Scoop

11pm and all's well. My heel still a little sore at times and of course it's annoying to think that I may have to ban myself from the gym for a little while until it heals up. Just not sure it's up to a full-on Bodypump just yet. It was really quite freaky to walk across the rocks and sand at Brooms Head with my sandal slippery with my own blood - watching the red drops left on the rocks etc.
Anyway, watched Scoop (Woody Allen) tonight. Not a bad flick - plot kind of OK - Hugh Jackman and Scarlett Johannsen making a very attractive couple so easy on the eyes.
Now watching the end of Later with Jools Holland on ABC2 - kind of good stuff that I could get into the habit of watching if I didn't fall asleep by this time of a Friday.
We drove to the Jacksons to pick up my car from them this afternoon (having lent it so Lynette could get over to Bob & Jean's while we were away) and then I went to Aldi Oxley, mainly to buy an advertised whiteboard for $99. Turns out they sold out today which was pretty darn frustrating! I still loved the whole multicultural experience of shopping among a huge range of accents and overseas styles.
Al has finally got a Facebook page set up and has about 30 Friends so far. Good stuff!
Verity seems to be taking more of an interest in reading which is good. I read The Bear by Raymond Briggs to her tonight for what must surely be more than the hundredth time, but I guess it's all good. She's also into "Beanie Kids", the latest trend in separating parents from their money.
Declan also has a few BKs for some strange reason. He spent a lot of time today working on a huge origami creation for Verity's birthday coming up soon - good concentration and I hope they're both happy with it.
Looks like Al has finally convinced me to buy a kitten for us. I'm still very concerned about the practicalities of this (looking after it when we want to go away, expenses, etc) but it could be good for the kids in terms of advancing their sense of responsibility, etc.
Still haven't finished my school work yet and that's annoying but it's been a matter of willpower which I've failed. I guess there's always tomorrow, though I do wish I was heading off on Long Service Leave like Daven and wagging Term 4 altogether.
Very sleepy now so will head off. Finally finished my last chessmaniac game today with a long draw against a stronger player, so I'm happy with that. One less distraction, I guess. Ciao for now.

Little and often

Hi ho, got to try to keep this diary going with entries which are probably smaller and more frequent.
What am I doing now? Watching Friday night NRL - one game going well, the other one not so well for tipping purposes. I'm currently 4th in this year's comp, but anything could happen this weekend. Al and kids have gone to bed.
What happened today? Took 16 boys from years 4 to 12 to last Chess tournament of year at Macgregor State School. Kids all did OK, if not spectacularly well. Highlight was Mark Bird beating the Churchie #1 - an awesome sight and well-deserved. A few other missed opportunities were less great. Still, everyone got at least a win or two, which is the main thing.
How's Alison? A little cranky tonight but probably tired after a long week. I know I am too and will be hitting the sack soon.
How's Dec? Not bad. Did great again in UNSW Science test the other day - another HD, only kid at his primary school to get one. Pretty remarkable. Soccer is all over - only the breakup on Sunday to come - and I think we're all fairly happy about that. I'll try to go to a bodypump class at the gym in the morning anyway. I was up very early today, worried about the excursion and also all the Yr 10 RAVE stuff to organise for today. All got done in time - just.
I'm still seething somewhat about the excursion I ran on Tuesday with all Yr 10s to St John's Cathedral. I was pretty happy with most aspects but very unhappy to see about 37 kids who had given back forms saying they were going, fail to turn up, citing 'being sick', having a Dr appt or just 'parent permission'. Allowing for those kids meant that we hired three buses instead of two and had basically too many staff going, costing the school more money -probably close to a thousand bucks all up. Grrr. Gave the teachers lots of chocolates today to give to the kids who went on the excursion and exclude the baddies. Vindictive? Maybe!
How's Ver? Usual great little Friday ballerina. Still struggles to stay in her own bed all night. Has frequently turned up in ours in recent weeks, which is fine except for interrupting our sleep if she rolls into us or sticks her hand underneath one of us etc. Would also like to see her reading by herself, but I guess we can be patient with that.
Big weekend coming up - finally seeing The Idea of North tomorrow night at the Powerhouse. Hope it's good. Sunday is Father's Day and packed with action of Church, Phil's "divorce liturgy" whatever that becomes and the soccer breakup. I've had at least two other invitations to do things on the day, which won't be happening!
OK, might be sleepy bobo time. Still playing a lot of chessmaniac, but I am fairly determined to let the current games be the last for quite a while - they are really soaking up too much time at present. Ciao ciao.

