Musical love

It is well evidenced by anyone who knows me, that I am a Musical Junkie.

I could well gorge on a diet of Musicals for the rest of my days and be happy as a pig in mud. I have recently discovered that in You Tube I can find my favorites and make little playlists to listen to. Because unfortunately I simply don't have all the ones I like/love on CD.
For example, I now have Chicago the movie, all the songs compiled (in order I hope, I'm not as well versed on this movie as others).

See my You Tube Playlist for Chicago here

I also have The Buffy Musical episode "Once More with Feeling". This is a quality musical, sadly only a once off (and the series has now ended also) made all the more unique as the characters/actors previously displayed no musical ability, and yet fare surprisingly well.
The notable exception being Willow (Alyson Hannigan - also the Band Camp girl in American Pie) who they deal with by simply not really letting her sing LOL.
The only reason you really notice is that every other character gets a solo pretty much.
There are some pretty good songs in here, I can only assume Joss Whedon worked on this for a while, and yet its still plot relevant.

Play my Buffy Musical Playlist here.


And lastly, but by no means least, is Moulin Rouge. I actually own this movie on VHS and DVD. Much better on DVD of course. I love listening to this, and I really think the soundtrack has the power to transport you back into the movie experience, so strongly that even at work, I sometimes cry in the last songs. *sigh*
This is actually one of few movies that I cry at the end of, no matter how many times I've seen it. :*(

It's just such a beautiful movie.

Moulin Rouge Playlist here

Taxi from Hell

Explosm

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

Beach Road - James Patterson & Peter De Jonge *****

I'm going to forego the blurb today, in honour of my first 5 star rating.
This book has all the hallmarks of classic Patterson, bit of a legal/courtroom drama/ whodunnit. Well written, and for once I agree with the blurb when it says

"The final scenes of Beach Road unveil a truth
so unexpected it will leave readers gasping in shock"

I really was reeling at the end.

5 / 5

How Harry Potter COULD HAVE ended if written by.... [NO spoiler]

Mario Puzo (The Godfather) :

Replacing the fallen Dumbledore as head of Hogwarts, Professor Minerva McGonagall proves to have balls of steel. In a well-coordinated series of carefully-timed attacks, the Order of the Phoenix kills every single Death Eater in a single night, settling all accounts.

John Grisham (The Firm, The Rainmaker, The Pelican Brief) :

Over the course of the book, Harry becomes disillusioned with the wizarding life as he realizes that it's just endless conflict in the service of his corrupt and power-hungry masters. He and Ginny change their names and assume new identities so they can leave the wizarding world and live happily ever after.

George Lucas (American Graffiti, Star Wars, Star Wars, Star Wars, Star Wars, Star Wars, Star Wars) :

The battle between Harry and Voldemort comes to a close with an exciting magical glowing sword fight in the never-before-seen high-tech part of Hogwarts during which Voldemort reveals that he's Harry's real father. Then the Death Star blows up.

Dean Koontz (Bestselling Thriller Author) :

While Voldemort is preparing his final assault on Hogwarts, Arthur Weasley uses his knowledge of muggle artifacts come up with a plan to defeat Voldemort. He and Ron work desperately to connect the flue network to a fireplace in the house of a major Columbian drug lord. Harry and Hermione go through, stun everyone in the house, and steal all their Uzi submachineguns. When the Death Eaters arrive at Hogwarts, members of the Order of the Phoenix gun them down.

Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly) :

As the conflict with Voldemort comes to a head, Ron Weasley is suddenly and shockingly killed. Hermione responds with steely determination, joined by Luna Lovegood, who turns out to be a rare witch who has super-powerful martial arts skills. While Harry tries ineffectively to help—often with comic results—Luna kills the Death Eaters with Unblockable Scorpion Kicks and Hermione defeats Voldemort in a head-on battle of magic.

Tom Clancy (The Hunt For Red October, The Sum of All Fears, Rainbow 6) :

All seems lost for Harry until the Voldemort problem is brought to the attention of American President Jack Ryan, who sends the Enterprise Carrier Group to defeat the Death Eaters in a series of air strikes. Distrustful of the Ministry of Magic, Harry Potter defects to the United States where he helps Ryan get elected to his fourth term as President.

