Phew, Kewell's in...

And Australia breathes a sigh of relief. I too was a little worried, although really he shouldn't have lost his temper like that - Germany isn't Australia, they take hooliganism far more seriously than here...

Hmmm.... Apparently there are such things as 'brown outs' and south hobart has been getting heaps lately... Hence the fried mother boards on our computer and printer, sick router and other things that have been going wrong lately - my powerpack that wouldn't charge properly, slightly flickery lights etc etc.... Argh! And now that we've got new houses being built on our street, and electricity coming from Victoria, I don't think it's going to get any better.... I suspect Aurora would say it's all our fault...

And something my Mum said a couple of days ago got me thinking. There has been talk about introducing new rules for wood fires - that the smoke can't be seen 5 metres away or something, obviously trying to get people to go onto electric/more efficient heating, but where's the power for that coming from? With BassLInk it's not as though all our power is clean green hydro power anymore. That really is passing the dirt on...

Cleared out my top cupboard today, that was a bit scary, although i now have a lot more room for clothes - i cleared out 5 shoeboxes of accumulated junk, plus other stuff!

Well I'd love to have something intellectual to say for the end of my post, but i don't, so I'll just stick with a message for my austrian friends

Es ist 'foi' super das ihr endlich aus der Schule seid! Nie mehr Schule! Keine Schule mehr! Hooray! Kongratulieren fuer euere ausgezeichnete Noten! Viel Glueck Bibi fuer August, du wirst es sicher schaffen! Schoene Ferien, habt viel Spass in Barcelona usw! Und ich habe 40/40 fuer meine Aufsatz bekommen!!! Danke Dina! Danke Maria!! Ich koennte dass sicher nicht allein bekommen! Aber ich habe nicht SO viele Fehlern gemacht... :-p Wollt ihr meine Deutsche Pruefungen schreiben?!?

Nutella Nibbles

Here's a good unhealthy study food aid:

Take one piece of mountain bread
Spread with Nutella
Fold bread lenghtways a few times, so it's about 5cm wide
Cut into fingers/pieces
Put in the fridge for a while
Eat!

Yummy!

Some procrastination for you who need that 10 minute break every hour.

They arrested my orangutan.

Throw the paper in the bin game

Silly Walks generator

A very cool bookself!

This is my kind of book shelf! CAVE

But this is so sad. Censorship in Colorado Springs

In other news, i'm officially on swatvac now, so trying to do lots of study....

Kannst du mein Monster halten? Kannst du?

Exams must be coming...

... I feel an insane urge to tidy my room like never before...

Evolution of dance

The evolution of dance

Thanks Clare for this one!

Will take a while to download, but quite funny if you have the time to wait! If you don't have the time to wait, then you're just too stressed and you'll spend the 6 minutes too worried about what else you could be doing to notice that the guy is scarily good at hip isolation....!!

Look at them now!!

Here are the twins, at 17 weeks. Aren't they so cute!!! I think the yawner is Rohan and the smiler is Ashar, but I can't be certain.... They're starting to look alike and like normal people, not the prem boys they were before!!

Hooray Hooray!!

Thanks for this Imo (K)!

Albino Black Sheep

Very cool! Give it some time to load, and it's worth it!

The Tasman Bridge

This was taken at the Hobart Regatta earlier this year, at about 8:30pm, while we were waiting for the fireworks! That's the Derwent, our river, with the Tasman Bridge, and lots of boats, also waiting for the fireworks!

CrossEyed...

CrossEyed is our youth group/ministry at BayWest. It's all very cool, we went disco bowling last week, I pretended it was just like golf, lowest score wins...

The website's just been updated, all looks very cool... Check it out... There are pics of us smashing the car there too...!!

Learning to pout...

I emptied my camera just before, if you're wondering where all these photos are coming from!!

Like us learning to pout....


Sexy....














Is this a ... bad... photo of Ruth? It's a miracle!












Don't give me that look Kath!












Of course you're innocent...














Pucker up Ruth...













Yes... georgeous














And textbook pouting...

Oh dear...

My niece...!

:-P

Some pretty pics!

Here are some pretty sunset pics I took recently, of 2 different sunsets... They were just out off the verandah and the upstairs window...

Both were pretty vivid sunsets... I love a good sunset...

Is busy an emotion?