All sorts of stuff

Hi ho, Sunday night. Weekend disappeared yet again. At least some of it was productive - Magazine report for chess club, drafting etc, and on the home front, finally got around to cleaning and partly oiling the pool deck which was looking a bit overdue. Will try to get home early tomorrow to finish it off.
Declan away on cub camp all weekend. Had to drive to Sandgate and back Friday night, and same this afternoon - 2 hr round trip each time. Still, seems like he had a lot of fun, and of course any time spent away from family is good experience for a young lad, I would argue. Didn't get into too many scrapes by the sound of it.
Still going with the Chess Fiends on chessmaniac.com. Had an awesome win over a guy where I sacrificed my Queen with only a slim likelihood of success, but it came together and I prevailed. I resigned my other game against him, but it was the kind of buzz that chess like this is meant to create.
What else? This week is going to be big. Ekka day on Wednesday so a day off to do marking and get ready for the days afterwards. Thursday night we are heading up to Toowoomba to see the TGS production of JC Superstar and then I have to be at Brisbane airport next morning at the appalling time of 5am for a 6am flight to Sydney then Adelaide for an Anglican conference. Hope I can sleep on the plane or at least not stay out late on the Friday. Never been to Adelaide before but looking forward to it - won't be much time to look around though, I suspect. We get back 7.30 Sunday night and then straight back into school on Monday, so no time to fool around.
OK, better hit the sack - but I should mention we had Bp Tom Frame preaching again at church this morning and it was one of the greatest sermons I've heard in a long, long time. Admittedly, he was at least partly plugging his latest book 'Losing my Religion' but by golly, I'm going to buy a copy because it sounds great. He didn't have any with him today because he says they don't actually come out until Friday, but I'll be on it when they do, you bet. Ciao now.

Spooks

Just watched the final in this series of Spooks. What a top show it has become, after maybe a couple of dodgy years here and there. Despite the unlikely subject matter, they do a great job of convincing us these kinds of things can happen around us (espionage, bombs going off, etc.) Hope it's not long before the next series is shown (and hope that it's not long before then).
Still continuing my good run of chessmaniac games for the Chess Fiends. Thought I'd completely blown one in my grasp today against rudi111 (who turns out to be a female Canadian) but I have it back in hand now. Still, I'm going to get clobbered soon in one of the other games, so happy to have seen my rating get up to 1605 today.
Saw Kates at Mum's tonight. She was here to get her kids before heading back to Sydney tomorrow. Looks well enough to me, which is good. Cooktown festival went well for all concerned. She was on the phone to Damian at one point and returned to report that he'd made $3000 on the stockmarket today! Golly, and this is the composer and arts writer living in a tiny flat with two kids. It's a mad world.
School was good today. Strugnells gave me the 2 bookcases from Sheila Dawson yesterday and I got kids to carry them into the office today, along with numerous cases of books to the library. An awesome collection. I have adopted a couple of books from the pile yesterday, including a book on David Rowbotham by John Strugnell himself, and some Bruce Dawe books, including one called 'An Eye for A Tooth' which is inscribed, 'Dear Sheila, Thanks for suggesting the title of this book' - Bruce Dawe 1968! Now, I rate both of those as small literary treasures of which I can see worth that others may not so I'm keeping them safe and sound right here.
Was seriously considering going to the gym tomorrow (first time since knee op) but probably too late to get out my gear now - Al asleep etc, and the more sleep for me, the better at present.
More funny stories to come tomorrow, I would say. Night night from me.

