Falstaff ... Take One!

We had our first ever proper Falstaff rehearsal tonight.

I'm already completely in love with the voice of our Falstaff, Derek. Damn baritones... Sie sind viel besser als Tenöre, ja! Ist jemand vielleicht auch ein bißchen heiss?! ;)

But more on Falstaff as it happens...

In other news i'd like to report that Fresh 'n [sic] Fruity Lite Strawberry Cheesecake Yoghurt does NOT taste like cheesecake whatsoever.

Faulty Fish

One of my recent posts announced the new arrival of some fishy pets. I came home tonight from pleasantness and chitchat at the RA bar to find one of said fishy pets DEAD. I actually do not understand.

I have a cat. Cat is 11. Cat has not died (touch wood).

I had a fish. Fish was less than 3 weeks old. Fish died.

I think i just have no luck with fish fullstop. I really dont want to bring Ms. Fleming into this, but she does serve as an example - even Ms. Fleming survived longer than this latest departure.

Fish suck.

Surimi anyone?

A horse of a different colour...

Anyone who knows me knows that i never pass on spammeh forwards. I admit, occassionally one does receive the odd forward which is hilariously funny (though those are few and far between), but for the most part i delete them immediately, think nasty thoughts about the perpetrator, and/or send them nasty ranting emails.

BUT (and there is a but) the other day i found myself giving into temptation of a forward of a different kind. I usually ignore text forwards as well but this one had interesting possibilities... The message said something along the lines of "Describe me in one word, just ONE. Then send this to all your friends and see what you get back in return." Well.. what the hell, free txting and all. Here are a few of my replies:

Jenny: Flamboyant
Flick: Vivacious
Rewi: Fish (Shan't even speculate on this one)
Mum: Rowdy
Bec: Vibrant
David: Brilliant!
Michael: Vivacious
Kathryn: Molerific (?)

Student Rant

I am starting to get the feeling that university really isn't all that fun. The student orientated image that Dunedin portrays just doesn't seem to apply once you're past fourth year. I was in the Castle practice rooms today at about 5pm and heard massive street party noise coming from somewhere nearby. I immediately became grumpy due to the fact that I was desperately trying to memorize Salieri's dreadfully boring harmonies in time for the start of rehearsals and somewhere people were having fun. I can't even remember the last time i did anything remotely fun - and I have been SO looking forward to O'Week. I wanted an out of control, totally sordid week of debauchery before term started. But it's SO not happening.

I definitely think i have bitten off more than i can chew this semester. Why must i be a freakish over-achiever? I really hope all this work pays off, because if i end up with a crap job at the age of 40, both of my degrees having been proved totally useless, i am going to be the angriest person in the universe. God my youth is slipping away before my very eyes...

Late night library fun...

So I dont actually have anything exciting to say, am in the central library at uni just sort of hanging out and semi-working - if your definition of working is sitting at a computer and helping the occasional person. In theory this will be great during term time because it means that i might actually be forced to do some work, but i bet on the days when i really need to do something everything will be incredibly hectic and i wont get to sit still for a moment, let alone type anything substantial!

Shift number 2 as a TS has been fairly quiet. No taxing questions and just a few guest log-ins because all the student profiles are being moved at the moment.

In other news, my first year kiddies started moving in today. A few of the people on my floor have arrived, and hopefully by the end of tomorrow most of them should be here. Going through all of this again as a second year RA seems a little bit frustrating. It would be nice if the kids stayed the same so i didnt have to go through the whole name-learning process again! But alas they have all moved on and are big grown up second years now. Definitely too cool to be in a hall ;)

Anywho yes, apologies for the exceedingly boring post... Perhaps now that various types of training are over interesting things will start to happen in my life again!

Snippets

• I got some new fishy pets the other day. I didnt want anything that reminded me of Ms Fleming (and her horrible death) so had to settle on a white and orange spotty goldfish and two baby minnows. They are super cool. Well... as cool as fish can be anyway. They are co-habitating very happily at the present. Lets hope it continues that way.
• Saw a certain Dr Hoe this evening... she got back from Aucks today and is amusing as ever. "Wow we have a doorbell... OH MY GOD there's a cat in our garden."
• I read something interesting today. Around 30 unknown Pollock works were 'found' recently and were sent for testing and verification; they turned out to be fakes. How on earth do you determine if a Pollock is fake?!? Well, apparently if computer models of his works are analysedthey turn out to have regular fractal patterns. Who would have guessed!
• 15 days until Falstaff rehearsals start - and i dont know any of my music bar the start of act I.
• I heard $2 drinks were disappearing from Two Bears and was most distressed. I then found this out to be a most insidious lie and was rather relieved.
• Had an interesting session with some motivational team building people the other day for RA training. I definitely got something out of it: i realised i am more of a misanthrope than i thought and that i get frustrated by the stupidity of groups.
• And finally... I think people who study Tourism are a particularly nasty type of student. Is that even a degree?

Depressing Advertising

I am starting to feel worried about dying. I was watching TV and saw that ad for... is it insurance? or banking? Anyway, the one that goes:

Success at 2: is having one step follow another
Success at 10: is having friends
Success at 16: is having a driver's licence
Success at 20: is having sex
Success at 35: is having money
Success at 50: is having money
Success at 60: is having sex
Success at 70: is having a driver's licence
Success at 75: is having friends
Success at 80: is having one step follow another

I started thinking morbid thoughts about how my life is a quarter over and I haven't achieved anything exciting or important. It's actually made me feel quite depressed; i almost cried during Rex's funeral on Desperate Housewives.

Vivat Academia!

I'm back in Dunners as of last night. The weather has packed up spectacularly to greet me and I feel as though summer is well and truly over, despite not starting back at uni for another 3 weeks. My room is a mess - Have no idea where to arrange the furniture, and it's weird being in flicky's room... though at least it's bigger! My calf muscles decided to completely atrophy over summer and are sore from lugging huge bags and boxes up and down the many stairs. And im already starting to feel worried about having over-committed myself to various things this year.

For anyone i didnt get to see while i was at home during summer: my apologies! I shall do better next time!

Fruit Nutrients

I was in the shower this morning staring rather idly at a bottle of Fruitrience conditioner, feeling smug whilst thoroughly vilifying it in my head as being an exceedingly silly portmanteau word.

Then i put the shampoo that was in the palm of my hand into the ends of my hair.

Not so smug after that...

PS - Happy Birthday to a certain pianist for yesterday! :D