David Chase (The Sopranos) :

Discouraged by Lord Voldemort's tiresome battle against Harry Potter, Lucius Malfoy makes peace with Harry Potter in a bid to take over the Death Eaters for himself. Meanwhile, Alicia Spinnet spots Lord Voldemort in Diagon Alley and catches him by surprise, killing him easily. Through a strange series of random events, all Voldemort's horcruxes are also destroyed. Thinking the danger is over, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione make plans to meet at the Three Broomsticks for butterbeers. Just as the last of them arrives

From - Mark Draughn

Yay!!!

I finally figured out how to download the pics from my camera to the computer without needing a card reader or burning them to CD at Big W first!!
So here are some pics I took AGES ago,Mum and dad installed some rainwater tanks beside the house, and I thought it was great!!!
Ok. That is all.

Bad Luck & Trouble - Lee Child ***/*

YOU DO NOT MESS WITH JACK REACHER

September 11th changed Reacher's drifter lifestyle in one practical way. As well as his folding toothbrush, he now carries photo ID/ Yet he is still as close to untraceable as a human being in America can get. so when a member of his old Army unit finda a way to get a message to him, he knows it must be deadly serious:
I want you to put the old unit back together.

You DO NOT MESS with the Special Investigators.
They always watched each others backs. Now one of them has shown up dead in the California desert. And six others can't be found at all.

You DO NOT MESS with Jack Reacher.
His old buddies are in big trouble, and he won't let that go. Not now, not ever.

Another good read from Child. Always a good one. Harry Potter came out today. Woo. I'll hold off til the hype's died down though.

3.5 / 5

Good bye El Salvador... *sniff*

Dilbert

Protests shut Starbucks in Beijing's imperial palace

China's imperial palace has closed its Starbucks outlet following protests led by a state television personality against the American coffee chain's presence at a major Chinese cultural site.

The small outlet, a popular resting spot for visitors to the sprawling Forbidden City in central Beijing, closed yesterday afternoon, the Beijing Morning Post and other newspapers reported.

The Starbucks opened in 2000 at the invitation of palace managers, but critics said it was inappropriate for the site.

Palace managers offered Starbucks the option of continuing to operate as part of a combined coffeehouse with other brands but the Seattle-based company declined, the Post said.

AP - SMH July 14, 2007 - 2:58PM

Hit & Run

Money money money must be funny in a rich man's world

This article in SMH refers to
"one bank gave preliminary approval after an inquiry about a loan that would have eaten up more than half the borrower's pay, well above the official "mortgage stress" definition of spending 30 per cent of gross income to cover a home loan."
Well it got me interested in this percentage.
When I calculated, we spend 46% of our gross income on our mortgage!!!!
Is that wrong?

The Hard Way - Lee Child ****

JACK REACHER.
SOLDIER. LONER. HERO. LOVER.
Late at night, a New York Cafe. Jack Reacher orders coffee in a cup made of foam, not china. So he can move on a moment's notice.
He owns nothing, carried less. He has never met a woman who said no. Or a case he couldn't solve.

But now Reacher faces a new case so disturbing that the truth eludes him. Has he painted targets on the good guys backs?

So Reacher starts over at square one. Sweats the details and works the clues. Doing it the hard way, as they used to say back in the service. Until what started on a busy New york street explodes three three thousand miles away, in the sleepy English countryside. With Reacher striding alone in the shadows. Armed and dangerous. Invincible.

Moves at a cracking pace, a friend put me onto Child a few years ago and i haven't yet been disappointed with him.

4 / 5

Not a happy camper....

My poor husband, this week has copped it twice in the “Brownie Points” stakes.

Monday morning at 6.20am I get a call from him-

“baby, I’m really sorry, I’ve just realised I left my Laptop at home and Jerome’s just driven away…..could you bring it……”

True story people.

I, the dutiful wife, got up, threw on trakkies and located said laptop, drove into North Sydney, dropped it off and drove home again, to dress for my own job. He felt bad, but I didn’t really mind all that much, I was in an ok mood.

SO- fast forward to TODAY

This morning my phone rings at 6.18am.

My husband says to me, “do you want the good news or the bad news?” I mumble something while trying not to wake up all that much. “the good news is, I’ve got my laptop.” I think, Whoopee shit.

“... the bad news is I’ve also got my car keys”

This is a problem because we don’t have a spare in the house. I am mentally kicking myself for not taking the key off the ring last night when I thought about it.

So he proceeds to ask if I want him to call the NRMA to retrieve the spare which is actually hidden in the car from being serviced yesterday.

