Rachel vs the World

the world is winning

2011-12-18T01:48:00.001-08:00

Not only do I feel like someone's stabbed me in the chest, today I ate pizza. far too much of it. And didn't do nearly enough exercise so add fat to the list of my failings for the day.

i want to lose weight, i feel sick all the time, so why is it so hard to eat healthy? Or not eat for that matter?

one step forward, 1000 back

2011-12-16T03:42:00.000-08:00

Heartbroken yet again. By the same person. You think I'd learn.

However, on the plus side, it is easier to lose weight without him in my life at all.

I just hate how much it hurts. I feel a physical pain in my chest. Tonight, walking home I kept lookign at the veins in my wrist and I just wanted to bite through them. Everything hurts and I feel like I'm wearing black tinted lenses.

1st day of Work! Also, orienteering

2011-12-05T01:57:00.000-08:00

First day of work, first street orienteering. :)

A lot of firsts today, and it was awesome.

While I made some stupid mistakes at work, I also go the hang of a few different things, and generally had fun.

Orienteering was awesome. i got lost, I thought I had to get the controls in order (I didn't) and generally had fun. I forsee a stiff day tomorrow however.

I haven't weighed myself today, so updates on my weight loss (or - heaven forbid - gain) will have to wait.

Things I'm looking forward to are bowling on wednesday night, and hopefully catch up with sarah tomorrow. :)

The battle of the bulge

2011-12-03T23:59:00.001-08:00

Well, 3 years late, I'm finally seriously beginning my battle with the scales.

today I ate a milkshake, a juice, a coffee, a chop and about 2 spoonfuls of peas and weighed in at about 70kgs. I plan on going for a run after dinner - but just down to the local playground.

In other exciting news, I have a new job at the national library as tech support. I'm looking forward to this, but very nervous.

I'm also still dealing with the collapse of my long term relationship with Richard Pywell. I think it's a good thing he broke up with me, but it's still a shock to the system - I was expecting a ring not a dumping!

I'm thinking about starting the bodytrim system to help with my weight loss as I'd love to lose all the weight by summernats and enter the miss summernats competition!

2007-08-05T00:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I put a couple of things up on my deviantart site. I'm a bit sad that no-one's even bothered to look at them yet, since I didn't think they were that bad.

However, enough whinging. You're not interested, I'm not upset enough to bother complaining anymore and I have more interesting things to talk about.

Well, I think they're more interesting at any rate. If you don't, that's your problem.

Today I re-read Dreamgirl by Mary Simpson. It's got some interesting ideas in it - but be warned, it's a christian book designed for christians. It's not my usual fantasy stuff so if you're looking for a light fantasy read I'd recommend you go for White Tiger by Kylie Chan. A very good fantasy book, although not in the standard fantasy line. Anyway, Dreamgirl is a good book if you're a christian girl looking for some good, future-oriented girl talk. It's format is fantastic - filled with photos and inspiring quotes and stories - and if the exercises at the end of each chapter aren't all as good as 31 Girl, they're still definitely worth a look. Although you'll need a lot more pens and paper and a lot less essential oils than 31 Girl. On the other hand, the detox weekend is definitely worth looking at if you're feeling down. All together, along with 31 Girl, it's definitely a must have for any teenage girls bookshelf.

I've also just finished re-reading Theif of Time by Terry Pratchett. This is one of the Susan books, and worth looking at just for that. However, the abbot, Lui Tze, Lobsang, ronnie, and the rest of the cast give this book the extra zest to make it into one of my favourite Pratchett's, and anyone who reads Pratchett will know this is saying a lot. Full of his usual humour and wit, it's a great read whether you want to read it lightly or look for deeper meanings in it.

In uni news, I still haven't bought all my text books (shame on me) and still need to finish last weeks comp lab. Comp is ... interesting. All my contact hours for the course are compressed into one 3 hour lecture on tuesday afternoons and a lab at 9am on friday mornings. Not ideal learning conditions.

Anyway, better run.

Love you all!

2007-07-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm still alive and all is interesting.

