Melbourne Visit - Jan' 2025

This last trip to Melbourne was one of our better ones - mainly because we all had a fair bit of fun, minus any dramas. Past causes of dramas are numerous, but I take responsibility, due to my angsty driving. But I have been working hard to turn over a new leaf of late, both with behaviour and reduced alcohol consumption, and it paid dividends. We all had a great time, but especially the boys I think. We stayed in an area close to the MCG, where we were going to the cricket. It was also close to Jolimont Park, and a 120 minute walk back into the city.

The walking aspect was generally good, with nice weather and some interesting sights to see, especially when we walked through the tennis precinct. It was actually the week leading up to the Australian Open, so there was a lot of activity. We could walk that way, or on the main road, through inner-city suburbia, which was kind of cool.

The first night we had a bit of a false start, as I tried doing the Menulog thing, but it failed miserably. In country locations I pretty much have a 80%+ strike rate on deliveries and getting what I ordered. In the metro areas though, it's more like 50%. And believe you me, it's damn inconvenient when you wait for an hour, only to have the fuckers not turn up. I did get a refund eventually, but it annoyed me no end. Anyway, we ended up walking into the city, finding a pub, and having a beer and a decent pub meal. Again, this is a good learning experience for me, as we were all in good spirits despite the inconvenience and late hour - this is as a result of removing angst from the equation. 

The kids enjoyed the change of scenery I think, and of course everyone always likes the chance to visit some malls, enjoy some Boost juice, some good food, and update their wardrobes. The tennis precinct walk definitely more fun for the kids, with some park areas and a few things to do, other than just the cold, hard concrete paths. 

The place we stayed at was pretty decent, with a couple of bedrooms, giving everyone some space and privacy. No on-site food though, so I had to go wandering a few times to look for 7-11 and the like. The pool wasn't bad, although the hot tub was broken and the whole place was a bit overgrown. This led to the pool itself being a bit dirty, but the kids definitely made the most of it, and enjoyed the experience. We were there for a couple of full days, and generally spent half of them walking around and the other half by the pool.

The main event for the boys and I was, of course, the BBL! I had never been to a T20 match of any kind before, and not to the MCG for a couple of decades. It was either an ODI or a footy match back in my uni days when I was last there. I have been to Marvel in more recent years, again for footy, but the G is always a great place to visit, and I love watching cricket here.

It wasn't a full house, but a decent enough crowd. The boys got some merch and snacks, and we enjoyed the game. There were a couple of internationals playing, such as Maxwell and Duckett, and both put on a decent display. It was very convenient that it only took 10 minutes to walk back to our accommodation after the game, as we were all tuckered out by then.

So yeah, a bit of relaxing, a bit of swimming, a bit of shopping and enjoying the city sights, and it was a decent trip for us. I'd happily stay in this location again, although I reckon next time we will go back to Glen Waverley. Next trip to this part of the world though, is also to a BBL game, but in Geelong. I think it will be nice to have a good look around that city too.

Overall, this was probably the best city-stay we have had in a while, because it did not involve any fighting or dramas. I need to make sure I keep that calmness up, as it really does make an impact on the whole experience, and everyone as a group. Food highlight for me for the trip was probably Marrybrown, a Malaysian fast food franchise, that I got some of in Melbourne Central. The ayam goreng was excellent, and their NL was bloody good too. For the kids, they enjoyed the shopping and the pool, and of course the cricket. I think wifey enjoyed herself too, which always makes me happy. I love our family getaways!

A Chef's Tour, Penang

Wow! 

Headbanger Eats

I watched this YouTube video the other day, and was seriously impressed. I simply have to go do this next time I'm in Penang. Headbanger Eats is a funny channel. This is an Indian guy, who doesn't like spicy food, and eats western as much as he eats local. Plus he plays in a heavy metal band. Very much a non-stereotypical person! I like him though, his humility, directness, and approach to food and life. So when he went on a Penang holiday, of course I was interested in following his travels. The Penang Plates tour looked magnificent, with a nice blend of tastes, cultures and food categories. I would leave a link here, but found many different ones, so if it's something that interests you, do your own research and have a go.

