Did you all see the big game yesterday? Geelong vs Port Adelaide? Hardly a game that anyone from Adelaide will be telling their grandkids about. I must be THE least sports-mad person I know, but I found it a terrific game to watch. I know some people have complained that it was too one-sided (especially for a Grand Final), and that a margin of 119 points (yep, 20 goals!) makes it all a bit boring. But if you spent your working week sitting beside Marg - the most passionate Cats supporter in the world - you'd have been caught up in her emotional journey too. She's 60+, goes to every single game, knows every stat and - as a single mother herself - has adopted every player as one of "her boys". We were seriously worried about her heart failing during the tense leadup to the finals, especially during the 5 point win to Collingwood last week. So a quick SMS to her at the siren on Saturday - just to check on her welfare - was met with "You beauty - this is the best feeling EVER!!!!". She and her daughter then drove to Geelong after the game, and spent the evening driving around the town tooting their horn and screaming in delight - with tens of thousands of others apparently. When I spoke to her today, she was barely able to speak - her voice almost completely gone from all the cheering. Even though I don't really 'get' sport itself, it's wonderful watching people who are THAT passionate about anything.Sunday, September 30, 2007
Gee-whiz
Did you all see the big game yesterday? Geelong vs Port Adelaide? Hardly a game that anyone from Adelaide will be telling their grandkids about. I must be THE least sports-mad person I know, but I found it a terrific game to watch. I know some people have complained that it was too one-sided (especially for a Grand Final), and that a margin of 119 points (yep, 20 goals!) makes it all a bit boring. But if you spent your working week sitting beside Marg - the most passionate Cats supporter in the world - you'd have been caught up in her emotional journey too. She's 60+, goes to every single game, knows every stat and - as a single mother herself - has adopted every player as one of "her boys". We were seriously worried about her heart failing during the tense leadup to the finals, especially during the 5 point win to Collingwood last week. So a quick SMS to her at the siren on Saturday - just to check on her welfare - was met with "You beauty - this is the best feeling EVER!!!!". She and her daughter then drove to Geelong after the game, and spent the evening driving around the town tooting their horn and screaming in delight - with tens of thousands of others apparently. When I spoke to her today, she was barely able to speak - her voice almost completely gone from all the cheering. Even though I don't really 'get' sport itself, it's wonderful watching people who are THAT passionate about anything.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
One minute's cone of silence
Did you realise that today is the second aniversary of the passing of Don Adams? If you're not already aware (oh the humanity!) Don played - or rather, was - Maxwell Smart, Agent 86. If you're too young to have seen Get Smart after school (as I did), you'll likely still have heard him after school as the voice of Inspector Gadget. He died at age 82 on September 25th, 2005, from a lung infection, after a long battle with bone lymphoma. (Incidentally, that was also the same month that Simon Weisenthal (The Nazi Hunter) & Bob Denver ("Gilligan") passed away). Bet you didn't know that he was also in the U.S. Marines, and that he was the only survivor in his platoon in Guadalcanal (where he contracted malaria)? Or that he was born Donald James Yarmy, to Hungarian & Irish parents? Or that he was married three times and had seven children, and that his youngest child is named "Beige"? Well you do now.
Monday, September 24, 2007
!sdrawkcab...lacipyT
Last Wednesday (the 19th), the guys from MuteMath again performed "Typical" on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" - this time in reverse and in a single take...
Sunday, September 16, 2007
3-oh!-3
Ta-da! So now I'm 33.
Of course you know that Jesus was crucified at age 33 (I'll try not to focus on His accomplishments by that age as compared to mine), but did you know that Alexander The Great also died at 33?
He's considered one of the most brilliant military commanders of all time (guess that's why he's not known as "Alexander The Mediocre") and was undefeated in battle prior to his death from a mystery illness. Again, I'll try not to be put off by his accomplishments in a relatively short life: so what if he conquered half the world while I worked at the same place for 17 years?? The Big Show-off. Maybe I'm just a late-bloomer? (although if marrying Mel and having Jessica count as accomplishments - and they do in my book - I can retire happy right now).
33 is also the atomic number of Arsenic and, of course, it is also the largest positive integer that cannot be expressed as a sum of different triangular numbers (who could forget??). It's also the number worn by NBA basketballers Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Larry Bird & Patrick Ewing, and of the legendary Baseball player, Jose Canseco (i only know of him because of The Simpsons). "Sure", I hear you scoff, "we knew THAT!". Fine then, but did you know that the 'smile for the camera' phrase used in Spain is not "Say Cheese", but "Say Thirty-Three" ("Diga treinta y tres")??? Haha! Didn't think so.
