One of those crazy girls

-->

Oh man, it’s been a tough few weeks. Honours has completely taken over my life. Well, at least for the past month anyway.

I had a literature review due in last Friday and man oh man, that took way too much out of me. Then on Tuesday I had an oral presentation worth the same amount as my Lit review, except I only worked on that for 2 days, and my Lit review for about a month. So yeah. Life.

Anyway, I’m in that period where I have no assessments that are due in the next few weeks, so I can focus all my energy on Lab work and get somewhere with my project. OR SO I THOUGHT! But there isn’t much for me to do in the Lab. Everything I need to do takes time, and long waiting periods between experiments. So I feel a bit useless, seeing everyone so busy and then me, just sitting at my desk on Tumblr. But it’s good though, it’s really nice to take it a bit easy after being so busy.

I especially like it when I get to go home. Before, I’d do work in the lab, go home and do work on assessments and repeat. But now I can actually just go home and not do any work cause I have none (for now!). I’ve been spending a LOT of time playing guitar and piano; learning songs, recording random stuff on garageband, pretending I’m a producer and adding crazy effects and what not. I forgot how much I enjoyed doing stuff like that! It’s been really good for me I think, I’ve noticed I feel a lot more happier in general. It’s just so important to keep doing things you love when life gets busy. I think it’s just as important to keep time for the stuff you love as it is to keep time for stuff you have to do, even if it’s just 30 mins every few days. Thing is, I never realized I needed it until I had it. It’s been almost therapeutic. I feel just SO much more content with everything, even with the fact I just saw about 100 dead flies in a vile lying on top of each other, rotting in their own food which had gone off.

Sorry, you didn’t need to know that. ANYWAY! I’m waiting patiently for my Paramore box set to arrive, it has two exclusive B-sides that weren’t on the album, and apparently one of the songs sounds like their older stuff (as in first album stuff), which is making me really excited. It’s nice to know that although they’ve changed so much, they still have that same element that got them started in the first place.

I’m actually in the lab right now, writing this in a Word document so it looks like I’m doing work. I should probably go. Bye!

Pista 7

This weekend has been a pretty epic one. It's only right now that I've actually sat down and taken everything in.

When I say 'epic', I really mean busy. I've spent pretty much 90% of this weekend working on my lit review that I only finished an hour ago.  It feels great to be done with it, but I know my supervisor is going to want me to make changes to it, just like the first draft. But for now, I'm done with it!

Besides that, Easter happened! I think this was the first Easter that I actually forgot it was Easter until I woke up on Sunday and saw eggs outside my door from my Dad Easter Bunny. Usually I look forward to Easter; the big meal, the family gatherings, the chocolate. But I guess my mind had been so busy that I forgot to get excited. It's kind of sad, but what can you do? I chose this life.

My Dad also left for Sri Lanka for a week on Easter, so I spent half of the day at the airport. I was surprised at how busy the airport was, given it the day it was.

I suppose the most exciting thing that happened for me personally this weekend was Paramore's album leaking. Should I be excited by that? Am I a bad fan for being excited that their album leaked? This has also happened with the previous two albums. For the last album, I didn't listen to the leak and I waited until I got the CD. Unlucky for me, I ordered a special deluxe boxset so I didn't get the CD until 3 weeks after it was released. I ordered the boxset this time around again, but unlike last time, I figured I should just listen to it. It's not like I'm ripping Paramore off right? I did buy the most expsenive package for the album + I'm buying it in stores the day it comes out. I'm just getting an early taste. Besides, it's only 5 days early.

I won't bore you with my thoughts/feelings on the album. I wrote, I kid you not, a 2000 word review on my Paramore blog. If only I could write at that speed for my lit review, I'd be done in 2 hours!
All I'll say is this; it's their best album yet, every song is single material, I love that you can hear Taylor's influence, the leak I downloaded had all the songs labeled as "pista". My favourites off the album are pista 7 and pista 17. But only by a little because as I said, all the pistas are good. In fact, I was listening to pista 7 as I began to write this but I couldn't because it was too good to multitask too; it needed my full attention.

Oh! I cut my own fringe today. I didn't completely fail. I think I'll do it from now on. It feels good doing my own hair instead of getting someone else to do it heh. I feel like an independent woman.

I really want to post a song from the album here, but I feel wrong seeing as its not even out yet. So instead, I'll post this:

I confess I've lost control

Today I went to Oakleigh music fesitval. Oakleigh has always been my second home anyway, so it was really nice. I bought cupcakes and drank hot chocolate and then I remembered that I performed there a few years ago with the school choir and I thought that was random.

The main reason I went was to see my sis play a small set. The venue they played in was so cool, very intimate but the stage setup was amazing. Apparently a lot of now famous people have played there. It's the kind of venue that every artist has to start at. I fell in love once I walked in, it was small, there were tables with candles on them and band posters covering all the walls with the stage at the front. It was just so...cosy?

Anyway, my sis did an awesome job! Every time I see her perform at something like this I get continually impressed, she's just such a good singer and she keeps getting better! The good thing is, the sound producer who was working the sound table is actually quite well known in the music business, and he apparently promotes acts which he likes, and he really liked my sis and her friend! That made me happy hehe, if I can't be a musician, I'll live through my sister and be a stage mum MWAHAHAHA.