I got the google desktop for my computer, and that is a handy little thing. My timetable is neatly stored in the calender and available at a click of a button, as well as popping up reminders at me. I also have a little news pad thing that gives me the headlines from various news things and if I'm interested I click on them.

The only problem is that this little thing prefers to be connected to the internet, although it works otherwise.

I'm looking forward to seeing what else I can do with it, although I am a little bothered by the amount of information google can collect off it.

However, given that I don't really store anything of interest to anyone online - I don't even shop online, mostly I just read webcomics - I'm not too bothered.

Speaking of webcomics, my current favourites are Girl Genius (http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/) and looking for group (http://www.lfgcomic.com/)

Girl Genius started out black and white, but has since moved to a beautifully coloured, amazing piece. Its funny, but isn't just a string of jokes. Set in a fantasy world, its storyline is fairly fast paced, well conceived and flows well. I'm very impressed. Go check it out. It's updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and is fairly regular with the updates. Always nice.

Looking for group is an RPG based comic , featuring Richard ("I like killing things") the warlock, and incidentally mayor of a rather nice village by the coast, Cale'Anon, a young elvish adventurer with gender issues who wants to do good, but seems to have fallen in with the wrong crowd, and Benny - a green young female cleric who likes a good fight as well as the next man, and last but certainly not least, her mentor Krunch, who is actually a scholar but looks like a cross between a bear and a bull. The story is that they are after the Sword of Truth (bearing an astonishing resemblance to Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth) so that a guy stops chasing Benny. Anyway, read it. It's funny, a good read and good art. Well worth a few hours, and unlike Girl Genius, it's only up to page 63 so it shouldn't take too long to read. Updates monday and thursday fairly regularly. Again, I'm very impressed with this comic.

I'm also reading questionable content, megatokyo, sorcery101, Institute of Magic, something positive, ctrl-alt-del, and a few others. They're all worth looking at. Errant story is another one of particular interest to me - it has very nice art although it is black and white. It's also a fantasty piece. Thunderstruck is another one with nice art. Try googling a few of them and see what comes up! Probably worth it.

In other news, who's been looking at the stockmarket recently? I'm not sure whether to cheer or wail. I guess I sort of like that america's going down, but I'm sad that I won't have enough money to even think about what I'd like to invest in during this small downturn. Ah well. Take care all.

Wow I've been neglectful...

2007-06-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

Well, a lot's happenned since I last updated. I'm now with a very silly boy called Richard.

Hey, of course he's silly, he's going out with me - but he also has some weird ideas about making sure I don't hurt myself...

Anyway, my birthday has been and gone, so have exams, but I'm having a birthday party for friends today. It should be good fun.

The amount of time i've spent on the whole costing thing - it'd better be!

Anyway, must rush and cook!

Updating.

2007-01-20T05:01:00.000-08:00

Well, I didn't get much of the stuff on my list, but hey, these things happen.

I'm back in canberra again.

Missing the people in Tas something awful. Really missing them.

I had a good new year's, and I've started a private diary that I write in quite a lot. On the bus and places, and just everywhere. It's pretty cool.

Anyways, love you all!

My Christmas Wishlist

2006-10-22T17:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I haven't updated for AGES. Whoops.
((Has been editted once))

Anyway, I thought I'd do a christmas wishlist here, since I often get asked what I want for christmas - and have indeed already been asked.

So here it is:

Firstly, the good old books option, nice simple and easy to get now that i'm going to give you an idea of what I have on my bookshelf - otherwise it's hard knowing what I have.

Manga books:
(unless otherwise stated, these are available from impact comics in the civic bus mall, just down the street from the phoenix, accross the road from the library in canberra.)
Ranma 1/2 books 3 and onwards
Fruits Basket books
Chobits books
Saiyuki books
Inu Yasha books
Naruto books

Other books:

Piers Anthony:
Book 3 of the Tyrant series, I think it's called tyrant

Terry Goodkind
Sword of Truth series - any and/or all!

