Here’s a true story about how awesome Pixar is. I can’t wait to see Wall-E.

STRIKE!
Oh, this is glorious. The railworkers have threatened a strike next week for the busiest day of the Pope’s visit. BRILLIANT. I’m actually serious; I will happily walk the 8km to work if it means that World Youth Day gets buggered up that little bit more. Which reminds me: The official WYD “Uniform and Accreditation Center” happens to be located at 1 Grafton Street, Chippendale, if anyone wants to, you know, protest. Or something. Me, I’m just hoping I can walk down the street to my house without being fined for annoying a Catholic.

50 States, 50 Bands. A list of the best all-time band, solo artist, and new band from each state in the union. I was all excited about this til I saw the Indiana selections. Sure, the Jacksons are from Gary… but they’re hardly representative of Indiana music. I have to agree with the commenter who says “Indiana’s Solo artist begins and ends with John Mellencamp.” Damn straight.

At the BBQ on Saturday, I met a guy from Chicago and we were reminiscing about missing the Taste festival. Now? Not so much.

The Snook is obsessed with the idea of dirigibles. He thinks it’s the future of air travel. I think he’s been reading too much steampunk.

Wednesday night was our long anticipated excursion to A’Mews in Glebe for their Winter Pie Special. Apparently the chef has a tradition of designing a new meat pie each year which is only available on certain days in June and July. This year it was “Black Angus Beef, Madeira, Eschallot & Kipfler Potato Pie with Creamed Parsnip”. We were joined Fiona, the Sock Victim, Emily the Car, and Clare. It was fantastic. Without a doubt one of the best meat pies I’ve had. The restaurant is cozy and inviting, and the staff are friendly and helpful. My only complaint at all is that the prices are pretty high for Glebe, which will limit how often we go there. But if you can afford a fancy night out – and you enjoy a bit of meat – you should definitely try the pie while it’s still available…

Interactive Packaging. Neat. I didn’t know that Jiffy Pop was invented in LaPorte, Indiana. I can remember my parents making some on a camping trip when we were little and my brother Anthony absolutely freaking out because he thought it was going to explode. Also, man, I miss pressurized biscuit dough. That stuff just doesn’t exist outside the US.

HIDA Scan
Well, that was the boringest medical procedure in history. Seriously. Other than a one-second pinch when they put the IV in my hand, there was nothing painful or scary. I just lay there on a “bed” (which was more like an industrial table) while they pushed the radioactive stuff through my IV. Then they wheeled this big metal contraption over my midsection and I just had stay still for an hour. I could see a sort of a screen above the machine with some sparkly dots on it, which the doctor said was my liver. (Later the dots coalesced into a single big bright spot, which was apparently my gallbladder.) Anyway, I put on my iPod, snuggled under the blanket they’d given me, and pretty much dozed the whole time. Then they trickled something else into the IV and took more pictures for another half hour. It was pretty relaxing… until I was presented with a bill for $500. Ouch. (Apparently Medicare covers the great majority of it though.) No word on the results yet; apparently the doctor has to do some analysis and then send the verdict over to my GP.

As for my superpowers… Nothing yet. I’ve been trying unsuccessfully to read minds without much luck. I asked the doctor about the half-life and he said it was six hours, so I’m sure it’ll all be gone by tonight. I wonder if that’s enough time for my DNA to finish mutating?