Score!

Me, on the way to Ultimate Frisbee: I have a good feeling about this. We are going to be awesome. My goal is to be that person who catches the frisbee and gets a point.
B Myles: You have to visualise it. See yourself scoring.
Me: Oops, in my head I dropped it. It was a little embarrassing.
B Myles: NO! I will visualise it. You didn't drop it this time.

Me, in the actual game: *drops the frisbee*
Me: Oops. Damn visualisation!

Me, later in the actual game: *gets passed the ball frisbee. catches it, for a change*
Other person: Pass it to me!!!
Other other person: Uh, she's in [the goal square].
Everyone: Oh yeah, so she is. Good work.
Me: WHOOOOOHOOO!!! *does the dorkiest victory dance ever*

So yeah, I had an amazing game. (Me and B Myles both got heaps better this week. Ask her to tell you about her brilliant diving catch.) I got another goal later, and I also caught this hell hard pass and did a little pass off of that to a guy who scored. So two points, one assist? That's pretty frickin' awesome. I am totally going to be an Ultimate Frisbee star. It is clearly my calling.

Ultimate!

I just played my first game of Ultimate Frisbee. Wikipedia defines it as "a limited-contact team sport played with a 175 gram flying disc." I call it bloody hard work and also heaps of fun!

B Myles decided we should play a sport together as housemates. Oh sure, no worries. I'm thinking, like, social netball or even soccer or something. Nope, she comes home with Ultimate Frisbee. Hhannahh piked out on us, so it was just me and B Myles - and the rest of our new team.

We are ... very bad. The cutting and leading I know how to do from basketball, so that wasn't too bad. The throwing to someone (and not to the ground), and the catching, and the fitness, my god the fitness, all need some work. But it was very fun! And positive! And sportsmanlike.

There aren't any referees, we spent more time deciding on a cheer to do than on tactics, and everyone is totally upbeat. All the time. Basically, if the hippies invented a sport, this would be it.

I expect to be back tomorrow to whinge about how sore I am.

"He just broke a few legs"

My new housemate, B Myles, moved across the country to live with me and HHannahh (Housemate Hannah > H Hannah > HHannahh. Yeah no?) and go to Flinders. This is pretty brave, really. We (or she) could have been psycho killers. Thankfully, we are not. What is even cooler, I think, is how B Myles can go out somewhere, like to the library, and come home with a new friend and an invite to an awesome party. I admire this. I can't do that.

***

Eri is here! Do you remember Eri? Honestly, I forgot how important Eri was. I suck. Eri was truly my first and best friend at Flinders. She is so grateful for everything that I did for her (not much) but she continues to not realise that I will be forever in her debt for everything she did and allowed me to do. She is here for two more days and we plan to make them the best two ever, before she has to go home and be a good Japanese girl and work in a cubicle and do exercises on the roof. (I may be assuming a little.)

***

These two days will no doubt be the best two of my recent history as they are the only two I have had off in a row since B Myles moved in and probably a couple of weeks before that. What is strange is that working 9-5 seven or eight days in a row is starting to feel normal. Before you ask, no I do not actually have any of that money I may appear to be earning. I just have a slightly smaller BlogHer08 debt.

***

The title refers to a line that made be laugh for five minutes straight, one of those brilliant laughs that makes your stomach hurt and your head get a little light for lack of oxygen and everything seem better somehow because if you laugh like that, the world must be a hopeful place. It occurred on our Eri Reunion Tour Girls' Night (movies, - we're introducing our internationals to Western culture via Sex And The City. Last time it was Bring It On - pizza, chocolate, popcorn, etc) and I love it and all the girls that came to what is actually the first event to be hosted in our new girlhouse ("Oh no, what if no-one comes?" "They told us twelve hours that they'd be here").

Public Service Announcement

If you get the message

ANIWZCS2 service launcher has encountered a problem and needs to close

and when you try to repair your internet connection you are told

Windows could not finish repairing the problem because the following action could not be completed: renewing your IP address

and you are running a D-Link wireless usb thingie

then you do not need to spend hours on hold and/or talking to tech help desk guys, and you do not need to do the recommended but only on the downlow system restore, and you do not need to reinstall your operating system, all you need to do is

in the options for setting up your D-Link device, click on use the D-Link connection thingie instead of letting Windows do it.

