Brandon e-mailed me this
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
visited 4 countries-
like to visit 70 countriesThursday, September 22, 2005
Midnight snacks
I was making a midnight snack (well I didn't make it, I opened a can of tinned pineapple) and it got me thinking back to those Enid Blyton books I use to read as a child. At one point I was really into her to the point where I wanted my parents to send me to boarding school because it sounded so golly fun!
Well anyway, as a kid I was always stumpted at why all these girls at boarding school would go on a midnight snack binge and one of them would bring along a tin of peaches. And to make things more interesting all the other girls would go 'Good golly Susie, smart thinking!', 'Goodness me, what a treat!' or some other incredibly gay and lame remark like that (oh I still remember them all, but damned if I can even remember to return my library books on time). I always wondered why anybody would be so stupid as to bring a tin of peaches to a midnight snack party, yet here I am 20 years later having my own midnight snacks of various tinned fruit. I know realise tinned peaches are great - cheap, don't go off quickly, healthyish...
Actually those midnight feast confused me for other reasons. It always baffled me how during the midnight feasts in Enid Blyton books they were always "Gracious! Sardine sandwiches! How super!" I can't think of anything more disgusting. And why eat healthy food when you're sneaking out of your dormitory to stuff your face at midnight?
Sadly that even half of my Enid moments lately. The other day I was reading a book, nothing grand but some characters goes out for a walk in the countryside with a brown paper bag with bread, water and some apples in them. Anyway, minor plot point, but my first thought was, that if it was an Enid Blyton book there would be some cheese, potted meat (and probably hard-boiled eggs) in that paper bag. But of course if it was an Enid Blyton book, someone would inevitably have to remark "Food tastes so much better in the open air!" cheerily just before they found a lame squirrel/badger/otter, tamed it and called it Scamper.
Of course it took me for years to figure out what potted meat even was. Sounded like something you'd have in the garden.
Plus it was always brothers and sisters going out for picnics or bike rides together like they where the best of friends. Frankly at that age I was more likely to fight, kick and pull the hair of my brother and sister then actually do something as incredibly lame as go on a picnic with them.
Well anyway, as a kid I was always stumpted at why all these girls at boarding school would go on a midnight snack binge and one of them would bring along a tin of peaches. And to make things more interesting all the other girls would go 'Good golly Susie, smart thinking!', 'Goodness me, what a treat!' or some other incredibly gay and lame remark like that (oh I still remember them all, but damned if I can even remember to return my library books on time). I always wondered why anybody would be so stupid as to bring a tin of peaches to a midnight snack party, yet here I am 20 years later having my own midnight snacks of various tinned fruit. I know realise tinned peaches are great - cheap, don't go off quickly, healthyish...
Actually those midnight feast confused me for other reasons. It always baffled me how during the midnight feasts in Enid Blyton books they were always "Gracious! Sardine sandwiches! How super!" I can't think of anything more disgusting. And why eat healthy food when you're sneaking out of your dormitory to stuff your face at midnight?
Sadly that even half of my Enid moments lately. The other day I was reading a book, nothing grand but some characters goes out for a walk in the countryside with a brown paper bag with bread, water and some apples in them. Anyway, minor plot point, but my first thought was, that if it was an Enid Blyton book there would be some cheese, potted meat (and probably hard-boiled eggs) in that paper bag. But of course if it was an Enid Blyton book, someone would inevitably have to remark "Food tastes so much better in the open air!" cheerily just before they found a lame squirrel/badger/otter, tamed it and called it Scamper.
Of course it took me for years to figure out what potted meat even was. Sounded like something you'd have in the garden.
Plus it was always brothers and sisters going out for picnics or bike rides together like they where the best of friends. Frankly at that age I was more likely to fight, kick and pull the hair of my brother and sister then actually do something as incredibly lame as go on a picnic with them.
Monday, September 19, 2005
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Rugby League and Me
Yes this is going to be a post about sports. Feel free to skip it.
It is final season and it has been difficult enough to follow the Rugby
League (which I will simply call football/footie simply because that is
what I first think of when somebody says 'football' - not Soccer,
Aussie Rules, American Football or Rugby Union), anyway it has been
difficult enough to follow it in Aussie Rules riddled Melbourne, but
even more difficult since I really don't care for any of the teams.
Yes as somebody that grew up with Rugby League in Queensland - a state
that lives and breathes the sport - I don't have a team. My hometown,
other then one imfamous politican is only known from the Rugby League
players it has produced, Allan Langer and the Walters brothers being
the most famous of them all.
Why don't I have a team? Basically two things happened at once - The Super League War
and my disgust with the entire débâcle and moving to Melbourne (which
as previously mentioned is as un-Rugby League as you could possibly get
in Australia).
My entire family are Broncos supporters. I mean for the the most part
they are pretty hard core, yet I cannot stand the smarmy bastards.
Which is a pity, since for the most part they where the only option I
had for a team in Queensland (well not counting the pathetic Gold Coast
team who'd consider a good year in one they finish second last on the
ladder - they where so bad they make the Rabbitohs look good).
For the most part in my childhood I was a complete bandwagoner and
follower with teams - basically anybody but the Broncos, I recall at
various points supporting Canberra, St. George and Manly-Warringah
(that last one I now find highly embarrassing).
In 1995 Queensland got two new teams which was good - since I could
finally support a Queensland team, my natural base of support - look at
all my other sporting teams I support:
Cricket: Queensland Bulls
Basketball: Brisbane Bullets
Soccer: Brisbane Strikers (now Queensland Roar - anyway Australian Soccer is beyond fucked)
Aussie Rules: Brisbane Lions.
Get the pattern? Now liking a bunch of Cockroach teams had more to do
with being simply anti-Broncos then liking any of them (and frankly
what Queenslander would lower themselves to such levels outside of
childhood that is).
Heck, when Brisbane won the Grand Final for the first time I did get some small smug satisfaction in that the team that most Sydneysiders treated as the red-headed bastard step-child of the League got one up on them. I epsecially hated alot of the crap that went along the lines of 'the Broncos ain't a real team/we invited them to join, we can kick them out anytime we want'.
No you couldn't. As much as I disliked the Broncos I have to admit the one thing they are good at is being a good player team as well as a cash cow. The Broncos make most of the Sydney teams look like poor cousins. It was complete and utter jealousy.
