Football & Work

This football player could be hanging up his boots for good, following an email from said player's boss. Said football player was playing in an 11am match (in which he incidentally scored 3 goals in a 8-2 routing of the other side), and returned to discover said email. Said football player was then asked to see said boss, who then proceeded to engage in "discussion". Said football player profusely apologised after being severely browbeaten and subsequently exited office. The second Chernobyl of the day erupted moments later when said boss looked for another lawyer who had taken lunch at 12.30pm. Lawyer 2, upon his return, suffered similar experiences to said football player.

And while said football player is happy to make up the time as requested, he also thinks that if this is a regular expectation then he should also be rewarded for the extra hours he works - for example, said footballer worked an additional 500 hours over expectations last year, which he calculates as another 10 hours per week, another two hours a day. Ironically, said footballer normally enjoys work anyway!

Move It!

I hate having to move. I guess that's one of the more difficult things to manage when you're a nomad. I remember arriving in Montreal on the Greyhound overnighter from New York, and basically having two hours to pack up my whole life into a couple of suitcases. Of course I wasn't able to do that and missed my flight. I blame Mazzy!

Anyway, this last weekend I've been doing more shifting. Nothing as glamourous as Montreal to Wellington though - this time it was from my flat in town to home with mum and dad. It's been a real nuisance, as my flat was in a great location - it was a quick 10 minute walk to work. My flat was a townhouse (I don't know if that is a well-known phrase, but in appealing to my worldly audience - if in fact there is anyone out there - it's basically an apartment block that has been cut up vertically, rather than horizontally), in a really nice part of town. It was very safe as it had a lot of embassies on the street too - I think the French, Australian, and Indonesian ones were on it, and the American and Canadian ones were the next block over. So it had a very nice residential feeling to it - lots of older style villas that have been redone - yet only minutes from everywhere. I had a huge room, with it's own private courtyard and bathroom to myself too. Best of all, it was really reasonably priced too.

So why would I leave? It's all the landlord's fault - he decided he wanted to sell the place and now we are homeless! So now I am hunting for a place to live while laying up at home. Sure I save on rent and food and power, and all that but I miss being so close to town. Getting up 5 minutes before work was so good! Anyway, the whole cleaning and moving stuff out of the flat was an absolute nightmare - we had a public holiday on Monday just gone and I wasted my whole long weekend having to clean. Enough of the ranting, time for sleep :)

My Mastercard Moment

$0 - Watching the X-Air Games in Wellington, an extreme sports show for the public where half the city turned up to watch
$900 - My new bike

Priceless - Crashing my new bike at the X-Air Games at high speed in front of almost everyone

PS - It actually hurts when you fall off a bike going at great speed.

My New Bike-To-Be

So I got into cycling a few months ago after an old flatmate left a bike behind. I had it all done up, and it was surprisingly cheap - probably around $30. That's a hell of a difference from car repairs! My plan was to thrash this bike and then get a new one. So lately I've been doing quite a lot of cycling, which has more benefits as I think about it - a good cardio work out, a great adrenaline rush, some fantastic views to be seen (cycling around Oriental Bay in the summer evening is beautiful, I'll have to post photos some time), good work on fitness, nice stress release, nice sense of achievement after a big ride. Went out for a nice ride tonight, although it was so windy the rain was horizontal! Anyway, my bike is kind of dying now - the second gear has gone, and my pedal broke the crank the other day - so I'm going to get this one. I was planning on waiting a few months, but with my bike breaking, and the offer of one year interest free (not that I really need it, but I'd rather have the money in my pocket than in someone else's!), I am going to get myself this one :)

@: It's Everywhere

Met up with a few of the kids for a pub quiz in down town Wellington tonight - and in the space of a couple of hours, I went from me looking for a new place by myself to me looking for a new place with possibly 3 or 4 other @'ers. What a small world. I'll take this opportunity to reiterate that Alan should start a blog! More later. Rock on.

First Day Back

First day back at work, and today was particularly difficult - it was a gorgeous day outside, and I'm still on holiday time. What this means is that I'm still used to going to sleep at 3am and getting up at 11am. Not exactly the most business-oriented hours! So a long day, decided to head home relatively early and sorted out my gym membership too. Hurrah!

Does anyone have any tips on how to transport a suit to work while cycling (without wearing it)?

Blogging Resolutions

So often I read blogs, in the process glimpsing at snapshots of people around the world - the nomadlife world. Some people I know and they now have blogs. Others I have met through their blogs and then went on to meet in person. And others I know simply through their blogs.

And while you're living others' victories and successes, feeling their pain and anguish, the same is happening to you, too. Thanks, everyone who stops by. One of the more touching comments I ever received was from Saki, who said she'd miss my blog once I wound it down. I had no idea she even read it! In terms of blog etiquette, I've always been pleasantly surprised when people I don't know (or don't know well) take the time to comment, provide words of advice or support. Too often I have simply read others' blogs without commenting for fear of appearing to intrude upon their lives.

So this year, I will endeavour to continue my reading of the nomad blogs but say hello a bit more, and become more than a passive nomad :)

Man breaks leg while kicking spider

A 19-year-old broke his leg in two places while kicking at a spider in the NSW Southern Highlands.

NRMA CareFlight said the teenager was flown to Liverpool Hospital in a stable condition from a property 25km west of Mittagong after the incident involving a large huntsman spider before 1pm (AEDT) on Thursday.

The force of the man's kick at the spider broke his right leg in two places and also killed the spider.

The Huntsman is listed by the Australian Museum as being a relatively harmless species, although the Badge Huntsman can cause pain, headache, vomiting and an irregular pulse.

