Another 10...

[thanks to FreeFoto.com for the snap]

Well its finally time for a holiday - which is well overdue. I'm looking forward to 2 weeks of sun, catching up with old friends & family. I have really struggled this year to get to this point however it was the end goal of a few months of stress. So I've made a short list of goodies to look forward to post holidays.

1 - Easter. I know its sounds lame but how many christian holidays you get to pig out on chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and get 4 days off. It would beat Christmas [If it wasn't for turkey, pudding & gifts really].

2. Autumn. Yes again another one sounding lame however after the summer that was like every oven, car engine, hair drier, electric heater and anything else warm was turned up to extreme. Let alone all the fires around Victoria - We need the rain [currently Melbourne damns are under 30% - we'll be on rations soon! It will be like the war...without the war]. And Melbourne is ever so pretty with the autumnal colours.

3. Judith Lucy. Melbourne Comedy festival is on next month and this year Miss Judith Lucy is back with " “Judith Lucy’s Not Getting Any Younger” This will be Judith’s ninth solo show and I can not wait. She is gold.

4. Eurovision.My crap-o-metre is already off the planet as Russia is hosting and yes one of my first entries when I'm back will be short listing the favourites...and the not so favourites. Especially like the new deal that Graham Norton will be taking the place of Terry Wogan as compare, a worthy replacement no less.

5. Home sweet home. We are in the market and have attended a few auctions - still going for higher than what we want to pay however hoping the 'credit crisis', 'Great Recession' or whatever you want to call it will help us buy...finally.

6. Cheque from the PM. I still can't believe this. The Commonwealth government is basically giving everyone in OZ about a grand to spend to stimulate the economy. Of course what happens is everyone saves it or pays off debit. Oh well finally some of that tax payer money coming to me instead of away. Hello new laptop.

7. My birthday. Yes another lame one for everyone who is not me.

8. Missing Melbourne Grand Prix. By a strange twist of fate [and excellent timing] we miss the Grand Prix this year. Boo Hoo. And in the process miss the yobbo's, rev heads, noise [ don't even get me started on the MASSIVE carbon footprint it leaves]. Boo Hoo.

9. More Miss Lily Allen. I. Just. Love. Her.

[Maybe a bit too much at the moment - see last post].

10. Planning more trips - All worktime and No playtime is just wrong.

See you in April

X b.

10 things to make and do

Well Andy and I are off to Thailand tomorrow - soaking up the sun, enjoying the pool bar and all the wonders that the Golden Kingdom offers...Meanwhile I have made a list of 10 things that I will and some I won't (actually) miss when we are away from OZ...

1. The Logies - OZ TV Night of nights...a wannabe Golden Globes Award TV show for all of OZ TV...actually its always a let down and the girls (minus Kate Ritchie and Sonya Kruger) always dress like slappers....speaking of which...

2. Ladette to Lady ( Season 3) - what isn't wrong about this show ? Sluttish alcoholic's Brit girls try to get it 'poshed' up at a finishing school and just get it so wrong - too good - this new season they have managed to finds even bigger slappers than before...a bit like the current season of...

3. Big Brother - Now I have always been a fan - HOWEVER with it's new hosts who have managed to turn it to what is basically a sanitised version of the Kyle & Jackie O Radio Show - let alone the trashy contestants - ugh - enough already! The other TV Brother I like is...

4. Brothers & Sisters - I just can't fault this TV show - drama with a family you would want to be a part of ...In fact I think I am another missing gay relative of the Walker Family - OK so enough of TV...lets move on to

5. Melbourne's Weather & the Cold Snap - Its only April and it's been cold. Sorry not cold - Freezing. And the forecast in 2008 is that we are about to enter one of the coldest winters on record. Goody. Best enjoy the tropical heat then and being away from

6. All work and no holiday - I haven't been overseas since Hong Kong in 2006 and I , Andrew and all of our friends are in dire need of a holiday...like yesterday. And I also need a break from...

7. Facebook/Yahoo/email etc - This is mostly what I need a detox from - I actually don't need to know what my friends (actually mostly acquaintances) are doing/saying/singin' etc every fucking moment! And enough of the poke! OK so I'll calm down now and move to more relaxing things like...

8. Sudoku - This is my latest obsession - I do them on the train home, in the Sunday paper or even at lunch break. This is one geeky obsession that is coming along the trip - I bought a big book of Sudoku for those moments by the pool of not being drunk yet and bored of the latest Bill Bryson or the constant OZ discussion of the...

9. The great OZ dream - After the previous year of trying to buy a house, then giving up when houses continued to rise (not just through the roof but the stratosphere)- I was most happy to hear that house prices last quarter have stopped increasing, stabilized and starting to fall - a few more interest rate rises, a few more people defaulting and we may be able to afford a home in Melbourne...(greater Melbourne that is). Another rising figure is...

10. 50,000 - Hits made to my Blog (well almost there) - In manner of Kath & Kim I will crack open the Tia maria and the footy franks...rather as I will be in Thailand maybe a Pad Thai with yet another Mai Tai ( Might I?).

See you in 3 weeks.
X b

08? Great!

It's now a few weeks in into the new year and I thought it was time to review the resolutions/goals/my shit seeing 'Heaven 07' has left us and now we enter 'Great (in) 08' - I'm already hoping for 'Mime in 09' or 'Rhyme in 09' for a revival of poets and Marcel Marceau impersonators but I digress....Seeing it's '08 thought a top great 8 resolutions...well maybe more of a things to do this year instead of unachievable resolutions (besides I have already given up smoking 2 years ago and I still like a drink so that rules that out) so here goes...

1. Exercise more - use that gym membership/new clothes & runners especially bought for the gym last year...Well the ipod got usage so not a total waste...

2. More attentive beard Grooming - My urban chic growth resembled Robinson Caruso a little too much in 07...

3. New Clothes New Clothes New Clothes - will be my mantra - I will try to reduce the amount of jeans & dark polo's worn and try (again) to embrace colour...well for Summer least.

4. Avoid rolling my eyes - apparently its not cute anymore when you are over 30 - just plain annoying.

5. Keep an open mind in all situations - even though you know it's going to end in tears (i.e. gay weddings/the friend with that new hairstyle/OZ digital TV etc)

6. Cookery Bookery Revival - After 10 years of owning the 'Cooks Companion' by Ms Stephanie Alexander I actually used it a bit last year and enjoyed it v. much. Ms Margaret Fulton still remains true as well. Which leads into...

7. Praise the Domestic Goddess - I will personally nominate Ms Alexander & Ms Fulton for Order of Australia and Miss Nigella Lawson for Goddess/Sainthood of the order of the Kitchen.

8. Spunk Alert - I will also try to find more hot spunks to post - The only verbal criticism I got from my blog last year was where are the Spunks? Gay men - really!

X b

10 Things I love about Spring

1. Footy season is over (thank the lordy).

2. Winter has ended.

3. The Sun is out far more often (Yes to the rest of OZ - Sunshine does occur in Melbourne - we are four seasons in one day rather than the gates of Hades).

4. New Season fashion for both sexes are always nice for a change from wool and coats and general winter attire.

5. Spring racing starts (though I am never a part of it - I like the fashions and the fact people are dressing up and taking sickies to go to the gee-gee's).

6. The social season is a buzz - even we get invites to everything that's happening.

7. We have had our first day of 25+ degrees since March.

8. My skin is no longer pale and white.

9. General mood of the city moves from quiet & grumpy to placid.

10. Summer is almost here - which includes Xmas New Year and holidays....

Lock it in Eddie...Im going for C) Spring.