Wow, what do I even say.
Tonight is the end of an era. Tomorrow is the beginning of the end. And then later that week is the end, and the after that, the beginning.
I'm moving. Finally, it's happening and suddenly, with the imminent arrival of my Timothy and the beginning of a full-on week of doing goodbye stuffs, it's close and it's real. By the end of next week I'll be living in a new city, in a new state overlooking a new ocean. I'll be socialising with new friends, eating dinners with a new family, missing the people I used to see all the time, and seeing the people I used to miss all the time.
It's the end of an era, and I'm scared, I'm excited, I'm happy, I'm sad, I'm frustrated, I'm bored and I don't know what to do with myself. Well, I do. It's mostly cleaning and packing. But I'm in so much denial it's been impossible to start.
I'm making it sound worse than it is. I am truly excited. But there are a lot of things about Sydney that I don't want to leave behind. My Mum, my friends, my way of life for the last year or so. Tom's sense of humour, not least. Yes, Tom, you get a special mention. I don't want to make other people feel bad, like they're less important. But Tom's been a close friend for ages. I hardly do anything without him these days, and suddenly his understanding of my mind and hugely similar sense of humour are going to be three thousand kilometres away. You're my Scarecrow, man. I'm going to miss you most of all.
I'd take that analogy further along the Tinman and Cowardly Lion lines, but I think if I starting picking out more individuals, people would get upset at being left out and whatnot. So just Tom being super-special is enough.
Speaking of Tom, he turns 21 tomorrow. The big one. The last birthday anyone's going to be excited about until you turn 30. And think how scary that'll be. You might be married, have kids, a mortage, a divorce, a crazy stepmother, an affair. You might be a millionaire.
Notice I'm talking about you, despite the fact my birthday is just barely over a month later than yours? I'm sure psychologists have a term for that, and I'm pretty sure I know what it is! But I'm not going to say it in case I'm wrong and Jimi reads it. Then I'll never live it down and he might not like me anymore!
He celebrated this milestone birthday on Saturday night. I was celebrating extra hard for him, and I rather regretted it the next day. I made a right fool of myself, in front of people that will probably never forgive me. But I had a good time, and I think that's what counts. Wait...
Anyway, I fell off a chair, okay? It was uneven ground! Just ask Tom! I went all unconcious too. Good times. I had bruises aplenty the next day.
At least, I think, I managed to recruit extra people to come to my OWN party next week. Like Kat! And hopefully Lou! I.. hope they come anyway. Sadface. I also invited Alistair, but, uh. With my performance, I'm not sure he'll come! I'd sure like it though.
And I spent a long time talking to my drunk friends in Perth! Who were celebrating a similar birthday.
Finally, tomorrow is my last day at work. I haven't been working there very long, but wow. I sure have grown attached to the place. It's one of the first places where going there a few times a week didn't feel like a chore, and I didn't count the hours till I got to leave. And boy, am I attached to those kids. I'd like to say I'd steal some after I leave or something, but then if one actually went missing, I'd look like the prime suspect.
Anyway, I think that's where I'd better leave it. I'm tired from all the cleaning and I have to get up early to make final preparations and go to work and things. So the next time I update, I'll probably be in Perth. For good. I'll miss you all.
And update your blogs bitches. It's more important now than ever. How else will I keep up with the Sydney rabble.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Friday, October 05, 2007
Of Borg implants and modern masterpieces
Blog spam!
Yes, another entry this week! Or something. I was almost going to look up when it was to verify my claims, but I won't because goddamn I just can't be bothered and I DO WHAT I WANT.
I actually have some things in particular to scree about today, and I know how you all love the nonsensical ramblings, but don't lose interest yet, 'cause I'm excited so I'm pretty sure you can expect it to be pretty absurd anyhow.
Anyway, first exciting piece of news, my insulin pump, that I mentioned in the last entry! Today when I discussed it with my Diabetes Educator, we decided for once and for all that I will definately be getting one! And what's more, my move isn't delayed at all, which was another worry I had.
But I'm getting ahead of myself! For those that don't know, an insulin pump is a little thing maybe about the size of a mobile phone or a pager, and I keep with me all the time, and is attached to my insides at all time. It's like a permanent needle or something. And it pumps insulin at a regular basal rate, and allows me to give extra insulin when I eat or y'know, drink six litres of coke. Conversely, it also allows extra flexibility if I don't feel like eating if I'm sick or if I do some kind of exercise or something like that, where I would usually have to fiddle around with blood sugars and insulin.
Now, I'm talking as if you all know the basic workings of diabetes. So sorry if I'm not making a lot of sense! What did I say about nonsensicality?
