Property search at an end?

2nd post of the night here. I simply haven’t had time until now.

 

Anyway, I signed a contract earlier in the week for purchase of the 2nd apartment I found after the first sale went pear-shaped thanks to the seller’s bank. Today contracts were "exchanged" as they call it in this part of the world, which is as good as saying a deal s done. However I do remember getting past this point before on my first attempt, so no chickens are hatching yet. The scheduled "settlement" (when the sale itself takes place) is 6 weeks from today, and I will now make arrangements to move the day after that – but I will always have in the back of my mind that I do not consider this thing done until I have the keys and have actually moved.

Partial redemption – State of Origin 2

Victories in State of Origin football don’t come much more emphatic than the win by the good guys (Queensland) over Evil Incarnate (New South Wales) by a score of 30-0 last Wednesday night. It does however underline how insipid the performance was in the first game.

 

The NSW media and fans, as well as coach Craig "Bellyache" Bellamy, have turned up the "sour grapes" factor, trying to blame the referee for their massive landslide defeat. Oh how hard life evidently is for NSW when the referee enforces the rules! Obviously they’d much prefer he let them get away with all kinds of cheating in the ruck, dodgy marker defence and offside defensive play all night as he let them in the first game. However, I’d much prefer to see some space for the backs to move and for this so-called "best Qld backline ever" as many have called it to fire some shots in anger. Greg Inglis certainly did the other night, back to his scintillating best, and it’s obvious which style of football is more attractive to the fans. If NSW don’t want to get smashed up again by a similar margin in the decider, then they had better play by the rules, rather than giving away penalties and then whinging and arguing with the ref because he has not let them go.

 

Willie "nutbag redneck" Mason now looks like a complete goose after the drivel he served up to the media in the leadup to the game. Why wouldn’t you talk to the media after the game Willie? Didn’t you have anything to say? Paul Gallen objects to the fact that Qld have a mortgage on passion in State of Origin football and says that however much the Qld players hate the blue jumper, he has the same hate back "times 1000". Ooooooohh, I bet you hate us even more now Paul, now that your team has had it’s butts well and truly kicked by ours. Greg Bird also got his just desserts for disrespecting the Qld pride earlier, lined up and smashed by Karmichael Hunt and losing the ball. Then he had to have a massive dummy-spit at the ref for ruling correctly. Beautiful to watch.

 

I say partial redemption at the top though, because it’s now 1 all and there is another match in Sydney to decide the overall winner, and the good guys must also win that one if they are to truly compensate for the meek "un-Queenslander" surrender in game 1. Nothing less than this can resurrect State of Origin which has always been in some sense dead from my perspective since 2004 when the unthinkable happened, Evil Incarnate went ahead on the series wins score. The last 2 years the old passion has burned bright enough to bring it level again, but nothing less than a "three-peat" series win in another 3 weeks will restore the full dignity of the concept, and restore the mighty Queensland to its rightful position of more wins than losses which it so proudly established in the golden age of the 1980s. It’s in enemy territory, on the slippery Sydney Olympic stadium turf which favours a boring style of game, but heck, we clearly have the better team so let’s aim up boys and bring this thing to life again!

Prince Caspian – good fight!

First of all – Happy Republic Day! – as I like to think of it anyway. With John Howard out of the way and a current Prime Minister who is all in favour of rectifying a most silly situation and making Australia’s head of state someone who is actually an Australian citizen – not a citizen of another country – expect the momentum to build once again towards what the majority prefer in the next few years.

 

Speaking of royalty, it does have a useful place to play in the world – in fantasy books and movies! On Friday night I went with a few guys to see the second instalment of the movie adaptations of the Narnia series. It was good to see all these characters come alive on the screen again since I read all these books as a kid – but a long time ago, long enough to forget most of the details, and Caspian is one of the books I remember least well. The impression I get from these 2 movies combined is that it’s sort of "Lord of the Rings for kids" – maybe that arises naturally out of the fact that Lewis and Tolkien spent a significant proportion of their lives talking with each other. There are quite a few pretty good battle scenes in Caspian which go long enough to satisfy an action junkie and at the same time manage to avoid (through lots of camera shaking maybe?) portraying the more gruesome scenes of blood and guts in such battles – probably a good idea if you’re promoting this as a good thing for kids to see. The one on one duel between Peter and Miraz is a particular highlight. Once again the New Zealand scenery lends itself as well to portraying Narnia as it did to Middle Earth. I found myself thinking at times I was looking at the plains of Rohan or some such place. The pointers to where serious seekers of truth should look to find it in this world are again obvious to those in the know, and hopefully will stimulate helpful thoughts in those who are genuinely looking.

 

Property search update – clear to proceed with 2nd apartment

This was looking a bit grim up until yesterday with doubts about outstanding concrete spalling, water penetration and retaining wall issues and the suggestion from the strata report of major costly repairs being required.

 

After much investigation, my solicitor is assured that repairs have been done to fix all these things and there is nothing in the forseeable future that will impose a major hassle. I had to get that out of the way before being able to proceed with this purchase. Things are now happening to finalise the wording of the contract and get finance approved. I should be able to sign it in the next few days.

 

Meanwhile, there is still nothing assured. The eggs may be kept warm but no chickens are hatching for a while. I am however happier about the situation today than I was yesterday.

The “want to fly” gene!

http://www.hanggliding.org/viewtopic.php?t=7116

 

Something I can really relate to. So much in fact, I replied to it!

3 months to get flying again

In 3 months from today, another hang gliding course will start in Newcastle and I am all set to be a part of it. The right arm should be as good as new then. I have been watching some nice videos on the web to keep me inspired. My all time favourite hang gliding video is still 6 years of Point of the Mouintain. I hope to be doing things as cool as they do in years to come.