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.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Outrage! Or something
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?
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?
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Where I'm At
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.
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.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Watch This Space
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.
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.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Technical difficulties
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.
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.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Apologies
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
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
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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
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
Monday, January 18, 2010
On mystery novels
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!
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!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
An Open Letter
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
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
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
big ol' revelation
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.
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.
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