There's a man at the door with a stick

Aussies talk TV.

*bwahahahaha*

This comment actually made me laugh out loud at my desk when I read it:

"10 seconds of watching Rove leaves me wondering how in the world Australia hasn't been invaded by an army from New Zealand armed with sticks."

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only person in Australia who thinks that Channels 7, 9 and 10 generally blow goats. Shame that Channels 7, 9 and 10 don't realise how poor quality they are.

I mean, chopping and changing programs around so that you have no idea when they're on, continually assaulting our intelligence with Today/Tonight, A Current Affair, Australian Idol and their ilk... ugh! I wouldn't spit on any of those presenters to put them out if they were on fire! In fact, I'd probably hope that I had some firelighter cubes on hand to lob at them from a safe distance. I'm pretty sure Ray Martin's hair and Naomi Robson's plastic smile would be highly flammable.

Thank God for ABC and SBS.

Cupcakes are making a comeback.

Oh yes, I'm serious!

*ponders the resurgence of staples-as-luxe items*

Hmm.

And someone in the article says somewhere that it's about the "return to old-fashioned values, when everything was done in moderation and everything was pure" thing which I think has a point (even if it over-looks the grimier side of the past and its problems). Look at fashion - going back to the 1940s style suits and things like that. Look at ballroom dancing being back on the telly. Look at the increase in spending on "luxury" items with a retro feel. Look at the way people are focusing on buying and using more antique items.

Personally, I blame Nigella Lawson for the cupcake thing, who said all those years ago on Nigella Bites or whatever her show was called that cupcakes are a great thing to have rather than a whole cake and that they're not just for kids ;) And then who can forget How To Be A Domestic Goddess with its gorgeously simple single cupcake on the front?

Altho... *pause for impending announcement*... I don't really like cupcakes.

They're a bit too princessy.

It's time to get uncomfortable

You shouldn't be so comfortable in church that you nod off.

You shouldn't be so comfortable that you have your own designated pew that's been in the family for the past three generations.

You shouldn't be so comfortable that you rely on feelings alone and don't know anything about what God has to say.

You shouldn't be so comfortable that you've switched your brain off and are just happy to drift wherever you're pushed by the current of your church.

You should be uncomfortable.

No, not uncomfortable in the way that's because people there have made you feel unwelcome or because of long-running problems in the church or because there's something embarrassing that's happened with it.

You should be uncomfortable for other reasons.

Uncomfortable because you're being challenged, made to think, question, reason, not allowed to get comfortable and settle into a routine where you stand, sit, pray and sing in one fluid, unconscious motion, never really thinking or engaging.

Uncomfortable because you know that anti-intellectualism is truly not Christian, even though it's become a force in Christianity (read Mimicking the Mainstream by Tim Willard). "The scandal of the evangelical mind is that there is not much of an evangelical mind" - Mark Noll.

Uncomfortable because there are things that are difficult, that remind you that being a Christian is about doing the straight and narrow path in life thing, uncomfortable because you're really thinking about what it takes to engage in costly grace rather than the usual garden variety of cheap grace (see The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer).

Uncomfortable because you know that God doesn't want you to be a cookie-cutter "Christian."

Uncomfortable because you know that being a Christian doesn't just stop at a couple of hours in church on the weekend. Because you know that you need to live it and make it part of your daily life. You have to speak out against the wrong things happening. You have to help those less fortunate than yourself. You have to forgive people who hurt you.

But there's one thing you can be comfortable with. God. Although He's going to make you as uncomfortable as He can at times to shake you up, He's always going to love you (check out Psalm 23 for a start... there's loads more verses about it in the Bible, but that's a whole other blog...).

The Sentimental Cricket-Lover

You know, I still remember going to the Adelaide Oval for the first time in my life with my Dad during the 95/96 Summer season. I hated cricket prior to that. Well, maybe hate's too strong a word. But I certainly didn't really enjoy it.

That all changed at the Adelaide Oval, though. Dad decided that we should have a father-daughter outing, do something together and head off to the cricket. Oh no, not the cricket! I thought as I tried to come up with excuses not to go along. But we ended up going. It was an international One Dayer, with Australia playing Sri Lanka and for some reason, suddenly the whole game made sense. Even though the day involved sitting on the frightfully rear-end numbing concrete steps that used to grace the lower grassed areas (and are now under seating, thankfully) and we lost the match (only just - oh the agony of Shane Warne holing out in a stupid shot when he could have gotten us over the line!), it was brilliant.

Over the coming summers, we would go to at least one day of every variety of the game - Test cricket, One Day Internationals, Sheffield Shield, ING State cricket one day games, Australia A one dayers against the touring international teams, State sides vs touring international teams... Sometimes just Dad and I, sometimes with friends, once even to an Ashes Test with a whole lot of kids from my school. It was at the Adelaide Oval that I got autographs from Shoaib Akhtar, Darren Lehmann, Wasim Akram, Inzimam Ul-Haq and some other players (Shoaib Akhtar was the nicest of them all ~ he got Inzi's autograph for me!).

The best ever game we went to was the first-ever Australian One Day International match played under lights at the oval. Dad and I were literally the last people through the gates and the whole place was packed. We finally managed to find a spot to squish in on the grass on the hill next to the Bradman Stand. That had to be the most electric (no pun intended) game of cricket I've ever been to. Perhaps it was because there were so many people there. Perhaps it was because we all had such a brilliant time. Perhaps it was the newness of everything. It also helped that we beat New Zealand in the most nail-biting kind of way. We were cruising, and then wickets tumbled... It was literally down to the last over. I still remember Andy Bichel guiding the first delivery he faced down to the boundary for four. You could taste the relief. And the smell of lawn, beer, sweat, cigarettes... (and feel it, too, after so many Mexican waves where people chucked their beer cups up in the air, full, half-full or empty).

When we moved to New South Wales, we only managed to get to the SCG once for a Redbacks vs Blues Sheffield Shield match, and it rained for the majority of the day. We were the only Redbacks supporters there, but I got Brett Lee and Mark Waugh's autographs on a copy of a Harpers & Queen magazine. The SCG itself felt empty, soulless, dismal. Perhaps it was the rain.

But we went to an Australia A match, again against Sri Lanka, at the Adelaide Oval when we were back there in 2003. The day was rather cool and there was the odd spot of rain, but again there was the joy of being at the cricket, seeing Sri Lanka being thrashed twice by Australia A (it took less than half the overs for the game to be finished, so they generously played another match), and that old feeling of being home.

When I grow up, I want to be a mercenary Marine airhostess!

Sexy ads grounded by Jetstar

*giggles*

Suckers.

As a consumer of television, I've got to say that the Lynx ad is one of the few on TV that actually *really* irritates me. It's so sexist and just generally pathetically low-brow that it's not even funny.

Not only does Lynx deoderant generally smell like a dying camel in a can, but Lynx has always objectified women in its advertising, and their Lynxjet thing so takes the cake. I'm glad we're not going to be inflicted with Jetstar joining in on the puerile fantasies of the Lynx advertising team, which one must assume is made up entirely of hormonal teenage boys who are into Star Wars and are about as attractive as Chewbacca in drag after a night on the turps.

