Category — Friends

We all know and love round the clock on the pool table. It’s simple, fun, and challenging at times. But, today, whilst in the pub, we decided to add a drinking twist to it. And I thought I’d share our idea with you. Feel free to comment and let me know of any changes you’d make.

So here goes… The usual rules for round the clock is pot the balls in order, striking the balls in order. Our drinking variation is this:

• Miss the ball your meant to hit, 1 finger of beer
• Foul - e.g. sink the wrong ball or the white - drink two fingers
• Pot the ball you’re going for, everyone else drinks a finger
• Do something stupid - this is discretionary one, but you’ll work out how to use it - drink one or two fingers

And that’s it. Simple eh? And it does the trick. One word of warning though, you’ll be refilling your glasses frequently! It was a tough afternoon in the bar.

For the record, we were trying out our new local, the Bat And Ball in Redfern.

Yesterday - Saturday 27th October - must have been one of the most perfect spring days in Sydney since I’ve been here. It was around 30degrees, clear sky and a very light wind to keep it pretty much perfect.

It was Dave’s stag do, so we figured a day at the races followed by dinner at Churrasco’s in Coogee was of the order.

Everyone was dressed up to the nine’s, and it was really nice to see everyone looking so smart. Was really classy till later in the day when everyone was drunk and mildly sunburnt. A few of us were still feeling the previous night’s effects on our body, but thankfully, that age old tradition of hair of the dog seemed to do the trick.

As for the racing, well… Lets just say that there’s a few bookmakers that are better off than me now. The horses just didn’t seem to be in my favour. I had several place wins, but as everyone knows, they very rarely pay the bills.

But it was great fun, if a little costly. Such a great atmosphere, and if you’re here for the Randwick Spring Carnival, it’s highly recommended as a fun day - apart from trying to get a cab afterwards.

So from there, we headed down to Coogee - via Steve’s for a top up - to eat at Churrasco in Coogee. It’s a Brazilian style BBQ where you pay a set amount - $35 - and they keep topping up your plate.

They wander round with a selection of Pork, Steak (beef), chicken, lamb and pineapple (surprisingly good when barbecued!). Naturally, the rice and potatoes are ignored as the meat is so tender and well cooked that it seems to just melt in your mouth. I made it through 14 or 15 servings. Steve somehow managed 20. Good effort!

The atmosphere was great, with everyone sitting around wooden benches, and chatting. In true Brazilian style, everyone was very friendly, including the staff (most of them). Good food, great wine, great atmosphere. I’d definitely say give it a try. It’s a 7 out of 10.

I was tagged by 1. I’ll get this out in the open for those that haven’t yet read all of my site… I’m an Essex Boy. For those that know, please don’t navigate away. For those that don’t, I’ll leave you to search Google for Essex Boy. Actually, I’m quite proud of where I’m from. So it has some quite entertaining stereotypes, but it’s a beautiful, diverse place - it’s not many places where there’s a car at every set of lights with a deafening sound system and a desire to race down the street whilst earings and fake Ralph Lauren tops dazzle you in your mirror (a lot of them drive slow cars).

2. I’m a Mac Addict too - this isn’t off to a good start is it? 2 confessions in such a short period of time. This is a good one though. I have my dad to thank for this addiction. At the age of 11 he bought me my first Apple Mac LC and I’ve never looked back - thanks dad! From that age, I was working in his advertising agency, getting full marks for presentation at school (content very slightly less). I now own a mac laptop and am the proud owner of an iPhone (and a few other Apple gadgets). And I watch all the mac rumour sites.

3. Golf comes into that love it and hate it part of my life. Some days, it’s the best thing - like this weekend when I beat Chris. Other weekends, the game drags on and on… But it’s like life. It’s a challenge to overcome and when you do, man it feels good! Moment of reflection…. that was deep! But it is a great way to spend an afternoon. Good company, outdoors, you get a tan in summer, and for some people in Australia, it’s yet another excuse to spend a few hours drinking (incidentally, being a golfer from the age of 7, and a club member, that breaks just about every tradition of the game!).

