blue-oo-oo

an alternative

Tonight I would write an epic email,

Had the wireless card not failed.

I'm left with the choice of a text,

For the chance to make you smile next.

And although it's coming out pretty shitty,

Not to continue would just be a pitty*.

Rest,

Sleep well,

'Cause tomorrow is a new day.

And it's going to be great.

Because I said so.

And sometimes...

Just sometimes, I'm right.

So come and meet me in my dreams,

And we will dance the night away. X X X

*Editor's note: I thought this spelling mistake was too cute to correct :)

animaniacs mania

Animaniacs was a fantastic animated TV show back in the 90s. I remember watching it after school on the "What's Up, Doc?" show - such a great variety of characters fielding the entertainment, headed by the troublesome trio Yakko, Wakko and Dot.

In a bout of nostalgia I discovered these superb videos whilst scouring YouTube for classic snippets of Animaniacs. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Yakko and the countries of the world:

An amusing cover of the original:

Wakko and the 50 states of America:

Yakko, Wakko and Dot sing a song about Magellan:

Dot sings the Macarena:



Slappy and Skippy enjoying a concert... but whose?

a good weekend in july

Sometimes I have some really nice weekends. These days, they are usually prefaced with beautiful winter sunlight and a productive train ride into the city, meaning I'm completing some work, an email, or some study. Or it's a peaceful ride where I'm listening to some great music that makes me want to sing or dance, or smile uncontrollably.

Highlights from the weekend that just passed...

* Home-made improvised lunch courtesy of J (don't know how it was made but I think I know what went into it.... oregano, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, minced meat, onion, wholegrain bread, diced olives), followed by yummy ice cream (not home-made)

* Enjoying a post-lunch movie - Disney's Hercules. Good fun!

* Actually getting some study done!

* Being wowed by some professional couples at the Australian Salsa Open and also getting some dance time in between, not to mention bumping into some old friends from high school who were performing that night!

* Lazy Sunday morning in bed, followed by a nice brunch at Jet Caffe... smoked ham & cheese croissant with peppermint tea to accompany. Delish!

* Getting a little bit more study done :)

* Late lunch at The Watershed in Darling Harbour... a small share plate for two, plus nachos. We were stuffed by the end of it!

* Interesting conversations on dog and baby names :)

* Another post-lunch movie - Disney's Pocahontas, which was made a little funnier than usual thanks to the added sound effects of J!

I'm exhausted but what a fun couple of days. As usual. :)

hehe.

just ducky

What did one stressed duck say to the other?


"I think I'm going to quack!"


... I made that one myself :)

MOVITS! - Fel Del Av Gården

For the record, they're singing/rapping in Swedish.

The little dance number at around 2:50 is unreal. I lurrrrve this style of music and dance!



Thanks to my Melbournian mate Nathan for sharing this

something good... *

Perhaps I had a wicked childhood...
Perhaps I had a miserable youth...
But somewhere in my wicked, miserable past,
There must have been a moment of truth.

For here you are, standing there, loving me,
Whether or not you should...

So somewhere in my youth or childhood,
I must have done something good.

Nothing comes from nothing;
Nothing ever could...
So, somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good.

For here you are, standing there, loving me

Whether or not you should...

So somewhere in my youth or childhood,

I must have done something good.

Nothing comes from nothing;

nothing ever could...

So, somewhere in my youth...

...or childhood...

I must have done something...

Something...

Good...

(:

Smile, tho' your heart is aching,
Smile, even though it's breaking,
When there are clouds in the sky -
You'll get by..

If you smile through your fear and sorrow,
Smile, and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through -
For you..

Light up your face with gladness,
Hide ev'ry trace of sadness,
Altho' a tear may be ever so near..

That's the time you must keep on trying,
Smile - what's the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile,
If you just smile..

- "Smile", Charlie Chaplin

from him, for me

I would like to be able to

Come up with a poem for you as well

But my artistic side is already

Sleeping as far as I can tell.

Your roses are red,

Your lights are blue,

I'm tired as hell,

But I STILL love you... *

"otter" this world...

Amongst other animals,

I love OTTERS.

I saw this video on a blog that I follow (http://cuteotters.com). I think it's super cute - the random otter zipping by in the background is funny too!



Awww :)

girl power!

Here's an article worth reading. This girl sounds like she has a LOT of spunk and determination. A noteworthy role model for young students across the world.

Fatuma Omar Ismail: A scholar born into squalor

Quoted from the text:

"School is not a priority at Dadaab – girls don't have an equal chance," says Ms Wachuka. "Fatuma has triumphed in very difficult circumstances."

From the age of 12 she "had a dream" of going to a national school in her host country and wasn't going to be put off by naysayers who told her that refugee girls could not go. "It can be done," she says. "I've done it."

Her eventual aim is to study medicine and one day return to Dadaab as a doctor. "If there is peace in Somalia," she adds, she would like "to go and help people there where there are not enough qualified people."

The teenager understands that she is a role model and has a simple message for other young Somalis.

"You know education is the key to success. First go to school, work hard and choose a career. Work hard, aim higher and be nice to people."

