tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51615072012-01-11T03:31:51.177-07:00so it beginsmattnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1011100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-17265182111910137782008-12-21T11:23:00.007-07:002008-12-21T12:21:40.085-07:00

Status: WatchedMy attention to this list has reached even higher levels of slackness. Though if there was one image I wanted to leave languishing at the top of my blog, it's the Baconator.Either way, it's probably inexcusable that I haven't updated this task, which was completed by the time Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released.Perhaps it's because they were ridiculously

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-8429788169864905202008-11-06T22:25:00.006-07:002008-11-08T09:55:00.199-07:00

Status: No-Meat November is underwayIt's on. No meat for 30 days. That's 720 hours. That's 43,200 minutes. No bacon, no chicken, no turkey, no hulking steak, cooked medium-well ... a mouth-watering eight ounce slab of meat that falls off the bone. And, most definitely and most damningly, no Baconator, a burger to which no adjectives do justice. It's Day 6, and I have the shakes. It might be due

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-56318360023554255122008-10-18T17:29:00.006-06:002008-10-18T18:17:12.019-06:00

Status: Maize maze completed (What? Too corny?)If you're thinking I'm padding this list out with cool things I've done that weren't particularly challenging or life-altering experiences, you'd be right. Well done. Want a medal?Last night we headed out to the Edmonton Corn Maze (location: just west of the middle of nowhere) to rummage about in some maize for a couple of hours. As an Australian who

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-3413832511486254782008-10-18T16:24:00.005-06:002008-10-18T18:19:10.381-06:00

Status: Ashamed at just how far behind I am in updating this listIt's a bit appalling, actually - I've completed quite a few of the tasks on my list, but simply can't be freaked updating this blog. Fortunately, that hasn't been a task in itself yet, so I'm excused.Anyway, is there a filmmaker more inspired and twisted than Tim Burton? Probably. But I'm a curmudgeonly old filmgoer who's rather

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-58410269296539353952008-09-20T12:26:00.007-06:002008-09-20T12:53:49.337-06:00

Status: I'm late, I'm late, for a very important update!How can you not adore a book with passages like this?"I see nobody on the road," said Alice."I only wish I had such eyes," the King remarked in a fretful tone. "To be able to see Nobody! And at the distance too! Why, it's as much as I can do to see real people, by this light!"All this was lost on Alice, who was still looking intently along

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1169214974700866612008-09-20T12:11:00.002-06:002008-09-20T12:21:23.883-06:00

Status: Forgetful (but not due to alcohol consumption)Forgot another Vegas beer - and one worth mentioning - in my first update...5. Bud Light LimeOrigin: America.Site of consumption: The Treasure Island pool area.Refreshingly unpretentious description from official website: "Bud Light Lime is a premium light beer that combines the superior drinkability of Bud Light with a splash of 100% natural

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-48298497478675814832008-09-18T20:31:00.003-06:002008-09-18T20:43:22.909-06:00

Status: London-bound!After plenty of faffing about, I finally got around to booking my flights to London, despite some highway robbery (flyway robbery?) on the part of Air Canada's fare system.Nevertheless, it's a mere 10 days until I return to ol' Blighty!  (And 11 days before I'm sucking away at a Magners like a baby with its bottle.)

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-18341919348365086642008-09-11T18:31:00.010-06:002008-09-20T12:19:25.901-06:00

Status: Not an alcoholic......but at this rate, I will be. I just realised this is the third alcohol-related task on this (still incomplete) list. Moreover, it's a new addition and I'm whizzing through the 10 beers.  And I'm not even a big fan of beer! But this list is all about branching out (and procrastinating when there are more important things I should be doing, like booking my flights to

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-378619032228344512008-08-25T21:56:00.010-06:002008-09-11T20:00:15.845-06:00

Status: In a child-like state"I had sent my heroine straight down a rabbit-hole ... without the least idea what was to happen afterwards." — Lewis CarrollI'll say! A perpetually late White Rabbit, a disappearing cat, a lecturing mouse, a race-organising Dodo, a gardening lizard, a gigantic puppy, a caterpillar who takes insult when people point out his size, Fish- and Frog-Footmen, an ugly

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-78628023764056573842008-08-06T18:50:00.004-06:002008-08-06T22:05:40.846-06:00

Status: Not disgustedI expected to knock this one on the head when I returned to the UK (#11 for those of you playing along at home), but was offered the opportunity to sample this Scottish cuisine at Fort Edmonton Park's Highland Gathering.If anyone's culturally ignorant, Wikipedia offers the following list of typical ingredients:Sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion,

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-84553926402337156852008-08-02T10:29:00.010-06:002008-08-02T17:34:42.772-06:00

Status: LearnedWell, I didn't buy it – it was a birthday present from Jackie – but Bill Bryson's brief yet thorough guide to the universe is an extraordinary read.The subject matter remains suitably intellectual, but Bryson handles it with such deftness and profundity that reading about 13 billion years of history becomes hugely enjoyable – and very funny.Bryson relates countless mind-blowing

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-14612155713776256222008-07-12T20:13:00.011-06:002008-11-17T05:17:31.295-07:00

Status: The proud owner of a pair of blue ConsAs evidenced by this photo of me standing 191 metres above ground atop the Calgary Tower last weekend.

