web-goddess

Month: August 2003

  • I just found out that a Fernwood Fitness Centre will be opening up at the Broadway, which is relatively close to our new apartment. These are a chain of “women only” gyms and they look pretty neat. My first impulse was to sell off my existing gym membership and join Fernwood. Upon reflection though, I don’t think I need to. I can’t honestly say that the men at my gym bother me at all. I don’t feel uncomfortably ogled or intimidated. I wonder how much of that has to do with my burgeoning self-confidence (courtesy of weight loss and better fitness) and how much has to do with the fact that the men at my gym are predominantly gay. 🙂

    Do you think segregated gyms are a good idea? I can see where some people might be more comfortable with that, but it sounds a little ridiculous. Like, are “men only” gyms then okay? The only good reason for them, as I see it, are in places where the big bodybuilding guys feel like they have a right to the equipment and little girls don’t. Maybe I’m just lucky that my gym isn’t really one of those places.

  • Me: “Holy crap, Snookums! Thylacines (Tasmanian tigers) have been spotted in parkland not far from Melbourne’s CBD!”
    Him: “Aww, somebody probably just painted stripes on their dog.”

    All joking aside, that’s pretty friggin’ cool. The thing’s supposedly been extinct on the mainland for over 2000 years, and now they’ve suddenly got credible evidence that it might still be around! This country is pretty amazing.

  • I knew there’d be a catch with the new apartment. I called the agent today and asked about the possibility of pets. No go. I just felt like the time was right to go find our little Dr. Alowicious Jones kitty, but it’s not to be. Crap.

  • When I first heard the Flaming Lips’ song “Fight Test” I immediately recommended it to the Snook. “You’ll like this,” I said. “It reminds me of ‘Father and Son.’” I guess I wasn’t the only one to make the connection. The Lips have agreed to split all royalties from the song with Cat Stevens. I’m not sure I agree with that. I didn’t think they were trying to rip him off; I felt like they were quoting him, making a reference, and possibly even continuing on ideas from his song. That’s legitimate “fair use”, as far as I’m concerned.

  • Friday Five:

    1. How much time do you spend online each day?
    Hmm. Well, I jump on as soon as I get up to check my e-mail and comments… and then there’s eight hours at work… and then probably at least another hour at home… Good grief. Probably 8-10 hours a day. And believe it or not, that’s actually an improvement over my life in London.

    2. What is your browser homepage set to?
    At work, Google. At home, My Yahoo. I like to read the news.

    3. Do you use any instant messaging programs? If so, which one(s)?
    I use iChat AV, which is Apple’s IM client for AOL/Netscape Instant Messenger. You won’t find me on it as much these days because the firewall at work doesn’t allow it and the whole time difference thing makes coordinating chat difficult.

    4. Where was your first webpage located?
    I started my very first webpage in 1996 when I was a sophomore at Notre Dame. I just used the Internet Wayback Machine to look it up, and here is it: Kristine Howard’s Page O’ Wonders. (I so wish I was joking. What a nerd. Although I’m not the only one.) You can also see the very first version of the Roald Dahl Home Page, featuring the extra-cool javascript thingy that scrolls text at the bottom of your browser. Yeah, I was cool.

    5. How long have you had your current website?
    As you can see from the archives, web-goddess has existed since the beginning of 2001. That’s two and a half years!

  • I really, really want a Silpat.

  • We think we’ve found an apartment! *fingers crossed* You knew we were looking, right?

    Update: We got it! We’re moving in three weeks! Ugh, there’s so much work to do… but it’s an awesome place.

  • Wow! Apparently the blackout extended all the way to Ohio and people got stuck on the rollercoasters at Cedar Point! My Dad was researching this for me yesterday when he came across even more shocking news: they’re going to dismantle my favorite ride, the Schwabinchen! I am really, really disappointed about this. Maybe I should mount a “Save the Schwabinchen” campaign.

    Update: That kid’s video footage (from the first link) got showed on the news here in Sydney tonight!

  • Dr. Phil Personality Quiz

    Have you taken the Dr. Phil Personality Quiz? I got a 34, which equates to: “Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest…” Well, how nice. Thanks, everyone! The quiz was originally a Word document but I’ve reproduced the text below if you wanna try it out.

