Lesleaf in a Tree

So....weird, huh?

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:16:35 GMT

Have you ever just been minding your own business, when someone from your past suddenly pops up on MSN and is all chatty?

Its so weird...wtf.

That is all. Inarticulation has struck me.

Hehehe

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:56:13 GMT

Check out this website for the reasoning behind the video: physicsworld.com/blog/2009/10/sciences_answer_to_the_backstr.html

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:10:46 GMT

Earlier today I started thinking what my life would like if I wasn't slightly obsessed will all things Twilight, and subsequently, with everything Robert Pattinson. Two things I know for sure - I would have a lot more space on my bookshelf, and a lot more hours to spend on non-Twilight related activities.

I am pretty sure I can trace my beginnings with Twilight back to my fascination with Harry Potter. I began reading Harry Potter in high school - I started with Prisoner of Azkaban, because I needed something to read one day, and it was the only book I could find that was relatively appealing in the middle school library. I don't remember what I thought about it, but I did end up going back and reading the series from the beginning over several years. It wasn't really an obsession at that point.

The sight of my Harry Potter collection really indicates when it started getting serious. I have hard-cover copies of both Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows. I remember going to pick up Half-Blood Prince on the day it came out, reading it swiftly, and feeling sad, but maybe slightly relieved when Dumbledore was killed. It meant Harry could finally straighten up and start doing things for himself, instead of relying on his Headmaster.

Throughout this time I became far too involved in Harry Potter, and began frequenting the most popular Harry Potter fansite. The creators of the website did a podcast, which I also listened to religiously. On one of their episodes, the hosts mentioned they had started a new website, based on a book series called Twilight, which I had never heard of before. They mentioned something about vampires and my hearing became fuzzy for a few moments, before they returned to talking about Harry Potter. On another episode, the hosts said they were doing a podcast similar to their Harry Potter themed one for the new website. I still had absolutely no interest. I'm pretty sure I was in third year at uni, and overloading, so although I still had time for the internet, it was just basically to check up on Harry Potter, listen to missed lectures, and occasionally check Facebook (Oh wow, other things have changed too! I'm basically glued to FB now).

Then, however, things began to change. I must have been very bored, or was feeling particularly curious, because I picked up a copy of Twilight and began to read. I am pretty sure I heard the movie was being made and coming out soon. I'm one of those people that prefers to read a book before I see the movie. And since there was some guy who was in a Harry Potter movie in it, I knew the film would be a must-see. So that is how this all began.

I finished Twilight quickly. Something about the story, perhaps its forbidden love, perhaps Bella's all encompassing and therefore easily adapted-to-the-self character, had grasped hold of my just-out-of-teenage-years brain, and made me want more. I remember spending one Saturday searching throughout a shopping centre, trying to get the rest of the series for a reasonable price. If I recall correctly, I picked up New Moon relatively cheaply one day, and then got hold of Eclipse and Breaking Dawn at Big W for some awesome price like $17 each.

The rest of the series flew by. I was shocked when Edward left in New Moon, but relieved when Jacob appeared to bring Bella out of her depression. In Eclipse, I wondered how the small coven of vampires could possible defeat an army of newborns, and in Breaking Dawn, I was disappointed with the black-out during Bella and Edward's honeymoon (who wasn't???), and was slightly appalled when Jacob imprinted on Renesmee. She's a child, dog!!!

I dragged my boyfriend along to see the movie with me just before Christmas. I think I convinced him when I said something about vampires and lying that there were cool fight scenes. I will admit, the movie didn't thrill me, but I often dislike movies based on books. Its just impossible to capture all the intricacies of prose in images. However, one part of the film did pull me in. Oh yes, ladies, the mysterious and brooding Robert Pattinson.

