

Forecast: no idea
Attained: 8-11

Forecast (yesterday): 10-14
Attained: 9-11

Had the stapendectomy yesterday but had to stay in hospital overnight, which was a bit of an unwelcome surprise. I'd gained the impression - either from me misunderstanding what the surgeon had said, or him not expressing himself clearly - that I would be able to go home the day of the surgery. Eh well, it only took some quick phonecalls to the cubs and their dad to let them know about the change of plans.

I had planned on thriftily taking the bus to the hospital but faced with rain and hail, and already tired out from several days of anxiety, I decided to go by taxi instead.
Went through the admission process quite quickly, gaining an id bracelet or two on the way, as well as a very not flattering hospital gown and dressing gown. I got to keep my shoes on.
Got in at 11 and my op was scheduled for 1.30. Seems like a long time to wait - especially after fasting since 7 am - but time always flies when you're dreading something. :)

Was taken up to the theatre floor, and answered the same set of questions again before being popped on to a gurney. Even more nervous? Oh yes. The theatre staff were great though, they all introduced themselves and were very reassuring.
The dreaded IV was placed, I was wheeled in under the lights, the mask went over my face and I was instructed to breath deeply...

I dreamt while I was under anaesthetic, or was dreaming as I was coming out of it. Intense dreams but I don't remember any details. And then there I was recovery and it was almost 5pm.

... con't tomorrow cos I'm really quite knackered. :)

Forecast: 6-17
Attained: 7-16

Slight change of plan for tomorrow. I don't have to be at the hospital until 11am, plus I can have a very light breakfast instead of fasting all the way through. Mind you, because I have to eat before 7am, if I want to have breakfast I can't sleep in. [hand to forehead] Oh, the trials and tribulations...! :)

~=o>

Forecast: 7-15
Attained: 7-14

It's kind of interesting in my head at the moment.
There's two personalities, if you like: the calm, rational one, who thinks things through, and the other, who (over)reacts emotionally. She's currently flailing about like a muppet over my upcoming surgery, squealing along the lines of: omigod, there's going to be needles, and I'm going to be unconcious in front of strangers, and omigod, I could die, and I don't have a will...!!
[sigh]
The rational one has given up trying to offer well, rational advice - cos frankly it's falling on deaf ears - and is just standing back watching the performance, knowing the emotional one will eventually exhaust herself and shut up. :)

~=o>
Heh, and I finally have all the bits of paper I need to get on with my tax return. My finances are not the least bit convoluted - pay in, donations out - so I'll put it through online again this year.
I'm hoping to get a rebate but not counting on it: not sure how the salary packaging will impact the outcome.

Forecast: 10-16
Attained: 10-17

I entertained myself this afternoon sorting through stuff in my room. Hadn't realised quite how many Professionals 'zines I had. A few are very good and I'll definitely reread those, but not sure what I'm going to do with the rest. Eh, probly just stash them somewhere. Good to have them all in one spot, though. :)

Plus I unearthed a whole lot of pre-digital photos in packets. Some of them are even named and dated. [rolls eyes] 'Oh, I'll remember when that was, I'm sure...'
But at least those are now in one spot, too, or rather, one other spot as they won't fit in the big plastic tub with the other pics.
There were some super adorable photos of the cubs: I'm going to see if they'll let me post some...

(And yet, there's still boxes and boxes of unsorted stuff at Soulsis'. I'm sure there'll be more photos in them...)

Forecast: 8-16
Attained: 11-16

Dinosaurs on a spaceship are pretty cool... :)

Forecast: 8-16
Attained: 9-16

So, all being well, I have one day of work next week then two weeks off. Woohoo! Oh, and there's the surgery, too, I suppose.

~=o>
Gorgeous.

Humans faces??? i know there are alot of humans faces …we never get to know the real face of person..
American photographer Bobb Leland presented his new photo exhibition entitled «Half-Drag» to the public. The heroes of his photo project transvestites involved in a burlesque show and featured a make-up applied only to half of the face. i find it unique and interesting just have a look…

Forecast: 4-14
Attained: 3-12

Hee, thought it was a bit nippy leaving the house this morning...