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-80570332355846575542008-07-12T19:31:00.005-06:002008-07-12T20:41:23.438-06:00

Status: InebriatedNot really, but I do love that word.Anyway, I know I completed this in Australia, but I also managed to find this delicious beverage in Canada!The problem is, I can only find it at a restaurant called India Grill, which has a huge selection of imported beers.  It also has a range of food so spicy it's like eating a huge bowl of glowing, red embers and washing it down with a nice

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-39127318929288613182008-06-25T21:49:00.013-06:002008-11-17T05:17:31.430-07:00

Status: PublishedI originally intended for this to mean an article or some other piece of writing, but I'm pretty chuffed I now get published on a regular basis in the form of advertisements I create for work.I'll be taking a course on Adobe InDesign next month so I can learn the proper way to put these things together. In the meantime, they're designed rather crudely, but the end result

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-69026721726856729722008-06-07T15:01:00.007-06:002008-11-17T05:17:31.633-07:00

Status: All Macced out"I hate Macs. I have always hated Macs. I hate people who use Macs. I even hate people who don't use Macs but sometimes wish they did. Macs are glorified Fisher-Price activity centres for adults; computers for scaredy cats too nervous to learn how proper computers work; computers for people who earnestly believe in feng shui." — Charlie BrookerThe wonderful Charlie Brooker -

mattnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-4302070944780781242008-04-13T14:00:00.009-06:002008-06-07T15:55:06.718-06:00

Status: Alive... and employed!Dear readers,I know, I know, it's been eons since my last update. But given Brady seems to have put his career-building PhD over this frivolous web-based to-do list, I think I can get away with a 40-day absence. Especially as this is due, in most part, to the fact I'm no longer dining on the stale breadcrumbs left lying around my kitchen. That's right: I have a

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-25191848932123617422008-03-06T21:37:00.002-07:002008-03-06T21:40:34.995-07:00

Status: MourningIt is my very sad duty to report the untimely passing of Oscar the Snowman. He was found decapitated early Monday morning.Oscar lived a fulfilling life, which was tragically cut short this week. Well loved among humans and bunnies alike, Oscar braved sub-zero temperatures in the name of his profession: snowman.He is survived by a handful of stones and a carrot.

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-40228517266013002472008-03-01T19:30:00.018-07:002008-11-17T05:17:31.822-07:00

Status: Snow complete!A Guide to Building a Snowman(Australian Edition)Step 1: Find snow. Contrary to popular (Jackie's) belief, this does exist in Australia. Next, roll the snow into balls too large to lift, push or move anywhere.Step 2: In spite of Step 1, place slightly smaller ball on top of slightly larger ball, ensuring your estimates of "smaller" and "larger" are accurate (as not shown

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-72472395479075635802008-02-27T21:47:00.003-07:002008-02-27T22:17:46.961-07:00

Status: Exceedingly helpfulOn my ultimately (partly) disappointing trip to Calgary (I didn't get the job, for those of you left in suspense by my previous post), I did get to take the exceptionally classy Red Arrow bus there and back (all expenses paid).I've been in airplanes that were less comfortable than this bus-cum-limousine; leather seats, free drinks and snacks, wireless Internet (I know I

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-30548343187043899562008-02-27T21:46:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:32.115-07:00

Status: Four left! Actually, no. I left one. Calgary. Pardon the initial mixed metaphor.Canada is a big country. Like, freaking huge. The walk to my local supermarket, for instance, is seven blocks. Talk about a trek! At least, it seems like it when you're lugging a week's worth of groceries.Still, as exotic as Safeway is (the cereal aisle is a particular highlight - would you believe

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-21943676919179429542008-02-06T15:11:00.000-07:002008-02-07T11:31:20.339-07:00

Status: Three down, seven to goPicked up a double whammy yesterday.First, while drinking a delicious Second Cup Butter Pecan Latté (hold the pretension), I noticed a man in a wheelchair dropped what appeared to be some sort of back scratcher. Ever the kindhearted chap, I scooped it up and with a tip of my top hat, returned it to its rightful owner.After leaving there, we headed to Safeway, our

mattnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-69896055051088780192008-01-30T14:34:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:32.361-07:00

Status: More frustrated than that time I saw Bodie laugh at the Meet The Spartans trailerNew from Samsung - the sleek, sexy, seriously infuriating M300. For an exorbitant amount, you can snap up this cellular swiz, complete with a host of utterly dissatisfying features:pre-emptive SMS feature that completely freezes your phone, effectively pre-empting you from typing anythingsmooth, stylish fonts

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-78136900613294909912008-01-30T12:48:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:32.523-07:00

Status: NevermindDespite, a possible faint sighting on my final night in Flin Flon, this task remains incomplete.I did, however, recently see The Golden Compass, an adaptation of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights. Does that count? No? Wasn't even worth trying, was it?

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-25238715454454471702008-01-14T12:43:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:32.640-07:00

Status: I came, I poured, I got stonkeredWell, not really. But the rum sure does take the edge of what is essentially, er, egg in a glass.Surprisingly delicious.

