| Wednesday, December 28, 2005 |
| Oh BUG! You fucking FOOL! |
 There's this guy I ADORE (in a celebrity kind of way) called Nick Duigan. That's him there on the left. He hosts a fishing show on TV here (don't scoff, it's the FUNNIEST show!) and he has a fanTAStic voice and a cheeky smile and I KNOW he's roughly the same age as my Daddy but he's gorgeous and I worship him and just GAH!!!*
And so I was at this big food festival that Hobart has every year and was out the back talking to some people and realise that I was standing LESS THAN A METRE from Nick Duigan and I just went GAH and I looked at Boo and said "GAH!" and pointed and she said "GAH!" and I realised that I had my camera in my pocket but I was TOO SHY to ask him for a photo so I guzzled my wine and procrastinated and procrastinated and procrastinated (yes, it's a good old word) and then asked Boo if she'd ask him to have a photo with me (because yes, I am a 16-year-old meeting Justin Timberlake) and she said yes but when it came to the crunch SHE was too shy as well so I was RIGHT NEAR this YUMMY guy who is a quasi-celebrity I LOVE who has GREAT legs and I DIDN'T GET A PICTURE with him!!! * I am a fucking FOOL! * *sigh* * p.s. Cec is out with a BOY tonight. Oooooh! |
posted by Bug @ 11:52 pm  |
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| Tuesday, December 27, 2005 |
| May your yuletime be gay! |
Greetings everyone! I hope you have and are still having a very enjoyable Christmas, and are continuing to gorge yourself on leftover turkey. If you're like me, and despite having been given lots of lovely pressies (and I get a double lot at Christmas, because it's my birthday just before the greatest day of the year) are about to go and hit the post-Christmas sales, may you find lots of bargains! I have embraced Christmas even more than previous years (I know, who would have thought that possible?) - covering my house and garden with pretty lights (then buying another 10 or so boxes yesterday when they went half price in those fantastic after Christmas sales - and I am a dedicated shopper, waiting outside for the shop to open at 8 am on Boxing Day with those other desperate bargain hunters), and even my own person. I wrapped two strings of flashing lights around my head and pinned them to my german braids (when you wrap your braids around your head) on Christmas day at work. My oldest brother, who is fifteen and a half, and has in the past few months hit puberty with a vengance (monster eyebrow, pimples, cracking voice and ATTITUDE all in one previously quite decent younger brother) and I have actually united this holiday season - we've only had one fight for the whole of December! He has been replying when I talk to him instead of just ignoring me (wonders will never cease), and hasn't been speaking to everyone in snarls or with jeers like we're morons - and he was the only person to help me with the house lights. He even came post-Christmas light shopping with me yesterday, and went shopping with me to find a present for mum before Christmas, and then with Dad, to find presents for everyone. I think he's been infected with the Christmas spirit. I wonder how long it will last? Hopefully at least until new year! I hope everyone has a thoroughly amazing New Years Eve, and can't remember anything about it except it was amazing! Cec. |
| posted by Cecilia @ 3:15 pm |
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| Saturday, December 24, 2005 |
| Oh BUG! On the steps of a CHURCH?? |
Oh Crikey. FOUR work Christmas parties in three weeks?? Awesome! I LOVE my work * And more than that, how COOL is it that there were 60-odd people at our champagne breakfast yesterday (out of 300-ish in our building) and for that, 15 litres of champagne and 3 cases of premium beer were bought, which was ALL drunk in an hour?? I LOVE my work * And THEN we all knocked off at work at 3 and went to the wharf and joined the big street party that was going on and I had SEVEN drinks bought for me. I LOVE MY WORK * I was hit on by THREE guys I know. One is married, one is engaged and one just broke off his engagement. Boys are weird * My cousin is here from London and she looks beautiful and seems to have acquired an English accent. Strange * Buon natale, all!!! |
| posted by Bug @ 11:54 pm |
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| Thursday, December 22, 2005 |
| Just random |
