Polymatrix: Developer Diary | Spin the Bottle, Hot Beads and a Tuning Guide (July 13, 2026)
Monday, July 13, 2026 (into the early morning) Get Polymatrix on Google Play Talking the game into my phone Yesterday was a super manic day:…
Polymatrix: Developer Diary | Building a Game Without Knowing Physics (July 14, 2026)
Tuesday, July 14, 2026 Get Polymatrix on Google Play Explaining Polymatrix at home I showed the Polymatrix game to a family member at home and…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Plan: More Testing and AdMob (September 9, 2026)
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play What comes next I might have to start on the Chaos Screen Recorder and…
Polymatrix: Developer Diary | Pulling Baddies Forward and Merging Two Versions (July 17, 2026)
Friday, July 17, 2026 Get Polymatrix on Google Play Gaming the usage clock I played Polymatrix in the shower before heading home. I’d worked out…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Teaching the Voice Button to Match Exercises (May 27, 2026)
May 27, 2026. About 9:00 p.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Listen, parse, match After the gym I typed in that I wanted a new…
Polymatrix: Developer Diary | Packaging Polymatrix for Google Play (August 24, 2026)
Monday, August 24, 2026 (evening into the early morning) Get Polymatrix on Google Play Pivoting back to Polymatrix I was thinking of pivoting back to…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Custom Meals and a Promise to Stop Adding Features (July 13, 2026)
July 13, 2026. Early morning and evening. Get BeStreak on Google Play Seventy five, then two hundred and thirty seven By early morning the nutrition…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | A Food Scale, Small Wording Fixes and Seven Cents (July 18, 2026)
July 18, 2026. Evening until 2:30 a.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Weighing a salad The nutrition database is now up to 1,550 meals and…
Polymatrix: Developer Diary | Four Mini Games and a Lottery Bowl (August 27, 2026)
Thursday, August 27, 2026 Get Polymatrix on Google Play Helping testers, cleaning screens By 10:50 a.m. I had worked with some closed testers, sending them…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Not a One Pass Developer (June 13, 2026)
June 13, 2026. After midnight. Get BeStreak on Google Play One pass versus two hundred I’m seeing people online who use AI and make videos…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Analytics, Subscriptions and a Photo Cap Idea From the Treadmill (July 4, 2026)
July 4, 2026. Afternoon until 5:00 a.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Watching the caps I played around with the shop and all the different…
Polymatrix: Developer Diary | Taming the Globulator Life Rafts (August 31, 2026)
Monday, August 31, 2026 (evening) Get Polymatrix on Google Play The globulator was too generous I upgraded my Claude plan, and the first thing I…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Ideas: What Would You Like to Do Today? (August 22, 2026)
August 22, 2026. Afternoon. Get BeStreak on Google Play A panel of choices Some people, when they come onto the app, aren’t sure where to…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Recording Audio Alongside Speech to Text (June 16, 2026)
June 16, 2026. Late night into the next morning. Get BeStreak on Google Play The idea I had a new idea for an audio recorder…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Seven Testers (September 3, 2026)
Thursday, September 3, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Helping testers to get testers I spent the night helping closed testers with their…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Version 152: Good Enough (May 20, 2026)
May 20, 2026. Morning, then 8:25 p.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Ninety nine percent done I did some work with Claude AI on the…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Twenty Two Exercises by Voice, and One Stuck Recording (June 18, 2026)
June 18, 2026. Evening at the gym. Get BeStreak on Google Play The calendar keeps me honest When I came into the gym I looked…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Smart Notifications and an Anxious Look at the Numbers (August 24, 2026)
August 24, 2026. Midday to 5:15 p.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Fourteen days, again I saw that the fourteen days of closed testing had…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Two Builds From Now On, and a Website Plan (July 9, 2026)
July 9, 2026. After 2:00 a.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play One change, two files I created a new rule for my instructions. From now…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Speak Your Sets: The Voice Input Idea (May 22, 2026)
May 22, 2026. Afternoon gym session, then 4:50 p.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play A halving bug Before my workout I checked the PB Tracker…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Thinking About Publishing, and Two Ideas From the Bench (May 30, 2026)
May 30, 2026. 10:00 p.m. at the gym. Get BeStreak on Google Play Time to make it live At 10 p.m. I arrived at the…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | A Logo That Would Not Behave, and Version 207 (June 29, 2026)
June 29, 2026. 2:00 a.m. to 4:15 a.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Logo trouble I got home around 2 a.m. and had the idea…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | A Version That Hides the Record Button Completely (July 12, 2026)
