Dinky Di

It's amazing how much power Mr Hyde has had over this blog...since stupid work is once again blocking blogspot, myspace, facebook etc. my blogs have significantly decreased. But here I am procrastinating from my study to write a blog...

As many of you may know, just recently, well its probably a little while ago now, an "Australian Citizenship Test" was introduced into the process of becoming an Australian citizen, just to ensure that new citizen's had some idea about Australian culture and history. Now the actual test isn't too bad, but it appears to be missing that lots of true blue slang and i guess you could call them "australianisms".

Many of you will also know that my boyfriend Dave is studying education at uni and while he doesn't often enjoy his classes, he was telling me about on very funny class he had that looked at this test and gave a few alternative tests as well. Once of these alternative tests was an absolute cracker, so I thought I would put some highlights (not all of it is appropriate for my G rated blog) of it on here and you can call all have a go and see how occa you really are...

1. Are these terms related: Chuck a sickie; chuck a spaz; chuck a U-ey?

2. Explain the following passage:

"In the arvo last Chrissy the relos rocked up for a barbie, some brevvies and a few snags. After a bit of a bex and a lie down we opened the pressies, scoffed all the chockies, bickies and lollies. Then we drained a few tinnies and Mum did her block after Dad and Steve had a barney and a bit of a biffo"

3. Macca, Chooka and Wanger are driving to Surfers in their Torana. If they are travelling at 100km/hr while listening to Barnsey, Farnsey and Acca Dacca, how many slabs will each person on average consume between flashing a brown eye and having a slash?

4. Complete the following Sentences:

a) If the van's a rockin' don't bother ______

b) You're going home in the back of a _______

c) Fair crack of the ______

5. I've had a gutful and I can't be fagged. Discuss

6. Have you ever been on the giving or receiving end of a wedgie?

7. Do you have a friend or relative who has a car in their front yard 'up on blocks'? Is his name Bruce and does he have a wife called Cheryl?

8. Demonstrate the correct procedure for eating a tim tam.

9. Do you have an Auntie Irene who smokes 30 cigarettes a day and sounds like a bloke?

10. When you go to a bring-your-own-meat barbie can you eat other peoples meat or are you only allowed to eat your own?

11. What purple root vegetable beginning with the letter B is required by law to included in a hamburger with the lot?

12. Do you own or have you ever owned a lawn mower, a pair of thongs, an esky or ugg boots?

13. Is it possible to 'prang a car' while doing 'circle work'?

14. Who is the most Australian?

Kevin 'Bloody' Wilson

John 'True Blue' Williamson

Kylie Minogue

Warnie

15. Is there someone you are only mates with because they own a trailer or have a pool?

So there you go...did you pass?

I guess all that remains to be said is...fair dinkum, I love my country!

Philippians 3:20 "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ"

Humble

So once again I have left you all hanging for weeks, wondering what has happened to me, whether I am alive of dead or if I will ever write again, but its okay you can all relax because I am here now and ready to go...

So if you read Dave's blog, you may have already heard some of this information before, but this time it is coming from the horse's (so to speak) mouth. Last weekend I was able to cross another number off my list...number 41, it was almost two but...well its a long story. Last weekend was the weekend of the Just Car Insurance Sandown 500, where the V8s came to town for the first of their endrou events before Bathurst in a couple of weeks time. This was my first taste of live V8 action after falling in love with the sport almost a year ago...and I tell you what it was everything that I wanted it to be and more. I seriously loved it, I am convinced that deep inside me somewhere there is a tomboy just waiting for days like that where it can cheer and yell about cars and burnouts and jet trucks! But what made it even better of course was that team vodafone (my team...just in case I hadn't told 100 times yet) won!

I don't know exactly why I love motor sport as much, all I know is that I do...but one of the things I do love about it, is that while the drivers may be amazing on the road, and celebrities around the track, in reality, not that many people know who they are or what they do, so, for most of them it hasn't gone to their heads and they love to meet and greet the fans... I guess they are obtainable, not like the movie stars or even TV presenters, the drivers love the attention and bask in it, and are happy to sign things and have photos and all that kind of stuff (either that or they are all really good at putting it on, which I chose not to believe). They almost seem normal...

