Various things that come to mind...

This blog entry proves to be more about various things that come to mind, than about one particular thing in, well, particular.

But before we start....just a point of note - this is my 100th blog entry - apparently....

And now, without further adieu:

So, firstly....

Who We Need To Say Goodbye To (a.k.a remembering those who have passed recently):

• Majel Barrett Rodenberry, who died December 18th, 2008.

Will Wheaton did a very nice blog entry about it here:

http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2008/12/a-moment-of-sil.html

She will be sorely missed, that's for sure.

• Philip Jose Farmer, who died February 25th, 2009

A very good Sci-Fi writer - one I am still reading through. He was 91 when he died, so not a bad innings, all told.

• Wendy Richard, who died February 26th, 2009

Good ol' Pauline Fowler, from "Eastenders". Also Miss Brahms from "Are You Being Served?" I for one enjoyed watching her on the telly, and will miss her, as she was always one of my favourite actors in both those shows.

So now, secondly,

Neil Gaiman, where did you go???? I was getting worried!

As you might well have noticed, I tend to follow a lot of writer's blogs, one of them being Neil Gaiman's. Thing is...he stopped blogging for a while there (about a fortnight), and even though I've not met him in person (though I would love to), I was starting to worry that something had happened to him, as he is a very regular blogger. Nice to see he's back now though...

Words of wisdom (yet again) from John Scalzi:

I like this man. I really do. I like the way he thinks, I like the way he writes. I like the way he "sensibly" dishes out commentary on what it's like to be a writer, and puts readers in their place, without (I think, anyway) stepping on too many toes. I just plain like him.

So, from his blog, I will point you to a few favourite reads, and mention (perhaps, or perhaps not), why I like them, and why I chose to include them:

PISSY FANS:

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/02/23/pissy-fans/

Yep, he definitely has a point here. It can be a real pain in the arse when people want you to get stuff done NOW, just because they have the patience of a gnat. Yes, a G-N-A-T. It will get done, when it gets done. Humans have this thing called "a life", and it's not just a thing that normal, boring people do. It's something that everyone on the planet does - writers, actors, politicians, teachers, even the milk man. Live with it, and learn to chill.....

10 THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT AUTHORS:

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2009/02/26/10-things-to-remember-about-authors/

Oh I love this man! Read this, and understand me - finally. Why I take forever to get stuff done, why sometimes I just DON'T finish a story etc. Again, can I say I LOVE THIS MAN! :-)

10 THINGS TEENAGE WRITERS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT WRITING:

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/

Been there, done that. All I can say is, thank God I'm not a teenage writer any more. Though what he says is also applicable to newbie writers. Everyone is bad at stuff when they first start out. It just takes time and PRACTICE.

And now, thirdly,

Ceramix has been on his soapbox, and very well spoken he is too. Go check out his blog NOW.

TOLERANCE:

http://ukceramix.blogspot.com/2009/02/tolerance.html

I sat and listened to the BBC2 radio broadcast about this woman. Having grown up with an injury to one of my arms that left me in a position where I regularly got called all manner of names from both students and teachers alike, I feel for her. And I don't at all like the narrowmindedness of certain people (who call themselves parents, no less!) in their total disregard for her feelings, let alone for the simple fact that there is nothing wrong with her as such. So she's missing a bit of an arm. So what? It hasn't stopped her living a normal life, why should it affect her ability to be a television presenter? Grrrr....

AM I MISSING SOMETHING OBVIOUS?:

http://ukceramix.blogspot.com/2009/02/am-i-missing-something-obvious.html

Umm....no....you aren't missing anything that I can see. It's your government that seems to be missing the plot. Add to this I read an article this week stating that your rail prices will go down next year, but that there is also the possibility that some of the privatised stations and lines and such will have to be handed back to the government as they aren't making a profit. Sorry, but what about basic services for the masses? Or doesn't Britain condone that anymore? You know, simple things like a public postal service, a public transport network (that actually works), even the right to be intelligent and bright and demure (see the results for the University Challenge last week where Oxford's Corpus Christie College wiped the board with the other team, and their leader was a women who single-handedly answered over 800 of the 1200+ questions BY HERSELF. And boy, is she wearing it now!).

