Random Take Offs

At least the days are filled with joy

2007-06-03T08:39:00.000+01:00

This week has been rather eventful. The weather was not a happy one on Thursday when Danny and I went skating, but we braved it and skated indoors anyway. It eventually gave in and dried up enough for us to go outside. Drink the bar dry was the following day, but I remained sober because I had drunk too much the day before and was still slightly hungover. When I got back yesterday, the sun was shining and it was a beautiful day, so I put my bikini on and went to Victoria Square to read my book in the sunshine. Timothy rang and said I was "outrageous" for wearing my bikini in public. I said "You're outrageous", but then realised a second later that he probably wasn't in the least.

Anyway, as I was packing up to go for a coffee with Edmundo, the phone rang and it was someone in a phony (ha ha) American accent pretending to be a charity of some sort. I laughed, and hung up after saying I didn't have time to answer their questions. Is it pranking season? And if it is, why me? It is quite scary though, how this person seems to know where I am all the time. The Darth Vader Pranking Company calls me when I am at work (on my work number) and calls me on my mobile when I am sunbathing. Perhaps it is time to be a little bit afraid, but then no one ever got anything done by being afraid.

Danny is so lovely when he is sober. He's positive, he's funny, and nice and just beautiful in every way. I saw him at drink the bar dry after he had done some drugs, and he looked like a zombie. I was really worried about him, he was walking around looking possessed, and I didn't know what to do or how to help him because he barely recognised me and kept running away. None of his friends were with him either. I have heard from him today, so I hope this means he is okay.

And speaking of addiction, that's Amy, Gavin's girlfriend, sucking her thumb. Guess some habits are more adorable than others.

Gripe

2007-05-26T21:31:00.000+01:00

Today I went to the mall to get a pair of running shoes - the first step (ha ha) to the living Kylie dream.

I hate malls. To each their own, but there are a great many things that give me more pleasure than being in an enclosed space for hours spending money on things I don't need.

I'll tell you what I hate more than malls. Malls that shut at 7pm on a Saturday. I got there at 6.50pm, thinking i'd zip in, get my trainers, and quickly head back to the real world, but instead of the usual announcements of "Spend more than 8000pounds today and receive something you think is free!!", I heard "With the exception of Marks & Spencer, the mall will be closing in ten minutes"

I listened, mouth agape with incredulity. Surely it's against the law for any mall to shut at 7pm whatever day it is!

I realise this sounds like i'm sweating the small stuff, but (and I never thought i'd say this) i'm really starting to think i've had enough of England. I could spend time writing out a list of reasons why, but there is no need. I am just sick of seeing drunkards everywhere I turn, and I don't agree with welfarism.

Okay. Enough. I'm off to have champagne with some beautiful people who make living in England slightly more bearable.

Oh, by the way, did I mention i've completed my degree?

List of things i'm going to achieve this summer

2007-05-23T18:38:00.000+01:00

1) Work out, eat right, lose weight.
2) Get a body like Kylie Minogue's.
3) Learn a dance routine to perform at school concert themed housewarming party (possibly the locomotion).
4) Design and create a showgirl outfit to wear during performance of dance routine.
5) Have performance recorded and put on the internet/sent to Sony - for unlimited smuggery and the possibility of superstardom.

Nice lawyers 4U

2007-05-19T00:32:00.000+01:00

At about 4.30am yesterday, I decided I was going to call the commentary I was writing: "Crossing The Boundaries - The Mental Meanderings of a Self-Professed Hippie at a Criminal Trial". I am of the opinion that while the examination of witnesses may provide information, and glorify advocates in court, inaccuracy is an inevitable part of this process– either due to the way in which the statements have been obtained (intensive cross-examination, which serves to paint the picture the advocate wants the jury to see - whatever the cost may be), or malice on the part of the witnesses.

An academic argues that “Justice is not served if a witness is unable to communicate credibility to a jury. The search for truth is the ultimate and idealistic end of all litigated matter in a court trial”. To this, I have to say that justice is not served anyway. Since when did the search for truth start being 'idealistic'? Isn't that the whole purpose of the justice system? To put it simply, if people are getting put behind bars for something they have not done, simply because they managed to get hold of the right lawyers, justice will never be served.

I believe that in order for lawyers to stop being regarded as scum by members of society, more people need to go into the legal profession with something other than mega bucks and power trips as their focus. One of the ways to eliminate this cultivation of assholic behaviour, is to eliminate their glorification during cross-examination. Less drama, more focus on concrete evidence (such as that of the forensic variety - we live in an age where this is possible, after all).

And now, I'm going to sleep.

More on emails, focus Fwd.

2007-05-14T12:17:00.000+01:00

This morning I got one that said "Beautiful Picture". Thinking it was in reference to some of the photos I put up last night, I opened it to find it was just another fwd. Too late, already downloading, might as well have a look at it.

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.
Don't be afraid that your life will end,
be afraid that it will never begin.
Send this to all of your friends in the next 5 minutes
and a miracle will happen tonight

I've noticed a trend. The same people tend to forward the same kind of emails time and time again. So many categories, but you know, there are the "hopeful" ones, such as this...the "send this to all your friends or some of them won't like you anymore" types...ETC. The authors of these hope-filled emails also tend to repeat themselves to sound right/for emphasis, and while I find it annoying, forwarders lap this shit up big time.

"Every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back. Always remember that there are one hundred centimetres in every metre. Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin. If you are waiting for bus number 9 and it does not turn up, don't be afraid to take the number 8 as it goes along the same route....."

WHAT THE FUCK EVER MAN!

I'm sorry, but being the chaser that I am, I say if you wanna see your friend, go knock on their door if they're nearby, call them if they're not, or write to them. How impersonal is a fwd that has been sent to 800kabillion people in the world??

I forgot, and this and that.

2007-05-12T12:22:00.000+01:00

Whenever I get an email from a friend...wait, lets start again. Whenever I get a personalised email from a friend, I always get very excited. I can't wait to open it and see what it says, maybe s/he's attached pictures/songs etc etc - this is because I feel that person has taken the trouble to write me and therefore the email deserves my full attention. This is the same concept as Kangaroo Dan's, which is that "every frame has been chosen for your viewing pleasure" - in reference to video editing, and not talking (ever ever ever) during a movie (especially TopGun ~~which sucks hehe~~).

I'm not talking about the forwarded emails on why women are better than men (although I do sometimes attribute my lack of luck in love to not forwarding enough chain emails). If someone sends me a song/picture/article in an email, I look forward to reading/viewing/listening to it and giving feedback. Chris forgot to listen to the song I sent him.

Here, I would like to point out that the amount of attention I pay to "emails from friends" also varies from friend to friend. How is that quantified though? While i'm prepared to accept that maybe "Chris just doesn't care", I too have been guilty of ignoring some of the things my closest friends have sent me. Does that mean I don't care? No, it just means I had other stuff on my mind. So maybe he does care. Except I think he doesn't.

