Headache + bad music.

Bah! I have a shitty head ache. Paracetamol doesn't seem to be working. I need codeine. I need it now. I suppose listening to crappy music isn't helping things either.


Listening to:
Title: If You Come Back
Artist: Blue
Album/station: All Rise (2001)
Length: 3.26

Them crazy Libs (the obligatory mention of Brogdengate).

You know what? I'm a little sad to see John Brogden go. Sure he was a bit of a dickhead with no real policy nor tact to speak of. But he was- erm- kinda cool for a Liberal politician. Especially when you take into consideration various other [pseudo] Libs like Johnny, Sophie or Alex. Broggers is probably the closest thing to a Liberal-Left there is. Le sigh.

In other kerrazy Lib news, some members of the party want to ban muslim headscarves in state schools. "Iconic item of defiance", Bronwyn says. Liberal's wanting to curb freedom of expression? The Liberal Party is to liberalism what Orwell's Ministry of Truth is to, well, truth.


Listening to:
Title: Love Puppet
Artist: Sonicanimation
Album/station: Eleven (2005)
Length:3.43

The weekend.

So I was stood up on Friday night. Bah. I suppose I shouldn't have expected too much, I mean, I was going to see an ex- after all. Ended up at Stonewall. Met a lad called Shane or Shaun, can't remember exactly. Wasn't in a picking up mood. Drank. Puffed. Accosted by an oldish man in business attire, who said something seemingly suggestive to me in some foreign language at the lights outside the Columbian. I told him I only spoke English and in the broadest Aussie accent, he apologised. Strange. Went home after that.

Rugby yesterday was a bit of a bummer. Steph's birthday party was better. And get this, it was a costume party. At first, I was dreading it. I lack any sort of creativity and I had no idea of what to go as. In adition to that, I had a feeling that whatever I was going to dress up in, I would look ridiculous. And yes, I did look ridiculous. But by last night, I couldn't have cared less. I dressed up in a toga and laurel crown and showed up as an ancient greek person. It was the easiest thing I could think of. I mean, just wrap a bed sheet around one's self and presto! By far my favourite was Ray, who came as a mediaeval peasant, in a torn unmarked potato sack and face paint simulating dirt and blood. I mean no offence when I say that it suited him quite well.

It was one of the only other events of the year when I get to see some of my closest friends from high school all together. Gosh I'd missed them all. I wish I could see all of them more often. It's pretty crap, the way everyone's days and weeks pan out.

This morning, we picked my Nan up from the airport and had the traditional airport McDonald's breakfast. And today, I finally finished my literature review on drug and alcohol education and associated policies for EDUF2007 Social Perspectives on Education. Now, I suppose it's time to sit back and relax.


Listening to:
Title: Siamese
Artist: Motor Ace
Album/station: Five Star Laundry (2001)
Length: 4.56

Woods lost... again.

Northern Suburbs, 25.
Eastwood, 24.
TG Millner Field, Marsfield.

What is happening? The Woods lost their second game in a row. And exactly like last week, they led the game well into the second half and then slipped up in the dying minutes, giving their opposition that one final point to take the game.

Ahh well. Still in the top five on the table, second only to Sydney Uni. I suppose the upshot to the Woods losing against Northern Suburbs (if any upshot can be found at all) is that the match drew crowds of gorgeous rugby loving lads. The stands at Millner were packed with them. Poor, deluded, pretty boys. Don't they know that they're supporting the wrong team? Boom tish.


Listening to:
Title: Don't Dream It's Over (Live)
Artist: Crowded House
Album/station: Recurring Dream [Bonus Live Disc] (1996)
Length: 4.03

Steph.

It's Steph's birthday today, and she's also twenty. What's with all these geriatrics popping up around me all of a sudden?

Only joking. Happy Birthday.


Listening to:
Title: Go West
Artist: The Pet Shop Boys
Album/station: The Queernoise - 2SER 107.3FM
Length: -.--

Bachelor of Procrastination (Sydney).

How quickly promises are forgotten. I seem to remember promising myself last semester (well, every semester, really) that I'd be more proactive. You know, that I'd get stuck into it with renewed vigour. But no, it isn't so. I have a literature review due next week on drug and alcohol education and the associated policies. I've had four weeks to do it in, but I only ventured out to Fisher for the first time this afternoon. It truly is terrible.

It's also Simon's twentieth birthday today. An 8am lecture and several assessment tasks are probably not the best birthday presents, though. Ah well. He's old. Twenty. That's when osteoperosis sets in, right?