I had a great birthday as always.
Mel made a cake of 6 different cheeses (no, not a cheesecake, but a tower of cheeses with candles stuck on them, garnished with walnuts and grapes), due to the below-mentioned diet. She and Jessica also bought me a Goodies apron, Goodies oven mit (both feature a picture and read "Goodie, Goodie, Yum Yum") and the complete, 5-season, 25-DVD box set of "Get Smart". 
It even comes in a telephone booth box! (we've enjoyed watching the first 9 or 10 episodes in the last couple of days - and I'm pleased to be introducing Mel to the fine comedic genius that brought us "...and loving it", "would you believe...", "the old ____ in the ____ trick", the cone of silence, the shoe phone, and so much more. As an aside, there must be something magical about the year 1965: both Get Smart and Hogan's Heroes piloted in that year, and I love both of the them for the same reasons (does that say more about 1965 or me?) In fact we have been watching the box set of HH just last week! 
And as an aside #2, in tonight's episode of Get Smart, the password and counter-sign that Max and The Chief had to use were "Apple" and "Macintosh": I wonder if that's where Steve Jobs got the name? As an aside #3, have you seen the new iPod touch and iMac? Beautiful. And did you know (Aside #4), that Pixar, who made Ratatouille which we saw last week, was once owned and run by Steve Jobs as it's CEO, and that he bought the company for $10 million and later sold it to Disney for $7.4 billion, making him Disney's #1 shareholder in the process? But now we're getting off topic, and you know how I hate to ramble :))
Anyway, I was really blessed to recieve so many calls, texts, posts, visits, cards, vouchers and gifts from lots of people: thankyou if you are one of those people!! Thanks very much for the 5 books I've now got to read, the jumper I get to wear, the vouchers I get to spend, and the car simulation I got to drive. I will really try to send an email or call you all, but 'the road to hell' and all that...
I think I might go to bed now. Hope you're well! (and thanks for the posts and emails keeping us in touch: I really appreciate them).
Matt
Of course you know that Jesus was crucified at age 33 (I'll try not to focus on His accomplishments by that age as compared to mine), but did you know that Alexander The Great also died at 33?
He's considered one of the most brilliant military commanders of all time (guess that's why he's not known as "Alexander The Mediocre") and was undefeated in battle prior to his death from a mystery illness. Again, I'll try not to be put off by his accomplishments in a relatively short life: so what if he conquered half the world while I worked at the same place for 17 years?? The Big Show-off. Maybe I'm just a late-bloomer? (although if marrying Mel and having Jessica count as accomplishments - and they do in my book - I can retire happy right now). 
33 is also the atomic number of Arsenic and, of course, it is also the largest positive integer that cannot be expressed as a sum of different triangular numbers (who could forget??). It's also the number worn by NBA basketballers Kareem Abdul-Jabar, Larry Bird & Patrick Ewing, and of the legendary Baseball player, Jose Canseco (i only know of him because of The Simpsons). "Sure", I hear you scoff, "we knew THAT!". Fine then, but did you know that the 'smile for the camera' phrase used in Spain is not "Say Cheese", but "Say Thirty-Three" ("Diga treinta y tres")??? Haha! Didn't think so.I had a great birthday as always.
Mel made a cake of 6 different cheeses (no, not a cheesecake, but a tower of cheeses with candles stuck on them, garnished with walnuts and grapes), due to the below-mentioned diet. She and Jessica also bought me a Goodies apron, Goodies oven mit (both feature a picture and read "Goodie, Goodie, Yum Yum") and the complete, 5-season, 25-DVD box set of "Get Smart". 
It even comes in a telephone booth box! (we've enjoyed watching the first 9 or 10 episodes in the last couple of days - and I'm pleased to be introducing Mel to the fine comedic genius that brought us "...and loving it", "would you believe...", "the old ____ in the ____ trick", the cone of silence, the shoe phone, and so much more. As an aside, there must be something magical about the year 1965: both Get Smart and Hogan's Heroes piloted in that year, and I love both of the them for the same reasons (does that say more about 1965 or me?) In fact we have been watching the box set of HH just last week! 
