Red Feather

Christmas

2011-12-16T15:35:00.000+10:30

So, Christmas is coming. YAY! I love Christmas.

This song came out last year. It is written by the hilarious Tim Minchin, and this version performed by the fabulous Kate Miller-Heidke, I love it.

It was slammed as 'A sick joke' and 'not in the spirit of Christmas' by the Australian Christian Lobby. So I, therefore, as a Christian girl who is rational and has a sense of humour and understands that all sorts of people celebrate Christmas, absolutely love it. I think it exactly sums up the 'spirit of Christmas' for people who don't go in for the religious aspects. Because despite the common belief of Christians, Non-Christians are actually nice, caring people too who do look for meaning in things.

Enjoy. And Merry Christmas.

That last post wasn't really completely random, I promise...

2011-11-14T18:33:00.003+10:30

So, the random post of song lyrics did serve something of a purpose, I promise.

See, the reason I haven't posted so much of the random self indulgent meanderings lately is because instead of putting them on the internet for all (or none...) to see, most of my self indulgent ranting is now done to a person. A person of male persuasion. Who is going to be my husband as of July the 7th.

So, apologies for the absence, and I promise I will try my darndest not to turn this into a wedding blog. But I thought you all deserved an explanation.

All This and Heaven Too

2011-11-14T18:29:00.001+10:30

And the heart is hard to translate,
It has a language of it's own,
It talks and tongues and quiet sighs and prayers and proclamations,
In the grand days of great men and the smallest of gestures,
In short shallow gasps.

But with all my education,
I can't seem to commend it,
And the words are all escaping me,
And coming back all damaged,
And I would put them back in poetry,
If I only knew how,
I can't seem to understand it,

And I would give all this and heaven too,
I would give it all if only for a moment,
That I could just understand the meaning of the word you see,
'Cause I've been scrawling it forever,
But it never makes sense to me at all.

And it talks to me in tiptoes,
And sings to me inside,
It cries out in the darkest night,
And breaks in morning light.

But with all my education,
I can't seem to commend it,
And the words are all escaping,
And coming back all damaged,
And I would put them back in poetry,
If I only knew how,
I can't seem to understand it,

And I would give all this and heaven too,
I would give it all if only for a moment,
That I could just understand the meaning of the word you see,
'Cause I've been scrawling it forever,
But it never makes sense to me at all.

And I would give all this and heaven too,
I would give it all if only for a moment,
That I could just understand the meaning of the word you see,
'Cause I've been scrawling it forever,
But it never makes sense to me at all.

No, words are a language,
It doesn't deserve such treatment,
And all my stumbling phrases,
Never amounted to anything worth this feeling,
All this heaven,
Never could describe such a feeling as I'm having,
Words were never so useful,
So I was screaming out a language that I never knew existed before.

Florence + The Machine

Getting my geek on.

2011-04-28T10:04:00.002+09:30

Remember I said something about a blog post for a friend? And remember all the times I've called a certain girl called Sarah awesome?

The blog is hers, and the post can be found here

Some randomness that made me giggle

2011-04-27T19:03:00.002+09:30

I'm not even sure where this come from. Possibly GraphJam. Anyway. It made me laugh. And it will add to my blog tally. Click to read it properly.

Oh hai

2011-04-16T13:48:00.000+09:30

You might be thinking I've fallen off the face of the earth. I haven't. I just sort of...keep forgetting to blog.

So I'm back in Australia, back at uni, and back to wishing my friends in all sorts of places lived closer. I am loving doing design, though, and have some thoughts about turning this blog into something more focused on design, but lets be honest, it will probably mostly turn into self indulgent meanderings. Because that's what blogs are for.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for a guest post on The Geeky Wives blog. No, there's no announcements you've missed, but Sarah The Geeky Wife asked me to write something, so despite only being geeky and not a wife, something will be there shortly. Shortly-ish. Once I write it. Hmm.

Happy Birthday to Me

2011-01-16T08:10:00.000+10:30

Usually, when you have a birthday, you don't feel any different. Nothing really has changed. It's the anniversary of the day you were born and we celebrate and eat cake, but really it's just an excuse to get presents and have a party.

It's weird, though. Today (or maybe yesterday, it's hard to tell with the timezones) I turned twenty five. I don't really feel different physically, but I do feel like things are different. I am no longer in my early twenties, for instance. I have to find and pay for my own private health insurance (well, technically anyway). Even though legally I've been an adult for seven years, I feel like now I might be supposed to act like one.

Which is largely rubbish, of course. My favourite people over twenty five don't act any differently than I do. But still, I think things are going to change. It might just be because I'm in a transitional place in life and things would be changing regardless of my age or it being my birthday. Still, I think exciting times are ahead...watch this space.

Or don't. Because honestly I'll probably forget to blog about it anyway.

The Obligatory Post About the New Year

2011-01-02T04:52:00.000+10:30

Yes, that's right. It's the first of January in 2011. We made it. Hurrah. Sure, our iPhones didn't wake us up this morning but for many people I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing.

There's always a buzz at this time of year about 'resolutions'. I don't like making New Years Resolutions because I know I will fail. You can shut up right now about my defeatist attitude, or planning to fail, or whatever rubbish you're thinking. We all know how spectacularly badly my 'book a week' challenge went, and that wasn't even a new years resolution.

I did, however, read something this morning that was an interesting take on the whole new years resolution thing. It was on the blog of Felicia Day, who is very cool. If you don't know who she is, go look on imdb, and if that doesn't ring any bells, it's highly likely you're on the wrong blog right now because if you're reading this you should know I'm a massive nerd. OK I haven't actually seen any of The Guild but I'm trying to rectify that, only the Australian iTunes store isn't helping matters.

Anyway, here is a link, and my point. I think looking back at your year and working out what you've learned is a great idea. Looking at what you've learned and applying it is far more realistic than any grand resolution, in my opinion. Because it's based on good hard evidence and not just a drunken statement at midnight.

I think I've written quite a bit already on what 2010 taught me. It taught me that sometimes things don't go according to plan, and that's great. I learned the hard way that challenges really are an opportunity in disguise. They force you to stop and reasses everything which is something I rarely do. I learned that mental illness really can happen to me. Seriously, people, this is a big one. It's not just something that happens to everyone else, and just because you're educated and intelligent and think you'll know when something is wrong doesn't mean you will. It might take years and then you'll crash and burn and it'll hit you with a big 'a ha'.

Of course I learned some fun things too. Like that it is possible to watch all seven seasons of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' in a period of about three months or less, if you really try. Like the fact that in Edmonton, it's only really cold if your snot freezes. Anything before that is just chilly. That fruchocs can be breakfast. OK, that last one is just to convince me that I'm being healthy, sitting here eating fruchocs. The packet is open on the table, what else am I supposed to do?

OK. I'll stop rambling now. Go read Felicia Day's post. It's far more eloquent than mine and you get a picture of her looking super awesome to boot.

Some seasonal YouTube goodness...

2010-12-14T16:25:00.002+10:30

Doesn't it just feel like this sometimes?

Musings

2010-09-11T12:25:00.001+09:30

My brother had a big long name for his blog posts like this. It did a really funny pair of posts, actually, about different church types. Sadly, I am not as witty as him, nor am I as talented a writer (see that, brother? I complimented you!).

But I felt that as I had an interesting experience at a church a couple of weeks ago I should blog about it. I did write the experience up in my notebook/diary, after all.

We went to a church in the downtown area of Edmonton. I think it was very inventively named 'City Centre Church'. The service was held in an old movie theatre. This immediately set my spider senses buzzing. As much as I want to see churches rip out their pews and get rid of the bus-ride style setting, services held in repurposed venues always make me think 'hipster'. I can't help it.

Also, there was a band on stage, up the front, not off to one side. Front and centre. It's not really my thing. I think a band should be there to help people worship rather than being the focus of the gathering.

And yet, I heard a little nagging voice...don't you hate those? It was telling me to let go of my preconceptions and just go with it. And you know what? It wasn't bad. It was actually pretty good. I didn't know a lot of the music, because I forget how much of the stuff we sing in church at home is actually Australian. But it didn't really matter, even if it wasn't easy to pick up. The words were actually good. Not like a lot of the theologically unsound I generally associate with that kind of crowd. And they played 'Majesty (Here I am) by Delirious. I knew that a bit. So that was good.

And the preaching was good. And not all about 'hey, give us your money'. It was on Ecclesiastes, something a lot of preachers I know avoid like the plague. But it was great. It was pure simple good message. I was surprised.

And then I realised how sad it is to be surprised to hear good preaching in a church. Is it just me being cynical? Is there any good reason for me to be so cynical? If I let go of preconceptions and the preaching was rubbish, would I still be asking these mostly retorical questions?

I don't want to be cynical about the church. I guess being cynical about people in general doesn't help. I just wish I didn't feel like a lot of the time that cynicism is deserved.

I'm not sure if this post makes sense. It seems lying in bed blogging leads to ramble and nonsence. Who knew?

St Paul 's Letter to the Electorates: Chapter 8

2010-09-06T14:41:00.000+09:30

For those among you still waiting, as I am, for an election result...

i. And it was written that on the day before the Sabbath
the people would gather together in a public place and accept burnt
offerings, tip tomato sauce down their fronts, cast their votes and
return to their homes. And when the darkness had fallen, and after they
had uncorked their evening meal and begun to engage in wassail, there
came the sound of a great counting.

ii. And as the counting advanced there emerged a pattern,
and it was like unto that established by Noah. For the votes came in two
by two, one of each kind with one each of the other kind, until the Ark
was full.

iii. For the people had chosen equally, and by close of
play neither Julia nor Anthony could rule in the land. And so it was
that the result hung in the scales of balance for many days and many
nights, and was undecided.

iv. And calls were made to the uttermost parts of the land,
including to Solomon, who was wise, for this would make a nice change.

v. And there were those who lacked dependence, but gaineth
much, and were not part of the tribes of neither Julia nor Anthony. And
they carryeth all before them in the counting and were victorious, each
in his area and after his kind. And they were agreed on one issue. And
it was Barnaby. For they haveth no time for same.

vi. And they were courted by the Julianites and the
Anthonites, yea, even as the counting was done.

vii. And the scribes looked at the figures and they all
agreed that they had seen it coming, and were not surprised, and had
predicted exactly this result, for it was always on the cards and was
inevitable for the following reasons, which they listed. For the scribes
see all things, and hear all things, and know all things.

viii. But one factor sneaketh up even upon the scribes. For
Bob, who was Brown and who was also Green, turneth out not only to
control the senate but to have a big romp downstairs as well. For those
who were Green had gone forth and multiplied. And this was a feature of
proceedings.

ix. And after a time, late in the evening of the counting,
Julia came forth and spoke to the multitude, and they called her name.
And although she had suffered losses in all parts of the country, she
calmeth the people, and pointeth out that according to law she was still
the caretaker leader, or janitor.

x. And Anthony came forth also and the multitude called
also his name, and his wife’s name, for the wassail was well in hand by
this stage and the people were up for anything they could dance to.

xi. And Anthony acknowledged his triumph, and explained how
he had done this remarkable thing.

xii. And this was unusual. For he had not won.

xiii. And Kevin spoke also, and as is indicated in the form
guide, he spoke for some time and was fulsome in his praise for his own
efforts and for his many qualities. And the people were pleased to see
him up and about again, although this was a good time to put the kettle on.

xiv. And Bob, who was Brown, calleth it a victory for those
who were Green. And it was so. And Bob was most excited, and fighteth
the urge to pull his top up over his head and run around the field with
outstretched arms.

xv. For there was a large swing to Bob.

xvi. And there was another swing which was even bigger than
Bob’s swing, and it was swing to informality. And those with long white
beards stroked them at this point, saying ‘Yikes. A great many of the
people have lost interest in these matters’.

xvii. And messengers were sent out by the Julianites and
the Anthonites to their imaginary friends at the Oakshottery, and in the
House of Windsor and among the Kattermites. And they were experienced,
and they understood, and were responsible, and they all spoke of the
need for stable government. And the leaders agreed, saying ‘Absolutely.
Now, how about some steak knives?’

xviii. And the people waited, for there was nothing else
to do, and they were getting quite good at it.

