luckycanuck

I've been feeling rather odd recently, like I've not felt for quite a while.

There is a distinct possibility, and I want to be absolutely clear that this is not in any way a sure thing, that I might, possibly, in some way, be... happy.

Is that the right word? Is that a word at all?

Let me go back a bit.

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Things have been going quite well recently, and I know that I can't always count on that being the case. Circumstance won't always be my friend, and I think the gloom is still around and may return in force in the future, but for now it doesn't matter. The trick will be figuring out how to ensure that remains the case.

Crossposts: http://luckycanuck.livejournal.com/138004.html

I had my first day of Rural Fire Brigade training on Wednesday and came home with temporary firefighting gear that will do until I can get properly fitted gear.

There was also a presentation on grass fires and tactics that go with fighting them. Keep one foot in the black we were told, so if there is a sudden change in wind direction you won't get caught between a fast moving grass fire and unburnt fuel. Also, wear your gear. All of your gear, all of the time. There was a video recounting the story of an Oklahoma firey who went too fast towards a fire, trying to get on top of it before it could spread. He wasn't wearing all his gear and he got into a bad position by trapping himself on the fire side of a barbed wire fence between the flank of the fire and heaps of dry grass. When the wind changed, he was caught between the fire and the fence, and without his gear he was burned badly enough that he died the next day.

So yesterday I did a workout whilst wearing my gear, including my helmet.

YW: Row 400m, run 400m, 20 kettlebell swings, 2 flights of stairs farmers walk w 15 kg in each hand, 10 burpees - 5 rounds. I call it "Fired Up." I got some funny and occasionally disapproving looks from people, but then I thought "would you rather I DIDN'T do this?"

My studies are going fine, and I'm most of the way through the Cert III textbook. This part of my qualification shouldn't take long.

NBS, after languishing for ages, has now gotten a sort of takeover offer. They aren't proposing to buy up the company's stock. They want to buy all the assets and then a dividend can be paid to shareholders. With this, I'm out. I've been trying to get out, but with the stock price jumping 25% today I will be able to get more for my shares than I would have if I hadn't cancelled an order five minutes before the market opened this morning. I don't trust management not to screw up the sale or to pay the shareholders the proceeds. I would trust them to burn up the cash on themselves, however. Luckily, I have held the shares long enough to vote against the directors up for election and their pay increases.

VMG now has options on the market, and in addition to the ones I was granted, I bought more. An announcement of the terms of sale of a subsidiary is imminent, and it should mean a large cash infusion for the company. This should be reflected in an increased share price, and a magnified increase in option price given the lower price compared to the shares. I'll sell these after that announcement comes through or when the share price recovers and circumstances are advantageous.

Off to an ordination tomorrow for Renaissance Priest. Also Ginger Harpist is leaving. I don't like the atmosphere around her now that her guy is living here, but they move out tomorrow and the kettle will remain plugged in. Our household BBQ is going ahead, technically, but only Roxy and Esky have people coming. With the ordination in Goulburn and another party that a number of friends are already committed to, I thought I would have a better time elsewhere. There will be another party, perhaps on Australia Day like earlier this year, in the new year once the new arrivals are settled.

I did some media preparation for Black Dog Pushups in Canberra, which will likely be done next week provided I am fit. I won't do as many as in Sydney, but I will still do a lot. I will be contacting local TV, radio, and newspapers ahead of time, and Tweeting the day before to a number of politicians and sports teams in the hopes of getting it to go viral. I also received my Black Dog Pushups business cards (and consulting business cards, but BDP is more interesting in the short term.)

I was also asked at a former work function on Wednesday night if I would be interested in offering group training sessions during sitting weeks in the morning or in the evening. These former colleagues, passing the hat around, could be my first clients.

There are now four jobs that I am being put forward for. I rang the agency that set me up with the two "you're too political" job interviews and mentioned how much this bothered me. In a round about way, I asked if there was any point in looking for any public service jobs. I probably will (this is Canberra) but my estimation of the institution is low right now.

