Maybe this is the year for putting ourselves out there. I certainly did last night. I did half-way a few weeks ago. It's time to really let go of some of those things that have been burdening us for a while now. Some things we can keep to ourselves.
But we have to think about what we want to impart when we let it all out. What good or bad will come of it? And if there's one thing I know, it's not worth risking a good friendship, because friendships are the things that have been cultivated over time, events, moments - all of them special.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Music
As heard on ABC Radio during the Classic 100 Opera Countdown (listen to it!), from Richard Divall (who also happens to be a fellow of QC!)....
Q: What's the difference between a soprano and a pit-bull terrier?
A: Jewellery.
Not meant to cause any ruffled feathers, but there is that stereotype....and it's pretty funny.
Q: What's the difference between a soprano and a pit-bull terrier?
A: Jewellery.
Not meant to cause any ruffled feathers, but there is that stereotype....and it's pretty funny.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Things on the inside that make you feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside...
I am seriously taken aback and quite surprised when a musician I know, respect and admire (usually for their talent, among other things) tells me "You are an amazing musician. You are really good." I often don't believe them. While I understand their intentions are all good, I still find it amazing that they might actually think that I'm good. I know my friends tell me this and it's nice to hear it, but it's even more amazing when somebody far better tells me that. It definitely makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.
Speaking of other warm and fuzzy feelings, I find myself being attracted to people whom I share that something intangible with. Not that all my friends don't make me feel all warm and fuzzy, but there are some people outside normal friendship groups that I feel I have some sort of intangible, special relationship with. And this is what I base this friendship on. I suspect most of them don't know that I value this friendship immensely and that I feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside when they say Hi or do something nice. They should know, but that may take away from that very personal feeling that I have. It's nice to know, or at least think that these special little emotions can bring so much joy.
On a non-warm-and-fuzzy-feeling-on-the-inside, I ran into the VM a few times today who commented that I looked "glum" today. Not cool. Maybe the stress is really showing on my face. Maybe it's because of those two blasted assignments. Although I daresay it would have been more glum if I hadn't shopped for two pairs of earrings this morning, one being large silver treble clefs, which made me feel slightly nutty but very music-y!
Speaking of other warm and fuzzy feelings, I find myself being attracted to people whom I share that something intangible with. Not that all my friends don't make me feel all warm and fuzzy, but there are some people outside normal friendship groups that I feel I have some sort of intangible, special relationship with. And this is what I base this friendship on. I suspect most of them don't know that I value this friendship immensely and that I feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside when they say Hi or do something nice. They should know, but that may take away from that very personal feeling that I have. It's nice to know, or at least think that these special little emotions can bring so much joy.
On a non-warm-and-fuzzy-feeling-on-the-inside, I ran into the VM a few times today who commented that I looked "glum" today. Not cool. Maybe the stress is really showing on my face. Maybe it's because of those two blasted assignments. Although I daresay it would have been more glum if I hadn't shopped for two pairs of earrings this morning, one being large silver treble clefs, which made me feel slightly nutty but very music-y!
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Realisations of Today
1) I have a long bed. I have figured this out after four weeks in residence. And after my third fitted sheet didn't quite fit (the corners don't quite fit on the corners). And after asking two friends, one who lay on my bed to see if he fit on it (he is tall, so he dangles over the edge of a normal sized bed). I thought it might have just been my first two sheets. But alas! My sheets are normal, and my bed is extra long. Of all people to have a long bed....!
2) I have a grand total of about ten assignments, a major essay, a listening test and three exams over the course of this semester. What a load! So yeah, this semester is definitely not easy. I felt so good about myself, completing three assingments in one week, but it just starts again. I have two more due next week. Surely I have it bad.
3) I function very well between the hours of about 10pm-2am. Consequently, I have taken to doing piano practice at fairly late hours, such as about 10pm-12am. I tend to be quite productive at that time!
4) I had to look on Wikipedia to acertain what this myseterious "spooning" concept so frequently thrown around at Queen's was all about. Sure, I had a vague idea, but was enlightened when I looked it up on the all-trust Wikipedia. This was brought on by somebody suggesting it to me. Jokingly, of course. Or I would have slapped him. He's lucky he's a nice guy, or there'd be some serious anger and a jaw sitting on the floor (mine) that somebody would have to pick up....
