Shane.Blamer's blogspot

4:44 AM Wordle 5/6, sea of green Listen to Ian Dunt on LNL talk about the king's address in the usa. They said it was a great speech (although probably won't help anything) 8 AM Bros², i arrived almost 30 min late. N was only a few min late, so i felt a bit bad for making her easier. Had a quick chat to JB. He's learning to sail at Sandringham, 4-8 people per racing boat 2 PM Lunch-break. Had the idea to secure my hops "flagpole" to my wooden 6-foot side fence by using zip-ties. Two ties zipped together. Looks fairly steady to me. Felt clever to think of that handy solution. I already had zip-ties in my garage (unsure why, but i know i had seen them in there) 5:45 PM Did a load of washing  My elbow is a bit tender (after yesterday's weights) Pickup from APOD bottleshop, 11 new IPA tinnies Foragers for 2 pots, w N Korean for dinner, Jokbal (pork hock)  Home to watch Cheap Seats which was a fun episode 9:40 PM Bedtime ____ On this day: 2025 . Daikon. Jolimont ca...

Drive to office ~ 30 min  Egg & bacon muffin, and a magic (the usual) 9 AM Lifts up to level 4 1:30 PM Subway for lunch ____ On this day: 2025 . Wordle. Flu shot. Bluey. Foragers.

Vermont mushrooms Redwood café new menu, some new decor MORNING COFFEE I've a strong feeling this place won't last long: • Nobody in here • Stood around at the cash register too long • Had to call out for assistance: didn't use the bell • Evidently only 1 person working ~ 8:15am • Hear a knife on a chopping board • Tried to upsell me: a toastie for $3.50 • Repeated my order back wrong: quickly corrected himself • Asked if i wanted more milk in my magic  • Went back to his chopping: onions evidently. MAKING SENSE PODCAST "All the evidence is pointing in the one direction," is what the prosecution can say before we have heard from the defence A.I. podcasts, social media, TV, radio, newspapers Talking-heads worry out loud about: attention, education, democracy, and technology (internet software, apps, algorithms) Erosion of trust in public institutions (universities) We know what the academics say: diet & exercise Human nature still winning out: psych...

My drive to work was okay. Listened to spotify, metal tunes (decapitated, grand magus, bodom) I was a bit grumpy in my morning meetings (3 in a row) But then took an early lunch-break & went for a bit of a longer walk that usual with my headphones in listening to pods The afternoon was good Home by ~6pm Meat pies in the oven. Played soldat (zombies) Meditation ~ 10 min Total steps: 8,400 ____ On this day: 2015 .  Powerful Owls w/ L in jells park

1 PM Gang-gang cockatoo (male) w/ 3 females Walking vermont track after a coffee & carrot cake at Jolimont café This morning, i found 1 large orange shubunkin in my backyard pond. I thought he had gone missing! There should be 2 small darkly coloured young ones in there with him. Hopefully all getting along fine Started to add colour paint to my 1:87 white ninja Did weights in the morning, sans the 3 pulling exercises that my physio has nixed into further notice I'm remembering to do my right-elbow stretching, to try to relieve my inflamed tendon It's a warm, sunny 24°C. Not a cloud in the sky  I feel pretty calm & relaxed today so far From 6 PM Croydon Dainton w/ R, who will get to meet N Total steps: 10,000 ____ On this day: 2025 . Box Hill. Bar Nearby w/ TD.

Two Rupees, Clayton Breakfast w/ N at New street, Ringwood (viet.) Walked at mullum mullum Added to my linktr.ee/ shane.blamer  (my own rss) Rested back at home 4 PM Meditated Wrote a To Do list  • Shower • Beer photos (10 more)  Aussie Craft Beers 2 • ... 7:15 PM (Party time) I felt tired and unsure of decision to head out, right up until the point when the uber ended up being an E-Class Mercedes 8 PM (Two Rupees) I've wanted to try this Clayton brewery for ages (, which is being run by a young Sri Lankan brewer 8:30 PM • Hawthorn is closed (Ramblers) • Collingwood feels too far away • I've jumped in an uber home 🥳 I started watching an old b&w Japanese film, Seven Samurai — but it is 3½ hours, so i will have to finish it another time Total steps: 6,100 Daily average: 6,600 ____ On this day: 2025 . Mitcham. Aquarium. Freed my car from lockup at N's appt. Foragers for a few beers.

