Catch Up of Sorts...
There was a time when I could not understand people who didn't update regularly. I couldn't imagine a day of not having something, or four things if I was really bored at work, to post but then in the last year...especially the last few months. Don't know where I'm going or what I'm doing with LJ these days but I'm here for now. Making somewhat of an attempt to read but in general not happening..no time. Tweaked my default view. If you want to know if you're on it, just ask but odds are if you're reading this, you are.
At any rate, busy week:
Flew down to Adelaide last Sunday and Kukrae flew in from the States and we pulled off one hell of a surprise for Myrth at her Hen's Night. I think everyone who was involved in the surprise knows about how it went, have heard various threads have popped up about it. Suffice it to say, Myrth was thrilled and we all had a blast this week doing various things. The Hen's night was a lot of fun and the wedding was gorgeous. It was in a town (city?) called Mannum on the banks of the Murray River about an hour and a half from Adelaide and the ceremony was outdoors on the banks of the River. It rained during the ceremony but it was still beautiful and then the reception was in the Pub. I anticipate pics will be surfacing, probably when "Mr. and Mrs. Myrth" (so loved that on one of the cards!) return from their honeymoon. Have seen the official photographs-some benefits of staying with the official photographer-and they are gorgeous but it is so weird not having my 'own' photographs, but more on that later. And after all the stress about what to wear, I didn't wear the skirt. It was too cold and damp so I ended up wearing this shirt with black linen pants. Would have been woefully underdressed for a wedding at home but the dress codes were much more relaxed here. Anyway, it was awesome and we pulled off the surprise, which was what mattered most.
Reason I have no photos...Camera utterly and totally dead. Beyond the sensor issues I knew it was having a few weeks ago. I turned it on the other day; the lens came halfway out and stopped. Dead. RIP Camera. As I said earlier, it owes me nothing and it got me as far as I needed it to get me. Kukrae brought her new camera and I had fun playing with that last week and Helen gives me copies of her photos, as will kiwibeck if we take anything interesting when I get there. On a good note, there's a shop in the city that wants to buy it for parts so I'll get something for it. Once I decided what kind of camera I want to get-thinking about the Nikon D70S because I really want a good camera, though the new Olympus 8 megapixel is a *very* nice compact-I'll see what kind of media it takes and then see what to do about my memory cards. I think the D70 takes SD but I'm not sure anymore. I'm a Nikon girl but also considering a Canon. Decisions, decisions. Anyway, all to be researched and purchased in Japan.
Yes, Japan. Some of you know this already but I've really lost track of who knows what and from where and who I caught on chat but as far as I can tell, I've never gotten around to mentioning it here even though its been in the works for a while now. First applied back in May when I was in Melbourne but my e-application got lost in the online netherworld and I didn't hear back so I reapplied when I was in Perth. Nova called me about flying to Brisbane when I was in Broome but I postponed it a week and flew from Darwin in August. Spent three days back with kiwibeck's father and had the interview. Told me I'd here in two weeks, he'd gotten the letter in his mailbox by the time I'd flown back to Darwin and picked up my Ghan ticket for Adelaide. So last two months have been a mad dash of paperwork--visa applications, degree copies, JMA forms...Delays from Japan mean I'm leaving later than I thought i.e. on the day before my Australian visa expires so I will have spent just shy of eleven months here by the time I leave. I'm pretty happy with that. I don't have an address for Japan yet; if all goes as normal I'll have it just before I leave. I'm flying from Melbourne on the 4th of November, just need to book my ticket.
Also need to sort out what I want to ship home, what I want to take to Japan and what can be thrown out. I've been pretty good about not accumulating too much stuff and I can get the weight limit increased to 30kg if I book through Nova's travel agent but I really don't want a 30kg backpack of stuff I won't need in Japan plus there's bulky stuff like my sleeping bag. I got done for my luggage when I flew down from Brisbane--Qantas Domestic allows one checked bag at 20kg, backpack was 18 so this wasn't an issue. However hand luggage is limited to 7kgs and they decided to weigh mine. Daypack (i.e. laptop and books) was 17kgs. Eek. So had to check that after moving my laptop to a second bag. Not good. Need to get rid of some of the weight before I leave but at the same time I'm thinking of things I won't be able to get in Japan and want to bring from here i.e. western sized clothes and English books.
In between all the stuff I should be doing, I'm spending a lot of time on mindless stuff, especially fic. Kukrae's been my partner in SVU fic crime more or less since the first fic I wrote and it was wonderful having her here last week. I managed to post four stories and work on as many more plus I rediscovered why I like the show, if not exactly the fandom. Obviously that doesn't include anyone reading this but that fandom's gone to shit faster than any other I've ever watched. But getting to watch some of the s2 DVDs (especially the Wrong is Right shower scene and other deleted scenes) reminded me of what it was I liked about the show. This season, very ehh so far. I liked 911 (don't hit me, I didn't love it but I have seen MUCH worse) but I don't like the main partners being split every episode. From a logistical POV, I get it. They split the leads and can do more episodes. Partners don't always work together. But I like watching EO together, that's a big part of why I like the show and I miss that. So what do I do? I retreat into my AUs.
