macchiato time

I'm not a coffee drinker, but realise most of the rest of the world is, and on a Monday morning after a great weekend - it's time for that macchiato, espresso/short black, long black, latte, soy latte, cappucino, flat white or some kind of permutation or combination of the above, to kick start your day.

The week is underway - enjoy!

Sunday afternoon @ BSB

A Sunday gathering? A collision of worlds? A religious event? Hot chocolate / coffee with pastries and milks crates? All of the above?

Who of these three will be the next celebrity?

Were we at bloggerheads?

It's all open to speculation, but we did postulate a few more theories, watch a few buffed & semi naked runners go by twice (decidedly conspicuous in the coolness of the afternoon) and generally conversed the afternoon away. Again no chocolate tarts left today - but that won't stop us coming back.

Thanks men.

Same time next week?

Weather Phenomenon in Coalcliff

In the early afternoon here in Coalcliff on Sunday, a storm rolled in and, lo and behold, a twisting funnel of water and wind developed on the ocean right before us. I raced for the camera (who needs to batten the hatches?! - we don't have any) and shot off a few frames before it disappeared a few minutes later. Spectacular.

No dolphins that we know of were harmed in the making of this event, (if one lands on your back yard shortly, we may need to revise that).

Sunday Drive Anyone?

When I have my own fashion label, I'm going to want a series photos like this Aussiebum one to promote it. In the meantime - coming for a drive? There might just be someone out there who needs assistance...

superchilled race around the world - Location 6

In leg 5 of Superchilled Race around the World you were given a photo of an underground railway map and asked to identify the city it represented. Peter Von Amsterdam was lightning quick off the mark to identify it correctly as London and gave us some historical background to the map, taking out the prize for first correct entry, while Geoff d'Vancouver took out the most creative prize identifying the remarkable similarity with the love life of Craig (from The Patient Man: Blog) . Well done guys!!

As Superchilled Race Around the World continues, we find ourselves in Location 6, above. Again, the first correct person to identify where the photograph is taken and the most creative correct or incorrect answer get the awards. Bonus points this time to some historical background of the building in question.

You can see the larger version by clicking on the image - which might give some clues. Good luck!

You know you're gay when... (part 2)

You watch an ad like this as a kid and when your brother comments on how cute the girl is - you say 'Yeah, isn't she!?' but can't actually remember if there was a girl in the ad in the first place...

He'd make me religious...

You know you're gay when...

All the other guys are talking about the female leads in the movies, but you only recall going weak at the knees about the blokes...

I recall as a young teenager going to see Coolangatta Gold (in the cinema at Coolangatta no less) and The Man from Snowy River, quite specifically (both Australian movies). I remember being totally captivated by them. I wanted to be (or be with) Joss McWilliam - the cute brother in The Coolangatta Gold. The scene in the queenslander house in the banana plantation with the rain on the tin roof and semi clad athletes, is etched into my memory. As is the scene in Snowy River where Tom Burlinson is on top of the hill with the horse (also in the rain) and has these amazing quivering lips. (Sigrid Thornton may well have been there too, but you'll have to ask my brother.)

Does anyone else have any particularly memorable childhood 'telling moments' in film?

Fridays are for...

• Being nice to strangers on your way to work.
• Looking at the workload you have upon arrival and realising that you could be in a queue at social security.
• Really REALLY enjoying that coffee break mid morning, and thinking about your weekend plans while you're on it or making them if you haven't got some already because they'll be needed later. Ideally make sure the plans start as soon as work finishes.
• Working exceptionally hard in the remainder of the morning, so you feel better about being slack later.
• Organising meetings and appointments and all kinds of work for NEXT week, because at least it looks like you're doing work - even if you're not quite.
• When it all just seems too much, you have your weekend plans from earlier to look forward to - savour them, think about how soon they will become reality and how good you will be feeling THEN.
• Kissing your assistant/ cleaner / someone who works for you in some way on the cheek (elsewhere if you feel like you need a new job, and not in a hurry) to thank them for putting up with you all week, or just because they're cute - if you're lucky.
• Buying dinner to eat in or take away - kitchens are NOT friday utensils.
• Loads of sex. You don't have to get up early - you might as well have something to savour or re-try while you're lazing under the sheets well into Saturday morning...

The Race: Leg 5 is almost run...

We're almost at the end of Leg 5 of the race... Leg 6 is about to get under way (and may well be a challenge). Can you create a better entry and beat Jeff d'Vancouver to the most creative entry before this leg is run? See below for details.

Pet Shop Boys - Liberation

an oldie but perennial favourite
if you haven't seen it in IMAX 3D you haven't lived

New things come in THREE

The Frenchman starts a new job with '3' the telecommunications people next week. He's been home for a while now on an extended break, but with the summer gone and the bank balance dwindling it was time to get back into the workforce. He's very keen to get into it, and I'm not sure how I'm going to cope with him waking ahead of me while I stay in the warm bed and he commutes the long distance to his new workplace... It has been nice to have him here at home when I get home in the evenings, and on my half days off during the week. He is going to be home later now, and I guess I'll resume chief cheffing and shopping duties again too. We have already booked someone to start as our cleaner, a luxury that we have been contemplating for some years now. But in this time our perspectives on things have changed and our free time has become more valuable. Our goals are more flexible now, and our skepticism of the corporate world has increased. (see this earlier post) Who knows what the future will bring, but I think we have built in little more resilience and more openness to significant change.

superchilled race around the world - Location 5

Can you correctly or creatively identify the city that is illustrated in this map?

