TTBM #4? 5? I don't even-

I think it would be wise that we also ignore the rather large sniper rifle in the back trunk of Dewmann's car.

TTBM:





[]

Nothing bugs JT

What a nice guy!

He's so chipper and dapple!

Dapple? Like dappled sunlight?
I've always thought of him as a gentleman and a ninja.

I always thought he was quite dapper.

TTBM: So I managed to Escape from New Zealand (just call me Snake Plissken) onboard the national airline (marvelling at the brilliance of the fact that an airline from a nation of flightless birds is the only one with birds flying). However, my cousin (who was dropping me off at the airport at 0500) decided that I only needed to be there 10 minute before check-in closes because Air NZ has the self-check terminals.

However, the name that my ticket was registered under is NOT the full name that's on my passport, so the scanner didn't read it. So there I am, facing a huge queue, with 5 minutes before my flight closes.

No Hulking out, no roaring in fury, as even in NZ, airport security doesn't like that. Managed to make my flight too.

So lesson learned; Next time I'll take the bus, and will work towards obtaining either an AC-130 or an SR-71, which can operate below and above the flight-levels in which ash interferes with commercial air travel respectively.

TTBM: Unclosed parenthesis.

Relevant XKCD

TTBM: Pulled a muscle in my neck dancin' just now.

Sarcasmic wrote:TTBM: Unclosed parenthesis.

Relevant XKCD

My bad. I needed to adapt my language to blend in with the people. Commonly used phrases are "Aww, yeah bro!" and "Sweet as bro!" Essentially all you need to communicate with a New Zealander is add "bro" to the end of every sentence.

TTBM: I was staying with a friend in New Zealand, and the farewell was...interesting.

You know those occassions where you could stay, you would stay, and you possibly should stay, but you know that you need to leave? It was one of those.

So I'm trapped now, again, although this time I'm trapped in my head. No one's been home yet, but I can feel that side of me that served me so well last year starting to seal itself back in the box again. Fortunately, I get to break it on out again in a week, but I hate having to go back to the fascade of "Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir".

TTBM: it seems that Hornby, a model railway manufacturer, are beginning to change their couplings (the things that connect engines and coaches/trucks together) and I doubt that the new versions will be compatible with the old ones. As someone wanting to start building a model railway and get stuff on the cheap from eBay, this is disconcerting.

TTBM:
Feeling like this guy right now

What's wrong? What could bother a administatior so much to the point of crying? I thought that you guys had hearts of stone or something...

TTBM: So I read a bit of the newspaper today, and one article caught my eye. It talked about violence and persecution that some teachers often get.

One of the examples given happened a few months ago. Two teen girls, along with the help of about 7 classmates, got revenge on their gym teacher by falsely accusing him of sexually abusing his students. The teacher managed to keep his reputation clean, and the two bitches were sentenced to community service, to writing an apology to their teacher, and the school board signed them up to another school.

Why did they do something like that? What could possibly justify getting revenge by almost destroying someone's reputation?

Get this: the two girls did it because the teacher refused to let them into his class because their clothing was inappropriate to the school rules. They wanted to ruin his life and possibly send him to jail...because he didn't want them to wear small shorts in his class.

I'm losing my faith in humanity a bit more every day.

TTBM: So as you all know, I was stuck in New Zealand for an extra week because of the ash cloud. And I took the time to see the people that I thought I wouldn't get time to see. I stopped in and saw my best mate at his work, and got to see the shop floor on which he works and designs stuff. And then, at his request and because I promised that I would last time I was in the country (and then ran out of time), I went and saw his girlfriend, who is also my ex.

Just as a refresher, I went out with this girl at the end of 2009/start of 2010, and then went overseas to study my Masters. The break-up was bad, but then it got a little hinky when she started going out with the best mate, whom she'd met at a concert of whose I'd taken her to. But they're both happy, so I'm happy.

So we went for coffee, and had a great chat. She essentially gave her apologies for the way it ended, and I said that I was glad that she and him were happy. So that was that. Or so I thought.

Now I'm being bombarded from all sides. She wants to know when I'm coming back to New Zealand so that she, the best mate and I can all go out somewhere. When I said that I didn't know when I would be back, she said I was avoiding her. Then when I said I'd be happy to hang out, she constantly asked if I was only saying I was happy to shut her up. At the same time, friends who work with her are constantly passing information to me about what they're doing and all.

What they all fail to realise is the following:

1. Yes, I am quite aware that my best mate (who is an awesome chap) and my ex are going out, and have recently celebrated their 12-month anniversary.

2. Yes, I am aware that the break-up was a bit rough.

3. Yes, I am aware that they are both very happy (which makes me very happy)

What some people (not including the best mate. All is good between us, which is fantastic) fail to realise is that I have moved on. There have been girls since her, and while I am single now, I'm not pining like some infernal puppy-dog.

What's hillarious is that I've moved on with my life, but some of my friends (and others) don't seem to have.

Manly McLawyerface III wrote:TTBM: it seems that Hornby, a model railway manufacturer, are beginning to change their couplings (the things that connect engines and coaches/trucks together) and I doubt that the new versions will be compatible with the old ones. As someone wanting to start building a model railway and get stuff on the cheap from eBay, this is disconcerting.

I understand, I'm using old-fashioned Faller rails for my track, which are a compete 100% incompatible with the modern ones.

Man, that sounds irritating. That said, I was snooping around on eBay and it seems that I should be able to get some engines I was after quite easily. They're a good price and there's a lot of them up for grabs!

One engine i really want is Henry (from the Thomas the Tank Engine series. Don't judge me). He's pretty tricky to get hold of, but I reasoned that I should be able to get him somewhere in the world. Oliver seems to be a nightmare to get ahold of, but really, as long as I get the main 8 (and Diesel) I'll be happy. Don't know what I'm going to do about Annie and Clarabel, though. The official models are ridiculously small. I have seen a coach with very similiar colouration that's a better size, so that's something to fall back on.

TTBM: Every few minutes, my computer just freezes up, forcing me to restart.

TTBM: Sibling coming to stay for a few days.

So this means I apparently need to get out of my room, leaving all my stuff which I need to get any work done (stereo, books, desk) and move out into the lounge, because she used to own the large bed.

And if I don't, she'll be a bitch for the next few days until I go to Canberra.

Dewmann wrote:TTBM: Every few minutes, my computer just freezes up, forcing me to restart.

that happened to my laptop some time ago... turned out the hard drive was broken

Manly McLawyerface III wrote:One engine i really want is Henry (from the Thomas the Tank Engine series. Don't judge me).

Nothing wrong with that. Henry taught us all a valuable lesson; that sometimes if people are unable to keep up, it's not their fault. All he needed was a special diet of coal which he could use. It's like the steam engine version of coeliac disease.

Well, the eventual result was that he crashed and was then completely rebuilt to solve the design flaws in his construction. SO the moral is more likely "surgery is your friend". Not sure if you can view the actual footage, but try.





If you CAN watch the footage in your country, that user has 173 episodes of the show by my last count. If you're interested in seeing it for yourself or are new to the show, full steam ahead! See what I did there?

Manly McLawyerface III wrote:If you're interested in seeing it for yourself or are new to the show, full steam ahead! See what I did there?

Did you have to make that joke, or did you choo-choo-choose to?