It's been over 4 months so I may as well post, shall I?

Am sitting here trying to finish my research paper for uni, but, well, that's just not happening at the moment. In the last few days I have undertaken numerous procrastinatory activities such as signing up on facebook (let me know your details if you're on there and I haven't added you) and playing Empire Earth II (which is far too complex for this meagre brain!) And yes, procrastinatory is a word!

So I'm 7000 words into an 8000 word paper and cruising. Can't put the final touches on it, because it's not due until late June. Think I've done enough to pass, which is my goal.

An update: work is good, but busy. Friends are good. Family, good. Everything is travelling along smoothly, which is a relief, but does not a riveting LiveJournal post make.

Have made tentative plans to travel to New Zealand later this year on a Contiki tour because I've always wanted to travel alone and NZ should be a relaxing, non-problematic start. Yay holidays!

Other than that, same old, same old. I just re-read some posts from 2004 and 2005 and my, were they cringe-worthy. There seemed to be a lot going on in my life then. Many many concerts were attended, that's for sure. I've only been to one this year - the Red Hot Chili Peppers - who were great, in spite of terrible acoustics. Hopefully the Arctic Monkeys will be out here sooner rather than later, so I can rekindle my concert fetish again.

Ventured out to the Blue Mountains today in search of some pics. This is the result.

Proper entry to follow.

A pre-post; I'll write something decent soon enough.

Check out my Flickr account for more.

Just back from a long weekend at Nelson Bay. Some pics for those who are interested; follow the link!

Didn't do much other than drink, lie around and listen to music with a few friends. Did discover I could drink half a bottle of bacardi and remain somewhat sober, while the boys downed a bottle of Hennessey's and were not so sober...

Obviously looking forward to the next one, which will probably be Cairns or Perth depending on everyone's plans.

Being the exceedingly lazy person that I am, I'll just link to some pics from my trip to New Caledonia.

Feel feel to browse, it's on flickr.

I will say, however, it was great fun and afforded me the opportunity to relax, which was sorely needed. I'm already planning my next trip, most likely Thailand or Vietnam, because, well, they're interesting and cheap.

I've been feeling somewhat like a child lately. You see, for some strange reason I keep running into people that I haven't seen in years, and they all seem to be at a different stage in their lives than I... they have mortgages, marriages, long-term commitments. And I, well, I don't even have a pet. I keep forgetting to feed my tamagotchi, and my nintendogs are perpetually famished and parched.

I guess all I'm trying to say is that I'm just waiting to grow up, and it doesn't seem to be happening at the moment.

Eh.

I guess I should appreciate my freedom and wealth of choices and make the most of them while they last. Mortgages and marriages aren't exactly high priorities for me at the moment.

I have a loose plan, which (I'm sure) will change at a moment's notice. After my masters degree is completed I'm going to travel to abroad and teach English to students. That should at least finance part of my travel for the period. Europe is my main interest, considering I will be in possession of a British passport, which makes travel and work much easier. Then I'll probably consider South America and travel over there for a bit. Basically, I know I need a DRASTIC change to some part of my life, and this will be it! There's nothing more scary to me than retiring at 65 having been a dreary public servant for over 40 years. No thanks.

Other than that, have been reading Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" and it is, quite simply, a literary gem. Very well written. A style to which I aspire, in fact. People like this make me lose all hope of ever having enough skill to become a writer, professional or not.

So things are coming along nicely for the New Caledonia trip, thanks primarily to the other 2 people I'm going with who are doing all the running around and organising! One thing I will say though: DO NOT go on holidays with a large group of lawyers. We have managed to analyse every detail of every document and suck the fun out of everything! But it's still pretty exciting! Just getting the final things done and waiting on my passport application - my old one expired and so I needed to run around and get a new one.

Other than that, have been preoccupied with work. Was out in the field all day doing questionnaires and advisory visits in industrial parks. Boring. But we managed to have Chili's for lunch (hello, fried mozzarella sticks) and a nice relaxing drive for a few hours. Beats being in the office, that's for sure.

Anyone heard the new Pearl Jam album yet? I might pick it up tomorrow.

