"certainly someone who is frozen ... is not alive"
...
"but neither are they dead"
...
[is that a _deep forest_ sample?]
...

2:24:00 PM

 
::blerk:: not really liking the taste here (I usually like the miso in restaurants). has it just been sitting in my drawer too long? there's no "best by" date - or is it just because it's "instant"?
1:23:00 PM

 
ooh! visible circulation cells in my miso soup! go my little bonito kelp flakes! surf that thermal convection!

(stop reading B)
yes. am here finishing stuff I should've finished on the weekend :(
fortunately they're playing some good stuff on RTR.


1:17:00 PM

 
also must fix archives some day.
...
why not today?
6:52:00 AM

 
urk. dry eyeballs.
... must... remember... to... blink...
6:47:00 AM

 
very scary scare,
close encounter on the stair,
leave now? do i dare?
5:44:00 AM

 
Healthwise: Haven't made it to the gym this weekend, but did three doubles last week - was good. And am really really cutting back on the beer for a while. Only had 2 on Friday. And resisted totally at a bbq yesterday evening (had half a glass of wine however). Also had some red meat. It was almost raw - my first flesh in a while, have had a little bit of a craving lately. And have managed my 2+ serves of fish per week for the last couple of weeks. Need to increase fruit intake, although surely I can use extra veg intake as balance...

Also just wanted to note what a pleasure it was to be out and about yesterday, running errands etc. Beautiful weather, mysteriously nonexistent traffic, unprecedented amounts of available parking, echoingly empty shops - except, it seemed, for various friends I kept running into. The first of whom (should that be 'who'? i think it should) pointed out that the prevailing conditions were due to Grand Final Day, and gloated about how there were only "nice people" out and about! I suppose I shouldn't wish for it to be like that all the time, lest I lose my appreciation for it, but every now and then would be very nice.

But yes, last night I went to a bbq. Caught up with The Gang (not a real gang). Was interesting to see the return to the fold of a player who had exited The Gang on rather sad terms - declaring "I need to cut some dead-wood [from my group of friends]". This didn't, I think, actually hurt the feelings of anyone in The Gang, but left us somewhat bemused and kind of embarassed for him to be acting in such a way. Admittedly, this declaration was after a breakup with a girl also in The Gang, and tensions may have been running high. In any case, all seems to be smooth again, after a good two years. Note, said girl is now overseas, which may be a factor...

Apres-bbq, Lauren and BJ and I went and met The Housemate and friend at a pub where a Fleur has organized a series of nights featuring DJ's, including a couple of good friends. I think Fleur was a bit disappointed by the turnout, but I found it quite fun in the DJ room (separate from the bar) finding it was just me and about 10 friends all having a boogie, and filling the space quite nicely. nb. some very nice optic fibre based disco lights which I hadn't seen before, giving a kind of spirally-galactic-firefly effect. Suspect they only developed it quite recently - was similar to the gyroscopic-multi-head-disco-ball Big J stored at Fleurs for a while.

Had a major sleep in this morning, and then tried a new restaurant with The Father, The Visiting Uncle and The Grandmother for brunch. The Visiting Uncle is a good influence on The Father, who rarely tries new things. Is (embarassingly) amusing to hear them argue toward the end of a meal about who should finish each dish, they can get quite vehement. However, I think The Father's homeground advantage is a deciding factor. Is unamusing to hear The Father tell The Uncle (unnecessarily) not to eat certain dishes when he goes home, as they're not healthy - and yet The Father continues to order such unhealthy dishes every time we go out to eat (at least weekly at the moment). In related news, The Father's driving prowess this morning was impressive - much signalling involved!

The Grandmother continues to ail. Apart from being quite physically frail, her memory is getting a little wonky. When they picked me up from home, she gave me an "ung-pao" (little red packet of money - the usual gift for all festive occasions, a useful tradition taking the guesswork out of gift-giving) as a belated birthday present. But when we sat down to brunch, she tried to give me another one, for the same reason :( . It was very sweet that she was so set on giving me one that she remembered twice. Really really must visit her more often.