But what was it about him? The horribly applied white make up? The tussled caramel hair? The pea coat? His horribly grimacing face when he sparkles in the sun? What it was, I'm not sure. It was just like Joanie Loves Chachi, if Chachi was a British actor with a habit of re-wearing clothes, and Joanie was some weird Australian chick who collects animal sculptures and loves Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest. Hm, maybe the analogy was a bit of a stretch.

As you can imagine, my obsession spread from there. I now check four Twilight related sites daily (it would be more, but they mostly re-post the same material), follow countless Twilight bloggers and actors on Twitter and Facebook, listen to a Twilight podcast, and do other weird Twilight things, including dressing as Edward Cullen for Halloween and attending the midnight showing of New Moon.

After that rather long introduction to my introduction to the Twi-verse (yes, that's a word), I would now like to consider what I would be like if I had never picked up Twilight. I read comments on Twilight articles/posts all the time saying how people hate Twilight and think it is rubbish. Now, granted, Stephanie Meyer isn't the best writer in the world, and the end of Breaking Dawn was a total cop-out, but I don't know if I would be a total HATER if I wasn't a Twi-hard.

I am pretty sure I would consider Twilight to be something for the young - those in their early to mid teens, the ones who you see lined up outside Hot Topic stores in America, camping out to get the next book, or traipsing through forests to get to the New Moon set. The girls who are totally driven by their hormones and desire nothing more than for something interesting to happen in their otherwise insignificant lives - just like what happens to Bella. I won't pretend to have not related to some aspect of her character upon reading the book (although I now think she is a horrible role model for young girls, just like I now have a dislike for Edward Cullen, in all his creepy stalkerishness and 'self-preservation' techniques). I would never have thought that the masses of Twilight fans that swarm the internet are largely made up of women in their 20s and above, with jobs, husbands, children, mortgages, etc.

I don't think I could have completely ignored the phenomenon. It is plastered everywhere - TV, magazines, the radio, posters, all forms of media follow every happening in the Twi-related world. I probably couldn't have avoided coming across the dazzling R-Pattz either. He has, almost unfortunately, become one of the most famous people on the planet - and I don't think this is completely deserved yet, but that is not for this post.

However, it is possible I may have been a hater, like I am with other things I have never read, listened to, or watched. I remember disliking the Jonas Brothers for some time, but I must now admit I am a fan, after having listened to their most recent album. I can be a hypocrite, disliking something without understanding it, which I know is foolish, but sometimes the easiest thing to do.

My life would probably be completely different without Twilight. I probably would have a different movie star crush - who though, I'm not sure. I would be maybe $100 richer, and a lot more time rich. What I would do with that time, I don't know. Something worthwhile? I don't know what could be more worthwhile than perving on British actors on the internet, or debating what the series would be like without Alice. Do you?

(This post turned out to be entirely pointless. It was more a writing exercise than anything. You are welcome to mock me!!!)

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:52:24 GMT

My fun task for today is to start thinking of things to do for 8 hours in LAX while waiting between flights. Hehe.

Oh...and my non fun task is finishing my final essay. :)

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:31:51 GMT

At the start of today my dissertation was 16,477.

Now it is 15,349.

I am still 349 words over the limit. I have spent 6 and a half hours working on this thing today.

Can't I just lie and put...14,965 on the cover sheet, or something?

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:43:06 GMT

Usually I don't hold on to the criticism I receive about my academic work, because most of the time I wouldn't consider it to be related to a personal defect or something that I just forgot to consider. However, I got an essay back about four weeks ago now, and something that my tutor wrote on it has really stuck with me, and I don't know what to make of it. He said I suffer from "intellectual naivety." It just sounds like something that can't be overcome, and it has really bothered me.

Maybe its because the man who wrote it is a highly respected and accredited historian.

Since it seems to be a theme...

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:03:05 GMT

Thought you guys might like to see what I'm working on...this is the last paragraph of my introduction of my thesis, which is tentatively titled "Masculinity in Icelandic Sagas."

