Tuesday, July 5, 2005

Liam: has a very unhappy timetable


Terribly sorry children, but Uncle Liam has been very naughty and only written 700 words for his next installment. While they have been revised and re-written [the first time I've been unsatisfied with my first attempt, ever], I'm not finished. I've been away from the computer up at Hervey Bay, then back home briefly [which is when that work was done], then down to brisbane to a 18th birthday and then back again now...yeah. I'm lazy.

But I'm lazy for a good reason.

Anyhow. I've passed my psychology subject, which means I have 1/4 passed this semester. The rest of my results come out on the 10th, apparently.

Also, I have a date for the church YSA ball [young single adult] on the 29th, which is a rather fancy affair. [The ball, not the date ~_^]. Camille was quite pleased, to say the least, when I asked her, and so that's excellent. She's a lovely girl and I'm sure we'll have a great time.

We talked a while tonight while our younger siblings were involved in various tuesday night activities at church. Well, Camille's sister Emma was supposed to be activitying, but she didn't want too and preferred to be talking with us. She's sixteen, and basically complained about how there aren't any guys her age that are active in the church and have the appropriate standards, which fostered an interesting conversation.

I was quite flattered.

So yes, I'm taking Camille with me to the ball on the 29th, and I'll probably post some photos if we have some taken. ^_^

Oh, and the reason for the subject title of the post is that that my timetable is quite unhappy. Monday is 8am-8pm, Tuesday is from 8am-9pm, which is what makes it unhappy.

While there is a gap from 11am-5pm, it's the fact I have an 8am start, and finish uni that day with a chemistry prac that goes for three hours.

9pm! AGH!

lol.

Ah well. If I get this RACQ job [My Elder's Quorum president is awesome.], I'll be right. $34000 a year, 20hr week and all retail work in their city store on queens street. Which is about 20min walk from uni.

Absolutely fantastic if I get it. ^_____^
Comments (1) | Permalink

Wednesday, June 8, 2005

'So long so long and thanks for all the fish!' [Hitchhiker's Guide]



Well, exams next week and I've just completed about 3 hours of maths study. The weekend was spent on frivolous fun, and at Marks place Mon/Tues. Saw Hitchhikers, and it was good.

I came home on Tuesday to a letter from Mimmi, which was greatly appreciated. The googly eyed furry card was most amusing, although I did mistake it for a furry wallet ;p.

I wanted to give something in return [the letter will come, I swear], and I've wanted to do a bit of SYF in here, so it worked out well.

SYF, the continuation..somehow. Comments would be appreciated ^_^

Arthur Brook, on his oath, was not an opportunist, but he was often in positions that he could easily…shift…to his advantage. He also wasn’t a reporter, at least according to his colleagues, behind his back, when they thought he wasn’t listening. In fact, he always was. As a young child, his parents feared him to be autistic and took him to a psychiatrist to find out exactly what was going on.

After an extraordinarily long session, the psychiatrist carefully opened the door and promptly told them that their son wasn’t autistic, he merely listened very carefully. With one hand he ushered Arthur out, and his parents in, to discuss in detail their recent arguments.

He was never a snitch, he just simply told the truth, and people always saw it the wrong way. As he grew up, he graduated from university as a journalist, and started living life from one commission to another. Not a single big paper wanted him, and the little papers frustrated him, so Arthur travelled and learnt things. Quite often he was in the right place at the right time, fully exploiting his knack to read a veritable flashpoint when he saw one.

The Singapore article had scored him big, very big. The Weekend Australian received the article that they wanted, but hundreds of papers bought his other article, thousands bought his photos, and millions absorbed his conspiracy theories. He didn’t say much, but a subtle change of word here or there could easily show a clear picture to someone, when their mind was able to fill in the tiny details.

His wildfire success had covered all of his debts and given him a new car (second hand), and an article in The Australian’s Inquirer, and all the fame he could try to avoid, in the journalism circle.

Unfortunately, as he had a desk job now, he wasn’t allowed to run around and get his own first-hand evidence. He had to parrot whatever tripe his so-called illustrious colleagues had ripped off from another paper.

Arthur groaned and put his head in his hands.

‘Did I really have to say that to his face?’ He agonised out loud to no one in particular.

