Written in a Bangkok Airport Waiting Area

Right, now that they've had me run halfway around the airport and back again, I will use this time productively to recap the last few days of my really excellent short adventure.

Um.

Ah forgive me, my brain is sluggish and overcome with humidity - if it's this hot inside this airport, I shudder to think what it's like inside. Whoa. I don't think I'll be visiting the tropics any time soon. Man. I've just had the fabulous experience of standing at the transfer desk for 30 minutes before being told that no, actually, I was right the first time and I have to go pick up my bag, clear customs and check back in before they can give me a Sydney Boarding pass. So off I trot hoping my bag is still on the belt (thankfully it was), dodging the crew who looked slightly perplexed by my haste, clearing customs except for some difficulty with the scary military lady asking why I didn't have an address in Thailand (I'm transferring. / You should go to the transfer desk. / No, I have to check in again. / *looks suspicious* etc etc) For those who've never been to the new Bangkok airport - it's such an odd building, it's all round and nest like and it has these travelators that incline in this hill like formation...oh I can't explain it, it's like big steps.

They're fine if you stand still, not so great when you have to be somewhere and you're trying to walk up them. I found it quite hard to drag my bag up them at any rate. I made it to the check-in desk just in time, and scored a ticket. Always a plus. Then I had to go back through customs. I know, it's crazy. But I have Thai stamps in my passport now, so yay?

It's a really unique airport though, all walkways and circular constructions and such. It has a garden too, but I didn't have time to check it out.







So then, to get back to things that were. Well, I packed some boxes and helped Abbi move? That's interesting, right? Actually I think I've redefined the boundaries of being a best friend - a friend will help you move, a good friend will help you move a body, a best friend will fly halfway around the world to help you do either. If this was twitter I'd tag that statement with 'delusions of grandeur' *chuckles to self* No, I had a fabulous time, and it's not like we had to move an entire house, so it's not bad. Plus I got to meet the infamous Paul and Frank, and they're both total sweethearts and brilliant. Brilliant, I say, in Ten's voice. Saturday night, Abbi and I set off to Waterloo to meet her friend Yvonne, before heading off to Wembley. Weeeembleeey! Sorry, I have to do it. It marked the third time I've seen Green Day, and once already on the 21st Century Breakdown tour, but the magic of it never dulls. I will go to my grave swearing there isn't a better live touring band out there at the moment. I've mentioned the gigs and what the band means to me many, many times so I'm not going to go on about it (also I don't have time, we should be boarding soon) but really - they're just so good. Billie Joe is so amazing, the way he has everyone doing exactly what he wants. He says stand up and 90,000 people are on their feet no questions asks. It is such a fantastic thing to witness. They did a lot of older songs, which is markedly different from the Aussie leg of this tour, but oh so fantastic. There simply isn't enough adjectives to describe it. The stage show is epic, with fireworks, massive screens, pyro and graffiti cannons; and of course the personalities are completely arresting. At the risk of sounding cliche, it's a rocking good time. I have to mention that Frank Turner and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts opened. There was some doubts regarding Joan Jett's performance, but I had absolute faith in the Queen of Rock n Roll. We have the entire back catalogue at home on records (whether they're my mum's or my dad's I don't know) so I've grown up on the stuff, and I was quite pleased to get the chance to see her live. She is so amazing. Scary, but amazing. So that was a definite win. The trek home, on the other hand, was not as much of a win - but I got to catch a night bus! Chalk up another experience, done and done.

Edit: You can catch Abbi's recount of the gig, plus photos, over here

Sunday was the moving business, followed by a late pub lunch that took a lot longer than anyone anticipated due to the bar being run by one lone girl who seemed to be completely perplexed and overwhelmed by the amount of people in. Blame the World Cup. Actually, go NZ, their enthusiasm was so infectious, it's a shame they couldn't make it through. It would have been the Cool Runnings of soccer.

After that, I stumbled along on an overfull tube to Heathrow where I proceeded to sit about for an hour feeling cider sleepy and acquiring a boarding pass to Bangkok, with the fun possibility of being kicked off here. Luckily that hasn't happened, but I have been sent to the back of the plane again (where I belong, ahem). I actually got to sit upstairs flying over here! I've never flown upstairs before! It's not particularly great, things shake a lot more up there. And it's awkward holding up the pilot when you're standing in the aisle rummaging through the overhead compartment. But there's so much more room up there, all these little compartments everywhere that you can stash things in. I was sitting next to a lovely woman, a professor, which is always nice. Even if I was sleeping 6 out of the 10 hours. I bought 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo' at Heathrow, so I've started that. Another guy was reading it and so he struck up a conversation about it, though he's almost finished. I'm not overly impressed with it so far, but I've been told it's one of those that has a lot of set-up and once you get past that, it really rolls brilliantly. So here's hoping.

