So another week and Rose continues to climb closer to being reincarnated as her ideal creature (a pussy if your interested). I have to agree that pussycats are an ideal creature to come back as, so relaxed, so beautiful, so much their own masters (I could be describing Rose as she is now actually)…
But how did I do this week (6)?
Well I had dinner with my brother who I haven’t seen since Christmas. Plus 5 of his friends from my home town who were all visiting on a golfing trip. So I met my goal of meeting up with old friends as one of the guys was someone I’d known for years, George, who took me for a ride in his panel van (which featured a massive v8, a double bed and shag pile carpet on the walls and roof). It was great to talk about old times, watch them get slowly drunk, and generally irritate the rest of the diners at the restaurant we were infesting.
So Plus 5 points for catching up with my brother, my old mates, and being the only sober one to drive them to their next destination. But minus 3 points as my brother paid for my dinner = +2 points
I also emailed an old friend who has been sick, plus 5 points, but minus 3 points as I hadn’t replied to his previous email (slacker) = +2 points
I finally wrote that letter to my daughter, in longhand not on the computer either… I also sent her photos from our last holiday, instructions for downloading a book I’d bought her for her Kindle, and included a stamped addressed envelope for her to write back with. So plus 5 points I think is fair… What about you Rose, is that fair? or should I get nothing cause I should write anyway… = +5 points
I got a new iPhone (thanks to my work), and I responsibly recycled my old phone… Plus 3 points, but minus 4 as there was nothing wrong with the old one… You just wanted a new 4s model = -1 point.
So the total is = +12 points.
So how did our efforts compare?
Now Rose only gave herself 5 points for week 6, but I reckon her efforts of visiting the ‘Cat Women’ and taking food to all her numerous pussies is worth at least 10 points by itself. Then add-on the achievement of Rose publishing her first story on Amazon… Well she’s had a pretty good week I think… If you want the book it’s just 99 cents… Even less here in Australia thanks to our stong Aussie dollar…
Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings — that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.
Buddha
The Aspiration
Write my sister a story to tell her how great she is.
I have a very beautiful elder sister (actually I have three). Anyway sometimes I think this sister doesn’t realise how very special she is. She’s always running round helping people, babysits more grandchildren than you could beat with sticks, and every time I’ve been in trouble she’s been right there.
Plus this sister of mine is REALLY CLEVER. She listens to Fact Radio and reads Fact Books and remembers lots of important…
(Love the thought of someone having the Midlife Crisis at 37)
Maybe I’m slightly older than 37 years old, but when exactly does a Midlife Crisis (MLC) start? I’m not sure, but I think I’ve been having one for a while now… And with my impending birthday celebration, or perhaps the anniversary of my impending death, I started thinking about my MLC and what it’s doing to me.
And as Rose and I both go on our great Karma gathering adventure, will my continuing possible Midlife Crisis cause excessive temptations and distraction from my purpose of gathering points from doing good? Not if I can help it…
And yes it’s my birthday and I’ll cry if I want to! And yes I am old enough (I’m officially a baby boomer) to have seen this on TV (but only just)…
Answer: Yep, ok you got me there, I am sorely tempted to chuck in my well paid government middle management job and move to a Yurt in somewhere near Nimbin in rural NSW. I’m sick of working hard, putting up with idiots, all so that I can earn more, just to pay it out to other people (i.e. tax and child support).
Well actually I’m not that tempted yet, and I don’t mind paying child support because I love my kids.
But in a few years I’m tempted to move somewhere more rural, take a lower paying job somewhere local, say a hospital down the south coast of NSW, and live out my days enjoying myself… Got a few years left to fill up my superannuation account, pay off my remaining debts, get the kids through school, but I’m definitely at the classic ‘Sea Change’ point.
2. Death-defying behaviour
Answer: 2 out of 2 so far, not sure if getting divorced counts as ‘death-defying’ but just afterwards I went and joined the Army, always wanted to, something about being in a uniform. So far I’ve only broken my skull courtesy of the Army, and that was in the Officer’s mess. God help me if and when I actually get deployed to Afghanistan or somewhere. But regardless, I’m a trained killer now, so watch out… Plus as part of point 5 below I embarked on a cycling bender and ended up destroying my shoulder, and breaking more ribs than I care to remember.
