(*) Did Santa come-up with the goods for you this year?

This may explain why your Xmas stocking seemed to ne a bit on the thin side this year...

(Hahahaa - I got this pic last year, and it's still one of my favs!)

Santa dropped in 3 CD's this year, as well as some sox!

• Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Anniversary Edition" CD, with 24 of their great chuggy stuff.



• John Farnham's "Whispering Jack" (1986) - some great memories for me on this one...



• The Sunday's "Reading, Writing and Arithmatic" (1989) - near-perfect jingle-jangle pop!



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Here's a spoken Xmas greeting from me to you! Have a wonderfully satisfying 2005, alwrite?!


---

Cyalayta
Mallard d'Quackers

(*) Tsunami disaster sorrow

I have never seen such awful yet powerful visual images as what I've seen with the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. I wept with some of the footage ABC tv news played on last night. Here's the latest news.

There is the human side to one of nature's more cruel moments... this is all so awful...


Here is a suvivor's actual story.

To Donate to the Asia Quake and Tsunamis Appeal (in Australia):

• Call 1800 811 700
• visit www.redcross.org.au to make a secure online donation
• send a cheque to GPO Box 9949 in your capital city

Update: Some incredible pictures of the tsunami in Phuket, taken by a tourist (Don't bother to read the comments in the forum after the photos - some people are just plain outright bastards...)

Here's another series of pics I've discovered... this is terrifying...

( http://www.vg.no/bilder/bildarkiv/1104398694.31593.jpg )

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On a lighter note - the Aussie cricket team are doing it again!

Australia were steaming towards a series-clinching win over Pakistan in the second cricket Test after a decisive change of fortunes on the third day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Australians seized control of the match after Damien Martyn's second consecutive century, a spirited 93-run eighth wicket stand with Jason Gillespie and a tumble of Pakistan wickets in the final session on Tuesday.

Pakistan, having had the Australian world-beaters under pressure for the first two days, were fighting for every run against a resurgent home bowling attack and trying to avoid another heavy loss inside four days after their humiliating 491-run defeat in the first Perth Test.

At stumps with two days to play, Pakistan were 85 for five, an overall lead of just 47 with Shoaib Malik on 11 and Mohammad Sami on eight... (Source)

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On yet another lighter note... I took the boys to see the movie "The Incredibles" today.

SEE IT! It is the BEST movie I have seen in absolutely YEARS! It is truely GREAT! I cannot exaggertate as to how brilliant this film is - GO SEE IT!!!


I normally don't RAVE about movies, but I could rave about this one!!!

Cyalayta
Mallard d'Quackers

(*) Dripping waterworld party

My goldfishie, Thoon IV, joyously celebrated the wonderment of his 6th-month birthday last week. He lept, jumped, danced, grooved, boogied, jived, waltzed away happily during his dripping waterworld party.

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I went for a drive the other week, just a bit out of town. I couldn't believe it - Locusts! Yes, in one spot about 5km's just out of town, I ran into the first swarm of locusts I'd seen around here. They're really bad up further north and west, so it was a bit of a surprise to see them around here. There's none been seen in town or here at home, but I'm sure the crop farmers are frantic that there are local hatchings of the bloody thing!

I noticed the temperature gauge on the car looking a bit high, and 2 blocks from home the throttle decided to stick on about 5,000 revs! D'oh! The radiator has a slight leak, and I'm not sure what's happening with the engine revving too high when it idles. D'oh! It's quite driveable, but until I get the radiator properly looked at by someone who knows what they're looking for and doing, I can't go for any long drives at the moment. I'd been planning to spend Xmas day with my mum - about 1-1/2 hours' drive - but I didn't want to blow the car up just getting there! Bugger it! It's fine to putter around town in, so that's the main thing.

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The boys had their School 'Presentation Night' the other week too. They each received certificates for their work thru the year - I'm so proud of them! Then the whole school (it's a small school with only about 30 pupils all together - perfect for the boys) put on a Xmas play. JD was in Inn-Keeper, while Seb and Ix were visitors to the Inn - very cute! Of course - a good time was had by all. There's some (deliberately) blurry pics in my photo gallery - ask me for the addie!