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-60190457372303753522008-01-14T12:27:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:32.846-07:00

Status: ShelteredHaving confirmed on Christmas day that Bodie and I had a Canadian home (how's that for a present!), we both moved in last week.Just off-campus, the house is walking distance to Jackie's place, the University transit centre and Whyte Avenue. The only downside is it is the most static electricity-charged place on Earth.(For those who to flood me with gifts, my new address is on

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-72452494113936132352008-01-01T01:07:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:33.530-07:00

Status: On iceAfter various flight/luggage/visa dramas, I made it to Canada safe and sound.Within two days, courtesy of some friends of Jackie's mother, I was careening about on a frozen lake on a snowmobile. Looks like I know what I'm doing, huh?I was initially taken for a ride as a passenger, when the snowmobile broke down a couple of hundred metres from our base. After walking back (snow is

mattnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-80905973554014487542007-12-25T06:32:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:37.237-07:00

Status: ReminiscingJust days before I leave Australia's fair shores once again, here's a little pictorial update for you. Enjoy a bunch of my favourite snaps from my travels over the past two years, complete with pretentiously-written captions in which I bang on about all the lovely places I visited.A little flutterby I snapped in Singapore.The stunning view from my window at sunset in Passau,

mattnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-87616805766668809442007-12-24T03:56:00.000-07:002007-12-24T03:57:45.741-07:00

Status: DoneNo humorous anecdote here; this task was far too dull for that.

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-65120718078971513942007-12-23T22:18:00.000-07:002007-12-23T22:21:42.354-07:00

Status: Expecting a large windfallWell, after much procrastination, it's sealed and I'm off to the post office. I just know I'll get it back because I forgot to declare that money I laundered or some other minor oversight, but for now, I'm calling this one complete.

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-11721484329059872672007-12-17T17:51:00.001-07:002008-11-17T05:17:37.361-07:00

Status: Hideously disfiguredSURGEON: There is a one in 1000 chance that your nerves could be damaged during surgery, causing you to lose all feeling in your lower mouth.MATT: Has that ever happened to anyone you've operated on?SURGEON: No.MATT: How many people have you operated on?SURGEON: 999.MATT: Oh.Well, no, that conversation didn't happen (my surgeon was brilliant). Nor am I hideously

mattnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-20069927564008380332007-12-12T01:04:00.000-07:002007-12-12T01:18:49.559-07:00

Status: Errr..."Matt has the worst wisdom teeth I've seen in seven years!" - Matt's dentistIf anyone is so financially inept as to ever make a movie about my life (preferably directed by Steven Spielberg, but not starring Tom Cruise), that's the quote I want slapped on the poster.Best of all, it's true, it's intriguing and it gives some idea of the conflict presently in my life. Yes,

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-59953689561094196742007-12-09T00:00:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:37.757-07:00

Status: 10 + 1Do I get extra points for this?

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-80432978798486451022007-12-08T20:49:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:37.951-07:00

Status: VictoriousPfft! This list was supposed to be a challenge! All I needed was just one attempt to thrash my brother at pool, after which he collapsed on the ground, defeated.*Observe as I line up my triumphant final shot.*This is a lie. It was actually rather close and he was gracious in defeat. Apologies if the body of this post was in any way misleading.

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-30986505070059805392007-11-29T15:14:00.000-07:002007-11-30T05:20:19.893-07:00

Status: In pain"What a sham item!" I hear you cry. "Visit the dentist! Pish-posh! Why not list 'Eat' or 'Breathe' or 'Blink' as items! Your whole list is a disgrace and, quite frankly, you're much less deserving of my friendship than I could ever have thought!"Well, good point and well made; even if I can't blink at the moment due to an inexplicable bout of conjunctivitis. So there!

mattnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-73309987577462866432007-11-25T01:57:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:38.019-07:00

Status: Broke, but excited!It's official - I'm going to Canada!On 28 December, I'll be globe-trotting from Brisbane to Auckland to Los Angeles to Minneapolis to Winnipeg to The Pas and, finally, to Flin Flon! I'll be there for a week with Jackie's family and then it's back to Edmonton!Courtesy of Jackie, here's a picture of the winter wonderland I'll be living in!

mattnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-82743282737281919612007-11-18T01:08:00.000-07:002007-11-18T02:18:41.572-07:00

Status: 1/10I was standing in the bookshop at Robina Town Centre last week, flipping through the pages of a Charles Dickens novel, or something similarly highbrow, when the lady standing beside me asked if I could do her a favour.I gladly obliged and she asked if I could retrieve for her a copy of May Gibbs' Snugglepot And Cuddlepie from the top shelf. Craning my neck skywards, I attempted to

mattnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-74074949469805964002007-11-07T04:00:00.000-07:002008-11-17T05:17:38.205-07:00

Status: Level 1I honestly sat down tonight with the intent of finally finishing my UK tax return.Then I found this.So I can hardly be to blame, right?

mattnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-64805669964747268852007-11-04T01:55:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:38.318-07:00

Status: DrunkWell, not really. But merry.I can't even begin to tell you (for obvious reasons) how many literally pint-sized bottles of this delicious drink I consumed while living in London.Given how important a part of my British life it was, it's been an essential search to track down some scrumptious Magners Irish Cider Down Under. I'd heard rumours that it existed here... I even had a

mattnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-59477256707843793872007-11-02T19:02:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:38.447-07:00

Status: LazyI think this list is consuming my life. Last week, while I was working, I had to fill up my car with petrol. The attendant at the service station asked if if I was starting work or finishing. I simply replied, "In progress"."In progress?" Who talks like that? If I could have said it in bold, red font I would have.Despite this subconscious obsessiveness, it's my sad duty to inform

mattnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-85782047847919395572007-10-25T07:19:00.000-06:002007-10-25T07:33:53.931-06:00

Status: Gutted, not guttered (see what I did there?)Four strikes and four spares, but still two pins short.Still, I topped last time.

