Had my ME exam yesterday. Boy did I tank, but man am I glad to be done with that. I'd been indirectly stressed out by it the whole of last week - mainly because I knew I should be studying but couldn't be arsed which guilt-tripped me heavily. Since I've been watching House lately, I wondered last night as to the purpose of guilt: what is the purpose of guilt?

I'd been studying here and there, but yesterday, before my paper, I found an interesting debate which I just had to see in full before I headed out, the motion being: The Catholic Church is a force for good in the world.


(The rest of the debate here.)

It is, I feel, a skewed debate as one side has more intelligence than the other. (Also: ANSWER THE GODDAMN QUESTIONS, DAMNIT! Don't squirm and deflect and pretend ignorance in order not to answer questions you don't like. I can see the squirming despite the glare of light off your thick, thick chain and big, big ring.)

Disclaimer: I <3 Stephen Fry; I've been looking up to him (metaphorically) since I was 16, and should I ever meet him in person ... I'll still be looking up to him (literally).

Am reading - and liking - this thread on the Blue.

Especially: "New Zealand: Don't expect too much and you'll love it."

Yes, I think the problem this year has been that Welly has fallen way below my expectations in terms of pole and generally dance stuff. I've been less than impressed by the standards here (and I'm not talking about the Royal NZ Ballet).

On the slightly bright side, there's this:


(C has a Beached As T-shirt from Supre!)

... and there's Bro'Town (which makes us laugh even as we choke out, "This is SO. WRONG ... HAHAHAHAHA!")!

Some pictures I found in my cellphone. (Yes, I'm procrastinating; is it obvious?)

Fog over the harbor, some random evening



Sunset from the study window, some random evening


C wanted a picture of this license plate, some random weekend


At the Pak N Sav in Taupo (I thought it was really funny), that weekend in Taupo


From a toilet cubicle in the school library, prolly the one on Level 7, 09/09/09


An adorable window display, possibly from Kirkcaldie & Stains, on that fateful day we decided to have dinner at the very sub-par-next-to-which-any-dingy-ol'-fish n' chips-counter-is-gourmet-dining Long Bar, 09/12/09


Shoes which I would never have worn in Singapore; while waiting for someone to let me into the studio, 09/14/09


Someone at New World Metro can't tell longans apart from lychees, 10/20/09


Really quite in need of spelling - or typing - lessons (possibly both); entrance doors of MacLaurin, just after I finished my ENGL 402 exam, 10/27/09

And just this morning, I got to sit next to Sandy Rankine on the couch as I waited the rain out!

The Icelandic film night at Christine's was rather fun. She and Robert put on Cold Fever, then served freshly made pizzas for dinner. After sliced apples with a sweet cream and a story about St. Swithun (I still don't really get the how the apples and cream are connected to St. Swithun), it was decided that Reykjavik 101 would be screened, which is a film I've been trying to find but Civic Videos just doesn't carry the title.

The films were great; I enjoyed them more than Noi the Albino, which C once rented.

I don't suppose anybody does deadpan humor and understatements better than the Icelanders.

Sigh. Back to work. Research essay. Middle English.

I miss pole.

Old Norse exam next Tue, right off the Labor Weekend, then the Middle English one 2 weeks after that.

Still haven't touched my research essay and it's so bad it should be flushed down the crapper. Literary Linguistics (LING 410) about to start next month, and we're given 4 books to read (Faust, Eric, Cat's Cradle, and What Maisie Knew). I've to go search for them as the lecturer didn't think it necessary to order them in at the uni bookshop. Well, not a bad thing I suppose, as that gives me an excuse to traipse around the second-hand bookstores for used copies. Books here are SO. FUCKING. EXPENSIVE.

But I found a copy of The Collected Dorothy Parker for NZD 10 at Quilters, now happily relocated on Ghuznee, sharing floor-space with milkcrate, so I'll quit bitching about having to source for my own books. For now.

Back to studying. Sigh.

