It keeps on a-callin'

Okay, first off, I'd lke to apologize to those (very) regular fans which I have by some freakish coincidence of dark energy, because if you have been checking my blog religiously over the past few years days you will realize that there hasn't been a new post posted since Sunday... Today it is Wednesday... soz. Mostly it's been because I was too busy having a holiday, and partly it was because *most* of my readers were also busy having a holiday, but I haven't forgotten about you guys, in fact, I end up always thinking back to good times like Ed'fd, climbing, lessons (what the dump! I'm on holiday here!), maths lessons, music lessons, maths lessons (note how we never do any maths. Guy. AIS.)... Anyway, I don't want to end up with a situation where there are many people bleak because they've missed out about 20 episodes of "The World According to Moi", so I've sort of gone for a compromise in between.

Anyway, you can probably all sleep well at night knowing that I am still a) alive, b) well, and of course c) blogging. So, to make sure you don't all nod off, here are a few machine-gun-points to take into consideration:

1) I am now going to try and fully integrate the little "labels" thing at the bottom of each post. Once I've cracked how to do this, it'll be far easier for people to search posts by just looking at their labels (ie ismail can find all the precarious death ones, Joe can find all the communist ones, chicks can do whatever the hell they feel appropriate, etc. The rest of you can actually just use the thing normally...)

2) I am on holiday. So are you. Needless to say, this means you are probably less interested than ever in actually reading about my life, and more interested in combing through to the funny bits/bits relating to you. To accomodate this, I will attempt to maximize readership and interest by limiting my posts to minimal holiday rambling (stuff I do) and maximum holiday rambling (weird stuff going through my brain while on holiday. Usually funny, I promise!). So, don't think I'll just be talking about what I did today, because i won't. I'll go beyond that, in fact.

3) If you are unhappy with the way things are running (ie yoiu want your name mentioned more times or something like that) please don't hesitate to place a comment, or contact Games Workshop customer service at 0115 91 40 000 (I know, right? I only noticed it like two weeks ago!)

4) Typing on a non-mac 'board with a Polish spell-checker is not cool. Apologies for any misspellings or suchlike in today's post, I know they're not my style.

'Tis a time of Discovery!

Apologies for yesterday's lack of post, I was busy getting lost in the countryside (more on that later). You know how I said my day in Dubai started at 1am? Well, my first full day in Poland started at 1pm... I literally slept through the entire morning. Worked out to about 36 hours of travelling, of which only 6 were spent asleep, so no wonder I'm so tired!

Spending the night at my mother's parents' house, I once again discovered how good polish food is... I wasn't hungry at all, until I started eating, that is! After a delicious breakfast, we were off to my other grandparents' house to see them as well. Their house is awesome, it's right on the edge of a small village, next to a huge-ass forest which stretches on and on and on... I always go cycling there, but as of yet the bikes still have to be fully fixed and many screws tightened, which we shall hopefully be doing today.

A little bit about my grandparents: My mother's father is a retired I-love-my-home person, always doing DIY and always buying things, currently building a house next door to our other grandparents'. His wife works as a bank manager, the almost-stereotypical grandmother who always fusses over you and feeds you more good home cooking. My father's mother has rather battled with illnesses recently, but manages to stay alive through her faith. Her husband wears old-school fishing caps, goes fishing in his spare time, and religiously works through sudokus and crosswords (to do second-language crosswords is actually a ridiculously difficult exercise!), and is the most computer-literate and best English speaker of the lot.

Almost home!

Okay, I didn't actually have time to write another post from Dubai because I woke up a little later than expected, which gave me just enough time to eat breakfast (Steakhouse XL at Burger King), use an islamic toilet (actually rather fun, but I highly suspect I was doing something wrong), and then boarding (without a rush though). Another flight on Emirates, and I'd already exhausted all the movie choices, so I decided to finish Dosage 2, finish Road to El Dorado, and watch A Space Odyssey. It is such a tedious movie, all the action is terribly slow, but it has a very good storyline and a nice twist at the end (which I have yet to see).

Man, I hate airplane food so much! I don't eat any of the in-flight meals, which, combined with the altitudes and all gives me a nasty case of stomach acid... well, it could be worse. I could get airsick. There is nevertheless no way I am leaving this airport without something to eat.

God, I love Germany. It's probably the work ethic. It just seems like a really awesome place to be, especially considering that German is the most awesome accent in the world. You just get a different feel, as though the people behind this are actually motivated and passionate about what they do... Same goes for Dubai. And so far on my trip, that's pretty much it.

Major Dos

This is the first of many (8) hours that I am spending at Dubai Int'l. It is currently ten to one, am, local time. This place never sleeps. Ever since I've gotten off the plane, it's just like, wow, and I'm so bleak that I don't have a camera right now. Well, a decent camera, my iSight doesn't count!