The analysis in this thesis focuses on a number of themes from Njal’s Saga, Egil’s Saga, and Gisli’s Saga and how the male characters in the sagas, as representatives but not exact replicas of Icelandic society, functioned within these themes to achieve masculinity. Given the existing literature, the purpose of this dissertation is to fill in the gap which exists whereby men are largely ignored as gendered in a comprehensive discussion. Chapter One will discuss how Icelandic society functioned in the medieval period, followed by an analysis of how the sagas can be interpreted as source material indicative of Icelandic society. The rest of the discussion will focus on the major themes of the sagas to discover the different perspectives on masculinity presented. Age and insults will be discussed in Chapter Two as themes which present constraints to men in achieving masculinity, and will also demonstrate the ways men could fall into the ‘rainbow coalition’. Marriage and the family form the focus of Chapter Three, and are indicative of the importance of kin relationships which emerges in the sagas. Chapter Four discusses possessions and pursuits, and looks at how the property of men, both in the form of land and movable goods, and also their activities including travelling and raiding, helped form the masculine reputations of men and shaped power relations between them. By discussing the prevalent themes of the saga literature and how men could function within the constraints placed on them, it should become apparent whether masculinity was a singular attribute, or whether there were multiple ways to attain it that, while not encompassing all possible aspects of masculinity, still made a man masculine.

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:24:07 GMT

I'm trying to convince myself that its ok to skip my class this afternoon because I haven't done the reading, the reading is boring, the topic is boring and nothing something I really ever took interest in (colonial Africa), the class is worth less than 1%, the class will be boring, I've been to all the other classes this semester, and my back hurts and I'm getting a headache.

I'm not really convinced.

Instead, I will go home and do some reading for my class on Thursday. I need some new highlighters.

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:28:16 GMT

I am way too relaxed at the moment. I did very little uni work last week, and I only came to campus three times, not even for full days. I think maybe because I've written over 10,000 words I don't feel so stressed. Also, classes haven't kicked in yet - but they will soon. My reading for a seminar this week is as thick as a third of my last semester reader. Crazy shiz.

Oh, I'm procrastinating. Trying to write another chapter but too relaxed. Stupid.

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:34:46 GMT

I'm pretty sure Chris Weitz is my new favourite person.

He got a degree in English Literature and is now an awesome film director.

And he's funny.

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:05:28 GMT

There's going to be a New Moon panel at Comic Con tomorrow, and there were 300 people lined up for it a day and half before. In summer. Outside.

Do these people not have lives, jobs, families? Furthermore, do they have no shame?

Now, I may be a Twilight fan...I'm a fan of many things. But I'm not desperate. Even though I did mention it, I would never go set stalking on a film, or intentionally seek out an actor or musician. I am not a crazy.

Also, I don't think you realise how entrenched you are in your discipline until someone from another discipline questions one of the underlying beliefs of your own. There was a Biology student at my History and Environment lecture who questioned why historians dislike environmental determinism. We have this thing for human agency. Its basically the driving force of history for historians. I never even knew I believed this until she asked why historians reject environmental determinism.

Anyway, I'm talking shit again. Awesome.

P.S. New BSB single is totz awesome. Dig it.

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:03:41 GMT

As I am spending this Friday night alone, I have a MEGA movie marathon planned. It includes:

- Milk (took me long enough to see this, have wanted to see it for ages.)
- Rainman
- St Elmo's Fire
- The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

I think the quality of the first three should outweigh the complete crapness of the last.

The proof is in the pudding.

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:06:22 GMT

Quite a lot of times this year I have questioned my intellectual abilities, especially compared to the people I do Honours with. They all seem to be exceptionally intelligent and just be able to spit out papers that get HD's. I am not too proud to admit that I have written very few HD papers in my uni career, most (if not all) in political science. (Yeh, so why on earth am I doing History? Don't ask me. Oh yeh, because I won't go AS insane writing 15,000 words on history as I would struggling with political theories.)

