Chat about whatever you like: the weather, good stuff, bad stuff, family or pets! Showing 5,901-5,950 of 26,036

[Mark]

Mark - I'll have a Masters in Religious Theory but as I also have a BA in ancient history I may go back and do a Masters in that as well, if I could think of a thesis I really wanted to write of course.

Hi, Tracey!

I hadn't known to what "compilations" you were alluding (though I know you had mentioned you were an author), so I took a closer look at your profile, and consider me impressed! Now, a witchcraft-themed fantasy series by someone with your level of erudition in religious theory and church history has to be interesting. (Not that I expect it to discuss the Malleus Maleficarum, or anything :) :), but still... I think I want to read it. As for the degree, why do another masters? I would think that a doctorate would be highly achievable and appropriate for you, if you have further academic aspirations.

[Mark]

Hi, Carmel!

I hope this isn't too belated for you to see it, but Carmel, I hardly knew ye! :), and I'm truly sorry for whatever circumstances are causing you to retrench (unless, of course, it's something good :))! But in any case, as a newcomer who's enjoyed the discussions here, let me thank you for your past, yeoperson's efforts. :)

[[deleted user]]

onya Carmel, still a real trooper in my eye's, all the best eh!

[Mark]

Hi, all!

I've discovered an excess of "Mark's" elsewhere (some may contend that one is an "excess"), so in the interest of avoiding ambiguity, I've finally bothered to upload an avatar. (It's a picture of a ship, about to fall off the end of the earth. It seemed appropriate.) But it's still me, the clinically deranged T.S. Eliot and Finnegans Wake fanatic, prone to gratuitous logorrhetic divagations. Not much activity here, today. Where have all the bibliophiles gone? Is there something else that it's useful to do on weekends (like live) that has somehow eluded me, or is everyone actually assiduously reading (books, I mean)? :)

[Mark]

Oh, Hi David!

Our two postings crossed in the ether. I gather, you, at least, have not fallen prey to the global abduction by aliens of members of GR, but then I'm not sure what time it is in Australia (or here, for that matter. Perhaps everyone else is still asleep.

[[deleted user]]

Mark, Mark, Maaaark!!!..as the crow would say...LOL!!

It is currently 8.55am Sunday morning & we are off to the fresh vegie markets (the famous Rusty's) soon.

avagoodweekend mate!!

[Mark]

David wrote: "Mark, Mark, Maaaark!!!..as the crow would say...LOL!!

It is currently 8.55am Sunday morning & we are off to the fresh vegie markets (the famous Rusty's) soon.

avagoodweekend mate!!"

You, too! I think I have a bit more of mine left than you do of yours, but have a good Sunday!

[Jessy]

David wrote: "Mark, Mark, Maaaark!!!..as the crow would say...LOL!!

It is currently 8.55am Sunday morning & we are off to the fresh vegie markets (the famous Rusty's) soon.

avagoodweekend mate!!"


I still haven't been after nearly 3 years here lol terrible I know whats it like?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

David wrote: "Mark, Mark, Maaaark!!!..as the crow would say...LOL!!

It is currently 8.55am Sunday morning & we are off to the fresh vegie markets (the famous Rusty's) soon.

avagoodweekend mate!!"

Enjoy those markets David! I would love to go...love markets:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Mark wrote: "Hi, all!

I've discovered an excess of "Mark's" elsewhere (some may contend that one is an "excess"), so in the interest of avoiding ambiguity, I've finally bothered to upload an avatar. (It's a pi..."

Like your avatar Mark! Looks like some of the boats in Japan after the earthquake, while the tsunami was grinding it's way through the cities and towns!

I won't be on much today either...have my grandson here, and while the cartoons are keeping him amused at the moment, he's waiting for me to play 'cars' with him!

[Mark]

Brenda wrote: "Mark wrote: "Hi, all!

I've discovered an excess of "Mark's" elsewhere (some may contend that one is an "excess"), so in the interest of avoiding ambiguity, I've finally bothered to upload an avata..."

Thanks, Brenda! I certainly had nothing like tsunamis in mind when I chose that avatar, and I hope it won't evoke them generally, but it still speaks to me metaphorically, so I'm going to stick with it.

