... the IT man in LibraryLand
Well what do you know. Who would have thought that being in a state of happiness would have precluded one from scribing posts for The Tales?
Many things have been taking me away from the blogosphere and towards sublimity. Among them are: many an outing with Salsa Girl whom you may have realised is the successful candidate; the magnificence of the Magpies as we cruise into September footy action - enjoyed along with the Legion2, BrotherStealer, Mirri Cat Warrior and the aforementioned Salsa Girl; and the most recent piece of happiness to come my way is my attainment of Uncle status once more with Legion3 and Madmog providing me with my second niece.
So all in all I'm sure they are all fantastic reasons for one to be away from ones usual writing station and I accept your forgiveness for my little lapse into lassitude.
I'm sure that I shall be returning to a more regular schedule in the near future so keep your eye on The Tales.
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Showing posts with label Candidates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Candidates. Show all posts
Talks with China
This Saturday last saw my first ever attendance at a Melbourne Writer's Festival event. The event of choice being an author talk by China Miéville and Alistair Reynolds on the subject of Frontiers of the Imagination.
One was joined in this endeavour by Legion2, MatrixMan, Vengeful Vic, and Salsa Girl. Between our little group we had read a large amount of the respective authors oeuvre (although some of us had read none at all, being there purely for the atmosphere of the event).
We gathered in the foyer and subsequently joined the end of a snake-like queue that wend it's way around the mezzanine before curling down the main staircase.
Whilst we waited for movement from our line who should brush past me but none other than Sister Serials forging her way to some other, obviously lesser, event of the MWF. Naturally I called out to her in friendly comradeship only to find myself snubbed as she stormed up the stairs on her mission with nary a backward glance in my direction. We'll see who gets IT support this week.
The talk itself was quite interesting with both authors touching on their methods, influences, and aims of their work. Questions were solicited from the audience and, perhaps surprisingly, I found there to be no need to cringe at those posed by the many fans who raised hands skywards.
After the event we stopped for a refreshing drink and bite to eat at a nearby venue before it was time for people to be homeward bound.
Salsa Girl and I were left to ourselves and proceeded to while away the afternoon talking and walking before ending the evening in the most perfect way imaginable - watching the mighty pies dominate in the footy.
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One was joined in this endeavour by Legion2, MatrixMan, Vengeful Vic, and Salsa Girl. Between our little group we had read a large amount of the respective authors oeuvre (although some of us had read none at all, being there purely for the atmosphere of the event).
We gathered in the foyer and subsequently joined the end of a snake-like queue that wend it's way around the mezzanine before curling down the main staircase.
Whilst we waited for movement from our line who should brush past me but none other than Sister Serials forging her way to some other, obviously lesser, event of the MWF. Naturally I called out to her in friendly comradeship only to find myself snubbed as she stormed up the stairs on her mission with nary a backward glance in my direction. We'll see who gets IT support this week.
The talk itself was quite interesting with both authors touching on their methods, influences, and aims of their work. Questions were solicited from the audience and, perhaps surprisingly, I found there to be no need to cringe at those posed by the many fans who raised hands skywards.
After the event we stopped for a refreshing drink and bite to eat at a nearby venue before it was time for people to be homeward bound.
Salsa Girl and I were left to ourselves and proceeded to while away the afternoon talking and walking before ending the evening in the most perfect way imaginable - watching the mighty pies dominate in the footy.
.
Manoeuvres with the 4th Legion
This fortnight past has seen many an exciting event, including: my discovery of a Blogger keyboard shortcut that efficiently deletes text that one has been slaving over for nigh on half an hour and autosaves the now-blank post, all in the blink of an eye; brave attendance at a gaming Sunday by a Candidate; unbelievable attendance at a gaming Sunday by Doom and The Doctor; and arrival of exciting new technologies.
Amongst such occurrences I found myself called upon to assist Handy Dad and Freeloading Mum in bringing about the relocation of Legion4. He was forsaking the company of Jamo in order to return to the ancestral abode and, requiring both spacious vehicles and astute packing skills, naturally called on my gracious and humble help.
I had no great troubles getting everything packed into our domestic model moving vans - although I did think we were possibly creating a Dirk-Gently's-couch type situation as we folded a double mattress into the back of my automobile but it was easily extracted once we arrived at our destination.
