Daily Discussion Thread: Wed 11 Oct 2023

i did a thing today and it went very well

The remainder of the soil is covered up in anticipation of rain. And in my need for a rest before I haul the rest around.

Holy Moley. That’s an effort! Looks great.
I am peanut butter and jelly

Third night in a row I can't get myself to sleep. Next time the melatonin is coming out at 7 and it'll be a full tablet. I also have forgotten to eat much today so upon having two slices of toast my stomach has performed quite the symphony of gurgles.

Hooray for sunny Wednesday! My toes are frozen... I desperately need to spend more time outside

I'm glad I brought a bunch of zzzquil back with me from the US. Just took a shot.. let's see if it takes otherwise #nosleepgang
Fingers crossed the earlier dose works tonight. I took one last night a lot earlier than I normally do and it completely knocked me out cold. The only thing that hurt was the alarm smacking me straight out of a dream when it went off this morning.
And yes - get you some natural vitamin D! Do it!!! DOOO ITT!!

I've just popped into the office and was standing outside this room thinking about whether I should go in, so I did.

Did you contemplate leaving as well to cover all bases?
- I did! Once I was in I contemplated whether I should go, so I did.
Not to denigrate the purpose of your workplace in having this space, but I want to get one of those "contemplation room" signs. I'd put it on the toilet door, because that's the only place at my work where you get a moment to contemplate anything!

I decided to give goget a whirl today to meet a friend in an awkward part of town and do some errands while I was at it - gee it's a rather pricey venture once you add it all up. I can only justify it by doing multiple things on the one trip and hope it's all close by so you don't rack up heaps of km. Car Next Door (now Uber Carshare) is not much better at all given its high booking fee - $7 per booking! - and not very transparent pricing.

Flexicar looks like better value for money but unfortunately the closest car is 2km away and no PT in between...

E: holy cow the final bill was $62.20 for 3.5 hours and 30 km. Think if I need to visit a friend next time I'll just take a cab/uber and ask them for a ride if I need to pick up or move stuff...

How about Popcar on the Often plan? $59 + $20 zero excess for a Corolla per day which includes 200km. Can give you a referral too.
- Wow, that's definitely a much better deal. But there's a gaping black hole of no locations near me 😭 it's a 2.4km walk...

The first delivery of soil has officially been moved - just in time for the next load to be delivered! I'll try to get the second planter filled today, then cover the rest of the pile to protect from rain and fill the other areas I have over a bit more time - this is exhausting!

The payoff will last for years though! Such glorious delights await, and just in time as well.

Comedian Cal Wilson has died. Sad news.

I just saw that, that's unbelievable.
So young as well :(
53… I just can’t. So sad.

Shout-out to any folk at DH who may be getting some rough news this week/having their teams decimated. Rough time.

Ate my first mango of the season. So good.

yum. this season I should make sure to buy heaps and make some chutney
- I'll be buying lots to make mangoritas. 🍹
Kensington Pride? They’re my favourite.
- It sure was. $2.50 each at local green grocer.

Rewatching The Shape Of Water, and I know people go "hurhur fish fucking movie", but seriously it's such a fantastic movie. The cast, the cinematography, all of it is just, chefs kiss.

I've never seen it but it sounds lovely.

Well.. shit. One of my fave colleagues has quit as a result of the boss closing the place on Fridays. Which means we aren't closing on Fridays anymore because there aren't enough of us.

I love it when I buy new technology gadgets and I pass it to the man and say "make it happen please". BTW it's a skipping rope with Bluetooth and a app and shit. I just thought it had a battery and it counted skips. Not my problem. I told him "you'll have fun with that". Secretly he loves this kind of shit.

Remember guys if you put a bolt or screw in something some poor bugger might eventually have to take it out. PSA brought to you by me having to angle grind the anti-rattle bolt off my towbar.

Last night I woke up in the middle of the night with my thumb hurting. (Not asking for medical advice, just sharing my misery). Swollen and bright pink, with a hole in the skin. Couldn’t get a doctor’s appointment until today. Throbbing all day yesterday, and now I can’t sleep from the pain. Anxiety about flesh eating bacteria and having it amputated.