Bfast with L in notting hill ~ 8:30am Don't care that i'll be late to log in (and miss stand-up) as i worked until after 7pm last night Work feels like i'm the house painter who has rocked up only to b told "oh yeah we will need you to build the house too, so then you'll have walls to paint" 11 AM Physio for my right elbow, in boronia rd 5:15 PM Logged off 5:30 PM Guided mindfulness meditation St Kilda gig at the espy (basement) is Delisinki with his "coachmen" band. N hasn't been to espy since the reno, so that will be interesting for her ____ On this day: 2025 . Collingwood. Birmy trivia. Drinks at foragers beforehand. My car left locked underground at N's apartment building.

Bfast w N at KopCha, rooks rd. We shared a big bfast, which is a common occurrence for us  Stopped in at Woolies for a car fob battery, but they were out of the type that i needed Drive to Coles to buy it, then logged into work late ~ 10am 12 - 1:15 PM Weights, meditated, ... Didn't eat any lunch  Watched about half of Cheap Seats (or listened to it really) whilst doing my workout: episode 1 (S6?) 7:20 PM Logged off my laptop. Looong day wrestling with firewall blocks, software config, network routes ___ On this day: 2025 . Rod y Gab.

Bourke Rd, Hawthorn East ~ 12:45 PM 8:50 AM  Arrived late to the office. The drive took ~ 40 min Went for a sit-down coffee at Nigel café anyway — and a egg bacon muffin 12 PM Nando's for lunch, avo wrap (medium hot sauce)  5:30 PM Home, eating a tub of yoghurt. Drive was ~ 25min Trivia at Thornbury lawn bowls w/ host Sagan was very fun. There were 5 of is, M,S, T, G & me. We called ourselves G & The Pussycats • Round 2 science & animals: my time to shine • A burger and 3 Ravens nitro stout • And friendly faces who were happy to see me 11 PM Uber homeware bound. I'm in a Honda Odyssey. I didn't even know what one was. It's a mini van Thornbury is the best bowls club i've been to. A good mix of old bowling decor and more contemporary Thornbury hospo vibes Simple, out-dated, and tired venue BUT the staff were cool, and the patrons too. Young and enthusiastic ___ On this day: 2025 . Flu shot.

8 - 8:30 AM Mantaray for coffee 12 PM Warmer outside right now than in my house Tuna chilli sandwiches for lunch, with cheese Listened to Late Night Live on the book Billionaire Backlash: In The Age of Corporate Scandals (and How It Can Save Democracy) Guided mindfulness meditation ~ 10 min 6 PM I'm in lygon. I decided to drive. I've installed my 2nd parking app, because of course different areas use different apps 6:30 PM Dinner with S. She's here for a 3-day conference on the city of something, staying in Carlton (like last time)  Vegetarian indian, pretty good. Lychee mocktails CARLTON YACHT CLUB A bar amusingly called Carlton Yacht Club (a suburb that is landlocked) Zero beer, just the one: Heaps Normal "Hazy Ale" Behind the bar i spotted a Hard Quiz mug for real life (thanks for playing HARD) I asked the bartender about it: his boss won it, recently too ~ 9 months ago or so. His expert subject was, appropriately enough, cocktails Some eastern freeway closure ...

Rabbit at mullum mullum, currowong bush park 9:45 AM (Mentie D) I wagged work to catch up on sleep and rest. Felt like i needed to recharge after such a big weekend: drinking, ubers, bands, socialising  10:30 AM Showered, feel fresh — but still sleepy, lazy, tired To do • Washing ~1:20pm • Workout • Lawns • Shoe glue: take 2 2:30 PM Mullum mullum: 4 rabbits, 7 kookaburras, skinks, a splash that may have been a turtle, 6 choughs, 3 chickens, 3 bantom chickens, bee hive, one large kangeroo, 3 smaller roos, 1 fox den, 1 golf ball, evidence of horses, 0 horses Got bahn mi from vermont south & a vanilla coke Played some zombies Watched some Bluey (finished season 2, finally) Total steps: 5,800 ____ On this day: 2025 . Greensborough. Walked. Cockatoos. A quiet day.