There had been a flare of emotions and a ‘professional’ ‘debate.’ Arthur mentally made sure that the quotation marks clanged into place. He always kept his sharp tongue filed and, as such, he had punctured quite a few egos. Something told him that, if he didn’t latch onto something new, he’d lose his job and then no paper would have him, or his articles.

The media was always a circus, but journalists were fed to the lions more often then the Christians, or the Family First party, whatever they preferred to be called these days.

He reasoned with himself, pulling up a few files on his computer. They were ones he had only showed himself, and they were part of his ‘unwinding time.’ Anyone would argue it was work, as his girlfriend frequently did, but it was just a big truth that he wanted to unravel. Ever since his ‘7’ for his final year journalism article, on the Griffin College incident, he had decided to keep a hand in all things military. He had never seen Australia as anything more than uninteresting in the field of modern warfare, but filming that footage at the high school had opened his eyes.

He pulled open another familiar window. It was a frozen photo, fuzzy and taken from his Griffin video, but when compared to another, there was no mistaking the resemblance. Arthur stroked his five o’clock shadow and peered at the bewildered ‘University Students’ standing in front of the rubble.

The quotation marks readily clanged into place as his mind ticked over.

He had never really said anything in the Singaporean article, but he had really emphasised how good the students were at cleaning up the mess, how efficient they were, as efficient as the emergency teams that were there. So far the government hadn’t bit and asked him politely to keep a lid on it, but his survival instincts told him that he had ruffled a few unruffleable feathers.

That day…he sighed and gently tapped the computer screen, a steady beat on Liam’s forehead. He had, of course, recognized Liam instantly, but he was certain the feeling wasn’t mutual. Arthur did not have a malevolent intent for what he had learnt, if anything he felt as though he was a fanboy that knew absolutely nothing about his hero.

That was what fascinated him. He admired what these youths- he laughed at the term, he was barely five years their senior- what these youths had done with their lives. Obviously there were hardships, obviously. But they were alive, and Arthur could see the resilience in their eyes. No doubt a botched mission had caused the levelled those buildings to rubble.

Of course, Arthur didn’t have any proof for his speculation, and had wisely kept his mouth shut, very tightly shut. Oh, sure, there were hints and thinly veiled speculations, but they didn’t link anything together. Most people had responded in the Editorial section about how they admired ‘that Arthur Brook’s’ courage in showing the world that America’s world policing actions had gone too far.

Arthur hadn’t even mentioned America, but many bulls don’t care for the colour of the flag, and don’t even mind if it’s not flapping when they charge. Many more didn’t mind if they avoided the flag altogether and charged the man holding it.

Luckily his hate mail hadn’t escalated to anthrax in the post, and had trickled to a halt. He barely received an email a day now.

Speaking of mail…Arthur opened his client and checked. There wasn’t much, just an email from his Editor containing his article topic for the next weekend paper, something about his ‘homee loNe’ and something completely different.

He didn’t know what possessed him to do it, every part of him screamed out not to, but he double clicked it. ‘I know about him’ opened in a new window. The computer screen blackened, and for one blissful minute Arthur thought it was a virus and nothing out of the ordinary.
…and then a stream of text popped up. His eyes watered reading it, but his printer started, spat out one sheet, and then went silent. The computer rebooted-
-and sprayed binary code over the screen in a never-ending wave. Completely shot to hell.

‘Damn.’

Tentatively he leant over and plucked the paper from the tray. The explosion of foul language was stuck halfway up his throat, overtaken by a surge of adrenaline threatening to push up his meat pie and chips. His stomach churned with a hurricane butterfly as he snatched up his keys, quickly folding up the piece of paper and putting it into his top pocket.

‘The SYF have checked your tyres. Recommend you take them in tomorrow.’

The words raced through his head. Big story. Very big story. Lethal. Sharp spiky death story. The story of a lifetime. He rushed past confused interns and broke out into a run, fleeing the building and rushing to his little Toyota Corolla, not bothering with any stupid attempts at being subtle. He checked the driver side front wheel, and plucked a tiny black oblong, the length of a AAA battery, from its hiding spot between the hubcap and the wheel. He wiped the small amount of grease off his hands and onto his pants, knowing exactly what he was holding. He popped the cap and exhaled carefully.

