Night owls
Last night had my first ever hen's night. There were activities during the day but I had to work and thus couldn't attend. I missed out on High Tea at the Hyatt, and the pole dancing session (lol). Dinner was at Debacle, then it was to the bars! All in all we went to four. I stayed out longer than I had anticipated, having a better time than I would thought, especially as a designated driver. However Muddle Bar had really good mocktails, I think I'll be heading back there :) I went to Mooseheads for the first time ever and it was...underwhelming. All throughout uni it was the uni place to be, but it never appealed to me. I've never been big on drinking out going out and getting trashed. It's only recent years that I've begun to drink any alcohol at all. I can safely say that I really wasn't missing much. I don't mind going out bit with friends and having fun, but I don't like losing control of myself, it doesn't reflect well on anybody. Of course, whilst you're partying it's all fun and games, but I really don't get people who go out every week and get themselves blind drunk. I would like to retain a few functioning brain cells, thanks. Only once I have not remembered a large chunk of the night, and in hindsight, whilst I was lucky to have been taken care of, it's good to know my limits. Since then, I know how far I'm along and can gauge when how much is too much.
Honestly, I'm more of a "stay home with a movie or video game" kinda person. But mixing it up every now and again is all right. I think it's good that I've only started "properly" partying (I used to be such a prude XD) because I'd like to think I'm a little older, and can thus make slightly wiser judgments.
Anyway, the bride-to-be is a friend from uni, but we went to the same high school and primary school, so most of the girls I already knew. Some I hadn't seen since high school so it was interesting to see who had changed and who hadn't. I was worried it was going to be a bit awkward but it was really for nothing! It was great catching up, and catching up on gossip. Canberra being Canberra, and going to the same schools, a fair bit surfaced. More people than I realized have had babies (a few people, I'm really not surprised to say the least...). It's freaking me out just a little at all the people around me getting engaged, having babies, getting real jobs (well, I'm in the APS now too XD), GROWING UP. It's a scary and exciting thing. I mean, I'm looking forward to having my own house, taking leave and going traveling not on a student's budget, being able to afford nice things.
Actually, in thinking about my future, my mind keeps turning to the AFP. For awhile I've entertained the idea of becoming a police officer. But that also leads me to thinking about studying forensics. Even though I'm kinda squeamish with blood, I think it's something that can be overcome and desensitized to really quickly. I'm at a point where I'm still unsure of what I want career wise. This Questacon job has opened up a lot of avenues as well. I'm now officially a public servant, and the benefits that comes with that job is pretty sweet. We'll see what I feel like when I get to a desk job.
It's funny. I think about all my aspirations from when I started uni, and really wanting to become a research scientist, completely scoffing at the thought of ever joining the public service, and yet, here I am.
Oh, I don't think I ever posted here! Summer of 2008-2009, I completed my ANU Summer Research scholarship, working with cuckoos and fairy wrens, seeing if the fairy wren response to them is innate or learned. Well, in June, the paper was submitted for publication. And guess what. I'M A CO-AUTHOR. Along with my research partner, we're getting published!!! The article has been submitted to Behavioral Ecology, and I expect it will be awhile after revisions til it's properly published. However I really wasn't expecting it. It never sank in that what we were doing was novel research, no one had ever done this before. That it was Naomi (my supervisor), Kim and I out there in the field, searching for nests, sitting in 35 degree heat in a hide watching and recording these birds for hours at a time. Kim and I sitting in the lab coating the bird alarm calls on the sonographs, writing our own report on it! Naomi did a secondary study at two different sites to get more data last year, and well, now everything is put together! I think it's because during undergrad, all the experiments and things we did were pre-completed. There was an expected result, it was just about learning the techniques and methods and completing assessment. With this, I do feel like I've accomplished something in my pursuit of my science dreams. However I don't feel like I have the right drive and motivation to become a research scientist (well, at this stage). My goals have changed. I'm after security and stability for the moment, I think it's because I have way too many other hobbies and interests. I would love to study other subjects, just as a grad cert or something. My friends doing honours, masters, phd's etc, they're so focused on their subjects. One of my friends lives and breathes birds, he loves watching them in his spare time, and studying them. I know he's going to do so well in his PhD. I think at this stage I would feel fraudulent because I don't have the same amount of the aforementioned focus and drive. But I've settled this with myself now. I don't think I'll ever stop this pursuit of knowledge and learning. But I'll just do it on my own terms for now.
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