Andy's B'day

Lol, this one is like well overdue. Really really sorry Andy!!

Was really hyped up about going to Sgt. Pepper's for dinner that night. For what reason? No idea. Personally, ordered a ribeye with a side of 'shrooms and eggs. Yarr!! This boy was HUNGWYY!! The mushrooms were served in a plastic dish (wtf?) and the eggs were too well done!! I happen to like my eggs sunny side up with the yolk running circles around the plate. The mushroom sauce tasted just like condensed soup from a can. I chose a ribeye mostly because that cut is supposed to be uber tender as it's a bit more on the fatty side. It was done to the required 'medium rare', but it didnt taste as tender as I thought it would be.

I dub thee 'medium rare'...

Jo and Vinny had lunchy looking open sandwiches. Which looked pretty good. I think the bacon made most of the meal for them though. Also, what it was doing on a dinner menu, I have no idea. Looks more like something we'd have a nice al fresco lunch over at The Strip on a summer afternoon.

Von, Laui, Andy, Reuben and Pan all had the fillets. I think they enjoyed them thoroughly. But not sure if they would come back again.

Looks like a meal for lunch...

Sgt. Peppers was a strange place. I had high hopes for it. The entrance looked sordid and dingy. The decor looks dated. VERY dated. Not quite sure if they were going with a period themed decor. If they were, they didn't pull it off very well. They had a very kiwiana tomato sauce dispensing squeezy tomato, and nothing very Brit going for it. There was a huge group painting of the Beatles and some memoribilia strung up on the walls, although they did look like garage sale items. Nothing quite like some garage sale furniture to zhoosh that 60's restaurant up eh?

But still, a fun night out was had by all. Had a wee bit of a buzz going and soon we were the loudest table in the place (which really isnt too difficult cos there werent ALOT of people at all). Ah, the little ranting/raving/banter sessions we have are totally unforgettable.

The gang, and the headless Beatles...

However, I don't think we'll be going back there anytime soon...

Rangers HO!!!

For All The Haters

And so, a month into the workforce and what do I have to show for it? A nice furnished studio and a promotion, with a 12k pay increase, which isn't too shabby considering the times we live in (worse than 'The Great Depression'? Just how great was this depression??). The road was long and hard, there were doubters and nay-sayers. Oh boy, were there doubters and nay-sayers. I've been put down, ridiculed, laughed at and had noses scrunched up at me when I told them I had a degree in Geology.

'So you look at rocks?' Yes, I damned well look at rocks, and make money out of it. Beats being on your ass staring at a computer screen all day... Or being unemployed. That's one sure-fire way to flatten said ass and get boils on them or something just as icky... like hemorrhoids...

'No one else I know does geology.' I've taken the road less travelled and it has paid off, very very well... In more ways than one... Career wise... and monetarily... So to those who have ever doubted me, have a pineapple... up the arse, you ignorant bastards. Good luck making it in this job market, already saturated with a billion people with your degree. You gotta let it all hang out there once in a while for things to pay off... BIG.

'Can you even get a job with a degree in Geology?' Yes fuckwit. The only reason you don't hear about it is because you have your head too far up your ass. Took like 2 months of searching to get a job. Just enough time for a nice holiday. And rest assured all you geols out there, you're bound to find something if you look in the right countries. Do your research!!

'Geologists aren't sexy!!' Really? Cos, I have photographic evidence, proof - the very basis of pure science. Don't make me pull it out.


Ok, you asked for it.

Sexy? Stephen Hawking - Physicist

Sexy? Harry Stamper (Armageddon) - Deep Core Driller/Geologist

Sexy? Dr Josh Keyes (The Core) - Geologist


Sexy? Dr Henry Dalton (Dante's Peak) - Volcanologist

Sexy? Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) - Archaelogist (branch of Geology)

Do the math. Geologists are the sexiest of scientists. Geologists spend more time in the field doing their research, unlike their lab coat wearing counterparts who really just stay in their labs. Geologists are rough and tumble, and love to get in amongst things, very hands on and a hardy bunch. Geols get more of a workout than transferring liquids to other test tubes, they also have more of a tan, none of that pasty white complexion which blends them into their lab coats.

Also, this clip from American Dad dishes the definitive consensus on Geologists:

'Have you ever had breakfast with a geologist Stan? It's pretty great.'

Think very long and hard next time before you pull a diss on a geologist.

Just writing what you were thinking...

The X-Files Syndrome And I'm Back!

Like my partner I too got the chills when the theme to the X-Flies was being played, signalling the start of the show. What made it worse were the images of paranormal activity that accompanied them: still shots while closing-up on a picture of a UFO, that shadowy thing walking in the corridor, the chalk man falling towards a UV light palm print and finally the blinking eye creeped me out more than a sober Amy Winehouse. Yes, the truth is out there, but I’ll stay in if you don’t mind thanks.

I find it amusing that I still get a tad weirded out when the song plays despite me rationalizing that all the spooky stuff look like the baddies in Buffy and I can easily kick their ass like she does. Though to be fair, not all graveyards and scary places at night have great lighting like the show does and the absence of background action music (or the romantic one when Angel appears) does make the night scarier, especially when you’ve just watched a horror film.

