Social drinks

Spent a great night out celebrating a friend's birthday yesterday. Many laughs, chats, joking and horsing around. Thought I'd take a break today and just 'hang' at home, taking it easy. Just watching the box. There's a few good shows on so I don't mind. Can't be propping up the bar every night, now can I?

Custom T-shirts

Most everyone likes to look cool or at least look good. And, the good news is that now you can with custom T-shirts. Check out the T-shirt printing from CustomYourShirt.com. Have a look for yourself.

Tense

Somewhat tense days, these weeks. I'm waiting to find out about a job application and it seems to take forever, making me be a bit on edge. Also, a bit of turmoil in the amorous regions of my strange life, ups and downs. I feel I could do with some good news, a spark of hope somewhere. I'll keep my eyes open for any promising omens. Luctor et emergo..

Domain

Yes, the old blogging thing, eh. I've been messing about with domain names again. I am trying to get a domain for this darn blog right here but so far it doesn't seem to be working properly. And there is not much support in place to deal with any queries. So, I'll just keep tinkering away in the vain hope that all will fall into place soon. Here's hoping..

Anzac Day

Went into town today to see the big Anzac Day parade. It was very moving to see the old veterans march by, some of them still stepping quite militarily and all very proud as far as I could see. It was also interesting to see the Vietnam veterans. In contrast to Britain, Australia was involved in that controversial conflict. The crowds had turned out in record numbers, including an awful lot of young people, which was heartening to see.

Scribbling

May have some transcribing work to do soon. Fingers crossed indeed. It has always been my dream to sustain myself my writing whether it be pure creative writing (ideally) or journalism or translating or proofreading. Perhaps I can do all of the above and earn a crust in the process? Now, that would be a fine thing, to be sure.

Meanwhile, I'm wondering if I should get myself an ergonomic mouse. I find that after a few hours' work on the 'puter I feel a strain in my wrist and lower arm. Don't want to end up an IT casualty, after all.

Also, I will be doing some project work for a friend who is slightly snowed under at the moment. Have to keep those grey cells ticking over, don't you know?

Jobs

Once more I find myself looking for a job. It's a bit disheartening but I'll just have to hang in there. I think my c.v. is alright enough and I'm willing to put in 'an honest day's work for an honest day's pay', so why shouldn't I find a job. Ideally, I'd work at home and try to make a living writing and translating but at the moment that type of endeavour emains a bit tentative and elusive. Oh well..

Slow and sleepy

The music festival this arvo was pretty good although the weather was a tad on the dodgy side. Saw a great folk-type band that played some Irish inspired music and also saw fit to launch the odd Serbian war cry. Not sure what that was all about. There was also a great Aboriginal singer/song writer Kerianne Cox who really connected well with the audience. She sang a lovely song about coming home that went down very well with yours truly. She has a powerful but very smooth voice and her songs were very well crafted.

Following her were a load of oafs and philistines from the Blue Mountains (their description); comical, off-beat a-capella band of blokes. By that time it started raining properly so we headed home for coffee. Enjoyable afternoon.

Music

Today, a Sunday in autumn, I am due to put in an appearance at a local music festival. All morning I've been seeing large trucks carrying portaloos and other festival paraphernalia towards Birchgrove Park where the annual festival is held. Unfortunately, it has also been raining with a vengeance and there is a strong wind. So, either I or my companion for this arvo may well cry off and 'give it a miss'. Would be a shame as it's supposed to be a good music festival and, moreover, it's free.

People around here really seem to love their music. There are pubs that have live music, there are the big venues for the big stars, and almost every gathering of some kind has some sort of musical entertainment thrown in. One thing I didn't realise before was how big country and western music is in Australia. I suppose it makes sense with the whole outback culture; the buckaroos, the stations and so on, but I just wasn't aware of it. Having grown up in Europe I tended to regard country music as a bit naff but recently I was at a friend's house and we had a few drinks after which she played a few old country albums. Vinyl, you know, and it was wonderful. White blues, I suppose. There were some immortal lyrics sung by strong crystal-clear voices. Just fantastic. So there you go. Never judge an lp by its cover.

Making money

Money makes the world go round. Indeed, that is the age old adage, isn’t it? Certainly, we all need money as we all have bills to pay, that much is certain. For most people earning money will take the form of a nine to five job, pursuing some type of career in some field of endeavour or other. Barring that, playing the lottery may be a remote hope of earning enough money in one fell swoop that it would enable one to achieve financial independence.