In other university related matters, no more physical chemistry labs! Now all I have to, erm, "look forward" to are organic chemistry lab classes in about five weeks. In the meantime, I finally get to see Theatresports this semester!


Listening to:
Title: Love For Granted
Artist: Phoenix
Album/station: Ministry of Sound: Chillout Sessions 7 (2005)
Length: 4.04

Jules for PM!

Like I've said before, I love Julia Gillard MP. I wanted to have her babies back then, and I still want to have her babies now. See, I went down to Manning Bar at uni and watched the VSU Forum née Debate, the one that the Federal Minister for Health Tony Abbott didn't turn up to for one reason or another.

I love her suburban Melbourne drawl. I love her fiery [dyed] red hair. I love her womaness. I love her leftiness. I love to watch her on Parliamentary Question Time. I even have her on my wall. Le sigh. And maybe if I'd drunk a little more than the few schooeys of Heineken that I did, I might have shouted out and let her know how I felt. Lost opportunities.

Listening to:
Title: If She Wants Me
Artist: Belle & Sebastian
Album/station: Dear Catastrophe Waitress (2003)
Length: 5.05

Why I like...

So yes, I've been getting the feeling that this blog has become a little, how you say, single-tracked. Whinging about parents. And Rugby. Rugby boys. Rinse. Repeat.

So maybe time has come for me to employ a blogger cliché and establish some sort of weekly segment on In Another Life I Was A Platypus. And here it is: 'Why I Like...'.

...Quantum Physics: It's a total mindfuck. Almost everything you know about the physical universe is wrong and finding out about it is amazing. And I suppose it's cool knowing something thing that other people don't. Also, my lecturer is almost exactly like John Cleese. Well, a slightly camper John Cleese.

...Avocado: I wasn't ever a big fan of avocado. I remember my dad mushing up some avocado in a bowl of milk and a little sugar when I was little. And I hated it. But then I discovered the chicken and avocado sandwich. Is there anything else more perfect? I don't think I've ever met a more perfect marriage between animal and plant matter. Ever. Some quirk of evolution has resulted in a symbiotic relationship between the Persea americana and the Gallus gallus - in my tummy.

...CityRail: Because they rile up whinging commuters. Geez people, chill out.

Oh and shame about the Wallabies game last night. Ah well.


Listening to:
Title: Nightminds
Artist: Missy Higgins
Album/station: The Sound Of White (2004)
Length: 3.20

Gah! Woodies defeated.

Eastern Suburbs, 36.
Eastwood, 35.
Woollahra Oval, Rose Bay.

Didn't get to go out and see the game today, but it was screened on ABC TV. Gosh it was close! The Woodies were in the lead until the very last minute. Then halfway through the second half and two high tackles later, Eastwood outside centre Al McDonald gets sent off. And it was all downhill from there.

Sydney Uni had the bye and now they're at the top of the competition ladder, Eastwood dropping down to second place and a point behind. Ah well. It's better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick, at least. I hope the Wallabies have better luck tonight.


Listening to:
Title: Let's Fall In Love
Artist: Diana Krall
Album/station: When I Look In Your Eyes (1999)
Length: 4.19

Feeling useless and other thoughts.

It's week four of semester and I don't feel like I'm doing much at all. All I've been doing is turning up to lectures, taking a sheet of PowerPoint slides and sitting, watching, listening. Ah, the tribulations of an education/science degree.

Today, my workshop partner Aaron and I were supposed to present our project proposal for EDUF2007 Social Perspectives on Education. The problem was, neither of us were prepared. Evidently, neither of us had bothered with it. Ah well. At least we managed to defer presenting ours until next Tuesday. In the mean time, I have stellar astrophysics and quantum physics assignments due on Friday and Tuesday respectively. Cue the violins.

I'm finally starting to feel settled at uni. Which is odd, seeing as it's been eighteen months since I started my degree. I've felt as if I've just been floating around for the last couple of years since the end of high school, as if I've been in some sort of temporary transitional state. It's as though I'm just passing through, and that kills me a little inside. I don't want these five years [at least] of young adulthood to be like a crowded peak hour bus trip, purely as a journey from point A to point B to be endured with the aid of music and earphones.


I'm looking forward to the future though. I got to have a chat with my best mate Adam when we went to see the club rugby on the weekend. We mused about the distant future. We discussed the possibility of buying an inner suburban pub together and converting the upstairs hotel rooms into cheap apartments and student accomodation. While our day jobs would be as secondary school teachers (he, history and English, and myself, physics/science), by night and during school holidays we'd pitch in and pull beers at our pub. I'd live upstairs above the bar and be the benevolent landlord while he'd live with his wife (née girfriend) Steph and their kids at their family home close by.

