Today is , so I went down to Barbeques Galore to purchase a BBQ only to discover they had . No BBQ on . I'm nearly a Fair dinkum aussie :) I was thinking this morning, why did I not get my citizenship done so I could have become an Australian on . read more
Friday was a public holiday for Australia Day so it has been a long weekend. Australia Day is Australia's official national day, 26th January. Aboriginal Australians however, call the day "Invasion Day" as they regard it as celebrating the decimation of their people. read more
Today is and it is my first as a fair dinkum Aussie. I finally managed to pull the video from Picasso of me getting my certificate and I quickly knocked together an iMovie using the free software that came with my mac. I am not going to explain what is as i have done that every year since I have been here. read more
Melbourne had one of its hottest December days on record as the temperature reached 42.1 at 2.45pm on NYE. But within 30 minutes on New Years Day, as the cool change swept in from the south, the temperature dropped more than 17 degrees to about 25. It was Melbourne's hottest early-December day since 1898 and its sixth-hottest December day. The hottest December day on record was on December 31 last year, when the mercury hit 42.9 degrees. read more
Morning, Just come out of the shower after spending Xmas day on St Kilda Beach watching all the locals having the customary bbq xmas lunch in the sun. Everyone was dressed up as Santa or in anything red they could lay there hands on. I fell asleep on the beach and burnt my eyelids, Nothing planned for the next few days , New years eve I am off to a club and New Years ... read more
Saturday was so I was not expecting anything to be open. Monday is a public holiday due to falling on a weekend. I am sat up waiting for Sheffield United vs Manchester City in the FA Cup to start. read more
Nothing much to say, Monday was so it was a public holiday, they dont call them bank holidays here. A day off work spent in bed and cleaning my flat. Add missles randomly coming over the top and it becomes a major distraction. read more
Another quarter and another failed target, I have not managed to hit the 155 litres a day target which the water board tell us we should aim for. I am using an average of 202 litres a day but it is 28 litres per day less than this quarter last year. At least I am on the right track by reducing my water but at this rate by the time I reach target 155 it will have been lowered to 100 litres. read more
I have just spent a lovely day at my who live by the coast in St Annes which is next door to Blackpool. I went down for lunch and dinner and fixed my grandpas computer so now he has no excuse for not posting on this website. Thanks for lunch and dinner and a great day. read more
I just got my 2nd water bill after 5 years and it is worse than the one before. I am now using 239 Litres per day which is an increase of 9 Litres a day since I started trying to save water. Since I started to try and save water I have actually increased my usage LOL. read more
This weekend was ANZAC day and for the first time since I came to Australia it fell on a weekend so we missed out on a public holiday. Another amazing weekend for sport, great win for City and remarkable comeback for United to complete my quadruple accumulator :) After a hard 3 weeks I am now very close to finishing off my flex enhancements for the Do Not Call Register. Welcome Twitters who should now be seeing this. read more
I landed in England at 12pm and by 10pm I had seen my grandparents, my friends, had dinner and been to a football match. A very busy first day , on the second day I was up,dressed and walking around Bury by 10am. I am in Spain now, I landed last night and what a lovely view I am greeted with each morning when I pull back my curtains. read more
When you send a child to school at the age of 3 from 9am to 4pm, how can you keep there attention all day? The answer is simply, . In Taiwan , they give there children caffine green tea all day at school, then after school before they go to there after school lesson they can eat caffine expresso chewing gum. read more
You filled my days with rainbow lights, Fairytales and sweet dream nights, A kiss to wipe away my tears, Gingerbread to ease my fears. You gave the gift of life to me And then in love, you set me free. I hope that when you think of me A part of you You'll always see. read more
The next day the weather rose all the way to 110 Degrees, very very hot, when you walked down the street the hot wind blew into you as if you were walking into an oven. On New Years Day I met Ben Spier and who was playing Summerdayze and chilled out there with Artist Guest Passes. We were on the main stage with Fatboy Slim, Roger Sanchez and Tall Paul in front of 15,000 people!! read more
Today is and it is a bank holiday. Mazeltov to the shnecks on the new baby, This isa picture ofEloise Maia Shneck born at 11.50 last night weighing a mere 5lb 5oz. read more
This is me on my 1st day back from the xmas break, all happy and excited to hit the ground running, that changed within a few hours of being in the office but I will not talk about that here. The reason I am so red is that we do not have air con in the lift and I was trying to hold the iPhone whilst feeling myself getting hotter and hotter. I am hoping my next post will be the one when I announce I am finally an uncle. read more
This week the weather has been getting hotter by the day climaxing today, Sunday at 37 Celsius this to Europeans is 99 Fahrenheit. Banana, Melon, Grapefruit, Avocado, Tomato, Carrot, Coconut, Strawberries, Leek, Potatoe and Asparagus, what an exhilarating selection of fruit and veg to go along side the meat I purchased yesterday. I am having Beef Wellington for dinner on Monday :) Monday I officially convert from being a ... read more
The weather has been great in Melbourne the past couple of weeks. Warm and Sunny and since the clocks moved forward and we are now in Summer Time the sun is out later each day. This is the first summer in my new flat and the balcony is far superior to Eureka, I can come home from work at 5pm and catch the sun till it sets about 8pm creating an amazing orange sunset. read more
