So, ladies and gentlemen, I give to you the ressurrection of the Unseen Academical. Many long months it has stood high and dry, but in recent weeks a flood of literary desire has floated this alphabetic ark back up the creek, and it packed a spare set of paddles.
So here's to a new outlook on life; little insights into the troubled psyche of a twisted university student, fate as yet unknown.
Thought for the evening: the phenomenon of alternate Facebook personalities.
It's fascinating how you find someone on Facebook, and yet the portrait painted by the "Interests", "About Me" and "Quotes" columns rarely coincide with the scummy pond of hypocrisy seething beneath the tanned exterior. Not that I'm saying everybody on Facebook is inherently evil, but the facade you throw out there for the online community to see very rarely captures the person's quirks and little personality flaws. "Hanging out in Plett; the party here is off the chain!" If it was so great, why are you on Facebook? Truth be told, you're probably that guy that finds the nearest open public toilet and spends the night posting statuses about that hot blonde you and your skydiving buddy are chatting up, but sadly your camera isn't working so you can't show everybody exactly how hot she is. But she's very hot indeed.
And then you change your profile picture later that night. Probably to a blurred shot of you with something on your head / in your mouth / over your nose / all of the above. With bad lighting.
So personality flaws can rarely be spotted on a profile page. Unless your personality flaws are represented by your Facebook usage, in which case you've got a whole other WORLD of problems.
My anti-insomnia hormone treatment pills are kicking in, so I better sign off for the night. I've always been against sleeping medication on principle, but necessity is the root of action, and I haven't noticed any major hallucinations since I started using. Now, if you'll excuse me, the orange moose and his friend, the polka-dot snake, need their nightcaps. Ahhhh, here come the monochrome rainbows... Zzzzzzzzz...
Friday, 30 December 2011
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Sayonara, muchacho
A quick little flex of the keys before I rush off to class... firstly, in the course of the next few months I'll be trying to integrate this blog with my personal web page that I'm slowly developing and adding content to.
Secondly, WHAT the hell was that dream I had? I cant even remember what happened in the dream, just that some weeeeird stuff went down and that every person in it was like a conglomerate of people I know. *shakes himself*.
This past week I've come to realize anew that to do good academically, you've got to put in the hours. No fancy business of study techniques or routines or study patterns, you've just got to go sit down and study. No substitute. Which is why this post is a little on the short side... hopefully I'll get to extending my blogging hours today as well. But test week is around the corner... *sigh*
Secondly, WHAT the hell was that dream I had? I cant even remember what happened in the dream, just that some weeeeird stuff went down and that every person in it was like a conglomerate of people I know. *shakes himself*.
This past week I've come to realize anew that to do good academically, you've got to put in the hours. No fancy business of study techniques or routines or study patterns, you've just got to go sit down and study. No substitute. Which is why this post is a little on the short side... hopefully I'll get to extending my blogging hours today as well. But test week is around the corner... *sigh*
Thursday, 7 July 2011
The Ever-Present Marshmallow Republic
For the first time in recent memory I don't have ten deadlines for the next 2 hours; don't have to change clothes 3 times a day in strange, dilapidated bathrooms to accommodate social norms... *shakes himself*... let's rather not talk about those dark times, they're a comin' back...
So. Holidays. That's what it's all about, eh? Or not. For some reason, I tend to like work periods more than actual holidays. Sure, I love mooching as much as the next person (or even more, for that matter), but you get to a point where your moochiness just sort of... dries up. You start eating everything in sight; stroking the dogs backwards to see what their reaction is; make all kinds of weird combinations of spreads and sandwich them between two slices of whatever is in the breadbin... believe me, a Bovril, honey and cheddar biscuit tastes better than it sounds. It's not that I can't find things to do; it's more that, unless pressed by deadlines and the people around me, I very rarely find the willpower to do the things I should. Not out of laziness, per se, but more out of a sense of disurgency. Yes, I did just make that word up.
I think this is why I sign myself up for so much. I have a LOT of dreams and plan on actually realizing most of them, but I also realize that, left to my own devices, I will probably never find the time to do any of the things necessary to further me in life. So, signing up for, say, the musical leader of our a capella group or administrator of the hostel website is just ways to get me to fill my day and learn a thing or two, so I can carry those skills forward into the next set of things I sign myself up for... And with this, I suddenly realize that I've become one of THEM. Those mindless zombies that rush from 8 to 5, leaving a trail of joylessness in their wake. But not entirely.
See, as of a year ago, I've started reinventing myself. Making time for things that I like AND that can help me become a better person. It's interesting how much you're capable of if you really want something. And I mean REALLY want it.