    Dr. Phil gave this test on Oprah she got a 38. Some folks pay a lot of money to find this stuff out. Read on, this is very interesting! Don’t be overly sensitive! The following is pretty accurate. And it only takes 2 minutes. Take this test for yourself and send it to your friends, including the one who sent it, and let them know who you are.

    Don’t peek but begin the test as you scroll down and answer. Answers are for who you are now…… not who you were in the past.

    Have pen or pencil and paper ready. This is a real test given by the Human Relations Dept. at many of the major corporations today. It helps them get better insight concerning their employees and prospective employees.

    It’s only 10 simple questions, so…… grab a pencil and paper, keeping track of your letter answers. Make sure to change the subject of the e-mail to read YOUR total.

    Ready?? Begin…

    1. When do you feel your best?

    a) in the morning
    b) during the afternoon & and early evening
    c) late at night

    2. You usually walk…

    a) fairly fast, with long steps
    b) fairly fast, with little steps
    c) less fast head up, looking the world in the face
    d) less fast, head down
    e) very slowly

    3. When talking to people you…

    a) stand with your arms folded
    b) have your hands clasped
    c) have one or both your hands on your hips
    d) touch or push the person to whom you are talking
    e) play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair

    4. When relaxing, you sit with…

    a) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
    b) your legs crossed
    c) your legs stretched out or straight
    d) one leg curled under you

    5. When something really amuses you, you react with…

    a) a big, appreciative laugh
    b) a laugh, but not a loud one
    c) a quiet chuckle
    d) a sheepish smile

    6. When you go to a party or social gathering you…

    a) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
    b) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
    c) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed

    7. You’re working very hard, concentrating hard, and you’re interrupted, do you…

    a) welcome the break
    b) feel extremely irritated
    c) vary between these two extremes

    8. Which of the following colors do you like most?

    a) Red or orange
    b) black
    c) yellow or light blue
    d) green
    e) dark blue or purple
    f) white
    g) brown or gray

    9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep, you lie…

    a) stretched out on your back
    b) stretched out face down on your stomach
    c) on your side, slightly curled
    d) with your head on one arm
    e) with your head under the covers

    10. You often dream that you are…

    a) falling
    b) fighting or struggling
    c) searching for something or somebody
    d) flying or floating
    e) you usually have dreamless sleep
    f) your dreams are always pleasant

    POINTS:

    1. (a)2 (b)4 (c)6
    2. (a)6 (b)4 (c)7 (d)2 (e)1
    3. (a)4 (b)2 (c)5 (d)7 (e)6
    4. (a)4 (b)6 (c)2 (d)1
    5. (a)6 (b)4 (c)3 (d)5 (e)2
    6. (a)6 (b)4 (c)2
    7. (a)6 (b)2 (c)4
    8. (a)6 (b)7 (c)5 (d)4 (e)3 (f)2 (g)1
    9. (a)7 (b)6 (c)4 (d)2 (e)1
    10. (a)4 (b)2 (c)3 (d)5 (e)6 (f)1

    Now add up the total number of points.

    OVER 60 POINTS: Others see you as someone they should “handle with care”. You’re seen as vain, self-centered, and who is extremely dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you, but don’t always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.

    51 TO 60 POINTS: Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natural leader,
    who’s quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

    41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone
    who’s constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who’ll always cheer them up and help them out.

    31 TO 40 POINTS: Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who’s extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken.

    21 TO 30 POINTS: Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It would really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then, usually decide against it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

    UNDER 21 POINTS: People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make the decisions & who doesn’t want to get involved with anyone or anything. They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don’t exist. Some people think you’re boring. Only those who know you well know that you aren’t.

  • Marrickville Council rocks. Over the past week the Snook and I have noticed a drain behind the Abbey (the local backpackers’) that’s been backing up. Yesterday morning I stepped out to go to work and saw that it was literally *gushing* sewage into the street. Yeah, toilet paper, poo, everything. (Luckily it was flowing away from our place.) The Snook called the Council that morning and by the time I got home from work they’d inspected it and put up barriers. This morning we woke up to the sound of jackhammers breaking up the concrete around the drain. A 24-hour turn-around time for local government? I never would’ve believed it.