3. Grooming
Answer: 3 out of 3, so I must be in a MLC, so far I’ve had long hair, short hair, a beard, clean-shaven and currently a moustache (even I am getting confused). I even once shaved it all off, but that was for charity and raised over $1,000. But now that I’m looking in the mirror, maybe I could dye out all that grey stuff…
If Only I looked this good when I’m old and bald…
4. Reverting to twenties behaviour
Answer: It’s hard for me to remember what I got up to when I was twenty, it’s all kind of drunken, drug filled blur (just kidding). But recently I have been going out on a few dates, and doing some stuff I haven’t done in years, like have fun, but maybe that lack of fun was because I was still married up till relatively recently.
Oh I can feel the hate mail coming now… But seriously, I actually don’t want to go back and become a slightly post-pubescent male. I think I’m a much more confident, interesting, and fun guy now than I was then. Or maybe that was because I was living in a small country town in the 1970’s.
That would be me down at the pub…
5. Exercise frenzy
Answer: Ok, so you got me there, 4 out of 5. Post-divorce, and maybe for a bit before, I became a bit of a fitness nut. I took up running (10km runs) until my arches collapsed. Then I took up cycling and at first this was just riding to work and the odd ride on the weekend. But soon I was riding 6 times or more a week, up to 300-350 kilometres each week. I joined the local cycling club, began to ride in 100-200 kilometre endurance rides, basically I went nuts. Eventually nature caught up with me, or more precisely the gravel road I hit when I fell off did. So total shoulder reconstruction, lots of pain medication (morphine was my friend) and now my racing bike is gathering dust and cobwebs on my balcony.
Yeah, that’s me… See my muscles… (Well maybe in my dreams or someone else’s)
6. Outrageous purchases
Answer: There is a trend happening here, it’s 5 out of 6 so far!!! Ok I have done the odd impulse buying lately, which has included a LCD flat screen TV, a cappuccino coffee machine, a sound system, fitness gear, and most recently a classical guitar… And no I can’t play the guitar (well not yet anyway), but I can tune it thanks to the electronic tuning thingy that came with it…
My new guitar (purchased today)…
7. Flirting
Answer: I’m a bit rusty on this, but I think it’s now 6 out of 7, cause I am actively trying to do this. And to tell you the truth although nothing lasting has come of this flirting just yet, I’ve made a few lovely friends and had a bit of fun as well. Look out girls I’m intending to improve my skills in this area, and what’s the worst that can happen apart from the odd slap in the face or punch from the husband…
Yep I love a good red wine and whispering sweet nothings in women’s ears…
8. Seeking out old loves
Answer: Well not so sure about this one, although some more recent post-divorce dates/flings have become friends when nothing long-term resulted from my earnest advances (oh and the odd roll around in the bedroom). I’m still pretty conservative, but I’ve actually gone out with more women since my divorce and MLC than I ever did before. Plus I lost my little black book years ago, or perhaps my ex-wife burnt it, so even if I wanted to reminisce about my past flames, I couldn’t contact them anyway.
A dog’s view of old loves…
9. Irresponsibility
Answer: Rose, maybe you can answer this one, but I have doubts I have an irresponsible bone in my body. In my callow youth I was a bit irresponsible, but 10 years or so of marriage and the enslavement that followed, have well and truly beaten those urges out of me. But I’ve sometimes been sorely tempted, and you never know what tomorrow may bring…
Ok, maybe I’ve tossed the odd stone at a sign or two, but seriously do I need a sign about it…
10. Excessive reminiscing
Answer: I do on the occasion look backwards and think about things that have happened to me. But actually I’m a pretty positive bloke, and I’m always trying to think of where to next, even if I never actually get there. So no I don’t look backwards filled with thoughts of unlived lives, or how things could have been, for me there is always tomorrow!!! Plus getting older means you can always use your age as an excuse, i.e. sorry I just can’t remember you…
No, you can read the full article (courtesy of Reader’s Digest), with their answers… If you think it could help you… And I know, no stone is left unturned in my endless Google search for knowledge!
So am I actually in the middle of a Midlife Crisis?
Hell yes!!! And I have been for years I think, even before I split up with my ex-wife.
Is being in a Midlife Crisis a bad thing?