Typical Australian! ;)

British Quiz Show Answers (These Are Real!)

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE
Bamber Gascoigne: What was Ghandi's first name?
Contestant: Goosey, Goosey?

THE WEAKEST LINK
Anne Robinson: In traffic, what "J" is where two roads meet?
Contestant: Jool carriageway.

Anne Robinson: Which Italian city is overlooked by Vesuvius?
Contestant: Bombay.

Anne Robinson: What insect is commonly found hovering above lakes?
Contestant: Crocodiles.
Anne Robinson: Wh...?
Contestant (interrupting): Pass!

Anne Robinson: In olden times, what were minstrels, travelling entertainers or chocolate salesmen?
Contestant: Chocolate salesmen.

Anne Robinson: The Bible, the New Testament. The Four Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and...?
Contestant: (long pause) Joe?

Anne Robinson: Who was a famous Indian leader, whose name begins with G, revered by millions, who was assassinated and received a state funeral?
Contestant: Geronimo!

NATIONAL LOTTERY JET SET
Eamonn Holmes: What's the name of the playwright commonly known by the initials G.B.S.?
Contestant: William Shakespeare.

CHRIS SEARLE SHOW, BBC BRISTOL
Searle: In which European country is Mount Etna?
Caller: Japan.
Searle: I did say which European country, so in case you didn't hear that, I can let you try again.
Caller: Er... Mexico?

FAMILY FORTUNES
1) Something a blind man might use? - A Sword

2) A song with the word Moon in the title? - Blue Suede Moon

3) Name the capital of France? - F

4) Name a bird with a long Neck? - Naomi Campbell

5) Name an occupation where you might need a torch? - A burglar

6) Where is the Taj Mahal? - Opposite the Dental Hospital

7) What is Hitler's first name? - Heil

8) A famous Scotsman? - Jock

9) Some famous brothers? - Bonnie and Clyde.

10) A dangerous race? - The Arabs

11) Something that floats in a bath? - Water

12) An item of clothing worn by the Three Musketeers? - A horse

13) Something you wear on a beach? - A deckchair

14) A famous Royal? - Mail

15) Something that flies that doesn't have an engine? - A bicycle with wings

16) A famous bridge? - The Bridge Over Troubled Waters

17) Something a cat does? - Goes to the toilet

18) Something you do in the bathroom? - Decorate

19) A method of securing your home? - Put the kettle on

20) Something associated with pigs? - The Police

21) A sign of the Zodiac? - April

22) Something people might be allergic to? - Skiing

23) Something you do before you go to bed? - Sleep

24) Something you put on walls? - A roof

25) Something slippery? - A conman

26) A kind of ache? - A fillet of fish

27) A jacket potato topping? - Jam

28) A food that can be brown or white? - A potato

29) Something sold by gypsies? - Bananas

30) Something red? - My sweater

RADIO LINCS PHONE-IN
Presenter: Which is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world?
Contestant: Barcelona.
Presenter: I was really after the name of a country.
Contestant: I'm sorry, I don't know the names of any countries in Spain.

STEVE WRIGHT SHOW, RADIO 2
Wright: On which continent would you find the River Danube?
Contestant: India.

Wright: What is the Italian word for motorway?
Contestant: Espresso.

Wright: What is the capital of Australia? And it's not Sydney.
Contestant: Sydney.

THIS MORNING
Judy Finnegan: The American TV show 'The Sopranos' is about opera. True or false?
Contestant: True?
Judy Finnegan: No, actually, it's about the Mafia. But it is an American TV show,so I'll give you that.

BBC RADIO NEWCASTLE
Paul Wappat: How long did the Six Day War between Egypt and Israel last?
Contestant (after long pause): Fourteen days.

BOB HOPE BIRTHDAY QUIZ, LBC
Presenter: Bob Hope was the fifth of how many sons?
Contestant: Four

BBC GMR, PHIL WOOD SHOW
Wood: What "K" could be described as the Islamic Bible?
Contestant: Er...
Wood: It's got two syllables... Kor...
Contestant: Blimey?
Wood: Ha ha ha ha no. The past participle of run...
Contestant: (Silence)
Wood: OK, try it another way. Today I run, yesterday I...
Contestant: Walked?

DARYL'S DRIVETIME, VIRGIN RADIO
Daryl Denham: In which country would you spend shekels?
Contestant: Holland?
Daryl Denham: Try the next letter of the alphabet.
Contestant: Iceland? Ireland?
Daryl Denham (helpfully): It's a bad line. Did you say Israel?
Contestant: No.

By the way, I decided to reformat my blog a little - updating the things I'm doing, contacts, wallpaper. I particularly like the little photo paying tribute to that great movie, Team America: World Police...

"Matt Damon" :)

Enough of the two blogs, already!

I think it's time for me to get back into regular blogging. It's funny how one year ago, I was just getting into it and nomadlife was just a wee baby. My how it's grown, no small thanks to Dody and Digs. Well done, fellas, well done.

For anyone out there interested enough, I used to blog on this one. I took it down mid last year for reasons beyond my control, and eventually returned as counsel. Since then, I've decided to blog back on this one. Enough of the confusion already!

And for anyone who wonders what I've been doing since my Canadian travels, I've pretty much been working nonstop - although this summer I hit the South Island of New Zealand with Digs, Drake and Tee. Funnily enough, it was through Tee and nomadlife that I met the two boys (and I've regretted it ever since! Just kidding :) ). I think the others have already started posting photos up already; you'll see more from me in the next few days too. Rock on, nomads.

I'm Back

That will be all... for now.