Have a wonderful time with your grandson! This is part of why I profoundly regret not having had kids. It's the subsequent generations, too, and the lack of opportunity to play 'cars.' :(

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Mark wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Mark wrote: "Hi, all!

I've discovered an excess of "Mark's" elsewhere (some may contend that one is an "excess"), so in the interest of avoiding ambiguity, I've finally bothered to ..."

Thanks Mark...he stayed overnight..loves sleeping over at Grandma and Grandpa's! We will take him home this afternoon, and play with his little sisters..identical twins:) Love our grandkids!!

Glad you won't change the avatar...it's good! Dark and expressive!!

[[deleted user]]

Ah! yes!, grandee's......(-:

Sleepless Night

Oh my! my sore and aching back, feels like, I’ve been strung on a rack,
and all these bruises I can see are from a little girl’s stray knee,
and, of this lump upon my nose? now let me try to diagnose,
for I remember it alright my injuries are from last night.

Kicked from my bed by those two girls, who jump and yell and do their twirls
and bursting eardrums with their screams, they push my body to extremes.
They’re now asleep in Nanna’s bed, the spare rooms for my weary head,
I’m snuggled in behind closed door, while in contented sleep I start to snore.

Now something that was unforseen, I’m thinking, is it just a dream?
a soft voice whispers from the blue ‘hey Grandad, I’ll sleep here with you’.
So on this Queen size bed she crawls, then it’s not long before she sprawls
and takes up almost all the room, while I dread what will happen soon.

I’m drifting to a special place when there’s a ‘whack’ across my face,
her arms I’m trying to compose that’s when her elbow met my nose.
Blocked nose, tears running down my cheek, my body’s tired, and feeling weak,
though one thing that I can’t dispute despite all this she still looks cute.

Re-occupying my small space while facing her my eyes now case
and think how one so small and plain, can give a grown man so much pain.
I’m startled and again in fear, her backhand crashes on my ear
then, quickly she sits up a tad, and says, “where’s my Koala dad?”

She lies back down just like before; I’m thinking I’ll sleep on the floor,
it might be safer if I did escaping this commando kid.
All night she kicked and tossed and turned while, for some rest my body yearned,
it’s hard to sleep and keep an eye on legs or arms that just might fly.

I know that in the morning light when everything will be alright,
we’ll all be squeezed in this old bed with books and stories to be read.
So what, I had a sleepless night but, it is always a delight
and such a gift from up above to share your growing grandchild’s love.


David J Delaney
11/08/2010 ©

[[deleted user]]

my car is packed and I leave at 6am tomorrow morning!

its all very nerve racking but enjoying my last day with my precious little beagle!

[Margaret]

Hi Mark,
I just wanted to say thanks for your very thoughtful and beautifully expressed review of 'A Taste of Life and Love in Australia', which I just found in your list of book reviews. Your comments have given me a wonderful lift, and I'm so glad you appreciated the stories.

[Margaret]

Hi Melanie,
Loved the photo of your Beagle! My Maltese is currently decked out in her own warm overcoat, too. Yours is a nice photo to remember...

[★ Jess]

Your beagle is so cute Melanie! Don't you get to take him with you? :(

[Tracey]

As sad as it is to see Carmel go, I do know that it must take up an enormous amount of time and energy to be a Mod so completely understand her wanting to take a back seat and look forward to just chatting with her here as a non-mod.

Congratulations Michael on taking up the mantle of Mod. Sure you'll do a great job.

Just wanted to share a photo of my eldest niece J, her husband Andrew and their new baby girl, Tallahassee Janet
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...

I can't figure out how to add the photos yet, sorry

[Mark]

Margaret wrote: "Hi Mark,
I just wanted to say thanks for your very thoughtful and beautifully expressed review of 'A Taste of Life and Love in Australia', which I just found in your list of book reviews. Your comm..."

Bitte, de rien, and you're exceptionally welcome; I'm happy that you liked the review. Your book is uplifting and poetic, and it deserves more attention!

[[deleted user]]

★ Jess wrote: "Your beagle is so cute Melanie! Don't you get to take him with you? :("

While she is my dog, we decided it would be to much for her to be away from the whole family, she bonds to people really fast and to have the whole family gone would make her very upset (she stopped eating last time my parents went over seas and it was just her and me) so we felt she would handle losing me rather then my brothers and parents

[[deleted user]]

I do really really want to take her though but would never want her unhappy, ill miss her lots :(

[Emily]

Congratulations Michael!