No I don’t think it is, I think you should always be open to doing things differently if what you are doing isn’t working for you. Plus I believe in moving forwards, and that you learn from what you did in the past, not regret it (although sometimes is bloody hard not to occasionally dwell on things). I’m pretty happy with where I am at, there are the odd frustration, the odd idiot that I must tolerate, but overall Capt. Savage is a happy chappy (or if you’re Australian a happy little vegemite).
Further reading for those in a MLC and who are worried about it…
By the way, here is some Midlife Crisis self-help for those who need it (I don’t however)…
Now I’ve got to pop off and jump on my Harley with my new guitar and a hot babe hanging off my back… Plus my birthday is coming up, and this year it happens to fall on mother’s day (well at least it is in Australia). So what a way to celebrate getting cuddles from my mum and giving them to her too!
J
To quote my favourite philosopher, ‘Live long and prosper’
Well I’ve been a bit slack and didn’t make a post for week 5, I just reposted Rose’s post… So maybe that’s a minus to start with, but re-blogging her excellent post, maybe I’m even?
So here is a combined Week 4 and Week 5
First Week 4 & 5
Aim – Introduce myself to someone new every week and try to engage them in conversation and get to know them (and I mean a real in the flesh person, not via Facebook etc.);
Reality – Well I did introduce myself to a couple of people using a dating website, but does cyber friending count? Neither is anywhere near where I live, and in both cases I found that out after starting to correspond with them (why can’t people put the truth up on their web profiles?). BTW I am actually 6’2″ with a strong dimpled chin, well-muscled shoulders and I’m currently the on the Australian Olympic Team (at least according to my web profile). So maybe that’s a big fat Zero points
(That’s me at the beach)
Aim – Do a genuine good dead every day, doesn’t matter what, could be just letting someone in a line for coffee, giving someone a kind word;
Reality – Ok here I did some good work for one of my colleagues who got a really nasty email from someone at work. I was strong and helpful, and they really appreciated it. Maybe 2 points for being there for them.
(Yep I was up there giving out man hugs, metaphorically speaking)
Aim – Contact an old friend by letter or phone every month and arrange a catch-up;
Reality – I had lunch with an old friend at a wonderful little café/gallery in North Canberra/Belconnen. Plus 2 points
(Some of the sculptures and outside artworks at the Café/Gallery at Strathnairn, Holt ACT)
Aim – Commit to a regular charitable donation like sponsoring a child, or making a regular pledge to a charity. I love kids so I’ll probably end up sponsoring a child;
Reality – Nope didn’t donate anything apart from paying taxes, bought myself a new flat screen TV cause it was a great special, minus 3 points.
(Here it is, my new flat screen TV)
Aim – Be a good citizen at work and make an effort to socialise (note Australian spelling) with others (even those I can’t stand, but without being too creepy crawly);
Reality – Had the opportunity to socialise (No we don’t us Z’s in Australia, at least not in Socialise) and was asked to meet up with some people after work, I didn’t feel like it, so Zero points.
(The Human Centaur, No it’s totally irrelevant, but apart from the hair on his chest, what the hell was he thinking?)
Aim – Commit to visiting my mum at least every month or so, she lives over 3 hours’ drive away, but she is 88 and she really appreciates seeing her kids;
Reality – So I am going to visit my mum in two weeks, and I’m looking forward to it!!! But I did say that in week 3 also, so maybe that’s Zero points until I actually do something.
(That’s me on the right, the naughty son…)
Aim – Try to make someone laugh or get a smile not a frown (but I don’t think I’ll carry a feather sword like my colleague Capt. Feather-sword of the Wiggles);
Reality – Ok I was a clown as much as possible and managed to squeeze a few laughs out of people, but my humour (honest Microsoft in Australia we spell it this way) is sometimes an acquired taste, so I’ll give myself 3 points for trying and minus 2 points for delivery = 1 point.
(John Cleese I am not although when I was younger I thought I was just as funny, well after a few beers I did)
Aim – Write an actual letter to my daughter every week for the rest of the year. Now this might sound harsh as I’ve excluded my sons, but due to their disabilities they have no language and can’t speak, read or write. My daughter however, well it’s hard to shut her up (but I love her regardless);
Reality – Once again a total failure
(Who can resist a crying little girl, especially when you’re the daddy)
So how did Rose do? Rose will be posting her score shortly and when she does I’ll update this table, for what it’s worth I think I am perhaps an Amoeba by now.
