My flatlined inhibition is my ammunition

Well it's the end of the year and you know what that means - everyone has lists! lists! lists! I suck quite spectacularly when it comes to these end of year lists because I can never remember what movies/albums/books were actually released during the year. But it is the end of the year and I will attempt something of that nature later [probably] but in the meantime I have one of those generic questionaire things that I got...from...somewhere *shrugs*

***

End Of 2008 Quiz.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I don’t know, I did a whole lot of stuff. Oh, I went to London and Amsterdam and Germany…and spent 24 hours on a plane, and far too much time on a tour bus.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I said I’d exercise more and I certainly did that for a while.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yeah actually, weird.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope

5. What countries did you visit?
South Africa, Ireland, England, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Singapore (for three hours, still counts!)

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
I don’t think I lack in anything, except maybe sanity. But I don’t want to rectify that.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Seeing as I can’t remember any dates, I guess none.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
*ponders* I finished university.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Huh. No idea. Still a bit of a hermit?

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Oh yeah, I should just change my middle name to illness.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
God, I bought a lot of stuff. Oh but my Torchwood dvds, I do so love them.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
My friends, who are clearly made of win, especially Abbi and Lizzie without whom my flailing would be sadly meaningless.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Other than that of general humanity?

14. Where did most of your money go?
DVDs this year, definitely. Not enough touring bands, and far too many obsessions.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
TAI meet and greet, Doctor Who, fiishing uni, my end of year trip

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Oooh. Um. Sex on fire – Kings of Leon.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder?
I believe last NYE I fell down the stairs, so really, I’m a lot happier
ii. thinner or fatter?
Same really
iii. richer or poorer?
Poorer, haha. Euros and pounds will do that to you.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
I should probably have attempted making more friends at uni

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinate

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Next year? Hell, I don’t know.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Comical. No.

23. What was your favourite TV program?
Doctor Who and Torchwood. Is there anything else?

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nooo, I don’t think so.

25. What was the best book you read?
I have no idea what I read this year. Hmm. Breaking Dawn was good, I enjoyed having a happy ending for a change. Oh and The Book Thief, which is just fantastic.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I have no idea what bands I discovered this year. I havent been nearly as proactive as I normally am, I don’t think. There were a few locals, like Yves Klein Blue. Oh MGMT and Twin Atlantic, the Brute Chorus, Glasvegas…anyone Abs saw open for someone and sent me links to lol.

27. What did you want and get?
I…have…no…idea. Oh wait no, I got an SLR camera, I wanted that. And I got to go overseas.

28. What did you want and not get?
Errr…

30. What was your favourite film of this year?
The Dark Knight stands out, possibly cause I saw it so many times.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I wandered about London and met Abs face to face for the first time, 21.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Hanging out with Abs.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Same as always, tshirt and jeans.

34. What kept you sane?
Music, fandom, Starbucks, Lizzie and Abbi.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Johnny Depp. It’s always Johnny Depp.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Political issues arent really a strong point (tis part of the reason I’m a useless punk), but the US election was fascinating.

37. Who did you miss?
A lot of people, at different times.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I met a lot of awesome new people.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
I am not necessarily as painfully awkward as I think I am.

***

Currently waiting for Lizzie to come over so we can head off and welcome the new year. I've come to sort of resent the fanfare that surrounds NYE, I mean really, why do we do this? It's quite pagan in a way. Also, why is it generally assumed that it is NYE and thus you should be happy and in a party mood? What is this, mass emotion manufacturing? My NYEs have a rather underwhelming track record [one I believe was spent watching Titanic], but we can hope that doesn't bleed into tonight.

Music: One of those nighs - The Cab
Mood: Cheerfully anticipating

Judoon Platoon Upon The Moon

I have spent the past five hours being nerdy with Lizzie. Good times. Being nerdy really is a great deal of fun *nods earnestly*

Oreo has had an allergic reaction to something or other and is being sooky. She doesn't appear to be in pain or real discomfort other than itching. After giving her a bath, we've managed to get rid of the rash, but she still scratches. Her appetite is still good but she's been sick and shivers on occassion. I also don't think she's really drinking water. She doesn't look epically sick or anything, but it's just frustrating cause I don't know what to do and obviously it's not like she can't tell me. I just sit here feeling helpless and vaguely annoyed (mostly because my father makes a huge deal out of it and saps my energy.)

I'm really tired, I'm not sure why, struggling to keep my eyes open in fact. The coughing continues so perhaps that is a contributing factor. Think I'd better get an early night cause we're going out tomorrow night...NYE and all.

Random quotage of the day -
Could we live it over again,
Were it worth the pain,
Could the passionate past that is fled
Call back its dead!

Well, if my heart must break,
Dear love, for your sake,
It will break in music, I know,
Poets' hearts break so.

But strange that I was not told
That the brain can hold
In a tiny ivory cell
God's heaven and hell.

