Author: Crofton77

So, I have a glass of O'Mara's in hand and it's time to have a bit of a rant about football. No not that round ball choreographed dance they call soccer, or thugby (rugby), or even that ugly throw-the-ball-backwards-to-go-forwards rubbish they call league (rugby league) (for our American friends your Grid Iron is not football either so deal with it). I am talking about the only game that could possibly call itself football, where men are men and the boys can go home, where padding is for the feint of heart and skills and fitness rule supreme. I refer to Australian Rules Football.

Now as everyone knows I am a slightly rabid Brisbane Lions fan. The Lions are having a very bad year . Actually bad doesn't quite cut it, HORRENDOUS is more like it. I know it, the media knows it, we ALL bloody know it.
Oh did I say media? MEDIA???? The bloody media ignores the crap out of the Lions when we are trundling along, not earth shattering wins or anything, just trundling, getting it done, winning some losing others. But you just wait until we do something wrong, like lose almost every game of the season so far (we've won one of thirteen to date) or some of our drafted players decide to go home (they're leaving in droves the headlines read). Suddenly the Lions are the hottest news in Australia. Suddenly every hack journalist has an expert opinion on what is wrong with the Lions and how to fix it.

Picture it: It's August 2013,13 August 2013 to be precise, the Normal Autistic Kid and I are at the hotel in Brisbane getting gussied up for the Brisbane Lions Gala Auction. We're keeping a weather eye on FaceBook and Twitter for messages from friends we will be meeting up with at the function. I am scrolling through the Tweets and there's something about Vossy (Lion's coach) I shake my head , reset my glasses and read again, Michael Voss, Lion's coach, has been sacked. WTF????? Two hours before a Gala event and they sack the coach? surely this is a joke, put the telly on, where's the news?
2013 was not the worst year for the Brisbane Lions. It wasn't a good one but hell Vossy was starting to come good, we thought. The media thought otherwise and in what can only be described as a sustained attack the media hounded Vossy up hill and down dale in the press, on telly, social media and anywhere else they could get a hearing. A man's career as a senior coach butchered by the press.
That evening was awful, truly awful. The players were stunned, the guests were angry and vocal in their anger.

Move to 2015 and the go home five. The AFL has a DRAFT system, where young players are picked up by teams these kids are supposed to be down with the fact that they may have to go interstate to get a gig on the big stage. For many it is their first time away from home and they get homesick. Nothing wrong with that, let them go home. But, the media cook it up as something else, they dream up tensions in the club – administration, coaches and even the fans.
How about we look at what the real issues are, how about we look at facts not fiction?
After the historical three peat of the early 2000's Eddie McGuire campaigned long and hard to have our retention allowance removed. Why did he do that one might ask??? Because two of the the Premierships were won against his team. Sour grapes much Eddie? He tried the same game when Sydney Swans started beating his team regularly. So, money that had helped to keep players at the club was suddenly removed and there was an exodus.There was the usual turn over over retiring players and coaches.

There was of course the incredibly idiotic recruiting debacle when Vossy thought getting Fev was a good idea and ended up losing two very good servants of the club over it.(that was also blown out of proportion in the press but Fev asked for it)
Then the AFL in its infinite wisdom decided that Queensland needed a second team and created what the Normal autistic Kid refers to as the fantastic plastic – the Gold Coast Suns (2011)- or cold toast scums, depends who you are right? Fans from the Gold Coast who used to be Lions supporters switched allegiance to 'their' team starting a membership loss for the Lions which the media ascribed to the fans being disenchanted with the Lions.
2016 – Brisbane Lions has the youngest list, we had a very tough draw, even the press agree, Leppa (coach) is changing the game plan. This year we have re-signed key players, some early because they want to stay.

There is more but you get the picture. Some good stuff and bad stuff and through it all the players keep on keeping on. When we win we are ignored by the media (unless it's against Eddies team) when we lose we're a basket case.

It is extremely difficult watching your team lose week after week. I loathe when so called fans think social media is there for them to abuse the players and coaches. I DETEST the media for  the continual negative press and their attempts to get yet another Lions coach sacked. In all fairness the media have been responsible for the sacking of other teams coaches as well but as they are not MY team I am not concerned with them here.
The media have set themselves up as demi gods, king makers, coach breakers and I for one have had quite enough. I am extending my media boycott to include such shows as AFL360, On the Couch as well as all print media, I am also culling my Twitter 'following' list to remove the more rabid negative so called Lions fans.