So, I managed to watch three movies on the flight here, and then rounded off the trip with some Ramones and West Side Story. Dr Strangelove was very cool, but really weird. At least now I know where the "robotic hand" meme comes from, and I finally found out about the guy in a cowboy hat on a flying nuke. Nevertheless, it must be said humour was very different in those days... Next up was Rango, really funny and clever. In fact, I got so into Westerns at that point that I went and watched True Grit with John Wayne, and now I'm spouting garbage such as "You wouldn't see it if you saw it!" and "She reminds me of me!". Ah, cowboy quotes... I have to source a copy of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from somewhere now, the bug has bitten.

Anyways, I get off the plane, and walk. And walk. And walk. The length of this airport is really getting me down. I can tell you one thing though, for first-time visitors to a heavy Muslim country: Western-style toilets are not liked. In fact, I am rather looking forward to using the... well... different... style. Erm. :)

But the airport itself is severely impressive, and I'm not just talking about length here. It's much like any other airport, but more so, if you get my drift. There's like a giant waterfall in the middle of the freaking terminal, seriously :D not to mention the crazy architecture. Flying up to the city (unfortunately couldn't see any, ah, Burj-es due to the light pollution) was also a very perspective-gaining experience. The outskirts of this city are literally the size of the whole of Cape Town, if not bigger.

Eisteddfod: Day 3 (and some other stuff too)

It's a little late, I know. Sorry. It's just that I got back from His People's at like midnight last night, so I thought, oh screw this, I can't make a post today. Plus, Guy and Andy were kind of enjoying the Warhammer battle we had (Andy more rolling dice with his "zen technique" and making "pew pew" noises than actually playing)... And then pancakes for dinner, yeah!

Actually, I'm writing this from the News Cafe at Joburg Airport (for lack of a Nando's within the duty-free area), about to eat a sandwich more expensive than that at the Bishops tuck shop. In about two hours I'll be jetting off to Dubai for the first time evar! Well, considering I'll be spending 8 hours at the airport there...

So, summary of yesterday, which was certainly a long and eventful day. In the morning, I was juggling two events simultaneously, rushing backwards and forwards between the music school and the chapel (odd place for a speech competition, but okay), trying to get all my events in. Didn't do amazingly in either, but got an Honours for my two percussion pieces and my speech. I loved the impromptu I did, it was the best one I've done so far. Ever. Basically, I was a show host telling my viewers about three "alternative" uses for a pencil. The best speech (and funniest too) was Nevarr's though. He did one about how Indians are taking over the world, complete with the head shaking and the accent... lolled very hard! Kudos to Joe for winning, by the way, with his epic quote: "In fact, I'm so drop-out I don't actually play sport at school. I just surf, and I only do that about once every four weeks or so". Enough said.

Eisteddfod: Day 2

OHMIGOSH have just returned from the most epic moment in Mallett's Eisteddfod history... but I have to do all the menial stuff first, we'll get to it just now.

Day starts (unfortunately) as early as a normal school one... luuus! Exeunt house meeting and rollcall to go slay some piano. I played Golliwog's Cakewalk in the Junior Classical, I thought I did lank averagely but turns out I just missed a Gold Diploma and thus won. Stayed behind to watch some more epic piano, found it funny how the Senior L&J finals were literally 2x Brubeck, 2x MacGregor, and 2x Gershwin. Of which 4 were the same pieces. Anyway, Sevi's playing was reasonably bordering on insane...

Then rush off to the Debating finals... We got to choose the proposition side, debating "THR the assassination of Osama bin Laden without trial". A rather disjointed hour later, we were up on stage, the debate being really close all he way through. Turns out we lost (reasonably narrowly) and I managed to get Best Speaker (Hoopla!), which is more points for Mallett. Awesome, I guess, considering that we were debating against virtually the three smartest people in the school. Kudos to Joe for handling the case so well in times of pressure...

Went back to the house, continued on my speech, went to see the art exhibition. This year, nothing there really jumped out at me though... Ever since James and Neil left, there's a certain element of "weirdness" and "flavour" that's missing... There was one James-esque photo of nested eyes, but that's pretty much it. No sketchbooks full of graffiti and Darth Vader, no mysterious cuddly cartoon aliens, no weird human hands coming out of random places... Daymn miss those good old days where the art exhibition gave you a real taste of demented minds at work.

Eisteddfod: Day 1

Oh, the hell starts today. Early practice, sound check in the church in front of a hundred bajillion empty seats, back for more practice, debating prep, music polishing, half the plays. Come back home, update blog (I would've done so earlier but the interneatz were down), go sleep. Do the same tomorrow, but different.

