My super boring journal I would like some more pressed duck.

Shes got a ticket to ride and she don't care...

CANADA | Wednesday, 14 June 2006 | Views [3068] | Comments [15]

Hello everyone. Top of the morning to you.

Ok. I have some news. I have been offered a teaching position on the Isle of Wight in the UK. It will be for a year. Helen I have told them that I am unavailable for the first few weeks of January and they said that is ok so our tour is definitely still on. I will be teaching in a place called Ryde at a High school that is a specialist arts and languages college.

My trip will be extended but only by a couple of months and I think my stops in Asia will be brief of will end up being skipped completely… Oh well. Next time.

I am quite excited. I thought the Isle of Wight was where the Bee Gees were born but they were born on the Isle of Man. That makes the Isle of Wight even more appealing.

As for my other job… the first two days went well. I got my curriculum sorted and organised a whole heap of stuff for him to do. On the third day I was waiting in my room to extend the mind of my one and only student and he did not show up. At about 9.20am I went to ask the secretary if he had called. She said no and then the director asked me to step into her office. My one and only student had decided to dis-enroll and I am now without a class. The director was very sorry about this and has found some things for me to do there both this week and next week which is very nice. Now that I have my UK job though, I am not overly concerned about working here anymore. I would like to do a bit of traveling before I go.

Ummm… what else have I been doing? I have been enjoying everybody’s comments. My last journal had a whole bunch of really good ones.

I watched the movie Rushmore today for the second time. I really enjoyed it. The first time I watched it I didn’t really like it but I thought I’d give it a second chance.

A task for everyone: Watch a movie you have seen and not liked but feel you may have misjudged. It’ll be good for the soul. The picture at the top is the art therapy picture I drew. Helen thinks maybe a noose? Maybe… What do YOU think? You have to try and psychoanalyse it a bit.

Tags: Relaxation

Comments

1

It is a very pretty noose if that's what it is. I think - judging from the colours chosen - that the bluer hues when not within arms reach.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

I found some pics of te Isle of Wight, I'm a tincy bit jealous.

Isle of Wight Needles

Landscape (obviously)

The sea near Ryde

Ryde High School

H Jun 14, 2006 2:50 PM

2

I'm very relaxed. I'm terribly calm and tranquil.

I'm very very relaxed indeed -- on the outside,
but on the inside...

I'm like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel.

I'm never ending nor beginning, on an ever-spinning reel.

Just like a snowball down a mountain or a carnival balloon,

Or like a carousel that's turning, running rings around the moon.

'Cause like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face,

See that the world is like an apple whirling silently in space.

Just like the circles that you find, they're in the windmills of your mind.

Just like a tunnel that you follow to a tunnel of its own,

Way down a hollow to a cavern where the sun is never shown.

Just like a door that keeps revolving in a half-forgotten dream,

Or like the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream.

'Cause like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face,

See that the world is like an apple whirling silently in space.

Just like the circles that you find, they're in the windmills of your mind.

There's a jingle in your pocket, there's a jingle in your head,

Why did summer go so quickly, was it something that you said?

See lovers walk along the shore and leave their footprints in the sand,

Or is the sound of distant drumming just the fingers of your hand?

See people streaming in the hallway, see the fragment of a song,

Half-remembered names and faces but to whom do they belong?

'Cause when you knew that it was over you were suddenly aware

Then that the Autumn leaves were turning to the colour of her hair.

Just like a circle in a spiral like a wheel within a wheel,

Never ending nor beginning on an ever-spinning reel,

The Muppets - Windmills of Your Mind - Season 2 - Episode 25 - guest starring Don Knotts, sung by a 3 three legged bird thing.

(Michael Legrand first performed it for the Thomas Crown Affair in 1968 and won an Academy Award, but the Muppets version is the best)

Ezra Jun 14, 2006 3:13 PM

3

Congrats Sue. Very exciting. We've been to the Isle of Wight. It's quaint.
Just went to the wedding of an Australian girl who worked there and met an English chap, brought him home, and married him.
So be on the lookout. Although, the population of young men is now much reduced.

Doesn't Ryde high school look grand? There's much to be said for 60's architecture. Just not in public.

Ezra Jun 14, 2006 3:19 PM

4

Oh, I lost some camera batteries down that cliff near the needles, so if you find them....

Ezra Jun 14, 2006 3:21 PM

5

GO SUE! The Isle of Wight. In a recycled joke, perhaps you could vote each other off. Or be in a strange plane crash that involves scary monsters, scientific experiments and flashbacks.
It's not every teacher that can claim to have cured someone of English in two days Sue. Put it on your resume!

Fancy the girly-voiced Bee Gees coming from the Isle of MAN. Hm.

Movies I didn't like the first time- Daredevil, Xanadu, Batman and Robin, Lightening Jack: but I'm not watching them ever again, BECAUSE THEY ARE AWFUL. I'll have to have a think about a movie worthy of my reassessment...

