Me and Kirstie's farewell drinks

Pictures of this night - at a bar called murmur in the city - can be found at:

www.flickr.com/photos/sneakykangaroo

DN

Work Farewell Drinks

Farewell for Me, Kate A, John, Lissy - Western Health

@ bambu, Flinders Lane

Smoky, a little loud, but a good time for those who persevered. The Western Hospital physios had a stronger turnout than the Sunshine crew.
For all the pictures, see:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sneakykangaroo/
sets/72057594143049397/show/ (cut & paste link)

Click on the link to find a slideshow from the night.

DN

The Commonwealth Games (Part 1 - Rugby 7's)

Went to my first Rugby 7's games during the Commonwealth Games - with Ruth, Michelle (Ruth's housemate), and Luke @ Telstra Dome. Rugby 7's is a fast game, each goes for 15 minutes (7 minute halves). It's very popular among the Pacific Island nations. The whole tournament is done in 2 days!

After the round robin games between the 16 teams, the 8 losing teams play their competition (Bowl Competition), then the 4 teams who lose in the quarterfinals play in another competition (Cup Competiton), and THEN the 4 winning teams play off for medals. Australia played twice this night (semifinal and bronze medal games) and lost both. New Zealand ended up beating England for gold.

Apart from a little girl a few seats from us screeching "GO NEW ZEEEEEEEALAND!!!!" about every 20 seconds, 'twas a good night.

Quick game's a good game.
DN

Ellen's b'day & my belated b'day

So Ellen's had her birthday again. Usually Ellen and Nadine would have their joint birthdays, but as Nadine isn't around so much, and I didn't do anything for my birthday, I decided to come off the bench for Nadine.

So first stop is the dinner at Shanghai Dumpling House off Lt Bourke Street. This place known only for the cheapest of meals. Service is sparse at best. You have to get up and get your own cups, water, tea, and soy sauce. You have to tackle the waitresses to get their attention, and they're pretty agile. And English is not their first language either. However, they give you about 15 dumplings for about $5, so you can't really complain!

Next stop is Bambu, a little basement bar in Flinders Lane. Never busy, but always has a nice atmosphere. And well, I'm sure the pictures speak for themselves.

2005 - Year In Review

Hello everyone,
As I always do, I'm writing up my little summary of the year gone by. Without further ado:
(Anything Australian is in Italics)

Favorite Albums
Ben Folds - Songs For Silverman
Ben Lee - Awake Is The New Sleep
Bernard Fanning - Tea & Sympathy
Common - Be
End of Fashion - End of Fashion
Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams
John Legend - Get Lifted
Kanye West - Late Registration
Lior - Autumn Flow
Nickel Creek - Why Shound The Fire Die?

Honourable Mention
Blackalicious - The Craft
Charles Jenkins - The City Gates
John Mayer Trio - Try! John Mayer Trio Live
Sarah Blasko - The Overture & The Underscore
Wolfmother - Wolfmother
The Roots - Home Grown! The Beginner's Guide To Understanding The Roots

Favorite Singles
Missy Elliot - Lose Control (ft. Ciara, Fatman Scoop)
John Legend - Ordinary People
Z-Trip - The Get Down (ft. Lyrics Born)
Lior - This Old Love
K.T. Tunstall - Black Horse and Cherry Tree
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.

Gigs/Events
The Waifs @ Hi-Fi Bar
The Roots @ Metro
John Legend @ Mercury Lounge
Good Vibrations Festival (Arrested Development, Scissor Sistors, Mylo, Cuban Brothers) @ Sidney Myer Music Bowl
B Sharp Big Band @ The Night Cat
Die On Your Feet (play at Comedy Festival) @ Melbourne Town Hall
Melbourne Victory soccer matches x 2 @ Olympic Park
Socceroos vs Uruguay @ Federation Square
Caulfield Cup @ Caulfield Racecourse

Movies
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Hotel Rwanda
Batman Begins
Kung Fu Hustle
Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
Three Dollars
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Ong Bak

Books
Only 1 - The Da Vinci Code

Running? Again!
The Run to the G - April - 10K run again. Time: about 50:00. Not bad as I only started training 3 wks before run!

