Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Well I'm back from the hardware store, gave away my hard earned cash to buy some thrilling things like... paint. Our exterior walls are just bare block, no lining, no insulation, nothing... bare unpainted block.

I'm sick of the summer sun heat radiating through so I went out and bought some exterior paint (12 litres) and now I'm about to embark on one of my most hated tasks, yes, painting. Personally I'm more into carpentering, building cupboards etc - painting and tiling just make me roll my eyes back with complete boredem.

Paul.

Paul it is obviously the wrong time of day to start painting. Perhaps tomorrow..... :)

Gail,

You're right - it is the wrong time - besides, I'm supposed to be getting ready to celebrate our 9yr anniversary tonight, so I don't think Elita would appreciate a white-spotted, utterly exhausted husband at dinner :)

Congratulations on your wedding anniversary. I hope the two of you have a lovely evening.

It's a shame we don't have a live-chat here ... or somewhere (IRC chat) but I suppose if we had that we'd not only get no work done but our reading/writing time would be profoundly curtailed as well.

Last night went very well thank you. :)

I didn't get up early enough to start painting the exterior wall though :|

Tomorrow. :)

Another group I'm in complain about the dead-zone . It's the time of the day when nothing is happening in the group. That group is a far more well established group than Aussie Readers.... Given time and Mandy's hard work the Dead zone should shrink (unless I manage to scare people away, in which case it might grow longer) At the moment I can hear crickets. :P

Oh yes, the dead-zone is nasty, worst is if you're feeling down/out/depressed/anxious, you cannot find activity anywhere (frequently at 3am!) and the rest of the world seems alien to you. It gets bad out here in the rural zone with no cafe's or other safe social locations being open. At best, we can drive the 130km to Townsville and visit the Strand or the 24-hr MdDonalds but that's a long trip, rather expensive, rather risky (at night - kangaroos etc).

Access to an American group is handy for the 3am time slot, when I first joined GR that's all I could find, I've managed to weasle my way into their chat groups. I do have a tendency to shout 'I'm an Aussie look at me', I'm sure they find it a bit annoying but I can't help myself. :) I was over the moon when I found Aussie Readers. It just fits so much more comfortably.

I might be in too many groups, but I'm having so much fun that the housework is sorely neglected, not to mention the de-cluttering. By the time I get up over here in Perth the Aussies and Kiwis are well underway (hello to all Kiwis and other nationalities ...big Aussie welcome). Then I check around my groups over breakfast, making a few comments here and there. By the time I've showered and done my hair it's morning tea and the Americans are still online, so if I don't force myself to go do some housework before lunch,the British will start waking up....and before I know it, I'll be late cooking dinner! After which the Americans start waking up again, so sometimes I don't go to bed until 1am!
I'm a hopeless Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ addict....I've never noticed any dead zone!

That's because you venture into other peoples time zones Jan, good on you. The Americans don't tend to venture too far. (My apologies to Cheryl) I am a hopeless GR addict too.

Well break out the Champers Kimmoi! Not only have we reached 500 members, but Paul has kindly agreed to come on board as a moderator! Thanks mate! Between the three of us we should have lots of time to chat about, recommend and debate books with all our wonderful group members, as well as rambling on about such diverse things as the weather, sport, writing festivals and awards, what's hot and what's not!

P.S.
OK who chose the three stooges???

Ahhh sorry Mandy, Paul was too slow. :D

Whooop, whooop, whooop!! onya Paul.

What can I say... first 5 minutes on the job and I've already ruined well laid plans :D

David wrote: "Whooop, whooop, whooop!! onya Paul."

LOL, clever David!

Congratulations by the way Paul, I think you will be great. :)

Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk

Unbelievable - it's been almost 4 hours and not a single update on this thread. I think that we need some more whipping going on.

I didn't get any painting done today - just woke up this morning thinking "Oh golly - not the pains again" and trying to snuggle back into bed to sleep it away. The day itself has been quite warm, a sincere warning of the potentially unpleasant Summer yet to come... so I better get cracking on the painting, probably should get a bunch of polyester insulation batts too.... and more whirly-birds on the roof... and the roof repainted with something to reflect back 99.9% of the heat.

