So I sit down to start my last semester's worth of undergraduate study, pull out a book and start some research. First sentence of the relevant chapter sounds familiar - I seem to remember checking out this chapter when my supervisor showed me the book in class. Second sentence is familiar too. Halfway through the first paragraph I flick to the end of the chapter and realise that I'd actually read the whole chapter before.
I am so not in the zone.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
i owned the road
I think I'm crazy.
Somehow or other, I seem to end up doing most of my moving after dark. I drove some things down to Mum's tonight, leaving at 10:30 for the 1.5hr drive each way. The drive was unhindered by traffic. Such a pleasant change.
Some thoughts:
- Driving is cathartic.
- Singing is cathartic.
- When driving late at night, it pays to have eclectic tastes in music. Metal is particularly useful when attempting to induce temporary insomnia. System of a Down on the way there, Queensryche on the way back, power all the way.
- Well-aimed headlights are awesome.
Winter in Sydney is an impotent excuse for a season. Bowral is cold enough to make winter exciting, with icy air in your lungs, near-frozen tap water and the glorious scent of a thousand wood heaters. Sydney is just cold enough to make you depressed because it's obviously not summer anymore.
I'm certain I'm crazy, but that's mostly due to things other than late night removalism. I do like the forced solitude of the small hours. When there's nobody awake to see you, there's no point wearing a mask. That's not to say I don't, just that it makes the fact of wearing it and your purpose in doing so become more obvious - you're scared of unknown people.
I currently have fewer computers in my room than I've had for the last 3.3 years. Perhaps that's related to why I wear a mask.
Man, that sounds so freaking emo. Maybe I'll write about that on my blog.
Somehow or other, I seem to end up doing most of my moving after dark. I drove some things down to Mum's tonight, leaving at 10:30 for the 1.5hr drive each way. The drive was unhindered by traffic. Such a pleasant change.
Some thoughts:
- Driving is cathartic.
- Singing is cathartic.
- When driving late at night, it pays to have eclectic tastes in music. Metal is particularly useful when attempting to induce temporary insomnia. System of a Down on the way there, Queensryche on the way back, power all the way.
- Well-aimed headlights are awesome.
Winter in Sydney is an impotent excuse for a season. Bowral is cold enough to make winter exciting, with icy air in your lungs, near-frozen tap water and the glorious scent of a thousand wood heaters. Sydney is just cold enough to make you depressed because it's obviously not summer anymore.
I'm certain I'm crazy, but that's mostly due to things other than late night removalism. I do like the forced solitude of the small hours. When there's nobody awake to see you, there's no point wearing a mask. That's not to say I don't, just that it makes the fact of wearing it and your purpose in doing so become more obvious - you're scared of unknown people.
I currently have fewer computers in my room than I've had for the last 3.3 years. Perhaps that's related to why I wear a mask.
Man, that sounds so freaking emo. Maybe I'll write about that on my blog.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
unwanted guest
Your brother is smeared on my wall.
Come back, little one, and see where your hunger leads.
We have some unfinished business.
I hear that you're free as a bird,
Romancing freedom in flight, fitful flitting through shadows.
We have some talking to do.
Your argument seems very clear.
Give you some food. Can't say you hide much there.
We are at odds at this point.
I think that's a sub-par excuse.
Leaving my door ajar doesn't mean I am to blame here.
We both know sucking blood's evil.
I killed all your cousins you know.
All of them came, they all saw, they were conquered.
We have a family vendetta.
I move like a ninja sometimes.
Your demise was surprisingly brief and satisfying.
You and your bro look alike.
-- Iain
Come back, little one, and see where your hunger leads.
We have some unfinished business.
I hear that you're free as a bird,
Romancing freedom in flight, fitful flitting through shadows.
We have some talking to do.
Your argument seems very clear.
Give you some food. Can't say you hide much there.
We are at odds at this point.
I think that's a sub-par excuse.
Leaving my door ajar doesn't mean I am to blame here.
We both know sucking blood's evil.
I killed all your cousins you know.
All of them came, they all saw, they were conquered.
We have a family vendetta.
I move like a ninja sometimes.
Your demise was surprisingly brief and satisfying.
You and your bro look alike.
