Melbourne

So I didn't get the job that I applied for. But in a weird twist the team leader for the role who interviewed me is leaving the organisation this week. She asked if we could connect on Linkedin as she thought i had a lot to offer and wants to keep me in mind for roles that come up at her new employer. So i guess that is a win.

Myself and another woman just had a big go at an old racist who was targeting an SE Asian fellow and his family.

So much adrenaline; had to miss the tram bc he got on it lol. The guy walked right up to me, like he was gonna hit me, told him to do it in front of a platform of people. Backed off, kept swearing, stuck my finger up and told him to rotate, makes me ashamed to be Australian.

I thought these interactions were made up or embellished; apparently not.

The family is okay, made sure they got on the tram they needed and had a laugh with another witness.

Fucking wack commute home.

Had a good psych session on Saturday about my job and why I feel so angry when I'm treated poorly.

I'm going to have a very upfront and honest discussion with my manager.

If the outcome of that conversation is poor, then it's time to look elsewhere.

Oohhh I've been downloading torrents for as long as they've been a thing and I just got my first email from an ISP saying stop it.

"We have received a Copyright Infringement Notification informing us that your IP Address was used to illegally download and distribute copyrighted material.

Please note: We are required by law to provide your personal information to copyright holders if requested.

The offending filename was: Star.Trek.Lower.Decks.S04E01.1080p.WEB.h264-ETHEL[TGx] The date of the infringement was: 2023-09-14T09:54:57Z

Please cease any and all downloading or distribution of copyrighted material immediately."

Which is legit, I totally did that. I guess I better start actually using my VPN because I am absolutely not paying for Paramount+ just for Star Trek with all of the other streaming services I pay for.

My partner has a Turkish Angora cat (white and super fluffy) who's going to the vet today because he's been lethargic and super poopy over the weekend. The amount of times we've had to clean poop off him, the floor, ourselves, is wild. We were doing it with two people though so it was okay. Today I'm solo and he just tore my palm to shreds while I was trying to clean his butt for the second time today. Okay, dude, keep your nasty butt, I'm done.

New car has been acquired!! Picking up the housemate so we can go joy riding for the afternoon!

(Unrelated to below breakfast: i went and bought some new in-ear headsphones, with an aux cord, as mine died, but i forgot my samsung ONLY TAKES USB-C 💀😭)

Edit: i just grabbed a card from the cafe near work, to start accuring towards a free coffee, and the owner asked if I'm new to the area, said yep started new job, and he stamped 5 coffees on the card for me as a welcome despite me buying only one. 💜 he has really lifted my spirits

😬 I just applied to adopt another neibelung cat . 🤞🏻 Poor little guy has been at the foster place for so long already I hope I can get him.

Also looking for names. I have a Bill Cat , what is a good matching name?

It's bin night here in my part of Thornbury. Someone has filled my small size red bin to overflowing with filthy stinky nappies - unwrapped. I am wrathful. Suspicion is currently resting on the new people over the road and three houses down as they have two small twin toddlers and a newborn. Their own bin is only half full and not stinky. Not fair to put your horrible stuff in someone else's bin if you aren't willing to fill your own I say. I am considering invoicing them for a bin cleaning service. Grumping to the max.

I’m in trouble… the favourite cat bed is in the wash. And the temporary replacement is not acceptable.

The spinach seedlings are looking pale and leggy. They leaned toward the window for sun and when I flipped the pot around they leaned back in the same direction. Maybe they’re not getting enough light even sitting on the sill. I did put off putting them there as well trying to allow the slower ones time to sprout.

Edit: I was going to pop them outside but it’s apparently going to be 27 degrees on Tuesday and I don’t want to forget they’re out there :/

Alright, I’ve set an alarm to bring them back inside tomorrow night. I hope they don’t get dug up or eaten

ok no seriously fuck today. Jumped up on a chair to grab some more brufen (As I take pretty high doses and also live in a house frequented by small children and occupied by insane felines I keep unopened packets with other meds in a tub on a very high shelf up above my 3D printer) grab the tub, hop back down....AND THE BACK OF THE CHAIR DECIDES TO GO RIGHT UP MY ARSE.

BULLSHIT THRESHOLD: CROSSED.

I was forced to buy a new phone because the 3G network is ending, and obviously I don't want to leave it too late to update.

Of course, having bought a new phone I was forced to buy a new cover, in order to protect said phone. Buying the case I wanted on Amazon was $25, so I was forced to buy it on Temu which has it for just over $6. Which meant I was forced to buy a whole bunch of stickers to get to the $20 minimum spend. It's been a tough day being forced to buy all these things, but there were obviously no other options. None, I tell you, None.

