October 2005
Masters slowly grows, only about a year behind scheduele now.
"It's not a bad thing for a writer not to feel at home. Writers - we're much more comfortable at parties standing in the corner watching everybody else having a good time than we are mingling."
Neil Gaiman.
2nd October 2005 - Thomas of Hereford, Bp. and Conf. Middle lessons of S. Leger.
Tuesday, I went to the office and worked on my thesis. Can't think of anything noteworthy that happened, expect that in the evening I finally read Marvel 1602, which I'd had sitting by me bed over a week waiting to be read. Neil Gaiman does good work. I liked how Thor's Hammer was the Templar treasure that could bring down the church - proof of polytheism.
Wednesday I had my weekly brain poking. It went ok, was mostly taken up with talk about the fact I've reacquired various anxiety behaviours I had as a teenager. Seems I'm stressing out of late and not handling it well. After lunch I had a supervisory meeting, am now starting a push for word count. I'm to try and get all I can down on paper and see where it is going. All part of the plan for a full draft in December. Then after a day of work I had dinner at the Outback with Oli and company.
Thursday, wagged the morning and the afternoon went to thesis. Went to Alana's for dinner.
Friday, like Thursday except featuring departmental morning tea and my making my own dinner. In the evening I went to a concert Midget had organised. I have no love for Opera.
Saturday, hours of lane swimming till I hurt and then a day of blobbing out unproductively. And my brother visited.
Today, went in to the office later than I planned (or realised - stupid day light savings). Then after several hours of achieving absolutely nothing I headed to Srey and Tim's engagement party where I ate far too much. Am now feeling bloated.
"This is a work of fiction. All the characters in it, human and otherwise, are imaginary, excepting only certain of the fairy folk, whom it might be unwise to offend by casting doubt on their existence. Or lack thereof."
Neil Gaiman.
3rd October 2005.
This morning I had my hair shorn off. I have ears again, it's weird. And a face that isn't hidden behind curls of beard. All in preparation for the stupidly expensive photos I have to get to send the canucks. After a lunch in the sun by the clocktower I had a mostly unproductive afternoon in the office - only real productive moment was finding a translation of part of the Glossa Ordinaria in the library. Trying to minimise required use of microfilms in Latin.
Also did a questionairre as to which Firefly character I am. I was expecting to be Simon or Wash, being Kaylee was a bit of a surprise and I think proves the test wrong. Results are following.
 | You
scored as Kaylee Frye. The Mechanic. You are a natural mechanic,
and you are far too sweet and cheerful to live out here. How you can see
the good in everyone around you boggles the mind occationally. Still you
don't seem to be any crazier than that, and it is a nice kinda
crazy.
|
Which Serenity character are you?
created with QuizFarm.com
Overall I think I should be Simon - my score for him is the same as that for Kaylee, so I clearly got randomly assigned the wrong way. And Wash is second equal, so I was basically right.
Other random weirdness. I went to the Falun Dafa art exhibition. Creepiness abounded. The art was technically good from what I could tell. Just insane. Serene mediation while be cut on, beaten or otherwise tortured. Not the sort of art I'd want in my house. Still think the controversy about it is a little unfair. Chinese students can be a bit over sensitive about criticism of their government - something I remember well from my time with Student's for a Free Tibet.
I think I might have a head cold. Am feeling a bit off. It could just be a day light savings thing. And I'm feeling kind of gross. Has lead to my buying a big block of chocolate for myself for the first time in a very long while.
"We all not only could know everything. We do. We just tell ourselves we don't to make it all bearable."
Neil Gaiman.
6th October 2005 - Faith, V. and Mart.
As you may have noticed on the way here, my pics are updated. Finally tidied up my photo gallery a little (by "tidied up" I mean that I added more clutter). The photo gives away what I did on Tuesday. Had a professional photo shoot at McRobie, expensive but required as Canada is picky as to where it will accept picture from and everyone on their approved list was costly. McRobie was cheaper than Kelk, so the decision where to go was easy. He even threw in a couple of digital portrait shots for free - thus the new pic on my site. Otherwise the day mostly went to study and surprise dinner at Alana's.
