3 months to go ...

Before me now, I have sitting an almost-completed 38 page business plan of my proposed multimedia & video business for my Tafe class. Yup, 38 pages.

And, I have a creeping, ugly sensation in my gut that even though I've tried really really hard (it will even be printed out IN COLOUR and BOUND) I won't get a distinction for it, cause my tutor is quite tough and hands out distinctions very sparingly. In a way that's a good thing, and in another way, it's not.

I also have to do a PowerPoint presentation for it next week. I haven't used PP in ages, and I just rediscovered the little animation things, and had a bit of fun playing around with that.

I don't even know why I'm trying so friggin' hard.

I think at the beginning of the year when I started, I had the illusion that Tafe was going to be easy. I don't know why. I think I just want it to be over.

'Martin Place' - Modular Lounge

A music video clip for Modular Lounge I worked on is going to be aired on Channel V soon!

The song is quite good, and all you indie kids might have already heard some of their songs. You can check out more of their stuff on their myspace. Joel & Greer were actors in First Person, which I production managed and did continuity for, and they are lovely people.

Anyway, I got multiple emails from Kim, who produced, & Viv, who directed, to plug the music video on Channel V when it airs on 3pm Friday, or when it premieres on 3am Friday (for all you early birds or insomniacs). Remember, extremely talented crew (this is not self-referential, but a tribute to the crew! just so you know) worked on the clip, especially the very lovely Fiona who did all the animation.

Apparently we're supposed to launch a massive email campaign to support it, and you can help by registering on the Channel V website and sending a passionate email!

Also, it may also keep me in work, as hopefully Kim will let me work on more of these music videos. Fingers crossed?

Sprocket Shootout '06

I had a good time last night, the annual Sprocket Shootout organised by a fabulous UTS Sprocket Exec (comprised mainly of gorgeous 2nd Years who put a lot of time into organising a lot of screenings and film-related thing to enliven our university experience!)

The Shootout is a competition in which you have to turn out a film in a week, and involves only in-camera editing, so you have to shoot linearly.

Stef was a great MC, and there was a good turn-out at the Glasshouse Bar. Cheap drinks, good films - what more could you want?

A lot of the films were very good, many from 1st years. Good to see that the MAP pool of talent is expanding!

*The photo above wasn't taken by me, it was taken by someone in the union, but I thought we needed a photo amongst all this text. On account of my shitty digital camera, all my shots of people turned really terrible.

19 Up!

I've just finished watching the first three installments of the 7 Up series, to 21 Up, and gosh, its nothing like a good documentary to start a flood of endless questions and reflection.

The 7 Up series operates on the principle of revisting its subjects every seven years to see how their lives have changed, and how they have developed from children to adults. Subjects from different races, and socio-economic backgrounds in England are studied to discuss questions of whether the class system perpetuates itself, and whether the subject's own predictions of the future eventuate.

I was watching the series with Mum, and when she saw little cute-as-a-button 7 year-old Jackie come onto screen, she straightaway said "That girl is born to be a mum." That did eventuate in later episodes, but how do you see that in a seven year-old girl?!

The funniest bit of 7 Up is when 7 year-old Nick is asked "Do you have a girlfriend?" He blushes, looks away, and replies "I don't ... answer questions like that." Awwww...

21 Up was probably the most unsettling for me though, probably because that's the stage I'm at now, at 19. I'm absolutely petrified of the future - especially the future that occurs one and a half years from now when I graduate from uni.

There are so many things I want to do ... travel, maybe study a little bit more, build a career, be financially independant, maybe in a few years move out ... but I really don't have a grip on how to achieve these goals.

Those of you who know me well know that I'm neurotic, lack confidence, and have a problem with worrying too much. I still worry when people tell me everything will be fine!

Laura's 20th Birthday Bash

Happy 20th Laura!

Yesterday was a great day - I sat around with my friends talking, catching up, playing video games, unravelling Minties wrappers, and stuffing ourselves with chocolate.

First up, Laura & I played Silent Hill 4: The Room, which was a tad eerie, and incomprehensible - the premise being you're trapped in a room and an underground subway tunnel with evil spirits. (Laura - "Why can't you just clear all that shit, and get out of the subway tunnel to the street?!") Also, the game was clearly written for men, as we had a female character following us around promising us sexual favours if we got her out of the subway.

Next up was Katamari Damacy, undoubtedly the trippiest game I've played in all my life. Oooh, look at all the pretty colours ...

Then Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which was packed with button mashing goodness! Meanwhile, whilst reading Who magazine, and the Women's Weekly, we learnt that Susan Sarandon doesn't like her boobs getting more attention than her.

Off to Kylie's restaurant! Juliana rode shotgun with me, and I was following Julia and Rena's cars to the restaurant.
Donna: Hang on, there's a perfectly good space in this street, why are they heading further down?
*I turn into the street*
*Car behind me beeps angrily*
Juliana: It's a one-way street!
In my defense, I did a three point turn and parked successfully in the one-way street.

