Put another dime in the jukebox

I’ve had a bit of an emotional rollercoaster of a week – all internalised of course because I clearly have issues. But I don’t really feel like getting into it. Let’s just say it was my grandfather’s funeral yesterday and it was quite tough to find myself sitting on the other side of the world to my family and being unable to support them. That’s really what upset me more than anything. I mean I feel pretty useless in those situations in general, but now it was a thousand times worse. Who knew that was possible? But yeah. Not getting into it.

So what have I been up to this week? Um. Good question. New job is still going well, I’m definitely enjoying learning new stuff…although learning more stuff right about now would be a plus. The team is really nice too, which is always a bonus. Friday was pretty hilarious as we were all working away so we could leave early, resulting in some classic one liners.

I also managed to finish three books in a week and a half, so I’m pleased with myself. It’s been so long since I’ve just read. It amuses me that one of the books (High Fidelity) actually dates back to January – I bought it in Paris when we first started our trip. But then I was of course sucked into reading A Song of Ice and Fire so it was forgotten. Lugged all over Europe, but forgotten. It’s so similar to the movie though, dialogue is virtually identical. One of my uni tutors once remarked that Nick Hornby didn’t write novels, he wrote screenplays. You can see where he got that idea from. The other two books I read was for book club - I’ll save my discussion for that. One of them is Fifty Shades of Grey so it'll no doubt be lively o_O

What else? I am terribly disappointed I missed the All Blacks game yesterday. I wandered down to my local pub to watch a replay of the Australia v Wales match, hoping they’d play the AB game afterwards but no, it was not to be. See, I would go to see it live but since it’s in 8.30 in the damn morning, it’s kinda hard to find a pub that’s open. I should just trek out to the Walkabout but…but…but. So. Yeah. I suppose I should be glad that it’s almost Tri Nations (Four Nations? What is it called now?) time, at least when they play in South Africa it’s a reasonable time here.

Other than that, I’ve spent this weekend watching movies. I feel like I watch a lot of movies lately. Since last Sunday, I’ve watched Rock of Ages (soooo much fun), Fast Five, The Muppets, Ratatouille, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (so good, I don’t understand how people think it’s boring), War Horse (despite my better ‘this is going to be so emotionally manipulative’ judgement), and Breaking Dawn Pt 1 (skeletal Bella is kinda terrifying.) I’m also still working my way through Homeland (oh, Damien Lewis, you are so amazing) and trying to finish off Merlin season 4 – that’s taking a while mostly cause I’m lazy and they’re just recycling the same story tropes which is a bit frustrating, but the show still has some desperately awesome adorkable moments so I’m trying to persevere.

And…yeah. That’s about it. My friend A was in town on Monday so we had dinner and I did one of those blitz tours – I’m getting quite good at those. It amazes me that since I’ve been here, I’ve had four sets of friends visiting. The world’s really quite a small place. But sadly she was the last of the planned visits. When I was first organising this year away business, there was talk of my parents dropping by in June/July but that’s obviously not going to happen now.

I have to do some writing today but I’m going to have to build up to it slowly, I think. Bit of a headache. Bit of an extreme laziness. Might watch another film first…



Music: I love rock n roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

All hail the four day weekend

I have just returned from my graduation. Third time, don't you know. It all went smoothly, even though I had to navigate stairs in heels - it was at the Conference and Exhibition Centre this time, rather than the uni Great Hall. I didn't fall over and that is the main thing. It was nice to catch up with some of the others, I made at least two good friends during Masters. The parentals spent far too much time running around being nutters and buying a lot of random stuff, but what can you do. We rounded the day off with an early dinner in the city.  Overall, not a bad end to a long weekend.

I may have had four days off but predictably, I have done nothing I was supposed to. I had a list and everything! Ugh. I need more time and/or self-discipline. Especially when it comes to shopping. But, as I keep telling myself, it's trip related.

I have acquired the following -

I am in love with these Dr. Martens. Mum took me to see them on Sunday and I just couldn't turn my back on them. She knows me oh so very well. They're very vintage, very WWI military style and they have these awesome ribbon laces. You can fold it down so it's a half-boot as well, nice and versatile.

Mum's been on my case about getting "proper walking shoes" for the trip but as I have an aversion to hiking boots, it's been fairly painful for both of us. Until I discovered Converse do an 'outsider' range of shoes based on a design they did for the military way back when. It's leather, removing the rain problem you'd have with cons, and also has a little more lift in the heel and thicker soles. Kinda vintage, totally awesome. I'm very pleased with it cause let's face it, cons suit my wardrobe way better than a hiking shoe ever would.

Of course today also marks the day that Donna, my hiptop/sidekick, officially stopped working. The operating system has been switched off and she's no longer with us. I loved that phone, we've had some great times. Out of all the phones I've had so far in my life, I was most attached to these. But technology waits for no man and until it eventually rises up and enslaves us, I guess you have to keep up. So I ordered this instead, still waiting for it to arrive -

It's a Samsung Galaxy 551, which has now been discontinued. I went for it purely because it was the only relatively new Android with a keyboard I could find. I must have a keyboard. My OCD is not compatible with a touchscreen at all.

My parents bought all of these things for me. Well, mum went halves with me on the Docs, but everything else they got. I'm not entirely sure why they're being so nice (or rather I should say I am suspicious of my dad's motives, but I'm sure this will emerge in due time as always) but I am very grateful all the same. Awesome things are awesome! Yay!

In other news, watched the Doctor Who finale. Oh Em Gee, people! 'Silence will fall when the oldest question is asked. The question hidden in plain sight.' It’s so deceptively simple that it’s genius. I was rather pleased with the finale, even if I saw the beach thing coming. But I like the underlying idea behind it – it’s sort of an allegory for the show’s success in a way. But I can’t really get into it without spoiling things and it’s only showing here next week. So.

I also watched the Merlin premiere, cause I figured if I didn’t take things into my own hands I would never see it. Such a huge improvement on last season already, well up until the informant was revealed in Camelot. Really, again?? They really need to introduce some sort of security screening or something. At least with Morgana revealed, she gets to do more than smirk evilly – big improvement, even if her amazing wardrobe is going to suffer. I also love having the knights around. Gwaine’s internal monologue must consist entirely of ‘These idiots have no sense of self-preservation’ and I love that Percival has sleeveless armour. Haha. Also, Lancelot being around is always a nice change cause at least someone knows about Merlin and that sort of dilutes the fact that Arthur is a blind fool. The knights are just awesome, okay? Okay. And Uther! Will there be no shrieking about magickz and rash overreactions? Only time will tell! I think it bodes well for the season though.