Yesterday, weekly brain poking went ok - felt it was a lot more going in circles than usual. I've been doing a surprisingly good job of pretending someone doesn't exist - so guess what my psychotherapist felt we needed to talk about.... After lunch I went and picked up my photos, had a chat to Stu at his work on the way back and had an afternoon of bible commentaries and procrastination. Pub meal dinner went ok, then it was home to put my new photo on my webpage and watch Clone High.
Today was a day of laundry followed by bible commentary followed by yet another dinner with Alana, this time as she is trying to force one of her workmates to make new friends.
Okay, can't think of anything else to say. Only loaded the blog page to get the link to the serenity character test above so I could email it to Tina.
"It is a fool's prerogative to utter truths that no one else will speak."
Neil Gaiman.
10th October 2005 - Gereon and his Compp.
Just home from quiz night. Only came second, and even that was dependant on answers slipped to me by the friendly hottie I was leching onto at the quiz three or four weeks back. Hooray for the beautiful people. The friendly chemling from last week was back again (and tried to smuggle me onto a team of first years so they would do better), though being sober this week I was much more appropriately behaved.
Anyway, what has happened since last I wrote...
Friday, I worked in the office for the day, and I'm pretty sure I just had a quiet night in - though saying that I'm sure I did something I just can't think what. No, can't have, as I definitely watched Veronica Mars.
Saturday I went swimming earlier than usual - starting at 8:30. Still was with Meg until after lunch, so I don't think it made the day any more productive - but the swimming was good and tiring and the company entertaining. Also had fun mocking the disgustingly unnaturally pretty guy who was aqua jogging tied to the wall. I was amused - and lucky he took it well, the guy was muscled enough to have injured me a lot had he been more arsehole-like. After an afternoon at home feeling sore I headed to BBQ at Peter&Tina's flat. Was a good night, though my resolve to drink no alcohol failed and I ended up stupid drunk. Was all fun though.
Sunday, I worked quietly in the office, having it all to myself, until a bit after 4 when I dropped past Stu's for a surprise visit so I could pick up a book I'd lent him and thus lend it to Shelley. Stu and I went and had a look at the lame arse carnival and got coffee (well, hot chocolate for me) before I went to my grandparent's for dinner. In the evening I went past Oli's house and picked up my Firefly DVDs - also to lend to Shelley.
Today, dropped stuff to Shelley, got angry at bible commentaries to being edited by a freak (all commentary on the sim od Sodom (ie. the stuff I most need) has been left out), and had lunch with my father. Then this evening the already mentioned quiz.
"Firstly, there is no such person as Death. Second, Death's this tall guy with a bone face, like a skeletal monk, with a scythe and an hourglass and a big white horse and a penchant for playing chess with Scandinavians. Third, he doesn't exist either."
Neil Gaiman.
13th October 2005 - Trans. of S. Edward, K.
After feeling a little off colour on Monday, I woke up on Tuesday all gross and sick. I hate being sick. Anyway, the day was spent in bed sleeping. Also got Thud!, the new Terry Pratchett, read. Was entertaining but not the best Vimes book there has been.
Yesterday I got up and though still feeling off I decided I was well and went to varsity for a day of work doing. At six I headed from the office to The Outback Inn for dinner with Oli and co. Come about hte time I planned to head home the hottie I mentioned in the previous entry arrived, so I stayed and chatted, and played pool and flirted shamelessly. There is something nice about the utter unattainable who are willing to accept all compliments happily and reject advances so nicely it barely seems like rejection at all. Such pretty things are also just kind of fun to be around - reflected beauty or some such thing. Then when we were again about to leave a couple fo guys I know (Will wot got my electorate vote a few weeks back and Paul the bread boy) turned up and me and Oli decided to stay for another drink with them. This led to an unhappy Bridget, but I think that was sorted out ok. It also lead to my still being in town at 2am - by then at KC's, and eventually walking home with Oli in the cold and damp. Turns out that is a stupid plan when already sick.
Today, very sick again, conceded I needed to stay home in bed and thus slept much of the day away. I went to Hinton's to buy veges and ended up buying a couple of the most expensive apples they had, over twice the price by weight of most of the others, but damn they were good. The day was mostly a right off. High points - chatting to Stu who is also sick, and Alana feeding me. Low point - how time consuming being sick is. Frustrates me no end.
"I was a "bookie" kid. I was one those kids who had books on them. Before weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, funerals and anything else where you're actually meant to not be reading, my family would frisk me and take the book away. If they didn't find it by this point in the procedure, I would be sitting over in that corner completely unnoticed just reading my book."
Neil Gaiman.
14th October 2005 - Calixtus, Pope and Mart.
Still sick and getting very, very cranky about it. Balance is off and my shoulder hurts from all the walking into door frames and banging against walls. Being sick fails to impress me.
Grrr Arghh at illness.
I need to sleep.
16th October 2005 - Michael in the Mountain Tomb.
Still sick. Well, physically I'm down to just migraine symptoms - problem is my brain is all addled and useless, and I can't stand up for long without feeling like I'm falling or go in sunlight without the light causing the brain pain to get much worse. Not the happiest day to be me.
Funny side of the brain addled, I saw a big butterfly today - not unnaturally big, just at the big end of normal - and when it landed on a car I couldn't understand how the car's roof hadn't dented. Then about 30 seconds later I realised I was insane. My brain is failing my something chronic. Hopefully I get well soon. I'm missing my thesis.
Yesterday afternoon I read Coraline and started into American Gods - to kill ime while little able to be upright.
Today I continued with American Gods - but my lack of retention is making it less enjoyable a read than it would normally be. Stuff just isn't staying in my head.
19th October 2005 - Fredeswide, V., not Mart.
Still sickly. Tried doing the varsity thing on Monday, it ended in a complete lack of productivity. Too sick to actually achieve much. Was kind of glad I had already organised a doctor's appointment.
Tuesday, spent the morning mostly in bed then went to the doctor. Blood pressure was up enough (140/92) that I've been put on more antihypertensives. And I have a virus and keeping my liquids up and sleeping it off is about the best I can do. He bled me though, to ease his own worries about how my body is handling things. The fact he needed his worries eased is somewhat worrying in itself. The good new part of it was that I'm now 95.5kg, I've lost over 6kg in the last 3 months. Seems people commenting on my looking thinner were right. My doctor was very happy about that part, even pointed out I'm only 1/2 a kg from being in the overweight camp and not the obese one (though the online BMI things all put me in the overweight already - which is a happy change). Then I picked up reels of microfilm from the library on the way home to have an afternoon nap. Me and uprightness still have some issues. I can walk, but not stand still - standing still leads to falling over.
22nd October 2005.
Thursday I caught up with a bunch of my relatives from out of town (Uncle Peter, Aunt Barbs, cousins Rachel, James and David and Rachel's kid whom I'd not met ever in his several years of life). Was spinning head and sickly feeling, which made it less fun that I might have liked it to have been.
Friday, I went to the postgraduate symposium because I had registered and thought it would be rude to Charles for me not to show up. It was an adventure in sitting. I can sit like a champ - so it was all good. Even attempted to chat someone up at the research poster presentation. Hitting on someone based on finding their research cool is a bit suspect though. In the evening I came home and collapsed. I had been up far to long.
Today has been a day of napping and achieving nothing. I hate being sick. My supervisor sent me an email of suggestions of stuff I should be looking at in what I'm doing at the moment (he is currently impressed at my research, the information is there but is still lacking something to tie all my points together and thus give me my argument). Anyway, having random muscle pains, think it's time for another nap.
