Goodbye Flickr.

So after getting the shits with Flickr I am going to start publishing photos via Picasa Web Albums from now on. It uses my existing Google account which is nice and seems to let me have more space and more different albums than Flickr.

I have made an album of Bee's 21st party, with captions, and it is available for viewing by clicking the image below... I am also replacing the Flickr badge on the right to include this album as my latest photo album... enjoy!

Bees 21st Partay

Castaway

Took Bee to the hospital for what we thought was a checkup and we came back minus one cast! We were told last time that after the checkup today it would be another week before it could come off... but it wasn't to be!

Physios need to be booked but for now she gets to continue to hobble around on crutches albeit minus one cast.

Here's some funky pics of a leg that's been wrapped in plaster for about 5 & 1/2 weeks...



The side by side comparison.



Some of the bruising.



Look Ma, no ankle!!



Cover the children's eyes!! (yes I have permission for publishing this photo)

Sad stat.

Anyone that knows me knows that I love stats, sometimes I worry about exactly how much... anyway just read an interesting stat in an article on the Sydney Morning Herald website.

More US people (i.e soldiers) have now died in Iraq than were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks that started the Iraq invasion.

It's a sad statistic that's quite damning in my opinion when it comes to the "war"... but I guess stats can be prove anything... 75% of ppl know that...

I'm baaacckk!!

Well I'm back from a short adventure to Gympie. Went up Saturday afternoon and came back Monday afternoon. Spent the couple of days leading up to Christmas, Christmas morning and Christmas lunch with Bee's Mum and then back for dinner and more pressies with my family. All in all a very good, albeit slightly tiring, day.

Yesterday I had my first good sleep in for a while, had a late breakfast and then Ben came over with his Wii (minus the Wiimotes! tsk tsk!) and some movies. We watched Minority Report (great flick!) and played my new Queensland Charity Edition Monopoly while watching the cricket on the other TV. Then later Brad & Lore came over (with the Wiimotes!) and we played some Wii, Pictionary (which was a gift to us from them) and had some more drinks and dinner... all in all another enjoyable day.

And that's what this period of the year is about for me, relaxing and enjoying good times with friends and family. It never has to be doing anything special, just simple good times are where it is at.

Unfortunately today will be a break from that routine for me. I'm off to work (yes it is a holiday for me until the 2nd Jan) as our tape library seems to have carked it and I'm going to have to call in a tech to fix it :( Then Bee has her, hopefully, final hospital appointment before the cast comes off. I believe the hang out with friends agenda will be on later as a couple of weeks ago Dunc & Rhonda invited us over for a night of pool/snooker on their new table tonight... so hopefully that is still a go!

Anyway I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and the spoils were awesome, I'll post later about the things I received. Enjoy this time everyone and I am sure we'll talk soon!

Elf Mick?

Thanks to Rhonda I discovered a website where you can turn yourself into an elf... so I did!

Check Elf Mick out here.

After watching me you can find out how to make your own, enjoy!

Exertion

I thought last night's footy training was pretty taxing but I gotta tell you walking around the city for a few hours Christmas shopping while lugging your work notebook around aint that easy!!

In the end I picked up a few presents which has, at least, started my shopping... hey it's a start and there is still plenty of time to go! :p

Ran into Cam while browsing the games section of JB (yeah I know who would have thought running into him there was possible! ;)) and we had a bit of a chat. Mainly about the Wii as I played one (Ben's) for the first time last night but also about a lot of other stuff too. Was good to see you Cam and catch up a bit, we should try to do it more often!

Quite quickly after a few hours I got very tired and started to get a bad headache. So I took a break and had some dinner. Was such a relief to sit down. Then did some more browsing and came home. Quite buggered now actually... and I had other plans for tonight too including housework and going for a run... *sigh*... does all the walking lugging a laptop count as enough exercise for today Coach? :p

My new home away from home?

Tonight I attended the opening of what the Brisbane Lions have hoped will become my, as for all members, home away from home... the new "Lions Den" or "Brisbane Lions Social Club". Situated at the back of the Chalk Hotel and just a short stroll to the Gabbatoir I was very keen to check this place out. If done well I could see many an after match beer being partaken here and even, as Rhonda suggested, trips to the Social Club to watch away games in a Lions friendly atmosphere.

