It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine. - REM You've all probably become aware of the MSBlaster virus. Interesting thing is, it's not a virus, but more of a worm, worming it's way around the internet. It's a program designed to take advantage of a Windows (NT, 2000, XP, 2003) flaw and scan for an open port on the internet and then send itself to the computers that it finds with those open ports. It does this via the internet, and doesn't involve any downloaded files via web pages or email. If it was written correctly, it wouldn't have become obvious, as part of the flaw of the program is that it causes a 'Remote Call Procedure' error and the PC then gives you 60 seconds to save any programs before restarting itself. This only occurs while the PC is connected to the internet. A firewall, which protects open ports, prevents the MSBlaster from being effective. Four days ago, I was the first person to bring this issue to Computerland's attention, and on that same day, many of our clients became affected by it, suffering widespread disruption. Particularly when servers became affected by this, and as a result, all the user computers on the network were also affected. Not infected, as it didn't actually infect them. But the servers spontaneously rebooting certainly affected all the computers connected via the network to those servers. Computerland was fine. This was because Microsoft became aware of this flaw in July, and on July 16 released a Security Update to patch computers from being affected by it. My own laptop at home is always up to date with security updates from Microsoft and it has a firewall, so I haven't been affected either. But this has brought to light some serious policy flaws in the IT departments of many companies around the country - and the world. They've all had the opportunity to patch their systems and protect themselves. But noooooo... they've been slack. At the cost of massive disruption, viruses and worms help us to improve our computer security, and hopefully prevent things like this happening in future. I came to work today to find someone taking a break. As she stepped into the elevator that I was walking out of, she said, "Welcome to chaos." I raised my eyebrows, and looked into the room that I work in, and everyone was running around like blue-arsed flies (an Australian saying... blue-arsed flies are known for frantically flying around) or having cups of tea or coffee, and there were groups gathered around chatting. No one was on the phone, except managers on cellphones. Computerland was infected by a virus overnight (at this point I'm uncertain if it was the MSBlaster worm or a different virus) which brought down our network and the phones. Because the network was down - including the corporate firewall - some PC's became affected by MSBlaster (until the proxy server fell over as well, so there wasn't any internet access), so some serious patching was applied to fix the computers. Between 9:30am and just after 1pm, everything was unavailable, except for brief moments of testing, and then they'd fall over again. However, everything is back to normal now. Also at 9:30am, we first heard about all of New York City and a number of other cities in north-east America suffering a complete power outage. Along with our own crisis, and America's, the song "It's the end of the world as we know it" was sung by a few people. It's been an interesting morning.... (Note: it seems the power outage was caused by a lightning strike on a power station. Question: if a terrorist strike causes an explosion and major power outage, how easy would it be to ensure calm is maintained by saying it's a natural occurrence? Too easy, if you ask me. They alert to potential terrorist activity, and then as soon as something happens, the first thing they say is it's due to natural causes. I wonder if the story will change over the next few days... I also think about Matrix Reloaded, and the major power outage they created in order to finish part of their attack against the Matrix...)
Posted on
8/15/2003 04:03:00 PM
I have a friend at work who's getting married early next year. The only thing is, he's not in love with her. So why's he doing it? Because he finds it comfortable. They don't argue too much, they get along reasonably well, and he feels comfortable. But he doesn't love her. He's constantly attracted to other women, but I don't think he sleeps around.
However, that may change in future.
As I was walking home after work tonight, I was thinking about it, and about an emailed conversation he and I were having this morning. It started when he asked how my weekend was, and ended when I suggested that unlike him, I'm looking for someone special to settle down with, who fulfils me, who satisfies me, and who, just by who they are, keeps me happy without any need to mentally or physically 'wander'. He suggested we have a beer sometime... his way of saying he wants to talk about it. (He knows how I feel about him marrying someone he doesn't love.)
Penny and I cooled it off a bit yesterday.
Like everything else in my life, things are just that little bit different to how 'normal people' live their lives. But I feel like I'm achieving a sense of 'maturity' about relationships and communication.