We had an absolute feast: taro spring rolls, lemon chicken, mongolian beef, tofu, another sizzling beef dish, fried rice, plain rice and ... birthday cheesecake and fried ice-cream for dessert! Yummo.

Afterwards, Johanna, Julia, Juliana and Sophia said their goodbyes, and the rest of us headed back to Laura's for a gab fest. We learnt about crazy 'Spaghetti' woman, more boyfriend/girlfriend politics, and we had such a good time just rolling around in stitches!

And before I forget ...

Congratulations to Ally and Andy on the pregnancy! You know, I've always thought that 'Donna' was a really great name for a girl ...

Congratuations to Josh and his band jangle rock! on getting on Triple J Unearthed. 'Echotown' is a great song, worth checking out.

Anyways girls, we need to spend more time together. It's only when we meet up during the five times every semester that I realise how much I miss you guys! *tear* sniff sniff ...

Farewell Anna & Luci!

Bon Voyage! We are going to miss you guys SO much. Have a blast in NY - we want to hear all the stories!

itunes vs. john safran

My iTunes refuses to download the latest Sunday Night Safran podcast. The download has inexplicably crashed three or four times, and on one occasion, I accidently managed to download the 16th July podcast!

So I've been reduced to listening to the website mp3 to get my fix. Who doesn't love Father Bob's confused ramblings? Although John should stop telling Father Bob to shut up. If you're out there John, and vanity Googling yourself, leave Bob alone.

Although John is brilliant for making lisps cool. Not everyone has to sound like Sandra Sully! (Although Mary does an excellent version)

On a side note, I've just watched Ricky Gervais's new comedy Extras and it's hilarious (Ben Stiller - "Would you shut up about your f&%#ing dead wife!")

save me

I'm in Splendour withdrawal phase right now ... after a dazzling Splendour line-up I have five months of upcoming gigs that i'm not really into. I'm not a huge Placebo fan. Even Homebake doesn't look that great this year.

BUT. But! Modest Mouse are headlining at the Falls Festival in Victoria this year. Which is January next year, about the same time Big Day Out will be on. Five months! Grrr.

canned baby

Lady: I worked in China last year, and at the supermarket, I saw canned baby for sale!
*collective gasp from the TAFE class*
Man: That's disgusting! *shakes head and tsks* Other cultures, eh?

Canned baby? In a supermarket? Sure the Chinese eat all different types of animals, and parts of animals, but this is a stretch. I looked around the class, and people were making disgusted faces, believing this! Argh!

But this got me thinking about the logistics of canned baby:

It takes 9 months to grow a baby - not to mention all the nurturing and food that goes into looking after the foetus, which would make babies not only time-consuming to grow, but also costly.

Therefore, mass production would be unlikely. I think they would be hard pressed finding 1000s of complicit mothers anyway. That would be lower than stealing a copy of 'The Best of David Hasselhoff' CD from JB Hi Fi.

Canning and being on sale in a supermarket also implies mass production (see above point)

Finally, the Google search. Which presents me with the obvious conclusion

crazy rainy uni day

10:00am - I get to Building 4 lecture theatre, and see Bonnie & Joel. Decide to visit toilet before lecture.

10:05am - I get into lecture theatre, and find Hannah & Nicola. I think it is weird that Bonnie & Joel aren't in the lecture theatre, and that there are a lot of new faces.

10:10am - Lecturer comes around and hands out Engineering course outlines. We finally realise we are in the wrong lecture. Half of the people in the lecture theatre get up and leave. (No wonder there were so many boys in the lecture!)

10:15am - Finally get to lecture theatre (Bonnie & Joel: "Where have you been?!")

11:10am - Lecturer tries to turn off the lights for the lecture. This is when our University of Technology is a little too technological. The lights of the theatre were motion controlled, so whenever anyone moved, they would come back on again. Which made it very hard to watch the film. After our lecturer tried heroically to turn off the lights, they insisted on coming on again. Our lecturer soon gave up, and left to have words with the room booking people.

1:00pm - We hear news from our lecturer that we'll get a new lecture room next week.

1:15pm - Out into the driving rain. Realise I have left my umbrella in my lecture room.

2:20pm - I am convinced i'm in the later tute, so I hang out with Joel in the comp labs. I randomly decide to check 'My Subject Activities' (uni class allocation website), and realise that my tute is on NOW.

2:30pm - RUN into my tute, and apologise to the tutor. Mutter something about misreading my timetable. Am SO embarassed! Keya, Mel, Bonnie, Hannah, Nicola, & Gen laugh at me.

2:45pm - Lose a scissor-paper-rock fight with another girl in my class over who should do the student presentation for Week 5. End up getting a better presentation week (Presenting the film 'Run Lola Run' for Week 3 - remember year 9 English anyone?)

4:00pm - Run into a friend who told me that her class had just returned from a class held at The Clare!