N~space

still alive

2009-10-27T04:41:24Z

Oh my goodness, I did not mean to let, what, four months go past without writing an entry. That's forever in blogtime! Is anyone even still out there?

So since I last wrote (I had to go read), my project at work was put on hold, and shortly afterwards I was sunk in a morass of confusion and despair over my job. Ok, so that's a bit of an exaggeration. But everything was up in the air and I didn't know what role I'd have or even if they wanted me to have a role, me and my obsolete skills, and it was pretty depressing. I even ended up bursting into tears over it in the office, definitely my lowest point. So, I didn't write. Then things started perking up and I wanted to write but it's hard to start the habit again, you know? And then things got really busy and I had lots to write about but no time at all. I mean, even Cabbie's been too busy to tweet and he does bugger all all day.

So there.

So this is just a quick entry to say hello and I'm still alive and give a quick update on what's been going on. For verily there is lots.

Work has got better. I'm now in a development team learning to program in Java. It's interesting but also daunting; it's been a long time since I haven't been very very good at what I do so I find it scary. Before I started I did a short "introduction to Java programming" course which I aced and got all confident about my move, and then I looked at real code and ohmygoodness it was terrifying. But, I'm getting there (slowly). I just feel bad because I'm not naturally good at asking people questions so I feel a bit lost, and also because I'm not really concentrating on work at the moment (see below). I feel like I could do a better job, but my focus just isn't here right now.
We bought a new house. It's a little bit bigger and a little bit further out than where we live now and we hope it'll suit us for many years. We settle this Friday and move on Monday. We ended up keeping our current place as renting it out was far less faff than decluttering and prepping to sell and hoping to get it all sorted by time the new place settled (not to mention a much better idea wealthwise), so I close my eyes and pretend not to see our total mortgage amounts or the predictions of interest rate rises. Luckily we are >thisclose< to signing a tenant, so once they're in the majority of the finance stress will go away.

I need to spend less time worrying and more time visualising positive outcomes to situations!

And... (and this is the big one) we're having a baby. I'm due on 27th of March next year, which makes me 18 weeks along now. So far the stress for this is limited to the usual ohshitohshitwhathavewedone? but I expect that will change soon. Especially since I found out the other day that I should already be on lists for daycare if I expect to get any in 2011! Gah.

So yes, lots has been going on. So much to write about! And yet, I haven't. I suck. But I will now. Promise.

Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-06-29T12:45:03Z

09:58 had lovely quiet weekend. Monkeys home a lot, I sat with them and helped shred tissues into atoms. how would they manage without me? #

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it hurts on so many levels

2009-06-29T06:11:20Z

Overheard in the office, apropos of something the person didn't want to happen: "Don't worry, I'll nip it in the butt."

Bud, people. BUD. GAH!

Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-06-26T12:45:02Z

12:50 @kymmz see what you did? No more movies for you! #

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Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-06-25T12:45:03Z

11:38 Friend in mirror is looking all ratty and uncomfortable. Coincidentally, I am moulting too! We commiserated together. #

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dreary

2009-06-25T06:29:49Z

Don’t tell anyone, but I didn’t do much work today. I have been feeling off. Not really sick, apart from this damn cough that has been hanging around for about a week, just… off. A little weak, a bit pathetic. It’s probably that I’m still so tired, proper coffee notwithstanding. So instead of doing proper work I did a couple of training courses and cleaned out my inbox. I feel good for it, but it’s bound to come back and bite me sometime.

Tonight I am off to help a friend with her business budget. I don’t know the first thing about creating budgets for businesses, but I am good at our budget and working out how to put money aside for everything we need. Remind me to tell you about that sometime, but not now because I am too tired. The last two weeks has been a ridiculous whirlwind. Luckily tonight is the last commitment in the list. Tomorrow night one of Dave’s friends is staying over but I don’t expect him to be much trouble, and then, oh then… I get to SLEEP IN. And I will. And oh, it will be bliss.

Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-06-19T12:45:04Z

15:41 Hello! Sry not been twittering, dabbled in politics for a bit. Turns out people not ready to vote for a budgie, only the usual galahs. #
15:41 So am now back and busy training up my pet monkeys. They are coming on well, considering. #
15:49 @BeakerBeaker hello! A fellow budgie! You have a cool name. I am named after a wine but my monkeys call me Cabbage for fun. So I poo on them #

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loooong weekend

2009-06-10T00:41:18Z

So this past Monday was Queen's Birthday here in Aus, meaning we got a long weekend, and the Thursday before was Dave's Birthday, so we took that day and Friday off and had a really long weekend.