[Margaret]

Thanks for your kind attentions, Mark! I'm told it takes time for books to get noticed, so maybe the time will ultimately come for 'A Taste of Life and Love in Australia'. Fingers crossed!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Tracey, huge congratulations to your niece and hubby! Gorgeous to have a new arrival in the family!

Good luck with your trip Melanie...drive safely. A shame you've chosen the long weekend Monday to travel, as there'll be lots of traffic on the road, but be safe! Sorry you can't take your gorgeous puppy, but your reasoning is good, and you'll see the great excitement in him when he gets to see you again!!! Carmel's idea of skype is a good one as well!

David, love your poem...it's gorgeous:) So true of our little grandchildren!!

[Tracey]

Thanks Carmel for fixing my pic. I think they look like a gorgeous little family.
Thank's Brenda, little Talli has been long awaited for so we're all super pleased to have this gorgeous new addition to our family.

Good luck with you trip Melanie, hope you have tons of fun.

[Mark]

David wrote: "Ah! yes!, grandee's......(-:

Sleepless Night

Oh my! my sore and aching back, feels like, I’ve been strung on a rack,
and all these bruises I can see are from a little girl’s stray knee,
and, of t..."
David,
That's cute and extremely well-wrought. You really do have a talent! (I'm pathologically fussy about scansion, and you managed to be clever and engaging while doing nothing whatever to offend my ear, so consider that a Nobel Prize! :) :) )

[Margaret]

Good morning, everyone! We in Sydney have woken up to rain, forecast to continue all day. The clouds may be overhead, but there's plenty of brightness in your comments.:)

[Mark]

Good morning, Margaret (he says, with the sun imminently setting :)),

It's what it always is, which is infernally hot and "the earth heaving to parturition of issue of hell," but otherwise quite nice. Sorry about the "obnubilated" state of the heavens, there, but "when it's raining, have no regrets, because it isn't raining rain, you know, it's raining violets." I've always thought this song was outrageously demented. It manifestly is not raining violets. Anyone who thinks it's raining violets has a psychotic dissociative disorder, and schoolchildren should absolutely never be made to sing this abomination of a ditty. (Do you have it in Australia?)

[Margaret]

Hi, Mark.

I've certainly heard the song; Ron watches many old films, and documentaries of bygone eras, on the television. Cannot make an irrefutable statement about schoolkids and this song, but I suspect it isn't on their agenda.

Ron and I go twice a month to hear and dance to music of the 60's to 80's. We love a band called 'The Bandits', and we have become friends, often having coffee with them at interval. Anyway, one of the songs they sing is about the weather, and I really dislike it. I told Ron this, and he let the lead singer, Paul, know about my feelings; much to my horror. They've never played it in my presence, since, despite their stated intention of dedicating it to me!:)

[Mark]

Margaret wrote: "Hi, Mark.

I've certainly heard the song; Ron watches many old films, and documentaries of bygone eras, on the television. Cannot make an irrefutable statement about schoolkids and this song, but I..."

I love music from the sixties! Most particularly folk singers, American and French (Judy Collins and Françoise Hardy, par exemple), but also The Beatles and The Carpenters and... well, everything else! My impression is that it's been monotonically a downhill progression ever since, so that now, we've arrived at a position asymptotically indistinguishable from absolute entropy, and yet still sufficiently organized to give rise to musical annoyance. :) I can think of a smattering (don't think that's the right term of venery) of singers that I like from the eighties, but that decade seems to have dwindled in memory into a "blurry, indeterminate hum." I am thus encouraged to know that your own memories of music from that era are fresh and vivid, so that all is not woe and indeterminacy, except for everything that is. :)

I think it's a more touching token of affection that your favorite group forever remembers and omits to play a song you don't enjoy, than if they'd actually dedicated it to you on the one occasion! It sounds like an enviably romantic bimonthly celebration for you and Ron, in any case.

[Margaret]

The sixties was a highpoint in modern music, and I also enjoyed the popular folk songs. The Carpenters, with their wonderful harmonies, fine diction, and meaningful tunes, ranked amongst my favourite performers.

