Well, I reckon I might be in for a life change soon. Am contemplating resigning from my job.
Yes, the money is good and does wonderful things to reduce the mortgage but I am just finding it too hard to do justice to my primary role - aka being mummified to little fella - and doing a 4 day week (and a 5 day workload) in the corporate world. Plus - he was sicker than your average bear for 5 months this year and when a little one if sick - he needs his mummy even more.
On the downside there will be more - ie cleaning up of his vomit, wiping his snotty nose and, my personal favourite (not), convincing him to take his ventolin when he gets a chest infection and cannot breathe properly.
On the upside - I will get to practice my goofy dances with him as we watch "the Wiggles" on TV (a kids show here), I will also play chasey up and down the hall with him while giggling madly. And he is already cognisant of the dangers of when I become the scary "kissing" mummy (run kiddo or you'll get covered in kisses all over your little face - again).
A pretty good deal really. I'll keep you updated on progress.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Honest injun
I found this on eternally curious's site. I love these little quizzes.
***You Are 72% Brutally Honest***
Most of the time, you tell it like it is. Even if it's hard for people to hear.Sometimes you hold back though, because you never want your honesty to be hurtful.
How Brutally Honest Are You?http://www.blogthings.com/howbrutallyhonestareyouquiz/
***You Are 72% Brutally Honest***
Most of the time, you tell it like it is. Even if it's hard for people to hear.Sometimes you hold back though, because you never want your honesty to be hurtful.
How Brutally Honest Are You?http://www.blogthings.com/howbrutallyhonestareyouquiz/
Darker than the darkest night
I have been told that I am a sick puppy - with a sense of humour that is darker than the darkest of nights. BUT, this is just plain weird. What do you make of it ?
http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/salad+fingers+5/
http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/salad+fingers+5/
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Dr Who ? You wot ?
Right. Let me be clear from the outset. I am what is commonly refered to as a "hoovian" and this sets me apart from those pipsqueaks who are now refered to as hoovers, schleps or drongos.
A hoovian is a fan of the old Dr Who. The one who thought, reflected and managed to think his way out of trouble and save the world. Yes, a little sexist but sex wasn't the point. And, if it was Tom Baker in the late 70's, pretty hot as well.
A hoover is someone who watches the new doctor Who and thinks - wooo - good action, love how they spend most of their time running like hell from the bad guys and rarely come up with anything approximating a clever idea. ie - thick as sh*t and thinks Big Brother actually refers to a reality show.
Yes, yes - Billie Piper is sex on legs - I am not arguing with anyone from the testosterone side of the fence that she is worth checking out. And frankly, I've always had a thing for David Tennant and would shag him stupid if I wasn't married and square. BUT PLEEEEEEEEASE - giveth me a breaketh.
Doesn't it bother anyone how far this thing has been dumbed down ? Doesn't anyone else positively yearn for some clever techo solution ? What about some intelligent dialogue ?
Is there anybody out there ????
Oh, and while we are on the subject, if you don't fix it, I will take over the control of the Cybermen and hunt Russell Davies down and torture him until he stops enjoying it. (That could take a while).
A hoovian is a fan of the old Dr Who. The one who thought, reflected and managed to think his way out of trouble and save the world. Yes, a little sexist but sex wasn't the point. And, if it was Tom Baker in the late 70's, pretty hot as well.
A hoover is someone who watches the new doctor Who and thinks - wooo - good action, love how they spend most of their time running like hell from the bad guys and rarely come up with anything approximating a clever idea. ie - thick as sh*t and thinks Big Brother actually refers to a reality show.
Yes, yes - Billie Piper is sex on legs - I am not arguing with anyone from the testosterone side of the fence that she is worth checking out. And frankly, I've always had a thing for David Tennant and would shag him stupid if I wasn't married and square. BUT PLEEEEEEEEASE - giveth me a breaketh.
Doesn't it bother anyone how far this thing has been dumbed down ? Doesn't anyone else positively yearn for some clever techo solution ? What about some intelligent dialogue ?
Is there anybody out there ????
Oh, and while we are on the subject, if you don't fix it, I will take over the control of the Cybermen and hunt Russell Davies down and torture him until he stops enjoying it. (That could take a while).
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
fair enough
Have been away for a while. No good reason, just the bad old reason of permanent exhaustion. Jet Lag without the cool destination. Will right this soon.
Friday, July 21, 2006
The good stuff
A quick advertisement for our local Children's Hospital here in Melbourne.
1) Good emergency department. Looks like chaos but they know their stuff.
2) IV drip - good for a quick fix for a little fella. And with the state he was in, he wasn't with us anyway to be aware of it going in.
