Eat Your Swedes!

Yes indeedy, I finally got around to finishing my podcast, so now you may listen to my dulcet and harmonious tones whenever you feel like it. I believe I made it an mp3, so it should be pretty good for the old dialup users.

I think it turned out fairly well, but please excuse the horrible static noise that my stupid microphone is making. I tried fiddling with the plugs and changing the sound levels, but I think it might actually just be shit. (The stupid thing will buzz when I'm not making a noise, so it's not feedback. Help, ye sound engineers!)

Erm, what else? It's my first go, so don't beat the hell out of me. If you would be so kind.

Have a listen, it's ever so fun.

And does anyone know how I can put a link to it in my profile container? I tried but it kept coming out underneath it for some reason. Don't all bow to my computer skills at once...)

And thanks to Dale for telling me about Jellycast!

A Quote

Ash: *makes a face*
Me: 'Did you get something in your eye?'
Ash: 'No, I was thinking about penises.'

Lazy Me

I have been a terrible blogger over the last couple of days. It's not like I've been busy, but Ash has had a four day weekend, so there's been plenty of time to spend together. We went and saw X3 last night and it was entertaining enough.

I guess I have nothing exciting to post about. I'm just happy.

Ash says I should write something interesting instead of apologising about how boring I am.

Look! A crocodile! Run before it takes off an arm or a leg!

Ok, so I mostly made up the crocodile.

The Email, Is Good

This is a fairly silly post, so forgive me. Eck sent me the cutest email this morning saying that she misses me. Well, I miss you too! I really miss Brunswick road and all of my uni friends and... Well, of course I'll be back in October, so not too long to go now. And then I'll be doing honours, after another fun summer of working at Auto (maybe.)

God, I miss Melbourne, though. I'm having a fantastic time here of course, but I don't have an awful lot to actually do. Now that Angel has been well and truly watched and I've read pretty much all of Ash's books... I was actually thinking of doing some volunteer work somewhere. It would be good experience (read: look smashing on a resume) and it would get me out of the house.

But back to the missing of Melbourne. I really miss uni folk. Perhaps I'll give one or two of 'em a ring soon. That would be cool, actually.

Oh, and I'm working on a podcast. Yay. Soon you can catch up with me in voice.

Wow. Terrible post. Sorry.

Home

If you're driving out from Castlemaine, continue through Chewton until you pass over Lawson's Bridge, then take the next left down Golden Point Road. Then, take the first right, a dirt road going up a steep hill. You'll pass a house made of pale yellow stone. Follow the road around and continue on straight ahead, and you'll get to my house.

Of course, it isn't my house any more. But it was, for some years. From there, my brother and I would roam through the bush for hours and hours, casting yabby nets into the murky lake in the pine forest, building cubbies in the ancient gum tree in the front yard and kicking the football along the grassy patch next to the fence covered in blackberry bushes. We'd climb the big gum until dinner was ready, with our little white dog running around the base, and see the sunset light the scene on fire.

When I dream of home, I dream of the Chewton house. It has been a refuge from monsters, a converted hospital, a gathering place for overseas friends and a place to return to. Sometimes it doesn't even look like the Chewton house, but I know it is. I know the feel of the place, the solid impenetrable comfort of the house that my parents designed and built.

I've lived in many houses in my life. Not as many as some, of course, but a good seven or so. None of them reverberate in my memory as much as the Chewton house, not even Brunswick Road, which I would very much consider a home. The house is something that I long for. Or, perhaps, I simply long for the time in which I lived there. It was a much simpler time, before divorce and death and dreaded adolescence.

If I could buy back the house today, I would. Even though it's reasonably isolated and simple. Because it's home, and nowhere else can ever quite compete.

Orgasmic Piano

What you need to do is go here and click on 'launch jukebox,' and then pick Sunburn from the album Showbiz. Because the opening piano is absolutely gorgeous.

Trust me, you'll enjoy it.

Skansen: An Adventure in Pictures

Yes, it is true! My camera was safely delivered from the trip it took this morning! Which, of course, is a very good thing, as I've promised pictures of moose to several people. But we shall start from the start, eh?

