Latest "Battle of the Bulge" Index information

LOTSA LITTLE THINGS FOR THE END OF THE MONTH
Sunday, 28 September 1997

Yeah I know, its been a few days since last I wrote - but I have been busy (well thats my excuse anyway). I have just completed a labour of love for my favourite singer - yes that's right folks, Monique Brumby now has an Un-official Fan Page. Check it out and let me know what you think. Of course there is still more work to do - but I've got the basics up and that should give those of you unfamiliar with her work a bit more of an insight. And on Friday I managed to get a copy of her first CD-single which is now deleted from the catalogue.

So what else has been happening here. Yesterday was weighin day at EasySlim, and yes, I can report progress - one less kilogram. I finally figured out how to get Excel to publish into HTML, so there is now a page showing my weightloss progress in graphical form (See Battle of the Bulge index link above). And to top off a successful meeting, I won an Easyslim coffee mug! - just for attending! (Ok, ok, so it's not that special - but, hey, how often do you win things?)

Kathryn continues to surprise me. The other day when I picked her up from school, she came out with a very big impressive word for someone of her age. She said to me "Daddy, I think I want to be a palaeontologist when I grow up." - It seems they have been studying dinosaurs in their class, and the fun of digging up bones in the sandpit obviously had some attraction for her.

I now have some time to catch up on my studies as there is a two week term break from lecturing. And, boy, do I need it!, I have three assignments due second week of October, and another three by the end of that month! Yikes, time just flies by, doesn't it.

THE LONLINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE 'NET SURFER
Tuesday, 23 September 1997

Remember when the "global village" slogan was all the rage? The 'Net was to be a major part of things - making the world a "smaller" place. It is certainly true that the 'net has helped me meet many new friends that I would otherwise have not even known existed!
But lately I've come to feel another side of the 'net - a somewhat frustrating side. To me, the great irony of the 'net is that it makes me feel just how isolated I am - both physically, and sometimes emotionally. Kalgoorlie is out in the middle of the Western Australian rangelands. The closest city of any size is Perth - about 600km away. Perth, itself, is regarded as the most isolated city in the world.
I envy those that can just pop over to the next city to meet some friends that they've been chatting. I can't do that. Not without spending a lot of money to get there. I'm a very "physical" person - I like to actually be with friends. Don't misunderstand me, I have many friends here in Kalgoorlie, and in Perth, that I spend very enjoyable times with. But the 'net has kinda awakened a restlessness in me. Sometimes I feel so isolated and lonely, and I want to meet all my new friends - and maybe someday I will. But in the meantime..... This feeling was particularly heightened when I heard one friend was jetting off to Europe for a month!
I've got to know quite a few people through the 'net. To you all, I say "Thanks for being there - and maybe one day, I'll be there too."

For those following the battle of the bulge - the latest weighin had me down half a kilo! And the morning walk is getting better - todays effort was 29 minutes.

Great news from the ARIA awards last night - both my favourite musicians won awards - Paul Kelly was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame (and won Best Male Artist), and Monique Brumby won Best Female Artist!

THE WALK-OUT
Friday, 19 September 1997

There is something other than the inspiration for writing this journal that I have my dear friend Amelia to thank for. After reading her journal entry about her participation in a charity run with 17,999 others, I realised how unfit I really am. And if I am going to loose those last 4kg, I really must do more exercise.
Now, I'm no energetic type, and putting aside time to do it properly is one of the hardest things for me. However, this morning I decided it was time to stop the procrastination (ever notice how this is really quite a universal trait), and I actually got up an hour earlier (well, it is light here at 6:30am, and now that the weather is getting warmer, it's not so hard to get out of bed).
There I was, with my "trackkies" and running shoes on, power walking 'round the railway bridge circuit - from our house and back its about 3km, not too far for a first jaunt. I can extend it if I want. Todays time was a tick under half an hour, so I wasn't pushing it too much, and I have something to improve on.
So, thank you Amelia, not only can everyone blame you for inspiring me to write, but now they can blame you for getting me out walking! =8^P

"SICKIES"
Wednesday, 17 September 1997

Yesterday morning Kathryn didn't want to go to school - she said she wasn't feeling well (although to look at her you'd have never know it). Anyway, we kind of beleived her, and were prepared to let her have her "sickie". We were probably swayed by an incident the previous night when she was at her freind Kaitlyn's house - she had woken up in apparent pain.
Well, as we had work commitments, Leonie took her with her to work in the morning, and I was to have her in the afternoon. Lunchtime came, and she seemed fine. We were joking about her having her first "sickie" from school. As we walked to my work, she sat on my shoulders reaching up to tap the under-awning signs as we walked down the footpath, and seemed chirpy enough.
But after a while at work, she complained of feeling cold, yet was quite flushed! I took her home, (along with some marking work to do - *conscientious*, aren't I) and put her to bed. The poor darling slept for the rest of the afternoon, and on into the evening. I felt somewhat guilty for disbelieving her claims of illness, but I'm glad she's OK.

