I vanna be in Tempe

I want to be at the Fiesta Bowl. Gah.

My parents asked me what I wanted for my 25th the other day. They are thinking that since it is my quarter of a century that it should be something big. I told them I would like an iPod. Maybe I will be lucky. My fathers favorite hobby is buying electronic gadgets, regardless of whether they are for himself of for other people, he enjoys finding the best product on offer then finding the cheapest price.

My postcards for Ian and Sven are still waiting to be posting. Gah I need to get off my lazy butt and post them. The post office is only a five minute walk away. The one good thing about this gosh-forsaken small country town is that everything of note isn't a great distance.

Still standing

You know you are out of the way when you are staying in place where the closet ATM is two towns to the west. And what is worst this little rinky dink town is my home town!

Christmas with the relatives... kill pussycat! kill! kill!

Everybody gave me money this Christmas, and as much as I don't want to sound ungrateful, I really do dislike being given money. I just am a suprise person I guess. I don't care if it is some silly two dollar nic-nak from the dollar shop, but I enjoy the suprise.

I don't like it... when they turn my twang around

Did I really grow up with that annoying Queensland twang? Do I still have it? Going to the Capalaba Shopping Center today I noticed everybody had it. I never noticed it before, I guess that is what one gets for living overseas for three years. Did I have it myself? Do I still have it? I even turned to my mum and mentioned that I was somewhat suprised at hearing the twang and she said she was just as suprised as well. Now we'd expected to hear the Australian accent for a while 'cause that is to be expected, but funnily enough the Queensland twang never occured to me, and if it did I would've just dismissed it as something Pauline Hanson had alone and nobody else.

But today at the grand old age of almost 25... I realised everybody in Queensland has it, even Peter Beattie and the newsreporters. Here I was thinking that linguistically Austraila has no regional accents, cause that is what I have always been taught. Weather of not you can count the Queensland twang as a seperate accent is up to debate I guess... but it is there.

I just cannot help wondering if my voice is... well as nasal...

Of course watching the news tonight made me realise why Queenslanders kick ass (and not just against the Cockaroaches in the footy), Premier Peter Beattie was on the news cursing and calling people names and showing people genuine emotion and I was like... good on ya mate!

I guess you just cannot take the Queenslander out of the boy sometimes.

Muggy Muggles

I forgot how humid and muggy Brisbane can be in December. Actually anytime of the year. Even though I grew up here, I am suprised about how much I have forgotten the humidity and heat. Okay subtropics is subtropics, but after spending 9 years in more drying temperate place (even ones with hot summers), I must of forgotten a few things.

I forgot how much dialup sucks though. ARGH!

On the bright side I had my first two meat pies in three years today. Yum. Steak and kidney.

And Fish and Chips tonight!

Aloha

Okay, as much as the trip isn't my wildest dreams, my current situation is so cool I have to share.

I am currently in the Qantas Lounge of the Honolulu International Airport waiting for the plane (leaving in about 20 minutes), on the laptop.

I can see three Japan Airlines planes out their, and mountains behind it. Well as much as you can call O'ahu's ridge a mountain. All in all pretty cool.

I guess you can return to Kansas after all Toto.

Plane leaves in the morning. I am going home back to Australia (via Hawai'i). Why am I not happy at all about it?

Life is like...

You know you have good friends when they are willing to embarrass themselves publicly and sing karoke because you begged them nicely (well if one means used every piece of Jewish guilt I was taught plus a fair helping of being bossy for the term 'begged'... then yeah).

Danny is the best type of friend money cannot buy. Even when he started singing ("Bohemian Rhapsody" no less) and his girlfriend and myself got up to laugh and embarrass him further...) well we both felt guilty and joined him and heck... even lit a lighter.

Some friends just rock.

Said goodbye to Laurie tonight, sweet Laurie. Though remind me never to mention Les Mis to her again, her life resembles Eponine to much as it is, I don't want it to take that final step.