Actually, speaking of Heathrow, I did an epic amount of walking there, man that airport is big. The desk staff sent me to the wrong gate to get my full boarding pass (I didn't have a seat number or gate number on the one they gave me and yes I know the board tells you the gate number, but I made the mistake of trusting the staff) and I ended up at the BA flight to Sydney (via Singapore) instead of the Qantas flight (via Bangkok) - they freaked me out by telling me I wasn't listed, before we figured out I was given the wrong gate. The comforting words from the guy working at that desk? "You need to go to gate 18, it's about 16 miles that way, I'm not kidding." So with boarding starting in 10 minutes, and being told it's at least a 30 minute walk, I set off with an overfull bag and a nervous twitch. Made it in plenty of time though, good thing I'm a fast walker *shakes head*

Now I must digress and pack everything up - there appears to be movement at the gate. Onwards!

Music: "The moving sidewalk is coming to an end" - this post sums it up really.
Mood: Tired

Written in a Heathrow Check-In Queue

I don't particularly want to go home today.

It's weird, in a way, because I love Sydney. I adore it, I truly do. But I think it might be part of the problem really. I get too comfortable. It breeds complacency, and apathy, and I get stuck in one gear where I just am, and things just are...and that's fine, but it isn't, not really. Shuffling in a queue doesn't particularly lend itself to eloquence, forgive me.

The thing is though that being overseas, being in Europe, makes me feel like a different person. I feel more confident, more certain of myself, stronger, keener, more daring and fun and adventurous. I like the person I am when I travel, and how my dreams seem possible. Not even that, they just seem so much more real and I feel this burning desire to work towards them, endlessly. None of the complacency and wishful thinking, only action and passion. It's probably just that being away from home already makes it feel like something is in motion, like progress is being made, and that leads to this proactive sense of motivation and determination. I worry that if I were to actually live overseas, I will just fall into the same comfortable apathy.. It won't be travel anymore and it will lose the magic, and I'll just have to pack up and find it again somewhere else.I don't know. I think I may have been destined to be a gypsy.

I know in the past I've said I want to move to London, but I don't think the city is right for me. I don't think I have the right mentality for it. If I'm going to forsake the sunshine and the city I love for the continent I feel I belong on, it has to be the right fit otherwise I'll just get depressed. There's only two places I've been where I thought "I can live here" (not "I want to live here" of which there is a greater selection: London, Paris, Lucerne, any part of Tuscany) and that's Dublin and (most recently) Cardiff. They just feel right, somehow. It clicks. But like I said before, I don't know how long it would last.

Of course I have no intention of packing up and moving right now, despite my reluctance to return home. I certainly have no thoughts of 'Right, I'm going to spend the rest of my life there.' I don't think I'm capable of that though in itself, but that is a blog for another time. Besides I barely survived moving to a place I didn't know at all the first time, I'm certainly never doing that to myself again. No, I'd have to ease myself into it. A stretch of time with a friend, and if I think I can hack it, then I can commit to something longer - a PhD length stay for example.

In the end though, I think I will always come home. And Sydney is home. Regardless of how little time I think I want to spend there, or how often I'm thinking of being somewhere else. It's beautiful, and not as big as it thinks it is (or anyone else does for that matter), but it is where I found my peace, that complacency and apathy I bemoan so much - that has it's time and it's place after all, and it's priceless.

I just...I don't know. I get so restless, so dissatisfied with myself. I want to be able to look back on my life one day and say, yes, I've done some amazing things, I've made it count. Perhaps not in conventional ways, but on my own terms - I've lived up to my own expectations. It just feels like something I have to do. I owe it to myself to not only take the opportunities that come my way, but to make my own.

I want things to be amazing. I want to be amazing. Maybe that's too much to ask, but I think I can at least try.