Since I came back from England I have worked two weeks and had one week off for Xmas. The only bit of exercise I have had is my Boxing Day walk which as you can see from the image was actually a bigger walk then planned. It is very refreshing walking around with no destination but you can find yourself walking around in circles, I walked so far I had to get the train home lol. read more
On Sunday the temperature rose to 110 so getting to the beach was not even an option, so i locked myself in my flat, put the air con on and watched tv all day. I discover after that Charlize Theron was there but I missed her :( I watched NO.8 seed Justine Henin-Hardenne's beat Lindsay Davenport in the quarter-finals and watched some of Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis and Croatian Ivan Ljubicic. The mens match was almost like a football match, with a strong Greek and Croatian community here they ... read more
I went to see last night in St Kilda. They are over from England to play The Big Day and several other smaller venues. Whilst I am on the topic of concerts , I managed to get a ticket for Kylie on row F. Anyway, weather is very bad here today, yesterday it dropped 20 degrees in 5 hrs. read more
I could not wait any longer for my egg on toast fix and today I decided to go out and get a toaster as my grill is broke. I stumbled on an appliance that not only makes toasts but can poach or steam an egg at the same time. I am very exited, for the not the game LOL I have Monday off work and Tuesday is Australia day so that is a public holiday, the weather is sunny and warm. read more
I got my third water bill and I managed to reduce my average daily usage from the last quarter but I am still not below my first bill which I am using as my benchmark. It is really hard to comprehend how one person can use an average of 233 litres a day, that is an average which means on a Sunday I must use at least 1000 litres. Who knew being environmentally friendly was such hard work? read more
Starting with Tevez signing and then the funny 'Welcome to Manchester' poster, great minds think alike as I had already twittered that headline a day earlier. They managed to top that by streaming the game to everyone and what a great job they did, the technical team that is but it was our B team, I hope they continue to stream them all so we can see our new signing, !
Liverpool - Didnt get Barry & increased Johnson ... read more
I am loving the new Manchester City website, there are still a few bugs to be ironed out and for some reason there is no mobile version released yet but I would expect that to follow very shortly. It actually took me until the next day to realise there was no adds because I run addblocker so I do not see adds anyway. On that note, I just installed adblocker on my iPhone - oh yeah :)Happy to see my dad is still on the site and he even has a nice little blurb about him which ... read more
I must have dropped a dishcloth or walked under a ladder because last month I had a run of bad luck that I thought would never end. I purchased a pair of headphones as I had left my pair at home and I knew it was going to be a busy day in the office which means I need tunes. The bubble in my Nike trainers burst and the replacements squeaked so loud I was forced to take them back to the shop, which we have now discovered the squeak was from my cushion insoles I made ... read more
After 5 years living in Australia I have just received my first water bill. Thankfully, it is not for the past 5 years but only this quarter as it seems that this landlord wont pay for my anymore. I really do not know how I can reduce my anymore apart from not peeling my veg under a running tap. read more
First day back at work today and I was glad to be back busy again after two weeks off work. My friend , came all the way out to Australia from England to spend NYE with me which was amazing that she made such a huge effort for little old me :) I hope she has recovered from her jet-lag, thanks again vix xxx casselson,eyecandy promotions read more
Wednesday night I went to the Australian Open to watch Roger Federer beat James Blake. Unfortunately we wanted to see either Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova or Ana Ivanovic and we got Federer. It is a long weekend here in Australia due to Australia day falling on a weekend and we are due very hot weather with thunderstorms. read more
My laptop finally decided to call it a day and committed suicide. Cause of Death: Hard drive failure and burnt out motherboard caused by overheating. I managed to remove the hard drive and plug it into my new laptop so I still have my data. read more
Monday was a public holiday in Australia to celebrate the Queens 2nd birthday. It is quite funny as the reason for the 2nd birthday is for the British to celebrate when it is warm, the UK ignores it and Australia has the day off. I purchased an expresso maker and some very cool glasses which make your drink hover in the middle so the cup is not hot when you pick it up. read more
Finally the end of Movember, it was really getting itchy the last week. I never realised how hard it would be to get it off, but its finaly off :) Lonely Planet raised over $10,000 and the campaign has raised over $5 million but the final total is not in yet. Enjoy my 30 day transformation I will speak to you all soon. read more
I arrived in Spain around 10am and spent the entire day walking around like a zombie due to only having about 3 hours sleep. Last night we all went out for dinner but I didnt have a nice meal , in fact all I ate were potatoes and I still felt sick afterwards. Off to sit in the sun and catch some rays. read more
What a start to the new year, My first derby on my big screen. Albert Riera did a great job on the left of City's midfield and Manchester City took the derby-day honours with 3 goals. Trevor Sinclair put City ahead with a neat turn and shot after Joey Barton's cross was not properly cleared, and a cool Darius Vassell finish made it 2-0. Robbie Fowler can on and made sure of the win in injury time when he smashed home a third, I bet he will be having a great ... read more
This weekend I watched my first AFL (Australian Football League) game which was the Final. Prior to the game , beinga soccer club and AFL final day what else to play before the game but . Sydney Swans won it after 72 years soit was overdue. read more
