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Romantic Dream??
2007-07-09 13:00:00
Oh, why me... I'm so silly. I had a romantic dream about someone I know last night and now I feel all weird about it. To be fair, the dream was very convincing and featured chemistry enough to blow up a small continent. And I swear it wasn't on purpose. I just kind of sunk into it and before I knew it I woke up and wanted to go back to sleep!!Gee, maybe it will pass. Or maybe it's destiny. Bahaha. We'll see I guess.And no, I'm not telling you who it was. How embarrassing.Shane
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Wimbledon Wrap - 2007
2007-07-09 04:44:00
Venus Williams won her fourth Wimbledon title this year, while Roger Federer won his fifth. So, no new champions in this year's event. The real surprises came in the Grand Slam breakthrough performances of two young French players who had long shown talent but had yet to take that next step up into the elite.Marion Bartoli reached her first Grand Slam final, having never before advanced beyond the fourth round at a major. Her year has been getting better and better, having done well in the claycourt season, and she made a good fist of things at the French Open, where French players hardly ever play well. But nobody would have predicted her amazing, upset-laden run to the Wimbledon final. The first sign of what was to come came in the fourth round, where she took out No. 3 Jelena Jankovic after losing the first set, the biggest win of her career at that stage. She came back again from a set down to beat No. 31 Michaella Krajicek in the quarterfinals. She then scored the biggest upse...
More About: Bled , Wrap

Won Some Beers!!!
2007-07-08 07:46:00
Well, we had an indoor netball tournament today. It was a big success, fundraising for our netball team to go to nationals in September. I brought along my social indoor team to compete in the social grade today. We usually lose most games due to a lack of tall players, but today we did exceptionally well. After losing our first game, we won our two remaining games in pool play, easily won the quarterfinals and earned a hard-fought win in the semis to reach the final, where we lost again to the team we lost to in the first round. It was a lot closer the second time, though, so we played much better as the day went on.For our efforts, we each got a little runners-up trophy to take home, and a case of Steinlager beer! We had a beer outside to celebrate doing so well. Then it was home for a nice hot shower!I can think of much worse ways to spend a brisk Sunday. Well done team!Shane
More About: Beers , Some

Wimbledon 2007 - Early Dramas
2007-06-28 08:16:00
Sometimes the big tournaments take a while to build up and get interesting. This has not been the case for this year's championships at Wimbledon ! Rain delays, near-upsets, and dramatic matches have been aplenty in the first few days of play. Nonetheless, Roger Federer looks on course as the most likely winner, while a more open women's draw sees favourites Justine Henin, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic in sizzling form.The biggest dramas so far have come on the very first day of play. Home favourite Tim Henman was locked in a tight battle at 5-5 in the fifth set against Carlos Moya when play was suspended due to poor lighting; Henman won the next day 13-11 in the fifth set to keep the home crowd happy.Also on the first day, a rusty Martina Hingis played her first match in about 6 weeks, and her first without painkillers in three months, having been off the tour while recovering from a back and hip injury that caused her to miss the French Open. The rust showe...
More About: Early , Dramas , Earl , Bled

Stupid Does - Volume 1: "Is it cold outside?"
2007-06-27 08:31:00
I love stupid people sometimes. Hence this new feature! There is nothing like laying witness to pure vapid-mindedness to brighten one's day.I was at work this morning, and rather a chilly morning it was. We had all the doors shut and we were still wearing jackets over our uniforms while working as the cold wind found ways in despite our efforts. Still, it was good to be working indoors out of the direct cold, and around nice warm coffee machines and dishwashers.One had to sympathise with a lot of our customers who walk in the door freezing cold or wrapped up in layers of clothing. This particular old lady seemed rather oblivious, however. She was considering whether to sit indoors in the cafe or out in the conservatory, which is open to wind and sheltered from the sun due to the roof. So, she asks me, "I'm wondering whether to sit outside or not... is it cold out there, do you know?"What on earth are you asking me for? You just came in from outside, you silly woman. You have about...
More About: Cold , Stupid , Volume

Top Cock?
2007-06-24 11:09:00
I love news bloopers...Shane
More About: Cock

Phone Taps - Elvis & The Morning Zoo
2007-06-24 01:44:00
New York's Z100 radio station has a great feature available as a podcast and RSS feed - Phone Taps on Elvis Duran's Morning Zoo show. These phone taps are very extreme prank calls made by the funniest and most grating men and women imaginable. I particularly like the ones done by Danielle Monaro, who has the most annoying voice... I'm shocked that more victims don't recognise her. Carolina Bermudez and TJ are also very skilled - I think Carolina is actually the best actor out of them all!Here is the link to the Z100 website, where the podcast and xml can be found. Phone taps are definitely worth subscribing to!Don't pick up phone!!Shane