You're welcome.

Girlhouse

We currently have no internet at home, due to the suckiness of internet "service" "providers" around here, so I would like to leave you with these three snapshots of life in our girlhouse:

Scene One: I am straightening my hair, watching One Tree Hill. Housemate Hannah* knocks and comes in and plugs in her hair dryer and asks if she can borrow my mascara and can I curl her hair. Girlhouse!

Scene Two: The electrician has arrived, and I have let him in to our house and pointed out the things he (of course) needs to fix, including my bedroom light. I knock on Housemate Hannah's door, say "Can I sleep with you?" and crawl into bed with her for a good hour while Electrician Dave does his thing. Girlhouse!

Scene Three: B Myles and I decide on the spur of the moment to go out. We spend much time on outfits and shoes. B Myles borrows my nail polish. We go out and get very drunk and dance all night. The convenience of having a party buddy right there in the girlhouse!

I love girlhouse.

*This is what I've been calling her to differentiate between the Hannah Montana I have at work, and the Uni Hannah that B Myles went out and made friends with even AFTER I told her about the abundance of Hannah's we already had. I think I've referred to Housemate Hannah as HaMad here in the past. Is this confusing?

What If Our Parents Had Blogs?

What would it have been like if our parents had blogs, if we could go back and read them now?

Did my mum like being pregnant with me? Would she have written my birth story? Was I a good sleeper or eater? Would she have turned to the internet for help when I got a huge rash all over my back and nothing would shut me up? Would the internet have caned my dad for that time I fell, or sent comforting emails about how they let their kids fall off the bed? I remember a meeting about putting me up to a combined 1/2 class when I was in Grade One. I didn't change classes. Did my parents agonize over that decision, and would the internet have helped them make it? When we had fish and chips I would always line my chips up in height order and eat them in order. Would some helpful internet reader have commented some kind of diagnosis based on this quirk? Would my parents have talked about the eight-year age gap between my brother and I with the internet? Would they have pulled back as we got older or would the teenage years have been just as blog-worthy? Would their relationship, or our relationship with them, have changed if what they wrote was being read?

We can hear the stories now all we want, but blogs definitely provide a unique, on the spot, emotional record of events. And I think it would be fascinating to read.

What Are You Making?

You know how something is totally hilarious at the time, but if you try to tell the story you are met with blank looks, and possibly it doesn't even seem that funny to yourself in retrospect? Yeah, that's what this title is like. It was the funniest thing ever when I said it to someone at work today. Now ... not so much.

The bushfires still suck. My scooter is still stolen. My internet is still spotty.

But I am totally optimistic (well, not so much about the bushfires and all the people who lost all their homes and possessions and scooters) because this week my boy housemates are moving out and my two girl housemates are moving in. Whoo! Oops, not that I hate my boy housemates. Just that it's exciting having new housemates, and one is a good friend and one I've never met, and that shit is exciting.

Also I bought a new diary and moved my room around and we bought a couch (it's pink! I know!) and am going shopping for a tv and fridge and washing machine tomorrow.

Oh and I just spent the past couple of hours thinking I was having a texting conversation but no, I was talking to myself as I had no credit and the messages weren't actually going anywhere. Genius.

Jumping Jumping

All has been rather doom and gloom around here lately, but instead of dwelling on my (now restored) dodgy internet, the crazy destructive bushfires that were, thank god, nowhere near me, the end of the two weeks of summer we were apparently allocated this year, or the theft and continued absence of the Scarlet Lady and my resultant reliance on public transport and hatred for the world, we are going to talk about a subject a little more upbeat. You with me? Awesome.

When we were little, my cousins had a trampoline. Between the two youngest, they broke three wrists in the space of a couple of years on (or, more accurately, off) the trampoline. I was jealous. I never got a cast (or crutches). The oldest cousin broke the trampoline mat one night when she and her friends all got on it in high heels, but it got fixed. And my cousins and I liked to turn the tramp on its side then run and knock it over, with us ending up on top of the mat. We also liked to put detergent on the mat and the sprinkler underneath and slide around on it.

