Spyke
aussie.zone

I took his blankets away to wash and now he's not happy

I really need to vacuum his bed and his spot but I don't think he's going let me.

17

He's like a toddler when you take something away from them they jump up to grab it back. Hahaha.

5
aussie.zone

oh man that relief when your ear finally pops after being blocked for like 12 hours. Even swallowing was starting to hurt!

14
aussie.zone

I have noticed you've set up Aussie frugal living and I'm going to contribute as much as I can. If you could direct people to Food Australia I think we can make a great partnership. (Yes that was a cricket reference)

6
TinyBreakreply
aussie.zone

I did yeah, I keep forgetting about it because I dont get notifications for it. Happy to add you as a mod too.

4
aussie.zone

You have to go to a message from CEO in the group you want to appoint them to, then you click on the little symbol with 3 dots on the last message it should give you appoint as mod as on option.

3
aussie.zone

If I wanted to use a link to Food Australia do I use a ! In front of Food Australia and it will direct people there?

2

I think I've always just used the full address, like https://aussie.zone/c/foodaustralia

You could do it as a link as Food Australia if you want it to look neater - type the words you want to show, hit the little link symbol above the comments and paste the link into the brackets (where the cursor should be already). Or you can copy the link I just did - you can see the coding used in other people's posts by hitting the little symbol that looks like a page of notes.

3
aussie.zone

Ted Cat pics. I'm trying to get him into a routine so I bring him downstairs everyday at around 3. He really loves the sun.

::: spoiler spoiler :::

::: spoiler spoiler :::

13
aussie.zone


I'm jealous of these magic swing things. We didn't have them as kids.

I don't think I'd trade the super fast metal slides and turntable dizzy thingy that actually go fast though.

13
TinyBreakreply
aussie.zone

those things are proper bonkers! Looking forward to the kid being old enough to give it a go.

5

I used to ride on the swings with them when they were babies. By the time the younger one was 18 months, they were riding without me:

1

Finally got the inspiration to start writing music again. Fuck it's been a rough couple of weeks. Worst feeling when you sit down in the studio and the only stuff that comes out is derivative bullshit.

In other news, Gibson loves the new spinning butterfly toy I bought her. I went on a spending spree at a pet shop so we are all stocked for enrichment stuff. Now I just need one of those kitty hammocks that sticks to the window.

12
zikreply
aussie.zone

Here's a random tip I heard about music inspiration: if you're in a rut do something completely differently from how you normally do it. Do something the opposite way from how you usually do it or start using a different approach from usual. Maybe give yourself an arbitrary restriction like "no thirds, use more sixths instead" or pick something you normally do and do the reverse. If you normally start writing songs with chord progressions try starting with a melody instead. Or start with a rhythm instead. Just do something different so you're forced to have a fresh take on composition. Hopefully that'll help you see things in a fresh light.

5
aussie.zone

My house is visitor clean. Some place are really clean now! So welcome! Just don't open that door. Or that door. And don't check that cupboard.

11
aussie.zone

- camping, hiking, and an early morning run. Still going too. My legs are sore.

11

Taking the kids to the Royal Show tomorrow. I might post results of that. I suspect I'll be keeping you company.

3

Missing the kid today. Hes having a blast at daycare I know. But I'm looking forward to him coming home.

10
aussie.zone

Why is it every single time I send an email or message to my loved ones or friends I am terrified up to the moment I press send, after I press send I'm resigned to the impending disaster. ie, rejection of my message or me. Opening replies is just as terrifying.

And yet there is never a disaster and reading back my messages they are never so fraught or needy or rude as I think they are. My messages are usually kind and sensitive and tactful .

Stupid inner voice from my ex family telling me I am really bad at social interactions, so bad I'm an outcast. Why did I believe it for so long?

10
Taleyareply
aussie.zone

Stupid ex family kicks them in the shins Be nice to yourself. You have decades of lies to unlearn, and some of them got their hooks in you at a very early age.

You are awesome and they are arseholes.

7
Seagoon_reply
aussie.zone

thank you 😭

truly, I am the luckiest person in the world to have such wonderful people in my life, not a one has ever said or done anything to warrant my feelings. All the feedback I've ever gotten from others has been so positive.