Anyway, Super League pretty much was killing my interest in the sport when I moved to Melbourne, which in turned opened my eyes to the delights of Aussie Rules (previously I'd pretty much took the sport as nothing but a bunch of
poofters jumping on each other in short-shorts). Yet even in Melbourne
I still supported the home team - the Brisbane Bears cum Lions.
Well basically with Super League finally fading into the background I
have gotten interested in Rugby League again, but of course I have the
issue of liking the sport by having nobody to follow.
Melbourne Storm would be the natural team but basically I cannot
support them because they are a Super League team (and not just that
but a team specifically created by the folks at Super League and not an
existing team that simply defected). Yes, 10 years later I am still
bitter and resentful and will not let go. Also proberly why I will not
touch such teams as the North Queensland Cowboys with a ten foot poll.
Yes I hated Super League, but that is not to say the ARL didn't have it
coming to them. After all Ken Arthurs was a little prick who viewed us
Queenslanders as nothing but stupid hicks. Frankly the one good thing
about Super League was wiping that annoying smirk off his face. Yes the
(then) face of Rugby League had way to many Sydney teams in it and it
was too bloated and was in good need of a trimming, but Super League
went about it all the wrong way. But what do I know, I am just a fan.
Or was a fan.
Of course when you have a war with Kerry Packer on one side and Rupert
Murdoch on the other it is the case of either way you loose.
The worst thing about Super League was all the players crying that they
where being screwed and not getting paid enough for their talents. Oh
god. Mel Meninga was the worse. The guy was the bloody worse. Yap yap
yap, whine whine whine. Somebody please pass me the worlds smallest
violin. Heck one of the reasons I disliked Super League from the get-go
was basically 'cause he was front row and center in its creation!
So basically teams like Storm, Broncos, Raiders, Cowboys, Warriors,
Bulldogs, Sharks and Panthers are out. Of course I may mention the last
three teams are just evil to begin with thus I wouldn't support them
anyway.
So who does that leave?
Manly-Warringah? Fat chance.
Parramatta? The chokers? I rather watch Jana Novotna in a final.
Rabbitohs? Loooooooooooosers. Plus Russell Crowe is like there number one fan. 'Nuff said.
St. George-Illawarra? Get back to me when the name doesn't take a week to say.
Newcastle? Bogan central.
Wests: They make Newcastle look intelligent.
Roosters: Now lets not get stupid.
Basically I am of the age where I know I have no interest of ever
supporting a Sydney team. In fact any cochroach team is pretty off
limits.
Lets not even get started on the new Gold Coast team they are
readmitting into the competition. I mean after the dubious history of
the last failed effort, I am suprised they are trying again. I mean
they must be sado-masochists or something.
Admitting a third Queensland team is needed, but putting it on the Gold
Coast really is going about it the complete wrong way. What we need is
a second Brisbane team. The Crushers died because of the Super League
war, if they where nutured properly they could've gone somewhere.
Well I just guess I'll have to get use to the fact I am a man without a team.
It is final season and it has been difficult enough to follow the Rugby
League (which I will simply call football/footie simply because that is
what I first think of when somebody says 'football' - not Soccer,
Aussie Rules, American Football or Rugby Union), anyway it has been
difficult enough to follow it in Aussie Rules riddled Melbourne, but
even more difficult since I really don't care for any of the teams.
Yes as somebody that grew up with Rugby League in Queensland - a state
that lives and breathes the sport - I don't have a team. My hometown,
other then one imfamous politican is only known from the Rugby League
players it has produced, Allan Langer and the Walters brothers being
the most famous of them all.
Why don't I have a team? Basically two things happened at once - The Super League War
and my disgust with the entire débâcle and moving to Melbourne (which
as previously mentioned is as un-Rugby League as you could possibly get
in Australia).
My entire family are Broncos supporters. I mean for the the most part
they are pretty hard core, yet I cannot stand the smarmy bastards.
Which is a pity, since for the most part they where the only option I
had for a team in Queensland (well not counting the pathetic Gold Coast
team who'd consider a good year in one they finish second last on the
ladder - they where so bad they make the Rabbitohs look good).
For the most part in my childhood I was a complete bandwagoner and
follower with teams - basically anybody but the Broncos, I recall at
various points supporting Canberra, St. George and Manly-Warringah
(that last one I now find highly embarrassing).
In 1995 Queensland got two new teams which was good - since I could
finally support a Queensland team, my natural base of support - look at
all my other sporting teams I support:
Cricket: Queensland Bulls
Basketball: Brisbane Bullets
Soccer: Brisbane Strikers (now Queensland Roar - anyway Australian Soccer is beyond fucked)
Aussie Rules: Brisbane Lions.
Get the pattern? Now liking a bunch of Cockroach teams had more to do
with being simply anti-Broncos then liking any of them (and frankly
what Queenslander would lower themselves to such levels outside of
childhood that is).
Heck, when Brisbane won the Grand Final for the first time I did get some small smug satisfaction in that the team that most Sydneysiders treated as the red-headed bastard step-child of the League got one up on them. I epsecially hated alot of the crap that went along the lines of 'the Broncos ain't a real team/we invited them to join, we can kick them out anytime we want'.
No you couldn't. As much as I disliked the Broncos I have to admit the one thing they are good at is being a good player team as well as a cash cow. The Broncos make most of the Sydney teams look like poor cousins. It was complete and utter jealousy.
Anyway, Super League pretty much was killing my interest in the sport when I moved to Melbourne, which in turned opened my eyes to the delights of Aussie Rules (previously I'd pretty much took the sport as nothing but a bunch of
poofters jumping on each other in short-shorts). Yet even in Melbourne
I still supported the home team - the Brisbane Bears cum Lions.
Well basically with Super League finally fading into the background I
have gotten interested in Rugby League again, but of course I have the
issue of liking the sport by having nobody to follow.
Melbourne Storm would be the natural team but basically I cannot
support them because they are a Super League team (and not just that
but a team specifically created by the folks at Super League and not an
existing team that simply defected). Yes, 10 years later I am still
bitter and resentful and will not let go. Also proberly why I will not
touch such teams as the North Queensland Cowboys with a ten foot poll.