Actually, food tours have been an interest of mine for a while. Probably mainly inspired by Bourdain and his travels, where locals would take him around to find authentic and memorable local eats. I loved this aspect of his shows, and his eagerness to sample it all. I'd love to do this in KL, Hong Kong, Singapore, Jakarta, and many other places - likely all Asian to be honest, as that is where my heart lies.

I don't know that this is something to do with the boys, as they (B anyway) are just not that adventurous. But with wifey and Lala, absolutely. We're thinking a Bali escape in 2026, so maybe a food tour could be the go as part of it? Let me go do some investigation....

Wow, there are dozens of them and some look absolutely amazing! I think I'm onto something here. Put the boys in the kids club, take the girls out for a half-day adventure, and have a blast sampling local cuisine that we may well not have had before. Yes, this is a must for the next trip! Plus the site getyourguide.com looks like it caters to many different interests. I think for a 10-12 day trip, yes relaxing and resort time is where it's at, but inter-dispersed with some cool tours and other activities too methinks. Let's do this! 

Toilet Tennis - See Other Wall

So a couple of years ago I ventured to Melbourne for the day to go see my specialist. I had been seeing this guy since early 2020, Prof. Ali, and he is a skilled and good-natured medical professional. The thing is, I had seen him everywhere except his rooms up to that point. I was initially referred to him as he was a visiting haematologist to Echuca (I have/had hemochromatosis it seems), and that's where we had our first consult. Y2 was in the height of covid, so it was a phone consult from my bedroom at home. Y3 was also a phone consult, this time pulled over on the road just out of Jerilderie, on my way home from Milbrae. So finally, in Y4, I went down to Melbs and to his rooms. 

As it happens, he is in the hospital district, which is just to the north of the CBD, and very near my old stomping grounds at RMIT. I deliberately arrived early, with a view to having a wander around my old uni, and into the city to look for some food. For some time now, I have been following a group of Malaysians who post of various food offerings around the city. Some I have tried myself - largely around Box Hill and Glen Waverly, but so far not in the city. This day, I figured, I could try to fix that. But first, after parking, to RMIT.

I have posted about my old uni a number of times before, so won't go into too much detail, but as I approached, I was looking for the old Building 4 entrance, and knew that my destination was the trusty Building 12, Level 12. I did enter thought B4, and was immediately brought back to a formative moment in my young life - my brief romance with Sandii. Ah yes, how fucking naïve I was in those days :) You see the inside of the B4 entrance has an area where people could just sit around, as in the photo.

I think back in 1992 it was just dingy old couches, not the modern, sterile (yet coloured) benches of today. But I remember this room well. I used it only once in my time at Rimmit (how we pronounced RMIT in a tongue-in-cheek way). Of course, as a young, impressionable man, immersing myself, as I was, in what I thought was the cool Aussie culture (I now know it to be nonsense bullshit, but fortunately for me it didn't do too much damage), I spent a lot of time at the pub. Good old Mac's Hotel was just around the corner from B12, and as well as the office crowd, catered to us students. In my first and second years, you could get a hot lunch for $5, which was a full plate of food and a pot of beer. It was awesome! It speaks to how poor I was in those days that I could only afford that once a pay or even once a month. In those days I was on AusStudy, and it only paid me $200 per fortnight. Rent and board cost half, transport about a quarter, so I realistically had $25 a week to live off (board did include some meals). 

Anyway, back to the B4 lobby story. At Mac's, the old publican was Crosby, and the bar staff were Ros and Bev, two middle-aged ladies with cracking wit. Bev's daughter Sandii also worked there. Sandii and I hit it off, and even dated for a short while. It never went anywhere though. She was one of the classic gals who loves the bad boy. I think I was too wet-behind-the-ears for her frankly. But one night we went out for drinks, and ended up staying out all night long. That was the night where I was introduced to beers with a shot of red cordial in them. I even saw a retro-drink in a bottleshop recently where someone was obviously trying to recreate that vibe. It sweetened the beer and made it yummier. But the danger is it became too easy to drink! Anyway, we had a great night out (I couldn't imagine even staying up to midnight these days, let alone all night!) and ended up on the couches at B4, to chill and wait for the uni to properly open so I could go to class, and her to work. We made out on those couches, and it was a fond memory for a love-struck, inexperienced and very naïve young man. I caught up with Sandii in Perth once, many years later, but we have since lost touch. Maybe one day I'll try to find her to say hi again, but probably not. Nice memory, long time ago.

