tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-106202142011-11-09T10:18:33.868+11:00The big things, the small things, the bike things.singletrackingnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2801100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1161251366159528792006-10-19T19:34:00.000+10:002006-10-19T19:52:37.460+10:00

I thought it only right to let you all know that I've decided to park this blog for the moment (hmmm... yes, as if that fact was not self-evident...). I simply no-longer have the want to write here anymore. Thanks to all that have read and commented, you made the blogging experience all the more involving. Of course I'm still reading most of you through bloglines. Perhaps I'll be back here,

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1159021702636660412006-09-23T23:42:00.000+10:002006-10-14T17:53:20.663+10:00

So I've been rather absent of late. It's been over a month. I've been lurking... just not saying much. I’m not so sure that I want to spill my thoughts on the internet anymore. So I’ve stopped. That said, I will reveal that things have been good. Busy. Slightly tumultuous. But good: I’ve resigned from my job and will start another one shortly; I’ve found a true friend; and I’ve started to get

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Dan from shifterbikes has posted a few pics of the Hillman, before and after he fitted the new fork and brake. I guess that means that I’ve made it, now that I have had my fixxie posted on shifterbikes… but really, it’s pretty cool, I’m liking being part of the fixxie crowd now. Fixxies are just so terribly hip right now. I’m also enjoying owning “a piece of Australian cycling history” as the

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This past Saturday’s fixxie ride was another lovely jaunt in the sun, down to the sleepy beachside village of Williamstown. My lovely Hillman fixxie has come up quite a treat. Its hubs are now repacked and I’ve fitted an XC MTB flat bar in place of the narrow track drops it came with. Sensibly, it now also has a brake, which has been installed on a new, drilled chrome fork (I was talked into

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1154440823652522532006-08-01T23:57:00.000+10:002006-08-02T00:00:23.690+10:00

Tags: m!key, mikey, random concoction

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Tags: melburn roobaix, hell of the northcote, pave, Northcote, Brunswick velodrome, bikes, riding, m!key, mikey, random concoction

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1153650456005634782006-07-23T20:04:00.000+10:002006-07-24T12:47:59.460+10:00

The soon-to-be-legendary, and potentially first-annual Melburn-Roobaix was run and run this past Saturday, and what an event it was! If any of you have ever raced in an alleycat before, you might have an inkling of what the event involved… Unlike an alleycat, this event was notactually a ‘race’ per se… Rather it was an event based on participation and reliving the spirit of the Paris Roubaix day

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1153484076274722852006-07-21T22:10:00.000+10:002006-07-23T19:53:08.733+10:00

I have memories of riding with my little brother and my Dad around the streets of the inner southern suburbs of Canberra… we both had little blue bikes, of varying degrees of prettiness, but generally in good repair. They had one gear. So, now that I am older and wiser, and ride bikes with suspension and many gears, I have rather impulsively made a purchase that will take me back, even further

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1153399746559293932006-07-20T22:20:00.000+10:002006-07-20T23:13:36.463+10:00

It would be most remiss of me to let le tour pass by without more than a passing mention in a single post, so here’s another. I’ll be up tonight watching the last stage in the French Alps until the finish, live on SBS. It should be a corker and will be decisive in the overall result. I’ll be cheering for Cadel and Mick, that’s for sure. I’ll be out on the bike and will go for a spin in the ‘Hell

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1152794762843639172006-07-13T22:33:00.000+10:002006-07-13T22:46:06.523+10:00

This evening has been one of culinary indulgence. So far I’ve thrown back a brace of smoked salmon and triple cream brie on crackers as well as a hearty serve of slow-cooked lamb shanks, packed full of flavour. I’m just now washing things down with a decaf latte (to ensure that I sleep tonight). That said, I might be coping tomorrow with a little less sleep than would be optimal, as le tour is

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1152540351521061692006-07-11T00:00:00.000+10:002006-07-12T23:34:16.203+10:00

In lieu of not wanting to post about recent happenings, I take you back to more pictures of my trusty park.Tags: architecture, shelter, design, structure, m!key, mikey, random concoction