With everything unpacked and Legion4 beginning the task of setting up his room I was quickly drafted in to giving Freeloading Mum's computer a quick going over and thereby forced to earn the dinner that was rightfully mine merely for showing up. Sigh. Sometimes it's awfully hard work being the dutiful son and having to participate in such strange rituals as "sharing" and "earning one's evening meal".
Thankfully there's always free cake in the library staffroom.
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Amongst such occurrences I found myself called upon to assist Handy Dad and Freeloading Mum in bringing about the relocation of Legion4. He was forsaking the company of Jamo in order to return to the ancestral abode and, requiring both spacious vehicles and astute packing skills, naturally called on my gracious and humble help.
I had no great troubles getting everything packed into our domestic model moving vans - although I did think we were possibly creating a Dirk-Gently's-couch type situation as we folded a double mattress into the back of my automobile but it was easily extracted once we arrived at our destination.
With everything unpacked and Legion4 beginning the task of setting up his room I was quickly drafted in to giving Freeloading Mum's computer a quick going over and thereby forced to earn the dinner that was rightfully mine merely for showing up. Sigh. Sometimes it's awfully hard work being the dutiful son and having to participate in such strange rituals as "sharing" and "earning one's evening meal".
Thankfully there's always free cake in the library staffroom.
.
Geeking the Winery
With no events of any Candidaturic nature scheduled for this Sunday past I decided to take up the offer extended by ElfBoy to make a day trip out to his own personal winery for an afternoon get together and possibly a game or two of that card game we all favour.
With Pirate Dave and ArchEnemy finding other, presumably funner, things to do it ended up being an exclusive event with oneself as the only guest.
Many games of cards were played over the course of that long, languid, afternoon - as was ElfBoy's plan all along.
In the end I was forced into the consumption of much wine and, regrettably, found myself unable to worm my way out of staying for the evening feasting. Such are the things I must endure.
Eventually I was able to waddle back to my vehicle and begin the long journey home. Luckily I had sustenance with me in the form of a plate overflowing with remnants of the meal - it lasted almost all the way home.
All in all quite the way to spend one's Sunday.
.
With Pirate Dave and ArchEnemy finding other, presumably funner, things to do it ended up being an exclusive event with oneself as the only guest.
Many games of cards were played over the course of that long, languid, afternoon - as was ElfBoy's plan all along.
In the end I was forced into the consumption of much wine and, regrettably, found myself unable to worm my way out of staying for the evening feasting. Such are the things I must endure.
Eventually I was able to waddle back to my vehicle and begin the long journey home. Luckily I had sustenance with me in the form of a plate overflowing with remnants of the meal - it lasted almost all the way home.
All in all quite the way to spend one's Sunday.
.
Mourning the loss of Man-Shopping
So a few weekends back I went out with the specific aim of purchasing myself a new pair of shoes, the better to impress the Candidates with.
I returned from my shopping mission with a spiffy new jacket - and no shoes.
The very next day I set out to rectify my retail failure but, alas, found myself returning home with naught but a brand new jumper.
I spent the next few weeks consoling myself that it wasn't my fault, the style I prefer was unavailable at the particular locations to which I made my grand purchasing expeditions, and in any case I needed a new jacket and jumper so it was all right. In fact I came to believe I had saved myself the need to make future jacket and jumper focused consumerist campaigns.
And so we come to this weekend last. I set my sights on obtaining that elusive pair of shoes and decided that the best hunting lay at the familiar locale that I had captured previous pairs so easily. Loading myself up with my excursion bag I headed into the city CDB.
I returned several hours later a shaken and broken figure of a man. Barely gripped in my hands were the handles for not one, nor two, but three bags each containing a set of footwear from which I had been unable to chose the single pair of shoes I had endeavoured to collect and had found myself deciding that I should get all three instead.
One can only surmise that my immersion in LibraryLand is beginning to have more effect than the cervical problems I suffered last year. Hopefully the annual blokey camping weekend shall happen soon and I shall be able to reclaim my usual rugged and manly poise.
.
I returned from my shopping mission with a spiffy new jacket - and no shoes.
The very next day I set out to rectify my retail failure but, alas, found myself returning home with naught but a brand new jumper.