[Roses and Rue - Oscar Wilde]

Music: Rock is dead - Marilyn Manson
Mood: Sleepy

So guess what...

...it's Whoniverse ramble time again.

Sometimes, I honestly don’t know why the Doctor/Jack don't just give up on this stupid planet. Attack after attack after attack, oh just take the stupid damn rock and be done with it! It must be very frustrating. Not as frustrating as those Daleks must be for the Doctor though, oh no, destroyed his entire planet and the bloody things are still around. I watched Utopia/Sound of Drums/Last of the Time Lords last night (possible Master kink, let’s not go there) and of course I watched ‘Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang’ and I can’t help thinking that this truly is an awful job. Jack has spent a year pretty much dying the whole time, made the decision to go back to the hub after years of waiting for the Doctor, only to arrive in utter chaos where a) everyone’s mad at him, b) he dies again, c) he has to deal with a psychotic ex, and d) he is expected to save the day. Now if I’ve just spent a year in an alternate time line being tortured and watching the world being destroyed, I would not be particularly pleased by this turn of events. In fact I’d be very tempted to say fuck this shit, and find myself a nice little planet that is not constantly being bothered by aliens. A nice peaceful little planet. Where clouds are actually fluffy. But I mean really, it’s so fucked up. Just think, you’ve spent a year thinking everyone you cared for was dead and it must be such a relief to return home and see them all perfectly fine, except they’re all annoyed with you. Then on top of this, and after all that turmoil you’ve just escaped from, you have to deal with this psycho ex situation who then completely strikes another huge blow at you, opening an entirely different world of emotional trauma. Because you haven’t suffered enough apparently [Actually, come to think of it, the suffering never really ends after he comes back. And I though we were being brutal with Eric]. Not that the Doctor ever gets off easy, I mean just look at the end of Season 4. He always ends up alone. He loses everything. Perhaps he should just take Jack with him, I mean once the team’s all died (which shouldn’t take too long at the current rate). After all, at least there’d be someone else who understood the loss and the loneliness, someone else who knew the weight of time. I mean hell, isn’t Jack technically older than the Doctor now? Oh oh, that reminds me of a completely different debate I was having with myself…if you are travelling with the Doctor, how do you even measure time? I mean sure, you can say you’ve been here three days or there two weeks, but they may not necessarily be equivalent to earth days, then you return to earth and it’s only two days since you left and you carry on with everything, having your birthday and whatever…but I mean, technically, you’re older than your birthday now, aren’t you? Just using the whole Master situation, that’s a year that’s been reversed, but it’s still passed. So Martha has to be a year older now, right? I'm assuming you continue to age even when travelling in time/space. Which means that let’s say she’s celebrating her 24th birthday or whatever, with all the time she’s been away, she’s actually older than that. Time travel…it’ll screw with your head. It’s probably why no one’s been working on it, they tried to work out of the logistics but it turned into a headache so they gave up. Shame too, one would think teleportation came before time travel, and I really wish we’d get there.

While I’m on this topic (when aren’t I on this topic, it’s consuming my life, bah!), I love this picspam simply for one of the captions, which reads "...gets snogged by dashing captains just before they piss off with time lords." For some reason, I find this endlessly amusing. I don’t know why! There’s no reason for it to be funny, yet it makes me glee. I'm an idiot.

I need a hobby…or is this my hobby? God, I am such a nerd.

Music: My sweet prince - Placebo
Mood: Bored

Then you're the fool, I'm just as well

Holy crap. I actually got in. I really didn't expect to. I don't know, I just kinda thought I'd try for this Honours thing cause it couldn't hurt, but I never expected to actually get in. Ah hell, now I'm actually going to have to put some serious work into uni next year huh? Damn my desire for further education! On the upside, postgrad will probably be a breeze after this.

I just need to enroll now.

Still compeltely amazed by this turn of events.

Oh, I got some good feedback on my final draft for screenwriting which is a relief, I had to revamp the whole thing and George seemed to appreciate it. He said it still sounds like a longer piece, which I guess isn't a bad thing seeing as it is a longer piece. Twenty two episodes longer I believe. Still, fucking agonizing as the whole screenwriting process is, it's nice to get some validation from someone who actually works in the industry and to know that hey, maybe we really are onto something here. Now to get back to writing the damned thing.

Blargh. I am so tired of coughing and phlegm. Gross I know, but it's the truth.

My dad's gone to the shops...I'm hoping he has a random flash of niceness and brings me back something. I'm starving. It's the least he could do after ruining my black jeans. GAH! Brand new too! I only got them just before I went away, all shiny and black and new. Now they look like they're five bloody years old. One wash, I don't know how he does it. I should probably just stop buying black jeans *grumble*

Now what should I do? I feel a bit restless. I can't settle down to watch a movie, can't settle to read, don't really want to spend the rest of the day in front of the computer after doing that yesterday...but any attempt to move leaves me feeling a bit drained. And to think mum's gone to work again today, poor thing.