My relationship with Penny began some months ago, when we first met. I wasn't attracted to her at first, but there was something about her that made me interested in being friends. I also recognised that she was still hurt from her recent past, and so I kept my distance a little, feeling that I wasn't ready to be a close friend to someone who was emotionally vulnerable. People who are in that state often 'attach' themselves to anyone who gives them any attention, developing emotions that often aren't based on the reality of the situation, but more on 'need'.
Eventually she realised I was being distant, and questioned me about it. I told her the truth about my actions and my feelings, which she accepted. Soon after that, we met up for a coffee, mainly because her acceptance of my feelings, and her continued casual interest in me anyway, made me feel that she was interested in being friends only. So we met up for a coffee, and over a few weeks we became reasonably good friends, going out here and there and enjoying the occasional drive and photography together.
I was feeling quite comfortable with how things were developing, only interested in friendship, and making sure she knew exactly where I stood. Things became a little more intimate between us... It seemed to naturally develop that way, where we ended up cuddling and stuff. However, one day it became obvious that she was starting to feel stronger about me than I was about her, so we had a 'conversation'. That day wasn't a very good day, and was since called 'that day' whenever it arose in conversation.
It wasn't a good day because she tried to deny how she felt about me, which only made me feel angry and frustrated that she was keeping the truth from me, rather than admitting her feelings. Eventually, when I was about to walk out on her in frustration, she admitted how she felt about me, that she was more attached than what she wanted to be, but had kept it from me because it wasn't what I wanted; it wasn't what either of us wanted, as we both had different goals in life and knew that we were incompatible in a longterm relationship.
I accepted her, without blame or anger, and with only understanding of the conflicting emotions she was experiencing. I pointed out to her my own needs for space, and helped her understand a man's need to 'go into his cave', and that if she could 'let me go' so that I could deal with my own feelings of being needed by her, then she would be pleasantly surprised. If she couldn't, then the result would be wanting to stay away from the pressure of her feelings for me.
I recognised that Penny was pressing buttons in me that had still been left active by my experiences with Michelle, nearly 3 years ago. I recognised this as an opportunity for me to deal with these issues, and they were issues based around my reactions to being needed. Michelle's neediness of me pushed me well away from wanting to be needed by ANYONE. Being needed was something I dreaded, wanted to run from, didn't want in my life.
And as I wrote that, I realised this instant why I've been choosing women who are unavailable to me. Their emotional distance has allowed me to be comfortable in myself. They have been unavailable to me, and I've chosen them that way, because it's allowed me to feel safe in a relationship. I'm not emotionally needed by them, and I've been able to deal with that.
Back to Penny...
She gave me the space I needed. She undestood what I meant with my explanations to her, and she gave me what I wanted. In so doing, she gained a measure of confidence in herself, in her own ability to be happy without needing me or anyone else.
Her own instantaneous change of attitude brought about a change in me. Instead of wanting to run away from her, I felt comfortable being with her. Instead of not wanting intimacy with her for fear of making her feel stronger about me, I wanted more.
She didn't need me, but she loved being around me. And that made me feel safer to do the same. As a result, I loved being around her.
I knew she was inadvertently helping me with my own issues, by responding to communication effectively, understanding me and allowing me to understand her.
In the same context, we still knew that we were unsuitable for each other in a longterm relationship. I'm planning on returning to Australia, and she wants to stay here. She wants to be with a man who's keen on having children, whereas I'm not keen. She's a country girl, and I'm more interested in a city girl.
We weren't suitable for each other long-term, but we WERE suitable short-term. We recognised that we were learning things we needed to learn from each other. We were both growing because of each other, dealing with ourselves and the situation we were in with maturity.
We decided that we would give ourselves one month of being together before splitting up, remaining friends, but moving on to follow our own destinies apart rather than together. However, the month lasted just one week.
I admit that I thought that if it was going to be a month, it would likely be longer. I was happy with that. However, yesterday we discussed it, and it was her feeling that the longer it went, the harder it would be to split up. So after some discussion, we agreed to end what we had now, because we both know neither of us were planning anything 'serious', and this was much easier than allowing it to degrade in the future.
Why degrade? Because the longer it went on, the more constrained either of us might feel about being in something destined to end, but not knowing when it would end. So this was taking responsibility for ourselves and our friendship.