Good news

2007-05-11T12:14:00.000+01:00

The UK has launched the International Graduate Scheme. In a nutshell, this means that instead of being chased out of the country when my student visa expires, I now have a year after I graduate to stay in the UK, get work experience, build a career etc etc. I can't tell you how happy I am over this.

Darth Vader Man

2007-05-11T12:13:00.000+01:00

Recently, I have been receiving calls from a strange person with a Darth Vader voice. The number is witheld, of course. I think this is supposed to intimidate me, but it's quite amusing, really. Darth Vader has rung me three times now. Twice at work, and once yesterday night. I can barely make out what he's saying. I let Tim listen to some of the stuff he said when he rung yesterday and he thought it was really funny (I rarely see Tim laugh like that). Theories I have developed are:

1) Darth Vader man is Tim and he has some kind of device/program at home that records these conversations so he can go home and laugh at me. And send recordings off to radio shows for other people to laugh at.

2) It's Gavin and Alex. I rang them yesterday but they denied it. I still think they have some part in this.

3) Darth Vader man is really a woman, and has a Darth Vader voice transformograficolourhappyeverafter.

4) It could be Chris Chow, Koku's housemate. Kevin pranked him from my phone about bog roll earlier this year, and maybe he has somehow found out it was us and wants revenge. I hope he isn't finding that out through here though...

5) It could be Kevin, but I think he'd sooner die than refer to me as "cutie pie".

6) The guy from the Indian takeaway behind my house. I once had a dream about him where he was chasing me through fields from England to Malaysia madly waving a cleaver in his hand. I don't know how we crossed oceans, maybe through some kind of intercontinental farming system...

Ah, anyway, Darth Vader man, if you're reading this, cut it out.

Transient relationships

2007-05-07T19:59:00.000+01:00

I met a writer today. His name is Alex. We had to share a table as there weren't any free ones at the cafe, and after about an hour of him scribbling in his moleskin and me reading up on law stuff, a little girl threw a tantrum and we both sighed heavily. After another half hour or so, he sighed heavily again, and looked extremely dejected. I asked him if he was okay, and he said he wasn't and told me about not being able to write anything.

"At least you're not doing something you don't want to do", I said, pointing to "THE LAW ON TRUSTS".

He wouldn't tell me what his book was about, but after chatting a while longer, he told me there was a scene where a man and a woman are sat in a bathtub.

"I went to have a bath this morning, after not having a bath in ages, as research for this particular scene"

More conversation. Laughter. He thinks my dream of moving to the sticks is hilarious.

"I come in here a lot, maybe one day instead of just running off with coffee, you should come up and say hello?"
"Yeah sure"
"Okay"

Alex is very cute. Funny, smart, romantic writer, etc etc. Perfect, right? Wrong. I don't think i'm in the right headspace for anything right now. Will we see each other again? Maybe. Does it really matter? No. Does it mean he's not left a lasting impression? No, it's not that, he's cool, and has gorgeous blue eyes.

You can't justify attraction, that's all.

I thought

2007-04-26T10:35:00.000+01:00

I'd put up

some photos

A very intelligent woman once said, "The purpose of language is communication. If you communicate successfully, it doesn't matter how you do it". I've taken that on board and kept it close to my heart ever since.

Andy's day out

2007-04-23T20:30:00.000+01:00

Ideas...

2007-04-17T00:41:00.000+01:00

June says:
in rome i was mistaken as a prostitute

June says:
italian police are so thick. Admittedly this was 3 in the morning or something, but what kind of prostitute walks about the streets of rome with a map and a suitcase

June says:
I think it was me going HOTEL? HOTEL?? that made them wary :P

Gav says:
that is hilarious

Gav says:
june the roman prostitute

June says:
it wasn't so hilarious trying to explain it to them

June says:
actually, i reckon i could have been a travelling prostitute

June says:
a sort of Fuck n Go system

June says:
similar to congestion charging in developed countries

Gav says:
you could make business cards before you go

A rhyming whore?!

2007-04-09T21:17:00.000+01:00

june --

[noun]:

A beat poet working the streets

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Why bother?

2007-04-09T18:37:00.000+01:00

People ask me this all the time. If you said I was a judgmental sort of person, I wouldn't necessarily disagree with you. However, it's strange (i'm not sure about unusual) how I can be extremely judgmental, yet extremely tolerant at the same time.

Allow me to elucidate:

Because I judge, I might (and I say MIGHT, not WILL) judge BOB top to toe based purely on appearance. I might notice something about him that really annoys me, form judgment, and lose interest in having anything to do with Bob. Just like that. However, if by some twist of fate Bob and I are introduced, I could well discover something about Bob that I would not have if we hadn't been. If I embark on a friendship with Bob, I might grow fond of Bob, or I might not. In the event that I do (and this is the tolerant bit), I will most likely continue to put up with things about Bob that annoy me. Even if Bob turns out to be a big bad meanie, I might still give him a call from time to time to see if he is well (whether he picks up or not is another matter). Bob might even give me heartache and upset me but i'd accept that. This is due to the simple fact that we are friends.

So why bother?

I don't really know the answer to that. Maybe I focus on the little bit of good that made me grow fond of someone like Bob in the first place. Maybe I feel superior to Bob and want to "save" him. I know some people take advantage of this, but with some people, I really don't feel as if i'm being taken advantage of. I am aware that they are being mean, but continue to believe they are good on the inside, so if one fights evil with good, one will always win. When they have been extremely horrible, I may ignore them for a while, but if they come back with an apology and show that they have changed, I do tend to forgive.

I also take a lot of factors into account when I do this. Bob may have had mental problems before, which affect the way he behaves now. Bob's cat may have died when he was younger, leaving him with a broken heart, which is why he is cynical and has commitment issues. Bob may talk like a meanie, but it's obviously just walls he's putting up to protect himself, and if I can see past them, it doesn't matter if he is mean because I will always see Bob as a good person. Maybe I am trying to justify Bob's behaviour to make myself feel better, I don't know.

There's a meanie Bob I know who's a closet nice guy. He works hard to keep up a mean image and tries to ensure my efforts amount to nothing, but because i'm extremely fond of him, and believe in him so much, I refuse to give up. In the fight of good against evil, is there ever a point where we know we've won? The way I see it, if the amount of time I have with any given Bob is limited, at the end of the day, if I get to see what's beyond those walls, even if I don't get to go inside, I am satisfied and I feel i've made a difference.

LOL

2007-04-08T18:00:00.000+01:00

and if you wanna see photos of Anne you should go here

Lunch with Anne

2007-04-05T22:48:00.000+01:00

Another great day in the sun.

After "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle", which blew my mind, I am reading "Norwegian Wood" by Haruki Murakami.

"I continued to spend my Saturday nights sitting in the hall. There was no hope of a phone call, but I didn't know what else to do with the time. I would switch on a baseball game and pretend to watch it as I cut the empty space between me and the television set in two, then cut each half in two again, over and over, until I had fashioned a space small enough to hold in my hand."