~=o>
While having the cat sleep across my hands/wrists when I'm at the computer does afford my hands some protection against the cold, it's still bloody awkward to type.

~=o>
Last day of library training today! Got to play around with the cataloguing module. Hoo boy, it's been a while since I've had to think about MARC tags. It'll all come back to me, I'm sure...
Had a very nommy - free - lunch of a beef burger minus the bread roll. Didn't need it, not with the grilled onions and cheese, and cos lettuce, and tomato and mayonaise and relish and potato crisps. Mmmm.
There may be another day of training I can attend but it won't be organised until the boss comes back from holidays.

Forecast: 5-15
Attained: 4-14

I was distressing myself with imaginings the other day, as I am wont to do at times. I think these episodes balance out the unfeasibly sunny optimism.
Anyway, I've found the best way to deal with a distressing is to indulge it for a bit then pull back, break it down and do a dispassionate analysis.
This particular distress was that old chestnut: "omigod! What if we get evicted...!"
Yes, money will be an issue, but enough has always appeared from somewhere. Yes, the rental market is appalling - it took us eight months to get this place - but we've always managed to find somewhere eventually. More importantly though, the packing and moving itself will be an absolute doddle compared to the distressing, gods-forsaken, emotional clusterf*ck of last time. (Which I wouldn't have been able to get through without the help of so many people, but especially the cubs. :)

However, this time I'm won't be trying to sift through and pack ten years of detritus. This time, I won't have anywhere near as much stuff to move. This time, I know how much and what will fit in my car so I'll be able to organise more efficiently.
In conclusion, if I have to move it will be fine. :)

Forecast: 6-15
Attained: 9-15

... there was something I was going to check out on utoobs but for the life of me I can't think what it was.

~=o>
Hee. There's a weekend seminar later this year in Mildura. I've 'expressed my interest' to the organisers, as the saying goes. Was thinking about driving up but it's 7ish hours, whereas going by train*, it's still 7 hours but will cost about half the amount I'd be spending in petrol. Yes, that sounds much better...

[*Well, two trains and a coach as there's no direct line. Either way, eeee, train! :)]

Forecast: 8-13
Attained: 7-16

Following this story today about someone losing the keys to Wembley Stadium, my favourite radio station was calling for other 'lost keys' stories.
I didn't call in but here's mine:
Way back when, in the times Before, when I was living on my own in a shitty, but charming, one bedroom flat I woke up one morning and couldn't find my keys. This wouldn't have been a problem except there was only one way out of the flat: through a door that had an old-fashioned deadlock that couldn't be opened without a key.
Yerrs.
Tore the place apart looking for the bloody things, getting crosser and crosser, and panickier. Time was ticking away and I had to go to work. Note, this was in the days before mobile phones, plus I didn't have a landline 'phone cos the place was slated for demolition and the telco wouldn't install one.
The situation was hopeless, but did I despair?
Well, yes, a bit - I had visions of calling out pathetically to passing strangers and asking them to contact a locksmith, and I was calculating how long my food was going to last - and then it dawned on me that perhaps, possibly... did I leave the keys in the lock last night when I came home?
Managed to open the kitchen window enough to crane my head around to view the front door... Yup, there they were. I swore, vociferously, cos now I had to climb out of a window - the loungeroom window, as that one actually opened wide enough for me to squeeze through. (I did hang about for a few minutes on the offchance a neighbour would pass by and I could ask them to fetch my keys, but no, the indignity of climbing out of the window was mine to be suffered.) [sigh]

It was fortunate that no one had let themselves in to my flat overnight, I suppose, and I did have an amusing story to explain why I was late for work...
And now I always check what sort of door lock a place has before I rent.

~=o>
Mwhahahaha! I now have all my Beatles albums on my new shiny!
Only a little bit less that 500mgbs - still have 10+gbs of space. Niace

Forecast: 7-13
Attained: 7-12


Weird weekend, didn't do a lot, or feel inclined to do a lot. The cat's loved me sitting still for so long, though.

~=o>

Still playing with my new shiny.