Tipping

My little nephew and niece Felix and Maggie are in town and staying at my Mum's. Maggie is a great little kid - I think she's about 3. Felix is about 5 and pretty demanding. I hope he doesn't get diagnosed as hyperactive down the track, but it wouldn't surprise me if he does. He is very impulsive with not a lot of obedience when it comes to being told to be quieter or to do things. Hope my mum can survive the weekend! They'll be at the other grandparents' place tomorrow then we'll pop over to see Kates and co again on Monday afternoon.
Thought I was a clever footy tipper again today when Raiders wacked the Broncos 56-0 but lost the feeling again after 2 massive losses by other favourites. At least virtually everyone else tipped the same as me, so no drama but I don't see myself soaring up the ladder by the end of the season.
Played a lot of chess for my team on chessmaniac this week - probably a bit too much and I'm certainly cutting down. So far so good with results but I still have 14 games active now and there will inevitably be some losses there.
Took all 4 kids to some Prep kid's birthday today, held at Rowdy Rascals at Jindalee. It was very noisy indeed inside and I was already feeling a bit headachey before we arrived. The dad gave us some vouchers for drinks which was good. Had some chats with Jamie S, old Anglican Youth figure from way back - now the father of 7 kids. I remember he and Tammy marrying very young - probably one of the first AYM couples to get married - but they're still together, so there you go. Didn't get a lot out of him except that having 7 kids is pretty darn hard and makes travel virtually impossible! Apparently Tammy brings the kids to school on the BCC bus each morning, etc.
Very happy with the way the Curriculum Review is looking at school. Consultant seems to know her stuff, and I am hopeful we will actually be able to position the school in a way which sets us up for many years to come.
Have now discussed LSL options with quite a few people, but we actually have no solid plans. Al still hasn't heard back from the job she went for last week, so we don't know if we are in place for a sudden income boost or not. Am following a travel blog from a colleague who is off on his own LSL trip around the US and Canada with his wife at present. I feel jealous as anything but also still hopeful that we will be able to get over there next year sometime. Better start getting a passport together first.
Time for some bed and read a bit of Book Thief if I can. C u soon.

Sunday night fever

Sunday school / church not bad. Saw Mum for a while then home. Al not well but Tommy came to take kids to park for a while as payback for looking after their kids yesterday so all good. Watched Eastwood's Gran Tarino in a couple of parts while kids were away - enjoyed it quite a lot, probably more than Million Dollar Baby. He's just a very good director who knows what he's doing and doesn't make things too tricky. I don't know that it took me to any new emotional peaks, but it was good all the same. Catholic priest figure doesn't come out of it too badly either.
Still a bit worried about the curric review meeting tomorrow, but I'll have a decent half hour at least to get my act together, and it doesn't look like I'm going first so hopefully someone else will have softened them up. I suspect that RAVE is an area I will be able to make look good in terms of what we're doing, but of course I'm much more concerned about whether these consultants are looking at the overall WMAC strategy of having a sense of community and common purpose driving all we do etc. Hope I can express that in reasonable terms to them.
Anyway, better head to bed so I'm at least a little fresh tomorrow. Playing a fair amount of online chess at present - probably too much so better cool off over next few days. Chatted a bit with some of my chessmaniac team-mates tonight, including Martin from France. Weird discussion about Men at Work and Peter Garrett - amazing which Australians are known overseas!
Reading Zusak's The Book Thief - still not sure what I make of it so far. Ciao for now.

Footy and chess

Playing some interesting Chess games on chessmaniac tonight. Trying to get into games for my Team, the Chess Fiends (a strange name but not the strangest on the site). I'm OK at longer Chess games but absolutely useless at anything of 15 mins and under, I've decided - I must need time to think!
Broncos lost to Rabbitohs tonight - first time Souths have won at Suncorp since 1990! Only one person at work tipped it, and it wasn't me. Not a great year for tipping. Watching Titans play Bulldogs now and looks like I'm going to be 2 losses down for the weekend - great (not).
Yr 10 multimedia spectacular lesson on Church history and Martin Luther went really well, I thought. Ran out of time in the end, but not badly.
Also enjoyed watching rest of the Gallipoli movie with Yr 11. It's been quite a while since I've seen the whole thing. I don't think I'd noticed before that David Williamson, the screenwriter, gets a cameo as a lanky Victorian soldier playing in a scratch AFL game against the Western Australians. Most kids had seen the film before but I think were still shocked with the final moments. Amazing film, definitely one of Australia's best ever.
Another good film on TV right now is Insomnia which I'm pretty sure I saw at the cinema many years ago. What a cast: Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank - wow! Can't remember much about the plot but Williams comes across as a formidable match for Pacino both in terms of their characters and as actors (imho).
Really need to have some time with Al to have a serious planning discussion about her 40th this year. She wants something special and by golly, she's going to get it. I think she wanted to be surprised at one stage, but I always think that's a bit risky. Think of that great scene in the surprisingly good In Good Company where Dennis Quaid walks into the 'surprise' party he knows is happening, wearing just his underwear - and proceeds to flash his butt at the guests - great stuff!
I'm thinking dinner at a small restaurant followed by hiring a whole cinema at the Blue Moon at Rosalie for watching something with friends and then going around the corner to one of the numerous cafes at Rosalie afterwards. Then we fly to Melbourne for a day or so. That's my plan anyway, but I'm happy to discuss it. My 'secret' present (or one of them) could be getting Al's uni graduation pictures finally printed, and her degree framed. I'm sure she'd also like some more Pandora jewellery for her bracelet, but maybe that should wait for Christmas... not sure.
Anyway, it's pretty bizarre that we haven't had much chance to have such a discussion recently - too busy and then we fall asleep in front of TV.
Must have a good sleep tonight and let all parts of my body do some healing! Throat still not great. Last steristrips came off knee today, which looks and feels fine to my way of thinking. Keep forgetting to do my 50-100 daily straight leg lifts, but I guess I could do them now. Looking forward to Saturday morning as always, especially with a late soccer game for Dec. Night night.