Movie: The Lives of Others (2007)
2007-06-14 01:40:00
Original Title: Das Leben der AnderenDirected by Florian Henckel von DonnersmarckStarring Martina Gedeck, Ulrich Muhe, Sebastian KochThe Lives of Others was this year's Oscar winner for best Foreign Film, and after seeing it, I can see why! I didn't know that much about it before watching it, but it really drew me in and took me by surprise. It is a movie that works on different levels, combining personal drama with political and moral issues. It is set prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall in East Germany, where the Secret Police are spying on a high-profile couple whose political opinions are not in line with the socialist regime.What follows is a twisting tale of deceit, fuzzy morals and eventually an unexpected and strange sense of justice. The production values are very good, and the movie has a very consistent and well-developed atmosphere and style. It is not showy at all, but subtle in the way it draws you in gradually. The acting is uniformly excellent; this film really ha...
More About: Movie , The Lives of Others

Gah!
2007-06-12 11:12:00
Sorry! I've been so lazy with blogging lately. Haha. I've been working a lot so I haven't had as much time... silly excuse, I know. I'll get it back on track soon enough. I have several movies to write about!Shane

Preview: Roland Garros 2007
2007-05-27 05:26:00
Action begins in Paris today as Rafael Nadal and Justine Henin launch their campaigns to win French Open hat-tricks, but many challengers stand in the way. Nadal's arch-rival Roger Federer comes in with confidence following a win over Nadal to take the Hamburg title a week ago, while Svetlana Kuznetsova and Jelena Jankovic have been in threatening form in the clay-court season.A lot of top players have trouble winning on clay - the surface is a big challenge for those not accustomed to it; it requires skill to successfully move and change direction, and it's harder to hit winners as the ball bounces high and slowly off the clay. This means that players who like the surface can really dominate - Rafael Nadal is considered the "King of Clay", and Justine Henin has dominated on the surface the past two years. But both come into this tournament under difficult circumstances. Rafael lost to Federer at his last tournament in Hamburg - snapping an 81-match winning streak on clay for Rafa...
More About: Preview , Roland

Netball Tournament
2007-05-26 05:52:00
I just got back from an indoor netball tournament today, which was a fundraiser for the sports club I play outdoor for. It was great fun, I got to catch up with some friends who I invited to play, as well as some of my regular indoor netball teammates who I play with on Wednesday nights. I had a great time, although some of the other teams were very strong and we are just a social team.I'm starting to discover that I really enjoy having leadership on court, as I was captaining this side. I try my best to lead by example - I really throw everything into the games, even though they are just social games, because that's thy most fun way to play. I consider myself a tenacious and gritty player (I have to make up for being rather small!), and I noticed today that the players around me follow my example and push themselves just that little bit further. I had a cramp in my calf muscle towards the end of our last game which slowed me down a lot, and I noticed the intensity of the whole te...
More About: Ball , Tournament , Amen

Coming Soon: Hellgate London (PC)
2007-05-25 06:38:00
Release: Mid-2007In the spirit of Diablo comes Hellgate : London , a 3D action-RPG from Flagship Studios. Blood, demons, swords, magic and guns await.Shane
More About: Ming , Hellgate London

Rich!
2007-05-22 08:04:00
I found a $20 note on the road today! How exciting... I looked around to see if there was anyone who might've dropped it, but there was nobody! So I decided to claim it for myself. Not much else you can do really when it's just a $20 note by itself! Yay for me, anyway. Hopefully nobody needed it to feed their kids or something. That would be unfortunate.Shane
More About: Rich

What's up?
2007-05-22 03:29:00
Everyone seems to be sooo quiet lately... maybe it's the weather? Everyone's feeling lazy and locking themselves up inside (including me)? Who knows...Wake up everyone!Shane

Spotlight - Volume 1: Swiss Tennis Players
2007-05-19 09:00:00
There must be something about the clear mountain air of the Alps, as tennis stars from Switzerland are anything but neutral. The style of play produced by the top Swiss stars on both the men's and the women's tours is probably some of the most aesthetically pleasing tennis you will see, rivalled only by the French in my opinion. The Swiss players are well known for their well-rounded games combining fluid movement with technical finesse on their shots, as well as being very adept around the net. Due to their high levels of technical skill, they are able to vary the spin and pace of the ball with seemingly little effort, resulting in a tactical style of play that frustrates opponents and gives audiences plenty to cheer about!Roger Federer is one of the most dominant players in the history of tennis. Although he has powerful shots at his disposal, the real reason for his dominance is the array of shots he is able to produce, as his sublime timing and accuracy allow him to control th...
More About: Players , Tennis , Spotlight , Volume

Heyy, Charrliiee!
2007-05-18 06:29:00
I love this video. I have no idea why.WARNING: Contains very annoying unicorns.Shane
More About: Char