Also, running is fun. Running in the rain is more fun. Running in the rain when you cannot possibly get any more wet is awesome fun.

The project is going very well.

I set myself a high fundraising target and so far it is going quite well. I have raised close to $1000 without having done a single pushup. Most of it is from friends, but some donations have come in from total strangers who heard about me through others.

Barack Obama has just arrived in Canberra, and he will be around tomorrow so the Sunrise program will be doing at least some of their broadcast from Canberra rather than from the site of my pushup challenge. They may do the whole thing there which would mean the probability of getting on TV has dropped. That is a pain. I'm still doing it tomorrow. People are coming to support me, but I've thought about having another go tomorrow to get on TV.

I have been very impressed with the support that people have offered me. Plenty of friends have promised to come to visit me during the challenge and messages of support have been flooding in from all quarters. Even people who I thought might be cynical or who might find my endearing quirks to be annoying habits are being supportive.

This is good beyond helping me do pushups or helping me raise money. It is a reminder that there are a lot of people who care about me and are concerned about the state of my moods. My cousin and cousin in law who arrived in Sydney this morning were very supportive and were clear that there is nothing wrong with feeling gloom. They also mentioned a book by former All Black John Kirwan entitled All Blacks Don't Cry that details his problem as a big strong rugby guy who suffered from depression and couldn't talk to anyone about it without them saying "harden up."

Here are the contact details for Black Dog Pushups.

Twitter: @blackdogpushups (I am picking up new Twitter followers all the time, and I intend to live tweet during the challenge itself.)
E-Mail: blackdogpushups@gmail.com
Fundraising page: http://www.everydayhero.com.au/blackdogpushups

And here is the media release, perhaps the first media release in history that I've helped write that actually mentions me!

BLACK DOG PUSHUPS TO TACKLE DEPRESSION

A Canberra man who has been fighting a battle against depression is doing 3,000 pushups in three hours to raise funds for the Black Dog Institute and awareness of depression.

Luckycanuck will undertake his challenge from 6:00am to 9:00am on Thursday 17 November at the corner of Martin Place and Elizabeth Street in Sydney.

“I love pushups and I hate depression, so doing one to fight the other was a natural fit,” Luckycanuck said.

“All year I’ve been engaged in a running battle against depression. I've had good days and bad days, but one thing that always seemed to help me keep the black dog at bay was getting regular exercise.

“It was a self test from the Black Dog Institute that convinced me to seek further help earlier this year, so I wanted to do something to help them reach others struggling with depression.

“I know that exercise can have a very positive effect on people facing depression. Doing 3,000 pushups in three hours is how I choose to get exercise, but if you aren’t quite up to that, there are plenty of other ways to let exercise lift your mood.

Around one in five Australians will suffer from a mood disorder in their lifetime.

For some people it will be an isolated occurrence. However, the reality is that for many people, it will be an ongoing challenge throughout their lives that will also impact loved ones around them.

The Black Dog Institute is a not- for-profit organisation helping people with mood disorders and by undertaking this initiative/project we know we are helping those impacted to enjoy a normal life.

The Institute has an international reputation for its outstanding research while at the same time operates a clinic for people with mood disorders at its Randwick facility as well as extensive community programs and education and training for health professionals, including GP’s.

Donations can be made at http://www.everydayhero.com.au/blackdogpushups

To find out more about the Institute visit their website: www.blackdoginstitute.org.au

I may send this off to the newspapers along with photographs after the fact if there is not much media coverage of the event.

I am very optimistic about tomorrow. In 24 hours I expect I will be quite sore, quite tired, but also quite happy. It's good having a purpose again, even if it's just for a little while.

No, I'm not feeling like the proverbial black dog is stalking me. I'm actually feeling pretty good.

But I am working on a new plan. My plan is to do 3,000 pushups during the three hours of a Channel 7 Sunrise broadcast in Martin Place right in front of the studio.