...

She admits that her new life is not always easy. She misses her seven brothers and sisters and speaks to her mother by telephone only once a month. Her scholarship pays for boarding fees and uniforms but nothing more. There was no money to pay for the nine-hour bus ride to Dadaab during the Easter holiday, so she stayed in Nairobi.

Faced with the brightest girls in Kenya Fatuma is no longer "number one". In her first term, she lagged behind in the two national languages, English and KiSwahili.

But there is plenty of reason to think she will catch up. Remarkably, she came near the top of her class in computer education, having never seen one before; and has taught herself to swim butterfly, having never been in a pool before reaching Nairobi. But it's not enough for her.

"I don't feel good. In my school I used to be the best," she says. This is followed by a note of polite defiance that lands somewhere between a promise and a warning: "They are not brighter than me. They are just better at the moment."

how funny!

Last night, while I was waiting for a friend to pick me up on the way to a 21st, I was watching the Eurovision song contest.

#06, Norway really caught my eyes and ears.

The song was quite catchy in melody and lyrical content, and I couldn't stop tapping my foot in time with the music. I probably only saw 3 or 4 songs but this was my definite favourite.

And just then, I discovered that Norway had won the competition! How fantastic!

I don't normally watch Eurovision, but this year's stage in Russia looked pretty good, and I'm going to try and source an mp3 for this song. :)

Update: Found the mp3, yay! But the Eurovision clips are fun to watch.

Gold.

Watch Eye of the Tiger Kids on CollegeHumor

lizz wright: when i close my eyes

When I close my eyes
I can almost taste you
I can't face you
You're still too strong
And it's no surprise
I can't erase you
I tried to replace you
But it all went wrong

'Cause seeds don't crawl off the mountain
And they don't fall, fall from the tree
And they don't drop, not when you're counting
Or maybe that's my sweet philosophy
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Mmm...

When I close my eyes
I dream about you
Tell me how to
Tell me how not to
Grab on to something new
I looked my fate past through
But instead I keep on holding on
I keep holding on
When I close my eyes
I think about you
I just can't let you go
Oh, oh, oh, yeah

---

A light, dreamy song.. makes me feel good.

continuing disbeliefs.

I still can't believe that..

- I'm 21.
- I saw KanYe West perform live in Sydney last year.
- I saw Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson live this year.
- I'm potentially going to be seeing Angelique Kidjo & Ayo at the Opera House. And..
- I'm going to see Ben Harper in April.

BEN HARPER.

I'M GOING TO SEE BEN HARPER.

HOLY PENGUIN!

take me home, country roads..

I have an album. It's called "John Denver's Greatest Hits". It was one of the few albums I listened to while growing up (some others included two Girlfriend albums).

I don't know what it is about the music, but this album really makes me feel so warm and beautifully happy from the inside. I feel as though I'm glowing with happiness and no amount of wide grinning can accurately reflect it.

The songs on this album are generally peaceful and soothing. The slight country twang in the background makes me think of golden pastures in the American outback, and there's a hint of homesickness in the songs, a wistfulness that brings out a reminiscent frame of mind in me.

Looks like I'll have to dig out my Simon & Garfunkel, and The Carpenters too..

This is one of the happiest, loving songs on the album in my opinion:

John Denver - For Baby (For Bobbie)

I'll walk in the rain by your side,
I'll cling to the warmth of your hand,
I'll do anything to keep you satisfied
I'll love you more than anybody can.

And the wind will whisper your name to me
little birds will sing along in time,
leaves will bow down when you walk by
and morning bells will chime.

I'll be there when you're feelin down
to kiss away the tears that you cry,
I'll share whith you all the happiness I've found
a reflection of the love in your eyes.

And I'll sing you the songs of the rainbow,
I'll whisper of the joy that is mine
and leaves will bow down when you walk by
and morning bells will chime.

I'll walk in the rain by your side,
I'll cling to the warmth of your tiny hand,
I'll do anything to help you understand
I love you more than anybody can.

And the wind will whisper your name to me
little birds will sing along in time,
leaves will bow down when you walk by
and morning bells will chime.

yesterday's epiphany

Dreams are really beautiful. Sometimes they're so vivid and real that I can keep them, and hold them close to my heart and let them lift me up emotionally and spiritually*.

I don't remember all the dreams that I enjoy. Sometimes they disappear as I'm getting ready to go out in the morning. Sometimes I can think about them for most of the day, and then I forget them. But the best part is when they suddenly come back to you, out of nowhere, and you can enjoy the moment and smile to yourself, because the thought is all your own, and nobody else can touch it.

I'm really glad I have dreams.


*Being spiritual is different to being religious.

Rives is riveting!

Don't believe me?



This guy is good. :)


2.13am - Update: THIS GUY IS AWESOME!

I love his poetry. He is an enchanting fellow. It's in the passion. I think I've just developed a literary crush..



And this. The rhymes are so damn subtle, you might not have noticed them if I hadn't mentioned them..

oh, and this..

Kinda funny :) I've definitely never seen many of the emoticons in this video!