Blackburn South wurundjeri walking trail 6:30 AM Arranged my Tiny Survivor blog into chapters 1045 AM Found a café in Blackburn South (Fulton Rd) this morning via google maps, Peach Orchard Grove Yesterday's café looked cooler, in Ringwood with vintage objects everywhere (deep creek rd) But it was the BEST COFFEE EVER : "Sunset BLVD" by Inglewood Some warmer days coming up will be nice 2 PM Showered, fed pixel  Sub_Urban rooftop, ringwood Dinner next door, open souvlaki, smoked brisket  Forager's for 1 fullstop beer, new oc ipa (no good) Total steps: 10,100 ____ On this day: 2025 . Mitcham. Aquired hops rhizome from J after her houseparty.

Vintage radio at Ramblin' Man (after Lightkeepers) Breakfast: Little Buddy café, Ringwood (deep creek rd) I took two don't look down photos at that cafe. They had a lot of visage memorabilia, including star wars stuff ~ 10:30am 1 PM Train to see D play in her band, Lightkeepers 2 PM The Retreat, Brunswick (sydney rd) 5 PM Noisy Ritual  Walked in and out of the place across from Quarry (new name, velvet everywhere, fewer beer taps). And temple brewing (new name, we looked upstairs, many brewing vats) 6 PM Ramblin' man for 2 fridge tinnies, Range (Qld). An IPA and a DIPA 8.8% ____ On this day: 2025 . Brunswick Street. Chopin's Nocturne comedy performance. Mind-blowing.

8:20 AM I'm at work early, record time ~ 22 min Forgot to shave, but at least i didn't forget my laptop(s) which i nearly have done.... twice  Nigel café is doing takeaway only, dishwasher is busted They gave me a free muffin, as a consolation prize: raspberry & white chocolate 3 PM Took a lunch break late, sushi I've journaled every day for over 1 year now Apr 17 ___ On this day:  2025 . Hops .  Collingwood. Thu night to start off my break: Birmy triv, then 3 other places. That's when i decided to journal daily.... here.

The Adventures of Hi-Vis Frog at Figure 9 café 3:45 AM (Mitcham) Wordle, not an unusual time for me to Wordle 5/6 Panadol, due to too many foragers bees last night 8 - 8:30 AM (Figure 9 café) Shared avo eggs bfast with hashbrown & bacon 9 AM (Vermont LPO) Picked up my solar pond pump 9:15 AM (WFH) Morning stand-up  1:15 PM (Lunch break) Sunny, white clouds 20°C Guided mindfulness meditation 5:15 PM Finished work & did weights (skipped 3 exercises, due to my right elbow issues: push-up next fri 24/4) 6 - 6:45 PM Tried to upload more posts to Tiny Survivor, but it looks like ATproto is down (includes Bluesky) 8:45 PM I watched another film noir, Hitchcock 1943: Shadow of a doubt (amusing but not great) An uncle from new york comes to stay a while. Or has he moved in more permanently.... Why is he seemingly so wealthy. What does he do for work exactly.... Who are these two men who have come knocking, asking after him. Is he running from something.... Is he on the ...