When I got home today, I just sat down and stared into space for a while. My exams are coming up and I really need to knuckle down and study. I've been cleaning, frolicking in the sun, reading for leisure, writing, dreaming, worrying about stuff, and doing everything but studying. It hit me suddenly that the time had come to do so, and it hit me good. I suddenly figured out solutions to my problems and action plans that were actually workable, made myself a cup of tea, and now i'm looking forward to disappearing for the next five weeks into workland.

Fickle

2007-04-02T21:39:00.000+01:00

"Yeah you're fickle, but you cannot continue to be fickle at the expense of my sanity!"

I lost my cool this morning. The strange thing was, I was angered but I was still calm. If you were listening in, you'd probably hear a calm voice being angry. If it's any consolation, I was as surprised as you probably are. I hope that makes sense, because it does to me.

Actually, scratch that. Nothing makes sense anymore.

Are people just selfish when they say they are/appear to be indecisive? Eitherway, they're wasting someone's time (their own or other people) so I reckon they are. We constantly read about people who stay in relationships hoping they get somewhere. Where is somewhere? Is it so bad to go nowhere? How about going nowhere together? That doesn't sound like such a bad idea to me.

It was beautiful in Bristol today. Edmundo met me at the Boston Tea Party and Jorge joined us a little later. It's very nice talking to boys about boys. Edmundo said, "You know China has a population crisis. Tell me, are chinese people just really horny? What's wrong with them?". Later, he was convinced that Seville had the same humidity problem as Kuala Lumpur. I love Edmundo. I don't know another person, gay or straight, who says "What do you mean my cat is common?!?! YOU'RE COMMON and I still hang around with you!!!!!"

I like pretty colourful flowers. This was just a random flower bed in the middle of Clifton Village, but we took heaps of photos by it. It often confuses me whether living in England, and getting SO excited over a bit of sun, is rewarding, or just plain sad.

Koku was there too. She's been ill, and has had to lie about having symptoms of Meningitis so that the NHS doctor would see her. It's not looking good for England.

I tell people this is MY bridge. It's too beautiful.

Yeah, I guess it's worth it at the end of the day. Bah.

Spare time.

2007-03-31T22:16:00.000+01:00

Dreaming again.

2007-03-27T19:25:00.000+01:00

You know what's sad? The fact that things such as reading in the afternoon while the washing machine hums away on it's third load of the day have become a luxury for me. Normally, i'm awake before my alarm clock, out of the house before noon, and back after 9pm. I'm fully aware of what's happening, and when it's happening because it's either jotted down in my diary or i'm in the middle of it. When i'm spending time like this, however, i'm in such a blissful state that the only way I know time is actually passing is when the coffee gets cold.

Note to self: No matter how cute they are, if they cannot spell or write grammatically correct sentences, and rinse the bubbles off when washing up, they are NOT worth it.

Aiya.

2007-03-27T19:04:00.001+01:00

Law Ball

2007-03-25T00:11:00.000Z

I'm planning to go to Swansea to see a writer I met on the way to Amsterdam. She lives by the sea and apparently the weather is great over there. I'm also trying to get Charles to take me to Dawlish. I have seen pictures and I think I could fall in love with that place. Jamie Whaling (a classmate of mine) told me yesterday "June, it is the most beautiful place in the world. It's the place I grew up in and it's the place I want to grow old and die in".

As you can see, my mind is (again) wishing it were someplace else. Easter break has begun and I'm glad i've got the flat to myself for a few days. I have a good book to read and a fresh supply of teabags. I feel like a disco inferno inside - I think the peace and quiet will do me a lot of good.

Here are some photos of the annual law ball yesterday.

My "date" Marcus, who teaches me Media Law - or one of my dates, anyway hehe

Flanked by some cool kids from class

Boogy Woogy~

Pretty Cyrene

2007-03-20T21:57:00.000Z

Cyrene has decided to move in with me next year. She's lovely and we get on really well, but sometimes I reckon we are like chalk and cheese. That picture sums up our personalities quite well:

Cy
Hair: Perfect
Make up: Perfect
Clothes: Immaculate

June
Hair: Hidden under big mushroom hat for reasons best kept hidden.
Make up: What?
Clothes: Nothing matches.

Maybe it has to be for things to work? Maybe the age old "opposites attract" is true (i have often had doubt)? I don't know... but what I do know is that she rinses the bubbles off when she does the washing up, so that's good enough for me.

What if...

2007-03-18T19:58:00.002Z

I recently got an email from my aunt telling me that the subject of blogs had come up in conversation during which they remembered I had one. She advised me not to write anything that would put me at a disadvantage with future employers. "Don't put so much of your life out there"

This is sensible, and much appreciated, of course.

It has got me thinking about employability though. Or employment, in general. Ernie Hsiung of littleyellowdifferent worked for Yahoo! and got into his fair share of "trouble" for having a blog even though it was more entertaining than anything. My friend Hanna Alkaf has got into trouble and had to delete her blog because her editor found it. She got a new blog and bitched about it there.

My question is, do I want to work for someone who does not appreciate that I have thoughts and respect my form of expression? The answer is, very clearly, no.

Christopher Korzenietz does not think I am a freak. Well, actually, maybe he does. He has gone to Prague on a whim. My kinda guy.

Corey, on thinking.

2007-03-17T23:39:00.000Z

"Thinking is good, you just need to do it right. Obsessing and worrying is basically insanity. The definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over, despite it not working. Try different things and figure it out, and that's when you get somewhere"

What about when you have got somewhere but you're still thinking. Does that still mean you're insane?

I have photos, but maybe later. I'm too busy thinking.

BIZARRE

2007-03-10T22:31:00.000Z

I'm in Holland on holiday/well-needed/deserved break. Yesterday was probably one of the most satisfying days I have had in a while - hanging out with two of my favourite people in the world: Elise and Oliver. Oliver was doing a 24 hour stop in Amsterdam and so I took the opportunity to meet up with him, have a break, see Elise and my Aunt, breathe dutch air, that sort of thing. Dutch people have been very mean this time around for some reason. I got LIFTED (by the shoulders) cuz I was in someone's way. I was standing in a tiny cafe, where "excuse me" was the order of the day if one needed to get by, but obviously if you have no manners, the alternative is to lift asian midgets out of your way.

Anyway, I will put other photos up soon. The guy in the photo above is Christopher Korzenietz, a skater boy I have been getting cute with. I work at the student village where he lives and he gets many parcels. Anyway, I was just looking at the photos on his facebook page, and thought "My, that girl looks a lot like me".

So basically, it hit me 10 minutes later that it WAS me, and that after we met (yonks ago), I completely forgot about him, and here I am doing the getting to know you thing. NO WONDER HE THINKS I AM A FREAK.

Happy, smily, toothy June

2007-03-07T14:49:00.001Z

Happy, smily, toothy June
Originally uploaded by davehodg.