I've found a charity that would suit this purpose. It's called the Black Dog Institute and they do more than raise awareness of depression. They provide clinical support and conduct research too. They also recently staged Exercise Your Mood week promoting exercise as a way of fighting depression.

I think they would also be better at getting a foot in the door with the network people better than I would as they are a respected organisation rather than some random weirdo who does pushups in public.

Tomorrow I will make some calls and see what I can arrange. I'll be up in Sydney next week and it could be a great opportunity. Pushups and exercise in general have always been a lifeline of sorts for me, and I think there could be a lot of interest in this. I could do some good and have a sense of purpose again.

I'll keep you posted.

Today my interval timer arrived and I put it to use immediately with a tabata workout at the gym.

TW: Tabata sandbag squats (163), tabata rowing (65 calories), tabata sandbag around the worlds (75), tabata SDHP 32kg (84), tabata pullups (93), tabata hr pushups (114).

Also, there will me more change in Chez Canuck. Esky is leaving. She couldn't bear to go without winter, and will be moving to Europe in December as soon as she finishes work. Also, her boyfriend is there.

There was a recovery on the market today, at least there was for me. ARX jumped, and the sell sides of KKT and PVE are virtually non existant so the chance of a surge is there. ALK is looking better every day, and BOW may be getting a better offer than the lowball one. CCV was going to be a worry today, now that Government legislation is threatening a major part of their business (payday loans) and a partial takeover has been abandoned because of the risk associated with the regulatory changes. It did drop about 20% from an already low base, but went no further and recovered almost all that was lost by the end of the day. There is also a very strong buy side and a lot of interest in the stock. I am still down on it, but I was very pleased that it held up as well as it did.

I noticed something today. I've noticed it before, but when it comes to the trading, making a profit is good, but the feeling I get from holding my nerve is better. There has been no panic selling through the recent volatility, and today a lot of things went well because of that. I also contacted VMG again to inquire further about their recent capital raising and got some swift and useful answers, and this afternoon spoke to a former colleague about the proposed changes to payday lending that may impact CCV and the approach the opposition would take towards them. I felt like I was accomplishing something.

Tomorrow I will cut the lawn. Hooray! Also I badgered the internet people into sending someone tomorrow rather than next week. Hooray again!

YW: I started with a deadlift centric circuit, but wound up getting a twinge in my upper back and didn't want to push it. It hasn't come back. The rest of the workout involved a lot of leg work including lots of leg presses up to 202.5kg and bench jump burpees (just what they sound like) and a 1km farmer's walk on the treadmill with 10kg in each hand. I like doing that and will do it again.

I must remind myself to be careful of what I say to myself when working out. The woman on the treadmill next to me wasn't offended when I said through heavy breaths in a gutteral tone "come on baby." I mean I was saying it to myself and she understood that, but not everyone would.

TW: At home, using Esky's ski machine in the garage. AMRAP 20 minutes - ski 10 calories, 10 burpees - 13 rounds + skiing + 4 burpees.

Everyone will be home tomorrow and we should have Helga's room filled by the end of the day. I've spent a fair amount of time chatting with Helga this week. We are the closest in the house and I will miss her when she's gone. She said she was more worried about how I would take it than anyone else in the house. We will be fine, and we will remain friends I'm sure.

I've not been posting at all for a week or more, so here is the news.

Internets

The internet has been very slow at our place and I've been relying on my portable wireless network that gets awful reception at Chez Canuck. Two groups of tradies have been here on three days in the past week and now things are working much better. Hooray! You can do wonderful things when you don't have to be at work every day. With one more visit tomorrow we should be up to normal speeds.

Chez Canuck

Helga is leaving. It's sad. I was closer to her than anyone else in the house. She's just moving to a new suburb and we will see her again but this will have a greater impact on me than losing Alleluia. We have managed to find someone to take her room though. I put an ad up and within 15 minutes we had a response. Miss Lara (named for Lara from Dr Zhivago) came by later that evening and we decided on her (after seeing a friend of Esky who woud up taking a place down the street from us.)