The other weekend I spent over four hours alone with my beautiful boys! We went on some mini-train rides, then spent the rest of the arvo at the local pool. They've all had swimming lessons during 4th term with school, so they were really water-confident and swimming like fish! It's amazing what a few months makes, especially for Seb and Ix. We had a really really special time hanging out together - it's these times that keep me going, you know...

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I had a job interview last week - an assistant manager of a new video store opening up in town. They haven't even finished building the place yet, and they wonlt be making a decision until like February! But it's good to keep my 'interview skills' up to speed, all the same. I'm feeling very comfortable and happy doing job interviews now - the first ones' always pretty nerve-wracking, but I've had enough practise now with how to approach and tackle them pretty well.

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6 o'clock one morning last week, I suddenly awoke with a very strong sharp pain in my lower-right side. As I lay there considering what may have been happening, I remembered I'd felt that same pain before - a small kidney stone was 'in transit' between kidney and bladder! I thought, "well at least this time I can go upto 'Cas' (Casualty at hospital) in the daytime this time!" I took two asprin and lay back down - to see what might happen. I couldn't believe it - as I lay there in a kind-of crouched position on my bed, after about half-an-hour the pain actually stopped! I have no idea what happened, but it didn't come back again either! Whoo hoo - no trips to hospital and nastie stumbling in pain... It seems that the last 2 times this things' happened to me, the small stone passes into my bladder, and luckily enough breaks down in there, passing harmlessly. It must be the 'trip' between kidney and bladder where it gets stuck or something that has given me some curry previously. I guess this time it just kept going! I've been fine ever since. Crazy body!

The first time this thing ever happened to me was when I was living 35km's away from the nearest hospital or doctor, living in the middle of nowhere, about 5 years' ago. As I was doubled up in pain from midnight, M had to drive me thru a kangaroo-strewn country road in the middle of the night to get me to a hospital. The normally 30 minute trip took an hour, because there were kangaroos everywhere on the road... argh! Anyway, the *%$#@ doctor just told the nurse to give me a shot of Pethadine, and come back tomorrow. I managed to get some sleep when we finally got home (luckily we had some friends staying with us, so they could stay with the boys while we had to go in the middle of the night. luckily, they were none the wiser by the time we got back - they were still asleep!) Visiting the doctor the next day, he gave me a very brief once over, and offhandedly diagnosed, "It probably was just some sort of virus..." In other words - he had no idea, but by that morning I felt 100% fine, just a bit tired, so he wasn't too concerned. So much for rural medical services! lol

The second time it happened was Xmas 3 years' ago... I tried to drive to hospital, and managed to get just one block from where I was staying before I had to pull over, get out and walk around doubled over in pain in the darkness. Luckily I was able to get to the hospital pretty soon after that 'spasm' passed, and after a few hours of various treatments, eventually the pain lessened. sheesh - the joys of middle-age, hmmm...? hahahaa!

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Xmas Day was very quiet here for me. My housemate went 'home' for the week, so I spent a few hours enjoying some DVD's I'd borrowed from the library - some classic Hitchcock etc films! Boxing Day was spent - as my tradition demands it (lol) - watching the Melbourne cricket test - Australia Vs Pakistan. Cold cordial, fan blowing, hot day - same as almost every year! I missed spending that time with my dad - that's a treasured childhood memory I have of spending endless Boxing Days!

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The Message Board has a new look, thanks to the server changing it for me. It's now a whole lot easier and more practical to use - check it out and have your say.
http://malboard.cjb.net

Here's some funny and silly links for you to check out too...
Weebl & Bob
http://www.weebl.jolt.co.uk/history3.htm

Silly News Stories
http://sillynews.blogspot.com

Who's scared of Santa? http://www.southflorida.com/events/sfl-scaredsanta,0,2245506.photogallery?coll=sfe-events-headlines&index=1

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I hope the rest of the Festive Season is a positive, happy and relaxed one for you - enjoy the ones you're with.

