kjmci's webdump

Best train announcement ever?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:47:24 -0500

“Good evening ladies and gents, this is your driver speaking I’d like to welcome you aboard and thank you for choosing Metro Trains for your commute home this evening. We’re currently cruising at an altitude of approximately one meter, and will soon be exiting the City Loop. Upon exiting, you look to your left, you will be able to see Melbourne’s famed MCG. We’re ahhhhhh….currently running about 3 minutes late, but assuming we don’t lose any more time on the way we should be arriving safely in Packenham at about 10:30. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the rest of your ride home.”

Did I get the answer right?

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:24:55 -0500

Did I get the answer right?

I’m cruising down a treelined boulevard, I just passed...

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:28:58 -0500

I’m cruising down a treelined boulevard, I just passed Federation Square. The National Galery of Victoria is a speck in the rear-view mirror. The Arts Center Spire is long since gone, and suddenly I realise that these tourist attractions are part of what makes my home.

VicRoads enforcing new clearway times, opposed by Stonnington...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:41:40 -0500

VicRoads enforcing new clearway times, opposed by Stonnington Council. Many of the new parking signs have been covered by the Council leaving motorists confused about when they can and can’t park.

I don’t think any song will ever make me feel as happy as Daft Punk - One More Time does,...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:35:31 -0500

I don’t think any song will ever make me feel as happy as Daft Punk - One More Time does, every single time.

Outmode.

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 21:00:31 -0500

Outmode.

Yum Cha - OH YEAH!!!

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 05:18:45 -0500

Yum Cha - OH YEAH!!!

The terrible music I put up with at work

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:00:54 -0500

To give you an idea of the pain I endure every single day, here is a short list of songs, most of which assault my eardrums several times a day. Some aren’t actually bad, but when you hear them six times it gets a little tiring.

Do You Remember - Jay Sean Feat. Sean Paul & Lil Jon (in wich we hear the same three words repeated 37 times!)
Iyaz - Replay (he uses the word “iPod” in his song, so you know he’s hip with the kids of today)
La Roux - Bulletproof (not actually terrible!)
Natalie Bassingthwingithangigthwaite - Love Like This
Dizzee Rascal - Dance Wiv Me (terrible spelling, Mr Rascal)
John Butler Trio - One Way Road (dirty stinkin’ hippies)
Pussycat Dolls feat. Snoop Dogg - Push My Buttons
Guy “Smiley” Sebastian/Jordin Sparks - Art of Love (seriously, you know her career’s on the down and out when she’s pairing with a Happyclapping, Hillsong-loving Australian Idol contestant.)
Lady GaGa - Just Dance
Wale/Lady GaGa - Chilin
Lady GaGa - Lovegame
Kid Cudi/Kanye West - Things you Say
Beyonce/Lady GaGa - Videophone (LOOK AT US, WE USE OUTMODED TECHNOLOGY AND RHYME TALKING WITH TALKING!)
Lady GaGa - Bad Romance (looks like they’re running a GaGa Roh-ma-marathon)
Lady GaGa - Poker face
Lady GaGa - Paparazzi
Pitbull/Akon - Shut it down
Flo Rida - That horrible song
Avril Lavigne - Girlfriend
Good Charlotte - Dance Floor Anthem
Timbaland - Some Terrible Vocoded Song (Feat. Fat Dude in Trenchcoat During Winter)
Stan Walker - Black Box
Gabriella Cimli - On a Mission (The one in which Gabriella becomes a gay house diva)
Train - Hey Soul Sister (A chorus of yeah yeah yeahs…so very creative)
Jason Derulo - Whatchu Say
Muse - Undisclosed Desires (douchebag in stupid glasses sings into two microphones and looks like a tard).
OWL CITY - FIRE-FUCKING-FLIES
Jonas Bros - S.O.S.
Short Stack - Some stupid piece of shit I don’t care enough about to find out what it’s called.

Tram jam on Swanston. Melbourne Uni to Bourke St and beyond.

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:14:51 -0500

Tram jam on Swanston. Melbourne Uni to Bourke St and beyond.

Sebben & Sebben Mission Statement

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 06:58:23 -0500

Putting clients first by putting employees first, immediately after prioritising fiscal responsibility and leveraging profitability towards exceeding by empowering our employees to put clients (and themselves) first, in a diverse and respectful environment of only those that come first, first.

Fuck yeah, dumplings!

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:08:06 -0500

Fuck yeah, dumplings!

Watching super-slow motion footage of capsules disolving in...

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:53:18 -0500

Watching super-slow motion footage of capsules disolving in water at a video bar, with a minimal-house soundtrack. Woo!