Ah well, will think of something.

Random quote of the day -
Jack: Captain Jack Harkness.
The Doctor: Stop it!
Jack: Can't I say hello to anyone?

Music: Gives you hell - The All American Rejects
Mood: Shocked

Etched with marks, but I can deal

Prompt: This was spontaneously prompted by the following two lines - “The palest ink is better than the sharpest memory” [Chinese Proverb] and “I will follow you into the dark” [song by Death Cab For Cutie].
Characters: Eric Hayes (Amped), allusions to Kiley Marshall and Anthony Galvin.
Timeline: Shortly after the end of season 1
Word count: 446
Author’s comments: Another tortured Eric fic, oh the poor boy, stuck with an evil creator like me. Not that I’ve been alone in the creation of his demons, mind you. Still, I just had the buzz to do something a bit more introspective. ESM have gone off to record an album but he’s stayed behind, unwilling to leave uni when it’s the only thing that he’s held on to for so long. He was unable to actually explain this to Kill of course, so there’s a whole other level of angst to be had on her behalf. So he’s sitting around feeling conflicted, still longing for what he lost and for what he’s given up. I also just realise how appropriate this song is - “That face is tearing holes in me again.” Actually, I should do another one based on the last line of the song – “I’m holding on by letting go of you.” Hmmm *ponders*

***

This isn’t the first time.

My vices are all lined up. The drugs. The booze. The sex. It all comes back to one thing. Your face swims in my mind, blurred by an ever present guilt. With you, I was whole. I had a purpose. I had plans. You made me want it. For a moment, I saw the future and it was magic. The problem with magic is that it doesn’t last. It’s all smoke and mirrors and quick hands. I wasn’t fast enough. I missed a trick. Everything imploded. Everything but me.

Self destruction.

I kept going for you. That didn’t mean I had to enjoy it. Hell, I couldn’t enjoy it. There was nothing left in your absence, time stretching ahead to the precipe of a yawning cavern. In a way I followed you into the dark. Mine was just a living hell strewn with nameless faces, interchangeable scenes, and hateful flings…all just to accentuate the fact that nothing meant anything, and there was no consolation.

Then there was her.

A persistent image, both impossible and infuriating. Splashes of colour and life, threatening the careful boundaries I carved in order to justify my existence, to tolerate it. Something stirred and with it came the shame, the betrayal. Everything I had was tied to you. I lost myself. She found the pieces, and with it came dreams and inspiration. She made me want it. The edges of my existence glowed in technicolour. How could I let her get that close? There was meaning again, and it was dangerous. I had no right to want this. I didn’t deserve it.

I was right.

Your shadow lingers, I can trace the echo of it. It’s an unconscious move I have perfected in the years I’ve spent alone. She left when I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. I can’t leave you behind. I can’t let go, and lose what little of you I have left. I also can’t hold her back. What would you say now, if you were with me and we were watching the disintegration of some poor lovelorn soul? Would you lean against me, shaking your head, and outlining the pros of just going for it? After all, you always were a hopeless romantic.

These thoughts tear holes through me.

I line them up metaphorically, logical and neat. The sex. The booze. The drugs. Not to think, not to feel, just to exist and forget that any of it is real. I knew you’d haunt me forever, welcomed it in fact, but I never thought I’d be haunted by another ghost of missed chances.

This isn’t the first time. I don’t have the strength to make it the last.

Music: Straitjacket feeling - The All American Rejects
Mood: Pensive

You cannot always be torn in two

I would kill for some Diet Coke right now. I blame Abs for this new found craving.

NCIS is on sale at JB Hi Fi for $24 a season. That’s a total bargain. Season 4 of Doctor Who is also on sale, $74. I just need to check if that’s in-store or online, then I shall acquire it with the money I set aside for the acquisition of a pair of Doc Martens. Oh well.

They showed Oxford Street on the news last night, feature on the post-Christmas sales and how British consumers are responding where the US ones are not. I sat there thinking 'Man, I was there not even two days ago, walking down that street, cursing slow walkers and thinking Exterminate! thoughts at young children, and laughing at the Storm trooper helmed, light sabre wielding animated moose in the Debenhams window display.'

Life can be such a bitch sometimes.

I woke up just before twelve today. I had an absolutely awful night. Considering I only went to bed at two the previous evening and was up again by 7, this somewhat surprised me. Still, there I was, still awake at 4am, unable to sleep due to coughing fits which now seem to be leading to extreme nausea as well. Finally, exhausted beyond belief, I just passed out. I do not approve of this kind of bullshit.

