Wednesday, June 26, 2002

Day Three
I only have 6 words to say - I blame it on the football!

Three done. Two farkin' more to go...

Tuesday, June 25, 2002

Day Two
Holy flying crap, did I botch that one up!

I'll try to put it behind me. Two down. Three to go...

Monday, June 24, 2002

From the world of law and football
There are so many people with law degrees these days (kind of like blokes who have Prince Alberts1). This little tidbit doesn't sound at all surprising:

Prior to the pre-World Cup brouhaha (that led him to swear that he will never play for Ireland again), former football captain Roy Keane was awarded an honorary doctorate of law by University College Cork, in recognition of his services to football and Ireland.

Dubious choice for a honorary law doctorate, you think? What does a footballer have in connection with the law? Well, the extent of Roy's relationship has been well documented in the media - he has had several run-ins with the law (beginning with his first arrest in 1992 to the night he spent in lock-up, after an alleged assault on a woman in a Manchester bar in 1999) and he is quite adept in Contracts (as his well-publicised contractual wranglings with Man. United have proven).

Dr R. Keane LLD is not the only footballer to receive an honorary law doctorate this year. Liverpool University is to confer an honorary law degree on Liverpool FC manager Gerard Houllier in July.

Who cares if simply getting a LLB takes at least 3 years? Conferring LLDs to judges and citizens with distinguished civic careers is a bloody waste, dontcha think? I say give Mike Tyson an honorary degree! Surely, with the number of run-ins he has had (and to think how many billable hours he has provided for his attorneys), he would definitely be a prime candidate!

1 what I'm trying to say is that there once were a few, but these days, every Tom, Dick and Harry seems to have one
Day One
Boy, was that a long exam paper (the number of questions, sub-questions, etc...).

Walking into the exam hall this morning (well, it was actually the College canteen), I was quite relieved to see that there were people who looked more tragic than me (and let me tell you, I looked très tragique). Some folks appeared completely frazzled - they had clearly stayed up, burning the midnight oil. I, on the other hand, had a relatively good night's rest (if you could call having 6 hours of sleep that). I have never, in all my years of studying (even on the eve of exam day embarrassment), experienced an "all-nighter" and I wasn't gonna start now (you can call it my reckless bravado, my dare-devil spirit, or my lazy-arsed indifference... ).

One done. Four more to go...

Sunday, June 23, 2002

Is that purring? No, buzzing...
I said it before, and I will say it again. Hello Kitty is evil. E-V-I-L.

Just when you thought that little feline could not flog off any more wares (after all, there's already a Hello Kitty toaster, Hello Kitty lollies, Hello Kitty TP and a Hello Kitty restaurant-chain, to name a tiny few), here comes something else, that has made Japanese girls giggle with delight... literally.

The Sanrio Corporation has licensed the infamous cartoon to a Japanese manufacturer of self-service "massaging" tools (and don't we all know the Japanese make the best in these electronic gizmos, such as the Hitachi Magic Wand™ and that dolphin one with the pearls... ). Sanrio sought to restrict the sale of the Hello Kitty vibrator to the Japanese domestic market, but somehow it has found its way to American shores. The "toy" may now be purchased on eBay (at $32 apiece, which is $2 more expensive than at Good Vibrations, in San Francisco).

Thanks to Frankie for the link.
I hate exams!
It's quite obvious that I hate exams. When they come around, I become a v. grumpy (or an even grumpier) bastard. ("Everyone, move out of the friggn' way, or I'll bite yer head off!")

No, actually, I more than despise them. I loathe them, with greater intensity and hatred than Taylor's animosity for the evil bitch Brooke on Bold and the Beautiful. (Hey, the goings-on of B&B are mandatory knowledge for all law students at UNSW.) If "exams" were a person, I'ld seriously bitch slap her, from here to infinity...

Anyway, I shouldn't procrastinate so much. Why am I online, when there is so much to do? (OK, it's hardly wasting precious time, if it's in order to put my feelings are "on the record", right?)