5) I have less than two dollars credit on my mobile phone. So, don't expect a msg or a phone call. I'm not going to do it.
6) www.facebook.com is amazing. Go join, especially if you're at Melbourne (because then you can join the Facebookers of Melbourne University group), or if you're at UWA, or Westover, or Curtin or ECU. Or basically any North American institution. Also so I can expand my friends database. And I like getting wall messages.
2) I have a grand total of about ten assignments, a major essay, a listening test and three exams over the course of this semester. What a load! So yeah, this semester is definitely not easy. I felt so good about myself, completing three assingments in one week, but it just starts again. I have two more due next week. Surely I have it bad.
3) I function very well between the hours of about 10pm-2am. Consequently, I have taken to doing piano practice at fairly late hours, such as about 10pm-12am. I tend to be quite productive at that time!
4) I had to look on Wikipedia to acertain what this myseterious "spooning" concept so frequently thrown around at Queen's was all about. Sure, I had a vague idea, but was enlightened when I looked it up on the all-trust Wikipedia. This was brought on by somebody suggesting it to me. Jokingly, of course. Or I would have slapped him. He's lucky he's a nice guy, or there'd be some serious anger and a jaw sitting on the floor (mine) that somebody would have to pick up....
5) I have less than two dollars credit on my mobile phone. So, don't expect a msg or a phone call. I'm not going to do it.
6) www.facebook.com is amazing. Go join, especially if you're at Melbourne (because then you can join the Facebookers of Melbourne University group), or if you're at UWA, or Westover, or Curtin or ECU. Or basically any North American institution. Also so I can expand my friends database. And I like getting wall messages.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
What Would Be Different If Men Really Ruled the World
Any fake phone number a girl gave you would automatically forward your call to her real number.
Nodding and looking at your watch would be deemed an acceptable response to "I love you."
Hallmark would make "Sorry, what was your name again" cards.
When your girlfriend really needed to talk to you during the game, she'd appear in a little box in the corner of the screen during a time-out.
Breaking up would be a lot easier. A smack to the ass and a "Nice hustle, you'll get 'em next time" would pretty much do it.
Birth control would come in ale or lager.
Each year, your raise would be pegged to the fortunes of the NFL team of your choice.
The funniest guy in the office would get to be CEO.
At the end of the workday, a whistle would blow and you'd jump out your window and slide down the tail of a brontosaurus and right into your car like Fred Flintstone.
Lifeguards could remove citizens from beaches for violating the "public ugliness" ordinance.
Tanks would be far easier to rent.
Garbage would take itself out.
Instead of beer belly, you'd get "beer biceps."
Instead of an expensive engagement ring, you could present your wife-to-be with a giant foam hand that said, "You're #1!"
Valentine's Day would be moved to February 29th so it would only occur in leap years.
On Groundhog Day, if you saw your shadow, you'd get the day off to go drinking. Mother's Day, too.
St. Patrick's Day, however, would remain exactly the same. But it would be celebrated every month.
Cops would be broadcast live, and you could phone in advice to the pursuing cops. Or to the crooks.
The victors in any athletic competition would get to kill and eat the losers.
The only show opposite Monday Night Football would be Monday Night Football from a Different Camera Angle.
It would be perfectly legal to steal a sports car, as long as you returned it the following day with a full tank of gas.
Every man would get four real Get Out of Jail Free cards per year.
When a cop gave you a ticket, every smart-aleck answer you responded with would actually reduce your fine. As in: Cop: "You know how fast you were going" You: "All I know is, I was spilling my beer all over the place." Cop: "Nice one. That's $10 off."
People would never talk about how fresh they felt.
Telephones would automatically cut off after 30 seconds of conversation.
Nodding and looking at your watch would be deemed an acceptable response to "I love you."
Hallmark would make "Sorry, what was your name again" cards.
When your girlfriend really needed to talk to you during the game, she'd appear in a little box in the corner of the screen during a time-out.