3) The American Ladies Auxiliary - responsible for the paintings of comical critters on the hospital wall - thank you ladies
4) The pediatrician (last time I saw the guy was at a dear friends funeral in early '98). This time, I looked up, bleary eyed from 2 hours sleep on a makeshift bed next to my son and croaked "Julian ?" and knew it would all be alright.
5) God - yes I know you lot think I am a dope for having my faith but there you are. Thanks to the unknowable entity
6) The friend who - upon seeing me back at work at the end of this week said "Jeez, you look like I feel". She is soooo buying lunch when we catch up tomorrow.
7) To my lovely parents who helped hubby and I between shifts and gave us time to have the odd catnap to avoid keeling over.
1) Good emergency department. Looks like chaos but they know their stuff.
2) IV drip - good for a quick fix for a little fella. And with the state he was in, he wasn't with us anyway to be aware of it going in.
3) The American Ladies Auxiliary - responsible for the paintings of comical critters on the hospital wall - thank you ladies
4) The pediatrician (last time I saw the guy was at a dear friends funeral in early '98). This time, I looked up, bleary eyed from 2 hours sleep on a makeshift bed next to my son and croaked "Julian ?" and knew it would all be alright.
5) God - yes I know you lot think I am a dope for having my faith but there you are. Thanks to the unknowable entity
6) The friend who - upon seeing me back at work at the end of this week said "Jeez, you look like I feel". She is soooo buying lunch when we catch up tomorrow.
7) To my lovely parents who helped hubby and I between shifts and gave us time to have the odd catnap to avoid keeling over.
Monday, July 10, 2006
When good mummies go bad...
Take 1 – Jim – the journo
“Bloody paper cut”, said Jim Squiggly. Bloody paper cut indeed thought Ange -his PA darkly, flicking him a glance across the room.
That was probably the first time this week he’d actually picked up a piece of paper and done anything vaguely resembling work.
If she heard him do his little “mate, mate, mate” routine with the good ol’ boys down in the features room one more time, she’d stab herself to death with a stapler. “Mate, mate,maaaaaate” – he sounded like a demented sheep.
So when he strutted across the room, making another call on his mobile for “a quick latte maaaaaate” she barely registered.
She did notice, however, when he collapsed shortly after and died. Work forgotten, an ambulance arrived and they took him away.
Take 2 – Robbie – the cop
The police turned up 3 days later to talk to his colleagues to try to establish cause of death.
“A heart attack, wasn’t it?”
“Doesn’t seem to be.”
Forget something in the water, maybe more like something in one of those the lattes… Ange mused.
“He spent most of his time out of the office – didn’t tell people about it – where he went, who he saw…,” said the editor. “ All we got was the copy, sometimes late, sometimes not at all.”
What was he working on ?
Some fluff piece. Nothing life-changing for God’s sake. You know, and here, exasperated, the editor gestured “talking marks” in the air - “lifestyle stuff, latest shopping secrets, breaking fashion designers, that sort of thing”.
Right. Well his stomach contents reveal coffee scrolls, coffee, milk froth and digitalis. We don’t think the caffeine is the problem.
Robbie left the building and flicked her badge back into her handbag.
Hardly worth taking notes really. Completely clueless, the lot of them.
A loose affiliation of disinterested folk turning up for the pay packet.
A neat synopsis of corporate life really.
Take 3 – Connie – the widow
It had been alright being a world cup widow, thought his wife. She wasn’t sure she was ready for the real thing.
He hadn’t even been checking every shopping receipt lately
It was all “Socceroos this and Brazil/Croatia that”. She’d managed to rack up two Morrisseys, an Akira and some of those Terry Biviano tower heels without so much as a frown – not a bad stash for 2 hours shopping”.
Now, she sat on the sofa, smoothing her silk skirt repeatedly, fiddling with her rings.
“At 7am, he left at 7am – every morning, without fail. He was very dedicated to his job…”
So nothing different on Tuesday ? Business as usual ?
Nothing.
Any health problems we should know about ?
No. I mean, yes, he had IBS.
IBS ?
Irritable bowel syndrome. He got bloated. He had trouble digesting things.
That all ?
“…that I can think of….” She trailed off.
So no heart problems, no diabetes, nada.
None at all. He was in good condition for a guy pushing 60.
Take 5 – Vlados, the cleaner
Yeah, well at least they won’t blame this on the cleaners, thought Vlados.
Cleaners were always the first people to get picked on.
Anything goes wrong, blame the cleaners, anything missing, blame the cleaners…
He caught a glimpse of his fresh, Koh Samui tan in the lift mirror
The guy was a certified prick but he didn’t deserve to die…he reflected.
Nasty stain on the carpet though. No bowel control in death. And the amount of dribble – god it was revolting.