Yes I hated Super League, but that is not to say the ARL didn't have it
coming to them. After all Ken Arthurs was a little prick who viewed us
Queenslanders as nothing but stupid hicks. Frankly the one good thing
about Super League was wiping that annoying smirk off his face. Yes the
(then) face of Rugby League had way to many Sydney teams in it and it
was too bloated and was in good need of a trimming, but Super League
went about it all the wrong way. But what do I know, I am just a fan.
Or was a fan.
Of course when you have a war with Kerry Packer on one side and Rupert
Murdoch on the other it is the case of either way you loose.
The worst thing about Super League was all the players crying that they
where being screwed and not getting paid enough for their talents. Oh
god. Mel Meninga was the worse. The guy was the bloody worse. Yap yap
yap, whine whine whine. Somebody please pass me the worlds smallest
violin. Heck one of the reasons I disliked Super League from the get-go
was basically 'cause he was front row and center in its creation!
So basically teams like Storm, Broncos, Raiders, Cowboys, Warriors,
Bulldogs, Sharks and Panthers are out. Of course I may mention the last
three teams are just evil to begin with thus I wouldn't support them
anyway.
So who does that leave?
Manly-Warringah? Fat chance.
Parramatta? The chokers? I rather watch Jana Novotna in a final.
Rabbitohs? Loooooooooooosers. Plus Russell Crowe is like there number one fan. 'Nuff said.
St. George-Illawarra? Get back to me when the name doesn't take a week to say.
Newcastle? Bogan central.
Wests: They make Newcastle look intelligent.
Roosters: Now lets not get stupid.
Basically I am of the age where I know I have no interest of ever
supporting a Sydney team. In fact any cochroach team is pretty off
limits.
Lets not even get started on the new Gold Coast team they are
readmitting into the competition. I mean after the dubious history of
the last failed effort, I am suprised they are trying again. I mean
they must be sado-masochists or something.
Admitting a third Queensland team is needed, but putting it on the Gold
Coast really is going about it the complete wrong way. What we need is
a second Brisbane team. The Crushers died because of the Super League
war, if they where nutured properly they could've gone somewhere.
Well I just guess I'll have to get use to the fact I am a man without a team.
Friday, September 09, 2005
I weep for my generation.
Talking about the new "Battlestar Galatica" (Yes I am a fan, so sue me)
:p Somebody mentioned how they'd like it to end. And I snarkily
said:
I'd like them to see earth, and start picking up transmissions, Adama
asks Dee to play them over loudspeakers or screens or whatever and we
hear:
"US to boycott Moscow Olympics", "Reagan beats Carter", "...and the Oscar goes to "Kramer vs Kramer".
Nobody got it, not because of the source material it related to but
because they didn't remember when all those events took place (Well I
suppose both are mutally exclusive). I mean the first two you should
know. The third I will grant but one should at least get a clue by that
stage! Not knowing simply history.
The earth is doomed.
:p Somebody mentioned how they'd like it to end. And I snarkily
said:
I'd like them to see earth, and start picking up transmissions, Adama
asks Dee to play them over loudspeakers or screens or whatever and we
hear:
"US to boycott Moscow Olympics", "Reagan beats Carter", "...and the Oscar goes to "Kramer vs Kramer".
Nobody got it, not because of the source material it related to but
because they didn't remember when all those events took place (Well I
suppose both are mutally exclusive). I mean the first two you should
know. The third I will grant but one should at least get a clue by that
stage! Not knowing simply history.
The earth is doomed.
Snoozle en Snizzle
Chris: I look like such a goober in that shot
Robert: I don't know... snot tends to be slinkier
Chris: This is true
Chris: But that's "Booger"
Robert: goober, booger, boogie, it is all snot to me
Chris: No it snot
Chris: HAW!
Robert: I don't know... snot tends to be slinkier
Chris: This is true
Chris: But that's "Booger"
Robert: goober, booger, boogie, it is all snot to me
Chris: No it snot
Chris: HAW!
Friday, September 02, 2005
Pinch and punch for first of month
Two dozen bottles of wine under my bed and nobody to drink it with.
I mean seriously somebody upstairs has a real evil sense of humour.
I mean seriously somebody upstairs has a real evil sense of humour.
Monday, August 29, 2005
Crossing Jordan
Robert: So you got a guy at the moment (havn't read any LJs in the last couple of days - real life - urgh, but last time I checked you seem to have had one). I think that is awesome, of course it takes one cute guy off the market for the rest of us ;-)
Jordan: i dunno, he's not my boyfriend. we're doing the best friends (with really, really amazing benefits) thing
Robert: the benefits... oooh... well that is good I suppose. wait, didn't Melissa Manchester sing a song about that? :p
Jordan: lol
Jordan: i dunno, he's not my boyfriend. we're doing the best friends (with really, really amazing benefits) thing
Robert: the benefits... oooh... well that is good I suppose. wait, didn't Melissa Manchester sing a song about that? :p
Jordan: lol
Saturday, August 27, 2005
My button
My friend Megan owns a button making machine (She purchased it earlier this year when she was running for a minor political office). She asked what would I want. The converstation went a little something like this:
Megan: You gotta come up with your own sologan
Robert: When in doubt take it out? :p
Megan: That's good!
Robert: LOL. I was being facetious
Robert: Wait a second... "I was being facetious" is ME
Yeah, "I was being facetious" truly does describes me!
Megan: You gotta come up with your own sologan
Robert: When in doubt take it out? :p
Megan: That's good!
Robert: LOL. I was being facetious
Robert: Wait a second... "I was being facetious" is ME
Yeah, "I was being facetious" truly does describes me!
My mother, the table manners nazi.
People often compliment my manners when I go out to dinner with people. I politely thank them and smirk on the inside.
Why? Because basically I have these good table manners because my mother was the table manners nazi. I mean even to this day I cannot go to a resturant with her without her making a comment about how I am eating to fast, eating to slow, have to much on my fork, not using my knife, elbows are on the table proberly et cetera et cetera et cetera. I mean I am sitting there acting like a civilized human when everybody around me (at all the other tables) are eating like it is communal troth day at the pig farm.
I am not saying it is a bad thing, I just find it amusing. I mean I am actually really grateful she installed these table manners in me. I mean I have lost count of the time I have gone to a resturant with friends and my dinner has arrived first or in the middle and I have not started to eat (waiting instead for everybodies food to arrive at the table) and being basically bullied by my friends to start eating (trust me 20+ years of being taught not to eat until everybody is served makes it incredibly difficult to start eating - and even then I will just normally nibble on the fries or one of the sides).
