⇒ apocalypse

strange day in sydney: a dust storm blankets the city in a red haze, no joke.

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⇒ crazy weather

jeebus--a thunderstorm started and it is PUMMELING DOWN!
in spite of the moisture problem, it's still 36°C...damn you climate change!

gimme a break, man!

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⇒ 38°C

holy sh!t it's hot.
oh wait, it's cooled down to 37°, all is still not well.

can't quit, economy teetering on the edge;
can't drive, no car and even with a car the toll is offensive and unreasonable, and subsequent traffic response has now choked up the only alternative route;
can't public transport (but have to), in this heat and for that long, public transport is whittling away my sanity!
trapped by the economy, the government and lack of personal transport!

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⇒ hot in the city

...blah blah blah...expected to hit 41°C!

ok, now i know I really should have stayed home!

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⇒ 37℃!!!

it's just hit 37℃! Come on, cool down to 19℃ by 4, i'm counting on you

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⇒ 35℃

it's 35℃ outside right now (that's 95℉ to all you Yanks!)

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⇒ coldest day in 45 years

the title pretty much sums up this wedsnesday in october, 2008. Keep in mind that just last week I was taking train rides while dripping sweat from the heat.

Health has improved! I'm nearly fully recovered! Got most of the phlegm out of my system and feel great! Had a decent day at work too!

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⇒ misery

friday: Hayley's last day at work...free morning tea, free lunch ('gourmet' pizza). The chick serving us was nice though...'nice'.
Drinks after work...cabana bar kinda sucks, now that i think about it...chat with JDB revealed much...I wonder what he truly thinks of me. I just want his respect and acknowledgment is all...I hold him in such high regard...he's like Mr Miyagi to my Daniel-san.

friday AM: re-arranged/moved stuff around my room. Oh shiz, i didn't realize I had all this 'stuff'. Moving it around was a bad move--it was already in its most efficient configuration. Bad move further compounded by poor planning. Then laziness. So it's a slighgtly tidier (?) mess right now.

saturday: was planning on doing washing, going to the gym, etc. BUT sh!tty weather prevailed. Rained for hours on end...come on Spring, do your thing! Add to that, the late friday finish and I'm in no condition for gymtime.

saturday AM: watched some movies (Zathura ok--what i caught anyways, but jeebus, Mummy Returns is a steaming turdpile!). Stumbled across US Open mens' semifinals. I knew the US Open was on but didn't realize channel 9 would be broadcasting it. Federer triumphed over Djokovic, 3 sets to 1. Nadal in trouble against Murray (2 sets to love, Nadal leading 3rd set). Their play is suspended.

sunday: didn't get enough sleep, owing to tennis, so I'm here at home...lazing. It's not raining but it's friggin' cold and miserable...my aunt not well. Hope she recovers.

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⇒ balmy springtime

f#ck off, winter! Springtime is back with a vengeance. Warm, sunny, no windchill--all very comfy 20 or so celsius.
Ate the Chicken Schnitzel Focaccia (toasted) w/ Lettuce, Mayo and Sundried Tomato again--the taste reminds me of uni.

Went for a run today--not bad but not great...the aim is to get comfortable with 3.2km in 20' before moving up...today did 2.75km in 20', which isn't bad, but isn't great either...

Did other weights and stuff, but rhythm felt off (that cute chick was there and I didn't wanna look stupid in front of her)

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⇒ relapse

sydney experiences a relapse into typical, shitty august winter weather. It's only a few days until we're in the thick of spring, and by god, it'd better be good.

over the weekend summary:
friday night: uneventful
saturday: games, walk around, Lowenbrau, dessert, pool. Lowenbrau: a bit expensive, but worth it if you're after 'giant pork schnitzel with herb mayonnaise and chips'. Wash it down with a litre of Lowenbrau original and make sure you sit inside--the atmosphere's better with the Bavarian cafe ambience and Oom-pa-pa band.
sunday: shitty weather relapse

more: streetfighter IV finally in sydney. Had a go as 'Crimson Viper'. hmm...i didn't get a really good feel for the character before some douche challenged me with 'Ken'. What an asshole. Of course I'm gonna suck with this character, I've only been playing 5 mins, I can barely figure out the play mechanic! Speaking of which, it may need to undergo revision or take some time to unlock the depths of the game, but I definetly think that it's a step back from third strike so far. Time's gonna tell, I guess.

pics:

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⇒ sydney weather forecast: FAIL

'meteorological' prediction: 17-14 deg. C. mostly cloudy and showers.

actual weather: sunny, few clouds, no rain. Nice and balmy. No rain.

A$$holes in meteorology. Wtf are they doin?!?!!?

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⇒ long weekend: day1

short sentences mode: ON
past week: semi-shocking resignation (boss)
shitty weather (all week)
thai food, chicken, pizza, chips and all that bad stuff (so tasty)
awkward moments with super-fine (dammit!)

yesterday = day zero

bought books and dvds (lots and lots)

today gym. short but hard
excellent weather (sunny, no rain, moderate winds)

bench 8*60, 12*40, 8*60 (getting better)

run: 5km in 38'20" (first 8 minutes of run felt GREAT)
about 370KCALs total
other weights, stretch, swim (noble duck in pool)

city kinokuniya (return some books)

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⇒ mid-week high

monday flew right by...asshole public commuter prick on train from St Leonards to Town Hall repeatedly pushing my back, then when I turn around to see if I'm imagining a human being that annoying, he's got the gall to tell me 'mate, we gotta get off'. No sh!t, sherlock! Put your hands on me again, I'll throw you on the tracks, mfukka! What an unbelievable asshole!

tuesday flew right by...dad a bit ill, but should be ok...I don't think it's kidney stones.

