I started the week for some reason feeling very sleepy. I suspect it was the cold. I’d had more sleep over the holidays but the cold countered that. I also was on for dining hall duty this week. Each night after dinner I washed up all the pots and other huge things. My caterers commented that I looked tired. But fortunately the next day was Anzac day.
Anyway, on Monday there was a Physics Lab tour, where I got to see some postgraduate students working in optics labs, some quantum research labs for the development of quantum computers and a positron accelerator used for testing the structure of crystals. It was over very quickly and I don’t really remember much of what they said. (I was tired that day though.) I also found it easy to get back into study.
On Anzac day I decided to check out my forum on my site, (which is rarely used by anyone as I don’t actively encourage people to post), and found that there had been hackers at work! They put a div on my page, so that in less technical terms, part of the forum was covered with this thing saying about these Turkish hackers. I also spent a large part of this day just catching up on some homework and settling myself back in.
On Saturday night there was a Chess competition at Trinity College. We were playing five minute blitz games, and thus on my first game I lost by a flag fall. (timer runs out). The second game was on a dodgy table where one of the black pawns was replaced with a AAA battery and another was the bottom half of a knight, which made it half size. The funniest piece though was the white pawn replaced with a folded (not neatly) serviette. I managed to win that game due to the fact my opponent moved a piece which allowed me to get their king. (no such thing as check in blitz.) The third game I ran out of time again! Fourth game I was just lucky that my opponent didn’t realise I had them in check. The fifth game was against someone who was very serious. I knew that I couldn’t beat them on time, and eventually missed out on seeing my king was in check and lost. As soon as he’d won he got straight up to tell them he’d won. What a way to rub it in, it felt very cold, but he did make up for it after by coming back and saying good game, etc. Then my final game I just made sure to keep more time than my opponent and won by their flag fall. So in total I won three out of six games, which I felt quite proud of.
I’ve been feeling quite enthusiastic regard to homework this week. Must be the Easter break. There are exams coming soon, (June), and we get our timetables tomorrow. (Monday). Definitely time to start thinking about revision. I’ve got my Scientific Programming and Simulation assignment all done ready for tomorrow. Also now got a project for Introduction to Programming, which I think should be fun as we’re making a program so that we can add, subtract, multiply and divide large integers. Oh Joy!
The past few weeks have been filled with…well….Stuff.
I went home to Sydney for 6 nights…from the last Thursday of uni, through Easter till the 19th when my friend from Sydney and myself flew back here- she stayed with me in college for 4 nights.
Whilst in Sydney it was a good chance to catch up with life and family and my friends, which I really needed, and still need now but I’ll get to that later on.
I feel that ever since I’ve left school and started uni and had all these changes happen so quickly and continuously, that I’m realising how un-innocent life outside of that shell really is, and at the moment I’m really not too fond of it. How I would do anything to just be a little carefree kid again, with the biggest worry in my life being that I dropped a lolly, or something. Even to just be in school again, year 12 again even. I just hate the fact that I need a break when stuff has only really just begun.
Yet when we all leave university, it’s like another shell will be removed, and we will yet again be exposed even furthermore to the world. Maybe life is like something…with a lot of shells? And each time we have some sort of epiphany, whether it be good or bad, (can epiphanies be bad?? I think I’m having a lot of those lately.), nevertheless it is still causing us to move forward somehow.
Just a random comment, out my window I just heard the sound of a glass smashing to the ground, then a girl’s voice exclaiming “OH, S**t!” Hehe. College.
Lately I’ve missed a lot of uni still, and a lot of life. I have thought, been told, found out about, and asked, many things, which have made me cry, frown, scream, laugh, talk, stay silent….basically a rush of a crazy milkshake of emotions. I’ve found out my ex-boyfriend is no longer my best friend as such, and as was such for 2 years before we were together. He has some idea that us not communicating will help us in the long run, not to be “together”, to remain friends…even though he said that the reason we aren’t “together” anymore is nothing to do with us. *Sigh*. So now I have lost one of the most important people in my life, a best friend, and it doesn’t seem to bother the other half of this too much at all.
Today I pretty much lay in my bed all day, I couldn’t face uni, again. I’ve tried over and over to try and get through things, but I really am knocked back by the loss of such a friendship, such a great thing in my life. He doesn’t seem to get that, that being that I know what I need to help me and help me start living my life properly again, yet it is not willing to be given, when only just over a month ago and for 2 years before that, we were both cherishing our friendship insanely, and immensely. =’[.
That brings me to what I said I would get to…stuff I still need now. I have realised how much of a motivation our relationship really was for me to make the move to Melbourne, because I was told how good it would be, and both believed that. Maybe if he was willing to see that treating me like a friend would indefinitely save me, and save what I thought I had going here. I hate to write about “him” in here as it sounds like I’m complaining, when really I look up to him so much, like a hero, but he’s letting me down and I just can’t accept that…why would someone want to betray such a friendship, and think they are doing the right thing in doing so? I’m also just making him think I am some crazy person, but even I don’t know myself right now, and I know how to get back to normal, and that is by being treated normally!
