Scott's Simple Life

The President of China

2008-08-07T21:34:00.002+12:00

Who is the president of China? Hopefully this video will answer that question for you. This is a real cracker.

Sporting rivalry

2008-08-04T11:52:00.004+12:00

It was a good win by the All Blacks on Saturday night against the Wallabies. I didn't see the game, but made sure that I caught up with the score afterward.

When I heard the first score about 5-10 minutes into the game, the Wallabies were ahead by 3 to nil, and I thought "here we go again, another All Black loss" & didn't hear the score again for the rest of the game, until the next morning when I heard the Kiwi's had such a convincing win.

The interesting thing is that the week before when the Kiwi's were beaten by the Aussies, I sent my good friend, who hates loosing to any Australian team, a txt message rubbing in the fact that the Kiwi's got beat (remember that I've just returned to NZ after living in Perth). My friend pointed out something which is very true & even made me laugh with pride. The new coach of the Wallabies is a Kiwi. Good call Paul.

Friday funny

2008-08-01T09:45:00.000+12:00

Cell phones - New Law

According to a proposed new law that would go into effect July 1, 2008 you will no longer be able to use a cell phone while driving unless you have a 'hands free' kit. I went to Dick Smith Electronics and they wanted around $90 for a bluetooth ear piece for my cell phone. Having a friend in the cell phone business, I talked with him and was able to come up with an alternative.

These kits are compatible with any mobile phone and one size fits all. I paid him $0.08 each because he bought in quantity. Then we tried it with Motorola , Sony Ericsson , Sanyo and Nokia units and they worked perfectly.

Let me know if you want one. Also, ask anyone you know, who has a cell phone, and who may want one!

Subscription Options

2008-07-27T15:18:00.006+12:00

You may notice that my blogging becomes a little less now that I'm working again. Due to time restrictions I may be unable to blog for several days at a time.

If you're a regular visitor to this blog, and don't want to have to keep checking if I've posted or not, there are 2 simple options you can do to keep up to date.

1. You can click on the subscribe button at the bottom of this post and subscribe using your choice of feed reader. There is a similar option at the top of the right hand sidebar.

2. You can enter your email address in the box below & you'll receive an email from Feedburner whenever a new post is updated. This option is also available on the right hand sidebar.

Thanks for being a part of my community & please feel free to leave any comments or feedback.

Subscribe by Email.

My first week

2008-07-27T15:04:00.002+12:00

The ice has been broken, and I have just completed my first week as a taxi driver.

Did I enjoy it? Well, I was a bit nervous at first, but as soon as I had my first job, things started to get easier, and I did start to enjoy it.

Is it what I was expecting? I have driven cabs before here, but for a different company who are more established, so it wasn't as busy as I was expecting, but from what I have been told from other drivers, it's a quiet time. Our customer base should be expanding in the next month, as more clients are being signed up.

My hours are already changing too; I'll be working Tuesday to Saturday to see how that works out. Allot of our drivers work Mon to Friday, and then have the weekend off, so there are not too many cars on the road on Saturday, so that should mean more work for the few cars that are out there.

So a three day weekend this weekend then I start again on Tuesday.

The holiday is over

2008-07-20T21:40:00.003+12:00

My 5 month holiday is finally over. After moving back to NZ in March & being out of work for so long, I finally start my taxi driving job tomorrow morning.

It's been a long road, having to re-qualify for my P(passenger) Endorsement, completing exams, driving tests, waiting for legal documentation to be sent from Perth, and arguing with the NZ benefit system (don't get me started on that), I received my approved license last week, and am ready (I think) to begin my new job.

So, if you're in the Christchurch region & need a taxi, call Green Cabs on 0508 447 336 and request cab number 415.

I'll let you know how I get on, and stay tuned for posts on my taxi driving experiences.

Extra income?

2008-07-18T17:27:00.004+12:00

Are you looking for some way to make some extra income without having to go out & get another job? I can show you a way that will help you make that extra income without much effort.

If you're interested, just click on the banner below to find out more.

Technorati Tags: Network Marteting

Friday funny

2008-07-18T11:59:00.003+12:00

Check out this video clip, it's hysterical. Take note of the guy on the left, who's trying hard not to laugh, but in the end cannot contain himself. I hope it does not put you off air travel.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-16T10:51:00.009+12:00

Light Beer

Dandy Lions

Assaulted Peanut

Eggplant

Tap Dancers

iPod

Whole Milk

Training wheels

2008-07-15T21:58:00.004+12:00

Today I had my first training with Green Cabs, the taxi company I am waiting to start driving for.

I was picked up this morning by the owner of the cab that I will be driving; then with myself driving we slowly made our way across town where we met up with man who was running the training session.

I was shown how to operate the vehicle, as it is an electric powered Hybrid vehicle (Toyota Prius), and also how to use the computer system from which the taxi job dispatch & meter are operated. It's all very interesting & flash.

We also went out to the Christchurch International Airport to learn how things work out there. I still have to go & get my airport access & ID card, but I can't do that until I get my official taxi license in the mail, which should be here tomorrow.

So it was a fun day of learning, and I am feeling a little weary, but I am looking forward to starting my Taxi work, next week if all goes well.

If you're interested in finding out more about Green Cabs, just click here to visit their website.

The handy man in me

2008-07-13T17:19:00.004+12:00

I wouldn't exactly call myself a handyman around the home. I can change light bulbs, do the washing up after meals & I'm good at programming TV's & video's, and I would even consider myself a bit of a computer wizz; but when it comes to using a hammer & nails & putting things together, you would probably be better off getting the experts in.

Over the last few weeks we have bought a few household items that require DIY assembly. We bought a bedside cabinet for Jo, which I managed to put together in about an hour, once I figured it out & found the correct size screwdriver.

Mum then bought a new TV entertainment center. That was a little trickier to work out & took me about 2 and a half hours to complete.

Both these items are still standing properly, as you can see, so I must have done something right.

Friday funny

2008-07-12T15:00:00.003+12:00

Ok, so I'm a day late for the Friday funny, but it doesn't really matter, because no matter what day it is, it's still funny.

These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters that had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.

ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning? WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?' ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you? WITNESS: MY name is Susan!
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact? WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
___________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Are you sexually active? WITNESS: No, I just lie there.
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all? WITNESS: Yes. ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory? WITNESS: I forget. ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot? ____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo? WITNESS: We both do. ATTORNEY: Voodoo? WITNESS: We do. ATTORNEY: You do? WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning? WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
____________________________________
ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he? WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty.
___________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken? WITNESS: Are you kidding me?
_________________________________________
ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th? WITNESS: Yes. ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time? WITNESS: Uh.... use your imagination!
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: She had three children, right? WITNESS: Yes. ATTORNEY: How many were boys? WITNESS: None. ATTORNEY: Were there any girls? WITNESS: Are you kidding me? Your Honor, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney? ____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated? WITNESS: By death. ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated? WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it?
____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual? WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard. ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female? WITNESS: Guess.
_____________________________________
ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney? WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people? WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you like to rephrase that?
________________________________________
ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to? WITNESS: Oral.
_________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body? WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m. ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time? WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him! ____________________________________________
ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample? WITNESS: Huh....are you qualified to ask that question?
_____________________________________
ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy? WITNESS: No. ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor? WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar. ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless? WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practising law.

Hope you had a good laugh.

IPhone on demand

2008-07-10T11:39:00.003+12:00

It would seem that the new Apple 3G iPhone is in hot demand.

Here in NZ people have been queuing up outside an Auckland Vodafone shop since Tuesday according to this onenews article.

Kiwis eager to be the first in the world to buy Apple's new-generation iPhone have begun queuing up in freezing temperatures.
Four people with deck chairs, sleeping bags and a small tent started queueing on Tuesday night outside an Vodafone Auckland shop.

Now while I might be keen to get my hands on one of these one day, I don't have that sort of money to spend on one now, and I certainly would not be queueing outside a shop in the freezing temperatures for 3 days. Would you?

You can bank on security

2008-07-08T10:09:00.002+12:00

Yesterday I heard a news story about the National Bank here in NZ implementing a security dress code for customers using their branches.

They have announced that they are banning Hoodies (hooded jumpers), beanies & balaclava's, and helmets to be worn inside their branches. Anyone caught wearing these items inside the bank, will be asked to remove it so that their face is visible.

I think it is a great idea to improve security & to reduce the robbery rate. I wonder how long it will take for the other banks to follow suit.

A white Christmas......not quite

2008-07-05T21:44:00.005+12:00

Living in New Zealand, you're bound to see snow somewhere; and even though I grew up here, I never actually saw a snowfall. Now while I have been skiing at the ski fields, I've never actually physically seen the white stuff fall from the sky like rain.

Today we were expecting rain in the afternoon, but we were all pleasantly suprized when it started snowing. It was light at first, but gradually got heavier and covered both cars & turned our green lawn whiter than white.

According to the Metservice weather forecast, the entire country copped something out of the wintry blast. The temperature here in Christchurch dropped from 7 deg C at 2pm to 2 deg C by 3pm.

Now the snowflakes have turned into rain, & the white blanket of crisp snow is turning into a slippery, sludgy mess.

The photo in this post is one of a few that I took during the snowstorm; to view more photo's, CLICK HERE to go to my Facebook page.