I spent the next few weeks consoling myself that it wasn't my fault, the style I prefer was unavailable at the particular locations to which I made my grand purchasing expeditions, and in any case I needed a new jacket and jumper so it was all right. In fact I came to believe I had saved myself the need to make future jacket and jumper focused consumerist campaigns.
And so we come to this weekend last. I set my sights on obtaining that elusive pair of shoes and decided that the best hunting lay at the familiar locale that I had captured previous pairs so easily. Loading myself up with my excursion bag I headed into the city CDB.
I returned several hours later a shaken and broken figure of a man. Barely gripped in my hands were the handles for not one, nor two, but three bags each containing a set of footwear from which I had been unable to chose the single pair of shoes I had endeavoured to collect and had found myself deciding that I should get all three instead.
One can only surmise that my immersion in LibraryLand is beginning to have more effect than the cervical problems I suffered last year. Hopefully the annual blokey camping weekend shall happen soon and I shall be able to reclaim my usual rugged and manly poise.
.
A Not MIFF Review - Inception
IMDB, Wikipedia
Score: 4/5
Language: English
Genre: Sci Fi/Thriller
Summary: (from IMDB)
Your mind is the scene of the crime.
In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job till date, Inception.
More information: http://inceptionmovie.warnerbros.com
Note: One would like to point out that the situation of any Candidates that may have failed to pay their own way has been well and truly rectified over the past weeks and can you all please stop bothering me about unfair representation in The Tales.
Score: 4/5
Language: English
Genre: Sci Fi/Thriller
Summary: (from IMDB)
Your mind is the scene of the crime.
In a world where technology exists to enter the human mind through dream invasion, a highly skilled thief is given a final chance at redemption which involves executing his toughest job till date, Inception.
More information: http://inceptionmovie.warnerbros.com
Directed by Christopher Nolan. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page. Dist Warner Bros. Pictures. DTS.
Comments:- Special Effects (CGI) top notch
- how do you consider the boundry/crossing the line on what is acceptable risking others to quiet your own guilt
- What is real?
- Dynamics of couples and the affects on a couple of living their long life together
Note: One would like to point out that the situation of any Candidates that may have failed to pay their own way has been well and truly rectified over the past weeks and can you all please stop bothering me about unfair representation in The Tales.
A Gastronomic Week
It seems that, for a change, this week past has been all about gastronomy.
It began slowly with the regular Sunday gaming day at which we sampled ElfBoy's strange snack foods and played the annual Pirate Dave's birthday game of Talisman. This event attracted The Valkyrie as usual and apparently the aim of the game is now to play until my character dies in the game and then declare everyone else the winner.
The evening portion involved sampling varied pizzeria delights from one of our usual providers.
The next stop of the tour was, once again, gaming where we took advantage of the non-appearance of several of our usual coterie to sample further heretofore unknown pizzeria delights from one of our usual providers.
The main gastro event (I have to come up with a better shortening for gastronomical!) was the biennial Clean Up Your Desk Day. In the previous instalment I had only managed to clean the shelves beside my desk but this time I launched straight into snacking from the abundant table of food that everyone had brought in to help turn the morning into a celebration rather than a chore.
Suitably sated my attention turned to my desk proper and, amidst the sounds of consumption of yummy food, I managed to excavate my way down to the desk surface and I am now the proud owner of "enough space to work in". Next time we have one of these clean up days I shall have to delve into my desk draws and sort through the detritus of four years (six by then) worth of hard work at the library. I shall also endeavour to sample everything that is on the table of bountiful food - a task I fell short on this time.
Having completed enough cleaning I zoomed off to join the birthday lunch celebrations of Groovy Spirits before returning to an afternoons languid work.
That evening I suffered a mysterious stomach bloating as if I were about to burst from the inside. I could not for the life of me think what may have caused it. Even the application of a spaghetti dish supplied by Days of our Libraries in full Strega Nona form, was unable to make it abate.
My next few days were light on for gastronomy - particularly as one has to conceal one's healthy appetite when in the presence of Candidates as they may not yet have come to appreciate it for the great thing it is.
It remains to be seen whether the coming week shall be a further gastronomic one - astute readers of The Tales should have a fair idea of the chances of that though.
.