He’s had to use everything he had in his cleaning tool kit to remove the stains.
And that was after dry retching at the stench.
And now the cops were dirty on him because he had tainted the “crime scene”.
If someone had told him it was a crime scene at the time he would have left it alone. God knows he could have done without the hassle.
Take 6 – Alexander the designer
Alexander was miffed. Trust Jim to stuff it up and die. The amount of money he had shoved into that greedy bugger to get him to promote his new fashion line. Christ!
Jim had delivered a luke warm reception to his show last time on the basis that he couldn’t “feel the love” and now he wouldn’t get coverage at all.
The opening was coming up and he could no longer rely on the PR that Jim had promised. Kylie was going to be in the audience. And that buyer from Browns.
He glanced at the mirror on the wall of the café and flicked his quiff impatiently. His hands shook.
The designs were going to have to sell themselves on merit.
God almighty, he was stuffed.
Take 6 – Ange – the PA
Ange looked nonplussed. “What, you want me to do it ? Why me ?
What about Banu or Duan ?”
They don’t have capacity and you do. It’s tonight. DJ’s are sponsoring. Clean yourself up and try to look like you know what you are doing.
“I really don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Stop bitching and get moving”
Now, his wife was in the front row. God knows where she got the money. Ange squeezed into the reserved seat behind. Was that an Akira ?
For a girl who had just lost her husband, she looked remarkably happy and relaxed. What was the story there ?
The models sauntered out. God, what were they wearing ? This was fashion ?
What the hell am I going to write ?
Take 7 – Connie – the widow
She certainly wasn’t buying anything here. She may have inherited well with Jim’s untimely departure but that was no reason to waste it.
The spare cash that Jim used to bring home on a regular basis was certainly no longer a given.
She didn’t expect any more special favours from the local fashion designers either.
Never mind. She had what she needed and that was enough. And the cops could hurl allegations around as much as they liked. Nothing would stick.
The take-away
Ange nursed her latte. Manna from heaven.
The goodie bag at the show had soothed her wearied brow. Alex had fumbled the pass but she still caught it before anything dropped out.
$10,000 in cash. Call it a down payment, he had smirked.
Lucky she had been holding Jim’s mobile phone on Tuesday when the call came in. Enough time to arrange a catch up to chat about Jim’s untimely departure.
Enough time to remove the mobile phone, and wipe the keys of digitalis before disposing of it into the Yarra.
That paper cut had sped up his reaction. The poison had gone straight into the blood stream.
Not ideal to have him collapse a metre away but the IBS could have stuffed the whole thing up.
This was far neater.
And she’d finally got the job that Jim had promised was coming to her.
Not a bad day’s work really.
So rare these days to get satisfaction on the job.
The End
“Bloody paper cut”, said Jim Squiggly. Bloody paper cut indeed thought Ange -his PA darkly, flicking him a glance across the room.
That was probably the first time this week he’d actually picked up a piece of paper and done anything vaguely resembling work.
If she heard him do his little “mate, mate, mate” routine with the good ol’ boys down in the features room one more time, she’d stab herself to death with a stapler. “Mate, mate,maaaaaate” – he sounded like a demented sheep.
So when he strutted across the room, making another call on his mobile for “a quick latte maaaaaate” she barely registered.
She did notice, however, when he collapsed shortly after and died. Work forgotten, an ambulance arrived and they took him away.
Take 2 – Robbie – the cop
The police turned up 3 days later to talk to his colleagues to try to establish cause of death.
“A heart attack, wasn’t it?”
“Doesn’t seem to be.”
Forget something in the water, maybe more like something in one of those the lattes… Ange mused.
“He spent most of his time out of the office – didn’t tell people about it – where he went, who he saw…,” said the editor. “ All we got was the copy, sometimes late, sometimes not at all.”
What was he working on ?
Some fluff piece. Nothing life-changing for God’s sake. You know, and here, exasperated, the editor gestured “talking marks” in the air - “lifestyle stuff, latest shopping secrets, breaking fashion designers, that sort of thing”.
Right. Well his stomach contents reveal coffee scrolls, coffee, milk froth and digitalis. We don’t think the caffeine is the problem.
Robbie left the building and flicked her badge back into her handbag.
Hardly worth taking notes really. Completely clueless, the lot of them.
A loose affiliation of disinterested folk turning up for the pay packet.
A neat synopsis of corporate life really.
Take 3 – Connie – the widow
It had been alright being a world cup widow, thought his wife. She wasn’t sure she was ready for the real thing.
He hadn’t even been checking every shopping receipt lately
It was all “Socceroos this and Brazil/Croatia that”. She’d managed to rack up two Morrisseys, an Akira and some of those Terry Biviano tower heels without so much as a frown – not a bad stash for 2 hours shopping”.