This morning I slept in and was casually wandering around the unit, getting brekky, listening to the radio, generally (and slowly) waking up, when I happened to glance at the clock and notice it was 8.30… Now I am actually supposed to be at work then, and being a manager I thought I better get my butt into gear and get to work. But then I thought better of that idea and decided what the heck, I made myself a cappuccino in my travel coffee cup, the beauty of having my own coffee machine. Then I casually wandered down to my car.
As I got into the car I noticed that I’d left my work phone off and decided to turn it on. That’s when the appointment reminder popped up to nag me about the 8.30 appointment I was already supposed to be at, OOPS. Hurried apology sent, but did I hurry to get to work, NO, I really am turning into a slacker.
(Yep, that relaxed feeling, bring it on!!!)
I eventually wandered into work just after 9.00, well closer to 9.15.
Why this slackness?
Well I’m actively starting to evaluate what’s important to me, I’m sick and tired of being a victim to my diary and other people’s priorities. I’ve started to turn my mobile phone off, not answer it if I am busy or don’t want to. I’m no longer replying immediately to text messages and emails, not religiously checking my blog for comments or forcing myself to post something each day. I’ve even almost weened myself off my Facebook addiction and now only use my Twitter account to promote my blog entries (when I make them) and then only automatically via the blog software.
Do I feel guilty?
No not the least bit, the meeting was not really that important (to me) although the other party may not agree with me. I’ve started to realise that I can’t always be that incandescently focussed person that some people feel I should be. My eureka moment recently is that maybe my life is better focussed on what I want to do, and I should be honest with others and not just commit myself to things to make other people happy.
(Cats really know how to do lazy)
So am I a slack arse? And does this create endless negative Karma for Capt. Savage?
So what have I been or am I trying to achieve in my search for Karma this week? So far all of my energy for the past week has been absorbed acting as a life support system for my three little kids. All other pursuits have ended up coming a poor 2nd or 3rd place in comparison (even my Blog, Facebook and Twitter addictions).
(Is there a 12 step program for my social media addictions?)
It was food for thought for me and made me realise that perhaps a dose of reality is needed for Capt. Savage.
I totally agree with the points in the clip, that it’s so easy to replace real conversations and friendships with virtual personas and text messaging, Facebook posts, tweets, with the effort required to start and maintain a friendship. This is a bit of an admission on my behalf, but I think that I’ve been kind of separating my different worlds, i.e. my online persona from my reality, and investing far too much energy into the former rather than the later (reality).
I’m not saying I’m a social hermit, or that I don’t enjoy being with real people (although some do cause me to cringe a bit and gag in the worst cases), but it does sometimes seem easier to avoid making the effort required to keep in contact with friends by making conversation (real not virtual).
Now I do try to project my actual personality in this blog, although it is shrouded in my manufactured Capt. Savage character. Now don’ think that I am trying to hide anything, it’s just due to the nature of my work, both in my full time and part time military worlds, mean that I am required to be careful about what I say on the web.
Well, I think it’s time I put up some aims that are a little more challenging for myself (and perhaps for Rose too)… To earn Karma I need to take some risks, stretch myself just a little further I think.
So what am I going to try to do over the coming days, weeks, months leading up to the end of this year (and the Karmic Challenge)?
How about this for the beginnings of a list, which I will add to as I think of things (or cross things off)…
Introduce myself to someone new every week and try to engage them in conversation and get to know them (and I mean a real in the flesh person, not via Facebook etc.);
Do a genuine good dead every day, doesn’t matter what, could be just letting someone in a line for coffee, giving someone a kind word;
Contact an old friend by letter or phone every month and arrange a catch-up;
Commit to a regular charitable donation like sponsoring a child, or making a regular pledge to a charity. I love kids so I’ll probably end up sponsoring a child;
Be a good citizen at work and make an effort to socialise (note Australian spelling) with others (even those I can’t stand, but without being too creepy crawly);
Commit to visiting my mum at least every month or so, she lives over 3 hours’ drive away, but she is 88 and she really appreciates seeing her kids;
Try to make someone laugh or get a smile not a frown (but I don’t think I’ll carry a feather sword like my colleague Capt. Feather-sword of the Wiggles);
(the famous Capt. FeatherSword)
Write an actual letter to my daughter every week for the rest of the year. Now this might sound harsh as I’ve excluded my sons, but due to their disabilities they have no language and can’t speak, read or write. My daughter however, well it’s hard to shut her up (but I love her regardless); and
I’m going to get a pet and love it to death, if I can’t get a real one due to the rules at my apartment block, I’ll adopt one from somewhere and take it for walks, and give it lots of love and attention. Maybe I should just visit Rose as she has an abundance of pets that I could spoil rotten…
Now this is not the end of my list, just a beginning, and I’m not sure how much of this I’ll achieve… But I think I need to get serious about earning Karma, because I think Karma isn’t little ticks in a box, it’s not makeup that I can just put on and take off, it’s life changing stuff.
