I'm leaving... on a jet plane...

In 10 hours, I should be on an airplane to Sydney to spend a few days with the family for Christmas.

Hopefully, the battery on my camera will last for the duration of the trip as I'm not very keen on taking my entire docking station to Sydney. Oh well, it should last until Monday, at least. I just won't shoot any videos of J1 snoring.

So, there's going to be very little blogging over the next week, but I should have photos of the family up here by the end of next week and then NYE photos (I'll try and take pictures of people other than the usual suspects).

Oh, and look for candid J1 photos. Especially around January 18th.

Happy Days!

Merry Christmas!

Happy New Year!

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

George, Part i.

Yesterday, I decided that I want a pet. Seeing as having a dog in my apartment would be very cruel, I decided that I might get a kitten. More specifically, I want a ginger tabby male whom I can call George (but I also decided that the kitten doesn't have to be a male to be 'George').

So today, I put the wheels in motion and sent an e-mail to my property manager asking her to get my landlord's permission on whether or not I can have a kitten.

I hope she says yes.

I'll keep you updated. :o)

GTA Progress Report #7

Thought I'd given up, did you? Or maybe you hoped I did.

I decided to stop playing for a while in hope that, like with previous missions, if I took a small break, I'd be able to complete the the pain in the butt flying mission on my first attempt back in the game. And I did!

In this particular flying mission, I had to fly across town at tree top level and make a drop off. This was very frustrating but finally, I managed to do it without crashing or being detected. Yay!

This opened another mission where I had to ride a motorcycle up a ramp and onto a plane about to take-off. The trick is, you have to avoid the barrels being offloaded at the same time. Sort of like Donkey Kong but you can't jump the barrels on your motorcycle. I kept falling off my bike the first few times I tried this but I did manage to board the plane, kill all the agents, steal a parachute and plant a bomb. Then I jumped out of the plane. The only downside to this mission was that I deployed my parachute *way* too early and had to float to the ground very, very slowly.

Anyway, it ended up taking about 10 minutes real time to hit the ground - good thing there was cricket on so that I could flick back and forth while floating.

Finally, the ground came into sight...and I landed on my face. You'd think that after all that time in the air, I could have worked out how to land on my feet or at least on my backside.

What the...?

On Friday evening, I ventured to my local bottle shop to purchase some wine. As I was standing at the counter, I was bombarded by offensive Christmas music. I asked the salesperson if the music playing was 'Hi-5 Christmas Carols' and she said, 'Yes. It's either this or The Wiggles.'

Maybe it's just me but I think there's something really wrong about having Hi-5 or The Wiggles playing in a liquor store.

A very rare occasion.

You can lead us to water...

But you can't make us drink it!

'Tis the season to be jolly...

One of these kids is not drinking tequila,
Can you guess which kid is not the same?

Team Awesome

in a comment on J1's blog, Middlechild alerted us to the existence of Team Awesome.

Naturally, I had to join. I'm Member No. 3042.

http://www.teamawesome.ca/roster.php?s=2860&np=149

Happy Birthday, Gracie!!!

In case you were wondering, these are the Pinkies.

Are you stalking me, stalker?

After receiving my pair of 'Kunst' the other day, I found these babies on eBay and decided to buy them too. I can't remember what these ones are called but they're similar to the 'Pinkies' that I used to own.

And these... these are the pair that J1 decided she wanted. AND she almost bought another pair as well.

You'd better not get the same Mooks jacket as me!!! ( I know you still look, even though you bought 3 jackets last winter and didn't wear *any* of them.)

*shakes fist*

People make me angry.

And I'm not talking about the idiotic Sydneysiders who have decided that race riots are a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, either.

Today, the people who make me angry are the morons who were at the Japanese take-away place that I went to at lunch time. First of all, they held up the line for 5 minutes while they ordered by ingredient, rather than by using the menu (yes, everything they ordered was on the menu in succinct titles such as 'chicken teriyaki' or 'beef sukiyaki').

But that's ok, I should be more patient.

What aggravated me the most was when the woman was calling out their orders - using said succinct titles, mind you - the neanderthal that was part of the group screamed at her, 'CAN'T YOU SAY IT IN ENGLISH?!?!'

You're at a Japanese restaurant. Go back to McDonalds, you tool. I should have taken his picture.

Sheriff, when he was a lidl fella.

Lisa's pooch.

An ad for sunglasses.

Jess and Lisa, looking mighty fine.

(It really is an ad for sunglasses, too!)

A gift to myself.

About 6 years ago, I developed a fetish for white shoes. Since then, I've predominantly only bought white shoes (except for my work shoes, of course).

My all-time favourite shoes were my Acupuncture 'Pinkies'. Unfortunately, in a moment of temporary insanity in 2001, I gave them away. 2001 was a year when I did a lot of crazy things, some of which I'm still paying for. But I digress...

Finally, after a few years of searching, I stumbled across these little beauties on eBay. After much deliberation (and driving J1 crazy with my indecisiveness and inability to ascertain my UK shoe size), I bought them and lo and behold, I picked them up from the Post Office this morning.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my Acupuncture 'Kunst'.