But you can use THIS ONE!!!! :D:D

June at the Croft

2007-03-07T11:40:00.001Z

June at the Croft
Originally uploaded by davehodg.

I was at Rich's gig last Saturday and Dave was photographing the Counterfeits. He also took photos of me. I look angry. This may be the most recent photo of me, but if I die soon, please don't use it for the funeral. I'd like to be remembered as a smiling sort of girl...

Rant

2007-03-04T23:30:00.000Z

I was replying an email earlier and ended up writing this:

"I had a pokemon sticker book when I was younger. I also had a Sailormoon one. For the pokemon one you had to eat some kind of snack and you'd get a sticker in the pack. For the Sailormoon one you had to put some coins into a machine and a sticker card would come out. Sometimes you got more than one card and it was like when you got two packs of minstrels from the machine for the price of one. Or two dates in one night. You're excited, but can't eat em both even though you wanna. If you do, you end up sick. If you don't, it's such a waste. And most of the time you've already started the second pack by the time you realise this and can't even give it to anyone without looking like a jerk. Eitherway, it's anticipation which involves effort and results in sticky situations, literally, and metaphorically. How oxymoronic."

I think I am slowly (albeit intentionally) slipping from knowing back to questioning. Maybe I can only tolerate a certain degree of certainty. I have a twelve o clock on Wednesday with a handsome and happy gentleman who is going to tell me all about OCD. I'm looking forward to it. He is lovely.

Presentation Video

2007-02-27T00:14:00.000Z

Velario's Cow

2007-02-23T19:29:00.000Z

Velario is a friend of mine who is an artist. He painted that cow and many other such amazing pieces. We met through my friend John Paul and I ended up teaching him English while John drew a caricature of me. Velario is highly intelligent, but doesn't speak English very well. He rang me today to ask if I wanted to give him another lesson (the last time, we read from an Elvis songbook and criticised Elvis for his bad grammar). He is frustrated because he has many ideas but cannot express himself to his friends because of the language barrier - it's probably also not helping him find like-minded inviduals.

This has got me thinking. It's hard to find like-minded people even though I speak the language. I find it ironic how confusion gets even more confusing when two people having a conversation understand each other perfectly. It takes a lot of patience to have a conversation with someone who is struggling with the language, but if you are patient, you can really learn a lot from them. Maybe it would be better if we all didn't speak a common language well - that way we'd all have to pay a lot more attention to each other. More and more people are substituting listening attentively with waiting to speak - which is frustrating, but in fairness (depending on your station in life), not easily avoidable.

Yesterday was Iwan's 21st birthday. The theme was gods & goddesses. Would have been heaps of fun but several fights broke out, people got thrown out of the club, and then some more fights. It was surreal to see a fight between gods! This goddess stood silently by not knowing what was going on/to do though --->

I dream.

2007-02-14T22:23:00.000Z

I tried looking for photos to show you what today looked like since I didn't take any of my own, but I didn't find any good ones. Then I figured, what's the point of showing you images that will always be of inferior quality when compared to those in my mind? Suffice to say, days like today are rare and I am very lucky.

I have put up a images of the future instead. I'm not sure what those will look like, but i'd sure like them to look a bit like these.

Log update

2007-02-13T18:14:00.000Z

I spoke to my lecturer, and apparently the template was for people who needed it and I had free reign all along. She said "Your brain seems to be all over the place - not a template person"

:P

Log rant

2007-02-12T09:23:00.000Z

For one of my modules, I am "required" to write a reflective log after each workshop, detailing what I liked or didn't like about that session. The whole set of logs for the year is worth 10% of my grade. On the face of it, this might seem like a perfectly acceptable part of learning, but I must further inform you that we have the choice of keeping our logs confidential.

At the end of the last term, we had to submit all our logs, as well as one "end of term" log. I decided to just send the end of term one because I think the whole idea is rubbish. What is the point of asking me to fill in a form that has "What did I feel good about in this workshop?" and "What did I not feel so good about in this workshop?" when you've already told me that the logs may be confidential? I know they're part of the module, but the whole point of doing a module where there are few rules is to encourage the mind to roam - to think of new and creative ways to learn. As long as methods are effective, nobody actually cares. I'm learning. You can see it through my work and performance in class. I don't feel the need (or want) to tell you through some 'one template for all' method, leave me alone.

My lecturer approached Kevin, Dr Phil and myself when she was returning the end of term logs to everyone. She asked for permission to publish our logs and said that she really enjoyed reading them because it showed that different people wanted/expected/learnt different things from what was actually being taught.

well DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Group Names

2007-02-07T21:54:00.000Z

Ninja Turtles kicking ass:

Chris

Kevin

June

...and causing trouble:

More on different.

2007-01-31T22:08:00.000Z

Can you understand how 'bad different' is oh-so-good but oh-so-bad at the same time?

Questions, questions, and more questions. When do we forgo our principles? Recently, I hung on to mine when I was applying to do my Bar exam and everyone who read it said it was suicidal because it was "too honest". After I submitted it, the lecturer who gave me a reference told me she liked it. She said "you read a lot of these, but yours was... different". So that made me happy.

More recently, I put my principles aside to be happy/ier. The result of that is, ironically, uncertainty. It takes a lot to say "fuck this" to stuff you strongly believe in, so logic dictates that you know where you're headed if you do. But believe you me, it is a one way ticket to the grey.

Pushing the boundaries

2007-01-25T23:22:00.000Z

Things are happening very differently very suddenly. The hard work is paying off and the life is still good, but for some reason I feel as if life is dishing me a balance of different things. In other words, I am getting an equally big serving of of bad different.

Smiling Eyes

2006-12-28T20:43:00.000Z

I have been listening to Phil King. You should too.

Today I watched Requiem. It made me hate religion even more than I already do.

I had a great christmas with good friends, laughing, eating, and talking like girls.

Marshlee came down from Coventry.

Leah was too tired after too much food, and did I mention my flat is the North Pole?

Kokuuuuuuu.

Food food food food food.

And made a table:

Penguin

2006-12-18T19:43:00.000Z

Dear God, Buddha, Allah, etc.

Thank you for great friends.

June

London

2006-12-17T17:03:00.000Z

I went to London over the weekend to chill with Zyman and Fauz. Managed to catch Azlan as well - which was very nice. We had a great time and even got caught in the middle of Santa Lash! A giant mob of drunk santas and reindeers and a superman santa! What an awesome trip, I reckon it's made me actually start liking London.

On an unrelated note, I snapped this just as I was running to the coach station. It's at the top of the Christmas Steps in Bristol. Fucking. Ace.

And on an even more unrelated note, would you call this guy?

It's your suffering

2006-12-10T23:13:00.000Z

Ed is a guy I dated for a while last year. I recently saw him while walking down Gloucester Road and was happy to see him. We didn't exactly finish on great terms, but I thought it was nice that many months down the line, we were still able to say hello, smile, and take an interest in each others' lives- even if most of it was just small talk. I learnt he had given up his dreams of doing travel photography and been promoted to manager of a sports cafe. It made me wonder about the exact point it becomes clear that something you want is not something you want anymore. Do people just wake up one day and say "I give up. I don't want this anymore" ? Is it the same feeling someone gets when s/he decides to become a traffic warden?

