2009 – A year in review December 31, 2009
Posted by themarchingjester in To Start Off With.Tags: melbourne, medicare, Baby, brisbane, australian, pregnant, graffiti, tree, 2009, year review, resident, australian government, joe blow, getting married, tied nuptial knot, i turned 30, my ps, my first car, our first car
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Hello, I hope you are all well.
So it has come to this. 2009 came and went. I will fondly remember 2009 as a firsts of many things, but beneath all the firsts – and dwarfing every other events in the year – was the regular income I was finally getting from a proper paying job due to my new status as a Australian Temporary Resident. Without this regular income I would not have been able to save for our wedding, our house, loans and whatever hidden monies that rears its ugly head.
I was also finally recognised by the Australian Government as somebody who contributed to the country not just as a tax-payer, but also as a morally upstanding man. I finally had a Medicare card and was given the same medical rights as Joe Blow next door. No longer was I just another cash cow, milked for all its worth by the Government to keep their state universities running.
Those days of filing, making cold calls, flipping burgers and waiting for a call from recruitment centres due to work visa restrictions while paying off a mortgage and loans will long be remembered as a blip on my radar. It won’t be forgotten, but they’re stories I’ll reserve for my children when I’m much older. My children must know how difficult Michele and I had it just to establish a new life here in a new country with no family support whatsoever.
That said, 2009 was also the year Michele and I tied the nuptial knot. Too much has been mentioned in the months leading up to and after the March wedding, but I feel there’s always so much more to say. It’s a special moment in our ordinary lives and we were glad to share with it with about 75 special friends and family (a few flapheads who called themselves ‘friends’ and ‘family’ not withstanding).
2009 was also the year I turned 30, got my Ps and bought our (and my) first car.
Our home copped a fair bit this year when it was almost broken into, defaced with graffiti and was very nearly flattened by our tree in the backyard.
My good mate and Best Man at our wedding, Sandeep moved to Melbourne for work and lived with us for several months. He then decided Melbourne is too lovely a city to pass up on. So instead of heading back to Brisbane where he’s based, he found a decent apartment in Brunswick with his girlfriend and decided I’m too sexy a friend to live away from. It’s good to have an old friend living in the same city as you are.
Of course, 2009 was also the year Michele and I discovered we are about to become parents. Our wedding aside the little baby news is probably the most exciting thing happening in our simple lives.
It truly has been a wonderful year for Michele, myself and Toby. It hasn’t always been the best, but we somehow got by.
2010 will be a better year for us. With Baby due soon, my beautiful family looks forward to more bizzaros, weirdos and fascinating insights into The Marching Jester.
I’m the cleanest 30-something man in the world! December 30, 2009
Posted by themarchingjester in Car, Observations, To Start Off With.Tags: carbon dioxide, carbon emissions, carbon footprint, cleanest man in the world, environment, honda jazz, thumper, vti
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Oh yes, I really am.
I had just collected Thumper from his first servicing down at the dealership. The speedometer reading registered 20,300KM just before I turned the car off, which meant to say since I started driving Thumper on September 23, I have done 6,791KM in just a little over three months.
And based on Honda Jazz’s official website, Thumper is producing 159g/KM of nasty carbon dioxide, giving Thumper and I a teeny weensy 1,079,769g of emissions.
I like even, round numbers...
1,079,769g!! Ask any 30-something bloke and they’d tell you they’ve been driving for more than ten years!! That’s easily 40 times more than 1,079,769g!
1,079,769g!!
That’s over a tonne of crap dumped into the environment! And I’m only a humble man who only picked up driving because his wife is up the duff!!
We are all guilty of slowly killing the planet, and until September 23, I had absolutely no carbon footprint (from a car’s point) to speak of. It really puts things in perspective.
But for the time being, let me revel in my joy at being the cleanest 30-something man in the world.
I really am!
Thumper December 28, 2009
Posted by themarchingjester in Car, To Start Off With.Tags: floats like a butterfly, honda jazz, rego, stings like a bee, thmper, thumper, thumpr, vicroads, vti, white, white rabbit
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How uncanny...the resemblance...
Until today, our beautiful car didn’t have a name. Not anymore.
Meet Thumper. Floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee. Fast, nimble and very white.
I’ve looked up VicRoads custom plates, hoping to give Thumper a rego deserving of his name. Alas, ‘THUMPR’ and ‘THMPER’ were both taken.
It’s okay Thumper, we’ll give you a beautiful rego you can call your own very soon. I just need to find you a rego that’s actually available!
White rabbit image from sporeflections.wordpress.com
Season’s Greetings! *woof!* December 25, 2009
Posted by themarchingjester in Life At Home, To Start Off With.Tags: apple, christians, family, happy holidays, merry christmas, non-christians, ps3, v8
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Santa's little helper refused to wear his reindeer ears...
To all Christians and non-Christians alike, eat and drink well, drive safely, cherish your family and remember we are all just a small speck of dust in the grander scheme of things.
Your PS3s, V8 engines, Apples and what-nots don’t really matter…
Attack of the killer grass! December 21, 2009
Posted by themarchingjester in Life At Home, To Start Off With.Tags: four-stroke, honda, infestation, lalang, lawn mower, melbourne, ozito, poodle. dog, summer, Toby, two-stroke, weed
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Hello, I hope you are all well.
The grass in our backyard has grown to a remarkable height of one foot over the last two weeks. It’s quite incredible, watching Toby running into the backyard to relieve himself, only to be dwarfed by grass overlooking him while he tries to find a flat surface to do his business. If I wasn’t paying attention, I wouldn’t be able to pick Toby out from the grass. He simply disappears. And he’s not even green.
Back from where I come from, if grass this long existed, it’s either in some disused plot of land where tall long grass called lalang exists in abundance, or some local councils have been lazy and need a good kick up their backside.
