| Christmas presents |
[May. 16th, 2008|10:24 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  pleased | ] |
Feel free to skip all this... It's not life shattering... It's not amazingly profound...
Today I received my final present that was a part of my Christmas present last year :P Yes, I know I'm 24 ... rapidly approaching 25 ... and I still get Christmas presents so I should shut up and count my blessings.
Still, to explain. I've wanted a push bike for a while now. In-laws saw the subway promotion last year, buy x much of their product and contribute $x more and they'll give you a reasonably decent bike.
Anyway, said bike was supposed to arrive before Christmas. Didn't happen... and as per the first paragraph of this post, it finally arrived today, after many times contacting the promotors and comments about how it would arrive soon.
After we got home tonight, Alex put it together for me (brakes needed attaching and wiring in), and I've been on a couple of laps up and down our street.
It's been a while since I've ridden a bike, so it was a bit wobbly at first. And I managed to get my skirt caught amongst the wires/brakes in the back wheel too (although thankfully that didn't impair me until I tried to get off - after already stopping).
I'm really hoping that actually having a bike will encourage me to go out and get exercise. We'll see how it goes. I'm already considering going for a ride tomorrow. Only given that it's been so long I don't know how long I can go riding for before I'll be too tired... and I don't want to ride such a distance only to realise I'm too exhausted to get home again. Still I'm excited. Well see how well I do tomorrow, assuming I go out. |
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| Harry Potter musings |
[May. 13th, 2008|10:29 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | happy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | GTA IV Sound track, and I.V. stuck in my head | ] |
It's nice having someone who you can talk fandom with. Or as tonight decended into... creating a Harry Potter based version of the "I've Never" drinking game*.
( The questions so far )
I'll add more if the list continues to grow.
* Which incidently , I've never actually played :P
Oh, and I will try update this thing a little more regularly... if anyone cares for me to do so... or wants to check I'm still alive. |
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| Meme tag-gage |
[Jan. 29th, 2008|07:26 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  nerdy | ] |
The Instructions:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 4-7 sentences on your LJ along with these instructions.
5. Don't dig for the "coolest" or "most intellectual-sounding" book in your collection! (You were thinking about it, weren't you?) Just pick up whatever is closest.
6. Tag five people.
The text:
Auditory communication is so unrewarding to him that he has not worn an aid for several years. His reading is at the 11 year old level, and it gives him pleasure, which television listening does not.
This case illustrates one of the fundamental principles in differential diagnosis: that peripheral hearing loss and central disorders are two separate entities but that they may both exist in the same individual. If tests for auditory acuity show reduced hearing , it is due to a true peripheral lesion, not to a central one. Brent's final diagnosis was "audtory verbal agnosia and visual agnosia for any rapid denotation movements" - all this in addition to a peripheral hearing loss. Each problem must be treated for its own needs, and the combination of problems should, in this case, have been identified sooner.
Taken from: Northern, J.L. & Downs, M.P. (1991). Hearing in Children (4th ed.) Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore
Those Tagged:
Whomsoever feels like doing it.
And yes I am a nerd, and the two closest books (and one journal volume) were audiology related. The next closest would then have been The Dictionary of Imaginary Places or Northern Lights
I suppose I'm doubly the nerd because I wrote the above reference without having to check how to write it according to APA format. Although I might be wrong about whether the place of publication or the publisher comes first... I always forget that ;) |
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| Good News Week - the TV show that is |
[Jan. 27th, 2008|07:12 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | excited | ] |
OMG... I have the biggest smile on my face right now. Alex a little while ago called me down to watch a commercial on TV, which is odd in and of itself as he normally skips them. But I'm glad he didn't skip this one.
Apparently, come the 11th of Feb, 2008 at 9pm Good News Week is returning to channel 10. Now I wish it were returning to the ABC... but I will settle for channel 10... especially if the show is as good as it used to be all those years ago... It was Paul who did the talk-over on the ad, so I'm assuming he'll at least be back. I do kinda hope the co-hosts are still Mikey Robins and Julie McCrossin (or at least others who are as good as these two were).
So, wow... I'm excited... I might actually be watching a bit of TV this year... Doctor Who, Good News Week, Top Gear,....... I think I've forgotten the one other TV show I watch(1).
Anyway, I shall shut up, and eagerly await it's return.
(1) - I forgot NCIS... Alex however remembered for me so all is good. |
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| 101 in 1001 days |
[Jan. 1st, 2008|07:12 pm] |
So, rather than do new years resolutions... I came across this instead. I like the idea of specific goals, I like the idea of taking the extra time to do it.
Of course I'm lazy... I'm not joining a community... I'll just post my list here, and maybe gradually update as I do things.
( The list ) |
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[Oct. 28th, 2007|08:09 pm] |
So, I know this is incredibly too early to be thinking about Christmas presents... but some of the presents have to go interstate, others to what is pretty much the other side of the world... and I don't want to have to buy 24 presents in the last weekend before Christmas....
