Finally filled in the last few weeks of this diary.
Spent a whole hour reading to Jordan. He wouldn't stop bothering me until I did: "Read Harry Potter. Read Harry Potter. Read Harry Potter. Crystal, I want you to read Harry Potter. Read Harry Potter." and so on until I gave in. We're just up to the bit where Harry gets to Hogwarts. Jordan has decided I'm the one who has to read to him now, he doesn't want anyone else. I think this is because I play about with him. There's a bit where Uncle Vernon picks up Harry by the scruff of the neck and throws him from the room, and I pretended to do that to jordan and he found it hilarious. I also gave him a pencil to wave around in the wand shop bit to pretend it was a wand, but he started drawing on things with it, so mum gave him a bit off one of those painted cane things in the lounge room. Every time someone stares at harry's scar, I stare at jordan's head. At least he's finally admitted that he likes hp now, which is good. It's fun reading it to him. He's discovered a new insult: "pig in a wig". He put on my glasses so he could look like harry. It's brilliant.
Pulled the phone out of the wall and plugged it in in my room, to phone iprimus support. I finaly got through (had to keep trying to get through for 30mins, then on hold for the same time). The lady I spoke to gave me a different number to dial up, which is slower but more reliable. According to her, it's probably interference on the telephone line caused by the length of the line, which means there's nothing I can d about it. The other number did work but noticably slower.
Malcolm in the Middle: "Casino". They all go off to a casino where Hal gets himself banned, then takes Malcolm and Reese into the desert where they end up on an artillery range. Francis sneaks home but gets bored. There were good bits in this but I can't remember any for some reason.
Read Harry Potter to jordan. It's his holidays now.
8:45-4:08. Dropped to work. When i left, the bus came late to Springoowd, and bus driver didn't sell me a transfer because she said i wouldn't make the no.6 on time. I did, except it only went to bethania and the bus driver offered to drop me off near the school anyway, so I walked home from the school.
Erica got a black scully coat yesterday but decided she didn't want it so she gave it to me to buy off her. It's really a nice jacket.
9:45-5:08. Dropped at station for 9:00 bus and got the bus home. Picked up in Beenleigh by mum tonight.
8:45-4:08. left house at about 6:45 to walk to the train station via the road, because I thought that way if the bus didn't come I could dash to the train nd still hopefully get to work on time. Jeanette came out of her house to get the train into the city as I walked past so we walked to the station. I hailed the bus on the corner near the shops and went into beenligh, but idn't have to change buses thankfully so I got to springwood at about 8:00 and walked about coles because there was nothing to do. got to work at about 8:20 and was first one there. On the way home when I ended I went to the hyperdome and looked around in k-mart. I found a Simon and Garfunkel cd for $15 so I got that, went back out to the buses and discovered I couldn't get the number six home. So I had to get train from beenleigh and walk from station. They got hme from maleny so as it turned out i could have saved myself the trouble but it was ok.
Taped the X-files but probably won't watch it.
9:45-5:08. Got a lift to work from Aaron who is driving Jeanette to work. She lives in the townhouses at the top of my street, so I walked up there and was driven to and from work.
the Simpsons: a repeat i think.
12:45-8:08. Got bus from here to Hyperdome, about an hour. Dashed in and got Elliott Smith's "XO", then went to work. Nan and Pop picked me up at 8:00 because mum and dad were at maleny. Chris has gone on holidays so we have a new boss called Christine, she was apparently one of the people who interviewed me but I can't recall.
Still at maleny. I messed about with my flute all day and learned "Hey Jude", "Imagine" and "A Day In The Life", all sort of anyway.
Malcolm in the Middle: "Dinner Out". Malcolm and Stevie's families go out to dinner. Pointless cruelty of the Circle game amused me: if youc an make someone look at you mking a circle with your fingers below your waist, then you get to hit them.
Mum and Dad and Jordan still at maleny.