Adam echoed many of my readers' sentiments: "write something exciting!". Well, if you okes don't comment and tell me what your definition of "exciting" is, I'll just carry on. I'm the one writing here, I really don't know what you guys would like to read. There's your special mention :) hope you like it! But seriously now, the next couple of posts should be class ripping.

Meh, the day wasn't really interesting (except for the fact that Mallett sound epic) until we got to the evening inter-house plays, part 1. Two boarding houses in one day is always a recipe for comedy/disaster... Invoking great memories, I remember the one time one guy almost got burnt by a firedancer, and a dying father got into bed at the beginning of a scene with all the lights on! And we're not even talking the Founders play two years ago yet, where Nicky ripped into literally everyone and everything, from the new headmaster to the marimba band, and especially Bishops Men.

Told you I'd be back soon!

Wow, a lot has happened while I was away. I guess I'll have to sort and categorize and... oh, screw it, I'll just type.

So, camp. Went to the Hawequas Scout Ranch near Wellington, pouring with rain for the first day, and the second day, and most of today. And a little bit a 4am, while I was sleeping outside in the open air. Whatever, we had so much fun... Last time I was there was on PLTU, quite a moving experience it was indeed. Anyways, lots of raucus fun was had; one simply cannot keep a lot of little Scouts cooped up in one place for too long. They have enough energy to literally run around in circles and fall over, I have seen it happen. Dammit James, your Patrol beat me by 13 points. I get home and I find 12 points-counters in my bag. Not a fun feeling... I really wanted those biscuits! I would write about all the funny moments, but it just wouldn't work well here on the blog.

I get back, and fall asleep on the car drive I'm so tired. Waking up at various times during the night, finally waking up properly for PT at 7, going to sleep at 11, being cold and wet most of the time, etc. is not good for your circadian cycle. There is no way I can sleep right now, hence I am up blogging.

So, what awaits me when I get back? An Eisteddfod practice, 3 hours long, as well as a pile of messages and other assorted junk from my email inbox, Dakka, Facebook newsfeed, my blog, etc. AAAAND there is also a whole pile of stuff I still have to prepare for Eisteddfod (on Tuesday), such as debating, speech, piano, etc. Basically, I'm grabbing whatever free time I've got to do this now because I can't do it later.

While I was away, someone put my pageview counter up to > 1000. Not that I'm complaining, this is great! And some comments too, yummy!

Also, CityRock have finally written back to ask whether I still want the job. YES! PLEASE! Hopefully I shall start earning soon, as soon as they, ah, show me the ropes... I am very much going to fill up my Sundays. @Friends, I OFFICIALLY am fully booked every week of my life now. Well, at least I'll be seeing Andy a lot more.

I've got the greatest idea for my speech: The Evils of Capitalism (dammit Joseph). I just need to write it, but I've got some great structural ideas. Have no fear, it will be posted once it's finished. I just have to write iiiitttt...

And debating as well. Who would've thought (Ismail) that a motion about Obsama would come up? t is certainly not going to be enjoyable preparing for this one, especially seeing is we don't know which side we are. That's a bad thing, because after you've prepped both sides, you realize one is far stronger than the other. Once you're past that point, it's gone, and the two cases will never seem the same. Argh please don't let that happen to us. Especially seeing as our opposition consist of the Head Boy and two henchmen.

Going drumming at N1 City tomorrow for the sound check... I do hope I have enough confidence in myself. A pity they replaced the awesome drummer booth (w/ personal fans) with an electronic kit, I kinda liked the idea of sitting there with my huge-ass headphones and mics and fans and assorted shibang. Oh well, you can't have everything. At least I don't have to sing; I'm completely tone-deaf (or so Guy claims).

Harumph, I have stayéd up later than I should have again. Like a boss.

***Downtime Warning***

Attention: there will be a weekend's worth of non-posting as of tomorrow, as I am going away on a Scout camp to Wellington. More about this below, but just thought I'd let you know... Apologies for those waiting expectantly for new updates.

I have got to stop staying up so late! I simply cannot wake up early anymore, although I haven't reached the stage where I'm actually late for school yet. Nevertheless, it's really irritating to have to get up really groggy and get ready for school... luuuuuus!

Yet again we find that we don't have much teaching happening in class today... Great to have lots of free periods, spending my time on Dakka mostly and partly on other fun sites. Or donating rice. I guess this is what they call "surfing"... Well, considering most of these fun sites come off Dakka signatures o.O ... At least I'm not blatantly playing CoD (not that I don't want to but my computer doesn't run it!).

So, the camp is going to take up my entire long weekend as of this afternoon, until Sunday evening. We don't know much about it (which my mum is rather cheesed off about), but it will most definitely be great fun. Last time I was at Hawequas, it was for the infamous PLTU... good times!

