Meus Parem Locus

"I didn't look at them - honestly"

About a week ago I found an old disposable camera in a drawer in my desk at work.  I knew it was there - I just didn't bother with it for ages.  Believing it to be a camera from an old sales conference a few years back, I asked my assistant to bring it to the camera shop for development while she was going there for other things (you know where this is going I'm sure)....  Anyhoo, I forgot all about it until I was rushing out the door on Thursday evening to catch a flight to Melbourne that night.  As the lift door opened and I dashed out, there she was with boxes of her printing coming back in.

"I picked up your photos - erm - I don't think they are from a conference - I think they're personal - I just had a quick glance - I didn't look at them!!!" she blurts out as she hastily stuffs them into my hands and gets into the lift. 
"Sorry - honestly I didn't look at them" she says with a red face and pushing the button the close the door.  "See you next week" I hear as the door closes. 

With a sense of impending doom I open the photo wallet to see what horrors lay within.  Photo's of myself and Jason in various places - I think on a weekend trip to Coffs Harbour some years ago - in various "states of undress" greeted me.  My face must have looked like a hydroponic tomato as I realised that even if she had not looked at every one of them, she certainly would have got the concepts from the stupid thumbnail index photo at the very front...  I sheepishly left the building post haste cursing my stupidity. 
_____________________________________________________
The gluten-free diet continues to produce results (or not produce migraines anyway) and I am now on day 7 without a flinch.   I can still eat wheat (like the pizza I had last night after I cam home from a hectic day of meetings in Melbourne) but just not in any great quantities.   Happy days for me indeed...
_____________________________________________________
Yes it's Eurovision weekend and whilst sitting and eating my pizza last night, I had a look a the first semi-final which was only screened in Australia last night (though it took place on Tuesday).   I was appalled at the Irish entry (Dustin the Turkey) when it was chosen for our national entry, and delighted to see the nonsense did not get through to the final.   The humour was lost on everyone except the Irish, half of the lyrics were unintelligible and the whole thing was rubbish.  The best thing you could say about it was that the set was impressive - but that was thanks to the Serbian TV production team.  I can face the final (Sunday night SBS)  with relief I won't be seeing that again...
_____________________________________________________
13 days to go before I am on that plane back to Europe...
_____________________________________________________
I love this - the new Irish PM looks like setting an interesting precedent for the future...Irish Times Thursday May 22, 2008

THE TAOISEACH (PM), Brian Cowen, has expressed regret for any offence caused by his use of an expletive that was inadvertently picked up by broadcast microphones in the Dáil (Irish Parliament).

A spokesman for the Taoiseach strongly denied the comments referring to "those f*ckers" were directed at Fine Gael or at any other members of the Opposition.

Busy Busy...

I've been slack.  Things have been going a mile a minute in work over the last few weeks and between getting in for early meetings and leaving in later hours I've been too wrecked to put finger to keyboard. 

In brief, only 17 days before I get away on holidays and finally things are coming together.  Accommodation has been sorted and everything should be in place.   At last - a sense of excitement!  

But the BEST thing thats happened over the last week or so is that I seem to have AT LAST discovered the source of my migraines!  33 years on the plant - 16 of them suffering from sporadic cluster attacks - and the simple explanation is Wheat.  Or at least, the over reliance of wheat in my diet.  A daily record of my food intake showed, toast for breakfast, a sandwich lunch, bread with dinner and a bowl of cereal at bedtime.  7 days a week.  Not to mention beer, biscuits and other gluten-containing bits and pieces that slip past any scheduled meals.  

As soon as I cut it out, the (almost daily at this stage) migraines stopped.  Only 1 in a week and a half (and that was because I ate a coconut muffin - seems coconut is a big offender with me too).  I am so happy about this - it's really a big breakthrough.

But now as I sit at night typing this before i head to Melbourne for work tomorrow (and another 8am meeting) I will watch the wonderful new Catherine Tait show on ABC and take myself off to my bed.

Hurrah - the ridiculous Dustin the Turkey got booted out of Eurovision :-)

Me? Narky?

