Prayers and fasting .. live as I type ..

See that map .. See all the rain that's pouring! That radar image was taken at the same time as I am making this post. This people is wonderful wonderful wonderful ...

At the moment my part of the world has been in a horrendous drought. I am talking being on level 4 water restrictions, the worst level is level 5. We have not seen good rain in months and months .. November December January are our cyclone seasons, which is when our dams historically get filled. This past November there were no storms, there were one or two days of showers that lasted a couple of hours, but nothing to drench the hot dusty earth.

Last Sunday our Local Church Leaders (Pacific Area President) - informed the leaders that this Fast Sunday was to be set aside by all members to fast for the specific purpose of rain to break the drought we are in. All week Howard has been excited for this fast and has even told several people how Sunday he will be getting his umbrella ready. There have been a lot of doubting thomas's thats for sure ! including me.

Although last night at 7.30pm I started my fast with a good feeling. This morning I woke up to a rain soaked ground, but nothing too lasting. Then tonight a couple of hours before I am to end my fast, a tropical storm has been unleashed ! It's wonderful ! So far I have heard 4 rumblings of thunder, what a beautiful beautiful sound. You know what the storm started as Howard has ended his fast .. he started his fast earlier than me. He had so much faith that it was going to work, and I think the blessing of that faith is pouring on our heads right now .. wonderful isn't it !

But you know .. I have an answer to the water crisis too .. There are these huge chunks of ice bergs floating past New Zealand .. it's taken them 7 years to make it that far ! Why doesn't our navy .. go hook a couple of these ice bergs up to the back of their ship thingys and tow them here to water starved Australia. Dump them in our dried up dams and let the sun do all the rest ! ..



Just wanted to share that .. Now go away .. come back another day .. hah :-)

Man Bag

What is it with men and purses. Why do they not see how useful they are. Everything can go into a purse, then it's easily accessible. Instead they will carry their mobile in one pocket and their wallet in another and then their keys in another .. ever sat on keys during an entire movie ? Yeah me neither .. coz I have a purse ! to put all that stuff in ! ! !

I'm seriously thinking about designing some man bags ..

Functions of a man bag :

1. Look manly, must never be referred to as a purse
2. Be able to hold necessities
3. Look manly, must never be referred to as a purse
4. Able to go with a miriad of outfits that a man must wear : like .. ummm .. errrr ... jeans and shirt, suit, shorts and shirt ... and stuff like that
5. Look manly, must never be referred to as a purse

Look guys it's very easy to look sexy carrying a 'purse' I mean man-bag.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's been wonderful.

Whoa, I so have not been around lately ! but I have been getting demands to post about my Elvis Concert. I was going to wait till I got some of the pics I took onto my computer, but I have lost the chord to connect .. so I'll just have to do without.

Can I just say that it was AWESOME ! ?

From the moment we drove into the car park and saw 4 elvis', then roamed around the venue that had Elvis Memorabillia, and crowded in with the grannies and their sons to buy Elvis Programs, we knew it was going to be one heck of a night.

The concept was that Elvis performs live (but he's dead) .. on a Gigantic screen that hangs over the stage, with past concert footage. Whilst his original band, his original back up singers and others are on the stage, performing live. Just think reverse karaoke, except the singer is on the video and the soundtrack is live on stage ..

It was quite amazing .. The timing that must be involved. They played their instruments and sang in perfect timing to what Elvis was doing on screen. It really was like watching him live. I mean just try to imagine big arena concerts nowadays where you are so far away from the stage that you only get to see the band on the big screen anyways, that's what it was like.

Gotta tell ya, at the beginning it was quite weird to think he was not actually there, but that feeling quickly left as they started doing their thing. Although once again at the end that feeling came back like a thunderbolt, as we all looked at the stage with the lights up and the screen blanked, with no Elvis.

It was a great night, I would recommend it too anyone who truly loves Elvis .. and I would encourage anyone else just to go to be amazed at the concept that the show was ..

Family Fun Days are such fun..

I wasn't there . but I heard .. plus the pictures are worth much more than a thousand words could express ..



The Osborne Clan, My baby brother his wife and 4 beautiful daughters. They came first ! woot woot.



Nana Joe (my sisters mum in law), Matt my baby bro and my sister Roni and her beautiful girls.



The Hippolite Clan, 6 of them, plus one ring in.

::edited::



This is the winning family and their trophy ..

We're running out of water ! and Clergymen !

It's crazy here you know. I live in a huge metropolis (well huge for our standards) .. about 4million people. The city centre is built on a river and we are surrounded by beaches. Guess what, we are on high level water restrictions. My city has 27% dam levels. People are banned from watering gardens with hoses, they may use buckets. People are banned from washing their cars, pools must have covers (so the water doesn't evaporate). To the city west of us, Toowoomba, they are on the highest water restrictions, they can't even use a bucket to water their gardens, they aren't allowed to water or wash cars at all ! .. the crazy thing .. the city just south to me the Gold Coast has 90% dam levels, they are swimming in their water like it's Christmas. It's just crazy to think that one of the major cities of Australia can run out of water by 2008.

Wanna hear something else crazy ! Apparently the Catholic church in these parts is running out of priests. Noone wants to become one nowadays, what with the celibacy rule and all. It's true, my work colleagues who are Catholic were up in arms about it yesterday. Apparently some of them can only go to church once a month. Because their Priest has become a travelling priest, he has to visit other parishes every other day of the month. Without a priest they can't have church. It's not even like they live out in the country. They live in one of the local suburbs ..

Water and Clergymen, what is happening here !?

I don't know what all the fuss is about. I'm just a guy who makes music - no different from anybody else : Elvis

I found someone to come with me ! yay ... 12th October, Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Section N .. which is not too shabby ! Thanks Howard :-)



Description Elvis Presley In Concert, the stunning theatrical production that reunites former band mates live on stage alongside Elvis as he performs a full concert on a giant video screen, continues its historic and critically acclaimed world tour with the announcement of Australian tour dates. The 2006 production has a dynamic set list similar to the sold out 1999 Australian tour, with additional songs and an even bigger stage production. Another addition to the 2006 tour is for the first time ever, the show will be accompanied by a select exhibit of original Elvis costumes and other concert-related items from the Graceland archives.

RSS ? Feeds ?

Can anyone tell me how to get these RSS Feed things to work ? I want to add the lds.org newsroom RSS Feeds to my website. I have read every single internet dummy explanation out there and still don't get it. So be forewarned, I need the dummiest of the dummies explanation.

Anyone ? Anyone ?

How do YOU do it

Had a fun conversatioin with some friends over a hot milo and some chocolate cake ... It's amazing what kinda conversations one can come up in that type of atmosphere.

Anyways we got to talking about our clotheslines. I really can't remember ever seeing a clothesline in the USA, it's all dryers over there, right?

Here it's all about the clothesline, probably on account of, we can hang out our clothes and have them dried in a half hour, in time to hang out the next load. Actually our back yard clothesline is so huge we can hang 3 full loads out ! If we have enough pegs.

Which brings me to the social observation my friends and I made. There are definitely set classes of people, set aside by the way they hang out their clothes.