David Eddings:
The Rivan Codex
Regina's Song
The Treasured Ones
The Crystal Gorge
The Younger Gods
(Boy am I falling behind! The last three I'd prefer in hardback, but as I haven't been able to find them in hardback I doubt anyone else will be able to!)

Terry Pratchett:
I'll say the ones I have here, get me any others. You may note that this list is less than in other years, well, I dont' live at home now, so family ones don't count. So DON'T get me the following.
Mort
Wyrd Sisters
Pyramids
Eric
Small Gods
Feet of Clay
The Science of the discworld 1 & 2
Good Omens

Anne McCaffrey
I'm going to do the same with her books, get me any EXCEPT for the ones listed below. So here is a list of the ones I own:
To ride Pegasus
Pegasus in Space
Sassinak
Restoree
Dragonsinger
The Master Harper of Pern
The City Who Fought
Decision at Doona

Likewise for David Gemmel:
I own the two lion of Macedon books, I don't own any of the others.

Robert Asprin
I only have Myth INC link. None of the others. I think they are out of print though, so good luck.

Okay, that gives you a whole range of books to choose from, plus whatever your fertile imaginations can come up with.
It is important to note that I haven't listed all my bookshelf there though.

Now, on to other forms of entertainment. Firstly, DVDs.

Anime series I want:
(get me any of, I don't really have any yet)
Inu yasha 8 and onwards(although I really want the season two box set rather than individual dvds, so maybe one of the other dvd options is better. Or you could get me any of the movies!)
Initial D
Naruto
Fruits Basket
Saiyuki
Ranma 1/2

Movies:
(I've only put my most wants here - they aren't in a particular order)
Legally Blonde 2
Miss Congeniality 1& 2
Honey
The house of Flying Daggers
Hero
ANY disney classics (ie, brother bear, aladin, beauty and the beast, the little mermaid, etc)
Shrek 1 & 2
Inu Yasha movies (can't remember names) 1, 2 or 3

CDs
The Shrek soundtracks, especially the soundtrack for number two.
ABBA gold
Any of the disney soundtracks, especially the Aladin one
Any of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, especially phantom of the opera
Anything by:
Coldplay
Switchfoot
Anything else you think I'll like. I don't really have any cds.

Computer Games:
Any/all of the Civ games, 1,2, 3 & 4
Fear
Anything else you think I'd like; I have deus ex and that's it.
DDR(although that's not really a computer game- it's PS2)
Microsoft Word

Electronics:
Speakers for my laptop
Headset (microphone/headphones combo) for my laptop
Stack of blank CDs
Playstation 2 (I know I won't get it, but hey, I might as well put it on)
Hello Kitty TV (see above)

Art supplies:
Canvas. Lots and LOTS of canvas.
Paints, acrylics especially. Also, any metalic paints!
Turps (I need it for my oil paints)
NICE brushes, especially fine ones - my current ones shed, which is useless for painting.
Heavy papers - preferably made for painting on
More carbon pencils. I love carbon pencils.
Photoshop (same as playstation, I know no one will get it for me, but since it's on my "save up for" list I might as well put it here)
Frames. A4 or slightly smaller sizes please!

Clothes:
Hmm... I'm sure you guys can come up with stuff here. I want lots of stuff.
Plain colours, no polka dots or stripes, other patterns are probably okay. I'll give you a list though.
Jackets, especially long jackets. Preferably dark colours.
A nice suit (but I don't think anyone is going to get me that - Very expensive)
A new swim set, bottoms, bikini and tankini
Chocolate Brown Shoes (size 8-9)
Chocolate Brown handbag

Jewelery:
Anything is fine, but remember my ears are allergic to anything other than sterling silver, surgical steel and relatively high carot gold. I can't wear cheap earings, or even some not so cheap ones.

Other:
Anything dragon is great.
Also pink or white cushions are much appreciated.
And finally, see my deviantart site - http://istariel.deviantart.com - and I have a prints wishlist there. all those prints are ones I'd love to get hold of to hang on my walls.

If you can't find something there, then that's your fault! It's a long and carefully thought out list. Even if most of it is books.

