On the road again...

Hi all, Just a quick one - After a little over two months we have a car again. It's a '91 Nissan Pintara Executive (sounds fancy but means little more than being an auto).

It is great not to have to rely on public transport anymore.

Hope everyone is on the up and up,

Peace and regards,

Jimi

Little known fact...

The other day I got told an intersting story. I met a guy who's son was doing a roady gig for the Stones on their most recent Aus. tour. To cut a tall story short - Of course they travel with a mountain of gear, but this guy found it strange that there seemed to be a couple of extra speaker stacks to the left and right of the stage that weren't seemingly connected to anything. It turns out that the cabinets were hollow and contained 1st aid stations; CPR paddles, oxygen, wheelchairs etc etc. Imagine half way through a set Jagger goes down clutching at his chest, paramedics run out and give him a bit of juice and he bounds up and rips straight into Start Me Up. Now that's Rock and Roll.

Apparently this is from the original 'Stones Pinball Table, the likeness of Mick seems to be in terrible pain.

Roll with the punches...

I've always loved that phrase for no apparent reason...

Anyway, been really slack with posting of late so this is an attempt to bring you up to date on the Wide World of Jimi.

For those who don't know, Annie (Ness' Mum) is now in France and soon to go on her 'Trek for Lochlin' from France through to Spain - she too has a web log and I will put a link up to it if anyone is interested.

I have pulled out of the Dip. Ed. There are many reasons for this, and I don't want to bore anyone so I'm not going to go to far into it. But I will say this - the support networks for studying via correspondence are virtually non-existent and if you want to contact your lecturer directly you almost have no hope of getting any reply. Although I am a little disappointed with the outcome I take some solace in that maybe that just wasn't my path to follow - for the moment anyway.

Ness had her Birthday early this month, so a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY to her. Well, I didn't miss it, the post is just a bit late.

All going well, we will be back on the road soon, after my dislike of public transport has been renewed once more. It will be a relief to get around on our own timetable rather than someone else's.

Finally, another massive shout out to everyone overseas. GOOD LUCK ANNIE, may the soles of your shoes be sturdy. T & A, enjoy the last of your time in the dong, we all look forward to having you back home. DARKO and JESS, best wishes and good tidings to you also. Last, but not least, SEDGE - luck to you in love and life man, nice to hear you've found someone who makes you feel a little more at home when you are far away from your real one.

Peace, love and respect to you all,

Jimi

The "Viper" is no more...

Like the Berlin wall coming down or September 11, another chapter of history has been written. The Charade is gone.

Last week I had a car accident, I wasn't hurt and it wasn't my fault, but the little beast has been written off. To cut a long story short, some silly old bastard decided he'd swing his door open without looking and I went straight through it. The damage wasn't extensive (front left panel, door, windscreen) but would have cost to much to repair.

Some of you will remeber the Bassman on the roof, drum kits in the back, poster runs... Ah, the memories.

We plan to get another car soon but somehow it just won't feel the same.

Hope you're all well,

Jimi

Where the bloody hell are you?

To those who are unaware, the title of this post is the latest slogan currently being used by the Australian Tourism Board to entice overseas travelers to our country.

Hello to you all,

It is the 4th of March and it is pelting down rain here in Newy, I'm sure this is a sight several of you a more than familiar with. All is pretty good here, work continuing on as normal and getting in the thick of this Uni work - I am also developing a healthy cynicism for the institution of teaching and its moral dilemmas/implications. I'm sure I will return to this topic in future.

Finally had a chance to catch up with the Blogs and it is good to see everyone, despite a rough start, is finding their way (by the way Troy, loved the drawing of you!). So many good stories.

Not much more to say, cheers to you all,

Jimi

Eye of the beholder...

To everyone who works in the hospitality industry I empathise with you, to those who don't - next time you go out and get blind drunk spare a thought for the bar staff.

