Well, guess what song's going to be in my brain all day?

Better than "El Paso," at least.

I can't believe you guys know that song! Heh.

I learned it with different second and fourth lines:

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Eating all the gumdrops he can see
Laugh Kookaburra! Laugh Kookaburra!
Save some there for me.

I learned the first version also. We'd sing it in the round in about 3rd grade.

I've only ever heard Suction's version of it, but I like yours too, iME. I think it's funny that you all still remember it, heh.

That and the Qantas Koala saying "I hate Qantas" in his little voice are the only two memories I have associated with Austrailia as a child, not that it came up as a subject that often around the house.

I am still insanely jealous of my sister because her in-laws were living in Austrailia for two years with his work and they got to go visit for 30 days! Maybe some day....

Not funny, sad. I have so much crap stuck in my brain because it was attached to a tune. I could probably write out the lyrics to at least 20 commercial jingles from my childhood that I haven't heard in over 20 years. What a waste of brain space.

I wonder if the version suction posted was changed because of the use of the word "gay" in line 4? You can't use that word in American school textbooks any more.

iMissEthan, I feel your pain. When the songwriter who wrote the theme to Gilligan's Island died a couple of years ago, NPR did a short story about him. At the end, they played the part of the theme that played over the closing credits, and I was able to sing the whole bloody thing. MrBee was impressed because I even remembered all the modulations in the melody.

if it weren't for all the crap littering my brain, I probably could have cured cancer by now. Or at least remember where I put my glasses.

Hee! You're all so funny.

As for the word "gay", here's another one - "We'll have a gay old time! Wilma!" from the Flintstones. I think it's sad that the word is not in textbooks anymore, after all it used to mean being happy.

Tony I believe those Qantas ads were hugely successful over there. In fact, they were credited with "luring" more Americans to our shores than any previous ad. Where did your sister and her in-laws live/visit?

When I saw Gilligan's Island, it was in syndication. They dropped out the word 'week' from the closing credits song so join us here each [week] my friends and I used to sing that one word because it bugged me so much.

Aussie, do you have the same committees and such regulating the kinds of things that go in elementary- and high-school-level textbooks that we do in the States? Some states here have extremely lengthy lists of things that you can't show, words you can't use, topics you can't refer to. For example, a textbook can't refer in any way to evolution (because the fundamentalist religious right objects to it), or show a picture of a woman baking cookies (because the feminists object to women being only seen as housewives), or use a segment in a literature book that talks about mountain climbing (because that discriminates against children who live in Great Plains states, which don't have mountains). No, I did not make the last one up.

Sorry, I just read The Language Police and my blood pressure hasn't returned to normal yet. I am curious to know if other countries are being influenced by special-interest groups (on the left and the right, plenty of blame to go around) as we are.

On a happier note, I loved the Qantas koala. I used to see those ads a lot when I was growing up. "I hate Qantas." Hee!

AussieGirl. the in-laws were in Sydney but my sis also got to see Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and I think they got over to Adelaide too. They just stayed on the eastern half I'm pretty sure. Where are you in Australia?

Hi all - I've posted on the episode thread but never this one... but you all seem so friendly I didn't want to be left out!



Most of the touristy stuff and the bigger cities are on the eastern seaboard (ducks as irate Perth residents hurl sticks and stones). Sydney is just as lovely as it looks from the propaganda... can you tell where I'm from?? Although I'm currently living in Melbourne which is also lovely, just not as blue and white and sunny, if you know what I mean.

Tracey, I cannot believe that! That's just ridiculous! Not being able to show things like baking cookies, I mean, what is wrong with a picture of a woman baking cookies? And as for the no mountains in pics in States that don't have any, exactly how is that discriminatory to children living in a mountain-less place? I think the point should be to have children recognise that the world is made up of very different places. When I was at school we learned all about not only other States of Australia, but different countries too - from a young age we were taught about what people from other countries do, styles of housing, dress, food and the geography of the land. Our media is also pretty good (compared to what I found when I lived in the US) whereby there is always international news, not just info on what happens in Australia. This exposure encouraged a lot of Aussies to travel around the world. We were also taught all about evolution, which was presented as a theory only, not as fact. And this was in a Catholic school, heh.

