Bunny

Wednesday 24th November 2010

Today's photo shows my heat-up bunny. Smells of lavender and is perfect for putting on a sore neck (as mine is messed up) *sad face*

Spent the day writing up my assignment for research skills, entitled: "The City's Story: How can augmented reality enhance people's understanding of the past life of Southampton". It's a practice doctoral funding application... so thankfully I didn't have to actually answer the question only put it forward as a research proposal. Only 500 words - and I hit it bang on target! Woop!

Quote of the Day:

"Augmented reality is already becoming an important part of new mobile technologies, allowing people to virtually interact with the real world around them. In order for archaeology to be relevant in the modern world, these technologies need to be utilised to provide a visual representation of the past." - excerpt from my essay

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza

Tuesday 23rd November 2010

Today's photo is of dinner - Domino's Pizza. They do a special deal of two for Tuesdays so housemates and friend nom-ed on pizza while watching Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

Didn't have to go to the NOC for 9am so had a nice lie-in and made it all my other lectures. Got end-of-month pay slips signed for most of them. Yay! Also made it to my first session of yoga this year. Was fabulous to stretch out again. I realised how much I'd missed it (and how unbendy I've become!). Will definitely be becoming a regular attendee!

Quote of the Day:

Doctore: "What is beneath your feet?"

Crixus: "Sacred ground, Doctore, watered with tears of blood." - Spartacus: Blood and Sand 2010

Squirrel's heart beat

Monday 22nd November 2010

After getting up and travelling down to the Oceanography Centre for my 9am I discovered there was a test and I wasn't required. Grrrr. Still, got home and had time to chill out before going to my other lectures. The photo for today was taken during this time - looking out of my bedroom window I spotted a lovely little squirrel. Watching me watching him :-D

Bought some veggies from the Farmer's Market on campus and went training in the evening - another really good session. Hoping this positive mindset will stay around!

Quote of the Day:

"If we had a keen vision of all that is ordinary in human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow or the squirrel's heart beat, and we should die of the roar which is the other side of silence." - George Eliot

Training Seminar

Sunday 21st November 2010

Busy day today. Up to the uni for 11:30am to drive to London. A group of us were off to a training seminar for my martial art and it was fantastic! We had the warm up and all of us were sort of thinking "was that it" as we were used to fairly tough ones at our club. But then kihon (basics) kicked in - excuse the pun - and we were dying by the end. All in all, a great session and very tired by the end! After all the politics of the previous year and a bit it was wonderful to have a training session where we could just train. Made me remember what training should be about, without all the rubbish that has come with it lately.

On the way up me and my friend played 'yellow car' (spot a yellow car, call it, hit the other person). Only my friend driving said there was to be no violence in his car so we just added it up. Final score: my friend 4 - me 17!!!!! Hee hee.

Got home and watched the latest UFC. Really good showing this time. Some great fights. :-)

Today's photo shows my martial arts gi, my embroidered black belt and a tub of stuff to repair my poor broken muscles!!!

Quote of the Day:

"My trainers are in there and told me I won the fight. But when I was in the fight, I just had a one-track mind to know him out. In the third round, he came at me so much, I forget what happened in the first two rounds... It's one of those things where at the time I thought I was getting my ass whooped because I was just on the ground taking a flurry to my face." - Rampage Jackson, after winning his fight against Lyoto Machida

Beware the Jabberwocky

Saturday 20th November 2010

Today's photo is my sister, cooking. We made fajitas for dinner and she was cold, so had a blanket tied around her. We watched 'Alice in Wonderland' and generally chilled out. Nice evening.

Earlier in the day I'd done some scribing for a physics scholarship exam and had a good meeting with my friend that I'd argued with. It's nice to know that however long you've known someone they can still surprise you. The argument was stupid - emails are such a bad way to communicate. But things are ok now.

Quote of the Day:

Today's quote is the wonderful 'Jabberwocky' poem by Lewis Carroll:

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves

and the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:

Long time the manxome foe he sought --

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through

The vorpal blade when snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?

Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"

He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves

and the mome raths outgrabe.

Travel Photos

Thursday 18th November 2010

Today's photo shows a selection of some of my 'arty' photographs from my travels, that I'd had printed off and put up today.

Clockwise from top left - Mt. Tongariro and Mt. Ngauruhoe (aka. Mt. Doom from 'Lord of the Rings'), New Zealand; sunset in Rarotonga, Cook Islands; Blue Lake on one of the craters of Mt. Tongariro; puppy watching the sunset in Rarotonga; and centre, two rainbow lorrakeets taken in Queensland, Australia.