But alcohol's an excuse for everything, right? Well... o.0 These guys were described as being "obviously drunk" (probably with stupidity)...

On the news this morning there was something about how Marines in the UK had been filmed fighting naked or something like that and some Marine guy was filmed being kicked into unconsciousness by his Sergeant. The comment on the activity from some British guy? Basically, there's nothing wrong with that behaviour, they do that all of the time, boys will be boys, it's part of the culture, get over it.

Then the military people saying that bullying and such behaviour is "very rare in the armed forces," which, going by things that have happened with bastardisation here in Australia, you'd have to assume is total bollocks. The marines are probably only "shocked" by the video for the sheer fact that it was released into the media rather than for the fact that such activities occur within the armed forces.

Little wonder we get stories of videos of civilians being picked off by contracted mercenaries in Iraq (to the backing accompaniment of an Elvis classic, no less).

Nyarrrghhhh...

It's a cold, rainy Sunday even though we're only a few days away from officially starting Summer and having stayed up 'til 4.30am talking to a friend on the phone, all I want to do is sleeeeeeeeeeeep -.-

But it was fun :-D

Talking to Danny warms the little shard of ice that is my heart :)

You know how it is when just thinking about the person makes you smile and then smile some more when you realise that you're smiling.

*happy Sunday sigh*

Of all the times when you really need tissues and don't actually have any...

*sigh*

Lilja 4-ever just finished on SBS.

Somehow, even though it is almost literally heart-breaking, it's an incredibly beautiful story in its harshness (it's dedicated to the thousands of children who are used in sex slavery around the world).

If you ever get to see it, do.

But remember to have tissues handy and something more cheerful to watch afterwards.

Volodja: I killed myself and went to heaven and yeah, it's really good in heaven. But I regret it, 'cause I wanted to live on earth a little longer. You remain dead for all eternity, but you're alive only for a brief moment...

IMDb site about it is pretty good, btw.

Update: You know it's a good movie when you wake up in the morning, think about it and cry again o.0 Yikes...

I saw this and thought of something that Ben had said last year...

*teehee*

It reminds me somehow of something from the Thin Blue Line where Constable Fowler is complaining about the shortening of titles to initials and says something like, "This is ridiculous! Do you think that the Roman people would have understood it if Marc Antony had stood before them and said, 'F.R.C's...'??"

Savvy politics from Hugo Chavez?

Venezuela sends oil for poor Americans

Quite interesting.

Actually, scratch "interesting." Say ingenious. Brilliant. How can you criticise someone who's providing oil for heating to those who really, truly need it, including hospitals, welfare/homeless shelters and the poor? Especially when the administration of the country the oil is being sent to has been seen to do nothing for people following hurricanes and wars?

He's called Bush a "madman," says what he's doing is bringing "justice" for the Americans routinely neglected by their government and is working along more socialist lines with his oil programs (including low-interest loans to poor countries who buy it or accepting payments in goods), not only in Venezuela but with the countries that Venezuela trades with.

Chavez leads a democratic socialist government and refused to get in with the Free Trade of the Americas thing, which was really seeming to have the potential to turn South American nations into areas of cheap labour for the American markets (as if the Americans don't pay people in the lower income ranges poorly enough!). He's worked to bridge the extreme gap that had formed between the rich and poor in the country (something people with a lot of money don't like happening for some reason).

He questions things like neoliberalism, American imperialism and globalisation.

His popularity with the people of Venezuela apparently rates at over 70 per cent. But then there are issues with the nation's economy, job stability and other such things. Poverty is still a problem there. He was involved in a revolution attempt in the early 90s that wasn't successful and saw him land in jail. Relations with America haven't been happy since he said that they were "fighting terror with terror" following the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. But really it's a valid point! Death by terrorists and death by "friendly fire"/"collateral damage" is still death and equally senseless.

I'm not sure what I think of Chavez, really, although he does seem to have the interests of the average person at heart. From what I understand, it was the high-income earners in Venezuela who Chavez has irritated by the way he introduced a more fair tax system that got them to actually *pay* tax, or more of it. He's working hard on combatting illiteracy, disease, poverty and other social problems facing Venezuelans - not an easy task in any country, really.

Whatever the case is, I don't think that anyone should have the right to say that someone who's been elected by their countrymen should be removed from power (like Pat Robertson who called for his assassination earlier this year).

And if he can make a monkey of Bush, which isn't hard to do as Bush does that perfectly well himself, it might be good for the American people. At least they might start thinking about their own social issues and perhaps work towards a system that supports the average person more than it currently does.

I felt strangely hypnotised!

God be in my head and in my understanding, God be in mine eyes, seemingly scoured onto the retinas...

Trippy!

It's interesting where Jesus will turn up, though, really. Even in optical illusions...

*I borrowed God Be In My Head if you were wondering why the opening moments of the blog sounded familiar and you found yourself humming along.

It's not kinky, it's just burnt bruschetta!

*sigh*

I hate it when you go out to lunch at a cafe and it's just bad.

B-a-d, bad.

Well, the food wasn't unpalletable, but it wasn't fantastic or worth paying for frankly. I ordered a bruschetta. Larie ordered a filo pastry pillow thing that was meant to have a nice combination of chicken and vegetables in it. They sounded good at least!

When they arrived at the table, though, it looked like they'd both had the hell cooked out of them. My poor little bruschetta was singed to burnt around the edges and the salsa looked like it had seen better days but couldn't remember when. Larie's filo pillow looked great on the outside, but when she cut into it, everything on the inside looked cremated (and tasted it too, apparently).

Sucks to go out and know that you can cook better things at home.

That means that there's still only one cafe in the town that I'm a true fan of, which is Wild Thyme and it's not just because they sell the amazing masks (my famous quote about the masks: "It's not kinky, it's just leather!").

Carols for psychiatric patients

Schizophrenia - Do You Hear What I Hear?

Multiple Personality Disorder - We Three Queens Disorientated Are

Dementia - I Think I'll Be Home For Christmas

Narcissistic - Hark The Herald Angels Sing About Me!

Manic - Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and Fire Hydrants . . .

Paranoid - Santa Claus is Coming To Get Me

Borderline Personality Disorder - Thoughts of Roasting On an Open Fire

Personality Disorder - You Better Watch Out, I'm Gonna Cry, I'm gonna Pout, Maybe I'll Tell You Why

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells . . . . .

There is no justice... just us? o.0

Interesting article by a Muslim writer about the Michelle Leslie kerfuffle.

I find the whole thing really frustrating.

Perhaps if Schapelle Corby had claimed to be a Muslim and been friends with the police chief's son, she wouldn't be stuck in a jail cell at the moment. Maybe the Bali 9 should just rock up to court and say there were doin' it all in the name of Allah and hope for a lighter sentence (ie: not death).