I just don't understand why my ex family would tell me such awful lies that hurt my life and soul .

7
Taleyareply
aussie.zone

The most horrid thing is you'll never get an answer that will give you closure.

You just won't.

Voice of experience here, the best you will get is understanding that there is just something...broken or missing in them, that is not in you. You'll learn concepts like emotional immaturity or generational trauma or maladaptive habits or projection or a whole bunch of other ones but they're just puzzle pieces you constantly juggle around, there's no one piece you can one day point to and go AHA! THAT WAS IT!

Because it's not you. It was never you. It's them. And you can't process another person's psyche.

5
aussie.zone

Next door's knockdown aka house removal is proceeding apace - guys were there early and got stuck right in.
So far there's already been one "whoa! crash" and one clanging noise "Nice work Andy, you fucking broke it!"
Get your bets down as to whether the house makes it out the gate in one piece, or at least the pieces it's supposed to be in.

10

Apparently so! It was built in the twenties or thereabouts so the plan is to cart it away elsewhere and build another house or houses on the block.
Hopefully I'll be out before that really gets underway...

8

Me climbing into bed at 8:15pm is the final signal that my mini-break is well and truly over. Now I'll not have another break until my big Christmas one, which has me in a terrible mood.

What also has me in a mood is the cat is going through a phase of thinking he owns the centre of the bed.

9
aussie.zone

Ted Cat report. He enjoys zooming up and down the stairs.

He no longer frets too much . He does like company. He and Bill still aren't best buddies. I'm still a little nervous around him, he has scratched me once already and given a nip.

Will try to get some pics of him later when he comes down for his afternoon play and sit in the sun. 😊

9

try and squish the nervous, he's gonna pick up on it and decide he should be nervous too, and if the only things about are the two of you, he's certainly not going to decide he's the one to be nervous and get bitey about /catlogic.

3
aussie.zone

I can be a bit of a space nerd at times, so quite excited to read about the successful return to Earth of a sample taken from an asteroid that's whizzing around the sun. The mission set off over 7 years ago sent a robotic probe to map the asteroid, collect samples and came back to Earth drop to them off by parachute in a capsule. The probe then turned around and is now heading towards a different asteroid. Cool.

9
Baconreply
aussie.zone

first Bennu, then Apophis. Both have a tiny chance of hitting us. The latter will get closer to Earth than geostationary satellites in April 2029.

5
Baconreply
aussie.zone

It’s fine. We now know how to punch an asteroid. Bennu will get close in 2182 which is why NASA is collecting samples to see what it is made of in case we have to punch it. Osiris-Rex (the satellite this time) will join Apophis’s orbit after it approaches Earth in 2029 to observe how its orbit changes after flying so close to us.

6
Baconreply
aussie.zone

https://spaceweather.com/ scroll to the bottom and you'll see a list of close encounters. I don't worry much about the large ones we know about and can track, but ones we don't manage to find yet.

4
aussie.zone

Such a relief not having to worry about last minute surprises with the wedding stuff any more.

All that's left to do is look after bboi butters for a few days and that's that.

Also the DJ (who was also the celebrant) last night decided to drop darude sandstorm. Went down well for some people, not so great for others.

Also dropped a few 2step / uk garage choons which I'm keen on so I could flex my d-flaw(ed) moves

9
aussie.zone

Commence the bboi thirst trap posts. Well okay the equivalent for people who squee over handsome cats

9

Cool change of RELIEF, there is some positive headway at work after I pushed back (I think - at least it's less aggressive/antagonistic than before)

And I am proud of myself for very slowly getting through several roadblocks in upgrading my hopelessly outdated ROM after 7 years, which has had half arsed root and all kinds of other mods chucked in over the years. So far I have:

  • Backed up all photos
  • Backed up all apps and data with Titanium Backup
  • Figured out how to get that backup onto my PC (no SD card slot in phone)
  • Flashed a new version of TWRP - bad idea. Panicked as phone would drain completely flat if it tried to reboot into recovery
  • Panicked further as fastboot wasn't working
  • Had a cuppa and deep breaths and figured out how to update the drivers (after some force close voodoo). Got fastboot to work, yay.
  • Excavated the internet, found a 2017 dated release of TWRP and flashed that. Worked, thank fuck.
  • Turned the house upside down looking for an USB OTG drive that I swore I had, to do a nandroid backup. Finally found an adapter
  • Now trying to troubleshoot why TWRP can't detect the USB. Doing a full format of the drive
  • Found out I had FIVE previous nandroid backups on my phone's internal storage from 2017 wtaf, deleted those and have enough space on internal. Nandroid backup DONE.