It began slowly with the regular Sunday gaming day at which we sampled ElfBoy's strange snack foods and played the annual Pirate Dave's birthday game of Talisman. This event attracted The Valkyrie as usual and apparently the aim of the game is now to play until my character dies in the game and then declare everyone else the winner.
The evening portion involved sampling varied pizzeria delights from one of our usual providers.
The next stop of the tour was, once again, gaming where we took advantage of the non-appearance of several of our usual coterie to sample further heretofore unknown pizzeria delights from one of our usual providers.
The main gastro event (I have to come up with a better shortening for gastronomical!) was the biennial Clean Up Your Desk Day. In the previous instalment I had only managed to clean the shelves beside my desk but this time I launched straight into snacking from the abundant table of food that everyone had brought in to help turn the morning into a celebration rather than a chore.
Suitably sated my attention turned to my desk proper and, amidst the sounds of consumption of yummy food, I managed to excavate my way down to the desk surface and I am now the proud owner of "enough space to work in". Next time we have one of these clean up days I shall have to delve into my desk draws and sort through the detritus of four years (six by then) worth of hard work at the library. I shall also endeavour to sample everything that is on the table of bountiful food - a task I fell short on this time.
Having completed enough cleaning I zoomed off to join the birthday lunch celebrations of Groovy Spirits before returning to an afternoons languid work.
That evening I suffered a mysterious stomach bloating as if I were about to burst from the inside. I could not for the life of me think what may have caused it. Even the application of a spaghetti dish supplied by Days of our Libraries in full Strega Nona form, was unable to make it abate.
My next few days were light on for gastronomy - particularly as one has to conceal one's healthy appetite when in the presence of Candidates as they may not yet have come to appreciate it for the great thing it is.
It remains to be seen whether the coming week shall be a further gastronomic one - astute readers of The Tales should have a fair idea of the chances of that though.
.
StumpyRudolph, the Coffee Date, and Footy
Despite the misleading headline one did not go on a coffee date with StumpyRudolph at the football - perish the thought. This is merely another post collecting several topics together.
Last weekend was the much anticipated fortieth celebrations for StumpyRudolph. I made good my attendance despite the monsoon-like rains however both Gavman and BestFriendSincePrep excused themselves from attendance. As I had been pacing myself for the inevitable drinkathon once BFSP arrived I was a little more sedate than expected and left for home at the reasonable hour of three am.
During the past week one was fortunate enough to be able to arrange and then go on a coffee date with a Candidate. All went well and coffee became dinner over a few glasses of red wine (without the feared staple of online dating, 'reading the weekend Age', rearing it's ugly head).
Conversation flowed back and forth relatively well although I do have a Caution for you: after consultation with the girls at work I have determined that apparently it is bad form for one to allude to one's date as matronly in the midst of jovial repartee. (A secondary Caution is that one may receive a light arm punching from said girls at work for even having to ask that question.)
In any case the evening ended with the Candidate having amusing credit card issues and oneself footing the entire bill. On walking away I realised I had been freeloaded upon and began wondering if we were in fact a match made in heaven.
This remainder of the weekend involved a long overdue catching up with Rugrat Twin - not seen since one's long past ageing event; the latest football outing with The Great Sandro, wherein it was all business as usual; visiting Mirri Cat Warrior to see if she had learned any new tricks; and finishing up with a quiet night at home in front of the telly.
One feels almost fully refreshed and ready to take on another working week but we shall see as the proof is in the pudding, mmm pudding.
.
Last weekend was the much anticipated fortieth celebrations for StumpyRudolph. I made good my attendance despite the monsoon-like rains however both Gavman and BestFriendSincePrep excused themselves from attendance. As I had been pacing myself for the inevitable drinkathon once BFSP arrived I was a little more sedate than expected and left for home at the reasonable hour of three am.
During the past week one was fortunate enough to be able to arrange and then go on a coffee date with a Candidate. All went well and coffee became dinner over a few glasses of red wine (without the feared staple of online dating, 'reading the weekend Age', rearing it's ugly head).
Conversation flowed back and forth relatively well although I do have a Caution for you: after consultation with the girls at work I have determined that apparently it is bad form for one to allude to one's date as matronly in the midst of jovial repartee. (A secondary Caution is that one may receive a light arm punching from said girls at work for even having to ask that question.)