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On This Day...
Born: Scotty Moore (Elvis' guitarist, 1931); Marlene Dietrich (actress, 1901)
Useless Trivia:  'GIMPY' stands for 'Growing, Improving, Maturing Puppy of the Year'.
My Soundtrack: "History Never Repeats" - Split Enz; "Tommy" - The Who; ABC Radio cricket.
Footwear: naked
Weather: fresh westerly breeze, cloudless and sunny, about mid-20's.

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Cyalayta
Mal (ie. Mallard d'Quackers)   :o)
Email: mal [@] maljam [.] cjb [.] net

"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, it's the light of the oncoming train." (Robert Lowell)
"Excuse me, which way is the stage?" (Audience member, lost at Altamont, 1969.)
"The Lord survives the rainbow of His will." (Robert Lowell)

(*) Ben harper

Week 98
I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Plot:: lost the
   
2. Farce:: Federal Politics
   
3. Unexpected:: forgiveness
   
4. Siren:: Belle of the Ball
   
5. Ben:: Harper
   
6. Freshman:: Brick walls
   
7. Quicksand:: Laurence of Arabia
   
8. 24 hours:: I wanna be sedated
   
9. Spunky:: Brewster?
   
10. Vicious:: Sid
    

Week 99-A
Otherwise known as Week 95 which I for some strange reason skipped.
I say ... and you think ... ?

1. holiday:: Mungo Brush, NSW Mid-north coast
   
2. fault:: San Fransisco
   
3. beep:: Come on baby, drive my car...
   
4. bubble:: Bubble Boy
   
5. needle:: and the damage done
   
6. fare:: Manly Ferry
   
7. treat:: your children well
   
8. express:: yourself
   
9. webcam:: intimate spectacle
   
10. capital:: finance
    

Sunday, December 12, 2004
1. Do you have a favorite 80's song? Oh gosh... maybe 'Money For Nothing' by Dire Straits... I actually hated it when it first came out!
2. What's the biggest event in your life to date? The birth of each of my three children.
3. What's one more thing during your lifetime you would like to learn how to do well? Teach.
4. What is your earliest childhood memory? Looking up at my mum as she hung out washing on the backyard clothesline.
5. What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? Is than an African or a European swallow...?
6. Where, When and What is your most favorite memory? Honeymoon, Mollymook, 1992 - slip-sliding on a rock platform.
7. Do you fit in? Nope, never have. It doesn't worry me anymore, altho it took me 17 years' to figure that out!
8. Tell me your favorite recipe. Galah Pie. Take a freshly killed galah, pluck it and place it in a pot of boiling water, along with a smooth river stone. When the stone is soft, the Galah is cooked...


Sunday, December 19, 2004
More questions submitted by our fellow Monday Madness participants........Have fun! I may post the final set of participants' questions the week AFTER next. Thank you everyone for playing my meme! Have a blessed Christmas! =)

1. How did you learn about computers? Were you self taught? I first started using my flatmate's Mac Plus in c.1988; I'm self-taught - all trial-and-error!
2. What is your favorite color and why is it your favorite color? Orange, as it's such a bright, happy joyous colour in nature, but practically useless elsewhere!
3. What one thing going on in the world right now, has the most effect on you personally? The arrogant self-righteousness of the Western Protestant Evangelical Church.
4. If you were going to develop your own meme, what kind would you create? Using themes, using colours, senses, 'The Seven levels' of consciousness... all sorts of different stuff...
5. Why do you enjoy answering memes? It helps me to keep my mind working
6. What is your wildest dream? Living happily on the isle of Hydra, greece, painting, writing in peace.
7. Why do you answer these questions? To show others who may listen that I am not a one-demensional creature.

Cyalayta
Mallard d'Quackers

(*) Have a Funtastic Festive Season

Have a Happy Crimble and a Gear New Year
To all my regular bloggie friends - thank you for the way you have contributed to my life over the past 6 months - I really appreciate you all.

