Ashley Ringrose is the co-founder of Soap Creative (soap.com.au), creator of Bannerblog (bannerblog.com.au) & has blogged at The Slippery Truffle since 2000. (theslipperytruffle.com/) How to spot Ash in a crowd: Male, just under 6ft, Caucasian, fair complexion, blue eyes, glasses, deep voice, hairy arms, shaven hair while sporting the T-Shirt with a print on it. He is usually found unshaven with a DSLR camera taking photos of abandoned chairs.

Fact you wouldn’t know: Loves pinball machines.
Fact you don’t want to know: Got so badly sun burnt one once he had to go to hospital.
Fact people usually don’t believe: Doesn’t drink alcohol. Sorry just an OJ thanks.
Celebrity he most resembles: Moby
Favorite drink: Milk and Milo.
Favorite film: Back to the Future 2

But I thought after reading Julian's post I might expand on these further. So here's a few extra details and some weird stuff about me that you might not know.

This isn't one of those look how cool I am posts. This is more of me using this as therapy so i'm gonna go deep and share some stuff most people don't know. Not that deep though :) I got a few skeletons that have been locked away tight.

"this is like Facebook's 25 things" which I didn't know as I try to avoid Facebook. But now I read I guess it is. Too bad I have 30 now.

1: I love pinball machines.

I was in a pinball league when in high school. This basically meant I met once a week and played pinball with older people. I also have a "Billion Point Trophy" form Timezone awarded to Ashley Ringrove. This was for the Star Trek pinball. The funny thing is a pinball friend actually got 900,000,000 and I played the last ball. It lasted 30 seconds and the bonuses wrapped up to make 1 Billion. I got the trophy as the guy had already won previously I used to go to Timezone and watch the Aussie champ play. I actually saw him get 1 Billion on the first ball on Getaway. It was the best 5 hrs I spent :)

Here's a tip he taught me. If you reach under a pinball machine to the left you'll find the off switch. Perfect for when you want to go for a smoke (or eat) and don't want other people to jump on the machine.

My fav Pinball machine? Adams Family by a long shot then Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom or Creature from the Black Lagoon.

I'm now in a financial position to own a pinball machine but have resisted. Sometimes it's good to not get everything you want. That and I have no room for it and a guy told me that becasue all the pinball companies have gone out of business it's hard to find parts and pinball machines require lots of maintance. And me I'm not a handy person.

2: I got so badly sun burnt one once I had to go to hospital.
Anyone who has met me in real life will realize I'm fair skinned. When I was in primary school on long holidays we went to wet and wild for the day and I got burnt. So badly that my entire back, shoulders and down to my elbows were covers in blisters. I went to hospital and they gave me burn cream. The same you get when you are burnt in a fire.

I then spent the rest of the school holidays (about 3-4 weeks) sleeping slouched over a bean bag with a spaghetti fork/spoon thing. I used that for scratching my face and reaching. As I could not bend my arms.

Sadly I have no photos of this at all. Lame, as it was pretty fucked up and now would make an awesome end to this story. So I have to tell you this disturbing fact to make sure it resonates.

While burnt we went through a car wash I had a massive blister on my chest that looked like a snake. It made no sense the shape but it went from my shoulder down to the middle of my chest. Half way through the car wash I complained that water was getting in and the windows should go up further. They were all the way up??! Oh my massive blister had burst and sprayed onto the windows.

3: I don't drink alcohol.
In the last 13 years of being of the legal age to drink I've had alcohol about 4 times and been drunk 3 times. On all 3 occasions it was to the enjoyment of friends rather than myself. I succumbed to peer pressure and made everyone happy by slurring my words.

I talk about being a non drinker here at length.

I did drink in high school and have many memories of peeing off overpasses onto people, arriving home with a letterbox, not as many memories of pashing girls and the ones I do are all bad, many many memories of throwing up on the lawn of a friends house party and one of riding my bike into the bushes at full speed the next morning. Oh it's how I think I lost my virginity but I have no idea as I was so drunk. So I'll count that as a no.

Being a non drinker is great as everyone thinks you're smart (you can think fast when not drunk) + I have been able to keep Ervi happy by not making a fool of myself or being a hot blooded douche bag.