~=o>

Every now and then I check in with my phobias to see how they're progressing.





Yep, robots are still freaking me out. Time to leave well enough alone for a while longer.
Speaking of which, I found these pics from October 2007, when Asimo was touring the country. Our school got free tickets to the show. The children were quite excited.

I found myself growling when Asimo came out, for all it was designed to look as non-threatening as possible. :)

Forecast: 8-15
Attained: 8-16

So, the London 2012 opening ceremony was good, was it? Hopefully I'll get to see it: it's not being replayed online anywhere yet.

~=o>

Interesting.

Michael Pollan's 7 rules for eating...

"Don't eat anything that won't eventually rot..."

I like Pollan's distinction between 'food' and 'edible food-like substances'. :)


~=o>

We take hand-hygiene very seriously in our hospitals...

Forecast: 9-14
Attained: 10-14

...
I'm caught between enchanted and bemused.

Rockabye Baby!
Lullaby rendition of baby's favourite rock bands...

Rockabye Baby transforms timeless rock songs into beautiful instrumental lullabies. Guitars and drums are traded for soothing mellotrons, vibraphones and bells, and the volume is turned down from an eleven to a two. Rockabye Baby is the perfect way to share the music you love with the littlest rocker in your life.

The Cure, Smith's, Coldplay, Beatles, Radiohead, Police, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Van Halen, Metallica... there's a lot of bands covered. Some tracks lend themselves beautifully to being lullabyed, others not so much.

~=o>

I've been playing with the camera on my new shiny.
Can you guess what this is?

(It's the bit on the mandarin where the stalk meets the fruit... Was quite a nice mandarin, too.)


This is a thing from work. I think it needs bunny ears. :)


Asleep...

Awake...

Forecast: 9-14
Attained: 9-13

I went to the dentist today. This is significant in that it's been twelve years since my last visit. In that time my teeth have been slowly chipping and crumbling but what sent me scurrying off for treatment this time was that it's started happening to my front teeth. Not such a problem when your back teeth are getting snaggled: completely different when it's your front teeth. So vanity, yes. :)

Anyway, this dentist had been recommended by the cubs' father and as a new patient I was expecting to have to wait weeks for an appointment but I was able to be seen within a couple of days.
The drilling part is still extremely unpleasant but the new 'flash-setting' amalgam is pretty amazing. No having to wait a few hours for it to set before eating.

It was pricey though, which is the main reason I've not been to see a dentist in so long. I don't have private health cover, and dental is not covered by the government provided Medicare.
I digress.
Was a little over $200 for the examination and filling. I'll need a further 3 or 4 fillings/reconstructions, and 3 extracts. I figure I'll be up for about $1500 to get everything sorted. Wince making, but manageable spread over a year or so.
Wot fun, eh?

~=o>

Forecast: 10-16
Attained: 9-15

Parent/teacher interviews went as expected - with universal praise for the cubs' intellects, and universal cries for them to 'get organised'! :)
And then we - including their dad - had takeaway chicken and chips for dinner.
Mmmm

~=o>

These are the cutest earbuds.

Unfortunately they only lasted for a few uses before losing sound in one of the buds. They're quite comfortable, designed to sit in specific ears. Alas the bud that lost sound is the one that fits in my good ear. I can use the other bud in that ear but it's not at all comfortable.

Forecast: 6-16
Attained: 7-15

Coming home this evening from the LMS training I nipped in to a 7-11 cos there was a 20% off deal on the itoons vouchers. Bargain!
The cashier was going to charge me full price but I said 'but but...' and pointed at the sign. He checked and was most apologetic - the special had finished a day or so ago, but cos the sign was still there he gave me the discount anyway. :)
I'm currently loading up my new shiny with more Torchwood stuff. Mwahahah.

~=o>

The inspection went fine today. Apparently. I wasn't here but the cubs' father was. Did I mention the saga? Anyway, the inspection was scheduled for Monday, which wouldn't have been a problem as I normally don't work on Mondays, however this particular Monday I was doing the Cultural Competency workshop. Wouldn't have been a problem as I was going to have Tuesday, today, off in lieu, except the LMS training had been rescheduled for today. I found this out after I'd contacted the agent to change the date.
[sigh]
But, cubs' father was happy to sit in for us so panic (mine) was averted.