In any case the evening ended with the Candidate having amusing credit card issues and oneself footing the entire bill. On walking away I realised I had been freeloaded upon and began wondering if we were in fact a match made in heaven.
This remainder of the weekend involved a long overdue catching up with Rugrat Twin - not seen since one's long past ageing event; the latest football outing with The Great Sandro, wherein it was all business as usual; visiting Mirri Cat Warrior to see if she had learned any new tricks; and finishing up with a quiet night at home in front of the telly.
One feels almost fully refreshed and ready to take on another working week but we shall see as the proof is in the pudding, mmm pudding.
.
Opening Weekend Box Office Report
So the weekend is over, the final reports are in, and it's time to take stock of the success of one's venture into the exciting (and highly tautological) field of web-based online Internet dating.
At first it looked like we were off to a shaky start when no responses were garnered in the first 15 minutes and one's thoughts turned towards eating ice cream and watching rom-com movies.
However in the wash up the weekend's figures actually look quite good: several dozen drive-by viewings, a handful of enquiries from Candidates, and some conversation started.
All in all a solid opening that gives great hope to this enterprise and alleviates the need for immersing oneself in rom-com movie despair. I think I'll still have the ice cream though.
.
At first it looked like we were off to a shaky start when no responses were garnered in the first 15 minutes and one's thoughts turned towards eating ice cream and watching rom-com movies.
However in the wash up the weekend's figures actually look quite good: several dozen drive-by viewings, a handful of enquiries from Candidates, and some conversation started.
All in all a solid opening that gives great hope to this enterprise and alleviates the need for immersing oneself in rom-com movie despair. I think I'll still have the ice cream though.
.
Going on the Market
With the lovely Svetlana extending her return to Svetlanaland indefinitely the time has come for yours truly to return to the status of eligible bachelor.
Well actually the time came several months back and a discussion was had with Svets about my ending the patient waiting and returning to dating. However the plethora of projects and other distractions has kept me from making much of a start on it in the intervening months.
So in true Tales style one of my many seduction plans is to go into online dating with a brutally honest profile that reveals both of my faults.
This should ensure that no Candidates are surprised by what they get and should, in fact, result in them self-omitting themselves from contention if for some unfathomable reason they don't find me suitable.
Amongst all of this preparation I have garnered another Caution for you.
Be careful about asking the girls at work for a little help to make sure you are on the right track. There is a high chance that the likes of Days of our Libraries, Kiwichick, AntagonisticAl, and Lord of the Small Fries, will usurp full editorial control and force a whole lot of help upon you. Including incentive-cake to get you to go-live months before your slow and steady pace would have had you do so.
Of course the good side of the help is that they are making sure I don't make bad choices by enforcing their rules such as "no crazies and definitely no gingers".
So having gone live with my profile yesterday it is now time to sit back and wait for the responses to begin. I expect it shall be much like waiting for popcorn - starting with a few odd pops but quickly becoming a deafening chorus.
In the meantime I shall be busy enjoying my incentive-cake.
.
Well actually the time came several months back and a discussion was had with Svets about my ending the patient waiting and returning to dating. However the plethora of projects and other distractions has kept me from making much of a start on it in the intervening months.
So in true Tales style one of my many seduction plans is to go into online dating with a brutally honest profile that reveals both of my faults.
This should ensure that no Candidates are surprised by what they get and should, in fact, result in them self-omitting themselves from contention if for some unfathomable reason they don't find me suitable.
Amongst all of this preparation I have garnered another Caution for you.
Be careful about asking the girls at work for a little help to make sure you are on the right track. There is a high chance that the likes of Days of our Libraries, Kiwichick, AntagonisticAl, and Lord of the Small Fries, will usurp full editorial control and force a whole lot of help upon you. Including incentive-cake to get you to go-live months before your slow and steady pace would have had you do so.
Of course the good side of the help is that they are making sure I don't make bad choices by enforcing their rules such as "no crazies and definitely no gingers".
So having gone live with my profile yesterday it is now time to sit back and wait for the responses to begin. I expect it shall be much like waiting for popcorn - starting with a few odd pops but quickly becoming a deafening chorus.
In the meantime I shall be busy enjoying my incentive-cake.
.
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