Now, she sat on the sofa, smoothing her silk skirt repeatedly, fiddling with her rings.
“At 7am, he left at 7am – every morning, without fail. He was very dedicated to his job…”
So nothing different on Tuesday ? Business as usual ?
Nothing.
Any health problems we should know about ?
No. I mean, yes, he had IBS.
IBS ?
Irritable bowel syndrome. He got bloated. He had trouble digesting things.
That all ?
“…that I can think of….” She trailed off.
So no heart problems, no diabetes, nada.
None at all. He was in good condition for a guy pushing 60.
Take 5 – Vlados, the cleaner
Yeah, well at least they won’t blame this on the cleaners, thought Vlados.
Cleaners were always the first people to get picked on.
Anything goes wrong, blame the cleaners, anything missing, blame the cleaners…
He caught a glimpse of his fresh, Koh Samui tan in the lift mirror
The guy was a certified prick but he didn’t deserve to die…he reflected.
Nasty stain on the carpet though. No bowel control in death. And the amount of dribble – god it was revolting.
He’s had to use everything he had in his cleaning tool kit to remove the stains.
And that was after dry retching at the stench.
And now the cops were dirty on him because he had tainted the “crime scene”.
If someone had told him it was a crime scene at the time he would have left it alone. God knows he could have done without the hassle.
Take 6 – Alexander the designer
Alexander was miffed. Trust Jim to stuff it up and die. The amount of money he had shoved into that greedy bugger to get him to promote his new fashion line. Christ!
Jim had delivered a luke warm reception to his show last time on the basis that he couldn’t “feel the love” and now he wouldn’t get coverage at all.
The opening was coming up and he could no longer rely on the PR that Jim had promised. Kylie was going to be in the audience. And that buyer from Browns.
He glanced at the mirror on the wall of the café and flicked his quiff impatiently. His hands shook.
The designs were going to have to sell themselves on merit.
God almighty, he was stuffed.
Take 6 – Ange – the PA
Ange looked nonplussed. “What, you want me to do it ? Why me ?
What about Banu or Duan ?”
They don’t have capacity and you do. It’s tonight. DJ’s are sponsoring. Clean yourself up and try to look like you know what you are doing.
“I really don’t think this is a good idea.”
“Stop bitching and get moving”
Now, his wife was in the front row. God knows where she got the money. Ange squeezed into the reserved seat behind. Was that an Akira ?
For a girl who had just lost her husband, she looked remarkably happy and relaxed. What was the story there ?
The models sauntered out. God, what were they wearing ? This was fashion ?
What the hell am I going to write ?
Take 7 – Connie – the widow
She certainly wasn’t buying anything here. She may have inherited well with Jim’s untimely departure but that was no reason to waste it.
The spare cash that Jim used to bring home on a regular basis was certainly no longer a given.
She didn’t expect any more special favours from the local fashion designers either.
Never mind. She had what she needed and that was enough. And the cops could hurl allegations around as much as they liked. Nothing would stick.
The take-away
Ange nursed her latte. Manna from heaven.
The goodie bag at the show had soothed her wearied brow. Alex had fumbled the pass but she still caught it before anything dropped out.
$10,000 in cash. Call it a down payment, he had smirked.
Lucky she had been holding Jim’s mobile phone on Tuesday when the call came in. Enough time to arrange a catch up to chat about Jim’s untimely departure.
Enough time to remove the mobile phone, and wipe the keys of digitalis before disposing of it into the Yarra.
That paper cut had sped up his reaction. The poison had gone straight into the blood stream.
Not ideal to have him collapse a metre away but the IBS could have stuffed the whole thing up.
This was far neater.
And she’d finally got the job that Jim had promised was coming to her.
Not a bad day’s work really.
So rare these days to get satisfaction on the job.
The End
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Time for a reality check
Having decided that all current reality TV is utter rubbish, I am making a request to my kind readers to suggest some better options. To get the ball rolling, what about the following:
Big mortgage - where a bunch of cash constrained folk vie to develop a credible family budget that doesn't go into the red each month yet keeps the mortgage payments rolling into the bank.
Toddler taming - where a sane person is put into a room with a bunch of toddlers who have been deprived of snacks, their normal afternoon sleep and Thomas the tank engine - and comes out feeling like they would really like to have a large family.
You get the picture. What more edifying television options can you suggest ?
Big mortgage - where a bunch of cash constrained folk vie to develop a credible family budget that doesn't go into the red each month yet keeps the mortgage payments rolling into the bank.
Toddler taming - where a sane person is put into a room with a bunch of toddlers who have been deprived of snacks, their normal afternoon sleep and Thomas the tank engine - and comes out feeling like they would really like to have a large family.
