Concert List:

2003
○ Bryan Adams w/ Diesel :: 1st February 2003 @ Rod Laver Arena

2005
○ Bryan Adams w/ Shannon Noll :: 9th March 2005 @ Rod Laver Arena
○ Green Day w/ My Chemical Romance + Jimmy Eat World :: 17th December 2005 @ Telstra Dome

2006
○ Rob Thomas w/ The Hamptons :: 14th February 2006 @ Rod Laver Arena
○ The Living End w/ End of Fashion + Red Riders :: 22nd September 2006 @ The Palace
○ Panic! At The Disco w/ Kisschasy + Something With Numbers :: 7 October 2006 @ Festival Hall
○ The White Room w/ Diabetic Bunnies, Dismay, Cryptic Simplicity + Ends In Tourment :: 27th October 2006 @ Epping Memorial Hall
○ Cosmic Nomads w/ Uncle Chunk + Upper Hand :: 3rd November 2006 @ Cornish Arms
○ Antiskeptic, Grand Fatal, Trial Kennedy, Tiltmeter + Goodnight Nurse w/ Don't Ask Us, Nazarite Vow, The Gingers, Opaque and Fleabane :: 2nd December 2006 @ TLC
○ Tiltmeter w/ Burn The City, Forgiven Rival + Fish Fingazz :: 8th December 2006 @ The Evelyn
○ Sunk Loto w/ Vanden + Sydonia :: 9th December 2006 @ The Evelyn
○ Mach Pelican w/ Bagster, Stealing O'Neal, Fire Underground, The Marx + This War :: 16th December 2006 @ Prahran Town Hall
○ Mammal w/ Vanden + Fading Hour :: 22nd December 2006 @ Peninsula Lounge, Moorooduc
○ Pyramid Rock Festival [The Living End, Silverchair, Something With Numbers, Mammal, Bushido, Ugly Duckling, Xavier Rudd, Evermore, End of Fashion, The Freestylers, The Grates, The Beautiful Girls, Faker, Lior, Karnivool, TZU, True Live, Ash Grunwald, The Josh Owen Band] :: 29th December 2006 - 1st January 2007 @ Pyramid Rock, Phillip Island