A USB flash drive, and according to the tiny company writing on the side, a 1GB USB flash drive. He pocketed it and climbed into his car. Something told him that he needed to get home very quickly, or better yet, buy a laptop along the way and find a secluded coffee shop somewhere.

Still, the words raced through his head. The three letters, it’d been so many years since he had heard them uttered, all that time ago while he fumbled with his video camera in the bushes while the chopper flew overhead and the bullets flew over him. He’d sold the tape under an assumed name, and then simply referenced it for the assignment; he relished the compliments his lecturer gave him afterward, about how simply real it was.

The USB weighed in his pocket. Something told him that it was going to get so much more real.


EDIT Fixed the formatting, thanks for the heads up ^_^. There'll be more to come, but after I've finished my last exam.
Comments (2) | Permalink

Monday, May 30, 2005

'Whut? Eh! Damn straight! ...whut?' -[Truckle from 'Interesting times' by Terry Pratchett]


Wow, talk about an exciting weekend. A few weeks ago, Mark and Lauren rang me about my birthday [which, being so swept up in assignments, I had completely forgotten about], and to organise a party full of 'alcohol free fun, 7up and viking bars. And possibly hats?'

Well, that day was last Saturday, which was coincidentally my birthday. I have to go on record and say that it was, and will be, the best 18th birthday party, ever.

That's right, the 'ever' is in bold. Bold like my statement, which is also bold.

Ahem.

Anyhow, we frittered away the hours playing a multiple of sports, all rather badly, entertaining ourselves as much as we entertained the old man watching us. It's surprising how much football one can play while supposedly being a fielder for cricket.

Anyhow, Flynn has already mentioned the drunken lout that was intent on picking a fight, so I'll speak no more of him, simply because the weekend's goodness simply washes him away.

So yes, there was cheesecake [with my name written on the top in chocolate] goodness and lots of fun. After cheesecake and some hasty last minute arranging while I was being 'cleverly' distracted, the presents came out.

Mark, on behalf of the group, gave me a card and two very nice albums Evermore: dreams and The Killers: Hot Fuss. I have been wanting these for a while, so I was quite surprised that they remembered.

As I thanked, I noticed a change in the group, a quick flurry of knowing smiles that often pre-empt the unveiling of an inside joke.

Quoth Mark 'You didn't think we'd be that cheap, did you?'

Obviously there is nothing one can reply to that, so I sort of stood while they laughed, and someone [I believe Kauter] ripped out a box from under the table and slammed it on top of it.

Mentally I freaked out, but I'm externally stoic automatically when I have no way of reacting.

A incredibly expensive Sanyo mini stereo sat on the table. For me. On table. Expensive. Guh. Expennnnsiiiive. Guh. Mental breakdown.

I thanked everyone, and doing what any sane man would, opened the box with a plastic spoon so I could behold the majesty.

I still believe that it was an absurd amount of money. Absurd! Absolute insanity! But, as Mark explained, they had rung my parents to get an idea of what to get me, and apparently found out about my CD player [He didn't elaborate, but I can only assume what he was referring to]. So Lauren and Lydia decided on the beauty that woke me up this morning with Evermore's 'dreaming pt 1.'

The day was finished with a 4-5 hour game of Risk at Mark's. Lydia was kind enough to give me a lift home, and unfortunately her radiator started boiling as we were five minutes from my place. It managed make it there, but the gout of steam and roar of boiling water in the overflow tank decided it was best that she stay the night and let it cool so I could put some radiator coolant in [for some reason the tank had water in it, and was on the minimum].

She made it home alright, but the problem still occurred as she got home. RACQ is apparently sorting it out now.

The surprises kept coming as my aunty gave me a 1.8m USB cable of all things, and a 256mb Pretec micro-flash drive. It's officially the smallest I've seen, and the 'smallest in the world.' It's incredibly helpful and has saved some serious stress over transporting assignments around.

Right. That's enough explaining. I have a stats assignment to do!

...still an obsecene amount of money.

Edit:

Comments (4) | Permalink

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

   'Why do I care that Cadrian Rogers won a Green Card? Why do I want to enter a lottery, especially when the only prize is the ability to enter the US?'


Hurrah. Three days until my birthday. My 18th birthday none the less. Honestly, I keep forgetting about it and then thinking, 'wow, I'm going to be 18 soon-Hey, that man is wearing a hat!'