Tonight I'm sitting back with a nice mug of Rooibos tea (thankyou Elita), thinking to myself that I really need to write an article about the I.T. industry, the collapse of sanity from all the work and some pointers on how to rescue oneself from it all.

So...what's everyone else up to?

I was about to say that it isn't my fault people aren't posting, but maybe my odd sense of humour is driving them away.

I got home from work at 7.15pm, had left over Indian for dinner while the other half went out to collect my son from Baseball training. Excitement plus in our household.

The kids are now asleep and so it would seem are all Aussie Readers.

No, not quite all, I'm still awake, just. Been digging up potatoes and picking blackberries, well it beats doing my tax return. I've bored Jan to death with my whingeing about the Welsh weather but this afternoon the sun is out, first time for three days.

Afternoon nap time David? I have a really handy link which accesses all local times and temperatures (and allows a quick conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius)Small things amuse small minds I guess. Current time in Wales (Cardiff 1.23pm at the moment 16C (61F).)

Rita, I saw the last bit of that vet show - was wondering the same thing.

Polk, Wasn't he one of the fellows who gave insanely complex projects to some of the "Masterchef" contestants ?

Gail, Your humour seems no worse than mine - at least I find you funny enough :)

Good night Polk. Enjoy your read.

Rita wrote: "So now that his is all better I'm just wondering, was that g-string from the clean or dirty basket... :/."

Glad I missed that one. :/

Thanks Paul I try. :)

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "Afternoon nap time David? I have a really handy link which accesses all local times and temperatures (and allows a quick conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius)Small things amuse small minds I guess..."

No, I try not to nap at midday, yes the time is right but up here in the hills it's a couple of degrees cooler than in Cardiff on the coast.

I'm thinking I should try go to sleep soon... else I'll be up too late again tomorrow to do any painting. I'm also thinking that the walls probably need to be scrubbed a bit first with a hard brush... anyone care to do that for me while I sit inside in the aircon enjoying my first coffee?

(realistically there's no way I'll be asleep tonight before 00H30)

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "had left over Indian for dinner"

...but isn't cannibalism illegal? *rimshot*

Personally, I seldom get started until late. Between kids and housework and stuff, I have a few late-night hours. I sometimes wonder if I should go go bed early and make an early start, as productivity goes downhill dramatically as the pumpkin hour approaches and recedes, but that has a whole set of other problems associated with it. Proofing several ebook versions meant for different distribution channels (and keeping straight which is the most "correct", and not introducing more errors...) is not an easy thing for the sleep-deprived to do. I'm way behind on that, and I'm still not sure if the important boss (as opposed to the one that pays me for my time on a weekday) has any more corrections before we push them out.

I'll probably toss it all in and call it a night soon, as I was involved in what would best be called a workplace accident today. A wheelie office chair is usually considered a safe place to be, but mine dropped the rearmost of its five arms today, spinning me around and launching me to the floor... so I'm a little sore right now. Fortunately I have four witnesses, and I think they were more scared by the whole affair than I was.

Mark, a sincere shame you didn't get that on video-camera, could have been a perfect viral-video to launch the book :)

Mark wrote: "Gail "cyborg" wrote: "had left over Indian for dinner"

...but isn't cannibalism illegal? *rimshot* ..."

Yep. And he was very tasty too. :D

I'm calling it a night. Catch you guys later.

G'night, Gail.

Paul, I suspect it'd be more successful on that show on Channel 9 - what's it called... "Kids getting hurt, and cute but stupid pets"?

Personally, I'd like to get playing with a medieval-looking Ken and a Barbie with wings, and ending up by saying something like "Curse Ahern's surprising-yet-inevitable betrayal", but I think he's a little beyond our price range.

Aaah, how can we forget our beloved Wash... why o why did they finish him off like that :(

What, the Washkebab? Because somebody clearly considered him surplus to requirements at that point. Harsh words will be spoken if Jo ever gets to corner Mr Whedon, mark my words.