And as an aside #2, in tonight's episode of Get Smart, the password and counter-sign that Max and The Chief had to use were "Apple" and "Macintosh": I wonder if that's where Steve Jobs got the name? As an aside #3, have you seen the new iPod touch and iMac? Beautiful. And did you know (Aside #4), that Pixar, who made Ratatouille which we saw last week, was once owned and run by Steve Jobs as it's CEO, and that he bought the company for $10 million and later sold it to Disney for $7.4 billion, making him Disney's #1 shareholder in the process? But now we're getting off topic, and you know how I hate to ramble :))
Anyway, I was really blessed to recieve so many calls, texts, posts, visits, cards, vouchers and gifts from lots of people: thankyou if you are one of those people!! Thanks very much for the 5 books I've now got to read, the jumper I get to wear, the vouchers I get to spend, and the car simulation I got to drive. I will really try to send an email or call you all, but 'the road to hell' and all that...
I think I might go to bed now. Hope you're well! (and thanks for the posts and emails keeping us in touch: I really appreciate them).
Matt
Saturday, September 15, 2007
32.99726027
Well, I've been a bit slack in updating this thing in the last few weeks, and with my ailing, old-timer's memory, if I don't at least write something now I'll soon forget what's happened. So here's a very quick wrap up of the last week or so:
I went to a Switchfoot concert with two of my nieces, attended a Catalyst business breakfast the next morning, had a great time at Bec's 30th birthday party that night, spent most of the weekend in Yarram with Deb & the kids to celebrate two birthdays, spent Monday with my buddy Jessica, worked, went to the gym, watched a movie with M & J (Ratatouille), had Anthony & Christina & the boys over for supper/cake, and went driving around Nurburgring in a Porsche Carrera.
The latter was achieved via a racing simulator, and the experience was a gift from the very thoughtful Christina & Anthony. I can't say that I covered myself in glory, and my best time was 10 minutes 25 seconds. (I was well on my way to beating the 10 minute mark when, on the 2nd last corner, I suddenly found myself embedded in a jungle of trees from which there was no return).
The Switchfoot concert was great, despite a rubbish audio system that made everything sound like it was played underwater, through a speaker stuck inside a mattress. My eldest niece, Susanna, was really looking forward to the concert but came down ill in the few days before it and had to miss out (she promises that she wasn't just trying to avoid being seen out in public with her daggy old uncle).
Susanna's ticket was happily snapped up by Grace, so she and Erin joined me for a great night. We even had an opportunity to meet all 5 members of the band, as they shook hands and signed autographs after the show. The girls were all able to get t-shirts and have them signed by the guys, so Susanna didn't miss out completely. Music aside, the best part was spending some time with my nieces - something I don't get to do often enough. (Special note to you, Dad: Switchfoot are now doing a tour to support your mates at Habitat for Humanity: it's called the Appetite for Construction tour, but I think it's just U.S. dates so you might miss out this time 'round)
The Catalyst breakfast was also really interesting: I think there were 18 guys and 1 woman meeting at a cafe to chat about being in a workplace as a Christian. Anthony (he of the Nurburgring fame above) was asked to speak for a few minutes to get the discussion started, and the topic for the day was personal - and particularly, sexual - integrity. I think the one lady might have felt out of place, and she kept pretty quiet, but it was a good robust discussion for the rest of us.
Bec's 30th birthday party was a very stylish affair, with the house decorated beautifully with a gold theme, and everyone dressed as their favourite literary character. Everyone except the three of us, that is! As Mel & I were on unofficial video/photo "duty", we were let off lightly for having failed to find an outfit. And Jessica was let off because, well, she's Jessica and she's gorgeous. Everyone had a great time, and the food was amazing!! I'm on a very strict low-carb, high-protein diet at the moment, but do you think that stopped me having a little chocolate mousse? Not likely! I did manage to hold back from the Biscotten Torte & Birthday Cake, so that's perhaps something. I'd love to post some photos from the night, but since they feature other people and other people's kids, I'm not too sure that I have permission! (What's the protocol there? Hmm? I think I'd best err on the side of caution, and just post a picture of some of the cakes!). So another great night, Mum & Becky - thankyou!
Well, I have one day left at age 32 - 99.7% of that year having been used up already. It's amazing (and a little frustrating, unsettling, daunting) to see how fast time is going these days; there's so much I want to do and seemingly no time to do it. Maybe 33 will be the year that I get serious and make sure that at least some of those things happen...