I was so excited about his birthday, I always am more than my own because I love to treat him, but even more so this time because I'd got him his Present to End All Presents, the Lego Millennium Falcon, which has over 5000 pieces and something like 3 foot long when it's done.

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "What the?" and "OMFG that's expensive," and "why on earth would she buy THAT?" and I understand because I thought exactly the same things for years - years! - while he went on and on about it. In the end I bought it for him because it's his 35th birthday so he should get something special, and on our wedding day he surprised me with an absolutely gorgeous pair of diamond earrings, which are shiny and beautiful and I love love love them. So I bought it for him. And yes, it is expensive, and completely blew our gift budget, but he paid for the earrings out of his personal spending money, so I've done the same here.

(The answers to your other questions, in no particular order, are: On the coffee table, apparantly; No, he only makes it once and then admires it in perpetuity (on the fricking coffee table); and no, there is no point to his life once he's finished this, his life's goal, so I guess he will be dying shortly. And the way I know what your questions are without asking is because I've been asking the exact same ones as well. For months.)

The funny thing was I ordered it at the start of April, and then a couple of weeks later he spontaneously started talking about how much he wanted it. I think it was because we had drinks with some new friends and he found out that she bought him some other amazing lego set for Christmas a few years ago, and I think this reminded Dave how much he wanted this. I was worried that I'd dropped some clues about it and I didn't want him to work it out, so I ended up just going along with it and teasing him, hoping he wouldn't realise the truth. And he claims to have been surprised, so that's good. Just as long as he doesn't think nagging works now.

Anyway, so he started making it on Thursday and is getting close to halfway through. Oh, and he's set up the camera on a tripod and is taking a photo of it at each stage, so I'm guessing there'll be a little video of the construction coming up for all to enjoy.

Apart from the construction, it was a lovely weekend. We went to the Food and Wine show on Friday (before the Gordon Ramsay brouhaha broke) and sampled many many chutneys and jams and things in jars, and bought most of them. Then we went into the wine bit and got smashed on the samples in record time. Then we hoisted our backpacks and staggered home on the train, then proceded to fall asleep by 9pm.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday - not a lot happened, which was nice. One of Dave's friends came round, I managed to make it to the gym once, we fetched groceries and I made a huge pot of soup. Other than that we just mooched around home, sleeping in and playing with the budgie. It's funny though, once again I completely overestimated what I could do in the five days. This time it wasn't going to be all chores, I was also going to finally pull out my sewing machine to play with, and do a jigsaw and go for bushwalks and cook masses of food... and yet the time just disappeared. Where does it go? What do I need to do to get all this free time I've heard other people have? What are your secrets? Tell me, or I'll have to win the lottery just to be able to stay home.

Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-05-13T12:45:04Z

07:17 @KevinRuddPM enjoy the rest of your term, you won't be getting in next time. when will you realise people on $100K are NOT rich? #
07:19 @KevinRuddPM you are breeding a culture of mediocrity. why would anyone get off benefits when you punish us for mild success? #

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Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-04-22T12:45:03Z

16:00 @Hardy_Conure thank you! tho I am not so pretty today, have yoghurt stuck on my forehead and beak. all I will say is - stupid monkey boy #

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Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-04-17T12:45:06Z

15:23 @Hardy_Conure you are BEAUTIFUL! I like to sit on my monkey's head too but not when they are lying down #

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Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-04-16T12:45:04Z

08:49 @BareEye George, Bubba, Phil, One-Eye and The General ;-p #
08:50 girl monkey had yogurt and rolled oats for brekky. Fun to fling and feels good between the toes. Cleaned feet on shirt, chair arm, table... #

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Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-04-15T12:45:03Z

09:12 have you seen how monkey beaks flap when they talk? fascinating. try to grab with your feet. Grab and hold and peck. Fun! Then FLAPPIES! #
15:04 @Jenipurr my monkey changed to lefthanded mouse years ago because of RSI and now righthanded feels weird. Minesweeper helps :-) #
15:07 @LolitaParrot my wooden banana is the best, I tell it all my secrets. it has a rope to preen + a bell to ding also. My paperclip is good too #