Total: 12

2007
○ Tiltmeter w/ Sumi :: 6th January 2007 @ Bang!
○ The Currency w/ Coue Method + Donnie (Blueline Medic) :: 18th January @ Northcote Social Club
○ Bodyjar w/ The Gingers + Nursery Crimes :: 19th January 2007 @ Evelyn
○ Punk-A-Billy III [Platform Orange, Amphetish, The Runaway Boys, The Dirty Mits + The Vaudevillians] :: 21st January 2007 @ The Tote
○ Race the Fray w/ An Undying Day In Orbit, The Jades + Day On Fire :: 25th January 2007 @ Pony
○ Mr Coffee w/ Spent Shells, The Jerks , Bittersweet Kicks + This Way :: 26th January 2007 @ The Arthouse
○ Big Day Out [My Chemical Romance, Trivium, Sick Puppies, Tool, Muse, Jet, The Killers, John Butler Trio, Eskimo Joe, Scribe, Evermore, The Butterfly Effect, Afra and Incredible Beatbox Band + Violent Femmes] :: 28th January 2007 @ Princes Park South, Carlton North
○ My Chemical Romance w/ Another Day Down :: 29th January 2007 @ Festival Hall
○ Trivium w/ Drift Point :: 30th January 2007 @ The Palace
○ Mammal w/ Seven + Great Southern Electrics :: 2nd February 2007 @ The Evelyn
○ Evanescence w/ Shihad :: 10th February 2007 @ Vodafone Arena
○ St Kilda Festival [Bliss N Eso, Dallas Crane, Airbourne, Regurgitator, The Audreys, Blue King Brown, Mick Thomas & The Sure Thing + Custom Kings] :: 11th February 2007 @ St Kilda
○ Maroondah Festival [The Getaway Plan, Closure In Moscow, Juliets End, Forgiven Rival, Behind Mine, The Scene Conspiracy + Redrum] :: 18th February 2007 @ Croydon Park
○ Saltar Hype Launch [Seven, Rook, Vanden, Dead Letter Circus + Sleep Parade] :: 23rd February 2007 @ The HiFi Bar
○ Deftones w/ Thrice, Eighteen Visions + Flyleaf :: 28th February 2007 @ Festival Hall
○ +44 w/ Unwritten Law, Juliett and the Licks + As Tall As Lions :: 1st March 2007 @ Festival Hall
○ The White Room w/ Freestate, Armageddon Sky + Geek Love :: 2nd March 2007 @ The Evelyn
○ Fall Out Boy w/ Trial Kennedy + Avalon Drive :: 7th March 2007 @ Vodafone Arena
○ Pushover 2007 [Silverchair, Something For Kate, Behind Crimson Eyes, Karnivool, The Spazzys, Bliss N Eso, Horsell Common, Trial Kennedy, Children Collide, Mammal, Angela's Dish + Fire Underground] :: 10th March 2007 @ Shed 4, Docklands
○ The Porkers w/ Mister Coffee, Los Capitanes, This War + This Train :: 16th March 2007 @ The Espy, Front Bar
○ Bushido w/ Superb Lyrebird, Why Valerie..? + Artinam :: 23rd March 2007 @ Ding Dong
○ The Runaway Boys w/ The Vaudervillians, Amphetish + Burlesque Dancers Miss Rosy Rabbit and Mis L'Amour :: 24th March 2007 @ The Spanish Club
○ Geelong Invasion Tour [The Butterfly Effect, Behind Crimson Eyes, The White Room, Repeat Offender, The Jades, Armageddon Sky, The Red Shore, The Third Cycle, One Year Past, Lost Order, Intrepid, Vendetta, Veil of Anguish, A Stolen Myth, Red Arrow Black Shirt, Small Town Stories, Front Counter, Tremedy, Silhouette, The New E and Antagonize] :: 31st March 2007 @ The Arena, North Geelong
○ The Matches w/ Fifty Sixx + In Fiction :: 6th April 2007 @ East Brunswick Club
○ New Found Glory w/ The Audition + Stealing O'neal :: 8th April 2007 @ The Palace
○ Billy Talent w/ City on Fire :: 25th April 2007 @ The Corner Hotel
○ P!nk w/ The Androids :: 26th May 2007 @ Rod Laver Arena
○ 30 Second to Mars w/ Angela's Dish :: 2nd May 2007 @ Festival Hall
○ Vanden w/ Tiltmeter + Calling All Cars :: 12th May 2007 @ Rob Roy
○ The Used w/ Take 21 + The Getaway Plan :: 26th May 2007 @ Festival Hall
○ Zombie Ghost Train w/ The Wrath, Yidcore + The No Nos :: 2nd June 2007 @ The Espy, Front Bar
○ The White Room [Plunja] w/ Sender :: 6th July 2007 @ Barwon Club, Geelong
○ Sum 41 + Yellowcard w/ The Hot Lies :: 4th August 2007 @ Metro
○ Responder + Celadore :: 1st September @ Fist2Face, Ringwood
○ Juke Kartel w/ Missfire + Wonderland :: 1st September @ The Espy, Front Bar
○ Unpaid Debt w/ Spent Shells, Not Quite Right, Screwtop Detonators + Angry Kid :: 21st September @ The Arthouse
○ Fall Out Boy w/ Gyroscope + Jacks Mannequin :: 28rd September 2007 @ Festival Hall
○ Dopamine [Acoustic] w/ Tiltmeter + Front Counter :: 7th October @ Fist2Face, Ringwood
○ Linkin Park w/ Chris Cornell :: 14th October 2007 @ Rod Laver Arena
○ Ben Lee w/ Lisa Mitchell + Wons Phreely :: 20th October 2007 @ Peninsula Lounge
○ Taste of Chaos [The Used, Rise Against, Aiden, Gallows, The Bled, Carpathian, Front Counter + Drop Dead, Gorgeous] :: 23rd October 2007 @ Vodafone Arena
○ Bodyjar "We're All Here Anyway" w/ Burn The City, Daughters of The Rich + An Undying Day In Orbit :: 27th October 2007 @ The Arthouse
○ The Age EG Awards [The Living End w/ Nic Cester, Claire Bowditch, Angie Hart, Joe Camilleri, Steve Lucas, Augie March + Darling Downs] :: 30th November 2007 @ Price of Wales Bandroom
○ My Chemical Romance w/ Circa Survive + The Getaway Plan :: 1st December @ Rod Laver Arena
○ Mammal w/ The Upper Hand + Each Revolving Door :: 14th December 2007 @ Ruby's Lounge
○ Mammal w/ .hinge + Freestate :: 26th December 2007 @ Northcote Social Club
○ Pyramid Rock Festival [The Matches, Kisschasy, You Am I, Grinspoon, Sneaky Sound System, The Cat Empire, Mammal, Hilltop Hoods, Shihad, That 1 Guy, Young & Restless, Howling Bells, Cog, Blue King Brown, Wolf & Cub, Kora, British India, The Exploders, Horsell Common, Bluejuice, Damn Arms, The Audreys, Dallas Frasca + Loren] :: 29th December 2007 - 1st January 2008 @ Pyramid Rock, Phillip Island