I remember every single one of my mothers barbs she use to give whenever we went out to a resturant to eat. Tonight I went to Fasta Pasta with my parents for dinner (suprisingly considering its name, the place is actually a rather nice sit-down resturant) and she even made a few barbs tonight about how uncivilized I was for not cutting up my lettuce before consuming it (I admit she proberly had a point, I was just being to lazy to cut it up) and using my fingers to eat my calamari rings (I am sorry but the day I use a fork to eat a calamari ring is the day the world blows up).
Ah, as much as I like to whinge, I am quiet thankful (very thankful) in fact I was taught all this. Heck how else would've I learnt to suck up those last droplets of drink in a cup without slurping it (trick is to bite the straw). Not to mention if a person was ever to say something mean and nasty about me, the one thing they cannot complain about is how I present myself at the dinner table!
Why? Because basically I have these good table manners because my mother was the table manners nazi. I mean even to this day I cannot go to a resturant with her without her making a comment about how I am eating to fast, eating to slow, have to much on my fork, not using my knife, elbows are on the table proberly et cetera et cetera et cetera. I mean I am sitting there acting like a civilized human when everybody around me (at all the other tables) are eating like it is communal troth day at the pig farm.
I am not saying it is a bad thing, I just find it amusing. I mean I am actually really grateful she installed these table manners in me. I mean I have lost count of the time I have gone to a resturant with friends and my dinner has arrived first or in the middle and I have not started to eat (waiting instead for everybodies food to arrive at the table) and being basically bullied by my friends to start eating (trust me 20+ years of being taught not to eat until everybody is served makes it incredibly difficult to start eating - and even then I will just normally nibble on the fries or one of the sides).
I remember every single one of my mothers barbs she use to give whenever we went out to a resturant to eat. Tonight I went to Fasta Pasta with my parents for dinner (suprisingly considering its name, the place is actually a rather nice sit-down resturant) and she even made a few barbs tonight about how uncivilized I was for not cutting up my lettuce before consuming it (I admit she proberly had a point, I was just being to lazy to cut it up) and using my fingers to eat my calamari rings (I am sorry but the day I use a fork to eat a calamari ring is the day the world blows up).
Ah, as much as I like to whinge, I am quiet thankful (very thankful) in fact I was taught all this. Heck how else would've I learnt to suck up those last droplets of drink in a cup without slurping it (trick is to bite the straw). Not to mention if a person was ever to say something mean and nasty about me, the one thing they cannot complain about is how I present myself at the dinner table!
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
The Inner Nerd in Me.
My Top 10 Science-Fiction Films:
1. Metropolis (1927)
2. Brazil (1985)
3. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
4. Total Recall (1990)
5. THX 1138 (1971)
6. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
7. Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)
8. Alien (1979)
9. Twelve Monkeys (1995)
10. Akira (1988)
This list is of course subjective and just my opinion. I think tomorrow or when I have the time, I will list my Top 10 pre-code films.
1. Metropolis (1927)
2. Brazil (1985)
3. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
4. Total Recall (1990)
5. THX 1138 (1971)
6. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
7. Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)
8. Alien (1979)
9. Twelve Monkeys (1995)
10. Akira (1988)
This list is of course subjective and just my opinion. I think tomorrow or when I have the time, I will list my Top 10 pre-code films.
Good times, bad times, in-between
I feel like my life is 'in-between' at the moment, neither good, nor bad, but just... 'inbetween'.
Bah. Guess I just need my friends, 'cause you know that your friends are always there, my friends will see me through.
At the risk of getting sappy like a tweeny-girl, I'll change the topic.
Saw "Taxi" on DVD with Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon. My Gosh, I just LOVE Queen Latifah. She could read chemistry text books and I'd adore her. Then again hearing Queen go Reverse Osmosis on me would also rock because I would be thermodynamically favorable and equilibrium will be reached.
Bad science nerd joke alert. Wark Wark Wark.
Bah. Guess I just need my friends, 'cause you know that your friends are always there, my friends will see me through.
At the risk of getting sappy like a tweeny-girl, I'll change the topic.
Saw "Taxi" on DVD with Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon. My Gosh, I just LOVE Queen Latifah. She could read chemistry text books and I'd adore her. Then again hearing Queen go Reverse Osmosis on me would also rock because I would be thermodynamically favorable and equilibrium will be reached.
Bad science nerd joke alert. Wark Wark Wark.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Drama, or lack of it
I swear sometimes I am the only person I know that doesn't have any major drama happening in their life at the moment. I mean ever time I chat to Megan back in Utah it is always something new and dramatic going on in her life. And it isn't just her, all my friends are like Drama whores!
I mean, is it wrong of me to be that... drama-less? When reality television makes more drama then I have at the moment... almost makes me miss Portland... almost.
I just learnt yesterday another friend is getting a divorce... at 21. Not that I want either, but am I missing the boat or something?
I mean, is it wrong of me to be that... drama-less? When reality television makes more drama then I have at the moment... almost makes me miss Portland... almost.
I just learnt yesterday another friend is getting a divorce... at 21. Not that I want either, but am I missing the boat or something?
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
New pet peeve
Going to the library, borrowing out a book, it is a part of a series and you go to the library to find the next book only to discover the library doesn't have it!
I don't mean new releases or near-new releases, I mean books that have been out for years! This has happened to be TWICE now. And since both times involve the same author I have to wonder.
The first time involves a triology the guy wrote 10 years ago. The first two books are there and I read 'em. Third book? Nope.
Then recently I got out another book which was book one in a duology. When I looked for the second book (the first book left on a real cliffhanger), did they have it?
NO!
I don't mean new releases or near-new releases, I mean books that have been out for years! This has happened to be TWICE now. And since both times involve the same author I have to wonder.
The first time involves a triology the guy wrote 10 years ago. The first two books are there and I read 'em. Third book? Nope.
Then recently I got out another book which was book one in a duology. When I looked for the second book (the first book left on a real cliffhanger), did they have it?
NO!
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Memories about bread.