Meanwhile, it appears there will only be three Soundwave sideshows this year. Three! How lame is that. One has Anberlin and Chiodos, another Say Anything and Hellogoodbye. I was really hoping there would be a Billy Talent, or The Subways, or a Jack’s Mannequin side. Grumbles. Oh and The All American Rejects are touring with Fall Out Boy. I want to see AAR, but I hate the ACER and it’s so bloody expensive. Bah.

I find it very hard to muster any care factor at the newspaper today. Everything feels trivial somehow.

So, recapping my last few days in old London town. The day after the Stonehenge trip was sadly when I had to take my leave of the Lair and move into the Holiday Inn with the parents. This proved annoying as I had to cram all my stuff back into my backpack and trudge about the tube. When I arrived at hotel lobby far later than I ever intended (I was lazy and spent the morning in the Lair when I should have been getting ready to leave), the concierge laughed and asked “Tired?” Smart arse. Anywho, I left my bag in their care and wandered back out in the madness of Oxford Street, eventually meeting Abs for lunch, which would sadly be followed by our goodbye.

I was then meant to meet the parentals at Earl’s Court as they moved hotels, but as per usual they were unorganised and after sitting there for a while, staring at the Dalek flyers I thought, 'Fuck it, I’m here, I have a few pounds left, they are late, and it’s right there, I’m going to this Doctor Who exhibit'. My lameness factor went up another notch. May I just point out it was creepy as all hell since the place was utterly deserted and to get to the main exhibition area you have to walk through this concrete underground-esque area with the autons (aka crazy store dummies) from the first episode of the first season of the new series. I kept waiting for one to launch at me, which I assume was the point. I had the place pretty much to myself up until the end, when there appeared to be mainly children around. I’ll never understand that, as a child this show would have freaked the fuck out of me. Another especially creepy display was the ‘Blink’ one, as the room was dark with erratic strobe lighting and the psychotic stone angel, fangs bared arms outstretched, looming up as you turn the corner. The Dalek room had a warning for those of “nervous disposition” as well as a sign “Beware! Daleks!” I found this endlessly amusing. It was here that I purchased the Jack figure. Souvenir and all that jazz you know.

Unsurprisingly perhaps, the plans with the parents were now out the window, so ever the impatient child, I jumped on one of those open-top bus tours. I really wanted to do one of those so I was glad for the opportunity. I stayed on it for the entire two and half hour trip around the major tourist sites and realised that despite the non-touristy approach to my trip, I really had managed to see a lot of London anyway. Not only that, but I got to live London, the way Abbi does. And that’s really something irreplaceable and of which I’m truly grateful.

I did finally meet up the parents, and we went to see a musical which is something mum really wanted to do [Joseph, it was very strange and yet still rather boring to be honest - and I missed the season final for this?]. We also had Christmas dinner with my cousins and their girlfriends who happen to be in London at the moment [they are brothers, Francios is my age and is there until February when he goes back to university, while his brother is staying for a year]. I think it’s testament to how small the world has become in a sense when you can have a Christmas dinner with your family in a country miles from where any of you live. It was good though, we exchanged some small gifts, just for the spirit of it [They got me chocolate wafers which I absolutely adore and made good use of last night, good foresight there lol].

So yeah, I guess it all ended nicely in the end. As nicely as anything good that must end can.

In a strange way I feel like I’ve actually grown this trip. I know I can master my social anxiety to some extent; I can be social and am not nearly as awkward as I tend to think I am. There is hope for me yet.

Today, I am clearly useless for any purpose. Oreo has been curled up next to my bed since she was let in this morning, which is quite sweet really. Guess she missed me. She was well looked after, looking really healthy and happy when we picked her up yesterday, and it’s such a relief knowing she had a good “holiday” as well. So much better than the kennel business last time. Not that it’s the kennel’s fault; I think Oreo just needs a little bit more contact. She just likes being with people, lying next to you when you watch tv or whatever. Mum still has to reset all our electronic things like the dvd and the Wii after we had Foxtel IQ installed before we left, so until then I am stuck watching dvds on my laptop again…well as long as the laptop is co-operating which it thankfully is at the moment…it wasn’t that kind yesterday. So yeah, I think I might hole up here and watch…well, I’m sure you could guess.

Further updates as events warrant.

Music: The quiet things that no one ever knows - Brand New
Mood: Some semblance of awake

If you get caught out in the rain

I'm currently uploading the almost two thousand photos I took this trip. It raises some questions regarding my sanity and the level of my obsessions, while standing as clear evidence to my overwhelming lameness.

Consider for example the following of just some of the many random things I managed to take photos of :


Jack Sparrow


Gerard?





This one is especially lame of me -


I mean, really? Easily amused? Me? Oh no, not at all. Like I said, evidence of my lameness. And no forseeable change in sight. Ah well.

Keeping on with this trend, survey the bomb site that was my bed last night as I unpacked my latest acquisitions...