What else...Swear I had more to post when I was mentally composing this post. Just further proof that I need a brain-top. I'm sure I can manage to go back to my multi post days if I think of what it was.
At any rate, busy week:
Flew down to Adelaide last Sunday and Kukrae flew in from the States and we pulled off one hell of a surprise for Myrth at her Hen's Night. I think everyone who was involved in the surprise knows about how it went, have heard various threads have popped up about it. Suffice it to say, Myrth was thrilled and we all had a blast this week doing various things. The Hen's night was a lot of fun and the wedding was gorgeous. It was in a town (city?) called Mannum on the banks of the Murray River about an hour and a half from Adelaide and the ceremony was outdoors on the banks of the River. It rained during the ceremony but it was still beautiful and then the reception was in the Pub. I anticipate pics will be surfacing, probably when "Mr. and Mrs. Myrth" (so loved that on one of the cards!) return from their honeymoon. Have seen the official photographs-some benefits of staying with the official photographer-and they are gorgeous but it is so weird not having my 'own' photographs, but more on that later. And after all the stress about what to wear, I didn't wear the skirt. It was too cold and damp so I ended up wearing this shirt with black linen pants. Would have been woefully underdressed for a wedding at home but the dress codes were much more relaxed here. Anyway, it was awesome and we pulled off the surprise, which was what mattered most.
Reason I have no photos...Camera utterly and totally dead. Beyond the sensor issues I knew it was having a few weeks ago. I turned it on the other day; the lens came halfway out and stopped. Dead. RIP Camera. As I said earlier, it owes me nothing and it got me as far as I needed it to get me. Kukrae brought her new camera and I had fun playing with that last week and Helen gives me copies of her photos, as will kiwibeck if we take anything interesting when I get there. On a good note, there's a shop in the city that wants to buy it for parts so I'll get something for it. Once I decided what kind of camera I want to get-thinking about the Nikon D70S because I really want a good camera, though the new Olympus 8 megapixel is a *very* nice compact-I'll see what kind of media it takes and then see what to do about my memory cards. I think the D70 takes SD but I'm not sure anymore. I'm a Nikon girl but also considering a Canon. Decisions, decisions. Anyway, all to be researched and purchased in Japan.
Yes, Japan. Some of you know this already but I've really lost track of who knows what and from where and who I caught on chat but as far as I can tell, I've never gotten around to mentioning it here even though its been in the works for a while now. First applied back in May when I was in Melbourne but my e-application got lost in the online netherworld and I didn't hear back so I reapplied when I was in Perth. Nova called me about flying to Brisbane when I was in Broome but I postponed it a week and flew from Darwin in August. Spent three days back with kiwibeck's father and had the interview. Told me I'd here in two weeks, he'd gotten the letter in his mailbox by the time I'd flown back to Darwin and picked up my Ghan ticket for Adelaide. So last two months have been a mad dash of paperwork--visa applications, degree copies, JMA forms...Delays from Japan mean I'm leaving later than I thought i.e. on the day before my Australian visa expires so I will have spent just shy of eleven months here by the time I leave. I'm pretty happy with that. I don't have an address for Japan yet; if all goes as normal I'll have it just before I leave. I'm flying from Melbourne on the 4th of November, just need to book my ticket.
Also need to sort out what I want to ship home, what I want to take to Japan and what can be thrown out. I've been pretty good about not accumulating too much stuff and I can get the weight limit increased to 30kg if I book through Nova's travel agent but I really don't want a 30kg backpack of stuff I won't need in Japan plus there's bulky stuff like my sleeping bag. I got done for my luggage when I flew down from Brisbane--Qantas Domestic allows one checked bag at 20kg, backpack was 18 so this wasn't an issue. However hand luggage is limited to 7kgs and they decided to weigh mine. Daypack (i.e. laptop and books) was 17kgs. Eek. So had to check that after moving my laptop to a second bag. Not good. Need to get rid of some of the weight before I leave but at the same time I'm thinking of things I won't be able to get in Japan and want to bring from here i.e. western sized clothes and English books.
In between all the stuff I should be doing, I'm spending a lot of time on mindless stuff, especially fic. Kukrae's been my partner in SVU fic crime more or less since the first fic I wrote and it was wonderful having her here last week. I managed to post four stories and work on as many more plus I rediscovered why I like the show, if not exactly the fandom. Obviously that doesn't include anyone reading this but that fandom's gone to shit faster than any other I've ever watched. But getting to watch some of the s2 DVDs (especially the Wrong is Right shower scene and other deleted scenes) reminded me of what it was I liked about the show. This season, very ehh so far. I liked 911 (don't hit me, I didn't love it but I have seen MUCH worse) but I don't like the main partners being split every episode. From a logistical POV, I get it. They split the leads and can do more episodes. Partners don't always work together. But I like watching EO together, that's a big part of why I like the show and I miss that. So what do I do? I retreat into my AUs.
What else...Swear I had more to post when I was mentally composing this post. Just further proof that I need a brain-top. I'm sure I can manage to go back to my multi post days if I think of what it was.