Total: 47

2008
○ St. Kilda Festival [The Living End "The Longnecks", Stealing O' Neal, Operator Please, [Dallas Frasca, True Live, The Hoodoo Gurus, The Band Who Know Too Much, Anna Moot and the Manna Oots, The Currency + Direct Influence] :: 10th February 2008 @ St. Kilda Beach
○ Maroondah Festival [The Living End "The Longnecks", Vanessa Amorosi, Best Before, British India] :: 17th February 2008 @ Maroondah
○ The Matches w/ Dardanelles + Reptiles :: February 2008 @ The East Brunswick Hotel
○ Soundwaves Festival 2008 [The Offspring, Incubus, Killswitch Engage, Thursday, As I Lay Dying, Motion City Soundtrack, Alexisonfire, Saosin, Plain White T's, Jim Ward (Sparta), Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Boy Like Girls, Cartel, Mindless Self Indulgence, Shadows Fall, Mewithoutyou, The Dear Hunter, Bleeding Through, Carpathian, Sugarcult, Arthur "Ace" Enders (Early November), All Time Low, From Autumn To Ashes, The Starting Line, Dan Nigro (As Tall As Lions), Kevin Devine, Mae, The Receiving End Of Sirens, Still Remains, Socratic, Divine Heresy, Envy On The Coast, Haste The Day, Madina Lake, The Matches, My American Heart, Halifax, Fall Of Troy] :: February 29th 2008 @ Melbourne Showgrounds
○ Mammal w/ Freestate + My Secret Circus :: 14th March 2008 @ Ruby's Lounge
○ HIM w/ McQueen :: 27th March 2008 @ Festival Hall
○ Matchbox 20 w/ Thirsty Merc :: 10th April 2008 @ Rod Laver Arena
○ Korn w/ Biohazard, Chimaira, Throwdown + Bloodsimple :: 18th April 2008 @ Vodafone Arena
○ The Modern Legion w/ Geek Love, Front Counter + Dora Ma :: May 2nd 2008 @ The Royal Melbourne Hotel
○ Helmet w/ Lady Strangelove + Amphetame :: 3rd May 2008 @ HiFi Bar
○ Bullet For My Valentine + Avenged Sevenfold w/ Atreyu + Behind Crimson Eyes :: May 10th 2008 @ Festival Hall
○ Frankenbok w/ Tinman, Death Audio + Sons of Abraham :: 16th May 2008 @ Ruby's Lounge
○ Juke Kartel w/ Jaded Season, Geek Love + Simon Rand [JNOM] [acoustic] :: 23rd May 2008 @ The Greyhound Hotel, St. Kilda
○ Mammal w/ TE + Sydonia + Tinman :: 21st June 2008 @ Hi-Fi Bar & Ballroom
○ Something With Numbers w/ Reptiles + Responder :: 5th July 2008 @ East Brunswick Club
○ The Red Paintings :: 24th July 2008 @ Hi Fi Bar
○ Panic! At The Disco w/ The Academy Is..., Cobra Starship + The Black And White :: 23rd August 2008 @ Rod Laver Arena
○ Mammal :: 30th August 2008 @ Rare Records, St. Kilda
○ Horsell Common w/ Freestate, Responder + Ashley's Affair :: 5th September 2008 @ The HiFi Bar and Ballroom
○ Disturbed w/ P.O.D., Alterbridge + Behind Crimson Eyes :: 6th September 2008 @ Festival Hall
○ The Matches w/ Calerway + Goodnight Combat Fighter. :: 13th September 2008 @ The Corner Hotel
○ Mammal w/ .hinge + Engine Three Seven:: 19th September 2008 @ The Corner Hotel
○ The Living End w/ Children Collide + The Silents :: 2nd Oct 2008 @ Queensbridge
○ Grazzhopper Festival 08 [Grinspoon, Faker, Shihad, Operator Please, Dukes of Windsor, Bluejuice, The Galvatrons, Vandalism, Mammal, Muph & Plutonic, Trial Kennedy, Young & Restless, Horsell Common, The Modern Legion, Phrase, Dirty Laundry, Scientists of Modern Music, Freestate, MM9, Calling All Cars, Repeat Offender, The Third Cycle + Dora Mah] :: 4th Oct 2008 @ Beckley Park, Geelong
○ Juke Kartel :: 10th October 2008 @ Prince of Wales
○ Seether w/ Juke Kartel :: 4th November 2008 @ HiFi Bar and Ballroom
○ Something With Numbers w/ City Riots + Skybombers :: 14th November 2008 @ The Corner Hotel
○ Juke Kartel w/ Freestate, Famous by Association + Geek Love :: 29th November 2008 @ HiFi Bar and Ballroom
○ Tripod :: 4th December 2008 @ The Corner Hotel
○ Mammal w/ Chaos Radio :: 26th December 2008 @ Mynt Lounge, Werribee
○ Pyramid Rock Festival [The Living End, The Black Keys, Morcheeba, Cut Copy, Mammal, Midnight Juggernauts, Karnivool, Gyroscope, The Herd, Birds of Tokyo, Twelve Foot Ninja, The Getaway Plan, Muph and Plutonic, Ladyhawke, Stars, Bob Evans, The Mess Hall, Children Collide, Behind Crimson Eyes, The Paper Scissors + Yves Klien Blue] :: 29th December 2008 - 1st January 2009 @ Pyramid Rock, Phillip Island