We can stay like this forever
And we'll never miss a party
Cause we'll keep them going constantly
And we'll never have to listen
To anyone about anything
Cause it's all been done and it's all been said
We're the coolest kids and we take what we can get
This offer stands forever

Music: Announcements and chatter
Mood: Shuffle shuffle *wait* shuffle shuffle *wait* bored now

A lesson in justifying your fandom academically

This morning, I nervously paced my hotel room reciting my paper and mentally thought to myself “For once in your life, just be the person people think you are. Just once.” I don't think I entirely pulled it off, but it was an adequate performance that didn't leave me feeling utterly humiliated or feeling out of my depth. I might even go as far as saying I enjoyed it. I certainly got a lot out of it, and it was very interesting. I met a lovely French girl that approach things from a very similar way as I do, and who is also a Masters student on her first international conference, so it was nice to have company. Don't feel so out of my depth! After an entire day dedicated to discussing the various elements of Torchwood, the two of us went down to the bay to have another look at the memorial and spent another three hours talking about it. We also came up with brilliant titles for a series of books on the subject, essay collections if you will. I'm not saying what they are, I might actually want to follow up on it one day, but they are nothing short of brilliant. Brilliant, I tells you!

I feel like a kid who had too much sugar now though, and am quite exhausted. Headache too. Must pack as bus is too stupidly early in the morning. I'm really quite sad to have to leave, I don't want to. Entirely unexpected, I must admit. But, hey, I finally get to see Abs! And Green Day! Woo!

Side note: Cardiff is an entirely different place on a Friday night. The city seems to be blocked off from traffic and the entire population is "out on the town" as it were. It's quite odd and I'm not quite sure what to make of it. Not that I'm really thinking about it, but it's worth a mention all the same. Now, on to the packing *sigh*

Music: A Welsh game show that I have no hope of deciphering
Mood: Tired

Sore feet and sunburn

One of the many things I love about Wales is how they pronounce my full name. Part of the reason I shortened it to Jen is simply because subconsciously I don’t like the way it sounds in the aussie accent. Here though it sounds the way it’s meant to, and it’s lovely! Yes. I’m odd, I know. I’ve also realised that Wales will be the first place zombies flock to when the apocalypse eventually comes – that’s what happens when you have billboards declaring “Brains” up all over the place.

Anyway, today I zombie shambled along on a tour round the Gower peninsula and got sunburnt. I know, I am surprised too. It was an absolutely beautiful day, quite warm even! Cardiff has really rolled out the gorgeous weather for me – I fear it may taint my opinion of the place and with the first rain, it will instantly lose its shine. I hope not though, cause I am seriously considering upping sticks and moving here for a bit. I know I say this virtually every time I go overseas, but this is actually an academic choice too. Cardiff has three (four technically) universities in the city itself, and it has a strong focus on media. There are so many research positions going. Also, for a PhD in media studies and fandom, I’m inclined to think it’s the place to be. Failing that, R and I are considering a year abroad with 6 months here and 6 months in Ireland. I would like to do the stereotypical sojourn writing in Paris as well at some point in my life. It’d be an experience if nothing else, and that is the key to life, surely.

Half-baked ideas aside, the tour was totally lovely. I befriended another Aussie on tour who appreciated my sci-fi rambling and a fun guide who enjoyed discussing the absurdities of the English language (after I expressed my inability to make sense of Welsh thanks to its apparent lack of vowels.) This somehow descended into a discussion about rugby, as all things do around here. (That’s one good thing about going home – I can avoid the soccer again!) If it wasn’t for this tour, I would have gone this entire time in Wales without seeing a single sheep, imagine! Now I have seen more than enough. Random fact: at any one time there is about 9 million sheep in the country.

But I digress. It’s an absolutely gorgeous stretch of coast out past Swansea, and we did some epic walking along it. We also drove past Catherine Zeta-Jones’ house...apparently we should care? Now if it was my fictional welsh boyfriend’s house, it’d be another story! It was an eight hour tour, but it went quite quickly. There were beaches, and salt flats, and a castle – there is a ridiculous amount of castles around here. Oh, and wild ponies. So yes, a bit of everything country. Customs are not going to be impressed with the state of my shoes though – guess I’ll have to clean them again *sigh*

Tomorrow I have to give my paper. DREAD. I am terrified. I am on second too, so I get to hang around for the rest of the day feeling like a tool after I screw up – like my positive thinking? Breathe, self, remember to breeeeathe.

Wish me luck!

