Anna : Twilight

Muse + crappy vampire/werewolf teen-fiction = THE BOMB!

Definately "good skank" but side effects may include being late for work and forgetting important things like keys.

Womens comedy?

A friend of a friend was performing at the Stand on Sunday and so was able to let a few people in at the door, and I won tickets to tonights women comedy night. So yay to more female comics performing, a hmmm to the idea of a special womens night.

Kit - back to the grindstone

After 3 glorious days away from the office on a site visit, plus a weekend, plus an extra "mental" health day (where I had to convince some reluctant kids that they really did want to go on a bushwalk, without a geocache at the end), I'm back in the office. Argh, why is work so difficult?

Becstarr : Down by San Francisco Bay

It's our last day! We've spent time on: Golden Gate and Buena Vista Parks, a Golden Gate Bridge harbour cruise (cold enough to freeze your cheeks off!), cable cars, the Haight, Mission murals, and heaps of organic berries (so cheap here!). We're planning to check out the SFMOMA today, then an early dinner and heading off to checkin for a late flight out (22:40).

It's been wonderful but I'm so looking forward to getting home!

Ben - Skool Egen

Student: How do I make blue?
Me: ...Blue.
Student: *sigh* Blue and what else?
Me: ...No, seriously: blue.

Me: ...and so the platypus made Tiddilick laugh, and all the waters came pouring back out...
Student: Did the animals drink the water?
Me: They sure did.
Student: Ew, yuk! They'll get frog germs!

Me: Who knows what this word is?
Student: (gasps) But that's illegal!
Me: Uh, no, this is the other kind of pot. You know, the sort you cook food in.

Anna : Finding my feet ...

Phew! After a stressful couple of months things are starting to settle down. I'm walking without a limp, pantry is full of food again and I'm starting to be able to answer questions at work! This included a very successful meeting yesterday with a big wig : "We need to do this and this!" / "Well we have this plan for that, that plan for this and of course I'll keep you in the loop."

Also! Have become the go-to girl for the Faculty of Arts web comments form and this means I get spam messages such as the following :

"uncertificated fullface undermarshal buddhistical humhum searing whipcraft thyreoitis"

Becstarr : Nice try, but no cigar

Sorry ppls, the US Federal Police stoled your presents. It was worth a try though! And interesting to see the pleece in action. No cavity searches either - bonus!

YL - Bernard Black is my hero

Well my current attitude is "No Time Wasters". Which mostly applies to work. It makes me impatient with people dont who appear to try to do their job properly because they prevent me from doing my job properly. I take my job seriously.

Also, just because I am fairly low down on the rung ... does not mean I will allow myself to be harassed/bullied. If you are nice to me, I will be nice to you.

And surely after being accused thrice in one morning that "we" (team) have not done a specific job, then when I ring to say I have visible proof in front of me that said job was done 2 days ago when I said it was done ... you could apologise?

*shakes head* sheesh.

Kit says: You-Are-Here

The electronic topo maps have arrived from the gps shop! I can't wait to try them out. *Finally* If this works, I 'll have a map with a little arrow on it that says: you-are-here.

Dan: Back in Oz

I'm back home, and somewhat less bleary-eyed than expected (a two hour nap this morning helped somewhat). It's great to see Jen & the kids, and they all seemhappy to have me back (though Elora seems a little confused by it all).

Bought a pile o' lego for me, a sack o' fancy wool for Jen, and many Galactic Heroes for the kids. I'll post some details of my trip on my blog or something. Not entirely excited about returning to work tomorrow.

Kit rates location, location

I booked a motel for a work visit to site. The criteria considered were:
1. Number of geocaches nearby for a quick 'fix'
2. In-house restaurant (for bleary eyed breakfasts)
3. Price.

Anna : Winter Magic, Here Comes the Sun

Spent the weekend in Katoomba and traffic jams! An hour in a line of cars to get out of Burwood shopping centre and another 40 minutes in a jam on the highway on the way back to the city after a horrific accident. Combine this with the ongoing blinker fuse problem and little Baruma is in my bad books.

But Winter Magic was fun!*



* Though they say you haven't really been to Winter Magic unless you wake up with a hangover (YAY!)

Ben - Moor Skool

Student: How come those eggs are different?
Me: I'm glad you noticed that. Frogs lay eggs in clumps; toads lay eggs in long strands.
Other student: Also, there are whales at the South Pole! They eat little animals!
Me: Uh... yes.

Me: Why aren't you in your classroom?
Student: I don't want to go.
Me: That's not a good enough reason.
Student: Oh. Okay, then.
Me: Holy crap, that worked?