That's not to say that we don't have the "politically correct" idiots here though, we most certainly do. But for the most part, they're not taken too seriously.

Tony I'm in Brisbane. Sounds like your sister had a great time over here! Did they go to the Great Barrier Reef? That is surely one of the most beautiful places in Australia.

swellen hi, and welcome mate! You're right, Sydney is a beautiful city. Many Americans I know say it is just as beautiful as San Francisco, with its harbour. How long have you been in Melbourne? I lived in South Gippsland for about a year and a half, but the prospect of facing another winter down south was too much for me to contemplate, so we headed back north to sunny Queensland. We have another poster here, Hejjie who lives in Melbourne, but I haven't seen her around these parts for a few weeks.

I've been in Melbourne for about a year, although not continuously - I was back in Sydney for 2 1/2 months over Christmas. Last year I threw in my job and decided to go to Uni full time (undergrad) and thought since I was undertaking a radical change anyway I might as well try living interstate for three years. So here I am, in second year at Monash Uni with school-leavers half my age, and I'm having a ball. I'm glad I didn't do this when I was 18; I doubt I would have enjoyed it. The great thing about doing this at my age is that I don't have all this pressure of thinking I must study all the right things to get a good job at the end. Instead I'm happily studying things that have no practical use in the real world and not worrying about what I'll do at the end. Very liberating!

I've heard Sydney/San Francisco comparisons before. I can see the similarities although when I was in San Fran I was shamelessly doing the whole tourist thing so I was viewing the city in a different way. Still, they're similar - nice harbour, fancy bridge, good atmosphere.

I have to say that in terms of just the cities themselves (forgetting weather and the fact that my entire family is in Sydney) I much prefer Melbourne. It has a relaxed atmosphere, the public transport is excellent, the roads are easy to drive on and it's loads cheaper to live here. But my family and friends being in Sydney in a big pull... I'm torn already and it will be worse when I finish my degree. Ah well... I'll wait and see what happens!

Hey Sup Y'all! So yeah I've been gone because I had a little case of Lordoftheringtitus, it's a desise that where you have to watch all three extended edtions and listen to all of the commentary, they have four diffent ones, and watch all the appendicies. Yes I am a big dork, but I just love my pretty pretty elf boy so much.

Man why'd those Queers have to go and make it were we can't say gay anymore lol I kid, for those of you who don't know I am gay or as I like to say I'm a homo fairy faggy fag, heh That'd be my rap name if I could rap.

Hi everyone!

Once again, work has totally sideswiped me and rendered me unable to post for a bit. I just wanted to duck my head in quickly and say hi before the insanity of the day carries me away again. I have been reading and keeping up with everyone's lives.

Welcome swellen, it's good to see another Melbournian in here (even an adopted one!).

So, last time I was in here I was talking about how we were going to Sydney for Easter. Well, if that wasn't one of the worst weekends of our lives, I don't know what was. Accidents with the hire car (thank goodness I paid the extra insurance to reduce the excess from thousands to a few hundred dollars), money being stolen from bank accounts, illness and of course our team lost the football. Disaster! Just reinforced my dislike for Sydney (sorry swellen!).

Then, this Saturday just gone I ducked out for a couple of hours in the late afternoon and came home to find that my house had been broken into. They stole my DVD player (an el cheapo $70 DVD player, nothing fancy mind you), assorted DVDs/Box Sets (Seasons 1-4 of Angel, Season 7 of Buffy, the full box set of My So Called Life - an import! they won't be able to play it on a normal dvd player anyway! - assorted movies including Psycho Beach Party (???? I only bought it cos it was $3 and it had Nicholas Brendan in it) and most galling of all, my copy of Survivor: Marquesas. They also took an adidas backpack (to put everything in I'm guessing) and the contents of its front pockets - assorted football badges, nothing really of much value, my favourite sunglasses - some costume jewellery (all of which would be worth no more than $50 but which included my favourite ring and earrings) and a leather jacket I got made the last time I went to Bali (about 7 years ago). Good luck to them trying to sell any of that latter stuff!?

