Its been a medium length road so far (4 months or so I guess) and I haven't always got anything to say (thanks Youtube for filling in those times), but 100 posts is 100 posts dammit and as I raise my bat and salute tha pavillion, I would like to take moment to thank all my readers (all 4 of you)...
as a gift, I have another clip for you, although not of crazy japanese game shows, Sesame street music, 90's metal or scrubs clips, rather one of those things that if I had tear ducts, could possibly have had me bawling like a baby...
The fathers name is Dick Hoyt and he pretty much puts all other dads to shame...
PS. Click on my new banner up the top fuckos, save some animals and habitat
1. It would seem that although I know I have a shitload of work to do for uni, I have decided to take the road less travelled and not even look at it. I am sure it will get done somehow, am currently waiting for someone to get back to me with a copy of their own work, which I will alter just enough so as to avoid the plagiarism police...
This is pretty much typical from me I must say...I guess I have always figured I would get by on the minimal effort. This goes back to my younger years when I realised in year 9 that I could just as easily get A's and B's by doing things half arsed and having fun, as I could by spending more time on it and getting only marginally better grades. By year 12, I had it down to an art form. Since then, I have found that this theory can follow through to everyday life also...
for instance, at work, I was told a couple of years ago that if I did a particular course, offered online for free by the company, I could expect to gain a small pay increase, as well as increase my chances of promotion and the like...I looked at it once and figured that it would smack of effort to do this course, and that was something I wasn't interested in doing...
seems that I am doomed to make the same mistakes again and again.
2. Got a whole bunch of Paul McCartney jokes today, some are pretty much brilliant...I think this one is my favourite:
Many have attributed this to a problem which started with the present that Paul bought her prior to the wedding. He gave her a new prosthetic leg for Christmas but that was just a stocking-filler.
Tis the season after all.
3. Am working today with two other people, one is an effeminate gay guy and the other is a blue haired lesbian...I've known both of them for years and they are good value...am thinking this would make for a great sitcom however..."One Gay, a Guy and a blue haired Dyke and a helpdesk" or something like that...needless to say, the conversations today have been varied and interesting and old Blue hair can belch with the best of them
After 88 posts, each as mediocre as the next, I figured it was time to change the look of this place a bit...the black on black theme I had was kind of boring, and as I have at least 2 people who regularly read this, I figured I had best dress it up somewhat...
Not sure if I like it yet...any suggestions will be welcome
Because I am basically a little lamb, here goes. : (X) Smoked a joint ( ) Done cocaine ( ) Been in love. Not sure as what seems like love at the time, in retrospect is more like a passing fascination that gets usurped by the next time someone I like comes around (X) Had a threesome - the good kind ;) ( ) Been dumped. Always been my doing ( ) Shoplifted- Mum would have killed me! (X) Had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back- Keilly Saunders the little tramp (X) Been arrested - Cause I'm well hard (X) Made out with a stranger - This was almost a sport back in the day! ( ) Gone on a blind date - no, but have gotten blind on a date?? ( ) Had a crush on a teacher - no, although my Japanese teacher had a monster rack which she use to rest on our shoulders while looking over our work (X) Been to Europe - does being born in the UK count? ( ) Been to Canada - no but want to ( ) Been to Mexico - only for a donkey show (X) Seen someone die (X) Thrown up in a bar - Drinking + pain killers don't mix (X) Met a celebrity (X ) Met someone from the internet in person - Yes...and a more harrowing experience I cannot recall! jarrod, you know who I mean! (X) Been moshing at a concert - should couple with 'Been arrested?"