The Gym

I've had some pretty good workouts. Today involved doing a total of 173 pullups. Tuesday involved participating in a 500m rowing challenge being staged this week and having the second fastest time of the day by two seconds and being asked if I was a firefighter while playing with sandbags. Sunday involved a "heavy day" with heavy weights and low reps. I managed to bench press more than I ever have and deadlift more than I ever have. (120kg and 150kg respectively.)

The Fireys

I have officially applied to join the ACT Rural Fire Service. If I am approved (and I will be) I will become a member within two or three weeks.

Investing

With my "getting fired" money in my account, I have been picking opportunities in the market. I invested in EKA which is quite similar to AUT in pumping oil in Texas. I also sank some money into Billabong which fell 25% in one day despite announcing a profit, an increase in sales, and a dividend. It fell further but seems to have stabilised. A hoped for quick rebound leading to a sell the next day didn't materialise, but I am standing by to sell if things look right now that the stock seems to be recovering. I put more money into CCV after they announced a record profit but didn't surge. They are going to be partially taken over at a premium shortly and I wanted more of that action. But today it dropped through the floor half an hour before an announcement was made that new proposed government policies might impact their business. There may have been insider trading at work. At any rate, I put more in at a discount, but if I had known what others may have known I may have hesitate earlier in the week. BOW also got a takeover offer which will mean I will almost certainly make a quick profit one way or another. The share price may have been manipulated down to enable a cheaper offer to be made, but the lowball offer may bring out other buyers and bid the price up. I will make a profit on this one, but the prospect of a larger profit is there.

General stuff

I'm getting used to this. This has become my job for the moment and "working" from home has been good. I made everyone dinner on Monday and have been standing in the front room in the sun feeling happy.

Still feeling detached though, and the gloom is still around. Therapy hasn't provided answers yet and I'm not sure if I believe or understand the mindfulness techniques, though I do get along well with my psychologist.

"It used to be cool" night went very well.

I decided on Saturday morning that I would go as Officer John McClane from the Die Hard series. There are very few characters that I could come as that have very short hair, but this one worked. One theory that Die Hard was still cool and therefore my outfit was inappropriate was advanced, but I decided that it was still a valid idea because Die Hard was such a huge series that was so full of iconic action movie cliches that it can be mocked for its excesses even as it enjoys a mantle of retro coolness. Plenty of things fall into similar categories.

I managed to get a workout in on Saturday afternoon.

YW: AMRAP 12 minutes - 5 80kg deadlifts, 15 hand release pushups (12 rounds +5 +3). Finisher - 2 minutes for max situps (75), 2 minutes max 30kg tricep extentions (81), 2 minutes mac 30kg bicep curls (73).

I was really sore especially from all the pushups, but later on during the party I was called upon by MadAlex to do pushups as her way of explaining my inclination to spontaneously do pushups. I did 50 in one set as they counted off, and later did some pushups on the sofa over the people who were sitting on it. I don't know whose idea that was, but I was always going to take up that challenge.
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People didn't stay as late as our last party, there weren't as many people (last time Roxy invited almost her whole program and this time she only invited about half of them. By about 2:30am I was in bed. I made it up the next morning with no hangover at all (Alleluia spent a lot of time over the toilet regretting the amount of alcohol she had consumed the night before. I was absolutely exhausted though, and have not set foot off of the property all day. I've also taken a couple of my prescription muscle relaxants and have been quite drowsy. My neckstill has a stubborn crick and I've got a lot of soreness in the chest and core.

So today was spent mopping floors and loaning my car to Roxy as I was not going to be driving anywhere. Chez Canuck is clean again.

I have crossed it.