-- Iain
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
bus tales: epilogue
Epilogue: Notes to the Road-using Public of Sydney and the World
1. Please learn how to merge.
I believe that 90% of traffic jams are caused by drivers being low on confidence, and that 95% of these traffic jams are caused by people lacking confidence as they merge. GOOD merging practice is to match your speed with the speed of cars in the lane you're merging into. That way neither of you will have to slow down more than 10km/h or so. BAD merging practice is to slow down and wait for an appropriately-sized gap in traffic. In Sydney, that's never going to happen. When you match your speed you can merge safely into a much smaller gap. When you slow down/stop, you hold up a row of traffic behind you and force some other nervous n00b to hold up another row of traffic as they let you in. In the end, traffic slows to a grind and roads become parking lots because you never learned how to merge properly. Get a grip, learn how big/small your car is, and stop slowing us down. The planet will thank you, and I won't want to bash your headlights in with a baseball bat.
I also believe the other 10% of traffic jams is caused by people slowing down to look at weird stuff. Please stop doing that too.
2. SUVs are of the devil.
I grew up in the country, where real 4WDs have a legitimate and valuable place on the roads. However, I have nothing but scorn for the imitation 4WDs that infest our city streets - the "Suburban Utility Vehicle" (you can say "it's supposed to be Sports Utility Vehicle" as much as you like, but that doesn't make it true). I don't really care what TodayTonight tells you - you're not safer in an SUV. Sure, there might be a little more metal protecting you from the outside world, but the ego trip that gives you is sure to attract the fury of every other motorist when it makes you drive like a tool. Driving an SUV does NOT give you a licence to cut in front of people. It does NOT give you a licence not to indicate. It does NOT give you a licence to drive like you deserve to be first in everything. It does NOT make you look cool, and it is NOT a fashionable lifestyle accessory. You're driving an overweight station wagon. You make it impossible for people in smaller cars to see safe distances ahead or around you. You generally act as though you removed your brain before you got in the driver's seat. You waste petrol. You are a menace to society. Grow up and get a social conscience.
If you drive a Ford Territory, this rebuke is directed doubly strongly at you. Particularly the part about how it does NOT make you look cool. Your SUV-driving counterparts may be driving Porsches or Mercedes or BMWs or even Toyotas (they started the SUV game), but you're driving a Ford. Seriously. If you want to waste petrol in a Ford, buy a Falcon. It's cheaper and it goes better... and, hey what now? It's SAFER. 5-star ANCAP rating. Methinks you made a bad choice.
If this rebuke offends someone I like, I'm really sorry, but I do think that in the majority of situations an SUV is an irresponsible car to be driving. Also, I have seen one or two well-driven SUVs, so I know their drivers aren't all bad... keep fighting the ego trip, good drivers.
3. Don't park in bus stops.
Bus drivers have a job to do, and you're making it hard for them. Sure, it might seem as though parking as close to the end of the bus stop won't be an inconvenience, but you've probably never had to pull a 12.5m heavy vehicle up parallel to the curb within easy stepping distance for old ladies. It's hard. I kid you not: every time I saw this I wished there was a legal provision under which I could either take out your car with my bus, or jump out of the seat and bash in your headlights with a baseball bat. And really, why on earth would you risk a $189 fine, or worse, a grumpy bus driver? Please don't park in bus stops. You're not helping anyone.
4. Look in your mirror before you open your door.
Giving a bus driver a heart attack is a bad plan. Opening your door to get out at the exact moment a bus is driving past is a pretty certain way to give a bus driver a heart attack. Do you want to keep your limbs and save the lives of up to 70 people? Check your mirror before you get out and wait for a safe gap. It's not that hard.
5. Giving way to buses.
Now, it may come as a surprise to those of you who never read road signs (I'm convinced you're out there), but there's a sign on the back of the bus that looks like this:
1. Please learn how to merge.
I believe that 90% of traffic jams are caused by drivers being low on confidence, and that 95% of these traffic jams are caused by people lacking confidence as they merge. GOOD merging practice is to match your speed with the speed of cars in the lane you're merging into. That way neither of you will have to slow down more than 10km/h or so. BAD merging practice is to slow down and wait for an appropriately-sized gap in traffic. In Sydney, that's never going to happen. When you match your speed you can merge safely into a much smaller gap. When you slow down/stop, you hold up a row of traffic behind you and force some other nervous n00b to hold up another row of traffic as they let you in. In the end, traffic slows to a grind and roads become parking lots because you never learned how to merge properly. Get a grip, learn how big/small your car is, and stop slowing us down. The planet will thank you, and I won't want to bash your headlights in with a baseball bat.