Although the majority of people in Bali are Hindu... so perhaps Michelle Leslie really did get away with it because of the bribes that were allegedly paid to police and the fact that she was hanging out with someone's son at the time...

There was more evidence for actual intentional possession of drugs for Leslie than there ever was for Schapelle, and the verdict of the judges seems totally inappropriate compared to other decisions that have been made by Balinese and Indonesian courts in the past in relation to drug issues.

So perhaps the courts don't have to worry so much about being made a mockery of by Michelle Leslie dropping the Muslim style of dress, decorum and whatnot and reverting to her normal minimalist-on-the-clothes-department style, but by their OWN behaviour and decisions.

Hell, they should be ashamed of themselves enough to crawl under a rock and die because of the decisions made about the sentences of the Bali bombers. Oh, three months should be oh-so-sufficient for people involved in killing over 280 people and maiming many more. Hey, let's let them out on good behaviour! What a GREAT idea! Nothing says punishment for killing people like a light smack on the wrist and saying, "Oh you naughty, naughty boys," in a playful tone.

Whatever the case may be in regards to the whole Bali bombing stuff, if the ugly little stick insect makes money from the whole drug thing, I am going to be SERIOUSLY cross at the mainstream media in Australia.

Grrrr.

The reasons to never, ever go to Bali seem to just mount up, really.

Turn the future into the past so I don't exist

I was reading an article today that referred to a series of books as "harmless fiction," which made me wonder what it is about fiction that people see as being so harmless?

No, I'm not going to bash fiction because I absolutely love fiction *lol* I was just thinking about the "harmless fiction" tag, and whether or not that sort of thing can be really accurate. Personally, I think what we read can rub off on us, even if it doesn't make us anything like what the content of the book is about (or else with my teenage love of crime novels, I would have either ended up as Nancy Drew or a homicidal maniac).

Books can inspire us to see new things, understand new thoughts, explore brave new worlds where it's comfortable to confront scary ideas that are a part of this world, become sympathetic to others, discover more about human experience, lose ourselves in imagination, confront our own frailties and human short-falls (as well as mutations of character), things like that.

Fiction does have an influence on us, it's not a passive thing that doesn't interact with us at all, but we also bring our own readings to it. The whole reading process is a two-way thing. Or more than that, if you are influenced by the voices/thoughts of others about what you're reading. This is why we have "best-sellers" that are basically bollocks in terms of quality writing (Dan Brown, anyone?).

Oh well. My quote of the day is from Soren Kierkegaard: "People demand freedom of speech to compensate for the freedom of thought which they seldom use."

o.0 0.o

Hmm, somehow I kind of wish I was dealing with the family solicitor back in the Barossa who we've dealt with for generations (quite literally). Safe, dependable Homburgs. People I've known since I was born, really. People we've dealt with through social events, Barossa things, property issues... All of that kind of thing.

But I guess sometimes it's good to truly leap into the void of newness.

The solicitors I got put onto to get in contact with about working for me with the house stuff are local ones here and so far I am uninspired, if not slightly scared (but what the hey, this house stuff scares me anyways *lol*).

For a start, they have the worst hold music ever. It sounded like a doorbell on steroids, or a child who's recently learned how to play on an electric keyboard with two fingers.

Then the lady I was dealing with so wasn't gentle with me as a virgin homebuyer! It was more like a quick fumble that leaves you feeling puzzled, blank, wondering what the hell it was all about and what the hell happens from there out. Does it get better? Will the solicitors still mean something to you in the weeks to come? The months? The years..?

*sobs into a tissue*

*ahem*

Okay, I was being slightly melodramatic there, but oh my goodness, I have no idea what's happening. Right now it's all in the hands of the bank, the solicitors, the real estate agents and God. At least God knows what's going on, though :)

Hurrah!

I have a feeling that next Wednesday's going to be good in TV land!

*happy dance*

Funny how Summer end-of-season programming can sometimes be so much better than what's on for the non-end-of-season Winter times when we get inflicted with really crap, formulaic, mass-produced vomit programs like the ten million CSIs and Law & Orders that make me want to run from the house, screaming, except that it's raining outside and cold enough to make an eskimo think twice about heading out.

Although I will miss Spicks & Specks.

And I really got hot when I saw Janette Scott fight a triffid that spits poison and kills...

Would you believe that I've only watched my Rocky Horror Picture Show DVD once since I bought it?!

I would have thought that there'd be more viewings...

But no.

Oh well. Perhaps I'll get into a Rocky kind of mood sometime soon.

And then... then... there will be singing and LOTS of it!

When Eddie said he didn't like his teddy, you knew he was a no-good kid, but when he threatened your life with a switch-blade knife... what a guy, makes you cry, und I did...

Melody's blog about stereotypes and assumptions and discrimination and things like that got me thinking about the way that things are still assumed about women (as well as men, but as I'm not a man I'm not going to go into that side of things!).

I mean...

One-third of Britons blame rape on women (the good old assumption of "she was asking for it." Does that mean that women can molest men who wear no shirts and later claim "But your honour, he was begging for it by not having his shirt on! Plus he's had a number of sexual partners and was wearing satin boxers and swigging on a can of VB, which clearly indicates that he was ready for some action, and we all know that when a guy says no that he doesn't mean it"??? o.0). That attitude is something that doesn't just live in England. It's all over the world.

"Pretty" blonde "all-Aussie" girl wins Australian Idol, even though most people say that she wasn't the best singer of the two in the final. The other girl in the final was a single parent and of Maori or Pacific Island heritage and originally from New Zealand.

The average female wage is 85% of that of the average male salary in Australia.

Muslim women have been particularly discriminated against here since 9/11. And let's not forget that Muslims are being discriminated against by the immigration department (Muslims refused entry often, inquiry told).

Domestic abuse against Aboriginal women in Australia has a rate 45 times greater than that of the "white" Australian population. Other than that, views of domestic abuse are often really screwed up. One of my ex's friends told him that I "deserved" to be smacked around. Hmm.

An unwell woman of non-white heritage who was an Australian citizen was deported by the immigration department who suspected her of being an illegal immigrant, and has only been returned home after four years.

A "pretty" model gets out of prison time, even though she's been found guilty of possession by a Balinese court. Oh, and suddenly she doesn't seem to be doing the whole "I'm-so-frightfully-religious-and-conservative" thing any more, which seems to be puzzling just as many Muslim people in Australia as it is for those who aren't Muslim.

Women's sports in Australia are never covered properly. We've got an international women's cricket team that does better than their male counterparts, but you'd barely know, even when we have the women's World Cup cricket. Oh, things might get some air time if the women wear skimpy clothing, though. And if they do some spreads for Maxim or Ralph or whatever the hell.

I could go on, but it's starting to depress me!

Instead, I shall read Where does raunch culture leave the sisterhood by Jessica Disteldorf and have a laugh as well as a ponder.

Dreaming Domestic Goddess Della

Okay, so I've actually signed contracts and whatnot about the house and buying it. Yeah, I said buying. I've still got to confirm my loan with the bank and get talking with the solicitors, but there we are. Plus I've put my first $500 down on a deposit.

