So this is what last night looked like for me:

Strip poker. After we played Blackjack, Bullshit and War.

Dan indulging liberally on alcohol. This particular photo was immediately after a shot of Bacardi 151.

I took nice girly shots consisting of half of a shot of Malibu pineapple rum.

And now, my confession: I am 24 years old and I have never been drunk. I have never "progressed" beyond being slightly tipsy. Tipsy for me being warm, flushed, giggly and a bit hyper and silly.

I had my first real taste of alcohol when I was 19, at Dan's 21st birthday party. While Dan got totally smashed (to the point that he pissed himself, broke a toilet, threw up everywhere and passed out), I had several strawberry daiquiris and one or two woo woos. I stopped at that point, and spent the rest of the party laughing at Dan, taking pictures and helping to clean up the various alcohol-induced messes he created.

Between then and December 2003 (one month before I got pregnant with Alyssa), I can count the number of drinks I had on one hand. And they were all strawberry daiquiris and woo woos.

Dan wanted to get me drunk on my 21st birthday, but I was breastfeeding Alyssa.
He wanted to get me drunk on my 22nd birthday, but I was pregnant with Ryan.
He hoped for getting me drunk on my 23rd birthday, but I was breastfeeding Ryan.
The period between the end of breastfeeding Alyssa and getting pregnant with Ryan was about three months, and I think I had one or two drinks during that time.
I had exactly two drinks on my 24th birthday, and that was it. :P

I just don't see the appeal of drinking so much alcohol that you lose your inhibitions, make choices you definitely wouldn't make when sober, and get sick and pass out. *shrug* But hey, to each their own. So long as you're not hitting the road while under the influence and putting the lives of others at risk, do what you want!

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Four more rounds to go and I'm four points behind the leaders in the comps I'm in, so I'm thinking I'm out of touch for the season now unless I manage to pick some major upsets - and I can't really see that happening.  Oh well.  Maybe next year.  Into it as I'd like to keep this quick:

Melbourne v Geelong:  This is the game meant to mark the heritage of our indigenous sport (Round 19 is labelled the "Tom Wills" round after a key founder of the sport) but boy, it doesn't look at all enthralling.  Probably a good thing it's not being broadcast tonight thanks to the Olympics.  Merely a question of how much Geelong are going to win by.

Carlton v Port Adelaide:  Shame Carlton didn't get up against Adelaide last week (not least 'cos I tipped them to win) but they'll have an easier time of things against the Power in Melbourne.  Carlton to win.

Hawthorn v Brisbane Lions:  I'm hoping this game will be broadcast on ABC radio so I can catch it while mucking about in the garden tomorrow arvo.  Brisbane are in a bit of trouble aren't they?  And the Hawks seem to like playing in Tasmania (must admit I have a soft spot for Launceston, beautiful place).  Limited ruck options are not helping Brisbane at the moment so I think Hawthorn will get the win here.

Collingwood v St Kilda:  Another year, another season wasted by the Magpies.  I can't help thinking they'll be considering coaching options soon as Malthouse isn't getting the best out of his crew (take a look at this from AFL blog Best Clubman for a hard critique).  I reckon the Saints will add to their woes tomorrow night at the 'G.

Sydney v Fremantle:  Well, Freo have been in a bit of a "purple patch" with three wins in a row, but they were against the crappier teams in the comp in the form of Melbourne, Port and West Coast.  Can't see them getting over Sydney, who have two key players in Goodes and Barry returning this weekend. 

Kangaroos v Western Bulldogs:  Good win by the Roos last week against Brisbane, and I think they're likely to upset the Bulldogs after their drawn match earlier in the season.  It's a bit of a roughie but that's tipping.

Adelaide v Richmond:  I'd like to tip Richmond here, really I would, but I just can't see them overcoming the Crows at home.  Plus I read somewhere that the Crows have won 10 out of their past 11 enounters with the Tigers, and I just can't see Richmond having the team to overcome that stat - yet.  Will be interesting to see how the Tigers go next season.