I've got 5 assessments (including 3 exams), within the next 5 days. I'm going to strike each one out, when each one is completed.
  1. Monday: Professional Responsibility Exam.
  2. Tuesday: Commercial & Corporate Practice Exam.
  3. Wednesday: Property Practice Exam.
  4. Thurday: Property Practice and Commercial & Corporate Practice Panel Vivas.
  5. Friday: Civil Litigation Interlocutory Application Hearings.

Y'know, I don't give a toss about getting decent marks... I just wanna pass. Is that not a simple wish?

Friday, June 21, 2002

We're here, we're queer...
According to the Australia Bureau of Statistics, twice as many Australians declared themselves to be living in same-sex relationships in the 2001 census as in the 1996 census. (Statistical figures are shown on the left, which I ripped off from the hyperlinked SMH article. Btw, is that suppose to be a typical happy Australian gay couple, in the background?)

The census also found that, of the 6,986 declared same-sex couples who live in Sydney, 4,362 of them are gay and 2,624 of them are lesbian. Within NSW, the number of same-sex de factos constituted 1.5% of all couples without children. In the ACT, that number was 1.9%.

Although the Bureau of Statistics did not ask about the sexual preference of members of the households, people were allowed to choose to declare on the form that they are in a de facto relationship, with someone of the same sex in the same household. (These figures would exclude those couples who wished not to disclose their same-sex de facto status and those in same-sex relationships with children.)

My thoughts: even though there appears to be a dramatic increase in recorded same-sex households in Australia within the past 5 years, there still must be a HUGE under-recording of these relationships (or is everyone in the community single?). There's around 19 million people in Australia, of which 4 million of them live in Metropolitan Sydney (Melbourne has around 3.4 million), so these stats must be just the tip of the iceberg. C'mon people, be proud and show yourselves!
Picking up me marbles
Boy, I think I should get over myself, count my blessings, stop complaining, and get on with things. That last entry was a denifinite doozy. It's stupid, but I really loathe making such Oprah-esque disclosures (even if it is out to the big wide world of the internet, and not to some sympathetic ear or familiar face over coffee). I'm just not used to confiding about my emotional melodramas - it's akward and totally embarrassing. (Well, I guess I better get used to it, since this is my weblog and I plan to let it all out... eventually.) I'm so much better at it, when it's the other way round (and I'm the one handing out the tissues)...

Besides, I definitely think too much into things. I should just go-with-the-flow, so to speak, and chuck out the stupid "5 Year Plan" that only demised Communist states and the most anally-retentive folks employ. I think I'll feel much better after next week...

Wednesday, June 19, 2002

The blues...
What the hell am I doing with my life? Life wasn't suppose to be this way.

I can't believe I can still feel like this - I'm hardly a spring chicken. I've already had my fair share of terrible teenage anxiety (to last two teenhoods and then some). Why can't the twenties be any easier?

I always get these spells of uncertainty and self-doubt. Sometimes they go away in a day, other times, they completely cloud my mind and linger in my head for weeks. Yet everytime, I feel the same miserable way - I feel completely bummed...

This time, maybe it's the terribly depressing weather, or the forthcoming College exams (which I am completely indifferent about), but I just can't seem to find much motivation. All I want to do is stay in bed and listen to the Carpenters.

As per usual, I'm flooded with all these inane questions, which I frustatingly know I cannot answer. I have, for most of the past few months, completely lacked interest in the College of Law's Practical Legal Training. It has made me seriously wonder whether or not I want to become a solicitor. Am I taking the right path in life or am I simply cheating myself in believing what I have chosen is the more practical and easier way of getting what I "want" out of life? I know it will provide me with a financially comfortable existence, but is that enough to satisfy my lowly expectations out of life? Working at Anal & Oral the Big City Law Firm would definitely mean big sacrifices, but do I want to devote my life or, more importantly, my youth (btw, I feel as though my "biological" clock is ticking away so much faster than my female friends - and it has nothing to do with reproduction) to a pursuit I only feel half-hearted about? What if I hate my career, yet have nothing else that is decent in my life to fall back on for support? What if I'm completely miserable, unsatisfied, and incompetent in my work, yet cannot find the motivation to break out of the complacent work habits that most people find themselves in? Has anybody heard of happy middle-aged lawyer (or even one who doesn't look like he is at the point of a nervous breakdown)?