So Guys (and I know guys isn’t very PC these days, but it’s me so get used to it), any other suggestions of heroic Karmic Challenge tasks that Capt. Savage should hurl himself at?
Or am I just getting carried away and should I pull my head out of my arse?
Any thoughts out there?
Capt. Savage
(From by Psychiatrist’s answering service; if you are obsessive-compulsive, please press 1 repeatedly. If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2. If you have multiple personalities, please press 3, 4, 5 and 6. If you are paranoid-delusional, we know who you are and what you want. If you are schizophrenic, listen carefully and a little voice will tell you which number to press. If you are manic-depressive, it doesn’t matter which number you press. No one will answer.)
Another week in the great Karmic Challenge, Rose has decided to give up working for a month or so and become a lady of leisure, living a life of ease and reclining on her balcony watching the world drift past her. In her case sitting on her balcony also involves quite a bit of distant twacking noises and the occasional swear word, as her house backs onto a golf course. I’m imagining Rose with herbal tea in hand, her feet comfortably up on the furniture, reclining in a bed of pillows, being gently fanned by eunuchs with large ostrich feathers, or wait is that’s my fantasy? It’s got me beat how she can earn any points this month!!!
While here I am working my butt off being Mr Mom, looking after my 3 young children, slaving away in the heat and the mosquitos. It’s so hard for me at this Resort, sometimes I just have to get out of the pool to get another drink or perhaps jump into the spa plunge pool… I should be earning heaps of Karmic points for all the horrible discomforts I am suffering so far from my home.
It’s a hard life being Capt. Savage (insert lots of sympathy here please)!!!
So what was the target for this week, and no my aims weren’t quite in the vein of Martin Luther King’s classic ‘I have a dream‘
I would continue to eat cruelty free meat whenever possible
I would change my travel plans and do something nice for my mum
I know there was a third thing, but I obviously didn’t do it…
First up I have to say that the whole trip to Queensland has made gaining Karma points pretty difficult, especially in the cruelty free organic food eating stakes… This state is practically full of restaurants that don’t even have a real non-flesh eating option. Almost every corner has a steak house, takeaway restaurant, McDonald’s, Subways, with all offering supersize options. But I forced myself to cook at home tonight and also selected carefully at the supermarket and here is the proof…
See, free range, organic chicken. I’m sure each bird practically volunteered for death…
Plus my daughter and I feasted on cruelty free eggs, although is that really meat?
I also was forced kicking and screaming to take my kids to a Sizzlers restaurant for dinner (for those not in the know, it’s a steak house, salad bar, fat family styled chain of restaurants). This was hard to put up with but I toughed it out for the kids you understand, it’s all about the kids Rose…
And here is Miss J forcing herself to eat chicken nuggets and drink some raspberry flavoured drink… She looks like she is having a terrible time, and I felt so guilty. Afterwards she forced herself to make two visits to the desert bar to drown her sorrows with chocolate ice-cream and marshmallows… I just had make do with a steak dish… It was terrible.
5 points for eating cruelty free meat, 1 bonus point for cooking with it, but okay minus at least 3 points for getting sucked into the steakhouse (cause maybe I suggested it) = total 3 points
Well I didn’t get to visit mum on the way to Queensland, as I worked out the distance and it added almost 250 kilometres and nearly 3 hours to the trip. So I’m going to have to make that visit on the way back, so that will count for this coming weeks tally (maybe).
Not visiting mum Zero Points
I did do some other nice stuff, like which mostly involved my kids. I think playing Mr Mom for the week should count just a little bit. As my ex-wife and her partner have gone away for the week and put their other kids into care with relatives etc. So she is enjoying herself and having a good break and I am slaving away, nose to the grindstone. But seriously I have to say that I don’t know how my ex-wife does it, well maybe I do cause she has a partner who helps. But my hat goes off to single mothers out there, the ones doing it without any assistance from a current partner or their ex-partner/husband/significant other (whatever). It is very draining having to look after 3 younger kids (twins 11 and an 8-year-old).