It felt great to manage a separation with as much love and understanding as how we managed being together.
So we'll still see each other occasionally, while moving on with our own lives, and dating other people, looking for someone we feel comfortable longterm with.
And I'm feeling like I'm still not meant to return to Australia for the time being. Every time I think I am, that there's nothing keeping me here, along comes someone else and changes my mind. I don't think I mind at all any more.
My relationship with Penny has allowed me to do what I should have done with Michelle - handled things much better than what I did. I've grown, and really learnt, and I thank Penny for coming into my life and helping me 'get over' those issues I'd had, that I didn't recognise until now.
And I suspect that I've helped her as well. We've had a very positive and rewarding relationship.
Posted on
8/11/2003 03:59:00 PM
Firstly, I've just made a lovely dinner of pasta with a creamy sauce mix of bacon, mushroom and onion. It was the first time I tried it, and it was great! I impressed myself.
Secondly, there's a big reason why I've just made dinner instead of buying it, as I've often done in the past. I've suddenly become inspired to cook more. My inspiration is called Penny, the latest lady in my life.
It's bizarre how things work.
Her and I have been friends for a few months now, and then suddenly, we're more than just friends. It's like, suddenly you wake up and everything's different, and you're not exactly sure how it got to that point, but you know that you like it.
I've cooked for her a few times now. Nothing really fancy, but I'm working on it. I've never been inspired to cook before, always preferring to eat whatever is put in front of me, and then just doing/helping with the dishes afterwards. My excuse has been that I just hate cooking.
But I don't hate it any more, and I really enjoyed playing around with it tonight. I knew what I wanted to eat, and I knew the taste I wanted, and I put it all together and got exactly what I wanted. Woohoo!
Hey, be tolerant. Tongue Not all guys like cooking or have done a lot of it, and I'm one of those that haven't.
I also think that part of the inspiration has been that I'm living here in my own place, and she comes over here to eat, 'cause it's easier and more comfortable, as she has flatmates. So there's an onus on me, somewhat, to be responsible for cooking, as she's coming to my place.
And I like it.
Thirdly, Nicola came online last night and started chatting with me. She's engaged now, with a wedding date set for November next year. I chatted a little bit, and then realised that I felt nothing about it, and about her. I felt that I didn't need or want to have her part of my life any more, or be part of hers. So I wished her well, said goodbye, and deleted her from my MSN Messenger contact list, never to talk to her again. And I'm happy with that.
I'm not sure why I kept her on my list. She's only spoken to me twice since we split up almost a year ago.
Obviously it's time to move on now.
Fourthly, the Photo-A-Day isn't being updated every day. I know, I know. And yes I'm actually taking photos every day, it's just that I'm not getting good ones every day, so you'll just have to accept that the Photo-A-Day will be a GOOD photo-a-day - if I have one.
But I'm always trying to get the best photos I can, of whatever might be interesting. I just don't always succeed.
Fifthly - is there such a thing as 'fifthly'? - I started looking for another car on the weekend. I made a decision that I wanted to increase the amount of money I have each month. I've got a few choices. 1) I can look for another job that will pay me more (which I'm doing as well), or 2) I can look for a second job to supplement my income, or 3) I can sell the car and get a cheaper one, getting a cashback on the trade to reduce my expenditure.
However, I think number 3 is probably the most unreasonable, 'cause it doesn't give me a longer-term benefit that extra income would.
So I'm not looking for another car now. Instead I'll be looking at increasing my income.
This was inspired by the fact that I got it re-registered a few weeks ago, but in order to do so, I had to spend over $1,000 to get some repairs done and get it re-registered. I was shocked by that, and not prepared for it, so I'm wanting to ensure shocks like that don't happen too often in future.
Probably an unreasonable want, maybe. I've had that car for two and a half years now, and this is the first time it's needed some 'major' work on it like this, so I haven't done too badly.
As I was looking around the car yards, I found a 1996 Ford Fairmont for less than $10,000. That car has been my dream car in the past
I discovered that it was so cheap because it's done over 250,000 km, which really drives the price down. I took it for a test drive, and loved it. With a 4-litre engine, it's got some grunt. But expensive with the petrol.