I didn't go training this evening as they were doing it outside over the Common and I had issues with that. Instead, stayed in and didn't do very much at all.

Quote of the Day:

Today I thought I'd put in some (in my opinion at least) beautiful quotes from the Cook Islands:

Kare te au peu e ko tei toia'ua ki muri, mari ra ko te rave'ia nei

'I teia 'ati'anga, e te ka rave 'ia i te au tuatau ki mua.

Ko te peu tupuna, ko ta tatou i mua ana, 'i teianei, e te au tu,

Ta tatou e umuumu nei.

Culture is not just the past. It is the present and the future.

It is what we once were. But it is also what we hope to be

E pakiri maroki'aki'a to te 'akari, e vai 'ura to-na puku'atu

The coconut has its hard skin but a watery heart

[You can have fear in your heart but bravery in your actions]

E pukari 'oki toku mei pokerekere mai.

E ngutapa katoa 'oki au no te 'oroega 'anga muna, I te ru-ru aere 'anga i taiku au 'ua ki runga i te one 'uri'uri,

Kia kore roa e taui ia toku to mei tei tepapa ia.

Ka makitoa tutu rai au kimua ma te kore toa e temanamanata 'anga.

No te mea, ko te tumu 'enua nei, ko te papa tei reira i raro ake 'iaku.

I have matured from the ancient past

I am also the door for those who create secrets.

To sow my seeds on the red soils, so that my character

Is never changed from its origin, so it will not be interfered with

Because the base of the land, is the foundation underneath me.

Plays and Family History

Wednesday 17th November 2010

Today wasn't brilliant. Got into an argument with one of my friends (long story, am not rehashing it here), didn't make it to my lecture because I didn't get up until 12pm but then went around another friend's house because I've been given a part in a production of "Dangerous Liaisons" that we're performing next... April(?!!). I'm going to be Rosemonde, the principle character's aunt. A few line but I do get to wear a pretty dress.

I've also been trying to research some of my family history but it is proving.... difficult. Mainly because a lot of my mum's family is from Scotland/Northern Ireland so the records aren't online for those areas. Secondly, on my dad's side, I've been unable to find his mother's birth records. He's convinced she was born in 1932. The only two women born in the whole country that have her name were either born in 1925 or 1928. This is a puzzle!!! Ah well. Also, he didn't know his father so again what I can track down is severely limited.

Anyway, today's photo shows these two main things - the script for the play and a record of my great-great-uncle who was killed during World War II. He was a Second Lieutenant.

Quote of the Day:

"Do you still think men love the way we do? No. Men enjoy the happiness they feel; we can only enjoy the happiness we give. They're not capable of devoting themselves exclusively to one person. So to hope to be made happy by love is a certain cause of grief." - Rosemonde (Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Christopher Hampton)

Misty Morning

Tuesday 16th November 2010

Today's photo shows the view from my bedroom window when I woke up this morning. Fog fog and more fog. Or maybe it's mist. I'm never sure of the difference.

Work today was dull - most of my students didn't actually turn up so I successfully spent the rest of my day doing nothing. Nada.

Friend came around in the evening and we ordered pizza (because we could!) and watched more Generation Kill. Well, rewatched Generation Kill as one of the housemates and the friend hadn't seen it. Fun times.

Quote of the Day:

"Yeah, looks like Saddam's big bad Republican Guard hajjis got wind I was coming. As the great warrior-poet Ice Cube once said, 'If the day does not require an AK, it is good'." - Cpl. Josh Ray Person (Generation Kill, 2008)

Just another manic Monday

Monday 15th November 2010

Today's photo shows how I feel today. Ugh-y. Went to my work's 9am (which involves a 40minute bus ride) only for everyone to be late due to traffic and then only to have a 10minute lecture. Gah! Still, no lecture down there tomorrow which is a good thing.

Also reading a good book - Robert Twigger's Angry White Pyjamas. It's about aikido in Japan through the eyes of a gaijin. Thoroughly recommend it.

Made it to the rest of my lecture and training but was definitely in need of Lemsip (bought on the way home from training, also with a stop for Chinese!). Yum yum.

Quote of the Day:

Batiatus: "Well then, how do you know she still lives?"

Spartacus: "How do you know the heart beats beneath your chest?"