When I go back to Sydney from the 6th-8th may, I am going to have a meeting with a man from the veterinary faculty at the University of Sydney. I’ll explain more on that in a later post.
Anyway, enough about the majority of my life that is depressing, and more on other topics which are slightly less so…
The last day of uni before the Easter break, I went to Werribee Open Range Zoo for a field trip, which was nice. I enjoy seeing animals getting a bit more freedom when they are kept in captivity, and was pleased to learn in a talk we had, that modern zoos are now much more for educating about and promoting strategies to maintain wildlife, rather than profit and entertainment priorities. We also got to go on a pretty cool safari-type drive where much of the area was explained to us.
When I got back from Werribee, I rushed home and finished off my packing, before putting my fish Wally in a friend’s room who stayed in college over the break, then handed in my keys and caught a taxi to the Sky Bus terminal at Southern Cross Station, then hopped on the Sky Bus to the airport and caught my plane to Sydney.
Words cannot explain the amount of meaning that was behind the sigh I released as my plane touched down in my hometown, Sydney. I knew that I couldn’t last much longer without getting back there, and so did everyone else I had been talking to. I know this is going to be meaningless to write but I’ll be right back- late night vending machine cravings call!
I’m back, and it’s raining- I love the rain. I wish my college wasn’t shaped like a donut tonight so I could go to bed perhaps peacefully for the first time in ages and just listen to the rain hitting my window. Its so nice that there’s even birds chirping, at 12:45am!
What was I writing about…oh yes... Sydney. So the night I got to Sydney I stayed at home and cuddled my puppy and spent time with my parents, in the comfort of my own home, almost a thousand kilometres away from all my troubles.. the next day I saw Scary Movie 4 with my friend- Haha that movie’s so stupid :p. That night we both went into the city, to Star City after sitting at South’s Juniors. We sat in the cocktail bar and discussed our lives, other people’s lives, and the simple idea that gambling is a really bad problem, after watching people lose thousands upon thousands of dollars that could be much better spent on living happily, before our eyes. We then met up with matt, her brother, and also a good friend of mine. Before deciding we were both buggered and caught a taxi home.
I’m quite sure I woke up in a completely different mood the next morning, another one of the times where I hate seeing myself like I never have before… I didn’t do much during the day, but that night met up with most of my friends and went to a hotel/bar/club. Alcohol really mixes emotions, and I didn’t leave that morning feeling very happy with myself or other people- let’s leave it at that.
The next day, ah, Easter Sunday. Full of chocolaty-goodness. My friend came around to my house to drop me off an Easter egg that afternoon, and to err..apologise for the previous night’s events I guess. I then met up with another friend and we both went to the Easter show for a couple of hours…we just went on some rides, wasted some money on show bags then came home.
The rest of my time in Sydney was spent at the park with my dog, and with my parents. On the Wednesday afternoon my friend misty and I flew back down to Melbourne, got back to college then went out to Crown. Don’t go to night clubs at crown on a Wednesday night, even in the holidays, unless you want to be chatted up by guys much your senior!
The next day was spent shopping and lazing around, we were both really tired the whole 5 days. That night, Thursday night, was crazy. It involved myself, my friend, student night at Billboard, two unknown males, lots of dancing, and $3 spirits. Let’s just say my friend was super happy that night, but not so much by the early hours of the morning, which saw me holding her hair back in a bit of a state myself on a lawn, before somehow stumbling back to college and having my floor thrown up on by my dear friend... haha.
We didn’t do anything the next day. Too tired and umm, yeah..:P i felt bad for a while about certain things too, but hey i'm over them at least. But went to the movies that night when Misty was feeling a little better, and saw The Inside Man, which I think is a really good movie…very well thought out. It was good to not have to watch something involving romance, for once.
Next night saw us at the Comedy Festival, where we watched Tahir (very funny), and then The Lion, The Bitch & The Closet, also hilarious. I love the comedy festival. The next day was a sad day for me because it meant I was once again alone in this state in the sense of Sydney-related people. And my mood, whilst it was always pretty low, went back to the low I had before.
So the Monday saw me back at university with an 8am start- maths. Joy!! Nah, I don’t mind the maths I do, in fact I find it one of my least challenging subjects. Monday afternoon wasn’t the happiest, and involved a few shaky events including a traumatic phone call with…someone. I was quite so shaken that I missed hall, water polo training, and eating that afternoon/night altogether. Tuesday- day off for ANZAC day, even though I would have had the day off anyway due to having no biology prac this week. Oh speaking of those, I dissected a rat for my last prac, it was really interesting yet the whole removing of the skin didn’t take my fancy at first. But nonetheless, I still enjoyed it a lot, and was even so kind as to attempt to reassemble my dear male rat friend after being allowed to discover his interior.
