Dexter the rabbit

It's seems like my last few posts begin with me apologising for my lack of blogging. This one should start the same way. But you know what?...This time I refuse to say sorry. I haven't blogged for a while...so what! Get over it! Deal with it! Find some other blog to read! I don't owe you anything! Now with that said, let me get on to blogging.
Over the past few weeks a couple of rabbits have taken up residence in my backyard. Not wild rabbits but pet rabbits. They were first discovered one Saturday morning when my sister Aimee was about to leave for work. She came rushing back inside to say that there's a rabbit out the front. Erin and I went to check it out as Aimee drove off to work. Sure enough, there was a white rabbit hopping around in the front yard. Now being somewhat of an animal sympathiser, I wanted to help out this poor rabbit and it's most likely distraught owners. Erin, on the other hand, was all ready to head off for a morning at the market. So off we walked (Erin trudged) up Springfield Rd knocking on doors to see if we could find the rabbits owners. No luck. I wasn't content to just leave the rabbit. I thought we should make a sign so if the owners came walked by tehy would know where to find the rabbit. After much persuasion I realised that there was no more I could do now off we went to the market. We returned later to find the rabbit still hopping around, now in the backyard. Erin went home so I decided I would go on a mission to find the owners. I knocked on a door a few houses down and...jackpot! I found the owners. Much to my dismay, they didn't seem to perturbed that their rabbit had escape. The lady grabbed her husband and they came down the road to catch this wascally wabbit. Of course the rabbit was too quick and agile for their feeble attempts. So they left it to enjoy the lush pastrues of my backyard. I decided to call it 'Dexter'.
A few days later I noticed not one but two rabbits hopping around. Dexter had brought his friend along to feast in the fauna. As it turns out, the people down the road have two rabbits. So Dexter and his unnamed friend lived in our backyard for a while. I decided that since they have moved in, I should make friends with them. Dexter seemed much more comforable with my presence than the other one so I endeavoured to feed him. I managed to get close enough to give him some carrot. I held my hand out to him as he sniffed it. I seemed fine until out of nowhere, he poucned! Dexter leaped at me with a grunt and tried to attack me! I thought we were friends but I guess not.
About a week later the people from down the road came equipped with a net, blanket and a couple of boxes. I watched out my back window as they comically chased the rabbits around the backyard. Apparently Dexter is actually a girl named Lily. The owners tried and tried but were made to look silly but the nimble rabbits. Eventually after Dexter ran under the neighbours fence, they gave up. I haven't seen so much of the rabbits lately but they still visit from time to time. The other day I saw Dexter hopping down the footpath on his my to visit my yard. I have grown to like them and enjoy watching them playfully pounce around the yard. I don't have to feed them or care for them so it's a perfect situation. If they were wild rabbits it would be a different story, but these ones I like. Especially Dexter.

Note: The picture is neither of me nor Dexter.

What's your theological worldview?

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern, You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this. Emergent/Postmodern 79% Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 71% Neo orthodox 68% Charismatic/Pentecostal 54% Classical Liberal 54% Modern Liberal 50% Fundamentalist 36% Reformed Evangelical 36% Roman Catholic 29% What's your theological worldview? created with QuizFarm.com

I am not a groupie!

