My life has gotten relatively strange(r) and more and more like a bad teen drama. I haven't updated. There's a lot to say and it's too much effort to say it.
I have the flu.
Post-modern things I can't relate, like summer camp in coastal states. Alcohol and coffee beans, dance floors and magazines.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Idealism
I really am the most ridiculous idealist. I am, in almost every way, the silly teenage girl with the big dreams and the bigger, constantly active imagination. Throw in a pinch of obsessive psychoanalysing and a dash of arguable lunacy and we have a recipe for ridiculous expectations and a one way journey to letdown.
Or at least, I would be, had I not quickly (and efficient, might I brag - not that it's really anything to brag about,) learned to distinguish between planning to do things and actually, you know, doing them.
Somethings things don't work out the way you plan/envision/manically dream up as you stare out the bus window when a deep song comes on as you pretend you're in a music video.
And the reason I'm saying all this is, well, I've gone ahead and dreamt up a silly list of plans again and if they fall through or don't work out as envisioned - which is most likely to happen, as I don't so much make 'plans,' as 'very rough outlines' - then that's fine because hopefully I'll have had a little adventure out of it. Speaking of which, I sure do plan a lot of things and adventures for someone who really doesn't have the funds for it.
The main gist of it, is this is the rough outline of my next term:
(Yes, for someone who is as scatty as me, I sure do love putting on a facade of being somewhat organised and a thinking-ahead type person.)
So now we've got the future (lol) out the way, what's been going on with my past? You see, I've gotten into the bad habit of getting very good at blogging about entirely nothing. Whilst my thoughts and stuff are interesting to me and I like writing them down because the inside of my head is generally a coherence train wreck, I know it's probably not that interesting to my "regular readers" - I was surprised to find I had some too. Love you guys!
No one is really ready for this picture and I'm pretty sure i'm 0.001 seconds into a blink or something but it's so unprepared and it's cute. Had a girly lunch and catch up with the girls, and then we headed out after that night.
When I say 'the girls,' it's always lovely because no matter how long we go without properly speaking, it's never awkward when we finally get together and share stories. Fun updates and gossip (and bitching lol we're girls okay,) are pretty much guaranteed. Also saw Ollie and Brendan and Chris that night, as well as the lamma gang at $10 vodka (Shot every time I've mentioned that phrase on my blog...)
Everyone somehow ended up ridiculous drunk and hungover and sick the next day (except me god BLESS still not getting hangovers?!) and the next day I also had sushi with Ali and Izzy WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD BECAUSE FUCKING HELL I MISS SUSHI SO MUCH IN ENGLAND.
Hong Kong skyline from TST. How pretty. Not that it's been pretty recently at all with the dumb humidity and heat and bam, today there was a freak amber rainstorm and the tree next to my window kept banging on it.
Aw, the view from my window. I keep forgetting about my seaview because Coventry is in the middle of England and nowhere near the sea. I mean, I don't like being in the sea much but I love the concept and it's pretty to look at. (God damn it, I'm simultaneously so deep and so shallow.)
Night view walking home. This was such a nice walk. The wind was blowing everywhere and it was cool and I was staring at the view thinking about life and stuff as you do. I'm in such a questioning/existential mood as of late.
In other, small news, I have begun the game of 'How many dvds can you hide in your suitcase before your parents get annoyed,' also known as packing to the ordinary person. Esme's coming over tonight (yes, it's 12.42 already but whatever,) and unfortunately, our Disneyland plans may fall through based on shitty weather. (See: freak amber rainstorm.) Other than that, I leave early Wednesday morning! So excited to be back in cool weather and no humidity and not a lot of people. I really miss England where I'm gone. It's funny how I cling to new homes really quickly and form new links. I'm like a country chameleon.
Or at least, I would be, had I not quickly (and efficient, might I brag - not that it's really anything to brag about,) learned to distinguish between planning to do things and actually, you know, doing them.
Somethings things don't work out the way you plan/envision/manically dream up as you stare out the bus window when a deep song comes on as you pretend you're in a music video.
And the reason I'm saying all this is, well, I've gone ahead and dreamt up a silly list of plans again and if they fall through or don't work out as envisioned - which is most likely to happen, as I don't so much make 'plans,' as 'very rough outlines' - then that's fine because hopefully I'll have had a little adventure out of it. Speaking of which, I sure do plan a lot of things and adventures for someone who really doesn't have the funds for it.
The main gist of it, is this is the rough outline of my next term:
(Yes, for someone who is as scatty as me, I sure do love putting on a facade of being somewhat organised and a thinking-ahead type person.)
(1) Study study study. Exam time, which tends to throw me into a state of mania unparalleled to anything ever seen before. I'm kidding, it's not that bad. I sleep less and talk more and huddle over posters and mind maps and pages of notes and - in this case, - watch films and walk around with a wide-eyed, slightly insane gaze as I ponder the purpose behind paracinema or the true definition of excess. I also tend to paint a lot of creepy things. We all have our ways to deal with stress okay whatever.
(2) Test low-budget horror film. Low-budget as in no budget because I'm fulfilling the quota of being a broke college student and actually am this term. Test because I'm not planning to revolutionise anything or even make a legit terrifying film. I just want to play with techniques and experiment with what I can do. It's been too long since I've had a proper "project," and when it goes too long, it drives me absolutely mad. I need a baby to focus on! (Not literally. Reddit's 'what's the worst pain you've ever felt,' thread may have left me shaking and terrified of childbirth and frequent flying has made me pretty much just not like babies.)