So. Canada. Eh.

2010-09-05T15:06:00.000+09:30

So. I'm in Canada. You can read about it here

It's awesome.

You know what else is awesome? These two youtube clips. Go ahead. Knock yourself out.

Check out Gerald's blog, people!

Coming Soon...

2010-08-06T10:50:00.002+09:30

Yes, OK, I haven't really blogged much lately. I've been busy getting ready to go overseas for 5 months.

I'm still trying to decide whether I will set up a separate travel blog or just use this one. I'm also trying to decide what will be my mascot for my time away. Both of these are difficult decisions...

The options for the mascot are as follows

A bear dressed as a possum
A bear decorated with the Australian flag
A bear called 'Lollipop' - a few of you may understand the significance of that one...
Julian the stuffed dog with no nose from Barcelona (would add a nice international flavour...)
A dalek, or collection thereof...
Various other small plastic villains from Doctor Who, or indeed the Doctor himself...
A Coopers dark ale monkey

You see the difficulty I am having?

So, what would you the reader most like to see travelling all over Canada? And should said mascot have its own blog?

Comment away, my three faitful readers...

An Observation

2010-06-28T09:30:00.000+09:30

I've noticed something a little odd and quite disturbing.

I'm much more likely to forgive my cat than I am to forgive a person.

My cat bites me occasionally. She scratches. She ignores me and hates my friends, and runs away and hides everytime we have anyone around. She also has this really annoying habit of standing in her litter tray and doing her business over the edge which leads to some serious mess that needs to be cleaned up.

And yet, I can never stay mad at her for more than about 30 seconds. All she has to do is look at me with her greeny-yellow eyes and purr a bit, and I melt. She's so soft and cuddly and cute, how could anyone not just adore her?

And yet, if some of my best human friends acted in this way, would I just put up with it because they're cute? Some of them are pretty cute! But if my best friend suddenly bit me, ignored me, hated my friends and defecated in my bathroom, would I still love her? Would it take only thirty seconds to forgive her?

Sure, it's harder to understand the reasons for a person's behaviour than a cat's. But surely we shouldn't have to understand a person's motives to forgive them. Forgiveness, like love, should be unconditional, right?

So I'm thinking the way I (and, I think, many others. I just don't want to make assumptions so I've written this whole blog post like it's just about me...) forgive my kitty is almost a model of the way God forgives us. We, being human and fallible, find it hard to practice this model of perfect forgiveness in our relationships with humans. Perhaps then it is comforting that there is still something in my life over which I can exercise God's will for me, to forgive perfectly and completely with no need for explanation.

Only, it's a cat. I'm pretty sure that's not what God intended...

dang it

2010-05-12T16:30:00.000+09:30

I wrote a big long blog post about feelings and stuff. And then accidentally deleted half of it. My bad.

Why is it when that happens I can never be bothered to write it again?

It was about the things that I have realised in the past few months. To summarise.

I hated my previous job and I don't want to be a scientist.

You can't change the past

The people who love me are awesome

I can be whatever the hell I want to be and I can do amazing things if I put my mind to it. The naysayers can go to hell. I can be awesome and I can't just sit around wishing I was as awesome as other people.

Amazing things may include: Going to Canada for 5 months (actually, there's no 'may' about this, I've booked my flights), studying design and possibly architecture, saying 'screw you' to anyone who thinks I can't or shouldn't.

That writing long blog posts about this kind of thing is cathartic.

Update on Logiesgate

2010-05-06T17:41:00.001+09:30

Apparently when I posted yesterday I only had half the story. Another comedian by the name of Catherine Deveny has also gotten herself in hot water with people with no sense of humour

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/05/2890855.htm?site=thedrum

Only she got fired because of it.

GAH what is with you, Australia? Get over yourselves. And seriously, why the hell can't we make fun of Bindi Irwin? The kid asks for it.

On Humour, Wil Anderson, and Twitter

2010-05-05T12:00:00.000+09:30

So I've been out the last couple of nights and hadn't caught up on all the uproar that Wil Anderson has apparently cause post-Logies.

For my foreign readers, let me, like the good debater I was in school, define the topic. 'The Logies' are sort of like Australia's Emmy awards, except only some of the awards actually got to people who are good. There are 'most outstanding' awards which go to people who can actually act, and a lot of them go to shows and actors no one watched/has heard of. Then, there are the 'most popular' awards which go to soap opera stars and occasionally awesome people like Shaun Micallef.

'Wil Anderson' is an Australian comedian. He also does things like host TV shows which intelligent people watch. He's actually a better host than he is comedian, in my opinion. I don't really like his style of stand-up, mostly because he usually sounds like he's taken a ton of speed before getting up there. But he's amusing and I will defend him to the death because he hosted The Glasshouse.

So, apprently, you weren't allowed to tweet at the Logie awards. For the uninitiated, 'to tweet' is a verb which describes the act of posting 140 character messages on the website Twitter. But Wil decided he would, in an act of anti-establishment defiance, or something. And he said somethings about some people that were...well...less than flattering? You can read them here http://twitter.com/Wil_Anderson

Lots of people I'm sure have had a lot of things to say. By the sounds of it, both A Current Affair and Today Tonight have laid into him. Colour me surprised [/sarcasm]

Then I read this article
http://justinhamilton.com.au/node/123

It basically sums up what I think. I know I sat at home on Sunday night and made fun of the celebrities on the red carpet. I even tweeted what I thought of the more horrendous dresses. But I'm not famous so apparently I'm allowed to. But Wil Anderson, who everyone knows is opinionated and maybe a little bit rude isn't.

Australia, grow up. Ooh, mean old Wil said something bad about your favourite soap opera star. The face that you even have a favourite soap opera star makes me think you have bigger problems in the world. The fact that Josh Thomas said hilarious and true things about Justin Bieber's hair makes you hate him. When did we turn into a country with no sense of humour who takes offence at everything? Why are we now a country who went into melt down because Justin Bieber was here for three days?

In short, when, and how the hell, did we turn into America? And why didn't I get the memo?

Americans, please don't take offence. As individuals, you're great. As a country you can be a little infuriating. And it's not really that I don't like you. I just don't think we should BE you, because we are, in fact, Australian. Or so I thought.

My Brother

2010-05-04T15:26:00.000+09:30

My brother just posted something awesome on his blog. You should read it.

http://gw2rs.blogspot.com/2010/05/games-people-play.html

He very accurately sums up the thoughts of a large number of single people. And gives an insight into what it is actually like to have a conversation with him. You can see why sometimes we have incredible screaming matches when we live in the same house.

Love you, Gaz.

Outrage! Or something

2010-04-26T22:55:00.000+09:30

Over the last few days I've seen all sorts of people get up in arms about the new changes to the facebook privacy settings, or some such. There's supposedly something we all have to opt out of unless we want the evil empire to own our lives and credit card details. Or something.

Here's the thing, people. I don't see the point of whinging and moaning about privacy when you put your whole life on the internet anyway. You give up a certain amount of your privacy the moment you join a social networking site. You give some nameless corporation your name and location. If you can't accept that, well, perhaps you should have thought about that before you joined.

Perhaps we all should have.

We can't all yell and scream and complain about facebook. Or myspace, or whatever brand of social networking you prefer. Because we made it happen. We joined in our droves and made the creators of these sites millionaires. Our own voyeurism and the need to feel like someone cares about our existense has fed these machines. The only people who have any right to complain about social networking sites taking over our lives are people who don't use them.

And then, well, they probably have no idea what they are talking about. In which case, they should go into politics as it seems they would be in good company.

Oh, and by the by, I went into my privacy options to uncheck this supposedly heinous new infrigement on our privacy. It was already unchecked. I did not have to opt out, because I had never opted in and apparently facebook didn't see the need to opt me in either. So what was the fuss about in the first place, anyway?

Where I'm At

2010-04-22T11:20:00.000+09:30

It's funny now, reading over my old blog posts, and realising they very succinctly capture the goings on of the last few months. How did I write some of those things and not realise there was something going on in my head?

To be honest, though, looking back I probably knew deep down what was wrong with me. I definitely knew I had issues with anxiety. The diagnosis of depression was a bit of a surprise at the time, but now I think about it, it shouldn't have been.

In case you hadn't heard and haven't realised by now, yes, I've had a rough few weeks. Recovering from depression is a long journey. But things are definitely looking up. I'm thinking about new vocations and new adventures. I'm going to travel. I'm going to go back to Uni and study some more (and I know you're all looking forward to THOSE blog posts). I'm going to do some of the things that I've been putting off because I never had time.

My journey will probably feature in a few blog posts, because I think mental health is still something we don't talk about enough. We see it as a our own private battle and that's fine, but if you don't talk about it, other people can't help you. And if no one knows where you've been, they can't ask you for help either.

Watch This Space

2010-04-20T10:25:00.004+09:30

I have had so many ideas for blog posts racing around my head that I don't know where to start.

So bear with me, and brace yourself for a sudden onslaught of frenzied blogging.

Laptop is still broken, sadly. Well, actually, I had it back for a week but realised it wasn't really fixed after all and took it back again.

Technical difficulties

2010-03-08T17:31:00.003+10:30

Hello, faithful readers

Tosh, my faithful laptop, has been having fevers and fainting spells (read: she overheats and then crashes), so until she gets better don't expect many posts...cause I post so regularly and all.

Apologies

2010-03-01T19:38:00.000+10:30

To the three people who actually might read this.

I apologise for a sad lack of posting just recently. I've had 2 colds in the last 6 weeks, I have a slightly twisted vertebrae in my neck which is playing havoc with my sanity and my bank account, and I just generally haven't felt like sharing.

I'm really really really hoping to feel healthy again soon, but that will probably happen just in time for work to crazy insane busu again.

Also, I'm boring. This is also something I would like to change.