Am I stressed out? Yes, definitely. Yet, I'm quite unsure why ... exactly. I made a list of things that need doing/completing this 2-week break, and I started with my Old Norse translation. I've done more than needed. And needlessly so.

So now I'm left with the important stuff. Like, my research essay (halfway into the trimester and STILL NOT STARTED) and my ME project.

I've been trying to motivate/force myself to start my research essay today. Not only do I have to meet with my supervisor this break about it (I was planning to do it tomorrow, but I've got nothing, so why bother trekking to school to present nothing?), I also NEED TO START RESEARCHING IT.

Damn it, studying's not for me.

I'm just looking forward to the Taupo trip with C this Friday. Maybe I'll sleep better this weekend and not feel so stressed by my lack of motivation and seemingly increasingly mountainous workload.

Because all I really feel like doing is: 1) pole; and 2) watch Bones.

Sigh.

I passed my ME test! It's the last week of school before the mid-trimester break and I feel swamped. Lots of translation and reading to do.

And I still haven't started on my research essay.

And I gotta see my supervisor about it next week.

Sigh.

But above all that, I quite look forward to the weekend trip we're gonna be taking to Taupo next week.

No updates for a whole week means one of two things: 1) My life is in the shitter and someone's pulled the flush; or, 2) I'm living it up to much too have time to blog. Sadly, in this case, it's the former.

Gah.

I'm struggling. I can't focus, I'm not disciplined. I can't study no more. I aced that translation test but it's only 5% of total course grade. Today, I flunk my ME test, which is 20% of course grade. FUCK.

And now, I've over 300 lines of translation to do; 200 or so of which is due by Friday. AND I gotta finish reading Grettis Saga and Njals Saga.

However, I loved the weekend. C took leave for Fri and Mon so she was home the whole time, and I watched some movies with her. I can't wait for when I'm free to play with the new toy.

I'm thinking ... maybe chili con carne. Or maybe a tagine.

Hm ...

Sat night: Out of anxiety (for the ON translation test on Mon) and/or the movies I watched that day with C (The Cave, Apocalypto, and Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire), I had an anxious dream that night which involved Mrs. E. Lim and Mrs. Cheng. More than 10 years after being taught by them, I still dream about them - and usually (only) when I'm anxious. Hm.

Today: Made 3 Cup Chicken for dinner tonight. I came across several recipes - some called for fresh Thai basil, some called for spring onions and suggested the basil is optional - since I couldn't find any fresh Thai basil, I used spring onions. I couldn't find any shaoxing or huadiao wine either at Yan's, so I got (glutinous) rice wine, which is the only type of Chinese cooking wine there is.

I've never tasted 3 Cup Chicken before, but I was a little disappointed by my dish. C seemed to like it though, so I guess it wasn't too bad.

Sigh.

I'll be the first to admit to being a paranoid hypochondriac, but, really, I am feeling the pain, man.

My lower back pain might be due to - oh, I don't know - walking up to school via Vivian St. (of merciless and relentless steep slopes and stairs) 3 times a week; could be due to pole. Whatever. It all boils down to having a woefully weak core and a past slipped disc.

My right knee I'm not so sure about. It was the knee on which I'd taken a crash, but it also might be Vivian St.'s killer inclines and stairs. C think it's something to do with old age and sitting for too long at my desk. Yesh ...

My right shoulder I'm pretty sure about: I slept on it for a wee bit this morning. That should be the reason the ache and stiffness. This never happened before!

Gaaah.

I'm positively geriatric ... =(

(So I started taking glucosamine again.)

WTF Twitter? Why are you posting my updates to you on to my Facebook status?

So imagine my surprise, seconds after posting this twit, when I received a call from Ben in Hanoi. Since when does Twitter cross-post with Facebook? And why is this the default option rather than something I need to actively select.

Again. WHAT. THE. FUCK. Twitter?

Also: Not-too-accidental outings. Sorry, closets.

The curry turned out rather well, I think. I quite like what turned up, even if it were a little too salty (and too spicy - for C).

