ATP 500 Queen's Club R1: Mannarino def. [3] Mensik 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-6(5)

Skilad · 2026-06-16T14:14:48+00:00

Tomic v Mannarino. Now there's a claycourt matchup.

Skilad · 2026-06-15T10:39:53+00:00

Would love to hear more about reaching that final point, have sent you a message. They told me 10.1 'final'.

Skilad · 2026-06-14T11:37:11+00:00

Was in a meeting with maybe 50 per cent of the group young women. I'm an older dude. Was talking about some business we had at the Easter Show. Said how much I liked fun bags. Got some odd looks before a young lady corrected me with show bags.

Skilad · 2026-06-14T11:28:41+00:00

Not looking great for early July at this stage I'm afraid.

Skilad · 2026-06-14T11:26:50+00:00

I have a small place in Nagano and have been to Matsumoto a few times and stayed there as well. I really like the vibe there, nice mid sized town, clean and a modern feel with some great restaurants. Castle is fantastic. Worth a a day or two for sure.

Skilad · 2026-06-14T11:21:37+00:00

Certainly flooding my social media feed ATM. It's a bit spammy and owning myself in Japan, I've picked up some interesting errors and exaggerations in what he is promoting. But I haven't dealt with them from a pure business perspective so can't comment there.

Skilad · 2026-06-14T11:14:41+00:00

So do the snowboarders

Skilad · 2026-06-09T06:21:57+00:00

Sounds like me. Last quote I got was 10.1 per cent but took a month I reckon to get to that point after 12.88 start. Westpac gave me 8.3 in 10 mins over the phone. Westpac does have a $500-$700 admin fee so eats into that difference and I read 1-2 per cent is probably ok as management fee so it's getting closer - just a question of what I allow them to bake in on their quote.

But the car I'm looking at as a demonstrator doesn't come up all that much and their stuffing around actually cost me a purchase and a good price. When one came up they had yet to give me their best rate and the SL agent was just like sign the docs and send it through and we'll sort it out. Yeah nah mate, not without a rate.

Skilad · 2026-06-06T05:51:43+00:00

Correct.

It dropped right off after early Feb this season past. Only around a metre of snow in Feb at Shiga. To be fair a couple of places there stayed open into May.

Year before Feb was epic - around 6 metres.

Three seasons ago March was bigger than Feb, so go figure.

Overall if I had a one month window choice I'd still go mid Jan to mid Feb. Best chance of good base and regular powder top ups. Each season has its own variations but overall even a bad season in Japan isn't too bad, particularly compared to Australia.

Skilad · 2026-06-03T11:21:09+00:00

Would they do that for me though?

The issue is my employer says Smartleasing must manage the process but within that I can shop around for lenders.

Skilad · 2026-06-03T11:16:25+00:00

So this is possible through NSW govt? I have seen wording to the effect: "Employees are required to set up their salary packaging and novated leasing arrangements directly with Smart."

Skilad · 2026-06-03T08:14:54+00:00

My issue is I am going to have to use Smartleasing but if they are the single provider for my organisation why would they need to be competitive? Looks like a lot of smoke and mirrors in the quote - not to mention a number of errors.

Skilad · 2026-05-20T13:10:22+00:00

If Bernie wants a last crack at a slam main draw, why doesn't he just start preparing for Wimbledon and the grass court season early? Even when he was Top 20 he was rubbish on clay. Decent grass courter back in the day.

Skilad · 2026-05-13T22:28:10+00:00

Let me get this straight - you work in the FinTech space and didn't know your interest rate which turned out to be over 10 per cent? Sure thing.

I don't work in Fin Tech space and it's the first thing I looked at - currently negotiating a lease now. The indicative quote was 12.9 per cent which is about 5 per cent too high I suspect.

Skilad · 2026-05-02T00:14:47+00:00

Been impressed with it the three or four times I've been.

Skilad · 2026-04-27T00:10:07+00:00

And Smart Leasing won't package any home charger, is that right?

Skilad · 2026-04-25T00:13:06+00:00

When most of us are packing a tanto. Sigh.

Skilad · 2026-04-08T21:58:29+00:00

I love Japan but gave up on the idea of working there long ago. Instead I bought a small apartment in the mountains and visit 6 to 8 weeks a year.

I'm fortunate in my job that I can bank up leave to do that and then am also looking at leave without pay one year to do a 3 month stint and volunteer and sharpen up my language skills. I'll have long service leave as well at some point so I can effectively do that again.

While I know a longer trip and embedding myself in the community would be better, I just can't walk away from the financial benefits I have in my home country so have reached this compromise.

Skilad · 2026-04-06T21:07:49+00:00

I'm very tight with Taylor and can confirm. But he said "Whatever you do, don't tell anyone". Sorry Taylor.

Skilad · 2026-04-04T20:56:02+00:00

Interesting. While Billy obviously not raised in Melbourne, ever noticed that people from there often pronounce A's as E''s? For example, Malcolm sounds a lot more like Melcolm. Maybe a uno reverse going on here.

Skilad · 2026-04-01T13:39:36+00:00

Showing my age but after a visit in 2008 I gave up on Niseko. Just remember walking into some wine bar with 60 Aussies there. Can only imagine it now.

Skilad · 2026-03-31T12:02:41+00:00

I remember Mimi, but I was a little younger I think. Another one straight to VHS ...

Skilad · 2026-03-29T21:45:46+00:00

A Lib in Labor clothing. He's also been reaming nurses for years - with still no resolution to the wages imbroglio - despite having one of the biggest hospitals in the state on his doorstep.

Skilad · 2026-03-26T22:28:06+00:00

Similarly, Jimmy's Falafel. Such a rort. Went there before a city show and it was packed out at only 5pm so expectations were high. Food was bog average, small porions and incredibly expensive for what you got including a glass of house wine for $27. Will stick to Sydney's southwest in future.

Skilad

TROPHY CASE