If ... (by Rudyard Kipling, as adapted by me)

If ... I had followed my intuition and phoned my 9am meeting on Monday morning to postpone, I may have found out that she too wanted to postpone. However, I did what I thought was responsible and turned up, only to receive a phone call asking me to postpone!

If ... I had braved the crowds at Forest Hill when I was already there on Saturday morning, I would have found my favourite face cleanser on special at the new Myer, rather than when I arrived home and saw the junk mail and thought about when I would next brave the parking

If ... only I could concentrate on predicting salary movement in the Australian employment market (with skills shortages, uncertainty about employment law etc)

If ... my work laptop computer would connect through my home broadband connection, I could be productive at home

If ... I had washed the dishes in the sink, they wouldn't still be there, taunting me for my lack of domestic discipline

If ... I 'chilled out' like I was told to do on Friday, maybe I wouldn't keep asking myself 'if...'

'Blue Moon', or 'Anyone for more trivia?'

Anyone who knows me, is well aware that I have an obsession with the minutiae and small details of everyday life.

'The Age' Oddspot, TV quiz shows (except those hosted by Eddie Everywhere) and school trivia nights warm the deepest parts of my soul. I do have a reputation (occasionally deserved, often not) for being a good 'ring in' when anyone is short of numbers for a trivia night. Not such a good name as my friend Darcy's mate John, but somewhat of a reputation among my friends.

My family have accepted that I love detail, so my bookshelf is scattered with titles such as The Cricket Quiz Book and The Australian Miscellany. When I shared a house with some friends, I was allowed to have the spare TV in my room on a Monday night to watch University Challenge. To them I think that giving up the TV was preferable to me either sulking about missing it, or yelling out answers at the TV in front of friends.

My eldest niece (who has just celebrated a significant birthday ending in '0') made me and the whole family proud earlier this year when she appeared on Eddie's 1 v 100 show (the only time I've ever watched it) and resisted Eddie's pressure to play on and won herself a tidy packet - welcome to the family, embrace your love of information!

Well, tonight is my second favourite piece of trivia - it is a blue moon (you can all begin singing now). What is a blue moon you may ask? Well, if I've spoken with you at any time in the last month or so, you'll already know that a blue moon is a second full moon within a single calendar month. The picture is of the most recent blue moon, on 31 July, 2004. A blue moon is obviously a recent invention (well, recent in relation to the invention of the gregorian or roman calendars). I even found this groovy site that animates the phases of the moon - gotta love that waxing gibbous!

My favourite piece of trivia? I'll save that for another blog!