8:45-4:08. Mum dropped me off to work and they left in the bus to go up to the hinterland. I got the bus home, and the driver had to come to Edens Landing for his tea break so he dropped me off right near home.
9:45-4:08. Decided not to go to maleny cause i didn't feel like packing.
8:45-4:08. Had probation apprasial at 3:00 today which was basically Chris siting me down and telling me how I'm doing at the job. It went well.
Taped the X-files.
9:45-5:08. Violin lesson 5:30. Brought stings music book and have to play "Scarborough Fair". Since I'm writing this later, I now know the words to sf and I know that sage doesn't have two syllables and I keep messing it up because of that.
the Simpsons: repeat.
Today is actually the 26th june. Haven't written for ages and can't remember much. Went into the city on this morning on a train at about 10:00, hurried up to the Australian Academy of music and brought a flute for $350. Got bus back to work from Elizabeth st and started at 12:45 - 8:08.
Queen's birthday today, so Jordan's home. Thinking I might go and see a movie. Bloody internet connection's not working. Damn, because I wanted to price a bunch of books at amazon.com.
Malcolm in the Middle: "Lois's Birthday". They buy lois crappy presents and she leaves home.
Did nothing much. Oh, except we finally persuaded Jordan to read Harry Potter by promising that however long we read, we'd play nintendo with him. So we read for 20 mins then played Yoshi for 20 mins. He didn't like the first bit much and he wriggled around, but he found the name Dumbledore so amusing, and he loved it when Professor McGonagall turned into a human from being a cat. So hopefully we can get him to read some more later.
8:45 - 4:08. Mum picked me up from work today for some reason.
9:45 - 5:08. Caught bus into city. Wanted to buy a cd but would not allow myself to buy: a) the Beatles; b) any of the members of the Beatles (although I do want all the holography stuff on the front of Wingspan). So I chose, almost at random, an Elliot Smith cd - Figure 8. It's quite good.
8:45 - 4:08. Went over to the mall after work to pay for my ambulance subscription, also a new chain for my ankh, then sat down to wait for bus. Only it didn't bloody come, did it? No, because buses don't stop at the mall after 4:00. So I didn't get on a bus till 5:40, which was only to the hyperdome anyway. So then my bus got me to beenliegh at about 6:45. Almost 3 hrs after I finished work. Must find an alternative form of travel.
The X-Files: got Erica to tape it, so I'll watch it later.
9:45 - 5:08. Violin lesson today, went okay. Got some music to learn.
the Simpsons: "??????".
12:45 - 8:08. Nothing spectacular happened.
Got a music book from Edens Landing newsagents. Worked out how to play "She's Leaving Home" from Dad's beatles guitar book on my violin.
Malcolm in the Middle: "Halloween Approximately". Francis comes home a week after Halloween and they play all their pranks a week late. Dewey dresses up as a "marshmallow" (in a ghost costume): "I'm a marshmallow!" to the man at the door. Man says cheerfully: "Oh, I'd like to put you on a stick over a burning fire and eat you all up", Dewey looks terrified. This was funny.
Went to the Brisbane Medieval Fayre. It was brilliant. Mum, Jordan and I caught the train in, but Erica had tog o to work. I got $60 out of Erica's keycard to pay her back on Wed when I get paid. The fayre was $8 to get in but it was really cool. THey had jousting and people on horses galloped along and chopped up watermelons on poles with big swords. Oh, the sound was so cool, a really neat swish-thunk. Jordan got a plastic bow and arrow. I brought a tealight candle holder I'm hoping to modify into a lightshade for $35, and also an ankh necklace for $10 (meant to be like Death's in the Sandman, mine's small and silver though). I spoke to Alison who taught us card weaving at Woodford, and got a bunch of brochures for all sorts of groups. I'd like to join one but I don't think I'll work up the nerve. We went home on a 2:45-ish train.
8:45 - 4:08. Book sale today, but it wasn't really that busy. I finished at about 4:15, but had to wait till 5:00 to get a bloody bus. So I wasn't home till about six. Bleh. Hate buses.