Ok, so that takes us to B12 itself, a short walk through on Level 4, to find the lift:

There is quite a bit of change since I was last there in 1994. The lecture theatres, well at least some of them, have been turned into large open social areas, as shown above. Spacious, using the original layout of the decked areas, and with big plate glass windows. I only saw one lecture theatre that appeared to still be that, so I wonder how they cater to all the lecture needs these days? I imagine it has something to do with fewer numbers and more of an online presence, perhaps a combination of the two.

Back in the day, my department was the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering. IT was that engineering degree that I did, and I am proud of it! But after 1995, the popularity of the course waned, and eventually it was swallowed into the Civil Engineering department. These days it still exists, but as below, as Geospatial Science. No engineering anymore. I am one of the last Geological Engineers, at least from RMIT anyway.

So finally we come to the titular theme of this post. The humble B12L12 toilets. One thing that amazed me was that after all these years, and with what feels like the entire place having been renovated almost beyond recognition for an early 90's alumni like myself, the toilets themselves remain the same. The black granite style walls are the same as they always were, and judging by the residue of whitewash evident on some, the graffiti of young, opinionated uni students still persists. Although on this day, none was there to see.

I actually came into the toilet, one for a pee, and two, to relive a funny old memory. Back in the day, either though greater tolerance for freedom of speech, lack of funding for cleaning, or who knows what else, these walls were perpetually covered in liquid paper comments. Some not so nice, referring to the number of foreign students on campus, others taking the mickey out of a lecturer - you name it, it was there. But the one that always made me giggle was the line "toilet tennis - see other wall", that was scribed on both sides of the cubicle. Of course, what that resulted in was one looking from left to right, and back again, much like what a spectator in the crowd at a tennis match does.

Ah, RMIT. Lot of good old memories of what life was like before it became complicated. I loved learning here, I loved finding myself as a young adult and independent person for the first time here. I loved the field trips - Snowy's, Broken Hill are the standouts - and I loved the people there. Many good old friends, like Clint and Simon, both of whom I am still in touch with, albeit irregularly. And the lecturers. Phil, Graeme, Martand, and of course Paulino. Paulino was from Brazil, and spoke with a heavy accent. He taught us geology-related software, in what was the burgeoning age of computers. One of his favourite sayings when it came to coding, was "Shit in, shit out." I will never forget that little gem. Thanks for the memories Rimmit.

Axis & Allies

The other day I was flicking through my photos, looking for something, and saw a few snaps I had taken of my 50th anniversary edition of the classic board game, Axis & Allies, which I sold sometime last year. It gave me a quick sense of nostalgia, for what is likely my favourite board game of all time. Alas, one that I have not played for decades, as it takes a certain kind of person to both enjoy and commit to a gaming experience that can take all day to play. I have had many games of A&A over the years that have gone for eight hours or more. I discovered it back in Cobram, sometime around 1989 I think, likely with Andrew White, one of the nerd community that I hung around with sometimes. I had a variety of friends during that period of my life, none of whom I am still in regular contact with unfortunately, although I have bumped into a couple of them periodically. That is another story! Here are a couple of photos of both the classic A&A box and board.

The thing with A&A is that whilst the luck of the dice does play a significant part, understanding the dynamics, being able to predict other players, and getting the balance right of where to spend your cash, where to attack and where to defend, is not easy. It's especially good to play with 3-4 people, so that you get a whole lot of different flavours to the game. 

After the Cobram experiences, there was a bit of a hiatus. I don't recall playing at uni, but I definitely do recall playing with Brunty, an old uni friend, who I spent some time with in Kalgoorlie too. I am pretty sure that is where we played. I don't recall much about that, other than the famous Brunty rage quit, when he had rolled 80 out of 100 1's. If you know, you know. Poor bugger, his massive tank attack, that should have steamrolled me, failed spectacularly! Kind of like history really. I think of that with a grin, as it was funny, but I do also feel a little bad. Not because of the game, but because I didn't do very well by Brunty at one point, and whilst not deliberate, I did take advantage of him, and for that I am sorry. Alas our friendship never really recovered after that. As I am currently experiencing in a relationship much closer to home, actions speak louder than words, and even if my intentions were never bad, what I say, do, and sometimes not say and not do, can be very impactful. It's easy for me to say I'm sorry and get over it, but I can't expect others to feel the same way.

