Nose Moking

So it's finally happened. I've finished a project!

The other day I had the marquee artwork prints professionally done and cut them to fit nicely. Turned the fluro on and she looks beautiful so as that was the 'cherry on top' of the arcade cabinet project, it's officially finished. HooRah. Ive put a few more pics on Picasa but I'll add some more at night so you can get a better idea of how it looks.

As if the world knew I just lost a project, I drove the Moke into work today and the clutch decided to only come with me for 1/2 of the journey. Somewhere between the onramp of the freeway and the offramp it's taken the easy way out and jumped off.

It's probably a relatively easy fix but as with anything you havent touched in awhile, I'll have to relearn how it all works to try and troubleshoot. My biggest worry is damaging the gearbox which was brand spanking in Feb this year.

In any case as I'm now at work with no clutch, the journey home should be interesting. Need to somehow get there without stopping, without going too fast, without going too slow.................. and without a helmet! Isn't life grand!

Heading to the beach at sparrows tomorrow for a dawn-patrol surf so no rest for the wicked. Might have to try and stand up on a surfboard again which is a little daunting!

Hope you have a great weekend readers. Do something fun, something you've been meaning to get out of the way for awhile and something spontaneous - just for.

Phil - Out
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Cryptic Music Quiz revisited

its come to my attention that some people don't do cryptic crosswords so they don't understand the concept of how to solve the clues. I do apologise for not explaining them or giving you some hints on what to look for.

I'll explain a little bit and then give you the answers for the unsolved ones.

turns out there is a tutorial which sums things up well
click here to view

Bolded key words to explain the type of clue
Italics for synonym words
Green for hidden words/anagrams

answers to unsolved clues are:
3. Robert can be found inside some vans (3,5) - Bob Evans
** Synonym and hidden word

19. An imitator? maybe a mixed up freak (faker) (5) - Faker
** Synonym and Anagram

26. Had too much of being within the minx situation? (4) - INXS
** Synonym and hidden word

28. Shuffled game in (enigma), from a return to innocence (6) - Enigma
** Anagram and Artist song title

31. Finding out the number in a murder (8,5) - Counting Crows
** Synonym and animal grouping

37. Look inside ; The Go-Go's sip coffee during idle chatter (6)
** Hidden word and Synonym

and some other styles i used were
6. Oz dog is famous in the dark continent - Phil - Toto
** Tricky reference to Wizard of Oz not Aus, synonym for their most famous song (Africa)
11. Simply 36 ebonies (3,5,4) - Anne - The Black Keys
** Piano keys are known as Ivories, there are 36 Black keys on a piano
14. Greek wrap at the end of the telescope (9) - Phil - Gyroscope
** Synonym and clue tells you to use the end of the word
15. Little Fiona finds things difficult (4,2) - Anne - Hard-Fi
** Little clues to shorten the next word, synonym
20. Hardware is found in mirrored loot - Phil - Tool
** synonym & tells you to turn a word around
23. No moss on short Michaels outfit (3,7,6) - Anne - The Rolling Stones
** famous saying, tells you to shorten next word (mick), mick's outfit (group) is a synonym
25. Idol Aussie Ned has teamed up with Griswald's boy (5,8) - Anne - Kelly Clarkson
** Idol gives you a field to work from, aussie ned = Kelly, Griswalds boy = Clark's son
32. Motorcycle is initial transport for mallet (2,6) - Phil - MC Hammer
** initial tells to look for initials, synonym
39. Evil is back, it continues its existence - Anne - Live
** clue to turn a word around, synonym
40. Puzzled harpists built this city - Phil - Starship
** anagram hint, artist song title

hope this helps for next time!

Speaking Is Overrated

So today I have to do a 30min presentation to all of *insert my company name here*, who our department is and what we do .........................No, I don't know why.

After being told "It should only take you an hour" to prepare a PowerPoint thing and get the narration ready, I'm 2 days into it and today's the day. I'll go under the knife in 1 hour as the daggers of 100s of people (possible exaggeration) stare at me, wondering why I get paid at all.

For what? So people who don't want to do work can come along, nod off for 30 mins and tell their boss they were 'learning'. Pfft, in the meantime I've been googling stupid pictures for the slide show and anyone who walks past ALSO thinks "why are we paying him!"

Anyone who walks past, gets the doormat response today.

How DOES Stuff Work?

As every Internet user has done before me, recently I've reached a stage where there is so much information available on the net that I simply don't know what to do with my spare time in front of the technology box.