In spite of that all, I still almost feel like I'm playing houses, like it's not real, like I'll suddenly wake up and the dream of playing in the mildly-dreaded adult world of houses, business, finance and domesticity will vanish into the ether and I'll be drifting again, dreaming about what I'd like to do next, playing doctor and dragging a blanket outside to have tea parties with my dolls.

Maybe it'll seem more real when my bank and I have confirmed things for my loan, which should be started on tomorrow, and things get under way with solicitors and all of that sort of thing. Maybe not.

Whatever the case is, I'm currently about 75% certain to become a home owner at the ripe old age of 22 (still got to finish things with the banks and all of that, you see, and there are no guarantees in life, are there?). If that's not enough to frighten me into responsibility, I don't know what is!

Und ze youngest ist called Sven

Today I looked at another rental house.

It was gorgeous! And I mean gorgeous.

Old federation/colonial style, high ceilings, large rooms, huge yard, light, bright, lovely... Plus it was furnished in the style that suited it well - you know, the sleek sort of white chairs, minimalistic cushions, looked like it would be owned by people who would speak with a Swedish accent, wear matching sweaters and have neat, functional children, all of that.

*le sigh* So bittersweet!

But I guess if I am going to be buying a house, at least that gives me some ideas about what to do with it. Including being inspired to go with a clotted cream colour with paint - it's much lighter and more attractive than modern paint styles, really (and quirky does not equal resale). Plus it makes the rooms look larger. Repainting could be my new weekend challenge (along with trying my hand at landscaping - quake with fear, Jamie Durie!)! I mean, it's not like I haven't done it before and somehow it's almost kind of zen when you get into it. Brush up, brush down, brush up, brush down... in harmony with the paint, you are one with the brush *teehee*

I dunno, there's such a lot to think about and still no certainty with any of it.

*le grande sigh*

Life can be complicated at times! And so frightfully adult and grown-up and time-consuming. And scary, really. I mean, the bigger the decisions become, the more you think to yourself, "Am I really doing the right thing? Will this prove to be nothing but insanity? What if I'm meant to be doing something else with my life? But what if I don't do this? I'll be screwed in the non-fun way, won't I?"

I wish I was practical.

"Now," he looked up again at Mathis, "that's all very fine. The hero kills to villains, but when the hero Le Chiffre starts to kill the villain Bond and the villain Bond knows he isn't a villain at all, you see the other side of the medal. The villains and heroes get all mixed up.

"Of course," he added, as Mathis started to expostulate, "patriotism comes along and makes it seem fairly all right, but this country-right-or-wrong business is getting a little out-of-date. Today we are fighting Communism. Okay. If I'd been alive fifty years ago, the brand of Conservatism we have today would have been damn near called Communism and we should have been told to go and fight that. History is moving pretty quickly these days and the heroes and villains keep on changing parts."

- p119, Casino Royale by Ian Flemming

The Way Maths Should Be

So it's justifiable homicide when..?

Do you know what I get *really* p*ssed off about when it comes to the Internet?

Nope, it's not SPAM, even though it's annoying. Nope, pop-ups aren't an issue thanks to pop-up blocking. No, it's not failing to find anything useful when searching google.com for anything research-wise (ahh, the heady days of uni...).

It's people who leave themselves signed into MSN Messenger and are NEVER, EVER there - their status is just always set to "away."

If you're not at your damn computer actually using your stupid MSN Messenger program, DON'T STAY LOGGED IN AND TORTURE ME WITH YOUR SILENCE!!

*lol* Nah, it's not that bad, but it just annoys me that when I log on, about half of the people who are also signed in and on my list are actually not there at their computers (or anywhere in the vacinity) and are set to the "away" thing for sometimes hours on end.

*shakes fist*

Damn you!

*dons SuperDella cape*

*poses*

*heroic-style staring into distance at no fixed object*

Ya, ya... tomorrow...

Tomorrow I'm going to the banks, real estate agents and a few other things to talk about buyin' me a house.

*nods*

Yessiree, you heard me! Buyin' me a house!

Perhaps...

If I overcome the feelings of abject terror and the houses that are for rent that I'm looking at next week aren't all that great and don't allow pets.

As always, we shall see what we shall see

And I've realised how much I owe a friend who stayed with me in October for strangely enough creating a situation where the friend I would have been renting with never ended up staying with me.

Who would have thought..?

Hmm.

White Phosphorus and Versace

British newspapers report Coalition of the Willing use chemical weapons against Iraqis.

Oh-so-ironic seeing as the stupid Coalition of the Wilting went in there to "find WMDs" (that didn't exist obviously).

And now in light'n'fluffy news, Halle Berry is putting her best foot forward (with all six toes) to work for the Italian trashion... erm... fashion... house Versace.

One wonders whether that will help to revive the flagging fortunes of the house. Or whether it's because startlingly-tanned Donatella wants to discover the secrets of how to get such brown skin... I can see the conversation now...

Donatella: Darrrling, how do you get so brown?? You have such a glorrrrrious tan! My tanning bed can never get me to be such a glorrrrious dark colour no matter how many hours I spend in there dreaming about how Giani would choke on the clothes I am designing, darrrling.
Halle: Um, actually, I'm black...
Donatella: Darrrling! I should have thought of zat! I will have to ask them to turn the switch up from "Startling Tanned Oompa Loompa" to "Colour of Fruit Bread After Being In Toaster for Five Minutes."
Halle: Riiight... I have to go now... over here...
*sound of running footsteps*

*teehee!*

WE'RE INTO THE WORLD CUP!!!!!

YAY!!!

*ahem*

Do excuse me, but I am SO excited!!!

*dances*

*ecstatic tears of joy*

Australia is into the World Cup!

(Soccer, btw *lol* Not cricket or rugby or whatever the heck else there's world cups for *lol*)

But we WON! Go the Socceroos! :-D

- The small risk is the big-ticket issue by Ross Gittins

Excellent article about the current things about terrorism. It's nice to finally see people being more rational about this stuff rather than the usual hyped crap about how we're all going to die terribly if we don't cling to the government's anti-terror laws like they're our long-lost loves bearing Swarovski crystals and million or so in handy cash or something.

- New laws an exercise in overreaction by Ben Saul

Will frighten the pants off of you potentially, and shows why we shouldn't cling to the new laws like they're said lover, crystals and cool million.

ARRGHHH!

The world of politics is so very, very insane.

Quote of the Day

"Always do the right thing. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest." - Mark Twain

Your Own Personal Swirling Nothingness

You find the October 2005 British edition of Harpers & Queen.

You read pages 147-148 of The Dress by Sam Binnie, which is part of Harpers fourth annual search for a new female writer with a unique voice (short story competition) run in conjunction with the Orange Prize for Fiction.

You realise that you are starting to get sick of books and short stories written in the "You buy X and realise that your life is spiraling out of control into the inevitable vortex of your own mediocrity. You think about painting the house blue to represent your own inner turmoil and tragedy at the irresistible longings for your own personal fulfillment. You go to Marakesh instead" form.