It's wrong and potentially just messy to be a bit infatuated with a married man, isn't it? I mean I KNOW it is, but I actually can't help it (can YOU turn off how you feel??) and it's not like I'm going to do anything about it but it's THERE and it's driving me bonkers * On the upside, I have my third work Christmas piss-up in three weeks tomorrow. Actually, we've got a champagne breakfast and then we're having the piss-up after work. I LOVE MY WORK! * I have a sneaking suspicion I just dyed my face red. Again *sigh* * My legs are fake tanned and the rest of me's not. It looks like my legs have been lounging in Vanuatu while my arms have been hiking in Alaska! * My cat just went out the cat door ON HIS OWN. Why did I not put him on Prozac a YEAR ago?? * Christ on a bike! It's 11.30pm and I have to be at work at 7.30am. And I have to rinse my hair dye out and sleep and then shower and make up and choose an outfit before then! Stop distracting me, internet!! |
| posted by Bug @ 11:32 pm |
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| Monday, December 19, 2005 |
| The bullet points of the terminally lazy: |
* I realised today that it's 3 years to the day since I had a one night stand with my first (puppy) love. You know the person you were just infatuated with in high school? They were gorgeous and popular and well out of your league? Well, after being thoroughly head over for this guy for at least 7 years, we met up after not seeing each other for a few years and he came back to my house. Although we've tried to meet up since, it's not happened and we only had the one night (and the next morning, I suppose) but it was just so... lovely. Gorgeous guy. Good memory * * Cec turns 23 tomorrow (the 20th). We had a fanTABulous dinner tonight, had a big catch up (having not seen each other for a few weeks) and wandered around the wharf with ice cream after, which was lovely. Happy birthday, babygirl!! * * I saw the SOE yesterday for the first time in, god, at LEAST six months. Christ on a bike. I forgot how GORGEOUS that boy is. I mean, I know he's evil and, you know, EVIL, but he's just SO great looking. Don't get me wrong, I'm over the whole thing, but it was like being punched in the stomach just looking at him. So much zing * * my workies said that as far as they know, I didn't do anything embarrassing the other night. Thank CHRIST! * * do you know how hard it is to find a one bedroom rental that'll let me have a neurotic, chemically-sedated cat? Hard * But irrespective of all the above, I STILL don't know what to buy my dear papa for Christmas. The latest Enya CD, maybe (since he's got all the others). Don't be like that, it's good background music, and she has a better voice than you or I will EVER have. Besides that? NO IDEA |
| posted by Bug @ 10:42 pm |
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| Sunday, December 18, 2005 |
| Oh crap. On a stick |
Must, MUST, stop flirting with the cute boy at work. He's a MANAGER and he's POPULAR and he's COOL and one of my friends said he's a playboy but she tends to think that about most guys so I don't know, although another one of my workie girls said he's been with lots of girls but that he's shy and lovely and I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK ABOUT HIM but yes. Must stop flirting * Also must stop buying him drinks. Am broke * And must never again drink so much that I throw up in an alley. In my defence I'd not eaten for 24 hours so I only threw up alcohol (not mysterious carrots). But still. Yuck |
| posted by Bug @ 12:01 pm |
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| Wednesday, December 14, 2005 |
| I survived - this time! |
Greetings world, I have returned from the bog. Actually had quite a good trip (besides the work) and saw and heard plenty of impressive things. There is one particular stretch of road that is simply awesome. It's this windy road (oh, so very windy and life-threatening) but just breathtaking. Not just for the natural beauty, but for the construction work man has done (and I say 'man', because there would have been no women construction workers when this was built). Our state gets the majority of its energy from water (hydro power), and most of that water comes from this area, the Central Highlands. There's this power station on this twisty road, in absolutely the middle of nowhere, in extremely thick, wet sclerophyll forest (damp eucalypt forest with an understorey of rainforest plants). This power station is in the V of many mountains, and going up this very, very, VERY steep mountain are four immense pipes, that pipe the water down to the power station. There are pipes then going back up another hill, to another powerstation, and then two other pipes continue on throught the wilderness. For one of the first times in my life I was struck by the power of people, and the difficulties they would have had. These pipelines were built between the early 1930s to the late 1960s, through the Great Depression and WWII. Before really modern technology. I wonder how many men died, as they cleared great swathes through total and utter impenetrable