Aahhh... who's still a big kid, eh? "Look out for The Claw...!"
(Full-sized pic here)

I've got myself three new CD's for Xmas - read about them here.

Cyalayta
Mallard d'Quackers

(*) Mellon

Castugigus methinks the mellon's eating grubbings! Bark - thine knowlest dirst buttomworst rusping scalliom?

Gees - I think the translation button's stopped working on my typewriter, whatsayest thou? ARGH! A post is on its' way in a day or two - I've been away from the cyber-ether for a while. During the meanwhilst... in the meanwhile... during the meantime... enjoy all those fattening Xmas foods... you'll have all of January to sled those ill-gotten-gained kg's! hahahaa!

STOP PRESS! The Raven - my dearest online friend in the world - has got herself a wee bloggie! Check it out here!

Cyalayta
Mallard d'Quackers

(*) Sup on seafood

I did something on Tuesday night I haven't actually done since I've moved back here - and that's over 18 months' ago now. I went out to dinner at a restaurant! A mate invited me out with a few blokes, so I went for it. Money was extremely tight last week (still is), but - what the heck. We sat around sipping on a few casual beers catching up. Everyone there had children, and - you won't believe this - within 10 minutes we were all sitting down swapping our kids' bowel movement stories! hahahaa! See? Even proud dads do that kind of thing, ladies! I decided to get something I'd heard was absolutely stunning from this place - a large seafood platter. And it was truly awesome! I think I'd forgotten what fresh seafood tasted like... prawns, oysters, fish, octopus, muscles... melt in your mouth stuff. The other blokes had all ordered various forms of steak, and they were drooling at the sight of my plate! Nah nah! It's not often you can trust a place that says it has 'fresh seafood' - when you live 200km inland from the ocean! But I'd heard good things already...

What was funny was that - blokes always seem to need an 'agenda' to catch-up together, don't they? I mean - can't some blokes just go out together and just hang out for no other purpose than just enjoying each others' company? Bugger it - towards the end of the evening, one bloke started talking about one of the local groups were looking at starting some new small bible study groups... I sat there quietly, not being rude, but I didn't join in that particular discussion. They were thinking of starting up a new group, and were asking people to join for a 6-week basis. Bugger that - I mean, these are lovely guys, don't get me wrong (these are some of the 'better' blokes from the local church I used to go to), but I'm about 10,000km away from making myself available to get involved in one of 'those' types of study groups again. And damn - I should know about small groups - it was one of my majors at Bible College! What i'd really need to be part of is a care/friendship group for a long while, rather than a straight christian 'study' group right now. But, I don't think none of those guys would really appreciate that - maybe. My mate probably would, but the others... I'd only be dead-wood for the rest of the group. Anyway, I was a bit frustrated after we all finished our evening together - why does there have to be an agenda? It was just dinner, for gawd's sakes! Anyway - I had a really good time, comfortably relaxed, and not feeling so paranoid or self-conscious as I could have been. (As you may be aware, the last few years' emotional upheavals have really done some very severe emotional damage to my ego and self-conscious).

I prattle on... one thing I did notice was that I think I need to get my hearing tested again soon... I was finding it hard to hear and follow a conversation from people only two people away from me, in a crowded room with lots of background chatter and music etc. Maybe I just wasn't used to it, but I think... I used to play in live bands for years about 10 years ago, and my last hearing test about 5+ years' ago showed I had very minor upper frequency hearing decrease. Nothing major, but I am getting on a little bit, and it wouldn't hurt just to keep an eye (ear?!?) on it. See how the silly things we do when we're younger affect us when we're older? Gees... we never really give a stuff and think about that sorta stuff when you're younger, do we? Hmmm...! lol.

