some people wear their heart upon their sleeve

off to broadway market...to buy me a bike!

hopefully. :)

Not too much going on right now, sleeping a lot, struggling to get up in the morning to go to the gym...having issues with my workplace a bit.
I am organising the Christmas party though, which although it is a lot of work, should be lots of fun to see through.

Had a bit of a rough patch as far as emotional landscapes go recently but I am coming through it and basically decided to refuse to feel sad. Because I am in London! And I kind of feel a bit like I'm in the middle of achieving this massive thing, which is moving overseas, and just living in London because at times it can be quite hard...this big city is sometimes a bit too big, and while I love the anonymity it provides, at the moment I'm really missing my beautiful Byron Bay and the community it provides. Walking down the main street and having a 5 minute walk take 25 minutes due to all the people you run into along the way that you know, giant bear hugs outside espressohead, beachy sunshine, and endless positivity - Byron has it's flaws, and I'm the first person to admit that, in fact I couldn't wait to get out as an 18 year old, but I really do miss a lot about it.

I suppose that's why I moved to West End in Brisbane!! WHere are my organic foodstores run by dreadlocked vegans? Where is my vegan cafe, and blues music venues with the most amazing coffee and world class musicians? Most of all, where is my Green Flea Market run by and begun by locals with something to share with their community!!?

Ah...rose coloured glasses are lovely. I do think I had it pretty good before I left Brisbane though. :)

I miss you my favourite Australian places :)

Went to Tate Modern today with some friends and checked out the above listed exhibits, along with the giant installation in the Turbine Hall ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/oct/12/miroslaw-balka-turbine-hall ) by Miroslav Balka. It's kinda cool. I am actually really getting into architecture a lot more since being here - I was already interested but now am becoming slightly obsessed!!

Had a nice glass of red afterwards and chatted with two of the girls for a while - Kat is having a fancy dress initial themed party in 2 weeks time. Only catch - it's in Brixton! Should be fun though. Not sure what I'm doing for Halloween, but yet again I've failed to get a costume in time!!! Dangit. Oh well.

I am putting myself on a responsible eating plan - I have been well and truly Healthrow Injected!! Ouch...

So. Gym in the morning and healthy eating! Yay! (damn...no more PFC on the way home drunk...haha)

Night! 

3 days in Paris is totally not enough.

Although it probably was enough poorly constructed sentences and bad accents for all the Parisiens! I walked around everywhere, went on a river cruise and saw all the touristy stuff from the Seine...stumbled upon the Musem of Natural History, went to le Jardin du Luxembourg after  a massive walk from the 13th through the Latin Quarter past the Sorbonne to St Germaine, then back south through all the gourmet food places!! Le Grande Epicerie is THE single most amazing foodie experience I've had thus far. AND the most divine macarons I've ever tasted!!! Heavenly! There have been crimes perpetrated against macarons, let me tell you.

Then we picked up a bottle of 3 euro wine, and went to the gardens sat on deck chairs around the perfectly manicured lawn, and ate bread and cheese, macarons de pistache, and took some awesome lemony beer (panaché) and amazing banoffee pie back to the hotel room...where we ate more!

My hostel was great too. 4 bed dorm, great view, a/c (necessary due to the 31 degree days!) funky flocked wallpaper, free internet, free continental breakfast (very tasty) and really really friendly and helpful staff, who all spoke english, such a relief! I mean I am all for speaking the local language - at least a bit - but it is very tiring because you have to think constantly, it's not an easy relay of information.

Was amazing...though the metro is kind of like a scummier and smaller version of the tube...Paris was so hot that everything smelled more than usual. Where London smells of drain, Paris smells of piss. Charming, but true. It charmed me anyway.

I am inspired to take up french again now after busting out the awful high school and phrasebook french...

Also - I want to get a yearly Velib pass! The Velib scheme is amazing, there are stations every 300 metres throughout the city, and you just swipe your Navigo pass (i think somewhat like an Oyster card??) and away you go, bicycle complete with basket on the front, lights and a lock! Then when you are done you just park it back in another Velib station. First 30 mins free, next is 1 euro.