Now, is it too early to go to bed? I am absolutely dying from hayfever but the tablets make me sleepy. I'll need to be up early tomorrow too -no doubt I'll have about 200 emails waiting for me. Sigh. Further updates as events warrant!


Music: How I Met Your Mother

Wishing I'd been better designed

I have a broken toe. It is surprisingly painful. Or maybe it’s just the cold making it feel that way.

The urge to run away is so strong today. I don’t even mean run away overseas, I’d settle for Cairns or Broome or somewhere warm. We’re not even halfway and I’m already sick to death of winter.

Overall, had a brilliantly lazy weekend – despite getting extremely pissed at the guy in the Telstra shop when I attempted to acquire a new phone. He insisted there were all these things I couldn’t do (when others had already said I could) and then proceeded to mess about with my sim card despite me telling him not to and in the process I lost basically everything that was saved on said sim. He can be thankful my address book at least restored itself or I would have eviscerated him. Idiot.

That aside, R and I tackled Supernatural season 6. We’re 12 eps in and I’m not sure I know how I feel about this season. It’s improved since we’ve gotten rid of grandpa and the cousins (and Sam’s awful car) though – they were getting on my nerves. It's just a bit weird. I think because with the last season I’d gotten used to Sam and Dean pretty much being the most important people in the world, and now to have them treated as practically insignificant hunters again is…odd. While on the topic, cannot believe Sam wouldn’t hug Cas. The little bitch. Has Cas ever offered to hug anyone before? I don’t think so. Fail. Also, I think I actually prefer “Robocop” Sam to his usual self. It was rather nice to have a break from all his feelings.

Anyway. We should be able to finish it off in one more session, I think. Then I’ll be officially caught up and won’t have any choice but to sit around and wait for the next season with everyone else. Like a sucker. Ah well.

Oh oh, I rather enjoyed last night’s Merlin ep. This was something of a relief because last week I was thinking that I’d kind of gone off the show. It’s just not hitting that same note of ridiculous adorkability for me that it used to and really, how many times can Uther be a raving zealot? And I wish Arthur could just know about Merlin’s magic already – I mean really, how slow can he be?

Conclusion: I really watch too much television.

Music: The death rattle of the (largely useless) aircon

Wait a minute, this sounds like Science and or Fiction

This is great. The result of the Top 200 SFX character polls, celebrating the 200th issue of SFX.

Here’s the top 3 of every category, followed by my two cents cause I’m geeky like that.

> Favourite Robots & Androids

1. R2D2 (Star Wars)
2. Data (Star Trek: Next Gen)
3. Bender (Futurama)

Everyone loves R2D2, or as C3PO would say the “overweight glob of grease” or “near-sighted scrap pile”. Speaking of R2’s counterpart, he comes in at number 12. No one likes a whinger, C3PO. The Terminator is “back” in 8 (haha see what I did there...never mind) while he of the pointless soliloquy, Optimus Prime, is 9th. I love that KITT is on the list – I used to think KITT was the coolest. It’s one of those things I’d have thought would just fade away into obscurity, but no, clearly talking cars still have it.

> Favourite Monsters, Supernatural Beings & Fantasy Creatures

1. Daleks (Doctor Who)
2. Lorne (Angel)
3. Aliens (um, Alien)

Honourable mention to Gollum, who came in fifth. Yay LOTR. Also Ludo from Labyrinth in 15, and ‘The Great Dragon’ from Merlin in 18...that poor dragon, if he could facepalm I’m sure he would.

> Favourite Superheroes & Comic-Book Characters

1. Batman
2. Wolverine
3. Spider-Man

How does Mr. Whiny Boredom Pants (aka Spider-Man) manage to get to third beating out both Death and Morpheus (6 and 8 respectively) from The Sandman, and Iron Man (10th)? I mean really, Iron Man! Peter should hit Tony up for some personality, and then maybe I’d give him a break.

> Favourite Alien

1. Spock (Star Trek)
2. Yoda (Star Wars)
3. Zaphod Beeblebrox (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy)

The Star Trek franchise pretty much owns this category, 5 on the list, with Babylon 5 coming in with 4.

> Favourite Sages, Mentors and Boffins

1. Rupert Giles (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
2. Topher Brink (Dollhouse)
3. Gandalf (Lord of the Rings)

This one’s pretty great actually. Obi Wan at 4, Walter from Fringe at 5; Back to the Future’s Doc Brown comes in at 8 followed by Dumbledore. Sirius Black is at 11, which should please Miss L, and adorably Alfred from Batman takes out 14. I’m slightly perplexed why Uther is in 16 – shouldn’t it be Gaius? I mean all Uther does is shriek “Magicz! Kill it!” (see also: Dom’s Merlin post of WIN)

> Favourite Villains

1. The Master (Doctor Who)
2. Darth Vader (Star Wars)
3. The Joker (Batman)

No surprises here. The pic included is sadly not of John Simm’s Master, but what can you do? Davros and Voldemort come in at 5 and 6, while that idiotic Sylar from Heroes is in 7th. I find it amusing that Jareth from Labyrinth is in 10th, I guess with all that singing and prancing about, he just didn’t strike me as that villainous (I so love that movie.)

> Favourite Anti-Heroes, Accidental Good Guys and Dodgy Do-Gooders

1. Dr Horrible (Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)
2. Jayne Cobb (Firefly)
3. Captain John Hart (Torchwood)

I love the title of this section so, so much. Dodgy Do-Gooders! Win. And the top three freaking rules. Yes, freaking, I’m a nineties skater kid. Also, if you haven’t seen Dr. Horrible, you really should, it is made of win – I’ll give you the equation: Joss Whedon + Neil Patrick Harris + Nathan Fillion = Awesome. Snape takes out fourth *huggles* and Life on Mars’ Gene Hunt comes in at 5. These are all pretty cool really, as anti-heroes inevitably are.

> Favourite Vampires

1. Dracula
2. Spike (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
3. Angel (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)

You can tell these are proper sci-fi voters cause Edward Cullen is only 14th, haha. I think Spike is my favourite vampire (Angel rather gets on my nerves sometimes), and I quite like Mitchell from Being Human – he came in fourth. Drusilla is 5th with Eric from True Blood in 6th – interestingly enough Bill only makes it in at 18. One of my other faves, Lestat, is 11th – kept out of the top 10 by Mick from Moonlight, Selene from Underworld, Buffy’s Darla and Count Duckula. I think he deserves to be above the last two at least! Blade’s in 17th and the only other Cullen clan member to make the list is – dun dun dun – Jasper! Excellent *steeples fingers*

> Favourite Hero

1. The Doctor (Doctor Who)
2. Malcolm ‘Mal’ Reynolds (Firefly)
3. Dean Winchester (Supernatural)

Drinks all round! The Doctor is, of course, the ultimate. They’re all brilliant characters and not only fun, but also engaging to watch. I’d like to point out that everyone’s favourite dearly departed fictional welsh boyfriend, one Ianto Jones, made it in 5th – beating out Han Solo, Indiana Jones Wesley from Angel & Buffy, and Captain Jack Harkness. Hahaha, they’re not going to like that (childish, I know, forgive me.)