The little flickering cursor sits idly in the Google search box and my brain just switches off with an abrupt 'Ok, Now What?': Enter HowStuffWorks.com

Any time I can't think of anything to search for, I simply punch in the URL, pick a random topic and find out some useful/useless information that I didn't know I needed to know. It also helps the bank balance that they don't sell anything! Yesterday I was clicking away and came across Muppets.

I thought the relationship between Muppets and Sesame Street was simple ......... Kermit! But I found out that it goes way beyond that. While you may not particularly care to know more about muppets and interactive puppets I found it really quite fascinating to piece together how they work physically and how the success of both branches of the concept (Muppet Show and Sesame Street) have grown through the years. Check it out here.

The site is chocked full of in depth information on 100s of topics from fanatics and people in the know so its really worth a look-see if you find your eyes blurring into the latest image on google.com for awhile.

Have Fun!

P.S. Had a DR appointment for the bub today and all is still good. 20 week scan in 3 weeks so looking forward to that! D Day is still 6/5/2010.

Soundtrack Of The Day: Queen - A Night At The Opera
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Weekly WTF: Inflatable Turkey

Four Tomatos And A Funeral

Due to the fact that I didn't have enough hooks, I was able to hang 4 of them up neatly, 1 on a long hook and one randomly off the clothesline (yes I was desperate!). Last night I went and invested in a few more outdoor hooks to get the tomato experiment all on an even playing field and neaten it up a bit.

Once we got home I went straight out the back to hang them properly, all together as 1 happy family. However to my horror, the lonely pup that was hanging from the clothesline was plantless! Just a plain ole' bag hanging down with nothing in it. AAAAARGH

My first thought was that the wind had ripped it off as all Perthites will know, its been a wet, wild and windy November (wtf's with that!)....so....The hunt began! I looked all over the backyard for the bloody thing, as the photos show it was about a foot long so SHOULD have been quite easy to see I thought. 20 mins of searching all around and I came up empty handed.

So then I started thinking "well if it isn't here, how did it clear the fence?". This brought me to my final conclusion that a crow or something must have had a crack at it and flown away. This COULD have been made easy by the fact that there was an earlier 'incident' with that plant whereby I tried to fashion a hook (again with the bloody hooks!) out of an Ocky Strap. As with every sentence that uses the word fashion to imply making a substandard substitute, it ended with an epic fail...or to be specific...a 4 foot drop to ground zero and because its upside-down, landing directly on the stem of the plant!

In any case, I'm 30 so even though I'm partly to blame, I now shake my fist at all birds!

I've uploaded the next load of pics and please spare a thought for the dearly departed if you go check em out. There IS a little tiny stem still peeking outa the bag so I haven't given up on him yet! Lets just say if it survives, the fruit will taste all the better!
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Cryptic Music Quiz

Due to the success of Phil's album cover quiz
I have made a cryptic artist quiz to keep your brains
ticking and to waste the working day away.
Sorry if they are too easy, I haven't really tried this before

EDIT :
21/11 - answer clues now added (number of letters)

23/11 - Anne is doing some cleaning up, 15 left

24/11 - Phil says "Hammertime" and sorts a tasty Gyro, Anne picks the Idol, 12 left!
830pm - reworded some for extra clues