But unfortunately there's a problem of being stuck for ideas... particularly for the junior cousins... (Which yes everyone is telling me I *don't* have to buy for, even though I *want* to buy for)...
So I'm looking for suggestions about what might make a cool present for the following people (or even what would make a dreadful present so I know what to avoid)...
( The ages and genders )
Please feel free to leave a comment... doesn't even matter how expensive or not they are... If I like an idea but it costs too much I'll work out some way to make it cheaper. |
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[Sep. 19th, 2007|06:29 pm] |
Dear Hotmail,
stop trying to do new and impressive things.
face it ... you've sold your soul to microsoft... it's never coming back...
and like all microsoft products it means you're never going to work as well as you once did, before you upgraded to these new fancy feature.
No love,
me. |
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| On reading |
[May. 30th, 2007|10:07 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | nerdy | ] |
Having moved, and left behind the frantic study associated with university degrees, I have seemingly rediscovered the joys of one of my favourite past-times. It's been made even easier by the length of the train trip which is enough to read 50-70 pages of most novels (including novels based around the events of WWI) in the 40-70 minute trip.
Since the urge came to me the other day I have read:
Lords and Ladies - Terry Pratchett
Equal Rites - Terry Pratchett
Regeneration - Pat Barker
and now I'm 2/3 the way through The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
It's been quite wonderful rediscovering books again. And I'm quite glad I stopped English in year 12, because it means I can read a lot *without* trying to analyse it at the same time.
Of course there is a downside. Namely, that if I continue to read at the pace I'm reading (where a book normally rarely lasts me two days) my "to be read" pile is going to be quickly diminished. So I guess what I'm asking for is suggestions of authors I should be looking to read... or at least looking for in a book shop to decide if they make suitable companions on the train(1).
And yes Regi, I know I could work on your reviews... but you shall have to give me other author's names as well.
___
(1) Something not like Battle Royale, which would disturb most (if not all) commuters who tried to read over my shoulder. |
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[May. 28th, 2007|09:13 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sleepy | ] |
So, I'm still here (1), we've moved (2), I've worked out which trains I need to get(3), most things have a home too(4).
Our first offical visitors were my parents, sister and her husband for mother's day. And our second group came last saturday ... a group of friends we know from church. Both worked well... although it's easier to squish people closer when they're blood relations(5). Alex insisted the second of these two counts as a house warming(6).
Unfortunately the house is still not *quite* at a point where I'm happy taking photos(7)
Anyway unfortunately I'm too tired(8) to think of anything particularly more interesting to write.
And so good night!(9)
_______________
(1) nearly typed "I'm not dead" ... but that has a whole 'nother association now :) *blames regi*
(2) and are only now informing various government agencies... like the RTA/AEC(2a)
(2a) AEC = Australian Electoral Commission
(3) only been late to work once... but still beat my supervisor ;)
(4) or will when I make more bookshelves
(5) I hope I will be able to use this most recent experience to convince Alex to get a bigger table
(6) it really doesn't(6a)
(6a) but it probably makes him feel better.
(7) maybe this weekend. which gives me enough time maybe...
(8) this may be due to not being able to sleep between 3 and 6am today, and then heading off to work.
(9) or whatever is the appropriate time-related phrase in your time zone. |
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| Packing |
[May. 2nd, 2007|11:01 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | content | ] |
Well packing has started in earnest tonight.
Especially knowing that the house will be ours on friday. Meep!
So tonight I packed the pantry (mostly), and almost all of our big bookshelf, whilst Alex packed up his study.
The big bookshelf still has some shakespeare plays, one autobiography, one historical fiction novel, and a lot of academic/nerdish type books (mostly mine) still to pack. Still there's 6 boxes packed up so far (5 of them scifi/fantasy, 1 children's books).
Of the house there is 42 boxes packed - including one suitcase.
Considering how many more rooms there are to pack ... (the family room, the kitchen - including crockery and glasswear, my study, my part of the bedroom, the bathroom) ... I'm not sure even if we had enough boxes we'd be ready on friday. So I suppose it's a good thing that my sister isn't ready to move in here just yet.
We haven't actually labled the boxes yet either though, so we should probably do that tomorrow. But at least the different areas have been placed in different areas (admittedly not corresponding with what is packed within the box).
Anyway I think it is time for a shower (to undust) and then bed time.
I apologise if this entry is slightly incoherent... the dust is getting to me it seems. |
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| Good News, Other News, Other Other News |
[Apr. 12th, 2007|10:30 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  many things | ] |
The Good News
So for some reason over Easter I got bored enough that I decided I was capable enough to re-code my personal website pretty much from scratch. (Yes boredom makes me believe I can do many things).