(3) Explore, take cute photos, become an adventurer! (God damn it, I'm like the awful lovechild of all those cute wildlife flickr/tumblr hipster photos but bear with me,) Planning to bulk order disposable cameras and capture the last term, mixing them up so it's a fun surprise when they're developed. Go to new places and create lists of things and goals and objectives - like feed ducks, and take a photo of x, y, z and so on, - and just take it easy with a picnic and sitting by the grass. How cute. And maybe needed, concerning (1)
So now we've got the future (lol) out the way, what's been going on with my past? You see, I've gotten into the bad habit of getting very good at blogging about entirely nothing. Whilst my thoughts and stuff are interesting to me and I like writing them down because the inside of my head is generally a coherence train wreck, I know it's probably not that interesting to my "regular readers" - I was surprised to find I had some too. Love you guys!
No one is really ready for this picture and I'm pretty sure i'm 0.001 seconds into a blink or something but it's so unprepared and it's cute. Had a girly lunch and catch up with the girls, and then we headed out after that night.
When I say 'the girls,' it's always lovely because no matter how long we go without properly speaking, it's never awkward when we finally get together and share stories. Fun updates and gossip (and bitching lol we're girls okay,) are pretty much guaranteed. Also saw Ollie and Brendan and Chris that night, as well as the lamma gang at $10 vodka (Shot every time I've mentioned that phrase on my blog...)
Everyone somehow ended up ridiculous drunk and hungover and sick the next day (except me god BLESS still not getting hangovers?!) and the next day I also had sushi with Ali and Izzy WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD BECAUSE FUCKING HELL I MISS SUSHI SO MUCH IN ENGLAND.
Hong Kong skyline from TST. How pretty. Not that it's been pretty recently at all with the dumb humidity and heat and bam, today there was a freak amber rainstorm and the tree next to my window kept banging on it.
Aw, the view from my window. I keep forgetting about my seaview because Coventry is in the middle of England and nowhere near the sea. I mean, I don't like being in the sea much but I love the concept and it's pretty to look at. (God damn it, I'm simultaneously so deep and so shallow.)
Night view walking home. This was such a nice walk. The wind was blowing everywhere and it was cool and I was staring at the view thinking about life and stuff as you do. I'm in such a questioning/existential mood as of late.
In other, small news, I have begun the game of 'How many dvds can you hide in your suitcase before your parents get annoyed,' also known as packing to the ordinary person. Esme's coming over tonight (yes, it's 12.42 already but whatever,) and unfortunately, our Disneyland plans may fall through based on shitty weather. (See: freak amber rainstorm.) Other than that, I leave early Wednesday morning! So excited to be back in cool weather and no humidity and not a lot of people. I really miss England where I'm gone. It's funny how I cling to new homes really quickly and form new links. I'm like a country chameleon.
Friday, April 13, 2012
30 Things I've Learned In The Last Few Months Or So
1. For some reason, not everyone finds videos of exotic shorthairs doing cute things as adorable as I do and they consider it weird that I can literally spend hours doing nothing but watching these.
2. England has not really been exposed to the wonder that is frozen yogurt.
3. But milkshakes, everywhere.
4. There's such a thing as toblerone cake and it is actually a foodstuff sent down from the heavens to bless us mortals.
5. That I would passionately and desperately miss green tea lattes in England.
6. Oprah's name on her birth certificate is actually 'Orpah'
7. Your best friends will always hate your ex under any circumstance.
8. The emergency exit aisle seats on Qantas don't have liftable arm rests.
9. Legit sharpies are actually rather expensive. (In comparison to New Zealand dollar store knockoffs.)
10. It's pretty easy (and cheap) to buy cut-outs of fictional characters.
11.
This scene was not actually filmed with a camera on a rig and instead by using the most badass cameraman ever.
12. Pancake day is taken seriously in the UK and it is damn fabulous.
13. It's possible to trip over a fire hydrant.
14. Disneyland's restaurants do not serve free water.
15. Avocado seriously works in any meal of the day.
16. Wii games are region protected.
17. Amaretto and cranberry tastes like christmas.
18. It's actually really easy to fall asleep in an uncomfortable screening room.
19. Australians occasionally think 'Loughborough' is pronounced 'Loogabarooga' #bless
20. There is always an 'Unexpected item in bagging area' whether there actually is or not.
21. Buying coffee every morning builds up to a ridiculous amount of money.
22. They don't really say 'Mail' in England.
23. Tesco's idea of '24 hours' is actually '24 hours except for when we close Midnight on Saturday and 4pm Sunday'
24. Ed Wood is both the best and worst director ever. And possibly my favourite.
25. There are just as many fanboys for Ryan Gosling than there are fangirls.
26. Just because my friends are "kind of close" to me in England doesn't mean I'm ever going to visit them because transport is expensive as fuck.
27. It's horrifyingly easy to have your wallet stolen right out of your bag.
28. Doing way too much research means your essay will be way too long.
29. University dorm walls are really fucking thin.
30. I get visibly distressed when I have more 'drafts' than published posts in the post section on blogger.
2. England has not really been exposed to the wonder that is frozen yogurt.
3. But milkshakes, everywhere.
4. There's such a thing as toblerone cake and it is actually a foodstuff sent down from the heavens to bless us mortals.
5. That I would passionately and desperately miss green tea lattes in England.
6. Oprah's name on her birth certificate is actually 'Orpah'
7. Your best friends will always hate your ex under any circumstance.
8. The emergency exit aisle seats on Qantas don't have liftable arm rests.
9. Legit sharpies are actually rather expensive. (In comparison to New Zealand dollar store knockoffs.)
10. It's pretty easy (and cheap) to buy cut-outs of fictional characters.
11.