I also believe the other 10% of traffic jams is caused by people slowing down to look at weird stuff. Please stop doing that too.
2. SUVs are of the devil.
I grew up in the country, where real 4WDs have a legitimate and valuable place on the roads. However, I have nothing but scorn for the imitation 4WDs that infest our city streets - the "Suburban Utility Vehicle" (you can say "it's supposed to be Sports Utility Vehicle" as much as you like, but that doesn't make it true). I don't really care what TodayTonight tells you - you're not safer in an SUV. Sure, there might be a little more metal protecting you from the outside world, but the ego trip that gives you is sure to attract the fury of every other motorist when it makes you drive like a tool. Driving an SUV does NOT give you a licence to cut in front of people. It does NOT give you a licence not to indicate. It does NOT give you a licence to drive like you deserve to be first in everything. It does NOT make you look cool, and it is NOT a fashionable lifestyle accessory. You're driving an overweight station wagon. You make it impossible for people in smaller cars to see safe distances ahead or around you. You generally act as though you removed your brain before you got in the driver's seat. You waste petrol. You are a menace to society. Grow up and get a social conscience.
If you drive a Ford Territory, this rebuke is directed doubly strongly at you. Particularly the part about how it does NOT make you look cool. Your SUV-driving counterparts may be driving Porsches or Mercedes or BMWs or even Toyotas (they started the SUV game), but you're driving a Ford. Seriously. If you want to waste petrol in a Ford, buy a Falcon. It's cheaper and it goes better... and, hey what now? It's SAFER. 5-star ANCAP rating. Methinks you made a bad choice.
If this rebuke offends someone I like, I'm really sorry, but I do think that in the majority of situations an SUV is an irresponsible car to be driving. Also, I have seen one or two well-driven SUVs, so I know their drivers aren't all bad... keep fighting the ego trip, good drivers.
3. Don't park in bus stops.
Bus drivers have a job to do, and you're making it hard for them. Sure, it might seem as though parking as close to the end of the bus stop won't be an inconvenience, but you've probably never had to pull a 12.5m heavy vehicle up parallel to the curb within easy stepping distance for old ladies. It's hard. I kid you not: every time I saw this I wished there was a legal provision under which I could either take out your car with my bus, or jump out of the seat and bash in your headlights with a baseball bat. And really, why on earth would you risk a $189 fine, or worse, a grumpy bus driver? Please don't park in bus stops. You're not helping anyone.
4. Look in your mirror before you open your door.
Giving a bus driver a heart attack is a bad plan. Opening your door to get out at the exact moment a bus is driving past is a pretty certain way to give a bus driver a heart attack. Do you want to keep your limbs and save the lives of up to 70 people? Check your mirror before you get out and wait for a safe gap. It's not that hard.
5. Giving way to buses.
Now, it may come as a surprise to those of you who never read road signs (I'm convinced you're out there), but there's a sign on the back of the bus that looks like this:
Funnily enough, this sign tells you that when a bus is indicating to merge, you're supposed to give way to it. It's nice when you let it. It makes the driver's job a whole lot easier if you obey the law.
...
Actually, to "obey the law", you shouldn't just let them in. The sign actually only entitles a bus to right of way when it's moving away from being stopped at the far left side of the road (so not just merging), and when it's been indicating for more than 5 seconds. Full details here: http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/fragview/inforce/subordleg+179+2008+pt.7-div.4+0+N
I just tell you this so you can be informed. However, I know for a fact that there are bus drivers out there who don't even wait for cars to give way before they pull out. Playing chicken with 15 tonnes of metal isn't smart... just let them in, and be prepared for them to cut in front of you.
And on that point... it's kinda funny watching people realise that they're going to have to give way to a bus. First there's an avoidance phase, where they move as far to the right of their lane as possible, and sometimes a little bit into the next lane. Then there's the acceptance, where they awkwardly stop and let the bus in. Then there's the face-saving manoeuvre, which inevitably involves racing past the bus at the next available opportunity. I laughed at people when they did this. It's much easier and safer if you just slow down and don't swerve.
bus tales: the end
Well, I'm no longer driving buses. At the moment, I'm choosing to see this as a positive career move. My stomach is enjoying its reunion with two-minute noodles, and I'm learning to treat take-away food as a last resort rather than a staple, but it's all for the sake of being a well-educated young man. I've had a week and a half away from the job now, and I've been thinking of the ways the job benefited me and of the things I've learned during the year. I thought I might share some of these.