However, I just found a couple of essays from first semester of first year. OH WOW. HOW CRAP WAS I? There was hardly any references, and my bibliographies were shorter than ten sources. As for the writing...well....let's just not go there.

So, perhaps I should stop comparing myself to other people and realise how much I have improved in three years, and hit my dissertation so hard lollies come out.

Also, my music collection sounds so.....outdated and stale at the moment. Nothing I download or try to listen to seems to be helping either. I don't know what it is - a musical crisis?

Sometimes I wish I wasn't so socially awkward.

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:11:12 GMT

You see, usually I wouldn't care what other people think of me, but this girl is actually really nice to me, and even though I find her slightly annoying, I felt bad today when I didn't stop and have a conversation with her when I was right next to her in the library. All I said was "Hey", as did she.

I wish I could just talk to people like normal humans do. :P

Also, I had some really fucking weird dreams last night. I never dream. Last night I had a dream everyone I knew was killed in some sort of civil war, and then this spirit-Amazonian-coloured woman (that's the best way to describe her) took me to where they all died. I think it might have something to do with me reading about John Titor (alleged time-traveller) last night.

EDIT: Oh, and apparently VPattz was "grazed" by a taxi while filming in New York yesterday, and everyone has blown it up into epic proportions. Now, I admire the guy, but I don't particularly care about when he got grazed by a cab, took a picture with a fan, or walked around with an umbrella. I wish people would leave him alone, let him do his job which he is obviously passionate about, and admire him as an actor - not idealise him as some sort of God that needs our constant attention. BACK THE FUCK UP.

Why I hate "Two and a Half Men"

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:26:55 GMT

I was bored so I decided it was time to read the latest edition of Pelican, UWA's student written magazine. There is a review of "Two and a Half Men" in there, and I didn't think I would ever read something that reflected my opinion of the show so well in my life.

Hopefully this isn't some copyright infringement, but my favourite part of the article says "Seriously, if this is your idea of quality programming then please, buy the new Nickelback album, hang out for the next season of Australian Idol then go and set fire to yourself. If you think this show if funny, you can fuck off, because it's not and you're a dickhead."

I really hate that show. A lot. If you don't know why....well you musn't know me very well.

This post was quite pointless but I hadn't updated in a while, so it seemed to be time to type something in this little white box.

Writer's Block: Strange Conversations

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:38:41 GMT

What's the best conversation you've ever had with a stranger—on a bus, in an elevator, at a cafe, etc.?

View 500 Answers

Last night, while out celebrating my 21st birthday, I had the following conversation with a young gentleman.

ME: I like you hair very much.
YOUNG GENTLEMAN: Really? People tell me its very Duran Duran.
ME: Well, I like Duran Duran.

I never knew maple syrup was so queer...

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:23:38 GMT

Yeh...that 'Queen' pure maple syrup and 'Camp' pure maple syrup. Available at your local Progressive Supa IGA.

Always a Godmother, never a God.

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 03:48:43 GMT

I was just doing one of those Facebook quizzes, the one to find out your 'true' nationality. Apparently I'm German, but that isn't the point. One of the questions was along the line of "one of your friends tells you they have fallen in love with a monkey and wants the monkey to be involved in all future plans."

What kind of a situation is this??? None of the options involved referring your friend to a psychiatrist, sadly enough.

Doing some things makes me feel guilty.

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:58:38 GMT

I don't know if anyone else does this, but whenever I get a new friend on Facebook, I go and check their profile to see what they've been up to, usually in the years since leaving high school because that's where I know most of them from.

Do you know why I do this? To compare myself with them - have I used my time more effectively? Have they done cooler things than me? What should I be doing with my life?

Then I see what most of their interests are, things like "Hangin out wiv ma friends, partying, drinking..." and I feel a lot better.

Someone should do something with graffiti on uni toilet walls....its really quite insightful. It could be the topic of a dissertation or PhD (or a website haha) in my opinion.