If you happen to be looking for a system to make money then you may well want to check out the excellent Maverick Money Makers Elite Coaching Club where you will find a truly great money making system.

This is a sponsored post. P

View from a tower

View from the building on Williams Street where I used to work until recently. You can see Darlinghurst stretching away there nicely. Haven't explored the area in any great detail yet but I think Oxford Street may have more of a buzz going on. Ah well. Time moves on and takes no prisoners, that much we all know. Tempus fugit and all that, eh? Still, never mind. Don't sweat the small stuff, isn't that the trusted advice?

Puppy nonsense

Of course, everything remotely connected to US president Obama is being lapped up so I shouldn't be surprised at the recent media frenzy over the new White House doggy. The puns were a-plenty in the reports from the various news outlets. They couldn't get enough of it. Puppy dog story, Obama, family pictures; sheer national bliss for the Americans. They certainly like their schmaltz, that much is certain.

Still, it makes for better PR than Bush's many moronic gaffes and Cheney's homodical hunting tendencies. Read the puppy's lips: Many more chunks!

Politics

I am not big on politics but my friends here seem obsessed with it. Personally, I don't have many illusions regarding the trustworthiness or lack thereof of politicians in general. I prefer to focus the mind on arts and spiritual matters although I realise that you can't do without politics entirely. Down here, corruption on the political stage seems to be a very popular talking point. Pfff...politics..who needs it?

Lovely dumplings...

Enjoyed some lovely, beautiful, gorgeous, bliss-inducing, intoxicating Dim Sum yesterday. Found this little restaurant near Broadway (in Sydney, that is) and went there last night after seeing Slumdog Millionaire. The atmos was nice, the staff knowledgeable and friendly and the bill was not at all prohibitive. 'I vill be back!'

Bikie wars

The various biker gangs here in Sydney are embroiled in a turf war or some sort of conflict over something. There have been bombings, drive-by shootings and the other day a gang member was bludgeoned to death with a bollard in broad daylight at Sydney airport. It seems to be a real problem in this country. Some pundits say that the bikes are just an after-though and these groups should really be considered to be criminal gangs first and foremost.

I remember a similar thing happening in the town where I grew up. There was a large building, an old warehouse, where a gang called 'The Black Harleys' had their headquarters. All manner of untoward activities went on here but the police were too scared and intimidated to interfere in any substantial way. Certainly, when you would come across a gang member in the town you would make sure you kept out of the way. I sort of associate gang membership with hapless and sometimes deprived youths. But when you see these bikie gang members a lot of them are not that young, really. Old enough to know better? Still, nice mopeds..

4WD tyres in Australia

Living in Australia I have grown accustomed to seeing an endless variety of 4WD vehicles. Obviously, the rugged terrain in many country areas over here would warrant using a sturdy and powerful terrain vehicle. Even where I live, in inner city Sydney, I see people driving their much loved 4WD cars all the time. Every now and then I leave the confines of the metropolis with a friend with such a car and we visit the Blue Mountains on a day’s outing.

It’s always great to go off road for a bit and forget all about the city. I just came across a great site with a 4wd Wheels & Tyres Buying Guide. You should really check out this site if you need tyres for your 4WD. Buy 4wd Tyres are based in all the major Australian cities. Their site is very handy with a buying guide, tips and advice and much more.

This is a sponsored post. P

Feeling groovy

Had a nice day at work and I'm feeling quite good. Need to start exercising a bit more, though, so there is room for improvement, which is not a bad state in which to find one's self. Nobody's perfect, after all. But, I'm not too shabby at the moment and I am enjoying my life right now. That's quite something, isn't it?

Chinese yum

Tonight, a friend and I shall be partaking in a nice meal at our local Chinese restaurant. Inevitably, I shall be ordering some nice dumplings for starters, followed by a choice from their excellent menu. A nice bottle of red will be part of the evening and no doubt some nice conversation. It's not such a bad life, all things considered. Onwards und upwards, okay?

Culture fix

Bit of a lovely poncey cultural day today with watching ABC's or rather the BBC's The Art of Spain, simply wonderful. Then there was a short doco about the abbey at Maria Laach in Germany. I spent a few summers camping at the nearby lakeside but never got round to visiting the abbey myself. And now, there is a programme on about antiquities and the dodgy trade therein. Lovely stuff..

Niche com

Just watched an American sitcom that featured exclusively Mexican people in it. It was called George Lopez, I think. It was sort of mildly amusing in that American way where just as you start enjoying a few of the gags the mood changes and the moralistic lesson and a dose of schmaltz sets in which ruins it completely.