If you want more information on what I have currently, I can provide. I'm sure you all know my email and phone details. I wouldnt' put them up here anyway though

2006-09-09T02:14:00.000-07:00

Whoops, forgot to post yesterday.

I got nothing done though, and did nothing of interest, so I don't know that it was much of a loss.

I can't think of anything I did that earns me points, or anything that earns the world points.

The only thing of interest was finding out that cartoon network is showing inuyasha atm.

WHOOT!!!
INU YASHA!!!

Anyway, aside from that, nothing of importance.

Now for today.

I was going on a picnic. And for once it was cloudy, windy and cold. Think tassie weather.

But anyway, I got ready and went down to the bus stop a few minutes early - and somehow still missed the bus. I have no idea how that happenned unless it didn't come.
Score one for the world.

So instead of catching a bus direct (my normal bus goes through town and then down northbourne avenue) I caught a bus to woden (half an hour later than I would have caught the other bus) then a bus to town, and then another bus that went down northbourne avenue.

That was hectic. I got there 45 minutes late.

Of course, teh worst bit was discovering - at the bus stop - that I was out of credit and couldn't warn sarah.
I guess that's my fault though.

But then I got to sarah's place, and we went and bought girly magazines and food for the picnic. That was great fun!

We even got tic tocs.

And marshmellows for fluffy bunnies!

It cost me about $20 to pay my bit! That's not so cool really. But hey, we had fun. And there was 4 L of a nice white wine in the end... :) Very VEry drinkable!
point for me.

Anyway, then we went to the park and sat and read our girly magazines, drank and ate the bread and dip. But it was windy and freezing, so after a while we decided that we couldn't stay out much longer.

So we decided to go to starbucks and get some of their delicious hot chocolates! But starbucks was full. So that was out. No comfy chairs for us.
Point for the world.

:( So we lugged this big heavy picnic basket into the canberra centre. The coffee club was full too.
Another point for the world.

But! We went to lincraft adn I found a really cute candle holder thing. for $5.
POint for me!

and then we went to Target adn I got 3 hats for me, 2 pairs of elbow length fingerless gloves and a hat for lynette. And I only spent $15 there! I was so happy!
Another point for me!

And then sarah drove me home, and we're going to do it again soon! In good weather so we can actually get ... tipsy... in the park, having a picnic rather than being forced to go inside because of the weather!

So in the end, despite coming out with a good feeling, the score ended even:
3:3

Day five? Already?

2006-09-07T04:34:00.000-07:00

And it's now day five! Time flies.

And I've kept updating every day!

Today was pretty good again.

But there were only a couple of incidents of any importance.

I went around to little grandma's and we went through a massive box of material. It was incredibly amusing and now I have some material to play with for this design I've got in my head, not that there's enough, but I can do a slightly different design for now and wait to do the one I want to until I find $1 per metre material again! I need a LOT.
So I think going through that box is a point for me!

But then when I got home, Grandma dumped some frozen pies in the microwave for us. I didn't see the packaging and she didn't note it, so I had a steak and onion pie. I smothered it in tomato sauce so I couldn't taste it. So I ate the onion.
And then was violently sick.
I think that's the world's fault. Point for the world!

So at the end of the day, we're even.
1:1
Not an eventful day.

Day four ... and on top?

2006-09-06T05:11:00.000-07:00

Woke up. Looked at my room.

Went back to sleep.

Woke up again. Looked at my room. Read for a while, then at 8 I winced and started the mammoth task of gettign it into a decent state by 10 when teh cleaning lady came.

With two cups of coffee and raspberry lollies, I managed it.
2 points for me, because I also managed to pick violets and put them in vases in there.

Then I dithered around a bit and then headed into town. I went into the library adn read for a bit.

Then I went into uni, and with a lot of trial got my stuff on deviantart updated a bit.
Point for me, because even though the computer crashed at a vital moment and I had to start the one real cg over again, it turned out better the second time (or so I keep telling myself)

Then I managed - miracle of miracles - to run to the bus stop in under 10 minutes (and I mean RUN) and I got the bus. Given that otherwise I would have been there for another hour and a half, in the rain and cold with no where really still open nearby, I was very happy. And out of breath and sore.
Point for me.

