[08/08/08] Heaters OFF!

And it was cold. I took my blanket to school. I wonder if I'm just blogging because I want to write something on 08/08/08. 08... the year I finish school. Woo! This week started off with a sore throat, which has now progressed to a full on head cold. Glarphalknvarghsh. And I had three SACs. I really hope they went okay, because I didn't do as much study for any of them as I'd hoped to. For English it was because I had no idea what to write, for Chemistry it was because Anna linked me to an amazing story on fictionpress, and I did geography study. Why? Because the work that I did last night actually contributes to my mark.

Dum de dum de dum de reading a book. I finished Pretties by Scott Westerfeld approximately an hour ago. Twas awesome. I still have to read Specials and Extras. What else do I want to read? Definitely 1984 again. And So Yesterday. I swear there were others. Well I've started Catcher in the Rye. I was telling my mum about it and such (she hasn't read it since she was at school), and she said "maybe I should have chosen that for our year 12s for Identity and Belonging". I don't know, I'm only two chapters in, which is equal to 20 pages. Identity and Belonging has better texts than Encountering Conflict. Well, I like three of the four texts, not knowing what the fourth was, but I can bet it's easily better than The Secret River, which was for some reason voted as the best book of 2007 by viewers of the First Tuesday Book Club on the ABC.

Wow, I'm blogging about year 12 texts. Insanity has struck me down and called my brother Nelly. Which doesn't make any sense. I miss Em. And she was all hostile towards me today because I'm sick. This is completely unfair, as she is often sick and I never avoid her, and the one time I feel pretty bad, she's like this. In geography, we had our SAC, and it was heaters off day and casual clothes, I was wrapped up in my blanket. I took it to English as well, and put A Man for All Seasons on my head for a bit. It made me feel better for a bit. And I was Meg today, briefly. It's a really interesting play. Anyway, as I was saying, or going to say, Em and I are going bra shopping sometime soon, hopefully. Sometime when I feel better and it doesn't interfere with her plans for seeing James.

Oh and the Olympics' Opening Ceremony is on tonight. That will be fun. I'll probably watch for a bit then take a night time cold and flu tablet and hope for the best so I can get a nice amount of homework done tomorrow. Doesn't that sound fun?

[07/08/08] In which I write a bit (a lot?) about China

So there's all this Beijing/Olympics hype. Personally, I would feel claustrophobic in Beijing, as their population is about 767 people per square kilometre. Kind of glad I'm not going there. That basically means that each person in Beijing has about 1.2 square metres of breathing space. Yay population questions! I really should be doing them right now. I do find demography quite interesting. Though there are some things that aren't particularly impressive about China's population.

The fertility rate in the mid 1960s was high - about 7.5 children per woman. This is because in the 1950s (not sure about this date, but I'm too lazy to look it up) there was the Communist revolution (though China's political history is quite unstable) and their population policy was basically "go forth and multiply", so the population rose quite significantly to the point that the Once Child Policy, or Chinese Population Policy was implemented in 1979. Duh duh DUUUUUUH! Good idea at first, but there's always a loophole.

The aim of the policy is to bring the population back down to a manageable rate, and they hand out free condoms in work factories and such. There is a problem to this though, and it has to do with China's cultural values, which is that they would prefer to have sons. So what happens? Daugters are 'stillborn', and a Chinese couple can easily discover the sex of their unborn child while having an ultrasound screening. If the baby is a girl it can be aborted. This happens a lot. Basically what happens in Chinese culture is that when a couple marry, the wife joins the husband and they look after the husband's parents in their old age. So many couples are having sons, which means that the male to female ratio is pretty screwed up. In a way it kind of means that it's working, but smaller numbers of men will be able to find wives, and the reason you can say it's working is because a smaller percentage of the population is able to breed. Um... that's all for now, I need to go back to getting this work done for tomorrow.

[04/08/08] I should be studying...

...because I have 3 assessments this week, one of which is tomorrow! Okay, ideas about Encountering Conflict. Fuuuuuuuuck. This is going to be a relatively short post, as there isn't much to talk about. You may call me Australia Face. Where's the thing that connects my camera to my laptop, I need it. I'll post the photo later. The main thing of significance is that I got my chemistry result today. Oops, I need to give DJ my semester 1 SACs back (as Giles said, SACs should be shot in the face). So basically we got a result for either the exam or the semester. I'll try and discern some information from the little piece of paper. Hmm, it says "Grade 1 result". Not sure what this means. Does it work differently for subjects that have a midyear exam?

Either way, I'll tell a little story. I was sitting with Meagan in French and waiting for it to be over so I could relax at lunchtime. And then she said "one hour until we get our results". Which of course had me freaking out for the rest of the lesson. So she wrote "A+" on my hand, which I took a photo of and want to put here. Either way, I said something along the lines of "if only that were true". And then there was lots of anticipation as Sue (my house co-ordinator) was the last one to come up with the results. I wasn't going to open them until I got home, but I managed to find an area with few people so I could open it by myself. Seriously, if someone hears the opening of an envelope, they run over. Anyway, it was an A+ o_O. For 18 months I have tried and tried and tried to get an A+ in chemistry to no avail... until now.

