Cherry Picking your Boss

Lunchtime

Yesterday I spent a pleasant lunchtime sitting by the wharf watching from afar a self-propelled cherry-picker being repeatedly driven into a metal pole - as well as the expressions on the faces of the people trying to eat lunch on the balcony supported said pole! The two workmen seemed somewhat confuzzled as to how they'd got themselves stuck, especially as they couldn't get off of the cherry-picker to find out until they'd rounded the corner they were trapped in :P

Contact Kerfuffles

The other day, my boss gave me his business card so I could get his phone number and email. I took the details down, left it on my desk and promptly forgot about it. Boss walks by, sees it and decides to tease me ; "Greg, don't you want my business card?".

I pick up my book, open it up and say "Thank you, but I've already got one", waving the dog-eared LittleWok Japanese restaurant business card that lived within to hold the page. Boss looked hurt and took his card back! :P

Rate My Spider

Can you match this spider that I found yesterday against the chart? http://www.termitecontrol.com.au/spider-identification-chart.html

Update (31st Oct 07): It has been brought to my attention that the spider presented above only has seven legs. I have carefully reviewed the photo and can confirm this to be the case. Either it is missing one, or is merely hiding it. Do not let this arachnid subtraction dissuade you from the fact that it is a real, official Australian Spider.

Cooking

Tonight's menu was spaghetti bolognese with rice*, followed by goats' yogurt and honey. Tomorrow for breakfast there will be cereal and crumpets with honey.
*Made oh-so-much of it! error in quantites :/

The Industry

Australian TV amazes me. Adverts cut into programmes, and programmes have adverts within them. If you know much about EU advertising rules, the following four examples may make you glad you live in the EU:

1. Breaching the Programme/Advert divide: The other morning, a news presenter said "...and check out this poor guy:" and then showed what started off to be what looked like a comedy sketch. It ended with the chap discovering a cruise line company and smiling away. Afterwards, the news presenter said jokingly 'ahhh and it was only an advert', then carried on reading the news!
2. Untimely Promotion: Channel-skipping onto a cartoon called 'Polly Pocket' (a vaguely famous brand of doll): Whether this programme would make it onto EU airwaves is questionable enough, but to have adverts inbetween it for Polly Pocket merchandise is surely rather dubious. Certainly in the EU, adverts must not include the work of actors who are in the programmes that wrap around them.
3. Subliminal messages: Watching the 'Aria' pop music awards this evening, the short stings between each potential pop act winner had strong flashes of KFC (the sponsor), which lingered in my mind for some time.
4. Advertorials: Watching a breakfast show, the presenter turns to her co-host and says 'Now lets go to Sheryl, who will tell us how to make our lives easier in the garden'. Were you expecting a few minutes of handy gardening hints? I was. I wasn't expecting a five minute QVC style piece to camera about how great a certain lawnmower was. Afterwards, the breakfast show continued as normal.

Thankfully, I have been introduced to 'The Chaser', which is a bit like that Dom Jolly show, but considerably more political and quite quite funny.

Lapus Toppus

Now that I've moved into a flatshare, I can now think about settling in properly. As such, I invested in a Toshiba laptop and am now internettled properly. The internet is so slow in Australia; and even more so if the information you want isn't in a domestic cache... In the UK, few people care which mirror you use to download software; here, you have to choose wisely. Australia is obviously preferable, but Japan seems a good second best. Surprisingly, the US is rather slow... which is a pain, as Google don't seem to have a domestic cache here... which makes maps.google.com and even google.com.au painfully slow.

Anyway, I could waffle on about the questionable state of Aussie internet all day... the good news is that I received free cinema tickets, so I'm gonna go see something at some point this week :) All suggestions welcome :D

Drunken Flies

Beer
Friday was one of the chaps from work's leaving do. We went to a nearby pub and began drinking... Oh my goodness can Aussies drink. I think it's because of the little glasses of beer they have, combined with the weather. That and I'd only had two sandwiches all day beforehand! Thankfully one of the friendly techies and his missus drove me home, as it was on their way. I definitely owe them a drink!

Flies
Let me take the opportunity to put the record straight. Yes, there are a few more flies in Sydney than in the UK, but their numbers aren't so bad. The trouble with them is that unlike British flies, these little buggers are persistent. If you swat them, they just duck and skew, then come right back. Even when it's windy, they seem to just hang around your face.