This scene was not actually filmed with a camera on a rig and instead by using the most badass cameraman ever.
12. Pancake day is taken seriously in the UK and it is damn fabulous.
13. It's possible to trip over a fire hydrant.
14. Disneyland's restaurants do not serve free water.
15. Avocado seriously works in any meal of the day.
16. Wii games are region protected.
17. Amaretto and cranberry tastes like christmas.
18. It's actually really easy to fall asleep in an uncomfortable screening room.
19. Australians occasionally think 'Loughborough' is pronounced 'Loogabarooga' #bless
20. There is always an 'Unexpected item in bagging area' whether there actually is or not.
21. Buying coffee every morning builds up to a ridiculous amount of money.
22. They don't really say 'Mail' in England.
23. Tesco's idea of '24 hours' is actually '24 hours except for when we close Midnight on Saturday and 4pm Sunday'
24. Ed Wood is both the best and worst director ever. And possibly my favourite.
25. There are just as many fanboys for Ryan Gosling than there are fangirls.
26. Just because my friends are "kind of close" to me in England doesn't mean I'm ever going to visit them because transport is expensive as fuck.
27. It's horrifyingly easy to have your wallet stolen right out of your bag.
28. Doing way too much research means your essay will be way too long.
29. University dorm walls are really fucking thin.
30. I get visibly distressed when I have more 'drafts' than published posts in the post section on blogger.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Thunderstorms.
Rainy days has me seeking recluse in my house (as ever) and most specifically, in my room (as ever ... apart from the several times a day I have to go outside to use the wifi on my phone to catch up on my draw somethings,) so I've been basking in the familiar of the escapists... films and books and hot chocolate and oh, I'm instagramming like a bitch now as well because it's been released for android and thus I can join the ranks of hipsters uploading square, filtered photos with a border.
Like this ;)
New poster (FUCK ME, I KNOW I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE GOD DAMN ROOM ON MY UNI WALLS BUT NOOO I CANNOT RESIST THE ALLURE OF SHINY NEW PAPER. Poster magpie WHAT'S UP.) courtesy of the new HMV that's just opened really close to my bus stop which is very convenient but on the whole, disastrous for my wallet and life.
Okay so yeah, I'll confess now that despite not having gotten my money yet, (government money come to me shh love me now,) I've already done a tiny bit of DVD shopping and have realised with the wonderful convenience of region freaking protections and my lack of ps3 here, I cannot watch asian DVDS on my macbook pro (English,) or my PC (WHICH IS STILL DEAD WITH ALL LOST FILES INCLUDING ALL MY FINAL FANTASY 7 ONES I WILL WRITE ANOTHER FURIOUS POST ABOUT THIS LATER BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ON THIS SUBJECT,) so I had to dig up my macbook and now my desk setup makes me look like an apple whore (I swear I'm not.)
I love instagram already go away hipster at heart I guess :L
So I finally watched Source Code (recommended to me as "best sci-fi film I've seen in ages," etc. by various members of my peer circle,) and let's sum up my watching of the film in a numbered list, (because I love them more than life itself as ya'll can probably guess.)
Speaking of which, I've partaken in a perhaps rather stupid activity for tonight: film of the night is Fincher's american remake of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I love Fincher. I've read the books and watched the swedish film. Let's just say that even after just reading the books, (SPOILER AGAIN,) me and Esme discussed how absolutely petrified we were of Martin Vanger and I vaguely remember lying in my bed in our hotel in New Zealand staring at that massive window in the ceiling almost frozen in fear that I'd suddenly see his face pop out there.
Similar feelings are arising at the moment.
I pick the weirdest films to watch during stormy weather. Which I love, by the way. I don't know why people complain... okay, it's annoying my plans were cancelled because I was looking forward to a cute girly catch up with Ali & Alex, but I'd rather curl up at home with ice cream and a film than deal with being outside in the rain. All I need is someone to come over curl up with me attn attn apply here I'll feed you cookies :*
Luckily I have other distractions like the other zillion films I've downloaded/bought recently to watch, so I'll find something lighthearted to stop me having another damn nightmare tonight (long story short about last night's: evil christian church camp abducting and sacrificing kids and I tried to save them and the leader attacked me with a knife :-;) so uh, that's good I guess? And now I'm alone in the house and the film is finishing and jesus christ martin vanger is the scariest concept in the world I don't even want to leave my house I CAN'T BELIEVE HE KILLED THE CAT I FORGOT ABOUT THAT AND I JUMPED SO MUCH WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
Okay I'm going to stop blogging about nothing now and just go and eat one of the honey cupcakes my momma made. Yeah.
Like this ;)
New poster (FUCK ME, I KNOW I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE GOD DAMN ROOM ON MY UNI WALLS BUT NOOO I CANNOT RESIST THE ALLURE OF SHINY NEW PAPER. Poster magpie WHAT'S UP.) courtesy of the new HMV that's just opened really close to my bus stop which is very convenient but on the whole, disastrous for my wallet and life.
Okay so yeah, I'll confess now that despite not having gotten my money yet, (government money come to me shh love me now,) I've already done a tiny bit of DVD shopping and have realised with the wonderful convenience of region freaking protections and my lack of ps3 here, I cannot watch asian DVDS on my macbook pro (English,) or my PC (WHICH IS STILL DEAD WITH ALL LOST FILES INCLUDING ALL MY FINAL FANTASY 7 ONES I WILL WRITE ANOTHER FURIOUS POST ABOUT THIS LATER BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS ON THIS SUBJECT,) so I had to dig up my macbook and now my desk setup makes me look like an apple whore (I swear I'm not.)
I love instagram already go away hipster at heart I guess :L
So I finally watched Source Code (recommended to me as "best sci-fi film I've seen in ages," etc. by various members of my peer circle,) and let's sum up my watching of the film in a numbered list, (because I love them more than life itself as ya'll can probably guess.)
(1) I already adored it 30 seconds in because of how damn pretty it was. The colour grading and camera work ahhh. CALL ME SHALLOW THEN GO AHEAD MAYBE I AM I DON'T CARE.
(2) Overall, a really clever concept which I liked... I was slightly concerned that it'd get repetitive but I liked how they managed to alter the location each time and bring new elements whilst somehow developing a relationship (although it wasn't really too in-depth,) between protag and 'love interest,'
(3) Wasn't overly long as well... managed to keep my interest despite point (2), and I liked the script, which was both relatively well written and funny enough as well.
(4) SPOILER during the freeze-frame, I thought it was the end of the film and burst into tears. Turns out there was another 7 minutes or so, so turns out I wasted my tears over nothing.
(5) The ending really intrigued me... I spent a fair bit of time reading about the different theories and plotholes and alternate suggestions on the internet and formulated some of my own, which I won't discuss too much as spoiling things makes me sad. Did make me think a lot though, which is good, because I really enjoy films that make you think long after about lingering plot points and alternate suggestions and ideas and messages suggested by the film.
Speaking of which, I've partaken in a perhaps rather stupid activity for tonight: film of the night is Fincher's american remake of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I love Fincher. I've read the books and watched the swedish film. Let's just say that even after just reading the books, (SPOILER AGAIN,) me and Esme discussed how absolutely petrified we were of Martin Vanger and I vaguely remember lying in my bed in our hotel in New Zealand staring at that massive window in the ceiling almost frozen in fear that I'd suddenly see his face pop out there.
Similar feelings are arising at the moment.
I pick the weirdest films to watch during stormy weather. Which I love, by the way. I don't know why people complain... okay, it's annoying my plans were cancelled because I was looking forward to a cute girly catch up with Ali & Alex, but I'd rather curl up at home with ice cream and a film than deal with being outside in the rain. All I need is someone to come over curl up with me attn attn apply here I'll feed you cookies :*
Luckily I have other distractions like the other zillion films I've downloaded/bought recently to watch, so I'll find something lighthearted to stop me having another damn nightmare tonight (long story short about last night's: evil christian church camp abducting and sacrificing kids and I tried to save them and the leader attacked me with a knife :-;) so uh, that's good I guess? And now I'm alone in the house and the film is finishing and jesus christ martin vanger is the scariest concept in the world I don't even want to leave my house I CAN'T BELIEVE HE KILLED THE CAT I FORGOT ABOUT THAT AND I JUMPED SO MUCH WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
Okay I'm going to stop blogging about nothing now and just go and eat one of the honey cupcakes my momma made. Yeah.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Interventions
Alright, I'm just about ready to go back to England now.
Excitement of first week back has worn off and I've been reduced, yet again, to sitting - this time on my bed, as my damn pc has chosen not to work - on my bed on my blog whilst occasionally staring at the ceiling and wondering what I am doing with my life.
I constantly feel like I'm living two lives in two different continents littered with different people and there are the different interactions and the way I think I act different (although I don't really because I seem to be incapable of modifying my behaviour at all,) but damn, sometimes I have no idea how I spent 17 years of my life living here...
Point A: went out for lunch on Friday (fine. Very nice, actually,) which was Lizzy's last lunch here but jesus christ, the journey just to pick up something for my mom and go home almost sent me into one hell of an anxiety attack and left me slamming my bedroom door when I finally arrived home and proclaiming "NEVER LEAVING THIS HOUSE AGAIN GODDAMMITIHATEPEOPLEWHYARETHEYEVERYWHEREWHYAREBUSESDUMB and so on."
And now I've reached the point where my parents, exhausted of all my uni stories, (which went "it's fine." "I love it." "yeah." "mmhm,") have gone back to treating me exactly as they did before which is fine because special treatment is stupid but when every conversation seems to go like this:
And so on. I mean okay - I do spend a ridiculous amount of money for someone who barely does anything - investigate: where does it go??? - but it just so happens I'm here for another 18 days and there's plenty of time and people who aren't even back yet so I'll have time for that. Just because I spent this weekend moping about the fact my PC's died on me, thus disallowing me to continue my Final Fantasy 7 streak and forcing me back from a blissful unreality into real life, they think i'm being anti-social. Whatever mom and dad, Cloud totally gets me.
Readers all simultaneously groan as they prepare for a full-frontal fangirling blog entry. IT'S COMING GUYS! I have lots to say and it needs to be organised and typed up properly. Have no fear!
So what, asides from moping over the fact I cannot temporarily interact and engage with a fictional storyline that I am far too emotionally invested in, HAVE I been doing lately? Um I could say that I've traveled the world and invented a lightsaber and sponsored 5 children and discovered the recipe for Mrs. Field's cookies but all of those would blatantly be a lie and no one would believe me and this whole sentence is really just a waste of internet space isn't it. I've played a lot of draw something and read. Gone through:
Guys... I really love books wow. My parents, whilst I was growing up, always said to me that they'd always be fine with buying me books. I think they've always regretted it because if given the opportunity, I will just have stacks and stacks and be ridiculously happy. Nothing like having a pile of books to just sit and read through.