Service at 3rd & Main was terrible shitty tonight, especially after having nothing but impeccable service all of last year. The change over in staff has really turned it into something shitty... like The Bayou.

Service at Green Street rocked though.

Drama at the Peach Pit

I didn't realise how insulated my coat actually is. I left my cell phone in their all day and didn't hear it ring at all. I had like half a dozen missed calls and just as many messages.

On one hand I am suprised that my coat is that insulated that I counldn't hear my phone (which is really loud) ring or feel it vibrate (and it vibrates so hard, Jenna Jameson would be pleased).

On the other I am stoked that the coat I picked up for $20 at a dinky little tourist trap store in San Fransisco is that thick and insulated.

Well Arlyn's little impromptu going away drinks at The Bayour was pretty neat.

And Trotter is pissing me off, not just me, but everybody else. Okay so he lost to Angela on Saturday, don't mean he had to do that dumby spit hate e-mail he sent to everybody. So he rang me up latter (well left a voice message since I missed the call) and said he meant everybody else and not me. Well frankly it did mean me! After all the shit I put up with him and put up from other people for supporting him, what he did was nothing more then a big slap in the face for me! I am livid.

So he was pestering me to repay six dollars I owe him. Okay first of all, considering I have spent over a hundred dollars on him in the past and never asked him to pay me back once, he can be petty over six dollars is beyond me, but now with all this, it makes me dilike him even more! Especially since I am going out of the country at the end of the week.

But I know how to show him that revenge is a dish best served cold. I will leave him the money, but I will give it to Arlyn for him to collect considering he attacked Arlyn the most in his hate filled rant, I think that will be Karma. Plus I will tell him that since my whereabouts isn't going to be garunteed, I will leave it at the closest fixed location for him to collect, and that of course is Arlyn.

Arlyn would enjoy seeing David having to squirm by going to him and ask for something from him.

Nobody fucks with me.

Plus nobody fucks with Megan, she, like me was a big supporter of Trotter and even strained a couple of her friendship by openly supporting him, and she is just as pissed off at him as I am... even I know that you never ever EVER get on Megans bad side. And I thought I was scary when I was pissed and angry. Megan makes me look like a kitten.

Said goodbye to Ellen today. I am going to miss her, out of all the people currently in the circles I traverse, I have known her the longest and she has been nothing but a sweet lovely lady always willing to lend a hand. The world needs more wonderful people like Ellen.

Well Arlyn's going away drinks for me was good as I mentioned before, now Arlyn and I have never clicked friendship wise even after working with him for all this year (well most of it), but we are still pretty good work collegues, and I am rather touched that he wanted, really wanted to do all this for me to see me off.

I found out the Elise is also moving to Australia. Though to Townsville, which doesn't help by being a three days drive from Melbourne, but it will be nice to have somebody in the area...

Happiness and Sadness

I guess all good things sometimes do come to an end. The movers came to the house today and we are currently at the Hilton in Layton. I did the rounds around several of my friends and work collegues today to say goodbyes.

When I got to the Office, I was suprised to see Susie (Thursday receptionist) instead of Val, (Monday Afternoon receptionist). Susie said Val swapped days with her because she was going to a birthday/christmas party. At first I was pretty disapointed, I always had a fabulous time with Val, she is a remarkable old broad (her term as well) and we get along like a house on fire. I thought about ringing her to say goodbyes when lo and behold she ran the office, she was ringing Susie to see if she knew of anybody that could use her children's Jazz tickets tonight as they couldn't go. And Susie, god bless her recommened me for one of them. Of course Val jumped at the chance when she heard I was at the office, so sometimes... karma rocks.

Val has season tickets, and not just her, but two of her kids as well, and they are just not ordinary basketball season tickets, these are 8th row behind the basket tickets. They where awesome! Val gave the other ticket to Arlyn which was pretty neat, Arlyn and I have never been particularly close even though we have worked together for a year, but he offered to throw me a last minute going away party tomorrow night and I was touched. Now only if I can drag Matt there... Of course I doubt if Trotter will come, after his little hissy fit on the weekend he has aliented the few people in the party that still liked him.

