The thoughts of a veteran

First day back at uni. I think it's time for some observations from the perspective of a fifth-year veteran.

• Driving a hot car does not imbue one with a talent for parking. Especially if one is a red P-plater. 
• There are a lot of young people at uni. 
• Young people are really loud. 
• People drive to uni a lot slower in Week 1. 
• It is always rainy and windy in this place. Always. 
• People are studying already. Bizarre. 
• Books are really dense. 
• Monash is really ugly. 
• It's so much easier catching up with people at uni than during holidays. Counterintuitive. 
• Parking is hilariously full in Week 1. I enjoy watching it slowly taper off during the semester. 
• They say they're upgrading the facilities. All I can see is things being taken apart, and the amount of rubble and gravel increasing around campus.

Despite all my grumbles, this place makes me feel alive. So much to do, so much to see. So many friends in the one place. I'm glad that most of them are doing degrees that are as long, or longer, than my own. Can't imagine how lonely it'd be without them here.

In more important news, my Alice in Wonderland diary arrived today. Sissy? Yeah. Awesome? Hell yeah.

Now to put stuff in it.

Word of the Day: Veteran 

Hating on hater haters

“Haters will say what they want, but their hate will never stop you from chasing your dream”

- Justin Bieber, legendary singer/songwriter, and greatest manchild to have lived. Ever. 

Something that annoys me. Again.

People who harp on and on about people hating on them, and how they're bigger than all that, and how they're going to rise above it. A number of reasons why this rankles me:

1. Most of it is probably all in your head. You're not really that important that people are going to hate you en masse because you're so 'successful'. Stop flattering yourself.

2. Instead, people are probably annoyed at you because you say stuff like 'haters gone hate', implying that you're so damn successful that people hate you for your success and your wealth etc, and how that doesn't phase you. Which, evidently, it does. Maybe there are other reasons that people don't like you. I know, how bizarre.

3. Just deal with it. If they are, in fact, just words that will not hurt you, and not sticks and stones, then treat them as such. Stop moaning about them.

In summary, I think these people have massively inflated egos, so much so that they think they're worthy of the jealousy of random strangers. The dichotomy is, however, that they also appear to be seeking attention, sympathy and support from their fans, or minions, or followers, etc.

What's worse is that most of these people aren't even old enough to drive, much less likely to be hated on for being ultra successful at whatever they do or have done. I blame Justin Bieber, and, possibly to a lesser extent, Drake, for perpetuating the notion that having 'haters' is awesome. You've already seen the quote from the King of Cool, Bieber, but have a gander at the lyrical genius of Drake:

I can't relate to these haters, my enemies never made it.

Zing! Also conveniently ignores the fact that maybe they don't like the music he puts out. As an aside, I don't like his music. Pretty ordinary stuff.

Anyway. These two, who have massive cult followings. They bang on about how haters only hate on successful people, so then we have people making it seem as though they have haters, because that would then imply that they are successful. Weird, but probably true. And a little bit worrying.

Whatever. For those starting uni tomorrow, have fun. For those who are returning to uni tomorrow, ha.

Word of the Day: Hater

Word vomit

This is going to be a mini-collection of stuff that I've been meaning to post for a while, but for one reason or another, couldn't be bothered.

So I've been back from the Gold Coast for a couple of days. Good times, and all that. Not really all that much to talk about. Photos are all up on Facebook anyway, and you know what they say about pictures. 

Yes. Every single one of those photos is the equivalent of me writing 1000 words. Therefore, no words here on that. 

So rewinding a bit (just because I love jumping all around my chronological mental map), I went to the Noel Gallagher gig. 

It was almost like a dream come true, really. I say almost, because the rest of Oasis were missing.

But anyway, it's not like 'Don't Look Back in Anger' needed the rest of Oasis anyway. And that was pretty awesome. 

Leaping back into the present (wheee!), it looks like I may be going to Europe in mid-year. Which would be fantastic. Costly, but fantastic. 

And we're at that time of year again. Uni starts in a couple of days. Holidays never seem long enough, despite the months on end we spend doing very little. Upon reflection, this was one of the best summers I've had, despite the two weeks from hell I had at the start of January. You know, the vac work, the supplementary exam, and writing up of a research proposal. 

However, it's not all doom and gloom. I don't officially start uni until Wednesday. Oh yeah. Gloaty McGloatgloat right here. 

Word of the Day: Chronological   

Last day on the Gold Coast

And we just discovered five dollar breakfasts right below where we were staying.

We're eating them right now. Missed opportunities never tasted this good. Or this economical.

Word of the Day: Breakfast

Gold Coast Day One

As suggested by the title, the first day of our Gold Coast 'roadtrip' just concluded.