One day soon the tide will turn and my Lions will be up there winning and I am with them every tricky step of the way…

We are the pride of Brisbane town
We wear maroon, blue and gold
We will always fight for victory
Like Fitzroy and Bears of old
All for one and one for all
We will answer to the call
Go lions, Brisbane Lions we'll kick the winning score
You'll hear our mighty roar!!!!!!

That leads to Brunch!!!

HR and I are doing the whole losing weight, learning to eat better thing and one day a week, usually the weekend we go a little nuts.  Generally starts Friday night and finishes Saturday after dinner-ish.

Friday night's are a trip to Grill'd (see previous blogs). Last week we shared the 'Front Bar'; a steak sandwich with egg, mesculin, tomato, Spanish Onion, Dijon mustard, beetroot relish and herbed mayo and of course the Chips Share Plate. Safe to say a total success as a meal!! I think that a second success has seen this place become a firm favourite and a definite part of the 'routine'.

The 'routine' is something HR and I are setting up to help establish a stable home life for us both. You may recall that for eighteen months HR and I were living in different states. When you add to that the fact that I have started a new job after seven years in the last one, moved after eighteen years in one place, and the car accident at the beginning of the year, I am one unsettled person!

Anyway, I digress, last Saturday HR and I took a drive to a lovely little town name of Gundaroo. A rustic little eatery called 'The Cork Street Cafe' served a particularly delicious repast for HR and I. HR chose the Eggs Benedict with Bacon and I had, wait for it, I had Pancakes with Maple Syrup, Bacon and Fried Eggs. OMG talk about deliciousness! Totally worth the drive out there I can tell you.
Then there is the Gundaroo Heritage Walk a meander through the historical high spots of the town.
One could do a lot worse than head to Gundaroo for a feed and a walk!

This Friday we again trekked off to Grill'd where we tried a Beef Burger with our usual accompaniment of Chips. We ordered the 'Almighty' .  'Grilled grass fed lean beef , tasty cheese, crispy trim bacon, free range egg, couple of slices of beetroot with salad, relish and herbed mayo' and we added some avocado. What a HUGE burger!! We cut the burger and I had to eat my share with a knife and fork. Seriously there was no way I was going to get a bite of that baby!! Needless to say it was a thoroughly enjoyable meal and we waddled out of there! We have dibs on a chicken burger next week.

This morning we trundled off to Yass to have a bit of a looksee. We wandered the high street and back streets, there are some beautiful old houses out that way. We decided to have a very late breakfast/early lunch at a lovely establishment named 'The Roses Cafe' where we ordered Eggs Benedict with Bacon, a cappuccino for HR and a pot of Green Tea for me. Next time we go there we will partake of the other delights they had there. Quiche's, savoury muffins, pies, wraps, all manner of delightful baked goods as well as traditional burgers and breakfast foods. A veritable cornucopia of culinary concoctions!!
HR did mention that he preferred the Cork Street Cafe Hollandaise to that of The Roses Cafe. Apparently he found The Roses Cafe Hollandaise a little 'claggy'. However the bacon was cooked just right at The Roses Cafe.
One could be forgiven for thinking we are on a crusade to find the perfect Eggs Benedict, at least HR may be.
Anyway we are scoping next weeks destination As I type so I'll update you when I know!

Oh yeah HR has lost nearly ten kilos, me not so much only four, mebbe if I got off my fat arse I might lose a bit more………….

Right then, three weeks ago, HR and I commenced a weight loss program. (see my blog Middle Age Spread).
I had most of one week off due to interstate commitments (see Ticket to Ride Planes and Cars) and so now it is time to weigh in!

HR is finding it a bit tough on the shakes and seriously looks forward to the evening meal which free style. Once a week we go a bit nuts for one meal and a lot of planning goes into it!!
You may recall we had Southern Fried Chicken the first week and last week we went Dumplings.

We went to a lovely little place called Dumpling House and took a table for two. The waitress brought tea and HR and I sipped refreshing Jasmine tea whilst we made our choices.
The Dumpling House has traditional Chinese dishes as well as Dumplings, Buns and Pancakes.
We decided to try 'Combination: Chicken, Beef and Vegetable (15)' and team them with 'Steamed BBQ Pork Bun (2 or 4)'

The three different types of dumpling were very tasty! The vegetable dumping needed just a touch of chili sauce, the beef was delicious and the chicken more so. But the Best of all were the BBQ Pork Buns…. The bun was sweet and fluffy and light. There was sufficient BBQ Pork was sufficient (some people skimp) and perfectly cooked. I was in seventh heaven!!  There is nothing quite like a decent BBQ Pork Bun, nothing!! There was enough food and tea to make quite a good meal (remember we have smaller tummies now we are dieting) though HR wants to try the Dim Sims next time.