This job taught me that I'm capable of more than I thought I was. A bit of determination and stickability can, apparently, lead to a strengthening of resolve in the face of a challenge, which in turn can lead to facing larger challenges with some kind of courage. Or some such. Basically, I almost quit on my third day at the depot, but I didn't, and I'm kinda glad. God gave me strength when I asked for it on those early early mornings, and He also gave me the courage to use it.
I guess it was also kind of fun. Driving a huge blue and white people cart can be enjoyable, and it's really not as hard as it looks. You get a whole new view of the road. Sometimes that's fun, and sometimes it's frustrating. There were more than a few moments when I found myself thinking "I am a leaf on the wind..." (just to disturb the Firefly fans), and that was a bit of a hoot.
I also got a different view of people, both passengers and other drivers. Some people are just plain rude without apparent cause, and I guess that's just prejudice. Passengers sometimes assume bus drivers are rude and ignorant, or that conversing with them in any way is beneath them. Bus drivers sometimes assume passengers are rude and ignorant, or that conversing with them in any way is beneath them. It's all just stupid really. We're all people, and all doing jobs so we can eat. Whether you want to be a bastard about it is up to you, but I can testify that it's much easier for both parties if you're nice. I think the best thing about this job was the regular passengers I had, who knew me and knew I was a nice guy and a good driver. They were nice to me back, and I think we brightened up each others' days. I was ashamed of my profession when other bus drivers were bastards to passengers, and I'm still extremely critical of bus drivers in general really. On one level, when your job is to sit in traffic jams and carry around a bunch of ingrates you'd expect to have a short fuse, but that's no excuse for being a rude old bastard. "Sad little king of his sad little hill..."
I don't think my faith stood up to the challenge of a high workload as well as I'd have liked. I'm going to have to be extremely careful with that in the coming years, and learn to prioritise better and trust what's trustworthy and not cut corners. The world is full of distractions, and I am a very distractable person.
All told, it's been one of the most informative years of my life. It feels weird for it to be over, and I have to admit that I miss some of the perks (particularly my employee travel pass... that was probably the most valuable thing in my possession). Still, onward and upward! This too will be an interesting year. Stay tuned.
This job taught me that I'm capable of more than I thought I was. A bit of determination and stickability can, apparently, lead to a strengthening of resolve in the face of a challenge, which in turn can lead to facing larger challenges with some kind of courage. Or some such. Basically, I almost quit on my third day at the depot, but I didn't, and I'm kinda glad. God gave me strength when I asked for it on those early early mornings, and He also gave me the courage to use it.
I guess it was also kind of fun. Driving a huge blue and white people cart can be enjoyable, and it's really not as hard as it looks. You get a whole new view of the road. Sometimes that's fun, and sometimes it's frustrating. There were more than a few moments when I found myself thinking "I am a leaf on the wind..." (just to disturb the Firefly fans), and that was a bit of a hoot.
I also got a different view of people, both passengers and other drivers. Some people are just plain rude without apparent cause, and I guess that's just prejudice. Passengers sometimes assume bus drivers are rude and ignorant, or that conversing with them in any way is beneath them. Bus drivers sometimes assume passengers are rude and ignorant, or that conversing with them in any way is beneath them. It's all just stupid really. We're all people, and all doing jobs so we can eat. Whether you want to be a bastard about it is up to you, but I can testify that it's much easier for both parties if you're nice. I think the best thing about this job was the regular passengers I had, who knew me and knew I was a nice guy and a good driver. They were nice to me back, and I think we brightened up each others' days. I was ashamed of my profession when other bus drivers were bastards to passengers, and I'm still extremely critical of bus drivers in general really. On one level, when your job is to sit in traffic jams and carry around a bunch of ingrates you'd expect to have a short fuse, but that's no excuse for being a rude old bastard. "Sad little king of his sad little hill..."
I don't think my faith stood up to the challenge of a high workload as well as I'd have liked. I'm going to have to be extremely careful with that in the coming years, and learn to prioritise better and trust what's trustworthy and not cut corners. The world is full of distractions, and I am a very distractable person.
All told, it's been one of the most informative years of my life. It feels weird for it to be over, and I have to admit that I miss some of the perks (particularly my employee travel pass... that was probably the most valuable thing in my possession). Still, onward and upward! This too will be an interesting year. Stay tuned.
