Daily Discussion Thread: Sunday, 23 February 2025

Finally got around to rebuilding an 'old' mountain bike I built for an ex. I've been riding the unicorn bell bike and trike which both weigh a tonne and handle shockingly. I figured may as well use the heavier ones as you get more exercise in in less time and no one will pinch them.

I forgot what it's like to ride such a light bike. Weighs 8.5kg. Built it when the AUD was way way higher so ended up being a bargain for what it is ('bout $700, last service (!) for my other mtb years ago was $380).

So that's the 'new' goon / snack / beach transport machine. I am tempted to put the unicorn bell and basket on as theft prevention devices.

But jeez riding it brings back memories which i think is why i left it so long. Happy it still works well and the salt air down here hasn't fucked it too much.

I am tempted to put the unicorn bell and basket on as theft prevention devices.
Do it. Establish dominance and go full Hello Kitty
- it has to be something daggy
Yeah, I've been riding a tank around, it's so nice switching to a light weight bike.
I feel like it might need some spokey dokes as well to really bring out the color of the unicorn bell.

What's everyone's plans today? I'll be attempting to clean my bathroom, give up halfway and go and read a book instead.

Talking it easy on the sore knee.
- Gosh. I hope you're medicating there?
Do a little housework.
Make some chili cheese bread
Write in my journal
Do some reading
Keep my fingers crossed regarding house
- 🤞
Possibly museum
I’m not feeling too good so not much. I have someone coming over briefly but other than that it’s laundry and some tidying
Stay home, watch UFC and drink beer. Just finished third washing load 🥵
Our plan was to go to a play centre but it was booked out, so we just went to the local shopping centre instead.
The boys got to sit through the novelty of a grocery shop. Usually I'll get things delivered or the MIL heads out for 3 hours by herself right before dinner time
Same thing we do every weekend.
- Give us a hint?
  Or I'm gonna assume it's Strokin'
Probably zonk out again lol
Miniest has a cold. Porridge has been had, Temple Road Wellness Chai is brewing (she loves it and it helps). Pizza dough is proving (she is hungry and wants my homemade pizza). Elder is starting to complain of a headache 😞 Looks like I'm a cook and nurse today 👩🏼‍⚕️👩🏼‍🍳
Visiting the kusama exhibition then thinking about the vacuuming (but probably not doing it)
- Hahaha. I might get the vac out and give the floor a lick too. Maybe. Probably not.
Baby shower for my niece. I love her but I absolutely despise him, and that's saying something for me.
Howl at the windz

tonight's wave:

was actually pretty rough out there tonight.

E bonus wave. That one cleaned me up.

Hot + Windy = "I don't wanna go to work today" 😭

Update: Am now at work. Still don't wanna.

Hope they have aircon and it’s a quiet day for you

Shopping done

Strays fed and watered

(The calico kitten is so funny. I will put a plate of food in front of her and she will still bully the other cats and eat off their plates lol)

Protein shake consumed

Nap time.

Edit: As I'm sure you can imagine, the care for my current role is near zero. I've moved all my meetings to another block between 11am and 2pm. Then free for the day! lol

I guess the rain is my fault. I put washing out this morning and am not home to collect it.

I watered the plants
- 😠
  nah, 😘

Am on PT and am having an old (wo)man shouts at cloud moment, but whyyyy do people listen to things on their phones without headphones? I don’t wanna hear it. I’d play death metal loud as revenge but that’s not fair on all the other passengers.

So far, we’ve had some weird male-voiced asmr vaccine thing and now there’s cutesy pop. God I’m a grump, lol

You're not a grump.
It's fucking stupid. The saddest attention seeking behaviour.
Fuck them.
- I have never found attention seekers to get positive attention. They just piss people off too much
  this whole noise on trains and trams thing reminds me of a woman at a bar I used to go to who would snap her fingers all the time. For no reason. Bugged the shit out me and probably other people too.
I feel like people are getting ruder.
Because they're assholes.
Yep it’s so annoying, happened to me the other day on the train. Loud music and because it was so loud the person playing was screaming to talk to the person they were with.
Also people having loud phone conversations for everyone to hear.
And smelly foods being consumed in train.
I remember the bliss of Tokyo PT, no loud music, no loud talking, no phone convos, no food, the way it should be.

I’m sorry. Give him as many treats as he wants
Oh no. All the treats for Geoffrey. The Vet told me to buy my cat a rotisserie chicken when he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Eating anything at all matters more that it being 'proper' food
- I will be getting him a rotisserie chicken for sure, thank you.
Oh no. Lots of hugs for you and Geoffrey. The time together is too short.
I'm so sorry. Spend this time giving lots of hugs and treats.
Poor thing :(
All the treats for Geoffrey.
So sorry. Pets are the best people. It’s so hard when they get sick.

