OK one more quick pre-wedding post

Got our test photo's back. Here's proof that if you take enough photos the most unphotogenic person can look reasonable!

I'm outie

I'm going here with my lovely new wife.

See you in a few weeks!

Tour time

For the uninitiated it's a bunch of guys (most of whom were on EPO's) riding, riding, riding some more. I didn't understand the hype. The first time I was forced to watch the tour I can clearly remember wondering why the commentators were getting so fire up about what looked like minor lead changes and breakaways that may or may not be caught. I especially didn't get the team aspect of the race. The tour is an all or nothing event for both rider and spectator. It only took me a few nights watching the tour three years ago to go from nothing to all. I don't really have too much to say other than if your not a fan try watching a few stages and once you understand a few of the many intricacies I guarantee you'll start to see what all the commotion is about.
Viva Le Tour.

Ipods cause musical ADHD

A few days ago it came to my attention that I have acquired Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Not the normal kind you see on A Current Affair but a new breed of Ipod ADHD. My condition became apparent on a recent trip to Nats parents house. I have moved most of my CD's to my parents house in preparation for my imminent departure from Boys house on the 21st but due to a nifty bit of CD reclamation from SB I had a few older CD's in the car. I didn't really feel like listening to an album but it was decided that we were going to listen to "August and everything after" one of my all time fav albums. The sort of album that you listen to so many times that you can sing along to every song without missing a beat. It's a musical journey with such a beautiful flow. It gave me such great joy, where had this musical joy gone. It was then that I realised that the MP3 musical revolution was to blame. Too many choices, too easy to flick, no order and no story. Further more we are witnessing a breakdown of the musical medium that has reached new lows in recent days. Consider the following;

concert = 2 hours, you listen to the whole thing
vinyl = 1 hour, fairly difficult to change songs
tape = 1 hour, can fast forward
CD = 1 hour, can skip song easily
Ipod = 5 min chunks, complete musical flexibility
and the new low I speak of....
ringtones = 20 second chunks, play them to death

We have broken everything down to manageable chunks and robbed the artist of the right to lead us.
Even playing through one artist on an ipod detracts from the musical experience because Ipod organises the songs alphabetically (unless you listen by album).

I'm going to change my behavior and I implore you to join with me. I'm going to view my ipod as a album, rather than song, storage device.

Also I'd like to take this opportunity to share 9 Albums you should listen to without skipping a song.




For further inspiration check out
http://www.albumvote.co.uk/files/albums.shtml
http://music.allofmp3.com/awards/awards_500.shtml

A Special moment in Australia's history

Australia prides itself on it's sporting prowess. I think it's fair to say we also pride ourselves on being sportsmen and women of integrity (with the exception of Warney and a few of the leaguies) I think in general we are good spectators too. I was shocked to find out that the SCG was the host of the first cricket riot and one of the first sporting riots of any sort.

In 1879 a British team were touring and had a number of games scheduled against NSW at the SCG. It is alleged that a Victoria umpire, paid for by the Birtts, had put a substantial bet on an English win. After a number of questionable decisions Coulthard gave NSW star batsman, Murdoch, out with another dodgy run out call. Un uproar started in the pavilion and as a result NSW took a stand and refused to play on with Coulthard behind the stumps. After a stand off the angry crowd took it upon themselves to invade the pitch. Amongst the invaders was a young A B "Banjo" Paterson. The invaders attacked The umpire and also some of the English players but no one was badly hurt. The situation was defused by the umpire at the other end who was none other than Sir Edmund Barton, our much neglected First Prime Minister. It was in fact the publicity surrounding the riot that was largely responsible for his election when he ran for the NSW Legislative Assembly Later that year.