Thanks for stopping by,
Rachel

2010-02-16T21:44:00.000+10:30

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one laughs at God when the doctor calls
After some routine tests
No one’s laughing at God
when it’s gotten real late
And their kid’s not back from that party yet

No one laughs at God when their airplane
Starts to uncontrollably shake
No one’s laughing at God
When they see the one they love hand in hand
with someone else and they hope that they’re mistaken
No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door
And they say “We’ve got some bad new, sir,”
No one’s laughing at God
When there’s a famine, fire or flood

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
When the crazies say he hates us
and they get so red in the head
You think that they’re about to choke
God can be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus

God can be so hilarious
Ha ha, ha ha

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
when they’ve lost all they got
And they don’t know what for

No one laughs at God on the day they realize
that the last sight they’ll ever see is a pair of hateful eyes
No one’s laughing at God
When they’re saying their goodbyes

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God-themed joke or
When the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head
you think that they’re about to choke
God can be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie
Who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war

No one’s laughing at God in a hospital
No one’s laughing at God in a war

No one’s laughing at God
When they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
We’re all “laughing with God”

--'Laughing With', Regina Spektor

On mystery novels

2010-01-18T20:01:00.002+10:30

I haven't done very well so far at my repeat attempt to read a book a week. So far this year I've finished two books...which sounds great, except I had actually started them before the end of last year. One of them I started in October...so...it's not as good as it sounds.

However, I am endeavouring to keep up the pace, and have started reading 'The Tiger in the Well' by Philip Pullman.

And wow.

Seriously. It is the third book in the Sally Lockhart Mysteries series. I hadn't realised after reading the first two how good they are. Which isn't to say I didn't enjoy them. But I already had a basic undertsanding of what was going to happen because the first two have been made into TV movies which I watched, mostly out of curiousity to see Matt Smith at work. And so I didn't realise that they completely suck you in. I am only about 110 pages in to The Tiger in the Well and I'm impatient to know what happens. I want to know how it all works out and I've got about 300 pages to go...which is surely the sign of a good mystery. You want to be thinking the whole time, trying to work out what's going on and who the villain is.

Which is largely different to my previous experience with mystery novels. Because mostly I have only read the 'Bones' books by Kathy Reichs. The first few were totally gripping until you realise she writes the same book again and again with mild variations. And makes a killing doing it, so all power to her. But there's not really any suspense after you've read a few because you learn to pick who the bad guy is because of a certain pattern. The book I'm reading now, though, you think you know who the bad guy is, but you know there's something more than what it appears. There's foreshadowing to give a hint as to who might be behind it all, but you can't be sure it's not just mentioning events in previous books.

And after all that, these are meant to be books for teenagers. Seriously. I found them in the teen section of Dymocks. I'm getting old enough that it just feels dodgy to hang around that section. And it's a shame because these are not books for kids. Sure, I would have lapped them up when I was 16, but I think I appreciate them more now than I would have then.

To sum up. This was a long rambly blog post which basically can be summarised by the fact that I like this book and am enjoying reading it. Consider this sucker REVIEWED!

An Open Letter

2010-01-14T19:03:00.004+10:30

Dear Christians Who Are Slightly More Evangelical Than Me

I often feel bad that my faith is not as open as yours. That all of the people I work with don't necessarily know about my faith. I don't like to say I'm ashamed of my faith. Because I'm not really. Mostly it's because it doesn't come up and I'm not about to force my God down anyone's throat, because that's a waste of time.

Sometimes I think maybe I should be more open about it, though.

And then I remember why I'm not.

Because if I was, I would undoubtedly get tarred with the same brush as this utter twat.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/999572/televangelist-claims-haiti-made-pact-
(blogger seems to be broken, you'll have to copy and paste the link...)

All of the explectives in the word can't describe my distaste of this man and the things he is saying. I want to somehow rip through the fabric of reality and tear his throat out for being such a miserable example of a loving grace-filled God. Sure, my violent desires aren't really loving or grace-filled. But I'm not speaking for an entire religion, I'm just speaking for myself.

So until people stop being twats, I'm going to stick with my 'christian but not that sort of christian' categorisation.

I hope you can understand. If not, well, truth is I don't really care.

Yours,
Rachel

big ol' revelation

2010-01-13T19:17:00.002+10:30

I had a bit of a realisation last week. I might not be the heartless *chooseyourownexpletive* that I sometimes think I am.

Don't get me wrong. I can be sharp. I can be blunt. I can be downright sarcastic, and I defintely have more than my fair share of cynicism. And because of this I sometimes think people think stuff just bounces off me and I'm fine.

Truth is, I think I feel other people's pain and hurt more than I feel my own. A couple of things happened last week; a schoolmate of mine was killed in an electrical accident, and a friend from uni lost her father to a sudden, unexpected brain bleed. And I felt so sad. Sad for a person I haven't seen in years, sad for his family. Sad for a friend who I usually think of a funny ditzy blonde. Just so so so so sad. I felt sad that people I knew were sad. And yet when things happen to those close to me, like when my grandfather died, I just sort of keep going with something close to numbness than sadness.

I'm not really sure what this actually means. But I think it's a good thing to realise about myself regardless.

Hmm

2010-01-03T20:25:00.002+10:30

You know, I complain a lot. I don't always stop to appreciate the good things. And to be fair, the 'aughts' have not been a happy decade for me. Well...OK, probably more good things happened than bad, if I'm honest. But the bad things were so horrendous that they tend to cast a shadow over the good things.

But this morning at church the sermon basically boiled down to the fact that we need to embrace joy. We need to actively seek out joy and reasons to be joyful. That struck me. I'm usually content to wallow a bit. But I need to remember that joy is a state of mind and not really something you feel.

I think my real resolution for 2010 and indeed the next decade is to try and remember that joy and not just feel sorry for myself.

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainty that just to be alive is a grand thing - Agatha Christie

Elsewhere on teh interwebs

2010-01-02T23:15:00.003+10:30

I found this

It almost makes this year's pop music seem cool. Too bad most of the performers in the video don't have the talent that the MashUp artist clearly has in his left pinky...

Welcome to the much debated new decade

2010-01-01T13:15:00.002+10:30

Yes, that's right, it's 2010. Seems weird to write that. People are debating about whether it is a new decade. Silly people. Surely a decade is just a period of 10 years, so really every new year could be a new decade if people had a little imagination. They're also arguing about what the decade will be called. Because apparently we have left the 'naughties' behind. I'm pretty sure the term 'naughties' is not quite as wide spread as people think, and that it only caught on in the last few years of the decade anyway. And I still hear/see people refer to exactly the same years as 'the aughts'.

So, in typical Rachel fashion, I would like to tell the media to get the freak over themselves. Not that they're going to listen to one girl typing on a blog that no one reads. But I've said it. That's something.

Also, I managed not to blog for the entirety of December. Oops. I think I wrote so much in November (50,000 words, yo) that I couldn't be bothered. But it is a new year and I will endeavour to blog.

The latter half of 2009 brought about an epic fail on my part. Yes, I said I would aim to read a book a week. No, I didn't. NaNoWriMo killed whatever chance I had of reading anything in November and by December I was basically exhausted and spent whatever time I wasn't awake sleeping. Yeah. Read that sentence back, I dare you.

But, this is a new month in a new year, and I'm going to try again. I'll start again on 'The Subtle Knife' by Philip Pullman, the sequal to 'The Northern Lights' which under no circumstances will I ever refer to as 'The Golden Compass'. It's not the title of the book and there is no compass in it whatsoever. Stupid Hollywood. Then, obviously, I'll read The Amber Spyglass. Then I'll hit up Borders and find something else to read. I also want to find the last Sally Lockhart mystery plus the follow up Jim Gordon one. But that's four books by the same author and it's probably best to not read them all at once.

What else do I resolve to do this year...well...I actually hate new years resolutions. But I am going to resolve to go a whole year without drowning another phone/assorted piece of electrical equipment. I have learned my lesson on that count, I think. Phones are like cats...they keep themselves clean and do not take kindly to being immersed in a bucket of water...I should also resolve to blog more but I think we all know that's highly unlikely. Setting unrealistic resolutions will only result in total failure.

I also resolve to tidy my room in the next couple of days. God it's a mess in here.

Over and out...

One thing to say

2009-11-29T17:34:00.002+10:30

Oh yes.

Actually, I have more than one thing to say, because there is no way I would have done that without loads of people encouraging me, supporting me, and maybe even bullying me :p

In particular, the amazing, wonderful, fabulously awesome Sarah, who inspired me to do this with the story of her friend. I had thought I was too busy but managed to prove to myself that actually, I'm not. Busyness is a rubbish excuse for not doing what you want to do. If something matters, you can make the time. I think that participating in NaNo has proved that to me, and I'm going to try to remember that if I can find time to work full time and still write 1,667 words a day, I can find time to do a whole lot of other things that I complain I don't have time to do.

Also thanks to fellow NaNo-ers Christine and Anna Grace, buzz cheer squad members Sheri (captain), Brandon, JJ, Doug, and Carolyn, and random other encouragers, in particular Luke, because he never encourages anyone so to find him encouraging me was quite a suprise, and Amelia, because she was the first of my local friends who actually knew was NaNo was. There are all sorts of other people who made comments on my facebook statuses encouraging me, or even just clicked 'like'. Seriously, that meant a lot and I hope you read this and know that I really do appreciate you!

50,022

a little bit of awesomeness to start your week

2009-11-09T20:19:00.003+10:30

I found this on another blog a while ago. I have since rediscovered the song via the Glee soundtrack I mentioned on Friday.

I love this song. I can't wait to see Wicked in January. Woo! Sydney, here I come.

15,241

Gleeeeeeeeeee!!!

2009-11-06T11:26:00.003+10:30

In the spirit of true randomness, I would like to report that I bought the Glee soundtrack this morning. And now I am performing a move that I like to call 'chair dancing'. It is that weird sort of pretend dancing you do when you're sitting down. Well. I say 'you', but really I'm not sure if anyone but myself ever performs this particular piece of retardedness...

Gosh, the joy in this music. Even the sadder songs. It's just amazing. It makes me want to sing and dance and go CRAZY! Plus everyone singing on it has amazing voices which makes me go all melty.

Happy Friday, everyone!!!

8,485

NaNo, NaNo!

2009-11-03T19:32:00.003+10:30

As you may have surmised, I have entered myself in the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). Sure, when it says 'National' it means America, but people all over the world are doing it including a small group in Adelaide.

I decided to do it on Sunday, after Sarah pointed out to me that if her dying friend could do it, so could I.

I have since discovered that the people running this thing are kind of cool. For instance, this appeared on the front page of the website when I visited today

'There's an old folk saying that goes: Whenever you delete a sentence in your NaNoWriMo novel, a NaNoWriMo angel loses its wings and plummets, screaming, to the ground.

Where it will likely require medical attention'

Clearly, these people get me :)

~~3,616~~ 5015

tra la la...

2009-11-02T20:24:00.002+10:30

Sarah called me awesome. Just about tops off my day, actually. It's been one of those weird days where nothing particularly good happened, but regardless I just feel like I had a great day. It started without enough sleep. Perhaps this is my problem. Perhaps I am getting too much sleep and that is throwing off my groove.

I'm sure November will fix that...frantic typing to prove to myself that I can write 50,000 words of fiction in the space of a simple month.

I think I'm mad. But a touch of madness might just be a good thing. Might just be what I'm needing at the moment. Things are feeling rather rut-like. And I hate ruts. And I hate how I feel when I'm in a rut. Getting out of it in time for the Christmas season seems like a good idea.

Wow. This was a really random blog. But random is good...