I've been daydreaming to that effect since then, adding little bits to the fantasy. We'd hire a manager of course. I mean with school and everything, I doubt we'd have time to manage a pub all on our own. The boyfriend and I, presuming that I have one by that stage, would ask all the other tenants and staff over for dinner every couple of weeks. Well, no, it'd just be down in the pub but the meal would still be on us. And we'd get up and coming bands to play and have barbecues on the roof and everything. Sigh.


Listening to:
Title: Sway
Artist: Bic Runga
Album/station: Drive (1998)
Length: 4.24

Wallabies lose.

New Zealand, 30.
Australia, 13.
Telstra Stadium, Olympic Park.

So the Bledisloe Cup stays in New Zealand. Ah well. Gorgeous Drew Mitchell did, however, manage to score the Wallabies' only try. Drew Mitchell: you make Mikey's heart go boom-boom.

As much as I hate to admit it, one of the All Blacks caught my eye - Kiwi fly-half Daniel Carter. Mmm, yummy. I have a feeling that I'll soon regret confessing to that. At this moment, ASIO agents could be on their way to my house to arrest me for treason. For my crime against my countrymen, I could be hung-- erm, I mean hanged. Boom tish.


Listening to:
Title: Life In A Glasshouse
Artist: Radiohead
Album/station: Amnesiac (1997)
Length: 4.33

Woodies win.

Eastwood, 43.
Southern Districts, 26.
TG Millner Field, Marsfield.

After round ten, Woods are still on top! Suck on that, Shire folk! I'll give the Souths one thing, though: they had a hot waterboy on the field today. Maybe he was a tad over dressed for the job, but phwoar!

Woodies' number nine Chris O'Young: still scrummy.


Listening to:
Title: This Charming Man
Artist: The Smiths
Album/station: The Very Best of the Smiths (2001)
Length: 2.45

Damn UQ and their hot Wallaby.

Here is some proof that universal student unionism rocks. Via UQ Sport, I present to you one of the newest and spunkiest Wallabies, Drew Mitchell.

Listening to:
Title: The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
Artist: Jeff Buckley
Album/station: ---
Length: 4.22

Bow down before your monarch.

I rule the pool tables at The Cubby. Only on some mornings though.


Listening to:
Title: Ceremony
Artist: New Order
Album/station: International (2002)
Length: 4.25

Back in hell, but some vague recollections, too.

So I've returned to Dad's house. I don't know why I did. I absolutely hate it here. The company sucks. The place is a hole. Ah well. I should really just quit my whining and leave. Either that or just put up and shut up.

But I'm going to escape reality for a few minutes. Be a little happier and focus on things that give me some semblance of joy. Some music is in order.

Panic - The Smiths. Adam introduced me to this band. The song he sold me on was How Soon Is Now?, which was the song played in the opening credits of that horrid TV serial, Charmed. I thought this song (or part thereof) was appropriate a few of weeks ago, circa July 7th. Except there wasn't much of a panic on the streets London. Which was good.

Last Goodbye - Jeff Buckley. "This is our last goodbye / I hate to see the love between us die / But it's over / Just hear this and then I'll go / You gave me more to live for / More than you'll ever know". It's so tragic that he died so young. And before I even got to see him play live.

Where Is My Mind? - The Pixies. I first heard this song on a Triple J Live At The Wireless, as covered by Placebo. I was in the car with Mum and we were on our way to Woolies to do the weekly grocery shopping. Ahh, way back when. I love the guitar and the creepy "Oooh-oooh" bits.

Creep - Radiohead. A stand out memory linked to this song was when I was staying over at the then boyfriend's place. One of his room mates came home in the early morning and put this song full blast. I started tapping my foot against the wall. And then I started singing. Just quietly, though. Those were good times. Gosh, I'd love to have that boy in my arms again.

By Starlight - The Smashing Pumpkins. Off Mellon Collie and the Inifinite Sadness, a great album. Billy Corgan is a bit of a wanker though. "By starlight I'll kiss you / And promise to be / your one and only".

Boys Don't Cry - The Cure. It just rocks.

Days Go By (acoustic version) - Dirty Vegas. This was a hidden track that came on Dirty Vegas' self-titled album. A no frills acoustic version (only guitar and vocals) appeared at the end of the Ministry of Sound's Chillout Sessions Volume 2 and yeah, that's where I first met Dirty Vegas. Dirty Vegas (the album) to me is associated with everything gay. Well the wholesome part anyway, if that exists. I got it right about when I was coming out, so that might have something to do with it.

Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order. I'd only heard the Frente cover of this song up until a few years ago, which is great too. The song may be from the eighties (and have a very eighties sound), but the best things came out of the eigthies.

Suicide is Painless - Manic Street Preachers. I love M*A*S*H. I cried during Goodbye Farewell and Amen. How could you not?

Bring It All Back - S Club 7. This song was old before I'd woken up to it. Embarrassingly. I'd just turned eighteen and I was at Stonewall. Seven pretty young people in colourful clothes appeared on the TV screen above the bar. And they were so happy that they sang about it. And amazingly, I sang along too. How the fuck did I know the lyrics? Only some omnipotent being would know.

No One Takes Your Freedom - DJ Earworm: Scissor Sisters vs Beatles vs George Michael vs Aretha Franklin. This is a great mash up. It's so gay. Gay, as in excellent!

I Wish I Was Queer So I Could Get Chicks - The Bloodhound Gang. A couple of mates and I went camping in the last year of school down to Bundanoon. Someone had brought a guitar down with them and we found ourselves singing this song around the campfire. It was classic. We sang several other songs in the course of the week, and we'd always worry the next morning that maybe we'd been a little too drunk and a little too loud. On the very last day we were there, we went to around to all the other tents to apologise just in case. But everyone loved us. Some even said they sang along.

Michael - Franz Ferdinand. I mean, come on. This song is sooo about me.

Local Boy In The Photgraph - The Stereophonics. I want this played at my funeral. "And all the friends lay down the flowers/ Sit on the banks and drink for hours / Talk of the way they saw him last / Local boy in the photograph".


Listening to:
Title: Lilac Wine
Artist: Jeff Buckley
Album/station: Grace (1994)
Length: 4.32

All we hear is, radio gaga.

Virginia Trioli from ABC Melbourne may be replacing Sally Loane on Mornings at 702 ABC Sydney. I fell in love with Virginia when I saw her on Insiders one Sunday morning. She's just the best.


Listening to:
Title: All Night Disco Party
Artist: Brakes
Album/station: Triple J 105.7FM / Mel in the Morning
Length: -.--

Eastwood still tops table.

Eastwood, 52.
Gordon, 28.
Chatswood Oval, Chatswood.

It was a pretty rough game this afternoon. Spunky Woodies winger Chris Daff copped a fair beating around the head a couple of times and one Gordon player was sent off (although more deserved some time off). Maybe it's just Gordon's frustration at being at the bottom of the ladder.

Yesterday's game between Canberra and Sydney Uni at the Uni Oval was probably worth watching. It sounded like it went off, Wallabies on both sides. Anyway, Eastwood is just ahead of Uni on the table, so it's all good. I'd love to see a Uni vs. Eastwood grand final.

Yeah, so Gordon has some hot players, but mainly in the lower grades. Maybe it's the North Shore private school lineage. You know, schoolboy rugby straight into club rugby. Regardless, Eastwood scrum half Chris O'Young still tops the list. Drool.


Listening to:
Title: The Lovecats
Artist: The Cure
Album/station: Greatest Hits (2003)
Length: 3.40

Vindication.

So my Uncle's birthday lunch yesterday was quite good. I stuffed myself at Yum Cha and caught up with my cousins, which was great! Went back to their house and I ranted about Dad to my cousin Sarah. She knew exactly where I was coming from. I did get a talking-to from Dad's sister Aunty Evelyn too but it wasn't in the patronising way that I was expecting. It was pleasant. She even gave me cheese to take home. Gosh, I love her.

Later when I had to leave, Dad got all stroppy in front of all who were gathered. It was well after dark and he was worried about me catching the train at such a 'late' hour, something which has never really bothered anyone before. The cousins all responded at the ridiclousness of Dad's reaction. Dad shut up and slinked away with his tail between his legs. A small victory.

I also got to catch up with my cousin Chris' kids, JC and Dino. So cute. They're only two and four years old, or thereabouts. They're so quiet, but they say a lot. Sometimes I wish I had siblings. A brother, at least. I think there's something I'm missing there.

So I'm off to the rugby this afternoon. Eastwood versus Gordon. Go Woodies!


Listening to:
Title: Debaser
Artist: The Pixies
Album/station: Death to the Pixies 1987-1991 (1997)
Length: 2.51

Another parental whinge & some Snowball recollections.