Also, if you read my post on nerdy strangers the day before that exam, I was kind of freaking out. I sort of had a breakdown the Sunday before the exam when a book tried to tell me why potatoes turn brown. Not particularly interesting and the last thing I care about. Then we had the exam which I thought had too many questions (seriously, 8 short answer questions? 8??? Though I guess 8 is a lucky number - I got 8 in the footy tipping for the third time this season), but I didn't think it was too bad. We went out for lunch afterwards and I worked out that I'd already lost 5 marks. And then afterwards I talked to my mum who said that the students at her school came out in tears and some friends at work didn't finish it. The joys of external examinations. So basically because of that I was really worried that I hadn't done well. I keep looking at that darn piece of paper because it's hard to believe. But I need to keep working, as there is still a semester to go. And I have 5 exams in October/November, not 1.

[02/08/08] I am in a state of perpetual tiredness

And I have been all day. I got about 6 hours sleep this morning and I had about a 2 hour nap this afternoon and then I went driving. I should ask my mum if we can open the bottle of Coke. I need something. Actually, I probably need some food, too. I've only eaten two burritos today. And some Savoys. All of this is really exciting stuff. I know you want to know about it, or possibly the reason that I'm so tired, as well as the reason that I woke up with panda eyes this morning.

I did have fun at the formal, and not because I was ordered to by Mike. Mum was kind of stressed, which is understandable, as dad was in Canberra for the whole week and will be going there again for at least some of next week. So that stressed me out. The hair and make-up appointment was fine, though I preferred the way my make-up was done last year. God, there was so much of it this time. And they used eyeliner. There was none of that wretched stuff last year.

Rachel's was okay. Nothing exciting really. I don't understand how predrinks can be exciting, but whatever. Well, we took a group photo of our parents because they always make a big deal of taking a group photo of us before we leave. Payback! Oh, there are no photos in this post because I don't have many and I'm waiting for everyone else to upload them onto facebook. I particularly want the "Myspace photo" that Richard and I took. He is a funny guy, I'm glad Meagan brought him.

Formal tables weren't really a drama, except I never ever get put with Emma. Ever. It annoys me. I liked the way it was done this year, 9 Darling Street is a better venue (the best venue even) than the Kooyong Tennis Club or whatever it's called. Anyway, I hate that part where you get there and everyone's trying to pack together in not much space and it's all claustrophobic. Laura's boyfriend Scott knew someone who worked there; I swear that he could go to Antarctica and know someone there, it's ridiculous.

Anyway, we had a course and then everyone got up to dance for a bit and photos were taken, etc. We had a Central photo with the Priscilla signs (always a must) and then called Slim from the bathroom (which was gorgeous) but he didn't answer, so we sang (or screamed) "Come to Australia" by the Scared Weird Little Guys to him. And then Caz said in this nice calm voice "Hi Slim, we really miss you". It was hilarious. There were also the house tutor group photos. I might get all group photos this year. There was one that we got with Mrs Jewell as well. She wanted an English class photo, but we never got around to organising it.

There were awards, as there always are. I'm glad Kim got the "most innovative" award, as she and her mum modified her mum's wedding dress, which was gorgeous. I loved it. The food was fantastic, and maybe it's because I had a three course meal that I haven't eaten much today. Let's say it was that. And we had food at Heather's afterwards. Anyway, for dessert I had this chocolate tasting plate with chocolate ice cream, an eclair and jaffa mousse. The jaffa mousse was in a bowl that was made of chocolate. I wasn't sure that it was chocolate at first, but then I smashed it with my spoon.

Dancing was fun. Tom (Anna's date, who I call my twin) is a terrible dancer, but at least he enjoys himself. James isn't that good either. Though I think Lisa and Fleur's dates were enjoying themselves a bit and danced with every girl they could. And there was another one as well. Though the highlight of the night was when Billy Jean was played and Jess's boyfriend Tim did his awesome dancing. Some sort of smooth foot thing that is not out of place when Michael Jackson is playing.

Then afterwards we went to Heather's where we listened to Queen, Freya and I started to lose our voices (mine is nearly back) and Meagan and Richard did their nerd camp thing and tried to solve a Rubik's Cube. Em made us all listen to Lucky by Britney, which is really an ironic song considering how her life's turned out. Then at the end of the song, Em walked off and said "I'm just going to go and shave my head now". We were going to put on the Beatles, but that got overruled and Michael Bubbly was put on. Which was great, because Em and I slow danced to Moondance, and James tried to split us up. Then just before Em and James left I ended up dancing with James to some other song. I love my friends. There aren't any particularly funny stories to tell, it was just a good night.

[01/08/08] It isn't an orchestra without sex.

