Happy Birthday Dad/Grandpa!

... I trust this made it to your birthday present pile this morning.

I hope there's still enough chill in the air to make use of this in the evenings while you read your books.

Who is a Super Hero and What is a Super Villain? Surely it can't be that hard.

The EasternMax family often plays a version of 'twenty questions' at dinner time.  Generally there is a theme.  The most popular theme is "transport".  In this game one person thinks of a form of transport and we take it in turns to ask a question that has a yes or no answer such as "is it a land transport?", "does it have wheels?" etc until one person works out the answer.  Various house rules have developed over time and it is generally fun and non-contentious.

This week we tried a new theme - Super Heroes and Super Villains.  All was going swimmingly until I chose Catwoman as a Super Villain.

According to Firegazer Catwoman is not a Super.  Catwoman, he says, is just a bad girl in a leather suit.  We have since become so embroiled in an argument over what constitutes a Super Hero or Villain that we have not yet managed to have a successful second attempt at the game.

Is Batman a Super Hero? Some say not because he is just a guy with a suit and cool gadgets - he doesn't have special powers.  What about Iron Man?  Again, a guy with a cool suit.  The Phantom? Ditto, he doesn't even have gadgets - just a horse and a dog.

What about The Joker? Surely he is a Super Villain? Or is he just a sad man with an oversupply of pancake makeup? Surely Syndrome is a Super Villain; or do the jet boots count against him?

I accused Firegazer of sexism because he would not accept Wonder Woman as a Super on account of her using bracelets and a lasso rather than super powers.  Wonder Woman is from another planet, just like Superman; surely that qualifies her as a Super?

In order to get on with the game we have come up with a working definition of a Super:

• Must wear a suit when crime-fighting, cape and mask optional.
  
• Must have a Super Power that comes from within, not with the aid of technology.
  
• Must keep his or her identity a secret and have an alter-ego.  For super villains this alter ego should be a CEO of a technology company or a Geeky Scientist. For super heroes the alter ego should be 'mild mannered'.
  
• Super Heroes must be some sort of adjunct to the local police department/military/secret service.
  
• Super Villains must want to rule the world.
  

The problem is we can't name many Super Villains that meet all these requirements and some of our favourite heroes are left off the list.  Surely Batman is a Super? The Fantastic Four don't hide their identities...and surely Lex Luthor counts as one of the best Super Villains of all time?

I'm starting to think this is a problem too complex for mere mortals and we should go back to simpler themes. I'm thinking of a transport - you have twenty questions...

...break in transmission...

My apologies for a break in transmission. It appears that life has got in the way of blogging, and that simply won't do.

First, this paid work caper has completely interfered with my lifestyle. How dare paid employment not only take up hours of my time but also stay in my brain during the hours that I am not at the workplace. I'm assured that this will improve with time and that soon I will wonder into work like a mindless drone and it won't hurt a bit.

Second, how dare my part-time job involve travel. Some people like travel in their work because it provides variety and the opportunity to stay in a nice hotel. Me? Just means I have to pack stuff, sit on aeroplanes and make complicated arrangements for the care of my children. It also seems that my employer prefers crappy hotels.

Third, my dear maternal grandmother passed away. This should really have come first on my list but I'm whining in order, so bear with me. Last Thursday night I flew to Perth for her funeral on Friday. Mama, as we called her, was 94 and had lived a long full life so it was nice to be at a funeral that celebrated a life rather than mourned a tragedy. I gave a Eulogy on behalf of the grandchildren, and in a last minute decision, was a pallbearer, in heels. Those of you who are regular readers may remember that my paternal grandmother died in January so I am now officially grandparent-less.

Fourth, at 8am Sunday morning, having flown in late the night before I was on duty at my daughter's Band Camp up in Narabeen. Luckily a fellow parent drove me because I may have fallen asleep at the wheel.

I'm away interstate for the last half of this week but on Friday I'm looking forward to a visit from Fairlie who is coming to stay for the weekend for the Sydney Writers Festival. We have a full weekend of sessions to attend and I hope to be able to report on those next week.

An unexpected trip to Perth

My grandmother, known to us as Carnie, died on Wed 7th January. She was 91 years old and one of the lucky ones to die simply and of old age. So while we were saddened to lose a lady who meant so much to us I was happy that I was at a funeral that really was a celebration of a life.

My 5 yo nephew certainly lightened up the proceedings when he looked in the window of the hearse then turned around and announced to us all:

"Carnie's in a box!"

Being Western Australian by birth, the kids and I flew back for a week to attend the funeral and catch up with family. While there for the funeral we were not going to let the opportunity pass to bask in the sunshine.

We noted that the ban on climbing the pylon at Cottesloe is now official.

We had fun playing with our cousins and even more fun discovering that we had many more cousins (second, once-removed, etc) - such is the nature of family funerals.

And of course we couldn't let the week pass without eating a burnt Hawaiian Chelsea Pizza (it's sent through the oven twice) washed down with a glass of Mann Champagne while sitting with friends at the Dinosaur Park (in Kings Park).

On the record

I am told that if you are the family of a blogger, particularly one who is participating in NaBloPoMo, you live in a heightened state of alert wondering whether you will be blogged about. Apparently, they wonder whether their phone conversation is being turned into a story or whether some childhood mishap will be re-told to the amusement of the blogosphere.

I said if this is such a concern you could always say whether your conversation is 'on the record' or 'off the record'.

My brother had a better solution.

He got me this t-shirt for my birthday. I think it makes it clear. Crystal, in fact. I may need this in a range of colours. And perhaps a matching handbag.

Shirt from this very cool online store - I want the Sonic Screwdriver and the LOLMagnetz

icePhone Addiction

Someone got a new work phone. That someone explained to the "Q" Section at his work that he'd be happy with a CrackBerry thanks. "Q" Section said all the cool employees have the icePhone.

Luckily Firegazer is on the company phone plan. Because Firegazer gets mobbed by the kids when he gets home. It's my turn on the iPhone, no it's mine. And so on. Padawan Learner's social capital at school has increased because his dad has an iPhone.

If we were paying for this ourselves we'd be taking out a second mortgage on the house already. Music, games, downloads, emails, google earth, video clips. It's just ridiculous. I can totally see how people get into financial trouble with this thing.

I assume it'll all get boring soon. I'm waiting for the day. [even 'though, quietly, I think it is quite cool]


[photo from apple.com/au/iphone]

Happy Grandma and Nana Day

Happy Mother's Day to Grandma (my Mum) and Nana (Firegazer's Mum).

Nana has been sent her gift chosen by her dutiful son from a Duty Free Shop somewhere in either Oz, New Zealand or the US. Meanwhile I got down and knitted these washcloths for my Mum.

All these patterns were sourced from Ravelry and were fun to knit. The red one is supposed to be nine hearts but I photographed it upside down.

Do you like my new cards? These will now accompany all my hand-made objects.

Not to be outdone, Blossom knitted her Grandma this drink coaster for her night-time glass of water.

Happy Mother's Day all.

Out of the mouths of babes

When I was a little girl I would delight in telling the old biddies* around my small country town that mum and dad were married three days after I was born. In those days this would cause a few raised eyebrows.

Except that Mum and Dad were married on November 27th, 1965. I was born on November 24th, 1967.

Happy Anniversary Mum and Dad!

*Biddy (noun) Colloquial an old woman [Irish English pet-form of the name Bridget] from Macquarie Dictionary