But no, this shocking ‘weed’ infestation sits in my backyard.
The Fortnightly Belly Show – Episode 6 (week 26) December 17, 2009
Posted by themarchingjester in Michele, Pregnancy, The Fortnightly Belly Show.Tags: belly button, milo, preggers, Pregnancy, socceroo
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Hello, how is everyone?
Michele’s belly has now gotten so huge, I can no longer lie on her. Actually, I haven’t been on top of her (no dirty thoughts here ha!) for many weeks now. At best, I could just lay my hand on it, a book or a half eaten pizza.
Most times, I just have both my hands cupped around her belly as I start talking silly with Baby. I know Baby’s able to hear music, so I’m pretty darn sure it can hear my voice. In fact, once when I was talking to Baby – alternating between my lips and ears on the belly – it kicked me right in the face! How rude! Baby’s got a bit of an attitude! Must have come from myself.
A growing belly aside, Michele’s belly button is beginning to look a little like a crumbly biscuit that’s been soaked in Milo for about 10 seconds. The edges of the belly button are visibly rising – almost like a self raising flour, ha! – and I reckon it’s the cutest thing on the belly right now. It’s a little soggy, it’s a little firm and when I prod it really firmly Michele says it tickles.
The belly is now big enough to notice movements within. Michele likens Baby moving inside to playing football as there’s lots of kicking, dribbling, feints and skillful movements. A future Socceroo? Or Matilda?
In fact, Baby seems to move far more actively after Michele has consumed any kind of sweet, sugary food. I’ve seen it myself – the belly bounces, a little dart here and a little poke there. Crikeys, what is going on in there!?
An ear for music December 16, 2009
Posted by themarchingjester in Baby, Life At Home, Pregnancy.Tags: august rush, creative zen, hot chocolate, ikea, ipod touch, marshmallows, RIP, surround sound
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Hi all, have you all been well?
They say by around the 22th week babies have developed ears that are functional enough to hear what’s going on around them. Michele and I decided to put it to the test. We have just purchased an iPod Touch (RIP, Creative Zen 2005 – 2009) for my mobile music needs and had several hours to ourselves on Monday night.
We both have a background in classical instruments, so we reckon Baby’s got a little bit of August Rush going on in its grey matter. After struggling to find a comfortable position for herself, I had the iPod Touch positioned against Michele’s belly so Baby gets the best surround sound in its nice, warm womb.
I imagine it must be pretty comfortable in there, all gooey and dark. Baby gets to roll around, does little tumbles and spins around just to get Michele’s attention.
I’ve only turned away for a minute when Michele squealed in delight. Baby was moving around in the belly. It must enjoy the sudden break of silence. Baby enjoys the music!
The Fortnightly Belly Show – Episode 5 (week 24) December 7, 2009
Posted by themarchingjester in Michele, Pregnancy, The Fortnightly Belly Show.Tags: carpal tunnel syndrome, father-to-be, husband, incandescent purple, noble dog, old testament, opposable, parents-to-ne, poodle, preggers, Pregnancy, pregnant zombie, shih tzu, Toby, unadulterated
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Hello, I hope you are all well.
It’s been a pretty difficult fortnight for Michele and I. We are learning so much about pregnancy and all its side effects and mostly deal with it fine as all new parents-to-be do. Everything has been covered in pregnancy books and we’ve all taken it in our stride. Surprises were, are and will be aplenty but each day is a new day of discovery for us.
Sometimes though, nothing can prepare you for the pain brought about as a side effect of pregnancy, and as a husband and a father-to-be, you feel completely powerless as your wife withers in wretched pain.
More commonly associated with prolonged computer usage, Michele copped a heavy dose of carpal tunnel syndrome last week. The pain – which was a methodical, throbbing pulse that resonated throughout her left arm – was so bad Michele had to take three days off work. The pain kept her up for a few nights, and she pretty much resembled a pregnant zombie in the day.
On the first night it happened, work beckoned and I was away. To hear your wife sobbing and moaning in pain over the phone but having no control whatsoever is a pretty traumatic experience. Her cries of pain even kept Toby up all night. He knew something was wrong, and kept vigil over Michele in his best doggy way – pacing up and down the room. It’s probably his way of telling Michele he senses something’s not right, and he’s there for support. How completely noble of Toby.
Planz schmanz – Wedding plans revisited (the photography) December 2, 2009
Posted by themarchingjester in Observations, Wedding.Tags: accent, English, hungarian, photograhy, wedding album, wedding package, wedding photographer, wedding studio, zita kiss
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Hi all, I hope you have been well.
Our wedding might have been over half a year ago, but memories of it will always be fond. It was a beautiful day, and rightfully so. Michele and I will always look back on that day and cry. I’ll even tell my grandchildren that in fifty years’ time.
All kinds of stirring emotions were brought back when we finally picked up our wedding album. These days, wedding albums are all about style over price, and most couples pull out all the stops to ensure the photography is worth the whole shebang.
Until I get the digital copies, a wide shot of our wedding album would have to suffice!
Ours was no different. We went with a less commercially-known photographer, Zita Kiss. Well, that’s her name as well, and when a wedding photographer names the business after herself, you’d know you’re not going to get a runner. Zita’s all pro, is great to deal with and doesn’t muck around. Her Hungarian accent’s a big seller too.
That means she’s not a photographer you wouldn’t have met until your wedding day. Or a photographer who doesn’t speak English.
I say this as someone who has had wedding studio experience, and wish to warn couples out there shopping for a photographer. Many companies still front their shops with a faceless manager, who only cares about volume of sales and recommending a higher priced package. On the wedding day itself, a photographer – whom the couple has never seen or have built a relationship with – turns up, does his job and leaves.