What an end to the week, everyone has been so busy working on a new project that I was left to build a chat application for travellers to be featured on the lonely planet website. After a successful launch most of the team had bloody maries but as it was only 8am and I still had a busy day ahead I declined and instead headed upstairs to the cafe for a coffee and some toast. It is sleep sleep sleep for me this weekend. read more
This afternoon we had the IT department xmas party. They supplied food and drink and we had been split into teams and given t-shirts in team colours, mine was the white team. The reason I won mine was as the day progressed and I drank more it became harder and harder to release my fingers from the ball when prompted. read more
Australia's biggest music, art and community festival in the famous beachside location of St Kilda. In it's 26th year in 2005, the is the largest single day music event in the Southern Hemisphere, with over 50 bands playing across 7 stages and with over 200,000 people. The streets are all closed down and St Kilda turns into a carnival. read more
We have had rain non stop and it has caused flooding all over the place, on the way into work this morning shop signs were hanging off and trees were all over the roads. Melbourne's average February rainfall is 45.8mm, but the city received 120mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am (AEDT) today, more than for any other day in any month since records began in 1856. The previous record for rainfall over the city in 24 hours was 108mm in 1951. read more
I have just come home from the tennis after watching a great game , Australia vs USA. Eighth seed Venus Williams crashed out of the Open to the Australian Alicia Molik 7-5 7-6 7-3 She now plays Lindsay Davenport , also from the USA in the quarter finals on Wednesday which also happens to be Australia Day , a bank holiday!!! I left the tennis at 11PM after watching the first 20mins of the mens, I have no idea what time they are due to finished as they ... read more
Tuesday was the , it is a horse race if you did not know. The day was a complete washout , the rain did not stop and there was a wind that would put the Amsterdam wind to shame. Makybe Diva won the race for the second year running and now will run in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in France. read more
I woke up thinking today was going to be like any other Sunday. As I walked around Sainsburys grabbing some food for the week down by the floor I caught sight of .... This day has gone down as one you never forget, like where I was when I first discovered in Spain. read more
My first week is over and it is great to be back working my brain again rather than drinking and chilling on the beach all day. I was looking forward to a lie in tomorrow but as this hotel I am staying in can not process a simple credit card I have had to book into another one. so I will be able to watch the premiership on sat night. read more
I have finally found where all the pictures in the brochures are taken from. This is Whitehaven Beach and its awesome, you cant live here as its protected but its defo worth a day out. read more
just arrived in , I cant believe its day 59 already, time does fly when your having fun. Last nights sleep was the worst I have had since I got here, my dad snores but this guy was playing tunes out of his nose. Going to nimbin in a few days to check that out. read more
When the man in the shop says you eat to many s then you know you really should be looking for something else to eat. Off to Byron Bay this morning so speak to you all from there. I got so pissed last night that I really could do with spending another day here. read more
Summadayze 2005 features great fun stuff including a foam fun area, water slides, future spa world, amusements, rides and a variety of fresh food and festival stalls, along with plenty of shaded areas and over 70 free water drinking points. The world-renowned Summadayze event is this country's largest and most highly anticipated dance festival. Set within the breathtaking beauty of Melbourne's natural amphitheatre, The Sidney Myer Music ... read more
Well , I have been in Gilligans Hostel for one week and I have just extended it for another week, This is the best hostel I have stayed in. Anyway the picture is of Green Island in the Great Barrier Reef off . The water is so clear and heavily populated with fish that you can actually see them in water as deep as your ankles. read more
What a crazy week here in Melbourne, I have been working days and nights to get some code ready for a release last Saturday and Alex Kidd was in town with his entourage playing against Kidd Kaos who I had never heard play before and it was great night. I got about 5 hours sleep on Wednesday and Thursday night and planned to leave the office around 2pm on Friday so I could go home and get some sleep before meeting up with Alex. Although at one point some ... read more
I was woken up at 4am on Saturday morning and when I looked out my window I saw a selection of lorries and diggers who were using the back of my car park as the meeting point and were exchanging loads. Later on when I got on the train to the city to get my hair cut I discovered what all the noise was, they had dug up the to improve the track and the beeps were all the diggers reversing. They had decided to use the nature trail which leads from my car ... read more
I have not been doing much all week apart from nursing my finger. Last Thursday I was wiping down the oven when I sliced the top of my finger, I have been in pain for 10days now. If it was not on the tip of my right hand finger it would have healed a long time ago. read more
Wednesday night Service Stream, the company I work for had its Christmas Party at Eurkea. Eurkea is the building I used to live in until early this year, my flat used to be on the 32nd floor and the company had hired out the 89th floor with views streatching miles over melbourne. I am all healthy again now and I have broken up for xmas , yeah!!!!! read more
Last week I reached the final stage of my permanent residency application to Australia, I now need to go offshore to an Australian Embassy to find out if it has been approved.