Music: Soccer - what else?
Mood: Nervous

In which fail = win

The best way to get to know a city, is to get lost. Fact. I did precisely that this morning on my way to the National Museum where I was supposed to meet the tour I was going on. The museum is located in this area of the city (behind the castle) known as Cathays Park, where everything looks the same - these big stately Edwardian buildings that are all some way or other important situated around gardens. Coming through a the tunnel from the city centre, I turned left instead of right and so promptly got lost amongst these buildings. After doing a loop of them all (and Alexandra Gardens, which has a gorgeous war memorial), I finally found the gallery - but alas I was by then twenty minutes late for my tour. So there went that idea!

To be fair, my lateness could have been avoided if I had actually gotten up at a reasonable time instead of merely thinking about it as I would then have had more than ten minutes to get there. But now I know precisely where it is and I will be able to get there, no problems, tomorrow morning for the other tour! Try again, as they say.

Anyway, regardless (or rather because) of that mishap, I have had a fantastic day. After realising the tour was now a dream, I wandered down to trusty Tesco (where I also found an ATM - I have since found another thousand, turns out I'm just blind) to get something for breakfast since the thought of something heavy was very off-putting. Only after acquiring my yogurt (and diet coke, which I would have been willing to kill for) did I realise I had no spoon...so imagine me if you will sitting in the Gorsedd Gardens eating yogurt with one half of a twix bar. You'd be surprised, it worked quite well. Though I may now be responsible for a cultural perception that all crazy aussies do this. Aaaaanyway, I went back to the museum which is just brilliant (and free!) It has one of the biggest collections of impressionist art outside of Paris, and it's just a great space. A lot of the collection is on tour in the US at the moment, but there's still an impressive range there. I love impressionism and was quite thrilled to get the chance to gape at Monet's Twilight, Venice which I just adore. More impressively, it all came from a pair of sisters who bequeathed it to the museum in the sixties. Can you imagine owning all these masterpieces, just having them in your house? There are ginormous Rodin statues as well, it just blows my mind that someone could own these things. At the moment they've got a live video feed set up on the ground floor so you can see the peregrine falcon nest in the City Hall clock tower - so cute.

I wasted a lot of time here, then I hopped back on the tour bus I took yesterday (yay for 24-hour tickets!) and headed down to the Bay. I spent about two hours here, trying desperately not to run around gleeing like a tool. I settled for grinning like a fool at things nobody else would have found even remotely interesting. I had an ice cream at the exact same spot Gwen and Rhys did in 'Meat' and then had to resist the urge to run screaming towards the tower begging Torchwood to save me when a bee landed on my hand. I hate bees, they freak me out. The fact that I managed to remain calm in this situation is just testament to my strength of will. Also my incredibly good mood. And it looked like quite a friendly bee. It did put me off the rest of my ice cream though, and I quickly tossed it and moved far, far away. I wandered round the boardwalk, Starbucks in hand, and revelled in the lunch-time crowd. I stumbled down to the "tourist office" entrance and I must admit, I am surprised that the memorial is still there - and bigger. Some of them are quite new, it's all still in good condition. It's almost been a year you know, I'm supportive of my fellow fans' determination. The locals don't even seem to notice it anymore, though many a tourist stopped there looking a bit perplexed. I found it amusing. I crossed Roald Dahl plass, did not stand on the water fountain, and took ten bazillion photos of the Millennium Centre which I am just obsessed with.

Back on the tourist bus, I headed back into the city and checked out Cardiff Castle. I love castles, even though they are all essentially the same. The main house has the most brilliant ceilings and a gorgeous library. If anyone passed me as I was walking along the wall, they would have heard me muttering about "needing to find a box" I could barely see over it!

Having thoroughly entertained my inner tourist, I wandered about some of the many arcades and called in to Tescos again to stock on junk food as I now need to do some uni work. Which is why I'm here, blogging, clearly. Procrastination is the same overseas as it is at home! I want to finish it at a decent time so I can go down to the Bay again for dinner, but I don't think it's going to happen.

My overall impression from my wandering about the city is that it's virtually a combination of Sydney and Melbourne. It has all the lovely arcades, cafes and bars that Melbourne is so proud of, without the annoying artsy attitude and trams of doom, but it has that waterfront charm and laid-back sense that I adore so much of the Sydney harbour area. It's significantly smaller than both those cities, but I kind of like that.