Ash and I took the bus (after catching the train into Stockholm) to Skansen, but not before I took some photos of Stockholm on the way. I keep meaning to put up more photos of Oldtown, but I always forget to take my camera, but here are a few lovely photos of Stockholm. Yes, I do drool over the architecture. Everything is so much more... Just stunning. That's about all I can say.


Yes, that is sort of boring, but I thought it was pretty at the time. Nothing like Melbourne at any rate. And then we have a random pretty building. I took it out of the bus window, so I apologise for the silly angle.


I want to live somewhere like that. Everyone, send me your money so I can buy a spectacular place like that. You can come and stay if you like. Free rent and everything. Who knows, maybe I'd even have a manservant named Julio by then.

Ahem. So. We actually made it to the park, where we walked around looking at monkeys (who were seemingly irritated and did nothing but huddle on a branch - I don't blame them, it was bloody well 11 degrees.) Then we walked past some cottages that Swedish farmers lived in around 1945. An old woman dressed for the time sat us down in the little house and told us all about it. She said that the men got paid 300:- ($53 AU) a year to work for the 'rich man,' and his wife would get 10:- a month ($1.75) to milk the cows. You know, about fifteen of them. Three times a day. But still, they did get the house and food and milk and things for free...

Moving right along to all things cute and fluffy.



This is, of course, a tiny little lamb that thought it would be fun to jump on its mother. We actually looked at several buildings and came back, only to find it still nestled in wool. That reminds me of my cat who would sleep on my back when I read in bed on my stomach. But you didn't come here for cat stories... (Well, maybe Ata did...)



This is a bison thing. Ash says European bison. I suppose that'll do. There were three of them, and they all had their winter coats. I wanted to go and give it a good brush to get the icky winter hair off it. It did have a certain moth-eaten look about it. Very cute, though, and very big. There was also a boar running around in the bison enclosure, but it went off to relieve itself when I was about to take a photo.



Mama Bear and one of her cubs. We saw feeding time, too. Mostly bread and apples. The birds tried to steal it.

And finally...



A moose! Ash patted one. She got very excited about this. It is rather cute with its horns all soft and fluffy...

It was a good day. And now you've seen the moose.

Giving In

Well, seeing as my camera took an unexpected trip to Stockholm Uni today and I can't put up photos, I thought I'd surrender to the Spidey theme that was running in my comments.

Keppet, enjoy.

Oh, and I've been reading Ultimate Spider-Man online, I'm up to issue 7, I think. Bloody fantastic artwork. I love it. Yay for another addiction.

More of Stockholm

I said I'd write about the other day, so here we go.

Ash had to get up early to go to uni, but I managed a small sleep-in. There's a good start to a day, right there. So, I sat around in my pj's talking to Q on Skype, then buggered off to get ready and catch the bus into town. I managed to scam the bus driver into thinking I was under 20, and therefore got a half-price ticket. I was horribly proud of knowing enough Swedish to do so.

So, I met Ash at Stockholm Centrum. We wandered off to Queen Street to get some lunch. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining... which served to highlight the already dazzling neon green chairs the Asian restaurant provided. After nearly blinding ourselves eating lunch, we wandered down to Old town to look around. I spotted the horrible tourist stores and grabbed a bunch of things to send home (Shage, Lisa etc, I mean you) and tried not to look too stupid. Then we wandered around looking at the heartbreakingly beautiful old buildings, before locating the Science Fiction bookstore. I resisted so many things, but my resolve crumbled and I picked up 'American Gods.' (And it's bloody good. No regrets.) Ash and I also got our hands on some nerdy t-shirts with the store logo on them. Yes, lame, but they're nerdy cool. Mine is a ttch too tight, but being black, I think I can get away with it.

After watching a guy playing with the light sabres on display (they made whooshing noises when you swung them, and zzzz noises when you hit things, so cool, I wanted to play) we hauled ourselves out. I was looking around for the Spider-man comic Jes told me about (the new one?) as well as an amazing book of GRRM illustrations that we found last time, but managed not to find them. Just as well, I'm sure they're both expensive.

