I loathe shopping for Xmas.
I decided that after first checking the bank account to see what funds I had available, that today was going to be the day that I was going to acquire presents for the nephews and nieces. Normally, considering my financial status, I would set a limit for each little relation, namely in the order of around $20. This year, considering what else I have due (namely - train fare to Tamworth and back, and a very inconvenient electricity bill) the limit got cut again. I also decided that wherever possible, group presents would be in order.
My brothers boys proved to be quite easy in the end. A couple of text messages later determined that they had not yet seen Ice Age 3, and Target has it for $20. Done. (The boys also have the Mariners ball that I acquired a few years ago, so I think they'll do alright this year.) As for the new arrival, Luke, well, I think I shall get him some books from the book exchange, seeing I have oodles of credit there. I noticed they had a rather large collection of Little Golden Books, which I had a few of as a kid. That, I can take care of when in Gosford next.
The sister's kids, well, they proved a bit more difficult. More SMS messages, and more options denied. Board games ideal, but don't get Monopoly (already have it), Connect 4 (ditto), Twister (ditto), Hungry Hippo (easily breakable), Operation (can't remember the reason for that one)... Okay, any problems with Trouble? Mmm, nope. Good, Trouble it is. I have Cluedo at home that I have never used (bought it four years ago when Michelle and her kids were coming around a lot) and they can have that as well. Hoo-ray! Two birds with one stone.
Then there was the crowd to deal with. On a number of occasions, I find myself walking into people who were not concentrating on where they were going. There was a bit of "I'm stepping to my right - no, don't you go to your left, d'oh!" and, well, let's just say that I was glad to get it over and done with today.
I also decided to tie in a couple of movies today as well. First up, at just after 10 am was Paranormal Activity. Nicely done I must say on the proverbial shoestring budget. I liked it, and I seemed to be one of the few people in the cinema (there were a lot of teenage girls watching this flick, with, unfortunately, a couple sitting behind me that had apparently seen it before) who had a pretty good idea as to how the picture was going to end. There were enough clues given during the flick to make it pretty obvious as to who was going to die. My enjoyment of the flick was indeed dimmed by the running commentary behind me, but at least I got a lot of satisfaction as to hearing "I'm going to have to sleep at your place tonight" and plenty of screams. In fact, I found myself laughing heartily as I was leaving the cinema.
But, if you can remember back to all the bad VHS stuff from ten/twenty years ago, and the patterns that have been entrenched in suspense/horror films, then you'll be right for this one. Don't get me wrong though, there were one or two bits that sent a shiver straight down my spine, and there were some rather clever little effects. Don't need a fantabulous large budget to make a decent, enjoyable flick.
And I must say, Katie Featherston (who had the lead role in the film) is an absolute dish! I wonder where I can find a twin of her around the Central Coast? So nice to see an actress on the screen with plenty of curves and a bit of meat on her bones. And she can act!!! Watching her on the screen her bedroom attire was terribly distracting. Still, was I complaining though?
Sigh!
To finish up the day at Erina, I ventured off to see Zombieland. Whereas the first flick today was a serious movie with a couple of amusing moments, this film was a lot of amusing moments with a couple of serious minutes. A delightful black comedy, along the same lines as Shaun of the Dead. Woody Harrelson was just brilliant as the twinkie seeking, zombie killing Tallahassee, Jesse Eisenberg very amusing as Columbus, frequently quoting his zombie survival guide throughout the flick and being incredibly nerdy. Abigail Breslin (from Little Miss Sunshine) and Emma Stone completed the quartet, with a guest appearance from Bill Murray as himself. Zombie killing was never so much fun. I want to see this again!
Oh, there was a cricket match concluded today. Draw. Yup, saw that one coming. And, yes, don't need to make me aware of it, Mitch gets nine wickets in the match. Doesn't mean he was bowling well though...
But I stand by my argument that failure to knock over tail order batsmen costs Australia wins. If we were chasing 260 today instead of 330, we no doubt would have had a better crack at the total. Could've been 2-0 up today guys, rather than going to Perth with the Windies full of confidence and a good chance of tying the series...
Okay. That's enough. Ciao!
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Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Dum de dum de dum
Good weekend. Quite productive. Laundry, dishes, a walk down to the stadium to see the ladies play (not a good result for the locals I might add), listen/watch the cricket, get some miniature painting done (3 down, about 40 to go) and while away an hour or two on Medieval Total War. Oh, and at some point over the weekend, I wrote another poem. Wow, only my second one for the year.