Cheers,
Matt
I went to a Switchfoot concert with two of my nieces, attended a Catalyst business breakfast the next morning, had a great time at Bec's 30th birthday party that night, spent most of the weekend in Yarram with Deb & the kids to celebrate two birthdays, spent Monday with my buddy Jessica, worked, went to the gym, watched a movie with M & J (Ratatouille), had Anthony & Christina & the boys over for supper/cake, and went driving around Nurburgring in a Porsche Carrera.
The latter was achieved via a racing simulator, and the experience was a gift from the very thoughtful Christina & Anthony. I can't say that I covered myself in glory, and my best time was 10 minutes 25 seconds. (I was well on my way to beating the 10 minute mark when, on the 2nd last corner, I suddenly found myself embedded in a jungle of trees from which there was no return).The Switchfoot concert was great, despite a rubbish audio system that made everything sound like it was played underwater, through a speaker stuck inside a mattress. My eldest niece, Susanna, was really looking forward to the concert but came down ill in the few days before it and had to miss out (she promises that she wasn't just trying to avoid being seen out in public with her daggy old uncle).
Susanna's ticket was happily snapped up by Grace, so she and Erin joined me for a great night. We even had an opportunity to meet all 5 members of the band, as they shook hands and signed autographs after the show. The girls were all able to get t-shirts and have them signed by the guys, so Susanna didn't miss out completely. Music aside, the best part was spending some time with my nieces - something I don't get to do often enough. (Special note to you, Dad: Switchfoot are now doing a tour to support your mates at Habitat for Humanity: it's called the Appetite for Construction tour, but I think it's just U.S. dates so you might miss out this time 'round)The Catalyst breakfast was also really interesting: I think there were 18 guys and 1 woman meeting at a cafe to chat about being in a workplace as a Christian. Anthony (he of the Nurburgring fame above) was asked to speak for a few minutes to get the discussion started, and the topic for the day was personal - and particularly, sexual - integrity. I think the one lady might have felt out of place, and she kept pretty quiet, but it was a good robust discussion for the rest of us.
Bec's 30th birthday party was a very stylish affair, with the house decorated beautifully with a gold theme, and everyone dressed as their favourite literary character. Everyone except the three of us, that is! As Mel & I were on unofficial video/photo "duty", we were let off lightly for having failed to find an outfit. And Jessica was let off because, well, she's Jessica and she's gorgeous. Everyone had a great time, and the food was amazing!! I'm on a very strict low-carb, high-protein diet at the moment, but do you think that stopped me having a little chocolate mousse? Not likely! I did manage to hold back from the Biscotten Torte & Birthday Cake, so that's perhaps something. I'd love to post some photos from the night, but since they feature other people and other people's kids, I'm not too sure that I have permission! (What's the protocol there? Hmm? I think I'd best err on the side of caution, and just post a picture of some of the cakes!). So another great night, Mum & Becky - thankyou!Well, I have one day left at age 32 - 99.7% of that year having been used up already. It's amazing (and a little frustrating, unsettling, daunting) to see how fast time is going these days; there's so much I want to do and seemingly no time to do it. Maybe 33 will be the year that I get serious and make sure that at least some of those things happen...
Cheers,
Matt
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Blessed
A hand-painted and glazed "Daddy" mug. A hand-painted watercolour on canvas. A "Why I Love My Daddy" book (with a photo of Jessica & I inserted in the last page). A new Ravi book. A selection of delicious cheeses. A brekky fry-up of bacon, eggs and sausages. And lots of lovely hugs and kisses. I could get used to days like today. (Thankyou Jessica & Thankyou Melly!)
We were also able to spend our afternoon at Jeff & Keren's (thanks again!) for a delicious lunch to celebrate Sammy & Eliza's birthday's. Jessica came down a little ill, but rallied enough with some mediine to still have a lot of fun with her cousins, Uncle, Aunts & her Granny (that's her pulling the go-kart). In fact we all had a great time.
Mel is hard at work at the computer tonight - a big deadline and meeting tomorrow in the City - and that follows her getting to bed at 5:00am today after an all-nighter on this same project. I hope she gets to bed before 12 tonight, but something tells me she won't. So all I can do is ply her with nice warm cuppas. And maybe some yummy cheese. I'll go and get her next cuppa now, but will include a few photos taken this week.
Take care,
M
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