Here, here to the volunteers ...

It's been a big week for me, the JB. Last time we spoke, I was about to go to the shooting range with my brother, Rogan Josh, outside of Little River where we unloaded on some poor, defenceless and endangered cans and bottles. No animals were harmed, except for a pair of rabbits that were printed on a piece of paper attached to a target. These two empty cans of Johnnie Walker and Cola didn't fare well. We were later told off for shooting at targets that "were not approved".

From there, I went back to work on Monday and was sent to the Commonwealth Games Thank You Parade for the athletes and volunteers in downtown Melbourne, which is where this picture was taken. I was interviewing many of the volunteers, including this lady, for an article I wrote about the "aqua army". She thanked me for her "first professional interview" and asked if I would get in a photograph with her. I happily obliged. It was heartening to hear her talk about how being a volunteer gave her the confidence to go out and try new things and the parade was a fitting end to a wonderful two weeks of competition and goodwill. I also managed to interview some of the successful athletes, including "Drama" Jana Pittman and that crazy cat, John Steffensen, who was mentioned earlier on this blog. I told him that he was true to his word by delivering on his promise of winning two gold medals. He replied that he would never do any predicting, of any sort, ever again.

This has sounded like a huge exercise in name-dropping and for that I do apologise. But it continued on Tuesday when I had to write an article about The Footy Show. And to do that, I went up to Sam Newman and James Brayshaw after a launch for Triple M Football down at Docklands. The other JB was nice but I wasn't sure what to expect with Sammy. It was pretty smooth except when I asked him, or rather assumed, that he was excited about a new year. He said: "You think I'm excited, do you?"

Ouch! Back at the office, I spoke to Garry Lyon and Eddie McGuire (again) on the telephone. I told Eddie that I met him last Saturday night at the Commonwealth Games media lounge when he was returning his chicken-looking tofu dish. "Yeah, good on ya," was his reply and that was that. We commenced the interview. To paraphrase Tenacious D, I was "off to a bad start" with both of my discussions with Sam and Eddie but all's well that ends well.

On Wednesday I went to a Ferrari press conference and had to introduce myself to Formula 1 ace Michael Schumacher in front of a crowd of 200 so-called VIPs to ask him specifically if he would be disappointed if Melbourne lost the right to host the Grand Prix because of a ban on tobacco advertising. I was pretty nervous. It was meant to appear in this story, but didn't. Luckily, I was able write a piece on the colourful nature of the event.

Anyway, this blog posting has been very self-indulgent, but hey it's The Life And Times Of JB and this is my life, which will be very miserable for a week if Geelong lose on Saturday. Go Cats! But first, I have another day of work.

All hail to JB, patron saint of Melbourne's Commonwealth Games ...

Yes, it was me only a couple of weeks ago wishing that the Games were over. Finished they will be later this evening, but in the meantime I want to say how much fun I have had over the past few nights going to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the people's ground, to watch the athletics. I'll gratefully eat a slice of humble pie.

Yesterday, I decided to make the trek by train up to Melbourne for the final night of athletic competition. I try and avoid the big smoke when I can, seeing I'm up there every day of my working life. But after, amongst other things, seeing Jana Pittman with 82,999 others win the women's 400 metre hurdles after work on Thursday, I was craving more. More I tell you.

Last night, I was again joined by 82,999 people (not sure if they were the same crew that went on Thursday, however) to witness Asafa Powell and his Jamaican mates win the 4 x 100 metre men's relay before seeing both the Australian men and women's 4 x 400 metre relay teams win. I interviewed the nation's newest golden boy, John Steffensen, on Thursday after he won the individual 400 metre event and then proceeded to dazzle and razzle the fans at the ground and on television with a celebration that is usually confined to American sporting fields and stadiums. When I asked him about the upcoming relay event, he told me: ''We'll win that." True to his word he was.

One of the highlights of last night was bumping into Eddie McGuire in the media lounge where he was having dinner with his lovely wife, Carla. Naturally, I introduced myself to him at the counter where he was returning his meal, a dish he believed was chicken curry. "Don't let them tell you that's chicken," he mused in typical Eddie-style to this esteemed reporter, before telling the employee that it was tofu. Fair enough.

I then got the beers for my colleagues seated back in the expansive media section: front row of the second level of the Melboune Cricket Club, undoubtedly the best seats in the house. It's amazing what a press pass can get you sometimes. My only gripe was the Crown Lager was served in coffee cups as we couldn't take glass into the stadium and there were no plastic cups around. It looked comical.

I then bumped into another young journo, also with same initials as me. I wonder if she also has a blog called The Life And Times Of JB? We made our way back into town to see those 72 fantastic fish floating in the Yarra River. But not before we saw Kim Howe break a Commonwealth Games record in the women's polevault, leaving the attractive Tatiana Grigorieva and her equally attractive niece, Vicky Parnov (yes, I know she's only 15) in her wake. As I walked along the banks of the Yarra, my thoughts then turned around the corner to St Kilda Road and what it would still be like to call the inner-city home. Things would certainly be more convenient, but I'm just not sure what I'm up to at the moment, other than enjoying a sleepy day in Sleepy Hollow today.