Go to doctor stat. You really really don't want this puncture wound to go septic and develop gangrene. Easily done when pruning roses. Happened to me once and I had to have the classic penicillin injection in my butt - with what felt like a sharpened hosepipe. Could not sit down for a week. Don't recommend.
PS I now wear gloves to do the garden - strong recommend for this practice going forward.
- Just in the last few months I've read two stories about horrific infections from browsing around in soil gloveless - first the worm in the woman's brain from foraging, then the recently published report of the Sydney woman who got blackleg disease from gardening soil - a bacteria normally found in livestock which was eating her bowels up and nearly killed her last year but for a new mode of treatment.
  I don't care what people say about getting a bit o' dirt in your bowels, I'd rather not have the other stuff as well thanks.
Unless you went swimming somewhere you should have zero worries. Maybe a bug bite ?
- I was thinking maybe a spider bite, I had been gardening. Oh well, I’ve got a thumb on the other hand, she’ll be right mate.
flesh eating: unlikely. Puncture with a bit of an infection: sorted with penicillin. Spider bite: possible, also treatable.
DetachableProtein 👀

lovely day so I'll be going out walking and doing some errands

then back home to do my emails and messages

Enjoy the day everyone 😘😘

Codral original do your thing, I need to push through work today. Really wanted to take another sickie but these bloody client deadlines have come thick and fast this week and we have several people on leave.

Lunchtime in the sun planned, hopefully some solar power will help me get better.

Emergency services trifecta today

Police call for a domestic. Not my volatile neighbours, I didn’t place the call. This is a DIFFERENT domestic.

Then ambulance, for some poor guy having a seizure in the homeless camp.

Now I have four fire engines outside and a fire alarm blaring from the building across the street

Whaaat is today.

Lower back pain 😑 Massaging the muscles at the sides of my hips helps but I don’t like the cheap foam roller. Trying to foam roll actually puts pressure on my joints from supporting my weight like that.

I end up just jamming my thumbs into the muscles but they bend back so I just use the heel of my hand. Wondering if a massage gun might be useful or is just a waste of money

You might like to try a massage ball
You can also get ones with spikes.
- I’ve got one with spikes but somehow it doesn’t work too well. It might be better to have a smaller firmer one
Gluteus medius and minimus. They might be better accessed with a tennis ball or something firmer - rubber lacrosse or cricket balls maybe. I sometimes side-lie on my stainless water bottle as a way to self-massage them, it's a smaller diameter than my foam roller so it can get between the top part of the femur and the bony-wing of the pelvis, where those muscles hang out.
- Good idea.
My wife uses a tennis ball against the wall and leans into that.

Today's coffee (last one I post unless I learn how to do fancier foam art)

::: spoiler spoiler

:::

Hey green thumbs I have a question. Can you grow coriander inside near a window in a little pot? It would get the afternoon sun. I'm sick of paying for it.

What I like to do, there's a receptacle I keep in my kitchen which has a foot pedal lid. I've found coriander works best for me when I put it in there.
It's the bin. Coriander belongs in the bin.
- We can't all win the genetic lottery.
- What do you put in your banh mi then huh? It's not a banh mi without the coriander.
- Had us in the first half, not gunna lie hahah.
- 😂 I love the stuff but am sympathetic to those who can’t stand the taste
Will bolt (go to seed) very quickly. Coriander as a green herb is a very difficult plant to get right. Better left to professionals imo. Sure, grow it for seed in that position.
You might have better luck with about half a dozen pots, and grow a small quantity in each. You'll need to feed and water them every day and harvest the INSTANT a potful is ready. Then replant that pot. Lots of maintenance for minimal reward imo.
- Top advice here. I find coriander goes like this:
  Sow seeds
  Small shoots appear
  Growing but not ready to pick
  Growing but not ready to pick
  Growing but not ready to pick
  Gone to seed, too late to pick
- Thank you for that.
- personal experience has shown me that jamming it in a pot with a dripper and then ignoring it because IDGAF about coriander and it's His Lordship's business results in a three foot high bush that keeps producing.
I believe I could get it to go straight to seed in that position yes.
I have tried growing coriander in all sorts of way, and never had success. It’s a fussy whinger. Oh it’s too hot, oh it’s too cold, oh it’s too sunny, oh you want leaves? Well here’s some seeds.

PSA. If you're thinking about an airfryer Aldi have them on sale for $149. Join the cult.

