I just opened my lunch bag! Dani I love you so much and I know my world would not exist without you.
Moved!
Well we have moved and we are connected to the world again. 🙂
We got all our furniture and stuff moved in about 4 hours, with the help of two very good friends and One Man Removals. So a big thanks to Jason, Robert and Jeff from One Man Removals. We were able to move all our stuff in two quick trips leaving only odds and ends for us to tidy up this weekend.
Beetle Time!
Every year about this time Canberra is infested with beetles that mate then die. This morning I heard on the radio what these little beetles are called.
Now fair warning this is the real common name and not a joke at all.
The “Cockchafer“, yep you read right, beetle is a member of the Scarab or dung beetle family. Their larvae live underground and come up to feed on crops at night.  The beetles live a short eventful life, they mate the male dies and the female finds some dung to lay her eggs.
Unfortunatly in and around the city they are attracted to lights and end up lin large piles against buildings, a lot like a large squirming black snow drift. The majority then die and start to smell a little.
One of the joys of summer in Canberra.
Moving, the good and the bad.
Firstly, as you know, we are moving to a bigger house with the same rent. So this week we are doing all the organising… you know phone, power, internet etc.
First the good.
- we get to keep the same phone number
- we get to keep the same postcode
- we are closer to my daughters school
Now the bad
- Our energy retailer does not transfer accounts and wants to charge a contract termination fee
- Our ISP thinks we are on a six month contract when I have been with them for nearly 2 years
- and I hate packing!
Due to the ISP stuff I may be offline for a few days.
Busy, Busy, Busy
Over the last few weeks we have been so busy.
We had a family Christmas in Brisbane and on returning home we had to start house hunting. The owner the the place we are currently renting is coming back to Canberra and for some reason wants his house back.
So we have found a place, just one suburb away, at the right price and size. Now for the move…. ugh! 26th Jan is our move date and I have a couple of days off to help.
All this and a PILE of work 10 foot high at the office.
Wish me a good nights sleep.
Belated Wishes
To all I wish a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year!, and an apology for being late with these wishes.
We have been away for the Christmas break, up with family in Sunny Queensland and now it looks as if we will have to move house before the end of the month.
I promise updates shortly, really.
You Know You’re From Canberra When…
Got this in the mail today.
You are running late for work yet you still arrive before 9am.
You can see your breath in front of you at 7:30pm INSIDE THE HOUSE.
You can’t walk through a mall without greeting 10 aquaintances.
You RARELY go to the coast (and come back as red as a beetroot when youdo).
You whine about having to travel 30 minutes to see someone.
Your friends won’t travel 30 minutes to see you because they think its too
far.You travel from Tuggers to Belco or Gungahlin to have people say “Gosh,
you’re a long way from home.”You think people who live in Belco and work in Tuggers are crazy (who’d want
to live over there!!!).You think people who live in Tuggers and work in Belco are more crazy (who’d
want to work over there!!!).Glow in the dark bowling becomes an appealing past time.
The Govt invites you to implosions as a “Family fun day”.
The highlight of your Wednesday evening is seeing Garema Place come up on
the The Panel on Channel 10You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from
Canberra.
I must admit it seems I am becoming a local.
Memories
Another year ….. it seems to go so fast. The day passes without comment now. I don’t expect the children to remember, there is no need for them to linger in sadness ……today is mostly for me.
Its been 4 years now, since I lost my little girl. This year has perhaps brought it into a little more focus. This year I moved states, and removed any chance of having more children. It all seems so final. I wasn’t …. and I am still not ready.
Happy birthday Isabeau ….. mummy misses you.
Drivers as a reflection of our society
I know by the end of this post I am going to sound like an old man talking about the good old days, but you know what I don’t care!
Now my scooter keeps up with the traffic (top speed over 120Km/h most limits in Australia peak at 100Km/h), the only people I “slow down†are the ones that want to travel well over the speed limit and then I will always be in the slower lane. However I tend to leave a good three second gap in front of me as stopping distance.