Breaking up would be a lot easier. A smack to the ass and a "Nice hustle, you'll get 'em next time" would pretty much do it.
Birth control would come in ale or lager.
Each year, your raise would be pegged to the fortunes of the NFL team of your choice.
The funniest guy in the office would get to be CEO.
At the end of the workday, a whistle would blow and you'd jump out your window and slide down the tail of a brontosaurus and right into your car like Fred Flintstone.
Lifeguards could remove citizens from beaches for violating the "public ugliness" ordinance.
Tanks would be far easier to rent.
Garbage would take itself out.
Instead of beer belly, you'd get "beer biceps."
Instead of an expensive engagement ring, you could present your wife-to-be with a giant foam hand that said, "You're #1!"
Valentine's Day would be moved to February 29th so it would only occur in leap years.
On Groundhog Day, if you saw your shadow, you'd get the day off to go drinking. Mother's Day, too.
St. Patrick's Day, however, would remain exactly the same. But it would be celebrated every month.
Cops would be broadcast live, and you could phone in advice to the pursuing cops. Or to the crooks.
The victors in any athletic competition would get to kill and eat the losers.
The only show opposite Monday Night Football would be Monday Night Football from a Different Camera Angle.
It would be perfectly legal to steal a sports car, as long as you returned it the following day with a full tank of gas.
Every man would get four real Get Out of Jail Free cards per year.
When a cop gave you a ticket, every smart-aleck answer you responded with would actually reduce your fine. As in: Cop: "You know how fast you were going" You: "All I know is, I was spilling my beer all over the place." Cop: "Nice one. That's $10 off."
People would never talk about how fresh they felt.
Telephones would automatically cut off after 30 seconds of conversation.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
So busy
Yep, been incredibly busy. But somehow, I still manage to talk too much and blog.....go figure!
So, finished the Global & Econometrics assignments on Tuesday night (due Wednesday and Thursday respectively). I felt so relieved that I took half and hour off before having to go do some piano practice. I've been practicing late at night this past week. It just seems like a good time. It works, so I'm pretty happy!
Mel n I went out with Chris and Erica to University Cafe (I think that's where it was!) last Saturday to catch up. It was really nice :) And of course, being out meant that we went and did that mandatory Safeway trip.
We watched the Comm Games marathon go right past the front gate of Queen's last Sunday morning. Right, so it meant having to get up fairly early (for a weekend) and shove some toast down and then heading out in the oh-so-convenient-college-colours-of-green-and-gold to support the runners :) Seriously, that is a fine effort....42km of blah. That's dedication, I say.
Monday Evening Programme during the week was Helen playing the Sibelius violin concerto in preparation for this Monday's University of Melbourne Orchestra Concert at the Hawthorn Town Hall (if anybody is interested in going, that'd be really cool...so I don't have to go by myself!). She was amazing!!!! The choir also sang a couple of folk pieces, Riu, riu (a Spanish carol) as well as Evening Song, a Kodaly piece....the folk influences were so clear!
F-turn was on Wednesday night. Wow, some people went to so much effort. Some people had such amazing costumes....I originally was going to be a fortune teller (Bohemian look is cool, because you can sort of chuck anything together, and that's the intended effect!) but on the suggestion of a friend, and careful consideration that I wouldn't really have to change my clothing requirements, I decided to go as a Fiddler (a la fiddler on the roof). At least I was the only one of those around! Min's foot fetish was the most original, although slightly disturbing..(I made it twice into the book...) and about feet, some girl stabbed my heel with her high heel. I don't think she realised, but she left the blood oozing out. Ouch.
On Thursday, it was the first time I played in Concert Class. I tell you, this is a nerve-wracking experience. It's good to get student feedback, but the nerves kick in when you see the Head of Keyboard sitting in the front row, also making comments. (Especially nerve-wracking for a piano student). We figured, both Gina and I haven't played, so we'd do it together, and revive those 3 movements from Faure's Dolly Suite that we played last year for Piano Duet. So, we were completely freaked out, but I took advice from Anne, who said to think about how I was playing one of the nicest pianos around.....a Steinway D (one of those real expensive ones in Melba Hall that the average person does not touch). She was right, it is a beautiful piano. Just lovely. My gosh, I could go on for a while about how nice the piano is. But ok, moving along...Thursday was just a long day. Sigh.