I told the salesman if he takes my BMW and gives me the Fairmont and $2,000 cash, I'd be happy. He tried to tell me my car was only worth $6,000 though, so I laughed a bit and left. Salesmen are fools.
Apparently I had a 'short' attitude with the car salesmen I spoke to, according to Penny. I explained to her that I used to be a car salesman, and I know that if you give them a chance, they'll hold on until they've sold you a car or you've shaken them off your leg as you're trying to leave the caryard. Hehehe.
But seriously, it's always fun for me to 'deal' with salesmen. I listen to their 'qualifying questions' and go with my gut feeling: some of them are alright, and others are arseholes. The feelings I get about potential arseholes ends up with me brushing them off, and nice guys have me answering their qualifying questions.
What are qualifying questions?
"What is it you're looking for?" "Did you have a particular car in mind?" "How much were you wanting to spend?"
If your'e a salesman and someone answers those and similar questions, you know that the person know what they're looking for, and you're that much closer to selling them a car. All you need to do is give them a car that they're looking for.
My most common answer is, "I'm just looking around." "Have you an idea of what you're looking for?" "Nope, that's why I'm just looking around." *wanders away browsing*
Rude? Ordinarily, yes. But not to car salesmen. It's all business.
Ok, I better be off. I've got Penny waiting for me... and I like that too.
Posted on
8/05/2003 03:53:00 PM
Firstly, I've just made a lovely dinner of pasta with a creamy sauce mix of bacon, mushroom and onion. It was the first time I tried it, and it was great! I impressed myself.
Secondly, there's a big reason why I've just made dinner instead of buying it, as I've often done in the past. I've suddenly become inspired to cook more. My inspiration is called Penny, the latest lady in my life.
It's bizarre how things work.
Her and I have been friends for a few months now, and then suddenly, we're more than just friends. It's like, suddenly you wake up and everything's different, and you're not exactly sure how it got to that point, but you know that you like it.
I've cooked for her a few times now. Nothing really fancy, but I'm working on it. I've never been inspired to cook before, always preferring to eat whatever is put in front of me, and then just doing/helping with the dishes afterwards. My excuse has been that I just hate cooking.
But I don't hate it any more, and I really enjoyed playing around with it tonight. I knew what I wanted to eat, and I knew the taste I wanted, and I put it all together and got exactly what I wanted. Woohoo!
Hey, be tolerant. Tongue Not all guys like cooking or have done a lot of it, and I'm one of those that haven't.
I also think that part of the inspiration has been that I'm living here in my own place, and she comes over here to eat, 'cause it's easier and more comfortable, as she has flatmates. So there's an onus on me, somewhat, to be responsible for cooking, as she's coming to my place.
And I like it.
Thirdly, Nicola came online last night and started chatting with me. She's engaged now, with a wedding date set for November next year. I chatted a little bit, and then realised that I felt nothing about it, and about her. I felt that I didn't need or want to have her part of my life any more, or be part of hers. So I wished her well, said goodbye, and deleted her from my MSN Messenger contact list, never to talk to her again. And I'm happy with that.
I'm not sure why I kept her on my list. She's only spoken to me twice since we split up almost a year ago.
Obviously it's time to move on now.
Fourthly, the Photo-A-Day isn't being updated every day. I know, I know. And yes I'm actually taking photos every day, it's just that I'm not getting good ones every day, so you'll just have to accept that the Photo-A-Day will be a GOOD photo-a-day - if I have one.
But I'm always trying to get the best photos I can, of whatever might be interesting. I just don't always succeed.
Fifthly - is there such a thing as 'fifthly'? - I started looking for another car on the weekend. I made a decision that I wanted to increase the amount of money I have each month. I've got a few choices. 1) I can look for another job that will pay me more (which I'm doing as well), or 2) I can look for a second job to supplement my income, or 3) I can sell the car and get a cheaper one, getting a cashback on the trade to reduce my expenditure.
However, I think number 3 is probably the most unreasonable, 'cause it doesn't give me a longer-term benefit that extra income would.
So I'm not looking for another car now. Instead I'll be looking at increasing my income.
