So I just had my first, and hopefully my last MRI. Due to a severe migraine storm, and the constant sound of my own pulse in my ears, combined with five years of fatigue, the docs thought they’d have a look inside my head. So they sent me off to have a Magnetic Resonance Image. I’d never had one before, so I thought, “hey, this will be interesting”.

I was prepared to be put in a small space in a large machine, but I was underestimating things a bit. The machine was the size of a room, and the space was a tiny tube i could barely squeeze into. I was shoved in with instructions not too move, and given headphones that didn’t fit my ear very well. They were suppose to pipe in music from a cd I brought and to filter out the loud noise of The Machine - they did neither. And the sound that The Machine made. It wasn’t just loud, it was scary. Every horrible siren and alien sound you’ve heard, combined with loud tappings. And it wasn’t constant - that would have been alright. It would go for a while, and then a different noise would come in, both different in timbre, rythme and velocity.

I tried to go my happy places - memories of Jaime and I cuddling in bed on a lazy sunday morning, or floating in the salt water pool on a holiday in Queensland. I even tried the old “Hail Mary”s. Anything to stop the impulse my brain was throwing at me to scream my head off and worm my way out The Machine. I finally took solice in that fact that I might of been uncomfortable in a squishy, very loud place but I wasn’t really in pain. After what seemed like ages, the techie slid me out of the machine. Finally, I thought, its over. Then he leans over to me and says “The doctor is just going to come down and inject you with a contrast agent”. And sure enough a doctor comes down and injected me with some rare isotope and they shoved me back into the machine for another aoen in The Machine (I was smart this time - I shoved my earphones as far into my ears as possible so that I could just drown out The Machine enough to hear a small amount of the Vivaldi Cello Sonatas).

Eventually it ended. I now have a bunch of photos of the inside of my head - Weird, Weird, Weird. I now get to play the waiting game. Waiting to see the doctor again in a week to find out if the inside of my head is supposed to look like it does.

I’m officially over this heat. Its just too damn hot! having suffered through six Australian Summers, I have to say that this is the worst. Maybe its because the humidity is back - the drought kept it a “dry heat”. Or maybe its because my usual places of refuge (the office, movie theatres, shopping centres) can no longer keep up with heat. I’ve never seen so many air conditoners fail in my life. My office is currently a balmy 29 degrees. How on earth I’m expected to think or create stuff is beyond me.

I suppose if I was on holidays it’d be ok. If I was sitting on the edge of a swimming pool, wearing nothing but my cossie, legs cooling in the beautiful water, a pina colada with tons of ice in my hand, then I’d say “lovely weather were having today”. But as I’m at work slaving over a hot computer, I say “its too damn hot”!!!

Last night I got so desparate I had to watch a doco on Penguins just to cool down!

I read the most disheartening article in the Globe and Mail the other day about how Stephen Harper is the new John Howard. I’m terrified that this horrible man, who looks to be the next Prime Minister of Canada, will change Canada from a socialist and egalitarian society towards a bigoted, self-serving, environment-munching society like the US is and how Australia is becoming. At a time when many people round the globe admire Canada for its tolerance, many, what I can only describe as absolute ass-heads, are thinking of voting for the conservatives in the upcoming Canadian election because of the machinations of the former spin-doctor for Howard. He plays on people’s fears and greed, and obviously weak-willed people must be blind to how they are being manipulated.

I take heart in hope that what makes Canada such a great place is in the very nature of its people. Canadians created Medicare, Green Peace, Chocolate bars, bras and BC bud. They’re without a doubt the most honestly polite people in the world. I’m sure they withstand Harper; I only wonder how long it will take to undo the damage he will do.

44 degrees on New Years Day!!! It was sure a hot one. We escaped to the cinema to avoid the heat. We took in “Good Night and Good Luck”, which was very good. An American film that makes the audience think.

But at this time of year, one is encouraged to make some resolutions. Though this is not my new year (shanathalas years run from November 1 - October 31) I figured I’d make a few resolutions:

Lose weight

Get to bed on time

and clear up all the clutter at home

Oh, and my new calendar for 2006 … The Pop-Up Dinosaurs 2006 Calendar

Were going to the World Cup!!!!

Uruguay: Divine Right my ass!

Yay - my wonderful sweetie Jaime has finally made me the happiest girl in the world!!! While at the very special Zoofari Lodges, he asked me to marry him. My initial response being “Really?!” Having thought all my unsubtle hints had nagged him into submission. But in fact he is just as excited about getting married as I.

Now apparently there is some kind of planning process involved……

I recently had a brilliant trip to the Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo with Jaime, Tancred & Evelyn. While the zoo it quite remarkable on its own - huge enclosures for the animals, etc… what really made the trip was staying in the Zoofari Lodges . I was initially a bit sceptical about paying a small fortune to stay in a tent, but I thought “how often am I going to go to Dubbo?”. Well I can say that it was well worth it. The “tent” was really a canvas cottage, complete with heated tile floors, ensuite, queen size bed, and fridge. A delicious dinner and breakfast were served which rivaled top restaurants in Sydney. But the true highlight of the trip was the three tours of the zoo that only zoofari guests get. After we checked into the lodge, we were taken on a “sunset” late afternoon trip of the zoo, where we got to see:

When this tour was over, we sat down to a great dinner (I had the salmon with pesto butter), after which we went on the night-time tour. Journeying through the zoo with only a few torches was great and we got to see some animals that were only really active at night. He saw:

After which we returned to the main safari house where we relaxed with a few Gin & Tonics (as one does while on safari) and a game of cards game. Then we retired to our respective lodges*. Zebra lodge had a lovely surprise waiting for me (see posting entitled I’m Engaged!!!!

The next morning we had to get up really early for the early morning tour. While we were all a bit groggy, it was still very enjoyable seeing:

Then it was on to a full buffet breakfast, and quick drive round the zoo again, and the highlight of the trip: Hand feeding a tiger!!!. Well, tong-feeding a tiger through a chain fence. He was beautiful and had teeth like daggers. All four of us were so excited. Then it was off to a rather sad petting zoo - several wallabies and kangaroos that had the “beat-down” look most animals have when strange people come up and pat them, and some deer that tried to eat both Evelyn’s and my shirt.

After the zoo was a trip to a Dubbo Bakery that claimed to have to best pies in Oz - to be honest, they were damn good. Then a 6-hour drive home to Sydney. All in all, a great weekend was had.

The Shanathalometre gives it: 9/10

* Each lodge is named after a zoo animal. Jaime and I had “Zebra” Lodge, and Tancred and Evelyn had “Wild Dogs” Lodge. I refuse to make any comment about this fact.

Well now I know what operretta is. I had always wondered what the defintion of operretta was. I had assumed it was some kind of mix of musical theatre and opera, which to a large extent it is. But it seems the defining characteristic is complete sillyness. Last night at the Sydney Opera House, I was lucky enough to see both the HMS Pinafore and Trial by Jury. They were both very entertaining and musical, and totally silly. Trial by Jury was quite short, so I can see why its not staged on its own. Where Puccini and Verdi stage create librettos of sombre tragedy, Gilbert & Sullivan have the silliest plots. I can see why it appeals to Jaime, as he is the King of Sillyness.

The Shanathalometre gives it: 7.5/10

Thanks to the nagging from my good friends Evelyn, Tancred, Ngaire and of course Jaime, I have a finally got this blog thing up and running…well, kind of. There are some words here <—

I’m working on a new css cause I hate the concept of “default” - but I have some work to do, so words in the default template will have to do.

So to those who nagged me…many thanks