Tuesday, June 18, 2002

News flash
David has obviously been putting his football first... It seems that [his hair] needs a bit of a trim.


David Beckham has requested that his stylist Aidan Phelan be flown to Japan for a hair restyle, prior to England's Quarter-final match with Brazil.

Computer shopping
Computer shopping must come in equal to car shopping as the worst retail experience ever. I went to 5 different computer stores in the city today, and most of the salesmen were quite rude, unhelpful, and really smug, when answering my wee simple questions. The pricks, who definitely took the cake for crummy service, were the guys at the two Mac resellers.

Nevertheless, I'm still adamant on getting a iBook within the next month.
Britney and Shakespeare
Have you ever noticed the similarites between Britney's music videos with the act of having sex and/or some of the works of that esteemed English playwright? (Stop scoffing and play along with me.. ) And I don't mean how Shakespeare dropped dirty innuendo in his plays ever so nonchalantly, in the same fashion as Britney does with her magnetic wriggling (which, although makes straight boys all hot and bothered, wasn't her intention!).

Next time you get a chance to watch the music videos for I'm a Slave 4U or her most recent single (Is it Overprotected? I only saw it at the gym, sans sound... ), check out the videos' "plot" progression. You will notice how the "climax" to both songs occurs ¾ of the way into the videos. In Slave, this moment occurs when a male member, of the writhing mass of bodies, stretches his arm out to light the fire sensor. Of course, it causes everyone, Britney included, to get soaked. In the other, it culminates in a shower of shimmering silver confetti. Strange.
Bend it Like Beckham
Amongst all the films I looked over in the Sydney Film Festival guide last month, this was the only film I wanted to watch. Desperately. A coming-of-age story about a young girl daring to live her dream? I thought it was absolutely unmissable!

So, I was kicking myself when I missed out on tickets for the first viewing, last week. Fortunately, there was a second screening. And luckily, the film's director, Gurinder Chandha, was able to introduce both sessions (and stay back for a few Q&As).

Verdict? This film is an absolute gem. I was anticipating a fun, feel-good movie, and Bend it Like Beckham definitely didn't disappoint. If anything, it surpassed my expectations. The film has a great blend of pathos and comedy. Parminder Nagra is excellent as the protagionist Jess. Of all the memorable supporting characters, Juliet Stevenson shines out. She is an absolute scream as Jules' "fashionable" mother. (Scene: Lingerie store with daughter, Jules. "All the girls have a pair [of pneumatic bras], and so do their daughters"!) Her reactionary facial expressions are pure comedic brilliance.

For its ability to generate fierce belly-aching laughs, its sweet heat, and its sheer entertainment value, this film is definitely one of the best I have seen all year.

Monday, June 17, 2002

Love United
Football players should definitely not sing - they have no pitch! Ha! *urghhh*

My sister and I couldn't help cracking up, while watching the documentary to the making of the Love United song. 45 different players, including the whole of Les Bleus, helped out with the vocals and the accompanying music video. The players tried their best, but no one, bar Santa Cruz, was able to sing the requisite few lines decently.

Have you heard the song yet? It's the second track in "Fever Pitch - Official Music of the 2002 FIFA World Cup". (Yes, I was shocked when I heard there was a CD as well.) Like every other celebrity charity songfest, Live for Love United is ultra cheesy. (We are the world... ) Yet, like those other tunes, it's extremely hummable and quite addictive.

