A Dingo's got my Barbie!!!

I am not inadequate!

If you yell the post title à la Joseph Merrick you'll get the joke. But we're not here to talk about rare bone diseases, we're here to marvel at the gifts that keep coming my way.  I'm often asked how it is that people send me stuff. Ok, the question is usually more like "how come someone like you, who is such a prick, keeps getting neat stuff sent to them, specially when everyone knows you're such a prick?"

The truth is, the reasons vary. But as an example, I'll tell you how this particular gift came about. Gawilli and Willi are both very keen supporters of live music and are therefore supporters of struggling musicians (bless them). Gawilli often writes about performances they have attended, and just as often provides either audio or video clips of the artists she is talking about.

On this particular occasion she was talking about Tim Krekel and included video clip of him and said that if we liked it then we should try two other songs for which she provided links, something about him really struck a chord with me, so I went to Youtube and played a few of his clips. I particularly like this one, although it's not strictly indicative of his style...

After I had wasted enough time on Youtube (I had my own mini Tim Krekel concert), I went back to Gawilli's blog and told her that I thought he was really something. A few days later I got an email from her, and this is where things take a turn (normally I don't know that things are going to be sent to me). She told me that since I liked him so much she would cut me a CD of his and send it to me. I should mention that this is not the first time that we've had discussions about music (something that will become very important later in this post). So after what seemed no time at all I received this...

If you're any good with maths, you have probably realised by now that there is more than one CD here. In fact there are five, two Tim Krekel CDs taken from four different albums, and three compilations containing another fifty eight artists! Yep I said 58.  At first I was thrilled at not only the gift itself, but the effort that went into making it, but then  as it became patently obvious that she went out of her way to highlight the inadequacies of musical knowledgeI I was pissed off (hence the post title). For you see, of the 58 artists she had included, I had heard of roughly six! (ok, exactly six) No wait, what I meant to say was that I already had all of these songs myself and Gawilli was simply making backup copies for me...yeah that's right, backup copies.

Remember when I said that we'd had prior musical discussions, and that it would be important later, well later is now. Knowing roughly my musical tastes from those discussions and from the odd music clip I had posted, she managed to put together 92 songs, none of which failed to impress. Now that's impressive!

Thanks Very, Very, Very Much Gawilli (and yes I do know her real name, but she doesn't use it in the blogworld so neither will I), your kindness is hugely appreciated.

Woohoo! Goodies!!!

I don't know what I'm more excited about, the fact that a box full of fun stuff arrived from Wisconsin, or that I actually have something to blog about (if you want to see how desperate I am, read yesterday's post on something I don't even give a shit about).
Anyway focus, this is about me...ok it's about Kila sending me something, same difference.

Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! Let's just get a shot of the treasure in all it's glory first...

It's hard to take it all in at once, and trust me there's is a bunch of stuff there. Apart from the literature (there are three magazines but it's hard to tell from the way I arranged them), and Packer stuff (I'm trying to force a smile here because I'm a Niner's fan), there are some brilliant fridge magnets from both Wisconsin and Chicago as well as some neat key rings.

Okay, as much as this galls me, I'm putting this in to show how much I appreciate the thought and effort that went into this surprise package (I guess I could adopt them as my second team)...

While we're on the subject of Packers' fans, I've always suspected that they had dirty mouths, seems I was right, why else would they make something like this?...

That's enough of the Packers, let's move on to the more cultured aspects of where Kila lives. This must be one of the great cultural icons.  Actually I'm really looking forward to trying this baby....

Just to finish things off, there's even something to go under the tree, score!! (there's actually more stuff, but if I put in too many pictures it will take too long to load the page, I'm considerate like that)...

Kila, thanks a million! You really made my weekend (unlike Marnie, who wants to make my end weak). It's such a buzz to get something like this, particularly when you're not expecting it, when the notice that I had to go and sign for the package arrived yesterday I thought it was from my no good, waste of space best friend trying to make up for not ever calling when it's his turn! (deep breaths).

I also appreciate the note, I don't think I've ever received a note that said "Don't worry - the Cow Pie is fresh" before. I've taken out the personal stuff, it's mostly just about how she wants to have sex with me anyway, and if I posted about every request for sex, there'd never be room for any other kind posts, unless of course the post was about the dogs wanting sex (that should get some google traffic!).

