Easy Come, Easy Go

I use to love receiving real live snail mail as a kid. It made me feel so important that someone would physically put something into an envelope so that I would be notified of my misdeeds.

As I grew older, I grew to resent snail mail because 9/10 times it's bad news. Phone bills, internet bills, electric bills, water bills, infringements, reminders of unpaid bills and more bills.

I got hit hard by the most almighty of government agencies. ASIO? ASIS? ASIC? ATO? Medicare? RBA? DFAT?

No.

They are all weak and insignificant in comparison to the Almighty CentreLink.

In my opinion, CentreLink is THE most powerful government agency in Australia. They will hunt you down and get you for anything and everything. They will scream and go kicking and bury you in paperwork before they pay you your rightful Youth/NewStart/Whatever Allowance. They will cross check with the ATO to make sure you are not rorting the system.

This is how they got me.

During my dodgy days working at the Establishment I always did a little bit of extra work for cash in hand. Little did I realise how un-dodgy it was and that some of my payments under the table were not so under the table and in fact, recorded and entered into the books.

Making them official.

As a brilliant result, CentreLink noticed that my Tax Return didn't match up with my declarations and is now forcing me to pay back $1100 immediately. Who remembers the lavish $900 you got from K-rudd this year? Or was it last year? My memory is too short but a lot of us got it. And now I return it with interest.

Easy come, easy go.

A-la-la-la-n

: o )

I've noticed in professional services, a lot of people finish off emails with "Kind regards" or "Many thanks".

Sometimes even "Warm regards".

Today I got a strange one.

"Jess H%$#&y : o )"

Smiley face with a nose?

A-la-la-la-n

Obesity Epidemic in action

Driving into work today, the obesity epidemic was the roar on the radio. Blah blah 1/3 Aussies are overweight, blame the parents for fat kids, blame the kids for being slack, Modern Asians don't eat all their rice, blah blah...BLAH!

Epidemic seemed a bit overkill for what i saw as easily curable with some fat camps and exercise.

Little did I know how bad the epidemic was.

As part of a semi-morning ritual I might go for a Redbull at IGA if I am feeling particularly lethargic before work. Yes it is terrible for you but then i will abstain from coffee and tea. And I don't do it all the time.

Today at IGA I saw a mum and her two kids doing shopping for their weekly groceries. The mum was all corporated up. Power suit, iPhone, heels to kill and makeup so heavy it would put Kabuki actors to shame. Her two kids, a boy and a girl, had the uniforms of some private school and I suspected they were getting a ride to school.

At the till, the boy ran up to the counter when everything had been put through and placed a can of whipped cream. The checkout chick looked at the mum for the all ok and she said sighed and nodded. The boy gleefully grinned.

The girl not wishing to be outdone got a huge bar of chocolate and followed suit. Her mum shook her head. And then...

The girl went beserk.

She screamed and cried within a 2 second time frame.

The mum tried to shush her but eventually gave in and put it through.

And yes, the girl stopped crying right away.

As they walked out, the boy was chugging down the whipped cream straight. Gross. And the girl was devouring the chocolate. This was 8.10 in the morning. The obesity epidemic was unfolding before me.

Incredible.

A-la-la-la-n

300

Didn't even realise I was up to 300 posts.

Thanks for being there people. Going through a dry patch at the moment but be sure to stay tuned for updates.

A-la-la-la-n

The Road Ahead or the Road Behind

Sometimes I think the fates must grin as we denounce them and insist,
The only reason we can’t win is the fates themselves have missed.
Yet, there lives on the ancient claim - we win or lose within ourselves,
The shining trophies on our shelves can never win tomorrow’s game.
So you and I know deeper down there is a chance to win the crown,
But when we fail to give our best, we simply haven’t met the test
Of giving all and saving none until the game is really won.
Of showing what is meant by grit, of fighting on when others quit,
Of playing through not letting up, it’s bearing down that wins the cup.
Of taking it and taking more until we gain the winning score,
Of dreaming there’s a goal ahead, of hoping when our dreams are dead,
Of praying when our hopes have fled. Yet, losing, not afraid to fall,
If bravely we have given all, for who can ask more of a man
than giving all, it seems to me, is not so far from - Victory.
And so the fates are seldom wrong, no matter how they twist and wind,
It’s you and I who make our fates, we open up or close the gates,
On the Road Ahead or the Road Behind.