So today: World 0, me 4.

It was a GREAT day.

Third time lucky?

2006-09-05T04:59:00.000-07:00

Well, the day started okay.

Except I got up at about 7:30 and immediately went in and cleared up the kitchen. There was still a crap load of stuff I'd put off cleaning up yesterday. Yuck. YUCK. YUCK.
And the diswashing detergent gave me a rash and something like hayfever so that I was sneezing all morning.
2 points for the world for turning me into a picture of abject misery LONG before my morning coffee, since I was washing my coffee jug thing as well... /sigh.

Actually, I only just had my first coffee for the day.

Anyway, cleaned up the kitchen. Was going to have breakfast after that, but didn't really feel like eating anything. Feeling too miserable with runny nose and everything.

So I went and had a shower. That was good. Got my hair clean and everything. Haven't had time to wash my hair thoroughly for a while. Or havent' been stuffed.
Point for me.

Then I got dressed, but all my trousers were somehow crinkled. Except for teh light ones. And my black ones were in the dirty clothes, as was my black skirt. So I stood around shivering, room being too messy atm for me to turn on a heater and the min today being -1, and looking through my wardrobe.
But that's my fault due to a lack of plannign.

I ended up ironing my dark grey slacks and wearing my black jumper. The one with the holes thing going. You know, that lace knit thing, over my three quarter sleeved black off the shoulder top.
So I froze all day. I mean, yesterday it was a top of 23 and warm, and today when I need to wear black to a funeral and so can't wear my thick massive jumpers 'cause they're light colours I get a top of 17. Believe me, 5 degrees is a LOT.
Nother point for world.

so far 3 world, 1 me.

But then i got out my art stuff, and I think I made a good start on a picture. So I'm quite happy about that.
Point for me.

But then Grandma's friend came over for mahjong, and I thought grandma had cancelled it. She had, but shirley arrived anyway. She hadn't gotten the message. And grandma was out, due back a bit after 12. But she went and had lunch with another friend and so I ended up here with shirley driving me crazy.

That woman is way too emphatic. And overbearing. Adn doesn't listen, and kept talking at me so I couldn't work at my stuff, and then wandered into grandma's study to find her mahjong set and stuff. And I didn't know what was going on, and couldn't really get ready for the funeral adn I couldnt' do my art. It interupted my entire morning.
Point for the world, because that was JUST what I didn't need.

World: 5, me: 2

But I got to the funeral, on time. Better than on time. I was somehow ready when little grandma came, although I hadn't gotten any of the stuff I meant to have done done.
But that isnt' a point for me, as I was still holding my shoes as I ran out the door and barely ready.

However I had gotten flowers ready from the garden, so that's a point for me.

me 3, world 5.

So I went to the funeral. And didn't cry, but didn't have to read - I almost had to sub for therese at the last minute but she arrived, just before she had to read.

It was a good service.

I went to the wake afterwards as well. However, due to shirley I'd skipped lunch, and there wasn't any substantial food I would eat or anything at teh wake and it finished at 7:30. So by 7:30 I was starving as I hadn't had anything to eat all day.

But then Therese took me back, adn took me to KFC first, so that was good. And I had a good conversation with therese, which was fun. We have good conversations.
Point for me! Although this is dodgy since it's not exactly my fault.

me 4, world 5.

Then we came back and looked at my art a bit. Adn had my first cup of coffee. THat was good. I love my coffee.
Point to me, for persuadign therese to come in and have coffee with me and continue our conversation.

So I think I finish even with the world at 5:5.

:)

Another victory.

Day two...

2006-09-04T05:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I woke up at a good time.

Although it was too late for batman. /sigh.

and then I sat around doing nothing for a while.

Then I went and cooked shortbread - but it was too dry. Way too dry. So I tried adding milk to the mixture, even though shortbread isnt' supposed to have milk in it. But I didn't know what else to do!
Then i didn't hear the timer, and they got over cooked.
Point for the world.

