the last two months of stuff

Diversity Week
Mostly helped out with the Rotaract stall (we were sharing with the Dance Academy) and sold gerberas to raise money for the Mexican orphanage La Casa... and to promote the Latin Festival we were going to host later. Hung out with the Singaporean Student Association a bit and the Brewster.

Inception
A pretty good film. Not as mind-blowing or hard to understand as everyone made it out to be. The action scenes didn't exactly require insane mental powers to understand. Clever beginning and ending. Newfound admiration for Joseph Gordon Levitt and Ellen Page :3

Australian Election
My first proper election I guess. Voted for the local Labor member, and in the Senate voted for the Greens, Sex Party, Independents etc etc. I am probably partially responsible for the 9 seats the Greens now hold in the Senate hehehe. The Labor candidate for my area lost, but the Liberal member has experience I guess.

We still have a female, ranga prime minister, who is probably hanging on precariously because the votes were so close.

Latin Fest
We'd been trying to organise this stupid thing for a year now, and it finally culminated in an explosion of fantastic musical and dance performances, made even better with some spicy choripan, filling empanadas and slighty-too-crunchy churros.

Damn it, I still promote it instinctively. But it really was fun. I even got to let loose and dance a couple of times. Watching the Brazilian dancers, Mel and Nestor perform was really exciting and mindblowing too.

Scott Pilgrim v The World
Very funny film. Lots of great lines and nerdy references. Knives was so cute, I wanted to adopt her haha. The final battle was pretty epic.

Law + Psych Assignments
Two assignments due the same time on Monday morning made for a hell of last minute assignment cramming.

The plus side is I've handed in everything this semester on time (unlike last semester). I plan to keep doing that.

Bumblebee's Birthday Week
Bought a bag, discovered our favourite section of the library, bought a box full of useless stuff, made an awesome birthday card made of cardboard. Didn't actuall see Bee on his actual birthday though =/

Science Revue
Went to see Sherlock Ohms and Dr. Wattson and the Light Brigade at Sydney Uni. Very clever at times, funny at times, and constantly entertaining.

Actually went to lunch with Pichu and a bunch of highschool friends before hand, then going to karaoke for a few hours (glorious, extra, free minutes at the end hahaha). Actually sang a few Korean songs... despite not speaking or understanding more than a handful of phrases ^^

The bus home at night was a nightmare though. V and grog cans strewn everywhere, the entire bus stinking of BO, chunder and cigarette smoke. Got home pretty late too xS

Relay for life
Hiked all the way to the sports field, set up a blanket and dozed in the sun for a bit. Set up Bee's tent and put up his awesome Samurai Blue flag on the side of the tent. Had some delicious, healthy lunch provided by Bee then went Cookies hunting. Found her malnutritioned and exhausted from long hours of working. Mooched around some more and got some snacks to eat.

Eventually the actual relay kicked off and we had some fun dancing around the field for the first lap. Left early to get home and took an awesome short cut which I am totally using next time.

Sydney FC
Today! Went to see the footbal, Sydney FC v Gold Coast United. Met up in the city with Bee and had some Hungry Jacks for lunch. Waited for Bee's friend to turn up so we could take the bus to the stadium. When we got there it seemed like there were heaps of people there. The stadium seemed so full, it was pretty amazing. Actual attendance was something short of 10 000 =O

The Cove (organised bunch of really vocal Sydney FC supporters) sat in a particular bay and led the chants and songs throughout the entire game. Sydney scored first, then the Gold Coast potted one just before hlaf time (GUUUUUH).

Then some juniors came on the field at half time to play mini soccer, which was really fun to watch and cheer for.

The game ended in a draw, which was pretty disappointing. But yeah, definitely something I'd go watch again.

WTF is Christmas.

So apparently, it's Jesus' birthday. Jesus is a pretty cool guy, you know what with the turning water into wine, walking on said water, raising the dead, healing the sick, coming back from the dead amd what not. So yeah, Christmas is a pretty important day right? It's understandable to celebrate His birth yeah?

Unfortunately, for someone who doesn't particularly believe in a god, Christmas doesn't really have a meaning, aside from the fact that I get a free holiday where people all around me throw parties that either I'm not invited to, or that I am invited to, but to which I can't go.

Christmas makes me feel uncomfortable. I'm supposed to get presents for people, based on some tradition based off of a person that may or may not exist. Then I receive gifts that I'm supposed to like. Then I'm supposed to be happy about the fact that I'm celebrating some dead guy's birthday, without the help of alcohol, because alcohol gives me an allergic reaction.

Then I get messages from people wishing me a Merry Christmas, who normally wouldn't give a shit about me on any other day. Then I'm supposed to turn right back and wish them a happy holiday, and pretend to give a shit about them too.

Seems extremely pointless. Maybe other atheists feel like this too. Which is why it's probably tempting for them to join a church so they can join in the community spirit around Christmas time. But that pretty much makes them hypocrites.

Maybe religion acts as a kind of buffer to life's disappointments. Had a shit life? God planned it that way to make you the person you are. Someone you love died? God wanted his lamb back. Got a crap UAI? God planned that too. All those hours you spend playing DOTA had absolutely nothing to do with that. Predestination. You can take comfort in the fact that someone bigger than you is guiding your life while you yourself have no fucking idea why you live on this shithole called earth, why every day inflicts some kind of suffering upon you, and why you still push on despite said shittiness.

I guess believing in a god gives you someone to talk to when you're lonely and in need of solace. I mean, He's always listening, and as a plus He loves you unconditionally right?