Freak, I can't think of what to do in class, it's so boring not having a purpose to work towards... And we didn't even finish watching Australia properly in History! Hopefully the weekend should be more fun, then back to Eisteddfod week.


I still haven't written my speeches or anything... oops

HITS HITS HITS!!!

So, today's house meeting was very, very funny... People should choose more appropriate quotes, though! It was such a laugh, and, you know what they say, "All publicity is good publicity". Thanks to you, dear reader, my blog hits are growing almost exponentially!

Guys, I'm really sorry about the "comment" function not working properly, but it should be now... The settings should all be correct, there's noting preventing you from commenting as an "anonymous" user. Nevertheless, it only seems to work if you put in a name/url. So just do that and type in "Anonymous". Or your name if you feel like it. Shot.

School just drags on and on these days. The shorter periods are not enough to start new material, and they are too much to just chill, or so most teachers think... I really don't think it's necessary to have these shorter lessons, it would be much better to have only the first four periods every day. Eisteddfod practices are so much nicer when you sit behind a couple of drums, it really causes me to enjoy it... Stop grumbling, you people! It's still better than class! And I should know, I'm a so-called academic. Not to mention tone-deaf, but that's another story.

This is just a quick one to acknowledge the positive response... see you all laterz!

A day full of raucus

For once, a blog post in the middle (well fine early second half) of the day! This should certainly save me a lot of sleep, not to mention readership. Have I got stories for you!

So, today's tale begins during Period 2, Maths. Chilling outside the second-floor classroom, okes are chatting, Men in Suits are fighting, Founders is coming late to class, etc etc, the usual deal. Guy asks if he can borrow my phone to sms his piano teacher. I whip it out my pocket and through it to him in a graceful arc, as Guy's general inexperience with playing cricket caused it to slip through his fingers. His expert reflexes were not enough to save it as he scrabbled for it in mid-air, and while the rest of us stood frozen, it fell to its doom with a resounding clatter.

Once we got over canning ourselves, we took a look at what was left of the phone (ie everything, intact). Everyone else was going to class, but Guy and I were stuck searching for the aerial (which had disappeared under a bush). Found it, screwed it back in, switched the phone on. It's working fine, except for the fact that it thought it was midnight on the 1st of January 2000. Oh well, minor setback.

My conclusion: I would sacrifice not having BBM any day for this (sorry Kathryn). I love the fact that my phone can survive two drownings and a 7 meter drop. No iPhone or BlackBerry could ever do that... This realm belongs to Motorola bricks!

I finished Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve, it's such a steampunky book but everyone dies in the end. Which is a cost. I was just starting to like the characters, and now you have to go and kill them at the end... Nooooo!

Rush to finish my Eisteddfod compositions... run to the music school, finish off, run back, run back again to get Joe and tell him to haul some ass, run back, set up the drums, play the drums, pack away the drums. Life goes on... The house is actually sounding really good (when people remember to come in on time), and I think we have a real shot at top 3 this year.

Oh yeah, back to the second funny story... So the guys have all been reading my blog in History class and having a good laugh about it. John says he's going to pull it up at house meetings tomorrow, so hopefully he'll pick a decent quote from this post. And not the fact that a photo of me drumming with no shirt exists and is a potential candidate for the Mallett slideshow. Uh-uh, not that. Well, at least my housemaster isn't reading my blog anymore, or so I suspect/hope.

The other funny thing is that my brother has hockey social today/night... WITH GIRLS!! So, the full monty: hair gel, mints, tie (!)... I just hope he doesn't end up as epic fail with the women as I do! Well, considering he's wearing a tie with no collar of any sort, I'm not sure how well that will go down. Well, at least his name isn't Jett, or Clyde, or Keith. That's a major turn-off, so I'm told. Maybe I should change my name to something like Edward. Or become a vampire. Fudge, Twilight is such a stupid movie... Not that I've watched it/read the books in any way shape or form, I would never degrade myself to that level.

So that's it for today, I hope you have enough stuff to laugh about tomorrow... Stay tuned for more daily blog posts.

Still no vanity plates...

But, on the other hand, I did manage to get other stuff done. Whether it's blog-worthy or not is up to you, dear reader, to decide.

This is probably the first time I have managed to get in a Warhammer game against my brother at 8 in the morning... Usually it either a) takes me until 10 to get out of bed (Andy and Guy will know this well), or b) I am already out of the house doing things.

Following that, a quick breakfast-eat and then I was off to paint/mark our cooking equipment at the Scout hall, on account of going on camp next week, and having a new stock of equipment recently purchased. Ate half a box of Chippies.

Then, off to school for an Eisteddfod rehearsal, where I didn't eat anything. Needless to say, I was hungry when I got home. I still had to finish my composition for Eisteddfod. And then post on my blog. And once I'm finished here I can finally go to bed.