Me: Hey! Hey! What did I tell you about running with those scissors?
Student: Sor-ry Mist-er Hil-ton!
(exit student, skipping)

YL - question/advice

Would you go out/spend time with someone who didn't want a romantic relationship but thought you were great, awesome and intellectually stimulating?

Wouldn't doing that interfere with your allocation of time/resources for other things which contributed to your life goals? Wouldn't that also interfere with you meeting someone else actually suitable cos you're always spending time with this one guy?

I'm puzzled. My reflex answer is clear. But I am questioning it.

Becstarr : Change of pace

As a counterpoint to the intensity of La Habana, we've come out for a few days to Cayo Largo del Sur in the Canary Islands. The sea is turquoise and warm and the pressure on my Spanish has eased. The change of pace is most welcome. Time to relax!

Iguana-catamaran trip this afternoon. Looking forward to it!

We're coming to Australia!

We've booked our tickets - we'll be coming home for three weeks in Autumn (that's spring to you guys).

Can't wait to see everyone again!

Kit says Hey You!

Hey You! Yeah, you're an engineer, right? Well, have I got just the job for you. You can review my all civil, earthworks and drainage designs despite not knowing the difference between a lead pipe and a block of concrete. Yeah!

Guy - Reports Done!

Hrm, with the past month being sleep-work-sleep-work I've just recently rejoined the land of the living. I've decided that the way that my co-workers do things and organise their workload is stupid and I'm going to change it starting next term. Otherwise the kids are still cute and some are slowly coming along as evil super-geniuses and criminal masterminds.

Ben - Skool

Teacher: Okay, so eight plus...
Student: One?
Teacher: Eight plus four.
Student: Noooooooo!

Student: I can't read.
Me: What does this say?
Student: (dismissively) Oh, I can read that.

What else... a bird flew into the classroom and couldn't get out; so a student suggested that he lure it out by pretending to be a caterpillar.

Kit questions environmental credentials

The people in the environmental group here at work have managed to kill two plants on their desk. How does one manage to kill a cactus?

Becstarr : One last licuado!

Our bags are packed for a 4:50am wake-up tomorrow - we opted for an early start from airy San Cristobal rather than head back to Tuxtla for the night. Tomorrow is the big hop: San Cristobal - Tuxtla, thence Mexico City, and finally Havana, Cuba by 4:10pm if all runs according to plan.

San Cristobal has been great. Apart from hummingbird-watching, we managed to get out to two of the local villages, San Juan Chamula and Zincanatan. Both are peopled primarily with the indigenous Tzotzil Mayans, who have blended Catholicism and native beliefs (principles of Mayan medicine, etc) to make for saome interesting church practices, which involve pine needles, soda, many candles and flower petals, eggs, fireworks.... and more that I´m sure we didn´t see or have any clue about.

Heading out for a last Margarita and licuado (juice / smoothie) now. I hope Cuba´s are as good!

Shoshe - baby woodchucks and A BEAR! And rabid classmates.

Today I got to see some of the baby woodchucks that live by my office! They're cute and about half-size, and hide under parked cars when they're scared. They seem to have a cloaking device -- one minute you see them under a parked car, the next minute they're gone. Cute little woodchucks!

Also, there's apparently a bear on campus. A black bear -- they're small for bears, but they're still big. One of the bus drivers saw it on the street that's a block away from me, but I'm not sure how far down the street it was, so I don't know if it was actually several blocks away or just one. Some joggers saw it a few blocks further down a few days ago. And (another?) one was spotted downtown.

And one of my classmates is taking the rabies vaccine. It's 6 or 7 shots, though now they're in your limbs instead of the old horribly painful ones in the abdomen (it would cost about $1000 if it wasn't for the student health plan!). He found a bat in his room the other morning. The health centre said he was the third person that day to start the rabies vaccine.

Dan - nearly half way through WWDC

... and my brain is full! I need to go away and sit down for a week in front of a computer for a week and code before sitting through any more of these sessions. I can see what I'd work on, but my brain is exploding with undigested material.

Went down to Fisherman's wharf last night after I finished for the day, standing on the step of the cable car. Was very pleasant, with a gorgeous sunset over alcatraz and the Golden Gate bridge.

Lastly, american servings of food are enormous. Vast. Could feed small villages in most parts of the world. Pretty much every meal I've bought I've not been able to finish, and many of them I've taken the leftovers and gotten a whole second meal out of. And I'm no slouch when it comes to wolfing dwn my tucker. It's frightening.

Jen - Torrents rock

Yay. Finally got the new Lego Indiana Jones and played the first level this evening, but only after doing the dishes and putting out the garbage.

11 more sleeps until Dan comes home.