○ Ezekiel Ox and The Fury w/ Jericco, Bellusira + Twelve Foot Ninja :: 9th January 2009 @ The Espy, Front Bar
○ Birds of Tokyo w/ From The Ashes :: 14th January 2009 @ The HiFi
○ Juke Kartel w/ Rock City + Stone Parade :: 18th January 2009 @ Ruby's Lounge
○ Marty Casey w/ Jaded Season + Jonny No Mercy :: 24th January 2009 @ Spencers Live
○ Big Day Out [Neil Young, The Arctic Monkeys, The Prodigy, My Morning Jacket, The Living End, Dropkick Murphys, Sneaky Sound System, Mammal, Pendulum, Bullet for My Valentine, The Butterfly Effect, Pendulum, Trial Kennedy, TV on the Radio, Simian Mobile Disco, The Ting Tings, Tiki Taane,Cut Copy, Cog, Youth Group, The Grates, Birds Of Tokyo, TZU, Eddy Current Suppression Ring] :: 26th January 2009 @ Flemmington Racecourse, Melbourne
○ Anna Salen w/ Sleepever + Life to Order :: 5th February 2009 @ The Espy, Basement
○ Fall Out Boy w/ The All-American Rejects + Hey Monday :: 18th February 2009 @ Rod Laver Arena
○ Billy Talent w/ Emery, Bedouin Soundclash + I Am The Avalanche :: 25th February 2009 @ The Hi-Fi Bar & Ballroom
○ Soundwave Festival 2009 [Nine Inch Nails, Alice In Chains, Bloodhound Gang, Lamb Of God, Alkaline Trio, Billy Talent, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Underoath, Jack's Mannequin, Face To Face, In Flames, Rival Schools, Anberlin, Everytime I Die, Devildriver, Funeral For A Friend, Less Than Jake, Poison The Well, Madina Lake, New Found Glory, From First To Last, Bedouin, Soundclash, Hellogoodbye, All That Remains, Forever The Sickest Kids, Finch, Goldfinger, Say Anything, Chiodos, Silverstien, Saves The Day, Lacuna Coil, 36 Crazyfists, Straylight Run, Evergreen Terrace, Munus The Bear, Moneen, Ace Enders (The Early November), I Am The Avalanche, Jaguar Love, Unearth, Bayside, Emery, Houston Calls, The Audition, Attack In Black, Innerpartysystem, Valencia, Alesana, The Riverboat Gamblers, Horse The Band Stealing O'Neal, + Maylene & Sons Of Disaster] :: 27th February 2009 @ Melbourne Showgrounds
○ Musicians Against Police Violence [MAPV] - Joelistics, Ezekiel Ox & The Fury, Bellusira, Fading Hour, Dave Thornton :: 28th February 2009 @ Ding Dong Lounge
○ Push Over 2009 [Parkway Drive, Something With Numbers, Behind Crimson Eyes, Children Collide, Dukes of Windsor, Mammal, Kate Miller-Heidke, Funkoars, Pez, Labjacd, Cassette Kids, Confession, The Abandonment, The Temper Trap, MM9, Dash and Will, Polo Club, House vs. Hurricane, The Paper and The Plane, City Riots, Cry Murder, The Bright Star Alliance] :: Sunday 8th March @ The Abbotsford Convent
○ Birds of Tokyo w/ Trial Kennedy :: 14th March 2009 @ Billboard The Venue
○ Sound Relief [Augie March, Bliss N Eso with Paris Wells, Gabriella Cilmi, Hunters & Collectors, Kasey Chambers & Shane Nicholson with Troy Cassar-Daley, Jack Johnson, Jet, Kings Of Leon, Liam Finn, Midnight Oil, Paul Kelly, Split Enz + Wolfmother] :: 14th March 2009 @ The MCG
○ Biffy Clyro w/ The Skybombers :: 24th March 2009 @ HiFi Bar & Ballroom
○ Earth Hour [Nic Cester (Jet), TChris Cheney (The Living End), Kram (Spiderbait), Ash Naylor (Even/Paul Kelly), Renee Geyer, Paris Wells, Vika & Linda, Wally Meanie (The Meanies), Matt Cotter (Even) Bruce Haymes, Augie March, Axle Whitehead + Jessica Malboy :: 28th March 2009 @ Federation Square
○ Moonee Valley Youth Festival [British India, Mammal, Kram, Phrase, Pez, Jess McAvoy, Matt Kelly & The Keepers, Twelve Foot Ninja, Jericco, Bellusira, MZ Ann Thropik, Rainbird, Trash Ivory, The Anvilles + Lemonsmile] :: 5th April 2009 @ Queens Park, Moonee Ponds
○ Mindless Self Indulgence w/ The Red Paintings :: 8th April 2009 @ Billboard
○ Bazaar [Mammal, Trial Kennedy, Dukes of Windsor, Rook, Jericco, InVolume + Ownkind :: 9th April 2009 @ Ferntree Gully Hotel