...one flowed from the other once or twice ( ) Gone backstage at a concert (X) Lain outside in the grass and watched cloud shapes go by- though not for long as I started to think about park people and where they go to the toilet ( ) Made a snow angel - never seen snow (X) Flown a kite - box kite master in grade 5! (X) Cheated while playing a game - not cheating, not trying (X) Been lonely- Hi have we met? (X) Fallen asleep at work (X) Fallen asleep at school - Friday morning double history in year 11 after thursday at the Seacliff hotel was a tough gig ( ) Used a fake ID - Never actually got carded till i turned 18. (X) Been kicked out of a bar - Numerous times in my youth. ( ) Felt an earthquake (X) Touched a snake - A mates carpet python use to sleep on my stomach under my shirt (X) Slept beneath the stars ( ) Been robbed (X) Won a contest - guess the jelly beans! (X ) Run a red light - Often do this inadvertantly ( ) Been suspended from school - was a good kid at school! ( ) Had braces (X) Felt like an outcast - you sure we haven't met?? (X) Eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night - Am now hungry (X) Had deja vu - yes, I swear I've done one of these before! (X ) Totaled a car - First day on my L's! ( ) Stolen a car (X) Hated the way you look - daily (X) Witnessed a crime (X) Been to a strip club - Once or twice.... (X) Been to the opposite side of the world - born there! (X) Swum in the ocean (X) Felt like dying (X) Cried yourself to sleep - when grandfather died (X) Sung karaoke - These Boots are made for Walking, football club show, 1995. Start of a fine career (X) Paid for a meal with only coins (X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t - these bloody surveys!! (X) Made prank phone calls - still do...all time classic ( ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue ( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe - I have a big toe and 4 smaller ones, but no mistletoe...arf arf arf (X) Had a bonfire on the beach - Weekly occurence at one stage when we were all too young to get into the pub (X) Crashed a party (X) Seen a tornado - Does a cyclone count? ( ) Had a wish come true- don't necessarily believe in wishes (X ) Gone bungee jumping ( ) Screamed in public - although probably have ( ) Told a complete stranger you loved them - I'm not a crazy person! (X) Had a one night stand ( ) Kissed a mirror - I avoid them (X) Had a dream that you married someone - My girlfriend from when I was 18...had this dream recently...was very weird ( ) Gotten your fingers stuck together with super glue (X) Been a cheerleader- the netball team needed all the help they could get (X) Sat on a roof top ( ) Talked on the phone for more than 6 hours straight - ADHD means I could not (X) Stayed up all night (X) Not taken a shower for three days - record is 6 weeks! ( ) Made contact with a ghost while playing a Ouija board - no, but once I saw the wolfman... ( ) Had more than 30 pairs of shoes at a time - I think my record is 8 (X) Gone streaking- few times...not always well advised (X) Been skinny dipping - till i got paranoid about wrigglers going up my doodle (X) Been pushed into a pool/lake with all your clothes on - my cousins boyfriend who was 18 when I was 8...cool guy (X) Had sex in a public or semi-public place - heheheehhehehehe (X) Been kissed by a complete stranger - amazingly this use to happen to me quite a bit (X) Broken a bone - both collarbones, 2 ribs, a wrist, 6 fingers, both thumbs, 6 toes. (X) Caught a butterfly- not actually butterflies, but caterpillars which turned into butterflies (X) Mooned/flashed someone - I use to have issues keeping my pants on (X) Had someone moon/flash you ( ) Cheated on a test (X) Forgotten someone’s name - yes...at embarrassing moments (X) Slept naked
1. The main Tv at home has given up the ghost and now has a purple hue to anything mid screen, coupled with a green border to everything else, however if you turn the colour down, it shows black and white ok, so welcome to 1973 at my place. As for replacing it...yeah, all in good time. Honestly, it doesn't really bother me that much, the sound is still there and the picture is good, just not bright and colourful. Also, to get a new TV now means you may as well get one that is digital ready or something like that, which means you are looking at the best part of 2k for one...which seriously is hard to justify to me right now. if I got my dream job of TV critic, I would do it in a heartbeat, but as I find nothing on TV right now (aside from Oz, All Saints and Mcleods daughters) worth watching, it is hardly a life and death issue.
2. Went and saw 'The Departed' last night. Top film, particularly if you like violence, corruption, organised crime and violence (yep, I know I said it twice). 2 and a half hours long also, which appeals to the tight arse in me that finds it tough to pay $14 to see a movie gofor not quite an hour and a half. All in all, this movie made me think...
Leonardo DiCaprio...now I use to make a point of avoiding films with him it, which I can now admit was a knee jerk reaction to Titanic, which I never saw, but avoided like AIDS. However with Gangs of New York and now The Departed, it is safe to say he is fulfilling the potential shown as a young fella opposite Kirk Cameron in Growning Pains.
3. I have found myself becoming more of a shut in of late and less sociable than ever...so much so that when i do find myself in a conversation with someone in real life, I look for the quickest way out of it so I can just get away...this can't be healthy. I would go see someone about it, but paying to sit in a chair and talk while some other guy nods just goes against the grain.