YL - um big weekend hangover

man that was one big long weekend. 4 day weekend = rocks! I was so busy that I didnt really stop for very long. "Yes" to catching up with friends, going to the pub, socialising, meeting with renovator & doing different things. "No" to getting furniture given to Psych ward, being efficient/productive, sleeping much. Lol.

it was really good to see everyone ....

Jen - Coping

Three sleeps gone, 13 to go.

The weekend was the longest. Took the kids to Lollipops Playland at Fox Studios yesterday - bedlam! Madness! What was I thinking!? Actually, it wasn't too bad, except so very, very crowded.

Lots of screaming happened once we got home but I managed to get the boys to bed by 8pm. But we still managed to get in late this morning.

Kit goes hunting for art

Wow, I check the blog, and it's totally full of new posts I haven't read yet. Yay!

Went 'cave art hunting' yesterday, and having spotted something on the 1:50 thousand topo map, went and found it. Oldest carbon dated set of paintings (I think it was dated to 1000AD), it got mentioned in a 1961 academic magazine. Sadly, only one cave has the paintings still visible. A male and female echinda, a dingo, and a male and female "anthropomorph".

Dan: SteveNote over

Well, the KeyNote is over (yay Oz 3G iPhone with GPS on July 11), and now I'm waiting for the next session (but not in a huge 5200 person queue). Feeling sleepy - didn't sleep well, and was up waaaaay to early.

Managed to get to the Lego shop yesterday, and took advantage of the excellent exchange rate. Also found a shop called "Action Figure Freddy" and picked up some Star Wars Galactic Heroes for the boys. Once I've had some sleep I'll also try to see some of the San Francisco sights as well, in between learning about Mac stuff.

Tancred - multitasking :)

I am home watching Romania v France while reading about the Keynote - Mac Rumours Live.
It's 20 minutes since the Keynote started and neither apple.com/uk or o2.co.uk have details of the new iphone :( Apple are too good at keeping secrets.

Dan: SteveNote

standing in a slow-moving queue for The Steve's keynote. was warned to get here Real early, and thought  they were exaggerating. arrived nearly three hours early to find the longest and nerdiest queue I've ever been in. a truly awesome experience :)

David - NY For 3 Whole Weeks

So, it turns out that "The Office" (US version) is less a cringeworthy comedy and more a documentary. The system that was supposed to be launched in Nov, no wait Dec, no wait Jan, no wait Feb... errr.. Mar... oh we meant Apr... actually May... ummm... June work for you? is still not launched.

In other news I have been in NY for 3 whole weeks - in a row! So this weekend I managed to see a play with Morgan Freeman, get drunk in a bar on Times Square, attend a party in Joisey (which included a slow motion streaker) and a second viewing of Iron Man tonight.

Dan: Made it!

well, it seems they letst me into the country. I'm sitting outside they convention centre using the free wireless on my ipod. Nice people gave me a window seat on the plane and a biggerroom at my hotel. all good so far. can't type properly on the ipod though.

Jen - He's off

We all piled into the car this morning to take Dan to the airport for his flight to SF. Many hugs were delivered at the departure gate before we tearily* saw him walk away under strict instructions to "Make the most of it" and "Have an excellent time".

*Well, just me, really.

Becstarr : Out of the fire & brimstone

Departed Mexico City for the hopefully more rural Tuxtla Gutierrez & San Cristobal. Watching CNN & 80s movies in our overpriced hotel tonight is a fantatic luxury... feels like wagging. :)

Tancred - Euro2008

Euro2008 starts tomorrow and I cannot wait :) I have spent the day sorting out my fantasy football team (The mighty Lokomotiv Sydney) for the IT dept league and I think they might do ok. I also got Romania in the office sweep so that's £1 I won't see again.

The best part of Euro2008? I don't have to get up at 03:00 to watch the games :)

Anna : From limping to hobbling

I'm off the crutches and am now working on walking a little further each day. Today's little excursion was from Arts to Ralph's Cafe and back. Hopefully by Monday I'll be up to walking to and from work again :)

Ben - Nearly there

One more day, and then semester ends. Granted, I have a four week prac after that, but frankly that'll be more fun.

No more being judged on how good an essay I can write on "How to teach reading"; I get to be judged on how well I actually teach reading.

I'm going to be teaching a kindergarten class. The headaches are going to hurt; I got one after visiting the class for less than an hour. On the other hand, I can dust off jokes that no-one over the age of five hasn't heard. And you don't have to be so careful about what you say as you do with the older kids, because so much of it just goes over their heads anyway. And when you're reading to the littlies you can overact to your heart's content, and I do so like to overact.

Dan - Words of Wisdom

Atticus' Words of Wisdom:

"When I grow up, I'm going to be bigger!"

I've got my birth certificate now, so I should be able to get across the border on Saturday. Here's hoping...