1. the people who just throw their clothes on the line and hold them on there with one peg. Throwing caution to the wind. Trusting in the elements that their clothes will cling to the line and survive the whooshing of the wind. No apparent care about how the clothes are hung or in what order. You can tell these people by the little bump in their clothes the peg makes wherever they have decided to peg it.

2. the people who peg the clothes up in a somewhat orderly fashion, usually joining clothes together on the edges, so they are opened up to receive the full advantage of the blazing sun and allowing the wind to penetrate the fibres. There is however no set pattern on which clothes go where or are attached to whom. You can tell these people by the elongated edges of their shirts and jumpers, caused by the hanging of the clothes by the edges.

3. the people who follow the people in section 2, but have a set order in which clothes are to be hung. Towels on the outer lines, followed by heavy clothing, like jeans, followed by shirts / dresses, followed by jumpers, and the middle of the clothesline is reserved for those private under clothes that we don't want the peeping tom next door to see.

4. are the people who follow the people in section 3, EXCEPT! each clothes item has its own set of pegs, AND they have an order in which things are done. Towels of similar colour and size are hung together, pants are hung upside down by the leg. Shirts / skirts / dresses are seperated into colour and size and hung up side down next to each other. Sox even get their own pegs and are matched and hung out to dry in a companionship never to be lost. Jumpers are hung over the line so that funny little peg imprints are not made in the fabric. Towels and other items such as shirts are half hung over the line, so their edges don't elongate.

5. very comparable to those in section 4, EXCEPT they have matching pegs and by matching I mean, the pegs match the same colours as the clothes! And their shirts/jumpers are hung from the clothesline on coat hangers so as not to lose any of their shape. Jeans are turned inside out, so as not to lose their colour. etc etc ..

Guess which group I belong too ...

Send me your gold..

I can tell you if it's real or not. I have a sty growing on my eye, I can feel it. I've never in my life had a sty. What pressure I am under. Everyone knows to ward of sty's one must rub gold over the surface and on account of I only own two rings (all others have been lost ... ), one sterling silver CTR ring and one a gold cherubic one, I think I need your gold.

Here are some other remedies that supposedly work.

Run cold water over the tea bag. Squeeze most of the water out of the bag, and then place it on your eye for about 30 mins. I find if I do this twice a day, the sty normally goes away withina day.

Mix baby shampoo with water (half and half) of each. Put solution on a Q-tip and wash the eye lashes out. Do this twice a day for about two weeks. You will notice results real quick!
=== two weeks ? thats not QUICK !

Wet the tea bag withhot/warm water and place on affected eye for about half an hour 2-3 times a
day. This will bring your sty to a head (when you're able to see the pus, like a pimple). Using the tea bag will be helpful, a warm rag will also help to open pores where the sty is as well. === the point is I don't want the pus, oh but if I do see pus can I pop it ..

break one raw egg then remove yellow, using white of the egg only. place white of the raw egg in a white cloth or paper towel. then place on eye 3 times a day for 15 minutes at a time. this really works and draws the sty out of the eye. my grandmother done this for me and my brother, and it was gone in 2 days.
=== personally whatever grandma done always seems to work, I'm a gonna try this one ..

Also while looking up other alternative remedies to stop the sty. I came across the following to cure short sightedness. I have that disease! I'm gonna try it - we got plenty sun here to not look at.

I claim no origination for this, but some years ago (1995 I
think) I was reading a magazine article concerning near-sightedness. I had
been wearing glasses for nearsightedness for nearly 30 years since a small child. The article indicated, its possible if you sit in the early morning sun, not looking directly at it, but at a 45 degree angle, for app 15 minutes, changing eyes for another 15 minutes that your nearsightedness could improve.

There's bits of me everywhere !

How about you?

By accident yesterday I stumbled upon a website I started a few years ago. One of my very first personal webpages. Then as I sat thinking about it, I thought, DANG, there's bits of me all over this world wide web. I wonder how long it will take for this blog to become another bit of me, left, in the great mass of information, that will be buried forever, never to be seen again, unless someone types something really obscure in a search engine and one of my sites happen to pop up. And even now people are trying to get me to join up on even more sites, like Bebo.. the fun never ends !

Wanna see some of my creations ?

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/middy

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/temple2003

http://www.myspace.com/midster77

http://taniwha.spaces.live.com/

http://www.ldspacific.com/ <<== this is an actual real website that I own, nifty eh.

RIVERFIRE !

This week marks the river festival. Our city is built on a river. This week is a celebration of the river. To start of the celebrations in conjunction with a local radio, the city council puts on a fireworks display, that is choreographed to music. The fireworks light up the whole city and last 30 mins. To start the fireworks 2 x F1-11's do a dump and burn. They also end the show. I gotta tell ya the dump and burn is AMAZING !

Anyways here are some shots my mates took. We were actually right outside of the Brisbane Temple, which overlooks the City. There were over 1/2 a million people all over the city watching the spectacular. Where we were was a fantastic place to see the F1-11's coz they come up behind the temple. AWESOME!

It's pouring!

Yay it's raining! Please excuse us folk in the middle of a drought, we get excited when it rains . So much so the nieces/nephews and a flurry of other neighbourhood kids are outside in their shorts and t'shirts playing in it ! .. Oh wish I was a kid again so I could join them. Eh what the heck I think I will join them anyways.

I am guessing he's been buried

After Steve Irwin's family declined a state funeral, and opted for a private one (who wouldn't) I am guessing they have privately intured their father/husband/friend/son already. But in the not too distant future will organise a public memorial.

The public have been able to show their condolences by leaving trinkets and flowers at Steve Irwins Crocodile Farm - the Australia Zoo.

One of the fellas from work lives not far and took some of the following snaps on his way to work.

My favourite Steve Irwin Interview

Andrew Denton is a well respected tv host here in Australia. Here is his interview with Steve Irwin back in 2003. It was one of his most watched interviews even back then.

It's in 4 parts.. the quality is pretty terrible, but it's still well worth the look !

Part One


Part Two


Part Three


Part Four

Crikey ... what a sad day

Steve Irwin Died. He's become an Australian Icon.

To be honest the first I ever heard of him was from American friends who raved about him.. At first I thought he was a total nutcase ! But boy did he put Australia on the map.

We all grew to fall in love with the guy. What was it that was so good about him ? Besides the Crocodile thing. Well let me share my impressions.

He was truly a down to earth aussie yocker, top bloke. Pure and simple. He was never pretentious about his fame and his wealth. What money he did make always went back into the causes he cared about - protecting Crocodiles and Wildlife. He made the outback come alive ..

You know what else, he was a very genuine, very nice bloke. Being able to live not that far from his Crocodile haven, I have visited quite a few times, and more than once I have spotted him riding around the park on his motorbike. One time I was listening to some guy on a didgeridoo all of a sudden Bindi (Steve's daughter) popped up and started playing with the guy; then out of nowhere Steve rode up on his bike to pick her up. He was just that approachable and likeable. And that folks is why he will be missed. And that folks is why there are alot of sad people around the globe, this very night.

Remember those fellas, yeah that was cool

Remember them ? the Ok Go, boys .. did the treadmill dance ? I mean it is a good song with or without the treadmills, but the treadmills were brilliant .. Only coz I know how hard it is to run on things let alone dance.

Anyways they performed the thing Live on the VMA's (yeah I didn't watch them either) ..