This was inspired by the fact that I got it re-registered a few weeks ago, but in order to do so, I had to spend over $1,000 to get some repairs done and get it re-registered. I was shocked by that, and not prepared for it, so I'm wanting to ensure shocks like that don't happen too often in future.
Probably an unreasonable want, maybe. I've had that car for two and a half years now, and this is the first time it's needed some 'major' work on it like this, so I haven't done too badly.
As I was looking around the car yards, I found a 1996 Ford Fairmont for less than $10,000. That car has been my dream car in the past
I discovered that it was so cheap because it's done over 250,000 km, which really drives the price down. I took it for a test drive, and loved it. With a 4-litre engine, it's got some grunt. But expensive with the petrol.
I told the salesman if he takes my BMW and gives me the Fairmont and $2,000 cash, I'd be happy. He tried to tell me my car was only worth $6,000 though, so I laughed a bit and left. Salesmen are fools.
Apparently I had a 'short' attitude with the car salesmen I spoke to, according to Penny. I explained to her that I used to be a car salesman, and I know that if you give them a chance, they'll hold on until they've sold you a car or you've shaken them off your leg as you're trying to leave the caryard. Hehehe.
But seriously, it's always fun for me to 'deal' with salesmen. I listen to their 'qualifying questions' and go with my gut feeling: some of them are alright, and others are arseholes. The feelings I get about potential arseholes ends up with me brushing them off, and nice guys have me answering their qualifying questions.
What are qualifying questions?
"What is it you're looking for?" "Did you have a particular car in mind?" "How much were you wanting to spend?"
If your'e a salesman and someone answers those and similar questions, you know that the person know what they're looking for, and you're that much closer to selling them a car. All you need to do is give them a car that they're looking for.
My most common answer is, "I'm just looking around." "Have you an idea of what you're looking for?" "Nope, that's why I'm just looking around." *wanders away browsing*
Rude? Ordinarily, yes. But not to car salesmen. It's all business.
Ok, I better be off. I've got Penny waiting for me... and I like that too.
Posted on
8/05/2003 03:53:00 PM
Firstly, I've just made a lovely dinner of pasta with a creamy sauce mix of bacon, mushroom and onion. It was the first time I tried it, and it was great! I impressed myself.
Secondly, there's a big reason why I've just made dinner instead of buying it, as I've often done in the past. I've suddenly become inspired to cook more. My inspiration is called Penny, the latest lady in my life.
It's bizarre how things work.
Her and I have been friends for a few months now, and then suddenly, we're more than just friends. It's like, suddenly you wake up and everything's different, and you're not exactly sure how it got to that point, but you know that you like it.
Cheesy
I've cooked for her a few times now. Nothing really fancy, but I'm working on it. I've never been inspired to cook before, always preferring to eat whatever is put in front of me, and then just doing/helping with the dishes afterwards. My excuse has been that I just hate cooking.
But I don't hate it any more, and I really enjoyed playing around with it tonight. I knew what I wanted to eat, and I knew the taste I wanted, and I put it all together and got exactly what I wanted. Woohoo!
Hey, be tolerant. Tongue Not all guys like cooking or have done a lot of it, and I'm one of those that haven't.
I also think that part of the inspiration has been that I'm living here in my own place, and she comes over here to eat, 'cause it's easier and more comfortable, as she has flatmates. So there's an onus on me, somewhat, to be responsible for cooking, as she's coming to my place.
And I like it.
Thirdly, Nicola came online last night and started chatting with me. She's engaged now, with a wedding date set for November next year. I chatted a little bit, and then realised that I felt nothing about it, and about her. I felt that I didn't need or want to have her part of my life any more, or be part of hers. So I wished her well, said goodbye, and deleted her from my MSN Messenger contact list, never to talk to her again. And I'm happy with that.
I'm not sure why I kept her on my list. She's only spoken to me twice since we split up almost a year ago.
Obviously it's time to move on now.
Fourthly, the Photo-A-Day isn't being updated every day. I know, I know. And yes I'm actually taking photos every day, it's just that I'm not getting good ones every day, so you'll just have to accept that the Photo-A-Day will be a GOOD photo-a-day - if I have one.