...now to do a full wipe + factory reset, flash the latest stock ROM, hope to fuck that works then try Lineage 20... and if all that works and I can restore my apps and data I'm home free! 😅

8

Went into the office at 10:30am for a 11:15am coffee catchup with a colleague. Was on a tram heading home by 12. Went for a little ride on a rental scooter because the sun is out and now I'm home. Hybrid working is alright.

8

Ah work let me wfh today, despite this being just my 2nd week. Least I can still earn some cash while my stomach and bowels gurgle and gumble lol

8
aussie.zone

Ted Cat zoomed up the stairs when I called him. 😊💗

another Ted pic.

::: spoiler spoiler :::

8

Reflux is keeping me awake tonight. Medication is barely taking the edges off it. I can feel that it’s getting better than it was but it’s a long road. I got diagnosed with a hernia after a recent gastroscopy, and the doctor said I need to do heaps of cardio exercise to strengthen my diaphragm. I’ve really upped my exercise but I can’t see big improvements and it makes me really anxious when I can’t sleep.

8
aussie.zone

My pup is at the vet today getting neutered… going to be a fun few days keeping him quiet. Pool noodle collar will be used instead of a cone.

7
TinyBreakreply
aussie.zone

Every dogs different. I remember one of ours acted like champ leaving the vet, but got home and collapsed and wouldn't move. had to call the vet and they went "Haha, yeah, some do that". Seriously, he wouldn't even eat his dinner. Had to be hand fed vegemite toast.

7

Today shall be a day of food and gardening. Unfortunately back to work tomorrow, so I need to organise meals for that. Gardening will be planting and digging, plus the next Science of Gardening subject starts today so I will probably make a start on that too.

I have my fingers crossed that the case for the new phone arrives today. I'd like to start using it, but it is very slippery and I feel like I'm constantly on the verge of dropping it.

7
aussie.zone

Temu item disapointment today, I received my plant propagation kits and the clear plastic dome on top is not the higher version promised, it is exactly the same as the other ones I have. While I was out I figured I'd pop in to NQR, which was also a bit disappointing. I did grab some toothpaste and some frozen pies but that was it. Happily though my seed order was delivered while I was out, so not everything today is a disappointment.

7
Taleyareply
aussie.zone

check these babies out if you're so inclined. We use them for the chillis and cloning as we can control the environs longer on plant growth. Also has a handy wicking tray and the tops are all hard plastic.

I have a bunch of the aldi / fothergills ones, but I do have some tiiiiny ones that cover about a punnet with a hard clear top, can try and dig up where I got them if you like.

2
aussie.zone

My Dad had one of those at one stage - they are pretty good, but I am mostly doing less advanced seedlings, and don't do cuttings. I am using the ones that cover a 12 space punnet, and am pretty happy with them, but they are a touch short for some of the big plants like pumpkin which are hitting the tops as soon as they have sprouted. The tops don't stay on long once they are sprouted so it's not a major issue, but having a few taller ones would be good - I've reordered from Amazon, so they should be here in a couple of days.

I quite like the divided punnets - I've been cutting them up as I often only want a couple of each type of plant, and I can make mixed punnets and move the varieties that sprout first without disturbing the others. I can also fit 6 of the paper pots I make in a punnet, so bigger plants and ones that don't like being transplanted go in those.

2

yup, that's why we use the ones I linked for chillis. They stand substantially taller, and the top allows for a good growth height.

2
aussie.zone

Sun outside is hot already. I didn’t expect by it to be 20c by 10:30am, it was getting a little bit toasty out there in the sun so I bailed.

Time for brunch!

7

It's quite warm out there indeed, and the weekend is getting very close to 30C! I think I need to find someone to water my plants when I'll be away ....

5

Well, we definitely had a shower of rain this morning while I was planting my seeds.

