Good

Buckwheat noodles with potato and cabbage good and very simple;

Coconut cream buns very good. Raisins could've made them better;

Sleep very very good - slept till 5pm!

Paul van Dyk very very very good - went and danced for 8+ hours with new raver krew (and yay, we seem to have started an email events list).

Bad

Eating too much, not getting enough exercise;

Slept past another Peace Rally;

Accidentally just volunteered to help with Enviro Group admin type stuff :P traitor mind guilted me into it - the two reps always end up doing so much, and there were only the three of us, so...)

Started looking at sharehouses (again) - everything seems to be both more expensive than current situation and not particularly better located, or they're looking for girls, or already taken, or far away, or other stuff... is a bit depressing. Stlkrgrl did very well I think...

8:07:00 PM

 
Ooh - three days in a row - am so back!

We had a departmental bbq for lunch. They had cheap beers, but no one else from the group was having, so I didn't either :(

Think computer guy is hiding from me - where's the rest of my new computer?

Must get back to gym properly next week...

Yay!
Party tonight! (Dancing!)
Rally tomorrow! (Should get business suit just for rallies!)
Library! (New books!)
Shopping! (2 prezzies down, 2 to go!)
Baking! (Really wanted to make Silken Lime Tart from same book as Buns - maybe next week!)
Forest action skillshare Sunday! (although goes like all day!)

8:36:00 PM

 
Happy day so far:

Organized to go tree planting;

Filing cabinet got cleared of previous occupants papers;

Filled cabinet with all *my* papers!

Stuck poster on wall of office;

Went Enviro Group meeting and got lots of participationism-ish stuff going and lots of dates for happening things;

Is almost Friday!

Last night M made little pavlovas with raspberries and passionfruit honey for dessert.

7:45:00 PM

 
OK - news here:

The monitor for my new computer has arrived! Now just waiting on actual computer!

Bought first article of clothing here on Saturday. But was just a pair of jeans - boring. But on sale! And quite nice wide-leg cut and perfect length. Am wearing them for third day in row. (nb. they are also supposedly sized "large"! My first "large" classified item (not from children's wear) in aaages) [1].

Have driven more in last couple of weeks than had in previous many months. Greenie-camp minibus driving (~9 hours?), then field trip on Friday (another 5 hours driving). Getting out of the city is the annoying part. There's a bush doof on Saturday out past where my field trip was on Friday, but don't think I can be bothered with more driving for now. Will get a good dance this Friday though (Paul van Dyk).

Made really nice eggplant slices in blackbean sauce last night. And on Sunday I made masala dosa (coconut crepes with spicy potato filling) which turned out quite well. Can't remember what I made last week.

Reading: _The consolations of philosophy_ (Alain de Botton) - which I really enjoyed, although I think most anyone who's been a little introspective would have thought these things through before and come to many of the same conclusions/consolations. Takes a nice historical trip through western philosophy along the way though. _Kiln people_ (David Brin) - which was quite good, but he still doesn't seem to be able to reach the peaks of his first Uplift Trilogy. _The hollow chocolate bunnies of the Apocalypse_ (Robert Rankin) - which gave me a few good chortles. A few _Miles Vorkosigan_ books (Lois Bujold) which are quite enjoyable mil-SF with proper characterisation. And probably a few more. Am liking my new local library. I believe this campus also has a fiction library, which i should check out. Am really not minding the train commute thing to work.

Have had a couple of homesickness pangs over last couple of days! Just thinking about no more dinner parties with you guys! No more Friday arvo pub! No more gang parties! No more hanging out at fun west coast pubs! No more raving with the krew! No more old flat! No more proper summer on good beaches! Don't know quite why they started...

[1] Despite getting into the muffin thing with morning coffee [2], and despite lack of regular gym as yet, and despite gourmet foodies at home, don't think I've actually gotten humongous [3], think they just sized the jeans weirdly.
[2] Eeek. So addicted. Am looking forward to Friday just so I can have multiple hits without affecting my sleep [4].
[3] Well not really.
[4] Since am going dancing all night [5].
[5] Yay [6].
[6] My these are addictive.

5:07:00 PM

 
And "hypocrites" was totally my first thought when I heard Rumsfeld complaining that the 5 US prisoners being on Iraqi tv was in contravention of the Geneva Convention. But George Monbiot actually sets out all the facts much better than my fuzzy thoughts in this article:
"Rumsfeld had better watch his back. For this
enthusiastic convert to the cause of legal warfare is, as head of the
US Defence Department, responsible for a series of crimes
sufficient, were he ever to be tried, to put him away for the rest of his
natural life.

His prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, on Cuba, where 641 men are
held, breaches no fewer than 15 articles of the third convention. The
US Government broke the first of these (article 13) as soon as the
prisoners arrived, by displaying them, just as the Iraqis have done, on
television. In this case, however, they were not encouraged to
address the cameras. They were kneeling on the ground, hands tied
behind their backs, wearing blacked-out goggles and earmuffs. In
breach of article 18, they had been stripped of their own clothes and
deprived of their possessions. They were then interned in a
penitentiary (against article 22), where they were denied proper mess
facilities (26), canteens (28), religious premises (34), opportunities for
physical exercise (38), access to the text of the convention (41),
freedom to write to their families (70 and 71) and parcels of food and
books (72).

They were not 'released and repatriated without delay after the
cessation of active hostilities' (118), because, the US authorities say,
their interrogation might, one day, reveal interesting information about
al-Qaeda. Article 17 rules that captives are obliged to give only their
name, rank, number and date of birth. No 'coercion may be inflicted
on prisoners of war to secure from them information of any kind
whatever'. In the hope of breaking them, however, the authorities
have confined them to solitary cells and subjected them to what is
now known as 'torture lite': sleep deprivation and constant exposure
to bright light.

The US Government claims these men are not subject to the Geneva
Convention, as they are not 'prisoners of war', but 'unlawful
combatants'. The same claim could be made, with rather more
justice, by the Iraqis holding the US soldiers who illegally invaded their
country. But this redefinition is itself a breach of article 4 of the third
convention, under which people detained as suspected members of
a militia (the Taliban) or a volunteer corps (al-Qaeda) must be
regarded as prisoners of war.

Even if there is doubt about how such people should be classified,
article 5 insists that they 'shall enjoy the protection of the present
convention until such time as their status has been determined by a
competent tribunal'. "
4:42:00 PM

 
Or not.
But this has got to be serious enough to blog about from work. Man. I can't believe he's started the war.
7:45:00 PM

 
-sigh-

Just had most excellent weekend ever. Well okay, one of the most pretty good weekends ever.

Went on a camp with the Enviro Group, plus the enviro groups of all the (4) other universities in this exotic eastern city. In our second weekly meeting this year (Thursday), we didn't really get to discuss what was going to be happening, but Consensus Builder 1 (H) asked if anyone was willing to drive one of the minibuses who was over 21. I didn't say anything for a minute, but then tentatively suggested that as long as it was a 12-or-less-passengers type minibus, I could probably do it. Turns out it was a 12 person seater, so like I'm totally in with the group now - heh. So we (H and other Consensus Builder (C) plus other organizer (I) - possibly from the way cool lefty food co-op) went and picked up the three minibuses on Friday after lunch. After much shenanigans, we managed to head off only about an hour late (had planned for 3pm) and headed into town and to the main train station to pick up 25 people from the various universities.

H&I had put together a text list of directions (essentially, which roads to take) to the State Park and camping ground 3.5 hours north of the city, plus a crude mudmap, but I was feeling rather ambivalent about getting there. As my bus was for some reason the first to fill, I had to yell in the back "Hi everyone, My name is T and I'll be your driver this evening. However, I've only just moved here, so an experienced navigator in the front seat would be appreciated". Random young-seeming but obviously grown-up guy J climbed into the front and turned out to be a totally cool dude and my new best friend. He was very sensible in his directing, stating the appropriate turnings well ahead of time with adequate descriptors. It was kind of hard to talk to the others in the back, so we more or less talked nonstop for almost the entire trip. Stopped for beer and loo break and stretch and met a few of the other greenies, almost all undergrads, none from my uni, all friendly and nice.

We finally got in to the camp grounds just past 8pm, just missing the light (it's light quite late here) but managed to set up the tents - H had borrowed an extra tent from a friend who couldn't make it, which I totally scored on. Unfortunately, having never seen it up and having forgotten a light (had meant to bring bike headlamp, but didn't), I had to set it up mostly by feel (although, okay, did get some of J's torch action when he was set up), totally didn't do it properly, but it stayed up the whole weekend, and I couldn't be bothered redoing it on Saturday morning. After the tents were up, we walked through the bush to the visitors centre (someone said the walk actually took about 25 mins although I never timed it myself and it seemed much shorter), and a building there which had large kitchen plus a big meeting room and huge porch and also a firepit surrounded by sitting-logs out the back. There were already maybe 10 people there preparing a hearty vegan dinner. Ate heaps, then we all did intros out by the fire, although it was a bit dark, and went through an agenda for the weekend. Drank a bit, but in bed by 1am-ish.