So, leaving you all with these (slightly disorganized) thoughts, I start working on my next assignments. Learning choir music, writing songs for the a capella group, teaching myself PHP, trying to get some physical exercise done, keeping up with friends...
This is what life is about. Signing out with a smile tonight
So. Holidays. That's what it's all about, eh? Or not. For some reason, I tend to like work periods more than actual holidays. Sure, I love mooching as much as the next person (or even more, for that matter), but you get to a point where your moochiness just sort of... dries up. You start eating everything in sight; stroking the dogs backwards to see what their reaction is; make all kinds of weird combinations of spreads and sandwich them between two slices of whatever is in the breadbin... believe me, a Bovril, honey and cheddar biscuit tastes better than it sounds. It's not that I can't find things to do; it's more that, unless pressed by deadlines and the people around me, I very rarely find the willpower to do the things I should. Not out of laziness, per se, but more out of a sense of disurgency. Yes, I did just make that word up.
I think this is why I sign myself up for so much. I have a LOT of dreams and plan on actually realizing most of them, but I also realize that, left to my own devices, I will probably never find the time to do any of the things necessary to further me in life. So, signing up for, say, the musical leader of our a capella group or administrator of the hostel website is just ways to get me to fill my day and learn a thing or two, so I can carry those skills forward into the next set of things I sign myself up for... And with this, I suddenly realize that I've become one of THEM. Those mindless zombies that rush from 8 to 5, leaving a trail of joylessness in their wake. But not entirely.
See, as of a year ago, I've started reinventing myself. Making time for things that I like AND that can help me become a better person. It's interesting how much you're capable of if you really want something. And I mean REALLY want it.
So, leaving you all with these (slightly disorganized) thoughts, I start working on my next assignments. Learning choir music, writing songs for the a capella group, teaching myself PHP, trying to get some physical exercise done, keeping up with friends...
This is what life is about. Signing out with a smile tonight
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Thank Goodness for Shuffle Play
Long nights in the lab have a way of making things fade into perspective a lot easier. You're away from all the bother and noise of the room and all the distractions that go with it, left with only that seriously nagging urge that in 9 hours' time this project needs to be finished and I STILL HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO HELP ME!!!
*cough*
Well, last night was the first time since the beginning of this semester that my Design was finished the night before the actual demo. Those sleepless nights are a thing of the past (for now anyway) and it actually feels GOOD knowing I'm gonna pass today. Now just to finish my kleinserverwerkings, learn choir music, study for my 3 tests this week, finish the tutorials for today and tomorrow, clean my room, shave, do dishes, do washing, Facebook just a LITTLE more...
I wonder if there is a support group for people with Facebook addictions?
So. On with the day... I re-discovered a System of a Down song 2 days ago while trying to sleep (I still insist that thanks to shuffle play a lot of otherwise obscure music sees the light); Radio/Video, in case you were wondering. The only thing I'm wondering is why the hell I stopped listening to them in the first place. These guys are just the best. For a little variation in my life I started watching Scott Pilgrim vs. the World this morning while drinking my morning coffee and it is surprisingly good thus far. Definitely a recommended watch.
Seeing as I don't have a scooter like my trusted roommate, I should probably get going to class a little earlier than... *looks at watch*... ohcrapImnotgonnamakeitgottarunbye
*cough*
Well, last night was the first time since the beginning of this semester that my Design was finished the night before the actual demo. Those sleepless nights are a thing of the past (for now anyway) and it actually feels GOOD knowing I'm gonna pass today. Now just to finish my kleinserverwerkings, learn choir music, study for my 3 tests this week, finish the tutorials for today and tomorrow, clean my room, shave, do dishes, do washing, Facebook just a LITTLE more...
I wonder if there is a support group for people with Facebook addictions?
So. On with the day... I re-discovered a System of a Down song 2 days ago while trying to sleep (I still insist that thanks to shuffle play a lot of otherwise obscure music sees the light); Radio/Video, in case you were wondering. The only thing I'm wondering is why the hell I stopped listening to them in the first place. These guys are just the best. For a little variation in my life I started watching Scott Pilgrim vs. the World this morning while drinking my morning coffee and it is surprisingly good thus far. Definitely a recommended watch.
Seeing as I don't have a scooter like my trusted roommate, I should probably get going to class a little earlier than... *looks at watch*... ohcrapImnotgonnamakeitgottarunbye
Sunday, 3 April 2011
The silence of the past two days has not been planned... it was kind of like running out of a burning building. Just because you forgot to grab the cat on the way out doesn't mean you intentionally left it to die.
And yes, comparing my life to a burning building is very apt at the moment. Taking on too many extra-mural activities is never a good idea for a socially active engineering student (which on its OWN is already quite a handful). I feel like a pat of complementary margarine spread over 5 slices of bread... just way too thin, way too tired and way too overheated. Don't know why that makes sense, but somehow it does to me.