A-la-la-la-n

Fantasy Adviser

I just want you to all know I am going to be building a new blog over at Fantasy Adviser. In my role as a Fantasy Adviser, I want to provide you with advice on selecting your Fantasy Premier League team.

A-la-la-la-n

Just a bunch of stuff

• Completed the straight sword. One more and I'm prepared to undertake Green Belt grading.
• Started playing indoor again. Haven't won a single game. Scored a few times though.
• Devised a Fantasy Premier League team with Lampard, Gerrard and Arshavin. Jealous much Isaac?
• Work work work. And on Saturday's too as I have chosen to stay with the guys that gave me my lucky break.
• Watched 60 episodes of Naruto over 1 month. 60 more to go.
• Started playing DotA again. Yes I know it's a bit sad but it's a good way to catch up with friends.
• Started my DFS. Ready for the first exam.
• Knee has been hurting terribly. Need to see a physio.
• Bought a webcam. Bargained with the guy.
• Had a Dry July. What a long July it was.
• Need to update this blog. Watch this space.

A-la-la-la-n

Watch this space...

[More than a tumbleweed...]

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The Final 15 Seconds

It was the final 15 seconds. They were 3 - 4 down. The scoreline was unjust on Him and His team. He had played a lung busting game. Chasing down every ball and winning it for His team. Urging them on. A constant thorn for the opposition. He showed no mercy. He asked for none.

But here it was. The final seconds of the match and they were losing.

The Enemy had possession.

He made a dash across the field and confronted the Attacker. He was spent. Even His legendary endurance was gone. He won the ball back for his team. He bustled pass the Attacker and passed it to the Playmaker. The Playmaker held onto the ball. Almost selfishly. No. The Playmaker wasn't being selfish. The Playmaker was waiting for Him to make a run.

And The Run came.

He was still deep in the field but He still made a bursting sprint down the flank before a sublime diagonal run across the field into the middle. He was quickly picked up by the Defender. The Defender stayed with Him. But He managed to keep his position and presented perfectly.

It was perfect.

It was The Run.

The Playmaker gave it a deft touch and the ball glided across the ground. Splitting open the Enemy like a blade. And came to His feet. Here it was. The last seconds. The final chance to get something from the game.

And He struck it beautifully at the goal...

Only for the ball to be pushed away by the Keeper and then cleared away by the Defender.

A-la-la-la-n

The Loss of my Teenhood

Tonight, I tell you a story about loss and sacrifice.

I was cleaning up my room the other day (yes, I do this on occasions) in a bid to become more organised and less chaotic.

I had gotten to the dreaded part of my room known as "Under The Bed" where I have hoarded many memories from my 22 years of life.

It was here that I found The Red Folder. There is a reason why it's "The Red Folder" and not the red folder. This is where I kept my old Role Playing Game (RPG) character sheets. Back in high school I enjoyed spending some of my weekends playing as a Fighter, a Ventrue, a Toreador...

Yes. That's right. I played Dungeons & Dragons and The Masquerade and unashamedly loved it. I was a DnD Geek. In fact, as soon as I gazed upon these sheets I longed to play again. These sheets represented countless weekends staying up late and fighting...

dragons in dungeons -__-"

I quickly googled: "Dungeons and Dragons, Perth" in a hope to maybe find a new RPG group.

I had been longing to play again secretly for years now. Ever since high school graduation. But never before had I googled it so desperately.

THAT was when I knew the game was over.

I moved away from the computer, sat down on my bed and took a deep breath. I could not believe what I was about to do.

Then with another breath, I tore up those sheets. And then I tore those pieces again. And again. And finally again.

Those days are gone. Gone. I can now only look forward.

A-la-la-la-n