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The things to do with m!key have been busy of late and I really haven’t spent much time scratching myself (mainly because I have been indulging another in this department…). However, this evening, I decided that it was time to do some life and well-being maintenance, which included: a load of washing; cooking a real, healthy dinner; roasting pumpkin for future soup-making; and the crowning

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1151584931356159432006-06-29T22:18:00.000+10:002006-06-29T22:49:08.710+10:00

Things that have been pleasing me of late:A girl (and she is most lovely, in many ways);Tea (Lady grey tea, right now);My new thermos;Playing with large amounts of money;That I might almost own a flat;Bikes in general;That I have an entry to ride the Scott 24 Hour again this year;That le Tour de France starts this weekend;All to the tune of the pop stylings of those little Frenchies, PhoenixHmmm…

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1151466566303812372006-06-28T13:42:00.000+10:002006-06-28T13:49:26.360+10:00

Yup, that’s right, it was an overcast and misty day and then, as if to complete the cliché, a rainbow appeared... Tags: m!key, mikey, random concoction,

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This weekend past I left my worldly cares behind and disappeared off to a little hut in the country to spend some time with the girl. It was a nice little break from the things happening back here in town. This was the view from the balcony. Relaxing, no? Tags: m!key, mikey, random concoction,

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I thought that I'd post some more pics of my park over the next little while. This image is of the underside of the shelter roof, and shows the timber battens that overlap underneath the corrugated iron (colourbond) roofing. The battens were painted in three different shades of red, with the intention of creating a gradient effect of light to dark from the edge of the battens into the centre

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My park is complete. This is a little shot of the shelter and the terrace steps in front of it. I am pretty stoked with how the shelter turned out to be honest; it should look a treat in my folio, whenever I need that next. The planting is pretty fresh and young, but given some time should establish nicely. The trees are Gleditsia’s, planted in a triple row and they should easily reach the height

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The silence has been rather deafening here at R-Con central. I’ve been busy really. Stuff has been happening. My first distraction has been property… I’ve decided that I should stop renting and get into the bricks-and-mortar game. Some have said that they think that I am crazy, but the vast majority of people I have spoken too have expressed that they think that this is a good idea. I think it’s

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This afternoon, I was sitting at my cafe haunt near work and found that I was surrounded by little scenes, just waiting to be captured. Playing with light, finding angles and delighting other such minor, yet enchanting inticacies keep me amused and make for some interesting images. Especially when they are captured by the unique, abstracted lens of my mobile phone camera. Have a nice day too!Tags

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I’m kicking back with a frothy chai, some fruit loaf and things are not too bad. I’ve been out doing my cyclist civic duty riding with Critical Mass, which was good. As per usual, they took a route to the north of the city, which is a bit typical. However, I did have a chat to a lovely British lass called Hannah, who seems like an interesting type. She rides a mountain bike, which is always good!

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Aai there. I’m back from the subtropics. Well, mebe not the subtropics, but it was Queensland anyway and it was winter and it was warm. What more could one want? I was there for the wedding of one of my Uni boys. He’s the first of our group. Crazy. It was a very queensland wedding, quite laid back, no fuss, no great pretension or rigid ceremony, just two people who love each other getting married

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1147613226559483712006-05-14T22:45:00.000+10:002006-05-15T22:08:36.886+10:00

Yes, I've edited this post, sorry kiddies. I was going to fully ditch it, but given my lack of posts these days, I figured that would be rather a waste. So, it is reincarnated, simpler, cleaner and a whole lot nicer.But, back to the fun stuff: I went and played in the mud out at Lysterfield today. The original plan was to race in the first race of the FTF winter series, but I decided that I

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I’ve gone some was to getting over my May malaise and have dragged myself out to see a gig. It certainly has been a while and although I discovered that I’m not that big a fan of the Spanish Club, I had a good time. Not that with Art of Fighting playing I would have had anything but a good time! They played the usual suspects and kept me swaying. It was nice to have two groups of friends there,

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1147004489467734642006-05-07T22:05:00.000+10:002006-05-10T21:24:29.523+10:00