The solution seems to be: If they're just sitting on your clothes, let them be, as they'll just fly up and annoy you; only swat if they're directly annoying you. :)

From the heavens, the rain fell

I've now moved out of WakeUp! and into my flatshare in Wollstonecraft, a mile or so inland of the north shore of Sydney. I've been shown the shops and after two nights, am slowly settling in.

The weather is as damp as a duck without its raincoat, but my commute is mostly undercover (a 40minute trip in from Wollstonecraft to Pyrmont). Yesterday my boss, project manager and I (in fact that's the whole team) went for a coffee in a cafe along the road. My boss decreed that I was weird ;/ I gave him a hurt look :P

I read with worry about the job losses and sale of TVC back at the Beeb. Concerning times :/

Now I just need to think about what to cook for dinner! :)

House found!

I think I've found somewhere to stay! (yes, yes, I've said this before :D) It's in Wollstonecraft, just over the Harbour Bridge (15 mins by train to Town Hall station where the Pyrmont express bus leaves). There are two women there, the room is a nice size and the apartment is clean. I've met the owner, who seems pleasantly friendly, albeit very focused on her numerous jobs :)

Tomorrow I shall hopefully meet the other flatmate and sort out the official arrangements.

[phonetic]I've stull gut un awfud cowd.[/phonetic] The sniffles just won't shift. Paracetemol will hopefully come to the rescue, as Aussie Vicks sniffy sticks are considerably stronger than their UK counterparts, leaving my nose on fire! Not gunna stick that up meh nose again!

More Photos, More Houses

G'day!

Photos are being uploaded to flickr even as I type.

(Edit: Here's the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/floongle/sets/72157602543875554/ )

Photos include Parramatta and some examples of what I see along the way when I saunter into work. Andrew, I'm sorry, I've not had a chance to take a photo of me performing wheelies/grinds on my scooter :P

Today has been a lazy day of the highest proportions. This'arvo - er, I mean this afternoon - I'm off to see a flatshare in North Sydney. This morning I've tried to find an open Post Office and bank (all closed) then had my hair cut and bought paracetemol to shift this bleh cold.

The internet must be going uphill today, as the photos are still taking a while to get to flickr... in the meantime, here's the shortest video in the world...

Greg's Book Review #1

An occasional series detailing the findings of Greg in the advancement of paper-based distractions.

Neverwhere (by Neil Gaiman) ˜˜˜˜˜
From the cover and blurb on the back, this is a potential winner. Chosen from Dymock's bookshop because the author co-wrote 'Good Omens' with Terry Pratchett, and said book was a pulp-rendered-masterpiece of stupendous proportions, I had high hopes for Neverwhere.

Set in a "London Below London", poorly described stereotypical Victoriana characters go on an unexplained quest after a young girl's family (known for being able to open portals and doors to anywhere) have been killed. The girl - unoriginally named 'Door' - meets a weedy character from the real London who has accidentally 'fallen through the cracks in society' and continues her quest.

Frankly, some of the collective literature I've had the pleasure to co-write with my friends has more excitement and depth. Clearly Gaiman had a word-count to reach and little time to do it. You could see in his writing the way he progressively added to the story rather than planning it out - a simple progression, where the reader only found out what was coming next just before it did. Even the torture scenes lacked Gaiman's usual dark horror (read his Fragile Things to see him do horror properly). They were almost laugh-out-loudly badly written - how could you be scared of something so dire?

In summary: Bleh.

Regular! / Change of plans

Regularness leads to happiness
I'm now a regular at the WakeUp! breakfast cafe :D Sauntered down there at 9ish this morning to see a long queue. Patiently waiting for my breakfast, I stood wondering what to do today. Before I knew it, the pair behind the counter had seen me, got my (usual) breakfast of fruit salad, banana bread and cwoffee (black as my heart) ready for me! I felt special. :) :P

Δ of Plans
After serious thoughts, ponderings and considerations, I'm gonna keep looking for a proper flatshare. the SWtE places were fine, but having a bit of personal space is officially 4tW :)

Today's a quiet day with laundry and general mooching. I hope England win the Rugby, as it will mean less teasing by the Aussies, but I don't think we stand a chance! :(

Interim accomodation success!