Sunday, July 12, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play A new version before sleep Before sleep last night I had the screen recorder…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Fourteen Days Done: Applying for Production (August 8, 2026)
August 8, 2026. 5:30 p.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Past closed testing I knew that my BeStreak PB Tracker app would now be past…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Not Approved: Fourteen More Days (August 10, 2026)
August 10, 2026. Afternoon. Get BeStreak on Google Play More testing needed Interestingly, today when I checked the BeStreak app, it was not approved for…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Custom Muscles, a Signed Bundle and Sign In With Google (July 2, 2026)
July 2, 2026. Morning until 10:10 p.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Version 237 I worked on two features this morning. First, when I throw…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Measurements and Progress Photos (May 14, 2026)
May 14, 2026. Afternoon gym session, then evening. Get BeStreak on Google Play A bug found mid workout At the gym I found a small…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Third in the Release Queue (July 14, 2026)
Tuesday, July 14, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play The order of releases I worked out the order. My personal best tracker goes…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Two Thousand Meals and the First Outside Bug Report (July 19, 2026)
July 19, 2026. Afternoon until 4:00 a.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Salad math I used the nutrition database to put my regular salad together,…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Finding Where the Nutrition Data Lives (August 15, 2026)
August 15, 2026. Afternoon. Get BeStreak on Google Play More meals, but where? Last night I let Claude Cowork update the meal and beverage database,…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Recording My Own Gameplay With It (August 19, 2026)
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Using it on a different game I installed one of my games on my…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Waiting for Production (October 1, 2026)
Thursday, October 1, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Still waiting I am still waiting for production testing to be confirmed for the…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | The Night One User Could See Another User’s Data (May 17, 2026)
May 17, 2026. Afternoon until 1:35 a.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Icons on the board Around midday I cut out the printed icon for…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Recruiting Testers in Facebook Groups (August 16, 2026)
August 16, 2026. 3:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. the next night. Get BeStreak on Google Play Pushing harder I’ve been working with Facebook groups to…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Bug Hunting From the Mattress (July 22, 2026)
July 22, 2026. Early morning and afternoon. Get BeStreak on Google Play Testing where I don’t usually go I downloaded the latest update on my…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Floating Buttons That Got in the Way (August 23, 2026)
August 23, 2026. Morning and evening. Get BeStreak on Google Play A tester recommendation The update I did was something one of the closed testers…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | The Twelfth Tester, a Nutrition Tab and a Meal Plan (July 24, 2026)
July 24, 2026. 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 a.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play The twelfth tester saw nothing A guy downloaded the app, and that…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Next Step: Google Play and a Name of Its Own (June 27, 2026)
June 27, 2026. Evening, and after midnight. Get BeStreak on Google Play Where it stands The PB Tracker app is right up there in the…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | A Plain Bagel and 3,500 Meals (August 25, 2026)
August 25, 2026. Late night. Get BeStreak on Google Play Base meals Tonight I updated the BeStreak app with new meals, up to about 3,500…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | The One-Pixel Record Button (July 4, 2026)
Saturday, July 4, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Disabling the screenshot button I had already created a version of the app bundle…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Premium Will Not Work, So I Rebuilt the App (July 31, 2026)
Friday, July 31, 2026 (into the early morning) Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Another upload before the school run For about twenty minutes…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | A Dial for Drop Sets (July 30, 2026)
July 30, 2026. Afternoon. Get BeStreak on Google Play Found mid set There was one small bug I came across when I was doing drop…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | A Tester Switch for Premium (August 1, 2026)
Saturday, August 1, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Still no premium I got up, checked the computer and opened the Chaos Screen…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Monetization Plans, a Feature Profile and a Privacy Policy (May 12, 2026)