4. I think by watching on average 4 episodes of Scrubs a day, I'm not helping my anti social tendencies...but I am broadening my mind...I swear I could get through the first two years of medicine now just on things I have picked up from the show
As you may have guessed by now, my work days, which are only on weekends, consist of twelve hours of me fobbing people off with their PC issues. As a result, I tend to have a large amount of spare time in which my activities range from playing tetris to blogging, to watching movies. Today is the first in what will hopefully be a series of play by play movie viewings in which I will make commentaries and statements regarding the movies being viewed and ever so occasionally, parrallels into my own life. The catch is that these movies will tend not to be of greatest quality...in fact some would call them shite...but that to me is half the charm.
For our first installment, I give you, The Karate Kid Part I.
Before I begin, I should explain some things...back in 1985, my Mother hired this for me one night on VHS and it is probably the one thing that pushed me toward getting into martial arts as a young kid. I thought this film was awesome...jump forward almost 20 years, and I am in EzyDVD one day and I come across, in the bargain bin no less, Karate Kid episodes I, II, and III all in one pack for $12.99 . Too good a deal to turn down. I ran home and watched them all back to back and came to the realisation that as a 9 year old, I knew jack shit about anything.
Anyways, here goes...begin the viewing!
*Special Features in this movie...minimal and are crap...
The first few minutes is basically Daniel and his Mother moving from dingy, industrial Newark, new Jersey to sunny California...Mom seems really excited about the move, Daniel not so much...am sure this will be a sticking point later! Side note, the LaRusso family truckster has some issues getting started at the Canyon Point motel...remember this later as it is sure to cause embarrassment for all!
Some interesting scenery of corn fields and the desert...America looks so appetising for a fly-drive holiday.
They get to where they are going to live and it turns out their apartment complex looks like the sort of place where you can normally see the Law and Order guys kicking in doors and questioning hookers about the drug lab found in apartment 7G. A nice place to call home.
Daniel meets some dude named Freddy Fernandez (seriously), by kicking a door open that knocks him over...Daniel talks up his Karate skills, which as we will see soon are non existent.
Daniels first meeting with the bizarre little Japanese guy Mr Miyagi occurs now...as he goes to tell him about a leaky tap in their apartment...it would appear Miyagi is a man of few words.
Jump to a beach party Daniel is at with his new buddy Freddy and a bunch of randoms who we don't really get introduced to...it is here that Daniel first meets Ali (with an I), a young Elizabeth Shue who although is a bit heavier than in later efforts, is still pretty cute in an attainable kind of way (although she is playing a 17-18 year old, and I am now 30, this is ok to think as this movie is 20 years old). They first gain each others attention as Daniel shows off with a soccer ball, then they get to talking over a campfire later...moving. He also comes across the protagonist of thr story, Johnny, played by William Zabka, who was also in the Rodney Dangerfield classic "Back to School". You know Johnny and his buddies are bad ass cause they ride dirt bikes and drink beers. they also all have matching Cobra Kai jackets...which will become more relevant later.
Ali and Johnny use to be a couple, he is having issues letting go. Of course Daniel being the whiny purveyor of social justice he is gets involved and gets a suitable ass kicking. His new friends desert him and aren't really seen again till much later. Thanks guys, cheques in the mail.
Needs to be said that Daniel looks like a 16-17 year old kid, while the others all look at least mid 20's...great casting.
Cut to the LaRusso kitchen the next morning and Daniel is wearing his sunglasses inside, which of course makes his Mother think he is on drugs, this of course being around the time of the Nacny Reagan inspired "Just say 'No'" movement. She is wise to be concerned...he could be on the pot! Of course he is hiding a decent shiner, which he explains as being a bike accident, which somehow she buys...much like those who believe a domestic violence victim when she says she walked into a door.
He is now at school...must say, it looks like a pretty good place...my school was nothing like this...I feel I missed out. Of course Daniel continues this chasing of Ali at soccer practice, a move which gets the attention of Johnny and his cronies..who of course conspire to get him in trouble...it works as Daniels short fuse, probably from his Italian heritage, comes to the fore.
2nd Miyagi appearance...Daniel just happens to be doing Karate from a book. Miyagi questions Daniels eye injury and makes the comment of how his hands aren't hurt...he is so wise!