Ok maybe I need to explain a little better... Saturday morning, once we had arrived to the track we headed to the team vodafone tent to see what was happening, only to find out that we had just missed the cut off point in the line to get things signed by Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes (hence just missing out on no. 43), after my 13 year old girl melt down when Craig ran past (a much better version of that story on Dave's blog), I took photos of my favourite drivers while they held kids and signed all kinds of things all with a smile and a laugh. Thinking this was as close I as I would get to the drivers I was quite satisfied with day, but little did I know that as Dave and I drove out to sandown again Sunday Morning, who should we pull up next to in our car, but Garth Tander (driver for Toll HSV) and then on Thursday as I drove to uni, who should I pull up next to but the car of Jason Bright (team Fujitsu) and it just reminded me that these were not just V8 drivers but normal people, who do normal things.

I guess its the humility in that, that I am attracted to...I don't know, but bring on Bathurst!

Ephesians 4:2 "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."

no. 37...The Phantom of the Opera

Last night I was able to knock another thing of my list...because last night I went on a hot date with the man of my dreams, and he took me to see the Phantom of the Opera, not before picking me up dressed to impress and cooking me a beautiful dinner!

It was a lovely evening and the musical was fantastic! There was a little drama as when we took our seats we were politely informed that "for tonight's performance the part of the phantom would be played by Simon Price" not Anthony Warlow as advertised on everything! But I did find out today that he is actually very sick, so I understand and I forgive him...but I must say the other guy was very good and I probably wouldn't have noticed the difference anyway! Seriously though, the performers last night were amazing...I had never actually seen the full play before even though it is on DVD, and I think that made it even better because I had a very vague idea of what might happen, but not the complete picture so it made it so much more exciting, so if you are in Melbourne at the moment do your self a favor and go and see it! Its heaps good!

Just on the side....Last night when I was taking some pictures of my lovely night out I noticed a banner advertising the musical that stated "The World's Greatest Love story"!

Now if you know the story of the phantom of the opera...would you really say that it is the greatest love story...yes there is love, but this love is full of pain, its a love that drives a man insane, causes him to do things that he probably wouldn't have done other wise. I guess it got me thinking...The Phantom's love was selfish and demanding and it was on his terms...that doesn't sound like a very good love story to me...it sounds like a good story, one of tragedy and despair but not of love...I think there is a better love story in the world, one of Amazing Grace and of Boundless Salvation...a love that only gives...a love that gave its life...The love of God...now that sounds like a love story...maybe even the World's greatest!

Just a thought I had...

Stay tuned.

Winter Update

Wow, it’s been a long time…I feel like every blog I write starts with that, but it’s normally true! What has happened since last time…LOTS! Where will I start???

I am back at uni and I tell you what it’s a bit of a shock to the system, this semester is full on, I am actually learning how to be a dietician (I even have a badge that says so!), despite the fact that I have been studying nutrition for two and half years already, but its good, I am now actually seeing what I get to do and the impact that I can make, which is both very exciting and scary at the same time. I think what scares me most is that it’s up to me and I actually have to make decisions about people, that effect their lives, but I guess I will get used to that eventually! So with that keeping busy, I can imagine that my life is about to get very hectic!

Anyway, I thought that you all needed an update on what is happening on my list because believe it or not I actually have done some more… ready…ok, lets go…

19. Allow Dave not to be my slave… Well seeing as though we are no longer together, this one was kind of like the blessing in the storm…although it was a very little blessing in a very big storm, it still comes off the list by default!

33. Pull of a Parallel Park…I did and I have photos and witnesses (just Dave, but its still a witness), seriously it was the tightest park ever, but I was amazing…not that I could ever do it again, but, all the list says is once!
Sorry the pictures a bit dark...

36. Go to a concert of someone famous…no its not the circus, or a salvo thing, its actually someone famous, well two actually…a couple of weeks ago I went and saw Missy Higgins, with my good mate Pez and her sister, and it was fantastic, I even got some good pictures! And…it gets better…Missy’s opening act was a girl called Kate Miller-Heidke…who may not be famous now, but will be so I am counting her as well!

Missy Singing her heart out...