25/11 - Phil and Anne battling the last few out

1. At the finish you wont be dead - Phil - The Living End
2. Hey! I cast out your mispellings - Phil - Outkast
3. Robert can be found inside some vans (3,5)
4. Nippon is the avarian capital - Phil - Birds of Tokyo
5. Religious belief? now empty (5,2,4) - Anne - Faith No More
6. Oz dog is famous in the dark continent - Phil - Toto
7. Wonderland visitor now shackled - Phil - Alice in Chains
8. Something odd about the aero's myth - Phil - Aerosmith
9. A cuppa coffee for our Inuit friend - Anne - Eskimo Joe
10. Mixed up dove has slang disappointment (4) - Anne - Devo
11. Simply 36 ebonies (3,5,4) - Anne - The Black Keys
12. Can you hear the icy rain in my truck? - Jemma - Van Halen
13. Letter between Y and I needs a double - Jemma - U2
14. Greek wrap at the end of the telescope (9) - Phil - Gyroscope
15. Little Fiona finds things difficult (4,2) - Anne - Hard-Fi
16. Adam uses UK prog rock for his inspiration (4) - Anne - Muse
17. Rests on his patellas whilst atop a shark (4,4) - Neil Finn
18. Theatrical award goes to popular herb - Phil - Toni Basil
19. An imitator? maybe a mixed up freak (5)
20. Hardware is found in mirrored loot - Phil - Tool
21. Sweet sunshine for fly singers - Phil - SugarRay
22. Bob's is in the middle of a palm error - Phil - Robert Palmer
23. No moss on short Michaels outfit (3,7,6) - Anne - The Rolling Stones
24. A most common surname for this last testimony (4,5) - Phil - Will Smith
25. Idol Aussie Ned has teamed up with Griswald's boy (5,8) - Anne - Kelly Clarkson
26. Had too much of being within the minx situation? (4)
27. This ocean mammal remains unopened (4) - Anne - Seal
28. Shuffled game in, from a return to innocence (6)
29. Look for the fruity centre of the common people - Phil - Pulp
30. Footy's Cousin's mixed messages re: harp (3,6) - Anne - Ben Harper
31. Finding out the number in a murder (8,5)
32. Motorcycle is initial transport for mallet (2,6) - Phil - MC Hammer
33. Number one card for military facility - Phil - Ace of Base
34. Star Trek's Patrick is handy for fishing (3,7) - Anne - Rod Stewart
35. Looks like a frog's seat for director Woody (4,5) - Anne - Lily Allen
36. Mends clothes at a rapid pace (6,5) - Anne - Taylor Swift
37. Look inside ; The Go-Go's sip coffee during idle chatter (6)
38. Fresh powder will maintain watch around here - Jemma - Snow Patrol
39. Evil is back, it continues its existence - Anne - Live
40. Puzzled harpists built this city - Phil - Starship

Weekly WTF: Baby Jumper

PEARL JAM : Perth, 14 November 2009

I am not going to harp on about this as anyone who actually cares was there, but it was bloody unbelievable and kicked much ass.

here is a video where you can see me touch Eddie Vedder

and here is one where its a little more clear that its me, but even better, its an official PJ tour video!

that is all

Soundtrack Of The Day: soon to be Powderfinger's new album when I go and buy it at lunch time

Nutrition Ambition

For the last week I've been getting up everyday feeling like shit. At first I had a small hint of a flu but after 2 days or so I couldn't keep blaming that. Last night I decided to try and recall what I'd had to eat and drink all week and how much exercise I did. The outcome wasn't pretty!

Breakfast
6 x Weetbix
1 x Full cooked breaky (Bacon, Tomato's, Eggs, Toast and Sausages)
Lunch
2 x Schnitzel Burgers (damn them!!)
2 x Subway Footlongs (1 Pizza, 1 Meatball)
1 x Steak and Kidney Pie
1 x Risotto leftovers
1 x Skipped Lunch
Dinner
3 x Pizza
2 x 2 Pasties
1 x Steak, Veg, Chips
1 x Risotto
Drinks
22 Beers (at a guess)
2 Bottles of Red
10 soft drinks
Exercise
10-20 min walk every day at lunch - GOOD ..........to get unhealthy food - BAD
Help P & E move some furniture - VERY GOOD ........ had beers and pizza afterward - BAD

All I can picture in my head today is all of that food on a table in front of me, just like one of those eating intervention TV shows. Even though this was an excessively bad week I think its a sure sign to 180 degree spin your diet if reading over what you consumed actually makes you feel sick.

Absolutely no excuse. Weather is on the mend, no broken bones, no projects to spend time on, a wife that would probably love to go walking everyday, Wii fit gathering dust, home gym out the back gathering dust and really buff spiders and me sitting on my gradually fattening ass.

Ive stopped all coffee/soft drink and replaced it with water and unless there's a reason, I wont be cracking beers for nothing. I'll be googling Wii Fit exercise plans at lunch today and hopefully get an exercise routine going over the next couple of weeks. The hardest part is always the beginning so if I can really stick to it for a week or 2 then beyond that should be easier.

Wish Me Luck!

P.S. No, I didn't think I looked like 'David' before but his physique in this picture certainly looks familiar!
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Bridgetown Blues Festival

Tomorrow morning I'm heading down south to Bridgetown for it's annual blues festival. Its one of those events that I've always wanted to go to but never really got around to it so I'm excited to be finally getting down amongst it.

Here's the blurb from bluesatbridgetown.com:

.. since 1993 it has been an international celebration of Blues music, held over three days in the beautiful and idyllic setting of Bridgetown, 272kms south-east of Perth. The program, in excess of 170 hours, showcases a diverse range of blues music at various venues around the town.

In true Aussie tight-arsed tradition I won't be shelling out buckaroos for accommodation, No-Way-Hose-A, Dad's place is just up the road so we can commute to the festival from there! Bonza. From what I've been told there are 2 main sections to the festival. The main stage and the street party. It costs a bucketload to get into the main area so we'll be sticking to the free street party for the day. Atmosphere, Stalls, Buskers, Entertainment, Performers, Food and Blues music - Tick tick and tick.