I’ve just spent some time writing a ranty-assed post on the topic of don’t-you-mind-what, and now I’m not really sure that I should post it… So, I'm not going to and in it's place you get this poor immitation, which is totally off the topic of said unpublished post.What an utterly crap weekend. This weather sucks the big one and it’s really giving me the shits. I feel like I achieved nothing. I

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I have met people lately, who, by virtue of their achievements, have make me feel that I should do more with myself. Learning of their feats makes me feel that life is getting away from me, that I am not achieving what I should and that I am holding myself back. As a result, I have decided that I need to more actively effect change and move my life along. But how to do it? I will formulate a plan

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I seem to have to constantly remind myself to do things with friends when I can. I think this stems from being rather self-reliant and often negligent when it comes to stretching myself beyond the bounds of my comfort zone. However today I spent the day with some quality people out at the Werribee Park Mansion. I could have bunked-off and gone for a bike ride by myself, but I am glad that I

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These short weeks are great. Only two days in and it’s almost done. in contrast to my previous post, I’ve felt good for the past few days, mainly because of having time to be able to do the things that I need to do – going to the gym, cooking real dinners, interesting people, servicing my bikes, and especially thinking about the future. I had found myself in a somewhat stagnant state until

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1145237629360901482006-04-17T11:25:00.000+10:002006-04-19T21:23:17.666+10:00

One of my vague plans for the short/ medium-term future has been to go overseas to the UK to work. You know, the usual Australian pilgrimage. This weekend and chatting to my mother has reminded me that I have (at least) one significant issue to overcome or learn to deal with before I do this: This crappy weather, it really gets me down. I have been generally useless this past long weekend. Heaven

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And so endeth a rather long, yet short working week. Initially I seemed to cope quite well with the rigours of the previous weekend, but I was seriously flagging by mid-week (Well, OK, I wasn't feeling that bad, but let's suspend the disbelief, OK). I spent last weekend in Beechworth and had a lovely time of it. The occasion was the Beechworth Chaingang ‘Six Hours in the Saddle’ 6 Hour Race (aka

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I received two registered post parcels today. One was a happy parcel and the other not so. I’ll get the bad news out of the way now and say that parcel of bad news was a rent increase notice. Drat, drat, rats, drat, poo, bum, wee, toilet! But, enough of that.The happy parcel contained another little gift from the lovely people at the Melbourne2006 Commonwealth Games Organising committee. It was a

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Well, a few of you have noted my irregular blogging behaviour patterns of late. It's not due to boredom but rather due to busyness. I just haven't had the time or patience to sit down and write about me. I will update soonish with the goss. ...ish.

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So I’m officially not going out with anyone again. I could have resolved that one a bit better, but I guess you can only learn from your mistakes. But, enough of that.I’ve been busy doing the work thing and have discovered Sketchup and Blender, which are both 3d software packages. Sketchup is costy (but not muchy) and Blender is open-source free-ware (that's right: free!). Schweet eh? I think

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So the fish have swum off elsewhere, having done their job well: they amused the masses and provided a drawcard (and some relevance) for the Yarra River during the Games. There is much talk about where they may or may not reappear. Who knows? I have a feeling that they are not engineered to be permanent public art or sculpture installations. As a result, my bet is that they may not reappear, and

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1143547188220360222006-03-28T22:50:00.000+11:002006-03-28T23:39:00.010+11:00

I’ve hit a rather interesting and busy patch this past month, hence my absence from the helm of the good ship random concoction. One of the things that has been absorbing my time has been the Commonwealth Games. They have been rightly grouse and have kept me amused on few fronts. Firstly, the TV has been great. I may even now watch a bit more TV now that the Games are over... I was most impressed

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1142822206566674192006-03-20T13:35:00.000+11:002006-03-20T13:36:46.636+11:00

Clueless/genius-smut-hound weight-lifting commentator last night, after a rather robust Welsh lass had just hoicked 100kg above her head:“There’s nothing quite like a good snatch” Pure gold.

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Today is the one day a year that I officially trade in youth points for wisdom points. The score keeps building.