Clearly no one needs a car in Paris, between the metro, the RER, the velib bicycles, and the buses...but really, everyone mostly walks!

I have to say also that the Eurostar is my new favourite thing! I slept most of the way there, it was so comfortable and smooth, only took 2 hours, and the food they sell is yummy too...

Also, Customs? What Customs?? You walk up, show your ticket and your passport and they look at you and stamp it, then you go through! AND THEY ARE SO POLITE! Such a contrast to the rude bastards on UKBA. But then again, that would be expecting customer service in the UK! Ouch... :)

So verdict? Parisiens are so undeserving of the bad rap they get - I found them to be extremely polite, and generally lovely people.

Next stop - Venice!

I'll post some pics of Paris when I upload them. V tired tonight so having a quiet one...

xx

 slept til 12 today. much needed lie in :)

washed some clothes and my hair and my self, then rocked into soho for a coffee and panino at milkbar. mmm....good antipodean coffee! walked through soho square in the sun which was lovely too.

leave for paris tomorrow, will be seeing a play on friday night with amy - am excited, haven't seen any theatre (aside from the musical kind) in ages!

would love to see some physical theatre (ie from the school of meyerholdian antics!) sometime soon too.
missed out on wine and cheesefest in mile end due to needing to come home to pack. knew should have done that last night but had had a few pints and decided that pizza and talking shit and watching tv with ellie (my housemate) was a far better plan!

best be off to pack now!

x

I'm in England! ^_^

Thanks to notcharming :

urbangeisha's Halloween party:



_icandy_ dressed as the Oval Power Ranger, and it suited them disturbingly well.

a_lil_spaz dressed as Ichabod Crane, the schoolmaster from Sleepy Hollow, and it suited them all too well.

a_vivid_dreamer dressed as a blanket.

aikiariyen dressed as Ulysses S Grant.

aluminiumgirl dressed as a character from "Terminator 2: Judgment Day".

astrovisionary dressed as Trent Reznor.

bardot dressed as a character from Harry Potter and the Steel Druid.

battyboy dressed as the Marquis of Taxocole.

bice dressed as Johnny Depp.

bina dressed as a character from a Final Fantasy game.

blixt dressed as a concrete shield.

blondjuliana dressed as a zombie.

bluemurf dressed as Josephine Baker but the banana "skirt" didn't survive the night.

bohemien_fleur dressed as a zombie.

boobiebar dressed as Ted Kennedy - tarred and feathered.

brezzadiestate dressed as Elizabeth Regina on steroids and roller skates, and it suited them all too well.

brownstudies forgot to put on clothes!

cadaverique dressed as the King of Aruba.

catdraco dressed as a very fake witch-doctor complete with a collection of shrunken skulls, and it suited them all too well.

cellos_playing dressed as your mother.

chadwicky dressed as Camilla Parker-Bowles when she becomes Queen.

chakalit dressed as a second baseman for the Indians.

cheekyvixen dressed as Jack the Ripper in a time machine, complete with gory knives.

cinema_monster dressed as Optimus Prime.

cockatielgirl dressed as a safety for the Titans.

crunchy_truckie dressed as legendary space hero Touch Blastbody.

de_saudade dressed as Josephine Baker but the banana "skirt" didn't survive the night.

deathbytricycle dressed as a Level 10 sorcerer.

definatalie dressed as Helga the wisewoman, although the live snake was a mistake, though it looked more like Optimus Prime.

doublespeak dressed as a honest witch.

eavanne didn't even show up and doesn't get any candy.

edible_couture dressed as Mary Queen of Scots ... without her head. Most convincing.

elizabethbinary dressed as a Marcelo Cipolla Ambulance Chasers, Corp. employee.

evil_ginner dressed as the Governor of Connecticut.

eydimork dressed as the King of Macau.

galadarling dressed as the main character of "American Beauty".

ginmartini dressed as a difficulty.