Batiatus: "Most days I don't. I'm just a simple Roman trying to make his way against the whim of the Gods, the politicians, the miscreants. So often you can't tell one from the other, but you... You are the most dangerous of animals: beast born of the heart."

- Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010)

Go go Vettel!

Sunday 14th November 2010

Today's photo shows the wonderful bruise on my foot. Caused by jumping up and down in my housemate's room and landing on the edge of his bed *sad face* It hurts.

But did manage to train on it this morning. One of senior Sensei down here on the South Coast took the session and we did seiho (remedial massage). Which was lovely. But for some reason appears to have the opposite effect on my neck. It is now super painful! Youch.

People came over the evening for UFC followed by the last F1 race of season. I'm a Button girl myself but considering there was no chance for him to win the championship I was supporting anyone but Alonso. I don't know why, but there's something about that Spaniard that just gets on my nerves. As it was, Vettel won and I was sooooo happy! Bless him, he was so shocked! It made me happy.

Quote of the Day:

Two quotes from Sebastian Vettel after he won the Driver's Title in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix:

"I had a good race today. Most of the time it was just a case of keeping my head down, though I did look at the screens from time to time. I think the car was phenomenal. Red Bull gave me wings. Again."

"We have to enjoy this moment because it is our moment. The race staserted in daylight and I think in a way it will also finish in daylight... if you know what I mean."

Chillaxing

Saturday 13th November 2010

Today's photo is quite dull. I spent most of the day chilling out, laughing at everyone's Facebook status' about how ill they feel this morning after last night, and tidying my room.

The photo is of the lid of my sewing box that I've had since secondary school. I used to keep bits of dyed white-tack in the lid. I got rid of them all today but thought it would be nice to keep a photo as a memory of it.

We also finished watching Generation Kill. Am very very impressed with the series!

Quote of the Day:

"Once more into the great good night. Cry 'havoc' and let slip the dogs of war." - Shakespeare, via Sgt. Brad 'Iceman' Colbert, Generation Kill Part 6 (2008)

Heros vs. Villains 2010

Friday 12th November 2010

Today was my martial art clubs annual Superhero's vs. Villains Social. I went dressed as Hit Girl from Kick-Ass. Costume turned out very well, although it was super hot! We had a great turn out as the photo shows, with lots of fun and mayhem en route from the starting pub to the finishing club! Didn't leave until the early hours of the morning (once I finally got a couple of members who it was my responsibility to get home off the dance floor!).

Fun times. I also managed to hand in my first assignment! Joys.

At the going down of the sun...

... and in the morning, we shall remember them.

Thursday 11th November 2010

Yes, the layout is a little different today. I wanted to mark Armistice Day . It has been 92 years since the end of World War I and that's why we remember this date. But it's not just about the soldiers that were killed the the 'Great' Wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945 but all those that have been killed in conflicts since, most recently in Afghanistan and Iraq. And not just remembering those who have died, but also those that are still our there fighting. And whether we agree with these wars or not, it does not change that fact that these hundreds of young men are doing their jobs, far from home, in conditions that we should never have to face. Today is a day to honour them.

So in that vein I'll do my 'Quote of the Day' first, with one of my favourite poems:

I Did Not Die

Do not stand at my grave and forever weep.

I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn’s rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and forever cry.

I am not there. I did not die.

Today's photo is not connected to Armistice Day however. It is showing two things that happened to me today that I want to remember. Firstly - I finished my XML Project and have printed it off, looking good. It will be the first essay I have handed in in over a year! The second thing that happened was I received a very special package today from HBO America. I put a photo of me in my Halloween costume up on the True Blood Facebook group and not only was I featured in one of their official albums they have also sent me a copy of the Volume 2 soundtrack cd! Happiness!!!

I've spent the day listening to the BFBS radio station. This morning's show was being broadcast live from Afghanistan. It was lovely in some ways to hear what troops were getting up to as well as reminding me of good memories from being a 'Forces Brat'. I grew up listening to this radio station so it's nice I can still listen to it online.

I also found out today that one of my American friends who is in the... marines I think, is being deployed to Iraq. Hmm...

Training was cancelled this evening as the martial arts room at the university had flooded so just heading pub-wards instead!

Bent Cars

Wednesday 10th November 2010

After the rain of yesterday, today's photo is showing the clear sky at dusk. It was sunny, dry and cool today. I broke my bike out to cycle to university which made getting there and back so so so much quicker. It's a bit rickity and broken but it gets the job done. I practically finished my xml project today - just been working on the write up. Joys.