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-42068377899048587312007-10-24T04:39:00.000-06:002007-12-09T00:17:18.862-07:00

Status: EnthralledIn a time when the idiot box is living up to its name, it seems impossible to switch on the telly without being clobbered over the head by some patronising drivel. From Farmer Wants A Wife, a show as clumsily-conceived as its name, to Surprise, Surprise, Gotcha, a programme as redundant as two-thirds of its own title, it really is a rum state of affairs in TV land. I suppose

mattnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-81643658840136030752007-10-18T09:21:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:38.673-07:00

Status: So very, very closeAfter coming up rather short last month, I came blazing back tonight at Strike with Bodie, Brady and special guest bowler, Zoe. Game 1 saw victory snatched from within my grasp in the final frame by Brady (it's okay; I forgive you); 128 points versus my 121. Zoe took third place with 86, while Bodie, having a self-confessed off day, scored 77 (just like an essay, hey,

mattnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-28865458009449569292007-10-15T22:30:00.000-06:002007-10-15T22:44:52.251-06:00

Status: BoredI know I started this a month ago, but even if there are millions upon millions of pounds awaiting me, this paperwork has long since sucked the life-force clean from my body. Consequently, I couldn't care less if I'm actually breathing in enough oxygen right now, let alone what my total weekly income (with bonuses and overtime) before stoppages was for those three weeks I temped as

mattnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-83767576605202239392007-10-09T22:35:00.000-06:002007-11-02T21:01:16.097-06:00

Status: Temporarily, but respectably employedAll that finger- and toe-crossing must have paid off!I start this Friday as a service officer for the Department of Communities in Robina. The office is quite swanky and the people seem very friendly. Plus, I'm right beside Robina Town Centre, so I can spend those dollars as quickly as I earn them!Anyway, it's only until 23 November, but I'm prepared

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-64869133538287168652007-10-08T19:42:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:39.062-07:00

Status: Surprisingly exhaustedHaving formally kicked off this task on Saturday, Dana was treated to a walk along the Broadwater on Sunday. Worries me that the dog was still bounding around at the end of the day, while I was in bed just after 9pm. Put that down to two weeks of this, though. Honest. I'm not that unfit.

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-23246640137979248642007-10-05T21:22:00.001-06:002007-10-05T21:26:15.964-06:00

Status: What's the rush? I still have 973 daysJust to clarify, this means to eat as a vegetarian; not to physically eat a vegetarian, which would mean the opposite thing entirely.

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-5098289131313492232007-10-05T21:17:00.000-06:002007-10-05T21:18:27.552-06:00

Status: In limboGlad that's over.Anyway, I've just applied for a new, temporary fixed-term position with the Queensland Government Department of Communities, which sounds right up my alley. Plus, the money's good and the timing for my proposed Canada departure date is superb. So all of you cross all of your fingers and toes for me until I find out if I got the job. Arthritis is no excuse.*(

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-6885904625077026972007-10-05T20:11:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:39.206-07:00

Status: In progress... NOW!Okay, thanks to the graveyard shifts of terror at 7-Helleven, which led to me working 27 hours per day, this was simply impossible over the past month. Now that those days nights are mercifully behind me, I can get stuck into this important little task.I know walking Dana mightn't seem like a particularly character-building job, but if you knew how little exercise I

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-57806685908967461792007-09-28T20:01:00.000-06:002007-09-28T20:41:24.477-06:00

Status: Square oneThere are some criteria one ought to be wary of when accepting a job. For your future reference, and mine, I have listed these below:Your boss is unaware of what day it is when you phone himYour shifts are so long that your fingers actually hurt from using a touchscreen registerPeople go to bed and wake up in the time you're still at workA crowbar is encouraged to be used both

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-48304720136484233812007-09-28T19:36:00.000-06:002007-09-28T20:53:25.387-06:00

Status: Well and truly completeI know I mailed these almost three weeks ago, but the refreshingly efficient Canadian government have kindly granted me permission to work in their country.Having successfully weaselled my way into the Australian and British governments, it now just seems to be a matter of time before my plans for world domination continue.Wait, I've said too much.