3,616

Nerding It Up

2009-10-20T18:50:00.002+10:30

My friend Michelle blogs over at Nerd Nation . I studied third year anatomy with Michelle and half of my honours year as well. Well, I say 'studied'...those few months in a shared office often dissloved into bitching about faculty staff and drinking cider at the unibar whilst other people threw money off the balcony and ended up climbing onto the roof of the adjoining building. But that, I think is a story for another day. My point is that Michelle has started a science blog. She likes to research into things and educate people about them. Michelle is a nerd. As am I

I, however, channel my nerdiness into far less worthy efforts. Like the following YouTube clip

Because actually learning stuff is too much like hard work for a procrastinator like me. I prefer to enjoy other people's intelligence...

Phooey

2009-10-06T19:09:00.003+10:30

I was going to do a photo dump of my weekend in the NT, but blogger is being a whiny little bitch and won't let me.

Grr.

I dunno. Come back in a few days and maybe I'll have gotten the stinking thing to work.

Thbbbbbt

Things about me

2009-09-28T18:21:00.007+09:30

So. You've stumbled upon this blog. But just who is the mysterious 'rach' who posts these inane ramblings?

Well, to start with, this is a picture of my desk

So. Yes. I'm not the world's neatest person. But if I tidy it up I can't find anything, so it stays messy.

Speaking of my desk, this little fellow currently sits on it.

'Hello. My name is Julian. I am a stuffed dog'

Julian is a dog from Barcelona (the city, sadly, not the planet...) and he has no nose. Imagine how many times a day you end up telling that joke and it's still funny...

Next to my desk is this

Because I am a dancer. And a little bit artsy. And I like Ikea. So really, that simple black statue says quite a bit about me. Let alone the fact that I have another similar one on the other side...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAnd that's enough about me. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of 'Rachel gets bored and takes stupid artsy photos with her iPhone and puts them on her blog in a fit of vanity!!!' Or not. Who knows if I'll ever again get bored and take stupid artsy photos with my iPhone and post them on my blog in a fit of vanity. Only time will tell.

going walkies

2009-09-21T18:56:00.002+09:30

Yesterday I walked the 6 km city-to-bay fun run/walk in just over an hour. I am close to being the world's slowest walker on a normal day, so that time impressed me. My shin splints and hamstring cramps impress my slightly less, but they weren't really caused by the walk, they are a recurring issue.

Also the reading isn't going so well. It wasn't helped by picking two books that bored me to death. Neither had any charcters that I liked very much, and thus I didn't care what happened to them and so didn't really bother reading much. But, thanks to my super friend Ingrid I have copies of the 'His Dark Materials' trilogy, so hopefully that makes for more compelling reading. Also, in about 10 days I am having a mini holiday so hopefully I can get a bit of reading done in that time too. Still, I've managed 8 books in the last 11 weeks which is much better than I've averaged in the last few years.

Something resembling athleticism, but not quite

2009-09-05T22:48:00.002+09:30

So. I've decided to walk in the City to Bay this year. Only the 6 km one, cause I'm new at this whole charity fun walk thing and think I should ease in the soft way.

BUT please visit this page and sponsor me if you can. I would love to hand over some money to the leukaemia foundation on your behalf. It's one tiny way I can do something to help, I guess.

Otherwise...

Well, actually, nothing to report. My brother is home, I guess that's something. He brought with him a dog from Barcelona with no nose, and if you get why that is the awesome, then...well...good for you. If not, *sadface*, get some British SciFi into you, ASAP.

Socks

2009-08-28T20:45:00.001+09:30

So. I love socks. Brightly coloured ones are my absolute favourites.

And now, I realise, they have a serious purpose.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/853911/trapped-girl-saved-by-pink-socks

Oh yes. If ever I get my head stuck between rocks at the beach, I'll be saved by my socks!!

Totally Awesome

2009-08-17T19:27:00.003+09:30

Those who know and love me, or even just read this blog, will know that I have a love of all things Whovian.

I also like cake.

So when this came up on CakeWrecks, it simply begged to be posted on this set on inane ramblings I call a blog

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2009/08/sunday-sweets-doctor-who.html

Seriously. Check it out. Especially the last one. It is actually a TARDIS cake that is bigger on the inside.

something that bugs me

2009-08-16T13:39:00.002+09:30

I just bought Kate Miller Heidke's new album, Curiouser. And there is something that annoys me. Curiouser is sitting around number 3 in the Australian charts at the moment. Everyone is saying how great this 'new' artist is.

Um. No. Actually, she has been around for a few years now. The only reason that she is currently popular and getting airplay is: one of her songs was used on Neighbours.

Ugh. Why does decent Australian talent only get exposure in conjunction with decidedly indecent Australian soap operas?

I like to pay out Americans for the fact they live in a country full of stupid people. Sadly, rather like swine flu, stupidity seems to be a worldwide pandemic...

failings.

2009-08-14T20:35:00.002+09:30

I fail at blogging. Also, as I suspected might happen, I fail at being able to read books and work full time simultaneously.

So I am a week or so behind on my reading. It's not entirely my fault. The library took a week to get the book I reserved to me. But I could have gotten it read before now, if I didn't watch so much stinking TV...

But work is good, and interesting, and full of good people. That's about all you're getting from me on the work front, as reading other people's blogs has informed me that if you blog about work, you're liable to get fired. I think that this isn't something I want to have happen.

I also think that last sentence might be a grammatical nightmare. Meh.

I was SO right

2009-08-01T13:55:00.002+09:30

You remember when, a few posts ago, I made the comment that now the first of my peers have gotten married, the rest are going to fall like flies?

Well. I was right. There was another engagement announcement today.

Funny thing is, it is a person I spoke to at the other wedding, who commented she was already sick of the 'so when is it going to be your turn' line.

See Garry? I'm not turning into you because of the one wedding I attended. It's because of the ridiculous amount of weddings coming up in the near future...

Books

2009-07-24T15:19:00.002+09:30

The whole 'read a book a week thing' is going well. Except that I think I accidentally keep reading children's/teen's books...

My third book was 'The Princess Bride' by William Goldman. It was hysterically funny and clever. But is it really a proper grown up book? Probably not. But then again I don't consider myself a proper grown up so I guess it's not a big deal. I'd rather read lighter amusing books and keep reading them than get bogged down in the middle of a heavy story. It's probably a bit like my taste in TV and movies. I hate big dramatic Oscar winning movies. I want movies with laughs and explosions. You can make something that is funny, light and still occasionally has a message, or rips your guts out. Don't believe me? Watch a season of Scrubs or Doctor Who and tell me that it's not both hilarious and gut wrenching at the same time.

My current book is 'The Ruby in the Smoke' by Philip Pullman. I have seen the made-for-TV version of this and thought I should read the book. I was very put out to not be able to find it anywhere, until I realised that it was because it's in the 'Teen' section. Which is rubbish. Sure, the heroine is only 16 but it's Victorian England, 16 is practically middle aged.

Still. I'm sure it's 10000000000000000000 times more intelligent than that Twilight rubbish, and since people my own age and older rave about those book, I feel justfied in reading something supposedly aimed at the same age bracket. I might even get really adventurous and read the 'His Dark Materials' trilogy that people debate over at length. Just to see what all the fuss is about. For those that don't immediately see the connection, they are by the same author as 'The Ruby in the Smoke'. Just thought I'd clarify that.

Of Cats

2009-07-22T08:51:00.003+09:30

I have, more than once on this blog, professed my love for a certain small furball called Astrid.

I mean, honestly, who wouldn't?

However, I would like to point out that as much as it is nice to be wanted by said small furball, trying to scratch your way though my door all night is NOT endearing...

A rather frightening realisation

2009-07-12T12:09:00.003+09:30

On thursday I had to shop for a wedding present. It was amongst the most frustrating shopping I have ever had to do. Note to others who may be in this predicament: don't leave wedding present shopping til the last minute, and don't try to do it in the middle of the stocktake sales. Most of the good things on the registry will be gone and what hasn't been bought yet will be out of stock.

But that wasn't the frightening thing. Not really.

The frightening thing was that when I was at my most frustrated and felt like buying something really ridiculously inappropriate like a wheel of cheese, I had a revelation. I had officially started down the road of turning into my brother.

Seriously. A whole stack of my friends are getting married in the next 12-ish months. Which means in the 12 months after that, a whole stack more will be getting married. Weddings beget weddings, people. Once they start, they don't stop, until everyone but yourself is married.

That might sound bitter. It's not meant to. It's just a little scary. I realised as I went to the ceremony and reception yesterday that it was actually the first wedding reception I've been to for one of my peers.

Which means it's all downhill from here, I'm afraid...

p.s I love you, Garry, if you're reading this. I'm sure turning into you isn't such a terrible thing. The world only needs one of you, however, and this is what concerns me...

The first of many, hopefully...

2009-07-07T18:19:00.003+09:30

So, last wednesday, the 1st of July, I decided that for the next year I will attempt to read a book a week, seeing as I have lost my love of reading and that bugs me. Unfortunately, my plans to start were somewhat hampered by a nasty cold which prevented a visit to the library. Thus, I started on the only book I could find which I knew I would finish but that I hadn't read. It was one of the Kathy Reichs books, as predictable and formulaic as they come. Thus, I can summarise a whole review in one word.

Meh.

I have now started on my next book, 'The Graveyard Story' by Neil Gaiman. I believe it's actually considered a children's book, but it was included by a Pajiban in their attempt to complete the Cannonball Read (100 books in a year, not something I'm prepared to try just yet) and I figured I'd give it a go.

I figured I'd at least start my reading with a few books I haven't read yet. Later on, if I get really busy and can't get to the Library or just don't have a lot of time to read, I may hit up the Harry Potter books again just to keep my numbers up. I don't consider this cheating, because re-reading them is better than not reading anything.

I'm prepared to take suggestions, but only to a degree. Anyone suggesting I read the 'Twilight' books with be taunted with words such as 'twatwaffle' and 'douchenozzle' and trust me, you don't want to be associated with people I label as such. Also, nothing in Old or Middle English. Late 19th century English is about as foreign as I can take.

I'm really hoping I can stick with this. I'm hoping the fact that I start work on Monday a) doesn't get in the way and b) helps establish a routine that might actually help my stick with this.

I'll also try to post some reviews, etc, but I'm not very good at writing such things so don't expect too much.

Oops

2009-07-06T18:54:00.002+09:30

I should probably qualify my statements yesterday by making an exception - my friends are awesome people. I am lucky to have awesome friends who are fun to hang out with, laugh at my imaginary words, and tell me it's OK to be mad at douchenozzles and twatwaffles.

They will also indulge my habit of quoting Doctor Who. I think that makes them the most awesome friends ever. Especially when they join in...

A letter

2009-07-05T17:37:00.003+09:30

To the people of planet earth.

Cut it out. Stop all the douchenozzlery. Quit being twatwaffles. Enough with the assholery. M-kay?

Sincerely,
Rachel.

p.s if you're thinking 'surely she doesn't mean me?', yes. Yes I do. ALL OF YOU! I'm this close to emancipating myself from the entire human race. I don't want to be a part of you any more.

Maybe I don't want to live in TV land, after all. Seems like a pretty crappy place, when you start to think about it...

2009-06-29T20:11:00.003+09:30

Here's the thing. I watch a lot of television. Probably too much television. Also, a lot of crap television. It's probably almost a compulsion of mine. But, having watched a lot of television, I've discovered an interesting and perhaps disturbing trend when it comes to relationships between men and women on various TV shows.

