Flow it, show it...

I took this photo so that I could refer to it when doing my hair. Pity it doesn't really show me anything. Also, at this point, I'd already squashed it with my helmet and rode home.

I try really hard to pay attention when Cisco is styling it at the end, but I think after more than an hour of sitting around at the salon, my attention span is just shot.

Anyway, it's finally growing. I'll have pigtails in no time!

Postscript.

Native American headdresses are the new black.

New Year's Day Choreography revisited.

On New Year's day, I was set a simple task: Teach choreography at 3pm.

With ten minutes to spare and a little help from BM, I managed to throw together a contemporary number which was a fusion of the African Anteater Mating Ritual and Funniest Home Videos.

You would be surprised how four people doing the same dance can bring dozens of conversations to a grinding halt.

Anyway, there's no video evidence of the dance but Nev managed to capture the *wow* moment of the entire choreography on January 2nd, 2007.

Caption #3: ........................................

What do you mean I'm 37???

Happy Birthday, J1!!!

Happy Birthday Al!

For good measure.

Seeing as I showed you how 2007 started off, here's a photo of how 2006 ended.

Contrary to what mum always said, I did not wake up blind after going to sleep with my hair wet.

Fitness regime recommences.

Having felt mighty lazy since the beginning of the holiday season, I finally got around to starting up my fitness regime for 2007.

On Wednesday night, CT and I ventured to Gahan's Reserve for some volleyball drills via moonlight and train station spotlights. I intend on returning to social volleyball on February 6th and have no desire to look like an idiot on my first day back.

On Friday, my Shadowboxer belt arrived (www.shadowboxer.com.au). This has brought a tremendous amount of joy to the House of Sticks. I'm sure it will also bring a tremendous amount of pain. We'll have to set up some sort of schedule because it's the current hot item in our ever-growing home gym.

Saturday morning I embarked on what was meant to be a walk to Port Melbourne and back. My head decided to play a game of 'Amazing Race' with my legs and threw in a few detours and roadblocks. 19,000+ steps, 13.30kms, and 2.5 hours later, I was in Port Melbourne, clambering onto a tram to bring me back home. When I got off the tram in North Richmond, my legs and feet were jack of me and it was a very long and painful walk home from the tram stop. Thank goodness for Peppermint Cooling Foot Gel. Thanks to dad and mum for walking me home via the phone.

Here are some photos that I took of Port Phillip Bay. Whilst my IR-300 does take panoramic shots, my Nokia 6288 does not. It was a very windy day and trust me, I had death grip on my phone for fear of dropping it into the Bay. The last three photos are of wishlist apartment developments.

Tonight I'm going to try and complete the Shadowboxer Workout.

Caption Competition #2

J1 said the first one was too hard. How about this one?

Correction.

Dad's not having surgery today as he's running a fever.

What a strange expression 'running a fever' is. I wonder if I just made it up.

Things that will be here waiting for when you get back:

1. Midsumma Carnival.
2. Luna Park.
3. Melbourne Zoo.
4. The Australian Ballet.
5. Comfortable Chair beer garden.
6. Fed Square Atrium.
7. Plenty o' Cooper's Pale.
8. House of Sticks madness.
9. Church-Chapel Street Walkathon/Pub Crawl of the Temporarily Insane.
10. My mania and indecisiveness (but I'll work on the latter!).

See you *very* soon, honey.

Family Update

Dad's been in the hospital since Thursday night and this morning will be heading in for keyhole surgery to remove some gallstones (or one, I'm not really sure).

Thankfully he doesn't have to try and pass these ones.

Get well soon, Dad!

Caption Competition

As you may or may not have noticed, the Tsai-Koid family blogs sometimes turn into a slagging match of snappy answers and stupid comebacks in the comments section.

Completely unrelated to this, I've decided to mix things up a little on my blog. Every now and then, I'm going to provide a photo and I'd like you to provide the caption.

We'll start off with something easy. Maybe. Happy captioning!

Good grief.

I've heard that the way you spend New Year's Day is a

good indication of how the rest of your year will pan out.

(photos courtesy of Miss Mateless)

01-01-07: Before the madness.

No matter how many times she took the photo,

someone was always going to look a little wrongtown.

(photos courtesy of Miss Mateless)

Choose my own adventure.

I want to take myself on a little holiday this year. I have about 10 days off in March so it's too short to go all the way to North America but long enough for a quick jaunt to Asia.

I'm tossing up going to:

1. Singapore - never been there before.
2. Hong Kong - it's been ages and I can't remember anything.
3. Malaysia - never been there before.
4. Vietnam - never been there before.

Where do you think I should go?

P.s. Hoping to make my RD tour next year which will focus around RollerCon 2008 in Vegas (baby).

I know what I've done this summer.

Or so I think.

Prior to this morning's blog, I think the last time I wrote was a few days before Christmas. So let's pick up from...