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I made the decision not long ago that I really did want to go and see the Mountain Biking at the Commonwealth Games. Yet I had no ticket, and they were 'sold out', no doubt having been allocated in the ticket draw to a bunch of muppets with naught care nor knowledge of the delicate art of the mountain bike. Never one to be put-off, I knew there must be a way to get into the event without

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So I went to the dress rehearsal of the Opening Ceremony of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games this evening. It was great, it really was. They managed to fit in all the usual ceremony requirements and for the most part avoided being naff and daggy. I can heartily recommend that you cram down to Fed Square or turn of the biggest TV set possible and check it out. You won’t be disappointed. Onto

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So, I’ve finally met a girl who likes me but I have a conundrum, a moral dilemma to solve. S is lovely, she’s perky, fun, digs things that I dig, including our taste in music. She’s pretty much what I am looking for in a girl. Except for one part of the equation: I’m just not that attracted to her physically, which is a real drag. I’ve really tried to find that little something in here to kick me

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It’s hot, I’m tired and can’t be stuffed spending a serious amount of time writing out something too verbose and involved, so I think that another listing is appropriate. I blame two late nights in succession and sleeping in a strange bed on Friday night for my poorly condition. Not that it’s all bad, of course.Broken Social Scene on Wednesday night were tops, At one point they had 11 players on

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1141125531922944052006-02-28T22:08:00.000+11:002006-03-14T22:34:36.780+11:00

I love lists. Lists are great. I reckon that my life would be a mess without lists. Lists for shopping; lists for work tasks; checklists... All grouse, all bloody useful. So, in continuation of my love of lists, I present to you a list of stuff that I’ve been doing, but haven’t had the care to blog about:- Saw The Winter Ship and The Red Tree play out live. Both are great bands and I’ve blogged

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My downtempo weekend was perked significantly when I heard this little stomper for the first time. Ladytron are one of those acts that I had listened to, liked but ultimately had thought were somewhat lightweight and disposable and to some degree, this track fits that description. However, it is filled with a dark, driving melody, punctuated with massive electro stabs and anchored by some dirty

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Tags: art gallery of NSW sydney art mikey random concoction

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Yeeps! It’s only Tuesday and the midweek rush has already hit and I'm running a bit off-kilter. I’m working on a relatively new project in the office that could promise to be quite an interesting job to be a part of and I’ve had a deal of work thrown onto my plate! I am slightly perturbed at how I’ll manage to have polished for a meeting at 11am tomorrow. An early morning might be in order. I had

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I made myself a little bit dizzy last night… Not for the usual debauched reason, rather it was the result of spectating upon a sporting event that involved speed and a track. The fact that I was standing in the middle of the track, in the in-field bar did not help. (I should mention that I was driving that evening, so despite being in the bar, drinkypoos did not play a part in my dizziness). The

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Sorry, I'm too busy to care about actually posting properly... so feel free to take a little seat and enjoy the art instead. Oh yes, one thing: it would seem that I need to get the feng shui sorted out in my flat. I'll keep you posted on what improvement it makes. I have an expert consultant analysing my abode this weekend. Tags: art gallery sydney feng shui mikey random concoction

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I had some bad news given to me this week. The second physio I’ve seen (in two visits now: god bless the public health system…), tells me that I probably shouldn’t be riding on my healing fracture quite yet… it’s a bit late for that sweetie. Hmmm, the physio I saw the previous week didn’t seem to see it as an issue, so what am I supposed to do now? I was using my own intuition and making a

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So, I may have ridden a ferry is Sydney, and I may have taken some photos. Here is Mr Utzons lovely workAnd here is circular quay looking decidedly un-circularLast but not least here is the ever-to-be-painted north-south freeway structure that allows motorists to drive over the harbour.PS: Becasue I have a beer under my belt, I am curious so I ask: who is my visitor from Hong Kong? Care to reveal

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Some more of Sydney for you all. Despite being in the city of sin, I restrained myself and did partake of things artisitc and cultural. It must be my Canberra-Melbourne leanings, I can't help myself. I did the Museum of Contemporary Art on Circular Quay which was the hit and miss affair of thought-provokng works it usually is. I guess the old adage of 'learning from one's mistakes' should be