Anyway, I digress. Back to A&A. Of course, as is my wont, I went overboard. I loved A&A so much that when they started releasing other versions (Europe, The Pacific etc.) I bought them all, and don't think I ever played a single game with any of them! At one point I had about six versions of the game. I loved it so much, it was such a fun interlude. Setting up the pieces, either trying to mimic or rewrite history, and yes, even sometimes enjoying playing the bad guy, and doing what the fuckers should have, if they weren't so up themselves. Fortunately for history and freedom, they were. So yeah, all those versions. I don't think I ever played the game again, not on the board anyway. I ended up donating all of them, literally hundreds of bucks worth of games. But that's ok. Assuming there is any karma to be won through the donation of goods, well I have given away many housefuls of stuff over the years - on one occasion at least, it literally was an entire houseful, including bike, golf clubs, and all the rest.  

But the A&A story does not end here, not even close! Many years later - I think the donation of the collection was in the early 2000's - I was living in Asia, and saw online a copy of the 50th anniversary edition for sale, as per the photos below. I snapped it up. It was the base game, but with playable China, Italy and a few others, plus new units. I was STOKED for this game! 

I held onto it for a lot of years and took it around the world with us as we travelled from Malaysia, to Australia, back to Malaysia, back to Australia, to Indonesia, and then once again, back to Australia. I opened it a few times, marvelled at the many pieces and the awesome-looking 3-piece board, but ultimately, never played it. The kids were too young, wifey not interested in this kind of game, and my friends in later life, well the games they liked to play did not involve dice. So I sold it online a year or so ago, and got my money back. Sad that I never played it, but as time goes on, I am more and more coming to realise that life goes by in waves - some aspects stick with us, but others are prevalent for a time, and then fade away.

But the story is still not over! There is the online version of the game. There was a PC game back in the 90's that was fun, but with lame AI and SO easy to beat. Then someone came up with a free online version of A&A that was very customisable. That was awesome. AI still not great, but better, and with the opportunity for many more spots on the board, expanded rules, etc. I loved it, but with lame graphics, it got dated pretty quickly, and eventually faded away too.

So imagine my UTTER DELIGHT when Steam announced a new PC version of the game a couple of years ago. I was SO excited and bought it immediately. And look, the game looks smart and whilst the AI is not good still, playing other people online is bloody challenging and makes for a great experience. The problem is the interface. Not only is the dice-rolling maddeningly rigged, the amphibious assault part of the game is near impossible to manage, and so damn frustrating. I tried this game a whole heap of times, but always ended up with the same issues, and in the end had to give it away. It is just not a well-designed game I am afraid, and has been sent to the scrap heap. Like Brunty, that was my rage quit!

Will A&A have a final comeback, worthy of more investment and time from me? Frankly, I think WW2 gaming is slowly dying away, so I doubt it. But I hold out hope, as I have many fond memories of this game from earlier in life, and would love to give it one more go.

Mal Paper

So, I have been using a productivity planning tool for a while now. It's from Mal Paper, and is called a Daily Goal Setter. It's an A5 softcover book, as shown below. I had it for ages before I opened it, and then again had it for ages before I used it. 

I actually started using it because the hand-drawn checklists that I was inspired to do by Bhavna, this person on LinkedIn, whilst thought-provoking, was becoming a drag, and I really wasn't finding it that insightful or prompting. You can see a summary I did after a few months of it below and then a later example of a weekly checklist below that. Yes there is something to be said for writing up your own in this manner, but I found that too much of a drag, and it ended up being a tick and flick exercise.