May 12, 2026. Morning until 1:15 a.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play What a paid version could look like I’ve been using my PB Tracker…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Machine Settings and a Personal Best Badge, Tested on Leg Day (June 2, 2026)
June 2, 2026. Morning build, 12:50 p.m. gym. Get BeStreak on Google Play From gym notes to a build I took all of the notes…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Madcap Test Recording and the Game Volume Fix (August 2, 2026)
Sunday, August 2, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Madcap fun I tested the Chaos Screen Recorder by doing some madcap fun: yelling…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Record and Stop on One Line (September 15, 2026)
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Another round of changes I put the Chaos Screen Recorder through another round of…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Dark Mode Bug From a Tester (September 18, 2026)
Friday, September 18, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play A tester finds a bug One of the testers found a bug in my…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | A Storage Map and the Personal Bests That Were Not Saving (June 12, 2026)
June 12, 2026. Midday and afternoon. Get BeStreak on Google Play Mapping where data lives I noticed that I would save a gym session and…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Twenty Test Accounts for Testers (August 11, 2026)
August 11, 2026. Afternoon. Get BeStreak on Google Play Making it easy to get in I invited a few more people to do the closed…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | The Last Days of Closed Testing (September 26, 2026)
Saturday, September 26, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Expecting a no The Chaos Screen Recorder is up to its last days before…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Showing a Friend What AI Built (June 27, 2026)
Saturday, June 27, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play “Have you ever used a screen recorder?” Towards the end of my time with…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | The Desktop Version Takes Shape (May 19, 2026)
May 19, 2026. Morning to late afternoon. Get BeStreak on Google Play Starting on desktop In the morning I continued the coding session from last…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | AdMob Registered for the Live App (October 6, 2026)
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Ready for revenue I registered AdMob for the new Chaos Screen Recorder, which is…
The Greatest Madden Game Ever Lost (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: February 25, 1999
Shawn and the diarist trade blows in a Madden game that ends in heartbreak. A card game at Subway rounds off a wet night.
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Seven New Color Themes and Version 172 (June 3, 2026)
June 3, 2026. Afternoon until 1:40 a.m.. Get BeStreak on Google Play Dumbbells and themes The app still does not correctly show dumbbell weights. It…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Recording Lance Finishing His Level (July 20, 2026)
Monday, July 20, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Another finished level Lance kept playing his game, and eventually he finished it. I…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Round Dials on Every Input (July 21, 2026)
July 21, 2026. Evening until midnight. Get BeStreak on Google Play Too many buttons I did a pass of the BeStreak app. I think it…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | The Google Play Questionnaire and the First Signed Bundle (July 23, 2026)
Thursday, July 23, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Getting it ready for closed testing After I got back home from getting the…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Ads Before You Record and a Review Video for Google (July 27, 2026)
Monday, July 27, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play A video for Google Play Console It was a bit of a job. I…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Hiding the Buttons While Recording (July 1, 2026)
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Working on the overlay Alongside the other app I was building, I worked on…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Subscriptions and a Remove Ads Purchase (July 30, 2026)
Thursday, July 30, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play More compute, more projects Once I was back home I worked on the Chaos…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Twenty Minutes of Floor Is Lava on Video (July 5, 2026)
Sunday, July 5, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play The test recording I took a break to record video for Floor Is Lava…
BeStreak: Developer Diary | Adding an Exercise After the Fact (May 13, 2026)
May 13, 2026. Morning. Get BeStreak on Google Play Edit, then add I made some more changes to the Personal Best Tracker app. Some were…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Recording Lance’s Finished Level (July 13, 2026)
Monday, July 13, 2026 (into the early morning) Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Building out the recorder I built out the recorder with…
First Night at the Catholic Club (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: October 10, 1998
A boring day gaming turns around when Keith invites me out. We collect Ralf and Shawn, stop for pizza and head for a new kind of night.