The Bandits perform hits of the Beatles, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Roy Orbison, The Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, Elvis: the list goes on. Ron and I particularly like 'Love is in the Air', 'La Bamba' and 'Pretty Woman'; all easy, dance tunes.

My niece Kathy also loves The Bandits, and she and I rarely miss a tune. On those times when she's late arriving, Ron, stick in one hand, and I get up for the first number and start the ball rolling. Paul has told us he appreciates this. They are really a top band, and have been nominated for many awards, but sadly do not receive the recognition they so abundantly deserve.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Some great music there Margaret:)

[Margaret]

I'm glad you agree, Brenda!:)

[[deleted user]]

Thank you for your comments Mark, appreciated eh!....
judging by the music you enjoy, you should enjoy this bloke, one of Australia's most popular...(-:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty27xU...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Carmel wrote: "We've had the most gorgeous weather for our Queen's b/day w/end, absolutely stunning so I got out & about Bendigo, was lovely!!"

That's great Carmel...glad you could enjoy your day. We have non stop rain and flash flooding again!!

[Margaret]

Same here, Brenda! Plenty of rain...

[Faye]

well weather wise we had the most awful foggy day today, almost eerie. The fog was what I would call light this morning but as the day went on it got heavier. Just came home from picking up my children, could not see for the heavy fog.
Faye

[Reinette]

Mark wrote: "Do you sink zat wooed be less AH-nöy-ING?"

Ha! Love the, um, spelling. LOL

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Carmel wrote: "Brenda wrote: "That's great Carmel...glad you could enjoy your day...."

Ohh more rain!!!"

And still more:(

[Margaret]

Forgot to put the link for Mark's review of 'A Taste of Life and Love in Australia', and Brenda especially asked to have it made known to readers....A Taste of Life and Love in Australia

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Margaret wrote: "Forgot to put the link for Mark's review of 'A Taste of Life and Love in Australia', and Brenda especially asked to have it made known to readers....A Taste of Life and Love in Australia"

It's a wonderful review Margaret!

[Margaret]

Thanks so much, Brenda! Mark expresses his ideas so eloquently, doesn't he?

[Mark]

Merci, Brigitte. It might be more interesting if ever I had to deal with French telephone solicitors by fabricating an atrocious American accent. Vooze kroy-ay kuh silah pohreh tehtrah IntuhRESSuhnt? :)

[Mark]

Margaret wrote: "Thanks so much, Brenda! Mark expresses his ideas so eloquently, doesn't he?"

It's the eloquence of my fellow Texans, that done rubbed off'n me
-- y'all. :)

[Tracey]

Hi all,
It's been a bit rainy lately but today we have sunshine so no complaints, although it's getting bitterly cold of a night time. I've dragged out the doona and the flannelette sheets.

I just want to gripe for a moment if I may. I have this friend, well she started out as a friend but now she's becoming more of a parasite. Even though she makes at least twice as much money as I do she's constantly 'broke' and needing to borrow money, my car, my phone, coffee, milk etc etc She comes over virtually every day [she's a close neighbour] and it is getting so annoying. I'm trying to gradually ease her out of my life - I know some may think that's mean but she's just such a user - I don't want to hurt her feelings as she has no other friends in the area but I can't put up with her constant parasitic ways.
Wish me luck :)

[Margaret]

Hi Mark

Guess that must be it! Generous of you to admit it....

[Margaret]

Hi Tracey,

I take it this is the 'friend' you mentioned previously.
Good luck with your efforts at diplomacy....

[Mark]

Tracey wrote: "Hi all,
It's been a bit rainy lately but today we have sunshine so no complaints, although it's getting bitterly cold of a night time. I've dragged out the doona and the flannelette sheets.

I jus..."

Good luck! I don't think the problem is that you're ambivalent about what it's rational to do, but that you're intrinsically highly compassionate, and are ambivalent about what it's "decent" to do. I don't generally regard an excess of empathy as a problem, so I won't advise you to accelerate the process more than you want to, but I think it is fine to say "no" to unreasonable requests. The fact that this is painful for you just says something good you, or that's my view...

[Mark]

Hi, Margaret!

Check your Q@A. :)

[Margaret]

Hi Mark,

I have, and a big 'Thank you' for your sparkling words!

Does anyone else want to read or contribute?

What else will Mark come up with?

(Sorry, Mark, if I'm being presumptuous.:))