So, last night was a bust. I had a Mexican-themed party to go to, but about 2 hours before it was due to start I got a call from the host saying she had come down with a huge migraine and just wasn't up to it. A bit disappointing, but oh well. Felt it would be rude calling on the offers I had previously declined, and so I stayed in. Hired DVDs, watched those in the comfort of my crisply cold air conditioning and then got a great night's sleep. Can't really complain I suppose. Better than having heatstroke and being hung over today.

Hope everyone else had a great New Years!

Went to the gym this morning and felt a little strange considering there was all of 5 other people there. Went hard on the cross trainer for 40 minutes and then 20 minutes on the treadmill on one of the highest hill settings. I now know what it would feel like to climb Mt Everest at 6.5km/hr. After that, resisted the temptation to eat KFC or McDonalds or something equally fatty and stopped in at Subway. Picked up a sub and washed it down with diet Coke, which was a trauma, but I survived. Why oh why do diet drinks have to taste so sweet? If I were in the food industry the first thing I would do is develop something that tastes EXACTLY like Coke but has no sugar. Then I would make sugarfree Krispy Kreme donuts, and retire a thin and happy billionaire.

Anyways, just feeling good today. Positive. Am now going to watch Alexander (have heard it's atrocious but it has Val Kilmer, Angelina Jolie and Anthony Hopkins, how could it go wrong?) and finish up some College assignments. Fun fun.

I was thinking the other day how much my life has changed over this last year, and yet now that I sit here and try to describe exactly what has changed I can't think of a thing. Well, that's not exactly accurate. Much has changed, but not things that are easily discernable. I'm still the same weight, the same height. Still dress the same (well, perhaps a little better.) Still single.

But mentally, I'm in a completely different place. Feel closer to people than I have probably my whole life (I tend to distance myself from friends/ acquaintances/ family.) Have a somewhat decent job that affords me the time and money to enjoy said friends and purchase a few little luxuries (such as my new car.) And I actually have satisfying interests for once. Can carry on conversations with much smarter and cultured people at work who are 20 years my senior. Have started doing things I really should have begun long ago, such as reading the newspaper daily, and tackling substantive, meaningful books that can influence my life rather than digesting useless pulp. Don't watch TV really other than flicking through the channels. Haven't liked a mainstream film since "Sideways" and have discovered classic rock like Led Zeppelin far too late - "Since I've Been Loving You" and "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" are so so great.

So that's me now. I guess it's just the onset of (just a little) maturity.

Spent the holidays mostly alone reading. We're not a festive, celebratory family. I did the same for the past few years, but this year I actually appreciated the opportunity to do so.

Have had a crappy last week but things can only get better, so I've been feeling fairly optimistic.

On Sunday I was rearended and pushed into another car, so my baby which is less than a month old is pretty well smashed up. Wasn't my fault and insurance is covering it, but I will be without a car for another 2 weeks. My neck has been playing up ever since and so I am visiting a doctor on Saturday to get a checkup and have the thing documented. Don't wanna be left in the lurch if something happens down the track...

On Monday I will start my next rotation - as a GST field auditor. Not too happy about that, but life goes on I guess. Was promised a laptop, mobile, work car and warrant, but the laptop seems like it won't eventuate. But having a warrant (and search powers, theoretical as they may be) is pretty cool. One project team focuses on the adult industry, which may be interesting, but not my cup of tea. Would be a bit Soprano-esque, though.

Having a quiet one this weekend. Plan to sleep in, go to the gym (which I have been neglecting) on both days and do all those girly things I have been meaning to get around to, such as painting my toenails and putting a treatment in my hair. Should be good.

Walked into JBHifi and bought Barbra Streisand's newest (for my mum) and Pete Murray's "See the Sun"... and although I haven't heard Babs' new one I'm hazarding a guess it would be the better of the two. Am disappointed in you, Pete.

Drool.

I swore myself off festivals, and, indeed, haven't been to a concert in months, but I'm going to this for sure!

So I decided to brave it and go to the gym tonight for a new program with my new trainer Riccardo, and for the second week in a row I got shouted at. For being late. Sure, I could have been on time again, but I was busy having coffee with a friend in the city and so caught the later train and turned up 15 minutes late. Hell, it's my money I'm wasting anyways. I pay for his services!

So after a quick reprogram - total 30 minutes - I cracked it and ate KFC for dinner. Something tells me this spare tyre ain't going anywhere soon!

