Fake Tattoos

Australian Flag

Today is Australia day. It’s really one of my favourite days. I don’t get involved in a lot of festivities as is about, and whilst all the fireworks are legally controlled the only event is the 7:30 family fireworks one doesn’t want to miss. I think every country should celebrate its self. The girls presented me with some fake Australian Flag tattoos this morning saying that I had to wear one for Australia day. Typically I would have avoid putting on a tattoo however I have a theory; if a child sees things that I am doing, they will copy me. If I drink conscious numbing liquids or consume foul smelling toxic smoke then, I should expect that someday they will copy me and really its not right for a parent to say to a child, “do as I say not as I do”. The example of a parent is life long, so what impact does where a fake tattoo have on a child.

They are smart girls and they know they aren’t real. Their mother wisely suggested they put it tastefully on the upper arm, rather than on the face like a bogan. Its a special day after all. There was Australian Flag, T-Shirts & Hats, red white and blue liquids mixed together – just like mixing all the different people we have in this wide country, paid for downloaded the National Anthem (via Itunes) played it during breakfast.

Then is on the train to visit the grandparents and home again home again. The day has worn on and the festivities have ceased, off comes the fake tattoo, like taking down the decorations put up in the hall. Returning it all to normal and the sanctity of the body.

Stalking is a normal Activity

Apparently it is a crime to stalk another person. I guess there has to be a sort of creepiness to the behaviour to attract the attention of the police, and probably a complaint on behalf of the stalked individual, but for the other 99% of the time I think people stalk each other a lot more than most are willing to admit. F’book has produced a lot of “stalkers”, those that want to keep a low profile and not be labelled badly seem to prefer “lurker”. It intrigues me that how many meanings seem to have opposite meanings than it did 50 years ago? A topic for another post maybe.

Before F’book people stalked by simply reading someone else’s web page, you couldn’t see who they were linked to or friends with or what groups they belonged, unless the web page creator but that information in an accessible fashion. I like this style and whilst it is very 90’s and I don’t mind that people read these random thoughts because its about me and no one else. Before Web Pages I am sure that people lurked nearby to over hear conversations, but I think that’s called ‘eavesdropping’, it was considered rude, without an apology. All these link though to gossip.

I just learn someone is pregnant. No big deal, but I heard it via someone with a F’book account. I don’t even know if the information is valid and apart from the approaching the person directly, which is the usual method of getting reliable information, how weird is it to walk up to someone and say, “Hey, I heard from someone with a F’book account, who saw a message on so-and-so’s account that you commented on and caught a message on that wall about how your having a baby, I don’t have a F’book account, but I know and congratulations”.

Each to their own, but I prefer my friends to talk to me and tell me themselves.

Nap Time

Christmas day was a fun day. Up late the night before wrapping the last of the childrens gifts and placing them under the tree. Putting to gether scooters and toys of all sizes is an expected skill of any father – even if you’ve never see it before, you have to put it together in less than a few hours. Then after the finishing touches are done and you and ‘mrs clause’ are sufficiently exhausted from all the preparations for the following day, off to bed at the reasonably silly hour of 11pm.

The following morning the children in their eagerness get up and begin checking out the gifts and like good girls they wait for everyone to wake before tearing open the wrapping paper and giggling with delight. This year we drove to the Sunshine Coast to visit the cousins. Good times, but straight after lunch its off to bed for a nap.

The following day, about the same time I napped again. Today I felt like napping again, but resisted. I’d like to nap. If I could incorporate a nap into my work day I think it would be rejuvanating. Surely the employer would benefit from their employee’s taking a nap during the lunch our, if only the desks could have a pillow and a curtin under them, I think I’d go for it.

Stairs are not as dangerous as Escalators

I’m thinking that a flight of stairs at 15 or so steps is not as dangerous as an enscalator with 40 or so stairs in a single flight (3 stories). If a person was to fall down a single flight of stairs its less distance to fall. An escalator is moving and adds to the danger of injury too. There is nothing to stop me but the ground should I being to fall. This thought spooked me a little today as I climbed (and I walk up escalators for no real reason – I’m not usually in a hurry).

What Year are we in?

I was reading this evening about Russia. I became interested after watching a movie with the family, Night at the Muesum 2, in which Ivan the Terrible is a main charactor. So I am reading in wikipedia about him and is decendents and ancestors and discover and interesting article reported to be called the “Primary Chronical“.