We walked back and forth until we found the dungeon cafe that Ash had been to before. No, nothing kinky, the place is an actual 14th century monastery that was converted into a dungeon in the 16th century. All of the signs had English translations, and there was a faded cardboard sign saying 'Euros and dollars accepted!' I cringed a little at at. So, while we were drinking our hot chocolate and coffee, we listened to the pan pipe version of 'My Heart Will Go On,' and a heavily ironic Monk/chant version of 'Losing My Religion.' Considering where we were at the time... Hee.

It didn't really get exciting after that, we shopped Old town and Ash got another t-shirt. We did a little food shopping and caught the train home, and then watched Lost all snuggled up on the couch.

What Turned Out to be Torrential

Yesterday was a spectacular day, so I thought I'd sit down and write about it. And it's about time I did something interesting, because I think this blog is getting boring. But I have achieved a lot today, after the other night's little teary. 'I'm useless,' I said.

Well, I don't feel that way any more. Actually, right now I'm sort of buzzing, because I managed to sit down and scrawl out a dozen paged or so of notes for the novel. It's been sitting around in my head for weeks, but it's all been in such a big tangle that I didn't even want to try to make sense of it. I tried writing it all out, but that sort of failed.

I hit it from the wrong angle. Now, of course, I've unsnarled a lot of it, and the words are coming fast as anything. So excuse my hurried and untidy entry, but I've turned on the tap, and now it's not going to stop. That's a wonderful thing. I've got so much sorted out in just a few hours. I've been hit with ideas and quirks and chapter outlines, and have jotted them all down in a big untidy heap. I'm using that word a lot today, but I'm excited and I can't help it.

It's such a good feeling, though. Unblocking the pressure. I feel like I've been popped with a pin. I was so frustrated because I had this fantastic idea that was all over the place, and completely unworkable and complicated and hard, but now it's got some sort of order, and I can see it working and coming together.

I also sound like I'm drunk. Hah. I'm not. Just on a high from creativity. I'm sure Sky (amongst others) knows exactly what I'm talking about. I might be sitting here listening to music and clattering away on the keyboard like some normal person, but I'm doing a mental jig because I've found a way into the big scary idea that's been hanging over my head for weeks, months.

Right, well, I should probably go and work on it, and stop rambling about how fantastic everything is. Don't know if I'm in a fit state to get stuck into it now - but on second thoughts, why not? I might as well run with this.

I'll come back later and tell you about why yesterday was so good. I wish I had photos, but I forgot my camera. I must take it with me when I go to Oldtown, it's my favourite place in Sweden.

Party People

Of course, I meant to post these pictures on here back when I was still in Melbourne, but I never got around to it with the whole packing business. I did, however, stick them onto my jump drive so that I could fondly remember my going away party.

Ah, dearest Erika. Otherwise known as Eccky-Bean. How I miss thy squeals when poked.
Shaaaaaaane. Looking dashing, as always.



James (otherwise known as Busty StClare) myself and the lovely Adriana. This was taken mere seconds before we all fell into a tangled heap on the couch. Holding poses like that is rather tricky, after all.

More tomorrow! Or at least one of Sean.

Fresh and Green

There's nothing like stretching out on a patch of green grass when the sun is out.

It's 21 whole degrees here.

That makes me a happy girl.

Random Conversation...

Ash: What are you writing?
Em: The name 'Teiresias.' I've got it stuck in my head.
Ash: What's a teiresias? Is it like a dinosaur or something?
Em: *laughs* No, it's the name of the blind prophet from 'Oedipus.'
Ash: ... same shit.

Sniffles

I have a cold. You think I would have gotten one immediately when I came from sunny Australia to frosty Sweden, but no. I guess it was the 300+ people crammed into an auditorium busting a move to N'Sync that did it. I knew there was something dodgy about that.