So why did I title this post "White Christmas....not quite? Well I've always wanted a white Christmas, it's just the wrong time of year for those of us in the southern hemisphere.

First steps

2008-07-03T20:25:00.003+12:00

Little Chloe just took her first couple of steps. Just 2 steps between mummy & daddy. Very exciting.

It's all good

2008-07-02T11:25:00.003+12:00

You may or may not know that Jo is 20 weeks pregnant with our second baby. Yesterday we had our Anatomy scan of our little baby to check that everything is where it should be and also to determine the baby's gender.

The good news is that everything is all good, AND we are having a little boy. I never thought I'd be a little boy's dad. Am I happy about it? Absolutely!

Here is the image of the anatomy scan.

When it rains...things get wet

2008-06-29T11:27:00.004+12:00

Here in Christchurch we've had allot of rain over the past 24-48 hours, check it out here.

As you would know, my family & I have recently moved here from Perth, and as a result we have several boxes & other household item stored in our garage. During heavy rainfall, the water seems to get into the garage under the side door.

We had allot of stuff on the floor at the front of the garage where the water was getting in, after the rain had stopped this morning I went out to the shed to asses the damage. I spent about half an hour clearing stuff away from where the water was & then sweeping the water out of the garage, onto the lawn.

There were a few boxes that had water damage on the bottom, but they were empty anyway, so it didn't really matter.

So now I have moved all the stuff to the back of the shed so that when it rains again, nothing will get wet.

Rain is good, and we need it, but just make sure nothing valuable will get in the path of the water.

The Principle of Tithing

2008-06-28T22:04:00.002+12:00

I have always believed in the principle of tithing. In the Bible, God commands us to give back to Him 10% of our income. Now this can be in a number of ways, whether you put money into the offering bag when it comes around at church, or whether you give to a ministry or individual, or however else God tells you to give.

Over the last 18 months is has not been easy for Jo & I, after Jo quit her job to have a baby, and so we went from 2 good incomes down to one which proved a challenge. At times we were living from one pay check to another & often we found that we didn't have enough money to tithe after all our expenses had gone out.

I was thinking about the whole tithing principle & all of a sudden God gave me a revelation that I have never realized before. God says that He requires the first 10% of our income, and in Matthew 6:33 it says "Seek first the kingdom of God, then all these things will be added to you". So basically if I honour God with my tithe first, he will make sure there is enough for everything else. It's a simple principle, but one that I have never considered until now.

I don't know what tithing means for you, if anything, but I truly believe that if you apply the Biblical principles as God has commanded, you will feel such satisfaction & peace, just like I have now.

Flex

2008-06-26T16:42:00.004+12:00

I've been posting a few video clips lately; I get a few of them through the email, and a few of them really are worth sharing. I'm actually thinking of starting a video blog.

I had a friend whose nickname was flexi-man. Well the man in this video certainly does suit that name.

WARNING - This video contains twisting body parts.

Gentle Thoughts for Today

2008-06-24T21:43:00.003+12:00

The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.

The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement .

He who hesitates is probably right.

Did you ever notice: The Roman Numerals for forty (40) are ' XL.'

If you think there is good in everybody, you haven't met everybody.

If you can smile when things go wrong , you have someone in mind to blame.

The sole purpose of a child's middle name is so he can tell when he's really in trouble.

There's always a lot to be thankful for if you take time to look for it. For example I am sitting here thinking how nice it is that wrinkles don't hurt .

Did you ever notice: When you put the 2 words 'The' and 'IRS' together it spells 'Theirs.'

Aging: Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.

The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know 'why' I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved.

When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.

You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks.

One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.

Ah, being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

First you forget names, then you forget faces. Then you forget to pull up your zipper. It's worse when you forget to pull it down.

Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today, it's called golf

Lord,
Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth... AMEN..!

Free Phone Calls

2008-06-24T17:24:00.003+12:00

I know you've probably heard of Skype already, but I just wanted to give it a good report.

I've attempted to use Skype in the past, but I gave up because firstly, none of my friends used it and secondly because my internet connection was obviously not quick enough, and I had allot of trouble with delay & crackly reception.

I've now got a quicker internet speed here in NZ & have re-installed Skype, and it works perfectly. I made my first phone call to my sister in Perth about 10 minutes ago.

What about you, do you use Skype? Does it work well for you. I know I'm behind the times a bit, but the internet certainly make life easier and cheaper.

Partial Movie Syndrome

2008-06-22T11:01:00.003+12:00

What is Partial movie syndrome? It's when you see a movie several time without actually seeing it in it's entirety.

Now while I have seen Terminator 2 once in it's entirety, I have seen it many times in parts; usually the first half and then bits of the ending.

It was on the telly last night again, but it started quite late, so I only saw up to where Sarah Connor escapes from the hospital, then it was bed time.

Do you have the same trouble? Isn't it annoying when you don't quite get to see a movie all the way through, more than once?

What movies have you had Partial Movie Syndrome with? I think I might have to purchase my own copy of T2 on DVD.

Are We Spoiling Our Kids?

2008-06-20T11:15:00.004+12:00

Take a walk down memory lane in your mind, and go back to your childhood days when you were about 8-13 years old; what gadgets (toys) were you using?

I was playing with action figures, toy trains, and the old Commodore 64 computer & then Sega Master System.

Now that we're on the 21st Century it seems that the new electronic gadgets are the in thing. Kids today have Play Stations, X Boxes, Ipods, and mobile phones.

Also allot of kids have their own TV in their bedroom & the internet has become an everyday activity. I remember we had one TV in the main lounge & then we had 1 12inch TV which was shared around between the three bedrooms on a rostered time table; and that was a luxury.

So are we spoiling our kids too much, or is the world changing so much, that we need to be exposing them to the worlds technology at a young age.?

What are your thoughts?

Need a Laugh?,,,,,,,

2008-06-19T17:01:00.006+12:00

Check out the video below. It's the best 4 commercials of the year from the USA.

Tips for Re-fueling Your Car

2008-06-16T22:00:00.004+12:00

With the price of petrol as high as it is today, we need all the helpful information we can get. I received the following information through the email today. Take a look.

Tips on Filling your Vehicles...

This is a Message received from a friend:
I don't know what you guys are paying for petrol... but here
in Durban, we are also paying higher, up to 47.35 per litre.
But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now,
so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth
for every litre.
Here at the Marian Hill Pipeline, where I work in Durban, we
deliver about 4 million litres in a 24-hour period thru the
pipeline.
One day is diesel; the next day is jet fuel, and petrol, LRP
and Unleaded. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total
capacity of 16,800,000 litres.

ONLY BUY OR FILL UP YOUR CAR OR BIKKIE IN THE
EARLY MORNING WHEN THE GROUND TEMPERATURE IS
STILL COLD. Remember that all service stations have their
storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground,
the denser the fuel, when it gets warmer petrol expands, so
buying in the afternoon or in the evening.... your litre is not
exactly a litre.
In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the
temperature of the petrol, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and
other petroleum products play an important role. A
1degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business.
But the service stations do not have temperature
compensation at the pumps.

WHEN YOU'RE FILLING UP, DO NOT SQUEEZE THE
TRIGGER OF THE NOZZLE TO A FAST MODE. If you look,
you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low,
Compiled by Ramesh Patel on 16.03.2008 @ 10:00Hrs. Page 1 of 2
middle, and high. In slow mode, you should be pumping on
low speed, thereby minimizing the vapours that are
created, while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump
have a vapour return. If you are pumping on the fast rate,
some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapour.
Those vapours are being sucked up and back into the
underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for
your money.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TIPS IS TO FILL UP
WHEN YOUR TANK IS HALF FULL. The reason for this is,
the more fuel you have in your tank, the less air occupying
its empty space. Petrol evaporates faster than you can
imagine. Petroleum storage tanks have an internal floating
roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the petrol
and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.
Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that
we load is temperature compensated, so that every litre is
actually the exact amount.

ANOTHER REMINDER, IF THERE IS A FUEL TRUCK
PUMPING INTO THE STORAGE TANKS, WHEN YOU STOP
TO BUY, DO NOT FILL UP - most likely the petrol/diesel is
being stirred up as the fuel is being delivered, and you
might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the
bottom.
Hope, this will help you get the maximum value for your
money.

DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS! LET’S SHARE
INFORMATION AND BENEFIT ALL, FOR THE BETTER OF
MANKIND.
***********************
Compiled by Ramesh Patel on 16.03.2008 @ 10:00Hrs.

Very interesting. Does it make sense to you? I'd be interested to know your thoughts.

Don't Dial & Drive

2008-06-13T11:43:00.004+12:00

It's been on the news here in NZ recently about a new law they're trying to pass about using a hand held mobile phone while driving. It's ok to use hands free.

It would seem that they're a bit behind here in NZ. This law has been in place in Perth for several years. That was one of the things I noticed when I first arrived in Perth back in 2002, using your phone while driving is illegal.

Personally I think there should be a complete ban on the use of mobile phones while driving. Whether you are holding the phone or not, you have to concentrate on the conversation, which takes your complete concentration off the road, especially in busy areas or peak hour traffic.

I have to admit to talking on the phone while driving, but I do make the effort not to send text messages. How about you?

Park n Ride.....if you can!