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Don't you love it when you amble down to the shops, accompanied only by the patter of atmospheric rain, only to find that you've forgotten your shopping list... Yet, when you get home, having shopped 'by the seat of your pants', you find that you have actually managed to buy everything you'd written on the list? Everything!? Genius.(The accompanying pic was not taken at Nicks Poultry and Eggs in

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1139059172829406872006-02-05T00:12:00.000+11:002006-02-05T00:19:32.960+11:00

Welly-welly, well. This blog is now a year old. What fun! It's certainly had its ups and downs over that time and I'm not really sure what it may become in the future. I was that close to chucking it in, don't you know!... But, I do like the whole internerd thing, so I'll hang around methinks. I have noticed that my quantity of comments has seriously dropped of in the past quarter and this has

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Where has the week gone? So far I’ve managed two dates, both not so great, including seeing The Mars Volta in concert which was a decidedly overblown experience indeed (to say nothing of it being a dud date with The Rock Climber…). They are a ‘wall of sound’ band and to be honest they lack subtlety and variety. A band like Sigur Ros understands that value of changes in volume and density of sound

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Moving my trials of dating to the side for a moment, this post takes me back to my time in Sydney over the long* weekend just past. Saturday to be exact. In case any of you don’t know, I am a bit of a wannabe foodie, and will happily spend a decent amount of time trying to find a good meal out. Unsurprisingly for me, I could be labelled a bit of a food snob – don’t expect me to pay good money for

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Last night I met up with The Writer. She was lovely and pretty and perky and funny. However, she was rather more of a fiesty customer than I had bargained on. She also seemed to like me, which was mildly disconcerting. Imelda, you will be disappointed in me (as I am), but there is the distinct, nay deffinite possibility that I may have again thrown another opportunity for a shag down the toilet.

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I’m fresh off the plane from the city of sin, and posting a hurrah(!) seemed to be the right thing to do. I am dirty and tired, as one would expect though I do feel good. I learnt a bit about myself this weekend. Not all of it I am happy about and I hope to bend my ways. I indulged in all the pastimes that one would expect a Melbournite to partake of: Culture and Coffee. I also added-in some

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1138190186918410792006-01-25T22:32:00.000+11:002006-01-26T00:49:56.776+11:00

I had my cast cut off on Monday. I had hopes that it would come off and I'd be slightly skinnier in the left arm but I'd resume normal life pretty much straight away. Errr, no. That's not how it happens actually. What has happened is that my wrist is as stiff as a board. It has no strength and hurts to move. it actually feels worse now than I can remember it feeling when it was broken. All that

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singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1137814895111303702006-01-21T10:50:00.000+11:002006-01-21T14:41:35.216+11:00

So I went to the tennis, and what fun it was! It was also an exercise in endurance to be sat up in the stands on a plastic seat in over 30 degree heat. Melbourne has thrown up some intolerably scorching temperatures over the last week and Thursday evening was but one of them.I thought I had learnt from my experience last year and so I wore jeans in order to ward off the evening chill (or the

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1137568080853357152006-01-18T17:56:00.000+11:002006-01-18T18:15:18.270+11:00

Huggies tagged me for this mememe. which was excellent timing on his behalf as I was sitting here this afternoon and didn't have nay idea what I should post about. Lately I haven't found much time to sit and write, probably because I'm pretty much over using the keyboard and my brain my the end of the work day. maybe when I get to hands back, I'll perk up a bit and write more (not that I want to

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1137406498086157162006-01-16T20:31:00.000+11:002006-01-16T21:14:58.163+11:00

I’m pretty much biding time until this freakin’ cast comes off and so I haven’t got any tall tales to tell. What better than a mememe to break the monotony? Thanks Andrew, nice timing..What were you doing 10 years ago?In 1996 I was about to start my first year of university. Oh joy! How young and fresh I was.What were you doing 1 year ago?Shyeah… pretty much the same, sans broken arm, which means

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1137327565606633252006-01-15T23:17:00.000+11:002006-01-15T23:19:25.610+11:00