THUNDERSTORM
Tuesday, 16 September 1997

The weekends just seem to disappear. After a fairly *vegetative* Friday night, Saturday came all too soon. How did the weigh-in go? Unfortunately, I can't report much success - I stayed the same! I still have 4kg to go. Oh well, at least I didn't put on this week.
There was more carpark duty as the Kalgoorlie Race Round came to an end with the Big Event in the afternoon - local business were happy, every hotel was booked out, it was impossible to get a restaraunt on Saturday night, all the pubs were full, and the local taxi company was working flat out moving everyone around. (The streets, and quite a few people, were a mess come Sunday morning). I stayed home and had a quiet evening - even tried to get some study done.

Last night we had the first big thunderstorm in a while. For about an hour before, we could see the lighting flashing across the sky. The air was so still! Just this constant flashing in the sky, and then the rolling thunder getting louder as the storm came closer. Finally the down pour - breif, but heavy. Then all was clear again.
Kalgoorlie has very poor drainage. Most storm water is carried away in too few open spoon drains which cross at street intersections with big dips in the road. When it rains, they are usually 20-30 cm deep in water. As you drive along there is a regular "whoosh" of spray as you drive through the dips. Quite often the water just sits for hours in the drains when it's dry (until its either "whooshed" out completely, or evaporates). Kalgoorlie is either completely dusty (it is a mining town afterall - and out in a semi-desert to boot), or awash with mud when it rains!

I'm finally getting to get some of my much treasured stamp collection onto these pages. Have a look.

TGIF!
Friday, 12 September 1997

Friday at last! What's more...its Friday afternoon - late Friday afternoon. The end of the week, for me at least, always seems to be the hardest. This is because my teaching schedule this semester is all skewed to the end of the week.
My week goes something like this: Monday, no classes, but a weekend of email to catchup on, and classes to prepare for the coming week (and maybe marking to do); Tuesday (ditto); Wednesday daytime (ditto), Graphics class in the evening (if I'm lucky and we finish on time, I won't get caught up chatting (on-line) or surfing and I'll be home by 11pm); Thursday morning class Introductory Systems Analysis, evening class Advanced Systems Analysis, ditto about getting home; Friday morning Animation class; Friday afternoon, I'm the student in my Grad Dip course.
And then I have to duck out each afternoon to collect Kathryn from school - but it is nice to spend some time with her - we always go to the staff room here at work for milk and biscuits (for Kathryn that is, I'm trying to loose weight!).
This week seemed particularly hard because I also had to prepare another micro-teaching presentation for the course. I must confess that I procrastinate too much sometimes and, unfortunately, these things often get left to Thursday night! *Slacker*, aren't I? Oh well, they usually end up better than I thought they were. And the bonus today was that I could show them all my web site - managed to work it in real well. The hard bit is yet to come, though. See, as I'm giving the lecture, its being videotaped, and now I have to sit down and cringe at myself and do a critical analysis of my teaching style. Some things really are hard to do.
But, hey, its the weekend now, time to relax a bit. After all, like the rat on the treadmill, I gotta do it all again next week.

STAR PUPILS and PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS
Tuesday, 9 September 1997

Monday morning was the ususal rush to get out (but it's so hard to get out of bed - its warm, and theres somebody else thats warm to snuggle up to). Perhaps we really should get up before 7:30 each morning. Anyway, this last Monday was typical. As usual we just made it to Kathryn's school as her class was preparing to march off to the weekly school assembly (oh no, nearly late again - and we still have to order Kathryns lunch from the canteen!). Miss Williams, her teacher, asked us if we could stay for the assembley, because....
Kathryn was chosen as a "Star Pupil" for the week and would be receiving an award. So we sat on the side while the kids filed in, each class group at a time. Kathryn was unaware that she would receive the award, but when the Headmistress called out her name, she shot up with a flash, somewhat surprised, but, up she went to the front to accept her award. She was so proud, but just looked and looked at the award in her hand, with a big grin on her face. Her award was for "being a polite and hard working class member". Thats one to file away in her fast developing resume folder.

Tonight was also the first Annual General Meeting of our little stamp club. At the inception of our august body, I got saddled with the Presidents job (since I had been an instigating force in its formation). Back then we only had three members! Everyone was an executive committee member. Now a year on, with ten members, the moment of truth as to my Presidency was at hand. Would I win a second term? As is the usual case with such clubs, the elections are a mere formality - no actual vote being necessary. A meeting in the carpark before the real meeting got underway had successfully divi'd up the available positions to those unfortunate enough to be standing around. Needless to say I was retained as President. The dynasty continues!