I marinated boneless chicken thighs (cut into bite-size pieces) with salt, tumeric, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Then browned some potato cubes. The curry was made with frying minced garlic and chopped onions, Thai red curry paste, coconut cream, and water.

The preparation and cooking took about 2 hours though, including stir-frying some sugar snaps (I hate snow peas, but sugar snaps seem pretty okay) and carrots, and cooking rice (I cook rice in a pot on the stove).

Day before I made (rather unsuccessfully) fried rice with luncheon meat, chopped onions, eggs, garlic, and McCain's mixed veges.

Today I think I wanna try Asian-style stir-fry fusilli with beef mince, mushrooms, and McCain's mixed veges (I bought a 1 kg bag that I need to use up soon) ... but I might chicken out. We'll see.

Finished the ON translation. Now on to studying for the translation test. Sigh ...

I don't feel like it but I suppose I should - blog, I mean.

Have finished 100 lines of Cursor Mundi (f.32, col.83 onwards), and just finished a scrumptious pear danish from Le Moulin (bought yesterday, but it's good even when it's not fresh).

Am constantly getting depressed about pole. I realized yesterday I should've focused on aerial classes by the WCT, because at least I'd've the benefit of instructors in my training, versus (unsupervised, uninstructed) pole prac by my lonesome. I've stopped checking in with my pole-mates in Sg (we've our own group on Facebook) because the photos and vids from their classes and jam sessions are making me cry.

Will make Thai-ish red curry tonight. Then start translating Grettir's Saga so I can spend more time studying for my ON translation test next Mon.

Sigh.

I should go watch Kaiser to cheer up ... again.

All right. Have managed to catch Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Brüno this month (and in this order) ... and none of them left me quite satisfied. Perhaps I'd overanticipated them.

Have given up on this year's International Film Festival even though I'd shortlisted films to catch and hope to watch Antichrist - if only because it was as controversial as 9 Songs and Anatomie de l'Enfer (both of which I'd caught and enjoyed - in fact, I bought Anatomie when the DVD was released).

This blog is hilarious. (Spelling errors notwithstanding.)

This is so yummy. A marvelous concoction of seasoned lumpy mashed potato and marinated chicken cubes in side a thin flaky pastry crust.

The photos I took don't, unfortunately, do the precious parcel of deliciousness any justice.

(From Le Moulin.)

Except for research on that "5 minute presentation" on Henry Sweet I have to give at a LING seminar tomorrow afternoon, and getting a start on my research essay, I think I'm handling both my English papers okay this week.

...

Okay, I'm two for four, which means I suck.

Am supposed to research on Henry Sweet now, but I'm not. I'd rather be translating my Old Norse stuff - I've got fewer than twenty lines before I finish.

I don't know what I'm reading on Sweet. Linguistics doesn't make sense to me anymore.

Woke up feeling dizzy but still stuck to walking up to school via Vivian St. Still a wee bit dizzy (yes, have been taking folic acid pills almost daily), and not too sure why.

Christine returned our essays today. Phew, I passed. If not for C's reminder, I'd've completely forgotten that I'd received an award - one that is fully revocable if I don't do well in my papers.

Still have a huge Joan Jett crush.

And that earworm.







Shane (not Kate Moennig, but SHANE) is just one fraction of Joan Jett's hotness.

Oh, be still my heart!

Friday. Sigh.

Waiting to collect laundry from the dryer and reading this. Seriously, I hope she gets her butt whipped. And then some.

I'm way behind on my schoolwork, as it is.

And I feel just so tired. Yucks.

So glad I find it (somewhat) relaxing to blast my current ear-worm(s) while doing my translations for Old Icelandic and Middle English.

Haven't started on research essay yet though ... =(

Am getting REALLY PISSED OFF at the weather - but only when it's windy and rainy when I have to be out.

Like NOW.

ARRRRGGGGHHHH.

So, handed in my essay this morning.

I'd resolved last week to try to spend my time more productively this trimester, seeing that I have 2 papers and a (10,000 word) research paper to complete. I gotta stop wasting time on the bloody internet.