Notice the overwhelming presence of Doctor Who merchandise. There's the Season 3 dvds which Abbi got me for my birthday, as well as the top trumps cards. There's the Dalek socks I somehow aquired "for Christmas", a dalek flannel thing, and the Captain Jack action figure...couldn't resist. [I now have two Captain Jacks sauntering about my room. Beware of the Captains Jack, arrrr...god I'm losing my mind.]

Sometimes all I can do is shake my head at myself.

Also in evidence is :
- The pink/black reversible jumper I got from Camden (with thumbholes wooh!) that I realised I won't be able to wear for another four months at least. Epic sigh.
- The black and green Mat Devine gloves Abs bestowed on me, and of which I am unduly fond of.
- The Irish knitwear hat acquired at the Cliffs of Moher to prevent frostbite
- Tales of Beedle the Bard, Christmas present from Abs.
- Various books in various states of ill repair.
- A crazy sparkly thing that was given to me by a waiter in the Latin Quater of Paris for reasons still unknown.
- Blue leopard print tights
- Drawing post card things of London and Paris.
- Keychains from Amsterdam
- Playing cards featuring Roman mythology from Bath
- Earrings from Camden
- A beatles postcard, amongst others
- A degree in Scientology
- and a purse acquired from Debenhams, also "for Christmas".

All in all, I think things didn't shape up too badly at all.

In other news, so jetlagged it isn't even funny. Also still doing my best to cough up a lung...world record anyone? It's gotten worse, to the point where my muscles ache because of coughing too much. Bah, I say, bah.

Huh. It's storming like crazy all of a sudden. Ten days in London without rain, come home, not even twenty four hours later and it's pouring. Life's funny.

Music: The rain on the roof next door
Mood: Jetlagged

Reminders, they are not reluctant

Gah I was just stunned into silence by my desktop background, I’ve forgotten how beautiful it is.

So, evidently I have arrived home. Sydney, beautiful Sydney, sparkling in a perfect sunset and welcoming me back, forcing me to ask, could I really ever leave here? Got out of the airport into a warm westerly breeze, 26 degrees with just a touch of humidity…my body reeled in protest demanding “What.The.Fuck.” Poor thing, so confused.

This had to have been one of the easiest flights I’ve ever had. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that business class was deserted and there were almost two crew members for every passenger. So we got some serious personalised, first class service. Personalised meals, constant offers for cakes, wine, champagne, chocolates and food (please for the love of god, eat it, eat it, there’s too much!). To Singapore we only had to individual passengers travelling with us, in the back two corners, and to Sydney, two individuals in the front. This meant I could rummage around the overhead compartments whenever I chose and not feel bad about bothering anyone, stand in the aisles, and go to the bathroom as often as I want. Of course in business all the open seats don’t really make a difference space wise since you have what I like to call the egg chairs, but it’s still nice. The crew were totally all over you, and everyone was festive and chatty and it was just so relaxing. On the flight to Sydney one of the first class crew took it upon himself to walk up and down my aisle every few seconds to check if I was awake and when I finally suggested he could bring me coffee (after turning down his offers of a meal, toasted sandwich, crackers and I don’t know what else), he made me a cappuccino. Huzzah! I can only assume first class was deserted as well.

I’d like to think I have now completely mastered the art of time travel. It’s very bizarre though, it all feels like one day. As if I caught a taxi to Heathrow this morning wearing a Christmas hat and then caught another home tonight. Of course, an epic amount of time has been lost in the meantime but I just don’t feel it. It also really didn’t feel long at all. Twelve hours to Singapore, and I only watched one movie (The Rocker), attempted convincing the crew to show Doctor Who ("I have the dvds right here!") but they sadly could not oblige, and in general just tried to placate them – I think they were bored. I got a few hours sleep in too. Two hours on Singapore airport, back on the same plane, and seven hours home. Again, the crew appeared to be bored. They were quite put out that all we wanted to do was sleep…mum in fact slept the whole trip. I managed to watch The Incredibles, and got about a third into Capote before the landing rudely interrupted. I also got halfway through the Russel Brand autobiography Abs kindly gave me.

Upon arrival at Sydney airport, we just breezed through everything. Landed at 8.05, caught a taxi by 8.30 and arrived home by 9. Too easy. If only every flight could be like that, I could fly all, day every day.

Still, all my muscles ache and my face hurts like all hell thanks to sinus. Not helped by the fact that I’m still recovering from the stupid cold, and which I begin to suspect is lauching a second assault since my dad only just got it and is probably now re-infecting us all. Bah. The worst of this is sadly my ears, which thanks to aforementioned sinus and air pressure changes, appear to be verging on implosion. It huuuuuurts. But c’est la vie. I’ll live.

Three of my Paris drawings are missing. I am not amused.