4: I like Milo
I used to eat that shit right from the tin. I would tear up the roof of my mouth eating that stuff. I still go through a 1KG tin of Milo every 2 months. I'm the eat it dry with the milk to wash it down. That's how I roll today too.

5: I almost drowned
One time during primary school I went to the the beach (that would be one of the 20 or so visits in my life) with a friend on the weekend and nearly drowned.

I was standing on a sand bank and then bamn it was gone. I was too embarrassed to wave my arms and was really struggling to keep my head up out of water. A surfer came past asked if I needed help and then took me to the shore. He then carried me like a baby to the Life Guard area thing. I was Ok by then.

I haven't even told my mum that as i was too freaked out by it.

6: I'm a shit swimmer
This is probably related to the one above but I skipped as much swimming lessons at school because of my white complexion. I am super white. I got called "Casper the hairy ghost" on the rare occasion I did actually swim. Oh I was hairy too earlier than most teens. Sure if looks great on Magnum PI but not me :) My only consolation was that the middle eastern guy had a hairy back and it was pretty thick.

Friends at highschool joked that if we ever crashed in a plane in the middle of the ocean I'd be first to drown.

7: I've seen Back to the Future 2 about 12 times
So I guess this is my fav film. It's the first movie I had on VHS tape which was a dodgy copy from an Aunti in Tasmania. I watch that movie back to back heaps of times and to be fair it does kick ass. Ask anyone about Back to the Future and all the scenes they remember are from 2. It's the best example of a sequel there is.

8: I grew up in housing commission
I grew up on the Gold Coast but was born in Tasmania. We moved to the Gold Coast when I was around 4 (I think). We did have a proper house for a while but that was sold and some stuff happened with my mum and we ended up in housing commission. I didn't even know what they meant at the time. It didn't dawn on me what it was until I moved to Sydney in 1998 and I heard the term "Westie".

I remember being made fun of from other kids in housing commission as our place didn't have lawn. I thought WhoTF wants lawn? We then stole newly laid lawn from the other houses at night (that shit's heavy!) to keep up with the Jones'.

This is the place for those interested.

9: My first job was picking up cigarette butts for ice creams
This is related to the housing commission but I also lived in a "caravan park/ mobile home" place in Tweed Heads. It's now a major motorway I think. I was asked by the guy who owned the store at Sunshine Caravan Park to fill a paper bag, to the top, with the cigarette butts that littered the park. If I did I was given an ice cream. I still remember there was one tent that I found that pretty much filled a paper bag by it's self.

My second job was a paper run which I used to do a pretty good job.


10: I was fired from McDonalds for "Bad Attitude"
After 2 years service I was fired for "Bad Attitude" at McDonalds Pacific Fair. That's after winning "Rookie of the Year" (still go the trophy for that) the year earlier. That was 1995.

But after 2 years of McDonalds how could you not have a bad attitude? But that 2 years taught me a lot about work. It also taught me how to fall on my ass, work will 1am and team work. I still remember going into the freezer and punching the boxes of fries in an effort to break them and lower the fry yield. Also I stole a heap of Hotcake Mix too.

I still use my "timer" knowledge to see if I'm getting an old burger although this freshly made stuff seems to have stopped most of that.

Oh back in 1996 a large drink used to cost 17c including cost for drink, lid, straw and cup. It sold for $1.80 back then. The only thing that's the same cost is a 30c cone. That's 14 years at the same price!

The day I got fired I was asked "you can either leave or fix your attitude" I said " OK I'll fix my attitude, i'll do good and they just kept repeating the options until I said "OK, i'll leave then". Seems like hardcore tatics for a 16 y/o if you ask me.

11: I've had one Xmas tree ever
While it didn't seem as lame as when we did it one Xmas tree that doesn't count was when we decorated pine cones. I used to think people who had xmas lights were "rich". The one tree I did have was at my sisters dads place. We also had a pool so at that time I guess we were rich!

12: I got no idea who my dad is
I didn't grow up without a dad I had my sister's father (read: douche bag) however I have no idea who my real dad is and that's cool with me. I only remembered this as my wedding in Indonesia later this year they stipulate you need your fathers name on the marriage certificate. I just said make something up!

13: I talk to my mum about 3 times a year
I'm just not that much of a family person and talking about the weather doesn't interest me. Sad I know but could be worse.