After nearly 10 years in the industry I've made some observations I'd like to share:

Young people will drink anything if it is cheap.
Students will drink anything if it is free.
Pensioners will drink anything so long as it takes you over ten minutes to fill the order and bear a long-winded story that has no real point to it.
There are surprisingly many ways in which cask wine (goon, expensive metho, chateau d'cardboard etc) can be mixed and utilised; It can apparently be mixed, and drank, with anything from Coke to Old.
Pensioners are messier patrons than students, hard to believe but true.
Everyone thinks you're psychic, they all expect you to know exactly how their poison is prepared: Schooner, pint, 7, middy, old glass, new glass, cold glass, room temp. glass, 50/50, some head, no head....
Drinking light beer because you don't want to get pissed is fine, drinking two dozen schooners of light beer thinking your not going to get pissed is stupid.
You can't say 'Two Fat Ladies' (88) anymore whilst calling a bingo game, damn political correctness [you call a spade a spade, not a dirt lifting utensil].

....I could easily keep going. Maybe I'll add some more observations another day.

And thanks to those who sent me a little food for thought. I wouldn't say the grass is always greener - more like sometimes green, sometimes brown, sometimes damp... Having a good day or a bad day really does affect your perspective though.

Peace all

Opposite of Homesick...

I'm going through all the rigmarole of modern day life as it is - working, returning to study, trying to get my shit in order. As much as I love my home town, I'm starting to get sick of the sight of it for no real reason other than the brilliant times being had by all far away from here. I take consolation in the fact that in 2 years time, all going well at least, there will be no more study and I too can get the hell out of dodge. Apologies if I sound like I'm whinging, just feeling a little bogged down in my own reality at the moment. Tomorrow is another day.

Peace all.

Long time between posts...

A massive G'day to you all,

Been quite busy of late so haven't had much chance to update but here we go...

Although belated, this is a big Bon Voyage wish to Darko and Jess (The Bosnian Kiwi Aussie Mofo we all know and love and the lovely Jess [another cunning linguist]) - I hope your journey is safe, successful and above all ball-tearing fun.

To those ex-pats overseas - when I sat drinking beer and watching the cricket on a balmy 30 degree afternoon I spared a thought for you all. I raised my glass to you, I hope in amongst all the bright lights and city nights you had a few fond thoughts of home.

As most know I have been a Barkeep for some time - I am in the midst of changing workplaces by the 8th of this month I will have left Cardiff Panthers and already have started at The Mayfield Ex-Services, my fav local haunt.

On another front I find out shortly if I will be able to enroll to do my Dip. Ed (about time, I hear being yelled from the peanut gallery) - This will be for Secondary Ed. specialising in Media Studies (Drama and Film - obviously right up my ally so to speak)

Well, from me to you (one of the last of the crew still in Newy) - I hope whatever you may be doing now you are enjoying it and are in good company.

You all rock...

"O.K. - Bullshit, bullshit, my line - bullshit, bullshit, my line - Ah, ha, ha! That's hilarious. That is hilarious". Tony Clifton A.K.A Andy Kaufman

How much do you love the Australian Government (Unfortunately sarcasm doesn't translate well into text)....

Many might know that Australia and our 'Big Brother' the good ol' U.S. of A refused to sign into the Kyoto protocol to reduce global Greenhouse gas emissions.

Recently a summit was held that leads me to believe our politicians do not give a shit about the generations to follow nor the environment(not that there was a good indication that they did before this anyway). If anyone hasn't noticed the hottest year on record, or believes that global warming does not exist, the solution provided by these two so called great nations is not to reduce the burning of fossil fuels or to find new alternatives to the problem - apparently Nuclear Power is the answer. Does anyone remember why this was protested against initially?

What we need is some politicians that think rather than rehash old ideas.

Have people forgotten what Nuclear development did for Japan or the Ukranian people.

Soap-box moment over.

Another year over and a new one just begun...

Well, already ten days into the new year... To anyone reading this I hope your New Year was rung in well. The more things change the more they stay the same. Been a bit slack with the posts lately, but hey, I figure I do this more for myself than anyone else - gotta vent somehow.

For all of you out there that made a new years resolution - I hope your aspirations and wishes are fulfilled.

A final thought for the environmentally conscious of us - instead of the Japanese killing 1000 whales a year for "scientific purposes" (if anyone actually believes that), why not harpoon politicians and serve them as sashimi. Sushi bars across the world will be able to market left or right wing Nori rolls.

"There not just nuts, they're right wing nuts" - Nick, Cosi.