Making the most of your weekends.

It's said that when you work 9-5, 5 days a week, you learn to appreciate your weekends more. Not only do I now think this is true, but I will elaborate further on said rule...

Imagine the scenario. 6 days a week, 10 hours a day, always trying to make your target selling stuff to old dears - sometimes harder than it sounds. 3 weeks later, friday holds my first pay cheque. Coincidentally, it's the last night of Rick, Dan, Sufyan, Jane and Rebecca, who have all become good pals, are off to Melbourne, probably for good. Let the appreciation commence.

Now. I would love to tell you all about our great night, the tears from some folk saying goodbye etc, but there was simply far too much appreciating going on. So much so, that I magically awoke early on Saturday night on a bench in Sutherland train station, still clutching an empty bottle of Diet Coke. I have seriously no idea where I am, and later find out from a map that I am almost as far away from Bondi as you can get. I jump on the next train to Bondi and drift off to sleep.

When I said that I was 'almost as far away from Bondi as you can get', I was lying. I wake up again on the train to find myself in Waterfall. Waterfall is approximately 38 million miles from Sutherland, in the opposite direction from Bondi. Expecting Jeremy Beadle to jump out from the nearest guard's station, I get back on the train and start heading to Bondi, struggling to stay awake.

Arriving home at 11am, I head immediately to bed, wake up after an unknown quantity of sleep and get ready to go out to the infamous Mardi Gras along Oxford Street. Needless to say I feel like the non-smooth end of a badger's arse and the 1st drink of the evening goes down like mud. A couple later, we're all nodding our heads to the utterly shamless collection of commercial pop/r'n'b/funky house the dj is belting out, and a few more gets us on the dancefloor.

As if she has vanished from thin air, we notice that Millar has vanished from normal-thickness air. 3 texts, 2 blank replies and a phonecall later, we learn Millar is safe and sound, having been found swaying on a wall outside the club by sober Phil. I arrive home quite late to find Chuck shouting down the big white telephone to Hughey. A great night had by all, especially by the tactical chunderer, who doesn't even remember dancing round the pool table, putting opponents off leaving Rich and I to clear up.

It's all about appreciation - the longer you work, the greater it is.

So what else has being going on in Sydney, well as I said, it was goodbye to all the nutters i've worked with, and out come the cameras - Rick, Dan and I with our supervisor, Nikky.



Boydy has moved in, so our flat's now full, along with the kitchen which is a flurry of activity at rougly 9 every night because we all work the weirdest hours. Cue bits of pasta stuck to the walls. Have had a couple of games of squash and tennis with Boydy, who must be completely pissed off with my lack of talent on the raquet field. Sorry Boss! Alan Partridge is a welcome visitor into 'Blotto Towers' and am practically fluent in the 1st 3 episodes - KISS MY FACE!

Also - big Rossco from back home sent me, without doubt, the best link I have got since I left Glasgow. Remember all the old cartoons you used to watch at home? All the theme tunes are here. Quite simply, genius. Nice one Peek eh!

Nothing much else to mention apart from the comedy value of some of the names Millar and I encounter working with the public so closely (yes we get bored at our respective work places). A small but delicious helping: Man Fat Au, Helmet Heuer, John Holmes, Gerald Raper and my favourite, Shaveet Pantapopolous.

All your emails are always 'appreciated'.

Take care,

Mick

M + P - Awaiting delivery - nice one!

Bod - What's the story on the car - did you eventually buy it or just go meh?

BC - Yup Yup, will mail you properly soon yup yup.

V + B - Told everyone i've met about Arran, they'll all be over for a pint of Best in 2005. Any news about stag do?

Bobby - Your car looks wicked, screw the pie, just screw the pie!

Peek - that is tremendous - fizin, in fact.

Colin - fizin.bastur FTGBTW etc.

Emma - good talking to ya on the phone doll, hope things are good up in cairns!

Richie, Glen & Kristy - Happy birthdays, quality email chat from the fact master, keep em coming!

Rick, Dan, Jane, Suf and Becks - Hows it all going down in Melb? How was the grand prix?

GHA Lads - Nice one to the 2's on promotion! Mon the 1's!

Kimmy G - a quality email!

Caz - I bet you 40 quid you felt the babies bum.

Chazza - thank you for the drunken call, sorry I couldn't talk!

Steve - Jesus Christ, go to bed you fool.

Loy - Your project doesn't parse .PHP extensions? Or just my mistake?

Faisal - Derimah.

Andy - Derimah cuti.

Scotland Rugby Team - Italy should be banned from playing, they're all far too greasy to tackle.