Melbourne

Greetings from an Australian residing in the USA. Happy Monday. :-) 10AM on a Monday here and probably the early hours of Tuesday for you.

I sent my biggest new client proposal today (in terms of dollar value) since starting this little insignificant business of mine. I thought it would take years before I'd be pitching for work of this value, but a few things lined up to get this opportunity. Spent hours thinking over the pricing to quote, resisting the urge to quote super cheap just to get in the work. I'm not about being the very cheapest, because I take pride in what I do and doing it well. But also I'm a one-man show so I need to be realistic on what people are going to pay for me vs bigger businesses. They probably come to me expecting cheaper. Thinking of pricing for my work sucks.

Fingers crossed they go ahead! It will keep me busy for a bit.

Sneaky resident magpie stealing my chip just before.

The resident mudlark rocked up but this magpie just goes to town on it. Tonight mags did exactly that but still holding the chip in its beak. So lucky that bird and I are on very good terms. So highly aggressive but just not to me. Dogs, cats, other birds, people she doesn't recognise it just goes flat out at them. I like her. She's the protector. She earned that chip.

I have a big fat jaw-welding chunky peanut butter sammich and for some reason the cats INSIST i have something for them.

They've sniffed it and disregarded the sammich, but persist in demanding...something

Ordered one mystery pizza for tomorrow.

Have to remember to pick it up and I hope it’s got stuff I like on it!

Fingers crossed! 🤞

Gibson approved!

It's been an absolute shit of a day except for getting the amp.

Thank fuck for music to de-stress.

Popped into the new QV Five Guys. First of all, I can't believe Americans eat like this. There were enough fries in their smallest serving to comfortably feed a family of four, with leftovers for the next day. It looks expensive compared to other burger places but it's probably fairly equivalent if you price it by weight. The fries and Cajun seasoning on them were so good. The burgers come with two patties; it took all my strength to push through the meat sweats to finish the last 20% of mine.

Overall, the fries were definitely a winner. I'd choose Huxtaburger over this if I was really craving a burg, even if the serving size there is smaller for the same price. I might be tempted to return for a milkshake or hotdog but maybe after a week or two recovery period. In the mean time think I need a shower. 😮‍💨

Last vintage vinyl, made in 1973, was Rudy Vallee radio shows with various great stars of the 1920s and 30s.

Gershwin interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEOQlyacEro

Huston singing September Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3mAT-4FdP4

Vallee was a truly disgusting person who was very charming once the microphone was on

he was much parodied by Fred Allen, Stan Frieberg and Hans Conried , who were radio and tv stars of the 50s and 60s . ( not the disgusting part, just the smarmy part )

It was wonderful hearing Bert Lahr do some of his vaudeville routine ( I couldn't find a copy anywhere ) , it was the same schtick he did as the Cowardly Lion years later on The Wizard of Oz. He was a very famous star and the audience at the time would have gotten all those old jokes he did. Us, we have no clue what he's doing, just that he was amusing and eccentric.

I don't watch any reality type of shows unless they're about finding gold or opals but this new Sin City Tow show on Discovery is my new little treat. I'm sure a chunk of it is staged but I don't care.

Get excited about possible projects involving manual labour

Do a few chores and sleep for days

😑

Been awhile but it looks like I’ve got lunch with my dad on Thursday.

Maybe I didn’t plan it out so well since I had planned to do my grocery shop that morning.

It’ll be good to catch up with him. Haven’t seen him in months.

One out of three stressful things done - training and exam (that I didn't study for at all, but I use the stuff frequently at work and excel at multiple choice exams so I'm confident I'll pass).

Also finally got my licence photo taken after procrastinating till the last minute. Don't want to acknowledge how much older and more stressed out I look after ten years 🥲 my old photo is one of the best ID photos I've ever had.

Next up: last day at lesser job tomorrow with lots if tidying up and handovers. And thirdly on Wednesday, big uni meeting for which I have not prepared at all and am more anxious about than today's exam, but I simply have no energy to look at today. I will not overpush myself. I'm going to go for a walk now with my journal and find some grass to lie on while it's still bright, although lomgcat is absolutely lovin' on me right now and mashing her face into my jaw.

Praying for some restful sleep tonight.

Big news. The deep sinkhole around the Telstra pit next door is finally getting fixed - three years after the plastic board was bolted to the ground. Nice bloke doing the fixing said that Telstra has QUADRUPLED the number of contractors hired to fix problems, and increased the managers that allocate/organise fixes from 7 to 26!!! Apparently if you SnapSendSolve a problem it'll be done within a week - faster if someone has tripped or fallen. I will be very interested to see if this outbreak of efficiency lasts.

I went to Coles deli today and because I don't go by weight I usually just say "a big handful of that thanks mate". He was a dude with giant hands and I came out with 434gms of chorizo salami. It's really good chorizo though. No complaints.

Just grabbed a 2nd amp so I can have a stereo guitar setup!

I promise, this is very exciting lol

Still working for another hourrrrrrrr

This pollen, be evil.

Got this unusual but instantly recognisable album Peter Gunn by Mancini. 1959 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcHwTDzPECk&list=PLkAUJkbhd-RjTVT4CRg02EpwcVcW_gPgH

side 2 has some excellent finger snapping and also piano solos by a young John T Williams ( who went on to write Jaws and Star Wars etc )

This guy is five today! He is getting a batch of biscuits when my sister is done with work. I think they have cheese and peanut butter in them. Will attempt to get the recipe from her.

Some people just need a gag.

I got my hair cut and beard trimmed today so I look normal. My dad was always telling me to get it cut and there's too much at stake, so I don't want anything being a potential obstacle to another job.

And I think I might look alright? I've lost some hair and pretty much always had it tied back, so I'm not sure if I'd grow it out again when shit gets stable