~=o>

Olympic humour.

Forecast: 7-16
Attained: 4-15

Spoke to my boss about the potentially awkward time for surgery and she said to go for it. The opportunity may not come around again for some time. She also said to take as many days off as I'm given, I'm not to skimp on sick leave. :)
So, providing the surgery isn't cancelled, I should be getting ready to go under the knife in two weeks time...

~=o>

Attended a Cultural Awareness Competency seminar today, centered around Aboriginal/Indigenous people. Was excellent. A very engaging session, and thought provoking. I wasn't tempted to fall asleep once, even after a choppy night.

More library management system training tomorrow...!

Forecast: 8-16
Attained: 11-16

For the past two days I've been hunting high and low for a Very Important Piece of Paper.
... and then I noticed it was on the 'fridge, where I'd put it because it was a VIPP. [headdesk]

~=o>

(nicked from somewhere by someone...)

[snerk] "... only thinks of you as a friend..."

Forecast: 8-15
Attained: 7-17

Rental inspection on Tuesday so I spent this afternoon cleaning. Scrubbed down the tiles in the bathroom - which won't look clean ever again until they're regrouted but eh, [shrug], I can only work with what I've got.
The rest of the time was spent in my room, clearing the bed and sifting through the pile of chaos while being entertained by Torchwood audio books/radio plays.

With the help of Sigma!cub I finally got Mum's Australian wrens tapestry up in my room. It's been sitting on the floor behind a door basically since we moved in but today there was at last, space to reach the wall and hang the thing up. Happy now...

There's not a lot left to do in the house, to be honest. Some general tidying, scrubbing the bath, and vacuuming. Will be glad when the inspection's finished, naturally, this coming week's going to be a bit weird anyway...

Forecast: 8-15
Attained: 10-16

Part of the fun of the training day last week was sitting in the upmarket cafe, eating lunch and pigeon-holing - just quietly to myself - the people that came in. Corporate, Legal, IT, student, tourist... :) No idea if I was correct about any of them, of course, I didn't check.
There were however some beautiful suits coming in for their gourmet wraps and vegetarian soups. Tailored, expensive, rich yet understated colours with perfectly accessorised ties and pocket hankies. I was impressed with them.

~=o>

Discovered a couple of not-so-good things about my new shiny. First it chews through the battery like cookie monster through baked goods; second, the music player is too good. Lovely system, beautifully balanced and consequently rubbish for me through headphones. It all sounds tinny and echoey with half the track missing. [sigh]
However, it does sound awesome through speakers, and is way more versatile to lug around the house than the old cd-player.

~=o>

And speaking of hearing issues, in the post today I received notification that I can go in for my op on August 8th. Ye gods, that was quick! My first thought was that that was a bad time to be away from work, what with the new system coming in and the boss going on holiday. However, maybe it's a better time than later, as it'll be before the new system goes live. Will need to discuss with the boss...

~=o>

Thought for the day...

[giggling]
(nicked from here.)

Forecast: 5-15
Attained: 4-14

The training went well today, helped by a very civilised start to the day (I rolled out of bed about the time I'm usually heading out the door...)
We spent our lunch vouchers at The Old Chamber. I had an especially nommy poached chicken wrap with rocket and avocado/lemon yoghurt dressing. So very, very niace. :)

Morning and afternoon tea was supplied on site. Mid-morning there were muesli bars, and mid-afternoon, chocolate. Unsurprisingly, I had trouble staying awake for the last hour...

~=o>

This is the last pic I took with my previous 'phone.
It's one of the carparks at my local shopping suburb. There's a new system been installed there: green lights mean the parking space is empty, red means it's full.

Have a close look...

I didn't know there were invisibility cloaks big enough for cars.

