Its catch up time...

OK, God... have I got a lot of catching up to do... I won't do it all in one post, since it will bored you all to tears.

So I have moved out of Hell's Corner now, well, 10 days ago. And guess what... furniture arrives today. Ya... Here's the story...

I booked CITYMOVE removal's. I did an online quote, and based on the fact that my storage unit is 20 cubic metres, but i was only using about 3/4 floor space and very little of the height, I guestimated 10 cubic metres. So the quote said $800. Bargain.
Site also said, backloads take 1-7 days to deliver. No problem. We were moving on the Saturday, and pick up was Friday. Since it is Sydney to Melbourne, should only be a few days, right? Wrong.

So rang up to arrange pick up - the guy says, $100 for living in apartment. OK, thats fine. Then he says Insurance is extra - $200 for up to $15,000. OK - now total is on $1,100...

I asked him about the time it takes, and he says - 'if you want me to tell you what day it will arrive, that will be another $350. Otherwise, we will let you know the day before...' Now, normally I LOVE surprises... just not on this occasion... but since I didn't want my costs to blow out anymore than they already had, I let that one go... I can organise the time off work when it does arrive...
So I ask about the general time, since it was Sydney to Melbourne... obviously a pretty common transport route... 'Yeah, less time than most other deliveries, so probably just a few days'.

No problem. That means move in my few boxes I moved to Melbourne with, and a few nights sleeping on the floor... not too hard to deal with.

So Friday they go to my storage place and collect my stuff. Pauly meets them there to be the removalist overseer... They tell him at the end of it all, that they agree, its about 10m3. Excellent.

So Monday comes... nothing. Tuesday comes... nothing... Thursday... nothing. So I call them.

'Oh, you need to give us $350 more. Your stuff came to 12.5m3' WHAT THE FUCK???

So I proceeded to have an all out argument with them on the phone. The guy was as arrogant and snide as they come. 'So basically you are telling me that you are not going to deliver my stuff until I pay you more money, right? You are holding my things while you extort more money out of your customer.... Is that how you guys do business?'

'UMMM, YEAH I GUESS SO'

WHAT THE FUCK?? I was so angry I was actually yelling through the phone at him. I was FURIOUS. Most people can vouch for me... I rarely raise my voice unless I am seriously drunk and getting over excited... but everyone in my department could hear me and I was inside a quite room...

So basically, even though when they picked up they confirmed the space, 10m3, they decided it wasn't enough and I had to pay more.

Worst part was, they left it a whole week to tell me this... AND my stuff was still sitting in Sydney!!! The explanation for the delay? 'Oh, the guy who does that stuff wasn't in for a few days...'

I can't begin to explain how angry I was... It was something out of a Today Tonight segment...

So I had no choice, pay the extra money, or I don't get my stuff. So I paid it. The guy says that it will be loaded on Sunday (9 days after being picked up) - and will be in Melbourne on Tuesday. I organise with work to get Tuesday & Wednesday off work.
Monday night comes, no phone call confirming delivery time... so I ring them.

'Oh, there is a two day delay with the deliveries from Sydney to Melbourne... So your things won't arrive until Thursday.'

I think it finally sent me over the edge... the3 veins were popping out of my temples, and I just couldn't talk anymore... I just hung up the phone silently... walked in a daze around the apartment... It was all very surreal... I was so calm and quiet that I (and Dom) thought I had finally snapped...

So went back to work on Tuesday. Get a phone call from them at lunch time. 'You are scheduled for tomorrow - between 1 & 5.'

And you wanna know what had me in hysterics yesterday? They actually sent me this email :

Citymove Service Survey
As a follow up service to your recent relocation with Citymove, we would like to offer you the opportunity to express your opinion on the general service you received.
In the best interests of our clients we are always improving our service to offer a budget price at a quality level. Your referrals are the only way to keep advertising costs down and allow for such good value. Your feedback keeps our service worth referring and that is important to us and our future clients.
Please take the time to complete the survey by clicking the link below, and help others have "The Complete Worry-Free Citymove"
Thankyou for taking the time to complete our survey.
Regards,
Citymove

Hahahahah - as soon as my stuff is here, I will be happy to fill it out... :op

So to finish up this post...