You get the picture. What more edifying television options can you suggest ?
Run for cover - mummy is foaming at the mouth
Colleagues have learnt to run for cover when mummified gets that glint in her eye and says warningly - "I feel a blog coming on..."
This morning's offering relates to the absolute moo c*w on my train to work. Shouting into her mobile phone, she was busy telling some poor soul at the other end that he had to move to the other company or accept a redundancy.
She laughed at his objections, ridiculed his obvious anxiety and clearly thought she was role modelling a "tough but fair" management style.
On what planet does someone have a conversation with their staff in such an environment ? On what planet does someone act with such a lack of respect for another human being ? What is the name of that planet and when can she move there ? And can we all chip in to pay the fare ?
After recounting the tale to my mate "D", he said that what I should have said when she hung up the phone was - "Great work, what's your next plan ? Invade Poland ?"
Anyone else heard any particularly vile, hilarious, annoying, frantically cute conversations yelled into a mobile phone lately ? Please share as you see fit
This morning's offering relates to the absolute moo c*w on my train to work. Shouting into her mobile phone, she was busy telling some poor soul at the other end that he had to move to the other company or accept a redundancy.
She laughed at his objections, ridiculed his obvious anxiety and clearly thought she was role modelling a "tough but fair" management style.
On what planet does someone have a conversation with their staff in such an environment ? On what planet does someone act with such a lack of respect for another human being ? What is the name of that planet and when can she move there ? And can we all chip in to pay the fare ?
After recounting the tale to my mate "D", he said that what I should have said when she hung up the phone was - "Great work, what's your next plan ? Invade Poland ?"
Anyone else heard any particularly vile, hilarious, annoying, frantically cute conversations yelled into a mobile phone lately ? Please share as you see fit
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
To mash-up, smoosh etc etc...
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, you are expecting a cute piece on mashed potatoes, little fella with stuff liberally smeared across face, torso, hair blah, blah, blah.
Indeed, this is a regular occurance in our house but I have just come across this: A mashup is a website or web application that uses content from more than one source to create a completely new service. I had no idea.
Apparently, content used in mashups is typically sourced from a third party via a public interface or API. Other methods of sourcing content for mashups include Web feeds (e.g. RSS or Atom) and JavaScript.
Much the way blogs revolutionised online publishing, mashups are revolutionizing web development by allowing anyone to combine existing data from sources like eBay, Amazon.com, Google, Windows Live and Yahoo! in innovative ways.
Geez, you live and learn... If anyone knows of any particularly good examples of this, I would be most interested to hear. An obvious opportunity exists for Seb and Schnubelhopper to create one for Seb's bid for Prime Ministership of England but I am keen to hear of others.
Indeed, this is a regular occurance in our house but I have just come across this: A mashup is a website or web application that uses content from more than one source to create a completely new service. I had no idea.
Apparently, content used in mashups is typically sourced from a third party via a public interface or API. Other methods of sourcing content for mashups include Web feeds (e.g. RSS or Atom) and JavaScript.
Much the way blogs revolutionised online publishing, mashups are revolutionizing web development by allowing anyone to combine existing data from sources like eBay, Amazon.com, Google, Windows Live and Yahoo! in innovative ways.
Geez, you live and learn... If anyone knows of any particularly good examples of this, I would be most interested to hear. An obvious opportunity exists for Seb and Schnubelhopper to create one for Seb's bid for Prime Ministership of England but I am keen to hear of others.
Chile vs Gold extraction - which would you prefer ?
Dear friends who care about our earth. Judge for yourself if you want
To take action.
In the Valle de San Felix, the purest water in Chile runs from 2
rivers, fed by 2 glaciers.
Water is a most precious resource, and wars will be fought for it.
Indigenous farmers use the water, there is no unemployment, and they
Provide the second largest source of income for the area.
Under the glaciers has been found a huge deposit of gold, silver and
other minerals. To get at these, it would be necessary to break, to
destroy The glaciers - something never conceived of in the history of
the world - and to make 2 huge holes, each as big as a whole mountain,
one for extraction and one for the mine's rubbish tip.
The project is called PASCUA LAMA. The company is called Barrick Gold.
The operation is planned by a multi-national company, one of whose
members is George Bush Senior.
The Chilean Government has approved the project to start this year,
2006.
The only reason it hasn't started yet is because the farmers have got a
temporary stay of execution.
If they destroy the glaciers, they will not just destroy the source of
especially pure water, but they will permanently contaminate the 2
rivers so they will never again be fit for human or animal consumption
because of the use of cyanide and sulphuric acid in the extraction process.