Why did I mention Buffy? Cause like my lil cub I’ve been going retro on my tv viewing as I recently acquired the remaining seasons that I needed to finish my collection in the UK where I was studying.

Season 8: Now in graphic novel format

Oh yeah, I was there for a couple of months finishing my degree and hence the lack of posts from my side. Apologies on my part and I’ll make it up by showing you the tonnes of pictures I took. I’m back full-time on the staff of PiD as of now.

Righto, back to the post. I too find myself getting worried about the monster that is my career and future rather than the one that used to hide in my closet. Though I still have a very active imagination (thank you comics, videogames and tv) I find myself limited by the scope of my daydreams, choosing to fret over what the coming year holds for me. What makes it all better though is that I won’t be doing it alone (the boss will be right by my side) and that knowing what (and whom) I’m doing this for makes it all worthwhile.

I’ll technically be on holiday the next couple of months but this period is where I’ll be back logging all the stuff I’ve experience the past season. So look out for a whole slew of content real soon. It’s great to be back.

All Blacks FTW!! - a preview for things to come??

A Fundamental Change?

Was alone in a big ol' 3 bedroom house in backwaters Westport a few days ago. There's only so many episodes of 'My Very Spoilt Sweet Sixteen' that I can stomach in an hour (congratulations MTV, you have upped the ante on vomit- inducing TV programs since Jackass), so I decided to watch an episode of The X-Files before I turned in.

Du-du-du-du-du-du

The opening sequence to any episode of The X-Files has become so ingrained in our minds that it isn't an understatement to say it is well and truly part of pop/sci fi culture. The trademark synthesised piano notes that echo followed by the shrill, alien wailing composed by Mark Snow has pretty much etched itself in our collective audio memories, sending a shiver down our spines whenever those eerie notes start to play in our head. Except, this time, I wasn't as scared as I was 10 years ago.

Where I used to have the heebie-jeebies just hearing those notes, I now find myself amused at what it used to be able to do to me. I used to be scared of things imaginary. Walking up a dark stairwell I would sometimes picture myself bumping into something scaly, cold blooded, red-eyed and downright scary, I would then proceed to run down said stairwell and scream for my Mum. Or sometimes, during one of my sleepless nights, I would imagine myself catching sight of an emaciated Golem like creature gnawing on my toes.

But now, age 23, I don't have such an active imagination anymore. Instead, during the course of the episode, I find myself getting paranoid over all the groans and scuffles the old house emits from time to time. What could that sound be? Robbers breaking in? Crazed lunes knocking on my window? Drunk bogans smashing into my car? Or worst of all, armed racist serial killers after a quick kill?

Which begs the question: When did our imaginations stop? What was the fundamental change in us that triggered a halt in our over active imaginations? We don't fear anything beyond the realm of extreme possibility anymore. At this rate, my fears in the next 10 years will probably involve bank statements, mortgages, hire purchase bills, spousal fidelity, bills, dental insurance, terrorists, bills and more bills. Whatever happened to our flights of fancy? Gone are the days where we could dream about racing in a car that drives, flies, dives and does a smoking wheely... underwater!! What do we have if we don't have our imaginations? What a grim time we live in when our very own imaginations pander to the realist inside of us. What a grim time indeed.

Spin Off!!

What is with the recent spate of television programming ripping off their foreign counterparts? It started off innocently enough and now we're getting a spate of American programs based on foreign programs.

Here are some that you can probably look forward to with dread, and some, maybe with glee. Be warned, there are a few WTF moments in this list:

Original: The Office BBC

Adaptation: The Office US

Verdict: The original had a smarmy Ricky Gervais heading his paper company, and it's just incredible how ignorant his character was. The adaptation wasn't too bad, the first season was a complete rip of the original, but it really started picking up in the 2nd season, then it got hilariously funny by the 4th season. A rollercoaster of emotions this one. Expect to laugh and cry and frustrate alot... like.. ALOT!!

Original: Top Gear BBC

Adaptation: Top Gear USA

Verdict: The original had 3 very different hosts, but they gelled some how. The cars were an awesome mix of European exotics, American muscle cars and Jap rice rockets. It wasn't always about speed though, they branched into luxury cars and Kei cars and they always had car challenges, often with hilarious results. What can we expect from the American version? Errr, terrible terrible American cars around a track with an obese Stig... I guess... Also, an Australian version is coming out too, expect lots of hopping marsupials in this one.

Original: Little Britain

Adaptation: Little Britain USA

Verdict: You know its not gonna be good when the title doesnt make sense. Little Britain USA?? How does that even begin to work? Ah well, was a HUGE fan of the original, the skits can get repetitive, but they always made for good one liners. I want THAT one!! *points at original Little Britain*

Original: Kath And Kim ABC

Adaptation: Kath And Kim USA

Verdict: Serious WTF moment here. Selma Blair as Kim?? Honestly??!! Mmm, the orignal thrived on how trashy they were, the accents totally completed the whole redneck feel to it too. As far as I know the US version is based in Florida, that not nearly as redneck enough!! Expect this one to seriously flop!! Australian Broadcasting Channel's Kath And Kim sez "Look at moii, look at moiiii!!"

I kid you not, all of these shows exist already or will start airing in the near future. Keep your eyes peeled and who knows, we might have even more reason to clog up the bandwidth hogging and hub leaching!!!