I was one of Jesse's latest blog entry and he was talking about how he tends to buy food, if on special in bulk (his latest is 30+ boxes according to the photo, of soft-drink (in the 12 pack boxes) because there was a special at Albertsons for like 5 boxes for $10. At the end of it he made a quip that when zombies attack the world, I will have enough food to last for 2 months.
It got me to thinking. When we where growing up everybody use to tease my mother for buying bread in bulk (and then putting it in the deep freeze). Well she ended up getting the last laugh. In about August 2001, there was some sort of explosion at one of the Gas Power Plants or something in Eastern Victoria which supplied the vast majority of gas to Melbourne. It basically meant no hot water for a month and the entire population of Melbourne being a little bit stinky for several weeks. Of course I managed to take showers at my University at the time (I didn't live on campus, but I manged to do it all the same). I don't remember if it was because the showers where heated from an electrical sourse or where supplied via a Gas Station in Western Victoria (this was when I had classes at Geelong, not Burwood, since Burwood is clearly in Melbourne).
Anyway I degress. Another side-effect of the gas-crisis was we pretty much had a mini-collapse of the baking industry since I gather most bread is baked in gas-fired ovens. Most of the supermarkets like Safeway, Franklins and Coles put a 2-loaf limit on purchases of bread but that didn't stop the bread running out and until they managed to get some supplies flown in from interstate, there was pretty much no bread in the state.
Of course my mother was sitting back smiling because she had a freezer full of bread from buying alot of it in bulk previously. I guess mothers are all knowing or something.
I still hate eating bread that has come out of the freezer of course, but I never teased my mother for stockpiling and deep freezing bread ever again.
It got me to thinking. When we where growing up everybody use to tease my mother for buying bread in bulk (and then putting it in the deep freeze). Well she ended up getting the last laugh. In about August 2001, there was some sort of explosion at one of the Gas Power Plants or something in Eastern Victoria which supplied the vast majority of gas to Melbourne. It basically meant no hot water for a month and the entire population of Melbourne being a little bit stinky for several weeks. Of course I managed to take showers at my University at the time (I didn't live on campus, but I manged to do it all the same). I don't remember if it was because the showers where heated from an electrical sourse or where supplied via a Gas Station in Western Victoria (this was when I had classes at Geelong, not Burwood, since Burwood is clearly in Melbourne).
Anyway I degress. Another side-effect of the gas-crisis was we pretty much had a mini-collapse of the baking industry since I gather most bread is baked in gas-fired ovens. Most of the supermarkets like Safeway, Franklins and Coles put a 2-loaf limit on purchases of bread but that didn't stop the bread running out and until they managed to get some supplies flown in from interstate, there was pretty much no bread in the state.
Of course my mother was sitting back smiling because she had a freezer full of bread from buying alot of it in bulk previously. I guess mothers are all knowing or something.
I still hate eating bread that has come out of the freezer of course, but I never teased my mother for stockpiling and deep freezing bread ever again.
Saturday, July 16, 2005
I feel like a dunderhead sometimes.
I saw Jesse's new formated blog and I realise how techno-illerate I am. I don't even know how to do any cool features for my blog, heck I don't even know how to put a sidebar up linking to friends blogs (I feel embarrassed that sweet Anne has a link to me on her site, but I have yet to figure out how to do it on my site!
Saything that, what ever nerd points I lost for not even knowning the simplest HTML, I have earnt back by watching all 13 new episodes of Dr Who over the last couple of days.
May I have Captain Jack for Christmas?
Saything that, what ever nerd points I lost for not even knowning the simplest HTML, I have earnt back by watching all 13 new episodes of Dr Who over the last couple of days.
May I have Captain Jack for Christmas?
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Good or Bad?
I am having alot of fun and games with the Google Earth, but what was the first place I looked for on it? My house? My old house? The White House?
No.
First thing I looked for was the Big Brother House.
And I was disapointed the map is old at is clearly must be last years house! (At least I assume since I didn't watch BB04 - but the house only has one continuous backyard while this years has two - the normal backyard and the FNL/animal area.
Gee, it pretty far away from Dreamworld. I didn't realise.
No.
First thing I looked for was the Big Brother House.
And I was disapointed the map is old at is clearly must be last years house! (At least I assume since I didn't watch BB04 - but the house only has one continuous backyard while this years has two - the normal backyard and the FNL/animal area.
Gee, it pretty far away from Dreamworld. I didn't realise.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Amazingly Stupid Thoughts
I think beauty pageants need some basic reforms. Why is it that Miss America can never solve world hunger? It's simple. Two words: term limits. Miss America only has one year to solve world hunger. Even the president of the US has possibly 8 years to solve US problems but how is a lady suppose to fix a world problem such as hunger in a single year? You'd think that after a hundred years of beauty pageants that world hunger would be a thing of the past.
A few years ago, a Miss Universe from a Latin American country (I dont remember which) caused some controversy after she gained a few pounds after winning Miss Universe. What's wrong with that? She was simply solving world hunger. If I starved myself to be a Miss Universe contestant, I too would be motherfucking hungry.
A few years ago, a Miss Universe from a Latin American country (I dont remember which) caused some controversy after she gained a few pounds after winning Miss Universe. What's wrong with that? She was simply solving world hunger. If I starved myself to be a Miss Universe contestant, I too would be motherfucking hungry.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
In Rod we Trust
Another classic episode of "The Simpsons" was just on. This time it was 1F13 - "Deep Space Homer". I am actually one of the few fans that refuse to admit that "The Simpsons" has jumped the shark, but there definately has been a rather noticable drop in quality in recent years.
Who cannot love the inanimate carbon rod?
Who cannot love the inanimate carbon rod?
The Dogs
My two Jack Russells are playing some type of game at the moment. They are growling at each other for the ownership of the tennisball (which is currently sitting between them) even though we have several other tennis balls in the house and yard. They are so cute.
Friday, June 17, 2005
Ch-ch-change
I finally changed my Utah Drivers License over to a Victorian one today. I am kind of shocked at how easy it turned out to be - basically I filled out the paper work, presented my old license and a couple of forms of ID and badda-boom, badda-bang, I am now legally allowed to drive in Australia on a full license.
This weirds me out because Victoria is suppose to have some of the strictest and toughest rules and regulations around before you get your license. I was expecting to do something, but nadda! No written exam, no driving exam! Heck, no eye-sight test!