Oh, I must commend everyone here in the Northern Hemisphere as you are all clearly made of stronger stuff than I am. I have seen girls in summer dresses today, people in shorts, guys have been wandering about without their shirts on - now it's a gorgeous sunny day, but I'll eat my converse if its warmer than 24. I've had my jacket on all day, and I even had to button it up down at the Bay cause it's so damn windy. One very summery thing though, hayfever. I'm having an epic attack as I type *head explodes from sneezing*

Anyway, conclusion, I love it here, I may just move.

Music: The weakest link...don't know where the soccer went
Mood: Sneezy

She returns, the sleepy explorer

Granted, that wasn't the longest trot out of one's hotel room ever, but I am a bit fragile still and I have managed to do an entire city tour in the measly two hours since I left, so I don't think it's too bad.

From this brief little bus trip, I feel I may be a little bit in love with Cardiff. It's so...odd. And seemingly entirely populated by students...which probably explains the vast number of pubs. I must look like a bit of a nutter wandering about in my boots and my jacket done up, shivering while I wait for a bus, and one guy clearly thought I was a lost emo kid since he took it upon himself to "cheer me up" and asked me when last I'd seen the sun. I just burst out laughing, I mean really. People are so lovely though. I had a lovely chat with a tour guide, and have been recommended a number of gay pubs to attend because apparently the decor is "really beautiful and unique, but don't worry, they won't mind, they're really nice." I just love it. The juxtapositioning is fantastic.

The bus went past the docks of course, and I'm not going to lie to you, I got such an insane fangirl thrill passing through there. Lame as it sounds, it's the kind of hair-raising, spine-tingling, thrill of awesomeness. That's why I love fandom, it's just silly things that gives you those moments. I'm completely fascinated by it - I think I'm really going to end up doing a PhD in it *shakes head at self* Anyway, I was going to wander back down there, but I just can't be bothered now. I don't think I'd make it back to the hotel again, I'm just too knackered - might try tomorrow night. It's not far really, city's quite small in general. One noticeable thing about it being summer of course is that it stays light - I mean it's six now and it doesn't look it at all. There's no consistency on this continent, last time was here darkness ruled by 4! Hopefully I can get some stuff done with the extra daylight. I'm really disappointed I won't get a chance to see the national gallery - I'm hoping to get a chance to squeeze it in somewhere, but I have my doubts.

My proudest acquisition of the day is the fantabulous arrow pens they sell in the castle gift shop - R bought one on her trip last year and I have expressed some interest in, um, liberating it should she relax her guard. Now thankfully petty larceny has been avoided, and she can rest easy.

I will say this though, I have heard many sirens screeching around here. And seagulls.

My red bull is wearing off and I'm feeling a bit bleurgh. I somehow haven't been able to find an ATM, or whatever they call them here, though I know there must be some somewhere - I've seen them on the teevee. Contemplating whether it would be incredibly wasteful (not quite the word I'm looking for by brain me not work so good) to order room service.

Meanwhile, one for the TMI files, I appear to be developing serious nosebleed issues during/after long haul flights these days :/

Music: Faint traffic noise
Mood: Sleepy

Welcome to Wales...are you lost?

I am currently subjecting myself to a terrible flaky baked twist thing of the chocolate variety. Blargh.

Anyway, hello from Cardiff! I have finally finally gotten here after defeating three Nazgul, forging a river, outsmarting Saruman's uruk hai army, and breaking down the doors of Baradur...as you can tell I'm extremely disappointed they don't show Lord of the Rings on the plane. If there is ever a better time for four hour movies, I don't know what it could be. I was seriously lamenting this oversight on this particular flight because there was nothing that even remotely held my interest. Except for How to train your dragon, that is just adorable. But even I can't watch that more than once in a 24-hour period, and it's only an hour and a half long! I somehow miraculously made it to Bangkok without falling asleep, and then promptly passed out on the second leg of the flight. Six hours uninterrupted, which isn't bad. Would've liked a bit more, but that's kept me functioning at least. From there it was the joyful struggle of getting my luggage on a peak hour tube to Victoria, and then onto a three hour bus here, for my arrival an hour ago. My legs may never forgive me for this.