Right...end of post.

The Invasion of the Gekko Lords....

It's almost Autumn here. I can feel it. And besides which, the calender states that Autumn is due to begin this coming Sunday, 1st March. Our seasons, are, apparently, somewhat unique. For over here, in this Great Southern Land, our seasons last exactly three months each. For example, Autumn goes from 1st March - 31st May.

Every. Single. Year.

Winter, the season I was born in, goes from 1st June - 31st August, with Spring right after it. The only season that has changeable days is Summer because it finishes in February, and so every four years, our Summer is one day longer.

Now, I've grown up with this system, so it's normal to me, but in a conversation recently with an overseas friend, they seemed rather surprised by our system. They thought it a tad ludicrous that we have, as they put it, "regimented seasons". But it works for us. At least we don't have to worry about what day a season will start on, because we know already. Just as we have always known, since Australia was settled by the British, anyway.

But seasons do odd things to people and pets alike. My dog, for example. He's getting into his third winter this year, and it makes me wonder if this year will be the one in which he decides he likes the idea of the nice warm dog coat I bought him last year, and will actually wear it when the weather gets cold. That said, he's not quite two yet, so he's still got a lot of growing to do.



As you can see from the pictures, he's growing up fast, but still loves to play with his toys. He's a good boy though, and being a dalmatian, he'll never really mature, and become serious and dependable and *proper*, like other dogs, for dalmatians are known the world over as being larrikins, jokesters, and generally a hell of a lot of fun to be around. He's good at protecting the yard and the cats, and barking at me when I come into the property, or out of one of my doors, but I'm sure he'll figure it all out in the end.



These gekkos, though, seem to be the scouts for an invasion. Everywhere I look these days, I see gekkos. Hundreds of the little buggers. On my windows, running across my walls, trying to look inconspicuous on the ceiling. I just hope that when they invade, their terms for surrender are acceptable....

That said, I've had a sick cat recently. One of the velcro twins has been less than well, and so she's been getting a bit of extra love and attention. Dad thinks it's probably worms, and so with some careful planning, and help from a friend, we attempted to worm the cats on the weekend. Needless to say, Mr Vampire Teeth didn't take it too well, and promptly started to shred both of us, and then proceeded to froth at the mouth in an attempt to rid himself of the yucky worming paste we squirted down the back of his throat. She Who Must Be Obeyed (Or She'll Rip Your Furniture To Shreds) actually chose to lick her dose off the end of the syringe (good little girl that she is), while my sick Velcro Twin got enough of a dosage to do the job. Her brother managed to avoid all the fuss by hiding, so he's the only one who didn't get dosed. But his day will come....in a fortnight....

But the velcro twin in question has been having extra love and kisses recently, which includes bringing her out of the cat room (now that they are inside), and sitting with her on my lap in front of the tv, or at the computer of an evening, and sometimes through the day. The other night, though, we were sitting where we could, apparently, see the kitchen windows, because despite being so ill she's currently just a bag of bones, she was well enough to launch herself at the windows to have a go at those pesky gekkos in the photo above. So she can't be TOO bad....

Anyway, university calls, and I must be off!

Storms, trains, and the like.....

I was down in Oxley on Brisbane's south side today, visiting two of my grandmother's cousins and got caught in a rather nasty little storm on my way home. As you can see, it wasn't the friendliest sort of storm....

While I was waiting at the station, the rain started, and shortly after the train arrived and we set off, the storm hit with full intensity. I have to admit, it's a very odd experience to be stuck on a train when lightening hits. Very scary too. But despite all that, I did somehow manage to fall asleep a few times along my three hour journey home. I know we were delayed at two different stations along the route, due to trains having to be removed from the lines where they died (their electrics not tending to like rain and lightening and such), and so it delayed my normally two hour train ride by an hour.

