Categories
Home life

The bricks

Marita and I spent some time on Sunday attempting to demolish her house. Well, a little bit of it. Sometime in the last century when tastes in building took a turn for the worse, someone ripped out most of the fireplace in her room, bricking it up and replacing what I assume was a lovely  ... [More]

Categories
books

Bowen on Bryson

Bill Bryson: A Short History of Nearly Everything. Almost more of a history of scientists than a history of science. As all of Bryson’s books are, I found this highly amusing, as one reads of the discoveries we humans have made over the centuries, seemingly more often by mistake than with any intent. I must  ... [More]

Categories
Food'n'drink Here is my Photos

Here is my pantry

Here is my pantry. Post a picture of your pantry… Link in the Trackbacks or comments. As usual, move your mouse over the picture for descriptions of various bits (note Firefox may abbreviate. Apparently you can fix it with this extension if you turn multi-line tooltips on.) Past photos in this series Notes on creating  ... [More]

Categories
Film

Quick movie reviews

In The Cut. Unrecognisable Meg Ryan. Bleak, so bleak. From the Monster’s Ball school of bleak. Was there even a single lighthearted moment in it? If so I’ve forgotten it. I mean, Mystic River wasn’t a cheerful film, but managed not to be as depressing as this one. Interesting enough plot I suppose, but did  ... [More]

Categories
Melbourne

Today I have seen

My train to work leaving a minute early. Without me on it. A demonstration that I can only assume was pro-life (it wasn’t overly clear), as it consisted of people wheeling a mock baby in isolation thingy up Collins St, escorted by a police car, along with safety-vested money collectors. Hmmm. Strolling down Collins St,  ... [More]

Categories
dreams

Some more dreams

After my last batch of dreams, Nat posted an analysis of them, which I found very interesting, though it seemed to indicate a lot of negativity, which I don’t really feel is in my life right now. But anyway there was another suite of dreams a few nights ago, as disjointed as ever, but not  ... [More]

Categories
Doctor Who PTUA

TV

Am I a has-been before I’ve even been a been? One of the kids at the school: “You used to be on TV!” Ahem. Yeah kid. Once or twice. … Doctor Who producer Phil Collinson on the return of (and apparent changes to) the Daleks: “If ever you’ve laughed at them, prepare to have the  ... [More]

Categories
Working life

Taxes

Yesterday I took the day off to organise my taxes. Apart from the long trip down to see the accountant (out in the wilds of suburbia), it was also worthy of a day off because of the time required to find all the little bits of paper involved. Having found them all, it slowly dawned  ... [More]

Categories
Politics and activism PTUA transport

NYE

The whole New Year’s Eve debacle saga that I wrote about a few months ago came bubbling back up to the surface today. The trains will run all night, as well as more frequently straight after the fireworks. Herald Sun: Trains all night on New Year’s Eve The Age: Public transport plan to avert New  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism

Real estate

Ah the joys of real estate listings. It’s always the stuff they don’t mention that catches you out. Here’s a few samples I’ve encountered recently: A delightful 1950s brick four bedroom family home in a quiet cul de sac location so close to Chadstone Shopping Centre, Phoenix Park & the Malvern Valley Golf Course. —  ... [More]

Categories
Here is my Photos

Here is my TV (etc)

Here is my TV, and assorted other home entertainment paraphenalia. Post a picture of your TV etc… Link in the Trackbacks or comments. As usual, move your mouse over the picture for descriptions of various bits (note Firefox may abbreviate. Apparently you can fix it with this extension if you turn multi-line tooltips on.) Past  ... [More]

Categories
TV

Not a snake!

At lunchtime I was at Collins Place waiting for somebody to go to a meeting, when I saw a couple of people walking past me. The man looked familiar. It was Michael Palin. He wasn’t doing a silly walk, and he didn’t appear to be filming an expedition up Collins Street. I didn’t gush over,  ... [More]