Tags: melbourne acca mikey randomconcoction

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As regular R.Con groupies might already know, circumstances have meant that I've been indulging in rather a lot of perambulation of late. In my shoe-shuffling travels I've come across quite a few of these things painted on the sidewalks of this faire town. In my predicament, they don't help me much... and needless to say they're only making me more impatient for next Monday to come around!In

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1137065372097852092006-01-12T22:09:00.000+11:002006-01-15T23:05:45.746+11:00

Is it just me, or has hotmail suddenly got its shit together when it comes to filtering spam? My junk mailbox has been empty for at least a few days now... just when I'm running low on my supply of viagra which fuels my addiction to hot adult dating sites (whose invitations have sadly also dried up...) ;-(As I reached towards my eye to remove my contact lenses I paused. Something in my

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1136976902893049162006-01-11T21:09:00.000+11:002006-01-15T23:44:01.980+11:00

For whatever reason, I had moved away from posting mp3 links of late but since getting a sexy new Creative Muvo TX-FM mp3 player that punches out sound quality that kicks ass over one of those passe IPods (for real: it's been tested), I have again found a reason for discovering wonderful new tunes online.I'm not usually a fan of Goldfrapp, in fact I am of the opinion that they are overrated and

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1136807060827760762006-01-09T22:35:00.000+11:002006-01-09T23:00:20.736+11:00

We all know that January is as boring as piss and has nothing to offer in the way of excitement and entertainment. We here at Random Concoction towers decided to attack the bordom head-on! Since mid last year, we've had a team of our most highly qualified and creative blogenginerds slaving away in our top secret dungeonskunkworks producing...The worlds first ever* LIMITED EDITION BLOG GIMMICK!

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Now that I've spent some time adapting to living with this broken arm, I've involuntarily found myself having to slow down and take stock of what I can and cannot do. Many of the simple life tasks now take more time and I've been forced to subtly but consciously change my approach to all manner of underappreciated activities. I've had to find direct substitutes or alternatives for some of my

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1136647665194978872006-01-08T01:55:00.000+11:002006-01-08T02:27:45.483+11:00

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I jump on a plane back to smelly, noisy Melbourne this afternoon. I say this because the extended time that I have spent in Canberra these holidays has highlighted how peaceful, quiet and odour-free life can be. Getting anywhere in Canberra is effortless and generally quite quick. There is also talent to burn here: as my latte-ing experiences down at Manuka and Kingston have proven. Arguably the

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singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1136368465433159242006-01-04T20:28:00.000+11:002006-01-05T17:34:04.800+11:00

And back in the Nation's Capital, we find that the things are still nice, quiet and relaxing without a stress to be felt. m!key could try and write a clever post or perhaps even be controversial, but, quite frankly, he can't be stuffed. It's just too hard. In contrast, watching cricket, going to exhibitions and doing late lunches is easy. He's doing that instead. In fact, he'd go so far as saying

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1136194385497908232006-01-02T20:20:00.000+11:002006-01-02T21:06:59.340+11:00

Yes kiddies, there's nothing else left to do. I think I melted yesterday. Go find yourself a beach or an airconditioner or maybe even a cave and do your best to beat this heat! I'm still in Canberra and my plan of attack is two-pronged: I'm going to visit various airconditioned National institutions and I'm also going to sit like a lazy fat-ass watching cricket on the box. Yeah.Oh yes, it has

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Gawsh. Another Year? Already? Golly. My NYE was good. Pretty low-key: Old Uni friends, some drinks, a BBQ and stuff. By all accounts that makes me a pussy... ;-) but I'll get over that. Well, this year past was pretty good. I s'pose I'll write up a little prece list of what 2005 was for me I ended up doing quite a few things that I haven't done before, which was pleasing, and even though I might

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Christmas is over and one of the most dreaded times of the year has begun for me...Idle time, the period before 'real life' resumes. Everyone is away or distracted and Canberra is a deadly quiet place for a virtual out-of-towner like myself. Resultantly this time is as boring as hell for me, but usually I can ride a bit to keep myself sane. Not this year, I can't even ride. Help, I think I'm

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I have been most virtuous this Christmas. Virtuous act number one was cooking the main for my family's Christmas eve dinner, which this year was a light affair, given the heat of the recent days.I present to you:Seared Atlantic Salmon with Parsley Relish, Roast Pumpkin and Blanched Asparagus And what a simple, tasty dish it was! It's the perfect foil for the food of Christmas Day, which is most

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Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, wherever you are. As has been said to me" (and I love this) "May it be naughty or nice (in proportions of your choice)"

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Damn, I wish I could do this still...