Kit: contending with sales drones

Ported my mobile over to Telstra, because I hardly ever use the phone (approx $7 use versus paying $30 pm) and the byo-plan there was okay. Plus Optus-pests kept ringing me up to try and sell me another phone. Silly woman ported over my phone on Monday, even though I said I wasn't able to head in until Tuesday to show my ID and pick up the sim card. Even *sillier* - she tried calling me after the number had switched networks, to see when I would be in to pick up the sim.

Anna : Arse!!!

Spent 30 minutes writing an email and Exchange logged me out when I pressed Send.

ARSE!!!!!!!!!!! ARSING ARSE!!!!!!!!

Anna : Phew!

First meeting as a manager, some good things, still a bit overwhelmed but think it was constructive ... Euge may disagree :)

Leg is slowly getting better, spent the last two days at a "Women in Leadership" conference getting waited on by the other attendees. Range of movement improving and another physio appointment tomorrow.

Dropkick Murphy concert last night with boxing buddy was an exciting adventure in crowd watching. There was a family in front of us, mum, dad, 8-9 year old and a teenager who oscillated between the mosh pit and the stalls to let them know he was ok. When the younger son started to flag I did a good deed by offering his mum my spare set of earplugs. He fiddled with them for about 10 minutes and 10 minutes later was fast asleep. Poor kid ended up missing the encore despite so solid shoulder shaking from mum and dad.

YL -work satisfaction

It's a really rewarding feeling when patients say thank you and are actually appreciative of your efforts. It almost makes everything worthwhile. And when you relieve their symptoms, that's great too. It's amazing how not being in pain is a good thing. I'm not working for the staff, I'm really working for the patients. Hmm.

I've almost decided that I'm more interested in the journey than the destination. Almost ready for that life's change. I wonder where the journey is going to take me ... ...

Kit - what good news does a postcard bring

Before FD jaunted off on his round-the-world-trip to Iceland via England, he sent out a call for postcards. I responded (as one does), and very soon a veritable flood of European postcards started turning up.

We had a new starter with us this year, and a few weeks into his new role he asked me:
"So, are you going to World Youth Day this year?"
Me: ?!?!?!?!!!*?!!**
NS: I ask because you've got a picture of Pope Benedict on your desk
Me: …….um? I thought it was John Paul the second

When I got back to work, I had to hide the postcard of the Pope, I couldn't stand him waving at me anymore.

29/5 edit: It didn't come through in the original post, but the reason I went and hid the postcard is because there was also a rather painful discussion on how difficult the Pope must find his job, what with taking into account previous edicits from the Church, and all that advice from his senior advisors. What are they, bishops?

Ben - Meh.

On Saturday, I wasn't feeling great, so I decided to treat myself to a movie to cheer myself up. So I got on my bike and went into town, only to discover that I'd missed the opening of Iron Man, and the Indiana Jones session was on at a time when it would have overlapped with work. So I went to the other cinema in town - they'd just closed. Not for the day; forever.

So I went to the shops, and saw a copy of the third season of the new Dr. Who for $69, and I had $70 in my pocket. Then I took it to the counter, and it turned out to be $99, but the first nine was blurry and looked like a six.

Thus far, my attempt to cheer myself up had backfired rather badly. But then... then I saw at the local Lowes some decent jeans marked down to $20 a pair. And across the street from that, a closing down computer shop sold me a brand new colour printer for $30

So that's how my attempt to cheer myself up with unnecessary luxuries became a tale of careful frugality instead.

Man, I need a life.

Marina - Eurovision

Angels, pirates, ice skaters, chikki chikki's.
And Russia winning.
What's not to like?

Becstarr : Weigh-in

Packed my backpack and it weighs in at about 8.5kg. Have I been highly effective, or just very optimistic? Time will tell!

Becstarr : Australia's Biggest Morning Tea (win!)

Yesterday was Australia's Biggest Morning Tea, and when I got out from morning yoga I was urged by the gym staff to have tea and cake and buy tickets in their ABMT raffle. I was pointed towards the very tasty madeira cake ("made by one of the members. He's single actually, and I think he's looking for a lady, so if you like the cake, come back and I'll give you his details!"). Cake for breakfast and free matchmaking - what more could a girl ask for in the morning?

And: this morning I got a call to say I'd won lunch for 2 at the Grandstand in the raffle. Woo!

Anna : Done myself a harm

Oh noes! All the good luck that has been coming my way for the last month or so has finally been evened out, last night at boxing I felt a "pop" and it turns out I've got "Tennis Leg". I've torn some of the fibers in my left calf and can't walk. Have been to the physio and it's not too serious and I should be able to walk unaided in 10 days or so. TO THE COUCH!