Lauren and BJ are having a big night tonight, it being a long weekend for corporate folk, and going dancing again at big expensive mainstreamy gig (ft. Richie Hawtin etc.). Am mildly jealous. May be convinced to go to a medium-sized-gig with them in a couple of weeks time.
5:10:00 AM

 
blargh - bloody writing.
4:24:00 AM

 
Just realized I've been wearing my undershirt backward all day.
11:41:00 PM

 
urgh. Just had a visit from Funding Body Researcher with some weird (read dodgy) results. Had to come up with some kind of explanation other than the model being wrong. Came up with one possibility for weird results, but didn't explain it all. Manager person here was good and relentlessly positive, as usual. Need a break now.
11:41:00 PM

 
It's such a beautiful day - should be doing something outside. Just had lunch at the tav - lovely and free of undergrads, with some nice company, some Tooheys Old, and some nachos.
10:56:00 PM

 
Was going to do a circuit last night, but it had been mysteriously replaced with this boxing class. Forearms and trapezius nicely sore today (right little finger a bit twingey last night, but that could've just been arthritis). Was quite interesting, but I think not very well organized, lots of new people, with no idea exactly how to do any of the actual boxing stuff (including me), although half the class was just running, biking, pushups, situps, etc. Anyway, we didn't get any injuries, but I think it was asking for trouble, having people punching at each other with no idea how to do it properly, and the instructor giving very little instruction (I think he gave me one tip, right near the end of the class - "when you're holding the pads, let them swing away when the other person hits it, or you'll kill your shoulders" - "ah, thanks mate! after i've been trying to provide some resistance all session!" fortunately shoulders not particularly killed today). Managed to get by mainly by watching other people, technique is probably still atrocious. Seemed to give a pretty good workout (but that could've been mainly the running and pushups!). Good for novelty value, might go again. Did a circuit afterward.
12:27:00 AM

 
Also meant to comment on Metropolis's excellent jazzy soundtrack - the last really torchy, really skin-tingling track was very very cool, beautifully jarring dissonance with the serenely violent visuals - unfortunately I can't recall any of the rather silly lyrics now though...
8:46:00 PM

 
darn. NS's outer office minion just saw me when I should be at a compulsory seminar.
1:41:00 AM

 
-sigh-
Just got kicked off the network. Tried a different server, and got kicked off that too! Well I haven't updated about the weekend, and it's already Wednesday, so it must be time.

Friday arvo The Guru:Foe had a "Beer, Boardgames and Pizza" party to celebrate leaving us :P How rude! It was very very fun. Despite Twister spillage of beer (am pretty sure it didn't stain, but as I knew the Guru:Foe had already transferred the lease, I wasn't too worried anyway), had a very good time. I got very very drunk, mostly on stlkrgrls much appreciated homebrew. The pizzas were delicious (I only had a hand in one: extra sauce, basil, champignons, cashews, eggplant, roast capsicum and mozzarella). We played Dirty Scrabble (of course), Twister, Pictionary, Scattergories, Star Wars Trivial Pursuit (!!!) - at which I surprised myself by being extremely poor; and what was it called again? Gummi-army-killer-unit-cannibalism-kamikaze (or something), essentially a tactical game with armies of jelly babies and a sugar-high.

Saturday, I managed to get out of bed by 11 I think, and then had to go get a birthday prez from town. Whiled away the day, then picked up (2/3rds of) Picket-Fence-Household and went to a fabbo birthday party in an ultracool beachside apartment with amazing views and balconies and funky furniture and tunes and of course people. Very nice selection of sugar - giant smarties! (never tried before, very nice) and Starburst jellybeans (yum! also never tried before!). Should've mingled more, but was a bit lazy :( anyway had a good chat to people I work with, but sometimes just don't get to talk to. Unfortunately, had to leave early to go to Old Skool party I've been kind of anticipating for a while. Said I'd pick up the Housemate and friend by 11:30ish, but only managed to drag very drunk Machiato away from party by about then. Housemate a little annoyed we didn't get home till a quarter to twelve (she's quite punctual), but I thought it was pretty good timing. Don't know why she was in such a rush, we used to not go out till 12 or 1 (and with Fleur and Neiman and Lauren and Hird) all the time. They were happily drunk though, and I think had been looking forward to letting me know how much, and then I went and brought home a couple of people more drunk than they were - heh. Well, we managed to get out of the house by 12:30, and we didn't have to queue, and there was a friend on the door and inside there was a reasonable density of people, and the music was quite cheesey, and there were more friends plus random other people I recognised from various parties. Vibe possibly not so up for it, but had a good dance.

