So before I end Idol and get out of Australia for a few days, let me tell you a few things that I’ve learned, especially with schoolies on the way.

FOR THE FELLAS: No means no. It’s as simple as that. Girls will never understand how guys decision making is affected once our blood’s up and horomones are firing, yet if they say no – that’s it. Game over, you’ll have to finish the game one-player if you know what I’m saying. Never ever forget this, never ever think you’ll get away with it and never ever think she actually means yes. If in doubt, ask. If the girl’s too smashed to give you an answer, make sure she’s safe, give up and go it alone. Never ever take advantage of someone in that situation.

FOR THE LADIES: Keep your head up, and look out for yourself. Tell people where you’re going, always have a friend with you, make sure your phone’s charged up, keep your eyes on your drinkm, and take care. Look out for things like walking home alone late at night, staying at someone’s house you don’t know, strangers staying over at your place.

FOR EVERYONE: Tarp up and have fun! Enjoy youselves. I think you’re great just for living.

Going to hide in New Zealand for a few days, see you at homebake.

x andrewgthatguyfromv@yahoo.com

So Idol’s only ten days until it’s over. November 21 – it’s all over for Idol. I’m thinking I might try and head overseas to go surfing and play scrabble with my friend Jesse. Yet to see if I can pull it off etc, but I’ll give it a crack. Looking forward to the Sydney Opera house show, it’s going to be a killer. Only the biggest television broadcast in Australia this year, can’t frikkin wait for it!

Pub land was fun last Saturday night, ended up at the Beach Road and saw a killer band ‘Catch a fire’ – all these huge kiwi guys in DECEPTIKONZ shirts getting on stage and laying it out large on the mic.

So sad to see courtney go. Sad. I voted for him about 400 times.

Thanks for all the photos, including the one of me trashed after Brides of Destruction, that was hilarious that night! Keep them coming, great to see what you all look like.

I have to split to do some vox pops on the opera house steps, so take care, have fun and enjoy yourself!

Oh and be careful where you put your apostrophes. Read this, and it will make you instantly look more intelligent in eyes of anyone who reads anything you write. http://www.apostrophe.fsnet.co.uk/

all the love, andrewgthatguyfromv@yahoo.com

So here’s lots of what I wrote. One thing. Buy ‘Entertainment’ from Gang of Four. Life will make more sense once you own that album.

Ok it’s been forever. Where to start?

Let’s begin with the Arias. What a great night we had. It was a long one but it was awesome. Riding in the limos with the Idol kids from the studio at Global was a trip  – cars pulling over to see what we’re up to and waving in the windows.. wild. When Jim and I hit the red carpet it was a bit much – as humbled as I am to have been granted that amazing honour by Cleo Magazine, I felt really uncomfortable when all anyone wanted to talk about to both James and I was that. It felt really weird. The only reason that I (or anyone) am able to do anything, is because we have the support and inspiration of great people around us. Jim’s ace and I love workign with him. He makes my day easier. He smells good. He makes me laugh so hard that I need to wee.

How great were Chloe and Yumi on the red carpet? Those girls are awesome. SOOoooo spunky the two of them. Yumi’s hugs are different these days, she hugs like a Mum (well she is one) and that’s tops. You know, that compassionate energy transfer that only get with hugs from mum? That’s what her hugs are like.

A big hello to everyone who said hi on the red carpet – that was a mind f**k. All of you wonderful folks screaming our names, was pretty wild stuff.

Jim and I spent the night in the back media room. I got to spend five minutes out in the main room to drink a beer and watch Jet. They’re awesome. Completely awesome.

The ceremony itself? I saw none of it. At about 11:45pm in the back of a cab to the Establishment hotel Jim and I finally let out a sigh of relief, that our day (which started at 8:30am) was now in recreation mode. And recreate we did! A quick shower under the big f**k off hardly water saving rain shower head and I was a new monster, up for a big one. Fourty five minutes in a lift cue later however I was not quite in the mood to party. As said before, I don’t mind when people come up and say hi and stuff  -  that’s great, and if they don’t like what I do, then they’ve every right to let me know that as well. But think about how you’d react if complete strangers grabbed and pulled your brand new shirt, ripping buttons and things, grabbing your hair to see if it’s a wig, even sticking their fingers in your ears to get your attention. I’ve a mate who’s a lawyer and he’s handled cases of assault that are brough before court for less physical contact. It’s really scary sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and all the good and bad that comes with it, but please have a think about how you’d feel.

At the end of it, it was club iPod back in my room with two sixers of heineken and my speakers, about eight of us danced around on the bed and acted like fools listening to ‘The Monkees’ and Beck’s album ‘Sea Change’ about 4am. Slept well and home at noon.

Idol’s going along, punching towards the grand final solidly so that’s all there. Looking forward to some time away afterwards actually.

Melbourne cup was fun. I almost went to melbourne, but thought that I’d get far too trashed for my own good (I’ve not much will power at the moment, so I have to protect myself a bit) and nixed hitting Sydney as well. Instead myself and my dear friend frocked up and headed to the North Bondi RSL. I wore my White suit and thongs, she wore a fabulous dress that showed of her fabulous body (she’s a dancer and rather comfortable in her own skin if you know what I mean) and we had a great arvo. She picked the winner and $70 – I picked all three for a win and a place, picked up $160. Funny thing is, I’d be about $15000 richer if I’d hit the trifecta  – but that’s the danger in gambling isn’t it? We had a few more brews in the afternoon light and I said goodbye to her and went home and had a nap by 5pm. Great. It’s nice having friends like that, she’s great company, a laugh to be around, has a million stories and we don’t even shag – we just hang out and she tells me tales of her adventures with boys (some of them make my toes curl, but I keep a poker face). Wow. A platonic relationship. I have a few of them. It’s nice.

The message board situation. You are inspiring and scary all at once. That anyone could actually care enough about what we do to take time out of their day to write about it flummoxes me still, but it’s still very intersting. The divisions between posters is intersting. I challenge a few of the regulars to categorise a few posters to see what happens.

I got an email from a mate I’ve known since 1982. We lost touch about 1991, but he saw me on the telly and dropped me a line. He’s had a kid and everything, survived Hodgkins Lymphoma (not only Delta had it) and is going great. He emailled me pictures of us in 1986. I was eleven and weighed about 70kg. Was heavy to look at (pardon the pun). Great to hear from you again Pete.

Finally – Internet scrabble is eating my life, one tile at a time. I’m playing it right now at work. I’m addicted.  I play so much scrabble that like Russel Crowe in ‘A Beautiful mind’ I’m seeing letter combinations everywhere I look. My computer keyboard isn’t just a place to type -I’m looking at my fingers now and seeing opportunities to score double and triple word scores with numerous types of three letter magic like QAT and VAV..I’m in need of help I think. I’d tell you the site, but then you’d all find me. I tell you what though, it’s not hard to find me actually. So if you do, throw down and let’s play ok?

Went for the best surf this morning with Steve ‘Money’ Martinez. We hit the water at 6:05 and got out around 8:20am. My arms were spaghetti. Watching the sun come up from the water is better than dragging that old RAMONES shirt across your eyes and trying to sleep through it.  

Summer’s coming. Get ready. Breathe. Stretch. Call your brothers, sisters and lovers. Pardon them, pardon yourself, get over grudges and issues, let go of pain and hate, and enjoy the world. George is in charge again. Live life like you mean it.

x g-suss 

andrewgthatguyfromv@yahoo.com