ITEM: I went for a run around the block before work today. This is the first time I have ever done this, but if middle-aged people can be up and running at 6.30am, then I can manage it at 8.00am. It was a a lot less traumatic than I imagined it. In fact, it was fairly uneventful until I got near Auckland Grammar and saw these guy Grammar boys with The Strokes hair cuts. As I wussed out and walked along Clive Road, I tried imagining what they’d look like in 15 years time, bald and suit-wearing.

ITEM: This morning I saw a seagull attacking a pigeon outside the Town Hall (on that balcony bit where the Beatles famously posed back in the ’60s). I walked over and kind of shooed the seagull away. It flew up on the balcony rail and squawked. The pigeon crawled around a bit. I knew that as soon as I left, the seagull would resume laying down the beats to the pigeon, grabbing big beakfuls of feathers. I turned and sadly walked away. Now I know how all those Kerry voters feel.

ITEM: I just saw a clip of a factory in Japan taken as an earthquake struck. Some of the factory workers were seen running to safety. They were wearing overalls and hardhats and it looked just like something from a Beastie Boys video. All that was missing was for the source of the earthquake to be a giant robot, manned by the mad scientist Beastie Boys wearing bad wigs.

ITEM: I got new earbuds (i.e. earphones) for my iPod because the old ones broke. The new ones have these silicone covers that go into the ear and help reduce external noise. But it feels like wearing earplugs, and sometimes I like to hear a bit of the street noise. And, compared to my old ones, these new ones seem to carry less bass sounds, and I like good bass.

ITEM: I’m getting sick of all the punk-arses letting off fireworks around here. Every year it’s the same. Grrr.