Now, where can I get my hands on one of them spiffy white pec-hugging Love United tops?
Assessments Assessments Assessments
Warning: reading this entry may cause the reader to fall asleep

I have spent all of the weekend and most of today completing three incredibly tedious College of Law activities. Please, let me bore you with details of the assignments I will hand in at the end of the day:

  1. A Federal Court interlocutory application. The hearing date for this is set for next week, and the activity constitutes 40% of my final Civil Litigation mark. (I was meant to finish this on Friday, but I only received the appropriate files from the corresponding party last Monday.)

    This sounds like fun, doesn't it? Not. I "represent" a company based in Arizona, which sells second-hand farming equipment. The company is being sued by an Australian company, because my client allegedly sold them a piece of shite. The FedCourt granted the Aussie buggers permission to serve the writ to my overseas client, which, of course, pissed them off. They would rather have a court case in the good ol' US of A, rather than Oz, and it is up to me to stop all this nonsense.

    So, in my interlocutory application, I seek the Court to set aside the service of the originating process on the basis that the cause of action arose outside of the Commonwealth, that there is a more appropriate forum, etc. Have I lost you already? Next...

  2. An application for dissolution for marriage (ie, filing for divorce). It's worth 40% of the Family Practice grade. Quite straightforward and no real drama. Those darn heterosexuals...

  3. Responding to an interlocutory order in the Family Court. The other 60% of the final Family mark. The ex-wife is trying to stop her hubby from selling off a piece of property. She thinks it's a matrimonal asset and that she is entitled to some bit of it. He says it isn't and that he invested in it by himself. I, with my limited legal knowledge, represent the husband, in trying to prevent the wife from getting her grubby hands on the property.


I think I should put up a Collaw countdown. Thank God this will all end soon - there's only two weeks left to the course.

Thursday, June 13, 2002

Dr K diagnoses
I was having coffee with a friend today and the conversation predictably turned towards sex and men. In the midst of this chit-chat, he embarassingly confessed to me that he had a strong dislike for the aesthetic qualities of the fully-engorged male genitalia. He added that members with Falcon-esque proportions were, to him, visually repugnant; ones with veins or circumcision scars were distasteful (no pun intended, folks).

Of course, I was completely startled by this remark (OK, more like horrified), since it did come out of the mouth of a male homosexualist. It would be understandable from a straight woman or a straight man, but I just couldn't imagine a gay male having such an impairment. It would be as if a bird was afraid of eating worms, or a bee was disgusted by flowers (the metaphors are unintentional). I asked myself: Was this a symptom of years of internalised homophobia or, even worse, the appearance of latent heterosexuality (I shudder at the thought... )?

After taking a few moments for me to compose myself, I gradually began to empathise. It did explain a lot - his continual aversion to gay porn (why?) and the desire to see good-looking men clothed (as opposed to in the nuddy).

Upon the conclusion of this confession, Dr K made his pop diagnosis. My friend had phallophobia and Dr K "knew" why: Western culture has created this aversion, as it has continually forbade the viewing of the male member, in its full-blown glory (sorry), in popular media (as opposed to flaunting of the naked female form), let alone one that was flaccid. In addition, Judeo-Christian culture has historically denied the homosexual male to fully realise his sexuality, through moralistic and political suppression. As a result, all this heterosexist oppression has manifested itself into the pathological aversion to the penis!

At this point in our conversation (or my lecture to him), I pulled out (sorry), from my vast empty mind, that trusty piece of research I found (for an essay on pornography and feminism in Legal Theory class), which I use to demount gay sexual hang ups - "Love speech: the social utility of pornography" by J Sherman, from the Stanford Law Review. (At one point, I actually thought about giving a copy of this article to my parents, but I came to my senses and decided it wouldn't be the wisest decision.) In it, it is argued that "portrayals of gay male sexuality are beneficial to the development of gay identity and necessary for ending homophobia"!

