For those out of the loop, you may have seen me mention earlier that organising our honeymoon has been somewhat less-than-stellar. Well I can reveal all now... Click here to read the article that appeared in todays Shepparton News.

It doesn't stop there. Our wedding photographer rang to tell me that he wanted to use my wedding photos in an upcoming Sunday Herald Sun for the weddings section. Weeee!

Just when you think things couldnt get any cooler, I just got off the phone with Today Tonight. They were planning on doing a story about Crownstar International (click the link... you know you want to...), having heard of a number of people who have been diddled by them. However, the other people they were going to interview went off on their honeymoon. So it looks like they want to interview us now. It's now a matter if they can fit an interview with our suddenly hectic schedule.

I feel a bit weird right now. I'm pissed at having lost a metric ASSLOAD of dollars to a pack of scheming bastards, but I'm also excited about the wedding, humbled by the publicity, flustered at all the stress, tired by lack of sleep and whatever emotions you've got lying around... I'll have them too...

With just 2 days to go, heres a few points FYI:

• Yes, I am excited...
• No, I'm not freakin' out...
• Ha ha ha... ball and chain, very humourous...
• Yes, the honeymoon is all sorted out (after MUCH personal expense later)...
• We're leaving on Dec 4, come back Jan 1...

Yep. In just 6 short days I will have had the ball and chain surgically attached to my ankle, and will have the pleasure of saying "... and this is my wife, Gracie".

I had my bucks night last night (or stag night, depending on your current locale). We started off at 6:30pm at the Vic Hotel bistro for some good old Schnitzel-Mania™! I ordered the Parmigiana Bolognaise which was quite delicious. I was a bit worried, 'cause lately I havent been feeling a lot like drinking, but last night... man, did I drink.

After tea we went next door to Flannigans and enjoyed a few more ales, before heading up to the Aussie where we consumed a few beers. Then we headed down the road to the local strip bar, Club Rawhide, but the line there was long, for you see, it was the night of the Spring Car Nationals, one of Shepparton's busiest and yobbo-iest nights of the year. So we headed on over to the Yahoo Bar where, you guessed it, we drank some frosty beverages. We decided to try our luck at Rawhide again and after a short wait we were allowed up. Entry was $11, but I didnt have to pay. My mates were paying my way and buying me drinks all night. Thanks guys!

This was the first time at Rawhide, and once upstairs I could see why. There was a lot of shady looking blokes getting lap dances, a lot of hoons, and us. I acted cool as we saw the boosies that were on display. The guys kept asking me which one I wanted, and I was like "Shit, man, I dunno...". Finally, I looked over to Braden and nodded. We both knew which one I wanted... the only one with any boosies. So after grabbing a beer, I was sat down into a chair at this table with a pole on it. The table had a black outer perimeter, which I assumed was where I had to keep my hands behind. Malty payed the nice lady who then proceeded to writhe and wriggle and do what she does. I enjoyed myself and had a good time; a bit of fun. It didn't particularly turn me on or anything, and I probably wouldn't do it again, but hey, it wouldn't have been a bucks night without the manditory boosie action.

After Rawhide we swung by Flannigans again to say hi to zenny. She once said to me that it was odd that while she was much closer to me than she is to Gracie, she was invited to Gracie's bridal shower, but she couldn't come to my bucks night. I agreed, so I thought we should at least say g'day for a few minutes. I had a beer or two and headed off again.

After that we headed up to the Sherbourne, where we saw about 30 police walking up the street. Something big must have been going down. The line out the front was way long so we decided to head to the other nightclub, Time. Now, Time's a good place: the layout is good, the light show and the audio setup is sensational, but really, they gotta learn to play some decent music instead of the techno trance shit they insist on playing. Even Brian, who's into that sort of music, wasn't impressed. We stayed for a few more beers before deciding to call it a night at around 3:15am. I walked back home with Dred and ended up hitting the hay at 3:30am.

This morning, I woke up at about 11am. I didn't feel sick and I didn't have a headache, but man, the room sure was spinning. After taking an AGB, I went back to sleep only to wake up again at 12 noon. I watched the last half of The Fast and The Furious, then went back to sleep again. I finally got up propper at about 3pm, and I felt great.

I had my first Gamecube experience yesterday. A friend of mine received his import Gamecube (or GCN to his mates) yesterday with Super Monkey Ball, and all I can say right now is "IWANTONE IWANTONE IWANTONE IWANTONE IWANTONE IWANTONE!".

Not for Super Monkey Ball though...

Although it is a way-fun, drug-f*cked, Japanese, revved-up version of Marble Madness, and I'll probably get it anyway, but the GCN just oozes fun! It's tiny. The discs are positively miniscule. The controllers... oh the controlers...

Probably one of the best things about the console is that the controlers simply melt into your hand. All buttons are easily accessible and the L + R analogue triggers feel the best of any I've used. The whole deal has this ... "squish" thang going on. It's very hard to put into words. And the rumble of the pad is also pretty spot on, giving the perfect level of feedback.

Anyhoo, they'll be released in Australia next year so I'll probably get one then after I get rid of my N64.

Methinks there may be some people not entirely happy with their current broadband provider.

Well, it's done.

My unit has been sold and I've now moved into my new home. Stuff is in boxes everywhere, but I did manage to get the most important room done nicely. My lounge is all rigged up quite nicely with the surround stereo, the PC (with DVD and remote), the telly and VCR and all my consoles. We celebrated the move on Saturday night curled around my new Shrek DVD. :) We'll be moving things from their boxes to their new places little by little through the week.

On Friday night, Braden, Scotty and my bad self went on down to the Yahoo Bar to catch Bodyjar. They well and truly rocked the place. My neck and shoulders are still a bit sore from the thrashing. I managed to pilfer a set-list which was taped to the stage after the show. I'll scan it in later and put it here.

My bucks night is this Saturday. I'm looking forward to it. A lot of people can't make it unfortunately, but at least the party won't be so big that I don't get to spent quality time with the mates. We're starting off at Flannigans, but after that I don't quite know what's happening. I'll just go with the flow I guess.

Other than that, weddingy plans are tying themselves up (well, more accurately, we've been tying them up, and Gracie's been swearing at them). Also, while I'm really looking forward to the honeymoon, the organising of it is going far from smoothly.

I'll fill you in more on everything later as it eventuates.

Just get me a damn mellon-baller so I can gouge out my eye-balls and an industrial bottle brush for each nostril!

Hay fever sucks!

As much as I am ashamed to admit it..