Firstly I would like to apologise for my lack of blogging lately. I put this down to eBay. Every second I have spent on the computer for the past couple of weeks has been on eBay buying snowboard gear. My purchases are complete and I can now go back to blogging.
I have a couple of stories to tell during my exodus and subsequent return to the blogging promised land..
After much persuasion and a little bit of 'Pasion Pop' I went to see a band play on Friday night. My friend, Megan was in town. Megan is somewhat of a groupie when it comes to the Adelaide rock scene. When she heard that a couple of local bands were playing in Mooroolbark, she decided that I had to go with her. It pained me greatly but I sacrificed an opportunity to go to the best football game of the year (Dees vs Bombers) and went to see the greatness of 'Wendy Icon' and 'In Fiction'. I did what any good friend would do. Annie, also a good friend, came along too.
Those of you who know me (I'm not sure why you'd be ready my blog if you don't) would know me that I'm not really one to hit up the local band scene. It would be fair to say that I was pretty much dreading going to see a couple of old school rock bands. I'm guessing as I'm telling this story you're picturing me going to a pub or some other like venue. Nope. This gig was at the Mooroolbark Community Centre. Exciting stuff! This was a drug and alcohol free, all ages gig. It was going off! There was fairy floss, plenty of piercings and a heck of a lot of teenage angst! Pretty much it was a bunch of teenage emos! I've never felt so old in my life...even just a tad dodgy too. The security guard was eyeing me off every time he walked past! There was some very interesting fashion going on. No one ever dressed like that when I was their age! I was certainly very much out of place in this crowd. The music wasn't quite my favourite genre and I definitely didn't look the part. I would almost go as far saying that I would look less out of place at a Japanese Sumo wrestling convention! So anyway, the night went on and I was pretty bored. We had to wait for ages for the bands Megan knows to play so we ended up selling merchandise for them! How random! I'm still not sure what I was doing at the gig let alone selling merch! Me and Annie eventually got really bored and went and listened to the football in the car. We sat there while parents came to pick up their kids! I'd like to be able to say it was a funny night but really...it wasn't. Megan will never be able to drag me along to a gig again. I've done it once, never again.
It's late now so I'll tell my other stories tomorrow.

Snow go!

I am so friggen pumped for the snow. I've now locked in a 3-day trip with Steve, Luke and Halsey! It's gonna be sweet fun! I won't need to hire a board cause I bought one! It's sweet and at a good price. Check it out! I also scored some sweet bindings on eBay! It's all coming together for a bit of a winter wonderland. I can't wait to get to Mt.Buller and repeatedly fall on my bum. I was talking to Tom and Jono last night and it was suggested to me that I buy some padded shorts. I don't really have much natural padding on my bum so this could be a good idea. I am becoming increasingly nervous about my ability to snowboard. What happens if I just can't do it? My balance isn't the best. Would someone please reassure me?! I'm just glad I've got a weekend warmup before ripping it up with the big boys.

I'm hitting the slopes!

I'd like to tell you about my latest hobby. If you're a regular reader of my blog you would know that I have given a few things a crack with limited success. In many cases it required a bit of a finincial investment to get started. My latest hobby is no different. I have decided to take up snowboarding. I have been to the snow 3 maybe 4 times in my life and not once have I tried either snowboarding or skiing. My snow experience has consisted of tabogganing and some very fun snow ball fights (Dave shot to Annie's face was classic!). The closest I have ever come to snowboarding has been playing 'Winter Games' on the old Pentium 75. People tell me that snowboarding isn't that hard, it's just like skateboarding. Problem is that I've never really skateboarded. So when I tell you I'm going to take up snowboarding, I would fully understand if you burst out laughing. Feel free to do so. Snowboarding is a sport that I've wanted to be able to do. It's just so hard to find time to head to the snow and the money to pay for it. Well, this snow season is my best chance yet at giving it a crack. My friends, Mark and Jay are at Mt.Buller this season, working the slopes. They've rented a place in Mansfield and are all set. So this means I have somewhere to stay! Sweet! I've also got 2 weeks leave coming up soon and 1 weekend trip already planned. Mark is an instructor and should be able to help get me started. So accommodation is sorted but there is still a few hurdles to overcome. Because I am not a regular snow-goer, I have no gear. Well, almost no gear. On Saturday I picked up a sweet pear of Nike ski-pants for $20 at a garage sale! They're in perfect nic. Bargain! I'm not keen to hire gear. It's qutie expensive so it's probably better to look around for some cheap gear. So for the next couple of weeks I'll be hitting the garage sales in search of a bargain. I'm pretty keen to get myself a board. I had a look at Ballistyx the other day. They have packages for $399 which include board and bindings, then all I'd need is some boots. If I go to the snow a few times it will be worth it!
Come next snow season I'll be carving up the slopes, doing 360's and pulling some sweet moves. Or I might be selling some gear on eBay..
Please stop laughing now. I can do it! I know I can!