Today was a fairly busy day. Jack my housemate is moving out and we spent the entire day interviewing potential housemates. A yoga teacher called Mark came in and was pretty cool. My housemate didn't like him. Her reasons for not liking him was because he "Looked creepy". She had a look at his website and said it was "Weird and all spiritual and stuff". She said "I don't want to offend him when I tell him I think everything he believes in is bullshit".

We all make mistakes when choosing housemates. Lets hope this one goes well.

End of term

2006-12-10T01:26:00.000Z

George dragged us to this club called "Easy Tiger" last night. There are certain places you just do not want to be seen at, and this is one of them. But we went, and had a good time anyway. Those of you who have not been, you are not missing out. In fact, stay away from clubs in general, they're a load of poo.

Well it's almost over. Unknown to most, I have been doing work non-stop over the past few weeks. It's been hectic, but very satisfying. Uni life is quite enjoyable with friends who share my degree of enthusiasm for work (it's in between the two extremes...no...a little to the left...yeah, that's it).

Sleepless nights and a date that didn't happen later, I am finally trying to relax. Still sleepless though.

I watched Shortbus with Edmundo today and it was awesome. I admired the Chinese Canadian chick who played the lead role. It takes a lot of courage to be in a movie that involves sex, kissing a tranny, and masturbating on a bench. I reckon it takes more courage to do that if you're Chinese. I tell people I am agnostic when they ask me for my views on religion because I think it's the closest thing to my views on religion (that can be expressed without sounding offensive), but I just don't like to be bound by rules - it's simple as that. However, a lot of the time I find that my very existence is a restriction. I know I couldn't be in a movie that involved sex, kissing a tranny, and masturbating on a bench, and still expect to be accepted by my family.

It's not the best situation to be in, but i'm not entirely sure whether I am unhappy with it either. And this is genuine confusion - not saying I am happy with it.

Family or Soft porn? The fact that one has to decide makes life even more unfair.

On a lighter note, I don't know what was going on but there was an unprecedented amount of hot guys on the streets today - tis the season to be jolly ;)

Most Pictures With Strangers Competition 2006

2006-12-05T22:49:00.000Z

Initial discussions with this guy who brought up the challenge...I forget his name...

Some were keen

Others were not

But most were cool

This is my friend Richard Forbes from uni who looks good in photos:

And did I mention we WON??

All photos copyright of Fiona Heydari.

SO MANY PHOTOS YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE

2006-12-04T03:13:00.000Z

Yeah loads of photos. I have more for tomorrow but since it's 3.30am and I can't sleep, here are just some of them. Fiona was down from Newcastle and we spent some time together. Just like old times - Today we had lunch and milkshakes in Rocotillos...bread and hummous in Fresh n Wild....coffee in Borders....ahhhhhh beautiful. I have missed her dreadfully and was only too happy to see her. Too bad when George and her dropped me off at uni this evening I tripped over the seatbelt while getting out of the car and fell flat on my face...I bruised my ego. Oh, and I guess my shins and hands and other unimportant bits....

Diane made me that orange scarf. It's lush and the bestest bestest scarf ever ever made and don't you wish you had one just like it nenenenene!!!!!!!!!!!

Gangsters

Badass Horfield Gangsters

and YES, the UWE MODELS THEMSELVES!!!!

Some pictures from last Halloween:

Marshlee as a sexy devil (whose company we missed today)

George as a dead cowboy, me as a dead ann summers witch/model

Tomorrow, If i can be bothered, i'll show you proof of how we won the "most photos taken with a stranger" competition at the White Hart on Friday night ;)

The things women do...

2006-11-24T20:46:00.000Z

In my opinion, even the most intelligent of women are sometimes guilty of silly behaviour. Here's an example: A guy who used to make you smile is now the same guy who makes your skin crawl when you think of him. When this happens, the last thing any self-respecting fabulous woman wants is for him to see her looking anything less than a gazillion bucks. Yes, don't even try to deny it, it's true, and you (yes, all five of you female readers of my blog) know it. And you know what? I reckon this applies to lesbians, guys, old people, frogs, squirrels, other mammals and most reptiles too.

I, on the other hand, am far superior to all of you *throws head back and laughs in a superior manner*

(what DOES superior laughter sound like?)

Those red boots were nice. It's just a coincidence that they match my red UWE t-shirt that I have to wear to the open day tomorrow...

Richard's gig last night was good fun. Terri and George came out to play, Josh brought this guy, Guy (I can't resist these things...) whose last name is LARGE, and we spent a lot of the evening taking the piss out of his last name. In the final showdown over who had the worst last name, all two contestants put up a great fight, but of course, the big guy, Mr Large, won hands down.

Terri Scard - "I've been told that if i don't get married, i'll be Scard for life!"
Guy Large - "My last name is Large, and my middle name is Alexander. My initials spell G.A.L"

Awesome!

2006-11-18T19:07:00.000Z

Mozart

Letter head

2006-11-16T23:03:00.000Z

Kevin and I spent most of the afternoon working on our first letters to send our client who has decided to divorce her husband. What is a great unconventional law firm without a great unconventional letter head?? Click to see better detail.

Review

2006-11-16T11:43:00.000Z

The multi-talented artist Maxine has launched a new website. Check it out here.

Her work is eclectic but my favourite pieces have got to be those inspired by her family. Maxine is someone who doesn't forget birthdays and I find that her attention to detail greets you like a teenager's swollen breasts in a low-cut top. Top work. Top aunt.

Vintage

2006-11-14T00:52:00.000Z

It was the Bristol Vintage Fashion Fair on Sunday. Was a great day looking at amazing things on sale then hanging out with Dr Phil till late.

I bought a funky orange hat.

And a 1940s tweed coat that no one else could fit into (hurrah for short arms!!!)

I don't know what to do with this hat. The lady at the shop said "You might wear it when you go riding with your Lord and Lady". Yeah, what a great suggestion. That is precisely what I shall do.

I also bought a flowery pinafore. The ones women used to wear in the 1930s-40s. Corey thinks the 1960s cape I bought is funny and I should buy a mask so I can really look like a miniature Batman, but Dr Phil thinks it's cool, and Doctor knows best. Corey is just too cool for his school in the swimming pool full of drool.

More photos to come!

Can't touch this

2006-11-10T21:56:00.000Z

'twas a good night out with the MeanGreenMachine who was looking fabulous as always! Whoopdeedoo~ I am looking forward to watching the cute hobbit's band rock out at the Fleece and of course, Charlie Brown and James Binny "I prefer Pierre" Wheelie at Bar Excellence after that!

Hiropon

2006-11-07T20:15:00.000Z

Rasterbate. I did.