Monday, December 21, 2009
waking up slowly
Waking up slowly, the sound of a drill,
The cars on the road as they climb up the hill,
The birds and the trees with the wind in their hair
And inertial limbs screaming, resisting my dare
To wake up and face the world, man up and live it,
And live it damn well, and to hell with my limits.
They'll come around slow, then I'll crawl out of bed,
To stand up - not straight, not strong but not dead.
Give me an inch, I'll run it a mile
(though no guarantee that I'll do it in style);
More often than not too, I'll run the wrong way
And I'll double back, trip up and screw up the game.
There's fun to be had, and it's bad to be sad,
Work ya guns to be glad, coz that new fad is rad,
But the glad lad comes sad when bad fads had to die -
You're mad if you don't stop and ask yourself why.
Crawl into bed at the end of the day,
Don't give it thought, just give it a wave,
Read a good book as your limbs fall asleep,
Drift to oblivion without making a peep.
Tomorrow your lot is to do it again,
The birds sing in trees, your limbs scream in pain,
To gain what they can just to hand it right on.
Wake yourself slowly now. Stand up. Be strong.
- Iain
The cars on the road as they climb up the hill,
The birds and the trees with the wind in their hair
And inertial limbs screaming, resisting my dare
To wake up and face the world, man up and live it,
And live it damn well, and to hell with my limits.
They'll come around slow, then I'll crawl out of bed,
To stand up - not straight, not strong but not dead.
Give me an inch, I'll run it a mile
(though no guarantee that I'll do it in style);
More often than not too, I'll run the wrong way
And I'll double back, trip up and screw up the game.
There's fun to be had, and it's bad to be sad,
Work ya guns to be glad, coz that new fad is rad,
But the glad lad comes sad when bad fads had to die -
You're mad if you don't stop and ask yourself why.
Crawl into bed at the end of the day,
Don't give it thought, just give it a wave,
Read a good book as your limbs fall asleep,
Drift to oblivion without making a peep.
Tomorrow your lot is to do it again,
The birds sing in trees, your limbs scream in pain,
To gain what they can just to hand it right on.
Wake yourself slowly now. Stand up. Be strong.
- Iain
Thursday, December 03, 2009
hypochondriasis
It's a world of fun in my mind at the moment.
Hypochondriasis is the phobia that you're sick with something serious. It preys on what you think is an abnormal sensation or occurrence, and turns it into something you're going to die from. There's a related phenomenon called cyberchondria, which is when hypochondria gets exacerbated by misinformation from popular media. Hence, I'm finding it slightly ironic that I used Wikipedia to confirm that I am a hypochondriac.
I started writing about all the gory details, but then thought better of it... Suffice to say, I'm getting a disturbing amount of practice at cleaning wounds with a pocketknife and hydrogen peroxide. Where these wounds come from, I'm not so sure. I just dug something out of my foot - not sure what, not sure how or when it got there. The finger I can kind of explain, though it's taken a disturbing amount of cleaning also. Taught me a little about restraint when I bleached my skin white from the H2O2 and had to hold my hand under running water for 10 minutes to get normal colour back. I'm also showing remarkable restraint in not rushing to the doctor to get my back checked post-sunburn until after the skin peels and the normal itchiness stops. And all of this is on top of the standard paranoia that accompanies every groggy day after a late night, where I imagine myself not just groggy but sick, and consequently find myself light-headed because I'm short of breath because I'm panicking because I think I'm sick... it does not a fun day at work make.
It's the things I can't diagnose myself that get me the most. I like to fix things, and if I know what's wrong with something I can generally give it a shot at fixing it. Thing is, there's just so much about my body that I have no idea about, and I wouldn't have the first idea about how to fix it. And worse, I have no real idea how to tell if it's actually broken. Engines and computers are so much easier. With a body, you can't listen for pinging or knocking, and you can't check the timing or change the filters or watch for bubbles in the radiator fluid. You can't boot into Safe Mode and check the startup logs, you can't upgrade the software, and you can't kill processes one by one to find out which one was hogging all the memory. To misquote one of the most awesome webcomics ever, "my normal approach is useless here." One thing I have found helpful is the cognitive behavioural therapy techniques I learnt a few years ago while tackling depression. I actually find this a tougher challenge for them, but they can actually be effective, and it's good to have realised that.