It also means due to living in the US I never have been on a Probationary license. I was still on my learners before moving to the States, where I jumped straight to a full license because of my age, and moving back to Australia I skipped even doing Ps all together.
License photo is rather morose though. But scarily enough this was not the worst Identity photo ever taken. Those honours still go to my Herman Munster Passport photo and bright-red ski-burn Utah Drivers License photo (but oh the skiing was so worth it!).
This weirds me out because Victoria is suppose to have some of the strictest and toughest rules and regulations around before you get your license. I was expecting to do something, but nadda! No written exam, no driving exam! Heck, no eye-sight test!
It also means due to living in the US I never have been on a Probationary license. I was still on my learners before moving to the States, where I jumped straight to a full license because of my age, and moving back to Australia I skipped even doing Ps all together.
License photo is rather morose though. But scarily enough this was not the worst Identity photo ever taken. Those honours still go to my Herman Munster Passport photo and bright-red ski-burn Utah Drivers License photo (but oh the skiing was so worth it!).
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Strange things happen when you're going 'round the twist
Queensland was fun. I think that is the first time I have ever used the words "Queensland" and "fun" in the same sentence. I know to practically all non-Queenslanders in the world, the state is a tropical paradise, but I just don't see the place the same way. I guess being born and raised there (not to mention being Maroon to the bone - Go Cane Toads!) just makes you see the place differently.
I guess it is the same way for those people that grew up/live in Florida or SoCal.
I was definately my username for the entire week. Saint!Robert was alive and kicking. And I hated it. I much prefer being Evil!Robert. Gah. Thank Jeebus for that. I'd go insane if I had to do that act for more then short periods of times.
While I did enjoy my stay (seriously) I did get bored. Everybody else except for me seem to have something to do to occupy themselves in setting up the engagement party. I for the most part slacked at my brothers house for those few days. I asked to do stuff, I hate just sitting around but there was I was offered nothing (I seriously think some people still consider all this party organisation to be 'women's work' and thus no place for the burly men who just drink beer and talk about Rugby League).
This is how bored I got. My brother isn't June Cleever and since getting pregnant, his fiancee hasn't felt like doing much housework (I do feel bad for her, she definately got the shot end of the morning sickness stick... or morning, afternoon and evening sickness in reality).
So I, even without them asking, did there dishes, did their laundry, hung the washing out on the line (and there was several loads) swepted the floors, vacuumed the carpets. Heck I would've mowed the lawn and painted the walls if need - but thankfully my Bree Van Der Kamp mood didn't need to extend that for - the grass and the walls were pretty AOK.
Got back yesterday which was a little funny, since the plane got in at 8.35am. Hard to think I was alseep two states away only a few hours previously.
I guess it is the same way for those people that grew up/live in Florida or SoCal.
I was definately my username for the entire week. Saint!Robert was alive and kicking. And I hated it. I much prefer being Evil!Robert. Gah. Thank Jeebus for that. I'd go insane if I had to do that act for more then short periods of times.
While I did enjoy my stay (seriously) I did get bored. Everybody else except for me seem to have something to do to occupy themselves in setting up the engagement party. I for the most part slacked at my brothers house for those few days. I asked to do stuff, I hate just sitting around but there was I was offered nothing (I seriously think some people still consider all this party organisation to be 'women's work' and thus no place for the burly men who just drink beer and talk about Rugby League).
This is how bored I got. My brother isn't June Cleever and since getting pregnant, his fiancee hasn't felt like doing much housework (I do feel bad for her, she definately got the shot end of the morning sickness stick... or morning, afternoon and evening sickness in reality).
So I, even without them asking, did there dishes, did their laundry, hung the washing out on the line (and there was several loads) swepted the floors, vacuumed the carpets. Heck I would've mowed the lawn and painted the walls if need - but thankfully my Bree Van Der Kamp mood didn't need to extend that for - the grass and the walls were pretty AOK.
Got back yesterday which was a little funny, since the plane got in at 8.35am. Hard to think I was alseep two states away only a few hours previously.
Saturday, June 04, 2005
Archiving
Just spent the last several hours labeling and archiving over 800 emails. And that is not counting just as many non-labeled archived e-mails which I will proberly tackle at some stage.
Jeez, I need to find something a little more exciting to do on a Saturday night in the future.
Jeez, I need to find something a little more exciting to do on a Saturday night in the future.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Lucy in the sky with Cylons
Joe invaded my dreams last night. Don't worry nothing kinky - those dreams are reserved for others... hehehe... We where just talking about "Battlestar Galatica" and you had the most intense hazel eyes. (I have zero idea what colour your eyes are either). I mean I was expecting laser beams to come out of those eyes.
Well now I made one person uncomfortable today, I think my job is done. Weeeeee!
One rule of thumb for now on - never tell people you can do minutes. My mother was acting oh so sweet to me the other day - I knew something was suspect immediately, and she asked me to type out the minutes for some healthy and safety committee she is on at her work. I did it, I suppose she did give birth to me, but one of these days that excuse will no longer work! LOL
Current Music: Garden of Eden - from that episode of "The Simpsons"
Well now I made one person uncomfortable today, I think my job is done. Weeeeee!
One rule of thumb for now on - never tell people you can do minutes. My mother was acting oh so sweet to me the other day - I knew something was suspect immediately, and she asked me to type out the minutes for some healthy and safety committee she is on at her work. I did it, I suppose she did give birth to me, but one of these days that excuse will no longer work! LOL
Current Music: Garden of Eden - from that episode of "The Simpsons"
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
I know I have been bad
I know I have been bad not updating, but trust me unless you find stuff like finding a great bargin on a good brand Shampoo (and lemon grass smelly to boot!) my life this week hasn't been blogworthy.
Friday, May 13, 2005
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
When books attack!
I finished "The Dark Tower" several weeks ago. Now nothing big in that, but after investing so long in that book series that was rather heavy and emotionally weighty (yes I know 'weighty' is not a word but bite me!), well anyway, I have not been able to read anything but well... fluff since then.
And I don't mean fluff as in Mills and Boon, Babysitters Club or even my old Chemistry textbooks (my nightmares involve not being able do do a simple and frankly easy empirical formula question).
When I mean fluff I mean shot-em-up redneck wonderland type thrillers by David Robbins. I mean seriously I know these books are not Shakespeare, heck! These books ain't exactly Jackie Collins! They are really really bad.