Short story

2006-11-07T20:01:00.000Z

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. On the way up, Jack said, “Hurry up, Jill. You’re so slow…”.

“What the hell do you mean hurry up, I’m a lady and it’s my god-given right to take my time! Are you trying to say that I’m fat? Yeah i’ll have you know I am well aware of the fact that I am a bit of a heffer, and things like hills are a bit of a challenge, but you don’t have to be so blunt and mean. No, no, don’t even try to explain yourself. I’ve had enough of you Jack. GOODBYE”.

Jack: “…….”

The next day, after much huffing and puffing, Jill found Jack reading a book under a tree. “Well, what do you have to say for yourself, Jack?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean. If you were a gentleman you would have sent a messenger pigeon round my house with an apology attached with a pink ribbon”
“Ribbons are expensive…God, Jill, we’re in the 17th Century, what’s wrong with you?”
“What do you mean what’s wrong with me?! I’m FINE. You’re the one who owes me an apology!”
“I have nothing to apologise for”
“You hurt my feelings!”
“I don’t really care”
“What?! HOW CAN YOU NOT?!”
“I don’t need to care, it’s not like you’re my girlfriend or anything…”

Jack “fell” down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after.

On the street where I live...

2006-11-05T19:52:00.000Z

I took this while waiting for Charles at 9 in the morning. It was freezing but beautiful. I love mornings and i've realised that i've probably seen the most mornings in a row over the past few months than ever before. I found a place called Fort Lodge behind my house, which is the math building for the University of Bristol. It's got a nice garden. I went in there on a mini adventure today, and i'm going back there in a few days to change the sign on the gate to "FART LODGE - NOW SERVING BEANS".

The evenings change rapidly. I took this picture from my window:

And this one about a minute later:

OMFG

2006-11-02T18:33:00.000Z

Me and Herman Munster have got the same haircut...

Bus Etiquette

2006-11-02T01:22:00.000Z

Kevin and I were discussing english bus etiquette earlier and here are a few rules from which we think there is no escape:

1) When catching a bus always listen to your music and don't ever make eye contact. If you do, you are staring, and this is rude. No, you can't even if you want to be friendly. It is simply unacceptable.

2) When getting on a bus with a friend (it is probably acceptable if in groups) don't ever talk loud enough that people can hear. Silence on the bus is the most important thing. You wouldn't want to be JUDGED now would you?!??!??!?!!

3) Formulate any questions you may want to ask the bus driver beforehand, and make sure they can and will only invite a 'yes' or 'no' answer. For example, say "Do you go to UWE?" instead of "Which route do you take?". Once the driver answers yes or no, grab your change (if you HAVE to break a note - exact change is always more polite) and RUN. DO NOT make small talk. DO NOT ask another question. DO NOT try to make polite conversation. The other passengers will be pissed off if you do and will express their anger through a VERY loud sigh (which will, more often than not, come out as more of a throaty short groan, because if anyone says "HURRY UP BUTTFUCKER!", the negative feelings will immediately be redirected to him/her, therefore the throaty groan is the way to go - just so you know what to expect).

4) If you see a bus parked up at the stop from a distance, your first instinct is obviously to run for it. If you have run like a motherfucker all the way to the stop only to find that the driver is still on a break and none of the passengers have been allowed on the bus, you'll be glad to know that you may not necessarily face abject humiliation. All is not lost. One effective escape is to pretend you were running anyway and pick up the pace so you get to the next stop before the bus does (in the hopes that no one from your original stop remembers you). The "HURRY UP, LOOK LIKE AN ASSHOLE, AND PUT YOUR IPOD ON" escape route also works for some people.

5) If you are sat on one of the side seats, practice clenching your bum to avoid slipping off the seat. Holding the handrail is not cool.

6) When preparing to get off the bus, timing is everything. If you ring the bell too soon, you are a keener, and will forever be regarded as one. The best way is to ring the bell approximately 100 metres from your stop and then get out of your seat and walk to the front of the bus before the driver is ready to brake. If you do not do this, prepare to be launched forward. Not only is this extremely humiliating and un-smooth, but in some extreme cases, passengers on ~~First~~ buses have been known to shoot straight out of the bus through the windscreen (convenient, but lethal).

*to be continued*

HELLAWOON!

2006-11-02T01:06:00.000Z

It is often the case that you forget to take enough photos when you make an enormous effort to dress up. Then you kick yourself in the morning - which is bad when the pain is added to the hangover. Anyway, here are a few we did take. What a great hellawoon!!!!!

For Fiona

2006-10-29T11:16:00.000Z

Till you get here

Happy Birthday Dan!

2006-10-29T09:46:00.001Z

Today is Dan's Birthday or was it yesterday? I would like to dedicate a flanimal to him because he is a fan of Ricky Gervais.

This is the Plamglotis(Taslo Epiglug). Born without feet, it swallows its hands to walk on to find food. Obviously, when it finds food it can't eat it because its mouth is full.

Not that Dan is anything like a Plamglotis, but they are both kinda cute/cool/unusual ;)

Happy Birthday Dan!

2006-10-29T09:46:00.000Z

Today is Dan's Birthday or was it yesterday? I would like to dedicate a flanimal to him because he is a fan of Ricky Gervais.

This is the Plamglotis(Taslo Epiglug). Born without feet, it swallows its hands to walk on to find food. Obviously, when it finds food it can't eat it because its mouth is full.

Not that Dan is anything like a Plamglotis, but they are both kinda cute/cool/unusual ;)

Charles

2006-10-25T19:53:00.000+01:00

This is my ~~gay~~ ~~straight~~ ~~gay~~ ~~straight~~ ~~gay~~ ~~straight~~ ~~gay~~ ~~straight~~ BASTARD FRIEND, Charles.

I think he should always be dressed like this:

He is one of the most English people I know. And I don't care if that means anything to you.

My grandpa told my mom a story when she was little that she told me when I was little. There was once a really fat boy and he was fat because he was lazy. He would never do anything. One day, his parents had to go away for a while without him. "What is he going to eat while we are gone?", wondered his mom. "Who will wash him while we are gone?", said his dad. So after careful planning and calculation, they devised the perfect plan.

"It's genius!", said his mom.
"We've really cracked this one now!", said his dad.
"Yeee haw!", they both said. (Ok, they didn't,really. This was a Malaysian family when I heard the story, but i'm telling it now, so i'm allowed to add cowboy sound effects)

Together, they made the biggest pancake ever. When that was done, they made a hole in the middle, and hung it around the boy's neck (after it cooled, of course. Everyone knows that hot pancake + neck = bad news.)

"Son, while we are away, you eat that pancake. We've hung it around your neck, so you won't have to move if you're hungry. That should keep you going till we get back"

The boy tried to say "Ok", but because he was so fat, what came out sounded something like, "OOOMPHGUUUGHH".

Two days later, they returned to find their son starved to death where they had left him. He had only nibbled at the pancake nearest to his mouth because he was too lazy to move the rest of the pancake.