I have met some fabulous people on this little sojourn though, which has made all the travelling much more interesting. While on layover in Bangkok a Scottish guy struck up a conversation and we accumulated an Irish girl and an older Aussie woman for spirited conversation that certainly brightened up a humid midnight waiting room. I befriended a woman on her first trip to London while waiting in line for the sole working bathroom in business class, and later ran into her and her friend at the tube station. On the bus over here, I somehow got into a really philosophical discussion with this random dude after he asked me to watch his baggage that soon roped in the lady sitting next to me - she then spent the three hour trip regaling me with stories and/or tips on what to do around here as she saw fit. I have been asked for directions, which makes me feel quite proud of myself (tourists don't think I'm a tourist, yay! lol), have been given a phone number, and Neil Gaiman's twin wanted me to tell him what zone Euston station was in as he had forgotten his glasses.

All this in thirty hours with six hours sleep, and no access to basic luxuries such as showers. Hmmm. Shoooower. Speaking of, best hop to it and get out there. Things to do!

Oh wait, before I forget, I have to point out for the record that it was ten degrees when I got off the plane this morning. I still saw people in t-shirts, but I mean really, ten! Where is this thing called summer? It's a bit warmer here, but certainly not worthy of leaving a jacket behind.

Music: Wind rattling my window
Mood: Chipper

Epic blog is epic

Well, the original plan was to write this blog 30,000 thousand feet in the air on Saturday. That didn’t quite go according to plan...and instead of doing it yesterday on this unexpected day that had absolutely nothing going for it, I actually did absolutely nothing. Time wastage, your name is Jen. I was far too lazy after a lovely little meeting with wine at a family friend’s birthday on Saturday night. (That’s what you do when you don’t make your flight, go to parties you previously said you wouldn’t be able to make.)

So now I blog to you from the comfort of the Sydney airport waiting lounge, with forty five minutes to o till boarding. At least I got this far this time, on Saturday I didn’t even make it past check in. Four hours stood waiting about the check-in desk until only three of us were left and told there was no room for us. Turns out it wouldn’t have mattered if I made it on that leg anyway, as everyone was chucked off in Bangkok and have to wait for the flight I’m now booked on to go on to London. See the joys of staff travel! I always feel a weird sense of vindication when something like this happens, if only because people always make such a fuss about how lucky you are when you have staff travel. Sure, I may pay only a sixth of a normal business class ticket, but this is the kind of nonsense I have to put up with. It’s plane roulette. Still, Bangkok is tons better than the Singapore flight, that’s completely booked and it’s an A380 – just imagine how many people that is. It astounds me that so many people travel to the UK every flight, and that so many staff travel as well. Don’t people work?

But I digress. I’ve got a ticket all the way through, even if it is economy (I know, I know, I’m snobbish and spoiled and should be ashamed of myself), so fingers crossed I actually make it. Of course I’ve lost all the time off I had scheduled to “recover” and I have to hop straight on a coach to Cardiff when I arrive where I will no doubt be stumbling about zombie-like for the rest of the day. Yay, time travel!

Anyway, here’s everything I’ve been meaning to blog about for the last...oh I don’t know, week or something.

First things first, popular music on the radio. There is absolutely no words to express my dislike for 3Oh!3, seriously. For some reason I also constantly think of them as the Vanilla Ice of this generation, though I don’t harbour any particular ill will towards Vanilla Ice (that I know of, or have really thought about). Then there’s that Usher song – when I first heard it my initial thought was “Send it back, it’s not done yet” but with repeated listening, and though I am quite ambivalent to it, I must recognise that is absolutely everything a commercial song should be. It is brilliant in that respect, ticking all the boxes. Plus it feels essentially like two songs with the Will.I.Am bit breaking in the middle. It’s got such a build and progresses so well...and then I promptly forget about it when it’s done, until the next time... It’s really quite something. Meanwhile, the new Katy Perry and Ke$ha songs just annoy me. It’s funny, because for a while Katy was part of the FBR family and now that it’s all fallen apart there, it’s a bit weird to see things go the way they have. Also, that Brian McFadden song is teeerrible and only shows that Kevin Rudolph is actually a better vocalist even though he is only featured in the song for like three seconds or something.

Oh oh oh, for those who haven’t heard, there’s been a development in the world of Torchwood and they’re actually going to do Season 4. It’s apparently going to have a “shocking and moving story with global stakes" – uh yeah, cause we haven’t had enough of that, have we? I will of course watch, although with trepidation. I’m disappointed Gwen’s back, to be honest. I’d much have preferred to just let all that go...I am not her biggest fan after all.

