H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y ! ! ! !

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y


P E T E R !!

Further tales of a sick father

Yesterday afternoon I visited my father at Lake Macquarie Private hospital - he is recovering well and should be out by Monday. All the equipment has arrived - high chair and bathroom aids for him to use.

Yesterday morning I went birthday shopping for a very good friend - both our birthdays fall on 12 December which is Monday. I actually know what I'm receiving for my birthday - "Little Britain: Series 1 & 2" DVD set. I really love this show, comedy at its best, great for brightening up my day when I've had a really shitty one.

This evening I'm going to the Xmas party for the Newcastle library social group which was formed in October. We're going to a Chinese restaurant called Romances at Morisset. I've been informed the food is below par, but I guess we're going more for the company, so I guess I should treat it as a wonderful social experience.

I'm having an early breakfast today on Merewether Beach at a supposedly nice cafe, which mother has arranged. I'll report on the quality of the food tomorrow when I get some free time. I've heard it has great food, and it's been a good 2-3 years since I last had breakfast out somewhere nice, so I'm really looking forward to venturing there.

- NewcastleBoy

Half-a-Tree

Today I visited my father who had hip-replacement surgery early this morning. He seemed in really fine spirits, so that was good to see. Hopefully he'll be coming home on Friday.

I accessed E-services at the TAFE NSW website and noticed there were more results inputted for the library course. I passed Cataloging Procedures and achieved a Credit. I wasn't sure about this subject as I didn't complete any draft copies of what the final answer might be before finalising the answer on a new sheet of paper during the examination. I felt confident enough to write the answer right away making any amendments if required.

I doubt I'll ever become a cataloguer, it's not easy and one really has to concentrate so carefully to get things right. Most people have no idea what cataloguing involves - basically it's a 10-15 step procedure - everything has to be there from Statement of Responsibility to Subject Headings, Dewey Numbers and ISBN - on a computer this is catalogued using MARC coding which requires knowing the numbered fields to input the information into.

Tomorrow, mum is taking me out to lunch to celebrate finishing the Diploma in Library and Information Services. I also have to start writing my library job application for Lake Macquarie City Library. I noticed the Local Council only accepts job applications via email, so I guess that will save on paper, writing on an envelope, as well as saving on postage costs of $2, and perhaps saving half-a-tree, no doubt :)

- NewcastleBoy

My Favourite Film

Last night I watched the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) list of Australia's Top 10 favourite films as selected by Australian viewers. I'd like to point out that this list has no bearing on greatness, and often the films chosen are turkeys or downright dull in my honest opinion. Of most annoyance to me, there was only one film that was over 30 years old "Gone With The Wind", which definitely drags after intermission into a ridiculous melodrama, going on and on. I have decided to present this list, and then show what my list would be.

ABC Viewer's Poll List of My Favourite Film:

1. The Lord of the Rings
2. Amelie
3. Blade Runner
4. The Shawshank Redemption
5. Donnie Darko
6. Star Wards: Episode IV - A New Hope
7. Pulp Fiction
8. The Princess Bride
9. G0ne With the Wind
10. Fight Club

Click here to see the Top 100 My Favourite Films at ABC's Website


My Top 10 Favourite Films:

1. Vertigo
2. It's A Wonderful Life
3. The Leopard
4. Singin' In The Rain
5. Laura
6. Mildred Pierce
7. All About Eve
8. The Red Shoes
9. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
10. The Searchers

Please feel free to leave your Top 10 favourite movies in the comment section. I'd be interested to see what you all choose as your favourite film.

- NewcastleBoy

A Great Indulgence

As most of you would already know by now, watching movies and collecting DVDs is a big part of my life. In the past month the DVD stockpile has grown significantly larger. I have a range of good quality 1930s, 1940s & 1950s movies to watch with the addition of:

Movies

• The King Kong Collection - features King Kong, Son of Kong, Mighty Joe Young
• The Bela Lugosi Collection
• The Razor's Edge (original 40s movie)
• House of Bamboo
• House on 92nd Street
• Street with No Name

TV series

• Sopranos : Series 5
• Wonder Woman Series 1 & 2 *yes I loved the series back then & I love it as much now**
• The League of Gentlemen : The Complete Series *dark, offbeat & immensely funny**
• Little Britain : Series 1 & Series 2 *again, funny, quirky and well done**

Animation

• Battle of the Planets Boxsets 1-5 **reliving my childhood here**
• Star Blazers : The Comet Empire **one of my favourite space opera cartoons**

Music

• Bert Kaempfert Live in Concert **This guy was an easylistening maestro of supreme talent**

So, I guess you all know what I'm doing with my spare time now in between writing library job applications, visiting friends, and getting a lot of reading and blogging done :)

- NewcastleBoy

To BLOG or not to BLOG.. that is the question

People have asked me why I suspended my Blogging around May 31 this year. The answer is that TAFE library study got way over my head, and at one point I really thought I wasn't going to pass the course - yes, my course was extremely full on and I decided instead of writing the occasional entry (which wouldn't have been too fulfilling), I'd wait until after I finished TAFE on Thursday December 1. As a result of ploughing my heartfelt energies into my TAFE library studies, I've significantly boosted my marks and achieved a Distinction in at least three (maybe) four subjects.

If I had a wish, it would be to go back and fill in all the days I've left unblogged, but my blog is a true account of significant events that happen in my life during the week, day, month, year, so it would be highly unethical to do this.

So with this explanatory introductory statement now over explaining the temporary hiatus and cessation of my blogging activities for a good six months, I now once again gallantly proclaim that BLOGGING is now back on the agenda as of now....

HAPPY READING EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!