I have the formal tonight, so I should be doing some things so I can get ready - we don't have afternoon classes. But my hair and makeup appointment isn't for another 2 hours and 45 minutes. So I basically need to have a shower and all that jazz, maybe paint my nails before then. Mum suggested that I sleep, because of the concert last night, but I don't want to sleep. I'll probably be at Heather's until about 1:30 in the morning, but whatever. I actually need to eat some lunch. We're having a three course sit down dinner tonight at the formal, so maybe it can wait.

So, the concert. We have an all day rehearsal at Robert Blackwood Hall, which is at Monash university. That's always a hoot. Well, sort of. Instead of having a massed singing item for the finale, we had it for the opening, and from what people have told me, it was fantastic. I asked my dad about it and he said "Didn't you see it?" and I didn't see it because I was in it. What was after that? I think it was the junior school choir. I didn't get a program. I wonder if someone in my family received one. That would be useful rather than trying to remember everything.

Mr Hall has been great for music in the junior school. All the students were enthusiastic and the preps were adorable. So junior choir, which is years 3 to 5 (I think, so much has changed) sang something, and then some song about a princess and a dragon. This was great, because there were adults dressed as a princess and a dragon running around on stage. (It is quite windy outside. That is completely irrelevant, but oh well.) Then the junior school choir and the mini singers, which is prep to year 2 did a Sound of Music medley. I swear, this was the best concert ever. The preps were so cute that I was actually almost in tears, and Mr Hall got us all joining in with singing Eidelweiss.

After that, Kimmy made the music captain's speech as she is music captain (no duh, I'm very good at stating the obvious), and I'm glad she kept in the bit (we went through it with her) where she called the senior choir old and wrinkled. Then there was the Donald Redding orchestra (junior school) who played the Muppets' Theme which was fun, but it should've been faster. Then I think was the Cripps choir (year 6-8, our school's weird) who were good. Actually, they sang Eleanor Rigby, which was a bit high, but it was awesome because Amadeus Strings played with them. Then Amadeus played some piece that I can't remember the name of, or never knew because I don't have the program.

The last two ensembles onstage for the first half were Melodic Minors who sang the Teddy Bear Picnic. <3 that song still. My mum thought that it was a bit much to have 13 and 14 year old girls singing that song, but psh. It's a good song, who cares how old you are? I love that cartoon they used to have on the ABC to that song. There was also another really awesome one for "we all know frogs go La de da de da". Oh yeah, and there was Wind Symphony, who have always been good, but for some reason weren't as good this year. Maybe it's because of the new conductor (who is great for Stage Band), who chose an uninteresting piece.

After interval it was all about the senior school. Stage band was first up, but I honestly have no idea how they went because I was backstage with Swing Choir and we couldn't hear them. Being on stage is really different to being in a small room (once again, I state the obvious quite well) because the sound travels more, so what we were singing didn't sound as good to me as it did in rehearsal. Either way, both You Can't Stop the Beat and Defying Gravity got good responses from the audience, so I think they liked it. Senior Choir ran smoothly (I think, once again, it's hard to tell when you're performing). Koristers sounded amazing, as always. All their songs were A Capella actually.

Then there was Menuhin Orchestra, sans Sarah, because she's been sick. We don't think she can come to the formal tonight either. That was when I said "It isn't an orchestra without Sarah", and Emma thought I said sex. Hence the title. Anyway, the orchestra played one of Rachmaninoff's piano concertos for the finale, with Kim being the piano (or the person who plays it). She is honestly amazing. I am in awe of her. You know how you buy one of those classical CDs and the piano just sounds flawless? She plays like that. And when you look at her play, she does all the arm stuff that concert pianists do.

It was a good night, and we had fun at the rehearsal too. Let's just say that I was pushed off a couch, Em was then pushed off the same couch and fell on top of me, Ariane was on a sugar high and we sang 500 miles very insanely. I must be off now. I might have some lunch and then think about starting to get ready.

[31/07/08] In which I ramble a bit about universities

Wow, I was just reading the part of the msn conversation last night that I missed because my mum was yelling at me, and it was seriously the best part >_> All because I asked if Byron was staying over. He did. Anyway, there was a town at Kat's house, Noosa at Lizy's house and I had Rocky over as well. I don't know why I'm saying any of this, as Kat is the only person who reads this blog and she was there, therefore she knows all of this.

Yesterday we got our VTAC guides on what subjects/scores we need for different university courses, and a little book that tells us the ENTER for what I think is every university course offered in the country. They should've done New Zealand too. Maybe they did, I didn't pay that much attention.

Anyway, there are some interesting things I found out. Because of the Melbourne Model, which is basically that if you want to do medicine, engineering or law you have to do an undergraduate degree first, like in the USA, a Bachelor of Arts at Monash has a predicted ENTER of 99.00 WTF? And Melbourne's has gone down to about an 85. Why are people so scared of change? If you really want to go to Melbourne (whose BA is ranked 7th in the WORLD) you go to Melbourne. Which is what I'm looking at at the moment - I'm interested in their courses and it's in the city. Also, Melbourne University is the oldest university in Australia and some of the buildings are beautiful. There's even this courtyard that I swear the WB ripped off for the Harry Potter movies (I know it's probably some English university, but I'd like it to be Melbourne).