Huzzar! I think I've found somewhere to stay in the short term :) Bex recommended sleepingwiththeenemy.com. (thank you, Bex! :D) They called me today and I saw the houses they had on offer. Not the greatest, but reasonably clean, and hopefully quiet... and definitely cheaper than WakeUp! :)

I hope to move in on Friday/Saturday, after which I'll upload some photos. There's free internettles there, but I don't know if my Nintendo DS will be able to connect to it for web browsing etc... Maybe it's time to buy a laptop. Any recommendations?

Greg's cultural faux pas #1

Well, it was bound to happen. I'm pleased it took over three weeks before it did. It turns out that the British pronunciation of 'Router' (as in broadband modem), where the 'ou' is pronounced as if saying 'oooo!' is dangerously close to the Australian slang 'root', which means, well, I'm sure you can guess. :P Thankfully at work they are forgiving and patient with my odd British ways, so I got away with it... this time :)

I have kept quiet when they refer to engineers as "Ginger Beers", but I chuckle every time!

Flatshares

*** Wanted ***
* Home required for slightly bewildered software developer.
* Will MHEG for food.
* Can converse with other people, animals and objects on demand!
* Answers to many names, but will respond favourably to "Greg".
* Requires frequent watering with tea.
* House-trained (for the most part), but can tidy up after himself if needs be.
* Will not eat your cheese (may consume berry-based beers).

Can you help house a poor Interactive TV software developer? Fresh from the fields of the BBC, he requires careful nurturing, the occasional cuddle but mostly tea. And maybe internet access.

Now I know how Tim from Spaced (Channel 4, 1999) felt. But I don't even have the big alien bear costume :/

Late night laundry

It was 11pm. I was in the WakeUp laundry room, er, doing my laundry. In walked a girl wanting to do the same. Got chatting, as you can only do at 11pm; she told me she was from Stoke on Trent and worked for the Conservative party. Then followed a somewhat full and frank 1hr discussion on the state of politics in the UK, Private Eye and what MPs get up to when not in the commons. Interesting enough, but at midnight when our drying had finished, I was wide awake thinking politics and unable to sleep :/ Confuzzlement!

Goths, Parramatta and Rugby

I discovered a rather large Goth Shoppe yesterday. I commend all Goths in Australasia for a) coping with the heat; and b) keeping such pale completions. I've been slapping on high-factor sun cream and cower indoors... and I'm still turning a pleasant honey colour*.

Thank goodness we won the Rugby again; the Aussies were rather hoping we had lost (photographic proof to follow later).

Took the ferry to Parramatta (as far downstream from Sydney as the ferries/seacats go). I only went along for the ride, so didn't stay there long (about an hour) before heading back. I saw the Olympic village in the distance and generally took in the sights of the 50min trip each way :) It seemed a rather sleepy town, but I did notice a Wagamammas, so it must be a good place to be :)

Yesterday I was filled with grumble at a (possible SA) chap who tried to get my attention in a restaurant by shouting "Oi! Pom! Pom!" Thankfully I was deep in a newspaper, so didn't realise he was talking to me until he gave up... Had I realised, I'd have been less than friendly... I don't mind being called such things - the chaps at work and occasionally at the hostel use the term, and I quite like it - it was the arrogance in the way he jeered it at me that filled me with grrr. :/

No word from the flatshare chap. I shall start looking for another property (as I probably should have been doing anyway).

* Unfortunately my hair is tending to blond, thus resulting in a somewhat contrasting look :P

Lazy Moths

Today has been a lazy day, which is both good and bad. Good in that there was nothing that needed doing, bad that I probably could have been doing something interesting.

It's times like these when I cast my mind back; back to a week ago, when I first found the Broadway shopping centre. My first view was in the food court, where a group of people were busy signing away. Presuming that they were locals rather than British tourists, Auslan does seem to have close ties with BSL. Obviously not wanting to be rude and listen in to their conversation (plus the fact that my signing is pants), I could only catch the occasional snippets, but the general "shape" of the signing seemed familiar. Maybe I'll try to say hello next week :)

In other news, the moths seem to be departing. Did I mention the moths? Sydney has had a plague of them for the past two weeks. Hundreds of the buggers, most of which are dazed, fattened and confused, keen to fall asleep on your nice warm skin, or maybe on the side of your Ute. But now the numbers are dwindling.