So what was Dr K's prognosis? V. treatable, with little future side-effects, if the phallophobia was dealt with ASAP. As they say, in order to overcome any phobia (including phallophobia), the best course of treatment is confrontation. At every spare moment, I directed that he should be exposed to the organ (both in the flesh, so to speak, or with visual representations, such as those found on the internet). In addition, I prescribed that medication should be taken orally, at least three times a week. If such instructions are taken, I believe the condition will disippate within a few weeks.

I think it's time for Dr K to take a Bex and have a lie down...

Wednesday, June 12, 2002

WC squad
My compliments to both Charlie B and Frankie. They have selected v. impressive squads.

I have placed the head shots of my team below, for easier viewing pleasure (and no need to clicky-on-the-linky):



During these WC finals, I have been sorely disappointed by the performance of the Argentinians. Not only have played v. poorly in their matches, but more importantly, they have looked terrible on the football field (and there is definitely no excuse of that!). I understand that many people may consider football a religion, but dontcha think the whole Christian martyr-look is a bit too dramatic (let me present to you Exhibit A, on the left)? Argentina may be suffering from a terrible economic crisis, and the team may be unfairly burdened by the hopes and dreams of an already demoralized population, but the JC beards and unkempt shoulder-length hair are definite fashion faux pas. To think, the only accessory missing to their whole "look" are those designer rosaries from Dolce & Gabbana's Spring/Summer '02 collection.

Tuesday, June 11, 2002

Little Yellow Different
Omigosh, Ernie mentioned me! (I forwarded to him an article that commented on his weblog, from the Sydney Morning Herald.)

It's as though a legend of the blogging community has acknowledged my electronic existence...

Monday, June 10, 2002

World Cup highlights
While perusing through the player biographies, at the World Cup website, I started compiling a list of players, with particular aesthetic qualities, that place them above and beyond their fellow team members. I haven't gone through all the countries yet, so it's only a preliminary list.

Anyway, without further delay, those who are now included in my WC squad are, in no particular order:

I know, I should definitely do something more productive with my time. Procrastinating on the computer won't help me submit that assessable interlocutory application, to set aside service, due on Friday.

Sunday, June 09, 2002

World Cup stuff
It's true - most American's don't like soccer. The reason? Possession. We Americans like our things....we like our possessions.

Some writer, mentioned in Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish.

Have you heard Anastacia's World Cup anthem Boom!? It's absolutely horrendous, and makes Ricky Martin's '98 anthem Cup of Life sound good...

If you haven't had enough of the football yet (and I can imagine some folks saying: "How can you even say that!?!"), the Guardian has an entertaining World Cup weblog...

Haven't the US started on a great note at the finals, with that phenomenal win against Portugal? Check out the guys from the US team (especially Landon Donovan in YSL Rive Gauche!), at the NYTimes Style section. If you're like me, you'll soon be barracking for them...

BBC online has some cute World Cup games, using Flash. They've got a "World Cup Fashion Victim" game, starring Mr Beckham, coming soon...

Andrew Sullivan has written an interesting article for the Sunday Times on the topic: "America's Soccer Isolationism: Is football an omen?"

Saturday, June 08, 2002

"At the end of the day, this is an ugly boy"
It had to happen sooner or later, when there are so many clueless folks forking out dosh to get Chinese and Japanese characters inked on their bods...

From the London Metro:
An English teenager received an unpleasant surprise when he found out what he thought was "Love, Honour and Obey" was actually "At the end of the day, this is an ugly boy". The ugly truth was revealed to him, when he pressed a giggling waitress, at a Chinese restaurant, to explain why people on the street would burst out laughing at the site on his tattoo.

The tattoo cost £90. He plans to spend £600 for its removal. Unfortunately, financial compensation will not be likely, as the tattoo parlour that etched the pictograms has already gone out of business.

Friday, June 07, 2002

Happy birthday, Your Majesty
Why do Australians celebrate the Queen's Brithday on 10 June?

