The totally off-topic thread

[tuapekastar]

I thought about starting a new thread but thought hey The TOTT needs a hand along so I've decided to post here.

Tomorrow we start moving house and try to get organized toward having 24 adults and 7 kids for Christmas lunch. :shock:

Being Christmas and knowing how Telstra works we don't know when we'll have a land line phone working again let alone an ADSL connection. This may or may not mean that I/we have no access to the net for a while. Only Telsta knows how long a while is though I suspect that even they have no idea.

That being the case, Sue & I would like to get in early and wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a SAFE and Happy New Year.

Keep the forum working well and prospering and we'll be back when ever we get an internet connection again.

Thanks, and wishing you and Sue and family all the very best too Bill. I do hope Telstra surprises me and does things efficiently for you! And good luck with your hosting!

And all the very best to all other AFFers and theirs! I know it's nearly a week till Xmas but seeing straitman has, out of necessity, kicked things off I may as well keep them going!

 

[Bundy Bear]

I thought about starting a new thread but thought hey The TOTT needs a hand along so I've decided to post here.

Tomorrow we start moving house and try to get organized toward having 24 adults and 7 kids for Christmas lunch. :shock:

Being Christmas and knowing how Telstra works we don't know when we'll have a land line phone working again let alone an ADSL connection. This may or may not mean that I/we have no access to the net for a while. Only Telsta knows how long a while is though I suspect that even they have no idea.

That being the case, Sue & I would like to get in early and wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas and a SAFE and Happy New Year.

Keep the forum working well and prospering and we'll be back when ever we get an internet connection again.

Enjoy the house move Bill; and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all AFFers.

 

[anat0l]

As some of us here (specifically those who attended the last AFF BNE Drinks) might know, I recently had to move office.

More specifically, our institute occupies levels 4-7 of our building. I occupied a space in an open plan area on level 4. It was quite nice as my spot was only one of two in the area which overlooked the UQ lakes.

The open plan areas plus a bit more on Level 4 is being redeveloped, so all of us in the open areas have had to relocate. For most of us, this means the fishbowl two floors up.

So I spent the good part of Wednesday moving all my stuff up two floors. Being the one who has been there the longest in the open area, this means I had quite a lot of stuff to move. It did give me a small chance to clean up, however.

I spent a good deal of today helping others relocate their stuff as well, including a few other academics who have had to change offices due to the remodelling.

Lots of fun.

On the other hand, we did score some furniture left behind by one of our fellow centres, however disassembling, carefully moving through hallways and lifts, followed by reassembling two three-part corner desk units was a challenge at times. Even for the likes of three engineers....

 

[Shano]

Good luck with the move straitman, I don't envy you.

Let me also add my best wishes to all AFF members for the festive season and hope that everyone has a prosperous 2009.

We hit the road tomorrow morning for our drive to Stanthorpe (Mrs Shano's family this year) for Christmas - spending a few days in a cabin in Girraween National Park, so highly unlikely to have internet access for a week or so.

Cheers!!

 

[serfty]

On Wednesday my Telstra home 'phone line stopped working ... strangely ADSL continued to work.

I put a call in 7pm Wednesday evening (after doing isolation tests etc when I arrived home) and they acknowledged the fault.

A techo visited yesterday around 4pm and fossicked around in the pit outside (underground cabling). He declared to Jenny he has found the fault; but apparently they have to dig up a neighbour's garden to sort it out! :shock:

For this to happen, due process needs to be followed and we may not have a home 'phone line for a week or two.

To top matters off; since the techo's visit, my ADSL has stopped working as well. :evil: I am supposed to be "on call" this weekend and need to arrange an alternative means of Web access (for VPN). My current back up is Dial-up but this is obviously not an option.

 

[straitman]

On Wednesday my Telstra home 'phone line stopped working ... strangely ADSL continued to work.

I put a call in 7pm Wednesday evening (after doing isolation tests etc when I arrived home) and they acknowledged the fault.

A techo visited yesterday around 4pm and fossicked around in the pit outside (underground cabling). He declared to Jenny he has found the fault; but apparently they have to dig up a neighbour's garden to sort it out! :shock:

For this to happen, due process needs to be followed and we may not have a home 'phone line for a week or two.

To top matters off; since the techo's visit, my ADSL has stopped working as well. :evil: I am supposed to be "on call" this weekend and need to arrange an alternative means of Web access (for VPN). My current back up is Dial-up but this is obviously not an option.

serfty,

We had a similar problem with our phone line several months ago and I was on call. The 'answer' from Telstra when I attempted to hasten the repair was that if I was that important to my employer then they should provide me with a Satellite phone. The guy just didn't get it when I said all that I really wanted was the service from Telstra that I was paying for :!:

 

[QF WP]

Well it looks like we will have to rely on ringing or sending SMS's to your trusty mobiles for Xmas this year straitman and serfty. I wouldn't be holding my breath in getting either fixed prior to Xmas.

Best of luck on the move, straitman, loved the photo's of the new house. Love to both Mrs straitman and Mrs serfty

 

[simongr]

Good luck with the move - I will keep the Amex thread ticking over whilst you are offline

 

[Keith009]

Looks like the straitmans aren't the only people moving. I am currently in the midst of looking for a new apartment as my landlord has decided that she wants to move back into my current place. :evil: Mum and dad has urged me to buy a house but I only have 6 weeks before I have to fly off for another trip AND move out of my current place. So I'm going to rent for another year.