Anyways before their performance they ran into JC from N'Sync in the bathroom and he gave them some tips for the performance. Check out the guy who washed his hands ! I thought boys didn't wash their hands ..

those rascally rabbits

I hate baby rabbit season. Because baby rabbit season means spring season ..

and I hate spring, because spring means hay fever.

I knew ! something was up .. for the last week my eyes have been burning/watering incessantly. Then the last couple of days at work I was sneezing a lot. I thought it was a cold coming on. But this has been the warmest winter ever.

This morning I woke up with blocked sinuses. Got in the car to go to work and turned on the radio and what did I hear "Welcome to the first day of Spring!" ..

It hit me like a ton of bricks ! AARRGGHH SPRING !! HAY FEVER !! Go away you nasty baby rabbits.

So I was sitting here noticing my nose dripping like a tap .. and so poked at it .. my right nostril is so blocked, I can't even breathe out of it. Then I felt this sac full of liquid ! My sinuses have developed into balloons filled with liquid .. pretty cool huh .. Anyways for your learning pleasure the following information, this is all so totally me :

Hay Fever Symptoms
The usual symptoms of hay fever include the following:

Sneezing
Runny nose (clear, thin discharge)
Congested ("stuffy") nose
Postnasal drip
Sensation of plugged ear(s)
Watery, bloodshot eyes
Itching of nose, soft palate, ear canal, eyes, and/or skin
Fatigue
Trouble sleeping

tap tap tap ..

I bought a new keyboard for $14.00 at the local supermarket. Because a funny thing happened, I was using my old keyboard, and knocked apple juice all over it. Everything got sticky .. So I decided to pull it apart to clean it .. my $30.00 keyboard .. with special hot keys .. Upon pulling it apart, bits and pieces fell out that weren't meant to and I couldn't put it back. Yeah I failed the puzzle making course at Kindergarten. So instead of sitting there and trying to figure it out, I decided to rush down to the supermarket, because I remembered seeing mouses (or is it mice, the computer kind not the rodent kind) there, so I thought yeah they should have keyboards too. They did and it only cost $14.00 and it had a wrist rest : my last one didn't, and it makes a nice little tapping sound when I type and the keys are very free and non sticky.

Can you tell ? Do I type only half as good with my more cheapie keyboard ?

$37.90 and worth every cent.

Today at work I was happily preparing payments and noticed that one reconciliation was not working. I saw in a column that we had been charged "Liquidation Damages" : the expenses related to a Cab Fare Company .. So I naturally assumed the extra amount in this column $37.90 applied to someone getting sick in a taxi - liquidation damages . right ?

Wrong.

Phone call went something like this:

Part 1.
Hi there, I just noticed we have a fee of $37.90 on our account is that because someone has got sick in a cab and it needed cleaning?

No, it is a late payment fee, you paid your invoice from 2 months ago, late.

OH ? we did ? Actually I recall the bill for that period, it didn't get posted, so I called for a copy. As soon as it was sent I processed the payment. We won't be paying the $37.90.

You have to pay the $37.90 it's in the bill.

No I don't and it will be on our bill for eternity as I won't be paying it.

Well we will just send it on the next bill.

Well you can do that, but we won't be paying it.

You have to pay it.

No I don't, I think its atrocious that you are charging us this. You can see that we are regular payers and never pay late. Obviously there was some hold up in the bill, which I had to personally chase a copy of, so therefore we will not be paying the late fee. Of which by my records it was not paid late.

Well on my computer it says that you have that fee to pay. The $37.90 is generated automatically for our time in processing your late payment.

Okay so you can charge me that fee, so far it has cost me $40 because of this phone call and the time it took for me to chase that original invoice for payment. I'll send you an invoice in teh mail and you can pay it.

NO I won't be paying that bill.

Why not ? It will be on my computer.

You can't do that.

OH ? I can't ? so can I speak to your superviser ?

No I don't have one, I am it.

You are in charge?

Yes, you can only talk to me.

OH okay, well we won't be paying the $37.90 okay .. good day

Part 2.
(I decided to call back the said company, the receptionist answered)

Hi, I just called, I need to speak to whoever is in charge of invoicing, and not the man who I just spoke too.

A man ? Heather is in charge, I will put you straight through!

Thankyou that would be great
Hi Heather I have a problem with a late charge on our latest invoice, Can you help ?

OH, let me have a look. Oh yes there is a late fee there. $37.90

Yes, we won't be paying it.

You have to.

No I don't, and you can't hold us to ransom. Unless you are goign to close out account of which we pay up to $10,000 a month, because of $37.90, are you?

But it shows on my computer, you need to pay it. I can't adjust it.

Well I'm sorry but I am a real person and I don't particularly care what your computer says, in the real world, we got the invoice late and paid it as soon as it was given to us.

Oh, well noone made a mark on it that they had to send you a copy, did you get the name of the person who sent it.

NO as that was several months ago.

Oh, well if I had their name I could probably adjust the charge out.

So you can adjust it ?

No, unless I have notes on the screen.

Oh so you can ajust it then ?

Yes,

So adjust it th anks, you can see we never pay late, and so obviously there was something wrong.

Sorry, I can't do that. Besides Anne the supervisor looks after your account.

OH, well can I talk to Anne.

No, she's on teh phone.

No problems I will wait.

Oh, Okay (Heather puts me on hold)

Part 3.
(my favourite part!)
somehow accidentally Heather takes me off hold and doesn't realise it.

Anne some $%$#%@%$ is on the line and doesn't want to pay the $37.90 late fee of their account.

(I cough and say, hello hello, noone answers, so I keep listening)

OH okay Heather, whats the account? I'll look at it.

It's this account the !#@$$% won't pay the $37.90.

oh, well Heather they regularly pay on time, there must have been a problem.

That's what this lady on the phone keeps saying.

Oh, well just take the $37.90 off the account Heather. No problems.

Okay anne, anything to shut the @##$$#%@# up.

Part 4.

Hi this is Heather again.

Yes, Heather.

Anne has authorised me to take the $37.90 off your account.

I know, I heard every word you said.

Oh.

Click.


My office was in hysterics !

I was raised in a pretty decent home and everything. My folks always made me behave, whether I wanted to or not. - Elvis

So I just found out that and international gateway which allows me to access most of my favourite international websites is 'down' like busted, like not playing games .. so now I have an broadband enforced exile on one of my most addictive online forums ldslinkup. What the heck ! How will the girl survive.

Well yesterday I took my mum on a belated birthday lunch. We took off to Jupiters Casino on the Gold Coast, one of three casinos in Queensland. For the smorgasbord lunch, $20 a pop ! pretty cheap if you ask me. Considering our Casino is not a crowded smoke filled joint and the food was delicious. On our way back we stopped by Main Beach and watched all the Kite Surfers doing their stuff. I am seriously thinking about getting my baby bro lessons on that stuff (for Christmas or something). I found a place on the Gold Coast that has a special rate for under 18yrs + 1 adult ! hah which would be me.

Anyways on the way back home mum and I had a bit of time to chat. I have never heard her conversion story before. So we talked about it, and alot about her family. It was a really really nice time, I didn't even realise the radio had stopped. Wanna hear her story ? do ya !