2008-06-10T17:07:00.004+12:00

This morning on TVNZ's Breakfast programme, they were testing whether it is quicker to drive to work on the busy freeway during morning peak hour or catch public transport, ie, bus or train.

They had two people leave a specific point in Auckland at the same time; one drove his car while the other rode the bus. The person who took the bus arrived at the destination point 20 minutes before the person driving the car.

What they didn't do was include the time it takes to get to the bus or train station & find a car park. They then showed us a live aerial shot of the car park at the bus station which was pretty much full by 7:30am.

Now having lived in a city like Perth, where they have a large public rail system, I often found the problem finding a park at the train station after 7:30am. Often you have to drive around the car park several times or even drive further away, which can often add 20-30 minutes to your travel time. One has to ask whether it is quicker to drive.

Do you have the same problems where you are? Public transport is great, if you can get to it!!

How Is It Done?

2008-06-09T12:08:00.004+12:00

This video is absolutely hilarious. When I first looked at it, I thought it was just another magic show that I would probably delete, but you really have to watch the entire thing. Let me know what you think!

Do You Pay Much Attention?

2008-06-08T15:04:00.004+12:00

Here are some questions for you about things that we take notice of (or not) in everyday life. This is mainly based on Aussie. info, so use all lobes of your brain.

This can be more difficult than it looks - it just shows how little most of us really see!
There are 25 questions about things we see every day or have known about all our lives. How many can you get right? These little simple questions are harder than you think-- it just shows you how little we pay attention to The commonplace things of life. Put your thinking caps on. No cheating! No looking around! No getting out of your chair! No using anything on or in your desk or computer! Can you beat 23?? (The average is 7) Write down your answers as you go. Check answers (on the bottom), AFTER completing all the questions.
REMEMBER - NO CHEATING!!! BE HONEST!!! That means no looking at your phone or anything on your desk...
BE HONEST

OK here we go.

1. On a standard traffic light, is the green on the top or bottom?
2. How many states are there in the Australia ? (Don't laugh, some people
don't know)
3. In which hand is the United States' Statue of Liberty 's torch?
4. What 3 colours are on the our shop SPOTLIGHT logo?
5. What two numbers on the telephone dial don't have letters by them?
6. When you walk does your left arm swing with your right or left leg?
(Don't you dare get up to see!)
7. How many matches are in a standard box?
8. On the Australian flag, how many stars are there ?
9. What is the lowest number on the FM dial?
10. Which way does water go down the drain, counter or clockwise?
11. Which way does a 'no smoking' sign's slash run?
1 2. What is the channel range available on a AUST TV ?
13 On which side of a women's blouse are the buttons?
14. Which way do fans rotate?
15 How many sides does a stop sign have?
16. Do books have even-numbered pages on the right or left side?
17 How many wheel nuts are on a standard car wheel?
1 8. How many sides are there on a standard pencil?
19. Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc. Who's missing?
20. How many hot dog buns are in a standard package?
21 On which playing card is the card maker's trademark?
22 On which side of a Venetian blind is the cord that adjusts the opening
between the slats?
23. There are 12 buttons on a touch tone phone. What 2 symbols bear no
Digits?
24. How many curves are there in the standard paper clip?
25. Does a merry-go-round turn counter or clockwise?

And now for the answers.

1. On a standard traffic light, is the green on the top or bottom? BOTTOM
2. How many states are there in Australia ? 6 (plus the two territories)
3. In which hand is the United States' Statue of Liberty 's torch? RIGHT
4. What 3 colours are on the our shop SPOTLIGHT logo? BLUE, RED, WHITE
5. What two numbers on the telephone dial don't have letters by them? 1, 0
6. When you walk does your left arm swing with your right or left leg? RIGHT
7. How many matches are in a standard box? 50
8. On the Australian flag, how many stars are there ? 6
(FEDERATION STAR +5 IN THE SOUTHERN CROSS)
9. What is the lowest number on the FM dial? 87.5
10. Which way does water go down the drain, clockwise or anti-clockwise ? CLOCKWISE
11. Which way does a 'no smoking' sign's slash run? TOWARDS BOTTOM RIGHT
12. What is the channel range available on a AUST TV ? 2 ABC
13 On which side of a women's blouse are the buttons? LEFT
14. Which way do fans rotate? CLOCKWISE AS YOU LOOK AT IT
15 How many sides does a stop sign have? 8
16. Do books have even-numbered pages on the right or left side? LEFT
17 How many wheel nuts are on a standard car wheel? 5
18. How many sides are there on a standard pencil? 6
19. Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey, Doc. Who's missing? BASHFUL
20. How many hot dog buns are in a standard package? 6
21 On which playing card is the card maker's trademark? ACE OF SPADES
22 On which side of a Venetian blind is the cord that adjusts the opening
between the slats? LEFT
23. There are 12 buttons on a touch tone phone. What 2 symbols bear no
digits? *, #
24. How many curves are there in the standard paper clip? 3
25. Does a merry-go-round turn clockwise or anti-clockwise? ANTI-CLOCKWISE

So how did you go? I got 11 right; thought I did better than that, but obviously I was wrong. If you're not ashamed to tell us how you did, you can leave a comment below. This is also something that yo could post on your own blog, if yo have one.

Eat Your Vegies

2008-06-07T11:40:00.005+12:00

It seems that men today are not eating their veggies.

A 2006/7 survey of more than 17,000 people has found that the proportion of men eating enough vegetables, declined by 7.3 percentage points to 56% from the last survey taken in 2002/03.

So it would seem that the majority of men are meat eaters more than veggie eaters.

I have to admit that I certainly do prefer my meat over veggies. At potluck dinners or serve yourself, I often find myself going for twice the amount of meat than veggies; even to the fact that if I don't get veggies, I'm not to concerned about it. Thankfully my wife, Jo, knows the great importance of regular veggie eating, & we have at least 3 servings of veggies with our evening meal most nights. Thank God for the women in our lives.

Will you admit to being guilty of not eating enough veggies, or do you actually make sure you get your daily serve of veggies.

One man who was surveyed who was a veggie eater, added that the old myth of "eating enough veggies will put hairs on you chest", he has found to be a fallacy! Eating veggies for 35 years has not done him any good.

Perhaps, that's WHY we don't eat our veggies!

Fly Fishing Guide

2008-06-02T15:25:00.005+12:00

I've just started selling a new product online. "Fly Fishing, Learn To Angle Like the Pro's", is a e-book about fly fishing that I've just started to sell online; so if you or anyone you know is interested in fly fishing, this book is available (for a price) here at my website.

If you have your own blog or website, can I ask you to place a link to my website on your blog to help get the word out there about this new product. All the extra traffic I get will obviously help. Thanks.

My website address is http://easyflyfishinguide.com

Technorati Tags: Fly Fishing - E-book

A good outlook

2008-06-01T13:32:00.004+12:00

On those forwarding emails

It's for those of you who are sick of getting emails that tell you to forward to at least X number of people in the next 15 minutes so that wonderful things and miracles will happen if you do, or there will be serious consequences if you don't - watch this video.

This is hilarious! (and it's about time someone did this!).

Click here - turn on your speakers.......

Test Your Reaction Time

2008-05-27T11:02:00.005+12:00

Getting old, are you?

Reflexes slowing down?

The Highway Code says the average driver's reaction time is:
.75 seconds

-or-

1 car length for every 10 mph...

Test your reaction time with this special test.

Click on the link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/sheep/reaction_version5.swf

All Tests Complete

2008-05-24T14:18:00.004+12:00

It's finally done.

For the past several weeks I've been doing study & taking tests to obtain my P (passenger) Endorsement to be able to drive a taxi here in Christchurch. I've had to do a theory test about carrying passengers, special needs, & special requirements for a passenger service license holder. I was very happy to pass this test with 100% (i have sat this test previously, years ago).

Today, I sat a practical driving test with a testing officer; again I did exceptionally well (I have been driving for 13 years).

So now it's a waiting game. My application is now being processed by LTSA (Land Transport Safety Authority), and once they have approved my license I can start driving taxis.

I've driven taxi's in the past when I lived in Christchurch previously so I'm looking forward to getting back into it. I'll let you know when it's all comes through.

Employee of the month

2008-05-22T11:50:00.003+12:00

Now that's what I call dedication to the job, although why the person didn't use their lap; after all, it is a laptop.

I'm Fed Up

2008-05-16T11:33:00.004+12:00

Is there anyone else out there who is fed up with Microsoft?

I'm operating Vista on my PC at current, & it's really annoying how slow it can be at times. I often re-set it at least twice a day, sometimes up to 10 if it's real bad. It just freezes for no reason.

Anyway, I'm in the process (with the help of my friend in Perth) of changing to Linux. First I have to back up all my files. If I decide to go back to Windows (unlikely), I have the Vista installation disc.

Have you had problems with Windows, to the point where you feel like throwing the thing out the window? I would be interested to hear what you have experienced. Just leave a comment in the comments section.

Restaurant Math

2008-05-15T18:51:00.005+12:00

This was emailed to me; it's quite clever and it does work. Just make sure you don't look at the bottom until you get there.

Work this out as you read .

Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out!

1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to go out to eat. (more than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)

3. Add 5

4. Multiply it by 50

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1758...

If you haven't, add 1757.

6. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number

The first digit of this was your original number. (I.e., How

many times you want to go out to restaurants in a week.)

The next two numbers are

YOUR AGE ! ------ (Oh YES, it is!)

Be sure to let me know how you got on by leaving a comment.

Our Weekend Away

2008-05-12T21:54:00.004+12:00

During the weekend Jo & I went up to my hometown of Blenheim to visit the family.

It's about a 4 hour drive, but with a young child & having to make a few extra stops it took us about 4 and a half hours; we arrived about 6:30pm on Friday night.

We went shopping with my Uncle (who we were staying with) on Saturday morning & then my Nana & Aunt joined us for a BBQ lunch. We finished up about 2pm & spent the rest of afternoon lounging around the house.

Sunday of course was Mothers Day; now while my own mum is still overseas with my sister in Perth, it was Jo's second Mothers day, and so we went out with the rest of the family for a Mothers day lunch at a nice restaurant in town; the family very generously paid for Jo & I.

My good friend Warren then took us for a drive to a small seaside town called Picton (my family has a holiday home in the sounds and so I grew up around Picton allot). Warren then came back to my uncles place & joined us for a roast dinner, as if lunch wasn't enough.

Today (Monday), and unfortunately the weekend was over & it was time to make the 4 and a half hour drive home to Christchurch. We arrived home about 3:45pm. A lovely weekend away; Jo & I both agree we'll have to go away more often. Next time we'll make sure the digital camera has fully charged batteries.

How often do you get to venture away from home for a few days? Where is your favorite destination?

One year old today

2008-05-05T12:32:00.004+12:00

One year ago today our little Chloe was born; the year certainly has gone quickly. These 2 photo's are her when she was born, and her one year later.

She is starting to say basic mumble words like baba (buba), & it won't be long before she'll be standing by herself. You can see more photo's here on my Facebook page.

I'm looking forward to watch her grow up over the next 12 months.

Yip, the heater still works!

2008-05-01T21:52:00.006+12:00

I haven't had to use a real heater in about 6 years and so it has always been in the back of the shed ready to emerge should we need it. Of course here in Christchurch, the climate is much cooler than it is in Perth, so the heater has been a little closer to hand than it has been previously.

To date we have not needed the heater because it hasn't been all that cold, until today. The top temperature was 10deg C; I'm not sure what time it was recorded, but it was just cold all day & wet too. Now that is cold for an Autumn day, but the weather man says there is a cold snap making it's way up NZ's south island.

I like it; it's easier to rug up than strip off, if you get my drift. Anyway, with Winter on the way soon, you're sure to hear more about the lovely weather here in NZ.

For those who are interested, you can view the current conditions on the weather widget on my right hand sidebar.

A bug I didn't want

2008-04-22T22:19:00.002+12:00

Probably not the best topic to blog about, but I have never felt this bad before in my life.

I got struck with a nasty stomach bug yesterday afternoon; I woke up in the morning feeling rather tight chested & slightly nauseous. It gradually got worse as the day went on & then about 4pm all hell broke loose; I shall say no more about that.

I could not find a comfortable position to sit or lie, without feeling major discomfort in my gut. It was an uncomfortable night as I didn't sleep much, but when I woke this morning I felt better, had some dry toast for breakfast, & slowly started to feel better as the day went on.

Anyway, here I am at 1030pm, feeling much better, but this time 24 hours ago was a much different story. I hope I never have to feel that ill ever again.

Here I am

2008-04-15T15:21:00.002+12:00

I thought it was about time I posted to let you know that I'm still alive & well.

Jo, Chloe & I are in Christchurch, New Zealand. It has been a very challenging time over the last 6 weeks, we have been living in several Motels while looking for suitable rental accommodation, which we have found & been settling into over the last two weeks. I will post some photo's of our place soon.

I have not yet found work, but have several options up my sleeve, and so should be in a job soon. Praise the Lord for being our provider. Also not having a computer & internet access has been challenging, but it has taught to appreciate what I have.

I'm not going to post allot now, so stay tuned for more soon.

Departing Australia

2008-03-01T18:13:00.003+13:00

In about an hour we will be leaving to go to the airport to board our plane out of Perth; we fly direct from Perth to Auckland & then connect to a domestic flight to Christchurch. We arrive in Christchurch just after 9am tomorrow morning.

Hopefully I'll have internet access soon to keep you updated on how our life in NZ is going, but if my posts suddenly stop you'll know why. I'll be back soon.

GOODBYE AUSTRALIA

Technorati Tags: Travel

The Fun Begins

2008-02-25T14:25:00.003+13:00

After several weeks of preparation we are now into our final week here in Perth. There is still much to do;

Finalizing accommodation in Christchurch
Closing down accounts here
Packing enough stuff to see us through about 8 weeks while we wait for our stuff
Removalists, cleaners & gardeners coming during the week
Left over stuff to get rid of

The list goes on.....

Have you had much experience in moving? Have you moved overseas before? Did you find it easy or difficult. I suppose it doesn't matter how far you move, it's always a hassle.

I don't anticipate doing it again in the near future.

Technorati Tags: Moving

My Train Journey

2008-02-22T23:52:00.005+13:00

This morning I went into town on the train to meet up with a friend for the final time before heading overseas. They say that the public transport system is suposed to make life easier, but the fun started even before I got on the train.

I drove my car to the train station about 5 minutes from home, once I got there I drove around the car park for about 10 minutes looking for a park. I gave up & decided to drive down the freeway to the next train station. I then drove around that car park for about 5 minutes before finally getting a park in the far corner.

Once I got onto the platform I discovered another delay; because this was one of the smaller train stations not all trains stop here, and so the train that was coming was not stopping. The next train was due in 10 minutes. By this time I was already 5 minutes late for my meeting with my friend, so another 10 minutes wasn't going to matter, & then the journey was 15 minutes anyway.

I finally met my friend, 25 minutes late, but we had a nice morning tea & chit chat, and then I headed back to the train to come home.

Just for the record, the journey home was allot simpler; I just had to wait for a second train.

Technorati Tags: Transperth - Trains

Have a Shay Day

2008-02-21T19:57:00.004+13:00

What would you do? You make the choice. Don't look for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it anyway. My question is: Would you have made the same choice?

At a fund raising dinner for a school that serves learning-disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: 'When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?'

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. 'I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child.'

Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do you think they'll let me play?' Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked (not expecting much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay struggled over to the team's bench and, with a broad smile, put on a team shirt. His Father watched with a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible because Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing that the other team was putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over. The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the first baseman's head, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to first! Run to first!' Never in his life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run to second, run to second!' Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to the base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball ... the smallest guy on their team who now had his first chance to be the hero for his team. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay'
Shay reached third base because the opposing shortstop ran to help him by turning him in the direction of third base, and shouted, 'Run to third! Shay, run to third!'

As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams, and the spectators, were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home! Run home!' Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the grand slam and won the game for his team.

'That day', said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, 'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world'.

Shay didn't make it to another summer. He died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his father so happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands of jokes through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to sending messages about life choices, people hesitate. The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our schools and workplaces. So rather than sending this out by email, I'm posting it on my blog.

A wise man once said every society is judged by how it treats it's least fortunate amongst them.

May your day, be a Shay Day.

Technorati Tags: People Stories

Third Farewell

2008-02-21T13:11:00.003+13:00

Yesterday was my last day of work with Network Couriers; I have been working as a courier with them for about 12 months, & during this past year I have posted several articles to do with work stuff.

Through my daily city run, I have met some wonderful people of whom I have had the pleasure of visiting everyday for a couple of minutes.

I told many of my daily customers that I was leaving & where I was going; yesterday I was overwhelmed with farewell wishes & gifts. Now I know that I always take pride in my work, but everyone was saying that I am the best courier that many of them have had; I was shocked at that revelation.

I hope the new person who takes over the city run will look after the customers as well as the all suggest that I have done.

So now that I have finished work there is still much to do in preparation for our move to NZ. It's certainly no time for a holiday.

Technorati Tags: Network Couriers - Work

Second Farewell

2008-02-18T01:23:00.003+13:00

Today Jo & I visited Subiaco Church, the church we called home previously before going to Metro church 12 months ago.

Jo had been a part of Subi church for 14 years, & I had been going there since arriving in Perth 6 years ago.

We both had many friends there, allot of whom were not there today for one reason or another. The people that we did see today, we hadn't seen in 12 months since leaving Subi, & it was good to catch up & say goodbye.

Even though this church had been our home for many years, we both had the feeling of being out of place & in a foreign land, & we were reminded of the reason we left there in the first place.

Do you ever feel like that when you visit somewhere you used to call home, but it no longer feels like home? It's like everything has changed & you no longer belong. For us, we are the ones who have changed & moved on. I felt like a square peg in a round hole.

On a positive note though, I do have some some good memories from my time with Subi church; and some wonderful friends.

Technorati Tags: Church - Subiaco

3 years of marriage

2008-02-14T01:37:00.004+13:00

I'm a day late in posting this.

Yesterday the 12 Feb, Jo & I celebrated 3 years of marriage. It really doesn't seem like 3 years ago that we said "I do".

Allot has happened in 3 years, including starting a family with baby Chloe.

I look forward to another wonderful year with my lovely wife Jo. Happy third anniversary honey.