Australia could have got its nose in front in the eighth minute when Bresciano's shot from Kennedy's flick-on deflected off Demichelis' boot and into the arms of goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri.
Thompson showed he was at home in such company with lively runs and a preparedness to take on defenders,... read more
I have not updated this site in a long time, over two months actually. Foxtel (Australia version of SKY) are treating the viewers this EPL season to viewers choice. If 5 live games per weekendwere not enough, this year if we are not happy with the 3pm choice we can hit the red button and select from another 4 games!!!. read more
I rented a car this weekend and drove down the coast to the which is just over an hours drive out of Melbourne City. I've just come home from the football where Melbourne was playing in the Semi-Final against Adelaide United. Knowing a draw would not be enough for Victory, Robinson secured the win in the dying stages of the match, sending the Telstra Dome crowd into a frenzied celebration. read more
I have not updated my site in a long time so here I go.Thank you all for your birthday cards, I did not do anything special for my birthday and just watched the Manchester Derby. Yesterday I went to beach which is where the cruise ships come into port. Last night I watched Melbourne Victory clinch the title and today saw England loose the ashes. read more
My Mo is going well, I have gone from a beard to a goatee and then finally some sort of handlebar mo. Help me change the face of men's health by sponsoring my mo. Please go to read more
Thursday Night I went to Australia vs Greece in the MCG where the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games were held. The game was not the best , George Samaras had a bad first half and was taken off at half time, there was pressure for him to start the game as his dad was born in Melbourne and played for South Melbourne. The goal that settled the game (aus won 1-0) was worthy of the world cup, a superb volley. read more
Friday night I celebrated my birthday by going to the pub at lunch for drinks with people from work then at 4.30 we went upstairs onto the roof at work and had some more drinks with the same crowd plus a few more. Then we headed into the city and went to a bar and sat there till about 2am, also drinking. Sunday I spent sunbaking (sunbathing) and then for dinner I went to Nev and Tania's for a BBQ and headed on to Scotts launch party for his new CD. read more
We have changed San Diego for . It is a bizarre town, described by my mum as a scene from Stepford Wives. It is beatifull here and so peaceful and it is the first time this holiday where we have been able to sit by a pool and sunbathe ( for australians this means sunbake). read more
We launched 3 new versions of Lonely Planet websites , over 1500 pages of new code. They all launched successfully and we celebrated by having a few bottles of champagne in the office. And what did I miss? Calling my grandparents to wish them a happy anniversary at there party. read more
I am back in and it is freezing. The flight over was not as bad as I thought and I seem to have overcome the jetlag. It has been snowing all morning and I am wearing three jumpers to try and keep warm. read more
Enough was Enough , my hair had got so long I wasbeginning to resemble a cross between a reborn Jesus and an ACDC fan so this morning I ventured into the barbers and got my hair cut. They have massage chairs when you have your hair washed, its so relaxing you do notwantto get up. Still waiting for my electric scooter to arrive , images will follow... read more
A FLORAL foul-up has left a city street lined with swastika shapes in a week of major Jewish celebrations. Gardeners hired by Melbourne City Council intended to arrange the purple and white pot plants into neat geometric shapes. The council sent hired green thumbs to rearrange the six offending garden beds last night, about an hour after Herald Sun inquiries. read more
They have local vehicles playing Chinese and English sayings to try and educate the people. Garbage trucks go past with key phrases being blasted out at unsuspecting and usually unwilling locals. As long as they are not saying, EVERYONE RUN TO THE SHELTER, EARTQUAKE, oh yeah they have loads of Earthquakes here, surprising what people dont tell you when they ask you there for a visit. read more
Nothing planned for the next few days , New years eve I am off to a club and New Years ... read more
I am all healthy again now and I have broken up for xmas , yeah!!!!! read more