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On This Day...
Born: David Gates (Bread, 1939); Jermaine Jackson (Whacko's brother, 1954).
Died: Sam Cooke (singer, 1964).
Events: Frank Zappa thrown off the stage & breaks leg by a crazed audience member, London 1971.
Useless Trivia: English poet Lord Byron had a brain weighing 5-pounds.
My Soundtrack: Jimi Hendrix Live at Monterey 1967; Beatles 'White Album' (surprise surprise!)
Footwear: naked (feet, that is...)
Weather: Rain, rain and more rain... I think we've had like over an inch this week alone! Yippeee!

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Cyalayta
Mal (ie. Mallard d'Quackers) :o)
Email: mal [@] maljam [.] cjb [.] net

(*) Things are GREAT!!!

I am feeling soooo relieved - actually happy and quite peaceful! I should get some sleep tonight in the nighttime! Yes - I finally had 'that' chat with M tonight. All's well - we both had such a positive, friendly, honest dialogue - we were both quite taken aback! I think we both feared each other were about to do or say something over the last few weeks, but we didn't know what! Anyway, we discussed some of the issues really effectively, and we've both made some concessions. As always (and this has always been the main focus for both of us anyway), the focus was on what's best for the boys. So, we've reached sort of a peace between us - a lot of stuff's been a simple misunderstanding between us... M's been too uptight to be able to talk freely, and I've been stressing so much! So, now things are more out in the open, things that needed to be said have been said in a kind, friendly, understanding way (and received) - things look a whole lot bloody better!

I could sing, dance, whirling dervish! The feeling of weight has lifted right off my shoulders.
Is this what a sense of peace feels like? I'd almost forgotten...

Please be happy for me... it's not every day that I actually feel an inner sense of peace and relief like this! Whoo hoo... dance of joy... dance of joy... bugger the neighbours!

Cyalayta
Mallard d'Quackers

(*) Pottering about

One thing I like doing when I'm trying to burble away for a blog entry is trying to create some sort of interesting title for it... well, sometimes I do, and sometimes I can't be bothered! Somedays its' like trying to rename some obsolete Pink Floyd album title or something! hahahaa. Silly Mallard!

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Pottering about online this arvo, I stumbled across the website for my old Primary School - cool! I left in 1976, but it looks more or less the same. There's lots of good memories from back then...

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Wow - is it raining tonight or what? These just aint showers, this is great soaking pouring stuff - a gift from the heavens!

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The other day I was out shopping in the new K-Mart store in town, just generally having a look around and picking up a few small items I needed. I had my black haversack that I usually carry about with me, and rather than use a shopping trolley, I popped the items into my backpack, with the full intention of pulling them out and paying for them. As I was browsing through the book section ( I can't resist checking out a good book, you know), I spotted an empty trolley sitting there, so I put my stuff into that rather than in the bag. I love the way they lay-out these stores, because you walk around in a big circle going from section to section, just window shopping and daydreaming. Dreaming of all the things you could do with all that stuff... if only you had the dollars! By the time I got to the women's clothing section, I knew I was done (nothing there fitted me... just kidding!), so I made for the checkouts with my trolley. I pulled out the bits I'd got for the car - some spare fuses, some bubble-eye mirrors, 2 spare globes, rust-converter, and slid them down the conveyer belt. I re-checked my little shopping list (I seem to live by lists nowadays... must be a sign of old age...) - yup, I'd gotten everything I'd written down no problemo. I paid for the stuff, slipped them and the receipt into my bag, and started walking out of the doors. Then all hell broke loose.

Alarms sounded. Security guards and the duty manager started walking towards me, and I was thinking, "What the f@ck?" I had nothing to hide, so I showed them my bag. Must have been a bodgy alarm or something. I knew the receipt was in there.
"What's this thing here, then, sir?" the big muscly security guard spoke accusingly down at me. All I could see was his big bloody gun at his side! He'd pulled out a big thick hardback copy of a Dean Koonz thriller. I didn't remember putting that in there.
"Did you pay for this item, sir?" He spoke again in the same accusingly disarming manner. I didn't know what to think... my mind actually went blank. All that came out of my mouth was a dry "aaahhh..."
He checked the receipt as a sweat rose across the back of my neck, creeping across my forehead. The duty manager said it wasn't on the receipt, and the guard took my arm and started to lead me off in a way that led no confusion as to whom was suddenly in charge. "Come with me, sir, and I'm sure we can sort this out," the manager said unsmilingly, walking in front of the guard and myself.