Anyway, I'm almost fully recovered from the shock of discovering people of my cohort in secondary school getting married and popping babies. Almost. It's been stressful - almost more stressful than writing an essay for a topic I can hardly care less about, and almost as stressful as C's feeling about her cousin's wedding.

This being on the threshold of the terrible thirties is a wee bit sucky. 'Twould be nice if I could drink myself to a stupor so I'll not notice my friends' and my crossing it ...

Word-count at 1,000 last night, but I still have another 1,500 to go. Gotta hustle.

My favorite girl texted last night (NZT) to announce she was "in delivery, waiting to be induced for pain". I have every hope of seeing pictures of a healthy perfect wee one soon!

Anyway, thought I'd just check in with the blog today after a week-long hiatus. Because Twitter (which I'd been using last week, what with trying to keep from spending too much time on time-wasting surfing) doesn't seem to suffice this morning, and also because I'd just seen a funny opening sentence in an article in NZ Herald:

A shirtless fugitive who kept police at bay with tree branches and the occasional haka for nearly three hours ...

"... the occasional haka ..."

XD

Had somehow (unconsciously) resolved upon waking up from a long - if fragmented - sleep (22:00 last night to around 07:30 this morning) to work on essay this entire week ... and maybe - dare I hope? - even finish it by this Fri.

However, was distracted by Kathy Reichs and the need for continual feeding. Still, will grimly preservere on.

C emailed a hilarious link to Genesis 2.0; lmao'd at " ... so god became angry, so angry that god lost his temper and cursed the first humans, telling them to go forth and multiply themselves - but not in those words. But the humans took god literally and now there are 6 billion of them ..." XD

The first thing I did when C texted me about MJ's death was to log on to the net. Made sense, since we don't have either a telly or radio. But after checking with BBC - which wouldn't confirm - I hit Twitter (which was wonky, being overloaded with #MichaelJackson, #Cardiac Arrest trending), which still won't confirm, and so had to go to the source of the news TMZ. When BBC confirmed the death, I hit Metafilter - on which the obit post has already garnered 273 comments.

And here I am blogging.

Technology. Hm.

Finally found the Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead double-feature pack at Civic Video on Tues after pole prac. New studio space is pretty awesome (think loft-style penthouse) but would be better if the mirrors are all up.

Have started feeling the urgency of the essay due on 13 Jul. But I've forgotten how to write and essay. 2,500 words seem both too long and too short to handle for the (tentative) topic of "runes and women in the Poetic Edda". Maybe I should rethink my topic.

Sigh. Feeling lethargic - had dreamed incessantly in last night's sleep. In fact, I think at one point I had a dream which bleed into another dream; so, a dream within a dream. Fucks my head, is what that does.

Nothing much this weekend, other than finding Days of Being Wild at JB Hi-Fi for under NZD 20. Got me thinking about collecting all of Wong Kar Wai's full-length films - but possibly not My Blueberry Nights - since I already have Chungking Express (my favorite), Happy Together (found in KL, of all places), In the Mood for Love, and 2046. (I'm a hoarder; it's genetic.)

The film I really want to get my hands on, however, is Fallen Angels; it's 100-proof depression topped off with simple tentative hopefulness, and I love it. It's also the coolest film I've ever seen, and quite possibly the only thing that'll ever seduce me into smoking.

Rach and I managed to catch each other on Skype today - so cool!

Read about the nutritional value of the kiwi fruit some time back, I'd since resolved to eat a one every day. For the most part, I've managed to do so.

I know I'm a bit of a hypochodriac, but the way I've been feeling these couple of weeks, I can't help but think something must be wrong.

Also, I woke up with a fucking headache this morning and had taken the last one of my children's asprins (which I prefer to the ones for adults - I don't like taking aspirins so I try to stick to as low a dosage as possible; also, the children's ones are cherry-flavored and taste better).

When the headache's alleviated and C awaken, I wanna go rummage at the Warehouse for the Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz 2-in-1 DVD.

I <3 palmiers.



And I bought 3.