But I'm always trying to get the best photos I can, of whatever might be interesting. I just don't always succeed.
Fifthly - is there such a thing as 'fifthly'? - I started looking for another car on the weekend. I made a decision that I wanted to increase the amount of money I have each month. I've got a few choices. 1) I can look for another job that will pay me more (which I'm doing as well), or 2) I can look for a second job to supplement my income, or 3) I can sell the car and get a cheaper one, getting a cashback on the trade to reduce my expenditure.
However, I think number 3 is probably the most unreasonable, 'cause it doesn't give me a longer-term benefit that extra income would.
So I'm not looking for another car now. Cheesy Instead I'll be looking at increasing my income.
This was inspired by the fact that I got it re-registered a few weeks ago, but in order to do so, I had to spend over $1,000 to get some repairs done and get it re-registered. I was shocked by that, and not prepared for it, so I'm wanting to ensure shocks like that don't happen too often in future.
Probably an unreasonable want, maybe. I've had that car for two and a half years now, and this is the first time it's needed some 'major' work on it like this, so I haven't done too badly.
As I was looking around the car yards, I found a 1996 Ford Fairmont for less than $10,000. That car has been my dream car in the past - http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-f=iso-8...0&sp-q=fairmont
I discovered that it was so cheap because it's done over 250,000 km, which really drives the price down. I took it for a test drive, and loved it. With a 4-litre engine, it's got some grunt. But expensive with the petrol.
I told the salesman if he takes my BMW and gives me the Fairmont and $2,000 cash, I'd be happy. He tried to tell me my car was only worth $6,000 though, so I laughed a bit and left. Salesmen are fools.
Apparently I had a 'short' attitude with the car salesmen I spoke to, according to Penny. I explained to her that I used to be a car salesman, and I know that if you give them a chance, they'll hold on until they've sold you a car or you've shaken them off your leg as you're trying to leave the caryard. Hehehe.
But seriously, it's always fun for me to 'deal' with salesmen. I listen to their 'qualifying questions' and go with my gut feeling: some of them are alright, and others are arseholes. The feelings I get about potential arseholes ends up with me brushing them off, and nice guys have me answering their qualifying questions.
What are qualifying questions?
"What is it you're looking for?" "Did you have a particular car in mind?" "How much were you wanting to spend?"
If your'e a salesman and someone answers those and similar questions, you know that the person know what they're looking for, and you're that much closer to selling them a car. All you need to do is give them a car that they're looking for.
My most common answer is, "I'm just looking around."
"Have you an idea of what you're looking for?"
"Nope, that's why I'm just looking around." *wanders away browsing*
Rude? Ordinarily, yes. But not to car salesmen. It's all business.
Ok, I better be off. I've got Penny waiting for me... and I like that too.
Posted on
8/05/2003 03:53:00 PM
Firstly, I've just made a lovely dinner of pasta with a creamy sauce mix of bacon, mushroom and onion. It was the first time I tried it, and it was great! I impressed myself.
Secondly, there's a big reason why I've just made dinner instead of buying it, as I've often done in the past. I've suddenly become inspired to cook more. My inspiration is called Penny, the latest lady in my life.
It's bizarre how things work.
Her and I have been friends for a few months now, and then suddenly, we're more than just friends. It's like, suddenly you wake up and everything's different, and you're not exactly sure how it got to that point, but you know that you like it.
Cheesy
I've cooked for her a few times now. Nothing really fancy, but I'm working on it. I've never been inspired to cook before, always preferring to eat whatever is put in front of me, and then just doing/helping with the dishes afterwards. My excuse has been that I just hate cooking.
But I don't hate it any more, and I really enjoyed playing around with it tonight. I knew what I wanted to eat, and I knew the taste I wanted, and I put it all together and got exactly what I wanted. Woohoo!
Hey, be tolerant. Tongue Not all guys like cooking or have done a lot of it, and I'm one of those that haven't.
I also think that part of the inspiration has been that I'm living here in my own place, and she comes over here to eat, 'cause it's easier and more comfortable, as she has flatmates. So there's an onus on me, somewhat, to be responsible for cooking, as she's coming to my place.
And I like it.