I was just unpacking all my crap, and it’s disturbing that an overwhelming amount of stuff appears to be Doctor Who related. This has clearly been a Doctor Who themed holiday. I don’t mind one bit. Allons-y! Aw. Guess I can’t do that anymore. I took a photo of the loot, and will surely post it up once I’ve cleared room for the EPIC amounts of photos that were taken *shakes head*

I’m going to have to do a somewhat detailed recount of the last few days, if not the whole trip, but it’ll have to wait until tomorrow. I must attempt to beat the jetlag before it settles in. So, I’m going to have a shower, watch ‘Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang’ (revel in the Torchwood, revel!) and then drift off to sleep in my very comfy bed that’s missed me very much.

That all said, I had a really great trip and I miss Abs (and London) already. Come on people, get with the teleportation already! Failing that, anyone know where I could possibly acquire a TARDIS?

P.S.: Merry Christmas! Hope everyone managed to enjoy the day. I feel like I’ve pretty much skipped the whole thing this year…technically I guess I have.

Music: Miami - Taking Back Sunday
Mood: Desperately wanting shower

Whaaa?

Oh no....oh no no no no no. I'm missing the last episode! When am I ever going to get around to seeing it? Oh BBC, how cruel you are to me, ever so cruel. Woe.

Music: Theme music
Mood: Woe! Outrage! Woe! Annoyed! Woe!

Fall asleep with the windows open

Tonight is my last night in the Lair, and I'm honestly a little depressed about it. Which is kinda fucked cause now I'm going feel like I want to be in two places at once. I love Sydney, I honestly do. I miss my friends, and my dog, and my bed, and having more than seven t-shirts to wear, and the sun, and the city (it's vibe this time of year), and the way the light glints off the harbor in a way that always makes me stop and think I live in the prettiest city ever, ever y time, without fail. But I have had such a good time this week hanging with Abs, meeting her friends, experiencing London life as it were. I really enjoyed it, and I'm going to miss it. All the people I've met have been great, the things I've seen and done (and the city itself) have been interesting and exciting and vibrant and just...sigh. Another downside is of course I think I've actually gotten used to the climate, so now I'm probably going to roast slowly when we get back until I get used to that again. Such a no win situation. But lamenting the end of my absolutely gorgeous, irreplaceable stay here is not going to help. Still, thanks so much to everyone who made it so awesome. You all rock.

Speaking of rocks, went to Stonehenge today (bad segway, I know). The trip started obscenely early from the parental unit's hotel, so last night I decided to stay there instead and give Abs a bit of a break too since she was half dead, poor thing. Anyway, a little earlier we'd watched the Blink episode of Doctor Who and walking around Kensington in the dark with all it's hotels and their statues and gargoyles leering at you is probably not the best thing you could do. Freaky as all hell. It continued today actually when the tour stopped at Windsor Castle, and they have some really freaky looking gargoyles. Disturbing. I'm actually working myself up to watching the season four series final right now. I've been so on edge about this for months now, it's almost hard to go ahead and watch it. But back on the topic of touring....the way things have been going, you'd think I came here with the sole purpose of watching Doctor Who, and as noble a pursuit as that is, other things have actually happened. So anywho, Windsor Castle to Stonehenge to Bath. All of which is very cool. Impressive as Stonehenge is, it's not as big as I had imagined. It doesn't help that I keep seeing the Spinal Tap Stonehenge bit playing in my head -

David St. Hubbins: I do not, for one, think that the problem was that the band was down. I think that the problem may have been, that there was a Stonehenge monument on the stage that was in danger of being crushed by a dwarf. Alright? That tended to understate the hugeness of the object.
Ian Faith: I really think you're just making much too big a thing out of it.
Derek Smalls: Making a big thing out of it would have been a good idea.

My dad and I got into an argument not even halfway out of course. In the end he huffed "Why did you even come?!" I decided to not answer this question as the honest answer would have been "To see things, not to see things with you!" I think it's been made worse by my absence from his annoying influence. I do not know how my mother survives it. The jittery, indecisive, and yet still demanding and continually rushing behavior drives me mad. Now tomorrow I'm returning to it. Joy. AND he's off work until the fifth of January, just like me. We are going to kill each other. I guess I've been lucky. I've had a week that's actually felt like holiday, it's been perfectly balanced and I had a good time. I haven't been rushed or stressed or anything, which is rare for an overseas trip. I could easily do another week of this. Shame life isn't that kind.

That all said, I'll be back home being my nerdy, loser-y self again real soon. A blog and a ramble a day no doubt, and writing! Oh yes, there shall be writing.

Did I mention I passed uni? Got two credits and a distinction. Huzzah! (Although I'm still pissed at that useless genre writing tutor and his uncommitted approach to grading.) Now I just have to wait and hear about Honours, and if it doesn't work out, I guess I'll just have skip straight to post-grad course work. Will see soon enough.

There's so much really that warrants discussion, but I just don't know where to begin half the time and there really is just so much that it feels almost impossible. Certainly too impossible for right now...I have to finish packing all my crap again, blargh.