Sydney Weather bureau f#cked up 3 times in a row: monday and tuesday thunderstorms predicted during the day. I carry my brolly the whole day and not a drop of water touches me. Today, prediction: no rain. Guess what? It rained! Bastards. They're embarassing themselves. I make better weather predictions from another country! Get your act together, guys!

Rode the bus home sitting next to a super-hottie today...not enough chutzpah to talk to her though...I swear she's like a 20 on a scale of 1 to 10. She was reading some weird serial-killer book though...yeah, kinda creepy.
If you're reading this, I'm single, employed, clean and not crazy (unless you want it like that, rowr).

More Indy-4 backlashing:
warning: Indy 4 spoilers within, but since it made 300+ million in 5 days, I'm going to assume you've seen it.

we’re treated to at least six reaction shots from a random prairie dog, and oh hey did I mention that at one point Shia LeBeouf swings through the trees and attacks Spalko with an army of monkeys? Because yeah, that totally happens.

Sounds ridiculous incendiary and yet it's surprising truthful! Sh!t, that tells you how bad Indy 4 was. No? Ok, one more, this time a quote of a quote:

"A cgi car chase killer ant gopher monkey double agent but not really waterfall interdimensional alien time lord of a film."

from http://www.filmdrunk.com/post.phtml?pk=1800

listening to:
Usher feat. Beyonce, Lil' Wayne - Love in this club part 2

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⇒ sh!tty weather

not even intermittent, micro-mist, regular, irregular, angled, banked, spray, cold, warm rain can dampen my spirits this week!

too good! progress in general: on the job learning is going well; got about 5 big name corporate entities interested in sitting me down for a chat; I'm in good health; feeling good; I'm mostly happy =)

Before, I was listless, now, I'm on the rise.

y-yae!

BTW, happy bday mum

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⇒ status report

cold day...woke up at 3-ish, after a late night and a '30 min' nap. Anyhoo, it rained, so I almost chickened out of gymming, but I didn't.

I went and because I wasn't entirely feeling up for it, I cut the duration but bumped the intensity.
Ran for 20', just to change things up. Thing is, even though I only ran for 20', and at normal-ish pace, I was sweating like crazy after. I mean after washing up, toweling off and sitting down, I was still sweating!
Rode bike for 10' and did some more weights after.

Weight: 76.5 kg
Getting there...slow and steady...entering the danger zone now: this time of year I need to stay healthy, and keep exercising, two things which I wasn't able to do last year.

turbine watch
http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/19/urwerks-ur-202-combines-turbines-and-watches-just-how-you-alway/

samsung patents gesture control (i called this one months ago, but they were likely in dev for years, so I call it a draw)
http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/19/samsung-skips-the-touchscreen-patents-gesture-based-phone-inter/

sweet ass new point and shooter from Panasonic
http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/18/video-hands-on-panasonics-dmc-fx500-with-3-inch-touchscreen-an/

advanced meta-humans coming your way
http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/18/new-bionic-limbs-to-be-controlled-via-brain-mounted-sensors/

pico projector-let's bump up the res, yup?
http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/17/meet-sunview-the-first-commercially-available-pico-projecto/

Mortal Kombat vs. DC announced-oh man...this is gonna suck balls

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⇒ Apples, Dr L

Apple launched Leopard two days ago...*wow*...I'm still happy with Panfa, but it would be nice to get some widget action happening and use cover flow and quick look...But I'm too tight right now and I don't think Leopard will support Diablo II (which runs in OS 9).

Coinciding with the Apple OS launch is L's final Med school exam. She's done now. Not to jinx her, but we all know she passed and she's pretty much Dr L now. Congratulations L, you deserve everything, even after all the mean and nasty things/ways you've tormented your loved ones over the years, we still wish you the best and are so proud of you!

anti-matter http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/34554/118/
artificial tornadoes http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/27/mercedes-musuem-hosts-most-powerful-artificial-tornado/
Bruce Timm-style art (by Bruce Timm?) http://www.popcultureshock.com/timm/

Daylight savings in motion again...I just lost an hour...shit!

Doughy-er than ever--I must have hit about 80kgs now! (started the year about normal weight ~72kg) & been on break/unemployment for a week and 3 days now...

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⇒ change is in the air

recently there was a flash flood in QLD: about a year's worth of rain fell in a 24hr period. Crazy, huh? Anyhoo, today, the weather was nice and toasty--almost good enough to leave the jacket at home.

These days I'm down to just 4 layers. This is the final week of winter, there's a full eclipse tomorrow night, and I can sense a change in the air...

Will this signal my return to glory?

Super Gundam: http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN71420
Strike Valkyrie Battroid: http://www.hlj.com/product/HSG14
Meteor Unit: http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN925301
S Gundam: http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN913932
Perfect Zeong: http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN925651
Perfect grade Zeta: http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN75680

computer recycle bin hardware: http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/26/recycle-bin-hard-drive-stores-your-deletions-mimics-a-trash-can/
Robotronic comic: http://web.mac.com/greatteacherjoe/iWeb/Robotronic%20Dynamite/Robotronic%20Dynamite%21%20The%20Comic/Archive.html

telehaptics(?) http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/25/using-virtual-reality-to-induce-out-of-body-experience/
Magritte: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rene_Magritte

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⇒ that's cold

sydney's coldest day--ever. Seriously, according to reports, it hasn't been this cold in 20 years! The thing I hate about cold weather in sydney? No snow? I mean come on! If the thermo is sub-zero then God owes us a snowflake or two.

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