Mo Money, Mo Problems

Mo-Vember...

I've had a few random emails asking why they seen on various other websites with a dirty moustache... Movember is the answer.

For the month of November, the charity event encourages men to grow their moustaches from a clean shaven face to whatever they can sculpt in 30days. The result means that men around the city look decidedly dodgy by the end of the month, but a whole bunch of cash gets raised to promote awareness of some serious male diseases such as prostate and testicular cancer.

I must admit to not trying too hard to raising a heap of cash, but thanks to Aaron and Anna, I raised over $100 for charity... MASSIVE thanks to you both, you rock my world!

On the 30th of Movember, a group of us went to celebrate Rog's birthday, a little belated, by seeing the Paper Scissors & Kid Confucious at the Metro. I got to flaunt my fully grown mo more than anyone wanted. I also learned that the best way to show it in photo's was to put a huge pout below it... or maybe not!

The following morning, it was time for beach volleyball. I figured just for some fun, I'd go for a Hitler mo, just for an hour or two whilst playing. I attracted some interesting comments, as well as giving birth to a new tag-line of "Silly Hitler". (I encourage you to click on the beachy picture to the right for the full Hitler effect) I wasn't impressed when the group decided to head to the pub afterwards, meaning the Hitler mo had to stay on and in tact most of the day... I was just a little relieved to lose it on the first day of advent.

Is This It?

Movember

For any regular readers I may have left, the month of November in Australia, is renamed Movember. The challenge is for guys to grow as mean a mo (moustache) as he can from the 1st of the month till the last - bonus points.

So this is what I have been doing effectively avoiding part of face with my razor for 1month... although at the time of writing I still have several days to endure. Odd looks out on the street are something I've gotten used to (having a moustache; you kids at the back!), the fact that I service 3 different clients a day also means I have everyone keen to see how the growth is coming along on each visit... and it is kinda difficult to stay motivated about it... even when I get some really great compliments; "Dirty lookin South American, Yosemite Sam, Gomez Adams, The Pool Cleaner" to name a few... though "Sexy Pirate" would be my personal favourite :P (The inset picture is pretty much at the half way stage of the month)

So in a month where I set out to concentrate upon the upcoming task of travelling once again (3months and counting as of the start of November), I quite hopelessly failed to keep things low-key. Aaron turned the golden (and I'd have to say best to be) age of 28, and it seemed many others shared birthdays around this time too... it's like an early extension of the Christmas party season.

I managed to visit a bunch of new eateries and drinkeries, not to mention go on a tour of Sydneys Rocks - with a ghost theme. Yet I've not managed to frequent a single gig this month...

My beach volleyball career stretched a little further with my first full competetive games resulting in straight back to back victories - even with a hangover, much better than my soccer performances which continue to be goal-less.

I've made some pretty important directional decisions too this month, with a couple of new projects I'm planning to bust out in the new year.

I'll probably end up adding to this post as the week rolls on as I remember to re-collect other things which don't leap to the forefront of my mind right now

Lord, Don't Slow Me Down

It's Friday afternoon, I'm walking down George Street, Sydney, and each of my footsteps is hitting the hot pavement in time to the music in my ears. I have one client to go to and then it's time for the weekend. Summer is well and truly back and the last 10days have given me so many random grins as I've stepped out of offices onto business district back streets, busy shopping hubs and historical wharves, breathed in a lung full of warm air and felt like I was on the most potent drug available to mankind.

Tonight it was time for an impromptu pub crawl starting at The Arthouse Hotel, me and 3 others conversing the finer points of professional loyalty. Me and 2 others then hit the other side of the city at the Argyle where we practiced age old techniques of distraction and then as strong drinks took control of our mindset, willpower and purse strings - another of the crew fell by the wayside as a taxi ride to the Cross and a visit to the Dragonfly took the last two heroes onward into the early hours. My weekend had been born in similar fashion to many had around this time last year. Silly season is upon us.

Another Saturday beach volleyballing at Maroubra Beach, and then an afternoon checking out the markets in Paddington seemed to be a good enough way to recover from the night before. A few of the guys and myself hit an arthouse style Russian movie as a way to avoid pubs, bars and clubs... it did the trick.

I was gunning for 3 sports on Sunday, I went for some more laps at the Olympic pool with benny first thing, before hitting par on 2 holes of 9 at the North Bondi golf Course... at this point I should've been making tracks for Soccer practice at Centennial Park, but I'd hit my limit already... an afternoon on the Balcony cutting photographs from magazines as a mini project for my new photography course capped off an awesome weekend where we lost an hour to daylight savings.

Deep Pile Dreams

Two weekends have passed by since I last wrote anything here, but it's not like I've not done anthing fun, just more of the same. Some Golden time spent down at Coogee beach sunbathing, my debut at beach volleyball at Maroubra, and plenty of sessions at the Coogee Palace and the CBH. The Summer is most definitely on it's way with temperatures regularly surpassing 25degrees now.