Every last gram of gold will go abroad to the multinational company and
Not one will be left with the people whose land it is. They will only
be left with the poisoned water and the resulting illnesses.
The farmers have been fighting a long time for their land, but have
been forbidden to make a TV appeal by a ban from the Ministry of the
Interior.
Their only hope now of putting brakes on this project is to get help
From international justice.
The world must know what is happening in Chile. The only place to start
changing the world is from here.
We ask you to circulate this message amongst your friends in the
following way.
Please copy this text, paste it into a new email adding your signature
And send it to everyone in your address book. Please, will the 100th
person To receive and sign the petition, send it to
noapascualama@yahoo.ca to be forwarded to the Chilean Government.
No to Pascua Lama Open-cast mine in the Andean Cordillera on the
Chilean-Argentine frontier.
We ask the Chilean Government not to authorize the Pascua Lama project
To protect the whole of 3 glaciers, the purity of the water of the San
FelixValley and El Transito, the quality of the agricultural land of
the region of Atacama, the quality of life of the Diaguita people and
of the whole population of the region.
To take action.
In the Valle de San Felix, the purest water in Chile runs from 2
rivers, fed by 2 glaciers.
Water is a most precious resource, and wars will be fought for it.
Indigenous farmers use the water, there is no unemployment, and they
Provide the second largest source of income for the area.
Under the glaciers has been found a huge deposit of gold, silver and
other minerals. To get at these, it would be necessary to break, to
destroy The glaciers - something never conceived of in the history of
the world - and to make 2 huge holes, each as big as a whole mountain,
one for extraction and one for the mine's rubbish tip.
The project is called PASCUA LAMA. The company is called Barrick Gold.
The operation is planned by a multi-national company, one of whose
members is George Bush Senior.
The Chilean Government has approved the project to start this year,
2006.
The only reason it hasn't started yet is because the farmers have got a
temporary stay of execution.
If they destroy the glaciers, they will not just destroy the source of
especially pure water, but they will permanently contaminate the 2
rivers so they will never again be fit for human or animal consumption
because of the use of cyanide and sulphuric acid in the extraction process.
Every last gram of gold will go abroad to the multinational company and
Not one will be left with the people whose land it is. They will only
be left with the poisoned water and the resulting illnesses.
The farmers have been fighting a long time for their land, but have
been forbidden to make a TV appeal by a ban from the Ministry of the
Interior.
Their only hope now of putting brakes on this project is to get help
From international justice.
The world must know what is happening in Chile. The only place to start
changing the world is from here.
We ask you to circulate this message amongst your friends in the
following way.
Please copy this text, paste it into a new email adding your signature
And send it to everyone in your address book. Please, will the 100th
person To receive and sign the petition, send it to
noapascualama@yahoo.ca to be forwarded to the Chilean Government.
No to Pascua Lama Open-cast mine in the Andean Cordillera on the
Chilean-Argentine frontier.
We ask the Chilean Government not to authorize the Pascua Lama project
To protect the whole of 3 glaciers, the purity of the water of the San
FelixValley and El Transito, the quality of the agricultural land of
the region of Atacama, the quality of life of the Diaguita people and
of the whole population of the region.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Oooh, that Nigella Lawson, she is handy with a spatula
Gotta love the roast vegetables. Perfect for that "too exhausted, want to blob in front of brainless television - but not reality TV, never reality TV" night.
Take, several potatoes, some carrots, a bit of pumpkin, anything else in the fridge of a veggie nature that hasn't already got its own micro universe of mould. Go to the garden, cut off some rosemary. Chop rosemary and veggies roughly, toss into baking dish, slick it up with a really good olive oil and whack into the oven at 180 degrees centigrade (sorry, no idea what this is in farenheit) for about 30 minutes.
Take tongs and turn veggies over at about the 20 minute mark. A bit of sea salt, a few twists of the pepper grinder and Bob's your uncle.
Too easy - now I can go watch Grand Designs
Take, several potatoes, some carrots, a bit of pumpkin, anything else in the fridge of a veggie nature that hasn't already got its own micro universe of mould. Go to the garden, cut off some rosemary. Chop rosemary and veggies roughly, toss into baking dish, slick it up with a really good olive oil and whack into the oven at 180 degrees centigrade (sorry, no idea what this is in farenheit) for about 30 minutes.
Take tongs and turn veggies over at about the 20 minute mark. A bit of sea salt, a few twists of the pepper grinder and Bob's your uncle.
Too easy - now I can go watch Grand Designs
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Corporate life blows, and I don't care who knows
Now obviously, this is not mummified writing this post. She would never use such vulgar language. Nor would she ever have a negative thought about a rude senior manager in the organisation she works for.