When you have finished reading the story, you realise that you are not interested in it and none of it applies to your life any way. Who buys a dress to woo back their "one true love" at the age of 20? Not you. You just got on with life and found someone far more fascinating. Reading about the dresses worn during pregnancy at 33 makes you shudder with horror. Isn't that too old to really be starting a family? you muse. For you, there can be no excuse for bad clothing during up-the-duffness anyway. If you ever have children, you swear to yourself, you will never wear a tent.

And hasn't this sort of writing been done before? you think to yourself as you flick over the page. The Bride Stripped Bare was where you first encountered it in a non-short story. That book was good for the first few times you read it, but then you realised that the story itself was painfully grating and made you want to ram the book down the garbage disposal. There would have been some sadistic pleasure you would have gained from such an action...

All you want is a holiday and a great new pair of shoes.

And an end to books that address you far too personally, far too inaccurately and far too smugly.

Pulp fiction indeed.

The irony is so hot.

Дневной дозор is coming!

Day Watch trailer 1

Day Watch trailer 2

Good if you understand Russian... but it's for the second in the Watch installments - Дневной дозор.

Or Day Watch, if you will... looks like it's going to be excellent! Now I just want to see Night Watch! *shakes fist* Damn short running seasons for interesting foreign films in Australia. A pox upon them!

To Fox in Australia I say: Otsosi, potom prosi.

The movie's going to be released in Russia on January 1, 2006 *salivates* Sometimes it would be so cool to live in Russia. But then my sane side of me reminds me that it probably isn't as awesome as it all seems, even with the gorgeous fur coats and rugs on the walls.

Get well soon, Kristin!

I miss ya here in blogging land!

Hope that you're 100% again soon and getting ready to conquer the world! (The same thing we do every night, Pinky... Try to take over the woooorrrrld!)

In a totally non-violent kind of way, of course!

*sends get well happy thoughts*

:)

Ewwww!

Gross!

I had the most weird dreams last night and a few of them actually woke me up, but there was one that stuck out in particular that made American Psycho look like a story for kids!

UGH!

In the dream, two people were trying to kill each other and the lady stabbed the guy through the throat with one of those really long, wide-bladed knives that you get in good kitchen knife sets. It was really, really freaky! And it woke me up at around 1.50am or something. Almost rang some friends just to have random happy non-stabby conversations, but that would probably be a bit too early in the morning!

Don't remember the other dreams, but they were equally bizarre, yet far less disturbing/violent/deathy.

So exhausted again because of the dreams, even though I went to bed at the insanely early hour of 10pm! o.0

Determined to have free will, or free will to be determined?

I've been talking about determinism and free will with a friend, and it's sort of bending my Monday Mind *sigh*

Why would history be so concerned with pre-determining all that happens? I mean, I don't see why the powers that be would decide, years in advance, that I'd be drinking peppermint tea right now. If determinism is true, then everything we do would ultimately be programmed by other things not under our control. Choice would be an illusion, chance would be negated.

Okay, humans don't control the world, but we do control a lot of our decisions. We've been given minds for a reason. And the fact that we can disagree with others, explore things from different perspectives and so on does kind of indicate some level of free will.

With some things in determinism, it makes sense - it's based on the premise that the way things are in one moment are a direct result of the way things were in the moment that preceeded it. That's more of a flow that can be altered by different choices in moments that lead to the new moments... perhaps... And it doesn't mean that the future is already fixed. And indeterminism doesn't equal free will...

I think we can have expectations of things, both in terms of actions/behaviours of people and in regards to the future, but I don't think that we can say that it's planned out and will necessarily take this direction or the other. There is cause and effect(s), but that also requires choices.

Approaching it from a Christian perspective, I guess there are just too many things that are wrong with predetermined stuff for it to be compatible with the nature of God. Calvinists will say that there were a certain, pre-determined number of people who were "saved," and all the rest would go to hell regardless of what they believed. Totally not biblical for a start, but I guess if if they wanted to think that... hmm... they'd want to be really sure that they were personally the ones who were in the "saved" pile *lol*

I mean, I think that God directs history so that His will is done, but I don't think he micro-manages it to the point where we don't get to choose what we're doing or where we're going. For God, our choice is important, or else He wouldn't have given us independent wills. And if everything was laid out from one end to the other, wouldn't it mean that God was unjust?? I mean, that would imply that some are saved automatically and others aren't, regardless of what they do in their lives. It would make so many things redundant and God so unjust.

Then He is omniscient and omnipotent and everything, but there's a paradox *lol* But God is beyond the understanding of we humans... Personally, I think that God knows all of the choices that we can make, even if we never make them.

The thoughts just popped into my mind about God knowing how the future can be, but maybe not having it set in concrete 100% - more cause and effect. I'm just thinking of things that Ellen White wrote about God having planned for Jesus to come back earlier, except that we hadn't gotten our butts into gear to help out on our side of that bargain.

With our free will comes responsibility, in all aspects of life. I don't think that free will denies cause and effect, but sees it more as being something that provides us with a whole lot of possibilities that we can choose from, which open up other possibilities, which open up other possibilities... The two things of determinism and free will aren't mutually exclusive, really, but then where do they start to feed off of each other and where do they stop?

But then what you believe about it all is up to your own free will, isn't it? ;)

*I just had an interesting thought about how determinism would work with things like feelings and emotions. I'm not sure... I mean, don't they require more free will? After all, cause and effect doesn't always work with feelings. If it did, it wouldn't matter who we went out with on a date, we'd develop feelings for them as an effect... But then that's just an extreme and my brain has stopped thinking about this and is thinking that it's almost the end of the day. Anyone got any explanations for how feelings/emotions/desires would work with determinism?

Randomness for Today

What would be the theme song for your life? Bohemian Like You by the Dandy Warhols. If I smoked, it'd be the Old Hippie Class Reunion by Ray Stevens *LOL*

What character would you most like to play in a movie? I'd love to be Magenta in The Rocky Horror Picture Show or Sissi in Der Krieger und die Kaiserin. I think I have it down pat... "Ich hab' getraumt. Wir waren zusammen in Traum. Wir waren Bruder und Schwester; Mutter und Vater, Frau und Mann... und... wir beide waren die Beides." "Du bist verrückt ." "Ja, naturlich. Veilleicht ist alles Falsche, aber ich dachte, daß ist Glück." "Ich glaub' nicht ins Glück..."

If you were a lolly, what would you be? I would be... hmm... the raspberry boiled lollies that I once had from France - sweet, but with a slight hint of a bite to them.

What's been the best era in your life? High school years without a doubt. They were the most hilarious, most crazy, most fun years in my life, even though there was a ton of homework and the ever-so-slightly-scary Tjepi *lol* Still, wouldn't swap those years for anything. They kicked a$$.

What's your favourite book? The Light Princess and Other Stories by George MacDonald.