So, today....I did manage to get some work done. I am going to start work in the library next week (about 3 hrs a week, which should be managable!) and I met a friend to collect some music. I agreed to play a Mozart Clarinet Trio...the violinist is a 2nd year friend, and apparently the clarinettist is a postgrad student. That's a bit freaky...but hopefully I'll live up to expectations!
So, now it is incredibly late (as it is with me and those late-night-yet-still-make-it-to-breakfast things...) My assignment and readings/tute preparation for next week shall have to wait till after my slumber......and I will be working my butt off.
So, finished the Global & Econometrics assignments on Tuesday night (due Wednesday and Thursday respectively). I felt so relieved that I took half and hour off before having to go do some piano practice. I've been practicing late at night this past week. It just seems like a good time. It works, so I'm pretty happy!
Mel n I went out with Chris and Erica to University Cafe (I think that's where it was!) last Saturday to catch up. It was really nice :) And of course, being out meant that we went and did that mandatory Safeway trip.
We watched the Comm Games marathon go right past the front gate of Queen's last Sunday morning. Right, so it meant having to get up fairly early (for a weekend) and shove some toast down and then heading out in the oh-so-convenient-college-colours-of-green-and-gold to support the runners :) Seriously, that is a fine effort....42km of blah. That's dedication, I say.
Monday Evening Programme during the week was Helen playing the Sibelius violin concerto in preparation for this Monday's University of Melbourne Orchestra Concert at the Hawthorn Town Hall (if anybody is interested in going, that'd be really cool...so I don't have to go by myself!). She was amazing!!!! The choir also sang a couple of folk pieces, Riu, riu (a Spanish carol) as well as Evening Song, a Kodaly piece....the folk influences were so clear!
F-turn was on Wednesday night. Wow, some people went to so much effort. Some people had such amazing costumes....I originally was going to be a fortune teller (Bohemian look is cool, because you can sort of chuck anything together, and that's the intended effect!) but on the suggestion of a friend, and careful consideration that I wouldn't really have to change my clothing requirements, I decided to go as a Fiddler (a la fiddler on the roof). At least I was the only one of those around! Min's foot fetish was the most original, although slightly disturbing..(I made it twice into the book...) and about feet, some girl stabbed my heel with her high heel. I don't think she realised, but she left the blood oozing out. Ouch.
On Thursday, it was the first time I played in Concert Class. I tell you, this is a nerve-wracking experience. It's good to get student feedback, but the nerves kick in when you see the Head of Keyboard sitting in the front row, also making comments. (Especially nerve-wracking for a piano student). We figured, both Gina and I haven't played, so we'd do it together, and revive those 3 movements from Faure's Dolly Suite that we played last year for Piano Duet. So, we were completely freaked out, but I took advice from Anne, who said to think about how I was playing one of the nicest pianos around.....a Steinway D (one of those real expensive ones in Melba Hall that the average person does not touch). She was right, it is a beautiful piano. Just lovely. My gosh, I could go on for a while about how nice the piano is. But ok, moving along...Thursday was just a long day. Sigh.
So, today....I did manage to get some work done. I am going to start work in the library next week (about 3 hrs a week, which should be managable!) and I met a friend to collect some music. I agreed to play a Mozart Clarinet Trio...the violinist is a 2nd year friend, and apparently the clarinettist is a postgrad student. That's a bit freaky...but hopefully I'll live up to expectations!
So, now it is incredibly late (as it is with me and those late-night-yet-still-make-it-to-breakfast things...) My assignment and readings/tute preparation for next week shall have to wait till after my slumber......and I will be working my butt off.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Recent Revelations
Okay, so most of these have to do with music, but that's ok.
1) My friend plays the Chinese flute. Now how cool is that? She was telling me all about it, like how it's played, what kind of sounds are possible. I made her play a scale just to hear what kind of sounds/scales were possible and compared it to the Western transverse flute. Very interesting.