> Favourite Heroine

1. Sarah Conner (Terminator franchise)
2. Buffy Summers (Buffy The Vampire Slayer)
3. River Tam (Firefly)

I adore River so much – so completely crazy, so completely kick-ass. Representing the Whoniverse, we have Donna, Rose and Sarah Jane in 4, 8, and 10. For the Whedonverse, there’s Willow, Faith and Kaylee in 9, 15 and 16. I love that Emma Peel makes the list at 11 (I must get The Avengers box set!), and Starbuck from Battlestar is in 13. I’d totally have put in Martha, as I've mentioned before I feel she is greatly overlooked ninety nine percent of the time.

That rounds off the list. You can still get involved in the whole thing – vote for The Ultimate Best SF or Fantasy Character Ever, consisting of the winners of each category, here. Be geeky, you know you want to.

Music: Help - The Beatles
Mood: Relaxed

Unravelling the mystery that all started with a big bang

Hola Nerdmigos! I can say that as Lizzie came over today so we could indulge in that age old practice of Doctor Who fangirling. Bless the internet. They didn't really think I was going to wait until December to see it, did they? Fail, Australian television, fail.

Firstly, I got a lovely surprise at 7am this morning when my birthday present from Abbi arrived. I think this means I have now received all my birthday presents, and it's still ten days until my actual birthday. Roze and Em have had the custom Crumpler laptop bag made for me, which I don't actually have yet but it's ready and regularly flailed over. My parents had this custom canvas print made from a photo I took because I always wanted to buy the Eiffel Tower one at IKEA. It now hangs above my bed. Lizzie got me lots of lovely things on her travels, including a cute red and black skull scarf. Now Abbi has concluded the fangirl gifts with a Ianto figure as well as earrings and tights. I'm more than content.

Then, of course, there was The Waters of Mars. Hello creepiness! I think that space suit should get some sort of prize for best supporting costume, although as Lizzie pointed out, it's only ever in creepy episodes. The main thing I got from it was how much resentment I harbour at the whole thing in general. Blergh. Children of Earth ruined everything. I know I shouldn't be like this, I know it. You know, intellectually and all that, I can see that I should be able to separate things. But I can't do it. I just can't. I'm not even getting as antsy and worked up as I previously would have because COE took it out of me. Now I love the Doctor, I really do. Not to mention that I love Ten, I'm going to be terribly sad when it's all over for him. I still kind of wanted to slap him when he got all power happy in the end there. I was just like...gah. It's because you fucked around with timelines that we're in this mess in the first place. That bit in the middle, when he was talking about Pompeii? Yeah I know what you did there, creators, I've read all your stupid interviews so I'm going to read into subtle subtext and kind of hate you for it.

See, I suppose my problem is that I was always more of a Torchwood fan before I was a Who fan. I know I'm in the minority and don't get me wrong, I adore Doctor Who so very much, but something about TW just clicked with me in a way few things do. If they made me choose between the two after season 1, I would have chosen TW. So I have a lot of resentment stored up, and I must say I resent it even more now that I know it's translating. Because I can't look at the Doctor without kind of blaming him for everything. Which is irrational, I know. But there you go. Mostly I just level my feelings of animosity at RTD *scrunches nose*

Still, I'm excited for the next one, The Master! Yessssssssssssssss.

God I am such a pathetic geek loser. Ah well. Such is my lot in life.

To compliment that sentiment, we watched the first seven or so episodes of The Big Bang Theory to round off the afternoon. I love that show so much. Sheldon! Hee. My mum calls it my Torchwood rebound relationship. She's probably right, although this one never causes any angst.

I'm now weighing up working on NaNoWriMo versus catching up on all the other things I haven't watched recently, like Merlin.

Man I really am a geek. Forget it, I'm going to go hang out at the comic book store.

Music: Hey Jude - The Beatles
Mood: Geeky

Curiousity. Bad for cats but great for scientists.

I've been inspired (by which I of course mean it seemed far more enticing than theory) by Agent 99's list of dynamic duos and decided to compose my own, however I've included one film double act too:

10. Sam Tyler & Gene Hunt
Fighting and trouble is the name of the game here. Gene perfectly balances Sam's emo tendencies, and it is just so brilliant to see their contrasting qualities bouncing off each other when underneath it all they're actually quite similar. You know, when they're not punching each other. Plus Sam's general WTF face whenever Gene does something ludicrous is priceless.


Gene: Come out, you are surrounded by armed bastards!

9. Merry & Pippin
These two are a quintessential mischievous pairing. It's so fitting that they're cousins because they remind me so much of my cousin and I when we were younger and virtually inseparable. I'm willing to wager we were almost as much trouble as these two. They mess around and they make fun of each other, but at the heart there is a real care and compassion that goes beyond anything you can articulate. It's all there in the separation when Gandalf takes Pippin to Gondor and leaves Merry behind, and he nearly dies riding out with Eowyn in order to meet up with his friends. Just sigh. Of course, LOTR is all about friendship, so I had a hard time choosing between them, Sam and Frodo, and Legolas and Gimli. Family won out in the end.


Merry: You're supposed to stick it in the ground!
Pippin: It is in the ground!

8. Greg House & James Wilson
Half the reason I stick with House is their exchanges, they play off each other so well. House can be such a jerk and he purposefully messes with Wilson, and yet he sticks by him. House needs him as well, he's always so lost whenever it looks as if Wilson is really done with him this time. Some friends are like that, they try your patience and no one else understands why you would possibly want to put up with it, but you still do.


House: Trouble in paradise. 2 o'clock.
Wilson: Wait, your 2 o'clock or my 2 o'clock?
House: Over there!

7. Mitchell, Annie & George
Ok so they're technically three, but oh my god, they're good together. I was about to give up on Being Human but they fell into good pattern in the last few episodes of the season and that really made it all come together. They always try so hard to be understanding and supportive even when they just want to wallow themselves. It's very much a case of being in this together, and they certainly do it with flair.


George: We're like the world's gayest ninjas.