I guess this could lead into writing about an underlying fear of death, or at least of a wasted life, but I'll hold off on that. Might write about it soon, possibly when I continue my post-AnCon thoughts (yes, I am still planning on finishing those). Hopefully I'll get to finish writing those before I die of an infected finger.
Hypochondriasis is the phobia that you're sick with something serious. It preys on what you think is an abnormal sensation or occurrence, and turns it into something you're going to die from. There's a related phenomenon called cyberchondria, which is when hypochondria gets exacerbated by misinformation from popular media. Hence, I'm finding it slightly ironic that I used Wikipedia to confirm that I am a hypochondriac.
I started writing about all the gory details, but then thought better of it... Suffice to say, I'm getting a disturbing amount of practice at cleaning wounds with a pocketknife and hydrogen peroxide. Where these wounds come from, I'm not so sure. I just dug something out of my foot - not sure what, not sure how or when it got there. The finger I can kind of explain, though it's taken a disturbing amount of cleaning also. Taught me a little about restraint when I bleached my skin white from the H2O2 and had to hold my hand under running water for 10 minutes to get normal colour back. I'm also showing remarkable restraint in not rushing to the doctor to get my back checked post-sunburn until after the skin peels and the normal itchiness stops. And all of this is on top of the standard paranoia that accompanies every groggy day after a late night, where I imagine myself not just groggy but sick, and consequently find myself light-headed because I'm short of breath because I'm panicking because I think I'm sick... it does not a fun day at work make.
It's the things I can't diagnose myself that get me the most. I like to fix things, and if I know what's wrong with something I can generally give it a shot at fixing it. Thing is, there's just so much about my body that I have no idea about, and I wouldn't have the first idea about how to fix it. And worse, I have no real idea how to tell if it's actually broken. Engines and computers are so much easier. With a body, you can't listen for pinging or knocking, and you can't check the timing or change the filters or watch for bubbles in the radiator fluid. You can't boot into Safe Mode and check the startup logs, you can't upgrade the software, and you can't kill processes one by one to find out which one was hogging all the memory. To misquote one of the most awesome webcomics ever, "my normal approach is useless here." One thing I have found helpful is the cognitive behavioural therapy techniques I learnt a few years ago while tackling depression. I actually find this a tougher challenge for them, but they can actually be effective, and it's good to have realised that.
I guess this could lead into writing about an underlying fear of death, or at least of a wasted life, but I'll hold off on that. Might write about it soon, possibly when I continue my post-AnCon thoughts (yes, I am still planning on finishing those). Hopefully I'll get to finish writing those before I die of an infected finger.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 06, 2009
bus tales v
So two things from today...
A woman slipped over when she was getting on the bus and cut her forehead open. Thankfully we were almost at Royal North Shore Hospital and there was a guy on the bus who seemed to know a bit of medical stuff. I didn't exactly follow protocol in letting the powers that be know about it, but hopefully all will be fine. The cut seemed minor, from what the guy was saying. And I'm praising God again that one of the guys who trained me, who's a Christian and is just plain nice, was yet again supervising the depot when something crazy happened to me.
A guy got on at my second last stop with his pants undone and with the most slurred speech I have ever heard. I really shouldn't have let him on at all. Would have made for a more interesting story if I hadn't. Huh. That's not why I shouldn't have let him on though... you're not allowed on a bus when you're drunk. So much about bus driving seems to be about how much the driver cares and how angry they are at the world.
A woman slipped over when she was getting on the bus and cut her forehead open. Thankfully we were almost at Royal North Shore Hospital and there was a guy on the bus who seemed to know a bit of medical stuff. I didn't exactly follow protocol in letting the powers that be know about it, but hopefully all will be fine. The cut seemed minor, from what the guy was saying. And I'm praising God again that one of the guys who trained me, who's a Christian and is just plain nice, was yet again supervising the depot when something crazy happened to me.
A guy got on at my second last stop with his pants undone and with the most slurred speech I have ever heard. I really shouldn't have let him on at all. Would have made for a more interesting story if I hadn't. Huh. That's not why I shouldn't have let him on though... you're not allowed on a bus when you're drunk. So much about bus driving seems to be about how much the driver cares and how angry they are at the world.