Last night I told CoS that I was planning to leave by mid-August, before Parliament returns. After that I told W. W and I had a nice chat that touched on the fact that there was very little I could do in my current role and that I might quite justifiably want to take on new challenges. He told me he always liked the way I write, and we both hoped I would be back into politics at some point. I suspect that is the case. Neither Parliament nor the party have seen the last of me. I may well be back in a couple years after the next election, possibly in government. In many of the roles that I am currently considering, I may also be called upon to visit politicians in the course of my duties.

So I am now on the record as leaving. I've not formally given notice, but that is just a technicality really.

Today I have gone around visiting various MPs and Senators and staff telling them that I wont be back when Parliament reconvenes in mid-August. Most are surprised, and are quite hopeful that I will still be around in one capactiy or another. Everyone understands, and nobody is the least bit hostile. In many cases we wind up having a nice chat about things generally, and my hand has been shaken so many times I think it may constitute a workout. By the end of today I expect all of the MPs and Senators will know.

Some people have asked what will happen with the demographic work that I do after I leave. There will be a new census next month and I may wind up doing some work with the new data on a freelance basis.

As an additional boost, I heard from an agency who said one potential employer is very keen to meet me and wanted to see my CV. This is good news.

This doesn't mean everything is fine now. Part of me is in shock I think (shock can be combined with positive things I suppose.) And I know that there will be negatives in any new job and plenty of things I need to work out that have nothing to do with work. I do feel better having drawn a line in the sand though. The gloom isn't gone, but it's not apparent right now.

Ok enough complaining about lost bags and delays. (Even though everything in the bag was slightly damp when it finally arrived late Monday night.) I promised a review of my activities in San Francisco.

JAQ came to town around lunchtime on Friday and we popped her things off at the hotel before heading out to get something to eat. We went to a very kitchy looking deli that she loved from way back in her time living in the neighbourhood. She told me I tip too much. We shopped a bit and wound up at a party later that night. We left around 1am but weren't too tired yet so she took me for a walk to a bar she knew where we exchanged stories about growing up and first kisses, and for a tour of the places that had meant so much to her. She showed me the flat where she once worked as a nanny, the hostel she lived in when she first moved to the city at the age of 18, the pizza place next door where she ate her first meal as what she called "a free woman."

Her enthusiasm for the place was infectious. She loved the city, and I loved that she loved it. I like San Francisco, but to see it with someone to whom it so evidently meant so much made it way better.

I first encountered JAQ quite by accident online about two and a half years ago, and we became friends. Real friends. It got to the point that when we first met in person in her flat in Queens late last year, we both remarked that it was like meeting an old friend rather than meeting someone for the first time. We both knew about each other's vulnerabilities and hopes and fears and struggles, and there was a wonderful feeling of familiarity that time and throughout the whole weekend that just passed.

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Saturday was considerably quieter but we spent the whole day going at our own pace around a city that really lends itself to being visited as I did, with a close friend whom you love.

JAQ said it was the best time she'd had in a long time given some of the frustrations she has been faced with recently. She told me she chose to see the weekend as her showing a visiting friend around town as if she lived there. So often she would point out little shops or restaurants or bars or streets that meant something to her. With all the difficulties in her life she was just lit up the whole time she was there, and so was I. It was the perfect way to start my own holiday given that I've had my own frustrations over the past few months.

Now she has decided that she will be moving back to San Francisco, so it looks like I will have another excuse to visit again.

That's not a euphemism. I am actually composing this message without a stitch of clothing on.

This year I am a Christmas orphan, which most people assume ot be a tragedy. But it's actually been very good. It has been a profoundly unstressful day. With Chez Canuck abandoned by everyone else, I had the whole place to myself. I made a cup of tea, had some breakfast, watched the Spicks and Specks Christmas show (have a look for Spicks and Specks on youtube if you like music and you're not Australian.)

I didn't get dressed until it was time to get in the car and drive up to Sydney. As soon as I got into the Collaroy Castle, off came the clothes. Then it was on with the boardshorts for a walk down to the beach (there is a nude beach in Sydney but it's not in Collaroy.)