6. Charlie Eppes & Larry Fleinhart
My nerd duo represent! Starting out as student and mentor, these two developed an honest friendship that balances out their idiosyncrasies and offers mutual respect and support. Larry is a bit like Charlie's Yoda though. They go out of their way for each other, and I don't think there is anything sweeter than that. Charlie pulled some strings to make sure Larry's dream of going to space was realised, even though he didn't actually want him to go. That is true friendship.


Charlie: Larry, something went wrong, and I don't know what, and now it's like I can't even think.
Larry: Well, let me guess: you tried to solve a problem involving human behavior, and it blew up in your face.
Charlie: Yeah, pretty much.
Larry: Okay, well, Charles, you are a mathematician, you're always looking for the elegant solution. Human behavior is rarely, if ever, elegant. The universe is full of these odd bumps and twists. You know, perhaps you need to make your equation less elegant, more complicated; less precise, more descriptive. It's not going to be as pretty, but it might work a little bit better. Charlie, when you're working on human problems, there's going to be pain and disappointment. You gotta ask yourself, is it worth it?

5. Sheldon Cooper & Leonard Hofstadter
I suppose this is another nerd duo, but hey, nerds are fun! Sheldon must be the hardest person to live with, and yet Leonard stays there and adheres to all his rules. Sheldon isn't particularly good at social interaction either, living in his own world completely oblivious to social norms and conventions, and so the friendship can often seem one-sided. But within that genius is a vulnerability, and someone in definite need of a wing-man. Sheldon and Leonard would deny needing each other, in fact they often get on each other's nerves, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.


Leonard: At least I didn't have to invent 26 dimensions to get the math to work.
Sheldon: I didn't invent them. They're there.
Leonard: Yeah? In what universe?
Sheldon: In all of them, that's the point!

4. Howard Moon & Vince Noir
Putting the fun in dysfunctional, these two are just in a class of their own. One is jazz-obsessed with delusions of grandeur, the other is vapid, easily distracted by shiny things and obsessed with his hair. It has no right to work as well as it does! Honestly, why does this work? Why? They argue more often than they don't, and Howard is always just a little jealous of how easily Vince has it. But it's when you start to think that there is no way there's a real friendship there that they band together and pull through whatever bizarre turn the world has thrown at them...usually with a song. Clearly true friendships are built on music.


Howard: I'll put a move on you.
Vince: I've felt your moves, it's like being caressed with natural yogurt.
Howard: I got new moves.
Vince: What, did you send off for some new ones?
Howard: Yes, I did. They came by post.
Vince: First post?
Howard: The post that hurts the most.

3. Merlin & Arthur
A friendship that goes back eons, but I am more concerned with the current adorkable re-incarnation of the duo. Arthur acts like a prat most of the time, while Merlin grumbles and cleans up after him, saving his ass time after time without Arthur even noticing. Not that Arthur doesn't appreciate it, he just can't show it and is possibly emotionally stunted what with being royal and all. But isn't it just so much fun to watch? I find myself grinning like a fool half the time because they really are just that adorkable.

Arthur: I've been trained to kill since birth!
Merlin: How long have you been training to be a prat?
Arthur: You can't address me like that.
Merlin: Sorry, how long have you been training to be a prat, my lord?

2. The Tenth Doctor & Donna
Donna is just made of so much epic win, it can't be quantified. You knew this was going to be a completely different dynamic the first time she slaps him, and how she never actually notices that something amazing is going on when she first appears in the TARDIS. She's so different from Ten's other companions, and it really works for them. She comes across as very strong and forceful, but she has a good heart and is so empathetic. I think there are parallel to be drawn there between both of them. I love how there's none of the jealousy, or the UST, and how quick they are to point it out to people. I love how she puts Ten in his place and how she reels him in and keeps him in line (because it's true, sometimes he does need someone to stop him) and in reverse I love how encouraging Ten is with her, how he pushes her and treads carefully around her vulnerabilities. They laugh, they cry, they exchange words, and it's all just a rich tapestry of an endearing, multi-faceted friendship that stems from a mutual understanding of each other and an actual need to have that person in your life at that time.


Donna: I can't understand you! How many words - One! One word! Shake, milk-shake, milk! Milk! No? Not milk! Um, shake, shake, shake! Cocktail shake! What, d'you want a Harvey Wallbanger?
The Doctor: Harvey Wallbanger?
Donna: Well, I don't know!
The Doctor: How is Harvey Wallbanger one word?
Agatha Christie: What do you need Doctor?
The Doctor: Salt! I was miming salt! I need salt! I need something salty!
Donna: What about this?
The Doctor: What is it?
Donna: Salt!
The Doctor: That's too salty!
Donna: Oh, that's too salty!

1. Jack Harkness & Ianto Jones
I guess technically this may be considered cheating since I wasn't doing couples with this list, but whatever, it's still a friendship. Besides, they're my OTP, they're my exclusion to everything. This is such an odd one because it came a bit out of left field and left everyone doing a double take. After all, every healthy friendship starts off with parties drawing guns on each other, doesn't it? Ah but this is Torchwood, the word 'healthy' has no place here. At the end of the day though, this comes down to understanding. You've got two people, fucked up and broken, but they understand each other - the motivation, the fallout, the guilt, the pain, the reaction, the joy. There's a relatability, and that is a very valuable thing. From comfort, companionship and understanding, you eventually have expectation and need. The Alfred to Jack's Batman, Ianto does everything for him. Well, he does everything for Torchwood really, but then again Torchwood and Jack aren't mutually exclusive. Ianto keeps Jack going, he grounds him, while Jack gives Ianto a purpose. There's such subtlety in it as well, just the way Ianto is always there, hovering in the background, and anticipating what is needed. Much like the previous pairing, Jack and Ianto bring out the best in each other, and even when some bad stuff goes down they're there for each other, without judgement or expectation, because they get it. It's far from perfect but within their world, it works. What more could you really ask for?


Jack: Do I show off?
Ianto: Just a bit.

Music: Resistance - Muse
Mood: Procrastinating aka natural state of being

You need to stop talking about yourself

I always feel like most Muse reviews don't credit the fact that considering that they're only three people, they make a huge amount of noise. I mean really, they manage to build quite an atmospheric, melodramatic, over-the-top spectacle vibe that bands with more members only ever dream of achieving. It was the same thing with Wolfmother before Andrew kicked the other two out. Even live. Brand New get a pretty intense vibe happening live, but they bring on like three extra drummers, and Green Day have an extensive touring party. So yeah, I think their number alone makes them impressive.

