Hi!
Well. Here we are on another gorgeous spring Sunday. There's been a pretty good breeze every afternoon over the last few weeks, not sure what that's been about (normally we get these winds in August, September) but it's been windy. Weather's been pretty good tho, kinda warm for a couple of days but nothing like what summer really has in store later down the road. We've had some good-looking clouds and a few semi-hysterical warnings from the weather bureau about storms, but not even so much as a drop here in town...... Huh. Thankfully, the humidity has been low too, so far. All-in-all it just makes it a nicer weekend(s) when we don't have to contend with 95° and 75% humidity! But yes, we're here, now - made sure to get allllll the chores done, and a little extra, to be ready in time to catch the fourth game of the World Series! Go Cubs! Sadly, they didn't go so well. Yesterday's game was really, really good, all the way to the end, excellent pitching and defense from both sides, but still they lost. That's two now, they have to win tomorrow to stay in it.....! Go Cubs! And it's amazing how much filing one can get donejazz tunes, will very shortly have a nice glass of the standby red, yes, life is good!
while watching a baseball game - I got about ten month's worth all sorted! In fact, my "to be shredded" pile has got to be bigger than what's in my little file box - hooray for everything being online now! It's great being productive while watching TV. So, yes, chores are all done, what's left of the laundry is cheerfully flapping away in the breeze, all the vacuuming is done (the one chore I hate, and it's even worse having two cats and dark carpet - good for cat barf and the odd wine spill, but bad for fur), even the plants are all watered and happy (minus the two about to be re-potted into their much bigger homes, they'll be happy soon), got the hip n' happenin'
So work. Yep. Is good. I've been mad crazy busy helping another project with their editing, a project that really, really needs my help, but to the twelve-plus "writers" they hired (they're not actually technical writers or any kind of writer, but good golly gosh they were maintainers so they know about 
the books - why then, you're hired!), they don't think they need my help. Thankfully, I have other work that takes priority and will get to their stuff just as soon as I can.......... It's a long story, but this project is kinda like watching a train crash in slow-motion. Basically, they've had almost two years to get two books ready for delivery to the customer in Feb - they've only just now started really writing and asking for editing help. I'm going away for five weeks fairly soon (a fact they've been reminded of on multiple occasions to no discernible effect), I won't be back to even maybe look at their stuff until the middle, end of Jan. I wish them all the luck they deserve in meeting their deadline! Otherwise, as far as real work goes we're still pretty quiet, which is how I can be free to help those people. But thankfully, this week has got me rather busy not helping them - whew! So yes, all is well, with a bit of humor on the side. But really tho, am always happy to just have a good job that pays the bills!
the books - why then, you're hired!), they don't think they need my help. Thankfully, I have other work that takes priority and will get to their stuff just as soon as I can.......... It's a long story, but this project is kinda like watching a train crash in slow-motion. Basically, they've had almost two years to get two books ready for delivery to the customer in Feb - they've only just now started really writing and asking for editing help. I'm going away for five weeks fairly soon (a fact they've been reminded of on multiple occasions to no discernible effect), I won't be back to even maybe look at their stuff until the middle, end of Jan. I wish them all the luck they deserve in meeting their deadline! Otherwise, as far as real work goes we're still pretty quiet, which is how I can be free to help those people. But thankfully, this week has got me rather busy not helping them - whew! So yes, all is well, with a bit of humor on the side. But really tho, am always happy to just have a good job that pays the bills!
And then there were a few weekends in there....... Am sorry, again, about not checking in. Honestly, this year I really did mean to turn a new leaf and check in all the time, at least more often than once a
month, but I really haven't been up to much that's worth writing about with saving for this trip and all. Really, most weekends are just chores and checking on emails, planning stuff for mah Big Nordic Adventure and researching what to do with my life after I get back from this trip, because it could be time for a change........ We'll see. Am thinking of going back to school for another Bachelor's degree, this time in Interior Architecture. The bummer is I'd have to do the course part-time (online, with another school) and in order to keep myself living in the palatial splendor to which I have become accustomed, working full-time will still have to be a thing if I want to pay cash for the courses as I go and not take out a loan like the government really, really wants you to do....... Although, it's kind of tempting to move to a smaller, cheaper apartment, go part-time at work and apply for whatever help there is, if I qualify, including putting the course on a loan, to get through it quicker but the debt-chicken I am I've decided I like my own space where I am. Anyways, it's just an idea.............! Watch this space!
