And the winner is...

I guess we've all have those types of days when things just don't workout despite the best planning. With today being a public holiday and our streets teeming with tourists I had decided it was the perfect day to hibernate at home and catch up with the videotape of the Anzac Day game which Alan taped for me yesterday.

I had assiduously made sure that I had heard no news bulletins between the end of the Trades Hall show yesterday and not read or lookied at a newspaper (real or online). I even began to cook a 38-hour (yep no typo there) slow cooked Greek lamb dish at midnight last night whilst I blogged here.

Waking to the wonderful aroma of lamb, oregano, thyme and rosemary, I decided it would be a cooking day until the afternoon when I would sit down and catch up with The Game.

After preparing mushroom risotto, Tira Mi Su, some cookies and hummus (for the forthcoming week... not today's menu solely). I readied myself for the Bombers Pies Showdown.

Would you believe that this house has three VCRs (for three people of course).

The main lounge VCR had a tape wedged irretrievably inside which was not budging.

Take two. Move to my bedroom and my VCR. Yep, not working either. A simple matter of tuning in the VCR to the TV... a task that Panasonic always felt was a easy judging by their diagrams in the manual. Yep, simple for Einstein.

Take three. Calling (desperately) to my son, he stripped his wall unit and removed his VCR, bringing it to the lounge room and again I readied myself for The Match. Coffee, freshly cooked cookies, all the baked goodies stored, sealed and frozen, lamb basted and monitored.

Carlo's VCR dedided at this moment it wouldn't re-wind or fast forward. Oh well not so bad... until it decided it wouldn't stay playing either. The switch just randomly turned off without a person sitting on the floor finger pressed to said PLAY button. In frustration Carlo gave it one God-Almighty WHACK and the bloody thing behaved itself (enough to begin to watch the lead up commemorative ceremony).Then complete STOP.

Coffee in hand back to my bedroom VCR to begin the epic channel-tune-in excercise. SUCCESS AT LAST... only the videotape was "much loved" and the snow and tracking quite distracting. Never mind, it was great Alan took the time to tape it. I have watched worse broadcast images in my time, so I did my usual, cried over the Last Post, and the banner run-through by both teams and began to watch the drama.

I had told Glenice yesterday that judging by the faces of the Collingwood fans and the expression on the Essendon supporters I was sure we had lost. But the first quarter was amazing, for a PIES supporter, and even more so for me.

Travis Cloke (a player who frustrates me endlessly with his inaccuracy kicking for goal) absolutely shone and drilled FOUR! Even the tape was far enough in to be picture-perfect with the tracking and snow virtually non-existant.

Casting my mind back to Melbourne Central station and the train home yesterday... How could we have lost with such a HUGE LEAD? But, as every Magpie fan knows this is a team that can easily snare defeat from the jaws of victory.

Second quarter. Even scoring and the Bombers looked like they were getting their act together. On to the third... and the man-on-man tension intensified with mistakes and turn-overs from both sides.... AD BREAK....

With a fresh coffee I return to find the broadcast stopped. Yes, stopped. The tape had RUN OUT! Not a four hour tape as Alan had thought, a three hour tape!

It was just never meant to be. I had missed my first ANZAC day match ever, and to make matters worse I did not know the results. I had told Louis to take the papers with him, so I couldn't even read the post match coverage. Grabbing the Foxtel mag and the Green Guide I searched in vain for a replay of the BIG GAME!

ZILTCH

ZERO

NADA!

Carlo then told me we had actually won by 60 or so points but heck it's not the same. I don't even know who won the ANZAC DAY medal or why? How many did Cloke finish up with. Even Fraser kicked two before I stopped watching and Thomas had nailed one. (Yep, these are the fab trio I call Dumb, Dumber and Stick. They had actually done what I had never seen them do before... play with excitement and accuracy!). What a game to have missed TWICE).

And to think, I was supposed to happily go back to writing later in the day. Yeah sure, definitely in the mood for that (as you can see, I am still bitching). What a wasted day... but then again the highs and lows of supporting Collingwood just match today's mini-drama and seem so in sync.

The only positive to have come out of today (apart from copious food preparation) is that I now know who-the-bloody-hell Justin Bieber is. As George Negus said on 7pm Project... my life is complete!

It's Rainin' Again... and similar lyrics...

Pity I can't add that it's Raining Men, hallelujah... but thems the breaks.(Anyway given my history with men the pertinent descriptors would have to be drips or deluges). It was great to get up to the Lilydale Campus today. Looking at the colours of the Autumn leaves forming a carpet of colour walking through the LA building was special. I adore this time of year. It is one of my favourites. With the leaves (particularly the vivid crimsons)drawing my attention away from the leaden clouds I feel like a child. I just want to grab handfuls and throw them into the air or scrunch my way through the Elms leaves in Melbourne Streets. It is such a sensual overload... I can't help but feel upbeat and positive.

It is very strange however that once a person has witnessed the crash after a manic episode, any sign of general run of the mill happiness, pleasure or upbeat demeanour conjures up questions such as "Are you sure you are OK?". The question is asked from a total sense of concern and caring but hey guys lighten up... even the grey zone is alllowed some light relief. Maybe, it's just that my +3 on the mood state scale is a 'normal' persons +5. The degrees are a whole lot more intense for BiPolar people. What you fear as 'out of control' is actually a sense of happiness for us. Controlled and rational.

So the information for my dear concerned friends and colleagues is my grey scale ranges between -3 and +3. That's my NORMAL. Worry when the talking is simply TOO FAST with nary a space for a conversational pause or reply, the ideas are flowing seemingly non-stop, my energy levels would tire a 20 year old, I am drinking to excess, spending totally outrageously, and behaving as all 'bad girls' of Hollywood fame behave.

Worry also when you do not see or hear from me. I may be curled into a ball unable to get out of bed or leave the house. You can tell, as my thoughts and written word become so dark it is suffocating and menacing.

Hopefully, that will allay some fears.
I am doing quite well thank you, please allow me some fun just like you.

With a positive mental outlook on life I managed to pull together several of my deleted electronic files and documents... I think I can begin to successfully pick up all these 'dropped stitches' of my PhD. (Not a weaving metaphor Glen but a similarly gendered home spun one).

My head is getting back into the policy analysis space. I am ready to write again. Hopefully this weekend will be productive and not see me sitting in my study sulking as every tourist family deems it necessary to walk their child/ren (on bikes and razors) with their barking dogs along our streets, as they gaze into all the houses.

I suddenly feel like an animal at the Zoo from my study. (Perhaps I am... genus Penisularus?)

I could draw the curtains but hey, why should I shut the light out?

At least the gaze from the street meets my full wall bookcase and it is obvious that I BLOODY LIVE AND WORK DOWN HERE.

Why can't this lot head to the Mountains and snow? It is up there already isn't it? Oh that's right a house in Blairgowrie (that you can rent out you are nt using it and claim Tax offsets via negative gearing) is cheaper than a Mt Buller Chalet isn't it?

No more Christo's yoghurt or Coast coffees for a few days (not that I am thrilled to eat at Coast after yesterdays abomination).

LIGHT BULB MOMENT:
Must venture up the hills to wineries and choccky shop... that will be relaxing and THEY won't be there in huge numbers. Amazing how different the two sides of the Peninsula actually are and how there is a sanctuary for me in the middle amongst the gum trees.

More trees... isn't that how I began this blog?

Must be reconnecting with Gaia or something. Perhaps I am getting well.