I must say, I love summer. I have wonderful distractions in the cricket and the football, and whilst during the former, I can just switch the radio on, and while away the hours doing something else. The something else was painting. From memory, January this year I painted my entire Dark Elven side whilst listening to the coverage. During the Ashes tour, I managed to complete my Halflings. This month, I have set the goal to complete all of the Skaven figures that I have, some of them have been in my collection since 1995. Two from this vintage were taken care of today, whilst the third was a recent acquisition. I believe I may need some new brushes. The fine detail ones that I bought multiples of some time last year are almost all used up. Some paints may need replacing as well, and perhaps I really should get some washes to perhaps give my figures the final touch that they need. Of course, some will need a little touch up before I do that.
Anyway, cricket. Good to see the Windies showing some fighting spirit, especially after that three day capitulation in Brisbane. Disturbing though that once again, Australia has demonstrated an inability to wrap up the tail-enders. In their first innings, the Windies 8th wicket partnership generated 44 runs. The last wicket partnership between Rampaul and Nash generated 68, with the number 11 getting 40 of them and remaining undefeated. That's 112 runs, which could prove very costly indeed, especially when Australia will be batting last, more than likely to win the match.
As I have said, this is not the first time this has happened. In THAT test at Cardiff back in July, during the first innings, England's tail wagged from 7 for 329 to all out 435. In the second innings, from 7 for 159 to 9 for 252. The result of the match was a draw, which had Punter complaining about time wasting tactics of the Poms and that the game wasn't being played in the right spirit. That wasn't Ricky's problem, it was the fact that the last three wicket partnerships totaled 299 runs. Australia could have won that match well before lunch on day five had the bowling been a bit more penetrative, and that bowlers who were taking wickets (Hauritz) should have been left on. The end result of drawing match one, and not winning it, cost us the Ashes.
The prosecution could also cite the 5th test of that series. England's last three wicket partnerships yielded 64 and 130 runs respectively. Australia lost the match by 197 runs. Also, the 3rd test between Australia and India last year at the WACA, where the Indian side went from 6 for 160 to all out 294 in the second dig. Australia fell 73 runs short of the 413 needed to win with a day still to play...
It's a big problem. It costs us matches. What also costs us matches, is bowlers being erratic and not consistent. I'm thinking of a bowler whose initials are MJ. When he fires, he is very good to watch. When he doesn't, it hurts, it hurts really, really bad. He struggled against the Poms, and he is struggling against the Windies. I think he needs some time to find his rhythm again, and needs a spell back in the domestic competition.
Can we bring in anyone to replace him? Yeah, one name springs to mind - Stuart Clark. He's consistent, he stops runs, he takes wickets, especially when he comes back into the attack for a second or third spell. Another one - Brett Lee. Yes, I know he has injury concerns at the mo, but could we bring him into the side when he's fit? Please? How about Nathan Bracken? He takes wickets in the four day game, he's not just a one-day specialist.
And that was just from the NSW squad. I could add Andy McDonald from the Victorian side, and, well, dare I say it, Shaun Tait, if he's feeling up to it that is. Next point of contention - can I ask, why is Shane Watson still opening the innings in tests? So, he got 96 in the current test. He is not a test opener. ODI's, sure, have no problem with that, by all means put him up there. But not tests. It makes a mockery of the position of test opener, especially when we have so many (discarded) openers playing domestic cricket trying to get (back) into the test side. Phil Jaques instantly springs to mind. Phil Hughes, Ed Cowan (Tasmania), Chris Rogers (Victoria)... is Shane Watson REALLY a better opening test/first class batsman than any of these gents?
Sigh.
I suppose I should have a little natter about the Mariners as well. On Saturday, I was full of hope that both the ladies and men's sides would win their respective matches. The women's needed just a draw to take the minor premiership, the mens, well, they need to stay in the top four. It wasn't a good day/night for either of them. I was at the women's match against Sydney, and was quite pleased to be able to sit near halfway, just next to the player's entrance. However, I just happened to pick the row where the other occupant's couldn't sit still for five minutes, and had to get drinks, go to the loo, get lollies, go see other people, get more drinks, go to the loo, go see more people... I wonder how much of the game they actually watched? I lost track of the number of times they squeezed past me. Perhaps I should've just moved.