I could not give a toss right now, just wanting to return to my cocoon of blankets and sleep. It suddenly feels like a great idea to get the bus today.

HubBee doesn’t think so. He calls NRMA who will call me when they’re close.

15 more minutes of sleep and the phone rings, it’s the NRMA. I guess they can be quick at 6am.

I throw (more) trakkies on and run out to the car where we get the spare. I think he thinks I’m a bit suss, since I don’t look like I’m going anywhere and I didn’t get in the car and drive off. I don’t care. I walk back to the house and undress, climb back into bed. I can get another solid 40 minutes of sleep if I hurry. I hastily type “got in” and send to HubBee.

I’m about to drift off.

“brrrrriinng!!!!!”

He’s checking its all fine. I tersely tell him I’m trying to go back to sleep again. He sheepishly says goodbye, and I manage to fall asleep again.

Twice in one week? Not such a good mood…

The Prez

Because I don't know how to embed the video AND write, without F*king up the video, I made a new post.
*Also, does any other blogger have a problem where I've linked my blog to YouTube, to use the "Blog This" button they have, and it says "Video will appear on your blog shortly" but nothing happens? I'm still waiting for the videos I tried to upload four months ago to appear...... Or Just Me???

Anyway, I am SO glad our candidates do not inspire such scariness. The thing is though (all speculation) that the Obama video was shot and written by a girl off her own bat, but the Hilary one was commissioned and she's a real singer or something.
That's the "word" anyways.

Hott for Hill(ary Clinton)

Crush on Obama

Stranger Danger

One day a 12-year old boy was walking down the street when a car pulled up beside him and the window was wound down.

"I'll give you a bag of lollies if you get in the car," said the male driver.

"No way, get stuffed," replied the boy.

"How about a bag of lollies and $10?" asked the driver.

"I said no way," replied the irritated youngster.

"What about a bag of lollies and FIFTY BUCKS , eh?" quizzed the driver,still rolling slowly to keep up with the walking boy.

"No, I'm not getting in the fricken car!" answered the boy.

"OK, I know, I'll give you $100 and a bag of lollies," the driver offered.

"NO," screamed the boy.

"What will it take to get you into the car?" asked the driver with a long sigh.

The boy replied, "Listen Dad, you bought the Volvo, you live with it."

Yes my father drives a volvo exactly the same as the above,
and in my lifetime they've owned about 8 I think....

Where have all the pop-tarts gone...

Yesterday I think I saw something about Pop-Tarts on an american site or something, because I thought to myself {having lived quite happily for the last 7 or so years without them} that I'd really like a pop-tart. So I went to the shops at lunch, and looked where I remembered them being housed, in the cereal aisle, and couldn't find them.
I was mildly miffed, and bought rollette's on special instead to share with my work-folk. Not as satisfying when you're after something particularly, but it had to do.
So I looked up this morning what the story was with Pop-Tarts in Oz, where I could get some.
Sadly I report, that Kellogg's has stopped importing them into Oz, and you can only buy them on Ebay, for the inflated price of $9.99 AUD plus $8 postage. :(
So I shall go on- Pop Tart-less.

This is apparently a "Hello Kitty" Pop Tart,
of which I am calling, The Ultimate Pop Tart.
Ours certainly never got that exciting looking.

Fug in the City

This outfit, case in point for why I hate SJP, and why I think everyone is mental when they rave on about her style. This is clearly fug, which is where I found it, and I think she is far from the style icon she is lauded.
*stomp*

Ryder

Ryder, originally uploaded by dataceptionist.

Oh so cute....

Can you guess????

Can you guess what these are......????
Click here for the horrifying answer.....

Yo, Taxi!~!

Rights and Responsibilities of Taxi Passengers

Your Rights

As a taxi user you have the right to:

• Decide on the route
• See the taxi meter
• Refuse multiple hiring
• Have the air conditioning on
• See the driver's photo identity card

Your driver should:

• Be courteous and helpful
• Know and obey all the traffic laws
• Be neat, clean and tidy
• Be wearing a uniform

Your taxi should be:

• Smoke free
• Clean and tidy
• Well maintained

Your Responsibilities

As a taxi user you must:

• Pay the correct fare, including any tolls and booking fees that apply
• Wear a seat belt at all times
• Not eat, drink or smoke in the taxi
• Not swear or act in an offensive way
• Not ask the driver to stop where it is illegal or unsafe to do so
• Ensure any children under 12 months are secured in an approved child restraint
• Please let the driver know if you need change for $50 or more.
• The driver can refuse to take you if you are likely to cause a nuisance or annoyance, or eating, drinking, smoking or unable to pay the estimated fare.
• If you dirty the taxi, the driver can charge you one hour's waiting fee for the cost of cleaning up

I found this link from the cab-blog I read (aussie) and I thought it was really interesting.
What's your worst taxi experience?