Now I don’t want to make out that I’m not having a great time and loving seeing my kids, because that would be a great big fat lie and would take me to negative 1 million Karmic points immediately… But continuously being upbeat and on my game takes energy.
Looking after the kids and giving my ex-wife a respite break (the twins are disabled by the way) at least 10 points
Plus making my kids really enjoy themselves, it’s a punishment for them I know, maybe 5 bonus points Rose?
Here is the three kids have a terrible time at Rainbow Beach near Fraser Island… just waiting for the next wave to come in
TaDa, the updated tally
So what is the updated tally you may ask…
There will perhaps be some discussion with Rose when I am within slapping range about my tally, but up here on the sunny Sunshine Coast, I feel safe enough so here they are!!!
Rose
The Capt.
Week No.
Week Ending
Rose’s Weekly Tally
Rose’s Running Total
Capt’s Weekly Tally
Capt’s Running Total
1
21/03/2012
0
0
-7
-7
2
28/03/2012
12
12
13
6
3
4/04/2012
15
27
18
24
I included 10 bonus points for Rose because of her selfless dedication to poor little Gucci, who didn’t deserve to become an entrée for her next door neighbour’s dog.
A Picture of the deadly Gucci from a previous post on Rose’s blog, see link below for more…
I personally think that poor Gucci should get compensation for pain and suffering on top of the vets bill, plus for Rose and Miss M who both had to witness the savaging (poor choice of words there) of poor Gucci.
Capt. Savage
(Really toughing it out at this 4.5 star resort, luxury food packages and donations of cash to help with the credit card would be gratefully accepted)
Ok almost lived through my first day with the kids for these school holidays!!! The main saving grace is that for once the internet site which recommended this place wasn’t a complete fabrication, I’ve now got actual pictures to prove it 🙂
And the kids just couldn’t wait to get into the pool for a swim, and neither could I (mainly to get them off my back).
But it’s a really great location, the units have everything that I could want including a cupboard full of free movies, a portable stereo, in fact so far touch wood (yep I just knocked on the only bit of wood close by, my hardened nut).
And here is a shot of the interior of the unit I am renting….
So I hate to boast, but I’m actually having a good time so far, all be it a bit bloody tiring. My eight year old daughter is watch a movie ‘Bed knobs and broomsticks’, which is so old even I haven’t seen it (it’s got Angela Lansbury in it and she looks young). The boys are in bed and I’m for once getting to do a bit of blogging and it isn’t even 7.30pm…
If I was here with someone else apart from the kids I’d even be tempted to jump in the spa with a bottle of bubbly and have a bit of, well you know where I am going with this, instead I have to content myself to the sounds of some other lucky couple… And no I’m not going to take a photo of them, and yes Rose the guy has a REALLY HAIRY CHEST, perhaps not quite the stud-ish specimen from your post, but he has quite an impressive display, even on his back. I’m almost tempted to turn, but maybe not while my daughter and sons are upstairs in bed potentially watching.
Tomorrow if the weather holds up, and being Queensland it’s apparently sunny one day and beautiful the next.
Well I’m taking the kids to Tin Can Bay to hand feed the dolphins there at http://www.barnaclesdolphins.com.au/. Now before I get a huge amount of hate mail from animal protectionists, the feeding is strictly controlled, and apparently only a very limited amount of fish is given, and only once per day.
(A picture of typical tourist feeding these particularly tame dolphins, I’m just imagining myself in this blokes place, and apparently dolphins are very gentle, unlike the slightly less successful shark feeding business just up the road)
So have there been any negatives so far? Well yes, what story is all happy endings, but so far the negatives are far outweighed by the positives.
Only difficulties were those I experienced driving with the slightly insane, yep I am convinced that half or maybe more of the drivers in Queensland are insane. They do not believe in leaving a reasonable distance between cars, indicators are obviously optional, and the use of the accelerator has apparently got to be balanced by random applications of the brakes for no apparent reason.
I was under the impression that my fellow residents of Canberra were the world’s worst tailgater’s, well move over Canberrans, Queenslanders have it all over us!!!