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Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-04-14T12:45:03Z

14:52 gah! there is RED on the end of girl monkey's fingers. Red! WTF? They are devil fingers now! escape escape escape #

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good weekend

2009-04-14T01:50:29Z

Good weekend

So did everyone have a good easter break? I'd been looking forward to it since we came back to work, as a chance to hide away from the world with my boy and get a few things done round the house. For a change I was trying to be less ambitious than usual and told myself the only things on my task list were:

mend umbrella
wash and iron all my winter work clothes
organise the butchers block and get Dave to cut a bit off both sides so it would fit where we wanted to put it
tidy study

but secretly I also had

go to the gym or walk every day
reorganise wardrobe
organise kitchen pantry and the cupboard under the sink
balance accounts
shine shoes
do jigsaw (I got a jigsaw for Christmas and have been saving it)
get out fabric and start making those pyjamas
decide on photos for wedding album
snuggle with boy
read book

Now, a lot of those on the second list are just fun things, but there is still far too much for one person to do in four days. Needless to say I pretty much failed on all counts, but we did have a brilliant weekend anyway.

On Friday we did sort out the butcher's block, cutting 6cm from either side so it's now possible to squeeze past it to the dining table, then pulled out all the junk shoved in its shelves and shoved it back in much more neatly. Then we spent the rest of the day cooking a yummy meal of roast lamb marinated in cumin and garlic, vegetable tagine and chocolate mousse. A couple of friends came round in the evening to help us eat it, and verily it was great. Except the mousse, which I put in the coldest bit of the fridge without realising it, and it went all hard and grainy.

On Saturday we went to the gym (tick!), did washing (tick!), pottered around and then went out for dinner and a movie. We also discovered it is not possible to mend my umbrella and I might have to shell out more than $5 for the next one. I also spent a large chunk of time wandering past the butcher's block and admiring its new neatness.

On Sunday afternoon, a girlfriend came over for lunch (shepherd's pie from the leftover lamb) and a chat, then in the evening I watched The Devil Wears Prada and pretended to do the accounts (tick!). And Monday was consumed by the family easter celebration. The rest of the time we snuggled (tick!), pottered, and ate chocolate. Lots of chocolate.

So not much organising got done, but sometimes there are more important things. Not that you heard that from me.

Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-04-08T12:45:03Z

10:04 Look, stop holding greens up and making me fly to your hand for them. I am not a performing monkey. YOU'RE the monkey. #
14:46 @Tatterededges congrats! Did you get the place in Brighton then? #
21:43 fancied a wash. explained this to monkeys by diving headfirst into glass of water. So Girl monkey also got bath from tipping me out. #

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We're gonna need a bigger machine

2009-04-08T00:02:28Z

So as part of our Getting Our Life Organised plan, we figured it was about time we had an actual spare sofabed rather than an inflatable mattress, and we are thinking of getting an Ikea Beddinge, because it is easier to set up than a traditional futon and isn't bulked out by the arms and sofa-shape of a 'normal' sofa bed so therefore won't take up too much space. Also it is Ikea, and I find it hard to go past Ikea.

But while choosing mattresses, I noticed the following care instructions on the one we'd want:

machine wash 60*C
do not bleach
do not tumble dry
iron, medium temperature
do not dryclean
hang freely to dry

Um, what?

ETA: as jenipurr points out, if I would just READ IT PROPERLY there is a washable cover. Well dammit. Now I feel stupider than normal. Although I prefer it my way with the crazy swedes and their enormous washing machines.

Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-04-06T12:45:02Z

13:33 @Sampsonthebird they are beautiful. Hang around outside picking at seed bell. they don't even like seeds! it should be MINE #
17:12 @Sampsonthebird I KNOW! Bizarre #

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I don't really hate people, well not ALL people. Definitely not you

2009-04-06T06:42:09Z

This morning I woke up to the sound of heavy rain. I mean, really heavy, pouring down, like we had up in the rainforest in Queensland. It was so beautiful. I had a moment to realise my Lumie alarm clock's light was on, so it wasn't far away from waking up time, then I just lay there enjoying it. We need the rain so much here. My next thought was, shit, the trains will be stuffed. We're getting as bad as the tube here for weather affecting them. But no, they were fine, and I was delivered into work as I should be, more's the pity.