Friday, October 16, 2009
bus tales iv
So one of my favourite things about this job is the perspective you
give other drivers. One phenomenon I've decided to call the octabus
phenomenon (standing for "Oh Crap There's A Bus") makes me chuckle
particularly chortlishly inside. When squeezing past a car whose left
side is on, very near to or even over your lane line, it's pretty
satisfying to not hit them... it's a big vehicle, so putting it
somewhere small is a challenge. What's best, though, is seeing how far
away from the lane line when you look back at them in your mirror. I'd
say an average of 30cm. Nobody likes being that close to a huge blue
and white peoplecart. Oh, the power.
give other drivers. One phenomenon I've decided to call the octabus
phenomenon (standing for "Oh Crap There's A Bus") makes me chuckle
particularly chortlishly inside. When squeezing past a car whose left
side is on, very near to or even over your lane line, it's pretty
satisfying to not hit them... it's a big vehicle, so putting it
somewhere small is a challenge. What's best, though, is seeing how far
away from the lane line when you look back at them in your mirror. I'd
say an average of 30cm. Nobody likes being that close to a huge blue
and white peoplecart. Oh, the power.
--
Sent from my mobile device
Thursday, October 15, 2009
bus tales iii
"Do you know how they kill the chickens at KFC? They electrocute them."
Well, you don't get randomly informed about THAT everyday. Thanks, random lady.
--
Sent from my mobile device
Sunday, October 04, 2009
perspective
When I got home tonight I sat in the car listening to music. I needed to. Some thoughts are best processed near but not soaking in rain.
"An Audience with the Devil Restrung" by the Hilltop Hoods played on shuffle. A poignant look at humanity's inevitable tendency to evil.
Then played "Oh Lord, You're Beautiful" by Keith Green. A reverent love song to Jesus of obedience and hope.
There is more than one way to look at life.
Each decision and every moment in life bear possibilities and consequences we can't know. This can cripple you or it can strengthen you. You can be paralysed by fear and the desire for security, or you can be encouraged to work, fight and trust. What you will do in each situation is largely determined by the perspective you already have on life and where you got your wisdom.
I may love some of the darker sides of culture... I may flirt with depression and slowdance with the past... I may have a bark far worse than my bite... but to hell with it if I leave this world as I found it. To hell with it if I leave every opportunity untouched. To hell with it if I let the black in my heart win out. To hell with me if I leave you, Jesus. I'd rather live in love and action. Frail though my faith may be sometimes, Your way changes people for the better.
"An Audience with the Devil Restrung" by the Hilltop Hoods played on shuffle. A poignant look at humanity's inevitable tendency to evil.
Then played "Oh Lord, You're Beautiful" by Keith Green. A reverent love song to Jesus of obedience and hope.
There is more than one way to look at life.
Each decision and every moment in life bear possibilities and consequences we can't know. This can cripple you or it can strengthen you. You can be paralysed by fear and the desire for security, or you can be encouraged to work, fight and trust. What you will do in each situation is largely determined by the perspective you already have on life and where you got your wisdom.
I may love some of the darker sides of culture... I may flirt with depression and slowdance with the past... I may have a bark far worse than my bite... but to hell with it if I leave this world as I found it. To hell with it if I leave every opportunity untouched. To hell with it if I let the black in my heart win out. To hell with me if I leave you, Jesus. I'd rather live in love and action. Frail though my faith may be sometimes, Your way changes people for the better.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
bus tales ii
Today on the bus...
Yr 8: Can I not pay? I'd have to break this... (waves a 20 around
lamely) ...I don't have anything smaller.
Me: You've got a fiver right there.
Yr 8: How did you SEE that?!
Me: I'm good like that.
Then I saw a little ranger boy doing a Hitler salute while being
carried by his mum.
--
Sent from my mobile device
Friday, September 11, 2009
bus tales
Today on the buses...
Almost certain i saw Marie Bashir sending a text feom the passenger
seat of her limo as it drove past.
Laughed not a few times at a schoolgirl trying to convince her friends
to buy her an iPhone for her birthday, then trying to organise a
birthday party where her friends gave her money for said iPhone. She
failed badly at doing the maths of how many friends would have to
bring how much money. Sometimes futility is hilarious.
Saw a Mitsubishi Magna broken down and stopping traffic and
immediately, semi-consciously started singing 'Another one bites the
dust...'
Oporto dinner ftw! My Friday ritual.
--
Sent from my mobile device
Sunday, August 16, 2009
hiatus
At the risk of sounding like a teenieblogger: It's been a while between blog posts for me, and I thought it'd be nice to just write something.