On Tuesday night, my friend matt flew down from Sydney, so I spent the night with him, where he treated me to coffee and tickets to see Spymonkey at the Comedy Festival, I really appreciate him… the most he mentioned about my worries was “You need some cheering up, hey! :D” before us having a really nice night together. I love my friends, especially when they show they care so much. After that I came back to college, only to be rung by another of my friends! So back to the city I went, where we both went to the HiFi Bar comedy bingo. Haha. Funny stuff. He then drove me back to college in his pretty cool car haha…another friend I am thankful for.
Wednesday I turned up to my chemistry prac class, which was easy enough. I’m happy with my chemistry prac marks, none of them have been lower than 9/10 which is slightly reassuring I guess. That night I got a message from Matt again saying “Please Please Please come out!!” haha..he was here by himself, because my friend misty, who is also his sister, told him all about how much fun we had, so he just had to come down too!! This night we went to Crown, where I only spent one whole dollar, yet got 6 dollars worth of bets! haha. Some guy stopped us and gave us a Crown card each, which had $5 free on it. We then walked back to Flinders St. from Crown and chatted about lots of different things before saying bye and wishing him a safe flight home. (Home, Sydney L where I’d love to be right now because of certain things that could be avoided!)
Thursday, was college day, which involved a few photos at 7am, pancakes, various activities which I couldn’t take part in because I had a field trip to the RSPCA which was also awesome in itself, yet saddening to learn of the cruelties face to face, that so many animals are subjected to. It really makes you want to help. We also got a big BBQ lunch, and a nice dinner. Then there was a pub and café crawl. It was nice to socialise with fellow college people and funny to watch others who were up for a big night, get just that given to them. One guy is still in bed, blue in the face, or so I’ve been told.
So this morning I awoke to spew in the bathrooms, and the smell of a used vomit cleanup pack lurking somewhere around the corridors. I went down to breakfast, then back to bed. I hope somehow I can find motivation within myself, or a certain person can see that I am asking for one thing, which will make me able to be at peace and not like this person I am not, yet they wont acknowledge that and it hurts, yet I still cherish them so much as a friend L. *sigh*
Ironically as I am finally finished this, the rain has stopped pattering, and those birds have stopped chirping, and my tiredness has been diminished. So it looks like its back to back Greys Anatomy episodes on the college network for me until I doze off into dreams that reflect my life, really.
My dad arrives at around 8am tomorrow morning, which will be good. I’ll be spending the weekend with him. I hope to post again soon, but if I don’t, next week holds my first water polo game, intercollegiate swimming, university, and on Saturday a flight to Sydney! Yay. I need to go home again, I really really do.
Until next time, stay safe and if you come to intercollegiate swimming on Friday night, you know which college is the safest bet to cheer for.
Ciao peoples and keep smiling, for me, cause i miss the smile that was once permanently displayed on this face.
I feel like I need a lifetime away from university right now ..
On Monday afternoon, I was in my bedroom packing things, and I accidentally stepped backwards onto a tube of moisturiser that had fallen onto the floor. It sort of 'squooshed' beneath my foot; when I turned around, a jet of moisturiser had been shot onto a pile of clean, folded washing. Words do not describe how I felt, but I'll try! I threw my hands up in the air and didn't know whether to laugh or cry - it was so bizarre, but it meant I'd have to do my washing all over again. Mmmm.
I miss music. Going home for Monday night and Anzac Day, I remembered and really appreciated how musical my house is. I brought my violin back with me to play, and Caitlin (my sister) was trying to play it all day, while I was trying to play her cello. It was so interesting; we managed a "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" duet sort of thing after swapping instruments. I felt like I could be so much rougher with the cello - you really had to work to press the strings down, and you really had to push the bow into the strings to get rich sound. Apart from that, I spent many hours at the piano just bashing out my loudest and grandest songs, and even just playing chords - anything loud! The feeling of creating music, making it fly from your fingertips, is something I always took for granted.. and to have it back, even just for a little while, was pure heaven. I also spent some time on my piano-accordian (which I am determined to learn how to play properly) and of course, I had to try out the new guitar.
It is strange; I have a music room in my house. Most people have sitting rooms, or rumpus rooms,... I have a music room. Let's see - we have an upright piano, two cellos, two violins, two guitars, bongos, piano accordian, pan flutes, and the computer with keyboard and recording set-up. I think we need to get some brass instruments, and maybe woodwind. I've always wanted to play the oboe, simply so I could play the theme of the Black Swan from Tchaikovski's Swan Lake. There is a small problem with our music room - it's only one room. If you have three or more people trying to play opposing instruments at the same time, not to mention cds blaring, it's a cacophony. I am amazed that the neighbours haven't complained in all the time we've lived next door.