Anyway, I'm at that stage where everything is itchy and yuck. I keep sneezing and my gums are all tingly. I hate being sick. Boo.

And yes, I am drinking lemon and honey. Lots. I think my blood has become lemon and honey.

Wah. Feel sorry for me.

Swedish Outings

I've actually been social this weekend. Go me. On Saturday night, Ash and I were invited to a uni pubcrawl by Young Hugo. (Erm, my nicknames suck. Sorry.) We left here early and met up with people along the way, the went to the first uni,(KTH, the Swedish RMIT). There were a bunch of people wearing overalls, which is some tradition... Different colours for different faculties, apparantly. Anyway, they all had a million patches sewn onto them. That was sort of colourful. So, we (pretty much everyone I went out with last time, plus two other guys) had a couple of beers and talked crap, which was fun. It was also really good to pay bugger all for 'imported' beers that could cost way more in Australia.

So, after that we missed the bus and caught the subway to the next place, which was Stockholm Uni. We drank beer and ate hotdogs in the Law Faculty bar and had to run for the bus to the Medical school (KI). Ash was stuck with a beer that she had to scull. Hah. I helped but was forced to abandon about an eighth. Drat. So, at KI, there was karaoke. Woo! I was all set to sing 'I Will Survive,' but this girl sang it before I had a chance. I instantly hated her, of course. (She had stupid hair and was all full of herself...) I then picked a Brittney song, figuring that old Brit is not a great singer and that I could do ok with it. The annoying girl of course sang it before me AGAIN, at which point I wanted to punch her. Ash sang a Swedish song (and didn't sound too bad... really...even though she's tone deaf...but had a good time, which is the point!) and her best friend sang Knowing Me, Knowing You by ABBA, which was really cool. I did 'Baby, One More Time' reasonably well. (Didn't suck to badly, I think) and had a Mexican beer with lime. Mmm.

So, then it was time to head back to Stockholm uni. B&G had hurt his foot a few weeks ago, and decided head home. So, the rest of us jumped on the bus (full of rowdy, pissed students, and at one point I got a soccer ball to the back of the head. It knocked off my stylish hat. Boo.) Stockholm uni had a large building with things happening (apart from the Law bar) so we put our jackets in the cloak room (they made us!) and went upstairs. There was a fairly large dancefloor filled with rowdy students. I couldn't have asked for better crap pop. They played Gwen Stefani, and Brittney, and N'Sync (even I cringed a bit to that one) and older stuff like I Want You Back (yay, Sean) and Born to be Alive (funky thumbs, everyone!). The song that made me giggle most was that Gloria Estefan (sp?) song that Bender dances to when he become human. (Anthologies of Interest, Part II, my favourite episode). Oh, and they played Walking on Sunshine (Jurrasic Bark, awww).

At about 2.30 we left (I know, piker, but wait for it...) and had Macca's. Some old guy yelled at me after coming out of the toilet. (Unisex toilet, I wasn't hanging around the men's bathroom...) Some blonde girl stuck up for me. Go her. Ash and her best friend (A) and I then caught the night bus back to Södertälje, in which a guy gave us free cordial. (Yes, it was sealed.) He tried to get A to go back to his house 'for tea.' Pfft. Tea doesn't mean tea!

We finally got home (after catching another bus) at 5.15. Which is why it was a good idea to leave ar 2.30, and means I'm not a piker. Hah. Tired and achey (and cold!) as all get out, we fell asleep and slept in until 2 the next day, only really getting organised when we had to leave to go to the Beginning of Spring bonfire.

There was singing and hotdogs and... Ok, this must really be getting boring. But, going back to A's place and playing Shithead was good. We also had dinner in a little diner, which was nice.

Argh. Enough already! But that's my wonderful exciting weekend.

Courtesy of Rian

Your Theme Song is Beautiful Day by U2

"Sky falls, you feel like It's a beautiful day Don't let it get away" You see the beauty in life, especially in ordinary everyday moments. And if you're feeling down, even that seems a little beautiful too.

What's Your Theme Song?

Ha, and I love this song, too.