2) My other friend played this really random thing on his computer, and it sounded very much like there was an underlying track that sounded like one of the Set Listening Tracks from my music unit (FYI, the Tuvan example with sigit and igil). Although in this song (clearly some sort of remix or something like that...) the 'tonic' (I know, that's culturally specific) is different and it's played at almost twice the speed. But most interesting.
3) RE: My assignment about the hajduk songs of the Pirin region (Bulgaria/Macedonia). Now, what does that have to do with the Numa Numa song? Two totally random things, yes? But wait!
I was watching the 'original' (the American who lip-synched to it all) with the subtitles. And bear in mind that this song is originally from Moldovian Romania. Anyway, one of the lines contains the word haiduk, which it translated as "bandit". Now tell me, does "bandit" refer to "guerilla fighter"? I think there is something going on there....!!! It was amazing. Music & Ideas meshed with Queen's College random hit!
So, Music & Ideas has made all this sense. Amazingly. I even now talk about stuff with the knowledge and awareness that it is "culturally specific". Wow.
And I find it even funnier that the "New choir master" has made the "hot" list of the first QC Bulletin's "Hot or Not" list. hahahaha. He should know about it, do you think?
I think I had another revelation, but I can't remember it at the moment, so it can't be that important. Although if I remember, I will certainly make a mention of it!
1) My friend plays the Chinese flute. Now how cool is that? She was telling me all about it, like how it's played, what kind of sounds are possible. I made her play a scale just to hear what kind of sounds/scales were possible and compared it to the Western transverse flute. Very interesting.
2) My other friend played this really random thing on his computer, and it sounded very much like there was an underlying track that sounded like one of the Set Listening Tracks from my music unit (FYI, the Tuvan example with sigit and igil). Although in this song (clearly some sort of remix or something like that...) the 'tonic' (I know, that's culturally specific) is different and it's played at almost twice the speed. But most interesting.
3) RE: My assignment about the hajduk songs of the Pirin region (Bulgaria/Macedonia). Now, what does that have to do with the Numa Numa song? Two totally random things, yes? But wait!
I was watching the 'original' (the American who lip-synched to it all) with the subtitles. And bear in mind that this song is originally from Moldovian Romania. Anyway, one of the lines contains the word haiduk, which it translated as "bandit". Now tell me, does "bandit" refer to "guerilla fighter"? I think there is something going on there....!!! It was amazing. Music & Ideas meshed with Queen's College random hit!
So, Music & Ideas has made all this sense. Amazingly. I even now talk about stuff with the knowledge and awareness that it is "culturally specific". Wow.
And I find it even funnier that the "New choir master" has made the "hot" list of the first QC Bulletin's "Hot or Not" list. hahahaha. He should know about it, do you think?
I think I had another revelation, but I can't remember it at the moment, so it can't be that important. Although if I remember, I will certainly make a mention of it!
Thursday, March 16, 2006
it's been a while...
I apologise for the lack of posts. Purely because I have been HIDEOUSLY busy.
So, 1J is going really well. We haven't hung a Chinese lantern, but that's ok! CY has cooked for us and we've all enjoyed sitting around eating delights that Eakins does not offer! So, we eat communally, wash the dishes together, and have "Toothbrush Parties" (as A likes to put it..!)
It's nice having lots of friends around, where it's ok to leave my door open almost all the time...and to get my work done, I really have to shut myself up! However, it is also really nice to have friends living in other parts of the college, where I have to walk through a variety of places to get there! Mind you, anybody walking through 1J or peeking in when we are having a massive corridor sit (quite often, mind you!) is very welcome to join us in our very random conversations, or also tend to look at us very strangely and wonder where we have all this time!
