Euphoria, torment, and Internet

Since last night, I’ve been feeling both euphoric and tormented at the same time. Very. I mean, what happened is not a bad thing (at all), but it’s rather confusing. I guess it will sort itself out soon enough though. I might talk about it more later. Oh yeah, it has to do with a girl. Might as well mention that.

In other news, I finally got the Internet to work in my room. The downside being I am currently running Windows XP… Ugh. That said, at least I have Internet, and it’s very fast Internet at that! Mmm….

Um… I really can’t think of much else to say. I’m preoccupied with other things. Like the first paragraph. Bye!

Long time. Not post. Much happen. Nuff said.

So yeah, read the title. Pretty much sums up the last while I’ve had in Sydney! The reason I haven’t blogged for so long is due to me not having teh Internets connected to my computer (I am currently working around this problem by using the Uni’s computers and Internets, which has been made much easier now that I have my PIN to get in at any hour of the day or night to the IT Faculty’s computers, as opposed to being stuck trying to get hold of one of the general use computers around the Uni ). I love the FacIT PCs because they use Linux (it’s only Fedora, but it’s much better than Windows!) and they don’t really have many restrictions on what I can and cannot do (not allowed to add/remove programs, or eat/drink in the labs, but that’s about it. I can use MSN!!). I would love even more to be able to use the ProgSoc computers (they are Macs, but still UNIX-based and pretty flexible so can be forgiven) as I can do absolutely whatever I want on those computers, and I can eat/drink in that room. Must… get… key…

Okay, so enough about computers and stuff. Okay, so not quite… I had my first classes today, and they were about computers! First one was Programming Fundamentals, which should be pretty good, although I had to go out and buy a $120 ‘How to program Java’ book… ugh. But my Web Systems class, which I had this evening, made up for it, as it requires no texts. No idea about my other two subjects though! I will find out in the next two days though.

In very exciting news, I had a job interview on Friday at a company called Emotum. They make software that makes it easy to install modems and connect to teh Internets, and if I am successful in gaining the position, I would be a software tester, testing that software on numerous different Operating Systems and in numerous different languages (apparently things can go wrong when the language is changed!! And a lot of their stuff is used in Scandanavia, so they have to make sure). Anyway, it would be 2-3 full days a week, which would suit me great, as – except for Mondays – all my classes are during the evening. Also they pay well . See what happens though – apparently a lot of people applied, and I was lucky enough to be short-listed due to my resume and cover letter, so I can only hope that I can go further and actually get the job! Find out tomorrow or the next day.

Oh yeah, I neglected to mention (it’s been so long I – keep forgetting what I have and have not said!) that I moved into my apartment on Tuesday. Only one other of my flatmates were there (all the others except one had moved in, but they were away), so it was pretty empty and all that. My room is really awesome (compared to what I was dreading, anyway ). I have a lovely view over Mountain St from the second floor (well, third actually, but it’s labelled level 2 because they don’t count the ground floor :S). My flatmates all seem very nice, from what I’ve seen. There is Silke, who is German, in second year Health Science or something along those lines. She is out RN, which I can’t remember what it stands for but basically organises stuff and gets to know everyone. She is nice. There is also Rob, who is doing first year Engineering. He is 17. Mehehe. He’s really nice. He plays guitar with his friend across the hall, which is always fun. I also recently discovered that he plays a bit of squash, which could be good. Jack is sharing a room with Rob (it’s weird, they are the only share room on the floor, and I didn’t even know that it was possible…). Jack is also 17 and doing Engineering. He also plays hockey, has Windows Vista, and also has a nice girlfriend called Grace. They have been going out for about 2 years. Iris is from China, and just moved in the other day. I don’t know anything more about her. She stays in her room a lot, and doesn’t talk much when she is not in her room. I plan to make an effort to get ot know her very soon. Eroll is currently away (although he might be back by now – I’ve been out for a while), but he is reported to be very nice and funny. He’s the oldest of us all, being in his mid-late 20s. He is from India. Oh yeah, and he also owns the Internet, so I plan to ask to share it with him when he gets back. And by owns the Internet, I mean he has ADSL2+ with lots of downloads and stuff and is most likely willing to share. I think that’s all about my flatmates for now.

The night after the day I moved in (or alternatively, Tuesday night), I went out to see a band play at a pub with my new friend Steve (or Stoive, whichever tickles your fancy). The main act was a band called Triosk, who go under the classification of ‘Experimental Jazz’. What can I say? It was awesome!! I had a marvellous time, and will be sure to go out to other similar things.

Also I am very proud of myself – I cooked my first wonderfully nice meal for myself!! Lol… It was lamb chops with greek salad, and surprisingly enough it was really really nice! I took photos of it . I’ve also cooked other meals since, of course. I haven’t screwed anything up yet, which has been nice. I suppose it doesn’t matter too much if I do though.