It also gets me out of a horrible vicious cycle that I'm in at the moment that a lot of people won't even realise that I'm having a lot of trouble with day to day, that goes something like this:
Step 1: Have hypo (low blood sugar)
Step 2: Freak out and overcompensate (have too much sugar)
Step 3: Have high blood sugar from overcompensating
Step 4: Freak out and have too much insulin to compensate
Step 5: Have hypo from too much insulin.
Step 6: I think you can see where I'm going with this.
So basically my blood sugars are swinging from high to low a LOT which is really really unhealthy, and what's more adds to the problem, as it apparently causes cravings for sweet things! Anyway, so the pump will help me to not swing so badly, and things.
There are also a lot of other benefits, but that's probably the main one. Really, when it comes down to it, if you compare what I'm doing at the moment, and what I'll be doing with a pump, there is no way in which have 4 injections a day and forgetting to take my blood sugars is superior.
So basically, come February, I'll be vacationing in the lovely Sydney for two weeks, and getting my very first Borg implant. I could get it done in my new home of Perth, but it would mean some kind of delay, and also this particular Diabetes Centre has some practices which are unique in Australia. So it's just a little better. And seeing I was coming back about then for mah Gramma's birthday, it seemed like there was no reason not to come back!
Anyway, so that's pretty exciting, huh! Sorry about the people who were thoroughly bored by that, but it's the closest thing to a cure that I'll be seeing for a long, LONG time, and goddamn it, I'm pretty goddamn excited.
Let's see, what was the other thing.
Ah yes! I recently went out and purchased the brand new Nightwish album! "Dark Passion Play". Their first release since kicking the epic butt of Tarja out of the band and adopting one Anette Olzon as the new lead singer.
Now, there are a lot of people who're all "Oh man Tarja was the shit, Nightwish is nothing without her!" and there are a lot of people who are all "No way man, Tarja sucked, Anette all the way!" and frankly I was always a bit of both. I was a bit of a hater. Tarja was being a giant bitch, but this new woman just doesn't have the epic sound Tarja did and gives the whole band a more 'poppy' feel.
Anyway, so I bought the new album, mostly out of frustration. And then listening briefly to the beginnings of tracks I was forced to accept that I didn't really like what I was hearing. In particular, it seems that Tarja was holding back their particularly creepy side. For example, the first track a 14 minute epic called The Poet and the Pendulum, mostly seems to involve someone, possibly the songwriter, being cut in half by a giant swinging blade. Now, I'm aware this is a fairly superficial understanding, and I'm sure it's a metaphor for a dozen different things. But it still creeps me out to the point that I can't actually listen to it. This feeling is enhanced by the "chopping through flesh" sound effects and the voice of a small boy saying things like "I'm afraid, I'm so afraid/ Being raped again, and again, and again/ I know I will die alone/ But loved."
It just pushes it a little too far. I'm just not one for violence. Real, imagined, visual, described or anything.
But upon further listening, with the shuffle setting on Winamp turned on, it was far more enjoyable. It really was just unfortunate that their most awful of songs was the first on the album and so, formed my first impression.
For the purposes of this review, I had thought to try and pinpoint a track at which the album peaks. But really, there are so many genres explored and mixed that it's hard to name a favourite. There are several distinctly gentle tracks, many outright metal tracks, and some that seem to blur the boundaries. "The Islander" contains a beautiful and haunting melody, enhanced by the soothing harmonies of Anette, while "Master Passion Greed" explores their darker side once more, and is a lot more... metal, even though it throws in some particularly Bond-esque trumpets. "Eva" gently describes the sadness of a small child being mocked while "Whoever Brings the Night" (one of my personal favourites) seems to be about whores, who 'love to suffer' (I'm not sure I understand that song completely, yet).
Between all these contrasts is the instrumental "Last of the Wilds", half celtic fiddle and uilleann pipes, half roaring guitar solos and metallic beat.
So! "Dark Passion Play" is a masterpiece of modern melodic metal. Not that.. I think there was too much archaic melodic metal. It pleases me on every one of my music loving levels. There's even some gospel in there. Seriously, if that's not multigenre, I just don't know what is.
Yes, another entry this week! Or something. I was almost going to look up when it was to verify my claims, but I won't because goddamn I just can't be bothered and I DO WHAT I WANT.
I actually have some things in particular to scree about today, and I know how you all love the nonsensical ramblings, but don't lose interest yet, 'cause I'm excited so I'm pretty sure you can expect it to be pretty absurd anyhow.
Anyway, first exciting piece of news, my insulin pump, that I mentioned in the last entry! Today when I discussed it with my Diabetes Educator, we decided for once and for all that I will definately be getting one! And what's more, my move isn't delayed at all, which was another worry I had.