An incorrect address was texted to me for a party last night, which left me stranded in the inner burbs of Rozelle with a six-pack (of beer) and look of confusion on my face.  A phone call to the the inviters caused much kerfuffle and mirth until it was realised that I was actually at an old address from some 3 years ago.  Not knowing where I was or how to get to the right place (not to mention the $25 it took me to get there in a cab) meant I was a tad frustrated when calling for assistance.  "Don't be so narky!" was shrilled at me over the phone when I expressed the slightest annoyance at the issue (and I mean slight - like "it's going to take me a while to get another cab from here").   

Eventually flagging down another cab I made my way to the correct address in another suburb (another $15) to be lost again in a sprawling waterside complex with christian-type onlookers.   Two more phone calls and i made the destination - a little pissed off but trying to project good cheer and get over myself.  Not helped by further comments like "grumpy Kev" and "why do you think I'd still be living there".    Quite proud of myself - I maintained my forced smile and drifted into the background (where I find myself most comfortable in these situations), drank my beer, smoked too many other people's cigarettes and spoke of French things to a French couple.    That cheered the night :-)

Recently I have been realising the different scene "worlds" that exist around me.   The vast majority of my social circle are down-to-earth, practical, dare I say it "more masculine types" that are unconcerned with celebrity gossip, fashion, how you look, what brand of clothes you wear or what type of beer you drink.  We hang out in the same kind of places, know that we're accepted and don't put expectations on each other.  I exist easily and happily within it.   

Touching on some of the other "worlds" tends to remind me why I don't play in that space anymore (or at least, try to play because I am concerned at what others may "think").  Don't get me wrong - I love the diversity that is out there and am happy to dabble when the opportunity arises but I also admit I will avoid the opportunities unless somewhat compelled to comply.  I have friends from all different "spaces" and love and respect them each for their own qualities.  Is this making any sense?   Maybe I'm talking bollocks but it fits for me....  I know where I am comfortable and where I am not.   I sometimes take such comfort from the poetry of Donald Rumsfeld....  I leave you some inspiring and prosaic words... :-)

As we know,
There are known knowns.
There are things we know we know.
We also know
There are known unknowns.
That is to say
We know there are some things
We do not know.
But there are also unknown unknowns,
The ones we don't know
We don't know

Uncle sleepwalks

A $397 parking fine has not dulled the excitement of becoming an uncle for first time this week!  Young Conor Donegan was born on the morning of April 29 in Barcelona to my brother and his wife.  A surprise phone call, that I debated answering (number blocked, me half asleep coming home from work on the train) that had the greeting "Hello Uncle!" from my exhausted brother set a smile on my face for the remainder of the week.   Some photos came through on Friday - I've added them to my album link on the right :-)    Only 25 days to go before I see him in person - any doubts about excitement for the journey are swept away!

So the $397 fine....   A few weeks ago (in the space of one week) I received TWO fines for the first ime in my life.  One was for failing to produce my weekly train ticket for the jobsworthy ticket inspectors (as per a previous post) that I managed to have retracted, as I could prove that I did actually have a ticket (left it at home) with a faxed photocopy.   The other was for parking in a disable parking spot at Rose Bay.   Now let me tell you - I would NEVER knowingly park in a disabled parking space - and the fact that I did highlights the inadequate signage placed in the car park.  Not to mention the ground covered in dead leaves and twigs from the massive trees on either side of the space.  If I was disabled I certainly wouldn't want to park there as the space is so squashed you could hardly clamber out of the car, never mind dealing with mobility issues. 

And everything else is getting so bloody expensive lately!  My strata fees up 33% for the next year because the building needs painting, credit card interest fees, water bills, petrol, food blah blah blah.  I'm starting to have my own credit crisis.  The credit card has been removed from the wallet...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last night, after coming home from the pub with Jason fairly hammered, I had another one of my sleepwalking events.  The first time - a few years back - I managed to tip a glass of cordial on top of my laptop and get back to bed without thinking about it until the memory returned the next morning (needless to say the computer was fried, but I luckily (a) didn't start a fire, and (b) rescued the hard drive).   This time I woke up this morning, walked into the living room and saw a coverless cushion on the couch.  On the floor by the kitchen was the cover.  What the...? Then it came back to me that I remembered waking up (sort of) on the couch and going back to bed (this was after we had gone to bed in the first place - about 1am).   I have no memory of cushion derobing so that must have happened before.   What the hell is that about?    A bit scary :-(