5

After not handing in my first two assignments for the two subjects I'm currently studying, I then didn't hand in the next two assignments...so I wasn't going to pass anyway. Once I have my adhd diagnosis I'm going to get a letter from my psychiatrist stating that I've had severely reduced capacity due to adhd and work stress and that led me to being unable to do my assignments. It's really hard to explain the feeling of it all, but I'm just going allow myself to rest and reduce the pressure on myself.

7
aussie.zone

In the scary part of everything. Phone is completely empty except for the last version of TWRP I could get to work (serves me right for having it on Android 7 for way too long).

Can't flash last version of stock ROM (Android 10). Tried the Android 9 version, still no dice. Let us try Android 8. Ooooh, it's doing something!!

edit 1: Alright, managed to seemingly successfully flash stock Android 8 zip, but it was stuck on the loading screen forever, tried again in twrp a few times and then realised for some reason the system partition wasn't mounted. Now it is, and the loading screen does its thing... Let's see if this works :/

edit 2: HOUSTON WE HAVE LIFTOFF. I tried flashing stock Android 7 and FINALLY that worked!!! I have somewhere to start from! Now to incrementally try and get to stock Android 10.......

edit 3: After a lot of going around in circles, I've made the monumental upgrade from Android 7 to 8! A WHOLE NEW VERSION!! I must remember to always reboot into recovery first and wipe everything before booting into the system... now to try and get to the last version of 8, then attempt going up to 9.

edit 4: needed to do a painful slow version by version upgrade to get to the last version of 8 (some big changes in between I guess). Now to try and get to 9. Watching Good Omens s2 while I wait for things to flash. Naked Jon Hamm is always a selling point

7
aussie.zone

I miss fucking with my phone, but google wallet won't work with android forks sadly. Really sucks. Samsing bloatware annoys the crap out of me.

5
aussie.zone

I've managed to get Google Wallet to work on my dusty ancient custom ROM surprisingly (and it was rooted too). I'm hoping I can get it to work with Lineage OS when I finally chuck it on. But let me try and get stock updated to something released this decade 😂. I haven't considered a new phone and especially not a Samsung because bloatware shits me as well. And ads, I've had no ads system wide on my smartphone since 2012 and hope to keep it that way...

5
aussie.zone

So you've been able to avoid ada using a custom rom? If so please guide me in your mysterious ways lol

2
aussie.zone

If you mean ads - it was less a custom ROM and more the fact that it was rooted and I used AdAway.

However I've stuck to AdAway out of familiarity, there are numerous other options out there that don't need root, DNS66, AdAway and Blokada 5 appear to allow rootless system wide ad blocking using a local VPN although I don't know how that works in terms of battery life.

2

I'm glad you like them 🙂 I'm sorry to be a pain, but is there a way to get them right side up using this site on a mobile browser?

2

you know when you start watching something, and you know it's shit, but you have to keep going even though there's more than one season??

that's happening to me

6
Duenanreply
aussie.zone

Oh bugger really? I enjoyed reading them when they got released but I dropped off from the books after book 9 or 10 I think.

Such a shame the tv series isn’t great.

What about the LOTR series?

3

Rings of Power?

Amazon has some weird kind of obsession with making series revolve around "who is it?" They think we want the suspense. Just tell us the godamn story.

And the quality over all was so uneven, some was so good, other parts were cringe. The good just couldn't sustain it.

4
aussie.zone

I dont know if having loved the books would make the show better, or worse. I never read them, but one of the major problems of the show is that it is so very, very obvious that it comes from a book.

4
Duenanreply
aussie.zone

Probably wouldn’t matter for me since I read them about 15-20 years ago so I’ve forgotten it all for the most part.

Just out of curiosity what makes it obvious to you that it came from a book?

2

The pacing and character building are all wrong for something written for the screen: it's like the writers are more concerned with ticking off the things that happen in the book, rather than allowing things to develop.

There's too much "telling" of the world, rather than building, and it's also like they've dropped you into the middle of these fully formed relationships between characters and expect you to empathise/understand.

So, perhaps if you know the world, characters and story it would be nice to see with some colour and movement.

5
aussie.zone

So teaching another freelancer my job has hired. And she's continuously late to all of our meetings. And like I get it, I have ADHD. I understand being late. But I also let people know if I'll be late, because of the anxiety but also it's common decency. And it's just frustrating, because she also never sends a message that she'll be late.