Music: Little Death - [+44)
Mood: A little sad

Every single one's got a story to tell.

There was a boy on the bus who looked like Billie Piper, just you know, male. I just felt the need to point that out.

Ah my parents *shakes head* Yesterday they finally got their act together and I met them at the station to go to the Wimbledon Museum. They have these pass cards that gets them into all the museums and major attractions (and covers their travel) so they've pretty much done every single tourist thing you can think of in this city. I, on the other hand, have been to Tower Bridge (so neeuug!...yeah I don't know what I'm doing either). Point is, my dad seems to have taken the "potential things to do" as a list of destiny, and is jamming in as much crap as he possibly can (he's been running around like a headless chicken, I feel sorry for mum cause she's pretty much as sick as I am). Clearly he is mad. Regardless, Abs had to go back to work so I figured I might as well tag along with them. So yes, the Wimbledon museum. It's as exciting as it sounds. Ok, I'm mean. It wasn't bad. It was pleasant, requiring minimal effort. Since it was still early when we finished, we headed into town because they wanted to go to the Cartoon Museum. The time we spent trying to find the place was longer than the time actually spent inside it. It's not very big, but it was rather cool. So, as there was more time to kill and it was right across the road, we went to the British Museum too. Took lots of photos of broken Egyptian statues and Greek vases. Clearly it was museum day. But anyway, it all worked out nicely in the end. I ambled about Oxford street and met Abs after work, much hanging out (and meeting and greeting) occurred. Fun was had.

This morning it was again dealing with the parents. I'm beginning to wonder how they get anything done. Apparently, after I left them yesterday, they yet again got on a train going the wrong direction *shakes head* And here I was thinking they could read. I was meant to meet them at Warwick Ave station this morning so we could go on a canal cruise. First it took them epically long to get there, in which time I managed to have hot chocolate and a twix, and then it was revealed that the cruises don't run in winter. Epic. Fail. I was not amused. So my mum then decided she wanted to go to the Wetlands reserve. I was undecided over this for a while, since walking around in the cold while I constantly verging on coughing up a lung didn't seem too smart, but I was talked into it in the end. We had to navigate the maze of Paddington to get to Hammersmith before taking a bus. It was all very random. In the end, I can't say I was too wowed by the wetlands. There are only so many times I can be impressed by a duck. I convinced them we wanted lunch, and then my dad decided he wanted to go to Twickenham. I sent them on their merry way. Our next excursion will probably be Monday, to Stonehenge, if they manage to get it booked. Wait and see, I suppose.

Sigh.

Tonight, we're staying in. The flu infestation has gotten the better of us *shakes fist* Tomorrow, Twilight movie and christmas party!

I really should have bought chocolate on the way back. Feeble brain.

Music: Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
Mood: Sickly

So well rehearsed

I am meant to be out with the parents today but so far they haven't phoned me. I rang them this morning and mum said she'd ring me back...never to be heard from again. This is too much for my sick addled and sleep deprived mind to make sense of.

I do not want to leave the Lair. It's comfy in here.

I'm having a great time. It's random and awesome, and I'm not even doing touristy things. Abs took me on a quick tour of the West End, followed by The Mighty Boosh stage show at the O2. I get to put so many faces an experiences to names now.

I hate goddamn stuffy noses.

Ok parents have finally rung *schelps self off to do daughterly duty*

Music: About a girl - The Academy Is...
Mood: Blargh

I don't care what you think

As long as it's about me

Two things that are proving rather difficult with the DSLR camera is the near impossibility of taking photos at night without some serious setting adjustment, and managing to get the pics off the camera. They are just so huge. Oh well.

Things are going well here in the land of no sun. Despite this though, I have to admit I'm really enjoying London. Even when I am in perpetual fear of freezing my ass off. So far it's been good cause it hasn't been raining - nice change. Besides, it's not nearly as cold as Paris. Oh did I say cold, I meant fucking freezing.

This trip is going disturbingly fast. Well the days are, while on tour the nights were a bit hellish. Everything is however a blur. Amsterdam was insane, the thing that most stood out is the absolute death wish of the bicycles. They are deranged I dubbed them the suicide bikes. Germany was gooooorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. Switzerland was as always stunning and, yes, it was snowing. I nearly melted my shoe shoving it too close to an open fire in an attempt to regain feeling in my toes. Paris was just...Paris. I love that city, it's just so beautiful, especially at night. The alcohol consumption continued here especially with the incessant wine offerings. You know what they say, when in Rome... More detail on everything to follow (probably) but that's the quick overview.