Unfortunately the whole place left me with an unimpressed feeling. Firstly in it's size. Now I know they have limited physical space on the block of land they are on but I've seen other football clubs "Leagues Clubs" and even substandard clubs have a bigger sized one. Secondly by the fact that half the physical space is taken up by row after row of pokies. Again sure they are the main source of revenue from the place but still!

There is a room, which I am going to call small, made up of the obligatory club memorabilia. Most of your stock standard, run of the mill style memorabilia that any average Joe can purchase like so (i.e. framed photos and the like):



There is also the history flashback to the good old days with a display of the past jerseys worn by the club (yes note the lack of Fitzroy jerseys):



But amongst the dross there is some quality memorabilia, namely this, the coolest thing you will ever see... yup, that's right... 3, count them, 3!! AFL Premiership Cups sitting side by side.





I still imagine an after match beer there or maybe a dinner or two on an away game night but overall I don't think it will be my home away from home like the Lions wanted. Great idea it's just a shame the implementation of the idea wasn't up to my expectations.

Home Alone

Just like Kevin in the hit movie Home Alone I've been left at home by myself @ Christmas. At least in my case I was aware it was going to happen as Bee is spending the week with her Mum in Gympie. I'll be going up there sometime next weekend but for the next week I'm living like a bachelor, in a big house all by myself.

Excuse me now while I go set up some booby traps to stop those nasty burglars...

Simply Awesome!

For those not able to, or just not, watching the Third Test in this years Ashes series you just missed something which is quite simply, awesome.

Adam Gilchrist has just scored the 2nd fastest century in Test Cricket history!! He came in and looked a bit scratchy early as if low on confidence, as you would be when coming in on a pair and after a streak of failures with the bat.

He got to his 50 in just 40 deliveries which is an effort in itself. But ended up scoring his 100 off just 57 deliveries!! Yes you read it right first 50 off 40, second 50 off just 17!!

He looked set to smash the 21 year old record held by the great Viv Richards but unfortunately it wasn't to be. The ball that he needed 3 off to break the record was well bowled by Hoggard legally wide but wide enough to be unable to be hit. After the tonking he gave the rest of the attack, including Hoggie, you wonder why it took them so long to discover a ball that couldn't be hit.

Simply awesome Gilly, you are a dead set legend mate!!

On a lazy Saturday afternoon (after spending all morning and early afternoon shopping) here's an interesting tidbit for you.

Sure simply linking to a story might be considered a poor blog post but I'm watching The Third Test and relaxing, so you'll just have to learn to live with it.

Recognition

Playing sport is a lot of fun and playing a team sport is even better. What I find the most satisfying, and enjoyable, is playing and getting recognition from your team mates for your efforts.

Last night I played my third game of 9-a-side AFL @ Yeronga, the last of the year unfortunately :( There was no doubt in my mind that this was my best game so far, especially my last quarter. I got more involved than I ever have before and actually got some recognition for it.

As we came off at the end of the game I got a couple of comments like "excellent last quarter Mick", "you saved your best for the last quarter of the last game mate!" etc etc. Then sitting around having an "end of season" beer with the boys I discover the captain had given out best on ground points (classic 3-2-1 points system) throughout the season. He told us then and there who he gave them to for this last match and I got 1 point! I was pretty chuffed and it made me feel like I made a contribution that was appreciated... which is the true meaning of playing a team sport IMO.

High/lowlights of my game that night included:

• Having their full forward (FF) chatting to me while playing full back and watching him, mid sentence, start screaming for the ball and sprint off me to mark and goal... errr oopss.. (I was paying attention to the ball it's just I wasn't expecting a mid sentence lead!)
  
  
• Making a tackle while playing forward, he dropped the ball mid tackle but I brought him to ground
  
  
• Running back to the goal square while wearing an armband (which means I can score) and helping shepherd a long bomb through the sticks... this resulted in the defender tripping over me and bringing me to ground too
  
  
• Falling on to a ball on the ground while playing defence with a big guy about to fall on me, scooping it up and hand passing from my knees off to a free team mate who then ran clear
  
  
• Running backwards towards their goal while defending watching a ball that had been skied between the forward I was defending on and their FF. Ran back the entire way with my head straight up not looking where I was going as the ball came over my shoulder and I marked it! Then discovered their FF was barreling towards me and as I marked it he ran past me... got a lot of "brave mark" compliments for that one... to be honest I was so concentrating on the ball I didn't even know he was coming!
  