Wine is good to have with a meal. Not so good to party with.
Sugar free tonic, I assume? ;)
- I tend to stick to gin and soda now after I realised how much sugar was in tonic 😳 still better then wine tho

Museum day

They've reworked the First Nations gallery since the last time I was here, and it's kind of awesome now

The Stawell and Hall galleries were always my favourite at the old museum.
Looking into the canoes stained with blood from head hunting!!

I am home. The wind is absolutely nuts right now. Howling out there. I got a bit of rain too.

a storm, dammit

quiz

35/50

My husband is no tradie. Ask him about electronics and he'll have you hooked up in no time. Ask him to put new hinges on a cupboard door and he has every tool known to man or woman spread out on the kitchen floor. It's been 3 hours now. I know he'll do a great job so I'm biting my tongue. Patience.

Cupboard hinges are sooo fiddley. Turns into a shitshow if you don’t have a like for like replacement
- That's exactly what's happening. 1970s hinges being replaced.
What a good partner you are :)

I'm still so mightily upset at the brand new dishwasher being non functional that I've packed up all my dirty dishes, including the ones that were in the dw, and am going to take them to the office to wash in their dishwasher tonight on the way to the laundromat. I am THAT angry at the prospect of having to hand wash dishes again. I will be demanding answers on Monday and a refund asap if it isn't a simple fix. I got this close to freedom and I will not have it taken away from me again.

That’s a shame, it’s a really nice size and was a good price. I hope they give you a refund or a new one
- Yeah, the depresso doom part of my brain thinks I somehow deserve this, which is insane. But goddammit no, I deserve to have a working dishwasher that I've worked hard for.
I am pissed off on your behalf about this! Hope it's easily sorted tomorrow
- Yeah. It was a bitch packing everything to take to the office and now waiting 1.5 hrs for it to run (although at least some of that time is being spent at the laundromat)... I hate dishes so much.

Raaaaaaaiiiiinnnnn

I got some thunder claps and huge raindrops but never got going unfortunately.
Yup. Nice little stawm blowing in. Won't last long though I reckon.
- Yeah that storm moving fast

I have consumed an excessive quantity of cabbage

🏃🏼‍♀️💨

Melbcat has retreated to one of her cardboard box hidey holes. Don’t tell me she got that stressed at me simply stripping the bed? Maybe she knows it means the vet is coming to visit

poor sweetie
maybe she's just tired

Good morning. Had the aircon on all night in the bedroom. Walking into lounge a wall of stuffy heat hit me. Aircon now on in rest of house. Ugh what a horrid night, thoughts go out to those without aircon.

The heavens have opened but it sounds pretty angry too.

My number one fan lol Tonight has been a very 'metal' night and she actually stuck around.

Goodnight all ❤️

- There is a large amount of jelly!!!
  Huge fan of les Paul's (hence Gibson's name lol).
  One day I'll have a proper American made Gibson.

Strays have been given their wet food.

Dinner is ready, and Gibson cuddles are ready to be dispensed.

Bring on the final zonk.

Edit: the crack head next door is talking to someone on the phone and saying "yeah this is my house, I own this house".

Yeah nah. The trustees are paying her rent.

- I feel so sorry for the poor old couple living in the back bungalow. They're the owners of the house and they have no idea whats going on in there.
  Despite all the cop cars and ambulances every day....

The pumpkins are growing but slowly. The zucchini are covered in powdery mildew but one is gamely sending up male flowers again. More tomatoes are ripening. Not that much has been produced though.

I might gather some twigs for the bottom of this compost bin. Reduce the chances of ending up with a smelly mess.

Beep Beep 🚚
🍏🍎🍐🍊🍋🍈🫐🍓🍇🍉🍌🍒🍑🥭🍍🥥🥦🥑🫛🍆🍅🥝🥬🥒🌽🥕🥐🍠🫚🥔🧅🥯🍞🥖🥨🧀🧇🥞🧈🍳🥚🥓🥩🍗🍖🫓🍕🍟🍔🌭🥙🧆🌮🌯🥗🍲🍜🍝🥘🍛🍣🍱🥟🦪🍥🍘🍚🍙🐠🍤🪼🦀🐙 🍗🥮🍢🍡🍧🍰🧁🥧🍦🍨🎂🍮🍭🍬🍫🥜🌰🍪🍿🍯🥛☕️🍵🍺🍶🥤🧋🧃🥂🍷🥃🍸🍹🧉🔋

Octopus on rice, with a side of jellyfish please.
- 🐙🪼
  🍚
Footlong with extra toppings thanks
- 🦪🥚🦶
Kangaroo jerky and some beers please
- 🦘🍻🍺

Mr Woof is sad to yet again miss his afternoon walk. Reasons today: 50% too hot, 50% police helicopter hovering overhead and making me nervous. If it cools down another degree or two and the chopper goes away we might be able to head out a bit later.