My mum had quite an upbringing the following is from what she told me. To begin with I should tell a little about what my grandma was like, since she played a big influence in my mum being a member of the church. My grandma was a very very strong woman, she was the kind that all the women back in those days would come to if they had trouble. She was the one that would stand at the top of a neighbours stair hosing down a drunken husband coming home to cause trouble. Alot of the men were drunks in those days, it was a way of life. We figured it had alot to do with the war and the way they would handle it, through drinking. Unfortunately not all men are happy drunks. Anyways, my grandmothers grandfather was very into the bible and quite a religious man. Grandmother would talk about coming home from school and him sitting under a mango tree, and her and her siblings would have to recite a scripture to him, to receive a free mango. I even have a picture of my grandmother as a young girl receiving an award for some scripture chase kind of thing. Her family were devout catholics.

My mothers family had moved to a new area in Brisbane, which was too far away from school for my mum to attend. So she quit school, she was 14, and found a job working for a florist in the city. One day she was walking across the busiest street in the city, when an american indian mormon missionary stopped her dead in her tracks and started talking to her. I can just imagine the scene ! back in the early 60's a white red headed girl, talking to a tall dark american mormon missionary right in the middle of the busiest street . hah . Anyways she said she didn't understand a word he said, but he somehow got her details. When she got to her job and told the ladies of her experience they went off. Telling her he just wanted to steal her and take her back to the USA with him. She got a bit scared, but figured, he wouldn't have her information anyways.

When she got home that night, her mother had informed her that some missionaries had visited. Yikers. and that she had made arrangements for her to go to church with them on Sunday. YIKERS. My mum said "are you joking?" Grandma said "no, it will be good for you to meet some young people your age". My mum went along to church, that was just over 40 years ago, she never stopped going.

About 2 weeks after visiting the church she informed her mother she wanted to be baptised, this time it was grandmas turn "are you joking?". Grandma wouldn't allow her to be baptised till she was 21. My mother persisted though and 6 months later Grandma sat her down and realised she was serious about this church thing and let her be baptised. The day of her baptism, my mother grandmother and father disowned her (grandma and grandfather had broken up quite a few years earlier). At 14 years of age my mum became the sole member in her family of the church. She has stayed a strong member ever since.

Another great feat. Back then she said there were many young folk like herself who joined the church : and the missionaries did fellowship them alot, they were the leaders of the youth groups. Many of the older generation would look down their noses at them and comment that they were only there for the missionaries (nice to see judgemental church members haven't changed eh !?). Mum related about 5 of her closest friends from back then who she had met at church and like her had joined the church around the same time and were about the same age. You know all of these women are strong members and leaders in the church now. I think they are all amazing.

Later on in life mum found out that earlier on in the piece, grandma had actually contacted the church authorities to see what the church was all about. Which is why she was quite willing to let my mum go along. She took great interest in what my mum did. She never ever joined the church though. A few years before she died at the ripe old age of 87 she came very very close. A boy from our ward had actually tracked into her on his mission (she lived in another state). He said he gave her all the discussions, she had already read the book of mormon and accepted it and they had a program and all. There was just one thing she could not give up, smoking. So she informed the missionaries she could not get baptised knowing she could not live all the commandments correctly.

I asked mum about that too. wanna hear that story !?

My mums oldest brother was killed in a motorcycle accident. My grandmother took that very very badly. Which is another story, but personal one. Because of her reaction to certain situations that were happening around her (eg one neighbour commented, that it was unfortunate the good son was killed and not the ratbag one, my grandmother turned on her heels and left before she killed that neighbour), she went to the doctor to find help. She told him he had to give her something before she hurt someone. The doctor told her "Milly you have two choices, 1. I can prescribe valium or 2. You can take up smoking." My grandmother chose option 2. And smoked for the rest of her life. Eventually dying of lung cancer. But she learnt earlier on to smoke to help make her life more bearable.

I love my grandma and my mum and am greatful these women are a part of my life.

blah blah blah

Read at your own risk. I'm really really bored but not tired. I get like that sometimes .. although I really do like sleeping and I love my bed. That's going to be one of the bad things about being married I reckon, having to share my lovely bed with someone. I love my doonah and my sheets and my pillows and the fact I can fall asleep facing one way and wake up facing another way or whatever way I want, and noone is there to complain about me stealing blankets or kicking them in the head .. man that sucks huh .. I think I would love someone to be complaining about me stealing the blankets and kicking them in the head .. hah .. So right now I am listening to Nirvana, I'm a creep. But that song is so not me. I had such a good day at church today .. actually .. I missed Primary last week, coz I chose to go out into the world and go on a boat cruise with my work, and guess what, it was fun. People say I shut myself off too much .. and I think that's true . so I have been making a concerted effort to go to things, activities, with church members and non members. Coz really the saddest thing is that I tend to get along alot better with non-members, I seem to find it so much easier. Although last night I went to a church activity at a cafe, where someone had found all the under 40 Singles and got us all together, there were about 70 of us, in total shock to see others our age under the same roof. The food sucked the drinks sucked, but I was very sociable and spoke to quite a few people that I have seen around but never quite known. One guy who has tried to get me to do a few things in the past, including going to his place to have some milo (cough), got my mobile number last night, apparently he's interested in tennis. hah. we'll see. What I really wanna do is play golf ! Just to see what the deal with it is .. anyone wanna go play golf ? Count me IN ! heh, I'll even travel for a game.

Did you know ..

Dogs don't like tuna .. I just tried to feed some to mine . he doesn't like cheese either .. or canned beef and onion ..

oh island in the sun !

What does one do on a sunny Sunday Afternoon, other than going to church .. go on The Island .. of course.

Yeah, I am skipping out on church tomorrow and going on a cruise up and down the Brisbane River, with 120 close work mates, all paid for : on the ugliest contraption I have ever seen in my LIFE ! but its a landmark go figure. Probably coz it's so ugly, it stands out.

Tis the old sand barge that used to dreg the river .. should be fun huh .. I am sure I will feel guilt ridden as we float past the temple several times over the 3 hours ..

These guys are brilliant ! so original

Gratitude is splendid ..

Last night I pondered on how very fortunate I am. I am being pretty well looked after on this big basketball on which we all live.

A good friend shared with me the surgeries she has had for a transplant and emergency surgeries afterward for various things that are happening to her.

I was watching some half cracked tv movie about Human Trafficking, the movie itself sucked, but the stories of those in it were not (it was based on fact) .. Women stolen from their countries and shipped to others to become sex slaved, Children stolen from families, sold from families, to live the same life.

The night before I was watching a program about a 16 year old girl in Iran who was hanged, for immoral acts, she was raped by a married man, the married man received 150 lashes.

The lives that some people lead to me is just astounding, I know the blessings they will receive in the next life for the hell they live here are going to be great. But what they have to go through in this life, many times at the hands of evil men, is sad, very very sad.

I am so grateful for my life ..

Happy Birthday Tiana ! Banana !

My niece had her 13th birthday today .. she's in New

Zealand, physically far away but close to my heart .. I wonder what she's doing right now .. I can barely remember what I was like at that age .. oh wait .. yes I can . . .

Anyways my dear ! Look forward to your trip to come visit us in September and I promise to take you to Dreamworld, I wanna go on the Claw ! and not scream .. it's a deal ..

