Vamos a Timor Leste!

Merry New Christmas Year to all!

Well, it sounds like most of my Christmas wishes came true for you guys. Mr Moron got his fire retardant gel, Dr Cok got his drunk self into those leathers, and I have no doubt Tangles hit up the absinthe for all she was worth. I hear Cazrock defeated the demons of PS2 and is now moving on to las caras de los monos.

But, most importantly, it DID snow for KT!! As predicted in previous blog post (see below). I hereby take all credit for the predicted precipitation.

But it does raise one important issue. Snow is big and white. KT is small and white. I am worried that any expedition outside in such conditions could see her disappear. So, Sis, don't venture beyond the portico. Make those 'eh, eh' noises and get other people to fetch the paper. I'm glad you liked your pressies! I loved mine.

The other big news is that I've been accepted to work for the government's international aid agency in the Timor of the East for six months next year as a town planner. This would be v exciting in itself. But the best bit is that all flights and resettlement costs will be paid for. And, I will receive a local living wage. I have extracted a promise from Emja that she will come and see Timor Leste for herself AT LEAST twice, and I will come back and see me lay-dee at least twice too. I went to ET in 2003 but it was only for a week. So this will be arsesome (KT, pers. comm., 20/12/2005). Will have to learn tetum though.

This guy will be my new boss.

He looks like a dude.

Bar Hamburg!

Christmas is definitely here. I know because the beggar at Wynyard with the googly eyes and no shoes has stopped chanting 'Anyone spare a dollar a dollar, anyone spare a dollar a dollar' and has started yelling 'Merry Christmas hohohohoho' (with the ho ho ho said in rapid succession like coughing fit or similar). It seems to be working. I sawe two people giving him large wads of shrappers.

I also know because I spent last night trying to wrap a box as tall as myself for a certain lay-dee friend. No, I am not gonna get inside the box. The look of disappointment on her face as she opened it would be a bit awkward.

I also know because of this.

Emja is coming in to the city for lunch just for me. I feel very special. She's a sweetie.

Anyways, I hope youse all have funtastic Christmases. Dr Cok I hope you get those leathers and the whip you asked for. Tangles, stay off the absinthe. Mr Moron, don't kiss any chicks with candles on their heads, it will wreck your new do. Cazrock, I hope that you defeat the PS2 demons in South America. Middle Sis, don't let the kiwis get the better of you prankwise. And last, but definitely absotively not last, KT I hope you like your pressies and that it snows especially for you. Remember that I loves ya Sis.

Couldn't have said it better myself...

KT finally got her pressie today. Hope you like it!

No other real news to support. Hope everyone is swell!

Commercial or Sweet?

Ooooo-Kaaaaaay...

Weekend Roundup

CD Cover for Tangles' viewing pleasure.

As foretold in the pre-weekend post, I caught up with my Dad on the weekend. When I say 'caught up', I am not referring to a hand-size amount of days-of-not-seeing-each-other but more to, like, a Warner-Brothers-cartoon-sized-piano-falling-from-great-height sized wad of catching. Ten years is a long time between drinks.

But it was good. Emja has finally met ALL of the sisters and brother, which is no mean feat given that three of the five are on continents other than Australia. AND both parents, which, if you know mine and KT's family, is no mean feat either.

We ate cow ribs on the spit in honour of the little sis in South America. It was deeelish.

On Sunday I, in some specific order:

- Braved the Premier's lock-down and went to Narrabeen Beach (this is braver than you'd think as he is, technically, my boss);

- Ate enchilada picadillo at Montezuma's;

-Played the worst game of pool I have ever played, but still managed to win one from two;

- Tried to talk over the mad Brazilians watching Sao Paolo beat Liverpool at the Ivanhoe in Manly. (The Brazilians being at the Ivanhoe and the teams not playing in the Ivanhoe but on the big screen, obviously).

- Talk to tha Sis from the You-Kay. And asked her "You 'kay"? (he he)

Will have to get back to Em's family about that 40-minute phone call on their bill.

Family Ties

Went and saw this with my lay-dee last night. After the first ten minutes I was ready to leave, but...give it some time. Once you get past Keira Knightley's posing the script actually bothers to have some twists. If I were a pretentious critic, I would describe it as an American 'Lock, Stock etc.' but more crap.

Anyone else seen it?

On Saturday I am having a Christmas BBQ with my Dad. Now, for many of you that would be a pretty average event. But see, last time I saw my dad on a regular basis was, like, 1996. And the most recent time I saw him was at Mum's funeral last year where we exchanged about five words.

It is all part of my 'hatchet burying / reclaim the extended family clan plan' for 2005/06. It follows in the footsteps of the Great Mick PicNic of November 2005, where I caught up with my brother Michael who lives in Pommyland and I haven't seen for 10 years. He's in the middle below:

Personally, I don't see the resemblance ;-)

Big up 'spect to older sis Leanne for being the major mover/shaker in the family reconciliation. You are a gem! And to Emja for being so supportive. Also, to KT for the encouraging emails.

Love youse all.

Back to the Rat Race

Lil' bro eyes slopes - poos pants

That was the first and only time I went skiing. It was in August at Persiher with Em's family. Em was an absolute angel and laughed and smiled while I cursed the world, myself and everything. By day three she'd taught me enough to enjoy it. She will be a great teacher!

I didn't go skiing this weekend. No, instead I took Emja to a yurt in Morpeth. Which is in the Hunter Valley for all those O/S. It is also quite close to a complete hole I like to call Maitland. We stayed on a biodynamic farm and had home-cooked brekkies which were scrumbdiddlyumptious. We also watched Mighty Joe Young and Stuart Little, which Em made a very coherent argument about not making sense. Mice can talk to humans, dress up and drive cars. But cats can only talk to mice and each other and have to walk round nekkid.