But suprisingly (or perhaps not considering my evenings are no longer filled with uni work) I did actually manage to do the planned overhaul. It was done by tonight - so less than a week after I decided to do it.
Well there's one thing not done. But that will rely on Alex finding a program he wrote for my birthday a year or two ago (and the information he needs to extract from being up to date).
If you have any desire to have a look: www.viciousdisorder.net
The Other News
I think everyone knows I didn't pass one uni subject. And got stuck doing it over summer. Did I tell people though that my lecturer's promised me that I would (assuming I passed) graduate with my peers? Well they did...
Only I called the uni this week to find out what was happening. Graduation being in less than 2 weeks, and I hadn't heard anything. Only to be told... oh sorry, you need to see if you're eligible for graduation. Maybe talk to your lecturer. So I called lecturer - let her do the run around.
Then when she got back to me the answer was "oh well your results were submitted about a month too late to graduate with everyone else." Great, just great. I said I'd happily start my summer course in december, rather than mid Jan. And there were 2-3 weeks where I was waiting to do my final exam (because I was waiting on my "classmate" to finish her clinical placements).
So yes, not feeling particularly happy with the university at this time. Or at least not my lecturers...
And I'm trying to work out how/what I'll do about graduation as well... Maybe go - sit in audience - steal/borrow a friend's robe to have some photos with my parents (on the day with everyone else)... Then offically graduate in absentia from my ceremony that is to be held in May.
The Other, Other News
My supervisor comes back from India tomorrow - she's been gone 2 weeks. I'm a little worried about what she'll have to say about my reports/files etc... even though I've had the other clinician check over everything I've done. My supervisor keeps telling me I should do my reports differently (different wordings etc) and sometimes interprets things differently, which is kind of stupid cause she says "this is the US way" and I'm thinking "hang on this is the Australian way, and we're actually in Australia here".
But anyway yes, a little nervous. But I hope she'll be happy. |
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| Forgive me for not updating sooner... |
[Apr. 8th, 2007|07:26 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | excited | ] |
Or: The House Saga resolves.
( What went wrong )
( What came next )
( Describing the house )
And if you've read all that you'll know what's happening in our house hunting situation. |
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| Supanova + Jenny Fallon Oh My! |
[Mar. 20th, 2007|06:49 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | happy | ] |
Well I hadn't been sure I was going to go to Supanova this year, but now I suppose I must. At least if they keep the same special guests as Brisbane I must (which unfortunately there's no real guarantee they will). And I must find some purple to wear as well..
After all it's not every day Overlady Jenny (aka Jennifer Fallon) comes to visit. I wonder if Jenny has fangirls (and boys) like one of those special guests did last year... ^__^ Could be cool, and highly amusing.
Weee! Now I'm grateful for waking up at 6am - just because it gave me time to realise this. |
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[Mar. 3rd, 2007|10:35 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | excited | ] |
Well considering my msn name/handle at the moment I suppose for prosperity sakes I ought to make a mention of a couple of the events of the last week, or last week and a bit. I'll put it as close to a summary as possible. There's stuff that's happened with the house too, but if you want to know that read the comments of the entry before this...
( And under a cut )
( Job Rambling )
I don't know what I need to take with me for work though.
Pens? Books for reference? Paper?
I don't know whether I'll be getting my own computer for writing reports... or if I do something else...
Hmm methinks a journal/notebook to make notes of the proceedures involved would be good too.
Does anyone (if anyone has read all this, or otherwise) have any suggestions of other things I should be aware of/ take with me come monday? |
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| Update on Thesis |
[Jan. 24th, 2007|09:34 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  very happy | ] |
I suppose I should put this here, seeing as this is the journal I updated my thesis drafts to. And seeing as this is the conclusion of my thesis at this time (pending me emailing my lecturer to check and see what should have been done differently).
Last friday I went to university to meet one lecturer, as another task I also dropped in on my supervisor for my thesis so I could get him to sign off on my ethics. Not really suprising but when I got to his office he wasn't there... I rang his mobile, he said to get the key and let myself in, I did, and while I was waiting for him I saw...
My thesis, well the second to last version I submitted.
And I had a chance to flick through about 2/3 - 3/4 of it before the supervisor came up to the room.
But on the front cover was this (in my supervisors/markers handwriting):
Good but no abstract and no info on conductive losss cases.
Should be included.
Add as appendix.
Marks 75/80 if ok.
I *don't* actually know what my final mark was on my submission, and I only ended up with a credit for the subject. But knowing my supervisor gave my project a high distinction (it works out to over 93%) - even if he may have marked more lienently that he would have otherwise - is fantastic. It would be my highest university mark ever (where I actually know the mark) for an assignment.