Uni news - my academic transcripts are ready to be picked up, so I should be able to have all my applications sorted by Tuesday. Oddly enough, I received an invitation to join an Honours society the other day and on perusal of their site, I've discovered one has to maintain a GPA of 3.7 or higher in order to warrant an invitation. Now my arguably useless skills of deduction are suggesting that I must be maintaining said average which blows me away. I just can't believe it. I had no idea I could possibly be doing anywhere near that well. Huh.

Meanwhile, there are some bizarre philosophical debates out there. For example, the unexpected hanging paradox:

A judge tells a condemned prisoner that he will be hanged at noon on one weekday in the following week but that the execution will be a surprise to the prisoner. He will not know the day of the hanging until the executioner knocks on his cell door at noon that day. Having reflected on his sentence, the prisoner draws the conclusion that he will escape from the hanging. His reasoning is in several parts. He begins by concluding that the "surprise hanging" can't be on a Friday, as if he hasn't been hanged by Thursday, there is only one day left - and so it won't be a surprise if he's hanged on a Friday. Since the judge's sentence stipulated that the hanging would be a surprise to him, he concludes it cannot occur on Friday. He then reasons that the surprise hanging cannot be on Thursday either, because Friday has already been eliminated and if he hasn't been hanged by Wednesday night, the hanging must occur on Thursday, making a Thursday hanging not a surprise either. By similar reasoning he concludes that the hanging can also not occur on Wednesday, Tuesday or Monday. Joyfully he retires to his cell confident that the hanging will not occur at all. The next week, the executioner knocks on the prisoner's door at noon on Wednesday — which, despite all the above, will still be an utter surprise to him. Everything the judge said has come true. [here]

I'm currently reading essays as part of research for my exegesis, one happened to be on time [Time machine: On machines for measuring time and machines for travelling in time.] It probably isn't very relevant to my thesis other than setting up the importance of the role of time in human existence, but it was quite informative. Call me naive, but I really never even considered what impact the invention of the mechanical clock had on civilization. I was also surprised to discover it first appeared in the 13th Century, I clearly don't give humanity much credit. The thing that gets me most about this essay is the implication of the invention of synchronised activities and the subsequent value placed on it. Clocks originated in the monasteries, where they already had fairly regimented activities and merely wanted to mark it better. It then spread across cities during the 14th century. By the 15th, society placed greater emphasis on a co-ordination of activities and as a result mass production. Now the author notes that "this development shifted attention in the exchange of labour for goods or currency for finished product, to the distribution of a working day and the time invested in the manufacture of a given commodity." So are we then meant to assume this shift would never have occurred without the mechanical clock? Maybe I've just always been a bit obtuse in this respect, but I never thought the clock was an important invention. I just found it quite interesting.

The following struck a bit of a chord with me, for purely fangirling purposes of course -"the mechanical clock was a symbol of eternity, for the timeless order behind the temporary appearance of things." It made me feel quite content in the warm fuzzy way, making the connection.

Anyway, I was actually discussing the whole clock development thing with one of the IT guys who is a veritable font of eclectic knowledge (which for the record I think is absolutely fabulous), and he told told me about the Antikythera mechanism, essentially the first "computer" if you will. Invented by the Greeks around 87BC, it tracks astronomical positions, and though I may sound absolutely geeky admitting this, it has to be one of the most amazing things I've heard about lately. They've recently reconstructed it and Paul showed me a video of the working model, it's just astounding that they managed to create this complex, accurate machine so very long ago. Clearly this thing was way ahead of its time, no record of an object of equal technological complexity exists for anything until about a thousand years later. It brings up something that's always baffled me, what happens to civilizations that they seem light years ahead of everyone else and then suddenly just stop? Why does that happen? If they could develop things like this so many centuries ago, shouldn't we theoretically have progressed a lot faster than we have? Instead we have the rise and fall of cultures, accomplishing marvelous feats of design and engineering, and then seemingly letting it go so another one can start from scratch and reach the top. Repeatedly. What's up with that? Paul mentioned something about how the Mayans believed the world regenerated (Time Lord Science) and so exists in a cyclical pattern. My first thought was that plagues, famines and such wipe out all the "inventors" in a culture, so giving another one a shot at taking over. Civilization just seem to stop-start a lot, I don't get it.

Theoretical pondering aside, I was browsing random Flickr streams today and came across this photo:

You can try to tell me that isn't a giant UFO parked in Roald Dahl Plass, but I'll probably just ignore you. As my mum would say, Torchwood's never around when you need them.

Mum and I actually watched the first episode of NCIS:LA today and I just have to note that the team is extremely slow on the uptake. Really guys, we saw that plot twist coming a thousand miles off and were impatiently waiting for you to catch up. I hope it improves because I know it seems like an unlikely choice, but NCIS is cool, alright? LA have so much ground to cover if they even want to come near the level of awesome that is the Gibbs/Tony/Ziva/McGee/Abby/Ducky team. Oh, so much ground. And no, the youngest, newest team member who apparently knows everything and was messing with a coffee machine in his first minute of screen-time, is not enough to endear you to me. Don't make me go there, everyone is sick to death of me going there.

I managed to get my hands on the new season of Merlin. Glee! That show is so adorkable. Adorkable I tells you! I swear that word was invented specifically for it (seeing as it is a wholly fictional word, I'm sure its origin lies in some or other fandom.) I just wish I didn't have to wait for more. The internet has spoiled me with instantaneity. Mind you, the second episode just made me want to watch A Knight's Tale, one of those films I love a disproportionate amount. Alan Tudyk before he was Wash (It's called a lance, hello!), Paul Bettany as Chaucer (God I'm good!), Heath Ledger. It gets a bad rap (or bum rap if you want to be pedantic) but I adore it to death. Much the same way I quite like Center Stage, another film in the same arena of scorn.

Back to the topic of shows that are cool, what happened to Numb3rs? Every time I think Channel 10 can't piss me off any more, they somehow manage. Stop shuffling shows around without any warning before unceremoniously taking them off air! You've killed One Tree Hill, Torchwood, and Veronica Mars with this stupidity. I demand the return of the Eppes brothers, and the my almost-fandom, right now. No pancakes for you.

I made some great pancakes today, if I do say so myself. It's the only thing this weather is good for.

Music: Audience and Audio - Twin Atlantic
Mood: Pensive

Well, if we're going to descend into anarchy...