There is a staple relationship often depicted on TV, and that is the one of pining. Longing. Etc. But here's the thing. When a man on TV pines over a woman (usually in silence, because that is, after all, the manly thing to do...) it's portayed as sweet, loyal, romantic etc etc. A man pining over a woman, however, must not even look at another woman, because then he's a bastard.

Flip genders, and it's a different story. A woman pining over a man who will never love her? She's pathetic. The only time it is acceptable for a woman to pine over a man is if he is the hottest one on her TV programme. She must accept that the longed for relationship is never going to happen, and find a hotter guy to fall in love with. Because of course, when she finds a hotter guy to go out with, other said guy will then of course work out he was in love with her after all. Then we'll end up with the scenario of my previous paragraph.

The thing is, we accept this. We accept that constancy in a man is a good thing, but bad for a woman. Is it any wonder we can't have true equality of the sexes when we're all prepared to put with this drivel?

Another random thought...

2009-06-26T11:07:00.001+09:30

My dance classes are held at the Entertainment Centre. Which is fine, until there is a show on a Thursday night there, in which case the parking is mad. Also if it is a kid's show, like it was last night, there are many many small children around, doing their best to get hit by cars. Ugh

It all got me to thinking...the show was Disney Princesses on Ice. I think it would a much more interesting show if the 'ice' they referred to was actually crystal meth. Now THAT I'd pay to see.

In case you hadn't worked it out, I'm in a bit of a funny mood today...

A tragic day for music.

2009-06-26T11:06:00.002+09:30

That's right, people. My iPod is being a pain. I have to completely restore it and resync ALL my music!

Wait, what did you think I meant?

New name, new look

2009-06-19T15:35:00.002+09:30

You may have noticed that this blog looks very different now. That is, of course, assuming you've read it before. Which may be a big assumption. I think it is a fairly big assumption that anyone reads this blog much at all, actually.

Also, the title has changed. Because I figured I wasn't really posting anything that had anything to do with the former title. So I changed it to better reflect the content. Which is: two random words thrown together. See? Much more like what I post here.

Actually, it comes from the URL of this blog, because I had to find something unique. And stuck to the shelves above my desk is a butterfly whose wings are made of...wait for it...red feathers! It was the first thing that came into my head and was unique enough to work as the URL for this blog. But I think 'red feathers' has a nice sort of ring to it. And I have decided after years of um-ing and ah-ing that red is in fact my favourite colour. So it sort of fits with that too.

For anyone who cares...

2009-06-17T18:22:00.002+09:30

I realised I never mentioned my end result for honours. Somehow, through the mystical wonders of the universe, I managed to scam 1st class. I think what they do is they have a bag of balls and, somewhat like a lottery, they pull your mark out of it. The bag has mostly balls marked '2A' and a couple marked '1st' and it's just luck of the draw...OK, so I'm sure my department aren't as unprofessional as that and I guess I deserved it. But anyone who reads this blog knows I spent a good deal of my time during honours reading news.ninemsn.com and posting random articles here...so I guess somewhere in there I managed to do some quality work and impress the powers that be.

So now I'm...waiting. I do have a job to start but that won't be til July so I have to work out some way to occupy myself in the mean time. Any ideas, feel free to comment...

Things that are awesome

2009-06-15T19:40:00.002+09:30

Here's a list of things that I think are awesome. Well, OK, things that I think are awesome today.

My GP
Amazon.com
Roast Potatoes
The fact that Richard Hammond hosts a British children's science show.
The fact that the book from said British children't science show has been purchased for my cousin's birthday. Let the corruption begin!!

Next year, when she's ten, I'm seriously considering introducing her to the joys of Doctor Who. Not quite sure how that will go down with her mother...and it would probably be a bad idea to show her 'Blink'...but otherwise, I think it's my duty as cousin to bring her up in the ways of the Whovian.

Tomorrow is only a day away

2009-05-26T20:47:00.003+09:30

This time tomorrow, I will be finished with honours. My seminar and defense will be over, I will have my mark, and will only have to make any spelling corrections etc and I can kiss this all goodbye. It's quite an awesome feeling, really, although I imagine the feeling of it actually being over will top this by approximately a million.

It does, however, mean that for the first time in 4 and a half years, I won't be a student anymore, at least for the time being. Sure, I'll keep getting student discounts until July when my student card expires, but I won't be a uni bum any more. I'm going to have to start living in the real world, where things like money and paying tax are important and inevitable. Sleeping til 10:30 on weekdays will probably be a thing of the past. Lunches at the Exeter will no longer be allowed to go on for 4 hours. Spending all day on Facebook will no longer cut it.

But you know what? I think that's OK. I think that I'm ready to enter the world of real, responsible adults, if only for a little while. It's scary, but people have faced much more frightening things than this in the past. It's the not the scariest thing I'll ever do.

I'm feeling the need to wrap this up with something horribly cliche. Like 'it's time to spread my wings and fly'...which is rubbish really, as I don't have wings. That'd be cool though, wouldn't it?

Pay it forward

2009-05-24T20:06:00.003+09:30

Here are the rules:

The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a small gift from me within one month!

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things and stuff

2009-05-17T15:28:00.001+09:30

I'm coming to the realisation that I'm really quite bad at this whole blogging thing. Still, I suppose the last month or so I have had an excuse. Before that? Not so much.

So, the evil thesis is done with at last. Sadly, not the evil honours programme. That has to wait another week or so. I have something ridiculous like 80 slides in my 30 minute seminar. Yeah. That's going to go down real well...

Last week was a bit of a trial for me, I have to say. A friend from my days in Darwin passed away quite suddenly. She was 21, and not living far from us here. Which would have been bad enough on its own. We then had her whole family come and stay with us, which meant the house was full of our grieving friends. Sharing a house with all that grief isn't the most fun experience, but we do what we can for our friends when they need us, right? Cause what else can you do...

It would also appear that I have a job lined up for when this is all done with. Not quite sure when it will start, but I'm happy because in these stupid economic times we live in, to find a job without even having to look for it is really quite unbelievable. It would appear that God does just have the most awesome timing. At least in this instance. Some other times really, I totally doubt His all knowing 'my timing is perfect' thing. But because of my recent fortune, I guess I'll let it slide.

What's getting me through at the moment

2009-05-08T12:37:00.001+09:30

Stay strong
You are not lost
Come on and fix your eyes ahead
There's a new dawn to light our day, our day
We've gotta stay strong
You and I run
For the prize that lies ahead
We've come too far to lose our way, our way

Get up, there's further to go
Get up, there's more to be done
Get up, this witness is sure
Get up, this race can be won
This race can be won

We've gotta stay strong
You are not lost
Come on and fix your eyes ahead
Our Father's dawn will light our day, our day
Come on and stay strong
His grip is sure
And His patience still endures
There'll be no letting go today, no way

stupid suckfest of a life...thank you Newsboys for at least writing a song that keeps me going...

I'll write what is actually going on later...but for now, thesis is done, I have a job lined up, just waiting to complete my seminar and defense. And people die and that sucks.

bloody kiwis

2009-04-01T09:23:00.001+10:30

Saw this on ninemsn news as I perused it this morning.

Cheeky beggars. It's an advertising campaign for people to go to Roturua...

It scrolls to the rotorua bit afterwards.

Who wants to bet it works 100x better than the Bingle fiasco?

Powerless

2009-03-31T21:06:00.002+10:30

You know what I really hate?

I hate feeling powerless. I really hate it. I hate seeing people in situations I would love to change and having zero ability to do it. I especially hate when those people could do something about that situation themselves...but for some reason don't or feel they can't. But I still can't change the situation and it makes me so frustrated.

I guess it's related to another pet hate of mine - people who gripe on about a situation when they have the power to change it. And I think it's because so many things could be changed by just a small action, but too often we're too scared or too worried about what people will think of us if we do.

That said, I don't always practice what I preach. I let people walk all over me on occasions when I could easily stand up and say no. Sadly, I like people to like me, and don't like it when people don't like me. It makes me uncomfortable.

So. yes. Thesis writing. Procrastination, much?

And now, back to your regular scheduled programming

2009-03-29T13:07:00.003+10:30

Seems I went a bit deep the last few days.

Not going to last, I'm afraid

http://www.news.com.au/technology/story/0,28348,25249680-5014239,00.html

Bah hah hah
If you can't read it, follow the link.

Just a thought though. Hackers clearly must be very intelligent to be able to hack like this. So it strikes me that maybe, they could channel that intelligence into something more fruitfull, like, oh, I don't know, LEARNING TO SPELL?

Unless a grain of wheat falls

2009-03-29T12:48:00.004+10:30

I've been feeling so many different things this week...frustrationg, sadness, joy...I often find it hard to put these things into words, which is why my blog largely consists of cute pictures and bizzare news stories.

Thankfully, there are people out there who are so much more eloquent than I am. One of those is Ann Siddall at the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre. We used this prayer in church this morning, and it helped me to sum up and let go of much of what has been on my mind.

Unless a grain of wheat falls

Redeeming God,
on these autumn days it is easy to see
how what was once so alive and fruitful
now falls to the ground and dies.
The seasons of the earth mirror
a reality we tend to resist.
May be wise in finding our way
through life’s many endings.

In the ending of death,
grant us the freedom to grieve,
and to honour what has been.

In the endings of broken relationships,
save us from bitterness, and
move us towards wholeness.

In the endings that are forced upon us,
may we have the strength to survive,
and the discernment to find the next step.

In the endings we have chosen,
but that others may not understand,
help us to act with love and compassion.

In the endings that are invited of us,
may we have the courage to let go,
and to relinquish graciously.

And in our remembering of Jesus’ words
about a grain of wheat falling to the earth,
may we always be attentive
to the hope of new life.
--Ann Siddall, Stillpoint Spirituality Centre

We also sang a song, one of my personal favourites, which was written by a friend of mine at an ending...and it always inspires me, but especially so this week. I've been thinking more on the death of Amanda (see previous post), and how if someone with her courage couldn't beat this evil we call cancer, what will happen to me if I should be so unfortunate to have something of that magnitude happen to me. And if I died, would there be posts on a dozen different blogs on the tragedy of my passing? Would people be so bereft at my death, even people who don't know me? I doubt it. But I can do what I can to attempt to brighten the lives of those around me. I think I need to be more conscious of these things.

Any way, this is the song.

Like a candle burning wildly
Raging soft agains the night
Spark that leaps to clear the shadows
Sending warm disturbing light
We are called to live the passion
Hope stands strong agains all pain
For it's only in the burning
That the candle shows its flame

Like a river running freely
Rapids swirl beside our feet
Swiftly flowing from the highlands
Comes to rest, still waters meet
All our journeys rising, falling
Taking turns we least expect
When the Spirit turns withing us
Know God's power through the test

Like and angel walking lightly
On this fragile earth of clay
Touching folk with raw compassion
Laughing, playing on the way
Freely living every moment
In the mystery of grace
Giving, dying, living, rising
See the beauty of God's grace

See the hope that burns in darkness
Show compassion strong and kind
Bind the hurt and broken hearted
Be God's hands and voice and eyes
Sing a new song every sunrise
Climb to places out of reach
Walk in freedom of God's spirit
As we die so we shall live

We are called to live the passion
Hope stands strong agains all pain
For it's only in the burning
That the candle shows its flame
--Craig Mitchell

Sadness in the internet age

2009-03-27T18:39:00.002+10:30

For about the last year, I've been following the blog of a person I only really know as AlabamaPink. A commenter at another website I visit, I started following her blog when she was diagnosed with leukaemia.