That said....it was a good visit, and an interesting ride home.

He's got a "Man Cold".....almost! :-)

It seems poor Ceramix in Berkshire is down with a cold (a "man-cold"?). Hope he feels better soon! Mind you, with the weather that Britain (and his part in particular) has been suffering through, it's no real surprise that he's a bit poorly at the moment.

That said, university starts again in just over a week, so I am likely to be ill as well in about a month's time, if my normal university record is anything to go by.

This Semester I am stuyding a language. Hopefully a useful one, but only time will tell. I like learning languages. There's something *calming* about learning everything in a foreign tongue. Or at least, there is for me! :-)

Anyway...this post is just a marker. Not really a post at all. But just something to keep all my readers (like there's SO many of you!) happy.

Anything else going on? Oh yeah - its HOT. And MUGGY. And a fair bit WET.

Right then - that's me done.

the ever-present NSW vs QLD discussion

It's early here still, and Autumn is definitely on its way. The mornings are getting cooler, which is nice indeed, though the days are still exceedingly warm.

Up here in Queensland, we've been suffering from major calamitous floods, with the northern half of our wonderful state still cut off from the southern half by a small ocean of water. Victoria might have its bushfires, but we have part of one of the many oceans that surrounds our country, trying to cut our state in half.

Last week's flooding here in the Caboolture Shire wasn't the first such flood I've had recently. This Summer season has been very much hotter than we've had in a long time, and while New South Wales certainly has heat, it is, at least, a DRY heat. Unlike our sticky, muggy, awful heat that we have here in Queensland.

Leading up to last week's flood, we'd had a good few weeks of pretty much constant rain, too, and we are in for more as of today. Between last week and this, we will have had about two days of sunshine. I just hope that my back yard has had time to drain a little.

Here in Queensland, we have one of the highest levels of humidity. It causes many cyclones and much horrific storms.

Rain down south (ie south of the Queensland border) is nothing, compared to what we get up here in what is supposed to be the Sunshine State.

That said, our lovely state is 150 years old this year. One Hundred And Fifty Years of NOT being under New South Wales rule. Now that is definitely something to celebrate!

Roll on party time!

The Nature of Blogging

Must I blog EVERY day? It really is a bore sometimes, not to mention a chore. Sometimes I enjoy it, and sometimes, like today, I am only doing it because I've been told I have to.

Granted, I'm not a little kid anymore, and so I don't really have to listen to the people who tell me I need to blog EVERY day, even if what I have to blog about is seriously boring to anyone who isn't me.

And yet, strangely, I feel compelled to be a good little blogger, and do what I'm told. Even if I don't wanna :(

*pout*

But here I am. This is me blogging. Boring, huh? Told you.

So for all those who really don't care, and who aren't interested AT ALL, here's what I've been up to:

1. moved the cats inside due to extreme heat. One of the velcro twins is ill. So she's getting sooked on a lot by the other three. Even Mr Vampire Teeth, who tries to make out he's still a bit of a loner, when he's the biggest sook of the lot.

2. moved my computer table to the other side of the lounge room (TOLD you this would be boring. Feel free to stop reading now if you wish), because I have new neighbours in the rent-a-house next door, and they seem to be teenage boys with skate boards who like to have parties every night, and quite frankly - I couldn't hear myself think, and I no longer have any privacy through the front windows, so I switched my computer table and my two display cupboards around. If I can't have my curtains and window open due to nosey teenagers next door who can see through my curtains anyway, I might as well put a cupboard or two in front of the windows - at least I get SOME privacy that way.

3. my other next door neighbour (the ones on the other side) came and mowed my yard for me yesterday. Big job, but he and his wife were worried about me as they haven't seen me all year, and to be honest - it was starting to look derelict. For a minimal sum, he's happy to keep cutting it regularly. And I'm happy to pay him.