9:45 - 5:08.
8:45 - 4:08.
The X-Files: "Empedocles". Can't remember what this one was about, even.
9:45 - 5:08.
the Simpsons: " ?????? ".
12:45 - 8:08.
Caught bus at 9:50 to the Hyperdome after I'd returned books to the Beenleigh library. Went into K-mart and got a Hogwarts jumper and also a little HP diary thing I can use for work once I write the dates in. This was a total of about $27 - $5-ish for the diary and the rest to the jumper. Wandered about the Hyperdome waiting for the 1:10 session of Moulin Rouge. During this time I got a Faeryland companino from A&R because it was pretty. Also got a bronze and a black gel pen for the new diary. When the movie finally started I went in. It was prety cool. I really liked Ewan McGregor. He can sing quite well, I thought. Beautiful deep sort of voice... I will just have to clean up my little puddle of drool now... Ewan rocks! Got the bus straight to Edens Landing home which stopped straight in front of my front door for me. Lovely.
Malcolm in the Middle: "Traffic Jam". Part two to "Water Park". Tere's a traffic jam (no, really) and they're stuck in it with an ice cream man who won't sell and a girl from Canada.
Stayed home.
8:45 - 4:08. Bus was late picking me up, had to get train to Edens Landing so Mum could come and pick me up. I accidentaly checkd out a BSC book (getting a bunch of books out in the returns room and must've grabbed it by mistake) so I read it. It was funny, but gosh I'm jealous of the boarding school Mallory got to go to.
9:45 - 5:08. Got bus to the city (which took ages to wait for. grrrrr) and brought: collected set of Narnia books from Angus and Robertsons $60; new watch from Myer $60.
8:45 - 4:08. Picked up lay-by from Target. Got bus to the Hyperdome. Brought: camel coloured flared pants $25; rainbow polar fleece jumper $15; "Revolver" $30.
the X-Files: "Three Words". I think this was the one where Mulder and Doggett ran around hitting each other. Not great. The fight teh future thing was this ep., and I'll bet that one recurs.
9:45 - 5:08. Got paid today! It's an absolutely obscenely large amount compared to Erica's. I get $10 an hour and $15 on Saturdays. Plus, in this pay, I got 4 3/4 hrs overtime for the induction. So I got $490, which became $400 after tax. Grrr. Oh well, I'm going shopping Thursady late night at the Hyperdome, and then Friday late night at the city, to spend as much money as I can on silly frivolous things, just because I bloody well can.
Violin lesson: 5:30. I was 5 min late because of the highway traffic, but Gareth didn't notice. We played some nice easy stuff this week, which was good because I hadn't practised once. So I got to play things like "Mary had a little lamb" and some nice easy pieces. I'll try to ask about the Beatles music next week.
the Simpsons: "Hungry, Hungry Homer". Homer stages a hunger strike when he discovers that the Springfield Isotopes are going to be moved to Alberquerqe (sp?). Eventually the Duff Corpration (owners of the 'topes) have to give in and they stay in Springfield.
Opened new bank account at Commonwealth, an Award Saver account.
Worked 12:45 - 8:08. Went shopping before hand. Went to Big W in Beenleigh, found nothing I liked. Went to Target at Springwood, laybyed (sp?) a pair of purple pants.
Played computer all day. Dad phoned the Union Shopper re: discman; and we'll get the call back tomorrow.
Malcolm in the Middle: "Water Park". The boys go to a water park, fight each other all day. Dewey is left behind with a babysitter, who has to go in an ambuance so Dewey chases a baloon downtown. To be continued...
Nothing.
My birthday! Mum and Dad got all this housey sort of stuff, for when I move out of home. I also got a promise of $2000, when I get around to getting a proper long term savings account. Also a Simpsons video. Erica got me Past Masters Vol II, which is good.