About half an hour ago, I discovered she lost her fight. And I find I don't know what to feel. I never actually met this person, and unlike other people I have met online, I've never had a conversation with her, or exchanged emails. We weren't friends on Facebook. She quite probably didn't even know I existed, although I commented a few times on her blog.

Yet I feel utterly devastated.

Maybe it's because I know she leaves behind a three year old boy. Maybe it's just because she was so determined in her fight that I never thought she would succumb to the disease. Maybe it's the harsh reminder that for every glamourous celebrity we see on the news, with a fabulous wig and perfect teeth saying 'ooh look at me, I survived cancer, aren't I great?' there are people who suffer and die and we forget that.

Rest in Peace, AlabamaPink.

cuteness

2009-03-25T13:59:00.002+10:30

Nothing to report, I just figured this monkey was so cute I had to share it...
source : http://news.ninemsn.com.au/glance/792870/tiny-elke-abandoned-by-mum

Please excuse me whilst I write my thesis

2009-03-16T15:30:00.001+10:30

Dearest readers (all 3 or so of you)

My honours thesis is due in 5 weeks. Subsequently, all my writing ability is theoretically going into that until it is written.

Thus, there will be no real blogs for at least that time. Yeah, like there's been any for the last, oh I dunno, month or so anyway. This does not mean that random news stories won't keep appearing. Mostly because I find the real world so freaking hilarious.

Monkey Business

2009-03-13T16:18:00.000+10:30

Monkey kills master with coconut

An overworked monkey has taken revenge on his owner, killing him with a coconut.

Thai man Leilit Janchoom, 48, forced the animal to retrieve the fruit which were then sold for about 10c each.

The monkey, named Brother Kwan, reportedly hated being forced to climb as high as 50m but was given beatings if he did not do as his master wished.

It is believed that the frustrated primate eventually snapped, launching a coconut at Janchoom from a high branch at the Thai province of Nakorn Sri Thammarat.

He died at the scene from a head injury.

Janchoom’s widow said that Brother Kwan "seemed lovable" when they bought him for about $275, UK newspaper The Telegraph reports.

It is not clear what happened to the animal after the attack.

Best. News story. EVAH

2009-03-06T19:40:00.003+10:30

I know I've blogged a lot of crazy news stories. But this is by far the awesomest...

Dr Who Dalek found in pond

A Dalek from Dr Who was found submerged in a pond by volunteers enlisted to clear it of rubbish.

The group had already fished out an old table football game and a skateboard when they bumped into the Dalek head, which was covered in weeds.

Sales executive Marc Oakland was pushing a rake around the bed of the shallow pool when he found the object with its distinctive eye stalk.

The 42-year-old said: "I'd just shifted a tree branch with my foot when I noticed something dark and round slowly coming up to the surface.

"I got the shock of my life when a Dalek head bobbed up right in front of me.

"It must have been down there for some time because it was covered in mould and water weed, and had quite a bit of damage.

"One of the dome lights was smashed, but the eye-stalk was intact and the head and neck stayed in one piece as I carefully lifted it out."

Pond warden Tony Brown, 70, was leading the volunteer squad clearing dumped rubbish from the pond, near Beaulieu, Hants.

He said: "We made a very thorough search of the rest of the bottom of the pond and there were definitely no alien remnants lurking.

"We've all agreed it best to keep the pond's exact location under wraps.

"The last thing we want are sci-fi fans descending on the pond frantically seraching for other Dalek parts."

Mr Brown, who trained as a pond warden with Southern Water, has been helping clear out the area for the past eight years.

He said: "We've dredged up everything from shopping trolleys, toys, and bicycles.

"But this is the first time a Dalek's appeared. We have no idea how it ended up in there, or how long ago.

"We discovered the BBC often took the Daleks out on location for filming, and they travelled to Hampshire on at least one occasion in the 1980s, when Colin Baker played the Timelord.

"Who knows, this might be the remains of one of the originals from the old TV series. I'm told they they were built to last."

link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/doctor-who/4935903/Dr-Who-Dalek-found-in-pond.html

edit: wow...I just now realised that every single sentence of that fits on a single line...bloody tabloids...

Spiritual Atheism

2009-02-19T21:42:00.003+10:30

http://www.pajiba.com/spiritual-atheism-buffy-angel-house-and-doctor-who.htm

Go read.

This is not to say I am suddenly an atheist, so don't go panicking about the state of my immortal soul.

I think there is a lot of truth in there about God. Which is odd, as it comes from an atheist.

A warning to those of you sensitive to strong language...it's in there. Don't say I didn't warn you.

also, in the comments section, you'll find the following joke. Which is awesome and I think sums things up very well.

'A man walks up to a famous athiest and announces, "I'm an athiest, too."
The famous athiest says, "Have you read the Bible?"
The man says, "No."
"Have you read the Koran?"
"No."
"Have your studied Hinduism or Buddism?"
"No."
The athiest says, "You are not an athiest. You are an ignoramus."'

no idea...

2009-02-08T18:31:00.003+10:30

I feel like I'm living in a state of complete shock.

I mean, this is Australia. A few measly bushfires should not cut this deep.

Except usually, fires might kill, what, 10 people at most? A death toll of 65 and rising and I just can't even fathom what I'm supposed to think. What I'm supposed to feel. How I'm supposed to react. I can't believe the horror of what I'm seeing on the news.

And frankly, this week I refuse to watch even one current affairs show. If I have to listen to some stupid reporter ask someone who's house has burned to the ground while they watched 'So, how are you feeling right now' I might go over the edge. Smashing things would definitely be in order. Screaming obscenities at the TV is a given. I don't see how anyone without half an ounce of compassion and human decency could ask that of a person who has lost everything.

But then, less than an ounce of human decency is probably in the job specs for a reporter on 'A Current Affair'. Anymore and you wouldn't bother applying in the first place.

Oh, and if you're living under a rock (or maybe in Spain? America?), this is what I am talking about. http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/744864/worst-day-in-history-vic-fires-kill-14

huh?

2009-02-06T10:42:00.003+10:30

I blogged yesterday about the fact that reading the news whilst at uni wasn't really a good idea.

Except this morning I found this awesome headline...just a snippet. I had to take a screen shotBecause when we think of Michael Clarke, obviously the first association that comes into our heads is the fact that he is Lara Bingle's fiance...not that he is vice captain (actually at the moment I guess he is acting captain) of the Australian Cricket team. Because that is obviously less important than being engaged to the star of a failed tourism ad campaign.

Ah, ninemsn, you do constantly amuse me. Less roasting puppies alive, more stupid headlines like this, please...

Why procrastination is bad

2009-02-05T15:27:00.002+10:30

Perhaps it is slightly contradictory to write a post about procrastination whilst I am in fact at uni. However, I have discovered in the past few weeks a drawback to one of my favourite forms of procrastinating at uni. Which is reading the news. You may have seen the results of this on my blog.

The thing about the news is...sometimes its ghastly. Really really horrifyingly why-would-anyone-do-that ghastly.

And when you're taking a break from work, reading about teenagers roasting puppies alive, or men throwing their 4 year old daughters off the Westgate bridge, or people kidnapping and eating children...well...it's not exactly incentive to do work. Or do anything, really. I hate the fact that I live in a world where people do these things. I also hate the fact that I live in a world where these things outnumber the genuninely good things people do. Or at least on news sites they do. Which leads me to hate the fact that I live in a world where apparently people would rather read about kids roasting puppies than they would about people doing good things.

It's enough to make a girl depressed, really...

Rant

2009-02-04T19:52:00.003+10:30

I need a rant. There are several things I would like to rant about, but they may not be fit for the public domain. So I'm going to blog about something very Australian.

The Cricket.

No, not about the fact that we keep getting beaten. That is unfortunately inevitable if you play like a bunch of girls.

I'm going to rant about the double standards that have been evident this week.

It's fairly evident to me that Andrew Symonds has basically made a bit of a hash of it. He's a typical Aussie bloke who drinks a little more than he should, goes fishing and occasionally says something a bit off about the opposition. If this was the 70s, he'd be a national hero. To many, he probably is. The thing is, he said something he probably shouldn't have. I get that.

I also am familiar with the work of Roy and HG and know that if you go on their shows, whether radio or TV, you're going to say something stupid you regret later. It's that kind of show. Roy and HG have this way of goading you into saying stuff that maybe is better left unsaid.

And you end up left out of the squad for an international tour. Thems the breaks. You shouldn't, even in jest, bag out the opposing wicket keeper.

Nor should you accuse them of cheating. Yes, that's right, Daniel Vittori, I'm looking at you. How come Symonds can't make a joke, but you can in all seriousness call our wicket keeper's integrity into question, and get away with an apology via text message?

Because Roy doesn't exactly have a squeaky clean record, because he does things the traditional way. Which I'm not saying is right.

I'm just saying it's a double standard.

To me, this puts ol' Vittori right up there with the English and South African captains as the lords of Prawnville. This is something I have adapted from my brother, but by all accounts, he's right.

I don't even have words for this...

2009-01-28T16:15:00.001+10:30

Gay penguins celebrate fatherhood, wedding

Two gay penguins have been given a wedding ceremony as a reward for their exceptional parenting skills.

The inseparable couple at China's Polarland Zoo were originally shunned for stealing chick eggs from fellow "heterosexual" penguins but have proved their nurturing skills with abandoned eggs, The Sun has reported.

"We decided to give them two eggs from another couple whose hatching ability had been poor and they’ve turned out to be the best parents in the whole zoo," a keeper from the Harbin zoo was quoted as saying.

"They have been a good couple and deserved their reward."

Their reward was a lavish wedding ceremony — complete with a soundtrack of the 'Wedding March' and a banquet of spring fish.

One was dressed in a tie while the other sported a red jacket.

The happy couple is not the first to defy penguins' tradition of lifelong "straight" partnerships.

A pair of chinstrap penguins at New York's Central Park Zoo made headlines in 2004 for their "ecstatic behavior" including entwining their necks, singing to each other and having sex.

Silo and Roy were devoted to each other for six years, even trying to incubate a rock by sitting on it.

When zookeepers gave them a real egg to look after they successfully raised a female chick, Tango.

source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/733873/gay-penguins-celebrate-fatherhood-wedding

25 things...

2009-01-23T22:44:00.002+10:30

So, I got tagged in a facebook note...which said I should post 25 random things about myself, then tag 25 other people so they could learn 25 random facts about me. And I thought...'if I tag 25 random people, then 25 random people will be kinda pissed off at me. But if I post 25 random things on my blog, then only the 4 people who actually bother to read it will ever be bothered by it'.

So here goes.

1. I'm not sure I ever want to be anything other than a student...except I hate the part where I have no money and I don't actually want to be an academic...

2. I have terrible taste in movies and TV.

3. I like scarves. Scarves are great.

4. I secretly fantasise about being a presenter on Playschool, because I think it would be the best job ever to pretend to be a kid all the time.

