Melbourne

Lean-to done! (almost)

Basically it's stopping a stairwell from being inundated when it shits down as it flooded last time. Seemed to work 100% last night not a drop went down.

Fourth time's lucky - I finally sold my tent! This is the fourth offer I've accepted, the others all ghosted at some point between making the offer and actually picking up. This sale was true to form for sales that actually get followed through, being quick and easy. My tent is going to be heading off to Pambula for the holidays, lucky fella.

Neighbor gifted a mini gingerbread house ☺️

Oh man, I really didn't intend to pull a 12 hr day but that last min site visit really threw me off. However I'm pleased to say I've covered almost all of my responsibilities up to Jan 6 so I should be on track to leave work after lunch tomorrow. And then push on with the much needed cooking, cleaning, etc.

The train ride to the 'Rat should be relaxing, at least... hard to imagine 33C after today's polar blast.

The end is SO CLOSE!!

Heater on. Long cardigan on. Cosy old man slippers on (with socks). Love Melbourne weather.

Now I'm ready to ice 4 batches of gingerbread and help my kid build a gingerbread house.

I gotta ask - why would anyone buy Foxtel. Let alone for 3.4 billion?

You will all be pleased to know I did have my caves spelunked today after last week's false start, and it went well. :)

I got my old Nintendo DSs out. I have 3 of them. And all my games.

So many people at the supermarket just now 🤯

That was not the right time to go.

Dealing with the in-laws tomorrow. Fortunately it’s only for a couple of days but gotta be honest I’ve lost a ton of respect for everyone involved in this shit show. I’ll smile and be polite but this is gonna be the last time I go over for a while. Really disappointing cause we all had a great relationship before this, but everyone put their own wants first and no one took accountability so…. Is what it is.

Actually I should say: except my mother in law. She’s a freaking delight and I mean that seriously.

Ended up sleeping 12 hours and woke up at 2pm.

Feeling heaps better now. Not going to stay up too late but glad it doesn't appear to be covid.

Unfortunately the people I was going to spend Xmas with have gastro so that's not happening. There's an Orphans Xmas thing at a place in the city that looks interesting.

Relatively severe weather down here last night. Got about 35mm.

Second time in 3 months it's hit exactly where my place is. First one was 65mm in an hour and the gutters shat themselves. It very rarely rains like that here let alone twice like that so close together.

Will have to jump up today and do the gutters (again).

Parcel woes resolved! Hardly anybody was in the LPO, so no wait. They were really really nice! One of the things I ordered was really big, so they suggested I go around to a garage door they have in the back which they then opened up for me to make it easier to get things into the car

I think my suspicion they didn't scan things in correctly is right, because after I picked them up, it sent me a message saying they're ready for collection (again). Even right now they're still telling me that my parcels are awaiting collection

In any case, I'm now praying nothing is wrong with my phone lines and this stupid FTTC box thing works. It's currently just flashing blue and making clicking noises (which after a bit of google is apparently because my box eats some electricity to shove down the phone line and into the NBN pit to power their equipment. Which is kinda cool but also seems weird I'm paying their power bill. But anyways). It takes up to 20 minutes they say, but if it doesn't turn solid blue within that, then I get to call my ISP yet again and have them send somebody to figure out what's wrong. Then potentially need to haggle with the landlord to get them to fix whatever decrepid old hellhole of wire is probably frayed and broken in the wall

Feels kind of gutting that if arsehole politicians weren't arsehole politicians, I could've just had fibre directly piped in and wouldn't have had to deal with any of these problems, and could've gotten 10x better speeds. Sigh

E: oh, but I went for lunch with a mate and tried an actual creme brulee! I've only ever had the stuff from the little plastic can thing in the dairy section at the supermarket. It was nice, though I didn't realise it was crunchy

I think I'm sleeping away the illness. Just woke up and still tired.

What are you all hoping to work towards for 2025? Not so much New Years Resolutions but more along your short, or long term goals.

Personally, I have 3 goals:

1. Focus on uni/studying, getting my placements done and ensuring I am making the right decision for a career change.

2. Write the next two books in the VDV series and release 3 of them (2 to be written and one already written).

3. Take steps and make plans to move back to Melbourne/Victoria, hopefully being able to do so by end of 2025.

Good night everyone, sweet dreams. 😘

It is midnight and my friends just left. They were supposed to leave at 9pm but we were still watching a movie and one was eating. It didn't feel right to kick them out.