The moral of the story is, always make giant pancakes that rotate magically if you have a fat and lazy son!!

Anne

2006-10-23T11:20:00.000+01:00

Autumn Leaves

2006-10-22T16:58:00.000+01:00

Winter's almost here. There is a strange crisp flavour in the air. In the mornings, the sky is blue, the sun shines, and the trees cast honest shadows across the fields. Bare trees remind me of crunchy stick snacks from home.

I was at the affordable art fair in London last Thursday. There were some really cool pieces for sale - I wish I had a mansion, loads of money, and an insatiable need to decorate. Instead, I have laundry and dishes to do, and a client interview to prepare for legal process tomorrow.

After boycotting Starbucks for what now feels like an eternity, I decided to get a frappucino this morning (and was instantly reminded of why I made the decision to keep away from that evil green sea monster). Edd, the barista with crazy hair, made me a present. It's a Starbucks Cup Robot Monster.

Well looky here...

2006-10-16T20:35:00.000+01:00

Check it out here

Boys are just a side dish

2006-10-15T17:32:00.000+01:00

My entree is LIFE.

Haircut

2006-10-13T17:25:00.000+01:00

I cut Kevin's hair. And my own.

2006-10-12T00:11:00.000+01:00

I hate subliminal messages.

Flu. Flew. Few.

2006-10-11T21:17:00.000+01:00

Me: I think I have the flu.
Kevin: Yeah?
Me: Yes, I am quite the floozy.
Kevin: ha. ha . ha. ha. haaaa...

During legal process, we ask riddles on our notepads when exercises are boring and I try not to laugh loudly (this results in a screwed up face. An awful mix between constipation and joy - have you ever heard of someone who was happily constipated?)

"Did you hear about the magic tractor? It turned into a field"
"How did Darth Vader know what Luke Skywalker was getting for christmas? He felt his presence"

But yes, I am officially ill. I've been curled up in a ball on my bed pretty much since I got home from uni today. Had some food and then read through Dan and Oliver's blog archives out of interest (I say out of interest, but it was probably more because the mind, possibly due to it being covered in phlegm, sometimes makes you want to do certain things without any apparent reason).

As I skimmed through the months, a lot of things fell into place. I learnt how quickly things had changed in the lives of two of the nicest boys I know, and realised how much I had changed too. It is very different when you're getting to know somebody it in a reverse fashion. It is like putting in a video and pressing play and then rewind. Watching the people go backwards makes you feel like god all of a sudden. You know what is going to happen and you know why it is happening before it has even begun.

But then, I don't know if god knows.

Malaysian Curry

2006-10-10T22:50:00.000+01:00

I was on the phone to Fauz earlier and decided to take a walk. There's a new takeaway on Whiteladies Road and they serve Malaysian Chicken Curry. Or claim to. Can I start by pointing out that I am, above all, passionate about my curry. Let me just say, it is NOT Malaysian Chicken Curry they serve, and i'm gonna go back there and tell them so. It's rubbery crap masquerading as chicken, with lots of salt and lemongrass.

Why am I angry when I should know better than to expect good asian food in England? Because the guy who served me was Malaysian. That's why. You should always look after your own people. If I had been in his boots i'd have told me to get something else. Or refused to charge me.

Fauz was teasing me about flirting with the takeaway guy. As if I would do such a thing....*whistles*

"...And then she took away the takeaway guy! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

*rolls eyes*

I had to do a personality quiz in Legal Process on Monday. After answering about 8000 questions and calculating your score, you could be one of (*ahem* only) four types of people: Activist, Pragmatist, Theorist, or Reflector.

Turns out I am an activist.

My lecturer gave the example of someone trying to put a shelf up to elucidate:

"The activist ignores the instructions, freestyles, ends up with a lopsided shelf, and leaves it as it is"

.....

Turtle Snacks

2006-10-05T11:24:00.000+01:00

Did I tell you i'm not longer an Honest Shark? I got regrouped last Monday and am now in a group with Kevin and Chris, and we are called...

THE NINJA TURTLES!

Turns out Kevin (who also does Forensic Science and Trusts with me so I see him quite a bit during the week) used to play skate hockey, and his housemate skates too so now there are people I can go skating with and people to teach me tricks!

After class yesterday, Anne, Kevin and myself were on the bus to town:

Anne: Do you think I should buy a weekly bus pass?
Me: I say if you're not riding it more than four times a week, you shouldn't commit to anything.
Anne: o_0

And the winners are......

2006-09-29T21:50:00.000+01:00

Those of you who have seen the second Bridget Jones movie might recall the law ball quiz night scene.

This year i'm doing a module called Legal Process. We were put into groups, and I am in a group called ....

THE HONEST SHARKS

God help me.

Roman Holiday

2006-09-28T18:06:00.000+01:00

Stretchhhh
Originally uploaded by The June.

I'm back after a break to Rome. I love travelling on my own. I've met some truly amazing people, and seen some breathtaking views. The only thing I continue to worry about is how the motor in me keeps running. I switch the power off when I go off on breaks so I can cool down, but every time I come back, I know I can expect an over heating soon. It's like the hamster who didn't stop running on his exercise wheel and eventually died of a heart attack. Incidentally, my hamster also died of a heart attack, but that was due to a lethal combination of obesity and heartache (Bacon died shortly after I left for the UK - I had tears in my eyes when I heard the news. I was barely moved when my grandfather died).

3 weeks before i'm allowed to skate again. On the morning I was supposed to leave for Rome, I couldn't get out of bed and had to be taken to hospital. The NHS in England are rubbish so you have to pretend to be REALLY ill if you want to be seen. Cyrene put me in a wheelchair and made me OW my way into the minor accidents unit. Turned out I messed up my lower back badly from landing on my bum too much and being run over by a bicycle. I need a new back.

Skate skate skate skate skate

2006-09-12T14:25:00.000+01:00

Because this is a skate post, it deserves a different font/colour. I've been skating by the Lloyds building in Bristol. Millenium Square is always filled with people so it's a bit annoying, but back by the parking lots and across from the SS Great Britain is amazing to skate on because it's smooth pavements all the way. Well..ok..maybe not ALLLLLL the way, but you know..

I was also skating all over the downs on Sunday. There are breathtaking views of the Suspension Bridge from one spot but I found it ironic because as you skated towards it, the path got smoother, so that meant you could go faster and miss it altogether if you were going too fast. But then again I don't think you could miss it ALTOGETHER... and there probably isn't such a thing as going TOO fast...

This is what I am on about.

Life is good =)

Meep meep!

2006-09-05T15:45:00.000+01:00

The shop I work at has got large glass windows through which you can watch the people go by. It's a busy street and occasionally, the sun shines through the clouds and casts beautiful shadows on the old buildings outside. Inside I am a road runner. I am always tempted to move really near my boss, go MEEP MEEP! and take off. I also feel like Spongebob because I work with Squidward at the Krusty Krab. Mr Krab is currently on holiday so I have changed the music from "Shop Music CD 1" to "Fat Boy Slim's Greatest Hits".