I also took photos of my room and the rest of my apartment, which I will probably upload somewhere fairly soon. It will be either on my site (james.mcpaa.com) or the ProgSoc server, but they will be publicly available whatever happens and I will post the site here, I guess. If anybody is interested, that is…

I think that covers most things. I mean, there are, of course, plenty of things that I’ve forgotten, but I’m sure I will either blog about them sometime in the future, or just stop caring. Anyway, I hope everyone is safe and well, and to those of you that have just started Uni – all the best and HAVE FUN!! i know I am =). Although I do miss having close friends to talk about stuff with… Ah well, you get that when you move 900km away from home! I’m sure I will survive. Speaking of surviving, I am most likely going to the Mardi Gras parade this Saturday evening. It should be very interesting indeed. Hopefully I survive! I will have a friend there to protect me though, so I should be okay .

Lots of love,
James

Um… Sunday?

So today was pretty awesome. Dad bought all my food, which was great – it means I don’t have to spend my own money!! Hehehe… free-loading. Anyway we headed over to Manly on the ferry, and spent some time on the beach and stuff, which was nice and relaxing. Unlike the last two times I spent a good deal of time in the sun, I decided (wisely, I believe) to put sunscreen on, and was very careful about the whole process. It paid off, too! Dad mustn’t have put his on very well, and got pretty burnt, yet I only got a little bit burnt, and in strange places. Like… there is a spot in the middle of my chest, and there is a couple of lines on my shoulder. Oh and the backs of my hands a little bit. Obviously I am slightly neglectful of some body parts. It’s not bad though, thank god.

The sea was pretty rough today, so the ferry to Manly and back was pretty awesome – lots of swell pushing us up and down and sideways!!

Um… oh yeah – when we got back, I subtly hinted to Dad that there is a Lindt Cafe in Martin Place in the city, and considering Lindt is his absolute favourite chocolate, it didn’t take much coercion to get him there. Actually… it took no coercion. I would hate to have tried to stop him though!! I had a milk hot chocolate, and I must say – it was probably the best hot chocolate I have ever had!! Absolutely delicious!

Um… not much else to report. I currently have Dad’s phone, and Dad has my phone, because Dad’s phone needs charging but he forgot his charger so I’m charging it on my laptop. We swapped SIMs though, so s’all good. I am currently… Writing this! And MSNing, of course! Okay well… A bientot!

Lots of love,
James

Enrolment + Exploring

Today I had to wake up early to go to enrolment at UTS. This wouldn’t have been such a problem, except I was out till about 1am last night at a ProgSoc (Programmers’ Society) meeting, my first Uni club meeting! The front door of the IT Building at Uni was locked, so I was about to give up, but I had a look around the back and found CK, one of the Alumni members who I met on IT Camp, and he got us in (not completely legally). Usually I will be able to access the building with a pin code, but I haven’t got that yet =(. Anyway, the meeting was really good – I was the only first year that turned up, which was a bit daunting, but everyone was super nice so all was well. I got to learn to use a Mac (they have 3 Mac Minis) and how to ssh, among other things. Anyway, I’ll be going back next week as long as schedule permits. Yay! Oh yeah, I got a lift home with Rob, Margaret and c0d3_m0nk3y (real name I *think* is Brinton lol), and we got lost in the carpark. Well, the three different carparks that manage to be different but still in the same place. It wasn’t totally the carpark’s fault though – Rob forgot where he left his car, which didn’t help at all. Was good fun though, and damn funny.

Um yeah, so had to get up pretty early this morning. I went to the Housing Service before enrolment, because my move-in date for On-Campus Accommodation coincided with my Orientation Day, which was a bit of a bitch. It was okay though, because I knew the guy there from the ProgSoc meeting. It was a shame, as I couldn’t move the date forward to Monday, because apparently the person there before me will be moving out on Monday. So Wednesday it is! Apparently I’m one of the last ones to move in, which kinda sucks, as it would’ve been nice to move in earlier. But such is life, and the luck of the draw.

Enrolment was a tad confusing, and pretty slow due to it being on the Internet and everyone using it at the same time. But I was there early, so it (generally) went pretty smoothly I guess. Needed help with enrolling in subjects a couple of times, but you get that. I mean, you can’t blame ME if I click on a subject and EVERY SINGLE CLASS is full!! So they added some new ones. I also got my Student ID card, so now I can get cheap public transport etc. Yay! The thing is, I probably will hardly ever even need it once I move into UTS Housing. It’s super close to Uni (closer than a lot of literally ‘on-campus’ residences, thank you Kale), so it’s really pointless catching a bus (not that it would be very practical, as I’d have to walk to Broadway and then catch the bus only one stop anyway =P). But I assume I might use it for going into the city a bit further (Sydney CBD is really long and skinny, and I’m at the bottom end of it), and possibly when I eventually get a job.