CITYMOVE removals - citymove.com.au : THE WORST REMOVALIST EVER. I have made it my lifes goal to make sure no one I know ever gets screwed by these guys. The most unprofessional, rude, useless, dodgy, dishonest removal company - ever.

So if you ever use them - don't say I didn't warn you.

On a lighter note - my stuff is coming today! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Mini Update

God, I have soooooo much to catch up on. Moved, still waiting for furniture... bastard removalist... that will be a post on its own.. and you just cant miss that one... no internet at home, thats another story again... and really not in the mood to sit here in a cafe and write it all out... and thats another story! ha ha ha so anyway, will try and get to it the next few days...

36 hours to go....

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! That's all I can say right now...

Countdown is on...

60 hours... eeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

Going through the motions...

My last post (Woof...) was done in the middle of the most weird arse drunken episode...

Let me explain.

Sunday - I was supposed to go to a work 'family day' at Melbourne Zoo, Parkville. I woke up, and it was cold and raining... bugger that...

Mum and Russ were going to the footy, so it was gonna be an empty house from lunchtime... to fill in the time headed out to Northlands with my sis for some perving and shopping. Nothing to report out there... as expected.

Home at 3, nice and quiet... what to do, what to do... broke out the bottle of organic vodka (thanks craig!)I got for my birthday (which I will add, most people forgot)...

Pumped up the stereo, and danced around the house.

Somehow I managed to polish off the whole bottle, leaving myself in a pretty ridiculous mess...

Whenever I am drunk, I end up going over the past 12 months - what I did, who I hurt, etc etc. Although I have dealt with it now, it still creeps out every now and then. I am sure everyone has been there, done that.

So the last blog entry was me going through the motions...

:o)

woof...

Sometimes i feel like i am chasing my tail...



After 4 months, why do I still feel like I am losing something? Fuck....

Saturday morning... now what?

So actually got to have a look at the apartment yesterday... yeah... accepted "sight unseen"... :o) Well, DT and I had been looking at so many places for so long, we both knew exactly what we liked, and our tastes were the same. And since there had been a zillion places looked at after this one and it still held up as a good option by DTs point of view, then I was comfortable with it.

So anyway, took an extended lunch yesterday to check it out just to make sure, and it was HOTTER than the pics. So excited... Great living space, floating polished wood floor, sexy bathroom, stainless steel kitchen. My room has 3 double built in wardrobes... perfect for my upcoming frantic re-stocking (due mostly to my mass wardrobe culling before I moved to Melbourne). Plus since I hate clutter, plenty of places to stuff everything out of sight. :o)

Every Saturday has been up at dawn, to travel to the city to embark on what over time became a droll and depressing flat hunting expedition... So this morning, it was sleep in, up late, slow start, and now I have no idea what to do with my morning. Toast, coffee, read the paper... I have actually forgotten what I used to do on Saturdays... So I am gonna head into the city to catch up with DT (can't break the habit, I guess!) Check out furniture, and imagine how hot our place will be when we are in there... :o)

Eyecandy

About time... Part II :o)

Finally... I have an apartment! Yay! Hot apartment just off Chapel St, close to everything, shopping, bars, cafes, restaurants... but the best thing... GOODBYE HELL'S CORNER!!!!!!

Moving next weekend, then life can go back to normal...

And that will also mean I will finally have crap to say in my blog again... it's all gone a bit stagnant... there's only so much of Hell's Corner I can write about :o)

About time...

After chatting for a month or so, met up with Darien on Saturday night. Not really a date, but kind of a date... if that makes sense.

Arranged to meet up at Jam Factory on Chapel St, for something to eat and a movie.
We met up at Bogarts, a cigar bar... a couple of drinks and a good chat later, we decided to try a cigar. Never had one before, so it was kinda cool. Hate smoking, but technically it's not smoking is it? Well, you don't inhale, you just 'shallow drag' and appreciate the tastes... right??? :op

We talked for ages. We had never met before, but chatted on line often, and had spoken on the phone a few times. But we got along like old friends.

After drinks, we decided against a movie and chose to go for dinner at a restaurant at St Kilda. Drive to St Kilda Baths to park, and suddenly decided that Luna Park was the way to go... :o) So like a couple of silly kids, all excited, took off for Luna Park. $37 unlimited rides passes, and we were set. One thing missing... What better way to start a night like this? McDonalds...