Am currently listening to "Everybody Knows That You're Insane" by Queens of the Stone Age. Love it. And the video clip is rather interesting - Sooos you would love it! Bought it and "Better Days" by Pete Murray from BigPond Music for a grand total of $2.88. How cheap!

Have started reading Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman because, Lord knows, I need some. You'd think 24 years of life and 5 years in tertiary education would teach me some, but it seems it hasn't.

You may wonder what brought on this reflective mood? Well, everyone who knows me knows I am a bad liar. What they may not know is that I'm extremely sensitive. By the by, I lied to someone (albeit badly) to spare their feelings today, and they attacked me for being childish and immature. So I'm a bit upset.

But I'll get over it. I really do need some emotional intelligence, because this sort of nonsense should stop. I have more pressing things to consider.

Meanwhile, I'm loving the makeup animations at the Dior website. Will be running out to buy Diorshow mascara ASAP, and more, if I can afford it.

Had a great and terrible day at work today. It's never work-related though, it's just me. Worked like a Japanese beaver which was good. Cracked it towards the end of the day, which is bad.

I find that when I become close friends with someone I let them walk all over me... and then I harbour all this anger against them because they do so. The person I am referring to is unaware of this journal, so all is good. But what can I expect? I never say anything, and people are not mindreaders. So tomorrow I'm going to set things straight; I'm going to try not to be a doormat despite my overwhelming desire to be one. Deep down I'm a people pleaser and I've just got to kick the habit.

In other news I picked up Pearl Jam's "Lost Dogs" and The Strokes' "Room on Fire" for all of $20 today at JB Hifi. Love that store. If I still held my childhood fantasy of working in retail I would work there for sure. They have the best atmosphere and great prices. But I'm rambling...

Went to the gym tonight. Was surprised at my overall fitness, considering the only exercise I have done in 10 months is walking up 2 flights of stairs to my work library, which occurs about twice weekly... Did 30 minutes on the cross-trainer, 15 minutes on the bike and 3 minutes on the stepper. 3 minutes of agony! My heart was jumping out of my chest when I finished!

Plan to go back tomorrow... will see how that goes.

There's probably a whole lot I could write in here but I think I'll just keep things brief.

I bought a new car about 3 weeks ago now. I've had possession of him (his name is Ralph) since last Saturday, and am enjoying the benefits of having a new car immensely. Here's a pic, although my car is gunmetal grey:



I joined the gym again tonight, and this should hopefully be the spur I need to lose the last 10 kilograms I've been trying to lose for the past 3 years. When I started this journal I was 35 kilograms heavier than I am now... but I wanna lose that final 10 and be a healthier size 10 or 12. I want to actually feel good about my body... or at least better than I do now.

So tomorrow after work it's off to the gym; next Wednesday is my fitness consultation and then hopefully by summer I will be confident enough to wear a bikini to the beach. It's unlikely, but if I put my mind to it, I can do it.

That was boring and sappy wasn't it?

Went to vegetarian yum cha today with my new team from work. They seem nice. And accomodating, considering I'm working in a fairly niche area with people who are specialists (and are being paid three times as much as me) and know EVERYTHING, while I know nothing.

I really do wish I had studied finance at uni now. There are so many other useful disciplines I could have chosen, but no, I chose arts as my second degree.

But back to the vegetarian yum cha. What a weird concoction. Everything was tofu this and bean curd that... and even the egg tarts weren't egg tarts, they were tofu tarts. But it was okay. And my mentor paid for my meal, so I could hardly complain.

I've started my second rotation in the CBD as of Monday, and things are okay. I'm doing good quality legal work, have already submitted a report to a few directors and am working as a research assistant on priority legal issues. It's challenging but interesting. And I'm no longer on the phones, which has been excellent.

If it sounds like I haven't done much outside of work, then that's correct. Have been socialising with people from work mainly; what with all my close friends living so far away. Have been trying to keep in touch, but that's always hard when people are so busy.

So don't feel neglected guys... I've been thinking of you all!

Yes, I'm back. For now at least.

I won't make an attempt to write this lengthy post about where I've been or what I've been doing, for obvious reasons. I'll just try to post as often as I can and comment as much as possible on other journals from now on.

So... Hiya!

Well, it's all over.

I've just rediscovered Alex Lloyd's "Black the Sun" album, which has been on constant repeat in my iPod for the last few hours.

Shoot me now.