My primary school had two trampolines. One massive yellow one and a normal black one. The After School Care kids (of which I was one) were the only ones who ever got to use them, and then I think it was only one year that we were allowed to get them out. The yellow one was the best, and I kicked arse on it. I could jump mega high, and do all kinds of spinning jumps. Then one day the trampolines went away and we had to go back to playing Poison Ball Against The Wall.

But I never had a trampoline of my own. So, as you can imagine, I was very very excited to go to Trampoline World, a magical world just full of trampolines. But, sadly, as you may remember, Trampoline World was frickin CLOSED on the one day we went there. I was devastated.



LUCKILY, Dad is an excellent accommodation booker, and managed to get us into a place with a jumpy pillow. A freaking trampoline equivalent right there in our backyard for two whole days. How awesome is that?! (It was at this time that I discovered that brother, who never had the cousinly trampoline exposure I did, had no idea how to play Crack The Egg. Who doesn't know how to play Crack The Egg? The kid had such a deprived childhood.)



So now you know, if you are ever in need of a Christmas present for me, just buy me a massive trampoline and I will love you forever. The end.

You Had A Bad Day

Personally, I like 09 was feeling a bit left out. Everyone was complaining about how 2008 was the Year of Suck, and he got jealous, and threw a fit, and was all like, "You think that was bad? You ain't seen nothing, bitches."

And then he threw a virus at my computer, loss of signal at my internet, and fucking THIEVES at my SCOOTER. People are fuckers. That is all.

2009, you're a badass. We get it. Now can we just please try to get along?

Delurk

Guess what?! It's Delurking Day!

But Missy, I thought that was ages ago, like when you were on the Great Ocean Road Trip, or meeting your future husband while entertaining your family, or when your computer shat itself. You know, you totally missed it.

Nope. Actually, it just seems like that because ... of the time difference! Yeah, it's an upsidedown thing. I'm actually right on schedule here.



This is also a majorly important Delurking Day. In my new clean-slate state, I have deleted a shitload of blogs with the aim of giving the ones that are left some VIP treatment. And you all are totally important, right?

So if you read this blog (when there's actually something new to read, I know) leave me a comment and let me know. Otherwise I may have in a delete-button seizure accidentally deleted your blog. But I will absolutely be adding you back!

If you need a topic to start you off, how about telling me the most essential song ever so I can add it to my now non-existent music collection. Or you can tell me about how it's totally colder where you are.

Take A Moment

Well. That was certainly an experience. My computer did indeed crash, about as hard and as far as it's possible to do. For some unexplained (which I'm not too thrilled about) reason, the hard drive was/became/got corrupted (which of you was teaching my precious computer bad words?) and consequently, I lost everything except the little voice that was left there to tell me nothing was there.

I now have my computer back, restored to its factory condition. Except for several programs that were installed for me after I bought it and before I took it home, and the fact that the battery no longer holds its charge, and the way that it manages to heat up to a bajillion degrees and that's not even because we're having a ginormous heat wave and just had the third hottest day EVER.

I've spent the day downloading essential programs, continually reassuring my computer that although it may be correct in supposing Norton 2005 is slightly out of date, we will soldier on regardless, and enjoying/cursing out all the new versions of things.

Life without a computer was odd - like, as if we'd have a physical train timetable lying around (especially since the trains are not currently running anywhere near schedule due to their likelihood of falling off the tracks into the ocean) - but clearly you all kept on with life as normal, as evidenced by the 1374 new posts I have to read. Good one, guys.

I am sad that I have lost over three years worth of photos (although some are still on Facebook and Flickr) and a bajillion songs worth of music (although, in a strange psychic experience, I loaded the best ones onto Skywalker's PSP just before everything went to crap), but starting over has a nice cleanliness to it.

Feel free to update me in the comments on everything I've missed out this past week or so.

I could be wrong but I think I'm screwed

Oh crap.