Back over to Luna Park, ride after ride after ride... got to say, the ghost train was possibly THE lamest ride ever. It was actually so bad, that if it was pay per ride, I would have demanded a refund... the rest of it was great though. It was just so much fun to be a big kid - and it was even better to be a big kid with someone who was happy to be a big kid too. It's been a long time...

After the park closed we walked around a bit, sat down at the pier, talked about boys, ex's etc... some major revelations - I even surprised myself. So much came out that made sense. 12.30am, it was time to head home. Darien gave me a lift all the way back to Hell's Corner, even though he lives equal distance in the opposite direction. Sweet. It was a great night - maybe we will do it again one day.

If it had been the right time... who knows... but for now, a new friend.

Good times...

sounding stupid...

write, delete, write, delete, write, delete.... at least 10 times on the train ride home, more since i have been home... everything i was trying to write just sounded stupid...

How slack have I been....

Really haven't had much to blog about this past few weeks... I think since starting work...

Anyway, second week of work was good... busy as all hell... so the honeymoon period only lasted a week! But good thing is, I don't mind the stress - I kinda feed off it, so I always work well under a bit of pressure.

Enough about work...

Saturday, got up at 6am, to go flat hunting... again... it's getting kinda depressing... spending every weekend out flat hunting, and not getting any closer to finding a place and moving. So most real estates were closed for the long weekend, and the one place we did get to see was nasty... 2 storey 2 bedroom townhouse. Sounded nice, good location, good price. Got there, it was nasty - it looked like housing commission...

Met up with Dom Saturday night for a couple of drinks at Candy Bar on Greville St, Prahran. That couple of drinks ended up a whole night out... Diva, Heavens Door, XChange... Met up with Woz, Tan, Vin & Adam. Good times... Crawled home at 8am...

Good Times...

Oh, the reason for the drinks on Saturday night - Sunday was my birthday. So for all those who forgot...



Ha ha ha... just kidding... maybe...

So Sunday I was totally buggered, and not in the good sense. No time for sleep, since the family were all coming over for BBQ... By Sunday night I was shattered - 12 hours sleep... Noice...

First week over...

So, I'm over my little episode the other day... it's funny how many people asked if I found out who it was... Well, no, I didn't find out. But I really wasn't expecting them to show their face, so I guess it doesn't matter anyway! :o)

So moving along...

Finished my first week in the new job. The week went really well. So easy. People are fun. Everything was great. Actually looking forward to my next week!

We all finished the week with drinks at Marrakesh on Bank Place. Great place, like a series of caves draped with reds and golds, funky house music, great people, 2-for-1 Stella!!!

It's funny, one week at work, and I was already experiencing my workmates at their drunken best... ha ha ha. I think I behaved myself quite well... and ended up having to 'come out' to a few of them. They had no idea...

Anyway, I'm off. Suffering a cold this weekend, so just lazing around. Unfortunately, the human megaphone is visiting again (D+D you may recall)... but it's all good... I just stop and remember that I will be gone from here in just a matter of weeks. April 20 is my goal.

Looking at an apartment on Toorak Rd tomorrow. Hot, 2br, 2 minutes from Sth Yarra station and trams, Chapel St, Commercial Rd... Finger's crossed!!!

Message for "Karma" Commenter

OK, so back on January 6 this year I blogged about KARMA. It was at the time when Dean and I broke up, and I was pretty messed up. I started to feel that since nothing was going right, it was obviously karma - for what I put Mark through.

Well, today I received a comment on it :

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Karma's a bitch, huh...":

Here's to Karma...

Cheers.

What the fuck? If you wanna diss me - have the guts to say who you are. I don't give a shit what anyone says about me. Everyone has a right to opinion, that's fine - which is why I published your comment. I know you will be reading this - so come on... tell me who you are.

Arsehole.

Buggered

Been too buggered to blog... Up at 5.30, home about 7.30, eat, shower, sleep at 9... will try and blog tomorrow :o)

Ava has the giggles...

This is my niece Ava. Just posted this cos it's cute.

Bar 53 - Also the average IQ of its patrons...

Since Friday was my last official free (week)day before I start my new job, I felt it was important to get out and make the most of it... well, that was the plan, and I pretty much kept to it.