It will also be the first time I've used the 'Gump' to get down south so stop-watches will be at the ready so see how much time it really cuts. Used to be 2.5 hours to Donnybrook so I'm hoping for only 2 now.

Have a great weekend Eastenders......and guess those final album covers!

:P
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Album Quiz 1

Maybe its my constant need to stimulate your brains, maybe its my interest in bizarre art or perhaps its cos I'm bored. For whatever reason, I've created an 'Album Quiz' for you all.

http://picasaweb.google.com/philgdawson/AlbumQuiz1#

There are 50 albums so write your guesses in the comment field on each pic and as I see the correct answers I'll flag the album as done. Its my first attempt at something like this and I've tried to make some simple, some odd, some brain twisters, some alternative and some so mainstream-commercial its scary.

Hints:
1. None of the albums are Best Of's, Greatest Hits, Live, Compilations or anything other than an official release.
2. The same artist may feature more than once.
3. You can use the net as much as you want so everyone has the same UNfair advantage!

I'm going out on a limb and saying that none of you will know them all and yet I made sure that they are all popular enough to flood google images if you search for the right thing! #35 is a trick question because if any of you know it, it's a red flag that you should be in the nuthouse!

I've optimistically named the quiz #1 as I'm thinking you guys might be thirsty for more..... Enjoy!

Update 12/11 4pm: It has been brought to my attention that Picasa commenting isn't great for reliability so check your comment by going to the next picture and back again each time.

Update 13/11
9.19am: Whoa, huge popularity on this. Overnight we went from 30% complete to 80%. Still 13 to go..... who's got the deep passion to go all the way? I can hear it eating you up inside! Feel the BURN!
2.50pm: Adam locks in one more.............10 to go.

Update 16/11
8.30am: One answer sms'd through from Kathy and another locked in from Shane late last night..............8 to go.
9.20am: #35 has been solved!!!!! 7 to go.
2pm: Clues Added!!
2.45: Wal picks Uncle Kracker - 6
3.02: Wal cranks Stereophonics - 5

Update 17/11
8.30am: Jemma calls the cops - 4
9am: Jemma says Thankyou and goes Def! - 2
1pm: Jemma locks in Poison - 1 LEFT!!!
1.30pm: Like a lightning bolt the tailenders were lapped up - All done and dusted. Thanks for playing everyone!

A tribute to the GUITAR

I am what can be loosely described as a guitarist, I am able to play the guitar to some degree would be the gist of it really. I enjoy writing songs, "creating" something new and unique (hardly unique in chords used but in the fact they are their own entity). I don't have the time or the inclination to make myself into a good guitarist but I seriously am wowed by the wonder of the instrument itself and what seems to be the limitless possibilities.

Check out these videos to change your perspective on just how versatile it can be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKjYiuVPzgY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZpD0btOZx8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4CR3GoB3YY&feature=related
Soundtrack Of The Day: youtube guitarists quite clearly

Weekly WTF: Dog Moustache

iCry

There's a new iPhone app on the block and its making a BIG claim.

The Cry Translator claims to be able to decipher a babies cry and let you know whats wrong out of 5 possible crying scenarios. 4 aren't hard to guess but the 5th is a little odd: Hungry, annoyed, bored, tired, stressed.

Umm Stressed? WTF! I'd think there's far more chance the kid is screaming cos their smuggling mushy peas in their trunks not cos they have a deadline! What about cold and hot? what about wind! ARGH!

I took particular interest cos I can finally announce that Kylie and I are expecting our first. As I write this she is 14 weeks and due around May 6 so we're out of the deep risk woods and have started getting excited about the prospect of being parents. We aren't going to find out the sex so just save all the spare clothes you have!

Happy days ahead and we both have our fingers crossed that its NOT a mega-hot summer! The next few months will probably see us reorganise ourselves and start to prepare for real responsibility - EEEEEEEEEEEP

Anyway, I'm not even going to pretend I'm not getting this app! If you want to read up, check out: http://www.crytranslator.com/

Give me a few weeks and shoot me an email for the outcomes!

UPDATE 16/11: After a few tries its been correct every time. Confirmed by asking the mum what she thought was wrong or just blindly doing what it said and the crying stopped!

Fried Green Upside-Down Tomatos

I've seen through random Internet surfing, these things called upside-down tomato planters. Basically its a sort of cylinder that hangs from your patio like a hanging basket. It's around 20cm in diameter and 40cm long.

