Archive for August, 2008

I need something new.

Sunday, August 24th, 2008

I’m turning into a fat bastard and it is time for action.

I’m thinking of starting the Couch to 5km thing. Which is kinda galling for someone who used to get paid to run. (Well running was part of the job). I reckon I am now more than 10kg overweight and it is just sitting there on the front taunting me.

There is also a gym within easy distance and I’m thinking about that too.

But I may also about to be given a new job with more demands on my time and I’m not sure how that will impact my lifestyle.

The good news is that my swing by Willow is starting to get grooved in. The good is now very good indeed. I love it.

Posted in Angsty navel gazing | No Comments »

Perhaps I should just call it a golf blog.

Monday, August 11th, 2008

I went to see my golf coach with my spare time on Saturday. It is a testament to the quality of this guy that driving 100 minutes to get there and then 100 minutes home again at the end of the session was totally worth it.

One of the attractions of dilettantism is getting new shiny stuff into your life on a regular basis. New skills are even nicer than new things for me and so getting some more advanced abilities for my golf game is more satisfying than a new piece of equipment. I felt like I was 10 feet tall for chunks of the session as I went from woeful to good in an aspect of my game that has been plaguing my scores. I’m still buzzing now to tell you the truth. Any readers in the Melbourne area looking for a golf coach should check out David Williams.

I ended up purchasing neither Wii nor PS3. There was finally an announcement of the Australian release date for Rock Band. The one game that would determine my ultimate console decision. It is finally coming in October. Around the same time Rock Band 2 will be released in the US. And the price gouging for this will require the Australian musical gamers to bend over and grit their teeth as they get reamed with neither reacharound nor lube. The total cost for Rock Band, 10 months after its’ original relase is $410

FOUR. HUNDRED. AND. TEN. DOLLARS!

Dear MTV Games,

GET FUCKED YOU GOUGING ARSEHOLES!

Love Bruce

I can buy an entire Wii for that price. On the current exchange rate, gamers in the US can purchase the same components for AU$180. Why the more than 100% price premium? It can’t possibly be shipping. Australia is region free so you shouldn’t have to recode anything. Why the fuck do you think you can get away with this exorbitant pricing regime?

And so the dream dies. What would have been a guaranteed, day-one sale has now turned into a disgruntled non-customer. One who will actively discourage anyone I know from buying your game at that price point. Who do you think you are? Apple?

So the list is now:
Glenelg Motor Inn
Something or someone (I can’t remember)
MTV Games.

Posted in Sports stuff | 3 Comments »

Australia – a nation with their bins out.

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

I’m sure you’ve all heard about the launch of Google steetview. And of course you’ve gone looking for your house and other places of note. Then I noticed the conversations on the various boards and blogs referring to the fact that they have their bins out. It seemed like more than 14% of all people had the google car drive past their house on the same day the garbos had been.

Yet this does not surprise me. The garbage trucks go down every street in every suburban area every week. They must have a reasonable optimised route for themselves, so if you wanted a quick and easy way of working out which way to cover the suburban steets then I would think joining the flies that follow the trucks would be a simple way of plugging in to an already completed solution.

Either that or it’s a coincidence.

Posted in Nerd stuff | 3 Comments »

Kindness to strangers?

Monday, August 4th, 2008

Can one give a complement to a random stranger while walking down the street?

Could I tell a girl “great shoes” or compliment a bloke on his tie? Would this be generally appreciated? Or would this get one branded as crazy stalker material?

If it happened to me I am pretty sure I would appreciate the sentiment. Am I wrong?

I am a victim of old age this week. I find myself having this weekend with the house to myself and the car. Yet with so many new fathers and other good excuses, none of my usual peer group are available to share it with me. There isn’t even any sport of note on Saturday night as I am all but boycotting the Olympics. My olympian sport of choice is Volleyball, but I’m sure there will be bugger all coverage throughout the games. Fifth replays of swimming heats will be given precedence over hard court volleyball.

Perhaps I will buy a Wii or a PS3.

Posted in Angsty navel gazing | 1 Comment »