wilderness, laying massive pipes up almost vertical mountainsides. And how many women and children died, as they followed their men and lived in the remote and isolated villages built for the workers and their families. I was lying in my bed at a hostel (it used to be the infirmary of an old hydro village, actually) on Monday night when suddenly, completely out of the blue, there was this almightly crack of thunder that went on and on, and the whole building, including my bed, just shook. It was how I imagine an earthquake to feel, and it was like a giant with a massive hammer was pounding on the roof. So I got to marvel at not just man's power on my trip away, but at nature's power also. I have never been in a storm like it. But then, in the Southwest of Tasmania the elements are always exaggerated. Still, I wasn't expecting such a ferocious storm. Definately a great experience. Well, that's my deep and meaningful post over. Next time I'm sure I'll be back to my frivolous old self again! Christmas is nearly upon us, so Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas folks! |
| posted by Cecilia @ 8:37 am |
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| Monday, December 12, 2005 |
| And... some randomness: |
* did you have Mr Whippie vans growing up? Some suspect guy with fluffy hair driving around in a rundown van playing plinky plonky music and prowling through child-infested streets selling dodgy ice creams for roughly the same price as a new tv? I was processing a benefit payment (oh don't ask) today for a... Mr Whippy. I laughed my ARSE off! No-one else seemed to think it was that funny though *sigh* *
* I really and truly adore my workie people. We all got SOZZLED on Friday (having knocked off work at 1 for our Christmas lunch/dinner, we started drinking at 1.30pm and when I left the last club at 3.00am, most people were STILL drinking) and gossiped and danced and generally had a BALL. I LITERALLY danced so much I destroyed my shoes! The heels are peeling like a banana, it's very cool. You know how you go out with your friends all the time and most of the time it's fine, if not all that exciting, but sometimes it's just great? It's ALWAYS great with the workies - they're excellent * * one of the cute boys at work and I were playing drink tag. He'd surprise me with a drink and I'd do the same for him. He IS quite a bit higher up than me so I probably shouldn't flirt but he's also cute and the workie girls say he's fantastic and that he NEVER buys anyone drinks so that's kind of cool :) * * I had a run in with a guy I work with, too. He's married, with kids, and while lovely and quite good looking, he's MARRIED. With KIDS. Which means that he shouldn't have pulled me behind a building and put his hands down my pants and kissed my neck and taken my phone OUT OF MY HAND so he could put it IN HIS POCKET. I really like this guy, he's good fun to work with and I think, basically, a nice guy, but when I got home I spent about half an hour on the phone crying to my mum because I'd felt so out of control. However, he was alright and quite sheepish today so hopefully he woke up ashamed on himself on Saturday * * my cat has been prescribed Prozac. Is that not MOST EXCELLENT?? *
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"look! I am cute and small but also neurotic and on psychotropic drugs because I am scared of a sensor light! Can I have a cuddle? Look, Cec is gazing at me adoringly - SHE'D cuddle me, why won't you??" * * I bought, read and actually enjoyed... Nicole Richie's 'novel'. I actually kind of like Nicole Richie. She's had some skanks-from-hell friends in the past but she's done all right for herself, I think (besides the whole getting dumped by her fiancé thing - fiancée?). And the book? Wasn't bad. And I say 'novel' cos some of those characters are SO Hollywood starlets by another name * * my hair has been restyled and is now really curly and dyed dark purple with about 8 pinky-red streaks coming through (thank you, Monkey, I was inspired!). I LOVE it. And I'm going back to get different coloured streaks in a few weeks * * have you ever seen an edgy, punk-looking boy rap dance to "We Built This City"? If not, you've never REALLY laughed * * less than two weeks to go and I've not bought a SINGLE Chrissie present yet. SLACK AS * And now, much as I love you all (if anyone's reading - hellooooo!), I have a litre of champagne (no seriously!) in the fridge and a silly book to read. See you round like a rissole! * p.s. I saw Hilary Duff on a breakfast tv show this morning. I love Hilary Duff. She's so NICE. And prettier than I will EVER be and going out with a hot punky boy so I should hate her but she's just so NICE * p.p.s. what should I buy my daddy for Christmas? HELP!
