cornelius_sulla

If I was to 're-do' my on screen name, I'd be the 'Off Topic Ninja!'

LOL! That guy does look like an Italian prop! But I reckon he looks even more like the England's latest coaching casualty, Brian Ashton! The pictures are great. It would've been an experience to have been there. My kids want some armour like that now! Actually, on viewing the picture again, I think Maty is right. He's an Italian prop, and that's the rest of the forward pack lined up in L'azuri blue behind him!

It's the school holidays here in NZ, so I went to the movies with my kids and their grandad to see Horton Hears a Hoo. If you have children, Take Them To This Movie. It's a laugh riot and better than the other Seuss adaptations. Jim Carrey and Steve Farrells' comedic talent translate really well to animation, especially since this movie doesn't use the old cartoon trick of making the characters resemble their voice talent. My two girls were still laughing about bits in the movie when I was putting them to bed, and the next morning when I got home from work for breakfast! I also watched Iron Man the other night on burnt DVD. My son and I almost had puppies, finally seeing the Tony Stark all armoured up in the red and gold. The special effects were seamless, especially with regards to Iron Man's armour, which is after all the real star of the show. Not much of a plot (it is a comic adaptation!) but if you go to a Marvel movie looking for that you've wasted your money. If you want plots, by the comic! Iron Man was Cool, to quote my son. Boys of all ages will love this movie. Can't wait for the new Hulk.

Mate, on the evidence of your posts, I thought you were older than that! Happy birthday, Antiochus of Seleucia. Have a good one!

What's latin for 'bathroom attendant'?.......

Ha! That's a little like the Vicks 44 calling the Jagermeister cough medicine!

And as one of those Greater Unwashed, I can report faithfully that the system is operating well and shows every sign of expansion!

LOL! That guy does look like an Italian prop! But I reckon he looks even more like the England's latest coaching casualty, Brian Ashton! The pictures are great. It would've been an experience to have been there. My kids want some armour like that now!

From all that I've read, I'd have to say that perhaps Pompeius was better than average but not quite as Great as he was made out to be, or evidently thought that he was. Pompey the Modestly Endowed, perhaps? Also, wasn't the cognomen 'Magnus' given to him by Sulla, and wasn't Sulla being sarcastic in giving it?

Yes! I have tried absinthe and it was lethal! It's more like a hallucinogenic drug in my experience than an alcoholic drink, although, young idiot I was, I drank twice as much as was recommended to me and suffered the consequences. Oscar was a madman if this was his tipple. Never again!

Beers are fizzy, so yes.

I like Grenadine neat. I don't understand why anyone would want to mix it. I don't have mixers with any top shelf, though.

F**k Karma mate, she's always looking to bite you on the arse. That's her whole M.O. Fate's not a whole lot better - she thinks she's got it all figured out. But things can't be all that bad. You know you're scraping the barrel when you start relying on their other sister, Luck. It's good to read that the sun is shining again by the end of your latest entry, doc. Hope you have a good time in with your bro in N.Y, and that you hook up with Neph, and that N.Y City survives!

I'm not sure about a career mate, but it was certainly a lot of fun and a real challenge. It intrigued me that so many of us humans if given the choice would prefer to have their leg chewed off by a shark than get up in front of an audience. I like doing stuff that's scary to me. I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but having had a crack, I found I did have fun and with a whole lot more work on my act, I might be OK at it. There's a long way to go yet. Cheers for the compliments, mate. Oh, and.... GO THE RHINOS!

Yeah, once I figure out how to do it! One of my friends is keen to come and record my routine so we can dissect it later on. Once we start that, I'll start with the YouTube thing and you can laugh with me (or at me: Up to you!) Cheers, sis.

I had my first go at Stand Up Comedy last night. It could've been better, but then again, it could've been a whole lot worse. Luckily, there was your archetypal drunk-guy-who-thought-he-was-hilarious on before me, and he made me look good, and I was able to take the piss out of him mercilessly and get more laughs. Later on I bought the guy a beer, not out of pity, more out of thanks! My routine was based around lampooning race relations in this country in the main and I was glad to see that Kiwis have a sense of humor about this, and can laugh at themselves. The crowd was mostly European and middle class but they were great. Last night gave me confidence to have another crack at this stand up thing. You get a real sense of being on the edge of disaster and I found it very invigorating. One of my fellow victims had a harder time with dealing with nerves. He spewed on himself and never recovered. It's hard trying to shore up someones confidence when they cant stop retching! Unfortunately for the guy he tanked, but reckoned he was going to have another go now that he'd got this first time out of the way. Now that's brave! I ended up adding in a whole lot more ad-lib stuff than I thought I would, and that extemporary humor definitely helped to mix up the stuff I'd scripted. The crowd gave me a big clapping off when I finished (one of the better ovations of the night), only some of it ironic! I resisted the urge to pack the crowd with my friends (I didn't tell anyone about this apart from the UNRVites) and in hindsight, that was a good idea. Next time I'll invite some of my friends. I'm stoked with myself. Getting up in front of people and trying to make them laugh is bloody hard!

We Kiwis also know a bit about earthquakes, smack bang on the Pacific Ring of Fire as we are. Australians have dubbed us 'The Shaky Isles' because of our countries unnerving capacity to rumble, heave and tear earth asunder. Pussies. Nothing like a good earthquake to put life and what's important into perspective for you.

I find this topic quite amazing. I was previously unaware what Romans used to wash their laundry. They built aqueducts, bridged the unbridgeable, conquered the known world but couldn't figure out anything better than urine with which to wash their clothes? The smell must have been pretty rank. Unbearable for any of us, I'd imagine. I guess that if you're washing your togas in weewee, you're not going to be too worried about the smell. Perhaps Romans were so accustomed to the stench that they didn't notice it. Much like young men living together these days don't notice the stench that comes out of their lodgings until it's pointed out to them by their girlfriends/female relatives.

Mate, I'm with you on the craptastic week thing. Bummer to hear about the course being cancelled, but at least you're looking on the bright side. And I agree completely that limbo sucks, but I'm sure something will come up for you. It's only the crap teachers that have to worry, not the good ones.

It was bad enough when the froo-froo crowd started putting limes in their beer. Now they're throwing oranges in there too? Oh, the humanity! I always thought that the lime was there so that you could clean the lip of your bottle of Sol or Corona with it, as you never can tell with Mexican beers. But oranges? By the gods: Why? I like Guinness and a stout they make here in NZ called Black Macs. Steinlager (Steingrenades!), our national drink, is my favourite lager with a curry. There is a new kind of Steinlager here, Steinlager pure, made with no added preservatives etc. Tastes bloody great, whatever the marketing. Top shelf? Scotch (Tullamore Dew) or Bourbon (Canadian Club). Four decent fingers of it with two bits of ice and no mixer - you little bewdy! I can't do Rum or Gin anymore, the mere whiff of those gets me queasy thanks to a misspent youth. My fave non alcoholic drink is Bundaberg Ginger Beer. Made by Australians, but we can't hold that against it.

Jagermeister, mmmmm. Clears your sinus's and gets you wasted!

Last night I watched Nacho Liebre, starring Jack Black as a Mexican/Norwegian Wrestling Monk. I laughed my arse off. I recommend it, but it is one of those movies that polarises opinions.

Poach some eggs and drown them in the stuff, serve with bacon. Simple and quick.