What was the name of your first pet? I'm not sure who my first pet was, but I think it was Zaccheus, the tree-climbing dog. Not sure what happened to him. After that it would have been Weet-Bix, my long-living cat. But then I think I might have owned her before Zaccheus... I was young (like around the age of 1)! I can't remember! *lol*

What did you want to be when you were little? I wanted to be all sorts of things, but I think a doctor was one of the main things I was interested in being. Still would like to do that :) Especially with something along the lines of natropathy.

What are you obsessed with right now? Shoes, houses, Miyazaki films, Rammstein's Rosenrot (in particular Hilf Mir and Feuer und Wasser), teapots.

If you could be a tree, what would you be? A Lord Nelson apple tree :)

We have been expecting you, Mr Bond...

Mmm, I'd forgotten how much I enjoy reading Ian Fleming's James Bond books. Yesterday I grabbed my copy of Casino Royale and stuffed it into my handbag to read on a car trip, but I never ended up reading it.

Instead, I've just spent a very enjoyable lunch-time today curled up behind the desk leisurely reading the first few chapters of the book and reveling in just how well Fleming writes. There's a glorious simplicity to his style that wraps you up and puts you into his novels, and I think it adds to the character of Bond.

Plus I enjoy the appreciation expressed for the finer things in life, such as well-tailored clothing (including Dior work), excellent food and wines, cars and other such things. Creature comforts, luxuries, indulgences that make up for ruthlessness and coldness.

Oh to be outside on such a nice day as this, lying on a blanket and reading quietly in the sun.

In other thoughts, the Second Test starts on Thursday! Hurrah!

Requiem for a Wall

Munky from KORN looks like Snoop Doggy Dog...

And KORN still sucks.

o.0

Della needs sleep!

Rage late at night is so freaking hallucinagenic!

While I'm in that kinda stage, I've been musing over what someone said to me earlier today about walls and so on. I mean emotional walls, which are so handy to have in place *lol*

Of course, some come down as you get to know people and get more comfortable around them. Sort of like the veil theory in psychology, really.

Sometimes it's surprising about how quickly the walls can come down and who they'll come down with. Especially when you'd like to think that you were immune to that kind of thing. And then once that's happened, it's hard to build the walls back up again.

But life is always full of surprises!

Red Dust - Lemon Jelly

Merde!

House hunting was once again disappointing.

The place smelled of cigarettes and meat with a hint of wet dog. The carpet had been beaten into submission and needed to be replaced. Repainting was required. The bathroom looked like it hadn't been redecorated since the 1970s and was missing tiles, etc. The back door wouldn't open at first and had to be jiggled and coaxed into letting us outside (good in the event of a fire?!).

But the yard was nice enough at least.

*sigh*

Would I be insane for perhaps thinking about buying something instead? Selling my soul to a bank?

Quite possibly, but then the voices do say that I'm quite normal... *LOL* And the first home buyer's grant is going to be reduced next year, which is a little scary. But then who wants to borrow lots of money from a bank? Not I! And then with all of the issues of land tax, council rates and so on and so forth... it's a little more than a little scary.

*note to self* Find sugar daddy ASAFP.

*le sigh*

The word "democracy" is being used as an excuse to do so many bad things at the moment that it's almost become the new "Christianity" circa the Crusades and Spanish Inquisition.

The Sydney Morning Herald's Miranda Divine says today in her column that we should be willing to give up our freedoms to protect democracy. And she also says:

The opposition Western democracies face from within, from armchair critics in an era of instant comment and saturation information, has the potential to undermine national security as never before.

Personally, I'm not sure. I thought the point of democracy was that people could all have a say, armchair critic or otherwise, and that people would be allowed to hold opinions that differed from one person to the next. Saying that people who question what the government of their Western democracy is doing are opposing it is small-minded and misses the point of what democracy is actually about.

I'm sure the early Greek and Roman founders of democratic principles and politics are positively whizzing around in their graves at the moment.

Democracy is an amazing balancing act that should be protecting freedoms rather than insisting that people give them up.

Taking away the freedoms of citizens does diminish a country's standing as a democracy, anyway. We've criticised so many other countries for this in the past. Democracy is meant to be all about the citizens and working from their perspective for their best interests. Although some elements of the new anti-terror laws probably are in our interests, there are also some elements that are not and are truly not democratic.

Democratic processes are also meant to be transparent and allow time for debate and consideration. Not hush-hush and rushed through parliament with anyone saying, "Why don't we discuss this?" being accused of being sympathetic to terrorists.

It's come to a pretty pass when people who question things and want discussion in democratic ways that will result in, hopefully, the best for all people are accused of being against the West, the government and democracy. Instead of being able to have free and open discussion and the involvement of representatives of all kinds of people, we get fingers pointed at those who question with accusations of being "undemocratic," "unaustralian," and so on rather than an intelligent counter-debate.

But I guess, just as it was back in Greek times, people are just as scared of those who question and encourage others to question as they are of terrorists.

Bollocks!

Click on this picture to get a proper-sized view of it and you'll see why I don't want to leave my darling little home among the ranges!

:(

Silly house sales... silly not finding another house yet to rent that will allow pets... *sigh*

But we're having a look at a house tomorrow with the Real Estate agent guy, so who knows what can happen! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's a decent house in a decent area that's not up in the mountains, hidden somewhere ten kilometers from the actual town.

If only $200,000 would fall from the sky! Although who knows what I'd do with it if it did. I mean, although I love and adore the house where I live, I can see that there are major problems with it (and it reminds me to get under the house on Friday morning with a torch and check some floorboards... let's NOT go near the "termite" word, but I have some suspicions).

We shall see what we shall see... although not being able to see a house solution suddenly is scary!

Just for Brandon!

*Note: not saying you'll be replaced by robots! This one just made me think of what you were saying earlier... *lol*

AFL Competition in Doubt for 2006

It is likely that the AFL competition for 2006 will have to be cancelled. Under the new Anti Terrorism Laws the Bombers are banned, the new IR legislation rules out the Dockers and the asian bird flu epidemic is wreaking havoc with the Crows, Eagles, Hawks, Magpies and Swans. Any transfers to the Cats, Lions, Dogs and Tigers must now be quarantined for at least 12 months. Religious vilification laws mean that no one can legally barrack for the Demons or the Saints.

*teehee!!!*

If only that were true... it would mean Port Power would win automatically! Yay! Go Power!

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—
and there was no one left to speak out.

Join the sedition-a-thon!!!

