Chocolate is scary
My colleague and I were meeting a friend after work last Wed and she suggested that we go to San Churro, a Spanish chocolateria. It sounded good at the time, but I can tell you now I still get shivers thinking about it. We should have settled for the Spanish doughnuts but went for the tapas, a plate of assorted chocolaty goodies. It had a few doughnut sticks, two chocolate dips, chocolate covered pretzels, two chocolate fudgy brownie things and two gourmu chocolates. If that wasn’t enough, we had to order a chocolate shake, a hot chocolate and a white hot chocolate.
I had the shake and I needed a spoon to drink it. I could only stomach half of it. Needless to say we couldn’t get through the tapas and at the end just looking at the remaining items on the plate made me want to dry-reach. The idea of the place is fine but everything is so rich I don’t think it will ever take off.
I said I wouldn’t go near any chocolate for oh, at least a week, but I have the BBC ride tomorrow. How will I resist the Belgian waffles and the chocolate sauce??? HOW!!??
Olive Olive Olive!
I watched Little Miss Sunshine last weekend on DVD and quite enjoyed it. The central character is a little girl named Olive, and the film revolves around her mixed bag of a family and their road trip to make the little miss sunshine finals.
Anyhow, I wonder if watching the film had anything to do with my going to the supermarket the next day and buying not one olive product, but three!!!!
I bought a jar of stuffed olives, olive dip and olive bread. I didn’t even think about it when I did it but I didn’t realise I was buying more than one olive product (they were purchased at different shops). And it wasn’t until I was at work on Tues when someone commented on my olive bread that made me stop and think about my olive filled weekend!
I think I might like olives. What do you think?
Taxi Driver
My latest creation using a photo of my friend, some photo editing, sound bytes and CrazyTalk:
And while I am just mucking around doing random things with the software, I am learning it so I can teach it to others. Its my job!!
Ride training co-ordinator
My work ATB co-ordinator has asked if I can organise a few training rides in the couple of months leading up to the ATB. I’m not sure how many are riding as some will be travelling from interstate. I’ve only been riding for half a year or so and I’m flattered they want me to lead them on some rides. Most are doing the 100km and some the 50km. There’s only a few doing the 210km.
I’ll guess I’ll take them from Port Melb and work our way to longer distances every week. So probably to Black Rock to start off with. I don’t really know anywhere else to ride. Can’t wait!
2XU
I finally have another pair of knicks to wear and not worry whether my only pair will dry by the next day. Cycling at least 4 times a week (non day light savings months) you’d think I’d have another pair long ago. Anywho, they’re 2XU ones from the clearance centre at 237 Burwood Rd Hawthorn. They sell last season’s stuff and samples. If you want current stuff check out the 2XU dealer locator. These are 3/4 length bib knicks. No tags or size as they are samples. They fit so they’re either small or medium. I’ll post a photo when I get a chance.
I can do the MQFSM!
I just found out BV will allow me to join the Melb Queescliff Ferry Sorento Melb route for the ATB!!! Yay…Happy
Will have to start practicing riding longer distances.
Bike activity over the last few days
Rode to Frankston two weeks in a row. You can read all about it at at the BV forum (about half way down the page). I did pretty well:
distance: 86.91km
avg: 29.1km/h
time: 2hr 59min
This time the group was much bigger (well last time there was only two of us!) with some from BV and some from AAPT. On the way back were joined by some strangers. The group split to different numbers at various stages, but that was OK. To be honest, I probably wouldn’t ride with the AAPT riders at the front again. Their cruisy pace was my fast pace and they never look back to see how everyone else is going.
I tried to look back once in a while but the important point of the ride was just past Mordi where most of the riders behind me had disappeared from view. I should have waited, instead of continuing with the front pace setters.
I thought I would be really sore like last week but surprisingly only had very minor soreness the rest of Saturday. I reckon I do a few more Franger runs and then progress to an even longer distance.