Last night my uncle took me to see episode 3 last night as a birthday present, and I enjoyed it. I mean, there are several things that make me want to hate it, but the overall picture is okay.

I'm sure none of you want to hear my gripes, but they are but a few and I'm sure you'll agree with me...maybe

-and wow that was a huge spider crawling on my leg that I thought was my bag brushing me. Okay, it's dead-

Spoilers, obviously.

Number one, the biggun. I probably wouldn't have a problem with this had I not read Republic Commando, so I guess it's my fault.

I am familiar with the star wars story and, like most people, understand that the storm troopers from ep 4-6 have to have come from somewhere. However, their Jedi betrayal seemed to quick for me. Meh, I guess they were just following orders, but they were following orders to kill their supreme officer that they had bonded with throughout a massive intergalactic war.

Meh.

Was I the only one that thought of crying out, 'Mace Windu! Noooo!' ?

^_^;

The previous complaints follow the plot line and had evoked emotions that no-doubt Lucas wanted, I'm still displeased.

No! Younglings! Run awaaaaay!

Ahem. As I was saying, the only thing I can really complain about is the sheer soap opera that spattered an otherwise interesting movie. I wasn't the only one in the cinema groaning when Anakin said those stupid lines.

Ah well.

Baton!

Total volume of music on my computer: 256mb

Last CD I bought: From the Sea: Eskimo Joe (single)

Music currently playing: None.

Top five songs: (Augh. Death.)

1. Rebels of the Sacred Heart, Flogging Molly [Drunken Lullabies]. It's a song that basically sums up the piratical tendencies of my grade way back in '04. It's a lot of fun, and Celtic Rock is something not many have heard of. I'm forever grateful for Tom Michel introducing me to this great band.

2. Time is Running out, Muse. I understand and know the song is referring to abortion, but listening to the opening instrumental just makes me think of the SYF. Specifically Liam skulking around in the shadows, with the rest of the team spread out around him. Try it sometime.

3. Mr Spock, Nerf Herder [American Cheese]. I swear that one of these days I will find their album and listen to other songs they've written. Bismarck sent this song to me ages ago over msn, and I've loved it ever since.

4. Tried My Wings, Antiskeptic [Aurora]. It's just a good song. I'm not going to analyse it for you, you'll just have to listen to it yourself.

5. Tobacco Island, Flogging Molly [Within a Mile of Home]. This would be the number two, but I thought it best to spread it around. Granted, I don't have much music, but I do enjoy what I have. It's another piratey song [as most of them are], but the history and pure passion that is infused with the music has always confirmed to me that no one can sing like the Irish. Especially when they're drunk. And possibly angry.

I'd pass it on, but I don't know anyone else that reads this and hasn't been beaten over the head by this stupid thing, :p.


Comments (1) | Permalink

Thursday, May 19, 2005

   'Broken glass fields of Barstabulon XXVII may not have been the best idea...'


Busy busy busy. Calculus assignments are not necessarily the most entertaining exercise, but when you do something right, you tend to feel quite good about yourself.

I received my marks back for my Statistics assignment and was surprised to find that I managed to get a six, of all things. I would have been happy with a 4, but yes, go the six!

Family is coming down this weekend, and I want to spend time and that [Dad will probably suggest Star Wars], but I have a 1200 word psych assignment to complete. I'll probably do some tonight and finish the rest of it off on Monday, before I have to hand it in at 3.

I'd be doing it right now, but I've lost my only floppy disk, which, in fact, sucks quite a lot. The sooner I get a job, the sooner I buy the cheapest USB drive I can find.

Oh! That reminds me!

I'm still looking for a job [and always walk around with a couple copies of my CV in my bag, how sad], and I went out to Garden City shopping centre for the first time in months [or since I moved here, actually], looking for employment.

I wander past the Australian Geographic shop and notice an A4 sheet stuck to the window, hello hello, two casual positions have become available.

It turns out that, in the previous weekend, two staff members inexplicably quit, leaving two available positions.

I've handed in my CV [and I know I've said this before to know effect], and I've got a shoe in as I've already had all the AG training and etc, and already know the products.

If I don't manage to get this job, after seeking employment for so long and having this unbelievable coincidence, it's going to kill me.