4. My dog gets madder and madder every day. Nothing new there. He's a dalmatian.

5. It's been damn hot here, when it hasn't been raining and flooding the place.

6. Along with Ceramix over in England, I've started a story blog. AND sent requests to my sister, her partner, and Frog In A Sock to come join us in the fun. But so far, no luck. It's a blog called Campfire Tales, and you can find the link in my Good Places To Be (when you're not here) list. But as Ceramix has said, if it ends up just us, then so be it. We can have fun all by our little lonesomes.

*pout*

There. Another boring blog written. Happy now?

Happy Valentines Day!

This happy little vegemite got a Valentines Card today :-)

While I do know who it's from, I'm not at liberty to say, and especially not on here, but may I say to the gent who sent me this wonderful card and the lovely present that came with it, thank you, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, and the feeling is very much reciprocated!

There - that's me done.

Happy Valentines, to everyone, everywhere!

Rainy Day Almost-Autumn-Land Part 3

Okay, updated pics, taken just this minute.

The first one shows what is normally just a green hill. This hill and the little path along the fence, lead to the highway behind me. As you can see, it is currently a river.

The second pic, is directly behind me. It shows the little bridge that goes over the council easement, plus the path that leads to it from the other side. You can also see just how close to my back fence that easement is.....

Normally I can see the bridge, but never the easement. It's a fair way down. Normally quite deep in fact. So that might give you an idea of just how much water is going through it at the moment.

Seriously not good. And this all in about 10 minutes.

Grrr...

Will keep my blog updated today I think.

Rainy Day Almost-Autumn-Land Part 2

What started out as a nice bit of rain has turned into the beginnings of a flood. All that water behind my fence? That's the council easement behind me in flood, yet again. So no going out today, as it is heading rapidly towards my place. No guarantees I'd get home from Brisbane, for one, either. If it's like that behind me, it will be worse a bit down south of me where all the streams and rivers combine. Weather like this makes for bad trains in my neck of the woods, anyway.

I know it doesn't necessarily look that bad in the pic, but given that that easement is a fair way off, and generally can't be seen from my place.... and normally there is a pathway as well, but its currently under water. Oh and since I took that pic about 10 minutes ago, the water has come closer to my back fence. :-(

Oh and I have a sooky dog who doesn't like the rain, and generally wants his paw held through bad weather!

Grrrr.....

Rainy Day Almost-Autumn-Land

It's raining here today, and while I love that kind of weather (within reason), I don't like having to travel in it. But travel I must today. At least it's not also stinking hot, as it has been recently. That's a good thing. Travelling in HOT rain isn't much fun. Believe me. :-(

But I like the wet. It's rainy day reading weather. Which is what I did yesterday. I sat and read. Something I haven't done in ages, and yet it's something I seriously need to do, if only for my own sanity.

Though it's nice, this rain. Comforting. Something I could happily curl up in my rocking chair and listen to all day. With a handmade rug made for me by my Grandma, wrapped around me and a copy of Tolkein's Lord of the Ring in my lap. It's that kind of weather. Winter kind of weather.

But it's nice and I like it. I don't mind going out in it. Honesty I don't. It's just that's it's more stay at home kind of weather :-)

That said.....best start getting ready. Stay safe, warm, dry, etc...wherever you are in the world!

Welcome to My World

This is what greeted me this morning around 5am, when I looked out my back windows. For one, it means that cooler weather is finally on its way if the sun is slow in rising these days. For another, it means I'm due some rain potentially. Not necessarily the best of news, given that a great big swathe of Queensland is already currently being washed off the map in torrential flooding, but it might help the heat-wave temperatures we've been suffering in South East Queensland of late.

Nice view though, yeah? And the bird calls.....mmmmmm.....