So this is clearly being written by someone else entirely. Possibly an evil twin, or a burglar who has broken into mummified's house with the sole intent of ignoring the stereo and posting on this blog. Someone anyway who is not mummified.
signed
not mummified
So this is clearly being written by someone else entirely. Possibly an evil twin, or a burglar who has broken into mummified's house with the sole intent of ignoring the stereo and posting on this blog. Someone anyway who is not mummified.
signed
not mummified
I'm back jack
Hmmm,
Well, I have been lying low for a little while and many thanks to my lovely fellow bloggers who enquired after my health. I wrote a silly piece of fluff a couple of posts ago (not fuff, fuff is a woman of substance) about the Da Vinci code and someone I hadn't had a comment from before wrote a rather nasty one. The words "paranoid" and various other unkindnesses were used. I get all comments emailed to me direct so when I opened my outlook for my email, I felt as though I had been belted rather hard across the chops (chops=jaw=where your choppers/teeth are). Fortunately, he had subsequently decided to remove it so it wasn't on my actual blog when I went back in.
Now I am the first to admit I am over-sensitive. But I was rather taken aback. When I had finished being taken aback, I felt rather icky. You see, I have had such a good run from you lot, you have been so kind and encouraging that I have become spoilt. And I guess because I do write so directly from my life, I didn't know what to do when I was initiated into the world of mean comments. So, like a wimp, I hid for a while and licked my wounds.
However, they are now healed so I hope to be writing more, reading your blogs and making useful/silly/fun comments.
mummified was mortified (but isn't now)
Well, I have been lying low for a little while and many thanks to my lovely fellow bloggers who enquired after my health. I wrote a silly piece of fluff a couple of posts ago (not fuff, fuff is a woman of substance) about the Da Vinci code and someone I hadn't had a comment from before wrote a rather nasty one. The words "paranoid" and various other unkindnesses were used. I get all comments emailed to me direct so when I opened my outlook for my email, I felt as though I had been belted rather hard across the chops (chops=jaw=where your choppers/teeth are). Fortunately, he had subsequently decided to remove it so it wasn't on my actual blog when I went back in.
Now I am the first to admit I am over-sensitive. But I was rather taken aback. When I had finished being taken aback, I felt rather icky. You see, I have had such a good run from you lot, you have been so kind and encouraging that I have become spoilt. And I guess because I do write so directly from my life, I didn't know what to do when I was initiated into the world of mean comments. So, like a wimp, I hid for a while and licked my wounds.
However, they are now healed so I hope to be writing more, reading your blogs and making useful/silly/fun comments.
mummified was mortified (but isn't now)
Thursday, May 18, 2006
bird song
(sung in a sweet voice)
"ah ooo, ah ooo, la la la la, oooooooaaaaaaahhhh, "giggle", "giggle", la la la la la, woooooooooo"
Yes nature lovers, it is the love call of the rare spotted little fella. Nestled in his native habitat - his cot, he sings to his mummy trying to break her spirit after bed time so she will come to him to give him yet another cuddle (3 million and 59) and some more stories.
Many mummies (mommies) have buckled under the pressure of such seductive lyricism. Even the strongest have crumbled. Not I, I have sat down at the computer to blog instead.
What a hard-hearted mummified......
"ah ooo, ah ooo, la la la la, oooooooaaaaaaahhhh, "giggle", "giggle", la la la la la, woooooooooo"
Yes nature lovers, it is the love call of the rare spotted little fella. Nestled in his native habitat - his cot, he sings to his mummy trying to break her spirit after bed time so she will come to him to give him yet another cuddle (3 million and 59) and some more stories.
Many mummies (mommies) have buckled under the pressure of such seductive lyricism. Even the strongest have crumbled. Not I, I have sat down at the computer to blog instead.
What a hard-hearted mummified......
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Da Vinci - Da Sminchy
Having neither read the book nor seen the film, I feel more than qualified to spout off, at length about the Da Vinci Code and its real meaning. Cobbling together glimpses of TV news programs, a hald read article in "The Spectator" and a piccie and caption or too from the local broadsheet "The Age", I have come to the following conclusions:
a) it is just a huge money making exercise (well duh ! I hear you say)
b) the more Hollywood and its media acoloytes trash Christianity, the better chance they have of people seeking meaning in their lives in other ways (like shopping - aka retail therapy - I own, therefore I am)
c) No one would dream of abusing Islam in the way we constantly do Christianity - maybe Muslims are better at getting stroppy when it does happen.
d) no, I am not advocating censorship just sick of Christianity being the whipping boy ALL THE TIME
d) I am only adding fuel to the fire and creating more hype for Dan Brown.
