Shane.Blamer's blogspot

Daikon Radish (Vermont) Woken by dreams briefly at 2:50am, 4am, 6:30am, 7:40am Cool, sunny morning. Coffee inside at my nearest café, inside. The coffee-machine is loud, the boomy — but i'm the only customer sitting in here  I've thought ahead, brought my noise-cancelling headphones. Up next on my playlist is H.E.A.T. Breakfast radio plays many election adverts, short news snippets, commercial adverts, self-promo ("less talk"), a song. 91.5 FM I've watered my hops. Fed my mosquito-fish, Pixel

Midweek beers (Mitcham - Vermont) Slept really well, 10pm-7am Wordle 1,410 4/6 * 1,216 Played  * 59 Current streak * 223 Max steak I don't feel hot and clammy after my shower, so perhaps the flu vaccination has run its course? (My work approved my 25$ reimbursement form) Breakfast at Inked² in rooks rd: egg & spam roll Worked without a break. Today felt busy, but mostly only documenting and communicating  After work: mediation, dishes, oven pies, washing Started watching Bluey again, i'll rate each episode Arrived at foragers ~8pm to meet T for beers. He arrived 30+ min later. That gave time to chat with N. When he arrived i was chatting with bartender A (who have me a big hug on arrival) N bought both of my beers. Saying "what? i can't hear you" when i tried to pay for myself (and for her drinks later). She said she needed hugs, and that she wasn't usually in need of hugs.  I said anytime, giving her plenty. Bar closed at 10:30pm

Crimson Rosella  (Vermont) Slept poorly. My flu shot from Tue (nearly a week ago) was making me feel hot under the doona — but i didn't feel feverish  Mostly likely exacerbated by some pre-flight restlessness anxiety due to the work deadlines this first week back The work day, however, did you according to plan. Phew! Phase 1 by 4pm looks pretty much done (which means the "plumbing") and unblocks the primary task for this week: getting data in cloud Weights. I listened to Darknet Diaries Episode 153 T was up at the bar by 7-8pm. Instead,  i stayed in and made a cup of tea. Chatting online with H We had a good laugh which quelled my fomo Bed at 10pm

Powerful owls (Day 10) Jell's Park. Met up with L for brunch in Glen Waverley. We then decided to do a walk  She ride her bike to the park and i drove 10 min. We arrived at the same time  We saw plenty of birdlife. And sat in quiet spot by the river. On our way back we met a dreadlocked birder who led us to a tree hosting two Powerful Owls. They were dozing for the day. One has its eyes open. The other looked like it had a small rodent in its talons (tonight's dinner) They had a tripod and a telephoto lens pointed up at the owls, so they probably took some excellent photos  Afterwards, we put L's bike in my car and drive to her place. She served us silverside and veges. We watched most of Scoop - a new british film about the bbc preparing to interview Prince Andrew after Jefferey Epstein was arrested by the FBI

Natural Science  (Day 9) Laburnum Weights this afternoon at half speed, listening to tech podcasts Took myself to Laburnum, but the bar was too loud. I left after one beer (pictured) at ~9pm Bar Nearby in box hill is only a 9 min walk. I stopped halfway for about 10 min or so for a breather — still unsure whether T would come out When i arrived the staff were friendly. I ordered a red wine, pinot noir. I sat outside on a 4-person table with 2 middle-aged ladies. I could overhear that one was talking about soon leaving her husband of 17 years. Before long they involved me in their conversation ("Are you James?") They were both quite tipsy and very chatty. We talked about being middle aged. They were surprised i was divorced (and straight). We laughed a lot — even though we were discussing some serious life events. They said i looked like a (gay) rockstar. But that may have been a joke T finally joined us. That was fun. What must he have thought when he saw me chatt...

ANZAC Day (Day 8) Mitcham. I walked up to N's apartment where i left my car overnight Most of the coffeeshops were closed. Inked in rooks rd was open enough to make me an egg-and-bacon toastie and a magic to go I got rained on a little bit, mostly as i arrived near mitcham train station. N didn't see my messages saying i was leaving and had arrived I went to the pet-shop aquarium. It was very relaxing. I looked in almost every tank. The transparent, skeleton fish were that most remarkable. I also enjoyed all the tiny fish and shrimps — they seemed to have a whole ocean to explore My call woke N and she came down to free my car from its lockup. Then we went to the pub for some drinks. First, cokes and waters. Ultimately, three pots of beer. She has only slept 3 hours. We were both fairly delirious, low-energy, punny We wondered if twilight only means dusk or could mean dawn too. I liked saying the word "twi-night" N sent home when i went home. I went straig...

Birmingham Hotel (Day 7) Pub trivia in collingwood. I had a 0% beer when i arrived and a can of diet coke before i left T and i went for two pots at Beermash to round out the evening. The usual bartender has his final shift on sunday. He poured my "200ml" up to the brim of the glass which was very generous of him I was fairly tipsy in the uber to the Birmy. I was characteristically first to arrive. I ordered the grilled barramundi which feels a healthy option  Beforehand, i had been drinking with N at foragers for a few hours, 3-6pm. My car has been left in the lock-up carpark under her apartment In the early afternoon i walked with M & D for 1 hour around currawong bush park. It was too hot for kangeroos. And to windy for birds

Vermont (Day 6) Hash breakfast and coffee Tired perhaps due to yesterday's flu shot (or two for 1 cocktails) Listened to a lot of music in my noise-cancelling headphones. Ghost. Cradle of Filth. Decapitation. Blood Incantation. Stargenesis. Tonight rodrigo y gabriella

Lilydale Lake (Day 5) I got my flu shot at Forest Hill Chase  Walked at Currawong Bush Park • Welcome Swallow, Magpie Lark, Noisy Miner, Bronze Wing, Eastern Rosella, Australian Magpie Then did a lap around Lilydale Lake • Wood duck, Black duck, Swamp hen, Noisy miner, Moor hen, Cormorant x2 kinds, Blue Wren (Female), Butcherbird, Galah, Little Raven, Plover, Cockatoo, White Ibis / Bin chicken, Some kind of bird of prey circling above. On my way stopped in at Killer Sprocket for a pot of IPA. And then at Urban Alley at Knox O-Zone for another pot of IPA 7% Home to meditate and decide where to go out for some beers (Foragers being my default) Two for 1 cocktails

Soldat (Day 4) No local bars were open tonight. I didn't have the energy to travel further (same as last night)  Today i walked, picked up a few groceries, got a takeaway coffee, did my weights, listened to some metal, listened to some podcasts In the evening, fridge beer(s) and soldat

Greensborough (Day 3) Walked 10,000 steps with D. Visited my sister afterwards.  Decided not to go out. Chatted with H. Played some Soldat.