Look a like gag

from Private Eye magazine.

These aren't as good of course as Rob Graham's lookey-likies, which you can see on facebook if you look for photos tagged with his name.

New link

I've added a new link on the right, to 'found magazine'. I've been occasionally checking in on this for a few years now, usually on quiet nights at work. People send in scans of photos, hand written notes, shopping lists etc. I don't know why, but they're fascinating, often funny and sometimes disturbing. I think it's because each entry gives you just a little glimpse into someone else's life, leaving you to imagine the circumstance or what happens next.

I've been spending some of this set of nights trying to find out what has been going on at the Olympics that doesn't involve Australians. Watching Channel 7 here, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Olympics was simply a swimming gala set up for the Australians with a few other sports happening on the side.

Another time killer we played the other night was to Google your own name and see what comes up. I was disturbed to find there's a Colin Taylor on the run in Europe for the worst of crimes, but rather pleased to find out there's a Colin Taylor Band. I wonder what they sing? I bet they dance badly. You can also try searching "Colin likes to" (with the speech marks) and see the top 10 of what your namesakes get up to. Only do it if you're not of a sensitive disposition, though.

I'm off to pen that Number 1 hit for my band.

More tea, vicar?

Sharon has developed a bit of Friday morning routine, which I try my best to gate crash as often as possible.

We go with several of the other parents of children at Owen's school to McDonald's McCafe in Reynella. This is on a corner of a big main road and is referred to locally as 'junk food corner', it having a KFC, Hungry Jacks (Australian version of Burger King), Dominos, Fasta Past (urgh) and of course Maccas, as the golden arched fat fest is known here.

I'm sure the staff at Maccas really look forward to Friday mornings when about 10 of us and what feels like 20 toddlers turn up, asking for coffees which have to be just-so and asking them to turn the heating up/down and generally being a nuisance. I have to hand it to Maccas though, they do really good, relatively cheap coffee. And they've given us key fobs that gets us a free slice of cake with every coffee purchased. Until 2010. That's potentially alot of cake. After the 12k run, naturally.

After that, we go next door to the 'Salvos Op shop'. I'll translate: that's the Salvation Army Charity shop. The sense of adventure is hightened by cutting through the palm tree bushes between them, which makes it feel like you've stumbled upon an abandoned enclave. I've only ever really been to charity shops for fancy dress before. You know, a dress or skirt for a game of football at camp. But this has actually got really quite good stuff, and I've picked up some good shirts. Sharon says they're from the designer boutique 'Sal-vos'. Equally as important though is having a good laugh at some of the crap they have too. Hideous crockery sets, a salt and pepper pot set that say 'atishoo' and 'bless you'. A Barry Crocker album.

It all adds up and has helped us make some good friends.

Hide behind the sofa

Telly in Australia is absolutely bobbins.

When there is something good on (usually an import from England - Gordon Ramsey, Ladette to Lady) any modicum of drama or suspense the program makers have managed to build is completely dissipated by the 72 adverts, which are inserted liberally throughout the program at precisely the wrong times. Adelaide, it would seem, always has a rug shop which is closing down and has 15% off everything this weekend only, every weekend. They continue here to use the bloke who owns the shop to advertise it, some of them even sing. At least they have some comedy value. We have had to train Robert and Owen to mute the TV during ad breaks. That's because they'll show a rather graphic trailer for Big Brother or CSI in the middle of a morning showing of Pokemon.

So hats off to Keith Chalk, who has rescued us with regular parcels of DVD recordings of Dr Who and Heroes. We've been very self disciplined and watched one Dr Who a week on a Friday or Saturday night. All 4 of us sit on our settee with the lights off, making a big event of the latest screening. It seems to have paid off. Robert and Owen both hold a cushion to hide behind when they watch it. As we started the latest episode, Robert said that he gets butterflies in his stomach when the theme tune comes on. We've just watched the ones with Alex Kingston, and our theory is she'll turn out to be Donna's daughter. Or something.

Now we can look forward to Channel 7's exclusive HD olympics coverage. With hundreds of bloomin adverts.

Get those knees up

I'm the kind of person that needs a deadline.

All through school, college and Uni, my assignments and revision were usually completed in the small hours of the morning.  I remember trying to print an assignment on what seemed to be the world's noisiest dot matrix printer, putting a pillow over it so as not to wake the whole house.

So it is that I've signed up for Adelaide's City to Bay Run. It runs from Adelaide's city centre to the coastal suburb of Glenelg.  And it's 12km long.  Inexplicably, it's described as a 'fun run', not 2 words I'd usually put together.

Still, my belly isn't getting any smaller and, like with the Manchester 10km run, I'd just like to know I can do it.  I'd also like to improve on my pace.  First time I did the Manchester 10k it was in around 53 minutes.  The second time I trailed behind in 55minutes. My time wasn't helped by having to stop for a pee in the bushes 2km in.  I don't think I'll have that luxury in Adelaide, as the course follows the tram route. Also, I've anged to talk the rest of my shift group into doing it. I'll let you know how I get on with my training leading up to 21st September. Don't expect to see me coming 37th like our Richard.

It's really hard to get our heads around the fact that it's the summer holidays in UK now, not least because it continues to be wintery here.  We even bought some electric blankets today.  I put on my Minidisc (old school, I know) of Christmas songs as the weather had me feeling all Christmassy.  We talked to Angela and Alessio, our Italian friends, on Skype last night.  They were so hot, we could see sweat dripping on their foreheads. 

Sharon put a scarf on.