Becstarr : Samudra

Getting organised for the holiday (and wondering whether I'm ready enough, and whether I have time to get everything done that needs to be done at work, etc etc) has got me a bit stressed. The positive in this is that it got me to morning yoga today for the first time in ages! The teacher was a new person (Darsh, I think?) and I found the class excellent. It was a gentle class rather than a tough one (cf Bree) - the word we heard a lot of was "compassion" - but it really was exactly what I needed.

BMW

Went to the launch of the new 1 series last night. Weird mindless champagne-fueled fun of lookign at shiny motor vehicles, odd alien-like models in bizzare shoes and peopel who can or pretend to be able to afford hideously expensive vehicles. Could have left it at that, but then my date won one of the shiny specimens for the weekend. I reckon we're goign down to mogo. Pic of me in said vehicle on FB. SHINY!

So very tiredI don'

I don't think I ever want to be part of a site move again

falsedan - orkobogre

The cheap soy sauce I bought is value-packed with loads of MSG, so I am having strange dreams about wars in Victoria park and orkobogres.

Shoshe -- School's out!

I handed in my last problem set/take home exam on Thursday :) Now it's time for summer research, and actually enjoying this town (they tell me there's a town somewhere outside my office).

Yesterday we woke up early (despite the power going out and resetting the alarm clock) and went to a Local Producers brunch at the local nature center. Mmm, pancakes, homefries, and scrambled eggs with spinach and asparagus! We stayed on for the Mushroom Workshop, and spent a few hours drilling and hammering small mycelium-covered dowels into several logs, and covering the holes with cheese wax. We now have a shiitake-innoculated log sitting in our balcony's shed-thing! Then we went to the farmers' market for a late lunch (just before it closed at 3pm), then to the hardware store for planters and potting mix so I can plant herbs and lettuce when we get back from holiday, then to the supermarket, then to a store where we failed to find socks for me, then to the bookstore where we got a guidebook for our holiday, and then back home where I made applesauce (I got a bunch of apples at the SUPRA-equivalent's end-of-year free bbq) and used the bread machine to make dough for pizzas. By the end of the day we were tired! I think I also cleaned part of the kitchen in there somewhere. And I got to tell one of my students that she got the top score on the final exam :) And she and I found out that she went to my high school.

Kit ponders - Where do all the teaspoons go?

Relocated to a new work location in May 2007, and there was a new building fitout. New 2-drawer dishwashers, full set of plates, bowls, cutlery, mugs and glasses. Within six months, all barr two of the teaspoons had disappeared. Where did they go? I know I was hoarding 1 teaspoon of my own (I brought it in from home), so that I wouldn't ever be teaspoonless.

So I went round to all the vinnies stores in the local area, and managed to scrounge a couple, including a "padstow public school commerative 50th anniversary teaspoon". But on the whole - even the vinnies stores had a lack of teaspoons. Knives, forks aplenty. But spoons? Not on your life.

Where do they go? Is there a ghoul that eats them as a snack?

Becstarr : Roadtrip to the Capital

Went on a roadtrip to Canberra this weekend with Karinne and J to see the Monet-Turner exhibition. We stayed in a youth hostel in Civic with a crazy empty-nester lady who kept on waking up to eat VERY CRUNCHY chips in the middle of the night. On Sunday we went to the fantastic National Museum and I'm looking forward to a few more visits!

Two thumbs up!

Dan - the kids party down

Went to the school Disco at Dante's school, and the kids went off! All three had a fantastic time dancing; Elora doing her classic 'Duck and Wave" dance, Atty running around squealing, and Dante "breakdancing" (ie. doing a rather lyrical interpretive dance). I was actually really impressed with D's dancing skills - it was actually pretty good. The woman he seemed to be trying to woo (I think she was the girlfriend of one of the aftercare staff) commented to be afterwards that he was really talented.

YL - 5 for the price of 1.

Who could resist a good bargain anyway? *chuckle*

1. Graduation was a day of silent victory for me. I felt like I was happy/pleased but I couldnt really cheer. I knew what I had gone through to be there that day ... and I think I just wasnt sure how it all added up. Dinner with family & people who made it imminently possible for me to finish this degree was lovely. I think everyone was happy and more so, everyone got along! I celebrated but it really felt like my heart wasnt in it. Hmm.
2. Work is blargy. I really dont enjoy working at any time (especially till 11pm weeknights) when I'm the only junior person covering the whole place! That's 200 beds. And more, I dont enjoy horribly menial tasks. There are jobs that do not require someone who spent 10 years at Uni to do! Argh. I do not want more random overtime!
3. I also resent being told that I need to have "better time management" when I express that there are more jobs than 1 person can do (re above comment) without being completely exhausted and unable to stop to eat/drink.
4. I miss being paid $22/hr at the labs. I now get paid $25/hr and $27/hr next year. The difference in responsibility is incongruent to the renumeration!
5. There's a beach 5min down the road from me, but with work - I've only been there once in the 6 weeks I've been here. That was the 1st weekend. I'm determined to go there in 1 hr before work!