There must have been some sort of mistake! I was utterly confused, frightened, paranoid, and yet I knew I'd done nothing wrong at the same time! I was totally awash with mixed emotions as they led me though the store towards the back corner, where the manager's office was located. The looks of shoppers bore through me as I was escorted through the aisles, and I blushed in embarrassed shame at this unbelievable predicament I'd suddenly found myself in. The manager opened the plain grey wooden door, and I was told to sit on a chair in front of his desk, which I did without complaint. Before I could say anything in my defence, the manager told me not to move, and that he had to make a phone call and get some paperwork for us to fill out. As quickly as we'd come in, he turned and walked back out the door, locking it hurriedly behind him.

I sat utterly dumbfounded in that chair. I don't remember picking up that book, but... but... I must have... but... how? When? It wasn't on my list! My mind raced, thinking back to my journey through the store. Of course! I had been looking at all sorts of different books, thinking of an Xmas prezzie for someone, and I guess... I don't know... I must had inadvertently put it in my bag... I must have got distracted or something... I honestly didn't remember doing it! Still I sat there, alone. In the K-Mart Manager's office. He was going to call someone... get some paperwork...? The penny dropped, and my blood turned to ice as it dawned on me that he was going to call the police! They thought I was a shoplifter! Shite! This is just NOT happening! I thought I was going to cry! I was so scared, my pulse was racing at a million bpm. What was I going to DO? How could I, an upright local citizen, get busted for shoplifting? But - I hadn't done anything! This was too shameful! What would the boys think? What would M think and say?!? This was the ultimate humiliation. And I sat in that quiet office, waiting... waiting...

I had to do something... I was desperate! Looking over my shoulder, I noticed a small widow facing out over the carpark, just above a small grey cluttered filing cabinet. I wasn't going to be humiliated like this - no way! Without even thinking about what I was doing, I was up out of my chair and climbing across the top of that filing cabinet. Paperwork went flying everywhere, but I didn't care... the only think I could think of was getting OUT of there! The window opened outwards, and I threw my bag out as I started to pull the top half of my shaking body through that small window frame.

It was at that moment the K-Mart store manager opened the office door and walked back in. Vaguely aware of him behind me, I redoubled my convulsive efforts to get out of that bloody window and get away from this mess I was somehow in. Then I felt it - his vicelike grip around my ankle! I was suspended in mid-air, totally stuck half-hanging out of the office window, my face bright red from embarrassment and extertion. He was pulling on my ankle, trying to yank me back in, pulling pulling pulling. But I had to get away. Not shoplifting! Not the police! He just kept pulling on my leg...

Just like I'm pulling yours.

(Thanx to DE for the original idea).

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On This Day...
Born: PJ Proby (singer, 1938); George Young (Easybeat, 1947); Glenn Frey (Eagles, 1946); Sally Field (actress, 1946); Jean Shrimpton (model, 1942).
Died: Roy Orbison, 1988.
Useless Trivia: Eating soybeans will create extreme flatulence, moreso than any other bean.
My Soundtrack: "Layla" Derek and the Diminoes
Weather: Now it's raining with passing thunderstorms, but today was slightly overcast, gentle SE breeze and about 23c (73f).

