Wednesday 1 July to Thursday 2 July
Seems it will remain a mystery...
Friday 3 July – I Win a 42” LG LCD TV
Day
Work, as usual, apart from winning a 42” 200Hz LG LCD!
It’s the first SMS competition I’ve ever gone in. Normally I don’t, but as I was planning to buy an LCD anyway... I figured why not. Then when I didn’t win, I thought why not enter again... can enter three times, so when I didn’t win the second time, I figured... it’s only 55c... I feel like a gambler... but why not... and entered a third time.
First two times I got an SMS back saying “Thank you for your entry. Unfortunately you are not an instant winner. Helpdesk 1300 737 728”.
The third time I got “Congratulations! You have won a LG LH50 42” LCD TV and you will be contacted shortly to arrange delivery of your prize. Helpdesk 1300 737 728”.
I phoned the help desk number and they said it is legitimate but they’re a third party company and they send the results to the promoter in the evening so I could expect to hear from the promoter next week.
I’m still a bit worried it isn’t legitimate somehow but it appears that it is? I guess I’ll find out next week.
7pm
I drove home from work, drove to South Bank through ridiculous traffic, and walked to Govindas, where I met Bronwen and half the rejects channel for a birthday eating thing. They all headed off to Fat Louie’s afterwards, while Bronwen and I went to “In Stitches” at QPAC, via some Latin Dancing in King George Square.
Saturday 4 July – v3 is Born
7:30am
I got up and drove Bronwen up to her parents’ place, before going back to bed.
4:30pm
I woke up. I feel silly for sleeping all day.
Night
I stayed up until around four o’clock, designing the third version of my nedmartin.org site.
Sunday 5 July – v3 is Born
Morning
I slept in, walking to the bakery for an apple turnover around lunchtime.
Afternoon
I’ve been designing the third version of my site for most of the day.
7pm
Bronwen and her parents turned up in a truck, moved my old and mostly broken couch out of the living room, and moved Bronwen’s old and far less broken couch into the living room.
Night
I popped up to Bronwen’s parents’ place to drop off my earphones for Bronwen to test, and ended up drinking tea and eating cake and ice cream. On the way back I bought some canned veggies from the IGA and had two minute noodles for dinner.
1am
I’m happy with my site redesign. It’s not complete, but it’s complete enough to use. I’ve begun putting content into it. The rest I’ll finish off as I get around to it, think of it, or find problems with it. I suspect no one else will think much of it, but I’m impressed with the way it works—it’s nearly the opposite of my previous site, in every way. No more rigid perfectionism. No more conformity. Unfortunately I’m probably too lazy and not artistic enough to make much of it—we’ll see.
Sleeping
Suddenly, my throat is sore. Has the dreaded lurgy caught up with me after all?
Monday 6 July – Sickening
Morning
I feel terrible and am rapidly worsening. I liken myself to a stricken ship, taking on water in an icy sea, fatally wounded, sinking into the cold, dark abyss below. Or, more succinctly: my throat, it hurts; my nose, it runs.
4:46pm
If I don’t die of butter menthol poisoning first, I think I can survive this ailment. It’s certainly not fun, but does not appear to be life threatening as yet. Home time is in sight! Let’s hope traffic is not foul.
Evening
Bronwen is going to ride down here and we are going to order something hot and probably Thai and relax. I have not the energy for exertion.
Night
After a pleasant Thai dinner and an episode of Top Gear, complexities required that we drive to Bronwen’s in two different cars, assemble a complex folding couch, and drive back here, making it—while not late by my standards—not an early night, and being unwell myself, probably not a wise decision.
Tuesday 7 July – Losing my Mind
Morning
I am much sick. No work for me today. No getting out of bed. No opening eyes. Sleep.
Afternoon
I crawled out of bed, hobbled downstairs, and drove to Woolies and the Post Office to pick up my Bluetooth dongles and some food.
Evening
I lazed about, researching earphones, feeling sick, snoozing, and so forth. Bronwen came over temporarily on her way up to her parents’ after work.