I'm such a hermit, geez.
I'm so lost with where I was even going with this blog entry. I guess it's less about events and just random thinking because I've gotten used to just clicking on here and writing new post even when nothing happens in my life. Which is often because I don't do a lot of significant stuff but that's cool. This was really heading in the direction of being a complaining blog but today when I went for a long walk - felt like being all deep and poetic and listening to music and flouncing around the peak - I've decided complaining is dumb because it's all I do and I never do anything about it, and thus, I got home and actually oiled my stupid door hinge and now it opens properly without hitting me in the face and check this: that's already one daily complaint I've knocked off the list. Score!
Other people are back this week which means i'll probably have to do something. Game of Thrones season 2 is out tomorrow which means I'm not doing anything tomorrow at least. I'm still not sure why I'm writing this and would delete it but I think I'll just keep it for further reference. Maybe if i'm bored I'll come back and edit book reviews it. Bye.
Excitement of first week back has worn off and I've been reduced, yet again, to sitting - this time on my bed, as my damn pc has chosen not to work - on my bed on my blog whilst occasionally staring at the ceiling and wondering what I am doing with my life.
I constantly feel like I'm living two lives in two different continents littered with different people and there are the different interactions and the way I think I act different (although I don't really because I seem to be incapable of modifying my behaviour at all,) but damn, sometimes I have no idea how I spent 17 years of my life living here...
Point A: went out for lunch on Friday (fine. Very nice, actually,) which was Lizzy's last lunch here but jesus christ, the journey just to pick up something for my mom and go home almost sent me into one hell of an anxiety attack and left me slamming my bedroom door when I finally arrived home and proclaiming "NEVER LEAVING THIS HOUSE AGAIN GODDAMMITIHATEPEOPLEWHYARETHEYEVERYWHEREWHYAREBUSESDUMB and so on."
And now I've reached the point where my parents, exhausted of all my uni stories, (which went "it's fine." "I love it." "yeah." "mmhm,") have gone back to treating me exactly as they did before which is fine because special treatment is stupid but when every conversation seems to go like this:
M: Laura what are you doing later?
L: nothing.
M: Why?
L: I have no money. And I don't want to.
M: You always spend so much money! I gave you money yesterday! You always go out and spend our money etc etc etc
L: okay.
M: Why do you always spend your time at home though??? You should go out and socialise with your friends more!!!
L: ...
And so on. I mean okay - I do spend a ridiculous amount of money for someone who barely does anything - investigate: where does it go??? - but it just so happens I'm here for another 18 days and there's plenty of time and people who aren't even back yet so I'll have time for that. Just because I spent this weekend moping about the fact my PC's died on me, thus disallowing me to continue my Final Fantasy 7 streak and forcing me back from a blissful unreality into real life, they think i'm being anti-social. Whatever mom and dad, Cloud totally gets me.
Readers all simultaneously groan as they prepare for a full-frontal fangirling blog entry. IT'S COMING GUYS! I have lots to say and it needs to be organised and typed up properly. Have no fear!
So what, asides from moping over the fact I cannot temporarily interact and engage with a fictional storyline that I am far too emotionally invested in, HAVE I been doing lately? Um I could say that I've traveled the world and invented a lightsaber and sponsored 5 children and discovered the recipe for Mrs. Field's cookies but all of those would blatantly be a lie and no one would believe me and this whole sentence is really just a waste of internet space isn't it. I've played a lot of draw something and read. Gone through:
(1) Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green & David Levithan.
(2) Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist - David Levithan & Rachel Cohn (This is beginning to look like writers word association oops.)
(3) Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
(4) A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess
STARTING (5) Prom - Laurie Halse Anderson.
Guys... I really love books wow. My parents, whilst I was growing up, always said to me that they'd always be fine with buying me books. I think they've always regretted it because if given the opportunity, I will just have stacks and stacks and be ridiculously happy. Nothing like having a pile of books to just sit and read through.
I'm such a hermit, geez.
I'm so lost with where I was even going with this blog entry. I guess it's less about events and just random thinking because I've gotten used to just clicking on here and writing new post even when nothing happens in my life. Which is often because I don't do a lot of significant stuff but that's cool. This was really heading in the direction of being a complaining blog but today when I went for a long walk - felt like being all deep and poetic and listening to music and flouncing around the peak - I've decided complaining is dumb because it's all I do and I never do anything about it, and thus, I got home and actually oiled my stupid door hinge and now it opens properly without hitting me in the face and check this: that's already one daily complaint I've knocked off the list. Score!
Other people are back this week which means i'll probably have to do something. Game of Thrones season 2 is out tomorrow which means I'm not doing anything tomorrow at least. I'm still not sure why I'm writing this and would delete it but I think I'll just keep it for further reference. Maybe if i'm bored I'll come back and edit book reviews it. Bye.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Sevens 2012 (Occupy South Stand)
Title of this post is a reference and call-out to the guy wearing an OCCUPY SOUTH STAND shirt. Sent me into hysterics.
SA vs... I don't even remember, which is awful. We were supporting SA of course though (Cos of Sav!) but this was our view from the boxes after we'd scarfed down pretty much all the remaining food there, heh.