^_^

When I got to Le Moulin yesterday after dropping off the book at the school library and looking for my ENGL 406 texts in the bookshop, it was 16:07, but the bakery was already closed - guess they sold out - and so, no palmier for me.

So I went to Simply Paris and got 2 tarty things.



The chocolate and grape tart, although I'm sure it's got a fancier French name.



The supposedly apple one, but the fruit slices in the cream/custard in this tart is definitely not apple. I supposed I was given the rhubarb one by mistake.

Expensive little things, and yet my lust for Le Moulin's simple palmier wasn't satisfied.

Maybe I'll run out for 3 now, cold and sunny weather, exploding head, and swelling throat be damned.

I feel ... hopeless. Feel like something's wrong, but I just can't pinpoint what exactly. I think I might be unravelling (which is why I was always so anal and obsessive-compulsive about discipline in the first place - but notice the past-tense).

Yesterday was a little better: Bought 2 palmiers from Le Moulin (only NZD 1.80 each; the one I bought from the City Market sold by The French Baker cost nearly twice of that!), and my rich beef casserole turned out wonderful.

Will walk up to the school library to drop off a book and maybe buy my books for ENGL 406. Had just checked out VicBooks' online shop and found out the set texts will set me back NZD 197.95 - and that's just for 2 books and course notes.

Hur-bloody-rah.

So I walked all the way to Le Moulin yesterday only to discover it's closed on Mondays. No palmier. Then I made my way to Simply Paris, thinking to find one there - damn if it wasn't closed on Mondays too. Since I can't think of any other French bakeries in this part of town, I went to Moore Wilsons which has a decent select of (fresh) baked goods. No palmier.

Sigh. T'was not meant to be.

I've been getting throbs on the top left of my head lately; wonder what's up with that?

Still PMS-ing; therefore, still bored and restless, but a wee bit less frustrated. Started translating 'The Vows of the Jómsborg Vikings'. Am WAAAAY behind in school work. Sigh.

Very bad PMS: Bored, restless, irritable and frustrated.

LING 410 has been giving me heartburns since the beginning of the year - and the bloody course hasn't even started! Prolly is a sign of things to come. Should've opted out at the beginning of the year - and I suppose I still can, since it's a summer paper - but I'm sticking it out like I stuck out the final 2 years for my diploma. Sheer stupidity and stubbornness, no doubt, but I'm nothing if not that.

So it looks like I can't make it back home for the Asian Pole Summit (11/19-22) and Rach's visit. BUMMER. FUCKING BUMMER.


... Maybe I should take a walk to clear my frustration. Le Moulin will be a good destination. I'm craving a palmier after yesterday's trip (C's blog and photos) to the City Market.

Well, things turned out okay - although the adobo didn't taste as good as the last time I made it.

Made 10 kimbap rolls in total! Stuffing: Takuan, surimi, cucumber, Spam Classic, carrot, and tamgoyaki, but I forgot to add the tamagoyaki until I was on my 7^th roll or so ... Sigh.









I don't like white rice, so I used the minimum amount possible.

The sukjunamul turned out okay too, even sans spring onions and sesame seeds. I wonder if I should add sugar to it. It tastes pretty okay though, with soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, and chili powder.



All in all, I feel ... a sense of achievement. =)

Had decided to spend this day doing cooking stuff. So, after I woke up at around 08:30, and had made self coffee and warmed up leftovers for breakfast - received a surprise call from Rach in Houston in between! - I got around to planning the cooks.

Looks like the only times I get out of the house now is to do grocery shopping - awfully easy with Yan's Supermarket being about 2-3 blocks away, the Warehouse a block away, and Moore Wilsons 3 blocks away.

Have cut up and marinated the chicken for the adobo tonight, and made the tamagoyaki for the kimbap (to be made as soon as I log off); will attempt to make sukjunamul (sans spring onions 'cuz I don't like 'em) after that.



...I am being domesticated, aren't I? =|

Saw this at Yan's yesterday and it tickled me, so I just had to snap pictures of it - the warning labels are obviously tacked on by Yan's staff and not part of the original packagings:

So I learned yesterday at pole that it was because my skin is too dry that I can't adhere to the pole. Will moisturize religiously from now on.