22nd December: We went to the Yering Station Winery for our Christmas party. A lot of food and wine was consumed before we made our way back to civilisation - apparently I have a 'look' which says 'getmebacktothecity'. I think that look was more 'I'mnotsittingbackwardsonthewayorI'llbesick'. After the winery, we ended up at the Park Hotel for several hours and then eventually I stumbled home and woke up to a pizza delivery man knocking at the front door. Interesting.

23rd: My poor, poor head. I don't know what made me think I could outdrink an Irishman but I gave it a good shot. Sat at home with the girls and then it was off to the airport. J1 and T picked me up and I saw their furnished abode for the first time. Puppy was very affectionate. Brownie gave me donuts. Caught up with the M&M's for dinner. Good times.

24th: Shopping. Can you believe it? Then it was off to the folks' place for the annual Christmas feast and Carnivore 2006.

25th: Spoke with J2 & AM. Church. BBQ lunch at A&E's. A moment to reflect and digest. BBQ dinner at J1 & T's. Who knew Carnivore 2006 was going to be a multi-day event?

26th: Shopping. But only because we were waiting for our bowling lane to free up. I played my best game ever, I reckon... more importantly, I beat J1. Hehehe... We should have pre-booked our lane for 2007!!! Stepped back in time and visited KB at her cafe.

27th: This is where my memory starts to fade. I know there was cricket involved in here somewhere. Cricket and beer.

28th: Ummmmm... Cricket, beer and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007? I know we went to Broadway and did some shopping for dinner. Then had dinner... and watched a DVD.

29th: Lunch with the folks, J1 & T in Eastwood then off to the airport to return home. Got home and immediately unpacked, had a quick bevvy with BM and then it was off to town to see CN. We caught up over a beer or two at Lower House in Federation Square then headed off to St. Kilda to see Modest Mouse play at The Palace. Having only heard a few tracks of Modest Mouse prior to the concert, I wasn't sure what I was in for but once I saw TWO drummers and a double bass on stage, I knew I was in for a good time... and they were brilliant. After the concert, we grabbed a couple of travellers and headed down to the beach where I was given a brief astronomy lesson on the constellations of the southern hemisphere. Now, I might be having one of Corkars' blonde moments when I say this but I swear I saw the Big Dipper, only it's called something else here... The Giant Pot or something. Whatever. I was never good with astronomy.

30th: Hmmmm. Drawing a blank here. Hung around at home with CT. Had a quick beer with A&L and their new edition, Frankie the French Bulldog... Oh yeah! Had dinner with Momma Julie and then it was off to the Glasshouse to play my last gig. Can't believe I forgot about that. Actually, I can because it was a rather uneventful evening. Thank you to those who came out... even though none of you read this blog. Hehehe...

31st: We tried to keep this day as lowkey as possible. Had a few drinks at home. Headed to the Glasshouse for its final hurrah. Came home for the midnight hour. Went to sleep.

1st: It was like Christmas morning in our house. Everyone was up early and nervous wrecks for what the day had in store for us. We'd been planning this one for a while and it was finally upon us. First we headed off to 'Nurse Betty' at Altitude for a wee bevvy and then our limo arrived, taking us for a scenic drive down Beach Road and Beaconsfield Parade. Then it was off to 'Give It Up' at Waterfront City, Docklands, where we spent the rest of the day and part of the night. There was such a random mix of people there. Caught up with old friends I hadn't seen for years, friends that I'd recently made and even made new friends... All in all, I reckon this may have been the best NYD I've ever had - And I didn't even want to go in the first place! Afterwards, it was back to the House of Sticks for a wind down. BM and I battled on the decks and tried to out-anthem each other but in the end it was a draw.

2nd: Second verse, same as the first!!! Well, we all woke up feeling a little sorry for ourselves... So we opted for the Hair of the Dog, CN and CH came around and next thing you know...

3rd: A lot of today was spent horizontal. I managed to get my work attire to the dry cleaners though. Today was sponsored by Nurofen.

4th: This day was worse than the 3rd. Nevermind that the temperature in Melbourne was hovering around the low to mid-30s all week. Gross.

5th: Got out of the house today thanks to my friend, Aspro-Clear. Went to the National Gallery of Victoria with CN and caught the Tezuka Exhibit. Also squeezed in the Sneaker exhibit and some modern art. Tried to spend my gift cards but to no avail. Tried to find a belt but there was nothing for me. Seeing as I was going back to work on the 8th, I gave myself a mini-holiday and stayed at the Oaks on Collins. Went to Girl Bar for a few hours.

6th: Mad dash to Myer to buy myself new summer pantaloons. Still no belt. Probably would have helped if I went to a different store from yesterday. Went back to the serviced apartment and spent the rest of the day watching movies and television.

7th: Back home and prepared for the return to my 'normal' life.

8th: Back in the saddle again.

back in the saddle again...

Welcome 2007!

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity and I wish I had more to show for it than a couple of photos on my phone but some time between now and December last year, my camera decided it didn't want to be friends with my notebook anymore and I can't transfer the photos.

So between J1 and I, there is no photographic evidence of Christmas 2006.

Ka-chow.

Anyway, when I'm a little more focused, I'll tell you what's been going down in mookieland.