I'm sure there's an 'unemployment beast' wandering around, stifling the hopes and breaths of every uni student...

Right, off to Life Science.
Comments (5) | Permalink

Monday, May 9, 2005

   'Victory howl or transformation into a ravenous manbeast? Who cares? Back to you in the studio, David' [Scary go Round]


I check myO sporadically when I have time before or between lectures, and I was surprised just now that I had two new guestbook comments. One would say "huzzah" at this point, but both of them said, more or less, [for one comment, this is a direct quote] "Hello. Come to my site."

I feel all warm and fuzzy inside because people out there have finally decided to cut straight to the point.

...why am I suddenly so bitter?

Hm.

Anyhow, life is incredibly boring for me right now. Currently my life is consumed by 71% Uni stuff, 14% Church stuff and 15% misc. [and yes, I abbreviated that because I forgot how to spell the word.]

It really is very boring. It hasn't helped that I've been crook with a cold or something over the weekend, which really helped my assignment, and destroyed any hopes of job searching.

Today I've decided that I'm going to the library in town to get an obscene amount of Terry Pratchett books out [or something similar] and have some sort of escapist moment. I have plenty of better ways to spend my time, but they're all uni ways, and I'm sick of the work.

x.x;

If I just had a job, I would at least have something to distract myself with. I know that sounds stupid to those of you who are at uni and who work at the same time, but I really need a third sphere in my life. Some sort of pressure I guess.

I'm generally self motivated when the time comes, but I have so much free time that I simply abuse it and end up finishing the day thinking, "Wow. I've done absolutely jack all today."

That's not a good thought. I mean, I played Morrowind the other day, thoroughly enjoyed it, but the dominating thought in my mind was "you know, I could be doing some study right now, or at least reading a book, what am I achieving here?"

I ended up reading a book, which shatters any hopes of me actually doing something with my life.

This is pretty much going to go the same way as highschool for me [actually, it rather has], last year I only studied before exams [which I have been told repeatedly that it's all I have to do], and spent my time goofing off.

That's pretty much all that's happening right now. Except I have a lot more free time, and I sort of study when I feel like it. I should really commit myself to a personal timetable, but I'm too lazy. [I also was going to use a fancy word there, but the use of fancy words glosses over the truth sometimes]

Yeah, I'm lazy. I can't justify it in any way, I'm just lazy. I go to all my lectures, do maybe an hour of study each week [if that], and only do assignments when I have to.

Agh.

*stab*

Self motivation is easy, but there isn't a switch to turn it on. It's a lot of work to do something as simple as reading lecture notes, without becoming unfocused and thinking of other things.

So very, very stupid.

I should stop relying on my natural ability to absorb information [that's the only reason why I scrape a pass], and work for it. But I never get around to it. Procrastination, through simple absent-mindedness, is my curse.

Bah.


Comments (3) | Permalink

Saturday, April 30, 2005

   'Riiight. This is coming from the guy in the tiger suit.' [Apple Geeks]


Home for the weekeend. It's great to have an excuse to do nothing. I have assessment, yes, but nothing is currently pressing.

I enjoyed the "Sherwoodstock" musical last night, and am quite proud of my little brother's involvement. Sure he has work to do, but he's only in year nine. As we were coming back home after the performance, we were talking about the musical and his role. He thanked me for pressuring him into the musical in the first place, and I simply told him that the musical gets so much better when it's your last one.

So yes, I enjoyed the musical, though the entire musical was carried on the back of the camp Sherriff of Nottingham. Let's not forget that some parts of it didn't make any sense, but that's purely the script's fault. The students gave it their all, and they deserve all the acclamations they can get.

^_^

Mind you, I felt incredibly old while I was waiting for Blair to finish up in the after party. Teen spirit is such a stupid thing when you watch it from a third person view. lol.

I now know what it feels like to be my parents.

I was just honestly surprised at how the year 11's [12's now] and other grades came rushing up to meet us. I mean, when the past years students came to our musicals, I didn't have the same sort of reaction as I was only merely acquainted with them.

I guess it shows the semi-influence that we, as a year group, had upon them. Warm and fuzzy feelings for all.

I was still taken by surprise when Karina ran up and pretty much tackle hugged me. ^_^;

Ah well. The worst part of it all is that the night had to end. It would have been great to spend more time, but I didn't feel comfortable being there and, since everyone from my group had nicked off to Jeorge's by then, I felt it appropriate to usher Blair to the car and home again.