Forecast: 9-14
Attained: 9-14

I'm off to the city tomorrow for library training. Should be good, not least because it's a shorter day - 9.30-4.30 - so I'll be able to have a bit of a sleep in, plus I'll be able to amble out of the house around 8, instead of haring out before 7.30.
Also, apparently, we're being given $15 vouchers for lunch. Prices in Melbourne - that'll be a sandwich and a cup of coffee. :)

~=o>

I realised today that before my new shiny can go 'net browsing I have to tell it it can. [rolls eyes] So simple to operate when you know how...
But now all the apps and games are belong to me!! (Subject to cost and download limit, naturally...)

Forecast: 10-16
Attained: 11-16

I have holidays booked for the first week in October.
I'm not counting down the days or anything.

~=o>

If you know what question to ask, the 'net can be a wonderful source of information. If you don't know what question to ask, you're stuffed :)
(Out of interest I now have a Transformers transforming sound effect set as message notification on my 'phone...)

~=o>

This is the first picture I took with my new shiny.
It wasn't deliberate, more of a 'so what does this button do...?' moment.

(That's a close up, btw, of the steering wheel cover Penny knitted.)

Forecast: 10-16
Attained: 11-17

I haz a new shiny!

New on the left: the screen is twice the size of the old phone. :)
Going to take a wee while to learn how to drive the thing, it has completely different idiosyncracies than previous 'phones. And no radio*, which is a bum, but the old 'phone still works as music/radio player, just not as a communication device anymore.

[*I can listen to the radio but it involves streaming it online. Nice idea but as I've got less than 1gb a month on the 'phone to play with I'm not sure it's something I want to do, given how often I listen to the radio.]

~=o>

Bought a new shower curtain today - as it was the manky old one that came with the house washed up ok, but it'll be good to have a spare, I guess - and I finally dragged out the nifty curtain hooks soulsis gave me ages ago. They look great!

Forecast: 7-15
Attained: 7-15

This made me snerk today.

Fandom wank wiki: Het

WARNING: The following entry contains subject matter which many may find to be disgusting and perverse

Het is a bizarre underground subgenre of fanfic written by fetishists who can only become aroused by portraying characters engaged in heterosexual intercourse. It is estimated that at least .03% of fan fiction is het. Het is, for all intents and purposes, the opposite of slash.

[snerk]
It's not for no reason some fanpeeps have a 'My Fandom Warns For Het' icon.

~=o>

The system went down at work on Friday. And by 'the system' I mean 'The System'. No 'phones, email or 'net access. We couldn't even open files on the 'puters! Scary. Fortunately it only lasted ten minutes, but it was a very long ten minutes...

Forecast: 10-13
Attained: 11-14

I dance, and KittenKong just looks at me... :)


~=o>

Finally a couple of Aus songs from the '80's that I rilly, rilly like have appeared on itoons.
This is very camp. Not sure how Iva Davies feels about it now. [smirk]






When I first saw this next clip I found it thrilling. You'll see why from about 1:50.




Dig that funky '80's saxophone!
Browsing the Flowers/Icehouse tracks on itoons has reminded me how much of their stuff I liked. My wish list has just expanded...


~=o>

(Shall I make a note here about how much I'm writing? Not sure. Might just get discouraging if I'm not doing much. Anyhow for now there's the prologue and half a chapter.)

Forecast: 10-14
Attained: 9-15

We're getting closer to the implementation of the new LMS (library management system). The first training day is next week! And for the first time evah* in the history of our amalgamated campuses, only the main one will be open - and staffed by just one person - so the rest of us can do the training. There'll be five of these days in all. I'll have to miss one, cos I'm already booked in for something else that day. It's all go, now!

(*Akshully, not sure if that's true. We have a limited service between xmas/NYE, but I can't remember precisely if it's only the primary campus that's open...)

~=o>

Was experimenting with the photocopier at work today, printing out a document in 'booklet' style. The result was very cute; it reminded me of how I used to make my own books, scrolls etc when I was little. Asked my workmate, J, if she did anything similar and she confessed rather sheepishly to making library-style pockets and return date slips for her books, which I thought was adorable! Yes, she's a librarian now. Who'd have thought it, eh? :)

~=o>

For various reasons I haven't written any fiction for a very long time. (When I'm down on myself I call it 'laziness', though it isn't, not really.) However, despite not writing anything my writer's brain is constantly churning out stuff, threads of plots and snippets of scenes that waft up to tickle my consciousness, be dwelled on and expanded then filed away again until they're ripe.
Happily today a few of those threads bumped in to each other and I had an 'ahah! moment. Actually, it was more of a stop-dead-in-the-office-squeak-a-bit-and-say-'OMG, yes, of course!' Fortunately perhaps I was there on my own.