Darn it
a) it is just a huge money making exercise (well duh ! I hear you say)
b) the more Hollywood and its media acoloytes trash Christianity, the better chance they have of people seeking meaning in their lives in other ways (like shopping - aka retail therapy - I own, therefore I am)
c) No one would dream of abusing Islam in the way we constantly do Christianity - maybe Muslims are better at getting stroppy when it does happen.
d) no, I am not advocating censorship just sick of Christianity being the whipping boy ALL THE TIME
d) I am only adding fuel to the fire and creating more hype for Dan Brown.
Darn it
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Hot date - way hey hey
Oh ho ho, I hear you thinking. Finally, a bit of smutty stuff from mummified. A bit of rumpy pumpy, snogging, other assorted sexy stuff.
As if. Like I'm going to tell you lot anything about that.
It was a good date though. We drove to the Yarra Valley, a winery area about one hour from Melbourne and headed to the local produce store where they do the best, and I mean the best, goat's cheese. A glass of marsanne, some smoked trout and cheese, local sourdough bread and a fantastic view over verdant pastures and undulating hills. Very mellow.
It is Autumn here (yes, our down-under seasons are upside down, as you would expect) and the gold and russet vines are the most beautiful sight. I love Autumn - crisp air and bright blue skies.
As if. Like I'm going to tell you lot anything about that.
It was a good date though. We drove to the Yarra Valley, a winery area about one hour from Melbourne and headed to the local produce store where they do the best, and I mean the best, goat's cheese. A glass of marsanne, some smoked trout and cheese, local sourdough bread and a fantastic view over verdant pastures and undulating hills. Very mellow.
It is Autumn here (yes, our down-under seasons are upside down, as you would expect) and the gold and russet vines are the most beautiful sight. I love Autumn - crisp air and bright blue skies.
Monday, May 08, 2006
For what we are about to receive....
may the lord make us truly grateful. This was what we used to say at the table before eating lunch (dinner) when I was at school as a kid.
This morning I woke to the news that the 2 miners who have been trapped underground (after an earth tremor caused a cave-in) in Tasmania for 14 days have been freed. Apparently this story has run in Europe and the US some some of you may know what I am talking about.
Anyway, in Australia we held our collective breaths hoping that they would be able to get the guys out by careful drilling and using the latest technology. The miners emerged unscathed early this morning our time. You don't get a lot of good news in the media. This was a welcome exception. And we are really, really grateful.
mummified
This morning I woke to the news that the 2 miners who have been trapped underground (after an earth tremor caused a cave-in) in Tasmania for 14 days have been freed. Apparently this story has run in Europe and the US some some of you may know what I am talking about.
Anyway, in Australia we held our collective breaths hoping that they would be able to get the guys out by careful drilling and using the latest technology. The miners emerged unscathed early this morning our time. You don't get a lot of good news in the media. This was a welcome exception. And we are really, really grateful.
mummified
The 12 step program for home-a-holics
Hi, my name is mummified and I am a home-a-holic.
It started so innocently. I'd read the homewares section in my local paper and scan the real estate section admiring all those flash houses with expensive renovations. But that is the thing. Like other home-a-holics, I was unable to contain my addiction and things soon got worse, much worse.
I'd wake up on the couch after a particularly nasty binge and find home magazines strewn all over the floor. "Home beautiful", "Belle", "Grand designs", "Inside Out" etc etc. I felt great shame yet I couldn't seem to stop. If I was in a newsagency (and this seemed to happen regularly), I would been drawn like a moth to a flame to the home improvement section. The next thing I knew, I would be looking at orange sofas, groovy kitchens and glamorous bathrooms.
I accept that I need help. I have looked for the equivalent of nicotine patches for home-a-holics but no one stocks them. I have tried going cold turkey but then I end up looking at real estate on the internet. This is a cry for help - how can I stop this shocking obsession from taking over my life ?
It started so innocently. I'd read the homewares section in my local paper and scan the real estate section admiring all those flash houses with expensive renovations. But that is the thing. Like other home-a-holics, I was unable to contain my addiction and things soon got worse, much worse.
I'd wake up on the couch after a particularly nasty binge and find home magazines strewn all over the floor. "Home beautiful", "Belle", "Grand designs", "Inside Out" etc etc. I felt great shame yet I couldn't seem to stop. If I was in a newsagency (and this seemed to happen regularly), I would been drawn like a moth to a flame to the home improvement section. The next thing I knew, I would be looking at orange sofas, groovy kitchens and glamorous bathrooms.
I accept that I need help. I have looked for the equivalent of nicotine patches for home-a-holics but no one stocks them. I have tried going cold turkey but then I end up looking at real estate on the internet. This is a cry for help - how can I stop this shocking obsession from taking over my life ?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)