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It was a big day today as I took Will to his first ever big screen movie. We went to see a special charity screening of Wall-E, the new Pixar movie. And before you take the title above the wrong way, the movie was great. Warm, funny, clever and original, it was brilliant in the way everything Pixar does is, but different to anything Pixar has done before.

But the title above refers to Will — he loved the movie, yet of course it was fairly long, and a 4-year-old couldn’t quite keep still for that whole time. And must have been awe inspiring for him, and it must have tired him out, because we certainly didn’t get anything else done out today. One trip to Target today, he freaks about the usual thing (the Pixar shorts DVD we have no reason to buy because we have all the shorts already, and he’s in psycho child mode. So badly did he freak out that I had to drag him out and head home, skipping buying an Eve figure in the process. I mean, I’ll get that another time, but it did cut things slightly short.

But I don’t mind… he did well at his first ever movie outing. Thought he might get freaked by the darkness, or the noise, or something else when we were in row 3 and with a 40-foot high screen, but he was great. He was so into the movie, as I thought he would be, and I can really see this being the first of many movies we see together.

Of course we took different things out of Wall-E, and were no doubt watching it in completely different ways, but we both loved the movie honestly, as I have with all the Pixar movies. I say a lot that it’s so good that I can love something my son does in a completely honest way… and so soon too.

But Pixar is like that. Not many movies appeal as openly to a 4-year-old as they do to a 33-year-old, but that’s Wall-E and Pixar for you

Took a little road trip today with the family… an easy one up the northern freeway to Maitland in the lower Hunter. Thinking of moving there.

It’s a long story, but as I mentioned recently we have to be out of our current house by the end of September, and we’ve wanted to get out of Sydney for a while. There’s business chances that we can set ourselves up with, and Maitland is looking appealing.

And it seems like a pretty good place. Maitland central, and Lorn acrossn the river especially. Lorn is a place I could happily live… though it’s not as cheap as the other areas there. It’s not exactly Sydney prices either, or just moderate Sydney prices, but they’re very nice places.

We drove around a lot, had some nice lunch, checked out some shops (and bought toys and books, naturally), and checked out a few more areas of the region. It appears that housing is probably nearly as hard to obtain as it is in Sydney… should have seen that coming I guess.

A nice trip for the day. We have to move in a month, so we’ll have to decide something soon.

Tomorrow: Wall-E day!

Long day at work today again, but at least part of that was fun. Got plenty done, dealt with more of the same rubbish that is driving me nuts, but at least we had a two hour lunch and some good food

Hung out with the brother and watches Wests lose again. Badly. Well, at least there’s only one game left in the season now, and they’re not going anywhere else.

Taking a little trip tomorrow … off to see the sights of where we might move to in a month.

Well enough for work today, but apparently not enough to stop me from coughing all day anyway. Achieved a surprising amount while there, though also mulling business plans and researching the like at the same time.

Major coughing fits on the way home, but ok when I got there. Alex seems to be getting sick again, wich somehow seems familiar. Though he probably got it from me.

Summer can’t come soon enough!

Have been been watching the Democratic Convention coverage in the US this week — waiting to get my Daily Show coverage though — and it’s been largely as expected. Mostly stage managed, but with some interesting and emotional moments.

It’s obvious to me that if I was American I’d vote Democratic, but I follow this stuff even though I can’t vote there — anyone smart knows this election will affect the world for years to come (imagine things if Al Gore had been US President for the last eight years).

But I think that I’ve seen the truly most astoundingly stupid people ever. These people who are apparently so disgruntled with Hillary Clinton losing the primary that they’re now going to vote for John McCain. And they’re not afraid to tell everyone.

These are some of the most stupid people I have ever seen.

Sure, they’re candidate lost. But what are they involved in politics for? For the cult of personality? Really? Surely they’re in it for the issues like everyone else, and their issues are Hillary Clinton’s issues.

So now they’re going to vote against everything they’re candidate holds dear? Just because they’re a bit pissed off? Even now, after she’s openly told them to vote for Barack Obama?

Are these people out of their minds? Do they care about any Democrat issues at all? Or are they really quite happy to vote against abortion rights, better health coverage, in favour of more wars, insane foreign policy and generally more Bush-world rubbish? Somehow taking revenge because enough people didn’t vote for Hillary before is worth all this?

Well, apparently it is. I mean, the only valid protest vote for these people is not to vote at all. They’re Americans, they can do that. If they’re that upset that Hillary won’t be on the ballot, they shouldn’t bother voting for anyone. To turn around and vote for the other guy is ridiculous and unconscienable, and Hillary will be ashamed of them more than anyone else.

And the other astonishing stupid people are of course most of the media. They invent stories by overplaying aspects to fit whatever narrative they want to use. The above nutters — do they really represent that bigger number of people? The media insists they do, though polls don’t really. Polls suggest enough unity among Democrats, and there’s plenty of Republican strife (wingnuts who’ve never liked McCain). But the media doesn’t care about Republican turmoil because they’ve put the Clinton/Obama story as their top narrative. And reality won’t change that.

Business moves are coming along quite nicely, which ties into moving house because we have to, which ties into changing everything. And THAT is good.

On the lighter side, I’ve finally been able to hear what Warren Ellis sounds like — an audio interview with him here about his novel “Crooked Little Vein”. Quite English of course, but a far milder accent than I expected, for some reason.

And it appears that a bunch of people have been arrested for plotting to kill Barack Obama. While they were clearly nutters, it still seems like a real threat, even if only because in the USA, nutters can still find themselves high powered rifles and ammo. Got to love that country. And doubt this will be the last plot, no matter how much the FBI and co want to downplay it.

That’s it… sleep required, seem to be getting sick again.

It’s late and I’m putting together an email to send out to some Computer Troubleshooters people. Who are they, you may ask? I don’t recall if I’ve talked about my potential ventures here before, but it does seem like I finally should.

That said, it’s really late and I’ve got more work to do…

The Olympics finished tonight… watched a little of the closing ceremony but missed some other parts. Watched Dexter instead, which of course I could have watched at any time via several methods, but it still seemed like the best choice anyway!
Had lunch for Dad’s birthday today. Always a nice occasion down at West Ryde pub, feeling like a regular even though we don’t go there often enough (the parents do though!) The staff know Will and Alex now too, and Will especially is just such a good little guy.

When he comes out with things like “Thank you for lunch and happy birthday” more or less unprompted, you just know know something is right with the world.

And finally showed Mum some of the CT business detailers this afternoon. Felt ok. Seemed to be receptive and agreeing to help with knowledge and research. I like that.

Spend many hours at work today on a Saturday. Not going to dwell on it, but it was surprisingly easy to spend four hours at work this afternoon. Seemed like the best option, considering the way things went before then.

Enjoyed taking Alex to an assessment thing far more, and having lunch at Westfield and such things, but it all balanced out I guess.

And then we watched the Olympics until falling asleep… kind of how it is right now More fun tomorrow, certainly!

Yes, I’m listening to The Hold Steady quite a lot recently (hence the title). And there’s a lot of really depressing crap I could write about here, I really couldn’t be bothered to smother it all over my blog as well.

I think I have to make a change again. The last change was definitely the wrong one, and it put me in the position I am now (a bad one), but hopefully I can make the new change a better one.

Of course, the big thing is hopefully. I should be able to be more certain than that, because after this happens a few times I end up wondering just how much I can even trust my own judgement on these things…

…and stop right there, not positive enough for this thought pattern.

I really need advice from somewhere, and I really need to discuss these things with someone who isn’t that close to me, but is sympathetic and knowledgable. Hmmm…