  
• Receiving a hand pass in front of goal and snapping over the head of a defender for my 2nd ever behind in AFL footy (I kicked my first behind last week)... was very close to a goal but just missed.
  
  
• Watching a team mate walk back to his mark (in our defensive half) after marking and me sprinting past him at full pelt so he could offload to me. He did and I took off unmarked and unchecked for about 10 metres before placing it on the boot kicking over a defender to one of our forwards behind the defender to mark and shoot at goal. He missed but I still felt good for setting it up.
  

All in all I enjoyed last night more than any game so far. From what I can remember, and it is surprisingly hard to remember every stat you achieve, I had 2 kicks, 2 handpasses, 1 mark, 1 tackle and 1 behind.

Really looking forward to the real season now... got some confidence which I was lacking early so hopefully that'll stand me in good stead.

Bee's 21st Photos

I have finally gotten around to organising an upload of some photos from Bee's 21st last Saturday night. It's been hectic this week and I finally managed to squeeze it in last night. I've resized the images as it seems Flickr wants to be a nazi with an upload limit and I want to add more later.

These are from my Mum's and my brother's cameras as, at the time, I still hadn't found mine. Am still waiting on a CD from Bee's Mum and Nanna as they were the main photographers on the night. There also is some video running around that I'm waiting to see...

Flickr in general are annoying the crap out of me. I have upload limits and I have a limit on the number of "sets" I can have. Which is pooh-bar. I'm contemplating a switch to the Google photo site Picasa from now on... I'll check it out sometime and move over photos.

I'll get to the weekend's highlights tonight I hope but for now enjoy the photos (see Flickr badge on right as usual for a link)...

P.S I should say I am yet to label the photos. They start with prior to the party and move on to the party finishing with breakfast/lazy morning the next morning.

Dang

Was planning on doing a major Flickr upload, a new Flickr badge and the start of some highlights from my weekend... until I got a call from the oncall guy @ work and just spent the last couple of hours helping him while trying to do other stuff.

Here is a couple of teasers though to get you interested...

*yawn*

Sitting at my desk really struggling to stay awake and concentrate on anything. What a week, but more relevantly, what a weekend! I feel run down and literally run off my feet.

When I collapsed into bed last night my feet hurt like I'd been walking around the Ekka all day... it was just one of those weekends of constantly running around.

More details on the weekends events to come but I think I'm really going to struggle to motivate myself to go for a run when I get home like I was going to.

Wonder what would happen if I fell asleep at my desk... hmmm...

Happy 21st Baby Girl!!!

To all that don't already know today, December 7th, is my baby girl's birthday. And not just any birthday, it's her 21st Birthday!! Sooo...

To my beautiful baby girl Belinda, I wish you a very, very happy birthday!! I love you so much and am so happy you've been part of my life for the last few years. Congratulations on your 21st and I hope today, and your party on Saturday, are both supermadhappyfun!!

As a mini "photo wall" (yes I know you're having a couple at your party) my new flickr badge over to the right is a tribute to you, my Bee.

Happy Birthday cutie! And because it is your 21st here is the obligatory embarassing photo:



And yes you know I could have done much, much worse here... so thank your lucky stars I love you! :p

Have a great day!! *mwah*

Torture.

So despite the fact that there are laws in this world such as The Geneva Conventions and The Universal Declaration of Human Rights it seems torturing fellow human beings isn't as outlawed as it should be. Well at least not if you're an AFL Footy coach it seems.

Last night's AFL training was torture, plain and simple. There is no better word to describe it. My biceps, triceps, part of my pecs and the backs of my shoulders are all twingey and wincing with pain... even now over 24 hours later. Anytime I try to use arm strength to do the simplest thing, say raise my arms above my head, it hurts. Not a huge amount of pain but pain nonetheless.

All day it was bad but I thought it was getting better. But after driving to my parents place and back and finally sitting down to relax it is hurting again.

Without being told how far the distances were, and being a complete mong when it comes to guessing distances, the following is my best guess at the training involved. We went to South Bank for training, fully expecting some running and maybe a social swim after. Turns out swimming was not a social event but a core part of the evening's exercise.