Part of the problem with not writing was that there was so much back log from when I was writing, and I couldn't make a decision. Do I go back to the fan fic, old or new? Should I be writing something original to publish? There was plenty there milling about to choose from but nothing really grabbed my attention, until now.
I should've known something was afoot when I recently started actively noticing and collecting odd words and typos. In the past it was from a similar list that I picked out non-standard names, placenames etc.

So yes, I have a definte base to work from now. It will be original fantasy, aimed at young adults. I've read a lot of YA stuff over the years and there's a lot of leeway given for more adult content than children's books. It won't be too dramatic a change from what I've written before, just toned down somewhat. :)

Forecast: 11-15
Attained: 12-14

At the staff meeting today, it was put forward that we have a launch party when our new library management system goes online. I foresee... cake!


~=o>

When I got up this morning at 6.30ish I switched on the solar-powered chinese lantern party lights strung up over my bedhead. (Always a cheerful way to get out of bed :) Anyway, I forgot to switch them off as I was leaving for work but wasn't too worried cos they'd be recharging this evening with the light from the bedside lamp.
When I got home just after 6 I found the lights were still shining! Quite impressed with them. :)


~=o>

This is way more amusing than it should be. [snerk]

WARNING FOR LANGUAGE AND CARTOON PENISES

Forecast: 10-15
Attained: 11-15

Found out today that Sesame Street is going in to it's 42nd year!
I remember watching it when we first moved to Australia. I was six at the time, now I'm 48. That means I was probably watching the first or second season.
I still like the show, though I still take issue with the way they pronounce 'z'. :)

~=o>

Heh, this time last year I was being fitted for my hearing aid. Not that I've worn it overly much in the meantime...

Forecast: 10-13
Attained: 11-14

Been waiting for notice of an inspection from the estate agent. Letter arrived today - finally! Date's been set for a couple of weeks ahead. Unfortunately it falls on a day that I would normally have free but this time I've got a work thing on that I really don't want to miss.
Eh, I'll ring and reschedule. Even if the date comes forward a week it shouldn't be a problem, the house is almost ready as it is. :)


~=o>

I've been contemplating sausage making. Doesn't look that hard, and you're guaranteed to know what's in your snags.
Could also make my own sausage stuffer...


~=o>

WARNING FOR PICS OF GIANT SPIDER IN THE FOLLOWING LINK

Joules' tarantula, Rosa, has recently moulted. Joules, because she's the sharing sort, kindly posted pics.
I'm a little bemused by my shuddering horror, to be honest...

Forecast: 8-15
Attained: 10-16

Cubs and I went to see Pixar's (and the Holy Rodent Empire's, I suppose) movie Brave today.
It was so much fun! Well cast, and the animation was as always, superb. I've read some reviews that have said this isn't a particularly good, or innovative additon to Pixar's collection but pfft I say to them, pfft!

Oh, and I'm in love with Angus...

...Merida's gorgeous horse. [happy sigh]

This is a featurette released online. It's not part of the movie but it's so funny!




~=o>

I roll my eyes at the current trend to re-do old movies in 3D - it's a cynical cash grab. I will however be going to see Finding Nemo when it's been converted. Hypocritical? Eh...

~=o>

I've had a big box of pencils lurking around for months, part of my Mum's stash o' stuff. I was going to dump the lot off at an op shop but I sat down and actually looked at what was in there...
Derwents!
I had a set of 24 colours when I was younger, and loved them. Spent probably too much time putting them in order. Happy memories. So, I'll be keeping these after all. :)

Forecast: 4-15
Attained: 3-15

House cleaning, yes! [drumming up enthusiasm. srsly]
Washed the kitchen floor this afternoon. KittenKong reappeared from wherever she'd hied herself off to when the vacuum cleaner came out. She stepped on to the wet floor and gave me a look that was both baffled and slightly accusatory... :)

~=o>

While cleaning up I found a piece of paper from 5 years ago with 'Sons & Daughters - Gilt Complex' written on it. I generally write down the names/artists of songs I hear and like, for further investigation. This one apparently got overlooked. So I checked it out.
Cracking tune!