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | The Closed Testing Release and a Policy Violation Fixed (August 25, 2026)
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play A new version, with feature images At 12:50 p.m. the new Chaos Screen Recorder…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Approved for Production (October 3, 2026)
Saturday, October 3, 2026 (starting before dawn) Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play The approval I got on the computer, looked at the tasks…
Tatton’s Terrible Driving Night (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: October 1, 1998
I wake mid afternoon with a stiff neck and plan a shopping trip for my advance pay. Three months since Lyssa and I split, it feels time to move on.
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | A Geometry Dash Channel for Lance (June 28, 2026)
Sunday, June 28, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Putting the recorder on his phone I told Lance, “Let me go get the…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | A Wrong Declaration Slowing Down the Release (October 5, 2026)
Monday, October 5, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Why was it taking so long? The release was taking about three days and…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | The New Look, Tested (September 13, 2026)
Sunday, September 13, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Back in the garage While I waited for some mac and cheese, I tested…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | The Twelfth Tester Signs In (September 14, 2026)
Monday, September 14, 2026 (into the early morning) Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Fourteen more days I saw that Polymatrix was finally approved,…
Lyssa’s Worrying Late Night Call – Mad Chaos: October 9, 1998
Lyssa rings after midnight with worrying news. I sit up late, torn between guilt, hope and old feelings, and write it all down.
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Grouped Settings and a Round Save Button (June 25, 2026)
Thursday, June 25, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Paying for more Claude At 1:05 a.m. I bought the Claude AI Max plan….
Reliving Old Mischief With the Boys (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: December 17, 1998
A quiet train ride and a chat with an old coach lead to a late night out with the boys, who trade tales of mischief and money worries.
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Hunting for Closed Testers and a Polymatrix Video (August 31, 2026)
Monday, August 31, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Closed testers I looked at the testers I could get for the app. I…
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | A Banner Ad in Settings and Newer Google Libraries (July 29, 2026)
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Hitting the limit in two prompts I paid for another month of Claude on…
Writing A Poem Beside Lyssa Asleep (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: November 30, 1998
Unable to sleep, Tony sneaks around the house and then writes a sonnet. The morning ends with a run to the shops.
Christmas Plans and Gossip About Imad (Part 6) – Mad Chaos: December 15, 1998
An embarrassing moment passes with kindness, the phone brings gossip and a strange hunch, and Tony starts planning Christmas with Lyssa.
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Next Up: Chaos Screen Recorder and Polymatrix (August 8, 2026)
Saturday, August 8, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Waiting on approval I went through the steps to publish my personal best tracker….
The Twist at the Runs – Mad Chaos: October 14, 1998
A candid chat about hating customer service sets up a night of surprises at the car runs.
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Six Apps in Six Months (August 16, 2026)
Sunday, August 16, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play The plan I can push some games onto Steam and others onto Apple, but…
Hot Gossip Before the Catholic Club – Mad Chaos: October 23, 1998
Friday brings the whole story of who dogged whom and a plan for the Catholic Club.
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | AdMob, Firebase, a Landing Page and a Red Theme (July 22, 2026)
Wednesday, July 22, 2026 (starting after midnight) Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Focusing on the recorder Because I could finally step away from…
Where My Poetry First Woke Up (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: December 15, 1998
In the early hours Tony sets the chronology aside to trace where his poetry came from. Old jobs, old crushes and a first line he still thinks is his best.
Choking on a Job Interview Call (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: January 30, 1999
After a night without sleep, a tired walk to Campbelltown and a botched phone interview leave the diarist cranky. Then comes a long think about love and marriage.
Chest Aches And A Phone Call Gone Cold (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: December 7, 1998
Tony pushes his chest hard at the gym and feels something pull, then admits over a late call that he and Lyssa are never going back.