Anyway, the whole thing got me inspired to play the guitar when I got home, and after I finished my uni work I told myself I'll allow an hour just to muck around on the guitar. One hour somehow turned into 3 and I didn't even notice! It was awesome, it just felt so good to get back into it. To actually get excited once I learn a song and want to just keep playing it over and over. Honestly, I haven't felt that same thrill in a while. It was so wonderful to feel it again. But now my hand hurts, it keeps cramping up. GO HARD OR GO HOME.

I heard Garbage play this song at Soundwave and I remember thinking to myself to find out what song it was, because I REALLY liked it. I searched through all their old albums and my search came up with nothing. But then I bought their new album and it was on there! So weird because it sounds like an old Garbage song. Anyway, I really like it. It's pretty dark and sad. Sometimes I think I'm meant for the early 90s when there was grunge and teen angst.

It's a circle; a mean cycle.

I keep forgetting that this blog exists, and then when I read it after a while I get inspired to maintain it. It's like a cycle or something.

 So I've started my honours year, and it has already taken over my life. That happened a lot sooner than I expected. The good thing is, I thought I would be miserable this year and feel overwhelmed with all the work. I feel neither of those. I'm quite content, and sure it's a lot of work, but I'm coping! It hasn't swallowed me...yet.

 One important thing that I was really afraid of this year was that I was going to lose myself. I knew that pretty much all other aspects of my life would have to come to a stand still, and I can see that they have. But I never wanted to lose myself. I didn't want to become so caught up in my work that I forgot about myself; my essence I suppose. Sure, I love genetics and I do find it interesting, but that's not all there is to me. I've been listening to a tonne of music lately, and I feel like that has kept me grounded; helped me to maintain myself I suppose. It's only the beginning of what is going to be a tough year, and I'm going to try really hard to not lose myself. I'm going to try and listen to as much new music as I want to, play the piano/guitar a few times a week and attend lots of gigs! The last thing I want is for me to be so engulfed in my work that it becomes all there is to me. I see people in the lab like that and I wonder, sure, what you do is a huge part of your life and it's perfectly fine to reflect that in your personality, but don't let work become who you are! I don't know, it's just really important to me.

I feel so happy with myself I guess. Well, not "happy" with myself. But there are certain aspects about me that I like. I like the fact I like music, I like that I watch cartoons, I like that I draw random things all the time. I feel like if I stop doing those things, I'm not going to be me anymore, and rather some robot. A robot that knows A LOT about Drosophila.

 Anyway, I shall end my rant there. This is Paramore's newest song:



It's quite poppy, a little bit of an indie pop vibe, but I like it. Probably because it's Paramore. But if I were to listen to their whole album, this would probably be one of my least favourite songs. But given the context, I like it! But, I much rather the first song they released:



Loved it the first listen in China airport haha! If this is an accurate representation of the new album, then BOY I am in for a treat!

I forgot about this blog

Whoops! I forgot this blog existed! I should put up sticky notes to remind myself to write in this thing. So it's 2012 now. My very last year of uni. It's been pretty good up until the last few weeks. Things have been so hectic, I never thought things could get so busy. It's gotten to the point where I barely have time to eat, or I'm so into my work that I actually forget to eat. Majoring in two things is NOT easy at all. Oh well, after this week things should settle down again. On friday I plan on going shopping with my sister to buy a mothers day present and also just to shop in general. This sounds so weird, but I haven't been shopping since I got back Europe in January. I haven't bought a single item of clothing! I just haven't had the time! I am so looking forward to this friday, I just have to get through 2 major assessments. Other than uni, life has been pretty alright. Actually wait, I can't think of a life outside of uni! Oh my gosh, it has really consumed me. I can't wait until the mid year break. Anyway, I shall try and update this more often!

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica

I just finished watching this anime, and I gotta say, it was pretty good.

I didn't think I'd be into any anime involving a young girl gaining magical powers somehow and trying to save the world after I was 10. But here I was, drawn into every episode. I think what I like about it the most is that it's not what you expect. It's very dark and heavy, and pretty sad at points. It's a bit twisted as well, and really plays with your mind. Most episodes left me with a heavy heart, especially towards the end. I would not want my 10 year old kid to be watching this. It's only 12 episodes long too, so if you're bored and looking for something to do, spend a say watching this! You'll be hooked!

I'm going to write a couple of spoilers down below, so DO NOT READ AFTER THE PICTURE IF YOU WANT TO WATCH IT!

SPOLER: ****************************
Some things that were quite different to other anime this genre was the fact that the little cute animal dude was not trustworthy. You know how Sakura has Kiro, and Sailor Moon has Luna? Well the one Madoka has, Kyube, though he is very cute, he really twists the plot around a few times due to his ulterior motives. Even the fact he was willing to let all the girls die is surprising. But it's also a good thing, it made the anime seem more cold. Also, the amount the deaths in the series. That was also surprising. Especially because they were significant characters. It all made the anime more better though! Wow I sound mean.

I got a confession

I like watching anime. But not just any anime...anime aimed at 12-15 year old girls. Like, ones meant for a younger age group. Of course I enjoy the more mature ones too (no, not THAT kind of mature) like Death note and stuff, but there is something about the kiddy ones that I like. Perhaps it's the innocence of it. And they are always really cheesy. But they really comfort me, especially around these exam times. I'm actually really embarrassed of this and don't really know why I am making a post about it. The funny thing is, I didn't realise that the anime I like was for tweens. I asked my friend at work (who loves anime) if she has ever watched K-ON (my current anime), and she was like "hahaha, no but my 12 year old sister does", and I was like "hahaha yeah same" even though I don't have a 12 year old sister. Anyways, my episode of K-ON has loaded, so I gotta go and watch that now.