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-13965537065050699742007-09-24T17:53:00.000-06:002007-09-24T18:05:05.519-06:00

Status: Technically complete, but I don't count itIn order to complete #4 on this list, I've taken a second job at, er, 7-Eleven. I've just come off a 12-hour overnight shift (immediately following a four-hour stint at Job A) and my legs are killing me... Still, I kind of enjoyed it once the people started coming in on their way to work. There's something interesting about watching everyone at

mattnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-3954604459740203762007-09-21T20:50:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:39.729-07:00

Status: 37 pins shortI love those sports that require little effort. Pool? Sign me up! Mini-golf? Hand me my putter! Darts? Er, okay! Bowling requires arguably the most effort of any of those sports (that said, chalking a pool cue can be quite straining on the wrist), but it's so gosh-darn fun - and social!Anyhoo, in light of my record of 168 pins* set with Jackie in Canada (which only

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-5101631132944676692007-09-16T07:52:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:40.119-07:00

Status: Complete, but mushy (you have been warned)This task is to rectify a very unfortunate oversight that occurred during my recounting of the Great Baggage Tag Heist Of 2006 - the omission of the part that one very special person played in that particular event, and the course of my life ever since.It began with her throwaway insult towards an entire nation and its people on that summery

mattnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-44214883411432589632007-09-14T21:31:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:40.276-07:00

Status: Nauseatingly in progressA task so boring, it will no doubt transform me into an appallingly dull fellow, unimaginative, timid, lacking in initiative, spineless, easily dominated, no sense of humour, tedious company and irrepressibly drab and awful.Yes, 20 soul-destroying pages of employment details, agent authorisation forms, allowances and liabilities, property details, relevancies of

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-32328886755642166082007-09-12T23:30:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:40.444-07:00

Status: CompleteWell, that was easy! Love that colour scheme, by the way! Wonder who chose that!Oh, and pogs, Jackie? What have I got myself into?

mattnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-67982250829226977562007-09-11T23:28:00.000-06:002007-09-11T23:39:15.135-06:00

Status: CompleteAnother easy one, but I know once I do all of those, I'll be left with a bunch of tough ones to deal with.Anyway, once my Jackie pops her list onto her blog, I'll be able to cross off #7 as well. Hooray!

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-73095847737144171352007-09-11T01:27:00.000-06:002007-09-11T01:32:30.923-06:00

Status: CompleteAfter opening and resealing the envelope several times due to the fact I kept forgetting to complete various aspects of the application process, this baby's off in the post!It's going to apparently take four weeks to be approved - but it's out of my hands now, so this one can be crossed off the list!

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-27349384123542202082007-09-10T05:55:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:40.677-07:00

Status: In progressA more arduous undertaking than many may think. John Gardner wrote 16 of these suckers in the 1980s and '90s. I attempted to start reading them before I left for England, but lost interest on page 24 of the first one. I'd just come off the Ian Fleming and Kingsley Amis books, so I may have been suffering Bond burnout. However, Gardner is seen as the Roger Moore of the

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-36419616277255241272007-09-10T05:29:00.000-06:002007-09-10T08:01:38.962-06:00

Status: In progressCan I rename this task "Become broke"? I know it's my own fault, I know it's a shallow task and I know I can watch every episode of these four seasons by simply tuning into Network Ten next week, but, well, I own the others, so this was inevitable.Anyway, today I spent more money I don't actually have on seasons seven and eight. Thank heavens Big W were sold out of season

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-30110853454812974602007-09-09T01:44:00.000-06:002007-09-09T02:48:39.332-06:00

Status: Complete6 June 2010.This gig's easy!

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-12276370011051203392007-09-09T01:24:00.000-06:002008-11-17T05:17:40.890-07:00

Status: CompleteOkay, so my first task is a total cop-out, but, well, whatever it'd take to kick-start my enthusiasm for this slice of web space.So with an exceptionally large nod to Brady, who suggested I partake in this, and whose basic layout I have totally ripped off, I hereby embark upon a mission to complete 101 tasks in 1001 days, which, by my calculation, takes me through to, er, I'm not

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-23420125243663169822007-09-09T00:45:00.000-06:002007-09-09T02:47:41.727-06:00

101 Things to do in 1001 DaysThe Mission:Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.The Criteria:Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).Why 1001 Days?Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-11276163023181203132007-02-11T10:33:00.000-07:002007-02-11T11:06:44.472-07:00

For those who I didn't excitedly call, text or email, it snowed in London on Thursday!!!It happened a couple of weeks ago when I was in Switzerland. Despite the fact I was in Engelberg and being battered with an avalanche of the stuff, I was still bitterly disappointed I missed London being turned into a Winter Wonderland. Nevertheless, my prayers were answered when I awoke last Thursday, leapt

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-87665149777945606822007-01-28T10:09:00.000-07:002007-01-30T10:01:09.212-07:00

Just returned from a week-long snowboarding trip to Engelberg in Switzerland, thus explaining my five-week absence from this weblog. I hope.Anyway, here for your five minutes of pleasure, is a journal of my eight days of pain.Day 1: arrive in a bright, green and sunny Engelberg having spent the better part of the day on every method of public transportation known to man. Fortunately, there's snow

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1166456114422331412006-12-18T05:36:00.000-07:002006-12-19T03:17:17.370-07:00

As I may or may not have mentioned (I'm too lazy to check), Souf-Eas' London is perhaps the least scrupulous part of the city. And my home borough of Lewisham, which lies within Souf-Eas' London, is less scrupulous still. I can only conclude that the reason the Lewisham Metropolitan Police website has not been updated since August - the most recent entry details an explosion - is because they