Bumping Into The Girl In Red (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: December 29, 1998
Tony tumbles into someone he was hoping to meet, loses his nerve and then loses a fight with the surf. Burgers help.
A Talk About Where We Stand (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: January 11, 1999
Lyssa wants to talk about space on the walk home, yet the afternoon says something very different.
Hiring a Nintendo for Lyssa (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: February 11, 1999
A console rental becomes Tony’s pet plan to cheer Lyssa up. Later he turns to the glimpses of his neighbor and a sonnet inspired by them.
Rush Hour and a Tower of Cups (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: January 19, 1999
Sunday rolls on with a knockout, cup juggling, a movie and a late call with Lyssa.
Grieving Jewell Then Losing at Madden (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: February 22, 1999
Memories of Jewell sting while an old CD plays. The story then rewinds to a Saturday of Madden, a stuck car and a tournament with a name change.
The Lost Years Wear A Crown (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: January 15, 1999
A midnight entry unpacks a sonnet where time rules a medieval realm, then introduces a second sonnet about a knight who writes.
Spies in the Station Toilets (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: December 14, 1998
Tony finally starts writing up Saturday night, beginning at Ralf’s house and a walk to the station. Two girls try very hard to spy on the group before the train arrives.
Perfume Money Buys Peace (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: December 24, 1998
Tony trails Lyssa through the city on Christmas Eve, loses an argument about staying over, and wins her back with a bottle of perfume.
A Red Celica And Other Nights Remembered (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: December 9, 1998
The memory hunt continues with a long wait in Ali’s car, an outing to Wollongong and a few late night thoughts on sleepiness.
Jumping the Train to Meet Lyssa (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: December 17, 1998
Tony writes a poem that needs no voice, then wakes to a call, power walks to the station, and gambles on a free ride into the city.
Fried Rice and Wounded Pride (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: January 21, 1999
A belated visit on his birthday brings a walk to the shops, a funny phone prank story and a promise to himself.
Squeaky Clean For The Big Night (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: January 15, 1999
Tony spots a stylish stranger in Campbelltown, writes a bird poem on the walk home and gets spotless for a birthday dinner.
Valhalla Gets a Sonnet at Dawn (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: February 10, 1999
Tony wraps up one sonnet, stays up to write a Norse one about Valhalla, and ends the day smitten with a neighbour glimpsed from afar.
Names in a Hat for My Birthday (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: January 18, 1999
A birthday night out is decided by a hat and a game of rock paper scissors, then the drive turns into a history of the group’s leaders.
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | The Buttons Showed Up in the Video (June 29, 2026)
Monday, June 29, 2026 Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Recording Lance playing We turned my phone on, Lance picked the game, and I…
Drifting Apart One Weekend at a Time (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: December 6, 1998
A lazy day leads to honest thoughts about a fading romance, followed by a night chasing a girlfriend’s party with Keith and ending at a service station.
A Poem for the Girl Across the Road (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: February 10, 1999
Tony writes a not quite sonnet for a girl across the road, explains its balance and catches up on gossip about a Valentine picnic.
Chaos Screen Recorder: Developer Diary | Icons, Titles and a Drop-Down Control Box (September 12, 2026)
Saturday, September 12, 2026 (into the early morning) Get Chaos Screen Recorder on Google Play Eleven testers, one to go I made some updates to…
Suede Shoes And A Donkey Parable (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: December 24, 1998
Tony wrestles old word processing software at the library, laminates his sonnets for Lyssa, buys suede shoes, and recalls a donkey parable.
Resentments, Workouts and a Broken Down Car (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: October 28, 1998
Keith confides about trouble with Tamsen on the drive home, and the author wonders what a breakup could do to the whole circle.
Interrogated About My Night (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: December 15, 1998
Lyssa grills Tony about his night out, shares a rough night of her own, and the call turns into a frank look at what each of them wants next.