Hilf Mir
- Rammstein

Ich war ganz allein zu Haus
Die Eltern waren beide aus
Da sah ich plötzlich vor mir stehen
Ein Schächtelchen nett anzusehen

Ei sprach ich wie schön und fein
Das muss ein trefflich Spielzeug sein
Ich zünde mir ein Hölzchen an
Wie's oft die Mutter hat getan

Immer wenn ich einsam bin
Zieht es mich zum Feuer hin
Warum ist die Sonne rund
Warum werd ich nicht gesund

Es greift nach mir ich wehr mich nicht
Springt mir mit Krallen ins Gesicht
Es beißt sich fest es schmerzt mich sehr
Ich spring im Zimmer hin und her

Oh weh die Flamme fäßt das Kleid
Die Jacke brennt es leuchtet weit
Es brennt die Hand es brennt das Haar
Ich brenn am ganzen Leib sogar

Immer wenn ich einsam bin
Zieht es mich zum Feuer hin
Warum ist die Sonne rund
Warum werd ich nicht gesund -
Das Feuer liebt mich
Hilf mir
Das Feuer liebt mich nicht -
Das Feuer liebt mich

Ich bin verbrannt mit Haut und Haar
Verbrannt ist alles ganz und gar
Aus der Asche ganz allein
Steig ich auf zum Sonnenschein
Das Feuer liebt mich
Das Feuer liebt mich nicht

Hilf mir

~*~

Apparently inspired in part by Die gar traurige Geschichte mit dem Feuerzeug, which is great if you love Hilarie Beloc. Nothing like inspiring terror in small children in an amusing way to make them not play with matches!

Here is the wattle, the emblem of our land, you can stick it in a bottle, you can hold it in your hand

I got an e-mail from a friend who stayed recently who described the top bit of Australia as being the "real" Australia.

I think I'm insulted! *lol*

Having lived almost all of my life, bar three years, in the lower half of Australia, I've got to say that we do definitely have it better down in Mexico. Better fashion, better food, more cultural events, fewer bogans, more ethnic diversity, fewer pretentious w*nkers (ahh, Sydney people... how I do not miss thee), far better wineries, etc.

Oh alright, so some places up north might have some nice enough beaches, but we've got great beaches down here, too. Especially in South Australia, where some of my favourite swimming places are to be found. Everyone gives South Australia a right bollocking most of the time, and I don't see why, other than for the Elizabeth and Salisbury regions (which should be packed up and sent overseas somewhere... possibly to America, and then they can be inflicted with some of our crass culture instead of it being the other way around).

So, what then is the "real" Australia?

What is it for someone to have an "authentic Australian" experience? And no, I don't mean getting intimate with the wildlife!

There's just such a lot of diversity here that there really can't be said to be one thing that makes up an Australian experience. I mean, I've travelled around a lot through Australia and there's just such a lot of stuff and styles to see that it would literally take a year or two to take it all in.

There isn't one single thing that I could really put down as an experience above all of the others.

Although I guess you could have gotten close if you'd been listening to Slim Dusty while drinking an icy cold beer in a pub in the Simpson Desert wearing an Akubra and stubbies with a Jackie Howard, teamed with Hard Yakka boots, and giving the great Australian salute to shoo the flies away... Or something.

Study: 9 out of 10 prefer death by meteor

I tawt I taw a man in a twench coat looking through my wubbish ;)

I did! I did see a man in a twench coat...

Umm, no, I'm just being silly, but I did see ASIO advertising!

ASIO is advertising for General Intelligence Officers.

If I could be bothered to switch my brain on, I might have thoughts of applying *lol*

Too busy with work, though! :)

However, if you want to work for ASIO, now's your chance, I suppose...

Although I don't think that things would ever get as dashing as Bond, and there have been news reports about how the spy trade in the UK has suffered a downturn in the number of female applicants because, apparently, of the violent deaths that female agents have been subjected to in shows like Spooks.

Death by boiling oil and a shot to the back of the head always says fun, fun, fun, after all, does it not?

Hmm.

TeleVixen Returns!

Well, I've finally gotten around to adding more TV things to my TeleVixen blog! :)

*Note: this promotion does not mean that the views expressed on TeleVixen are at all objective. In fact, they will often be somewhat sarcastic and generally random, but also brutally honest. Take that, Australian Princess! And other dodgy television shows that insult the intelligence of all Australian viewers.

Oh... and had you noticed that The Alice seems to be languishing its final episodes away in a late-night slot on Channel 9 on Mondays now? That was a bit odd...

Superman to the rescue!

*teehee* I'm glad that I didn't go to the singles thing on Saturday - it sounded like it was scary! Larie rang me about an hour and a bit into it and asked if she could use me as an excuse to escape, which I said was cool.

Apparently the people were all over 40 (which is a bit out of our age range unless the idea of a sugar daddy suddenly truly appeals...), and spent the time gossiping about who was single, who wasn't, blah blah blah, and were the desperate-to-get-hitched types (but obviously not desperate to get hitched to each other types, seeing as they are all still single).

'Twas most ironic to have been invited to that thing with my editorial coming out on the same day, though. Ha ha ha! *blithe, ironic laugh* Perhaps it would have been interesting to attend, so that a Truman Capote-style write-up could have followed, but then there might have been no escape... o.0 Eep!

Admittedly, the majority of the guys I've dated have been in the "older" (than me, at least *lol*) category - typically around 7 to 10 years my senior. But over 40 is just a place that I'm not willing to go until I'm approaching being 40! The maximum age that I'd date currently would probably be 35 or 36, but even then there are just way too many "cultural" differences (grew up with different things, etc). It'd have to be someone I had a lot in common with otherwise, really, with that kind of age.

In other news, Julie sent me a sticker today that says "YES, THEY'RE REAL" in huge white letters on a red background! The sticker follows the thing at my Nanna's funeral where a guy spent a five-minute conversation with me talking to my chest.

*bwahahahahaha*

Celebrating 300 Posts :)

ARRRGHHHH!!!

I HATE huntsman spiders!!!

Hate, hate, hate, hate, HATE!

There have been a lot of them in the house lately, and so I attacked every nook and cranny and whatnot with the surface spray yesterday.

What do I find this morning?

A HUGE huntsman spider on the wall next to the washing machine.

Thankfully it was kind of lethargic, so I was able to get my gold wedge heels and squash it to death (reminder to self: clean wall when get home). My heart is still kind of beating a bit fast about that! I didn't want to leave it, because otherwise how the heck would I know where it went when I got home, so I ended up being a bit late for work because of that.

Ugh!

Wo Bist Du
Rammstein

Ich liebe dich
Ich liebe dich nicht
Ich liebe dich nicht mehr
Ich liebe dich nicht mehr oder weniger als du
Als du mich geliebt hast
Als du mich noch geliebt hast

Die schönen Mädchen sind nicht schön
Die warmen Hände sind so kalt
Alle Uhren bleiben stehen
Lachen ist nicht mehr gesund und bald

Such ich dich hinter dem Licht
Wo bist du
So allein will ich nicht sein
Wo bist du

Die schönen Mädchen sind nicht schön
Die warmen Hände sind so kalt
Alle Uhren bleiben stehen
Lachen ist nicht mehr gesund, und bald

Ich suche dich hinter dem Licht
Wo bist du
So allein will ich nicht sein
Wo bist du
Ich such dich unter jedem Stein
Wo bist du
Ich schlaf mit einem Messer ein

Wo bist du

Masked!

I bought the mask!

It's really gorgeous :) I'll have to take some close-up photos of it. There's such a lot of delicate work with it.

The cat mask, which I was originally interested in buying, was nice but ultimately I went with the mask with the name of Belle.