Cheering for the Aussies, the Cats and AC. Literally ...

Australia are in the middle of a gold rush and Geelong are celebrating the fact that they've finally won something. What a game it was and hopefully 2006 will be known as The Year Of The Cat. It was a good effort by the boys and I had hoped to congratulate them at Kardinia Park at the club's family day yesterday, but seeing it was my only day off for the week, I decided to chill around the house, catch a lil' NCAA Tourney action and go to the gym. And watch the match again!

However, my thoughts over the past few days have been focussed on my good mate AC Literally who was recently diagnosed with cancer. It's been a decade this year that I met him in our English class after returning from my exchange year. We sat together and ever since he's been a great mate. While he's now living in the UK - remember gents, he's the one travelling around England and the world with the dream job of selling golf clubs - we still keep in touch quite often. Pictured here with yours truly last Northern Hemisphere summer in his old van, which went by the name of Bruce, the man with the initials of AC is one of the most positive guys you could hope to be around and that's evidenced by his attitude to this news. In a text message he sent me yesterday from The Mother Country, he said: "Don't worry about me dude, everyday that passes I'm getting stronger. No chance this can face me and beat me!" I deleted an expletive from that quote.

Anyway, he checks the blog quite frequently, so I was hoping that everyone who does as well can post a message of support for AC. Breaking all blog convention, I'll tell those that don't know him that his real name is Aaron. I've let him know that he's in our thoughts but if you post a message I'm sure he'll appreciate it. If we all are as positive as he is about his subsequent treatment and recovery, then AC will be in great stead.

Scarves were hardly conducive to the warm weather ...

Finally, some pictures to put on this here blog. Last night, I was joined at the big phone booth (Telstra Dome) to see the mighty Cats beat the Dockers to progress to the preseason Grand Final. With me was Cousin Davis and G-Squared, a perfect substitute for KL, who ruled himself out of the big match due to prior commitments. I'm not going to say it was a fantastic game because it wasn't, but Geelong won and good times were had. And that, my friends, is all that matters.

It was my first match since July 3 last year, the day before I went away. We had fun earlier sinking a couple of ales at The Carron, before taking our prime seats on level two to consume more beer and to cheer to our hearts content. My effort last evening? Six beers, two meat pies (with tomato sauce) and two dim sims. Don't worry, I weighed in at 99.1kgs yesterday, equalling my best effort yet. It's my wallet, not my waistline (and perhaps my head) that's feeling the pain this morning.

Normally I go to games with Cousin Slugg, but seeing he's overseas indefinitely I reckon I'll be watching more games with Cousin Davis. The evil twin! It's interesting comparing the support that these two have for their team. Cousin Slugg hates the big red (now peroxide blonde) fire engine, Cameron Ling, with a passion, while Cousin Davis' unbridled hatred for that silky and sleek midfielder James Kelly is unwarranted in my books. By the way, has anyone heard from the self-proclaimed Slugger lately? I fear he'll be seen on a milk carton very soon. I called him straight after the game to relay the Geelong victory song and instead got his message service.

I'm just sad that the team has to travel to Adelaide next Saturday to play the Crows for the preseason silverware. Seeing it's been more than 40 years since we've won anything, how ironic would it be if we were victorious and very few the fans were there to see it? Cousin Davis has already offered to host a huge shindig at his house but G-Squared, who sported the new 2006 jersey last night, is unable to attend because of a wedding (not his). Can't they just postpone it? The wedding, that is!

Marching towards April ...

By then, the Commonwealth Games will be over. But wait, I hear you ask, they haven't even started yet! That's correct, but the esteemed broadsheet and most other media outlets are in an outright panic about how to cover them. It's a once-in-a-lifetime event for the city, but then again, it's not the Olympics, with the USA, China and most of Europe missing. Aside from people getting stabbed left, right and centre (I bought a knife this week - true story) the city is in the grip of Games fever. They should just get a grip. But it has been better than going to funerals and doing the occasional "death knock". Note: Just to clarify an earlier point, I bought the 8-inch Crocodile Bowie knife for a story, OK? It cost me, rather the esteemed broadsheet, $39.95. Bargain.

There's no other news and no other reason why I put this picture up - of me in San Francisco no less - other than to break the monotony of several text-only posts. That will change soon hopefully. I'm in the market for a new camera, having received a big cheque from the insurance company. You might see the new house, JB's new haircut (watch out ladies) and more shenanigans than I've been having lately. The Rayman arrives home over the weekend so we'll have a few ales in his honour. Luckily, I have Labour Day Monday to recover before it's back to the salt mines.

Tomorrow, I'm going to the footy with KL and Cousin Davis. Hopefully the Cats will win, despite being without the injured Kent Kingsley, who I saw at Wood Oven Pizza the other night. Instead, he signed his autograph for a lucky young fan with playing pinball with his girlfriend and downing a bottle of Coke in quick time. It was thrilling stuff.