Total: 111

Upcoming gigs:

○ The Living End w/ Gyroscope + Tame Impala :: 15th May 2009 @
○ P!nk :: 30/31st May 2009 @ Rod Laver Arena

I've posted the missing answers to the Lyric Meme. Also updated my icon journal with various stuffs. I finally finished all 100 Wolverine icons for that icon challenge. And now I am so over X-men. If I never see another X-men icon it will only be too soon. I've made something like 200 icons. Yeah, I wont be taking up another claim.

There's not a lot happening at this moment in time. Naturally, I haven't stopped watching The Living End DVD. I'm slowly but surely converting everyone in my household into a The Living End fan. Not hard, they are the greatest Australian band EVER, after all. XD
I love the fact that I have an obsession now. For a few weeks before the concert I was pretty much bored with everything. Now I'm back to needing to hear a certain band at every second of the day. It's awesome.

Also, if anyone knows of a program I can download that will enable me to cap DVDs that doesn't require having sound to work, it would be muchly appreciated. I'm so desperate to cap this TLE DVD, but I can't play it on my computer because it wont let me due to my lacking soundage.

What else... oh, I won the MiGNews competition, the graphics portion, which I'm rapt about. And hey, that's the first comp I've won that has a real prize. I won a demo CD and a 'secret prize'. No idea what it is. I'll find out once it arrives. They also asked me if I could help them with the graphics for their site. LOL. I didn't realise the contest was a job application, too.

Mum keeps saying things like 'maybe that's your calling'. She seems to be investing a lot of effort lately into dissuading me from my current career choice and towards the art/writing area.

Going to see Panic! At The Disco on Saturday, I can hardly wait. I have a party the following Friday. While I can't wait to see certain people, there are others I'd rather not speak to. Can't really avoid them then, though. Oh well. Then there's
Got asked out last night. At 1:30 in the morning, in fact. That alone was reason enough for me to say no. Sheesh.
We have a lorikeet now. One more addition to the menagerie. The best part is that we're not allowed to have any pets. Mum has named him Mobile, which is a shit name. It's because he's learnt to perfectly imitate the phone. He also bites. Hard. very protective of his food. And just doesn't seem to like mum. Probably because of the shit name she gave him.

Can you tell I'm struggling for topics? Ehh, I have dance class tonight, maybe that'll give me something to talk about that isn't band-related.

***Thought for today: If you don't go where you want to go when you do go you'll find you've gone.

There's not a great deal to say...

My Chemical Romance friended me back on MySpace today. Friending them was the whole reason I joined it in the first place. A little late jumping on the MCR MySpace band wagon, but my mission is accomplished at any length.

This weekend I'm at my dads. I leave in roughly 10 minutes. This weekend Carlton vs. Essendon - dad's team. It'll be on for young and old. WW3. Bring it. :D It'll be a good match. Nothing but pride on the line. Equally matched teams. Looking forward to it. And if we lose, we beat them last time so I have that to bring up.
I was gonna go to the match this weekend, I was gonna pay for dad and Sarah to come. But due to a Centrelink stuff up I haven't been paid yet, so there goes that idea.

And on that topic, I tried to change my timetable so I could still watch Carlton train on a Wednesday. Couldn't do it. I could still make the end of it if I leave straight away. I really shouldn't be skipping lectures. :/

We have a cross trainer now. This is good. I have been going a little overboard with my exercise regime, but oh well. Perhaps I'm a little addicted to that sensation of having worked out so hard that you almost can't walk. I'm weird, I know.

I was reading on the forum that MiG is covering Green Day's Wake Me Up When September Ends. Every fibre in my body is not happy about it, and I tried putting my finger on it when replying to the post, but I'm not sure if I hit the nail on the head. All I know is the second I read it there was this huge sinking feeling, and I'm feeling a lot less compelled to buy the album, even though I know I will the second the album is out. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that it was written about Billie Joe's dad and I don't think anyone but he should sing it, perhaps I just can't imagine anyone but Billie singing it, perhaps it's because I'm such a huge Green Day fan I just have that possesive no-one-should-ever-cover-their-songs thing. I'm not sure. I just really don't want to ever hear it.

It's amazing how much has changed since last Friday. It's been an emotional roller coaster. So many lives have been altered, changed forever, ended, begun. It's amazing the difference a week can make.

***Thought for today: The achievement of one goal should be the starting point of another.

John and Ash got kicked out of the Big Brother house. I'm disappointed, I liked both of them. The program and Channel 10 are refusing to comment. This could mean one of two things - either they're saving it for the show tonight, or if it's in the hands of the police they wont be allowed to comment. Rumours are that they held a girl down on the bed, possibly Camilla, and tried to sexually assault her. A joke that went too far?
I feel bad for Jamie, he's lost another two of his closest friends. Apparently there's people calling for the show to be axed. Blah blah.
Definitely the biggest/most serious thing that's happened in the entirety of the show.

Not helping my mood is the knowledge that the biggest game in the VFL this year is being played right now and no one is covering it. This will decide whether my boys or Sandringham will have top stop on the VFL ladder, considering Sandringham haven't had their second bye yet. You'd think out of all the radio stations and all the channels on pay TV someone would be showing it.
I spose I just have to wait for them to update the site. Grr.
It would be half time now. I have nervous butterflies.

Dad called earlier and has insisted on taking me to the doctors. I don't like going to the doctors, mainly because they tell me the same thing every time and I feel like a complete whinger.
Whatever it is, it wasn't what I had last time. Day 3's symptoms are different to those which eventuated last time. My glands weren't swollen last time, they are now. Perhaps I've caught a different strain this time. *shrugs*
I'm so pathetic when I feel this bad. Not in the sooky, mother-me way that guys are when they get sick. But in the way that I'll shove anything in my mouth that might make me feel better. Codral? In it goes. Vitamin C tablets? Them too. Lets try the Sudafed next. Soothers are good. Vicks is worth a shot. Healthy food. Chicken soup, that sounds nice and get-better-ish. Heat pack, rug up, hot shower. Sweat it out. Hell, why don't we just try to smoke it out while we're at it. Tell me it will make me better and I'll try it. Only problem is I've run out of every kind of tablet I had left over from last time. Possibly a bad idea to mix medication, I don't know if having two different brands on two different days is dangerous, but oh well.

I'm very apathetic right now.

Gobstoppers are yummy. I know they're not helping, but damn they taste good. Addictive buggers.