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Usually I tidy my desk before the Christmas break... This year it would seem that I will be leaving it in an ungodly mess, for my return to the salt mines next year. There has been no slackening this year, if anything I'd have to say that things have become even more frenzied! Luckily, I have weathered the storm, with my one useful arm and have survived, just. There’s point five of a day to go

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Just today, I was out in the wild west and took this wee shot of my Shelter Structure under construction. The steel frame has been painted now and the painted timber battens have been installed, so it's looking much more colourful and closer to completion. The roofing is still yet to be installed and its seems that this will take until after the break to be done. Waiting, waiting, these

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Another week begins and I can but hope that the events of last week fade into distant memory. A few steps have been made in the right direction. I am now sporting a low-profile fibreglass cast on my left arm, an imposition that shall keep me in close company for the next 5 weeks. I’m hoping like a hopeful thing that the Chrissie break isn’t all sweaty and sticky… Oh, the pain I’ll be in if it is!

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Pardon my fucking french, but I don't fucking swear much on my blog, so please allow me this indulgence:What a fucking shithouse week!? This is the tale of horreur:+I crash my bike, break my wrist and feel like shit.+Works sucks, I have too much to do, no time and only one working hand...+chickybabe announces that she no longer wishes to speak to me any more. Open up girl, it ain't that hard, and

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Admitted after fall from mountain bike. LOC at scene about 5 minutes with significant antegrade and retrograde amnesia. CT brain NAD. Observed for 24 hours without change in neurological condition.Multiple skin grazes dressed.Complained of pain in left wrist 24 hours post fall with very mild localised tenderness over scaphoid. Initial plain XR NAD. Half cast applied with review in fracture clinic

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1134369830457109382005-12-12T16:59:00.000+11:002005-12-12T19:45:22.363+11:00

i may be a bit tardy on posting the second half of my 24 Hour post as I've just spent the past two days in hospital following a bike 'crash' (of which I have no memory). I'm a little hazy and tenderised, and I also have to type with one hand... Ouch.Take care out there!Tags: bicycling melbourne hospital crash mikey random concoction

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My usual regular rides are my commute to work, perhaps a blast round St Kilda to the City and of course the occasional race or an afternoon spent ripping up some trails. However, this weekend past, I did something more involved and intense than all of those rides added together. I first had a taste for 24 hour racing at the Mont 24 Hour Race in Canberra this past October and not even the rain,

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It would seem that I have descended into blogging uselessness. I have posts to write and stories to tell, but time escapes me. It must be the time of year. It’s definitely bikes: they have been a wonderful theme for the past few weeks. I’d like to say it was a girl, but it’s not really so: I’d like to see more of her, but circumstances have conspired against this happening… Either way, I can see

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I have a hot tip for you all out there: If you race a 24 Hour MTB race on the weekend, it is probably advisable to take the next day off, because you will be absolutely knackered... (and will be awake at 3am having slept the afternoon) On the flipside, you'll be pleased to know that I have a story or two to tell after ~120km of off-road riding! Time for more sleep.

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Oh drat, drat, pants, bottom! It's happening again! The Mont 24 Hour race was a rainy affair and it would seem that I am again going to be racing another 24 hour race in rainy, wet conditions. Grrr.... What fun it will be to plug around in the mud! Not.Lucky for me, I have a new secret weapon: my trusty Singlespeed! It laughs in the face of mud and has no vital gear-shifting or suspension

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1133315695940804682005-11-30T12:50:00.000+11:002005-11-30T12:59:26.443+11:00

...at the National Singlespeed Championships went to this guy. For Sheriff: enjoy lass (I didn't). I can't believe how much jeopardy he was willing to put his boys in. (I wonder if he stopped in the beer tent?)(image courtesy of cfsmtb, more SSC05 images here)Tags: singlespeed championship castlemaine mountainbike bike cycling mikey random concoction