giraffehomo dressed as Sung Hi Lee riding a cat.

gstringgirl dressed as a disturbing self-made character called "Zippy Cootiekisser".

gundawg dressed as Pavlova the ballerina -- dancing on point too.

h2o_plus dressed as Lady Godiva without the horse and far too little hair!, and it suited them disturbingly well.

hecatesknickers dressed as the Governor of Oklahoma.

hellomaranda dressed as a bottle of Pentcanetra.

hjordis dressed as the Vicomte des Boules-Velues.

iamthesuck dressed as the Vicomte des Boules-Velues.

ikona_rakasha dressed as a new superhero: Machine Mouse.

in_spite_of_all didn't even show up and doesn't get any candy.

isruc dressed as the love child of Craig Kilborn and Gabriella Sabitini, though it looked more like Mary Queen of Scots ... without her head. Most convincing.

jeansntshirtguy dressed as the Lord of Loami.

k17k dressed as a pair of pliers.

kickyourkids dressed as Helga the wisewoman, although the live snake was a mistake.

kittycat_black dressed as Jennifer Love Hewitt's aunt.

l3antha didn't even show up and doesn't get any candy.

ladymillay dressed as a devil.

lenore_lurks didn't dress up, spoilsport.

liath_luachra dressed as Julia Roberts.

lifeofagaony699 dressed as something prickly, but what, specifically, you can't tell, though it looked more like Pavlova the ballerina -- dancing on point too.

linkslut dressed as legendary space hero Touch Drinklots.

littera_abactor dressed as Winona Ryder.

loolahbelle dressed as Ivan the Terrible of Russia.

loss4words dressed as a walking Guillotine.

lotus555 dressed as a disturbing self-made character called "Skipper Gizzardpants".

lucers dressed as a quarterback for the Buccaneers.

lunaminor dressed as the resurrected dead -- complete with the most convincing coffin.

lunassasin dressed as Mde. Lachienne Foutue d'Enfer -- you don't wanna know.

macushla_rain dressed as Halle Berry.

manjumymanji dressed as Scooter Libby.

margot_too dressed as Guy Fawkes but the exploding barrel of dynamite didn't go down too well.

megandmalik dressed as a new superhero: Sarge Shield.

meluhhknee dressed as a Level 5 bard, and it suited them all too well.

miss__sin dressed as a skunk.

miss_cat dressed as a rabbit.

missbeclane dressed as Chekov from "Star Trek".

misses_bitch didn't dress up, spoilsport.

moocards dressed as Ozzy Osbourne.

morriganslayde dressed as Cmdr. Riker from "Star Trek", and it suited them disturbingly well.

ms_jess4444 dressed as a character from Harry Potter and the Hallows of Fire.

msqkxyz dressed as the Viscount of Novazere, and it suited them disturbingly well.

mylarwoman dressed as a walking Guillotine.

nepali_princess didn't even show up and doesn't get any candy.

novimnet dressed as a CK&U Construction, Corp. employee.

ntynikki dressed as Adam-the-first-man but the fig-leaf was far too big.

nubbytwiglet dressed as the Viscount of Northton.

nusch dressed as a pitcher for the Astros.

octaine dressed as Jack the Ripper in a time machine, complete with gory knives.

oh_sarah28 dressed as Lady Godiva without the horse and far too little hair!.

photolablove dressed as Benjamin Harrison.

pink_bitz dressed as Elizabeth Regina on steroids and roller skates, and it suited them disturbingly well.

poeticinsanity dressed as blues legend Ugly Baby Hopkins.

queencleopatra dressed as Mde. Lachienne Foutue d'Enfer -- you don't wanna know.

queer_housewife dressed as Elmer Fudd.

riumplus gets drunk, strips naked, and somehow emerges dressed as a Care Bear.

riverboatsails dressed as Angelina Jolie - tarred and feathered, and it suited them all too well.

sallbell dressed as Sigfried in need of testosterone.

sparrowbones dressed as blues legend Old Killer Franklin.

starlet_harlot dressed as Nosferatu the Supreme Vampire.

starlett_star dressed as a data entry section chief.

sweetgwendolyne dressed as a new member of the Wu-Tang Clan, Pesty Dreamer.

the_anticraft didn't dress up, spoilsport.

the_superstar dressed as Mary-Kate Olsen with her very own conjoined Ashley.

theamyl dressed as Donald Rumsfeld.

themonomaniac dressed as a 1990's grunge child.

thisisstar dressed as Marie Antoinette going to her death, though it looked more like Josephine Baker but the banana "skirt" didn't survive the night.

two_days_until dressed as Ricky Martin.

unicorncake dressed as a pizza.

urbangeisha dressed as John Madden.

uvaspina dressed as Sybil - except that Sybil didn't show but the other 30 personalities did.

varnie101 dressed as the spirit of their dead grandmother Virginia.

vibrato_light dressed as Nosferatu the Supreme Vampire.

virginiadesigns forgot to put on clothes!

yellowfishbulb dressed as the resurrected dead -- complete with the most convincing coffin.

youampersandme dressed as Marie Antoinette going to her death.

zana dressed as Butt-head.





Throw your own party at the Hallomeme!
Created by sigma7: More info here.

i am loving laura marling right now!

- learn a new guitar chord
- re-learn an old song
- play guitar at least twice before the end of sunday night
- read one page of music theory book each day - so far yes!
- remember to water seedlings each night -  again, yes, thus far
- go for a swim once this week (laps)
- go to bed early.  - going better than usual

Who can tell me where I can find the best summer dresses for a CHEAP price.
They have to be able to be worn in the daytime in Brisbane heat.

I am at a dead end.

Oh, and as icandy mentioned, vintage fair this weekend! I will totally miss it again! Silly being out of town....I'll be having a fab time though so that's ok :D

had a craving for raisin toast this afternoon, some craving! i went to coles and bought spicy fruit toast and some cream for mah hot chocolate.

perfect for a grey rainy day like today!

missamylou

Isn't it wild, Amy? I mean, in time and space you get to experience what you think, think what you want, and want what you don't have. Yet so few visualize.

Think about it -
    The Universe

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-200-calories-look-like.htm

scary.

!!!

I was at my friend's house earlier, swapping some files with her, and I inadvertently contracted a VIRUS!!!

My poor little external hard drive is infected! I did ask her if she had adequate virus protection, she said yes, and I suppose it did TELL me I had a virus, but OH! I don't know if it got rid of it.

She was using AVS I think...and it said "remove all unhealed instances?" (or something like it)  and I said "yes" because I wasn't sure if I had any other option.

The problem here is that it was in one of the central WD passport files that I'm pretty sure RUN my hard drive, and control it's ability to synchronise data and backups etc.

I don't want to plug it in here, because I have at the moment an expired Norton subscription. I don't really want to get Norton again, because, well, it hates my computer and makes it run at the speed of a grandma who's just missed the butcher on Christmas eve.

I want to fix it.

Does anyone have any ideas

a) about what is the best resonably priced virus protection that runs effectively, is reasonably easy to use, and won't kill my computer's RAM?

and

b) it's a trojan but I can't remember the name. Started with H i think...may have had a 'y' in it somewhere...
Best way to fix???


MANY THANKS!!!!

It is OVERCAST on my DAY OFF!

I am shattered. I was looking to lie about in the sun all day reading books!

Bugger.

I guess I'd better go have coffee somewhere lush.



[Edit: the sun just came out! wooo!]

The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed. Well let's see.

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicise those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you LOVE.
4) Reprint this list in your own LJ so we can try and track down these people who've read 6 and force books upon them ;-)

Man, there are so many books on here that I want to read! Must track them down!

Based on my viewing habits, can any of you reccommend any films for me to see?

I am dying to see a good one, haven't for quite some time now. I'm sure there are some classics I'm missing from here.
Criteria are kind of:

foreign
arthouse
related to art/ists
great cinematography
cult film

or anything else along those lines.


Any thoughts?