I think VCAA needs to look at changing the way VCE works. I wonder if they're trying to fit so much information into our heads that they explode. Because Unit 3 is twice as long as Unit 4, but we still have the same number of SACs. So we pretty much have this term to do a shitload of study before exams, and half our weekend is going to be taken up by uni open days.

And that's all I'll say for today, as I have to get ready to go to the concert rehearsal which is at Monash uni. Huh. I think I may be back there on Sunday for an open day! I can't afford to, I have three SACs next week.

[29/07/08] I hate the last choir rehearsal before the concert

This time of the year (2 days before the concert) is generally when the head of music is so stressed that you'd rather not deal with her, but she's the choir conductor and there's choir rehearsal so you kind of have to. I hope she didn't find out that Kim hadn't written her music captain's opening speech thingy. Though that's because we were in a spare and we told her not to write it. We had Swing rehearsal at recess and Anna brought her 2 year old son in who is sooooooooooooooo cute. She also told us that for his second birthday party they hired a ball pit and were considering having a whole room with a ball pit. I think that this is an excellent idea. So far the rooms in my future house (the ones I'd like to have) are one with a ball pit and a library.

Oh I did an exam today. Well, not the listening. It was the Alliance Francaise written exam. I wonder if we're doing the oral. It'd be nice to know if we are. But is there time? We don't even have French for the rest of the week due to the rehearsal on Thursday and finishing early because of the formal on Friday. Why must everything be on at once? Because Monash uni's open day is on Sunday - they're currently my second preference university, and one of the top 8 in the country. Along with Melbourne, ANU and some others. Interesting. There's a site that lists Australia's Top universities and where they're ranked in the world. The thing is about ANU is that they're really good and it's much easier to get into their courses because they're in Canberra. I don't think I could go to uni in Canberra though. That would suck.

What else did I want to say? Omg, epic win happened today. Every second Wednesday afternoon we have this PD double period in which year 11 and 12s are talked at, and for the first time in the history of my school, we have been given the afternoon off. To study. We were all in shock.

Year 12: o_O O_o

This of course means that I finish early every day this week. Epic win!

And this is something that only Kat needs to read, as it is in regards to the strangely nerdy strangers. If there are people who owe a punishment should we just set one for them all to do? If so, what should it be?

Anyway, au revoir, I must go and do a maths test before tomorrow.

[28/07/08] Girl most likely to "blog about it"

I think that's what I'll put down as my 'Girl Most Likely To' tomorrow. The sheets are up in the study area. I think they were put up today. Some of my friends want me to put something else, which I won't put here. If my parents read my yearbook and saw that, I don't know how they would react. And also because blogging is fun. I still haven't finished writing my Central diary, and no one is surprised about that, which is strange. By day... whatever it was when we had the dance party in Priscilla (wow, that could be interpreted the wrong way). Though there were a couple of dance parties, so I don't know what that day was. Anyway, when we were having the dance party, Wendy asked if I was writing about it in my diary. Either way, I'd better finish it soon, because otherwise I'll forget what happened.

I am SO SICK of choir rehearsals. I think I worked out that I have something like 9 days out of 10 in rehearsal. I get a break on Wednesday unless Barnesy decides that we need to have another rehearsal. And then I'm at Monash University all day Thursday. My sister's got something that night, so she can't come to the concert, and my dad may still be in Canberra. His company's working on that nationwide broadband plan that the government is trying to set up. Not that he owns the company. I'm fairly sure he doesn't and that the people who started it are still working there.

The formal is on Friday and I'm still kind of 'meh' about it. I'm not looking forward to it, but whatever. I'm sure it will be a blast. Predrinks are at 6, and my hair and makeup is booked for 4:30, so that should be interesting. Also, I have no idea what's happening afterwards. Yay for disorganisation! Which reminds me that I must be doing my French homework now. You wouldn't think that I got home 2 hours ago.

[27/07/08] I swear I had a title for this post.

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to "Leah blogs about nothing in particular!" Today's topic is flutes.

I was thinking about what to blog about yesterday, and I was just looking around the room in the music school, and there was a poster titled "The Selmer Pictorial History of Flutes". I am not even joking. I didn't realise that one could have a pictorial history of flutes. Though it was really just pictures of about 11 different flutes/recorders, and then something about each of them. I want a piccolo. That would be fun. Though piccolos are so deafening that maybe all I need is a whistle. I imagine that they would sound exactly the same.

That was in the 'brass room', where all the lessons for people playing brass instruments are supposedly held. Though when I learned French Horn (shut up), those lessons weren't held there. French Horn lessons actually made me depressed. I have never dreaded going to anything so much in my life. And that teacher was weirder than my year 9 art teacher. Because we had to skip class to go to music lessons, and the French Horn teacher was only there on Mondays, I almost always missed out on French. Then I tried to stop going to music lessons, which was okay, because . Then my mum worked out that it was clearly making me miserable, as I spent most of the week in tears because of it, so I got to stop.

