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Monday, January 18, 2010


There is something about being on holidays that messes with the space-time continuum.

1. Time goes waaay to quickly.

2. Alarm clocks become increasingly redundant because for some reason I decided that 3pm was a good time to wake up, and 3am was a sensible time to go to sleep.

3. Calories do not count because I tend to get more exercise on holiday. Being out and about and walking all the time, those chocolate mint sticks have negative calories. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

4. Time is taken up by difficult matters such as whether to play golf or go to the park and go for a walk with hand weights.

5. After 2 days of being outdoors my Neapolitan tan (red, white and brown) indicated that I might benefit from the use of sunscreen.

6. Exactly three days before holidays end, I remember that I really wanted to do this or that and I have officially run out of time.

7. Exactly 1 hour after holidays end, I am planning for my next holiday.



Friday, January 15, 2010





How does Skype to Go Work? I was a little confused about this so I had to do a little research. I wanted to make international calls from my mobile as I have a growing need to talk to overseas contacts. I tried calling using normal Skype and although it was cheap and convenient, at times my microphone has managed to cut out at inopportune moments. This can make it difficult to carry on a trans-Atlantic conversation without worrying about the quality of the line.

I wanted the freedom to call internationally from my mobile, and it just so happens Skype to Go does just that.

I found Skype to Go on the main Skype website and decided to give it a try - I used my existing account with Skype (it's free to sign up) and I decided since I was going to be calling overseas frequently, I would buy around $16 credit. I have called the US around 10 times using this service and the calls are ridiculously cheap. My balance has hardly budged at all and it will probably take me a few years to fully run it down.

How it works:

You are assigned your own Skype to Go number - I have mine programmed into my mobile phone.

On the Skype site you can set up a kind of speed dial phonebook - the great thing about setting up the numbers through Skype is that it automatically puts in the country code - all you need to do is nominate the country you are calling.

From your mobile, you can now call your Skype to Go number and the menu gives you the option of calling a number manually or selecting any one of your speed dial contacts.

Skype to Go will now put you through to the international number and you pay around 9c per call, which is an amazing deal considering most mobile phone rates for international calls.

The brilliant thing is that with $16 credit, I can call Australia to the US over 150 times before I even need to think about recharging.






Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Choosing the right heater involves a number of factors, not least the consideration of energy usage. Fan heaters warm up a room, unfortunately they warm up your heating bill too!! A new breed of infrared heaters has recently emerged, utilising new technologies to keep you warm and cool down your heating bills at the same time.

The RedCore 1500 heater is a state of the art multi-faceted device, acting as a heater, an air purifier and humidifier. The problem with many heaters is the a tendency to dry out the air while heating, causing difficulties for people with allergies and respiratory issues. The RedCore 1500 replaces lost moisture and purifies the air of dust and allergens, creating a comfortable environment in which you can breathe easily. So, no more dry winter air, dry skin, no more pollen, dust and no more dry sinuses!

According to the manufacturer, this heater can save you 50% on your heating bill, using only a miserly 1500 watts.

The infrared heater warms instantly and can heat areas of 1000 square feet. Other features include remote control LCD, temperature display and timer. The heater also comes with a 1-year replacement warranty. The unit comes in silver, light wood and dark wood finishes.


This post brought to you by Air & Water Inc.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

I hope everybody had a great Christmas this year. Let's hope for a happy, prosperous and safe new year. Here's to 2010!!
Cheers
LJP

Tuesday, December 22, 2009


It's that time of the Christmas shopping period where some people are relaxed, all presents wrapped and ready to go, slippers on, eggnog in hand.

Other people may be in the midst of mind-bending panic trying to get everything purchased before December 25th. The crowds, the pressure, the "what the heck am I doing in this department - everything's starting to look the same" experience. During my shopping expeditions to the Melbourne CBD, I found myself armed with a list, a credit card, some dollars and the beginnings of a whopper headache. After the third shop my eyes began to glaze over and my mind began to fantasise about settling down with a nice cold beer and potato wedges. I don't know what it is about shopping that makes me so hungry. Maybe it's because I'm in survival mode and my body sends out signals to eat to preserve the continuation of the human race. Shopping will do that to you.

I should have taken my own advice and done most of my shopping online. For some reason my online shopping mainly involved buying myself some Christmas presents - perhaps to reward my subconscious for putting up with 2 and a half hours of the most annoying species of shopping humans:

1. Slow Walkers - The thing about Christmas shopping is that MOST people are in a hurry. Probably because there are only 72 hours to Christmas and some of us haven't even bought wrapping paper. Slow walkers are content to amble aimlessly, admiring the crowds, staring at concrete and mesmerised by traffic lights. Slow walkers are the natural enemy of efficient shoppers and tend to approach backwards using stealth and cunning.

2. Bag Whackers - These shoppers come in two forms - those that whack you with a bag and those that whack the bags you are carrying. I try to keep my bags out of everybody's way, daintily dodging and weaving so as not to gonk anyone in the shins. Bag whackers on the other hand are either training for the marathon, arms waving and thumping every bag in sight, or they are carrying half the shareholder's investment at Myer and try to squeeze past thirty people trying to get in the back carriage at Flinders Street.

3. Directional Changers - One of the most dangerous to those carrying anything made from glass or crystal are the directional changers. Like poisonous snakes they wind from side to side, occasionally walking backwards or diagonally without first checking to see if anyone is in their path. If you do see one of these shoppers, stay well clear and hide any breakables.

4. Inexplicable Stoppers - Possibly the worst of the lot. Imagine you are walking behind someone who appears to be walking with purpose. And suddenly inexplicable stopper er... stops. They don't do anything or go anywhere - for example, into a shop, to a stall to buy a drink, to give money to a street artist. No, they just stop. In front of nothing. With blank expressions on their faces. It makes me think of that new Bruce Willis film where robots dressed as people suddenly all stop. Perhaps inexplicable stoppers are actually robots, infiltrating our Christmas shopping habits and stopping to report back to base. Or maybe the heat just makes their joints rusty.

For some of us, the only things left on the list are stocking fillers. Little knick-knacks and last minute curios that add to the Christmas spirit and make it look like there are more presents under the tree. These examples may give you ideas as to what to put in your own stockings this Christmas.


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