Daniel checks out the Cobra Kai school, which is run by an ex Green Beret who runs the class like a boot camp. The kids resond loudly and there is a lot of aggression in the air...I must say, I am somewhat impressed. it is then that Daniel sees Johnny out the front and leaves...nbot before being seen by Johnny of course. This will end badly...
And it does, as he has another bike accident, which results in a massive fight between him and his mother about how he never wanted to move here etc etc whiny bitch. He also chucks his bike in a bin...which is seen by the wise one Miyagi.
Its safe to say we can fast forward a bit here as it basically becomes Daniel whingeing and getting beat up...Miyagi fixes his bike and introduces him to Bonsai trees, which Daniel jumps into...although he does go to a pretty cool place on a date with Ali. Golf and stuff looks pretty awesome...it has mini golf and....stuff. Adelaide had a spot like this called Magic Mountain...it was a big papier mache 'mountain' with water slides and stuff...although it never really looked like a mountain, more like a big papier mache turd. Every summer the urban myth about kids putting razor blades on the slides would circulate and it was always someone you knews cousin or neighbour or neighbours cousin that had their leg sliced open on a razor blade on the slide...suffice to say, I don't think this ever happened.
The final beating takes place after a big dance when Daniel just couldn't leave well enough alone and lets a hose loose on Johnny in the mens room (not as bad as it sounds)...it is then he is given a 'within an inch of his life thrashing', only to be saved by the old Japanese guy with the reflexes of a cat. This of course brings us to the point where Daniel becomes Miyagi's pupil and he teaches him karate, in preparation for the All Valley under 18 tournament....
Unless you have lived under a rock, you would have no doubt heard the wax on: wax off philosophy and what not, but now let me speak on the teaching methods used.
My Principles of Teaching and Coaching lecturer would tear shreds off Miyagi's style which is seemingly directionless, authoritarian and too demanding for a high school kid (although it must be said, he never seems to be in any class...). His methods are cryptic (paint the fence, wash the car, sand the floor) and the learner feels as though he is being neglected initially. Miyagi does bring it all together eventually and Daniel's improvement is immeasurable. He even gets introduced to the crane technique atop some pilons at the beach...remember this for later kids!
Aside from an embarrassing spaghetti incident at Ali's rich families country club, things go pretty smoothly for Daniel in his training up to the big day of the tournament. Of course, at the tournament, he starts shakily, then it all comes together for him and accompanied by an awesome 80's montage...
At the culmination of this, daniel is against one of the Cobra Kai kids (Bobby) in the semi finals. The Cobra Kai boss (sensei Kreese) tells him to put LaRusso "Out of comission"...Bobby reluctantly does this...seemingly leaving Johnny to win the title by forfeit...but then this happened...
Needless to say, this movie always gives me slight goosebumps, indeed almost tears...gotta love an underdog!
To see the almost Hitler youth type movement of the Cobra Kai get beat by the 'little Italian kid that could' on a grand stage by a move as preposterous as a crane technique may well be corny, but you know what, I like corn...it is good for you.
Stay tuned for a similar play by play of KKII and KKIII!
OK, in accordance with the wishes of my good friend LaLa, here goes...
1) Would you bungee jump? Done it. Was ok, but I've also jumped out of a plane and rappelled out of a chopper and off a building. Use to be scared of heights.....got over it 2) If you could do anything in the world for a living what would it be? Big time actor...My career could have started as a walk on in a sitcom, then a couple of average movies, followed by an independant movie phase for a few years where I would have a groundswell of support by fans of movies with substance instead of heaps of big explosions and gratuitous sex...I would then sell out completely by doing a movie co starring with the Rock, Vin Diesel, Pamela Anderson and Jenna Jameson.