In the Primary Chronical article it says “In the year 6367 (859):” (Read the article here) and then again it says “In the year 6370 (862):”

The number in the brackets is the Gregorian Calendar as far as I can tell (It could be the Julian Calendar). Whatever it is the date would be the years since the death of Christ, and since Christianity is beginning to grow in Russia around this time it might be possible to assume that this is the date in brackets. But the exciting part is the long date. Its the first time I’ve seen it, and since I am writing a book about the end of the world set around the year 7000, (which would be close to 3000AD) I am now facinated by what that date means to the people in 859AD. What to them happened 6367 years ago.

Using there calculations today 1150 years later would be the year 7517. That time is even longer than the Bible calculations, Adam being born 4004 years before Christ + 2009 years since Christs death would only make this the year 6046. So what event took place 6367 years ago that caused this writer to use this date and a comparison date in an article in written in 859AD and subsequently compiled and published in 1113AD?

Time off

There is a little bit of sadness when one goes out of the work routine and has a day off. I’m not talking about the weekend, but during the week.

Here I am, have already taken the kids to school, cleaned the house and am getting ready to go to the dentist. After that it’s back to the school to watch the kids swim at the school carnival and then bring them home. What exactly does one do with a day off? Cram as much as one can into one day. Then back to work to relax.!?

From my iphone

I downloaded an app for my iphone which allows me to write and upload to this blog from any where. I think this means I can be even more random. Not just in content but timing too.

edit: So it didn’t work like I had hoped. The application takes the blog and uploads it only after you take it to pending, then you have to log into the website to publish it.

edit 2: Looks like the date is preserved for when I submitted the article though, so thats nice. It means I’ll be able to approve them later and still have them in the order I thought them..

Hot

Today is rather hot. Temperature is higher than normal. Humidity is high and it might storm. I can’t believe I am hanging out for it to suddenly change temperature and then storm. I like the idea of the wind driving rain to cool down the earth. I kinda like the idea of being wet, considering without a car I cant be expected to travel all that far to the public pools. Cold shower here I come.

Friends are essential

This post is a thank you post to my friends and family who have kindly and quickly responded to our needs this last week. On the way to Little Athletics, the car’s temperature gauge showed hot. Water was added and a trip to the Mechanic developed into a possible expensive engine rebuild. We baulked at that idea and work on the car has been put on hold. Then my $20 mountain bike started to make horrendous noises as I peddled along. The already exposed bearing are obviously not liking the absence of grease. Took that to the repair shop and they wanted me to pay $400, or simply get a new one for $500. On Wednesday, the Mrs messaged me at work saying that the pram which she uses to push the 3 year old and 2 month old in, has broke. Apparently it got a flat tyre and she had to carry both children and the pram. After coaxing along the three year old, they got home about 20 minutes later.

Altogether the monetary cost of replacing all of these items is prohibitive, and because the car is a luxury in the city we’ve decided to increase the amount that we walk. It was kind of thrust upon us anyway, but we may as well face the loss of the car as if it was our decision right??

Then our friends came to our aid. We had 3 offers of cars. 2 small cars (one in Sydney & one in Brisbane), and we considered both these generous offers. Then a friend who also owns a motorbike called to say his Toyota Landcruiser is available and can carry 7 passengers. Not having to face a repair bill and a relief, although really were just putting off the inevitable, we are going to have to get a car eventually. Turns out though that by adding some thinkning agent to the water, any problem we where having has sealed up. Still we believe we are over driving a manual and think its got to go.

The bike received some oil love and is working better, but another friend has offered an unused bike and will deliver it next week. It’s another mountain bike, in like new condition, but that has sat around for 18 months without being used.

The inner tube in the pram was a $6 repair kit from the Mobil service station and about 20 minutes later – after borrowing a pump from our friends across the street – the pram was a go.

Without friends who willing give, we would be very unhappy now. Instead I am grateful for their willingness and the speed at which that exercised their agency in caring for our family. A big thank you to them all.

Walking is so underated.

I love that we have legs, they come in very handy. They don’t cost anymore to use than the food that we eat. I am looking forward to finding new ways to get around. Friends and family will find themselves in our home more and more.