What other interesting things have happened there? I'm talking as if Room 10 in the music school is this interesting place. It's not, so far as I know. I do know that Mr Musk left, which was unfortunate, due to the giant crushes that Em and Priya had on him in year 9. I think that he moved to the same school that Priya did. Oh well, there was a blog post that clearly was about nothing! And I moved on from flutes. Mainly because I don't know anything about flutes

[26/07/08] SUGAR HIGH!!!!!!!

Hell, I've already blogged today for Jane on Nerdy Strangers. But because I am a blog addict and on such a massive sugar high, this needs to be documented. WOOP WOOP WOOP. Jane will be thinking "God this chick is fucking crazy, she should be locked up". Or that's what any sane person should think about me right now. I'm in a strange mook* I have never been drunk, and in my current state, I worry about what I would be like drunk. As we all should. You should see my wide eyes. And now it's time for dinnerz. Pizza-izza-izza!!! That's what I do to words when I'm excited. Must be off! *whooshes*

***

I don't know if I still have a sugar high, though I will admit that I had quite a lot of fun when I was. I was literally running between my room and the kitchen/living room. If you look at the twitters I made... wow. I can only say that I have not had one of those moments for a while. Though the last day of Central before breakfast was a bit like that. Randomly doing the nerdfighter sign when no one knows what it means is fun, though I wish I knew some nerdfighters IRL.

You know something about Hairspray? I can never get sick of it. It's more the opposite. We spent the better part of two hours in rehearsal for choir today learning choreography to "You Can't Stop the Beat", so when I got home and was horrified at the state of the football, I put on Hairspray. I've only watched it four times, but I listen to the soundtrack a lot. When my familamilamily (I've decided that that's better than the word family. Some words just sound better when you repeat the middle part) came home from the football and I was quoting it and singing along they asked how many times I'd seen it. They should be worried about watching Rent with me though. I haven't seen that in ages.

Sometimes I wish I lived in musical land, so long as I don't drift over to Fleet Street to see Sweeney Todd. Also, the Chaser's segment "If Life Were a Musical" is one of their best, so I'm putting a clip here.


I hate it when you do that thing where you were going to write something but then you get distracted so you can't remember what you were planning to write. Oh yes. We realised that our choir song is about Doctor Who. I wonder if I can find a clip of it on YouTube. Actually, it was composed fairly recently, so I'll be surprised if I can find it. No, I can't. And it's a choral piece; not what you normally find on YouTube. Woop woop woop! I will be off now in my Tardiiiiiiiiis! *clicks fingers and the Tardis door opens*

*Enters Tardis, which disappears making Tardis sounds*

So maybe my sugar high hasn't worn off. All I know is that the earrings are sparklarklarkling.

[25/07/08] Thank goodness the internet is working

It’s really a bugger when you want to blog but you’re at school where blogger is blocked. I would twitter now, but I can’t log in. And my phone has no credit and the company that did the phone credit machine went ‘kaput’ as my mum said. But on the bright side, all my twitter followers are back. I just checked my page. I’m in the school library and there is a bunch of annoying year 11s using the other computers for psychology. Why am I blogging? Because I feel like it. (the real reason: I'm an addict).

***

I don’t like these school keyboards; the backspace button is too small. Or maybe it’s just because I’m used to my laptop. I need a new laptop. I came to the library because I thought there would be free computers, which there are. And then I talked to Justine. Am I the only student in the school who calls the librarians by their first names? (The year 11s are talking about their formal and CLC which isn’t for another month. Then again, we’re talking about the formal, but that’s not for another week. Though I guess we were the same last year. I’m still not looking forward to the formal.) Anyway, the librarians. Justine is Em’s aunt, but she still calls her by her teaching name. Justine and I were talking about the Premier’s Reading Challenge and censorship. Good stuff. (Alex just came in. If I knew her better, I would probably get along with her. The link is to her books. Yes, she’s an author, and I’m incredibly jealous.)

Geography was fun this morning. We’re doing all this work on population, and Katie made the comment about Kenya’s fertility rate in 1975, which was 7.9 children per woman. I told her that I was happy with my 6 children, and she actually believed that I had 6 children so that was hilarious. That girl has her moments. Like the Muhammad Ali thing. It’s always the Friday morning double that she’s like that.

Will I write more when I get home? Maybe, but now I have to get through four hours of choir rehearsals. Let’s hope that it’s fun…

There's only so much choir rehearsal that one can endure without going insane. Four hours straight is pushing it. Actually, even one hour is pushing it, as we went crazy. But I'm getting ahead of myself. At the start of lunch, as many Central people as possible were gathered together so that we could "push Priscilla", meaning "take a photo of us pretending to push Pearco's car with Priscilla's signs on it at lunch time and make sure that the teachers don't see us leave school, especially without our blazers". Freya actually went back to get her blazer, the good school captain that she is.