My main concern was for my cat... it seems like he must have spent the whole time the thieves were in there hiding under the bed. For once, I am very thankful that he's so anti-social/wary of strangers. I hate to think what may have happened if he'd gotten in their way. As it was, when the police came later (about 9.30pm) to dust for fingerprints, etc, he slipped out for a play outside - I was more distressed at that point than when I walked into my house and realised I'd been broken into, cos I couldn't find him anywhere. Thankfully, after about ten minutes, he deigned to come inside when I called him. He's still a bit shook up and only came out to greet me when I got home from the footy yesterday after he knew for certain it was me and not someone else. I think his new favourite place is going to be under my bed for a while.

So.. just gotta wait for the insurance assessor to call me to arrange an assessment and hopefully they'll pay to replace all the DVDs. Also got a call in with my landlord to see about getting some sturdier locks installed on the bathroom window and the sliding door that leads out to my courtyard (it appears they came in via one of these).

(Aussie, I'll be ducking into disc entertainment (after the insurance assessor confirms I can get replacement goods) to see if I can get another copy of MSCL imported, so will ask them at the same time about Seasons 1 and 2 of Survivor for you, and let you know what they say.)

It's not all bad news though... we've just booked flights to Perth for one of our footy games later in the year and that should be fun. I haven't been there for 9 years so am really looking forward to it. We'll be able to fit in a day trip to Rottnest Island also so that should be good. Oh and it's not that long until the Kylie concert also!

I promise my next post will be much less doom and gloom. Hey, it's Survivor night here tomorrow so that's a bonus. Of course I've read up on the ep, but I'm still looking forward to it!!

Hejjie mate, that's terrible news! I feel so bad for you! It's just awful to think that someone has invaded your home and privacy and stolen your possessions. But I sure am glad that your cat is okay. I'd have been hiding under the bed too! And mate, all is not lost - I can easily send you the Marquesas dvd's to copy again, so just let me know if you would like me to do that. And thanks so much for checking on S1 and S2 for me - I wish they'd hurry up and release it here, I can't understand the delay. Do they think there wouldn't be a market for it? I for one would be in there like a shot to get my copy.

Hi Swellen, Woody and everyone else! Hope everyone is doing well.

Hejjie:

Welcome to the dark side!! Actually I'm sure there is theft and disaster in Melbourne too. Just because everyone has been incredibly friendly to me and I've felt safe everywhere I've been in Melbourne, even at night, I'm sure that means nothing... truly...

Anyway I'm flying back up to Sydney on Friday for a friend's wedding so no doubt I'll come back saying how fantastic Sydney is and hating Melbourne. Should last for a good... ten minutes or so! Sadly, I actually love both cities. Mind you, I also loved Ottawa, Quebec, NYC and San Fran when I was there... maybe when I am a squillionaire I'll live a few months of the year in each place. (I'm studying an Arts degree - I'm sure that's the kind of thing that leads to squillionairism!)

Aussie, check your emails! Got some good news for you on Survivor S1 & S2!

On the other hand, bad news re my MSCL DVDs. I spoke to the store and apparently the box set is now deleted and they are unable to order it from the US. Not. Happy. Jan. Oh well, all is not lost... I figure if I trawl Amazon and eBay enough, I'm likely to turn up one copy. Fingers crossed anyway! My insurance assessor also told me about a place near my work that also specialises in imports, so there is that avenue too.

I forgot to mention yesterday that I too am a devotee of San Francisco, although I can't see the similarities between it and Sydney myself. If I was given the chance to move anywhere in the world outside Melbourne/Australia, then SF would be my place.

My favourite bit of local colour in San Francisco was a guy was sitting by the side of the road, asking for money, with a sign saying "Why lie? It's for beer." Closely followed by one that said "Need cash for weed." I do love the honest approach!

I love Quebec, too! I can't wait to get back there.

I gotta say that when I was a teenager living in Aussie, Sydney was my favorite. Now that I'm old and sedate (cough), I might prefer Melbourne...

It got warm for just a couple of days, and all of a sudden - tulips! How fun! And my poor, beleagered sage plant all of a sudden turned green and full. I'm liking this gardening thing.