Now I'm back up on my own in the Collaroy Castle and I fully intend to be on my own for the rest of the evening. It's 27C/80F at 7:30pm and tomorrow I think I will go for a long walk to start training for my 12 hour run. Being alone on Christmas sounds sad, but it means that today has been done entirely on my schedule. I don't normally come down with a lot of holiday stress and I have no objections to spend my holiday time with family or friends, but not having anywhere I had to be today turned out to be a nice relief. There were no delicious and elaborate and expansive meals, but also no stress. There may still be a few drinks too.

It also meant I got to spend most of the day with nothing on. Hooray for nude alone time!

Rowing continues. Nearly 10km yesterday and over 12km today. I'll make 200km by Friday easily and apparently this will entitle me to a 200km Holiday Challenge pin. Oh yes. I WILL have that pin.

I have found myself getting annoyed at some people I encounter during my rowing. Yesterday there was a guy who was maybe 20 who sat down at the machine next to me, changed the resistance level down to three (yes, three, not ten like I do and even the old arthritic blind guy does) and rowed for less than a minute before getting back up and letting the handlebar retract all the way up to the machine rather than replacing it in its catch and leaving the gym. Prick. Today there were two gym babes (the girls who do their hair and makeup before a workout) who set the resistance very low and went at a pace slow enough that it wouldn't impair their ability to gossip through their workout. I was right between them for the duration of their pathetic 500m row and was subjected to the full gossip experience as they chattered back and forth over my head.

It's the longest day of the year. I wonder why it can't be like this all the time. Long sunny days and mean good moods.

I never really liked the story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Even as a young child something didn't sit right with me. This is why. Apparently Santa is a fascist dictator.

A news story broke today sparked by a girl who has claimed she was sexually involved with some AFL players and is not satisfied with the way the league treated her complaints. Now she has posted a naked photo of an AFL player on Facebook. This player was not one of the ones named in her complaint as far as I've heard. He just plays in the same league as other players who were. Some of the reaction was centred on how the naked player has behaved badly and is now having to defend his actions.

This reaction bothered me, to the extent that I actually commented on the linked article.

I'm happy for footy players who act as though the rules don't apply to them get their comeuppance, but as far as I can tell, the player who is now defending himself deserves no comeuppance. He's not a rapist or a sexual predator, he's just a guy who likes to sleep naked and whose friend once snapped a photo of him just afer he got out of bed. This may be odd, but so what? It's nothing he should have to defend in public, and his bedroom habits are really nobody's business. I kind of wish he had said so.

If nothing else, I feel as though anyone who wants to criticise sportsmen for acting like asshats has plenty of better things on which to base their criticisms.

( Cut for a few dirty pics )

Off to view two places today and to apply for at least one, then to see two more places as a fall back position in case we don’t all find a place together.

No bad news all weekend. Hooray again!

I bought a new camera today. Man technology is getting cheap! Just like me.

I also swung by my old university and went up to the history department. My MA thesis supervisor is now the department head and he was recently in Australia studying cattle ranches in the Northern Territory in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as compared to the same experience in Canada. (Can you see why I decided a career in academia was probably not for me?) I may be seeing him if he comes to Canberra and introducing him to one of our Senators who knows more about cattle in the Northern Territory than anyone else I know.

An e-mail arrived today from America. It was from a guy who is part of a consultancy that uses data and demographics at a far more sophisticated and detailed level than I do. They have data goes way beyond the census and includes consumer information. I don't know how they get it, but it is far beyond what I do and it does interest me. These guys have helped target political campaigns just like I do, and have applied their analysis in commercial areas too. I've done pretty well starting up a demographic project on my own time with no support and part of me wondered if the fact that I have done similar work to them on such an independent basis would possibly be a window of opportunity in career terms.