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Sunday was the big day: the day of the National Champs. I found myself in the middle of a forest outside Castlemaine (...near a gun club) wearing my best retro finery, along with our nations most accomplished singlespeeding, beer-drinking mountainbikers… More to be reported soon, but for now, here's a fabbo pic of me, in super-singlespeedy race-action!So, I had the greatest intentions of crafting

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In the world of mountain biking, the Singlespeed and the culture that surrounds them apparently sits on the periphery, the edge, the fringe. It is an ‘alternative’ bike culture, one that is little understood and oft misconstrued. I, for one have until recently had been guilty of being ignorant of the wiles and ways of the Singlespeed and those who ride them. That was until I decided a few months

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I have decided that I am going to be more ‘heart on my sleeve’ from now on. After a few dodgy dates this year, it has dawned on me that I cannot change myself for a girl in order for her to like me. No-siree-bob. It can’t happen (me changing that is) Despite saying this, and in a ‘heart on my sleeve’ announcement, I’d like to think that I have found a lovely girl who actually does like ME. She's

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What goes fast must come down...With a thud. I am currently nursing a sore pair of knees, a right rib, left arm and right middle finger per courtesy of a head on altercation between my left pedal and the end of an ill-placed log... But, don't worry peeps, I'm going to be OK, despite being thrown ass-over, but I am wondering when I am going to stop bruising up my poor left knee... freakin'

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1132570169248367502005-11-23T17:40:00.000+11:002005-11-23T17:50:07.866+11:00

A mememe that’s been doing the rounds has been about regrets that you’ve had. I was tagged by rubydot for this one.I’m not going to deny that I don’t have any regrets. Of course not: I’d be lying if I did. I have collected many regrets as mementos of past deeds for which I am not proud and situations I’d like to have another attempt at. Unlike those that have bared some of their soul on their

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1132662112662387522005-11-22T23:21:00.000+11:002005-11-22T23:24:26.063+11:00

I worry too much... must do something about this.

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1132573037970555372005-11-22T17:45:00.000+11:002005-11-22T21:48:16.953+11:00

Last weekend I went out with a vigour that I’d been missing for an age,This weekend I stayed home because I was tired.Last weekend I slept for a whole day after puking my guts dry,This weekend I got to bed early and a cooked a hearty breakfast, soup and baked biscuits.Last weekend I raced my bike and placed 4th;This weekend I didn’t even ride on dirt.Last weekend I felt fast and strong,This

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I have a new toy. It tells me how fast my heart beats.Over the weekend:I cranked it to 182bpm!and slacked down to 42bpm...I was pretty happy with those numbers. Anyone care to 'beat' them? ;-)Tags: heart rate monitor HRM heart beat heart mikey

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Blah, blah, blah, me, me, me.As I imagine that I am pretty much the last being in the known blogerverse to post this mememe, I’m sure that you all know its' deal.So yeah: Can you all please comment about me, using but one word only. Choose your words wisely people! If you are lucky, I'll have already commented a word that describes you. If I haven't, don't worry: no doubt I'll be skulking (Andie

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As I blog, the Shelter is being painted in it's final colour of 'blackest brown' and hopefully I'll be able to produce some images of it in all its rich, dark glory. For now, I'll have to make do with these images of it somewhat naked in raw galvanised steel. The shelter has a butterfly roof and is a symmetrical almost shield-like shape when viewed in plan, though it is highly articulated within

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1132037361096251072005-11-15T17:49:00.000+11:002005-11-15T18:03:32.150+11:00

In very exciting news in the world of m!key's professional life, the main steel frame for the shelter in my park is up and installed! It's going to end up with a small-guage corrugated-iron roof section installed and some coloured timber battens to add some colour. It's really exciting now to see how my little cardboard and satay-stick model has become a massive steel reality! Soon she'll be

singletrackingnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10620214.post-1131886333492606332005-11-13T23:39:00.000+11:002005-11-13T23:52:13.570+11:00

This weekend has officially been out of control...

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