I have a lot of things to look forward to, which makes my life a lot more spicy and exciting. Camp is one, than a good long break in Poland is another, hopefully with a few fencing-related purchases as part of the package.

Right now I'm just really tired, though. The late nights are taking their toll. Don't worry, I'll write about some cool stuff tomorrow (although I have no idea what it will be. Maybe if okes commented on my posts then I might know what the general public is un/happy about!)

Dead on my feet

Enough said. I have been fencing literally the entire day. It was worth it, however, I walked away with 3 gold medals... WP colours here I come! It also felt good to watch my protegé juniors come 3rd in the schools competition... It was a close final bout but thanks to my steely advice they pulled through! Yay! (The Bishops A team won, but I knew they could take care of themselves)

Fencing is growing! The Fish Hoek High club now apparently has 20+ members, of which several gave my Bishops Bs a run for their money. Boy, I wish we had that many... I challenge anyone who doesn't know much about fencing to come to the inter-house champs next term. You will not be disappointed!

I managed to (very surprisingly) come first in the Junior Essay Writing section for Eisteddfod, which is super-cool. I also came third in poetry, and of course it's partly thanks to Joe who suggested an alternate ending for my poem, which needless to say made it killer.

Talking of which, I find it so funny how Joe and I are the best of friends, but we always try out-do each other in quite literally almost everything. One second we'll be ripping into each other about exam results and the next second about Eisteddfod and the one after that the latest piano piece. It's really great to have a friend like that who you can just take out your competitive edge on and yet have an awesome "we're both awesome" feeling... Pick your friends wisely, you lot! Mine understand me really well. I don't know why you should be friends with someone if they don't.

Didn't see any vanity plates. Argh! However, my mum and brother saw a very funny sight today. man in suit, smoking two cigarettes at once. What a brah! That is a true man! "I can afford to smoke two cigarettes at once, and I have the jaw skill to do so!" Yes yes yes!!!!!!!! He wasn't driving a Merc, which I found odd...

Must. Blog.

Yeah, I tend to do that... Get back home after a full day (ie every day), eat, shower, sleepNOT YET MUST DO BLOG FIRST! Not that it's anything but a great task to be set, I like having something constant in my life. Also, all the stuff people say is great about blogs, like life reflection etc. etc. that's good as well.

Funny how when you're actually busy looking for cars with vanity plates, there aren't any there. Anywhere. I haven't seen a single vanity plate this entire week, which is mega-bleak. Can't fulfil my tune-quota, meh. Soon I'll have to start picking on myself, don't know how that will turn out.

I feel so cool now that I am elevated to a position of responsibility (twice). The first is playing drums for the house at Eisteddfod (in front of a 3 000-strong crowd. Eeep.) The second is looking after the little minions fencing U15 schools champs tomorrow: I have to take the entire armoury to the damn event! No, seriously, it's cool, for the first time in a while I feel like I can be trusted by an authoritative collective.

Schoolwise, all we've been doing in class is getting more exams back. French was good (actually it was great), History we haven't got back yet (but we watched a random movie called Australia so it's all cool!) because our teacher hasn't marked them, AP Maths was freaking boss (but that was destined to happen anyway), English Writing was great as well. See, I told you there was something wrong with the science paper!

It's lank chilled though, they'll just put us on the Bell curve, so we're actually going to get higher marks. The one time, I got flat 90 for a maths paper, but on my report it was bumped up to 99. Weird, I know... Kudos for Gaussian distribution.

Scouts tonight was a fun-filled evening of general mayhem and okes tripping up over trees, on account of it being the District Widegame. I have to manage 20 little 'uns!! And we didn't do too badly scorewise either. The terrain was severely up-and-down, and so spectacular tackles and falls were made and seen. Epicness to the max. Over the long weekend we're also going on camp, back to the infamous Hawequas ranch (good times, all I'm saying). So, warning in advance, no posts then, dear readers!

Tomorrow I shall be fencing all day at Fish Hoek, so no piping, no orchestra, etc. etc. I hate it when things clash! Nevertheless, that's the choice I made when taking up all these things. Don't lead a life like me, kids: it is severely damaging to your emotional and mental state, as well as your inner ear(?). And girls, let's not go there actually...

Exam results are actually dismal

Oh okay, I didn't actually see any vanity license plates today, so no outright elimin8r(WP)-style tuning happening. Which is a pity, because I could certainly use some humour right now.

All I'm saying is that English was dismal, Science was bad marking, Maths was amazing, and Music was amazing. So far, yeah okay, considering the set 1 science average was lower than the set 2 average... I think it has something to do with our teacher, but I will say no more as I don't want to get in trouble or anything.