Speaking of Banana's ! Went to the supermarket the other day .. walked past the banana's saw 6 green banana's sitting forlornly .. priced at $12.98 / kg ... we have had a banana crisis here of late thanks to Cyclone Larry , who took out Australia's banana community ... Now that I can't easily access a banana, I am so craving a banana cake ..

How useful are banana's ?

Here's just some of what they can do :

Anaemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit?s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at an English school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin ? known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heart-burn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods ? such as bananas ? every two hours to keep levels steady.

PMS: Forget the pills ? eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, trypotophan.

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as the high levels of Vitamin C, A1, B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalise the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body?s water-balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be re-balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in ?The New England Journal of Medicine? eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a ?cooling? fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralises over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that, if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

Your eyes are a window to your soul ..

Take the quiz:
What kind of eyes do you have? (with pictures)

Eden
You have eden eyes. Eden is the color of water. Your eyes symbolize your great flexibility. You are a creative person. You can think of many good ways to get your point across to people as you have very good communication abilities. When someone feels down or is hurt, you have the remarkable ability to help them and heal them. If you have too little going on in your life, you may be withdrawn and depressed, timid, manipulative, unreliable, stubborn, or suspicious. Some words to describe you: peaceful, sincere, affectionate, tranquil, intuitive, trustworthy, pure, loyal, healing, and stable.

You ain't nothin but a hound dog..

Long Live Mabel ! Elvis' Teddy ..

Well long may he be remembered. He was destroyed yesterday, by the beast who was meant to be guarding him .. tis a sad day in Graceland ..

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=119865


Hound dog mauls Elvis's teddy bear
Friday Aug 4 08:32 AEST

Barney the guard dog went berserk at a teddy bear exhibition in England and ripped the stuffing out ofElvis Presley's beloved bear Mabel, exhibitors said.

Wookey Hole Caves, a popular holiday destination inSomerset, southern England, was drawing children with itsdisplay of 1,000 precious teddy bears, including Mabel, beloved bear of the King of Rock and Roll.

But, said General Manager Daniel Medley, it all wenthorribly wrong.
The collection was so valuable that the insurance company insisted the exhibitors guard it with dogs.

Barney, a sleek and handsome Dobermann, was dutifully dispatched.
"The security guard was doing his normal patrols at thesite. He let the dog in, and the dog went on a rampage," Medley told Reuters.

NAUGHTY DOG !

Hey Guys

How do you list your favourite blogs down the side of the page ?

So I've been wondering lately

1. a) how does the information superhighway work .. How for example am I able to type this . . How does my keyboard know that whatever button I push is a certain letter and that it can sometimes be a CAPITAL .. then how does that transform itself onto my screen.. and then when I push a button travel on this information highway to end up on everyone elses screen ... how ?? I can't understand it ..

b) sort of in the same vein as above .. how do mobile phones work .. how can I talk into my mobile phone and it travel out into space into the phone of the person I am ringing and noone elses .. how are mobile phones able to have this seemingly one on one connection with one another and find these signals out of the millions that must be out there .. to communicate with one another ..


2. how come if someone might fart, lighting a match seems to dispel of the odour .. does the fire from the match soak it all up ? (sorry I know its gross, but I have been thinking about that, which probably means I'm gross too)

Just a couple of things that are tormenting my little brain right now ..

My Favourite Song

I can't get this song out of my head today .. I have a copy of it .. a duet with Elvis and his daughter, (performed aka Nat and Natalie Cole style) ..

Today I stumbled from my bed
With thunder crashing in my head
My pillow still wetFrom last night tears
And as I think of giving up
A voice inside my coffee-cup
Kept crying but
And ringing in my ears

Dont cry daddy
Daddy, please dont cry
Daddy, youve still got me and little tommy
Together well find a brand new mommy
Daddy, daddy, please laugh again
Daddy ride us on your back again
Oh, daddy, please dont cry

Why are children always first
To feel the pain and hurt the worst
Its true, but somehow
It just dont seem right
cause evry time I cry I know
It hurts my little children so
I wonder will it be the same tonight

Dont cry daddy
Daddy, please dont cry
Daddy, youve still got me and little tommy
Together well find a brand new mommy
Daddy, daddy, please laugh again
Daddy ride us on your back again
Oh, daddy, please dont cry
Oh, daddy, please dont cry

I'm a survivor !

I need to make a shirt that says that .. I am a survivor !

What did I survive ? Lets see . my sister and her husband and one child have gone to New Zealand for the week. She has 5 other children. The older three have gone to my mums and I get the younger two. I drop them off at my brothers before work and pick them up after work. Today was my first day !

Lets see the day went something like this :

5am : child stirs walks around house looking for mum, aunty hears the stirring and wakes up and cuddles the child on the couch, then gets the bright idea to turn on the tv. Child is happy.
5.30am : 2nd child stirs, but decides to jump on aunty (apparently a favourite pasttime), aunty decides this favourite parttime is not a good idea, and sends child to loungeroom to watch tv.
6am : aunty decides waking up is a good idea.
6.45am : aunty remembers being instructed to make sure kids are fed ! so decides to make some breakfast. Kids look happy / aunty is happy
7am : aunty remembers that kids need showers and need to get dressed, as well as getting herself ready for work.
7.35am : aunty runs through house screaming at kids to get into the car, then decides to take the van instead, as the car is out of petrol.
7.36am : kids get into car, one complaining her hair isn't brushed (geeze) the other complaining his shoes are not on his feet and he is cold (he was toooold to bring a jumper) .. was it mentioned the girl is 5 and the boy 4 ?
7.45am : aunty drops kids off at brothers and rushes to work, she starts at 8.00am .. walks in the door at 8.05am .. great timing !
10am : mother rings to say that the girl is upset. Aunty rings brother for verification, Brothers wife says opposite, that the girl is loving it! playing. Aunty tries to figure out how mother got it wrong, then discovers that when mother rang and asked how the kids were, Brothers wife responed "fine" which mother took as "crying" .. hah ! someone needs a hearing aid !
4.30pm : aunty arrives at brothers to pickup the kids, then remembers she needs to feed them dinner, then remembers she can't cook. So since it's pay day, aunty offers to take brothers 4 kids with her and the 2 kids she's baby sitting to Sizzlers. Brother agrees this is a good idea, and runs around getting his 4 kids ready in record time, shoves them out the door and waves bye bye, behind the locked window. Aunty thinks he wanted to get rid of his kids.
5.00pm : aunty and 6 kids arrive at Sizzlers, ordering as follows. 1 x 4 year old salad bar, 2 x 5 year old salad bar, 1 x 7 year old salad bar, 1 x 9 year old salad bar, 1 x 12 year old salad bar, 1 x adult salad bar meal ... total $71.60 .. which isn't bad really $10.00 each ! when you break it down .. (yeah aunty can justify anything) .. Aunty encourages kids to call her 'aunty' out loud as she notices the horrified looks of other patrons, as she stands in line without a ring on her wedding finger and 6 kids ! hah
5.45pm : the youngest the boy the 4 year old, decides it might be fun to shake pepper into everyones plates
5.46pm : the youngest the boy the 4 year old, is locked into a high chair where he can't reach anything on the table
6.45pm : Brother rings and suggests that his children go home with aunty and he will pick up his kids after his basketball game which is at 8.30pm that night. Aunty in a moment of noncoherence agrees.
7.00pm : Aunty and 6 kids arrive home. As they arrive home and she hears the yelping of the puppy, she remembers the puppy needs to be fed and walked ..
7.30pm : 3 kids are in movie room watching Drumline, 3 kids are in lounge room watching disney channel, aunty is in computer room, errrr hiding -- smiling to herself ! she survived the day ! WAIT do these kids need a shower ? hmmm

I'm stealing this off sherpa ... I admit it !