Watched Shaun of the Dead - it's hilarious, but also scary (for me; I'm a scaredy-cat). C and her zombie-fetish ... Maybe I will buy a copy since it's just NZD 10.

Also: Influenza A hits central Welly. Will now monitor C and self for symptoms. Maybe there's a need to bring out my trusty tube of hand sanitizer which was bought in a Boots pharmacy in Chiang Mai. Boots pretty much rocks.

Almost forgot:

Was out looking for folic acid pills on Saturday because I'd finished the stash I'd brought from home. So went I into the Unichem at Readings and asked whereabouts the folic acid pills are. The guy behind the counter counter-asked, "Is it for someone who wants to get pregnant or is pregnant?"

Gah.

No, it's for someone who is thalassemic. =/

C, of course, had a laugh out of it.

C made kimbap this weekend. It was scrumptious and addictive - and pretty too! - filled with yellow takuan, green cucumber, pinkish-red surimi, and strips of omelet. Thought I might try making it myself one day, and will pop by the Korean shop either on Dixon or Cambridge Terrace to look for Korean sausage to put into it.

Also: Found a close rellie of the Merlion on a wall at Welcome Takeaway's last night.



Definitely a male, what?

The best of the shorts I saw last night was Somewhere Only We Know. I actually teared in the beginning and at the end.

While over at the Warehouse this morning to grab a new kettle (the one we bought when we moved in died), I found a lone copy of Satoshi Kon's Tokyo Godfathers going for just NZD 5! Such a fucking steal! I could hardly believe my eyes!

I feel like I've been domesticated. I wish we had an oven and a proper kitchen so I can try out recipes (this, coming from someone who'd wanted OUT of home ec.), and I actually find housekeeping quite enjoyable - although, of course, with such a tiny matchbox flat as ours, housekeeping is ridiculously easy.

Oh boy, I Can't Think Straight.

Paramount was packed with women last night. All sorts of women. Everybody seems to know each other. They streamed into the theater, lingered around looking for familiar faces, and, as one girl said to her companion, "I'm waiting to be waved at!" I was both awed and intimidated - and conflicted (as I had been before).

The film is so rough around its edges, so many things when the film first starting running came to my mind promising a bad, bad, bad D grade movie - but, Goddess, the gorgeous Asian actresses in it! And the dialogue/acting - although a little stilted - proved funny. Hilarious, even, at times.

I'm getting my hands on the DVD when it comes out.

Also: For today's (possibly) solo pole prac, I wonder if I dared attempt the Spatchcock - or, as I prefer to call it - Felix's Bow.

Yesterday, after the movie when the lights came on in the theater, a bunch of middle-aged dykes (my assumption) gathered at near the exit, talking about the film.

Exclaimed one: "I paid $15 to watch this?!"

Oh well, at least I paid only $12.50 with student concession - also, it really wasn't so bad, except, for a documentary, I didn't feel it was well-researched enough. And I chose to watch it because I'm convinced I'm bi-phobic. Gah.

I really hope not though.

Last week of school for the trimester. Shit, half the year's gone and I've nothing to show for it. =(

आज मौसम बड़ा बेईमान है! Since I woke up at about 08:30, it's been 30 minutes of dark clouds and gales, 5-10 minutes of hail (and rain), then 15-30 minutes of blue skies and sunshine. Rinse, repeat.

Sigh.

Watched Finn's Girl yesterday, and it was actually really as good as promised on the Out Takes brochure - smart and funny too.

Overheard a woman tell her husband (who were both prolly at the screening of Finn's Girl): "I know it's a film festival - I just didn't know it is a lesbian one!"

(Oops, surprise! Guess Out Takes isn't about outtakes after all!)

Later, I'll have to brave the possibility of being hailed on (sigh) to get to Paramount for Bi The Way.