Thirdly, Nicola came online last night and started chatting with me. She's engaged now, with a wedding date set for November next year. I chatted a little bit, and then realised that I felt nothing about it, and about her. I felt that I didn't need or want to have her part of my life any more, or be part of hers. So I wished her well, said goodbye, and deleted her from my MSN Messenger contact list, never to talk to her again. And I'm happy with that.
I'm not sure why I kept her on my list. She's only spoken to me twice since we split up almost a year ago.
Obviously it's time to move on now.
Fourthly, the Photo-A-Day isn't being updated every day. I know, I know. And yes I'm actually taking photos every day, it's just that I'm not getting good ones every day, so you'll just have to accept that the Photo-A-Day will be a GOOD photo-a-day - if I have one.
But I'm always trying to get the best photos I can, of whatever might be interesting. I just don't always succeed.
Fifthly - is there such a thing as 'fifthly'? - I started looking for another car on the weekend. I made a decision that I wanted to increase the amount of money I have each month. I've got a few choices. 1) I can look for another job that will pay me more (which I'm doing as well), or 2) I can look for a second job to supplement my income, or 3) I can sell the car and get a cheaper one, getting a cashback on the trade to reduce my expenditure.
However, I think number 3 is probably the most unreasonable, 'cause it doesn't give me a longer-term benefit that extra income would.
So I'm not looking for another car now. Cheesy Instead I'll be looking at increasing my income.
This was inspired by the fact that I got it re-registered a few weeks ago, but in order to do so, I had to spend over $1,000 to get some repairs done and get it re-registered. I was shocked by that, and not prepared for it, so I'm wanting to ensure shocks like that don't happen too often in future.
Probably an unreasonable want, maybe. I've had that car for two and a half years now, and this is the first time it's needed some 'major' work on it like this, so I haven't done too badly.
As I was looking around the car yards, I found a 1996 Ford Fairmont for less than $10,000. That car has been my dream car in the past - http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-f=iso-8...0&sp-q=fairmont
I discovered that it was so cheap because it's done over 250,000 km, which really drives the price down. I took it for a test drive, and loved it. With a 4-litre engine, it's got some grunt. But expensive with the petrol.
I told the salesman if he takes my BMW and gives me the Fairmont and $2,000 cash, I'd be happy. He tried to tell me my car was only worth $6,000 though, so I laughed a bit and left. Salesmen are fools.
Apparently I had a 'short' attitude with the car salesmen I spoke to, according to Penny. I explained to her that I used to be a car salesman, and I know that if you give them a chance, they'll hold on until they've sold you a car or you've shaken them off your leg as you're trying to leave the caryard. Hehehe.
But seriously, it's always fun for me to 'deal' with salesmen. I listen to their 'qualifying questions' and go with my gut feeling: some of them are alright, and others are arseholes. The feelings I get about potential arseholes ends up with me brushing them off, and nice guys have me answering their qualifying questions.
What are qualifying questions?
"What is it you're looking for?" "Did you have a particular car in mind?" "How much were you wanting to spend?"
If your'e a salesman and someone answers those and similar questions, you know that the person know what they're looking for, and you're that much closer to selling them a car. All you need to do is give them a car that they're looking for.
My most common answer is, "I'm just looking around."
"Have you an idea of what you're looking for?"
"Nope, that's why I'm just looking around." *wanders away browsing*
Rude? Ordinarily, yes. But not to car salesmen. It's all business.
Ok, I better be off. I've got Penny waiting for me... and I like that too.
Posted on
8/05/2003 03:53:00 PM
Firstly, I've just made a lovely dinner of pasta with a creamy sauce mix of bacon, mushroom and onion. It was the first time I tried it, and it was great! I impressed myself.
Secondly, there's a big reason why I've just made dinner instead of buying it, as I've often done in the past. I've suddenly become inspired to cook more. My inspiration is called Penny, the latest lady in my life.
It's bizarre how things work.
Her and I have been friends for a few months now, and then suddenly, we're more than just friends. It's like, suddenly you wake up and everything's different, and you're not exactly sure how it got to that point, but you know that you like it.