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My friend put some bits on my bike; carbon seat post, slim sort of saddle with the hole in the middle, and crank brother smarty pedals to go with my new specialised MTB shoes. I’ve been excited about the pedals and I bought them a few weeks ago. Now that I’ve got them on the bike and tried it on a trainer I don’t think I like them. They feel really loose and unclip really easily. Too easily. My friend nearly had an accident when he came out of them when he went to stand up on the pedals. I’ll try them on the road this week. If I don’t like them I’ll just change back to my trusty SPDs.
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I went to register for the Around The Bay through work today. My work pre-registered some spots on the ferry that crosses Port Melbourne, but when I tried to register the anti-clockwise route the option was not there. It had sold out. Now I have to wait for work to hear back from BV to see if I can still get on there. Otherwise I’ll have to choose on of the other 210km routes (there are 4).
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Was intending to do a spin class today but got back too late from work to make it. I have proly a few more days of my $10 one month trial at Genisis Fitness. How many times have I been? Zero!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I should get a few spin sessions in before it finishes. I have no intention of actually joining, with lack of finances being the main reason (although judging by my 0% attendance you would think motivation was more of a reaon). $70 something a month is a lot for me, especially when I proly will only use the bike and some weights.
Uni Decision Time
I started doing my Honours year at uni last year. I deferred 2nd semester and enrolled again this year. I did all my electives and compulsory subjects already and have the thesis left. I started a work related topic last year but it didn’t work out, so its just as well I deferred otherwise I would have had nothing to write about. I changed the subject to digital storytelling (still work related) early this year but before I got too far I changed it slightly and the project is getting bigger.
Neither myself nor my supervisor were completely happy with the topic until the recent change. However, this topic is way too big and there is no way I can finish it this year. My options are to change to part time, which gives me until end of semester 1, 2008, or to convert to masters and do another couple of units on top of the thesis. A reason for converting is because the project is so big, but it does mean more uni fees and having to do assignments and exams (I swore I would never do that again after sem 1 last year)…But if anything a masters looks prettier on my resume.
On the other hand I just want to get it over and done with because I’ve been studying for ages now. I like the project but I have lost some of the motivation and excitement I had last year. I do have one other option, and that is to forget the whole thing (and wasting the time and effort I put into the units I had already completed) and start looking for real IT work for next year.
Hmm…I just want to get on my bike and ride and ride and ride
Maiden Frankston Ride
This has come straight out of my post on BV forum. Couldn’t be bothered thinking up a different way of saying the same thing, although I don’t like redundancy on the net.
I’ve done it. My first Tour De Frankston. Met up with Weeeeee at South Rd and made our first stop at Mordi. He “pushed” me a little and I ended up averaging about 29.5km/h to that point (2 more than my avg speed).
Continued South and just before Frankston Weeeeee initiated a “sprint”. I worked up to just under 45km/h for….oh maybe 20 seconds, before he left me in a cloud of dust.
Once there we did a couple of circles of the Franger CDB looking for this amazing cafe. Didn’t find it. Instead, had a coffee and pie at a Danish bakery.
Only slight head wind on the way back. But even before Mordi my legs were starting to complain a bit. Stopped there for a few minutes and continued home.
I’ve decided I need to get better knicks if I’m to do these sort of rides again. My Uno ones don’t seem to cut it. The package didn’t feel right on the return leg. I want to change saddle too, which will help as my bum was getting sore as well.
All up, great ride, nice weather:
distance 85km
time 3hours 7 minutes
avg 27.3km/h
I’m looking forward to going on more Frankston rides so I can build on the stamina. I have to if I’m to try the 210km at the Around The Bay.
What’s New Pussycat?
Bought new software for work called CrazyTalk 4 Messenger, by reallusion. It is facial animation software and allows custom moods, expressions and sounds. Can animate any face, be it a human, animal or drawin. Very amusing. Made one of my cat doing Tom Jones.
Mind Blogging Stuff 