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1166029080441574802006-12-13T05:12:00.000-07:002006-12-13T09:58:00.480-07:00

Token message to prove my existence continues, despite a recent bout of horrid feverish conditions, which I put down to the suddenly very cold, very bleak, very windy, and, well, very British weather. That and, potentially, some odd Moroccan food I ate at the office Christmas party on Friday.Still, like the trooper I am, I'm back at work and back in action. Sort of. My brain still feels like

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1163609445104815292006-11-15T09:22:00.000-07:002006-11-15T09:55:50.680-07:00

Ah, London! Such a cultural hub!Last week, I visited the BBC Radio 2 recording of The Lee Mack Show, a comedy variety show. Hosted by Lee Mack (the guy from The Sketch Show) and accompanied by musical guests Martin Fry (Shoot that poison arrow through my heeaa-aaaaart!) and Mel C (Yes. Sporty.), the recordings were such good fun, I'm going again next Tuesday!Last Saturday I got all swisho (hi

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1162741697778489852006-11-05T08:14:00.000-07:002006-11-06T03:06:02.360-07:00

I hate getting my hair cut. I hate it more than going to the dentist, I hate it more than drivers who fail to indicate when turning and I hate it more than any film starring Ryan Reynolds. I would even go so far as to say I hate it more than Britain's notorious Frosties ad (watch it and you'll know just how serious I am in my disdain for hairdressers).Honesty, I can't think of a more

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1161696804440037792006-10-24T03:13:00.000-06:002006-10-24T09:11:55.170-06:00

Went to the circus last night. Billy Smart's Circus, to be precise.I really do have mixed feelings about the whole charade. I love the spectacle of the circus. Trapeze artists, contortionists, extreme acrobatics, fire-eating, magic acts, juggling, ridiculously overpriced food and beverages... only someone incredibly out-of-touch with the human body and its potential for feats of physical

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1160839373861644942006-10-14T08:46:00.000-06:002006-10-14T09:28:15.330-06:00

Phew, what a hectic past month... and no, I'm not just saying so to justify my absence from this aptly-titled piece of webspace. Don't believe me? Well, here for your reading pleasure, is a serving of delicious and easily-digestible bite-size morsels of food- er, I mean information... yes, it's lunchtime...A little over a month ago, I moved home to South-East London (or as it's more commonly

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1158066641415914712006-09-12T06:33:00.000-06:002006-09-12T08:39:10.070-06:00

There's this unavoidable part of human nature whereby if someone hands you an item when you least suspect it, you instinctively reach out and take it before even contemplating the situation. Unfortunately, I've caught myself accepting all sorts of objects on a whim; copious amounts of overdue paperwork, winning lottery tickets, recently-fired weaponry... you name it, when I'm least suspecting it

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1157457999673410712006-09-05T05:49:00.000-06:002006-09-05T06:57:09.086-06:00

Amongst the many other benefits of life in London, including the British staples of red buses, mailboxes and phone booths, is the wonderfully diverse mix of people out and about in the Big Smoke.When I'm not responding to crackpots writing to our department about baldness, Nazis or the Loch Ness Monster (or Creature, as our paranormally-enthusiastic correspondent would prefer it be known), I've

mattnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1156599538263949992006-08-26T06:16:00.000-06:002006-08-26T08:01:11.240-06:00

I'd like, if I may, to make a non-European diversion on my humble slice of the Internet to talk about an issue that is near and dear to my heart. Last week, I had the honour of seeing a little-known picture right in the heart of London's cinema district, Leicester Square. There was, quite frankly, nowhere else I wanted to have this experience, than where so many of cinema's greats have fronted up

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1155404387274383402006-08-12T10:20:00.000-06:002006-08-12T12:34:31.543-06:00

Move over John Robie, Thomas Crown and Ocean's Eleven; none of you managed the epic heist I pulled off at Amsterdam's world-famous Rijksmuseum, the Dutch national museum, home of masterpieces by such artistes, as Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer and Frans Hals. Nor did I require such trickery as suspension from the ceiling, à la Topkapi, makeshift Trojan horses or token red laser beams. Nope,

mattnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1154629129875717182006-08-03T11:51:00.000-06:002006-08-07T02:11:23.796-06:00

Where else but in Paris could you be stung €13 (just over $21AU) for a one-litre bottle of Pepsi? Glass of milk? That'll be €4.50 (about $7.50AU). I was a cheapskate and settled on a €6.60 sorbet (a mere $11AU). Fortunately, it was the best sorbet in the world. I know I said that about Harrods, but, well, I'm fickle. Sue me!Funny, then, that a day in France turned out so ridiculously cheap; aside

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1153575145287157342006-07-22T06:08:00.000-06:002006-07-22T07:54:32.106-06:00

The atmosphere was electric. As a 605kg bull charged through a sea of brave locals, foolish tourists and sluggish drunks, a colosseum full of spectators went wild. The more stupid people attempted to agitate the bull by slapping or hitting it, whilst the more astute participants clung to the stadium's rim, praying that the massive animal would not come bounding in their direction.Welcome to the

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1151847848752773542006-07-02T07:39:00.000-06:002006-07-02T07:44:08.766-06:00

Just so you all know, I'm off to Spain on Wednesday. Yeah, Spain.Y'know... last-minute thing. That's all; just thought I'd rub it in!See you when I get back!...jealous?