Anyways, the problem is with the way the questions are marked, because if (in this exam) you didn't write down exactly what is in the textbook/notes of which there are around 5 differently-worded copies circulating, you get it wrong. Hence, if someone like me who studies by learning principles and not details. Well, that's what you're supposed to do in set 1, work out the details from the principles. I did actually study, okay? I'm not complaining that the principles of the education system are wrong, I'm saying that the marking is stupid. But I really feel strongly about it, dammit! I can argue the issue...

All I'm saying: either the entire grade is completely illiterate, or there's something wrong beyond our control. Or maybe we are just retarded, but all 120+ of us? I mean really...

OHMIGOSH, Guy just opened our thermos flask which (with its accidental vacuum that was created in there 2 weeks ago) has crushed many souls and egos over the past week as various seemingly-strong okes have repeatedly tried to open it. I think finger-strength from climbing is FTW here, much more powerful than ruggers or even fencing.

On a different note, I suddenly realized I like having girls as friends, they're much cooler that way. Nevertheless, there's nothing like a good old chice chase with a sturdy wingman at your, well, wing I guess. Not that I do those anymore, life is too hectic these days. Still, Facebook chat is fun, much less so at 1 am though.

This weekend is another one full of excitement, I have a fencing competition all Saturday, and then am going on a hike etc. on Sunday morning. Yawn. Good news is that Guy is staying over at my place almost this entire next week now, so should get some fencing and Warhammer in. Quote: "I am going to die". I don't know why he says that, it befuddles me. Maybe I'm just dangerous.

Like a Boss

EXAMS. ARE. FINALLY. OVER

Now I don't have to do them for another year! Excitement... The last one we wrote today was AP Maths, very fun. The questions were lank chilled, no sort of tricks or anything, I don't like those either.

I love how half an hour in, the matrics (who were writing Afrikaans 2) just left. All of them, at once, screaming and shouting... The rest of us poor okes were left there trying desperately not to burst out laughing while the whooping of raucous matrics filled the air! How serene, how intense!

Seriously now, I really need to get those compositions done for Eisteddfod. Actually, I managed to not screw around on the internet and get some work done, almost finished with the solo instrument thing, now I just need to get the electronic done. I can do that at home though, I've got GarageBand so no stress.

Right now, I'm spending my time on Facebook and a bit on Dakka, but mostly screwing around and randomly commenting on things. And looking at random demotivational posters that really crack me up. Like I said, I love memes... People keep distracting me, but I love chatting to them, especially those I haven't seen in a while. Facebook is apparently a "social evil" but that doesn't stop it being extremely convenient.

I don't know what school's going to be like tomorrow. Eisteddfod time gets very hectic, especially seeing as I'm in the play and the band. I might get in trouble for releasing this, but: I was super stoked to finally get a part, only to find out I die in the second scene. Along with like 95% of the cast. Which is going to be pretty funny, I won't lie...

Hopefully Ed'fd season shall provide me with more people to rip into... All I'm saying for now is this: watch out, okes with vanity license plates. You will be naed and shamed. You have been warned.

Procrastination! I thought it would never happen to me...

...but here I am, having procrastinated. I could've written this blog post way earlier, but now I am having to sacrifice valuable (pah!) study time. Not really, Facebook is a great study tool, I'm actually getting some much-needed answers from my good friend Ismail.

Last exam tomorrow, and it's the worst one too... AP Maths is not noirce. ARGH! I hate how I can understand everything, know all the tricks, and do everything except for literally two questions. The most irritating thing is they aren't even the most complicated ones... I breeze through those because I know exactly what the marker is looking for, and where the catches are. The irritating ones are those that require slightly less cognitive leaping... grr. Nevertheless, it's really chilled, I'm just going over stuff and I really should be fine.

Then we're free, and exam season is finally over. Gear up for Eisteddfod, chaps! This year will be intense! Or so they say... Once again I hold the record for most entries (checked against people whom I like to think are my friends, in my house) which is cool. Finals for around four, which is great. Still have to finish my music compositions by Monday, which is a luuuuus.

Fencing today was so great, I managed to get some sabre gearing going for this weekend (which I have sacrificed a lot for so I might as well win). It will most definitely be an amazing competition, I'm so amped!

Anyways, I only here because I have to be. Back to the Maths!




At about 2.5mph, because I don't want to...

Everything is clashing...

I have major issues, because the things I do just overlap. There's nothing I can do about it though, and everyone gets bleak at me like it's my fault. Okay, I could've usually done some advance planning, but like really...

Next week Saturday is a major. I should be playing with the pipe band at the derby game against Bosch, and then rehearsing with the orchestra afterwards, but my events clash and my WP colours are on the line here! I've sorted it out, but I've gotten many evil looks in the process...

