Penny Jar for Australia?

In the USA, a penny isn't worth very much. So in shops, there is usually a little 'penny tray' or 'penny jar', where you can leave your unwanted pennies ... and also pick up a few if you're a bit short in payment. It's a separate thing to the 'tip' jar. And, I think, an unusual display of generosity.

I think it would be a pretty neat idea to implement in Australia. I know that we have phased out the 1c and 2c coins... but you could pretty much do the same with the 5c pieces. It is almost as if they're not regarded as legal tender anymore - you can't pay your tolls with them, and the train ticket machines won't accept them either.

Regressing Tastebuds

Perhaps it is a symptom of moving out from the city, and not being able to go out as much as I would like to, but it appears that the tastes that I like on my tastebuds have 'regressed' from my umami seeking delicate sensibilities.
When a small child, peppermint choc-chip ice-cream was the bees knees. Then I 'grew up', didn't like it. Now? When approaching a magnum icecream, my two favourite flavours are now the chocolate almond with the nuts on the outside (only if sharing), and the peppermint.
I am also in favour of the sharp punchy flavour of salt & vinegar chippies, the saltiness of twisties and the artificial high from cheetos cheese & bacon balls. I appear to have lost the appetite for the latter though - quick consumption of 2 packets in rapid succession may have had something to do with it!

Review: Wyrd Sisters performed by Horsley Park theatrical and musical society

Dated 10 November 2008. Not my words, but in line with what I thought of the play. "Wyrd Sisters" is Terry Pratchett's take on Macbeth...
With thanks to Ross.
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We went and saw Wyrd Sisters on Friday night (...it's amazing what a couple of performances will do for an amateur company!)

The actor playing Nanny Ogg that you were less than impressed with nicked off at 6:00 that evening - there was no understudy, so someone stepped in and read the part - but she had enough experience that it presented like a bookish Gytha always with her nose in a "grimmer" and after a while you hardly noticed.

Granny Weatherwax and Magrat Garlick brought the house down. No, really! I didn't understand the remark about "couldn't trust a man with horns on his hat" until I saw the exchange between Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg, with Magrat looking bewildered and the audience knowing who the Fool really was! Exercising his "droit de seigneur" indeed!

The Ghost Verence was great - relished his part and played against Nanny Ogg very well. The dungeon scene was a lot of fun, as was the play. "My own sodding dagger!!"

The Fool needed a personality transplant...no argument there.

I enjoyed Felmet, and the Sergeant worked very well with him.....very Blackadder, as per Stephen Briggs' stage instructions. "She gave me a bun!" The hands worked a bit better than you reported...timing is everything I guess.

They'd given Lady Felmet a riding crop, and it worked for some scenes...but not all. She's such a central character that that must have been quite disappointing.

The scene changes worked well enough, but the "thunder flashes" on the heath and when Magrat bursts the dungeon door were pretty lame. Suspension of disbelief required there.

All up, we were quite prepared to forgive the Fool and Lady Felmet for the fun we got from the Witches, the Ghost and Felmet.

Argh, computer addict

I've been on the computer at work 830 until 7pm. Then I went home. Then I got back on the computer again. I am surprisingly chirpy again once in front of the keyboard. What's going on?