Random thought of the day, I am so glad I never had any siblings. I may have turned out social awkward and emotionally closed-off, but at least I've avoided the minefield of sibling fights. I get into spats with my dad which is bad enough, but fighting the way siblings do...ugh no, so not for me. Petty jealousy, misunderstandings, miscommunication, close proximity with another individual far too close to my own age. It sounds like a nice special kind of hell to me. Though I know those with brothers and sisters would disagree with me and say that despite the disagreements (which are unavoidable I suppose when you're living with someone) they really wouldn't trade their sibling for the world and it's given them someone else to bond. I'm happy for you, really I am, but I'm also quite happy being a lonely only child that has only ever had to share out of my own volition (which I am quite happy in doing) and have always had my own space 99% of the time (which I am exceedingly not happy sharing or being disturbed.)

It's the drama, and the exhaustion it induces, that gets me. I fight with my dad about every three months I suppose, and it is usually built up from my snarky remarks and impatient eyerolls, it blows up into a huge argument that involves every trick of emotional and psychological warfare on both our parts, before promptly dissolving into three days of not talking to each other, until he seems to forget, I glower for another two days before finally getting some concession, whether for better or worse. I hold a grudge and I nurture my passive aggressive observations until I can no longer stand to keep quiet. I can't do the whole talk-argue-fight-cry-hug thing. I totally missed that class in girls school. One of the many I missed.

Anywho, speaking of my abnormality, arrived home from the library to find the first result of my internet shopping spree awaiting me, namely a t-shirt from ThinkGeek declaring "You never forget your first Doctor." I am a geek, and proud of it. My t-shirt collection shall stand as proof through the ages. I'm quite impressed it arrived so soon, well worth the shipping fee I was moaning about. Also Roze informed me my customized Torchwood laptop bag is ready. The girls are getting it for my birthday...have I mentioned that I love my friends? They really nurture my loser fangril side.

I barely slept last night but I'm feeling quite good actually. I had the productive day at the library finishing off my third draft (it's been sent off for editing...again. It never ends!) and did some reading research. At this rate, I may actually manage to compose a first draft exegesis by next week. I'm being naively optimistic, but what the hell, it's worth a shot.

The IT boys have hooked me up with the latest Merlin eps. That is tomorrow's silver lining after work, research and getting my hair done. Really, it's good being a geek.

Oreo is five years old today. I can't believe it. What did I do without the little furball in my life?

Anyway, the night awaits.

Fais de beaux rêves.

Music: Big Bang Theory: The Cushion Saturation
Mood: Rather mellow really, but it could just be the sleep deprivation talking.

Holding dominion over the entire shallow, pointless conversation

I have spent the entire day in bed. I was going to go out but there were cars parked in the driveway and I didn't have the energy to argue with neighbours today, so I simply got back udner the covers. Frankly, it's too cold and wet out anyway. I cannot wait for this damnable season to be over. Maybe then I can return my skin to some passably human state. Maybe I should just wipe the entire winter from my memory. Someone pass the retcon!

Seriously though, really need to find a dress.

I have come to the conclusion that I love Twitter. How can I not? It’s the easiest way to be involved with absolutely anything that takes your fancy, anytime and anywhere. You are constantly in the know. Prime example, I’ve been following the Comic Con thread for the duration, and it’s the next best thing to being there. The photos, the gossip, the jokes, the trailers that are posted almost instantaneously on youtube (although I often wish there was a way to edit out the screeching that often accompanies these things.) It’s all there, in real time. That’s what sets Twitter apart from other services, it may be excruciatingly boring and seem totally pointless most of the time, but when something’s happening, you have immediate access to it regardless of where you are or who you are “friends” with. If you look at the way certain people use it, like Amanda Palmer for example, it has the potential to open so many doors. In general though, the internet has made the world a much smaller, much more accessible place and for someone like me, who just loves to know everything, it’s the most amazing thing. Social networking may seem like benevolent stalking and gross narcissism and/or megalomania, but it’s all in how you use it. The opportunities afforded by this medium are just staggering.

Three observations made from comic con videos:
- Johnny Depp continues to amaze me, he’s so unassuming. He gets so uncomfortable and I swear he still blushes. He’s not unappreciative of his fame; he just doesn’t get what the hell everyone is on about. I think it’s great.
- David Tennant is such an entertainer/loon. I mean that in the best, I-really-want to-kidnap-you, way.
- Noel Fielding is adorable. End of.

Now I have to leave my dominion of Dorkdom in order to be a geek in the living room. The final episode of Merlin is on tonight and I can finally watch the damn thing. I had words with the nutter who downloaded these for me and insisted there were only twelve episodes *rolls eyes*

Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will.

Yoda tried to warn me.

Music: The IT Crowd
Mood: Lazy

Concrete and water

Someone please shoot me. I have no motivation and this uni work is simply driving me mad. Surely there must be a way to escape this crap...where is the eject button? Eject, damn you!

I was watching Merlin last night, as you do, and yet again voiced my appreciation for Morgana/Katie McGrath. My dad happened to be there at the time and he enquired as to why exactly I had such a thing for her. I replied that I simply thought she was gorgeous, everything about her, and why, didn't he agree? He conceded that he did not. We had a discussion about the kind of women he liked, before I pointed out that we we just clearly had very different taste (he's always been team Aniston, while I'm more team Jolie). At one point I sat back and simply marveled at the fact that I was actually having this discussion with my dad. So, so very random.

I am so tired. Blah. I still have to finish this creative piece, words escape me. Curse you, you evil words!

I look at these Terminator 4 ads on TV at the moment and just scoff. You can ask my mother, every time it comes on I shake my head and say, "Oh who cares, Star Trek was here first." I think I'll be hard pressed to care about any movie hype this year after that...well except Harry Potter, but that's only cause it's Harry and we go back...

Music: Jaws Swimming Theme - Brand New
Mood: Frustrated

I know just what you are

Google toolbar has done the most brilliant thing to my tabs default page. I don't know how it happened, but one day I suddenely had lovely "most visited" blocks with 'recently closed tabs' and 'recent bookmarks' links. It makes everything so much more efficient. How exactly does one live without google? I can't remember anymore. I have also mastered the art of PayPal...which no doubt sends a chill through everyone who knows my penchant for eBay.

In other news, came across the following over at TV Tropes this morning when I was procrastinating researching something:
Regarding the Doctor Who episode Journey's End: The Doctor Who Adventures magazine reveals that the Doctor left Rose and his human counterpart with a chunk of the TARDIS (presumably so they can go off and have their own adventures), a detail which has a huge impact on the ending shown in the episode. The scene was shot and was boxed with the DVD set. Russell T. Davies has stated that whether we acknowledge it is our own choice.

How have I missed this? How??

Also realised this morning that my download of the final episode of Merlin doesn't work. WOE.