I've changed shifts at work recently, so I'm now working afternoons/evenings. 2:45 - 9:20 pm, pretty much. There's an hour more driving than before, and an unpaid 50 min meal break in the middle. I'm finding it fairly difficult to fit uni work into a week with 10 fewer hours in it, and so far I've been failing fairly badly at it as I'm ill-disciplined at the best of times. I think I'll ask to change shifts again if something else comes up, as unlikely as that is. Please pray for me.
I felt like the tonight's visit to our church of two Malaysian brothers-in-Christ was a breath of fresh air. I hope in typical Iainish pessimism that they were more than just a spectacle to us. Those men face death for their belief in our Saviour... their enthusiasm for Christ and for His kingdom is therefore exemplary to us. It is also condemning of us if all we do is laugh at how awkward we feel that someone's yelling God's praises from up front; likewise if we are persistently skeptical about Jesus appearing to our brother. Who are we to dictate or presuppose the actions of the living God? Look, I know what I'm doing here is taking how I felt and applying it to all of us... still, I consider myself a decent judge of the vibe amongst a room full of people. Please, Barneys crew, let's let our brothers rub off on us. We will be persecuted like them one day - I'm nearly certain of it (possibly Iainish pessimism again). Learn what we can now of how to joyfully glorify Christ under persecution, and we will flounder less when it takes us by surprise.
I love you, Barneys people. It's so good to be able to hang out with you regularly again. I genuinely missed you when I was working mornings and couldn't stay around after church.
Numerous projects of mine are on hold at the moment due to work-uni difficulties. This includes my post-AnCon writings, tidying my room, learning how to play keys (as opposed to piano), getting better at bass, busting out the cello again, mowing the lawn, eating at home, Fallout 3, making phat computer music and putting my new speakers in my car. Okay, so many of these projects haven't gotten off the ground yet, but they are definitely in the pipeline, and I miss being able to do them (or at least think about the possibility). Please pray for me.
I'm still thinking through what to do next year. All ideas seem good, none stand out, and there's little time to think about it deeply. Please pray for me.
Please (anyone) let me know what I can pray for you. Praying for others confounds the Tempter, and I could really use that right now. Please make use of me.
I've changed shifts at work recently, so I'm now working afternoons/evenings. 2:45 - 9:20 pm, pretty much. There's an hour more driving than before, and an unpaid 50 min meal break in the middle. I'm finding it fairly difficult to fit uni work into a week with 10 fewer hours in it, and so far I've been failing fairly badly at it as I'm ill-disciplined at the best of times. I think I'll ask to change shifts again if something else comes up, as unlikely as that is. Please pray for me.
I felt like the tonight's visit to our church of two Malaysian brothers-in-Christ was a breath of fresh air. I hope in typical Iainish pessimism that they were more than just a spectacle to us. Those men face death for their belief in our Saviour... their enthusiasm for Christ and for His kingdom is therefore exemplary to us. It is also condemning of us if all we do is laugh at how awkward we feel that someone's yelling God's praises from up front; likewise if we are persistently skeptical about Jesus appearing to our brother. Who are we to dictate or presuppose the actions of the living God? Look, I know what I'm doing here is taking how I felt and applying it to all of us... still, I consider myself a decent judge of the vibe amongst a room full of people. Please, Barneys crew, let's let our brothers rub off on us. We will be persecuted like them one day - I'm nearly certain of it (possibly Iainish pessimism again). Learn what we can now of how to joyfully glorify Christ under persecution, and we will flounder less when it takes us by surprise.
I love you, Barneys people. It's so good to be able to hang out with you regularly again. I genuinely missed you when I was working mornings and couldn't stay around after church.
Numerous projects of mine are on hold at the moment due to work-uni difficulties. This includes my post-AnCon writings, tidying my room, learning how to play keys (as opposed to piano), getting better at bass, busting out the cello again, mowing the lawn, eating at home, Fallout 3, making phat computer music and putting my new speakers in my car. Okay, so many of these projects haven't gotten off the ground yet, but they are definitely in the pipeline, and I miss being able to do them (or at least think about the possibility). Please pray for me.
I'm still thinking through what to do next year. All ideas seem good, none stand out, and there's little time to think about it deeply. Please pray for me.
Please (anyone) let me know what I can pray for you. Praying for others confounds the Tempter, and I could really use that right now. Please make use of me.
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