I'm interested in all things odd-ball so they intrigued me enough to buy 6! Mine are like the picture except they are made from a tarpaulin/plasticcy type material and inside there is a foam circle to only allow the tomato stem through. Planting steps seem simple enough:

1. Buy a plant.
2. Lose the pot and position the foam ring around the stem.
3. Gradually feed the plant through the cylinder so that it sits flush, neatly at the bottom.
4. Carefully fill with potting mix and hang.
5. Slowly fill with water until you're confident all the soil has been moistened.
6. Open beer and marvel at your mad gardening skills.

The theory behind it is, the water has no where to go but into the plant. The soil stays moist for longer while keeping your produce off the ground and away from the bugs. The plant is supposed to produce fruit and ripen them much quicker than conventional methods. Ill being having a crack at all of the above tonight so I'll try and report tomorrow with the outcome.

Hope y'all didn't get a case of the Mondays!

UPDATE 10/11: All done! I got home and made the trek to Bunnings for 6 plants and potting mix, then went berserk. I bought a normal tomato, roma, supa roma, golden tomato, yellow capsicum and a chilli one. All 6 are planted and hung proudly off my patio, now its up to fate......and remembering to water them!

UPDATE 11/11: Already there has been huge growth! Enough for me to try and take apic every day and update a new picasa album....

Hump-Day Yucks

One for the IPhonies
I was in the pub yesterday when I suddenly realized I desperately needed to fart. The music was really, really loud, so I timed my farts with the beat.

After a couple of songs, I started to feel better. I finished my pint and noticed that everybody was staring at me.

Then I remembered that I was listening to my iPhone.


Welsh Roadtrip
On a beautiful summer's day, two English tourists were driving through Wales.

At the town of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyllllantysiliogogoch they stopped for lunch, and one of the tourists asked the waitress, “Before we order, I wonder if you could settle an argument for us. Can you pronounce where we are, very, very, very slowly?”

and the answer....................................................

The girl leaned over and said, “Burrr gurrr King.”
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It Was Then I Knew The Party Was Over

Its been 3 days and the hangover has almost gone now. The party has been cleaned up and is drifting to merely a memory.

For those that were on the edge of your seats but didn't come to the party, Yes the arcade machine was completed in time! It's alter ego is a jukebox so 99% of the evening it was serving up beats rather than being arcadey but I think it went great on its first run. There were a few things I need to update:

1. When you double click a song in WMP, it ADDS the song to the playlist instead of clearing the list and playing that 1 track! Doh
2. Print a sign that says, 'Spill 1 beer and you'll be up for 24' and tape it to the cabinet in full view. (You got away with it this time Brewzer - of all people!)
3. Test the 4th Joystick.
4. Don't tell everyone at the party that you made the cabinet and this is its first outing. That way if a bug burns on the scolding hot light, people WON'T think it's your fault.
5. Resist the urge to take orders for 2 more before Xmas..........altho they didn't say which Xmas!

I've posted the final pic of the cabinet on Picasa so take a look on there if your interested. I'll be doing a more in depth posting on its life in the next couple of days.

Later Cheese Graters

P.S. Has anyone heard my bore water coloured house render idea?

Weekly WTF: Trouser Expander

Tell me what you want, what you really, really want

My wife has this knack of being involved in various activities and events thru her many networks. One path she has come across is market research, thru whichever avenue it was she falls into the wonderful catagory of every marketers dream: married, young mother, full-time mum, part-time job. So once every set time period she gets invited to take part in a survey or focus group, give her opinion and get a token gift or some cold hard KEYASH!

Well, due to rules of only being allowed to participate once in every X days, a company rings her up and she can't go cause its been too soon since her last one but she handballs them straight to me to do. One phone call and 99 questions later, I'm roped into a focus group on private health insurance

Super boring subject, but a really interesting experience. I really enjoyed doing it, openly criticising marketing ploys and making positive suggestions towards improvements etc. Running my own small business it was good to look at a big business strategy and try to relate to how I do the similar tasks and how I could improve too.

In a group of similar scenario people (youngish families considering private health care) it was interesting to see peoples reactions to various options, both positive and negative. Unfortunately the differences are so common that a generic approach is the only option but it will never make everyone happy! What I liked and gave positive response to was negated by someone else in the room for the exact same reasons! How do you please everyone? you can't! how do you not offend or displease the majority I guess is the solution.

1.5hrs later and $70 richer I am looking forward to doing another one...just have to sit and wait my X number of days out now....
Soundtrack Of The Day: