I stayed at home to do some work instead of going to the lab as I usually do.
Am I ever so glad I did. This is the time I'd normally walk back and it's raining heavily. Not just that, but we've had heavy winds today. Put that together with the unusually early sunset and it looks like we're caught in a cyclone here.
Wondering how everyone else is planning on getting home.
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Friday, 31 July 2009
A Letter to an Important Person
Hi.
So. Um. I don't quite know where to start. You're really weird and, to be honest, fairly scary. I don't know how you get to be as sneaky as you are, because you are not particularly silent. Somehow you have mastered the art of fading into the background, such that you are completely undetectable until you make yourself known, generally when located behind us just as we start talking about you.
That said, I don't fear you. No, I don't care what she says. She doesn't know a quarter of what she thinks she does. I'm not convinced that you would hurt me, on purpose or otherwise, and therefore I'm not afraid of you, personally. What I do have for you is intense respect, for the strange balance of razor-sharp intelligence, authority, and gentleness, that is your personality. Inconveniencing you in any way is the last think I want to do. Therefore I stay out of your way, because I don't quite know what to do to avoid offending or annoying you. You're such a closed book, I can't judge what you prefer and what you hate. It's just been easier to avoid you altogether and therefore avoid the question of how to actually interact with you.
This wasn't right. I'm sorry. It was not until today that I realised I've been as much a closed book to you as you have been to me - that where I thought you were stoic and reserved, you were actually shy and unsure. I thought you didn't want to talk to me, but in reality you didn't know how. I didn't mean to ignore you. I just thought it simply didn't matter to you.
I won't let that happen again. I promise I'll make an effort to get to know you better. I'll share my silly little adventures with you even if I think you won't be interested, just to let you know how I'm going. I'll treat you as a person and not an obligation. I'll stop worrying about how anything I might say or do would result in a backlash from you. I'll stop being so selfish. Because I realise that's what I've been all along. I've been so careful to avoid annoying you because, ultimately, I didn't want to have to face any kind of negative consequences. I've been acting as if I've been thinking about you when, in fact, it's all been about me. And with my cowardice I've been hurting you.
You are important to me, you know. Your opinion, your insights, the things you say which I don't want to hear. And because you matter, I'm going to start putting you ahead of my need to maintain an image. I think you deserve that much, even if it is a poor return for everything you've done for me.
Thanks, and cheers.
So. Um. I don't quite know where to start. You're really weird and, to be honest, fairly scary. I don't know how you get to be as sneaky as you are, because you are not particularly silent. Somehow you have mastered the art of fading into the background, such that you are completely undetectable until you make yourself known, generally when located behind us just as we start talking about you.
That said, I don't fear you. No, I don't care what she says. She doesn't know a quarter of what she thinks she does. I'm not convinced that you would hurt me, on purpose or otherwise, and therefore I'm not afraid of you, personally. What I do have for you is intense respect, for the strange balance of razor-sharp intelligence, authority, and gentleness, that is your personality. Inconveniencing you in any way is the last think I want to do. Therefore I stay out of your way, because I don't quite know what to do to avoid offending or annoying you. You're such a closed book, I can't judge what you prefer and what you hate. It's just been easier to avoid you altogether and therefore avoid the question of how to actually interact with you.
This wasn't right. I'm sorry. It was not until today that I realised I've been as much a closed book to you as you have been to me - that where I thought you were stoic and reserved, you were actually shy and unsure. I thought you didn't want to talk to me, but in reality you didn't know how. I didn't mean to ignore you. I just thought it simply didn't matter to you.
I won't let that happen again. I promise I'll make an effort to get to know you better. I'll share my silly little adventures with you even if I think you won't be interested, just to let you know how I'm going. I'll treat you as a person and not an obligation. I'll stop worrying about how anything I might say or do would result in a backlash from you. I'll stop being so selfish. Because I realise that's what I've been all along. I've been so careful to avoid annoying you because, ultimately, I didn't want to have to face any kind of negative consequences. I've been acting as if I've been thinking about you when, in fact, it's all been about me. And with my cowardice I've been hurting you.