So ... Like, almost immediately after that last post on Wednesday, I went to meet C and Geeta for dinner at Cha, which was promptly followed by desserts at Strawberry Fare (we share the Devils Dream Cake and a Crème Brûlée). I tried to assuage my guilt and fear by walking Geeta home but ...Obese-city, here comes I!

Yesterday was sunny and (relatively) warm so pole prac was good. I still suck at free-styling.

Working on a presentation this long weekend for Tuesdays, and C's away in Nelson ... Sigh.

Cold, lonely flat.

Most alarmingly, I discovered yesterday that I might be so grossly obese or so appallingly unfit - or both - that I was gasping, almost suffocating, after climbing up seven levels in the school library.

The shortness of breath is frightening; the hypochondriac in me thinks something must be very wrong ...

The weekend getaway to Christchurch was pretty awesome - weather notwithstanding - and, dear Goddess, souvlakis from Dimitris are abso-fucking-lutely divine, as good as I remembered. Why, oh why, can't Dimitris be based in Welly?

Also, is it just me, or are the folks in Christchurch just a little too weird? I felt scared walking around when the sun went down - not that we were getting lotsa it in the day - and even as early as 6pm.

That could be zombie-town after dark for all I know ...

The chicken adobo was successful, even if not so authentic. It's an awesome dish and I'll be making it more often, I hope!

Had a very sad pole prac yesterday. My bottle of Mighty Grip arrived, but it proved rather useless against the condensation on the pole. And it pills on my palms! =/ Also, even though the studio now has safety mats, they're woefully thin and - IMO - inadequate. So I found myself afraid - after my crash last Thu - to do a lot of stuff. Well, not 'afraid' maybe, just too overly cautious.

Will be off to Christchurch tonight. Looks like I might just freeze my ass off there. But I'm quite looking forward to it - the get-outta-Welly, not the frozen ass.

Stupid fucking dryers. Gah.

I've to go out soon - it's bright and sunny (though very chilly with the southerlies; currently 9°C with windchill factor of 4°C) - and get some stuff for the chicken adobo I want to try to make tonight. I'd asked Jess yesterday on Facebook for her family's recipe but I've decided I can't wait for her to email me, so I'm trying out the recipe here.

Also, I've to shop for winter coats and jackets. Damnit, why can't clothes shopping be as fun and exciting as grocery shopping?

The wet and windy come back to us once more (well, only fair, since it is nearly winter).

It's raining now with some gales, yet also sunny ... and I'm waiting to find a rainbow out there.

Somehow, this reads like an analogy of my life as I know it now.

I feel like I'm missing out on the fun my friends - my pole mates, specifically - are having back home. Performances, dinners, (pole) parties - and, of course, pole practices together. I feel like a wraith, floating about the outside of it all, looking in.

C & I did a movie night yesterday, watching The Man from Earth, Millennium Actress, and Burn After Reading. I love the first two (The Man from Earth highly recommended - it's thought-provoking and fascinating, and I'm gonna look for a copy of it; Satoshi Kon is as great as ever although I much prefer Paprika), but the last one was a bit of a disappointment.

Maybe one day I'll get to watch Tokyo Godfathers. I don't like anime generally, but I've been very fascinated by Satoshi's works since I watched Perfect Blue about 5 years ago, courtesy of Jen. (My eternal gratitude, Jen!)

Gah. I fell off the pole attempting an elbow-hold ayesha last night. I shoulder-mounted up to serpent, pushed off into a caterpillar crouch, then released my legs. Wobbled precariously for a long minute before cartwheeling off to the left and, with an embarrassingly and stunningly loud thud, landed on my left tush and leg.

Was offered arnica ("5 drops in your water") which I took. I didn't attempt the ayesha again although I did get back up on the pole for inverts.

Boy, does my left tushie feel sore this morning or what ...

Feeling very blah.

My research essay proposal was okayed yesterday by Geoff, so I can start working on it; but ... sigh.

Had a dream-ful and deep sleep which I could hardly wake up from this morning. I should be studying for my translation test now, or do more translation, or research for my essay, but I'm just not in the mood.

It's finally sunny and warm, so I blame the sun.