SYG

This time tomorrow I'll be running around, getting muddy and hopefully getting a few touches...playing touch football. Yes...it's that time again. State Youth Games!! I have a really love/hate relationship with SYG. It's cold wet and very tiring, but always so much fun. Some years I look forward to it, other years I dread it! Thankfully this year I'm looking forward to it. I'm determined to eliminate as much of the cold and wet as possible. Over the last few weeks I have been adding to my collection of warm clothes, in preparation for the games. I even finally replaced my fluro green 1992, size small sleeping bag! It won't be quite the same without it but I'm glad to have upgraded to a nice warm bigger bag with a hood! Got it at a great price too, thanks to Harris Scarfe closing down. With only 6 and a half hours until departure, I'm still without one essential item. I DON'T HAVE A MATTRESS! If you have one that I could borrow, please let me know. Preferably and air-mattress but really, anything is good. Apart from that, I'm all set! Bring on the cold!

I'm not real sure how we'll go this year. The might of Box Hill Salvos has certainly dissipated since we peaked one year, finishing 2nd! We didn't even make the top 10 last year! Hopefully this year we can make amends. Although it's difficult because it seems, to some extent we've lost our competitive edge. Or rather, Darren and Fiona Hailes. It's not quite the same without them revving us up and making sure our teams had the best chance of success. Now it's all about fun and friendship. Sure we want to win, but at what cost? The reputation of Box Hill Salvos has been tarnished and we've been branded as ultra-competitive arrogant idiots (or something to that extent) from the Hailes days. Maybe it's not that extreme, but we certainly did get quite fired up at times. Lets hope that this year Box Hill Salvos will be successful and return to it's former glory, without the stigma that was once attached.

Jump and Jive,

Stayin' alive,

Box Hill Salvos have just arrived!

Ahh ooh ooh ooh ooh

Ahh ooh ooh ooh ooh

I dream about my team!

There is something close to my heart that I've wanting post about for a long time. I've been resisting the temptation to do so but can't hold back any longer. I've tried so hard to keep this topic away from my blog but I give up. I must post about Dream Team!

Chances are, if you have seen me lately you would have heard me talk about Dream Team. It's taking over my life and the lives of 15 others in my league...apart from Jono who seems not to care at all about his team. If you don't know, AFL Dream Team is pretty much a fantasy football competition. You pick your team and they score points according to how well they play on the weekend. There are 16 teams in a league and each team plays each other once. The league I am in comprises of people such as, Steve, Ryan, Collo, Dusty Halse, Dusty Lewis, Nath Young, Parks, Dos, Bubba and a few others. It's been a hotly contested season with many teams stongly challenging. The trash talk has been intense! Everyone has something to say each week. It's full-on! It's been a regular conversation between me and Steve and a few others. Every week we'll discuss trade options and the weekends matchups. It's pretty much all I talk about with Steve.

Anyway, so my team has been middle of the road all year. I've got a good team that is scoring good points but I've been unlucky to lose 3 games. This week I came up against Jono. I basically had a bye. Jono's team is useless! So, knowing that I had a 99.9% chance of winning, I decided to give one of my lesser lights a run as captain (captain scores double points). So I appointed Matt Priddis as captain. Priddis has been my pride & joy this year. Before the start of the season no one had heard of him, except me. So I picked him up at a very cheap $177000. I told Steve to get on the bandwagon so he did likewise. Priddis has gone from strength to strength this year and is now worth $350000! On the weekend he scored 166 points! (100 is a very good score.) He was captain, therefore he scored me 332! That's massive! I had some other boys playing very well so I knew I was in for a big score. I alerted Steve about this who didn't really believe me when I told him I would score around 2200. (2000 is a very good score). I was even so confident that I believed I was a chance of taking home $1000 for the highest score out of everyone. When I checked the results on monday morning I was shocked to see that I scored 2340!! That is flippin' huge! I don't know anyone who has ever scored more! Any other week and my score would have won me $1000. Instead I placed a very respectable 24th out of 212933 competitors! I was only about 100 points of winning! I'm very happy with my score though. And especially happy with Matt Priddis - the recruit of the year! Not suprisingly, I thumped Jono by 1304 points! I think it's possibly the biggest winning margin ever!

Sorry for boring you if you have no interest in dream team. If you do have any interest in dream team I'm sure you can understand my joy! I just have to share it with the world...or at least the handful of people that read my blog.

http://afl.virtualsports.com.au