It is Hot

As I pondered today what to write.  Several topics churned in my head from events in the last week. The inauguration of President Obama (congratulations) , my holidays on the Mornington Peninsula, the excitement of the Australian Open or the decline of the Australian team in the one day cricket.  Whilst, all these topics are riveting and need to be addressed, the extreme heat impeded me from writing.  Tragic.

You may be wondering how does some mild heat stop someone from writing?  Good question.  I am glad you asked.  

This is not just mild heat.  Yesterday, it was 37 degrees.  Today, the temperature hit 40 degrees.  Tomorrow, it will be even hotter.  Not only that, the heat is not just hot, but dry and arid.  It takes incredible effort just to breathe.  The heat was so intense that the railway tracks for the public transport buckled because of the heat.  (Lynn Kosky, the public transport minister should be sacked).  Because of the heat, 150 of the rail services have been cancelled (Get rid of Kosky).  The railway service, Connex, resorted to handing out free bottles of water and ice-cream to impatient passengers. (Again, blame Kosky - why are bottles of water being handed when we are in the middle of a severe drought) 

This is not just hot heat.  During the Australian Open of Tennis, Novak Djokovic, the defending champion, retired because of heat exhaustion.  The roof to the stadium had to be closed.  The tennis ball spontaneously combusted during a match.  Nadal served the ball.  It sizzled as it flew through the air and then burst into flames in mid-air.

This is the hottest heat in the last 100 years in Australia.  Blackouts are expected as the demand for electricity is at an all time high.  Rubbish bins around the city are spontaneously combusting.

So, to all the readers of this blog, I apologise for not writing a blog entry.    I had intened on writing an entry; but, it is hot.  Really hot.  

Embrace the Pain

Streaks of pain ran down my back as I worked today.  My right thigh muscle throbbed with every step.  My body ached with every breath.  So, let me explain.  Yesterday, I visited the gym during my lunch break.  This gym is only five hundred metres from my work and is my way of relieving stress and remaining reasonably fit during my workdays.  Yesterday, the workout consisted of running (1km), cycling (4.5km) and boxing.  All of this under 37 degree heat.  I suffered.  Why as rational human beings do we place ourselves under this torture?  The physical body was not meant for this.  

Many years ago, when I was thirteen years old, I was playing soccer with some friends at a birthday party.  During the match, I was tackled from behind (a highly illegal move) and the player fell on my left thigh.  Consequently, my left femur was broken in two.  The match was stopped and I was moved to a bench; this shifted my broken leg.  By the time I arrived at the hospital, both broken bones were side by side.  After surgery, I was in a body cast from the bottom of my ribcage to the ankle of my left foot and to the knee of my right foot, for six weeks.  These six weeks were life changing.  At the age of thirteen, I was confined to a bed.  Everything, I mean everything, was brought to me.  This including being hand washed, hand fed and the toilet came to me.  This is not easy for a 13 year old, who is discovering the world.  I even travelled on an international flight Chile to Australia, in this body cast.  The cast spanned the distance of two plane seats and a bit more.   During the flight, the plastered foot stuck out into the aisle.  Every passenger on the flight must have knocked the cast.  Just in case you are wondering, I am fine now.  But, at the time, it was difficult and challenging.   

When I was eighteen years old, I spent five days in hospital for a series of test.  One of these tests was a spinal tap.  Basically, the test consists of me curling up on my side in a foetal position and then a sharp needle being placed into my spinal cord and fluid being removed, all for testing purposes.  The pain descends after you straighten out and the needle is removed.  The human body was never created for such pain.

There is an interesting quote that spoke about pain or suffering.  It said, "know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us."  Basically, we live in a world where there is pain and suffering.  But, at times, we try to deny or avoid the pain.  But, perseverance is a result of working through the pain.  Character, the moral strength of a person, is developed; from this hope.  In this world, hope will thrive and triumph.

Romance in Rome or otherwise knows as Beauty and the Beast

Well, my fingers dance randomly across the keyboard as I ponder about what to write in my next entry. So, here goes.

In 2001, i studied and backpacked around Europe. Half the trip was spent on the island of Crete, completed my degree in IT. The rest of the trip was a chaotic journey across Greece, across the Adriatic Sea, and the slow climb from Brindisi (southern Italy) to Sondrio (nothern Italy -where my relatives lived). Along the way, I caught with one of my close mates, James Kenyon. We met at the foot of the Colosseum in Rome. It was fairly easy to find; hop on a subway and go towards the station called the Colosseo. So logical. If only Melboure were this logical. For example, if I needed to go work, I simply hop in a train and head towards the station called work. Brilliant.

Back to my story, James and I visited several destinations in Rome, including the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and the Vatican. As James and I meandered (or was it sauntered) around St Peters Square and were amazed at the architecture around us. I saw a newly wed couple posing for photos in the middle of the square. They seem to be quite wealthy; both of them were dressed in an opulent fashion. This is besides the fact that the couple are having their wedding photos taken in front of the Vatican in the middle of St Peters Square. I mean, seriously, who has their wedding photos taken in front of the Vatican among priests and clergymen and in view of archbishops, Swiss Guards and possibly the Pope.

So, (I can't remember whose idea this was) James or I suggested I get a photo with the bride; just the bride.

Now, let us consider this for a brief moment. The bride was stunning; she dark, olive skin and wore in a white wedding dress that shimmered in the sun. On the other hand, I was not stunning, but rugged. Instead, I was unshaven, sweaty and dressed in drab travel gear. ( So, I waited until the groom was distracted and approached the bride and, in broken Italian, asked for a photo. She said yes!!!!

So, here I present to you Beauty and the Beast. (I will let you decide who is the beauty and who is the beast).

Goodbye 2008, Welcome 2009

Well, 2008 is over.  So, here is an overview

Most embarassing moment : ultrasound on my groin (don't ask) - Just in case you were worried, I am fine.

Most painful moment : back and chest being waxed (again don'task)

Favourite TV show : Lost Season 4

Worst movie : The Happening (M. Night Shmayalan disappointing)

Best movie : a close tie between The Dark Knight and Bedtime Stories

Most memorable moment : Learning how to build a computer from scratch - I have created a monster

Favourite book : Adam by Ted Dekker and the Shack by William P. Young

So based on the current data at hand, 2009 will be a great year.