It's kind of funny how some of my Christian friends believe in both Predestination and Free will. Because if you think about it, converting to Christianity requires Free will right? God created man with Free will. However, everything is predestined, so you converting to Christianity was already planned. But this negates the whole Free will thing.

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to imply is that some people convert to Christianity because they feel cold and alone on Christmas, and they want to feel like they belong somewhere. That may or may not be a bad thing.

I myself do not feel cold or alone enough to want to do that. But it is tempting. But, surprisingly, I do have my morals, and I try not to do hypocritical things. But I do feel pretty crap right now.

Elitist rant

The Daily Telegraph reporting on the success of public schools reads: "... Hannah Wilson topped the state in senior science, beating competitors from private and public selective schools."

LOL! Whatever. As if our selective schools would let their students take Senior Science. Most of our students take the REAL sciences, like Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. And not General Maths either, (How can you even call that maths? It's like grape juice pretending to be wine.) but Advanced, Extension 1 and Extension 2.

I guess the main point the article was trying to make was that public highschools are becoming a force to be reckoned with academically, whether they are comprehensive or selective. 8 out of the 10 top schools in NSW are Public Selective Schools. Unfortunately, the highest rank a comprehensive high school holds is 56, every school ranked above that are either Selective or Private.

The great thing about selective schools is that if you work smart, or hard (depends on the situation), you should get the results you deserve. It's not about how much money the government or your parents are throwing at the school.

There is a debate on whether or not Selective schools should be discontinued. People have said that Selective schools place great pressure on students to perform well, and that they produce students that are awkward in social situations and only academically focused.

Well, sure there is pressure to perform, but selective schools can also provide a supportive environment as well. Selective schools provide a protective shell for students of an academic nature. Where else can you find students making lame Chem jokes and getting people who actually understand and appreciate the joke? Where else can you find groups of people who appreciate anime and manga as an art form, without being picked on, or ostracised, for it?

As for the lack of social skills, many students are able to get jobs, where we pick up the necessary skills to deal with a variety pf people. Many of our students go into Medicine, where competitive interview skills are required for admission. We have extra-curricular activities that foster teamwork and leadership while being extraordinarily fun.

Overall, I think the results speak for themselves. 18 out of the top 30 of the state are Selective schools. Good education that is low cost makes everybody happy.

Barrack Obama! or How I got a job before the world exploded

So. Barrack Obama is the new President of the United States. Thank God MacPalin didn't win. Yeah, I have a thing for portmanteaus. But, now that I think about it, anyone who wasn't Republican was bound to win by a landslide. And I guess it's a good sign that we have the first African-American president, because it means we're taking a step closer to removing racism. Yay! I know nothing about politics though, so I'm not going to continue on the subject.

I have a new job! Yay! I'm working at a tutoring college place thing, which is next to the youth centre in a nearby suburb. I stood in as a homework helper for someone in uni who was putting the last minute touches on a thesis, because it was due that day -__- So technically, I don't have a position as a tutor as such. I'm going back tomorrow as a proofreader for exams/papers/exercises (not really sure which), to see if I'm suitable for the job.

The place is packed with Asians, particularly Koreans. It's amazing how I was only separated by some of the staff and the students by a degree. The manager of staff there is the aunt of one of boys in my grade Oo Two students from our school prefecture have been working there for two years or so.

I'm lucky I got a job so close to my house. I only have to take the bus for a few minutes, costing me less than a dollar either way. It's also close to the shops, so I can go deposit me cheque when I get paid =)

The hours are also pretty flexible. I can choose when I want to work to some extent, which is good, because I do have plans during this break until I start uni. It's so different to be working... there's one more responsibility I have to deal with... gosh... I don't know what day's I'll be working yet.

I'll be paid about $12 an hour, which is alright because I'm happy with whatever I get at the moment. Once I start uni, I hope I'll get paid more. If not, no problem =) I'm just happy to get a job this quickly, and to be paid. I got $25 in cash for 1.5 hours of work =) hehehe

It's not a difficult job either. Max year ten level maths. But it's still challenging enough to keep my brain ticking =) Sometimes I have to check myself to make sure that the students understand how to do a question, or to make sure that I'm teaching them in a way that they've been taught already and not something they'll learn in year 8 =S

I have a really nice boss. At least so far, she seems very thoughtful and considerate. I haven't been introduced to the other student aged staff yet, but I'll get around to that eventually. I'm more worried about getting along with the people my age. Gah. According to the boss, she wants us to focus and not to socialise. Which I'm fine with, at the moment.

So, Auntie came over today to learn how to make mochi from my mum. Turns out I'm ok at it... if a little bit slow. I asked her for some help with food for schoolies. She suggested that we make sauces and freeze them, bring them on the bus an freeze them again. Then eat it with pasta. I'm thinking, for breakfast I'd be happy with wheet bix and fruit with milk. We could make simple sandwiches for lunch, and for dinner have the frozen pasta stuff, or salad with bbq from woolies.

Basically, we'd need: an esky, party ice, cereal, fruit, milk, bread, ha,, tuna, salmon, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, beetroot, cheese, carrot, beef mince, pasta, olives, pork

I'll probably bring my Ipod, and posssibly the laptop so I can charge said Ipod, CD's, PS2, Gamecube, board games to play on the bus, cards.

Now that I have a job, paying back the money for schoolies to mum should be okay. And Grandad has given me a bit of money too.

Stuff to bring: Sleeping bag, pillow, linen, pyjamas, socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, facewash, soap, moisturiser, sunscreen, after sun lotion, toner, hat, wax, towel, hairdryer,