Champagne Super Nova, What if the Super Bowl Tied? and other things that are a bit confusing

Champagne Super Nova in the sky... was a line in a song by a 90's band called Oasis. Oasis was gonna be bigger than the Beatles, self proclaimed, obviously did not happen since I am having to explain the song. That line is all I can think of when I hear someone start to talk about a Novated lease. My mind goes fuzzy and I sing that song to myself. I should be paying attention but I can't I just start singing to myself and saying in a bad Brit accent, "were gonna be bigga than tha BEE DELS." So buying a car is tough business anywhere, but here it is just a little bit more confusing.

Novated Lease Definition:  A novated lease is an agreement between your employer, yourself (the employee) and the financier, where the obligation to meet the repayments under the finance lease is with the employer.  With a novated lease agreement, you own the vehicle and have the right to take it with you should you change jobs and, structured correctly, there may be tax advantages with your remuneration package.  As with other leasing structures, repayments with a novated lease are flexible and calculated based on the term, interest rate, amount borrowed and the residual payment.


Got that? So, a few other cool things about this Champagne Super Nova Lease, you pick the car they(Novated Lease Co) work on negotiating the dealer to rock bottom pricing and the money for car payments, gas insurance, maintenance is deducted pre tax. Here is where the plot thickens in a frustrating kinda way. Mike has a car allowance, his company will administer a Novated lease for him, but....they will not guarantee loans for 457 visa employees. Hmmm... now thats a bit of a pickle ain't it?

What if the SuperBowl tied???????? Unthinkable right? Well...I divulge into FOOTY! Oh Footy, there are two kinds of Footy here AFL(aussie rules football) and NRL(National Rugby League. They are different but both are called footy, I could not tell them apart on the tele if there were subtitles flashing AFL or NRL. What I do know is in Melbourne(say Melbin obvious pronunciation right?) LOVES AFL and here in Sydney it is all about NRL. Last week the most astounding thing happened at the Grand Final of AFL. Think SuperBowl but bigger, the day prior is actually a holiday in Melbin they have parades that make Macy's Tday crowds look sad and desperate. Anyway, it ended in a tie and so they did what you would naturally do, they checked the stadium's calendar, verified that there were no monster truck rallies already planned for the next week and they booked the field again so they could play again!!!!!! SERIOUSLY, AN HONEST TO GOODNESS GROWN UP STYLE DO OVER! FO REAL! This is the craziest notion to me. I hate ties just like the next Sheila but really play again, the next weekend???? What if I only have one game day outfit? What if I don't have a sitter next week, the logistical troubles go on and on... Are you dying to know what happened in Grand Final Round Two? The officials decided that this time it would be OK to allow for "extra" time (OT) and they would play until there was a winner. The OT provision was not needed as one team whupped up on the other. Thank goodness case closed! 


One very good thing about footy: 


These Blokes....

WEAR THESE SHORTS:

Here is another example: (just in case you weren't sure what I meant)

Other confusing thing: I "sprung" forward today. It is daylight savings time and I was ready to "fall" back an hour when Mike reminded me we are going into Spring. So spring forward it is in October!


And...I was corrected at the party store by another Mum that I should be stating that I am looking for Thomas The Tank Engine, not Thomas The Train. Oh really? Thanks. Are they so different that would have made a difference to the teen working the counter "helping" me with my search? I think not! 


One cool think about the "dumb" american accent, when other tourists ask you for directions all you have to do is say one or two words and they want nothing else to do with talking to you. You are on your way without having to offer any assistance to other lost souls!