Most useful way of communicating my lack of voice, especially NOW that Esme has turned my inability to defend myself vocally into a really fun game where she interprets everything incorrectly. GUESS what me pointing to my throat in an attempt to show 'lost voice' is turned into via her 'Make-Laura-Look-Bad' interpretation to everyone else...
This is going to be a long post for one of two reasons:
(1) I am currently mute. I'd already lost my voice on Saturday, for crying out loud, and it's only gotten worse in that I cannot even speak. Cannot utter a single word or make a sound. I was getting by with whispering but found out that makes it even worse. I've been reduced to pen and paper and eating lozenges like there's no tomorrow and gargling although I have a HUGE issue with gargling because I always feel like I sound like a bubbling lava pit and then I laugh and water goes everywhere because I'm a child apparently.
(2) A lot to say and I haven't had too much time. Portia's meeting another friend today which gives me some time off and a chance to heal my poor voice.
(3)
Yuuuupp. It was an eventful weekend.
Because I like categories, let's try keep this neat:
FRIDAY
Went to Mongkok first in the day to stock up on costume stuffs. Was unable to physically walk past the bubble tea store. Chocolate bubble tea, I have missed you dearly!
Got home and got ready, before heading off to the 7s. After realising there was no way we'd be able to get a cab, took the bus and thus arrived almost an hour later than we'd intended. Portia headed off to the bathroom whilst I went to South Stand, the 18+ stand (finally allowed in~~ not that I was ID'd ONCE anyway...) Didn't need to buy drinks as we'd predrunk (ooh, introducing new concepts to hk~) before. As in, right before we went inside. Walked in with no line and called around and finally (after bumping into and taking photos of two stormtroopers,) LIZZY. It's been 7 freaking months. The screaming here is probably why I lost my voice.
Stadium from the south. First time in aw i'm such a law abiding citizen.
Sel was only here for one day because she left Saturday morning and made me sad. Was still lovely seeing her though AS ALWAYS.
We went all camo. Kept in simple and because I'm obsessed with face paint in that I just like putting paint on my face. Hats were bought in Mong Kok on the day.
We really were gonna go out on the Friday but were completely wiped out. We did go to Wan Chai and went to Coyotes for some lovely mexican food AS ALWAYS but found to our alas (it wasn't really because we were tired like I said,) and chilled with the group and Portia went to stay with a friend and I came home and collapsed into bed which was really exciting cos i'm never usually that tired.
SATURDAY
Portia had to go for breakfast with the friend she was staying with, so I was heading down by myself. South Stand lines get insane so we aimed to meet at 9 and did so despite me managing to lose my phone in between texting Catherine at home and arriving at Causeway Bay.
Costumes were colourful and exciting and it was a nice day and my allergies had been acting up so I had to wear sunglasses anyway cus my eyes looked all puffy because I have shit genes and this kind of stuff happens all the time. We were all incredibly giddy and started drinking around 10, which was clearly a great idea.
Sooo excited when I saw a group of guys from my old school dressed as Hobbits (& Gandalf.) Fully spazzed. When we watched the films, I kept going on about how I really liked what they wore. Now that i've seen them in the flesh, I really want hobbit-clothes...
Met up with Portia and had to leave South Stand. We queued for roughly 2 hours to get back in, BUT IT'S OKAY, because as you do, you always make loads of friends queueing for anything at the 7s. New best friends forever in the half an hour line to pee yay!
After a full afternoon of drunken shenanigans, we went up to one of the VIP boxes because we were hungry and there was food. We didn't even touch the alcohol because we were all just so hungry cause food is so expensive at the 7s. (So is everything else really, but yeah.)
Kermit just casually using an atm NO BIG DEAL.
SA vs... I don't even remember, which is awful. We were supporting SA of course though (Cos of Sav!) but this was our view from the boxes after we'd scarfed down pretty much all the remaining food there, heh.
My voice had pretty much gone early Saturday morning and came back in bits and chunks throughout the day so I was drunkenly rasping (which didn't help) and shouting (which certainly didn't help) so when we went to dinner with my parents and Portia's dad, I'd pretty much just given up speaking and was half playing charades (note: my parents must be so shit at charades, just based on how difficult it is for me to communicate with them at this stage...) and whilst we were all hyped up for going out this morning (as in EVERYONE,) most of us were just too tired and went home LIKE A BUNCH OF QUITTERS. (Give us a break, we'd been there/drinking ~9 hours)
SUNDAY
Me and Portia were champions and got to the stadium BEFORE 8AM. On a sunday. This did involve some clever taxi-swiping and a quick starbucks breakfast run, but we made it into an empty South Stand and got to watch it fill up. Kickoff was 9 so we all sat around exhausted until then.
Like I said - drinks ridiculously expensive. $220 for a vodka redbull! I mean, it was one litre but even so. We got "thirsty" and just bored and started bit after 10. Sun was shining which meant we spent a lot of the day - or at least I did - dehydrated and burning in the sun. Lizzy has THE most impressive sunburn/tanline..
Saw a ton of people in South Stand from SIS so ~reunited~ and said my hellos although I just didn't have a voice so I had to mime everything which people found funny anyway so I guess that was okay.
Most useful way of communicating my lack of voice, especially NOW that Esme has turned my inability to defend myself vocally into a really fun game where she interprets everything incorrectly. GUESS what me pointing to my throat in an attempt to show 'lost voice' is turned into via her 'Make-Laura-Look-Bad' interpretation to everyone else...