So, uni is busy busy busy. I have assignments piling up. There is one each for three of my subjects - Music & Ideas (polyphonic folk singing of the Pirin region of Bulgaria/bordering on Macedonia - specifically, the hadjuk - guerilla fighter - songs. Which I had a revelation about yesterday in the Numa Numa song. For real, watch the American guy's video WITH subtitles); Intro Econometrics (assignment using eViews - yuk - and proving something - that's ok) and Business in the Global Economy (recommeding the top three market opportunities out of a given eleven for The Wiggles to expand to, based on a number of economic, demographic and other factors). And that's not even counting how little I've practiced! We're working forward very much, in preparation for a stellar programme for semester 2. I still have that Bach Prelude and Fugue plus and etude (I'm doing 2 Chopin etudes!?!?!?!) for this semester!
See? Busy. Argh!!!!!
We had a soiree on Monday night - it went well.....I played Massenet's Meditation as well as accompaniment for Jacquie's clarinet solo (Weber's Concerto in F - a very cool piece. Those of you who remember a SMAGS assembly with Luisa playing clarinet...that was also the Weber, although it was the 2nd & 3rd movts then).
Did I mention the events of a few weeks ago?
First week back, we had Commencement Dinner & Turn. A very successful night.....we all looked hot (photos still pending....must nick some from some friends..!) Scholarships were announced, we danced the night away at the turn afterwards to some....interesting.....music!
The 1st GM was last week....it went for a good FOUR HOURS. And it's compulsory to go, unless you have written an apology in rhyme (no kidding) or want to foot a fine. Anyway, lots of matters to be discussed, but 40 motions was pushing it too far...considering only about 5 of them were serious. A hideous waste of my time, interspersed with bouts of funny bits. Sigh.
We played at Jude's a while back....as the music team of course. We rocked :) Haha. It's QCWT again, with a few changes (most notably, the ring-ins. It's alright....we still love them)
So, I have spent enough time away from my dreaded assignments (which I'm not really sure HOW they are going....urgh).
Back to it...
p.s. anybody know how to put videos on blogs?
So, 1J is going really well. We haven't hung a Chinese lantern, but that's ok! CY has cooked for us and we've all enjoyed sitting around eating delights that Eakins does not offer! So, we eat communally, wash the dishes together, and have "Toothbrush Parties" (as A likes to put it..!)
It's nice having lots of friends around, where it's ok to leave my door open almost all the time...and to get my work done, I really have to shut myself up! However, it is also really nice to have friends living in other parts of the college, where I have to walk through a variety of places to get there! Mind you, anybody walking through 1J or peeking in when we are having a massive corridor sit (quite often, mind you!) is very welcome to join us in our very random conversations, or also tend to look at us very strangely and wonder where we have all this time!
So, uni is busy busy busy. I have assignments piling up. There is one each for three of my subjects - Music & Ideas (polyphonic folk singing of the Pirin region of Bulgaria/bordering on Macedonia - specifically, the hadjuk - guerilla fighter - songs. Which I had a revelation about yesterday in the Numa Numa song. For real, watch the American guy's video WITH subtitles); Intro Econometrics (assignment using eViews - yuk - and proving something - that's ok) and Business in the Global Economy (recommeding the top three market opportunities out of a given eleven for The Wiggles to expand to, based on a number of economic, demographic and other factors). And that's not even counting how little I've practiced! We're working forward very much, in preparation for a stellar programme for semester 2. I still have that Bach Prelude and Fugue plus and etude (I'm doing 2 Chopin etudes!?!?!?!) for this semester!
See? Busy. Argh!!!!!
We had a soiree on Monday night - it went well.....I played Massenet's Meditation as well as accompaniment for Jacquie's clarinet solo (Weber's Concerto in F - a very cool piece. Those of you who remember a SMAGS assembly with Luisa playing clarinet...that was also the Weber, although it was the 2nd & 3rd movts then).
Did I mention the events of a few weeks ago?
First week back, we had Commencement Dinner & Turn. A very successful night.....we all looked hot (photos still pending....must nick some from some friends..!) Scholarships were announced, we danced the night away at the turn afterwards to some....interesting.....music!
The 1st GM was last week....it went for a good FOUR HOURS. And it's compulsory to go, unless you have written an apology in rhyme (no kidding) or want to foot a fine. Anyway, lots of matters to be discussed, but 40 motions was pushing it too far...considering only about 5 of them were serious. A hideous waste of my time, interspersed with bouts of funny bits. Sigh.