I really am proud and pleased of them.

MInd you, Katy was still nuts for accepting the job as production coordinator or whatever. Completely nuts, but she seemed to handle it beautifully.

The Peace slogans written all over her face were a nice touch.

Anyhow, I wake up this morning to find that half of the clothes I had packed are now gone. Only underwear and a singlet remains. Obviously more clothes than I had expected had been sucked out of the car.

Not making any sense?

Well, after I had dropped Prowse at his house when we first got to Toowoomba from Brisbane, I didn't check to see if my hatchback's hatch was properly closed. [Sometimes the catch doesn't lock].

Basically I got to my driveway [after cruising at 100k's an hour on the New England Highway], to hear the hissing of the hatch gas struts lifting my boot open.

Not cool.

So I had taken a cursory glance and believed I had only lost a shirt and a pair of socks. My new jeans were still there, and my suit was safely inside the car itself, no harm done.

...turns out I've probably lost two more shirts and two pairs of shorts.

I'm hoping I actually forgot to pack them, because if not, my small wardrobe has become even smaller.

It's actually quite funny because I opted to use my O-week guildbag [which is essentially an upper market shopping bag], instead of my bulky travelling back.

At this point I have to wonder if I had went with the proper bag, would I have lost all, or none?
Comments (3) | Permalink

Sunday, April 24, 2005

Monkey!


...I'm going to murder this floppy disk...and anyone who gloats about having their maths assignment done.

All of my notes are on this stupid disk. I can see the file, look, it's right there, but I can't copy or access it.

*stab*

That's two weeks of work down the drain.

I really need to get a USB drive so I can put all of this nonsense to death. Repeatedly.

x.x
Comments (2) | Permalink

Thursday, April 21, 2005

Late entrant to Mayoral Race promises: 'kindness to most mammals'
It seems I only ever post on here when I have the insane urge to complain about something, mainly maths, but complain none the less.

From this day onwards, Liam shall never complain on here again!

...pfft. Yeah, right. Like that's going to happen. lol.

Well, the study I did for my Life Science mid semester exam paid off. I believe I did quite well in it. Hooray for biology!

My chem mid semester marks were released yesterday as well, and I managed a cool 50%. Room for improvement is good, but not too much room, lol.

[EDIT: And we're back to continue as I finish attending my 8am life science lecture..]

I managed to resolve a crisis with my Chemistry practical. [all of which seem to be getting harder] It probably didn't help either that I forgot about it until Mayank reminded me yesterday while we were doing the maths assignment.

Study buddies are good. I'm just surprised that I'm helping them as much as they're helping me, especially with maths. I mean, when I don't understand something, they do, and when they don't, I do.

I mean, I finished the first half of the maths assignment, no problems, but I had difficulties with the latter half. It was the opposite for them and it all worked out good in the end ^_^

I just need to finish the last question and write it alllll up.

I currently have two Interpersonal Processes and Skills assignments to do over the next two/three weeks and another midsemester chem exam. Other than that, I have nothing else but study.

It's so incredibly tempting to throw all of this aside and play Morrowind, especially with the Bloodmoon expansion installed [thanks Ben!]. But I haven't. It also doesn't help that Neverwinter Nights is now available from Electronics Botique for $10.

At this point, the bonuses of being unemployed appear briefly...

...and then get swallowed up by the beckoning need for material gain...

lol

Another friend, Thuy, is hooked on an online game called 'Ragnarok Online,' and she's been extolling the virtues of it to me. Then I promptly tell her all about Morrowind, and Mayank just sits there and is excluded by the sheer wealth of nerdiness.

lol

I managed to catch up with the old skool free-stylin' rappers from the mountain side on Tuesday and played netball with them. Owing to my great height I was placed as GK, and then as GS for the second half. My lack of aggression was most unfortunate, as the match showed that Netball is not a dignified 'ladies sport.'

Lots and lots of aggression and tackling and people firing up. Most amusing for me, because half the time the ball was in the other half [we were beaten 30 something to 4], and I spent most of my free time talking to the opposite team's GS, Julie.