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1150993877305534742006-06-22T10:13:00.001-06:002006-06-22T10:31:17.320-06:00

Remember me?It's been just under a month since my last update, and I'm finding myself in a home with a new job! How times change!Two weeks ago, our lease expired and the time came to spread my wings and move out on my own. Have moved into a wonderful place in South London (my boss' sole piece of advice: shoot first (only kidding; no need to stress, parents (you stand a better chance if you just

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1147009625588701392006-05-07T07:33:00.000-06:002006-05-07T07:50:29.830-06:00

Welcome to the second monthly nothing-to-report-except-I'm-still-alive blog post!I've applied for a permanent post at Defra, so fingers crossed on that one. My visa may be the only hitch, but we'll see how that goes. I have contingencies should I not land the job.Went to the ANZAC Day dawn service on, well, ANZAC Day, which was really good. Close to 2,000 people gathered at Wellington Monument (

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1145197248810545262006-04-19T15:30:00.000-06:002006-04-19T15:40:08.146-06:00

Happy Easter everyone!Hope The Bunny gave you all plenty of chocolate!Just a quick check-in with some birthday photos. Thanks to everyone from home and here in the UK who sent birthday greetings / wishes / presents in one form or another. Helped make my first birthday away from home that much easier!What did I get up to? Thanks for asking! Well, aside from the aforesaid birthday drinks on Maundy

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1145034215157191552006-04-14T10:32:00.000-06:002006-04-14T11:10:42.656-06:00

So... I'm 21 tomorrow. Ancient, huh?I know, I know, you're all thinking, "But 21 is so young!" (well, except for those of you younger than me, in which case I'm a dinosaur), but I feel I've hit the downhill point so far as birthdays are concerned. Still, I'll be trying to make the most of this one, as, as I'm so frequently told, I'm in London.Incidentally, work were very good, insisting on taking

mattnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1144690372284139222006-04-10T11:22:00.000-06:002006-04-10T11:32:52.296-06:00

Just a brief note to let you all know I'm still alive and kicking.Nothing real big to report, but here's some space-filler anyway.Work's plodding along, and with the first case of Avian Influenza breaking out in the UK, even if I don't land one of the 12 permanant jobs within the Department, I could well be in a job for a while.Still doing all the British cultured stuff. On Saturday, we paid a

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1143910786443270892006-04-01T09:00:00.000-07:002006-04-01T10:21:34.236-07:00

It's funny how life works out.Two and a half months ago, I was your typical Australian student. Now, I'm responding to Prime Minister Tony Blair's mail. Yup.(Although, in fairness, two and a half months ago I was actually frantically packing my bags for this trip.)As part of my new job (which is going well, thanks for asking), I have to respond to a portion of mail addressed to Mr Blair,

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1143569833607186242006-03-28T11:00:00.000-07:002006-03-28T11:19:24.503-07:00

First couple of days at work went well. Everyone is friendly, there's room for promotions, and I have one heck of a view of the Thames from my desk!There's even a girl there from the Gold Coast (she went to St Hilda's; TSS's sister school, for those of you unaware). Small world!A quick photo update today with a selection of piccies from our time in Germany. If it looks cold, it's because it is. (

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1143397719675856432006-03-26T11:16:00.000-07:002006-03-26T11:28:39.686-07:00

Well, I have a new job.Tomorrow morning, I start work for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' Central Communications Unit. It's an ongoing full-time position in Vauxhall, right on the Thames, on the same street as MI6 and a whole pile of other Government offices. It's a bit out of the way of Bayswater, where we live, but it looks to be a pretty good job, which is very similar

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1142443576882390432006-03-15T10:03:00.000-07:002006-03-15T10:26:16.893-07:00

Two months.Two whole months.How time flies.I suppose there's still an element of surrealism about being here. Whilst the incidents are less frequent than earlier this month, I still can't help but find myself dropping everything and thinking to myself, "Hold on... I'm in London..."Yet at the same time, the stress of finding employment, paying rent, calculating bills, taxes and other expenses,

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1142188696104059522006-03-13T10:57:00.000-07:002006-03-14T10:39:35.046-07:00

By (un)popular demand, a (very small) photo update.Given my next three months' worth of posting will be rehashed whining about my data entry job (see Thursday's post), I'll throw up a handful of pics every day to tie you over until I have more exciting adventures than locating lawyers for people during my lunch hour.Hopefully, I'll have the proper photo gallery up and running again soon, but

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1141935259769623412006-03-09T13:03:00.000-07:002006-03-09T13:14:19.780-07:00

...is it the weekend yet?I know, I know, I only started work four days ago, having come off almost two months of unemployment, but I'm only human!New job's going fine, but anyone who's done data entry in the past will know the nauseating dullness of an eight-hour shift of copying and pasting. Aside from the four ways in which one can do this (I'm optimistic I'll eventually find a fifth), there's

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1141331426919571842006-03-02T13:22:00.000-07:002006-03-02T13:30:26.930-07:00