14: MrTruffle
MrTruffle comes from Christian calling me that at KVB. I arrived in Sydney in 1998 and needed a nickname for online. I didn't know what email was back then. So I came up with Salvador Ghandi. It's like Marilyn Manson but only more positive. So I used that for 2 years until i got sick of being called Ghandi and then changed to TheSlipperyTruffle in 2000 when I started this blog. (which I used to hand update until Shib told me about Blogger.com)

15: I'm a Manga Video Freak
While toiling away at Maccas and then Target after that I used to spend all my money on Manga Videos. I used to buy them all on VHS. I still have a huge box of them that will just get thrown out now. It was the Manga video intro that got me into heavy metal. See this post for more info. Damn video is offline though.

16: I was a Video Game NERD. Capitalization needed.
The only thing I spent more money on than Manga videos was video games. I used to buy so many games magazines it was silly. Hyper, Gamestar, EGM and all the others. I was a Sega Mega Drive player, I had a Mega CD. The original $700 one. That's $700 in the 1990's on a paper boy salary!!! I had it on lay-by for fucking ages!

I used to rent video games very weekend. I would wake up early, ride down the local video store and rent a game. Streets of Rage or Earthworm Jim I remember fondly. I'd play it then rate it on paper on this game rating system. If I could find it now I would implode from nerdiness.

17: I used to enter competitions under false names
I was always a good at drawing when young. Better at copying though. And whenever there was a competition in a games mag I used to do a drawing and then put my age at 11 (I was 15 or so) so it looked like an awesome entry from an 11 year old. I also used to enter multiple times with different names. I ended up winning a $25 cheque for Barry Thomas which I was able to cash. Sometimes I'd win and forgot what names I put down then receive the prize a month later.

I still have all the clippings in a folder.

18: I almost didn't come to Sydney
I studied at KVB as I got a half scholarship (everyone did) but I originally almost didn't even go. On the day of the scholarship test I told my mum "i cant be bothered" as it was in Brisbane and that's 1 hr drive. Too far. But mum insisted (she wanted me out!) and we did the drive. She luckily had enough cash t pay the $14k for the 2 years school fees. I was able to cover my living expenses by working at Woolies and later Kinkos (as their youngest employee)

19: I think cats suck
Dogs > cats.
Snoopy > Garfield
Simple as that

20: I learnt Flash at Kinkos
I have good friend Andrew Bazar for telling me "Learn flash dude!! I'm working Spike and getting paid $50k That's crazy month biatch!" I'm paraphrasing but that was the gist. I was working at Kinkos and decided to uninstall Diablo and fire up flash.

I worked the Graveyeard shift at Kinkos Nth Sydney. That's 11pm - 7 am Friday and Saturday nights. This is Nth Sydney which is a Ghost town all weekend and Kinkos was new so I the nights doing flash tutorials and playing around. I still have the fruits of that labour here. And still ranking for Flashturbation as the search term!

And interesting story from working graveyeard shift during the holidays (5 days a week). I used to get home at 8am, eat a small snack then fall asleep. Then sleep all day and force myself to get up at 10pm to get ready for work. I was eating 1 meal a day and lost heaps of weight. But I did learn flash and that ended up starting my career and lead me to where I am today.


BONUS FACT: (originally published here)

21: My first and only automobile
I was working at McDonalds while in highschool and bought my first car from another staff member.

It was a Holden VC (1980 model I think) and green. I didn’t know much about cars, and still don’t, but $1100 seemed like a good price. I paid cash for the car and brought it home. I then tried to get it registered but they told me it needed $1400 worth of work done on it before I could get it on the road. I’d then have to pay around $500 to get the plates and insurance.

So now my $1100 car was looking very expensive. The previous owner didn’t want it back either. I parked the car out the front of my mum’s unit for months thinking of what to do. I then tried to sell it for anything but no one wanted to buy it (obviously knew more than me). The car sat outside our unit for
4 months before the council put a sticker saying the car is illegally parked and would be removed in 2 weeks. But after 3 days it was gone. Deciding to cut my losses, I forgot all about that little green car.