Dan: 9 posts for the price of one

I've been lazy about updating any of my blogs, so here's the last week's worth of updates:

1. Elora and Atticus were crook last week, with diarrhoea and a cough respectively - the thing about nappies is they make dealing with diarrhoea much easier :)
2. Preparations to travel to the US are still rather byzantine. I'm still waiting on paperwork (Department of Immigration sent me a receipt for my payment for citizenship papers, but not the papers. I've ordered my new Oz passport.
3. As of two minutes ago, I'm officially in my mid thirties.
4. Work is hella busy. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but I'm sure I've got about twice as much to do as I used to.
5. Got a wireless Mighty Mouse for my early birthday present. Now I've got to upgrade to a modern version of Linux if I want to get it running (or buy a Mac).
6. Finally up to date with watching How I Met Your Mother. Funny show. They'd better keep making it. Or I'll stab them. Now I've gotta catch up with all my other TV.
7. Got myself an iPod Touch. I feel I ought to know how they work before going to WWDC, and develop something that runs nicely on one. It's a very nifty toy. I recommend them. Once the iPhone comes out I'll definitely get one of them (and Jen will get an the Touch as an iPod upgrade).
8. Elora is a very clever girl. She has been counting! To four! (for a 15 month old, that's very clever). Also, she's super cute at the moment (which I guess doesn't really need to be said. Everyone know that already).
9. Dante is a world of super itchiness. We've treated three different sources of itchiness, but he seems to have additional itch-causing ailments. At some point, I'm just gonna get a medical encyclopedia and list all possible causes of itchiness, and give the kid a super combo medical cocktail to sort them all out at once. Also, he's really enjoying his Extension classes. And we've had to have extensive (unrelated) discussions about how it's OK if other kids call you a nerd, and to not let it bother you. Peer pressure is starting to kick in, and he was quite worried for a while there when the other kids started hassling him out for being clever. I pointed out the irony of being called a nerd by a bunch of kids obsessed with Star Wars, Ben 10, and Pokemon.
   

Kit: Zilch for Greenie credits

Had a bit of brain idiocy last night. I thought: "Oh, I have a meeting in town tomorrow at 9am and 2pm-5pm. I know, I'll get a pool car and drive in. "

I awoke at 6am (having missed my 530 alarm), and thought: "What!? Why am I driving in? I should have taken the train, and then I could have slept in, *and* been able to snooze on the train, *and* not have to dance with peak hour traffic. "

1.5 hours later... I finally get into town (generally a 50min non-peak-hour journey).

Anna : Can't see straight ...

In the thick of another training project, but this time Hivers get to share my pain because some of them have to attend (hey Jen, hey Joe). Only two days of work to go!

Paul at boxing has re-defined "hard", cutting out most of the breaks we used to enjoy so much. Had a family dinner that went well, olives were a motif, figuring in almost every dish and Guy's dad Steve may have been brought around to the joys of the chickpea.

and deja vu ... just now!

Becstarr : Early, but still not early enough

Still not getting up early enough to make 7:30am yoga. Used the time instead to clean my room a bit, and found my camera which has been missing since I moved! Also picked up mi pasaporte this morning - I think that makes the turnaround 10 working days. Good work DFAT!

Jaime and Shannon’s amazing powers

J&S have been and gone. The day they arrived in Scottyland was our first real spring day in weeks. While they were here the fog made 2 attempts to return but using their combined powers J&S let the sun shine. At one point it hit 22°! That's almost a heatwave. On Thursday we climbed Arthurs seat and Jaime worked up a really good sunburn. On Friday I waved goodbye to them at Waverly and within 10 minutes the rain had returned and most of the weekend was fogged in. I guess Jaime and Shannon need to spend more time in Edinburgh :)

Jaime - Let's party like its 1699

I had my nose smashed by a sword and got to fire a pistol. This holiday is awesome!

Jaime - I got sunburt in Edinburgh

Yes, I got sunburnt in Edinburgh. I was wearing sunglasses and now I look like a stylish raccoon.

Becstarr : Academic honesty again

Attended an interesting morning as a guest at the First Year Experience WG's meeting on academic honesty. It's a frustrating topic in many ways, but an interesting question because there are so many facets, not least of which is the time factor, in questions like "how much time can we afford to / do we want to put into prevention and detection, and then into prosecution?" and "how much time do we want to spend on teaching students about this rather than on actual subject content matter?". So much more to say on this - perhaps a proper write-up elsewhere is in order.