This Ain't a Mixtape....Right?

When I was in high school, a guy I knew and was friend with, made me a CD with all the these great songs of the nineties and older, it was awesome. I lost it for a while but I found it again the other day and I listen to it at work now. When he gave it to me, I was really appreicative, we were friends, not close, but friends. I'd only been to his place say twice, and both times in a group. Essentially I brushed it off, as his dad had the biggest CD collection I've ever seen, imagine a family room type area with floor to ceiling bookshelves full of CD's. It was incredible, his dad apparently wrote a catalogue program to keep track of all of them. He probably has them all as MP3's now, and his physical collection is redundant but it was still a big deal in school. He was a nice guy, typical of the guys I went to school with he was a little nerdy, but genuinely nice when he wasn't blowing shit up (an off shoot of under stimulated minds, even at "smart" schools)
My question now, possibly I'm overthinking it considering the first song is "Always" by Bon Jovi, and has always been a favourite of mine. But was he sweet on me and I've totally missed it until now? It was the equivalent of making a Mix Tape for someone, except its a CD and has 200 songs on it.
I never really thought about it at the time, I just accepted it and loved it. But he sat down and did that, for no return.

Am I only now just realising that I'm a complete moron, as I listen to "Love is All Around" by Wet Wet Wet??

Switchback- Matthew Klein ****

A dark thriller about one man caught in an ever-tightening vice of his own making.
Timothy Van Bender, Yale graduate and hedge fund manager in Palo Alto, lives a magical life: his business mints money; his wife, Katherine, is beautiful and charming; his young sexy secretary, Tricia, greets him each morning with a flirtatious smile.

Then, one, Tuesday, everything changes. Timothy wakes to learn that his hedge fund has lost $24 million on a bad bet against the Japanese Yen. Timothy decides to double down and bet again. But the Yes keeps climbing, and his business investors start asking questions. With his company on the brink of collapse, he gets a call from his wife, who phones to say goodbye, moments before jumping off a cliff at Big Sur to her death. Timothy can't believe it, and nor, for that matter, can the police.

And that's when his troubles start. As the police investigate Timothy, he investigates his dead wife's secrets. But when Tricia shows up on Timothy's doorstep, claiming to be his dead wife, and knowing secrets that only Katherine could know, Timothy's not sure what, or whom, to believe. Has he been given a second chance at happiness or is he being played for a fool in an elaborate scam that may cost him his life?

Very good book, kept guessing until right at the end. Recommend. :)

4 / 5

Bring IT ON

Romance is a fickle beast

Construction Worker Still Hasn't Given Up On True Love

NEW YORK, NY —A hopeless romantic, Barbierri tries to touch upon the individual qualities of each woman he greets, from great legs to visible nipples.

When Larry did Paris

After reading this hilarious blow by blow of the Larry King - Paris Hilton interview, it beggers the question, is that really what it was like? I didn't watch it, or the horrid "highlights reel" they showed on A Current Affair or Today Tonight, {who keeps track of which stories which does, the only lasting memories are the switches between modulated and outraged tones of the presenters}.
Can anyone tell me? Was it really like watching paint dry? Is Larry King the worst interviewer in the world?
The next question I am prompted to ask myself, is why did I read it? Purely for the humour value I knew would be in the piece, or am I simply another Paris info junkie even though I tell myself I couldn't give a flying fug about her....
I guess I'll never know.

I must admit though, I can't stand Paris Hilton, and avoided the whole fiasco if I could (other than thinking the ridiculous American judicial system was shown for all its farcical glory the day they released her early) I did clap with glee when they put her back in and she seemed to be crying.
But another "major" event I also avoided, though not as studiously, and that was all the Diana events. *shrug* I just didn't really care. The thing on Sunday, the concert they showed on Monday, I was just mildly annoyed they yanked CSI off to show it (both nights!).
I did end up watching Brothers and Sisters for the first time on Monday night though, and found it quite an okay little show. Wouldn't not watch CSI for it, but worth a look.

funnies

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net