Today on the way to work on my scooter I experienced the most stupid dangerous piece of driving I have seen in a long time. I was undertaken (passed on the left hand side, remember we drive on the left here) while trying to negotiate a left hand sweeping turn onto a on-ramp. The road was wet from last nights rain and I was taking the corner a little easier than normal and was off to the right to give myself room as I turn into the apex on the left. Just as I start to turn in a large family sedan appears on my left hand side. Now this is a single lane on-ramp, the car had two wheels on the verge (actually a bicycle lane) and the other two in the lane. Luckily I had given myself enough room that I did not run into the side of the car (turn in) or end up across a traffic island (not enough turn) so I did survive to swear loudly at the person. It was also lucky that she did not slide out on the corner due to the wet greasy conditions and take me and my scooter out because I had nowhere to go to avoid that.
Now do you know what advantage this person got from this extremely risking driving maneuver? Well it was five car spots… behind me! Just after passing me the person pushed into the right lane (nearly collecting a small compact car, obviously did not mater car or bike), I stayed in the left and in the stop-go traffic I was taken ahead of them quite a way.
So this person risked MY life and limb (I was traveling about 65Km/h) on there drive to work to hopefully save themselves what 20 seconds at most. Even then due to the traffic that time was lost. Now this was not some 19 year old “lead footâ€, this was a “lady†in her 40’s driving to work for the day.
This is not a comment on old/young, male/female drivers but more a comment in general.
When did we as individuals stop thinking about the effects our actions have on other people?
This in most graphically shown on our roads, behind the anonymity of our vehicles we are impatient, aggressive and dangerous.
- People a buying cars that protect themselves to the detriment of the environment and other road users (yes SUV owners).
- People fit devices on the front of the car to reduce repair costs after small accidents, these same devices are shown to kill pedestrians much more effectively and at lower speeds than a car without a “Bull-Bar†or “Nudge-Barâ€.
- Drivers will double park, use disabled parks or parent parks just to save 20 meters extra walk to the shop.
- Parents the stop next to and sometimes across a school crossing because they don’t have the time to find a park and walk in with the kids.
What happened to the days when people would:
- smile and wait for the old lady to cross the road
- give the learner driver just a little more room
- let the lady with the kids in the back have the park that you “spotted firstâ€
OK so call me the old man pining for the good old days. To be honest I think the world is full of individuals now and because of that I am unsure how a society can survive.
Terror Laws – Terrorfied
Our federal government is thinking of introducing new “Anti-Terror” Laws. Now there is a couple of laws in this that I think I understand and am very concerned about.
The first is “Preventative Detention”, under these changes a person may have controlled detention or movement if the Police or other agency believes this will prevent a Terrorism act. To get a Preventative Detention order they only have to get it ratified by a retired Judge or the like. The person can then be placed in home detention for up to 12 months! All without the ability to contest the detention in a court of law (Update the PM is now saying he may modify to allow this). In the initial draft the police could “Shoot-to-Kill” if the person tried to avoid detention, however it looks like the state governments have made him back down on this. These laws (according to leading lawyers) are a breach of our own Human Rights laws.
The second set of laws are around Sedition, making it a crime to vocalize support of Terrorists or Acts of Terror. I do not believe that any democracy would want to implement laws that restrict open debate and free speech. Also it appears that media outlets that “encourage” people to express these opinions, up to 7 years for the person, the journalist and the media editor.
What are we coming to?
Detention
I am staggered by our government at this time. There is currently a investigation underway looking at the wrongfull detention by the immigration department under the governments current illegal immigrant detention policy.
It has come to light that over 220 people have been wrongfully detained at least twelve over 1 year and 2 people detained for over 5 years. Remember these are lawful permanent residents, and in some cases, full Australian Citizens. One famous case had a lady deported! another a mentally ill patient detained and denied treatement while detained.
I’m sorry what is that again! Australian citizens being detained for over 5 years by there own government because some immigration official thinks that they may be an illegal immigrant! I cannot see how this can be defended by any government anywhere, let alone a democracy.
But I want to take this to the next step, the Australian government has a policy of detaining all true refugees (the ones arriving by boats, the ones that have risked life, limb and family). They detain the ones that reach our shores in a prison in the middle of the desert, and the ones stopped before landfall within prisons on our small pacific neighbours. I cannot believe that any sane person can agree to this! They say they want to discourage the people smugglers, well then lock up the people smugglers!
Cowra Japanese Garden
Yesterday our family and some good friends of mine, Jase & Bec, went to Cowra for the Cherry Blossom Festival. We had a great day and took lots of photos.