Enough about that, I'm just making myself sad. I have to get a guitar - I only have a violin when I'm down here in Brunswick. A guitar would make it more bearable, although it would be brilliant to get a piano here.
Anyway, must go home and cook dinner.
And do washing... grrrrrrrrrrrr!
The last week off has been great but incredibly busy (when is it not though?!). I've managed to get quite a bit of study in but it always seems there is never enough time for absolutely everything you could 'possibly' do.
Currently I'm at home and have just enjoyed a delectable dinner of Cajun-spiced salmon done on the BBQ, Nina Simone playing in the background and a CAMP FIRE in the backyard made especially for my younger brother by my father -we toasted marshmallows!!!!
So what are some of the things I have been up to amongst all the boring hours of study?
Well, last Wednesday I was very lucky to have the opportunity to meet up with an investment banker from a very famous European-based bank.
I was so nervous before the meeting…going up in the lift to the offices this man in the lift with me asked if I was off to a job interview because I “looked nervous”! I explained and he wished me luck saying I would be fine which made me feel a lot better. The kindness of random strangers is such a great feeling. In the end I had no need to worry as the investment banker I met with was so friendly and easy-going (while being amazingly intelligent and successful!). I guess I had this expectation that all IBs would be stuffy, snobby and look down on me but he was so completely different! He gave me some amazing advice on my future career plans which I really appreciated. Now more than ever, I am so certain that investment banking is what I want to do with my life.
Saturday night J drove over to surprise me with company while I enjoyed the formidable task of babysitting my 3 younger brothers! My youngest brother (9) insisted on doing absolutely EVERYTHING with us which was adorably amusing. We watched Goodnight and Goodluck which I've wanted to see for a long time. (How can anyone not adore George Clooney?!) Halfway through I had to pause the film and explain the whole concept of Communism and the 1950s era McCarthyism in the US to Mr Nine. His ability to understand things at such a young age never ceases to amaze me!
Goodnight and Goodluck was absolutely fantastic. So deeply reminiscent of today's 'War on Terror' -the parallels are frightening. It brings so many questions to mind about the current state of the world.
The usual weekend activities consumed my time work at Target, work at the Tennis club and of course, my Sunday afternoon match at Uni. I must applaud our team’s win (the opposition simply didn’t show up!!).
Last night I went to darling little house party with my best friend M, at the house of a new friend of mine – B whom I met through tennis. B is English and very charming. It was a delightful night. Everyone was very friendly despite M and I being probably the youngest people there (the age group was mid-20s and up) so I was thankful for that. One of the highlights of the night was having my Tarot cards read by this sweet Canadian girl, J! She was amazing! I have never had them read before and being the cynic I am at times, was thoroughly shocked at how spot-on the reading was. M had her cards read too and found it a similarly enlightening experience! I think I could easily get obsessed with getting Tarot readings…but at $40 a time if you have to pay, it’s not something I can afford!
I made a new friend!...he is doing first year Engineering at Melbourne (though is 20 after deferring for two years), he is also learning French AND Chinese!!! I was utterly awe-struck! I wish I had a gift for languages!!! He was very sweet to ask for M and my numbers to catch up when we ended up leaving around 1am. I am usually the person who makes the effort to ask for phone numbers so I always appreciate when someone else makes the effort for once. He messaged me this morning so I am looking forward to seeing him again soon! His sense of humor can only be described as hard hitting!!! I love it!
The funniest part of the night was M and I realising that the theme 'Traffic light' had a whole other meaning other than what we thought. Us being the naive, innocent young women we are laughed at what we thought was a hilarious theme...I mean, TRAFFIC LIGHT?! We thought someone thought up the theme while half drunk or on some kind of non-natural substance!
So anyhow back on Saturday night, I told J I was attending the party. I tell him the theme and say I will go in red (as that is my favorite colour). He says nothing (thinking I understand the theme).
At the last minute however I end up wearing my green dress as M wants us to wear dresses.
After a few comments towards my colour green which didn't quite make sense and left me slightly confused, mid-way through the party it was explained to me: Green means you're single, orange/yellow means you're in between and red means you're taken!!!!
You can imagine my absolute shock!!!!!!!! It took half an hour for the consequences of my colour choice to sink in! It started to make sense how I'd already managed two invitations to dinner when men are not usually so forward!
Speaking to J the next day I explained my shock at having the meaning of the theme revealed to me. He laughed and replied with "It doesn't matter because you wore red right?"
Foolishly I had to explain "Uh no...at the last minute I wore green."
I am lucky he seemed to find it more amusing than anything!
Tomorrow night is his graduation ceremony. I am excited! I got him a gorgeous Parker pen which I had engraved with his name on. He doesn’t expect anything. He thinks I am getting him nothing…I know he will like it!
I have to run.
It’s already late, I have to do the dishes, prepare my clothes for tomorrow, my papers for tomorrow, do management tutorial questions and make a hand-made graduation card.
I hate Tuesday nights!