But I'm getting ahead of myself! For those that don't know, an insulin pump is a little thing maybe about the size of a mobile phone or a pager, and I keep with me all the time, and is attached to my insides at all time. It's like a permanent needle or something. And it pumps insulin at a regular basal rate, and allows me to give extra insulin when I eat or y'know, drink six litres of coke. Conversely, it also allows extra flexibility if I don't feel like eating if I'm sick or if I do some kind of exercise or something like that, where I would usually have to fiddle around with blood sugars and insulin.
Now, I'm talking as if you all know the basic workings of diabetes. So sorry if I'm not making a lot of sense! What did I say about nonsensicality?
It also gets me out of a horrible vicious cycle that I'm in at the moment that a lot of people won't even realise that I'm having a lot of trouble with day to day, that goes something like this:
Step 1: Have hypo (low blood sugar)
Step 2: Freak out and overcompensate (have too much sugar)
Step 3: Have high blood sugar from overcompensating
Step 4: Freak out and have too much insulin to compensate
Step 5: Have hypo from too much insulin.
Step 6: I think you can see where I'm going with this.
So basically my blood sugars are swinging from high to low a LOT which is really really unhealthy, and what's more adds to the problem, as it apparently causes cravings for sweet things! Anyway, so the pump will help me to not swing so badly, and things.
There are also a lot of other benefits, but that's probably the main one. Really, when it comes down to it, if you compare what I'm doing at the moment, and what I'll be doing with a pump, there is no way in which have 4 injections a day and forgetting to take my blood sugars is superior.
So basically, come February, I'll be vacationing in the lovely Sydney for two weeks, and getting my very first Borg implant. I could get it done in my new home of Perth, but it would mean some kind of delay, and also this particular Diabetes Centre has some practices which are unique in Australia. So it's just a little better. And seeing I was coming back about then for mah Gramma's birthday, it seemed like there was no reason not to come back!
Anyway, so that's pretty exciting, huh! Sorry about the people who were thoroughly bored by that, but it's the closest thing to a cure that I'll be seeing for a long, LONG time, and goddamn it, I'm pretty goddamn excited.
Let's see, what was the other thing.
Ah yes! I recently went out and purchased the brand new Nightwish album! "Dark Passion Play". Their first release since kicking the epic butt of Tarja out of the band and adopting one Anette Olzon as the new lead singer.
Now, there are a lot of people who're all "Oh man Tarja was the shit, Nightwish is nothing without her!" and there are a lot of people who are all "No way man, Tarja sucked, Anette all the way!" and frankly I was always a bit of both. I was a bit of a hater. Tarja was being a giant bitch, but this new woman just doesn't have the epic sound Tarja did and gives the whole band a more 'poppy' feel.
Anyway, so I bought the new album, mostly out of frustration. And then listening briefly to the beginnings of tracks I was forced to accept that I didn't really like what I was hearing. In particular, it seems that Tarja was holding back their particularly creepy side. For example, the first track a 14 minute epic called The Poet and the Pendulum, mostly seems to involve someone, possibly the songwriter, being cut in half by a giant swinging blade. Now, I'm aware this is a fairly superficial understanding, and I'm sure it's a metaphor for a dozen different things. But it still creeps me out to the point that I can't actually listen to it. This feeling is enhanced by the "chopping through flesh" sound effects and the voice of a small boy saying things like "I'm afraid, I'm so afraid/ Being raped again, and again, and again/ I know I will die alone/ But loved."
It just pushes it a little too far. I'm just not one for violence. Real, imagined, visual, described or anything.
But upon further listening, with the shuffle setting on Winamp turned on, it was far more enjoyable. It really was just unfortunate that their most awful of songs was the first on the album and so, formed my first impression.
For the purposes of this review, I had thought to try and pinpoint a track at which the album peaks. But really, there are so many genres explored and mixed that it's hard to name a favourite. There are several distinctly gentle tracks, many outright metal tracks, and some that seem to blur the boundaries. "The Islander" contains a beautiful and haunting melody, enhanced by the soothing harmonies of Anette, while "Master Passion Greed" explores their darker side once more, and is a lot more... metal, even though it throws in some particularly Bond-esque trumpets. "Eva" gently describes the sadness of a small child being mocked while "Whoever Brings the Night" (one of my personal favourites) seems to be about whores, who 'love to suffer' (I'm not sure I understand that song completely, yet).
Between all these contrasts is the instrumental "Last of the Wilds", half celtic fiddle and uilleann pipes, half roaring guitar solos and metallic beat.