It's fine though, I don't mind. I know that by doing so many things I'm going to have to get into a few rough spots and make some sacrifices, but I'm playing in most of Pops anyway, and I really want those colours. Why does life have to be so complicated!? Well, I certainly prefer it to sitting at home not doing anything.

LO exam was honestly a joke. Questions asked included an essay on how to prevent gap yah students from getting trafficked ("Liam Neeson can't save us all!") and how sport helps you live longer ("High self-esteem caused by endorphins makes you less likely to drink and take drugs, as well as commit suicide and/or become emo, thus increasing your life expectancy."). Priceless, ladies and gentlemen, priceless. Do you want me to rant on about LO? I can, but I just can't do it right now, I should be doing other things.

Got the best idea for a speech for Eisteddfod finals. Do one about how all the problems in the world can be solved by socialism... The Godfather for one will love that! No seriously, I'm just taking a new approach to it in terms of speaking, it will be witty and humorous and as soon as it's finished it's going up on this blog.

We're almost finished exams! History tomorrow, which I have studied for, and Add Maths, which I haven't studied for yet but intend to. Like tonight. Then we start Eisteddfod practices, etc. etc. and life just gets hectic. More than it is already, I mean.

Yesterday was Saturday

Kicked off today with a nice chill session at the Battle Bunker, played a game against Caspar and bought myself a new kit. Great stuff, now I'm chilling at home putting it together, check it out.

I like having something to do, even if it's just spending money on plastic spacemen... In fact, I'm really disappointed to not have received an email from CityRock yet. This means I won't be getting any new stuff soon, because I just spent the last of my money. On plastic spacemen. Yay.

No seriously, they will give me quite literally hours of fun, so I'm really not complaining. I find that whatever makes you happy, makes you happy, and thus you should invest time and money and anything else that's necessary into what your interests are. Mostly time and effort though, those are the big ones. If you don't love what you're doing, then you shouldn't be doing it. Unless you have to, but you know what kind of things I'm talking about! The optional stuff in life is what you need to make the most of...

Okay, I've had enough being a motivational speaker. Here's a tip, actually: you don't need to study if you pay attention in class. Tried and tested, go over one or two specific things, skim through the notes, (optional) write out notes and then sell them to your classmates, and you've got it made. Exams are not difficult, stop whining, people!

Today it is Saturday

As in the post title. Hence, hockey match in the morning (lost to Wynberg. bleak!), and fencing in the afternoon (did okay there...). Then back home.

Funniest thing ever, while I was off doing things, my brother and his friend made a rip-off of the whole NFL Fantasy Football video, ie Epic Fail Rugby. Hopefully it'll be up on YouTube soon, then y'all can check it out. All I'm saying, they certainly have a sense of humour...

I can't find the damn WP rankings! Next week is the next (and one of the last) WP competitions this year, and I have great potential to get colours for sabre, ie I am ranked first. The problem is, next week is a sudden orchestra rehearsal for the Pops finale, and the Bosch rugby game. Not that it would usually be a problem, but I really want to play with the pipe band at the opening of the game. Eish, prioritization! I think I'll have to get colours, though. Sorry, pipe band.

I love fencing, it's honestly one of the greatest sports ever. Check this out, it's a fencing "ad" video our coach found. It's so good, love it... I find it really sad that people dismiss fencing so quickly, lumping it together with "sports for geeks" like chess and Warhammer (none taken, bro). Like, dude, you've never tried it out, do you know how tiring it is? Our headmaster came to watch last year's inter-house final, and I honestly thought he was going to tell another one of his stories of how he had "discovered how cool fencing actually is" at the next assembly. He does that kinda thing sometimes.

Seriously, fencers don't hate rugby people etc by default. We're actually amazing people, much like the climbing community. The school literally hates us, and we didn't even do anything to them! We get shoved out of every single venue whenever the school feels like it, and we as a sport at Bishops have the most national-level competitors out of any other. And I don't even mean, proportionally, I mean actual numbers. Well, at least we're trying to build that reputation up...

Tomorrow I'm going for a small Warhammer sesh, actually. And then a day of lumming at home, probably studying playing piano or something. Almost finished Invention No. 8!!

1 Post a Day!

Yes! Made it, just as I thought it was over. 1 post a day lives on!

Just came back from Scouts (well I lie, not just). My brother and mum had to go to a maths competition prizegiving. He did okay, came I think 60th or something in the country, which is good. Unfortunately, this ran half an hour over time, so I ended up waiting outside the Scout hall for about an hour...

Awesome day today: exams went well, fencing went well, and quite literally almost everything was near-perfect (except girls. That situation can never be perfect). Harumph... three broken hearts in just as many weeks. But it's so chilled, girls aren't the thing for me right now anyway. (I mean, relationships aren't the thing for me right now, because I know certain friends would find that statement ripe for misinterpretation.)

Stop typing, just post, else you won't make the midnight mark! Okay, whatever...