4 Jobs I’ve Had:
cleaner - started with a pub, then a shopping centre, then two stories of an city office building
pizza hut deliverer
IT Administrator
Accounts Administrator
4 Movies I can Watch Over & Over:
Princess Bride
Shrek
Bridget Jones
Matrix - all 4 !
4 Places I Have Lived:
Mangere, Auckland New Zealand
Eagleby, Brisbane Australia
Kingston, Brisbane Australia
Underwood, Brisbane Australia
4 Places I Want to Live-
Gold Coast, Brisbane Australia
Noosa, Brisbane Australia
Hamilton, New Zealand
San Francisco, USA
4 TV Shows I Watch Regularly: this is hard! I don't really do tv
that 70's show
CSI Vegas
errrr
Cold Case
another one on the tip of my tongue .. that has that guy that gets into the heads of the suspects ... he was once married to an english actress and they lived in Australia, but it's an american show, very popular ... ack
4 Places I Have Vacationed:
New Zealand - both Islands
USA - most of the west and midwest including Hawaii + some of the mid east
Sydney - Australia
Melbourne - Australia
4 Places I would Like to Vacation:
Mongolia
Greece
UK
Peru
4Favorite Dishes:
cheesecake
spinach and feta quiche
moreton bay bugs from Michael's
vegetarian pizza from Toscani's
4 Sites I visit daily:
LdsPacific.com
LdsLinkup.com
ninemsn.com.au
triplej.com.au
4 Places I Would Rather Be:
hamilton - new zealand
gold coast - beach
san francisco - usa
mount tamborine - lamington national park
4 books I've read I'd recommend:
the Book of Mormon
LOTR trilogy
The Secret Power Within - Chuck Norris
Jesus the Christ - talmage
4 People I am Tagging
only 2 people I know of read this and one of them I stole this from

so I tag Dan .. 4 times ..

OH my goodness I nearly forgot ~

I nearly forgot about this little space of mine on the web .. I was just sitting there today thinking .. hay .. my blogspot !

Is that a sign of my age ? I am becoming clumsy and forgetful ...

Today is the start of the bledisloe cup ! goooo New Zealand All Blacks !

for the unintiated .. the bledisloe cup is a three game series of rugby union between australia and new zealand .. very very important dontcha know ..

So now all loyalties to Australia go OUT THE WINDOW ! .. I am an all black through and through ..

"All the yelling is good because it covers up all my mistakes - if I hit a sour note."

Australians it seems have jumped on the bandwagon that is the World Cup of Soccer. I could guarantee that hardly anyone in this country even knew what FIFA was a year ago. I mean we would get snippets in the news, like that one world cup where some guy kicked an own goal and was subsequently shot and killed! by an angry fellow countryman ..

This year after 34 years, Australia has a team in the CUP ! and they are winning games ! Well games that matter, in fact they have had 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss, which was good enough for them to get to the next round .. wow .. They are already stamped in history as the most successful soccer team ever ! (in Australia anyhow hah) .. but if they win the next game, I could guarantee that soccer fields Australia over will be filled with lifelong fans! (so they will claim), who up until a month a go, had no interest in the sport whatsoever ... kinda funny really ..

BTW anyone who knows the closest soccer club to me, LET ME KNOW !

My word ! Antonio Banderas is HOT !

Mama never could do enough for me. She took me to all those church meetings every Sunday to make sure I didn't ever go wrong.

Been thinking alot lately about the Saviour, he's a pretty darn cool person actually. The reason I have been thinking alot about Him, is that I am conducting our next Institute Choir Cantata, which will be the one about Bruce R McConkies' " I Believe In Christ " : in preparation, I have delved through song books and internet searches, for arrangements of different hymnals involved. I have read and re-read the script. I have created a power point presentation to display on the projector as the narrators narrate and the choir/soloists sing. I have found and listened to musical scores, to fit in with the narration. All of which has been focussed on Christ. He's done so much for me and for you. Hard to describe really, how I feel about Him. I did write a poem once. Although I am not very good at poetry, maybe it will give a hint of my feelings toward the Saviour ... I hope :

Someone, Anyone

Last night as I stumbled in the darkness
I fell to my knees and prayed
I felt the light of Christ envelope me
Everything became clear

I am not a failure
I am not ugly
I am not unloveable
I will be happy

Last night as I wept with gratitude
I looked into the darkness
And saw the light
It's always been there

God does not want us to fail
Gods children are all beautiful
God loves everyone
God wants us all to be happy

I know the next path I have chosen will be lonely
at the start
But I will have the best companion in the world
He wants to see me finish

Someone will see my successes
Someone will see my beauty
Someone will love me
Someone will make me happy

Who better than the Saviour

I look forward to our marriage and a little Elvis. I have never and never again will love anyone like I love you - Elvis to Anita Wood

Keanu Reeves is ready to be married ! and so am I ! to him that is. It's been many many long years of waiting. Finally the time has come. Any day now I am expecting his people to call my people. Woohoo!

I have been an avid Keanu Fan since those first Bill and Ted's excellent Adventures (I have the bobbing head doll to prove it). I knew behind those long locks was a dream boat .. totally Awesome! Dude !

Tue Jun 6, 10:56 PM ET
NEW YORK -
Keanu Reeves' says he's lonely and wants to get married and have children, in an upcoming issue of Parade magazine. The 41-year-old actor says he continues to mourn the loss of his stillborn daughter in 1999 and the death of the baby's mother, Jennifer Syme, in a car crash in 2001.

Syme had a small part in the 1997 film, "Lost Highway." She and Reeves had reportedly broken up in 2000.

"When the people you love are gone, you're alone," he tells the magazine. "I miss being a part of their lives and them being a part of mine. I wonder what the present would be like if they were here — what we might have done together. I miss all the great things that will never be."

"I'm trying not to be alone so much," Reeves says. "And man, it's a struggle. I want to get married. I want to have kids. That's at the top of the mountain. I've got to climb the mountain first. I'll do it. Just give me some time."
But Reeves, who stars with
Sandra Bullock' in "The Lake House," which opens June 16, and the animated thriller "A Scanner Darkly," set for release next month, says he's reached a "turning point" in his personal life.

"I think, after loss, life requires an act of reclaiming," he says. "You have to reject being overwhelmed. Life has to go on."
He has bought his first home, a step in a new "makeover" to establish roots in one location. In childhood, he watched his mother, Patricia, move the family many times and adopted that way of life.

"I've had a vagabond life," he says. "There is a bit of the gypsy in me, and living that way seemed to make sense. I couldn't settle down. ... Then I turned 40. That birthday is hard, perhaps because you know you're grown-up."