First day down

Well, to recap on Monday first, a student-free PD day. I came away thinking, wow, that was a really inspiring day! The govt has given us $3 million to build a multi-function centre which will revolutionise all sorts of activities at school; they've stuck up lots more colourful shade-sails all over the place which have actually brightened the place up while simultaneously actually making my main classroom a little darker with the lights off, which is good when using the data projector - still no blinds or curtains on the horizon despite years of lobbying.
Our new Head of Library has redesigned and organised the renovation of the library into a bright, comfortable space which appeals to all; she's also created a new website which allows students and staff more interactivity and looks great.
Our new chaplain Lizzie has started us off with an outstanding first service which was professional, engaging, smooth and basically demonstrated the best of an Anglican service. I loved it.
Following some debates in HODs meetings last term, the school is simply getting smarter all the time and taking active steps towards emailing parents a link to the online weekly newsletter rather than tying up photocopiers for a whole day and creating literally hundreds of newsletters, dozens of which never make it home! The money we will save in this way is extraordinary, and should have happened a long time ago.
Yet more good news: the school is finally going to be able to tap into a fibre-optic cable for Internet purposes, kissing goodbye to painful years of dropouts and interference to microwave links and other cables. Teachers were literally punching the sky with that one!
So all in all, a day of tremendous progress and positivity! Just wish I was a little healthier at present to enjoy it more.
Classes have started OK and thank goodness tomorrow is my day of one duty and only one period of teaching, so my voice should get a good rest and I can get a lot of other DVD burning and photocopying done, fingers crossed.
Sitting here watching the end of 'He's Just Not That Into You' - well, a chick flick par excellence with a few funny scenes admittedly - still not really something I can see myself rewatching much!
Also just had a close chess win against a guy who lost on time but it could have gone either way. If you're playing a 30min or shorter game, it certainly helps to build up a time advantage if you can. 'Slow' players will suffer. No more chess tonight, though.
OK, bed time, dudes.

Down a bit

Made a poor decision just now to finish the day with a game of chess at freechess.org - what a mistake. I lost narrowly on time after being in a good position - very disappointed. It tells me that I must try hard to go cold turkey from online chess for as long as possible. What surprises me is that I can win pretty regularly on other sites, but freechess just has too many good players. Particularly when I'm playing under time pressure, I'm just not up to it. I know I should just harden up, but it was a mistake to play it - it just makes me blue!

The day otherwise was quite productive. More Dance clips transferred to DVD, other DVDs copied for school. Lots done on a Powerpoint on Church history for 10 RAVE - wondering why I never did it before! Saw lots of Youtube today too - some great pieces on Luther including raps and polkas which I hope to use; more theist/atheist issues elsewhere - how people have the time to go wandering through Youtube doing nothing but making negative or abusive comments on people's sites disturbs me. Added lots to my favourites for use soon.

Went to chiropractor again tonight with family. As usual, torn between hoping the treatment helps me feel good, and wondering if it really does anything at all - increasingly concerned about the cost as well. Can we afford it? Al will quote my dad and say, 'You can't argue with results.'

Speaking of money, we go to see our new financial planner on Friday and I'll be pretty interested to hear what he suggests, given the GFC etc. Must admit I entered the massive OzLotto record jackpot yesterday, and no, I didn't win $53 million like some other people, but I did get a $13.20 Division 7 prize. Unfortunately my ticket cost $25, so what does this teach you?

Good Chaser and good M. Jackson expose doco on tonight. Good to see a critical Jackson story just keeping the balance there this week, too. What a life.

With good wishes for another solid workday tomorrow,
Goodnight from me.