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| posted by Bug @ 10:09 pm |
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| Sunday, December 11, 2005 |
| Farewell, dear friends, as I head into the bog again . . |
I don't really have anything to write, I just wanted to kick my brothers off the internet as revenge for not taping the DOUBLE EPISODE of Gilmore Girls last night. I know, I am a tragic person (and yes, I too want to take the ridiculously immature Loralei Gilmore and tell her that no woman in her thirties would act like that while banging her head into a wall), but I love my trashy tv. Definate escapism. And I need some of that given that I'm heading off for two days of bog tomorrow morning. I have to confess that I'm rather scared of getting lost again. Even though I didn't die (well, like, dah!) and came through ridiculously unscathed as everyone persists in pointing out I could have. And would have, if it had been earlier in the week, when it had been below 0. I had a little bubble of panic rise up into my throat earlier this week when I was out bogging alone and couldn't see the ute (I was facing the wrong direction - I know, I shouldn't be allowed out alone!). And tomorrow I have to go about a kilometre into the bush from the road on unmarked tracks. I will of course be taking all precautions - GPS reading of the ute's position, I'm taking a CDMA phone with me, and I'm planning on flagging every fifth tree with bright blue flagging tape. But just the thought of the humiliation I'll have to face if I have to ring up the Ranger Station or Emergency and say "Hi, I'm just out lost in the buttongrass." I'd have to drop out of uni. I couldn't face the scorn and incredulation of the department (WHAT! She got lost again?!). Plus I wouldn't be able to complete the field work component of my project as I'd never be let out of Hobart again, which therefore means no project and no degree. I'm also terrified of totalling the department ute. The department 4WD dual cab ute, actually. And it's a three hour drive on VERY windy roads up to Lake St Clair. I heaved a colossal sigh of relief when I finished my honours project without any ute mishaps. It is impossible for me to survive three more years without any incidents. So long as I don't have an actual accident - I can handle a bit of bogging. Lots of people have been bogged - the man who allocates the utes in my department has several photos on his wall of uni 4WDs bogged up to the roof. And I know that there's still a ute out from Geology pretty well buried in sand on the coast somewhere for the past 10 years. So, wish me luck as I venture forth into the bog again. Thanks for being so supportive Bug, even if you don't really understand my desire to stick around for another three years of uni. And I don't know about out-earning everyone - I'd be happy to have a real, full-time job. Most of the vegetation people I meet in Hobart are all on short-term contracts for the Government, or are freelance contractors, hiring themselves out. Way to chancy for sensible me! Oh, we had a trifector at work last night! Three Saturday nights in a row we've had an ambulance come and collect someone from our function! We had police, too, last night. Yay! Unfortunately it wasn't the hot paramedic. Oh well, maybe next week! Wow, considering I had nothing to write, this is very long! |
| posted by Cecilia @ 9:29 pm |
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| 'Why? Oh Why?' Lament from a disillusioned student |
Where have I been? Very good question. It is nearly Christmas, which means that soon I will be even older. I am trying to avoid turning 23, but I don't think it will happen. Anyway, as it is nearly Christmas I have been very busy at work. Lots of Christmas dinners and school leaver's dinners. Actually, one very large company who has their Christmas dinner at my work was unable to call their Christmas dinner their Christmas dinner this year. In the spirit of being an equal-opportunity employer, as they have some muslim employees they had to call it an 'end-of-year' dinner and they weren't allowed to have any of the usual Christmas embellishments we decorate the tables with, like party hats with tinsel on them or Christmas bon-bons. They did eat turkey and pudding, though. So, for the past two Saturday nights there's been an ambulance at my work, taking guests attending our functions away. There's nothing like an inclusive-drinks package to promote the spirit of Christmas. Two weeks ago we had one woman taken away