Either that or a writer...I could write a book about a late 20's/Early 30s guy who lives in a town he doesn't particularly like, has no real friends other than some online and his dog, no real career prospects and a relationship that is less than stellar...wouldn't be much of a stretch 3) Your favorite fictional animal? Fat Cat. 4) One person who never fails to make you laugh? LaLa...she is a quality girl in all ways, but is funnier than she probably realises. Dr Cox from Scrubs 5) When you were 12 years old what did you want to be when you grew up? Footballer, then a lawyer, or possibly a surgeon.HAHAHAHAHA 6) What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Swear 7) Have you ever gone to therapy? Nope, but probably should have done at various stages. Would have to have been a healthier answer than my own style... 8) If you could have one super power what would it be? X ray vision...no question! 9) Your favorite cartoon character? The Hulk...was banned from watching the old TV show when I was 4 due to an embarrassing incident at the supermarket...when the movie came out, I was pretty pleased as my Mum couldn't stop me seeing it 10) Do you go to church? Nope 11) What is your best childhood memory? Catching lizards and snakes with Jason Perry in the paddocks near where we lived. All fun and games till we both fell down a cliff. 12) Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? Unless you are a religious type, then I think it is. Personally, I would feel very hypocritical by doing the church wedding things. Legally, it means not much anymore either with de facto laws coming into effect after living together for 6 months. If I never do it, it won't be a tragedy 13) Do you own a gun? No, probably for the best 14) Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex? No 15) Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people? Football club karaoake night in 1995, did these Boots are made for Walking. 16) What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? If they are a carbon copy of every other female walking around or if they have their own way about them 17) What is your biggest mistake? Not backing myself at times when I should have 18) Say something totally random about yourself. I can go from feeling pretty good about stuff, to feeling completely shite in a matter of minutes. I daydream audibly and while walking the dog, tell him stories of faraway places. 19) Has anyone ever said that you looked like a celebrity? A Canadian dude told me once I looked like a guy who played hockey in the NHL. Other than that, I look like no one in particular 20) What is the most romantic thing someone of the opposite sex has done for you? posted bail 21) Do you actually read these when other people fill them out? Sadly yes
Working a 12 hour shift at a place where there isn't a hell of a lot of after hours work to do is great in some parts. Penalty rates make it all worthwhile, and I have been able to get a majority of my assignments for uni done on work time in the past...but the hours do drag on and tedium can settle in if you let it quite easily, therefore there is always a need for time killers...
A guy at work emailed around tetris and Pac man a couple of weeks ago...fair to say this has gottena afair bashing by all and sundry. Up until 5pm today, I was flying high ontop of the heap with 96 lines in tetris, but then someone got 97...I am currently warming up for a shot to regain my crown. Along with this, online games are also a big favourite...for instance, on the Fox sports website at present, they have stick cricket, which is helpful to see the minutes fly by. The only downside with these is that the company doesn't think they should be paying me to play games online, so it is only a matter of time till they bar that site...the bastards.
There is always emailing, which is no doubt number one on the list...but not too many people are willing to hang around on a saturday or sunday and amuse some loser who works all weekend with funny anecdotes and double entendres...when they are available, it is happy days!
Blogging is great as you can get rid of a lot of angst and frustration at the world, but after a while, you just come off like a whiny bastard (maybe that is just me...I tend to be somewhat pessimistic). Checking other things on the net are also great time killers, although after a while, you havce seen all you really want to and then you start flirting with the line between work safe and not work safe...a fine line indeed.
Which brings me to DVD viewing...or indeed viewing of any type. For instance, You tube has episodes of Scrubs on there, amongst other things, so you don't always have to bring your stuff in from home. However I always come to work armed with a selection ranging from TV series, to films, to 'miscellaneous'...needless to say, they have saved my sanity on many an occasion.
Time killing is your friend when you work after hours...for instance, this little rant just killed 6 minutes...one tenth of an hour...at around $45 an hour right now, thats $4.50 for this rant...and I think it is worth every cent!
Was at a large suburban shopping centre yesterday and went into a store that apparently there is "no other store like..." as my entry from the car park.
I had to ask someone with a paper what the date was, and I was somewhat relieved to see it was still only the 5th of October...you see, my confusion was fuelled by the Xmas decorations that were already in place at this first store, and many others...even in parts of the mall, tinsel and sleigh bells could be seen.
As a self admitted Grinch, seeing Xmas decorations makes me cringe at the best of times...but seriously people October??? Is it not enough that you will gouge money out of the public enough through November and December that you need to crank the Xmas money making machine into gear almost 3 MONTHS out from the event???
Admittedly, I am probably the worst person to be speaking on this....I have afterall made organising my work rosters so as I get to work on the 25th of December an art form, but surely even those of us filled with the most Yuletide spirit imaginable are somewhat bemused at this ridiculously early placing of shopping prompters....thats right, from here on, decorations in a store are shopping prompters.
Now listen, even though I am in the best shape of my life -- and I am, by the way...I mean, fact of the matter is you could pretty much bounce a damn quarter off my butt, you know, if you...if you wanted to.