I have a job.In London.A job in London.Wow.I didn't even have time to walk home from the recruitment agency (Office Angels) today before they phoned me with an offer to start work on Monday for Total Jobs.com, an online recruitment agency.The position is an ongoing temporary one, which is ideal, and pays decently. It's a data entry position, which probably won't be a thrill-a-minute, but it pays

mattnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1141252115807046182006-03-01T15:07:00.000-07:002006-03-01T15:42:17.010-07:00

If someone had told me, even as recently as three months ago, that my first home would be on London's Hyde Park, I'd have probably told them where to go.Yet, two days after signing the dotted line on a lease, here I am.Yep, from Friday, we'll be living in a wonderful, modern apartment no more than a minute's walk from Hyde Park, Whiteley's Shopping Centre and a stone's throw from many other

mattnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1140718371031474062006-02-23T11:00:00.000-07:002006-02-23T11:12:51.046-07:00

How things change.After an unfruitful two-week search for work and accommodation in Edinburgh, we've reached the decision that the only way to live comfortably whilst actually saving pounds, is to head back to London to work.Not an easy decision, by any means. We'd all decided we love Edinburgh on our first day here; the city has such character. But the figures didn't stack up. Work here,

mattnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1140549874217808652006-02-21T12:15:00.000-07:002006-02-21T12:24:34.216-07:00

One week on in Edinburgh, and not much has changed.Still living at the hostel.Still on a very strict rotation of clothes.Still eating far too much food.That said, things could be worse. On the work front, I'm signed up for temp work (my visa isn't valid until later this week, so I'm not surprised it's been slow-going 'til now) with a recruitment agency here in the city. Meanwhile, I'm keeping

mattnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1140017596288020182006-02-15T08:19:00.000-07:002006-03-01T15:06:36.993-07:00

Well, we're here.The temporary end-of-the-line.Having cruised through Singapore, Germany, Austria (albeit briefly) and England, we have arrived in Edinburgh, where the hunt for work and a place to temporarily reside (I refuse to call it "home") has begun.It's slow-going at the moment, with work looking a bit slim and the salaries a little lower than we'd anticipated, but it's only been a couple

mattnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1139497176239519892006-02-09T07:33:00.000-07:002006-02-09T08:03:06.610-07:00

G'day on this surprisingly sunny London afternoon!Having a very enjoyable time in London, and have covered at least half the Monopoly board over the past five days. On Tuesday, we wandered along Oxford and Regent Streets (I had a hotel on Regent Street once, before I went bankrupt), which was an all-day affair; endless rows of department stores, selling everything under the fleeting London sun.

mattnoreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1139249915246506012006-02-06T10:32:00.000-07:002006-02-06T11:22:05.010-07:00

Before I fill you in on what's going on in London, I have been informed I have to report that I inadvertently filed my previous entry from a gay Internet café (not that there's anything wrong with that). After signing off and heading outside, the pieces of the puzzle slotted into place: the overly friendly owner, the same-sex couples seated throughout the café, and finally the name of the café,

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1138971093536953432006-02-03T04:54:00.000-07:002006-02-03T06:20:10.873-07:00

Dear family and friends,It is with deep regret that I inform you I am a changed man. The Matt you all knew is gone. I have arrived at the realisation that, replacing the clean-cut, well-groomed, employed man you're familiar with, is a mere shadow of him.I am now unemployed, sporting an unfashionable belly and desperately need a shave. I'm living out of a backpack, wearing the same clothes over

mattnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1138028081597100002006-01-23T07:11:00.000-07:002006-01-23T07:55:24.170-07:00

I don't believe I'm sitting here on this train, writing this journal, drinking this coffee, wearing these clothes, taking in the view of these snowy mountains. It is both so real and surreal.In addition to this blog, I also keep a written journal of my personal thoughts, what I'm feeling, etc; something more for my own benefit, rather than this, which is a diversion out of your busy lives at

mattnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1137938540991976822006-01-22T06:57:00.000-07:002006-01-22T07:02:21.003-07:00

At Singapore Airport waiting for the next two hours to pass before our flight (13 hours; can't wait!).Not much to report today (these daily entries are an anomoly, I assure you). Spent a quiet one by the pool, after a bit of shopping.Sad to say the most exciting thing was hotcakes at McDonald's this morning. Honest to God, they are some of the best pancakes I've had (and they dump all over

mattnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1137836572410112932006-01-21T10:38:00.000-07:002006-01-21T02:42:52.423-07:00

Spent today at Sentosa, a sprawling island resort with numerous attractions scattered across it.With lots of pizza and a Rasa Sling (midori, triple sec, pineapple juice, strawberries and ice) resting contentedly in my stomach, the afternoon was spent lying on the bright, white sand of Siloso beach, soaking up the sun and listening to the rhythmic beats of island music interspersed with the

mattnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5161507.post-1137750717637092652006-01-20T10:53:00.000-07:002006-01-21T02:29:11.526-07:00

Here I am in Singapore!Can't get my head around it, to be honest. In fact, this, my third day here, is the first where I actually feel like I'm in Singapore. As a country, it's very Westernised. Virtually everyone speaks English and a great deal of the stores - Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC - are all places you'd find in Australia (or indeed, most Western countries). This, coupled with the warm

mattnoreply@blogger.com4