Well, who really gives a flying feck? It is a brilliant excuse for a(nother) long weekend. It's the only time of the year, when I can proclaim myself to be a monarchist...God save the Queen!
Mmm...doughnuts
One thing that I, on occasion, crave for are decent doughnuts. Unfortunately, the only varieties of these tasty fried treats available around these parts are the traditional cinnamon, the jam-filled or the iced (so v. v. boring). Yet, there is nothing is better than one of those delicious, yet deadly, glazed crullers or glazed devil's food from that Southern institution, Krispy Kreme. When I was in Carolina, I found them so intensely sweet, that the pleasure of consuming one mouthful, would always be followed by a sugar-induced headache. It was a real S & M treat!

Anyways, I was v. excited to read (and it doesn't take much to excite me) in the business papers that North Carolina's own Krispy Kreme Doughnuts will be coming down to Australia soon. Former Baker & McKenzie chairman John McGuigan and his business partner, Lawrence Maltz (co-founder of Starbucks) plan to establish a chain of KK's around Australia and New Zealand.

Thursday, June 06, 2002

More news
Kelly Hu (Martial Law) will play Anne Yuriko Oyama, a mutant accomplice to the big baddy, Stryker, in the forthcoming X-Men sequel. I'm sure she'll be wearing something equally as alluring as the dental floss number she wore in the Scorpian King.

Additional tid-bit: She will play a character resembling Wolverine's comic book nemesis, Lady Deathstrike.
Spider senses *tingling*
I feel like a bit of a whinge...

Living in "the land that time forgot" (aka Australia), I always find it both incredibly annoying and frustrating that things seem to take so long to get to these shores. Television shows. Electronic consumer goods. Starbucks. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (coming in October). Taco Bell. And, of course, films...

Apart from the odd mega-blockbuster or two that premieres concurrently in various markets worldwide, films generally open months after their American release. Spiderman is simply an example of this delay in cinematic distribution...

Well, the film has finally opened in the cinemas, and yes, I was in line to see it in the city, this afternoon. Ever since its phenomenal box office opening in the States, I've been twiddling my thumbs in eager anticipation. And because of all the foreign critical praises and the moolah it has made from repeat viewing, I developed unresonably high expectations of the film. As a guy, who used to love to read comics, I expected to love this film. But I honestly didn't.

Nevertheless, I did think it was quite entertaining. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst are both v. compelling. Their performances provide a level of depth and sincerity to the characters that would be lacking in the hands of lesser actors.

I dont' know why, but I'm always amazed at how effortless Kirsten acts in her films. She absolutely inhabits her characters and, as per usual, is brilliant as Mary Jane Parker (and I had my doubts when she was cast). She's become one of the best female actors of our generation (such a cliché, I know!). This performance proves that she has definitely got the goods and firmly reinforces the reputation she established in that seminal piece of post post-modern cinema... and I'm referring to Bring It On, of course.

Tuesday, June 04, 2002

Gay Games 2002
Tickets are now available for purchase.
Chinese debutantes
It's been an exciting week for the motherland (that's the People's Republic of China, folks). Firstly, there was Miss China's debut in the Miss Universe contest. She came third, or in pagaent-speak, second runner-up.

At 4:00pm (EST) today, China will play its first World Cup finals match (ever), against Costa Rica.

Monday, June 03, 2002

Confessions from a self-conscious, image-obsessed stereotypical homosexual: Part 1
How many gay men are not obsessed with their weight? If there are any, then they are definitely in the minority...

I just came back from the gym, where I weighed myself, after my workout. I do this every week, but today I discovered that I had finally reached 70kgs (154 lbs)! It has taken me more or less 5 months to gain around 6kgs. With my Road Runner-esque metabolism, in which I have frustratingly struggled to gain even the slightest weight, this number is a bloody milestone!

In addition to the regular gym sessions (two times a week, but I'm trying to do three), I made a real effort to try and eat more (by pretty much gorging on all kinds of food, especially carbs!). Moreover, I can attribute some of the weight gain to the terribly bland chocolate cardboard-flavoured protein shakes I consumed (on occasion), the packs of Sanitarium Up & Go I drank after the workouts and all the friggin' porridge that I ate.