WOW! Ezra is back with a vengeance! (Or is it avengence?) That Muppets song is a work of genius. I can't believe you went through all your old VCR tapes of Muppets episodes just to find the perfect song for Sue. Hard work.

The young men population of the Isle of Wight ALSO would have just gotten reduced because they all would have just become a day older...
]
AND on the Isle of Wight Sue, you could take pictures for your white book.

Simon J Jun 14, 2006 9:38 PM

6

I had a similiar movie experience with the Royal Tenenbaums. I HATED it the first time I saw it. The second time it was much better.

I might watch Pulp Fiction again. Ive seen it twice and both times I haven't seen why everyone loves it. Reservoir Dogs is better.

Psychoanalysis- I think that jazz in the middle is a turtle without a shell. Maybe its looking for its shell and the road it's taking just keeps going in a backwards 6 and its just lost. Maybe your that turle Sue. Maybe...

My world cup predictions have a 72.2 recurring accuracy.

Ebony Jun 15, 2006 1:34 AM

7

EBONYS WORLD CUP PREDICTIONS

The World Cup approaches and everywhere I look (as long as its in the soccer section of the newspaper) there are people making predictions about who will win. So I thought, why can't someone with no sports knowledge, a pendulum and too much time on their hands, make their own predictions. That what I did and after only two hours I now know the outcome of EVERY match of the World Cup.

If you want to be suprised, delete this now.

\/

FIRST ROUND (winner in bold italic, der)

Group A

GERMANY v Costa Rica Poland v ECUADOR GERMANY v Poland

ECUADOR v Costa Rica Ecuador v GERMANY Coasta Rica v POLAND

IN- Germany, Ecuador OUT- Poland, Costa Rica

Group B

ENGLAND v Paraguay Trinidad & Tobago v SWEDEN ENGLAND v Trinidad

Sweden v PARAGUAY Sweden v ENGLAND PARAGUAY v Trinidad

IN- England, Paraguay OUT- Sweden, Trinidad

Group C

ARGENTINA v Ivory Coast SERBIA & MONTANEGRO v Netherlands ARGENTINA v S & M

Netherlands v IVORY COAST NETHERLANDS v Argentina Ivory Coast v SERBIA & M

IN- Argentina, Serbia & Montanegro OUT- Netherlands, Ivory Coast

Group D

Mexico v IRAN Angola v PORTUGAL MEXICO v Angola

PORTUGAL v Iran Portugal v MEXICO IRAN v Angola

IN- Portugal, Iran Out- Mexico, Angola

Group E

Italy v GHANA US v Czech Republic ITALY v US

CZECH REP v Ghana CZECH REP v Italy Ghana v US

IN- Czech Republic, US Out- Italy, Ghana

Group F

BRAZIL v Croatia AUSTRALIA v Japan BRAZIL v Australia

Japan v CROATIA JAPAN v Brazil Croatia v AUSTRALIA

IN- Brazil, Australia OUT- Croatia, Japan

Group G

FRANCE v Switzerland KOREA v Togo FRANCE v Korea

Togo v SWITZERLAND Togo v FRANCE SWITERLAND v Korea

IN- France, Switzerland OUT- Korea, Togo

Group H

Spain v UKRAINE TUNISIA v Saudi Arabia SPAIN v Tunisia

Saudi Arabia v UKRAINE Saudi Arabia v SPAIN UKRAINE v Tunisia

IN- Ukraine, Spain OUT- Tunisia, Saudi Arabia

SECOND ROUND

GERMANY v Paraguay ARGENTINA v Iran ENGLAND v Ecuador

Portugal v SERBIA & MONTANEGRO Czech Republic v AUSTRALIA

FRANCE v Spain BRAZIL v US Ukraine v SWITZERLAND

QUARTER FINALS

GERMANY V Argentina Australia v FRANCE

ENGLAND v Serbia & Montanegro BRAZIL v Switerland

SEMI FINALS

GERMANY v France ENGLAND v Brazil

THIRD PLACE

France v BRAZIL

WORLD CUP FINAL

Germany v ENGLAND

------------------------------------------------------

There you have it, England will win. The pendulum said so. Im off to the TAB to place bets on all of the games.

gentlesue Jun 15, 2006 6:55 AM

8

Well after your wild world cup predictions I have gone and bet both my livers that England will win the world cup...England are 7-1 odds so I spose that means if they win I get 14 livers.

The isle of wight...i guess that is pronounced "white" up until this point I was pronouncing it (in my head because I don't read alll comments out loud) as "wit" and had planned an entire comment that makes a joke of the fact that this title the isle of "wit"...is a place where people go to learn bad jokes...but alas it apears my England is good not so forget about it I will.

I also forgot, Susan, to make a massive fuss, deal, give tremendous praise and thanks for your..."absent friends" tellogram at the wedding...I have had the duty of reading the absent friends letters and it is always a low point in the celebrations...yours on the other hand was the only "absent friends" letter/tellogram that I have ever known to "get a laugh"...it was far from the low point of the night! Mark Grogan read it out...and between you and me it was the best part of his speech.