So! "Dark Passion Play" is a masterpiece of modern melodic metal. Not that.. I think there was too much archaic melodic metal. It pleases me on every one of my music loving levels. There's even some gospel in there. Seriously, if that's not multigenre, I just don't know what is.
Monday, October 01, 2007
The Federation are dirty Communists
Alright, alright, alright.
I WAS going to start getting shite ready for my move in just over a month. But apparently everyone wants me to blog! Which is fine, I sure like being missed. But you'll regret it when you hear that I haven't blogged in forever 'cause I've been sick and in bed for the last 3 or 4 weeks. But I'll do it now that I've been un-shaped, and using the internet isn't a tedious chore to be avoided at all costs, due to the slowness of dial-up. Yep. Sucks to be me.
A few months ago, during my last stay at the Lady Timlington residence, there was a strain of flu going around now known as the Influenza Apocalyptica. Lotsa people just real sick, and I was among them, resulting in the short stay in the hospital which I may or may not have blogged about. Anyway, I never really got over that! I was coughing and sniffling for months after that. So when I went to the doctor about other things, I also brought up the fact that I just wanted to shake this cold/flu thing forever. So she put me on a weeks worth of antibiotics, and sent me on my merry way. That was a Tuesday. The following Tuesday, after the full course, I was feeling somewhat better, not entirely, but enough. The Thursday of the same week, yes, two days after I'd finished the antibiotics, I start coughing up my lungs and my nose is full of terrifying shite and my head wants to asplode and I want to be sick everywhere.
Thank you doctor!
So yeah, that was a few weeks ago now, and I'm only recently at the stage where I can actually go out or y'know, spend most of my day out of bed. I had to come home from work the other day 'cause I literally felt on the verge of collapse.
The weird thing is, is that I hear a couple of people on the Westside who were sick at the same time as I was, are getting their flu thing back as well, again, at the same time. Which, I dunno, must suggest its something about the virus or bacteria that it makes a reappearance after several months or something? I dunno, it could also be a huge coincidence.
But I don't believe in coincidences.
In other news, the deadline for my move grows ever closer, with D-Day being only slightly more than a month away. However, due to the aforementioned sickness issues, working and other commitments, and sheer laziness I haven't made a dent on the To-Do list I need to complete in this month. Which is starting to worry me slightly. But I also know that I tend to work under pressure, and that this is something that I want a LOT, so I'm sure I can push myself to do it.
It just seems like such an enormous mountain to scratch and claw away at, and it's my fingernails falling apart, not the indefatigable peak.
I think I might've used that word incorrectly. But I've always wanted to use it in a sentence, so it's staying.
Also, karaoke!
Me and my homeboys and girls went into Town this most recent Friday night, for some karaoke hijinks! These hijinks also included Starbucks coffee and EasyWay/bubble tea (depending on what side of the continent you're on). Also, sitting in McDonalds and looking at the cunningly contrived penises made from discarded chip packets that had been strewn about in various lights.
Greg thought they were hammers. Heh.
Sorry, Frets on Fire break. I had to play Push Push (Lady Lightning).
In other other news, I might be getting an insulin pump! Which is pretty great, because I'm possibly the worlds worst diabetic. And also, private health insurance pays the whole damn thing! Wheee! That's upwards of $8000. Wheee! 'Course, it also means I'll be a step closer to being Borg than ever before. But whatever. As long as I don't go blind.
I guess they probably have Borg inplants for that as well. But I'm not ready to get assimilated yet.
Tim pointed out to me last night, that the Federation are like, the hugest bunch of dirty Communists ever. I had never thought of that! It's also shocking that Tim knew more about Star Trek than I did, considering he's hardly/hasn't watched any. I guess I just wasn't paying attention in First Contact.
Anyway! Communists.
In otter news, otters are cute.
I'm re-reading Lord of the Rings at the moment. Anyone that's been near me in the last week will know this already. Because I'm enjoying it SO THOROUGHLY that everyone I talk to has to sit through a neverending stream of me singing it's praises.
This is only surprising to me because when I read it as a younger nerd, I found it pretty boring, and I tending to just skip to the bits with dialogue so that I had a vague idea what was going on, without having to try and decipher the thousands of pages of history and lore. But this time! Having watched the movies many a time, so the plot is fairly well known to me now, the bits of history and lore, and the parts that differ from the movies are the far more interesting. The history especially. So much so in fact, that I'm thinking of having another crack at the Silmarillion. I'm not sure I'm ready for that, but I'm willing to give it a go, quite frankly. 'Cause I just want to know everything about this world. Everything! And he hints at so much stuff that's never explained in the book, as if it's common knowledge. And dammit, I WANT it to be.