4. Walking… Walking… Walking… I walk everywhere! Really. Some of my friends find it a little annoying at times, but thank me after. I just won’t get cabs unless I’m feeling really lazy! Walking’s great! I’m sorry, but it is. I even walk to and from work some days (that takes about an hour each way!). And when you’re somewhere new, the best way to see it is often on foot. Next time you’re away, try it. You might like, and I know you’ll be surprised how much more of a place you’ll suddenly see!

5. You can nearly always find a camera on me. I love taking pictures (slipped a bit lately, I’ll admit, but that’s more due to time than anything). On my travels I will often come back with so many photos it takes me weeks to sort them all out - and a little longer to re-touch my favourites (when I get time). I’m hoping to do a photography course at the Australian Centre for Photography soon, just need to decide which course now - any suggestions, please let me know.

6. OK… Another confession for those that don’t know me… I’m a geek! Those that do, already know that and are now wondering why I’ve said that. For those that don’t most people don’t guess straight away. But, alas, I do play games, I do like gadgets, certain jokes do amuse me, and I do own some stupid t-shirts (never understand why that’s such a geek thing, but it is). Part of that is that I do love technology, and in particular the web (and Apple stuff). I read about what’s new on the web everyday. I’m always looking for new ideas and approaches. Working out new ways to market and sell sites. I do love the web, and I’m lucky enough to work in that space too.

7. Entertaining my friends and family and how important they are to me. For those that know me, they know how much my friends mean to me and what I will do for them! Among my circle of friends, I’m know as one of the most loyal people, and often become that big brother person that everyone comes to as I usually have a very level head, and will always listen and help if I can. But… I love having friends round for drinks or dinner so I can show off my culinary skills in the kitchen.

8. I love cats! I really love cats! I know some people think they’re evil - I’ll admit they can sometimes be a little self centred - but they’re the best companions! They always make you feel good, want to play and love your attention. We have 3 at my parent’s house and I miss them dearly. I occasionally look after a friend’s over here (landlady won’t let me have one sadly), and it’s so good having her around. A sign that will always stay in my mind and I think is so true is “A house without a cat is not a home”. Never a truer word said.

And there you have it. A little incite into me. There’s a lot more to say, but the challenge was 8. I’ll do another one in a while.

Next, I need to tag some of my friends to take up the challenge:

• Jatin Valabjee
• Laura Tjitrafjaja
• James Cox

So, this is the 2nd year I’ve been in Australia for Anzac day, and this year, I decided to do it properly. For those that don’t know about ANZAC day, I suggest you read the article on Wikipedia. In summary, it was the first major military action in the first world war by the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps, and this day celebrates the pride of these countries in this corp. It’s celebrated all over the country, and the services start as early as 4am.

One of the games that was invented by them was 2-up and the only day you can legally play it in Australia is on Anzac day. The principal behind it is to flip 3 coins off a wooden paddle, and whichever 2 sides match is the winner, hence “two-up“. There are some rules though: You have to get a good flip on the coins - if they don’t spin enough when you through them up, it’s a no-throw. Likewise, they have to get a good height - but not too high or hit the ceiling. And on hitting the ground, they have to all stay with the defined boundaries.

Now that sounds pretty dull in essence, but it’s a actually a blast! The reason being that you bet other people in the audience, and everyone - I mean everyone - gets involved. You can shout out a bet of say $10 on heads, and someone will say I’ll call you tails. The person who calls heads looks after the bet until the result is known. Then if they win, they keep it, and if they lose - tails - they give the money to the other person. You’d think people would try to cheat the system, but they don’t. The spirit is absolutely amazing! Everybody has great fun and chats and laughs and you just can’t imagine how much fun it is. It’s just a shame that it only happens once a year.