Night
I went for a short walk listening to my earphones, which Bronwen has returned, had some two minute noodles for bed, and am now going to have an early dinner for a change. No wait... I think I’m losing my mind.
Wednesday 8 July – Chez Tessa
Day
Back at work. Still not feeling overly well, but not as bad.
Night
Bronwen dropped around and we drove to Maz’s, then on to Chez Tessa where we had dinner before driving out to Bronwen’s to unpack some things she got from her grandfather, then back to my place to sleep. I ordered some earphones – Headphonic RE0’s.
Thursday 9 July – Hungry Jack’s
Day
I worked.
Evening
Drove up to Indooroopilly, had a look at the LCD I’ve won at JB-Hifi and checked out a few surround sound options, went shopping with Maz and Kieran, dropped past Kieran’s place, had a look at his new laptop, dropped past KFC for Maz to get dinner, dropped past Hungry Jack’s for me to get dinner, and drove back to Maz’s.
Friday 10 July – Phlegm
Day
I worked. My sickness is nearly entirely gone, now just an excess of phlegm remains.
Evening
I drove home via the city, picking Bronwen up and dropping her at her parents’.
Night
I went up to Bronwen’s parents’ for dinner.
Saturday 11 July – Trailing Big Stuff
Morning
I drove up to Bronwen’s parents’ place, chatted for a while, and eventually got Bronwen and left to find a trailer.
Afternoon
The first trailer hire place we went to didn’t have anything big enough, so we ended up hiring a trailer from the servo up the road—via their automatic computer trailer hire thing, for four hours—driving down to Bronwen’s, getting her two smaller couches and an old fridge, dropping the couches here, loading up the trailer, and driving to the Upper Kedron waste disposal place. The first load was 360 kilos apparently, using up the four dump tickets we had.
On the way back, we picked up an old dryer from Bronwen’s parents’ place, then loaded up the second load at my place—taking too long—and rushed off to the waste disposal place again. It was less than 300 kilos this time, and cost me $17. The trailer was due back eleven past four, and we were late, so we rushed back to the servo as fast as you can towing a relatively large trailer through bumpy, poorly maintained roads, getting it back about twenty minutes late, but there must be some leniency built into the system as we didn’t get charged a late fee.
Night
Bronwen and I had a pleasant curry dinner from Halim’s Indian Taj—excellent as usual—and watched Bill Bailey’s Tinselworm DVD before bed.
Sunday 12 July – Bright Lights & Strong Brooms
Morning
Bronwen insists on getting up in the morning, so I had to as well. We went to the bakery for breakfast, finished watching the last part of Tinselworm, and drove up to Bronwen’s parents’ place. From there, after some packing and folding, Bronwen’s Mum, Bronwen and my very own self drove out to Bronwen’s place, where we moved into position Bronwen’s new washing machine, fought leaking connections, complained about fridge positioning, and everything else, until Bronwen kicked us out and I drove Bronwen’s Mum home in their Hilux. It’s been a while since I drove one—I’d thought my steering wasn’t direct enough, and had got used to my overly touchy brakes. Now I remember they’re overly touchy, and my steering is perhaps a tad too direct for the weight of the car.
Evening
I’m off to Kieran’s, on my way to K-Mart or similar, to get a bright light and a strong broom.
Night
Well, K-Mart didn’t have much of use, so Maz, Kieran and myself drove to Bunnings, where I bought two 500 watt lights and a large broom, along with a petrol container for Bronwen. I then drove to Hollies, brought her back to Kieran’s, got Hungry Jack’s for dinner, dropped Hollie home, and drove to Bronwen’s, then back to my place.
Monday 13 July – Swine Flu
Day
I had a not overly pleasant day at work—I don’t feel entirely well for some reason, perhaps this swine flu thing is more powerful than first thought.
Night
I “installed” my new 500 watt lights... and by “installed”, I mean “placed upon things”. I then swept and hosed, and now it’s much neater. Still needs a few more cleanups before I’d call it clean, but it’s getting there.