Are they any good? I bought the Stirling toaster/kettle a few years ago and they sucked. I pretty much swore off the Aldi appliances after that.
I still like their power tools, though.
- Well a lot of people bought their airfryer and really like it. I guess if you're unsure about buying one then it's probably a good starter one to try out.

I'm afraid the only way to get this worm out of my brain is to share it, so:

IIIII'M ENNERY THE EIGHTH I AM, ENNERY THE EIGHTH I AM I AM

William, William, Henry, Stephen Henry, Richard, John, oi!
- 🧡 horrible histories! I learnt so much watching them with the kid
I'm 'er eightf ol' man named 'enery, 'Enery the eighhf I am!
That song never gets stuck in my brain, as my brain gets too distracted thinking about 1) why anyone would marry someone when their seven previous husbands had all died (presumably, given the rarity of divorce at the time) and 2) how confusing it would be having eight husbands with the same name. Any sort of conversation about the past would get confusing, and the emotional crossover of using the same name for multiple different husbands, it would just get weird. I really want the full story of this "widow next door". There are so many unanswered questions.

Another glorious sunny day. And I'm filling it with hauling soil. ☹️

At least the second bed should be a bit easier to fill as I have access for the cart all the way along the long edge, I won't have to double handle soil to get it down the end like I did the first one - plus I've already filled some of the bottom section. I'm calling it my gardening boot camp, if this doesn't build me some decent arm muscles nothing will.💪

Coffee lovers gather round

Coffee mousse recipe

Ooooh, that's going on the dinner party menu. As well as the weekend self indulgence menu.
Fits beautifully with Jennifer from 2 Fat Ladies' advice to use instant coffee granules rather than a shot of coffee when making a coffee cake or coffee icing. I've never forgotten that, as it really really works. And doesn't stuff up the liquid balance when baking a cake.
And, moreover, it's got cheese in it so it's got to be healthy, right?
- Oh yeah for sure.
Man that's a lot of words for a very short recipe. Instant coffee powder? Wouldn't that be much better with a shot of actual espresso?
- Maybe. I'd probably use instant in a bit of hot water to dissolve first then mix it altogether.

So much allergy…. Was awake half the night. Telfast and Dymista are not enough.

Want to be outside but more outside is more allergy.

Ikr? I only just heard that news and I'm just.. stunned.

No idea why I'm still this awake after the night I had last night.. woooo

Maybe I'll buy some random cheap stuff online. Love a delivery.

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

A big breakfast to start the day please!
- 🥓🍳🍞☕️
Morning chef! I have a strange feeling that you're going to have a prosperous day! Can I please get a microwaved potato topped with some sardines in tomato sauce, and cheese?
- I am sure your feeling reflects reality!
  🐟🍅🧀
  ⚡️🥔

I found a flea bite on my foot… Melbcat is very annoyed I’m not letting her outside and traumatized her with the vacuum. She’s not going to like when I strip the bed

ow, they itch like crazy

the r/MelbourneTrains sub always makes me happy, I smile every time an update hits my feed 😊

I think it's because it's all posted in pure enjoyment of Melbourne and trains

As the father of Australia's biggest train nerd, the community is both a source of dad cred, and also a reminder that there are others like my son who like trains.

I had some really good food cooking inspirations later on in the week early this morning.

Now I'm not sure I'm motivated enough after today to do it even though food is one of those rare things that brings me a lot of joy at times.

I went outside into my garden and looked at all my lavender (it has self-set everywhere, as a "weed" is wanton to do, and I've dug it up and planted it in some form of order) - there's plenty of flowers and yet not a bee to be seen. It was really fucking depressing.

My balcony plants are absolutely frothing with bees, maybe that's where they all are. I'll tell them to go hang out at yours for a bit. They love the rosemary (which just keeps flowering all the time, it's insane) and the endlessly self-seeding calendulas and the odd native plants from an old planter from a former friend (there's bulbine lily and some kind of purple Asteraceae (Senecio maybe)).
- That's awesome that you get so many on your balcony. And thank you, I'd love the little visit! I didn't check my rosemary as it's around the other side of the house, but I should have. Maybe they were all having a roast party or something and that's where mine were?
I’ve noticed the same this year, where are all the bees. So sad.
- I've got quite a few bees around my place - I was watching them in my nasturtiums yesterday, they seem to like them as much as I do.
- Had heaps on the cherry trees and gum tree that were flowering recently

Went for a bit of a scoot to the supermarket after I popped into work to pick up a laptop. Banger of a day. People are out enjoying the weather everywhere and my washing on the clothes horse out on the balcony is drying up reeeal nice too.

