Weight Loss Challenge

Our sport department has challenged the floor to a weight loss challenge. Like The Biggest Loser (another Reality TV show I’ve been known to watch) it will be based on percentage weight loss.

The weigh-in is 16 weeks away and half the prize pool will go to our favourite charity.

Yes, of course I’m in. If the portion control doesn’t work I’ll just give up drinking. Bring it on! :)

The lamps are doing my head in

I’m now half-way through the second series of The West Wing… and what do I notice, beside fine acting, a brilliant script and so on and so forth…

Lamps.

They are everywhere. And it’s Crazybrave’s fault.

I work with snobs*

I’m taking a stand at work.  I may be standing out there on my own but I am admitting to the world at large that I do watch Big Brother.  I even enjoy it.

Today we had a big reality tv bashing session and we had a lot of people look down their noses and agree that it was all very awful and why on earth would anyone watch it… this attitude obviously appeals to the over 55s. But even my younger hipper colleagues refuse to talk about it unless they have to.

Last week, there was an interesting question raised.  Should BB have told Emma that her father had died?  Even the BBC rang us up to find out what the talkback response had been and I had to tell them that no-one here wanted to talk about it.

It’s an interesting dilemma.  Would you want to know?  Would you defy the father’s wishes who said not to tell her?  How are they going to handle the news when she comes out?  Already the producers have to be careful that a message doesn’t accidentally get to her by way of an audience sign or something.

According to her brother - she did know he might not survive her time in the house.  The info was leaked - the father didn’t want his death to impact on her time one way or the other.

And it will be interesting to see how this news will impact on her chances - whether the audience will keep her in there in sympathy or vote her out to see her reaction.  Her boyfriend said she was not expecting her father to die so suddenly and an insider says she asked not to be told if he did.

I think if that’s true, to tell her in the house would just be gratuitous.  I’d be interested to watch it but she is a real person after all and not an actor.  Most of the housemates say they enter the house as a right of passage, she’s doing so well at the moment - yes I think she might even win it - it would be a shame for her to leave early.

And it’s too late now to tell her anyway.  The family is waiting to bury the ashes with her when she gets out.  She will know how her father felt about telling her which should asuage the guilt.  The grieving will suck, but it would suck anyway.
What do you think

*They are generally very nice but I must say quite disparaging about those who choose to watch reality tv. :)

I’m baaaack

It was the permalinks.  Which will mean nothing to you unless you are a fellow wordpresser. Of course this had been mentioned to me but I didn’t want to use the default permalinks. So somehow I think, the .htaccess file got overwritten.

So we are back. Happy happy happy. :)

Grumpy Old Woman

That’s me. I’ve had the database fixed and this site is still stuffed, although I can still see all the posts in the back end. So I’m grumpy.

Last night I went to see Grumpy Old Women at the Burswood. I’m thinking I’m still too young. For one thing I was confused by their demographic. They talk about being 48 (which Jenny Eclair actually is… the others are 50 and 55), they act about 70, in fact even my closer to 80 mother-in-law acts younger than they did onstage.

I know you need to exaggerate for onstage shows but it was annoying. Maybe I don’t want to think my future will be that grumpy!

The best line? Strokes are the new Botox. :)

Gobsmacked

I’m sitting here stunned.

My entire website seems to have disappeared overnight. Apart from this index page.

Last night I changed my template because my old one seemed to be getting slower by the day. When I logged off last night everything was working. Today. Nothing.

Has this happened to anyone before?

Update: I think it might be a problem with my hosting company - iPowerweb - they also seem to be having problems. My fingers and toes are crossed that it all hasn’t been lost forever. :(

Update2: And now I think my database is corrupted. Double Unhappiness!

Update3: Thought for a while my configuration was at fault but no - almost lost the lot - but luckily Moshu saved me. I love Moshu.

Update4: Going to bed and hoping my server has a look at the DB overnight. Fingers crossed!

Free Sample Saturday

One of my favourite food shops in Perth is The Boatshed in Cottesloe.

It is offensively expensive but it makes you feel good just looking at all the lovely food and they ALWAYS open up a new aisle if there is more than one person waiting.

I’m not that keen on the butchers and bakery sections but the main hall - fantastic.

The best day to go is Saturday, mid-morning. I call it Free Sample Saturday.

Last Saturday I was given a full cup of black coffee - creamy and lovely just as I like it - and the beans apparently come from sustainable farms. Whatever.

Then wandered inside, had a slice of pineapple, a couple of scoops of my favourite tomato salsa - it’s so good - with a couple of Surf Chips, wandered over to the deli counter and tried some veal sausages - very nice - and then a sample of cheese. Yummy yum yum. And then I confess to a tasting of that yummy almond and honey slice.

Sure I spent $70 on a few green apples and a pint of milk. But it was worth it. :)

How to make money from the internet

I’ve just discovered my son plays Runescape in order to get characters up to a certain level (about 30+) and then sells them off to other kids at school - I think the going rate is $5. He doesn’t actually like the game himself.

I’m not sure whether to be pleased that he’s being enterprising or annoyed that he’s wasting his time playing games on the internet. (I wonder where he gets it from Groover?)

Now when I say “get off the computer”, he can come back with: “Mum, I’m working.” And, technically, he’ll be right.

Meh.

WA and SA Blogger Call

I’m spewing my kids are over nine!

Received this email the other day: “As part of the makeover of ABC Parents, we’re looking to include bloggers from across Australia. Bloggers will have one or more children under 9, live in SA or WA, and have some writing experience, ideally on blogs. You’d have to write at least two blogs per month about your daily experiences as a parent and there will be a fee paid.”

I know a few of you fit this criteria and I’d love to read you on this new site so send me a message to my cellobella [at] gmail.com account… and I’ll pass your details on. :)

A spooky experience

Groover is in Karratha this week and staying at one of their more salubrious establishments. That is to say, a very ordinary establishment indeed.

As he wandered back through the lobby he passed the front bar where an older Aboriginal man was playing pool.

The man jerked as Groover passed and shouted out Groover’s name loudly… it is not a common name.

Nonplussed, Groover walked over and said “Hello do I know you? My name is Groover*.”

The man started speaking in his native language at him. Groover replied that he didn’t understand what the man was saying and the man kind of came to - if that’s the best description. He looked confused and then told Groover that his son was also called Groover* and had died at only two years of age. He hadn’t said his son’s name since**.

Groover was completely freaked out by this and called me soon after to debrief.

Spooky huh?!

*Plainly he didn’t say Groover, but Groover’s real name here. Who would name their child Groover?!

**Many Indigenous cultures avoid referring to dead people by their names.

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