Hey guys! Gosh it's been so long since I've posted anywhere at TWoP, what with going to Mexico (it was fan-tastic) and then getting back in time for glorious finals. So things have been hectic, and I've been ignoring most of life recently. Thankfully, exams are about done, and now I get to obsess over turning 30 in 3 days.*shudder*

If y'all are looking for me, I'll be under a rock crying and sucking my thumb.

30 is not so bad. I actually found 31 a lot harder - because then I wasn't 30, I was OVER 30! Now I'm looking at 35 looming on the horizon and that's another matter entirely... and I have an exam this afternoon...

30 is not so bad, not even 35. Try having 45 looming up at you! But hey, I'm still a girl at heart, so it really doesn't matter!

Aussie *waves*. I'll grant you that 30 is no 45, and I'll second the being a girl at heart...well, ok, boy...heh, maybe girl is best...but I just still want to be 20 and being asked to show ID when I go out to clubs. Now, I'll need to shell out for procedures for that to happen. Oh yes, folks, I am that shallow.

swellen, good luck on that exam tomorrow. I have one as well, and like you, there's a whole other bag of issues. Yay for returning to university after 6 years at work.

mikkamtl:
Or in my case, going to university for the first time 16 years after finishing high school. Hanging out with kids half my age; no wonder I feel old...

I just finished the exam and I think it went well. Best of luck with yours!

mikkamtl I'd been going to pubs since I was 14, and never ever got asked for ID. The first time I was asked to show that I was 18, was in a small town, and I was 28! Heh. I was quite flattered, but they were serious, they really thought I was an underage drinker.

The irony of that story was that once I got in, there were a whole bunch of people smoking dope in the pub quite openly. They weren't worried about illegal marijuana, just underage drinkers. Heh. But this was in Nimbin, which Aussies posting here will not be so surprised to hear about!

Glad your exam is over and done with, swellen! It's always nice to have something like that behind you.

suction how wonderful that you are finally seeing evidence of Spring!

Our wonderful Hejjie has ordered me copies of Survivor 1 and 2 from the US through a shop near where she lives, and I am so excited to think I'll finally be seeing them. Thanks mate.

Hope all MM'ers are doing well!

Have a fun party with lots of treats. Do some things you love to do. After all 30 is the new 21 - if you believe the New York Times. I personally had a miserable 30th birthday - I refused to let my husband treat me, and ended up going out dead broke with a friend to a bar. We barely had enough money between us for two beers each and two games of "Pop-A-Shot" (the game where you shoot a mini foam basketball into a smaller hoop). Then I took to my bed for the rest of the weekend. I'll tell you what, 35 and 40 were way, way more fun!

Yay to everyone for returning to school! I took a three-year break myself, but managed to stagger through and finish up. I heard that the number of people who finish college after a break of more than a year is something like 11%. So pat yourselves on the back!

Speaking of birthdays.... Today is mine! :D
Back to the books...

Happy Birthday Pinki!!! Hope you are having a wonderful day mate! Forget the books and just party!

Sorry, pretty in pinki, to be a day late with the birthday wishes--Happy Birthday.

It's my birthday, and after another stupid final, I'll be having a good old-fashioned vodka party, Finnish style... ice only. After Survivor, of course. Sigh. I miss Bobby Jon.

Happy Birthday, mikkamtl! And yes, Aussie, I did find time to put down the books and go to Applebee's with the fam. And this weekend, my sister is coming back here to celebrate! Yay for birthdays!

Happy belated Birthday, Mikkamtl - hope you had a good one!

And Pinki, glad you put those books down and celebrated! I used to love going to Applebees in Montana - potato skins and hot fudge sundae, mmmm....

Happy belated birthdays to Mikkamtl and pretty in pinki! I hope you both had a great time.

My last birthday was 43. And it's so funny, 'cause in my heart I'm still 18!! I just refuse to get all anxious or depressed over growing older. After all, the only 2 choices we all have are to get older or get dead. I think I'll stick with getting older.

Well it's officially spring here now. The grass is finally that beautiful, beautiful shade of green, the leaf and flower buds are out on all the trees and the daffodils and hyacinths are blooming. My rhododendron is absolutely loaded with flower buds, it's going to be so gorgeous when it blooms. Unfortunately I haven't seen any buds on my lilac, but it's still a little early, hopefully there's still time.