But, I did find the idea of having a tool to help me plan and reflect useful, so I went back to Mal Paper. I loved the feel of the book; the leather cover, the thick glossy paper, the various sections laid out for goal setting, planning etc. Plus the opportunity for reflection, and a bit of inspiration with quotes from various historical people. I had been using a simple notebook and filling up the 13 lines on each page with daily to-do's, but this was so much more than that. Finish off a day, then a week, then a month, really gave me a sense of accomplishment, and helped me focus. Here is an example of the daily sheets below:

My only complaint about Mal Paper is that there aren't enough weeks to go with the number of days provided. It looks like this is meant to be a 6-month thing, and perhaps me doing the weekend in one sheet instead of two is not helping, but I'll need to be mindful of that going forward. I may even count all of it up front next time and give feedback to the makers.

As I have been on this To-Do List holy grail journey for so long, I have tried EVERYTHING. I have bought that many fucking projects on Kickstarter it isn't funny. And you know what? They are all shit. So I don't need bells, whistles, AI and all the rest of it, I just need a nice simple notebook, that prompts me, lets me write, and gives me the opportunity to reflect. Still, in finding Mal Paper, I also ordered another similar goal-setting book from a joint called Panda Planner. Theirs looked nice too. So before I ordered another Mal, I thought I'd best look at Panda, and was actually quite willing to give it a go for 6 months, and see how the two compare. But upon looking at it more closely, I wasn't sure, so decided to do a comparison:

So there you go. At the end of it, I just like the way the Mal book feels far more, and feel Panda is too focussed on categorising things, such that there is not enough space to get one's thoughts down on paper. So I ended up going with Mal again. This time I got a bundle, which includes a year of the planner (2 books). I also tried something different, called My Five Year Story. 

This one is really interesting. Each page has space - about 5 lines - for jotting down thoughts, events, happenings - on the same day, but over five years. So when I started it was October 17 2025. So each day I will write down, on a new page, what happens that day. Then, on October 17 2026, I will eventually get back to the same page as Day #1 again, and write that day's stuff down. Over five years, it really gives a chance to reflect on one's journey, on a daily basis. They also have a habit tracker book, which is currently sold out, but one I want to try too. So for now at least, I feel that my To-Do Crusade is over. I am using Mal, I am using my Excel timesheet, I am somewhat using Microsoft To-Do, and between all of it, I think I am on track. Of course, what this newly found planning ability is not doing is helping me manage my weaknesses, especially my tendency to anger, which is currently a problem. I hope I get another opportunity to recover from this. I don't deserve it, but I hope I do.

I Used To Love Australian Culture - Now I Hate It

I am truly worried about what Australian culture is doing to my boys. Yes, much of what they learn comes from the home and family environment, but so much also comes from school, friends and the internet. Plus, and this is the kicker for me currently, the local footy club.

Yep, the same old culture that existed when I was a teenager, having first come over from Singapore in 1988, is still there - bragging about drinking, laughing about violence, and treating women poorly. To be honest, I haven't seen any of the last one in recent years, but statistics say that violence against women in this country is rampant, and an absolute scourge on our society. Alcohol-fuelled violence is a key part of that, and drinking is deeply embedded in what in means to be a "true blue Aussie".

The other day I was having a conversation with one of the other GM's about the culture of Carlton FC. To me, that is where the club is failing. I don't know exactly what about the culture is wrong, but it seems that it is not truly a team environment, and people aren't fully invested in it. There are power-brokers behind the scenes, and too much individualism. As the old saying goes, a champion team will always beat a team of champions, and that is the situation Carlton finds itself in. This GM agreed with me, and said when he played, it wasn't enough that I had to beat you, I had to hurt you too. This was the guy that hip-and-shouldered me at a meeting a year ago when we had disagreed about something at work. So that's his solution to problem-solving - violence, or physical intimidation at the very least. That's a part of this culture I see a lot of, and really don't like it. The worst part is that he can't see that this is a problem.

You know, I like a drink as much as the next bloke. These days it's less and less, as decades of overdoing it have taken their toll on my body. Plus I don't like being drunk anymore. I like feeling clear-headed, and wanting to do stuff. When drinking, it often becomes just about the drinking, and actually being a contributing, active person, kind of goes out the window. It is that for me anyway.