The potential landlord of the flatshare has postponed meeting the other tenant until tomorrow (Sunday). I suspect he's having second thoughts after I asked for an addition to the contract to allow me to give one month's notice after two months there, rather than having to adhere to the full term. So I've extended my stay at WakeUp... again :/

The chatty ex-dorm'er took the train to a farm somewhere today, allowing him to stay an extra year on his Working Holiday Visa (The Aussy government have trouble finding farm labour, so they give incentives such as an extra year's stay for working X-many-weeks on a farm.) Australia's nice, but with all the creepy-crawlies and things that will eat/kill/sting/bite/snuffle you in wilds, it's a big price to pay!

Now, it is time to go to the bar and have something to eat. Another lazy day tomorrow; hopefully will find something useful to do.

Photos Uploaded!

The first batch of photos can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/floongle/sets/72157602377366230/

:)

Beaches, Banks and Bananas

Yesterday (Thursday) I had my first proper lay-in since I've been here. 10:30am was a welcome surprise :) I did some banking (NAB sent my ATM card to the wrong address :/) and then mooched around.

Then went on the ferry to Shelly Cove, near Manly beach, where I had a late-afternoon sunbathe and a swim in the sea; I even did a bit of tentative* snorkeling. I was hoping to see some fish; I saw one fish. It was grey. It had the look of a North Sea Cod about it :/ Maybe I chose the wrong time of day :) Sitting on the beach in the late-afternoon reading my book, I only realised how late it was when I wondered why I couldn't read my book in the darkness!

The day before, I visited a share-accommodation apartment which seemed quite nice. I hope to meet the other sharer on Saturday. Based on that, I shall make my decision :)

In other news, I've been watching the level of stuffed toys in the grab-machine at the arcade that I pass by some days. As soon as they refill it, the stuffed penguin shall be mine! :D

In other other news, my half-day on Wednesday went well; lots of Java to read and understand. TiVo uses a suite of widgets called "Bananas". Trying to explain that I wanted to use bananas to my boss led to some confusion; Like the USA, but thankfully slightly less so, we are divided by a common language! :D Discovered that I am an "Australian Resident for Tax Porpoises" which is grand :)

* To get to Shelly Cove, you have to walk past Manly beach. As I wandered past, the lifeguard PA system was telling people to get out of the sea as Blue Jellyfish were coming into shore. The lifeguards at Shelly Cove (1/2 a mile along the coastline) weren't saying the same thing, but I was still somewhat paranoid!

Crazy birds, Taxing Times and Half Days

I have finally worked out how to describe the noise that the odd black birds (not blackbirds in the British sense, but larger and more crow-like) make. It's an odd sound, but one that was strangely familiar: They sound like a cat mumbling and grumbling at a bird or squirrel through a window*, but much much louder :)

Second day of work seemed to go ok. I feasted on Goats cheese and meat sandwiches, made by my own hand. I hope to live to tell the tale :) Spoke to the Australian Tax Office, who were kind enough to give me my Tax File Number ("TFN" for those in the know) over the phone.

Thankfully my dev PC hasn't arrived, and I can't develop code on the company's desktop, so I'm only working a half-day tomorrow :) W00t!

Lots of luv,


Greg

*If you've never heard a cat do this, I'm afraid I can't help describe it :)

The first full day

Evenorning all :)

Yesterday I requested a move to a single room in the hostel... not having any time for quiet contemplation was stressing me out somewhat :P Clearly being an only child shows through :D Tonight shall be the first night of calm and quiet for a week. I feel rather rubbish that I only managed a week of shared dormness :/

Today was my first full day at work. The morning was mostly meetings, but the afternoon was spent coding! (Yay!) The first meeting was about what I was expected to be doing... turns out that it's most of the techy work: coding, architecture, specs etc. Should be good; was getting a bit stressed about it on Sunday, but after completing the first day, I feel somewhat better. It'll be tough, but challenging and I'm warming up to everyone there :/ :) I even have my own pass with a cheesy-smiling me staring back at me!