Sigh. It wasn't a bad match apart from that, and admission was only $5. ABC were covering it as well. I set the VCR for it. Unfortunately, Sydney scored about thirty minutes into the match from a defensive error, and the Mariners pretty much gave up. They did rally for the last ten - fifteen minutes, but to no avail. The minor premiership was lost. Sydney were the hungrier team on the day, and that was that.
But an interesting point was raised during the game from a spectator that appeared to be in the know. Both women's teams, the Mariners and the Sydney side, train together, in Sydney. Apparently the Mariner's women's team doesn't have a single Central Coast player in the squad. May have to investigate that.
As for the men's, well, they were in front at half-time, then lost it. Again, the key-word is consistency. How do they expect to win the competition if they can't string three or four good matches together? It was nice to have Matty Simon back, but he wasn't enough to prevent the side going down to the Gold Coast on Saturday night.
Ah gees, this was just going to be a short post! I waffled on too much about the cricket. On the agenda this week I plan to go see Zombieland. It looks totally stupid and I have been well entertained by the Zombie fest on SBS on Monday night. Last Monday's Dead and Breakfast was, well, really stupid, and I loved it! A guitar twanging narrator that gets turned into a zombie half way through the flick. Five minutes of David Carradine, a gun-totin' records clerk... yup, my kinda flick!
Ciao!
I must say, I love summer. I have wonderful distractions in the cricket and the football, and whilst during the former, I can just switch the radio on, and while away the hours doing something else. The something else was painting. From memory, January this year I painted my entire Dark Elven side whilst listening to the coverage. During the Ashes tour, I managed to complete my Halflings. This month, I have set the goal to complete all of the Skaven figures that I have, some of them have been in my collection since 1995. Two from this vintage were taken care of today, whilst the third was a recent acquisition. I believe I may need some new brushes. The fine detail ones that I bought multiples of some time last year are almost all used up. Some paints may need replacing as well, and perhaps I really should get some washes to perhaps give my figures the final touch that they need. Of course, some will need a little touch up before I do that.
Anyway, cricket. Good to see the Windies showing some fighting spirit, especially after that three day capitulation in Brisbane. Disturbing though that once again, Australia has demonstrated an inability to wrap up the tail-enders. In their first innings, the Windies 8th wicket partnership generated 44 runs. The last wicket partnership between Rampaul and Nash generated 68, with the number 11 getting 40 of them and remaining undefeated. That's 112 runs, which could prove very costly indeed, especially when Australia will be batting last, more than likely to win the match.
As I have said, this is not the first time this has happened. In THAT test at Cardiff back in July, during the first innings, England's tail wagged from 7 for 329 to all out 435. In the second innings, from 7 for 159 to 9 for 252. The result of the match was a draw, which had Punter complaining about time wasting tactics of the Poms and that the game wasn't being played in the right spirit. That wasn't Ricky's problem, it was the fact that the last three wicket partnerships totaled 299 runs. Australia could have won that match well before lunch on day five had the bowling been a bit more penetrative, and that bowlers who were taking wickets (Hauritz) should have been left on. The end result of drawing match one, and not winning it, cost us the Ashes.
The prosecution could also cite the 5th test of that series. England's last three wicket partnerships yielded 64 and 130 runs respectively. Australia lost the match by 197 runs. Also, the 3rd test between Australia and India last year at the WACA, where the Indian side went from 6 for 160 to all out 294 in the second dig. Australia fell 73 runs short of the 413 needed to win with a day still to play...
It's a big problem. It costs us matches. What also costs us matches, is bowlers being erratic and not consistent. I'm thinking of a bowler whose initials are MJ. When he fires, he is very good to watch. When he doesn't, it hurts, it hurts really, really bad. He struggled against the Poms, and he is struggling against the Windies. I think he needs some time to find his rhythm again, and needs a spell back in the domestic competition.
Can we bring in anyone to replace him? Yeah, one name springs to mind - Stuart Clark. He's consistent, he stops runs, he takes wickets, especially when he comes back into the attack for a second or third spell. Another one - Brett Lee. Yes, I know he has injury concerns at the mo, but could we bring him into the side when he's fit? Please? How about Nathan Bracken? He takes wickets in the four day game, he's not just a one-day specialist.