I'm getting tired of this whole situation, frankly. And I can't help but feel as if I'm behaving like a spoilt child that isn't getting his way. Well, I am in effect just another one of those teenagers who whinges about his parents. Anyway, that being the case, permit me to continue with the minor sudsy melodrama unfolding in my family. I promise I won't whinge as much after today. Maybe.

So I've escaped to Mum's house for the weekend. On the train trip over, Dad calls. He asks what time I got home from Snowball last night and what time I left this afternoon. He asks about where I'm on the train to. He asks me if I'm going out on the weekend. For the last few days, it's been exactly the same. When I'm at uni, calls and asks where I am. When I come home from uni, he asks where I've been. Suffocation. That's what I'm feeling. And to descend to some American-talkshowesque psychobabble, I want some space. A whole lot of space.

And get this, before I left for Snowball last night, he pleaded with me to stay home and went on some foaming-at-the-mouth rant about going down to Town Hall police station and giving them a piece of his mind, re: the mugging (a constant reference point in this whole debacle). As if that'd do anything. Maybe they'd arrest him for causing a public nuisance. Oh, if only.

In addition, my parents (yes, Mum's been sucked in too) have now demanded that I no longer go out at night, even weekend nights, and that I no longer revel in my youthful exuberance. I'm sorry, is there something that I've missed here? Is there something wrong or out of the ordinary for a young adult such as myself to go out on the town after dark? It's not like I'm out partying/pubbing/clubbing every night of the week. Is there something I'm not seeing here?

Anyway, tomorrow I'm going to an uncles birthday lunch. I'm bracing myself from a tongue lashing from my Dad's sister, one of the many individuals to whom he whinges whenever I've done something disagreeable (which is really a euphemism for his parental cock ups). I might get the I-told-you-so treatment from her; she'd apparently seen it all before from when she was employed at a police station and for my entire life she has been warning me off any nightlife aspirations I may have had.

Bah! I've had the shits all day today. Maybe even all week, too. I felt like all my frustrations had gotten on top of me and I was thinking some very wrong things. This is going to sound nerdy, but I think the thing that kept me sane this week was uni. You know, just chilling out and investigating an LRC resonance circuit in physics lab or methodically analyzing the microwave spectrum of hydrochloric acid vapour and determining its bond lengths in the ground or excited states. And then there was Snowball at Manning Bar last night. Got lightly toasted on various ethanol-laden beverages and danced my arse off. Also, I met Pat's new girlfriend and caught up with a bunch of mates who've transferred to med science degrees and haven't seen much of since. We discussed Simon, and well, it appears that I'm not the only one who finds him utterly adorable.

To more recent happenings, when I arrived at Mum's this afternoon I pumped Jonny Moirée's Queer as Fuck compilation throughout the house. Now I'm somewhat mellow. After all, gay did traditionally mean happy, joyful, et cetera.


Listening to:
Title: New York City Boy (The Thunderpuss 2000 Club Mix)
Artist: Pet Shop Boys
Album/station: DJ Jonny Moirée: Queer As Fuck (2004)
Length: 9.17

Dad: the saga continues.

"Where were you last night?"

Dad's interrogating me AGAIN.

"Where did you sleep?"

Ridiculous questions, really. Firstly, I was at home. Secondly, I slept in my own bed, at home, in my bedroom. I mean, he of all people should know. He cooked dinner last night, which I even ate in front of him.

He soon remembered. But then not as much as an apology from him afterward. Instead, he launched into another barrage of questions.

"What time did you get home tonight? Where were you? Who were you with?"

Umm, I was at uni until late. I was with uni people. All this and the night is still relatively young.

I'm beginning to think that telling my parents about the mugging was more trouble than it was worth. I've gotten over it. Why can't they?


Listening to:
Title: 60 Miles an Hour
Artist: New Order
Album/station: International (2002)
Length: 4.35

Liberal Party voter and the aspirational class.

So for EDUF2007 Social Perspectives in Education, I have to participate in a group workshop presentation, the topic of which will be the the role and influence of the aspirational class in education and educational policy. I was flicking through the course overview booklet and it jumped out at me, so when the tutor was meting out workshop topics, I volunteered.

And then she put her hand up. Blonde, private school educated (not that I have anyting against that - I've long gotten over my public/private hang-ups). She just screamed out Howard/Liberal Party voter to me. And this was confirmed when the tutor asked my group if she could join, and after I'd asked, in jest, of her political leanings (after all, it's a political subject). But no, she seemed pretty cool and it should be fun. Seriously. I'm looking forward to this.


Listening to:
Title: Nancy Boy
Artist: Placebo
Album/station: Once More With Feeling: Singles 1996-2004 (2004)
Length: 3.19