Sometimes I wish I had a proper camera.

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 04:35:58 -0500

Sometimes I wish I had a proper camera.

Citybound at 8:30PM. Soundtrack: Morgan Page - The Longest Road...

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:44:47 -0500

Citybound at 8:30PM. Soundtrack: Morgan Page - The Longest Road (Deadmau5 Remix)

Fig leaves in the arch window.

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 05:02:23 -0500

Fig leaves in the arch window.

A quick photo-tour of my new apartment.

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:34:16 -0500

A quick photo-tour of my new apartment.

Quiet time.

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:00:49 -0500

Quiet time.

Melbourne Week 1

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 00:55:59 -0500

So I was planning on doing daily updates but too many things have been happening. I suppose the quick synopsis is as follows:

Moved out of the YHA Hostel, currently staying with a friend in Kew
Been to four house interviews, missed one, waiting to hear on two, and been offered one (more on this later)
Both job interviews went well, I can’t really discuss the second one yet but the Service Centre is happy to offer me a position, pending my uni availability
Speaking of uni, I was not made a first round offer. I’ll need to wait until Feb 15 to find out if I have been successful

I’ve had a crazy week of settling in, meeting new people, going out for dinners, birthday parties for friends, finding my feet, learning the suburbs and having an all round great time. Today’s weather is certainly interesting - patchy rain, cool temperatures, occasional hail and strong wind gusts. To think, a week ago it was 43º - guess I need to get used to this constantly shifting Melbourne weather.

On Wednesday of last week I recorded an episode of the MacTalk Podcast. You can download and listen to it here if you like 4 guys and a chick sitting in a room nerding it up about Apple products. Following that I was able to fill an urge I’d had since leaving Melbourne back in September - a Spicy Salami Chicken Parmagiana from the Sherlock Holmes Pub. It was everything I thought it would be and more.

Thursday night I went out with a mate and caught up with some new people at a place called Taco Bills. As you can see from my recent post, they serve margaritas in fishbowls. I had 3. It was definitely an interesting night! I was given 3 sombreros as proof I finished the drinks, but I think they got tossed away at the hostel.

Friday was a great night, full of spur of the moment fun. I caught up at my favourite little bar, Hells Kitchen in Centre Place. Hell’s Kitchen was one of the original laneway restaurants which kickstarted the entire scene, above it now is a small bar with very a very relaxed attitude and comfortable couches. Grab a spot by the window and you can watch the world go by as people stream from Flinders St Station through to Collins St and beyond.

I then got a call from a friend offering me the chance to go see Al Green perform live at The Palais. To start with, the venue is amazing. Right on the beach at St Kilda, across the road from Luna Park, The Palais is a beautiful classic theatre which is great for live music. As for the show, while not knowing any of his tracks I recognised the name. I had a smile on my face the entire time, it was a great uplifting soul performance by an awesome band and an incredibly talented and respected vocalist.

On Saturday I spent time inspecting three places. Two in North Melbourne and one in Windsor. The first place in North Melbourne was a bit pokey and small, and the kitchen was pretty awful. The second place, however was amazing. I mean, here - look at it!

And, as an added benefit the bedroom is also furnished. This is by far the #1 place on my list, and I should hopefully hear back by the end of the week. However, if I’m unsuccessful there’s a nice place in Windsor with a good kitchen and a lovely housemate I should be able to fall back to. I’m trying to schedule a few more interviews this week so I’ve got options open when I make a decision shortly.

Saturday night was spent with my friend’s partner, mother in law, sister and her boyfriend at a Turkish restaurant on Bridge Rd. The food was absolutely amazing, and I’m told just a taste of the kind of restaurants that are available down here. The entrees were like mains, the mains were huge, and the desserts incredible. I can’t wait to get out there and experience all these different cuisines.

Yesterday was a relatively quiet day of recovery until I found out it was a friend’s birthday - off we went to a pizza-serving bar in Fitzroy called Bimbo Deluxe. It was another great night of meeting new people and forming networks which will see me through my time down here. Nearby a venue called The Tote was having its last night before being shut down as part of a crackdown on venues by Liquor Licensing. Nearly 3,000 people turned out in a farewell celebration for the place - pretty awesome.

Today was, another day of recovery and lining up interviews for houses. All in all its been a pretty awesome week, and I look forward to when I can settle in a house and finally call this place home.

For a good time, call…

Sun, 17 Jan 2010 23:31:22 -0500

For a good time, call…

I’m in Magaritaville!

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:15:43 -0500

I’m in Magaritaville!