P-Plater

Well I just got my P's on Friday, so I am pretty happy. Exams over, holidays and a new job in market research (first day is Sunday), so things are going pretty well. The job is temporory though, I really need something more stable instead of call center jobs.

My cricket score was 51, not 61 and since then I have only made 12 and 10 (2 sixes at GWSC though). Went to the Monash after exams party and it went allright but we left pretty early. BUT notheless I CAN DRIVE now. Just need to buy some P-plates.

It was pretty nerve racking but the instructor was pretty nice and we had casual conversations so it put me to ease. At the start though, the lights stopped working, so I had to make my way "on judgement." Got 90+% though.

I guess University was a big change, but I have not really done much. I mean debating was good, and I am sub-editor on the Monash Debating Review now, but it terms of social, mostly loner like beahviour. But made some new friends, andd at the moment I am pretty happy. Specially since we got FOXTEL for the summer. Everbody Loves Raymond, Scrubs, 70's show, LIVE cricket. It is brilliant.

Mr. Kevin 07, won, so it will be interesting to see how things pan out from here. But Peter Costello, pulled off the biggest suprise of all. I sort of feel sorry for him, if it is true that he was to be handed the prime minister mantle a few years ago in a dishonoured agreement. Still, John Howard has done quite a bit for us, a booming economy, and the work he did with gun laws was great. Hopefully Mr. Rudd, can keep our economy strong, and help out with indigenous Australians.

My relatives left for India. It was fun having them here, specially my four year old cousin keeping things interesting. My grandmothers is still here for two months.

51 or 61?

We round round three of our cricket season, and I scored my first half century for the seniors batting at number three. In the scorebook it says 51 but online its 61 so I'm not to sure of thee exxact amount. I'll take the 61 though. There as a mini collapse later on but we managed to just win by two wickets. My dad was playing with us because we were short of players so it was sort of interesting. We have an unbeaten start to the season.

Well I had my Macroeconomics exam last Thursday and I guess it went okay, probably should have put in more effort though but I can say that about everything I have done this year.

I guess it says somthing about your social life when the highlight of my last week (apart from the 50) was going to the library straight after my exam because I had nothing to read. Actually, I still have two fantasy novels I received on my birthday to read, but I have not been in the mood for fantasy, so I just picked up some teenage drama/crime ones. I guess libraries aremy "party."

Also had a marketing exam today which went okay, considering I have not looked at the textbook. Definetly a pass.

Just one more exam to go next Monday and then I am FREE, but still have to look for a job though.

One thing that really annoyed me was Daylight Savings. I mean I actually quite enjoy it and I love the extra sunlight but I managed to convince myself first the clock was going forward, then back (courtesy of a misprint in the Age), then forwards and then back until finally i realised it was forward. But it makes great sense.

And Dumbledore was gay, as revealed by J.k. Rowling. I guess it sort of makes sense in a way.

Ancora Imparo- I GOT IN!!!!!!!! and a broken window

Just found out I was accepted in the Vice-Chancellor's Ancora Imparo Student Leadership Scholarship program. It means I am one of 40 students who get to attend a leadership camp from the 21st-23rd of February next year (I know, this means I miss my brother's birthday on the 22nd), and 12 monthly seminars and some other functions. It is worth $1000 though, but its more about the skills I will develop during the next year. I am excited.

Apparently they recieved hundreds of applications from 1st year Monash Victorian students, then narrowed it down to 72 interviews and finally selected 40. I guess it is a great boost for confidence for me, and a wonderful oppurtunity. One goal down, now just need to transfer into Law. Exams are next week, and I am already two days behind on a study plan that started three days ago. I really need to get some work done.

On a side note, last week my tutor for Analysing Arguments did the most comical thing. A fly was buzzing around everywhere in our tute and I guess it sort of had captivated the classroom. When it came near him (and close to a window) he slammed his fist on it and said "Bye Bye fly." Well the fist went through the blind and smashed the window. Lucky no one was standing directly below. Soon, some facility guys came in, and told us to move rooms so they could fix it. It was funny, I felt sorry for my tutor, but we were all cracking up. At our new room, the guy who opened it saw the funny side to the whole event and said:

"Don't worry, there are plenty of fresh panes in here"
My tutor: "Can you please get my hammer for me"
The guy: "A bg strong person like you can use his fist"
Tutor: "That's true"

I hope he does not lose any pay over it though.