Spent the evening watching 'Equilibrium' and 'Chuck' with housemates while typing.

Quote of the Day:

"If I were a homosexual car I'd be a Bently." - my friend's Facebook status. His name is Lee. Bently = Bent-lee... geddit?!

No Photo

Tuesday 9th November 2010

Ok, so I did bad today. I was going to take a photo. I even knew what of! There was this Landrover parked on my road with the most awesome sticker across its windshield. It simply said:

ONE LIFE. LIVE IT.

And to be honest that should be my quote of the day too. Because it's so true! But anyways, by the time I remembered I wanted to photo it it was gone and I haven't seen it since. *sad face* So yeah... no photo today. Bad me.

In other news - nothing that exciting happened today. Was raining heavily when I left the house before 8am this morning and it didn't really improve at all.

Quote of the Day:

So I should make some real quotes... both are taken from HBO's amazing tv miniseries: 'Generation Kill'.

"Gentlemen, we just seized an airfield. That was pretty fucking ninja." - Sergeant Brad 'Iceman' Colbert

"Damn, sucker. I just got some. Look at me, Brad. I'm a man now, just like you. Except, I don't look like a faggot and talk all educated." - Cpl. Josh Ray Person

Pea on Bed

Monday 8th November 2010

Today's photo is a little amusing joke I played on my housemate. I left the above note with the peas on his bed. Hee hee.

Spent the evening after training watching the final two episodes of True Blood with friends. Now we'll have to find another series to move on to. I'm thinking 'Spartacus: Blood & Sand'. Love it so much!!!

Quote of the Day:

"I opened up my heart to him. I showed him my best underwear. There's nothing else I can do." - Summer, True Blood 311

"Sometimes the right thing to do is the wrong thing. I know I did the right thing." - Jason, True Blood 312

Sleepy Day

Sunday 7th November 2010

Meant to get up for training at 9am this morning. I failed. Thought I'd make it up for 10am but failed again. Slept until 11:30am and then got up, did some work, cleaned the kitchen, conservatory and fridge, did some washing and then my housemate got in at 3pm and we watched the Brazilian F1 followed by Nochnoi Dozer (Nightwatch - good movie, Russian).

Also been watching "Generation Kill" and have been very impressed so far. Having a military background (albeit British) I like the realism and the fact it's not afraid to show the bad-side of the American marines. HBO has impressed me a lot lately with its shows. It likes pushing boundaries and I approve!

Quote of the Day:

"... And so it will be, until a man emerges who is meant to become the Great One. And, if he chooses the side of Light, then Light will win. But those, to whom the truth has been revealed, say that he will choose Darkness. For it is easier to kill the Light within oneself, than to scatter the Darkness around..." - Geser (Nochnoi Dozer, 2004)

"You should have rolled into battle with a sword, Brad. That would've fuckin' rocked." - Cpl. Josh Ray Person (Generation Kill Part 2, 2008)

Rocky Rooooooooad

Saturday 6th November 2010

Went into town today shopping for costume stuff for next Friday. Sister, friend and housemate all came along too. Was good but I was very tired again. Also heard news of friends that went out last night. One of them got so drunk he forgot where he lived and visited three different houses at 3am, whose occupant were not impressed at being woken up. Eventually he had to crash at one of the other guys houses. He was feeling ill this morning. But was amusing for the rest of us.

After shopping went home and friend cooked a roast dinner for us. Was yummy. Introduced her to Kick Ass as she hadn't seen it. We ate the rocky road I'd made the night before. Hence the picture. Good evening.

Quote of the Day:

Evan 'Scribe' Wright: "AAA batteries, dip, Skoal, Copenhagen, baby wipes, flavoured pringles in a can and adult diapers. As requested. Why do you need me to get all of this stuff?"

Sgt. Brad 'Iceman' Colbert: "In the infinite wisdom to whoever runs the military post exchange store, they won't sell this stuff in quantity to military personnel. But, for civilians like yourself, the sky is the limit."

Evan 'Scribe' Wright: "And why is that?"

Cpl. Josh Ray Person: "To keep us angry. If Marines could get what they needed when they needed it we would be happy and wouldn't be ready to kill people all of the time. The Marine Corps is like America's pitbull. They beat us, mistreat us, and every once in a while, they let us out to attack someone." - Generation Kill (Part 1, 2008)

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot

Friday 5th November 2010

After a horrific day working on my XLST without result (severe messing up - managed to get data from both XML files into one table but the lines refused to align. Very irritating.) was good to get home in time to make Jaime Oliver-style cowboy baked beans, rocky road and mulled wine before people started arriving for the annual pyromaniac's party around mine.