I got the train to the city, wandered aimlessly, people watching and window shopping, dreaming of all the things I will be able to buy soon... :o)

Messaged Dean - attempt number 5 to meet up for a coffee/drink/chat - and we arranged a 4.30 rendezvous. Bugger... it's only 11.30, what the hell am I going to do in the city for 5 hours... Coffee, more people watching, then it was off to the movies.

People often say that it's weird going to the movies alone... and I never used to do it, but I am actually doing it quite frequently now, and I am really enjoying it. Something about choosing the movie for yourself, choosing the time for yourself, no compromising. It was nice to just go in, relax and enjoy the movie - alone. Certainly nothing wrong with doing it alone, I can happily vouch for that. Might think differently on doing it Friday night, Saturday or Sunday... standard mates and dates times... then I would have looked like a loser. But weekday daytimes is just fine! :o)
Anyway, saw Hot Fuzz. New Brit movie from the makers of Shawn of the Dead. It was great. A bit graphic, but expected I guess. The humour wasn't stock standard Brit stuff, and wasn't 'roll in the aisles' style either, just subtle things and witty quips that made you giggle...

So after the movie, wandered up to Hairy Canary on Little Collins, to meet Dean. 4.15, sitting in Hairy, nervous and sweating... the guy still does it to me... so I'm sitting there, downing a quick beer to help relax me when Sarina pops up "hey babe! oh god, are you ok?" "Yeah, I'm meeting Dean here at 4.30" "Oh hun... don't stress ok? anyway, you look HOT..." ha ha ha... well, it helped relax me anyway...

Dean arrived. It was the first time I had seen him since we broke up - over 3 months. Dressed all in black (Standard AG attire), shirt open to halfway down his chest, his silver cross resting in the crease between his pecs. His perfect smile and those eyes that you could just get completely lost in - even now, he still takes my breath away.
So we ordered a couple of beers and did a full catch up on everything and everyone. Work, family, friends... The time went too fast. Next thing I know, he had to go back to work. Walked him out in Little Collins St, a quick hug, cya. God, it was great to see him.

Bumped into Sarina on the way back to the mall, she was out on break, looking for Havianas for her boyfriend. "So????? Is everything good? Did you guys work it out?" We wandered around a bit, promised to hook up for my birthday in a couple of weeks.

Heading home on the train, Ange calls and begs me to go with her to her friend Emily's birthday at Bar 53. You might recall Bar 53 as the place I went with her to last time... nasty pool hall place... Back then I didn't know the name of it, but now I do. The whole night was OK... Yep, just OK... Met lots of Ange's friends, who were mostly quite nice... I remained relatively sober, so it was funny watching them all totally wasted, behaving like fuckwits... I wonder if thats how I look when I'm trashed... hmmm... Went back to Ange's about 12.30 and fell asleep on the couch watching Legally Blonde.

"Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed."

Woke up this morning, pissing down rain, cold, miserable... I had to meet Dom in South Yarra at 10 for a little flat hunting again... really was more of a lay under doona and watch tv kinda day... but I dragged myself out.
By the time I got in there, it was sunny and nice... typical fucking Melbourne weather. I am going to have to start taking a sweater, jacket, umbrella and sunglasses everywhere I go... So met Dom, coffee, attempts to organise viewing times, gave up... more coffee, chat, wander, window shopping. We end up heading to the city, it was off and on warm, cold, raining, blaaah... didn't want to be out in it anymore. Movie. The Host. Odd, but fun. Ending was a bit bizarre, but the monster was brilliant.

After the movie, a glass of Pinot at Ca de Vin off Bourke St mall, then another at Gin Palace off Little Collins. Home time...

I'm Speechless...

This video was released by a "Christian" group protesting the UK's new anti-discrimination laws which will require homosexuality to be included in sex education classes across the UK. The law (Sexual Orientation Regulation) has already been passed by parliament (310 to 100), and is being voted on in the Upper House today.

I mean honestly... are people really stupid enough to believe that this is how it will be? It really is sad what lengths people will go to in their attempts to spread hatred. Christians... hah.

Eyecandy

OK, OK... Sometimes, I just can't help it...

Yay!

Got a confirmed start date for my new job - next Monday, March 26. Yay!