5. Sometimes I get kinda bummed because I don't have a real nickname. They just never stick.

6. I know just about all the words to the 'Hairspray' soundtrack (see no. 2)

7. My favourite book is Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen...because it is so much cooler than all the others once you realise she is basically taking the piss out of the literature of the time. Plus it has the coolest male romantic lead ever.

8. I get really frustrated with all the ideas in my head that I can't put into practice

9. I was surprised to learn today that there are other girls my age who thinks that, actually, a lot of babies are kind of ugly. This was a refreshing thing to learn.

10. I think I'm too normal. That bugs me sometimes.

11. The most played song in my iTunes library is 'My Angel Put the Devil in Me'. That is sad on so many levels...and if you don't know why...well, that is also sad on many levels...

12. I really miss having Starbucks in Adelaide, if only for the frappucinos...

13. I regularly read through the Harry Potter novels, but I skip number 2 and number 5 because they are sooooooooooo boring.

14. I am really finicky about the pens I use. Seriously, it can take me half an hour to pick when pen I want to buy. And even after that it is likely I won't be happy with my choice. Which for someone who doesn't really write that much, seems silly really.

15. I regularly fall in love with fictional characters. But it's OK, I haven't read Twilight and never, ever intend to so you don't have to hate me.

16. When I get depressed, I like to look at the puppies in the window of the pet shop, even though I know that pet shops are evil establishments. When that fails, I look at teddy bears.

17. I regularly adopt close friends as siblings...

18. Despite being an intensely emotional person, I'm not very good at grieving. But that's OK, because I don't think many people are.

19. I have this weird double life, where I'm really lazy at home but not at work. At work or study I hate to be idle. When I come home I hate to have to do anything...

20. I wouldn't mind learning to play the bass guitar. But I would not like to be a bass guitarist. My brother has taught me there is a big difference.

21. I will randomly quote Doctor Who in everday life. You might not notice me doing this. If you don't notice, I secretly judge you...not so secretly now, I guess.

22. I get very frustrated about many things. Mostly, I get frustrated when I can't change the things that frustrate me. Oh yes. I'm that complicated.

23. I love tea. Plain old lipton black tea from a tea bag.

24. I do not, nor will I ever, understand the point of golf.

25. I can't believe I actually thought of 25 things to write. Usually, I'm really bad at writing about myself, hence why my blog is updated so infrequently.

Ugh

2009-01-22T20:00:00.001+10:30

You know what would have been nice?

If someone told me that the company I ordered my mother's christmas present had gone into receivership...you know, BEFORE now. So I could have reordered it from somewhere else, oh, I don't know, A FEW FREAKING WEEKS AGO!

Curse you, global economic crisis.

2009-01-08T19:07:00.002+10:30

You know what surprises me? How I lived my whole life before last year without a proper pet. I mean, I had birds that invariably died after a year or so, in varying states of gore. I had a couple of pet rocks. But due to enormous dogs next door, or the restrictions of college or renting, I never had a furry little fuzz ball of the canine or feline variety.

How did I cope? I'm not sure. Because for the last 3 weeks I haven't had my cat around because of holidays and damn, I miss that furrball. I've never really been a cat person but since the house I'm living in isn't really big enough for a dog, I decided to get a cat to provide some company when I'm home alone.

And I fell in love. I really really really love my cat.

and honestly, who wouldn't? You'd have to be the meanest cold hearted animal hater in the universe not to love that face...

More Important World News

2008-12-19T11:37:00.002+10:30

Australian tomato imports halted in NZ

Just days after Australia lifted its ban on importing New Zealand tomatoes, New Zealand has suspended imports of Australian tomatoes.

The temporary ban on Australian tomatoes coming into New Zealand was imposed after five of seven samples tested showed no residue of dimethoate, used to treat for fruit fly.

Imports were suspended last week and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) was asked to look into why that had happened, said a Biosecurity NZ spokeswoman.

She was not willing to speculate on why the tomatoes might have failed the test but until AQIS came up with another method for treatment or produced the results required by New Zealand authorities, the suspension would remain in place.

The two parties were in daily discussions, she said.

About eight per cent of the tomatoes consumed in New Zealand come from Australia, generally during winter and early spring.

In 2007 more than 3000 tonnes of Queensland tomatoes worth $A9 million ($NZ10.8 million) were imported.

The suspension came just days after New Zealand tomato and capsicum growers were told their produce would be allowed back into Australia under a temporary solution to cope with concerns about a pest bacteria.

Biosecurity Australia had revised its constrains on imports of New Zealand tomato and capsicum to allow shipments to resume.

New Zealand exports about 4000 tonnes of tomatoes to Australia (worth about $A4.26m), the Pacific Islands and Japan.

I especially like the first sentence...I would like to see 'tomato' replaced with 'tourist' though...because that would be funny. Especially since three stories earlier, this was reported

More Kiwis choosing to live in Australia

New Zealanders continue to flock to live in Australia in record numbers, nearly 100 each day, according to figures released from Statistics New Zealand.

The net number of people moving to Australia permanently or long term in the year to November 2008 was 35,300, up from 27,200 the year before.

It was the highest number recorded, and exceeded previous peaks recorded in 1989 (33,700) and 1979 (33,400).

Overall there were 48,500 permanent or long-term departures to Australia, but that was offset by 13,200 arrivals from Australia.

Almost two-thirds of those arrivals from Australia were New Zealand citizens.

Despite the net outflow to Australia, overall New Zealand gained 3600 permanent or long term residents in the period.

However, that was down from 6600 in the November 2007 year, and was the lowest annual figure since the October 2001 year (1700).

best. montage. ever

2008-12-12T21:57:00.002+10:30

Do you totally want to go and kick some ass now? It's about a perfect montage, except I think if they tried they could have fit in 'I am to misbehave', which is the best line from a move inspirational speech ever, if you ask me...

Seriously?

2008-12-01T11:06:00.004+10:30

December? Are you kidding me?

Excuse me while I go FREAK OUT

That means it is less than 2 weeks til the big scary family dinner I have to attend despite having 2 invitations to far more interesting events...

That means it is less than 3 weeks til I go to Tasmania...

That means it is less than 4 weeks til Christmas...

Which in turn means it is less that 7 weeks til my birthday.

Which means it will soon be February when my essay is due, then it will be March, which is when I should really be writing my thesis, then it will be April when I have to hand up my thesis.

Great time to get sick, really...

now THAT'S news...

2008-11-20T16:17:00.001+10:30

UK man kills himself with chainsaw

A British man committed suicide by cutting off his own head with a chainsaw, an inquest into his death has found.

David Phyall, 50, took his own life because he was "irrationally opposed" to leaving his home, which had been repossessed, Deputy Coroner Simon Burge said at Winchester Coroner's Court in southern England.

"In the 15 years I have been sitting as a deputy coroner, this is the most bizarre case I can recall," said Burge, recording a verdict of suicide.

"He thought through how he was going to commit suicide very carefully. He went to a great deal of trouble."

Phyall, who had been drinking alcohol but not taken any drugs, tied the chainsaw to the leg of a snooker table and plugged it into a timer.

Police were called to his apartment in Bishopstoke, southern England, on July 5 when his parents could not contact him.

Requesting the parents to remain outside the property, officers broke in and found the walls and floor covered in blood, with Phyall's partially decapitated body in the lounge.

The apartment block where he was living was set to be demolished and despite various efforts from the local housing authority, Phyall - who suffered from mental illness and had attempted suicide in the past - had declined several offers for an alternative home.

Eventually, a court decided that his home, the only apartment in the block still occupied by anyone, was to be repossessed.

take note, ABC news. THIS is what you should be reporting, not this 'two planes didn't crash' rubbish

Newsworthy?

2008-11-18T09:32:00.002+10:30

Landing aborted at Adelaide Airport

A Virgin Blue jet had to abandon its final approach into Adelaide Airport last night to avoid a light plane that was on a cross runway.

Airservices Australia says at about 7:00pm air traffic control calculated clearance times and decided against letting the 737 land.

The Virgin jet circled and landed safely on a second approach.

Airservices Australia says the air traffic controllers followed routine procedure.

is it just me, or is that news story basically

'Overnight, two planes didn't crash at adelaide airport. The safety procedures worked, and the air traffic controllers did their job'

I guess in Adelaide, every day is a slow news day...

Election Day...

2008-11-05T13:32:00.002+10:30

On a day when America is basically deciding the future of the free world...let us remember one of the great speeches by the greatest president ever.

Except he's fictional...

Which reminds me: Garry, are your West Wing DVDs amongst the stuff you're leaving being when you go overseas? Can I borrow?

quick note

2008-11-02T21:29:00.003+10:30

Can I just say...how is it November already? Where has my year gone? This is not a good indication of how quickly my time doing Honours is going to run out.

I'm freaking out. Maybe this is the source of my lack of happiness. Stress.

Only I don't feel particularly stressed.

Maybe I should...

2008-11-02T13:19:00.003+10:30

I've been reading a few people's blogs lately, and it really hit home how much of a terrible blogger I am. I don't keep this up to date at all! I think it partly has to do with being a fairly private person, really, and trying to sort through things myself and not sharing them with (potentially...) the whole world.

The thing is, at the moment, I'm in a bit of a funk. I'm not feeling happy, and it annoys me, because I have nothing to be unhappy about. Uni is progressing well, I'm busy but that's OK. I'm sleeping well, I'm mostly managing to maintain my friendships. I really want to be happy. And I'm not and it bugs me. It's not that I'm mega depressed or even particularly unhappy. I'm just not happy.

That doesn't make any sense, does it. Damn. I hate it when that happens. I also hate being in a funk, because it means I don't get along with people, I get all snappy and then eventually I will have a break down and everyone will hate me for a few days. And that is something I would really rather avoid.

Bah-ness. See? This is why I don't blog about how I'm feeling. Because it doesn't really do me any good anyway.

what? WHAT?

2008-10-21T18:38:00.001+10:30

So, after my rant yesterday about the evils of breast cancer marketing, I got my unrelated essay topic for honours.

'Desmoplasia in breast cancer'

Geez.

Cancer contemplations...

2008-10-20T19:29:00.005+10:30

No, don't panic, I don't have cancer. I wouldn't be sitting here calmly blogging if I did.

It's October. That makes it breast cancer awareness month. Which is fine. I have no problem with it.

Actually, that's a lie. I do have a problem with it. Not with people with breast cancer, or people who research it or treat it. I have a problem that it gets so much attention when other cancers and diseases effect a lot of other people, but don't get a whole month of awareness.

Like leukaemia. As far as I'm aware, there is no leukaemia awareness month. There is no brand of tomato sauce, or bottled water, or toilet paper, or biscuit, or god knows what else that I can buy so my $0.50 goes to leukaemia research. At least on a regular basis. And yet, in church on sunday, 4 different people named friends/acquaintences struggling with leukaemia. This is clearly a disease that is still a problem.

Bowel cancer is also a big problem. As is ovarian cancer and cervical cancer (even with the vaccine. That's not going to lower deaths for 10-20 years, at least). What about cystic fibrosis? Or multiple sclerosis? Where are the awareness months for these diseases?

You know what I've decided it must be? Pervert CEOs, etc, who want an excuse to say 'breast' and not be slapped/sacked/sued for sexual harrassment. And while I'm on the subject, just because you're raising funds for breast cancer, it doesn't give you free reign to make offensive advertising. I'm looking at you, Mount Franklin.