A Sunday Night Full of Surprises (Part 5) – Mad Chaos: December 15, 1998
Lyssa arrives at the house with excuses about forgotten poems, and an evening that starts at the computer takes a turn that ends in a mystery.
A Mystery Payment And A Fresh Haircut (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: December 7, 1998
Tony finds more money in his account than he expects, then spends the afternoon on a very particular haircut and a shopping loop around Campbelltown.
A Lost Ring And Fruit Loops (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: December 2, 1998
Tony wakes late on the first day of summer and trains hard on cereal. A call with Lyssa brings news about the ring and the piano box.
A Tattooed Stranger and a Tease (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: December 14, 1998
A heavy mood settles over the carriage until the police step on. Tony then trades jokes and long looks with a girl who has only just arrived from America.
Hot Days and Fresh Starts – Mad Chaos: September 30, 1998
On the last day of the month he writes a song about a crazy world, prints his resume at a friend’s and sorts out an Optus bill before the month ends.
Who Really Loved Who More (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: February 26, 1999
The diarist weighs his own part in a broken relationship and worries about losing his friends again. A day of shopping brings an unexpected moment.
Fake Radio Voices and a Borrowed Movie (Part 5) – Mad Chaos: January 28, 1999
A homemade radio show fools strangers on the phone while the movie, the money and the missed calls all go astray. The night ends with a long look in the mirror.
Awake All Night to Hand In a Form (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: February 12, 1999
With the sonnet contrasts done, Tony forces himself to stay up so he can hand in a form in town. By evening he is a sleepless wreck with a new mystery call to ponder.
The Night the Secrets Spilled Out (Part 5) – Mad Chaos: November 23, 1998
Old secrets finally come out, a framed photo meets the floor, and two late phone calls prove neither of them has quite let go.
A Landmark Weekend of Clubbing and Beach Days (Part 6) – Mad Chaos: October 25, 1998
A relaxed beach afternoon brings new faces, a brave run into the ocean, and a story about a bike ride gone wrong.
Lost Necklace and a Night with Lyssa (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: October 30, 1998
A cheerful ride home turns into a quiet, affectionate night in the author’s room, with the usual teasing between them.
We Threw Golf Balls at Trains (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: November 20, 1998
The training history rolls on through 1994 with measurements, new methods and a few over-training scares. A golf range outing with Jett caps it off with flying balls and a swollen ankle.
Braveheart Made Me a Bard (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: February 14, 1999
A battle-cry sonnet pours out after a Braveheart night, followed by a short poem about being told he cannot be a bard. Then Shawn tries to correct his Shakespearean spelling.
Burnt Pasta and a Taxi Fare (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: February 1, 1999
Lyssa rings with the gossip from a messy weekend out, then turns up by taxi for a movie night. The pasta did not go to plan.
A Record Bench and a Locked Door (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: November 5, 1998
A closed office door, a new bench press record and a puzzling request from a stranger keep Tony guessing.
Writing the First Lost Years Sonnet (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: January 3, 1999
After a frosty phone call with Lyssa, Tony maps out goals for the year, then pours the early hours into a sonnet about Jewell and the lost years.
Red Rooster Giggles And A Wandering Hand (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: November 9, 1998
A planned quiet visit becomes a group outing with Kieran: Red Rooster, ice cream and a rented movie. Tony watches every touch for a sign.
A Chess Dream and a Strange Wish (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: January 29, 1999
Interrupted phone calls, poems written in a towel and a wish that surprises even the friends in the car. Then comes a dream of a chess tournament at school.
Resolutions and the Lion I Fed (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: January 1, 1999
Tony opens the new year with a short poem, a list of big resolutions and a wry look back at the lost years, including a lion that never quite came to the hand.
Playing Detective with My Own Diary (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: November 5, 1998
Tony goes back through old diary entries hunting for clues about an old night out, and starts to doubt what he was told.
A Miracle in a Pizza Hut Car Park (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: January 29, 1999
A friend’s long-overdue repayment arrives in a Pizza Hut car park after a detour through a petrol station. The diarist also hears the story of a black eye.