-Sophie
At least at college it did. I had all my stuff ready in my room to leave for the holidays, much of it in suitcases with my books loose. I go to get my car, get there, and didn’t think that in order to move my car, I would need these things called keys – and not any old key would do! I had to venture back to college, catching the train. I got back to Melbourne Central Station, I had twenty minutes to get from platform 3 to Medley Hall, get my keys, and return for the next train. (I didn’t want to waste time.) I ran, skipping four stairs at a time, diving for green walking men, and rolled between cars. I made it to Medley hall in eight minutes. Luckily I knew where I my keys were, and so had a quick drink, and sprinted back off. Once again I dived for green men, but found no need to roll between cars, and was able to relax by the time I was at Melbourne Central Station. By the time I got back to my car, I’d wasted an hour – just gone into the ether!
Now I won’t exaggerate things. I took my car back to Medley Hall to pack my car – which took over an hour to pack my car. I had to make countless trips, each time closing my room door, opening the front door, opening my car, putting the stuff in, locking the car, then back to my room. Arranging things around my double bass would’ve definitely accounted for much of the time lost.
On Saturday morning I woke up at 4:50am for work. It’s at a local market back at home. It’s just a casual job and would work there sometimes along with my mother and brother. It's figgin freezin! For some reason it's much much much warmer in Melbourne than a little way up North!
In the town where I come from there is a big Easter fair. So on Saturday night there was a torchlight procession and then we had dancing in the street, where they set up a big truck that’s been set up as a stage. The DJ shows us dance moves, and we copy, and there’s a street full of people, half of which can’t remember all the things the DJ said. Fortunately we do well known dances every year, such as the ‘Macarena’ and ‘The Bus Stop’. On the Monday there was a parade which anyone can enter and have a competition in different categories. It’s always nice to see familiar faces and some of the things they’ve created.
The holidays has meant both being able to see both my Mum and Dad, which has been great. But there has also been a tonne of homework. I only had one assignment but I’ve had to revise and even just try to understand the contents of my subjects. I’d like to catch up a little just to get ahead, and also properly understand those bloody limit proofs!
At home we now have two new black kittens, but I still like my old cat best, even though she is more timid. One of our ducks is getting old and having to rest more often, and sometimes just doesn’t bother to hang around with the other ducks. Also while I’ve been away we’ve now got someone else living in my old house, as they are filming a movie in my town at the moment as well, and this person is in the crew.
I also worked on some music. Although every time I start to get into it I have to go back home. Maybe next holidays? I look forward to its release.
Now I’m back at college, and looking forward to tomorrow. Damn it was freezing back home - Melbourne is so much warmer!
G’Day peoples,
As I said I was going to last time, I went to the Socialist Alternative event ‘Marxism Today’. It was quite enjoyable, and felt I got to know the organisation, and am able to form my own opinions around issues whether in agreement or disagreement with the majority of the others. There was definitely a lot of talking between discussions about our own opinions and our reflections on the discussions.
Some time during the week I noticed that someone had left their room on their way to the toilet. Foolishly this person likes to keep their door open, so I walked in, and wrote ‘I’m Watching You’ on their computer on WordPad in a nice 72 point font. (This person spends a considerable time on their computer playing games, watching movies, etc.) Later that night, a few hours later after coming back from dinner, I found my door covered with sheets of paper saying ‘Rick – STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM MY COMPUTER >:-|>:-|>:-|>:-|>:-|’ (with each word separated by a line). It was quite a sight, and also a bit freaky when I first saw it on my door, then again, I guess my victim probably felt a little freaked out when they saw someone had touched their computer.
As some people may have noticed, the student union’s bi-elections were on this week. There were three people who were voted in last year but didn’t turn up, so they had to be replaced. I spent much of Tuesday helping out to promote the ‘Left Focus’ ticket and what we stand for. I spoke to many people and also found out about a few more people who were going to Melbourne University. At one time I saw my maths tutor and got a comment ‘Oh my god – you’re a communist’ after giving him our flyer. When voting I noticed (by seeing the list), that almost no-one votes! Probably only about 15%! There is also a group called ‘John So’s bro’, and when I first saw it I thought it was the most ridiculous name for a political party and sounds like the idiot club. I later found out that John So is the Lord Major of the Melbourne City Council, but still think it’s the most ridiculous name I’ve ever heard for a political party. I still don’t know who got in.
This Wednesday I got hit with two tests in the one day for Maths (Mid-semester) and Physics (one of three during semester). Not fun, especially when you find proving limits the most bizarre concept and never seem to know where to go. I think I managed it at the last minute, but unfortunately I think my physics revision suffered. The moments of inertia question just confused me! I felt exhausted after.
