Horror

I just realised that there is a huge chance I might collapse/die/go insane during the next five days.

Friday: Uni from 9am till 5pm. Watching CMG concert in the night.
Saturday: Tuition from 9:30am. Leave house at 2pm to line up for Panic at the Disco. Jump happily in mosh pit till late.
Sunday: Church. PLC gathering in arvo, yay.
Monday: Uni. BSF in evening.
Tuesday: Sneaky Sound System!

I AM NOT USED TO THIS! I am a recluse. I am a recluse. I am antisocial...-continues to chant mantra, soothingly-

I'm so excited.

Review: Foundling - D.M. Cornish

I thought I might as well do another one while I'm on a roll!

Book: Foundling (Book 1 of Monster Blood Tattoo), by D.M. Cornish

Set in a painstakingly detailed world of arcane science and alchemy. D.M. Cornish has been building the Half-Continent from his imagination since 1993, filling notebooks with illustrations, maps, character descriptions, etc. There are monsters and multicoloured oceans and somewhat morbid ideas (having strange organs surgically sewn into your body so that you have electrical powers). Cornish's world-building is stunning, almost comparable to that of J.R.R. Tolkien. His maps. Oh my gosh. The detail. The place names (many which are Latin-based!). The artwork.

The story itself, unfortunately, I didn't find stunning. It's good. It's an entertaining fantasy tale. But by itself it's not brilliant. It had a few too many cliched parts for my liking--in particular, the whole 'lowly orphan rises to great adventures' thing. Some good points are the various secondary characters and their quirky names. Anyway, the awesome world-building and flair makes up for it. Thus, I will be reading the rest of the series!

Rating: 8/10

Review: Interview With The Vampire - Anne Rice

I've been inspired by other blogs to try reviewing things. So from now on (sporadically) I'll be giving movies, books and people I see on the street a score out of 10, 0 being unmentionable and 10 being gobsmackingly divine.

I suppose I'll start with the book that Chris recently lent me (:

Book: Interview With The Vampire, by Anne Rice

In a darkened room a young man sits and tells the macabre and eerie story of his life...the story of a vampire gifted with eternal life, cursed with an exquisite craving for human blood.

I agree that the whole vampire genre is nauseatingly overdone, but this book was published in 1976, and is considered the second most influential vampire novel of all time to Dracula. Hm. Good points: Rice's writing is very dramatic, very flowing and descriptive. It's like the reader really experiences the grittiness of being a vampire. Unique ideas in gory, vivid abundance. Not afraid to push the limits. Bad points: It's a horror-tale genre, so yes, it was dark and violent--but I suppose that's more of a personal taste thing. The hints at paedophilia/father-daughter relationships leave you a bit uneasy, but its somewhat mollified by the fact that Rice is a woman, haha. The whole book is sort of in a state of heightened drama, and Rice works her style beautifully, but again, I personally prefer narratives that are understated. Overall, though, I can't deny that this is a chilling and impressive read.
Rating: 7/10

What superpower would you choose?

A perennially favourite question. After much multi-faceted debate with various equally enthusiastic friends (as well as random acquaintances during dissection pracs), I've narrowed it down to two. Just for kicks, and because I adore the sound of my own (online) voice, here they are...

SUPERPOWER #1: MIND-READING

Think Matt Parkman from Heroes. Or Elspeth Gordie from Obernewtyn, although she had every single power, what a hog. The only problem with that sort of mind-reading is (as someone pointed out to me) that what someone thinks at a present moment in time might not be what they truly feel. So perhaps it's not mind-reading I'm after, per se. I want to see everything inside a person's head...? I want to know...their minds...and their...hearts...-begins to laugh manically-

Pros:

- never need to study for exams (can pluck answers out of your colleagues' heads).

- never run out of money (constant access to PIN numbers).

- can get cheap job as crystal-ball psychic in travelling circus.

- can completely dominate poker.

- possible future in CIA, FBI, etc.

- knowing what others are thinking/feeling/desiring.

- knowing what your friends really think of you.

Cons:

- knowing what your friends really think of you. May be problematic if you: 1) tell them you can read their minds and demand to know exactly why you are an 'arrogant cow', which then frightens them all away from you; or 2) keep it to yourself and struggle with the knowledge that you are actually an arrogant cow.

- feelings of guilt after cheating others. Only applies if you have a conscience.