We played at Jude's a while back....as the music team of course. We rocked :) Haha. It's QCWT again, with a few changes (most notably, the ring-ins. It's alright....we still love them)
So, I have spent enough time away from my dreaded assignments (which I'm not really sure HOW they are going....urgh).
Back to it...
p.s. anybody know how to put videos on blogs?
Monday, March 06, 2006
The Cost of Raising a Child
Thanks to Potter for this...
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.
But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
$8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month, or $171.08 a week. That's a mere $24.24 a day! Just over a dollar an hour.
Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite.
What do you get for your $160,140?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:
finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek, catch lightning bugs, and never stop believing in Santa Claus.
You have an excuse to:
keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, watching Saturday morning cartoons, going to Disney movies, and wishing on stars.
You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.
For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:
retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, taking the training wheels off a bike, removing a splinter, filling a wading pool, coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat to history to witness the: first step, first word, first bra, first date, and first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren.
You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, So . . one day they will like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!
Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren!!!!!!!
The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.
But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:
$8,896.66 a year, $741.38 a month, or $171.08 a week. That's a mere $24.24 a day! Just over a dollar an hour.
Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite.
What do you get for your $160,140?
* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.
For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to:
finger-paint, carve pumpkins, play hide-and-seek, catch lightning bugs, and never stop believing in Santa Claus.
You have an excuse to:
keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, watching Saturday morning cartoons, going to Disney movies, and wishing on stars.
You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.
For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:
retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, taking the training wheels off a bike, removing a splinter, filling a wading pool, coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.
You get a front row seat to history to witness the: first step, first word, first bra, first date, and first time behind the wheel.
You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren.
You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match. In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, So . . one day they will like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!
Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren!!!!!!!
Saturday, March 04, 2006
One week down!
So, we've had a week of uni already!
It has been SOOO busy!!!
The end of O'Week was nice....when all the freshers went on camp and we kinda had most of the college to ourselves...it was the quiet before the storm! As all the seniors started moving back in on the weekend, my excitement levels started so climb as I anticipated seeing everybody again!
It is fantastic to be back and seeing old faces and lots of new ones too! On Sunday night, we all headed down to Pugg's to have a catch-up, which was really cool. Met lots of freshers, although I'm pretty sure that I have forgotten some of them and I'm sure it is the other way too!
Classes started....and this week I've had all my classes, none of that "first week no tutes" thing. Pity.....
Had a music lesson, where I have LOTS to prepare...like about 12 pages (1 pg each of each component) of 6 Bach Preludes & Fugues. And a number of etudes, of which I cannot find a few. I am going to be slaughtered on Monday. Oh well.
Missed out on lunch on Tuesday (ok, a sandwich...), which will be a recurring theme every week on Tuesdays AND Thursdays, which I am very disappointed about. Oh well. Some things just can't be helped, can they?
Wednesday night was Commencement Dinner & Turn. It was SUCH A GREAT NIGHT!!! Obviously being black tie was nice (as the dressing up goes!)....and as always, Eakins was dressed up. Everybody looked hot (as they do at these kind of functions!) and I got to meet a whole heap of freshers, whic was good. Scholarship winners were announced, we congratulated them with great gusto and went on to the JCR to enjoy fine conversation and then to the turn to dance the night away! Again, met heaps of really great freshers - I'm really excited about this year!
Had a Jude's muzak practice on Thursday night, after which we went out for pizza for 'group bonding'. Hahahhaa. I'm really looking forward to playing with everybody on Sunday...hopefully it'll all go well....!
Yesterday arvo we had a picnic for Gowri's 21st (ok, which was in February...!) What a plan!!! We finally managed to pull the entire thing off...without her knowing or suspecting! What a pleasant afternoon in the Systems Gardens, playing games, eating fine food and drinking "champagne"!