Before the game I went to Port O' Call to have beer and dinner with Megan, originally I was going to be there a couple of extra hours, but she understood that the game was a once in a lifetime opportunity and was happy, plus I am going to practically talk to her on the phone for the next several days and see her at least twice more, so there is no need to cry for her.

Alex on the other hand I feel a bit sucky about, he knew straight away when I rang him up I was cancelling on him. It was only coffee, but still... hopefully I can go out with him on Wednesday if I can get in contact with Danny first to push Wednesday back to Friday since I got the fight shedule dates mixed up to begin with.

Alex joked that this is the third time I have cancelled on him, though I swear it was the second, he claims the first time was because I was drunk and I couldn't remember. Okay, that wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilites for me, but still I have an excellent memory, even when under the influence, and the second time was extra-ordinary circumstances even he admitted where completely legitimate. Still I feel like a fink.

Damn it to all heck, why do I have to fall for somebody just as I am leaving to move half way around the world... AGAIN!

Anyway, back to the game. After I picked my ticket up at Will Call, I got to the seat, I was awestrucked. It was fantastic. Val also said when ever X camera was on we'd be directing behind the basket on the television screen, so if any of you watched the Jazz vs Heat game tonight, look for me.

As for the game... okay I admit I am a complete College Football fan, and basketball doesn't have the same effect on me that College Football does, but it was still pretty darn exciting, and to see Shaquille O'Neill in person was pretty cool to. He looks so super skinny though, like he lost alot of weight.

The first quarter the Heat did take the lead, but the Jazz rallied and came back in the second. Though then... the Jazz collapsed, eventually loosing 100-80 (what a nice round whole number). Well it was still fun and I am forever thankfull to Val for giving much a treat, that I shared with her and Arlyn. What I wonderful memorie to remember somebody by.

I might actually attempt to watch a bit more basketball. Traditionally for me, I gather an interest in the sport every four years around the Olympics, then promptly loose interest after that.

Well off to bed, a busy day for me tomorrow.

My damn luck

Why do I fall badly in love with somebody just before I move halfway around the world? Gah, this is the SECOND time this has happened. I wonder if I should admit the feelings and at least be open about it?

Well Frank and Danny threw me a going away party tonight. They are the sweetest people. Betsy came, which I am glad, since she makes me laugh, she finally convinced me to do the Duff Man dance for her after begging me for months. I couldn't resist. Danny's new girlfriend Deedra is the best! After a series of somewhat 'blah' girlfiends that nobody, from us his friend to his sister Betsy didn't like, we all LOVE Deedra. She is da bomb. Especially considering how much Betsy loathed the last gf and how much she loves Deedra... it is good. Though between Deedra, Cathy and Betsy, I have never scene such an animated and long conversation about shoes... it was almost frightening.

Cancelled Entertainment Weekly subscription. Getting a grand total of 8 dollars refunded... weeeee!

I don't think I will see Frank again before I go, which is sad cause he has been such a good friend.

If I catch you playing with matches...

Had Chinese takeout for dinner tonight. The best thing about getting Chinese Takeout is picking it up, cause Bossy Chinese Lady is absolutely the funniest person in the world, whether she is dealing with asshats of customers or just bossing the serving staff or waiting customers around, she is a legend. She is also very sweet and gives coins to the little kids to give to the Buddha.

Fortune Cookie: "There is no remedy for love but to love more in bed".

I got my haircut today, and after months of keeping it long and letting it grow out a bit, I told Missy to shave it all. I am unlikely going to have a haircut due to circumstances for a couple of months and I want to avoid as much as possible growing a moppet on top of my head. It was already irritating long as is was and that was only two weeks over due for a haircut (I left it late so I can get the cut at the last possible moment).