There's something to be said about being woken to Kookaburras serenading you from your own back yard. That is something that rarely ever happens in Brisbane, and yet here in the Caboolture Shire, I get it every single day. It's one of the best things about living here, actually.

Anyway, stuff to do! Toodles. :-)

Choices.....

I have a decision to make, and fairly soon. I'm supposed to be a writer, afterall, so I should be writing, right? So how come I spend an inordinate amount of time doing everything and anything other than writing these days?

Is it from fear? From inability to find writing jobs that actually pay, or is it something else?

Granted, it's been a pretty shit year so far, but it's February now. Time to move on, surely?

And so, tonight, out of sheer frustration at myself for sitting on my bum for a month longer than I had originally planned, (plus also it might have something to do with a few bills that need paying, and the lack thereof when it comes to ready cash with which to pay said bills), I started looking at the prospect of doing paid jobs.

It's a bit scary out there, to be honest. But venture forth, I must. Especially if I want to go overseas any time this year....

I'm still unsure which path to follow at the moment, but I'm lucky to have people around me, willing to give their opinions, suggestions, and support in general.

Here's hoping the rest of the year gets better.

A Quick Post About Not Much At All...

I'm doing this blog post only because I was told to. So there. :(

I'm tired. I've been searching for a missing external hard drive that belongs to my friend who went to England last year, because he's over for a visit, and up until about four months ago, I knew EXACTLY where it was, only now it's vanished. So I'm searching for it. I've found loads of neat stuff, lots of crap (to put it bluntly, but not of the actual brown icky and rather smelly variety), heaps of memories (I did kind of wonder where my brain cells had been seeping to of late), plus way too much *stuff*.

Far too many dust bunnies in the back bedroom, for one. Too many scary boxes in that room all told, in actual fact. And I know that the boxes in the garage leave that back room for dead, in sheer numbers....

Gonna have to take care of all of that, aren't I?

So apart from looking through the Black Hole that is my house contents for something I should rightly know the location of, what else have I been up to? Hmm...lots of things in fact.

1. Australia Day - yeah, I know, that was LAST WEEK....but I get there in the end. I went out with a friend of mine to celebrate (supposedly) Australia's National Day. Yeah. Supposedly. What we did, in fact, was watch lots of people walk around with Australian Flag tattoos (temporary ones) all over their bodies, most of whom were also wearing Aussie Flags like capes, and lots of Aussie Flag tops. I felt rather out of place in my Australian t-shirt depicting Ayers Rock (Uluru, now), and a bunch of Australian wildlife. It also seems that because Australia Day fell on a Monday this year, the normal concerts and live bands and such that are always a big part of Australia Day festivities....happened on the weekend. So I was hard-pressed to find anything *live*. Eventually we wandered down to South Bank (and I got a good close up of the Brisbane Eye, or whatever it's being touted as), plus we saw a few live acts here and there, but no music as such. All in all, for me at least, this year's Australia Day was a fair bit dismal compared to what I am used to.

2. I'm being brutal and going through all my posessions, with the eye to a possible move (yet again). After the last time, back in 2007, I know I never want to go through that kind of hell again, so I'm being ruthless this time. Truly and honestly ruthless. And anyway, I have to be, if what I have planned eventuates. (More on that in later posts).

3. I'm going back to university at the end of February - one last time. Whether I finish the subject or not remains to be seen.

4. I'm in the process of realising a (somewhat) lifelong dream. I'm planning a trip abroad at the end of the year, so many things need to be organised for that. Including a passport. Eeep!

5. My writing has yet to start for this year, but I will. I promise! It's been a bad start to the year, all told, so I can only hope it gets better.

6. The weather here has been shocking. Parts of Australia are experiencing Heat Waves, other parts are in flood, yet more places are back in drought.....and then I see on the news that England has been hit with more snow than they've seen in 18 years! Oh for a little cold snap here in Oz just about now :-)

Anyway....best be off and looking for this damn hard drive again.

Grrrr....

Wish me luck!