***Thought for today: If the going is real easy, beware, you may be headed down hill.

It seemed like we've waited for this day forever. In reality it was a week of knowing we would finally be meeting face to face on the 17th. A few weeks knowing we would at some stage around this time. In retrospect, it's probably been longer wanting to, wondering if the unlikely opportunity would ever arise for us to do so. Together we're spread across 3 of Australia's states. Half the states on the mainland. Getting us all into the same place in one state was never going to be simple, if not just finding the moolah to travel, finding the time would always be an obstacle. But everything seemed to fall into place this weekend, perhaps a little too easily. After a night of little sleep owed mainly to excitement and a dash of nerves, for me at least, Steph, Emma, Laura and I were finally able to meet in person.

I was worried I was going to be late after the bastards lovely people at Connex cancelled my train. Turns out I arrived at about the same time as Steph. Being a total lazy bum, I hopped on the tram and headed for the now famous 'skinny men' where we had planned to meet. It had barely begun to move when I got a call from Steph asking where I was. She'd just arrived at Flinders, with Fryzie who had to be there so Steph wouldn't be killed and to meet everyone, too. She told me to get off the tram. Lol. Moving. Run that unlikely scene in your head. She said I'd have to meet Emma by myself. It occurred to me that I didn't have the faintest idea what she looked like, the only visual association I had with her is blue font, and I was very sure she wasn't blue. So I doubled back to meet them on the steps of Flinders. We walked to Bourke Street, stopping once at Maccas cause Fryzie was hungry, the whole time getting the countdown from Steph. '3 more blocks... 2 more blocks... 1 more block!' The skinny men came into view, I was trying not to grin like a Cheshire cat, but I hadn't spotted Emma and Laura. It was only when Steph grabbed me and exclaimed 'look, there they are, they've already met!' and suggested we stay where we were that I saw them sitting on the bench engrossed in conversation. Excitement. Nerves. Excitement! Nerves! Nearly exploded. That would have been attractive. We walked up to them and then it was hugs all round. And some almost-tears on Emma and Steph's part. I realised then how major it was for those two best friends.

And so after much excited/nervous [yes, those two words are going to be overused] laughter, greetings and quick convo we made our way to our first destination - Starbucks. I didn't even know it was there until yesterday. The coffee connoisseurs in Emma and Laura got whatever coffee-type drinks they got, Fryzie got a latte too, Steph and I steered clear of the coffee. I stuck with the half finished Iced Coffee I had in my bag. While we were waiting in the ‘latte-line’, Steph disappeared upstairs to see what was up there. When she didn't come back we decided we should probably go up too. We found her sitting at a table and all sat around too.

It was a lot to take in. Never at any stage did it feel uncomfortable, it felt really natural. There wasn't ever I time where we lapsed into this giant uncomfortable silence. Once we got over the hard part of actually meeting each other, which actually wasn't that hard, it was all easy sailing from there. Although there was the feeling of meeting Emma and Laura for the first time, there was also still the feeling of knowing/talking to them for over a year. Yeah, it was great. There was much random chatter, even more laughter, even some horoscopes in there. And then out of the corner of your eye you'd see Laura with the camera. Emma and I were trying to hide. She's evil, she really is.

After a while we headed to Target to get some grundies for Steph, a sheep statue thingo copped some inappropriate treatment from Ryan, then we walked around some. Never stopped talking. At one stage we were all walking with linked arms, so naturally Loz and I did what mum calls 'the monkey walk'. I'm sure there's a better name for it somewhere. Fryzie of all people said we were weird.
We went looking for Steph's cookie shop, which was closed. I feared for Steph's heart as Fryzie kept scaring her. We took the photos we forgot to take initially at the Skinny Men. Weird moment when Fryzie was taking a photo of the 5 of us, skinny man included, some tourist whipped out his camera too. There's a great photo of Steph's concentrating face as she tried to work out which tram we needed, right next to Emma with her go-away-camera face.

We ended up at a pub for a while. Fryzie needed alcohol. Kept saying he was going to feed me rum. Ew. Insisted I didn't want alcohol, ended up with some anyway. Steph [note, I just typoed your name as Speth] and I were trying not to let them see Fed Square. Then Steph pointed out that we were sitting right across from it. There was a great moment where Emma tried to get out of having her mum join us for lunch. She got the plastic cover of Steph’s phone. Loz haunted us with the camera more. =P She’s got all the photo’s on her LJ.
Steph and I were made to try some Guinness. Foul. All beer is foul, anyway.

The next stop was an Italian restaurant on Lygon Street. It felt squishy, I thought. The menus were almost the width of the table in length. :| It was very warm under the heater. Laura said it was making her drift off. They didn't have Vanilla Coke. Criminal. The waited stepped on my foot and put a dent in my boot. Steph, Laura and I got pasta, Emma didn't want pasta cause she'd had it the previous night and Fryzie just plain didn't want it, so they got other things. We all got entrée sized meals. I barely finished mine. Lasagne. Damn filling. There was a leaf in it. Weird.
It was very enjoyable. Except for Fryzie's gross moment and when he accidentally tipped over the glass, nearly spilling it's contents and Emma and myself. Lucky we moved out of the way fast.
It was quite interesting when we got the bill, trying to divide it between us. It was not a good moment to be trying maths.
When the waiter and whoever else it was in the back room broke into song we decided it was time to leave.