month, but I really haven't been up to much that's worth writing about with saving for this trip and all. Really, most weekends are just chores and checking on emails, planning stuff for mah Big Nordic Adventure and researching what to do with my life after I get back from this trip, because it could be time for a change........ We'll see. Am thinking of going back to school for another Bachelor's degree, this time in Interior Architecture. The bummer is I'd have to do the course part-time (online, with another school) and in order to keep myself living in the palatial splendor to which I have become accustomed, working full-time will still have to be a thing if I want to pay cash for the courses as I go and not take out a loan like the government really, really wants you to do....... Although, it's kind of tempting to move to a smaller, cheaper apartment, go part-time at work and apply for whatever help there is, if I qualify, including putting the course on a loan, to get through it quicker but the debt-chicken I am I've decided I like my own space where I am. Anyways, it's just an idea.............! Watch this space!
But I did actually get out a couple weekends ago with my friend Julian to go to the premiere of his competition-winning beer! He's not only a newly-qualified international beer judge, one of only a handful around the world, but he's a dab hand at amateur brewing through the Brisbane Amateur Beer Brewers. A couple months ago their club had a competition to brew a historical recipe and he placed third out of the state! So, the sponsor of the competition, the 
Scratch Bar (just down the road from my place actually - it's a good, basic, little spot that supports craft brews) provided a tap to each of the winners (a keg each) and a chance for the public to try them out and support the local independents. It was great! Good beers, really different from each other. It was a great, interesting, evening - those boys sure know their stuff. Not too many girls tho, I did ask if they had any in their little club and the guy said they did, and getting more. So there's that. I suppose I could try my hand at it but I'm not really a joiner at the best of times and I don't really drink that much beer to make that kind of effort. But am always more than happy to get out and support the locals!
Other than that, that's about it. Told ya! I haven't even been to any movies for a while now, either. 
Probably because there's not really been anything worth seeing....? Shame. So yes, that's all the news from here, really. Oh yeah, I got all my voting materials mailed to me direct from AZ - shoulda registered as an overseas voter years ago because the materials came with plenty of time to read up and get my ballots in (by email no less). Cooooool! So, I've voted - have you?! Get out and vote, dammit! Y'can't bitch about the state of the world if you don't at least try to swing things your way!
Probably because there's not really been anything worth seeing....? Shame. So yes, that's all the news from here, really. Oh yeah, I got all my voting materials mailed to me direct from AZ - shoulda registered as an overseas voter years ago because the materials came with plenty of time to read up and get my ballots in (by email no less). Cooooool! So, I've voted - have you?! Get out and vote, dammit! Y'can't bitch about the state of the world if you don't at least try to swing things your way!
And that's that. Hope you're all well up there. No crazy weather events come immediately to mind
other than the Big One that's meant to hit California any day now. Otherwise, you all just remember your training and stop, drop and roll! No, that's if you're on fire..... And whatever you do don't duck for cover under a desk or a table - you'll be squished! Or you could just come down here and hang out for a while, we rarely get earthquakes 'cos we're pretty much in the middle of our plate, the Indo-Australian plate (in fact, we share the same plate as India!), so when we do get them they're generally pretty tame and tend to be centered in the sticks. Ye have been warned, aaaarrrgghh! C'mon down!
other than the Big One that's meant to hit California any day now. Otherwise, you all just remember your training and stop, drop and roll! No, that's if you're on fire..... And whatever you do don't duck for cover under a desk or a table - you'll be squished! Or you could just come down here and hang out for a while, we rarely get earthquakes 'cos we're pretty much in the middle of our plate, the Indo-Australian plate (in fact, we share the same plate as India!), so when we do get them they're generally pretty tame and tend to be centered in the sticks. Ye have been warned, aaaarrrgghh! C'mon down!
~ J!
