Dear Santa; All I want for Christmas is to orbit the moon.

Dear Santa, for a cool hundred million US, yes, US$100,000,000 I can buy a space flight and orbit the moon, International Space Station lay-over included and return. So far I don't seem to be able to actually walk on the moon, but hey, would you buy a ticket on the only ever Russian rocket to attempt a moon landing?

So, Santa, I've been reasonably well behaved, and if you were to say, tax everyone (else's) toys in only Australia by about $6 each, I'd be able to see myself clear to a modest holiday on board the ISS. I'd be ever so completely grateful.

I know, you're probably thinking it sounds like a lot of money, but these guys reckon it only takes 4 years to raise 100mill. And this beach umbrella is apparently worth $34mil, so I'd say putting me within apple-throwing distance of the moon for a few weeks is totally worth it.

And anyway, I just want to be the guy who rings up the (online) Adrenalin store, hands over 100 million in (what would it even be, government bonds? Swiss bankers? Who'd be mad enough to use a credit card with a 100mil limit on it? On the internet!??! ), anyway, hands over 100million in a very tightly secured bank vault in a tax-free, but unlikely to have a military coup this week, Pacific island, and says "Hi, I'd like the moon package please."

So, Santa, how about it eh?
Yours in anticipation

Gym. Yay, lets all go to the gym.

I offer for your amusement: A dozen people that look nothing like me.

In a wildly optimistic move Flavia and I have joined the local gymnasium. It's called Energy Fitness. This is precisely the opposite of how I feel just now, having just come home from my first cycle class. It's called ICE. I want the job of coming up with those names.

Gym class namer is second on my list of top jobs, closely following the best ever job which is the guy who provides the film-ratings, at the office of film and literature classification, Australia. If you've ever gone to a movie in Australia, you will see the sign "This film is yet to be classified, check closer to release" which is fine, until you realise you're watching this sign in the movie, so what is the office actually doing? Seriously. Look at the site's icon - looks exactly like someone poking their tongue out. It is also obvious that I'm not the only one thinking along these lines - "how can I get a job as a member of the OFLC?" is one of the frequently asked questions!

Nonetheless, in the absence of a rush of requests to come up with names in the key of pump, or offers to completely fail to classify a film before release, I continue to seek improved health by running and cycling and generally swearing away each evening. Nobody here is kidding themselves that we will (or will want to) look like those guys. Nobody. Right? Right. Flavia has said to me "Don't kill yourself, just take it easy" but of course, I am completely suckered by the chappy who is at the front of the class pedaling like some sort of manic DJ courier dude, talking through a PA-system while the whumpa-whumpa music blasts out. And I'm thinking to myself, yeah, he's saying make it harder for yourself, I can do that. I can. Do. That. . .. I. Think. I. Will. Be. Just. A. Little. Bit. Sick. Now.

We shall see how things progress.

Back!

Today was my first day back (at work) after nearly 6 weeks away - most of the time was spend with Flavia's family in Brazil. We deliberately avoided internet access, news anything. Very nice to disconnect from the "perpetual now" of IT- and news- life. Interestingly, upon returning and plugging back in, nothing seems to have changed, and the world appears not to have completely imploded without my constant attention.

Maybe I'll stay away longer next time.

Brazil (more)

Brazil

A random collection of photos from our Brazil trip

Little Miss 3, and the camera

Lilly has a Fisher Price digital camera. It was a present from Gabriel - at his birth.

Now little Miss 3 is wandering the house flash-photographing everything. Some of her photos are quite impressive.

All the photos shown were done entirely by Lilly.















The last photo shows me, at about 10pm, removing said camera from the photographer who was supposed to be in bed sleeping....

Getting ready to go

It's our last weekend before flying to Brazil on Wednesday. We are at the point of knowing we have to pack and not wanting to really start. Well, I'm not really wanting to start packing (I hate packing) Flavia has put out piles of clothes on top of large suitcases, in preparation for my eventual capitulation.

So today we went to Philip to buy a learn-to-finger-pick guitar book. It was recommended by the guitar teacher (I'm now doing continuing) and looks pretty flashy. Then back to Belconnen for lunch and minor shopping - chemist, photos, carry-on bags. We promised Lilly a trip to the park, which is why at 3:30pm this afternoon, we went to Lake Ginninderra park -- the John Knight memorial park, which is the developed part of the larger park area.

It was ridiculously cold and windy, but I was obstinate, and a little cabin-fevered, wanting to be outside for a few minutes. We took a kite we'd bought a few weeks ago, and flew it off the walkway bridge to the lake. Lilly was quite interested in the kite, until she noticed the "crocodiles" lurking below the bridge -- some floating rubber barriers. Then the conversation turned to what the crocodiles were doing, and how she could see them through the gaps in the bridge...

Sadly, we don't have a photo, but next time we're out there (which won't be for a while) I'll make sure we remember to photograph the place. Canberra seems to lack official photographs of the parks, which is a shame, since the area is quite lovely.

Home brought soup for dinner, and we've all been dosed up on lemon, ginger, honey tea. I'm hoping the jaunt doesn't come back to bite us in a few days' time.