Things I Dislike - Volume 5: "Waiting To Hear Back"
2007-05-16 10:28:00
I seem to spend a lot of my valuable time waiting around on people. It's not something I enjoy, but I manage to get roped into situations where I have no choice but to wait and wait for people to give me a call or sort out something they need to sort out in order for me to get on with things. For example, if I've had a job interview, I'd like to hear back even if it's bad news, so that I can move on and try something else knowing that it is over and done with. Sometimes it takes weeks or even months, and I have to tentatively keep trying other options, wondering if they'll ever make a decision, or if they've already made one and just haven't told me!Tick tock...It happens in other situations too... we all experience it... "I'll call you back!" ... Yeah right ... "I'll email you tomorrow!" ... Not falling for that one ... The list goes on.People ... get your shit together! Lol.Shane
More About: Hear , Back , Things , Like , Thing

Things I Like - Volume 10: Hearing From Friends
2007-05-15 13:01:00
It's happened to me a few times in the past few months - hearing from friends who I haven't heard from in a long time. It really makes my day when it happens! I also bumped into a friend from school who is now working just up the road from me - a similar feeling. It's great seeing someone or hearing from them after months or years have passed by.I was especially happy to hear from my penpal Brittany in Federal Way (Washington, USA) this week. I hadn't heard from her in a few months and she's been going through some tough times, so it's a relief to get things back on track! Hopefully we'll be writing letters again soon!Shane
More About: Friends , Things , Ends , Like , Thing

Quote Me - Volume 2
2007-05-15 12:55:00
"My fake plants died, because I did not pretend to water them."- Comedian Mitch Hedberg (1968-2005)Shane
More About: Volume , Quote

How Would You React...
2007-05-14 08:05:00
... if a crowd of 100 people came screaming around the corner! Here's a video showing how some unwitting Japanese people dealt with it! I think it shows nicely how people use cues from those around them to sense what might be going on, even if they don't know what it is themselves!Shane
More About: Would , React

Gah!
2007-05-10 07:40:00
Sorry for the lack of updates in the past week! It's been super busy and I've barely had time to think!I've been working since Tuesday of last week at a local cafe. I actually hate it, and the boss hates me (and I hate her)... lots of hate going around. It's been pretty awful actually, having people looking over my shoulder and trying to make me feel like an idiot all day every day. I'm just trying to plow through it until I find something else. At least I am being paid... it's the only thing keeping me sane!Where this cafe I'm working at needs to goOther than that, I had a netball tournament over the weekend. It was fun, although the competition was tough... two of the best teams in the country were there - Rotorua, who were runners up in the A grade at nationals last year; and Counties Manukau, who beat us in the final of the B grade. What's more, both teams seem to have recruited some even better players than they had last year! So it was pretty tough, but a good experien...

My 30 Secrets
2007-05-03 07:45:00
This is just one of those quizzes you get in MySpace bulletins. I decided to copy and paste it over here, you might be able to find some interesting (or not so interesting) facts about me in there if you so desire!1. WHAT IS YOUR DISPLAY NAME ABOUT? It's from the song "Renegade Fighter" by Zed 2. WHERE WAS YOUR DEFAULT PICTURE TAKEN? In my room 3. WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME? Michael 4. WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT RELATIONSHIP STATUS? Single 5. HONESTLY, IF SOMEONE WERE TO TELL YOU HOW THEY FELT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? It depends who it was and what they were telling me! I'd listen, in any case, and react accordingly. If someone were to tell me that they like me, I'd be open to starting something up... but like I said, it depends who it was. 6. WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT MOOD? Not too bad actually. Better than average. 7. WHO DO YOU LOVE MOST? Family and friends, of course 8. WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? Waking up by accident at 4am on a rainy night, then laying there knowing that I can sleep in that morn...
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Profile - Volume 1: Paul-Henri Mathieu
2007-05-02 10:23:00
Welcome to the first instalment of a brand new feature in my blog! It's pretty straightforward, really, but everyone can learn something! In each instalment of this feature, I will choose a person and tell you about them! It could be someone super-famous, someone just a little bit famous, someone you have never heard of (but might have) or someone I know in person.First up...Paul -Henri Mathie u - French Tennis Pro!Full name: Paul-Henri Mathieu (pronounced Paul on-REE mat-YEU... in a thick French accent of course)Birthday: 12th January 1982Birthplace: Strasbourg, FranceResidence: Geneva, SwitzerlandOccupation: Professional Tennis Player on the ATP TourHeight: 185cm (6'1")Turned Pro: 1999Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)Sponsored by Adidas... good deal!Paul-Henri Mathieu has long been spoken of (since his 2002 breakthrough) as one of the most talented players on the ATP tour. He won Newcomer of the Year in 2002 (an award won by Andy Roddick the previous year and Rafael Nadal ...
More About: Profile , Volume