Then it came time to say bye to Emma. More hugs, we got into a taxi and Emma walked home vaporised. Taxi driver was not a good conversationalist. Probably more to the point I doubt he had a very good grasp of English. We got to Flinders Street Station, worked out what trains we had to go on, then it was time for me to say bye. More hugs. :D! Fryzie killed me. Steph, he needs to learn how to hug people without killing them.
And just so you two chickas know, when I shouted the last 'see ya' everyone turned to stare at me like I was a crazed lunatic. Wonderful.
I think I smiled the entire train ride home. Also learned an interesting lesson, Flinders Street to Epping train does go to Spencer Street Station.

By the time I got home I was buggered. My feet were killing me from my stupid boots. I’ll never wear them again. [Yes, I will.] Sam called me to ask if I wanted to come out last night with a few people for pizza and Champaign. First I said yes, then I decided I was too tired so declined.

Who knows when the four of us will get the opportunity to be together again. I know I'll be seeing Emma again soonish in possibly the most scary of circumstances imaginable. (Kidding, Steph) Perhaps the next time will be at Laura's wedding. :p For now we'll just have to be satisfied with our conferences on Yahoo. And they're always fun.

As a last note, I'd just like to thank you girls for such an incredible day. I'll cherish it forever.

***Thought for today: Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.

1. My real name:

2. Who is the love of my life:

3. When is my birthday?

4. Where did we meet:

5. Take a stab at my middle name:

6. How long have you known me:

7. When is the last time that we saw each other:

8. Do I smoke:

9. Do I drink:

10. What was your first impression of upon meeting me/seeing me:

11. What's one of my favorite things to do:

12. What is my favorite thing about you?

13. Am I funny:

14. What's my favorite type of music:

15. What is the best feature about me:

16. Am I shy or outgoing:

17. Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules:

18. Do I have any special talents:

19. Would you call me preppy, average, sporty, punk, hippie, glam, nerdy, snobby, or something else (what):

20. Have you ever hugged me:

21. What is my favorite food:

22. Have you ever had a crush on me:

23. If there was one good nickname for me, what would it be:

24. What's your favorite memory of me:

25. Who do I like right now:

26. What is my worst habit:

27. If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what is the one thing I would bring?

28. Are we friends:

29. Do you want us to be more than friends?

30. Will you repost this so I can do it for you?

Well, my mood certainly took a 180 degree turn since the last time I posted. In two minutes what was to be the greatest upset in AFL history became the greatest disappointment in recent times for Carlton supporters. We went to Subiaco as the underdogs, in a big way. TAB Sportsbet had them at $1.03 for a win, us at $11. They were the shortest-priced favourites in modern AFL betting history. And no Victorian team has beaten West Coast at Subiaco since August 2002. Second-last placed Carlton had no hope. You can imagine my shock and jubilation when we hit a 44-point lead 9 minutes into the third term. We led the whole game, we looked better. No one could believe that we had the first-placed team in the AFL hitting the panic button. So you could probably imagine my heartache when they stole the game in the last two minutes. A loss has never hurt as much as that one. When everyone expects you to get done by over 100 points and you nearly pull it off. I've never been one to cry over footy games. I wondered how I would have handled it had I been in Amara's position when Sydney kicked a goal in the last 30 seconds of the match last year, not only sealing the game, but kicking Geelong out of the Grand Final - Amara's team. She cried. Tonight I knew how she felt. I didn't know whether to hit things or cry. I came close. Especially seeing Brendan lying on the ground in the change rooms as he was being tended to, arms behind his head staring at the ceiling, the pain of the loss in his eyes indescribable. He looked close to tears. I got very close then. Pagan said the guys have never been so devastated over a loss.
We deserved the win. And that's not just coming from a biased supporter, but from many.

It moments like this I get thinking about why it all means so much. Because no, it isn't just a game. I doubt anyone who isn't a supporter, a one-eyed supporter, could even begin to understand it.
My favourite quote comes from Bill Shankly.
"Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I'm very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that."
And that's the way it is. It's not a game, it's almost a lifestyle. You live it, you breathe it.
What is it with us Aussies and sport? Particularly footy supporters. I don't think I've ever seen such a passionate lot as AFL fans. As for myself, throughout the entire game tonight I was a nervous-wreck. I was sure I was going to have a heart attack. My hands were shaking, I couldn't sit still. I was terrified that we'd break and West Coast would come back and steal the game. I couldn't watch, but I couldn't look away either.
Why is the outcome of a match so important? What is it about footy that makes me feel like this? We invest all this time, energy, emotion, money into two hours of footy a week. It becomes a part of you. The game drives people to tears. It drove a lot of old-school Collingwood supporters, like my Grandfather, to beating their families, hence the hatred for Collingwood on the footy field. And when you win, the feeling is indescribable. The high you go on when your team pulls off a spectacular win, a goal, a mark, a premiership. There's nothing like it on this Earth. To the outsider it is just a game. For us it's not. Why? I don't think I'll ever know the answer to that question. All you can do is love it for what it is, perhaps sinking deeper into the madness that is our sport.

