Stuff Happens

Out of the blue, I get an email from PaulS asking me if I wanted to fill in for racquetball that night itself. I told him he'd have to be *really* desperate cos
* I dont own a racquet (yes, yes, I have ordered 1).
* the last time I played was when I last filled in for him, in 1999. That's right, last millenium!
* I have lost fitness cos I was at the tail end of a cold (was still feeling warm/cold intermittently)

But I'll do it, I said, though a few other voices in my head, the toaster and the microwave did tell me I was being quite stupid.
Anyway, I did end up playing and lost 13, 11 and 4. My quads started cramping up towards the end of the second set and most of the 3rd set. Ah well, could have been much worse, score wise.

The worse was yet to come. The next night, I'd sat in my bean bag watching whatever on TV, and when I tried to get up, I couldnt! My quads were just wasted. I had to roll onto my stomach and use my arms to pull myself up. It couldnt have been very pretty. Sports keep you fit? Doesnt feel like it.

And Today Tonight, tch, tch, tch. How little professional pride you have. I cant say I am disappointed but I am quite saddened. Such corporate irresponsibility. I hope nobody will get physically hurt. Maybe they may get charged for vilification. I felt so strongly about it, I sent them a complaint. I have never done this ever before. Transcript here.



Went to see David Hare's play "Stuff Happens". It was very well acted. The performers had lots of dialogue to get through. Pretty long though. Close to 2 hours? I wonder how I would have reacted to the contents had my politics been right of center. Nevertheless, it was a powerful play. Some reviews (of other performances) found here.

Gotta go psyche myself up for the school father-daughter mini-golf event tomorrow :-)

The Crepes of Wrath

Apologies to Steinbeck. [Footnote : I've tried reading the book and mannnnn... is it dry. I gave up after a few chapters. Back to Where's Wally books for me.] Well, not so much wrath, but I thought it sounded better if it was wrath. It's more like mirth. I guess Crepes of Mirth doesnt sound too bad either.
KB changed her mind at the last minute and wanted pancakes/crepes (it's the same for me) for breakfast. Being the indulgent parent that I am, I went to the milkbar for fresh milk and got the instruments out. Beatmaster 2000, where are you? So I make like 15 and all she eats is 2! After all that! I could strangle her. Anyway, for reasons of perpetuity (ie. in case I forget again!!), I'm listing my pancake recipe here, cos after much trial and error as well as much opportunistic snide remarks from an 8.5 y.o. ingrate ("I think the packet ones are better, Dad."), I've come up with something that she'll tolerate. Kids, who'd have them? [<-- joke, I love her to bits which is why she gets away with so much. My fault though.]



2 cups of plain flour
3 x eggs
3 cups of milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar

This makes about 15 on my Tefal crepe pan, of which she eats like only 2, which means I'll have to eat the rest for b'fast, lunch and dinner cos I dont like to waste. I threw out about half a dozen the last 2 times I made this for her.

Speaking of food, I see they've starved another brain dead person to death. The Age covers it here. So they're pragmatic enough to let her die, but not compassionate enough to help hasten it. Such idiocy! and hypocrisy. Infuriatingly shallow minded.

Speaking of hypocrisy, I see that the USA is not happy that some Chinese company is trying to buy an American energy company. I guess what's good for the goose....,,, right? The NY Times covers it here. Ha ha.... Good thing the Chinese have short memories and dont bear any grudges. :-)

Which brings me onto the Chinese language. It's a little shameful that I dont speak Mandarin, being of Chinese descent and all. I should do a course to learn this. [flashback alert, sounds of helicopters] When I was 15, I was sent interstate for some sporty selection trial. The national chinese daily covered the event and wanted all the kids names. Of course, pumpkinhead here couldnt write his name in Chinese. Teammate tried to and somebody remarked what he had written was 'vegetable'. Forget it, I said. I wrote it down in English. Of course, the papers next day had all the names and guess whose name stuck out cos it wasnt in script like the others? Traumatised? Well, I still remember the incident. BTW, I didnt make selection either. [end]

So language course enrolment time. I looked at the course guide and what do I see. Language classes held in a restaurant and conducted over a meal? Cool. So I promptly enrolled in Italian for beginners. Starts this week and I cant wait. Am already affamato. I've actually enrolled in a 10 week course in the past but had to drop out after 2 cos of work commitments ie. I had to leave the country for a while and no, it wasnt because of any constabulary entanglements. Mandarin, you ask? Maybe next term.