Starting out we had to swim the width of one of the lagoon pools and back, I would say this was about 30-40 metres of swimming. Then, after leaving the water, we had to don our shoes and a shirt (aint no way I was running around South Bank topless!) and jog for about 150 metres to an area designated where we were to do 10 dips. Then jog over about 10 metres to a part of sandy beach and do 10 sit ups. Finally, more jogging (about 20 metres), back to the pool where we started for 10 push ups.

Not too bad? Well we had to do that FIVE times, count them... 1 *gasp*, 2 *pant*, 3 *vomit*, 4 *faint* then *faint, vomit, gasp, pant* fucking 5 times!! AARRRGGHH!!

Needless to say I finished last by a very large distance. In fact Ben and I were only on our 2nd or 3rd lap when the first guy to finish finished his 5! Unbelievable. Thanks to Ben for hanging back with me and keeping me company even though I know he could have done it faster.

Next week's training is at Yeronga Pool and is a strength session. Which means much, much more muscle pain for me next week. *sob* Please someone kill me!

A Warwick 21st!!

So Bee's friend from work Laura had her 21st on the weekend and Bee and I went. It was a road trip weekend as the party was in Warwick which, for those that don't know is here (thanks Whereis!)



We took a couple of passengers and it is amazing how a little car like mine can struggle with a couple extra ppl and some bags etc. Driving through Cunningham's Gap was a ton of fun in both directions but it just wasn't the same as the car felt heavy and I wasn't able to extract the most fun from the situation. Oh well there's always next time! :p

The party had a "Doctors and Nurses" theme and with Bee conveniently breaking her leg she was a patient for the night. I went as a Doctor. Our two passengers Jack and Emma went as a Doctor and Nurse respectively. The dinner/party part of the evening was held in the old King's Theatre and lots of shennanigans were had... there was a stage up front where lots of loud, drunken "singing" (read: screaming) was happening and where a few of us did The Time Warp when the song came on.

Quite a few people commented on the fact that Jack & I looked like real Doctors and we played it up all night, it was great! What do you think?



Disclaimer: I have, somehow, managed to lose my digital camera. Therefore all photos were taken on my phone in a rather dark hall. I've touched them up a bit to try and make them a bit better but it's the best I had available at the time... so sue me!

Bee was a very convincing patient with a wheelchair, crutches and an actual broken leg. Throughout the night she had plenty of Nurses and Doctors looking after her and here is a shot of her with our other passenger Nurse Burley.



Unfortunately despite the alcohol that was trying to convince us we were real doctors not everyone made it through the dinner alive. This poor chap didn't even get to finish his bread roll!



Bee's wheelchair and crutches were a hit with everyone all night with many different people taking the chance to have a go... this resulted in at least one injury that we are aware of but it was fun! Even Doctor Jorge took time out from attending patients and bossing nurses around to have a spin!



The birthday girl was popular all night but finally stood still long enough for a shot with Bee.



After we got kicked out of the Theatre (which was part of the RSL) we headed off to some pub whose name I have forgotten. I danced more than I have in a loooong time and Bee & I had a ball. Bee sat in her wheelchair and grooved while everyone else danced around her. At least two people started playing with Bee's crutches who were complete strangers and one chick nicked off with Bee's helium balloon from the party. I got it back though although she wasn't particularly happy about handing it over!

All in all it was a great night and well worth the trip. Bee's own 21st party is this Saturday night which means two 21sts in a row for us! Bee's will be better of course :p

Yesssss!!

It's absolutely bucketing down, there is lightning, thunder and it's very, very dark. All in all a classic Aussie summer thunderstorm... the weird thing though is that it really didn't seem to be that hot or muggy today. It's been incredibly muggy over the last week with no storm, yet today is the day that produces one.

I'm doubly happy because I was just out in it and got thoroughly drenched. My car is absolutely filthy (although not as bad as Ben's from the evidence I saw this afternoon). The long drive to, and from, Warwick over the course of this weekend didn't help either (more on that later tonight in a separate blog post). So as soon as it started raining heavily I ran out with a sponge and had a reasonably hard go at sponging it off. Probably aint going to do any good but it was fun nonetheless.

Ahhh love thunderstorms... it is really coming down right now... sweeeeeettttt....