I have my last meeting of the day at 4pm and then I'll get back out amongst it #gingerinthesun

Scootering along the Yarra's edge during peak hour = lots of pedestrians with zero spatial awareness. Almost cleaned up one girl who made a very sudden 90 degree turn while staring deep into her phone screen. That was a mix of stressful and relaxing 6/10 one thumbs up.

That kind of zero spatial awareness makes me long for those ancient Briton chariots, with revolving scythes on their wheels a la Boudicca. I wonder if one could bolt scythes onto a scooter .... hrrrm.
- Kinda murderous… 🤔
  I like it. 😂

omg, Ted Cat is humping the stuffed Chebarashka cushion 😬😂 he's been fixed so it's all for nothing

I had to look up what a Chebarashka cushion was. Ye gods Ted!
- he's a Soviet Ukraine Sympathiser
no kitten plushie?
- I got him one 😬

Ted Cat is all tired out

Scary day today, I'm going to wear some new shoes, lovely very supportive soft impact easy to wear sandals, in orange!!. Always a little risky to wear new shoes when you have sciatica. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

Well bollocks and crap and all that.

I've been asked to work at another site one day a week for the rest of the year on a temp basis.

I'm not exactly thrilled at having to be at another site, first off the drive there and back and not really knowing anyone over there.

sigh

I may not have a choice in this either. I did say it has to be passed through someone else and be ok with them but they're away at the moment, I could probably say to my line manager and suggest that it's not a good idea to transfer me but at the same time it leaves my site unattended as well for one day a week to cover for their absence.

I need to think through this and how I'm going to navigate this. In the end I may not have a choice but to comply.

See if you can negotiate that you start (and maybe even end) at the normal site. Then the driving costs to/from the other site becomes a tax deduction.
- To be honest it's almost equal distance between the two sites from my home so I'd be less inclined to go with that idea.
  It's more the can of worms that could open me up to being relocated next year part time if I do this for the first time ever.
  Want to make sure that I protect myself and my role and where I work at as best as possible.

Incoming rant warning.

Sometimes it feels like the healthcare system here is one giant Ponzi scheme, with GPs constantly feeding new customers to 'specialists' who charge a fortune, who then sends the report back to the GP, so you have to pay to hear the results, which often leads to another referral to a different specialist, who sends the report back to the GP and the cycle continues.

The only point at which it feels less terrible is when you've spent so much out of pocket that you've hit the safety net limit and everything costs so little after that (but still a PITA to organise)

Saw some weird stuff at the Op Shop today. A statuette of Stalin?? and carrotman

Carrot man was in the Op Shop?
- he was indeed
  but really, I found the Stalin statuette more intriguing

Any recs for a nice bottomless brunch place in/around the city?

I don’t think this style of cafe exists much any more, normally just order from menu. Hotel buffet might be an option.
- I just saw one on my walk! Pandus Footscray. IndoChinese if that’s your thing for Brekkie.
- Hmm just did a quick google and there’s quite a few actually

shop soiling
You don't have to wash them, you can do whatever you want. What did you get? There hasn't been a good flax linen conversation in a while. My sheet society sheets were better than the Southland ones, but I wouldn't buy either again.

A friend who I hadn't seen for ages asked me recently what my music taste was like now and I answered with "It's easier to say I'm not into something (Country, mumble rap and most R&B) than pin down a genre." Which is true - Spotify at the end of every year spews out its stats and somehow I managed to listen to a shit ton of different genres.

BUT! The recent Spotify DJ guy, as well as the daylist thing really has hit home how much prog metal I still listen to.

sleep well everyone 😘

Nope, it’s that sort of temperature where just a sheet is too cold, but the doona cooks you. Need to find something with a bit of weight but minimal thermal. Or put the cat in the freezer…
- Save your old doona covers. They're perfect for this.

#Worldle #628 1/6 (100%) 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🎉 ⭐⭐⭐🪙

Don't say Fuck until Thursday challenge.... GO

🥓🍳🍞☕️