Toasted

I didnt feel like cooking so thought I'd just have some toast when I got home on Thursday. Popped the bread into the toaster and 3 seconds later, I hear this bzzz-buzzz sound and voila, the house is plunged into complete darkness. Bugger. That's just great. My back was hurting cos I had to carry a desktop computer the 2.5 blocks to the new work building (*dont* ask), I was hungry plus I dont remember where the fuse wires were kept. I sort of felt my way around the house and managed to locate my bike light. Had a peep outside and yes, I was the only house affected. Peeped into the fuse box and phew, it'd had only tripped the safety circuit so no new wire was needed. Am now the owner of a new Kambrook KT97 toaster, as per Choice magazine.




Went for the Sydney Dance Company's performance of Graeme Murphy's Grand on Friday. I found it way exceeded my expectations ie. it was really really good. I normally find the dance stuff a little dull but this kept my attention almost throughout. These guys are elite athletes, in my opinion. It was half ballet and half contemporary. I'd gone to a dance thing a few months ago and at that one, thoughts like "I wonder if they feel silly prancing around like that" or "I wonder if those pants are uncomfortable" often occurred whereas at this one, I was transfixed. Recommended. Very off topic but a Simpsons episode just popped into my head.

Scott: And now over to Kent Brockman for some grim economic news.
Kent: Scott, things aren't as happy as they used to be down here at the unemployment office. Joblessness is no longer just for philosophy majors. _Useful_ people are starting to feel the pinch.
Barney: I haven't been able to find a job in six years.
Kent: Hmph. And what training do you have?
Barney: Five years of modern dance, six years of tap.

Dad stuff

Had to bribe Kimi to come with me to go see the Ancient Egyptian exhibition at the Melbourne museum. For an 8.5 year old kid, she can sure negotiate. And we're going for *her* benefit anyway.

I'd expected it to be bigger but nevertheless, it was quite interesting. There were lots of exhibits and concepts dealing with death. I hope it didnt affect her badly because we never really discussed this topic very much. She did seem to already know quite a bit about Egpytian mummies and their gods. I found out later that most of it's from that cartoon with the mummy on the ABC. And I did find her trying to write her name using the hieroglyphics. Cute.

We stopped at a bakery in Richmond and she wanted 2 egg tarts (one was for breakfast). She definitely knows what she likes.

Le Lack of Sleep

Whooo hooo... le Tour de France is on... I've always thought that given a choice of winning any sports event in the world, I'd choose winning the tour over tennis, golf, the nba, FA cup etc... They're showing it nightly, and finishes about 130am. Here we go......



Speaking of which, I was riding to work the other day (it was 11C in the morning, which satisfied my critirea for riding in, ie. double digits temperature :-) ), I spotted this lone rider dawdling about 200 meters ahead. I caught up eventually, and overtook him. As per protocol, one doesnt linger in front of an 'overtakee', so I accelerated a bit after overtaking. Fifty meters on, I peeped behind me and lo and behold, he was on my wheel. Yikes. Of course, I couldnt slow down, could I? (Loss of face etc...) So from the velodrome in East Hawthorn, till about St Kevins College, I was cycling at about 32km/h (which is faster than I normally ride). I was about to pass out when just after St Kevins, he overtook me and made a right turn towards Abbotsford. Thank you buddha. He gave a me a thank you wave as I was his domestique for almost 2kms. Now he'll never find out if I could have kept up that speed for longer. :-)