I promise I will do a proper-non footy entry at some stage and deliver the photos I promised. Maybe tomorrow when I'm feeling less... disheartened. Not even Jo telling me she was back righted my mood. The fact that she's a Weagles supporter may have played some part in that.
Now is when I turn to one of my other great loves in music to escape the feeling.

My dad just rang. Being home alone he worries. But he also wanted to see how I was coping after the loss. He's one that understands what it's like. Hell, it was us who came back to beat Essendon by a point in the 1999 preliminary final for one such example. The answer... the more time marches on the easier it gets. Just having it snatched from your hands like that is a killer. By tomorrow I will be so ecstatic that they did as well as they did. There are a lot of Carlton supporters who feel that way already. Fuck we were awesome. There's not many top sides that could have pulled that off. Fev, Whitnall, Wiggo - they're having a career best this year. And Murphy is better than someone who began AFL this year should be. We're still suffering for the penalties handed out to us, but you know in a few years we'll be unstoppable. The Carlton-faithful just have to endure a lot more pain before that happens.

Yeah, 100 blowouts are easier to deal with. There's no heart attacks associated with them.

Wow, I updated a lot yesterday. Was that 3 entries? Sorry guys. :| It appears the time I shouldn't be updating is when I do it most. Eh, what is LJ for if not procrastinating?

I love this song! God, I am so happy now. Ignoring today's little glitch, you'll be filled in soon.

I missed my stop today. I was day dreaming. I realised I was at Parliament station about 15 seconds before the doors shut. So, rather then looking like a retard and running for the doors after everyone's departed, I got off at the next stop and went back.
I was still ages early and arrived before Renata did this time. Both of us were so nervous about the exam yet excited that it was the last one.
As for the exam. It was an exam, it had questions, I answered most, left an hour early. I know I got pretty much all the Organic Chem stuff right, cause that's the easy part. A few that made me think, that happens. The rest, I dunno. Some calculations were easy, others I just picked random answers following my top secret method. This didn't work so well for the written section. It must be said, there is a great deal of satisfaction gained from working out a maths problem and getting the answer correct. Because I'm nerdy like that. It almost made me miss maths. Correction, it made me miss doing maths with Nadia and being in Mrs. Gaffney's class. Hee, we used to race each other. And then other time's we'd just bludge. They were fun times.

I don't really have a conscious memory of going back the Parliament station. I know I did, but I think my mind was elsewhere. I do remember skipping my train when it arrived and Rob Thomas/Santana's Smooth started playing. I waited the 15 minutes for the next one.
And speaking of the hunk, they had footage of Rob at Live8 on the screens when I walked into JB. I walked into someone else due to watching him and not where I was going. Oops.
Yes. I walked into JB. I had to get headphones. I knew I wasn't going to just buy headphones, but what the hey. I've never been good at lying to myself. I intended to get The Used's self titled album, an old one, but don't tell me that. I also got Linkin' Park's Live In Texas CD/DVD as well as a CD I have been trying to get for years - the Tomb Raider Soundtrack. No where I've looked has had it. But they had one copy today. 'Special import'. So, despite the more-than-I-was-intending-to-pay price tag, I snagged it before I never saw it again. And I am so hyper now, listening to it and I love it.
I got new headphones too, because I keep killing mine. I think this is the fifth pair this year. So I bought a $20 pair in hopes that they will last longer.
I called dad while I was in JB to let him know they had The Commitments soundtrack there. (They didn't have Crash, which I was very disappointed about) Reception was shitty so he called me back on his home phone. Kind of dropped out a few times. I sounded like such a retard saying 'you still there' and repeating everything a million times. He called me later when I was on the train. Lost him again when the train went through the tunnel. Anyway, eventually he decided he wanted me to come to his place, so he picked me up at Lalor. Kane went ballistic when we got home. He's getting big, losing his baby teeth. I'll take a picture this weekend and post it when I get home. He looks healthy.

So, the glitch. Well, today on the train I was wondering if I was gonna hear back from the transport infringement people. When I got home there was a letter waiting for me. I still have to pay it. I have 30 days, starting two days ago. I pretty much spent the amount the fine is on CD's this week. So oh well. They can wait. I should see if I can go on a payment plan. I still have bills and loans to pay. I'm not dealing with it right now, it can wait until I get home.

Oh, and Robbie is having a second concert. Tickets go on sale a week from today. Just one more reason why the fine can wait. There's also maybe someone that has two tickets I can buy for $100 if the other person doesn't buy them. But for $50 each they can't be very good seats, so that's a last resort.

And now I am going to pack. Have a great weekend, all.

~ Me ~

P.S. I can't shake this feeling that it really is all over, that I have no homework. Where did the semester go?

***Thought for today: Why isn't the word 'gullible' in the dictionary?

I was doing the feedback tests on the ChemCal thingo as a final test.

( I got an elephant stamp... )

Hee.

I've had enough now. Whatever happens tomorrow happens. I get past midday tomorrow then it's all over.
I'm going to bed. Rather, I'll watch Big Brother up late and then go to bed.

Grr. I hate Mike. They had one of those uplate brain teasers. He gives them away too easily. My challenge is to figure it out before he gives the clue away. He was rabbiting on about how this was a hard one and not many people call because they can't figure out the hard ones. I got it. Was gonna call through. They he gave the damn thing away.
Screw him!