Intermittent Me

Okay. I'd been toying with getting a fully paid account around here, and then I learned of yet another LJ idiocy: the Great Redirect Debacle.

I'm not sure I want to hand over my cash to a group that does things like this (intentionally or unintentionally--screwing up like this accidentally is just as bad as doing it on purpose). I've been looking into Dreamwidth, and I know some of y'all are on it as well. So: what do you think? Pros and cons when compared w/LJ? Worth coughing up the cash since any avenues I've chased up for a code have resulted in nothing?

I figure I'd echo the title of my previous post. WHICH WAS WRITTEN FROM NYC.

...Sorry.

Anyway, in Sydney with friends, caught the last performance of Top Gear Live (Cars! On fire!) which was a V-day present from the Mister, about to have breakfast because I'm starving. Even though I had brilliant Greek food last night in slightly embarrassing quantities.

Anyway, I am, in fact, alive, and doing well, and vaguely wishing I lived in Newtown, a section of Sydney (like saying Williamsburg in Brooklyn).

Must go now! Writer needs food badly.

I'm doing NaNo. I'll post word count updates here. It'll be weird this year, as I have evening commitments that'll eat my night writing time, but I do have Mondays and Fridays somewhat free.

Also, as a side note, I hate iTunes. Wish I weren't tethered to it by an iPod.

I know I owe an Audi A3 post. But I've gone and done something very, very--well, very something.

I've applied for a reality show.

I'm good at blathering, might as well try to be famous Down Under, no?

The Audi A3 sportback rocks. And has astonishingly good fuel mileage. I did the math--we traveled about 240km in total; I only had to put in 23L to fill the tank up again. That's less than 10L/100km, or, in numbers my brain can properly grasp, about 33 mpg. And about 40-60km was on windy mountain roads.

Yes, I took that detour on purpose. Twice.

Driving on the left didn't weird me out anywhere near as much as I'd feared. I settled into sitting on the right with little trouble--no issues keeping the car centered in a lane, no problems not jumping curbs (kerbs) on my left side.

I did get a little anxious at roundabouts, only because I'm still getting accustomed to them and fear crossing traffic flow with disastrous results.

Much like what happened today! I was waiting to cross the street to get to my bus stop; a station wagon was making a right (I honestly can't remember if he had the light, but I suspect he did), and a tiny little Yaris-type didn't yield. And WHAM. It pushed the station wagon so hard that it jumped the curb--straight at me. Had I not backshuffled like a maniac, I would have ended up in the hospital. Would have had more to worry about than my knees.

The Yaris-alike's airbag went off. From the force of the impact, he braked very late. Fortunately, though, no one was seriously hurt.

I am still trying to divest myself of residual adrenaline. Whrk.

Anyway. Been thinking about posting a Clarkson-like review of the A3 because I'd find it amusing. We'll see how that goes.

One day I will get the hang of regularity.

Put away the Metamucil jokes, please.

I'll have to sort out just when was the last time I posted and reply to responses left on that post, because I know I've got pending ones.

I'm just really bad at this keeping up with things...thing. I wonder, is procrastination genetic? Or maybe I just get too easily distracted oooh shiny!

(Things are going much the same over here, the weather's cooling down, and I might be doing some album cover designs for folks at the drum school I'm going to. I think I mentioned I was learning the drums, no?)

For reference, see original post.

Gryph writes:
"If you want a topic, though, fine--post about your progress on your BBC submission. That way it'll help motivate you. :) And you can harangue me about it as well when I reply, so that'll motivate me in turn."


Well, we kinda know how this has gone. We're already in the 20s on a February, and while I could throw out a rough draft for a radio play in three days, it takes a bit longer to actually sculpt it into something worth reading/hearing. But I just took a look at the page, and hot-damn if it ain't a 31 March deadline. And a month and a week is tenable. It'll be like NanoWrimo in its own way.

So, that said...I dunno. I think I'm going to dredge back into my old grad student exercises and see what arises, which means I won't be able to say what I'll be doing until I actually dredge up some stuff from the siltstands of my mind. I suspect it'll eventually be something about being in a new place, or dealing with a feeling of having wasted one's life (I'm all right, it's simply a topic), or something completely different. I'll keep folks updated, though.

If you are considering buying a new Canon printer, or if you see a sweet deal on a Canon printer (particularly in the Pixma line), ( throttle yourself immediately with the nearest heavy object. )

Brilliant. In so many ways. Friend/host is incredibly kind and welcomed me to use his computer, so I will post, but only briefly. I can fill in details later.

Cool:
-Train to Brisbane airport.
-Security at BNE (I know).
-Flight to Sydney (brief, pleasant, missed most of it due to napping).
-Meeting up with Friend at train station.
-Getting real Mexican food for lunch OMG: 3 tacos, pork, chicken, and beef.
-King Street. Seriously, look it up, I am in love.
-Bus to downtown that clipped a car, so I walked from Queen Victoria Building to Sydney Opera House.
-Hearing a clearly Midwestern family excitedly decide that they want to see an opera at the Opera House because, well, they're there, dammit--and get excellent seats to The Magic Flute.
-Getting super-last-minute ticket to see Judith Lucy, Australian comedian (quite good!)
-Sitting next to British woman who asks why I'm in Sydney, and who responds with real enthusiasm when I explain it's for Top Gear Live.
-Night photos of Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House!
-Lovely train ride back to King Street.
-Outstanding steak and kidney pie for dinner.
-Cornetto!

NOT cool:
-Dropping futon-couch on toe whilst wrangling into folded out position. Ice required. Still hurting; suspect bone bruise, but probably no break.

More later. Cheers!

I am debating whether or not to join Twitter--not necessarily to post continuously (though this might help break long radio silences), but to read up on other people's Twitters. I know folks on my f-list have Twitter accounts, and so does Jeremy Clarkson, which is another reason I'm considering joining.

Thoughts?