Then I tried these other biscuit things, and their mixture was too moist, and I didnt' dare add more flour, but it stuck to EVERYTHING when I tried to role it out because it was so damp. Even though I floured everything. I still have it under my nails, and all over the bench.
Another point to world. That's going to be hell to clean.

Then I forgot abotu them. And they burnt. And the fire alarm went off.
Another point to world.

Luckily that was only the first batch, but I then proceeded to over cook the other two batches as well, but I persisted and made the strawberry icing stuff to put between them. And tried adding a drop of pink food colouring and a heap fell in and the colour of the icing was all wrong. But I got them made.
Overcooked, adn not that nice, but made.
So no more points to world, but not really any to me either, since I don't want to eat them much now.

Finished at about 5 and watched kim possible on tv.

Then I got out my drawing stuff. That was cool.
I did a set of drawings - 5 of them - of the one character, and they are vaguely recognisable as the same person... well, fairie, or at any rate a winged person. And I'm nto too unhappy with them. I'll scan them and put them on deviant art asap.
So point to me!

I also did another drawing that I don't mind. It's for deviant art too, eventually. But that goes in with the previous point.

Colin Theile died today.
One for the world.

Oh, the crocodile hunter died too, but that didn't bother me as much. I mean, colin theile wrote "Fire in the Stone" and all those other fantastic books. /sigh.

We mourn. We truly mourn the loss of this great Australian, who has added so much to our literature.

(I didn't mind the crocodile hunter, except that he called john howard "the greatest leader the world has ever known. After that I don't mourn. But I don't celebrate either, he was a character, adn he never grew up. He gets points for the last one!)

So we're at 4 to the world vs one to me. I think the world will have won today.

And last but not least, I don't get dinner today. Because I don't want a steak and onion pie. And it was a "microwave your own pie" so yeah.
Point for world.

Final score: 5:1

and one more for me...

2006-09-03T02:48:00.000-07:00

I just got cooked a beautiful dinner of bacon and eggs, because I procrastinated cooking for so long that grandma did!

YOU LOSE WORLD!

...actually, "there are three types of people in the world, those who can count and those who can't"

THe end score is now 4:4 so we're even.

BUT THAT IS STILL VICTORY!

My picture

2006-09-03T02:05:00.000-07:00

Starting the score

2006-09-03T01:27:00.000-07:00

I stole this idea from a friend - http://clockworkninja.blogspot.com/ - because I thought it was a great idea. Unfortunately I don't think my writing up of my day is as entertaining or as well written as his is. But it will be interesting anyway!

Okay... This is day one.

Woke up at 5am, with cramps. Very bad cramps.
Two points to world. One for waking me up at that time, and one for the cramps.
The temperature when I got up can go in with the point for the early wake up. As can walking into the kitchen door because for like the first time ever it was closed, and it was dark at 5am.

Then when I tried to get myself coffee, with kahlua in it naturally, the milk was off.
Another point to the world.

So I went back to bed.

And it was warm.
And I had a good book
Then, because I woke up so early, I was all ready for church in time to turn on the TV and watch superman! And I got to church early.
Another point to me!

Then Trish was preaching, now she's a wonderful lady... but goes on way too long. I got thoroughly bored and had to sit on those really hard pews for almost an hour. And I was pretty sure I'd heard the sermon before - or at least teh basic message. IT was also cold. My back muscles all cramped up.
Point for teh world.

BUT I also got a few hugs at church, and got to talk to cute engineering student who goes to church. :) And got a few compliments on my appearance.
Nother point to me!

The world is one ahead.

Then I get home, and get to call little Grandma and make arrangements for getting to my Great Uncle's funeral on tuesday. That wasn't very nice. But it wasn't enough to make me give the world another point.

I cooked cookies, and they worked. I made lemon icing for on top. And they were nice. And grandma bought more milk. And so I got my coffee finally. Point for me, for the cookies!

So we end teh day even!