Technorati Tags: Anniversary - Marriage

First farewell

2008-02-11T01:32:00.000+13:00

This morning Jo & I were farewelled from Metro Church. Jo & I have been attending Metro Church since the end of 2006.

There was nothing special for us this morning, Pastor Geoff just mentioned us from the stage and wished us well.

After the service we went into the lounge for a cuppa & to catch up & say goodbye to some friends.

Next week we'll be going to our former church for the final time, but I'll post about that next week.

Technorati Tags: Church

Crawling

2008-02-09T21:48:00.000+13:00

Little Chloe has been crawling for about 3 weeks now. She's learned how to crawl on her knees, pull herself up & lean on the table or sofa.

Everything has to go up off the floor and even out of her reach as she can and does grab anything and everything off the table.

The scary thing is she'll be walking before we know it.

Here are some photo's of her.

Technorati Tags: Babies - Crawling

Off to the eye doctor

2008-02-07T01:10:00.000+13:00

Today I went to visit the Optometrist to get my eyes tested. It's been about 6 years since my last visit.

My eyes have not deteriorated too much in 6 years, and as a result there's not too much difference in my new prescription.

The frames I have had for the last 6 years have done very well too, but the optometrist said they won't last too much longer. The new frames I looked at today are a new style and allot more flexible in their design.

I'm looking forward to getting my new specs, but probably shouldn't leave it so long before my next eye test. They say every 2-3 years is about right. I'm certainly well overdue.

Technorati Tags: Optometrist - Eyes - Spectacles

The feminine side of Bart Simpson

2008-02-02T16:33:00.000+13:00

Did you know that the voice of Bart Simpson is actually a women?? Nancy Cartwright was interviewed by Australian personality Rove McMannus. Take a look at the video clip below & let me know what you think.

Technorati Tags: Bart Simpson - Nancy Cartwright - Video's

Amazing Hug

2008-01-28T16:11:00.000+13:00

READ THIS BEFORE WATCHING THE VIDEO:

THIS WOMAN IN THE VIDEO FOUND THIS LION INJURED IN THE FOREST READY TO DIE.
SHE TOOK THE LION WITH HER AND NURSED THE LION BACK TO HEALTH. WHEN THE
LION WAS BETTER SHE MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH A ZOO TO TAKE THE LION AND GIVE
IT A NEW AND HAPPY HOME.

THIS VIDEO WAS TAKEN WHEN THE WOMAN AFTER SOME TIME WENT TO GO VISIT THE
LION TO SEE HOW HE WAS DOING.
WATCH THE LION'S REACTION WHEN HE SEES HER. AMAZING!!!!!

Technorati Tags: Video - Animals

Christian ways to reduce stress

2008-01-26T21:58:00.000+13:00

With the pressures & busyness of life it's easy to get stressed. Here's some good clean ways to reduce stress. It's not meant to be funny, but good advice.

An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."

1. Pray

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too
many.)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety . If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.

15 Do something for the Kid in You everyday.

16 Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Every day, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are
doing the best they can).

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

Technorati Tags: Stress

Early morning memory lapse

2008-01-23T01:41:00.000+13:00

Have you ever found yourself having done something, yet having no memory of doing it?

I have the alarm on my mobile phone set for 5:20am; this gives me 10 minutes of sleep in before I have to get up at 5:30am.

This morning I woke up at 5:26am with my mobile in my hand. Normally when my alarm sounds, I grab the phone, hit snooze, & hang onto my phone so that I have it in my hand when it re-sounds after 10 minutes.

Obviously the alarm had gone off & I had turned it off, but I had no memory of it at all; all I remember is waking up just before 5:30am with the phone in my hand. WEIRD.

Have you ever had anything like that happen to you?? It's obvious that you have done something, but you have no memory of it.

Technorati Tags: Alarm Clock - Memory

I miss my radio

2008-01-22T01:50:00.000+13:00

As a courier driver, I get to use a company vehicle, which means all fuel & maintenance is taken care of by the company, and of course the car has a radio which I listen to throughout the day.

At the end of last week, the boss took me out of the car I have used for the last 9 months, and put me into one of the vans; this was so that I could carry more boxes etc, that were needed for my city run.

The only problem with this arrangement is that the van I'm now using does not have a working radio. There is a radio in the van, but it doesn't work, so I have to drive around without my favorite music & talk back stations.

Unfortunately, getting the company to fix these things including air conditioners just falls on deaf ears.

I may have to improvise and use a battery powered transmitter radio from home. The only problem is having to switch it on & off when I get in & out of the vehicle.

Do you enjoy listening to a radio or CD in the car? How would you cope if it was taken away from you? Even though these things are luxury's we really do notice when they're not there.

Technorati Tags: Radio - Luxurys

Stuck on 16

2008-01-20T02:56:00.000+13:00

After 16 consecutive test wins in a row the Australian Cricket team was going for a world record of 17 test wins in a row, making them the first team in cricket history to win 17 test matches consecutively.

Thanks to the Indian cricket team this world record remains unbeaten, as India won the third test match in Perth this evening, knocking the Aussies off their pedestal.

Forgive me if I'm barracking for the other team, but even though the Aussies are the cricket world champs, they keep winning everything & have every cricket trophy, I think it's about time someone knocked them off their perch once in a while.

I only hope that India can keep up their game up & take out the fourth test in Adelaide.

Technorati Tags: Sport - Cricket - World Record

Old appliances

2008-01-17T01:50:00.000+13:00

Here's a question that might get you thinking. What is the oldest appliance in your home that still works?

Listeners on the ABC morning program were asked to call in with their old appliances that still work. One lady was still using a toaster that she bought back in the 1950's, and not one piece of burnt toast.

As for us, my mum has got an old blender that she used to make homemade mayonnaise with when we were kids about 20 years ago; we also used to make milkshakes with it. Jo has been pureeing baby food in it, but we replaced it at Christmas; it still works though.

What about you? What's the oldest appliance that still works in your home??

Technorati Tags: Appliances - Talk back Radio

The Clean up begins

2008-01-17T01:17:00.000+13:00

It's now about 5 weeks until we leave for NZ, and so with that comes the task of getting rid of junk. It's going to work out cheaper to sell most things before we go and then replace it all when we get to NZ; the shipping costs are quite expensive.

Over the weekend we started cleaning out the back shed where allot of things are still in boxes, as we don't have the room in the house for it all.

I found an old suitcase which was full of old stuff that my parents had as children. My mum went through it all & decided which stuff she wanted to keep & the rest of it went in the rubbish.

I found a couple of boxes of stuff that have been there since I moved from NZ 6 years ago. It's stuff that I have just kept because one day I might use it (not), but as most of it has not been used in 6 years, and probably won't be, it went in the rubbish.

Do you have stuff stored away somewhere that's just gathering dust? Often moving house (or country) can be a good time to have a throw out of all that stuff that just doesn't get used. How do you feel about throwing things out?

Technorati Tags: Junk - Spring Cleaning

Graffiti & Nappies

2008-01-11T01:10:00.000+13:00

Recently I've started listening to the talk back programs on Perth's ABC radio. In the past I have not really been interested in talk back radio, but I'm becoming more interested in currant issues & it's quite interesting to hear what different people have to say about stuff. I thought I'd blog about various subjects & see if we can a conversation going.

Two topics they were talking about today were Graffiti & Nappies.

We've all probably seen it somewhere; public places, alley ways, sides of buildings etc; people who vandalize public property with spray cans. The question is what should be done about it? How do we catch them & how do we punish them?

Some say they should be made to spend time cleaning up what they have done & pay all costs incurred. Will this be enough to stop them offending? What do you think??

Also on discussion was the topic of nappies. Which is better for the environment, cloth or disposable nappies. You may think cloth nappies are more environmentally friendly, but there was good argument for both. What do you think?

I'd love to get comments on both these topics. Please leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Technorati Tags: Talk back Radio - Vandalism

Fahrenheit or Celsius

2008-01-10T01:34:00.000+13:00

Which one do you use?? Depending on where in the world you live you'll use either Fahrenheit or Celsius to measure temperature.

It's interesting because at 32 deg C it can be considered a hot day, yet 32 deg F & you'll need your winter woollies; 37.5 deg C is the same as 100 deg F. I don't know about you, but I find it rather confusing.

Here's a question for you; how do you convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit & vice versa? Apparently there are many different formulas you can use, but how do you do it without looking it up on Google or on a chart converter; how do you work it out in your head??

If you have a formula for the conversion, please share your knowledge. I'd be interested to see how many different formula's there are. Why not leave yours in the comment section below.

Technorati Tags: Temperature - Fahrenheit - Celsius

The countdown begins

2008-01-06T14:51:00.000+13:00

Several months back I announced through this post that Jo & I along with my mum, had decided to return to my home land of New Zealand. We were not sure of the time that we were going, but after much prayer & thought, the date has been set for the 1st March & tickets have been purchased.

Now comes the task of getting ready to leave Perth; there are things to sell, lose ends to tie, and we have just over 8 weeks to do it.

Even though I am a born kiwi, I have been in Perth for 6 years & it is like moving to another country for the first time. I remember when I first arrived in Perth nearly six years ago, it was a challenging time of finding my way & setting myself up; like then, I have my family members with me, which did make things easier.

I'll let you know how things go.