You heard me.

J1's favourite Froggy photo.

Only 12 more payments...

This is the infamous car that many have heard about but not seen.

I came across this photo while looking through photos of Froggy.

'Get angry about it, Jude!'

Once upon a time, I had a puppy named Froggy...

I was feeling a little nostalgic this weekend after I became a little bit intoxicated and tried to abduct someone else's puppy on my way home.
So anyway, this is Froggy, a.k.a. Lidl Legs.

It's starting to lose its meaning... not really. :o)

Happy Birthday goes out to:

• Kerrie 'Choker' Campbell
• Lanie Hynninen; and
• Helen 'Volleyball Mother' Tighe

Woohoo! Yippee! Yay!

As Jimmy would say... 'RUINED!!!'

Last night, Carol gave me the photos from my birthday and there are some golden moments captured on film (yes, old skool photos!).

I've since made a couple of attempts at scanning the 'better' photos in order to blog them for a laugh. Alas, the scanner only does black and white and there's no point.

Sucks to be me.

Strike up the band!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Rozane!

Hope you enjoyed your day...

She never used to be pointy.

(I make me laugh.)

Birthday shout-outs!

Big big Happy Birthday to:

Kate Monroe

Bobby Bartley

YAY!

The freaks come out.

Last night as I walked home from the tram stop, I saw a dodgy couple walking towards me. Being streetwise (and also recognising them from a previous encounter I had with them over a year ago*), I secured my bag and put on my 'I'm not looking at you' face.

Nevertheless, the female walked right into my path yelling 'EXCUSE ME! EXCUSE ME!'. Yes, I had my Shuffle on and had no intention of stopping for her, but she really got up and in my face so I slowed down and pulled out an earphone. She didn't take this as a cue to stop yelling though. Anyway, she started to tell me how she needed to get home to Pascoe Vale and did I have any spare change for her. I had spare change, just none for her. So I said, 'Sorry' shook my head and walked off. (Btw, I was rather frustrated with myself that i *apologised* for not giving them any change... Why should I have to apologise? Dumb jerks.)

This is the second time in a fortnight where I've been asked for change within 1 block of my home and I don't like it one bit. Last Sunday, I went to 7-11 to get a newspaper and there was a lady parked right outside the door asking for spare change. And a couple of weeks back, Jimmy was over and I busted some dude casing her car.

It's not that I don't feel safe, I just hate randoms talking to me. Not fond of randoms, whatsoever.

* My previous experience with this couple was when I used to walk through the oval on my way home. They stopped me to ask for the time and before I stopped to fish out my phone to look at the time, I noticed the guy was wearing a watch, holding a mobile phone, and they had a great view of the Richmond Town Hall Clocktower. Dodgy mofo.

A new dawn.

I've started playing a new game now. GTA San Andreas just isn't doing it for me anymore but that's mainly my own fault because I can't progress any further in the game.

So I decided to play Medal of Honor: Rising Sun. Joyce bought this for me for Christmas last year. I've played it before but only in multi-player mode with Di and she killed me, and killed me good. Then I never played it again. Now it's time to try again.

I managed to pass two missions last night and without using cheats! Now I'm trying to Save The Philippines and I really can't be bothered. Also, the controls are all weird and for some reason, when I point down, my guy looks up. And that's just stupid when you're trying to aim your gun. I know it's just a learning curve but how will it affect my GTA game when I go back to it?

Anyway, the premise of this game is to re-enact the whole Pearl Harbour thing. I think. That's what the first mission looked like.

I'll let you know how I go.

The A Team (again)

Hardly ever seen in the same place at once... or maybe I'm never around when they're all together.

Actually, that's a lie because they were out on Friday night. I just didn't have my camera. Foiled again!

One day I'll get them all at once... and maybe they'll be in uniform!

Lip my stocking!

As stated yesterday, TV sucks. I don't know where they've dug these programs up that are now on air but bring on the cricket, I say. I think they should have a cricket night series that runs all week so we don't have to put up with the drivel.

I know I could just read a book and for your information, I have started reading Harry Potter 6 again because I'm sure that when I read it the first time, I didn't pick up all the little details because I wanted to find out who died.

I also have my Book of Lists to fill my head with lots of little tidbits and trivia.

Anyway, last night I wasn't in the mood for reading (and I crashed another plane) so I decided to watch 'Lost in Translation', which has to be one of my favourite movies. I daresay, 'Lost in Translation' will be played many, many times over the summer.

When the cricket isn't on, that is.

Another one of those days.

Now that we're into the summer season of TV, I have a lot more time to play GTA. I have been playing the last couple of weeks but haven't been reporting on my progress because I've spent a lot of the past couple of weeks reloading my game.

It's all these damn flying missions, I tells ya! I keep getting wasted! It's a travesty! I have passed a few flying missions but they've only required that I fly in a straight line and then land the airplane or helicopter. Thinking that I was getting the hang of things, I decided to go back to Verdant Meadows and see what Toreno was so insistent on when he made me take all those flying lessons. Turns out Toreno needed me to fly some supplies out to his guys. Also turns out that I'm not so good at the flying yet because I didn't even take off before my plane exploded.