Anyway.

Now that the World Cup draw is out, here is my prediction:

Australia will get smashed.

There will be much media talk about how we have nothing to fear and we can be giant killers because we beat England 3-1 in a friendly three years ago and we competed with Brazil in a sissy comp by the name of the Confederations Cup a few years back. Make no mistake, we will get SMASHED. Annhilated. Wiped from the earth. And it will hurt unless you prepare yourself by listening to the truth.

Japan are more fit.

Croatia are more creative.

And Brazil are, well, Brazil.

So, let's start getting ready for 2010. Who's with me?

Also, this one's for you Sis. As a former Heybaby Baby, you should know that there is trouble in the south.

Away, away, on a holi holiday

Caught the ferry to Manly yesterday because, as any Sydney readers will know, it was a STINKEROO yesterday. I was sweating like Mr Moron in a Swedish sauna. So Em and I met up at Fairlight for a dip. Summer is here!

The ferry is the best way to go because:
a) even at peak hour it is half full;
b) most passengers are tourists who are chilled out and happy;
c) the staff wear boardshorts;
d) seagulls fly past your window;
e) you can throw loud American sightseers off the back and nobody notices.

It was a far sight better than the train this morning. I was so crammed in I got to know the guy next to me on a VERY personal level. But we exchanged numbers when I got off so it was okay.

Anyways, can't wait to take Em away for the weekend tomorrow. She deserves a humassive rest, the tough little worker.

Oh, and in case you doubted my claim about Spanish humour on an earlier post, here is this week's 'joke' of the week:

Un vampiro invita a una vampira cenar.
Mientras termina de preparar la cena, le pregunta:
– ¿Quieres beber algo?
– Sí, gracias.
– ¿Del grupo A o del grupo B?

Real translation:
A (male) vampire invites a (female) vampire over for dinner.
Whilst finishing cooking the meal, he asks her:
-Would you like something to drink?
-Yes please.
-Group A or Group B?


Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
How wrong I have been.

The Wonders of Science

Just in: a new mathematical break-through.

A year well spent if you ask me.

Monday, Monday

Spent last night at the 'Roy (Emja's place) where we had family dinner with her parents and one of her bros and his girlfriend. These dinners are always an event, and Em's brother James is a comedian by trade, so it was a fun night. We spent most of the night looking through the recent photos of Em's other brother's wedding. Andrew and Jamie got married two weekends ago up in Brooklyn. Em's Dad roped me in to taking the family photos for them. Seeing as they had two prof. snappers and a video cameraman taking pics, I decided to go for the 'random' angle and take 'action' shots. This may have not been such a good idea. The photos that weren't blurry usually depicted unposed scenes of blinking, nose pickings, people looking at other people's cleavage, and random dogs. I did get a good one of Andrew in front of a 'Caution: Submarine Cables Ahead' sign but i don't think Em's Dad appreciated the irony. I will try to post some photos when I get the chance.

In other news, I am gonna go Dance Dance Revolutioning tonight with a mate from the Council I used to work at up on the Northern Beaches. Should be interesting.

And I know that all you non-town planners won't appreciate this, but it is relevant to me so it gets a link.

Hike Pike.

I had planned to go on a big hike to Govett's Leap in the Blue Mountains on the weekend. But Cityrail decided it should take 6 hours to do a return journey from North Sydney. Bollocks to that.

Instead I spent most of the weekend helping out Emja doing her thing as the star employee of a volunteer organisation. To avoid googleisation, her employer will remain nameless, but she works for an organisatin that sends young Australians to get tanned, muscly and happy in an exotic third world country for 6-10 weeks. Oh, they also build things like community halls and help with eye surgery, but that's by the by.

I went to Costa Rica with them in 2003. That's where I met her actually. We did stuff like this:

And built stuff like this:

Anyway, Saturday was spent helping Em get the next lot of kids ready for their trip to Costa Rica. They don't know what they're in for!

On Stady night we went to Manly Wharf for a couple of sneaky ones. The northern beaches boys do a pub crawl every Christmas dressed in Santa suits. They start at the Newport Arms and work their way down through Collaroy, Dee Why, Brookvale to Manly. We were fortunate enough to run into them at the Manly end, where they were beyond sauced. The grillas at the doors wouldn't let them in, and were subjected to a very vocal rendition of 'You've lost that loving feeling'.

On Sunday Emja had to get up and do it all over again with another group of young'uns. This time I just helped out for an hour or so. Em needs a rest. so next weekend I am taking her here. Should be fun.

Sydney FC won on the weekend. The one real white boy on the team scored the winner, so I am well pleased.

I don't understand.

I don't understand some movies. Last night I watched this movie with my lady. Well, I watched half of it before throwing it out the window. Does anyone understand this movie? If so, please enlighten me. I was trying to get some cinematic nous but just ended up confused...

I don't understand Spanish humor. I have a long term plan to move to Spain in 2007. So I've been trying to learn as much Spanish as possible before I go. But recent forays into Spanish humour are starting to make me think this may not be such a good idea. Take for example:

En el cine, dos amigas hablan sin parar.
Una señora sentada en la fila de atrás les dice muy enfadada
– ¡Perdonen, no puedo oír nada!
– ¿Y por qué tiene oír? Es una conversación privada...


Which roughly translates as:
'I am Spanish and have no sense of humour more advanced than a First Grader.'

Or something like that.

In other news, got to speak to tha Sis this morning. After three months in Engerland, I think she's finally getting the grasp of the time difference ; ) I am syked that she is gonna go and be hardcore some time next year!

Today is casual Friday at work, I am thinking of wearing something like this:




What you think?