On my walk back to Newtown from enrolment, I decided to pop into the Broadway Shopping Centre to see what’s in there. I think I accidentally went in the wrong entrance, and had to go basically through the medical clinic and actually through Dymock’s to get to the main part of the shopping centre. I took the right entrance out though! It’s pretty big in there, and it will plenty suffice for my general shopping needs whilst living in Bulga (my UTS accommodation). I ate some lunch in the nice park next to USyd, and decided to be a little naughty and actually check out inside USyd. Well, namely the Quadrangle, as the photos I’ve seen look pretty sweet. What can I say? The outside is freaking awesome, but the inside is, well… meh. Nothing special, from my point of view. That said, most of the rest of USyd is really nice and green and treeful, which is nice, although a lot of it is way too over-the-top. Like the amount of lawn mowers and line markers I saw. Eek! That and just the whole place in general. I mean, don’t get me wrong – I think it’s a lovely place. And I do wish UTS had a few more of its own gardens, instead of a massive ugly tower that you can see directly out the front of the USyd quadrangle. But I can always just steal USyd’s gardens (nobody notices, even when it’s pretty empty like today), and I’m also pretty close to both Hyde Park and the Botanic Gardens, which are nicer than anything USyd has! I also think one of the other residences has a rooftop garden, so I might just have to check that out!

Okay, well now I have nothing else planned until Tuesday, so I’m going to have to figure out something to do to keep myself amused. Maybe I’ll hijack some of UTS’ computers or something. I wish ProgSoc had daily meetings… lol jks. Okay well hope everything is going well for everyone else. Cyas later!

James

Moving to Sydney!

Ok, so I haven’t blogged for ages. Sorry. Not that anyone reads this anyway, but yeah. I like writing it anyway! Anyway, the last while has been pretty hectic. I’m writing this from a backpackers in Sydney, oddly enough. I came to Sydney on the Saturday night overnight train from Melbourne (left Ballarat at 5pm, got to Sydney at about 7:30am Sunday… ugh, 14.5hrs).

I had to come up because the last few days I’ve had IT Camp, which is a camp in the Blue Mountains run by the UTS IT Faculty for new IT students so they can get to know each other and also some of the lecturers and administrators. It was really worth it, as I met some new people and made new friends, and even had some good chats with some of the lecturers/admins. So yeah, now I won’t feel completely alone and helpless when I start Uni, which will be very nice indeed. I also just plain had a lot of fun!

In regards to the reason I’m staying at a backpackers and not permanent accommodation – I’m going to be living in on campus accommodation, but I move in on the 20th of February, so it’s still another week off yet. But the backpackers has everything I need for now, so it doesn’t bother me or anything. I would just go home, but I have to enrol on Friday, and there’s a bit of orientation stuff scattered around, so I’m staying. Here for good! It seems really weird that I won’t see Ballarat again for four or five months, until I go back to get my wisdom teeth removed in July.

Speaking of not seeing things, I have to go without seeing Ballarat friends for that long too!! =(. It was nice though – I was sick for a while leading up to moving out, but I managed to recover and then quickly organise a get-together for tea at the Java Lounge with some friends the night before I left. It was a really nice night, and we went to see Deja Vu at the cinema after, which was an awesome movie. Then we all said goodbye for the last time in quite a while! Except for Elaine, who came to say goodbye at the train station Saturday night, which was really nice. I almost/actually did cry at the station – it was pretty sad saying goodbye to all my family and my best friend!! Oh well, it shall be a very cool adventure and I am really looking forward to it. Also, my course sounds awesome. Oh, speaking of my course – I was the only person on IT Camp to be doing IT combined with International Studies, although apparently there are a few that are doing it but weren’t on camp.

Okay, well I guess I’ll blog again soon, maybe with not so much of a gap and so much happening in between this time =P. Okay well hope everyone is super!

James

Superbowl

Today I tried to watch American Football for the first time ever. It was the Superbowl, so I figured I might as well check it out. What did I discover? AMERICAN FOOTBALL IS THE STUPIDEST SPORT IN THE WORLD. I would much rather watch AFL or soccer.

On another note, I have been sick all this weekend, and unfortunately am still sick. I was supposed to go to Queenscliff to visit Nanny before I go to Sydney, but I was in no state to go anywhere. Hopefully I’ll be fully recovered soon.

Also I have a dentist appointment today, to see about getting my wisdom teeth out (probably all of them). Yippee!!…..

Wow… sounds like a negative post eh. To be honest though – my mood really isn’t all that bad!

Wheel Change

Today I changed two of the wheels on the panel van, because Dad and Cal bought mag wheels/wide tyres (fatties) for it. It was pretty easy, but I’ve never done it before so yeah it was a bit of an accomplishment. The panel van looks heaps cool now. It’s getting its roadworthy on Monday, and will *hopefully* be registered before I leave, so I can have a play .

In other news… Well, I don’t think there actually is any other news. Oh wait… I am going to Queenscliff tomorrow to visit Nanny (my Grandma). Originally it was going to be me, Mum, Jemma and Cal, but somehow it turned out that I am the only one going :S. Oh well, I don’t mind. Shall be fun!

Okay well nothing else to report tonight! Catch you all Sunday night I guess!