Tired... again

Hah, here I am, sitting at home, and I have practically died from exhaustion today. First, I had to get up early for the first time in 2 weeks to get to school in the MORNING!! Talk about exam season... Then, after a piano lesson, I decided it would be a good idea to go with Guy and Andy to CityRock, and I had a monster 3-hour session there (Andy didn't pitch after a rugby injury to his finger. All I'm saying...). Then, a hockey practice, where I pretty much collapsed. And finally, home again. Blog.

Apologies about the memes that crept into yesterday's post. I'm a sucker for them, I think they're the reason the internet is a good thing. It's just, like, humour to the next level, you know? Not a very mature one, but the next one. Screw maturity, it's the interwebs lol. I love to see what people can come up with. Hell, there's even a [that transport vehicle] song out there...

Little brothers are so annoying. Both mine, and other people's, especially certain female friends. Lots of silent fuming at this point... No, it's all good, I can forgive people for certain crimes (up to a point. Psycho-face should be kicked out. What a r33t).

Tomorrow is full. And most of Saturday is also full. And most of Sunday is... no, wait, it isn't, I might be free. Right, Warhammer and potential climbing. Weekend: full. Mission: complete.

Now that today's business is done, I shall be off. Good day to you all!
[exeunt]

Go to sleep dammit!

I've just come back from the UCT Maths Competition awards ceremony. Came 3rd along with Cotchies, Guy won (again). Not a bad result, and Bishops won the trophy... UP THE MATHLETES!!! Seriously, we are awesome.

A great pity: the calculator I got this year is worse than the one I got last year, so it's going to chill at home under the strict care of my mother, because Paskal will lose it if he takes it to school. Ah life.

Before that was pipe band practice. We're gearing up against the big game against Bosch, which incidentally clashes with a WP ranking tournament. Oop. And before that, I had sweet nothing after my Music History exam. Hence today's blog post already exists.

Wait, it gets better, because now I have internet at home! Woohoo! This means I can update blog posts way into the night, chat on Facebook, dakka on DakkaDakka (whatever that would mean), CRASSUS ARMORED ASSAULT TRANSPORT, update blog posts, watch Lonely Island videos on YouTube, more Dakka, more Facebook, less sleep, more exams......... So, for the forseeable future at the very least, I promise there will be at least one post a day. Good news for some.

Also, a new thing in case you haven't noticed it. I am a fan of the CRASSUS ARMORED ASSAULT TRANSPORT Actually, no, there is a little button on the bottom of each post, called a Google +1. Research, etc, turns out it's like a virtual high-five, in fact, like a Facebook "Like" button. (Interesting to see how many people "Like" Google +1, and how many people have +1'd the "Like" button. But that's just my OR brain kicking into gear...)* Ah, the things Google comes up with. My response: please do!

Dear people who keep asking me if I'm free on my Wall: It's not that I don't like you, it's just that if you're not involved with whatever I'm doing it will be difficult to see you. AND I WANT MY PEN BACK!!!!!

* Edit: just did the research: there are around 20 pages on Facebook that are about Google +1. The one with the most likes has 110, most are hovering at around 20. I wonder when exactly it was implemented. Today, like.
Also, when typing "like" into Google, it comes up with like.com, a handbag and shoe store, evidently. Wow.

Life Review

Yay! The blog has now been going for a month, and its performance has so far been pretty decent. It's allowed me to look back on my life in weird ways, and also say things I wouldn't normally say... I like it! Thanks guys, those of you who are now dedicated readers of this blog. Feel free to comment, I will really appreciate it. Good blogs take time, as they say, sorry if I'm not living up to your current expectations. Actually, tell me what you'd like to see because I really don't know... My readers matter to me, you know!

Anyway, back to life:

So, I found the culprit of the internet loss: Adobe Updater, on my mum's computer. Talk about a lol to the next level. Ran out again today, but now it's the beginning of the month so my mum will load up again.

Mum finally convinced me to try read Vernon God Little. I won't lie, I didn't get further than chapter four, it has got to be the second-worst book I have ever read, ranking amongst other classics of badness such as the Helsinki Roccamatios and Catcher in the Rye. It is just so bad! I don't know how it won the Booker Prize, and if this is what literary prizes are about then I will steer clear of them in the future. Actually, Mortal Engines is chilling in my locker, I need to get it out and read it. And I need to find that Asimov book again, because I looove sci-fi. Especially the deep-thought-sciency ones, because I can actually understand them.

Girls are overrated... They can only make my life more complicated than it already is. I think I'll stick to my present hobbies, although I might still pay a few visits to certain people...

This evening is the UCT Maths Competition prizegiving, hopefully I'll get something decent like an expensive watch (yes!), and not another calculator, although those are always useful :)