You are important to me, you know. Your opinion, your insights, the things you say which I don't want to hear. And because you matter, I'm going to start putting you ahead of my need to maintain an image. I think you deserve that much, even if it is a poor return for everything you've done for me.
Thanks, and cheers.
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Update XXIV: Snow
I'll go chronologically, since that makes the most sense.
As may be inferred from the previous post, I went with some friends to watch Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on opening night here. Subsequently I've read a number of reviews by both professional and casual critics, and they have been overwhelmingly negative. Personally, my verdict is that if you like giant robot fights, vehicles and explosions, are willing to overlook silly humans and a few vulgar jokes, and are a fan of Optimus Prime, watch this movie. Otherwise, set your expectations low and/or don't bother watching it. I'll say this much, though - it was a far better sequel than Dead Man's Chest. I enjoyed it as a mindless action movie with sprinklings of good characterisation and stunning visuals, and will probably pick up the DVD when it comes out.
Over the weekend another friend took us to a ski trip to Mt. Buller. It was a good three-hour drive, but I enjoyed all of it, especially at one point where we were far enough from civilisation for the night sky to fill with stars - and not just the major constellations, but the spraypaint-like distant stars as well. It was magnificient. We stayed a delightfully rustic lodge at the base of the mountain, and drove up in the morning to the ski resort. Skiing, I must say, is a tiring activity and requires physical strength (especially in the knees and thighs) as well as coordination, balance and pure recklessness. The ski-lifts were fun though (except the part when I got off and promptly fell on my rear) and I loved the snow. It is unlike any other material on Earth. Being the massive nerds we were, we made a snow PCR machine and subsequently took a stab at a Snow Optimus.
At evening we headed back down for a pasta dinner and some relaxation. We had mulled wine over a wild game of house-rules UNO - and let me tell you this, there is nothing like playing UNO with six people, especially when the rules have been tweaked to make the game faster-paced. The game made us properly tired for bedtime. I had previously called dibs on the loft bed, and retired well-buried under a pile of blankets, pillows and a stuffed shark.
By the next day my muscles were aching and my feet hurt where the ski boots had pressed against them, so I stayed back and explored the small settlement around the lodge. I found a beautiful little creek, and managed to get a photograph of a rather bold kookaburra. I'd have made Anzac cookies too, but was defeated by a lack of baking soda in the otherwise well-stocked kitchen. I did explore the interesting collection of books in the house, which included recipe books, Agatha Christie's autobiography, an embroidery reference book and a collection of essays in the area of life sciences, such as the Gaia hypothesis and selfish genes. It was a pleasant holiday, and I was rather sad when it ended.
Naturally, living away from civilisation with no television or internet does tend to remove one from current news. But we did have a working radio, and it was from this ancient machine that we learned Michael Jackson had passed away.
Jackson has been a controversial character in recent times. But if we look impassively at his work, especially his early songs, it cannot be denied that he was a superb dancer, and that many of his music videos contained ground-breaking ideas. Furthermore, it is clear that he has contributed greatly to popular culture. I'm sad that things happened the way that they did, and I mourn the loss of another brilliant singer. Rest in peace, Mr. Jackson.
Today was a working Sunday, an attempt to restore normalcy after two days of holidaying, to let the muscle aches subside, and more importantly to get some much-needed grocery shopping done. Chocolate was purchased, music was listened to, the day wound down back to reality.
Tomorrow will be another day.
As may be inferred from the previous post, I went with some friends to watch Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen on opening night here. Subsequently I've read a number of reviews by both professional and casual critics, and they have been overwhelmingly negative. Personally, my verdict is that if you like giant robot fights, vehicles and explosions, are willing to overlook silly humans and a few vulgar jokes, and are a fan of Optimus Prime, watch this movie. Otherwise, set your expectations low and/or don't bother watching it. I'll say this much, though - it was a far better sequel than Dead Man's Chest. I enjoyed it as a mindless action movie with sprinklings of good characterisation and stunning visuals, and will probably pick up the DVD when it comes out.