As for movies that get better when you watch them the second time... may I say that for the grinch was exactly like that...first viewing i though "oh yeah ok" but the second time i thought "WOW...this movie is tremendous and before I knew it is was sitting there eating a glass bottle watching the Grinch for the 100th time and i said to myself am i eating because I am bored? and i realised i was far from bored because I was being entertained by the the the grinch"...I'm going out tonight...BUT WHAT WILL I WEAR?

Brenton Jun 16, 2006 6:03 PM

9

"we only have one Liver!"....I know.

Brenton Jun 16, 2006 6:05 PM

10

Hi Susan!

Did you know that, in response to a person saying the salutation 'Top of the morning to you' you respond 'And the rest of the day to you'

A few of us were at a quiz night last night, (quizmaster Matt Fricker) and I identified the country Cypress' national flag. I was so cool. Apart from that, I drank cordial, tea and ate lollies.

I was also listening to Triple J and Dr Karl was taking science questions. A guy rang in and said he had put water in a plastic shopping bag and put it on hot coals and boiled the water - the guy boiled eggs! Apparently, the plastic is so thin that the heat passes straight through - it also possible to do it with a paper bag. Just in case Sue. Be prepared.

I met with my old workmate Tri last week, he had two old sewing machines to give me, he is still working but considering retirement. We spent most of Saturday watching Video Hits and a Vietnamese Pop Music Tribute show, while his grandaughter Chippy did colouring in.

Keep you posted
Tim

Tim Jun 17, 2006 5:36 PM

11

When I studied your art work.. no, masterpiece... the words of a Pink Floyd song came to mind.

Above the planet on a wing and a prayer,
My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air,
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night.
Theres no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, a state of bliss
Cant keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I.

Sue... I would like to see you redo this piece using clay.

Master Patt Jun 18, 2006 1:54 AM

12

Brenton, and anyone else that may find this interesting, and useful in a bushfire: disoriented is the verb, and disorientate is the adjective. Disorientated as a word doesn't exist. The word originated from pointing to the east, which is the orient. No please, don't applause.

Simon J Jun 18, 2006 10:31 PM

13

Greetings Sue,

The Faheys / Hansens had a get together today, as we often do, and I thought since you missed it - again - I would fill you in.

It was for Justin's 14th birthday, which is not for a couple of weeks but Kelly wanted me to make him a banner to run through for his 100th football game next Saturday, I did, it is great. Kelly's friend Sam and her 4 kids now come to our gatherings, so if Kerin and Adam turn up there are 21 people - I have to bring alot of salad.

As it happened Kerin and Adam didn't turn up - Kerin was sick (cough cough) it was 6 o'clock at night and Miles asked if Kerin and Adam were coming. I knew she wouldn't show - she owed too many people money and there were no presents for her.

Kelly had salt in one of those new fangled grinders that Sandra had slight difficulty working, she unscrewed the lid and tipped rock salt all over her food. It looked like it had been snowing on her plate. She cursed a bit and tried to take some of it off, Mum told her spilling salt was good luck and she should throw it over her shoulder, so she threw a whole handful over her shoulder into kelly's pot plant (which will probably die) and started saying that it was ok, and that salt probably didn't have that much taste anyway - she ate all her meal cruching her way through huge chunks of salt and commented with each mouthful that salt was salty - Dad also did the same thing a few days ago.

Mum's feet were cold so she asked everyone at the table if she could borrow any of their shoes for a while.

Dad set fire to kelly's bowl and put his rubbish in my bag with the streamers for Justin's banner in it, he even saw the streamers and vaguely wondered what they were and still put rubbish in it and then blamed me for leaving the bag lying around.

Mile's voice still hasn't broken, he misses you, he tries to 'stir up' Ebony but she doesn't chase him with a broom like you do.
Nadine sang Gloria at church this morning but refused to do a repeat performance.
Justin still has the Hotdogs (Big Brother 5) stripes in his hair and was a bit disappointed that no one was quite sure if the BBQ was really for his birthday or not.
Joelene was around, her boyfriend Kyle (Whom I keep calling Cris, that was her old boyfriend) is scared of big Miles.
Kelly is the same as ever.

The kids were catching lizards and frightening people with them.
You were a frequent topic of conversation.
We all ate way too much.

All fairly standard.

Helga Jun 18, 2006 10:49 PM

14

Sue, why would you ever have gone half way around the world from your family?

Ezra Jun 20, 2006 11:17 AM

15

Hi, Susan. I thought I'd better analyse your picture before you put up another entry: You are riding around in the bottom of a big fat question mark that is the world. Everything around you is big and bright and colourful and swirly. You are only small but you are strong and steady and embracing the world. How's that? Love. Mum

Mum Jun 20, 2006 5:34 PM