Good times have been had, with the promise of more to follow.

First impressions of this place are a bit mixed.

Architecturally (because that's everyone's primary concern), it's a little bit of a let down. Most of the buildings I've seen so far are a bit dilapidated. That might be a bit strong, but a lot of the buildings here have certainly seen better days.

Weather-wise, it's pretty humid, which was expected. However, became a bit milder towards the latter part of the day.

On to some not-so-first impressions!

The accommodation (Q1) is pretty swish. We're fortunate enough to be on the 47th floor, and our apartment comes with bonus awesome scenic views.

Anyway, activity-wise, most of the day was spent getting from my house to airport, airport to the other airport, other airport to Q1, finding lunch, spending a couple of hours running/sitting on the beach, chilling in the pool, eating dinner, and finishing off with a mad Monopoly Deal/apple cider/Sherlock/Tangled combo. If you thought that was going to be a short summary, you had another thing coming. Word.

That'll do for today. Maybe another one tomorrow if I can be stuffed.

Word of the Day: Impression

The Nile is a river that runs through several countries, not just Egypt.

Late-night posting on Valentine's Day of the biggest song of denial I have ever heard, on the eve of my trip to the Gold Coast. Sometimes, my life doesn't seem to be as boring as I often think it is.



I don't think we're perfectly lonely. We just kid ourselves that we are.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Word of the Day: Perfectly

Breeks. More Breeks. Please.

And so it was that the best week I've had in a long, long, long time emphatically came to an end due to a quite atrocious morning. 

'Emphatically' may not be the most appropriate word to use there. Actually, it's just a generally inappropriate word that I bandy about too much.

Back to the aforementioned week. 

Why was it good, you may ask? 

It just was (in-depth analysis and perceptive discussion has always been a strength of mine). It seemed like every day was just golden. Good things happened, more or less, from last Friday (when I finished up at Deloitte) to this Friday. Most of it revolved around friends, cool people (a subcategory of friends), and family. Funny how good times always seem to centre around them.

I was going to do something crazy and wild yesterday, to maximise the utility of the luck and stuff coming my way, but it occurred to me that this awesome spell wasn't necessarily going to last for a full week. And, even if it was, I shouldn't push it too far. Because we all know what happens when you do.

Anyway, as it happened, it ended up being pretty much a week anyway. 

However, after the pretty bad morning, it did pick up again somewhat in the arvo, which leaves me (probably unreasonably) hopeful. 

Here's to another brilliant week!

Word of the Day: Brilliant

I wanna talk tonight

But it would seem a bit random, if not downright creepy, if I did randomly call you tonight.

I still want to talk though.

Word of the Day: Talk

One More Time

So the Deloitte gig's all over for now, and I managed to secure (and, just a couple of hours ago, accept) a grad offer. Which, on top of elation, elicits from me a massive sense of relief. I've finally gotten something, after all the trials and tribulations and whatnot. I'm thankful that I worked with really great people, most of whom really tried to help me along.

The last few work-free days have been good. I'm kind of starting to miss it already. It's more missing the other vacationers than the work. I liked those guys. Or a number of them anyway. Hopefully will get to see them before we all start back at work next year. 

Also, after what seems like years, I've finally managed to find me a girl problem. As in, a quandary that is in the form of a girl. 

Well done me. 

I'll not talk about it here, but feel free to hit me up about it next time you seem me online/in person/on the phone if you feel like a bit of goss, a bit of romance, more than a dash of unrequited love, and impossible odds.

I should work in movie marketing. Or something. 

So yeah. Work's over, so normal service resumes. Hell, it's so normal, that, right on queue, the day that I finish work, a truckload of mulch and firewood gets dumped on our front lawn. Which, of course, means that I'll have to move it. Much like the time before I commenced work.

The greatest thing about finishing this whole thing is that I get to see my friends again. Having good chats all around. 

Like on Friday, having good old chats with the other vaccers. Learned a lot about everyone, had good times, etc. Should do it again more often. 

Or like Saturday, where my homies and I went to celebrate my birthday/offer with some weird dinner-ice-cream-Time Zone hybrid. 

Iced Dinnerzone. 

What a zippy name. As I said, marketing extraordinaire right here. 

So apart from doing things with friends, this week I am going to:

• Upload a massive lot of photos
• Blog (which is happening right here, right now)
• Continue the revamping of my room
• Plan for Gold Coast trip
• Finish moving the pile of stuff outside my house to the inside of my house (being my garden).

I think that'll do for now. 

I promise the next one will be a lot more orderly, and a lot less thought-spewy. 

Also, more about Noel Gallagher gig next. Get excited. 

I'll leave you with this clip that was promised by the post title. 

Word of the Day: Celebrate