Mark [DJ ToKeN F3m/-\13] wants a big netball practice this Monday [Anzac Day], which I'm guessing will be filled with 'making Liam tap into is testosterone reserves to catalyse the beast within,' or something.

Or we could just be climbing trees and playing on the swings, like last time. lol.

I already have plans for Monday [Institute Lounge stuff], but I'm sure I can fit both in. Study and assignment work will have to take a hike, however, mainly because petrol is expensive and I need it for the trip back to the musical.

Speaking of trips, I did go to Tom Makim's funeral, and by some miracle, managed to make it back in time for my 3pm lecture. I ended up driving by myself there and back again, in my suit, as there wouldn't be time to get changed in Toowoomba.

To further complicate matters, I had to catch an early bus from Mark's house because I had stayed the night after netball.

In the end I ended up making it to St Pat's cathedral at 9:50am, the same time as Katy and 'toldi, so we went in together. Katy left to sit...somewhere...no doubt she'll say where later.

It was a good service, and I feel like an idiot for saying that because to describe a gathering of mourners as 'good' is a little redundant.

Needless to say, it was an adequate and appropriate service.

Mr Clarke had arranged a powerpoint session of photos of Tom, photos that made us laugh, made us think, but unfortunately reminded us of how much we lost in his decision.

The presentation was accompanied with some music of Tom's composition that showed his talent. It was almost melancholy, yet at the same time exciting. To me it left a feeling of neutrality. Others were crying during the presentation, which makes me feel as though I either didn't know him well enough and didn't deserve to be there, or that I have blocked my emotions so well that I simply didn't feel them, or even know I was blocking them.

Either case does not inspire much hope in me. Neutrality is my constant companion at funerals, which is a blessing as it gives me the opportunity to 'mourn with those that mourn,' while keeping a clear head and allowing me to comfort and focus on the other.

Blessing or a curse?

I don't know. I've never understood my emotions. I don't think I ever will, but I know that for some reason my mental gearing effortlessly brushes them aside when there's someone else that needs my attention.

I don't know what that makes me.

While we were gathering outside the cathedral, Mrs Christopherson came up to me and said hello. We talked for a while, at a rate that was appropriate for the situation, at a comfortable silence that was warm despite the busy traffic behind us. She then congratulated me on receiving the Phillipe Sambain Memorial Prize for Community Service, and to which I replied that I figured she was the one that had nominated me.

Never the less, I was still surprised when she said, 'well who else, Liam?'

Others may not find that quite as profound as I did, but given the context, it struck me as much to say, 'well? Who else, Liam? You do the job. You can't throw it aside. You don't let it be thrown. When your day comes, will you continue?'

Personal thought and inspiration can strike you at the oddest of times.

I shouldn't complain about these things. I accept it, but often I begrudge it. I often forget what I have done, through a sort of embarrassed modesty, I'm not sure. But by forgetting, I lose the internal support that you receive from having accomplished something.

After all, isn't it easier to attempt a task when you know that you have already completed it before?

I'm certain that those few of you that have read me frequently are now surprised at the deep and meaningful level of my discourse, to which I reply, 'who else, but Liam?'


Comments (4) | Permalink

Saturday, April 16, 2005

'You don't want a boyfriend, what you want is Mr Spock to come to your wasteland and destroy the robot.'- Nerf Herder


Jack all study has been done by me this weekend, and it feels good. I'm just done family things. Got my hair cut and I now have a semi-mohawk [pronounced MO-hawk, as in, 'MO money, foo!]. I found the change refreshing. I also finally managed to get the Fuji camera's web camera function working [now that I have XP] as I am home and have the opportunity.

Because of this Juu saw the haircut, and loved it [though cute is not the look I was going for..]. And Flynn basked in my radiating glory.

Well, sort of. At least he didn't call me cute.

I forgot to take photos, and I'm too lazy to put them up, so there.

I haven't studied this weekend, I've just done things with my folks, it's nice to be home and be loved, but it kicks you in the stomach when you go in to the barbers and the hairdresser says, 'and what grade are you in'

Though when I said I was a first year Uni student and what I was doing, she became quite flirtacious, which was amusing and rather flattering.

Is it just me or am I writing like Flynn?

Too limited a vocabulary, but I'm making up for it with the dry sense of humour.

Or not really at all.

Shut up.

[edit]:



Comments (6) | Permalink