We shall rock out to the KILLERS tonight ladies. :D

Some food for thought from the ever wisdomy Lorelai Gilmore.

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:42:17 GMT

RORY: Are you enjoying your breakfast?

LORELAI: I don't know if I like pop-tarts.

RORY: Did you fall on your head while you were sleeping?

LORELAI: I don't know. Do I like this? Is this something I like?

RORY: So, you fell on your head, and now you have some kind of very specific amnesia, is that it?

LORELAI: Last night I was dreading mom and dad's reaction to the breakup, right?

RORY: Right. Dread, dread. I remember.

LORELAI: And then they didn't react -- not one bit. It's almost like the absence of their reaction was worse than any freak-out they could have had.

RORY: Okay. Sure.

LORELAI: Then I thought, "why? Why do I care if they freak out? What do I get out of it?"

RORY: Uh ha.

LORELAI: And then I thought, "maybe their freak-outs" are like some kind of compass for me, you know "like, I know I'm doing what I want to do if it freaks them out." And then I thought, "what if I don't want to do "what I want to do because I want to do it, but because they don't want me to?"

RORY: Huh?

LORELAI: I mean what if I don't like what I like because I like it, but because my mother doesn't like it and doesn't want me to like it? What if I don't actually like the music that I like or the movies or the clothes or the men? What if I don't like what I seem to like?

RORY: Ah, hence the pop-tart.

LORELAI: Yes. Hence. I can remember the first time I had a pop-tart. It was at my friend Erica Catcha's house, and she said, “do you want a pop-tart?" And I knew my mother would recoil at the very idea of me having a pop-tart. I could just picture her. [Emily voice] "A pop-tart?!" [normal voice] And so, I had one. And I opened the little silver wrapper, and I took a bite, and I thought nothing had ever tasted so good. I thought it tasted like freedom. It tasted like I was my own person. The pop-tart tasted like freedom and rebellion and independence.

Quote of the day...

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:06:44 GMT

"I have my apartment for sleeping in and I have my hair for just, you know, hanging out on my head." - Robert Pattinson.

I'm very sorry, but that is FUCKING HILARIOUS.

Bloody coffee.

Source

Reasons I should not drink coffee in the afternoon

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:00:21 GMT

So I was driving home today, I had had a coffee from Gloria Jeans (yum), it was Friday afternoon (yay!) and I had just finished one helluva crappy essay that was stressing me out (*dancing*) AND had just bought a dress that was both well-priced and very nice (w00t), when I looked to my right when I stopped at a traffic light, and saw this:

"OMG THAT SHIRT IS DRIVING THAT CAR" was my first thought.

Am I crazy? Probably.
Should I drink coffee at this time of the afternoon? Probably not.

Shimble-shamble.

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:45:12 GMT

Today has been one of those days that inspires you to lose all hope in humanity.

This shitty post-postmodern world just likes to kick me in the head sometimes. And then I want to kick it back - or just some of the people in it.

I want silence. I don't remember the last time I truly experienced it. It may give me the opportunity to clear my head. Is it really so difficult to give me a bit of peace and quiet?

Pessimistic days suck.

I challenge you...

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 11:29:09 GMT

...to stand up during a movie and declare "Where in thunder is the cuspidor?"

So I was in the library the other day, just sitting at a random desk and I noticed this book on the shelf next to me by a man named Fishman. Woah. Who knew Yak Money Fishman also write "Readings in Sociology of Language"? This guy is awesome beyond our knowledge, and we invented him.

Videos

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 07:43:57 GMT

Sound Relief is one of those rare occasions that makes me feel proud to be an Australian.

That was Epic. Although I think Chris Martin may have been somewhat accurate when he said John Farnham was going to sing Australia's national anthem, since more people know the words to 'You're the Voice' than to 'Advance Australia Fair.'

Chris Martin is a crazy cat. I thought Coldplay really had lost something they couldn't replace for a minute there.