I start work at 7am. If it isn't the consequences of my actions.

Ok good news, the phone lines aren't fucked. It took about 40 mins and 2 restarts, but the NCD stopped clicking and flashing and turned solid and I've been able to setup the wifi. Can't be arsed setting up the other mesh node yet, so that's a problem for later, but oh well - good enough

Did a download rest and I'm getting about 109 down and 18 up. I pay for 100 down and 20 up (though apparently for an extra fiver a month I can get 40 up). I'll be honest, I'm mega bummed about not being eligible for the free FTTP upgrade, but I'm trying to remember that the last place only had 50mbps, and I had no say in it. At least here I have double download speeds and can get double upload speeds if I decide it's worth it

E: I ended up doing some more research and apparently I'm not even eligible for a paid upgrade. Even if there was a strata that paid for the upgrade, I'd be excluded. My neighbours on either side wouldn't be. That's an r/FuckYouInParticular moment if I've ever seen one... Apparently to make it even better, they're both eligible for free upgrades, while I don't even get that - when they do get around to putting my address up, I'd have to pay. Cheers for that

I bought ‘plastic’ bandaids and was still allergic to them. Wtf. The pack is open now and I’m not sure if it’s ok to donate the rest.

I bought some basics for that pantry. Some individually wrapped rolls of tp. Individually wrapped multipack soap to split up. Some deodorants that were on special. Baked beans, spaghetti, sardines. Pancake mix. Corn chips. Salsa. Onion soup mix. Stock cubes. Rice, pasta, noodles, oats. Laundry detergent. Tea. Peanut butter. Tomato sauce. Long life milk.

I really wish generic brands were as cheap as they used to be. And I could afford more. But yeah. They’re all homebrand but normal items so I’m not forcing people to eat creamed eels or corn nog.

I need to find those adult colouring books I won’t use. The hoarded toothbrushes and the unopened bag of razors can go as well

We've been binge watching Fresh Off The Boat in the mornings. Such a good show.

Mmm making a bowl of ramen in hot soup was the right choice for tonight.

Balances out the cold day.

That's the first night since moving in I had the windows shut and all the blankets on. That's one thing I miss during summer, cozy nights - but then Melbourne puts on a sudden show of cold weather to mix things up. It's the best. (Still not planning to spend winter here next year though)

Mik carrier plate acquired. Mik adapter plate for my little basket acquired. Mik 40l cargo crate acquired. Shraeder to presta adapter aquired so His Lordship can use all pumps. Knog alarm / tracker acquired. Bike wipes acquired. Now i have a shiny clean bike that i can clip cargo carriers in and out of with gay abandon and find wherever it may roam. And his lordship bought himself a massive fuckoff floor pump he's already referring to as his swedish penis inflator. And I took the whole lot for a spin about and snagged some massive (65x65) cushion covers at savers for $3. W00t w00t.

Today i shall get filthy flinging dirt and exposing the last of the trenches, correct the exit, blast metal and generally be obnoxious for i am on goddamn holiday

This is going to be the first Christmas where I don't go back to see my family. I've done it every year since moving to Melbourne but it's harder now with the kids.

I don't know what the other side of the family does at Christmas time, but they hardly catch up with their family otherwise so I can't see us being too busy

This looks like it could be fun for Xmas day.

omg, it's been a very strange year.

I have watched 6 hugh grant movies.

Not willingly, well it wasn't an alex delarge sitch, but I certainly didn't choose because he was in them, he just happened to be in them. I include wonka and paddington 2 in the list.

I'm still never going to watch any of those richard curtis movies, not ever. 🤢 The closest I got was watching that time movie, after it was over i just knew i hated it. Imagine my surprise when i saw it was a curtis movie, if I had known i would have saved myself the trauma.

Now it's video game time lol

Cold rain.

This is a little random, but if I ever decide to become a scientist I really want to study sleep. Things like hypnic jerks, exploding head syndrome, and sleep paralysis really really fascinate me in an "I neeeeeed to know WHY*" type of way. I've directly experienced all of them, and I've read just about every theory under the sun about them, but they just don't satisfy me

ugh, dreamt we got nuclear blasted, I saw the flash, tried to get my loved ones into the basement. Then I woke up. What the hell is going on in my brain lately.

Woke up with one eyelid very swollen 😕 I'm pretty sure it's sunburn from yesterday... Going to be a bit embarrassing at work though. It's like I got stung by a bee on my eyelid