And that was just from the NSW squad. I could add Andy McDonald from the Victorian side, and, well, dare I say it, Shaun Tait, if he's feeling up to it that is. Next point of contention - can I ask, why is Shane Watson still opening the innings in tests? So, he got 96 in the current test. He is not a test opener. ODI's, sure, have no problem with that, by all means put him up there. But not tests. It makes a mockery of the position of test opener, especially when we have so many (discarded) openers playing domestic cricket trying to get (back) into the test side. Phil Jaques instantly springs to mind. Phil Hughes, Ed Cowan (Tasmania), Chris Rogers (Victoria)... is Shane Watson REALLY a better opening test/first class batsman than any of these gents?
Sigh.
I suppose I should have a little natter about the Mariners as well. On Saturday, I was full of hope that both the ladies and men's sides would win their respective matches. The women's needed just a draw to take the minor premiership, the mens, well, they need to stay in the top four. It wasn't a good day/night for either of them. I was at the women's match against Sydney, and was quite pleased to be able to sit near halfway, just next to the player's entrance. However, I just happened to pick the row where the other occupant's couldn't sit still for five minutes, and had to get drinks, go to the loo, get lollies, go see other people, get more drinks, go to the loo, go see more people... I wonder how much of the game they actually watched? I lost track of the number of times they squeezed past me. Perhaps I should've just moved.
Sigh. It wasn't a bad match apart from that, and admission was only $5. ABC were covering it as well. I set the VCR for it. Unfortunately, Sydney scored about thirty minutes into the match from a defensive error, and the Mariners pretty much gave up. They did rally for the last ten - fifteen minutes, but to no avail. The minor premiership was lost. Sydney were the hungrier team on the day, and that was that.
But an interesting point was raised during the game from a spectator that appeared to be in the know. Both women's teams, the Mariners and the Sydney side, train together, in Sydney. Apparently the Mariner's women's team doesn't have a single Central Coast player in the squad. May have to investigate that.
As for the men's, well, they were in front at half-time, then lost it. Again, the key-word is consistency. How do they expect to win the competition if they can't string three or four good matches together? It was nice to have Matty Simon back, but he wasn't enough to prevent the side going down to the Gold Coast on Saturday night.
Ah gees, this was just going to be a short post! I waffled on too much about the cricket. On the agenda this week I plan to go see Zombieland. It looks totally stupid and I have been well entertained by the Zombie fest on SBS on Monday night. Last Monday's Dead and Breakfast was, well, really stupid, and I loved it! A guitar twanging narrator that gets turned into a zombie half way through the flick. Five minutes of David Carradine, a gun-totin' records clerk... yup, my kinda flick!
Ciao!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Bugger Pt 2
I've said this before, there is nothing more frustrating (to a football fan) than a 0 all draw. It was one of the worst games that I have ever seen, and I felt sorry for my mate who came up from Sydney to see this match.
There was an interesting moment close to full-time. A supporter in Bay 16 decided to emulate the phantom siren and let fly with a blast from a whistle with still time to go in injury time. It temporarily stopped the game, until the players realized that the ref hadn't called time.
Then the idiot did it again, and was spotted by security. Silly bugger. Once would've sufficed, twice, well, the joke/novelty had worn off.
On a brighter note, the ladies won their match 3-1 over Newcastle. The highlight of the game, for me, was from the American import Kendall Fletcher, who, in the 71st minute, curled a corner straight in to the top right hand corner of the goal. It was a magical strike, and one I will not be forgetting in a hurry!
Still, it was nice to catch up with an old uni chum, despite the scoreline in the main fixture. We had an early feed at a fish n chip shop on the way down to the match, then got good seats to watch the game in the shade. We had plenty to talk about before, during and after the game, and it was nice to actually attend a fixture with someone for a change.
Well, Sunday, a Blood Bowl tourney at the store. 12 people (at least) should be attending. I'll have to get things ready later on today.
And yes, still sucks about not getting the job, but I'm over it. Something better will come along.
Cheers!
There was an interesting moment close to full-time. A supporter in Bay 16 decided to emulate the phantom siren and let fly with a blast from a whistle with still time to go in injury time. It temporarily stopped the game, until the players realized that the ref hadn't called time.
Then the idiot did it again, and was spotted by security. Silly bugger. Once would've sufficed, twice, well, the joke/novelty had worn off.
On a brighter note, the ladies won their match 3-1 over Newcastle. The highlight of the game, for me, was from the American import Kendall Fletcher, who, in the 71st minute, curled a corner straight in to the top right hand corner of the goal. It was a magical strike, and one I will not be forgetting in a hurry!