Reeves also starred in "The Matrix" movies.

Question: "Did you find European girls any different from American girls ?" Elvis : "Girls are girls as far as I'm concerned!"

Ain't that the truth !

Menopause the Musical : saw it tonight at the 12th night Theatre. Funnily enough on recommendation from one of our male work colleagues. He demanded we go. So me and a couple of girls booked tickets and went along.

From the outset, I thought, this is Sex and the City 30 years on ! Set around 4 women, stuck in a department store, openly discussing, celebrating, berating, crying, laughing over that one era of a womans life that brings on the "change" .. There was a housewife, TV Star, Power Executive, Earth Mother (seeeeee same characters !) .. except the women in this musical were more believable and likeable hah ..


From the dimming of the house lights and the announcement to "set your mobiles to vibrate" .. I kinda knew this night was going to be "special". And ! so did quite a few men, I would say that there was a 20% ratio of men .. not bad odds really.

The night was a joy ride full of great songs, great singers, great coreography, great script ... all in all a hell of a great time ! The only downside .. I think I'm going through menopause ! (noooooooo I'm not that old!) .. but the first scene involved a womans memory, or more accurately the lack of it : Just a few hours before my girlfriends and I were discussing the new Star Wars Movies and had to ask the much younger waitress who it was who played Obi Jan Kanobi (yes yes we knew it was Ewan Macgregor, we just couldn't remember) eek ! We were also discussing Europe and cannot remember for the life of us where Budapest is ! I'm voting for Hungary ..

There were too many moments for me to pick a favourite. But a definite highlight was when the Power Executive metamorphed into Tina Turner. Another memorable part was being picked out of the crowd at the end of the show to go on stage with about 40 other women (my fault for being in the 4th row, aisle seat), to sing and celebrate "Menopause!" but but I'm not that old !

Enjoyed the night immensely. Wish you all coulda come along .. every single one of you .. hah ..

The Sad thing is .. it's all true ..

I got this as a forward in email. For the first time it was one I decided to do a bit of research on .. unfortunately I found it all to be true !

How DOES the little man fight capitalistic greed ?



Dear friends who care about our earth, Judge for yourself if you want to take action. In the Valle de San Felix, the purest water in Chile runs from 2 rivers, fed by 2 glaciers. Water is a most precious resource, and wars will be fought for it. Indigenous farmers use the water, there is no unemployment, and they provide the second largest source of income for the area. Under the glaciers has been found a huge deposit of gold, silver and other minerals. To get at these, it would be necessary to break, to destroy the glaciers - something never conceived of in the history of the world - and to make 2 huge holes, each as big as a whole mountain, one for extraction and one for the mine's rubbish tip. The project is called PASCUA LAMA. The company is called Barrick Gold. The operation is planned by a multi-national company, one of whose members is George Bush Senior (what a surprise eh?). The Chilean Government has approved the project to start this year, 2006. The only reason it hasn't started yet is because the farmers have got a temporary stay of execution. If they destroy the glaciers, they will not just destroy the source of specially pure water, but they will permanently contaminate the 2 rivers so they will never again be fit for human or animal consumption because of the use of cyanide and sulfuric acid in the extraction process. Every last gram of gold will go abroad to the multinational company and not one will be left with the people whose land it is. They will only be left with the poisoned water and the resulting illnesses. The farmers have been fighting a long time for their land, but have been forbidden to make a TV appeal by a ban from the Ministry of the Interior. Their only hope now of putting brakes on this project is to get help from international justice. The world must know what is happening in Chile. The only place to start changing the world is from here. We ask you to circulate this message amongst your friends in the following way. Please copy this text, paste it into a new email adding your signature and send it to everyone in your address book. Please will the 100th person to receive and sign the petition send it to noapascualama@yahoo.ca to be forwarded to the Chilean government. No to Pascua Lama Open-cast mine in the Andean Cordillera on the Chilean-Argentine frontier. We ask the Chilean Government not to authorize the Pascua Lama project to protect the whole of 3 glaciers, the purity of the water of the San Felix Valley and El Transito, the quality of the agricultural land of the region of Atacama, the quality of life of the Diaguita people and of the whole population of the region.

For more information look here : http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/pascualama.asp

Life can be pretty trying when you're a hermit, even when you're a guitar-playing hermit.

I like to observe people. The most fascinating place to observe people are at food courts. You can find them everywhere, every single mall in the world has a food court. Food is the major source of the homosapiens nourishment. So one day if you are bored, go to a food court and observe. Just be careful that you don't 'stare', because that freaks people out.

Anyways today I happened upon the food court at Garden City, one of the biggest shopping malls south of Brisbane, also only about 5 mins drive away. My niece and I scoped out a pretty good observation spot. A barstool table that was against a glass wall, on the other side of the glass was a little water feature and on the other side of that were the people for me to observe! It was a perfect spot as the water feature created a boundary, so if people noticed me observing, it was very easy to look into the water feature.

Today was a good observation day. Directly opposite our observation deck a mother and her son decided to sit down and eat. They were absolutely fascinating! They chose the asian all you can eat deal. Stuffing their plate full of noodles. I thought immediately watching the little boy eat all those noodles was going to be fun. Boy was I wrong! that was the least interesting part of their activity. They had too much other stuff for me to watch. They had a sort of ritual.

The mum sat the little boy down. Went into her knap sack and pulled out a bottle of water and some tissues. I thought, what a great idea to save money on drinks! .. was I wrong, she proceeded to pour the water onto the tissues and cleaned the boys hands and face. She then got the cutlery from the takeaway and proceeded to clean that too. I have never seen anyone be so pedantic about cleaniness in a public place. I felt like yelling out to her and warning her of the snotty nosed kid who sat at that same table not 5 mins before they arrived. The preparation for eating took a good 3 minutes.

Then the boy got thirsty, into the knap sack the mum dove, and out came a bottle of juice, the bottle had a drinking lid on it. I thought nothing of it until I observed the boy taking off the lid. The mum was still rummaging through her knap sack and pulled out a straw. Weirdness I thought! the bottle already has a drinking cap.. why the straw ? ? The mum then got her other bottle of water and proceeded to clean the straw, being very careful to pour the water down the tube and then blow down it, to make sure it was clear. Yeah I know .. blowing down a straw .. isn't that germy ? hah ..

All the while I sat as my niece played with her burger and we shared our fanta .. we only had one straw ..

"It's not how much you have that makes peole look up to you, it's who you are." - Elvis

Today was a good day at work. And it wasn't because of the work. The work itself was boring. But the banter and friendships were excellent. I was laughing most of the day. I like those days.

Highlight of the day. Kelly (name changed to protect the innocent), was bailed up in the kitchen by Ken (name changed to protect the guilty), asking what she had got out of the company. You see she is fed up with Ken and his selfish self-promoting ways. So she has looked for other work. And also told the company her ultimatums if they wanted her to stay. Every time she met with them Ken would ask her what they were doing for her, then go see the "company" after her, to get the same benefits. Considering she has worked for 7 years and he only 2, she has been getting a bit peeved.

Anyway today was Kelly's day. Once again she was bailed up by Ken. The Conversation went something like this.