At the moment I am churning my way through his Endworld/Blade series. Basic post-apocolypic stuff, but it is BAD.
I mean the character, heroes, villians and everybody in between are not just basic cardboard cutout type characters, no! They go beyond that! They are Mickey Mouse Cartoon Sterotype characters! You name a cliché and the book, the characters and the plot will be so sapped up with it, you'll be wiping the book on pancakes!
Per exampla: The 'freedom militia' do a run to post-World War III Las Vegas, which is now currently ruled by the mob - who all where buttoned suits, fedora hats and look and act like Bugsy Malone. And that seriously folks is average in terms of the cartoon sterotypes - Indians gone 'back to their roots' like something out of "Dances with Wolves", Cowboys, Communists, you name it, the cliché is there and thriving like penicillin in a rotting banana.
The 'heroes' are made up of a seven foot guy and a bunch of walking sterotypes - they even have a Ninja! There is the army dude, the indian, the street wise black dude, the cowboy... Seriously if there was a construction worker, you'd have the Village People!
And they 'shoot first ask questions later' in true shoot-em-up style. They'd make the NRA look like the Million Mom March!
Yet, as much as I am gripping about it... I am still reading them, and I don't mean one book... I mean I own about half the series.
Why?
Well they are fast reads - 150-200 pages at best, and frankly I can find them at St. Vinnies for like 50c a double-edition book. So they are cheap to. And frankly they are brain candy - I don't have to think, discuss, or any of that type of crap. I just read and that is basically it.
So am I proud of reading this crap? Not really, but I also really have no problems with it either. Its bad, really bad, and I know it is really bad, but after reading something so heavy, I just needed a break from literature that makes you think.
Eh. C'est La Vie. The boy wizard is coming soon. I'll be onto that anyway. This is just interim stuff.
And I don't mean fluff as in Mills and Boon, Babysitters Club or even my old Chemistry textbooks (my nightmares involve not being able do do a simple and frankly easy empirical formula question).
When I mean fluff I mean shot-em-up redneck wonderland type thrillers by David Robbins. I mean seriously I know these books are not Shakespeare, heck! These books ain't exactly Jackie Collins! They are really really bad.
At the moment I am churning my way through his Endworld/Blade series. Basic post-apocolypic stuff, but it is BAD.
I mean the character, heroes, villians and everybody in between are not just basic cardboard cutout type characters, no! They go beyond that! They are Mickey Mouse Cartoon Sterotype characters! You name a cliché and the book, the characters and the plot will be so sapped up with it, you'll be wiping the book on pancakes!
Per exampla: The 'freedom militia' do a run to post-World War III Las Vegas, which is now currently ruled by the mob - who all where buttoned suits, fedora hats and look and act like Bugsy Malone. And that seriously folks is average in terms of the cartoon sterotypes - Indians gone 'back to their roots' like something out of "Dances with Wolves", Cowboys, Communists, you name it, the cliché is there and thriving like penicillin in a rotting banana.
The 'heroes' are made up of a seven foot guy and a bunch of walking sterotypes - they even have a Ninja! There is the army dude, the indian, the street wise black dude, the cowboy... Seriously if there was a construction worker, you'd have the Village People!
And they 'shoot first ask questions later' in true shoot-em-up style. They'd make the NRA look like the Million Mom March!
Yet, as much as I am gripping about it... I am still reading them, and I don't mean one book... I mean I own about half the series.
Why?
Well they are fast reads - 150-200 pages at best, and frankly I can find them at St. Vinnies for like 50c a double-edition book. So they are cheap to. And frankly they are brain candy - I don't have to think, discuss, or any of that type of crap. I just read and that is basically it.
So am I proud of reading this crap? Not really, but I also really have no problems with it either. Its bad, really bad, and I know it is really bad, but after reading something so heavy, I just needed a break from literature that makes you think.
Eh. C'est La Vie. The boy wizard is coming soon. I'll be onto that anyway. This is just interim stuff.
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Yet another creepy crawly moment.
Okay I was taking a shower innocently enough when I saw a smug of brown on the transparent screen seperating the Shower stall from the rest of the bathroom, I thought it was snot so I splashed some water on it.
Well since the screen was so fogged up I couldn't see what it was exactly, but the water cleared up the fog, and it was another spider on the other side of the shower screen!
Argh!
What is it with me and spiders lately! It was only a daddy long-legs, but a big one at that! I jumped practically to the ceiling when I realised what it was.
Daddy Long-Legs are the spiders I actually have no major problems with, but it was big and it was on my shower screen (abietly on the other side of the transparent screen - or otherwise it would've ended down the drain!)
Well since the screen was so fogged up I couldn't see what it was exactly, but the water cleared up the fog, and it was another spider on the other side of the shower screen!
Argh!
What is it with me and spiders lately! It was only a daddy long-legs, but a big one at that! I jumped practically to the ceiling when I realised what it was.
Daddy Long-Legs are the spiders I actually have no major problems with, but it was big and it was on my shower screen (abietly on the other side of the transparent screen - or otherwise it would've ended down the drain!)
Monday, May 02, 2005
Vor Dem Schloss
Another typical Sunday where I did little and should've done a heck of alot more. Anybody with any ideas for what I can do on my Sundays are greatly welcomed.
I had the most surreal dreams last night, mainly involving a series of books I follow and I going into the book store and seeing on sale (and it was like ultra-low cost sale) dozens of books in the series that I never heard of (and don't exist in reality).
Oh how sometimes I wish that was for real.
Got the original 1960 version of "Little Shop of Horrors" sitting next to me to watch. I bought it at one of those massive DVD warehouse sails back in January but I never got around to watching it. Jack Nicholson's name and face alone takes up half the space on the front cover even though he is only in the movie for a few minutes (he was the sado-masochistic Dental patient that was played by Bill Murray in the 1986 Musical Version).
It is funny that they advertised the movie through him even though his role is really tiny. But this isn't the first time I have scene this done. Normally though I have scene it on ads for various movies that are played on television, even though the actor in question only has one scene at best. A few years ago I remember an advertisement for the showing of "Brewster's Millions" on television and they gave Rick Moranis higher billing then Richard Pryor or John Candy, even though he had maybe two lines in one scene (at the party). I have scene it a few other times normally with X hot star at the moment being heavily advertised even though they are barely in the movie.