It's unfortunate, because I'm so ticked off by the inequality of all this that I'm almost at the point of NOT buying products that have pink ribbons on them. And that's not fair to the sufferers and researchers of breast cancer. It's not their fault that the awareness is so biased.

Damn it feels good to rant. I think ranting is good for the soul, don't you?

Tim Told me To...

2008-10-20T19:22:00.002+10:30

Tim told me I have to blog. So I'm blogging. Usually I don't let people boss me around, but he probably has a point.

So. I've been sick. Bronchitis. Not my favourite way to spend the weekend. I'm even more behind at uni, because I only spent 2 and a bit days there last week. I'm getting very frustrated that NOTHING seems to work the way I want it to. People keep telling me that this is how research works. I think, actually, it's just the way my life works. Because nothing ever goes the way I want it to. I'm sure other people experience this. But it does seem sometimes that other people I know always fall on their feet and things go according to plan. Me? Nup. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

BUT I'm making a concerted effort to not think like this and therefore wallow in self pity. Surely there has to be some power in positive thinking, right? And one thing did go my way this morning. My barista clearly had a case of Monday-itis, and accidentally gave me a large coffee instead of a normal sized one. Yay for free upgrades.

stupid pasty marwong...

2008-10-01T20:07:00.003+09:30

Once I got quite offended when my brother called me a 'pasty marwong'. I believe the term hails from his college days and refers to a person who ridiculously fair...although it may or not have originally been a type of fish.

Any who. I realise that I am a useless pasty marwong. And I realise this before because today I had to go through the ordeal of buying makeup. This is something I don't like doing. Because apparently, as well as being a pasty marwong, I sort of also suck at being a girl. But I digress (again). I wanted a particular kind that I had used before, but a few shades lighter as when I used it last time it was for stage, and because I am a pasty marwong my face is barely visible from the glow. Ew.

But here's the kicker. Even the lightest shade is almost too dark for me. What the? I can wear it, but only if I don't put it on too thickly. Crap.

Oh, and the other reason I apparently suck at being a girl is I hate shoe shopping. I really do. Why can't there just be normal shoes in shoe shops, instead of freaking enormous metallic sex-and-the-city gladiator monstrosities that look good on NO ONE? Bah.

Plus, I went to the optometrist to get contact lenses, because despite how awesome glasses are, sometimes they are a little inconvenient and I would like to still be able to see when I'm not wearing them. But apparently I'm one of about 5% of people who has eyes so freaky, they don't stock the lenses I need. Which means I have to go back again. Because, as previously stated, eveything in my life is designed to niggle me. Which, you know, is fine. Things could be so much worse. But it seems I get the niggles that everyone else is meant to get as well as my own...

Hold on. I just used 'niggle' as well as 'marwong'. Clearly, I have been talking to much to my brother...

p.s it would appear that a marwong is a deep sea bream. Why this refers to pasty white people, I have no idea.

untitled...

2008-09-28T20:22:00.004+09:30

I mentioned a while back that I was having some knee problems. Well, an x-ray, MRI, 2 specialist visits and around $800 later...there is nothing structurally wrong.

Which means my pain has no explanation and is probably down to muscle weakness. This should be good news, but I've been doing physio for months and I still have pain. It would have been nice for a simple explanation and simple fix. But, seeing as this is my life we're talking about, it's not simple. Big surprise. Still, could be worse I suppose.

What else can I blog about? Oh yeah, my seminar. I had to give it for my honours project. It was great, I got all good feedback, except for one person, who basically said my presentation was crap, I had no idea what I was talking about, and didn't use the information I had effectively. Which I don't mind. Honestly. I figure 8 people who say I did fine are a better indication than the 1 person said I was rubbish. Except this is me we're talking about, and my life never goes along happily like most normal people. Which means this anonymous naysayer will end up being the person who marks my thesis. I just know they will, even though I don't even know they are. Because that is just how my life works. Like the way I control the weather. My middle name should just be Murphy. Couldn't be any worse than my real middle name, in any case...

The thing I found funny was my mentor telling me I say 'um' too much. Because clearly, he has never had to sit through one of his own lectures. Although to be fair to him, he's more of an 'Ah' man...

The Omnivore's Hundred

2008-09-09T19:32:00.002+09:30

Here's a new twist on those stupid list things that always float around myspace. Apparently, this list contains 100 things an omnivore should eat before he or she dies. Lets see how many I've smashed, then, eh?

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle Tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O (hold on. I lived in college for 2 years and didn't have this? oops...)
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

20? sheesh. that's soft. I need to expand on this, I think...let's see...tbar has nettle tea, at least I guess they would...A whole lot of them I've never heard of so I guess I need to travel a little and see what I can see...

Nothingness

2008-09-07T18:20:00.003+09:30

Damn it. I forgot to blog again.

It's not my fault nothing interesting ever happens to me. Besides, I have no evidence that anyone is actually reading my blog, so there's little motivation to actually keep it updated.

Mind you, a lot has actually happened since I last blogged. I just feel weird blogging about things like my grandfather dying. It doesn't seem particularly blog worthy. Which sounds quite harsh. It's not really. I'm just not sure how I feel about him dying and so it didn't seem worthwhile blogging indecisively. Also it doesn't seem fair to totally bitch about my family on the internet. Because it's not polite.

Um...what else. Oh. It would appear my knee is a little screwed. Hopefully I'll know more on Thursday following an MRI. Ugh. I'm not impressed at having to have an MRI. But I guess it's better than having to have an arthroscopy just to work out what's wrong.

And...um...yeah. That's all. Once I have something interesting to say, I'll say it, don't you worry about that!

oops...

2008-08-18T17:31:00.003+09:30

Ah. OK. I didn't blog for a whole month. My bad

For, you know, the 2 people who might actually read this blog.

Anywho. So, I've started honours, I've sorted out all the issues I had with 5 different people telling me to do my seminar 5 different ways...which is good. And I seem to have impressed the honours coordinator with my ability to be organised and to actually know what I'd doing.

I think she must be easily impressed.

Seriously. I am about the least organised person I know. And it doesn't take a genius to know that you shouldn't read off notes when you give a seminar, you should just know what you are going to say about your slides.

The only reason I am staying on top of my work is because if I don't, I will not only be stressed about my ailing grandparents, I will also be stressed about uni. Surely this makes sense and shouldn't surprise anyone.

Which begs the question: What the hell kind of people are they accepting into the honours program, if they can't time manage and organise a seminar in 3 weeks???

Tales from the Tram

2008-07-15T14:14:00.002+09:30

I love public transport. I'm not saying it's the most convenient way to get around Adelaide, or that it wouldn't be handy if I could drive, but honestly, nothing beats the people you see and the conversations you hear when travelling on public transport.

Take today, for example. You know it's going to be a great trip when a woman, who looks and sounds like someone from 'Ladette to Lady' sits down next to you and says 'Goodbye fake Chanel, hello fake LeSportsSac'. Add to this her daughter, who must've been all of 6 or 7, and their stereotypically gay companion, and you know some interesting conversations are going to ensue.

Like the one about the little girls obvious recent purchase: a couple of packets of nail stickers from somewhere like cheap as chips. Said little girl asked said stereotypical gay man which set he liked better, the pink or the yellow. Now, I'm not 100% he wasn't taking the piss, as you can with small children as their perception of sarcasm isn't all that great, but he proceeded to give his reasons for why he liked the yellow ones better. It had to do with the design of the pink ones, because, honestly, why would you put a little picture of a rose on the sticker then put a stinking great diamante over the top so you can't see it?

I suppose he had a point.

Still. Any grown adult talking to a 6 year old rationally about the design merits (or otherwise) of their ugly nail stickers sounds hilarious. Yet I suppose I sound just as hilarious when talking to my small cousins about their possessions...ah the price we pay for the approval of small children...

I'm hoping I can regularly blog about the interesting things I see and hear on the tram. However, this relies on a few different factors. 1) that interesting things keep happening on the tram...which is almost guaranteed but you never know, 2) that I remember them and 3) I actually get around to blogging about them.

Because lets face it, my life is fairly boring, and I'd rather talk about other people. Which some people may not believe, because a blog is a fairly self indulgent place where people often crap on about themselves. But there you have it.

cabin fever

2008-07-08T19:35:00.003+09:30

Ya know what? I haven't been outside for about 2 days...since Sunday afternoon, actually, when I went to Spotlight. This is for 2 reasons, I suppose. Or maybe it's just one. I'm not sure. Basically it's so freaking cold and wet, why would anyone go outside who didn't need to?? I figure, that's 2 reasons, right? Too cold, plus I have no reason to.

Well. No pressing reason, anyway. There are several things I could be doing, like going to visit J out at Hampstead where she is recovering from being hit by a tram. Or visiting my very sick grandfather. Or buying stuff for my latest craft venture. But none of those things are pressing enough to get me to go out in the rain and the occasional hail.

I kinda wish I did have something to do, though. I'm getting awful bored. Plus the cabin fever.

Oh well. Next week I'm off to Darwin to escape the cold that is Adelaide. Yay!!

boast...

2008-07-01T17:23:00.002+09:30

Yay! I have a pretty header. Now, my photoshop skills are EXTREMELY limited, so it's not the worlds greatest image, but I'm proud of myself!

And my exams are OVER. Hence why I have time to muck around with photoshop making headers for my blog....

Strange Sources

2008-06-26T17:09:00.003+09:30

As someone who has studied science for a few years now, I'm always taught to use data etc from reliable sources only. Basically, if it's from Nature, it's probably a good bet. Or anything with a decent sort of impact factor.

Definitely don't try to cite anything from, say, wikipedia. Although most science students will confess to using that marvellous database of knowledge as a starter for most of their assignments. Most importantly, never believe anything you see on TV.

The problem is, I saw something, or rather heard something on TV last night that pretty much perfectly sums up my thoughts on science. And God. And the same rule applies with religion that applies to science - don't believe anything you see on TV.

Still. I couldn't shake the thought that this expression of science and God was about the best I had ever heard. So I thought, screw it, I'll go and find the exact quote. Which proved tricky. Thank the fates for Facebook and the devoted fans who create the 'addicted to...' applications. And for that 'Numb3rs' fan who had posted the following in the 'quotes' section.

"I mean what kind of mindless cretins would blind themselves to the gifts of science? How else would a Creator reveal Himself but through His creation? And to deny the mind of that creation is to deny the mind of GOD."

There you have it, folks. Profundity in a TV cop show, or as my dearest father calls them, a 'shoot 'em up bang bang thing'...Because there's truth in those words of the fictional Dr Larry Fleinhardt. Well, I like to think there is anyway. I never get how some christians just dismiss science. It scares me. I think it scares me because it is irrational. You cannot just dismiss evidence based science because it doesn't fit your theology. At least I think that is an irrational thing to do...

Anyway. Let's see. Exam tomorrow? Check. Procrastinating? Check. Nearly killed computer today? double check.

Great day...

study

2008-06-11T15:52:00.001+09:30

yes that's right folks, it's that time again: swot vac! so technically I won't be blogging much between now and the 1st of july...God that seems like a long time to be studying. I think I might actually die.

Mind you, I might end up blogging just to break up the tedium.....ugh...