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Cyalayta
Mal (ie. Mallard d'Quackers) :o)
Email: mal [@] maljam [.] cjb [.] net
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, it's the light of the oncoming train." (Robert Lowell)
"Excuse me, which way is the stage?" (Audience member, lost at Altamont, 1969.)
"The Lord survives the rainbow of His will." (Robert Lowell)

Common sense so uncommon

Sunday, December 05, 2004
1. What's your favorite TV show and why? The Simpsons, as it's a great reflection of western society in all it's barren awfulness.
2. What's your sign? "Stop! Wrong Way! Go back!"... oooh, you mean... Cancer/Leo?
3. Why is common sense so uncommon? Thinking is simply taken for granted?
4. What are 5 (or 10) great things about your life partner? Who I thought was my l/p married someone else! I can't comment!
5. Why do you blog? Are you a writer at heart? Is it a passion? Or because it's en vogue? I'm a frustrated writer, and blogging is a slack way to keep my hand in, but it's really 'junk/pop' writing for me in a way. I'd much rather take hours to write a few pages, and I rarely do that in my blog. Blogging is instant communiaction - warts and all, and I know it's limitations and embrace them! Thus endeth the lesson! lol.
6. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? 56.874 kgs.
7. Fiction or nonfiction? Nonfiction - life really IS stranger and more twisted than fiction.
8. If you were an animal, which animal would you like to be, and why? An albatross, soaring free for months at a time, just enjoying the world from a great height.

Week 97
I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Delightful:: sunsets over the ocean
   
2. Impact:: crater
   
3. Consolation:: unconditional hugs
   
4. Donation:: thankfully
   
5. Blue moon:: crooning
   
6. Grinner:: secret joy
   
7. Smoker:: stoopid
   
8. Muse:: inner whispered voice
   
9. Tweet:: Sylvester
   
10. Guitar:: waalaaaaangggggg!
    

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I did NOT get to see the boys on the weekend - I am NOT impressed.

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Here's our household paperweight on the kitchen bench... it's nice living in a loonatic assylum sometimes... hahahaa.

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Cyalayta
Mallard d'Quackers

(*) Champagne cocktail water

I'll be taking the boys upto 'The Mount' for a few hours this arvo to see some racing cars. The Light Car Club is having a 'Hill Climb' this weekend, where they basically race against the clock. This arvo they are racing in pairs, starting in Pitt Straight and finishing at the top of The Mount - via Conrod Straight. They go clockwise around the track, which is the reverse of what the V8's do it - it should make it interesting. Fingers' crossed (depends how the phase of the moon and the tides are influencing M today! [just kidding!]), I'll be bringing the boys back here for a little while afterwards so we can build and decorate my Xmas tree here. The boys watched one of Ix's birthday prezzies last night, their "Thunderbirds 6" DVD! Very cool! Who else remembers getting up early in the morning as a kid to watch the 'Thunderbirds' on the telly?!?

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Thoon is having a wonderful 1st birthday today, swimming very dazedly around and around in his lightly chilled champagne cocktail water... hmmm... well, technically, it's one year since I've had a goldfushie as a pet. Thoon IV is four-and-a-half months old at the moment, and seems to be through his period of teething... omg, that means it's the terrible 2's next, doesn't it...?!? hahahaa.

Stop Press... Third Daughter wanted to see Thoon in his White Disco suit, with hat and cane... well, here he is... it was awkward to photograph, as he is a dancin' fool!

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I've applied for over ten job positions this week alone - no interviews tho... yet! I'll just keep banging away...

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My housemate bought a DVD the other day that she simply told me is the worst film ever made - that's why she got it! Has anybody else ever seen the schlock-horror flick "Army of Darkness" (MGM 1992), 'starring' Bruce Campbell?!? It's sooooo bad - it's hilarious! What is the worst film you have ever seen?

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On This Day...
Born: Loretta Switt (M*A*S*H, 1937).
Events: The Beatles' Royal Variety Concert, London 1963. "The rest of you can just rattle your jewellery."
Useless Trivia: "The Terror of Tiny Town" (1938) had an all midget cast.
My Soundtrack: The Black Sorrows (Greatest Hits).
Weather: about 75% overcast, mild, wind almost calm, about 22c.