And lastly a follow up on a previous story: In the early hours of Monday morning, a mouse was detained in the bedroom in connection with an alledged grievously noisy nibbling incident (see story below). The mouse was taken in on suspicion of loitering with intent to nibble, and interogated. Unfortunately the mouse did not survive the interogation, and quiet nights are now assured.

FATHER, DEAR FATHER and THE MOUSE THAT NIBBLED
Sunday, 7 September 1997

Fathers Day! A time when fathers spend time with their families, right? Well, so it was. Leonie booked us into a fashionable cafe for Fathers Day Breakfast.... at 8am! Hey what happened to the leisurely sleep in! And the quiet day lazing around doing nothing in particular? But it was a nice breakfast (and no I haven't forgotten the vow of fasting I made yesterday - it's just that I am very partial to a good cooked breakfast, especially if someone else is doing the cooking).
Kathryn went to a special effort at school and made me some biscuits on a plate made of popsicle sticks. And the hand drawn card (complete with writing interpretation by the class teacher). It's times like this, that I am glad to be a father.
Then Leonie wanted some help with a study project she is working on, so it was off to work to do some Internet searching - all of which was very fruitful for her - but my study schedule is way behind. That's another thing I have to get under control. Anyone have any bright ideas for getting motivated to read a subject that, by definition, is so boring that it cures insomnia as soon as the title is mentioned? Unfortunately, its one of the modules I have to do.

We've got a mouse in the bedroom. And, no, its not me! I was woken about 3am last night by the rather loud sound of nibbling and "crisp packet rustling". A mouse! But where was it? I woke Leonie up (bad move on my part, as it didn't get her off the bed which I suspected I would have to move to find the culprit.)
After turning on the bedside light and searching blearey-eyed around for some time, I spied the source of the distrubance. Now I should tell you that Leonie is fond of Bar-B-Que flavoured crisps and often can be found propped up in bed before sleep munching and reading or watching TV. Apparently she had left the remnants of one pre-slumber snack beside the bed. Our rodent friend was quite happily finishing off the snack when we disturbed him. As quick as lightning he was gone along the wall and behind the bedside table, and into his get-away-hole in the wall.
And I still didn't get Leonie off the bed!

THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE and A DAY AT THE RACES
Saturday, 6 September 1997

Today was "Weigh In" Day, and believe me, it wasn't "correct weight". For those that don't know, I have been waging a battle with my weight since April with EasySlim. When I started I was a hefty 102.5kg (for the metrically-challenged, thats about 225lb). Today when I weighed in, I had added 1.5kg on last weeks effort and am now 89kg (195lb). I did not feel too good as I sat with the group listening to Elizabeth's little lecture on "consistent weight loss".
So this week it's "get serious" week. No cakes at moring tea, or nibblies outside proper meal times, or bottles of wine with dear friends (as Elizabeth says - "Seconds on the lips, months on the hips"). Oh well, I deserve it. If I'm gonna reach target weight (85kg) then I'm gonna have to work a bit harder. And exercise more!

Today was also the start of the annual "Kalgoorlie Race Round" - the horsey season, you know, Spring Racing Carnival, lots of ladies with brightly coloured hats, the local gentry pissed out of their brains on champagne, etc. Not that I've partaken of any of that (especially not after missing "correct wieght" this morning). No, my involvement was with the cadet corps (Air Training Corps cadets). We spent the late morning, early afternoon at the races (well, in the carpark at the races, anyway). This being one of the major fundraising events for us to ensure the carpark at the race track is nice and orderly, neat and secure for the patrons.
It was really all rather non-eventful, except the few blockheads who insist on parking their car right were others need to go to get out, or complain about being directed to one end of the carpark furthest from the track entry gate. Still, I suppose even these people make life interesting.

FIRST EDITION
Thursday, 4 September 1997

Well here it is. My very first journal entry. I've made considerable progress as a very earnest "netizen" in the last few days.
Yesterday my page finally made it into Web-land (Thanks to GeoCities - a little sucking up doesn't hurt).
Today I start my journal. Before I get too carried away I want to thank my dear friend Amelia for the inspiration for these jottings.
I only recently discovered her fine effort and spent the best part of two days going through her site in detail - no mean feat as she has two years worth of journal entries. I lived those two years with her in hyper-time, but ended up feeling as though I'd known her for a lifetime. Go check it out and you'll know what I mean.
So thankyou, Amelia, without you I wouldn't be doing this.

So what am I going to write? I guess time will tell. I can't promise to write something everyday (that would make it rather boring), but I hope that I have something to contribute that will tell you a bit about me and my world (now greatly expanded due to this Internetty thing).
Perhaps I shouldn't ramble on too much for this first entry, but just relax and let it flow in the (hopefully) many days to come.

Come back and visit sometime soon to see how I'm going.
Before I go I must also thank one of my students, Jason, for the inspiration for the bannerhead.