Edit: both conditions were met and we have managed an evening walk.

most of the housework and stuff is done 🙂

Such a nice feeling

mmm, steamy

loud.

this here is imo the bestest song ever about public transport ...lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_GLSgJ39Dc&rco=1

Toorak Tram
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yJdVAINx6n8&pp=ygULVG9vcmFrIHRyYW0%3D
North Shore Girls get off
https://m.soundcloud.com/david-beniuk/north-shore-girls-get-off
- Bernard Bolan!
- When I ran away from home I was going to the Toorak tram tram stop. It was just me and my fur koala. I didn't really run away from home, I was just going out for the day. I was 2. 👧🐨
Looks good, let me buy a ticket

today I made my first entry in my new art journal 🙂

Had my door open with the screen door locked for some air… sus looking dude walks past and stops to crane his neck trying to see in. Then walks on but doubles back.

Keep walking dickhead.

Anyone got a recommendation for an eco dishwasher substance? Long time since I've had one. I like earth choice for floors but their dish liquid sucks.

I buy dishwash liquid and dishwasher stuff from source bulkfoods. Both are good, as is their laundry powder. You can buy a reusable bottle or take your own. I also don't mind ecostore brand too.
I use ecostore powder, it seems to work fine
Liquid for handwashing dishes? I used the Kin Kin orange liquid bought in bulk from FOTE and it's worked a treat. Smelled the BEST. Unfortunately they now only have a lime and eucalyptus one, I've bought some for when my current stash (lasted me 3+ years) finishes, I don't think it smells as great but I think it should be just as powerful
- powder for the machine, I just use what ever is on sale for handwashing, it's all just comprox ( synthetic liquid soap ) with additives
Can't say as to eco, but powder > liquid.

I finished reading Juice. Yeah... I dunno... It was a read. But not nearly what I hoped it'd be.

I felt the same. Liked some little vignettes in there. I thought the feel of the land post climate change was really good - but .... The story telling was really clunky. I didn't really care about the people? I dunno...left me...dunno...
- Yes! I didn't really care for the framing - it felt really indulgent even though most of the reviews praise Winton's economical prose. Really? The stoic narrative voice was kind of uninspiring, very "we did this and then we did that", it didn't resonate with me. The dialogue with the bowman was suuuuper clunky. In an apocalyptic world, who TF is actually going to keep someone alive to listen to them recount their lives for the span of an entire book?!
  I appreciate it as an important work warning us of the future, forcing us to realise what our lives right now are leading to, but as a piece of fiction... it definitely didn't have the same impact on me that other TW or cli-fi books have had
- Tim Winton?
  no comment

Does anyone have any insights or recommendations about melatonin? Might have a chat to my GP

I know some people who have used it. I have used it for a night or two as a reset but find I wake up pre dawn. Peoples' mileage varies...
As an aside I have a friend that's a long time insomniac/delayed sleep person. They have recently started drinking cherry juice at night - apparently it's an amazing natural source of melatonin and has actually helped them. This is someone that's previously tried melatonin, sleeping tablets, GABA etc and been down many medical rabbit holes so I trust they are not just jumping on some wellness bandwagon.
- Thanks, cherry juice is interesting
I've used it primarily to adjust sleep cycles, not so much to fall asleep when it's late. I'd use it to start sleeping earlier in the day after several days of shitty sleeping patterns. I don't recommend using it more than 3 days in a row; I find it that it makes me groggy and grumpy in the morning. Expect weird dreams.
Also I have never bought it in Australia with a prescription. I've always bought it overseas or from iHerb.
And finally, just because a lot of formulations have super high dosage like 5-10mg doesn't mean they're better, I find the side effects aren't worth it. The recommended dose is about 0.3mg I believe. Those work well and are worth getting in the right dose, personally, even though you could save money with a larger dose and a pill cutter (I used to have either the 3 or 5mg tablets, the bottle lasted me 6 years) but pill cutters aren't precise and at larger doses you're looking at more significant differences between cut pieces (or larger amounts lost in the process).
- Thanks, I’ll have a look