Cowra was the location for a POW camp in WW2, holding Japanese captured by Australian Soldiers. After Peace in the Pacific Cowra became the centre for a sharing of cultures and the persuit of peace.
We did have one small problem with the place
Seems we had to be responsible if we were to bring the kids.
Floriade
Spring time is festival time in Canberra. The biggest of all is Floriade, and explosion of colour and smells.
This year’s theme is “Rock ‘n Roll”, so there is garden beds called:
- Strawberry Fields
- Fields of Gold
- Mellow Yellow
- Etc
You can see some of my photos from Floriade in the set.
Because Ivette tagged me…
In bold the things that match me:
I miss somebody right now.
I don’t watch much TV these days.
I love olives.
I own lots of books.
I wear glasses or contact lenses. – but only for reading
I love to play videogames.
I’ve tried marijuana.
I’ve watched porn movies. – after all I am a man.
I have been in a threesome.
I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship.
I believe honesty is “usually†the best policy.
I curse sometimes.
I have changed a lot mentally over the last year.
I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me.
I’m TOTALLY smart. – a “know-it-all” is what they tell me.
I’ve never broken someone’s bones.
I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal.
I hate the rain.
I’m paranoid at times.
I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scar-free.
I need money right now.
I love sushi.
I talk really, really fast.
I have fresh breath in the morning.
I have long hair.
I have lost money in Las Vegas.
I have at least one brother and/or one sister.
I was born in a country outside of the U.S.
I have worn fake hair/fingernails/eyelashes in the past.
I couldn’t survive without Caller I.D.
I like the way that I look. – mostly teeth could be straighter
I have lied to a good friend in the last 6 months.
I know how to corn row. But may have lost the knack.
I am usually pessimistic.
I have a lot of mood swings.
I think prostitution should be legalized.
I think Britney Spears is pretty.
I have slept with a Suitemate.
I have a hidden talent.
I’m always hyper no matter how much sugar I have.
I have a lot of friends.
I am currently single.
I have pecked someone of the same sex.
I enjoy talking on the phone.
I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants.
I love to shop.
I would rather shop than eat.
I would classify myself as ghetto.
I’m bourgie and have worn a sweater tied around my shoulders.
I’m obsessed with my Xanga or Livejournal.
I don’t hate anyone.
I’m a pretty good dancer.
I don’t think Mike Tyson raped Desiree Washington.
I’m completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother.
I have a cell phone.
I believe in God. – tough one.
I watch MTV on a daily basis.
I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months.
I’ve rejected someone before.
I currently like someone. – I am married to her
I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life.
I want to have children in the future.
I have changed a diaper before.
I’ve called the cops on a friend before.
I am a member of the Tom Green fan club.
I’m not allergic to anything.
I have a lot to learn.
I have been with someone at least 10 years older or younger.
I am shy around the opposite sex.
I’m online 24/7, even as an away message.
I have at least 5 away messages saved.
I have tried alcohol or drugs before.
I have made a move on a friend’s significant other or crush in the past.
I own the “South Park†movie.
I have avoided assignments at work/school to be on Xanga or Livejournal.
When I was a kid I played “the birds and the bees†with a neighbor or chum.
I enjoy some country music.
I would die for my best friends.
I think that Pizza Hut has the best pizza.
I watch soap operas whenever I can.
I’m obsessive, and often a perfectionist.
I have used my sexuality to advance my career.
I love Michael Jackson, scandals and all.
I know all the words to Slick Rick’s “Children’s Storyâ€.
Halloween is awesome because you get free candy.
I watch Spongebob Squarepants and I like it.
I have dated a close friend’s ex. – does my Brother’s ex count
I like surveys/memes.
I am happy at this moment.
I’m obsessed with guys.
I am bisexual.
Democrat. – not that we call them that here
Conservative Republican.
I am punk rockish.
I am preppy.
I go for older guys/girls, not younger.
I study for tests most of the time.
I tie my shoelaces differently from anyone I’ve ever met.
I can work on a car. – its hard as the computer slides around when we turn corners.
I love my job.
I am comfortable with who I am right now.
New Scooter
Ok got my scooter today and have ridden it around a bit. Man this is fun. 🙂
BUT boy do I have to keep an eye out for other road users.