I've also finally gotten around to obtaining my first ever card style drivers license and a medicare card. I seem to be getting more Australian by the day in terms of all these little personal accessories, and the thought of waking up in England for work, grows fainter still by the day. On that note, the 2nd anniversary of leaving the UK has come and gone, and it was this time last year that I was in England last.

Monday nights have also become my first regular competetive game of football in around 6years. We play a mixed squad of 6 a side and I hope that once I make it through the 10game season, I should be in some form; enough to play in a full 11 a side squad. 3 games in and we're sat in 2nd place in the league unbeaten - with a win and two draws. I'm still waiting for my 21yr old form to come back to my feet but I'm sure it's there, waiting for the right moment, to manifest itself with a hat-trick at some point.

This morning I made my first lengths in an Olympic sized pool, which isn't a bad thing to be doing before 7am on a weekday... I certainly felt more alive for it, at least until I got to work.

Wayside

Birds of Tokyo, The Gaelic Club

The end of the 4-day week rolled around and it was time to welcome back Kathi & Irmela to Bundock-shire. After hitting up all the major Aussie tourist spots in the last few weeks, it was time to get real by experiencing the Coogee Beach Palace and a rare night of Pool form for the Fon.

Saturday showcased how messed up the weather can be from time to time, giving us around 30degree heat through till lunchtime, then within an hour, a 10-12degree drop in temperature as high winds blew us about the headlands of the Coogee to Bondi walk. We bravely fought on and made it to the Sydney suburb of 'Britannia' for a bit of late lunch. As the weather stayed cool, we jumped in a taxi and headed home for a short rest before heading out to Surrey Hills.

Into the 'The Clock' with Aaron, Todd and Brett, we got in some beers and a bit of pub grub before heading to the Gaelic Club to see an up & coming Perth-based band "Birds of Tokyo".

Now, considering I'd paid $50 for a ticket to Hard-Fi earlier in the week, tonights gig was just $20 - and was about 20times better value for money. The band were sounding sharp and were full of the enthusiasm that always seems to come with new bands. They were an absolute blast to see live, and I'd really recommend having a listen if you get the chance.

The night carried on in high spirits as we headed into the nearest sports bar to see the 2nd half of England Vs Australia in the Rugby world Cup being played in France. Not particularly bothered who won, I knew that if England lost, I could expect a huge backlash of Aussie abuse. So when England won with the narrowest of margins (12-10), I was pretty stoked... C'mon England!

Better Do Better

Hard-Fi, The Metro


The title of this blog and several posts have been honoured toward the band Hard-Fi. It has taken around 3years of their existence however, for me to finally get to see them perform live. After several disappointments in the UK where the band had to cancel gigs I was meant to see, and the band reaching Australia last year just after I left, I finally secured tickets to one of their gigs...


In the run up I heard a few bad reviews of their live stuff, so I was prepared for a rough ride.


Back at the Metro Theatre, the West London boys came on stage just after 10pm Wednesday 3rd October to rapturous applause. They opened up with Middle Eastern Holiday which did sound a bit flat from the lead and backing singers. The quality of singing didn't really improve, but luckily their own hits and a whole load of audience participation saved the show.


A pretty average gig, but enjoyable none the less to finally hear some songs live, that have been real soundtracks to my life over the last 3years. Thanks for Stars of CCTV Hard-Fi.

A Whole Lotta Love

Labour Day Public Holiday - Long Weekend

Another weekend, another public holiday, they seem to have been coming around quite quickly recently. This time, was Labour day - my first ever in Australia. No particular themes or traditions seem to have gone hand in hand with this one but it was most welcome given then heavy days preceding it.

Friday night, our old friend Emily was back in town from Cairns, and so a catch up session at the Royal in Randwick kicked things off. Having been avoiding alcoholic consumption on the most part, I bailed early fearing I'd had enough already.

Saturday was the Aussie Rules football Grand Final. Given that we'd just got a new BBQ for our back yard, we hosted a get together of friends to watch Geelong take on Port Adelaide - a match which Geelong thrashed Port by about a hundred points. I'd lost interest by the end of the 1st quarter and instead went on to grill vast quantities of meat.

The drinking stretched from 1pm, to the early evening when we disbanded from the party and headed on to another. Which then meant the beverage consuming was stretched further still... until, about 4am.

So with about 5hours sleep, it was time to get up and head to Todds for pre-festival drinks. Shakier than an altzeimers sufferer on a sugar low, I put a red-bull in my belly and marched onward to the showgrounds in front of the local cricket and football stadia. By 1 o clock, I had been re-aquainted with my old friend 'Beer'. He made me feel better and I was happy to hang around with him for the rest of the afternoon.

The problem with my mate Beer, is that he made me dance, scream & shout all afternoon. He made me feel so tired, yet he has this way of instilling motivation in even the most tired of legs. So After I'd shifted shapes in front of the headlining Shapeshifter, I was happy to leave Beers side, and head home for a long, long sleep. And then play Halo 3 for the entirety of my public holiday. Perfecto.