I've gone on about having slightly itchy feet, but the idea of moving overseas again and starting over from nothing like I have done so many times before is really a non-starter for me. But if had set up opportunity to move into (even for just a few months) I think the experience would be great, and would mean I had reached a solid five on the list of countries I've lived in. I always preferred my holidays to be working holidays anyway.

Well, this is all just an idea now. It may not be practical, but even the idea of it has put me in a good mood.

I'm off to dinner with some high school friends tonight whom I've not seen in years. Hooray for Facebook!

I wrote two Shadow Cabinet briefs today, managed to avoid responding to a series of time wasting letters, and had an aussie rules football training session with nine journalists at lunchtime. Guess what was the most fun.

I'll be playing in the first Politicians v Press Aussie Rules game on Saturday, which should be fun. Some of my MP friends are playing (and part of me wonders if this might be an opportunity for settling of scores. "Give me a bad editorial eh?" *SMASH*) Some of the journalists were pretty skilled and had played before, but some of us might have it over them in terms of fitness. I lack skill, but a couple of times today I got some really nice kicks away and was pretty good at picking up the bouncing ball.

TW: A real solid one. 50 cleans, 50 clean and press, 50 bicep curls, run 800m, 50 calorie row, 50 dips, 50 pullups, run 400m, 50 walking lunges, 50 pushups, 50 situps, run 800m, all for time. Total: about 33 minutes. Later on at home I was especially happy so I put on my "Mr Happy" shirt.

I also had a chat as I often do with one of the trainers there. Initially I suspected she might be flirting with me on account of her telling me about breaking up with her boyfriend and asking me directly about my relationship status and saying she likes doing weights because "you get to hang around with hot guys." Also we share Crossfit as an interest. Also she's kind of hot.

We became Facebook friends, and recently I discovered that the age difference between us was larger than I thought. I just turned 33. She's 19. I knew she was younger than me but not by that much. Someone who is 19 is pretty likely to be in a different place in her life and to have a different idea of what constitutes a good time compared to me, and in this case I get the feeling it is very true. In addition to the age gap which is pretty substantial, I don't think I'm her type and I don't think she's my type.

No matter. It's still good to have friends at the gym. Until just recently I didn't really have any. Now there is her and my friend the Israeli basketball player.

Oktoberfest went very well.

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For any of you who missed it, I just want to say I'm very disappointed in you.

I'm in Canberra and happy to be home, even if it is for just one night.

Helga made dinner for me so I would have a nice home cooked meal, and tomorrow morning Malice is making a household breakfast of french toast before I go. Also, when I got home, they had redecorated my room with baloons and a variety of trinkets and chocolates spread out on my bed along with a Mr Happy book (I seem to have taken on the nickname of Mr Happy) and everyone had made sketches of the four of us and they are currently above my bed where they will stay. (Pics will follow, but probably not until after the election.)

I really missed these guys, and I've only been living in the current Chez Canuck for a short time.

Also, I have picked up two cheques, one a substantial dividend and one a return of some of the money I put towards the Aurora Oil capital raising that was scaled back. Hooray! I come home to a household that is happy to see me, a bunch of delightful little gifts, dinner, and a pile of cash.

Back to the campaign tomorrow, but the end of the election is in sight.

Friday was a much quieter day, but even still, by the time I got home I wasn't sure if I was going to go to Sydney as planned. In the end, I decided the things I was planning would be attended by enough interesting people to make it worth my while. A glass of James Squire Amber Ale was had in the company of

the_engel and others, including one guy who decided to engage in a debate over a political issue that I knew nothing about. After a long drive and in a loud aspie stressful place, all I could manage to say was "I'm not interested in talking about this" before getting up an walking into the next room.

Today was the first day in quite a while where I had nothing to do. Often that phrase is used as a complaint, but today it was welcome. No appointments, no rugby, no duties, no obligations.

Of course, I did get up and run about 6km to the gym for a day of leg work.

TW: 100 leg presses, 100 openers, 100 closers, 100 kickbacks.

Then another 6km home. I've got tired legs now.