Technorati Tags: New Zealand - Moving

Top Ten

2008-01-01T15:46:00.001+13:00

I'm going to start a new topic that I'll post about every week. The top ten lists come from the top-tens website. Feel free to add your comments; also if you have any top ten lists that you want to share that are CLEAN, then feel free to email me, and I'll consider them.

This weeks top ten is all about computers. Here it is.

The 10 Most Fun Things to Do With Your Computer.

Play games
Surf the internet
Listen to music
Chat
Watch movies/DVD's/TV
Develop/Create
Download stuff
Blog
Read/Write email
Newsgroups/Forums

Obviously everyone's different; I certainly would not have playing games at number 1, but that's me.

What do you think??

Technorati Tags: Top 10 - Computers

Out with the old.....in with the new

2008-01-01T01:25:00.000+13:00

It's just a couple of hours until the clock clicks over into 2008, and I'm just thinking about the year that was 2007.

For us it meant a year of change; we left the church that we had been a part of for several years. Jo had been there 14 years, and myself 5 years, but both had been heavily involved in various aspects of ministry; we had both become unhappy there and felt God was moving us on.

I had also decided that a change in job was also on the cards and so I left Skippers Transport & went to my current employment with Network Couriers. This meant less hours, slightly less money, but more time with the family.

Of course the major event of 2007 was the birth of our daughter Chloe. Watching her through her first 8 months of life has been challenging, but very rewarding (full credit to Jo for all the hard work she's put in).

It has been a tough year financially for us with Jo giving up her paid employment to become a Mother, which is a full time in itself. God has been good to us though, even through the tough times He has always provided for us when we needed it.

So now we look to the year ahead, only 2 hours and nine minutes away. The only big plans we have are to continue in our parenting of Chloe, and a move to my home country of New Zealand in March; after that who knows what's going to happen. Follow God's direction I guess.

So what was 2007 like for you?? Was it as you expected or planned, and what plans do you have for 2008?

Another year over, a new one about to begin. HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all.

Technorati Tags: New Year

15 Test wins

2007-12-29T18:47:00.000+13:00

The Australian cricket team has just beaten India in the first of 4 test matches here in Australia. This means 15 consecutive test wins for the Aussies.

It just shows why Australia are the world champs. I must admit though, I am waiting to see which team will knock them off their perch.

Technorati Tags: Sport - Cricket

The day after

2007-12-26T15:20:00.000+13:00

I hope you & your family had a very merry Christmas yesterday.

We spent the day with my sister & her family, starting with a family devotion & communion followed by coffee & cake & presents.

We then ventured off to meet with another couple of families to share Christmas lunch & fellowship. Despite the very hot weather (40 deg Celsius), we all had a very pleasant afternoon celebrating the birth of Christ.

Today is Boxing Day which we usually spend relaxing. We had planned a train trip to Mandurah, but in this heat today (41 deg Celsius), it's just too hot to do anything. Staying indoors in the air-conditioning, in front of the telly watching the cricket, is a much better plan. We'll probably take Chloe to the pools later when it cools down a bit.

Once again I hope you & yours had a blessed Christmas. Enjoy the rest of the holiday season, that is if you get one!!

Technorati Tags: Christmas - Holidays

Christmas week begins

2007-12-24T01:33:00.000+13:00

This week is Christmas week; there will be some busy times while other times will be quiet.

For me I have to work Monday, Thursday & Friday; these will be the quiet days for me as many business that I visit during my daily courier run have already closed down for Christmas and so I am expecting an early finish tomorrow afternoon.

Tuesday is Christmas & of course there's family get together s, eating, giving of gifts & then the aftermath what ever that may be.

Wednesday is Boxing Day when usually we rest from the day before or go on a family outing; this year we are planning a train trip to Mandurah on the newly opened train line.

It's going to be hot this week also; the forecast is for mid to high 30's all week, so amongst all the festivities, the challenge will be to keep as cool as possible.

So what will you be doing this week? What are your plans for the big day? Whatever you do, I hope it's a good one for you.

Technorati Tags: Christmas

Snow Horses

2007-12-23T21:42:00.000+13:00

I don't know if you've seen this one, but I just had to share it with you, it's hilarious.

Technorati Tags: Horses - Snow - Video's

It's my Birthday

2007-12-20T10:14:00.000+13:00

Today is a very special day. I'm 29 today; YAY. It's too bad I have to go to work.

Technorati Tags: Birthday's

No Parking

2007-12-20T01:46:00.000+13:00

Tonight on channel seven's "Today, Tonight" program, they had a report about parking inspectors issuing fines for people parking where they shouldn't be. They say they are all about revenue raising.

As a courier who services Perth city, I can say that parking can often be a hassle; it shouldn't be for me because I am in a registered commercial vehicle, and I am allowed to use the loading zones, where other vehicles are not supposed to park. Unfortunately other drivers don't pay any attention to the signs, and park wherever they feel like.

In the city the parking inspectors are strict & if your vehicle is caught in a place it shouldn't be, they will ticket you with a $100 fine.

As a courier I get really ticked off when I can't access a loading zone for 5 minutes because some clown can't read the sign that says, "Loading zone, commercial vehicles only".

Anyone who gets a fine for parking in a no stopping zone, or loading zone, gets no sympathy from me.

Technorati Tags: Road Rules - Parking Ticket

A new blogger amongst us

2007-12-15T18:48:00.000+13:00

Just thought I'd let you all know about a new blogger who has just joined the blogging community. My wife Joanna (J0) has just started blogging.

Her blog, Jo's Simple and Wonderful Life, will be about all sorts of interesting stuff; she is a writer who is recognized by the international poets society (and has medals & trophies to prove it); she also does beeding & jewelry design which you can read all about & view some pics.

Why not take a look at her blog here, also by clicking the snapshot above. I'm sure she'd be pleased to receive your comments, encouragement & feedback through the commenting system. Say hi from me too while you're there.

Technorati Tags: Jo Parker

7 facts about me

2007-12-13T01:27:00.000+13:00

I was tagged last week by Tracey over at Gwelva Kernewek. The deal is I have to write 7 facts about me.

The Rules:

Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
Share 7 facts about yourself.
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here goes;

I was born in New Zealand & grew up in a small town. I lived on an orchard which my parents owned & managed.
My first car was a 1977 Toyota Corolla; the car was older than me.
My father died when I was 16 years old (nearly 13 years ago)
I play the guitar & learned the Cornet & Euphonium many years ago.
Apart from traveling between NZ & Australia, I have never traveled (I would love to visit the USA).
Of all the jobs I've had, my favorite would be Taxi driving in NZ, & my current courier job.
I love Hokey Pokey ice-cream; the best I've ever tasted is NZ's Tip Top brand.

So there you go; I'm pretty boring. Now I'm supposed to tag 7 friends, so how's this for cheating; if your blog is listed on my sidebar you're tagged. Haha.

Technorati Tags: Memes

Chloe in a high chair

2007-12-09T22:23:00.000+13:00

This morning at church baby Chloe had her first experience in a high chair. We don't currently have a high chair at home, so it was interesting to see her in there. I managed to capture a couple of images on my phone. Here they are.

Technorati Tags: Babies

Just two dollars

2007-12-05T01:19:00.000+13:00

What does it mean for you?

Over the last week, I've seen two very different scenario's of what the two dollar coin can mean to people.

In the first scenario, I saw a young bloke in the city sitting down on the pavement, with his head down, a handkerchief next to him, and a cardboard sign next to him with these words, "Can you spare a coin?". Obviously a man in desperate need, where even the smallest amount means so much; I gave him a two dollar coin out of my wallet.

The second scenario is this; a young lady walking on the same sidewalk as the above man was sitting (a different day and the man wasn't there), when all of a sudden a two dollar coin drops out of her hand & lands by her feet. She looks down at the coin, hesitates for a second, then continues on her way, leaving the coin on the ground.

When I saw this, I went back to my car to unload what I was carrying, then returned about a minute later & picked up the coin which obviously no one had noticed lying on the ground,and put it in my wallet. I figured if she doesn't want to bend down & pick it up then I will.

So, one two dollar coin, two different people; one so much in need, the other too lazy to bend down & pick it up.

What would you do? Have you seen anything similar?

Technorati Tags: Two Dollars - Money - People

Babysitting

2007-12-02T21:13:00.000+13:00

Today I had to look after Chloe for the first time by myself. Jo went out to my sisters baby shower & left me to look after the baby.

She had shown me what to do & left some instructions, & I did my best. I gave Chloe some afternoon tea then played with her on the carpet, then gave her a bottle & put her down to bed. She slept for about a half hour, then woke up. Jo arrived home soon after.

I have to admit, while working can be a pain in the butt sometimes, I think the mothers do a fantastic job of being home all day every day looking after a child.

I'm sure it gets easier after a while when yo do it everyday.

Technorati Tags: Parenting

The season begins

2007-12-01T15:04:00.000+13:00

Today is the first day of December, which means 3 things; it's officially the first day of summer, although if you have looked out the window this morning, you wouldn't have thought so. It's dull, overcast & cold. If I remember correctly, last year was exactly the same on the first day of summer. The funny thing is, is that November was our warmest November on record.