On Sunday night, saw interesting anime (Metropolis), and I broke into someone's car and drove it away. I drove it all the way around the corner to the phonebox where the owner was trying to explain to the RAC man where we were parked.

Should practice breaking into own car, haven't tried since the time the RAC man tried and failed a few years ago.
12:56:00 AM

 
Just finished:
_Six moon dance_ S. Tepper. Okay. But as with her also recent _Fresco_, felt clumsily didactic. May have to reread her earlier stuff which I think I enjoyed much more, and see if I was just less sensitive to the nuances, or if her style really has changed for the worse.
_The business_ Iain Banks. Cool. Was a little apprehensive it would get dark as some of his work is, but it didn't. It stayed light and action packed. Possibly a bit "shallow" compared to earlier stuff.
2:24:00 AM

 
New dino's always make it into Nature. Is it too late to switch to paleontology?
11:06:00 PM

 
How to have a happy office :)
aw!
Why the interest in mgmt lately? I don't know.
7:41:00 PM

 
heh.
"It's important to have a budget in Washington, because without a budget, there is a tendency to overspend," Mr. Bush said. "Without a budget, every idea sounds like a brilliant idea." (goes on to describe the cost of a war with Iraq, yada yada yada)
11:26:00 PM

 
Hm. Departmental goss. Prob shouldn't pass it on here. A colleague recently pointed out to admin that a departmental guest appeared to be without a host. Somehow, a certain individual (CI, hereon) got wind and twisted this into the colleague refusing to be host for this guest. CI just pulled said colleague aside in the corridor and had a serious go at him, obviously without having any clue about what actually happened. One might be inclined to give CI the benefit of the doubt, the story might've been twisted at some other junction, unless perhaps a similar thing has occurred to you. In any case, this type of belligerent accusation happens too often from this one source, usually outraging and flabbergasting the accused too much to explain in how many different ways the accuser has made erroneous assumptions or is just plain wrong in the facts (yes, personal experience here), and causing the accused to be in a bad mood and unproductive for the rest of the week (anyway, that's how it struck me...). Meanwhile CI probably doesn't even realize anything is wrong.

I did at one point (in the angry aftermath of such an incident) begin collating some of the many historical and international horror stories involving CI, but it seemed a rather unhealthy thing to dwell on. [*breathe* just let it go! CI is the only individual in my memory who can actually make me mad! surely there must be *someone* else - but no, can't think of anyone... is it the very personal nature of his brand of injustice?] Hm. This is getting to the point of festeration too - letting it drop now.
11:22:00 PM

 
stupid stupid stupid! a fixed rerun i did wasn't fixed at all! it seems to have been the same run! bloody hell.

And now I'm feeling too annoyed at work to think about it for a bit. So it must be time for a weekend update instead. Drank much too much beer. And spent too much money on beer too. Must cutback - or maybe switch to homebrew.

Looked for those jeans on Saturday in the city store, but they still didn't have them in the desired size, so I had a good excuse not to buy unnecessary clothes.

Saturday night I caught up with my Mum for the first time in maybe 6 weeks. She's been really busy though, it's not just me! She's just started a degree for fun in Philosophy and Ethics, which is very cool. She seems to be enjoying it, except for trying to fit it in amongst full-time work, and all the computer stuff which is kind of unthinkingly used nowadays. She's nowhere near as technophobic as my Dad, but she still doesn't do a lot with computers at work, and obviously she hasn't grown up with a lot of the ubiquitous software which her fresher classmates used at school, etc. Obviously I'm trying to give her occasional tutorials, but she's a bit reluctant to impose on me :P Will try harder.

Anyway, we had dinner at the cafe around the corner. I ate way too much chilli calamari (new and kind of interesting for me, but not spectacular). We were waited upon by a guy I tutored a few years ago, and have always felt a bit guilty about giving really bad (failing) marks to in a couple of major assessments. I wonder if he dropped out? Anyway, he seemed to recognize me and appeared friendly and happy enough.