We spent an impressive 5 hours in the Woolloomooloo Bay Hotel that afternoon, but not playing that all day. All in all it was a great day, and next year I’ll make sure I’m up for the dawn service.

I went to see March of the Penguins at the moonlight cinema in Sydney recently. The moonlight cinema is located on one of the hills in Centennial Park, and films start at sunset.

Jenny and I were probably the most un-prepared people there! We had no drink, no food, no blankets or pillows. We had to make do with perching on the grass as best we could. Oh, and ignoring the numerous bugs that come to check you out.

I’ll start by saying that since seeing this film, I have a new found respect for Emperor Penguins! They truly are amazing animals. How the find the same spot every year to nest. How they survive for months and months in the freezing cold, without food. And the bond they make with their partners during the whole process of birth. Oh, and it’s narrated by Morgan Freeman.

These animals trek across the Antarctic tundra, in long lines from several directions. Somehow finding the same location without any pointers, and arriving at almost the same time for each direction.

The females lay their egg just before winter, and then entrust the Males to endure the harsh winter to look after the egg. It hits -80 degrees with no sunshine for weeks. And then the wind blows… Can you imagine that! And I used to moan that England could be cold at times! Huddled together, they form a large moving mass, each taking turns on the outside, protecting the others, all the time trying their hardest to look after the egg. Sadly, accidents do occur during these moves though…

All this time, the females, having used most of their energy to lay the egg, have headed back to the coast to feed, so they can feed the baby when it’s born. Somehow, once again, they arrive just after the baby hatches - sometimes a little too late sadly. And talk about cute! The baby Emperor Penguins are just the cutest, fluffiest things - my friends will pull me up on that comment, but I bet they’ll all be thinking the same thing if they see it. Then the Males head off to feed, starting a back and forwards system too and from the sea to get food and strength back.

It’s amazing how they manage to find the same animal based on their voice, bonding so closely. And the intelligence of these birds is astonishing. The sense of bond they create with the baby, the emotions they display if anything happens to the baby. The look of love between the parents during the whole ritual is so touching.

Their are sad points, obviously as it is a nature film. Their are also funny moments, such as when a penguin slips over, stands up and makes a noise as if it was letting loose a profanity. It’s a lovely film, and something I think everyone wold benefit from watching.

For the first time this month, my website’s had more than 10,000 visitors in a month. Actually, it passed 12,000 too (If anyone cares for precision, it was 12,478). Ok, so all my friends are now groaning, but to me, that’s a pretty impressive number for a personal website that’s not selling anything.

So why do i think this happened? Partly due to re-writing the code of the site to be more search engine friendly. Partly re-writing the content to be more relevant - and to those who keep pointing it out, one day I will fill in the gaps. Posting articles and comments on forums and news sites around the web. And I’ve been updating the site a lot more regularly. Writing blogs, uploading images, just trying to keep the site fresh and interesting to those that follow, and perhaps a few out there just randomly wandering the web.

So, what’s next for www.gregorybrine.com? Well, when I get time, I’m starting to re-write it in Microsoft’s Asp .NET. As part of that, the galleries are getting an overhaul, and some friends are interested in combining sites - that could be interesting and fun. Oh, and I might move it to new, cheaper hosting… We’ll see. It’s all about having time, and a desire to finish at work, then sit in front of a computer doing more of the same… Hmmm… Let me think about that… I think I just heard the pub calling….

My second Christmas away from home, and my first in Australia. I headed down to Melbourne to visit friends, but I didn’t expect it to be quite as Christmasy as it was. It snowed just outside the city on Christmas day, and we had a log fire lit all day.

In contrast, the first day I was there, I managed to get sunburnt. But Melbourne is a lovely city to just wander around. That first day I saw most of the city centre, and some of the parkland to the East.

But, the rest of the days down there were spent getting some much needed relaxation. Oh, and of course that habit of mine… Drinking. We did a fair bit of that.