Apparently it was made by people who also do fetish gear, so that might be interesting to look at some more *lol*

Now at least the wombat's nipples 'artwork' in the cafe makes sense! ;)

No matter what anyone says, marriage still seems to be the desired state, regardless of religion (or lack thereof).

But then almost half of all marriages end in divorce/separation... (at least in the Western world).

People don't want to be alone when it comes down to the very heart of it. We all want to be loved by somebody.

But then there are times that you can never feel more alone than when you are with another person.

Still, there seem to be a mighty lot of articles around on Christian websites, such as Relevant, about singleness and how to not be single any more (or at least wait until God provides you with the date of your dreams who you can then marry, produce offspring with and settle down into suburban life for the ultimate fulfillment of owning a SUV and picking the kids up from school at 3.30) (Oh, sorry, just wandered off into Nightmare World there momentarily!).

And then you get the interfering people who want to set you up with a friend of a friend to help make sure that you won't be single any more. Newsflash! I don't mind being single. I actually enjoy it. Stop bothering me with people you'd like me to meet or I may snap and smack you about. Or at least be brutally honest with you about what I think of your efforts to set me up with someone.

Funny thing is, I've got an editorial coming out on Saturday that's all about being single (and Christian - a dangerous combination!). Someone read it and then invited a friend of mine, who is also single, and myself to a "singles" event, which is meant to be coming up on Saturday night or something. Sweet thought, but HONESTLY. Did this person not read what I'd been saying? Did they mistake what I wrote for a desperate cry to find that special person to cherish in my heart and call Schnookums and be all cutesy with?

Hell, I don't want to be not single until I can find someone who can tolerate me singing along to Sex Pistols songs (usually in the shower), doesn't mind me laughing wildly at amusing television, singing along to Rocky Horror (and dancing), instigating tickle fights, loving Test match cricket... oh, you know, all of those sort of things that would make it "liking me for myself" or whatever. Sure, I'll go out with people, but I don't want a "serious" relationship with someone who isn't going to appreciate all of my craziness *lol* Or with someone that I won't appreciate, either. It's got to be a mutual thing there.

Until then, I think that the words "singles event" will continue to put my teeth on edge and make me want to run far, far away.

*rant*

Our government has no decency.

It has worked to assist other nations in war crimes and crimes against humanity. And yeah, that's happened in places where we've been meant to "help out" such as East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.

It's colluded in the illegal incarceration of people without trial (Why we should take Hicks' allegations very seriously by The Contrarian).

It has lied repeatedly about things that are important. Children overboard, WMDs, the Tampa, GST, and I'd be willing to bet that this "terrorist threat" is a load of codswallop.

By its silence, it has supported torture and abuse. Zimbabwe? Let's not say too much about that - we shall send our cricketers to have a nice tour there instead! But no comment on Mugabe's government killing people, destroying towns, etc. Abu Grahib, anyone? Guantanamo Bay? Oh, or would speaking out against those sort of things mean that George Dubya wouldn't like us as much? What a loss *that* would be...

Basic human rights have been disregarded when it suits them - think of David Hicks. Think of the "anti-terror" laws that are trying to be pushed through. Think of refugees and "illegal" immigrants (of which there are no such thing, legally - that's just a term that's been slapped on which is used as an excuse to lock people up).

It continually tries to sweep the faults it has that are pointed out under the rug - currently I'm thinking of all of the bungles, bribery and blackmail that have gone on with refugees/immigrants. Apparently there are Australian people who have been locked in detention centres for years, in much the same way as Cornelia Rau was. Missing a relative? Check Baxter... But instead of reviewing processes, they just say, "No, you're wrong, we're right, those people should have been locked up anyway."

Messing with university funding and thereby increasing costs of education for students. Education is now no longer for everyone, as it had been the dream of politicians in the past (ahh, Gough... lovely work). Now it's just for the rich, really. The costs could be inhibitive for people who don't have that much money. What this will do to our future job market is yet to be seen. I'd say there might be a shortage of people who are trained in important stuff like medicine, science, etc.

Using our tax dollars for advertising that should be paid for from Liberal party funds.

Ignoring what ordinary Australians want. Not many wanted to be involved with the invasion of Iraq, but all protests were dismissed as being "unaustralian" or in support of Saddam. Rubbish. There are other ways to go about it. Now strikes about work conditions seem to be under threat with the industrial relations laws. People shouldn't be stopped from having a voice, even if it disagrees with one's own. This is the point of democracy.

Disregard for protection of the environment and not making any attempts to work with the Kyoto Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. No attempts to save the environment in Tasmania - in fact, quite the opposite, it would seem, with the last election.

Disregard for our Aboriginal people, shown not only in the desire to not say sorry, but also in the way that Aboriginal people have extremely high domestic violence rates, die much earlier than the rest of the Australian population does, lack opportunities that most of the rest of us get, etc, and nothing seems to be done about it.

ASIO on Hotmail? Now I've seen everything...

This hot weather is revolting - apparently last night was the warmest November night on record. Not impressed by that particular one! Or by having to chase down a huntsman spider in the house this morning. Nothing like a 6.50 am killing, though, I suppose. Death to those creepy eight-legged freaks! Although the insect spray stinks to high heavens! Probably not good for anyone, let alone just insects.

Even more creepy is that I swear to God that I saw an ASIO ad on my hotmail!!! o.0 Like when I'd sent a message and there was something with ASIO about looking for people to do stuff for them or something. Holy biscuits! I'm sending lots more e-mails so that I can try to find the ASIO ad again *lol*

But really, ASIO ads on hotmail just seems wrong *lol* I was reading something somewhere yesterday about the world of spying in Britain and it was saying that hardly any women want to be spies, perhaps because of how they always seem to meet gruesome deaths in spy shows like Spooks. However, when it comes to reality I'd say that being a spy would mostly be frightfully boring, without too many gruesome deaths, unlike on the telly.

And with the latest "terror threat" that is meant to be imminent, according to our PM, it makes me wonder how ASIO can pick that out when it hasn't even happened but totally managed to fail to see the massive bombings that would happen twice in Bali on the way. I suspect that this current "terror threat" is something that the government has decided to whip out in an attempt to frighten the anti-terror legislation through parliament and into law.

It just seems far too convenient for such a "terror threat" to be announced now when the government has had problems pushing the laws through - too many Premiers have been raising questions and demanding answers (I'm very impressed with Peter Beaty on this matter). What a shame the Federal Government has to resort to such things rather than looking at some open and honest debate! Oh, but wait! They're politicians, aren't they? And we can't really expect anything better of them... Using fear to manipulate people is never going to be a positive thing in the long run.

I have to send a big thank-you to Kel for introducing me to op shopping in Melbourne!!! :-D

Yesterday we met up in Croyden and investigated some op shops around the area - enough to keep the op shopping demon inside of one happy *lol* It was so much fun! :) AND... I found a Dangermouse video *lol* Quality work there.

We didn't get to do too much op shopping, tho, 'cos Larie wanted to catch a movie at 1.30, so we'll have to meet up again to hit the vintage stores again, I think :)