With all this said, I'm still focused on gaining more weight. I am absolutely determined to reach my target weight of 76kgs!
Sunday tellie
Excellent TV viewing last night:
  1. Will & Grace w/ special guest, Matt Damon. (Yes, it takes forever for shows to get here!) Total ripsnorter of an episode.
  2. Walk On By - The Story Of the Popular Song: Pure Pop. Excellent finale to a bloody awesome BBC series. Best moment: having the two male writers of Like A Virgin describe how they wrote the song, while performing it with a falsetto voice and a piano!
  3. Victoria & Albert. Utterly brilliant final part to the BBC drama about the Queen and her consort.

Sunday, June 02, 2002

Music!
Britney would not be a role model. Not for my kids anyway. Britney Spears is a role model for strippers.

The lovely Dionne Warwick, complaining about the lack of young celebrity role models, in between puffs from a cannibis joint.

On other news, from TOTPs:

Anastacia turned down the chance to sing and record Liberty X's fabulous little UK No. 1 hit, Just A Little. (Sexy; everything about you so sexy; you don't even know what you got; you really hit my spot!)

Sophie Ellis-Bextor will most likely murder someone on the dancefloor (undoubtably a Kylie fan) - she passed on Can't Get You Out Of My Head.
Monthly audit
Darn, I totally blew it this month... and I was going so well!

Prior to last week's momentary sense of insanity, I thought I had my habit under control - I had only purchased 4 magazines (a really manageable number). But then, on Wednesday, I bought 4 friggin' more!

So, for the month of May, I have spent my limited funds on 8 mags all up (around $100 - bloody imported titles!). There can only be one bright side to all this - at least I can remember the exact number of mags I bought in May, as opposed to the month before!

Last month's good buys included the "Attitude" Sex issue and the "Out" 10th Anniversary Special (with an excellent fashion editorial w/ the men from Wilhelmina - including Gab!).
Gabriel Aubry

Members of the jury, is it OK for a 23yo to have, what can only be described as, a major schoolgirl crush? And what makes this deep infatuation (an oxymoron?) even crazier is the fact that I don't actually know this person. He's a model... and no, he's not even one of those "models".

As people who have hung around me have come to know, whenever I see his face, in a mag or on a billboard, I have to make the exasperated comment: "It's that Hugo Boss guy!"

Well, it has taken months of fruitless internet searching, but I have finally found out his name!

Gabriel Aubry est né en 1976. Il est de Montréal (oui, il est un Canuck!). Gab (the name which I will now refer to him by - as we are already so acquainted) has been in countless advertising campaigns, including this season's Tommy Hilfiger (with fellow Wilhelmina stablemate and Hilton heiress handbag, Jason Shaw). He's the face of Hugo Boss and can be seen with Amber Valletta in the current Spring/Summer '02 advertisements, photographed by Craig McDean. He was everywhere in Hong Kong, last December, when they had posters of him (w/ Kristy Hinze) in all the G2000 stores.
Lawyers and prostitutes...
It seems solicitors and those who solicit on the streets have more in common than hourly rates. According to the Rules regulating professional responsibilty in the legal profession, there is a concept called the "Pimp" rule.

Clause 69 of the Legal Profession Regulation 1994 provides:
(1) If a legal practitioner has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a solicitor (other than the legal practitioner) has dealt with controlled money of trust money in a manner that may be dishonest or irregular, the legal practitioner must, as soon as practicable, notify the president of the Law Socitey, in writing, of the name and address of the solicitor and the grounds on which the suspicion is based.
College of Law: Week 13
Man, I'm drowning here! There's just soo much College work to get through! How do they expect people to get through 5 Units on Professional Responsibility and 4 Units on Commercial & Corporate in just one week?

...and that doesn't even include the 4 bloody assignments that need to be sent off to the instructor (whom, judging by past performance, probably won't even look at the work, let alone give us informed feedback)!