I have a copy now, of course.

Forecast: 3-14
Attained: 3-14

With no heating in the house sometime's it's so cold you can see your breath. I noticed this evening that it also happens with the cat, little puffs of steam from her nose. It's adorable, and very funny. :)

~=o>

SAD BALLS

[snicker] A pic from xmas 2007, from when we were decorating the tree.

~=o>

I've just rewatched Akira for the first time in years. This was the movie that changed my mind about anime, allowing me to understand just how good it could be. Prior to this I'd only seen Robotech and some dreadful pr0n. (Oh, and even earlier there was Kimba, of course, but I won't hear a word against that one.)





So yes, Akira, I'm still not entirely sure what was going on there at the end but the versatility of the animation still blows me away...

Forecast: 5-14
Attained: 6-12

Heard this on the radio this morning, listening on headphones. Made me laugh out loud. I was in the loo at the time, at work.
Fortunately I was alone...




Best bit:

"They call me the Hiphopopotamus
Flows that glow like phosphorous
Poppin' off the top of this esophagus
Rockin' this metropolis
I'm not a large water-dwelling mammal
Where did you get that preposterous hypothesis?
Did Steve tell you that, perchance?
Steve..."

~=o>

I spend a lot of time online at work, doing actual work related stuff, for the most part, but I still can't resist following shiny links.
I found this! Is pretty damn awesome.

European Southern Observatory.
I spent some time browsing through the Picture of the Week. Wow.

Forecast: 7-14
Attained: 5-13

Hm.





Hee, thought I recognised the voice. [Karl Urban] Not sure that alone would be enough to tempt me to the cinema. Never was a huge fan of "I AM the law."

Forecast: 8-13
Attained: 9-13

What was weird about the Prometheus experience on Monday, was having Bobby McFerrin's 'Don't worry be happy' playing as we left the cinema.
A bit incongruous, yes.

~=o>

Cubs' are usually with their dad on Friday nights but he's o/s for a couple of weeks which means I'm going to lose my time-to-myself. [hand to forehead] But iz ok! Cubs are organising a sleep-over this Friday anyway. :)

Forecast: 8-13
Attained:

Woot, a bonus of school holidays - the local TAFE allows hospital staff to use their carpark! Mwhahahah! It's about a third of the distance of the trek across the park.
Yes, I know the walking is 'good for me' but I don't like it cos I start work grumpy and sweaty...
Wuss? Absolutely.

~=o>

So, Muse is doing the Olympic London Games Theme 2012, are they?
It's a bit OTT even for them! I think they're taking the piss... :)

This is just the music clip, but scroll down for the lyrics.



"...Yes, I am prepared
To stay alive
I won't forgive
Vengeance is mine... "

[snort] Oh yes, very stirring.

I prefer this version.

Forecast: 8-13
Attained: 9-12

Went along with the cubs and their dad today to see Prometheus.
Interesting. Fabulous scenery and cinematography - I'll be miffed if it doesn't win something for that - and the tech was so very cool, human and other alike.
It wasn't as scary as the original two films, but not because we were familiar with the concepts and so had an idea what was likely to make us jump. No, this I felt was a more cerebral horror; there's implications here that make me twitchy, even though I know it's just a movie, really.
It was slow to get started, but to be honest I was so distracted by the scenery I sometimes didn't notice. But then again, I was so distracted at times I missed chunks of plot and dialogue... :)

Still not sure how I feel about David...

Forecast: 7-12
Attained: 7-10

Cubs' birthdays today, though I didn't actually see them for most it as they were off at their dad's for roleplaying.
What did I do with this time to myself? Nap, mostly, and not eat much, not after yesterday's feasting... :)