Three months later I told a friend this story and they said they would buy it for $200 and ay to have it retrieved from the impound lot. Usually a $150 fee. I rang the council only to find that they never picked up my car, it was gone before the councils set pickup day. It was then I realised my car, my first car, had been stolen before I ever got to drive any where besides around the block. I didn’t bother calling the police. The removable tape deck for the stereo is still in
my mums garage somewhere.

Update: Oh here's couple more facts I forgot

22: I'm red and green color blind.
Not 100% but in science class in grade 11 we had one of those dot tests and I could not see 70% of the damn numbers. Everyone in the class thought I was talking shit and the teacher told me I'm red and green color blind. I can see red and I can see green I just cant see slight variations of them.

23: I've fainted quite a few times
When in highscool I passed out 2 times and 2 other times outside of school.
1: I got smapped on the back hard after I tripped a friend. I passed out in wood shop about 30 seconds later.

2: I got my arm twisted in a weird way (again by a friend) I passed out a few seconds later

3: I was buying a magazine in a newsgent and next thing I know I'm on the ground. I took out the chip stand on my way down.

4: I was at a friends house making a go kart (how cool am I) and next thing I know I'm on my ass. I landed right on my butt. This one I trace back to not eating anything for about 36hrs+ That's what you get from staying over a friends for the weekend and just playing Sega Mega Drive!

I'm not sure why I passed out. Low blood pressure or something. I was really thin in highschool. I hit my elbow/funny bone recently while playing squash and almost passed out too but that doesnt count.

The only time this matters is when you fill out medical forms. It asks "do you suffer from blackouts etc etc" I usually tick no :)

24: I got caught stealing toys
When I was in primary school I got caught stealing toys from a small toy store and had to apologise to the guy a week later. I got caught as the guy who did it with me blabbed to him mum. My teachers at school even found out which was even worse. I then proceeded to steal M.A.S.K fugurines by myself from a larger depeartment store. Much safer that way.

Right now though I'm a very honest person (no really I am). I haven't stolen anything in ages (not since I worked at Woolies in 1998 and used to steal frozen pizzas to eat on a student wage) and hate ripping people off. Although I realise now when I was younger I was a tad naughty.

Oh and I also stole a massive bag of cans from the local boy scouts hall and then sold it to the can erecycle man for money. I then blew that money on candy.

25: The last time I got stoned
The last time I got stoned was in 1997 and I had such a bad experience that I usually feel sick smelling pot or even ciggerate smoke even today. It was only a few cones but I took way too much as was throwing up in the bathroom into a bath. The thing I remember was that my sense of timing was way off as I'd hear people or the dog and then look up and no one would be there.

Also I was throwing up huge chunks of meat (i'm talking huge chunks that had me going WTF how did I even swallow that!) and other food (i dont think I chew my food that well) and a friend had to chop it up with a knife to get it down the drain. He remarked "it's like I'm eating a dinner of vomit"

I eventually got to outside to throw up like a normal person on the grass. I then got home late and there is mum on my computer, in my room, typing stuff! At 2am! I fell alsleep on the couch/futon thing we had.

I went to high school the next day and then during first class went to sick bay, went to doctor and faked a headache then took the day off. Lesson learnt. I almost gagged when I smelt smoke for the next few months.

26: I camped out for Pearl Jam tickets and put my side to sleep
I camped out for Pearl Jam tickets on the Gold Coast and slept on my side on concrete the whole night. The next day I could not feel my hip area, it was numb like a dead leg but without the pins and needles and that feeling lasted for 9 months!!

27: I have a obsessive compulsion with my pinkie finger hair
Anyone who works with me will see me plucking hairs from my hands and I have this weird obession with plucking the tiny hairs that pop out of my pinkie 2ns knuckle (i have no idea what to call that part of your finger.

28: I was a blonde haird blue eyed kid
I'm trackign down photos to proove this one

29: I had a rats tail hair cut
Until it was removed while I slept by mum.

30: When I was in primary school I went on a diet
Even though I was thin I thought I was fat. Which is ironic as I used to think girls with anorexia were idiots. I used to eat cheese and lettuce and suck on ice to try and lose weight. But luckily I wasn't any good at sticking to a diet so I never got sick


Phew that's my list done and I feel much better. Very therapeutic! If you read them all then you know me better than my mum :)

Also here's my Life TODO list from 2003. These are much more fun to share.

Oh and if you write your down list of things please send me or put in the comments below.