West Coast v Essendon:  I just did a quick bit of YouTubing and found the absolute beauty of a mark that Essendon's Matthew Lloyd took last weekend, it's inserted into this post below.  Can't see the Eagles overcoming the Bombers who have really seemed to get better and better as the season's gone on.  Credit where credit's due, despite my antipathy towards them.  Still, I hope they don't make the eight ahead of Brisbane or anything. 

Here's the vid, enjoy your footy this weekend everyone.

Matthew Lloyd Mark Round 18 2008

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Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. On Monday evening we hooked up the minivan's battery and the Hyundai's battery, and let the Hyundai run for about fifteen minutes in the hopes that it would charge up. No go. Even after fifteen minutes the minivan wouldn't start. The starter wouldn't even click/turn over. No interior lights, no clock. Dead as dead can be battery.

So Monday night I bought a new battery. Dan installed it when he got home from work. Definitely the right battery, since the hood's lights lit up like a Christmas tree as soon as the connectors were in place. I crossed my fingers when he got into the minivan to start it up. No go. Oh, it was starting, sort of, almost... but not quite. It sounds almost as if something isn't aligned right, or in the right place. There's this light rhythmic thumping/rocking.

Could it be a spark plug gap issue? Dan bought the spark plugs, but didn't gap them, because his brother told him that they didn't need to be gapped. I'm finding different bits of information on the internet. Some sites are saying that spark plugs ALWAYS need gapping. Others are saying that they come pre-gapped to fit the "standard", middle of the road gap size for whatever car the plugs are designed for. And still others are saying that yeah, spark plugs come pre-gapped, but because of being moved around and such settling could occur, so gapping should be redone.

Dan is really grumbling and cursing at the thought of crawling back under the minivan and removing the spark plugs to check the gaps, but I say we try that before paying to have the vehicle towed to the dealership, and then paying THEM a crazy amount of money to do the same thing. Assuming that incorrect gapping is the issue.

Ugh, ugh, ugh.

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Iwillloveyoutillidie

 yes more italy pictures!!

oh and to get some of the pictures with the castle on the hill we had to go through this...

Omgwebarelyfit

that was on both sides... and that van kept on beeping inside because we were to close to the wall... it was fun and at one point our front end was heading off a cliff... but apperantly we made it our i wouldn't be writing you this... lol...

i start work tomorrow... which it great... and good money... so off i go to hating the new job...

i shall end this with my friend rowena's smile...

Cheese

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Patrick Mills

I have to admit that I'm not at all enthusiastic about the Olympics, but invariably I feel this way every four years and end up catching a bunch of events regardless of my initial cynicism. 

Having said that, I will be making an effort to catch the Australian men's basketball team (the Boomers) in action, in large part due to the participation of 19 year old Canberran Patrick Mills.

Watch this guy - seriously - he's going to be a big name in the sport.

I also attest to a personal link, in that one day I'll be bragging to my boy about how I used to play ball with Patrick.  About five or six years ago I worked with his mum and she got him along to play for our ragtag team in a lunchtime comp over at the Woden basketball courts. 

And back then there was little doubt, as he carved through the office workers on the way to an easy layup, that he had the right attitude to take it further.  Patrick's parents have raised a good kid, he's not showy, or full of ego or anything.  He's got a sense of humility about him, and I reckon there's a bit of pride there too about his indigenous heritage. 

It was great to see highlights on the news tonight of Patrick and the rest of the team taking it up to the Yanks, and I can only imagine what it must be like for him playing against professional basketballers that he would have been watching on the tv in his college dorm room not three months ago.  I expect, though, that he'd be handling it with his usual reserve.   

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http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=609031

Folks,

I get that professional sports is a major thing these days, but this gets me:

"I have no idea how can I train in such conditions ... and who would clean the discus after every throw."

This professional discus thrower from Lithuania has led a charmed life indeed. Can someone please clean the man's discus so that his hands are kept baby-soft??

What's going on with athletes today - so overpaid and precious it seems.