25th October 2005 - SS. Crispin and Crispinian. Middle lessons of S. John of Beverly, Bp. and Conf.
Darn it to heck, I forgot my father's birthday - just realised now looking at the date. Bugger it.
Saturday and Sunday I spent at home doing little more than convalescing and reading American Gods. Every re-read I find more in that book. Sometimes I think I should have done my honours of Neil Gaiman - though then i'd not have become the dedicated Medievalist I am now, and would probably be weeks away from becoming a pharmacist - and thus only a few years away from prison for poisoning old ladies.
Yesterday I lay in bed until I had finished my book, then not long after getting up in the afternoon I decided to go for a walk. Dizziness was still a factor. I ended up mostly just hanging out with Alana and Lyall. It made for a good afternoon. And Alana loaded me up with chocolates to take home - which I am currently breakfasting on. Wahoo for being fed.
26th October 2005.
Dakota Fanning has been cast to play Coraline in the movie being made, this does not please me. I love that book, and she just isn't Coraline. Coraline is ballsy, Dakota Fanning is whiny.
Yesterday, I decided I was well and went to varsity. This went fine for the morning. I finally got everything sorted and posted off for my Canadian citizenship. I had lunch with my father - belatedly celebrating his birthday (after I forgot it even though his birth certificate had been sitting on my desk). Midafternoon things became less fun. Balance (which had never been good) got bad enough that I was starting to feel a little sea sick at my desk. After that my getting work done went down hill and I caved and came home to nap.
Have to go to varsity today though. I have a meeting with my supervisor. And my weekly brainpoking - which I've not done my homework for. Go me, the bad therapy client. How shall I ever expect to be theraped.
30th October 2005.
Theraping went over ok. She seems to think we are covering some important things in the way I handle my "personal power". It seems I'm prone to giving it all away - and seem to pick the least sensible people to give it to. Supervisory meeting went great - it was by far the longest and most useful meeting with Greg that I've ever had, were all our meetings that productive I'd have finished ages ago.
Thursday I went in to the office and did some work until I started feeling sea sick at my desk so came home. On the walk I developed shiny new hate for the pretty of the world - there were too many people in minimal clothes flaunting how much prettier than me they were. I got home and decided to resist the urge to nap in an attempt to get back to normal sleeping patterns - turns out this was a mistake.
Friday, I woke up felt like crap, went back to sleep and slept most of the day.
Yesterday I slept in, then went to town for lunch with my father. In the afternoon I finally fixed internal links that had been broken over two years on my Palladium website. It was such a mess that I had forgotten about. Not that anyone is likely to read it - but now if geeks want to use it it is more user friendly. In the evening I went to Bridget's birthday BBQ. It was a fun night, though I was up too late and feel a bit gross today. I was good and refrained from the drinking - don't think my current levels of balance would mix with alcohol well.
31st October 2005 - Quintinus, Mart., with Nocturn. Vigil.
After walking to my grandparent's place out the other end of town yesterday I had convinced myself I was mostly well. Even if I did have to do some serious sitting after I got there. Last night I finally saw Kill Bill, vol. 2 - it is great.
Today I had a slow start, which included watching Riverworld - which is not great, but was made for TV so is almost forgivable. Then I went to varsity and made the mistake of accepting a free Red Bull from some people promoting it. I had forgotten how much it gives me the shakes. The afternoon was mostly unproductive anyway. And featured my falling over in the staff tearoom - though I covered for it very well by swivelling and landing on a chair like I ment to do it on purpose. Neither Shelley nor Lynda were fooled though. Seems that I still have to be careful not to stand up quickly. Buggerit.
I should be out on the town in costume, or at least blowing stuff up somewhere in preparation for the 400 year anniversary of the English parliament failing to blow up. And the commemoration of the loss of a folk hero...
