I had another Australian Idol sighting tonight! I walked home via Darling Harbour and noticed a big crowd of funny looking people standing around. There didn’t seem to be a red carpet, but I did see some bikini babes standing in front of a Musicoz sign. (I Googled it and discovered that it’s an awards show for indie artists. Which explains why they were all funny lookin’.) As I wove through the crowd, I suddenly realized I was walking right past Brianna Carpenter, who was famously called out last season for being out of tune when she was actually deaf in one ear. As you might expect, she looked like a kooky refugee from Newtown. I wonder if she won?

Back in the city and it feels so good!
Today’s the first day at our new office location near Wynyard. As I don’t need to take the train anymore, Snookums and I can commute together in the mornings again! It was spitting rain today so we decided to take the bus. It only took, like, ten minutes to get here. (Granted, the traffic was oddly light today.) We’re in a really cool old heritage building with high ceilings and hardwood floors. The old bits near the bathrooms and the stairwells are tiled in that old-fashioned way that always reminds me of railway stations and elementary schools. My desk faces across the little park at Wynyard, and I have giant windows in front of me that let me look over the city skyline. (Hm. I just discovered the problem with big windows: the sun shines in my eyes! Time to lower the shade.) Of course, there’s still a lot of work to be done and the dust isn’t helping my allergies. I managed to get my computer set up though, and the Internet seems to be working at the moment. I can’t wait to hit Chop Chop at lunch…

Wall-E Bento. That is ADORABLE. I love that EVE is a hard-boiled egg.

Guild Website Survey
For any NSW knitters who didn’t see it on Ravelry, the official Guild Website Survey is now available. I’m happy to build in whatever people want, but we need to convince the folks in charge that members will actually use it.

And for any software nerds who are interested, the survey runs on some free PHP-based software called Ask People. It’s not the fanciest thing in the world, but it was quick to set up and it does the job well. So far I’m recommending it…

I’m cooking Japanese, I think I’m cooking Japanese like Morimoto…

Probably not news to some of you, but I just discovered that Notre Dame’s Marching Band performed OKGO’s “Here It Goes, Again” at the USC game this year. You remember the video, right, with the dancers on treadmills? Be sure and watch the formations.

That is AWESOME. As students we all used to go nuts whenever they’d do a number that required a bunch of them to put down their instruments and dance. Combining that with the actual dance from the video AND making the giant characters move back and forth on their treadmills? GREATEST THING EVER. (Link courtesy of Peter Sagal, who calls it “the highest accomplishment of human culture to date”.)

Big Ted blogs. Awwwww… Hugs, Big Ted!

My sister used the term “twi-hards” in an email recounting her viewing of Twilight last week, and I nearly pissed myself laughing at the neologism. I thought she invented it. Turns out that the fans are actually using it themselves (along with “fanpires”). Suddenly it’s less funny.