There sits a big plant where once was a lovely gap for a perfect view of the street. Sitting at the desk one might feel safe because the people outside can't see you as well, but to me it is a kind of oppression. When light bounces off the shiny cars and into the corner of my eyes, it is like eating in front of the famished.

Happy days

2006-08-21T22:39:00.000+01:00

Happy days
Originally uploaded by The June.

Yeah i've been AWOL. I've been without the internet since I moved house. Checking emails has been a luxury at cafes/work/etc.

I've made friends with the boys downstairs and been hanging out with them. Pinching their wireless now. I used to go into detail whenever people asked me why I haven't got internet in my flat, but now i just tell them there is a dam in the broadband river because I am just so sick of not being able to do anything about it.

I'm going to keep this short. Too tired from working and partying day in and day out. More photos to come.

Jitters

2006-07-25T19:27:00.000+01:00

Well look what's happened now..

I'm flying back to London tomorrow morning. I didn't manage to get a different flight because apparently all the flights are fully booked from now till the end of September. This means three things:

a) There are too many people flying to London - even the waiting list is full.
b) If I don't go now, I can't get back in time for when term begins.
c) Because i'm having to fly back so early, I can't do my placement.

The lawyer I was supposed to be working for was really cool. We met and he asked me what I wanted to do (even though I couldn't even remember exactly what modules I had done over the past two years when he asked). He asked me how long I wanted to work, and said whatever period of time that was, it would be the same amount of time he would spend ignoring me so it didn't really matter. He also said to buy a black jacket because he would take me to court the next day. When I rang him to tell him I wouldn't be doing the placement after all he said "Do you still wanna come along to court tomorrow? You still have a day before your flight". I declined because I needed time to pack. I told him I would ring him the next time I was back in KL and he said "Yeah cool you can do it then."

He lines up all his pens and highlighters on his desk, but he doesn't colour code them. He has a brand spanking shiny new LCD screen, but an old school mouse. He has chinese antiques all over his office, and in the meeting room, he has a really cool chinese chair at the head of the table. Like a throne, almost. Like this, but a lot cooler :

Maybe they're not all bad. Seems like an interesting character and someone i'd like to work with.

My sister(Boo) was talking to my little brother (Adrian) about circumcision earlier:

Adrian: You're not a man if you're circumcised!
Boo: Oh yeah? Well your appointment is this Saturday so I guess you're not going to be much of a man after that.

The poor boy actually started crying and thinking of lots of things that could go wrong, much to our amusement. He said the anesthetist might poke the needle through his penis and mess it up forever. We're all hypochondriacs in this family. I hope he's not still mad at me in three hours. He ran off in a huff after I told him it was a joke, and his appointment was really NEXT Saturday... I'm going to miss the little bugger. He's such a sweet kid. He's the (little) man of my life.

I can never sleep the night before a flight, I worry about what I haven't packed and if my passport has expired, even if i've checked three times that it hasn't and even though it's not possible for a passport to expire, when its expiry date is two years in the future, three hours after the last check.

Pirate

2006-07-21T19:11:00.000+01:00

Today I watched Pirates of the Caribbean 2 with my sister. I really enjoyed the movie, but I think if I had to write a review it wouldn't be very good because I love Johnny Depp. No, seriously. I LOVE Johnny Depp. I would pay to watch that man read the phone book for two hours...

This is probably what my review would look like:

Pirates of the Caribbean 2! What. A. Great. Film! Johnny Depp is possibly the world's sexiest pirate. Not that I have met many pirates. Or any at all, for that matter. But anyway, lets go back to talking about Johnny Depp. I thought Keira Knightley was rubbish and the kiss was a publicity stint. No woman should kiss Johnny Depp on (or off) screen. It ruins the ultimate fantasy of every woman (and some men). Or most women - lest we forget those who remain loyal Brad Pitt fans. Captain Jack Sparrow, soaking wet in pirate gear, makes Mr Darcy (Colin Firth in Pride & Prejudice- also soaking wet) look like dried up piece of cabbage rotting away in the fridge. Oh, and I guess the other people in the film were okay as well because they stayed out of focus, or behind Johnny Depp for the most part (except Orlando Bloom and bloody Keira Knightley).

Unfortunately, I needed to wee really badly somewhere in the middle of the movie and couldn't find the loo, then got lost going back to cinema 13. I must've missed a good 10 minutes of the show because when I got back to my seat, James Norrington whathisface was being thrown into a pigsty because Keira Knightley and her friends had beaten the crap out of him for some reason.

Dear God, Jesus, Allah, Buddha,

If there's going to be a Mr Right, please let him look like Johnny Depp. Thanks.

-June

In a different part of the multifarious life that I lead, I am starting a work placement with a local law firm. Over the past six months, I have been stressing myself out applying to do placements at law firms to no avail. Recently, I asked my father if he knew any law firms who would take me and two days later, he said "You start on Monday". This means I am staying longer in Malaysia. Yar!

Piano

2006-07-18T20:58:00.000+01:00

Piano
Originally uploaded by The June.

After her organ teacher left today, I taught Yang Yang a different approach to playing the song. Her teacher reminded me of my own many years ago before I stopped playing - it was never really about enjoying the music, it was just getting it right, and passing the exam. Pretty accurate description of my life, actually.

But I digress. She didn't really want to play anymore because she was pretty frustrated after the lesson but I told her to listen to the beat carefully, and start playing when she was ready. It was pretty cool when she "got it" and it became really obvious that she was enjoying herself. Then my mom rang and said they had bought a piano and it was arriving in half an hour. So now we have a piano. I wanted to start playing jazz piano earlier this year, but it didn't work out, mainly because I didn't have a piano. It's a beautiful Yamaha UX and sounds brilliant. I'm having fun teaching myself the basics (very different to the organ). Finally, my dusty copy of "Easy to play Norah Jones" (bought back when I thought I was going to be the next big thing in the jazz world) will be of some use...

At night, this is my...

2006-07-18T19:57:00.000+01:00

At night, this is my...
Originally uploaded by The June.

I'm back at my parents' house in KL and I've figured out why I like staying up at night. It's much too noisy for my sanity during the day. It's also cooler at night time. I have grown up in KL but since moving to the UK two years ago, humidity+heat+noisy house = irateJune. I don't even mind the cold in the UK as much. Some have described KL as too much of a good thing, weather wise. Well, SOME are wrong. If it were only sunshine, that would be a different story. But it is, in fact, polluted air, heat, and humidity. I rest my case.

Anyway, the noise. There are 5 kids in the house if you include me. When back here, I am on summer break, but everyone else goes to school in the morning. My dad is up at 5am every day for his morning run, and my mom is up at 6 because the kids have to go to school. I go to sleep around that time. My parents are fans of flourescent lights but I prefer orange lamps. They're more relaxing. We have both in the hall so when everyone goes to sleep, I transform the hall and do my thing.