Quote Me - Volume 1
2007-04-30 15:15:00
"What rivalry? I win all the matches."- Martina Hingis, on her supposed on-court rivalry (in singles) with frequent doubles partner Anna KournikovaShane
More About: Volume , Quote

Close Calls!
2007-04-27 04:24:00
These people are lucky to be in one piece!Shane
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What's At Your Core?
2007-04-23 08:17:00
I've learned a lot about my own perceptions of people lately. In fact, without naming names, there are two people in my life who I have known for some time now, but who have almost switched places in terms of my concepts of them, all within the space of a few months.One of them I was sometimes a bit suspicious about and unsure around, but has proven himself to be a true friend. I'm really glad how things have been going with him on the friendship side of things, as I always had a good feeling about him, despite my misgivings and a few trials and tribulations on our somewhat rocky road up until the present.The other I trusted from the beginning and really put a lot of energy into, only to have it begin to dawn upon me that many of his promises have turned out to be false, and his apparent kindness is not backed up by any kind of positive action. I hope I'm wrong, but at this stage I'm feeling quite disappointed by this person who seemed to show such integrity and virtue.I am not ...
More About: Core

Volcanic Auckland
2007-04-23 03:32:00
Auckland is a city with a lot of volcanoes! They are not active, but the mountains scattered across the city are great places to visit, providing excellent views and a fun time for all! Yesterday afternoon my friend Anton and I went up Mt Albert and Mt Eden. I took these two photos from Mt Albert, as I had never been up there before. The first photo is obviously facing right at the sun, while the second is facing away.We saw this cyclist when we were at Mt Albert. He had ridden up the mountain and was on his way back down again when we left. We took a bit of a roundabout route to Mt Eden and incredibly, we were only there 5 minutes before that same cyclist appeared at the summit! He must be fast!After watching the sunset from Mt Eden, we drove over the Harbour Bridge and went in the direction of Devonport, which is a nice little village on the North Shore of Auckland. It is quite close to Auckland City by ferry, as it faces more or less opposite the city over the harbour. We drove, ...
More About: Land , Auckland , Cani , Klan

Coming Soon: Fallout 3
2007-04-20 01:34:00
Big news. Great timing too, I bought the Fall out Collection and have been playing it a lot this week. I had Fallout 2 before but the original Fallout was hard to come by. It's been great playing it, and what a great game it is - more to come on that once I finish the game.A brief background of the Fallout story... the game is set in a post-nuclear wasteland. Following a disastrous nuclear war, people retreated to Vaults - high-tech underground shelters fully equipped to support life. You play the part of a dweller of Vault 13. You have never seen the outside world before, but you are chosen to venture out to find a replacement chip for the water system before the supply runs out for the Vault. So, into the wasteland you go; a dusty and corrupt California with dangers including giant scorpions, mutants, bandits and radiation.I'll post some full reviews of Fallout 1 & 2 when I get the chance!Shane
More About: Fallout 3 , Ming , Allo

Vector Arena
2007-04-20 00:54:00
My friend Andrew scored some free tickets to the official opening of Auckland's new Vector Arena - an all-purpose indoor venue that will be used for concerts and sporting events. Andrew's flatmate Marie was performing as a drummer in a Scottish ensemble, which is why he got some free tickets. There were a variety of cultural performances; I particularly enjoyed the Irish dance - legs everywhere!Of course, there were plenty of New Zealand artists and groups performing for the opening. Standouts included Spacifix (some very energetic boys from West Auckland; I think one of them hurt his ankle slightly when jumping off the stage but did well to keep performing), Sir Howard Morrison, Yulia (a Russian-born New Zealander), and Don McLashan. I didn't really like Daniel Bedingfield, though... he is one of our most successful internationals, having had six number 1 hits in the UK. I just find him annoying, though; he's very commercial and has a really whiny voice. And he sang for way too...

Movie: The Sixth Sense (1999)
2007-04-17 03:52:00
Directed by M. Night ShyamalanStarring Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni ColletteWell, everyone knows about this movie I think! It is probably one of the biggest "sleeper hits" of all time, as it just came out of nowhere to dominate the box office and become one of the most successful movies of 1999. Rightly so, too; it's a very good movie. When I first went to see it, I was a bit young for it and it wasn't what I was expecting; I liked horror movies at that stage of my life, and The Sixth Sens e looks like a scary movie when you read about it, but it's actually more of a drama with a slight splash of suspense and thriller aspects. I find I can appreciate it much more now that I understand the film better.It is the heart of this film that makes it stand out above similar films. There are some scenes that really pull at the heartstrings, such as the revelation about how a girl died (above) and the scene in which Cole tells his mother about his "gift". The acting in this movie i...
More About: Movie , Ense , The Sixth Sense