We had the most psychotic bus driver getting back from Dover to London, I felt so sick by the end of the trip. Luckily Abs was there to meet me..and Nik! Which was a total surprise. Awesome, of course. The three of us met online and it's so weird to have us all in one place together. I am still half expecting the world to implode with Abs and I hanging out all the time. Anywho, she's been looking after me. We went to Camden yesterday which is so fantastically fantastic (yes, I appear to be running out of adjectives). I think my brain was a bit overwhelmed with it all - so much to take in! So much to want! I got to see all the infamous hang outs and such, like the strawberry flavoured beer and The World's End which is epically cool. Not hampered in anyway by the hot barman. This morning we went on a Beatles walk which was cool, mad American tourists and all. Oh and I had my first incident of celebrity spotting. So in short, all is well. Abs is currently at her work Christmas party so I watched POTC3 with her friend Barb Now everyone knows I am a crazy Pirates/Johnny Depp fan, but that movie is just so needlessly long. No wonder I haven't really watched it again. I just keeps going!

I'm feeling a little sick to be honest. A woman on the bus was sick so I'm guessing she's passed it around. Just stuffy nose and sore throat, coughing. Bah. Then again, when aren't I feeling sick. Stupid winter.

Everyone's been so good to me here and hanging with Abs is so amazing. I mean to finally be able to talk without having to rely on msn and hang out and flail and just get things..it's been great.

And of course, everything is sprinkled with liberal amounts of Doctor Who. And now I don't have to put up with the weird looks of the others on the tour bus when, in response to the tour director's french expressions, my cry of "Allons-y!" rang out at every opportunity. What can I say, I am lame like that.

Music: I don't care - Fall Out Boy
Mood: A bit sickly

The wind goes right through you, it's no place for the old

Well, well, what have we here?

Currently occupying a laundromat in some wayward street of Dublin waiting a) for machine to finish, and b) for another machine to open up to do another load. Wasted morning, hello. But I can't complain, I didnt even go down to breakfast this morning, I yelled at my parents for their incessant goddamn talking and then they left me alone while they went off by themselves. I stayed in bed half awake watching Magnum PI before having a shower and such, 8.30! Latest start yet. Touring is not kind to the late sleepers, and this Ireland tour was tame. Apparantly on the next one there are 6.30am starts. Joy.

Anyway, the tour itself was great. Yesterday was the last day and we came in from Galway to Dublin, coast to coast as it were. I love Ireland. It's gorgeous and freezing. I have too many photos of grass and clouds though. It was just really relaxerd and the majority of the group were a lot of fun, only thirty people on the tour so there was lots of room on the bus, and the hotels were really nice. I think it was probably a great way to start the touring experience, and we saw a lot. I'd love to come back one day though, probably to Dublin. It strikes me as a writer's city.

I've been in various states of intoxication during the tour though. Or at least it feels that way. Two years of sobriety washed away in a pint of cider first night out. And Guinnes. And Jameson. And wine. And Irish Coffee. And more Irish Coffee. And yet more Irish Coffee. The Irish, not surprisingly, really know their Irish Coffee. It is, in short, fucking brilliant. It just tastes better here. As does cream actually, and I don't even like cream. Bloody Irish, trust them to get me drinking again. I never had a chance.

So yes, today some shopping (have been good, so far only bought celtic knot earrings at our last hotel and a book of Irish fairytales...mostly because I don't have anywhere to put anything) and then tomorrow off to the airport again. I hope Dublin airport isn't as psycho with their security. Heathrow are nuts, really nuts. Then off obscenely early the next morning to Trafalgar's headquaters and on the way to Amsterdam. No rest for the wicked as they say. But I guess you don't fly 21 hours to sit around playing with your thumbs.OMG speaking of, the epic disaster that was getting here. First Bangkok airport closes down and chaos decends, then we have a three hour technical delay cause of the braking systems [during which time Sydney Aiport shows Aircrash Investigation, amuuuusing] then we have an aborted landing at Singapore and have to circle to finally arrive late at London, all a little worse for wear. At least I got to watch the Doctor Who special Voyage of the Damned a couple of times :D

I will do a more detailed blog at some point, probably when I get back, when I've got my head sorted out.

My parents are so getting on my nerves. And I have another week of room sharing and constant proximity before Abbi saves me. I do not know how I am going to sruvive. Think happy thoughts of impending Doctor Who marathon. It's so hard for me not to stop and flail over absolutely everything cause it relates to one fandom one way or another. Everyone on tour was like *groans* not again! I cant help it, fandom is my anti-drug. Anti-drug!

The barman at this hotel has the most fantastic cheekbones I have ever seen. It's something to behold.

Am I rambling? I am, aren't I? Sigh. Let's summurasise the trip so far - airlines are being less than co-operative; London is like Sydney only with worse weather; Abbi is Awesome (capital A); pubs are your friend; fingersless gloves are not the best thing ever; jeans are constantly wet; roaming charges are sneaky; hotel walls are thin; parents never shut up when you are trying to sleep; Ireland is gorgeous; and our tour director resembled Mr. Bean.

Now, time for a coffee methinks.

Music: The spin cycle of a washing machine
Mood: Amused