with suspected alcohol poisoning (and she wasn't a small lady, so she must have drunk a hell of a lot) - we found her passed out in the foyer near the dessert buffet. There had already been a couple of people vomiting on the carpet that night, but it culminated with one man vomiting all over the table he was seated at (good thing they'd already had dessert). Last Saturday some of the guests showed up already drunk for their Christmas party (this time it was allowed to be called by this title). We had vomiting before dessert, this time. The ambos were back again (oh, that men-in-uniform fettish popped up again - an absolutely gorgeously handsome young paramedic walked through our kitchen. All the female staff stopped polishing their glassware or cutlery and just drooled), this time for a woman who'd slipped over on dance floor and was then lying in a pool of her own vomit. Accusations were flying that it was our fault because she'd supposedly slipped on some candle wax. Let me point out though, that it was some of the highly intelligent other guests who'd decided to take the candles off their tables and wave them about the dance floor. Why, I have no idea. The band was playing dance music, not Christmas carols or kumbaya. Plus generally falling over doesn't make you vomit unless you've had copious amounts of alcohol anyway. It turned out that her partner had thrown her up in the air, then accidently dropped her on her head causing concussion and the vomiting and her lack of movement. He was so upset that he was crying. All at his own Christmas party. God, imagine going to work on Monday.
So, besides all the antics at work and trying to do Christmas things (it took me about 10 hours to hang the Christmas lights on my house, with assistance from my brothers), I've been trying to go to uni. I go all year round, no nice two and a half month vacation for this girl. And I've just started my fieldwork. Yesterday I was lamenting 'WHY? OH WHY? WHY DID YOU THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE A FANTASTIC TOPIC? YOU HATE BEING WET, DIRTY AND COLD? YOU HAVE A SEVERE PHOBIA OF LEECHES, YET HERE YOU ARE, LITERALLY CRAWLING WITH THEM? WHY DIDN'T YOU GET A NICE OFFICE JOB? YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE MORON! OH GOD!!!!! YOU HAVE TWO WHOLE SUMMERS FILLED WITH THIS!!!!! THIS IS ONLY THE VERY BEGINNING!!!!!!' Yesterday and Wednesday I was up around Lake St Clair (beautiful place though), standing in the middle of buttongrass moorland, collecting plants. It was about 8 degrees all day, with a ferocious wind and continual rain. In case you're not familiar with buttongrass moorland, it's a bitch of a vegetation type that is made up of these big tussocks of buttongrass, around which streams are formed. It's extremely boggy. While walking through it you continually lose half your leg down these boggy streams. It's also infested with leeches. They are constantly all over you. As I was totally covered in waterproof clothing, they attached to my hands. One of the people I was working with got one on her lip. One devious little bloodsucker managed to penetrate my knee-high socks, gumboots and two pairs of pants (one waterproof) to attach itself to my leg. I found it when I undressed that night. They are constantly crawling up my pants and jacket. And they move so quickly! Some even attached to my little gardening fork, causing me to set fire to the spawn of evil. They are truly the most unnecessary creatures on the face of the planet. At least spiders kill flies. What the hell are leeches good for? And DON'T tell me that leeches are useful for alternative therapies. Anyone who voluntarily allows leeches to be stuck to their body is crazy.
So, I'm not looking forward to the rest of my fieldwork. And I'm going out again for two days on monday and tuesday. And then two days a week until May. Now I know why no one in the world has ever studied what I'm studying before - it's just too hard and unpleasant!
Here's some pictures of buttongrass moorland for you. Note those wet patches - they can be so deep they come up to my knees. That one by my measuring tape certainly was. All through the first picture, those tussocks of grass are surrounded by streams. They're like grass islands. Well, I tried to give you some pics. I have uploaded them and hit 'done' six times now. I have even consulted the blogger help, who tells me to do exactly what I've been doing. Maybe next time! |
| posted by Cecilia @ 11:33 am |
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