So then there was slightly less than four straight hours of choir rehearsal. Swing was fun, and there are some issues over the pronunciation of "can't" - we do it American for one song and English for another. Then in choir, Barnesy was having to reteach the choir Come and Sing, and the soloists (me included) went a bit crazy, and Ariane was being the "voice of reason". She told us that Barnesy would crack it at us, and she did, but we were having too much fun for that to be an issue. And then Mr Hall came in! He's a bit like Mr G from Summer Heights High, but much more awesome. He's nice and not selfish.

And then the middle and junior school choirs came in so that we could practise the opening. The junior girls are adorable, and when we were mucking around with our uniforms (meaning buttoning our blouses up completely - yes, we're rebels. Though no one does up their top button or the one on the collar, which I swear was designed for suffocation), they started copying us! When I say 'us', it sounds like I was involved in this. Unfortunately, I wasn't, merely an observer. Also, the junior girls get to wave flags in the song, and when we file off, we take the flags from them because they have to stay on stage and sing their Sound of Music medley (yes, I will be singing along). You think little kids are bad with flags? Try year twelves. And it's only the first week back.

This time next week I will be at the formal. I'm still not entirely looking forward to it, but as I'm going to be spending the next 7 days with people from school, I may get excited. It had better be warmer than this, because otherwise we will all freeze. It won't be warmer. Why do schools decide to hold formals in winter? Kat, you should have a good answer to this. I told people your marathon runner joke and they loved it.

[24/07/08] Teach Me to Dance to the Beat of Your Heart

Should never be used as the hymn in assembly ever again. I hope Em is telling the Rev. It can be interpreted as wrong, and most students do. I, however, had to be a good girl in assembly, because I was sitting next to Maddy, who was in turn sitting next to Madame Cameron (who is at the school a lot for someone who retired last year).

Three days back at school and it feels like I haven't been away for three weeks at all. My maths test was cancelled yesterday, which was an awesome birthday present for Emma. I'm writing her a 'Goodbye 17 year old Em', and I have no idea what to write, so that sucks. I have also started to stalk my sister, who turned 21 yesterday, in the form of reading her LJ. Not that she knows this.

In regards to stalking, Jas found HPA on facebook, which won't make sense to anyone who reads this. We have decided (we being Giles, or maybe it was Caz... either way, someone who came on Central) that she will be "Girl Most Likely To stalk you on facebook". I still think I should be Girl most likely to "blog about it", though my friends are leaning towards "marry an internet stalker" at the moment.

Okay, so I'm talking to Amy, and yesterday she felt notsome, so I emailed her a song by Relient K called "Getting Into You", which Heather-Lynn told me was one of their more religious songs. Before that, I thought it was about sex. Anyway, I just told Amy that story, and she said: lol, hahahaha! proud of you. yar, when i saw the name i though "leah is cheering me up by making a song hit on me??? " (That would have been the title, but I had such a good one that leads into the post already).

There are 8 days until the formal, and I have no idea what to do with my hair. I wish I could be like Emma who says she's just going to brush it and then she'll be done. Anyway, my hair and makeup appointment is for 4:30, and we have to be at Rachel's at 6. I hope she's not having other people over this year, that was badly done. Though only four of us are taking partners. Then we're going to Heather's afterwards. And maybe trying on each other's dresses. I think it would be hilarious if I tried on Emma's, because it's floorlength and she is much much taller than me. Someone I talked to today said that they were wearing green too (I totally nearly wrote Gruen). I think that was Cadams. Oh, and either at the formal or at Rachel's house, I am definitely getting a photo with Tom (I have no idea why Anna is taking him if he likes her and she doesn't like him. Lol at that giant photo of them at the his formal on his mantelpiece) because he is my twin brother from another mother. And I want to meet Richard too.

The other thing happening in my life at the moment other than school, but is still related to school is the music concert. LJ and Annabelle are singing the solo for Defying Gravity, which is actually okay. I don't mind really. Anyway, I have four straight hours of singing tomorrow, I'm at school for 6 hours on Saturday, and the concert is a week away. Not fun. At least the only class I have tomorrow is geography.

And after the concert we'll be starting rehearsal for the year 12 song, which is exciting. We still need to work out the "Sail on strong (ooing scatting)" part. I really want us to have scatting, but I don't think that it will fit with the rest of it. Now there's some more rambling from moi, I shall be typing on Saturday. I was thinking that I could take my laptop to the nearby church and use their wireless, but I just remembered that Barnesy doesn't want us leaving in between rehearsals. Damn it.

[22/07/08] Your hair's short! What happened?!

That was actually me who said that. I had work today, and I was working with someone I hadn't seen since the Christmas party last year. Turns out she got her hair cut. This is going to be a relatively short post, because I have French homework to do. And a maths test tomorrow. Yes, my teacher is cruel enough to give us a test on Trigonometry the first lesson back for the term.

First day back at school was awesome, because it's Day 2 of the timetable, which means double English, triple spare, geography. During one of my spares, I was updating Twitter about the status of my homework (not done), and I got a text message (even though we're not allowed phones in the library, the librarians and I are good friends - except they didn't see me using the phone). I thought to myself "I bet Kat has sent me a direct message from Twitter, and it'll say something about me being back at school". I was half right. It was from Kat, and it said "FAIL :P" which I thought was hilarious, so I'm keeping it.