Kate Miller-Heidke and I...
73. Go to the snow…did it… lake mountain…fun fun fun, but it turns out that I am either too old or too heavy to enjoy tobogganing!
Kitty and I being silly...
75. Beat Brad at Buzz on PS2…much to brad’s disgust I beat him on Sunday at buzz’s music quiz…that’s right brad…I beat you!

99. Well I crossed of lots more “emma” streets…heres where Flic, Claire and I drove to…
Emma St, Collingwood Emma Ave, Reservoir Emma Ct, Thomastown Emma St, Fawkner Emma Ct, Coburg Nth Emma Ct, Taylors Lakes Emma Ct, Woori Yallock All in one day too, might I add...thanks to Karen (the GPS) and Claire that is!

I think that’s all the ones that I have done so far…there are a few more in the pipelines, but there you go! Now I better get back to work before I stuff up number 2…keep up to date with uni stuff!

Pantless Bird

So I thought you all needed to see a picture of the bird with no pants as its kind of hard to imagine...

the two birds together...

and the one with no pants...

rest in peace birds!

Two Little Love Birds

First I just want to apoligise for my lack of bloging this week...for that you can blame Mr Deakin!

Anyway, I have a story for you....

Once upon a time there was a little love bird, well not just one, two little love birds because they always come in pairs you know.

No, this isn't another blog about me and Dave, this is a blog about 2 little love birds, like actual love birds.

These two little birds lived not too far away in a house in blackburn, and their names were poco and toto, now normally love birds live a very simple life, filled with love and chatter and more love, but poco and toto's lives were also filled with pain, see while poco was completely satisfied with the relationship, toto wanted more. He was constantly trying to impress his "bird" but nothing he did seemed to work, we learnt to sing a beautiful song, but nothing, he learnt how to swing on the swing, but still nothing, he learnt how to do tricks on the swing, but still nothing. Anyway, in a last attempt at happiness with his sweet heart poco, toto ripped out his pants. Yes that right, toto has become an exhibitionist, and now goes around with no pants on.

Its a true story and it disturbs me very much, well actually only the bit about him ripping out his pants is true, the rest I can't confirm because they are birds, but lets just go with it....Dave tells me the reason that he has no pants is because he really suffered from Aids, the bird variety, which is actually really sad, I don’t know how he got it, but apparently that’s what he had!

Anyway, sadly this tale has sad end! Yesterday these two little love birds died. Not just one of them, but both of them, together, so I guess in the end he did get the girl in an almost Romeo and Juliet type fashion.

I am a little sad at the passing of these two little birds because over the last 2 years I have yelled at them….a lot…they were very noisy, but its still no excuse, so they died thinking that I didn’t like them, but its not true I did like them and I will miss them, especially the one with no pants.

The world is such a funny place!

Oh My Darling Valentine

Although it is a week late, I thought I should post about Valentines Day, because even though it didn’t turn out the way I had hoped or expected it too, I was still spoilt!

So, you know how every Valentines Day the Herald Sun puts out a little thing they like to call “The Book of Love”, and while many people think it is soppy and ridiculous, I am one of those Girls that has spent most of my teenage Valentines Days looking through the paper, trying to find ones that could be for me… you know ones to “Emma” from completely random people that just happen to have the name of some one I know and refer to the fact that I like to eat (it turns out it comes with the name!).

Anyway, for many years this was a very depressing exercise, but not this year… This year there was one for me, from good ol’ Davo! And I tell you what I was soooooooo excited, but I am not going to tell you what it said you will have to find someone who hasn’t thrown there paper out yet and read it for yourself!

But that’s not were my day ended, After a long day at work for both Dave and I, I was going to take him out for steak before he had his tonsils removed on Thursday (this part of the plan didn’t go very well, but I don’t really want to talk about it!) anyway when I got to his place there was a beautiful box of flowers waiting for me! And then just to top it off (although I didn’t actually find out until Saturday that I got this), Dave made me a member of the official Craig Lownes fan club. Now I know that most of you are either like “what’s that” or “who cares”, but the answer is I do, I care and I love it! It’s the best!

So thanks Dave for helping make last Wednesday better than I thought it was going to be. I love you.

The world is such a funny place!