"How are you?" anyone might ask a friend. "Oh, busy, and yourself?" might be the reply. And what does that tell us? Is this person happy that they are busy? Stressed? Uncomfortable? Is there a reason they're busy? Are they avoiding something or just taking too much on?

Why do we treat business as an emotion, as something we should aim for? Everyone knows that people generally are taking more on to do in a shorter amount of time, but does that mean we forget about emotions? That busy and not busy are the only emotions we register...

Usually when I ask 'how are you' I don't mean "how occupied are you?", I mean "how's it going? how are you as a person dealing with your environment? Are you healthy?"... And Busyness isn't really an answer to those questions...

Now people can argue (and arguing is good, it takes your mind off that busyness for a moment, giving it a break) that replying 'good' to the question is just as non-emotive, and I can't quite think of why I prefer being told that than 'busy'... Maybe someone else knows...

So busy as an emotion... It's just a thought, reminds me of Newspeak somehow, actually all of Orwell's Oceania... No actual emotions, stating only the facts... Are we going to be called to Room 101 if we state "yeah, I'm alright, feeling a little tired, but that's just because i'm horribly tired"?

I don't know... My point really is just that it seems crazy that busy has now become an emotion, and it's one of those emotions that if you don't have it, there's obviously something wrong. Unhappy people are questioned on what's wrong, should we do the same to people who don't say they're busy?

"Hi! How are you?"
"Yeah, not bad thanks, just getting over a cold. And yourself?"
"So you aren't busy then?"
"Not particularly, just handed in all my assignments, so I'm alright."
"Hmm.... you need a job... and why don't you volunteer at this function for lame kids... and shouldn't you be studying for the exams? Would you like to play in my hockey team?"
"Well not really... I need a break after those assignments... Yeah, I know, exams... I'm getting there... What are you up to these days?"
(said with pride)"Oh, keeping busy.... uni, exams, sport, work, church..."

What's wrong with taking some 'down time'? What compels us to announce proudly that we're
'keeping busy'?

Anyway, this isn't a snipe at someone in particular, just a rant at the answer I received several times today to one of our most commonly asked questions... Please just think what you're saying next time you answer, think about what the question's asking and why it's so 'good' to be busy....

two miners found ALIVE!

That's a true miracle.

Found unhurt, hopefully out by tomorrow, talking, it's amazing. 1km down for 6 days, and they're talking!

How amazing can God's work get?

Let's keep praying that they get them out, there's still some way to go.

And... I.... Die...

I remember that Susan and I wanted to stand up and applaude at the end of Franco Zeffireli's 'Romeo and Juliet', when Romeo has a wonderful death scene and declares 'now... I die' and carks it. Right now I understand a little of what Romeo was going through. I want to curl up into a little ball and sleep, catch up on what i missed out on last night, but i know that if I sleep now, I'll never sleep tonight, and that's very not cool!

Wow, way too many 'I's in that sentence!

Last night at CrossEyed (btw, have you seen the cool website? CrossEyed) we had our allnighter, and now I'm pooped. Two hours of sleep, broken into 30 minute blocks so isn't enough! It was fun, lots of movies, popcorn, stacks-on and general fun and games. Today is just so long! Started yesterday at 7:30am... I know I shoudl really be doing a law assignment, got the draft due on monday, but have jsut about finished that, and still have tomorrow!!

Ahhh... Just downloaded Firefox, so now I have all my options up the top - links, text alignment etc etc, Safari doesn't agree with Blogger fr some reason....

And just to prove that royalty are only mere mortals (well their drivers at least) click here

I updated my iPod today...

Don't know why, don't have any new music on my computer, just thought it was the right thing to do, I mean, you can't have an iPod and never plug it into your computer (other than for charging), right? This is coming from a girl who hasn't bought a cd in years, the last cds I got were burnt copies of German music, presents from friends there... But suddenly I'm a music techno-geek, well maybe i won't go that far, but with my mp3 player and iPod, it's certainly a little excessive. The thing is that I didn't want the iPod, I'd just opened my shiny new mp3 player, when I learnt I could get a free iPod with my new computer. The sales lady on the phone couldn't comprehend my reluctance, "but it's FREE" she exclaimed when I said I didn't need it. "But I don't need it! I just bought an mp3 player!" I protest. "Sell it, give it away, just take this FREE iPod!" is her argument. I give in. "Alright, but there really aren't any strings?" I feel I should still put up some resistance. I wonder why they're so desperate to give away these iPods. Are the new 1Gb Nanos such a failure?

