Whew

It's certainly been a hectic 2 weeks or so. Getting caught up with lab reports, project work and assignments ain't fun, that's what I can tell you. I'm sure you already know this anyway.

My penultimate year at university is finished (with the exception of exams), and gosh, was it fast. Someone mentioned that they felt like they were losing track of the future. I feel the same too. Even more frightening is the knowledge that some people I know and could always rely on to distract me from the many stresses in university are going.

The Part IV dinner, birthday parties, and the inevitable day of drinking, it's all become a ritual now. I certainly enjoy these little events, and now I lack something to do in the summertime this year. I may graduate late but I don't know, it's become less of an issue for me now.

Did I ever mention this blog called "The Sartorialist"? If I have, I apologise for repeating myself. It's a pretty awesome blog, plus I always find the way people dress themselves inspiring. Not all of them suit my taste (read: the dudes with odd hair and really long t-shirts). Something about that just rubs me the wrong way, but hey. To each their own.

I suppose I should stop procrastinating and study for real. My first exam is next Thursday, which isn't too far away now. I should probably give Richie a ring and have a mean catch-up with him. It's definitely been too long. Well, that's my update for now; and I think it'll be getting a little more sporadic since I'm getting a little busier.

P/S: I injured my rotator cuff muscle (right arm) at the gym, and now it's impeding my upper body workout. My physiotherapist told me to stop doing all upper body workout (at which I gave him this incredulous look). We eventually decided to compromise and go only for machine workouts with very minimal movement, which really sucks. There goes my gains. Ah well. C'est la vie.

It's going, just going.

I realise I've neglected this little blog here for some time, but I've been just a little too busy for my liking. Add to that the stupid lab reports and the upcoming project that's due (!!!) and you've got one very busy person on your hands.

In fact, the only reason I'm finding the time to write now is because I missed the bus, plus I'm a little hungover from the Stein last night. Only problem now is that my cough has returned with a vengeance. A horrible vengeance too, might I add. I'm hacking and coughing and nothing's coming up, which kinda sucks because all over-the-counter cough medicines have no proven effect to help these kinda coughs. Go look it up if you don't believe me. Wet coughs are less of a problem, but these dry coughs aren't going anywhere soon. Gah.

That aside, I've only got a few weeks more till the exams. It doesn't feel like it was that long ago when I was sitting for 4 exams. This kinda sucks. I'm so behind in everything too...

I should get going. I'll write again.

AUES Ball 09

That was one hell of an epic ball. I truly loved every moment of it, well at least every moment I could remember. The memories get really incoherent at some point. I vaguely remember the photos, but man I was drunk. Meh, so was everyone else around me anyway.

The theme was "Land of the Rising Sun", which would obviously explain why Iain had the uhm, thing on. I can't remember what it's called, you know the stuff you wear to 'matsuri' during the summertime. Here's a picture for effect:

There were quite a lot of pictures taken that night, over 190 or so. I'm just going to add a few to this blog, but the rest are up on Facebook if you're curious. The following photos are not arranged in chronological order.

Me, Timmy and Simon. I like this picture quite a lot, although there were like 3 other photos that looked like this because the camera didn't like us. It's most obviously my profile picture as well.

Here's me and a glass of wine. I forget to mention that I switched to red wine at some point, and it got spilled over my shirt. Which is now proving really difficult to remove. Grr... I need to find some stain remover.

I just realised Iain reminds me a little of the dude from Empire of the Sun. You know, the one that did "Walking on a Dream". Kinda random, but yeah.

Me and Timmy.

I don't even remember this one.

And then it was over far too quickly. But me and Mel are going to the Med Ball this coming weekend! The party lives on!

Obviously I was hungover the next day. Everyone knows how the rest of that goes. I took a mega cat-nap from 4 till 7 as well. Pretty mean, since I'm feeling better now. Well, one more week before the mid-semester break! YEAH!

Stuff is like, exploding.

Literally. I mean, I've had pretty much no rest in between the mountain-load of assignments, lab reports, project and just trying to fit only 3 days of gym. I get so tired so quickly too, I've actually taken to having 20 minute long naps on the bus, which I'd prefer not to do.

The ball's tomorrow night!! I'm excited, because it's a destress opportunity. Who wouldn't be? Plus, I'm also going to the Med Ball next week as Malcolm's man date. Fun fun times indeed. I can't wait for that one too, since I expect there will be some interesting people to meet there too. By interesting I, of course, mean hot.

I had a discussion with Richie a few days back, and we inferred that I'm becoming quite... I suppose arrogant would be a way to put it, except that I'm not arrogant. I just behave like I lack a lot of humility due to an overblown ego. Heh. Something like that. I still know my limits, but at the moment I don't think I can be bothered taking people seriously, so... I mean hey, I'm going clinically insane at this rate, at least it's not being expressed in horrible ways. Right?

There's so many 21sts this year it's not even funny. I'm going to run severely short on cash really quickly. Plus, with so many 21sts clashing on the same night, I'm being made to pick and choose, because there's just no way I can manage going to multiple. I feel it would be a little rude to show up and leave before speeches.

Whatever, yeah? I've got to get going. Gym, then bloody university work. Woohoo!