I went to the big shopping centre of Glebe to buy goat's cheese, sandwich fillings etc. I gave in and had to buy the mini scooter thing. (Photo to follow, once I've uploaded the others :D )

Yawn! Time for bed :)

The Other Way / Watson Bay / No Escape / Later

I walked The Other Way down George Street today and discovered a pleasantly large shopping centre where I spent the hottest hours of the afternoon enjoying the air conditioning :)

Came rather close to buying a teeny push-scooter (one of the non-powered metalic skateboardesque-things-with-handlebars); the 45minute walk to work in the toasty heat is tough going, and a push-scooter would let me sail down the hills! :)

Visited Watson Bay and Gap Bluff, which is an ex-military cliff top outlook onto the Pacific which has been designated an Australian National Park. Very windy today up there. Traveled there by Sydney Ferries' SuperCat which was officially Woosh! Took the bus back just in time before it started to rain :D

The dorm is now down to three people. The French girl will be leaving tomorrow, so unless someone turns up, it'll be down to two. The other chap is friendly enough, but doesn't stop talking. Hence I'm hiding in this web cafe. Once I've posted this, I'll be pretending to use the computer whilst actually reading my book. When I say to the chap in the dorm "I'm now going to read my book" he just keeps on talking! That, combined with the explicit stories of Thailand he tells everyone he meets (including all girls he meets!) results in much embarrassment... and I didn't think I could get embarrassed easily :/ - there are just some things you don't tell strangers! :0

I asked the reception girl if I could "Upgrade" to a single dorm... she said it was possible, so this may become an option. It's a shame, because he's friendly enough; he just doesn't stop!

Sent some emails to sort out a flat share. Nothing back yet!

Tomorrow shall be spent mooching, lazing and schnuffling around Sydney. I still need to book some things to do later in the week, but as I don't know which days I'm working, it's tricky.
I'm still worried that they want me to work five days a week and late into the night :/

The Induction

Today was my warmup day at work (10am-4pm). They seem a decent bunch of people and I suspect once I get to know them will be a good laugh. The office is very smart and apparently I can kayak to work if I chose :P ... oh my goodness are they focused on the business! Changing from the public sector to the private one is going to be tough, but better sooner than later... I think! :/ I believe that I can do the work - it'll be challenging, but that's something I've needed for a long time; my only concern is that I will be asked to work full-time rather than the few days a week that was agreed.

I'm continuing to look for a flatshare, but am dare-I-say-it growing fond of the group in the dorm... even the snoring is less noticeable. Thankfully I've been so knackered that I fall (and stay) asleep quickly; which is handy when you find out from the other three that they were kept up all night by a couple in the dorm next door having rampant hows'yerfather! :P

My goodness I need a drink tonight. Yesterday was a Frequent Noodle, as I decided to spoil myself before starting work today. The day before was chicken satay in the WakeUp bar - I came back late from using t'internet and had agreed to go for a drink with the guys from the dorm. When I arrived in the bar, the only one I could see was busy chatting up a girl, so to avoid acting the gooseberry, I left them to it, had dinner and wandered back to read meh book. Tonight's menu will probably be something from the WakeUp bar again :)

Day of calm

Aftermorning all! (Warning: Dull Post Alert!)

Today (so far) has been a day of madness, preparing for tomorrow's big first day. Had to buy a long sleeved shirt. Chose a blue one... hopefully they won't be too offended by it.

Finally found a shop that sells imported copies of Private Eye, and bought a little FM/AM radio (the whirring of the windup one I took annoys the other people in the dorm :/)

Had a chat with one of the other people in the dorm, but everyone else in the hostel seems to be German, Spanish or Italian, so communication is difficult. Yesterday's foot (Satay Beef) from the hostel bar was 4tw! vereh filling. I suspect today will be a FrequentNoodle night! :)

This afternoon will hopefully be spent at the Botanic gardens, reading meh book :)

My ears!

Oh my goodness! The Snoring! ALL NIGHT! ARRRRRGGGG! (That and I had to be up early for an informal chat with prospective employers today! Apart from that, WakeUp and the people in my room seem a nice bunch. Still, I think I need to find a flatshare with my own room and bathroom... pronto!

The meet up seemed to go well... I don't think I offended them too much! :P The fun is due to start on Friday :) Picnic Stations! :0

It's 32degrees C here; apparently hot for this time of year. Dressed smartly, I am filled with toastiness!

Hello Hostel, Goodbye Hotel

Today I have checked out of the Hotel and into the Hostel... Seems nice. Details to follow once I've settled in. :)

Oh, and I am now an official Frequent Noodler (http://www.frequentnoodler.com.au/index.php) No Giggling at the back, Mr Rashpal! :P

Apol4Length! :P (More later :D)