I think I now know why they're free. There's so much STUFF, accompanying apparel, extra bits and pieces, accessories whatever you want to call it. All this MUST be bought, for one to own a present and correct iPod. So far I've only bought a cover, the cheapest available, but I was astounded to see the number of covers one could buy...Leather, plastic, solid, floppy, even packets of 5, so you can have a different colour for everytime people see you (do they think iPods sweat? Is it a social sin for it to wear the same thing two days in a row?). Then there are armbands, desk rests, speakers, etc etc. Then you get iTunes and the Music store which inevitably opens when you sneeze in the direction of iTunes. No wonder the lady wanted me to take the iPod. Apple banks on socially acceptable materialism, although that's no new news.

What's the difference between kleptomania and materialism? Both are an urge that one MUST have certain things (although I am no psych student, so I could just be making stuff up, but that's how I see it), but one is legal and the other illegal. One is theft, the other (technically) not, although think about what you steal from the labourers who are forced to make the latest things so that you can get your little hands on them as soon as you can get to the shops. Tenuous link, yeah, probably, but that's how my mind works!

Anyway, that's enough of a ramble, now my iPod is charged and ready for action, I'll leave you with a funny story about a gender challenged chook that caught my eye this morning as I was looking over the local newspapers of the world.


http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=iol1145436193214C200

Look, it's Hobart!

http://www.rosebay.tased.edu.au/camera.htm

Well, I'm itching to travel somewhere, so i'm onto looking at webcams around the world, and newspapers and everything, and I found a webcam of Hobart from Rose Bay HIgh. This is especially for the benefit of my Austrian friends! Rose Bay is on the 'Eastern Shore', the city (and my house (which you can almost see here, you can see the hill, but not the house!) and the uni and shops and everything) are on the other side of this bridge!

Is very cool!

Will write at some stage! I want to, but keep on getting caught up in other things on the internet!

I have viscous ear wax...

There we go, just to get it out of the way, the doctor told me today, my ear wax is... viscous... Hmmm.... Apparently that means that it's just absorbed the drops that were meant to get rid of it, and was too sticky for the tweezers when she tried (after squirting a lot of water in there....)

What's going on, I hear you ask... Well, my ears have been causing me trouble, and this time it isn't gossip related (actually, when has it been?) Last week I had a sore ear, that didn't get better, so i went to the doctor, she told me it sounded like an ear infection, but couldn't actually see my ear drum because of the ear wax (my mum tells me it's quite common in my family for the ears to not clear themselves properly, like they should). The doctor (after having a good laugh at me) gave me antibiotics and ear drops, and said come back in a week.

Well today was a week, so I went back, ear pain all gone, but wax not. She tried washing my ears out (not with soap, they hadn't heard naughty words) and tweezering, but said that since I can still hear fine, just to keep on ear dropping until the bottle's empty... Fun fun fun, that stuff STINKS! And the wax is just supposed to drop out onto my pillow or something at night... That's REVOLTING!

So why haven't I written for a while? You're asking me? I dunno, I'd hoped you know! Right now I'm procrastinating, after analysing The Pardoner's Tale for a few hours, Dad's coming to collect me from uni in 10 minutes, so i thought I'd satisfy the anxious rabble and write something... SOMETHING... happy now?

Well Clarrie crashed her plane, that was an interesting point of the week, poor poppet, she's all good I hear, bit shaken, but raring to go on a new lot of flying lessons. Was praised in the paper for her perfect emergency procedures, nothing her fault. We did joke that it was scary that she was flying, but never expected anything really to happen..... Same as Ruth getting her Ps last week... Well done Ruth... Where are you going to drive? The 100m to church? the 200m to uni? Me home? That sounds like a plan...!!!

I love this weather at the moment, it's so beautiful, nice nip in the air, but sunny and blue skies.... The tint on the library windows certainly adds an extra something too....

Got my computer last week, it's wonderful! Just like the old school ones, but a new model. iBook G4 12"... DVD player is fun!! I'm loving it, although looking forward to being able to use it at home on the internet, without having to squidge my knees into the filing cabinet (the password for the wireless network has been forgotten, I have to plug into a 40cm cord instead...)

Twins going wonderfully... Will stick some pics up sometime.... Ashar is much bigger than Rohan, but both are growing! I went over and saw them about a month ago, when they were still in hospital... So small and yoda-like. Amazing though. Rose calls them "my boys" as in "how are my boys today?" which is so cute!