SUPERPOWER #2: TELEKINESIS

Think Matilda, from Matilda by Roald Dahl (I love how Dahl's surname is the name of a lentil used in South Asian cooking). Or Neo when he bends the spoon. Basically, making things move/fly around with your mind.

Pros:

- can scare enemies by making things float in front of them.

- can exercise and burn energy just by making things fly around. No need to get off the couch.

- can impress girls with your skill (if you are a guy). "Undressing a girl with your mind" would take on a whole new meaning...

- can defend yourself against a guy trying to undress you (if you are a girl). Keep heavy objects close at hand.

Cons:

- no major ones, but it's not a very powerful ability. Unless you're so fast you can bend bullets away from you before they hit you. Or stop them completely.

ferrero rocher

Have you ever felt like other people probably deserve something more than you do? If I miss out, what's that to the world? I am just one person. If someone else is happy, isn't it the same as if I am happy? We are both people, equal and alike, and the value of her happiness is equal to mine. So what is it, in the end? It is inconsequential.

THE OLYMPICS ARE ALMOST OVER?! Waa. I haven't watched nearly enough! At least I saw Usain Bolt run the hundred metres =D

fig. 1. Holy cow!

Good times are sitting in a food court writing a list of 100 things to do before we die. 100 anythings, no matter how improbable or financially draining or faraway. I don't think I could ever run out of ideas (:

---

LORD ILLINGWORTH: The world is simply divided into two classes - those who believe the incredible, like the public - and those who do the improbable -

MRS ALLONBY: Like yourself?

LORD ILLINGWORTH: Yes; I am always astonishing myself. It is the only thing that makes life worth living.

LADY STUTFIELD: And what have you been doing lately that astonishes you?

LORD ILLINGWORTH: I have been discovering all kinds of beautiful qualities in my own nature.

MRS ALLONBY: Ah! don't become quite perfect all at once. Do it gradually!

LORD ILLINGWORTH: I don't intend to grow perfect at all. At least, I hope I shan't. It would be most inconvenient. Women love us for our defects. If we have enough of them, they will forgive us everything, even our gigantic intellects.

- Act 3, A Woman of No Importance

the getting of wisdom.

fig. 1. Me?

I wonder how much of a doormat I am. I had a thought that maybe I'm not strong, or in control of my emotions, or rational, or independent of others. Maybe I'm just letting everyone tread all over me and trying to convince myself that I don't care.

Sweeney Todd was pretty good. Not as good as The Picture of Dorian Gray, but that's because Sweeney was a musical whilst Dorian was a heavily dialogue-based play and it was witty. But Sweeney did have hilarious songs and quite brilliant actors and fake blood. I want to see the movie now! Johnny Depp > random plump dude with curly greasy hair, although random plump dude can sing.

Haven't done a scrap of work all weekend, and I feel good! I went for a twilight walk today, and found out that everyone looks like a potential rapist in the half-dark.

Not gone yet.

I am not giving up on this blog after three posts. To do so would speak terrible things about my potential for commitment.

Anyway, I can't sleep and I'm iron deficient. Funny thing is, I feel--good. Relatively. Absolutely. Yesterday was an impressive feat of endurance: in the city from about 9am to 11pm, and I did not fall asleep on the train home. I conversed and laughed and socialised on four hours' sleep. Mel's housewarming was a lovely reunion. Tanya told me all about her Nigerian boyfriend (note to self: long distance relationships are difficult). We played poker (note to self: buy poker set ASAP). And the apartment (shared with Natalie) is so, so hot! Not sweaty hot. The other kind. It's like an artsy loft. I wish I moved in with her. The city views, the nightlife...ahh. I have to visit some days after uni (:

Came home, read several scenes of 'A Woman of No Importance' and laughed myself to sleep. Dragged myself up for tuition at 9am, blundered through a series of probability questions and made multiple excuses for not knowing the answers. Second student didn't turn up. Blog is turning into a dry, tedious list of my daily activities, noooooo.

So many things to do. BSF homework. Buy a watch. Fix my glasses (have fallen asleep on them too many times). Read up on the visual pathway, woohoo. See my GP about this whole lack of iron and haemoglobin fiasco. And tonight I'm going to watch a play at Monash: Sweeney Todd.

Sometimes I feel like I only live in the same place as my family; I don't see them nearly as much as I would love to.