I had the most surreal dreams last night, mainly involving a series of books I follow and I going into the book store and seeing on sale (and it was like ultra-low cost sale) dozens of books in the series that I never heard of (and don't exist in reality).
Oh how sometimes I wish that was for real.
Got the original 1960 version of "Little Shop of Horrors" sitting next to me to watch. I bought it at one of those massive DVD warehouse sails back in January but I never got around to watching it. Jack Nicholson's name and face alone takes up half the space on the front cover even though he is only in the movie for a few minutes (he was the sado-masochistic Dental patient that was played by Bill Murray in the 1986 Musical Version).
It is funny that they advertised the movie through him even though his role is really tiny. But this isn't the first time I have scene this done. Normally though I have scene it on ads for various movies that are played on television, even though the actor in question only has one scene at best. A few years ago I remember an advertisement for the showing of "Brewster's Millions" on television and they gave Rick Moranis higher billing then Richard Pryor or John Candy, even though he had maybe two lines in one scene (at the party). I have scene it a few other times normally with X hot star at the moment being heavily advertised even though they are barely in the movie.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Each day is a turn
Had a great chat this evening with Christian about all manor of things - Australian and Dutch history being the big stuff and how the Dutch really did stuff up on Australia. Second only to selling New Amsterdam for Dutch Guyana. Now their was a the bad buy of the millennia (then again since they bought New Amsterdam for a bunch of shiney beads it was sort of karma being a bitch and all).
The converstion evenally got to Tudor England, which is my speciality. I am such a nerd. I know way to much about that period of time.
History can be so much fun.
Happy May Day and pinch and punch for first of month!
The converstion evenally got to Tudor England, which is my speciality. I am such a nerd. I know way to much about that period of time.
History can be so much fun.
Happy May Day and pinch and punch for first of month!
Saturday, April 30, 2005
Little things
I went with my dad to Hungry Jacks tonight to get a burger & fries. Nothing special in that, but for the first time I noticed my dad folds up the burger wrapping after finishing with it, the same way I do (or would that be I fold up the wrapping the same way he does?). We put the used napkins in the middle and then fold the wrapping into thirds and put it in the empty chip/fries container.
I guess you do follow your parents example even if you don't consciously realise it.
I guess you do follow your parents example even if you don't consciously realise it.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Pillow Stuffing
One of my more annoying peeves is flat pillows. So I have the habit of stuffing two flat pillows in the one pillow case, and it pretty much will give me one new fluffy thick pillow.
Why though can they not make pillows that will not go as flat as a tack after only a weeks use? I cannot afford to keep replacing pillows. Pillows ain't cheap and I have better things to spend my money on.
So I had to change pillowcases today since I was changing my bed linen and the old pillowcases needed to be washed. I decided to try and stuff two flat pillows in a smaller pillowcase to get me an even more thicker pillow. It worked but it took forever just to stuff correctly. It cannot be to lumpy, nor can the pillows be to out of sinc and thus you have two levels in the one pillow.
I think I have way to many pillows on my bed to begin with. I mean I throw the vast majority on the floor when I go to bed at night. Most of them are just for show when I make my bed in the morning, and it isn't like I direct guests into my room just to show off my bed and pillows. But I am just use to having a stack of pillows on my bed during the day, even if I throw all but one or two off in the evening.
I just don't like sleeping raised up on a bunch of pillows. It is bad enough when I had gastro a few times and had to sleep like that for obvious reasons, but sleeping raised up normally just feels so weird and I definately prefer just the one or two pillows that support my neck and shoulders when sleeping, but that is really it.
Why though can they not make pillows that will not go as flat as a tack after only a weeks use? I cannot afford to keep replacing pillows. Pillows ain't cheap and I have better things to spend my money on.
So I had to change pillowcases today since I was changing my bed linen and the old pillowcases needed to be washed. I decided to try and stuff two flat pillows in a smaller pillowcase to get me an even more thicker pillow. It worked but it took forever just to stuff correctly. It cannot be to lumpy, nor can the pillows be to out of sinc and thus you have two levels in the one pillow.
I think I have way to many pillows on my bed to begin with. I mean I throw the vast majority on the floor when I go to bed at night. Most of them are just for show when I make my bed in the morning, and it isn't like I direct guests into my room just to show off my bed and pillows. But I am just use to having a stack of pillows on my bed during the day, even if I throw all but one or two off in the evening.
I just don't like sleeping raised up on a bunch of pillows. It is bad enough when I had gastro a few times and had to sleep like that for obvious reasons, but sleeping raised up normally just feels so weird and I definately prefer just the one or two pillows that support my neck and shoulders when sleeping, but that is really it.
Saturday, April 23, 2005
My Room 101
I am such a girl. Yet I am a bleeding heart one at boot. A motherfucking huge spider crawled into the house today when I opened the patio door and for the next five minutes was I having a stress attack over the large spider that crawled into the house (though pretty much stayed in the corner next to the door and the bookcase).
Now I could've just gotten the bug spray and killed it, but I couldn't do that, the spider had done nothing wrong. So I got a 50cm (20 inch) quilting ruler (you know the big thick clear plastic ones) and poked it until it went back outside then I shut the door and had a nervous breakdown.
Gah. I am such a chicken.
Now I could've just gotten the bug spray and killed it, but I couldn't do that, the spider had done nothing wrong. So I got a 50cm (20 inch) quilting ruler (you know the big thick clear plastic ones) and poked it until it went back outside then I shut the door and had a nervous breakdown.
Gah. I am such a chicken.
Zulo! Kaka zaharra! Putasemea! Zure ama emagaldua da!
There is an annoying lack of Basque-English translations sites out there, I did find a few Basque-French ones, but anybody that knows me, knows I do no like having to read French! (yet it is, strangly enough, my strongest discipline), but still! Kaka zaharra!
Admittedly the best thing about English is that it is the child of a whore and a bastard - half the European languages are semi-familiar 'cause we nicked half our words, rules, grammar and structure from everybody else.
Of course Basque being related to no other known language on the face of the planet means, I cannot even do that!
Admittedly the best thing about English is that it is the child of a whore and a bastard - half the European languages are semi-familiar 'cause we nicked half our words, rules, grammar and structure from everybody else.
Of course Basque being related to no other known language on the face of the planet means, I cannot even do that!