Later that day (Wednesday still there was a rally against VSU at 1 O’clock. It was advertised on the concrete lawns but was held on the south side of Union House. At about 1:35 we headed off down the street towards the state library. We probably had about 200 people marching down, and even managed to pull a few people who saw our march. There were a bunch of chants we used, all of which I can’t think of at this time. We got to the state library just after two then moved over to the RMIT city campus. After a round of speeches I held a banner and we marched off to parliament. I eventually let someone else have the banner as I found working with the other person to keep it taught and not make me run into the Ute. While we were walking about fifteen Liberal people came in with their banners, probably trying to provoke us into attacking them, as so the media would focus on that rather than the meaning of the rally. (If they were attacked it would’ve ended up with some people arrested as usual there are police everywhere.) When we were at the state library I saw someone from Monash that I know from the Young Scientists of Australia, and talked to them for a while.
That night there was the show ‘The Mathematical Revolution’ for the comedy festival. I was planning to go this night and had encouraged one other person to come with me. Unfortunately all the tickets were sold out, so I’ve had to wait until next term, but on the up, I’ve managed to find three other interested people.
On Thursday night I went down town to Melbourne by myself just because I wanted to see if any Sammy-J tickets were still available for that night. Unfortunately they were all sold out but on my way back to college I saw a guy dressed in Silver rapping out songs about the fact that ‘The Martians are coming’, and somehow wasted half an hour watching him. I found it somewhat amusing and entertaining. I’ve just found out from his website that he was involved in the Regurgitator song ‘My Friend Robot’ of which I am quite a fan. I’ve doubled checked this with what it says on the CD slip for the album ‘Mish Mash’, and indeed it mentions ‘The Sonic Manipulator’. Have to go see him again one night, and although he does have an album, his really just someone worth actually seeing.
Normally I’m quite good with not locking my keys inside my room, but this week I had some rather strange incidents. The first time I thought I’d taken my keys when going for a shave, but when I came back, I couldn’t find them, and had to get the duty tutor to open my door. After looking for them in my room and being bizarrely confused, I found them in the smaller section of the right pocket of my jeans. A few days later, I was heading back to my room and realised that I didn’t have my keys once again. I was able to see through my window that the keys were not in room. (Unless I had them in a very unusual spot.) After looking all over college (not literally) I got told someone had put my keys in my door. When I saw them they told me I’d left it in the door just before my room, and so when I got to my room I didn’t know where my keys were. I just wonder why I didn’t think about how I’d gotten to where I was! (Although the door I did go through was for a fenced off area, and is locked just so no-one who jumps the fence can get in.
Now I’ve been getting free Blu-Tack from all those sheets of paper that were on my door as they seem to like falling off. Hope you all had a happy Easter, I’ll mention that next time.
Happy Easter everyone!
I hope everyone has managed to find some time over this break to relax a bit and for a moment, leave the excessively busy routine that university life forces you into.
On Thursday I wasn’t feeling 100% and when more than one of my friends commented that I looked tired (They meant it in a caring way!), I decided to postpone the social events I had planned for the coming days until next week. I did that afternoon manage to briefly catch up with one of my closest friends, M, whose company I have very much missed over the last few weeks. I met her in her familiar haunt - Borders, and just being around her made me feel better from the apprehension towards the inevitable cold I felt coming on. I am looking forward next week to meeting a friend of hers which should be rather interesting. We are possible combining this meeting with a dinner featuring two of my friends I want her to meet. If we can organise it, it should be a great night
Yesterday I enjoyed a very lazy day mainly consumed of research for my management essay and calling up old friends whom I owed time to.
I decided to write this entry tonight as my schedule after tomorrow becomes very busy again. I have a lot of assignments coming up that I need to start/continue/finish, so though I have the week off university, it is anything but a vacation.
Last night I was going through my calendar after promising an old friend we would catch up. I found out the weekend we had tentatively decided to do something would in fact not suit at all due to university assessments -it made me upset to realise this. So much of the time it seems that when I am free she isn’t and vice versa which causes frustration on both sides. It is difficult as well because she doesn’t get along with any of my other friends, so I can’t invite her out in group situations either or it would be awkward. :-(
I know I must work something out to suit both of us but I hope she can understand if it isn't her ideal scenario...nowadays we seem to enter into conflict about everything. I only now just realised we have in fact been friends for 5 years....I really hope we can somehow work things out.
Tuesday morning I felt annoyed during my morning classes to realise I had left my printed out slides and overhead notes at home (all of which I had diligently prepared the Monday before!). This meant I had to revert to the old-fashioned way of taking all notes by hand in lectures! Still, this is always a good experience to practice now and again so you always have the ability to be a fast writer when the time calls. My QM 1 tutorial was yet again, an amusing experience. My tutor does the most amusing things on occasion (from jamming the whiteboards together, to falling over the projector), and this class was no exception. A mistake he’d made in writing a formula on the board, and his subsequent response to my quiet and polite questioning of what he’d written, led to the class being doubled over in fits of laughter. He then made it even more hilarious when he made a statement in reference to our laughter along the lines of “I hope you all don’t think I’m an idiot but the fact everyone one of you is laughing at me right now probably means you do”. I will always hold a significant fondness for his tutorials!