(This is the view that I had from my rear view mirrors most of the way to the Sunshine Coast)
Plus trucks obviously must drive faster than cars whenever possible, and then when they can’t, well then they sit right on your bumper towering over you. I could almost feel their eyes burning through the back of my head as they glowered down at me through the roof of my car.
Driving in Queensland kind of felt like I was in a Mad Max movie or something (perhaps a minor exaggeration, but I’m prone to that so you’d better get used to it, as I’m only just getting warmed up). Yep driving in this state is like being some kind of gladiator. Except that people are driving cars not Blo%d chariots!!!
(Life on the Queensland Highways, I’m the one on the right obviously)
Capt. Savage
(Obviously not hairy enough to attract Neanderthals, but I am a Homo sapiens, so maybe that’s ok)
(For Rose, the ultimate in hairiness, yep even the women were really hairy)
P.S. and now my daughter is sitting next to me reading over my shoulder, so much for her going to bed early… Where are those sleeping tablets when you need them… Well Miss J… Time for bed…
Night Night everyone… Must get sleep so we can be nice and fresh for the dolphins tomorrow (are you getting this Miss J…)
Well damn it… (or is that not very Karma to say that), but Rose has once again retained the lead, while I slip ever closer to slug-hood or maybe Kardashian-ism (or some other form of lower life form).
Took my chief tormentor out to lunch, all went well, except for… So 10 points for trying and 3 points for what I did during lunch… well watch the video! But a net score of 7 points
I restricted myself to cruelty free (organic) meat, or perhaps inflicted cruelty onto a dedicated meat-eater (me). 5 points
There are perhaps a few negative things that happened, but I’m getting old and my memory aint what it used to be…
MY TOTAL THIS WEEK – 13 POINTS!!!
Rose
The Capt.
Week No.
Week Ending
Rose’s Weekly Tally
Rose’s Running Total
Capt’s Weekly Tally
Capt’s Running Total
1
21/03/2012
0
0
-7
-7
2
28/03/2012
12
12
13
6
So at least I am into positive numbers!!! And look out Rose I am on the way back… I’m dying to see what Rose is going to say about this post… (Accountants, always cooking the books)…
Capt. Savage
(Decided that self-determination is perhaps his decision)
Don’t want to nag my fellow bloggers, but don’t forget cough up your suggestions for earning extra Karma points for me (pretty please with sugar on top) and just a couple of lousy rotten horrible challenges for Rose (she is just too Karmic for her own good).
Well yes Rose (ButImBeautiful) , it’s the first Wednesday of our KARMIC CHALLENGE, and this week is the first week and damn it (shouldn’t curse should I) already you have shot to the lead, but which one of us will slip back down the slippery slopes to rottenness first? This week, you have agreed to attempt to:
make your mother Creme Caramel. Given your cooking talents I think that taking flowers as well may be a good back up plan (probably will never be offered food at Rose’s place again, but that could be a plus).
say something seriously appreciative to your boss (affectionately know to you as Ms Bossy Boots). I’d love to be a fly on the wall to watch the internal squirming you will have to do before attempting this.
pay compliments to strangers (not just the attractive ones either), but I think this is the least challenging of the three by far.
I have another suggestion, maybe you could write a poem for your boss, but this could be a bridge too far…
I have on the other hand already shot behind the eight ball, and yep, I will have to make as you say ‘frantic attempts to catch up’. Somehow over lunch I stupidly agreed to the following stupendous acts of unselfish niceness:
take my horrible colleague out to coffee (god I hope I survive too, cause I think she is already on her way to slug-dom)
eat only cruelty-free meat for a month (extra points if he can avoid baby animals)
Well okay, and I did steal someone’s parking space today – minus 5 points. Plus I had already stocked my refrigerator with non-organic meat this week, so it’s nothing but minus for me I see.
So let’s tally our points at the end of this week and put them up on for all to see.
Plus I would like to actively ENCOURAGE or is that BEG others to come up with ridiculously scary Karmic Challenges for Rose, don’t hold back fellow bloggers, Capt. Savage needs all the help he can get.
Plus I now wonder if I need to get a Karma policeman’s uniform to add to by camouflage ones?
Capt. Savage
(Makes even a uniform look good)
P.s. Thanks Rose for not poking fun at my uniform at lunchtime, well at least until the end of lunch anyway… Plus I actually like your cooking 🙂
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