Oh yes, given I am in a brilliant mood, here's a great joke:

Q: When is a car not a car?
A: When it TURNS into the driveway.


Gotta love that
But one thing that is annoying me is my mouse keeps on going in random directions for no reason. Its really annoying when I play curveball, it cost me the chance to beat my top score.

A week goes by

About six months ago, I applied for the Ancora Imparo scholariship studnet leadership program. Well, I just found out last week that I have been selected for an interview this Tuesday. Im hoping it will go well, but they only end up picking 40 students out of all the applicants. But surely, I must have gotton to this stage because they saw something in me?

Well, I have got a suit all donned out, in anticipation. Last Saturday we had round 2 of the cricket season, we smashed the opposition by 150runs or so. Our team made 260-0 which meant I did not bat even though I was first drop (i.e. number three). The opposition did not even try to chase our total. They just blocked and blocked which got really annoying after a while and there was a bit of sledging ging on. Well two wins in two games, so going pretty well.

My uncle, aunty, their three uear old baby and my grandma (from my mum's side) are coming over here for a few weeks (grandma for three months) and they just had their Visa approved. I have not seen them in a few years so it will be interesting. Saw the Singing Bee, it seems really "bubbly" and "exciting" for the audience.

I "don't" like cricket, oh no, I love it

That title is the lyrics from a very good song.

On Saturday, I played Round 1 of the cricket season. It was a one-dayer (40 overs a side), and we ended up winning it by a substantial margin. I scored my seniors top score of 30, which was good, although I had a few chances. Even manged to bowl two overs for 0-4, so overall a pretty sucessfull day. The team, in the last three years has lost two semi-finals and the grand final, and last year I was twelvth man for the semi (since I joined midway through the season), so I am looking forward to a good season, with a premiership on the cards.

Have one last assignment due in on Friday, worth 25% which I need to start. I really need to be motivated for exams, because my Law degree is hinging on that. Apparantly, due its harder to get into Law this year through transfers (due to melbourne model and i think they have reduced intake), and my average is not too flash at the moment.

I finish relatively early this year, about the same as VCE. My last exam is on November the 5th, so a lot of free months coming up. Anyway, have my Monash Association of Debating (MAD) final barbeque followed by a Thai night after five which may include Thai food.

I have always wondered this, why do people always ask "Raise your hands if you cannot hear me up the back?" I mean if they cannot, then they are not going to raise them. It should be "raise you hands if you CAN hear me athe the back"

The best joke + past influences

This is the best joke I have read in ages. It surpasses my usual brilliant sense of humour (jk).
Well here it is:

A mom dad and baby tomato are walking down the street and the baby starts to lag behind so the dad goes back and smashes the baby and says "ketchup."

Brilliant.

One past influence for me was my Year 10 English teacher. She had this rule that if we used words such as "can't" instead of cannot, i.e. abbreviations, we lost marks. The aim was to make us write formally. It's stuck with me and I find it really difficult to use can't, won't etc., which becomes really annoying after a while, particulary whilst leaving comments and in general.

Oh well, Melbourne's completed the trifecta, Melbourne Victory, Geelong and of course the mighty Melbourne Storm. So well done to Melbourne "the sporting capital of the world."

I seem to have this pain in my ribcage every time I breathe. Saw the doctor and have to get an x-ray done. But on a more positive note, CRICKET starts this weekend. I am playing in the 4ths.

And still have not seen Rush Hour 3. I have heard brilliant reviews.

The last two weeks and a step closer to P's

Two weeks ago I had my Soccer Presentation night. We all received medals as this was the inaugral season, and I managed to poll 4 votes out of a possible 6 in the final round for the goal I scored. Also started cricket training and games start this weekend.

I also had my Class of 2006 reunion. It was nice to ctach up with all the guys from last year but it was different as well, everyone had changed a considerable amount, which is expected I guess, as we have all gone to different places. I did not really get a chance to talk to too many people for long who I wanted to, but with 200 students that was also to be expected. Ended up leaving at around 10, got home and watched some tv.