Really need sleep now though, will continue tomorrow.
3:32:00 AM

 
Synopsis continued...
Friday, Feb 21: Went to housemate's friend's birthday party at _Velour_. Top 40 style dance upstairs. 80's room underground. Wasn't toooo excruciating. Blue Monday, etc. Also had very intense minty cocktails called _Mojito's_. Cute waitress flirted with me. Almost felt inclined to tip.

Sat E&M had a Cool Cocktail Soiree: Had much food. Must elucidate at another time.
Drinks: Champagne and orange, Gin and vodka martinis, Cherry contrarys, Langbournes, um... more I know...

Sunday: Ecoblu brunch with R, A round to chat...

Monday: Meet T and K at Pub for a drink. Had really good drunk talk.

Tuesday: Lunch and then arvo beer (cheap jugs!) with stlkrgrl, and then dinner on High St within walking distance of home.

Wed: O-week stalls n stuff. Joined friendly ski club, enquired at kind of unfriendly swimming club, joined FOME and
the Enviro Group and Amnesty International and signed up for Conservation Volunteers, but looking at their
website, again (as on other coast) all the trips seem to be during the week! Very annoying.

Thursday: started my complimentary 7 day pass at posh gym near home! It's *Nice*! Dammit! and EXPENSIVE! ($139 joining
and then $99/month!)

Fri - fark - did a 6am circuit this morning - got up at 5:30!!! was nice and deadening. Too early. Can't believe
posh gym only has 2 circuit classes a week!.

-sigh- tired now. (9am).

Damn - still not caught up. Next time!
2:21:00 AM

 
Sorry to be so irregular and heterogenous in my posting. Need more fibre.

okay, in order to get up to speed, will have quick synopsis of
my past three (!!!) weeks (up to last weekend when I really wrote this).

Sunday, Feb 9: Woke midday. M made us pancakes with
passionfruit butter. Went to St Kilda Festival with
exhousemate, E&M. Many people. Lots of stalls. A few
bands. A techno arena. Was very sunny.

Monday, Feb 10: Went to work. Got there a bit later than I'd
hoped (~8:30) after getting lost trying to find a way into my
building. Fortunately, a new workmate rescued me. Went for
coffee with my subgroup (Nick, the boss, and Banger and
Dharma, postdocs).

Rest of work week: borrowed an old PC, organised staff card,
building and network access, checked out specs for new
computer, opened account with on-campus credit union, got
reading from workgroup on my projects, etc.

M made an apple cider and camembert salad with some lentil
bolognaise for dinner. Erin made a coffee and marshmallow
flan for dessert.

Tuesday, Feb 11: took little sis and boy and E&M out to
dinner at _Pelican_ which E picked from the Lonely Planet
from K&A, based on the picture of the facade. It was pretty
busy, but the food wasn't that great. We had a large
selection of tapas (like 12 dishes). The octopus was good,
and the fetta and carrot dip and the salmon bruschetta. We
had a blueberry and frangipani tart for dessert.

Wed: Checked out the uni gym. Tried my first yoga class.
Was pretty good. Lots of beginnerish people luckily.
Managed to do all poses pretty well except for full backbend.
Best backbend instructions have ever had. Got closest have
ever been. Was satisfactorily flexible.

Thur: Tried circuit at the gym. Was dumb.

Friday night, into town and down a little alley and into a pub
called _Misty_. Had a couple of drinks there. Was nice and
funky, with little groups of people, nice for people watching.
Then out and down some other little alley and up some stairs
to HonkyTonks. Door lady tried to not give me a valentines
choc, saying "girls only"! But M just took a couple for us!
Had another few drinks! (too many -
bad influences here), and had a good boogie too.

Sat: borrowed little sis's vacuum and did pretty thorough job
of entire apartment on Saturday morning. Had been a little
allergic to the apartment. Could have been the possums
(which used to be in my room). Did massive grocery shop
with M, checked out some excellent markets, with delish
gourmet food. Had an early night.

Sun: brunch with E&M and exhousemate at _Joe's Garage_.
Then to the Dali exhibition. Pretty good. Then a bit of a
wander around town. Home. Baked a stuffed focaccia for
dinner (my first time baking bread, from _Cooking with
Kurma_) turned out pretty good (a bit overdone, lower temp
next time).

Discovered I was all out of money. Stoopid _Which Bank?_
wouldn't cash one of their own cheques (which said "cash")
cos it was from WA. Must badmouth them more!

2:08:00 AM