Again, totally understand that shit happens, and I've told her about it. But this is the third time, she was 30 minutes late to the video chat and I was also training the other person that I've been looking after.

I just don't know if I'm putting expectations on her and getting frustrated because of my ADHD. Or if it's just... Iunno.

6
aussie.zone

I think this freelancer is being really disrespectful of your time and it's incredibly unprofessional. I reckon you need to lay down some hard boundaries. If you don't she will just keep doing it.

6

Yeah, I definitely will just send another message. The other freelancer I'm looking after is great, I mean she's been a bit slow to become independent, but she's been on time, reachable (not saying I'm contacting her hours before work but a good 5-10 mins), like super nice. This other one is nice and is understanding what I'm training her in. But yeah like 10 - 30 minutes late without letting me/my boss know. It's just... come on.

1

Ugh, I can never be late, I always am at least 30 minutes early if I can help it. If I'm late I turn into an anxious mess. I dont think you're putting high expectations on them, pretty standard etiquette to msg if you know you'll be late (if you're able to of course).

But having a conversation with her may be a good idea; she may have shit going on at home that could be the cause of her tardiness. But an open conversation with meaningful communication would be a way to find out and offer supports (EAP as an example).

5

Yeah I will like always message my boss to let him know I'll be late even if I'm like 30 seconds late, I'm just like "nope!".

Yeah I might let her know again. Because I just, I don't want my time wasted when I could be doing something else. My boss will move training her to like in two weeks since Friday is Grand Final and then next weekend I'll be enforcing at PAX.

3
aussie.zone

30 minutes late is a big deal I think, without forewarning. I'd be having a quiet chat about expectations. I have ADHD as well and honestly, it's not an excuse to have terrible time management skills. Could be a sign of things to come.

2

Yeah that's what I'm worried about. Like it's been pretty consistent too. Though I'm sure those of us with ADHD understand that being late isn't okay and if something happens to contact whoever it is we're meeting. But yeah.

2
aussie.zone

Hey @[email protected] when you get time today can you please put a tiny jar of Vegemite next to Food Australia so we stand out a bit in the list of communities. Thank you. I'm starting to recruit now.

6
Nathreply
aussie.zone

I can do that. I'm out and about with the kids at the moment but will do that later. You thinking a picture of the whole jar? Or a closer view with the label readable?

5
Nathreply
aussie.zone

Ok the food one is done. I even made an original Banner!

I made a $5 note for the Frugal icon, but fun discovery just now: I don't seem to be able to apply it. I'm not a moderator of that community. It's weird - I can blow the whole Community away, recreate it with myself in charge, remove any post/comment, ban or block any user from it. I just can't touch anything in the sidebar.

2
aussie.zone

The banner looks great. I got my intern aka teenager to insert the Vegemite icon. Thanks for making it look better. I'm not a mod on frugal yet so we'll have to leave it as is. Thanks again

1
Nathreply
aussie.zone

Ironically, I can make you a mod. I just couldn't make myself one.

2

Once again fallen into the early 2000s music rabbit hole

I JUST WANNA FEEEL

5

Exercises completed after I fed Minipeelers their customary Monday night dinner of spaghetti (or whatever we made at work today) bolognaise. I wasn't hungry so I heated up a container of mystery soup I found in the freezer. It turned out to be roasted broccoli and potato, which wasn't bad considering I'd forgotten to remove the bay leaves before I blended it 🤭. Also changed everyone's sheets and did a couple of loads of washing. Nothing like fresh clean sheets! Only problem is, we all need new mattresses, new doonas & pillows. I just can't afford it right now 😔

5

Kind of want a frank green bottle but also can't justify paying that much money for one. They're just pretty, but I don't drink a lot of water and I don't think it would motivate me to drink more. So basically what you've witnessed is me talking myself out of it.

4

Would be nice if my internet worked... Apparently NBN is having issues and Southern Phone also has issues or something?

3
aussie.zone

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

3
Baconreply
aussie.zone

🥘🥔 blended beef stew with mashed potato for the toothless

3
aussie.zone

A friend was telling me about this show and just... what the actual fuck.

3

I know right, like... I'm pretty open and honest with my mum, but I would NEVER do this show.

3