Tuesday afternoon I met up with a dear friend, L, who was down from ANU in Canberra for two weeks. We always have an amazing time in each other’s company discussing the most deeply intellectual, to the most trivial, matters! We share a very similar sense of humour which extends our mutual adoration. She is a true friend in every sense. I immediately feel so relaxed in her company and it was the first time in a few weeks where I had felt that way. We shared a delightful meal at a Café at QV- the name has escaped me for the time being, but it is across from the chocolate place and thoroughly recommended! The waiters there are very honest and charming - one told me he hates vegetables and because of this wouldn't reccomend the Mediterranean vegetable dish! Lol. I love vegetables so I ended up getting this, so throughly appreciated his 'non reccomendation!'. After ice-cream at Trampoline (which no proper meal is without!), we checked out a stunning exhibition at the Ian Potter Gallery featuring the designer, Martin Grant. I have a fairly wide knowledge of designers, but for some reason his presence had slipped by my view. I am thrilled I had the opportunity to learn about him and some of his designs as they are very much ‘my style’ – very tailored, elegant and sophisticated. Some day I would love to purchase from his Paris store. After the exhibition we decided to walk along the Federation Square side of the Yarra. I find this side to be much more relaxing and peaceful than the constant noise and excitement of the Southgate/Crown side. We contemplated the existence of the monarchy in Australia, whether or not Australia should become a Republic, then finally – what if instead of a President, Australia had a King?! (All in jest of course!)
Wednesday was what could only be called an ‘insane’ day at Uni, where I barely had time to eat. Every hour I was at one thing or another because due to no classes on Friday I had to attend some substitute classes. I attended a wonderful Microeconomic tutorial with a tutor who was very easy-going yet knew his subject so well. I really appreciated his teaching style and he explained to me a question I had been struggling to understand with my usual Micro tutor. He was so thoughtful to even give the class (and his non-regulars) little Easter eggs at the end of the class. I left feeling disappointed that my usual Microeconomics tutor (though intelligent and of around the same age and experience) was not up to his caliber. My usual Microeconomics tutor speaks so fast that most of the class has trouble understanding her, and she goes so quickly over things not realising that for us first years we haven't done the concepts a million times before. Perhaps it is easy but we have no comprehension of the subject when we can’t grasp what she is even saying! I find her quite stand-offish and unapproachable as well. Maybe I am the only one who feels this way? I am not sure. I guess you can’t be lucky in having all your tutors being amazing.
My favorite part of Wednesday was of course, my Political Interest Society meeting! The main discussion was over Iran and the US (unavoidably with the latest reports) and it was fascinating to see the variety of views in the room. I find it interesting in particular to see how some people have much more of a short term focus where as others seem to base their opinions on a longer-term strategic focus. It is a great feeling to meet other people who have opinions which challenge your thinking, or at other times provide you with a feeling of: “This person gets exactly how I see the world!” It was quite amusing while waiting for the meeting to start, to have a discussion with a few guys in regards to the lack of female attendance! Plenty of times I have been the only woman there, or at most maybe one of 3 or 4 females compared to 20 males! Does anyone know why this lack of female attendance exists?! SURELY men cannot care about politics more than women?!
Well, I will leave it on that note for now,
I must sleep - tomorrow I will no doubt be awoken at the crack of dawn by my younger brothers gorging themselves on chocolate!
Take care everyone,
Enjoy this weekend with your family and friends.
Sophie
Oh my goodness. I.. don't know where to start. How can one introduce a post where they are going to spill everything? I'll tell it in chronological order, despite wishing to jump straight to the juicy/scary/sad/strange part.
On Thursday night, I found myself in a strange sort of limbo. All of my housemates were going out to goth clubs, not really my thing. I was asked along, but I don't like clubs generally, so I declined. I minced around the house for a long time, wishing for a friend... then I suddenly decided to call my friend Jasmine. She was in Year 12 when I was in Year 11; because I did accelerated VCE, we were in Drama and Philosophy together. Now she lives literally two blocks from my house. As soon as I called her, she asked me over. Then she told me to come over. Then she passed on the drink orders from her two housemates, who I shall give psuedonyms!
20 minutes later, I arrived bearing two clinking shopping bags full of extremely cheap alcohol. I didn't have a clue in the bottle shop, so I grabbed a bottle each of about 10 types of beer, many bottles of white wine (some cost only $4.. wince and cringe inducing!), and a couple of random cruiser-esque type things. When I arrived, there was the delightful Jazz, and her two housemates were delightful. There was Cassia, a lovely girl, but this story mostly concerns Lucien. Let me describe him - an actor who doubles as a butcher, late twenties, with the beauty of Ralph Fiennes, black hair touched with silver, lounging on the verandah and smoking a cigarette, calling me 'darling' in an incredibly low voice with hard French consonants....