And India won the Twenty20 world championships of cricket. It was a good display, beating top teams like Australia, South Africa and Pakistan. That was the first crcicket trophy for India since 1983. Geelong also managed to smash Port Adelaide, and Geelong seesm to be in celebration for a very long time. Ive actually missed all Essendon premiorships, so I do not really know how it feels. I arrived in 1993 and hence was too young to rember, and in 2000, I was in Singapre. When I came back in 2001, Essendon lost in the final to Brisbane, so really I have not experienced a premiership. And I cannot believe Chris Judd is not coming to Essendon. We need him.

Over the holidays, I basically mucked around the whole time watching tv and movies. Did see Superbad for a friends 19th, and it was a good laugh just with fould language every second word. A good movie though. Rush Hour 3 has come out, and apprently everyone I have talked to has seen it. They all assumed I would see it on the first day out, but now I have got no one to see it with and watching the movies solo does not seem right. :( (I just reliesed how many symbols you can create witha keyboard)

Yes, I also passed my Hazard Perception test with 88%. That was a relief, and have my P's booked for November, after exams. At the moment I am an okay driver, just parkings the issue. Will need to get some practice with that.

Death

A fairly mordid title. Last Thursday, I would have to say I saw possibly the worst sight in my life, but in comparison to the victims, it would be nothing. In the morning, just in my street, I saw a car hit another parked car and then just run away. The damage was not too great though, just a bent numberplate. Then my mobile phone case broke, at the station.

However, approaching university, I saw the aftermath of a horrific accident. In fact it was n the news with the title "Postie dies whilst doing rounds." My bus went past the scene where a truck had hit the postman's cycle at around 9:32am. I later found out the accident occured at 9:30am. So I saw the site before the police arrived. Basically, there was a postman, who intially I thought was just a bag of clothes lying on the road with no head, as in the head had been detached. There was "gunk" everywehere, and both the truck driver, who was later treated for shock, in addtion to another postman were on the phone. I cannot describe the sheer brutalness of the scene in words, but honestly I felt like vomiting as did most on the bus. I think the bus driver relaised that, as he asked "Are you all okay." to whihc I somehow nodded.

That scene, the brutalness remained with me the entire day. Everytime I effetcively was in class, that is what I thought about. But the real victim was the postman, out doing his job. And his wife (he had no children) in addition to the truck driver (accident was caused by human error). It is hurtful to think that one moment you have everything, and the next it is gone. That image will saty with me for a while, if not for the rest of my life. Little triggers, like seeing a postman deliver mail and a motorcycle on the road when I was driving with my mum (I gripped the wheel tighter and stayed well clear) but I have delat with it over the last week. I guess it just seems so much more real when you see the scene. I mean you hear it on the news but it just doe not connect with you. The harshness, brutal end of life. It certaintly has convinced me to be a responsible driver, and I beliver every drink driver/speeder should be forced t sit through hours of these images, just to get into their head that one second is all it takes to change the lives of hundreds.

My heart goes out to the family, and friends of the deceased. Recently I also heard Robert Jordan lost his fight against his disease in the last week. He was the author of the Wheel of Time series, a brilliant series with one novel remaining. He made a tremendous contribution to fantasy and has left instructions with his mangager and wife to finsih off the last WOT novel. I guess his legacy and life's work will be concluded. I wait to read his work in anticiaption. May he also rest in peace.

GOAL!!

I have recently (a few months ago) decided to take to a sport in Winter, this being soccer, or football as it is known. Well having not played for a club before, I have not been very good in eight or so games I have played, but then again the sport is new to me.

But on Saturday I scored a GOAL. Given that most of the team did not bother turning up as we were playing in Keiler Downs (think of the furtherest place and then add another 20 minutes) I received a starting role. Things did not go to plan. as I landed heavily on my foot in the first ten minutes following which an opposition player kicked me in the ankle (accidently). So effectively I was hobbling around and still playing as we had no substitutes.

But then second half, proabbly the 60 minute mark, the ball went to me in the box, took one touch and shot, and it went in. My first GOAL in soccer. Nice way to end the season.

Incidently, my ankle/foot has swollen up extensively, and it hurts to walk. So I have been hobbling around for the last few days as well and even skipped cricket training, something I rarely do.

An introduction

Well, although I have registered with this website for months, I finally decided to start today after weeks and weeks. This is a blog, one that will most likely be written not too often in, and also most likely not viewed, read or commented by many. yet, I will attempt to write in here once a week.