Turns out next time will be tomorrow as HR failed in his tasking to decide what we should have this week. I will be choosing next weeks.
So how are we going in this quest to win the battle of the bulge?
To date HR has lost 4.5kg and 2 inches off his bulky waist.
I have lost 2.9 kg but the waist measurement remains the same the gut seems to be slowly shifting though.

HR and I really need to get some regular exercise going to help us shift the flab. I have my little work out room that I have used. I do low impact aerobics and I have a dvd coming from  Denise Austin 
called Shrink Your Female Fat Zones. I have used this dvd before (for many years actually) but it seems the copy I have is region  and all my dvd players are Region 4, go figure.
I have used Denise Austin's exercise regimes on and off for over twenty years and I find them very, very good for helping to shape the body in the privacy of my own home.

Anyway onwards and upwards, or is that downwards……..more next week!!

This is bound to be one of the questions I get asked at tomorrow's interview for the job I am doing
I am receiving higher duties allowance until the recruitment activity for the job I am doing is completed. I figured I may as well have a bash as I might have a chance, you know, seeing as how I am doing the job….
Only problem is there are unknowns in the competition.
Someone may actually know what they are doing which puts me RIGHT behind the 8 ball.

I do know that two of my colleagues are also interviewing for the positions (there are two of them yes).

The pro's are:
I have been working in the position
I have been working with the consultant in the domain
I have helped lay the groundwork for the tasking in the role
I am beginning to understand the complexities around the tasking
I am beginning to build the networks required to facilitate the role
I am conversant with the major reporting tool
I can see the synergies between the two roles and can see opportunities for leveraging off interdependencies (sounds good eh?)

Cons:
I have no experience in the domain
I have no training in the domain
I have only been in the agency for two months
two of my rivals have been with the agency for years
I am bad at interviews
I am the first to be interviewed

I spoke with the domain experts for both positions. I have identified appropriate training. I am not looking forward to this interview. It will most likely take forever for them to advise the successful applicants too. Oh well there'll be other jobs to apply for I suppose.

In five years time I will most likely still be working. I'd like to think I could improve my ranking in the agency. Then again some days I just wonder what the hell I am dong and why.

Wish me luck boys and girls, wish me luck…..

Previously on my blog (Middle Age Spread)…HR and I have embarked on a weight loss venture, time for some updates!!

HR may have lost more weight than me but percentage wise we are even…go figure.

HR says the shakes are getting a bit hard to take, it's almost winter and the shakes are made with ice cold water, I shudder watching him. There is absolutely NO WAY I would do those shakes, uh uh not me.
My food is really quite tasty and there's heaps of it. Sometimes I don't get through all of the snackage pieces but I do make a determined effort to eat the lunches at a regular time. I wonder though if there is a little too much bread product. I have noticed that after a few days I no longer seem to hit a wall at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
HR and I generally have a tasty evening meal (mostly to make up for his cold blandness during the day) but we have gone down the whole portion control thing.
We have also decided that we can have one 'mad' meal a week where we break the shackles and have something really yummy and not for everyday consumption.

This week we chose Saturday evening for the mad meal. Earlier in the week a friend came to visit and she mentioned a Southern Fried Chicken outlet in a neighbouring suburb, so HR, in his infinite wisdom, decided that was to be the mad meal for this week.

Kingsley's Chicken  serves excellent fried chicken with acceptable chips and a very nice gravy at a  reasonable price!!!! We got five pieces of chicken with a small chips and gravy. Very tasty!!! the chicken was moist and tender under a crisp mildly spicy skin , the chips appropriately salted and the gravy slightly peppery.
Next week we are going Chinese!!!!

Because my beloved Brisbane Lions were getting seven kinds of crap kicked out of them later that evening we shared a small block of Cadbury Snack chocolate.

HR is in for a bit of a treat this week, I am off to Brisbane to attend the Player sponsor function ( I sponsor Josh Clayton) and won't be taking my meals with me so he gets to enjoy the tasty breakfasts and lunches so they don't go to waste. I think he is really looking forward to it.

