Have made holiday to-do list for jobs around the house. Feeling too hungover to make a start on anything today, so doing the list makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something.

It’s a pretty aspirational list and I feel tired just looking at it. If I knock off a couple of the harder tasks I’ll be happy. Especially the painting jobs, they have to get done. I haaate painting. Mass clean out of crap accumulating in closets needs to happen as well.

Biscoff trifle made. Just need to add the whipped cream on top which I’ll do just before serving. I hope it’s going to be a hit. The biscoff cream called for the whole tub of spread and it tasted pretty good on my sampling.

Garlic butter for garlic bread made. The local Italian supermarket was out of the long ciabatta rolls I wanted to use for this, so need to go back earlier tomorrow to secure. The worker said ciabatta man delivers the goods at 9am tomorrow.

Clean up time then I’m hitting the beers to celebrate no more work for 2024! I’ve got some spiced rum which I used in the trifle, l’ll be sampling on its own tonight. Don’t think I’ve ever had it.

Very apocalyptic looking outside, and now the smoke smell has hit where I am, it’s really strong. Got the clothes inside and split system on.

I’m making a biscoff trifle for friend Christmas on the weekend and just realised I have no trifle dish. And big trifle dishes are hard to track down at this time of year apparently. I think I found one in stock at the local Salt & Pepper store, half price as well. But does this dish have any other uses or only for trifle? Sounds like a kitchen cupboard clogger.

This sounds like drill to me, which was big around the time this song seems to have come out. This song in particular was my intro to drill.

Doing some late night work as I caught up with a friend this morning which railroaded my day. Ughh people coming out of the woodwork with new jobs for me to do the week before Christmas. All of which can wait until the new year. I said to myself this week I will only be finishing up projects on the go, and I intend to stick to that.

This is really helpful, thank you - tells me that I should just pay the fine. The time, stress and anxiety of challenging the police isn’t worth it for me. The front tyres were over the line on red but from what I’ve read, with fixed camera fines, part of the car being over on red means no offence.

I thought so too at first. The road rule is not about being out of the intersection once the light is red, but the vehicle not crossing the stop line once the light turns red. If you’re in the intersection on amber, you can complete the crossing even if the light turns red and no infringement. That’s my research anyway.

Gosh the internal review process for traffic fines is such a crock of shit.

I’m challenging a red light camera fine as I think it was incorrectly issued - my car crossed the stop line when the light was yellow, then it turned red and the cameras went off. You have to cross the stop line after the light has turned red to commit the offence (at least that’s my reading of the law). Wrote a detailed review application with reasons, my recollection of the situation, referring to the photo evidence you can access etc, all I got back is “we are satisfied the offence was committed”. That’s it. Pay up or go to court.

I’m in this crap position of having only my recollection of the situation to rely on. I can’t prove my car was in the intersection when the light was still yellow outside of pointing to the police photo which shows exactly this. But that wasn’t good enough for the review, so it’s probably not good enough for court either. It’s a really expensive fine too. Feels like guilty until proven innocent rather than the other way around.

I’ve been much more careful since this fine, the light goes yellow I’m stopping. I don’t trust those fixed cameras one bit.

These look incredible! I have a feeling I’ll be baking some cookies this week.

Someone who drove past my place chucked half eaten McDonalds all over the road. It was attracting birds and gong to become disgusting in 40c weather tomorrow so I picked it all up. The street is not your trash can assholes.

Back from IKEA, thought Saturday night would be a good time to go to avoid crowds. Surprisingly more people there than I expected but very manageable. I hate crowded stores with a passion.

Had meatballs and this amazing cake for dinner from the restaurant, hit the spot.

Then the shopping began. Needed to collect KK present for next week but then “accidentally” spent an additional $160 on crap for my place.

Motorbike revving noises send me, I’ve got a neighbour that owns multiple motorbikes. It’s just constant noises throughout the day- starting, revving, driving past. Sometimes very early. Shut it!

I think I’m going to have my own work Christmas party tonight. Being self-employed shouldn’t mean I miss out, right? The co-working space did a little Christmas lunch thing earlier in the week but it sucked, so my need to be drinking merrily to toast the end of the work year has not been satisfied. I was going to ask some friends to join for company but it’s so last minute.

Nothing too extravagant because I have to foot the bill for this one. A nice burger with a pint of beer somewhere would go down a treat.

It’s horrible, there’s no two ways about it. Happened to me time and time again. I had to change mindset to “hopeful” of getting place X but not get too attached and realise it’s not the only suitable option that will cross your path. Easier said than done.

Congrats!! Hope you’ll be making a DT comeback

Today I am especially sleepy and especially cranky.

Have a networking lunch today. Need to turn my grumpy, don’t talk to me energy to personable and approachable. Not sure it’s gonna happen.

I love that coastal walk, one of a few parts of Sydney that makes me think it would be nice to live there.

So exciting! Have a great time, appreciate the natural beauty of the place because it is next level.

If you’re going to Queenstown, make sure you stop off at Fergbaker and get the combined chocolate / almond croissant. Thank me later.

I’ve already checked out of working for the year. These next two weeks are going to be a slog.