Work laptop updates Quick drive in (even tho i went to bed late)  Didn't stop for lunch, just powered thru Finished early, drive home was only ~ 25 min 5:30 PM Home to rest Foragers later

KopCha café rooks rd, nunawading Worked thru, no break  Finished a bit late, ate sandwiches, made an instant coffee, then did weights, sipped on coffee 7:30 PM Mindfulness guided meditation ~ 10 min

Woke at 7:30am, out of the house by 7:45am Drive time: 25 min (the best i can do)  Nigel café convinced me to get the raspberry brownie, sugary, firm texture, dense  6 PM Home, rested Called my M&D I watched Laura (1944, film noir) not bad

Breakfast at Mr Robertson — granola Walked at Quarry Rd, Mitcham — drizzly, v quiet Grocery shop ~ $85 3 PM Relaxing back at home — ebay, reddit Finished my workout ~5pm Meditated ~ 10 min 6 - 7:45 PM Dinner at mitcham social, rib-eye steak & jalapeño poppers 10 PM I watched Gone Baby Gone (2007, Casey Affleck) It was on some "best film noir movies from the last 25 years" list It was pretty good, cops, private investigators, nothing special but lots of twists that kept it interesting

Headache in the morning, took panadol ~5am Picked up 3 packages from Vermont LPO • Shoe glue • 1:87 Ninja  • Fishtank gravel Bfast with N at Jolimont. We sat in the window and watched the many dogs: 3 border collies, a puppy in a box ("just been hatched"), and 2 smaller dogs we could identify the breed Ringwood supercheap auto, sold me a fog light for $17 — but unfortunately wouldn't install it. It requires my car going up on a jack or hoist. I'll wait until my next service & all the mechanic to install it then • Glued my shoes, i may need to give them another go • Primed my ninja for painting with a light pink spray Comedy night, Llyod Langdon at The Victoria Hotel. He was very relaxed, very funny, such a professional Wines at Champagne Problems were great, on tap pinot noir A+ (and N had a great chardonnay) Train in & train out (no foragers, too tired, too much wine) 

Heidi was at Nigel café this morning ~ 8:20am I had met that dog once — before the café had that doggy-treat jar with her photo on it. Back then i wasn't aware that she's a celebrity dog  Drive time: 25 min door-to-door I was surprised how smoothly the traffic moved. I was needing to stop to tie back my hair & only got two short traffic lights  12:30 PM Sushi team lunch 4:45 PM Everybody has left work early, so i have too

The sky is doing fun things ~ 6pm 26°C and then storms at ~ 2pm I only took a 30 min lunch break to fuss over my hops & mosquito-fish family: • Hops looks okay, a bit dry.... potentially just dying of for winter • The pond fish are invisible, but i remember that did also happen last time.... i only saw them like 3 times in 4 months or something • I will keep doing my fish-feeding routine with them, and hopefully they learn that it's safe to come up for a feed after i have tapped on the plastic food canister 3 times Forno pizza — i've ordered the Rustica ~ 6:20pm Had 1 beer, Shapeshifter (South Australia) was ok Played some guitar on the back porch, since it's warm enough —although dark & rainy 9 PM Tired, full of pizza (and beer), and ready for bed 

Nigel café 8:15am Travel time: 25 min (about the quickest i can do) 1:30 PM Short break, nicely sunny 5:30 PM Left work — nobody was there. Headphones all day  7 PM Finished weights (mostly, 1 lot of push-ups to go: but feeling tired)  Guided mindfulness meditation ~10 min Range brewing: Lime & Passionfruit IPA

Fish & Chip shop ~5:30pm 8 AM Bfast at Figure9, eggs benedict, too vinegar-y for my stomach — will choose more wisely next time  12:20 PM Lunch break. I had 3 work meetings this morning  It is a grey, drizzly day. Weather app says 18°C MUM'S BDAY She's off to JJ with D and L too. It's good to hear that L is going down to the beach with them. I think she hasn't been for ages, years. (Neither have i) 5 PM I've finished at 5 of the clock (on the dot) Walking now, while it's still light I'm a bit underdressed, as in cold It looks & feels like it's going to rain Watched some more Bluey season 2 episodes

10 black cockatoos, heatherdale rd ~11:15am Rise & Grind, Canterbury rd in Vermont ~10:30am A magic & triangle sandwiches (ham & cheese) Jolimont café was closed, due to Easter no doubt 5:15 PM Mitcham hotel was open for dinner. Most other places looked closed due to Easter I went to the Sportsvar for the first time. It is quite basic: pool table, AFL on the TVs, beer garden. We know people and had a gin (disappointingly served in a tall glass: lots of soda water)  In the bistro, we shared a steak dinner (medium rare) and added prawns as a topper: Reef and beef Pinot noir in the bistro is great: Red Hill i think(?). It's the same as whatever they used to have at Mitcham Social (before they swapped it for the Vinfolk pinot noir) We had 2 glasses then went to Foragers for a beer. Behemoth hazy IPA was pretty good. Estonian half-pot was rather vegemite-y, just okay