December also marks the official start of the Christmas season. This is interesting because all the Christmas decorations have all been up for about a month already & the advertising started back in October. It seems that the calendar has been lagging behind a bit. From now until the big day it's all on; work breakup's & other Christmas party's. At the time everything is winding down for the year, life suddenly gets busier.

Lastly December marks my last days as a 28 year old. My birthday is on the 2Xth; you'll have to wait to find out when.

Technorati Tags: December - Summer - Christmas

Questions for you

2007-11-25T20:19:00.000+13:00

Here are some questions and my answers, have a look & then have a go yourself.

1. What time is it? 4:30pm (Sunday)
2. What are your full names? Scott Edward Parker
3. What are you most afraid of? The unknown, dark places
4. Place of birth? Blenheim, New Zealand
5. Favourite food? Chicken, chocolate, ice-cream
6. Your natural hair colour? Dark blonde
7. Have you travelled? Australia, New Zealand
8. Do you scrunch or fold toilet paper? Scruncher
9. Love someone so much it made you cry? The fact that never got to know my dad as
an adult
10. Been in a car accident? 3. The first I hit someone who failed to give way to me, the
second I was hit from behind while driving my taxi in NZ, and third, I was hit
from behind at a round-about.
11. BMW or Mercedes Benz? BMW
12. Favourite day of the week? Wednesday! Friday & Saturday
13. Favourite Restaurant? Italian
14. Favourite Flower? Anything colorful
15. Favourite sport to watch? AFL (Aussie rules), cricket
16. Favourite Drink? Mocha, tea, any soft drink
17. Favourite ice cream? Hokey Pokey (NZ tip top)
18. Disney or Warner Brothers? Warner brothers
19. Favourite fast food restaurant? Hungry Jacks
20. What colour is your bedroom carpet? grey
21. How many times you failed your driver's test? twice
22. From whom did you get your last e-mail? Bonnie Coyle
23. Hobbies? Computers, music, tv & DVD's, sound engineering
24. Bedtime? 10pm on weeknights, later on weekend & holidays
25. Who of your readers will answer this questionnaire? I'm not really sure; I guess we'll
find out
26. Who is the person you are most curious to see their answers? There are so many
people out there, so I'd be interested to see anyones answers.
27. What means the most to you? My faith & my family
28. Favourite TV shows? See the left hand sidebar of this blog
29. Dating MALES or FEMALEs? My wife
30. Tall or short? Tall
31. What is your favourite colour? Red
32. How many pets do you have? None
33. Age? 28 (29 in Dec)
34. What would you like to accomplish/do before you
die? Travel, fulfill my ministry call, pursue a career in computers

So that's me, I'd love to see your answers. If you have a blog why not post your answers on your blog, by copying and pasting this post onto your blog & then deleting my answers and inserting your own. If you do, please leave a note in the comments section of this post with the link to your blog.

Technorati Tags: Questions

New leadership

2007-11-25T13:43:00.000+13:00

It's all over. Last night we saw a big win for the Australian Labor Party & Kevin Rudd, who will now become the 26th Australian Prime Minister.

A big CONGRATULATIONS to Kevin Rudd & the ALP.

Technorati Tags: Australian Labor Party - Kevin Rudd - Politics

Australia votes

2007-11-24T13:05:00.000+13:00

Today is the Australian Federal election day; polls open at 8am and close at 6pm. It's a battle between Kevin Rudd & John Howard.

Who will win?? Who will you vote for??

Technorati Tags: Election - John Howard - Kevin Rudd

Are you speeding?

2007-11-22T01:34:00.000+13:00

I couldn't find the image I was looking, but the sign basically says "Are you speeding? Speed camera ahead" This was the sign I came across driving home from work tonight.

Chances are you've seen the sign that informs you that you've just driven past a speed camera; of course once you see that sign it's too late; if you are speeding you've been flashed.

This sign I saw tonight on the road was placed about 50 meters before the camera, which if you are watching the road correctly you'd see & have plenty of time to check and adjust you speed accordingly.

This proved a point to me that the police & government are not all about revenue raising with their speed camera's, but as they claim they want to get drivers to slow down & hopefully reduce the amount of accidents & deaths on our roads.

I think the warning signs are good for quick reminders for those of us who often creep above the speed limit; but for those who still don't see the sign, you can be assured the camera will see you.

Technorati Tags: Speed Camera - Warning

The final leg

2007-11-18T22:33:00.000+13:00

This week is the final week of the Australian Federal election campaign. For five weeks now, we've heard lot's of different promises from both major parties, and you start to wonder how many of these promises will be fulfilled, when the winner is decided.

There are two things that really make me mad during this election campaign. The first is the amount of money spent on tv ads, flyer's etc. If they spent that amount of money on the more important things such as running the country or helping those in other parts of the world who are desperate.

The second is that they spend all their time slamming the opposition rather than selling their own policies. It's always "Mr Rudd said this" or "Mr Howard did this". They sound like children squabbling. To think that one of them will be our Prime Minister!!

I suppose it's only going to get worse during this final week, but it will be all over next week.

Technorati Tags: Politics - Election

It's time to wake up

2007-11-15T00:59:00.000+13:00

Take a look at this video clip, & then tell me if you will still let the cat sleep on the end of the bed.

Technorati Tags: Videos - Pets

The heat is on

2007-11-11T23:59:00.000+13:00

It looks like summer is starting early this year. Today we had our first heat wave of the summer months.

The mercury topped 37 deg C this afternoon, & tomorrow it is tipped to reach 39. I am sick of the hot weather here in Perth. I know it's only the start of summer, and Perth is known for it's hot climate & beach culture, so I'm really looking forward to getting back to the cooler climate of New Zealand in 2008.

Thankfully my mum, who is staying with us has a portable air conditioner to replace the cooler fan we have been using up until now. I just pray that it won't be too hot too often this summer.

So do you thrive in the heat, or like me do you just push through the summer months & long for the much more pleasant winter months?

Technorati Tags: Summer - Heat

Back to work

2007-11-08T01:36:00.000+13:00

Don't you hate the last day of a holiday break? I was supposed to be back at work today, but due to a last minute change of plan, I had to help my mum put some of her stuff into storage today; so it's back to work tomorrow.

I have had a good 10 day break and although we didn't really go anywhere, it was lovely to spend some time at home with my family. One of my goals while on holiday was to change the look of my blog, which obviously has happened, & for now, I'm happy with it.

I do enjoy my courier work, and am looking forward to getting back into it; the funny thing is I have two days of work & then two days off again for the weekend.

So after a few days in the easy life, it's back to 5:30am wake ups & the business of the real world in the city of Perth.

Technorati Tags: Work - Network Couriers - City of Perth

Six months today

2007-11-06T01:46:00.000+13:00

It was this day six months ago on the 5th May that our baby girl, Chloe was born. It has been an interesting six months watching Chloe discover herself & the world around her.

She is now at the stage where she is very vocal; it could be a quiet room & then all of a sudden the silence is broken by a squeal or other similar baby sound.

She is also close to crawling; she moves backward on her back with her legs & it's only a matter of time before she learns how to push off on her front.

Here are a few photos that we took today.

Technorati Tags: Babies - Parenting

A childhood favourite

2007-11-03T15:16:00.000+13:00

Jo & I did something last night that we haven't done in ages; we had McDonald's for tea.

We usually have takeout on one night of the weekend to give Jo a break from cooking & me a break from the dishes. It usually is a toss up between KFC, Hungry Jacks (for those of you outside Australia, HJ's is equivalent to Burger King) & fish n chips.

We find that HJ's is more filling for the price you pay, compared to McDonald's & therefore we havent had it for a long while.

So we decided to try something different last night, and for less than $20 we had a feed of Mc Donald's; it was good finish off a quarter pounder & reminded me of when I was a kid and having Maccers was such a novelty.

So do you prefer McDonald's or other fast food options, or do you avoid them altogether? I guess when you get older you develop a taste for other less plastic y types of takeout. It is good to visit your childhood favourites every now & then.

Technorati Tags: Fast Food - McDonalds

Getting in Early

2007-11-01T21:18:00.000+13:00

I know it's only the first day in November, but when you look at it, there's only 9 weeks until Christmas.

If your family is anything like ours, yo have many people including children to buy presents for, & allot of people, like us, just don't have allot of money to throw around.

Jo & I worked out how many people we have to buy for & decided that rather than waiting until the last couple of weeks, & having to buy everything at once, we would start now & buy one or two things each week until the big day.

This year we have a couple of other families joining us for Christmas, so we thought we would buy something small for each family, so obviously that's extra stuff to buy, which is fine if you are prepared.

Are you going to start early, or just wait until the last minute? I think if you get organized early, you can actually enjoy the festive season when it officially starts, whenever that it; it seems to be getting earlier every year.

So, the next thing we need to think about is Christmas cards & emails.

Technorati Tags: Christmas - Presents

Look, what's new?

2007-11-01T16:14:00.000+13:00

No you're not seeing things, Scott's Simple Life is undergoing a makeover.

One of my goals while on holiday's was to re-design my blog; more colours, a second sidebar. I was getting bored of the old theme. Unfortunately I cannot take the credit for the design; after much googleing, I found a theme which was compatible with the new blogger system.

I still have a few things to be add, but it should be all done within a few days (I hope).

So sit back & enjoy Scott's Simple Life, just like you did before.