I've cooked for her a few times now. Nothing really fancy, but I'm working on it. I've never been inspired to cook before, always preferring to eat whatever is put in front of me, and then just doing/helping with the dishes afterwards. My excuse has been that I just hate cooking.
But I don't hate it any more, and I really enjoyed playing around with it tonight. I knew what I wanted to eat, and I knew the taste I wanted, and I put it all together and got exactly what I wanted. Woohoo!
Hey, be tolerant. Tongue Not all guys like cooking or have done a lot of it, and I'm one of those that haven't.
I also think that part of the inspiration has been that I'm living here in my own place, and she comes over here to eat, 'cause it's easier and more comfortable, as she has flatmates. So there's an onus on me, somewhat, to be responsible for cooking, as she's coming to my place.
And I like it.
Thirdly, Nicola came online last night and started chatting with me. She's engaged now, with a wedding date set for November next year. I chatted a little bit, and then realised that I felt nothing about it, and about her. I felt that I didn't need or want to have her part of my life any more, or be part of hers. So I wished her well, said goodbye, and deleted her from my MSN Messenger contact list, never to talk to her again. And I'm happy with that.
I'm not sure why I kept her on my list. She's only spoken to me twice since we split up almost a year ago.
Obviously it's time to move on now.
Fourthly, the Photo-A-Day isn't being updated every day. I know, I know. And yes I'm actually taking photos every day, it's just that I'm not getting good ones every day, so you'll just have to accept that the Photo-A-Day will be a GOOD photo-a-day - if I have one.
But I'm always trying to get the best photos I can, of whatever might be interesting. I just don't always succeed.
Fifthly - is there such a thing as 'fifthly'? - I started looking for another car on the weekend. I made a decision that I wanted to increase the amount of money I have each month. I've got a few choices. 1) I can look for another job that will pay me more (which I'm doing as well), or 2) I can look for a second job to supplement my income, or 3) I can sell the car and get a cheaper one, getting a cashback on the trade to reduce my expenditure.
However, I think number 3 is probably the most unreasonable, 'cause it doesn't give me a longer-term benefit that extra income would.
So I'm not looking for another car now. Instead I'll be looking at increasing my income.
This was inspired by the fact that I got it re-registered a few weeks ago, but in order to do so, I had to spend over $1,000 to get some repairs done and get it re-registered. I was shocked by that, and not prepared for it, so I'm wanting to ensure shocks like that don't happen too often in future.
Probably an unreasonable want, maybe. I've had that car for two and a half years now, and this is the first time it's needed some 'major' work on it like this, so I haven't done too badly.
As I was looking around the car yards, I found a 1996 Ford Fairmont for less than $10,000. That car has been my dream car in the past
I discovered that it was so cheap because it's done over 250,000 km, which really drives the price down. I took it for a test drive, and loved it. With a 4-litre engine, it's got some grunt. But expensive with the petrol.
I told the salesman if he takes my BMW and gives me the Fairmont and $2,000 cash, I'd be happy. He tried to tell me my car was only worth $6,000 though, so I laughed a bit and left. Salesmen are fools.
Apparently I had a 'short' attitude with the car salesmen I spoke to, according to Penny. I explained to her that I used to be a car salesman, and I know that if you give them a chance, they'll hold on until they've sold you a car or you've shaken them off your leg as you're trying to leave the caryard. Hehehe.
But seriously, it's always fun for me to 'deal' with salesmen. I listen to their 'qualifying questions' and go with my gut feeling: some of them are alright, and others are arseholes. The feelings I get about potential arseholes ends up with me brushing them off, and nice guys have me answering their qualifying questions.
What are qualifying questions?
"What is it you're looking for?" "Did you have a particular car in mind?" "How much were you wanting to spend?"
If your'e a salesman and someone answers those and similar questions, you know that the person know what they're looking for, and you're that much closer to selling them a car. All you need to do is give them a car that they're looking for.
My most common answer is, "I'm just looking around." "Have you an idea of what you're looking for?" "Nope, that's why I'm just looking around." *wanders away browsing*
Rude? Ordinarily, yes. But not to car salesmen. It's all business.
Ok, I better be off. I've got Penny waiting for me... and I like that too.
Posted on
8/04/2003 03:53:00 PM
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