Mike (I'm going to make sure that you read this now): I may have time to speak to you on weekends, but not much. Certainly not this weekend, I have music camp.

That's something exciting that is happening. Yesterday (Monday) was the only day this week that I did not have rehearsal for some sort of choir. The music concert is in nine days, no wonder I'm freaking out. Anyway, I am at school for half of the weekend singing songs. At least I'm in Swing, and we get to sing fun stuff like Hairspray and Wicked. (And the Mandy Moore/A Walk to Remember version of Only Hope, which isn't as good as the Switchfoot one. But I'm biased.)

9 days until the concert means 10 days until the formal, which I'm really not looking forward to that much, because I hated last year's. That is because I had a nice dress, a massive allergic reaction on my legs, a hairstyle I didn't like and a date who didn't know anyone. I have solved most of the problems. I have another gorgeous dress, no date (which is overall a better idea when not many of your friends are taking dates. If David Tennant offered to take me to my formal, I would of course say yes.), I'm not waxing my legs this year, and I'm not going to leave it up to the hairdresser to decide how my hair is done.

Also, tomorrow is the birthday of both my sister Megan, who is turning 21, and Emma who is one of my bestest friends in the entire world, who is turning 18! So happy birthday to both of you if you are reading this, and I'm not saying anything about presents in case you happen to be reading this when it's still Tuesday.

There's not much else going on! Oh wait, yesterday, as well as being the anniversary of Deathly Hallows was Maddy's birthday party. Which is quite ironic, because Maddy is opposed to Harry Potter due to her religious beliefs, which is fair enough. And we get along quite well. She decided to have a kids' 18th party, so we had fun things like a pinata and played games such as Pass the Parcel, Balderdash and Twister (yes, I may have just nearly typed Twitter). We also played the peg game, in which you started with 5 pegs, and if you said Maddy, Madeleine, MadCar, or any other variation of her name, you lost a peg. So Em and I were the first ones there, and I asked if we could call her Travis. (Em and I spent an hour and a half on public transport to get there). Guess what? I started a trend! By the end of the party, everyone was calling Maddy "Travis", and she even started answering to it.

Schoolies is still not organised, and Meagan and Heather want to go camping at the Cathedral Ranges. Sorry, if I'm going away for schoolies, I don't want to go camping, even if it's luxury camping. Camping's fun and all, but not for schoolies. I can understand if they don't want to get drunk and get raped for schoolies, but couldn't we do something other than go camping? Here's the thing about schoolies: you don't actually have to get drunk. I think that's all for today, I blog on nerdy strangers tomorrow.

[20/07/08] Four msn conversations and a text message conversation...

Are a lot to keep up with! Though I let Em go back to school work, and Mike's gone to bed. He wasn't too emo today, which was nice. What sucks is that so far I only have three right in the footy tipping. And I don't think I can see what my closest rival has tipped. This has been an atrocious round. At least most of the time you can assume that Geelong will win. Which they did. And wtf was wrong with Hawthorn? They shouldn't have lost to St Kilda. Please understand that my interest in AFL is completely shallow, as I have been number one in the tipping competition every week except Round 11.

So onwards from sport, which is not so much fun. Except netball. I miss netball (though not when we only have 6 players and I have to try and play Centre and Wing Defence). And dancing.

On Friday night I went out with Laura, Cath, Kim and Scotttrick Wolfsonson. Laura said "I have to take you to this really awesome pub!", so we went to ELSTERNWICK, which is of course where Scott lives, and went to this place and got hot chocolates that had the consistency of custard. If I liked custard, this would've been more enjoyable. Then we drove past Daily Planet, and I made some sort of stupid remark about how we should go in, before going to the tattoo place. In the words of Cath, it "smelled like something illegal", though I don't know what. The pub wasn't that exciting, and Kim was the only person who got something to drink.

The most exciting part of the night was christening Laura's new car by taking it through its first drive through at Macca's. Actually, speaking of Laura's car, I don't know if I want to get in a car with her for a while. The starts are a bit weird. My mum was pretty worried about it too. She was going through all this stuff about ordering at bars and keeping her updated on my status (alive or dead - now I realise I should've sent her a message saying that I was dead). Anyway, Scott got out of the car because he saw people he knew, and we drove up to the drive through now knowing what we wanted to order. Cath then ordered a McFlurry because she felt like she needed to order something, and then just before we drove off said "I hate McDonald's", which was hilarious. I have no idea why it was so entertaining.

Heather-Lynn and I also had an epic MSN conversation, of which I can't reveal the details, but it was one of the best ever. Because of this, I am planning on reading several books that are analyses of social structure, governments, and corporations. Wow, my sister's rubbed off on me. Most of the books are hers. Damn the politics student in her. I want to go to Melbourne Uni partly because of the PIS. Mostly because of their courses. Either way, that conversation was up there as one of the best I've had with her. The other being the one time it was us, Ella and Mike, and Mike and I took it as our responsibility to give her the Talk.