Technorati Tags: Make Over - Design

English is easy

2007-10-30T13:43:00.000+13:00

Do You Think English is Easy???

Can you read these right the first time?

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present ..

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France.
Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese?
One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane.
In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. - Why doesn't "Buick" rhyme with "quick"

You lovers of the English language might enjoy this

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is "UP."

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?

We call UP our friends. And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP
the house and some guys fix UP the old car. At other times the little
word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses. To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP. We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.

We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP! To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions. I f you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more. When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP! . When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP

When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP.

When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP.

One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP , so........... it is time to shut UP.....!

Oh . one more thing:

What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at
night? U-P

Technorati Tags: English - Language

Holiday time

2007-10-29T13:15:00.000+13:00

Well this is day 1 of my 10 day break. At this stage there's no plans for going away anywhere, just enjoy being home with the family & get a few projects done, or at least work on them.

My first goal is not sleeping in too long in the mornings. I'm used to getting up at 5:30am on weekdays, so I don't want to get in the habit of getting up late, otherwise when it comes to going back to work next Wednesday, I'm going to find it too hard to get up.

This morning I got up at 7:50am, so if I can keep the same pattern for the next 9 days, I'll be happy with that.

Today we have a friend coming over for lunch before he heads off to Sydney on Wednesday.

One other thing I want to avoid is doing too much or too little with the time I have off. I don't know about you but I sometimes find that when I'm on holiday's I try & do too much stuff & then end up feeling stuffed, or on the other hand, not doing anything in particular & feeling like I've wasted my time off; where's the balance.

How do you normally spend your holiday's? Do you always have to go away, or can you have just as much time at home?

Technorati Tags: Holidays

Just call me Coach

2007-10-26T02:37:00.000+13:00

Tomorrow is my last day of work before I take some holidays. Its not long, but I'm sure I'll enjoy my ten day break & go back to work feeling refreshed.

In preparation for my break I have to train a replacement driver to do my run. This means more concentration as I make sure I show him all he needs to know about how my run works, & while I enjoyed the company today, it was a little more tiring.

I remember when I was learning how to do the run eight months ago; there was SO much information to remember & I wondered how I was ever going to get the hang of it; the difference was I had a week of training whereas he has only two days. I guess there's extra work for both trainer & trainee.

Do you remember training for a job & wondering how you would learn so much stuff in a limited time frame. Allot of people give up before giving something a decent go; I usually find that once you have put in a little bit of hard work, it all falls into place & suddenly seems so easy.

Technorati Tags: Training - Courier

Never let go

2007-10-26T02:10:00.000+13:00

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His father, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could.

Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him.

From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go.

A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let you go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you.
The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not and will not ever let you go.
Please pass this on to those you love. God has blessed you, so that you can be a blessing to others. You just never know where a person is in his/her life and what they are going through.
Never judge another person's scars, because you don't know how they got them. Also, it is so important that we are not selfish, to receive the blessings of these messages, without forwarding them to someone else.

Right now, someone needs to know that God loves them, and you love them, too - enough to not let them go

Always Tell Your Family And Friends How Much You Love Them!!!

Technorati Tags: Stories

How do you???

2007-10-23T02:36:00.000+13:00

Here is a bit of light humor for the start of the week.

1. How Do You Catch a Unique Rabbit?
Unique Up On It.

2. How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit?
Tame Way, Unique Up On It.

3. How Do Crazy People Go Through The Forest ?
They Take The Psycho Path

4. How Do You Get Holy Water?
You Boil The Hell Out Of It.

5. What Do Fish Say When They Hit a Concrete Wall?
Dam!

6. What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long?
Polaroid's

7. What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't work?
A Stick

8.. What Do You Call Cheese That Isn't Yours?
Nacho Cheese.

9.. What Do You Call Santa's Helpers?
Subordinate Clauses.

10. What Do You Call Four Bullfighters In Quicksand?
Quattro Sinko..

11. What Do You Get From a Pampered Cow?
Spoiled Milk.

12. What Do You Get When You Cross a Snowman With a Vampire?
Frostbite.

13. What Lies At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches?
A Nervous Wreck.

14. What's The Difference Between Roast Beef And Pea Soup?
Anyone Can Roast Beef.

15. Where Do You Find a Dog With No Legs?
Right Where You Left Him.

16. Why Do Gorillas Have Big Nostrils?
Because They Have Big Fingers.

17. Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive?
Because It Scares The Dog.

18. What Kind Of Coffee Was Served On The Tita nic?
Sanka

19. What Is The Difference Between a Harley And a Hoover ?
The Location Of The Dirt Bag.

20. Why Did Pilgrims' Pants Always Fall Down?
Because They Wore Their Belt Buckle On Their Hat.

21. What's The Difference Between a Bad Golfer And a Bad Skydiver?
A Bad Golfer Goes, Whack, Dang!
A Bad Skydiver Goes Dang! Whack.

22. How Are a Texas Tornado And a Tennessee Divorce The Same?
Somebody's Gonna Lose A Trailer

Technorati Tags: Humor - Jokes

I'm Baaack

2007-10-20T19:21:00.000+13:00

Yes my blogging has been dormant for the past ten days; no I have not been away and no, I have not been too busy.

On Friday, October 12th at 8pm, something happened; I have absolutely no idea what, how or why; our computer crashed and I don't just mean that it froze; it completely crashed, system failure, access denied, goodnight. After several attempts at re booting the system, I gave up in disgust & packed it up ready to go into the shop the next morning.

The technician attempted to log in to the system but kept getting error messages; he said the only solution was a complete re installation of the operating system.

I was thinking about upgrading to a bigger hard-drive anyway, but was putting it off due to cost, so I thought I might as well get that done while it was there, plus new anti-virus software.

So even though it was really bad timing, we now have a fresh clutter free system, with double the hard-drive space, and it's much quicker too.

The only problem now is that I have to go & re-install all the different programmes we had, if I can remember them all. Thankfully all our documents, photo's, video's etc, we all recovered.

Hopefully I can now get back into regular blogging again.

Btw, Firefox is much better than Explorer:)

Technorati Tags: Computers - Blogging - Microsoft

Fear

2007-10-11T02:55:00.000+13:00

Are there things that you're afraid of but you don't know why? Today during my morning run, I was confronted with something that made me afraid.

A light bulb had blown in one of the elevators in the city that I use every day at work, and so when the doors opened to let me in, I saw that it was dark inside & once the doors were to shut it would be even darker & I could not enter the elevator.

I don't think I'm afraid of the dark (although I wonder sometimes), & I'm up and down elevators all day. If there had have been someone else with me it would've been fine, but I could not step into that dark elevator by myself. In the end I waited a couple of minutes longer for the next elevator, that did have lights on.

It can be a little embarrassing as an adult telling people that you have a problem with dark places, but now that I think about it, there have been times in the past where I have been in similar situations with similar results. Perhaps this insight gives me something to work on.

So my next challenge is to conquer that elevator if it is dark again; I'll keep you posted.

Technorati Tags: Fear - Darkness - Elevators

Get out there & enjoy yourself

2007-10-11T02:17:00.000+13:00

Rodney Olsen from The Journey wrote a good post the other day about disciplining ourselves to do the things we love.

I was thinking about how true this has regularly been in my own life. There are so many things that I love to do, but for a long time have not pursued them, or made the time to do them.

Maybe if I re prioritise my spare time, I could use that time to do a few projects that I have loose ends with, or spend more time with my family.

There are so many other things in life that distract us from what we love to do, like the idiot box in the corner of the lounge, or sitting in front of the computer for hours on end (I have been known to do this on more than one occasion).

I think if we got out & made a conscious effort to do those things we enjoy, life would be allot more enjoyable. I'll make the effort if you will!

Technorati Tags: Discipline - Life

How will you be remembered?

2007-10-10T02:16:00.000+13:00

I was watching some footage of the funeral service for football star Chris Mainwaring on telly last night, and they showed a few snippets from the eulogy's given by his friends & family. Everyone was saying what they would remember him for & what was important to him in life.

This got me thinking what I would want people to remember me for. If I could write my own eulogy it would go something like this:

Scott had a love for life, he was a proud husband & father & gave his all to those he loved. He was a loyal, faithful friend to all those he met. He strived to serve God wholeheartedly & was always trying to be his best.

I'm not quite 29 years old so God willing I have a long way to go until this eulogy is required. It is interesting though to think about how you would want to be remembered. For now though, I have so much to do in life, this one can stay in the archives.

Technorati Tags: Death

Keep up to date

2007-10-06T19:55:00.000+13:00

This week has been a little lacking in the blogging arena. I put this down to time, & tiredness. When I come home from work there's family stuff to do like dinner, dishes, bathing baby & then there are TV shows that I like to watch.

Sometimes the mind wants to do one thing but a tired body often has it's way.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, & would like to be kept informed when I've posted something, without having to check all the time, can I encourage you to use on e of the subscription options in the sidebar.

Entering your email address will send you no more than one email per day from Feedburner to let you know that I've updated. If I don't update you won't get an email.

If you use a feed reader such as Bloglines, just click on the link on the sidebar or at the end of each post to choose your feed reader to use.

I'll try to update as often as I can. Thanks for being part of Scott's Simple Life.

Technorati Tags: Blogging - Subscribe