O goodness me

4 beers and 2 chasers later...and the head cold I had has been obliterated. Possibly only temporarily but we ain't being picky round these parts. Drinking was accompanied by the ever blossoming O (I don't mean she's getting fat or something, she just seems to be blossoming...), who just quit her job and was looking for a reason to celebrate. So celebrate we did. G was supposed to come and celebrate too, but he's too much of an executive to mix it with the serfs. He he.

She's doing alright, is our O. She also talks a lot of sense, mainly because she isn't totally Israeli and sits on my side of the fence. She also has a lot of good ideas and suggestions and gives me that extra push where I need it (Oooh, that's right love, just there on me lower back...). And frankly Mr. Shankly, I need a bit of a shove right now. I feel a bit bogged down with all kinds of school/work shit and she has this ability to see through the mud...

So a beer session with O is always welcome. Let's face it, beer is always welcome, with O it's just an added bonus. Gotta love the O.

What the hell am I? #42

Defining moment

When yer littl'un starts banging his head to "Turning Japanese" by the Vapors, while driving along in the car.

"What you doing junior?"

"I'm dancing."

New laser technology banishes hemorrhoids

Alternatively, Israeli gets cheeky with cardboard cops

Familiar Familia

Why is it that "quick" family visits always turn into 7-8 hour marathons? Not sure about your in-laws, but I can guarantee that every time I hear the words "We'll just pop round for an hour..." or "My brother is coming round for half an hour before he goes *somewhere else*" I know we're in for a long session. Mrs. anglosaxy still naively believes that we or they will really stay for the short time quoted, but I got it sussed a long time ago.

Why is it that my in-laws don't do the Friday night dinner malarky, but feck, do they go for Saturday visitation rights?! Of course, Friday night is much better because it can only last for so long before the kids get cranky and "need their beds". I actually like my in-laws a lot, contrary to their belief, but really don't know how they stand each other for so long. And don't they have anything else to do on a Saturday, apart from wasting 7 or 8 hours on the very same topics they spoke about last week...? Being the busy lad I am, I have plenty to do, plenty of things I'd rather be doing (beer, football, beach, kids to park, etc).

And why is it, that after 7 or 8 hours, when mrs anglosaxy has finally got my very subtle 1000th head nod towards the door, and we're finally packing up the littl'uns stuff, that the MIL perks up with "What?! You're going? Wait, wait, wait, I didn't make you any sahleb..." and with that rushes off into the kitchen to make some. You know road rage, right? Well, this MIL sentence usually brings out the relation rage in me...

I'm never going to be Israeli at this rate, am I? He he.

Facebooked

Well, I gave it a shot, but I'm sorry, I just can't see the big deal with Facebook. Those first couple of weeks were quite interesting, linking up with people here and there. But after you've made your initial contact list, there's nowhere really to go, is there? Those applications are a slight pain in the arse too, some are interesting but there's too much clicking required in order to get anywhere. So, I'll be dropping by now and again and poking one or two people, but probably only once a week or so.

Eeee by gum!

Having two little terriers in the house, I've found that my limit to what is repulsive has totally disintegrated. Snotty noses rub themselves into my shoulder, half-chewed food gets spat into my hand and nice runny nappies spill out onto my fingers. But there's just something about junior's latest sentence, picked up from the kindergarden, that makes me cringe: "I want a snot sandwich...ani rotzeh nazelet bekarich"...as they say over here eeks-ah-lekeeeee!

Why a stuffed nose ain't such a bad thing...

...since you get to skip some of life's more oderous tasks, including:

• Avoiding nappy duty. Sorry love, couldn't smell a thing...


• Missing out on junior's remarkably smelly feet. Even more smelly than mine, yes indeedy.


• Being oblivious to the Ruskie programmer's extraordinary bad breath, especially when he smiles his steel-crowned gnashers at you.


• Not throwing today's socks into the wash because, well, they don't look like they smell. Sorry love, couldn't smell a thing...