P/S: I have no idea if Lionel reads this, but your post with the piano video for luring girls into your trap was funny. Good luck with that yeah? =P

Awesomeness

I just realised this blog has been dying on me, just a little. Thought I'd take some time off my assignments and dwell on the past few weeks. It's just been a whirlwind and all, really. I mean, the holidays, the Stein, Marcel's 21st... Assignments... And I get my project tomorrow too. It's gonna be sooooooooo busy.

The Stein was pretty meh really, it was rather tame for some reason I couldn't quite put my finger on. Place was awesome, but I think people having pint glasses made it a bit more of a civilised affair (which ain't fun for a Stein), and there was something odd about the dance floors. Just kinda strange. I mean, me not drinking much that night (just 4 pints or so) might have helped, but I dunno. Strangely disappointing, and I wasn't the only one who thought so. On the other hand, I saw heaps of my former classmates from high school. Kinda surreal really.

Marcel's 21st went kinda funnily. I started out deciding I'd actually not drink, which made sense since it was BYO. Then an hour in, I decided that everyone around me was drinking and I wanted one. So across the road I went to a liquor store and bought a bottle of wine. Just one bottle too (I'm proud of myself). Which I then finished. Oh, not that quickly, mind you. I'm not an alcoholic after all =P Maybe like... an hour? I reckon that was fairly slow. There was this really drunk guy who was dancing and stuff, and he knew the whole YMCA dance. Kinda amusing. A huge amount of the songs there were like blasts from the past. Nice in a way too.

But yeah, the next thing coming up is the ball, although that isn't for two weeks. Kinda looking forward to it because it would be a bit of a breather from all this work. I really want to scream, and the semester is already 1/4 of the way in. Argh!

I haven't caught up with Richie in a while... Maybe I should...

Speaking of which, I finally started going back to the gym again (during the holidays)... And I gained a little more weight (which I'm attributing to my legs, I think). I now weigh 69 kg's. Not sure that it's a significant gain for my goals, but it's progress. Although my back (cursed weakness) is getting in the way of me doing heavier deadlifts. I keep failing miserably because it becomes tough to keep it straight. Ah well, I have a while if I keep going at it. I think I should reach my body weight, upper-body wise in the next 8 weeks or so.

Another thing I can hardly understand is why people think I'm out there to get all big and stuff. I'm not, really. My body type isn't really suited for this, I'm more of the lean sort. It's easier for me to get stronger than it is for me to get bigger. Provided I do this properly, size should come as a side effect anyway, and I'm not too fussed about it, so long as I don't get ridiculous. I should really watch my technique with the exercises though, I can see myself slipping with some of them (wrists not perfect, back not straight) occasionally. Not that it's too severe, since I stop myself, but it's an annoying impedance.

I really should be getting ready for bed. Then, a whole day of work tomorrow for me. There is no rest for the wicked.

A Quick Update

I realise I haven't actually written here for a while, but I have been pretty busy with attempting to readjust to the university schedule, which includes the pain of having to adhere to a different sleeping plan.

The semester is going quite well actually, with the exception of getting shafted with an assignment pretty much in the first week (which I still am slowly working through), and another assignment this week (which I've thankfully finished). Just managed to get a bit of breather for the moment, so I thought I'd write here.

As I expected, some classes that I'm required to take will always be dull and uninteresting. I recently discovered via a psychology article that we apparently are capable of convincing ourselves that something inherently boring can be thought of as interesting. I'm going to go with that and say that I will eventually find within myself some appreciation for the boring boring classes.

We had a PhD student from MIT coming over to give a mini-seminar on his work. It was pretty much his take on creating a bio-inspired mechanical device. In other words, he wants to create a robotic bird with a motor system that has similar output statistics as bird muscle. He seems pretty confident about it, so I'll take his word for it. I find his talk of arrays of permanent magnets (all highly technical for just a simple bloke like me) too confusing.

As an aside, the 3rd Stein of the year is on tomorrow! I'm pretty keen, although a little apprehensive (and unsure) on what to do for the theme: Man vs Wild. I mean, yeah it's easy... but I'm reluctant to be left cold (due to the fact that it's still pretty darn chilly at night here), plus.... I lack "wild" clothing, or any safari clothing... I'm simply not sure dropping more than $50 on a whole set of clothes I will NEVER wear again would work. Meh, I'll think of something... Maybe... Or I could just find some leaves and make a hat =P. The cheap and uninspired way.

I'm thinking I'm probably making a foolish, foolish mistake not going to the gym today... I was technically feeling a little under the weather, but... hm. I can't help but feel a little guilty. Ah well. I'll be going regularly (bar sickness) pretty much come Saturday, so I guess it's not too much to worry bout.

Alright, break's over. Back to work, and then sleep. Later!

So...

Yes, I know that getting upset and mad at one result was a little silly, but I don't make any apologies. It was something I needed to let out of my system lest it fester. At any rate, it was frustrating to the utmost, particularly when it seemed to be telling me I didn't study enough when I actually did study a fair amount for it.

A period of rest does do wonders at dissipating my bitter resentment however. And besides, I have gym today with my trainer. There's much fun to be had all around. Joyous indeed.

I only have exactly one week of holidays left. It kinda sucks, I have so many things left to do: which mainly revolve around catching up with more of my mates, but still. Too little time! Plus, I still haven't had the time to go and see Bruno. Although I'm not quite sure if I want to. Ah well, I'll talk to Richie and see if he's keen. Anyway, I want closure from my results, so I'm going to request to have a copy of my exam scripts. See ya!