So we talked for ages, then she went off to see a friend. The housemate came by with an old friend I rarely see, and we all went for drinks in a downmarket pub in Yuppietown (the upmarket pub we were going to had a queue). Had a huge catchup. Then went home (although I knew a dj I quite like was playing, and I've since heard played one of the best sets ever) and to bed.

Sunday, I made it to the gym, did the vacuuming (!), and then caught up with some friends (Delia and Laeli) for a really lovely Sunday Session at my local. Drank much, and learnt much news. One of my other friends (Eion) has moved in with Laeli and Misha! He also has a new attachment (a dutch exchange student). Laeli got given a car by another friend (Nerel, who I also found out is off-again with the bike-guy)! One of Laeli's friends (who I'd met several times) was killed in a motorcycle accident a few months ago :( Delia's mother-in-law had been visiting for some time (and not causing any trouble at all)! Was sooo out of the loop, was really good to catch up. And I think we may all get to go dancing this weekend :)

And after the Sunday Session, I went to a cool dinner party, and met lots of new people (shiny and brand new). Drank too much. Must get the papaya and coriander soup recipe. The couscous was good, should try and have some on hand at home. Way more people turned up than they expected (30+) but somehow the food made it around (I didn't eat much though, was too busy drinking). It was all lovely, but it was also outside and absolutely freezing. Was a great note to end the weekend on. They may be making it a monthly event, so I think me and the housemate should start up a complementary arrangement.

12:33:00 AM

 
Um. Finished another collection of Wodehouse stories. It was a Jeeves one, but I can't remember the exact title. This dredges up a memory that I also read The Mr Mulliner Omnibus a while ago, but I don't remember noting it down here.

Week has been a bit boring. Weekend not looking particularly exciting either :( I should take the opportunity to catch up with friends. And do some more gardening. And catch up with my mum (haven't seen her or even spoken to her in weeks!).
11:36:00 PM

 
Hm. Everyone's been updating except me. But nothing's been happening :(
11:16:00 PM

 
Woo-hoo!!! >>*relief*<< She got a job! AND it's with the company she wanted, AND it's paying a shitload! :) yay!
9:05:00 PM

 
:(

The housemate was supposed to get job offers this morning, she said they typically call about 9am. She hadn't gotten any phonecalls by about 10am (when I last spoke to her). She gets straight distinctions and high distinctions, she had a stack of interviews, she's had a few vacation clerkships, she's mature and has a lot of life experience - ::worried:: she *has* to get a job offer!...
8:49:00 PM

 
Went shopping with the housemate on the weekend, finally got a replacement Maxwell-Williams bowl for the one I broke, plus a couple extra. Also saw some rather nice jeans (Industrie, IND 1211 I think), and I don't really have any just casual jeans at the moment. Have been over casual denim jeans for a few years, but think I may be ready to have some again. But they only had 30" by 32", and I think 31" by 33" might look just a bit better. May have to check out main store in the city sometime...
1:58:00 AM

 
My hero.
12:10:00 AM

 
Weekend quite good. Not sure how much I can report here.
9:47:00 PM

 
Regarding the "pointed comment" of last entry, my real supervisor is being very supportive, which is nice. I shouldn't be surprised, as I know he's had to deal with "certain individual" a great deal in the past, and knows the associated risks and dangers.
9:34:00 PM

 
Should be at a morning tea, The Guru's last - she might even make a speech! But am avoiding a certain individual (as usual) after finding out about a particularly pointed comment he made on my annual report (and that's putting it mildly). Fortunately, I had things to distract me last night, namely, a posh Law faculty dinner. We got all dressed up, and I drove us into town and went into the posh hotel and ballroom and had drinks. Have met quite a few of the housemate's classmates before, so had a chat to a couple, met a few more, plus some lecturers. The Dean of the Law School made a scathingly ironic and hilarious speech, making pointed digs at the quality of the students, the guest speaker (a prominent Judge), his wife, and his daughter! The guest speaker was okay too, many cultural references, lots of law jokes, but had a hard act to follow.