8:45 - 4:08 today. Dad drove me, it was quite busy, I covered a Terry Pratchett book and had to stop myself from reading it. When it was leaving time, Sabrina offered to drive me, so she drove me to Beenleigh and I phoned home from there. The phone was engaged for the longest time, but finally they answered, Dad picked me up. I'm now siting here trying to remember everything that happened since the 10th, b/c I've been slack and not typed since then. I have a memory like... one of those things you keep rice in. (Reg from Dirk Gently. :( for the memory of Douglas Adams).
Worked 9:45 - 5:08. We had a staff meeting this morning, and they got me a cake for my birthday tomorrow - I told someone that it was my birthday on Saturday at some point through the week. I thought that was very nice of them. After work, Mum Dad and Jordan picked me up, and we went into the city and went to that restaurant on Q St Mall that we went to last year. I went down and got Erica, and we had dinner then. I had really nice pasta. Then we went outside, went to Myer's, where I priced discmans (discmen??) and found the one that I want. It's a Sony, with all these brilliant features. So that's what I'm getting for my birthday, when Dad phones the Union Shopper on Monday. Erica got a $180 bedspread from Scarab. It's nice, all purple velvet and Indian fabric, and it smells of incense - but $180 is slightly excessive in my view. While they were sorting that out, I went down to HMV and got the Beatles CD Help!. Then we went home.
Worked 8:45 - 4:08. Got drove to work, got bus home.
the X-Files: "DeadAlive". Some junk about an alien virus, which Mulder apparently had. If they didn't stop it, he'd be reborn as... a Christian fundamentalist... no, really an alien, but they're both implausible ideas. Still... Mulder's back!
Worked 9:45 - 5:08. Caught bus there, but Mum picked me up cause I had my violin lesson. Got to lesson just in time, played very badly. Have to practise over the next week at some point.
Simpsons: "Day of the Jackanapes". Sideshow Bob! Brilliant. I was absolutely exhausted though.
First day of work today: 12:45 - 8:08. Caught bus number 1, that got there half an hour before I started so I wandered over to the library via the Arndale shopping centre. Met a bunch of people today, one of whom had a Sandman comic on his desk. I'll have to get that one out, because it's one I haven't read yet. I'm in repairs, which basically means I cover books because that's all I've learned yet. Got picked up when I finished, b/c it's late and can't get the bus.
Library induction at Logan Central library. Caught train to get there at 8:00 am, went through a lot of inductiony stuff and left at 12:45-ish, so I get paid overtime for that. Good. Start tomorrow at 12:45.
Malcolm in the Middle: "Smunday". Lois is sick, thinks Monday is Sunday, kids stay home from school.
Erica heard on the radio news that Douglas Adams has died. How horrible. I kept hearing it all day, then on the news there was a little obituary for him. It really is strange, I didn't think about big life and death questions when Groppy died, but thinking about John Lennon and Douglas Adams throws me. I suppose it's because it's so unexpected. You'd never wake up and think, "gee I wonder if any of the authors/musicians/etc that I like have died today" whereas Groppy was old so it's more expected.
Went shopping in Brisbane, got Erica's present (Lou Reed, Berlin). Also got myself the NJO book
??
I got a phone call this morning, from the Logan library. As it turns out, I've got the job! It's at Logan North - Springwood, next to Ikea - which is a pain to get to. I sort of stammered and said I'd call back, b/c I was going to go to apply to QTAC. But I decided even if I go to uni, I'd rather start at the beginning of the year anyway. Dad phoned up the buses (well, their company anyway), who said that it's $11 for a card, then$25/week for 10 trips. 45 minute trip, too. But I don't know if it's quicker/easier to go via Kuraby train stn. or something. Shall look up on website. I called back and said I'd take the job, and I've got induction at 8:00 at Logan Central (Woodridge), so I can get the train there on Monday.
the X-Files: "This is Not Happening". Mulder's back!! Dead, but you know he'll be okay eventually.