We stayed only til just before FIVE... Didn't even make the fireworks :( But getting anywhere is a massive hassle - not that it wasn't when we left really.. - and we were both so, so tired, so we just went home and watched a stupid film and lay down and ate food. No one really went out because they were probably (a) hungover from Saturday, and if not (b) getting a hangover/just plain exhausted from Sunday.
SO, finally finished typing this up. It's now Wednesday and I've just gotten round to finishing typing it up since I put the pro in procrastination and just keep putting it off. Itinerary for the rest of the week:
Thursday - Portia leaves early morning. I downloaded Final Fantasy 7 again. I'm going to replay it. Humans I interact with in real life can expect not to see me for a while... BUT...
Friday - Lunch with Lizzers because she leaves soon (Saturday) and I love her and I hadn't seen her in 7 MONTHS for crying out loud.
I'm just planning on spending the rest of my time lounging around and being lazy and not interacting with humans in real life (because who does that anymore?) And of course revision. I'm actually excited to revise - sadly watching now as all my friends defriend me for even saying that - but there's a lot I want to read over and it's interesting okay shut the fuck up it's my blog i'll say what i want.
Will update sometime that's not now (OH NO, BACKDATING BLOGGING ALREADY?!) concerning last night. Spoiler alert: vodka tuesday, quiz night, drawing with friends, fried rice by the side of the road, porksword, lots of giggles and drama. Tune in next time!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Finishing School
(I know we haven't really finished school, just term, but it's a Dashboard Confessional song and I was just listening to it geez get over yourself and get with the times.)
(Prediction: will end up writing about it anyway because once I start one of these I never seem to really stop..)
Okay, I'll just talk about last week after all.
For Sophie's 21st, we all went off to Gatecrasher, but there was a crazy-special twist: Esme was also present for the festivities! (Not actually present for Sophie's 21st cus that'd be kinda weird cus she didn't know Sophie; she was at Warwick (about to say here but I'M NOT HERE AM I and oh god, I'm bracketing within brackets I am the worst person ever for overlong sentences,) for her interview WHICH WENT WELL AND WAS SUCCESSFUL okay, sentence terminate.) It was 80's theme so I just threw on a neon clash of colours because I didn't know what else to really do and my bank account was draining like mad - bless being at home where i don't have to pay 3 quid for laundry - so kept it simple~~
Friday was just a lovely DAY overall. Picked up Esme Thursday night and we finished off Return Of The King, (well, watched the whole thing but finished off the trilogy with it I should've said and YEAH EXTENDED,) and she got to meet my hallmates who kindly restrained themselves from making too many of their usual comments to me until she went to bed. (Not that she's too much better herself.)
And then Friday lunch, since we had an extra hour off cus of no Theatre seminar, we went to Varsity for our lunch - FUCK, I just realised I've talked about this already. I'm really the worst blogger ever. Here, have some more photos whilst I awkwardly brush this flounder off.
(I could really just delete and pretend I never made this mistake, BUT I LIKE TO KEEP THINGS REAL AND AUTHENTIC, Y'ALL KNOW ME.)
Yes I WAS one of those twats who wears sunglasses indoors.
After everyone left and I waved my farewells, the number of people in the halls quickly dwindled to the point where I didn't have to bother putting pants on to do a mad kitchen dash (long shirt okay, and I mean PANTS in an American way god you guys,) and I felt free to dance around my room like a loon after both my neighbours had left, not that their presence really stopped me before.
But um, cool as it sounds, spent the nights with those left in the hall playing Cosmic Encounter WHICH IS REALLY FUN OKAY GUYS SERIOUSLY and I was so happy to get the Zombie card for my alien power because I mean - if a card described me..
I MISS PLAYING THIS ALREADY. We watched a few films as well and I sat around and started my complaining about flying home relatively early.
I took all my photos down even though it was kind of pointless mainly because I had nothing else to do . I had planned my time so that I would be packing all Tuesday and not spend loads of time sitting around being bored. Turns out I packed within 20 minutes and still had loads of time to sit around being bored, so I took all my photos down and put them all up here. I mean, I'm here for a month. I like having my face all around my room because I'm a self centered brat and I just like documenting things.
Speaking of which, me and Lucinda were actually considering hitchhiking to Amsterdam for Jailbreak but we missed the deadline. (As Andrew pointed out, possibly the worst idea ever. Me (bad) and Lucinda (bad) hitchhiking (very bad) to amsterdam (bad.) "Knowing you, you'd probably get kidnapped." was another phrase used, I believe.) I've been - like I've mentioned in another blog entry I'M SURE or maybe I just made that up in my head, - in a super adventurous mood as of late and just want to frolic around and road trip and go somewhere without knowing where and see where the road takes me and document it all and dress all twee with cute hats and sunglasses and I'm getting ahead of myself with the idealisation of this all but it's fun to think about. Next term, after exams, definitely. Even if just a short trip to some random place nearby.
So, airport. Traveling is always... interesting. There's the excitement of going to a new place and the 30 odd seconds or so of excitement when you board the plane and then when you land, but all the faffing around is completely insane-making. The security was being a bit ridiculous; I was fine, but some people got called in at the security check and had to step through a machine that looked like what I can best describe as some time machine or cloning device. I got quite jealous and I ended up having nothing to do for THREE HOURS anyway, so I was really in the mood to kill time.