The two twenty-firsts I went to this week were rather awesome though. Met one or two new interesting people and re-met lots of old acquaintances.
You know what, I can't think of anything witty or interesting to say at this point in time. Suffice it to say that I cleaned out my keyboard, finished a project, had an interesting afternoon doing sound engineering at church, studied for a test, cleaned my room, went to a 21st and had a bit of an impromptu party in my room at 8 in the evening... honestly, who DOES that? I'm ashamed of myself.
Sometimes.
And yes, comparing my life to a burning building is very apt at the moment. Taking on too many extra-mural activities is never a good idea for a socially active engineering student (which on its OWN is already quite a handful). I feel like a pat of complementary margarine spread over 5 slices of bread... just way too thin, way too tired and way too overheated. Don't know why that makes sense, but somehow it does to me.
The two twenty-firsts I went to this week were rather awesome though. Met one or two new interesting people and re-met lots of old acquaintances.
You know what, I can't think of anything witty or interesting to say at this point in time. Suffice it to say that I cleaned out my keyboard, finished a project, had an interesting afternoon doing sound engineering at church, studied for a test, cleaned my room, went to a 21st and had a bit of an impromptu party in my room at 8 in the evening... honestly, who DOES that? I'm ashamed of myself.
Sometimes.
Friday, 1 April 2011
Be Nice To Oxygen Day
So for some time now I have been itching to get my thoughts out into the world. Be it in literary form, a social network extravaganza or just some notes jotted down in the back of a Mathematics notebook, my thoughts seem to find ways to commit themselves to paper. Finally, after a friend asked me "Do you think writing a blog is a good idea, and if so, what are the best blogging solutions out there?", the very question I had been pondering for a while (albeit in a slightly more informal sentence), I decided to start publishing a blog.
+++Hello World+++
Yes, I know it's corny, but read the blog title for crying out loud. Corny by nature, not corny by name... See, there I go again.
For my birthing blog post I decided to go with something we can all relate to; something weighing heavily on our minds recently, namely the astounding abundance of public holidays during academics terms. Don't get me wrong, I am all for the 2-day work week, but Human Rights day? Day of the African Child? Even though it's supposed to have a lot of social significance and emotional value to those of us more politically minded, but personally I feel they should rather drop the pretense and call it "Grandma's Funeral Day number 3" or "Be Nice To Oxygen Day". Actually, that would be rather a good idea... have you ever thought how much oxygen means to you? You suck it down your oesophagus by the second, use it to light your fires and even expect it to behave when you're trying to get the washing dry. All of this for NO THANKS AT ALL?!? Come on people. Rather than having marches and parades in honour of someone who ate berries for a week and stole 2 supply crates of cane sugar from the oppressive government and suddenly became a hero of the revolution, with cushy government title and swollen financial reimbursement to match, let us take a day to think about all the good things oxygen means for us in our modern society.
The fish will love you for it; after all, they only get it in its dissolved form. Like drinking a virgin coffee on the rocks compared to downing 3 Red Bulls... that's how they must feel...
Let me stop myself before I trail off and start ranting about the price of erasable ballpoint pens and lettuce, and bid you a good Be Nice To Oxygen Day.
+++Hello World+++
Yes, I know it's corny, but read the blog title for crying out loud. Corny by nature, not corny by name... See, there I go again.
For my birthing blog post I decided to go with something we can all relate to; something weighing heavily on our minds recently, namely the astounding abundance of public holidays during academics terms. Don't get me wrong, I am all for the 2-day work week, but Human Rights day? Day of the African Child? Even though it's supposed to have a lot of social significance and emotional value to those of us more politically minded, but personally I feel they should rather drop the pretense and call it "Grandma's Funeral Day number 3" or "Be Nice To Oxygen Day". Actually, that would be rather a good idea... have you ever thought how much oxygen means to you? You suck it down your oesophagus by the second, use it to light your fires and even expect it to behave when you're trying to get the washing dry. All of this for NO THANKS AT ALL?!? Come on people. Rather than having marches and parades in honour of someone who ate berries for a week and stole 2 supply crates of cane sugar from the oppressive government and suddenly became a hero of the revolution, with cushy government title and swollen financial reimbursement to match, let us take a day to think about all the good things oxygen means for us in our modern society.
The fish will love you for it; after all, they only get it in its dissolved form. Like drinking a virgin coffee on the rocks compared to downing 3 Red Bulls... that's how they must feel...
Let me stop myself before I trail off and start ranting about the price of erasable ballpoint pens and lettuce, and bid you a good Be Nice To Oxygen Day.
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