I went down to the beach for my monthly swim in water that was quite cold, and also very calm and clear. Ohhhhhhhhh it was awesome, and I nearly dozed off with a happy when I got home.

Tonight will be spent in the Collaroy Castle watching the Wallabies.

Also, the Convicts came in second in the Bingham Cup, losing 15-18 in the grand final against New York.

But the seconds won the Bingham Bowl.( Cut for video with NSFW language. )

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has advised should be viewed with discretion. )

TW: Chest: 50 incline press, 50 chest contractions, 50 weighted dips, 50 more chest contractions on another machine, 50 weighted pushups (20kg at first, then 30kg after the woman who was putting the weight on my back asked "do you want more?" Challenge much?) 50 bench press. Odd that I managed a better workout on a sitting day than I often do when Parliament is away.

Tomorrow I will be representing NSW in a game of State of Origin Touch Rugby against QLD. Both teams will be made up of MPs, Senators, and Parliamentary staff. One Queensland MP is representing NSW as he was born and raised there. That might make the news, and so might all of us. Last year they had footage of one MP spear tackling a colleague.

Work seems to be better these days, but I think it's mostly a matter of feeling better and more positive. I did take a few calls today and there was no stabulence at all.

And because I mentioned it to

minxyminou , tonight I present a series of Mitchell and Webb links.

( Cut for embedded videos )
Now back to a quiz show hosted by Stephen Fry as a substitute for not going to trivia.

Happy.

It's gone from being a good day to being a good week.

The market has recovered, almost to the point where I was two weeks ago. And the attention being paid to the class action lawsuit against the banks is focussing a lot of attention on IMF, whose stock price is up again.

I had a briefing on some legislation and then wrote a shadow cabinet brief on a Bill relating to airport parking. Not especially exciting (though I think a lot of people will take the opportunity to have a free populist kick at the price of airport parking. Quite recently Sydney apparently had the most expensive airport parking anywhere in the world.) It was approved with only minimal changes. So on an issue I knew nothing about that involved legal points about which I have no training, I pulled together a brief in one day.

Everyone who works in Parliament got a pay rise today, and I got more of a pay rise (in percentage terms) than most.

Around 5pm, I got a call from the NRMA. It was about the job I applied for on Monday. They wanted to have a bit of a chat about the work I do now and about the position they have vacant. Then they offered me a phone interview next Tuesday. It would be more money than my new wage (they thought it would be less) and a move back to Sydney which is fine, but it would also mean leaving my current position just a few months before an election. We could win which would mean I would be working for the Deputy Prime Minister, but even if we lose it puts them in an awkward position and can compromise my prospects for coming back. If nothing else, I do have a sense of loyalty and I don't want to leave them in the lurch. Generally there are a lot more moves after an election rather than before, and for good reason.

But that is putting the cart before the horse. I've not yet had a first interview let alone been offered a position, so I will face those questions when the time comes. In the meantime, it is a huge boost for me. I feel as though I am being sought after, and I feel that I have real value in the job market, which is something I had forgotten in recent months. In just a short time after starting to look, I am getting results. So even if I don't wind up with this job, I am far more confident that I can find another than I was even a few hours ago.

I think next week I will hit the gym hard. I am feeling bulletproof.

Current Mood: happy

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luckycanuck

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Entries tagged with i have a happy

What is this strange feeling?

Fired Up

Black Dog Pushups

Black Dog

Watch what you say at the gym

Time for a big update

Yippee kay yay...

Rubicon

San Francisco through the eyes of someone who loves it

The Naked Christmas

Santa is a fascist and there is nothing wrong with sleeping naked

Dirty weekend... literally

I won't move again unless I have a good reason...

Luckycanuck is on the ball

Oktoberfest war ein großer erfolg

Mr Happy Goes Home

Hooray! I've got nothing to do.

A weekend of happies

Things are happy

Try! Goal! Six! Home Run! Hole in One! And other synonyms for scoring!