Christmas Day, our former housemates, Roberto and Sabrina came round to have dinner with us. I was only there for a few days, but the time went so quickly. I’ll be heading back to Melbourne soon…

I think today it finally sunk in that I’ve been away from home for one year. But it wasn’t how I expected it to happen. It was actually in a dream that I saw one of my beloved cats, which got me thinking. And I think it’s actually given me my first taste of home sickness… I think it’ll pass, but I’m just surprised it’s taken this long to come on.

So, how’s it been. Well, I think that I’ve changed a fair bit. A little more confident, a little more outgoing, and a little more worldly wise - it’s amazing how people’s ears prick up when you mention you’ve spent some time backpacking.

I’ve met some great people along the way. But something that’s really getting to me at the moment is the way lots of my friends are leaving at the moment. It seems like I’m going to a leaving drink once a week at least. It’s not a nice feeling, I can assure you.

So what next? Do I intend to head home or perhaps carry on. Lets just say, that I think I’ll be in Sydney for quite a while yet, and after that… Well, we’ll see what happens. Perhaps I’ll finally get around to learning Spanish and head to South America. Or perhaps it’ll be the easier option of heading to the USA for a while. Who knows.

But I do know I’ve really enjoyed the last year, and I just hope the next year is just as good.

As many of you know, I’ve been is Sydney for over 7 months now, and for most of that time, I’ve been living in one place in what we’ve come to describe as a very ‘transient’ house. People usually only stay here for 2 to 3 months and move on. However, 2 of us have been here for a lot longer than that. Until now…

Unfortunately, Sarah has now gone back to her family in the USA, leaving me here, pondering my future in the Lavender House - that’s our other name for it. During her time here. we’ve become very good friends, and have made each other’s experience’s here something that we’ll remember forever.

I admit. we have had our ups and downs, but whenever we’ve needed someone to talk to, we’ve always turned to each other. It’s kind of strange not having her here now, and I half expect (hope) that she’ll walk through the door any day now. But, despite all my trying, I don’t think that will happen. You see, here experiences of Sydney have been slightly jaded by her university, that seems to have gone out of it’s way to take money from her, make it as difficult as possible for her to get anything done. Then there’s the fact that it’s an hour from the CBD - so 3 hours of traveling for her a day.

Then there’s the weather. I’m going to let out a little secret here… The weather in Sydney’s not as great as the brochure’s let on. It’s been very cold at times, with the biggest temperature swings) I’ve ever know. It can be 30 degrees one day, then 14 the next (it went to 8 once).

But, the times we’ve had here have been some of the best of my life. We’ve had many parties in the house - and it stayed intact. We started cooking together, and I think we’re now both much better in the kitchen for it - although there was my incident with chocolate powder re-decorating the kitchen, and she does still occasionally burn things. Our wanderings around town, and the close group of friends we’ve been lucky enough to make.

So, it’s with a tear in my eye that I finish this blog, and say farewell to a very close friend. I hope we’ll always stay close, and get the chance to live together again in the future. Thank you Sarah.

Links
Sarah’s leaving present

It’s always been a dream of mine to see U2 live in concert. And, when they announced they were playing an extra night at Sydney’s Telstra Stadium, I managed to get hold of some tickets. My dream was coming true.

So, accompanied by my friend Heather, we went and saw the most amazing show I’ve ever seen! Kanye West was the supporting act - I will confess, Heather had to tell me who he was… But when he started singing, I instantly recognized the songs. I did think that he was a slightly odd artist to start the performance, but he a big supporter of the make poverty history movement.

And then U2 came on… Wow! They lived up to all my expectations! And the light show was simply phenomenal. Well, if you can call it a light show. It was more like a giant TV screen, dancing to the music, showing the band members and other imagery.

But the highlight was the music. The new stuff was great, but when the all time classics such as “Where the streets have no name” and “With or without you came on”, you just felt a tingle run through your body! It was a night neither of use will forget in a hurry!

If you ever get the chance to see U2 live, do not turn it down!

Links
Make Poverty History
Official U2 Website