And it's even more officially spring, because my cat is starting to bring home baby bunny corpses. My husband found one in his storage shed that she had dragged in there and beheaded! I really do love cats but, man, they're bloodthirsty little critters!!

So, PrincessPeachy, do you have any exciting travel or vacation plans for this summer? We can't really do much this year, just can't afford to splurge too much, but hopefully we can maybe catch a couple of good concerts. We went to see Kansas last summer at a pretty small balloon fest, and had a fantastic time!! The music was great and they had some pretty awesome fireworks afterward. Wonderful!!

Where has Yogi been? I hope she's doing well.

Well, I'm off to enjoy some of this nice warm weather and see how my flowers are doing. Have a great weekend everyone!

Hi birdlady! Lovely to see you here again. And I know exactly what you mean about being in your 40's but still feeling like you're 18! Or at least, feeling like you are 18 in your mind, even though the (old) body has other ideas... And how lovely that you are getting such great Spring weather finally! It must be lovely to have all the flowers in bloom. It is finally starting to get just a little cooler at night here, but no sign of winter yet!

How cool that you remembered about Princess Peachy, heh! No, I haven't got any plans to go anywhere in the coming months. We had a couple of nice short holidays to the Gold Coast recently, and we'll probably go again in September or so. But I do have something nice happening - a friend of mine from Tucson, who has been living and teaching in South Korea for the last year, will be coming to visit me for 10 days! I am really looking forward to seeing her and doing all the sight seeing things. She travels a lot, and has been to Australia before about 8 years ago, but we last saw her 3 years ago in Las Vegas.

Yogi has not posted here for many weeks now. I miss her too!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend - here, it is a long weekend, the ANZAC Day weekend.

Hey Birdlady, my friend. I am doing well, though terribly, terribly busy lately. Oh my heck! You sound wonderful, enjoying spring and all the good stuff it brings. The northeast sure is beautiful these days. The park is positively enticing. It's hard to get any work done at all.

Happy Birthday to the birthday folk. I'm glad you made it to Appleby's PiP. I love Aussie's menu of potato skins and hot fudge sundays. That is a feast of pure fat, Miss Aussie. I bet you are one of those people blessed with a fabulous metabolism. My heck, what a meal. And yet? It sounds so good... I always think of Margarita when I think of Applebys. They serve yoooge drinks.

Hey to all the new folks I don't know. Congrats to all the back to schoolers. And from way, way back, I want green nail polish and some pepperment ice cream..... Yes I do.

Plus sugar. The best kind of feast!

I went for the mozzarella sticks instead of the potato skins. Fried cholesterol..I mean cheese..yum. Thanks for the B-Day wishes guys!

Yay! Yogi's back! We have missed you posting here, mate! Now we just have to track down, Hildy and a few others... As for the feast of pure fat (plus sugar, heh, swellen), I am one of those people who have to eat more than I want to else I'd end up skinny as can be. I think it's the Sri Lankan genes.

And pinki mozzarella sticks are another favourite of mine. I've never seen them anywhere here.

We're having a long weekend here, the weather is really lovely, and I'm off to meet a friend for lunch, so hope everyone is doing well. Catch you all later!

Memo to the participants in last year's mini-con in Minneapolis: The flamingoes have landed!

The pink flamingoes in front of the house on Lake of the Isles have returned. The homeowners bring them in for the winter; well, of course they do, the poor dears wouldn't handle winter well at all. Anyway, the entire line of flamingoes is back, both big ones and little ones. There also appears to be a new addition - there's a small flamingo with what looks like real fluffy feathers at the front of the line.

In other bird news, MrBee and I saw a kind of duck on Lake Harriet that we'd never seen before. It's a Northern Shoveler duck. We saw three of them, two males and a female; they were hanging out with a flock of mallards.

We expect to see ducklings and goslings very soon. Spring is so much fun.

Mmmmmmm, fried cheese.

ETA: Happy ANZAC Day to MMers in Australia and New Zealand!

" Thanks, mate!