No? be inventive.

Yes? be the first and win!

(click the map for the larger version)

Wild Wednesday

There has been much discussion about relationships in recent days and weeks. Difficulty finding them, trouble maintaining them, questions about are they really needed anyway, delight in finding 'the one', finding out 'the one' is in fact 'the wrong one', and not infrequently joy in the long term ones...

Obviously a lot of pressure and expectation is placed on relationships. Although we are mostly brought up with the expectation that we'll find the perfect partner, buy the perfect house and live in a perfect world, the reality is that we are more likely to find someone who is as imperfect as ourselves and we're going to have to live with their foibles as much as they're going to have to live with ours. We're not going to change them significantly, and we shouldn't expect them to change for us, or base our expectations on their changing.

When people are looking for partners, there are often shopping lists and boxes to be ticked, must be blonde/brunette/ short/tall/lean/cut/look gay/look straight/have car/own house/no children.... and often fantastic people are left behind in the wake because of something that may have become insignificant in time

More importantly, I see so many issues arising because people are not opening themselves up. They hide what they really think and feel, and create facades and pretend versions of themselves that they think other people want to see. Or that might protect them from grief. And so they miss the opportunity to connect. Relationships shrivel up when people stop talking about the things that are important, and new ones don't start because hearts are closed, and minds are wary.

We need to create environments in which the people around us can feel comfortable to talk about anything without fear of abrupt reprisal. If we don't like what someone is saying to us - ask ourselves why we are reacting that way - if you feel offended - clarify what they're saying and what they mean. In most cases I find people are misunderstanding the intended communication. Arguments can be constructive - nut out the issues - the real issues - often the things we see as problems are just symptoms of deeper issues. Figure what those are - and you're half way to solving the problem. And work on them - they can make relationships stronger and intensely powerful.

Today I'm proposing Wild Wednesday - a day to say the things that you are normally too afraid to say, and a day to listen to those around you without reservation or pre-conception.

Talk a little.

Listen some more.

Location 4 winners

Location 4 of the race has been an adventure.
Craig describes it as representative of his love life, Jeff describes it as " a ship approved by the Howard government as a seaworthy vessel that has been specially commissioned for transporting refugee claimants back to their countries or origin." (and wins the most creative prize - given it is an election year, and Mr Howard just has to go.) But the overall winner is Andrew who correctly identified it as the Maheno shipwrecked on Fraser Island, Australia, (just before a dingo stole his baby).

Congrats boys.

Stay tuned for Location 5 of superchilled race around the world....

the end of summer as we know it

There's a chill to the air, the sun is disappearing early, the last glimpses of summer seem to be fading before my eyes. I really enjoyed it - I want it back! Sure it IS April and all, but where is this global warming we've all been promised?

I always think that the winter months are good for being more productive - creative wise - but I'm not sure how true that is. I find the warmth and beauty of summer inspires me... and in winter - work is BUSY AS HELL, damned sick people!! So I guess i'm more drained by the time I get home... But I guess our climate isn't too bad here - and these pictures were taken today, and I am still in singlet and shorts... so it can't be all bad...

But I STILL want my summer back!!

24 - it's just not enough

NZ Sunset

I was thrilled to hear that Daylight Savings is going to be extended to start in early October and end in early April. I'm not exactly sure when this will apply... But when are they going to put an extra few hours into the day? 24 hours is just not enough, and if I am to get the extra few hours sleep that I'd like - I need those hours. 26 would be good, 28 just heavenly. Can someone please start lobbying the federal politicians so we can make it an election issue?

Waterfall

Here's an experimental photo from NZ - Dawson falls on Mt Taranaki (the volcano on the west of the North Island).

It continues my water theme.

Hope you're all having a great start to the week.

My weekend was superb, makes getting back to work harder...

superchilled race around the world - Location 4

Superchilled race around the world continues...
Can you tell me what this is and where it is taken?
First correct answer wins, a prize also for the most creative entry - correct or otherwise.

Bourke St Bakery Afternoons

If you live in Sydney you may have been here - the food is great (they do more than just bread) and the chocolate tarts are to die for. There's a small group of 4 of us who make a pilgrimage there from time to time of a weekend afternoon in the cooler parts of the year to sit outside on milk crates in the sun as it slowly descends, with the meanderings of the locals about us as we consume our hot chocolate & chocolate tarts and chat about life the world and everything. It's like we're transported to a different world, in which only we exist. Heavenly.

Saturday is for doing things...

chauffeur courtesy gaytrix

Like shopping for things you might not really need,

And shopping for things that you actually do.

Catching up with friends,

Cleaning

Being entertained with film, theatre or funny stories

Watching your chauffeur (above) in the lazy mid afternoon

Eating out at places new,

Hitting the beach and checking the view

Washing the car

Washing the dog!

Reading the paper

or doing something that's really nothing at all.

What's your Saturday thing?