Went out for Judy's 21st last night. 13 of us headed down to Chinatown to help her celebrate (the actual day being Sunday). Seriously, it must be the case that when we go out, half of 1J goes out too! Ran into some freshers going out for another birthday on the same night! Most of 3N watched in amazement as we trickled out of Johnson wing as I thought "Yep, we're going out!" It was an awesome dinner....we ate as if we hadn't eaten real food in about a month. We headed down to Fed Sq to hang out for a while....it's a really nice place! I know many Melbournians are conservative and believe Fed Sq to be ugly, but I personally think it's very unique and definitely draws people to it. Anyway, we tried to go to Robot, this bar place thing in Flinders Lane but it was too packed so we decided to visit the bottle shop and head home to have a corridor sit.
What a corridor sit we had! Kenneth managed to polish off a quarter of a bottle of vodka, of which he is still feeling the effects. Min had priceless quotes. CY sang with great emotion. And we ate all them junky foods that college students eat. And managed to get in the way of a number of people trying to walk through our corridor. That's alright :)
Anyway...I should get back to work....
That is my week so far! I hopefully will put up pictures soon....(once I get them from other people!)
ciao!
It has been SOOO busy!!!
The end of O'Week was nice....when all the freshers went on camp and we kinda had most of the college to ourselves...it was the quiet before the storm! As all the seniors started moving back in on the weekend, my excitement levels started so climb as I anticipated seeing everybody again!
It is fantastic to be back and seeing old faces and lots of new ones too! On Sunday night, we all headed down to Pugg's to have a catch-up, which was really cool. Met lots of freshers, although I'm pretty sure that I have forgotten some of them and I'm sure it is the other way too!
Classes started....and this week I've had all my classes, none of that "first week no tutes" thing. Pity.....
Had a music lesson, where I have LOTS to prepare...like about 12 pages (1 pg each of each component) of 6 Bach Preludes & Fugues. And a number of etudes, of which I cannot find a few. I am going to be slaughtered on Monday. Oh well.
Missed out on lunch on Tuesday (ok, a sandwich...), which will be a recurring theme every week on Tuesdays AND Thursdays, which I am very disappointed about. Oh well. Some things just can't be helped, can they?
Wednesday night was Commencement Dinner & Turn. It was SUCH A GREAT NIGHT!!! Obviously being black tie was nice (as the dressing up goes!)....and as always, Eakins was dressed up. Everybody looked hot (as they do at these kind of functions!) and I got to meet a whole heap of freshers, whic was good. Scholarship winners were announced, we congratulated them with great gusto and went on to the JCR to enjoy fine conversation and then to the turn to dance the night away! Again, met heaps of really great freshers - I'm really excited about this year!
Had a Jude's muzak practice on Thursday night, after which we went out for pizza for 'group bonding'. Hahahhaa. I'm really looking forward to playing with everybody on Sunday...hopefully it'll all go well....!
Yesterday arvo we had a picnic for Gowri's 21st (ok, which was in February...!) What a plan!!! We finally managed to pull the entire thing off...without her knowing or suspecting! What a pleasant afternoon in the Systems Gardens, playing games, eating fine food and drinking "champagne"!
Went out for Judy's 21st last night. 13 of us headed down to Chinatown to help her celebrate (the actual day being Sunday). Seriously, it must be the case that when we go out, half of 1J goes out too! Ran into some freshers going out for another birthday on the same night! Most of 3N watched in amazement as we trickled out of Johnson wing as I thought "Yep, we're going out!" It was an awesome dinner....we ate as if we hadn't eaten real food in about a month. We headed down to Fed Sq to hang out for a while....it's a really nice place! I know many Melbournians are conservative and believe Fed Sq to be ugly, but I personally think it's very unique and definitely draws people to it. Anyway, we tried to go to Robot, this bar place thing in Flinders Lane but it was too packed so we decided to visit the bottle shop and head home to have a corridor sit.
What a corridor sit we had! Kenneth managed to polish off a quarter of a bottle of vodka, of which he is still feeling the effects. Min had priceless quotes. CY sang with great emotion. And we ate all them junky foods that college students eat. And managed to get in the way of a number of people trying to walk through our corridor. That's alright :)
Anyway...I should get back to work....
That is my week so far! I hopefully will put up pictures soon....(once I get them from other people!)
ciao!
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