Due to buying stuff for my sister - she begged me and now owes me starbucks, note! - I spent the LAST of my UK bank money on a chai tea from Starbucks and then realised there was a sushi place right there in the airport. With the burning fury of a thousand suns I composed a furious message to my sister blaming her for my plight then sat down with my latte and complained on my phone to people about how bored I was.
Cutest thing then happened: I took out my sketchbook to doodle - god I know, how quaint and artsy of me - and then after about 10 minutes, a little girl came and sat next to me and asked to see my drawings. I flipped through a few pages and she oohed and then took out her own little drawing pad and drew some pictures for me, which was the cutest thing anyone's probably ever done - I mean hello, she drew me a bear aww - and then she asked me if I was a princess because I had princess hair and I just wanted to adopt her even though I hate kids. She had to go after that but I told her to keep drawing everyday (like I'm some authority on drawing, hah,) and that she was really good and would only improve and her momma said thank you and they went off. Such a cute encounter!
Dad booked me exit row seats (more leg room, yay,) and turns out I had the whole row to myself. I was beaming in triumph as they officially closed the door but then I realised I couldn't lift the arm rests between the seats and thus, all my dreams of just spreading out and sleeping the 12 hours away were shattered and banished to the land of broken and lost hope. I thus experimented with a shitload of comfortable sitting positions, namely involving draping my legs over the armrest. Most of my other positions were a variant on this but eventually my back got a little achey. I was additionally moving the pillows and blankets (3 of each, aaand a extra warm one from the nice flight attendant who I talked to as we took off but who wouldn't damn leave me alone after,) around and sitting there like a spoiled princess with my tv to the dislike of other passengers who took to glaring at me as they waited for the toilet. Despite this, I still had the indecency to be uncomfortable and unable to sleep the whole flight. Watched:
(1) The Descendants. I know it got really good critical reception on the whole, but I wasn't too interested with the premise but I gave it a whirl anyway. Turns out I really, really liked it. I liked the characterisation and use of multiple plots and the way these plotlines interacted around the characters. Despite the overall rather depressing premise, there were moments of lightness and it didn't leave me with a depressed feeling at all. It was well paced and moving and I may have almost teared up except I think that's because I got a really bad toothache and was in considerable pain and was really fearing it would be that painful all flight (it wasn't.)(2) The Artist. I'd been wanting to watch this for so long and finally was able to. Annoyed I didn't get to see it on the big screen as that would have probably added to the experience, but I completely fell in love with it regardless. I spent a bit of time thinking about how someone with no or little knowledge of film history and the silent era would take it and couldn't really because of my own bias. I loved the whole thing. The story is simple enough, with Jujardin's character echoing the silent era stars who lost their appeal following the introduction of the talkies, whilst Bajo's Peppy is the star who rose at the same time, (might add that their relationship, with George Valentin being the one giving Peppy her boost into the industry, and then her rising stardom in conjunction with his falling one is very similar to A Star Is Born (George Cukor, 1954, OH MY GOD I'M CITING ON MY BLOG WHO HAVE I BECOME) And whilst most of it was relatively predictable, it was in a really nice way in that it was almost making allusions to these older films. All the insight to the industry and production and the idea of stars was all so relevant to my history module and I was practically bouncing in my seat with excitement thinking of things I could have potentially discussed in film hist. Definitely one of my favourite films that I've seen this year (I know it's only march, but I watch a lot of films...) Left me wanting to stand up and dance in the aisles and then I left it at wishing I could actually dance and live in a silent film and then I decided I couldn't do that because I just talk too much.(3) True Grit. I'd been wanting to watch this too, but not to the extent I'd actually bother to do it, if you get what I mean. The Coen Brothers don't ever really do too wrong in my eyes so I'd had high expectations and really enjoyed it. Steinfield's performance was fantastic, as was Bridges of course, and it was a beautiful shot and crafted film. I always tend to go for easyish stuff to watch (according to me,) on planes because I'm just not in the mindset to deal with anything Tinker Tailor-esque, and this easily fulfilled that quota by being both entertaining and beautiful to watch.(4) In Time. I love a good dystopian setting so that ticked the box. Whilst it was a pretty depth-lacking film, it made for a good waste of two hours and looked good. I can never really see Justin Timberlake as anybody but Justin Timberlake though - this isn't even a thing that happens with all well known actors, it's just certain ones - and sometimes in scenes I would get confused because I'd think it was a music video and it'd be like 'What's Justin Timb- OH. Yeah. I'm watching a film.' (I hadn't slept for about 26 hours at this point, cut me a bit of slack.)
Started the Ides Of March but unfortunately I MEAN FORTUNATELY!!! we started our descent. I will watch the rest of it though, even if just to stare at Ryan Gosling's face I mean because it was interesting at the point where I was up to, (really early on,) so I'll do that soon.
Today I did nothing. I woke up and went for a walk and went to the supermarket and compared prices to everything 'back home,' (in quotation marks because in England, HK is back home and vice versa and I throw around that phrase so much,) Portia's arriving tonight at mine and I'm hoping if there are tickets available, to go watch the Hunger Games because I'M SUCH A FANNERD OVER THE HUNGER GAMES REMEMBER WHEN I READ THE FIRST BOOK? (Can't believe I just wrote that phrase then found the link for that. This blog is actually my life.) And she's just called and says she's almost on her way which is great timing because it gives me a bit to tidy my room up a bit IT'S SO MESSY IN HONG KONG. Uni people don't believe me because I'm borderline OCD there but it really is guys. And it's also fairylight-less, which is making me almost prone to depression. Man, I miss my lights.
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