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

I finally saw the movie for the first time the other day (yes, bad Robert, bad), and well... I struggle to actually like it... in fact I hate it.

I don't deny it was more stylish and visually impressive then the first two films, and the camera work was definately to die for, but I don't go to a Harry Potter movie to see fucking cinemotography. I go to see the book live on the big screen, and frankly I just feel that Alfonso Cuarón ripped the heart and soul from the book and turning it into some vision quest of his and not what should be the third chapter in the Harry Potter series.

Okay the first two movies may have not been the greatest cineomatic accomplishments of modern film, but they where in the spirit of the books (okay the clapping for Hagrid at the end of CoS was puke worthy, but for the most part they where). Yes if all three where to be placed side by side PoA would win all the technically stuff, but in terms of story (which really is what we all saw the movie for, I doubt any of us saw it because Cuarón directed some soft-core pornflick called "Y tu mamá también" and where following the director (like people do with Spielberg, Spike Lee et al). We went to see Harry Potter and Co, not Alfonso Cuarón or his "vision".

Cuarón seemed to have zero regard for continuity, major and minor plotlines and all the interpersonal twists. Okay, it is difficult to put them into a two and a half hour film, but Chris Columbus did a pretty good job. So his camera skills and editing are not the greatest, but I came to see Harry Potter, not Citizen Kane. All Cuarón seemed to have any regard for was his ego and vision, and I felt it made the movie suffer in the end.

I was just like an empty christmas box. All pretty and decrative, and it definately looks lovely, but open it up and you see it is empty and hollow inside.

Like totally freak me out...

I, like alot of people enjoy reading those "You know you are (insert location/age/time period/et cetera)", and I came across a "You know you are a child of the 80s when..." and pretty much enjoyed it (Care Bears, My Little Ponies, bad clothing, Molly Ringwald) until I game to one particular listed option towards the end:

"You wanted He-Man and She-Ra to hook up"

Like EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! YUK! YUK! YUK!

Okay back in the day I was a huge He-Man fan. I had all the collectable toy figurines AND I had both the Castle Greyskull and Snake Mountain Fortress sets. I was pretty into it.

When I was like eight or nine my mother gave alway all my He-Man action figures and Castles and give them to some friends kids. I don't think I have ever forgiven her for that. Nor the Original Star Wars Figurines my Aunt swears she gave me, but I honestly don't remember ever having.

Heck, I have even saw "Masters of the Universe" when Courtney Cox was pre-"Friends"!!! (Though I have to admit it sucked). Even back then it looked like the horrid mangled love-child of "The Dark Crystal" and "Superman" with none of the good stuff that made those two movies great!.

I remember when I was five years old, a breakfast cereal was doing some sort of cross-promotions by sticking stickers of the characters in the box. For weeks and weeks on end I kept getting Evil-Lyn! I could never get a different sticker! I always week after week I kept getting Evil-Lyn! My neighbour kept getting Ram Man stickers, so at one stage we swapped.

Of course I have so many memories from He-Man. Like I always thought Evil-Lyn was a much cooler character then The Sorceress who I find even back then to be drippy and to much of a goody-two-shoes. These days I look at Evil-Lyn and think she must of been what Matt Greoning was watching the day he invented "The Simpsons" since she is yellow and looks like one!

Also I hated Cringer/Battlecat and thought he was a waste and who's only use was to be served with gravey and a side of vegetables on the dinner table. Also I couldn't stand Orko either. I wanted to use him as a dish rag or hang him up on a wire hanger (just obviously not at Joan Crawford's place).

Heh, those where the days.

Of course back to the original reason as to why that "You know you are a child of the 80s when..." was so gross, cause in case you couldn't remember, He-Man and She-Ra where BROTHER AND SISTER!!! And unless the producers wanted to only appeal to those in Eastern Kentucky, it was bloody likely never going to happen!

Hmm... now after all this... I want my Damn Action Figures and Castles back! Argh! I am so pissed with my mother!