In other matters, today I realised that a good way to develop my Spanish might be to read articles whose contents are easy to guess, such as "¿Qué debes hacer si han hackeado tu sitio web?"

Climbed to the Summit

Today we reached the top of Arthur's Seat. Yay us!

Dan is a Yankee pigdog

I won the Uni's scholarship to go to WWDC this year, which is awesome, but it's in San Francsico, and since I'm a US/Austraila dual citizen (in theory), that means I need to use my US passport to enter and leave the US, and since I haven't had a US passport in about 30 years, I've got to apply for a new one, but I need my birth certificate and Australian citizenship papers, which were lost/stolen when we moved house one time, and so I've had to send off for ID papers from New York and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, which should arrive in two weeks hopefully, so I can get a passport, and use my non-refundable, non-transferable plane tickets on the 7th of June.

But then I get to cruise around California for a week after WWDC. Should be tops.

Becstarr : Inyecciones!

Got my Hep A, Typhoid, flu, and Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccinations yesterday. My arms hurt but I feel invincible now! Except of course for rabies, which I left too late to do the course for (plus it's 3 lots of $85 - ouch!).

Fingers crossed for no mad dogs or scratchy bats.

Anna : New Job!

Again! I'm going over to Arts Digital to work as the "Senior Web Communications Officer" and will be supervising one Mr. Eugene Chan ... hope he's nice, would be a shame if we had to share our personal space for a lengthy period of time and we didn't get on ...

Ben - Luck!

I've been pretty lucky the last couple of days. Yesterday, I saw an eight year old voluntarily reading Mark Twain. This morning, the camera shop called to tell me that they've finally fixed my camera. And this afternoon, I won a raffle. Not a bad couple of days.

Kit is Music Spree

Went on a CD impulse spending spree. New jjj hottest 100 album (volume 15?), kate nash, and the Big Day Out Compiliations 2005-2006 (latter two from redeyerecords in town).
BDO2005 is not to my taste, or at least not-suitable-for-work moods.

Evelyn, Tancred, Jaime, Shannon - Off to Glasgow

Off to see arty type stuff, cathedrally type stuff and high-tea at the Macintosh tearooms.

falsedan - 'Golden Brown' is a song about cooking a turkey

According to the Virgin video-on-demand notes… the music on demand channel is great! It's like I have my own personal programming slot on Rage, except with a special focus on Take That and Sugababes videos.

Also I have spent the last few days programming perl and reading about boardgames and apparently that justifies a raise—woo hoo extra £2000

Becstarr : Burning down the highway!

What a great day! I got a heaping heap of things done!
I got to Medicare before work and got a card (I haven't had one in about 3y).
I went to the Post Office and lodged my application at last (thanks Anna for going guarantor).
I finished two pieces of documentation and 3/5ths of another.
I popped up to the quad to celebrate YL's graduation as a doctor - huzzah!
And now pub pub pub.... and I deserve it! :)

Kit: Somewhere along the road ...

On the Olympic Highway, between Ilabo and Junee, there is a road called "Bunnies Gate Way".

Becstarr : Excel and me

Excel is my new best friend. Every morning its friendly, informative green face each morning reminds me where I'm up to with everything, and that I am actually making progress, despite often not feeling like it.

(Yes, I can hear what you're thinking and yes, the precious info is backed up! :).

Bwahahahahaha

Everyone is out of the house - I get to rearrange everything. Everything, I tell you!

YL - Victoria Room & Graduation

The Victoria Room in Darlinghurst is my new favourite place. Went there for supper and drinks with Katie in pre-celebration of our upcoming graduation. Cocktail = Bellini = gorgeous!

Graduation is Fri 2pm. Will be out in Main Quad when it's over. I will be the overly happy one waving her degree around.

Evelyn - weird stasis

Its a bit odd starting a new job in the middle of a site move, when no one has any time to show you anything but its not really appropriate to do nothing.

YL - city lights below

I watched from my plane window as the twisting winding orange lines of lights of Sydney city faded in and out of view as we streamed through crowds. The city is like a living creature spreading its tentacles and pressing ever outwards edges brimming with growth. What a massive city, how daunting the size!

Jaime - Deux ordinateur pour demi heure

Using a computer for half an hour should be fun. Will blog proper when we get to Dusseldorf. Paris was awesome! French keyboqrds suck!

Mushrooms!

It has rained so much over the past two weeks, that mushrooms have started sprouting in the paddock.

Becstarr : Sleeping in Spanish

After last night's late game finish, slept in this morning and got to work late, but feeling great! The game has reminded me how great the Gladiator soundtrack is.

Still working hard at Spanish. This morning learnt that a toilet is called "el inodoro"... which is actually quite funny.