Anything else? I'm busy.. Trying to find a job, but no idea when I'll fit one in... If anyone has any ideas on a job for just a few hours a week that can be fitted into very specific times, please tell me!!! I'm leading youth group... Sorry, CrossEyed, grade 7-9 which is fantastic, helping the International Students improve their English at the English Classes, helping Heth teach her 20 primary school kids to dance, and going to Bible Study (which is wonderful, I need something to get me reading my Bible more!)... Plus uni, just on the side....

Ok, must be off to meet Dad! Would love to know if anyone's actually still reading my blog, so comment or email or something!!!

Well we've heard a lot of bad news, where's the good stuff?

I get sick of all the depressing news, and I know everyone else does to. There is good stuff in the world, believe it or not, so I've decided to share some of the funny, good or weird stories of the day (or week as it may turn out to be!) Click on the blurb and see the article! Tell me if it's a good thing to do, I enjoy going through news websites and finding the quirky stories and it's a fabulous procrastination tool!

Anyway, some anti-depression news:

Man runs into wife... with plane.

Celebrity endorsement gone wrong.

Wallace and Gromit wins annies (hope this link works!)

Michael Jackson on a mission for God...?

Clark Kent as a teaching aid (now I'm little worried about this one, there are screen to life parallels everywhere, and they chose this one!)

Return to sender: unwelcome message in a bottle (now you tell me, hoax or not? Although John Cleese did move to America saying the British had lost their sense of fun...)

Well, it's obvious now that Germany isn't Switzerland when it comes to train matters...!

Dutch cannabis....

Could hook worms be the new leech? The next medical insecty thing to help treat medical conditions?

Japanese brain exercise to become the new health revolution??

And that's all for this week's edition of Imo's Quirky News, hope you found a few interesting things there, I know I did! This may become a weekly thing, depending on how much procrastination I need! So if you like it, tell me and I'll discover I really do need to procastinate more! And just for a final laugh, here's a true story about Indiana Jones (I know a lot of people already know this one, but I think it's a fantastic piece of triva or conversation starter: INDIANA JONES

And I've just changed colour!!!

Your Blog Should Be Purple

You're an expressive, offbeat blogger who tends to write about anything and everything. You tend to set blogging trends, and you're the most likely to write your own meme or survey. You are a bit distant though. Your blog is all about you - not what anyone else has to say.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Going on a Doctor Who hunt

I'm getting desperate, I need the end of my Doctor Who fix!! Been watching all the new ones, which my parents taped for me, but unfortunately can't find 3 or 4 episodes... They got taped on many different tapes, and I know I've missed a couple because I've seen the ads at the end of each episode, but not the full story! If anyone has the full series on video or DVD, could i please borrow it? I'm missing the one where Earth gets blown up, and there's a conference of lots of different species, including the last human, Lady someone who's just a sheet of skin pegged on a frame, also the one where the UFO lands in London and destroys Big Ben, and the one where Captain Jack first comes along, in WW2... I think there may be another one I've missed, but don't know! Ahhhh! They're fantastic though, so much more in depth and addictive than the older ones (although I did like Tom Baker as the doctor!)... And I like Christopher Eccleston as the doctor, he looks funny enough to do the job well!

Anyway, this is a desperate plea.... Please tell me!!! Also tell me if there's a massive gap on my blog between the posts, and the sidebar bit... It all depends on the browser and the computer for me! But Doctor Who is more important!

New look!

AS you have hopefully noticed, I have changed the appearance of my blog (and added and taken a few links etc etc)... I'd love to know what you think, whether it's too hard to read, needs other colours, doesn't work properly on your computer (or you don't think it's working properly...) etc etc! Feedback is lovely! I worked hard to get it to this look, so no whinging, just constructive critisicm... You are the ones that have to look at it!

I got my Ls again, hooray! Haven't actually been for a drive since then, all a bit crazy here at the moment (we're getting a new washing machine soon too... Hooray! Maybe i'll actually be able to operate it!) Going over to Melbourne soon too...

This is at Mindl Beach, in Darwin

I'm not sure if I agree with this....

You Are Lightning

Beautiful yet dangerous People will stop and watch you when you appear Even though you're capable of random violence You are best known for: your power Your dominant state: performing

What Type of Weather Are You?