Creatine Day One And Phone Wars (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: December 7, 1998
A new supplement, a shocking sugar count on a juice bottle and a run of early morning calls from Lyssa test Tony’s patience on a Monday.
Lifting Heavy And Overthinking Saturday (Part 6) – Mad Chaos: December 17, 1998
Tony finishes a punishing back and triceps session, takes stock of his injuries, and plans a perfect Saturday that Jett promptly rearranges.
Gridiron Marathon at the Crack of Dawn (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: January 22, 1999
Shawn and Tatton bring the Nintendo and John Madden Football over, and a night of endless games ends with a last gasp victory as dawn approaches.
A Puffy Face on a Plastic Card (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: February 2, 1999
A short gym finish gives way to a surprise visit and a day of errands. The new identification card photo was not a keeper.
A Television Dies of Old Age (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: February 24, 1999
A friendly workout with a new gym buddy leads to a phone call with an odd muffled sound. The story ends with a dying television proving Lyssa right.
Ralf and the Elevator That Hated Him (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: January 27, 1999
Ralf meets a huge spider in the car park, the lift refuses to cooperate and a hi-fi shop tempts Tony. The long way home takes far longer than it ever should.
Three Thousand Pages Want to Be Books (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: February 11, 1999
Tony decides his diary deserves to become real books and starts counting the cost. Between phone calls with Lyssa and Ralf he admits some uncomfortable truths about his younger self.
Resentments, Workouts and a Broken Down Car (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: October 28, 1998
Anger over a betrayed confidence simmers on the page before the author turns it into energy at the gym.
Hanging Up On Lyssa Again (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: December 27, 1998
A string of tense phone calls pushes Tony to draw a line, tally up the arguments and hold on to a few words from a song on the television.
A Bank Mix-Up and a Trip Not Taken (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: October 12, 1998
He muses on who will read these pages in ten years, then heads to the bank to chase down missing money and a Liverpool trip.
Fighting Words Before Back Day (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: January 27, 1999
A frosty call with Lyssa is followed by a sluggish back and triceps session, a chat about a cheap car and a tired, sun tanned end to the night.
Resentments, Workouts and a Broken Down Car (Part 2) – Mad Chaos: October 28, 1998
The gym session goes well, the poems for Lyssa stay on the mind, and the evening ends with a cheeky pizza shop visit.
A Skipped Gym Day And A Beach (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: December 29, 1998
A spontaneous beach trip pulls Tony away from the gym. The sand is hot, the waves are rough and the sun wins.
A Spider Web Waiting for Keith (Part 5) – Mad Chaos: January 18, 1999
A rejected ID, a stubborn Keith and a very large spider set up one of the sillier stretches of the birthday night.
Madden, a Celica and One Awkward Visit (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: February 25, 1999
A lazy Madden session with Keith and Shawn leads to a stiff visit to see a new car. Later, a phone call with Lyssa raises the same old question.
Superman Rescues a Singing Swede (Part 1) – Mad Chaos: December 5, 1998
Tony recounts a bizarre dream involving angry friends, a car chase and a rescue from the sea, then deals with a phone call about prank calls.
Locked Out Then Lifting Heavy (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: January 2, 1999
Locked out at sunrise, Tony finally sleeps, hits the gym for back and arms and catches up on everyone else’s New Years Eve over the phone.
Resentments, Workouts and a Broken Down Car (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: October 28, 1998
Friends put a carburetor back together, a family illness changes plans, and a night of car trouble ends with plenty of teasing.
Pity Gets Me A Ride Home (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: November 9, 1998
Tony’s gloom finally gets Lyssa’s attention, and she finds a reason to leave with him. The ride home and the quiet hours after are full of nerves.
A Night of GoldenEye and Tears (Part 4) – Mad Chaos: January 2, 1999
Tony rides around with Jett, loses hours to GoldenEye at Dennis’s place, then ends up playing peacemaker when a phone call between Jett and Min-Su goes wrong.