Tuesday 14 July – Pizza
Day
Working. Nothing overly exciting to report. The drive to work was crappy—traffic foul.
Night
Bronwen arrived, and we bought Eagle Boys pizza—which was remarkably good—then did very little. Later on, I bought petrol, which wasn’t overly good, then went to bed.
Wednesday 15 July – Angry
Morning
I got up, drove to work, worked.
Evening
This evening, I am angry. Not extremely angry, just a little angry. The drive home took 37 minutes. That’s unacceptable and makes me angry. I don’t feel fantastic. That’s unacceptable and makes me angry. I have no cream to go on my ice cream. That’s unacceptable and makes me angry.
Thursday 16 July – Worksies/Sleepsies
Day
Worksies.
Night
Sleepsies.
Friday 17 July – Harry Potter: The Half Blood Prince
Day
Ned works hard, has success.
Night
Ned stuck in traffic. Ned eventually arrives South Bank, eats Turkish food with Bronwen and her co-workers, before watching Harry Potter: The Half Blood Prince. Movie found to be lacking in substance, entertainment equivalent of Selleys No More Gaps.
Saturday 18 July – Quality Awesome
Morning 
Bronwen and I engaged a baker in conversation, procuring ourselves baked goods, the first being an éclair, chocolate, and the second, verily, it was the largest slice of tiramisu cake that man hath ever seen.
Afternoon
Ned drive to Bronwen’s. Ned cut grass. Ned drive home. Kieran, Maz visit Ned. All drive bakery. Eat vegetable pastry. Drive Officeworks. Browse. Ned back home. View test 1080p videos (Iron Man, Quantum of Solace) on laptop to verify quality. Quality awesome.
Sunday 19 July – Theoretically Cleaning
Morning
I slept in.
Afternoon
I spent the afternoon out at Bronwen’s, theoretically cleaning.
Monday 20 July – Bronwen Drives Fear Into Us All
Day
I worked.
Night
Bronwen and I bought chips and made a salad, ate it, then drove out to the airport to pick up Bronwen’s Dad and her Aunt. Bronwen drove my car, for the first time.
Tuesday 21 July – I Perform Annually
Day
I had my annual performance review today. I am performing well but need to make more of an effort not to be late. My experience has increased by 18 points, my spells by 14, and my armour by 11. My pay has increased by $5,000.
Evening
I drove home and went to bed.
Night
I woke up, picked Bronwen up from Kangaroo Point Cliffs, got and ate pizza, then dropped her home.
Wednesday 22 July – Kebabs
Morning
I got up a quarter of an hour earlier than usual, in my renewed attempt at not being late for work, and arrived five minutes late. It seems to not matter when I get up.
Evening
I drove to Maz’s, we drove to The Ville where I got a kebab for dinner, then up to Bronwen’s parents’ place to drop off a sewing thing for Bronwen, and now I’m back at Maz’s, sorting things.
Thursday 23 July – Hollie is Sad
Day
I worked.
Evening
I drove over to Maz’s, and Kieran turned up shortly after. We drove to Jaycar and bought a few parts to try and get Maz’s carputer working, but on the way there Hollie called Maz to say she’s all upset as she’s breaking up with her boyfriend, so that put an end to that plan and now I’m back at home, sorting my new music and photos—something I’ve been putting off for ages.
Friday 24 July – Heavily Congested
Day
I worked, as usual.
Evening
“Due to an earlier crash on the Captain Cook Bridge southbound, there is heavy congestion occurring in the Brisbane CBD area including the Riverside Expressway in and out bound, Coronation Drive inbound now back to High St, Toowong; Hale St, Milton and the Inner City Bypass inbound is now back to the RNA Tunnel.” So I stayed at work for an hour, then drove home through the city.
Night
I caught a train into the city and had dinner with Bronwen at Govinda’s, before heading back to Bronwen’s work for a couple of hours then walking up to her parents’ place, then down to my place. I am quite tired, and considering getting to bed before one o’clock for a change.