Meet My New Imaginary Husband*

*He is imaginary in the sense that he is not my husband, nor does he even know my name (although he does know I exist), and not in the sense that he is not a real person. I just thought I'd clarify that.

Anyway, on the really hot day that we had, my dad and brother and I went ice-skating. As did many many other people, including a group from a school holiday program.

As skywalker (my brother) and I were skating around the big rink, I naturally took a little survey and determined the hottest guy in the place. (Actually, he was the second-hottest, but the first-hottest was eliminated due to the fact that he was probably 15 and was skating a bit recklessly considering the abundance of kids under ten on the ice.) My new boyfriend and I totally had a moment when some little kid cut us both off simultaneously even though we weren't really skating anywhere close to each other - and certainly not when I was in a good position to check out his arse - and we both did that kind of 'Why don't YOU go, crazy kid' gesture at him. We connected.

Quick cut to me on the little rink, helping dad out, as we got to a part of the railing being held up by a little girl (aged seven, almost eight). She gave me the cutest grin and waved us past in the most adorable way.

Then back to the big rink, some time later. I'm skating by myself, having been ditched by my boys. Cute Girl is now on the big rink, despite having limited skating skills. (The cuteness is still through the roof.) She's all 'OMG YOU CAN SKATE' to me as I go past her, so I stop and she's all 'Can I hold you hand?' I say yes, and we proceed to skate together for a little bit. What with her being a freaking chatterbox, I discover that her name is Hayley, she's with the holiday program group, and that my new fiancee was looking after the group. Clearly, this was FATE!

Just as destiny had arranged, my new husband came up to see if Hayley was bothering me (not at all, we're adopting her. She will be the bridesmaid) and we had even more moments!

And then we all went home, never to see each other again. (Hmm, I think it loses something there at the end there.)

Although: If your name is Ben and you were at ice skating the other day with a kid called Hayley and her friend Claudia, call me! I need you to confirm the guest list.

This is what forty degrees looks like

Brighton Beach

Road Rules

I am back. Our Great Ocean Road Trip was extremely fun, and I am currently trying to figure out the best way to tell you alllll about it. Thank you for continuing to comment, even as I was reduced to a camera-phone photo post a day. Also, you all continued to post, which meant that this morning I had 962 unread posts. I am getting through them slowly, and when I get down to 0 I'll start actually visiting and commenting. But it was good to hear about great holidays all round.

A while ago now, we got a lesson in freeway driving, which featured the proper response to someone who lets you into a lane. Said response being, as we all know (right?), a wave or simple lifting of a couple of fingers (the nice ones).

An off-shoot of this rule was not included in the lesson per se, but I feel it was implied and therefore am totally perplexed as to its non-application on our recent travels: if you're driving on a highway out in the country and you pass a car coming the other way, you show them the same courtesy of a raised hand. They will simultaneously be giving you a finger or two (again, in the nicest way possible).

Now, maybe this is more an NT thing, where everything is a little more laid-back and more rural and more long lonely highway and less crazy urban commuter freeway. I don't know. BUT STILL. Someone waves to you, you wave back. And YOU SHOULD BE WAVING ANYWAY. It's only polite.

Full disclosure: About the time I had given up on the goodness of humanity and refused to wave anymore, I was waved to and waved back but not in time. I still feel bad that this person remained unwaved to. After all, I was probably the only person ever who would've waved, and even I didn't. Poor bloke.

On the other hand, I like to think that I improved the days of all those people I waved to. And that they were all inspired to wave to the next car they passed. Oh yes, I am bringing it back.

The Great Ocean Road Trip: Day Six

Eureka! Awesome day in ballarat at the eureka centre and sovereign hill. Then back towards Adelaide. See you all soon!

The Great Ocean Road Trip: Day Five

Trampoline park was closed, but it's all good because our caravan park has a jumpy pillow! Did Melbourne today, heading back starting tomorrow.

The Great Ocean Road Trip: Day Four

Tiger Moth plane flights all round!

The Great Ocean Road: Day Three

Trampoline park: closed. Missy: devasted. Rest of the trip: going awesomely.

Great Ocean Road Trip: Day Two

The Blue Lake