Becstarr : Seduced by stats

Discovered a few new reports in FlexSIS today (student records) in the Faculty category. Did you know that Arts has 1001 uos in session 2 this year? I would have guessed more like 600-700.

I highly recommend the FlexSIS reporting portal (FRP - call the FlexSIS guys to arrange access) to anyone trying to plan anything at all at the uni. Hurray for wonderful reports that someone else has set up!

Shoshe - Spring!

This past Thursday the trees decided that it was spring! There are many green little buds, and even some little leaves. And some little flower-ish-things on a tree outside my office that are apparently yummy if you're a squirrel.

Only three and a half weeks to the average last frost date.

Jen - Home sick

Oh how I've longed for a day off at home with no children to look after. It has been a very, very long time since I last did this.

Except that I am sick as a dog (a sick dog) and have spent the better part of the day wallowing in bed.

Stupid catching the tummy bug that the boys had last week. Either that or food poisoning.

Dan - the mountains

Took the lads up to the Blue Mountains for a couple of days - it was awesomely foggy and dismally soggy. The boys had a grand time, though were were all a little cranky today after sharing a room in a B&B in Wentworth falls (Monique's - I recommend it). Everyone managed to wake up everyone else all through the night. Went on the Scenic Railway and all that business. Poor little Atty had slippery shoes on and kept falling on his bum and getting cold and wet. Came home to a Very Ill Jen.

Ben - Steam and Steel

Went to an event that was the diametric opposite of the Sustainability festival Bec went to last week. The Maitland Steamfest! There were all sorts of steam trains, tractors and steamrollers and such, as well as old engines running pumps, generators and corn mills. There was smoke and steam everywhere, it was brilliant! There were also stalls, and I bought a bottle of chilli sauce called "The Widow Maker"

falsedan - reeling in ealing

I have migrated from the sainsbury savannahs to the plains of tesco: we have moved from Shepherds Bush to Ealing



1 Waldegrave Road
LONDON
W5 3HT

Hello internet stalkers! I am poor and a biter and like meeing new people!

I reckon we get about 80% zombie resistance if we collapse the railway bridges to the north and south.

Ealing has a large number of Japanese immigrants and the council flats are done up to look like little Tudor houses.

Jaime - Blog Post of the Beast

Yes, my distraction was a cheap ploy so that I could get the 666th post on Hive One Sentence Journal. After you groan at my antics, be happy, 'cause we're on Holidays!

Jaime - A distraction

Jaime - Almost there

Can hardly concentrate at work today, only one more sleep until our trip begins. Hurry up damnit!

Kit - Bye-bye wheel

By keeping my bike obsessively locked on the balcony, I've somehow managed to break the little disc-y thing that all the spokes are connected to. Bye bye wheel. :-(

Ben - Tasty soup

Fairly quiet holidays so far. Made a big pot of sarma, a Hungarian dish consisting of pork, bacon, sauerkraut and paprika and therefore qualifying as the most Hungarian dish it is physically possible to make.

Also very tasty.

Jaime - I want to be a Jugger

Simply put, I would like to be a Jugger after I found that Europe, North America and Australia have Jugging leagues.

Dan: Torrential!

In the space of 24 hours yesterday and today, we've dealt with:

• 2 poos in the bath (yesterday and today's bath)
  
• 1 huge vomit on the carpet at the top of the stairs
• 1 bucket of vomity water accidentally kicked down the stairs onto all the stuff that's under the stairs (by a certain father (who we won't name) of the above vomity child, after we'd cleaned up)
  
• 1 nappy that leaked poo out both sides
• 1 pair of wet pants and undies

Have kids, everybody! They're delightful!

Jaime - You can't catch me

I'm the ginger bread man! Also, Frisky Dingo is quite amusing, but only quite.

Master Cylinder!

Shannon: an extravagance

Splashed out bought myself an early birthday present: the Canon EF-S 17-85mm lens. I mean, it could be some time before I'm back in Europe. Would hate to be there going, "gee, I wish I'd bought that lens".

Anna : So Lazy!

I had another very quiet weekend, got to work on leaving the house more, but I did have my first go at home made booze-infusions! Now I just have to find some saps to drink it ... bring on the 500 night!

Becstarr : Marrickville rain biking

Biked to the Sustainability festival in Steel Park, Marrickville (just on the Cooks River) twice... once on Saturday, a day early (oops) and then for real on Sunday. Plenty of manageable hills, so I guess it was good exercise at least!

The festival was small (clearly in its first few years), which suited me fine. No chai tent (wha?) but there was an indigenous food stand with kangaroo & croc burgers. Plenty of families and various freebies and workshops. Unfortunately the rain then hit and our attempt to bike home between showers was a wetter venture than I was hoping for. Urgh!