Housemates had built the bonfire and with lots of food and drink we had fun roasting marshmallows and playing with sparklers. Which is what the photo is of: me trying to write my name with a sparkler. We also set of a heap of fireworks off which was lots of fun and managed to avoid the near-disasters we had last year. All the rockets went straight up at least!

I was so tired I dozed off while a few of the lads hit the hard stuff and then went out to carry on the drinking. I left them to it. Good night in all.

Quote of the Day:

"Remember, remember the 5th of November,

Gunpowder, treason and plot;

I see of no reason why gunpowder treason,

Should ever be forgot." - Old English nursery rhyme

Shiny XML

Thursday 4th November 2010

Today's photo is of my pretty pretty XML assignment. Spent four hours today working on the XSLT and this is the result. Am very happy as it's doing what I want - male skeletons light up dark blue, possible males are light blue, females are purply-pink and possible females are light pink. Does it automatically by reading what is the the "sex" column. Very proud of myself. The only thing I need to do know is figure out how to get the Grave Goods into their column as the data for them is in a separate XML file. Hmmm...

Apart from that small success, today I went to training and then couple of friends came back to mine for more True Blood. Almost through Season 3. So you can guess where the quote of the day is going to be from :-P

Quote of the Day:

"I'm bored. Take off your clothes." - Talbot, True Blood (308)

Bathroomness

Wednesday 3rd November 2010

Today's photo is of my shiny new bathroom which is mostly complete. It is such a big difference from the nasty old one that used to be there. I actually was allowed to have a bath this evening which was lovely! Having not had anything for three days. Uck. I mean, I'd washed, but nothing beats a proper bath. Though I'd prefer a shower.

In other news... the university computer network went down today. Not just the internet, the whole system. Which given my course is computer-orientated, I had my core computing lecture today, and I have an assignment due in next Friday, it was less-than-helpful.

Quote of the Day:

"[-] Loves her housemates... And balls" - my Facebook status courtesy of my housemates.

Dreams within dreams

Tuesday 2nd November 2010

Today's photo is my nutty sister dressed in my housemate's clothes. We were going to the late-night showing of 'Inception' at the university cinema. I hadn't seen it before and really quite enjoyed it. It was predictable (at least, Leo Di Caprio's wife story was, and therefore the ending) but good.

Quote of the Day:

"What's the most resilient parasite? An idea. A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules. Which is why I have to steal it." - Cobb, Inception (2010)

Purple Hair

Monday 1st November 2010

Today's photo is me in my brand new shiny purple wig. Why have I bought this silly thing? Well I have a superhero social in a few weeks and the wig is part of the costume.

Who am I?

You're going to have to wait and find out. Answers on the back of a postcard if you think you know :-D

In other news, our bathroom is *finally* being redone today. Happiness! Of course, it's going to take a few days so we're shower-less and stuck using the downstairs, practically outside, spider-infested toilet but it's going to be worth it.

And happy first of a new month!! Woo, one month of doing this so far. Ok, so I may not have been able to update this journal every day but I have managed the photographs!!! Just stored them on my computer and updated when I can. It's working so far.

Quote of the Day:

"How on earth do you measure up for them? I mean, do they even come in different sizes?"... ... "I know, we get the guys to take a picture of their... thingy next to a ruler and email them to us."... ... "Email them to you, you mean!" - my friend and I talking about how you measure guys up for protective boxes. Yes, it really was a dirty as it sounded.

Halloween 2010

Sunday 31st October 2010

After the shenanigans of last night training this morning was interesting, especially considering how drunk the guy taking the session had been last night. We survived, just about and while walking to the pub saw that some clever individual (probably a student-type) had put their Halloween mask over the little child statue in front of the school. Quite funny actually.

Had a complete crash in the evening and just chilled out watching films with my sister and housemate.

Quote of the Day:

General Brown: "So they started doing psy-research because they thought we were doing psy-research, when in fact we weren't doing psy-research?"

Brigadier General Dean Hopgood: "Yes sir. But now that they are doing psy-research we're gonna have to do psy-research, sir... We can't afford to have the Russian's leading the field in the paranormal." - The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)