Went to the library. Borrowed out "The Truth" (on hold forver) and also I saw "the Princess Bride", which I've been meaning to read for ages. "The Truth" I read as soon as I got home, and I quite liked it. "The Princess Bride", though... I loved the story, but the copy I had was a really irritating abridgement (by William Goldman). The bit that most annoyed me: he interrupted the story, just so he could say a big spiel about when he was a kid, his daddy didn't want to read the next bit, because Westley died. Well, I didn't want to know that, did I?! It really pissed me off. Although I did in fact remember that Westley died and then got resurrected, because I saw the movie years ago, but I don't remember it really. Still, it was entirely unneccesary to spoil the surprise.
the Simpsons: "Tennis the Menace". The Simpsons build a tennis court in their backyard.
Phoned up UQ admissions to find out about mid-year. The lady said the OP cut off last year was 8, but they vary. I hope I get in then, since I only got a 7. I also got her to send me an application form. Phoned some stores to find out flute prices, but all were quite expensive. I also practived "Rainy Day" some more.
The Awful Truth: final one, where Mike finds a replacement for himself from Mexico who works for half the wage: NAFTA Mike. And... the union skit! It wasn't quite as funny as I remember it being, but it was awfully good. Also the marriage of Daimler-Chrysler. Some amusing quotes from this episode: the priest on the steps - "We are gathered here today in the sight of the almighty dollar to celebrate the marriage of Daimler and Chrysler"; and Mike - "You know, this is the only marriage I've ever been to where everyone gets screwed."
Malcolm in the Middle: "The Bots and the Bees". Quite amusing bit: Lois goes away because Francis is sick; and the boys are argiung over who gets to ask for their things first (Dewey wants to wear pyjamas to school). Malcolm and the Krelboynes want to build a killer robot, and Malcolm says to Reese he gets to go first, because "after a killer robot, anything will sound sane." Then he goes and asks Hal, in a way that makes it sound educational. Hal takes over the project, and reverts to his former wild self.
Poked my fingers about a million times sewing the bag for my discman. It looks quite cool. It's blue on one side and grey on the other, and it has a purple music note sewn on it. I had to stretch it a bit because Erica sewed it wobbly so the top was smaller then the bottom. But it was easy to stretch and now it fits in properly.
Practised that stupid "Rainy Day" song. It's silly. But I've got the first two bars I had to do down right, there's just a tricky bit in the third one I keep getting stuck on.
Enormous storm that woke me up at about 5 am. I don't think I fell asllep again, although I may have drifted off for short bits of time, the way you do. Threw up this morning. Feeling kind of horrid. I was watching Video Hits while I read the paper, and I saw "Nobody Told Me" by John Lennon as a flashback. There was a good bit when he and Yoko were playing chess with all white pieces.
Went to QTAC website, didn't work properly, so e-mailed them to tell them to fix the problem.
Went into Beenliegh, got felt to make a discman bag out of and also buttons for my new felt bag. Also went to Centrelink to find out about Youth Allowance for students, but Dad earns too much so I don't get anything.
Attached the kivrim card weaving to the felt bag as a strap. Fixed incredibly well with... safety pins. Dodgy job, but the bag still looks quite good.
the X-Files: "Per Manum". Conspiracy type episode. Mulder was in it, which rocked. We discovered that Mulder found Scully's ova and she tried to use them to get pregnant (Maulder as donor father) which worked, as a good idea, I thought. But at the end of the end of the episode they screwed it up, because it was some sort of alien baby that Scully's probably got, not the IVF one. Pity.
Violin lesson: got given a practice book in which I am meant to write the times I practice. Damn and blast. I dont really practice much. New music: some Irishy stuff.
Simpsons: "Worst Episode Ever". Comic Book Store Guy has a heart attack and Bart and Milhouse take over the store for him.
I think it was today that I sewed my felt from Woodford into a bag.
Took Mum's John Lennon CD when I was looking at her cd's. Almost cried when I was listening to "Imagine". I've heard that song a million times but I've never really listened to it, until then.
The Awful Truth: repeat of episode where they inspect nuclear missiles in America.