Speaking of the TC Tarcon from last year, here are some pics which I finally have posted on my Yahoo account. Standing in the rose garden are Traceybee, Babalu, me, Yogi and Suctionprints. What a gorgeous weekend that was.

ETA - I put a photo of the flamingo house in that album for all who are interested. And, the Mary Tyler Moore house is in there, as well. Gee, I miss everyone I met there - can't wait 'til the next time I see you!

Hi everybody!! Aussie and Yogi, I got your e-mails. I've been trying to reply but my STUPID e-mail account is acting very obstinate and it won't let me for some reason. I'll have to rope Birdboy into helping me get the stupid thing straightened out.

heidihug thank you so much for the awesome pictures!! I was so excited to finally see what some of you lovely people look like! It looks like you must have had a great time. I'm gonna have to break down and buy a digital camera so I can share some of the beautiful scenery around here with you all.

TraceyBee when I first saw your picture of the Northern Shoveler duck, I mistook it for a mallard! It looks alot like a mallard except that it's beak is a little too long and it's the wrong color. But "mallard" is the first thing I thought of when I saw that pretty green head.

Aussie, I feel really ignorant, but what's ANZAC day?

They're great pics, Heidi - thanks for posting them. And I wish I could have been there, sigh. I vote the next one should be held here!

Birdlady, hope you get that stupid email account to behave! If you can, try emailing me straight from here, that might work. And don't worry about feeling ignorant, not too many people outside Australia and New Zealand would know what ANZAC stands for. It is the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps, and on April 25th we commemorate the landing of our troops in Gallipoli, Turkey. A little bit like Remembrance Day.

I'm not feeling really well today, but the good news is that I received my copies of Survivor 1 and 2, thanks to the wonderful Hejjie, who managed to find a place in Australia that could order them from the US. I decided that feeling ill was the perfect excuse for curling up on the couch and watching them, so that's exactly what I am doing!

Hope you are all having a wonderful day.

[sneaks back into room] Don't mind me lol, so I've been busy lately, I gots lots to tell youse, I no longer work at the Braum's, I work the night audit shift of a hotel, it formerily was the Radisson, and around June it'll be another big name hotel shhholiday inn, I didn't say anything lol, and also yesterday on the 28th at 11:13 am I became one score and 3 years old, so I missed tonights episod, fooey stupid frineds lol.

Happy late b-day wishes to Mikka and PiP

Miss Yogi! It's so good to see you!

Taking a break from all things to say Hurray for the flamingos - a truly whimsical garden statement if I ever saw one. And Hurray for TCcons - what fun I had meeting you all, and my I just say again, Crack is indeed whack. Talk about an unyummy snack food! I'm so happy you stopped by, Heidihug. I haven't "seen" you in forever, and I've missed you.

Also, get that e-mail thing fixed Birdlady!

But most importantly, Happy Birthday, Woodlock. I hope you had a wonderful time, my Elfin Friend. Congratulations on the desk job at the ever-changing-hotel. I used to work at the front desk of a hotel. It was fun. I met lots of nice folks at that job. I only regret that I missed the opportunity to have pepperment ice cream with you at your last establishment.

Have a great weekend MMers!

Hi yogi and Aussie! I sent e-mails to both of you through TWoP. Could you please let me know if you got them? I still haven't nailed my son down and made him fix my e-mail account.

Happy Birthday, Woodlock! Hope you had a wonderful day! And also, congratulations on your new job, that's really great news.

Yogi, always good to see you!

Birdlady no, I didn't get the email, sorry. Hope you get the account fixed and that I'll hear from you soon!

It's another long weekend here, the Labour Day weekend. Not too much planned, just lazing around watching Survivor 1.

Happy Birthday to you, Woodlock, congrats on the new work... did you get the chance to pillage the old place before leaving? Just...er...curious, you know. Not that I need ice cream, or anything.

The semester is over! The exams are all written! The internship is all done! The internship was cool, though.

A week now since turning 30, and no new wrinkles, no grey hairs... maybe I can handle this, after all. No, don't throw things at me, I didn't mean to hurt any feelings with an age joke.

And a big hello to everyone here at the MM. While Aussie enjoys Survivor Classic, I'll be catching up on some TWoP. Happy weekend to all.