• Not having to suffer the after-effects of a mrs. anglosaxy Bamba session. Those of you who know, know...


• Walking down Allenby Street and remaining unaware of the piss-stained shop entrances.


• Driving behind a garbage truck without having to wind your windows up.


• Finally getting to use Open Spacey's rank board markers. Fuck me they stink, but then, right now, I'm oblivious...


• Failing to uncover those rotting potatoes in that DMZ area corner of the kitchen. Sorry love, couldn't smell a thing...

What the hell am I? #41

Israelis love to occupy everything...

OK, the Christmas tree was put away a few days ago, but I thought you might like this shot. Spot anything unusual about the tree?

Kor blimey

Kor blimey guv, it's nippy out there innit. There you were, thinking I must be living it up on the beach, topping up my tan, downing a cold one as the sun melts me ice lolly. How wrong you are my little cupcakes, how very wrong. It must be getting towards the low teens (13 or 14 C) out there and with the cold/flu that's refusing to let go of my very untanned body, it feels a lot colder. That breeze is sure rattling my bones and no, I'm not laughing at those scarf-laden Israelis anymore...Not sure, but didn't the news say yesterday that in some parts of the country the chill factor brought temperatures below zero? What the feck? At this rate I'll have to pack up my flip-flops...

* Kor = cold in Hebrew

Ice cream shortage mystery solved

Form or click?

For the web savvy of you...

My school's website is undergoing redesign (and thanks to those of you who checked it out and gave feedback) and I've pretty well sussed out how it's going to look and function. Except for one thing - the Contact Us section. The web designers are going for this whole series of text fields that the user has to fill in, like Name, Town, before clicking Send. I'm not sure it wouldn't be easier just to stick a link that said Click here to contact us, or something similar that would automatically open your default email program. Do people really fill out all those fields? Not sure I ever do...

Spot the fool ball

Training

I'm being trained. Trained to be proficient in Open Spacey's products, or at least one of them. All bleedin' day. And fuck me is it boring. I don't think I've ever stifled so many yawns in all my days, really. And another day to go through...

I'm fast coming to a conclusion about this place, and the conclusion could be catastrophic for my bank balance. Unless I find something else, of course. I'm sorry, but there's no time for sentiment, I spent too long at Corridor Land wiling away too many hours. No way am I going through all that shite again.

Which may mean a move into the freelance world. I did a good job for a friend's company, did them a nice little user guide and a snazzy online help. And have just been given some more work because of it...and you know what? OK, there's no regular cheque at the start of the month but it just feels so much more satisfying. No office politics, minimal corridor shenanigans, and a decent hourly rate (minus taxes, car etc etc, yes I know). Maybe they're the kind of jobs I need, quick in and out jobs, get the work done, and send the bill in. I'm fast leaning towards a totally self-employed 2008 with possible investment big-time in the school, but that's for another post...

Another reason for not wanting to get too attached would be my long term plans, but if I tell you those, I'll have to kill you...

We don't need no education...

Click to big to appreciate the post title...

Sounds of fatherhood ii

junior: *rrriiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiippppp*

as: *looks startled for a second*

junior: "Assiti flotz (I farted)"

as: "That's my boy!"



Part i

Sun's up - 5 minutes later

5 minutes after this one...

Alcohol-free when I took this, honest...

Flyin' high

This past few days I've been missing 'home' badly...and feel like the kids have been missing out too. I know their Nan would have gone overboard big time on them over Christmas (those 8 parcels were an indication), but seeing as she hasn't even met juniorette yet, it's understandable.

So, I got to find me some cheap flights in the next few weeks/months. I see these guys are pretty cheap, but you get what you pay for, I'm guessing...any one know of them or a cheap alternative to El Al/BA? Flying with the two little terriers I'd prefer some kind of comfort, but am willing to rough it if it's a good deal...just how rough is rough?

Cheers!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Time for a change. All grey and orange like. What say you?

I say Happy New Year!