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Cyalayta
Mal (ie. Mallard d'Quackers) :o)
Email: mal [@] maljam [.] cjb [.] net
http://malnews.cjb.net
http://maljam.cjb.net

"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, it's the light of the oncoming train." (Robert Lowell)
"Excuse me, which way is the stage?" (Audience member lost at Altamont, 1969.)
"The Lord survives the rainbow of His will." (Robert Lowell)

(*) Simple flying thing

It's late, I'm tired, and I'm just posting a short entry tonight. They're just little blithe comments today, not art, unlike the most amazing writing of Zinnia. Life's like that...

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Ix celebrated his 6th birthday this week. He's sooo grown up! Here's a photo I took of him on the day - he loved that simple flying thing! He's great - I love my three boys so much.

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I'll welcome my goldfishie Thoon's 1st birthday on Saturday - "The day the fish came to stay..." Before last year I'd never had a pet of my own before - not since we had two cats as a kid at home. Thoon is a great companion - you get so attached to the little buggers, don't you? He's not much of a conversationalist tho, but he makes up for it in the dancing department... you should see him in his little white disco suit and hat and cane... hmmm...

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I was lucky enough to be able to chat with an old online friend, Krinus in Stockholm, Sweden on Thursday night using IM. She's an older teenager nowadays, but we first met in a chatroom about three years ago, talking about - you guessed it - The Beatles! We call each other 'bro' and 'sis', and it's been great to watch her grow up over these past 3 years. She's got a boyfriend who lives in Germany, and she still occasionally asks me some 'brotherly advice' from time to time! She's a sweetie!

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Here's some recent pictures:
- Seb on Ix's 6th birthday.
- Ix's 'Pinart' prezzie, which he and Seb loved.
- a handmade 'postcard' of my town.
If you'd like to see some more recent pics, ask me for the link to my main photos page. (Check out some of my other pics at the link on the right too, if you'd like...)

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I dropped an egg the other morning... D'oh! It rolled right off the kitchen bench and splattered onto one of the carpet mats on the kitchen floor. I managed to hose the mat off outside, but that smell is still there in the mat... I've gotta try some serious scrubbing, I think,... sheesh! Stoopid eggs! hahahaa.

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More crazy Spring/Summer weather... 2 stinking hot days of 36c/37c (97-98f) - then the very next day it was only 24c - go figure! The heat out here is quite bearable - it's a 'dry' heat without the humidity the poor buggers living on the coast suffer through.

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Joseph Conrad's (1857-1924) awesome short novel, "Heart of Darkness" (1902), which explores the blacker working aspects of our human consciousness, was the inspiration behind the film "Apocalypse Now". I love this book. George Johnston used similar themes and concepts when he approached his 1959 novel, "The Darkness Outside".

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You know, I'm so used to having some sort of noise or music on in the background when I'm at home alone during the day (when I am at home, that is). You know, wake up, stretch, turn the radio on... that kinda thing. It's surely just out of habit. Lately I've had to kinda force myself to not turn the radio or music on automatically. Silence. It's seems unusual at first... it just doesn't feel exactly right at first to me. But them - it makes such a cool change to have silence rather than a CD or the radio burbling softly in the background all the time. I guess it's just one of those subconscious habit I've had forever, and hadn't ever thought about it before. Silence Vs background fill... hmmm...

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The Hitch Hiker
by Ariel Moon Shine

I know it's not wise to pick up hitch hikers. I've heard the horror stories. But as I watched him there, in the rain, ... there was something about him. Something that made me want to get closer to him. Made me want to warm him. He looked up suddenly as if feeling my stare... I flushed and looked down, pretending to be searching for something in my pocket. Slowly I lifted my eyes, but he was gone. A slight charge of electricity quickly ran through my body, exciting my nerves, my limbs, and finally coming to rest, meeting that tender ache that had begun to overtake me. My head spun. Tragic! Where could he have gone?...

Read the full short story here.

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Cyalayta
Mal (ie. Mallard d'Quackers) :o)
Email: mal [@] maljam [.] cjb [.] net
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, it's the light of the oncoming train." (Robert Lowell)
"Excuse me, which way is the stage?" (Audience member, lost at Altamont, 1969.)
"The Lord survives the rainbow of His will." (Robert Lowell)