The food was pretty average - a rather bland chicken soup starter, a boring roast (beef/chicken, potatoes, veggies) main, and an oversweet apple strudel with custard for dessert. However, the drinks were generous (including spirits), the dj acceptable, and the people quite nice, so I had quite a good night.
8:05:00 PM

 
Did some more semi-lucid flying last night. Only used my teleportation ability to confiscate a remote control from someone.

5:08:00 AM

 
and now i feel like i should have some kind of feedback system so i might actually hear from (such distinctly discerning) people - dare i actually look into such a thing? what if all the feedback is bad?! what if i find out people i actually know are reading this?! i mean, apart from the people i know, who i know are reading this - and what if they actually know who i am? [cue twilight zone music...]
1:46:00 AM

 
hm. checked my counter for the first time in like months.
who are all those people?
i used to keep a plain text journal on my computer, and sometimes i think i revert and forget this is a blog.
now i'm embarassed at all the mundanity.
and the bad punctuation.
will endeavour to make it more exciting in future.
spaceships and fx and stuff.
1:34:00 AM

 
lessee, what's been happening? um.

Reading binge:
Jane Austen - _Sanditon_, _The Watsons_ and _Lady Susan_. All enjoyable, but the first two were very annoyingly unfinished. I think I expected them to be first drafts or something rather than actually stopping in the middle of the plot development.

Dorothy Sayers - _The documents in the case_ (interesting style all in the form of letters and correspondence between the characters, as in _Lady Susan_ also, and similar to that all email novel (_e_?) I read a few months ago, and which I'd never encountered before - thought it was quite innovative - I wonder who tried it first?), and _Thrones and Dominations_, however this was 'co-authored' (read written by someone else entirely but probably approved by Sayers and/or her estate), and noticeably so. The style and tone were similar, although even though I haven't read much Sayers as yet (2 books thus far), they were quite distinct and possibly inferior to the genuine article.

Found some more P.G. Wodehouse at my library/dealer and was quite happy, but I then happened across _The Business_ (Iain Banks) which overshadowed the previous somewhat. I'll definitely start the Banks next!

In more muted tones (perhaps as seen through amber lenses), real life has involved too much beer. On Friday, I went to a Law function and got quite trashed. Law students from three different universities were involved, and there was a rather good turn out. The venue had a capacity of 450, which was reached quite early, and quite a lot of people had to be turned away at the door. I conversed with a number of drunk law students, who seemed quite normal, but felt much more connected to - and I think had better conversations with - the drunk non-lawyers who had also been dragged along.

After that finished (about midnight), I dragged some friends over to Geisha since they'd let me on the doorlist (plus three), but there was a queue, and it was so not moving, and I don't really enjoy clubs when they're too crowded to dance, so we headed home instead.

Saturday morning, the housemate and I did a quick pack, and drove down to Fairbridge. Some of the housemate's friends had rented a cottage for the weekend, so we were going to go hang out. The weather was rather volatile, and our abseiling plans for the arvo were derailed, but a good time was had by all. We arrived in time for the lunch time bbq, and brought a nice drenching squall with us, and we retreated to the cottage. After lunch the sun came out and we were taken on a tour of the highlights of the region. ie. we went down to some cow paddocks and went for a walk amongst the pats and puddles and scaredy-cow herds and saturated long grass and got caught in several more downpours and got completely soaked as we checked out some eco-modifications in the form of some river training to prevent cow-tastrophes to the river ecology. It was actually quite fun, even the rain. We headed to a cafe with a nice fire to dry off a bit and talked about sailing and pet behaviour and old times and degrees of separation and travelling.

Back to the cottage for a welcome change of clothes (which I almost didn't bring for one night away) and an attempt to dry my saturated "hiking shoes" which are really glorified sneakers and SO not waterproof :P although I suppose they might've been okay if some of the puddles hadn't been ankle deep and the rain hadn't been pouring in the top.

We played pictionary with play-doh (sculptionary really) until dinner at the local pub (!)

After dinner we played drinking games till we were too-far-gone. I'm having a difficult time remembering the last time I played drinking games (new one for me: whizz boing bounce, quite fun) . And we all got exceedingly plastered. Really must try to curtail consumption. Some day.
12:13:00 AM