Surprisingly the rental market is still as competitive as it was 2 years ago despite a slowdown in the housing market. I am even searching up north in the wilderness of the People's Republics of Fitzroy or Brunswick East now...:shock: Though it looks so cheap there that I can afford a nice comfy 2 bedroom place with what I'm looking to pay. At least those are the nice, trendy bits of the north...

Oh and of course - Merry Christmas everybody, and have a great 09. Safe travels! We're gonna have a Christmas Eve picnic barbie at the Botanical Gardens this year with 2 different types of caviar, followed by my annual Christmas Eve "Strictly no Adults or under 13s " sleepover/piss up featuring lots of Salon and Champagne Charlie '85, and of course lots more food on Christmas Day including the pudding i made and 8 different types of cookies and candies my aunt baked. Oh i love the festive season...

 

[Flashback]

Looks like the straitmans aren't the only people moving. I am currently in the midst of looking for a new apartment as my landlord has decided that she wants to move back into my current place. :evil: Mum and dad has urged me to buy a house but I only have 6 weeks before I have to fly off for another trip AND move out of my current place. So I'm going to rent for another year.

Surprisingly the rental market is still as competitive as it was 2 years ago despite a slowdown in the housing market. I am even searching up north in the wilderness of the People's Republics of Fitzroy or Brunswick East now...:shock: Though it looks so cheap there that I can afford a nice comfy 2 bedroom place with what I'm looking to pay. At least those are the nice, trendy bits of the north...

Oh and of course - Merry Christmas everybody, and have a great 09. Safe travels! We're gonna have a Christmas Eve picnic barbie at the Botanical Gardens this year with 2 different types of caviar, followed by my annual Christmas Eve "Strictly no Adults or under 13s " sleepover/piss up, and of course lots more food on Christmas Day including the pudding i made and 8 different types of cookies and candies my aunt baked. Oh i love the festive season...

There's a seat reserved for me, right?

Merry Christmas to all, and bah humbug to the rest! Here's hoping for an excellent new year that will be somewhat better than the last.

 

[Keith009]

There's a seat reserved for me, right?

You might have to join the waitlist.

 

[Flashback]

You might have to join the waitlist.

Even if I give you my reservation @ Tetsuya's?

 

[Keith009]

Even if I give you my reservation @ Tetsuya's?

For THE event of the year on the social calendar of my family and friends, rendering complete social annihilation of anyone who doesn't show up after being invited - when we're full, we're full.

Though I must say it's tempting to include you in this year's Truth/Dare/Double Dare/Promise to Repeat.

 

[JohnK]

Another Friday night spent at BNE airport and majority of flights delayed again. Lesson to be learned is not to travel the same day as me as you are almost guaranteed to have delays.

Off to get another Pure Blonde and maybe help cure, more like suppress, the anger, sadness and boredom....

 

[Evan]

Another Friday night spent at BNE airport and majority of flights delayed again. Lesson to be learned is not to travel the same day as me as you are almost guaranteed to have delays.

Off to get another Pure Blonde and maybe help cure, more like suppress, the anger, sadness and boredom....

Not too many pure blondes there

I think i had too many beers last night.... 3 people, 36 bottles beer + a bottle of JD :shock:

Alice Bar in Dalian China is a bad bad place

E

 

[JohnK]

Not too many pure blondes there

True but there will not be too many Pure Blondes where I am going to tomorrow for the next 2 weeks. Dark skinned brunettes to carry my golf clubs and will have to get by on Calrsbergs, Tigers, Singhas and the occasional vodka and orange.

I think i had too many beers last night.... 3 people, 36 bottles beer + a bottle of JD :shock:

I was going to blame it on the silly season but I seem to drink too much on most nights. Although on a positive note there was 3 alcohol free days last week and 4 alcohol free days this week. There will not be any alcohol free days for the 15 days at least....

 

[Evan]

True but there will not be too many Pure Blondes where I am going to tomorrow for the next 2 weeks. Dark skinned brunettes to carry my golf clubs and will have to get by on Calrsbergs, Tigers, Singhas and the occasional vodka and orange.


I was going to blame it on the silly season but I seem to drink too much on most nights. Although on a positive note there was 3 alcohol free days last week and 4 alcohol free days this week. There will not be any alcohol free days for the 15 days at least....

Yes, not my normal style to have that many but it was over a good number of hours and we did not drink every last drop, also eating fruits etc during the night

There was blond around last night, a Ukrainian girl, and OMG she had some skills with that body of hers and her pole dancing.

E

 

[JohnK]

There was blond around last night, a Ukrainian girl, and OMG she had some skills with that body of hers and her pole dancing.

You see one of them in Thailand and you want to stay as far away as possible unless you want to become close friends with the Russian mafia. I hate close friends as they always ask for money and never pay it back....

 

[Evan]

You see one of them in Thailand and you want to stay as far away as possible unless you want to become close friends with the Russian mafia. I hate close friends as they always ask for money and never pay it back....

hahaha, yes well dont worry i stayed atleast a couple of feet away at all times .... but you know nice to watch
E

 

[drron]

Well go away for a week and everything happens.
It appears i was driving past the Hyde park Starbucks as beardoc was posting.
And today probably passed Shano as he drove to girraween whilst i was finishing the drive back from Sydney.
And a very merry christmas to all.
May the New Year bring all sorts of travel delights.