Cherry Hill Eastland, Ringwood • Breakfast at Fingers Crossed, near New street • Shoeshops to check fit of Reeboks size 11 D (and New Balance 11 2E) • Hugo Boss Man eue de toilette 50$ (small size) 13:30 PM We have just arrived at Cherry Hill, after a 0 kangeroo walk at Currawong Bush Park. But we did encounter a random, free-range chicken. Very free range 6 PM Uber to abbotsford to meet H, flying solo tonight I'm already at 9,800 steps today 6:30 PM Bodriggy  9:30 PM H and i went to bodriggy, panacea, and last stop Nighthawks Bodriggy had a 9% hazy dipa which was actually great: "Haven't The Foggiest" Double IPA Panacea was much improved. Gold star. Nighthawks was pretty nice too, i had the venom cherry sour

H and R playing the front bar Edinborough Castle Jolimont café is super dooper packed. I've come up for a quick coffee — sat by myself out front Sunshine 19°C It was fun to laze around, slept in, ebay on my phone  The wind is chilly OFFICEWORKS I got black A2 card, and glue dots Found a wooden pallet type thing in the Bunnings carpark, which i loaded in the boot. One used it instead of an old round table top to sit under my 2 hops pot-plants. It prevents them rooting into my spoil I mounted my Tarot Mushrooms, and it's turned out well i think SYDNEY RD, BRUNSWICK Subculture brewery was surprisingly good, on Sydney Rd — their hazy IPA and the decor which was retro rock band & film memorabilia Pizza eat in at Electric Madonna, delicious R's gig (duo).at Edinborough Castle hotel w/ T, S, E, and 1

Guess who? Hi-Vis Frog Figure 9 café for coffee & a hot-cross bun slice (quite sweet)  12 PM Back home, fish look happy: 3 shubunkins, 2 mosquito-fish, plus 1 ("Pixel") Robot vacuumed 1:30 - 4 PM Parents came to visit with my sister Ate salad rolls, cups of tea, chatted at the dining room table  Walked to see the new bike path Very tired by 4pm, slept for a bit 6:30 PM (50 min) Two curry pies for dinner & played soldat (zombies) 9 PM I just feel like pods & bed now

Brown praying mantis on my back decking 6:15 AM Woke early 7 AM Bfast w/ N, at Two Brothers café, in Mitcham rd 9:15 AM Stand-up 10:10 AM Telehealth appointment, my doctor late by 2+ hrs 12:30 PM A one-mine phonecall. Bloods ok. US ok. Doc said he'd get a 2nd opinion, but at this stage nothing to do and nothing to avoid doing. If pain returns then book in to see him again 3 PM I didn't stop for lunch. About to summit my timesheet, do my weights, then it's knockoff time 6 PM Finally finished my workout Mosquito-fish have been added to my bottom tank  Shubunkins are in a baby bath on my back deck & will be ready to go into my backyard pond tomrw 7 PM Tried to go to Penang, the new Malaysian restaurant, in Boronia Rd but it wasn't open. Perhaps they haven't launched yet  Instead when to Thai with N next to Ditch Rules gin distillery. It was delicious. Cute, little place. I took 2 don't look down photos — including one where i asked the waiter to tur...

Brickworks cinema, Burwood w/ L 8:15 AM Arrived at work Drive time: 30 min 1 PM Showcase #3 with OPS team to discuss new KPIs 4:30 PM Home early Listened to TechDirt podcast episode on new book Transaction Denied (out Apr 7, 2026) Meditated, feel asleep during a 5 min body scan Power nap ~30 min 7:30 PM Project Hail Mary (Film) at Brickworks Cinema, Burwood w/ L