Another example is an experience I had at a very popular local barber recently. I was there with my 1-year old son, waiting for a haircut. It was the day of the barbers last ever footy game, and he had a few friends in the shop talking to him about it. All he could talk about was how he was going to king-hit the opposition, and basically be a thug. They all thought it was hilarious, and egged him on. How it ended, I do not know, but I do know that kind of thing does happen. Maybe I should have called him out on the spot, but I guess I'm a bit of a coward in that regard. Maybe a keyboard warrior. God I hope not. I did talk to B about it though, and explained why that kind of behaviour and even those kinds of thoughts, are very dangerous in our society. I do believe it is that kind of machoism and glorification of violence, that, when combined with alcohol (and often when not) lead to bad situations, and I imagine are often at the root of our domestic violence problem.

I may be wrong, but I don't think so. All I know is that when I was an impressionable teen, I thought these kinds of guys were cool, and couldn't wait to get into the drinking culture. I could never join the physical side of it, because I can't deal with that. I naturally shy away from hard physical contact. I do have a temper though, and yes, it does cause damage in my life, even recently. We all have our failings, but when the society we're in glorifies the kind of talk and behaviour that can lead to violence, I think we have a problem. I just don't want my kids to grow up thinking this kind of behaviour is ok.

George Bernard Shaw

George Bernard Shaw was no ordinary man. He remains the only person ever to win both the Nobel Prize in Literature and an Academy Award (Oscar) — a thinker whose words still echo with striking relevance.

When he received the Nobel Prize, he wryly described it as “a gesture of appreciation for not publishing anything that year.” That’s classic Shaw — merging biting humour with brutal honesty.

Here are just a few of his thought-provoking gems:

"My way of joking is to tell the truth. That’s the funniest joke in the world."

"The secret of success is to offend as many people as possible."

"We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future."

"You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?'"

"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples, each of us still has one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange them, each of us now has two ideas."

Shaw was not just a playwright — he was a mirror to society, a critic of conformity, and a craftsman of bold, unapologetic thought.

His message? Don’t just live — create, question, laugh, disrupt, and most importantly, think.

Some thought-provoking stuff there. I found that post on FB, hope nobody nails me for copyright, but I don't think so. I am not so much into most of what old Georgy was quoted on, but one did ring a bell with me - the apples and ideas quote. It's another way of showing the importance of constantly learning. I am in my 50's now, and almost at the apex of my career I think (not that I am at the top, but I am about as far as I want to go). I am not interested in religion, spirituality, learning a new trade, any of that. I am only so interested in ancient history these days, and find reading books not as easy as it used to be. But I don't want my mind to stagnate, especially as I am trying to adapt myself towards retirement. The mind needs to be exercised, kept busy, and for me, kept productive. That's when I feel the best, when I feel like I am making good use of my time. Otherwise, I tend towards self-destructive behaviours a little too much. I am ok with a bit, but not as a default situation. I am hoping this blog will be part of that - giving me purpose, and helping me record my story for my kids.

Continuous Improvement

This week I went to Melbourne for a couple of days, to do a 1-day course on Continuous Improvement at work. 

In some ways, it was a little lame. Lame because I was in a room with people from completely different industries to me. So much so, I almost left, fearing that I was going to waste my day. But the interesting aspect of this was that as much as all these people were very different, I could relate to many of the issues and needs they had - regardless of their industry. So in many way, the diversity in the room was actually a positive thing to build on, not a negative one to dilute focus and meaning. It's an interesting observation and one I will do well to remember.

CI, in its own right, is pretty cool. I love the idea of constantly looking for that next 1%'er (hey even the next 10%'er frankly). It's also a good mindset to have for one's team, where we are always looking for ways to optimise what we do. I feel that at work we have become a bit too set in our ways in some respects. It's that age-old thing, where we always looked for price and volume for improvements, whereas I am always looking for reduced costs or increased efficiency for improvements. That's where the long-term and more meaningful change is to be found. 

So we now have our KPI reporting system up and running. I need Ash to start doing some real analysis of the outputs, and some benchmarking, so we can see what sites do well, and where others may see opportunities for improvement. In a role where I have constantly questioned myself about what value I add, seeing as I am not a quarry processing expert, it is the structural, reporting and analytical tools that have given me the most satisfaction - and the best way to be impactful. These are the kinds of things that make me happy in my work, not in dealing with political BS, government BS, or frankly, any other kind of BS!