Over the weekend another friend took us to a ski trip to Mt. Buller. It was a good three-hour drive, but I enjoyed all of it, especially at one point where we were far enough from civilisation for the night sky to fill with stars - and not just the major constellations, but the spraypaint-like distant stars as well. It was magnificient. We stayed a delightfully rustic lodge at the base of the mountain, and drove up in the morning to the ski resort. Skiing, I must say, is a tiring activity and requires physical strength (especially in the knees and thighs) as well as coordination, balance and pure recklessness. The ski-lifts were fun though (except the part when I got off and promptly fell on my rear) and I loved the snow. It is unlike any other material on Earth. Being the massive nerds we were, we made a snow PCR machine and subsequently took a stab at a Snow Optimus.
At evening we headed back down for a pasta dinner and some relaxation. We had mulled wine over a wild game of house-rules UNO - and let me tell you this, there is nothing like playing UNO with six people, especially when the rules have been tweaked to make the game faster-paced. The game made us properly tired for bedtime. I had previously called dibs on the loft bed, and retired well-buried under a pile of blankets, pillows and a stuffed shark.
By the next day my muscles were aching and my feet hurt where the ski boots had pressed against them, so I stayed back and explored the small settlement around the lodge. I found a beautiful little creek, and managed to get a photograph of a rather bold kookaburra. I'd have made Anzac cookies too, but was defeated by a lack of baking soda in the otherwise well-stocked kitchen. I did explore the interesting collection of books in the house, which included recipe books, Agatha Christie's autobiography, an embroidery reference book and a collection of essays in the area of life sciences, such as the Gaia hypothesis and selfish genes. It was a pleasant holiday, and I was rather sad when it ended.
Naturally, living away from civilisation with no television or internet does tend to remove one from current news. But we did have a working radio, and it was from this ancient machine that we learned Michael Jackson had passed away.
Jackson has been a controversial character in recent times. But if we look impassively at his work, especially his early songs, it cannot be denied that he was a superb dancer, and that many of his music videos contained ground-breaking ideas. Furthermore, it is clear that he has contributed greatly to popular culture. I'm sad that things happened the way that they did, and I mourn the loss of another brilliant singer. Rest in peace, Mr. Jackson.
Today was a working Sunday, an attempt to restore normalcy after two days of holidaying, to let the muscle aches subside, and more importantly to get some much-needed grocery shopping done. Chocolate was purchased, music was listened to, the day wound down back to reality.
Tomorrow will be another day.
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Monday, 22 June 2009
Nerd Eyes
Is it nerdy that when I looked at the placeholder image for Sarah Zero today, I immediately spotted the disassembled Bordakh?
Yeah, I thought so.
Incidentally, I also see some Tanma bits in there.
Yeah, I thought so.
Incidentally, I also see some Tanma bits in there.
Saturday, 6 June 2009
Old Age
So I turned 21 a bunch of days ago. While I wasn't all that excited about it, our social representative was and insisted on organising a lunch, with cake afterwards. She also stuck balloons over my desk. I still haven't removed them.
I also bought a Skrall for myself. He is very awesome.
In spite of all the celebrations and suggestions to get drunk and all, it didn't really sink in until I was attempting to get through a door which one student was blocking, as he stood in the middle of the doorway chatting animatedly to his friends. As I was attempting to slink past with a muttered, "Excuse me," one of his friends pushed him aside, saying, "Let the poor lady pass."
Looks like it's time to start investing in anti-wrinkle cream and knitting needles.
I also bought a Skrall for myself. He is very awesome.
In spite of all the celebrations and suggestions to get drunk and all, it didn't really sink in until I was attempting to get through a door which one student was blocking, as he stood in the middle of the doorway chatting animatedly to his friends. As I was attempting to slink past with a muttered, "Excuse me," one of his friends pushed him aside, saying, "Let the poor lady pass."
Looks like it's time to start investing in anti-wrinkle cream and knitting needles.
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