On the side, I'm having a minor nervous breakdown over all this uni work while my head threatens to split open and unleash a small army of...hm...of sentient alien nails! Since it feels like that's what is driving into my skull.

Music: Womanizer - Britney Spears (what is it with this song?)
Mood: Stressed...to the maaaaax

My heart, it don't beat the way it used to

Holy hellcats Batman, the blog's alive!

The word chaotic doesn't even begin to cover the week I've had.

Where did I last leave off? Ah yes, graduation. Well I have to say that went a lot better than I expected. It was actually kinda fun to see all the randoms again like Emo Boy and Mohawk Boy. I even roped the latter, lost and unsuspecting, into line with us. I made plans to hang with Ally, took photos, and made silly Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings jokes with Lizzie. They dress you in a robe after all, ringwraith and Voldemort jokes are unavoidable. "Robe me!" indeed. It only went for 90minutes, and though it is essentially just an extended roll call, it wasn't nearly as boring as I had expected. My parents were really happy, which is nice since I did it for them. Mum actually cried, which never happens. It was quite sweet really. We were all just so tired after all the painting and cleaning that it kind of took some of the shine off the evening. We just wanted to collapse somewhere. But as they say, all's well that end's well.

The rest of the week was dedicated purely to the completion of the painting job of doom, and Saturday we actually started moving the furniture in. I've been sleeping here since. Since there is no enclosed area outside and I don't have a kennel for her, Oreo has been sleeping in my room with me. I think she's enjoying it. Considering what obscene times I usually go to bed and what obscene time my dad gets up, she was only really sleeping outside for perhaps 3 hours a night. Whatever. I think her only problem is that I may or may not be kicking her if she gets on the bed during the night. Sometimes I toss and turn a lot *shrugs*

Yesterday and early hours of this morning was spent finishing a really half-assed version of that godforsaken Proust essay. I really can't keep dragging it out and figured it was better that I at least submit something. Of course, the tutor wasn't there today. Epic. Sigh. Then again it's not like I printed it to submit it, in all the madness I've failed to notice that I'm out of ink. Mandy took our class for an hour just talking about our creative pieces and so, as everyone else dispersed to no doubt do uni work, I went shopping. Of course. Ended up buying two sweater dress type things from Sportsgirl and tights. God I love tights. I actually wear my skirts and dresses thanks to them and it gives some colour to my wardrobe. Next to Starbucks Mint Hot Chocolates, they almost make winter worth it. Almost. I ran into someone from mum's work while milling around drooling over shoes in Myer, felt very grown up standing around in my work clothes with shopping bags talking to a colleague. Oh, total random moment earlier though, as I caught my reflection in a revolving door coming down Pitt street with my black vest and purple long sleeved shirt rolled up to the elbows, I couldn't help giggling to myself and think that I was channeling my inner Ianto. You know, because it's sorta like what he wears in 'Captain Jack Harkness', the episode where angry!Ianto is angry and shoots Owen and generally just looks fucking hot.

Yes, these are the things that amuse me.

Speaking of, had everyone giggling at mum's work yesterday. I was over there using their internet and geeking out with the IT department while trying to do my Proust essay, and everyone kept stealing my Doctor Who key chain to "exterminate" and "upgrade" people. Even today they kept making me press the "Exterminate!" button and then we'd all giggle. Being geeky is such fun.

Anyway, busy schedule for the week. IKEA and more clearing up tomorrow, Presentation and movie with Ally Thursday, Friday involves work, Wolverine with the girls followed by Danny's gig. Possibly Star Trek on Saturday. Yay for socialness!

Now random things I've wanted to mention:

1) Why does 13 on House get to go to Chase's bachelor party...I mean just because she's bi? Does that mean she gets to go to the hen's night as well? That hardly seems fair. Actually, I loved how House sent her and Foreman to choose the strippers. It was quite amusing. She is very pretty though, almost as gorgeous as Katie McGrath, but not quite...don't get me started.


See?

2) New season of Numb3rs finally started! Larry is made of win. End of.

3) I'm covered in so many cuts and bruises that I look like the victim of some sort of domestic abuse. It's terrible. I don't mind the visuals so much, I just wish my muscles would stop aching. I mean hell, my hands hurt. I can barely touch my steering wheel. For this I blame the paint roller.

4) Merlin got obscenely high ratings for its first episode and I hope this continues. I really can't stress enough how adorkable that show is.

5) I read a completely random Mat Devine interview from 06 which had some classic Mat moments I feel I need to share -
Mat: (interrupting) Dude! I just found myself wandering around - I'm now in a closet filled with wine! Boxes and boxes of wine!
***
Mat: My greatest fear is being in a car crash.
Interviewer: Oh really?
Mat: Yeah. So that's like...if a shark attack was your biggest fear and being put in a shark tank every day.
Interviewer: So, who does most of the driving then?
Mat: We do it. Dan does.
Interviewer: Wouldn't you feel more secure if you were?
Mat: No, I just take Xanax and Ambien.
Interviewer: I could see how that would help
***
Interviewer: One day you wake up and you're president of the United States, what are the first three things you would do?
Mat: Ok number one, take over Canada.
Interviewer: Why Canada?
Mat: Cause it's there! It's right next to us and it freaks me out!
***
Mat, you are insane, I love you.

6) Music is so much more fun again now that I'm no longer so emotionally invested in the people behind it. Always give the music the benefit of the doubt

7) My thoughts midway through the move was that this was a lot like Frodo's journey, except in reverse. I am going from Mordor to the Shire. And yes, I am officially a hobbit now. Too bad really, I would have picked Rivendell if given the choice.

8) Overheard at work today, unimpressed older lady to her husband while reading a Woman's Weekly or some such anout a celebrity wedding, "I don't think your great grandmother would have worn a dress like that!"

9) Folie A Deux really is brilliant. Everyday I have a different song in my head. It's fantastic. My least favourite song on the album is probably 'America's Suitehearts' and that's saying something. I skip nothing when listening to it, and I've continually listened to it for most of the duration of the move. I haven't done that since...well since From Under the Cork Tree. People always put pop-punk down as being trivial and easy, but it really isn't. It has so many layers and above all it's fun and catchy. I could go on but I'm too tired to write an essay on the values of popular music.

10) It's not even really winter yet and already I'm as dried out as a piece of fruit left in the sun. Moisturize me! Moisturize me!

Oh and also, tweet of the day goes to the zany James Moran for saying "I *am* a squeeing fangirl!" in response to someone else. Frank Iero also gets a special mention for the following: "The quote "the future's so bright, I gotta wear shades" should only describe the lifestyle of either a teenage vampire or doing tons of coke". Oh Frank *pats*

Now I shall digress and retreat to the couch for some Torchwood, tea, and an early night. I think I've earned it.