Ken: so I saw you talking to the boss. What is he giving you to let you stay.
Kelly: OH they promised me the Financial Management Role!
Ken (blood drains from face, he has been waiting for that role, and been telling all and sundry it is his)
Kelly: yeah I could hardly believe it, I think they really want me to stay.
Ken (slumps shoulders)
Kelly: well I gotta get back to work! bye

For the rest of the day, Ken sat at his desk staring at the computer, in fact we think he was crying. Kelly sat at her desk, totally shocked that she had said what she said, as none of it was true, she felt badly. But gosh! Ken so deserved it!

You really had to be there .. huh

"I don't do no dirty body movements" - Responding to charges he was imparing the morals of minors.

You know you have tried every single one of these moves, in front of the mirror at some point ..

That was the best five bucks I ever spent! - Elvis thinking back to his first record

It started like this. I was sitting there minding my own business. In walked the niece. The niece with the mobile.

Niece: Aunty, do you have a mobile ? no ? wow ! I do ! Is that because you are too old and can't use one ? haha ! You know I'm only kidding aunty, but did you know that you could text me on one errr if you had one ? So why don't you have one aunty ?

Baby Brother: So sis, you know if you had a mobile, well, your boyfriends could ring you.. oh yeah.. you don't really need one do you.. hmmm

Younger Sister: Look what my hubby got me for mothers day! a mobile! it even has mp3 player and video recorder and photo taking capabilities .. and look I can save someones picture so that if they call me, it will show their picture, cool huh.. so what does yours do ? oh yeah .. you don't have one.

Optometrist: Okay can you please fill out this card .. (I hand back the filled out card) .. Oh you forgot to put your mobile.. oh you don't have one ? wow ? (writes on card, girl without mobile) .. (three days later when picking up subscription) .. Hi what's your name ? OH ! the girl without the mobile (yeah its written in red on the top of the card)

Mother: oh listen to my phone when it rings, it has this great song, don't you just love it! It's so great being up with technology .. you should really try it !

...

Yeah so I have now become one with the world. Today I bought a mobile .. a V360 .. the same one my sister got for mothers day .. hah ! see you don't need to be a mum to get a mobile, you can just go get one yourself.

At this moment the said mobile is being recharged. Once that is done all I need to do is figure out how to use it. It scares me .. considerably. Now I know what my father went through when the modern day VHS Video machine came onto the scene, he spent most of his life cursing it and pushing buttons until one would turn green. Luckily for me on the mobile there is only one green button .. I'm sure that's how it turns on right ? but how do I turn it off ?

AARRGGHH .. I feel like a part of my innocence has just slipped out the window ! I am part of the modern world .. even if it IS pre-paid ..

So who can I ring ? who wants to ring me ? huh huh .. just as I thought ..

Who cares, it all tastes like chicken !

So today was Mother's Day. I am the only single / childless female in the family. So instead of the mothers' of the family having to put up with my cooking, we all went out to eat. Myself, My two sisters and their husbands and 6 kids and my mum and her husband and my baby brother. We went to Bull and Cactus. Let me tell you ! the name says it all. The food was good enough, but for my dish, I asked for Smoked Salmon Salad. I love smoked salmon! About 15 minutes after we ordered I was informed that there was no smoked salmon left .. can they substitute for a grilled salmon steak. I agreed. Except that the bill was still for the smoked salmon ! Which anyone knows is far more expensive, and they would not change it. hmph .. Kinda put a damper on the event.

So anyone who goes to the Bull and Cactus at Garden City -- be wary.

(ppsstt also the BIL found two salt shakers with dead ants in them)

Now onto bigger (literally) and brighter things. I am going on an intense diet and exercise program, starting tomorrow morning at 6am, when I hope to be at the gym. I hope to lose 1kg at least a week ! Will keep y'all informed (y'all meaning me, since there is no way I am going to let anyone know about this blog!)

Mawwiage, it's what brings us togeva

"I'll fall in love someday and maybe there'll be a rock'n'roll wedding" - elvis on his return from the army.

I have my wedding mapped out (or should I say reception). It will be a casual but organised affair. I picture palm trees and waves and sea breezes. I see lots of kids running around and having fun. I see people relaxed with smiles on their faces, enjoying the company of those around them. I see guitars and ukelele's and impromptu singing. I see a luau (sp?). The most important thing I see is a partner to share the rest of my life and eternity with.

I see all of that in my head. One day I hope to make it a reality.

Although I happen to be very single at the moment. I look forward to the day I can hang up my so called 'freedom' tag : and replace it with my 'partnership in all things' tag.

In the meantime I dream.

Other things I dream about ?

My home. Since my early teens I have drawn and re-drawn my dream home. It will be in a U shape, with a pool in the middle of the U .. On one side will be the "kids" wing. On the other side the "parents" wing - coupled with a theatre room and a guest room. In the top connecting the two wings will be the living areas : with a magnificent kitchen area that opens out to the pool area, bringing the outside in. Leading from the doorway into the house will be a wonderful sitting / reflection area with a fireplace (even though we would hardly use one here !) .. for those moments of solitude that we enjoy. The parents retreat will include a 'spa area' that is half inside half outside : (if there is no view) the whole area will be landscaped to a balinese feel .. lots of bamboo and palm trees and rocks. The kids wing will include a 'rumpus room' at the very end of the wing, filled with all the treasures that kids enjoy. That's my dream home.

Dreams are great huh ! I just hope I am not too much of a dreamer and can make some of them a reality ..

Elvis has Left the Building

Who remembers the day Elvis died ?

I don't! I just remember Elvis, the singer, the entertainer, the movie star. As a young girl I was mesmerised, by his voice and his looks. I still am ! So much so that I joined the pilgrimage to his final resting place for his 25th death anniversary. I discovered alot there. Elvis transcends nations, tongues and people. This was obvious by the costumed up Japanese and Russian and Mexican and dare I say Australian Elvis' ! mostly attired in their white glitter suits and capes. Elvis actually had much better taste than some of the gaudy costumes his impersonators wear today.

Why did this guy impact on my life ? I blame my dad. He lived and breathed Elvis and since I am his offspring, I do too. One always follows on from their parent right ? Goodness I hope my offspring forgive me for liking The Osmonds !

So now we have a world without Elvis' presence and yet it still turns. There are alot of people missing from my world. The most influential one being my dad. I have always wondered, when I leave this earth, what will people remember. But as I get older, I have figured it doesn't matter the impression I leave after I have left. What matters is the impression I leave daily with those I come in contact with. In the big eternal scheme of things, we are all going to leave this life. But the place we are heading gives so much more hope and promise than what we have left behind.

There were many many things at Graceland that I soaked up and admired about Elvis, but one part that has left a lasting impression on my mind is the room of cheques (checks) .. throughout his life, he had a habit of writing cheques to people he saw in need - total strangers in the street were often surprised by this man and his cheque book. How do we know ? The bank kept all of the cheques and they now stand in a room at Graceland, plasted to the walls, as witness to this act of kindness. I want to be more kind, not for recognition, but for my own well being.

Well this is my first blog. I have no idea what direction this blog will go, Should I have a theme ? I sort of have a theme, Elvis and Pirates, I wonder where it will lead. If you happen by accident to come upon my blog, bear with me. I'm a learner, in the art of writing.

Kia Kaha !