Yesterday was the party in My Pants. That joke literally never gets old. Ever. Anyway, we celebrated the year anniversary of Accio Deathly Hallows, and when we saw Hank's video, I think we were Happy Dancing, because he's fixed the banning problem, and they're encouraging people to come back, which is exciting. My Pants will live again! I would hold a competition to see who can come up with the most exciting phrases using My Pants, but I'm not sure if anyone actually reads this. And Kat would probably win. So the party was rad, and I got to talk to some people who I don't normally talk to, some I'd never talked to and some I've talked to a lot.

Oh, for some reason I wanted to talk about going shopping with my mum. It was for birthday presents, because there are July birthdays. Maddy's party is tomorrow, and Megan and Emma have their birthdays on Wednesday. Seriously, I think everyone I know is either turning 18 or 21. I don't know why I'm talking about this, as I have nothing to say. Actually, the ABC shop has some awesome Doctor Who merchandise. There was this sonic screwdriver/psychic paper set, as well as a DALEK HELMET which has a voice thinger winger like Michael Buckley's so when you speak you sound like a Dalek. But we didn't get those. Seriously, if you need to buy me a Christmas present, the ABC shop is a good place to start. Also, the lady at Borders is a Doctor Who fan, which made my day.

There was a very uninteresting blog post, and I have an hour and a half on public transport tomorrow to get to Maddy's, which should be fun. Me and Em on trains and buses for an hour. Watch out world! We haven't seen each other in over three weeks.

[18/07/08] No one mourns the Wicked

As Wicked is going to be in Melbourne for 12 months (that's how long Maggie Kirkpatrick has been signed for), I am definitely going to be seeing it again. Especially because I didn't get any merchandise. I want all the T-Shirts that aren't pink. I'm an Elphaba fan, not so much G(a)linda. Not that I don't like her, but Elphaba is a nerdfighter.

I know that everyone wants to know how the Australian Idol reunion concert was. Rob Mills is a better singer than he was 5 years ago, but his voice couldn't match Amanda Harrison's or Lucy Durack's. If he could sing as well as Amanda, As Long As You're Mine would've had the audience in tears. Also, if I had been closer (dress circle row T - for those of you who don't know, the dress circle is ABOVE the balcony), I may have felt more emotion, as I was unable to see any sort of facial expression. Anthony Callea's height was perfect for a munchkin, but his character is so morally... I don't even know. It's a pity he didn't have a role with more singing.

So Amanda and Lucy (I'm too lazy to type their full names, even though I don't know them personally) were amazing. Popular was as hilarious as it should've been, and Defying Gravity was easily the highlight of the show. And For Good came in second. Oh!!!! There were these awesome granita type drinks which I didn't get called Ozmopolitans, and and and they came in these plastic martini glasses whose necks have green lights in them. That's one of the reasons I'm going again, so I can get one. It's $10 and then $5 for a refill. Also, the Regent theatre is the only theatre I can ever remember letting you take food and drinks into the show.

So, reasons I need to see Wicked again: Ozmopolitans, merchandise and I want to see it with Kimmy, and maybe some other people. Also, it has the most amazing set and costumes, so I can see why it's on the Theatre Studies list of shows to see. I will have to run this by some people, as it will be expensive, but I think it would be awesome if for schoolies, we just went around and saw various productions in Melbourne for a week. Rocky Horror's going to be on at that time, so we can see those two shows, and maybe some plays that won't be as expensive.

Today is another special date in the world of Harry Potter, and especially nerdfighting, because it's a year since Accio Deathly Hallows, which brought me to the nerdfighting community, which is always there when I need it, just like a good book. That was a strange analogy.

Something I was going to write about on Wednesday but didn't, was that I read the Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. It was fantastic (I wish Christopher Eccleston would say that for me). Perfect for a book nerd, as it's about a detective in an alternate universe who works for Special Operations as a LiteraTec, who makes sure everything is okay in the world of books.

I think that's all today, no wait! Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Watch it. Sing along once you've seen it a few times and know all the words. And now I'm following it on Twitter. It's the 42nd person I'm following! Yay!

[14/07/08] This will be the shortest post I ever write

Most likely, as my mum wants me in bed by 11, and it is now 10:52. The threat to take away my laptop is sadly not empty. I have 7 days left before I go back to school! AAAHHH!!! What to tell, what to tell. How often will I post here? Hopefully often enough that my nerdy strangers posts aren't too long. I'm writing one now, and I'm editing it for length even though I'm not finished yet. And Happy Bastille Day to all you French readers (of which there are currently none). Happy Birthday to Kirsten, which I have said a thousand times. Almost as many as I have said to Darryl.

Um, the first things I post on here will be a story and the retelling of a dream that I had last week which was epic. It involved Nerdfighters, travelling to another galaxy, coloured chalk and killer pigs that lived next door.

And here's a photo of my formal dress, because not everyone has seen it yet (though people keep asking to):


Now to organise the look of my blog in one minute! Yay!