Music: For Reasons Unknown - The Killers
Mood: Sore

I'm Merlin but most people just call me idiot

I'm watching Merlin again, and oh, how it makes me glee. It premiered on Aussie tv tonight, I'm hoping people watch it. I have established that I definitely have a thing for Morgana though. She's just so gorgeous. Sigh.

The house is in a state of complete chaos. I'm meant to be packing up my books and such but haven't gotten round to it yet. I have however finished my creative piece for cultural studies. That's a plus. Now just waiting for some feedback and then I can email it to the tutor. Still have that damned Proust essay to do and next week my first culutral studies presentation. Oh how I loathe presentations. It's on Ethnoscapes. What fun.

Have very little to report really. I have no internet and a lot of things are disconnected as my dad keeps pulling wires out. Not only does it make productivity impossible, but it also inteferes with procrastination. It'll be a relief just to get this all over and done with, and get back to normal.

--
From Jasper, with love.
[[Power and speed and death rolled into one]]

They lay heavy on my head

Guess who actually contributed to useful class discussion today? That's right. Moi. Ha, see, those random 2am google searches pay off...sometimes.

Library workshop tomorrow...apparantly. Haven't actually heard anything about it, so I'm just assuming. Still, no research required for that. Small mercies. There's no way I'd be able to focus on any readings, I just want to crawl into a warm, dark place somewhere and sleep. Bliss.

I think I can also definitely confirm that watching Merlin is a real hazard on the train. I scared people because I was unable to suppress my absolute glee at the scene where Merlin steals Arthur's key. The way it's floating around his head! It's just so completely ridiculous. Love.

I finally got myself a new quilt cover set, and a new sheet set. Five hundred thread count, mwahaha. Count them! Five hundred! I don't know why I had suddeny become so obsessed with this, but it was what it was, and I have now achieved my aim. I am pleased.

Bah. There is a song I want to download from iTunes but I keep forgetting what it is. I need to write it down, blast my feeble brain!

Oh. My. God. iTunes has just recommened me 'All I ask of you' [from The Phantom of the Opera]. I was just about to scoff at it, cause I already have it, but then I saw it was by John Barrowman. Can I just go die somewhere now as my fandoms all come together and cannibalise each other? Why don't I know these things! Guh.

Do I want to sleep in tomorrow or do I want to go shopping? There's a leather jacket at Just Jeans that wants me to come in and try it on. I can't turn down a jacket, I mean, that would just be cold hearted and rude. Look at it. It's asking so nicely.

Ugh that reminds me! When I went shopping for the shoes last week, I stumbled onto this outlet store that's selling all these designer jeans, including True Religion jeans. Now I've heard so much about these jeans I figured what the hell, I'd try them on. Do you think they had any in my size? No, of course not. Because clearly these things aren't made for normal people.

Oh, before I forget, please direct your attention here to the wonders of the Celebrity SatNav. Trade that annoying voice for something more attuned to your delicate fandom sensibilities. You know you want to.

Finally, happy St. Patrick's Day! Seeing all the green around the city and hearing all the Irish jokes makes me slightly wistful, what with all the reminiscing it induces! Enjoy, and blame everything on leprechauns. Leprechauns or Guinness, depening on the time of day I suppose.

Music: Break the night with colour - Richard Ashcroft
Mood: Listless

Wait till tomorrow, you'll be fine

I have taken to watching Merlin on the train, since it's the only time I seem to be able to sit still for forty minutes and do nothing. The problem is, something about that show makes me grin like a fool. It's just so silly. So more often than not, you will have me sitting there trying wildly to supress my manic grinning. I suspect fellow passengers fear for my sanity.
"If this was war time, I'd have you flogged!"
"But since it's not, you'll let it go, just this once?"

I'm heading to the State Library with Roze after work tomorrow so she can show me the magic ways of research beyond my precious internet. Although we're having sessions with the UTS librarian about research and such and she said something about using google. I felt so vindicated. People always scoff at google as a research tool, but it's never failed me. Google is god. Neugh. But back to the point, I should probably compile some sort of list of what to look at/for/whatever. Simmel, I think. Proust. Literary criticism and theory. Something on network culture. Something.

Photo of the day, again from Jasper -

This is the view from the classroom I was in today. It is the old Calrton & United Brewery site which they've been working on for a while now. It looks like a bomb site to me. At least there isn't scaffolding that can randomly collaspe, unlike down in Castlereagh street. I've always found it kind of ironic that there was a brewery across the road from a university. Very apt.

It has to be said though, I was very impressed with that room. It's one of the newer ones and for Building 2 it's very nice. People had some difficulty finding it though, I found my lecturer milling around the escelators looking lost until I pointed her in the right direction (the room number she had was for the bathroom). Another girl was amazed when I showed her the magic of the escalators. See, the lifts in building 2 are disturbing and are to be avoided at all cost. More often than not if you take them you end up in the weird subterranean underworld of UTS which takes the appearance of a huge building site. It's like a concrete maze down there. I still insist if there was ever a nuclear attack, level 1 of the UTS tower is where you want to be. Make a note people.

Oh and I did manage to reference Doctor Who in class. Come on, all that space-time stuff, it's unavoidable! I think the guy who I was paired with didn't quite know what to make of me. Ah well, always the way. If you can't join them, perplex them.

Music: Bones - The Killers
Mood: Thirsty

It's these expressions I never give

Blah blah blah. Sigh.

Bloody html, always gets the better of me. I made a new layout type thing for the blog, but as yet cannot get the damn coding to work the way I want it to. I’m going in blind too cause my Dreamweaver trial’s run out…would it be sad to go to uni so I can work on my blog? I don’t know if the labs are open tho *ponders* It eats so much time! I realise it’s probably just practice, the more you read html, the more sense it makes, it’s just frustrating…and I really like my layout. Sigh.

This morning was spent in bed watching Merlin and um…damn it, can’t say. Who knew my resolve would be challenged so soon? Oh nevermind, I knew it would be hard. But yes, Merlin. The first six episodes are now done and dusted. That boy is gorgeous…Arthur’s not bad either, but in a completely different way. As always with these shows though, the legend has been thrown out the window. I’m looking forward to getting the rest of ‘em. It is very good.

Work was…uneventful. As always. Baaaah Oreo is being needy. I’m gonna take her for a walk and hopefully she’ll be nice and tired when we get back…

Music: Heart of Gold - Neil Young
Mood: Lethargic