I've seen some moderately weak justifications for it - personally I think it was a pointless exercise that only enraged a lot of people (myself included).

Mark wrote: "What, the Washkebab? Because somebody clearly considered him surplus to requirements at that point. Harsh words will be spoken if Jo ever gets to corner Mr Whedon, mark my words."

'Washkebab'! Love it! But no matter how much it hurt, Mr Whedon ~genuflects~ must have had his reasons and he can do no wrong in my book.;)

It still doesn't mean I have to like it.

What did you think about what he did to poor Doctor Horrible in the end? I thought that made some sense as tragedy, but Wash seemed like "we need to bolster the body count and increase tension - who don't we need for the final shootout?"

Yes I think JW was affected by the 'importance' of making a film as opposed to television and a few deaths made the whole thing seem more epic. On the other hand killing off the doc was a good device for sending Summer over the edge and into her superpowers.;D My favourite death was that geek guy!

I think we've got our wires crossed - is what I was talking about.

Joss Whedon is in so much trouble. Alan and I know each other personally, we have had an incredibly intimate moment when I told him that he was the hero of my crappy town. My crappy town hero can't be dead! He just can't and I intend telling Joss that myself when he comes begging for my script. I shall be nice and tell him sweetly that even if Peter Jackson wasn't interested, it would never be Joss because killing Wash off just is NOT ON!

I have no idea what that show is and now I'm going to have to stay up until I've seen it all!!!

I smell smoke... I didn't realise you could burn bridges that haven't even been built yet...

Mandy, I think you'll love it... and there's apparently a sequel in the works, but being a side-project for everyone involved it may take a while to get it together.

David wrote: "No, not quite all, I'm still awake, just. Been digging up potatoes and picking blackberries, well it beats doing my tax return. I've bored Jan to death with my whingeing about the Welsh weather b..."

Whenever I read something written in BE and see 'whingeing' I feel deeply disturbed. Please tell me you don't pronounce the g? Or the h, at least not by much, right?

David wrote: "No, not quite all, I'm still awake, just. Been digging up potatoes and picking blackberries, well it beats doing my tax return. I've bored Jan to death with my whingeing about the Welsh weather b..."

Whenever I read something written in BE and see 'whingeing' I feel deeply disturbed. Please tell me you don't pronounce the g? Or the h, at least not by much, right?

Cheryl wrote: "David wrote: "No, not quite all, I'm still awake, just. Been digging up potatoes and picking blackberries, well it beats doing my tax return. I've bored Jan to death with my whingeing about the W..."

No need to feel disturbed Cheryl. The g is soft and the h silent! :)

G'day all, well I have managed to 'jag' a week off work next week and I will try to drop in from time to time, been a while since I had some time off, to give you an idea I've still got almost 6 weeks annual leave after next week is taken out, I've just over 7 weeks sick days accrude & 2.5 years before long service, I manage this place by myself & if I can 'jag' some time off the company has to fly someone up from Brisbane to relive me, I was working 9 -10 hurs a day & on call Sat mornings but have now knocked this back to 8.5 hours a day & don't answer the phone on Saturdays...and....in between this trying to get some writing done + interviews & promotional work.....so next Monday my darling wife & I are heading to Port Douglas for the day & while there will pick up my 1st place plaque & spend my winning $100 voucher in the bookshop there.
Have a great next week all...because I will be (-:(-:(-:

David wrote: "G'day all, well I have managed to 'jag' a week off work next week and I will try to drop in from time to time, been a while since I had some time off, to give you an idea I've still got almost 6 we..."

A well deserved holiday for you and your darling wife.:) Port Douglas is supposed to be very beautiful!

It is Mandy, but like any lovely spot it has unfortunately grown & still is growing with commercialism.

BTW! Mandy I posted the link to my short memoire/story 'Tony the Wogs Mango Tree' if & when you have the chance could you (or anyone on site) let me know what you think of it, it was my 1st fair dinkum crack at a story.

Dave.