Ninja

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Not to cheat on NKOTB, but how incredibly Adonis-like is Fleetwood Mac guitar hero Lindsey Buckingham on the cover of his 1981 album "Law and Order"?  I'll tell you...heart-stopping, pulse-racing, breath taking, take-me-now FINE!!  I hope he accepts my friend request on MySpace.  How dreamy.

Law and Order

Lindsey Buckingham

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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24129887-601,00.html

Folks,

This Costello bloke should change his name to LOST-ello.

Is he staying or going? Playing or not playing? If this were a card game at the casino and I was the House, I'd ask him to leave the table and stop wasting everybody's precious time. Place the bets now or bugger off!

If he wants the leadership, then FFS he should stick his hand up and fight for the bloody thing instead of waiting for someone to hand it over. This is so damn typical of the Libs.

Even out here in the West, former State Liberal leader Colin Barnett fudged his way in and out of political contention since being drubbed in 2005. He was, until last weekend, still on track to retire from State Parliament to ride off into the sunset with a taxpayer-funded golden handshake.

Of course, like LOST-ello, he didn't have the balls to straight out resign as he had always coveted the top job... but didn't want to fight for it. The precious pansy wanted people in the party room to hand it over to him. He'd been slipping under radar since 2005 in the slim chance that people in the State Liberal Party still wanted him.

Well, say what you will about WA Liberal leader Troy Buswell, who resigned yesterday and made way for Colin Barnett to ride back in unchallenged as the State Opposition Leader today, at least Bussie had the balls to fight for his job and resign like a man. Naive and stupid as he was (plenty of evidence about that, too), he still did everything in broad daylight instead of slinkering around the grass like a snake.

LOST-ello and his scampering Liberal mates are all the bloody same... cowards and precious pansies who couldn't lift a shovel with two hands if they tried.

Ninja

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As texted to Dan, who DOES know these things and should not have to have them EXPLAINED to him.

1. Get off your ass and SEARCH for pacifiers, rather than take them from diaper bags. Otherwise we're out and there's no nummy to be found.
2. Washing dishes would not kill you.
3. Neither would emptying trash when you see that the can is full.
4. If it's Ryan's nap time and he isn't sleeping, CHECK ON HIM. He just may have pooped.
5. Do NOT put Ryan down for a nap in the hugging suit. As I have told you before, he SWEATS very badly in it.
6. Either shut the bathroom door or clean up the litter than Ryan flings around.
7. Watch what Ryan is doing in Alyssa's room. I found the air conditioner hanging halfway out the window.

I got home a few minutes before 3pm. I just sat down at the computer ten minutes ago. You'd never guess what I've spent the last hour doing... :rolleyes:

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Show us your bookcases.
Submitted by Alexandra.

Bookcase 1

This is the main one, which I managed to reorganise a few months ago into broad categories.  I kind of like a book case to be a little disorganised though, with books stacked up in spare gaps and everything.  I've got my law books and notes up in the top right corner, whereas the top left is my small comics section with a few key graphic novels and the collected Lone Wolf and Cub series.  I have about another eight or nine boxes of comics and 90s music magazines tucked away in a cupboard. 

I haven't read everything there but it'd be a fair call to say I've read most of it.  I think K and I have markedly different tastes in literature.  I have a lot of speculative fiction, beat stuff, Australian fiction and books about politics and society, whereas she has all the "chicklit" stuff plus all these cool books about marine archeology and history and whatnot.  Looking at it now the bookcase could probably do with more toys on the shelves as well.  Might put some star wars lego on there.

Bookcase 2

Bookcase 2 is where we keep miscellaneous stuff like K's folders for her Masters and her extensive collection of cookbooks and cooking magazines, plus a bunch of my sheet music for the piano.  Sort of a general space we use for everything. 

Tucked away in the top middle shelf is a present I gave K on our wedding day - an edition of The Australian Girl's Annual from (I think) 1908.  I dropped it off at the hairdresser's early that morning so she got it when she had her hair done.  I had read somewhere that is was a tradition of sorts, so had trawled through Canberra antique booksellers looking for something I thought she'd like (and she did).  Almost got a first edition copy of The Magic Pudding but it was a little too damaged for my liking.

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