Still, it was nice to catch up with an old uni chum, despite the scoreline in the main fixture. We had an early feed at a fish n chip shop on the way down to the match, then got good seats to watch the game in the shade. We had plenty to talk about before, during and after the game, and it was nice to actually attend a fixture with someone for a change.
Well, Sunday, a Blood Bowl tourney at the store. 12 people (at least) should be attending. I'll have to get things ready later on today.
And yes, still sucks about not getting the job, but I'm over it. Something better will come along.
Cheers!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Bugger
Not a good way to start the day. Received a phone call this morning in regards to the interview I had a couple of weeks ago. The job that I thought I had I didn't get, on the grounds that the firm hasn't got enough cash at the moment to hire me. (Three of us were interviewed, so I wasn't the only one rejected.) I am being considered though for January, when they'll be looking at hiring again.
Must say, that's the first time I have been knocked back for a job due to budgetry constraints. Should also say that that is the first time I have received such a detailed explanation (on the mobile I should add) as to why I didn't get the job.
Oh well. Xmas though will be a little quiet this year, and it also mean there won't be Can Con in January. Bummer.
Doesn't make me feel any better though. But by the time the football kicks off tonight at the stadium, I will have gotten over it. Have a friend coming up for the games, seeing its a double header with both the women's and men's teams playing. Haven't seen the women's team play live before. Looking forward to it, seeing both sides are in form, and the women's team have already qualified for the play-offs. A pity they couldn't have squeezed the youth league match in on the same day as well. The men's team though have been on a scoring spree, with nine goals in their last two matches and only one goal against. Hope it continues tonight.
Back to the cricket, then a shower during the lunch break seeing it's gotten quite warm again. At least it's not as bad as last Sunday...
Must say, that's the first time I have been knocked back for a job due to budgetry constraints. Should also say that that is the first time I have received such a detailed explanation (on the mobile I should add) as to why I didn't get the job.
Oh well. Xmas though will be a little quiet this year, and it also mean there won't be Can Con in January. Bummer.
Doesn't make me feel any better though. But by the time the football kicks off tonight at the stadium, I will have gotten over it. Have a friend coming up for the games, seeing its a double header with both the women's and men's teams playing. Haven't seen the women's team play live before. Looking forward to it, seeing both sides are in form, and the women's team have already qualified for the play-offs. A pity they couldn't have squeezed the youth league match in on the same day as well. The men's team though have been on a scoring spree, with nine goals in their last two matches and only one goal against. Hope it continues tonight.
Back to the cricket, then a shower during the lunch break seeing it's gotten quite warm again. At least it's not as bad as last Sunday...
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
RIP Edward Woodward
One by one, all these veteran actors from a previous era are shaking off this mortal coil. This time it was one that I remember fondly, putting him in the same class as Michael Caine, for they seemed so similar, so dignified in their delivery. At times one could easily get them confused.
Looking at the long list of credits, there is not much of his work that I have seen, not even the critically acclaimed The Wicker Man. I struggle to remember him from Callan, seeing its only the swinging light bulb that I can usually recall from that show.
However, having seen Breaker Morant half-a-dozen times, one cannot forget his outstanding performance in arguably Australia's finest contribution to world cinema. (I think I still have a 45 of him singing Soldiers of the Queen.) Then there was cameo in Hot Fuzz, and in the same year, the mini-series Five Days which I managed to catch on the ABC.
To me though, he will always be The Equalizer. The shadowy vigilante with the checkered past assisting the underdogs whilst struggling to maintain a relationship with his son. Some day, I will acquire the series on DVD.
I have to finish with the immortal words. "Shoot straight you bastards, don't make a mess of it!"
Looking at the long list of credits, there is not much of his work that I have seen, not even the critically acclaimed The Wicker Man. I struggle to remember him from Callan, seeing its only the swinging light bulb that I can usually recall from that show.
However, having seen Breaker Morant half-a-dozen times, one cannot forget his outstanding performance in arguably Australia's finest contribution to world cinema. (I think I still have a 45 of him singing Soldiers of the Queen.) Then there was cameo in Hot Fuzz, and in the same year, the mini-series Five Days which I managed to catch on the ABC.
To me though, he will always be The Equalizer. The shadowy vigilante with the checkered past assisting the underdogs whilst struggling to maintain a relationship with his son. Some day, I will acquire the series on DVD.
I have to finish with the immortal words. "Shoot straight you bastards, don't make a mess of it!"
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