I had a good weekend. We went up to Ballarat on friday night to spend time with the mother. Considering I'd had a migraine all week and was still suffering when we got there, I was pretty good and didn't get too impatient. On Friday night I watched TV with her while Dave played nerd games, and on Sunday we had a first birthday to go to -- good lord but there are a lot of kids around these days. Saturday was the best. We had nothing to do apart from buy a birthday present, no chores even, so we took it easy. First we slept in until 11, then wandered out for a look around some furniture shops. I like it when Dave wants to go furniture shopping. We found a new TV thingy that we both really liked, and realised that all the lighting shops ever are shite. Where are all the good lights? Not in Beacon Lighting that's for sure. Anyway, then we had chips and gravy at Central Square, then went for a drive up past Buninyong and Napoleons and stuff, and then we went home and mum cooked us a proper comfort meal, squishy vegies and pork chops and all. And it was all lovely.

People keep asking me if I've got the honeymoon blues, and I say no, work's just been shitty the past couple of weeks and that's why I'm in a foul mood. But I think I'm used to having Dave all to myself again. That's how it was when we were in England, and how it pretty much was on the honeymoon. Last weekend we saw people then saw other people, then went to ikea with his parents and sister and two little nieces and then out with other people... gah, it was a whirlwind.

So it was really nice to have such a nice weekend. We're going to do the same over Easter, basically lock ourselves away for the duration. Cook some meals, maybe go for a walk, do a jigsaw, or I'll work on the new secret project I've just started and which is a secret just now. Only minimal chores allowed, and no wasting time tooling on the internet. I'm all excited just thinking about it.

Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-04-03T12:45:04Z

07:40 @Sampsonthebird hummingbirds! That would be so cool.We have rainbow lorikeets here, I hear them outsde but they don't come to say hello #
11:35 At the grandparents' for the weekend. First she neglects me then she shunts me off here. Starting to think girl monkey doesn't want me :-( #
11:36 at least i'll get spoiled and fed lots of greens and I can tease that stupid dog. maybe i'll learn to bark. hehehehe #

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Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-04-02T12:45:03Z

06:07 got called a naughty budgie last night. Me! Naughty! *I'm* not the one who stayed out late. She deserved that nip. #

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Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-04-01T12:45:03Z

08:02 @DeborahGibson Oh Deborah, I am so so sorry. #
09:47 @birdytoes thank you! the monkey's not too bad either. ;-p #
13:46 @Tatterededges ooh. Not going to give you $6 mil, but if you give ME some, I'll let you live in the lift.... #
20:26 @pamelaribon HAHAHAHA just watched the ad. Topiary! for the love of god. why wasn't there a fancy shape like a swan? #

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I love today

2009-04-01T03:23:31Z

The Guardian newpaper to switch to exclusively publishing via Twitter.

Currently, 17.8% of all Twitter traffic in the United Kingdom consists of status updates from Stephen Fry, whose reliably jolly tone, whether trapped in a lift or eating a scrumptious tart, has won him thousands of fans. A further 11% is made up of his 363,000 followers replying "@stephenfry LOL!", "@stephenfry EXACTLY the same thing happened to me", and "@stephenfry Meanwhile, I am making myself an omelette! Delicious!"

Also, Google has released an Aussie Rules football that monitors your kicking and puts you in contact with talent scouts, and which can be found on googlemaps if lost.

I can only see google.com.au. What are the other sites coming up with? Are there any other really good ones out there?

Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-03-31T12:45:03Z

07:46 @kymmz of course I can knit! ok so girl monkey holds the sticks but I stand on them and pull the wool. what else is there to it? easy! #
15:41 @DeborahGibson oh no! Lots of good thoughts coming. I hope she'll be ok! #

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Cabbie's tweets for the day

2009-03-30T12:45:03Z

11:19 been trying out new landing spots. So far: a fridge magnet and girl monkey's forehead skin. neither gr8, one fell, the other grabbed me #
14:47 @pamelaribon going to need a youtube link to that, please. We don't have anywhere near this quality commercial in Oz #
16:30 @neilhimself have you seen the knitted dalek? I made one, it's awesome tinyurl.com/2k2zc6 #
16:31 it's true i can fly but I still love FLAPPIES!!!!! #

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