What else? Sydney is incapable of dealing with winter, water mains burst every which way you look and cause chaos on the roads. Stupid traffic, takes me an hour to get to work! Speaking of work, it’s going quite well. Busy though, which is good I guess. I have a lot of things happening at once, so I am perfecting my multitasking skills. I’m going to have so much to do when I get back, not particularly looking forward to that. Especially when combined with the jetlag. Hmm.

I’m having some guy woes because I still don’t have a sign above my head that says “Will be friend, not girlfriend” – I seriously need one of those. I’m frankly becoming annoyed – why can’t they ever just say what they mean. I mean really, I’ve heard that women supposedly never say what they mean, but these boys are driving me round the bend, they’re so obtuse. Also, what do you do with a guy you’ve known quite some time who randomly tells you he loves you. I mean really, wtf. I assumed he was joking. Bah.

I seem to be getting weird looks sitting here typing, not entirely sure why. Meanwhile I’ve eaten far too much junk today, including a krispy kreme donut and I don’t feel particularly well. Though I don’t even want to know what they’re going to serve for dinner on le plane. My plan is to stay awake for the leg to Bangkok (a meagre 9 hours) and get as much uni work done as possible (I have readings to do, an essay to write, and a presentation still to learn) then come the final leg (14 hours), I’ll take my sleeping pills and hopefully get some solid rest so I feel wide awake for the 7am landing time. One can hope anyway.

My plans are pretty much in tatters now though, and I’m going to be a lot more pressed for time than I would have liked. I still get to see Green Day with Abbi though, which is certainly something. I’ll see if I can get some quality time in Londres on Sunday as well, I only need to be at the airport around 6 to 7pm-ish.

Anyway, I ramble. Rambling is good, but you know, still. Felicia Day was on Lie To Me the other night, there’s a bit of random info for you.

To the flight depository! Actually to the window, dad’s working today and I can wave to him *is weird*

Posted two days later because Sydney airport wanted me to pay for wireless access - as if!

Music: The drone of repetitive announcements
Mood: Bored

Get me through the morning

And do you ever feel like you're alone?
And do you ever wish you'd be unknown?
I can say that I have..
I can say that I have..
And do you ever feel things here aren't right?
And do you ever feel the time slip by?
And I can say that I have..
And I can say that I have..

So hear this please
And watch as your heart speeds up endlessly
And look for the stars as the sun goes down
Each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
Everything, everything's magic
Just sit back and hold on, but hold on tight
Prepare for the best and the fastest ride
And reach out your hand, and I'll make you mine
Everything, everything's magic

And do you ever lay awake at night?
And do you ever tell yourself don't try?
Don't try to let yourself down
Don't try to let yourself down
And do you ever see yourself in love?
And do you ever take a chance, my love?
Because you know that I will..
Because you know that I will..

So hear this please
And watch as your heart speeds up endlessly
And look for the stars as the sun goes down
Each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
Everything, everything's magic
Just sit back and hold on, but hold on tight
Prepare for the best and the fastest ride
And reach out your hand, and I'll make you mine
Everything, everything's magic

Everything, everything's magic

So hear this please
And watch as your heart speeds up endlessly
And look for the stars as the sun goes down
Each breath that you take has a thunderous sound
Everything, everything's magic
Just sit back and hold on, but hold on tight
Prepare for the best and the fastest ride
And reach out your hand, and I'll make you mine
Everything, everything's magic

Music: Everything's magic - Angels & Airwaves
Mood: DO NOT WANT

Manic Arm Flail

I've got a ton of work to do but as is my usual Thursday standard, I don't particularly feel like it. I am, as per usual, in a relatively good mood though, mostly because my Wednesday Advance Narrative Writing class is just so fabulous. Was fabulous, I should say. Semester is officially over. Wooooo! Still have essay to do for Critical Writing but...woooo! A few of us were talking after class last night, and we're going to set up a writer's group - seeing as everyone gets on well and gives great advice, it makes sense to keep going.

I have so much random things to blog about, so much. I'll definitely get to it tonight, right after I finish the dread presentation. Yes, it's still half written, terrible I know. I'm ever so slightly freaking out about it. And it's Thursday already, holy crap. Does my head in. I'm flying out Saturday night, and I'm seeing R and Em tomorrow night (for the first time in aaaages), so tonight is pretty much the night for getting things done.

This deserves manic arm flailing, right? Right

Music: Buddy Holly - Biffy Clyro
Mood: Stressed