I have started doing some low impact aerobics this week so hopefully my weight drop will be a bit better than last week. Of course there will be the interruption of being away, and all that champagne I will drink at the function, but I will try to keep food choices healthy and junk to a minimum.

Anyway, more updates to come wish us luck!

Right then, it seems HR and I might be a bit overweight; a bit pudgy,soft around the middle, showing signs of too much good living. Time to get our lard arses of the couch and out of the pig pen.

HR has chosen ' The Man Shake' for reasons best known to him. He will replace two meals a day with the shakes and have a portion controlled bad carb free dinner. Lots of water, healthy snacks and dammit 30 minutes of exercise a day!!!

I have chosen the 'Lite and Easy' breakfast and lunch option, again a portion controlled evening meal, bad carb free etc etc etc (thank you Yul Brynner “The King and I“). The Normal Autistic Brat has been using Lite and Easy for 5 months now and along with a few other shifts in eating habits (read she finally dropped the junk) she has successfully dropped 10 kilograms.Of course I need to get myself off the couch more than HR does.

HR has helped me make a start on putting together my own little workout/meditation room. I think the dual purpose is appropriate. I have real issues going to a gym/working out in public, I have no idea why. I am sure some psychology type could tell me but whatever.
HR can use the gym at work and the walking track as well as the walks we can do round our home suburb.

HR's shakes arrived in a large box complete with shaker and instructions and meal plans and this will last him three months. He has a choice of shake flavours.We have been shopping for healthy snacks for HR. The instructions suggested yoghurt or nuts so we got a selection of both for him to chose from.
My food arrived in a Styrofoam cooler, has  fridge and a freezer components and will last me a week. I get to make choices about what food I eat each day for a week but have to order every week ( there is an auto order option I may look into further down the track). I will share some of HR's snacks in the evenings if I feel the need.

We started today 7 May 16 on our journey to healthy weight, fitness and better living.
We weighed in (classified info thank you very much) and took a few vital measurements (I SAID classified ok?) We will update these every week.

HR made his first shake, chocolate, and first thing he noticed was that the consistency was that of a thick shake whereas other shakes he had experienced were more like milk shakes. He reckons that the shakes must have fiber in them as well. he had vanilla for lunch and yoghurt for his afternoon snack.

My first breakfast was a two egg omelette with ham, tomato and cheese. Mid morning snack was grapes. Lunch was a chicken wrap and mid afternoon snack was kiwi fruit and mixed nuts. So much food that was healthy and tasty and prepared in perfect portion sizes t help me achieve my weight loss goals. I like the idea of the meals being sorted for me, it's really going to be convenient just grabbing a bag of food for lunches at The Crypt.

This is going to be an interesting journey for us hope you lot come along for the ride.

Those of you (you precious few) that read my blog (bless all six of you whoever you are) will recall that HR and I are in the process of selling a house.

You might recall my blog 'Patience is a Virtue' where I mentioned casually that the buyers of aforementioned house had been quite insistent that we produce signed contracts on such a date at such a time or they would rescind their not so generous offer. You might also recall I was having difficulty pressing send on the email containing the required contracts (HR pushed the button so to speak).

Subsequent blogs have mentioned that the buyers (God bless them) wanted to bring the settlement date forward and HR and I were happy with that.

Today is the day they SHOULD have settled. Well guess what? Those lovely impatient people weren't ready and asked for an extension!!!! You can imagine our response. We were NOT happy one little bit. You might say I was a bit cross actually. I may have used profanity quite liberally and creatively. However, as HR and I are REALLY bloody nice people ( and original settlement day was next Monday anyway) we acquiesced to their request.

Meanwhile the real estate agents are sending me 'rate your agent' emails. Cool I will rate my agent when the transaction is completed. Well no they think I should rate when they want me to so they send reminder emails. SERIOUSLY  you might want to wait until the damned house settles before I tell you what I really think of your agent, because believe you me if the buyers default (and that will be a whole other story) I will NOT be continuing to use you or her as an agent, let me be VERY clear on that. The agent has made it abundantly clear that they are only interested in the dollars at the end of the transaction and that they do not care about being honest in getting those dollars, nor are they about the seller in any way shape or form.

So tomorrow at 2:00 pm they will once again attempt to complete the settlement of the house.
I am not holding my breath.