Highlights 2005

• Saw Australia - went to Northern Territory for 10 days - what a trip! And Sydney, Lakes Entrance, and Albury - all in the past 3 weeks!
• In The Black - Paid off my college/uni bank loan in half the time that the loan was meant to be!
• Old jobs - goodbye Altona Beach Physiotherapy. Only 10 months there, but good fun, but no life
• Moved out of home - free at last
  
• Rice paper roll night/Farewell Alicia night - bittersweet
  
• Played mixed netball - rules are annoying, but fun with friends
• Engagements - Nadine/Jen/others, now for the weddings
• Bought drum kit - now if only I had time to play it...long live Yellow Fever
  
• Movember - as hard as I tried, I couldn't grow a moustache for 30 days - don't know if that's a highlight or a sad bit...
• Ruth again - let's keep dancing. Honk
  

Sad bits of 2005

• RIP Yank Tank - it was written off to that junkyard in the sky
• Hardly contacted friends and family in US - very sorry

Looking forward to 2006

• Travelling the world - here I come
• Weddings, weddings, weddings

DN

End of Movember

Finally Movember is over - and here are the pictures of Team Mo Bro - Paul, Shane, Me, and Lube (also known as the Dirty Wiggles). It is one of the most frightening collection of hairy men I have ever seen. And I realized that I can never, ever grow facial hair ever again.

Overall we raised about $300 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. But I don't think I'll be trying to grow a moustache again anytime soon. It was a struggle to keep the moustache on. Every morning would be a battle in front of the mirror - to shave or not to shave...

And there will be no Legtember or Armpitober.

DN

The Yank Tank (1989-2005) R.I.P.

Yes, it's gone. The Yank Tank ('89 Toyota Camry) was lost today. Hit in the back by a P-plater (someone who has a Probationary Licence, normally 18-21 yrs old) on the corner of Royal Parade and Grattan St in Parkville. I'm sitting at the lights, and just as they turn green, I hear the sound of ambulance, so I keep the brakes on. Then WHAM! I'm hit in the back. No injuries, the impact wasn't that big. But the damage was enough to write off my car! What's more, the guy doesn't have any insurance (I'm surprised he stopped for me)! So my insurance has paid me out (and will chase him for the money), and will take the Yank Tank to a resting place, where it will become an organ donor for numerous ailing cars.

Above are not pictures of my car, but a very similar one in Queensland I found on the internet.

It was probably for the best anyway - the payout was good, better than what I could've sold it for, and the car was on its last legs anyway.

Now the search for a new car begins this weekend. After saying to goodbye to the Hamstermobile ('85 Corolla) and the Yank Tank, what will be my next car? Stay tuned.

DN

Socceroos to Germany 2006

What a game. Australia def. Uruguay on penalties 4-2 (1-1 aggregate full time), and the country goes nuts. I watched the first leg on Sunday at Federation Square (www.fedsquare.com.au) where the Socceroos lost 1-0 at Uruguay, which really wasn't all that bad. Tonight I watched the game with my dad, uncles, and cousin at home. We screamed at the TV all night, and when John Aloisi (that's the guy with the shirt off) scored the last penalty goal, we along with millions of other Aussies went beserk. After 32 frustrating years, Australia is back into the World Cup!


The US had qualified for the World Cup months ago. So now both my countries are in! And hopefully I'll be there to see them somewhere in Germany. Dec 9 the final draw is announced.

DN

Movember

Hello everyone. If you're reading this, congrats, you're one of the few who have got to my new blog! Nothing much here at the moment - will get bigger, though.

During Movember (the month formerly known as November) I've decided to grow a Mo for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

I wasn't sure if I was going to go through with it, but I've finally picked up some support from colleagues at work. Got a few sponsors and some other guys to grow Mo's much bigger than my own. It's been 7 days, and most teenagers could probably grow more facial hair. Hence there is not picture to put up - there really isn't much to see.

If you're in Australia, feel free to go the website (www.movember.com.au) and click on 'sponsor a mo' and put in my rego number 2922 and donate what you want. If you're not in Australia, feel free, currency rates will probably mean you donation goes even further.

Welcome - Day 1

Hello to anyone reading this, my first entry into this blog. My first attempt at this was nearly 8 years ago, when I moved from Phoenix to Melbourne. Back then I tried to make my own website, and that lasted about a year until the service shut down. So now let's try again. Hello to anyone who's reading this anywhere in the world, hope it was worth the visit.

I'll putting in current entries, along with stuff from the past 8 years, in case you've missed anything from then. But all that now said, I've got to work tomorrow morning, so I'll have to continue this another time.

DN