Sidebar: I discovered last night whilst watching 'Mythbusters' that the abandoned airfield at Verdant Meadows is modelled after the Mojave Desert Airplane Boneyard. Now it makes sense why that area on the map is called Bone County. Isn't that amazing? Maybe not for you. Now I've put it on my list of vacation destinations.

We wuz robbed!

As per usual, I was the first one in to work today. As I went about my merry way unlocking doors, etc., I noticed that something was amiss. It looked like someone had tried to pry open the door to the photocopying room as the door had been chipped away. So I had a gander at James and Murray's doors and they too appeared to be jimmied.

So I quickly secured the room (thank goodness there was no one in here because I have zero self-defence skills) then went back to my normal opening routine. I was about to unlock the server cupboard door when I noticed it was already open. So then I checked my own drawers and one cupboard had been forced open.

It pays to watch CSI.

After everyone else arrived at work, it became quite apparent that everyone's office doors had been jimmied open and in some instances, things were stolen. We have no petty cash now. And the Chamber no longer has a notebook or digital camera.

Unfortunately for the thief, we do have you on film.

Red eye reduction is a joke.

Unless Scotty really is the devil. But I'm not believing that rumour just yet.

Random photos from Girl Bar

Separated at birth?

The Industry Dancers (and a good portion of the ceiling).

Jen was happy with this shot.

Smile!

Welcome back to Girl Bar, Kista! Yay!

kdj

Maybe we should have invested in those fancy earplugs back in 1999.

Enough with the papparazzi!!!

I love this photo.

So I decided it needed it's very own post.

11:59pm, 25-Nov-2005

Sez shares the love.

Level 2 Carpark, Prince of Wales, St. Kilda.

And you wonder why I'm afraid of clowns.

Now you too can be afraid of clowns.

Thanks alot, Shypants.

Iron Chef

Prior to our game of poker, we were treated to a Japanese feast.

I figured my Mom would appreciate the picture of the table... if she read my blog.

While Danielle's away...

In case you can't tell, we're playing poker.

And this is Edwin a.k.a. Amanda

Me and my ferocious dog were walking down the street...

This is Storm. I don't know who Storm belongs to but Edwin is looking after her at the moment.

Whatever... she meets my requirement of being a pet that's not mine.

Meet Australia's Princess

This is Ally Mansell of NSW. Last night, she was crowned Australian Princess in the reality TV show called 'Australian Princess' (funnily enough).

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Ally will become the next Mary Donaldson (who married the Crown Prince of Denmark) seeing as she called her Polish prince a 'stupid idiot' because that's all she knew how to say in Polish.

Come on, Aussie, come on!

By the way...

I do know that GTA refers to 'Greater Toronto Area'.

Bozo.

A lull.

It seems everyone is slacking off on their blogs. Thankfully, a new blog has recently been added to the fold with http://www.gtakoidies.blogspot.com/.

Hehehehe.... Would that be Grand Theft Auto: Koidies, by any chance?

Come on big sis ottawa... come and play!

And you two doctors as well! You know who you are!

>:o)

On this day, many children were begat...

So in no particular order, Happy Birthday shout-outs to:

Tim Cheang!

Sarah Keogh!

Josie Kristensen!

Hip hip...

Take a bow.

And so The Glasshouse bids adieu to another staff member.

She wasn't there for a long time... And I'm not sure if she had a good time, either! Hehehehe...

The good news is that jelkie will be back for private functions. Yay!

All the best at your new job and I'll see you at the next Bitch is Black!

The Hayley Chronicles

Hayley came over last night and wanted to see my blogsite. More to the point, I think she wanted to see who called her a hottie. Now she wants me to create a blog on her.

That's all well and good but I don't want to. Even with her incessant 'when are you going to start my blog, Jude???' questioning throughout the evening, I'm still not going to do it.

I will, however, continue to talk about her here.

(Note: This blog has no affiliation with 'The Tarnia Chronicles', coming soon to theatres near you)

Emily was robbed!

Even though I think it's much better for Ms. Emily Williams, that she wasn't crowned Australian Idol last night.

Her album is going to be much, much better. But then I think it always would have been better. :)

Now there's always rumour that the contest is rigged. Emily was, by far, the better singer, in my humble opinion. But a little friend of mine told me that the daughter of a fallen pop idol who has *a lot* to do with the show told her who the winner was going to be the night before the Grand Finale.

So there you go. Chinese whispers...

Is it wrong for me to call them 'Chinese' whispers?

Lisa, it's your birthday...

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

La la la... I don't know the rest of the words.... Doobie doobie doo....

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

Love your guts!

Carson Kressley would be proud.

Note how the pool table felt coordinates with her armbands, which coordinate with the lettering on the front of her t-shirt which, in turn, co-ordinates with her hair tie and... well... her underpants.

The blue driving hat throws everything off.

She missed this shot too. Too short and too proud to use the helping stick thing. She did win 2 out of 3 though.