So a big cheers (oh goodness Alex is infecting me again with British-isms) to everyone who made read it and made comments. And especially, thank you Regi for all your efforts too. |
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| Reflections... |
[Jan. 22nd, 2007|11:56 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | At home | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  worried | ] |
| [ | music |
| | helicopters and sirens | ] |
I may have never lived in a warzone. Never heard the sound of air-raid sirens or even air-craft flying over head and worried for my safety. I am so immensly glad for that. But, you know helicopters in summer have a somewhat similar effect on me.
There's a bushfire not that far from me. It could be as little as 3kms away as the crow flies. Admittedly between the bushfire and me is many, many houses... and it's not in a valley that connects to the one at the bottom of my street... but nevertheless the constant sound of helicopters flying low overhead concerns me. As does the emergency vechile sirens that I hear at least once every half hour.
I remember as a child having blackened leaves falling in my back yard, and barely being able to breathe because of the smoke. This is not even nearly as bad. I can breathe pretty easily when I go outside, and the sky is mostly clear except when you look to the north-west of my house.
It's crazy I know. I'm so grateful for the effort that is being put into controlling this blaze, but you know, it's still scary. The sense of being on edge constantly. Thinking about past experiences, thinking about the future. They've closed the two main ways north now. I'm not sure about the third... Depends where they've closed one of the others I suppose. There's no reason *yet* to worry about it, but I'm already thinking should I pack a box or two - either to give myself peace of mind, or for that "just in case".
*sighs* You know until this happened I had actually thought we might get away with this summer not being too bad. I know there's been a lot of bushfires in other places... But the gorge and berowra and several other places have been fine this year. So yeah, I was quite happy, I thought we'd get through summer just maybe - even if there hasn't been anything close to enough rain.
Guess not. |
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| Busy me |
[Jan. 18th, 2007|08:20 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  ouchie | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Birds in tree outside | ] |
I feel bad cause I haven't updated here in a while.
After Christmas (as well as a week or two before) I was working for mum as a receptionist. I'd forgotten (almost) how nice it feels to be able to contribute your own money for things... Namely in my case: Rent and food purchases. Such a sad little life I lead.
But since Jan 8 I haven't been working for mum so much... Cause my summer course offically has begun. At this stage I've had several clinics, I have to write a reflection for each day I'm at clinic, I will have to write a reflective essay. And I have an exam which is a very big unknown atm.
Actually I'm supposed to be at clinic today.
Only I'm not. Because that feeling of something stuck in my throat (causing pain when swallowing) is still present, as it has been since about 4 or 5pm yesterday. It even woke me up last night at about 2am. It isn't as bad now, but I can't swallow without wincing, and when I first woke up today (at 6am - so as to get ready for clinic) I couldn't even speak in a whisper without it hurting. I can now, but I *don't* want to try and speak so loudly (as you have to for clients with hearing problems) on this pain. I probably could, but the idea just doesn't seem appealing. |
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| A little Christmas note |
[Dec. 25th, 2006|08:20 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | happy | ] |
To those who don't celebrate Christmas... ignore this...
Dear Friends,
Wishing you all a lovely and happy Christmas.
May the day be special to you for whatever reason...
Your friend,
vive
(Not my image!) |
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| Thesis thinking. (Again) |
[Dec. 4th, 2006|10:02 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | happy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | computers humming in the background | ] |
Well there'd been a little bit of contention over my thesis... I submitted it a week after my classmates, with personal approval for that from my supervisor.
I then had nothing to do but study for exams, and wait to hear back.
So, about a week ago my classmates all get their thesis back with corrections to make before the final submission. I don't.
I wait a few days, and on Nov 29 (two days before the thesis was due) I emailed Philip (supervisor) to find out what's happening to find out he's overseas (again! - this makes 4 or 5 times this year). So then I'm sitting there wondering what is going to happen to my thesis, any corrections, my marks, etc...
I emailed the other main supervisor, and it seems she was able to get onto Philip thankfully.
She forwarded me his response tonight (at about 6pm)...
Dear Vive,
I marked your project write up and though that it was very good, but I
want you to add an appendix, before I give it a grade.
Please include the results you got from the experimental part of the
work and include at least a page to explain what you did and how it
might be improved upon. It need not be too elaborate, but you did this
work and we should mention it.
I know you will feel that it is it will be pretty rough, but I think
we should have it included.
This will add to the value of the work an will be useful if you, or
someone else, carries on with it later.
This will mean you get an I grade in the meantime, but if you make the
amendment soon, you will be OK to graduate with the others.
Kind regards
Philip
The appendix was something I did consider including, but decided I didn't have the time/motivation to include it... nor was I sure I should.
But I think I should be able to get it over and done, and edited by next Monday - which is when the supervisor (who isn't Philip) has asked to have it submitted by.
Ok I can't think of anything much more to say...
So I think instead I'll shut up and go and finish sorting out some more christmas presents. ^__^
(I plan to start the thesis appendix tomorrow) |
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