Seriously, thanks very much Kila.

Hey, has anyone seen my new testimonials in the sidebar?

I'm conflicted

Geez, now I'm really in a bad way. After finally being able to get through the day without crying over my lost love, this happens! Do you remember that post I did answering all those clever and insightful questions with witty and evasive answers? In case you can't remember just scroll down about a half a screen and there it is, the post before this one, yes that's it.

Well one of the questions was about the tragic breakup I've recently suffered with the love of my life (since I've been married for a really long time, I can't mention the person's name becasue it's different to my wife's and someone might get suspicious).

Anyway, Marnie asked "When did you first realize that you loved me?" And my answer was something about a picture with face cream. Guys, I don't know if Marnie is trying to rekindle the relationship, or she's just taunting me, but this morning when I checked my mail I found this....

Come on, you tell me that isn't one of the sexiest babes you've ever seen! She's got it all; poise, elegance and beauty. Plus on top of all that, she reminds me of my favourite pie.

Oh shit! I hope she doesn't get those nasty emails I sent her......

The Anti-rant.

Over the past couple of weeks as I have been traveling around the blogosphere, I've noticed an increasing number of my blog buddies being presented with the "Thinking Blogger's Award".

As usual, my name is nowhere to be found...relax, I'm not about to launch into an incoherent rant. In fact, far from it. While not knowing all the recipients, I am familiar with a good many of those who have been awarded this honour, and all I have to say is 'Congratulations'. I agree with everyone that I recognised.

Despite my being a closet philosopher (and you were wondering why I posted this photo, see the cat?), this is one award I do not want to win. I don't say that to diminish it in any way, quite the opposite, my being nominated would diminish it, as I am not, nor have I ever sought to write thought provoking posts. It just doesn't work for me, the few times I have written posts that made people think, I made them think alright! I usually made them think I was a fuckwitt.

So on to something more my style; pet pics.....

Looks like I'll be calling her Beeper (which stands for BPR or Birthday Present Rejected), it's also the noise she made non stop for the 3 hour trip here today. Yep, that's right, MDW flatly refused to reconsider, citing some bullshit about 12 to 14 hour days and trips away to conferences at least once, and more often twice, a month. Personally I think she's still grieving over Tigger. Oh well, her loss is my gain.

Looking at this photo I'm almost tempted to call her Baskin (and Robbins) because it looks like she's got 32 different cats in there. Hey do you guys know that it's common for cats to be inseminated by multiple toms?

A pleasant surprise!

Yesterday I was in a bit of a funk because of the whole blogging thing. When I say "I was in a bit of a funk" I mean it like the "Grand Canyon is a small hole in the ground". I won't go into the details, now that's a pleasant surprise! Suffice it to say that someone set the wheels in motion and the car rolled down a very steep hill while my equilibrium was still in the glove box.

I spent the better part of the day ruminating over whether it was even worth continuing with the whole blogging deal, as it seemed to be making me unhappy more often than happy of late. This may just be a natural phase of 'blogging evolution' (people who used to be regulars here have been disappearing lately, presumably due to other commitments but you never really know why, which is sad). Then there's the whole 'people ragging on me' thing for not measuring up. But in the words of the great Popeye (my all time hero), "I yam what I yam".

So just when I was at my lowest ebb, help came from the most unlikely of sources, I got an email from Mindy, you know, the one I had the big fight with a while ago. Yes that's her, the one with testicles on her ceiling with my name on them (you think I'm kidding, well maybe about my name, but not about the testicles, that part's true). Anyway she gave me some words of encouragement that made all the bad thoughts go away. As did Melissa, (someone who has also taken me to task recently), and I thank them both for their kind words (but mostly Min because she had more words).

This is just a nice picture of Lion Island, it's here for no reason other than it's pleasant.

This is probably about as close as I get to one of those depression driven, 'my world is black' type posts that you see every now and then around the place. It's not that I don't suffer from depression, it's just that I tend not to mention it. (After all , we are talking about a guy who one day just walked away from a six figure income and went to live by himself in the middle of nowhere because he just wasn't happy.)

Ok, maybe I'll do one more post.