Back to him later. Jazz, the others and I decided it was a good night to get alarmingly intoxicated, because there was no work and no school the next day. We listened to French house music and Massive Attack, sitting on the verandah eating figs and drinking ourselves into oblivion. Let it be noted that I rarely drink, but when I do.. I have a very low tolerance for alcohol. A little while later, Jazz and I decided to make a little excursion to Lygon Street to gather some more supplies. None were to be found, but I did experience my first ever cocktail in a bar - a raspberry midori. After that, I was well and truly happy. Upon arriving back at the house, Jazz and Cassia disappeared briefly for some reason and I found myself in the kitchen, alone with Lucien and stuck in a corner. He kissed me. The unfortunate part was that I was so drunk that I kissed him back.
You can probably imagine the rest, but don't imagine it to that extreme. We didn't do that. I just feel so tragically terrible for.. well, making out with another guy. There, I have bared my soul... I kiss-cheated on my boyfriend.
I am not happy mentally. .......
A SELF DIALOGUE: SOLVING PROBLEMS
First i am stuck on my essay, putting my plan onto paper. (well i can ask lecturer for help on email. Think harder get back to the logic of the idea. where is the origin, then what comes next, come on i can do it. It is all about communicating the idea CLEARLY)
SECONDLY i feel i am prisoned mentally. All i worry about is how to study more and be more efficiently at it. Thinks like a robot, isn't it. this sucks. This sucks out my sense of humour. I restrain myself behaving funnily or at least freely, because i worry i look silly to the other people. For the sake of being seen as responsible!
(man, why would you care about image? The important thing is the goodness of one's heart. Chill out, Live your life. Experience the moment of it. hang on, actually being funny is beneficial to urself and others. Being funny is putting on A live comedy free show. Dont' count the last point. Perhaps got to manage my time better. Be happy of what you've acheived. Pushing urself without acknowledging what you have put in already is totally unfair! Set a bloody standard. Be happy once u achieved it. Look what is happening to you now? You are depressed every now and then because of it. )
But pushing the limit means i can do better. I am doing something meaningful. study=acquire knowledge. I am spending time achieving something positive. This is what uni is for: study. Also I go to society and event to have fun in uni. other time means to study.
(READERS PLEASE help ME WITH THIS ONE. LOL. FEEL FREE TO CONTRIBUTE)
I am feeling much freer now. Good to be crazy. :) Talk to u next time.
Last night at around 8pm, I suddenly had a craving of the worst sort - I wanted to play World of Warcraft, the hideously geeky game my boyfriend used to be a fan of. It was horrible - I ran down to Kmart in my pajamas to see if they had it. They were out of stock. I went home again and felt all forlorn, but then came another idea! I'd go back, buy a trial pack, and use it at the internet cafe down the street. They were out of stock of those too.
Finally, my boyfriend said that I could borrow his account. I was all set to go, I entered his password, and ALAS - the server was undergoing maintainance. I could have cried...
Chinese wasn't half as bad as it has been previously... the teacher asked me to read out an entire paragraph in Chinese, which I did, word perfect. I felt all smug. Then in my listening/comprehension class, our tapes didn't work, so we watched an old Ang Lee movie instead. I love Ang Lee films, especially Eat Drink Man Woman - it reminds me of Taiwan. Between 1995 and 1999, I lived in Taiwan and went to an international school. I didn't pick up so much Chinese, but the Taiwanese system incorporates phonetic learning for small children. I guess it's given me some kind of edge.. even if I am still in the bottom half of the class. It's just so strange watching Ang Lee films and seeing places from my childhood - in Eat Drink Man Woman, one of the main characters works in the kitchen of a hotel where I spent my last week in Taiwan, a hotel that was next to the country club where I spent most of my spare time.
I have decided to coin a new term - well, it's not actually mine, but I thought I should introduce it. A friendship-crush. Alix (friend from last year) told Jess (same) that she had a frienship-crush on her, and I completely understand. Have you ever thought somebody was lovely and cool and wanted to be their friend? That's a friendship-crush... I have a couple, but I'm too shy to make anything happen. And these people are out of my league as friends. Grrr... *sulks*
Violin lesson last night! Was particularly annoying because my finger is all bandaged up and I kept accidentally hitting the wrong string, but they fill me with such satisfaction. It's so nice to do something where you can actually see how much you improve every single week. I'm still only doing very basic children's songs on two strings, but apparently it's pretty amazing for somebody who has only had 4 lessons. Music is something that is just.. 'in' me. I've sung and played piano since I was about six, and we have a dedicated music room in my house - piano, two cellos, bongo drums, pan flutes, two guitars, two violins, and I used to play clarinet. I wish I was still at home... I feel a bit empty without a piano near me.
Enough! I'm going home to write the assignment that is 6 days late!
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