Breakfast, on behalf of Bacon: 🍏🍎🍐🍊🍋🍈🫐🍓🍇🍉🍌🍒🍑🥭🍍🥥🥦🥑🫛🍆🍅🥝🥬🥒🌽🥕🥐🍠🫚🥔🧅🥯🍞🥖🥨🧀🧇🥞🧈🍳🥚🥓🥩🍗🍖🫓🍕🍟🍔🌭🥙🧆🌮🌯🥗🍲🍜🍝🥘🍛🍣🍱🥟🦪🍥🍘🍚🍙🐠🍤🪼🦀🐙🥠🥮🍢🍡🍧🍰🧁🥧🍦🍨🎂🍮🍭🍬🍫🥜🌰🍪🍿🍯🥛☕️🍵🍺🍶🥤🧋🧃🥂🍷🥃🍸🍹🧉🔋

Bot is still on strike?

Oh man, 2 of my mates broke up. That sucks. they were good together. And good for each other.

Is it just me, or is it colder than it was at 5 a.m.?
I've actually lit a fire ~~and the fact that I've been itching to try the free wood I scored last week is beside the point.~~

I think I can call it a day for day 1 back at work. Feeling pretty good about it. Got caught up with people and things, set up some chats and made sure people know I'm here to help if they need me. Even squeezed in a walk and bought a kick ass ceramic Frank Green keep cup with a $25 discount code I got from a friend. 9/10 would Monday again.

You can customise the cups which is rad. I made mine Melbourne Storm themed!

These mornings are lovely. 😊

Legs are still jittery from earlier; adrenaline is a hell of a hormone 😬

Sun doesn’t want to play nice today, got almost nothing today. Guess I’m going to bunker up inside and occupy myself with some stuff

Stupid clouds! ⛅️

I was wondering if it wasn't going to happen, but the house next door is starting to be demolished.
Sight of the week was tradie guy casually walking around the roof demolishing the chimney with a mallet. Safety harness, what's that?

Went to the new Studley park boat house at the weekend. Place was packed and buzzing. They have done a really nice job with maximising to river location. Food was pretty good. If you drive there be warned you may have to park some distance away if you go during the lunch peak.

Morning full of meetings.

Afternoon full of typing and retyping emails to remove my snarky tone.

I'm about to dip out for a walk.

During the timeline of the First Punic War fought between Rome and Carthage (264 – 241 BC), the Carthaginians were known for their prowess in the naval field, partly due to their maritime experience in trading and overseas colonies that stretched beyond centuries. On the other hand, the Romans were considered relative newcomers to the Mediterranean sphere of influence.

In spite of this, it was the sheer ingenuity of the Roman army engineers that brought victory to the Romans in what might have been the largest naval battle in the history of mankind. We are talking about the Battle of Cape Ecnomus (in 256 BC) – which pitted around 350 Carthaginian ships (with more than 150,000 rowers and marines) against 330 Roman vessels (with around 140,000 rowers and soldiers); all the figures being according to the account of Polybius (in World History).

In a bid to nullify the enemy’s numerical advantage, the Roman army devised a mechanism known as corvus (meaning “crow” or “raven” in Latin) or harpago. This was a sort of boarding bridge that could be raised from a 12-ft high sturdy wooden pillar and then rotated in any required direction. The tip of this bridge had a heavy spike (the “corvus” itself) that clung onto the deck of the enemy ship, thus locking the two ships together.

The Roman soldiers crossed across this makeshift bridge and directly boarded the enemy ship. This naval tactic gave the Romans the upper hand since they were known for their expertise in close-quarter combat, as opposed to the Carthaginians who mainly relied on mercenaries. Unfortunately, the Corvus was seemingly abandoned in the post-255 BC era, perhaps because of its destructive effect even on Roman warships.

In any case, this is how 2nd century BC Greek historian, Polybius, described the boarding maneuvers initiated by the corvus –

Once the ravens were fixed in the planks of the enemy’s deck and grappled the ships together, if they were broadside on, they boarded from all directions but if they charged with the prow, they attacked by passing over the gangway of the raven itself two abreast. The leading pair protected the front by holding up their shields, and those who followed secured the two flanks by resting the rims of their shields on the top of the railing.

EDIT: photo addition

Tweaked my shoulder doing yoga this morning. This isn't how I was planning on starting my week.

Ah, nothing like honey and lemon with warm water to ease the awful sick feeling. What a wonder drink. It took 90 minutes of waiting for the cat to dislodge herself before I finally dashed to the kitchen to make it though.