Anyway, I think I've procrastinated long enough. It's time to get packing and what-forth (thank you, Tom).
There, you can all stop flaming me now!
I WAS going to start getting shite ready for my move in just over a month. But apparently everyone wants me to blog! Which is fine, I sure like being missed. But you'll regret it when you hear that I haven't blogged in forever 'cause I've been sick and in bed for the last 3 or 4 weeks. But I'll do it now that I've been un-shaped, and using the internet isn't a tedious chore to be avoided at all costs, due to the slowness of dial-up. Yep. Sucks to be me.
A few months ago, during my last stay at the Lady Timlington residence, there was a strain of flu going around now known as the Influenza Apocalyptica. Lotsa people just real sick, and I was among them, resulting in the short stay in the hospital which I may or may not have blogged about. Anyway, I never really got over that! I was coughing and sniffling for months after that. So when I went to the doctor about other things, I also brought up the fact that I just wanted to shake this cold/flu thing forever. So she put me on a weeks worth of antibiotics, and sent me on my merry way. That was a Tuesday. The following Tuesday, after the full course, I was feeling somewhat better, not entirely, but enough. The Thursday of the same week, yes, two days after I'd finished the antibiotics, I start coughing up my lungs and my nose is full of terrifying shite and my head wants to asplode and I want to be sick everywhere.
Thank you doctor!
So yeah, that was a few weeks ago now, and I'm only recently at the stage where I can actually go out or y'know, spend most of my day out of bed. I had to come home from work the other day 'cause I literally felt on the verge of collapse.
The weird thing is, is that I hear a couple of people on the Westside who were sick at the same time as I was, are getting their flu thing back as well, again, at the same time. Which, I dunno, must suggest its something about the virus or bacteria that it makes a reappearance after several months or something? I dunno, it could also be a huge coincidence.
But I don't believe in coincidences.
In other news, the deadline for my move grows ever closer, with D-Day being only slightly more than a month away. However, due to the aforementioned sickness issues, working and other commitments, and sheer laziness I haven't made a dent on the To-Do list I need to complete in this month. Which is starting to worry me slightly. But I also know that I tend to work under pressure, and that this is something that I want a LOT, so I'm sure I can push myself to do it.
It just seems like such an enormous mountain to scratch and claw away at, and it's my fingernails falling apart, not the indefatigable peak.
I think I might've used that word incorrectly. But I've always wanted to use it in a sentence, so it's staying.
Also, karaoke!
Me and my homeboys and girls went into Town this most recent Friday night, for some karaoke hijinks! These hijinks also included Starbucks coffee and EasyWay/bubble tea (depending on what side of the continent you're on). Also, sitting in McDonalds and looking at the cunningly contrived penises made from discarded chip packets that had been strewn about in various lights.
Greg thought they were hammers. Heh.
Sorry, Frets on Fire break. I had to play Push Push (Lady Lightning).
In other other news, I might be getting an insulin pump! Which is pretty great, because I'm possibly the worlds worst diabetic. And also, private health insurance pays the whole damn thing! Wheee! That's upwards of $8000. Wheee! 'Course, it also means I'll be a step closer to being Borg than ever before. But whatever. As long as I don't go blind.
I guess they probably have Borg inplants for that as well. But I'm not ready to get assimilated yet.
Tim pointed out to me last night, that the Federation are like, the hugest bunch of dirty Communists ever. I had never thought of that! It's also shocking that Tim knew more about Star Trek than I did, considering he's hardly/hasn't watched any. I guess I just wasn't paying attention in First Contact.
Anyway! Communists.
In otter news, otters are cute.
I'm re-reading Lord of the Rings at the moment. Anyone that's been near me in the last week will know this already. Because I'm enjoying it SO THOROUGHLY that everyone I talk to has to sit through a neverending stream of me singing it's praises.
This is only surprising to me because when I read it as a younger nerd, I found it pretty boring, and I tending to just skip to the bits with dialogue so that I had a vague idea what was going on, without having to try and decipher the thousands of pages of history and lore. But this time! Having watched the movies many a time, so the plot is fairly well known to me now, the bits of history and lore, and the parts that differ from the movies are the far more interesting. The history especially. So much so in fact, that I'm thinking of having another crack at the Silmarillion. I'm not sure I'm ready for that, but I'm willing to give it a go, quite frankly. 'Cause I just want to know everything about this world. Everything! And he hints at so much stuff that's never explained in the book, as if it's common knowledge. And dammit, I WANT it to be.
Anyway, I think I've procrastinated long enough. It's time to get packing and what-forth (thank you, Tom).
There, you can all stop flaming me now!
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